The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-09-07 00:00:00

TWELFTH GENERAL HALF-YEARLY MEETING

The general half-yearly meeting of this company took place
on Thursday, in the large room of the newly-erected station,
Temple Meads, Bristol. Considerable interest was excited
on the occasion from a report that the directors intended•to
ask for the loan of half a million on this undertaking, which
has already cost nearly £6,000,000 of money, and also from
the circumstance that the dividend about to be declared was
the first since the opening of the line throughout.
At one o'clock the chairman, Charles Russell,Esq., opened
the business of the day, and called on the secretary to read
the report, which was rather long. The principal matters
referred to were as follow : _ _

The total amount of receipts for the half year ending the
30th of June last was £187,780 16s 2d, and the expenses
were for the same period £84,380 Os 7d, being nearly 45 per
cent. on the receipts. ,The number of passengers conveyed
was 659,537 for an aggregate number of 15,587,798 miles.
The result is a net income on the half year of £103,40015s 7d,
and £1,177 14s 8d from the coaching department, arising out
of the agreement with the coach proprietors, and this, added
to the undivided profits of the last year, gives a total profit
of £110,330 14s 6d, £63,590 16s Id of which had to be applied
to the payment of interest, and the remainder to be applied
as a dividend. The directors had therefore declared a divi-
dend of £3 per cent. per annum. The receipts since the
opening of the line throughout (on the Ist of July) showed
an average on four successive weeks of £14,844 Its per week.
The total amount of capital required is 6,150,000, indepen-
dent of a plant to work the lines (Great Western Union and
Bristol and Exeter), which was estimated at £150,000 more.
After expressing their regret that their expenditure should
have exceeded their estimates, the directors recommend an
issue of loan notes to the amount of £550,000. It is then
announced that, in compliance with the provisions ()Utile act
of parliament, the board had determined to reduce their num-
ber from 24-to 18, and the report concludes by stating that
the usual accounts are furnished. Then followed a report
from the engineer, in which there was nothing of sufficient

public interest to extract ; and lastly followed-the accounts
themselves, the principal items of which are given above.
After reading the reports a very extended and desultory
conversation took place, but the principal point was the de-
sire of a large number of shareholders to get some pledge
from the directors that no further sums, or at all events not
more than say £50,000 would be required, and the meeting
was eventually satisfied on this head. Another matter was to
know the proportion contributed to the revenue by the two
branch lines of Cirencester and Bridgewater. The directors
at first declined to furnish this information, but, on being
pressed, the chairman said the average receipts of the branch
lines, for the first two months, was £1,601 9s 2d per week,
and the average for the last four weeks was £1,839 16s 2d.
The several resolutions adopting the report authorising the
issue of loan notes, and sanctioning the reduction of the board
of directors, were subsequently passed, and the meeting,
which was very fully attended, separated.

MISCELLANEOUS

In the village of Whaplode, near Spalding, the vicar is
ninety-three years of age, the curate eighty-six, and the
verger seventy. The curate
.has resided in the parish for
upwards of fifty years, and still discharges the duties of his
office.

Considerable curiosity was excited by seeing a lady of dis-
tinction walking through the markets, dressed with an old
quilt for a mantelet. On inquiry, we earned she had made
the extraordinary exhibition to win a wager of one pound.—
non Herald.

The Duke of Portland, the Duke of Richmond, the Mar-
quess Wellesley, the Marquess of Hastings, Lord Willoughby
d'Eresby, and other "liberal" Peers, who have hitherto sup-
ported Lord Melbourne, abandoned their co-operation with
the whigs last week, and voted for the amendment upon the
address to the throne.

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT.—On Thursday night, the 26th
ult., a child belonging to a man named Hetherington, having
died in the Port of this town, the neighbours gathered to the
wake. In the upper part of the house, where the corpse lay,
the rooms were crowded by persons who were amusing them-
selves with the usual games practised on such occasions,
when the lofts fell, carrying with it the corpse and sorrowing
visitors ; a large beam which supported the loft came down
on the mother of the corpse, who sat in the room on the
ground floor, and fractured her skull ; a young man was so
severely injured that he died on the following day ; and 15
other persons were seriously injured", who still remain in a
very precarious state.—Balllishannon Herald.

SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.—Some very remarkable or-
ganic remains of those gigantic Saurian reptiles, which cha-
racterise the Wealden formation, have recently been dis-
covered in the cutting forming the entrance to the Bletching-
ley Tunnel, on the South Eastern Railway. They are chiefly
vertebrae of Megalosauri and Iguanodods, with some of
smaller reptiles of the same class. They are in the possession
of Mr. Simms, the resident engineer of the company, at
Bletchingley. The cutting from which these relics of a for-
mer world were taken, discloses a magnificent section of the
Weald strata. The huge primeval lizards, whose skeletons
are thus brought to light, must have sported in the waters,
or roamed all along the bank of the great lake or estuary,
formerly covering the districts of the Wealds of Kent and
Surrey ; the bottom of which lake now forms the extensive
level through which the Dover Railway is carried. The
cuttings on this line, near its junction with the Brighton
Railway, at Reigate, are also highly interesting to the geolo-
gical inquirer. At this point, the green sand passes into the
Weald,clay, and the alternations of the two are strongly de-
veloped. The work here must, however, have been conside-
rably less amusing to the contractor than it is to the naturalist ;
for, however curious the alternations of green sand and clay
may be to those who look 9n them as time-marks in the his-
tory of our globe, it must be confessed that they make but a
.sorry compound for a railroad embankment. The excavation
through this material extends only for a few yards, and is
not ;deep ; and its contents have been thrown aside by the
rude hands to whom geological phenomena are of little ion_
portance, if the " dirt" will not stand at a slope of two to one.

STEAM TRAVELLING ON THE COMMON ROADS.—One of
the General Steam Coach Company's coaches started from
the York and Albany Hotel, near the Regent's-park, at 25
minutes past four, on Thursday afternoon, and performed
the journey to the Manor-house at Tottenham, and back
again, in 25 or 26 minutes, a distance of from seven to nine
miles, as estimated by two several parties. This would give
on a rough calculation about fifteen miles in the hour. But
from the obstructions which were encountered on the road,
in the shape of flocks of sheep, carts, horses, and vehicles of
every description, we are convinced this is not a fair estimate,
and that twenty miles an hour would be the more correct
computation. One fact, however, seemed to be established,
namely—that the new steam-coach is capable of running on
ordinary roads with speed, economy, and safety. The noise
of the engines is scarcely perceptible ; there is neither smoke
nor a visible escape of steam, and the boiler is constructed
of numerous pipes, so that if one or even two should burst,
the boiler is relieved, and all danger avoided. To enter into
any description of the carriage would be foreign to our pur-
pose, but we cannot avoid noticing the extremely ingenious
contrivance which. blows and keeps the fire alive. The facility,
too, with which the engine is managed is truly remarkable,
an instance of which appeared in the descent from the Cam-
den Villas. A cow suddenly rushed across the road when
the coach was at full speed, and had the vehicle been drawn
by horses, a collision must have taken place, and no doubt
serious consequences would have resulted ; whereas the
engineer, with a precision which must be seen to be duly ap-
preciated, steered, we cannot say drove, the coach clear of
the animal. We may also mention, that though several flocks
of sheep were met or passed, yet without signally cheekily,
the speed, the engineer drove through them. To describe the
carriage we have only to say that the wheels are very broad,
and that in the portion allotted to passengers it resembles the
open carriages on the railroads. The stokers sit behind, and
the whole complement of passengers was sixteen. Several
members of parliament were passengers, and one lady. The
coach is shortly to make a trip to Windsor for the inspection
of her Majesty and Prince Albert.
RELEASE OF FEARGUS O'CONNOR.—It was stated that
Mr. Feargus O'Connor would be liberated from York Castle
on Monday, and that there would be a public demonstration
of the chartists on the occasion. Owing, however, to a
second peremptory application on the part of the visiting
magistrates that he should leave the castle before that time,
he consented to do so, and was taken in a cab to Etridge's
Hotel, on Thursday evening, he having previously entered
into his own recognizance of £3OO to keep the peace for
three years. On Sunday last, a number of chartists from
Leeds, &c., with banners. arrived by the railways, and a few
also arrived in York on Monday morning, and at one o'clock

