The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-12 00:00:00

SERIOUS ASSAULT BY A LABOURER.

Yesterday a labourer named George Johnson, employed on
the Birkenhead deck works, was brought up at the Birkenhead
Police emir`, br fore Major. General the Hon. Sir Edward.
Oust, and Mr. J. D. Case, charged with a most violent assault:
on William Maw, the foreman of one of the gangs of workmen
now employed by Messrs, Thompson and Co., the contractors
to the Corporation of Liverpol for the completion of those
extensive works. Mr. l3retherton in opening the ease for
the prosecution, after having stated the nature of the assault
and the duty of the prisoner, said tbat from the magnitude of
the works then going on, there being at present from 900 to
1,000 men engaged, and shortly would be at least 3,000, it
was absolutely necessary, to preserve order, that an example
should be made of the prisoner in order to deter others, and
preserve or.ler amongst such a body. Therefore be should.
a,k, if the magistrates thought fit, that the prisoner should be
re, 'Apure ix taw., get %nut ne wtsneu see, two years
imprisonment. The following is the statement of the
prosecutor :—William Maw, on being sworn, said : Am one
of the gangsrnen over Messrs. Thoorpsons' labourers,
.at the
dock works at the north end of the town. On Wednead4
there were four waggons at the bottom of the incline. It wa4
the duty of the prisoner to have hooked those waggons on, blit
instead of doing so, when the bell rang he went away. Id
consequence of his leaving, I had to put another man on to chi
that work. It is a regular practice and the duty of the
prisoner to have pefrormed that duty. Sir Edward Oust:
Did he know that such was his duty ? Witness : He did. Irt
the afternoon I saw him, but did not say anything to him,
but on the next morning I told him to go to the
plate layers to his mate, and I should find
another man in his place. The prisoner was enraged ; he said
" He should not go there ;" and I replied, "If you don't.
you krow where to go to the office, to get your money." Ho
did leave. About ono o'clock, I was on the incline. The
plisener ran down the incline, caught hold of me by the coat,
and hit me with the " Eprag" several times. (The "spree
was exhibited in court, and was a most formidable weapon,
being a lump of wood used to stop the carriages when on the
incline.) At the time he struck me, be said something about
knocking my brains out. He also disabled my arm. I called
for help, and a mar. came and took the " sprag" from him. He
then seized a break stick, and said, "If ho had not finished
me, he would do so if he served two years fol it—that he
had served eighteen months for a similar offence, and did not
care for it." The prisoner sias then taken into custody. This
statement was fully corroborated by one of the labourers, who
wrenched the ‘. sprag" from the prisoner. Mr. Dowling, a
surgeon of Birkenhead, who had attended the complainant,
described the wounds he had had received on the head, art
most severe, and on a dangerous part. He had also seen the
hat worn by the complainant, it was a very strong one, and
but for that, the blow might have caused concussion of the
brain, and proved fatal. The prisoner, in a rambling states
anent, admitted that he had struck the blow in the height of
pas-ion, after having a sup of drink, and was very sorry for
what he had dour. The magistrates thought the case was of
so serious a character, that they could not deal with it them-
selves ; and must, therefore, scud it for trial at the sessions.
The prisoner was then committed for trial.

THE CIVIL LIST.—In the year ended the 31st Dec. last
the charges on the consolidated fend for the civil list was
400,937 10s.

