The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-08 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 8, 1867.

I3IPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

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HOUSE OF LORDS.—TncR.DAY, MAR, II T.
The Loll) CHANCELLOR took his seat on tho woolsack
at 5 o'clock.

Karl GRANVILLE—I wish to ask the noble 'aril oppo-
site If the government have received any further inforuur-
tion from Ireland.

The Earl of DERBY—No news bas been received as to
the state of Ireland except what has been already give u.
In the course of the day a telegram, dated 11.45, was re.
eeived, which is to the effect that the railway line had
been reopened to Cork, that 13 prisoners had been brought
in, several wounded, and three shot dead; and that
Dublin, Limerick, Waterford, and Cork were quiet. On
my way to the house I called at the Home-office, and
found the following telegram there, dated 3.1. i :—"
Tek-
tc reports have come in from all parts of Ireland.
No events of importance took place last night. Fugitives
heard of in several districts. Police are active in pursuit;
and numbers have abandoned their arms. No considerable
body of insurgents reported as any longer in existence." I
may add to that, that no additional reinforcements will be
required in Ireland. (Hear, hear.)
HYPOTHEC AMENDMENT (SCOTLAND) BILL.
The above bill passed through committee pro formd, and
was ordered to be re-committed that day week.

The shipping Load Dues Lill 'waded through ouuulattao
and some other bulls were forwarded a stage.

3tETRop9IuTAN rthmt BILL

Mr. G. HARDY, in moving that the house .hould go
into committee upon this bill, said at that late hour (II
o'clock) he would not proceed with the discussion of the
clauses. He only asked that they should go into com-
mittee pro forums, in order that the bill, with the amend-
ments, might be reprinted. With revect to the building.
and works under the bill. it was desirable that the house
should come to a conclusion upon it aa soon as possible,
and he therefore hoped the house would be prepared to
proceed with the hill to-morrow. (Hear, hear.)
The bill was then committed pro tonna.
SHIPPING LOCAL DIMS BILL.
This bill plowed through committee.

CRIMINAL LUNATIC. BILL
This bill passed through committee pro Joni* in order
that it might be printed with amendments.
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY PROFFSSORSHIPS BILL
This bill passed through committee.
UNIFORMITY ACT AMENDMENT.

In committee of the whole house, Mr. FAWCETT (for
Mr. Bonverie) moved that leave be given to bring in a bill
to enable colleges to admit persons to fellowships whatever
their religion might be.
Leave was given.

Mt: SUNDAY EVENINGS FOR THE PEOPLE
AT ST. MARTIN'S HALL.

YeAertlay aftern, on a case was fir.,itglit be!oro
the chief magistrate, S r Thomas Henry, at the police
court, How-street, upon four summonses against the pro-
prietor of St. Martin's-hall, Long Acre, under the Act
21 Geo. 111., c. to, entitled " An Act for 'preventing cer-
tain Alunes and Profunations on the Lord's H.py, callus!
Sunday," fur keeping a disonlerly house ; the specific
charge being that upon four occasions " Entertainpuents
were given on a Sunday, ~.lin'asion being by the payment
of money, or by tickets sold for money.
Sir John Bus-ring and Mr. James Heywood, F.R.S.,
occupied seats on the bench.
. . . . .

The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Poland, in-
structed by Messrs. Baxter, Rose, and Norton ; Mr. Dam
gcrtleld, of the firm of Dangerfield and Fraser, appealed
fur the nominal defendant, the proprietor of St. Martin's-
hall; and Mr. liesley, initructed by Messrs. Sheen ►nd
Roscoe, of Bedford-sow. fur the parties conducting the
alleged "Entertainment."

Mr. Poland opened the case. He said that, appearing
for Mr. Baxter and other gentlemen who took an interest
in taking care that the Lord's day should not be dese-
crated, he need hardly observe that he was only desirous
of stating the case fairly, and of ascertaining whether the
law had been infringed. fie should not enter into any
retuarks as to whether it was proper that such enter-
tainments should be given.

