The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-08 00:00:00

ARRIVAL OF THE MONTMORENCY,

We have reeeived Melbourne pacers to the 18th
of October, by the arrival of the Black Ball clipper
ship Montmorency, off Dublin, with a large number
of passengers, and nearly 400,0001. in gold dust.
The Mermaid, from Liverpool, arrived off Port
Philip Heads on the 16th Oct. The news by this
arrival does not possess any features of the least
importanCe. There appeared to be somewhat of a
lull in politics, or political excitement, the late
engagements having killed off many partisans
and principals, and manned and wounded a large
number of others. Still, says a Melbourne paper,
There is an under current at work, and some of those
who have so long appeared to be about to walk over the
courv, will have to take to their heels and run for it—
either forwards or backwards. Whispers corns from the
Wimmera, that a M'Culloch will appear to dispute the
prize with a Hamm'll and a Montgomerie. State aid and
squatting aid will therefore have to look to it in that
quarter. For Snub Grant, a Mr. Wilson (of the firm of
Timms, Wilson 4- Co.)is said to have entered the field with
good prospect of success, nothing daunted by his defeat for
the Western Province.. Dr. Greeves is also ire the saddle
for East Bourke; And ought certainly to be secured. To
leave out of the ;house such men as the doctor, and some
otters of those at present omitted, would be a fatal mistake,
if we are to judge by the lists of thoSe seeking for suffrage.
Considerable speculation prevailed as to
.the
probable meeting of the ncsw parliament. It would
apnear that about the 28th Novemb=r was the day
" then ordered." It was also expected that the new
houses of parliament would by that time be ready
for the reception of the membeis of both chambers.
Touching the presidency of the legislative council
a local paper says :

L. Palmer, the-speaker of the old legislature, feels him-
self quite sure, yet it is rumoured that he will ba opposed
by Mr. Henry Miller. In the speakersb.ip of the assembly
Mr. C. J. Griffiths has all but formally deelared
and it was believed he was to have been opposed by Mr.
Snodgrass bad he been.returned for Kilinore. Dr. Greeves,
it is also thought, might afford a claim to the saris chair in
the event of obtaihing a seat in the house, which his chances
fur West Bourke seem likely to secure.
The influx of Celestials via the Murray, has been
much discouraged by the Victoria government, and
the steamers no longer convey the denizens of the
flowery land to the neighbourhood of the gold
fields. The river has in one part changed its
original bed, and " Campbell's Island," a tract
some twenty miles long, has lately been separated
from the Victorian shore. The river at this spot
has therefore ceased to form the boundary between
the two colonies, and steamers coming up the river
have to pass through a portion of Victoria. We
cannot say whether this is the reason of the-inter-
ference of the authorities, but the geographical
change which has taken place, would form good
grounds for such a step. Some amusing anecdotes
are told of the Chinese who took a passage, some
time ago in the Leielihardt When they em-
barked, they stipulated for a liberal allowance of
wood and water, these being the necessaries they
had most felt :the want of during their passage
from Hong Kong. The officers of the Leichhardt
pointed to the water in the river and the gum
trees on its banks, and it required no small
amount of persuasion to induce John Chinaman
to believe that the river was fresh water, and the
trees were available for fuel. When the pas
sengers were landed at Echuca they immediately
pitched their frail-tents, and within eight minutes
from the period of ' debarkation, they were all
sitting down engaged in gambling.
Much excitement had been caused at Geelong,
in consequence of the mayor of that city being
indicted for libel. The case was before the police
magistrates, and they committed the defendant,
Mr. Thompson, to take his trial at the next Central
Criminal Court. The prosecutor was Mr. John
Robinson Bailey, editor of the Geelong Observer,
and lately an unsuccessful candidate for the suf-
frages of the electors of Geelong. We need not
remind our readers that during the protracted
contest for the town, a great acerbity of feeling
was engendered, that party polities ran high, and
the journal presided over by Mr. J. R. Bailey was
conspicuously devoted to party advocacy, and to
the furtherance of individual ambition ; in the
prosecution of which, the greatest latitude of,
antagonism was indulged in. Naturally, the
adoption of such a course incited retaliatory mea-
sures, and Mr. Thompson placarded the town
with a circular, addressed to the electors of Gee-
long, in which the following passage occurs :
Now, let me ask, Who is Bailey ? He is a man of popular
manners, plausible style, and voluble utterance ; but a mere
dodger ; a political " fillibuster ," and "- hungry loafer,"
taking as much as he can get ; a man of whom nobody
knows anything; without any stake in the c 'untry beyond
a cottage and a few acres of land at German Town ; a man
who for some time has been culling political capital from
everything and everybody ; who is selling his principles (if
he has any) for money ;—a conclusive proof that he will
sell the people if he ever has the chance. And this mail
boats of having claims on Geelong !
Mr. Bailey was exasperated at the placard, and,
therefore, proceeded against Mr. Thompson, with
the result as stated above. The Geelong Advertiser
says :--

