The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 4, 1865,

LAW INTELLIGENCE.-IIIIS DAY.

COURT OF DIVORCE.

(Before the Judge Ordinary and a Special Jury.)
DERING V DERING AND BLAKELEY-TIIE QUEEN'S

PROCTOR INTERVENING.

This petition, which was originally heard last
year, was presented by the husband, Mr.
Dering, a son of Sir Edward Dering, for dissolution
of marriage. The respondent previous to her mar-
riage with Mr. Dering was the wife of Lord Forth,
and the evidence that was offered on the occasion
was sufficient to lead to order a decree nisi. Cir-
cumstances, however, had led the Queen's Proctor
to intervene to prevent the decree being male final,
and it was now offered on the ground of connivance,
negligence, and undue exposure of the wife.
The Attorney and Solicitor-General appeared for
the Queen's Proctor, and Sergeant Parry and Mr.
MOntagu,Claaalbers for other parties interestel.
The first witness was Jane Thake, a lady's
maid, who had lived with Mr. and Mrs. Deriug at
their residence in Bolton-row. She said the visits
of Captain Blakeley were very frequent, and that
Mr. Dering was much away from home. She
recollected Mr. aid Mrs. Dering going a
trip up the Mediterranean in Captain Blake-
ley's yacht. She (witness) went with them.
Captain Blakeley's cabin was between those of Mr.
and Mrs. Dering, as they did not sleep together
during the voyage. She observed that Mrs.
Dering's cabin door was partially open during the
night.

The Judge—Possibly to get air.
Witness (continued)—Her (witness's) cabin was
near Mrs. Dering's, but she never saw Captain
Blakeley actually inside Mrs. Dering's cabin, but
the Captain and Mrs. Dering were always together
on board the yacht walking about. Mr. Dering
generally was with the sailors forward, whilst the
Captain and Mrs. Dering were together. On the
return of the yacht the parties all came to London.
By Mr. Montagu Chambers—She acted as lady's
maid to Mrs. Dering, who was a very young and
handsome woman. She had been told by Mrs.
Dering to watch for the coming of Capt. Blakeley.
There was nothing secret about his visits to
Bolton-row. She continued her duties as lady's
maid on board the yacht. She used to retire
to rest about two in the morning, but
witness used not to sit up for her. Mr. Dering
used to drink very much on board the yacht, and
was frequently the worse for drinking. When he
was so he used to walk about, and talk, and laugh.
When they lived in Bolton-row Mr. Dering used to
return home intoxicated. tars. Blakeley used to
visit at Bolton-row, but never after the quarrel,

By the Judge—There were two berths in the
lady's cabin, but nobody slept in the other berth.
By Sergeant Parry—Captain Blakeley used to
visit Bolton-row from Christmas until they went
on board the yacht. Mrs. Blakeley and the captain
had dined at Bolton-row twice. A number of
gentlemen used to dine at Bolton-row about twice
a week. She knew Mr. Bering and Capt. Blakeley
were members of the Army and Navy Club, and
also that Mr. Bering used to go card-playing at the
club in the afternoon, but she could not say that
Mr. Bering was always absent from home between
ten and twelve in the evening. She did net know
that Captain Blakeley used to come to the
house on the occasion of dinner parties after the
guests and Mr. Bering had gone out. She never
received any particular orders to admit Captain
Blakeley, but it was well known that he was a fre-
quent visitor at the house. Captain Blakeley and
Mrs. Bering were now abroad. She had fre-
quently beard Mrs. Bering tell her husband
that Captain Blakeley had called. She had also
heard her tell her of things Captain Blakeley had
informed her of over night.
Charles Smith, butler iu the service of Mr. Bering,
said at the time they went to live at. Bolton-row
Capt. Blakeley used to come there very frequently.
The Derings usually breakfasted between 11 and
12, and Capt. Blakeley used to come after that fre-
quently twice a day, and stayed and took tea
with Mrs. Bering. On one occasion he had seen
Mrs. Bering fastening up her hair when he went
in to remove the tea-things, and Captain
Blakeley was also somewhat embarrassed. Ile
(witness) had frequently picked up hair pins on the
floor. Mr. Bering used to be very much from
home, and as a rule Captain Blakeley and Mrs.
_Bering always seemed very familiar, ani they
talked more together than the other people who
came there.

By Sergeant Parry—He did not know that Mr.
Dering was usually absent from home at day time.
He always thought that Mr. Dering seemed very
fond of his wife.

