The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-15 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 15, 1846.-

CRIMINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.

Henry Eteen guilty to a Inirghiry in the house
of John Sari, and nas sentenged to ten years' transpor-
tation.
John Slayter pleaded guilty to forging an order for
the payment of 31., with intent to defraud James Corss,
and was sentenced to twylve months' imprisonment.

Tim° Hedey, who had been out on bail, surrendered
to take his trial for a violent assault on his wife, on the
22d of October. . .

Ann Heeley stated that since 1833 she had kept the
Red Lion, in Flt et•lane, and that in March last she
married the defendant, being then a widow, and possessed
of 1,3001. or 1,4001., but had ever since been treated with
great brutality, and was in fear of her life. On the day
in question her husband had been out with a person
named Kendall, then in his employment, and on his re-
turn dashed her to the ground with great force, turned
her out of the bar, and installed the woman who came
hack with him in her place.
The witness was subjected to a long cross-examina•

tion by Mr. CLARKSON.
Thomas Fuller, a brother of the prosecutrix, stated,
that as he has getting into bed on the night of the 21st
of October, he hard his sister's voice crying out for
assistance. On going down stairs, he found her lying
helpless in the passage, where she had been thrown by
a blow on the face. Having taken her up, and while
about carrying her up stairs, she was again struck, and
knocked out of his arms with so much violence as to
render her insensible.
Mr. CLARKSON, for the defendant, contended that the
cause of the mischief was Mrs. Heele3's intemperate
habits.
The following evidence was offered for the defence:—
Joseph Goodby, waiter of the Red Lion, proved that
the separation had taken place, and that oa the day in
question the prosecutrix had returned to get her clothes,
being at the time in a state of intoxication, and while in
the house she was guilty of such outrageous conduct,
that he was obliged to send for his master, who, at the
time, was living away from the place.
Several other witnesses stated that the prosecutrix
was intoxicated at the time of the commission of the
alleged assault, and the prisoner had merely endeavoured
to get her to bed quietly.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty.
The prisoner was then sentenced to two months' im-
prisonment in Giltspur-street Compter, and to enter into
his own recognizance for 5001., and to find two sureties
for 501. each, to keep the peace for three years.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, DEC 14.—The Vengeance, 84, Cap-
tain Lushiegton, will be reported out of the dockyard
hands to-morrow, and will go out of harbour on Tnurs-
day, according to present arrangements. She bent sails
on Friday ;in furling them to-day, after dinner, an acci-
dent happened to an able seamen named Charles Holder,
who, while engaged in the above duty on the maintop-
sail yard, lost his balance and fell in to the water,
striking, in his descent, the maintop-rim, whence his
body bounded off the loner rigging and struck the spare
topsail-yard. He was promptly picked up by the seamen
of the ship, who plunged through the lower-deck ports
and held him while a boat's crew got him into a barge.
He was taken on board the Vengeance in a very ex-
hausted and apparently hopeless state, but the judicious
and prompt attention of Dr. Wallace and the other assist-
ant-surgeon of the ship soon restored animation, and the
sufferer was put to bed, where he soon recovered his
senses and had his wounds dressed, which, although very
serious, are not expected to terminate fatally. 'The
Vengeance has at length nearly got her complement,
which is made up thus :—Captain and ward-room
officers, 17 ; subordinate officers, 17 ; warrant and petty
officers, 44, eight of whom are " idlers ;" able seamen,
118, 24 of whom are "idlers ;" ordinary seamen, 76 :
landsmen, 31; marines, 70; first-class boys, 95 ; sceonl-
class boys, 21 ; total, 489 ; wanted 11.
The Netley tender sailed for Plymouth this morning.
The Cyclops steam-frigate, Captain W. Lapidge, came
into the harbour this afternoon to coal and make good
defects.
The Resistance troop-ship, Commander G. Lowe, was
undocked on Saturday, and is completing her refitment
in the basin.

MALTA, DEC. 4.—The French Government steamer
Tanerede, with mails from the Levant, arrived late yes-
terday.
Mails for Italy, Sicily, and Marseilles will be closed
to-morrow per Leonidas.
The French steamer Caire from Beyrout and Alexan-
dria arrived to-day. She will continue her route to
Marseilles direct without loss of time.
Her Majesty's steamer Flamer, with the London mails
of the 24th ult., arrived here last night from Marseilles,
and will proceed to the lonian islands and Greece to-day
with the mails.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Ripon, with mails and passengers for India, bringing
London dates of the 20th ult., arrived here last night,
and will proceed this evening to Alexandria.
By a letter from Corfu, of the 23d ult., we learn that
her Majesty's ship Fantome was to sail on the following
day tor Athens, to relieve the Amazon, ordered to join
the Admiral.

