The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-28 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAIL.

The Royal Mail steam-ship Trent, Captain Stur-
dee, arrived at Southampton yesterday, at 9 A.M.,
and landed her mails, under the charge of the Ad-
miralty agent, Lieut. Strover, R.N. A telegraphic
announcement of her arrival appeared in our edition of
yesterday. The Trent was detained three days and a
half at St. Thomas's. The delay inher arrival at
Southampton—which caused some apprehension—was
occasioned by the new route, performed by the
Teviot, which left Southampton on the 2d of Nov.
The inter-colonial steamer, Conway, was obliged to
perform extra service in consequence, and her late
arrival prevented the departure of the Trent. The
Tay put into Corunna, having been obliged to go
direct to St. Thomas's instead of to Bermuda. The
mails for Halifax, sent out in the Tay, will be de-
layed considerably, as there is a steamer waiting at
Bermuda to convey the Halifax mails.
The dates by the Trent are :—Jamaica, 23d Nov.;
Guiana, 17th Nov. ; Trinidad, 20th Nov. ; Barbadoes,
27th Nov.; Grenada, 28th Nov.; St. Lucia, 28th
Nov. ; La Guayra, Ist Nov. ; Port-au-Prince, 18th
Nov. ; Santiago de Cuba, 17th Nov. ; St. Thomas's,
4th Nov. ; Fayal, 19th Dec.
The Trent brings thirty-five passengers, among
whom are Colonel Torrens, Major Mackintosh, Cap-
tain Lord Chewton, Captain Beauclerk, Captain Le
Forrestier, &c.
The freight consists of 17,000 dollars in bullion
and specie ; 1,9701. in British coin ; 451 five-franc
pieces ; 11 tierces and 35 casks of coffee ; 26 barrels
and 389 bales of pimento ; 177 bales of sarsaparilla ;
5 cases of tortoiseshell; and 53 packages of sundries.
JAMAICA.—In this colony the money market was,
at the time the mail was dispatched, even more tight
than it had previously been. One of the banks had
advanced its rate of discount / above its usual rate
of 6 per cent., and refused to negotiate bills having
more than 60 days to arrive at maturity. Much
difficulty was experienced in procuring bills of
exchange for remittance by the packet. The Com-
missary-General, who accepted tenders for f and 1
per cent. premium, was unable to supply more than
half the amount tendered for. The Colonial Bank
drew at per cent. discount for 90 days, and -I per
cent. premium for 60 days, but even from this
source the demand for bills was unsatisfied. The
Jamaica Bank drew for a very limited sum at 1 per
cent. premium for 30 days, and k per cent. premium
for 60 days, while the Planters' Bank refused to
operate. In the produce market no change had oc-
curred since the departure of the previous mail.
The Legislature was in session, but no business of
importance had been transacted during the fortnight
which intervened between the sailing of the mail
packets.
Jamaica had been honoured by a visit from " a
crowned head"—the King of the Musquito coast as
he is called. His Majesty is a stripling carried about
by a Mr. Walker, ex- everything in Honduras, and
now an agent of some kind or another for the British
Government on the Musquito shore, who has under-
taken to educate and civilise the young man. The
court newsman of the Jamaica press (extemporised
for the occasion) chronicled his Majesty's proceedings
with due gravity; told how he received and answered
addresses from the Legislative Council and House of
Assembly ; how he reviewed the militia; how he rode
out to take the air and kept his seat, though a run-
away horse came against him ; how he was present
at a performance of the amateur Thespians of King-
ston, the play being "Rolla," (we presume Pizarro is
meant). His Majesty, we regret to state, was taken
unwell about the time fixed for his departure. " We
are happy," says the Dispatch, "however, to be en-
abled to say that the indisposition is not of a very
serious nature." It was enough, however, to oblige
him to postpone receiving the address of the Council
from the 22d of November to the evening of the 23d.
Her Majesty's ship Alarm was at Jamaica, destined
to convey "his Musquitian Majesty" to Bluefields.
The Cornwall Chronicle narrates a piece of inter-
ference with the coolie labourers on the part of the
magistrates of Montego Bay, which looks very like
unnecessary and vexatious meddling, and which has
the further objectionable feature of appearing to be
experimental with a view to similar interference with
the negro festivities at Christmas :—" The magistrates
having been apprised yesterday that it was the inten-
tion of the coolies belonging to some properties nigh
this town to celebrate some religious festival by pro-
cession through the streets of the town, a special ses-
sion of the peace was immediately called and holden
at the Court-house at two o'clock, which was nume-
rously attenced. We are glad to learn that the ma-
gistrates, one and all, have set their face against the
proceeding, and one of the magistrates interested in
the properties to which they belong, undertook to in-
timate the same to these people, and at the same
time to advise them to confine their orgies to the pro-
perties upon which they are located. We trust the
same restrictions will be quite as applicable to the
Christmas holidays."