Sanders, the butler who lived at Bolton-row
until the departure for a trip up the Mediterranean,
also spoke to the frequency of the ♦isits of Captain
Blakeley. He never came home whilst the Captain
was there, but when other visitors came he bad
received orders not to admit them. The Captain
used to come nearly every evening and re •
main until twelve o'clock at night. No
other visitors were admitted during these hours.
Mr. Dering used to ask, when he returned home,
whether Captain Dering had been there, and he
was always told he had been.
By the Judge—lie never made any remark about
it.

By Mr. Sergeant Parry—Mr. Dering always
treated his wife with kindness, but he should say
she had great influence over her husband. He
should say he must have been aware of the frequent
visits of Capt. Blakeley, but he felt sure he never sus-
pected the honour of Capt. Blakeley. He could see that
Mr. Dering was being deceived by the clandestine
manner in which Mrs. Deriug and Capt. Blakeley
met.

The case was proceeding when we went to press.

M. GUSTAVE DORE.—This distinguished French
artist, whose works have obtained a popularity beyond all
precedent, is at present in London, and yesterday paid a
visit to the studio of Mr. John Watkins in Parliament-
street, when several excellent photographs of the great
painter were taken which will shortly be published.
We learn with pleasure that the Duke of 'Wel-
lington has most kindly granttd the nse of the Waterloo
Gallery at Apsley House to the Working Men's Club and
Institute Union, for a reading by the Rev. J. M. Bellew on
the 18th of June next. Mr. Bellow has placed his services
at tha disposal of the council of the union on this occa-
sion to enable them to raise funds in aid of two of the
valuable institutions in London which it is the useful pur-
pose of that society to promote.

The North Eastern Correspondence publishes
soint-, curious information relative to the present
attitude of Russia in the North Schleswig ques-
tion. It says that in a recent interview with the
Danish envoy at St. Petersburg, Prince Gortcha-
koff warmly expressed the displeasure of his Go-
vernment at the conduct of Denmark in this
matter, which, he said, seemed to be prompted by
the tope of a French intervention in her favour.
Alluding to the journey of General Raasloff to
Paris, the Prince observed that, even if such a
step were regarded as having no political charac-
ter, it placed Denmark in a false position, and he
therefore wished to expose clearly to the Danish
Cabinet the policy of Russia in the question. The
Prince then recalled the traditional sympathies of
Russia for Denmark, which had only lately been
strengthened by two matrimonial alliances between
the reigning families of those countries, and
pointed out the advantages which had been
secured to Denmark by the treaty of Prague.
The Danish ambassador here objected that Prussia
did not seem disposed to carry out the treaty ; but
the Prince rejoined that the reason of this was
that Denmark had based upon the treaty exagge-
rated thmands which could not be accepted by the
Prussian Government. As for a French inter-
vention, this could under no circumstances be al-
lowed, as France had no right to interfere in an
affair which concerned only Austria, Prussia, and
Denmark. At the same time he was aware that,
notwithstanding all her pacific relations, France
continued to maintain an antagonistic attitude
towards Prussia, and Russia would therefore use
all her influence to prevent any new complications
arising from this question. She would even, if
necessary, give the most energetic assistance to
Prussia. The Prince concluded by urging on the
Danish ambassador the necessity of his Govern-
ment coming to an understanding with that of
Prussia, and offered to assist in facilitating an
arrangement between the two countries,

BRIGH7 AT LIVERPOOL.

Li VERPOOL, Wednesday.

Mr. Bright having accepted an invitation from
the Welsh National Reform Association to visit
Liverpool during the annual gathering which is
called at Whitsuntide in this town, was present this
evening at a crowded meeting in the Amphitheatre.
Mr. W. Williams, a member of the Liverpool Town
Council, occupied the chair, and the meeting was
composed chiefly of natives of the Principality, At
one time apprehensions were entertained of a seri-
ous disturbance, inasmuch as it was alleged that
some of the Orange Lodges had been issuing tickets
closely ref,embling the original, but very efficient
measures were promptly taken by the local autho-
rities, and. the proceedings passed off. with the ut-
most -tranquillity. Mr. bright, who was accom-
panied by his host, Mr. S. N. Ratlibone, and
.a
number of the leafing Liberali of Liverpool and
its neighoourhood, met with a most enthusiastic re-
ception.

The CIIAIRNIAN briefly opened the proceedings,
stating that he regarded the meeting rather as a na-
tional than a local one. lle called upon all Welsh-
men to arouse themselves from the political apathy
which had 'hitherto characterised them, and to agi-
tate for an increased representation for the princi-
pality of 11. ales. : Under the existing arrangements
the hills and the mountains were well represented,
but the existence of a Welsh people was utterly
ignored. (Cheers.)

