The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-21 00:00:00

THE REFORM MEETINGS ON CLERKEN-

WELL-GREZN.

TO TEI EDITOR OP THE EXPRESS.
Brit,—You will oblige the promoters of the
Reform meetings that have been held on Clerkenwell-
green by inserting the accompanying letter to Mr. Glad-
stone, together with his answer.—l am, &c.,
June 20. B. LUCRAFT.

To the Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone, her Majesty's
Chancellor of the Exchequer.--Sir,—At a public meeting
held on Clerkenwell-green, June 18, 1866, it was unani-
mously resolved that the following communication be
signed by the chairman, and forwarded to you as a slight
acknowledgment of the very high estimation in which you
are held by the working people of Finsbury.
Many thousands of working men have met on Clerken-
well-green from time to time since the introduction of the
Reform Bill now before the House of Commons, to peti-
tion in favour of it—to watch its progress and chanties of
success. On April 30 a very large meeting was unani-
mous in opinion that the kind manner in which you had
defended working men ifroin the unjust and cowardly
attacks made upon them by some members of the
House of Commons had earned their warmest and
most grateful thanks. We again, sir, desire
most sincerely to thank you for your continued
exertions in our behalf, and beg to assure you that we en-
tertain the greatest confidence that you and the
rest of her Majesty's government will continue to
resist all attempts to make it a lees enfranchising bill than
when first introduced to the house. Believing that it may
be some satisfaction to know that those you are endeavour-
' ing to serve are grateful, and fully recognise the vast be-
nefits and blessings you wish to confer upon them, and hoping
that it may somewhat blunt the unusually spiteful and
malignant shafts so persistently hurled at you, is the
reason we again trespass on your attention. That you
may have health, to bear the wear and tear, necessary for
finally vanquishing the unscrupulous enemies of the
people's liberties, and a long enjoyment of unalloyed hap-
piness, is the sincere wish of the working men of Finsbury.
(Signed on our behalf) B. Lvaurr, Chairman.
13, Se. James-street, Islington.

11, Downing-street, Whitehall, June 19.

•
Sir,—The Chancellor of the Exchequer desire's me to
request that you will express his sincere and grateful
thanks to those on behalf of whom you write, for the very
kind expressions used in your letter, which he has just
received.—l am, So., W. B. (=vapor+.
B. Lucrat t.

THZ BALLOT SoeuerY.—At the weekly meeting
of the committee held at their ollees, 61, Cheapside' on
Tuesday last, an interesting and important letter from Mr.
F. S. Dutton, late Minister of Public Works, and for 14
years a member of the legislature of South Australia, on
the working of the ballot in that colony, was considered
and ordered to be printed. It was ordered that a circular
be sent to the friends of the ballot in the House of Com-
mom urging them to support Mr. Berkeley's motion. The
following subscriptions were then reported :—W. Lawson,
jun., D. ; S. Railing IL la.; Richard Harris, D. ls. ;
Morjeant Gagelee, D. Is. ; William Leaf, 101. 10s. ;
Hugh Mason, 11. Is. ; J. Crossley and Sons, 31. 3s. ; Geo.
Brooks, jun., 11. Is. ; Sykes Brothers, 1/. ls. ; Robert Kell,
1/. ls. ; S. C. Kell, 11. la. ; W. D. Herts, 11. ls. ; Titus Salt.
11. ; Thomas Roberts, 11. ; J. Leese, it. ls. ; R. B.
Whiteside, C.C., 11. la., and sundry smaller sums.
Tan JAMAICA BLUE Boo=.—Part 11. of the

