Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-11 00:00:00

place in 1790, is an illustration of our remark,
and the sole cause of Mr. SHRDDON'S present
appeal to the House of Lords. The second
marriage alluded to took place in the city of
New York; and a ceremony was performed,
which, according to the laws of that State, gives
validity to marriages thus performed. It seems,
however that, lest there should be any doubt or
cavil as to the succession of his son, Mr. SHEDDON,
six days before his death, was re-married,
according to the rites of the Protes-
tant Episcopal Church, to the lady with
whom he had been cohabiting for
eight years previously. Here we may remark,
en passent, that there exists a law in Scotland
that legitimatises all previous marriages ; and
had the second marriage just noticed been per-
formed in that country, the rights of his son, as
heir to the property, would have been indis-
putable.
Mr. SHEDDON had family connections in Scot-
land, named PATRICK, and to one. of them, Mr.
WILLIAM PATRICK, was entrusted the care and
guardianship of the petitioner, SHEDDON the
younger, upon his father's death. When intel-
ligence of that event reached Scotland, acting
under the plea that young SHEDDON was illegiti-
mate, and not entitled to succeed his father in
the possession of the Scotch, Dr. PATRICK
stepped forward, and to him, as next heir, the
succession was opened in due form. The year
after, 1800, young SIIEDD3N arrived in Scotland,
and was placed under the care and guardianship
of Mr. WILLAM PATRICK. He was properly
educated, and when of sufficient age, he entered
the navy, remained in that service until the
close of the war, and then went to India, and
finally returned to Scotland in possession of a
large amount of property, in 1833. The validity
of Dr. PATRICK'S title to the Scotch estates of the
late Mr. SHEDDON was first questioned in 1803,
by Mr. HUGH CRAUFORD, to whom the guardian-
ship of the petitioner was transferred in 1801 ;
but the action of SHEDDON V. PATRICK, so well
known in the legal records of Scotland, was
defeated, and an appeal to the House of Lords
shared a similar fate, the late Lord ELDON pro-
nouncing judgment. Although his final decision
was pronounced forty-six years ago, we have
the same parties moving in the matter once

more.

It should be observed that Mr. SHEDDON, on
his return from India, had his attention turned
to the Scotch estates, and his right and title to
the possession. The result was, that he again,
in 1849, opened a personal action in the Scotch
Courts. PATRICK the
.defendant pleaded his
right and title on the ground of previous
decisions, and the plea was sustained, and
SHRDDON'S claim once more rejected, and
that decision was confirmed by the House
of Lords in 1854. This was not to
be wondered at, seeing that it would

the petititioner set about establishing his claim
in 1852, by adducing proof that, according to the
laws of New York, the marriage of his father
with his mother was perfectly legal, and as such
would entitle him to any property which would
be left to him as the issue of said marriage.
With the view of establishing his claim on this
ground, he commenced a suit in the Supreme
Court of New York, and it decided that the
first marriage of WM. SHEDDON with the mother
of the petitioner was a valid marriage, and the
petitioner, as the issue of such marriage, and
lawful heir of his father, recovered a certain
portion of land in the State of New York.
This was the case which Lord GREY asked the
House of Lords to investigate, with the view of
ascertaining whether there was any truth in the
allegations contained in the petition presented.
On a question of this kind, the chief speakers
were Law Lords. Accordingly, we find Lords
BROUGHAM, ST. LEONARD'S, LYNDHURST, the LORD
CHANCELLOR, Lords CAMPBELL, ALBEMARLE,
LYTTLETON, and REDESDALE, each speaking for
and against Lord GREY'S motion. Certainly, all
the talent and legal arguments adduced were
in favour of Mr. SHEDDON. Lord BROUGHAM
and Lord LYNDHURST demolished the flimsy
pretexts for resisting the inquiry. Even the
opposition peers admitted the wrong which had
been inflicted, but then Mr. SHEDDON must
submit to that wrong for his country's good.
This was aptly answered by Lord ALBEMARLE,
who said, that he thought it was a maxim of our
own that " there was no wrong without a
remedy," but, although Mr. SHEDDON'S was a
wrong without a parallel, the House of Lords
refused to consider his petition. The circum-
stances connected with this extraordinary case
should teach the people of this country a salutary
lesson, how, and by what form, they contract
marriage. The least irregularity bastardises
the offspring ; and, should they be entitled to
property, it is wrested from them by the
avaricious grasp of distant relations. Our
marriage laws are too complex, and hence the
Lord Chancellor has been obliged to bring
forward his matrimonial causes. With regard
to Mr. SHEDDON, we believe he is an injured
man ; and that the refusal of the House of Lords
to hear his entire case, is only an attempt to
bolster up their pretensions to legal infallibility.

