Monmouthshire Merlin

ATTEMPTED DUEL IN NEWCASTLE. A singular but happily innocent, and withal some- what laedcrous, incident has just occurred on the Town Moor of Newcastle. The actors in the affair are some foreigners, all of whom with the exception of a Swede, hail from Denmark. It appears that for three or four weeks past they have been em- ployed in this town in connection with the sub- marine telegraph from Newbiggen-by-the-Seato Jutland and while engaged in manipulating elec- tricity of a prosaic and useful character, two of them have had their peace of mind destroyed by the electricity emitted from Cup; d's shaft. But, strange to say, not only bad the God of Love succeeded in asserting his supremacy over these two young men, but had made them both slaves of one cruel fair, who loved both well enough to cause her much per- plexity as to which she should adopt and which re- ject. As she could not decide, and as both were equally persistent in their claims to her hand and heart, nothing v. as 1".I't for it but to meet face to face on the field of bati.lt). With this end in view, the two gallants, accompanied by their friends, making togetber a company of nine, bent their steps to the Town Moor, about half-past eight on Sunday morning, and when closebythe reservoir, op- posite Brandling-place,and a short distance from the Bull Park, came to a stand-still. Their movements were closely watched by a band of defectives, com- posed of Inspector Joseph Dixon, George Anderson, John Little, and Robert Bell, who had been on the look-out for the party for about two hours and a half. Having consulted together for a short period, the bellicose lovers divested themselves of their coats (one of them being dressed in imitation of Garibaldi), and while they did so their friends paced the groundsland chose positions for them. There were, however, a number of horsmen and pedes- trians astir in search of exercise and appetites and as it was considered that their presence would at- tract the attention of some of these, a move was made to a more retired spot, a little beyond the Newcastle turn of the racecourse. Again a consul- tation was held, and again the champions preparecl for hostilities, while the fifteen paces were measured off and positions selected for them. Just as all these preliminaries for the encounter had been arranged, the detective officers appeared in sight, and the whole party crouched on the turf, in hope, no doubt, of escaping observation. The officers, however, lost no time in making them aware that they had observed them, for, walking up to the now recumbent warriors, they demanded to know their business in very unceremonious terms. Not knowing the calling of their interrogators, the young gents were at first disposed to resent such an interference but on being told by Inspector Dixon that he and his colleagues were detectives, and had come to prevent a breach of the peace, and that if they persisted in their attempt to break the peace they would have to take charge of them, the whole of them becane civil and communicative. They were then searched, and on two out of the nine loaded and capped pis- tols of a common description were found. They were then asked for their names, which they read- • ^ve' some by means of cards, and others writ- lng them down on pieces of paper. Having been baffled in their attempt to slaughter each other, the would-be warriors went home with their friends to breakfast, the detectives going down from the Moor with them as far as Sandyford-lane, where, it is believed, the whole of them are lodging. The charges, it is believed, have not yet been drawn from the weapons taken from the rivals, but one of the seconds assured the detectives that there were no hing but waxen bullets in the pistols, and just sufficient powder to melt the wax, although it was energetically asserte I on behalf of the woe-worn lovers that they were in ignorance of the fact, and went to the Moor with the resolute intention of fighting it out. Whether a reconciliation has taken place between these swains is not yet known, but as the whole party are to leave England in a short time for India, to fill situations in their profession in that country, and will doubtless leave their fair innamorata behind, it is to be hoped their differen- ces will be adjusted, and that the mischief-making lady, when out of sight, will be out of mind.-New- tastle Chronicle.

The Secretary of the Dublin Amnesty Associa- tion has written to the Home Secretary asking that a representative friend of the Fenian convicts should be permitted to offer evidence and put question at the forthcoming inquiry. SUPPOSED INFANTICIDE NEAR CROMFORD.-A. O. Brooks, Esq., held an inquest at the Greyhound Inn, Cromford, on Monday night, on the body of a fe- male child found in the river Derwent. It was sup- posed to have been dead over six weeks. It was wrapped in a quantity of cloth and paper, and a B';one was attached to it. Two men found the body when following rats. The medical evidence showed that it had breathed and had been suffocated. An ooen verdict waa returned.

