The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-10-24 00:00:00

FRANCE

On Tuesday the National Assembly agreed to clauses
from 85 to 90 of the Constitution, without amendment,
and almost without discussion.
M. Marrast, the President of the Assembly, and M.
Dufaure, the Ministerial leader, have agreed that it is
desirable that the remaining articles of the Constitution
should be passed with as little delay as possible ; and,
therefore, there is every probability that the whole of the
Constitution will be voted in the course of the present
week.

A " democratic and social" banquet, at one franc per
bead, took place on Tuesday, at the Barriere Poisson-
niere. More than 2000 persons attended it ; and as there
was no place large enough to contain all, they divided
into two parties, one presided over by M. Pierre Leroux,
and the other and smaller one by M. d'Alton Shee. It
had been announced that 200, or at least 150, representa-
tives of the people would be present, and that M. Lamen-
nais would be president, and M. Ledru Rollin vice-presi-
dent. Only three representatives, however, attended—
M. Pierre Leroux, M. Proudhon, and Greppo. The de-
fection of the others caused considerable sensation.
tnerous toasts were drunk, and the following were loudly
applauded :—" To the Revolution," by M. Proudhon ;
' To the old Montagne," by M. Pierre Leroux ; " To
the Revolution of Vienna," by M. Madier de Monjau,
advocate ; " To the Union of Democrats," by M. Cabet ;
" To the Democratic and Social Republic," by M. d'Alton
Shee. At about seven o'clock the principal banquet was
brought to a close by the singing of patriotic songs.
Numerous groups of workmen assembled on the exterior
boulevard, and at the entrance to the Rue des Poisson-
niercs, but tranquillity was not disturbed. The authori-
ties had taken measures for the preservation of order.
The committee on the state of siege have determined
to recommend to the Assembly that the state of siege
should be immediately raised.

It is-expected that the chamber will be prorogued in
about ten days, until after the election of the President of
the Republic; and that all the deputies of the majority
will then set themselves seriously to work to prevent such
a calamity and national disgrace as the election of Louis
Napoleon. Should they tail, nothing more must be said
in favour of universal suffrage. The general opinion is
that Louis Napoleon will be elected, and that the event
will lead to a convulsion, in which the Red Republicans
will have a chance of temporary success, but that the
friends of order will then rise and re-establish a monarchy.
There may be sad scenes to pass through, however, be-
fore that is done.

DEATH OF M. LOUIS BLANC'S FATHER.--The Cor-
saire announces, on good authority, that the father of
MM. Louis and Charles Blanc, lately at the head of the
Office of the Fine Arts in the Ministry of the Interior,
died at the Hotel Dieu about a week ago, in a state of ut-
ter destitution. _ _ _

Louis Blanc denies in strong terms that his father died
in Paris, recently, in a state of great destitution. He died
six years ago, tenderly cared for by his sons.
PARISIAN THIEVES.—The Parisian police have disco-
vered and apprehended a band of robbers, whose leader
kept a regular set of books, in which esch thief was cre-
dited with the amount produced by the articles which he
bad stolen, and was debited with his receipts and his share
of the joint expenses ; while an engagement book con-
tained a list of the theatres, churches, and other places,
which were to be visited on certain days by particular
members of the gang.
HORRID MURDERS IN FRANCE.—A man named Fauche
was executed at Villeneuve-sur-Lot, on the 9th instant,
for having, about fifteen months past, murdered and hor-
ribly mutilated his father-in-law, his mother-in-law, and
his sister-in-law, in order to obtain 1200 francs, which he
supposed had been brought in the course of the day to his
father-in-law's house. The unfortunate man, who had
exhibited the utmost effrontery during the trial, was much
cast down when in presence of the instrument of death.
He slowly ascended the steps of the guillotine, and after
having delayed as much as he could, at last delivered him-
self over to the executioner, and in a moment ceased to
exist.

About thirty-five houses have been destroyed by fire at
Cronstadt.