IT is the right of an Englishman to grumble
against the laws under which he is living—it is
a kind of luxury which he reserves to himself to
vent his displeasure when things are not quite to
his mind ; and it cannot be denied that he
sometimes has reason for indulging in the cheap
luxury of fault-finding. Justice requires that

he should be not unwilling to acknowledge
when a thing is really well done. We, there-
fore, congratulate ourselves and the nation that
our Government is very commendably roused to
make a signal example of culprits on a great
scale. It used to be said that the little fishes
were detained in the net of the law, but the
great fishes—that is the great offenders—broke
through by sheer force. It is not so always,
and it, will be rarer than ever, we trust, in this
England of ours.

As we remarked yesterday, the leading
offenders, being the Managers of the
late Royal British Bank, are now being
summoned by the Attorney-General, and
held to bail. Mr. OWEN has been held to
bail—himself to 4,0001. and two sureties for
2,000/, each additional. Also, 2001. are offered
for the apprehension of the late Member for
Tewkesbury, Mr. HUMPHREY BROWN, who
finds it convenient to be away on his travels at
the present moment. This proceeding on the
part of the Government will do much to uphold
and spread the idea of the impartiality of law.
People will see that there is really an endeavour
to make the same laws equally apply to rich and
poor.

True, this is so scandalous a case that it
could not possibly be passed over without
dangerously shocking the national feeling
of justice. It is true, also, that the
prosecution and fitting punishment of
those arch delinquents will be but a
feeeble atonement for such flagitious and
unprincipled proceedings. Hundreds of poor
people have suffered irremediable misery in the
loss of their small savings, which will not be
brought back to them, nor compensated by
those gentlemen being put to hard labour for
two years. Even the propitiatory sufferings of
that pious Royal British Bank Director, Mr.
HUGH CAMERON, will be but poor satisfaction
to the ruined widow with her small children, or
small trader, whose scanty capital' is now lost
and gone. Still it is right that punishment
should overtake the offence. It is a satisfaction,
not to vengeance, but to justice. It is a right
royal piece of British justice that the mis-
managers of a Royal British Bank should be
treated according to their deserts ; that no
wealth or station should protect them ; and
that the working men, from one end of the
country to the other, should see that the same
law which would pounce upon them if they
were in fault, is now being wholesomely applied
to their betters. Let English law be thus
administered, and English justice be thus distri-
buted, and the reproach will cease, that there
is too often one law for the rich and another for
the poor ; and that those who are too poor to
buy justice must put up with oppression.
A. notorious instance of the partiality of law, is
Iseen in cases of Divorces, where a rich man, who

•-•

purchase deliverance from an ill-assortod
marriage, but a poor man, to whom the same
deliverance_ may be even more needful, is com-
pelled to remain in bondage all the days of his
mortal. pilgrimage, or till the great equaliser,
Death, shall free him from his worse half. This
prosecution is well-timed. Commercial frauds,
embezzlements, and swindlings have been fear-
fully numerous in this country. They must be
arrested. If the arm of the law is too short and
too weak; let it be lengthened and strengthened.
While it is quite right that penalty should
overtake the offender, we must, at the same
time, always remember that no mere human
laws and social arrangements can supply the
want of moral principle—can make men virtuous,
through fear of detection. No kind of fear—not
the fear of human law, nor even the fear of hell,
can be a substitute for conscience, or loyalty
to right. We must point more to inward
law, honour, and honesty, among all classes
of our countrymen , and as these grow stronger
within us, the restraints of outward law will be
less needed, till peradventure, in the " good time
coming," they will utterly cease to be, when
man shall be a law unto himself, and none shall
hurt or destroy in all God's holy mountain.
We may be a long way off from this. Still it
may be encouraging to cherish this belief, and
have it as a bright star shining over us, helping
to guide us through the darkness of this world,
over the rough places of society.

