The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-09 00:00:00

brought to the police 'station on charges of indecent assaults
on children,

A shabbily-attired young fellow, between 17 and 18 years
of age, who gave the name of William Henry Clarke, and
who described himself as a light porter, residing at 31,
Lever-street, Goswell-street, St. Luke's, was broughtup at
the Clerkenwell Police-court yesterday, in the custody of
Inspector Was. Wiseman, of the N division, charged on sus-
picion of murdering a girl, aged eight years, named Eliza-
beth Hunter, on or about March 30, 1862, at the nursery
grounds, William-street, parish of St. Mary, Islington.
The avenues of the court were densely crowded, and it was
with great difficulty that persons could get in. It will be in
the recollection of the public that last year the Government
offered a reward of £lOO for the apprehension of a man who
stole a child, named Elizabeth Hunter, from the bottom of
Greenman's. lane, Islington, on Sunday night, March 30,
at about 10 o'clock. Although every effort was made by the
police, and advertisements were circulated over the country,
no trace could be found of the child. On Monday, from
what came to the knowledge of Inspector 'Wiseman, he,
along with some constables, went to a nursery in William-
street, New North-road, kept by a person of the name of
Rowe, and, after searching and digging about the green-
house, found in a hole the remains of the body of a child.
The body was covered with about three inches of soil, and
had been covered with quick lime, and was very nearly de-
stroyed. Mr. Billinghurst, the divisional surgeon, was sent
for, and, as far as could be ascertained from a cursory inves-
tigation, the body was presumed to be that of a female child,
whilst the hair and the boots that were found along with the
remains of the body, as well as several pieces of wearing ap-
parel, pointed strongly to the suspicion that it was the body
of Elizabeth Hunter, who had been stolen as above described.
Ps eorly and i
c, e
-c
o nssut aspbilceisosntafamllminegrso,nl3h6imNh, eanwdaGs aopssp,r3ehlBenNde, dwhbyo
The prisoner had been the employ of the keeper of the nur-
told him that ho was charged with murdering a girl, on
which he said " Good God, I know nothing about it." The
prisoner was followed to the court by a large mob of people,
and the place where the body was found was surrounded by
about 500 or 600 people. What caused more excitement at
the finding of the bones and the clothes was that on Monday
a paragraph appeared to the following effect :—" Mysterious
Atiair.—A strange incident comes notified by the Swiss
journals as occupying the people of Neufchatel. The corpse
of a youg girl, aged about eight years, has been found be-
hind the town promenade, and the particulars given of the
dress and other accessories have suggested her being a
native of England. The British Legation has been put in
possession of the case by the federal authorities, on the pre-
sumption that it has some connection with the reward of
£lOO offered lately by the London police for tidings of
Elizabeth Hunter, who had mysteriously disappeared from
the metropolis."
The first witness called was
Charlotte Hunter, who said--I reside with my parents at
Ward's-place. lam just over twelve years of age. I had
a sister named Elizabeth Hunter. She was seven years and
a half old when I last saw her. I last saw her in Green-
man's-lane. She was taken away by a man on a Sunday
evening. The man looked about as old as my father. I fol-
lowed him a little while and then missed him in William-
street. He said to my sister, " Will you take a letter into
William-street and I will give you 2d." I said " No, she
must not go." He took hold of her hand, and walked down
the street with her. 1 followed and my bonnet came off, and
when I stopped to pick it up I lost sight of her. I never
saw my sister again. I have seen the prisoner before, but I
do not know that he is the man that took my sister away.
Mr. Alexander (second clerk)—l did rot ask you that ;•
you say that it was a man about as old as your father.
Witness continued—The man who took my sister away
had on a pork-pie hat with two ribbons on it at the back,
I have known the prisoner for some time.
By the Prisoner-1 do not say you are the man who took
my sister away. Ido not know whether the man who took
my sister away had on a collar or not. Ido not know what
sort of clothes he had on. It was on Sunday the 30th of
March, 1862, at 10;o'clock at night, that my sister was taken
away. I had seen the prisoner a little time before I missed
my sister, and I have seen him since.
Police-constable Newbold, 151 N, said—From instruc-
tions I received from Mr. Wiseman, I went to a nursery-
ground in William-street, New North-road. I saw Mr.
Rowe, the proprietor. I asked him if he recollected the head
of a human being having been found in his nursery. He said
he did, and, after some conversation, he showed me the
place where it was buried. I dug, and found a skull. He
afterwards pointed out to me the spot where the skull was
found. It was in a greenhouse, under the flower-stands.
Another constable dug about, and as he dug he turned up a
small boot, such as would fit a child. He afterwards dug up
a bone, and then another boot. He kept digging, and found
other bones.
Inspector Wiseman, N division, said—On Monday after-
noon, from information I received, I went to the nursery
kept by Mr. Rowe. On going into the greenhouse, which is
