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VgpTl,! -~~ TOVTN TALK.

OUTLINES OF THE WEEK. —.*—

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OUTLINES OF THE WEEK. —— WE have little to say about America this week; the war still rages and many lives are sacrificed weekly in the fratricidal strife which is going, forward. The Presidential election, which is shortly to take place, does not prevent further efforts in the causa of war; many thousands of fresh recruits are weekly enlisted, who, for the sake of bounty money, fight their fellow-men, and are either killed or crippled themselves, or kill or cripple their opponents. In the South there is misery, wretchedness, and poverty, and in the North the great commercial interests which were once their pride are fast fading away. We almost despair of ever seeing the beginning of that end which will restore peace to a country of mighty resources, and bring out ence again the energies and industry of a people whose antecedents gained them the respect of the world. THE armistice between Germany and Denmark expired last week, and we are now given to under- stand that negotiations are in progress with a view to its prolongation until the 15th of Decem- ber next. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of North Schleswig, at least, are by no means satisfied with German intervention. It is even stated that the majority of the inhabitants of Schleswig generally are more anxious to share their fortunes with Denmark than Germany; and this view is corro- borated by the proclamation of the commander- in-chief of the allied army of Austria and Prussia, wherein he prohibits the circulation of petitions" and the collection of signatures under pain of martial law, and significantly reminds the inha- bitants that the" state of war" continues. We are fearful that the despotism of the German powers will be harder to bear than Danish rule. We trust, however, that there will be no further revolt, as it would be useless for the lamb to struggle against the lion. WE have recently received news from Australia, and through Australia from New Zealand. From the former we hear that the Melbourne people are taking measures of their own to put a step to transportation from the mother country. They have subscribed eonsiderable sums for the purpose of paying the passage of expirees" to England- that is, men whose term of servitude has expired; and, apparently, they are resolved to carry out their resolution. It is argued that this is a perfectly legitimate mode of action-that it will rid the cclony of unwelcome visitors, and will neither embarrass the governor nor the Government. On the other hand we shall have re-imported into England men with the badge of crime upon their shoulders, who always find em- ployment difficult to obtain in this country, be they ever so penitent and changed in disposition, and we fea,r society will not be benefited by them. The New Zealand news, if not particularly im- portant, is interesting, if only from a curious trait of native character. It appears that the battle of Tauranga, with the result of which our readers are familiar, was brought about by a dis- tinct challenge. The Maories, emboldened by their success at Gate Pah, sent a message" to the English colonel, in the following terms :—" Now hear what we have to say. We have been waiting for you to come and attack us for a whole month, but you have not come, and now we are coming to you. We give you warning, therefore, that you may expect to see us within the month, and not to let any of your soldiers out, for our young men will certainly shoot them. We give you warning, therefore, that you may not say it is murder, for it will not be murder. We shall treat your wounded prisoners well, and shall expect you to do the same." Colonel Greer accepted this challenge, and, as is well known, defeated the poor natives, who were driven from their position at the point of the bayonet, and their loss exceeded two hundred. Among the slain was Henare Taraton, the writer of the challenge. THE British Association held its annual session at Bath last week. The inaugural address of Sir Charles Lyell, the president, was devoted to an historical, geological, chemical, and speculative account of the globe. It was listened to by a large audience, and loudly applauded. During the week the members had some very interesting excursions-amongst other places, to Frome and Stanton Drew. Those who went to the former had the pleasure of lunching with the Earl of Cork; those in the latter with Lady Waldegrave and Mr. Chichester Fortescue. A melancholy fact, however, destroyed most of the pleasure of the meeting. Captain Speke, who was to have addressed them on the Friday, had, the day pre- viously, been out with some friends partridge shooting, and, in scrambling over a hedge, his gun accidentally went off and killed him. The melan- choly fate of such a man has excited a deep feeling of regret not only among the illustrious savans assembled at Bath, but throughout the land by all those who have an interest in the progress of the world's information, in which he was so ardent and able a pioneer. As the explorer of the source of the Nile his name will never be for- gotten. It is strange that one who had passed through such great dangers in wild lands., and i was clearlj a fished sportsman, should meet with. i Ms death by so simple;an accident and in so