Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-18 00:00:00

AMUSEMENTS.

THE AMPITITHEATRE.—The engagement of Messrs. Web-
ster, Wright, and Bedford still attract large audiences to
this theatre. During the past week the selection of pieces
has been of a more varied character than in the earlier
part of the engagement. Three or four short and lively
comediettes keep audiences in batter spirits than a long
and heavy melo-drama followed by a farce. Much, however,
is lost in the former instance by the'acting of Mr. Webster,
who is fitted for a line of art as much beyond burlesque or
farce as above melo-dramatic stage-play. It is to be
regretted that, when a piece of some length is produced,
this gentleman's great tale-As should be wasted in
endeavouring to render natu al and moving such parts
as that of Joseph Clauvigny. The peculiarities of Wright
and Bedford, contrasting with and setting each other off,
have been, we are glad so say, as thoroughly relished in
the Amphitteatre as they cou'd be in the Adelphi. We
have already mentioned that the support given to these
inimitable performers by the local company has been in
no common degree effective and creditable. Miss Page
has, up n the whole, gained in public favour during this
engagement. She will have to avoid much of the traditional
stage peculiarities, the starts, and pauses, and strained
attitudes, in orler to be as suceersful as she may without
much cl,fficulty become. Mrs. Power's comic talents we
have more than once commended, and must again notice
with well-merited p raise.

HAYMARKET THEATRE, LONDON.—IN REMEMBRANCE OF
THE LATE Me. DOUOL9S JEKROLD.—On Wednesday night
two of the late Mr. Jerrcld's most successful plays, "The
Housekeeper" and "The Prisoner of War," were acted at
the Haymarket Theatre, in aid cf the provision about to
be made for his family. " The Housekeeper" was first
performed at this same theatre on July 17, 1833 ; conse-
quently Friday was the twenty-fourth anniversary Of
its production ; and though it cannot be looked upon as a
stock piece, it is often revived with success—the last
occasion being during the engagement of Mr. and Mrs. C.
Kean, by whom the two principal characters were per-
sonated. Last night the only two of the original cast
were Mr. Webster and Mr. Buckstone ; the former of
whom played the Jesuit., Father Oliver, with that placidity
of countenance and subtle hypocritical expression which
have since stood him in such stead in " Tartuffe," &c., while
the latter endowed the country boy with that simpering
stolidity which never fails of its attraction over the risible
muscles of the audience. They were ably aided by Miss
Reynolds, Miss Wilton, Miss Lavine, Mr. Howe, and Mr.
Ferran. "The Prisoner of War," first performed at
Drury-lane in Feb , 1842, is necessarily much fresher in
the recollection of play goers, and the veriest dramatic
tyro has heard of Mr. Phelps's flue manly delineation of
Captain Channel!, of Mrs. Keeley's reading of her love-
letter, and of her husband's hatred of the French, and
determination, as a line act of pa'riotism, to trump every
statement of a foreigner. It will suffice, therefore,
to say, that each of the three characters on Wednesday
night was filled by its original representative, that the
whole evening passed off without the slightest hitch,
and that each favourite was received and constantly en_
couraged with the heartiest applause from a crowded house.
After " The Housekeeper" the following " Occasional
Address," written by Mr. S. Lucas, was spoken by Mr.
Phelps :

Welcome in Jerrold's name From Jerrold's tomb
This greeting chases half the gathering gloom,
And turns our sorrow for his mortal part
To joy and pride in his immortal art.
If of this art, a❑durin3 at its prime,
We gather salvago from the wrecks of time,
You, mindful cf the storms and struggles past,
Receive and welcome it to shore tit last.
True to yourselves, arid to each other true—
In honouring one who greatly honoured you,
Behind this curtain you can greet at will
His genlns living and triumphant still.
There waits the actor—there the scene is set,
And there the author's thought is pregnant yet ;
There the light offspring, of his fancy sprung,
Betray their parent by their English tongae,
Refleot his native humour in their part,
Or draw their pathos from his manly heart.
As 'twas of old, in England's classic age,
His own creations amply fill our stage.
Their's Is the savour and the zest we crave,
Surg•ng and sparking like a Channel wave,
With salt that had been Attic, but the Nine
Steep'd them in English and a stronger brine.
Forgetful of their state herekings may sit,
Subjects themselves to his imperial wit—
Wit that flows on regardless—free as air,
Like the rough raters around Canute's ch,ir.
You humbler men, who come to see the play,
And cheer the playwright, carry this away—
The man was still more worthy of regard,
And—though he smote the Philistines so hard,
He fought a fair, a brave and getterons fight,
And struck in honour's name for truth and right :
—Hopeless of cross or riband—taking heed.
Less for his fortunes than the common need—
)—for his guerdon and the common cause.
Do you now crowd him with your just applause.

