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- ■ THE TRADES CONGRESS.
■ THE TRADES CONGRESS. ^EETING AT NOTTINGHAM.—TSB OPENING ADDRESS. fourth annual Congress of Trades Xr1^68 ^ouncils, was opened at the Mechanics J^tingham, on Monday. About one ,e from the principal towns in the Uni e ^ere present. Mr. George Potter was app°i ^1 ° S5rQatl Pro tem- i;no-s The Chairman, in briefly opening the procee 84,(1. that the Congress had met under aiJspici0lls circumstances than on an^ ^asion. The Legislature would be open to them, ^°uld shortly be engaged in deliberating on severa /°ns connected with the interests of the working c therefore entreated the Congress to cone eir|Selves upon the work that they had ta en in J^ly, the elevation and consolidation of t ie rig g ,e w°ricing man. Trade societies were now on ° Siting into that position which they oug ■ °ccupiecl years and he hoped the members woul e*r individuality, and work heartily t°oe ■ ^Use of the combination and elevation of °UgXamined, e credentials of the delegates havm0 ];h tv 0f Mundella, M.P., said he had taken th. hberty^ tha?g Alr' Xorthwick' of ConneCti°^' desire to attend, ,Re.ntleman had exPrefsed a g.re0Q aU questions con- taken a very active part on waS ^1 + with labour and education in n*e • give kerefore with the view of any information e => i„ht ■ lZ lhat "e ,Mr- MOntleIU) Ston.rfttee.p- e Permitted to attend the Congress. ,prT„teS re- Pointed to examine the credentials of t e o ]J0die3 ■ 5s? t,»t«- —rSm JS- «»• !ch were not immediately connected w heLand izatxons accredited to the Congress, namely, the ■ ^,„Uwtle Workmen'^ tt?'T'kl'"U"1 Insltnte.and ttal> sB LceWl itin the e Motion ofSpcial Science. credentia!a ■ »' tie C°ne™» to decide whether he* <• d ■ ?»»« le .dotted op not. Mr. be »d- hat representatives from these bodies* ■ >»««. „oved their credent.^ received. Mr. Ireland thought that some^ {J. was Jizations partook of a political character, a y^J nee'^u^ that Congress shoul would be Mi A°.t.i*! l'Gfi°C! "ho slim,ld h,uh admitted to th. fi ~u thought that no one should gome Tradl 0n?ress unless he were a membei ° _ome pre- ^ociation. He knew that there a{. all> iTf Wh° did not rePresent any„ future meetings. M' ^hls should be put an end to at a not attend Mr- Mundolla, M.P., said that he for one be wag ■ ^a rePi'esentative of any particular ra ghoul(j Present at the invitation of the secretary- mia]lt take very happy to take part in any discussion ld°tllink of ■ P ace, but neither himself nor Mr. Cromp on meeting. ■ 'Voting ou aTiy question that was submit ec w-ti1(lrawn, J ■ Af^r s°me further discussion, the rootl0n le-arth then H the delegates were recei\"ed. Mr. eatherland, of ^^1 0vec'> and Mr. Wood seconded, that IV r. 0On he Nottingham Trades Council, be chairman ook gress. The motion was carried, and he at one ^at. n f nf Mr. George Howell then read the repor yea, Onttee of the Trades Congress, held in Lon ■ t wa.s as followsrep0rt (I H f, gentlemen.—Your committee in presen o refer ir H J proceedings during the past v„ference to tht ■ oetiil to the steps they have taken with jf0use a' la(,eS' X'nion Bill, which was before ■ j!?,,1(|ns last Session. „ on Satu> H rlo "e sittinrrs of the last Congress termm the Tues. ■ j y> March 11th, and vour committee me the fol ■ ?ay.following, March 14th, at 11 o clock, ovi^g resolution was drawn up, and agre ^1 << r*a rXTOtf ^IjUI, THE TRADES CONGRESS AND THE TRADE Tracls ■ TT".That this Congress, having reconsidered d re^_ ■ Union Bill in connection with the explana aojve thi of the Home Secretary, here3> ,^ment aiy whilst they are anxious to obtain from warc| tltijr legislation that may enable them_ to carry .r efforts on behalf of the legitimate interests ot Workmen, refuse in any way to sanction any or t' !ts provisions, presupposes mny criminal intent ■ derides on the part of English workmen as a ■ If consistent with yortr sense of duty to th y, ■ should feel greatly oblifred by your opposing all he ■ criminal provisions of the Txades TT/rnion L,,11- ■ •' On bihalf of the Congress. (Here follow the naiies H of the committee.) n "9, Buckinffham-street, Strand, W.O. ■ March 14, 1S71-" ■ The Secretary was then instructed to get enveloes addressed to every naember of the House of Conim<ns, H and the resolution Rent without delay. By T. hui^av ■ moi-nln„ March 16th, each member would have receded a copy. This prompt action on part of tne < I mittee had the effect of dividing the bill mto two part; as ■ was desired by the COTH^BS. But thisj ■ on the put of your Committee gave di&satistactic^ to I some members of the Conference of Amalgamateu lryes, H with whom we were instructed to confer, as it was ■ contended that no separate action should have leen I taken without first consulting them. A joint meetiig of ■ tjje two Committees was accordiiigly summoned as &rly ■ as possible for the purpose of agreeing to a "p_rotjst" against the criminal portions of tie Bill. The meetingwas held on Tuesday, March 28th, and a protest was agree! to. THE TRADES rXION BlLL-A PROTEST. We, the undersigned, for and on behalf of the ,rade unionists of the United Kingdom, authorised an( em- ^josKered by the Trades Union Congress recently assembled m London, and by the Conference of Amalgamated 1 rides, do hereby protest against any such legislation as that attempted by the third clause of the Government T-ades Union Bill, based, as it was, on the assumption that acts contrary to law and order are done and sanctioned ly the trades unions of this country, feeling confident that the common and statute law was sufficient to punish every unlawful act committed either by t'ades unionists or by any other person. We, therefore, rtfuse, in any way, to sanction a bill that in_ its provision, pre- supposes criminal intentions or tendencies on the pirt of the working men as a class. Signed by George lotter, Chairman of the Trades Union Congress, by liobe-t Ap- plegarth. Secretary to the Conference of Amalgamated Trades, and others.. This protest was immediately followed by the 18ille, on the part of the Government, of the two bills called" The Jrfades T'nion Bill" and "The Criminal Law Amendment •Bill." These your Committee decided to republish in the CoWns of the Bee-Hive newspaper, so that the trades Unionists of the United Kingdom should have th( means at hand of judging of the two bills. This, as youvvill re- ^ember. was done on April 8th, 1S71. The jouf com- followed up this action by frequent deputations to the House of Commons, waiting upofl Individual mem- bers, and explaining our difficulties, and tie rea- Sons for our opposition to the criminal clauses of the bill. Every effort was made to get che ob- noxious criminal clauses withdrawn, but witnou; effect, and both the bills passed the Commons. When ,}je bills Were in the Lords it was observed that Lord CatHs had introduced a i amendment leaving out the words two or jnore," and substituting "with one or more j;ersons." This we saw was an intended blow at all picketing, and Would be absolutely fatal to all peaceable efforts on the part of unionists to give information to imported work- •> rp-,en' or those coming from a distance in case of a strike, i action of the Lords, however, was so sudden Hat this amendment was passed in the Upper .onse before -we could adopt measures with a view to its withdrawal. Subsequently your committee arranged for an interview with ISlr. Winterbotl^m, Mr. •*>ruce being ill, jn the members' room of the Mouse of ^pmmons. Amongst those who attended wer; Mr. T. Ji'ighcs, Mi-. Walter Morrison, Mr. Mundella, and others. n this occasion the joint committees wafe accompanied oy several provincial delegates, who happened "to be in on business connected with the Amalgamated arpenters and Joiners, as we thought It advisable ?1 jnake the deputation as strong and influential as pos- T' ^bis conference with the under secretary it was solved to disagree with the Lords'amendment, and Mr. TT Interbotham at once placed a notice on the paper of the ao.0,,s.e Commons on the part of the Government, dis- oreeing witli such amendment. This promptitude gave on fill sa^s^act'01i to your Committee, as it shew»d a desire Th °f the Government to meet our objections. TVfrf vision was taken in the House of Conmons, on T i 19th of June, when, to our fegret the Q7° .amendment was carried by 147 as against » being a majority of 50 against it? chiefly composed of Tory and Liberal capitalists. A r analysis ot the division was published, with a port, from which the following is an extract:—"We tra^6 t° the judgment and concerted action of the »noVeS soc,leties in those constituencies whose members Govern"1 voted against us, and that, too, after the ments th61'^t had moved to disagree with the Lords' amend- their elKja*8 against their party in the interest of ties V-e,^nd,deci(]edly to the detriment of tfade.s socie- ave to the societies the question as to the wo fin/iV I,- i '6 who were absent from the division. And leadin!r ? ?° n°te, that of 130 members from the are nofi CTT| -v ,1,1 industry which we have selected, 101 are caUed liberals and 29 are Conservatives The con- fa„. on, we ,^av!e 0 trades unionists; we only note the mno'f n ? 5S f-L CUri°us indication of what we THo ex"Pect from the manufacturing and trading classes, all fnf^sls f yoting list shews that nearly f, the repmsentativea of the great centres of a^?ther voted for the Lords' amendments, or f. themselves from the division list. Let the or- feoJSU T °t,e ^'s ^ac^- and compare it with the )u~o- A ",ns _on the hustings, where most of the men promised CZ 't6 7 fn h0"Jest Tra<]e? Fnion BilL" The bills now C- and we decided to publish the Acts entire, g her with a careful digest (drawn up bv your Com- «ittee m conjunction with Mr. Henry Crompton, barrister, undfl0't,ller,tlemen) so as to enable working men to new law8 passed ostensibly for their them Wlth Causes directed specially against thi= recommend this digest to the attention of fitan/TfiT8'-aS -!fc enahles any careful reader to under- snirif ,i • ,6 lntncacios of these Acts, in their letter and it diffinnil A unprofessional readers would otherwise find to o-et ^r. ¡Oldo. Your committee have felt it their duty see t.h • 6 reP°rt.s on cases under the Acts, so as to tunafp'ir, 0r>erati°n and results. We have again been for- for a iMii»SeCrr1"S \u sel vices of Mr. Henry Crompton as it afr.L ,s acquainted with the law, especially thankful fm'- i,7" *ejl }v'e ave therefore sincerely deport. F,-ovnS+i?