The Express.
London, England, 1850-01-12 00:00:00

ALTERATIONS IN THE PRUSSIAN CONSTI-

TUTION.

In the Esprets of yesterday we published, from
the Cologne Gaulle, short summaries of the altera-
tions proposed to be mad* in the constitation of Prus-
sia, and of the royal manage in which these proposi-
tions were conveyed. Our Berlin correspondent
informs us that he despatched a telegraphic message
from Berlin on the 9th cast, conveying fall informa-
tion on all the points contained in the royal message,
but that the censorship to which his . despatch
was subjected by the officials of the government,
makes him fear that it would be of little service. The
telegraphic message was delayed, from what canes
we know not, and did not arrive until the morning,
with the usual correspondence of the same date, which
issatains a full account of all the alterations proposed.
BERLIN, JAN 9.
At the

of the sittings of the Chan-
• the

ter this morning the president of minietry in-
formed the deputies that he had been oommismoned
by his Majesty to propose several alterations in the
constitution. He then read the following royal
message:

We,Ftedartek hereby deeds» that we are
willing to Five our royal omelet to the essititatioa of the
fah Dseesaber, r revised by the Chamber

Bat, m several ot►er attentions appear tows to be smarm
upon the nom careful monidderation sad orasination ; sad,
as we cannot gin up the hope that it may be possible, before
the close of the present labour of revision, definitively to
determine the principles on which an Upper Chamber shall
be formed, we have ordered to be laid before the Cheatham,
for their consideration, an exposition of the alteratfrns which
we propose shall be made, in order to carry into execution
that part of the constitution which requires that it should be
swam to by Ul. .

For onrpart, we anxiously wait for the moment at
which the constitution shall be perfected; but the more
sacred we consider the oath to be which we shall have to take,
the greeter is the impression upon our mind of the duties
which God hes imposed upon us for our beloved Vaterland ;
and we entertain the confilence in the representatives of the
nation, that they will acknowledge and honour, as a proof
of our royal conscientiousness, the alterations which we pro -
poem shall be made for the " improvement of the constitu-
tion."

At this same time, we mast express thidesire that the deli.
heretical of the Chamber on these proposals, particularly in
reference to the laws concerning the press and the rights of
'emaciation (pars. 24 and 28 of the constitution), and, with re-
!meet to the experience recently gained, shall be accele.
rated, so that our government, after the completion of the
constitution, shall be enabled to maintain peace and order in
the country without the adoption of exceptional measures.
We confidently expect that here, too, there shall be no
question of mutual concessions, but rather the mutual en-
deavour to establish the happiness and glory of our Vater.
land.

Given at Potsdam. the 7th of January, l&SO.
(Signed) FRIDIUICIL WILLIAM,
and countersigned by all the Ministry.

The president of the ministry then read a docn-
ment,appended to the royal message, emmerating the
several alterations proposed to be made. They are

as follows :