MR. RUSKIN'S ADVICE TO THE CHANCELLOR Or THE
EXCHEQUER. —lf colours were twenty times as costly as
they are, we should hove many more good painters. If I
were Chancellor of the Exchequer I would lay a- tax of
203. a cake on all colours, except black, Prussian blue,
Vandyke brown, and Chinese white, which I would leave
for students. 1 don't say this jestingly ; I believe such a
tax would do more to advance real art than a great many
schools of design.— The Elements of Drawing.
OCEAN Celina. enn.---A singular worm is to be seen on
the surface of the harbour at Singapore, when the water
is smooth and polished, during the absence of all wind. It
is from three, to four inches in ientth, has its body made up
of a hundred joints apparently, has hundreds of centipede-
like legs nlong its entire sides, is covered with a short fine
hair ot luzz, and swims quickly, and with a zigzag track.
The natives fear their bite greatly, and destroy them when
they 'can. They have bright red eyes, and are altogether
most disgnsting looking wretches. Ono of the boatmen
dir,ped me up several, which. I transferred to a bottle full
cif spirits of wine, much to their annoyance. They died
hard, and emitted a bluish fluid, which the natives said was
poison. These latter gloated over their spasmodic and
protracted efforts to escape from the spirits pretty ranch
as old sailors admire the expiring agonies of a dying
shark.

VIOLENT ATTACK UPON WE;LEYAN MINISTERS.—On
Monday evening, as the Rev. Messrs. Hurst and Ramsay,
two Primitive Wesleyan Ministers, were reeurning from
conducting a religious service in the neighbourhood of
Sandy-row, they were grossly assaulted by a savage mob of
Roman Catholics. These reverend gentlemen were accom-
panied by three oflice-beareis in their church, and when
they wer, observed by the denizens of " The Pound," they
were p',; once set upon. Stones were hurled at them, and
wb'Jti they endeavoured to escape from their savage as-
sailants, they were beaten, and attempts made to give
them "the foot," as it is termed, and thus lay them pros-
trate, and at the mercy of the mob. Fortunately the
ministers and their companions managed to escape, two of
them being very much injured. We hope that some of the
parties who dare thus maltreat Protestant ministers in the
streets of Belfast, will be made amenable to the law, and
suffer the punishment due to their cri►ne.—Belfast News-
Leper.

AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF THE PERSIA:

The British and North American Royal Mail
Steamer Persia, Captain Judkins, arrived here yes-
terday afternoon with one week's later news from
the United States. She left New York at 820
a.m., on the Bth, and arrived off the Bell Buoy at
1.20 p.m. ysterday, and reached the Mersey at
4.40 p.m., making the run in about nine days. She
brings 225 passengers and 831 885 dols. in specie.
The Ericsson which sailed from New York on
the 4th, and arrived here about the same time as
the Persia, brought thirty passengers and 50,000
dols, in specie on freight.
The Arabia arrived at New York on the evening
of the 7th.

As previously intimated, the news to hand is one
Week later. The following is an ample summary
'of the same :

