The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-13 00:00:00

attlltll4

LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1850.

Can it be invisible to half a dozen people in Eng-
land that there is something very ominous in the
motion made last evening by the Prime Minister, for
the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the
amount of official salaries, with a view to their gra-
dual and ultimate reduction ? Does it not indicate
clearly enough a consciousness on the part of the
Administration that their tenure of office is of a
dubious and, in all human probability, of a very
evanescent character ? Latterly, as we have already
once or twice observed, the Cabinet has received
several most emphatic warnings as to the
inevitable consequences of that do-nothing
policy which appears to exercise over the principal
advisers of the SOVEREIGN a fascination as potent
and as inscrutable as that of witchcraft, and which, if
it does not actually tend to engender a taste for re-
trogression, inspires a decided appetite for finality.
Notwithstanding these Parliamentary intimations
that it would be advisable to amend their Ministerial
course of proceeding, the occupants of the Treasury
benches have, nevertheless, gone blundering on in
opposition to the majority of the House of Commons,
in direct antagonism to the wishes of the community,
and, what is yet more indicative of temerity, in fla-
grant defiance of the nature of their own political
antecedents. Still, with all their unconquerable
predilection for a sort of stagnant policy—a policy
of specious ultra-Conservatism being. the true policy
of the Whigs when in power—the Premier, with his
Secretaries of State and their subordinate'colleagues,
have at rare and spasmodic intervals consented to
yield (rather than lose the perquisites and preroga-
tives of place) a scrap here, and a scrap there to the
public hunger for economy. It is yet once more
the realisation of the myth of MEDEA tearing
her helpless kith and kin limb from limb, and
dropping the ragged morsels on the road by
way of retarding the speed of her pursuers. And,
'unquestionably, the association of her name with the
Golden Fleece is most apposite in reference to the
Authorised spoliation of the revenue by so many sine-
curists and pluralists, bloated under the combined in-
fluence of oisivet6; and repletion. Bit by bit, we
repeat, the Government has abandoned little atoms of
those salaries which happened the least to affect
themselves, apparently not bearing in consideration
a fact since then glaringly manifest, namely,
that these very concessions, fragmentary though
they were, tended most powerfully to whet
the prevailing appetite for retrenchment. At length
this circumstance appears to have forced itself upon the
recognition of the Ministry, insomuch that, coupled
with the Parliamentary warnings already particular-
ised, they have consented, through the principal per-
sonage in the Administration, to suggest to the
House of Commons the nomination of a com-
mittee of representatives empowered by the Par-
liament to take into account the amount of various
public salaries, with a view to their proportion-
ate diminution. To the discerning, of course,
it is sufficiently obvious that the motion made to this
effect last evening by the First Lord of the Treasury
is nothing less than a most ingenious contrivance

for the procrastination of that terrible " day a

reckoning" which the Cabinet now looks upon as
ultimately inevitable, and which it is directing its
energies to postpone at least until the period of its
own retention of office shall have elapsed. That such
conjectures are not merely reasonable but judicious,
we fancy must be tolerably perceptible to every one
familiar with the routine of such arrangements,

in the Parliament. The proposed Committee, for
example, is appointed for what ?—for the reduction
of certain salaries ? Nothing of the sort—such
would be incompatible with : its own powers and
with the inalienable prerogatives o the lower
branch of the Legislature. It is to be entrusted
with the duty not of progress, not of improve-

. .
meat, not of retrenchment, but of inquiry.
Besides, we all know well enough: that scores
and scores of Committees have been appointed
by the llouse of Commons, have toiled and
toiled away almost interminably, have published
the results of their investigation in gigantic blue
books—and have yet, notwithstanding all this—come
to—actually—come to nothing ! Not by any means that
we would have it implied from this remark that such
is our expectation in regard to the consequence of the
proposed Committee of Inquiry into Public Salaries

