The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-27 00:00:00

THE-SUN; LONDON, ..PRIDA

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS, as iii wfiieli of the -taxes he ought to abolish or re-
lit= THE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. duce. But if he adopt the principle which we have
TIMES.—The most important political character- laid down as that on which to base his financial
istics of' the Romish Church are the dependence of its schemes for the coming fiscal year, he can hardly he
clergy on a foreign potentate, roan whom they re- at a loss as to how he ought to proceed. There is
ceive their spiritual authority .an I the consequent one point which we would press on the consideration
emancipation of that clergy ard of their flocks from of the Premier in connexion with his contemplated
many of those civil obligations and national usages financial operations. It is this, that he ought to let
which are recognised by the members of the Este- the country have the benefit, to the utmost
blished Church in this country, and are not systems- prudent limit, of the available surplus which will
tically impugned by any sect of Protestant Dissenters. be in his hands in April next. Our meaning;
But these two characteristics—independence of the we presume, is sufficiently clear. It ought to
civil power and obedience to a foreign authority in be so. What we wish to be understood as saying,
spiritual matters—are not peculiar to the Roman is, that Sir Robert Peel, instead of carrying over
Catholic subjects of Great Britain. Wherever a to the following year any surplus, as a sort of re-
Roman Catholic population exists, whether it be under serve fund for possible contingencies—should apply
the Protestant supremacy of Holland and Prussia, or every farthing in his exchequer, over and above the
under the Catholic Sovereigns of Austria and France, estimated expenditure, to the reduction or repeal of
the same fact and the same tendency prevail. The such imposts as press most severely on those who are,
Courts of Catholic Kings have not ohen supported or least able to bear the burthen of taxation. With thei
submitted to Papal domination with more complacency improved state of trade and commerce, the Minister,
than the stoutest upholders of Protestant freedom; will not only be justified in doing this, but will incur
and even whilst they acknowledged the whole theory the blame of sacrificing the presents and perhaps
of Romish power, they took care to limit its ap- future interests of the country, if he fail to adopt our,
plication. Every state, whether it has discarded advice. With a declining revenue, a Minister mays
or preserved its communion with the Church of I e warranted in proceeding cautiously in his financial,
Rome has sedulously applied itself to curb those s heroes. It is not only natural, but right and proper'
powers, and to limit that spiritual ascendancy, which ti at he should be careful lest his expenditure should'
in all countries presented most fo-eirlable difficulties exceed his income. But when, as is happily the case:
to the civil government of the nation. Every state at present, the revenue has been steadily rising for al
has settled upon a distinct basis tee conditions and c'nsiderable period, and there is every probability
limits of the proper power of the government and of that it will continue, at least for some time, to
the authority of Rome in the :OW rs of the Church. 1 increase, the matter assumes a different aspect.
The more Catholic tee power, as fc r instance Austria, Not only, indeed, in such a case, is the Minister
the more independent of Rome has she become; and bound to reduce taxation to the full amount of his
the result of the disputes which retied for centuries calculated income over his estimated expenditure,
between the Church and the em; :re, is a State of but the public have aright to expect that he should
things in which the Church has liven transformed , even stretch a point, and give a people who have
from being the most formidable opeenent of the state been so long suffering from an unusual pressure of
into its most useful ally. To this remark the condis taxation, a little more relief than the exact financial
tion of the Roman Catholic Chu,. I. in the British conclusions at which he may arrive would suggest.
dominions, and its relations with the civil power in He would be doing nothing that would subject him
this country, present a signal ex'. option. Our ex- to the charge of imprudence or incautiousness, were
treme eagerness to rid the nation 1 the last vestiges he to give the public the benefit of a reduction of
of Popery has affireled to the :Stoutish Church a taxes to the amount of 10500,000/. over and above
singular opportunity of asserte Le- an influence what may be the estimated surplus in the ensuing
which it has everywhere else lost. We believe financial year. Sir Robert Peel needs no ghost to
it to be demonstrable that in proportion as the tell him, that this would be one of the most popular
traditional policy of England bag led us to re- measures which he, has yet devised. Instead of
ject and to proscribe all negotiati .n with the Court weakening, it would tend to strengthen and establish
of Rome—nay, even to refuse to recognise the exis- his Government; for relief from fiscal burthens is one
tence of a power which we regard as an imperium in J of those arguments in favour of a Government which
imperio, dangerous to our national independence and I never fail to carry conviction to the mind.