30 feet long by 17 wide, there is a shelf running nearly the
whole length on the right-hand side, about two feet from
the ground. Five other shelves, sloped towards the wall,
higher up, one over the other. Underneath are two pipes
for warming the place. Between the pipes is a space about
two feet wide. There I saw a quantity of bones, flesh, hair,
and portions of cotton dresses, &c., all mixed more or less
with quicklime. I eent for a surgeon, who said they were
the bones of a human body. On examining the place I found
that the body was buried absu three feet deep, with a slight
layer of earth over the bones. I took possession of the bones
and had them removed to the divisional surgeon's.
Mrs Susan Hunter, who appeared deeply affected, said—l
reside at No. 41, Ward's-place, Islington. Some time since I
unfortunately lost my daughter. From the time I missed her
to now, I have never seen her alive. On Monday night, at
the police. station, Islington, I saw my child's boots. They
were those she was wearing at the time, as she had no others.
Last night I saw a piece of her jean petticoat, and
likewise a piece of her chemise, and a piece of a coloured
petticoat she wore and t the sleeve of her frock, whi ch was
fastened round her waist, a small piece of her pinafore, and
a piece of white tape. I also saw some of her hair. I am
certain that it is her dear hair. Her hair was very short.
She wore an old felt hat. I saw a piece of felt last night
which was very much like that which she wore. I know the
chemise by the hemming of it, It was rather a widish hem,
and she did it herself.
Mr. Barker—Have you any doubt about the boots and
other things you have spoken of belonging to your child,
and worn by her on the night you missed her.
Witness—l have no doubt about it. They belonged to
my dear child.
Mr. George Rowe—l live at 38, Sherborne-street, Down-
ham-road. I have a nursery in William-street. I know
the prisoner, and he was in my employ for about eight
months, in 1861 and 1862. He left on the 10th of April,
1862. He had the care of the garden, and attended to the
fires and greenhouses. In December last I thought a cat
was in the greenhouse, as a pot had been removed. I went
to the end of the stage, and looked along it, and saw what I
thought was a pile of broken pots under the stage, behind
the flue. I then desired the boy to remove them. About
two days afterwards the boy told me on removing the pots,
that he had found a skull, and showed it to me. I looked
at it and saw that it was devoid of flesh. Inside of it I saw
portions of flesh and maggots. After some time it occurred
to me that it had been used by a medical student, who had
placed it there. I had it buried. I was present when the
skull was removed by the constable. I saw the police dig
over .the ground, and I saw them dig up a boot, If I had
had the slightest idea that anything had been wrong I should
at once have communicated with the police. Afterwards I
saw the police find another boot, several bones, and some
pieces of clothing.
Mr. Alexander (second clerk)—You say that the prisoner
was in your employ up to April, 1862. Had he anything to
do with the greenhouse ?
Witness—Yes. He had the key of the greenhouse. There
is another door at the end which leads into an open shed,
which is unfastened. It was in fact always open. No one
had a right to be there but those who belong to the nursery.
I think it right to say that two other persons have keys and
have a right to come into the nursery.
Mr. Alexander (second clerk)—Do you know how the
prisoner was dressed during the latter part of his service
with you?
Witness—l know
that he had a turban or pork pie hat,
with ribbons behind, which he always wore on Sundays.
Mr. Alexander—This place where the bones were found
was not open, and I suppose not very public ?
"Witness—lt was most private ; and I wonder how a per-
son could have got there. It was so unlikely
we should not have touched it for years had I not seen the
broken pots.
Mr. Alexander— a Alexander--What tis kept in the toolhouse ?
Witness—Sand, soil, lime, tools, &c.
Prisoner—Do you recollect, about the third Thursday in
March, 1862, going with me to the Grecian Theatre ?
Witness—No; I should say it was not likely.
Prisoner—You recollect the turban hat I
wore. Did I
not then tear the strings off it ?
Witness—I do not remember your tearing them off.
Prisoner—You say that none but three people can get into
your nursery. Do you recollect the lock being in bad order ?
Witness—Yes.
Prisoner—And people could get in when they pleased ?
Witness—Yes. And the policemen have often complained
that the nursery door has been left open, and stated thatthey
have walked from end to end of the garden.
Mr. Barker—Have you anything to say in answer to the
charge ?
Prisoner—l can assure you that lam perfectly innocent
of the charge, and I was never more surprised in my life
than when the officers came to me. As far as I can recol-
lect, on the 30th March I did not go into the nursery at all,
as I stopped with some friends. I will not be certain about
the 30th of March, but I think it was then. I plead not
guilty to the charge.
Mr. Barker—l now remand you until to-morrow week.
Prisoner—Will you take bail ? I can give good security.
Mr. Barker—No, certainly not.
Prisoner—.l have to ask you to keep my name out of the
newspapers, as it will be ruin to my friends. it Will not
hurt mein the least.
Mr. Barker-_j B ker—l have nothing to do with that.
The prisoner was then removed.
The police stated that the prisoner had before been

