The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVE NINE, JUNE 3, 1844,

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNAS.

!'ROM THE EVENING PAPERS Or SATURDAY.
GLOBE.—Mr. O'Connell and his co-defendants have
been conveyed to prison with the precautions requisite
to prevent any disturbance of the public peace. The
Judges expressed their regret that the law invests them
with no discretion, by which they could suspend the exe-
cution of the sentence until after the writ of error had
been argued and determined by the House of Lords.
Whether the Executive will interfere, and direct the re-
lease of the parties thus subjected to punishment on a con-
viction which may, and probably will, be reversed, remains
to be seen. Judging from what has already taken place,
there seems little hope that the Government will inter-
fere to prevent the admitted imperfection of the law from
working injustice to these political opponents. Such in-
terference would imply the presence of a generous feel-
ing, of which there has been no indication in any pre-
vious part of the proceedings. In pronouncing the sen-
tence of the Court, Mr. Justice Burton admitted the
inconsistency of subjecting the defendants to the pe-
nalty, while the legal validity of the proceedings was
the subject of an appeal to the higher tribunal ; and
threw out something like a hint that " something might
yet be done " to prevent so monstrous an anomaly.
The public will not readily forget the grounds of
Lord Lyndhurst's opposition to Lord Campbell's mea-
sure for effecting a change in the law on this subject. It
was designed to meet the exigencies of the present case.
But because the proposed Bill was designed by Lord
Campbell to prevent the perpetration of injustice upon
O'Connell, therefore it was to be postponed to a future
time ! Rather than O'Connell should not be incarce-
rated—even on a judgment which may be found
unsustainable in law—an admitted injustice shall
be continued ! We take it for granted that Lord Lynd-
hurst has no personal feeling in the matter. He
would not so far forget what he owes to himself and
to his order, as to allow any paltry animosities to rankle
in his breast when discharging his duties as a legis-
lator. As Lord Chancellor, and a member of the Go-
vernment which prosecuted O'Connell, his Lordship
was, of course, actuated by the feeling and guided by
the judgment of his colleagues. It would be most
mortifying if O'Connell, whom they had employed
so much pains to fix, and sacrificed so much
in reputation to convict, should, after all, escape.
Better imprison him wrongfully than not at all.
The amount of punishment awarded by the Court is, in
our view, inordinately severe. This would be ourjudg-
ment—we believe it is the opinion of nine-tenths
of the community in this country, without reference to
political distinctions—had the Court which pronounced
the sentence made no observations on the character and
conduct of the principal defendant on its floor. But
when we read in Mr. Justice Burton's address, such ad-
missions of the pacific disposition of Mr. O'Connell—
that throughout the whole course of the proceedings of
which he was the director and the leader, as head of
the association for obtaining a repeal of the legislative
union, there was exhibited a never-ceasing anxiety and an
incessant effort to preserve the peace—an anxiety and effort
which had been so eminently successful, as that no
single instance of disturbance had taken place at, or
had resulted from, one of the numerous monster
meetings which had been held. With these distinct
admissions—with these testimonials to Mr. O'Con-
nell's regard for the preservation of peace and order,
from the mouth of the Jude who was the medium by
which the sentence fixed and determined by the Court
was conveyed—we feel warranted in saying that the
conclusion is not sustained by the premises. The con-
duct which was thus commended ought to have been cast
into the balance, and weighed in favour of the indivi-
dual, when called up for judgment. An apology for vi-
siting the misdeeds of Mr. O'Connell with a moderate
amount of punishment, was made out by the Judge.
Why enumerate the merits—for such they were desig-
nated by Mr Justice Burton—of the chief defendant, at
the moment when a sentence—taken, in all its parts, of
unprecedented severity—for misdemeanour was about
to be pronounced ? But we shall, perhaps, be told
that but for the mitigating circumstances dwelt upon
by the Judge, the punishment would have been much
heavier. The sentence is mild and merciful. Gracious
Heaven ! If this be mercy, what, then, is vengeance ?
STANDARD.—We yesterday announced the con-
clusion of the last act of the State trials, in the passing
of judgment upon the conspirators. There was a scene
got up upon the occasion, by 'the repeal members of the
bar, which the reporters did not fail to heighten in their
representation of it ; but which evidently affords no fair
index to the popular feeling, for no sooner were the
traversers securely lodged in the hands of the high
sheriff than the excited sympathy chilled down to in-
difference. Eight months ago, when the proceed-
ings now so usefully concluded were commenced,
we avowed our opinion that there was nothing
vindictive in the prosecution—nothing vindictive even in
the favourable sense which is understood when the laws
are said to be vindicated by the punishment of crimes.
We have all along considered the trial as merely the
trial of an issue upon a question of constitutional right,
which had been made necessary by the dangerous abuse
of a right assumed contrary to law. Mr. O'Connell had
again and again "defied the Government to go to
law with him, as he defied the Government to go