Her Majesty's steamer Meteor had been cruising for
pirates, but had, of course, been unsuccessful. She re-
cently enjoyed a pleasant trip with his Royal Highness
the Prince Albert of Prussia round the islands, thence
to Corinth. His Royal Highness was much pleased with
the vessel, and left a remembrance to the crew, and a
handsome gold snuff-box, with the cipher of his Royal
Highness engraved on it, was presented by him to her
commander, Lieutenant G. Butler.
The French steamer Oronte, from Marseilles and Leg-
horn, arrived on the 28th ult., and continued her voyage
to the Levant on the same day.
The French Government steamer Osiris left port on
the afternoon of her arrival here (27th ult.), fur Alex-
andria and Beyrout.
The French Government steamer Pericles left port on
the evening of the 27th ult., for Athens, Smyrna, and
Constantinople. Both these vessels carried mails.
The barque l'riscilla, Captain Purdy, twenty-one
days from Odessa and twelve days from Constantinople,
passed off this port on the 27th ult., all well, bound to
England.
The schooner Firefly, Captain Holland, which arrived
here on the :30th ult. from Odessa, spoke on the 22d, in
lat. 36, lon. 20.30, the English brig La Bella, in ballast,
bound to Constantinople.
The Rus.ian brigantine Themistocles, from the Piraeus,
arrived here on the 30th ult. _

Her Majesty's ship Amazon arrived here on the 30th
ult. from the Piraeus. She will sail, we hear, in a few
days to join the squadron under Sir W. Parker, Vice-
Admiral in command of the fleet in the Tagus, when a
court will assemble to inquire into the corporal and other
punishments lately inflicted on board.
The Neapolitan steamer Maria Christina arrived here
from Marseilles and ports of Italy and Sicily on the 2d
inst., and left last night on her return voyage.
The French steamer Hellespont, expected here on the
30th ult. from the Levant, arrived here on the 2d inst.,
and proceeded on the same day to Leghorn and Mar-
seilles.

Tier Majesty's steamer Jackal, whose commander,
Lieutenant Pasco, has been recently promoted, is ordered
home, and may be shortly expected here from the

Her Majesty's steamer Trident is still in port, and
nothing definitive is yet decided as to the period of her
getting under way to relieve the Ardent, Commander G.
Spong.
We understand that her Majesty's ship Beela will
shortly proceed to Constantinople to relieve the Blood-
hound in those waters. _ .

----- is, it
Her Majesty's brig Siren is reported, about to
relieve her Majesty's ship Inconstant at Beyrout, and will
probably convey his Lordship the Bishop of Jerusalem
to Jaffa, a short distance trom his see.
ADMIRALTY.

APPOINTMENT.—Commander—J. W. Finch, to study
at the Steam Factory, Woolwich.