The inquest was held in the afternoon by Dr. Laukester,
tole coroner for Central Middlesex, at the Florence Tavern,
Florence-street, Islington. The jury having been sworn>
proceeded to view the remains of deceased. They consisted
of a tolerably complete akeleton, of good ',size, arranged
upon a police stretcher, and a small quantity of golden-
coloured hair in a piece of a newspaper.
The evidence was similar to that given before the magis-
trate, and ultimately the inquiry was adjourned.

dens. There was dancing going on before and while this
was going on, but there was none after. He could not say
how many policemen there were there. There is a bar
where this took place ; that is at the further end of the gar-
dens. He could not say whether or not any of the waiters
or waitresses were there. It was about 15 or 20 minutes
before he got back from the statiou. There was a great
crowd during the whole of this affair. The defendant Her-
bert was not pointed out to him.
Cross-examined by Mr. Huddleston, Q.C.—He first went
to the gardens about 9or 10 o'clock in the evening. This
row commenced about half-past 12 o'clock. It was the com-
mencement of the riot that he saw. The five defendants
were there, and two other gentlemen. The other gentlemen
were charged with being in the riot. One was discharged,
and the other one was fined 10s. He gave his evidence
second before the magistrate.
Cross-examined by Mr. Hawkins, Q.C.—The coffee-room
is at the side of the circular bar. The disturbance com-
menced at the entrance of the circular bar; between the
circular bar and the entrance to the coffee-room. He was
inside, and was pushed about and carried off his legs. The
riot commenced in the gardens and not in the bar. Some
were inside the circular bar, and some were out. There was
a great rush at the doors. He had not seen the defendant
Saville that night before this. He (Saville) was standing
inside the circular bar, inside the doorway facing the circu-
lar bar. He had not noticed him in there four or five minutes
before that. The pushing was from both ways, inside and
( ut, Those who were trying to get in made the most dis-
turbance and noise. The defendant Saville was inside, He
did not observe him talking to anyone. He, witness, could
not repeat a single word Saville uttered. The gardens were
crowded that night. There was a very good company of
people there. Mr. Saville was taken to the station after Mr.
Herbert. _ .

Cross-examined by Mr. Digby Seymour—There is a con- I
venience across the circular bar. The rush that was made
seemed to come from the further side, which would be the
right side, the furthest side from the theatre. The rush
appeared to come from that direction.
Cross-examined by Mr. Tindall Atkinson—The first
time he saw M'Dougal was about 20 minutes to 1 o'clock,
and not past 1 o'clock. He had heard Inspector Tarlton
examined before the magistrates. He did not see M'Dou-
gal when the riot commenced. He saw him about 9or 10
minutes after the disturbance. He heard him cry "To the
' rescue, and don't let them take him." He, M'Dougal,
struck at Inspector Tarlton in this manner. (The witness
here described the manner in which the blow was struck.)
As soon as he struck the inspector took the umbrella from
his hand. He whistled, and hissed, and urged on the mob.
He hit the inspector on the head. He should think such a
blow would call a person's attention. He took him into

