Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-08-24 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST

THE DAY'S NEWS

The South Lancashire

drag their " slow length" along

Assizes

vesuga

lth courts

were engaged yesterday in the
cases which involved considerable public interest
In the Civil Court, damages to the extent of £3OO
were awarded by tha hi a aaA.,„4.:—

very marked criminalty,

engaged during the greater part of the day in an
endeavour to unravel the intricacies of a most
mysterious case of murder. The victim was a
child about four Sears of age, who was drowned
in the Canal close by Sandhills, and the accused

.
Jii case of

The Crown - Court was

" Della's" case, we presume, will be one for the Revising.
Barrister. If the change of residence has already occurred,
he must take care that it is properly placed in the revised
list.

was a girl about fourteen years old, servant to the
child's mother and father. The evidence was not

considered conclusive against the prisoner, and

she was disehargcd,
The Bombay mail brings intelligence that. of

that place the Money Market was easy, and that
. -nd other British

u.emana for piece goons
imports was steady; but freights were 167'
European ports. The discharge of the European
troops was still a matter of consideration with
the authorities there.

It appears from the correspondence of the
London journals that the French Government is
shipping large quantities of Barley at Marseilles,
out of the stores returned from Genoa.
The Government of Russia has suppressed the
duty hitherto levied on the purchase-money of
foreign vessels bought from foreigners by Russian
subjects, or by foreigners naturalised in Russia.
Intelligence from Tangiers communicates that
the Emperor of Morocco is seriously ill. Fears,
it is said, are entertained of disturbances taking
place in the event of his death.
The Conference at Zurich appears to be mak-
ing little progress. Yesterday no conference took
place. But from Paris we learn that public
feeling is quiet, and that the assurance of safety
is implied in the general tone of the Bourse.
Commissions have been issued under the Royal
Warrant, to inquire into the alleged corrupt
practices at the last election for the boroughs of
Wakefield and Gloucester.

The Indian Loan seems to be held greatly in
favour. A proposal for taking up £5,000,000 at
five per cent., was answered by applications for
£6,000,000 worth of the stock, and at the close of

business the scrip was still going up.
The Parisian advices show us that love of
country prevails over every, or, at all events,
most other sentiments. According to the best
authorities we have, it seems that the French
exiles in Belgium, Switzerland, and the Channel
Islands are hastening to avail themselves of the
amnesty proclaimed by the Emperor of the
French.

The Italian difficulties seem to assume propor-
tions and importance which it is found will
hardly be arranged at the Zurich Conference in
such a manner as to be satisfactory. In confir-
mation of this opinion, it is stated that the fur-
loughs granted to the Austrian troops returning
from Italy have been suspended. It is further
stated that seven out of twelve Austrian corps
d'armee are to be retained on a war footing.

A feeling is manifested among the inhabitants
of Canada to celebrate the hundredth anniversary
of the capture of Quebec, which was effected
by General Wolfe, in September, 1759. The
event and its celebration cannot fail to be inte-
resting in this country as well as in the colony.
By decree of its National Assembly, Modena
has been formally annexed to Piedmont, after
having declared the forfeiture of the Due
Francis V.

IT has always struck us as but a poor recom-
mendation of a large extension of the suffrage,
that the Ballot is always put forward as a

rieCCS-

sary concomitant. It may well be a question
whether the class who need a safeguard against
their own cupidity, or their own want of princi-
ple, are fit to be entrusted with the franchise,

which it must be recollected they are not merely
to exercise on their own behalf, but hold in trust

for others. What it really amounts to is this :
that the franchise is demanded for a set of men
who are expected to be peculiarly open to corrupt
inducements ; that is, who will set no value upon
it, or at least only the value of the few shillings

or the few pounds which a venal vote .may bring,
We are asked to endow the labouring man with

a new species of property or source of occasional
revenue, to open to him a lucrative traffic, to the
negotiation of which we find it necessary to in-
terpose a special legal obstacle. In fact, we are
to give a power and a privilege which only the
honest and the virtuous should enjoy, to men
whom we think not honest and virtuous enough
to exercise them in an open and unreserved man-

