The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-20 00:00:00

New Town-hall at Tiverton,

Yesterday the new Town-all of Tiverton was opened
with every mark of rejoicing. What with flags, flowers,
and evergreens, the ordinary quiet little town was quite
transformed. Cheap excursion trains brought thousands
in from the neighbouring districts, and the principal
thoroughfares were so densely thronged as to be almost
impassable. The chief attraction was the expected appear-
ance of Lord Palmerston, who had been requested, as the
senior representative of the borough, to honour his consti-
tuents by formally opening their Town-hall, and it may well
be supposed that profound regret was felt by all when it
became known that he would not be present. Late on
-Wednesday night a letter, written at Brocket-hall, Hert.
foi d shire, was received from the noble lord, in which he said :
" I came down here for a kw days for the country air,
am better, and hope to be ebb to get to the House of Com-
mons on Friday by lying sill till then; but I could not
have gone to Tiverton to-norrow. Lord Foitescue will
take my place on Thursday,and I hope that this arrange-
ment will prove acceptable.'

Yesterday forenoon this commnnication was read to a
meeting of the Town Councl specially convened for the pur-
pose, and it was agreed to nquest Mr Denman, the junior
member, to discharge the dtiy which up to the last moment
it had been hoped his distizgajshed colleague would be able
to perform. In accordance with this arrangement, Mr Den-
man and Lord Fortescue, shgtly after noon, were escorted
from their hotel to the Towr-hall by the members and ail-
cers of the corporation, and is the little procession passed
along it was greeted with bud cheering by the people as-
sembled on the route. The new hall is built in the centre
of the town, and for its sizes a very handsome and impos-
ing structure. It is in tie Italian style, and a peculiarly
rich and ornamental charactr has been given to it by the
profuse use of coloured stout and marble. Accommodation
has been provided for the transaction of all the public busi-
ness of the town. The Hallitself is spacious and lofty, and
its walls are adorned with s veral portraits in oil, includ-
ing one of Lord Palrnerstor painted by Mr. Roden. In
the erection of the building elegance and durability have
not been found incompatible with economy. It is under-
stood that, including the purchase of land and contingencies
of every kind, the entire cost will not exceed £B,OOO and, if
so, great credit is due to the architect, Mr. Lloyd, of Bris-
tol, for having produced EC admirable a structure for so
modest a sum. The forml ceremony of opening the
Hall was ono of the most simple kind. It consisted
mainly of a brief address delverod by Mr Denman from a
window on the first floor to tie crowd outside. Mr Denman
began by saying that the first act he had to perform was to
declare the building open as the Town-hall of Tiverton,
Here somebody in the crowd ;rigid out, " Where is Palmer-
s'on ?" whereupon Mr Dennan expressed his regret at the
unfortunate and unfavourable absence of his venerable and
respected colleague, who, though rapidly recovering from
his recent illness, bad been fabidden by his medical ad-
visers to undertake so long a journey as that to Tiverton.
He was sure, he continued, Oat all present, though suffer-
ing under a feeling of disalpointment, would join in an
expression of sympathy with .ne whose name was known
and honoured not only in 1 iserton, not only in the House
of Commons, not only in England, but throughout the
world. This elicited as entlusiastie burst of cheering,
which seemed to cow the fey persons who had tried to
interrupt the proceedings, ant, taking advantage of the
calm that followed, Mr Deumtn concluded his address with
a Sew appropriate observations on the value and importance
of municipal institutions, congratulating his constituents
on the possession of one of the handsomest Town-
halls in the west of England. Lord Fortescue next stood
forward to address the crowd. He bore his personal
testimony to the truth of the statement which had been
made to them with respect to the cause of Lord Pal-
merston's absence. " Unless," he said, "you wish to do
what would not be permitted in any other part of England
—namely, to sacrifice a life so precious not only to you but
to Europe—it would be impossible for Lord Palmerston to
appear in his state of health. It is entirely out of the ques-
tion for him to undertake such a journey. His excuse for
not being present on this occasion was, alas: too well
founded, and no one can regret more than himself his ina-
bility to be present. I received from his own lips an assur-
ance that he hoped up to the last moment to be able to
take part in the proceedings of this day, and that he is ex-
tremely sorry that upon this auspicious occasion he cannot
find himself once more among you to receive the same
kindness you have ever shown tswards him. I went down
to Brocket-hall, and although I found him cheerful and
animated he was unable to wads or stand, and his doctors
had positively interdicted him from undertaking so short a
journey as even one of 20 miles. In his journey to Brocket-
hall he was obliged to be lifted in and out of his carriage.
Under these circumstances I think you would not be so
abominably selfish as to endanger a life so precious, not
only to England, but to millions abroad, who look to our
great Minister with confidence and respect I hope the
scepticism and incredulity of the few have been ever-
come, and that you, as manly, frank, genuine English
men, will believe what has been told you. Some person
called out that Lord Palmerston was a humbug. That
is a new light in which to view the character of the
noble lord, and I think you will agree with me that if
ever there was a straightforward Englishman that man
is Lord Palmerston."