to our civil and religious liberty--we have, in fact, I GLOBE.—Lord Ashley has, we perceive, pledged
been throwing aside the very means which all other , himself—in a letter written in reply to some appli-
Governments, both Catholic and Protestant, have 1 cation on the subject from a Ten-Hours' Committee
used in order to secure to their subjects the blessings :in the north—to renew his efforts in the next session
of peace, and to themselves that ielluence in ecclesi- to obtain a legislative restriction of labour in factories
astical affairs which cannot be abandoned with impu- to ten hours a day. After the experience of the last
nity, either to the voluntary principle or to the 1 session, when those who advocated the restriction of
Roman Pontiff. We do not hesitate to affirm that ' factory labour to ten hours afterwards voted against
the power of the R. mish Church over its members it when it stood part of the Factory Bill—and thus
and its clergy is at this time more absolute in the shirked the question and stultified themselves, on the
British empire than ir. any country in Europe out of groundof theembarrassrnentswhichan adherence to the
the minor States ..f Italy. Here this power is not " cause of humanity" would occasion to Ministers, who
only independent of the State, but habitually opposed opposed the ten-hours' resolution—we have no appre-
to it. The spiritual authority which governs the I hensions of any very firm stand by Lord Ashley
consciences of the people of Ireland, and the temporal and the other advocates .for restrictions on factory
I
laws to which they aee responsible, are pitted one labour. There will be a grand exhibition of micros=
against the other. Su .th a power is less dangerous to topic benevolence. Cases of factory labourers' debi-
the public welfare e hen it is ascertained and regulated litated constitutions, and of their shortened existence, 1
by law, than when it is occult and uncontrolled. We will be cited. Medical opinions, and statistical returns
may refuse to recognise its existence, hut we cannot of Sanitary Commissioners, will be quoted. Every
be blind to its effects ; and whilst we deny it that mea- effort will, in short, be used to " make out a case" for
sure of official respect which we pay to the least of the legislative interference in the way asked for. All this
states of Europe, it deer in reality posses a force which will be done—without the least idea, on the part of
may rouse to rebellion a third of the 'United King- Lord Ashley and his supporters, that their attempts
dom, and affects the councils of the empire. Our will prevail with the Government or with the House
object, on this occasion, is to bring torward in the ,of Commons. The former will remain firm to their
narrowest compass the facts by which this striking declared purpose of resisting any legislative inter-
contrast between England and the other states of ference with the rights of labour in the
Europe is suggested. These facts at once demon- men, and of capital in their masters. The House
etrate that the Church cf Rome has acceded to terms of Commons will be careful how it allows itself
with other Protestant countries, which go far to to be caught napping, when it ought to be wide
moderate and direct tba power to which we have i awake. Members who support her Majesty's
hitherto opposed a luenly stubborn, unintelligent re- l Ministers will call to mind the confusion of face
distance. The example of Prussia at once offers a and agitation of feeling which were caused by the
striking analogy to Ireland. The principal here- awkward affirmation by the House of the ten-hours'
ditary dominions of the Crown are Protestant ' • the resolution moved by Lord Ashley: how Sir Robert
reigning family is Pretestant ; the King is the head Peel was compelled to employ alternate reproaches
of the Protestant church. To this Protestant state and entreaties—remonstrances and persuasions; how
the treaties of 1815 anoaxed the Rhenish province, in Sir James Graham was even driven to utter express
which the Catholic population is to the Protestant sive threats of resigning office--and the fears which
as three to one, and at the eastern extremity pervaded the possessors and the expectants of place
of the kingdom the same proportion occurs. The and profit from the Government, lest, if the ten-
&it care of the late King of Prussia was to este- hours' clause passed, the Cabinet should be shaken,
blish in the University 4-4 f Bunn a Roman Catholic if not, indeed, be broken up. There will be no repe-
seminary for the education of the Prussian priest- tition in the next session of any such scenes as
hood. The second was to open negotiations with those which took place on this question in the last. A
the Court of Rome, whir .h were brought by Prince speech of the character we have described may be de-
Hardenburg to a successful termination. No con- livered by Lord Ashley. He will be followed by a
cordat or public treaty was signed, but the Pope pub- few speakers, pro and eon. Sir James Graham will
lished in 1821 his hull de salute unimarum, which wind up the debate by a good common sense view o'
confers upon the Crown the power of directing the the question, in which he will demonstrate the Mi. ; '
chapters in the election of bishops, and a brief of the Pest absurdity and glaring injustice of the propos'
dim,,„'"
same date obliges the chapters to elect personam regi And thus the matter will end for another year
-cfe.
gratum. Thus the Prete:stant King of Prussia exer- should not think it worth while to adve• + - cues over the Roman Catholic Church in his domi- subject, were it not that there are a num'„,elr of well-
nomination .. to theow their
nions the principal act el sovereign authority, in the meaning people who, like Lord Ashle ,
nomination of bishops, which is vested in the Queen feelings to lead their reasoning facult' 5. , a
as the head of the Established Church in this country. listen to exaggerated and frequen''ms's astray. They
dry fse accounts of
/Car is this all ; throughout Germany, both Catholic the sad effects of working in
factor alies for twelve
and Protestant, all the c irrespondence between the hours ; and embark on aCe
exotic enterprise of pre.
Catholic clergy and the Leese passes under the cogni- venting such results by als' •
,eating for an Act of Bence of the Government. The Papal ordinances liament to restrict t'
_eel hours of labour. The
Par-
are returned in the same manner, and whenever benevolence of hear'
they are at variance with the views of the Govern- as Lord Ashley ' . 'which mores to such efforts
ob
went, the pacet regium is withheld from such pas- ject, claims c•
has employed to effect this
in-
sages. Concordats, fennel treaties, or other similar tellect ernmendation—the perversion of or -
arrangements with Rome, all conferring under various powers, ee tether the deficiency of the reasoning
.
forms nearly similar powers, were concluded with tion. ,each such efforts display, moves commisera-
France in the an IX., and in IM7 ; with Bavaria in I quir .ware of the influence which such schemes ac-
-1819; the Netherlands in 1827; Hanover in 1817 '
.e ever the more amiable feelings of our nature—soy
and 1823 ; and subsequently with the smaller Ger ,
v
I 'fetch the judgment is blinded to their inevitabl
„on.
•
man Protestant states. As for Austria, there
sequences—we deem it necessary to place before such
-
find, to borrow the language of Mr. Turnbull
use persons some of the reasons which induce us to lend
Sovereign professing the creed of Rome, and ' A our aid to Government in its opposition to Lord
rnintiefrt ex- Ashley's proposition ; although by so doing we find
eluding the interference of the Rotnish P,
toroo an ourselves in antagonism to some influential indivi-
extent unknown in any other country '
duals of our own party, with vvhom, on questions of
erecting and suppressing M'gim's con' .4nunities , Zen;
trolling and directing their finery
..,s ; national policy,ith we generally concur. All inter-
enforcingon positionw the employment of labour is in direct
the clergy of every creed alike 11'..4 Imperial pleasure, contravention of the principles which ought to go-
even as to the forms of word,'
en and to theinstruc- vein contracts between employers and the employed,
lions given from the pulpit, ; and actuall annulling, and is an infraction of the laws of society which are in -
in virtue of his supreme ledhorit the foryche. of sacra- dispensable to the freedom of the individual and the
subjemental ordinances V.:nen performed -b
Romish"i postulates of commercial undertakings. The prin-
cts in contrav,ention
ef his civil enictrneisnts. f ciple, to he worth anything—and if essenti to the
such are the
'nor
establil
shed between the Court of
well-being of the social system—must beatgeneral'.
