The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-26 00:00:00

ADULT INSTRUCTION INSTITU- was the first occasion since he (the Chairman) had
TION., had the honour of being elected as their represen-
,
The fourth annual meeting of the subseribers
and friends of this institution was held on Mon- ) could only hope it would
tative on which he halpresided at any of their
meetings,and he (Mr. AI,
day evening, at the Wycliffe School-room, Phil- not be the last. He must take that opportunity of
pot-street, Commercial-road, for the purpose of saying a word as to the Institution. About a
receiving the Report of the Committee, and a fortnight ago he was perfectly unacquainted with
statement of the accounts. The room was it, and he came there by accident, and he was an
crowded with elegantly dressed ladies. Amongst eye-witness and an ear-witness of the beneficial
r the gentlemen on the platform we noticed Col. results to be expected. He spent two or three
Fox, M.P., who was received with much cheer-
hours there, and examined an adult-class; there
ing, Hon. H. E. Bouverie, son of the Earl of were twenty-three adults, not one of whom
Radnor, David Wire, Esq., the Rev. Car-
could not read, not one who could not
lyle, Rev. E. Halliday Dr. Hodgskin, Rev. write, nor one who could not spell. If any
Rev. E. Price, Rev. J.,llyatt, Rev. J. Tyler, of those adults were then present he would give
.J, Martineau, Esq., and J. Maitland, Esq. this advice, never to be ashamed of their want of
Col. Fox was called to the chair, and on his
instruction. He understood there were not suf-
taking his seat was much cheered. He imme-
ficient funds to employ a master for the adult
diately rose and spoke as follows :—Ladies and
school, and, therefore, their worthy Secretary
had undertaken the task, and he (Mr. Mar-
Gentlemen, I must first beg to thank you for
t
Mar-
the honour you have done me, in calling on me tineau) could assure them it was no easy one.
to preside at this meeting upon a most interesting
Mr. CRELLIN seconded the motion; which was
.
occasion, and I thank you most cordially foi carried amidst loud applause.
having so done. I assure you I feel the greatest The CHAIRMAN said lie sincerely thanked
pleesuse in coming amongst you again, and lam them for the kindness with which they had
very glad to see so many around me met upon passed that resolution. He could only say, that
that subject upon which all mankind are united if any thanks were due, they were on his
—the advancement of general education, and for part, and not on theirs. He could assure them
the purpose of advancing those powers which he had been highly gratified that evening by
God has given to mankind to be of use to them- hearing so many eloquent speeches in the discus-
selves as well as to their fellow-creatures. sion of that great and important subject. He
—(Cheers.) I think that whatever difference could not sit down without mentioning the cir-
there might be as to the manner and mode of cumstance of a person in his own profession—he
education, there will be no difference of opinion would not mention names—who turned to ridi-
as to its utility.—(Hear, hear.) It is not for me cule the idea of a soldier or a sailor being able
to enter into a lecture on the benefits of edu- to read or write. He was happy to say that he
cati. R. I think that will be acknowledged all would be a bold man indeed who should get up
over the world, and carried nenz. dis., not only all in any society, whether military, naval, or civil,
over England, but over Europe as well. lam and make such a declaration now.—(Cheers.)
very glad to see that this institution has ad- He begged to return his best thanks, and, in
vanced, and is still advancing; and I shall do all conclusion, to propose that their thanks be given
in my power towards its further advancement to the ladies who had been so kind as to attend
and success.—(Cheers.) I cannot help taking that evening.—(Cheers.)
this opportunity of saying—and it rejoices me to The meeting then separated.
say it—that it is within my own recollec-
tion that education has advanced so rapidly
in this country. It is still gradually progressing,
though more gradually than in other countries.
We ought to be grateful to those men who have
given this subject an impetus by their exertions.
There is the name of Clarkson—a name known
to all; and although we differ in many points, I
must say, and it must be allowed, that Lord
Brougham was the man in our time who gave
the great impetus to the advancement in educa-
tion.—(Hear, hear.) He gave the great powers
of his mind to this subject, and I think it greatly
owing to him the stride it has taken for the last
fifteen or twenty years. I will not detain you
any longer, further than to call on our worthy
Secretary, Mr. Hart, to read the Report of the
Institution for the past year.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. T. HART, jun., then read the Report, which
detailed the progress of the Institution, and its
beneficial results. Many of the pupils (adults)
who, on their first admission to the school, could
neither read nor write, were now able to read
anything presented to them, and write a fair
hand. Since the last Report, 106 additional
scholars had been admitted into the female school.
The Ladies' Committee had come to the deter-
mination of imparting other information besides
that of reading, writing, andarithmetic, beneficial
and desirable for all to be acquainted with. One
hundred and forty-five men had attended the
writing and other classes. Lectures had been
delivered on various subjects. The Report con-
cluded with a beautiful and touching appeal to all
present to contribute and assist in the desirable
objects of the Institution.
The Hon. Mr. BOUVERIE said he had been
requested to move the following resolution :
That the Report now read be received and printed
for circulation under the direction of the Committee ;
and that this meeting, regarding with pleasure the con-
tinued and growing usefulness of this Institution, would
desire to express their gratitude to the Great Author of
Benevolence for his distinguishing goodness to them-
selves; and feeling it a duty incumbent on them to impart
to their destitute fellow creatures a portion of those bless-
lugs they have so liberally received, hereby pledge them-
selves to renewed exertions in this sphere of philanthro-
pic labour.