As to the mode by which the committal was brought
about, we have a few observations to hazard. The con-
ductor of the prosecution evaded the entire subject matter
of the alleged libel, and picked out three epithets of boubt-
ful construction, which were deposed to by the prosecutor,
and received by the bench, irrespective of their application,
and independent of their context. There was di,strnulation
in the witness box, and prejudice, if not collu.ion, out of it.
In the libel occurs the phrase " political filibuster." Now,
the qualifying adjective " political" was barked in court,
and the substantive only considered. And more than that,
and worse than that, the significance of that word die.
severed from its context, was accepted on the " ipse
unsupported testimony of the prosecutor. Justice for-
sooth ! It was a cunning dodge practised by legal
acumen on judicial blindness. What is a "filibuster ?"
Nobody in court knew except the deeply injured, amiable
prosecutor, who believed the word to be a c-)rruption by
the Suanishand French of the English word " freebooter,"
and as freebooters were occasionally strung• up at the
yard-arm when buccaneering was prevalent, to apply the
Espagn 1-Francoise-Anglice compounded term " filibuster"
to a Geelong candidate in 1856, was to impute piratical
objects and necessity of capital punishment And the
bench swallowed the whole dose, to the astonishment of an
ignorant auditory. And so again with regard to the phrase
"hungry loafer," which was translated by the editor
prosecutor, from the Yankee original into English vernscu •
lar, and declared to be synonymous with " vagrant "
and, as vagrancy is punishable, therefore hungry loafer
disjointed from the qualification "political," be-
comes libellous. And that also was swallowed by
the astute magistracy. The conclusirn arrived at with
regard to the word " Fillibuster" is very funny and fanciful,
and intimately connected with the " Horse chestnut and
Chestnut Horse school of reasoning. The term " loaf« r"
we find in the " Technological, Etymological, and Pro-
nouncing Dictionary of the English Language," edited by
John Craig, printed in London in 1852, and published by
Routledge and Co., Farringdon street. Acc)rding to this
dictionary, a " loafer" is designated "an indolent fellow,
who runs about trifling and practising mean expedients."
Clap to this the pretex " political," and the expression, so
far from conveying a notion of vagrancy, as alleged,
is a fit pet term to mark a sense of errant prin.
ciplot or shifting sentiments ; an 1, used so, is a
justifiable phrase, and not in the least degree libellous.
And yet on such miserable pleas and transparent inven-
tions, to gratify personal spleen, the press is insulted, the
chief magistrate of the town bound in a thousand /inds
penalty to meet a criminal prosecution, and an attempt made
to gag public opinion. We are glad to perceive that the
people aro alive to their vital interests, and prepared to
rally round the standard of freedom. We claim for Dr.
Thompson only that which we claim for ourselves and that
is something less than has been practised by his prosecutor,
A correspondent writing from Alktry, states
that
There are several first-rate openings in this town for '
parties possessed of energy and enterprise, and when it is
remembered that the population of Alhury ajd Wodonga
falls little short of 2,500, it is surprising that we have been
so much overlooked. We have eight public houses, but no
brewery, and all our malt liquor has to he bro fight from
Beechworth, a distance of thirty miles For some time
drays have been unable to cross the river, and in cons.-
quence of the stoppage of the supplies paused by this