-?er' .present it as,a part of our evils predicted ;n ft" r':|'°!Vt v' lil he seep that all the the necessity for -ve come. IJass> aI1^ hence committee af1- f''i e "ft1011 by this (j nngress. Your SPUrse is to'rZomxnert -==- ,.„r « no amount" of modification or amend- nrnemneni; Act. a^noamo mischievfms provisiong, or inent an correct t; n the trades unionists of the obhteate its implied st n Trades Union Act UnMKmgdom• amenclment maybe, and S« is"deS.Vable but suggestions for these will result mate is «eMI< > f Concress. In accordance with from he discuss Congress, passed on March 9, the rations of the consent of Mr! ^upe't Kettle to draft a bill your committee has di- .viipet A-ecwe the passing of the Acts, recte. its atte pjji to Extend the Applica- ion f the Act to Consolidate and Amend the Laws rela- tive o the Arbitration of Disputes between Masters i ir i !Ln This we present to Congress. Your Settee have been fortunate to get the consent of Mr. Samel Morlly, Mr. Thomas Bmssey, Mr W H. Smith Afr T Mnndella and Mr. Thomas Hughes to put of .he bill, ivlnch ivM be intro- rue mam eh report concludes with a favour- Stateme'nt as regards the income and expenditure of aoie3tatcuicut j Congress, and is signed by the the ommittee sin Gg0rge patter, Chairman; William VII "SurerGeorge Howell Secretary Alexander 'Mc)('mald, Lloyd Jones, Joseph Leicester M Henry Crompton, barrister-at-law, subsebuentlyread the following address .-Events have occurred since the dra»in<* up of the report and digest which has been pub lishd which render a further report necessary, not because of tie number of those events, but because their importance isn>h as to demand grave and anxious discussion at the haflg of this Congress. We refer to the prosecutions whih have taken place under the Criminal Law Anendment Act, and not to the Trade Union Ac proper The effect of the latter can hardly be fully Stained as yet. We hold to our view that the Trade IT ion Bill is a substantial bond fide measure of justice, an we entertain no doubt that any defects in its provisions *il be readily remedied by the Legislature when they be- one apparent. But the prosecutions which have occurred site the meeting of the Congress, under the Criminal Lw Amendment Act, have realised our gloomiest fore- bdin^s In each of them actual physical violence was ° n,, viftion and punishment were right. But povel llie con an(| might have taken place tiese convictions o assau\t. They were mentioned h Jhe under this Act. But it is ne- iary fo s here to declare that they were not instances i Sh this Act has operated beneficially by punishing iJcVime because the general law of assault punishes u ('1" ,„.Ml ..veater severity. We proceed now to the W en a member of the Operative Stonemasons was iou-l t before the Bolton magistrates, sitting m Petty essfons and was charged under the Criminal Law Amendment Act, with besetting the place in which one T Cooper also a member of the same society, was at tork with a view to coerce him to pay the fine of 40s., thich amount Cooper owed according to the rules of the oc ety of which he had chosen to become a member. Sden was the !>roper person to Ask for payment. He Jid so iii the usual way. It was proved that he went •o Cooper, that he found him at work, that he shewed hiinthe regular card on which, the amount due was S down, that he asked for 5s m part payment, that Cooper refused, and that then Wearden went away. Nothing more passed between them. Nothing in the shape of a th, eat, not a single uncivil word Of course Cooper knew that the matter could not end them According to the evidence, Wearden went to the forem^, and told him all about it, and said that the other men would not work any longer with Cooper. And afterwards all the men struck work. This is the whole case. Ihe facts were not disputed, and upon this evidence Wearden was convicted and sentenced to one months im- prisonment. We purposely refrain m this case, as We shall in all cases, from entering upon the moral question whether this particular strike was right or wrong. It is just as strong either way. Notice of appeal was given otherwise Wearden must necessarily have under- gone his sentence. The appeal came on to be heard at the Bolton Quarter Sessions, before Mr. Samuel Pope, Q.C., Recorder. In this instance the appeal was to a competent professional judge, but it is only so m some boroughs. In counties, the appeal lies to the unpaid unprofessional magistrates who sit at Quarter Sessions. It is very im- portant to remember this because the appeal to the Quarter Sessions upon the facts is final, although the Court of Queen's Bench has probably jurisdiction to inter- fere in cases in which there has been a wrong decision in point of law. When the case came on, no one ap- peared to support the conviction against Wearden. The magistrates had not employed counsel to support their indgment. They might have done so, but they were not bound by law to do so. Accordingly, nobody appearing Oil the other side, the conviction was quashed, without any judgment beincr pronounced. But just at the end of the Sessions, the prosecutor Cooper appeared and declared that he wished still to support the conviction upon which the matter was reopened. We think that IVli. Pope was right and just in not allowing a formal quashing to prevent the matter being heard on its merits. In the end the case was adjourned to the January Sessions, and it has not yet been decided. We dwell upon these particulars, because they indicate a new difficulty. If a man has no funds or if he is not a member of a trades union, he cannot appeal. and must suffer his punishment without appeal. If, on the other hand, he does incur the expense of appeal- ing, of employing attorney and counsel, he is liable to find that the appeal cannot be heard on its merits. But there are far larger questions raised by the four Bolton magis- trates, three of whom are employers of labour, and who yet declined to support by argument the judgment which they had so unhesitatingly pronounced in the very first case that was prosecuted under the new law. We offer the following considerations to shew that these magistrates strained the law, and that the conviction of Wearden was unjust:—1. There was no evidence to prove that what Wearden did was done with a view to coerce. No such mtcntIOn could possibly have been inferred from his acts. On the contrary, the evidence that Wearden asked for the payment in the usual way, that Cooper re- fused, and that then Wearden went away, proved or tended to prove, that Wearden did not intend to intimi- date or to coerce. 2. The decision of the magistrates that the mere accosting and demanding payment of a fine owing from a member to a union, is a besetting within the meaning of the statute, is a gross straining of the law. 3. They have decided that the occurrence of a subsequent strike is evidence that the accosting and demanding payment was "with a view to coerce." That is to &ay, the magistrates have not merely decided that subsequent acts done by other persons may be given in evidence to shew what was the intention of the accused. That would be a very important extension of a difficult branch of the law of evidence. Their decision goes far beyond this it lays down that any act, however innocent, may become criminal by a subsequent strike taking place. It necessarily follows that the notice of a strike, or any act done in furtherance of a strike would, under such law, be held to be done with a view to coerce." So that though the demand is legal, and the strike legal—yet the demand plus the strike constitutes a crime punishable with three months hard labour. In fact, exactly what we expected has occurred. Again and again it was pointed out to the Home Office authorities what would happen if they passed a vague statute like the Criminal Law Amendment Act. A more extraordinary or melancholy piece of legislation has seldom disgraced the House of Commons. One other reflection is suggested by this case. The new Act differs from the old Act in one important particular. In order to convict a man of any offence under the new law, it is necessary to shew, either by the acts themselves or by other proof, that the accused had in his mind at the time the acts were committed the intention to coerce. This wa" not so under the old combination law. Ques- tions of intent, as to what a man actually intends, are, as is well known, often of great difficulty, and such cases demand the most careful sifting. The only proper tri- bunal for such investigations is that of judge and jury. Now that the Act has passed, working men might naturally expect to find in Mr. Bruce a staunch ally for getting, at least this part of the law repealed. And accordingly the resolutions which were carried at a public meeting held by the energetic men of Bolton to protest, against the iniquity which had been perpetrated in their town, and against the Act which was the cause of that iniquity, were forwarded to Mr. Bruce. As an answer to this there comes a letter from the Home office, saying that it does not seem to be either desirable or possible to propose a chance without some experience of the working of the Act oJ'it cfinili This letter comes after the Bolton case. Experience Of what ? Of the injustice which Mr. Bruce foretold and which has already come to pass ? How iranv more mui must be convicted like Wearden before sufficient experience will have been gained ? But it is