Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-11 00:00:00

THE DAY'S NEWS.

The debate on the Oaths Bill took place in the
House of Lords last night. There was a large
attendance of peers, and the different galleries in
the House were well filled. Earl Granville moved
the second reading of the bill, and he hoped that
the House would not consider him presumptious
in calling upon their lordships to reconsider
a question upon which they had pronounced
an opinion before. He ridiculed the idea of the
present oath, stating that a family that did not
exist had no right to the throne. He maintained
that the oath was not originally constructed for the
purpose of excluding Jews from Parliament, and
stated it as his opinion that it would be persecution
in continuing to exclude that body from Parlia-
ment, as their introduction could not unchristianise
an assemblage which was open to all other
religious opinions. He instanced the liberality
shown by several of our colonial possessions
to the Jewish persuasion, and called upon
the House to follow the example. Lord
Derby said, that the Jewish population of the
country stood as high in point of talent and ability
as any people in the world, that taey submitted in
this country to the laws, and discharged faithfully
the duties of citizens, yet as they were a separate
nation, believing in the restoration of their
nationality, &c., &c., they were justly and pro-
perly excluded from participation in the making
of laws for a Chrtstian people. Their views
were alien and foreign, and between them and
all other subjects of the Queen there was an im-
passable gulf. The noble lord continued in the
same strain for some length of time, and con-
cluded by moving that the bill be read a
second time that day six months. Lord Lynd-
hurst regarded the arguments against the bill
totally untenable. The Earl of Winchelsea and
Lord Dungannon opposed the bill, and the Dukes
of Norfolk and Somerset supported it. The Bishop
of London supported, and the Archbishop of Can-
terbury, and the Bishop of Oxford opposed the
bill. A division then took place, and the bill was
thrown out by a vote of 173 to 139.

In the Hollse of Commons, Mr. Horsfall moved
for copies of memorials and addresses relating
to the Franklin Expedition, which had been
recently received by the Government from the
merchants of New York. Sir John Ramsden, in
answer to a question by Lord Claude Hamilton,
stated that the Irish militia would not be called
out in the ensuing autumn. It would appear that
before the intelligence of the mutiny at Meerut
had been received by the Government, instruc-
tions had been issued for sending out 10,000
men to relieve the forces in India. No
alteration would be made in those arrangements ;
the 10,000 are to proceed in sailing vessels. Since
the receipt of the advices referred to, the Govern-
ment had come to the conclusion of sending out
2000 additional men in steam vessels, and other
2000 in sailing vessels. All the troops would have
left England by the end of July. The Chancellor
of the Exchequer said that it was the intention
to proceed against the Bury Post, and all other
newspapers that did not comply with the provisions
of the act relating to registraton. Lord Palmers-
ton alluded to the intelligence respecting the im-
portation of free Negroes into Nlartinique, under the
auspices of the French Government. This was not
intended to be a renewal of the slave trade, and he
had received despatches from the French Govern-
ment that they would use every means in their
power to secure the humane treatment of the
labourers. We confess we are not partial to the
Coolie trade in any form, and would be glad to see
the French Government abandon the scheme. The
House then went into committee on the Probate
and Administration Bill.

The domestic news this morning does nut call
for much attention.

On Thursday a meeting of the subscribers to the
Hume Memorial Fund was held, and the chair-
man—the Earl Fortescue—reported as a proof of
the nation's gratitude to the veteran reformer, that
the total amount subscribed had been L 1,658 7s.
This sum is to be wisely expended in the esta-
blishment of a scholarship in the Uuniversity
College. It could not have been appropriated in
a manner more respectful to the memory of the
departed statesman, or more consonant with what
would have been his own desire.