EMANCIPATION OF THE DUTCH SLAVES.---It is said
(states a letter from the Hague) that when the Second
Chamber resumes its labours, the Government wilt
present to it a bill for granting the necessary funds for the
eventual emancipation of the slaves in the West Indies.
THE COLD IN THE New WORLD.—The whole continent.
from Canada down to the Potomac, has been visited by an
unusually severe snow storm, accompanied by a degree of
cold very rarely felt, as with the fall of snow the tempera-
ture generally rises. The Croton water works at New York
froze up and cut off the water supply, and the gas went out
exten-ively through the city, which was of less consequente,
as there was nobody abroad worth robbing. That fact
pw'AaisC 8
only i s
oarpi
ep e abruerdgl
awr
yi t,h
btahte
am
dqo ietne
having been ascertained by the thieves, they disappeared.
fisirmesulftraonmeoouyselyr:
heated stoves. The alarming TThheere
state of the thermometer all
over the United States has produced a speculation as to the
possible existence of slavery within the present frigid zone.
At Lawrence, in Kansas, on the 7th ult., the mercury
markel eight dezrees below zero. The Express says this
is practical abolition, since " if Coffee can stand that, there
may be slavery in Greenland." Unfortunately for the theory,
Cuff,2e has stood. and does stand it, in regions where the
glass at present is no higher.
STRANGE, BUT TRUE.—DlitiMg the past five years a
man, of appareutly sober and industrious habits, has been
in the employ of
one of our townsmen, discharging his
duty satisfactorily, and seemingly with straightforward
integrity. Within the Las twelve months he had taken
up his quarters with a married couple who resided in
Ashby ; and while there he appears to have become
improperly attached to the hostess. Time, however.
moved on, and the husband, probably suspecting how
matters stood, resolved on a return to England ; realized
what property he possessed,' and turned it into gold ;
a
but, distrusting his own carefulness, he ele-e his wife
the purse bearer. Bent on carrying his intention into
effect, he took his better half to Melbourne,
secured
two passages in the mail ship then shortly to start,
and fanciell his work was done. Here he reckoned
without his host ; and, like many others before him, he
found out the truth of the saying, "there's many a slip
betwixt cup and lip." His wife disappeared ; and, judging
it:probable that her dislike
to the voyage had induced
her to return to Geelong, he at once came hither :to seek
his straying partner. In the meanwhile, the day for the
mail ship's departure came near, the wife went on board
with her inamorato, whom she represented to be her hus-
band. The remainder of the passage money was handed
over to the agents, and the True Briton is now conveying
the guilty pair to England ; while the husband, moneyless
and sold, has to bear the loss, and his fortune to make
again.—Geelong Advertiser.

lba .1.

AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF THE AMERICA.

The British and North 'American Royal Mail

steam ship America, Captain Small, arrived here
at noon yesterday. She sailed from Boston on
the 28th, and Halifax on the 30th ult. ; and brings

50 passengers. She reports passing the Royal
Mail steam ship Arabia, at 2 a.m. on the 30th.
Boston harbour was completely blocked up with
ice, and the authorities of that city had gone to
the expense of nearly 5,000 dollars, in order to
force a passage for the America to leave the city
with the English mails. It is thirteen years tilli36
such an occurrence took place before.

The news to hand by this arrivti is four days
later than that brought by the, tmeu, arrived on
Friday.

-The intelligence rom Washington is interesting.
the House of Representatives was iu a state of
great excitement, in. consequence of the corre-
spondent Of the New York Daily Times
havinf; been ordered into custody, for con-
t'empt in not divulging the names of several
parties from whom he said that he had
received information that a great amount of cor
ruption was going on amongst the members of the
house. The Neu York Journal of Commerce in re-
lation to this, states that, The disclosures of the
witness, n-Nv under arrest for contempt, go so far
as to throw upon the house generally the reproach
of corruption, and, if the house now abandon the
investigation, it must, as a body, rest under these
imputations, every mau taking his full share of the
same. The constituencies of members are also
interested in the subject, and will require that
their respective members should be freed froni
this reproach. •
The House Bill for compelling witnesses to
attend before a committee of either house and
answer questions, had been passed, and
• the President having approved of the same,
-it .is now the law of the land. The
House passed the bill increasing the pay of
-,the cfficers of the army. It increases the pay of
all officers and military storekeepers twenty dollars
• a month, and the ration commutation to thirty
cents. It is supposed the bill will be amended by
the Senate so as to ekelude all officers above the
rank of Colonel. It is said that the Committee o
Ways and Means have pm.ree.ta a tariff bill, which
• they will report in a day or two. It imposes a
duty of ten per et nt ad valorem, on wool, sugar,
. hemp, lead and salt; alt other articles remain as
before) exetpt those in the 100 per cent. schedule,
Which are reduced to 50 per cent.