to war with him ;" and it became, in consequence

of this reiterated defiance, necessary to take wp his
challenge. The Government has taken it up, and the
result proves that the challenge to go to law was as ab-
surd a piece of rhodomontade as the challenge to go to
war. This view of the question, however, putting the
prosecution upon a footing similar to an indictment for
a nuisance, in which a civil remedy for a public injury
is really the object of a formally criminal process, while
it certainly renders less excusable the excessive indul-
gence allowed by the Court during the progress of the
tedious trial, fully justifies the great lenity of the
sentence. All that the Government or the
country can wish, all that justly they can
require, after the long license given to sedition
in Ireland, is to put an end to seditious agitation ; and
the lowest degree of punishment that can reasonably be
expected to effect that object is the most just. Now the
punishment imposed seems to be sufficient, though in
the case of Mr. O'Connell no more than sufficient ; for
less than a year's imprisonment for his " monster"
offences, or than a month's income of his rent, would be
really playing with the law, and would, by his ignorant
followers, be set down to fear of his and their power.
It is very true that a year's imprisonment is not a very
heavy punishment. It is far less than the " savage
operation" of our commercial law has hitherto inflicted
upon many an innocent man, and many a helpless
woman, innocent of every crimes and incarcerated
without trial by the command of a greedy or a spiteful
creditor. Mr. O'Connell is to suffer for destroying the
peace of his country, and perilling the safety of the em-
pire, but one-third of what Mr. Oastler has suffered
for having too faithfully served his employer's interests
—too honestly declined to serve his prejudices or
passions. To measure the weight of the blow in-
flicted upon Mr. O'Connell by the mere duration of
his imprisonment, or the amount of his fine were, how-
ever, to) apply a fallacious test. The blow to him is
fatal, as the assertion of authority of the law must always
be fatal to those who construct their schemes of life
upon the hypothesis that the law may be permanently
violated with impunity. The keepers of gaming
tables at Epsom have been ruined by a measure
certainly not vindictively directed against them in-
dividually, but necessary for the public good ;
and just in the same way Mr. O'Connell has
been ruined. The destruction of his agitation trade,
and his agitation rent, which after a short interval
must follow the fate of his trade, is his real pe-
nalty (though not designed as such), and the twelve
months' imprisonment and 2,0001. fine are an inconsider-
able, though, under the circumstances, an indispensable
aggravation. Hew far Mr. O'Connell, or the disap-
pointed " thimble-riggers" at Epsom, may be entitled to
public sympathy, is a question which men will decide ac-
cording to their view of the guilt or innocence of embark-
ing in a speculation contrary to law and injurious to their
fellow-citizens. For ourselves, we have little compas-
sion for any one who is merely excluded from the oppor-
tunity of profitable crimes. If men will embark their
interests in projects denounced by the law, and hostile
to the peace, happiness, and morality of the country,
they must not expect compassion when they make ship-
, wreck.