Rome and most faithful adherents, by what Where can its limits be‘placed ? The Legislature
errors of 'policy can it have occurred that her has no
more right to • interfere between the owner
stutheelty is most formidable where it is least re- of a factory and his artisans, than between the mass
elegnised ? 1t is not in the spirit of our laws ter of a house and his domestic servants. There are
isr administration to thrust the hand of the civil many trades and commercial establishments in
rower into ecclesiastical iefairs, or to intermeddle e rich it is utterly impossible to apply a restrics
with the religious obserrances of the people. But Live enactment to reduce the hours o labour.Take
it is impossible that the civil government of this the case of a daily morning paper. To
produce
i d
kingdom should for ever ignore the spiritual govern- the journal, a large number of mennaus.t be employed
anent which is recognised in Ireland alone by six during the entire night. The .places in which they
millions of the people. In Canada the Roman Ca- ply their respectivevocations, in' furtherance of the
tholic clergy are amongst ties most loyal subjects of common object,
nartoe lit withl gas. The men are neces.
the Crown ; in England they are not disaffected; in sarily crowded
ima smrfaeltspaLce,t and
Lord Ashley
ventilationhi
midnight,ors aenydvihsiit
Malta, Gibraltnr, and the celonies of French origin, is more or less the Roman Catholic Church is a matter of pare- one of those establishmentse at
mount importance to the Government; and, what- benevolence will prompt him to interfere for the
s
ever may be the future condition of religious parties prevention of the consequences to -human health
in Ireland, events seem to point to a more direct and and life from such intense application in such an
dignified mode of comm ut,ioating on these subjects atmosphere, for so many hours, constituting the entire
with the Vatican. We shall. not attempt to explain I night. Bat prudence will step in, 'anrevent him
by what means in the present absurd state of the law from interfering between the proprietorsd of the morn-
any
intercourse between the British Government and ing journals and the men in their employ. the Court of Rome may have taken place. But it is yet, if Lord Ashley's " princ.iple of. hutniy And And
the Court of Rome rosy have taken place. But it is / yet, if Lord Ashley's " principle of humanity" be
notorious that such intercourse leas takes place at worth anything, he is bound, in consistency-with his
various times ; and, although the indirect mode in princi le, to make the attempt. The- same argu-
whlch it must have been carried on was unbecoming anent le
apply to the thousands of tailors who, in
the great interests affected by such negotiations, the a postureil. confessedly injurious to health, ply their
interests of peace and conciliation have been no
losers by these transactions. We allude to the con- through the live-long day, and borrow from
etchlae.inngight some of the hours_ which tired nature
sent of Rome to the veto, which was subsequentldefeated by the Irish Roman Catholic laity ; to thy
e Ashley include
repose and re-invigaration. Will Lord
iof "over
in his " charter of benevolence?"
influence of the Pope in calming the excitement of The system
pmeriodq
oofverohours," by which men extend
the Canadian insurgents, and in proscribing the slave the usyusale
by two, three, and fwurrkhunder special circumstances
trade; and more recently to the sanction which is
ours, should also be taken
understood is have been given to the important into the Noble Lord's humane consideration ; and a
measure just promulgated in Ireland. On these special enactment he made, to renderwsurch excessive
lsopeednal both
lr
occasions it has been found that the good order and taxation of man's limited physical welfare of the Roman Catholic Church presented no upon the employer and the powers
obstacles, but rather a powerful assistance, to a wise admit the abstract desirableness, of assigningemployed.
It
and tolerant policy in civil gevernment; and, since man a moderate and carefully-regulated r?
the laws of this country have ceased to persecute the ' tion of labour, that recreation may be Peen-
Roman Catholics and to deny their civil existence, I joyed, intellectual and moral improvement properly
there is no secure or tenab' e resting-place between ! cultivated, and rest from fatigue insured. The miss
that state of things, which it. now passed away, and 1 fortune of Lord Ashley, and of the super-humane
the recognition of those ar.. horities, to which the i persons who adopt his theory, is that it is simply im-
Roman Catholic clergy and leity a3cribe a controlling i practicablee We should be sorry, indeed, to believe
power in the direction of • heir spiritual concerns. it the only one which could be proposed for the "con-
They have already ceased t( be a mere abstraction, I summation devoutly to be wished," of improvement
and they must therefore be dealt with as a reality; lin the lot of labour—and amongst the greatest of such
and the danger consists not ;n ;that ought to be done, ; improvements, undoubtedly, must be ranked the re-
but in remaining as we are. I
laxation of all extreme degrees of toil requisite for
ADVERTISER.—New elsimants for the benefit support or comfort.
of the surplus revenue, which it is now certain will be STANDARD.—The lhih we have at the the disposal of Sir Robert Peel at the close of the
scribed for ourselves, andreuheichw our readers have so
financial year, are starting up every day. And so' long kindly indulged, prevented our alluding as we
very clamorous are some of them becoming, that it ' could have wished to 'the admirable charge of the
may be doubted whether the Premier will not find I Bishop of Worcester, published in yesterday's
his riches prove a source of greater embarrassment Standard. 'That noble and most seasonable address
than even an empty exchequer would do. He who, 1 could, however, well dispense with an introduction.
under any circumstances, attempts to please all
,par.- Our readers have seen and appreciated it, and any
ties, undertakes a proverbially eopeless task. This compliments on our part would be ' flat in com-
will be found especially the case when mone matters parison with their own sense of its merits, and of
are at stake. Do as Sir Robert will with his surplus the good Bishop's claim on the gratitude of the
revenue, he is sure to give offence. It is impossible countri. The excellent Bishop of Salisbury, at pre-
that he can repeal '
or modify all theAta,,xes which he sent a ini rator of the diocese of Bath, in consi-
m• .st is asked to extinguish or redue urplufosroft riot deration of Dr. Law's infirmity and great age, has ad-
less than 10,000,000/. would bee. required
What then is he to do ? Why, to disregard alt this. dressed the clergy of the last-named diocese in pre-
cisely the same spirit, urging the same advice. We
mourers and all clamouring, mei repeal or amodelifa- bane not seen any copy of the Right Reverend Lord's
those taxes which will afford the greatest amount oyf address, and we do not know that any copy has been
relief to the greatest number of an over-taxed people.but we have what we consider sufficient
Until we have learned the amount of the surplus re- aPurthloerft for
. saying, that it was in all respects
venue whieb will be at the disposal of the Minister, precisel Y similar to the address of the Bishop
we will not be in a condition to express any opinion of Worcester.y
Lastly, what gives us a'siecere plea!).

