The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-10 00:00:00

f 1114; SUN, LONDON MONDA MORNING, FT:BRIJ-ARV' 10, 1845.

EXCISE DUTY ON SOAP.

Would increase the consumption of palm
.oil, an article
produced by the labour and industry of the natives of the
coast of Africa. The country expended many millions
in the employment of armed forces on the coast
of Africa for the suppression of the
trade, but this had proved a complete failure
nay, in many caxes, it had aggravated the bor.
rurs of the traffic. But, at all events, it could be only a
temporary remedy. Now, by extending the trade of the
:nialdndpgtiTyminag employment to the natives at
permanently suppress the trade at
di the sum at present expended for the
home,acboaostittoott'ihileN4e,rii:wha
purpose. In addition to palm oil, there was an article
which had latterly sprung up on the coast yielding oil,
which had been employed largely in the manufacture of
soap. It was called ground nut, and produced a very
excellent oil. He established a mill for the purpose of
crushing the imported ground nuts ; but he was sorry to
say the want of encouragement in the sale of the oil in
this country had rendered the undertaking a compara-
tive failure. But what was the case with reference to
France ? France now took nearly the whole of these
ground nuts from Africa, amounting to many tons a
year, but instead of its being crushed in London, it was
now sent direct to France from the coast. Now, he had
some reason to think that, were it not for the tax on
soap in this country, which discouraged experiments and
improvements, the soap manufacturers of England would
be enabled to rival the manufacturers of France in the
production of soap from that article. The Hon. Gentle-
man concluded by moving a resolution, declaring the
soap tax to be injurious to the country, inasmuch as it
lessened the consumption of the raw material, and gave
the foreigner an advantage over the British manu-
facturer.

