The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-28 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

BRUTAL ASSAULT ON A FEMALE.--Henry Robson, an
id-looking fellow, employed, it appeared, at a rag-shop
in Gravel-lane, was brought before Mr. Coombe charged
with most violently assaulting Mar;a.
Maria Wallis, whose appearance plainly showed the
ill-treatment she had received, deposed that she had
lived with the prisoner as his wife for upwards of nine
months, but in consequence of his continued ill-treat-
ment of her, several times blackening her eyes, and
otherwise injuring her, she was obliged to leave him
about nine weeks since, and had never met with him
till last night, about !en o'clock, when he came up to
her in Charlotte-street, Blackfriar's-road, and said—•
" Oh, here you are, you b—h ! I'll be d—d if I don't
give it you now." Upon which he knocked her down
and kicked her most violently upon the abdomen. A
policeman then came up and took the prisoner into
custody.
Police-constable 78 L stated that hearing a disturb-
ance in Charlotte-street last night he proceeded to the
spot ; the prosecutrix was down upon the ground, and
he saw the prisoner kick the woman most violently on
the abdomen.

The Emperor Napoleon's letter to General Pelissier
deserves, for several reasons, the attention of everybody
who is interested in the great events of our times.
The occasien which elicited it, the circumstances un-
der which it was written, the events at which it glances,
the wise and kindly measure which it announces, arid
the brilliant hopes which it invites the Allied Powers
and Nations to entertain, all render it a truly striking
document—the purple patch (purpureus pannus) on the
grey monotony of the passing interva'.
Let us give to these several poi its in their turn a mo-
ment's consideration. The occasion which drew forth
this letter (or at least furnished the more immediate
motive for writing it at that particular moment) was the
battle and victory of the Tchernaya, gained, as we ob-
served i.efore, on the eve cf the day when the Sovereign
of France eas about to entertain, on his own soil, and
amidst his own palaces, the British Queen with a mag-
nificence not heretofore witnessed in the modern or
Christian world, and far surpassing all the glories of an
ancient Roman •triumph. Concerning this point, we
need say no more than merely caution the intelli-
' gent reader not to underrate a splendid feat of
arms on account of its apparent facility. Those stub-
born victories which most commonly move our admire-
, tion—because they seem extorted, as it were, from fate,
larid torn out of the very hands of adverse circumstances
—reflect immense hotiour upon the valour of the mass of
the conquerors ; hut, alas ! what do they say, in most
cases, for the prudence of the successful Generals ? An
easy victory is, perhaps, less splendid for the soldiery
of an army, but it ought to make us think more highly
of its leader. The soldiers win less glory, but then
they were less tried ; and whose glory is that ?
Why, the line of the Tchernaya is the longest, most
straggling, most easily forced, and least easilydefended,
of the various lines maintained by the Allies in the
Crimea ; yet it is very g erd and salubrious for the troops
that they should thus retain "elbow-room." General
Pe'issier arid General La Marmora had only about
40,000 men to guard this line. The victory was, in our
opinion, most glorious—as much a victory of mind,
prudence, and of long-continued unrelaxing vigilance as
of steadiness and intrepidity.
' Such was the occasion which immediately moved the
Emperor of the French to write with his own hand to his
brave and skilful General. The letter was written arid
sent amidst the festivities, or rather felicitations (for they
were grave though so cordial), of our gracious Queen's
visit to his Imperial Majesty. The circumstances, then,
under which the letter was despatched were nearly as
memorable as the occurrence which occasioned it.
During the course of the splendid kindnesses of this un-
precedented reception, the great host is not "absent "
for one moment, in manner or seeming—nay, not absent
in the characteristic earnestness of his cordiality. Yet
he thinks much of the absent, and his mind reverts to
SIR B. HALL'S LOCAL MANAGEMENT Act —Last the past, and turn,, meditative and expectant, to stand
evening an adjourned public meeting of the ratepayers- face to face with the future hopes of his country, of Eng-