ALLEGED HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

We last week recorded a somewhat romantic story, as
told by a travelling stationer at the City police station
on Saturday night week, that story being that the said
hawker of Bath post, whilst travelling to Gloucester,
was joined by a youth of about 15 or 16, who entered
into conversation with him about buying shoes, and on
being told that the stationer had a few shillings about
him which he intended to invest in second-hand shoes,
the youth fell upon him with murderous violence, and
knocked him about the head with a bludgeon, nut that
in the struggle which ensued the man of paper got the
boy's nasal organ between his teeth, and actually bit it
off, leaving the juvenile highwayman to make his way
home to his friends minus his nose. We had our sus-
picions that the whole story was a fabrication; but it
appears to have had some foundation in truth, with this
trifling discrepancy, that the fellow who made his com-
plaint at the police-station was in all probability the first
assailant, and no doubt with felonious intent, and
that the poor boy whose nose was so unpleasantly
gripped was really the aggrieved and the innocent
party. It was unfortunate that no information was
given of the circumstance to the superintendent of the
county police or to any of the officers of that force, so
that the first intimation given to the county station
reached there through the newspaper on Saturday last,
since which time, we understand, Mr. Superintendent
Griffin has been indefatigably engaged in investigating
the matter, with the following results:—He discovered
the boy, whose name is John Wells, who resides at
Elmore, and who is about seventeen years of age, and
who states that about six o'clock on Saturday evening,
the 28th ult., he was met by a travelling man on the side
of the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal, and walked with
him for some distance until they arrived at the second ,
mile post; that as they walked along the man asked him
what he gave for his boots, to which he replied eleven
shillings. The man said he wanted a pair himself, but
could not afford to give so much mot ey for them. He
also remarked that if the boy had been at Gloucester
fair that day he could have earned some money, to which
the lad replied that he had been there, and had received
two shillings for driving some sheep to Charlton Kings.
The ruffian then knocked him down with a blow from
his fist in his face, knelt on him when he was on the
ground, and began feeling for his pockets. The boy
cried " Murder," and the man seized him by the throat,
threatened to throw him into the canal, and in the
scuffling did get the poor boy's nose in his mouth and
bit it, but only left the marks of his teeth in it; he did
not bite it off. The boy begged for mercy, and the
fellow ultimately let him go, giving him back a knife
which he had taken out of his pocket; but the boy missed
his 25., and supposes that the man appropriated them to
himself, or that they were lost in the struggle. The boy
Wells states his willingness to come forward at any time,
and his story is, to a certain extent, confirmed by his
mint
stuattees
ha
ef ewr a tsh ei
nr;e nacnodn t rto
e
whom he related the attack
bh
ya vai ng
neighbour,bee
him. With regard to the pedlar,
thathwadhotewnemtabdienhupwo:
n met
waohtomsaawaythe
adventure, all trace of him has
make 1 • t
fear the boy should cemp
must now regard as therealllickbeTenurlpnisnt,manthdisictusreelomuss
tables d to turn the upon
to the police,te first to have his story heard, pre•
him and be
appear in the character of a prosecutor
ferring to
for
re
determine
stand at the bar as a criminal charged
that in that part of the story which
reason also torobbery and violence. There is good
related to the dreadful
d, he was clever enough to deceive
ceived about the hes
believe
dful injuries be pretended to have re
experienced eyes of Mr. Superintendent
prraothbearbitehtahnatt
his story. It has been ascer
wttWahimeti with
vleidial3gmitiglhsal:n"ttt'oataYhwnedh
ofellowm iie
told.
ed at Parry's lodging-house
in evening in question ; t
Leatherbottle .lane on the
xcept
on his head ;that
he did not appear to be hurt
he
handkerchief, went to
that he tied up his head with
sleeping at Parry's that
uninjured appearance, and, after
The activity Of
night, went away the next morning.
this affair
the poliee.station, and on his reaturn retained the same
arrived
Superintendent Griffin in so far unravelling
is creditable to him as an officer ; but it is rightet we
the whole story does not obtain implicit cred
circumstances of this singular narrative.
—Gloucester
Journal.

INCREASE OF FEVER.—We Understand that this.
ti artul malady is greatly on the increase in Glasgow and
suburbs, so much so, that at the Police Board the Lord
Provost has been waited upon by a deputation from the
Fever Hospital, with the view of having additional ac-
commodation afforded for patients, the state of the
hospital being such that the very floors of the institution
are fully occupied. His Lordship brought the matter
before the Police Board on Monday, when it was re-
mitted to the committee.—Scotch Reformers' Gazelle.
VORACITY OF THE CoD.—A very plentiful and
seasonable supply of fish reached Swansea on Friday
and Saturday last indeed, taking into consideration
the present high price of provisions of all kinds, it may
be considered a very seasonable relief to the poor. As
a proof of the extraordinary low price of this valuable
commodity, we can state that an individual purchased a
cod fish, weighing between eight and nine pounds, on
Saturday for 4iti , and on its being opened for the pur-
pose of cleansing its inside, there were. found twenty-
two herrings therein, some of them remarkably large,
and exhibitii.g signs of animation.— Cambrian.
The indictment found at the last session of the
Central Criminal Court against several individuals for
having illegally trafficked in the sale of cadetships, has
been removed by certiorari from that court to the Court
of QUeell'd Bench,