Sir Thutuas ahould not permit any such dis-
cussion. _

Mr. Poland—Quite Do, and we have nothing to do with
that question. The learned counsel proceeded to state the
provisions of the act imposing a penalty of 2001., recoverable
by action at law, against any person keeping a house orplace
in which entertainments or amusements were provided on
the Sunday, and also providing that they might be pro.
ceeded against for keeping a disorderly house. Now, the
entertainment with respect to which these proceedings
were taken was beyond question a musical entertainment,
at which also lectures were delivered. He was bound to
say that at all these entertainments there was no disorder
in the usual sense. The audience were well behaved.
The proceedings were conducted with strict propriety, if
lawful on the Sabbath day. The bills which were dis-
tributed stated that the admission was free, and no doubt
free seats were provided. The hall held about 2,000, and
the free seats, which, of course, were the worst
sesta, were soon filled. then persons who had
been unable to obtain admission to these free seats
found that by paying their money or buying
tickets they could obtain admission to other parts of the
ball. It could not be at all pretended that these enter-
tainments were in any way in the nature of religious ser-
vices, being clearly matters of amusement. There was
nothing in the nature of religious worship, although the
music, it must be aihnitted. was entirely of that class
known as sacred music. But if these things were to be
allowed they might after commencing with sacred music
proceed by easy gradations to the secular and profane. The
great point to settle was whethertheseentertainments were
legal or illegal. If they were legal, there was an end of
the matter. If they were illegal, then these gentlemen
who thought that they ought to be continued had it open
to them to go to parliament to make them legal, if parlia-
ment in its wisdom should so think fit.

Sir Thomas Thairy—lt appears to me that this ques-
tion might be tried by a case stated for the opinion of a
full court, instead of taking criminal proceedings.
Mr. Poland—These proceedings, although technically
criminal, are like indictments for repairing a road, and the
like.

Sir Thomas limy said that under the act the prose-
cutors might have proceeded to recover penalties by action
at law, which was the usual course in all cases of the kind
that had ever come under his knowledge during 27 yearn'
experience as a magistrate.
Mr. Poland said the prosecution were unwilling to take
a course which would involve so heavy penalties.
Sir Thomas Henry said the course adopted would
lead to the still heavier penalty of imprisonment without
• fine.

Mr. Poland said that was true. But the law being once
nettled, there was nu necessity to press for the imprison-
ment

/kr Thomas Henry said that equally applied to the civil
proceeding, in which the law being once settled there
would be no necessity to press for the penalties.
Mr. Bosley said that his clients had no disposition to
shirk the payment of penalties if the law were decided
against them.
Mr. Poland said, clearly, the only object of his clients
was to settle the question of law.
Sir Thomas Henry—Then, you can best do that by
agreeing to state a case.
Mr. Poland—And if counsel cannot agree
Sir Thomas Henry—Then I shall be happy to lend then,
my assistance. You need not withdraw this SU !LIMAN..
Let it stand over—for three months, if you like.
Mr. Poland—Let it stand over sine die, and if we can't
agree upon a cahe, I must come to you and ask you to
name a day.
This was agreed to, and the proceedings were thus
closed for the present.