E. A. Harrison,tEsq., son of the United States
Consul at Kingston, died there on the 18th of No-
vember. He was in his 28th year. He had arrived
a few weeks before from New Orleans, in the hope
of regaining his health, which had been much im-
paired. The British and American ensigns were
hoisted half-mast on the occasion, and the American
vessels in the harbour paid the same mark of respect
to their young countryman.
The office of provost marshal is, in all our West
Indian colonies, one on which devolves duties of great
importance, and which appears in all of them to re-
quire a complete overhauling and ;reform. The pro-
vost marshal's office in Guiana has been an annual
source of Jeremiads ever since we can recollect, and
that the Jamaica one is not immaculate will appear
from the following comments of the Dispatch, on a
petition recently presented to the Legislature by one
of the deputy marshals :
" The condition of the provost marshal's office has
been often made the subject of reprehension ; but no
one has ventured as yet to propose any measure
which could fairly be considered to strike at the root
of those evils of which so much, and often such ex-.
aggerated, complaint has been made. Other offices
have been inquired into, and their emoluments and
their duties have been regulated by judicious enact-
ments ; but this, the most responsible of them all,
retains its primitive condition, and all that Hon.
Members have done has been to denounce it. It has
been constantly declared, both in and out of the
House, that the deputies of the provost-marshal, or
the majority of them, are systematically guilty of
extortion and every possible form of corruption. It
is no part of our duty to relieve them from this
charge; that rests upon themselves; but it may be
asked, have just and rational means been adopted by
the Legislature to keep them honest? Heavy responsi-
bilities and arduous and expensive duties must be coun-
terbalanced by a corresponding emolument, or the

strong probability is, that recourse will be had to
illicit means of making the office support the officer.
And if this be the case with the deputies of the
provost marshal, as their offices are at present regu-
lated, how, we ask, can any one be surprised ? We
have been generally adverse to the placing of judi-
cial officers, heretofore paid by fees at the cost of
the private suitor, upon the public for remunera-
tion ; but there are considerations beyond the mere
question of economy. The provost-marshal is an
indispensable officer, whose responsibilities are of an
incalculable nature. His staff of deputies must be
maintained under all circumstances, and in all
times ; and the safety of the public as well as his
own security requires that those deputies should, so
far as they can be obtained, be men of character,
respectability, and probity. It has been said that
one great source of the dishonesty of certain of these
deputies has been the rent extracted from them by
the provost marshal ; but there is some misconception
on this point. The provost-marshal's revenue
(inconsiderable as we believe it to be at the present
moment) is derived from those rents, which to a
much larger amount, were formerly paid by the depu •
ties, together with a bonus varying from 5001. to
1,0001., according to the value of particular districts.
Business, however, now scarcely yields this revenue
to the provost-marshal from the legitimate perquisites
of the deputy, and as it were to render the latter still
less able to make his office honestly equal to his rent
and to his own reasonable subsistence, the house has
done its best to reduce his just dues for arduous and
costly duties necessarily performed in the discharge
of his office, and under heavy penalty in case of
default. We have been led to these observations
by the perusal of the petition of Mr. A. S. Lyon,
which we this day extract from the Votes; and
it really seems very difficult to consider the alle-
gations of this document without arriving at the
conclusion that fair play is not done to these
officers. We take it to be an universal principle
that no public servant should be required to per-
form duties without remuneration. Now, in what
light is the warning of jurors to be held ? It is
beyond doubt a public duty, performed by an officer
who is unremunerated. If the provost-marshal were
a salaried servant of the 'public, pail a given sum,
no matter what its amount, for the discharge of the
duties which belong to his office, the claim of his
deputies for the discharge of a public duty which
necessarily devolves on their principal virtute o cif,
would be untenable. But the provost-marshal re-
ceives nothing from the public. He is paid by
specific fees for the discharge of specific duties, those
fees being payable by private individuals on the exe-
cution of process issuing at the instance of those indi-
viduals. The warning of jurors is a public duty not
exacted by suitors, but demanded by the exigency of
public polity. Why should the officer do that for the
public gratuitously which, in the case of ,a private indi-