The Rev. IL Ricliaßbs moved the first resolu-
tion :—'"fhat this meeting of the Welsh Reform
Association cordially approves the principles of jus-
tice contained in the resolutions for the disestablish-
ment of the Irish Church, lately carried in the
House of Commons by the Liberal party, and, in
support of those principles, pledges itself to exert its
whole influence here and throughout Wales to secure
the return of Liberal candidates at the next Parlia-
ment try electio'n." He Complained that the repre-
sentatives of Wales were chosen by a few powerful
landholders, by whom the most cherished religious
and political principles of the great bulk of the
Welsh people were habittfally ignored or misrepre-
sented.

The Rev. Dr. REES seconded the resolution,
speaking in the Welsh language, which apparently
excited great enthusiasm among a considerable por-
tion of the audience.

Mr. BRIGHT, ALP., 012 rising to speak in support
of the resolution, was received with great cheering.
Ho said—Mr. Chairman, in our school days and
from our school books we learn that Liverpool was
a great seaport in the county of Lancashire, but our
chairman, notwithstanding, was not far wrong
when he described Liverpool as the capital city of
the principality of Wales, for I understand there
are not less than 60,000 natives of the Principality
who are living in this town. I am not sure that
there are to be found a larger number than that
within any of the towns within the geographical
of Wales ; but further I am told that this
sonic degree a representative charac-
binoeuent
idnagr y
has
in
ter, that there are men here from very many of the
towns of Wales, and particularly of North Wales.
But those from whom I got this invitation told me,
what Mr. Richer& has already stated, that there is
among the Welsh people a great inertness or a great
inactivity in regard to political questions, that they
are firmly convinced on all questions connected with
their churches and their religion, that in that one
fact they are capable of great organisation and great
and have achieved a great success, but in
political questions they have seemed to
sacrifices,
think that in their comparatively little country they
regard
tn
had very little to do with the public affairs of a
great empire. (Cheers.) Now, I believe that it
is essential for the greatest success of a country that
in every part of it men should take a great interest
.in national affairs, and that when great questions
come up for discussion and settlement, not only
should the voice of the people be beard in great
cities but in small towns and in every village, in
order that a true result and a wise decision may be
arrived at. Now, at this moment we have before
us a very great question indeed, one the like of
which has not come before the political people of
England for judgment and for verdict for many
years Vast—(hear, hear)—aud I hope one of the
results of the holding, of this meeting to-night wilt
t.e that the great verdict of the nation will not be
given without the voice of Wales being heard in it.
(Cheers.) The great question is that of the desti-
nation, of the continuance or the removal, of tht
Protestant Church in Ireland. Now, one would
suppoze tnat every Welshman would have been env(
to a question of this nature. (Hear.) Geographi
cally,you are nearest to Ireland—(laughter)—at leas;
of any portion of the southern part of this island ;
but, more than that, you have had an experience iu
religious and in Church matters more remarkable
and more thorough than any other portion of the
people of Great Britain, and, apart altogether from
questions of Establishments, there can be no doubt
that you have a strong sympathy for justice, and
as strong a wish that justice should be done to Ire-
land as any other portion or population of Great
Britain can be. (Cheers.) Now, I need hardly
tell you—for You have heard nothing and read
nothing on this subject without knowing it—that
Ireland has been governed by the Crown and the
governing classes in Eugland for many centuries,
and that, notwithstanding that, and even not-
withstanding an Act of Union passed 67 years
ago, and notwithstanding the general impression
throughout the world that Great Britain and Ire-
land form one kingdom—notwithstanding all that,
there has never been any real union between Grew
Britain and Ireland, and, indeed, until lately
there has been no approach to good government
in Ireland. (Hear.) The rule of England in the
country for three centuries—l will go no further
back—until a very receutperiod was a rule through
the Viceroy or Lord-Lieutenant, through the
judges, through the landowners ; it was a rule of
Protestant and political ascendancy, with which the
people had no sympathy, and against which the
Irish nation has perpetually protested—(cheers)—
and if you have had 300 years of government like
this, you have had what was the inevitable result,
300 years of misery, of discontent, of conspiracy,
and of insurrection. It was only about 100 years
ago, not quite 100 years ago, when the war was
being waged between this country and the Ameri-
can revolted colonies. It was only then that the
English Government consented to some relaxation
of its cruel rule in Ireland ; and it was not until
the year 1829, which seems but the other day to
some of us, that any single Roman Catholic, out of
6,000,000 Roman Catholics then in Great Britain
and Ireland, was permitted to take his seat in the
British House of Commons. (Hear, hear.) Since
1829 there has beet?, a much more merciful and a
much more just administration, but, notwithstand-
ing that—and that was mainly the result of im-
proved representation in England under the Re-
form Bill, and of the advent of the Whig party
to power —(hear, hear)—still
the supremacy has
been continued, and the sign and the symbol of it
has been the Protestant Establishment in Ireland.
Now I speak to you, Welshmen, who, inhabitants
of this town, are representatives of our brethren in
the Principality, you who have done so much for
religious freedom; you who made Christianity
universal throughout your country ; I ask you to
resolve upon this—that nothing shall draw you
from your determination as far as lies in your
power to grant that perfect religious equality
in Ireland ; not equality with a Roman Catholic
Church—(cries of " No, no !")—but equality with
a Protestant Free Church in that nation—(cheers)
—pure equality, in fact, on the voluntary prin-
ciple. (Cheers.) It is relmitted by everybody that
you must aim at equality in Ireland—that is only
political justice, and it can only be effected in one
of two ways, either by endowing and making a
State Establishment of the Roman Catholic Church,
or by disestablishing the Protestant Church and
adopting the voluntary principle throughout the
whole of the country. Now, it is for you to decide
what you will do. I observe among your Welsh
members it is a very curious point, that more of
them voted against Church-rates than on behalf of
anything else that was liberal. The reason is this,
that among Welsh populations. Church-rates were
a known and felt grievance until they were
abolished, and therefore your members took care