of the fortune which he had so laboriously obtained.
M. Laffitte possessed in the highest degree all the virtues of
the private man. He was eminently just and upright—a
slave to his word—a sincere and devoted friend. He
took enjoyment in the soft affections and the tranquil
happiness of the family circle. There was in him a won-
derful mixture of simplicity and kindness of heart, with
grandeur of sentiments and ideas. As a man he was
affable, good, indulgent, and peaceable—as a citizen he
naturally rose in mind to the highest exigencies of
political life, proceeding with resolution in the most
difficult paths, and showing himself to be severe, courage-
ous, and inflexible in all things which he considered
to be required of him by the interests of his country and
of his public duties. As soon as seen he was found to
be agreeable, and, when more intimately known, was
beloved. His house was kept open for fifteen years with
all the eclat of luxury. He did honour to his fortune
in a noble and magnificent style, but never did these
enjoyments of his wealth change the inborn goodness
of his nature, or disturb his equanimity by vanity.
He received with equal politeness personages of the
highest station and the humblest electors who
were in communion with his patriotic hopes.
Sprung from the working class, he never desired to
separate from the people. In his fundamental and
never-varying principle, which was to be recognised
in the employment of his riches, as in every act
of his life without exception, was to be discerned
his devoted love for his country, and his sympathy
with everything that was noble and grand.
At the time when his fortune was colossal, M.
Laffitte had his daughter, his only child, to marry.
She was sought by the richest capitalists and by the
greatest names in the circle of Court favour, but M.
Laffitte gave her to the son of the most illustrious
martyr of the restoration. The heroic conduct of M.
Laffitte in 1830 is well known. After having struggled
during fifteen years against the excesses of the
Restoration, he was the most active and energetic
artisan of the Revolution of July. It was no exaggera-
tion when his hotel was called the head-quarters of the
Revolution. There, in fact, was decided uader his imme-
diate
and all-powerful influence the destinies of the
country. Thence issued the first movement towards a
re-organisation of government, after the popular victory
and the constitution of the new dynasty."
(From the Journal des Debats.)
M. Laffitte was born at Bayonne, in 1767. In 1788,
he entered the firm of M. Perragaux, banker, at Paris.
In 1804, M. Perregaux chose him as his partner, his
successor, and testamentary executor. In 1809, M.
Laffitte was named Regent of the Bank of France, and
succeeded M. Dupont de Nemours as President of the
Chamber of Commerce at Paris. In 1813, he was
appointed a Judge of the Tribunal of Commerce of the
Seine, and in 1814 he replaced Count Jaubert as Gover-
nor of the Bank of France. Called, with MM. Delessert,
Hottinguer and Chaptal to the Chamber of Representa-
tives, as deputy of the commercial body, he never ap-
peared in the tribune. In 1816, M. Laffitte was elected
deputy by the department of the Seine. In 1817 he was
re elected. He was again so in 1822, and up to 1830 he
always formed part of the Chamber. After the Revolu-
tion of July he successively filled the high functions of
President of the Chamber of Deputies, President of the
Council, and Minister of Finance. M. Laffitte was deputy
for Rouen."

her house. From the evidence of Inspector Black, it
appeared that on the the 24th of May he
went into Mrs. Evans's house at half-past four in the
morning, and saw four females drinking at the bar. He
remained in the house a few minutes, when Mrs. Evans
ordered the potboy to turn the women out.
Mr. Clarkson, who attended for Mrs. Evans, inquired
how long the females were in the house ?—lnspector
Black replied that he only remained in the house three
minutes, and that was all he knew of the time they were
there.