circumstance, it is now almost impossible to procure s
glass of ale in Albury. There is a very heavy demand for
bricks, but no brickmakers are to be engaged in this
neighbourhood, and the proprietor of our single brickfiela,
with his two workmen, are quite unable to meet the calls
upon their industry. At present there are only three
storekeepers, bat we hear that we shall shortly have
fourtb,_and. from_ the very unostentatious_ way in which
business is conducted, we inr-gine theta is room for one or
two " go-a-head " pushing proprietors of establishments cf
this nature. The cultivation of the, vine is a. branch oilabour
which offers large profits, and farming is by no means
overdone. •

According to our advises, there appeared to
exist just as much cause for anxiety reppeetiog the
getting away of the English mails as there was
about their arrival.- The dela.yB after the mails
closed were into!erable. and the local papers were
calling out against the .Goternment on this
mat er. • •

The Melbourne Herald says :
'rbe law officers of the Crown have given their opinion
on the subject Of the use of the ballot at municipal elections.
It is, that the principle which is now operating so suecess-
fully while employed for the election of members of di?
Parliament, cannot be made available in polling fir muni4
eipal representatives.- The Collingwood Municipal Council
put the question, and the Attorney General and Solicitor
General concur. ed in opinirin that the me of the ballot on
such occasions as were meant would be illegal. We are
inclined to think that secret voting is even more needed at
municipal elections than at others, as personal feeling is in
the former case involved to a far greater extent than when
the candidate is not in such familiar connection with his
constituency.
Mitch disappointment and chagrin was being
expreSged by the Victorian press, at the neglect of
the government to erect a '• gold office," for the
safety of that Valuable mineral. A correspondent
wri,ing from Dunolly, says:—
We should like to hear what our new, and we hear work-
ing merchant governor, Sir Henry liarkly, would say, were
he this day to be dropped down. lato Dewily. We strorgly
suspect he would very soon " drop down'" to the humbug of
the " gold fields system ;" for here fie wand see 40,000 of
her Majesty's tax paying lieges.(miners, traders, and others),
transacting business with the cities of Melb,'Urne, Geelong,
&c., and with the inland townships of Saudlau.-it,
Castle.
maine, Carisbrook, Maryborough, &c , &e., to the
amount (on ascertained data of at the very least/
£60,000' per week; diggers, suceessful and nnsuccessfua
but many obtaining quantities of gold frail
claims held by them tinder the crown, on pay
ment of £1 per annum ; and yet, for the safe
keeping of that gold, and of such bullion and notes es the
trading requirements of this gold field depot may cal into
circulation, her Majesty's colonial Government (God save
the mark !) have not even erected a gold office, or appointed
a gold receiver. Neither have they sent up sufficient police
to protect persons and property, there being now no more
than about fifteen foot police to a population of 40,0001
His Excellency would also find that the post office is four
miles from the people ; that murders and robberies have
been cernmittcd, but that there is no police magistrate
nearer than Maryboreugh,, which is fifteen miles distant,
and that the J.P.'s amongst the gold field wardens have
so much to do in settling miners' disputes, that thel
can but seldom, or at any rate very irregularly, sit on the
bench.
The accounts from the gold fields are most
favourable. At Dunolly, the newly discovered field+
the returns were large, and lumps of from 4 to 5 lb.
weight Were of daily occurrence. The papers
contained numerous paragraphs such as the
following :
We were yesterday indebted to Messrs. Mantel and Willer
gold brokers to the bank of Victoria, Market Hill, fur die
sight of a remarkably pure and beautiful piece of gold,'
weighing 64 ozs. 19 dwts, nett. It was originally purchased
by Mr. Molyneux, at his new store, Main street, opposite
White's restaurant, and was found in ten feet sinking, and
not far from the mein road. We trust, and 11,1,e reason to
beliere from miners' reports, that many such nuggets will
be found. •