custody.
Inspector Tarlton was then called and examined by Mr
Poland. He said ho was an inspector of the V division, and
was on duty on the night of the Oaks. He saw the disturb-
ance. It occurred at the circular bar. lie and several other
officers tried to keep order, but they were overpowered. He
saw all the defendants except Mott when the riot was going
on, but not committing themselves. After the circular bar
had been cleared and the doors closed, he saw M'Dougal
come up with an umbrella and strike one or two policemen
on the hats. He lost sight of him for a few minutes and then
ho came up in front of the door, which was closed. He
cried out, "Burst the door open; we want more lush, we
want more drink. Where is Mr. Smith ?" There was a
kind of rush and he ordered the men to draw their staves,
and if there was any attempt to get the door open by burst-
ing it to use them, He saw M'Dougal assaulting one or two
other constables with the umbrella. Then there was a rush,
and, in passing the crowd bask, he received a blow on the
side of the head from some person behind, on the left side
of the neck, just above the stock. That was with the silk
part of the umbrella. He turned round and then saw
M'Dougal in Sergeant Huddy's custody. As he was assist-
ing to take M'Dougal outside the gardens he was tripped
up on the platform. He was also kicked in the shoulder.
" To the rescue" was a cry that was often repeated through-
out the evening. He felt the pain in his shoulder for two
or three days. He would say it was a vicious blow ;it was
viciously given. If it had been with a stick he would have
felt it most severely. There was another person rescued
from him by the mob. He could not speak to the other de-
fendants being present.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant B all antine —He saw
Herbert before. He was walking in a hurries manner into
the circular bar. He did not observe that his dress was
deranged. The whole of the striking he saw was after he
saw Herbert.
By Mr. Tindall Atkinson—lt was about a quarter past 1
o'clock. He might have touched some people on the hat
himself. His men drew their staves when he g ave and
he
order, and not before. He did give the order " right
left." They gave the people a sort of poke in the ribs.
There was a person between him and M'Dougal when
M Tonga] struck witness.
Inspector Drake was then called, sworn, and examined
by Mr. Sleigh. He corroborated the principal features of
the case, as described by the previous witnesses. The win-
dows were broken and the doors were burst open. Be was
much hurt in the chest by being pressed against the door-
post by the crowd. They got the mob out and closed the
doors. Ho was obliged to stay away some time in conse-
quence of the injury he had received. When he returned
all the row was over.
By Mr. Huddleston, Q.C.—He said at his first examina-
tion that he saw Birkett about 12 o'clock, but he recollected
since it was past 12 o'clock. He did not see him at 12 o'clock,
and if he had said so before it was not true. He found out
since by the charge-sheet that it must have been after 12,
and so he had made a mistake. He could not say Birkett
had a white handkerchief on.
Mr. Hawkins, Q.C., then went into a long cross-exa-
mination of the witness, in which he gathered from the
witness that he had had no communication with the solici-
tor for the prosecution in this case. He had received .a
copy of his depositions. He supposed that was to keep what
he said before the magistrate in his mind, Mr. Pierce, the
manager of the Cremorne-gardens, gave him the copy.
He had read it once, but he did not know it by heart. He
thought it singular that he should be supplied with a copy
of his depositions as well as several other constables. He
could not recollect how many, but he would say about 12.
Mr. Pierce gave them to him, and he distributed some, and
the last witnesss, Inspector Tarlton, the rest. He did not
take anybody into custody. He was not told by Mr. E. T.
Smith to take Mr. Smyth into custody if he came to give
evidence.
Re-examined in chief by Mr. Ribton—He had not a
watch, and it was his impression at the time that it was 12
o'clock.
The Court here adjourned for 20 minutes,
On the re-assembling of the Court the names of the de-
fendants were called, to which they answered severally.
Thomas Rowe, 113 V, was then examined by Mr. Ribton,
and gave similar evidence to that already elicited. He was
also furnished with a copy of his depositions. Police-con-
stable 35 B pointed it out to him at the station last Sun-
day. He had looked at it, and it did not correspond with
his evidence. (Great laughter) It was not to the same
effect as that which he had given at the police-station.
By Mr. Hawkins, Q.C— W hen he found it did not cor-
respond with his evidence he threw it away. There was
some part of his evidence left. He did not tell Sergeant
Large it was not a fair copy. He had burnt it in the kitchen
fire after he had read it over.
James Manley, 347, who was on duty at Cremorne-gar-
dens at the time, was called, and gave similar evidence. He
had also a copy of his depositions, but he had not got it here
now.
J. Ftillford, 371 V, was examined, bu, his evidence was
a repetition and confirmation of that already given, as was
also the evidence of George Large, 35, George Potter, 174 V,
Sergeant Airs, 28 V, and of William Ayes, 37 V.
The Court rose at 5 o'clock.
The case for the prosecution will be proceeded with to-
morrow (this day).