generally to be there when the Church-rate ques-
tion was on, and a larger number of them voted
for the abolition of Church-rates than for any
other nuisance or evil I am acquainted N pith, and if
you will go as near to your representatives on this
question of the Irish Church—feel that to be
your own grievance—you may depend upon it we
shall have a better vote in Parliament in the next
session for Welsh members than perhaps we have
ever had before. Now, I hold you, I bind you to
this, that you are for justice to Catholic and Pro-
testant in Ireland, established on the voluntary
principle ; and I argue that you must have this
opinion, and that you will support it, because you
cannot sever your Christianity from justice, and be-
cause you know and feel that to do justice to Ire-
land and Irishmen must be to add honour and unity
and strength to the Crown and to the people of this
vast empire. Mr. Bright resumed hi 3 seat amid
prolonged cheering, having spoken for an hour and
ten minutes.

Mr. V. llARcouur addressed the meeting.
The resolution was carried by acclamatiaa. An-
other resolution was also passe 1, affirming th neces
sity for increased represent...lqm of Wales in Par-
liament.

A vote of thanks having been passed to Mr.
Bright,

Mr. BRIGHT, in responding, said—l feel that if I
were not so hoarse I should take the oppoi tunity,
in returning my thanks to yoti for your kindness, to
make one or two further observations. The gen-
tlemen who have moved and seconded this resolu-
tion have referred to the fact that I have come to
this meeting during the four or five days of the
Parliamentary recess. When I was first asked to
come down, as Mr. Rathbone knows, after having
argued the question with him, I wrote to him to
excuse myself and to decline to come down.
However, Welshmen appear to be more pertina-
cious than Mr. Rathbone, or perhaps he suggested
the next assault that was made upon my inten-
tions, and a deputation came to the House
of Commons to ask me to come down here.
Now, the question is one of that extraordinary im-
portance that I did not feel myself at liberty to re-
fuse to come when it was represented to me that
possibly the influence of this meeting might extend
beyond the bounds of Liverpool, and might reach
some portions of the Principality of \Vales. (Hear,
hear.) Now, one way in which I hold this meeting
to be of special importance is this—l have heard
what has been said by the speakers to-night as to
the great contest in which we are engaged, and the
desperate struggle which will be made at the next
general election. I have heard elsewhere of the
funds which are being provided by the friends of
the Government and the friends of the Irish
Church. All this may be quite true. I have asked
myself what will happen in case we should
be defeated. It seems an extravagant question
to put—(cheers)—but, not to omit to regard all
aides of the question, let us ask ourselves what
would happen if we should be defeated. You know
that in Ireland there are elements of great disorder.
[here is a Fenian party of considerable activity
and of considerable dimensions ; beyond them there
is a very large amount of what I may call tacit dis-
loyalty ; beyond that there is a still larger amount
of what I may call serious discontent ; and beyond
that even, among the Catholic population especially,
there is a universal dissatisfaction with the state of
things iu Ireland, and with the course taken by
the imperial Parliament. Now nothing is more
plausible, hardly anything more reasonable, than
.o say to an Irishman, " You cannot be well-go.
verned with a Parliament in London to which you
..only send one member out of six who meet there.
Your 105 members from Ireland are submerged, or
lost, or absorbed in one mass of the members for
Great Britain, and the Imperial Parliament cares
nothing for your voice." The persons of whom I
am speaking, if addressing an Irishman, would say,
a• Your first business is to obtain a separation from
Great Britain and a Parliament in Dublin. (Hear,
ear.) No one country can be impartially and wisely
governed by another country." That is one plain
argument offered to Irishman, and it has in it
great force. Now, my opinion is this, that if