Major Edwardes, the rising military genius of our Eas-
tern empire, has lost the use of his right hand by the ex-
plosion of a pistol.
It is rumoured that Lieutenant Wyburd, one of the
" Bokhara victims," is still living and residing at Kok-
ban, a voluntary exile, having turned Mahomedan.
A fire in Prince's umbrella manufactory, in Philadel-
phia, has been pretty satisfactorily ascertained to have ori-
rated in the ignition of a box of lucifer matches from the
gnawing of a mouse !
On the 12th inst., the extensive ship-manufactory of
Messrs. A. H. Silleman and Co., in the Grasbrook, Ham-
burgh, was burnt to the ground. The buildings are in-
sured in foreign and home insurance companies for
279,000 marks banco. _ _

A petition to Sir Harry Smith, from the Mahomedan
inhabitants of Cape Town, concludes—" And your me-
morialists further pray that your Excellency may see the
present earthly blindness of your ways, and become a
candidate for admission into the bosom of the sublime
Mahomedan Church." _

The American correspondent of the Morning Herald
states that a member of congress, named Stephens, has
been dreadfully stabbed and lacerated with a bowie knife,
by a judge, named Cone, who endeavours to palliate his
crime by asserting that the wounded man had threatened
to slap his jaws, and had struck him a contemptuous blow
on the face with his walking stick.

THE JEWS IN Romz.—On the first of this month the
decree for the complete emancipation of the Jews of the
Roman States came into force. They are thereby declared
fit for the exercise of all civil rights. The year 1848 is an
amazing one. The changes of the forms of government
are, however, less surprising than the abandonment of
the Ghetto by the Jews of Rome.—Jewish Chronicle.
DREADFUL Loss OF SHEEP IN AUSTRALIA.—The ef-
fect of the catarrh in the Sheep at Port Philip has been
dreadful in the extreme, One gentleman has lost as many
as 19,000—another 20,000 !—some 10,000 up to 15,000;
inflictin; :lin upon their owners. An entire flock died in
the course of a night from the cowplaint. The writer of
a letter states that he was at the time surrounded by
36,000 dead sheep, and in momentary dread of the infec-
tion (catarrh) spreading to his own flock.
HUNGARY.—RESOLUTIONS OF THE NATIONAL As-
SEMBLY.—Letters from Pesth state that Kossuth had
been nominated by the National Assembly president of
the committee for the defence of the country, with dicta-
torial powers. The following resolutions had been passed
in the National Assembly :-1. All Hungarian troops,
who are beyond the Hungarian frontiers, are recalled into
their country. 2. Archduke Stephen, who perfidiously
abandoned the command over the Hungarian army, and
himself left the country, is deposed from all his dignities.
3. It is the duty of every Hungarian to sacrifice lite and
property in defence of his country. All Hungarians,
therefore, who live in the Austrian provinces, must return
within a fortnight.
The rump of the Diet has sent an inflated ultimatum to
the Ban Jellachich, based on a threatened onslaught from
the Hungarians. " The Hungarian Diet has given com-
mand to its army to follow your Excellency about wher-
ever you go, and not to rest till you are disarmed." It is
asserted that the Ban has broken up his army into five
divisions, and means to cross the Austrian frontier ; but
the whole statement obviously rests on the authority of
some democratic partisan at Vienna.
FRATERNISATION EXTRAORDINARY.—A deputation of
riotous Silesian peasants came in April to the seat of a
nobleman, making unheard-of demands, and threatening
to kill, burn, and destroy, if those demands were not
complied with. They were shown into the baron's study,
who immediately locked the door, throwing the key out
of the window, and told the astonished mob that, unless
they immediately asked his pardon on their knees, he
would cause the cigar be was smoking to fraternise with a
barrel of gunpowder which stood on a sofa by his side.
The effect was magical. The knees of the peasants fra-
ternised with the carpet ; they craved in humble tone his
forgiveness, and were at length allowed to make their exit
through the window, for the baron lamented that he,
alas ! had lost his key.
GOD'S GRACE DENIED.—The National Assembly has
at last commenced to fulfil the duties for which it was spe-
cially convoked some five month's past. The first chapter
of " the Constitution," consisting of two articles, to-
gether with the short preamble containing the King's
titles, was laid before the house for discussion. The de-
bate, however, did not advance beyond the first ten words,
out of which the following, " By the grace of God," were
erased by a majority of 83-217 having voted for the era-
sure and 133 against it. When we see a man like Held,
who openly declares that there is no God, serenaded—
elected as Major of National Guards—and worshipped by
a large body of the people, without other apparent merit
than his Atheism, we cannot be surprised that 217 Prus-
sian representatives, without denying God's existence,
should deny the connection between God and the first
link of the great constitutional and social chain.