The Hon W. L. Marcy, late Secretary of State,
'was found dead in his room, at Albany, on. Satur-
day, the 4th inst. Death appears to have been
'occasioned by heart disease. The Albany Atlas
states that he visted Albany on the day previous,
and was then apparently in excellent health and
buoyant spirits. It was only within a short time
of his death that he became conscious of a
palpitation of the heart, and the symptoms
of that disorder had not been such as to oc
casion alarm to himself or his friends. Mr. Marcy
was born in 1786, in Masachusetts, and was conse-
quently seventy-one years of age at his death. In
1823 he removed to Albany, which had been his
residence ever since. In the year 1829 he was
appointed one of the associate Judges of the
Supreme Court, but resigned his seat on the bench
on his election to the United States Senate in
1831. This place he also resigned on taking the
oath of office as Governor of this State in January,
1833. He was twice re-elected Governor, but was
defeated on a fourth nomination by Mr. Seward,
in 1838. From this time until the election of Mr.
Polk he filled no political office, but on the acces-
sion of Mr. Polk to the Presidency he accepted the
post of Secretary of War, and discharged its duties
With distinguished ability. It was during his
administration of the affairs of the departmedt that
the war with Mexico occurred. On the accession
of General Taylor to the Presidency, Mr Marcy
again retired to private life, from which he was
called to fill the post of,Secretary of State during the
administration of President Pierce. "His conduct
in this trying position," says the New York Times,
" gained the respect of all parties. His manage-
ment of the many difficult and perplexing ques-
tions arising out of our relations with Great Britain
in the Central American affair, was distinguished
by firmness and patriotism, while it was believed
that his strong conservative tendencies saved the
country from many domestic dangers which the
less discreet members of the Administration might
have plunged us into the midst of. He was
scholarly in his habits, fond of old books, and, in
his manners abrupt even to rudeness. Simple and
unostentatious in his tastes, he was always ready
to retire to the quiet of private life. Since his re-
turn from Washington ho had been preparing to
go to Europe, and had gone to Ballston to remain
Until he was ready to leave. Mr. Marcy was large
in person, of a naturally strong and healthy consti-
tution, and apparently still vigorous and hearty
When he was struck down."

From Washington we learn that as soon as an
interview is had with Mr. James Bowlin, U. S I
Minister from Bogota, the government will im-
mediately decide on the course to be pursued with
New Granada, which will be of the most deter-
Mined and summary character, if an amicable ad-
justment is not entertained. In relation to affairs
in Venezuela, concerning" Bird Island," the course
of the U.S. Minister, Mr. Charles Eames, is ap-
proved of, and if the communication to be received
from that Government be not of a satisfactory
character, the ultimatum of the American Govern-
tnent will be conveyed by a vessel of war, as there
is no resident Minister in. Washington from
Venezuela to communicate with.
At New York the decision of the Court of
Appeals on the Metropolitan Police Bill (which
had caused so much rioting and bloodshed in New
York) sustaining the constitutionality of the law,
had been delivered. The Court stood six in favour
of the constitutionality of the law, and two against
it—the dissenting Judges being Messrs. Brown
and Comstock. Judge Denio, in his opinion, ex-
amines the question as to the direct constitution-
ality of the district, and of the methods of the
appointments adopted in the bill, and declares
that there is nothing adverse to the letter of the
'Constitution in either. The true remedy for un-
wise legislation is provided for in the Constitution
by the frequent renewal of legislators. There is
nothing in the Constitution prohibiting the aboli-
tion of the local police arrangements of the City
by the Legislature, or the remodelling of the force
in any manner that the Legislature sees fit. The
judgment of the Supreme Court is therefore
affirmed. The opinion also says that other points
have been argued, but as the judgment confirms
the constitutionality of the law, it is not necessary
to consider them. Judge Shankland also delivered
an opinion. He sustains the constitutionality of
the bill on all points, and elso goes into a discus-
sion to show that there was a necessity of some
reform in the police arrangements of the city, prior
to the enactment of the law, thus justifying the
passage of the bill from motives of public good.
Judge Brown delivered the dissenting opinion.
He dissents from the view which declares the bill
constitutional, and recognises the division of cities
and counties as existing. He says : " Although
their limits can be altered or modified by agree-
ment, and cities can be consolidated, yet the
Legislature have no power to join cities and coun-
ties into one district for purposes of police or any
other local government." He declares that by
article 10, section 2, of the Constitution, the method
Of electing or appointing city and county officers is
distinctly set forth, and he maintains that as
regards the police and city officers the court must
either construe the Constitution so that local
rights and privileges expressly mentioned, and
never till now questioned, shall remain to be
exercised and enjoyed by the local communities or
else sanction a construction which may, and indi-
.rectly can, hardly fail to exclude them altogether.
The judgment of the Supreme Court should there-
fore be reversed: This decision shows that the
Mayor of New York was acting illegally when he
opposed the Act recently passed by the Sta'e
Legislature.
William Warnack, James Williams, John Web
:WBter. William Wilson, Isaac Stoddard. and William
illiams, indicted for being engaged in the Wash
logton election riot, on the Ist of June, were put
on trial on the 6th inst., in the Criminal Court in
that city. Judge Crawford presiding. The testi-
14°nY, which was very conclusive as to the
complicity of those on trial, was closed the same
'day, and the case was argued 7,0 n the 7th, and
submitted to the jury, who found them guilty, and
judge Crawford sentenced them to fine and ina-
sonnient.

