The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-22 00:00:00

PUBLIC DINNER TO SIR G. MURRAY.

( Abridged from the Edinburgh Evening Post of Saturday.)
Yesterday being the day appointed for the public dinner
given to the Right Hon. Sir George Murray, by his con-
stituents of the county of Perth, in teiiimony of their un-
diminished respect and esteem for the character and con-
duct of the Gallant General, the " Fair City" exhibited,
early in the forenoon, an unusually gay and animated ap-
pearance. The streets were crowded with well-dressed
people, and vehicles of all descriptions were pouring in from
various parts of the country, with gentlemen who purposed
to attend this important meeting. In consequence of the
great and increasing demand for tickets, the Committee,
early in the week, had intended to construct a building for
the occasion, as no room in Perth was capable of contain-
ing the number who had signified their desire to be present ;
but this idea was abandoned, from the impossibility of ob-
taining an appropriate situation for the proposed erection.
Upwards of 300 gentlemen were thus necessarily debarred
from attending the meeting ; and the unprecedented
number of 700—unprecedented in Perth—were accommo-
dated in the spacious County Hall of the city, to which
was added a large lobby, besides a temporary building con-
nected with the principal room.
At five o'clock, the Chairman, Lord Viscount Stormont,
entered the Hall, accompanied by Sir George Murray, Sir
Patrick Murray, Sir John Oswald, Sir J. Hansel, Dr.
Thompson, Sir J. Forbes, Colonel Gilmore, Mr. Forbes, of
Callender, Sir Robert Dick, Mr. Graham, of Airth, Mr. J.
M. *Kenzie, yr. of Delvine, &c. The list of Stewards
comprised the elite of the county. Grace was said by Dr.
Thompson.
After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were drank
with all the honours,
The CHAIRMAN rose and said—Gentlemen, Sir George
Murray is not a name that is heard only in this quarter—
let any man tell me the spot in this island where his trans-
cendent talent is not appreciated—his fame has passed to
the most distant regions—it has resounded throughout
Europe, and is cherished even in our remotest colonies.
—(Loud cheers.) Gentlemen, in whatever point of view we
survey his career, it is beautiful and magnificent ; whether
as the right hand man of the first man in Europe, leading
on our armies to victory—whether we consider him as one of
our purest statesmen, as a true friend to the institutions of
the country, and a sincere patriot--(cheers)—or as an affec-
tionate friend in the walks of private life, our admiration
is the same.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, our acquaintance with
Sir George Murray is not that of a day ; his life has been
devoted to the good of the country, and has been passed in
,its service ; and now re-elected by you to discharge the great
and important duties pertaining to the representation of such
a county and such a constituency, to whose care could be
more worthily confided the manifold interests of so large a
constituency ?—(Cheers.) We all remember the last elec-
tion ; many things occurred during that period, to which I
will not at present refer ; but this I will say, without fear
of contradiction, that there never was a man returned in a
purer manner, or by purer constituents, than my Gallant
Friend on my right hand.—(Loud cheers.) Since that
election there have been many false rumours put abroad,
which obtained credit in certain places ; but I will here
state that all such reports were false, scandalous, and

without the least shadow of a foundation.—(Cheers.) It
had been stated that the tenants had been brought by force
to the poll. This had been publicly stated, and as publicly I
denounce the statement as false.—(Cheers.) But, if it
had been true, I would beg to ask a question. If they
had been brought by force to the poll, by what force had
this vast number been brought to the dinner ?—(Loud
cheers.) Here are men of all classes and of all ranks,
whether engaged in manufactures, agriculture, or commerce,
all uniting in one purpose—to do honour to the man of
their choice, who would be the last man to employ intimi-
dation, as this constituency would be the last to yield to
the influence of bribes or menaces of any description.—
(Cheers.) I will say nothing of the merits of the other
candidate ; what they are is best known to yourselves, and
I leave them there ; but this. I will say,. that this county
conferred immortal honour on itself when it rejected
the nominee of those who wished to treat it as a nomination
lourgh..—(Loud cheers.) You all know that, after the
close of the last election, Sir George Murray was invited
to attend at dinner with the electors ; that he refused,
because it would have delayed his taking his seat in Par-
liament ; but when we found ourselves denied the honour
by these circumstances, we requested to know when it
would be convenient to meet his constituents. This is the
day—and here we aro met, neither with show nor parade,
to give him our honest and humble acknowledgments.—
(Loud cheers.) We have neither requested any colleague
of his to meet him, wlio might hare turned him out' of
office, or undermined him in the confidence of his Sove-
reign, and who could not shake hands with him at dinner ?
—(Cheers.) Neither have we invited a son-in-law to show
the difference of opinion which exists between them, and.
to traduce the House of Lords.—(Cheers.) Nor have
we the hosts to devour the dinner before the guest made
his appearance.—(Laughter and cheers.) Such occur-
rences may have happened ; but it may be merely a float-
ing idea, and I request that you will not suppose that
there are any particular individuals meant.—(Laughter
and cheers.) In conclusion, then, fill your glasses to the
man of your choice—the man who will maintain the princi-
ples of our constitution—preserve our institutions from
the inroads of- the infidel and revolutionist—to the man
who, while he fearlessly applies the knife to the cancer,
leaves -what is sound behind.—(Cheers.) I beg to pro-
pose the health of the Right Hon. Sir Geo. Murray, mem-
ber for the county.—(Enthusiastic cheering.)

