The Aberystwith Observer

MURDER AND SUICIDE. of Brnkintrtrnf^u!11cide have been committed In the village of lllgton, situate about four miles imm Nuneaton. The naiii-derer is A wetver, xiamed Thomas Charnel, famil v in ye1trs lias lived with his wife and "vicaraire .,f p^ti cottaKe in proximity to^ the drinkimr k ^ktngton. He was not adctict.ea to v ls. s&id to have been v^-ry much disliked J, pe-ple o, the village, owing to his bad temper and irritable disposition. He never associated with °I1f> au^ ^in manner at times was thought to be somewhat strange. On Saturday night Charnel and his wife were at iin!?6 *°&ether- B«twe*n 7 and 8 o'clock, the lattar undressed the shildren a*d took them upstairs to bed. jf her c'»ming down «Uirs again Charnel ask.d her the chddren were in bed. She replied iu the •ninnative after which be seims te have got up, seized hold of her, and inflicted several severe gashes in her throat with a razor. Her cries were heard by the eldest child, a girl about 14 years of age, who got up, ran downstairs, and shouted "Murder!" Im- mediately afterwards, the brother of the murderer, jvho happened to be passing the house at the time, ran and opened th« door. Lyi:ig upon the nearta. in a pool of blood, was Cliarnel's wife, and her husband was struggling with her upon the floor. As "oon as Charnel observed his brofier at the door, he deliberately cut his own throat with the razor, almost severing the head from the body. He died almost Immediately, and in a few minutes afterwards the woman abo ceased to breathe. j here were evidences of a severe struggle having occurred, as two of her fingers were cut off, and she *lso had a {rightful gash at the back of the head. Mr. xarsiirn5 surgeon, was sent for, but medical aid was of Do avail. The Charnels had five children. The inquest was held on Monday afternoon. A daughter of the deceased stated that her father had acted very Strangely of late, and appeared to be greatly troubled in his mind. The medical evidence went to show that the deceased must have been labouring under some Rental aberration at the time he committed the deed. The jury returned an open verdict.

SINGULAR CAUSE OF SUDDEN DEATH. An inquiry has been held iu London to ascertain the cause of the death of Richard Stenhorough, aged fourteen, a machine boy at a printing-office. The in- quiry was held at King's College Hospital. From the evidence it appeared that the deceased had complained of a pain in nis chest for a fortnight past, and was subject to severe fits of coughing. On Friday morning last, about eight o'clock, he left home to go to his Work, appearing better than he had been for some days past. On his entering the machine-room he began to cough violently, and fell down on the floor ap, la- tently insensible. He was taken to King's College Hospital, but was pronounced to be dead on arrival there. The medical evidence showed that, on ajpost mortem examination being made, all the organs were found to be healthy, but in the right cavity of the heart was a quantity of hydatid vesicles, varying in size from a IlroaU egg to a pea. These vesicles were subjected i, a niieroscopic examination and were found to be e ova of a worm often found in the alimentary nais of dogs. The only w*y to aceount for ■wiuf6 l- Uni^ *n ^e body of the deceased must have recently eaten some eT ^Teen, upon which there had been some rpi emento'.a dog suffering from the above disease. w Pre»ence in the cavity of the heart of these hydatids of thi 6 account for sudden death. Cases were very rare, and these vesicles were wa« aiY, *n the brain or liver, but sudden death Aft yS the rem]t- tr&ordln S°me rem»rks from the coroner upon the ex- ▼erdicfc na^ure of the case, the jury returned a *n accordance with the medical evidence.

EXECUTION OF BROWN, AT LEWES. Martin Brown, alias Martin Henry Vinall, a young man, only twenty-two years old, was executed on Monday morning, at eight o'clock, within the walls of the county gaol at Lewes, pursuant to his sentence and in accordance with the provisions of the recent statute abolishing public executions. The prisoner was convicted at the recent gaol de- livery for the county of Sussex, before Baron Chan- nell, of the murder of an old labouring man named David Baldrey, by shooting him as he was returning home to his cottage in the neighbourhood of Lewe*, after having received his wages and those belong- ing to two of his sons, the whole amount being between P,3 and M. The poor old man was shot in the back, and three bullets passed com- pletely through his body. The evidence against the prisoner, although what is termed circumstantial, was most conclusive, the most important fact being that a broken gunstock which was found a short dis- tance from the spot where the body was discovered, and which had apparently been broken from the barrel by the violence used with it after the fatal shot had been fired, was proved to have belonged to the pri- soner, and to have been in his possession the same night that the murder was committed. After the jury had returned their verdict, and the sentence had bewn pronounced, the prisoner declared that he had not committed the deed but it is satisfactory to state that he has since made a full confession of his crime—that is, so far as the fact that it was he who killed the old man. The culprit wrote his confession himself. It was very badly spelt, and was afterwards copied by one of the officers of the prison. It was as follows and headed Martin Brown's own Confession. "Dark and gloomy was the night of the 0th of October- dark and gloomy as the deed that was going to be done. It was murder; but not old Baldrey. I did not intend to hurt the poor old man, and I did not know it was him. I never had an angry word with him, and had not seen him for two weeks. It was Xuppm the shep- herd, that I intended to kill. I laid upon Newmarket-hill and waited for him, and saw a man coming along and thought it waa him. When he came close to me I nailed him, and he turned round, and I fired at him and he fell. I then beat him about the head with the gun, and it broke in my hands. I then rifled his pockets, and found hlswntch, and then I knew that it was old Baldrey. I took his money and ran away like a wild man, aud threw the gunstock into the plantation. The barrel of the gun I afterwards hid in some long grass closa by. I did not know what to do or where to go, and I was like a madman." The prisoner then detailed his subsequent proceedings ymtil his departure for Maidstone, where he enlisted in ^he Royai Artillery. The remainder of the confession d?fFni1te^ extracts from religious books and sentenoB prayers; He admitted fully the justice of his his sins that be hoped he should be forgiven meet "P°or old Baldrey," 'd the'voungk^m ^Veral interviews with his relatives aD Jed and LWs^to^om he was engaged to be T „XectionatIfa m Jor the time and bade them an ^ectianate^fa«.well on Saturday morning, and Strme The^hapl»nof! £ °|™J^™ time before he succeeded ln "^Pressing upon him the ordinary Christian truths, latterly, however, lie read much of the Bible and other religious works, and there is reason to hope that his professions of repentance werp r>^re. The, usual practice of preaching a "condemned sermon" was^ not flowed ua ^uuu;vy though, a discourse waa delivered suitable to the oc- casion, nor was the sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered to the unhappy man. The chaplain was with the culprit until nearly 11 o'clock on Sunday night, when the prisoner went to bed, requesting that he might be awakened at half-past 5 o'clock on the following morning. He ate a.nd drank as usual 011 Sunday, slept well during the night, and had to be awoke at half-past five to prepare for execution. This w »s done, and about 7 the Rev. M' Duke was again with him, and remained till the last moment. A few minutts before 8 o'clock, the culprit was pinioned by Calcraft. He exhibited very great firmness, and although he had a considerable distance to go to the scaffold he walked the whole way wi h a firm quick step. The scaffold, which is the same as was formerly used, was erected close to the locality of pre- vious executions, but, of course, within the walls of the gaol. The scaffold was draped with black cloth, so that when the drop fell no portion of the body of the culprit was visible. At the moment the drop fell a large black flag was hoisted at the top of the prison entrance, and this was the only indication given of the scene that was going on inside the prison. There were a few idlers outside the gaol, but otherwise the town presented quite its usual appearance. No hopes of reprieve were ever held out to the con- vict. He, indeed, seemed to anticipate nothing of the kind, and, so far as is known, no petItion in hi8 favour was prestmted to the Home Secretary. Under the new act of parliament of course no one was allowed to be present at the execution besides the officials, the chaplain, and the representatives of the press. Shortly alter the execution a coronor's jury was summoned, and Mr. Fulla\ar. county coroner, held an inquest, pro forma, on the body. Evidence of identity and of the fact that the deceased bad been put to death in accordance with le ral warrant was adduced, and a verdict to that effect was immediately returned. The police have found the missing barrel of the gun by a spot indicated by the prisoner in hia confession, not far from the s.tne of the murder.