NottNithsta,nding the great counter attraction of
Dan°lly, the
,Bendigo diggings were yielding largest
quantities of gold. The Courier of the Mines has
the following :---
In spite of the croakings of those parsons who are so ford
of expressing themselves as fearful that Dunolly will swesP
Bmidigo, and that this, the richest and most thickly pupa'
lated gold field in the col nay, is decreasing its yield,we mat
mention that the total amount of gold taken down is one
day was 13,071 ozi 10 dwts, of which 1,722 czs were for:
warded from ffeathcote, and the amount of cash forwarded
by the same means was £6,979.
Mining operations continuo to show considerable
progress in Steiglitz gold-field, and as the seasoo
advances, it is expected that these operations will
be correspondingly extended. On Boxing Reef *
marked improvement has taken place lately, several
claims at its northern extremity having struck the
golden leader, which in some cases is upwards of
two feet in thickness.

1 The Ovens Constitution says :
We have considerable satisfaction in learning that 112'
structinns have been given to the various surveyors along
the line of road between Melbourne and Beech worth, t°
commence without delay the works in conneciun with th°
electric telegraph. Through the courtesy of Mr. Wilmot,
we have had an opportunity of inspecting the chart showing
the direction of the line, and it appears to us to be excte
ingly well laid out. The route is as direct as the nature
of the country will admit of, and will allow of very Olt
further reduction in length. Great as will be the advantage!
to be derived from the construction of the telegraph itself'
they are, in our opinion, net superior to those which 0
shall gain by the partial formation of the road.
We have dates from Sydney to the 13th Oct.
Mr. Watson Parker had succeeded in forming Is
government, and on the 11th was returned 0
member of parliament for the district of Pare'
matte, by a majority of twenty over his opponent.
The revenue returns of New South Wales had bees
published. From these it appears the income for
the year ending September 30th, 1856, We!
1.028,1881, against 1,031,8291 in 1855, being a fallin*
off of 3,6411. The income was received from the
following sources :—Customs, 421,5121; colonlel
spirits, 48,7881; gold licenses, &c., 29,6941; the
mint, 0,5171; railway tolls, 7,4261; land salee:
231,2961; rents, 64,702 ; licenses, 49,4111;
office, 28,0471; fines and fees, 29,3111; reimburse'
merits, 34,0731: pilotage, 3,7401; stock. 31,2351;
sheep, 17,2651 ; miscellaneous, 15,1711; total'
1,028,188.

We have advices from South Australia of a late
date. Mr. Babbage, who was connected with the
Gold Search Commission, was still missing. Thg
Adelaide Despatch makes the following remarks oe
the subject :=
A greater waste of public money was never incurred on:
small scale, than that of sending such a man on a el:
exploring expedition at £75 a mouth, and everythi%
found him. But it was done, we suppose, on much 0,
some principle as that of the home government in sendioN
Mr. Chisholm Anstey as Attorney General to Hong Song'
to get rid of a bore. It could not, at all events, have bee}
..either on account of his practical geological knowledge °,
this country, or of his experienc3 in the gold fields of 811;
other. But he will turn up' one of these days, we supPii
and we shall then see to what purpose this £75 per month
of the public money has been laid out upon him.


COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
We have to report a much altered market since date (,
our last publication. The protracted rainy- season hitliSt
at length terminated, the extensive demand we have lore
predicted has at last appeared, and operations of considerable
amount have been effected during the last ten days. Cone;
try orders continue to come in briskly, and an active devian
for goods of almost all kinds exists. Prices have not as Yet
.
advanced, nor with the very large import our markets he"
latterly groaned tinder, can increased rates at present 131.
looked for ; it is, however, gratifying to holders to b'
enabled to observe the lively demand now springing uPt,'
Cartage has not fallen so much as was expected ; this ILt
however, accounted for by the sudden change in the weathe,
causing a larger demand for teams than had been reckoned
on. With the return of cartage to the ordinary surno •
rates, a still increased business may be looked for, and 1,
all present purchases making are for actual consumption, "
greater stability is imparted to the market, than if speOUla;
five trading produced buyers. Late arrivals have bee
moderate; and as stocks in Melbourne will rapidly decree?'
a firmer tone will be assumtd, and we anticipate a bealtbi
steady summer trade.