useless to criticise such a letter. This disgraceful shuffle is the answer which the Government returns to the demand which the workmen have made for justice, and only justice. The present Attorney-General Sir Tolin Coleridge, said in debate, That the Trades' Union Bill sought to state in intel- ligible words those offences which every reasonable man must admit ought to be repressed." The present Solicitor-General said-" lhat the working classes had great cause to be grateful to the Government for defining the offences for which they were to be punished. We ask the law officers of the Government to reconsider these oninions. which, doubtless, were hastily formed and inconsiderately expressed. We also ask Lord Cairns whether he still approves of the amendment that he pro- posed. and which we regard as the deliberate perpetration of a great injustice, not upon unionists, but upon the whole labouring population, to whom his cruel clause is directly applicable. The only conclusion we can draw from all this is, that unless the workmen are prepared for energetic re- monstrance, they will have to live under this tyrannical statute for many years to come. It is a matter most serious and most grave. Nothing more important can offer itself to this congress for discussion. For the evil has to be met and that at once. It can only be met by the unconditional repeal of the statute, and that will never be, unless the working classes shake off the apathy in which they live, and for once, at least, make the effort, which their power and position enable them to do an effort which shall be a peaceable orderly pressure, such as will make Parliament pause, ere it continues to oppress the working classes by such a law. The thanks of the Congress were awarded to Mr. Crompton for the able paper he had read. The Congress then adiournecL 0 The Trades' Congress met again on Tuesday, Mr. Leatherland lI1 the chair. The Chairman, in opening the 1 J day's proceedings, said that they were met to consider the provisions of the Trades Union Bill, and of the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, and to decide what course should be taken either to pro- cure an amendment or withdrawal of those bills. There was avast change in the opinion, of the coun- try concerning Trades Unions, and the more they endea- voured to aid or assist that change, so much the better would it be for their future welfare. They could not be too vigorous in pi-oseeuting their views at a time when Trades Union people were not looked UMon with that fear and prejudice which they IFed to be. One of th'} most gratifying results of such conferences was that employers and employed met in a friendly spirit to discuss questions in connection with labour. Already the movement for shortening the hours of labour had gained ground throughout the country, andit was likely to lead to something better than they had already obtained. Trade was now in a prosperous condition, and lie could not see whv the workman should not have a fair I snare ot me prosperity which prevailed In the country. Mr. Bailey, of Preston, was then elected Vice-President of the Congress; Mr. Heckling, of Nottingham, was appointed Secretary; and Mr. Wm. Allen, of London, Treasurer, of the present Congress. A committee was also appointed to arrange the business of the Congress. Mr. Ashton, of Oldham, then moved the adoption of the re- port, which was read at the Congress yesterday. Mr. Graham seconded the motion, which was, after a brief dis- cussion, carried unanimously. Mr G. Potter moved that the working men of Nottingham be invited to attend a public meeting on Thursday evening, for the purpose of discuss- ing and passing resolutions on the subject of the recent legislation on the Criminal Law Amendment Act. Mr. Odger seconded the motion, which was carried, it being left to the Nottingham Committee to make the necessary arrangements. Mr. Walton, of Brecon, who stated that he was present as the representative of a large body of masons belonging to the General Union of England, Ireland, and Wales, then called attention to the Criminal Law. Amendment Act, and moved that this Congress is of opinion that the Criminal Law Amendment Act, is unjust, and excep- tional in character, and oppressive in its application to the personal freedom of the working classes of the United Kingdom;therefore, this Congress pledgesitself touseevery legal means to secure the repeal of the Act. He remarked that this very objectionable measure had been passed by a household-suffrage Parliament, and by the House of Lords acting under the advice of Lord Cairns, a nobleman for whom he had the highest respect, but who was evidently unacquainted with the wants of working men. The working classes had done nothing which justified the Legislature in passing an Act of this kind, and anything short of total repeal would not be satisfactory to them. Mr. Packwood seconded the resolution, remarking that the common law was quite strong enough to meet all cases of breaches of the law committed by members of trade com- binations, without having recourse to arbitrary and excep- tional legislation. Mr. Macdonald observed that the Act was passed by the perjury of the so-called Liberal party, the men who had always courted the interest of the working men. He did not expect any sympathy from the Conservative party, but he was at a loss to know how it was that sixty members of the Liberal party went into the same lobby with such men as Lord Cairns and Mr. Gathorne Hardy. Mr. Mundella, M.P., reminded the Congress that he, together with some large employers of labour, had for two sessions brought in a bill embodying the views of the unionists; but last year the Government brought in a. measure of their own. The bill, as it affected trades unions, thoroughly emancipated them, and was a good bill. The registration clauses gave them powers which they had never before possessed, and had never hoped to possess. He held that the common law should be made sufficiently strong to deal with all cases of intimidation, oppression, and wrong. He and many members who worked with him had determined to resist the passing of the Lords' amendments to the Bill, but they came before the House at a time when it was not expected that they would be proposed, and when there was an unusually large gathering on the Opposition benches. Mr. Bruce moved that the amendments be struck out, and he was supported by Mr. Forster—(cheers)—in a speech of remarkable earnestness and ability. But Mr. Gathorne Hardy deter- mined to divide the House, and when he did so Mr. Gladstone, followed by all the Ministers, was the first to record his vote against the amendments. (Cheers.) -He was glad to say that Mr. Russell Gurney, one of the ahlest criminal lawyers of our times, had recorded his vote against Lord Cairns's clause. (Cheers.) So long as be (Mr. Mundella) had the honour of sitting in Parliament, although he was frequently charged with com- munism, he should always stand up for the equality of master and workmen. (Cheers ) Mr. Auberon Herbert, M.P., stated that the business of the country would not go on well until an alteration was made in the mode of conducting the business of the House of Commons. He trusted that the people would take up the question of the hours and seasons at which the House should sit. He was quite certain that they could not do their work well until there was an important change in this respect. (Cheers.) The Congress at this stage adjourned for an hour. After the adjournment the vice-Chairman brought up the report of the Committee appointed to arrange the conduct of business, Which, on the motion of Mr. Cremer, was agreed to. Mr. Grule then continued the discussion on the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, a measure which, he said, was most obnoxious to t1 o working classes. Mr. Wood, of Manchester, said the Act re-enacted the worst phases of the Acts of the Georges. Mr. George Potter said he did not suppose that a more important question would come before the Congress dur- ing its present sitting. He fully recognised the ser- vices of Mr. Mundella in connection with the question, and he also recognised the want of unanimity on the part of those Liberal members which had fostered on them an Act which was most inju- rious to the artisans of England. If Lord Elcho and other Conservatives who professed so much on be- half of the working men, had followed Mr. llussell Gurney into the lobby against Lord Cairns, the clause of picketing would be legal now. The London Committee had done all they could to make the Act a settlement of the vexed question; but they had failed because the members for large constituencies knew that too frequently Trades Unions were but ropes of sand, and that they had no backbone. They talked of what Parlia- ment should do, but why should not the working men do it" themselves ? (Cheers.) The Government knew their influence; why were they separated now from the people by a special Act of Parliament, passed hy the people's Parliament and by the "people's William, "which was derogatory to the interest of workmen. Let them speak out like men, and back up their interests by actions, but this they would never do until they all were thoroughly agreed. Now they wanted the Act repealed. For several years they had wanted an Act passed, and now they had got one passed that was a lash to their own backs. He contended that the common law was amply sufficient to deal with all infringements of the law by trades unionists and urged the importance of calling upon members to vote for its immediate repeal; for unless it were done away with, they would be in a worse position than before the act was passed. The discussion was continued by Mr. Thomas, of Lon- don Mr. Arlton, of Oldham; Mr. Halliday, of the Northern Counties Miners; Mr. Bailey, Vice-Chairman; and Mr. Graham, of Bolton. After some further discussion the resolution was carried unanimously. The Congress then adjourned.