i3OURT CIRCULAR•

,
The Queen and Prir,ce Albert walked early yester-
day in the plantations of Osborne House.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince
Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice,
walked and rode on ponies yesterday, in the pleasure
grounds of Osborne House.
The Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay left Osborne
House yesterday.
Mr. Wickham, Chairman of the Stamps and Taxes,
had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer
yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street.
Mr. Charles Warner had an interview with Earl Grey
yesterday, at the Colonial-office.
Dispatches were received yesterday, at the Colonial-
office, from the Governor of Gibraltar.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lady Mary
Wood left Bowood Park, Wilts, the seat of the Marquis
of Lansdowne, yesterday morning, for town. Mr.
Charles Greville also left yesterday for London. The
Earl of Clarendon will leave liowood Park to-day, for
his seat, Grove Park, Herts.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Blandford, Earls
Stanhope, Cadogan, Stradbroke, Lords de Lisle, Somer
ton, Walsinghatn, Rendlesham, and Cranley, Mr. and
Mrs. H. Seymour, and Captain Broke, have been visit-
ing General Sir Edward and Lady Kerrison, at Oakley
Park, Suffolk.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S—MONDAY.
The business transacted yesterday failed to produce
any effect on the odds ; none in fact can be looked for so
long, as
aswtehree
Ehpoirrsoet„, sarrelait, Glentilt,cl:nfined to straw beds. After
stating, therefore, that the animals most currently in
favour
current with a list of the principal transactions :-8 to 1
to about 501. agst Van Tromp, 15 to 1 to 651. agst Epi-
ra We
ouranota u,suaanld
price Red
Bart, it will be sufficient if we pefc
rote (16 to 1 laid once), 1,000 to 50 two or three times
agst Planet, 2,000 to 80 twice agst Glentilt, 2,000 to 60
agst Allertonian, 2,000 to 50 agst Tantivy, a similar bet,
and 2,500 to 50 agst Red Hart, 2,000 to 40 each agst
The Liberator, Projectile, and the Miss Martin oolt,
(plenty of layers agst The Liberator), 45 to 1 in fifties
agst Cossack, 1,000 to 15 three or four times, and after-
wards 3,000 to 30 agst War Eagle, 1,000 to 15 each agst
the Monimia colt and Galvanic Ring, and 10.000 to 100
agst Clarendon. Offers to take 6to 1 about Scott's lot,
and 40 to 1 about Wanota. The Oaks bets were 3,000
to 300 agst Slender, and 300 to 25 and 500 to 100 agst
her and Clementina jointly. Offers to take 20 to 1 each
about Miami and The Farmer's Daughter. The frost
having put an end to steeple-chasing for the present, no-
thing was done on the events that were to have come off
this day in the neighbourhood of Leamington. We
subjoin the latest averages.
CHESTER cup,
1000 to 15 agst Mr. Coape's Rufus—taken
1000 to 15 agst Mr. Whaley's Burgundy—taken.
TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS STARES.
sto 1 on the field.
6to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Glentilt—ta. to a small sum.
DERBY.
11 to 9 agst John Scott's lot—take 6 to 1
6to 1 agst John Day's lot—taken to 251.
Bto 1 agst Lord Eglinton's Van Tromp—taken
15 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's Epirote—taken
20 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Planet—taken
25 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Glentilt
28 to 1 agst Mr. Payne's Sis. to Cobweb colt—no frnas.
30 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's Lunedale—taken
33 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Allertonian—taken
33 to 1 agst Mr. Worley's Old Port
33 to 1 agst Lord Caledon's Wanota—take 40 to 1
40 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Tantivy—taken and aft. offd.
40 to 1 agst Lord Stradbroke's Marpessa colt
45 to 1 agst Mr. Pedley's Cossack—taken
50 to 1 agst Duke of Richmond's Red Hart—ta. freely.
50 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Miss Martin colt—taken
50 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Projectile—taken
50 to 1 agst Mr. W. O'Brien's Liberator—ta. and at off.
100 to 1 agst Mr. Bouverie's War Eagle—taken
100 to 1 agst Mr. Ford ns Clarendon—taken
1000 to 15 agst Mr. Wreford's Monimia colt—t and aft of.
1000 to 15 agst Lord Strathmore's Galvanic Ring—taken
and afterwards offered.
°AIL
10 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Slander—taken.
16
somettoo agstgmisconception M
Sirr. jJ.
iDaawylexists on
's
Miami.
16Farmer's Daughter.
As the subject, we may
as well mention that the horse backed for the Derby
under the name of the " Miss Martin colt," is the same
that has occasionally figured as the Miss Iris colt ; he
was originally entered as " by Lanercost, dam by Vol
taire, out of Miss Iris," but the dam has since been
named Miss Martin.
Sir G. Heathcote has christened his three Derby colts
as follows :—Tlse Miss Wilfred colt " Bellerophon, the
Caroline colt " Atlantic," and the Samarcand colt " Ti-
mour." Mr. Drinkald's Oaks filly by lon, out of Ran-
villette, bought of Mr. Ellis, has received the name of
lonia."
Lord Gardiner's hunters were put up for sale yester-
day, and about five or six knocked down ' • the principal
lots sold were Dot, 91 guineas ; and Snuffbox, 85
guineas.