On the contrary so profound is our conviction of the

ulterior realisation of the national hopes of retrench-

meat, that we are satisfied that not even the appoint-
anent of a Committee can prevent tbe accomplishment
of that great work of reduction. Yet, while the
Committee must in this instance fail altogether as a

preventive—a Parliamentary miracle of itself won-
derful to reflect upon !—it may unhappily, it will un-
happily, it must unhappily, retard the progress cf the
effort of amelioration already commenced. Com-
mitteemen of all sorts are proverbially slow coaches
—and from all heavy vehicles of this description
defend us from a Committee of the Legislature. Tile
Prime Minister knows this, the Secretary of State

for the Home Department _knows it, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer knows it, every
individual member of the Government high or low

knows it ; and they cling with Ministerial tenacity to
its large and visible chances of procrastination. What

care they for the yearning of the population for that
wholesome economising of the nutional resources
which can alone tend to stabilitate our institutions ?

What care they fJr this—they who, in effect, are only
magnified specimens of that Mr. PrivsENT, of whom
ARTHUR PSVIDENNIS exclaims (11. 68)—" His soul is
in Downing-street ; his neckcloth is foolscap;
his hair is sand; his legs are rulers ;
his vitals are tape and sealing-wax !" No,
the appointment of a Committee of Inquiry is a
chance, and a very good chance too, of securing a
postponement—a postponement, moreover, such as
may extend beyond the limits of the existence of the
present Administration.
Then, again, what shall be said about the omissions
made in the departments whose salaries are to un-

—..,..._ - in
dergo investigation Committee ? Such omission.,
fur instance, as the one indicated: by the amendment
made by the Hon. Gentleman the Representative of
Cockermouth ! After the amendment made by the Hon.
Member for Buckinghamshire had: been negatived by
a majority of 91, the Hon. Nembt I for Cockermouth
introduced his—the latter and the E etter of the amend-
ments being negatived by a yet larger majority of
113 !
Among all the admirable speeches delivered
last evening by one or other am9llg
our phalanx of
financial reformers, the speech in. which Mr. HOES-
MAN moved an addition to Lord J OHN RUSSELL'S mo-

tion on salaries, " that the inquiry be extended to in-
comes of ecclesiastical dignitaries"' must be especially

particularised as perhaps the most pointed and feli-
citous. That the remarks of the Honourable Gentle-
man in propounding this most laudable amendment
should have assumed such a conspicuous and para-
mount importance is scarcely surprising, however, if
the fruitful subject of his harangue be only duly esti-
mated. Talk of sinecurists and pluralists, forsooth !
why here you have them in abounding numbers,
and bloated to a state of unconscionable obesity.
Mr. HORSMAN, in his very excellent speech,
spared none of them, his remarks touching
alternately the curate restricted to " the carrots and
the corn-beef," the dean refusing the paltry boon of
a thousand per annum, and his Grace the Primate
reposing in his mitred state in his palace at Lambeth.
Now, in regard to the last-mentioned ecclesias-
tical dignitary, listen to the remarks of the lion.
Member for Cockermouth :
" The future salary of the Lord Chief Justice of the
Queen's Bench," said he, "was to he 7,0001. a year. The
Archbishop of Canterbury had 15,0001. Let him take
the case of the Prime Minister. Was that an office of
less state and dignity than that of the Archbishop of
Canterbury? Compare the physical toil, the mental
care and responsibility, and the expenditure which the
highest official rank entailed, the sacrifice of health and
strength, with some the sacrifice of life itself, with the
post of Archbishop of Canterbury, and they would find
the result to be that, with all these disadvantage?, the
Prime Minister had one-third of the emolument of the
Archbishop of Canterbury, and one-half of that of the
Bishop of London."
Still egregious as this inequality of remuneration (if