through a cry of " No Popery," or " Church in
danger," or any other cry, one result of the
neat election should ba to make it impossible in
the coining new Parliament to disestablish the
Irish C.murch, every in In who has u,ed that
argument to an Irishman, or to the Irish
population, would find that argument not, only ha-
neasurably strengthened, but I should say alliost
eoncluiive, and we should find—l don't sty more
Fenianisw, and more of that kind of conspiracy
which has exhibited itself in some parts in a reckless
form, but we should find in Ireland a far greater
discontent and a far greater resolution to achieve, if
it be possible, the separation of Ireland from Great
Britain. Now, I have never said that Irishmen
are not at liberty to ask for, and if they could ac-
complish it to obtain the repeal of the Union. I
am not now speaking to Irishmen, I am speaking
to a meeting composed mainly of persons residing
in and natives of Great Britain. I say that we
have no right—l am willing to say this any-
where—we have no right whatever to insist
upon a union between Ireland and Great Britain
upon our terms only. (" Hear," and cheers.)
kVe have only a right to insist that the United
Kingdom shall not be severed if we are willing to do
full justice to the different nations of which it is
composed ; therefore,:there is a question far more
important than whether this man or that MALI shall
be Prime Minister, or whether a particular Cabinet,
,huffling and offensive as this Cabinet is—(hear and
eheers)—or a more honest Cabinet which must ne-
cessarily succeed it--I say there is a question far
greater than whether this or that Cabinet shall be in
office. It is whether the people of England have
raised themselves to this height of political iutel-
ligeuce and to this sense of political justice that
they are willing to deal • fairly and honour-
ably, and as they would like to be dealt
with themselves, by the Irish nation. (Loud
cheers.) Well, until I find that the people
of England in their next election shall decide ad-
versely to justice to Ireland, I will not believe them
capable of doing it. I will hope and I will speak
—(loud cheers)—so far as lam able, and as oppor-
tunity may be given me, iu favour of this great
measure which is now before Parliament, for I be-
lieve it to be essential to the unity and strength and
harmony of the United Kingdom, and I believe
that, instead, to take the language of the present
Prime Minister, offensive and impudent as it was—
(applause)—instead of dimming the lustre of the
British Crown, I say that it will be regarded
in history as one of the most honourable fea-
tures of the reign of the present Queen if
under her mild sceptre this United Kingdom can
really be united, and Ireland made as con-
tented and loyal as any other portion of the Em-
pire. (Great cheers.) I had nearly forgotten why
it was I stood up again. It would have been very
ungrateful, because I feel much obliged to you for
the kindness with which you have listened to me
to-night; I am too hoarse, my voice is out of tune,
I could not have addressed you in the energetic and
beautiful Welsh which I have listened to with so
much interest, although I could not understand it ;
but I should have said what I had to say much
better had I been suffering less in that way ; but I
must conclude by asking you to pass a vote of
thanks to our chairman, whose kindness and whose
good management of this meeting and whose
attention we have all been witnesses of. I there-
fore beg to propose, and I have no doubt my friend
Mr. Harcourt will be glal to second, a vote of
thanks to the Chairman for his kindness in pre-
siding.

Mr. VERNON HARCOURT seconded the proposition,
which was carried by acclamation.

A large crowd, cotnposed chiefly of Orangemen
and persons hostile to the object of the meeting,
collected in front of the Amphitheatre before the
proceedings closed, and paraded an effigy of Mr.
Bright, which wa3 subsequently burnt in William-
son-square. There was a slight attempt at disturb-
ance, but it was promptly suppressed by a nume-
rous body of the borough police who were in at-
tendance.

.Zhp Empres3 Charlotte, says the Nord,-will soon
take up her residence iu Drumelo,