peace- ful a scene. THERE is an agitation on foot in some of our local towns to restrict the indiscriminate sale of poisons, and it is really thought by inquiring persons that it is time something should be done, since, only a short time ago, twelve pounds of white arsenic were sold for plaster of Paris, and used ii\ the composition of sweetmeats; then we heard of thirty pounds of sugar of lead being supplied instead of alum, and intermixed with eighty casks of flour by a baker; and again, in a shop drawer, under the control of a small boy, were found, in separate pieces of paper, rice, corrosive sublimate, oxalic acid, Epsom salts, jalap, starch, and tooth-powder. Such things being brought before our view, it is considered right that there should be some register kept of deadly poisons. If we have free trade in everything else, we think no one would desire free trade in poisons. WE notice, in last week's police reports, that a woman is charged with an outrage on the assistant matron of Chelsea Workhouse, and, in her defence, she revealed this interesting fact, that in gaol she would only have to pick two pounds of oakum, but in the workhouse she had to pick three pounds, in the twenty-four hours. Honest poverty ought to be more respected than to make labour harder to the indigent than to the felon. We should like to see a little more mercy extended to paupers where the law will permit it; and poor-law guardians have much power in their hands, if they would exercise it in a judicious manner, and on the side of mercy. VERY little has passed during the week in the political world. Lord Stanley, however, at the dinner of the Tipperary Union Farming Society, made two very able speeches. In one, he ex- pressed a hope that the heir to the British throne woi?ild take an early opportunity of improving his acquaintance with Ireland, by frequent visits and occasional residence." This mightily pleased his audience. But in his second speech he spoke so cheerfully of the future prospects of Ireland, that the people were in raptures with him. We are glad to see noblemen like Lord Stanley amongst the Irish people, stimulating them by kindly words to hope and enterprise; and we trust the time may not be far distant when the pros- perity predicted by his lordship will be realised. IN police reports the name of Muller, the supposed murderer of Mr. Briggs, has been the most prominent. The prisoner has been given every opportunity to prove him- self innocent of the crime with which he is charged. His German friends have found him counsel of the highest eminence, and he has been treated throughout with the greatest leniency. We forbear to comment on his guilt or innocence we well know he will have a fair trial, and we shall be perfectly satisfied with the decision of the jury. We, however, lament the curiosity exhibited to see the prisoner, and the immense amount of penny-a-lining which has been used to bring the man prominently before the public, making an insignificant being like him the observed of all observers. There is no limit to the love of notoriety. A foolish fellow named King, who described himself as a bookseller, but who turned out to be an actor-for the sake, probably, of having his name in the newspapers, accused himself of being concerned in the murder of Mr. Briggs; but after two remands ke was dismissed, it being fully proved that there was no foundation for his drunken self-accusation. Nor was he the only one who has been infected by the Muller fever. A lad, named Job Bartlett, an apprentice to a printer, working in an office in Chancery-lane, has just lost his life in consequence. It appears that the boy's mind had occupied itself less with Muller's guilt than with his assumed destination to the gallows. He wished to know the sensations of hanging without depriving himself of life, but he tried one experiment too much, and paid for his rashness with his life. As we have said before, however, it is very sad to see this morbid feeling taking hold of people, and it is in a great measure caused by making a criminal the positive hero of the day. I AGAIN we must refer to the constant repetition of assaults in railway carriages. It is believed that previous to Mr. Briggs's murder frequent cases of slight assaults occurred without the general public being aware of it; but now that people are taught to make their complaints known, we are surprised at the number of out- rages committed. Some one suggests actions against the railway companies, and doubtless uiries would not be very tender to those managers of railways who steadily set their faces against protecting the public. Yet, perhaps, their miser- able economy would still prompt them to pay the penalties rather than incur the extra expense of making alterations in their carriages. It is very possible, however, that Mr. Milner Gibson will have more indignation to contend against next session, as President of the Board of Trade, than he likes. The Government ought to have inter- fered in the matter, and the country will look to its representatives to insist upon ample protec- tion for their lives, and from the insults of the depraved. Child Murder at Paddington.-On Tuesday

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DEATH OF CAPTAIN SPEKE, THE…

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REFUSING TO BURY THE BEAD;

A SUSPICIOUS OABE.

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