It gave him great pleasure to move this reso-
lution. He was a stranger in that part of Lon-
don. He agreed with the Gallant Colonel in
saying this was a most important subject ; it was
one of the most important that could occupy the
mind of a great and free people.—(Cheers.) It
was not one which merely affected one portion
or class, it was one which affected them all,
great and poor, labourer and tradesman; nor
did it affect the present generation only, it would
affect the generation to come. There was a
charge brought against them, but which he
thought a most fallacious one, which was this,
4c that those who are educated amongst the lower
orders, will become conceited.and vain of their
acquirements." Now he did not think so; it
might be where there was but one man educated
out of a number, as they all felt conceited when
they possessed that which others did not; but
this would not be the case if they educated all.
The Rev. EBENEZER HALLIDAY seconded the
resolution in a most eloquent speech, which was
put and carried unanimously.
DAVID WIRE, Esq., rose to propose the next
resolution. It had been said that it was too late
to debate the question of education, and that the
arguments had been urged over and over again
in favour of it, and that very little remained to
be done but actually to educate the people. Ho
believed that; but still he felt quite satisfied that
they had there a great number of arguments that
had never been touched upon. He thought he
could see seventy or eighty living arguments in
favour of the benefit of education. Ask any one
in that room if they would like to go back to a
state of profound ignorance. If there was one,
let him see him. He thought that every one of
them was convinced of the benefits of education,
and had come there that night with a determi-
nation to advance its blessings amongst the poor
and ignorant. Suppose they were on a Sabbath
day to walk along the streets of that City, and go
into a church or chapel, and they would there
see an assembly of men, women, and children,
some few very learned, others with only a por-
tion of learning, but all attentively engaged in
the worship of the Creator ; they would there
see the benefit of education—education combined
with religion. But suppose, on the other hand,
they. mere walkinc, in the week, and happened to
come to a large building with very high walls—
with strong doors, with something like chains, in-
dicating slavery, over it, and suppose they went in,
they would see miserable men not allowed to walk,
but for exercise. Let them contrast the two—
the inhabitant of a prison_ and the occupant of a
church or chapel, and what further argument
need we bring before them to prove the blessings
that result from the one, and the misery entailed
upon the other ? He had great pleasure in pro-
posing the following resolution : •
That this meeting, under a deep conviction of the pre-
sent disastrous character of the times, operating with
peculiar severity upon the poor man, unhinging his
mind, leaving him little else to contemplate during his
unemployed hours, but misery unmitigated by hope, and
daily accumulating distress, while they strongly sym-
pathise with his condition, are of opinion that institu-
tions like the prc-•sent are eminently calculated to exert
a useful and beneficial influence, by furnishing the
mind with suitable food for thought, and thus preventing
time ingress of those influences which disgrace the cha-
racter and degrade the man.
The Rev. J. CARLYLE, in seconding the resolu-
tion, said that had he had the framing of the reso-
lution, lie should have worded the last sentence
differently. If that conveyed the meaning of the
framer rightly, that the industrious and ne-
glected, the sadly and sinfully neglected poor,
should have their minds diverted from their dis-
tress, sooner than second that resolution, he
would say in sincerity he would put his right-
hand into the flames.—(Loud cheers.) No,they
should teach them that they had natural rights
and they ought to have power to exercise those
rights, by which they might be raised from that
state of degradation into which class legislation
had brought them. They should teach them to
feel and act as intelligent and immortal men.
But would they teach them to obtain their
rights by physical force—by violence ? Perish
the thought. No, by some fair and constitu-
tional means, and by entirely acting with the
spirit and genius of the Constitution.—(Hear.)
lie did not doubt but the intention of the framer
of time resolution was good, and he therefore had
great pleasure in seconding the resolution.
Mr. MAITLAND spoke to the resolution in a
long and eloquent speech, and the resolution
havingrsbeen_put, was carried unanimously.
The ILev•E.PRICE moved the next resolution—
That the thanks of this meeting, be presented to
W. M. Higgins, ltisq., by whose liberal co-operation, the
Institution has been so greatly supported, and to those
other gentlemen who. have kindly delivered Lectures ;
also to those friend engaged in teaching, for their unre-
mit ted eXtrtions.
Mr.. W. M. 'lmams returned thanks in an
able .speech.
The SECRETARY here announced that he had
received mil. ss. from Colonel Fox, M.P., which
announcement was received with loud cheers
The Rev. Mr. TA YLoR moved, and the Rev.
Mr. AtIN DEng,
seconded the following resolu-
tionA' „
That Mr. 'John Smither and bin. Thomas Hart be
requested to continue their official services, and that the
following gentlemen be chosen in place of those who
retire from the Committee-I'aq 4.lessrs. Edwards, Fry,
Hart, Talbot, and Stone,
Which was put and carried.
Mr. MARTINEAU proposemeetingd
Chairman, hat
the thanks of the
He believed t

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.