a procession was formed near the castre gates. A car was
brought up, which was drawn by six horses, with three pos-
tilions dressed in green jackets and caps, and on which was
a very handsome chair, formed like a shell, and,covered on
the outside with green velvet. After Mr. O'Connor had
taken his seat in the chair, be addressed some observations
to the assembled chartists on the necessity of their preserv-
ing peace and conducting themselves in an orderly manner.
The procession, in which were a great number of flags and
banners, and a band of music, and about 400 chartists, pro-
ceeded through the principal streets to the grand stand on
Knavesmire, in front of which between 1,000 and 2,000 per-
sons had assembled, many of whom were females, who had
been prompted by curiosity and the fineness of the day to
witness the proceedings. Mr. O'Connor- proceeded to the
balcony in front of the grand stand, and he was received
with loud applause by his friends. About three o'clock Mr.
Cordukes, a joiner, was called to the chair. Some resolu-
tions, expressive of the delight of the chartists at the release
of Mr. O'Connor, were passed, after which Mr. O'Connor
addressed the audience at considerable length, and was fol-
lowed by several others of the chartist leaders, the business
concluding with three cheers for Frost, Williams, and Jones,
Feargus O'Connor, and the charter. At six o'clock a tea
meeting was held in the large room of the grand stand, when
addresses of congratulation were presented to Mr. O'Connor
by a great number of chartist delegates. Several toasts were
drunk, and the whole of the proceedings terminated about
midnight.—Doncaster Gazette.
SIR ROBERT PEEL.—With respect to his abilities for
action, as much is said as need be, when his career as a minis-
ter, and as the leader of the opposition in the midst of the
greatest disadvantages, is indicated. But the great and per-
vading misapprehension is, that we expect Sir Robert to be-
come a Liberal. We expect no such thing. He is not a
Liberal but a Conservative. Men of his age, when prudent
and honest, do not change their principles with their seats.
Men of average understanding settle their principles by which
they will be guided early in life, and that question is then
closed. The question of matures years is action according
to the principles thus settled. Bad or good, the principles
by which Sir Robert is guided are Conservative ; and their
is neither hope of a change, nor could there be advantage in
it. The consideration that remains therefore for those whom
he is to serve must be, what can a Conservative possessing
the qualities ascribed to this man do? We have seen that
out of office he has been enabled to swell the party with which
he entered an adverse Parliament from 150 to MO ; while his
opponents have sunk their 500 to 290. This is not an age of
greatness ; but among a smaller race it is well to find a man
that can do something. If we have aided in ejecting the
Whig Ministers, who have shown that they are come to that
pass when they can do nothing, we have only performed what
many of our friend's party now say they desired to see done ;
though they did not dare openly to avow the wish or to do the
work. If our sincere endeavours have had any influence, we
have aided in stopping the progress of a plague—in putting
an end to a course of corruption and pretence, with all their
immoral incidents, which for a time had all but ruined the
Liberal cause. In assuming that Sir Robert Peel had a task
before him, we only assumed an obvious fact. In showing
what a Conservative might do, we only carried out the philo-
sophy of extracting good out of everything. Our reprover
says that Sir Robert brings prudence, patience, knd honesty
to his task.—Spectator.

The harvest in France is proceeding most favourably, and
prices are declining.

It is stated by the Staffordshire Examiner that the iron
masters in that county have reduced the price of iron 10s:

per ton

The new openly avowed conservative Duke of Richmond is
honoured with the proxy vote of Earl Grey in the House of
Lords. Is not this a significant hint for those who, profess-
ing the opinions of the noble lord, give their support to the
Viscount Howick ?

BRITISH IRON COMPANY.-At a recent meeting of the
shareholders of this company the motion for a dissolution of
the company was rejected by a considerable majority, when
it was intimated that a dissolution would be sought for by
proceedings in Chancery.

BRADFORD ELECTION.—The cause of Mr. Wilberforce is
progressing gloriously. The probability is that the writ will
be moved for on Wednesday next. The nomination is ex-
pected to take place on Monday or Tuesday week. Conser-
vatives to your posts ! All the arrangements are complete,
and Mr. Wilberforce has issued a second address, in which
he announces his " determination to poll to the last minute
and to the last man."