On Saturday afternoon, a meeting of merchants and
others interested in the manufacture of soap, was held
at tee iseedon Tavern, in Bishopsgate-street, for the
purpose of considering the best means to be adopted to
procure the repeal of the duty imposed on that neces-
sery artiele of donaestie u:e.
The tneeirie was very numerously attended, and ably
presided over by Mr. William Hawes.
esmengst the :nflaentiel gentlemen present were Mr.
J. Hume, M.P., eis. J. Patiison, Mr. T. J. Eger-
TOO- M. 1),. Mr. A. Mitchell, M.P., Mr. M. Foster,
M. p., B. Hewes, M.P., and Mr. Alderman
Hurnoerev, besides several distinguished members
of the commesciai world.
The Ceteiameekt in opening the business of the meet-
ing said, when the I :enunittee of soap manufacturers
to. ,k upon themselves the responsibility of callieg a public
meting in the City, to consider the operation of the
excise duties on soap upon their trade, they little antici•
pated that an announcement in the spt ech of her Ma-
jesty would give thew so much cause for activity and
encouragement ; nor did they either anticipate that
her Majeety's Ministers would bring forward the budget
so early as they intended to do. But as it was, they had
little time to carry into effect the measures they might
think it proper to adopt. The duty imposed on soap
varied from 50 to 110 per cent. The first was placed
upon the better quality of soap, and the latter upon the
more common. Now they must be all aware that the
poorer classes of society were most interested in this
question, because from the general nature of their occu-
pations, it made it necessary that they should require a
large quantity of soap. Was it not, then, to be deplored
that they were compelled to pay from 110 to 1l 1 per
cent, for their soap, while the more affluent only
had to pay from 60 to 80 per cent. ? Cleanliness
promoted the comfort of man, and the moral welfare of
the poor; but owing to these Excise duties, the poor, in
manysinstances, were debarred from the Use of soap at
all. A celebrated German professor, in some of his
published letters, had declared that the extent of morality
and civilisation of a nation might be tested by the amount
of soap it consumed, and no doubt it was an exceedingly
good criterion on which to form a correct opinion. The
most moral and the most civilised, it was reasonable to
suppose. would consume the mest soap. Now, with this
reasoning before them, they hied endeavoured to ascertain
the ceneemption of soap in those countries where there
was no duty at all. In Jersey and the Isle of Men,
where the manufacture of a small quantity of the article
was confined to one or two individuals, and the rest sup-
plied by importation, the cemparisou would be seen. In
Jersey the amount was 141bs. per head, the population
consisting of one-fourth English visitors, and the rest of
agriculturalists. In the Isle of Man the consumption was
91bs. per head, the population being principally employed
in mines and fisheries. Until within the last year or two
the consumption in England had never exceeded six
pounds per head. This afforded them sufficient proof
of the effect of the duty, and a conclusive argument
against its continuance. This, however, was nut the
only objection to the tax. From the facilities it affords
for the committal of fraud upon the revenue, it had a
natural tendency to encourage demoralisation in this re.
spect. Looking at the aggregate quantity consumed in
this country, it was impossible to prove that more than
five-fourths, or five-sixths, paid the duty. Calculations
to prove this, as well as to show that the great mass of
the labouring: population used no soap at all, but an in-
jurious substitute tor it, had been submitted to Mr.
M•Ctilloch, w'm was a good authority upon such a mat-
ter, because he was an advocate for the continuance of
this duty. But advocating this duty as he did, he says
the est:metes of fraud were underrated; and even the
Cnairman of the Excise himself, admitted that it was
Tete impossible to prevent the commission of traud in
an ar tele so easily manufactured as soap. Shwa the
reign Q teen Anne little or no improvement had been
introduced in the menufacture of soap, owing to the ex
istence of this duty; but if they looked to other
ertieies of c insump•ion which had been relieved from
the duty, they would find that the reverse had been
the case. He might particularly instance the article of
celeste., Setes: meant:a:tare of which improvements were
bong inkeie every day. It was on those grounds, there-
fore, that they asked to be relieved.
Mr. T A. MITCHELL. NI P., in moving the first re-
solution, remarke I that, in the Queen's speech, the
attentien of the Legislature was directed to the sanatory
condition of the poorer classes of this country ; and he
theueht nothing would teed so much to advance this ob-
ject as cheap soap. From the statement they had heard
made b s the Chairman, it would be seen that thepeor paid
nearly double what the rich did for their soap. Now ail
must admit that this one fact alone made manifest the
gross injustice of the soap-tax. The mover of the
address in reply to the speech from the Throne drew the
particular attention not only of those around him, but of
gentlemen of all classes, to the benevolent associations
which were now being formed for improving the condition
of the woreiug classes. Among them the Honourable
Mover alluded more particularly to one which originated
in Scotland, and was afterwards followed up in the me-
tropolis. He need hardly tell them it was the society
for furnishing the poorer classes with baths and wash-
houses. When Mr. Charteris drew attention to this
subject, he heard the Prime Minister most emphati-
cally cheer him, thereby giving his sanction to the
sentiment that was eeeressed by Mr. Char-
teris. Now he thought they had, therefore, strong
grounds to call upon the Prime Minister to contribute
his quantum towards carrying out that object. It the
Right Hon. Baronet considered it was an object of such
importance, let him contribute to it by taking off the
duty on soap, and. thereby reducing, by one-half, the
price of one of the most necessary articles of life. That
was the strongest ground which they could take against
this tax. There was a surplus in the revenue of
3,300,0001. the duty on soap, he believed, did not bring
in inure than a fourth of the sum placed at the disposal
of tea; Government. They all contributed largely to-
wards placing the revenue in this satisfactory state, in
the :shape of an income-tax ; and if it were to be (mai.
nued, at any rate they ought to have the gratification of
knowing that the poor of the country derived some
benefit, in return fur the sacrifices they were making
themselves. He concluded by moving a resolution, in
effect declaring the soap duty to be impolitic and unjust.
Mr. HUBBARD seconded the resolution. When he
was first asked to attend that meeting, he did not con-
sent without first giving deliberate consideration to the
subject, because he felt that a large degree of responsi-
bility attached to persons who sought for the removal
of a tax which contributed so much to make up the
required revenue of the country. He confessed,
however, that this responsibility appeared to be very
little felt by the community at large, for there was
hardly a tax producing any amount of revenue, the abo-
lition of which had not been recently proposed. Tallow,
tea, coffee, and sugar, had been amongst the list of arti•
cles for which the Minister of the Crown had been re-
quired to make concessions, and within a very recent
period, ,ueetings had been held to ask for a repeal of
the duties imposed on raw cotton, paper, the window-
tax, anti the anal'-tax, all bringing to the exchequer an
aggregate sum of 7,500,000/. Now, it n ust be quite ob-
vious that in the present state of the public revenue,
only one of these taxes could be conceded. They knew
indeed that the income• tax was now announced to be
continued for a limited period, but he could not conceive
that ths, =.a-rived would extend beyond that originally
inentiebei—namely, five years. But, then, the
10.000,0001. which would be produced from this tax
would b:+ very easily absorbed by the expenses the Co
verometit had promised to incur for the benefit of the
country. It was their intention, he believed, to form
it.sreeurs of refuge on the coast, one of which, it was
estiinated, would cost from two to three millions ster-
lieg. It app- ered, th refore, that unless the income-tax
was to be perpetuated, it was utterly hopeless to expect
any large remission of the taxes he had named. With
these facts before him, he would not have risen to secend
the resolution, had he n. a been persuaded that they had
a paramount claim upon the consideration of the Go-
vernment. The deficiency might be made up by
doubling the amount of postage. The penny postage
eas certainly an excellent thing, but he did not think an
increase to twopence would be productive of any harm.
—(cries of " Question, question," " Soap, soap.") At
all events, in the present state of their fiscal regulations,
they could not take off one duty without providing for it
in another way. Ireland was without a soap-tax, and
perhaps this would open a field fur gathering the de-
ficiency.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. M. FOSTIOR M. P., quite agreed with the meet-
ing in thinking they must stick to soap.—(Laughter.)
At all events, he hoped Sir Robert Peel would not take
the hint which had just been thrown out with reference
to the penny postage. —(Hear, hear.)—Of all the mea•
sures that were pa-sled by the late Government, the most
beneficial was the penny poetage.—(llear, hear.)—And
if they had passed that measure alone, it would have been
sufficient to entitle them to the eternal gratitude of this
country ; and he repeated, of all the measures which the
late Government passed, the penny postage he con-
sidered to be the most valuable. It constituted the
greatest boon that ever was conferred by any minister
upon the people of this country.—(Hear, hear.)—And
now to return to soap. Although he had been in
business in that city upwards of thirty years, that he
thought was the first public meeting in which he had
taken any active part, but, on being called upon, he could
not refrain from giving his humble assistance to the ob-
ject of that meeting, which he considered to be one of
the greatest importance to the well-being of the people
of this simmy, and more particularly to the working
classes. He quite agreed in the opinion that had been
expressed, that the tax was objectionable on ace tent of
its inquisitorial character, and the many facilities it tif
forded for fraud. There were degrees in all things, but he
thought the soap tax was the worst of all taxes. The
tax on gin, for example, something might be said in
favour of it. It might be said that the tax on gin
was a tax on intemperance, but no such argument
could be adduced in fevoar of the tax on soap. The
tax upon soap was not a tax upon any vice, but it was
a tax upon many virtues. It was a tax upon cleanliness,
it was a tax upon clean faces, and a tax upon clean
shirts. It had been justly said, that it fell heaviest
upon the common description of soap, and hence, it cost
the poor man nearly double to wash his face or his shirt
than it did the Duke of Buckingham or Sir. R. Peel.
In the resolution which had been placed in his hands,
reference was made to the article of palm oil. Now, it
would be known to some of them, that palm oil was an
article exclusively imported from the coast of Africa,
and chiefly in large quantities. It. would be imported
in stib 'nue!' larger quantities if, by taking off this
tax, they were to extend the consumption of soap. Now,
Sir Rotten Peel talked occasionally of his great ab-
horrse ce of' the slave-trade ; indeed, he did it so fre-
qeently, that he was rather surprised that any man of his
station should think it was necessary, at this time of day,
t,) dec!;t.e himself an enemy to the slave trade, because
he should like to see the man now who was not.—
(Hear, hear.) He should be glad if Sir Robert Peel
vieala Live them a little mere substantial proof of his
hostility to this trade than mere words. He thought he
could point out to him a way in which he could effect
this. yet him take off the duty on pap, by which he

PRIVATE B ELLS.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, FEB. 7, 1845.
Resolved—That this House will not receive any peti-
tion for any Private Bill, other than a Railway Bill,
after Friday, the 28th day of this instant February.
Resolved—That no Private Bill, other than a Rail-
way Bill, be read the first time after Friday, the 4th day
of April next.
Resolved—That this House will not receive the Re-
port of any Private Bill, other than a Railway Bill,
after Friday, the 30th day of May next.
Resolved—That this House will not receive any peti-
tion for any Rails ay Bill, later than the twenty-first
day after the day on which the Report for the Railway
Department of the Board of Trade, with reference to
such Railway. has been laid on the table of the House.
Resolved—That no Railway Bill shall be read the
first time later than the twenty-eighth day after the
day on which the Report from the Railway Department
of the Board of Trade, with reference to such railway,
has been laid on the table of the House.
Resolved—That this House will not receive the Re-
port of any Railway Bill, later than the eighty-fourth
day after the day on which the Report from the
Railway Department of the Board of Trade, with refe-
rence to such railway, has been laid on the table of the
House.