It will be an advantage to the commerce of
England, and of the world, that the Sound Dues
claimed by Denmark, and levied upon all ship-
ping, are now happily compounded for. Our
share of the payment is about a million-and-a-
quarter of money. England pays about one-
third of the whole, Russia another third, and all
the world besides the remaining third. Here is
an end of a very vexatious impost, more incon-
venient by the delay it occasioned to vessels
passing the Sound than even by its amount.
The principle was a bad one. The utmost that
Denmark could fairly claim was a consideration
or per tentage for keeping lighthouses, &c., in
order to promote the safety of trade and ship-
ping. And even this might be questionable, in
so far as she required those lighthouses, securi-
ties, and facilities for her own navy. It could
take nothing from Denmark, that other nations
sailed the sea that washed her shores, and used
the beacons that guided her ships. But we will
not debate this point.
Our Government has made a fair arrangement
of the matter, notwithstanding a few grumblings
in the Commons. The Americans have the
merit of being first to move in this affair ; and

only lately it threatened serious consequences
between America and Denmark. Happily, the
danger has blown over ; the little cloud in the
West has not grown to a storm. And the good
offices of England have been mainly instrumen-
tal in preventing this; for, had we held aloof, an
American fleet might, one fine morning, have
found itself forcing the passage of the Sound.

We may anticipate an increase in our Baltic
trade. There will be a considerable saving of
time and of money. But a greater gain to
Europe will be the lessening of Russian influence
over Denmark. Russia was the chief upholder
of this impost for reasons best known to herself.
At first she resisted the composition which has
been made. She supported the claims of
Denmark, and probably would not have been
sorry to see them enhanced, for she one day
calculated on the possible reversion of the crown
of Denmark to the house of Romanoff. It is
important that the Danes should be so far
emancipated from dependence in Russsia.
England, France, and Sardinia are the more
proper and natural allies of Denmark than
her colossal neighbour, who might sometime or
other find means to annex Denmark. The three
Scandinavian kingdoms, Norway, Sweden, and
Denmark, would find their safety in forming a
triple allianee among themselves against Russia,
and with the concurrence of France and England.
TJ this it might have come, and to this things
were drifting, had the Turco-Russian war con-
tinued. This arrangement secures by peaceful
means an object which is in harmony with the
purpose of the late war. That war and this
composition have a tendency to restrict the
power of Russia, and limit her influence. It is
for the interest of Europe and of the whole
human race, that Russia should be induced to
apply herself to the development of the internal
resources of her vast Empire, rather than seek to
spread her barbarous legions over the fairest
seats of civilization. Instead of acquiring more
territory, Russia is at present large enough to
be divisible into several kingdoms or empires.
The insatiable ambition of Russia has received
a check for the present, and perhaps the growing
enlightenment and civilization of her people
may avert danger for the future, and prevent
another NICHOLAS from kindling the flame of war
in Europe. Commerce, education, civilization,
moral and religious influences, will be great
peacemakers of the world in the future. But
nature has given to Europe and mankind addi-
tional securities against Russian ambition.
There are two Straits, one on the North, and the
other on the South, which, if the nations are
wise, may limit and defend the expansion of
Russia—the one is the Sound, and the other is
the Dardanelles. Russia cannot pass these
narrow openings without the consent of France
and England. A small British or French fleet
could prevent any Russian navy, however large,
;,rot the key of Russia in our own keeping.. She
is blockaded at the Sound and Dardanelles. If
we are wise we shall retain those two keys.
The late war was to secure one of them ; the
settlement of the Sound Dues helps to secure
the other.