THE GREEK MASSACRES. A fifth instalment of the official documents relat- ing to the murder of our countrymen in Greece has been laid on the table of the House of Com- mons. This brings the correspondence down to the 28th ult. In a despatch of that date Mr. Erskine describes the recovery and burial of the bodies of the brigands' victims, particulars of which have already been given in the newspapers. In a second letter of the same date he says:- No satisfactory evidence has yet been produced as to the immediate cause of the collision with the troops. The only living witnesses of what occurred at Sykamenon on the afternoon of the 21st instant are the dragoman Alexander and the five brigands who are now under examination, and whose de- positions, or a summary of them, I shall forward to your Lordship hereafter. Nor am I aware of the existence of any testimony by an eye-witness as to the circumstances under which the captives were murdered, with thn exception of Colonel Theagenis' report sent herewith. Mr. Herbert and Mr. Lloyd were found lying dead> about twenty yards apart, near and on this side of Dilifii-that is to say, almost exactly on the line of boundary between Attica and Boeotia, five or six miles from Oropos. Both these gentlemen hadb •. n stabbed repeatedly in the back, and Mr. Herbert had received cuts from a sabre or yataghan about the head and arm, besides three gunsbotwounds through the body. Mr. Lloyd, in addition to three wounds in the back, was shot behind the neck, and must have died instantaneously. Little or nothing is yet known as to the last mo- ments of Mr. Vyner and Count de Boyl, beyond He fact that their bodies were discovered some way be- yond Dilisi, on the way to Chimitari. Mr. Vyner was shot through the heart, and must have died instantly. I infer that he was killed by the brigands, as a pistol bail, which caused his death, dropped from his clothes on board the Cockatrice, and is now in the possession of Mr. Watson. It is hardly cnn- ceivablc that the troops were sufficiently close to use their pistols. He also encloses several documents, including a letter from himself to Mr. Herbert, extracts from the note book of Mr. Lloyd, which was found on his body, and extracts from letters written by Mr. Vyner to Lord Muncaster. Mr. Erskine's letter. io Mr. Herbert being usually written in great haste, he had not time to take copies of them, and that of the 21st, now printed, was preserved because it had never been delivered, and was returned by General Soutzo unopened. In it Mr. Erskine says:— In the first place the idea of a special Court of Assizes at Oropos is, as you must have foreseen, altogether out of the queslion. You say yourself that they would not surrender to the authorities for a day, whereas all the usual forms would have to be gone through, and, in short, M. Privilegios, the first lawyer in Greece, has declared the thing im- possible on the other hand, a Turkish amnesty does not appear practicable. I cannot say whether the Turks would or would not agree to it, but it would take time, which we have not at our disposal; and after all, perhaps, they would not trust the Turks more than they do their rivals-possibly less. There now remains, therefore, the question of exile in a British vessel, and although I have not a word on the subject from Lord Clarendon, I authorise you and Noel to propose to them to embark immediately on board the Cockatrice, Commander Prowse, now here. The ransom would be on board, and would be given at once into their custody. I would give them a paper in the most authentic form in wlrch it can be drawn up, pledging the honour of the British Government to their being conveved. safely to Malta (or wherever else they may select, but I cannot think of any country that would receive them), whence they would be at liberty to go with their ill-gotten wealth wherever they pleased. I need hardly tell you that they would be disarmed, but you need say nothing of this. Very possibly I may be disavowed and blamed for this, but there is no time to discuss the matter with Lord Clarendon and show him the urgency or the case, and I must take my chance. We are even thinking of send- ing the Cockatrice to-morrow with the ransom, and perhaps it might tempt Tako, it uu took him on board and let him see it, leaving your companions to answer for the realisation of our promises. Extracts from Mr. Lloyd's pocket book are also given. The last quoted is as follows:— Thursday Messenger from Athens. Armistice partly withdrawn. Troops en cordon. We not to move. Chief says he will go to a place a quarter of an hour off on Ocyoupos. Know troops are in force; danger impending. Love to J. and Erskines in worst case. Noel left early. Fine view of moun- tains in Euboea. Covered with snow from Delphi to N. Mr. Vyner's two notes to Lord Muncaster are next given:— Saturday, 11-30 (apparently April 16.) The captain has just come in to say that should an amnesty, or rather an equivalent to it, not be given before the end of five days (Thursday) he will put an end to us perhaps only a threat, but I think a serious one. The other thing he demands is, that an emissary of higher rank should be sent by Government, as these he deems as inferior men. At present we are comfortable, but I think he means moving us north. There is some one in the back- ground at Athens, who fills his head with extrava- gant ideas says you are the twelfth richest lord in England and first cousin of the Queen but I think we have convinced him that it is untrue. As long as things take a favourable turn write to my mother if the worst should come to De Grey. Your letter dated Good Friday reached us only to-night at 8 30. I am strongly in favour of a responsible man being sent, as things have gone too far to be done by halves and these scoun- drels should be told what they can and what they cannot have, and not be put off by shuffling. Mr. Vyner to Lord Muncaster. Thursday, 6.15 a.m. (apparently April 21). Tell Mr. Erskine I only wrote it because I thought that, coming from a private source, it might do o-ood, and not from any want of confidence in him, to whom I am deeply grateful. Would it be possible to prevent the soldiers molesting us in Attica or some line drawn a little further north ? as I have the faintest of hopes that, their progress being ar- rested north, and being forced to remain here, they might come to our terms sooner. They have a horror of prison—mistrusting the Greek Govern- ment; but they have a full trust in the English Government, and put more trust in Erskine's pass than anything else. They urge that a Court should be sent here. Is this an evasion of law ? Mr. Noel on the 21st writes from Calabria as follows;- The death of the captives was certain, as I pre- viously wrote, the moment the troops came into collision with the brigands. Before leaving yes- terday morning the two brigand chiefs promised me to accept the proposition of being conveyed away in an English man-of-war if their other pro- positions failed. This adds to the sadness of the case • for had the Government suspended all hos- tilities for only a few days longer, everything would have been arranged satisfactorily. M. Vaiaority on the 22nd writes to Mr. Erskine to express the "douloureux regrets" of the King and Government at the terrible event which had just occurred. The report of Colonel Theagenis, which is enclosed, is to the effect that the brigands appeared to be comparatively tranquil and hopeful at Oropos, but the appearance of the steamboat had excited their suspicions, and they resolved to move elsewhere. Upon this Colonel Theagenis deemed it his duty to pursue them. The swollen river of Asopo gave the brigands a start by retarding the progress of the soldiers, who could not get close enough for an engagement. On approaching Dilisi, however, the brigands, finding the troops still fol- lowing, and their prisoners exhausted with fatigue and unable to go any further, killed the latter. Exasperated by these massacres, the soldiers fired E, upon the brigands, killing some and taking otters prisoners. The colonel encloses a couple of notes, one found on the brigand chief Christi Arvanitaki, and the other on one of the brigands who was killed In the first of these the writer urges the brigands on no account to dispense with the amnesty which had been demanded. The writer of the other note appear-! to be a Government official, since he men- tions that he has got another place at Athens. He asks to have a pistol returned to him which he had left with one of his friends in the band. Colonel Theagenis suggeststhatthenamesappendedto these notes are assumed. A report by Dr. A. Bolton, of the Cockatrice, on the bodies of Mr. Herbert, Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Vyner, and Count de Boyl, is printed. He thinks Mr. Herbert was shot when lying on the ground Mr. Lloyd had received three sword wounds and one gunshot wound; Mr. Vyner appeared to have been killed by a single bullet wound, death being instan- taneous and painless; M. de Boyl had two gunshot t -wounds,

