The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-30 00:00:00

ESCAPE OF JOLLY MITCHELL.

The Melbourne Argus of June 18 gives the follow-
ing particulars of the map) of John Mitchell from Vim
Diemen 's Lani:

" Information has reached Hobart Town of the escape
of Mr. John Mitchell, the Irish state prisoner, who was
residing upon ticket-of-leave parole at Bothwell. The
particulars of the case are as follows :—Mr. Mitchell waited
a day or two ago upon Mr. Davies, the assistant police ma-
gistrate of Bothwell, with a letter which contained the re-
.houtiun of his parole of honour, and he faltered to place
himself in the custody of the police. While Mr. Davies
was perusing the letter, Mr. Mitchell abruptly left the
office, and proceeding outside, where two fleet horses were in
waiting, rode off at lull speed, accompanied by a gentleman
supposed by the police to be Mr. NV. L. Susytb, the corres-
pondent of the New York Tribune. lie has not been heard
of since. Mr. Martin. another of the state prisoners re-
siding in thu same district, has since reported himself to be
at his auth .rised place of residence. This is the fourth of
the Irish state prisoners who have escaped from the island.
Mr. P. Donoghue has turned up. lie was at Tahiti en
node to California, when the steamer New Orleans left for
Sydney. blesses. Smith O'Brien, Martin, and O'llobetty
ere all who are left in Van Diemen's Land of the men of

MARIA ANTONIA RAILWAY.--Trliffie for week
ending September Id, 1853, 4221. Corresponding week,
1852, 6921.

Vbe Court.

-...-* .--

LALHORAL, Seer. 2S.
Her Majesty drove ytaterday afternoon in theopett
carriage.. Prince Albert sent tut elcer•stalking. Viscount
Palmerston has left Bahnot tl for the south.
The dinner pony yesterday include .1 the DreLis of
Kert, Lady Augusts Btu• r. the llot. 31ra. Gordan, Lad
Sir GeorgeCouper:

. - -
A Deputation from the Protestant Alliance had an in-
terview with the Earl of Clarendon on IV 011111 Fll3y at the
Foreign Office, (or the purl., a of riquesting the tnt.rrpori.
tiOM the goveriauf n: on behalf of Miss Cuninghause. 114
deputation coaAsted of the Earl of Shaitesbuiy, Colonel
Alexander, Mr. Wilbraham 1 ylnr, the its,. Dr. Beecham,
Mr. T. Hamilton, Mr. J. Cu.. Evans, sad Capt. Giberte.
Despatches were received at the Colonial Office ye,:rr.
day fr.iin the Governor,: of Diemen's Lind, Melbourne,
the Mauritius, the Calo of 0 o u Hope, std Natal.

THE CH.4 NCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

IN THE NORTII.
(From the In rernm .f.l.e►tiirr of Tuo.day.)
MA. GLADSTONE AT DINGWALL.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer teas presented
with the freedom of this ancient burgh today.
The right hon. gentleman quitted Durrobin Casth yes.
terday, passing the night at Tarhat Ilou.e—the scat of the
Marquis of Stafford—abd en Dioivrall at kall.paat
one o'clock. There he drove to the residence of hi. rel.dire,
Mrs. Chisholm, and a ft w minutes ofterasards signitel tact
he was ready to receive the magistrates and council. It
happened, unfortunately, that the rrovo►t, Sir James
Matheson, Bsrt., was detained at JAWS Castle, but Balite
Macdonald, and the other members, ..ccouipanied by Sheriff
Cameron, the Rev. Mr. Sutherland, and several othcr gen-
tlemen, proceeded thither. They met a most cordial re-
ception from the right Lon. gentleman, with whom was
Mrs. Gladstone and acne .1 other ladies.

Bailie MacooNALn briefly expressed the gratification
with which they welcointd him to the place, and explained
the resolution to which the council had alum.

Mr. ()RIGOR prescntcel the burgess ticket, which bore to
be given in testimony of the high re.•iiect and estitustioa
entertained by the council for Liu "as the supporter Of
liberal economical principles, and as one of the most ea-
lightened statesmen iiuunciiri who has ever taken part
in the public affiri of this petit empire," and conferred
upon him in the usual form th, "power to •ase and exerciie
all the privileges and immun.tics " belooging to an hono-
rary burgess