Sir GEORGE MURRAY rose to return thanks, when the
cheering was renewed with redoubled enthusiasm ; after it
had subsided, he spoke nearly as follows :—Gentlemen, you
drank my health as your representative in Parliament—as
your representative freely chosen by you, and sent into the
House of Commons freely to think, freely to speak, freely
to vote, and freely to act, to the best of his judgment, for
the public good.—(Cheers.) These are the conditions
which mark the connexion betwixt me and the constituency
of the county of Perth.—(Cheers.) The only other condi-
tions are to act consistently with the constitution, with

the public welfare, and with my own honour. Allusion has
been made by the Noble Chairman to calumnies, justly
termed false, on the last election ; I here repel with contempt
all imputations cast upon my constituents.—(Cheers.) While
these calumnies were circulated in the county, they met
with a prompt denial ; but these calumnies were not con-
fined to this county ; the sacred right of petitioning was
perverted to the base purpose of spreading these false and
scandalous reports in Parliament.—(Loud cheers.) I hold
in my hand one of these petitions, stating that the people
were intimidated by Tory landlords, and prevented from
voting as they pleased.—(Laughter.) Gentlemen, the
Lord Chancellor is said to have lately stood up in a large
assembly, and, bolding up his hands, solemnly pronounced
that they were clean. I cannot suppose that a person in
his high station, of his vast attainments, and so great a
statesman, should not be able to make that declaration ;
but there is not the humblest individual who voted for me
at the last election, whose hands are not as pure as those of
the Lord Chancellor.—(Loud cheers.) Gentlemen, you
perhaps expected me to allude to certain calumnies circu-
lated against myself ; this I will not do, because there is no
weapon which I despise more, and none of which any man
need be less afraid than the weapon of coarse abuse. (Cheers.)
Experience teaches that it is frequently more dangerous to
the user than (be abused—that it is a weapon that recoils
on the head a its employer. Gentlemen, I now think it
proper to allude to some measures which have been passed
during the last session of Parliament Few of these were
directly interesting to Scotland. The great measure of the
session was the Eglish Poor Law Bill ; with this measure
Scotland has no direct connection, except in so far as it may
serve as a beacon and a warning on this momentous sub-
ject. Every one admits that there were great evils in the
country, owing to the system of Poor Laws—great and
grievous evils, pressing equally on rich and poor in that
country ; but the subject is one so surrounded with difficul-
ties that it requires the greatest care, the fullest delibera-
tion, to supply an amendment. It is frequently one of the
most difficult undertakings to supply a remedy, even to the
most glaring defects, and always doubtful whether that re-
medy will be advantageous or not. If, however, I could
have with propriety taken any share in the discussion of that
measure, it would have been to protest against the principle
of the centralization system—(Loud cheers)--a system
of the most dangerous tendency, because the power being
placed in a remote part, grievances cannot be so readily or
properly redressed when they occur away from the source
of. power. I would.. have protested against such a system
upon those general principles which have distinguished our
Constitution. There was another objection I would have
offered, viz., to that clause which was directed with undue
severity towards the weaker sex.—(Long continued cheer-
ing.) The only other measure on which I am called to
make remarks, is the Bill brought forward by Mr. Wood
for opening the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge to
the Dissenters of England.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I am
aware that muckinisrepresentat ion has gone abroad about this
question. On' no question have the feelings of party been
more excited ' • and although on a question where religious
feelingkare,involvetl, we should try to cast aside all party
feelings, yet we find, that of all others these questions are
most mixed up with party violence ; and no one should
be more cautious in anything than in hastily casting con-
demnation on another.—(Loud cheers.) It has been in-
dustriously stated that this measure was interesting to
Scotland. Of this I entertain very great doubts. What
grievance has been suffered by the Dissenters of Scot-
land from the privileges of the English Universities ?
How many Dissenters in the county of Perth have been
disappointed of receiving admission within their walls ?
Are there twenty or ten ? Are there five, or even one
individual connected with the county of Perth, who, in
consequence of religious scruples has been prevented from
following out his career, by being excluded from Oxford and
Cambridge ? Why should we wish that the doors of these
institutions should be thrown open, when we possess among
ourselves so many Universities, which are celebrated not
only in Britain, but throughout the civilised world, and to
which no restriction exists ?—(Cheers.) If it is a grievance
to Scotland, that the Universities in England should admit
none but under certain conditions, it is a grievance of which
I never heard one complain ; although, if it were a real
grievance, I should be most anxious to interfere to remove
the cause. But, gentlemen, we are not called upon by any
crying case of grievance to burst open the gates of these
Universities, and to alarm the Church of England. It is
not because of one isolated case, or even two, that we are
to rush into violent measures, in the hope of applying a re-
medy.—(Cheers.) But, gentlemen, I think that this is a
measure of such deep importance, that it becomes the Go-
vernment to take the matter into their own hands, and
duly weighing everything, and conciliating where conci-
liation is necessary, to bring in a Bill, which, with the
weight possessed by the Government, I have no doubt
would be successful. But here we have an individual,
Mr. Wood, who brings in a measure on his own respon-
sibility, against which I felt bound to vote on the second
reading, because, in the first place, the Bill was unin-
telligible even to himself—(Laughter and cheers)—Mr.
Wood not being able to explain his own meaning ; and,
secondly, it was directly contradictory in many of its most
important clauses—so much so, that Mr. Stanley and Lord
Althorp, who voted for the second reading, declared that it
was impossible to pass it in the shape it then appeared in—
(Cheers)—and that the Bill never again made its appear-
ance ; but when presented in another form, divested of its
absurdities and contradictions, it received my approbation.
—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, with regard to the measure itself,
it is not so easy a matter to legislate as might be supposed.
The first difficulty is, from the students being domiciliated
in College—a difficulty not felt with us, as none of our
students live within the walls of our Universities.—(Cheers.)
But being domiciliated in England, there is a necessity that
they should be supplied with religious instruction, and con-
sequently the attendance on divine service forms a part of
their regulations, and also religious instruction according
to the doctrines of the Church of England, is communi-
cated to those educated in these great seminaries. I feel
convinced that those whom I am now addressing do not
advocate the separation of religious from intellectual educa-
tion. I am sure I am not addressing men who are desirous
of engrafting on the young mind all those shoots of temporal
knowledge which would make them great and wise in this