THE HON. MRS. Nowrow.--While giving currency to
these gossiping rumours, it is only echoing report to allude
to the whispers that are afloat respecting the intention of the
HOnourable Mrs. Norton to Adopt the stage as a profession,
and make her debut at Covent Garden ; the talent of her
family, dramatic by descent, is favourable to the supposition,
coupled with other and more powerful causes ; and we have
heard that the lady has qualifications for success of a higher
kind than personal beauty. Now that acting is raised to so
high a rank in public estimation as an intellectual profession,
there can be nothing derogatory in such a step, whatever the
pride of station may deem to die contrary.—Spectator.
Those enemies of the church, who are accustomed to speak
of "the working clergy," as if the curates who receive a
small pittance of £7O per annum were the only persons whc
really laboured in their vocation, would do well to notice
what is really going on around them. In the diocese of St.
David's, for example, the bishop, during his late confirma-
tion tour, has held separate services in Welsh and English,
wherever the candidates were not familiar with the latter
language ; and his lordship's charges to each party in their
native tongue have been delivered in the most affectionate
and truly Christian manner. Last Sunday, moreover, he
preached at three places Carew, Lamphey, and Pembroke-
dock, in behalf of the schools for the poor, and the weight of
his arguments, made more impressive by his unassuming
yet earnest manner, had a very strong effect on the crowded
congregations that assembled to hear him.

AWFUL CIRCUMSTANCE.—A gentleman who resides in a
village near Ulverston, having been away from home for a few
weeks, upon returning late one evening, in his joy to see all
his family, ran up stairs, and, with more fondness than pru-
dence, took up a little girl, four years old, in his arms, that
was fast asleep, and spoke to it. The child opened its eyes,
and not recognising its over-joyed parent, it uttered a shrill
cry and seemed dreadfully agitated; and, truly awful to say,
the little creature became bereft of reason, and now appears
little less than a confirmed idiot.
ANTICIPATED TURN-OUT OF FACTORY HANDS AT STOCK-
PORT.—We regret to learn that, in consequence of a contem-
plated reduction in prices, on the part of two or three large
manufacturing establishments in this town, a very extensive
turn-out of factory hands, principally spinners, is anticipated.
Judging from the representations which have been made to
us, the reduction will amount to nearly one-halt the earnings
of many spinners, and, if they should be compelled to cease
working, the misery of their present condition will, of course,
be greatly aggravated.—Stockport Chronicle.
NEW STEAM-BOAT PROPELLER.—We had ap opportunity
yesterday of going from Blackfriars-bridge to Putney, in- the
Fire Fly, a model steam-boat, propelled on the principle first
introduced by Captain Ericsson. The inventor and engineer,
who is also the proprietor, Mr. Warriner, a pupil of Messrs.
Braithwaite and Milner, of the New-road, was on board, and
afforded us the following information :—The engine, boiler,
&c:, have been made entirely with his own hands. The boat
is 22 feet long, and 4 feet 9 inches broad; the propeller is
placed in the stern of the boat, and is horizontal. It is 22
inches in diameter, consists of 6 floats 81 inches broad, form-
ing a section of a six-threaded screw, and makes 200

XOO revo

lufions in a minute. Beyond it is a false stern-post to which
the rudder is attached. There are two engines of nearly
two-horse power. The cylinders are oscillating, 3 inches
each in diameter, and 6 inches long. The contrivance for
forcing the steam into the cylinders and the slide motion are
new and ingenious. The boiler sustains a pressure of 601 b.
lbs. to the square inch. The weight of the engine and boiler,
filled with 21 gallons of water, are about 964 lbs., and the
tonnage of the boat nearly 200 cwt. It has been running ex-
perimental trips on an average of four times a week since
March last, and has travelled during that period over a space
of 2,000 miles without requiring repairs. The advantages
which this description of propeller possesses over the com-
mon steam-boat paddles are—first, its being under water,
and therefore, in case of vessels of war fitted up with it, and
going into action, the enemy's shot cannot affect it. It is
cheaper and less cumbersome than the common paddle, and
does not spoil the symmetry of a vessel. Captain Ericsson,
who, as we understand, invented this propeller, offered his