COMPLETION OF ONE-HALF THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPEI
CABLE.—Messrs. Newall, who contracted to supply one-
half of the Atlantic submarine telegraph cable, finished
their contract on Monday last, at their Birkenhead works,
though it was not legally due until the 30th inst. They
have performed their task with the most praiseworthy
alacrity, the 1,250 miles of cable having been " spun " in
eighty days. When their tender was accepted in Decem—
ber last, Messrs. Newall had to create the machinery and
all the other appliances necessary for the manufacture of
the cable, including 100 machines for manufacturing the
spun-yarn with which the gutta percha, which forms the
core, is covered. The process of spinning commenced on
the 18th of February, and was pursued without interrup-
tion until Monday last, the Bth June. The cable consists
of a strand of copper wire, covered three times with
gutta perJha. This is " served " from end to end with
spun yarn, and over this are "laid up" eighteen strands
of seven wires each, which form the exterior of the cable.
There are in all 25,000 miles of strand, and 175,000 miles
of wire-2,500 miles of wire having been worked up daily
on an average. The cable lies now at Messrs. Newell's
works, in four immense coils, each 28 feet in diameter and
8 feet in height, ready for shipment on board the Niagara,
American war steamer, to which the coils will be con-
veyed by smaller vessels. The weight of the cable is
about a ton per mile ; and Messrs. Newall have employed
350 men in its manufacture. The wire has been manufac-
tured at the works of Messrs. Richard Johnson, of Man-
chester, who have emulated Messrs. Newall in the speed
and promptitude of their operations. Yesterday a dingier
was given by the Messrs. Newall, at their Birkenhead
works, to their men, and their wives and families. About
700 persons were present, including the wire-workers from
Manchester. Mr. Gordon, the manager of the works,
presided, and a large number of gentlemen, friends of the
contractors, scientific men, and others were present. In
the course of the conversation, Mr. Reid, the " veteran
electrician," stated that he had made an experinaont with
the wire that morning, which had been most satisfactory
in its results. He exhibited a minute battery, the plates
of which were scarcely a quarter of an inch square, and
with which he stated he had succeeded in establishing a
perfect telegraphic communication along the whole length
of the wire, namely, 1,250 miles. This sots at rest all
doubt as to the practicability of transmitting th ectric
current across the Atlantic. We understand that Messrs.
Newall have en'ered into another extensive contract. to
lay 1,000 miles of wire between Cagliari and Malta and
Corfu, a portion of the great Indian line.

THE NEW AttSTIt4.LIAN SHIP, " FLORENCE NIGEITINGILE."
—Messrs. G bbs, Bright, and Co., of the world-renowned
Eagle Lice" of Australian ships, not content with their
ample and splendid fleet of vessels in the trade, have
added .nother vessel, likely to obtain as fair and far-
sp-ead renown, as that inimitable lady, after whom she is
called This assertion is warranted, so im as speed is
cotcerned, for the sh p, under most disadvantageous cir-
cumstances. and deeply laden with a valuable cargo of
cotton, left New Orleans, in company of some crack
ship 4, beat them, and also ships that were considered
matchless, Rid that left days previous to her—but she
arrived here before all. This, for a new ship—with every-
thing new, and untried—speaks well for her future success.
In that respect, therefore, nothing more need be said about
her. The " Florence Nightingale" is no ordinary ship.
She at once commands attention, even from the passing
observer. Her fine lines, her remarkable rigging, her
graceful appearance, Onft °Z. y one
semble, must arrest evor