Mr. TWYFORD said he did not think that was sufficient
time to bring the case under the Act of Parliament ; he
was of opinion that it could not be considered harbouring
prostitutes.
Inspector Black said he was bound by his duty, on
visiting public-houses, to report to his superintendent
when he saw any improper characters in public-houses.
Mr. TWYFORD was not finding fault with the witness.
He knew he had only done his duty. He should order
the present summons to be dismissed.
Mr. Clarksun then rose and said, he knew he was out
of order, but he hoped the Magistrate would allow him
to say a few words respecting the case in question. He
thought it perfectly absurd that such a case had been
brought forward at all. The Commissioners of Police
and superintendents seemed to him as if they were en-
deavouring
to stretch the Act of Parliament to its
greatest extent. They knew that Mrs. Evans's tavern
was a night house, and that such persons as she was
summoned for harbouring were in the habit of going
there to get any refreshment they could require. It was
not to be supposed that such persons could live without
refreshment. They must have some house to go to,
and yet the police, although there was no noise
or disturbance, or indecency, must summon Mrs.
Evans, and put her to an immense expense to
defend herielf, for what ?—for allowing four unfortunate
outcasts to drink a glass of ale or gin before her bar.
He was sure the Legislature never contemplated such
cases when they made the Act of Parliament, but he
really thought the Act would never be construed pro-
perly. His object in taking up the time of the Court
was merely in order that his statement might meet the
eyes of influential persons, and show them the manner in
which the licensed victuallers were persecuted by the
misconstruction of a simple Act of Parliament. He did
not find fault with Inspector Black for doing his duty to
his superiors in reporting the case, and he thought there
was much credit due to him (Black) for the straight-
forward way in which he had given his evidence, and
not attempted to stretch the case. He must say, how-
ever, that his superiors must be very inferior persons,
when they determined that this was a proper case to be
brought before a magistrate. The learned counsel then
thanked Mr. Twyford for the attention which he had
paid to his remarks, and withdrew.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Guiseppe Gatti and Domenico Miasti, two Italians,
were charged with procuring and encouraging children
to wander about the street to beg and gather alms. The
prosecution had been preferred by Mr. Horry, of the
" Society for the prevention of the importation of Italian
boys and other foreigners for illegal purposes." The
boys were found by the officers of the Mendicity Society
and a person named Lucioni, in the act of begging in the
streets with their instruments, and Mr. Hardwick had
granted a summons that Gatti and Miasti, the masters,
might be brought to answer the offence.
Stiffano Dominica, the first lad, appeared to prove the
case against Gatti. He was in rags, and carried a dila-
pidated hurdygurdy. His story was, that he had been
seven weeks in England, having come from Genoa
through France. Not finding Andrea, a man to whom
he had been directed in this country, Gatti gave him
the instrument he bore, desiring him to go and play it
in the streets. Gatti received from him the money he
collected by this means, which fluctuated from 10d. to
13d., and on some rare occasions to 16d. per day; and
in exchange for which he received his lodging and food.
He was neither beaten or maltreated when, after an un-
successful day, he brought home little money. Seven or
eight other boys were similarly employed by Gatti.
Mr. Robinson, on behalf of Gatti, entered into legal
equivocation, contending that by Dominica's own state-
ment, that person merely acted as agent for Andrea ;
and in reply to other remarks,
Mr. HARDWICK said, that the fact of Gatti's " encou-
raging" the lad to procure alms was clear. The state-
ment that no ill-usage had been resorted to, only miti-
gated the aggravation of the case ; even as the agent,
Gatti, would be amenable. It was a notorious fact, that
a class of persons in this metropolis entrapped foreign
boys, preserving them in a state of vagrancy, and under
the pretext of. playing instruments, or exhibiting animals,
employed them to beg. On the receipt of scanty earn.-
ings these boys were often mercilessly maltreated. The
boys were the mere instruments of the master's cupidity,
and punishment ought to alight on the real offenders,
who generally retreated into the back ground. Gatti
evidently kept a lodging-house for these poor wretches,
and made market of them. To repress and crush this
system, he should sentence Gatti to two months' im-
prisonment, and order the conviction to be returned, so
as to inflict the full penalty, in case of a repetition of the
offence ; nor should he accept bail except on due notice.
Mr. Robinson said he should appeal.
Domenico Miasti, the master of the other lad, Ales-
sandro Diboli, there being mitigatory circumstances in
his case, was sentenced on his charge to one month's im-
prisonment, Mr. Hardwick remarking, that the most
painful circumstance of this system was, that hundreds
of foreign children thus introduced into this country
were never known to leave it ; and the fates of numbers
could only be surmised.
WORSHIP- S TRE E T.