ATJDEMPT TO MURDER AN EX-NUN. A very painful and unhappy revelation of the miseries of the conventual system is now exc ting attention n the United states. Miss Edith O'Gor- man, a lady of Irish parentage, joined the Order of Charity at Madison, New Jersey, United States, where there is a large convent of that sisterhood. This lady, who possesses much personal attractive- ness and powers of mind, improved by cultivation, had long been the ornament of the order. A rev. gentleman marked her out for his attentions be- ing married to her in Jesus," he asserted the right of an earthly spouse. The reverend mother tried to reason away the pain of the offence, but Sister O'Gorman failed to appreciate the sophistries with which she was assailed, and escaped. -Indignant and outraged she has appealed for legal damages, and appealed against the conventual system to the wide court of public opinion. The most liberal, enlight- ened, and distinguished Churchmen in the United States have extended protection to her in the mis- sion which she has undertaken—to expose and to overthrow a system of which she is the sad, but un- happily, not the only victim. The attention of the Senate of the United States is now directed to the subject, with the view of framing a law to break up conventual prisons altogether, or submit them to constant inspection, and afford the inmates pro- tection for life, morality, and fortune. All who con- tend for the inspection of political convent prisons are bound by their reasoning to insist upon light being let in upon the dark doings oi the convents. Unable to cope with Miss O'Gorman's arguments, or to answer her statements, it will be seen from the following paragraph, taken from the Irish Re- public, New York, April 23, 1870, the Romish party have marked her for assassination, and that she has been murderously assailed and shot at, most nar- rowly escaping with her life-her crime, exposing the immorality of convents. Multitudes of the Irish exiles of the denounced Fenian class, feel indignant on Miss O'Gorman's behalf, and the reverend gentle- man has gone to a distant mission. "ASSAULT ON MISS EDITII O'GOKMAN. — MI^S Edith O'Gorman, the ex-Sister of Charity, and the well-known lecturer against Roman Catholicism, narrowly escaped with her life at Madison, N. J. Madison is the place where Miss O'Gorman first entered the Roman Catholic Sisterhood as a nun. The subject of her lecture was The Romish priest- hood.' During the evening a large crowd gathered round the church, and while she was being escorted by the Rev. Mr. Parsons from the church to her carriage the mob made a rush, and used abusive and insulting language, A number of students from the Drew Theological Seminary came to the rescue, but just as the lady was stepping into the car- riage a shot was fired, the ball passing her head. She was rapidly driven away. On reaching the Par- sonage a crowd surrounded the premises, and stones: were hurled and violent language was used. Most ] of the students remained oa guard during the n ght ] and the next day a number of them escorted her to Jersey City. It is not known who fired the shot, but the leaders of the mob are known, and prompt measures will be taken to bring the guilty persons to justice." ]

THE CAREER OF GUSTAVE FLOURENS < A correspondent of the Standard, who has inter, i viewed" M. Gustave Flourens in London, contri- butes the following sketch of the "universal re- vol itionist." He says :—" M. Flourens is eldest son of a peer of France, as Hugo, who pats him on s the back, was once peer of France himself, but he L' is Democrat to his finger-tips. Flourens the peer 1 was perpetual secretary to the Academy of Sciences. ( Flourens, the universal revolutionist, went to 1 Po and in 1862, being then about four and twenty s with the intention of joining the insurgent iorces ( of Langiewicz, but when he got to Cracow he dis- t covered that the revolution was one of the aristo- 1 crats, 'nothing but counts and marquises and barons' and he turned his Democratic back on it in disgust. In 1863, his father's health failing, he took his place in the College de France and delivered J a course of lectures on The human races,' which had a great success with the youth of the schools, ( the boisterous, full-blooded, budding Atheists, but 5 won no favour with the then Ministry or the friends of order. He had to give up lecturing, and came to i London in lSG4, but passed from this over to Bel- > gium, and mounted the rostrum as political teacher i at Brussels and Liege. He wrote, too, and of course J in none but journals of true Republican colour, such f as l' Espiegle and La Rive Gauche. Crete rose in in- surrection, and Flourens, like a Mother Carey's 1 chicken revelling in storm, was off to the East. He < campaigned with the island mountaineers for an en- 1 tire year, and a,t its close was sent as one of their ] deputies to Athens, where he was arrested by order <'■ 0" the Greek Ministry, at the desire of the French Embassy, and deported to Marseilles. France soon ( let him go in fact, had no reason to hold him f and the first use he made of his liberty was to sail f for Athens to h, lp on still the cause he had adopted, t But he was hunted from post to pillar and from I pillar to post by the Greek police, and ultimately ( had to quit the inhospitable land. Arrived at 'J Naples on his westward route, he set foot to soil, and t commenced writing again, of course in a Republi- 1 can journal, -lopolo Italia. Here he contrived to ronse the ire of the authorities by an article inveigh- I ing against the clerical despotism of the Menabrea ( Ministry. The paper was seized and Flourens too ?- —the one was flung into the bay, the other into a I ship in the bay, which had strict orders to take t him anywhere out of that, but at once, lest the 1-va I from a new eruption of Vesuvius should run in the ( puddles of the Via Toledo. Flourens got home to ) Paris just at the era when the law on public meetings had come into operation. He became a frequent speaker at the clubs, and made himself notable by the violence of his attacks against the empire. At t Rochehouart, and again at Belleville, he refused to a give way to the commissary of police, when the lat- I ter declared the assemblies dissolved, and in March, a 1868, was arrested under a charge of conspiring s against the security of the" State, as the readiest s way to shut his mouth. Brought before the Tribu- c nal of Correctional Police, he was sentenced to four 1 monlhs' imprisonment—not for conspiracy, but for ( verbal attacks against the empire, and sat under the v wings of Saint Pelagie, patron of the naughty jour- lialists, for that period. He was not well out of J prison when he threw down his glove to M. Paul De ( Cassagnac, of the Pays, for insulting his friends the J Republicans. M. Paul de Cassagnac took it up on his sword's point (this is figurative), and in the bps- tile meeting which followed pierced his challenger full in the breast with the same sword-point (this is figurative.) Recov redfrom his wound,M. Flourens f set himself heart and soul to the advocacy of Roche- fort's candidature in the First Circumscription of Paris, and when the Count Victor-Henri became the T Deputy Henri, and started the Marseillaise, he joined his staff, and inaugurated a new feature in journal- T ism, la tribune militaire, a department into which t the troops might drop their complaints against t their officers, as into a poor-box, and they were sure to be thankfully received. He attempted to bring the troops and the police into collision at the fune- ral of Noir, and when Rochefort was arrested he 'proclaimed the republic,' and made captive an un- ] fortunate commissary of police. After this exploit, M. Flourens departed for Belgium, and theuce to London."