vidual, he would be entitled to be paid for ? Nor is this
duty a trivial one. Take the petition of Mr. Lyon
as an example. Here we find one officer engaged
within a district extending over the parishes of Port
Royal, St. Andrew, and Kingston, compelled by law
to summon various juries for public jurisprudence in
these parishes in the course of the year to the number
of 1,200. It is not the duty merely, but there is
necessarily heavy expenses attending it. Is it com-
monly just to ask a man to do this—to fine him if he
does not do it—and then to refuse to pay him a shil-
ling from the public revenue, whilst you prohibit the
vestries from making him just remuneration ? Why,
surely this is holding out a premium for the extortion
and the corruption of which so much complaint is
made. In some districts the country to be traversed in
the service of jury notices cannot fall short offrom four
to five hundred square miles. Horses and runners
are to be kept for the duty, and the duty is compul-
sory, but gratuitous. There is real injustice here,
and no one can fail to see it. It does not do to throw
the blame on the provost-marshal. His office must be
kept up, and that can only be done, as things are at
present regulated, by the district rents. Whether it
would be advisable at once to place the whole estab-
lishment on a permanent or certain footing ought to,
and will no doubt, ere long, become a matter of grave
consideration; but, in the meantime, fairness demands
a just regard to claims which cannot be denied, and
we hope that in taking up Mr. Lyons petition the
House will see fit to carry out with respect to the
deputies of the provost-marshal generally, the prin-
ciple that no public officer ought to be required to dis-
charge public duties without remuneration!'
COLONIAL MARKETS.
JA M AIC A .—KINGsTosr, Nov. 23.—Tobacco—The
market is abundantly supplied with Cavendish, which
cannot now command over 7d. per lb. for a large
quantity. Some few boxes have changed hands at
71d. per lb. Leaf is worth 625. to 645. per 100 lbs.
We have been told of sales of a few hogsheads at
the latter quotation.
Rum-4s. 10d. per gallon may be considered the
full value of this article. The stock is light.
Sugar—Continues to sell at 18s. to 21s. per 100 lb.
according to quality.
Soap— Further additions have been made since our
last to the previously excessive stock, but holders do
not seem disposed to submit to any reduction of
prices. In fact, and notwithstanding the heavy
supply on hand, it is anticipated that better rates will
be maintained in consequence of recent events in
England, and the improbability that future receipts
will keep pace with the demand. The sales since the
6th inst. have been 300 boxes Steele's 601bs. double
crown 175., and about 2,000 boxes SS 561bs. at
12s. 9d. The latter description is now, however,
held for 135., at which price several small parcels
have been disposed of. Some parcels of inferior
Irish are ineffectually offered at much lower rates
than have been previously quoted for that de-
scription.
Candles-600 boxes Cook's and Dourdoure's 6's
and 12's to 16's were moved at Sid, with about 130
boxes 10's at 71d. The latter size is not in good re-
pute. Favourite brands are becoming scarce.
Butter—The arrivals of Cork since our last extend
to nearly 1,000 firkins, and the market is conse-
quently affected by the heavy quantity now on hand.
The trade refuse to operate at our last quotation
(130), but holders appear firm at that rate. No
transactions, therefore, of any moment have occurred.
Several parcels of American were moved at 10d, but
this figure is now unobtainable, in consequence of the
heavy supply. For a small lot of Quebec lid per lb.
has been obtained.
Hams—Prime Lancashire in canvas have been sel-
ling readily at 100, and out of canvas at Bcl to 90.
Inferior in canvas are being moved at very low rates.
American may be quoted at 5d to 8d per lb., accord-
ing to quality.
Lumber—The only sale of white pine since our last
was that of a cargo from New Brunswick, which was
taken from an outport at a figure not permitted to
transpire, but which it is supposed was something over
10s. Pitch pine is becoming scarce, and shingles and
staves are rather wanted.
Codfish—Four cargoes from Halifax and one from
Ragged Island have come in since our last, and prices
have consequently declined. One of the former car-
goes, consisting of dry fish alone, was parcelled out at
14s. for casks and 18s. for boxes, but, on the receipts
occurring so quickly one after the other, the holder of
the Ragged Island cargo submitted to 13s. 6d. for
casks and (the quality not being as good as usual)
16s. for boxes. Part of another of the Halifax cargo
was then disposed of at 14s. and 18s. for casks and
boxes respectively ; while for the entire of the third
cargo 12s. 6d. for casks and 17s. for boxes was ac-
cepted. There is one cargo and part of another yet
unsold, for which higher rates than those last quoted
are asked. Another vessel from Halifax was tele-
graphed just as we were going to press.