sure on every ground, we are able to communicate
the following graceful letter of the Bishop of Exeter,
putting an end to the differences that have latel,
disturbed his Lordship's diocese:—
" TO THE CLERGY OF THE DIOCESE OF EXETER.
" ashopstowe, Dec. 23, 1844.
"Dear and Rev. Brethren,—lt has been represented t
me by many of you, in different parts of the diocese, tha
the use Of the surplice in preaching is more repugnant t
the feelings of the people than could have been reasonabl;
anticipated. To these feelings, however erroneous,
deem it my duty to surrender what may be abandonel
without the sacrifice of any principle. I therefore with,
draw ray order, as respects the surplice.
" That order was avowedly issued fiy me, not, for the selr
of enforcing an express rule of the Church, but in executior
iof the power given to me to appease a diversity' is
Divine Worship, and so to remove a symbol of disunior
amongst ourselves. If my object cannot be obtained in the
way which I had pointed out, without leading to othei
evils of as grave a kind, let me, however, hope and enJ
treat that in using your own discretion in this particular'
you will so use it as shall least expose you to the re-;
proach of cherishing party spirit. Wherever, thureforel
the a trpliee is now used without offence, .there, I- hopei
it will be continued in use.
" The enforcement of the rubrics rests on different
ground. In them the Church has spoken clearly; and
to the voice of the Church, when it gives not an uncer-
tain sound, every true Churchman, and especially every
faithful minister, will hearken with reverence and sub-
mission.—l am, Rev. and dear Brethren,
" Your faithful friend and brother,
" H. EXETER."
May He who guards his Church forbid that any-
Churchman fall into the grievous sin of treating
this accommodation as a victory. There can be no
victory in such a case without a war, and he Who,
should now triumph would confess that he has been,
at war with his spiritual superior, and would,
render himself obnoxious to the charge of,
making a hypocritical pretence of a conscientious'
scruple, in order to disguise his enmity to the,
proper authority of the Church. Let us rather
understand the arrangement as, what in truth it
is, the effect of the Right Reverend Lord's disco-
very, that the innovations or renovations to which
he for a moment thought it his duty to give
countenance, are in the minds -of the people
intimately and inseparably connected with a
profession of the Tractarian heresy, and that it
was on this account, and this account only,. that
his just authority has ever been resisted. Once
satisfied that such is the true state of the case, the
Bishop has acted with the affectionate care and the
manliness that have ever distinguished him.
It remains now for the people to show
that they merit the favourable, and, we are
thoroughly convinced, just- estimate of their •
motives which has led to his Lordship's con-
ciliatory and truly paternal concession. Let the peo-
ple show that they never ceased to cherish a grateful
veneration for his Lordship's personal character. and•
sacred office, even while they seemed to resist his '
command. This they can most satisfactorily
demonstrate by a careful recollection of all
his Lordship's manifold services to the great
Protestant cause, and the multitude of the be-
nefits he has conferred upon his diocese. As care-
fully dismissing from memory the occurrences of the
last month, as a well-disposed man dismisses recol-
lections of the rare and accidental harshness of a
father, whose whole life otherwise gives proof of
kindness, care, and deeply-seated love.

THE LOSS of the BRIG FIRE PLY
—INTERESTING NARRATIVE.
The brig Firefly, Captain Kerr, commander, bound
for New Calabar, on a trading voyage, and laden with
a general cargo, left Liverpool on the 14th ult.,
shortly after noon. After clearing the docks and
entering the river, sbe was towed as far as the
Light-house by the Mona steam-tug, from which
point she set sail at four P.m . , steering N.N. West,
aided by the influence of a favouring breeze, The
atmosphere even then was somewhat hazy; light
rains, too, fell, with intervals between, up to eight
o'clock, after which the fog became more dense, ac-
companied by drizzling moisture, with little inter's
mission up till pretty near the hour of midnight.
Previously Mr. Dick, M.D., and surgeon to the ship,
had been on deck, assisting to keep a goad look
out ; but on observing that vigilance was duly
exercised, and the greatest pains taken by the
captain, the second officer, and the watch on
duty, he at length ventured to retire to rest. His
sleep, however, was not a long one, and whether sound
or otherwise, scarcely two hours had elapsed, when he
was aroused by cries of "Keep her off—keep her off
—helm to port—helm to port —hard to port—hard to
port," &c., &c. These sounds were sufficiently alarm-
ing, and anon a fearful shock ensued, accom-
panied by such a creaking of timbers, that convinced
the surgeon that collision of some sort had been the
fate of the Firefly, in all probability with some other
vessel, despite the persevering efforts made on deck,
to avert, by every means, the pOssibility of such an
accident.' Immediately the surgeon left his cot and
rushed on deck in his shirt, haunted by the idea that
the vessel was about to sink in deep water; while the
first object that met his view, was the steamer
that had occasioned the whole mischief, proceeding
on her course, as if nothing had happened, although
vociferously hailed to turn back. On ascertaining
these signals of distress, Mr. Dick rushed back to
the cabin, threw on such garments as he could most
readily find in the dark, and then ran forward to ascer-
tain as correctly as possible under the circumstances
the full extent of the injury the brig had sustained,
stopping by the way to encourge the men en-
gaged at the pumps, depressed rather than animated
by the impression that their's was indeed a struggle
between life and death. • The bows when attentively
examined were found torn and stove, more particu-
larly the starboard bow; and from these and other
appearances, it became too certain that the vessel would
soon founder, however untiring and herculean the ex-
ertions of her crew.