VESSELS SPOKEN WITH.—The Bussorah Merchant,
from China to London, on Oct. 6, lat. 15 N., lon. 109 E. ,
Carnatic, Hyne, London, to China, 10th, lat. 42, lon,
116 E. ; Claudine, Boston, to China, 14th, lat. 44, ion,
107 ; Josephine, Liverpool, to Singapore and Bangalore ;
Clyde, to Batavia, 17th, off Anjer ; Mary Heurltey,
Calcutta, to Cape of Good Hope, Nov. 23, lat 31 S.. lon.
32 E., by the Candahar, Kerrandal, arrived at St. Helena.
John King, Southampton to Mauritius, 19th ult., lat. 8 N.,
lon. 22 W.; Ferries, Hollyer, Liverpool to Buenos Ayres,
20th, lat. 8, lon. 22 ; Valima, Ay mars, Clyde to Born-
bay, 21st., lat. 9 N., lon. 24 W., had lost mainyard and
four of the crew, Nov. 14, off Holyhead ; Poulteney,
Smyrna to New York, 29th, lat. 26, lon. 33, by the
John Knox, Forrest, arrived in the Downs. Emma,
Genoa to Liverpool, with loss of bulwarks, 29th ult., off
Malaga ; Antigua Planter, Hodge, Cephalonia to Liver-
pool, off Malaga, by the Fox, arrived at Liverpool. Beu-
lah, James, from China, off Anjer, by the Dumfries,
Thompson, arrived off Dover. Richmond, of London,
Nov. 17th, lat 28 S., lon. 8, by th.g Nederivaard, Meyer,
arrived at Brouwershaven. Cordelia, Live 00l to China,
Sept. 20th, lat. 43, lon. 106 ; Richmond, Virginia to
London, 11th ult., lat. —. lon. 31, by the Adrastus, ar-
rived in the Downs. Marquis of Hastings, Carr, Cal-
cutta to London, going into the Cape of Good Hope, by
the Singapore, arrived at St. Helena. Ocean, Muire,
London to Calcutta, Oct. 29th, lat. 3 N., lon. 18 W., by
the Waldemar, arrived at Rio Jaaeiro. Nanine (French),
and Borneo (American), off the Cape, by the Rubens,
arrived at St. Helena. British Queen, Dundee to New
York, 28th ult., lat. 36, lon. —, by the Palos, arrived off
Dover. Hope, Liverpool to Trinidad, 21st inst., lat. 48,
lon. 13, by the Casparine, arrived at Penzance. Resolu-
tion, Bombay to Liverpool, 24th ult., lat. 15, lon. 29 ;
Lowther, Alexandria for Liverpool, in the Gut of Gib-
raltar ; Cestrian, of Liverpool, 20th, off Cape Clear, by
the Moslem, arrived at Cork.
EAST INDIA SHIPPING.

Arrivals—The Caroline, Hughes, from Bengal, in
the Downs, sailed July 22, Mauritius Nov. 3 ; Amphi-
trite, Ansel], from Mauritius, off Folkstone, sailed Oct.
, 26; Harvest-home, Sayer, from Bengal, off Dover, sailed
Sept. 1, St. Helena Dec. 2 ; Hindostan, Lamb, from
Bombay, off Liverpool, sld Sept. 12, St. Helena Nov. 30.
Arrivals at Mauritius—The Glaumire, Barclay, Oct.
22, from Liverpool ; Emerald, Stafford, from Timort;
Coaxer, Ridley, from the Cape; William Pitt, Robinson,
• 23d, from Marseilles; City of Aberdeen, Monro, from
Bordeaux; Sir John Beresford, Threadgold, from Bahia;
' Williams, Chalmers, from the Cape ; Louise Mauchard,
from Nantes, and sailed 23d to Bourbon ; her Majesty's
brig Lily, Allen, Oct. 28, from Mozambique ; John Witt,
Dentley, 29th, from Calcutta'; Resolution, White, from
Singapore ; Gilbert Munro, Nicholson, 29th; Mermaid,
Sedgwick, 29th ; James Pasley, 30th ; Achilles, Mar-
shall, Nov. 1 ; Renown, Napier, and Woodstock, Aus-
tin, Ist, all from Calcutta ; Joseph and Victor, from
Nantes ; Harebell, Oct, 23, from Marseilles; Adriana,
24th from Liverpool; Borneo, 25th from BOrdeaux.
Departures from Mauritius—Jeune, Frederic, Oct. 23
to Calcutta; Medora, May 24th to London; the Minalto
and Martha, to sail Nov. 2, and Hesperia Nov. 4.
Arrivals at Madeira—Her Majesty's ship Madagascar,
Dec. 25 from Plymouth, 'and sailed 26th to the coast of
Africa ; her Majesty's ship Harlequin, 25th from Ply-
mouth, and sailed 25th to China ; Mary Thompson, 27th
from London, and sailed 28th to Mauritius ; her Ma-
jesty's ship North Star, 27th from Plymouth, to China.
The following has been received at Lloyd's:—
" Foreign Office, Jan. 23, 1842.
" am directed by the Earl of Aberdeen to
transmit to you, for the information of the Chairman
and the Committee at Lloyd's, a copy of a despatch from
her Majesty's Consul at Naples, reporting the loss by
shipwreck, on the 30th ult., off the shores of St. Cataldo,
on the Adriatic coast, of the British schooner Flora, of
London.—l am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,
" CANNING.