Ordered—That on crery petition presented to this
House, relating to any Private Bill before the House, the
name or short title by which such Bill is entered in the
Votes, be written at the beginning thereof.
Ordered—That the said Resolutions and Order be
printed. J. H. LEY, Cl. Dom. Cora.

Mr. Tool seconded the resolution in a few words, re-
marking that the subject had been so well " washed,"
that he was afraid he should only mangle it if he detained
the meeting longer.
Mr. J. Hum, M.P., spoke to the resolution.—He said
that invited as he had been by the Committee to attend
there, he could not refuse his assent, although he had
been otherwise particularly engaged for that day. But,
as it was. a subject to which ho had directed a good deal
of attention, and as he had laboured long, and anxiously
waited for the period when effect was to be given to the
principles he had all his life advocated, he was more
than usually anxious to be present on that occasion, in
order to give his opinion as to this tax, and the measures
which ought to be taken to obtain its repeal. He could
not help thinking that if the soap manufacturers had
adopted the recommendation he gave them twenty years
ago, they would have had this tax taken off long ago.
One of the speakers who had gone before him had advo-
cated indirect taxation. N-.w he held quite a contrary
opinion, for he could not see the justice of the principle
which increased the price of a commodity the nearer it
approached the consumer. He had lived to see some,
and he still expected to see more, of the restrictions
imposed on the industry of the country entirely
removed. In 1821, being then a comparatively young
Member, he brcught forward in the House of Commons
a plan of finance, which he humbly submitted to the Go-
vernment as an improvement upon their fiscal regulations,
which at the time pressed with great injustice upon the
industry of the nation. Since then he had had the plea-
sure of seeing the tax on candles, the tax on salt, and
the tax on leather, once three of the heaviest burdens on
the people, taken off. The tax on soap in that day
amounted to 932,0001., on leather to 588,000/, on candles
to 380,0001., and on salt to 152,9901. Now he had seen
all these taken off with the exception of the soap tax,
which in 1833 was reduced from 28s. to 145., and this he
thought was enough v. encourage the meeting to go on in
the work they had commenced. Immediately after these
reductions were made, the City of London met to ex-
press their thanks to him for the steps he had taken in
1821 ; but, he regretted to say, the soap manufacturers
neglected to come forward, although the agitation in re-
spect of the other articles of manufacture he had men-
tioned b--came general. It had been said that if they
took off one tax they must find another to replace it. He
could not agree in this reasoning, and he was satisfied,
if the Excise department were abolished altogether, and
only two taxes allowed to remain, and those on malt and
spirits, the country would sustair: injury from the step.
The Government were in a position, at the present mo-
ment, to take off all the taxes that pressed upon the
manufacturer, and the course he was anxious should be
taken was this, that the soap manufacturer should not
fight against the glass, nor the glass against the soap,
the paper against either, but that they should all unite to
obtain a removal of the restrictions imposed on them, on
the ground that they were indirect taxes. No workmen
deserved so much encouragement as those of England.
There was not a more persevering or pains-taking class
of men on the face of the earth, and, from the highest to
the lowest, the industry they evinced entitled them to
success. What right, then, had the Government to plate
restrictions on their labour ? Let them be epee and free
to compete with any and every labour-market in the
world, and not make them pay more for the common
necessaries of life than the French, or any other
nation. It was on these grounds he would en-
courage them to go on. Without agitation in this
country nothing could be done, and therefore it was he
called upon them to redouble their efforts. Let them not
look upon the paper-makers as their enemies, but join
with them in seeking a common object, and that object
direct, instead of indirect taxation. They were now in
a different situation to what they were in 1821, and if
they went on there was every reason to believe they
would free themselves from the persecutions imposed on
them by the working of the Excise laws. Let them
attain this grand object, and they would find their soap
carrried even to America, who was their principal oppo-
nent in the foreign market.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
A petition to Parliament against the tax was then
agreed to, on the motion of Mr. W. GLADSTONE, se-
conded by Mr. CATLEY, and the petition was directed
to be entrusted for presentation to Mr. J. Masterman,
M.P., and Lord John Russell, and the other City Mem-
bers requested to support it.
Mr. J. PATTISON, M.P., in moving a vote of thanks to
the Chairman, promised to give the petition his support.
The motion was seconded by Mr. HunuEnia, and
carried by acclamation.
and the meeting broke up,
The CHAIRMAN briefly acknowledged the compliment,

STOPPAGE OF THE MILLS AT

HEYWOOD.

The hands at all the mills in Heywood left their work
last night, the terms of arrangement offered by the
masters having been rejected. The masters have posted
large placards throughout the town and neighbourhood,
of which the following is a copy:—" Many erroneous
reports having been circulated relative to the earnings of
the weavers late in the employ of Messrs. John Hilton
Kay and Son, the Committee of the Mill-owners' Asso-
ciation think it necessary, in justice to those gentlemen,
to lay before the public a statement of such earnings,
as copied from the wage books for the fortnight ending
the 22d of November last (being what may be called the
last full fortnight previous to the turn-out.) The fol-
lowing are the averages :—for 58 two-loom weavers,
per fortnight, 19s. id., per week, 9s. 6id.; for 56 three-
loom weavers, average per fortnight, 11. Bs. Bd. ; per
week, 14s. 4d. ; for 23 four-loom weavers, 1/. ss. sid. ;
per week, 12s. Bd. N.B. There are no abatements
from the above, except for spoiled work, and the whole
deductions on that day amounted to only 1L Bs. 9d.
The earnings, as stated above, were obtained at the
prices per cut paid previously to the weavers
turning out ; and from the amount, the public
will be able to judge whether such a step
was justifiable or not. Since the turn-out, however, the
Messrs. Kay, wishing to put an end to such a state of
things, and also to prevent a more general stoppage of
mills in the neighbourhood on their account, have made
several attempts to come to terms with their weavers,
but hitherto without success." Friday Evening.—The
turn-outs have posted copies of a placard throughout
the town this afternoon, intended as a reply to the
statements of the masters. It gives the amount of
wages paid by Messrs. Hilton, Kay, and Lion,
for the fortnight ending the 17th Dee. as for 59 two-loom
weavers, average Bs. Id. per week ; and 41 three-loom
weavers, average 12s. Bid. per week. According to the
masters, however, this was nGt a full fortnight, and
hence the difference. About five o'clock last night a
number of the county police from Bury arrived, and are
to be stationed in the town during the strike. When
our reporter left Heywood last evening, the magistrates
were assembled at the Queen Anne Inn, and had just
determined against swearing in special constables, which
had been previously arranged. There is every prospect
of things going on quietly, and there is some hope that
things may be arranged before Monday. The notorious
Pilling, of Ashton, is to address the turn-outs this (Sa-
turday) evening. Manchester Guardian.
FATAL AND WICKED CARE-