Two stylishly-dressed young men, named Duni&
Rodriguez, alias Rogers, a Portuguese Jew, and Charles
Stewart, a Scotchman, who described themselves as
" surgeons-chiropodists," were brought before Mr.
Broughton for re-axammination, charged on suspicion
of having been concerned in the commission of an exten-
sive burglary at the house of Mr. Peter Hay, watchmaker,
&c., in Leith-street, Edinburgh, and carrying off plate,
watches, and jewellery, to the amount of 1,5001. The
Court was crowded with a countless swarm of Jews
from the purlieus of Petticoat-lane, who manifested the
warmest interest in the proceedings. Intelligence of
the robbery, which was committed on May the 2d, was
received in town about three weeks ago, and a list of the
stolen property was published in the Police Gazette, a
reward of 300/. being offered for the apprehension of the
thieves. It was believed that the robbery had been per-
petrated by two men, named Daniel Rogers and Charles
Stewart, a minute description of whose dress and persons
was also transmitted. Upon this a policeman immediately
proceeded to Petticoat-lane, where the father of Ro-
driguez resided, and where he found the prisoners,
whom he took into custody. Upon one of them was
found a gold watch, two gold chains, a gold pin, three
gold rings, and various other articles, and on the person
of Rodriguez was found two cases of surgical instru-
ments, a gold pin, and a bill relating to the conveyance
of two boxes from Edinburgh, which were consigned,
on the 21st ult., to the care of a man named Martin,

residing in Petticoat-lane. The house in which Ro-
driguez lived, in Devonshire-terrace, Cambridge-road,
was then searched, and two large boxes, corresponding
with those mentioned in the bill, were discovered, and
in one of which was found an immense quantity
of wearing apparel, together with six gold breast pins,
the duplicate of a brequet gold chain, and other articles
of jewellery, similar to those in the advertised list of the
stolen property. There were also found amongst the
wearing apparel a light-coloured coat, and a blue cloth
can with gold band, both answering the description of
similar articles stated to have been worn by one of the
robbers. It was also ascertained that the prisoners had
carried on business in Edinburgh as " surgeon-chiro-
podists," and that they left that city about the period of
the robbery.
In answer to the charge, both the prisoners stoutly
declared their innocence, and said that it was manifestly
impossible that they could have been implicated in the
robbery, as they left Edinburgh two days before it was
alleged to have been committed, namely, on the 2d ult.,
and that on their arrival in town they put up at-the
house of Abraham Belasco, the Gun and Star, Petticoat-
lane, who would be able to corroborate their statement.
On being examined, however, Mr. Belasco stated that
the prisoners took lodgings at his house on the 13th ult.,
and he had seen nothing of them for at least six months
before that time.

The prisoners were then remanded to enable the police
to, give notice of their apprehension to the prosecutor
and the police authorities at Edinburgh.
The MAGISTRATE now read a letter which had been
subsequently received from Superintendent Haining, of
the Edinburgh police, who stated " that he had desired
in a previous letter that the prisoners were only to be
apprehended in the event of some of the property being
traced to their possession, and as he felt satisfied that
none of the articles described as having been found upon
them formed any portion of the stolen property, it
would be quite unnecessary to detain them any longer
in custody. '
Mr. BROUGHTON, after perusing the letter, observed
that a more extraordinary document, emanating as it
did from an officer of justice, had never come under his
notice since he had held a seat on the bench. It was
quite manifest that the sole object of the superintendent
was to obtain the restoration of the property without re-
gard to the imperative demands of justice. Mr. Hurl-
stone, the clerk, was desired by the Magistrate to ad-
dress a letter to Mr. Hay, expressive of his sentiments,
and requiring his attendance to prosecute the case.
Mr. Robinson, who attended for the prisoners, said
that he was able to adduce undeniable evidence that

every article found upon them had • been honestly ob-
tained, and that they left Edinburgh two days before the
commission of the robbery.
'The prisoners were then remanded until Wednesday
next, but the Magistrate agreed to accept bail for their
appearance on that day.