such it can be designated) unquestionably is, it pre-
sents to the imagination a picture not nearly so re-
pugnant to our sense of good taste or of ordinary
justice, as a circumstance subsequently adduced in
argument by Mr. HORSMAN, where the Bishop of
SALISBURY had declared to the present Premier that a
deanery of 1,0001. a year would be refused by those to
whom it might be proffered unless it were previously
augmented by an additional 5001. per annum. Thus
said the Hon. Gentleman, Mr. HoRsMAIc, "of all
the hard-worked and ill-paid clergy of England, not
a single good man could be found to take 1,0001. a
year fur doing nothing ; not a single clergyman who
would sell himself to a sinecure for less than 1,5001.
a year !" Surely a speech replete with facts of this
startling character cannot fail to advance the cause of
financial reform and retrenchment, even though an
amendment like the one particularised has been re-
jected by a Ministerial majority, and even though a
Committee of Inquiry has been resolved upon by the
Commons House of Parliament.

The Stamp Duties Bill is, it appears, to be consi-
dered on Monday evening—the Chancellor of the
Exchequer having refused to assent to any further
postponement for the purpose of enabling the repre •
sentatives of the people, or the community in general,
to become better acquainted with the details of the
proposed measure, which was only yesterday printed
for the use of Honourable Members. There is some-
thing suspicious in this great expedition, so con-
trary to the disposition and habits of Sir CHARLES
WOOD. It is true that he might have had
full time to make up his own mind on the subject,
but surely when, according to his own showing, it
had been under the consideration of himself and his
predecessors in office for no less than fifteen years,
it was not too much to expect that a single week
would be given to other gentlemen competent
to arrive at sound conclusions, 'although not
so fortunate as to be in the enjoyment of
seats in the Cabinet, and official residences
in Downing-street. The various constituencies
throughout the country expect something more from
those whom they have selected to represent their
wishes and feelings in the British Senate than that
they should merely register the decrees which the
Right Hon. Baronet, in his profound and infallible
wisdom, should please to promulgate. It is their duty,
and their unquestionable privilege, maturely to weigh
and solemnly to consider every proposition affecting
the public interests that may be brought forward. They
must not legislate blindly, or on insufficient data,
they must not suffer themselves to be unduly hurried
in the discharge of their important functions. This
is more especially the case when the subject is one re-
lating to finance and the taxation of the empire. They
are eminently the " guardians of the public purse,"
and their decisions are final and irreversible.
No amendment can be introduced in the Lords,
and on such points there is practically but
one branch of the Legislature. The other
estates of the realm are completely inoperative, and
if the Commons House of Parliament were to bow
down before the footstool of Sir CHARLES IVOOD, as
he desires, he would become the virtual Dictator ol
the country on all fiscal and financial questions.
We have already expressed our cordial concur-
rence in the principle of the proposed measure. We
considered it, in fact, the only redeeming feature of
the Brick-dust Budget. The injustice and ine-
quality of the existing stamp duties had long at-
tracted the attention of every fair and impar-
tial man. It was indeed monstrous that a poor
man should pay one pound stamp duty
on a bond or mortgage of twenty, or even ten
pounds, while the rich man paid but 251. on a
similar instrument amounting to 20,0001., the
person least able to sustain the charge being thus
compelled to pay more than ten times the rate of
duty in proportion to the amount of the transaction
that was demanded from his more fortunate neigh-
bour. It afforded, in fact, the strongest illustra-
tion of the existing fiscal system, where the
heaviest burdens are imposed upon the humble
and lowly. It was true that it reversed
the constitutional principle that every man should
contribute to the exigencies and expenditure of the
nation, secundum stature et f&cultates; but that had
long been disregarded and set at nought by every
financial Minister, without exception, through a long
succession of ages.