Somemonths since an association was forroT.A
among the proprietors of sailor's b,oar-aing-
houses, with the view, not only of rcsifo,ciog the
movement of the merchants against paying ad-
vanced wages to seamen, but also, 'of putting down
the " boarding cribs," princiln.P and South-streets, New Yor' which, through the
located in Water
agency. of runners,
A''
. h the legitimate
inter' with
business. The Socip:c
nutsrutc):ll..se the "Sailors'
Landlords' AssociaP,on,T
aboutd 190 mem-
bers, and has a regular constitution and by-laws.
Another rP:
eeting of shipowners and agents of
New York had been held, concerning advance
Wagesyo seamen. A. series of resolutions was
offerek'd by Mr. P. Perit and adopted. The im-
PcPftant ones are as follows :---
As the opinion of this meeting, that it is desirable to in-
crease largely the number of native American seamen, and
that this can only be accomplished by rendering the
service comfortable and respectable, so that young men of
character and enterprise may find motives to choose the
seafaring life as a profession. That in order to remove
hindrances to entering the service, it is indispensable that
all brutal and violent treatment in the government of men,
which have in many cases been exhibited, should be

abandoned, and that commanders and officers convictel of
using such violence, should be considered as thereby dis-
qualified for further service. That it be recommended to
shipowners, in selecting commanders and officers of ships,
to look carefully t 4 the moral character of those who offer
themselves, as well as to their general qualifications, and
that by their instructions to their commanders, by personal
attention to the subject, and by every practicable influence
they endeavour to secure the good treatment of the crews
of ships sailing under their orders. That to meet the cases
which may arise in the absence of advance wages, of men
who may be without means to pay their board, it be re-
commended to shipowners to arrange that crews may live
on shipboard after signing the shipping articles.
The movement for abolishing advance wages to
seamen, has been adopted in Philadelphia with
great unanimity. Forty of the principal ship.
owners have become obligated to adhere to the
system.
The net amount in the United States Treasury
subject to draft, is twenty millions of dollars.

_ The marine losses for the month of June amount
to 819 500 dols. This does not include damages to
vessels not amounting to total loss, or partial
losses of carp. There were totally lost: two
steam-ships, three ships, eight barques, three brigs,
and ten schooners; total, 26—a smaller number
than in any other month since January. The
losses for every other month have exceeded a
million of dollars. The total marine losses for the
year thus far are 10,232,500.
We take the following curious paragraph from
the New York Times:—

Mayor Wood has appointed John McLeod Murphy, who
lately chastised Hon. Daniel Sidles while in undress and in
his bed room, and formerly constructing engineer of the
Navy Yard, head of the Bureau of Snrvayors of the city
of New York. The office is worth 5,000 donate per
annum.