BEES HIVING ON A MAN'S BACK.—On Saturday
week, a hive of bees belonging to Mr. W. Millar, weaver,
Balloch, near Crieff, left their skep, and while holding
in an eastern direction, the whole of the bees hived upon
the back of one Lewis Millar, who was in pursuit of
there at the time. The man stood fast, and having no
apparel upon him but his trousers and shirt, in this
position he remained a considerable time, when a skep
was procured and placed upon his back. Notwithstand-
ing all this, the man sustained little or no injury, with
the exception of two stings while placing the skep upon
his back. The whole of the bees were recovered.--
Scotch Reformers' Gazette.

CROMARTY—A NOVELTY.—On Saturday last a
Danish corvette of 20 guns appeared in the harbour at
Cromarty. The vessel has been cruising in the north
seas for some time, with a view to the instruction of ca-
dets, of whom 45 are on board, with a full complement
of officers and men. Two large Danish frigates are also
daily expected at Cromarty. The corvette is a hand-
some vessel, and the young cadets appear cheerful and
healthy. They amuse themselves in their intervals of
leisure, by playing games on the links, and sauntering
about the finely wooded banks of the bay.—lnverness
Courier.

THE NEWEST LONDON and PARIS 1

FASHIONS FOR JUNE, 1844.
(From the World of Fashion.)
CAPS.—Although the form of them conti.nie much the
same, still there is always a constant novelty in the
trimmings ; those intended for a morning toilette
being mostly composed of inlet, and lined with
pink or blue gauze, the sole trimming being a
chiffond of lace. Small round caps are still
worn, decorated with a broad Valenciennes, and a
wreath of coques of white satin ribbon. The corners of
those caps intended for demi-toilette are still worn
small ; they are to be seen worn of tulle, and decorated
with lappets in application d'Angleterre, slightly fulled
on each of the ears, and forming a trimming with the
addition of two bunches of roses put on each side ; the
gothic lace is also very much used for this style of cap.
Chales Mantelets have lately appeared composed of
glack silk, and bordered with an Algerine fringe ; at the
back it forms the usual point ; and in front two square
ends. A facing cut en piece, and in two parts, goes
round the neck, and descends on each side down to the
ends. This shawl is formed of two pieces, and is joined
by a seam which runs perpendicularly up the centre of
the back.
BONNETS.—Those of white Bros de Naples are mostly
ornamented with a long flat feather, and trimmings of
paint, , others are striped with straight bands or narrow
plaits ; then again we see those in silk, covered entirely
with crepe ; the edge of the brim covered with a double
fold of gauze and tulle alternately.
NOVELTIES.—Scarfs which are now worn are of every
texture. Shawls also commence to be seen ; they are of
a very light material, unless when composed of em-
broidered China crepe. We have remarked several
plain muslin scarfs, doubles, with pink and blue gauzes.
ECHARPES MALTAISES.—These scarfs have been in-
vented expressly for the present season, and are of
a most becoming form of mantelet; the ground of
it being in black lace, and trimmed with the
same, literally enveloping the figure from head
to foot; the cut of the lace covering the arms
in the same manner as a long sleeve would do; it is
rounded, and falls low on every side, allowing sometimes
the edge of the dress being seen. The Maltese ladies
add to this mantille a kind of small pelerilie, forming a
second shawl, and which can be thrown over the head,
so as to shade it from the evening sun, adding much to
the piquancy and originality of this elegant mantelet.
DRESSES.—Those made of light textures are decorated
with several flounces; these flounces are, for the most part,
on the cross, and are put on nearly as high as the hips ;
they are laid nearly flat on the skirts, and sometimes
edged with a broad fringe or narrow cut ruches ;
others are trimmed with a single broad flounces
edged and headed with a plaiting of ribbon en
ruche or broad biais folds, put on slanting as
high as the middle of the jupe, or ribbons fuller
in the centre, put on en ruche round the facings, and de-
scending on each side of the frost. The corsages vary
according to the temperature of the weather, either high
or half high; they still, however, remain flat, and the
sleeves mostly plain, or half long; except, indeed, when
they are made so short that they resemble the shape of
an epaulet more than a sleeve.
FAILLE DE RIZ are still considered a graceful and
becoming style of hat. The form of them are rather
more raised in the front than the silk bonnets; the
most elegant mode of trimming them being three white
feathers placed on the left side, and tipped with violet :
the ribbon being of taffetas, and the same shade of
violet as the feathers, or decorated with two rows of
English lace ; the one covering the brim, the other de •
scending upon the crown, united with a demi wreatk of
roses and nceuds of green ribbon placed at the extre-
mity on each side ; others are decorated with lilac mara-
bouts, or wreaths of mixed flowers.
FASHIONABLE COLOURS.—The most prevailing colours
for the present are those which admit of being prettily
shaded, such as lilac, green, blue, pink, and white; the
cameleon is still also the rage, and a mixture of dahlia
and cherry colour