Rice—The 500 bags East India alluded to in our
last were parted with (previously to the arrival of
another lot of 540 bags) at 235. per 1001bs.—the
quality being prime. Of the latter parcel, 100 bags
had been engaged before arrival at 205., and the re-
mainder is now commanding 235. The market con-
nues bare of Carolina.

HAMBURGH. and BRUSSELS MAIL.
BRUSSELS, DEC. 26.—The Journal du Commerce
contains an official table of the number of emigrants
who sailed from the port of Antwerp in the year
1846, the majority of whom went to settle at New
York. The number of emigrants in 1843 was 3,179 ;
in 1844, 2,861 ; in 1845, 5,223; and in 1846, 13,178.
The increase has not been so great this year ; but
this may partly be attributed to the changes in the
legislation of America, and which have greatly aug-
mented the price of transport. The Moniteur con-
tains the law which grants to the department of
Justice a supplemental credit of 1,219,360 f. 53c. for
the expenses of the army in 1846 and 1847.
COMMERCIAL IMTELLIGENCE.—BRUSSELS, DEC.
26.—Very little business of any kind was
done in the course of last week. About 2,300
bales of coffee were sold, chiefly from the Brazils, St.
Domingo, and Java. The corn trade has been rather
brisk, about 66 sacks of wheat, and 108 of rye, were
brought to market yesterday. The wheat sold
quickly at 18 10 to 2l , and rye at 10 15 to 11 15:
The prices were almost the same as last week ; the
few arrivals of foreign wheat have kept up the prices,
and very little has been done in it. Rye, on the
contrary, has been much in demand. At the market
of Namur, yesterday, the price fell 15 centimes per
hectolitre. Barley, on the other hand, was the same
price as last week.
DORDRECUT, DEC. 23.—1 n consequence of the in-
terruption in the navigation, there have been scarcely
any arrivals of grain to-day. Very little business,
therefore, was done, and the bargains were chiefly for
home consumption. The prices have not varied
The weather is now extremely cold. We have had
several very heavy falls of Snow. The moats round
the fortifications are frozen.
BERLIN, DEC. 23.—The Russian Gazette, of this
date, contains the principal depositions of the Postal
i convention recently concluded between France and

Russia. By virtue of this convention prepayment
will be permitted in both countries. The postal
charges both for letters and journals from one country
to the other are considerably reduced. The treaty
will come into force on the Ist of January, 1841. ,
HAMBURGII, DEC. 25.—The frost has now set in
in good earnest, and there is a good deal of floating
ice. The weather is intensely cold. Provisions from
Harburgh are brought over in sledges.
The state of our money market is unchanged, and
very little was done in foreign securities.
Accounts from Stettin, Bremen, Cuxhaven, Gluck-
stadt, &c., say that there are immense quantities of
floating ice, and in some places the rivers are firmly
frozen over.
NAVIGATION OF THE SLESWIG-HOLSTEIN CANAL IN
1847 TO DEC. 22.—Within the last year 4,172 ships
passed through the Sleswig-Holsteen Canal, under
the following flags :—Danish, 2,329; Dutch, 681 ;
Hanoverian, 840; Oldenburgh, 109 ; Prussian, 31 ;
Hamburgh, 35; English, 9; Bremen, 14; Swedish,
94; Russian, 2; French, 12; Meiklenburg, 4; Bel-
gian, 2 ; Finland, 10—total, 4,172. During the
same period 29,140 tons of linseed have been trans-
ported by the canal ; for England, 3,890 tons; Hol-
land, 20,143 ; Belgium, 3,305 ; Bremen, 902 ; Altona,
900—total, 29,140.
STETTIN, DEC. 22.—Tnn CHOLERA.—Letters just
received from Tilsit state that several cases of cholera
have appeared there. The disease has assumed a
mild form. It is to be hoped that the frost which has
since set in may not only prevent its further spread,
but may have already arrested its progress.
The Archduke Stephen is lying ill at Presburg
with the measles.
Muracri, Dec. 13.—A report is in very general
circulation that it is the intention of his Majesty to
associate with himself in the Government the Crown
Prince as co-Regent. The departure of Prince Wal-
lerstein for Warzburg is said to be in connexion
with this change.—ficrinburgh Papers, Dec. 24.
lIAMBURGII BORSENHALLE, DEC. 21.
Bills. Money.