SHIPMENTS OF BRITISH WOOLLENS TO

CHINA.
(From the Leeds Mercury.)
We have been favoured, just before going to press,
with the following Return of Shipments of British
Woollens to China during the present year, with the
comparative exports of former years. Want of time
forbids our making the remarks we should have wished
to offer on this important document, which is from the
highest authority; but we cannot refrain from noticing
the striking confirmation it gives to the arguments/ately
urged in favour of an immediate as well as serious re-
duction in the duty on tea. The falling off in the trade
of this district with China is now proved to be most
serious; and we have no doubt that the cotton districts
present a result equally indicative of the darkened pros-
pects of all, capitalists and labourers alike, who have
hitherto been engaged in supplying the Chinese markets.
Statement of the Estimated Exports of Woollen Goods Shipped to
China from London and Liverpool, from the Ist of January to the
23d of November, 184 G.

ci ,A
f' at g
A.9*, ,E . . ,9
ti;74 .72: .;.:.-...z .2. t 0
U. .w".a., 20:3 c.,1
`'
bo ceal e)- ...V. ..t
TC. = .' -) r. al P. .t*.
411 r.
p..
JJ 4 0
-"-----.-.—• =, ._..._..---................- ...---.-
.
Shipped to this date
during the present
year .. ••••• • • • . 66,600 7,959 45,932 5,498 8,812
Shipped to same date
last year ... .... 87,900
14 793 56,363 7,525 10,294
Do. do., 1644.. 106,134 20,533 46,462 4,643 11,855
Total shipped during
the year 1845 .... 93,510
15,253 58,515 7,525 10,294
Had arrived in China
when the last ac-
counts left of the
present year's 5hip-
ment5.........,.. 23,090 2,190 3,216 3,341 4,005

The ship Queen, from London, takes out 9,000
included in the above return, pieces long ells, not

One of those cool acts of injustice which Govern-
ment boards alone can perform with impunity has just
been laid before the public in a printed statement by
Messrs. Travers and Son. It appears that at the
close of last year this firm imported a considerable
quantity of French plums in the ornamented paper
boxes made purposely for that description of fruit, part
of which were allowed to pass at the Custom-house in
the usual manner, while 45 cases were stopped for duty
upon the boxes. The article being a perishable one,
Messrs. Travers lost no time in memorializing the
Commissioners of Customs, which memorial, after two
subsequent applications and a delay of a fortnight, was
at length attended to, and the goods were ordered to be
released. This delay, however, involved a loss of 9(1.
(the fruit having been sold immediately on its ar-
rival to buyers, who afterwards cancelled their
bargains), and a claim for compensation was ac-
cordingly preferred. This claim was met by a
direct refusal, and an appeal to the Commissioners of
the Treasury produced a similar result. Compelled thus
to put up with a loss arising from an avowed error on
the part of the Custom-house, the sufferers, with a view
to pretest themselves and the trade for the future, peti-
tioned that some definite order might be made, by which
they might be guided in their operations, and which
would prevent a repetition of such occurrences. To this
petition no answer was returned, and it is now alleged
by Messrs. Travers that some packages of French fruit
have this year again been stopped under precisely similar
circumstances. In the absence of explanations, the
statement places the conduct of the Commissioners in a
very unfavourable light ; but, discreditable as it is,
there is reason to fear that many analogous instances
daily occur in the various minor departments of public
business, which, in like manner, are carried off with
high-handed indifference, in the belief that the details
are too insignificant for the sufferers to succeed in bring-
ing them into notice.—Times.
ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS.—The
last meeting for the season was held yesterday evening
at the rooms in Grosvenor-street, when the chair was
taken by Mr. Angell, V.P. Numerous donations were
announced, amongst which were several drawings illus-
trative of the architecture of Scotland from the earliest
period of the employment of decorative art; and a bust
of Mr. Sanders, the architect of the Townley Gallery, at
the British Museum, which was yesterday disposed of
by public auction. A communication, illustrated by
drawings, was read, from Mr. Gardner, on the mode of
heating the Portuguese Synagogue in Bevis Marks,
that places. of affording affording a n
adopted by him in 1815, and where heated air was in-
troducedwa s giveafraofmaanneuwndseyrsntee,eimaltuheaalvflayuhleta;tinagn and
hot-
houses, in which the heated air is made to traverse over
raeadaeartscrdiptiona
long and open shallow cistern of water before it is per-
mitted to enter into the building, and which
plan it
applicable to churches
heated air, of which all previous ones
deficient. Mr. Mocatta gave some lengthened
chief principle in the ar-
rangementadequate supply of
details on the recent erection of • •
a distillery, in which
the requirements of the process subserved to the archi-
awmhnsaodvsi
sett otheru reeeunghtowt largea mights
archi-
tectural construction, after which the meeting adjourned
to January 11, 1847.
A RASH STATEMENT.—Last Sunday a Perth mi-
nister, during his discourse to his flock, made an attack
on our national poet Burns, by saying that he did not
hesitate to name him, and assert that he had sent more
been able to send to heaven since his death.' This
souls to hell during his life than all the ministers have
the more liberal and
intelligent of his congregation--one of whom, on ar
home, took Burns' Poems, and read to his wife
riving at
and family, "The Cottars' Saturday Night."—Edinburgh
Ea press.
PLATE.-'-LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.—AC-
counts to the close of September from Monte Video, re-
ceived via America, state that an attempt had been made
by a partisan of Oribe to assassinate Rivera. The at-
tempt was unsuccessful. The assassin was secured, and
was being tried.