LESSNESS.
On Tuesday an inquest was held at the Commercial
Inn, Burnley, on the body of Patrick Markey, hatter,
who came by his death under the following circum-
stances :—lt appears that during the preceding week he
felt rather newel!, and not sufficiently recovering, had
been recommended to try arrowroot and milk as a
remedy. Accordingly on Saturday last, about two
o'clock, he sent his wife to Mr. Heaton's, chemist and
druggist, Goodham Hill, Burnley, fur a quantity of the
powdered root. Mr. Heaton, jun., and the assistant,
being both absent, and there not being any arrowroot in
the drawer in which it was usually kept town stairs,
Mr. Heaton, senior, took the scoop out of the drawer,
and proceeded upstairs to a tub in which he supposed
the arrowroot was, and brought some arsenic out of the
tub down in the scoop, asking the shop-boy if he thought
that was arrowroot. The boy, having tasted it, said he
thought not, as it appeared to be too gritty for arrow-
root. Mr. Heaton, having also tasted it, replied that he
thought it was arrowroot of an inferior description, kept
by his son to sell at the small shops. Eventually the
woman was served with two ounces of arsenic. About
the same time two other persons, one named Parley, of
Huncoat, were served with small quantities of the same
poison. On the return of Mr. Hopwood, the assistant,
the mistake was discovered and the utmost dispatch used
to recover the deadly mixtures. They were successful
in two of the cases, but unfortunately the deceased had
swallowed nearly an ounce of the poison about five
minutes before the messenger arrived at his residence.
Medical assistance was immediately called in and the
stomach pump and other remedies applied, but in vain,
and he lingered in excruciating agony until about six in
the evening, when he expired. A verdict of " Man-
slaughter" was returned against William Heaton, and
John Curl, the shop-boy.—Blackburn Standard.

CAPTURE OF TWO DASHING
SWINDLERS.

--- -
A few days ago the inhabitants of Tonbridge, Kent,
were visited by twe fashionably-dressed persons, under
the assumed names of the Hon. Captain and Lady
Stewart. They took up their abode at the Queen's Arms
Hotel, and had not been long there before they called at
different tradesmen's shops and gave extensive orders for
valuable jewellery and clothes of the very best descrip-
tion. The dress and appearance of the strangers were
well calculated tolull suspicion as to their real characters,
and they succeeded in obtaining two gold watches,
chains, rings, and pins, of various descriptions, which
were paid for with checks on the London and
County Bank (a check- book of which the " gentle
man " carried in his pocket), and filled up in
the presence of the unsuspecting tradesmen, from whom
obtained
theined check.five o r
Theyten pounds,enrrie
d ot the e
theirbalance
de-
predations
great success until Thursday morning
the
terminus
at London until called for. The removal
last, when several boxes were removed to the railway
y
of so many boxes caused some suspicion, and inquiries
oh
igthoeenn ,earaniadiodl addressed d to Mr. Dittmar, London, to be left at
were instantly sent to London respecting the checks,
when it was ascertained that the party was known there
fsrwoimn d lrearr, soeuvse r
partsa l applicationso
ohavingnty respectingarrived
ttolihneelymb.aanskoa n the return of the messenger from London it
was discovered that the parties had absconded. An
officer was dispatched by the railway after the fugitives,
who had walked a short distance from Tonbridge, where
they had a conveyance in waiting, and in which they
were driven off to London. Yesterday Moy and Blad-
ford, of the M division, secured the prisoners at the rail-
way terminus, where they had arrived to carry away
their luggage. The whole of the boxes were seized
by the police, and found to contain jewellery and dresses
worth between 2001. and 3001. On the male prisoner
was found a gold watch and chain, a blank cheque-book
of the London and County Bank, and thirty sovereigns.
On the female was also found another gold watch and
chain. They were taken into custody by an officer from
Tonbridge, and conveyed back by railway to that place,
where they will undergo an examination on Monday.