COURT OF CoM‘lii,i COUNCIL.—A Court of
Common Council was held yesterday at Guildhall, under
the presidency of Alderman }lnnis. The Remembrancer
requested the court to permit a report from the local
government and taxation committee, having reference to
the bill at present before parliament for the improvement
of the metropolis, to be brought forward out of the
ordinary course, as it would be necessary to take some
proceedings at once in reference to it. The report was
read, and it recommended that the bill in its present shape
should be opposed by the corporation with a view to its
being altered, or to some additional clauses being intro-
duced to it, with • view to protect the rights and privi-
leges of the City of London. A debate with closed
doors, which occupied nearly two hours, then took
place, and eventually the recommendation of the
committee to oppose the bill was agreed to.
Mr. E. H. Rigby next moved—" That this court do peti-
tion both Houses of Parliament, praying that the principle
of the common fund through the rating to the poor be
not applied to the subjects comprised in the Metropolitan
Poor Bill until • reassessment to the poor rate shall take
place of all parishes nut lately reassessed and comprised
in the metropolitan valuation." The motion was unani-
mously agreed to. A report from the Bridge House Com-
mittee, embodying the report of Mr. Joseph Cubitt, the
engineer for the construction of the new Blackfrian-
bridge, showing the progress of the works, was presented,
and ordered to he printed and circulated among the mem-
bers of the court. After the transaction of some other
business of no general interest, the court adjourned.
SINGULAR DEATH FROM POISON.—An inveeliga-
tion took place yesterday at the King's Head. St. Giles's,
respecting the death of Paul Augustus Manakin, a German
surgeon. The widow of deceased, having been sworn by
Dr. Lankester, the coroner, stated that she lived at :1,
Little Denmark-street. Her husband was 5.1 years of age.
He had been in practice as a surgeon, but through bad
eight had been obliged to relinquish his connection. They
had since been supported by a patent mangle which she
kept. He used to go to the hospital to try and get • posi-
tion there, his eyesight having of late improved. At one
o'clock last Tuesday lie went to the Ophthalmic Hospital to
assist in dispensing. At about four o'clock be returned
home and began staggering about like a drunken man. She
asked him what was the matter, and he said the salt beef
ho hail for dinner made hint so thirsty that he drank
some water out of a glass at the dispensary, and
be thought there must have been some strychnine
at the bottom of it His arms and legs
twitched, and he said he had a bitter taste in his
mouth. He drank two cups of tea and then went to bed.
He got out of bed and sat in a chair, when he made a
dreadful noise, turned black in the face, and fell back
dead. Mr. John Henry Bannister, surgeon, deposed that
he was called to deceased, whom he found quite dead. Did
not see the glass out of which deceased drank, nor an
poison. He made a post-mortem examination. Both
sides of the lungs were full of fluid blood, both cavities of
the heart were full of fluid blood, and the kidneys were
full of fluid blood of a dark colour. The stomach was full
of food, but there was nofluid iu it. Tented for poison,
but could not find any. Death war caused by congestion
of the lungs and failure of the heart's action. Could not
mind any cause in the body for the congestion, Ac., and
could only attribute the death to undetected poison.—
George William Mortimer, hall-porter at the hospital,
deposed that as deceased passed out of the hospital on
Tuesday evening he complained of pains in his arms and
said he drank some water out of • measure which he
feared contained strychnine. Witness asked him if he
washed the measure out before he drank. Deceased said,
" Yes," upon which witness said he thought it was all
right. Deceased did not say he had been poisoned. After
a lengthened conversation on the subject, the jury re-
turned an open verdict, " That deoeaaed died from the
effects of poisoning by strychnine, but how or when be
took the said strychnine there is no evidence to show."
FATAL RAILWAY Atvioner.—A *hocking accident
occurred at Brentford on Tuesday evening. A young
woman, named Charlotte Church, bad been drinking in
various public-houses during the day, and left one situate
near the railway station about seven o'clock to catch the
7.31., p.m. down train. She had tomes the line, and while
doing so an up train, due at Brentford at seven, was at
that moment entering the station, and its buffers caught
the unfortunate girl, knocking her under the train. Seve-
ral carriages passed over her body, which was picked up in
a fearfully mutilated state. A porter named Saunders,
seeing the peril in which the girl was placed, attempted to
rescue her, and in doing so sustained a severe fracture of
the right arm. The young fellow, however, displayed an
amount of cool daring which is deserving of a substantial
reward.

THE HEAVY INDIA AND CHINA MAILS.—SDETH-
ARI•TON, MARCH 7.—The Peninsular and Oriental COM-
may's steamer 3daasilia, with the heavy portion of the
India and China mails, has arrived here with 102 pas-
aengers, 5,1001. in specie, and a general cargo, including
1,200 holes of silk to the value of- 10R,0001. sterling. The
Maasilia experienced strong head winds throughout her
voyage. On the sth she spoke the steamer P.ipon. Her
Majesty's ships Victoria, Hibernia, Prince Consort. Cars.
doe, Psyche, Hydra, and Tamar, were at Malta. The fol-
lowing steamers bad arrived at Gibraltar:—Christina,
Rosetta, and Keller, from Liverpool; Don Pedro. from
Glasgow ; Fairfax and Britannia, from Cardiff ; and the
schooner Reaper, from Newcastle. Gibraltar.—Eschange
on London, 4:04 to 1, ; ditto on Paris, 5.23 to 5.24. Madrid,
half discount; Seville, par. Freight unaltered.

8.
Printe4 and Published by WILLIAM Kiri° HALE', of Ne.
Lom'nrilatreet, in the city of London. Hinter, at the
..111,0. In Intainntatiret, in the Precinct of White Mars—
. MLICII tt. DAT.