1. Par. 26 and 29 are to be struck out. (Par. 26 says a
special law is to regulate education. Par 29. If the author
of any illegal publication is known, the publishers, venders,
petite,. commissioners, itc. are not to be prosecuted.)
2. Par. 35 and 36 are to run thus :—" The army includes
all the divisions of the standing army and Landuehr. In
cue of war the Icing can call out the Landaltirm. The law
provides for the further particulars."
3. Par. 106 (which treats of the parochial circle district
and provincial associations) is to receive the following
addiuoa—" For the maintenance of peace audio accordance
with a special law for the purpose, a parochial protective or
civic militia may be established by parochial resolution."
4. Par. 42 is to be altered as follows: " The creation of
feudal tenures is prohibited ; those in existence are to be
changed into free property. The law will facilitate the
change of the Fidel Consomme, and reenlist(' the institution
of new ones. Until then, the creation of any new ones is
prohibited."
5. The paragraph determining. the responibility of mi-
nisters is to run thus: " The minute* are mponsible to the
king end the country."
6. With resret to the Chamber, the present:rules are to
be clanged into the following: " The king convokes the
Chamber and prorogues their sittings. He can dissolve
both or either. After the lapse of 60 days the electors are to
assemble; after 90 days, the deputies."
7. Par. 64 is to receive the following addition : " Finan-
cial projects are to be laid first before the Second Chamber."
8. With respect to the Upper Chamber, the following is
the proposed alteration:—" The Upper Chamber consists (a)
of the royal princes who are of see, and whom the king may
call upon to take their seats ; (5) of the heads of the imperial
Roble houses and families who shall receive by royal ordina-
tion the right of a seat, and vete according to the law of pri-
mogeniture. Aspecial law is to regulate how the possession
of land shall be dealt with in the matter (c) of members to
be appointed by the king for life, not to exceed in number a
tenth of the members under (6); (d) of 60 members who
ass to be chosen by direct election from the 200 highest taxed
landed proprietors in each province ; (c) of 30 members who
are to be elected by the parochial representatives end the
magistrates of tke large cities ; (1) of six members of the
national universities to be elected by the ordinary professors.
The whole number of members must not exceed 2'oo. The
dissolution refers only to the elected members.
9. The Second Chamber consists of 350 members ; the
electoral districts are to be determined by law ; they may
consist of one or more circles or districts.
10. By legislative enactment, a special court of law may
be created for high treason and crimes against the safety of
the state. A special law is to determine the cases in which
the other courts of law shall dispose such matters.
11. A law shall specify the judicial prosecution of all civil
and military officials.
12. The commencement of Par. 106 is to sun thus :—" The
law determines the representation of parishes, circles, and
districts."
13. Par. 106 is to receive the following addition :—" The
legal validity of constitutional laws can only be decided by
the Chambers."
14. " The deputies to both Chambers and the government
officials are to take the oath to the king and constitution.
Th. way is not to take the oath."
' 46. " Until • new electoral law shall be published, the law
der 1014 May, 1849, is to remain in foros."
T Berisd Chamber has been occupied since the
num is iiiiimissiog the budget of 1849.60. Most of
the Moms refierring to the tcdircct tares have been
paned.

ST. PETERSBURG, DEC. 10.—By a stroke of his
imperial pen, the Emperor his converted the Alexander
Lyceum and the School for Jurisprudence, both of them
civil institutions, into military schools. The professors ere
henceforth to be officers as vacancies occur, end are to be
appointed by Prince Peter von Oldenburg. The Ohara
moat have obtained the rank of first lieutenant, sad not have
puma that of major. From New Year's Day, 1850, only the
ems of each of the aristocracy whose nobility has been legiti-
matised son be admitted into the fourth and upper classes.
Admission to the lower classes is now awarded by his Ma-

jest, to harshen,—Ms., to the sone of merchant; and oar
aid% say, emu to the eons of Jews. These scholars are,
hocrover, to pay higher fees, the amount of which shall be
toed hereafter.—Cologne [Mufti.
_

Tna HAOUE.—The Skater Counted Bays several of
our public journals, in criticising the project of law for regu-
lating the interests of the Netherlands navigation, recently
submitted, to the Second Chamber of the States General,
took it foe granted that it is the intention of government to
abolish, simultaneously with the privileges now granted to
the national Bag, all difference in the customs dues on their
importation into the colonies. Nothing, however, in the
said project of law, or in the memorial accompanying the
sae*, often the slightest ground for such an assertion. These
projects, as well as the new Beglish navigation laws, have
no other object lave that of regulating the tolls and cancan
appertaining to navigation, with regard to the import dues
on goods; the adoption of the proposed projects will only
so far effect a change in the existing system that, whereas
those goods which are now furnished with the certificate of
Netherlands produce are admitted into our East India
posse sions at a lower duty only if brought in under the
Netherlands flag, such goods are in haute to have this pri
vile(' extended when brought in under a foreign flag.

ELIZA CHESTNEY.—This intrepid young woman,
who is now residing at Wymondlram, where she is carry-
ing en the business of a milliner and dressmaker, is new
so far recovered as to be able to walk up stairs and down,
without the assistance of either a crutch Of stick. It mast
be gratifying to those who have takes such deep interest iu
this young woman, '.to learn that this sufferer is at length
restored to the use of her limbs.—Norfolk New..

