The Express.
London, England, 1849-08-29 00:00:00

WEST SURREY ELECTION.

RETIREMENT OP MR. BRISCOE, AND ADOPTION
OP Mu. EDI:MU —A meeting of the liberal electors was
held at the Crown Inn, Gui'dford, on Saturday last, H. L.
L,ng, Esq., in the cheir, which was well attended.
Mr. Eamon explained the mast o' Ma retirement, which
had reference to the expenses of the election. The mentor
in which he bad, however, come forward, elicited enthusi-
astic approbation.
O. T. NICHOLSON, Esq. of Waverley Ahtty, then pro-
posed as a candidate H. W. Edgell, Esq., of Milton-place,
Eghsm. 0. BEST, Esq., seconded the motion.
Mr. EDOELL euldiessed the electors, stating that until
lei:bin a few hours he had had no expectation of his he-
camieg a candidate. He explained his political views on the
current topics of the day, width, with his replies to ques-
tions from Capt. Mangles, Mr. Hockley, and other electors,
were highly satisfactory.
Resolutions were prt,ezd in Mr. Edgell's favour, who, after
the meeting, canvassed the farmer. in the market, and ob-
tained many promises of support.
The Speaker's warrant has been tatted, and the election
ix fixed for Monday, September 10th.

PARLIAMENTARY AND FLNANCIAL

REFORM.

MEETD.:Ci AT DEPTTORD,

Yesterday evening a meeting of the National Par-
liamentary and Financial Reform Awociation for the boreueh
of Greenwich took place at the chapel, Church-street, Dept-
ford. The chair was taken by Mr. Masrmts, who ex-
plained the objects of the meeting.
Mr. Sir al moved the first resolution, viz, :—' That the
report of the National Parliamentary and Financial Reform
Association, now remi to the meeting, meets with the fu:lest
approval ; and this meeting hereby pledges itself to carry
out the principles therein enunciated to the fullest possible
extent."
Mr. PEPPEIICOIIII seconded, and Mr. WEBB supported,
She resolution.
Sir F. linows.ns said that an.egonist journals had stated
that there were symptoms of disunion among them. There
was not a single fact to justify such an ass.rtion.
Mr. T. WENrsaa having addressed the meeting, the re-
solution was c►rried.
Mr. F. Garaust then moved the second resolution,
" That the Daily News and Morning Advertiser are Erni
nendy entitled to the gratitude and support of all re.
formers, for their advocacy of the principles of procrea-
tion, and the ample reports of reform meetings given in their
columns."
Mr. Rule tecondcd the resolution, which was carried
unanimously.
The thanks of the meeting were next voted to the Rev.
Mr. Squire for the use of his chapel ; also to the Chairman
and to the deputation fro n the National Association.