I would not pledge myself to any particular measure,
for highly as I value the honour of representing you:
in Parliament, I value my independence still higher.—
(Loud cheers.) And as to pledging myself to Mr. Wood's
811, the thing was never heard of.—(Cheers.) I have
always been the sincere and warm friend, and frequently
the advocate of toleration ; but though the friend of
toleration, it does not follow that I am to accompany
Lord John Russell in all his flirtation with the Eng-
lish Dissenters, any more than that, because I voted
for the Catholic Relief Bill, I am to become one of
O'Connell's tail, or a partner in the intrigues which
Lord Althorp and Mr. Littleton carried on with that dan-
gerous agitator.—(Loud cheers.) But this I will say, that
though not pledged, I will never act a subservient part.—
(Loud cheers.) Sir George next entered into an explana-
tion of his political creed, and the general principles which
he entertained on the constitution, and in particular the
hereditary peerage, which, being aloof from popular excite-
ment, was necessary to control that power, which, in its pe-
riodical fevers, would be apt to overthrow all the institu-
tions of the country. In support of his views, Sir George
cited the histories of ancient Athens and modern Florence,
both of which merged from a democracy into a despotism—
the inevitable result when the powers of the Constitution
are not duly balanced. It had become the fashion (conti-
nued Sir George) to decry the connection of Church and
State, and to tell us that there should be no established
ministers or endowed churches. In Holy Writ, we read
that the Jews often suffered chastisement, because they
disobeyed the commands of their inspired Magistrates : and
shall we escape punishment if we abandon that which has
been given us by God himself ?—(Loud cheers.) With re-
spect to the present Government, I entertain for its head
the most perfect respect, I have always cherished the most
friendly feelings towards him. I believe Lord Melbourne to
be sincerely desirous for the public good; but when I
speak of the Administration, I divest myself of all
private considerations, and am obliged to say, I do not feel
that degree of confidence in the Government which I would
desire to entertain towards his Majesty's Ministers—(Loud
cheers)—and that because they have adopted and acted upon
that dangerous principle—a principle dangerous to all Go-
vernments, namely the principle of agitation.—(Long and
continued cheers.) Gentlemen, we all know that every
Government should have regard to the spirit of the age ;
but when men offer themselves to the country, they should
show that they have the capacity to guide the spirit of the
age to the interests of the State. What would be thought'
of a pilot, if having embarked, when told to steer for his des-
tination, he should throw aside the helm, and leave the ship
to the mercy of the winds and the waves—(Cheers)—or if
going by a public conveyance, the driver were to cast down
the reins, and leave the vehicle to go wherever the horses
chose? And so of these statesmen, whose only guide is
the spirit of age. But, gentlemen, what is, or where is the
spirit of the age ? Was it with Mr. Stanley when he left
the Administration, or did it remain with Earl Grey ? Was