" To Wm. Dobson, Secretary, Lloyd's.
" Naples, Jan. 10, 1842.
" Stit—l beg leave to inform you, that on the 6th inst.
I received a despatch from the British Vice-Consul
reporting the total loss by shipwreck of the Bri-
tish schooner Flora, of London, on the night of the 30th
of Dec., off the shores of St. Cataldo, on the Adriatic
coast, and about 30 miles to the southward of Bundisi.
The schooner had a crew of eight persons, and was on a
voyage from Ancona to London, with a cargo of wheat,
which is considerably damaged. I have written to the
Admiral at Malta, reporting the occurrence to him, and
requesting, if the convenience of the service will admit
of his doing so, that he would send a small cruiser to the
spot, to embark the crew of the vessel, and convey them
to Malta, and thus give them the option of entering her
Majesty's service in the fleet.—l have, &c.
(Signed) " THOS. GALLOWAY,
" J. Bidwell, Esq. &c. &c."'

[ADVERTISEMENT.]
HOLLOWAY'S PILLS AND OINTMENT.--AN
EXTRAORDINARY CASE.—Mrs. Fry, of Trafalgar-street,
Walworth, was, on the 16th of April, admitted to Guy's
Hospital as a patient, with a bad leg of five years' stand
ing ' • it was nearly as hard as a bone, with nine ulcers,
and frightfully swollen. Not deriving the least benefit
from the treatment in the Hospital, she left it on the 16th
of May ; and on the 18th of October she was brought to
Professor Holloway's establishment in a cart, with her
leg wrapped in a blanket. In five weeks it was radically
cured by means of the Ointment and Pills, which are sold
at the Proprietor's Establishment, 244, Strand, near
Temple-bar, where advice may be had gratis ; and sold
by every respectable chemist throughout the kingdom
The Ointment will immediately cure Chilblains.
DREADFUL MURDER.—We are again called
upon to record another horrible murder, perpetrated in
our city on Saturday last —that of a woman being mur-
dered by her husband; the facts are these:—A man
named T. Toppen, an Irishman by birth, being at home at
his lodgings, No. 89, Orange-street, on Saturday morning,
on his wife Elizabeth attempting to pass from the room
to the pump to get a pail of water, she was forbidden
to go uut by her husband, who peremptorily refused
to let her go for it. The woman having occasion for
some water for domestic purposes, urged him to let
her go, which led to some angry words, when the
inhuman wretch seized a chair, and literally broke
it to pieces over her head aid body. Not content
with this brutal attack, he took up a broom and beat
her with it until the handle was split into several
pieces, all of which he then gathered up, and with
the splinters stabbed her in several parts of her
breast and body. The wretched woman for a mo-
ment then escaped from his grasp and from the injuries
received, and threw herself on the bed ; but the inhuman
monster, whose fiendish passion was not yet satiated,
drew her from it, and inflicted several blows on her head
and other parts of her body with a shoemaker's ham-
mer, and not yet content, got a knife and fork and in-
flicted other stabs on her person. The woman then
at length again got away from him and threw herself
on the bed, when the wretch laid down on the floor to
await the arrival of his little son, a boy about twelve
years of age, whose throat, he said, he intended to
cut so soon as he, came in. During the whole of
this horrible tragedy a woman named Kelly was lying
in a very low state in the room, and was an eye-witness
of the brutal conduct,—and about six o'clock, finding
that the wretched woman had ceased to breathe,
gave the alarm, and Justice Matsell, aided by two
watchmen, took the monster into custody, and he was
fully committed to prison. The Coroner yesterday held
an inquest on the body, and the Jury rendered a verdict
that the unfortunate woman, Elizabeth Toppen, came to
her death from injuries received by blows, inflicted
on her person by her husband, Thomas Toppen.—New.
York Courier.

STAGE-COACH ADVENTURES.—On the even-
ing of Thursday, the 13th, as the Gainsborough
coach was proceeding to Lincoln, and had passed
Tillbridge Inn, the wind blew off the hat of
the coachman, who, indiscreetly resigning his hold
of the reins that he might recover it, the horses set
off and left him behind. There were no outside pas-
sengers, and only two inside; one of whom shortly after-
wards putting out his head, the door was forced open, and
he fell and was left too. The horses proceeded without a
driver until they arrived at the usual haltieg place, the Lion
and Snake, above hill, where they stopped, having tra-
velled seven miles and turned four or five corners without
any accident. The coach was then driven down hill to the
Queen's Head, and a chaise was despatched in search of
the coachman, who, it was expected, had fallen from the
box, but who was met trudging homeward, safe and
sound. There was a female inside the coach with the
person that fell out ; she fortunately sat still, not know.
ing otherwise than that the coachman was
Lincoln Mocury,

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROXE EVENING RAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—We yesterday alluded to the Io
triumphe of the Tory journals which have, as yet,
abstained from advocating Anti-Protestant prin-
ciples in the National Church, on the nomination
of Dr. Gilbert by Sir R. Peel to the see of Chi-
chester; and the strange language in which the
grounds of these triumphings was expressed—
that the Premier had given another Protestant
Bishop to the Protestant Chureh of England.
