The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-30 00:00:00

ATTACK UPON A SCRIPTURE READER.

At the City Police-court, Manchester, on Tuesday, the
Rev. Edmund Cantwell, one of the priests of St. Patrick's
Roman Catholic Chapel, Livesey-street, appeared to answer
he summons of John Haskins, scripture reader, for
abusing and threatening him. It appeared that the com-
plainant is connected with the Pastoral Aid Society, and
labours under the superintendence of the Rev: Mr Davies,
incumbent of St. Peter's. In the discharge of his duty,
on Tuesday week last, complainant entered a cellar situated
in Albert Court, George Leigh-kreet, occupied by a man
named I3thatt, who is a Protastant, but whose wife
is a Roman Catholic. While there, between eleven
and twelve in the forenoon, the defendant entered,
and, after looking round the cellar. addressed com-
plainant in a passionate manner, and asked him hew he_
dared to visit any of his people ? Defendant continued
in a very excited state for about fifteen minutes, and in
the course of his excitement, brandished his stick, and
called complainant a liar, scoundrel, hypocrite, messenger
of hell, child of the devil, and such like. Complainant
entreated him to allow his passion to subside. and to give
'him the opportunity of speaking; but to that, defendant
only replied, that complainant was the devil, and the only
way to do with the devil was to hold no parley with him.
He also ordered complainant to leave the cellar, and told
him that if he found him there again he would break his
bones. Aidressing B irratt, who said he was a Catholic,
but not a Roman Catholic, defendant said he sho'ild not
sneak to a blackguard like that (meaning complainant)
When complainant came cut of the cellar, he was followed
at a short distance by defendant, who continued to address
him in the same abusive manner. A mob had
collected in the conrt, and, load though to be beard
by all, defendant said, that if he (complainant) would
not be off, he (defendant) could not p-event the mob
taking .him to the spout and ducking him. After being
considerably jostled by the crowd, complainant escaped,
and his application to the court now was to have defendant
bound over to keep the peace towards him„ as he was under
apprehensions of bodily harm. Defendant denied ;hat he
had brandished his stick, or that he had ordered complainant
out of the cellar ; but he comp Lined that complainant
had annoyed some f his flack, by visiting them while on
their sick bed. When complainant wished to argue with
him he told him he should go to his cobbler's box or his
weaver's loom, and that he would only meet for discussion
with his employer, who, he presumed, was a gentlem in.
Defendant further admitted that be might have made use
of!:',so ne of the expressions attributed to him, but he
really did not feel any compunction for -what he had said,
for he thought it was his duty to look after his fink, and
sire them as much as possible from the contamination of
such tracts as were circulated by the complainant. De-
fendant pulled a tract from his pocket, and was about to
read an extract, when Mr. Maude interfered, and, explaining
that the law of England required that every man should be
free from molestation on account of his religion, and that
no breach of the peace could be allowed, recommended that
the Ihmmons should be withdrawn, on the defendant
promising to do nothing to provoke a distnrbauce. This
was agreed to by Mr Oaens, who appeared for the com-
plainant; and the defendant promising to observe the law,
the summons was withdrawn.

MORE PROVIS'ON RIOTS IN IRELAND.--The. Galway
Vindicator states that the practice of 'exporting potatoes
has led to serious demonstrations there, as well as in other
parts of the kin;dom. The price, it seems, of this article
of the diet of the poor has doubled, and the rates are now
5-0 per stone—a high fgare in a remote noun try town.
On Saturday morning 200 Cladd 'gh men marched towards
the docks, and actually broke into the store of a dealer, but
they retired without doing material damage. They cab-
sequntly attacked other stores, but were dispersed by the
police. Another account says that the mob made a per-
sonal attack on a Mr, Tierney, who is merely a contractor
for supplying the workhouse. His store was broken open,
his potatoes.were scattered about, and he himself was very
roughly hand ed.
THE CITY OF LONDON ELECTION.—LOTd Jahn Russell
has written -a 'letter to Mr. West, in which he says :
" Having heard that some kind friends have entertained
a suggestion that the expenses of my election should be
defrayed by subscription, I write to beg you will convey
to them my opinion on the subject. I have felt deeply
the manner in which the citizens of London answered the
appeal I made to them, and I should regret very much
that the effect of the support they give me should be
weakened by taking the shape of pecuniary assistance.
I should, theref•AT, gratefully and respectfully, Wit
decidedly decline any offer of that nature. Will you
have the goodness to make my sentiments known to
those who would be inclined to promote this movement ;
and assure them of my full appreciation of their friendly
intentions."

FRACAS IN THE NEW YORK ASSEMBLY.—A Most
graceful fracas occurred in the House of Assembly on the
10th inst. Governor King has descended from his dignity
as chief magistrate of the State and entered the lobby
demanding the passage of a law increasing very heavily
the salary -of his private secretary, Mr. Seaman. Mr.
Beckwith of Washington, defended the bill. In the course
of his remarks he took occasion to lash somewhat cverely
the editor of one of the republican papers of this city, who bad
independence enough to denounce this bill as being one which
ought not to become a law. A few minutes afterwards the
editor, passing, through the aisle, remarked to the gentle-
man from Washington that he would be attended to after
the adjournment. With that the dignified, the honourable,
the distinguised Henry W. Beckwith, Member of the
House from West Granvill6, Washington County, arose
full Si; feet from the carpet and struck the editor a power-
ful blow with his fist.- In withdrawing his sledge hemmer,
it struck Mr. Cameron, a brother member, who happened
to stand too near the belFgerents. Instantly the greatest
confusion and disorder prevailed. The house became a
perfect pandemonium—the lobbies and galleries vociferated
forth yells and scree: things—the Speaker's demand for order
only created the more noise and confasion. For a while
the scene was one of the most ludicrous and diszraceful
that ever was known. Even the bear garden at Washing,
ton never exhibited one more dishonourable to public men.
The excitement was not allayed, nor Was order restored
until Mr. Beckwith stepped in front of the Speaker's desk
and apologised to the house for the disturbance he
had created ; but he offered no apology for inflicting
a blow upon the editor of a republican paper.—. New York
Herald.