DESTRUCTIVE INCENDIARY FIRE NEAR NOTTING-
HAM.—On Monday morning, a destructive fire, for
which no cause of origin can be assigned, and which
is considered to be the work of an incendiary, occurred
at the villege of Lenton, about a mile from Nottingham.
The building which has been destroyed was a lace fac-
tory, belonging to Mr. Peter Coxon, of New Lenton,
having been erected about twelve months since at a large
expense. It was fitted up with new machinery for the
manufacture of lace. It was three stories high, with
machinery on each floor, and completed with every re-
quisite for work. The fire was discovered about half-
past two o'clock, Am., and about four a large engine
arrived, with post horses, from the Nottingham Fire-
brigadt•, but the roof had fallen in twenty minutes after
the discovery of the fire, and nothing but the bare walls
remained standing. The machinery contained in the
building was valued alone at 1,5001., of which only
550/. was insured. The building was quite new, and its
erection cost several hundred pounds, but its exact worth
is not known.— Worcestershire Chronicle.
WRECK OF A VESSEL AT PORT TALBOT.—On
Saturday morning last, as the barque Margaret Hardy,
of Aberdeen, Johnson, master, laden with copper, wine,
beer, coals, &c., fer Calcutta, was being towed out of
Port Talbet harbour, by the Don steam-tug, she
struck on the
"" side of the river, when the
ropes parted, and the vessel being left to the mercy of
the waves, drifted to the north side of the river, where
she remained until Sunday morning. It appears
that at the time the accident occurred, the Chieftain
tug was also attached to the vessel by means of a rope
from her quarters, and our informant attributes the oc-
currence to a sudden start of the Chieftain, which had
the effect of driving the vessel ashore on the south side.
On Sunday morning, by means of the breakwater
capstan, she was hauled to the river, but most un-
fortunately a heavy sea beating at the time,
she was carried on the breakwater, where, after
knocking about for a considerable time, she ultimately
sunk, the sea clearing her decks. A portion of
the wine and beer had drifted away, while all the cop-
per, with the exception of one or two cases, were dis-
charged. About twenty tons of coals were thrown
overboard, while the portion of the cargo that could
be saved, consisting of wine and beer, has been dis-
charged. Her stores also were greatly damaged. The
eveninz tide carried the stern of the vessel right across
the river, a position by which she completely blockades
the port, there being neither ingress nor egress for
vessels. She is now embedded in eight feet of sand, and
about three hundred tons of coal remain undischarged.
Some seamen's chests drifted ashore on Wednesday. On,
0, we are informed,
so. About four
that day some divers arrived at the place to inspect the
vessel, and it is reported that they had undertaken to
raise her, but the prevailing opinion seems to be that she
feetwiis
ifully
u obl ifeycpartlygand she continues
making more water than her pumps can raise. There
are about thirty sail of vessels in port ready to leave,
hnmes insured,
srateedr total
andhwa
has
theeck
partedvess Theelo;a r
and about ten or twelve ready to enter tho port, but are
obstructed by the wreck of the barque, which has the
effect, for the time being, of stopping the entire trade of
the port.—Cambrian.
GREYFRIARS' CHURCHES.—The scene of the confla-
gration of Sunday week, which we have described, has
been visited since then by thousands of individuals—all of
whom.are much struck with the total ruin presented by the
walls of the Old Church. From the gateway, at Candle-
maker-row, the scene is quite picturesque, and as
one approaches nearer, or gets within the shell of the
once strong edifice, the fire appears to have worked,
in a few hours, upon the arches and abut-
ments, the slow effects of one or two hun-
dred years upon some of our older ruins. Al-
though no permanent arrangement has been made, it is
understood that on Sunday next the congregation of Old
Greyfriars meet in St. John's (Rev. Mr. Fraser's), and
that the Rev. Mr. Robertson, of New Greyfriars, is to
officiate in Newington Church, which has at present no
stated minister.—Scateman.

THE INTENDED . NEW Poon-Law....-As another
session of Parliament hes commenced, the public will
do well to be alive to the additional Poor-law Bill, as
respects pauper settlements, which the Government is
intending to introduce—to confine all settlements to the
birth-place! It bas just been well observed by the able
editors of a legal weekly publication, called the Justice
of the Peace, that " the Bill seems to have been framed
with one object—parsimony, the narrowest and meanest
motive of action; that as to any consideration or feeling
conditions
for the immense pauper population of England and
Wales, these seem not for a moment to have influenced
the mind of the framers of the Bill. They are to be
dealt with as burdens and incumbrances, to be shifted
off and evaded, no matter at what expense of suffering
to the objects themselves; that the first consequences, it
the Bill were to pass, would be frightful, not only as re-
gards the well-being of the poor, but the enormous
litigation to which it would give 'birth. Immediately
would:be instituted a general and searching inquiry into
the place of birth (with a few exceptions) of every pauper
head of a family of children, and his or her removal with
the family to that place, and so likewise of every single
pauper without children, regardless of all old ties or as-
sociations, or considerations of health, or means of gain-
ing a livelihood. Concurrently with, and even after this
earthquake among the pauper population has subsided,
if it ever shall subside, commences the contest among
parish functionaries and rate-payers to prevent, as far as
possible, the birth (which would constitute the settle-
ment) of the poor amongst them. All those paupers
who had gained settlements by any means—by mar.
riage, by apprenticeship, by hiring and service, by pay.
went of rates, by estate, by rental of a tenement, by
relief—all these must be examined anew, and if found to
be born elsewhere than in the parish in which they are
settled, rooted up and sent to their birth-place, however
distant, without respect to age, infirmity, kindred, predi.
lections, associations, temporal or spiritual welfare or
comfort. We question whether ignorance or wilful im-
policy, whichever it is, could be carried further." This
Bill is another landlord's trick, and it must be watched
with the utmost caution and care, in order to prevent its
becoming a law.—From a Correspondent.
MORAL EFFECTS OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENTS.—
The magistrates were occupied on Monday week several
hours in investigating charges of drunkenness, theft, &c., at
the Town-hall, by persons who came, as several
.of h
persons made application for board and b
some ten, I
Union-
house, and avowed they came from the country, _
___
of beholding the I
others fourteen miles off, for the purpose
with
said, to see " the poor man hung." OnedsFraitdatyheniughntio3no.
execution. Twenty- four were accommodated supper 1
and bed. Six got their suppers only, as there was not ,
loiging room in the house (which is fuller than ever known,
pofasa,crtltoocoiknk
;ot hft eh
containing 350 inmates, of whom 60 al.? able-bodied). The 1
t bb
euyt
ebreakfastmorning,se
were considered hard, they all, therefore, took theirdeparture.
—lpswich &prem.
couldt thewen
tnf to conditionsgu or re
outwqueetrs till lt letdhafa after eh rei fi
twelvertbhreethey partook

TWEED BANK DIVIDEND..---On Tuesday the audit
of the affairs of the Tweed Bank bankruptcy was held
in Newcastle. The business preliminary to the de-
claring of the further dividend was gone through, when
the Commissioner resolved to hear no more proofs of
debts until the said dividend had been declared. At this
stage of the proceeding the business was stopped in con-
sequence of the Commissioner having to go to Lon-
don, when he adjourned the sitting until Monday
the 10th of February, when the dividend will be declared,
and the days for paying it fixed upon. The amount is
expected to be 6d. per pound, making, with what has
already been paid, 10s. We understand there is a pros-
pect of a still further dividend, the payment of which,
however, is by present appearances at some distance.
The amount will also be small, probably one penny or
twopence in the pound—Berwick Siciveraser.

LITERATURE.