At the close of this speech, which was loudly cheered,
there were numerous calls for " Itowcliffe," and the famous
butcher and Chartist of that name, with whom, it will be
recollected, Lord Palmerston had an amusing encounter
some years ago, showed himself in obedience to the sum-
mons. He was hailed with shcuts of laughter, mingled
with cheers, and merely said tLat as the present was not
a political meeting he would refrain from commenting. on
the conduct of Lord Palmerston. The only remark he
had to make was that in his judgment the real leader
and friend of the people was Mr Gladstone—an expres-
sion of opinion which led to a renewal of the cheering
and laughter. A few words from the Mayor followed, and
the proceedings terminated with " three times three" for
an immense variety of persons and objects, all, however,
of purely local fame. Later in the day there was a din-
ner in the Town-hall, presided over by the Mayor, and
in the evening at least half a doz,n bails were going on in
as many different parts of the town.

Daring Escape from the House of Correction,

Yesterday morning, ttbo4)—tzt a quarter past seven o'clock,
a man was seen by Mr. John Whiteman, news agent, of
No. 26, Guildford-place (opposite the walls of the House of
-7-----
Correction), with his head just above the walls, end he,
suspecting that all was not right, watched him. After a
lapse of a moment or so he saw the man get on the top of
the wall and then drop into the Farringdon-road.
The man no sooner recovered himself from the effects of
g
the fall (the walls of the prison at this spot being of great
height) than he at once made off;
and, for the purpose of
better avoiiin detection, he ran along the back of Messrs.
Cubitt's establishment. He was Pursued by Mr. White-
man, who overtook him in Ampton-place, Gray's Inn-road,
and after a desperate struggle overpowered him, and, with
assistance, conveyed him to the liing's-cross police-station,
where he was accused of being
a prisoner escaped from the
House of Correction, an accusation which he did not deny,
and if he had it would not have availed him much, as he
had on the prison clothes and metal number.
Inspector Allen, of the G division, detained the prisoner
and sent off for the authorities of the prison, who, it would
appear, had not then missed him. It was then ascertained
that the prisoner is a most desperate thief, and was con-
fined in the House of Correction, under the name of John
Day, for two years with hard labour, for breaking into a
gentleman's house at Hammersmith, and stealing a quail.

tits of plate.
The way in which the prisoner gained access to the top
of the wall was this :—A new wing has recently been
erected, and is now not yet quite completed. Something
of the materials are still lying about, and the prisoner, who
had not long been cut of bed, 'was in the yard for exercise,
and thus took the favourable opportunity of climbing up
with the aid of the nails in the boards, and thus making his
escape.

The prisoner for the present is taken back to the House
of Correction, but whether ho will be taken before a magis_
trate for being at large before the expiration of his sentence
has not yet been determined.

HOMAGE TO MEYERBEER.—At the recent per-
formance of the "Huguenots" in Paris the two principal
artiste, being recalrod, appeared bearing a crown covered
with crape,