IRELAND.
MR. O'CONNELL AND THE REPEAL
SECESSION.

DUBLIN, DEC. 13.—The following important letter
has been addressed to the Freeman's Journal by Mr.
O'Connell. It would now appear that there is no pros-
pect of a reconciliation between the Repeal Association
and the seceders:—

"Merrion-square, Dec. 12, 1846.

" Sir,—l return you the resolutions which you sent
me unsought for on my part. I return them, lest by
retaining them I should be supposed to acquiesce in the
gross inaccuracy they exhibit of the real state of the
question touching the conference proposed by me.
"In one of these resolutions you talk, as of a matter
of doubt, whether any legal question would arise at the
conference.
"It is, perhaps, my duty—at all events it is my incli-
nation—to inform you that the primary, if not the ex-
clusive object of the proposed conference, is to ascertain
and define matters of law.

"In truth the affair stands thus:—
"First—The Repeal Association is, beyorld any sha-
dow of doubt, a lawful assembly, not impeachab:e for
any breach of the law.
"My proof is this. The Repeal Association has stood
the ordeal of the state trial—not only without any
prosecution, but without any officer of the crown, or any
one of the court, intimating against it the slightest
charge of illegality.
"The Repeal Association is a legal body, because it
disclaims any use of force and arms to achieve the repeal
of the union statute. Because it disclaims the use of
physical force to achieve the repeal of the union statute,
every member of the Repeal Association is at present
perfectly safe from any prosecution.
" Would the members be equally safe if it were to
admit any intermixture of the physical force principle
as part of the means for obtaining such repeal?
" I am decidedly of opinion that the members would
not, in such a case, be safe from a well•founded prose-
cution.

" I take these propositions to be clear in law:--
"First—That any asssembly admitting any species of
physical force as part of its means of obtaining a repeal
of an Act of Parliament is an unlawful assembly, liable

to be dispersed by any magistrate, and its members to
be punished by indictment.
" Secondly—That any such assembly is not only un-
lawful, but that any acts done by it in furtherance of its
object constitute a treasonable fact, rendering the mem-
bers liable to conviction and execution for treason.

" This opinion, in point of law, I have at repeated
public meetings proclaimed.
" On one occasion, in the Association, I brought down

the legal authorities, and quoted them chapter and page.
" It is observable, that often as I have repeated this
legal doctrine, no one has had the hardihood to deny its
accuracy.
" It follows, if I be right, that the seceders cannot
safely be admitted into the Repeal Association, unless
upon the fullest and most explicit disclaimer of resorting
to any physical force means to achieve the repeal of the
union.
"In order to be enabled to receive the seceders into
the Repeal Association againnit should be ascertained
beyond a doubt whether I am right in point of law or not.
" At former periods in my struggles for advancing
the popular cause my judgment in the matter of law
was found eminently useful, and my opinion of the
state of the law was trusted to with implicit confidence.
And I have the comfort to know that such confidence was
never regretted nor shown by any fact to be misplaced.
" Now my most anxious desire is to lay the founda-
tion of perfect conciliation ; or, if that be refused, to
have the universal people understand who it is to whom
the continuance of the dissension is justly attributable.
" I stand altogether upon the law. My solo difficulty
rests upon the legal objection to the admission of the
seceders.
" What, then, is to be done ? _ _

• 7
"Is it not the wise course to ascertain beyond a
doubt what the law is upon the subject ? If the law
will admit of any relaxation I am quite ready, of course
I aai, to give the seceders the full benefit of that re-
laxation.