After orders had been given to launch the boat, in
the hope of attracting the attention of the steamer
that slackened not her pace, she after a little time
was discovered returning with two lights on her star-
board quarter, and then for the first time the com-
mander inquired whether the brig had been damaged
,by the collision; but when answered in the affirma-
tive, in place of dispatching his boat to the* wreck,
.he requested those on deck to send their own to the
steamer. Although this appeared strange, the boat
was launched as speedily as possible, and when the
men sent to guide it were about to put oft; the word
was given that not a single rowing-pin was' forth-
‘coming. After some little delay a piece of wood was
(found, fitted if split, for the -purposes required; but,
unfortunately, every axe was amissing. In this
Way half an hour el-spsed—the steamer, in the
'meanwhile, plying round the Firefly —going off,
perhaps, out of s-,g.ht, INTERESTING OCCURRENCE. called by the . outcries of the sinking crew, and
The Avenir National contains the following inte. the lights , and again returning, re-
exhibited on the starboard of the
resting recital :—" Some months back, a pris'Jner, wreck. Se
escorted by two gendarmes, was brought to Tulle, heightened by the thick darkness which brooded
.ch, indeed, were the panic and confusion,
sentenced to undergo there five years' imprisonment. around
His wife, a young woman in black, covered with a the s-argeon picked up one among the crew's feet.
that every oar for a time was amissing until
thick veil, accompanied him to the door of the prison.
The prisoner is a person named vinsot, a receiver of '4ll answer returned that it was out of order. By
Cals'is were again made for the Firefly's boat, and
taxes in the arrondissement of Tulle, who had been
condemned by the Court of 'Assizes of the Corres '
r. water in the hold, and the steamer being then at some
I Pais time the carpenter had announced six feet of
under the following circumstances :—At the 1-40.,1 distance, Mr. Dick jumped into the long-boat to essay;
where M. Vinsot lods•ed before his marriage.
'pretty girl, to whom lie was said not to. be in di:Arent: 'from want of an axe to Cut the fastenings. It was
woman, of excellent education, and ter
was a whether it. could' not be got 'afloat; but in vanes
He got married, however, to a must ami.4l.,te
young 'then he felt a decided emotion of terror, and a sink-
,
to him. The girl at the inn lay ins,
sane months after, but the fit was momentary, and, in place of relax-
sterly attached ing of heart, more easily conceived than described;
and her child disappeared. She
a charge of infanticide, and,
arm the information ing chance of of escape—the steamer brought along-
she had given the chld seas taken up under hag, he redoubled his efforts to secure the only remain-
which she gave, M' Vine et, to whom she said side as nearly as possible. Hailing and rehailing were,
i ~
affair plunged both hi-s family and that of his wife while two lights were kept moving to and fro in the
'was also arrested. This as a last effort, resorted to with the greatest energy,
into the greatest gri, i;
the country. The dand caused much surprise-in brig, in the direction in which the steamer had on the
received a drearl young wife, as may be supposed, last occasion disappeared. And at length her red
her husband AtTh
shock, but refused to believe that lights were perceived at the distance of 400 or 500
eras guilty. She attended him during yards, twinkling dimly through the haze, and bear-
his
d trial ar
,d the preliminary proceedings with great ing down on the Fireflly.
devote•
a par' cress. He was found guilty by the Court as At this juncture the men had abandoned the pumps
-ey. to the concealment of the birth of the child ; in despair, on finding the vessel filling so fast,. whilehl
nr A the girl, who declared him to be her accomplice, the helmsman,' who had s.imilarlydeshe.rteadelhistwariene ,
was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. They was seen under the
.dim light of the. l inn,,
were in due course removed to their places of confine. his hair,, and exclaiming unceasingly,
ment, Vinsot being accompanied by his wile to lost!' By persuasion, r 0 heingyw,
asL:o.:s.t le lel
men
~
~,ed back
Tulle, as already stated. Her conduct soon became to his post, and then the erob v .
' .•ix in number,
known, and the people, who seldom fail to admire resumed operations, in all ero
the collision. It la
' e.Oll i ty at the most
arms applied ta pUthping
in others what is really noble, treated her wi'l,'n critical moment supervenie,g,
the utmost veneration. Months passed over in. this
,astonishing what willie..,g.
case of an accidentally disabled
way, the young wife remaining firm in le,/. eonvie• can effect, in the.,
there was a momentary gleam of hope
lion of her husband's innocence, when one
child had disappeared fell ill. S',.,e, at last, became whet..? trfe steamer re-appeared within forty or fifty
in so dangerous a state, that., a priest was sent for. yarcl, ..
i and at length alongside, although not until
girl whose ship, andt aga:a
7sith the water. Thus
Alarmed on his represent
peering before her D; :,tae
at the thought of ap- the main deck was level
.:.tne Judge without atoning tor favoured at the eleventh 'flour, or rather beyond, the
her sins, she confs.ssed before witnesses that she had , boat was got roun.q; but, whefi at length afloat, call,
child Vinsot, having herself killed the the want of gearing, seemed to be little, if at all,
wrongfully
child with '4l view to ruin her former lover, whom she under the control of the crew. Never can the
detested, for leaving her. She died shertly after this writer, who communicates, forget the heart-rendin
avaw.al. The circumstances were immediately ins- cries simultaneously raised when the steamer for theg '.,arted to the Procureur•General, who at once applied last time stopped short at a distance of about fifteen
for a royal pardon for Vinsot, which, we doubt not, yards, as if those who manned her dreaded the con-
will he at once granted, to the heartfelt delight of his sequences of a second collision, and durst not risk it
attached wife."
fee their own safety. The wild shrieks uttered, with
oththeemeoffaencitntghasttlthaet
bdoiexdesmcoorentafaininintglysauwrgayic,aWl
ierr, e., suffi-
cient
to the spot, with the view of claiming them, iso
soon as his health, shattered no doubt during the law
shipwreck, enabled him to undertake so long .8
taken by Mr. M`Deugald, superintendent of the rural
erao
Thiesaprrtopo,efrtsyto,anned.
that
tChoemweouallord)gside
--we're sinking, sinking!" would have found mourn-
ful echoes had the solid land been nearer, and con-
, trasted dismally with the three hearty cheers which
saluted the ill-fated barque' when she left her moor-
ings in the port of Liverpool little more than twelve
hours previously.