This Winer Ulna, at the 3rd inst. publishes a
lattnejtay rifest from Se Minister et Flamm, on the
condition and mimpects of the alumina empire.
irrZreend to the Empror, and has rossived his approval.
The ;report sommeness with an account of the different
atramitie whisk lam bans taken for effecting the eaten et
the Blamer Mi thatilkiMag points.
1. The detbdths mathmesit of the rotations between the
State and the Bask of Visersy as the priacdpie of not &dish.
W g an bums& in the sminint of bank sotto is stimulation.
I. Tie liquidation and anserdeatke of the debt dae by
the state to the beak. To Me purpose the sums paid as
emapenestirs for the &radon war and a voluntary loan
were to be applied.
3. Tie appointment oda ossunimien for tke reorganisation
of the tonic.

-4. The tibidnation of the asthma upencUture, particu-
larly is reference to the army.
fa The augmentation of*, asthma /mane.
• The he.. of seem albs bipedal tesseary.
Oa the first matt the Mishear ef Mama remarks that
the emerald of beak new la elrudatisa hes a» been »mused
dam the month of June last. At thee period they
Ithemeted to 26,601,8971. At the sad if November last
they amounted to 26,292,0191. and at the end of Decem-
ber they were only 26,117,i461., while, during that
ported the sum of 6136,9321. was paid into the beak,
both in money and notes, exclusive of the Sardinian compen-
sation, or indemnity, area the saw 41 per ant. leen.
With regard to the second point, the report firm the debt
he to the bank, by the state, at 14,142,4761. ; the sum of
2,400.0001. having been paid off, sad the new loan amount-
ing to 6,000,0001., iso that the debt, previous to July, was
Neatly 25,142,4701. Ti,. 14,142,4764. which axe still due, will
Ms the »Nano( ulterior deliberatioria.
Oa the third point the report announces that the cent-
minion will he appointed as soon as the provincial summer-
let delegates shall have arrived in Vienne. The Minister
of roman remarks that the appointment of this commis-
sion le of the greatest importance to the diff-rent provinces
ea the empire ; and must, therefore, be deferred until the
arrival of all the delegates.
With reference to the 4th point the Minister of Finance
remarks that the orders have already been given for a con-
siderable reduction of the army, and will take effect lath
the Ist of January. Other preparations have been made for
a still further reduction of the army, with the view of re-
storing it to the footing of a peace establisement.
On point 6 the report says that important mealnaree have
been adopted, or are in preparation, for the increasing
the revenue of the empire. In the German sad liclavonian
provinces an addition of a third had been made to the direct
tales, and in the Lomberdo-Vesetian kingdom the ground
tax had been increased 60 per cent. In the termer pro.
vinaes the home to had been extended, and an illOOlll6 tax
introduced, the adaptation of which to the Lombardo-
Venetian kingdom was about to be effected. The
excise duties upon spirits had been increased in the
same previous, and placed upon the same footing in
Galicia as in the other Ellavortian and German provinces.
Sugar made from home produce had been taxed, and the tax
ion foreign sugars for refining increased. Moreover the pro-
perties and peruse until now exempt from taxation in Hun-
gery, Lroatis, and Traneyleanis had been subjected to the
same taxes and dues am in the other provinces. It
is further in contemplation to raise the indirect
taxation of Hungary, Croatia, and Transylvania to the same
level as in the other provinces, and co to remove all differ-
ences between the various provinces. Finally, the Minister
of Fiesta» hope* to be able very speedily to lay before the
Emperor a project of law, for effecting a change in the law
of stamp', which shall open new and productive sours» of
revenue.
In reference to point 6, the report says, that the issue of
Imperial Treasury note. has not been carried into effect in
consequence of the necessities of the state having bees fully
supplied without increasing the amount of 3 per cent. notes
in circulation. The amount of these notes at present in cir
culation is 4,700,0001.
The Minister of Finance, referring to this state of affairs,
expresses the opinion t hat the financial position of Austria,
undcr the circumstances of the case, is most satisfactory.
The report then proceeds to refer to the loan authorised in
the month of September last, and says that the Emperor's
appeal to the nation had met with the most loyal and satis-
factory response, and the loan having been effected, the
measures for decreasing the national expenditure and increas-
I tog the revenue went hand in hand together. The
amount of notes in circulation is gradually decreas-
ing, and the bullion in the bank increasing. The
report then enters in detail into the suc:esiive
variations in the price of the Austrian funds, showieg the
special cause of each particular rise or fall between July and
December of the last year. From this part of the rex rt we
quote the following paragraph, illustrative of the effects of
the agitation in England, undertaken last atilumn,
against the Austrian loan. The Minister of Finance
has just been referring, in somewhat sneering
terms, to the feeling shown by the Exchange
of Vienna at the time when the result of the Hungarian war
was still undecided, ar.d he then goes on to say :
When our victorious armies encountered the enemies of
the empire in the open field, the latter were active in endea-
vouring to create in the public mind a not lets dangerous
struggle against the power of Austria. They endeavoured
to undermine the confidence is the continuance and strength
of the state, and sought to make the world believe that our
Loire, shaken as it was by internal warfare, would not over-
ne its enemies.