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—The state of things disclosed by all the
intelligence and all the opinions from America is one
wholly unintelligible, either upon the professed cha-
racter of the great cause now trembling in the
balance, or on all our own notions of the last agony
of an empire. A large army of real soldiers, fight-
ing not for an abstraction but for their free homes,
amply provided with all that is absolutely necessary
for war, but with a garden of Eden before them and
a desert behind, have broken through the flimsy line
of Federal defences, and planted themselves securely
in a central point, equally threatening, it' not com-
manding. Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington.
With regard to the points which have hitherto
formed the basis for the defence of the capital, Gen.
Lee was considered at the last date to be actually in
the rear of Washington. He had turned the thin
and pretentious Federal front, extending from near
Fredericksburg, on the Rappahannock, to Harper's
Ferry, on the Potomoc, and left General Hooker
watching► an imaginary foe, hut little disposed to
advance i❑ quest of the shadow, far away to the
south and south-east of Washington. The design
had been foreseen, but foreseen in vain. That
might, indeed, be simply the incapacity of the
coterie of lawyers who sit in the Federal Cabinet
and command its armies. Bat for more than a

week the danger had been not only foreseen, but
present; not only present, but advancing by sure
and not very slow steps into the State of Pennsyl-
vania. The alarm had been sounded, and the Con •
stitutional appeals had been made. The Governors of

New York and New Jersey had sent considerable
bodies of militiamen with an alacrity which ought to
have shamed bosh the State authorities of Pennsyl-
vania and the War Department at Washington.
But after the first effort New York had declined to

send more, and New Jersey, on a Constitutional pre-
tence, had withdrawn the forces already sent. From
New England nothing more was to be expected,
and, as for the Federal forces, they are everywhere
except where they ought to be; and unless Penn-
sylvania chose to be ravaged, or make terms with