Mr. GLA DSTONII then spoke us follows—Gentleman, I
accept with the liveliest pleasure, rind with strong «mi.
ments of gratitude, both the burgess ticket which you
have been pleased to ceufer upon me, and also the address
with which you have been good enough to accompany it.
If, as you have said, you think this occasieu of my visit to
Dingwall one of interest to you, much tours so is it an
occasion of interest to myself. My occupations have been
of such • nature as not to allow :of to visit this part of the
country so frequently as I could have wished. The time
that has elapsed since I last had the honour of acquainting
myself with Diug wall is no less than thirty-seven years.
I have brought with mo now my son, who is much
farther advanced in boyhood than I was then. The
period I have mentioned is a largo part of human life;
it comprises one full generation, and most of those whcal
I now address could, it I mistake not, only have
been children when I was last here. I Lave watched
with the greatest interest, as it was impossible I could
not but watch, the many changes which have been ef-
fected in this part of the country since that period. It
has pleased Providence to impress this beautiful dis-
trict with signs and tokens on tho phy.ical conformation
of the country which render it easy to retain in the
memory its highly interesting features. And, so far as the
surface of the land is concerned, I have witnessed with de-
lighted surprise how the diligence, prudence, energy, and
enterprise of Scotsmen have been continually engaged in
making the wilderness to blossom as the rows. Ido not
mean to say that these effects are peculiar t 3 this district
but I am persuaded that in no part of the country has the
progress of improvement been more rapid. The town of
Dingwall itself has uudergone an mire transformation
since I knew it. The houses which at that time were con.
spicuous for their goodness have now been thrown into the
shade, and everywhere we witness delig'tful specimens
of that activity and progress which now characterises
every part of the country. I think you are aware that
those who are counecti d Ober by blood or re-
collection with the llthlarals of Se.: Aland, do not
easily lose their interest in the population, nor their
attachment to the soil. For me, the counexion of my
family with Dingwall must ever be a source of the ten-
derest and most endearing 149106: lion, because she to whom
I owe my birth was not only a native herself, but although
removed far away, for &cores of years continued to cherish
an attachment towards it in a di gree not surpassed by any
of its inhabitants. On every personal and domestic ground
therefore I cannot but feel deeply grateful for this tribute
of your regard. While saying this, lam bound to mention
likewise that I cannot critically exert:the the opinion you
have been pleased to pronounce upon my public conduct.
I ought not, however, to omit mentioning my admi.
ration of the tone and spirit in which your ad-
dress is conceived. In it you CY preis a just and
praiseworthy Lope that 1 and toe government of which I
am a member, " may long continue to eschew party war.
fare, promote safe and progressive reform, and carry out in
all the institutions of the state thorough and needful ame-
lioration." Gentlemea, 1 ith feel and believe, and it is a
source of no small satisfaction to myself, that the present go-
vernment is distinguished more than molly which preceded
it by coming less in contact with mere party organisstien,
and being less pledged to the purposes of party warfare. It
is composed, as you know, for the most part, of men having
great experience in public service. This is my twenty-first
year of public life, and yet I am, certainly not its youngest
member, but still young, compared with those veteran
statesmen who occupy the chief place, in the councils of her
Majesty. They are united by an honourable bond; and I
may take it upon me to say that their objects and wishes
are no other than you have expressed. I spoke of these
changes on the face of the country which are palpable to
the eye, but other changes, also, have taken place, curing
the lapse of those eventful years to which I have referred—
changes involving a greater amount of legislative effort
after improvement, and comprising larger and more benefi-
cial results than have ever been gathered together during
any period of the same length iu the history of our country.
Looking to the course which legislation has taken—setting
minor objects aside—allowing for that freedom of opinion
which, thank God, prevails in this country—and for the
differences with which that freedom must be at'ended,
I think we must all feel diet the institutions of the country
have been working well—that they have been working
for the benefit of the mass of the community. The steps
taken may by some be deemed too slow or too short ; but,
on the whole, they have been in what is called the right
direction—the character of the policy which the country
has pursued has been of a nature which will honourably
distinguish her history, and which marks her state and
condition in a manner the most favourable as compared
with those of other nations. When Lord Aberdeen took
office he declared it to be his special mission—not of course,
putting other objects aside—to defend, complete, and seal
that great work of commercial reform the extension of
which has been the main characteristic of the last ten years.
I hope you think him faithful to his pledge. At this par-
ticular moment, when it is pleasing Providence to Frew
on other nations something like a scarcity of the fruits
of the earth, I hope there are none among those whom I
address who do not feel profoundly thankful for the adop-
tion of that wise policy, by which we h eve removed every
trammel and restraint on the supply of that article upon
which oar population are dependent for subsistence. It is
the lot sf man to labour—to earn his bread by labour; but
it was a sad and miserable delusion when, in addition to
this penalty laid upon him in the wise counsel of God, we
undertook to interfere and render scarce by artificial laws
the bread upon which he is to subsist. I really must say
that all who took a part in the beneficial work of altering
those laws ought to feel thankful to the Almighty for being
permitted to share in carrying through measures so bene-
ficial in their tendency, so full of benevolence towards the
masses of the community, and—if I must add another
motive—so calculated as that legislation has been,
and has shown itself to be, to strengthen the
attachment of the people to the institutions of
I the country, and to confirm alike their sentiments of reser-
ince fur law, their loyalty to the tnrune, and their &Noe-
-1 cation of the blessings they enjoy from the constitution
under which they live. There never was a more signal
example of the advantages to be derived from the adop-
t tion of wise and well-considered improvement than that
' exhibited by this country. These must speak to the
mind of every public man, and recommend a perseveralice
'in that course which experience has shown to he fresgbt
with so much benefit. And, if other encouragements be
needed, they are to be derived while travelling through
the land from meetings such as this—where intelligent
men, chosen to represent the wants, wishes, and interests of
paiticslar localities, come forward to receive us with ex-
pressions of decided approval and kindly overlook our many
deficiencies. I trust the effect of these testimonies will be to
inspire us with a determination to devote ourselves, so Wog
as we remain the nts of the crown, with at least single-
ness of purpose and without regard to party nhjects, to the
promotion of the public welfare. 1 tug age« most sin-
cerely and cordially to express my gratitude for the honour
you have done me, and to express the satisfaction with
which I accept the freedom of this burgh which it has Dean
your pleasure to confer upoa me, and have listened to the
wise, sound, and judicious address with which it was ac-
companied.
Wine was then served round to the company ; Mr. Glad-
stone drinking to the prosperity of the burgh. The cere-
mony then ended, and the assembly separated.