FEARFUL Loss.—The steam propeller Goliah, plying
on Lake Huron, has been lost, with all on board, com-
prising 25 passengers. About 80 kegs of powder were put
on board the Goliah at Buffalo, and 125 at Detroit, which
were stowed carefully in the extreme bow of the vessel,
the farthest from the fire, and covered with merchandise.
There were 60,000 shingles, 30,000 feet of lumber, and
about 40 tons of pressed bay stowed away between decks
and on the promenade deck—forming altogether a highly
combustible cargo. The supposition is that the vessel
took fire, and the quantity of gunpowder on board ex-
ploded, and thus the steamer was lost. The Detroit
Free Press mentions a report that the cook had come
ashore in a small boat near Lexington. He saw the fire
making its way towards the powder, when he lowered the
small boat and made his escape. When a short distance
from the vessel it blew up with a tremendous explosion,
and he was the only one left to tell the sad tale.
AN AMERICAN MARVEL.—A dead alligator, as news-

paper readers may remember, which was lately found
floating in the bay of New York, awakened muob specu-
lation among naturalists ; the recent discovery of the
skeleton of another, almost as far north, in New Jersey,
is therefore not a novelty of wonder in these regions,
except from the immense size of the latter, and from a
matter of most curious antiquarian interest connected
with its exhumation. This last alligator or crocodile,
measuring 30 feet in length, was found at Eatontown,
New Jersey, about ten miles from Long Branch, while
digging for marl. The skeleton lay about 6 feet beneath
the surface in a stratum of green sand; and underneath
this skeleton, as if it had dropped from the mouldering
stomach of the monster, was found an ancient coin !
This coin is described to us by an intelligent correspon-
dent, who has handled it, as about the size of a dollar;
its composition, in which there is a large share of silver,
being probably Corinthian brass. On the face of it is
the figure of a lion, with the date " 6-48 " in Arabic
numerals ; on the reverse, amid several illegible letters,
the fragmentary words " Arg. Procon. Latin Mo." may
be deciphered, surrounding two larger letters, in the cen-
tre one of which is the Greek " II " with an " R" inter-
woven with it. We understand that the whole of this
curious matter is to be brought before some antiquarian
society in the regular mode, with all the necessary testi-
many as to facts particular of the discovery. But while
those learned gentlemen are puzzling themselves as to
the pro-consulship in which this coin was cast, and call-
ing in the aid of the geologist to account for its locality,
our quick-minded readers will instantly jump to the ho-
nest conclusion that this crocodile, who found his burial
amid the sands of New Jersey, had, 2,000 years ago, half
digested some Roman soldier in the rivers of Africa, ere
he floated westward for a new meal, with the poor fellow's
last coin still preserved in his maw.—New York Literary
World.

IRELAND.

THE STATE TRIALS

VERDICT AGAINST O'DONOHUE

On Saturday week, the jury, having retired at half-
past seven o'clock, applied several times to the Court
for assistance before bringing in their verdict. At length,
atten minutes past eleven p.m., an intimation was conveyed
to their lordships that the jury had agreed to their verdict ;
and the whispered conversation which had been carried on
in the court instantly subsided into a profound and an-
xious silence.