the invader, she would have to find her own defen
dere. But, to say that all was panic, depression, and
indifference is only to describe the universal break-
down of the defensive system. There was that which
was vastly worse for the Federal cause, which has
been now the evident secret of its long weak-
ness, and which produces the paradox of an ap-
parently accepted defeat. Everywhere—at Penn-
sylvania, New York, and Washington—public
opinion was expressing itself strongly if not loudly
against the Federal Government, and even the
Federal cause. It was not merely that no con-
fidence was felt in the President, his Ministers, or his
Generals, but there prevailed a positive wish that
the Confederate President might establish himself at
Washington and dictate terms to the Union. There
has been nothing like this in history—at least
nothing with which it could fairly be paralleled.
There have been stories of great cities.and empires
distracted and weakened by factions, which even in
the last hour kept up a war within the gates, only less
ruinous than that which raged without. There have
been stories of empires so degenerate and so devoid
of patriotism that it was impossible to recruit the
ranks or replenish the coffers of the garrison. Half a
century ago there were those who hailed the advance
of the Allies into France because they believed the
Imperial cause hopeless, the country exhausted, the
star of victory fallen, the destiny accomplished.
That was simply to be beaten in a more than mortal
enterprise, and to find the whole world more power-
ful than one man. But from the first it is now clear
there has been a strong underground current and an
obstinate protest, even in the heart of the Federal
side, against the Federal cause. For this we have
been long prepared. Every visitor to the States has
long been struck with the fact that the elements of
wealth, of high education, of refinement, and of
social importance have had no place in tae politics
of the Northern States. There men with these qua-
lifications have been virtually ostracised from public
affairs. Neither were they wanted nor did they want
to obtain seats in the Legislature or take office in t
Government. The truth was they understood and
felt the complications which rendered it a gross
hypocrisy to maintain on the one hand a high tariff
and an aggressive policy, and on the other hand to
denounce .the institution of slavery, which formed
the chief basis of wealth, territory, and aggression.
These men, at once so politic in their intelligence
and so unpolitical in their lives, knew that if the
Union was to endure it could only be by mutual con-
sideration, and by cherishing, rather than destroy-
ing, the sovereignty of each State. They now speak
with more chance of a hearing, when all depends
upon hearing them ; and they seem bolder to speak
when they speak not for place and power, but for the
restoration of peace and the salvation of their coun-
try. Theyare not compromised in the Federal cause.
Mr. Lincoln is not their man, and they have nothing
to say to the Generals to whom the lives, the treasure,
and the honour of twenty million people have been
committed. They are under no obligation of secrecy
or submission ; so they speak and are heard. It
is needless now to ask why they have not spoken
before. There is not a State in the world which does.
not throw important portions of the people out of
political life by one accident or another. Even in
this country there are numbers who, with every
personal qualification, are hardly so much as units
inits
in the political calculation. The popular institu-
tions of the United States, especially in the Free
States, have thrown out and insulated the very men
who would have been their best corrective and check.
But this is no conquest, if, indeed, that is the event
which is shortly to be expected, when the conquerors
are invited as deliverers. If the war has proved
anything that was known before, it has only made
it more evident that, on the whole, the Southern
temperament and the social organisation of the
South produce the men best qualified to govern
and command. That is a matter independent of
moral principles and political opinions. Rome was
at once the slave market and the mistress of the
world, and the very men who never appeared but
to show a natural superiority over the rest of the
unman race were themselves slaveowners. Whether
they made the best use of their superiority, and
whether they were as good as they were great, is
another question. In this country We are accustomed
to ascribe certain moral deficiences to the aristocra-
tic class in the comparison with that engaged in
manufacture and trade, and the latter claims to it-
self a large s.hare of the virtue supposed to be cha-
racteristic of England. With this estimate it is un-
necessary to interfere ; but be it ever so correct, it is,
nevertheless, equally true that the habits of govern-
ment and command are more natural and familiar to
the higher class than to the lower, that is, to the gen-
try than to the trading class. Even when the fact is
resisted, and when it is urged that such a state of
things ought not to be, and there are good moral
reasons against it, the fact is all the time admitted.
We mean, then, no defence or palliation of the
moral condition of the Southern States, when we
admit that they produce the best soldiers, the best
Generals, the best Statesmen, the best public func-
tionaries of all kinds in the Union, and are thereby
proved to be the nearest approach to a governing
class. A fact, is not the less a fact because it has its
dark side, its dangers, and perhaps even a decidedly
objectionable character. England has no interest
to maintain the moral superiority of the South, for
it is to Southern Statesmen that she owes the
numerous insults she has received from America,
and the generally impracticable tone of Ame-
rican diplomacy. But this is only a fresh
testimony to the resolute, persistent, uncompro-
mising temper of the Southern States, and their
power of carrying their point when once their
honour or their pride is engaged. That is a senti-
ment and a habit very likely to prevail against the
calculations of self-interest and mercenary motives.
It is the way that small States have become great
and have changed places with their masters. Such
is the trial of strength we now are in America. War
is simply a trial of strength, and it seems to prove
the South the stronger.
DAILY NEWS.—The time spent, in each session,
in the discussion of Cotton-supply from India will
not be wasted if the effect of the argument should
be to rectify the popular notion of the sort of people
who live in India, and the sort of life they lead. In
course of years, it is to be hoped, both humanitarians
and economists may learn to speak more fittingly
of the Indian farmer class than
they do at present;
and that they should do so is important, because
their socalled practical, suggestions are, oftener
than not, grounded on a thoroughly false notion of
the capacity and character of the class they under-
take to pity and manage, or show how to manage.
We are so accustomed to hear the native fennel
groaned over as a helpless sort of savage, victimised
by civilisation, and the tyranny which accompanies
it, that the absurdity does not strike us till we hear
somebody else talking in the same way of some other
class with as little reason. For instance, we laugh
when we read in foreign newspapers of speakers anti
writers who avow that their sympathies, in regard
to the India of 1857, are with " the poor sepoys."
If we could inquire what notion these compas-
sionate persons have of" the poor sepoy" we should
find it not much further from the truth than the
parliamentary and popular notion in England of
"the poor ryot." The proud and menacing soldiery
which kept our Indian empire in jeopardy and its
rulers in anxiety for years before 1857 is not more
unlike the hungry, naked, grovelling, whipped, in-
sulted, and outraged poor sepoy of the American acid
German imagination, than the intelligent, indus-
trious, well-to do farmer of an accessible and popu-
lous district is unlike the conception of the poor
ryot" entertained by those who suppose him to be
as far below the Irish conacre of 20 years ago as hn
Asiatic and a heathen must be, cmteris paribus,
below a European and a Christian, though a papist.