Immediately afterwards he says. :
Above all, the part which foreign countries took in this
loan was made groat use of, and in consequence the sums
received from them were not so large as might have been ex-
pected.
The report then proceeds to deny the statements made
that Austria is approachica a national bankruptcy, and ex-
presses a hope that the account of the income and expendi-
ture just published by the government will tend to disprove
them. (For these returnssee Dairy News of Monday.)
Having thus disposed of the question of national bank-
ruptcy, the report next deals with the desire shown in the
south western provinces of the empire to deteriorate the
financial position of the empire, and alter informing the
authors of the movement of the disgraceful nature of their
successful attempt, holds up as a contrast the extraordinary
readiness and willingness exhibited by the inhabitants
of the other provinces in subscribieg to the Four-
and-a-Half per Cent. Loan. On the 15th of December only
1.800,000 J. had been subscribed, the amount bad now reached
3,600,0001. This the Minister of Finance considers anotner
proof of the existence of perfectconfidence, both at home and
abroad, in the financial position of the empire. The report
then compares the national debt of England, France, Prussia,
and other countries with that of Austria, and draws the meet
favourable conclusions from the fact that in the latter
empire it ts much lees ver head of the population than in the
majority of the countries which are mentioned, and it then
institutes another comparison between the present petition
of the empire and its condition and prospects in 1811.
and draws the most favourable conclusions from the
liberal constitution which has been introduced on
the basis of equalisation of the rights of all. At
the present moment the amount of bullion in the Bank ex-
ceeds 3,000,0001., and enormous sums are in the hands of
individuals.
After alluding to the further development which is to be
given to the measures alluded to above u recommended by
the emperor for the diminution of the expenditure, which is
done in vague and general terms, the report proceeds to
mention the measures which are to be taken for the pur-
pose
of diminishing the outstanding paper money and in-
creasing the bullion in the bank and treasury.
a. The payment of the instalments in arrest on the four-
and-a-half per cent, loan, amounting to 2,650,0001.
b. The confiscation o. the Lombardo-Venetian treasury
notes, amounting to 1,400,0001.
c. The confiscation of the German provincial paper money,
3,000,0001.
d. The indemnity to he paid by Sardinia in the coons of
the year 1860,1,450,0001.

e. The condecation of the hypothecated anignate and c
- - .

tral aseignats of the year 1840irill diminish tile. floating debt
by 1,600,0001.
f. The operations of the credit in the confiscation of the
Losabardo•Venetian treasury notes must bring in a very con-
siderable sum in bullion.
Another most important measure has not been included in
this list; it is the issue of the reserved hank shares, which
would either withdraw the three millions of bank
notes from eireulagon, or bring in an equal BIM
in money. This step is reserved, however, for the
consideration of the commission about to be appointed.
The report then states that the ministry bad not raised the
interest on the Imperial Treasury notes, from the fear that
such a step would materially damage the trade of she em-
pire ; bat it reserves the power of doing so whenever it con-
siders the proper moment shall have arrived. The issue
of Imperial Treasury notes is to be proceeded with
very gradually. The three per cent. Treasury bills
are only to be called in in small numbers, and thos- of lesser
value first. The Imperial Treasury notes under 101. will not
bear current interest, bat after the lapse of one year a flub,
to be determined by lottery, will bear interest at 3 per cent.
The notes of a larger value will bear interest at once at the
rate of 3 per cent.
The report concludes with the remark that this latter mea-
sure can only be considered a provisional one, and that it
must be legalised in a constitutional manner by the diet.
The report is dated the 28th December, 1849.