it with Lord Althorp, when he deserted his colleagues, or
did it return with him to the Government ? Was the spirit
of the age in the company of Lord Brougham at Inverness,
or did it not leave him at Aberdeen ? Is the spirit of the
age travelling with Earl Durham from Camperdown House-
to Dundee, or was it with Bailie Christie at that famous
meeting ?—(Loud laughter, and long and continued cheers.)
When grave statesmen tell us they are swayed by a great
principle, they should tell us where it is to be found.
(Cheers.) Another reason why I have no confidence in
this Administration is, because I see its first men, those

holding the gravest and most responsible situations in the
country, moving about in the character of itinerant agita-
tors—(Cheers)—who are in the habit of professing them-
selves to be the kind and respectful servants of their Royal
master, and coming into a promiscuous assemblage, to give
an account of their stewardship. These servants seem to
forget their master—these statesmen to forget their place ;
they appear to have no real attachment to their master, but
seem as if seeking by these arts to raise up a power superior
to that which they serve. (Loud cheers.) It is right that
Members of Parliament should meet their constituents—
but the Ministers of the King are not so circumstanced.
Who are the supporters of the present Administration ?
They are men of upright intenions, but of dangerous opi-
nions ; and if there be any one who is in the habit of prac-
tising the dangerous art of deluding the people—any patron
of sedition in our colonies—any open or insidious foe of the
Constitution—if there be any man that sighs for title or
for emolument—if there be any man who would break to
pieces the frame-work of society, that he might take up a.
better position than under the present state of things, those
are the men who support the present government ; these
are the men who applaud when a blow is aimed at any of
our institutions—(cheers)—and yet these are the men
whom the Ministers court, and at the same time dread.
Now, I will ask, would the constituency of the county of
Perth wish their representative to attach himself to these
men ?—(cries of " No, no," from all parts of the room)—
men who seek to raise up a foreign flag, the emblem of tur-
bulence and blood, rather than rally round the British en-
sign, which never failed to create respect in peace, and
terror in war--(cheers.) Gentlemen, I have torn aside
the veil, if there were any veil, from my motives, and you
are to judge whether you have done, right in sending me to
parliament—(Loud and long repeated acclamations).
A great many other toasts were proposed and drunk, and
the meeting separated, expressing the greatest satisfaction
with all the proceedings.

Commercial credit and confidence have sustained a
further shock during the last week in the successive failure of
several houses of note in London and elsewhere. One Lon-
don house in the woollen trade has stopped under liabilities
variously reported at from 60,0001. to 90,0001., in which
Leeds and the neighbouring manufacturing places are some-
what deeply interested. The effect of such a state of things
upon our markets, as may be readily conceived, is very de-
pressing. The demand for goods has received a sudden
shock. The holders of heavy stocks have but a dreary winter
prospect before them, and the contrast between the general
activity of this time last year, when the fever of speculation
was at its height, and the languid debility of the present mo-
ment, when the natural consequences of such over-excitement
are becoming fully developed, forces itself upon the attention
of every commercial man.—Leeds Intelligencer.
THE BIRD OF PARADISE.—This elegant creature
has a light, playful, and graceful manner, with an arch and
impudent look ; dances about when a visitor approaches the
cage, and seems delighted at being made an object of admira-
tion : its notes are very peculiar, resembling the cawing of the
raven, but its tones are by far more varied. During four
months of the year, from May to August, it moults. It washes
itself regularly twice daily, and after having performed its ab-
lutions, throws its delicate feathers up nearly over the head,
the quills of which feathers have a peculiar structure, so as to
enable the bird to effect its object. Its food, during confine-
ment, is boiled rice, mixed up with soft egg, together with
plantains, and living insects of the grasshopper tribe ; these
insects, when thrown to him, the bird contrives to ,catch in its
beak with great celerity ; it will eat insects in a living state,
but will not touch them when dead. I observed the bird, pre-
vious to eating a grasshopper, given him in an entire or unmu-
tilated state, place the insect upon the perch, keeti it firmly
fixed with the claws, and, divesting it of the legs, wings, &c.,
devour it with the head always placed first. The servant who
attends upon him to clean the cage, give him food, &c. strips
off the legs, wings, &G., of the insects wheis alive, giving them
to the bird as fast as he can devour them. It rarely alights
upon the ground, and so proud is the creature of its elegant
dress, that it never permits a soil to remain upon it, and it may
frequently be seen spreading out its wings and feathers, and
regarding its splendid self in every direction, to observe whe-
ther the whole of its plumage is in an unsullied condition.—
Bennett's Wanderings.