Whatever the merits of Dr. Gilbert may be as a
Pro testant,par excellence, we cannot but consider
the appointment as anything but creditable to the
Tories, and as a practical violation of the pro-
mises put forth by the party, that a first-rate man
should be selected for the vacant mitre. It is, we
are justified in saying, a shabby appointment.
Dr. Gilbert is only known at Oxford as equally
the violent opponent of Dr. Hampden and
Mr. Williams. He is one of the prominent
political partisans of one of the sections into
which the Church has, unfortunately for its
character and efficiency, become divided—and
nothing more. Mr. Newman, Dr. Vasey, Dr
Hook, and Mr. Keble, are men of acknowledged
great literary and theological attainments ; but
they are avowedly of the Pusey school. If Sir
Robert Peel wished to avoid committing himself
by a supposed preference of one of that section,
there is Dr. Turton, Dean of Peterborough, a
most accomplished scholar and eminent divine ;
Dr. Benson, the Master of the Temple ; Dr.
Wordsworth, the late Master of Trinity ; and
others, eminent in the theological literature of
the day. All these have been overlooked; and
Sir R. Peel, with his usual policy, has preferred
Dr. Gilbert; who has about as much claim to
such a distinction, and is as likely to raise the
character of the Bench and extend the salutary
influence of the Church in this crisis of its his-
tory, as Mr. William Holmes or Mr. Bonham
would have to the post of Cabinet Minister, with
the view of benefiting the country in the present
difficult and embarrassed state of its interests.
COURIER.—The Chronicle this morning,
following up its discoveries of mares' nests and
its career of mendacity, astonishes us with the
fact as its very latest discovery, which, " if true"
in all its bearings, should undoubtedly be classed
as the greatest wonder of the day, of " the Royal
West India Steamßacket Company having en-
tered into contracts for ten or a dozen Bremen
vessels to proceed to Sunderland and Newcastle,,
there to take in cargoes of coals, and to proceed
with them to the Company's stations in the West
Indies. Here is an evident admission that foreign
vessels can afford to sail on lower terms than
British; and the difference must be considerable
since the Bremen vessels lose one entire voyage,
namely, that from Bremen to the British port,
at which they are to load. Indeed the difference
must be very considerable to justify such a step
on the part of an 'important public company,
which is to receive a large annual amount
of public money for the conveyance of the Go-
vernment mails." We had written thus far when
we received our daily article from the " City."
From its explanation of this famous Bremen
bugbear, it will be seen that the Bremen ves-
sels (vessel rather) are taken up because no Bri-
tish vessels were to be had, and the occasion did
not admit of the slightest delay ; that the same
rates of freight are paid to the Bremen as would
have been paid to and accepted by the British,
and no less; lastly, that the Bremen vessels are
not at the disadvantage of losing a voyage, that
is, of coming from Bremen to this country to take
up freight, as they chance to be on the spot ; and
all the disadvantages, therefore, to which they are
subject amount to the payment of such extra toll
and tonnage duesas may be leviable over and above
the rates paid by British vessels; no heavy tax
it may be conceded. So much for the new mare's
nest of the Chronicle so suddenly and rudely ex-
ploded. "On inquiry being made of the West
India Steam Packet Company (says our City
friend), by a party somewhat interested in ship-
ping, this explanation of the astounding mare's
nest was given ; that it was necessary to send
coals to St. Thomas's, in order that no deten-
tion of • steamers might take place on the
homeward voyage, and no British vessels
offering at the moment, the urgency of the case
was such that they were obliged to take up a
Bremen vessel for that purpose, for which the
same freight is to be paid as would have been
paid for our own;' so much for the saving to the
Company. The vessel in question having to pay
the extra tonnage dues, and the difference in
duty on the coal, will not make quite so much
freight as it is stated she would; and the only bene-
fit to be derived from the contract will be by the
English revenue, to the extent of about three
shillings and eleven pence out of four shillings
.per ton on the cargo. This fact' may now sleep
quietly by its twin brother about the cloth." The
Company, it further appears, had advertised for
a vessel (not several), and no British vessel offer•
ing the 13remener was of necessity secured. Ac.
cording to the Chronicle, a whole fleet of Bre-
meners had been chartered.
STANDARD.—The Houses of Parliament
have long established a rule that the vindication
of their privileges, when any of these is supposed
to be violated, shall take precedence of all other
subjects of consideration. The people, and its
organ, the Press, cannot do better than to imitate
this wise provision of self-defence, sanctioned
by the usage of the collective wisdom 'of
the country. It is only in the cases
of individuals that the privileges of the
people can be violated, but for that very reason,
because the public wrong involves private injus-
tice and oppression, the people ought to be more
sensitive and prompt in asserting their rights, and
in redressing the injury inflicted. The United
Service Gazette, the vigilant and faithful gdardian
of the interests of soldiers and sailors, on Saturday
presented a case of oppression and injustice suf-
fered by oneofthepeople,which we think the people
ought to take into immediate consideration if her
Majesty's Government do not, as we trustit will,
anticipate the public decision. We allude to the
trial and conviction of Mr. Elton, midshipman of
her Majesty's ship Cambridge, for writing a disre-
spectful letter to Mr. Williams, Captain of her Ma-
jesty's steamer Stromboli. For this offence Mr.