SAVINGS BANK DEFALCATIONS AT SCARBOROUGH.
—On Saturday last, Mr Thomas Smurwaite, wine and
spirit merchant, who has foe several years acted as clerk to
the Savings Bank, was charged before 11. Tindall, Esq., the
mayor, and other Lorough meg istratee,with having embereed
money belonging to the depositors, between the years 1838
and 1860, to the amount of 1,0001. Mr. Smurwaite was
amended in custody until Monday last, when he was again
brought up and further remanded until Baturdey next, to
allow of an investigation being made into the affairs of the
bank. Public notice I•u been given to the depositors
to take in their books, until which time it is impossible
to state the amount of t►e prisoner's defalcations. The
event has caused muob sensation in the neighbourhood, the
more so from the prisoner having, up to the present time,
borne an irreproachable character. It is hoped, and indeed
expected, t►at the deficiencies will not much exceed the
above sum. The business of the bank is ordered by the
directors to be suspended until the 22nd instant.—Easterra
Counties Herold.

MINING COMPANT OP IRELAND.—On Thursday
the following proprietors were unanimously electedto act as
directors for the ensuing year Edward Atkinson, Francis
Barker, M.D., Thomas Bewley, Francis Augustus Codd,
Jame. Dawson, Isaac English, James Gray, Robert R.
Guinness, Sir Robert John Kum, M.D., lames Magee,
Edward A, Gibbon, James Murphy, James Perry, Thom..
rim, Wm. Stephan..

CALIFORNIA.

We hays received the following extract from a
private letter brought by the Royal Mail packet-ehip
Avon on the 10th _ _

- -
Ban Francisco, Oct 28, 1849.
I reached this place on the 20th current, and have been
exposed to snore trouble and anxiety than I cars to talk
about. There is no e don about the gold region—the
metal exists in nnlimlud quantity, bat the getting of it is
labour of incredible severity ; and mach licks..., fever, and
ague prevail. The city of San Francium has sprung into
easiness as if by the touch of a magic woad. There are
nearly 300 easels bore, many of them entirely deserted, and
not cue with its full complement of men. Goods sell
wholesale, at ruinous rats. to exporters, but the retail prices
ors frightful; bra par et shoes °alien in England 62., I
bad to pay 12 dollars (481.). My vessel Um about 400 yards
from the shore, and I was compelled to pay 2 dollars (8..) to
be put on board. Potatoes have been selling at l dollar per
pound, but are now dowa to 85 cents. ; fowl., 4 dollars each ;
and other things in proportion. House rest will astonish
you. A room 10 fest by 8, a mere weather boarded shanty,
will fetch 40 and 60 dollars per month ; anything pretending
to the title of shop, 400 and 500 dollar.; and there is a
wooden house hers rented u an hotel at 160,000 dollars per
annum. Every third house standing is a gambler's Chop,
and day and night parties are engaged in play, but at night
the places are crowded to suffocation. Immense sums of
money have been made by speculating in land ; allo•nients
which sold sight months ago for 300 snd 400 dollars, have
since been sold for 30,000 and 40,000 dollars. The
city spreads over an area of several miles, and is
destined to be the capital of a great empire,
bet much misery and destitution prevail in the cut‘kirts.
Poor bantams wretch's, suffering from nags's., may be
seen sitting on their trunks, wearing oat life throve:, the
night with no other oovering but a blanket ; others beneath
wretched tents; and others, again, on the bare grot.nd, with
the sky fora canopy. It is the gamblers who keg pup the
preposterous rents, as they pay 4,000 and 5,000 dol. per
month for a single tab!is or stand ; and so long as the gold
comes pouring into the city, go l'ng will gambling colitieue,
and these monetrous rents be kept up; and that there are no
lintts to gold there seems to be no doubt: even whilst
. .

