The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-05 00:00:00

The Working Men's College.

The Christmas conversazione of the Working
Men's College was held last evening in the rooms of
the institution, Great Ormond-street. This college
was founded in the year 1854. The great majority
of the students are working men, and the teachers
are, as a rule, either members of the universities,
and of different liberal professions, or men who have I
themselves been students in the college. The pur-
pose of the institution is to unite these classes
together by associating them in the common work
of teaching and learning. It provides instruction
at the smallest possible cost (by means of unpaid
teachers) in the subjects with which it is most
desirable that Englishmen should be acquainted, and
thus endeavours to place a liberal education
within the reach of working men. Nor has the
attempt been hitherto unattended by success. Since
the close of the first term the number of students
has increased from 145 to 509. This increase of
numbers has rendered necessary a corresponding
increase of accommodation ; and at the present
moment the operations of the institution are greatly
cramped for want of larger and more suitable build-
ings. In the year 1857 the hired house in which
the college was first established was found too
small, and the large freehold house now occupied
was purchased,with its garden, for £1,500, of which
£l,ouo was raised by loan, and £5OO was gene-
rously presented by the principal, the Rev. F. D.
Maurice. The debt which was so created has since,
by savings from the current income and unsoli-
cited donations, been reduced to £4OO. Now that
serious hindrance is again experienced from the
want of space, the committee have determined to
erect upon the ground behind the existing house
a suitable building, containing a room or rooms
for the art department, to - supersede the
rooms now occupied by the drawing classes,
which are entirely unfit for' the special purposes of
an art school ; a moderate sized hall for general
meetings, lectures, and social gatherings ; a room
or rooms for the adult school, which has been found
to be a valuable accessory to the college; a room
for a museum, which should also serve as a natural
history class room ; and a few small rooms for
classes and general purposes. The site being
already secured, the committee have been advised
that such a building as this can be erected in a
plain but good style for between £3,000 and £3,500 ;
and to raise that amount they have determined to
appeal for the first time in the history of the under-
taking to the general public. About £l,OOO has
already been raised, his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales contributing 25 guineas, and Professor
Maurice, the principal, £lOO ; but about £2,500
more will be needed to complete the work.
Although the weather last evening was by no
means favourable to such a gathering, there was a
good muster of students and their friends of both
sexes, and many of the gentlemen engaged in the
work of teaching were present during the whole or
part of the proceedings. Almost all the rooms of the
college were devoted to the reception and entertain-
ment of the guests. Tea was served in the library ;
the rooms usually occupied by the drawing classes
were hung with a collection of sketches executed by
students in the art school ; and the principal class
rooms were devoted to the general entertainments of
the evening. These rooms, which in old times were
the drawing or receiving rooms of the mansion, had
been tastefully and effectively decorated for the
occasion by two of the students. In this work a
liberal use had of course been made of the ever-
greens, without which at this time of year no cham-
ber decoration is complete ; but in addition to this
the walls were hung round with coloured shields,
bearing the names of celebrated poets, historians,
artists, philosophers, &c., the thinkers and workers
of all times and of all countries. The drawings
which were exhibited in the upper rooms included
pencil, chalk, and water colour sketches, as well as
some finished pictures (in water colours), which
showed great merit, and bore marks of being the
result of really earnest and painstaking
Among the coloured sketches were a small series
executed by two young men while on an excursion
in North Devon. All these were very good, and
particular attention was attracted by a humorous
drawing, which represented the arrival of the
tourists at Lynton in a heavy shower, or rather
a storm of wind and rain. After tea the
guests mustered in the principal class rooms, where
the members of the vocal music class enter-
tained them with a selection of glees and part
songs, and some short readings were given by
students of the college. In the intervals between
these performances the visitors amused themselves
by inspecting the wonders of insect life throueh
microscopes, or turning over the prints or photo-
graphs with which two or three small tables were
covered. Upon one of the walls were hung photo-
graphic copies of Dore's illustrations to " Elaine,"
executed by Mr. Jeffrey, one of the drawing
these did not fail to attract a large
masters, and
amount of notice and admiration. Professor
Maurice, the Principal of the college, arrived early
in the evening, accompanied by Professor Brewer
and other friends, and remained some time. He
was very cordially received by the assembled guests,
and appeared to enter heartily into the amuse-
ments of the evening. The next term of the college
commences on the 7th inst.