Elton has been sentenced to dismissal from the
Queen's naval service, when, according to all our
ordinary notions oflaw and justice, the naval autho-
rities have done with him ; but the Court-martial
adds to dismissal six months' imprisonment in a
common gaol in England, with, of course, several
months of intermediate imprisonment until his
arrival in this country—the Court claiming
the merit of mildness in only imposing such
a sentence. This judgment startled us until
we saw that the Court-martial had been se-
lected by Sir John Ackworth Ommanney, • a
person whose notions of liberty have been made
notorious by certain proceedings in the Courts
at Westminster, and that the members of a
Court appointed to try a midshipman for disre-
spectful conduct to a Captain, were all, at the
least, of the degree of the offended prosecutor.
As civilians, we are perhaps not qualified to judge
of questions of discipline, or of the degree of seve-
rity with which breaches of discipline ought to be
punished ; we therefore do not quarrel with the
sentence, much as we have been startled by its
harshness, inconsistency, and apparent repug-
nance to the principles of British law. Mr.
Elton certainly wrote one objectionable letter; and
though, before he knew of a court-martial being
intended, he apologised for that letter in terms
as ample and as humble as a gentleman could
employ, the Court was probably right in disre-
garding his apology, whatever effect it ought to
have produced upon the prosecutor. In its ori-
gin, however, the affair was not one of discipline;
and if Mr. Williams had acted, as we are per-
suaded ninety-nine gentlemen out of one hun-
dred in the navy would act, there would have
been neither quarrel nor offence.
AM

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

SECONDARIES' COURT, Jan. 25.
." STAFFORDSHIRE GAZETTE"—IVIGLEY, O. VICKERS
AND ANOTHER..
This was a writ of inquiry to assess the damages between
the parties, judgment having gone by default, for a libel con-
tained in the Staffordshire Gazette, against the plaintiff, a
publican residing in Burslem, in Staffordshire.
Mr. Sergeant Talfourd and Mr. Hill appeared for the plain-
tiff, and Mr. Thesiger for the defendant.
Mr. HILL, having opened the pleadings,
Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD stated the case to the Jury, and
said they were aware of the nature of the claim made by
plaintiff against defendant and another. They had already heard
from Mr. Hill that the action was brought torecover compensation
in damages for a libel published on the 23d of September last.
It was published in Burslem, a certain district of the Potteries,
which they well knew to be a place where industry was exer-
cised, and which contained a very large labouring population.
The plaintiff had been for many years in Burslem, and had car-
ried on the business of a hatter, and some time last year he
determined to give up that avocation, and become an inn-
keeper, and took a very respectable inn in Burslem, called
" The Cock." This inn he took for a term of years. He
had borne a most excellent character up to the time mentioned.
He was net a member of the Established Church, but of a reli-
gious class of Wesleyan _Methodists, and they were all aware
of the virtue and_piety that was found amongst that sect. He
was a person of private habits, and never appeared in public
life, although he held strong opinions on the subject of politics,
he being attached to what is called the Whig party, and the
defendant belonged to the Conservative party. As such, they
could not complain of the defendant using the strongest lan-
guage in support of his opinion, but they had to complain when
he descended into the path of private life, and he (Sergeant
Talfourd) thought they would agree with him in saying that
they (the defendants) were entirely unsheltered from those
privileges of discussion which were alike open to both the great
parties in the country. 'I his libel was the more mischievous,
because it was contained in a few words, and they must recol-
lect that a great deal of description could be contained in a few
words. They could be easily remembered. It was placed, too,
in a conspicuous part of the paper, just over where they would
look for the principal article in the paper, and was contained in
what was called Notices to Correspondents. They had no
doubt read enough of newspapers to know that it was not an
uncommon thing for newspaper editors to devote that part of
the paper called Answers to Correspondents to personal invec-
tive, and by this means they gave more poignancy to the re-
marks, considering that the readers of newspapers generally
looked to the Answers to Correspondents. The editor of this
paper could not make the excuse frequently made in such cases,
that they received communications when they had hardly time
to look over them, and thus a letter from some unknown cor-
respondent might inadvertently get into their columns. But
in this case the libel had been written deliberately
and especially by the editor in answer to a supposed
question, an answer that must have passed under his
Judgment. The whole of the answers to correspondents
were very short, therefore they would strike any reader, and
they would at once see that of which Mr. Wigley complained.
The first of these notices was immediately before the one com-
plained of, and is very short also, stating that Mr. Kennedy
was not the proprietor, hut one of the editors, of the Anti-
Established Church Mercury. Then came the libel in ques-
tion, and which was in answer to a correspondent, signed " Con-
servative." Whether there had been such a correspondent or
not he did not know. • If there was such a letter, and that
letter could explain why the insinuation in Answers to Corre-
spondents had been made, he supposed his Learned Friend
Mr. Thesiger would produce it, but he (Mr. Sergeant Tal-
fourd) expected that letter would remain seeret. The libel
stated that Mr. Wigley, the friend of Mercury Kennedy, had
opened a beer shop, and intended opening a news-room and
lecture-room for the accommodation of Atheists and Socialists.
He (Mr. Sergeant Talfourd) could not help thinking, that had
Mr. Wigley intended to have opened a room for such a pur-
pose, a very small one would have been sufficient. He
dared say they had never heard of a person wicked
or bold enough to avow these principles. They
were only Atheists in form—they all believed in a first
cause, although they might call it by another name, such as
chance, the universe, fate, and other such prevarications.