THE BRITISH QUARTERLY REVIEW, No. I
London. Jackson and Watford.
The principles of this new publication, religious as
well as political, are liberal ; and while evidently
leaning to the side of Dissenters, are sufficiently im-
partial to merit the attention of other denominations.
A work of the kind was wanted, for though there are
plenty of Reviews opposed to Toryism and the de-
fects„ nay, grievances, of the Established Church,
they only occasionally, and that rarely, advocate the
interests of a very large and unprotected portion of
the community. Those without the pale of the
Church are probably as numerous as those within the
fold, for we will not class under the Establishment,
as is generally done, those who allow themselves to
be called churchmen, while they neither attend public
worship nor care anything for religion. Taking into
account, therefore, all those who are Christians, the
Dissenters are in the majority ; yet if we look to
worldly power, and wealth, and interest, they may be
regarded as comparatively helpless. They have no
church lands nor tithes; they have no prelates to
advocate their cause in Parliament, nor Peers who
take an interest in their religious establishments for
the 'sake of patronage or fat livings and bishoprics.
But, nevertheless, without these they have gone
on and prospered, and like the primitive
Christians, their religious zeal has prevailed,
`And they have become a great multitude.
The Editor of the British Quarterly states very
briefly the plan and spirit of the work. Like other
similar publications it will occasionally take a view of
the progress of literature, science, and art, and on po-
litical questions its sentiments will be thoroughly
liberal. With regard to religion, the principles will
he those associated with the names of Watts and
Doddridge, but its pages will be enriched by contri-
butions from able men of different religious con-
nexions, with a view to render it an efficient organ of
revealed truth and of enlightened public opinion.
This Number contains several articles of fresh interest
—among others one on the Life and Discoveries of
Dr. Dalton, and another on the Factory System and
Factory Legislation, which may be usefully studied
in reference to the motion on the subject of which
Lord Ashley has given notice in Parliament. In a
review of Lord John Russell's works, including his
Essay on the History of the English Government and
Constitution, some hints are given to his Lordship on
the part not of Dissenters only, but of all the friends
of liberty, which merit his attention. The subjoined
extracts will show the spirit of the article, and we
grieve to say they contain too much truth :
" In the Church, which his Lordship so much de-
lighteth to honour, he has found his great antagonist.
Whatever he most values as a statesman has been op-
posed, in the greatest degree, by the ministers of the
church which he upholds in that capacity. In his Lord-
ship's view, no tree of its kind is so good as that tree.
Did it never occur to him to inquire hew it has
come to pass that a tree so good has borne fruit, to the
experience of his Lordship, so much the reverse of good ?
Whoever else may have failed to cross his path, the
clergy of the Established Church have not so failed ;
and the measures which his Lordship has prosecuted
with the greatest solicitude, are those which have been
always resisted with the greatest determination from
that quarter. * .
" It may be much to the credit of his Lordship's
Christian forbearance thus to repay good for evil. We
know not that we have any right to.indulge in censure,
if it should be his pleasure to show so much affection in
a quarter from which he must know it will be utterly
vain to expect any grateful return. But such displays
of generous feeling in one relation, naturally dispose
men to look for indications of similar magnanimity in
other relations. In so looking, however, many noncon-
formists have been disappointed, and have sometimes de-
claimed with much warmth on this unreasonable and
inconsistent favouritism. Even Toryism in a church-
man, it is alleged, is manifestly more acceptable to his
Lordship than Liberalism in a Dissenter. The clergy-
man, notwithstanding all his repugnance to large and
generous political principles, is preferred to the noncon-
formist minister, notwithstanding his adhesion to such
principles. Thus, even in the case of Lord John
Russell, the ecclesiastical is placed before the civil, and
the sympathies of his Lordship with an established
priesthood, are manifestly stronger than his sympathies
with general freedom. Civil liberty is good, but the
civil establishment of religion is a greater good. Pro-
mote the former so far as you have the power, but, at
all costs, preclude every kind of danger from the latter.
" We regret that there should have been anything in
the conduct or language of Lord John Russell, that may
seem to warrant such imputations. But it is unques-
tionable that his Lordship has often acted inconsistently,
that he might do favour to churchmen ; and that there
have been occasions on which he has so acted, much to
the injury, rather than to the advantage, of Protestant
Dissenters. When men become inconsistent that they
may conceal the faults of their enemies, we can place an
honourable construction on their conduct ; but when
they forego consistency, apparently that they may mag-
nify the real or supposed errors of their friends, the
moral conclusion is of another complexion. Lord John
Russell once volunteered: a defence of the principle
of compulsory support for the ministers of religion,
alleging, from his place in the House of Commons, that
where no such provision is made, it must be true of re-
ligious teachers, as of all other servants of the public,
that—
, ' Those who live to please must please to live,'
" His Lordship was not left in ignorance of the pain
which this allusion had given to the mind of noncon-
formist ministers through the kingdom, but he never
deigned, so far as we remember, to recal, or in any way
to soften, his expressions."

THE AFFAIRS of NEW ZEALAND.

No. I.

Corr OF A DISPATCH FROM LORD STANLEY TO •
GOVERNOR FITZROY.

th1u3,1t.1,84
Cl.
Sir,—ln en-
closed
you m Y
the dispatch,
preoprntNi Donning-street,
og:ands2t7rproceedings of the om-
rn ittee of the House of Commons, appointed to inquire
into the state of New Zealand, and into the proceedings
of the New Zealand Company. On reference to the pro-
ceedings, you will perceive that the Committee were far
froze unanimous in their opinions, and that some of the
l
most important of their decisions, including one upon th
selection between two sets of resolutions, tee the basis of
their report, were sustained by very narrow lajDritie6+
Nevertheless, I cannot but apprehend that this 7el3nrti
carrying with it, as it must be admitted to do, the .q 11••
thority of a Committee of the House of Commons, may
add to the difficulties of your position, less indeed by the
practical measures which it recommends than by the
principles which it lays down, and on which it proceeds;
principles which I know to be opposed to your own
views, and which, if you were to attempt to carry them
into practice, would, I fear, lead to most unhappy con-
sequences.
The report,
you will observe, proceeds upon the as-
sumption that "the uncivilised inhabitants of any coun-
try have but a qualified dominion over it, or a tight of
occupancy, and that until they establish amongst them-
selves a settled form of govermnent, and subjugate the -
ground to their own uses by the cultivation of it, they
cannot grant to any individuals, not of their own tribe,.
any portion of it, for the simple reason that thoy have-
not thearelvas any individual property in it;" and the
Committee add. " that if the view which they have thus.
taken of the right of the Crown to the whole of the un-
occupied soil of New Zealand, and of the nullity of all
private purchases of land from the natives, be a correct,
one, and if this were also the view of the then Secretary
of State at the time that the arrangement with the New
Zealand Company was concluded, it follows, as a matter
of course, that by that arrangement it must have been
intended to give to the Company a claim, binding in
good faith, upon the estate of the Crown to the number
of acres awarded to them by Mr. Pennington, and that
this claim could not in any way be affected by the cha-
racter of those supposed purchases from the natives,
which it was the very object of the whole arrangement to
set aside as altogether null and invalid,"
lam not sure that, were the question one of mere
theory, I should be prepared to subscribe unhesitatingly,
and without reserve, to the fundamental assumption of
the Committee, and I em sure that it would require
' considerable qualification as applicable to the aborigines
of New Zealand. There are many gradations of " un-,
civilized inhabitants," and practically, according to their
state of civilisation, must be the extent of rights
which they can be allowed to claim, whenever the terri-
tory on which they reside is occupied by civilised com-
munities. And it cannot be denied that, among " unci-
vilised nations," the New Zealanders hold a very high
place, certainly far above the inhabitants of the other
Australian colonies.