On each occasion of a debate there is now usually
somebody who speaks well of the capacity and
position of the cultivators of India; and in course
Of time this testimony may operate to the advan-
tage of the landed interest of India and the ma-
nufacturing interest at home, as well as of good
government and a friendly understanding all
round. On Friday evening there was a good deal
of such testimony. Four of the principal speakers
on Mr. Caird's motion delivered their opinion that,
on the subject of cotton-growing in India, the
ryots were quite as able to teach as to learn, and
that they have not only the usual faculty ot self-
interest, but. a rather uncommon ability in putting
it to use. The strength of the habit of supposing
hat the poor ryot wants to be protected, aad ma-
naged, and taught how to do everything, appeared
in Mr. Cobden's horror at the account of rural life
given by Mr. Smollett, and at the advice to let the
farmers alone, to manage their tillage in their own
way. The facts afterwards related by Mr. Craw-
ford and Mr. J. B. Sri& 11 ought, however, to make
Lincushiye, and all champions of " the poor
riot," pause, in order to consider whether their way
of going to work to get cotton, or to impeach the
motives and doings of everybody who takes a dif-
ferent view, i. correct or prudent. What are these
ryots like? What is their life? and how far is it
likely, in its natural course, to yield cotton to as,
and the profits of the crop to the cultivator ? We
ought to know this before we listen to proposals
that Government shall take the matter out of native
hands, and go to work to grow cotton in India as
the French Government is doing in Algeria. Mr.
Bazley tells us how the authorities at Paris are ir-
rigating and preparing the soil in Algeria, while
the authorities in London and Calcutta are doing
nothing of the sort in India. What help the ryots
really want is in the shape of roads and markets.
Government is helping with the roads, and, in so
far, with markets. But the most effective sort of
market in this case is one which other parties could
manage better. In every cotton-growing district
there should be some place where the growers may
carry their produce for sale, with a certainty of
selling it, if of certain quality, and for ready money.
By such a method, which would include an orga-
nisation for preparing, packing,
and transmitting
the cotton to port, more of the material might be
obtained, in better condition and sooner, than by
any great scheme for opening up waste lands. Let
waste lands be opened up, by all means ; but let
not expectations of relief from our present difficulty
take that direction. We can obtain much cotton
now from India, and more and more hereafter ; but
before we can obtain the advantages that India
would naturally yield, we must learn to understand
and appreciate better the native farmer, whom we
have no right to despise in his own function, and
who can and will give us what we want, if we take
him into frank consultation, instead of subjecting
him to the insult of interference and the burden of,
Government protection.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

-----

_
HULL—TUESDAY.
The wheat trade since our last report has Leen very dull,
and under the influence of brilliant weather millers and
dealers show but little inclination to operate. At to-day's
market there was but a moderate supply of English
wheat, which was taken off slowly at is under last week's
currency. Foreign neglected, at is lower. Grinding bar-
ley steady. Beans and peas sold at last week's rates. Oats
dull, and rather cheaper.
Wheat.... Old white....per qr 47s Od to 505 Od
Old red
New white .. ~
New red .... ~
Barley... .English malting 36s Od to 37s Od
Grinding 26s 6d to 28s Od
Saal and Oderbruck . 36s Od to 38s Od
Holstein and Danish 2Bs Od to 29s Od
Grinding
Oats English, old
Archangel and Riga, per st osl2ld to 13d
Friesland and Dutch oBl3d to osl3o
Swedish and Danish osl2ld to 0513 d
Beans .... English, old, per qr 43s Od to 45s Od
New pigeon 42s Od to 44s Cd
New tick. 4os Od to 42s Od
Egyptian
Peas Foreign boilers ..
Grinding
Tares ....Spring —s Od to —s Od
Indian Corn
Linseed, feeding
crushing
Linseed cakes (Hull) £lo 0 0 to £0 0 0
Foreign Bl5 oto 9 0 0
Rape cakes 6 2 6to 0 0 0
Bones 5 5 oto 510 0