The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-08-29 00:00:00

the management. of

TUE

eve of a contested election, and eyed his peculiar
costume on such occasions, would suppose he was
a real disciple of Moses of old, the meekest man
on earth. It appears, however, that Mr. Batten is
a gentleman of quite a different character, and that
he can, to suit the purpose he has in view, act
in such a way as must satisfy the most
scrupulous, that if a party or an object is to be
served, he can descend to a line of conduct, which,
in a public gentleinan, iS .somewhat of a
questionable character. A committee is appointed
to hear Mr. Gough's charge against Mr. Lister.
and the answer which that gentleman can put
forward. But, we hear that the chairman wishes
to exclude all rebutting evidence which Mr. Lister
can produce ; and, like Lord Norbury of old,
seems disposed to exclaim, as regardS the medical
officer, " Hang the dog, he is_ not fit to live." It
is but fair to say, that we have heard that
the chairman refused to put :certain questions
touching the conduct of the master and matron
toward sick children, their administration of
medicine without any medical authority, and that
the clerk, Mr. Cleaver, actually refused, although
requested by a member of the committee, to enter
the question or questions on the minutes. Now,
such conduct seems, without any explanation,
perfectly unjustifiable. It is more. like " Star
Chamber" practice, and totally irreconcilable with
an Englishman's idea of fair play.

This is truly an age of progress. Everything
which can abridge the severity and duration of
human labour is readily adopted— it is with
pleasure that we observe, that an effort is being
made to form an early closing association; some-

thing of the kind has existed here for some years

but now it is proposed to follow the steps of the
London Society, which has already effected so
much good. Concurring, as we do, in any move-
ment which has for its object the intellectual,
moral, and physical improvement of our fellow
species, we heartily bid the cause God speed,
and only regret that the imperative nature

of our engagements as journalists do not
permit us to join with the friends of the
movement, by setting an example to our fellow-
townsmen of an early closing of our estab-

lishment. It rests with those who seek the boon
requested to conduct the agitation to a successful
issue. Let moderation regulate their demands,
let all their appeals be addressed to reason, and
according to common sense, and sure, we are,
a discerning public will not long resist the request
of a really useful, and overlooked class of society.
We may return to this subject, as it is one of no
minor importance.

Ndtwithstanding the great prestige and popu-
larity of the Emperor Napoleon, he continues to
rule the press with the iron grasp of an imperial
tyrant. Just now, the Sieede, the Presse, and the
Estafette, are under the ban of the police authori-
ties, for giving expression to popular opinions. Such
jealousy—rather unreasonable tyranny—is, to our
mind, an evidence that all is not right, when there
is such a dread of publicity, and when those who
are entrusted with the government of the country
cannot afford to allow their conduct and actions, as

public men, to be the subject of comment in the
columns of public journals. The Tribunal of Cor-

rectional Police has fined M. Combes, a writer in
Journal du Notariat, 500 f. for having, in an article
in the number of 26th July last, libelled the
judges of the inferior tribunals by representing

that they were jealous of the influence of notaries
and others, and employed undue means to dimi-
nish it ; and M. Escaraxages, director of the jour-
nal, was fined the like sum for having published
the article.

From Madrid, we learn that the Spanish govern-
ment, imitating the example of France, are about to
publish certain regulations for the guidance of the
press. The Clamor Publico and the Parlanzento
state that the condition to which the press has
been reduced prevents them from making any
comment on the decree for the dissolution of the
National Guard ; the Diario expresses approbation
of the -measure: From Barcelona, we hear 'that
187 persons condemned by Court Martial had
been embarked for Cuba and other colonies. The
Captain-General of Catalonia had decreed, the
dissolution of all associations of masters, and
workmen and masters, in the province. A
Madrid letter from a ministerial source,_ says :

" The ministers continue to be perfectly united
amongst themselves, and the Queen places every

confidence in them. One of the greatest of their
embarrassments is the rage with which the peOple
demand places; applicants literally throng the
ministries, and each one of them modestly repre-
sentS himself to be capable of filling any place
whatever."

Further news from the United States will be
found in another column. It is not of any
striking moment. Speculation as to the presiden-
tial election is rife, but nothing like certainty as
to the final result could be hazarded. The appro-
priation bill had passed the Rouse of Represen.
tatives. This measure allows of a large amount
of money to be laid out in extending and
strengthening the National defences. We
regret to observe that attempts are again being
Made to curtail the efficiency of the
Collins line of steamers, plying 'between
this port and New York. We hope, however,
that the opponents of these splendid. steam-ships
will suffer as they have hitherto done, a signal
defeat, and that the mail service will be continued
as it now is. The visit of Mr. Lowe to the United
States has afforded matter of comment to the
New York journals, one of them alluding to the
rrentleman says :—" Mr. Lowe's history
•usually belongs to those

ght hon. b

Is more of romance than

who attain high offices in England; and nearly
resembles, in the arduousness of its early struggles
and sole dependence on unaided merit, that of
most of the great statesmen of this country."
The Southern States had been' visited by a
gale of terrific fury, which not only de-
stroyed property to an immense amount, but

was the cause of no less than 137 .deaths. It was
more like one of those hurried tornadoes which
visits our Indian possessions than a storm in the
South part of North America.
According to our latest advices from Mexico
that unfortunate country is still disturbed by
political broils and contentions. Rival parties
seek to assume, the supreme control. Meantime
America ',Goys_ on quietly, and would not feel
aisiiiclined_ to take advantage of any internal broils
ls conduct on more occasions than to iricrease the' extent of her territory in that
.1 quarter. •

At the

veßy
7atiid vaitc e sshfrnonm Africa,
k snf
earthquake ari rved at
wereMarseilles,feit we
in
Algeria on the 21st. The shocks were slight at
Algiers, but stronger at Constantine and at Bona,
"and very violent at Philippeville, where as many as
twenty two were felt. The steeple of the church
has been partly thrown down, and several houses
injured, but no lives have been lost. The _hospitals
and the barracks have, been evacuated; and the
inhabitants of the town• gone into .tents in the
Melds. It is said that several' French villages in
the neighbourhood of Philippeville have been
destroyed.