The inquest connected with the North Kent
Railway accident was resumed yesterday. Mr.
Chapman, station-master at Blackheath, said that
the blame rested between the signal man at Black-
heath, Griffiths, and the signal man at Lewisham,
Wild. One or other must have been guilty of ne-
gligence. The inquest wits adjourned to Monday.
The excitement consequent upon the trial of
Miss Smith, for the murder of L'Angelier, has not
yet subsided. In another column will be found
the opinions of the leading journals of London and
Edinburgh, upon this singular and romantic case.
They will, no doubt, be read with interest by the
public.
A despach from Falmouth this morning states
that the French steamer Countess Emilie, of and
from Dunkirk, for Glasgow, burst her boiler yes-
terday evening. The chief engineer and fireman
were badly burnt.

Mr. W.-Thackerary is canvassing Oxford.
The death of General Sir C Egerton, Colonel of
the 89th Regiment is announced.
The official declaration of the ballottng in the
three electoral districts in Paris bas been published.
The numbers are as follows :—Third district—
Cavaignae, 10,950; Thibaut, 9,932. Fourth dis-
trict—ollivier, 11,005 ; Varin, 10,006. Seventh
district, Darimon, 12,088; Languetin, 11,038. In
each district the opposition candidate has obtained
a majority of 1,000 over the ministerial candidate.
The journals of the Government observe most
absolute silence on the elections. The blow struck
at the Assemblee Nationale has produced the
same effect on the opposition journals.
From Spain we have correspondence to the 6th
inst. Apprehensions of disturbances in Madrid
were still rather general. The correspondent of a
London paper expresses an opinion that nothing
serious would occur. The government, it is
inferred, would not be sorry at the occurrence of
some slight breach of the public orler, as this
would give it the opportunity of making examples
and of proclaiming martial law.
The Prince of Wales visited the battle field of
Waterloo on Wednesday, and afterwards proceeded
on his journey to Germany.
It is now stated, on good authority, though not
officially, that the Princess, who is about to be
Queen of Portugal, is the eldest daughter of Prince
Charles of Hohenzollern-':igmaringen, who abdi-
cated in favour of the King of Prussia. The
Princess will complete her twentieth year on the
15th inst. The Journal des-Debats says that Prince

Albert has been the means of bringing about the
alliance.

The Pope arrived at Modena on the 2nd inst.
Le Pays contradicts the statement respecting
an insurrectional movement having taken place in
Sicily.
The news from' Palermo is to the 3rd inst. On
the 30th June her Majesty's ship Centaur sailed
from Palermo, at which day the city was perfectly
tranquil. In a letter from Genoa, in a Turin
journal, it is stated that a copy had been found of
the instructions given to the insurgents, whilh are
described as being of an atrocious and sanguinary
character.

The Sardinian Chambers will close next week,
and a general Election will probably take place
before the end of the year.
The Bank returns of last night exhibit an in-
crease in the amount of bullion in the Bank
of England, of £l37,9S4—the amount being
,211,516,856.

AFTER a trial unexampled in its duration,
except that of WlLLrem PALMER, the charge of
murder preferred against MADALEINE SMITH,
has been declared "Not Proven," by a jury of
her countrymen. The facts connected with this
truly singular and mysterious affair, render it

desirable that we should take a brief review of
the whole case; the evidence for the prosecution,
and the counter testimony adduced for the
defence. And here we may premise, that the
length of the trial was some measure of the
difficulty in bringing home the charge, and the
various conflicting circumstances which had to
be reconciled ere the jury could return a verdict
of guilty. The fact that such a verdict was not
given, is a proof that the evidence produced was
incomplete, and that, although the Lord Advocate
declared the prisoner had wove a web of guilt
around herself, from which there was not any
possibility of escape, the Court and the jury
took another view of the case, and a verdict of
acquittal was the result of an investigation of
nine days' duration.