of St. Pancras was held at the Vestry-hall, Camden- land, and of Europe. And here is a short and very mo-
town, for the purpose of considering the propriety of dest letter, most simple and grand in its style, which
appointing a committee to co-operate with a committee says touch of both, and which will reverberate through
appointed by the vestry to draw up a plan for a fair sub east and west. The Emperor is tranquil respecting the
division of the parish into wards, to lay before the asses- fate of his army, as an army ; but he thinks of the indi-
sor to he appointed by the Secretary of State for that victual soldier—that soldier who now, for a long time, a
purpose, under the provieions of Sir B. Hall's Act for time doubled by events, has confronted and overthrown
the Better Local Management of the Metropolis. Mr. a continuous file. of successive antagonists, under un-
Churchwarden Ferrer presided. Mr. Garvey moved a heard-of-hardships, "des fatigues inouies." And, as
resolution to the effect, "That a committee of 24 hide- all that soldier's comrades in France burn to have their
pendent ratepayers be appointed from the body of the share in his glory, the Emperor is busy, he says, in send-
meeting, to co-operate with the assessor in a fair subdi- ing ship after ship and regiment after regiment, gradually
vision of wards," which, having been seconded, Mr. to replace the great army, illustrious for so many
Goodwin moved as an amendment, "That a list of 15 achievements, by another equally efficient, so as to give
names (which he nominated) be adopted by the meet- the first its well-earned furlough, and bring it again to
ing." gr. Ross seconded the amendment. A long and home and to country, to rest and to honour. The reader
stormy discussion ensued, and the amendment norninat- sees what this shows both of the Emperor's wakeful
ing the 15 names was ultimately carried, and the meet- sympathy for his noble soldiery, and of the colossal mill-
ing separated. - tary power and resources of France. But, as is usual in
The has vest has been an average one for most kinds i the policy of the present Sovereign of that country, there
of grain all over the north of Italy, and the Indian corn is more than mere sentiment here ; and we may take an
promises great abundance ; but the vines,, especially in
opportunity of indicating what the practical effect of
the Venetian provinces, are agan sorely afflicted with this good, kindly, and, et the same time, deeply-consi-
the disease, and, as there is no silk made in those dis- dered measure is likely to be.
tricts, which affords a compensating crop in Lombardy,
Another and still more stirring consideration remains.
the people are likely to suffer much privation in the The Emperor " hopes that Sebastopol will soon fall be-
ern ad, arid oil are already neath the blows of the Allies. But should that event be
be-
app
pn-n'uaseuhaill'lg Y
high prices aricessviine'
n all the markets of that coun-
i
hibited. postponed, he has learned, from sources which he be-
try, even though the exportation of corn is strictly pro- ' lievea to be sure, that the Russian army will not be able
i to sustain themselves through the approaching winter in

Mr. Coombe, to the prisoner—You appear to mo to
be a most cowardly rascal and a great brute, and I will
make an example of you. You are committed to the
House of Correction at Wandsworth for three months.
The prisoner withdrew grumbling at the decision of
the magistrate.
ANOTHER ASSAULT ON A FEMALE. —AI fred Forger, a
rather respectable-looking man, who de-crihed himself
as a plate worker, was charged with violently assaulting
his landlady, Mary Ann Smith, this morning about one
o'clock.

Mary Ann Smith, whose face presented a most terrific
appearance from the bruises she had received on it,
stated that she resided at 28, Surrey-row, Blackfriars.
The prisoner was a lodger at her house, and upon his
coming home this morning about one o'clock and some
words occurring between them he beat her most vio-
lently, and disfigured her face in the manner the magis-
trate might see.
The prisoner said that the prosecutrix was a most

violent woman, and as great a proficient with her fists as

any man going. (Laughter.) On his coming home this
morning about one o'clock she began to quarrel with

him and threw a large pie-dish at him, which cut him
severely. Upon this he struck her, for which he was
sorry, but he was so exasperated by her conduct that he
hardly knew what he did.
Mr. Coombe fined the prisoner 40s. or one month's
imprisonment.