The aborigines of New Holland generally are broken
nto feeble and perfectly savage migratory tribes,
roaming over boundless extents of country, subsisting
from day to day on the:precarious produce of the chase,
wholly ignorant of or averse to -the cultivation of the
soil, with no principles of civil government, or recog-
nition of private property, and little, if any know-
ledge of the simplest forms of religion, or even of
the existence of a Supreme Being. It is impossible
to admit on the part of a population thus situate, any
rights in the soil which should be permitted to inter-
fere with the subjugation by Europeans of the vast wile
derness over which they are scattered ; and all that
can be required by justice, sanctioned by policy, or re-
commended by humanity, is to endeavour, as civilisa-
tion and cultivation extend, to embrace the aborigines
within their pale, to diffuse religious knowledge
among them, to induce them, if possible, to adopt more
settled modes of providing for their subsistence, and to
afford them the means of doing so, if so disposed, by
an adequate reservation of lands within the limits of '
cultivation. But the position of the New Zealanders
of the Northern Island, at the time of its occu-
pation by Great Britain, was the reverse of all this..
Comparatively speaking, their territory was not of vast
extent, though unquestionably far more than sufficient,
under any circumstances, for the actual population. Their
main, though not their sole, subsistence, was derived from
agriculture, rude indeed, but continuous; rights of pro-
perty, as between tribe and tribe, and of individuals
of each tribe itt*r se, were recognised and well under-
stood •, they had been for many years in intercourse
with English traders and with Christian missionaries ;
many of them had adopted Christianity ; many were
acquainted with the English language and with letters,
and at this moment a Maori Gazette is published in
New Zealand, and widely circulated among them.
I cannot think that it would be either just or practica-
ble to apply the same rule with regard to the occupation
of land, to classes of aborigines so widely differing from
each other.
But, whatever may be the right theory, it is indis-
putable that in practice a distinction has been drawn by
the Acts of the British Government.
Up to 1839 this country recognized the chiefs of ;New
Zealand as the heads of an independent community; and
when in that year the unauthorised settlement of the
country had rendered necessary the interposition of
some higher authority, the Marquis of Nortnanby, then
Secretary of State, expressed his concurrence in the
view taken by a Committee of the House of Commons
in 1836, " that the increase of national wealth and
power, promised by the acquisition of New Zealand,
would be a most adequate compensation for the injury
which must be inflicted on the kingdom itself, by em-
barking in a measure essentially unjust, and but too
certainly fraught with calamity to a numerous and in-
offensive people, whose title to the soil, and to the so-
vereignty of New Zealand, was indisputable, and had
solemnly been recognised by the British Govern-
ment." Ho repeated, on the part of the Govern-
ment, the acknowledgment of New Zealand, as
a sovereign and independent state, so far, at least,
as it was possible to make that acknowledgment in
favour of a people composed of numerous dispersed
and petty tribes, who possessed a few political relations
to each other, and were incompetent to act, or even to de-
liberate, in concert ; but that the admission of their
rights, thus qualified, was binding on the faith of the
British Crown;" and he also "disclaimed, on the part of
the Queen, for herself and for her subjects, every pre.
tension to seize on the islands, or to govern them as a
part of the dominion of Great Britain, unless the free and
intelligent consent of the natives, expressed according to
their established usages, should be first obtained;" and,
acting on this view, the British Government, directed
their agent to accept from the chiefs the grant of sove-
reignty on conditions which were subsequently embo-
died in an instrument bearing (late the 6th of February,
1840. By the second article of this instrument, which
was officially promulgated and laid before Parliament,
" Her Majesty the Queen of England confirms and gua-
rantees to the chiefs and tribes of New Zealand, and to
the respective families and individuals thereof, the full,
exclusive, and undisturbed possession of their lands and
estates, forests, fisheries, and other properties which they
may collectively or individually possess, so long as it is
their wish and desire to retain the same in their posses-
sion. But the chiefs of the united tribes, and the indi-
vidual chiefs, yield to her Majesty the exclusive right of
pre-emption over such lands as the proprietors thereof
may be disposed to alienate, at such prices as may be
agreed upon between the respective proprietors and per-
sons appointed by her Majesty to treat with them on that
behalf."
Personally, neither you nor I are interested in now
considering whether this policy were wise or unwise.
Before the present Government assumed any responsi-
bility for the affairs of New Zealand, not only had these
steps been taken, and obtained the sanction of Parlia-
ment, but an officer had been appointed to administer the
Government ; laws had been passed by a local legisla-
ture for regulating titles to land ; Commissioners had
been sent out for the settlement of those titles, subject to
enactments previously passed, and guided by instruc-
tions issued by my predecessor. Nor does it seem to
me that such an inquiry is useful for any practical pur-
pose, in reference to the future. What you and I have
to do is to administer the affairs of the colony in re-
ference to a state of things which we find, but did not
create, and to feelings and expectations founded, not
upon what might have been a right theory of coloniza-
tiou, but upon declarations and concessions made in the
name of the Sovereign of England.
You will observe, indeed, that the Committee admit
that " erroneous as they believe the policy hitherto pur-
sued to have been, they are sensible of the great diffi-
culty which may now be experienced in changing it; and
bearing in mind the great distance of these islands, and
the consequent impossibility of knowing
what may be
the state of affairs there when any instructions that may
be sent out shall reach the Governor, they are not pre-
pared to recommend that he should be peremptorilyor-
dered to assert the rights of the Crown as e they
believeh
them to exist; all they advise is, that h shoulda _ have
aay, and
ons, shouldindde
rt
obbeeessdtt
aierbaecliiestuheidattr to e
clearly explained to him what those rights_ and the
adopt such measures _
principles on which theyas
to meet the difficulties of the case,
he may
title of the Crown to all unoccupied land as soon ac this
can be safely accomplished."
The Committee state elsewhere, " We have observed
that the terms of the treaty are ambi,uous, and, in the
sense in which they have been understood, have been
highly inconvenient ; in this we refer principally to the
stipulations it contains with respeet to the right of pro-
perty in land: the information which has been laid be-
fore us shows that these stipulations, and the subsequent
proceedings of the Governor, founded upon them,have •
firmly established in the minds of the natives notions
which they had then but very recently been taught to
entertain of their having a proprietary title of great
value to land not actually occupied." I cannot overlook
the fact, that your measures must be framed in reference
to the existence of such notions founded on interpre-
tations of law and treaty hitherto admitted by the au-
thorities at home and on the spot, and entertained by a
high-spirited, warlike, and well-armed race of people,
confident in British justice, and whom it is most im-
portant, by a conciliatory course, to bring into more
close connexion with, and more complete subjection to
British authority.
The extent to which native rights to land might be
admitted was, as you may remember, matter of frequent
and anxious discussion between us previous to your de-
parture from England ; and you are aware that; feeling
the information necessary for the purpose not to be with-
in my reach in this country, I constantly refused to the
New Zealand Company to define authoritatively here so
difficult and important a question. On the one band, to
restrict those rights to lands actually occupied
b fwoirtbtbe
culti-
vation appeared to me wholly irreconF I
properties which they
other
largo words of the treaty of Waitan
es-
tates, forests, fisheries, and other
possess," and of which,
gail,e.aameds and
may collectively or
individually
undisturbed possession" is
"the full, exclusive, guaranteed to them." The
thereby "confirmed
all " unoccupied" land, to tho es-
clauo• of the Crown to