The New York papers publish Governor Geary's
;-}message to the territorial legislature of Kansas.
• The governor asserts that peace; which promises
to be permanent, now prevails in the territory. He
rehearses at considerable length the steps by which,
since his entrance upon office, this result has been
Secured, and presses upon the legislature the
supreme duty of redressing all wrongs, consulting
Strict And impartial justice, and respecting the
limits of the Constitution in all their acts. Upon
the subject of slavery the recommendations of the
governor are not likely to be applauded by either
of the extreme parties into which the people of the
territory and of the country are divided. He
advises that it be left untouched by the territorial
legislature ; that they pass no laws upon the
subject, and leave all questions that may arise
concerning it, while Kansas continues to be a
territory, to the decision of the courts of law.
.This is substantially the construction of the

Nebraska bill for which the 'South has always con
tended. It does not admit the right of the people
-of the territory, as such, to exclude slavery, or to
take any action whatever upon the subject If a
slaVeholder chooses to take his slaves into Kansas
lie can do SO, and his right to hold them there can
only be contested in the courts of law. In those
_ courts it will be contended that the Constitution
protects this kind of property just as it does any
other ; and the probability is that this doctrine
:will be held by the judicial tribunals of the terri.
tory. Governor Geary makes a detailed and
(rather striking exposition ._
violations of justice that nave been incorporated
into the code of territorial laws. He shows
to begin with, that in the official reprint of the
Organic Acti changes have been made very
seriously affecting the character of that funda-
mental law. They have omitted entirely the clause
which gives the governor power-to pardon offences
the Territorial In% The laws, themselves,
are also full of provisions which the governor
denounces as at war with justice and s3und policy.
Those sections which vest the appointment of
indges and county c imenissioneis in the Legisla-
,-tive Assenibly, he considers in violation of
popular rights, and recommends their repeal,
All the test oaths he says should be at
once abolished. The habeas corpus. is vir-
tually suspended by the law which allows the
Probate Judge to issue the writ, but gives
him no authority to hear the case. The requi-
sition that voting shall be viva voce, ho
pronounces wrong and mischievous, and recom-
mends the ballot, as well as a registry of voters
The law which leaves the selection of jurors to
' the Marshal Sheriff, or Constable, he condemns
and calls for its repeal. The power given to corn-
.miSsioned officers to call out the militia is liable to
great abuse, and holding a general training on the
day of election he denounces as wrong, and calcu-
lated to excite terrorism The law relating to slaves,
he says, attacks the equality of citizens and destroys
all freedom of speech and of the press. These
and various other laws of the Kansas Codei

are strongly and earnestly condemned by the
Governor, who urges their repeal and the substitu-
tion of other enactments more in conformity with
justice and the true interests of the territory. He
advises, also, a geological survey, attention to the
interests of education, the construction of railroads
and an ardent attachment to the Federal Union.

The miscellaneous news does not possess any
. features of interest. A shocking tragedy had been
--brought to light in IsTe York. A German, named
Rhineman, poisoned himself and family. Intem-
perance is the cause assigned for the commission
of the dreadful deed. The Hon. John Barney, son
of the gallant commodore of that name, of revo
lutionary memory, has died at Washington.
. As is well known, Mr. Barney was engage .1 for
some time past in getting out a book giving his