An extraordinary murder in the streets of Paris
took place the evening before last. A working
saddler was passing in the Rue Levis at Batignolles,
when an individual suddenly rushed forward and
stabbed him twice in the region of the heart and
then disappeared before the persons who had wit-
nessed the act had recovered from their surprise.
The wounded man was conveyed to an apothecary's
shop, where he expired without having recovered
consciousness. The crime was no doubt an act of
personal vengeance.
"Several journals," says the Patrie, "have stated,
with reference to the ravages of the yellow fever in
Saint-Thomas's Island, that fears were entertained
respecting the French settlements in the West In-
dies. But such is not the fact. We have received
private letters from Martinique, dated the 16th
December, showing that all necessary sanitary
measures had been taken, and that the island was
entirely free from the plague. From Guadeloupe we
have intelligence to the same effect."

New and beautiful constructions seem to rise up,
daily in the Champ de Mars. Between other monu-
mqnts of art the workmen have now commenced
building the foundations Of a magnificent kiosque
ou account of the Turkish Government, and also a
splendid mosque° and a Turkish bath, of course
upcn a small scale. In the interior of the building
the workmen are engaged in finishing a rich and
splendid gallery of a style of architecture and de-
coration after the best model of the Turkish
Empire. The new ambassador from the Porte,
Mehemet Djemil Pacha, immediately on his
arrival in Paris, gave orders for the exe-
cution of these works, and, in spite of the short
time to elapse before the Ist of April, theie is no
doubt they will be completed by that period. The
direction of them is confided to an artist equally
artistic and skilful, M. Leon Parville, assistant to
M. Barborini, architect, who remains for the present
at Constantinople. The Swedish vessel, Hamburger-
Daquet, from Gothenbourg, has arrived at Havre,
with no less than 585 packets, containing novel
articles for the Great Exhibition.
THE CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY.—The Exe-
cutive Committee have nominated C. J. Selwyn, Esq.,
Q.C., Standing Counsel, in place of Vice-Chancellor
Malins, who had filled that position since the formation
of the Society in 1852.
LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOR THE
ENSUING WEEK. - Monday—Asiatic, at 3 : " Vedas of the
Hindus, and Vedas of the German School,'" Professor
Goldstucker. Entomological, at 7. Tuesday—Royal In-
stitution, at 3: "Chemistry of Gases" (adapted to a
Juvenile Auditory), Professor Frankland. Engineers, at 8 :
" Intercommunication in Trains in Motion," Mr. Preece.
Ethnological, at 8 : " Wild Tribes, Central India," Lieute-
nant-Colonel Dalton and Dr. Mouatt; " Cultivated Plants
and Ethnology," Mr. Crawfurd. Wednesday—Geological,
at 8: "Age of Lower Brick Earths, Thames Valley," Mr.
Boyd Dawkins ; " Consolidated Blocks, Drift of Suffolk,"
Mr. Maw; "Jurassic Fauna and Flora, South Africa,"
Mr. Tate. Microscopical, at 8. Thursday-- Syro-Egyp-
tian, at 71. Royal, at 81. Zoological, at 81- : " Birds of
Veragna," Mr. Salvin ; " Ilyalonema Mirablo, Gray," Dr.
Bowerbank ; "Lepidopterous Insects of Bengal," Mr.
Moore. Antiquaries, at 81,--ilthtianim.

Professor Blackie and Mr. Ernest Jones.

On Thursday night Mr. J. S. Blackie, Professor
of Greek in the University of Edinburgh, delivered
to the Edinburgh Working Men's Institute a lecture
on Democracy. At the recent annual soiree of the
Institute Professor Blackie was one of the speakers,
and, happening to express his readiness to meet any
champion of democracy, was taken at his word by
Mr. Ernest Jones, of Manchester. The learned
professor declined to enter into any debate, but
offered to deliver a lecture to which Mr. Jones
should reply. The lecture against democracy was
accordingly delivered last night to an overflowing
audience in the Music Hall.