THE LONDON JOURNAL, cS.c.
The present number contains a list of all the recent
English, Scottish, and Irish patents, and reports of
the judgments of the Courts of Law in all recent.
cases of disputed patents. From the scientific notices
we extract the following, on the preservation of
statues and monuments by means of oxide of copper.
The subject is one well worthy the attention of the
public authorities :

"There is on the Place Caroline, at Munich, an obelisk
made of bronze, ex are canto, erected by the king to the
memory of the 30,000 Bavarians who fell in the Rus-
sian campaign. This obelisk is surrounded by several
steps of stone, which are washed by the rain running
down the obelisk. Baron de Bourgouin has observed,
that this water preserved the stone from the species of
greyish rust which generally accumulates upon old monu-
ments, and which appears to be produced by moss or
very minute insects lodging in the pores of the stone.
The four angles of the pedestal, which do not receive
any water from the obelisk, present a great contrast, by
reason of their blackish colour, to those parts washed by
the water which has passed over the bronze. May we
not conclude from this observation, that water, impreg-
nated with the least portion of oxide of copper, will de-
stroy seeds of moss, &c., as well as the eggs of animal-
coke, which adhere to all unpolished stones. It is from
this cause that the marble statues at Versailles, and
those in London more particularly, are so much dis-
figured with black and grey mould. In order to
preserve the beauty of statues, ornaments, and monu-
ments, it may be sufficient to wash them periodically
with water, containing oxide of copper in solution.
Re-cutting, or scraping is not only very expensive, but
does not last : as witness the façades of the Louvre,
which are now of the same colour as those which have
not been touched. Advantage should be taken of the lesson
afforded by the obelisk at Munich. The discovery of a
process for preserving chef-d'oeuvres of architecture and
sculpture, should be proposed amongst the prizes offered
by the learned Societies, and even by Government."

A CONSCIENTIOUS BOOKSELLER.— A bookseller
who exposes books for sale in his open shop-window in
the City, having recently observed that he lost a number
of books, notwithstanding he always found the exact
quantity, abating those that were sold on taking them
in at night, and besides this, finding several books
among his own, of which ho had not the slightest
knowledge, was the other day induced to watch a
demure-looking young man rather closely, whom he
had constantly seen looking at his books, but scarcely
ever making a purchase. In this employment his sur-
prise was very soon increased by observing his customer
put a book in his pocket, and pull another from
under his coat, which he placed amongst the rest on
the board, and then deliberately walked away. Being,
however, desired to walk back again, and account for
his conduct, the trembling culprit at length acknow-
ledged that he had been in the constant
habit of exchanging good carnal for what ho
called indifferent spiritual books, which he consi-
dered advantageous to the bookseller ; and as a proof of
his assertion pulled out of his pocket a volume of old
puritanic divinity, for which he averred, and the fact
proved it, he had deposited a well-bound volume of the
works of Pope, by way of a conscientious exchange !
His youth and simplicity had such an effect upon the
bookseller, that after making him sensible that even
these exchanges would expose him to a prosecution for
theft, he let him go, with advice in future always to con-
sult the owner of property before he attempted to trans-
fer or exchange it under any pretext whatever.
EXTRAORDINARY PROGENY.—Widow Rutherford
died at Aberfeldy on the 20th ult., aged 92 years. She
was the mother of five children—three sons and two
daughters. By her eldest daughter, she had 13
grand-
children and 57 great grandchildren. By her second
daughter, she had 15 grandchildren, and 17 great-grand-
children. By her eldest son, she had eight grandchildren,
and five great-grandchildren. Her second son had no
t ree children. In all,
children, and the third son had
randchildren, 7
she had five children, 39 9 great-
grandchildren—being and
g Her 123 of a progeny !
eldest
great-grandehild is rising 21 years of age, and several of
her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren,
were at her bedside when she breathed her last.—Edin.
burgh papa.
A LEVELLER.—A Correspondent informs us that
a clergyman, not twenty miles from Truro, caused a new
road to be made through the church-yard, which passed
over the grave of a widow, whose remains had only been
placed "in the narrow house" six weeks ; and also over
several more graves belonging to her family. Not con-
tented with this, his reverence gave orders to the sexton
to level all the graves on each side of the path, because of
their unsightly appearance. This the sexton refused to
do; but the lady of his reverence, indignant at the refusal
of the subordinate functionary, and determined not to be
foiled, directed her gardener to level the graves, and
sat by in her carriage superintending this work of dese-
cration. It is needless to add that the feelings of the
living are severely wounded by these proceedings.—
West Briton.