The statement of the Lord Advocate, taken
by itself, brings the crime to the very threshold
of the prisoner's home. L'ANGELIER, it appears,
was a native of Jersey, and, from some cause or
other, was sent to push his fortune in Scotland.
His antecedents are represented as being far from
satisfactory. At the outset of his career, we find
him in a warehouse, as clerk, steeped in poverty,
and by times glad to earn a subsistence by
becoming a gardener's assistant; subsequently
he improves his position by industry and assi-
duity. He meets with Miss SMITH, the
daughter of a Glasgow architect. At first their
acquaintance was concealed from her parents.
It should be observed that D.ANGELIER was
afflicted with an undue amount of vanity, and
formed the idea that he could captivate and
enthral the fair sex at pleasure. He encouraged
the hope that Miss SMITH would marry him,
and that her parents would give their consent.
But as soon as they became aware of the visits
of the deceased, steps were taken to discontinue
them, and Miss SMITH, cut of obedience to her
parents, broke off the correspondence and inti-
macy. This was, however, renewed in 1856,
and resulted, as the letters too plainly show, in
making her de facto a wife. The remarks of
the Lord Advocate would lead to the impression
that according to the law of Scotland they were
virtually married. We have published her love-
letters, and although some portions of them may
have been far from discreet, yet, taken as a
whole, they give evidence of great intellect, and
a loving heart. Towards the end of last year,
from some cause or other which does not clearly
appear, Miss SMITH begins to allow her affections
to cool, and about the same time she got an
r of marriage from a Mr. MINNOCK. This was
considered a suitable match for her, and hence
her desire to be released from her engagement
with L'ANGELIER assumed a practicable object.
A perusal of the letters show that at first she
endeavoured to effect the purpose which she had
in view by a simple display of coldness. She
sought to get back her letters, and dreaded
above everything that he father should get hold
of them. LANGELIER had threatened to send
them to her father. He questions her as to her
intimacy with Mr. MINNOCK, and about a
necklace that had been given to her. This
brings as to an important chapter in the story.
L'ANGELEIR dines with Miss PERRY, a confidante,
on the 17th of February, and mentions that he
would see Miss SMITH on the 19th, and after-
wards he states that he did see her on that date.
That very night he is seized with illness, which
had all the symptoms of arsenical poison. He
recovered on the day following, and went out.
It was not proved that she had had any poison
in her possession before that period. She had
tried to purchase prussic acid on the 1 1 th, but
on the 21st she bought arsenic at the shop of a
Mr. MURDOCK, on the pretence that it was
for the purpose of destroying rats. Then, after
she obtains the poison, that is, on the 22nd, she
again sees L'ANGELEIR, and that very night he
is again taken ill, although the symptoms were
rather mild, and another recovery takes place.
He confesses to Miss PERRY that befors these
two illnesses he received at one time coffee, and
at another chocolate, from the hands of Miss
SMITH. She purchases arsenic on the 16th and
18th of March, and writes to the deceased to
come to her on the 19th. This letter is missing.
But it appears to have reached him late for he
had gone to the Bridge of Allan. He returned
to his lodgings on Sunday, the 22nd of March.
He stated to his landlady that a letter had
brought him back, and she concluded that he
went to see the lady to whom he was paying
his addresses. About half-past nine that even-
ing, he was seen sauntering about in the neigh-
bourhood of MISS SMITH'S residence, seeking
for an opportunity to meet her. From that
hour he is lost sight of until towad next morning I

at his own door in all the agonies of death. The
same symptoms of arsenical poison had set in,
and ultimately his spirit takes its flight to
another, and we hope a better world. Such was
the case for the prosecution.
But the Dean of Eaculty's version of the affair
is not less clear in its character. He shows that
L'ANGELIER'S early character was far from
respectable ; that he was vain, conceited, preten-
tious, inflated with an idea of his own attractions,
full of morbid fancies, elated, cast down with
suicidal despondency, good-natured when pleased,
resentful of slight, and revengeful. It was
shown that he had previously formed a matri-
monial engagement, had been disappointed, and
was cast down by despair. He was not of
robust health ; and he had been the victim of
mortification ; was an habitual opium eater;
confessed that he kept arsenic in his possession;
and promised, if he were jilted, that he would
take revenge. This is the character, and such
were the habits of the man who proposes to
Miss SMITH. At first, she accepts him as a
lover, whose appearance and manners win upon
her. On the renewal of their love meetings in
1856, she fell the victim of a practised seducer,
and from that moment a change comes over
her. How successfully he carried out his dis-
honourable designs, the letters of the unfortunate
girl are satisfactory evidence. Nay, more
they establish an important fact, that until his
cruel conduct estranges her, she manifested a