who views ker. Externally she is really a fine ship, but
internally she is matchless. She may challenge any vassal
that ever left the Mersey—and so say better judges thaa
we are —in every respect, as an Australian passen-
ger ship, combining, as she does, all the best
qualities of the best and most favourite ships, with
additions that render her superior in every respect to her
general competitors. It may be stated that her com-
mander, Captain Goss, is one of those " sons of the ocean,"
whose experience has not only rendered his own name
familiar with many matters connected with navigation, but
for three great and essential qualities, namely—able sea-
manship, successful voyages, and, though last not least,
the esteem he has won from all classes of passengers,
during his several quick and (almost) happy voyages to
Australia. It would be deemed superfluous to say more
on these points, but there are a few observations as regards
the vessel generally. The Florence Nightingale was built,
not for sale, but for her owners, and, therefore, there is nct
a single plank or bolt in her frame that is not as perfect
as the best materials and first class workmanship can make
her. From a careful and elaborate inspection which the
writer has made of every inch of the ship, he can say
with confidence that she has never been surpassed, in all
essential qualities, by any ship that ever entered Liver-
pool. Her 'tween decks for passengers are more than
nine feet high, and the light conveyed to this depart-
partment is almost as ample as that which the great orb of
day supplies to our streets. The ventilation (about which
we are always peculiarly sensitive) is as good as the
best practical medical man could desire. She has a
noble flush deck, from the poop cabin to the forecastle,
and this will enable the passengers to enjoy the great
benefit (so much desired in a voyage to Australia) of air
and exercise, and also amusement, which, after al
is by no means an ingredient to be dispensed
with on board an Australian ship. To give an
idea of this fine ship, we may state that she is
nearly 200 feet long ; 39 feet (in clear) beam, and about
26 feet deep, from ceiling of spar deck, Her nominal
tonnage is about 1,300, but her carrying capacity is more
than half that added, so it will at once be seen what cargo
she can carry—and that too on a light draught of water.
As to her fitting up, nothing has been left undone. Science
and money have combined, and the liberality of the
owners have accomplished all. The water tanks
are of wrought iron, and capable of containing
more liquid than would be required for the voyage, and it
is needless to say how much more preferable iron is to
wood in this respect. She is fitted with patent pumps,
and all other approved appliances, and as for her first-
class saloon, we have never beheld any superior, as regards
the sleeping and dining departments. In these respects,
the other classes are equally remarkable, and as for the
victualling department, both in respect to quantity and
quality, the liberality of the owners are well known, and the
thousands who have gone oat by their noble vessels bear
testimony to the correctness of this. This is the splendid
packet of the 15th July, and sure we are, from all he r
attributes—the character of her able commander, Captain
Goss, and the splendid accommodation which in all res -
pects she affords to every class of passengers—she wil I
soon be filled. Let emigrants for the colony see her and
judge for themselves.

ERRATUK.—IIi our remarks on the strikes now existing
in Liverpool, which appertrel in Tuesday's publication,
the word " wJges" was subsituted for " provisions," when
we made reference to the questions of supply and demand
as regulating the value of labour.

SAILING OF THE SARAH DIXON FOR MELBOURNE.-Thig
fine ship, which we described in detail some short time ago,
belonging to the Liverpool line of Australian packets,
sails this day for Melbourne. She has a full cargo of
varied and ♦aluable merchandise, and about 500 passengers
of all classes. Few ships ever filled more rapidly than
tho Sarah Dixon. A safe voyage to her !

EDINBURGH THEATnic.A.L,;.---We hear from undoubted
authority, that Mr. and Mrs. Wyndham have been offered
and accepted a lease of the Queen's Theatre, Edinburgh.
We cannot but congratulate the " Auld Reekites" on
securing the services of the above-named lady and gentle-
man, whose talents and industry have gained for them the
onad feeline and nnplause of all, and we, with others, wish
them every success in their double rosnsgoment.

THE DIORAMA OF INDIA.—For the last two days this
beautiful exhibition has been visited by a great number of
the pupils at the public and private schools of the town ;
and both teachers and pupils expressed the utmost gratifi-
cation at the treat presented to them. They also felt much
indebted to the spirited proprietor, Mr. Sheffield, to Mr.
Cassidy; the lucid lecturer, and Madame Correlli, for her
beautiful and expressive musical illustration of the
exquisite scenes represented ; and of which we have spoken
in detail. This day, the boys and girls of the Orphan
Asylum will be treated to the morning performance, and
will be accompanied by their band. This will be most
interesting, and the juveniles will partake of a great treat ;
and we would, therefore, advise as many of our young
friends, and their guardians, as can spare time. to be pre-
sent, at two o'clock, at the Teutonic Hall, where they are
sure to be fully gratified.