A SCENE AT A RAILWAY STATION. A correspondent of the Birmingham, Post sends the following narrative of a scene which he and others witnessed and took part in'the other day at the railway station at Willenhall ;— A thick chain three little boys on either side, and a bigger boy at the end; all handcuffed. Several poor women crying. Lots of children, aud three policemen. One of the children was so little that a policeman had to wrap a handkerchief round his wrist to make the handcuffs fit. What's the matter -what have these boys done, and where are they going?"—"Been a gambling, sir. Going to Stafford for seven daYii. "Gambling, did you say?"—" Yes, sir. Pitch-and- toss, sir, on Sunday."—Pitch-and-toss Do I under- stand you ? Five little boys under twelve, and two not sixteen, all going to gaol for pitch-and-toss ?"—" Yes, sir." "Without the option of a fine?" "No, sir; fined sixpence." That's three and sixpence for the seven—I'll pjy the lot." But then there's the costs, sir." "Well, what's the total?" "£4 6d. sir." Now, as I understood, neither of the boys had ever beeu in custody before, and, as their dress denoted, they must of necessity be exceedingly poor. I inquired of a woman, who appeared III great distress, the habits of the boys. I can only (she said) speak for my boy, sir. He earns me 6s. a week. He's a good lad. I haveu't money enough to free him and what he's to do when he comes out nf Stafford I don't know. He can't walk the twenty miles home." Fortunately, two gentlemen appeared on the scene, and inquired particulars, which were soon forthcoming. "Scandalous 1"' said one. "Momtrous said the other. If (I said) any gentle- men will join me in payment of the fine, the boys shall he liberated." Two gentlemen did join the writer of this—the fine was paid, and the boys unchained, and although the tickets were taken from Willenhall to Stafford, the boys did not go to gaol.

VERDICT FOR THE PLAINTIFF. The case of "G-adsby v. Lewis" has been tried in London before Mr Baron Bramwell. It was an action to recover £100 and interest, for money lent. The de- fendant pleaded never indebted. In opening the case, Mr. James said that the plain- tiff, Miss Gadsby, was a young lady who, a few years ago. was left an orphan by the death of her father and mother in Australia and who came to this country with two younger children, and ultimately took a situation as assistant in the shop of a HulllIller in New Burlington-street. She became possessed of a sum of about £100, which had been left her by legacy. In 1866 she knew a person named Harris, a cousin of Mr. Lewis, and defendant was introduced to her by him. Lewis was engaged in business. Miss Gadsby did not 8.Jlege anything like an engagement on his part to marry her, but she had a feeling of friendship for him, and was dis- posed to assist him if she had an opportunity of doing so. In August she heud from Harris that he was very much pressed for money, and she sent for him, and asked him whether the information she had received was correct. He told her that it was, and she offered to lend him JE50. Afterwards, it occurred to her that that sum would scarcely be of any use to him. and she determined to increase the amount to £100. She went to her brothir's, and employed him to sell some Con- sols, and on the 6th August she surprised defendant by handing him £100, which he gratefully accepted. A short time afterwards the defendant married some other person. The plaintiff made no cnniplaint on that ground but having taken no receipt for the money, and obtained no security, she thought she had done a very weak thing, and she consulted her friends. In January, 18C8, she called at thedefwn iant's place of bu»iness, an^ said .he wanted her £ li)0. H.. dcuied hav- ing received it, and said she 'hfd tuld him that she woulù lend bim £ 50, bnt that she had broken her promise. Fortunately there was evidence which would pUco the matter beyond doubt, and the defendant would therefore be wise to cohhult with his counsel before he ventured to appear in the box to deny that he got the loan. There was firat of all the sale of the consols, and next the cheque of the brokers on Smith, Payne, and Smith, for £100. The plaintiff received £20 in gold, and the rest in notes, the num- bers of which the bankers ha.d kept. The notes re- turned to the Bank of England, and it was found that they had been paid in by the Union Bank, in the Qity, where the defendant, who then lived in Bun- hili-row, kept au account. It would ho proved that they were paid into his account on t'le 7]. "f August. The learned counsel added that lie would ci»l! Miss Gadsby, and he suggested that, while she whs being examined, drfendanthad better reconsider the defence he had set np- The plaintiff, a very young lady, was then sworn, but immediately afterwards Mr. Waddy rose and said his client would consent to a verdict. Mr. Baron Bramwell: He is wise. If the evi- dence mentioned by the learned counsel had been given, if the defendant had sworn he had not got the money, and if the jury had found a verdict for the plaintiff, I should have committed him for trial for perjury. A verdict was then entered for £100, with one year's interest.

At St. Paul's, Walworth, the effect of the recent order of the Privy Council could be clearly traced in the change in, or rather omission of, certain practices which usually mark the services iu this church but the sermon of the incumbent betokened no lack of Ritualistic zeal on his part. Shortly after eleven o'clock the Communion Service began, and at that hour there was a crowded congregation in the church, the men and women being, as usual, separated, in ac- cordance with notices posted respectively at the right and left sides of the porch, Men this side W- omen this side." The most noticeable change in the appear- ance of the altar was that, although there were placed upon it eight candlesticks holding candles, and alter- nated as to position with so many vases of flowers, no candle was lighted. Up to Sunday week two candles were always Hyhted at the Communion Service at St. Paul's. The bannerets displaying the Virgin and Child and the Cross surrounded by stars, generally placed against the walls of the chancel had been taken away, and nothing in this respect was to be seen except a. number of streamers alternately red and blue with white crosses upon them, which depended from the top of the walls all round the church down to the architraves. Evergreens were coiled around the pillars and the baptismal font was elaborately decorated with flowers. On the side of the font facing the altar was an illumi- nated drawing of the Descent of the Holy Ghost. The Embellishments of the altar were worked out in crimson aud white. When the procession issued from the vestry, a little after eleven o'clock, it was observed that no processional cross was borne by the leading chorister. The celebrant (the Rev. Mr. BiarneUK curate oi i/he and his assistants, two other curates— occupying at the altar the relative positions of high priest, deacon, and sub-deacon at High Ma^s in the Roman Catholic Church—were appareled in green vestments embroidered in gold, wearing underneath the dalma oa and stole. The chants were, tfor the most pari, given with Gregorian music, and the officiating clergymen performed the greater portion of the service with their backs to the congregation. At the Communion there was no incense used, no eleva- tion of the consecrated elements, and no genuflections at the consecration After the consecration there were both genuflections and prostrations by the offi- ciating ministers.

The following is the protest :— In the Name of God. Amen. Whereas, in the Case of Martin v. Mackonochie, a Judgment has been given hy her Majesty the Queen by and with the advice of her Mojesty'^ Most Honourable Privy Council, in which certain principles are laid down and acted upon, which, if accepted and gene- f rally applied, would seriously damage the Church of England in the estimation of the Faithful both at home and abroad. And, Whereas the said principles, in their nature, tend to dissociate the present Church as by law Established from the Prae-Reformation Church, and by consequence from the Primitive Church: And, Whereas, moreover, the said principles, if strictly applied, are such as to render the due administration of the Holy Sacraments and the celebration of Divine Service im- practicable if not impossible: And, Whereas, furthermore, without any fresh legislation, the said Judgment thus tend., to curtail the reasonable liberties avd lawful rights of Chuivhmen of one school ot thought in a manner and to an extent unprecedented, while it lays upon another school a burden of observances which neither they nor their fathers were able t. bear Now We, the undersigned Benefleed Clerks, having in mind the provision of MagnaCharta that the Church should be free, and our own declaration at the time of our Ordina- tion, to minister the Doctrine, and Sicranients, and Discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded, and as this Church and Realm hath received the same, do hereby solemnly Protest rgainst the principles of the said Judgment being taken to be the true principle of the Church of England, and against their being imposed by penalties and punishment upon the Clergy of the said Church for their acceptance.

AN UNFORTUNATE MARRIAGE. In the Court of Probate and Divorce, the cause of Gonbault v. Gonbault, Griffin, a"d Orrell," has been heard, and was the husband's petition for a divorce on the grour d of his wife's adultery with the co-respon- dents. The wife answered, denying the adultery, and alleging that if she had committed adultery she had done so thr mgh the neglect and misconduct of the petitioner. She also charged the petitioner with adultery and desertion without a reasonable cause. The co-respondents alsoanswere defying the adultery, and pleading that they did not know the respondent to be h, married woman. It appeared that the petitioner is the son of a mer- ehant. in business at Hayti, and was sent to P"ri8 by his father for the purpose of being educated. He was placed under the care of his father's agent in Paris, and on finishing his education he was placed in 1\ mereantile house in Manchester. He was then a mere boy, but he formed a connection with a female in Manchester who occupied a different position in life from the petitioner. He was married to this girl on the 10th of April, 1860, and some time after the marriage they went to Paris, when the agent of the petitioner's fathtr, having heard of the marriage, took immediate steps to have it dissolved. He refused to pay the petitioner the allowance his father had set aside for him, and accordingly ill June, 1860, the petitioner and his wife separated in Paris, the latter coming to England, They, however, came together again in 1863, and in December of thtt year they both went to Hayti, where they lived together in the house of the petitioner s father until June, 1864, when the petitioner went to France for hi-* health, leaving his wife in charge of his father and mother at Hayti. It was stated that previous to the petitioner leaving Hayti on this occa- sion, he had a suspicion that there was something wrong in her conduct, and he communicated such sus- picion to his mother, who afterwards found the suspicion to be well founded, and turned the i espondent out of the home. She WM, however, allowed £ 120 per annum, and afterwards came to England, where she took up her residence in London. She first resided at Booth-street, and afterwards at Emden-street. She went by thr name of Grey, and was visited by the two co-respondents. She was now living in Radnor-street, where the co-respondents also visited her. In support of the petitioner's case, two servant-girls who had been in the service of the respondent after she came to. England from Hayti were called, who stated that the co-respondent Griffin was in the habit of visiting the respondent and sleeping with her two and three nights a week. They also stated that they had often seen the other co-respondent, Orrell, at the hou«e, and that he frequently remained all night and sle_pt with the respondent. The Court pronounced a decree nisi.