HOUSE OF LORDS, Moron-, May 9th. TRAMWAYS.—On the motion of Lord RedesdaV, a message -was ordered to be sent to the House of Commons for a copy of the report of the Select Committee on the Tramways Bill, together with the proceedings of the committee and the minutes of evidence. MISCELLANEOUS.—The Commons' amendments to the Naturalisation Bill were agreed to.The report of amendments on the Inv rness County, &c., Bill was brought up and agreed to.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MOXDAT, May 9th. THE CENSUS OF 1871.—In reply to Mr. G. Hardy (Oxford University), the HOME SECRETARY (Ren- frewshire) said that he could not anticipate the statement he should have to make in introducing a bill for the purpose of taking the census of 1871. TRADES UNIONS.—In answer to Sir C. Dilke, (Chelsea), the HOME SECRETARY paid he should in- troduce a bill on the subject of trades combinations as soon as he saw a chance of being able to get it passed by the House. THE LECTIONARY.—In reply to Mr. Bowring (Exeter), Mr. GLADSTONE (Greenwich) stated that the requisite time having been given for its con- sideration, it was the intention of the Government to introduce a bill forthwith asking the sanction of Parliament to the third report of the Ritual Com- missioners on the subject of the Lectionary. THE REVOLUTION IN CUBA.-In reply to Mr. Gilpin (Northampton), Mr. OTWAY (Chatham) said the attention of Government hal been called to the sacrifice of life in Cuba. The Spanish Government expressed their confidence in their power to put down the insurrection, and certainly the insurgents had nevel succeeded in occupying any place of im- portance. The interference of Her Majesty's Go- vernment would at the present time be inopportune, but they would gladly avail themselves of any fa- vourable opportunity of rendering their service to humanity in mitigating the horrors of civil war a task in which it would be agreeable to them to have the co-operation of the Government of the United States. THE COGENT COMMITTEE.—In reply to Mr. Newdegate (N. Warwickshire), Mr. GLADSTONE stated that he would to-morrow move the names of the committee he proposed to nominate for the pur- pose of inquiring into the property of monastic and conventual institutions. THE IRISH LAND BILL. The House then went into committee on the Irish. r, Land Bill, resuming the consideration of clause 0. Dr. BALL (Dublin University) moved an amend- ment restricting the operation of the clause to the case of tenants from year to year. At the suggestion of Mr. DOWSE (Londonderry) the amendment was withdrawn, on the understand- ing that the point would be taken into considera- tion by the Government. After some verbal amendments, introduced by Mr. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE (County Louth), the clause was agreed to, as was also clause 7. On clause 8, which defines disturbance," Ac. Dr. BALL moved an amendm ent, giving the court power to declare that an ejectment for breach of conditions if held by it to be raasonable should not be deemed a disturbance." The amendment was opposed by Mr. DOWSE and Mr. C. FORTESCUE, and, on a division, rejected by a majority of 194 to 113. Mr. CORRANCE (North Suffolk) moved an amend- ment placing a tenant ejected for non-p iyment of rent in the eame position as if quitting the holding voluntarily. After a protracted discussion, the Soli- citor-General for Ireland offered to insert certain words to meet the object of the Hon. Gentleman, but on a division the amendment was negatived by a majority of 132 to 55. Clause 8 was then agreed to, as was also clause 9. Clause 10 was also agreed to, with an amendment reducing the amount at which the tenant of a hold- ing not subject to the Ulster right might enter into contracts in writing with the landlord not to make claims for compensation from .£100 annual rateable value to .£50. Clause 11, which exempts demesne and other lands let in conacre, or to hired servants, or for temporary purposes, from the provisions of the Act, was also agreed to. This clause finishes part one of the bill, which defines the reasons for the limits within which compensation for "disturbance," improvements," &-c., is to be paid. On clause 12, which prescribes the-manner in which the tenant is to proceed to obtain compensa- tion, Mr..HEADLAM (Newcastle) moved an amend- ment, authorising the tenant, instead of receiving compensation from the landlord, to dispose of his occupation to an incoming tenant, to whom the landlord has no reasonable objection, for an equiva- lent amount. This was a part of the scheme which he had intended to propose, but as the previous portion was not accepted he was not inclined to press it. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL (Exeter) said the amendment was objectionable in every respect. This clause related to the procedure, but the amend- ment proposed very serious enactments. The amendment was negatived. The clause with a number of verbal alteration?, simplifying its terms, was agreed to, as was also clause 13. On clause 14, Dr. BALL complained of the very vague and indefinite terms of the clause, which was to regulate the decision of thirty-two judges. In the first instance, it would be impossible to obtain anything like uniformity in their decisions. Mr. C. FORTESCUE said that the clause was purposely lpft as wide as possible, in order to give the Court the fullest and most extensive jurisdic- tion. If they once began to frame directions for the Court they ought to include every possible case, which was impossible, and in all probability they would restrict it instead of extending its jurisdic- tion. After some discussion, the amendment was with- drawn. Several amendments moved by Mr. Loch (Wick) and others were withdrawn, and the clause was agreed to.—Clause 15 was also agreed to. Mr. FORTESCUE moved to withdraw clause Hi, which empowers the landlord to offer a lease of 31 years in lieu of compensation. Dr. BALL resisted the omission of the clause.— On a division the clause was omitted by a majority of 250 to 140. PROCEDURE AT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.