I am writinia man Ins come into the establishment with
upwards of 10,000 doll. worth of gold dust taken by him
since May last. No man, but ore of hardy habit* and power-
ful constitution, ought to go to the " diggings," as the expo-
sure and privoion are extreme; long, leather.sided fe:lowe,
who could digest scupper nails, sleep on • dunghill,
and wear sackcloth, are the prop., customers. Ci.rhs
and labourers of all description are certain of einfloy
and good pay, but comfort and society is out of
the question. Living in the richest houses is wry
poor, and the ruinous price of everything fairly makes me
shudder, as I have not tier nu I likely to participate in Cali-
fornian profits. I would recommend no man to bring his wife
ro California until he has first essayed the place, and oh.
tained a footing. Few women are here, and for some time
it is likely to prove anything but a delectable locality f.t.
them. I recommended C— and F— to try their lack,
no matter in what capacity, and I am still of the same
opinion. Any man that can stand the exposure and the
labour of digging, will get gold to the extent of his exer-
tions. There it is. I have seen scores returning with :tide
swags of 5,000 and 6,000 dollars after two or three mouths'
labour. If you could quietly organise a gang of strong
hardy fellows, prepared with plenty of heavy woollen Coat-
ing, strong boots reaching to the knees, heavy blankets,
light picks pointed at both ends, sieves to wash the duet,
buckets to draw the earth, hand trowels or something of that
kind to shovel up the diggings (everything that baa to be
carried ought to be as light and as string as possible),
six month.' provisions, handy portable tents, oil el ta or
something of that kind to keep you from the damps. Cork,
shaving mattresses would be an excellent thing. Now
if you, F—, and C—, could buckle year horses, and
arrange in this fashion: you, as director and guarlian
of he treasure, should be exempted from digging, but your
care should be the commissariat, taking heed that no need-
less waste of provisions ensued; the others should brie,/ in
their treasure to the public fund, to be share and share ahke
at the end of the expedition. This has been found to answer
with some ; but with others it gave rise to disputes, as if one
was more successful than another he would growl, sad dirt
that the other did not work so bard as he did. This rnigi.t
be obviated by stipulating that every mesa should draw so
many buckets a day for the general fund, and if after *be..
were drawn he cantieued workinz, that might he his povata
property. Every man in his turn day by day shoula
cook fur the company, you always being caterer. It aou:I
cost you something to get to the mining district, but I
certain as that I am a living man that a company of hardy
fellows from England, if no quarrelling ensued, wool.'
succeed. There is room for every one. You are a stiff
cocky little fellow, wi.h your ribs tolerably closely wrapped,
but a long sojourn beneath the tropics ei.qualifies int for
the luxury of gold hunting.
Another 8,000 dollars of gold dust has just come in, by
the Great Jew Peter. It makes me nervous to contem,late
the pernicious metal. No man can calculate on ct. rites
here; they defy all calculstion. At present lam atuoced,
and I see my way u clear as mud in a wine glass.
thing may turn up before I leave, but I am anxious ts, get
back to my island ag.in, aa the expenses for as idler are
ruinous.