SPEECH OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON. The following is the text of the speech from the threne delivered on Monday by the Emperor Napoleon, at the opening of the French Chambers :— Mbssiburs Sbnateurs, MESSIEURS LEe Deputes, The speech which I address to you every year at the opening of the session is the sincere expression of the thoughts which guide my conduct. To explain frankly to to the nation befor6 the great bodies of the state the pro- gress of the gorernment is the duty of the responsible chief of free country. The task which we have undertaken together is arduous it is not, indeed, without difficulty that on a soil shaken by so many revolutions a government is founded sufficiently impressed with the wants of the age to adopt all the benefits of liberty, and sufficiently strong to bear eyen its excesses. The two laws which you passed during the last session, and the object of which was the development of the principle of free discussion, have produced two opposite effects, which it may he useful to point out. OIL the one hand. the press and public meetings have created in a certain quarter a factious agitation, and have cauied the reappearance of ideas and passions which were believed to be extinguished but on the other hand the nation remaining insensible to the most violent incitement, and relying upon my firmness for the maintenance of order, has not felt its faith in the future shaken. Remarkable coinciden8e the more adventurous and sub- Tersive mind, lought to disturb pUblic tranquility so muèh the more profound became the peace of the country; com- mercial transactions reassumed a fruitful activity, the public revenues increased considerably, the public interest reassured, and the greater part of the recent elections gave a new support to my .I1,"OTernment. The Army Bill and the Subsidies Bill granted by your patriotism, have contributed to strengthen ths con1\dence of the country, and in the just consciousness of its pride it ex- perienced a real satisfaction the moment it learnt that it was in a position to confront every eventuality. The land and sea forces, strongly constituted, are upon a peace foot- ing. The effective strength maintained does not exceed that which existed under former systems, but our armament rendered perfect, our arsenals and our magazines filled, our reserves exercised, the National Garde Mobile in course of crganisation, our fleet transformed, and our strongholds in good conditio*, give to our pewer a development which was indispensable. The constant object of my efforts is attained, and the military resources of France are hellceforward on a level with its destiny in the world. In this position we can loudly proclaim our desire to maintain peace. There is no weakness in our saying so when we are ready to defend the honour and independence of our country. Our relations with foreign Powers are most friendly. The Revolution which has broken out beyond the Pyrenees has not altered our good relations with Spain, and the Con- ference, to stifle a threatening conflict in the East, is a great act of which we should appreciate the importance. This Conference approaches its termination, and all the Plenipo- tentIaries have agreed upon the principles calculated to bring about a roc. nciliatiou between Greece and Turkey. If, there- fore, as 1 firmly hope, nothing shall arise to disturb general harmony, it will be our fortune to realise many projected improvement*, and we shall endeavour to solve all the practical questions raised by the agricultural investigations. Public works have beeu sufficiently endowed; parochial roads are being constructed, -kuueation of all classes con- tinues to bt* successfully developed, and, thanks to the periodical increase ot the revenue, we shall soon be able to devote all our solicitude to the diminution of public burdens. The moment is drawing nigh when, for the third time since the establishment of the Empire, the Legislative Body will be constituted afresh by the general election, and each time it will have attaine the limit of its legal duration—a thing hitherto unknown. This regularity is dlle to the harmony which has always existed between us. and to the confidence which I feel in the sincere exercise of universal suffrage. The popular masses are stanch III their faith as in their affections, and tf noble passions He able to rouse them, sophism and calumny scarce ruffle the surface. Sustained by your appro- bation and your concurrence, I am thoroughly resolved to persevere in the course which 1 have laid down—that is to say, to adopt all real progress, but also to maintain, without discussion, the essential bases of the Constitution which the national vote has placed under shelter from all attacks. A good tree is known by the fruit it bears," says the Gospel. Well, if we cut a glance at the past, which is the Govern- ment that has given to France seventeen years of ever- incressing quiet and prosperity 1 Certainly every Govern ment is liable to error, and fortune does not smile upon all enterprises, but that which constitutes my strength is the fact that the nation does not ignore that for twenty years I have not had a single thought, 1 have not done a single deed, of which the motive was other than the interest and greatness If Fiance. Nor is it ignorant of the circumstance that I was the first to desire a rigorous control over the conduct of affairs that I with this object increased the powers of the deliberative Assemblies, persuaded that the real support of a Government is to he found in the inde- pendence and patriotism of the great bodies of the State. I This Session will add fresh services to those which yen have already rendered to the country. Soon the nation, called together in its romitia. will sanction the policy which we have pursued. It will once more proclaim by its votes that it does not desire revolution, but wishes to rest the destinies of France upon the intimate alliance of power with liberty.

The Etendard of Monday says that the Emperor's Speech was frequently interrupted by marks of approval and cheers, which were especially emphatic when his Majesty proclaimed his desire to maintain order at home and peace abroad. The whole Speech, according to the same paper, was justly con- sidered to he pacific and liberal, and the peroration was loudly cheered.

Referring to the same subject, the France contains the following Never were he words of the Emperor clearer, and never did they better correspond with the nations just feeling of dignity abroad or its liberal aspirations at home. France is desirous of maintaining peace with foreign countries, but a peace worthy of her. She knows she is strong enough to be prepared for any eventuality, and to sustain be- fore the nations of modern times the principles which are the basis both of her own interests and of the peace of the whole of Europe. We are ready for war if circumstances compel us to draw the sword, but there is nothing in our armaments that ought to alarm other Powers, if they are animated with the same peaceful intentions which guide the policy of the Government of the Emperor."

A LOVER STEALS THE DEAD BODY OF HIS INAMORATA. The strangest case of thieving which we (Nashville Press) ever heard of took place in the adjoining county of Cheatham a few days ago. The narrative, as we have heard it, is simply this:— A few miles from Ashland, and not far from the Cumberland river, live a family named White, who are in what are there considered c unfortable circum- stances. On Christmas eve a young girl, some four- teen years old, died in the house, after a brief illness. She was not long home from an educational institute in Indiana, which she was forced to leave by reason of an unaccountable indisposition. The house of the Whites is situated in a rather remote section, so that the night following the decease of the young lady there were no visitors to watch up with the mourning family save one, a young gentleman named Higgins, who had come on horseback in the early part of the day to visit the sick girl. He had visited her before. He found her sinking, and appeared to be more overcome by grief than the parents of the young lady. When her eyes closed in death he was uncontrollable in his sorrow, and it was found necessary to bring him to a dif- ferent part of the house and try to cheer him up by doses of strong drink. It was found exceedingly difficult to in- duce him to t1.ke any liquor, and, in order to encourage him, the only brother of the deceased girl imbibed freely himself of the stimulants—so freely, in fact, that he was overcome and fell into a sound sleep about nightfall, from which it was thought best not to wake him. The young girl's mother had been in very deli- cate health for some time past, and the children of the house were of too delicate an age to sit up all night iu a chamber of death. Hence, when the hours waxed late there were no watchers in the house but young Higgins and the girl's father. Up to about twelve o'clock the young man seemed in a semi-lethargic state, and was not at all communicative, but sat brood- ing over his sorrow in the gloomiest possible manner. Shortly after midnight there was a change perceptible. He became talkative, suggested to the old man the propriety of taking a little stimulants, and of shaking off some of his grief. By a. judicious application of the bottle, and an exceedingly ingenious way of recom- mending its beneficial qualities, he succeeded in set- ting the old man asleep—sent him into so sound a sleep that he did not wake up until between five and six in the morning. When he awoke he found young H iggins occupying exactly the same position as, he thought, that he did in the early part of the previous night, sitting in a corner with his bowed head resting upon his hands but he observed that the young fel- low's boots were muddy, and when spoken to he him- self appeared weary and even exhausted. He easily accounted for these changes to people who had no object in making inquiries into them. The coffin, whose lid had been screwed down the night before, was all right. Everything appeared to be gloomy and sorrowfully right. Not much notice was taken of any- thing until the hour approached for the interment of the corpse, when Higgins showed signs of great agita- tion, which were considered the natural result of his great grief. The little funeral arrangements being easily and quickly made, the eoffin was carried to its destined resting place by three men, followed by the mother and the little children; but as the melancholy cortege approached the grave, Higgins, whether from exhaustion or trepidation, shook so violently that he let go his hold and the coffin fell to the ground. A rattling, a very strange, sharp noise inside of it so astonished the few mourners that their first impulse was to nee but the stern and authoritative look of the father riveted every one to the spot. He felt convinced on the moment that something was wrong. He imme- diately despatched his son into the house for a turn- screw, and then, undoing the lid, he found in the coffin —not the dead form of his beloved child, but a heap of stones and dirt. Higgins, though an athletic young fellow eighteen years old, sank to the ground in a fainting fit. The consternation and confusion was great. It was owing to the efforts of the old lady that Higgings did not breathe his last, for old White felt that he had made away with the dead body of his child. After some time, when young Higgings was restored, he confessed to have set the old man pur- posely drunk, and then opened the coffin and took Judith out, and, mounting his horse, rode four miles into the woods, where he stowed away the body in a little cave and covered it up with leaves and branches, and then, coming back, filled her place in the coffin with stones and earth and screwed on the lid again. His great love for the girl, he alleged, could not let her go away from his sight for ever he thought he would keep her to look at a few days longer. When the lapse of some time allowed the angry feelings of the old man to cool he looked upon the lover of his dear departed daughter more in pity than in wrath. The body was recovered and interred with becoming dignity, and it was agreed to say nothing of the affair, but let it die out. The female heart, however, could not keep such a secret, and in a few hours it spread and finally became the common talk of most of the county.

PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE WIDE WORLD! Regarding emigration M valuable means to an impor- tant end, which should be aided not only by private benevo- lence but by the public purse, the standard remarks :— Canada West is holding out its hands to London East. Toronto hails Poplar and Clerkenwell. The cry that sounds away from Ontario is not that of Macedonia—" Come over and help 11^ but rather, Come over, and we will The broad plains of a virgin country are better than the stone- yards of English workhouses. the devoted Miss Marsh—a Sister of Charity of the highest type-tellil us of the wonderful effects produced on East London constitutions by the Convalescent Hospital at Brigh- ton. But there is pure air on the borders ot Canadian lakes, and the people who are growing pale and sickly through lack of proper physical stimulants in the old country would soon revive if transferred to the new Dominion. We are not going to vouch for the capability ot a Spitalfields weaver to become forthwith a Canadian farmer; but the earth is the mother of wealth, and those who till the ground need the services of a class other than agricultural. At the same time we believe that Canadian agriculture is by no means hard to learn. Let us tell the news to Dorsetshire, and to the countless villages of England, which are everlast- ingly pouring their surplus population into our towns and cities, like so many rivulets discharging themselves into a huge reservoir, already dangerously full. It is thus that the flood comes. It was only so many rain- drops that burst the dam at Holmfirth, sending forth a deluge which swept away both life and property. Canada asks that our surplus store may replenish her emptiness. The life-blood, which threatens to create a social apoplexy here, would give a giant vigour to the ycung country, if once planted in ita veins. Some people are talking about making emigration compulsory." There is something grimly humorous in the idea. Let these tyrants go down to Poplar, let them seize by the collar—if he has one—the first poor hungry workman they meet with, and threaten him "Canada I" We warrant he would take his punish- ment meekly. It may be that the thoroughly demo- ralised pauper would not care to go, and the question is, whether it would be right or wise to fling such a refuse article on the shoulders of another country. We have no right to send the very scum of our population into the midst of a community which has asked us for emigrants. But after all, there are not many of this desperately hopeless class. A large proportion of our London paupers are reclaimable, and there are multitudes of working people who are really distressed, although not on the parish list. The poor of London are seldom able to please everybody. If they stay where they are, they are reproached for helplessness; whereas if they move off into the provinces they figure as tramps, wandering about the country in search of work, which it is said they do not particularly want to find. There are plenty of empty houses in the Isle of Dogs, tumb- ling into ruins, as if the Irish evictions had been trans- ferred to Middlesex. Some of the travellers have found work, and so have some who remain; but the poorer classes know full well that from some cause or other it is a hard matter to find good and continuous employment, whether in London or the provinces In the metropolis the poor have learned a iessoa which makes thousands of them long for those western shores where-as the London urchin sent word home in his father's letter—they have Sunday dinners every day. Then there are our villagers—the agricultural labourers whose whole career is a pilgrimage to the workhouse. Let Canon Girdlestone take heart again. Let the immoralities of over-crowded cottages come to an end. The Government of Ontario has determined to give free grants of two i;undred acres to every bona fide settler. Next April the ice will break, and the emi- grant fleet will enter the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It will be England's fault if her flag is not chief in that fleet. The Germans will be there? Why not the English? Talk of "compulsory emigration;" there is at the present time a compulbory staying at home, under which the people mourn and chafe. Have they not petitioned the parochial authorities to send them out? Are not the books of the East-end Emigration Society overcharged with the names of applicants who are anxious to fly from the plague of poverty? Are not the working men of Clerkenwe'l paying in their subscriptions to an emi- gration fund? Our poor have their faults, but they are not quite so bad as some would make us believe. It anything could render emigration unpopular it would be the idea that it was compulsory. Under such an aspect it would resemble transportation. Transported for life for being poor would have an ugly sound. Depend upon it the people know the difference between a shilling and a loaf on the one hand, and two hundred Canadian acres on the other. But it needs a golden bridge to carry them across the Atlantic, and the gold to build it must come from the Imperial purse.

A YANKEE VISIT TO TENNYSON. The New York Citizen publishes a "private" letter from a wandering Yankee who lately acted the part of "Paul Pry in the Laureate's house at Faringford, in the Isle of Wight. Mr. Tennyson having shewn his guest his "newly- acquired territory," in the shape of wheat-fields bought by the poet out of the proceeds of Enoch Arden," our possibly too imaginative visitor continues :— We dined at six, in a quaint room hung with pictures, and then went into the drawing-room for dessert. Tennyson and I retired to his study at the top of the house, lit pipes, and talked of poetry. I spoke of. the idyll of Guinevere as being perhaps his finest poem, and said that I could not read it aloud without my voice failing me at certain passages. Why, I can read it and keep my voice," he exclaimed triumphantly. This I doubted, and he agreed to try after we went down. But the first thing he did was to produce a magnum of wonderful sherry, thirty years old, which had been sent him by a poetic wine dealer. Such wine I never tasted. It was meant to be drunk by Cleopatra or Catherine of Russia," said Tennyson. As yet they had not exceeded the two glasses. After thist "Tennyson and I" did a bottle of the poet's "Waterloo, 1815," the author of "Guinevere" say- ing. "We will make a night of it." (sic.) A glass all round, and we are told Tennyson took up the Idylls of the King." Finally, when Arthur forgives the Queen, Tennyson's voice fairly broke. "I found tears on my cheeks, and and Mrs. Tennyson were crying on either side of me. He made an effort, and went on to the end, closing grandly." How can you say," I asked (referring to previous conversation), that you have no surety of permanent fame ? This poem will only die with the language in which it is written." Mrs. Tennyson started up from her couch. It is true," she exclaimed, I have told Alfred the same thing." After this Tennyson and I," of course, had more drink, and then went up to the garret to smoke and talk. Then Mr. Tennyson, if we are to believe our authority, after having read his own poems to a guest the best part of a whole night, wound up with Andrew Marvell's "Coy Witness." "Tennyson and I" parted "at two o'clock."