invention to the late government, but it was refused. The
consequence was that he went to America, where he is now
superintending the building of a frigate of 1,000 horse-power,
to be fitted up with this propeller. We omitted to say that
the speed of the Fire Fly was from eight to nine miles the
hour.—London Times.
A BRIDAL BLUNDEIt.—At Walcot, last week,' a dashing
carriage drove up to the churCh from Box, and a bride, at-
tended by her bridesmaid, was handed out by her papa. The
parson and the whole party were soon in readiness for the
important ceremony, with the exception that a chief per-
former 'in the drama was unaccountably absent. The bride
trembled as the minutes moved away, and " He cometh not,
she said, she said; he cometh not, she said." Her father
waxed wroth at the bridegroom's unpardonable non-appear-
ance, and, taking horse, galloped in search of his intended
son-in-law. On arriving at the sinner's house, hs found him
quietly pursuing his wonted avocations, unconscious of the
presence of his Dulcinea at Hymen's altar. An explanation
ensued. He had lef.; the lady and her bridesmaid to fix the

day—the important day—and they had sent him a note—a
sort of warrant—aunouncing to him his loss of bachelor-life
on the 10th of August, 1841 ; but, unfortunately, they com-
mitted the blunder of neglecting to ascertain if the intimation
was received as well as sent. The fact was, it was not re-
ceived—and hence the disappointment. The bride thanked
her stars it was no worse, and the wedding took place on the
following day.
CONVERSIONS FROM HINUOOISM. The Circulator of
Wednesday contained the annexed account of two young
Hindoos, recently educated at the General Assembly's Mis-
sion School, having announced their determination to ern-
brace Christianity :—" We have just heard of an occurrence
that took place at the police-office on Monday, and which we
fear, owing to the grossness of native superstition, will have
some influence in the educational prospect of the Hindoo
youths of this presidency, unless some of their more respect-
able members will disabuse the minds of their ignorant coun-
trymen on the subject. The case appeltrs to be the following:—
Two young men, aged 19 and 20 respectively, have been for
some time pursuing their studies in English literature and
science under the auspices of the society with which the Rev.
Mr. Anderson and other Scotch missionaries are connected.
Their minds being thus cultivated and enlightened by the ex-
cellent course of instruction pursued at that establishment,
it became apparent to them at once, when they had brought
themselves to reflect on the subject, that Pagan worship was
an abomination ; and accordingly expressed their determina-
tion to Mr. Anderson to embrace Christianity. Having made
up their minds to renounce idolatry, and aware of the op-
position and treatment which awaited them in the bosom of
their family, they would not return home, but for several
days past took up their domicile in the school premises.
Their parents being made acquainted with the circumstance,
applied for and obtained a warrant to bring up the youths to
the police-office, where the matter was investigated. As the
young men stated that their absence was not compulsory, but
in fact what they had themselves resolved on, and that they
had no desire to return to their parents, and were of that age
as to be free to act for themselves, the case was dismissed.
The young men, on leaving the police-office to return with
Mr. Anderson to the institution, were forcibly seized on by
their parents and friends, and a regular row took place in the
compound under the nose of the magistrates, who were obliged
to interfere to prevent more serious consequences. The
young men and Mr. Anderson, with some difficulty, got
away from the infuriated concourse of the friends of the two
families."—United Service Gazette, Calcutta, June 25.
INGENIOUS FORGERY.—A few days ago a man, dressed
as a waggoner; having a whip in his hand, applied to a
money-changer in the Cloitre St. Honoree, for change of a
500 f. note of the Bank of France. The money-changer, per-
ceiving that although the note was genuine the vignettes had
been removed and repasted on other paper, requested the
man to go with him to the bank to have the note examined,
to which he consented with apparent cheerfulness. At the
bank he was interrogated by Count d'Argout, the governor,
and stated that he had received the note from a person who
had it from a discounter in the Rue Godot Mauroy. As this
was found to be untrue, further inquiries were set on foot,
the man being in custody all the time, and it was soon as-
certained that his name was Adelaine, formerly a bookbinder in
Paris, who had lately disappeared from Arpajon and
•Lonjumeau to escape from his creditors. With some
difficulty his lodging was discovered to be iu the
Rue des Cannes, and and here were found convincing
proofs of the fraudulent operations which he had been carry-
ing on. It appears that, after long study as to the mecha-
nism of the Bank of France, Adelaine had conceived the
idea of splitting them in two, and transferring by means of
ink, essences, acids, a press, &c., the impression of the vig-
nettes from the front of the note to the divided paper, thus
making two notes out of one. Although Adelaine, when de-
tected, wore the dress of a waggoner, as we said above, a
rich and elegant wardrobe was found at his lodging, as also
many artieles of jewellery, works of art, albums, c., and a
curious correspondence with some gamblers at Baden-Baden,
with a drawing, on large paper, of gaming-tables, and the
cylinder of the roulette, on which he was apparently study-
ing some combinations, as was done by M. de Labourdon-
naye, in his games of chess with Eneland, Germany, and
India. After these discoveries, Adelaine was handed over
to the Procureur du Roi.—Galignani's Messenger.
SINGULAR CASE OF SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION.—Be...
tween the hours of eight and nine on Wednesday evening last,
a fire, which, at first, assumed an alarming character, was
discovered in the basement of the premises belonging to Mr.
Archbutt, pawnbroker and silversmith, No. 110, Blackfriars-
road, near the Magdalen Hospital. The fire commenced in
the cellars, which were fitted up as store-rooms for the re-
ception of beds, carpets, &c. An alarm was raised by the
inmates, who, on opening the doors leading to the store-
rooms in question, were met by a body of smoke and flames,
which almost deprived them of their senses. The police on
duty in the street lost no time in sending for the engines, and
in about a quarter of an hour two arrived on the spot, from
the station in Waterloo-road, and soon afterwards those be-
longing to the Southwark Bridge-road, arrived, followed by
Mr. Braidwood, the superintendent of the brigade force, and
a posse of other engines. By great exertion, the ravages of
the fire were confined to the cellars, and in half an hour it was
wholly subdued ; but the loss of property is stated to be very
considerable, nearly the whole of the beds, carpets, &c. that
the cellars contained, being all but consumed. There is every
reason to believe that the fire is the effect of spontaneous
combustion, from the circumstance of their having been no
light admitted into the cellars for some days before, and on
that occasion they were enclosed in glass lanterns, and it was
impossible for a spark to fall into any of the bedding. It is
supposed that one of the beds contained rags mixed with
flock, which, by some means, became damp, and being closely
piled became heated, and ultimately burst into flames. Un-
fortunately, Mr. Archbutt was severely burned about the
hands and face in extinguishing the flames, and, according to
the statement of the fireman, had it not been for his intre-
pidity at the commencement, the premises would have been
destroyed.
JUVENILE WIT.—" Oh dear!" blubbered an urchin, who
had just been suffering from an application of the birch, V .Oh
my ! they tell me about forty rods make a furlong, but I can
tell a bigger story than that. Let 'em get such a plaguey
licken as I've had, and they'll find that one rod make an
acher.