The steamer at length within grappling distance,
the surgeon lost no time in springing 'into her
,rigging; and then commenced a fearful struggle to
get over her bulwarks, rendered the more difficult
from so many clinging to the same points, and the
terror of cattle close at hand, threatening amidst the
darkness to toss 'every adventurer overboard. The
,horned animals cleared, Mr. Dick immediately made
Mr the quarter-deck to survey the wreck ; at that
awful moment not a sound was uttered, although
shortly after the wail of woe was distinctly heard.
Again all was still,
.for a few moments, when a
gurgling sound again smote the ear, and though the
gulf between the two vessels was then fifty or sixty
yards, a rope was instantly thrown overboard. As
near as may he at the same time, the commander of
the steamer exclaimed, " I'll go no nearer at so great
a tsit, for the sake of a single individual." On this
Captain Kerr said the surgeon should take 'a note of
the determination—surely even one life was prectus ;
and a life-buoy, in consequence, as
tng that to approach
nearer might risk the fo
board, the steam-master re. marl::
ltdering of both vessels.
i•s'sress had now become fainter, al-
`‘-- 41-.;rown over-
thoTuhgeh;tile.;sioL: sounds were still audible, as of pro-
ceeding from persons struggling in the water. Ces-
sation, however, quickly followed, and then the com-
mander of the Britannia steamer, Dublin, inquired of
Captain Kerr and his friend whether there was any
necessity for tarrying any longer ? To this question
Captain K. having made no answer, the surgeon said
he feared all hope was lost, but expressed in the same
breath his conviction that a boat might have been
dispatched in time to save them all. To this the
ready answer was, that no sooner had the collision
occurred, than they became all masters on board ;
that his crew refused to obey their head officer, and
that one man in particular averred, that if they ven-
tured to go alongside the wreck, every soul on board
would jump into the beat, and infallibly swamp her;
and not only this, but that his venturing to return in
the first instance was contrary to the wish of all on
hoard—a circumstance which accounted for the
numerous returns and departures of the steamer.
Out of the twenty-three individuals that embarked
in the Firefly all were eventually saved excepting the
chief mate, the individual who was heard struggling
in the water. But he had been somewhat wilful, as
was afterwards ascertained, by maintaining that his
vessel was not much damaged—that she would still
float—and that, in place of a boat, it would be better
to crave a tug from the steamer into Beaumaris har-
bour. His last words were, " I'll not desert her, I'll
stick to the last," after which he ran aft to the cabin,
in place of seizing the rope thrown overboard.
[ln reference to the above catastrophe,, our readers
will recollect that weeks have elapsed since we atatsd
boards had been
that portions of the wreck of two vessels with name-
picked up 'on the shores of Galloway,
ppoaorlt,lyt on the Borgue shore, and partly near Garliem-
town. In consequence of these notices we received a
letter from the surgeon of the brig Firefly, the pro-
perty of Messrs..A.W. and G. Maxwell and Co., Live.r-
strum e nts,hootoks;m&cel.wt
journey. In our last number we mentioned the pain.%
police, Kirkcudbright, to avert pilfering, and preserve
everything. as far as possible intact against the visit
to Galloway of the lawful owner. From a private
source we learn, that the cabin of the Firefly, from
being situated on deck, was upset during the colli .
sion, and subsequently washed by tidal influences '‘o
the shores of Galloway, while the frame-work of the
ill-fated vessel itself was discovered at eea, keel up-
wards,'
and towed by steam to the port of Liverpool
To these facts we have only to add, that the' narrative rests exclusively on facts supple

' ----- —f
--„,w
SHOCKING OCCURRENCE.
The quiet village of Ashford, a short distance from
Staines, has been the scene of a shocking affair,
which has created very great sensation in the neigh-
bourhood. So far as the facts have been ascertained
up to this time, it appears that a man named William
Oliver, and his Wife and family, consisting of several
children, occupied a miserable cottage by the road-
side, near Ashford, for some time past. The woman
vas in the habit of vending lucifer matches, and the
children were sent out to beg, the man being repre-
sented as an idle and dissolute character, and these
being the only means by which the family could eke
out a subsistence. The family had been in great dis-
tress, and' were receiving relief frjm the parish of
Isleworth. • On Tuesday morning William Oliver,
one of the sons, came to a neighbour's house in a
stat 4 of alarm, and said that his rather and mother.
were' very ill, and tie' person to whom he applied j
immediately went for Mr. Richardson, the overseer,
and accompay!Led him to the miserable hut occupied
by the far.'nly, where a dreadful scene presented itself
—the woman lying upon the bed quite dead, and her
hilsband, in the agonies of death, by her side. A
messenger was immediately dispatched for Mr. Cur-
tis, the medical officer of the union, and he, soon
the sufferings of the man, but without
attended, and did all that was possible to a
Ivan, as he
lieviate
Ire was undressed,
mod. The man, when
aenxpdilryeidngalmne%kartlyimomnehdeiartfealyc;
iTnit,de
first found, was partly dressed, and lying on his
wita'a body, and the scene was altogether of a most•
aw;ul character. The room presented an appearance
of the most wretched poverty; all the covering for the
wretched parents and their children was a few rags ;
there was not a chair in the apartment, and the only
article in the room was an old saucepan, that had ap-
parently contained coke to warm the room. The
actual cause of this double death at present remains a
mystery, but it is believed to -be from the effect of
poison. The constable who was called in found a
piece of paper, which contained some white powder,
believed to be arsenic, which has been taken away for
medical examination, but the result has not yet
transpired. On a further search the constable 'found
one penny and a small quantity of bread and
bacon, which the little boy (William) says his
father wished him to eat in the night, and
awoke him for that purpose, but he would not do
so. There is some reason to believe that there was
an intention on the part of one or other of the
unhappy deceased persons to destroy the whole family;
for another child (Eliza) had evidently partaken of
some noxious ingredient, as she was very ill when the
surgeon was called in, and exhibited all the appearance
of having taken poison, although she is now out of
danger, and, with her brother, in the union-house,
under. the care of the parochial authorities. The cot-
tage and the remains of the unhappy deceased are at
present in the charge of the police, and will remain so
until after the inquest. Dr. Curtis has expressed his
i opinion that from the appearances the deaths were
I the result of poison; and it is supposed, from the posi-
tion in which the man was found, that he had got up
and partly dressed himself with the intention of
leaving the room, but had sunk down in the attempt.