Now this is a trivial and grossly inconsistent
way in which to treat the important question of
the Electoral Franchise. Most men would sup-
pose, that just in the proportion as you established
the necessity for the Ballot, in the very same
proportion you proved the inexpediency of lower-
ing the franchise. Even if it were to be admit-
ted—what however we most strenuously deny—
that the Ballot would prove effectual in protect-
ing a man against his own venality and want of
conscience, still the inducement would be ques-
tionable to give a vote to those whom it is neces-
sary to qualify for its use by making them liars
and cowards. Nothing can be plainer, than
that if the Ballot is available to protect any
man against the power of influence or the
power of money, the only way in which it can
so avail is by giving an opportunity of making
a false statement, or a false promise, at a smaller
risk of detection. But to show how vain would

" A Conservative," who writes from Toxteth-park, complain-
ing of the difficulty of buying the Northern Times in his
neighbourhood, is informed that we have already several
newsmen in that district, who are supplied every morning at
the usual hour, and that we shall be glad to have as many
more as the increasing demand there, as everywhere else,
mlist in due time produce,

Under no circumstances can we insert communications not
accompanied by the author's real same and address, not
iecessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.

Short letters are encouraged on matters of public interest.
They should be legibly written onoae side of the paper only,
and contain (in confidence) the writer's name_,and address.

be the notion of such security, the question ante. The case to which we refer is that of
arises, whether promises would not al ways be as SMETHURST, now condemned to pay the capital

marketable a commodity as votes are now ? We penalty of his grievous crime. We abstained from

cannot suppose that a man who sells his vote I any reflections upon his case before his conviction

in order that we might not contribute towards
influence now: coerces I producing, through the Press, any prejudices for
—a course which it is, in all other

would be more scrupulous as io his promise ; Or

that he whom a tyrannic

into giving his vote would not be

fluenced in or c

precisely the same -way to give his promise

we are told that it would be option

1, whether or

no he should keep the latter. But

contradiction to suppose, that a man

is it not

who has not

moral principle enough to deter him from a
coward lie, has sufficient strength or choice of
political principle to deserve or to need the repre-
sentation of an unfettered vote ? In recording

a vote there are only two courses to choose ; and

we are disposed to think, that there is more
chance of such a man's adopting the best of two

alternatives when subject to guidance and influ-
ence, than when left to the weak and stammering
dictates of his own pliable conscience
the utmost importance to the stability am.; fm-:

Is it of

Ittrity of the State, that those should have an
influence upon its fortunes, who, if they had the
opportunity, would be willing to barter it for the
smallest material advantage ? Would England

the loss of those votes, which any

wealthy pretenciet can buy for a shilling or two
apiece ? We take the value which these men

themselves, for whom the LL.llot is recommended,

against him.

cased, Our illtetltioll to adopt; so that justice may
have a full and free course. He has been tried,

however, by twelve of his peers,—men, we be-
lieve, of unprejudiced and impartial minds,—
by them he has been found guilty, upon evidence
to them, and which

Iwhich was satisfactory

Chief Baron POLLOCK considered most conclusive.
A corroboration emanating from the Judge is
always acceptable to the Jury, who have in their
hands the solemn and most highly responsible
trust of life and death, balanced upon their de-

cision. In this instance it must have been a great
satisfaction indeed, that the Lord Chief Baron.
approved of the , verdict which they delivered,—

satisfactory, not alone from his great experience,
but also from the fact, that all his antece-
dents are of a highly intellectual, and also
religious character. The Lord CHIEF BARON

put upon their votes, and we tell Iltem they are
worthless to the State. England rejects the:2l. It is
impossible that you who are supposed capable G:f
selling a promise, or protecting your interests by a
mean falsehood, can exercise a vote with the