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—— The committee of the Newspaper Press Fund has made a very liberal grant to the Mark Lemon Fund. The South Staffordshire ironworkers 'have resolved to refer their wages disputes in future to a joint committee of employers and workmen. The health of Mazzini is improving, but his con- valescence is likely to be long, as he is in a very weak state. There were great rejoicings at Glenarm and on other parts of the Antrim estates in celebration of the coming of vsge of the Earl of Antrim on Monday. At the Old Bailey on Tuesday the grand jury re- turned a true bill against the Rev. John Wood, of Whalley Range, Accrington, Lancashire, on a charge of forcing an authority for payment of £210. THE BRIGHTON RITUAL CAsE.Further pro- ceedings have been commenced against the Rev. John Purchas, the perpetual curate of St. James's Church, Brighton. It will be remembered that the Judicial Com- mittee reported to her Majesty that Mr. Purchas, who was proceeded against in the Arches' Court, had offended in several matters against the laws ecclesiastical in the Holy Communion service as to the vestments worn. On the 10th of May last the jurlgmcntof the Judicial Committee was con- firmed by her Majesty by an Order in Council. A monition was served on Mr. Purchas to abstain from similarpractices, and from affidavits now filed before the Judicial Com- mittee it was complained that Mr. Purchas had not abstained a.s directed. The costs of the appeal, as well as the costs in the court below, had not been paid as ordered. The costs amounted ^to £ 2,096 14s. lOd. as taxed, and payment demanded. Ihe money had not been paid, and the Judicial Committee was prayed to enforce both motions. No day lias as yet been appointed for the hearing of the application. FKEE TRADE IN THEATRES.—In an article com- menting upon the excision by the Examiner of Plays of certain expressions from the pantomimes, the Daily NCACS says :—"It is, we believe, the impression of Lord Sydney and the Lord Chamberlain's office generally, that there has been no change in their policy with regar-d to licensing new houses but every one else who has any knowledge of this subject is aware that since the inquiry of 1866 there has been practically far less disposition on the part of the Chamberlain to exercise his veto in this matter. Any way, the number of West-end theatres, which before that date had remained stationary for many years, has since then about doubled. The Queen's, the Globe, the Gaiety, the Charing Cross, the Holborn Amphitheatre, the Royal Court, the Vaudeville, and the Opera Comique, have all been built since that period. Nothing is ever heard now about the re- quirements of the neighbourhood being already amply supplied "—once a familiar phrase of the Chamberlain's office. On the contrary, three new theatres have been allowed in the Strand, besides two more within a stone's throw of that thoroughfare. The new Vaudeville theatre is absolutely only half-a-dozen doors from the Adelphi, while the walls of the Globe and Opera Comique actually touch each other—pretty good proofs these that free trade in the building of the theatres is for the preeent at least the fashion of the Lord Chamberlain's office; and it is worth noting that step by step with this change the music-halls have declined; while the most important of them have voluntarily con- verted themselves into theatres, under the Lord Cham- berlain's sanction." THE LATE COLLISION IN THE CHANNEL.—The inquiry lately held at the Greenwich Police-court into the circumstances attending the collision between the French barque Costa Rica and the British ship Windsor Castle, has terminated. Mr. Maude delivered the following judgment :—The Court have not the slightest hesitation in acquitting the master of the Windsor Castle of all blame in the collision with the Costa llica. There could be no doubt how the wind blew at the time, and that the Windsor Castle was on the starboard tack, and the Costa Rica on the port tack. It therefore became the well known duty of the Windsor Castle to hold on her course, and the Costa. Rica to keep clear of her. There was no difficulty in the Costa Rica doing this, for it is admitted by her;crew that she saw the red light of the Windsor Castle in sufficient time, and was aware of the tack on which that ship was sailing. It remains, therefore, for the court to consider whether the master of the Windsor Castle has rendered himself liable for any misconduct or default under the latter part of the 33rd section of the Merchant Shipping Act, 18G2. Taking all the surrounding circumstances into consideration, and without going into details as to the various manoeuvres which were possible for the purpose of enabling the master of the Windsor Castle to remain near the scene of the disaster, the Court is quite satisfied upon the evidence that there was no wilful neglect in rendering assistance to the Costa Rica, and that any failure so to do may, under the special cir- cumstances of difficulty in which he was placed, be reason- ably excused, and therefore acquits him of any misconduct or default. The Court make no observation as to the mode in which the boats were kept onboard the Windsor Castle as they consider that the subject id not within their pro vince in the present inquiry."
DEAN STANLEY IN THE KIRK.
DEAN STANLEY IN THE KIRK. In the course of his sermon at Edinburgh, Dean Stanley referred to the illness of the Prince of Wales in the follow- ing mannerFew could have failed to be struck by the sudden transformation and elevation of the whole British nation into a people with one heart and one soul by the recent combination of personal compassion and national sentiment called out by the anxiety for the safety of the heir to the British throne. Such an example is a likeness— a fine likeness—of what might be effected by a loyal and universal enthusiasm on behsfif of the great prin- ciples of truth, justice and benevolence which are the true objects of the devotion of Christendom. The age of the Crusades, for which Robert Bruce sought to give his heart's blood, is past and gone but there are causes of Christian charity holier than that for which the Crusaders fought which might well call forth more than the Crusaders' chivalry. The Solemn League and Covenant is dead and buried, but the new commandment, which bids us unite instead of dividing, and build up instead of destroying, is a league far more sacred, and a covenant far more binding than any which your forefathers ever signed with their blood or followed to death or victory. The famous confession of faith which issued from the Jerusalem Chamber of Westminster in the seventeenth century, as an expression of the whole Church and nation of Great Britain, noble and aspiring though it be in some respects beyond all other confessions of Protestant Europe, is yet not for a moment to be compared with the uniting and sanctifying force of the vast Christian Eng- lish literature which in the nineteeth century has become the real bond and school of the nation, beyond the power of educational or ecclesiastical agitations to exclude or to pervert.
ELECTIONEERING DIFFICULTIES…
ELECTIONEERING DIFFICULTIES IN THE FAR NORTH. A correspondent at Wick writes:—"Mr. Pender, of Manchester, one of the candidates for the representation of the Wick Burghs, has for the last few days been prosecuting his canvass in Kirkwall, the capital of the Orkney Islands. As Mr. Laing, the other candidate, is a native of Kirkwall, Mr. Pender has encountered more opponents than friends in that ancient burgh; but, nevertheless,^ met with a warm reception on the occasion of his public meeting, on Friday evening, and a resolution in his favour was carried by a majority. Mr. Laing suddenly and unexpectedly appeared the same evening m Dingwall, the southernmost burgh of the group, and his friends are well pleased with the result of his can- vass there. It is no easy matter in mid-winter to canvass in these northern latitudes a group of six burghs, scattered over five counties. Kirkwall, in the county of Orkney, is distant fully 160 miles from Dingwall, in the county'of Ross, and travelling from the one to the other necessitates a sea voyage of 40 miles, and nearly 60 miles by coach from Thurso on the extreme north of Caithness-shire to Helms- dale in Sutherlandshire, which as yet forms the terminus of the railway system, The intermediate burghs are Wick, in the county of Caithness; Dornoch, in the county of Sutherland Cromarty, in Cromartyshire and Tain, in the county of Ross. The total constituency is 1,441, of which Wick furnishes 427; Kirkwall, 3S1; Dor- noch. 74 Cromarty, 64 Tain, 277 and Dingwall, 218. But for the obnoxious ratepaying clause, the Wick electoral roll would contain at least 1,100 names; and almost every one of the disfranchised, consisting chiefly of the "usher" class, heartily sympathises with Mr. Pender. Next year care will be taken that they qualify by paying their rates and in the event of Mr. Laing winning just now, he would assuredly be beaten by a large majority at the next general election. In Kirkwall Mr. Laing will poll three-fourths of the electors, and in Wick rather more than a half; but in the Sutherland, Ross, and Cromarty burghs Mr. Pender will have a majority, his friends believe, more than sufficient to counterbalance Mr. Laing's majorities in Wick and Kirkwall.— Manchester Examiner.
ITHE PHOENIX PARK ACTIONS.
THE PHOENIX PARK ACTIONS. The Marquis of Hartington Mr. Burke, under secre- tary and Colonel Lake, commissioner of police, on Mon- day filed their respective answers to interrogatories ad- ministered to them in the action of Patrick Justin O'Byrne against them for assault on the occasion of the dispersion of the amnesty meeting in the Phoenix Park on the 6th of August. The Marquis of Hartington says in effect that on the evening of the 5th of August, being in- formed of the intended meeting, he orally expressed his opinion officially that if there was a lawful right to pre- vent it that right ought to be exercised. He interfered no further in the matter, and was not aware until after the 6th August that instructions had been given on the subject by Mr. Burke to the police authorities. Mr. Burke says he handed a written minute to ColonelJLake and Colonel M'Kerlie, chairman of the Board of Works, that the Lord Lieutenant would not allow the meeting to be held, and handed Colonel M'Kerlie the draft of the prohibitory notice. He acted merely in his official capacity, and in order to give effect to the Lord-Lieu- tenant's previous command. Colonel Lake says that on the evening of the 5th August he caused a copy. of an order written by himself, in reference to the meeting, to be delivered to each of the seven police superintendents, but submits that he is not bound to disclose the contents of that order. He was in the park on Sunday up to three o'clock, and seeing no appearance of a meeting, went away, thinking the prohibition would be respected. At five o'clock, in his office, he was informed of the riot, and he ordered all available remaining police to the park, and went there himself as quickly as he could. On his arrival, the riot was over, and he saw no violence used by or towards the police.