It is to the credit of Sir CHARLES WOOD—and we
are quite willing to bestow praise where it is
really due —that he has at length, although
at the eleventh hour, mustered sufficient cour-

age to inflict a blow upon this highly objectionable
and vicious system, and that he has, however tardily,
introduced the principle of ad valorem stamp-duties

on bonds, transfers, and mortgages. It is a movemen

in the right direction that will, we trust, be fairly
carried out until ad valorem duties be levied in every
instance, and on every article, not merely in the

department of Stamps, but of Customs also, and

in every other branch of the revenue.

still the details should be closely examined,
and it should be ascertained that a larger amount will
not be levied under the new scale than under that
now in operation. Sir CRLRLES WOOD took credit

for bestowing a considerable boon on the public. lie
estimated that the modification would involve a loss
to the revenue of 350,0001. per annum, or there-
abouts. This would undoubtedly be a very accept-
able gift, more especially as the humbler classes
would be relieved to a still greater extent. But on
a closer examination we have reason to think that

the alteration would be productive_ of a very
different result from that anticipated by the Right
Honourable Baronet; that, in fast, it would lead to

a considerable increase in place of a diminution of
the net returns. According to the present scale,
bonds or mortgages for billn SI amounting to 500/.,

and not exceeding 1,0001. are charged 51., and be-
tween 1,0001. and 2,0001.61. According to the new

scheme the duty will be the same, viz., 5/. on 1,0001.;
there will be an increase of 41. duty on a transac-

tion amounting to 2,000/. ; of 81. on 3,000/.; of 121. on
4,0001; of 16/. on 5,0001.; of 3V. on 10,0001.; of
601. on 15,000/. ; of 801. on 20,0001.; and a further
increase of 8/. 15s. on every 1,0001. additional. Now,
bonds and mortgages are generally for sums ex-
ceeding 1,0001., and consequently the Exchequer will
be materially benefited, in place of being injured, by
the change. If this opinion be well•founded, the ad
valorem duties might be fixed at 65., or even less, in

..,
place of Ws. per cent., without any detriment to the
national revenue. This point should be closely looked

to by independent Members, who should not permit

Sir CHARLES WOOD to slur over, sub sidentio, a matter
of such importance to the community in general.

BROElPTON.—Yesterday evening a very fully-
attended special court of governors and directors of the hos-
pital for consumption and diseases of the chest, was held in
the board-room of the institution. The Rev. Sir llenry
Foulis, Bart., in the chair • and among the many influential
friends and supporters of the charity who were present, were
the Right Hon. the Earl Jermyn, the Hon. Octavius Dun-
combe, M.P., the Hon. J. W. Percy, the Right Hon. Colonel
Darner, the Hon. Admiral Percy, Captain John Gladstone,
&c. The notice papers indicated a very great amount
of important business regarding the interests of the hospital ;
and the first proceeded with was receiving the report of the
committee appointed to ravine the otandiug rules, and t 9