THE RIOTS IN PHILADELPHIA
We give, in our present number, some details of the
riots in Philadelphia, to which we could only make a
passing allusion on Wednesday, but which will be found
to have been very formidable, and very destructive,
both of life and property ; the number of persons
killed and seriously wounded being from thirty to forty,
and the property destroyed by fire, including two
Catholic churches, being valued at upwards of 300,000
dollars.

Since these riots became known in this country, we
have been favoured with many speculations intended
to elucidate their origin, none of which, as it seems to
us, have gone to the root of the matter. For some
months past, it has been tolerably obvious that an
unfriendly feeling towards the Irish immigrants was
springing up in most of the large cities of the United
States, and more particularly in New York and Phila-
delphia, where the Irish residents are most numerous.
In those cities, bodies calling themselves " Native Ame-
rican Associations," consisting principally of persons in
the working classes, have held frequent and large
meetings, the proceedings of which manifested strong
hostility towards the Irish. The ostensible causes
of this hostility, so far as we have been able
to collect them, are various—such as the improper
interference of Irishmen in elections, the denun-
ciations of the people of the United States by
Mr. O'Connell, and various other matters ; none of
which, nor all of which, however, appear sufficient to
account for the organisation of the " native Americans;"
but it is not difficult to collect from the proceedings
that there is another cause at work much more likely
to furnish the real ground of hostility. It is found
that the Irish are, in many branches of industry,
formidable competitors for employment, which they
are frequently disposed to accept on terms which
" native Americans" are inclined to consider inade-
quate ; and hence a feeling has sprung up between
the two parties not very unlike that which prevails here
between bodies of combined workmen, and parties who
are alleged to work under the usual rate of wages. That
the ill feeling arising from this source has been aggra-
vated by the turbulent and lawless habits which Irish-
men have been taught by the misgovernment and the
defective social state of their own country, and which
they unfortunately carry with them wherever they go
—is highly probable ; and possibly, too, the denuncia-
tions of O'Connell may not have been altogether without
their effect: hut we believe that the great cause of the
outbreak is the one we have named, and which is cer-
tainly not likely to be very speedily removed, but rather
to increase in intensity.
We see that some of the English newspapers dwell
upon the disturbances at Philadelphia, as proof of the
evils of democratic institutions! We are certainly no
admirers of the system of government which prevails in
the United States, but, at the same time, consider it
rather unwise for Englishmen, who have had abundance
of untoward events at home, to be hasty in drawing un-
favourable conclusions from similar occurrences in other
countries. If the value of our institutions was to be
tested by the No-Popery riots, the Church-and-King
outrages in „Birmingham, or the fires of Bristol and
Nottingham, they would not be very highly estimated
by the rest of the world.— Manchester Guardian.