—The Marquis of HARTINGTON moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the law relating to the procedure at Parliamentary elections. The first point was that which related to the public nomination-, which it was proposed to do away with. In lieu thereof the name of each candidate would have to be sent in to the returning officer without the personal at- tendance either of the candidate or his nominators. The name of the candidate would have to be sent in on a form signed by the nominator and seconder, and also by eight electors. It was not intended to make any alteration with respect to the liability for the costs of an election, which would only still operate as a very considerable check upon the reckless or factious nomination of candidates. With respect to the manner of taking the poll, he was of opinion that open voting was the most de- sirable, provided it could be accompanied with per- fect tranquillity, purity, and freedom of election. But aa that was not attainable under the present system he felt, and he believed that the House would concur with him, that as the present system had failed to give tranquillity, purity, or freedom of election, these evils overbalanced the advantages of open voting, and that the objects admitted to be so desirable by all would be attained by the adop- tion of the Ballots He would next proceed to des- cribe the plan which the Government would pro- pose for adoption. The returning officer would have to provide a sufficient number of polling papers. The returning officer would not himself superin- tend any of the polling station. The polling papers would be numbered consecutively or in series, and would be furnished with a counterfoil. On this counterfoil would be marked the number of the voter on the register, and the voter going into a Feparate compartment would write on the paper the name of his candidate and the number of the counterfoil, and place it in the box. The returning officer would open the boxes in the presence of each candidate, and assorting the papers bearing the name of the particular candidates face upwards, proceed to count them up. At the close of the poll the counterfoils would be sealed up and sent to the Clerk of the Crown, and the voting papers would afterwards be dealt with in the same manner. It would also be proposed that no rooms should be hired for committees at any public-house except for public meetings, at which a candidate should be present and address. And any payments whatever beyond the strictly legal expenses would be deemed as bribery and dealt with aa such Mr. LEATHAM complained of the Bill as incomplete in not dealing with municipal elections. Leave was given, and the bill read & fiat-tamo.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, TUESDAY, May 10. SHIPPING DUES.—In reply to a question from Mr. Graves (Liverpool), Mr. SHAW LEFEVRE (Reading) said that owing to the flourishing condition of the mercantile marine fund it has been decided to effect certain reductions in the dues paid by shipping and this would be done by getting rid of certain anoma- lies. First, there would be a reduction on the east coast lights for certain voyages, by which steamers making direct voyages would pay for a smaller number of lights. This would entail a loss of £ 13,000. Secondly, vessels trading between ports of the United Kingdom and ports of Europe, except the Mediterranean, wuuld pay only once, both out and home. This wouh* entail a loss of £ 21,223. Thirdly, there would be a reduction in the Smalls and Skerries tolls from Id to fd., which would entail 4 a loss of .£13,311. Fourthly, vessels call'ng for 01 ders and proceeding to a foreign port would be exempt from tolls, after leaving the port of call, which would cost about < £ 8,000. The total relief afforded, therefore, would be over £ 53,000 a year, and the reductions would come into force on the 1st of October rext. TRADES UNION TERRORISM IN MANCHESTER.— Mr. GlLPIN (Northampton) asked if the statement in the Times was correct, that a manufacturer at Manchester was unable to sleep in his own house for fear of the trades unions, and whether he had been refused the protection of the police, except upon paying for it.The HOME SECRETARY (Ren- frewshire) was unable to say whether the report was accurate, but he was in communication with the magistrates and local authorities at Manchester. It appeared that two outrages were committed on the same night, one within the borough, in which a woodyard was fired; the other without the borough, when the gentleman's life was attempted. He pre- sumed, therefore, that the application for protecti n would have been made to the county and not to the borough police. He had consented, on the part of the Government, to add £ 50 to the reward offered for the discovery of the offenders, together with a free pardon, except to those actually concerned in these outrages. In reply to the question he had to say that it was the duty of the local authorities, where life and property were in danger, to afford every protection and if there was danger of a public disturbance to apply for the aid of the mili- tary. He had, however, received no comnlaint what- ever of the conduct of the local authorities. GREEK BRIGANDS.—Mr. A. HERBERT (Notting- ham) asked whether Her Majesty's Government would not obtain the postponement of the execu- tion of the Greek brigands until a satisfactory in- vestigation had been held into the late massacre of their captives Mr. OTWAY (Chatham) said that instructions had been sent out to Mr. Erskine to obtain the most full and complete investigation into the whole facts and circumstances of the affair, and, if necessary, to obtain the bes: legal assistance from Constantinople or Corfu. Consequently, in- structions bad been sent by telegraph anticipating in effect the words of the question. PUBLIC PROSECUTORS.—Sir D. WEDDERBURN (S. Ayrshire) moved for a select committee to inquire into the present system of conducting public prose- cutions in Scotland with a view of amending that system, if necessary, and of extending to the other parts of the United Kingdom the institution of public prosecutors Mr. MILLER (Edinburgh) se- conded the motion, wnich was supported by Mr. Grieve (Greenock), Mr. D. Nicol, (Kincardine). Mr. Carnegie (Forfarshire), and Mr. Maelaren (Edin- burgh.) Sir J. ELPHINSTONE (Portsmouth), and Mr. MAXWELL (Kirkcudbrightshire),were of opinion that an inquiry was unnecessary The LoRD- ADVOCATE (Wigton) opposed the appointment of a committee on the ground that the Scotch system was well known, and that an inquiry by a select committee would be superfluous, The debate was continued by Mr. Gordon (St. Andrew's University). Sir E. Colebrooke (N. Lanark), and ultimately the motion was negatived without a division. THE OPIUM TRADE.—Sir W. LAWSON (Carlisle) moved that this House condemns the system by which a large portion of the Indian revenue is raised from opium. The Hon. Member pointed out the misery which was occasioned by the opium traffic, and contended that this country, by the encouragement it gave to the trade, was respon- sible for a great portion of that misery. Mr. R. N. FOWLER (Penryn) seconded the motion The House divided, and the numbers were-For the previous question, 150; Against, 46 Majority, 10,1.. The question, therefore, was not put. INCOME TAX. — Mr. WHALLEY (Peterborough) moved that a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into the mode of assessing the income tax levied under schedule D, andas to the practicability of providing for the revenue raised therefrom for existing liabilities, so that the injury resulting alike to individuals and to the public under the present system might be avoided Mr. STANS- FELD (Halifax) opposed the motion on the ground that the inquiry was unnecessary.After a short conversation, the motion was negatived. CONVENTUAL AND MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS.—On the motion of Mr. GLADSTOLE, Mr. Villiers, Mr. Newdegate, Mr. Jessel, Mr. T. Chambers, Mr Mat- thews, Mr. Howes, Mr. Cogan, Mr. Pemberton, The O'Connor Don, Mr. Bourke, Mr. Sherlock, Mr. J. G. Talbot, Mr. Pease, Mr. G. Gregory, and Sir J. Ogilvy were appointed the select committee on con- ventual and monastic institutions Mr. EYKYN moved that it be an instruction to the committee that within the scope of their inquiries they should include Anglican and all other so-called religious institutions in Great Britain of a conventual or monastic character. Agreed to. Mr. MATTHEWS moved, as further instructions, that the com- mittee should not inquire into matters which would involve a criminal charge against any person, or the forfeiture of any legal or equitable in- interest in property, and that they should inquire and report in the first instance on the state of the law respecting conventual and monastic institu- tions or societies in Great Britain, before proceed- ing with the other subjects of inquiry referred to them Mr. NEWDEGATE opposed the motion, on the ground that it would improperly limit and re- strict the inquiry Mr. GLADSTONE also objected to the motion, which he said would have no other effect than to check and retard the inqu.ry. Th, investigation would be amply guarded by the discre- tion of the committee, and the privilege of wit- nesses in the case of improper questions being T)-, A short debate ensued and the motion was with- drawn. The Wine and Beerhouse Act 18G9 Amendment Bill passed through committee.

The choir of St. Peter's, Canterbury, was vested in surplices on Easter Sunday, and there were full ch ral services in the church. Ten or twelve years ago (says the Choir) there was only a barrel organ in this edifice, and the clerk used to leave his desk during service and proceed to the gallery at ap- pointed times to turn the handle. At a conversazione in the South Kensington .Museum, on Wednesday the 4th inst.,an attractive selection of music was performed by the band of e Grenadier Guards of the Royal Marines (Chat- f £ Uon)- The first piece in the programme o e oval Marines was Her Oberthiir's brilliant overture, « Rubezahl," which was greatly admired. A* the,Eev- Alexander Williamson in ISorth China Manchuria, and Eastern Mongolia, will appear eariy m June mtwo volumes. As a,gent cf the Scottish Bible Society, Mr. Williamson pene- z, trated to regions of which little or nothing has hitherto been known, visiting, among other places Si-nganfoo, the most famous of the old capitals of China, where he was shown the tablet said to have been erected by the Neatorian Church in A.D. 781. uo ¡ .VJ

EARL RUSSELL ON EDUCATrON. On Monday afternoon, the annual meeting of the British and Foreign School Society was held at the Training School, Borough Road, London; Earl Russell presiding. The adoption of the report, and resolutions ro- affirming the principles of the society. recognising tbeeff ortsmacle to extend them in Wales, and thank- ing tho Queen for her patronage and support were ppoken to by the Rev. Thomas Bhney, Mr. Pea. M.P., Mr. C. Buxton, M.P., Lord Lyveden, Mr. E. Raines, M.P., the Rev. Donald Fraser, Mr. Sartoris M.P., Mr. Yernon Harcourt, M.P., and Dr. Hugh Allen. Lord Lyveden expressed the opinion that the EducationBill would easily pass the Lords when it reached that House. Mr. Harcourt denied that it was any part of the plan of the League to exclude religious instruction of an unsectarian character from public schools. Earl Russell, in the course of a long speech, paid it was necessary now to refer to the first principles of the societr, which were, that religion should he introduced into teaching, that the Bible should be' the foundation of the religious teaching, a-;d that no use should e made of catechisms and formu- laries. He believed elucation to be incomplete without religion, and to show the imperfection of the Church Catechism he quoted the terms in which it conveyed the lesson of forgiveness, so often in- culcated in the Scripture", from the story of Joseph to the Lord's Prayer, insisting that the terms "F pm" unto God that He would send all hings need- ful both for our souls and bodies, and that He would be merciful to us a-d forgive us our sins," were not so simple and intelligible as the sentences of the- Lord's Prayer. This illustrated the reason why he' wished to separate Biblical lessons from all cate- chisms, tinged as they wrre with the passions of the times in which they were written. Whatever might be done, he trusted the society would in no. way depart from these principles. He referred to a school established at Faversham by c'ergymen and Dissenters, the rule of which wasthat the Catechism should be taught, but not to children whoseparents objected. It was a good rule, but in practice the Dissenting parents did not object. Their hardship,, however, was still considerable because the ques- tion for them was whether their children should re- ceive this instruction or be sent away from the school. In providing a system of national educa- tion, the first thing to be done was to divide the' country into convenient districts the second was to take care that no rate or tax should be imposed upon the people to which they or their representa- tives had not given their consent; and the third was that the education should be religious but un- sectarian; and he should test the bill by these three considerations. It might be, as Lord Lwe- den had said, that any bill sent up from the Com- mons would readily pass the Lords but it was open to a peer to protest, and if the bill gave permanence- and perpetuity to sectarian education, he should protest against it. He trustedno such calamity would happen, and he felt confident it would not. If we' continued denominational education in England, we must comply with the demand of the Roman Catholic bishopsforthe continuance of denominational educa- tion in Ireland; and that would involve the exclusion of 24,000 Protestant children from the schools of Ireland, which it would be a sad thing for the House of Commons to assent to, for these children must be driven either outofthe schools or into the Roman Catholic Church. The Church of England was not now the same Church it bad been in past times- There were those who were trying to assimilate the practices and ceremonies of the Church of England, to the Church of Rome and if we were to establish the denominational teaching of the Church of Eng- land, we could not be quite sure what the character of it would be in 20 or 30 years. In the novel called "Foul Play," a sound ship coming from Australia was scuttled by men drilling holes through the bottom, and he could not help thinking sometimes that there was a gimlet at work in the hold of the Church of England. He trusted that the attempt to scuttle the ship would be defeated; but it be- hoved all to be watchful, and to take care that this Protestant country maintained its Protestant Bible, its Protestant teaching, and its Protestant schools.