settle and pass the same. This question, which occupied a
considerable time, having been disposed of, a power of at•
torney to the treasurer to receive the dividends upon stock,
and a contract for the chapel fittings, having passed under
the seal of the corporation, the meeting adjourned nntil
Thursday, the.2sth inst.
APOTHECARIES' HALL.—The following gentlemen
passed their examination in the science and practice of medi-
cine, and received certificates to practise, on Thursday last :
Henry Sacheverel Edward Schroeder, Guernsey; Thomas
Leonard Barber Barwis, Penryn, Cornwall ; aohn West
Walker, Spilsby ; Ja.nes Vandersloat M'Cormick, Acton-
street, Gray's Inn-road; Alfred Peskett, Petersfield, Hants;
Frederick Martin, Clare, Suffolk; James Breach, Bradfield;
Henry May Davis, Hastings; James Wilson, Lancaster;
Francis Henry Plumptre, Queen-square ; Robert Thomas
Buckle, Bedall, Yorkshire; Reuben Whitchurch, Melton
Mowbray ; and Alfred Hill, Walsall.
FURTHER DISCOVERIES AT NIMROUD.—In addi-
tion to what we stated on a former occasion, we are glad to
hear that additional advices have recently been received
from Mr. Layard, at Nimroud, by which it appears that in a
part of the building not far distant from that containing the
throne, the whole of the culinary apparatus of the Monarch
of Assyria has been discovered. It consists, among other
things of an immense brazen cauldrcn, and more than 100
ditties, kc., of the same metal. No golden utensils have,
however, yet come to light.
INSTITUTION FOR THE ADULT DEAF AND DUMB,
RED LION-SQUAE.E.—On Friday (Yesterday) evening a
meeting was held in the Court--room of this Institution, 26,
Red Lion-square, Bloomsbury. From the eighth annual re-
port of the society, which has just been published, it appears
that there are upwards of 14,000 deaf and dumb in England,
of which number scarcely 1,600 are provided with instruc-
tion. The establishment in Red Lion-square was founded as
an addition to the existing schools, so that physical training
might be added to mental instruction. Since its formation,
the trades of shoemaking, tailoring, and dress-making has
been carried on with the most gratifying result, several in-
mates having quitted as fully qualified workmen, and capable
of maintaining themselves by their own unaided exertions.
A warm hope having been expressed for the further progress
of the charity, the proceedings terminated.
At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, Jane
Kirtland, for the manslaughter of her husband John Kirt-
land, by striking him with a chopper, was sentenced by Mr.
Justice Erle to six months' imprisonment and hard labour.
She was recommended to mercy on account of the provoca-
tion she had received.
A Prussian Jew, Charles Morris alias David Solo-
mon, was yesterday committed from the Lambeth Police-
office for having obtained money under false pretences. It
appears he has for some time past been levying heavy con-
tributions from the religious public, by pretending that he
had been converted, and had been in consequence persecuted.
Several imposters are wandering about the country obtaining
money under a similar false pretence.
FRENCH BISHOP AND PRIESTS IN THE ISLANDS
OF TM PACIFIC.—We extract the following from a highly
interesting letter in the Portsmouth Times of Saturday last,
written by an officer of her Majesty's ship Havannah, now
on the New Zealand cruise :—We sailed from here on the
19th of September, and early In the morning sighted the
island of " Pines," south of New Caledonia ; the island is
not inaptly named, numerous large pine trees growing there
as well as on the reefs adjacent. A curious circumstance
took place here—the Bishop of New Zealand accompanied us
thus far, but just as we were about to about to anchor a
small schooner was seen ahead, subsequently we learned it
conveyed a French bishops and six priests just going to
establish near. We remained here till the 22d, the Bishop
at the same time got under weigh to return to New Zealand,
with about eight natives of various islands. Our destina-
tion was again the south part of New Caledonia to search
for boats of ships, the men of which had been murdered ;
we found them, but in too bad a condition to remove. I
really think New Caledonia one of the finest countries we
have yet seen.
Suicinz OF A MARlNE.—Yesterday morning,
about four o'clock, a single report of a musket was heard at
the Royal Marine Barracks at Forton, in the direction of the
military burial-ground, and about half an hour afterwards
Corporal Dodd went to relieve Private George Webb. senti-
nel near the spot, when a horrible scene presented itself—
Webb was extended on the ground, his firelock under him,
with his skull, brains, eyes blown away and lying in all di-
rections around his corpse. The unfortunate soldier was
thirty-four years of age, and bore a high character in the
corps. His remains have been moved to the guardhouse and
await the coroner's inquest.
HONESTY REWARDED.-0O Friday last, as David
Jackson, a labourer in the employ of Mr. Ledger, of the ox-
pasture farm, was returning home from his employment, and
having reached one of the fields in the occupation of Mr.
Morley, Castle-farm he espied a pocket-book on the public
road leading from Worksop to Welbeek, which contained
about 2001. in bank notes. Ile picked it up, and having
previously met two gentlemen in a gig whom he thought
might b' the owners of the missing property, he instantly
run after them for upwards of a mile, and gave them the
pocket-book fbr examination. After looking it over they
said it was all right, and presented him with (will it be be-
lieved) the munificent reward of one shilling !—Notts
Guardian.