A HINT TO PUBLISHERS. A London contemporary, who seems to think that publishers IIhould keep pace with the times, remarks ;— Is it not time the paper-knife was condemned as obsolete, or classed among the useless ornamental lumber with which our ladies love to load their drawing-rooms ? That this is not possible for the reason that books and periodicals are still sold uncut is no slight reproach to the publishing trade, and one which it behoves their customers to bring heme. It is the singular conservatism of the members of that trade which makes a paper-knife necessary at all, and we should be glad to know if there be any grounds upon which what seems to be a stupid anachronism can be defended. Why should the onus of completing the mechanical operations which make reading possible be thrown upon those who buy, and why is not cutting the leaves of a book made as much the duty of the binder as sewing them together ? It is clear that the act of paper-cutting can be performed on a large scale at an infinitesimal cost and that the whole of the uncut books and magazines now issuing from the press are so many encroachments upon the good-nature of the public. For no excuse of difficulty or want of knowledge or of means can be advanced. Too many books and magazines are sent into the world ready for use for any such plea to be received. Still, the example set by Fraser has been followed by very few of the periodicals while bulky volumes come before us every day in the year which require an annoying amount of mechanical drudgery to be spent upon them before they are fit for use. There are few things more irritating than to be midway in a book of absorbing interest, to have the time as well as the inclination to go on with it, and to be suddenly pulled up for want of any instrument with which to sever its leaves. Yet this is happening among us upon every day in the year. Our booksellers should really condescend to spare us this needless and petty worry, and war to the paper- knife should be the constant cry of every ^buyer of books.

FEMALE EDUCATION. Mr. John Stuart Mill has written to some ladies at St. Petersburg, who are organising a scheme for the higher edu- cation of women in Russia. Mr. Mill says :— I have learnt with pleasure, mingled with admira- tion, that there are found in Russia women sufficiently enlightened and courageous to demand for their sex a participation in the various branches of higher his- torical, philological, and scientific education, including the practical art of medicine, and to gain for this cause important support from the scientific world. That is what the most enlightened persons are asking, without having yet attained it, in the other countries of Europe. Thanks to you, mesdames, Russia is per- haps about to surpass them in speed it would be a proof that civilisations relatively recent sometimes accept before the older civilisations great ideas of amelioration. Tbe equal advent of both sexes to in- tellectual culture is important not only to women, which is assuredly a sufficient recommendation, but also to universal civilisation. I am profoundly con- vinced that the moral and intellectual progress of the male sex runs a great risk of stopping, if not of re- ceding, as long as that of the women remains behind, and that, not only because nothing can replace the mother for the education of children, but also because the influence upon man himself of the character and the ideas of the companion of his life cannot be in- significant woman must either push him forward or hold him back.

A BARBAROUS PRACTICE. Justly deprecating the uncivilised custom of stripping the bodies of those who have been cast ashore after shipwreck, L. D." has written the following to Th. Times:— I should be glad to bring, through your valuable medium, to the notice of the public and of our rulers, a barbarous and savage custom which still exists upon our coasts, and which was forced upon me lately in a way which cast a shadow over what was otherwise a very pleasant visit at a hospitable country house on the Pembrokeshire coast, near St. Ann's Head—I mean the custom of stripping the corpses which are cast upon our shores after a shipwreck. During the late severe and frequent gales several wrecks have occurred at or between St. Ann's and Dale; a.d while I was there a large French vessel broke to pieces in the night; all hands, 50 in number, being lost, of whom 13 were cast ashore in two days, and as they appeared were stripped of every vestige of clothing by the wreckers, and thus of almost all chance of identification by their friends. While making one of a party to walk to St. Ann's we suddenly came upon two corpses which had been desecrated in this inhuman manner. Some years ago a near relation of mine, who was drowned off Elsinore, was identified by means of a watch of peculiar workmanship, which, together with his clothing, was left intact by the honest and simple- minded Danes. I may here mention that there is no lifeboat nearer than Milford Haven, eight or nine miles, though several wrecks yearly occur at the place above named.

REMEDY FOR SCARLATINA AND TYPHUS. Mr. P. Le Neve Foster, of the Society of Arts, writes as fol- lows :— At the present time, when we are told that scarla- tina and typhoid fever are unhappily very prevalent, I trust I shall not be considered out of place in drawing attention to a means of alleviating these disorders which has come under my notice. I allude to the use of doses of carbolic acid. Numerous cases have been brought to my knowledge in which this remedy has been applied with very great success. The concen- trated medicinal carbolic acid, as sold by all chemists, should be diluted with water in the proportion of one of the acid to ten of water, and of this mixture a dose of one tea spoonful should be given every three hours for children, and every two hours for adults. If the disease be thus attacked at an early stage, the remedy rarely fails in effecting a cure. I am well aware how delicate a thing it is for a layman to meddle in matters of medicine, and I am no advocate for every man being his own doctor, but having had undoubted evidence of the good effect of the use of carbolic acid, I have felt it my duty to make it known, so that its use may be further tried and tested. The use of carbolic acid as a powerful disinfectant is well known, and I would strongly recommend its application to the disinfection of the clothes and bedding of the patients bv coding to the waterin which they are washed or soaked a sniall quantityofit. Thiswillthoroughlydismfectthem. There has, however, lately come into the market a soap m which a certain amount of carbolic acid has been in- corporated, and the use of this soap m washing will render the disinfection of the patient s clothts an easy process. This soap may also be used for washing the floors, &c., of the rooms, the more especially as the soap is soid at a price a little, if at all, above the price of ordinary soap. I would add that a saucer with a small quantity of the acid set in the sick room, or a rag dipped in it, so as to diffuse the vapour, will be found very efficacious.

FACTS RELATIVE TO THE SUEZ CANAL. Some interesting facts relative to the Isthmus of Suez Canal were grouped in a lecture delivered before the leading commercial men of Liverpool on Wednesday in last week, by the Chevalier de Stoese (consul to the King of Bavaria), who has recently paid a visit to the works. :Mr. Stoess said that the estimated cost of the under- taking was eight millions sterling; that twenty thousand of the shareholders were French; that the matter to be excavated amounted to 95,000,000 of cubic metres; and, independently of the Maritime Canal, the company originated by M. de Lesseps had to construct a sweet water canal (fed from the Nile) for the supply of its numerous stations, and to facilitate the transport of material. The works were commenced m 18G0 the communi- cation between Port Said and Suez was already esta- blished, half by the sea canal and half by the fresh water canal, allowing of a transport of goods to the extent of 1,000 tons a day and, in less than twelve months, the Maritime Canal would be opened through- out. Port Said was now a town and port with 10,000 inhabitants, and the population of the isthmus had in- creased from 10,500 in 1865 to 34,250 in 1H08. The total force of men now employed on the works was 4.000 and 10,000 horse-power, or a total power of 150,000 men. The route by the Maritime Canal would shorten the distance to the East by 4,300 leagues from Con- stantinople, 3,300 from Marseilles, 2,800 from Amster- dam, Liverpool, London, and St. Petersburgh 2,700 from New Orleans, and 2,400 from New York. Mr. Stoess estimated that the amount of traffic by the canal would be 6,000,000 tons per annum, yielding a revenue of 60,000, OOOf. The sweet water canal had been sold to the Egyptian government for 10,000,000f.

CRIME IN NEW YORK. None of the murderous assaults in this city (says the New York Tirrmt) have been more audacious and desperate than that which was made on Mr. Rogers, proprietor of a boarding-houpe in Twelfth-street, at 7 o'clock yesterday morning, while he was engaged in sweeping the snow from the area way of his own house. Without provocation the assailant fell on him with a knife, stabbing and robbing him. while an accomplice stood close at hand, and after disposing of his victim and his wallet the murderer ran away. In daylight, in a very public street, in the heart of the city, this affair occurred. Mr. Rogers may survive for a day or two, but the physicians state that death must ensue from the wound inflicted. WTe are really getting into a dreadful condition in this city. Respectable -people have lately begun to ask seriously what can be done for the protection of life and person. The worst feature of the business is the lack of anything like the administration of justice. If the law were adminis- tered upon criminals we should have fewer of these r. udacious und desperate crimes. But every day the criminal classes are getting a more complete control of courts and judges. We do not believe that, all told, we have had less than 100 cases of homicide in this city during the last year, and yet we have not had one case of capital punishment—we have not had an in- stance of legal execution. A proportion of the guilty have never been caught; a proportion of them have evaded trial; a proportion of them have escaped pun- ishment, under one or another plea or pretext a pro- portion have been convicted of lower degrees of the crime, and have got off with light penalty but it is apparently impossible to have an enforcement of the law which prescribes the penalty of death for murder. Capital punishment is practically abolished. Under the impunity possessed by crime it is no wonder that criminals run riot. The question now is, what means can be adopted for the protection of life and person in this city.