reminiscences of public events and notable men

and women of his own times, for which task his
intimate acquaintance with the leading personages
who have figured during the past half century
eminently qualified him.
A fire at Watertown, Mass , had destrOyed 30,000
_dollars worth of property.
By way of Charleston we have news from Jack-
sonville, Florida, to the 15thult. General Harney
had withdrawn his flags of truce, and recommenced
offensive operations against the savages. Billy
Bowlegs and his braves will now be summarily
dealt with.
By the- arrival of the James Adaar at New York
we have late dates from the Isthmus of Panama
• an .1 Nicaragua. Cholera had disappeared from the
isthmus. in the newspaper accounts Walker is
represented as in better condition than ever,
having, 1,200 able bodied men with him at Rivas,
well supplied with ammunition and provisions, but
the passengers by the steamer gave a gloomy
account of his situation. 'The seizure of the transit
- route and steamboats by...Speniter is confirmed.
Spencer states openly that
.he acted in behalf of
Vanderbilt. No injury was offered to the passengers
in the captured boats, but they were escorted to
Greytown, where the steamer was boarded by an
officer from a British man of war, who ordered the
baggage of the men to he put off instantly.
Spencer kept the American flag flying from
his steamer, although'• he made his captures
in the name of Costa Rica. President Mora of
. the Costa Rican government, has. issued a procla-
- illation granting a pardon to Walker's men and a
free passage back to the States*. Many of Walker's
men, both officers and privates, were deserting.
They all tell hard stories of their sufferings from
hunger and sickness. Spencer states that the
-Costa Ricans have 151)0 troops posted along the
route. They are also in strong force at Seragui,
and have guns posted on both shores. The report

that Gen. Henningsen had fought his way out of
Granada and joined Walker. is confirmed, as is
also the rumour that General Chilton, with a large
body of men, had pronounced for Walker at Leon.
Walker, it is said, retook Rivas. without losing a
man. Captain Saunders, with his rifles, had
advanced to Leon to occupy that post. The
foregoing despatch is made up from the statements
of several returned Nicaraguans, who give very
conflicting stories.
A New York paper remarks—A critical reading .
of the protests and accounts from San Juan del .
Not te does not seem to 116 to warrant the accusation
made against the British comman ier in interfering
in favor of the Costa Ricans. It" is stated that
the agents at Punta Arenas of the Transit •Com-
pany slept under the assurance of the English
commander that no forces would be allowed
•to land on either side of the harbour; that
is, at Greytowu or at Punta Arenas. From
the accounts we do not see that the Costa
Ricans were allowed to land on either side,•and
certainly not at Punta Arenas, which otherwise
they might have clone, and taken possession of, or
burnt the buildings there. Their operations at
San Juan were confined to the taking of four
steamers lying at their usual anchorage in the river.
Now, this place of anchorage is nearly a mile from
,he landing place, and they took them up the
river. We are therefore inalined to believe that it
was the stand taken by the British commander
with the Costa Ricans, in the carne spirit that he
exhibited in his interviews with Mr Hutchinson,
that preserved Punta Arenas to the Transit Com-
pany. .
The news from Cuba is interesting. The Spanish
squadron had again been ordered to Vera Cruz.
The Captain General had been inducei to take
this step at the instance of the several Spanish
Consuls in Mexico who represent the people and
authorities to be extremely incensed against the
Spaniards. Several atrocious robberies and
murders had been committed in Cuernavaca and
Tan tapers by Alvarez' soldiers. In one large sugar
estate every Spaniard was butchered in cold blood.
The whole diplomatic corps of Mexico had pro-
tested against the foul act, and although President
Comonfort ordered an investigation of the facts
connected with the ease, no one believes that the
offenders will be brought to justice, for the simple
reason that the murders were committed by
the very men that uphold Comonfort in power.
General Alvarez has written to the Govern-
ment a long statement of the affair, and accuses
the Spaniards of having been engaged in several
of the late `1 pronuncianzentos" against the actual
Government. The lives and property of the
Spaniards throughout the country wet e considered
unsafe. It is believed here that this last act of
Mexico will bring matters to a speedy conclusion,
and that Spain will invade the country at any
sacrifice. A proposition had been made for laying
a submarine telegraphic cable between Havana
and Cape Florida, but the Cuban Government
would not sanction it unless it had sole control of
both ends of the line The slave trade was flourish-
ing„ two cargoes having but recently been landed.
The Spanish mail - steamer from Cadiz was at
Quarantine with smallpox on board.
By way of Havana se have dates from Vera Cruz
to the 21st ult. There is no news of importance
Railroad plans are making great progress in public
estimation. Government was about to introduce
camels into the country as beasts of burden. The
explorations for coal and iron were to be pursued
on a more enlarged scale: Foreign immigration
was still encouraged by government.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YOLK, Jan. 27.