The jury were then directed to come into court, and
having taken their seats in the box, the foreman handed
the issue paper to the clerk of the Crown, who having
called over the names of the jurors, to which they respec-
tively answered, said—

itlemen of the jury, have you agreed to your ver-

Foreman—We have

Clerk of the Crown— In the case of Patrick O'Dono-
hue, how say you, gentlemen, is the prisoner guilty or
not guilty?

Foreman (in a low but firm tone)—GUILTY.
This announcement, owing to the previous statement
of the foreman, that the jury were not likely to agree,
evidently came by surprise on the greater portion of those
present, and produced considerable sensation and excite-
ment in court. The prisoner alone seemed unmoved at
this result, so unfavourable to his hopes.
After a short pause, JUDGE MOORE perused the issue
paper, and then handed it to the Clerk of :be Crown, and
directed him to read it. It was to the following effect:—
"We find ' guilty' on the first five counts, and 'not
guilty' on the 6th. We unanimously recommend the pri-
soner to mercy in the strongest manner, in consequence
of his having withdrawn, and having disconnected him-
self from his associates previous to the attack at Farrin-
rory."

The Chief Justice then directed the court to be ad-
journed to ten o'clock on Monday, immediately upon
which the judges retired.
A rush was instantly made to the dock by several
friends of Mr. O'Donohue, including Mr. Maher, his
junior counsel, and his solicitor, Mr. Laffan, who were
anxious to take their leave of him before he was conveyed
back to prison. He shook hands cordially with them, and
sustained a brief conversation with a cheerfulness and
composure truly astounding, considering the painful posi-
tion in which he stood—a position which might well shake
the fortitude of the most courageous man. As he was
leaving the court a person in the crowd leant over the
dock, and, stretching out his hand to Mr. O'Donohue,
addressing some words to him, the purport of which did
not reach us. Mr. O'Donohue, however, turned round
and addressed this individual in the following indignant
terms :

" Sir, I do not kno w who you are ; but the observa-
tions you have just made, induce me to think that you
are little better than the witnesses who have sworn away
my life. I think you are one of the Dublin detectives ;
and I will not pollute my hand by touching yours." Mr.
O'Donohue then retired to the department underneath,
from whence he was shortly afterwards conveyed .to the
prison van, guarded by a strong force of police.
Mr. Meagher's trial was opened on Monday. After
being arraigned, and pleading, Not Guilty, he denounced
the constitution of the panel, though he expressed his in-
difference as to what sort of a jury he was to be tried by.
The Attorney-General opened the case in a speech re-
viewing the prisoner's career, his violent conduct, and his
seditious speeches. The learned gentleman stated that it
was not indispensable to prove the prisoner's presence in
the field ; if the latter could be shown to have encouraged
overthrowing the Queen's Government by his writings
and speeches, he would be guilty of the crime laid to his
charge. Mr. Hodges (reporter) then proved several of the
seditious speeches uttered at various meetings.
On Tuesday, Dobbin, the informer, deposed to having seen
Mr.Meagher at the Curran Club at Dublin, in June, for the
presentation of colours to the club. It was a tri-coloured
flag. Mr. Meagher spoke of them standing to their co-
lours to establish the independence of their country. Mr.
Meagher was in the room when Mr. Dillon was moved to
the chair. It was stated in the room that the meeting
was for the election of an executive council. Mr. Dillon
announced it from the chair. It was stated that a council
of twenty-one members was too numerous, as their trans-
actions would ooze out through so many hands, and that
there would be more secrecy in a smaller number. Mr.
Dillon mentioned certain names out of a letter brought to
him by Mr. Lalor from Mr. Duffy, who was in prison :
they were the names of persons whom Mr. Duffy wished
to be on the executive council : the names of three cler-
gymen were read out—those of Mr. Hughes, Mr. O'Mal-
ley, and Mr. Kenyon ; the name of Mr. Lalor was also
mentioned ; some of the members said that, as it was to
be a war council, it was not fit for priests to be on it. The
pe►sons announced to be elected were Mr. Dillon, Mr.
Meagher, Mr. O'Gorman, jun., Mr. M`Gee, and Mr.
Devin Reilly. Mr. Lalor and Mr. M`Dermott wanted
those present to give a pledge that they would expedite
the insurrection of the Bth of August. Mr. Meagher ob-
jected to give any pledge of that sort, that he would have
it on the Bth, but he said he would do all in his power to
expedite it even before the Bth.
After a lengthened cross-examination, Dobbin was dis-
missed ; and a police-officer was 'examined, who proved
the finding a treasonable letter to Mr. Smith by Mr.
Meagher, read in court. In Mr. Smith's house were
also found many other letters in Mr. Meagher's hand-
writing. Voting and other papers taken from Mr. Lalor
were then put in evidence and identified. Constable
Dunlevie deposed that he was stationed at Enniscorthy in
July last, and that on the morning of Sunday the 23rd he
saw Mr. O'Brien, Mr. Meagher, and Mr. Dillon come
into the town on a car t they addressed the people in the
market-place. Mr. Meagher said he always was and ever
would remain the unrelenting enemy of the British Go-
verbenent ; that he had the honour a short time ago to
address fifty thousand Tipperary men—that they were
prepared to do their duty. Mr. Dillon said that the
Wexford men were brave and determined—that they all
had a gun in a corner, and kept their powder dry, and
were always sure to hit their mark. After a great deal of
evidence and cross-examination, during which it was con-
tended that it was impossible to connect Mr. O'Brien's
and Mr. Meagher's purpose together, the court adjourned
till the next day.