REGISTRATION OF THE ELECTORS OF THE

COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX.

Messrs. COVENTRY and KEEN, the revising barristers for
the county of Middlesex, yesterday held an adjourned court
at Willis's Coffee-house, Serle-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields,
for the purpose of finally closing the registration of voters
for the ensuing year. The adjournment had been rendered
necessary in consequence of the neglect of the overseers of
some of the city parishes, who had either failed in making
out any lists at all, or having prepared lists, had omitted to
return them through the high constable to the clerk of the
peace. Such was the case with several of the under-men-
tioned parishes—the Old Artillery-ground ; St. Benett
Fink, St. Olave Jewry, the Precinct of the Savoy, and St.
Bartholomew, Exchange.
With respect to the two last-mentioned parishes, an offi-
cer from the clerk of the peace's office attended the Court
with the information that they respectively contained no
property conferring upon the owner the county franchise.
The lists of the other parishes were then revised and passed,
with the exception of that of St. Benett Fink. In the re-
gister of last year the overseers returned the name of one
voter, the rector of the parish, and were this year applied
to by direction of the Court, to return their lists for this
year's registration.
The Court was this morning informed by a communica-
tion from the overseers, that the party entitled to the fran-
chise as rector last year had since died, and that the present
rector had only been in the enjoyment of it for the last
three months, and had given no notice of claim to be placed
upon the register. They had consequently no list to make
out or return.
Tho only remaining parish from which no list had been
returned was the parish of
ALLHALLOWS, LOMBARD-STREET.
In this case the conduct of the parochial authorities drew
clown upon them the well-merited censure and animadver-.
sions of both the Learned Gentlemen to whom the revision
of this county hai been intrusted. The circumstances were
these :—Early in the registration for the present year, it
was discovered that the overseer had omitted to make any
return, though the register contained the following names
and descriptions of three electors :—James Carter, Petton,
Bedfordshire ; George Knight, Harwell Vicarage, Abing
don, Berkshire ; and Richard Fountayne Wilson, Melton,
near Doncaster. To cure this omission the Revising Bar-
risters caused letters to be forwarded to the overseers di-
recting their attention to their neglect and to its conse-
quences, and, calling upon them forthwith to return their
lists throne; the proper channel. The registration pro-
ceeded, but without any return reaching the Court from
this parish, and applications were renewed to the authorities
both by the Barristers and by the Clerk of the Peace. At
length a letter, unaddressed to any individual, but dated the
10th of October instant, couched in the following terms,
was left at the Clerk of the Peace's office, and this morning
was submitted to the Court :
" Gentlemen,—We have not had any voter in our parish
claim pursuant to the requisitions of the Reform Act Ist and
2d William IV. c. 45, s. 42, which is the cause of your not
having received any list." ( signed by the Overseers.)
Mr. COVENTRY, after a long conference with his learned
colleague, said that as the Court was one of equity, as well
as law, he felt strongly inclined to insert the names of the
three gentlemen in question, who would otherwise be dis-
franchised, upon the register for this year. But he felt a
difficulty how, with the limited provisions of the 50th section
of the Act, he could possibly do so ; the terms of that section
were explicitly confined to mistakes contained in, or omissions
from, the four columns of the list. He took it that the word
" entitled" in the 43d section must mean that the party was
qualified on the last day of July in each year. In this case,
however, there was no list returned, and he was of opinion
something like satisfactory proof should be given to the
Court, either by the overseers, or the tenants in posses-
sion, or by the owners themselves, that these three gentle-
men, whose names were omitted, retained still the same
qualification. After the numerous letters and communica-
tions which had been transmitted to the overseers, and as
every latitude and warning had been given to them, he did
not think the Court would be justified in incurring the
delay and expense which would be attendant upon another
adjournment. Under such circumstances, the names of
these parties must be omitted, and the overseers must be
left exposed to the penal liability fixed by the 76th section
of the Act, which by their owu gross neglect they had
incurred.