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At the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday, George Shaw pleaded guilty to a charge of feloniously forging an order for the delivery of a number of toilet quilts from divers persons. The prisoner, who stated that he was related to the proprietors of several eminent firms in Yorkshire and Lancashire, was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. It is stated that an-historical work, from the pen of an illustrious foreigner now residing in England, will be published within a few days. It will contain a careful compilation of official documents, and will furnish some startling revelations about the French military system previous to and during the late war. The Committee on Pensions, appointed by a congress of National School Teachers recently held in Dublin, have made a report recommending teachers to consent to a deduction of 5 per cent. from their salaries towards the formation of a superannuation fund, which Government should be asked to supplement. They re- gard this as the only practicable mode, and refer to the example of the constabulary in support of it. ACCIDENT TO THE TURKISH AMBASSADOR IN RUSSIA.—The Journal de St. Pitersboimj of the 3rd inst. gives an account of an accident from which Rustem Pasha is at present suffering. It appears that his excel- lency, who was out bear hunting, fired at a bear, which he missed, and which at once sprang- upon him, tearing his face with its claws, and biting him severely in the leg. While the pasha was endeavouring to defend him- self with his dagger, a servant of Baron Thielemann, attache to the German Embassy, put an end to the fierce struggle by a fortunate shot, which laid the bear lifeless. His Excellency Rustem Pasha though suffering much pain, is not considered to be in danger, but it is as yet impossible to say when lie will be likely to be restored to perfect health. THE METHODS OF TEACHING CHILDREN, AC- CORDING TO MR. SPTJRGEON.—Mr. Spurgeon on Monday evening addressed 3,000 Sunday-school teachers at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. After advising his hearers to work earnestly, Mr. Spurgeon went #on to say that it used to be the custom in preaching ser- mons to make a practical conclusion, in order to catch sinners. He used to preach in that way himself, until he found that the sinners expected the conclusion, and got themselves ready for it. He now made a practical application instead, and brought it in where they least expected it, and caught them unawares. He thought that children in the same way composed themselves on Sunday to get religious advice. But if they could only catch them when they were not looking for it—when they were at play, God's word would then sink into their hearts. That was the way the work should be done. He thought those people taught children best who were themselves most like children—not like in their folly, but in their simplicity. People were often seen try in e to teach child- ren, as it were by moonlight, in a cold and repellent manner—teaching them at a distance, and carrying their lambs not in their arms, but wi'th a pair of tongs. THE LADY MEDICAL STUDENTS AT EDINBURGH. —The University Court of Edinburgh on Monday con- sidered the proposals in reference to th#medical education of women, which have been- brought before it by Miss Jex Blake and Miss Louisa Stevenson. The court have now rejected the rroposnb, on the ground that two of them involved action beyond the authority of the court, and that the third involved the question of graduation, which the court did not feel competent to decide. The resolution in which this decision was embodied went on to state that the court are nevertheless desirous to remove, so far as possible, any present obstacle in the way of a complete medical education being given to women, provided al- ways that medical instruction to women be imparted to strictly separate classes. If the applicant* in the present case would be content to seek the examination of women by the University for certificates of proficiency in medi- cine, such as are granted by the London University, instead of for university degrees, the court believe that arrangements for accomplishing this object would fall within the scope of the powers given to them by Act of Parliament, and they would be willing to consider any arrangement which might be submitted to them. THE MARRIAGE Vow.—At the meeting of the Victoria Discussion Society on Monday night, Dr. Brewer, M.P., in the chair, Mr. J. T. Hoskins spoke on female su!frage, and contended that courts of justice should have some discretionary power relative to the disputed custody of children that in return for domestic services rendered by the wife to the husband, the latter should be compelled to provide for her maintenance in cases where the wife had no adequate fortune of her own; that, partly with the view of preventing the terrible waste of infant life, the half time system should be applied to all married women working in factories, or engaged in agricul- tural labour. He then gave several reasons for an alteration of the terms of the marriage con- tract by the substitution of the word "assist" for the word "obey;" but he criticised Mr. Jacob Bright's bill, urging that as hardly any intelligent married woman would be enfranchised under its operation, it tended rather to create invidious distinctions between those who had husbands and those who had not. Let the vote emanate from the home, in accordance with the principles of house- hold suffrage, husband or wife voting, the latter only in the absence of, or with the written permission of her hus- band, who would thus be for political purposes a sort of ftanior partner in the matrimonii firm. BREAKFAST.—Eprs's COCOA.—GRATEFUL AND COM- FORTING.—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutri- tion, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills."—Civil Sen-ire Gazette. Made simply with Boiling Water or Milk. Each packet is labelled—"JAMF.S Epps and Co.. Homoeopathic Che- mists, London." Also, makers of Epps's Milky Cocoa (Cocoa and Condensed Milk). 1384
MISCELLANEOUS.n . ti
MISCELLANEOUS. n ti Nai Bin Surawongse, a young Siamese nobleman, cousin of the Supreme King of Siam, is on a visit to Sir John Bowring at Claremont, Exeter. The Presbyterians have started a project to raise L'10,000. to provide additional accomodation for worship in Ireland. Cardinal Cullen has issued an earnest pastoral t against intemperance, which lie says is on the increase in t Ireland. Journals of all classes commend this discourse. The first of an annual set of art exhibitions, held in Liverpool last autumn, resulted in a perfect sue- v cess. The total receipts were £ 1,4S1, leaving a profit of t .WOO. a Mr. Beeby, the Accountant-General of the Navy, u who has been in the public service for the lengthened period of forty-five years, has intimated to Mr. Goschen r his desire to resign on the 31st of March. v Herr Beschutz, a member of the Jewish com- J munity of Berlin, has presented the new congregational Orphan Asylum, founded by Herr Reichenheim, with c the munificient sum of 60,000 thalers. ( £ 9,000).—Jewish Chronicle. ( The Metropolitan District Committees of the J Charity Organisation Society dealt with 1,541 cases during the five weeks ending December 30, 1871; 578 were dis- s missed; 528 were referred to legal and charitable agencies; and 435 were assisted by grants, loans, employment, &c. At a special meeting of the Town Council of Huddersfield, it was resolved to purchase from s the gas company of that place their gas works, at the cost of £ 150,400, and votes were passed | authorising loans to complete the purchase. A marriage is announced to take place in the v spring between the Baron Faverst de Kerbreck, chef d'escadron of the 1st French Dragoons, late equerry of 1 the Emperor Napoleon, and Miss Adela Seymour, the only child of Mr. George Edward Seymour, of Forest Hill Park, Windsor. The Bishop of Manchester has appointed Mr. 1 Richard Copley Christie, of Manchester, barrister-at-law, ( M.A., of Lincoln College, Oxford, to the office of chan- cellor of the diocese of Manchester, vacant by the resig- nation of the Worshipfur Augustus Frederic Bayfcrd, LL.D. A letter is published from Garibaldi, dated Capreia, December 15," addressed to Signor Filoponti, who is called Professor of the Infinite," in which that gentleman is assured of the writer's support to a journal which lie seems to have started with the title of the Universe. Sir John Pakington will distribute the prizes to the students of the City of London College on Tuesday evening, the 23rd instant, when an illuminated address, expressing the esteem of the Council of the Institution, will also be presented to Sir John Lubbock, M.P. Never was the college in a more flourishing condition. The only thing required is a new building commensurate with the increasing wants, and there is every hope that this will soon be provided. CHURCH OF IRELAND SUSTENTATION FUND.— Another of the City Companies has contributed to the support of the Church of Ireland, the Mercers' Company having voted a donation of £ 1,500 to the Derry Diocesan Fund, on the sole condition that it shall be devoted to the sustentation of the Church in five parishes in that diocese. Sir Thomas Tilson has also contributed the liberal don- ation of £250. A "WORTHY" MAYOR.—Alderman T. Davies, ex-Mayor of Salford, has been presented with a testimonial, consisting of 1,000 guineas and an address, tn acknowledgment of the public services rendered by him during his mayoralty. The presentation was made in behalf of the subscribers by Sir Elkanah Armitage. In acknowledging the testimonial, Alderman Davies said it would enable him to indulge in the only luxury he cared for, and that was helping his friends present in works of charity and benevolence. THE CHOLERA.—The London Gazette says that the Right Honourable the Lords of the Com- mittee of Privy Council for Trade have received a copy of a quarantine notice of the Portuguese Government declaring the coast of Syria infected with cholera morbus, and the Regency of Tripoli, in Barbary, suspected of the same malady, from the 30th November last; also of a further notice declaring the e 1 orts of the Danube, the Port of Archangel, and the other ports of the Gulf of Dwina, infected with cholera morbus from the 1st November last. EXTRAORDINARY MUNIFICENCE.