On Wednesday the trial was resumed, and the examina-
tion of witnesses occupied the court during the day. On
the direct examination of Dobbin and the police, the
evidence was similar to that given on the former trials.
Mr. Meagher exhibited great composure, and sometimes
laughed heartily at bearing the policemen read their re-
ports of his speeches. He also occasionally amused him-
self by writing autographs for the ladies in the galleries.
On Thursday a number of witnesses were brought for-
ward on behalf of the crown, amongst them the old
woman who nursed Mr. Meagher at Waterford. She
stated that she bad been bribed by the crown, but her
evidence was very unsatisfactory in a legal sense against
the prisoner.

Mr. Whiteside commenced his address to the jury on
behalf of the prisoner. The address was extremely bril-
liant. It brought down frequent bursts of applause from
his auditory, which for the most part was comprised of
ladies. The most amusing incident in the address was
his reading the speeches of Mr. Meagher in respect to
place-hunting, which he palpably directed against the
Attorney-General, and the Solicitor-General, and even
judges on the bench. They all appeared to bear the insi-
nuations patiently, with the exception of Mr. Attorney,
who wriggled on the seat, frequently pulled his wig and
scratched his poll, but eventually felt himself so uncom-
fortable that he sprang from his place and quitted the
court.

On Friday Mr. Whiteside continued his address, and
Mr. Butt opened his speech, during which the court ad-
journed.

On the sitting of the court on Saturday, Mr. Butt con-
tinued his address to the jury for Mr. T. F. Meagher, and
concluded an able, impassioned, but rather diffuse, address
about twelve o'clock.

Mr. Meagher was informed by the court that, if he
wished, he might address the jury, but he declined
doing 50...

The solicitor-General replied on behalf of the crown,
and, in a short but forcible speech to evidence, tattered
to pieces the ingenious fabric which had been reared up
by the ingenuity of the opposite counsel. He relied on
the absence of evidence on the part of the prisoner to
satisfy the jury where he was on the days when the trea-
sonable proceedings took place, and on the treasonable
intent set forth in the speeches of the prisoner.
The Lord Chief Justice Blackburne proceeded to charge
the jury, and his address bore strongly against the pri-
soner.

The jury retired at seven o'clock, and remained in
consultation until a quarter past eight, when they returned
into court with a verdict of " Guilty !" with a recom-
mendation to mercy.
The prisoner was calm and collected.
The commission of Oyer and Terminer opened in Dub-
lin on Saturday. Mr. Duffy, it is expected, will be tried
during the present week.
Lord Farnham has signed the address to the Lord
Lieutenant, praying that Smith O'Brien's life may be
spared.