They would find if they went to the man in the time of soli-
tude and of death, in that hour they would find his fear confess-
ing what his tongue denied ; and although be might still echo
those sentiments they would not find a place in the secret re-
cesses of his heart. Thus the intention of the plaintiff opening
a lecture-room and news-room for Atheists, would be almost a
self-refuted charge. The libel then alluded to another body of
men far more mischievous than that of Atheists, that sect which
struck at the root of all moral obligation, and which held as light
the sanctity of the marriage tie, and inculcated the principle of
universal prostitution. This was the nature of the imputation
wcals,attuwpason
tthhee plaintiff,f
airand the o
amount
efdamnlaygqeus question with
which
hiehthtm
the
plaintiff
was entitled. Some observation was necessary relative to the
action being tried in this Court, and not in Staffordshire. The
action could not have been tried there till the month of March,
and Mr. Wigley had acted" properly in coming there at
once to bring that action, and thereby clear his character.
The Learned Sergeant then went at considerable length into
the demerits and demoralising principles of Socialism, which
he said lent corruption to the young mind, and seduced the
imagination. He concluded an extremely long speech by
apologising for its extent, as it was necessary he should speak
at some length on account of the brevity of the libel itself.
Had it been longer he should have contented himself with fewer
remarks ; and he left in their hands to assess the amount of
damages. He asked them to do so ;it was an honest question,
and he felt they would honestly answer it.
Mr. George Banner Dean was called to prove that the de-
fendants were the proprietors of the Sta.ffordshire Gazette,
but as the action had gone by default, Mr. Thesiger said this
' would only be a waste of time, consequently the witness's evi-
dence was dispensed with.
Mr. William Harding deposed that he was attorney to the
plaintiff, and Coroner for the district of Burslem. Had been
acquainted with the plaintiff for fourteen or fifteen years. He
had resided during that time at Burslem, and had carried on
the business of a hatter. The witness was consulted by him
with respect to his taking the Cock Inn in Burslem. It was in
Sept., 1840, and the lease was entered into by the plaintiff for
the remises. The witness had seen the paragraph in the
Sta ordshire Gazette relative to the plaintiff.
Cross-examined by Mr. Thastoxis—His opinions were
Radical, and different from the opinions of the newspaper in
question. There were two Liberal papers in Staffordshire—
the Mercury and Staffordshire Advertiser. Did not know any
other Conservative paper but the Staffordshire Gazette. They
were pretty warm in politics in Burslem. The plaintiff was o
the Liberal party, and took a great interest in politics, and,
during elections, he has known him exert himself very much.
Mr. THESICIER—Do you know Mr. Kennedy, the editor of
the Mercury4Y Is he a friend of yours ?—He is no client of
mine.

LIBEL.-'

AN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILL-
ING A GOAT.-At the Parsonstown Quarter Sessions,
Patrick Collins was placed at the bar ; he was found
guilty at the last October Sessions, 1841, for wil-
fully and maliciously killing and slaying a goat.
At that time several objections were urged by
Mr
Adam Mitchell, on behalf of the prisoner, to the *
in-
dictment, which objections have been overruled
by
the Law Officers of the Crown and Clerk of the Peace.
"Patrick Collings, what have you to say
why sen-
tence of death should not be passed upon you?" The
prisoner made no reply. His Worship (W. N. Barron,
assistant barrister) said, " Patrick Collings, you have
been tried and found guilty, on the clearest evi-
dence that ever came before a Court of Justice—evi-
dence that you have not, attempted to impeach—of
a crime for the commission of which you have incurred
the severest penalty of the law, namely, the forfeiture
of your life. It is, therefore, ray painful duty to
pass the awful sentence of death upon you ; but I hope
the Executive will take your case into their merci-
ful consideration, and I shall not fail to make a
suitable recommendation, on your behalf, to the Lord
Lieutenant, who will exercise that mercy which is vested
in him by the prerogative of the Crown, and coin -
mute your sentence to banishment from your native
land beyond the seas, for the term of your natural life."
His Worship then named the Bth of February, 1842,
for the unfortunate man's execution. The prisoner,
who looked deadly pale, and who trembled dreadfully
during the proceedings, was then removed to the Bride-
well.—Leinster Express.
THE LATE JOHN SMITH, ESQ., OF DALE
PARK.—This eminent banker, who died on Thursday
last, at his seat, in Sussex, iu his 75th year, was brother
to the late and uncle to the present Lord Carrington.
He formerly represented Midhurst and the county of
Sussex in Parliament, and has died extremely wealthy.
The bulk of his large fortune goes to J. A. Smith, Esq.,
M.P, of fielgrave-square, his eldest son, who is married
IQ a daughter of Six Samuel C. Jervoise, Bart.

Mr. THEMER—You may have a friend without his being
a client ; sometimes that prevents a man from being a friend.
—(Laughter.)—He is no friend of mine, but I know him.
Ts Mr. Wigley intimate with him?—He is, I believe.
There was a Conservative news-room established, I believe,
in Burslem—did you ever hear Mr. Wigley say he would es-
tablish one in opposition ?—Never.