Mr. KEEN said, the 43d section enacted, " That if it
shall happen that any person shall give to the overseers of
the parish due notice of his claim to have his name inserted
in the list of voters at the election of knights of the shire
for any county, &c., and shall have been omitted from any
such list by the overseers, it shall be lawful for the barrister
upon revision of such list to insert the name of the person or
persons so omitted, in case it shall be proved to the satisfaction
of such barrister that such person shall have given due notice
of claim to the overseers, and that he was entitled on the last
day of July then next preceding to be inserted on the list of
voters," &c. This clause no doubt applied strictly to the
case of new claimants ; but there was nothing to prevent
its applioation, upon an equitable construction, to the case
of voters already upon the register, whose names had been
accidentally omitted by the overseers, if it should be found
to the satisfaction of the barrister that the notice of claim
had been given, and that the person whose name was
omitted was entitled to be inserted in the list of voters on
the preceding last day of July. Now, he conceived the
original notice of claim in the present cases was sufficient
proof as to the first point, for the 37th section expressly
provided " that no person whose name shall be upon the
register for the time being shall be required thereafter to
make any claim, so long as he shall retain the same qualifi-
cation, and continue in the same place of abode." As to the
second point, he was of opinion that a county voter on the
register of the last year was entitled to be inserted in the
list of voters made out on the 31st day of July, subject to
the right of the overseers to object in the required form—
namely, by writing the words " objected to" against his
name, and he (Mr. Keen) had frequently, in the course of
the circuit, inserted the names of voters registered last year
upon the oath of the overseers, that their names had been ac-
cidentally omitted, that they continued in the same place of
abode, and that, to the best of their knowledge, the party
retained the same qualification. He conceived further, that
upon satisfactory proof that the overseer (the only person who
could, previously to the 31st of July in each year object to a
registered voter) had no ground of objection, such voter was
entitled to be inserted in the list of voters on that day, and
therefore the revising barrister had the power of inserting the
name of such party under the 43d section, supposing that sec-
tion to be applicable to the case of registered voters as well
as new claimants. He felt bound, however, to say that there
was some difference of opinion upon that point between his
learned colleague and himself ; his learned colleague agree-
ing as to the sufficiency of the original notice of claim, but
holding that further proof was necessary, besides the testi-
mony of the overseers, that the voter whose name might
have been omitted retained his qualification. Upon either
construction of the clause, third parties would be precluded
from their right of objection after the publication of the
lists ; but that was a necessary consequence of the powers
given by the 43d section, and no practical inconvenience
resulted from it ; for it was remarkable that, in their pro-
gress through the whole county, not a single instance had
occurred of an objection being taken by a third party, all
the objections having been made by persons constituted by
the Act the official objectors—he meant the overseers. In
the case of this parish, however, there was no list with
which the Court could deal, and consequently his learned
colleague and himself were deprived of the opportunity of
resorting to a remedial application of the 43d section of the
statute.

The other lists were then made up and delivered to the
officer of the clerk of the peace who was in attendance, and
the Court dissolved.

REGISTRATION of the BOROUGH of LAMBETH

The revising barristers, Alessrs. V. KNo x and C. B.
LENNARD, held a Court yesterday at the Horns Tavern,
Kennington, for the purpose of going through the lists of
the several parishes in this borough.
Having opened their commissions the barristers, as usual,
sat in separate rooms.
The parish of Camberwell was the first called on. The
list contained 1,600 names. There were not more than a
dozen new claims, and about the same number of objections.
The list was an accurate copy of the revised list of last
year, by which the revising barrister was saved much trouble
(an example which it were to be wished other parishes
would follow).

The first claimant who appeared was the Rev. E. Steane,
who stated that he had resided in the parish 11 or 12
years. The objection to him was, that he had not paid the
assessed taxes on or before the 20th of July. He explained
this by stating that it was wholly by the neglect of the col-
lecter, who had not called for them in due time. When-
ever any rates or taxes were called for at his house they
were paid with punctuality. The collector this year did
not call until the very last day allowed by law, and it un-
fortunately happened Mr. Steane and his family had spent
that day from home. It was, he added, a hard thing to be
disfranchised by the fault of the collector.
Mr. LENNARD said that it might be hard in many such
cases as the present, but the act was specific, and required
as an indispensable condition of the vote, that all taxes due
on the 6th of April should be paid by the 20th of July at
latest. He must refuse the claim.
There were several similar claimants in the course of the
day, whose claims to have their names placed on the list
were refused on the same ground, but who complained in
strong terms that the collectors had not called on them in
times as they seemed to think they were bound to do.