Both of them had been dreadfully sick, •and their
Mouths and nostrils were covered with froth when
they were discovered. The time for the inquest is
not yet fixed, but information of the melancholy oc-
currence has been forwarded to the proper authority.
A BRAVE rnt.Low.—A grenadier o the 47th re-
/
giment, named Viriiille,' was remarked for his daring
and coolness at the late fire in the Rue Cadet. When
on the roof of the burning building, finding it impos-
sible to retain his position on account of the intense
heat, he passed a pump-hose round his neck, and then,
by means of a ladder with hooks at the ends, he got on
the roof of a neighbouring house, and by his presence of
mind prevented the flames from communicating with it.
This brave fellow has before on several occasions distin-
guished himself by acts of courage and devotedness. In
1839 he saved a woman and child from drowning in the
Canal St. Martin : and in 1843, on the occasion of a fire
breaking out in the Rue Ventadour, hearing that• a man
had remained in a room of the burning house, he rushed
into the flames, and, after some minutes' absence, re-ap-
peared, bringing the persosa for whom he exposed his life
safely out.—Galignani.

400/11

Dick, surgeon of the ship, although somewhat
marred in effect from the lack of space, which ppe•
vents us entering int' I§%4ry particular.
Darlifiii

WILL OF THE LATE MR. DUNN.
From an examination of the will of the late Mr
Dunn, now en record; It hiiPe'ais that prior to the re;
11-113 Val of his superb Chinese collection to Europe he
had made provision for leaving it to the city of Phila-
delphia. After appointing his executors, the will
proceeds :—"I give and bequeath my Chinese collec-
tion, and all the goods and chattels comprising the
same, or in any way belonging to or incident thereto;
to GoverneUr Emerson, M.D., John R. Latimqrk
James H. Bradford, M. 8., Frederick Brown; And W.,
B. Langdon, in trust, to hold; ree..l'Ve, and as far as
may be practieablei to perpetuate the same." After
stating the Nysiem and organisation of the trust, the,
will proceeds to endow the institution with the prosi
seeds of his interest in Leurelxhill C'etAelety,,
for the purpose of insuring, pteserving, and resusci-.
tating the Chinese collection. He desires that the trus-
tees shall invest the sum of 10,000 dollars which they,
will receive from his executors, and apply the interest
and income thereof in purchasing wood or coal, or
both, and potatoes, to be distributed during the in-
clement weather of each winter among deserving in-
digent persons. Nor did Mr. Dunn's charitable views
stop here. After providing for the payment of large
legacies to the trustees, the will directs that should, at
any time, the Chinese collection, contrary to his
earnest hope by any calamity, cease to exist, in its
present character, certain sums shall be paid to trus-
tees, after which the residue of the fund or proceeds
of the collection, provided it did not exceed the sum of
50,000 dollars, shall go to the Union Benevo-
lent Association of Philadelphia, to be applied to
the following objects, viz. :—" I desire and autho-
rise the managers or directors of the Union
Benevolent Association of Philadelphia, to invest the
same in good securities, and to pay the interest and
income thereof to a board composed of twelve re-
spectable ladies of the city of Philadelphia, who shall
be appointed by the said managers or directors an-
nually, and whose vacancies shall be supplied by the
said managers or directors, so often as they occur.
The said board of ladies shall keep regular minutes
of their proceedings, and shall apply and use said in-
terest and income for the relief and benefit of re-
spectable married women in their accouchements,
who are indigent or in very moderate circumstances,
by giving them assistance in their own dwelling
places or apartments, furnishing them with a nurse, a
physician, clothing, and pecuniary aid besides, not
exceeding thirty dollars in the case of one individual
on one occasion, as the said board of ladies may think
best. ' The benefits of this fund are to extend to any
parts of the city of Philadelphia or liberties,
and to the wives of mechanics generally, and the de-
serving of professions, and of any age. If any part of
the said fund should remain after providing the said
sum of 50,000 dollars, in manner aforesaid, then I
desire said trustees to distribute the same among such
charitable and literary institutions as they may think
most eligible." Such were the munificent and cha-
ritable views of Mr. Dunn, whilst prosperity shone
upon his affairs. Unhappily, a train of circumstances
occurred by which his estate was so much depreciated
as to prevent his carrying out his views, as above
expressed, with justice to his family. The part
of his will relating to the Chinese collection was
revoked in a codicil ; but the continuance of his kind
disposition towards his fellow-citizens is shown in
other liberal bequests to charitable and literary insti•
tutions. To the Indigent Widows and Single
Women's Society of Philadelphia he leaves 10,000
dollars; to the Apprentices' Library Company, 10,000
dollars • Union Benevolent Association, 10,000 dol-
lars ; the American Philosophical Society, 10,000
dollars ; the Academy of Natural Sciences, 10,000
dollars. These last bequests are contingent upon the
winding Up of his estate, which, with judicious ma-
nagement, is deemed sufficient to cover the whole
ground marked out by the hand of noble generosity.
—Philadelphia Inquirer.

GROSS ABUSE of the PARDONING
POWER IN AMERICA.