Ma. BOYS' BENEFIT CONCERT.,--A concert will
be given on Tuesday evening next, for a purpose which we
trust will attract the notice of those who devote a portion
of their time and incomes to acts of benevolence. The con-
cert is patronized by some of the most distinguished leaders
of fashion ; and its object is to relieve the pecuniary diffi-
culties of Mr. Thomas Boys, who has lately been afflicted by
paralysis, and unable to attend to hie professional duties
a calamity which conies on the heels of continued domestic
affliction in the illness of Mrs. Boys. Such appeals, more
especially guaranteed by such names as we see in the list of
the managing committee and patrons, are never made in vain
in this country. We perceive that the programme includes
the services of Miss Catherine Hayes, Miss Birch, Miss Rain-
forth, Miss Poole, Miss Pyne, Miss Dolby, Mdme. F. Lablache,
the Misses Williams, Mr. Sims Reeves, and Signor Marras,
as vocalists; and of Benedict, Ernst, Piatti, and Signor
Briccialdi as instrumentalists. It will be conducted by Mr.
Brinley Richards.
ENGLisu LANDSCAPE.—The climate of England is
the finest in the world for a landscape painter. We do not
want the blue skies of Italy, or their bright burning sun,
glaring over everything, causing distraction to the mind and
eye. What we want we have in perfection—an atmosphere
with clouds and storms, and sunshine lighting up one object,
whilst others are in shade. Our country furnishes most ro-
mantic scenes, rocks and waterfalls, glens and mountains.
The banks of our sparkling streams and ancient rivers are
the homes of the white-leafed willow, and the dark-foliaged
alder ; on our rocky hills grow the fir and loftier pine ; in cur
old village churchyards are still found the cedar and the
yew; our old mansions are approached by avenues of ches-
nuts and sycamores; we have the twisted thorn, the stately
elm ; that lovely Venus of trees, the towering ash ; the
spreading beech ; the Hercules of the forest, the " unwedge-
able and gnarled oak ;" with a host of others, too numerous
to name—all studies for the painter, and ornamental to our
country.—Eliza Cook's Journal.
ANCIENT RoMAN COINS.—Last week some men
were digging in a field near Dungarvon, Ireland, when their
spade came:in contact with something hard, and they dis-
covered a small curious broken. vase, containing about 180
coins,
collection. consigned to the
, a dozen silver ones, one gilt,
y
denhall-street, appears to be from the
firsti3avneurdlcenturies,oonbld-rooßffik en en ga
anol nlldd3rcopperll4n maygga. be of interest for the numismatics.
ST. PETERSBIIRGIL—A letter from St. Petersburgh
kilo equivalent in value to
states that the caravan which transports the gold extracted
in the mountains of the Altai had arrived in that capital.
It brought 7,172 grammes,
25,300,000 f. Out of this quantity 5,000 kilogrammes came
from the mines of Siberia .lhe number of mines in the chain
of the mountains of Altaiis 80, in Eastern Siberia there are
54. The above is the second caravan that has arrived since
the winter set in.

