Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-01 00:00:00

influential politician, more especially one to whose
influence and exertion the Governor has been much
indebted for his election to his high office, fall under
the punishment of the law—which is too often
the case—what more natural than that the
grace and favour ,of such an one's pardon should
be asked, and granted. For in some States, as for
instance in New York, the pardoning power is
vested in the Governor alone, instead of being
given to the Governor and a Council as in Massa;Massa;chussetts. But this does not make any
difference, since it is too often very much a party
concern. The present Governor (Morg-,,n) of New
York, however, not only sees but •acirnowledges
the evil and seeks to correct it. Much to his
credit, he has published certain. rules, which he
intends to apply in all cases of application for
pardon. Before the application is presented to
the Governor, written notice of it is to be given
to the District Attorney' of the county where the
conviction took place, and in certain minor cases
to the magistrate wl3:, presided at the trial, notice
is also to be advellisod in the State journal,
and in the journal of the county for four
weeks, except where, in the opinion of the,
Governor, justice roquires a relaxation of the rule,
and proof and notice -of the publication is to accom-
pany the application for pardon. The Governor is
also to be furnis&ed, either with notes of the
testimony at the trial, or with a statement of the
case from the judge or district attorney, and with
a certificate from the keeper of the prison as to the
prisoner's conduct in confinement. It is also to be
stated, whether any previous application for pardon
has been mate, and, if so, the case will not be re-
examined, 'unless the papers disclose facts hitherto
unknown. Such regulations appear very likely to
check, in same degree, the present abuses of the
pardoning power, which are peculiarly liable to
arise in a State. where this power depends upon
the will -nf one man, and is to be influenced by the
applianoes and persuasions which are ordinarily
resorted to in order to affect the opinion, -excite
the interest, or move the compassion of a single
individual ; and particularly when he is exposed
to political or party influences. But the whole
judicial system wants reforming. Justice is
defeated in more and worse ways than by
the abuse of the pardoning power in the State
Governor's hands. •

'lf there were any dispute before about the in-

ventive genius of Americans being predominant
and all-pervading, it ought to be set at rest by the
`fact, which has just been made public, that nearly
Tour thousand patents for new inventions, in-
'eluding designs, re-issues, and additional improve-
ments, have been granted during the past year
1858. " More patents are granted," it is said,
"in one month in the United States than in
England in the course of a whole year. Whether,"
it is added, " this arises from our bright, dry
climate, which is more stimulating than the dull,
foggy atmosphere of John Bull, or from the su-
perior intelligence and education of the mass of
the people, or from the freedom of our institutions,
which develope each man's individuality more
than in other nations, or from necessity, which is
said to be the mother of invention,' or from all
these causes together, the fact itself is sufficiently
palpable to be placed beyond dispute." It is a
faculty which can scarcely fail to be calltd into
active and constant exertion among such a
" go-a-head" people. A glance at the list of the
patented inventions will show the infinity of the
purposes to which the faculty has been applied,
—for example, it includes patent apple-parers,
patent apple-slicers and corers, fly-traps, traps for
cockroaches, bugs, rats and other vermin ; a patent
hen's nest, and an instrument for detecting bad
eggs without breaking them, called an " oonoscope "
or " egg-detector," warranted to be " infallible,"
an " incomparable egg-beater," " washing-boards,"
and " washing machines," " patent corkscrews,"
" universal feed cutters," "patent faucets," " patent
wrenches," " Boston white and black shoe
varnish," " carpet sweepers," " Boston black
gloss varnish," " Boston dressing blacking,"
" celebrated furniture polish," " liquid stove lustre,"
" patent self-acting ashes sifter." by which fuel
and labour are saved, together with other articles
of the same kind,—in endless variety, and no doubt
they are all very useful in their way.

One object to which American invention has
lately been, with great vigour and perseverence,
directed, is the improvement in bread-making by
means of machinery. A bakery upon this principle
in Boston hap just been destroyed by fire, in
which by means of patent kneading machine,
and automatic ovens, as many as fifteen
thousand loaves of bread per day could be made,
baked, and delivered. The process, or rather the
success of it, had excited great in our
bread-baking trade, principally from its substi-
tuting machinery for manual labour, and it is not
surprising, therefore, to learn, that the fire was
the work of an incendiary. Already, however,
has the proposition been made, and well received,
in Boston, to form a joint-stock company for the
erection of a new steam mechanical bakery, in
place of the one just destroyed,—and all the more
eagerly responded to on account of the treatment
which its enterprising proprietor has received.
"On all sides," says one of the city papers, "we
hear and read expressions of sympathy with Mr.
Russell, and of interest in the enterprise which he
had just inaugurated. The most practical way of
manifesting this interest and sympathy is, of
course, to lend material aid to the plan of erecting
a new bakery, according to the scheme described.
Mr. Russell has shown that, though cast down, he
is not discouraged, by heading the subscription for
stock in the new company with a handsome sum."
And it is justly added, with reference to the
manifest motive of the incendiary, or incendiaries,
in the abominable case of fire-raising, that whether
as respects the production of bread or anything
else, " it is too late in the history of civilisation and
progress to decry against the introduction of
machinery for the saving of labour—experience
having fully demonstrated the fact, that all such
improvements add to the wealth of communities
and the general welfare, and further, that the few
who suffer temporary inconvenience soon share
in the benefit which is conferred upon society."
But it would seem that education has not yet done
its work sufficiently among the working classes of
America, to have instilled into them as it ought
to do, suck rational principles.

RAILWAY AMALGAMATION.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES,

Sir,—There is an error in printing the letter I
addressed to you on the 25th instant, published in
this day's paper ; instead of " very correctly
reported," &c., it should be " very currently
reported," &c.

Since this letter was written, I have seen the
report of the St. Helen's Company. That company
announced they had transferred their line to the
London and North Western Company ; and that
there is no intention, on their part, to spend any
capital in an extension from Garston, The Great
Northern, and Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln-
shire companies also say they are not to spend
capital for this extension.

I think I must be right in saying the bill for a
railway from Garston to Allerton and Liverpool, is
not a boiza jide application. If there is an exten-
sion at all, it must, I conclude, be made by the
London and North Western Company ; circum-
stances point strongly in this direction.
The St. Helen's Company also inform their
shareholders that the Warrington and Stockport
line is also about to be transferred to the London
and,North Western.
It may be mentioned also that the Birkenhead,
Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Company are
applying for power to make arrangements with
the ondon and North Western for ninety-nine
years, and that such arrangement is not to be sub-
mitted to the Board of Trade.

If there be no scheme fora monopoly, in regard
to the railway traffic of Liverpool, there arc
many circumstances requiring explanation.
Feb. 28, 1839. A. M.

John Hardy, Esq., brother to the Under-Secretary of
State for the Home Department, and recently a candidate
for Banbury, is now canvassing the electors of Midhurst.
The steamer Oneida, with the January mails from
Australia, is not expected to reach Suez until about the
.sth of March, and the telegram will flat be;Alue LOKIPAI
for several days afterward,:,