Professor BLACKIE began by remarking that man,
of all anima's, was the most difficult to govern, and
that the Government of man was of all arts the
most difficult. After a statement of the democra-
tic argument that all men are naturally free and
equal, and are • entitled to self-government
through representatives of their will, deciding by a
majority, the learned professor disputed the various
propositions in their naked or unqualified form, and
produced a great array of ancient as well as modern
authority against them. He then adduced the ex-
amples of democratic States, remarking that for 100
years of unfettered democracy, Athens had paid
with 2,000 years of political servitude; that in Rome,
though aristocracy had helped her ruin, democracy
had increased as she rushed to her degradation ;
that the Italian republic and Holland had been very
shortlived, and that in the Helvetic republic, which
owed her preservation to mountainous barriers and
restricted territory, Democratic Government was
most oppressive, " universal suffrage" having, ac-
cording to De Tocqueville," " stifled public opi-
nion." Turning to America, the professor had abun-
dant evidence to show of political corruption. There,
he said, the original sin of all democracy, the
assumed right of the majority to dictate to the
minority, had developed itself in the most gigantic
form. Having, as he remarked, brushed away
the paint from the face of the fair Trans-
atlantic harlot, Professor Blackie adverted to
the situation of our own country. He believed that,
the Whig Government had been borne along by a
current which they ought to have controlled, and
bad submitted to a dictation which they ought to
have scorned. He was opposed to the recent Re-
form Bills on the ground that they were purely de-
mocratic. He would not object to give the work-
ing classes additional representation, but he objected
to giving it on the principle of mere numbers. It
seemed to him like a madness to talk of a Reform
Bill at all so close on the back of the sweeping
measure of 1832. That measure was certainly
brought in as a final one, final at least in the direc-
tion of representing mere numbers. Any other
measure for the curtailment of aristocratic influence
was certainly not wanted, for the whole history of
this country showed that the power of the monarchic
and aristocratic element in the Constitution had
been step by step diminishing. What was now re-
quired was not au increase of democratic force, but
some regulative and counteractive principle. The
whole course of recent legislation had been popular,
and no class received more attention from Parlia-
ment than the working classes, who had been rising
' rapidly into social weight and significance, and
who were now in far more danger of being spoiled
by flattery than oppressed by tyranny. The House
of Commons was now as democratic as it could be
made with due regard to the just influence of the
middle and upper classes. Already signs were abroad
of the democratic habit, men of high character and
intelligence being rudely assailed became they had
spoken in the national councils with courage and
independence, while others were found afraid to
speak the truth, and supporting measures of which
they disapproved merely to tide over an emergency.
Professor Blackie concluded by saying that a bill
in the direction of American democracy would ine-
vitably lead to the overthrow of the British Consti-
tution before a House of Commons nominated by
trades unions and overawed by fervid demagogues.
The Constitution of this country would not last a
year. The House of Lords, that wonderful incar-
nation of all that is stable, graceful, and chivalrous
in society, would be voted an ineumbrance, the
Crown denounced as an expensive toy, and the
multitude and Mammon—the mechanical forces and
the material interests—would enter into the undis-
puted heirship of the British Constitution.

THE GOVAN MIIBDER.

APPREHENSION OF THE SUSPECTED

MURDERERS.

On Thursday morning two young men, each about
17 years of age, named respectively Duncan M'lnnes,
hammerman, and Alexander Miller, blacksmith,
were brought before Bailie Thompson, at the Govan
police-court, at the instance of Capt. X ouug, on a
charge of having murdered John Young, the ap-
prentice carpenter, on the evening of Saturday last,
and were remitted to the sheriff. The prisoners on
being apprehended on W eduesday evening—M‘ln nes
at seven o'clock and Miller about twelve—denied
all knowledge of the murder ; but after the charge
had been read over to them at the police court, and
they had been conveyed to the office, M'lnnes
seemed to feel acutely the position in which he was
placed, and admitted that he and Miller had met
John Young, the deceased, on Saturday evening.
The unfortunate carpenter who was so brutally
assaulted was conveyed to the house of Mr. John-
stone by two men who said they had observed him
staggering and falling in Main-street, and who
were believed to be innocent of having injured him.
It has now transpired that the men who carried
Young into Johnstone's house were the prisoners
M'lnnes and Miller. They had been in Glasgow on
Saturday evening, and returned to Govan shortly
before half-past 11 o'clock, after having enjoyed
themselves, as they say, in a very temperate
manner. They admit having met deceased at the
corner of Main-street, and the prisoner M'lnnes,
we understand, states that some " chaffing" took
place. Observing Young staggering they asked him
where he belonged to ; and in reply he said, " Cam-
lachie." This answer was thought offensive, and
after more taunting language had been exchanged
the deceased said he could fight them both. A
battle then ensued, in the course of which Whines
aimed blows at Young's face, while the blacksmith
was observed to make several thrusts at the poor
man's stomach. One of the witnesses who ob-
served the scuffle believed the men were having a
"lark," in consequence of not hearing any sounds
after Miller made the thrusts. Young ou being
stabbed exclaimed, " I'll give in—l am beaten." It
would appear that he then became faint, and
staggered across the. street, when another witness
saw the prisoners assisting deceased into a close.
Some neighbours in the tenement heard a noise in
the entry, and a man saying, " We'll just leave him
here ;" but, before they left him, a woman came
downstairs with a light, and she was told by the
prisoners that they had found the carpenter lying
in the close. Young was then carried to John-
stone's house, where he lay for about two hours,
and afterwards was conveyed to his lodgings, when
it was discovered that he had been stabbed. The
post-mortem examination showed that the knife had
gone through tho stomach in one place, and into
the kidneys in another, and that a third stab had
taken effect on the right thigh, inflicting a trifling
wound, and a fourth had penetrated at the side of
the thick top-coat and'body-coat of deceased with-
out injuring the skin.