kustrian 5 per Cents .• • • lO4
Bank Shares •••. • • . ••••.•.• •• • • • • 1600
Anglo-Russian Loan ••.••••• • • • • • • • • 104%
Russian 5 per Cent., Hamb. Certificate. 101% 101
Ditto let series Inscription. • • - • • • • • • • • 101%
Ditto, Hope and Co., 3d and 4th ivies • . 95
Ditto, in Certificate • • • • . • • • 95
New 4 per Cent., Hope and Co. ...... 86%
Ditto Stieglitz ••••••••.• • • • • • • • • • • 86% 86
Spanish New 5 per Cent •••• • • • • ...... 13 12%
Ditte 3 per Cent . • • • • • • • • • 24 23%
Anglo-Portuguese Loan, 2% per Cent.• 22
Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent. ••• • • 55
Ditto 3 per Cent. •••• • • • ••• •• • •
Polish New 4 per Cent. Loan, 1844.. 79
Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent • • • • 82 81%
National Bank 5hare5.......... ••• • • •
BELGIAN FUNDS.—Bacsms, Dao. 23.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent ••.• • • ...
Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent •• • . .
Loan of Thirty Millions, Four per Cent •• • •
Ditto Three per
Ditto Thirty-seven Millions, ditto • • ..
Ditto,clitto,lB46.• ••••• . • . • •• • • 97%
Ditto,ditto,lB42.. •. • ................• 97%
Ditto, 1844......... •. •• ••• •• 91)i
Ditto, 1836... ••..• • • • • • • 89
Ditto, 1838 .. • • .......... .....
Ditto of the City, 1832 •••••• •• • • • • • 99%
Bank of Belgium ••.••••••• • • - .• • • • .. 80%
Himmel. Papers. Dec. 23.
PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—BiRLIrr, Dzc. 23.
Bills. Money.
St•Schuld Sch., 3% per Cent •• • 923 £l%
Pruss. English Bonds, 1830, 4 per Cent......—
Foreign Exchanges • • • • • • • • • • • • .• • • • • • • • • • •
Exchange on London, £1 Sterling, 3 Months 6 27%
AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—Ymini, Dac. 21.
5 per Cent. Metalliques.• •••••••• • • • • • • • • 104%
4 per Cent.ditto ••• • • • •••••••• • • • • • • • • 92%
3 per Cent. ditto ••.•.-••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • 63
Loan, 1834 ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • 158
Ditto, 1839 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 114%
Bank Shares • • • • • • • • • • ..
Esterhazy's Loan .... .••• • • . •• •• 62
RAILWAYS.
The Northern, or Ferdinand .......... 158
Gloggnitz • • • • • • ••• • • • •.••••• • • • • • • 114
Vienna—Milan • • • • ...... ••••• • • • • 96%
Leghorn ..............................91...•
Grosetto •••• • • • • •••• • • • • • •••••• • • • • • •
Pesth Bridge .. • • ...... • • • •
Apeunineu ••••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • .• •• 94%
DUTCH FUNDS.—AUSTIEDAN, Die. 24.
Money. Bills
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent.• ••••• • • • • 551,E 6534
Ditto, 3 per Cent ••••••••• • • • • • • • • • 66% 67%
Ditto, 4 per Cent.• ••••••••• • • • • • • • • 85% 86
Amort Syndic, 3% per Cent.. •• • • ..•
Commercial Company, 4% per Cent • • 163 163%
East India Loan, 4 per Cent • ..
Exchange on London, at sight .• ••• • • • 12 10
Two months.• ••••• • • • • • • • 11 97
On Hamburgh, at sight •• .• 35 12
Two months.• ••••••• • • • • •• 34 37
On Paris • .•••••• • • • • • . 56 62
Two months. • • • • • • 56 12

6 27%

MURDEROUS ATTACK AT
BLACKWELL, SOMERSET.

The inhabitants of the usually peaceful villages of
Blackwell and West Town were thrown into a state
of much excitement, yesterday week, by a report that
John Wall, a labouring man, and of most inoffensive
character, residing in Blackwell, had been shot
whilst standing by his fire-side. Upon inquiries
being instituted the intelligence proved to be substan-
tialy correct. It appears that on the afternoon of
Friday, Wall, whose cottage adjoins the main road,
was in the act of cooking his dinner (his wife being
from home), when his attention was attracted by the
breaking of a pane of glass in the window. Upon
looking up to discover the cause of this unexpected
circumstance he was:horror-stricken to perceive the
muzzle of a gun deliberately introduced through the
aperture. The contents of the gun were almost instan-
taneously discharged, and loiged in the poor tnan's
thigh. Wall then noticed a fellow coolly looking through
the window, evidently in expectation that the shot had
taken a fatal effect; but upon being hailed by the
wounded man, the ruffian became aware that his mur-
derous act was not completed, and hastily decamped.