PRESERVATION OF LIFE AT SEA.
A too great disregard of human life at sea prevails
amongst the shipping interest, in so far as regards the
necessary precaution which it may be supposed a person
would naturally take to provide means of escape from
the manifold and fearful dangers which beset the ma-
riner's life; and those who, either from pleasure or ne-
cessity, trust themselves upon the ocean. With regard
to seamen, they have no sense of danger until it ap-
pears before them, and not until then do they devise
means of escape. This want of fear is noble, and, to a
certain extent, to be commended, but there is a limit to
everything. Nevertheless " Jack," whatever may be
said or done, will still be the same careless, fearless,
danger-seeking, and generous fellow as ever. The
blame alluded to, however, does not attach itself to the
foremast men, but to those who certainly should
give the mariner every chance which ingenuity has de-
vised for preserving life under the straits to which
the seaman is exposed. The commander of a vessel is
likewise not to blame, for, for him to talk of danger, is
a reflection upon himself, and it is one of the greatest
and most laudable boasts of a British seaman, that what-
ever the emergency—however great the peril and the
demand upon his courage in danger, and fortitude in
trial, he has ever yet been (and ever will be) found ready
to meet it with the best energies of his nature. Expense
is ever—and naturally so—looked to by the owner, and
whilst neither captain nor men complain, he may be
considered as innocent of debarring his men from a
means of safety in times of peril to., life—for no refusal
has been given. Still, notwithstanding the fearless na-
ture of the one, and the seeming apathy of the other, there
is unquestionably too great a disregard in providing a
means of safety in times of certain peril, and which a
practical experience of some years has fully exemplified.
However, be this as it may, the subject has become one
of very general observation, from the numberless losses
of human life lately ; and there have been certain sug-
gestions thrown out, and inventions submitted to those
interested, which deserve attention. Foremost amongst
the latter, ranks a simple but valuable piece of cabin fur-
niture, the merits of which, it is believed, have been
tested publicly at Plymouth—viz., a cabin-stool, which
f?iips itself into a buoy, capable of holding a person in a
sitting posture in the water. There is also an in-
vention of equal value, of more recent introduction,
which has within the last two days been exhibited at
Lloyd's—the grand emporium for shipping intelligence
—and deserves the attention of all interested in maritime
affairs, as well as those who proceed to sea under
circumstances of a different nature to the seaman. It
has occasioned much curiosity, and is well deserving of
inspection and adoption. The: invention is simple, but
effective, for the purpose- intended, and consists merely
of a chest made of cork; yet made so strong, without
being cumbersome, as considerably to surpass the
wooden ones, now so long in use, in that respect. It is
perfectly water-tight, and of extreme buoyancy, capable
of sustaining from six to thirty grown persons in the
water, even when filled with clothes, or provisions, &c.
They are evidently not se easily stove in as those at pre.
sent in use, being capable of resisting very severe usage,
whilst, from their buoyancy, they are not so likely to
meet with 'injury in a case of shipwreck. Tin it
buoyancy, again, does not depend upon any pr.( as
paration, such as inflation, &c., but is natural
to the material of which they are composed.
They are perfectly water-tight, and will preserve
valuable documents and papers from water, when
immersed overboard, for an almost indefinite period.
Those who, unfortunately, have experienced the horrors
of shipwreck, and been compelled to resort to either
boats or a raft, as the means of preservation, will
at once perceive the value and importance of an
invention which will at once preserve provisions as
well as clothes from the destructive qualities of the sea-
water. Chests of this description could be fitted with a
small portable caboose, which, to a shipwrecked patty upon
a raft, would be invaluable. They will also contain fresh