REMARKABLE IF TRUE. A singular discovery was recently made in Crom- well, (Connecticut). It wa.s that a man, his wife, and two boys had taken lodgings in a cave which they had dug in the bank near what is called Blow Hole." Qtiite a number have visited the place and find him a man of from thirty to thirty-five years of age, light complexion and light hair. He says he came here in a boat which lies near, about the 1st of December. This boat is built of white oak and cedar, and is about twelve feet long, yawl built, with sail. He is a man of good education, and tells the following story of him- self :—" I was born in England, and my father was a lord; I went through college and graduated, after which I enlisted in the English army and served one year, when I deserted and came into the State of Maine from there I went to New York and worked as a bricklayer. Last fall, while at work on a staging with two others, it gave way and precipitated all three to the ground, killing Ðne and injuring another badly, and laying me up for some weeks. When well enough to walk, having lost my job, I took my family and started in this boat; got as far as the fish-house on the east side of the river (opposite where they now are), when my wife was taken sick, and went there expecting to stay till spring but the owners drove me out. and I crossed over and built the present cave." He has asked for and obtained a job at chopping wood. His wife is Irish, or of Irish descent. The children are said to be very bright. People living in that neigh- bourhood have furnished fehem with many needed articles of comfort. It is a singular case that a man with the education he appears to have should be under the necessity of burrowing in the ground to find a place to shelter himself and family during the coming winter. He gives the name of Trent.

THE BALLOT. t Meeting in support of this question was held in oVl i1'.on Friday evening in last week, at eight th i.'tj■ i *n ^le preat Hall, Arundel-streefc, Strand p^j. u^ht Hon. T. M. Gibson in the chair. About 700 sons were present, which is nearly as many as the vail 9ai* conveniently seat, and much enthusiasm pre- t>„ e.d throughout. On the platform wtre—Messrs. ^uxton M.P., Hardcastle, M.P., Onslow, M.P., M p'Keed, M. P., Fowler. M.P., Sartoris, T> Rtchard, M.P., E. Beales, Handel Cossham, ^x,ter Langley, &c. that rilian, in opening the proceedings, regretted j Jlmess had prevented the attendance of their old tin friend Mr. Berkeley. There was another dis- ,IIl¡j¡Ulshed gentleman who was also desirous of attend- wIk w^1() was labouring under a severe cold, and Bui e' unable to be present. He meant Sir H. of ver" r^!a*; right hon. gentleman had given notice intention to bring the question of the ballot be- inf6 • House of Commons, because he took a deep terest in the subject, and was desirous that it should treated seriously in the next Session of Parliament, was not aware at the time that it was Mr. Berkeley's intention to proceed with the motion which he had been in the i'abit of introducing but he beard that it was Mr. Berkeley's desire to persevere he withdrew his notice of InO: i, ,Il and resigned the Question into Mr. I There was no better friend of the ballot in tins c un'ry than 811 H. iiulwer. The time was opportune for this meeting. Jj-he events of the recent elections were fresh in their t ?mories! and there was scarcely one who had n ,en. an active part in any contest that must bepn t perfectly aware that many electors had oTiinmr. cec^ to record their votes against their Sj *nd wishes, and that many others had thei-o- -a,6 Vr°m v°tir>g from the apprehension that if ofiencp^6 ° exerc"JO the franchise they would give affect tbl? 8-Te °ne. who might have the power to the d;R^ • teJeats injuriously Another reason why »th? Ideation was opportune was that had er,? PjrtlOQof the members of the Liberal party Pre8sed "Prions favourable to the ballot on the ^ustings, and they all knew that that party now formed iarge majority ofthe House of Commons. Many -rren of °Pinion tba^ rere Was an actual S the House of Commons in /av,)llr the ballot. There they had a Government c< r' ■■inlv ^t hostile to the baUot- perhaps favourable to it- w at the worst neutral. He considered that the C L™ »«t of th, d.r »ot ex„ci« ft* Government, to defeat the progress of ViJi He did not know why the ConSAfJ the measure, be so strongly opposed to it a, HnTr^ p^rty .8]1°ulcl were. He, for one, did not I people said they tion. He wished that all .ega™ as » party ques- and, considering thaf- tv ?.10118 's^ou|dhave fair-play, late elections had not ri ^,on8ervative party at the by open votino- v.. p done a very flourishing business now try vote v. n n°t know why they should not the movement^. On all these grounds, therefore, The Liberal t1!Jk 'une for pressing this question, rested wit-i, P could carry it if they would. It a few tv or, « ??' "^e Perfectly convinced that if 1 ,0^ that party determined that it was a «onnt^,n be passed into a law the Government of the tt w°uld not stand in the way, and he doubted, if wVi fr0Use °f Commons agreed to the proposed change, it t^e House of Lords also would not think expedient to acquiesce. Now, the question they had to consider was this—whether it was right t>i*> Liberal party to make this a question of the Resent Session, to press it upon the Government, and insist that if there should he a majority in the Resent Session, to press it upon the Government, and insist that if there should he a majority in the Ilse of Commons in its favour it should be sent up the House of Lords. He maintained it was. It 'as obvious that if they granted the franchise to a ™an they meant that he should exercise it freely, and was absurd to say that a rote was free if they made it condition that be should record it openly and Publicly declare for whom he voted. That was a re- striction upon his right of voting. There was no country in the world where the ballot was more wanted At this moment than in England. In Australia, before the ballot was adopted, they had corrupt practices, tre&tmg, and bribery, but the ballot was adopted, and 80 things were put an end to but in England had not only bribery, treating, and corrupt prac- ^c«s, another and most important element was super- added— the feudal element—the idea that the tenant- ariner belonged to the soil and must vote according to the wishes of its proprietor. Then in the towns there much intimidation, and it was desirable thatwoik- I)ag-men should not have to record their Totes, as it ere, under the master's eye. Was there any other for intimidation in its various forms? We our Judges carrying on investigations of the ??'°*t tedious and fruitless character. He was quite ""ad of reading the long columns of evidence that ^Ppeared in The Timet about what this person +?ld and what the other person said. He was lred of reading dissertations upon the necessity of Putting down bribery by pains and penalties. What ccurred to him when he read these things was that ail 18 expense, all this waste of time consumed in the .•charge of duties, in his opinion, rather ben«ath the 'sprity of the Bench, might be saved if they would do kat everybody else had done where there was in any /\ap(. a representative of the people, record their votes 2?thout aayintr to all the world for whom they voted. .lhey bad no right to put any question to a man who came to record his vote except such as were absolutely necessary to identify him and to see that he was on the register. If a man ch0Se to proclaim to the world how 1-ie voted, he waa at liberty to do so. Now, one of the jgre e» urei of the age in which we lived was an en- deavour carry public questions by means of combi- natu.iis ot mrn by UtlionS) ftnd a880ciations. There was dange 'J".r of open voting that indi- vidual treed | lt be swamped by those great associations, ana tnat, a mail Would feel compelled to Vote against h« W^hes for fe of incaIliDgl the dis- Pleasure of those 8? rpmpn^nat^n8 of men among (i ?! be lived. H wilen lTe(^ many years ago, in *?. House of Commons, when the present j d then Mr. Page ^le and wf)r' saive speech in support ol the Ballot. It wa8 j,e tiSred' in 1848, when, as ^P.Pened, poli- (1„. questions assumed a much «fat(.HOUS(-.asPect, ( 1;is' to troubles in neighbouring ,j_ °n that "ion the present L«rd Hatheriey • Before passing the Reform Bill, 1' ^a* consequence what the principle of T0tln„ ent declared adoption of that measure by which 1 arlianj people ~h»t they would place confldance In the mass 01 « w«s only right that they should protect the peoy exercise of their privilege. He thought the House fflel that they could no longer delay the decision o fiction. Were they disposed to trust the people, or II they disposed not to trust them f The question, after »n> eame t» fhj^; whether the constituencies were to be trusted. That Wall the naal question, and if that was true many years ago, after the Reform Bill of 1832, it was more true now. They had extended the suffrage greatly, they had placed votes in the hajids of many who were more helpless than those who possessed the suffrage before, they had shown confidence in the people, and they were bound in common justice to give them pro- tection in the exercise of the franchise. Mr. C. Read, M.P., proposed the first resolution, wlii.ji^ was as follows "That the recent general election has proved that the In- crea&e in the number of voters in the several counties and boroughs iu v.hich contests occurred did not diminish (as rt;Ia.¡¡y persons expected! the intimiiation and corrupt prac- tices which have always been, niuro or less, attendant upon our present system of voting." This resolution was seconded by Mr. Richard, M.P., and carried unanimously. ^'ihe stcond resolution was proposed by Mr. C. ■"Uxton, M.P., seconded by Mr. Gr. Onslow, M,P., supported by Mr. Beales, and carried unanimously. It was as follows that— "This meeting congratulates the friends of free voting in all parts of the United Kingdom on the large addition which has been made to the number of supporters of the Ballot in the House of Comm ins, and calls upon the various consti- tuencies at once to prepare petitions to Parlinment and memo- rials to the Premier urgimr the speedy adoption of that mea- sure, as the only means of preventing the recurrence of those evils which all parties now profess to deplore." Other resolutions in accordance with the above were also passed, the speakers being Mr. Holms. M. P., Mr. A. Arnold, Mr. Cossham, aud Mr. Fowler, M.P. after which a vote of thanks to the chairman, proposed by Air. E. Ashworth, of Rochdale, and seconded by Mr. Cunnington, was carried by acclamation. Mr. M. Gibson returned thanks, and the meeting separated. ———-——