Inspirits a fair trade has been done, though at easier rate'
especially for brandy, which we quote at 13s 91 as bilztlif
price ; in rum, more business has been done during the 1216:4
,part of the week, this article having ban rather neglE,c,,tij
for a short time. 'We record sales also of bulk gin tlif
Torn) at our quotations, the latter, in cases, has sligl37l
d,chneri. Bulk whiskey is still very dull cf sale, and pricoa
given are quite nominal. A better demand exists for g° p
case whiskey, Mackenzie's (a superior and well got
article) sells readily at 20e per dez?,n. Wines are in stead;
c
emand for suitable qualities, really fine sorts are rgl.ea
rt. quest. Light wines are more enquired for, fine St. Ju'lid
claret brirglng 22a to 235. Johnson's 24s to 253, Bot, •
beer is in brisk demand, and as:prices of cartage fall's
moderate. advance may be expected. Importers of Wei

tio]
sell
ebi
int,

dre
Ma

'bro
vio
and

.ICeT
*hell
list

.in
• ton
in

, -
and
dud
'are

"aPP

. •
arri
aIF
` tali
1 goo
Go(
tier
Adv

gro
tho
• 'fall
trar

Bear
'per

ing
ton,
beet

to
In
134
7s
iald

oalu
• -.1-d

.• reek
•-` I

and
!al.&
In
• and

• Ito,
. switt

!tdv:

brot
Ii
Pat
I
al h
' Las

®P

Oct
• .43ep

Our
prei
as

.co?,j

Pae

thi;

. 2,.)t
(;ni
1.)91,

• 1
•sn,

co
• Err
• 1
tiqxl
4...‘.„r
ef;

MI;
Ales'

the

Th.(
Cot

,
the

T
Sea
T
the
'One

on
Tht

811(
,Son
. Wn

vita,
at ta
fen
had
the
I.lq

j !kr

Itlt,

.. ~Pti

ocure
and for
in this
dada,
he calls
three
have a
L which
one or

ents cf
`labour

IkeaDS

led to
hg the
was
mails

s weld
1 thiff

opinioti
ections.

sueess-
s of tai?
r munia

Council
Jennifer
allot 011
We are
ceded at
ngisill
.n when
with his

being
lect of
for the
mident

r work-
were
strorgli
mbug of
0,008 of
others),
i,eloogs
Castle•
to the
1 teast
:cessfu.;
from
I pay°
1-? e safe

as the
:AI into
ld save
'pointed
it pol,ce
to more
40,0001
is four
its have
Igistrate
distant,
au have
Oat thel
it on the

most
.d field►
to 5 lb•
papers
as the

d Wine,
fur the
of gold,'
urchaied
opposite
,ing, and
eason
will
;ets

:tion of
tg largo!
rzes has

so fond
11 svrasP
ld
ly por
I,we mat
n is 00
were for-
)rwarded

derable
seasoo
)us will
Reef it
severel
uck the
'aids of

that
isa alor;
movh, to
with tbe
t ihowing
e tlcted"
he ❑attire
ery little
lvant4gee
tph itself.
which We

3th Oct.
sming 6
•neti 86
3f Pall-
ponent*
Lad bees
some for
6, wa9
a falling
rom the
colonial
41; 010
(1 sales,
1; P`
1-nburse,
31,235;
tots'

)f a late
xith the
The
'arks (90

rred on $
jn a g 0
verythini:
nub "
a sendirig
ng 1100'
lave WI
vledge
d 3 of el
fiupPrh'
er monfr"

ce date or
haviog,
aye lorS
uiderable

Coat
•
e dera3ll.A
Set
not as Ye"
kets bace
resent be
lets to b 5
ing UP
; tbii 111 i
e weathe;
reckooo
• suMnier,
r, and 1/;
raption,
specula.,
bee" Lava
decrease,
a healtbi

sier rate;
hidles
the ratter
negh:e'
gin Oil
is f,
Ind P'ic,,d
3 for g''"o
I got 11,
in steauitsi
ro not.
St. Julle
BoY,d
tge
)f We"