" I repeat the question.
" What is to be done ? My answer is ready, and I
propose to do the thing—that is, to hold an amicable
conference, to ascertain, in the first instance, the state
of the law.
" This should be a preliminary inquiry. It would
be idle to talk upon the terms upon which the seceders
should be re-admitted, if we are prevented by the law
from re-admitting them, except at the peril of our lives.
" Let us, then, ascertain most amicably the state of
the law, and leave every other question (if other ques-
tions there be) undiscussed until the state of the law
is ascertained.
" It was with a-view to ascertain thus amicably the
law of the case that I proposed the conference. I se-
lected the most unexceptionable persons to be members
of that conference, including even myself, for I named
before Mr. Smith O'Brien. I also named four barristers
—three of them more eminently successful in their pro-
fession than any gentlemen of their standing in the
British dominions; the fourth possessed of talents
equally entitling him to a success in his profession, which
I believe ought not to be far distant.
" The four are—

Sir COLEMAN OIOGHLIN,
Mr. O'HEA,
Mr. O'HAGAN, and
Mr. DILLON.
" It is not likely that any man will be found who will
dispute the accuracy of their conjoint legal opinion. If
that opinion be identical with mine, there are many of
the seceders who will acquiesce and submit to the law,
and join the Association once again in its struggles for
Irish nationality. If the law be declared otherwise
than I think it is, I shall acquiesce at once and admit my
error. But in either case, no question of terms can
arise until the law is ascertained, and fully and unequi-
vocally submitted to.
" There can be no paltering in a double sense. The
law, when once ascertained, must be the rule of all our
actions ; nothing else would be just—nothing else would
be wise—nothing else would be safe.
" The conference cannot do any harm ; it may, and I
think must, do good. It will show that I am ready to
carry out conciliation to the full extent of law.
" It will also show who they are who would prevent
conciliation ; or, at all events, not avail themselves of its
influence. _

" I am bound to say that I have not been met with a
spirit corresponding to my own, in the desire to put an
end to dissension,
" A most respectable clergyman, of the mildest con-
ciliatory demeanour, and a high order of intellect-
- " Such men as he
Give grace to holy ministry,"
took the trouble of going down to the county Limerick
to Mr. Smith O'Brien, with my message of peace.
" He, alas! had his journey in vain. I have his au-
thority for se) ing that Mr. Smith O'Brien decidedly re-
jected the conference.
" I regret extremely ; but it makes it only the more
imperative duty upon me to redouble my exertions for
the sole remaining object of my political life—the repeal
of the union. "I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" DANIEL O'CONNELL.

" T. Devin Reilly, Esq."
STATE OF THE COUNTRY.
There is no part of Ireland exempt from the terrible
calamity by which we are now afflicted. The northern
districts, heretofore comparatively free from destitution,
are now suffering deep distress; and even in the manu-
facturing towns, Drogheda, Belfast, and Lisburn, there
is a vast. amount of destitution.
In Drogheda, on Tuesday last, a meeting attended by
all the leading inhabitants, was held at the Fholsel, to
adopt measures for affording relief and employment,
untilie Board of Works should be enabled to extend
operations in the district.
The Roman Catholic Primate, Most Rev. Dr. Crolly,
addressed the meeting on the necessity of prompt exer
tion. " We must," said that excellent prelate, " call on
the inhabitants to subscribe liberally, although it is not
very long since we called on them before. But we
could not, no one could, foresee the greater calamity
which has since befallen the country. That calamity is
far more deep, and more extensively spread over the
country, and we must appeal to all for aid "
Arrangements were made for a general subscription.
DEATH OF THE SON OF CAPTAIN KENNEDY

who held communication with the invisible world, and
gave her IZ., on c ndition that she would inform them
of the particulars respecting the death of the deceased.
Having taken two clear days to consu!t her invisible
friends, the fairies,' she announced that she had seen
deceased himself, and that he was murdered by two men,
one of whom had deceived a fair haired girl in the neigh-
bourhood, but the fairies threw no light on the locality
of the murder. The body was accidently found on the
7th instant. The coroner and the jury, we presume, did
not placed implicit reliance on the " fairy" woman's
superhuman knowledge ; for, as the body presented
the ordinary appearance of death by drowning, the jury
found a verdict accordingly.—Carlow Sentinel.
THE WEATHER.—The frost has become so intense
that the Liffey is frozen even where the tide runs. This
has not occurred for several years. The canals are also
frozen. The weather is extremely severe, and must
greatly aggravate the sufferings of the poor.
LIMERICK, DEC. 12.—After a most intense hard frost
yesterday mornin.z, there was a copious fall of snow,
succeeded by very severe frost, with an intense cold at-
mosphere the entire of yesterday.