was Senior Wrangler at Cambridge, in what is
called a very good year ; and it appears that the
study of the pure and demonstrative Science of
Mathematics is best adapted to the study and
distribution of the Law. The testimony against
SMETHURST has been entirely circumstantial and.
professional ; it has been a conviction dependent
upon a logical and inductive reasoning. It may
have bon conlating,—there has certainly been
a variety of opinions among the members of the
Medical Profession, whether an irritant poison,
had been minutely administered or not. The
impression induced by Dr. JuLiug was from the
prescriptions which he administered, that some-
active poison was being given to his patient : he
gave Hydrocyanic Acid (Prussic Acid), Bismuth,
and such other remedies as are usually given in
similar symptoms to those which the disease in this
case presented ; and doubtless the use of these

slightest discrimination, or for a good, rather than
a bad cause. Questions of public policy require
the votes of free and honest men. And though

we cannot ' expect to secure by legislation the

exclusive alliance of probity and patriotism, it
does not follow that we should employ legislation
for the express purpose of laying open the Con-
stitution to the influence of the man who
slave to his own interest, or the disbeliever in a
political conscience. Moral and political qualifi-
cations are closely and necessarily allied

medicines did counteract the effects of a poison
minutely administered, and that by a professional
Men so judicially blind themselves; and
although SMETHURST might have had before his
eyes the experience in a like evil intent, of the
fearful example of PALMER, he may yet have
calculated his probability of escape, upon the idea
that PALMER had not cautiously employed his
Pharmaceutical skill, whilst he himself could with
cunning precaution deceive even the members of
his own profession. But the result has shown
how grossly he deceived himself.
Nemo turpissismus fit. No one becomes the•
basest at once. And the fact of his bigamy
with Miss BANKES shews plainly, whatever
may have been his intellectual attainments,
that his moral faculties were debased. The des-
cent in crime is gradual. As he had, to his
benumbed and seared conscience at least, with
impunity committed an act of moral and
felonious crime, he was emboldened to attempt
a greater. But his sin found him out when,

tical power and moral worthlessness combined
are the sure harbingers of destruction to a

In a vote, as in an alms, there is a

subtle influence, beyond the material value,
derived from the willing mind. Perhaps the

vote of a man open to corrupt inducements
is as likely to be on the one side as the other.

But the power of voting, residing among such a
class of men, must be more than useless—more
than a matter of chance—more than shameful ;

it must be pernicious. You that demand the

elective franchise, show that you appreciate its
true value ; and are resolved to execute it as a
trust from God and your fellow-men. Until you
do so, the best expedient that can be devised

as a substitute for moral firmness and political

honesty, will be only a disgrace to yourselves,
and a dangerous delusion to your country.
Mr. COBDEN, as we said the other day, was

unexpectedly reserved in his reference to Ameri-:

can precedent. But this general reserve only
made us the more surprised at his allusion to
what we believe is one of the weakest points in
American politics—the operation of the Ballot.
It was doubtless a pretty picture which he drew
for the entertainment of the Rochdale audience,
of the manners of his transatlantic Arcadia.
There was one touching scene of almost primeval
virtue, and even of a Sabbatarian religiousness,
which the sympathies of American attachment
compelled him to repaint. The highest interest
of his auditory must have been excited when Mr.
COBDEN represented in life-like colours his attrac-
tive tableau of that peaceful band of Pensylvanian
voters marching with solemn step to the hus-
tings, and, with the smile of conscious duty, de-
pOsiting their ticket, as though they were on the
Sabbath-morning journey to the favoured Taber-
nacle, and were giving in their periodical com-
munion cards Those who are in the habit of
reading the accounts of the American election con-
tests would receive all this with the needful quali-
fication. A qualification which, we are afraid,
would assume the character of positive incredulity.
But it does so happen, that at the very time these
words were being spoken, they were receiving a
curious sort of corroboration by the published ac-
count of the most recent American election, and
its delicate preliminaries. We shall not add a
word to the instructive detail. " Look on this
picture, and on this" :—" The elections in Balti-
" more took place on the 2nd instant. The follow-
ing description of the modus operandi will
" doubtless be satisfactory to the advocate of the
" ballot There is a great deal of rowdyism.
" The ballot-boxes in the Twentieth Ward have
" been smashed to pieces, and it is reported that
"in the Sixth Ward two men have been shot.
" The struggle is between the rowdies and the
" respectable portion of the party, and the indi-
" cations now are that the former will be successful.
" 9 p.m.—Pistols are being freely used in some
"localities. A man named SULLIVAN has just been
" arrested in the Sixth Ward for firing a large
"horse-pistol loaded with slugs. THOMAS ROWE
"has been wounded in the knee, and WILLIAM
THomPsoN in the leg. There are reports of
" violent proceedings in other parts of the town."