Jamaica papers was lamed yesterday, comprising the
minutes of evidence taken by the commissioners, and an
appendix. It is • most bulky volume, extending in all to
1,162 pages, of which 1,075 are taken up by the evidence,
and the remainder by the appendix. There are copious
indices and tables of contents, and lists of witnesses
classified both nominally and according to the subjects on
which they were examined. The appendix contains re-
turns of the killed and wounded in the Morant Bay
outbreak ; numerous returns as to the administration of
justice in Jamaica ; statements and returns relative to the
payment of wages ; the proclamation of martial law and
military orders and documents connected with the sup-
minion of the disturbances; returns of punishments DINA ER TO THE JUDGES.
indicted during martial law ; the proceedings in three ---0
courts martial, and all the correspondence and documents Yesterday evening Mr. Alderman Gibbons and
relative to the Gordon case ; documents and despatches Mr. J. Figgins, sheriffs of London and Middlesex, enter-
relative to the political prisoners ; and miscellaneous docu- tallied her Majesty's judges at • banquet in the hall of the
menu, including a memorial of baptist missionaries; reso- Salters' Company. The judges who honoured the sheriffs
lotions of negro meetings, and leading articles from the with their company were Baron Martin, Justice Wines,
County Uaioa newspaper, before and after the capture of Justice Heating, Baron Pigott, Justice Mellor, Justice
Mr. Gordon. Shee, Justice Smith, and Justice Lush ; and among the
EXPLOSION OF AN ENGINE ON THE MIDLAND RAIL- members of the bar who were present were Queen's Conn-
war.—On Tuesday evening, about half-past 7 o'clock, con- sellers Warren, Chambers (Common Serjeant), Malins, R.
siderable excitement was created in the town of Not- James, Hardinge, Giffard, and Millward ; and Ser.
tingham by the report that an explosion of an engine bad je...nts Payne, Tindall Atkinson, and Robinson, and
taken place at the Midland Railway station, and that the Mr. Sleigh. General Pennefather represented the
accident had resulted in serious injuries to several of the army, and Sir W. Codrtngton and Sir F. Nicholson the
company's servants. The engine was on the point of navy. The prime wardens and masters of the principal
starting with a luggage train for Leicester, when from City companies had also been invited, and most of them
some cause the boiler exploded with a loud report, , were present. The loyal toasts were proposed and re-
hurling pieces of iron and woodwork into the air to I sponded to with the usual enthusiasm. In proposing the
a considerable height, and completely throwing the toast of the "Army, Navy, and Volunteers," Mr. Sheriff
engine and tender from the permanent way on Gibbons expressed the hope that we might escape the pri-
to the shunting rails, a distance of several yards. vations which some nations of the continent were already
The driver, David Teasley, was blown by the force of the ' suffering. In responding to the toast, General Pennefather
explosion over several lines of rails on the one side, and alluded to the improvements which had been introduced
was picked up covered with blood, and evidently much . into the organisation of the British army under the &Ara-
linjured. The fireman, John Lane, was blown from the nistration of the illustrious Prince the commander-in-chief,
opposite side against a box van, dropping to the ground and expressed a confident opinionthatas the armyhadnever
like a log, and he was removal from the ground in a state failed in the past, so in the future it would never fail to
of insensibility. The guard, Robert l'aling, was also perform all that was required of it. Admiral Coilrington,
found to have sustained injuries ; but they did not appear responding for the navy, said that although sailors were
to be of so severe a character as those of his fellow- always particularly at home in the City of London, s
offerers, inasmuch as he MIS enabled in a short time to genuine salt would feel even more than at home in the
walk avr.,y with assistance. A shunter, named Tyers, was Salters' Hall. The health of the Lord Mayor having been
found in a box slightly injured, and another man engaged duly honoured, Mr. Sheriff Gibbons proposed the toast
in the yard was struck in the mouth by a stone hurled by of " Her Majesty's Judges," and in a brief speech ex-
e \plosion but hie hurt did not prevent him continuing pressed the confidence which all classes of the people,
his work. The engine, we understand, had only been re- and more especially the citizens of London, enter-
turned from the works at Derby two days ago. The exact tanned in the honesty, the uprightness, and the
nature of the damage we are unable to state. Tansley, impartiality of the present tenants of the judicial bench.
Lane, Paling, and Tyers were removed to the General The toast was received with all the honours, and in its
Hospital, where they individually received the prompt and acknowledgment, Baron Martin said that although the
skilful attention of the surgeons of that excellent institu- judges in the discharge of their duties did not depend upon
tion ; but we regret to say that after an examination of popular applause, they were naturally not insensible to
the engine driver's injuries it was considered necessary to public approval. For the last century and a half, at least,
perform amputation of the right arm, the limb being no judge had allowed private favour to overpower the obli-
much shattered below the elbow. At the time we cations of public duty ; and so long ass similar course was
' made our inquiries, Lane, the fireman, bad just pursued he did not doubt that the judicial bench would
recovered from his insensibility; and although he was command therespect and the esteem not onlyof the citizens
evidently considerably injured, yet it was believed his life of London but of the whole people of England. With the
• was not in immediate danger. It is a remarkable thing City of London, as far at least as their criminal juris-
that, from an explosion of sufficient force to throw • diction was concerned, the judges had • more than
weight of thirty tons several yards, the men on the engine usually intimate connexion, and on that occasion it was not
should have escaped with their lives. The injured men, inappropriate to acknowledge that nothing had more con-
we should add, all belong to Nottingham. Immediately duced to the well administration of the law in the City of
after the explosion a number of labourers were set to work London than the excellent judgment which the citizens had
to clear the line, and while they were engaged in that displayed in the election of those who, as far as the law
operation a little incident, showing the frightful nature of was concerned, principally remeented them. The learned
railway accidents, occurred close b 7 A dog •ho under the baron concludedby proposing." The Health of the Sheriffs,"
carriages of a trsin passing at fu speed, and in its fright which was responded to by Mr. Sheriff Gibbons. A
it attempted to escape between the wheels ; but in the the other toasts were " The Bar of Fs/gland," responded
twinkling of an eye it was cut in two, and mangled past to by Mr. M. Chambers, Q.C., and " The Magistrates of
recognition —Nottingham, Daily Guardian. the City of London," acknowledged by Sir J. Munroe*.
.1 .
I CRYSTAL PALACE. ONZ SHILLING DAT.— The proceedings of the evening were enlivened by the poF
iWEDNESDAY, Jost 20.—Admissions on payment, 8,864 ; formance of a party of vocalists, under the direction of Mr.
ditto by season tickets, 6,376. Total viaiten, 15,240. Lawler.