spirit of devoted affection. Her parents oppose
the visits of L'ANGELIER, and she cautions him
not to knock or cause any disturbance which
might arouse suspicion ; and there was the con-
stant dread lest her father and mother should
know that they were keeping company together.
In all this there was nothing to suggest that she
possessed the fiendish nature of the murderess,
and that she was plotting the way she could
best rid herself of one whom, but a short period
before, she called husband.

But there were other circumstances which go
far to prove the innocence of Miss SMITH. If
L'ANGELIER died on the 23rd of March, he was
ill on the 19th ; and there is nothing to show
that Miss SMITH then had poison in her posses-
sion, or that she had an opportunity of giving
it to him. There was an absence of proof about
the 22nd of February ; and for the 22nd of
March, the evidence not only failed to establish

—it contradicted the probability of a meeting.
The main condition on which she would admit
him to the house was wanting, viz--the
absence of her parents. Looking at the ques-
tion in this way, and taking into account the
fact that he had before threatened suicide, on
occasions of less disappointment, it was but
natural that the jury should hesitate, where
such grave and serious doubts were raised, and
thus give to the unfortunate young lady the full
benefit of that doubt, and thereby give her a safe
deliverance from the charge made against her.
With the verdict we fully concur, and congratu-
late Miss:Small upon her acquittal, believing
that she has been the victim of a dishonourable
and designing man, who wrought her ruin,
regardless of the consequences.

We trust that this sad romance may not be
lost upon that portion of the fair sex who are
forming matrimonial engagements. Miss SMITH
loved with a fondness bordering upon dotage.
She did not estimate the moral character of her
practised seducer, and hence the fearful results
which have ensued. Had she been less loving,
her character would not have been blasted as it
has been, by the letters read in Court, nor would
her parents have had cause to mourn over the
downfall of an erring daughter, who was at one
time the object of tenderest solicitude—a pride
and an ornament to the family circle to which
she belonged.

ON Wednesday last, there was another of
those displays of ill-breeding, impudence, and
self-conceit, in the Board-room of the West
Derby Workhouse, which have rendered the
meetings of the Guardians of that Union some-
what notorious. We happen to have incurred
the fearful displeasure of Mr. SaAw, in conse-
quence of our having, in the discharge of a
public duty, animadverted upon his conduct
towards Dr. NEVINS. The object of our remarks
was to convince, not only Mr. SHAW, but the
Guardians as a body, that his line of procedure
was not only uncalled for, but frivolous, unjust,
and vexatious in the extreme. " Fair play," it
is said, "is a jewel," and it was simply for the
purpose of securing to Dr. NEVINS that most
desirable principle in the dispute, that we wrote
as we did. There is no partizanship existing
between us and Dr. NEVINS. We have con-
sidered the pros and cons of the quarrel. We
conscientiously believed, and still do believe,
that he has been most unfairly assailed ; that
Mr. SHAW has been the Commander-in-Chief of
the persecution, and that his conduct throughout
has been un-English and ungentlemanly. His
bombastic tirade against the NORTHERN TIMES
was only a proof that be felt the force and the
truth of what we wrote respecting his conduct
as a public man ; and the cries of "Order,"
" Order," and " Chair" with which he was
assailed when, in the climax of his indignation,
he dared to state that our remarks were lying
and slanderous, showed, in a manner which can-
not be gainsayed, that he was at that very
moment uttering an untruth, and a studied and
malignant slander. When the Reverend and
respected Chairman heard the words, and the
Board-room resounded with shouts of indignatioz,
he told Mr. Sium—" That is wrong. Let. me cau-
tion you not to use such language," If he had