—Our readers may remember that we lately announced the death of an eccentric old lady named Reid, to whom belonged the houses which have been so long left tenantless and dis- mant ed m Stamford-street and Snow-hill. It was then stated that she had bequeathed her property to the Brompton Consumption Hospital, but no estimate could be formed of the amount of which she had died possessed. It has since been found that it will reach at least S110 000 and it is believed that even this immense sum will be ex- ceeded when the overdue rents and other sums due to the testatrix are collected.-Timcs. THE MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION OF ALCOHOL.- Mr. P. H. Gilbey writes again to the Times respecting alcohol. This time he says that the consumption of spirits per head is exactly the same now as it was fifteen years ago, but that the actual quantity consumed annually has increased with the increase of population. The con- sumption of wines and malt liquors has, however, in- creased at a much greater ratio. But taking the whole of the alcoholic liquors together that are consumed in Eng- land, Mr. Gilbey thinks that if by some extraordinary means a judicious distribution of these injurious mixtures could be effected, the habitual consumption in our house- holds would not be in excess of real requirements. CIRCASSIAN EXILES. -Ghazi Mehemet Effendi, son of the late celebrated Circassian chief Schamyl, has come to take Mphis permanent abode at Stamboul. He has hitherto been living, by direction of the Russian Govern- ment, at Kieff, but the Emperor A lexander not only granted the permission he asked to change his residence to Turkey, but allotted him a pension for life of 5,000 roubles ( £ SOO sterling) per annum for himself and 1,000 roubles (£160 sterling) for his children, and presented him with the sum of 10,000 roubles ( £ 1,000 sterling) to defray his travelling expenses. Ghazi Mehemet Effendi arrived in Constants nople with his family by the last Odessa steamer, and is now residing m a konak in a quarter known as the Korka. quarter of Stamboul.—Levant Herald. THE DISPUTED CREED.—" A London Incum- bent." who describes himself as '"a staunch and life-Ion, defender of the Athanasian Creed," who is thoroughly convinced of its Scriptural truth, and its consistency with good logic, §ouiid morality, and Christian charity, writes to advocate its removal from the public services of the Church. His reason for doing this is his conviction of the hopeless- ness of convincing his congregation of the real merits and meaning of the Creed. Again and again during a ministry of forty years he has explained and upheld the Creed both in the pulpit and in private conversations; but the result is that all the old objections spring up again as fresh and vigorous as ever. Ihis "obstinate rebellion and lamenta- ble incapacity has persuaded him that it would be better to remove the Creed to the Articles. PROPOSED MEMORIAL TO BARONESS BURDETT CorTTs.-A preliminary meeting in furtherance of the movement, promoted chiefly by the working men of the Last End of London, for the erection of a suitable memo- rial in honour of Baroness Burdett Coutts, was held on rriday afternoon in the Vestry-room of Christ's Church, Spitalfields. The Rev. Samuel Bardsley the rector of the_ parish, occupied the chair.— The Rev. Chairman, in opening the proceedings, warmly eulogised the munificence of Baroness Coutts, more especially in Betlmal-green and Spitalfields and said he had no doubt that sufficient funds would readily be raised to carry to completion such a laudable desire. The Lev. Mr. M'Gaghen said he wished it to be cleaily undei stood that the present movement was not got up by a few parsons, but it was proposed by persons quite irrespective of the clerical element- one desire being to recognise the general good which Baroness Coutts had done to a vast number of the population. Several working men spoke warmly in favour of the proposed memorial, and the general feeling expressed was, that if the matter were propeny carried on there would he no difficulty in rais- ing a sum quite sufficient in Bethnal-green and Spital- fwJds for such a good and noble object. It was then re- solved to hold a number of district meetings in the two paushes in furtherance of the object, some of which were to be so arranged as to give the working men an v in,,™^ attending. It was also determined to in- in the meetin™ Corporation of London to take part THE SHOCKING IMURDER BY A MOTHER IN CIPAR-FIFE. Ihe Scotsman gives the following particu- lars of the shocking case of child murder com- mitted in Cupar-Fife. Since Martinmas last one- half of the second floor of a dwelling-house on the west side of Union-street has been occupied by a man named Paterson, Agnes Laing, his wife, and Mary Ann, their daughter, six or seven years old. About half-past nine o'clock on Wednesday, while the husband was at his work, a driver of a scavenger's cart, a widower, also named Paterson, who occupies the other half of the flat, heard, while in his own house, his neighbour's child give a loud cry or scream. He sent in his own child to see what was the matter, but Mrs. Paterson shut the door, and did not admit her. The messenger, however, had seen, on looking in, that the girl was lyin-jf on the floor, and she returned and told her father so. Paterson shortly afterwards went in, and saw the poor child lying on her side, with part of her clothing on, apparently dead, and the blood pouring from a fearful gash in her throat. He at once alarmed the neighbours, who ran to the house, and sent word to the police, the doctors, and the woman's husband. Mrs. Palfrey, who occupies the lower flat of the house, on entering the room found Mrs. Paterson in bed in an excited condition, and accused her of having killed her child, which the mother denied. When the poor husband arrived and saw the state of matters, be became very much enraged against his wife, and had to be restrained by the neighbours. The police were soon in attendance, but by the time they arrived Mrs. Paterson had become almost insensible, apparently from drink. The husband's razor, covered with blood, was found on a chest of drawers. It appears that, about twenty minutes before ten o'clock, Mrs. Paterson went to Mr. Low's shop in Kirkgate, and got a. gill of whisky in a bottle. Her hands being bloody, she remarked to the girl who supplied her with the spirits that she had been cutting a stick, and had accidentally cut her hand severely. An empty bottle, with blood on the outside, was found by the police on the bed be- side the woman. It is said that the murdered girl had for a long time been afraid of her mother, and was un- willing to remain with her in the house, except when her father was in. The affair has created a great deal of ex- f^tement in Cupar, and much sympathy has been felt for the father. SMALLPOX, SCARLATINA.—To ward off an attack of these dangerous maladies, or to purify, disinfect, and sweeten the body after an attack, use the COAL TAR SOAP, Wright's Sapo-Carbonis Detergens. Itremovesallpimples, blotches, and roughness from the skin.'and imparts to it freshness, fragrance, and smoothi.jss. Recommended by the Lancet The Medical Times, and Medical Journal. Sold by all Chemists, Perfumers, and Grocers, in Tablets, 6d. and Is. Chemists, Perfumers, and Grocers, in Tablets, 6d. and Is. each. W. V. WRIGHT and Co., Southwark, London. 1538 His Majesty the King of Italy has conferred npon Sir Daniel Adolphus Lange, F.R.G.S. and F.S.A., the Order of Knight of the Crown of Italy. A large wreath of holly, mistletoe, and laurel has been placed this Christmas, by an unknown hand, upon the tomb of Charles Dickens in Westminster Abbey. Several Spanish papers recommend the Foreign Minister to enter into negotiation with England for re- duced duties on the Peninsular wines at the opportunity that will be afforded by the revision of our commercial treaties with France. At a meeting at Todmorden on Saturday evening Mr. Joshua Fielden, M.P., made allusion to the recent war between France and Prussia, and said he was satisfied that the statesman who proclaimed that he was for peace at any price would bring war sooner or later upon the nation. At Hanley, on Sunday morning, a woman named Len- nard was using bad language to a girl named Hends, whose mother came out to remonstrate with Lennard. The latter struck Mrs. Hends a blow between the shoul- ders. The old woman stumbled back into the house and died in a few hours. Dean Stanley preached on Sunday afternoon in Old Greyfrairs Church, Edinburgh, to a crowded congre- gation. The Dean chose for his text St. John xiii., v. 34— "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." Dr. Wallace read the prayers and lessons for the day. A nurse named Baites has been charged at Bow- street with stealing £40, the property of a Mrs. Barry, whom she had attended during an illness which termi- nated fatally. The deceased was given to hiding her money behind picture frames, and on her death £ 40 were alleged to be missing. It was contended that the son-in-law, not having administered, was not in a position to prosecute. The woman was committed for trial, but admitted to bail. THE REPORTED ACCIDENT NEAR YORK. — The report which has appeared in the papers of a bridge and boat accident, with the loss of eleven lives, at Alder- wark, near York, is a hoax, and is supposed to have been concocted to call attention to the insecure state of the bridge. PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR OF WALES. — Monday being the eighth anniversary of the birth of Prince Albert Victor of Wales, the eldest son of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, the day was celebrated at Windsor by the ringing of bells and the firing of a royal salute in the Long Walk. The young Prince is at present at Windsor on a visit to her Majesty. RUSSIA AND GERMANY.