J In a late fire at Paris four studios—that of Wil- c hems, the well-known Belgian artist; that of M. £ Paul de Pommavrac, miniature painter; M. Dugar- s reys, and M. Serres—were burnt or damaged by fire. The loss is estimated at more than a million of T fmllcs.-The Architect. j The Army and Navy Gazette says that Sir William 1 Mansfield has been offered, and it believes will ac- a cept, the Irish command, in succession to Lord I Strathnairn, Our contemporary understands the s establishment will be on a reduced scale—a lieu- i tenant-general's pay and allowances only, or some c JC2,600 a year instead of .24,000. 1 THE EXPULSION OF ENGLISH LADIES FROM 1 ROME.-The Rome correspondent of the Daily News, t writing on the 2nd instant, says :-Mr. Odo R's- 8 sel] has recently receiv. d instructions from Lord 1 Clarendon to demand of the Roman Government an I explanation of the arbitrary proceeding by which c three English ladies were ordered t quit this ci y I within twenty-four hours—submitted to by two of t those ladies, but resisted by the other, who stdl 1 remains here. Mr. Russell, being admitted to t audience by the Pope, was informed that subordi- f nate officials had exceeded the commands given by 1 his Holiness and after this explanation, which may be deemed an apology, the lady in question 1 has not been further annoyed by such petty per- sccutions as her firmness had drawn down upon ( her. The excuse made at such high quarters is £ bomewhat surprising when confronted with the fact (which I ascertained from our consul, Mr. c Severn) that the order for this unjustifiable ex- E pulsion had been issued three times by the Pope himself, and immediately aotPA uiMn bY Max. y Randi, the Governor of Rome, ( 1 The council of the Chiirch A??oaa 10 uLIU)P.stea<h Mr. Joseph Hoare, of their chairman, in the place of houn. rjijja WITHDRAWAL OF THE TAX ON +?P R'^M'ELLOR OF Railway News understands that t withdraw* the Exchequer has finally decided UP° on fil- ing his proposals for dealing with therI1 anl ways. The representatives of the up011 Southern lines have not been able to ^ill any plan among themselves which lUr. ^at accept, and it has, therefore, been intitria ege0t no'hing will be done in the mader m t e p session. • STRANGE FRAUDS I?R PRUSSIA.—A very occupation has recently been discovered m ^j0o and a few of its professors are under exam,esrular bef re the law courts. It appears that a J ^ullg organisation exists for fraudulently aidin., J ^J. men in evading military service by produci ncialiv symptoms of disease on those serve, thereby disquahfving them, and it that many army doctors, in different parts 0 kin gdom, have been deceived by the means a oy ^0 Palpitation of the heart was induced by dosin^ subject with strong coffee and Burgundy wing(j by ausing him to smoke tobacco sc' mps; hemorrhage was imitated by J mixed with vinegar; various sores were imlta the stings of bees; the eyes were touched13? caustic to make the sight defective, and it nwnt of the nupils caused by striking 1 he111 tberS i. The defendants, who re Frog named Dieckhoff, seem to have realised ",gaLr, e S" of money at their ingenious trade. a0 THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACTS.—'THEJ^eiy Secretary received on Friday a deputation* J ftb0 composed of women, who asked for the repe83, Contagious Diseases Acts.—Mr. Jacob ih'f,3fOr ing briefly stated the object of the visit, Pr jn- Newman presented a memorial.—Mrs. Butlet.fi0n formed Mr. Bruce that she had visited the garr^eSt towns of Kent, and could assert that the £ r°bera- outrages on women were practised under the op tion of the new law, and that the exciteme^, 0lIJ consequence was dangerous to the peace. the working men of Kent, who keenly felt the suit that the women were made to suffer, she h» 1 message to the Home Secretary, viz., that they not forgotten their countryman, Wat Tyler0 Bruce pointed out that there were two sides to t question, adoing that the legislation objected to » originated in the recommendation of a meeting °* great medical society, and they all knew that to medical profession was especially humane, enligk ened, and liberal-minded. As to the satisfactory working of the acts, he admitted that doubt existed and he thought there ought to be full inquiry competent persons into not only the medical, "U also the moral, bearings of the question and promised he would do all he could to obtain a coUl plete, an immediate, and a thorough investigate V, PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE GREEK BRIGANDS.— the horror caused by the accounts of the reC<Lh atrocities by the Greek brigands, it has b"en a kind of savage satisfaction that the public h learnt that some at least of their number have 133 with the condign punishment they had so wicke*3 J earned. The name of the brigand has long befje associated with ideas of heroic bearing andromaI? g generosity, but the mercenary and brutal "'ho perpetrated the recent horrors have dispe those fictions. A photograph now published hf London Stereoscopic Company will also aS"^3rt is show what the brigands of Attica really are- :ns a representation of the heads of the seven 1.s de- as de- who were shot by the soldiers and afterwar capitated. None of them apoear to be very and the majority are of middle age. In io s+ances the faces are disfigured by wouuds, b13 gj. others the ordinary aspect remains. One is y tively fearful in its ugliness, but several ar'\°>ul. noticeable for the truculence display d on tm One head, with matted ha r obscuring a head, impresses the beholder with the idea tna^ hfe the man who bore it would never have from cruelty nor listened to an appeal for >- • The youngest faces are the least rep'ilsry"e> of them are of the lowest type, and indicative ot savage greed.