Although a minute search was made by the
police, no weapon likely to have inflicted the
wounds could be discovered. Previous, however,
to the prisoners being removed to the city, M'lnues
told the police that the knife was concealed in a
field opposite Govan Free Church. Captain Young,
in company with one of his officers, proceeded to
the field, and after a laborious search the knife was
found, closed, sunk into the ground at the bottom
of a paling stob. On being opened in the sheriff's
chambers traces of blood were visible on the blade.
The knife was hidden in the park on Sunday morn-
ing by the prisoner Miller, to whom it belongs. He
stoutly denies having used it towards Young,
although M'lunes speaks to having seen his com-
rade making several thrusts at Young's belly.
It is almost needless to say that Captain Young
and his officers deserve great credit for the energy
and tact they have shown in the detection and
apprehoniop of tho accused.

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---

HER, MAJESTY, &c

OSBORNE, Jan. 4.

The Queen drove out in a sledge yesterday morn-
ing, accompanied by Princess Christian, and again
in the afternoon, with Princess Louise.
Her Majesty walked and drove this morning
with Princess Christian. The other members of
the royal family went out also.
The Right Hon. Gathorne Hardy left Osborne
yesterday for London.
Mr. Arthur Helps and Miss Helps arrived yester-
day.

The Hon. Flora Macdonald has succeeded the
Hon. Caroline Cavendish as Maid of Honour.

The Royal Visit to iTolkham.

Jan. 4.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh, with the
nobility and gentry at present on a visit to Holkham
Hall, appear to be thoroughly enjoying the amuse-
ments afforded them. Shooting parties were out in
Hilbeck Wood yesterday and found excellent sport.
The usual gaieties and amusements were provided
in the evening at the hall. This morning, though
snow lies some three or four inches deep on the
ground, and the frost is very keen, the sun shines
brightly, and out-of-door physical exertion affords
thorough enjoyment to those who are able to in-
dulge in it. The royal and distinguished guests of
Lord and Lady Leicester have this morning been •
amusing themselves in a variety of ways. To the
Duke of Edinburgh and some others the New
Marshes have afforded the amusement of snipe
shooting, whilst another party have found some
excellent skating on the extensive lake. This lake,
which lies between the hail and the church, is of
considerable extent, and the park slopes down to
its brink, whilst in the centre are numerous islands
of great beauty. Several years have elapsed since
the frost was severe enough to afford such excellent
skating as was found to-day.
Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales and
and the ladies of the party have been out-sledge-
riding this morning.

Towards noon the bulk of the royal and noble
sportsmen assembled in the North Wood for cover
shooting and found an abundance of sport.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

A circular memorandum has just been issued from
the Horse Guards, by order of his Royal Highness
the Field-Marshal Commanding in Chief, by which
the provisions of circular No. 106, dated Feb. 15,
1861, and circular No. 186, of Feb. 28, 1862, for
the recalling from the half-pay all officers able to
serve on full pay, and for those on the half-pay
who were not fit for service to retire from the ser-
vice, if they so wished, by the sale of their commis-
sions, are, with the concurrence of the Secretary of
State for War, suspended until further notice.
The following general order relative to the em-
ployment of military clerks at the War-office, in
accordance with the recent recommendation of the
Commissioners to that effect, has been issued from
the Horse Guards, and promulgated for general in-
formation

The Secretary of State for War having represented that
certain vacancies have occurred iu the department of the
Chief Auditor of the War-office, and that he deems it ad-
visable that they should be filled up from men still serving
in the army, but who are about to take their discharge, his
Royal Highness the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief
desires that it may be made generally known to soldiers
that employment on the conditions stated in the annexed
circular is now open to competent men, as a reward for
long service and good conduct.

At present there are only four vacancies, so that appli-
cations can only be received from a limited number of re-
giments—viz., those serving in Great Britain.

