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THE GOVERNMENT INQUIRY INTO…
THE GOVERNMENT INQUIRY INTO THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN WALES. (Continuation of Mr. Lingen's Report.) Prostitution and conjugal infidelity are nearly unknown among them, and it would appear that household duties of a material nature (whereof several are naturally picked up in the common routine of agricultural employment) are nùt altogether neglected. Appendix, p. *237. (Mr. David Owen) :—-The pea- santry are generally very poor, and possess few com- forts but they are economical, and more cleanly than a stranger would think. The woman has the entire management of the house, and this she generally does well; she can generally sew and knit, and is very industrious. But families like these are ill prepared for the change of life to which the mining districts expose them on their immigration. At the top of a valley, forming a cul de sac, suppose some .5000 or 6000 people collected, and nearly cut off from the rest of the world. This is their domestic economy. (Appendix, pp. 301 works have increased faster than adequate accommodation for those employed in them could be provided. The houses are all over-crowded. They are commonly of two stories, and comprise four or five rooms the fifth room, however (where there is one), is seldom more than a pantry. The average of inhabitants is said to be nearly 1'2 to each house, I entered upwards of a dozen at random, and found the average to be quite as great as this. The houses are often in the hands of middlemen. In such cases the rents are usually higher than when they belong to the company. Rent ranges from £8 to £10 per annum. The tenant makes it up by the payments of his lodgers. The cottages are expensively furnished. They contain, almost all of them, a handsome chest of drawers. On this usually rests a large and well-bound Bible. The latter is considered an article of furniture essential to respectability; but a less costly Bible, if ny, is kept for use. I saw everywhere coloured prints on the walls in considerable quantity. They usually represent scenes from scriptural history, courtships, or marriages—the marriage of Her Majesty and Prince Albert appears to be an especial favourite. The work- men and their families eat and drink to excess; their cookery being at the same time of the most wasteful and greasy description. The principal meal is that taken in the evening, after work-hours, and called tea. Large quantities of meat, and rolls swimming in melted butter, are eaten. The men come from work somewhere about six in the evening, butjt is a general practice with the women to have tea as early as four or five. For this meal they resort very much to one another's houses, and it is the occasion of all sorts of gossip and tattling. When the husband comes home he does not find a meal ready for him, with his family to share it he is, therefore, the more ready to resort to the public house. If ever I do marry," said a collier, I will marry a cook, for she will have something ready for me when I do come from work implying that such a person was not to be found among the females of his own class. Evidence respecting the mining and manufacturing populations. (Rev. John Griffiths, vicar of Aberdarc, p. 489.) "Nothing can be lower, I would say more degrading, than the character in which the women, stand relative to the men. The men and women, married as well as single, live in the same house and sleep in the same room. The men do not hesitate to wash themselves naked before the women on the other hand, the women do not hesitate to change their under-garment before the men. Promiscuous intercourse is most common, is thought of as nothing, and the women do not lose caste by it. It appears, that in all the three counties of Carmar- then, Glamorgan, and Pemhroke, more than half the scholars are between 5 and 10 years of age. It will be observed, however, that in Glamorganshire the per centage of those under 5 years of age considerably exceeds, and of those over 10 years of age considerably falls short of that in the other two counties. This is no more than was to be expected, because in Glamorgan- shire labour very soon becomes valuable (a boy of 11 or 12 can earn from 5s. to 7s. per week), and manufac- turing employment is not suspended by the vicissitudes of the seasons, so as to afford more leisure at one time of the year than at another for older persons to go to school again. It would therefore appear, that so far as any desire is manifested by the poor themselves to extend the period of education, the inclination in the rural districts is to continue it longer, and in the ma- nufacturing to commence it sooner, than at present. Such indications are instinctive announcements in what manner these classes can most conveniently, and there- fore will most