perhaps, he least expected it. Next to the crime
for which he is condemned to suffer, socially,
religiously, and morally his connexion with his
victim was one of the most criminal and profane
which a man could be capable of. Such an in-
stance, therefore, we maintain, clearly proves,
that high intellectual attainments do not com-
mand moral rectitude ; and that knowledge,
which we admit is power, is a power for evil,
unless regulated by the "fear of the LORD," as
" the beginning of wisdom." If we look back
to the Augustine period of literature, as repre-
sented to us by the satirists of that age, JUVE-
NAL, PERSIUS, and others, we shall see to what
a height intellectual refinement may attain, and
yet how debased and low may be the moral sense.
Poetry, oratory, statuary, painting, and all those
concomitants of a highly polished age, may be co-
existent with a very immoral social condition ;

and one, a description of which would not become
our pages, but to which we can only refer the
classical student. What we contend for is, that

education, without religion, as proved by our
criminal calendars, is not only unprofitable but
baneful. The intellectual structure must be raised

upon the sound and strong foundation of reli-

gion. Let the superstructure be as elegant and
as refined as possible ; but, if not built upon the
true basis of wisdom, it will be unable to with-
stand the temptations, the suggestions, and the
incitements of an evil nature and an erring dis-
position.

--♦-

NOTES OF THE DAY,

The indirect results of great events are often of more
importance than those which are direct. The effects of
war are frequently so. History abounds with instances
of the kind. And we are now having an illustration of
it in the political changes taking place at Vienna, which
may be traced, no doubt, indirectly to the late Italian
war. One effect of that war has evidently been to con-
vince the Emperor of Austria of the necessity of pur-
suing a different policy than he has hitherto done.
He found that his country is behind the age, —that
although his is a military empire, it is yet most back-
ward, even in the art of war, and unable therefore to
compete with a country which, in some respects, has
not anything like the same advantages as a military
power. Various ministerial and administrative changes,
we learn, are now taking place at the Austrian capital ;
and it is said by the Vienna Gazette that these changes
indicate important projects of reform, which the
newly organised imperial council is preparing to
enter upon the consideration of. Considering
the official character of this journal, its remarks
on the impolicy of too great caution in pursuing
such reforms are characterised by a most extra-
ordinary boldness,—yet, at the same time, one
cannot but infer from them, that the Imperial Govern-
ment is really in earnest in its determination to carry
them out as fully and as vigorously as the oircumstances
of the country will safely permit.
If Louis Napoleon has the credit of having, by the
Italian war, of which he was most certainly the author,
incited Austria to pursue a more liberal policy, and t°
enter upon a more decided career of progress than she
has ever yet done, he has also the credit of having at
length struck out a course for his own government much

IT has been our painful duty to have to
record, in our columns of late, many instances of
crime, and that of a grave and serious character,
committed by persons in the humbler classes of
life. The advocates of secular education would
attribute its existence to the absence of intellec-
tual culture,—they will tell you that the low
moral sense indicated by such acts, arises from a
want of knowledge. But one of the cases, at
least, which recently have been brought before
the Courts of Justice has contravened this theory,
advanced generally Joy the. great Liberal party.
Their axiom is, that all crime results from ignor-