GOVERNMENT DIET TABLES FOR COUNTY PRl-
soxe.—New diet tables have been transmitted from the
Homo office to the keepers of county prisons, making various
changes in the iiiet to be supplied to the prisoner;. The
prisoners had, hitherto, served out to them for breskient and
supper one p:ot ef ~atmeal gruel and eight ounces of dread.
Sir George Grey recommends that, for the future, e:cti
should be substituted for the gruel. Two curious facts,
relating to the •' generous treatment " of prisoners cvii•inc I
in the county gaols at Reading and Ayleeinry,
elicited at tne last Epiphany Session for Bucks a
Berks. It was stated by Mr. G. Carrington, ou
of the county magistrates, at the Aylesbury ses-
sions, in reference to emp:oyieg the prison. rs in
the gaol in raising water, for the supply of the torn
and prison, that " something would thus be contributed
towards the heavy cost of the county, for each prisoner
the county something like Ils. 6d. a week." The cost r f
pauper, in the union workhouses throughout the kit:gdono,
averages not more than from 3s. to 3s. 6d. per week. The
visiting justices of Abingdon Gaol, in their report to the
Court of Quarter Sessions for Berke, last week stated (in
reference to the prisoners having been employed during the
preceding quarter, as an experiment, in pounding gypsum,
which the visiting magistrates trusted would "sell in the
spring of the year with profit and advantage to:the county").
" that the pounding of this material has furnished work
to the vagrants, and persons committed from the work-
houses, which has rendered the imprisonment irksome to the
one and the other, and will have the effect, in their opinion,
of reducing the number of those who seek admission withiu
the walls of the prison from the fullness of the diet and the
system of idleness that has prevailed within." It is a wet:-
authenticated fact that many paupers in union workh. user
have had recourse to window breaking and other offences
widiin the walls of the union'. for the express purpose r is
they have themselves stated when taken before t'.e
Unites) of enjoying the more profuse and " generous diet
of a prison.
Ma. VINCENT AND THE STAFFORD MEETING.—
In the Ezprese of yesterday it was stated that "in a
side gallery were Mr. H. Vincent and other free-traders.'
That gentleman requests us to state, in correction, that he
was not at Stafford, but addreseing a large meeting of the
farmers and labouring in support of general reform at Over,
in Cambridgeshire.
THE LATE CHAPLAIN OF AYLESBURY GAOL.—
JOHN Tawazge Coereestote.—lt will probably be with .n
the recollection of our readers that the Rev. Mr. Cox, the
late chaplain of the county gaol at Aylesbury, was compelled
to retire from the chaplaincy in consequence of his refusing
to divulge to the magistrates the nature of the confession of
John Tawell (the murderer of Eliza Hart, at Salt-hill), after
repeated motions, to the effect that he should confide the
confession to the county magistrates, had been unanimously
adopted at three or four quarter sessions subsequt ntly to
Tawell's execution. At the Epiphany Sessions, just
held, Mr. Cox memorialised the magistrates, praying that
an annuity might be granted him until he obtained
some clerical prefermect, and strongly urging that his
" inadvertence," as regards his pertinacity in refusing to
accede to the wishes of the county bench, might not have a
prejudicial effect. The memorial was accompanied by s
medical certificate, setting forth that Mr. Coe's health had
been seriously affected by the aatu-e of the duties connect, d
with his late appointment. It appeared, from the act of
parliament relating to the power of the magistrates to grant
pensions to their saperenneated officials, that they could
grant an allowance not exceeding two-thirds el the salary
previously enjoyed by the memotialist. A motion to
the effect that the prayer of Mr. Cox should be tateen
into consideration, was then proposed by Mr. Barker, end
seconded by Dr. Lee ; the latter gentleman observing
that, although he did not consider that Mr. Cox had per-
formed his duty in the case of Jehn Tawell's confession, he
thought the matter ought lobe entertained, the memorialist
being, in his (Dr. Les's) opinion, a modest, learned, and
quiet man. The motion having been strongly opposed I'9
Mr. Carrington (who maintained that the teal cause of Mr.
Cox's compulsory retirement from the chaplaincy was quite,
ddferent from that alleged in the memorial, and esprostint
his astonishment that sucha motion as that helm the twill
should have been introduced), it was put by the chairmen
(Sir T. D. Aubrey. Bart.), and negatived ; the only hands
held up in its favour being two—those of the mover and
seconder.
WRECKED TWICE IN FOUR MOSTIIa.—Mr. Wens
Corbett, of Queen-street, Plymouth, has had two nsrrow
escapes with his life, within four months, during the veer
just passed. On the 15th of August, 1849, when chief °dicer
of the brig Friendship, of Bideford, bound from Liverpool
to Hamburgb, the vessel went ashore on the dangerous sands
which lie off the coast between the entrance to the Ti?i is
Elbe anti Weiser. After beine three hours in a most peril-
ous position, the crew were pleked off by a fishing boat, and
conveyed, with nothing but their clothes, to Cuxhaven, nom
whence they ware sent to England. On the 21st November.
1849, when Mr. Corbett was chief officer of the brig hitt,
bath, of Teignmouth, Captain John Curtis Hall, bound WM
liis md boo ragt
got ashore at Ferryland Head, SO miles south of St. Joh. n.
wvesithselailineutehrialckearweagothferorm, wlSitht. aj.ls'henav's; Nr27n(:74:
Happily two of the crew leaped off the brig's quarter en to
the rocks, and having had a line flung to them contrived t
t
get a warp fa.tened to the land, and oa this all the rest o
f
the people escaped. The brig went to pieces in the nurs''''e
the day, and the men lest all their clothing excel i Ind wit"
they had on. Mr. Corbett worked his way from ht. John's.
in the brigantine Phantom, and reached Greenock on Christ.
mss-day. Being a member of the Shipwrecked Fishermen
and Mariners' Society, he was sent by their agents to LOOT-
,' pool, Dublin, and Plymouth, where ho arrived safely ou the
I 7th into—Devoisporf Paper.