readily, co-operate, with extrinsic efforts to educate them. Infant schools ought to bear a much larger proportion to day-schools in the manufacturing than in the rural districts. In connexion with this question of consulting the convenience of the population to be educated, though otherwise out of place here, I would mention the policy of changing the present school hours in the manufacturing districts. It would be much better to have the children in from 8, or earlier, till 9, and then again at 10, making three divisions of the school-time in each day, as is done in superior schools, instead of only two. In such localities the scholars are all living close to the school. The number of those living more than a mile and a-half off, in Glamorganshire, is only 6-8 per cent of the entire number while in Carmarthenshire it is 1-5-3, and in Pembrokeshire, 12-3 per cent. This fact also marks the peculiar adaptation of infant-schools for a manufac- turing population. The distance at which the scholars live from school is a most serious consideration everywhere, but more espe- cially in the rural parts of such counties as those which I visited, where the principal attendance is in the winter months, and the roads too frequently in a dread- ful state. But perhaps the question of distance presents itself under its most difficult aspect in such tracts as the upper parts of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, where the population is too scattered for their children to be gathered into one school, and too poor to maintain several schools. The cottages lie far apart, and are dotted down in remote corners. There can hardly be said to be roads between them mere tracks over stony or marshy hill-sides. If the children get to school at all, it can only be once in the day, and then they are either kept at work for too great a number of hours together, or else they receive only half their proper time of instruction. With a view to such neighbourhoods, the Vicar of Llanelly (Appendix, p. 1,) proposed to have— One large and well-built central school, wi th a number of schools of ease, raised in a less costly manner, con- nected with it. The metropolitan and branch 'Schools all to be under one master, and the latter directed by pupil-teachers. Perhaps, nothing short of boarding schools could meet such cases. I found an important charity at Haverfordwest, (Tasker's C.C.R., p. 714) in one of the trusts whereof something of this nature seemed to be contemplated, although the foundation is administered only as a day-school. It runs, And out of the same rents and profits to build an almshouse for the main- tenance of poor children of both sexes." The distance of schools, however, might too often be more justly described as the utter absence of them. Take such cases as the following Appendix, p, 242:—-Out of 2-5 parishes in Derllys hundred, with a population of 15,793, I found no less than 12 parishes, with a population of 4255, i. e. more than one-fourth of the whole, utterly unprovided with day-schools at all. For the quality of those schools which exist I must refer to the Reports, which, how- ever, fail, in general, to convey the idea of utter inefficiency which would be collected from a sight of the schools. The district which lies between Carmarthen and LIan- stephan, a distance of not less than eight or nine miles, is peculiarly destitute, there not being a single day- school within two miles of the road between those places, except the wretched one at Bnrllan Newydd. I found the conterminous parishes of Cilamaenllwyd, Egremont, Llangan, Llanglydwen, and Llandissilio without a single day-school among them. These parishes lie, for the most part, between Narberth, in Pembroke- shire, and the eastern end of the Precelly Mountain, which nearly divides Pembrokeshire from E. to W. Nor are matters much better in the English district. There is no school between St. Clear's and Laugharne, a dis- tance of five miles. The town of Laugharne is fairly off for schools, but all to the west of it, south of Llandow- for, and the mail-road, I did not find another day-school in operation throughout the area occupied by the parishes of Llandawke, Llansadwrnen, Eglwvs Cymin, Cyffig, Marros, and Pendine; except only Barriett's, which is principally for the children of farmers, and old Mary liees's at Pen dine, in which I found three scholars. Ibid., p. 394 (Dewsland Hundred) 'This district embraces the north-west quarter of Pembrokeshire. Out of 21 parishes, containing an aggregate population of 10,840, no less than 12 parishes, containing a population of 2392, are utterly unprovided with day-schools at all 13 parishes, containing a population of 3401, are without a resident clergyman; and 11 parishes, containing a population of 2461, are without either a day-school or a resident clergyman. Ibid., p. 4DG (Kernes Hundred):—This district