Upon the event being made known, proceedings were
set on foot for the capture of the party engaged in this
infamous transaction, and a lad of about 16 years of
age, who, in company with two others, had been seen
running in a direction from the cottage with a gun
in his hand, was, by the active exertions ofMr. Thomas
Day, constable, of Nailsea, taken on the following
Monday morning. Upon being confronted with the
wounded man, Wall, he identified the prisoner as the
person whom he had seen standing at his window after
the gun had been discharged. The prisoner, whose
name is Charles Manfield, a resident at Nailsea,
was subsequently taken before William Coun-
sell, Esq., a magistrate of the county, when a lad
deposed to having seen three young men run-
ning on the road leading from the cottage, who told
him that they had been stealing Christmas boughs
from an adjoining orchard, and were fearful of being
overtaken by the owner. Manfield admitted to have
been one of the parties'present, but said the other
two must be caught, as he did not fire the gun. The
depositions of Wall and the other witness having been
read over, the prisoner was committed to Shepton
Mallett gaol to take his trial at the next assizes. We
regret to hear that the wounded man still lies in a
a Hadi.lous
tshtea t es
h,
othough
ent or
at
di t h
theou nhno
epre ss
iodfe his
w
rltheeceroytvhPeirrgyehe., there is but little doubt that the result
have proved fatal. The other boys are known
to be bad characters, and it is to be hoped they will
not escape from justice. It is supposed that had the
shot taken a fatal effect, the cottage would have been
plundered by these juvenile assassins. We heard yes-
terday that poor Wall was somewhat better, and that
Mr. Massey, his medical attendant, gave hopes of his
recovery.—Bristol Mirror.

ROYAL GENERAL ANNUITY Socrcrr.—Yesterday
the annual general meeting of the subscribers to the
above institution was held at the London Tavern, Mr,
J. P. Hayward in the chair. The secretary having read
the report of the society during the past year, it was
unanimously received. It appeared that the society had
progressed exceedingly well daring the past year, and
the directors had been enabled to increase the amount
of the annuities to the full extent allowed by the rules,
besides making a considerable addition to the funded
stock. It was proposed, at the next election of an-
nuitants, to make the number to be elected six instead of
three, as heretofore. The chairman then stated, that
during the past year the directors had thought fit to re-
vise the rules, and they would then be submitted, in the
altered state, to the meeting, subject, of course, to the
approbation of the larger meeting, which was to be held
in January next. Mr. Heeles said, that before submit-
ting the altered rules to the meeting he should suggest
the (formation of ladies' committees, an auxiliary society,
and juvenile committees, for he found that the ladies and
the younger branches of families collected more money
than any of the committees of men. The Chairman and
several other gentlemen objected to the proposal, as it
had not been found to answer in those cases where it had
been tried; and, besides, ladies of sense would see that
it would be more fitting for them to attend to their
domestic affairs than to go about begging for a public
body. Several alterations in the rules were then read
and agreed to. The alterations extended the operations
of the society to tradesmen and manufacturers, increased
the amount of annuity from 11. 12s. for men to 21. ss.
per month, and for women from 11. 4s. to 11. 10s. per
month. Various alterations were made as to the number
of votes to be allowed, and as to the circumstances which
rendered candidates eligible. These alterations were
then put generally and carried, subject to confirmation
at the next meeting. The officers of the society were
then re-elected for the coming year, and a vote of thanks
having been given to the chairman, the meeting ad-
journed.
ABOLITION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENTS. -- The
Liverpool Albion of yesterday says:—" An address to
the Queen, praying for the remission of the capital sen-
tence recently passed in this town on two individuals
left for execution, is now in course of signature. In the
case of Speed, the memorialists point to the absence of
malice, and to the fact of his being a sober and industri-
ous man, who was impelled to the act by the desire to
save his children from misery. The case of the other
culprit, for the murder of his wife, is not alluded to. The
memorialists say, ' That to the depraved portion of the
witnesses of the execution (and it is to be feared that
this class is particularly attracted to such scenes) your
petitioners feel that the sacredness of human life is
rather denied than affirmed by its deliberate public ex-
tinction, and that familiarity with violent death feeds
the brutality which would lead to the commission of
murder."