RIGHT OF COMPOUNDING LANDLORDS TO VOTE.

The next case occupied the time of the barrister for a
considerable portion of the sitting. It may be stated thus :

—A person named Saunders claimed to have his name in-
serted on the list, on the ground that he was the occupier
of one of four houses for the poor-rates of which he had
compounded with the parish under a legal act.
Mr. Gilman (the vestry-clerk we believe) stated that the
objection on the part of the parish was, that Saunders hav-
ing compounded with the parish for a fixed sum for all the
houses, which sum was less than lie would have been as-
sessed to in the ordinary course, had he not made such
composition, did not make such a payment as was contem-
plated under tho Reform Act, when it made an assessment
to the poor-rates an essential qualification for a voter.
Mr. LENNARD observed that the parties who owed
King's taxes were bound to pay them by a certain day, and
if they did not pay them, or make a tender of payment on
that day, they lost their right to vote.
On the part of Saunders it was contended by himself and
others, that the composition with the parish did not change
the nature of his right,—that the house he resided in was
worth more than 101. a-year,—that he had paid all the poor-
rates that were due of him before the 6th of April, and that
therefore as far as poor-rates went (for there was no ques-
tion as to the assessed taxes) he had complied with the
conditions of the Act.
Mr. Krrox (who came in from the other Court) and Mr.
LENNARD were strongly of opinion that the man had a
right to vote.
Mr. Gilman said that some Revising Barristers had
given a different decision on a similar question ; there were
150 cases in the parish in which they had omitted names
from the lists as being of parties who had compounded for
their rates ; and that the same practice prevailed in the
neighbouring parishes of Newington and Lambeth. (This,
it afterwards appeared, was a mistake, as those parishes do
not object to insert the names of landlords who compound,
provided they occupy one of the houses, and that it was of
the value of 109
Mr. KNOX said that the only cause why they for a mo.
ment felt any doubt on the case arose from the fact that a
contrary opinion had been held by other barristers. The
Act said, in the 26th section, that (amongst other things)
no person shall be placed on the list " unless such person
shall have paid, on or before the 20th day of July in such
year, all the poor-rates and assessed taxes which shall have
become payable from him in respect of such premises pre-
viously to the 6th day of April then next preceding."
Mr. LENNARD remarked, that it was in evidence from

the parish books then before him, and they were conclu-
sive as to the fact, that the claimant had paid all the poor-
rates which had become payable from him. Was not this
complying with the conditions required by the Act in this
respect ?
Mr. Gilman said that, though the claimant had paid at a
rate of assessment of 201. for the four houses, he had not
paid on any one as much as would be assessed upon him
as occupant of a house of 10/. a-year. He consequently
was not assessed for his residence as much as he ought to
be to qualify him to vote. _ _ _

Mr. Saunders said the house he lived in was the best of
the four, and worth more than 101. a year, and that no
claim was made out of the remaining three. He paid more
poor-rates than would cover the highest assessment that
could fairly be made on him for the house he lived in.
Mr. LENNARD and Mr. KNox wished to see the local

Act under which this composition was made ; and white it
was sent for, Mr. LENNARD proceeded with other cases in
the list.

On the Act being brought, it was found to contain no-
thing which at all re on the point at issue. It only proved
the authority under which such compositions were made.
Mr. LENNARD said that the question was simply this—
how far the composition made under this local Act was an
assessment within the meaning of the Reform Act. In his
opinion, it was an assessment quite sufficient to qualify the
claimant. The overseers could make no higher demand ;
he had satisfied every claim they had made, and in sufficient
time ; and sitting there as Revising Barrister, the most
satisfactory evidence was adduced before him, namely, the
parish rate-books, to prove that the portion of the rate for
the relief of the poor to which he was liable had been paid.

Mr. Gilman contended that this was a case within the
meaning of the 32d section, by which any owner or occu-
pier of a house not rated high enough to give a vote might
claim to be so rated, and that having omitted to do so, it
was now too late to correct the omission.
Mr. LENNARD remarked that that brought them back to
the old question—whether the composition with the parish
was not a rating within the meaning of the Reform Act.
He asked had the parish any demand on Mr. Saunders
now ?
Mr. Gilman said, No.

Mr. LENNARD—Then I am of opinion that he has
made all the payments to the poor-rates which the act
requires.