includes all the northern coast of Pembrokeshire from Fishguard to Cardigan, and extends some miles to the south of the Precelly Mountain. On the south and west it is bounded by the hundreds of Dungleddy and Dewsland, and on the east by that of Kilgerran. It is quite as badly off for education as Dewsland. Of its 26 parishes, containing a population of 15,559, no less than 13 parishes, containing a population of 26-32, are without a day-school at all 14 parishes, containing a population of 3773, are without a resident clergyman; and 12 parishes, containing a population of 2386, are without either a day-chool or a resident clergyman. In the whole of the country between Fishguard and Dinas on the north, and the Precelly Mountain on the south, there is no dav-school. Ibid., p. 417 (Kilgerran Hundred):—This district includes the N.E coiner of the county. There are fair schools in Manordivey and Kilgerran in the upper part of it the Teifi. where there are several resident pro- prietors, who maintain these two schools. But, out of 9 parishes in the hundred, containing a population of 5-211, no less than -5 parishes, containing a population of 21-5v<, ar? without a day-school at «U; 6 parishes, containing a population of 2548, ai'e without a resident clergyman; and 4 parishes, containing a population of (l.ii--notin/i!. sir a.resident. Ibid., p. 412 (N irberth Hundred) :—This district com- prises the S.E. corner of the county, being bounùed on the N. by the hundred of Dungleddy, on the S. by that of Castlemartin, on the E. by Carmarthenshire, and on the W. by the estuary of the Cleddau, which, lower down, forms Milf^rd Haven. The best schools in it are those at Narberth and Tavernspite on the north, and at Redberih, Carew, and Jeffreyston on the south. The intermediate district is miserably provided with schools, having for the most part none, or as good as none. If a line be drawn on the map from Narberth to Pem- broke or Pater, as the chord of an arc formed by the south bank of the Cleddau, in the whole of this district (including the parishes of Newton North, Minwear, Martel Tewi, Coedcaralas, Lawrenny, Cosheston, and Nash-cum-Upton, with a population of 2151), I did not find a single day-school, except the three miserable schools reported in the parish of Martel Tewi. The common mode of teaching which I found in country school" was for such ehildrcn as could read the Bible and Testament, to read in two classes, viz., a Bible class (the senior) and a Testament class (the junior). All the rest had to be taught individually. So, indeed. had the whole school, except in the fore- going lessons. Such an arrangement is purely matter of necessity. Class-teaching implies at least uniformity of books among the class-fellows, to say nothing of apparatus. Bibles or Testaments (being the cheapest books printed, as well as the most popular and generally coveted) are the only instances of such uniformity. Each child probably brings to school a different primer, if any. On this point I quote the opinions of schoolmasters. Now, when it is considered that only in 135 out of 698 schocls is the teacher assisted by monitors that, in the remaining -563, the average of scholars to each teacher is 30 that, out of the children found present in day-schools, the proportion of those reading the Scrip- tures to the rest was 42-7 per cent., leaving, on an average, besides the Bible and Testament classes, some 18 children per school for a single teacher, to flit among, from on to anotner, as he best can !— when all these points are brought into one view, some idea of the organic and essential inefficiency of such schools may be formed, quite apart from the demerits of individual teachers. The day-school schedules contained columns to ascer- tain the number of hours professed to be devoted to each subject of instruction. I gave up this part of the inquiry after a very short time, as hopeless in the common schools. The quaint answer which I received from a schoolmaster, in reply to my questions on this head, may be held to represent the general state of the country schools :—" You see, Sir, when I reads 'em hard, I spells 'eni less, and contrariwise, just as they plea- ses me." In respect of books, the workmen's schools are supe- rior to most others, bœause it docs not rest with each individual to provide books for his own child. Volumes from Chambers's Series are very generally used in these schools. The nearly exclusive use of the Scriptures as a reading book I have just mentioned, and the worthless- ness of such a system, as a means of conveying religious or any other knowledge, I shall have to mention again. I am here merely concerned with the mechanical art of reading. The division into verses is commonly made use of to mark the portion which each boy must read. They read in the same order as they stand. Each boy looks out for the