SWINDLING LAND SALES.— We (the 'Western
Times) regret to state that several parties have been vic-
tiniised in a most cruel manner by purchasing land in Texas,
in lots of 40 acres each, for which a consideration was paid
down prior to their taii.ng. We have a letter before us
from Mr. Edward Anning, from the parish of St. Edmund,
Exeter, who states that after hiving paid their money in
England, when the party arrived at Galveston, they found
that there was no land to ba had—no " Lewis Goddard,
Esq.," the alleged owner, to he found ; and at a house
called " the Centre of Gravity," the landlord told Anning
that one of the parties referred to as agent had served
behind the bar of that very public helm, hat heel been
obliged to leave because of a murder committed cn the
pier, in which he was implicated. Arming end his friends
went to the British causal for advice, but that functionary
ordered them oat of the house, because they called the ILIUM
who had taken them out a veleain and a swindler. Anning
subrquently went to New Orleans, and afterwards to Cin-
cinnati, where his wile died of cholera. His letter is dated
"Cincinnati, Ohio, June 24." Ile wishes, through the
IVestern Testes, to have the public warned ardent a repeti-
tion of this scheme, as he says the patties ini.nd to try it
once more in Devonshire. He names ens keel agent, but as
it is possible that the later was not :.ware of the act to
which tee lent his name, we forbear to publish it at present.
Some cf the parties. in addition to buying land, had psi for
a twelvemonth's provision in advance.
RELIGIOUS FANATICISM IN SWITZERLAND.—The
government of the canton Freiburg has just published the
result of an inquiry into the case of Miss Clara Blafonit,
who, it wee alleged, being left an orphen with some property,
was unlawfully prevailed upon to enter the nunnery of fit.
Ursula at Freiburg, and to make over the whole a her pro-
perty to the treasury of that religious society. The inquiry
was caused by the rumour of cruel treatment to which this
lady was exposed. The commissioners found her in a cell,
lying on straw and with her feet chained to a post. Her
food was scarcely fit for an animal. It appeaiis that the
wretched woman had suffered this treatment for 14 years, and
that she had become insane in consequence. The commis-
sioners ascertained that the abbess end the bishop were both
privy to this di-graceful cruelty. The nuns displayed, ore
their examination, the most revolting heartlessness, cunning,
and reserve. The government of 'Freiburg, as a matter of
course, decreed that the poor creature should be given up to
the friends of her family. Another instance of religious
perversity is reported from the canton of Unterwelden.
M. Foster, the parish priest of 13noehs, thought proper to
offer a young lady of delicate health an asylum in his house ;
but in order to turn his charity t r account, he circulated a
rumour of miracles of which the young woman in question
was the object. He said she every Friday died, and des
emended for some hours to purgatory, where she conversed
with the dead. By the interposition of the Holy Virgin she
was afterwards allowed to come to life again, with a full
conscioeuness of what she had seen and heard in purgatory.
This news caused the people of the surrounding districts to
come in crowds to see the young lady, and inquire for the
fate of their friends and relations who had passed the
bourne from whence it would appear people do return
sometimes. Of comes the young lady was not sparing
in her deser;ption of the purgatorial torment, and she
enunciated it as a great truth that there are but three means
to liberate the poor souls from purgatory—viz., offerings to
the church, legacies to the church, and pilgrimages. Of
course this applied only to wealthy families, and large sums
of money were consequently given to the Hey. Mr. Feaster.
At length it was stated that the young lady intended to
make a public death at one o'clock, p.m., on the following
Friday, and that she wculd be carried to church, where the
Virgin would wake her at four o'clock precisely. Crowds
of people assembled from al! parts of the country to see the
miracle. Virgins dressed in white, and holding wreaths of
flowers, stood prepared to carry the sanctified maiden to the
church. The church clock struck one, and time wore on,
but the fair saint did not die. The appointed time was
passed by half an hour, and rill she wish closed eyes,
but as much alive as any of the bystanders. At length
the Nev. M Faster leant over her and whispered in net
ear. He receives an answer in the same tone of voice,
and turning to the impatient crowd, he informed them
that the Holy Virgin had left the maiden the option either
to die at that hour or at a later hour, and that she preferred
dying at a later hour. Some people thought this tco bad,
but the crowd cried " Miracle," and marvelled vastly.—
Dada& Zwehosee
NEW SCYTHES.—A trial has been made at Geniis'
(France), of a reaping-machine used in the north of France,
under the various names of Belgian scythe, nape, quiet,
&c. It is of the same form as the scythe blade, though a
little smaller and more curved, and is fixed with a strap to
a very short handle. The reaper makes use of it with his
right band, by an easy movement, causing little fatigue. lie
I has in his left hand a hook, fixed to the end of a small
hanile, of very light wood, with which he holds the wheat
while giving the cut with the nape. This insrument, worked
in the above manner by a young man, 22 years of age,
ap-
peared to all the farmers and intelligent labourers present to
furnish great advantages over the sickle and rake scythes.
It cuts as close to the ground as may be desired, does not
shake the earl, and consequently does not cause the grain to
fall out. The reaper does not wane.(as is the case in using the
rake-scythe) an assistant to follow him to pick up what
is left behind; his hook performs that office with the greatest
facility and much better; it allows nothing to fall, and col-
lect+ the corn into bundles of the required size with sur-
prising eegtuarity. It offers in the most evident manner, a
saving of hands, strcegm, fatigue, time, and acts better than
the ordinary implements used. In corn beaten down, espe.
eially, labourers at present spend much time and labour, and
much of the produce is lost ; whilst the are of this instru
smut offers the greatest advantages, as it works with just the
same precision as though the corn were standing. The
reapers in the Franche-Comte, who are the ordinary harvest
labourers, were quite astonished at the action of this instru-
ment.—Broossels Harald.