Never heard him say he would put the Conservative news-
room down I—Never.,
I suppose there are. squibs written by both political parties,
are there not ?
Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD objected to the question, which
was overruled.
The examination of the witness was continued.—A Radical
dinner was given to the Member returned for the town, Mr.
Ricardo, and which dinner was held at plaintiff's house. Did
not know if there was afterwards a tea party of the Liberal
ladies. This was in December last.
Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD proposed to put in an antecedent
newspaper, containing articles on Socialism, but Mr. Thesiger
objected, and it was withdrawn.
This was the case for the plaintiff.
Mr. THESIGER then addressed the Jury for the defendant at
considerable length. He said he was rather astonished, after
the powerful, eloquent, elaborate, and well considered speech of
his Learned Friend, that there had been such a small amount
of evidence. His Learned Friend had said that he had made
as many remarks in consequence of the article being so short,
and he (Mr. Thesiger) thought he meant that because
it was so trifling and short, that he must, there-
fore, draw largely upon his imagination, and thus he
had soared into the air, leaving such humble individuals :as
himself to follow him in his flight, it being very frequently too
far for him (Mr. Thesiger) to approach him. He wished that
his Learned Friend had stepped into the regions of fact, then
he should have had some chance of contending with him, for
in the regions of fancy, he (Mr. Sergeant Talfourd) reigned
supreme. He would ask why it was that this case had been
brought to that Court, when it might have been tried in the
neighbourhood, where all the case was known, and where both
parties were living, and were known to all the neighbourhood ?
Would it not have been more to his interest, if he had been so much
injured, to have had the action tried there, where so much was
in his favour, and where there were two adical papers to one
unhappy Conservative ? His Learned Friend had told them
that the plaintiff was not of the Established Church, but was a
Methodist ? Was there any proof of this ?
Mr. Sergeant TALFovan.—l was net at liberty to prove it.
Mr. THESIGER-His Learned Friend was not at liberty to
prove }t,, and he would tell him then that if he was not at
libirty to' prove it he ought not to have stated it. There was
'no' proof 14 Mr. Wigley being one of that highly respectable
body, and of that body, he (Mr. Thesiger) should be sorry to
say the, smallest word efdisparagement. He had the highest re-
gard and opinion for them. With respect to this libel, he
would ask them to take up any journal in London and see if
they would not find language quite as strong as that used
against the plaintiff? The parties were bitterly opposed to each
other in politics, and was it to he wondered at that the
rarty should call the other by names their cool judgments
would not warrant ? He had known his Learned Friend to use
expressions against his political opponents, which persons who
knew his amiable character in private life would not believe
as coming from him. The parties in this case were hot in
politics, and opposed to each other. It had not been stated that the
plaintiff had sustained any damage by this libel, or that he had
lost a single customer by it. It was in evidence that a large dinner
had been given in his house to the Member for the town, Mr.
Ricardo, a gentleman who would shrink from countenancing
anything like Socialism. Nor was there the slightest intention
to descend to the private life of the plaintiff. He was a public
man—he had made himself a public man, and, therefore, he
was a fit subject for the opposing party to attack. Theyall knew
the virulence of politics of the present day, nor could they be sur-
prised at the alleged libel, considering the circumstances. It was
not provoe
done
et hsoa, he
t thewpol
would haveailntiffh had sustainedhdeeh ehtttl
entitled
ta shillingk
fordamiat
He
e ; if
he had ad d
had come 200 miles to bring his action before a Jury who were
totally ignorant of the circumstances, when he might have
gone before a Jury of his neighbours, and who knew all par-
et iter se
htni ris
tat hn en e
seas,
nen,d aknnde
wwthhoe
feelingw er e
s o wellf thaec qpuaar
ti
etse de
own
ei tehr
e thed.
He came, then, before them unknown, to ask them to retrieve his
character, although they were entirely ignorant of him and
the circumstances of the case. He trusted they would take
this view of the case, and remember, that although the law
compelled them to return a verdict for the plaintiff, yet it did
annodtcompthe
ree
fl hntree mh
et o g
hopedi ve any
ta, muonudnetr b eyond
allthensoemnin
circumstances,
damages,uinstannes.
they would consider that the damages the plaintiff was entitled
to receive would not exceed one farthing or a shilling.
The Learned SECONDARY, having briefly summed up the
evidence, the Jury, after a short consultation, returned a ver
diet for the plaintiff—Damages 40s.
INSOLVENT DEBTORS' CO

ran. 25.

IN RE EDWARD NIGHTINGALE.
The insolvent in this case was opposed by Mr. Wood-
roffe, on behalf of Messrs. Gas and Sons, jewellers, of
Regent-street.
David Gass, jun.
(one of the firm), said that the in-
solvent came to their shop in company with a lady, and
stated that he had been deputed to pay a small account
due by Lady Nightingale,
quantity of Jewellery for himself and his female compa-
nion, and then ordered some plate to be sent to his house.
All this property was pawned almost immediately after
delivery. Every exertion was made to find him out, but
in vain, and several letters having been addressed to
him, he wrote the most insulting answers in return. (The
witness here handed in a number of letters to the Court.
from which the following. are a few extracts :
"I will prevent my
mother (Lady Nightingale)
from paying your usurious demands."—" You hoary-
headed old pauper, what do you want ? You have been