Commanding officers of regiments and depot battalions
in Great Britain will be pleased to transmit to this depart-
ment applications from non-commissioned officers still
serving, but who will shortly complete their service for
pension. SpeCimens of the handwriting of the applicants
should also be sent, together with any testimonials or re-
commendations they may be in possession of, in order that
they may be forwarded for the consideration of Secretary
Lieut.-Gen. Peel.

The non-commissioned officers who may be selected will
receive a special pay of ss. a day while they continue to be
soldiers (this rate to include all regimental pay and allow-
ances), and on their discharge to pension they will receive
the pay of the second or third-class clerks mentioned in
the annexed memorandum, in addition to such pension as
maybe awarded to them for their military service.

Their employment will, in the first instance, be on pro-
bation, and they will be required to attend at the war-office
in uniform. Descriptive returns should accompany the
applications.
By command of his Royal Highness the Fiold-Marshal
Commanding-in-Chief.
WM. PAITLET, Adjutant-General.

The following arrangements are approved in re-
gard to the employment of military clerks in the
offices of the Accountant-General and Chief Audi-
tor :

The clerks to be superintended by a duly qualified half-
pay officer, who originally served in the ranks, one officer
for each separate department of the office, to whom should
be granted a special allowance of 7s. 6d. a day, in addition
to half-pay (when such half-pay can be issued in accord-
ance with regulations), and in lieu of all other allowances.
The clerks shall he selected from pensioners of the army,
and they shall be appointed subject to the following condi-
ticns:—They shall be of exemplary character; the educa-
tional qualifications shall be a good clear hand writing, a
knowledge of the ordinary rules of arithmetic, including
decimals and fractions, with quickness at figures; writing
from dictation and writing an original letter with ease and
correctness. The clerks shall, in the first instance, receive
3s. 6d. a day for seven days in the week, in addition to
their pension. They shall eventually be classed as
under, with the following rates of pay, the appoint-
ment to the higher classes to be determined by
the Accountant-General and Chief Auditor, or by
the head of the branch employing them, by selection, with
reference to attendance, application, and qualifications:
Three first-class, 6s. 6d. a day for the first five years in the
class ; 7s. a day after five years on the class ; 78. 6d. a day
after ten years' ditto. Three second-class, ss. to 6s. a day
as above. Three third-class, 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. ditto. All
appointments shall be probationary only, for the first three
months. Irregularity of conduct will subject the clerk to
immediate dismissal. The hours of attendance of the super-
intending officer and clerks will, as a rule, be from 9
5 p.m., but attendance beyond these hours will be da-
manded when required; half an hour will be allowed at
mid-day for refreshments. Twelve working days wfll be
allowed to the superintending officer and clerks each year
for holidays, in addition to Good Friday, Christmas-day,
the Queen's birthday, and other general holidays sane"
tioned. Fines will be imposed for late attendance. The
amount will be accumulated and distributed at the end of
the year to those clerks who have been most regular ie
their attendance. The clerks may be required to wear uni-
form, which will be supplied by the public free of charge•
Salaries will be issued on the last day of each month. The
superintending officer will take his instructions direct fro
the Accountant-General, or Chief Auditor, and he will this-
tribute the work allotted to him to the several clerks.
diary of attendance and of work performed by each cleric
will be kept, and inspected by the Accountant-General and
Chief Auditor every week. An orderly, a pensioner, will
be appointed to attend upon the superintending officer and
clerks as messenger. He will be allowed 2s. 6d. a day for
seven days in the week. Should it be considered advisable
to employ soldiers belonging to regiments as clerks, they
will be appointed subject to the condition laid down in the
War-office circular 321, and they will receive such addi-
tional rate of pay as the Secretary of State may determine.
EDWARD LrGARD.

The following promotions in the corps of Royal
Marines Light Infantry were announced at head-
quarters, Chatham, yesterday :•=Firsc-Lieut. and
Quarter►naster W. G-. lisle, of the Chatham Divi-
sion, to be Capt., and appointed to the Woolwich
Division, vice Captain J. C. Travers, who retires
on half-pay, that officer having been appointed par"
master of the Woolwich Division ; Second-Lieut•
11. A. Peake, of the Portsmouth Division, to be
First.. Lieut., and appointed to a division to be here-
after named.
An order was yesterday received at Chathael
garrison directing Lieut. 11. P. Lee, Royal Engl.'
neers, to be held in readiness to embark for China,
and Assist.-Surg. J. V. Seddall, M.D., to proceed
to the Bermudas with the detachment of Royal
Engineers under orders to embark for that station.
Ensign A.W.Mansey, 2il West India Regiment, has
received orders to embark for the Bahamas.