—The Moscov: Gazette says that the abundant resources of Germany would enable her to create within a short time a fleet with which the English fleet alone could cope, and that this fleet, joined to the fortifications of Kiel, would reduce the Russian fleet in the Baltic to a complete inaction. To prevent this the Gazette advocates the neutralization of Denmark and the reintegration with that country with Northern Sleswick and with Diippel and Alsen, according to article 5 of the Treaty of Prague. ALLEGED MURDER IN BIRMINGHAM. At about eleven o'clock on Sunday night, at the house of Mrs. Davis, 45, Adam-street, Aston-road, Birmingham, a lodger named Francis Thomas, 54 years old, a paper hanger, killed his fellow-lodger, named Thomas Smith, a carpenter, by striking him on the head with an axe, whilst in bed, death ensuing instantly. Thomas at once ^camped, and Superintendent ]\Ianton and Detective Kibler went in pursuit; hut he shortly gave himself up to the ponce, and. was locked up. The cause of the crime, itissitid, was a slight grudge that Thomas had against his victim over some trifling matter connected with his trade. THJi CHARGE AGAINST A BARONET'S SON.-At the Old Bailey, Mr. Michael David Sibbald Scott, aged 21, the son of a baronet, was indicted for alleged conspiracy with l)amm Kerl Price Clerk to obtain goods to the value of £ 300 from Mr. Frodsham, a watchmaker, with intent to defraud. Mr. Montagu Williams said at the time the prisoners were before the magistrate the prosecutor ex- pressed his wish to withdraw, but he was not allowed to do so, and Mr. Scott and Mr. Price were committed for trial. The counsel on both sides were now convinced that a conviction could not be obtained, and he (Mr. Williams) applied that the recognisances might be dis charged. The application was granted. DEATH OF MR. GILLOTT, THE PENMAKER. Mr. Joseph Gillott, the eminent steel pen manufacturer died of pleurisy on Friday, at his residence, Westbourne- road, Edgbaston. He was the first to use machinery for making steel pens. Originally agrinder at Sheffield, his first employment was that of steel toy or tool making. His attention, however, was soon directed to steel pens, which were then made by hand in very limited quantities at a cost of about 3s. 6d. each. The present annual produc- tion at Mr. Gillott's factory is estimated at 150,000,000 per annum, and the number of workpeople employed450. Mr. Gillott was a liberal art patron and collector, and leaves behind him one of the finest private galleries in the country, valued at from £80,000 to kloo,000, containing many works of Etty, Turner, David Cox, Linnell David Roberts, Leslie, Ward, Wilkie, Muller, William Hunt, Maclise, Collins, and Frith. Mr. Gillott leaves eight children, who are all arrived at manhood, and a large fortune chiefly invested in land and real estate. EXECUTION AT GLOUCESTER.—Frederick Jones, aged 21, was hanged at eight o'clock on Monday morning by Calcraft, in Gloucester Gaol. He died almost without a struggle. He cut the throat of a young woman named Emily Gardner, to whom he had been paying his addresses. The crime was committed on a Sunday night, in a dark lane, after which he. went home, and said where the body would be found His statement then was that the girl first attacked him, and that he got the razor from her and cut her throat. Since his conviction he has made along statement wherein he admits that he was jealous of the girl, and he himself took out the razor, that as she would not say that she cared for him he cut her throat, fell on the ground with her and then inflicted the other wounds. He also admitted that the wound on his face was self inflicted he having tried to commit suicide; but his heart failed him. lie has been very penitent. THE GUARANTEES OF THE MILITARY ACCOUNTS. The London correspondent of the Scotsman telegraphs the following With reference to the question of the secu- rity of those military accountants who were until lately guaranteed by the European Assurance Society, I am credibly informed that the War Office and Treasury authorities have at length resolved to continue the plan of assurance by means of public companies, and three societies are spoken of as accepted by the Government. The military accountants interested will have cause for congratulation that they are not necessarilv driven to have recourse to one society only; the competition induced by the accep- tance of three companies tending, of course, to keep down the exorbitant premiums which might otherwise have been demanded. The business is evidently a lucrative one. I will send you the names of the companies accepted as soon as I can ascertain them positively." A YEAR'S EMIGRATION FROM LIVERPOOL.— A return of the emigration from the Mersey during the past year shews a considerable increase in the number of eniigrants as compared with the year 1870. This augmenta- tion arises principally from the emigration of foreigners. The number of Irish and Scotch emigrants has diminished. This diminution may, however, be accounted for by the fact that an increased number of vessels sail for Canada and the United States from the Clyde and from the north and south ports of Ireland. During the year the total number of emigrants leaving the Mersey for the United States was 134,885, of whom 68,509 were English, 2,4S3 Scotch, 26,414 Irish, and 37,479 foreigners. For the year, there emigrated to Canada 20,167 persons, of whom 14,427 were English, 4 Scotch, 40 Irish, and 5,696 foreigners. One ship only sailed to New Brunswick, carrying 7 cabin and 4 steerage passengers, of whom 10 were English and one Irish. To Victoria 789 sailed, of whom 457 were English, 10S Scotch, 151 Irish, and 73 foreigners. During 1871 the total number of passengers leaving the Mersey was 155,852, shewing an increase over 1870 of 3,154. Of vessels under and not under the Act there is also an in- crease of 49. THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS. The Marie Lane Express says:—The opening of the New Year brought frost, which was welcomed; but this proved very transient, and the past week was characterised byrainy nights and breezy days while at Sheffield the storm was attended with very startling shocks of earthquake. The soil, therefore, has been too wet to be worked, except on the driest and lightest lands. But the want of dry weather for newlv-thrashed samples has been more severely felt, and has told against the interest of the farmer at a time when he could do little more than sell his corn. As last year commenced the same way and was followed by an ungenial spring and deficient yield, the New Year does not bring much promise with its opening, but we may yet hope for sea.sonable weather. The fluc- tuations are already some cause of alarm in parts of Germany where they are habituated to a snow covering as a matter of course; but Hungary, it appears, still has this benefit, and much of Russia. The cold at Odessa. has been intense enough to freeze all the rivers and shut up many vessels in ports for a time. This, if continued, will have the effect of making our supplies later than was. expected but the fickleness of the weather may again cause their liberation, and we have since heard it has. The holidays and mild weather have had the effect of somewhat lowering prices abroad, but our own markets shew very early signs of recovery, as most places have been tending upwards; and the London trade at the close of the week partook of the feeling, so that about Is. per qr. over late rates was occasionally made, both for English and foreign samples of good quality. M^LAM HOLY AFFAIR IN HEREFORDSHIRE.—On Saturday, an inquest was held on the body of Thomas Price, for many years coachman in the service of the Misses Fletcher, Stansbach, near Leominster. It appeared from the evidehce that these ladies had staying with them a nephew, named Thomas Fairfax Fletcher Carlyle, a graduate of Oxford, son of a Shropshire clergyman. Be- tween twelve and one o'clock on the morning of the 23rd December, the attention of the Misses Fletcher was drawn to the excited state of Carlyle, who had been of irregular habits, and who was alone in his bedroom. Knowing that he had a double-barrelled breech-loader gun with him, Miss Eliza Fletcher went into the apart- ment, and noticing a wildness in her nephew's manner, and seeing the gun lying on the floor near him, she directed the housekeeper to call up the coachman. As Price entered the room, Carlyle, who was now standing near the fireplace, with the gun in his hand, said" Stand back, ce.' 'v Price, or I will she ot you," and put the gun to his shoulder. The gun struck the bedpost and fell to the floor. Price tried to secure it, but in another second Carlyle had it again to his shoulder, and as he pulled the trigger Price struck the barrel with his hand. The muzzle was thus depressed, and the charge lodged in the upper part of Price's right thigh. After some days mortification set in, and the unfortunate man died on Wednesday last. IThe jury returned a verdict of manslaughter, and the accused was committed for trial at the Hereford Assizes, Bail was accepted. Mr. Osborne Morgan, one of the representati, es for the county of Denbigh, ha^ announced his intention of bringing before Pa.rliain^nt the appointment <-if Mr. Homershaui Cox to the judgeship of one of the Welsh county courts. DUNVILLK & C. Belfast, are the largest holders oi whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is recom- mended b)' the medical profession in preference to Frencl brandy. Supplied in casks and cases for home use or ex I portation. Quotations on application to Messrs. DUN VILLE & Co., Royal Irish Distilleries, Belfast. 