MONETARY AFFAIRS.—Money continues to grow more
abundant, and the tendency of discounts, exclusive of differ-
ences paid for carrying stocks, is towards lower rates. 7 per
cent. is the figure for loans on call. The rates for paper are
lower, say from 8 to 12 per cent., according to le'gth and
class. The Foreign Exchange is firm in consequence of the
absence of the Southern mails, now over due, and part of
them frozen up below Washington. Bills on England, 1081
to 1081.

Ou'rTO,T.

The date of my last circular was 21st January, and we have
since received the news ler Atlantic to the 7th, and Persia to
the_ inat__ The Atlantic advised xatb...
in the Liverpool cotton market, and an advance of Ail per lb.
By the latter we learn that the week's sales amounted to
88,000 bales ; the market closing dull, and a fraction of the
advance lost. In Manchester, the large advance demanded by
spinners and manufacturers had almost put a stop to business.
Money was in active demand, but the rate for commercial paper
easier.

The market in this city opened with a fair demand, which
continued up to Tuesday, when the Atlantic's intelligence was
received and stimulated the buying still more, causing an
advance of le per lb. On Saturday, the Persia's accounts
were received and a pause ensued. Yesterday, several buyers
entered the market, and took fully 5,000 bales. Prices were
slightly irregular, but closed as nearly as possible at my
quotations. The total sales from 20th inst.nt to last evening,
I estimate at 10,000. bales._ The clearances during the same
time have been, for Antwerp, 412 bales.
Upland. Florida. Mobile. N.O.T.
Inferior.

- .
Ordinary
Middling ....
Middling Fair
Fair - . nom. nom. nom.
Good Fair
Fine nom. nom. nom. r cm.

COTTON IN TRANSITU.—Previous to Saturday a fair busi-
ness was (lone at full prices, since which the market has been
quiet and no sales of moment have been made. The Black
Warrior arrived yesterday for New Orleans with a fair supply
of samples. The sales for the week I estimate at 5,000 bales.
By telegraph the following has been received :
NEW ORLEANS, JAN. 24.—Receipts for the week, 51,000
bales ; same week last year, 33,000. Sales to day, 14,000,
and for the week, 69,000. Exports : To Great Britain.
30,000; to Havre, 4,000. Middling, 121,c. per lb. Freight
to Liverpool. 9-16,1 ; to Havre, 1 3-16 c per lb.
MOBILE, Jan. 24: Receipts for the week, 20,000 bales ;
same week last year, 23,000. Sales for the week, 16,500
bales. Middling, Mc per lb. Jan. 26th—Middling, 12e
and market heavy. -Freight to Liverpool, 9.165,, and Havre.
13-16 c per lb.
SAVANNAH, Jan. 24: Good demand. Middling, 12Z-c
per lb. Very little cotton offering-
CHARLESTON, Jan. 23 : Cotton sales to-day, 3,000 bales
at full prices.
CROP : The opinions remain unchanged, net. can I sea the
smallest reason to alter the estimate I have all through the
season adopted ; the excess in receipts at the ports as
compared with last year, if all the Southern circulars had
been received, would prove to be about 30,000 bales, and the
advices by telegraph for. week later, give us the certainty of
a further increase next week. This has been expected, as
we are now comparing with the small weeks of last year.
I have already remarked the receipts will continue free,
until the whole crop is marketed unless the present navigable,
state of the river should cease. There has been throughout
the whole season every facility and inducement for planters
to hurry their crops to market, and they will use every
exertion to send it all before the planting season for the next
crop begins.
FREIGHTS are now firm at II to 7-165 per lb for cotton to
Liverpool ; to Havre, 1-e.
EXCHANGES are firm on London at losi per cent, and
active on Paris at 5-221. W. P. WRIGHT.