The Express.
London, England, 1857-07-11 00:00:00

THE GLASGOW POISONING CASE.

(From the Spetator.)

One change is expected as the result of the
&Amon's. "There will be no more lore-letters," erica
everybody. Every girl will Imitate to commit herself to
writing, lest her note of band should be presented untowardly
on SOON future occasion by the unscrupulous lover. And even
if the Mout of expeure did not make the pen poem, this
example of silliness—tbis dragging of ammo= and fulsome
fondness before the public—this forcible violation of even the
privilege "do laver son liege sale en famine" check
the indulgence of written eloquence on such subjects.
At least so says Everybody—but 'Everybody is a fellow
of very rash conclusions. Love-letters have been written,
and will be written "in came ovum." It is a branch of
literature whose extent and even character cannot be deter-
mined; accident alone disclaims it but the collections that
hays come before the public, whether in verse or prom, ore
so different in character that we may meow, it to prices in-
numerable variety and this collection is m low in the ChM!,
that its effect must be proportionately slight and low. In
" objectioubleners," so far as we may judge by
the published specimens, perhaps it does not storms these
which Sophie exchanged with Mintbeau ; certainly it does
sot equal those of Maui.* ; and Sappho was worm than
Madeleine Smith. Yet who will burn the dories? The
distinction between the old collections and the 11,,V, is at oh-
vions as the distinction between the writers. The authorees
of these letters appears in them, however *thing her chartie-
Priebe" may be, as possessing only a peel of a character—sa
being only a fragmentary woman. Whatever the outspeak-
fug of a throbbing heart may proem in common wilt en-
duing human emotion and passion, it produces in this cue
only the " objectionable ;" and the countrywoman of Burns
may have the ardour of an Heloise, but her letters lack the
Widmer of Abelud's mistress and her depth of thought.

Some have objected to any publication of the ease, aobeing
detrimental to public morale It io a epte«tion which necdo
act he dieetio-ed ; for we have not come to the day when
there is any probability that the proceeding. of important
caeca Is the law courts will be suppreo.d. If ouch an ide►
were In the slighteot degree entertained, it would at once
be put down by argument« to maintuin the great de-
fence of judicial parity sad the independent adminiotra-
lion of the law. The evil.; of in«tigation are unques-
tionable, but they do lees mischief than the evil« of con-
maim/lat. Indication affecto only the cootporstively small
number who are prone to contamination. We have had
gigantic instances, in Australia, in Paris, and at some pet iods
or ►t some places in our land, where the veil of conceolutent
lent opportunity to vice, and even misted • certain whis-
pered notoriety, which selected its attobrace, and squalled
outspoken publicity in the extent of inetigation, without
evoking any of the counteractive* that tree ventilation calls
forth. If there are such evils among 111, It is well that we
should know it, and not naiveties matter entirely to them who
promote the evil. "If she be guilty," says • contem-
porary, speaking of this case, "how horrible the combina-
tion of nogoveraed passion with perfect Pelf control, and
bow bightful the outburst of this deep, deadly wickedneite,
after • ille which up to this thee may be taken to be just
peek • llfe, neither better nee mese, as many other women
among the 'respectable claws' may be suppmed to bo
larbag." Our contemporary menage speaks with • dories'
experience in assuming that Madeleine Smith is the repre-
sentative of no inommiderable number; yet moat cer-
tainly the discovery that such • character existed in a
quiet Glasgow bowie is likely to have occasioned as much
amssereent under the roof of that home au it has
la the High Court of Justiciary or on the South of the
Tweed. It seems mutely possible that the class of cha-
rade** should come Into existence, sad be multiplied,
swept by favour of ignorance, and ignorance probably kept
up by some of these social cutouts which, in the most
" rapier" of families, maintain distance between parent
and child, convert the parental relation into one of pr•ctially
very alight serptaintanes, and tomb the inexperienced to
and companions amid the eervaw dews-stehe or the casual
acquaintance of the street. Tbedisriomtre of such came may
be an incitement to sapereede move p•isfal trials, by a better
redwood knowledge In the home.
. . . . . .

Ties verdict of the jury, &deeded to be neutral or merciful,
is fearful iu its ronemiummes. If, by the docirion, •' Not

Amen," Madeleine Smith has not been condemned, she la
wit acquitted. In atriat logic, the English verdict of
"Guilty" ar "Not Guilty" is more just; of a charge not
proved it armeea that the amused, with referent," to the
proceedings then and there, stands acquitted. The Scotch
verdict has refrained from cutting shot the days of the
young woman ; It condemns her to a future. What is to
become of her? Whether se a fugitive in distant lands,
vainly fleeing the light of notoriety—as the objort of ■ vitiated
and perchance competitive curiosity—or as the bold adven-
turess, confronting her fate and accepting its opportunitica—
the mind shrinks from following her into any futuro spring-
ing from that hideous peat.

MISS MADELEINE &RIM'S DEPARTURE FROM
EDINDI:IIOII.—The North British Daily Mail, of yester-
day, says :—" Last evening, in anticipation of Mira Smith's
arrival in Glasgow from Edinburgh, a large mei-Tian* of
were samonbled at the illation of the Edinburgh and
lGlasgow Malian , awaiting the different trains. She, how-
ever, we are infoemeo, Wt Edinburgh by the Caledonian
Railway end went out at the Steppe Station on that lino (a
few miles from Glasgow.) No sooner wu bee prmeneo Rll.
comma than a general nab woe made from the carriages,
in order to get a glimpse of her. A vehicle was in waiting,
in which she immediately drove off, aceocapanied by one or
two Meade."
VACANCIES, APPOINTMENTS, AND PROMOTIONS IN
Tel CIVIL BLIINICIL—Coist Guard.—Commander W. L.
Partridge bas been appointed impecting commander of the
Coast Guard. Cnatems.—Mr. Jetta Avery hoes has been
appointed • landing other in Luanda Mr. Jemph Grace
bap been appoiated abet be Linden. Mr. Robert Car-
rie, late tint-elanisoprabor of petrel, boa been=seed to
be tble-surveyor berth dome et Umegool. Mr.
late locker at nook, hoebeeme pommbed So be reareheriAat
Newport. Mr. ltabeet T. Willer= hr ban pmeadied
from third to second tldewierveyor et SmaimehmiL beard.
—Dr. Eugene Ciao he lom tippled maroon to the
Comte Fora Phroakomi* is the rem of Dr.
G. W. B
him. lest —Ualli=garreitoik bee been ap-
Pb.
=wimiteirlesiewd rte mead dim in the
M. B. Oembehge bee he.. appointed
on mieteat mosemissimmem ef the third elmos in the province
of Noocee. Mr. P. J. Ceeiharn Me been appointed to
elleimem se eellsolor of onetam et Calmat& Mr. F. Bott-
omed be be.. eppolakill le elßelote en magma to the col-
lating et askew at Ceissile.
afj Mr. R. B. Morgan has been
/ of the snider Dewanny and Niramut
teialilms Proiebtes.—Ciril &mkt Garetta.