THE WEATHER and the PARKS.
The skating season in the several parks commenced
yesterday,-although the ice was far from being safe, and
loss of life unfortunately resulted.
HYDE PARK.—In this park
.the number of persons
surrounding the Serpentine was very considerable, but.
the skaters, the ice not being above one inch in thickness,
were very limited. • Upon the long water the ice is about
one inch and a half thick, and the number of persons
who ventured on during the day, including; a few mem-
bers of the Skating Club, were not more than 200.
During the day, five persons broke through near the
edge, but were speedily rescued by the lookers on. The
round pond in Kensington•garlens had about 150 per
sons on it, no accident occurr►ng. The thermometer at
the receiving-house in Hyde-park at eight A.M.. showed
the mercury to be as low as 18; at twelve o'clock, it had
risen to 28, but at six, P.M., the mercury was at 21, with
wind in the north-east.

ST. JAMES'S-PARK.—In this park the number of Per-
sons venturing on the ice were about 2§o, but they were
mostly confined to the west end, opposite Buckingham
Palace. At the east end the ice was considered to be so
unsafe that Superintendent Godfrey caused the edges to
be broken by the icemen. About half-past two o'clock
an accident happened by which a man named Wright,
potman at the King's Arms, Brewer street, Pimlico, lost
his life. It appears that a young man named George
Pilley, a paper-hanger, of 169, Goswell-street, broke
through the ice, near the fountain, into seven feet water.
Thomas Thomas, of 5, Grove, Mile-end, went to his
assistance, but the ice also broke with him, and they both
became immersed. The unfortunate deceased went to their
assistance, but before getting near them the ice broke with
him also, and he disappeared. Iceman Pavey succeeded,
by means of a "breaker ladder" in rescuing Thomas,
and Winnett, another man belonging to the Royal
Humane Society, rescued Pilley. The drags were then
put in requisition, and in about four minutes Wright was
brought up. The whole of the men, much exhausted,
were conveyed to the marquee, where they were attended
by Mr. M`Cann, surgeon, and Thomas and Pilley reco-
vered, but all efforts to restore Wright were unavailing.
The body was removed to St. Martin's workhouse to
await the coroner's inquiry.
REGENT'S-PARK.—The ornamental ice in this park
was visited by about 600 skaters and sliders during the
day. The only accident worthy of notice happened
about two o'clock, when W. Bennett, 27, Guildford-
street, Russell-square, and W. Vincent, 15, New-street,
Dorset-square, broke through the ice near Clarence-
gate. They were speedily rescued by the icemen.
ACCIDENTS IN THE FROST.—Yesterday the metropo
Titan streets and suburbs were to a great extent covered
with ice, occasioning many serious and fatal accidents.
In the Waterloo-bridge-road, a horse attached to a cart
heavily laden with hay, proceeding up the hill towards
the bridge, in consequence of the slippery condition of
the ground, fell down, and the cart being overturned, a
boy named Farley, who was seated at the top, was
dashed upon the ground, and sustained a deep fracture
on the head. On the same spot, shortly afterwards, a
boy accidentally slipped down, and before he could
recover himself, the wheels of a cab had passed
over his chest. Two other accidents of nearly a
similar nature occurred during the day on London-
bridge, and in Fleet-street. opposite Fetter-lane, result •
ing in the serious maiming of two females named Clara
Lloyd and Emma Morgan. On Holborn-hill, a power-
ful horse, attached to a brick cart, was thrown down
opposite Shoe-lane, and several persons who assisted in
detaching the animal were severely kicked and injured
by the horse, which the owner was compelled to kill.
Very numerous accidents occurred on nearly every
bridge, owing to the horses of omnibuses, &c., being
unable to ascend- the slippery roadway. An unloaded
coal barge, belonging to a merchant of Southwark, was
found drifting down the river, and it was ascertained
that the barge had left Chelsea in the charge of a lighter-
man named David Smith, and from marks on the
barge it is supposed that that individual was walking
along the gunwale, which was covered with frozen snow,
when he had slipped overboard.