THE CONVICT BISGROVE AND THE CRIMINAL CLASSES. The .Rev. J. B. Hole, of Washford Pyne Rectory, Jforth Devon, has sent the following letter to The Timet Grilat and wide-spread dissatisfaction is ffit at the escape from capital punishment of the convict Bisgrove. In that dissatisfaction I for one entirely concur. Al- though of advanced Liberal opinions, and voting solely on that side at the late elec ions, 1 must say that if this encouragement to crime (for it is nothing less) be a sample of what we are to expect under a Liberal (jovernment, we shall very soon cease to have con- fidence in the wisdom of such an Administration. ouch an act is both weak, unjust, and impolitic in the most comprehensive sense. Its weakness is self- evident, and as to the second count in the indictment, is it n it unjust to punish with death one man whose death is infinitely less horrible in its features, and with, it may be, many circumstances of extenuation, and to visit another with a lesser sentence whose crime is one of the most brutal on record and wholly wanting in the smallest circumstance of provocation ? Again, is it not unjust to the poor wretch so foully done to death ? For so long as we are men and have pa-aions and affections, some sentiment of fitting re- tribution cannot be wholly eliminated from the idea of all human punishment. Is it not unjust and impolitic, both, to the criminal classes themselves, in thus weakening the checks which might help to enforce that control over their brutal propensities which they do not possess of themselves ? Is it not impolitic and unjust to the safety, comfort, and well-being of the wcil ordered part of the community that the restraint which would be so strongly imposed on ungoverned ruffianism by the constant and habitual conviction of certain, inevitable, and impartial retribution at the hands of the law, upon full proof and conviction, should be so lessened, as it must be, by being seen to be so partial and uncertain ? What with the chances of escaping detection, what with those involved in the subtleties of legal artifice or quibble what with those of escaping from durance vile, the criminal mind is already more than sufficiently sanguine of impunity for its transgressions, without our giving it, by such weak and ill-judged leniency, additional grounds for a conviction that hardens them in their course of vice and crime. What is it that gives these human wolves such a reckless contsmpt for law and its retributions? Be. cause they see that there is no rule, no certainty, no consistency that what is death to-day is penal servi- tude in a far worse case to-morrow. Who is the parent that is at once hated, feared, and despised? He who is severe to an excess, or lenient to an excess without any rule or consistency, passing over in one what he punishes severely in another—partial and unjust. With all our boasted forwardness in the race of civilisation, it is scarcely too much to say that a schoolboy of average good sense would mete out punishment almost better than we see it administered. Let punishment (apart always from circumstances of extenuation), when the crime is thoroughly and with- out question proven, be inevitable, inflexible, im- partial, inexorable to the most absolute certainty, and we should soon see the result in the decrease of these horrible brutalities. Apropos of this, it is but adducing a well known trait of human nature to remark that although every soldier's reason tells him of his danger when he goes into battle, each has a secret conviction and belief that be shall escape. It is thus with the criminal classes. Added to the other avenues of possible escape, they see that punishment even on proof, is not certain, or, it may be, very likely only in a mitigated degree. It is scarcely too much to say ttiat-take the present instance-the presumptive impunity engendered by the sight of this man's escaping the extreme penalty of the law may be the indirect cause of a hundred similar crimes. The punishment of death is said not to have a deter- rent effect but untruly said so. It has perhaps no deterrent effect on the man devoured by raging jealousy and passion, or on him whose brain is mad- dened by intemperance, or on whom morbid constitu- tional causes have so operated as to lead him into these or kindred crimes. I<r such there is often not sufficient consideration evinced. It is reserved for a murderer cold-blooded and abominably brutal beyond almost the annals of murder to have this shown for him. And as if this were not enough, his almost more brutal com- panion who looked on at the dreadful crime, and cared not to stretch out a hand to interfere, is actually pardoned altogether. "Killing no murder," indeed! Will a premium be offered shortly for an unusually rechercM and hideous homicide. In sharp contrast to the case of this man, and in vindication of the contempt for legal retribution on the part of the criminal classes, let me adduce a case that JS in my knowledge of one, a member of a learned pro- fession, a good, excellent, and most truly religious mail—one whom 1 have personally known well for years, and, through friends, for a yreat number of years beyond my personal knowledge. An injury was inflicted by him under circumstances of the purest accident, which resulted in death, though an injury that in any other part would have probably been but a small matter. As it happened, the femoral artery was pierced, and the victim, a man very advanced in years (newly eighty years of age), died by the haemorrhage, to the unutterable remcrse and consternation of my poor friend. Medical testimony proved that the blow could not by any possibility have been inflicted but by accident. Yet was his sentence the same as that of this wretch Bisgrove—"penal servitude for life!" It is true it was commuted afterwards to ten years when it had been proved OIL a second trial on the strongest testimony that it was the most purely and entirely accidental homicide but why, in the name of ail justice, was lie not instantly set at liberty ? As it was he was at length liberated, when almost dying of weakness and disease and the suffering, mental and bodily, to a man acutely sensitive to injustice, and by constitution delicate and unusually susceptible to suffering and hardships. Ruined in life and broken in health, confined almost constantly to his bed by incurable ailments engendered by prison hardships, he drags on existence on a wretched pittance of a few shillings a week (his wife sharing with him the priva- tions of his lot), and with the ever-impending and almost certain prospect of closing his days at last in the parish workhouse. Yet was that for which all this suffering and wrong was judicially inflicted but a misfortune-a dire calamity that might happen to you or me or any one—to the best of men. Let it be remembered that I have given only the more apparent hardships of this case-far deeper lie beneath. Such, then, is justice in England in the 19th century. To return. The disregard thus evinced of the sacredness of human life in this matter of Bisgrove is but a sorry business with which to inaugurate a Liberal Adminis- tration. It is but a sorry earnest of L beral policy to be weak, short-sighted, and deficient in true humanity — that humanity that would have felt for the poor murdered victim, and not for the monster who in all cold blood so cruelly murdered him. Whatever may be the shortcomings of Conservatism it could scarcely have so erred in all these points.

PROTEST FROM THE PULPIT AGAINST THE ST. ALBAN'S DECISION. There was in appreciable diminution of the Ritual- istic ceremonial observable on Sunday morning at All Saint's Church, Lambeth, compared to the way in which the services have for a. long time past bet.n carried out at that place of worship. A public pro- test, officially recited, was however formally made from the pulpit by the Rev. Dr. Lee, the vioar, against the recent decision of the Pnvy Council in the St. Alban's case. The modification of the ceremonial was most marked. There has hitherto been a procession composed of the priests, assistant-priests, acolytes, and choristers, 31 in number, bearing the processional cross, banners, and various insignia, who, entering from the vestry, dressed in the most advanced Ritual- istic vestments, paraded up and down the structure chanting the processional hymn. On Sunday there was no procession the banners were done away with, as were also the coloured vestments, and the ainis- trants numbered ten less than usual. In place, also, of a richly embroidered silk stole, the cele- brant simply wore, besides his surplice, a plain green stole, which latter was laid aside after the Homily and during the consecration and adminis- tration of the Holy Communion. The altar lights, four in number, were retained the elevation of the paten and chalice was confined to slightly raising both from the altar and bowing low, genuflection being also restricted to just perceptibly bending one knee at the conclusion of the consecration prayer. After prayers had been said, the vicar, ascending the pulpit, made the sign of the Cross upon himself with his finger, and, prefacing the statement with the words, By the gracli of God, Amen," read from a paper to the effect that whereas judgment having recently been given by the Privy Council in the matter of Martin versus Mackonochie," by which certain results were brought about touching the form of worship observable in the Church, and by which certain of Her Majesty's sub- jects were legally deprived of. the right to adopt such form of worship as they believed to be meet and proper — I, George lrrederick Lee, viear of all Saint's, Lambeth, having in mind the provisions of Magna Charta, and the terms of my ordination, do hereby solemnly protest against the said judgment, and against the imposition of pains and penalties in matters of Church discipline by the said Privy Council." The rev. gentleman then proceeded with his sermon, which, illustrative of the miracle of turning water into wine, comprised a decidedly expressed dissertation in favour of the doctrine of Transubstantiation and the Real Presence, and of the mixing of water with the consecrated element. The prayers of the con- gregation were desired for the Lord Bishop of Salisbury.