-Times.. d WILLS AND BEQUESTS.—The will of Mr. Edward S'anley, of Cross Hall, Lancaster, and 14. Grosvenor Square. Middlesex, was proved in London, 20th ult., under £ 140,000 personalty, by the Ri? Hon. the Earl of Dartrey, the testator's son-in-la^ > and Mr. Edward James Stanley, his son, the jolTl acting executors. The testator married, in 181* Mary, daughter of James, Earl of Lauderdale, an*3 died, Mar -i 8th last, aged 81, having executed ilis will January 21, 1867, and a codicil April 20, 1S^' He bequeaths to his wife an annuity of < £ 1,000^ a idition to £ 2,000 per annum under settlement/ al-o all the jewellery worn by her, as well as other ornaments of the person; the choice of of his carriages, with suitable horses, and w3^-g from his cellar to the amount of £ 1,000. To two daughters, who the testator says are aiul'^ provided for under marriage settlements, he has t- complimentary bequests as proofs of his affect*0 To Miss Emily Hammon, who has been for s0 s time his reader, he lea ves a legacy of £ 'O0; to J Read,^ footman to Lady Mary Stanlev, an ann131^ of £ 25 and to Ann Brown, his cook and ho^ keeper, £ 30 a year. His real estate and the r<?slt ,1(j of his personal estate he leave, to his son t for absolutely. The testator was deputy Iieut. Qf Lane ister, and a younger branch of the fa^1-^ the Earl of Derby.—The will of Colonel th0 Leslie, K.H. of Her Majesty's army, late f* as0l? Grenadier Guards; of Balquhain, N.B.; ,,g.i Hall, Derby Slindon Hall, Sussex and H'aise, Aberdeenshire, was proved in Liondon, 1 the 22nd ult. under £ 35,000 personalty in EnglaiV The gallant colonel had served with distinction the Peninsula. He has left to his son and heol and only child his various estates in the counties 0 Fetternear, in Scotland. He leaves his diamon^ and jewellery to descend as heirlooms with the sion-house of Fetternear, in Scotland. There^^ several pecuniary legacies to friends, nnuie^j charitable bequests to Roman Catholic missions. legacies to both in and out door servants.—-Te<J of Mr. Frederick Wiltshire has iust been PrVf of under £ 20,000.—Ths will of Miss Blanch York Terrace, Regent's Park, was proved 74, £ 25,000.—The will of Mrs. Emma Castle11! uodef Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park, was prove £ 40,000.—Illustrated London Netvs. HORRIBLE MURDERS ATBALTIMORE.— Apr.t 21.—The entire city was intensely excite<- evening by a report that five horrible mnrde'"S I)eyen perpetrated by a mother cutting the throa The four of her children and of her own niothor. report proved true, the facts bein<r »s ° About four o'clock this afternoon Mrs. Catheri^ Ma- sh, who, with her four children lived with he parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dwyer. at No. 99, Canal-stre a few doors from Belair Market, committed terrible butcheries, first kil mg he- children, then assaulting her own mother. Mrs. Dwyer, ? mother of Mrs! March, in her ante-mortem oxaniin tion to-night, stated that at about four o'clock afternoon herself and her daughter,CatherineMaI"g0^ and three children of the latter were in the Mrs. Marsh asked her if she had ten cents, an bftd her answering "No," she (Mrs. Marsh) said ten cents. She then put on her bonnet an^ ^L-eA a house. She went a few doors and ,orr^tricfc butcher's knife. She th-n proceeded to v's^ed School No. 13, and calling out her son JANFNEARIY e g it years, cut his throat from ear to ear> ^0/ severing his head from his body. A l3t aiid named Burnett came out of school with witnessed the murder. Mrs. Marsh, after conn13 ^iit the horrible deed, rushed at the boy Burnf he ran and escaped. She then returned to berson, and went in the back yard, where another William, aged seven years, was swinging. hl;t play sister, Mary Jane, aged four years, beinj? tbroat, near by. She seized William and cut k^-aspeA causing instant death, and immediatelYutting- off her little girl and applied her weapon, c ftI1dcut her head. She then went into the house ags^ the throat of her youngest child, d waS about two years and five months. The 'aU]ted nearly severed from the body. She next a 3feeble> her mother, aged about fifty-four, and very^ glir- cutting her throat so terribly that she can vive. Mrs. Marsh, the murderess, is jre- twenty-seven, was born in the bounty Jver j^ land, and has been in the United Sra • arg twenty years. She was married some 133 ^ho ago, in this city, to William Marsh, a bar 'p]0y- left her about eighteen months since to nn ment elsewhere. He is now said o iv ]yfrs. York City. The reputation and character un_ Marsh is said to have been very goo -x^cr the doubtedly temporarily 3ns £ ?:ne °°^1 children, a3 murders. The faces of the murdereel chiW^ they lie side by side to-night, are as p They calm as if they werecomposed m sweets V wore are dressed neatly, in the same clothes^ when killed. At nine 0 clock to-mght tn- who is confined at the Eastern conscious of her deeds,2few Jork Tvhm,™