Mr. LENNARD then retired, and having consulted fora
few moments with Mr. Knox, came back and declared
that his learned colleague and himself we A, fully agreed
that the claimant had a good right to vo,te, and that his
name ought to be placed on the list, and it was so placed
accordingly.
Mr. Gilman bowed of course to the learned gentlemen's
decision. He added, that the question was not raised from
any party feeling, or any ill feeling whatever to the indivi-
dual. The parish officers had taken that view of the case
which to them seemed right, and they brought it forward
for the opinion of the revising barristers.

RIGHT OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY TO VOTE.
The name of the Archbishop of Canterbury appearing on
the list with the qualification of " house and land,"
Mr. KNOX observed, that undoubtedly the Act re-
quired that a list should be made out by the overseers of
the name of every person in the parish occupying a house
to the value of 101. a-year ; but in the present instance
any person whose name was on the list might make
an objection to the name of the Archbishop being
continued on it, as he, in virtue of his high office,
was entitled to sit in the House of Peers. As no
such objection had been made by any party, the over-
seers might if they pleased have omitted the name, leav-
ing it to the Archbishop to make his claim and prove
his right, if he so thought fit. The question in the latter
case would have to be decided by the revising barristers.
The name however now appeared, and without any objec-
tion, and under such circumstances the question was, had
the barristers any power to strike it out ? Prima facie
the qualification stated was a good one, but the cases in
which revising barristers expunged names were where ob-
jections had been made, or where the names of parties had
not been fully stated, or where there was not a sufficient
description of the qualification. Nothing of the kind oc-
curred here. The barristers were not called upon to decide
whether the Archbishop of Canterbury bad lost his right
to vote at elections by his seat in the House of Peers.
The House of Commons annually passed resolutions against
any interference in elections of any of their body by
peers, but the Archbishop was not a peer. As a bishop, he
was a lord of parliament, but not a peer. The resolution of
the House of Commons to which he had alluded said,
" that no Peer of this realm," meaning of course the United
Kingdom, " excepting such Peers of Ireland as shall for
the time being be actually elected, and shall not have de-
clined to serve for any county, city, or borough of Great
Britain, hath any right to give his vote in the election of
any Member to serve in Parliament." It appeared to him
that the Archbishop of Canterbury did not come within
the terms of this resolution, as he was not a Peer of the
United Kingdom ; and under these circumstances, if the
case had come before him, he did not think he should be
warranted in expunging it from the list, or bound to de-
cide whether the Archbishop possessed the right to vote or
not. If the case should ever come before the House of
Commons, it would be for that body to decide whether a
vote of the Archbishop was a breach of their privileges.
In the case of the Marquis of Tavistock, who had voted
at the Bedford election, not knowing at the time that he
had been created a Peer, a Committee of the House of
Commons decided that the vote was a good one, and would
not strike it off.

Having gone through the remainder of the List, the
Learned Gentleman expressed his great satisfaction at the
accuracy with which the lists had been made out, and at
the great readiness of all the officers who attended on be-
half of the parish to give all the information in their power.
—Adjourned.

The rumour of the charming Sontag's return to the
stage is wholly groundless. So little is the Count de Rossi
likely to sanction such a measure, that he is observed to be-
tray reluctance whenever his lady is persuaded to sing in a pri-
vate room; and the Countess, at all times disposed to gratify
her friends on this score, is often prevented by the evident un-
easiness of Monsieur de Rossi.

MARKET FOR WIVES IN HUNGARY.—Formerly
the Russian colonists who inhabited that part of Hungary
called Zemplin made three pilgrimages in the course of each
year to the monastery of Krasznibrod. The men took their
places at one side, while on the other were ranged the young
women and the widows. The former had their hair flowing
loose and crowned with leaves, the others wearing bands on
their foreheads. Then each Russian who wished to marry
was at liberty to choose either. a girl or a widow, and, without
even so much as consulting her, to take her before one of the
monks, who on the instant was obliged to pronounce the nup-
tial vow between them. The poor women of this country
were too long subject to resignation on this point to mal e the
slightest opposition to this species of wedlock. When more
than one lover presented themselves they fought for the envied
woman, who watched the issue of the combat to give herself
up as the victor's prize, and follow him to his dwelling. If
after a while he got tired of his wife, he took her at the next
pilgrimage to Krasznibrod, and gave her a fair chance of get-
ting another husband. It was not until 1720 that this bar-
barous custom was extinguished by a severe edict.

NO BAD IDEA.---The Eastern nations believe that
there is not a happier state of existence than that of living
eternally in a delicious garden, surrounded by beautiful women,
and reposing on flowers.