INALE OF A WEEK'S FUDDLE—On Sunday morning
last, about ten o'clock, a man, named Thomas Howarth,
aged 53 years, of Oldham-road, Rochdale, attempted twice
to cut his throat with a razor. Howarth is a woollen
weaver, and had been drinking the greater part of last
week. The stoppage of the mills, in addition to his own
waste of time and money, it is supposed made an impres-
sion upon him, and created a fear of want. On Sunday
morning he was found in the petty in an exhausted and
insensible state, arising from the loss of blood, and on
examining him, it was found that he had twice cut his
throat, one cut being three-fourths of an inch below the
other. The larynx was completely divided, and some of
the arteries. Surgical aid was called in, and the wounds
were dressed. He is in a very dangerous state, and his
recovery is doubtful.

PARLIAMENTARY LABOUR.—Members of parliament pay
dearly for their honours. Nu one unacquainted with their
daily and varied labours can form an estimate of it. No
banister in the courts, or no merchant in his office, goes
through half the drudgery of ;such men as are able and
willing to work. There is, first, the correspondence, which
varies from six to twenty letters a day, according to the
number and extent of their constituents. This must be
got over before eleven o'clock i❑ the morning, for at that
hour the committees meet. From eleven to four the
committees sit, and the best members take ample notes of
all the testimony adduced, besides being often compelled
to read Blue-books innumerable, containing reports of
Commissions and Committees of Inquiry, which have sat
on the initiatory stages of the bills under consideration.
Then, at fcur, the House sits, where members remain
until alter midnight, and occasionally do not get home
till one, two, or three o'clock in the morning. This, it
must be admitted, is no easy work, but to it must be added
crowded rooms, and but June or July weather, and then
sme estimate may be formed of a member's life during
the sitting of parliament.

RECOVERY OF THE BODY OF ENSIGN BOWLES.—The
friends and relatives of _Ensign Bowles, who was recently
drowned in the Ribble, will be glad to learn that his body
was found by Mr. Henry Gornall, innkeeper, of Warton,
on Monday evening about six o'clock. Information .was
immediately brought to Mr. W. Paley, who at Once com-
municated with the officers of the garrison, one of whom
left town at nine o'clock the same evening for the'' Guide's
house'. (where the body had been tatcen), for the purpose
of identifying it. An inquest was held yesterday after-
noon, at the "Guide's." before Mr. Myres, coroner, when
the following evidence was adduoed. Henry Gornall, inn-
keener, of Wanton, deposed to the effect that about six
o'clocki on Monday afternoon he was looking down the
river, with the aid Of a glass, when he saw a body fhating
down the stream, near the " Guide's House," 'Wartun.
There being a great quantity of fresh and tide in the river,
the witness, with assistance, launched a boat, got the body
out of the water, and afterwards removed it to the'' Guide's
House." The deceased bad on a monkey-jacket, and his
ordinary clothes, but had no hat or cap on. His clothes
were neither torn nor unbuttoned. When fonnd, deceased
ws floating on his face. John Elston, servant of the
deceased, identified the body, and stated that Ensign
Bowles left the barracks at noon on Saturday, the 23rd of
May last. D,ceased had then in his possession about
£1 15s. Witness stated that there were no marks of
violence on his person when found, nor were any articles
of dress missing, except a large pilot cloth coat, which
was found by a man near Salwick Pool, as stated in our
last Wednesday's paper. A verdict of " Found drowned
in the Ribble," was returned. We understand that the
effects of the deceased gentleman were disposed of last
week at the barracks, realizing the sum of £BO, £2O of
which was given to his servent,—Treeton auar*n for
Wednesday.