A BALL ON BOARD A MAN OF WAR. The grand ball given by Lady Clarence Paget on board the armour-plated flug-ship Caledonia, to see the old year out and the new year in," was a magnificent novelty in this part of the Mediterranean, and turned out a really splendid success, aa the following description taken from the Malta Tima, win show ;— The upper deck of the Caledonia presented a most beautiful and magnificent scene—an immense awning, inlaid with the glorious flags of Old England and all nations, extended two-thirds the length of the ship at a height of about 60 feet. and different parts of the vessel were decorated with bcuquets of flowers-bowers —aud flags, giving the whole deck a fairy-like and enchanting appearance; the ship being brilliantly illuminated with gas, and a large and beautiful gas star appearing on the poop. An excellent orchestral band placed in a good position at the fore part of the v"se1, played select and 8pirit-stirrillg pieces of music, whilst the dancers kept themselves at their gay work alive on the spacious deck; and, to crown the noble festivity, the joliy jack tars, part of the crew of the vessel, numbering about four hundred, were considerately perched on the hammock nettings, dressed in their neat summer cl< thing, as living statuee and spectators of the festive occasion, apparently enjoying this grand ball, and no doubt ready to take a more active part if desired. The night was also beautiful and mild, the bright moonlight enabling carriages to disoense with lights in proceeding and returning from the ball. Refreshments on a truly liberal scale were provided on the main-deckforthecom- pany and, in fact, nothing was wanting to render the festivity well worthy of the noble hostess. About five humlrrd—tho elite of society—military, naval, and civil—English and Maltese—were present as guests. At midnight, as Lady Clarence and party were assembled on the poop, from which the ensemble was seen in all its beauty and glory, a gun was fired an- nouncing the event celebrated, and the gas-lights be- came dim, showing that the old year was going out," and immediately after the deck was a blaze of light welcoming the "new year in," during which beautiful transition appropriate verses and chorus were sung by the crew, making the whole scene appear quite grand and enchanting. Dancing was kept up on deck till an early hour of the morning by the young and happy.

-0 PREVENTION OF FLOODS. Engineers (says Galignani) are at present generally convinced that the best and only satisfactory solution of the problem of moderating the effects of the sudden overflowing of large rivers lies in forming reservoirs along the banks of the more dangerous tributaries by means of transversal embankments. The waters may be thus collected, and after the flood has passed away, may be turned to account for irrigation during dry weather, or for supplying water to mills or canals. As early as 1846, M. Boulange, chief civil engineer of the Loire, had proposed a plan for the protection of that basin, so subject to frequent inundations, be showed that the embankment of Pinay, thrown up under Louis XIV., at a distance of 30 kilometres above Roanne, had preserved that town and the valley of the Loire, by supporting 100 millions of cubic metres of water and upwards. By a curious coiucidence, an in- undation occurred just a few hours before this large reservoir was filled, and the waters were stopped Notwithstanding this excellent result, the floods of 1856 occurred before M. Boulange's advice was again thought of. It was then only the subject was seriously taken up, and a recent important paper, by M. Græff, addressed to the French Academy of Sciences and approved of by the commission appointed to examine it, gives very interesting particulars concerning the trials that have since been made. The author of that paper, after entering into various details regarding the construction and feeding of these reservoirs, the re- distribution of their waters, etc., describes the large pond of Gondrexange in the Meurthe, comprising a surface of nearly 600 hectares (1,500 acres), and which feeds the Marne and Rhine canal; then he mentions the large reservoir to be constructed at Tence, on the Lignon, an affluent of the Loire and, lastly, his own work, the reservoir of the Gouffre d'Enfer, on the Furens, above St. Etienne. where a dyke, fifty metres in altitude, encloses a basin 2,500 hectares in surface, which will contain 1,500,000 cubic metres of vater, amply sufficient to ward off any inundation in that district.

LETTING THE PEWS. The New York papers give the particulars of the annual letting of the pews in the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's church, in Brooklyn. There was a large attendance. Having explained that the debts of the church were paid, a.nd that out of the proceeds of the past year many thousands of dollars had been ex- pended for charitable purposes, Mr. Beecher intro- duced "the speaker from New Jersey." Mr. Pilsbury the gentleman referred to, came forward and said :— Ladies and gentlemen,—I supposed that I had graduated from this institution three or four times, but it seems that I am required to take another course. Well, gentlemen, you can take the choice of any seat in the house except Mr. Beecher's. How much am I offered? How much am I offered gentlemen ? Two hundred dollars twentv-flve, fifty, seventy-five, three hundred, three-fifty, four hundred dollars, gentlemen five, ten, fifteen, four hundred and fifteen dol- Jars, gentlemen. Who is the happy man ? going at twenty, at twenty, at twenty, at four hundred and twenty do11ars- 420-are you all done at 420 dols. ? Sold I to Henry C. Bowen at 420 dols." Mr. Bowen took No. 89, the second pew directly back of the pastor's. It should be understood that the amounts bid were premiums in addition to the assessed value of the pews. Mr. Bowen's pew being 120 dols., cost him 540 dols. The other pews were disposed of in the same manner, twenty having been sold conse- cutively for 300 dollars each. The total amount of this year is 54,500 dols. for pew-rent alone. Last year the amount was 48,700 dols. The premiums alane this year are 42,500 dols;

GEORGE FRANCIS Train AT Home."—George Francis Train, under the auspices of the Fenian Brotherhood of New York, delivered a very lengthy address in the Cooper Institute, on the evening of the 5th inst., on the subject of his own and Ireland's wrongs. Mr. Train recounted his sufferings and his battlings with the constituted authorities of Great Britain during his late visit to Ireland. He assured his auditors he would be the President of the United States of 1872.

THE MARKETS. MARK-LANE.—Monday. The supply of English wheat on sale to-day was small, and the bulk of the samples was in bad condition. Trade ruled extremely dull, and, although factors would have submitted to a reduction of from 3s. to 4s. per qr., very few sales wero reported. There was a good show of foreign wheat, but the business passmg^ as at a material decline on the week- say 2s. to 3s. per qr. Malting barley was fully 3s. per quarter lower, and ooth grinding and distilling qualities tended downwards. The malt trade was dull, at drooping currencies. Oats were inactive, and prices gaye way 6u. per quarter on all descrip- tions. xseans and peas met a dull enquiry, on barely former terms. Linseed ruled steady in value and demand, but rape- seed was quiet. All English seeds were nominal in the ab- enceot business. The Hour trade was extremely inactive, and both foreign and country marks changed hands on lower terms. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.—MONDAY. We were largely supplied with foreign beasts to day, and the trade was eonseqllently dull, at barely late rates. A large number arrived late in the day. From our own grazing districts the arrivals were limited, and the general quality of stock showed a falling off. Owing to the small number on sale there was more animation in the trade, and prime Scots and crosses changed hands freely, at from 5s. 4d. to 5s. (id. per 81b. from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire, we received about 810 Scots, <fcc. from other parts of Eng land, 590 of various breeds; from Scotland, 540 Scots and crosses; and from Ireland, about 160 oxen, Ac. The show of sheep was below the average both as to quality and numbers. The demand for all breeds ruled fairly active, and prices were rather higher. Best Downs and half-breds changed hands at 5s. 6d. per 81b. The calf trade was steady. prime small animals being in request, at full prices. In the value of pigs no change took place, but the demand ruled quiet for all qualities HOPS. The market is steady, but the demand is by no means active. Prices are supported. The imports during the past week have been rather less extensive. Mid and East Kents, 21. 10s. to 7t. 15s. Weald of Keuts, 21. Os. to 41. 10s.; Sussex, 21. Os, to U. Os.; Farnhams, 41. Os. to 61. 16s.; Coventry, 42. Os. to 51. Os. Bavarians, 21. 10s. to 41. 6s. Belgians, 21. Os. to 31. Os. Yearlings, 31. Oa. to 4Z. Os. WOOL. SSSince our last report the demand for colonial wool has een rather quiet. The trade, however, has been in a healthy state, and prices have been well supported. English wool has moved off slowly, but at full quota- tions. Current prices of English wool :— 1'1eeces, Southdown hoggets, ]s. 3d, to Is. 4d. half-breds, Is. 4d. to Is. 5td.; Kent fleeces. Is. 4jd. to Is EM. boutiuiown ewes and wethers, Is. 2 £ d. to Is. o^d. Leicester ditto, 15. 3d. to is. 3!d per lb. Sorts.—Clothing, is. 2d. to 18. 7d. COIr" ing, Is. Oct. to Is. 6td. per ) b. POTATOES. The markets are well supplied with litti • .iness has been passing in any (lr late 1'9. English Regents, 70s. tn ]{;C:J. -o'tch Regents, GOs. to 1 iirencii, iJS. to bOs. per ton.