The public ear has become familiar with reports of
excitesmile,
the exercising of the pardoning power by Governor
Porter, of Pennsylvania. The latest instance in
eetncy ludicrous
in
favour
to
of a
a rogue,
which his Excellency has interposed the executive
clemency
bis u furnishedr b;
sy p tehr e. Shippensburgh Weekly .Arete.r. The story is suffici-
ently
of delegated auth • ority on the part of a high
functionary
It are too serious a matter for laughter.
foco hi-
seems
...at one John Piper, a notorious loco-
• •-ockguard, who had taken a very active part in
.ne late election, had committed an assault and battery
upon the editor of the paper above-mentioned, fur
which he had been indicted by the grand jury. The
trial is thus reported :
COMMONWEALTH V. JOHN PIPER, INDICTED FOR AN
ASSAULT AND BATTERY.
Called up by the Court.
Court—Call a jury in the case of " The Common-
wealth v. John Piper."
Sam Hammill—You need'nt call a jury.
Prosecuting Attorney—Will there be a submission ?
Sam Hammill (with a grinning smile and quiver-
ing lip)—No, there won't.
Prosecuting Attorney—Well.
Sam Hammill—lf the Court please, I should like
to have an opportunity to make a speech in this case,
and lash the dastardly coward that brought it into
Court.
Court—Mr. Hammill, we don't want to hear
Sam Hammill—l have here'a previous pardon (un-
folding the paper) from Governor Porter (handing
the pardon to the Court), got on the petition of 300
good Democrats of Cumberland county, under the
broad seal, too. (This was said as Sam sat down
with a most hyena grin.)
The Court was astounded, the bar woke up from
its slumbers; jurors, witnesses, and spectators, all
were surprised at this new and speedy mode of dis-
posing'of criminal cases. And then the means by
which the previous pardon had been obtained, the pe-
tition of 300 good Democrats of Cumberland county !
Verily; verily, democracy is not what we took it to
be ; we knew it to be bad enough, in all conscience,
but this new movement " caps the climax."—Bostun
paper.

-- -
Lord and Lady Campden have a family circle
staying with them, including the Earl and Countess
of
Erroll, and the Ladies Hay. Lord Kilmarnock, her
Ladyship's brother, is on duty with his regiment, the
Rifle Brigade, in Nova Scotia,
A BURGLAR CATIGIIT.—On Tuesdayevening, about
six o'clock, a most daring attempt at burglary was made
at No. 21, Walcot-square,
which fortunately
terminated in the eapture of the burglar just as he had
effected an entratide into the house. It appeared that a
gentleman residing 'next door was in the act of entering
his hottsa, when he perceived a man in the doorway of
No. 21. He crossed the road unperceived, and watched
sire fellow'is actions, when he distinctly saw the latter
'open the door, and just as he was in the act of entering
he ran over and pounced upon him. They had a most
desperate struggle, in which the fellow beat his captor
in a dreadful manner, but he did not, however, let him
go until the arrival of the police, who secured him, and
conveyed him to the station-house, in Tower-street,
Lambeth.
FIRE AT A COTTON FACTORY.—Yesterday morn-
ing, about half-past seven o'clock, information was
brought to the police•yard, by a police officer, that the
factory occupied by Messrs. Waterhouse and Co., cotton-
spinners, Temple-street, Chorlton-upon-Medlock, was
on fire. 4r. Thomas Rose, with a company of firemen
land an engine were soon on the spot, and three other
engines followed. An engine from the Pollard-street
'station, and one belonging to the firm of Messrs. Hoyle
nnd Sons, whose works are adjacent to Messrs. Water-
house and Co.'s mill, were also very early at the place.
The latter engine, we believe, arrived very shortly after
the fire was discovered, and being in excellent condition,
was of very great service. Mr. Rose, who is yet suffer-
ing from the effects of an injury received from the kick
of a horse about ten days ago, was present soon after
the arrival of the first engine from the police-yard. At
that time the flames were issuing from the windows of
the second and third stories of a building containing
the carding and blowing :machinery ; the building is four
stories high, and runs parallel to a larger erection be..
longing to the same firm. Appearances for some ti-me
were very alarming ; but water having been quickly ob-
tained, and branches from thLs Niagara and Thetis en-
gines got into play, the flames vere soon reduced.r.nd in
about an hour completely exting 'uished. The building,
which belongs to the firm, is of th fire-proof construc-
tion, and has not received any
the premises, a lerable damage. The
principal damage was to the
cotton 1/4
considerable quantity of which was coo sumed, anti other
portions sustained damage from the wat, used iri extin-
guishing the fire. • The amount of loss we have -not been
able to ascertain. The building, machinery stock of cot-
ton, &c., are, we understand, insured in the Ph I
perial, Royal Exchange, Atlas, and Alliance off ices. The
fire originated through some hard substance coming in
contact the teeth of a blowing ;machine in the lower
story, ane, thereby causing the cotton to imite, and the
flames eiterwards ascended through the " holes" to
the hirgher stories of the building. The firen len d isplayed '
their usual coolness and intrepidity on the o wain on, and
the workmen employed in the mill assisted to the utmost
°f their power in staying the progress of the eonflagra-
ti on. Y 0 personal injury, we are glad to say, was re-.
' Jeived.—Atanchester Guardian.
G MATCH FOR TWENTY-FIVE Po UNDS A
SIDE.---011 Tuesday the six mile walking match I letween
Piers e and Hall came off near the Dog and Pth-trit lge
public-bow ,e Bedfont. There was a tolerable spz in kle
of epeetati u.s, and much betting took place the a. ten
being, boa zed "at even." They entered into the con,: test
with sviri t, and performed one mile in three minutes and
forty-six seconds. They contended without any ad vun-
tage on e h her side for five miles, when Hall showed that
the pace v9t is too severe, and made strenuous effo' is to
keep up w lit h his opponent. Pierce took the le' A and
pe;- stage, and came in the winner, bee
,ling his
.t by eighty yards. The six miles of toad were
'walked
'walked over ~o-‘in
\ (fair toe and heel), by the wine ~ jn 64_
+l,reP minutes