REAL SPORTING.—The country round Berlaitnont, in the
Nord, having been much infested by wolves;the inhabitants
had a grand battue on the 29th ult„ at which there were one
hundred sportsmen, and twice as many scouts to beat up the
game. Five wolves were roused, but only two killed. These
were declared to be larger and more ferocious than any be-
fore seen in that country. The ravages these animals had
committed were extensive, and within a-few days they had
devoured eighteen calves.—Galignanes Messenger•.

Qi" it aitlecpent g9tanbarb.

TUESDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 7, 1841.

Whilst engaged in examining our latest files of
West India and Demerara papers, we perceive that,
in addition to the common topics of Immigration and-
the Sugar 'Dirties, in which all are alike interested,
those of the latter country frequently recur, in a tone
of dissatisfaction and complaint, to the state of the
law in the colony—a mixed code, half Dutch, half
English—which they describe as extremely perplexing
to every one who is forced to consult its provisions ;
and also to the very constitution of their local govern-
In these complaints we find two very
ably conducted journals concurring—the Guiana
Chronicle and the Guiana Times; and if we take them

ment itself.

to be, as they unquestionably must be, the organs of
the more prevalent opinion in the colony, it cannot be
disputed that there must exist some serious grievance
which calls for redress.

" to the manner in which things are done at present,"
says the Chronicle, " both in the Combined Court and in
the Court of Policy. One-sided taxes, one-sided laws, one-
sided feeling—contracted views, and contempt of public
opinion. Say, could such things exist were all classes of the
community properly represented ? No, they could not; en-
lightened legislators would rise and expose the hollowhearted-
ness of such measures; would explain the views of the mo-
ther country with regard to the colonies ;, shew that the great
object was to raise up a free intelligent producing people,.
able to look after their own affairs, and to influence those of
the state towards the general good. This can never be effected
so long as a few men are allowed to have everything their own
way. In this country things are by hocus pocus reversed,
and one hundred thousand people are made to believe that
the opinions of two or three individuals are the only opinions.
worth attending to. This state of affairs is the offspring of
legion—alias slavery, and must hide its diminished head
along with the rest of the brood—in Erebus."