ST. PETERSBURGII, APRIL 2--The Journal of the
Minister of the Interior states that twelve men, of Baltic
Port, in Esthonia, determined to carry provisions, clothing,
and other necessaries, to the crew of a vessel which was
hemmed in by the floating ice, 10 wersts from the lighthouse
of Packerort. They proceeded on foot across that portion of
the ice that was still firm, and at the same time a boat with
five men quitted the coast in order to endeavour to make
their way through the mass of ice towards the same goal.
Both parties were, however, compelled to return, after they
had proceeded about seven wersts out to sea. The violence
of the snowstorm and the intense cold frustrated all their
attempts. That they used their utmost exertions is proved
by the melancholy fact that of the seventeen noble fellows
only ten returned, nine in the boat and one on foot—the
other seven having been driven out to sea on a large piece of
floating ice, and have never been heard of since.—St. Peters"
burgh Journal.
SEcnssioNs.—lt is stated that the Rev. W. Maskell
M.A., of University College, Oxford, now domestic and for-
merly examining chaplain to the Lord Bishop
of Exeter, and
who took part in the celebrated examination of Mr. Gorham
before the Bishop, has decided on resigning his living at
Mary Church, Devon, and joining the Church of Rome.
Rumours are rife also of another clergyman, closely connected
with a distinguished member of the episcopal bench, who
contemplates retirement and probable apostasy.— Church and
State Gazette:
MEXICAN BONDROLDERS.—A meeting of the holders
of Mexican bonds, held yesterday at the London Tavern, to
consider what steps should be taken, in consequence of the
committee, appointed on the 23d January last, having ceased
to exist, the following gentlemen were, on the motion of Mr.
W. P. Robertson,
appointed as a new comn.ittee :—Baron
Goldsmid, Admiral Sir George Sartorine, Captain Ross,
blews. W. Marshall, M.P., J. Sadleir, M.P., J. Lewis Pre-
vost, Joshua Walkin, James Cape!, C. M'Garel, D. Robert-
son, J. Rhodes, E. A. Moriarty, C. lierrirg, Richard Garde,
and Thomas Ending.
DUTIES ON NEWSPAPERS.—A paragraph appeared
in some of last night's papers, respecting proceedings in the
House of Commons, purporting that a petition had been pre-
sented by au Hon. Member from the Morning Advertiser, fer
g
the reduction of duties affecting newspapers. Without en-
tering, directly or indirectly, upon' the question of what are
termed "taxes on knowlede," we are requested to state that
no such petition has emanated front that establishment.

THE JUDGE'S
CHARGE IN THE CASE OF THE BIRDS
—The Devizes Gazette states that, in consequence of au
article which appeared in the Times, reflecting, in very strong
terms, on the conduct of 111 r. Justice Talfourd, in the recent
trial of the Birds, at Exeter, for the murder of the girl Par-
sons, an address to his Lordship is now in course of signature
among the bar of the Western Circuit, expressive of their
full confidence that his Lordship's summing up in the case
was strictly
question were wholly uncalled for.
legal, and that the comments of the journal in

- _
BIBLICAL LORF.— D uring the French campaign
in Italy at the end of tha last century, the clergymen in
Montrose in their public ministrations, were importunate in
their petitions for the downfall of Antichrist. When the Pa-
pal Government was suppressed in 1798 and the Pope com-
pelled to quit 14nne, it was conceived that these prayers had
been answered, and the
petitions in question were, it seems,
intermitted. The change was remarked by an old woman,
a regular hearer of Mr. Mollison's, and meeting the clergy..
man one day the following collcquy took place :—" Well,
Margaret, how are you to-day ?" " On, brawley, Sir ; boo
are ye yoursel', Sir?" "Pretty well," said Mr. Mollison, in
his usual sonorous voice. " There's just ae question I wud
like to pit till ye, Sir," said Margaret, as the clergyman was
passing. "Is Anne Christie dead, or is she better, that 3e
dinna pray for her non ?"—Scotch roper.

Mock not the stranger guest, for thou knowest not
who he may be.—Eliza Cook's Journal.

GAME.--THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE.—The far-
merg in the parish of Bothamsell, near Redford, having for
years suffered so severely by the immense quantity of
game on the estate, have recently memorialised his Grace
the Duke of Newcastle, upon the subject. A reply to this
has been received from the Duke, who regrets exceed-

ingly that they have been so seriously injured, and assures
them that he has given orders for its destruction, and that
they shall have no cause to complain for the future.
Doncaster Chronicle.