1730 A poem on the subject of the Prince of Waies's illness, from the pen of the Poet Laureate, is expected to appear in February. An effort is being made to establish a temperance hospital in London for the treatment of diseases, apart; from the ordinary administration of alcoholic liquors. The nameboards of two vessels, marked Marco Antonio and Annabisso," have been picked up off the Cornwall coast, with other wreckage. Mr. Fair grieve, the proprietor of WombwelFs Menagerie,, has resolved to abolish the practice of lion kings entering the cages of carnivorous animals. At Hull, on Tuesday morning, an inmate of the Scul- coates V\ orkliouse, named Hutting, strangled her child, a girl two years old. The mother— who has been arrested -is supposed to be insane. A telegram from Liverpool says there is no truth in the statement as to the grounding of the Algeria off New- foundland. She arrived at Newfoundland on the Gth all well but short of coals, and sailed for New York on Mon- day the 8th. The Indian troopship Euphrates, Captain Curme, has arrived at Portsmouth from Bombay and Malta with the 38th Regiment, besides invalids and time-expired men. A meeting, convened by circular, was held in Birmingham on Monday, to aid in the movement recently set on foot to restore the part of Warwick Castle recently destroyed by fire. JE450 was subscribed in the room. At a meeting held in London, Mr. M'Cullagh Torrens, M.P., has announced his retirement from the London School Board. He was tired of debates, he said, which led to nothing but increased rates. The Bolton School Board have resolved that the Bible shall be read in their schools without note or com- ment, that the Lord's Prayer shall be said daily, and that hymns shall be sung, selected from a hymn book to be ap- proved by the Board. The three companies whose bonds the Govern- ment have agreed to accept as security for public accoun- tants are the Guarantee Society, Birchin-lane the Provi- dent Clerks General Guarantee Association; and the London Guarantee and Accident Company. A fund has been started for the restoration of Crumpsall parish church, Manchester, which was so severely injured by a fire resulting from lightning on Thursday last. kl,200 has already been subscribed. The rebuilding will cost over £ 5,000. Mr. Mapleson, it is said, has signed a contract for the lease of Her Majesty's Theatre, which has not been opened since its rebuilding. Londoners will probably have a season of the Italian opera in the new house, com- mencing in April. Smallpox is alarmingly on the increase in Dub- lin. All the hospital accommodation is taken up. and a deputation has waited upon the Under-Secretary for Ire- land asking for assistance in providing more. The depu- tation was referred to the Lord-Lieutenant. The Rev. W. M. Taylor, M.A., of the Presby- terian congregation, Rootle. Liverpool, has accepted the charge of the Broadway Tabernacle. in New York. Mr. Taylor will, it is understood, receive a stipend of £ 900 from his new congregation. A Norwich correspondent states that an Im- perial Russian cornier has arrived this week at Sandring- ham House from St. Petersburg. It is understood that this courier was the bearer of some presents from the Emperor Alexander. The Archbishop of Canterbury having received the Queen's license for the consecration of the Rev. Alfred Willis, M.A., of St. John's College, Oxford, to the bishopric of Hawaii. Mr. Willis's consecration will take place at the chapel in Lambeth Palace on Friday the 2nd of February. In the London Gazette of Tuesday the gift of a baronetcy to the Right Hon. Alexander M'Donnell; the appointment of Mr. Quain as a judge of the Queen's Bench of Mr. Gregory as Governor of Ceylon; and of the University Commission, and the nomination of Vis- count Macduff to be Lieutenant and Sheriff principal of Elginshire, are all gazetted. The vacancy caused in the representation of the northern division of the West Riding was discussed at a meeting of the Liberal Registration Association held at Bradford on Monday evening. The names of Mr. Isaac Hold en, Mr. Ripley, Mr. M. Wilson, and Mr. Morrison were introduced but no decision will be come to until Monday next, when a special meeting of the association will be held. At the Salford Sessions, which commenced on Monday, Mr. J. T. Hibbert, M.P., who presided, read some statistics shewing a decrease in the number of com- mittals to prison during the past year. The same happy state of things is reported from various parts of the country: and one principal cause of this most satis- factory diminution of crime is said to be the abundance of work. The Manchester Examiner understands" the Privy Council has returned an affirmative answer to a petition from the authorities of University College, Oxford, which reduces the clerical fellowships at that college to two, and removes them from the resrion of sinecures. The step has been taken under the decision of the Privy Council in the case of Merton College." The death is announced of Captain Arthur Ormsby, who served in the Peninsula from March, 1809, until 1811, and in the campaign of 1815 with the 14th Regiment, and was present at the Battle of Waterloo and storming of Cambray, at which last place he was slig~; tly wounded. He served afterwards in the East Indies, and was present at the siege and capture of Hattrass, also in the Deccan campaign of 1817-18, and in the siege and capture of Bhurtpore. It is thought possible that the object of the visit of the Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lome to Cannes is to choose a residence and make preparations for the reception of the Prince of Wales. It is said that his Koyal. Highness will not be able to appear in public for a, long time to come, and it is expected by some that it will be late in the spring, or early in the summer, before he can receive in person the congratulations of the people on his recovery. His first public appearance, we have already stated, will be made in the City of London, and he will be entertained by the Lord Mayor and Corpora- tion at a banquet of more than ordinary splendour and magnificence.. SCIENCE AND THE SCHOOLMASTER.—Hitherto the bp'k of our public schoolmasters have fought against. scientific instruction on the alleged ground that they train their pupils, for the universities, where classics and mathe- matics are in demand. This fallacy to our mind betrays a singular estimate of the duties of a master. Now as only 20 per cent, of our public school men go to the universities, "t is it fair, is it honest, to the remaining 80 per cent., the majority of the pupils, that they should be sacrificed to the minority? Nor is this alL It is notorious that science is making its way at last in our universities, owing to the establishment of examinations, scholarships, and exhibi- tions in science and if so, what becomes of the plea, that there is no demand for science at the universities, as an argument against its introduction at school? Again, we speak from experience in classical tuition when we affirm that a very small minority of boys are capable of becoming classical scholars in a high degree, and that a classical education, while it is the very training most wanted for minds most suited to it. ut- terly neglects all the powers possessed bv some minds, and some of the powers of all minds. To a few minds, perhaps to one in a thousa- d. richly gifted by nature, a classical training is of infinite value"; but in the case of the remaining 999, we believe its pursuit beyond a certain degree is a sheer waste of time.—School Board Chronicle. The IVar Office has directed the publication of the reports prepared by Colonel C. Chesney, R.E., and Major Stotherd, R.E., respecting the military systems of France and Italy within the last two years. Sir Richard "Wallace contradicts the statements of the GauTois that he had returned to Paris, or had ar- ranged to plant the Bois de Boulogne. He can only attri- bute the rumour to the inexhaustible ingenuity of the French Press in fabricating canards." At 9.50onTuesdaymorning, her Majesty the Queen left "Windsor Castle, accompanied by Prince Leopold, Princess Beatrice, the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and a numerous suite, and drove to tlie Great Western Railway Station, where a special train was in readiness to convey the royal party to Gosport. The royal train left the Windsor Station at ten o'clock. Her Majesty will remain at the Isle of Wight till the end of the month. "THE COUNT DE MAURIGY."—Harry Benson, olio* the Count de Maurigy, who is charged with obtaining £ 1.000 from the late Lord Mayor, out of the Mansion House Relief Fund, under the pretence that it was for distribu- tion among the French sufferers in the late war, still lies in Newgate, suffering severely from the burns supposed to have been,inflieterl with the intent to commit suicide. On this ground, application was made to the Deputy-Recorder at the Old Bailey to postpone the trial until next session. The application was granted NOVEL PROSECUTION AT BOLTON.—At the County Po- lice Court, Bolton, William Platt, farmer, of Braushaw, has just been summoned for having neglected, a£"er due notice from the surveyor, "to cut, prime, and trim to the height of six feet from the surface of the ground all the hedges belonging to him. "—Mr. S. Lomax, the surveyor, said the condition of defendant's hedges was such as to limit the facilities of passage along the footpath, in one place only about two feet of room being left. —Defendant, who pleaded guilty, was ordered to trim liis hedges within ten days, and to pay the costs. A LADY SWINDLER.—At the Birmingham Borough Sessions, on Monday, Mary Ann Furneaux was found guilty of obtaining several sums of money by Use pretences from Theodosia Underwood. The prisoner had carried on an extensive system of fraud by representing that she was a relative of the Countess of Lanesborough, and that she was en- titled to a fortune of several thousands of pounds. Detective-sergeant Cooper stated that there were many charges against her-two of obtaining sums of £ 100 from gentlemen in Staffordshire, which could not be inquired into at the present sessions. The Recorder sentenced her to twelve months' imprisonment, and intimated that she might be tried for the other offences on the completion of her present term. If there are any Ladies who have not yet the GLENFIELD STARCH, they are respectfully solicits) to give it a trial, and carefully follow out the fUrecticuf printed on every package, and, if this is done, the}' will say, like the Queen's Laundress, it is the Hne-t r*farcb they ever used. When you ask for GLENFILI-O STARCH see that you get it. as inferior kinds are often substituted for the sake of extra profit. Beware therefore of spurious imi- tations. 131 SIMPSON'S CATTLE SFICF„—This S'-ASCVUIA: P.OVD-I- to sprinkle amongst the food far horses. ee>w$, calves, fatting cattle, sheep, pigs.fr. poultry, is the first article ever sold as Cattle Spice," and ten times stronger than any imita- tion its wonderful effects are proved all over the world— Sold retail in halfpenny packets, and sixpenny packets, by grocers, drugjrirts, aud corn dealers everywhere, with the makers' trade mark and signature. BREAD AND PASTRY MADE EASY. A fair trial is. asked for Simpson's "Clipper" Custard Flour, Egg Flour, and Baking Powder—three new and most excellent articles, in large penny packets, & sixpenny boxes. Sold by groeer druggists, and confectioners everywhere. Simpson & sole manufacturers), Chiswell-streft, LONDON, lr