The same paper says :
Another awful poisoning ease has occurrel in Massa-
chusetts. The entire family of Mr. John Jones, living at
Randolph, were made very sick with arsenic, but by the
intervention of prompt measures of relief their lives were
saved. Miss Lucinda Ann Hunt, 22 years of age, was
arrested on the charge of administering the poison.
Saturday the 4,11 of July—lndependence day—
was, as usual, celebrated throughout the Union
with great ceremony. The New York Times of the
following Monday says:—
The City,—particula-ly that portion of it embraced
within the Sixth Ward—has been in a state of riot since
Saturday morning. An organised gang of ruffians, residing
in and about Mulberry-street, and known as the " Roach
Guards," began an affray which has ended in the loss of
six lives and the wounding c f over one hundred men.
They began by making an onslaught, with knives and
pistols, upon the Metropolitan Policemen, who
were on duty near the Bowery Theatre. The
officers were forced to fly. The same gang being
reinforced, assailed the drinking saloon No. 40
Bowery, the fixtures of which they demolished after
assaulting the inmates, nhom they suspected of being
members of another antagonistic Club, known as the
" Atlantic Guards." By great exertions on the part of
the police, and private citizens who aided the police, this
dfficulty was temporarily quelled, but not until nearly a
dozen persons had been more or less injured by bludgeons
and pistol balls. The riot broke out afresh later in the
day, and with such violence that the police in attempting
to suppress it were badly beaten, being assailed from the
house-tops and windows all along Bayard and Mulberry-
streets, where the rival " Guards" were met fighting
from behind barricades. Fire arms were brought into
requisition by the rioters, six of whom were killed
and seventy or eighty wounded. Not any of the police
were killed but one, a special officer, named Jenkins, is
lying at the City Hospital, mortally wounded, it is feared.
Some others, it is thought, will die of their injuries. The
fight was ended about nightfall—about the time that three
regiments were called out to maintain order. Comparative
quiet reigned the remainder of the night. A large number
of the rioters were captured by the police. Elsewhere the
day was celebrated in a spirited manner, with the usual
accompaniments of military parades, civic processions, ora-
tions, and fireworks. A fatal accident, as we learn by
telegraph, occurred at Boston during the pyrotechnic dis-
play. The mortar used in projecting shell rockets and
other fireworks, accidentally exploded, killing and wound-
ing several citizens, among them George F. Tewksbury,
Esq., formerly harbour-master. This sad disaster abruptly
terminated the display. On Sunday there was not much
fighting until near seven o'clock, when a riot broke out in
Centre and Anthony streets, in which sticks, stones, bricks
from the chimneys of the houses, and guns and pistols were
freely used, and with effect. Nine men were seriously
wounded, and taken to the City Hospital. Finally the
military were marched up and down through the ward,
and the rioters dispersed. There were lesser riots in other
parts of the city. In Bayard-street barricades were again
erected, bat after the military appeared, they were re-
moved without violence. At midnight all was quiet, and
only one regiment was to remain under arms till morning.
Otherwise and elsewhere the celebration of the National
Independence was as quiet as usual. The weather was
damp and cl,rty. There was less explosion of fireworks in
the city and in the suburbs than for several years before,
owing, it was said, to the very high prices charged There
was no display of fireworks at the City Hall or in the
parks.
The barque Panchita, owned in New York, has
been captured in the Congo River, by the British
sloop-of-war Sappho, under suspicion of being
engaged in the Slave-trade, and on the 6th was
handed over to the United States Marshal at
Quarantine. She was brought to New York by
two officers and twelve men belonging to the
S ippho. This is the same barque which last
October was seized upon suspicion, and her
owners got her off after an examination before
Judge Betts, because there was a lack of evidence
to convict. It now remains to be seen whether
the evidence, which was sufficient to cause her
arrest in the Congo River, with the proof of her
character on board, will be enough to condemn
her. The owner, on hearing of her arrival in the
custody of British offi leis, hastened down the
Bay, and, it is reported, carrried off her papers
A correspondent in Kansas' telegraphs the
results of the Democratic Convention held at
Lecompton, for the nomination of a delegate to
Congress. After much confusion, in the course of
which Dr. Stringfellow was incontinently dropped,
the Convention nominated Ex-Governor Ranson,
of Michigan. Resolutions approbatory of the
course pursued by Governor Walker, were adopted,
and the Convention adjourned.
It is reported that one hundred troops and fifty
teamsters, commanded by Col. Summers, were
attacked by a large body of the Arapache and
Cheyenne Indians, two hundred miles west of Fort.
Kearney, a short time since, and all slain

The number of bodies recovered from the wreck of
the Montreal in the St Lawrence was 242. The wreck
had been advertised for sale. Robbery of the dead
was practised to a dreadful degree by the inhuman
fellows who assisted in recovering the bodies. The
effected authorities had not eected the arrest
of any of the parties engaged in such proceedings.

An arrival from Pori- au Prince reports a dis-
astrous fire at that place. It broke out at mid-
night on June 12, and destroyed one hundred
houses and stores. Loss estimated at orte million
Spanish dollars. Three persons weve burned to
death.

COMKERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.