At a time like the present, when the prosperity of
the colonies is to us a matter of the deepest interest,
it is a reproach to the home government, that reitera-
ted complaints of this nature, on whatever foundation
they may rest, should not have been inquired into.
We cannot expect our colonies to flourish, and to sup-
ply us with such markets as we require for our manu-
factures, unless the laws by which they are governed,
and ti

le executive authority within them, be such as
are calculated to call forth the energies of the people,
and afford them contentment.

Two circumstances of recent occurrence have caused
much excitement in the colony. One was the selection
by the Governor of a Mr. Arrindell, a barrister, as a
Colonial Legislator, who was most reluctant to accept
the appointment, and his selection in preference to
Mr. RosE, who had given the utmost satisfaction in
that capacity, and whose appointment was eagerly
desired by the people. On this contingency the•
Chronicle of the 9th July observes :

" If there is any one circumstance wanting to place in g
more conspicuous point of view, the utter rottenness of our
present legislative government, it is that which occurred yes-
terday in the Court of Policy. Our readers will perceive by
our proceedings of the Court of Policy, that Mr. Arrindell
has been elected in the room of Mr. Rose, and that the
learned gentleman is not wishful of serving the.colony in the
capacity of legislator. By thus declining, he subjects himself
to a fine of 1,000 dollars ; so that in this country, instead of
a candidate offering himself to the constituency, and craving
the honour of representing them, we have a college of elec-
tors, lugging two gentlemen into the legislative hall, one of
whom is struggling and kicking to get away. Then we have
the court making choice of this unwilling gentleman; and
mark you, legislators selecting a legislator! and that against
his will ! These are effects arising from the dreadfully in-
verted order of affairs existing in this colony, and on which
we shall take every opportunity to bring the public mind to
bear."

It is unnecessary to dwell upon this subject ; sufli-
cient appears to justify the remark, that causes of dis-
satisfaction do exist, and that they are deeply felt by
the inhabitants.

The other topic which we find affording much dis-
cussion, is the conduct of Mr. Justice Norton, whose
extravagancies, however they might seem to us, who
are far removed from the theatre of his exploits, ridi-
culous and amusing, afford occasion for anything but
matter of pleasurable contemplation in George Town,
Demerara, and Guiana. This functionary, it seems,
conceiving himself to have been libelled by an inhabi-
tant, issued a citation against the individual of his own
motion, and upon his own authority, for a large amount.
of
,damage. returnable before himself as judge. The'
defendant's counsel, the two most eminent members of
the bar, advised the defendant to petition the Queen in
council to interdict the judge from proceeding in this
manner. " Thereupon," says the Guiana Times (20th
July), " with a hundred circumstances of gross aggra-
vation, the Plaintiff-June, acting in concert with his
brethren on the bench, who, however, were not per-
sonally implicated (the suit being his not theirs), szcs-
from practice at the bar
forpe ndtehde
se
pacaliceofef tshiexbnza
or
nritsht
se
.r,s,
me same paper proceeds
to say :

" The public were thunderstruck at the boldness of the bad
act. The barristers, of course, appealed to the judicial com-
mittee in England. The judges took care to interpose as
y delays possible, and, at last, sent home such an an-
swerntot as
the appeal as their own counsel in London were fain
to ask leave to amend. Meanwhile, the judge chiefly
impli-
cated, (Norton is the name doomed' by a succession of reck-
less and indecent acts to a painful and lasting notoriety,)
shows no symptom of a chastened temper, or a sobered judg-
ment. The bar, almost to a man, complain of his ill-hu-
moured and unmannerly interruptions, and a certain Piece
of private history, just evolved by a published correspondence
with the Secretary of State, exhibits as peculiarly unbe-
coming."

If we are not mistaken, we know something ourselves
of this Mr. Justice Norton, who owes his appointment
to the patronage of Lord Normanby, and to services
performed in Dublin—not in the way of his profession
—during his lordship's mal-administration and mai'
versation of the affairs of Ireland. But anything was
good enough to send out to the,colonies, and a map
whose knowledge of law was as profound a secret in,