verse that is coming to him beyond that verse he concerns himself with nothing, except the cue of the preceding one. Suddenly break the order, either by stopping in the middle of a verse, or missing a boy or two, and, the chance is, no one can go on. The number returned as reading" Simple Narratives," are for the most part those rated by the teacher as not able to read the Bible, the simple narratives being only the sentences in common primers. Punctuation is fairly regarded, from a custom com- mon in Sunday-schools, of each person's reading from stop to stop. The modulation of the voice is often a sort of chant, which seems to have survived from the times when a man, who could read the Welsh Candle' with a tone, was considered a very good scholar." There was no end to the insertion, omission, and miscalling of all the little words. To these no meaning whatever appeared to be attached. Even when the nouns and verbs were understood, the relation between them was not gathered from the other parts of speech or inflex- ions in the sentence, but supplied or surmised by the association of ideas, just as we should guess the meaning of a sentence in a foreign language, of which we had caught the principal word or two. Out of 88 children in the upper classes of schools that were better than the average, only 6 wrote correctly a few words of dic- tation 42 either made no attempt, or wrote mere gibberish; the rest preserved more or less glim- mering of the sense, with more or less of bad spelling. I rarely or never found the Catechism taught to any purpose. The children connected the answers with the questions simply by the association of words, not of sense. Hence, the slightest variation in the form of the question puzzled them, and, if the mere mechanical memory failed, the proper answer of one question would be given in reply to another. Appendix, p. 464 :—When I asked, Can you tell me what the word sacrament means ?" not one replied. I was simultaneously answered when I asked, What meanest thou by this word sacrament?" To be of the slightest use to the children of the labouring classes, especially in Wales, inhere there is the double language to contend against, any formulary whatever must, throughout every clause of it, be pulled to pieces, reconstructed, paraphrased, and turned in every possible way, by oral teaching. Else, it is to them mere stereotyped nonsense. No explanatory book, no printed sub-division of questions and answers, supplies the place of this living commentary. Those whom I found writing on slates are not two- thirds of those whom I found writing on paper. In common schools the slate is exclusively appropriated to arithmetic, and paper to writing, even for beginners. The parents of a child who learns writing must provide it with a book, and pay (generally) an additional Id. for the instruction. Hence it is regarded in the light of an extra or accomplishment. Not much more than half of those found present in school were learning to wnte. Little supervision is exercised over the children while engaged in writing. There is frequently no manner of convenience for writing. In five schools I found that the scholars had to kneel at benches to write; in a sixth, at the seats of pews. The labouring classes, including a large proportion of those called farmers, are unable to write. Not to men- tion that this inability cuts off from them all chance of promotion elsewhere, it affects the economy of their present p08ition. Arithmetic, like writing, constitutes an extra, for which an additional Id. is commonly demanded. Only one-third of those found present in school were learning it at all; and, again, of this third, little more than a third were advanced beyond the simple rules. Never- theless, the sons of the smaller farmers devote to it exclusively such odd quarters" as they can spare in the less busy periods of the agricultural year. Although it is the accomplishment on which the schoolmaster usually prides himself most, the mode in which it is taught is thus described by Mr. David Owen. Appendix, p. 238 :—The rules are not explained to the children so as to be understood the reason is that the common books of arithmetic are all in English the schoolmasters are wholly incapable of dealing with the rules otherwise than in the words of the book; and so they are preseuted to the children not only in a form, but in a language, wholly unintelligible to them." The children appeared to me to possess generally con- siderable arithmetical powers, if there had been any one to cultivate them properly. I found few schools in which there were not some of the children fairly versed in the multiplication table, in the relative value of coins, and able to add and subtract mentally. Arithmetic is rarely taught to girls, although those found in common day-schools are, as has been already mentioned, generally the daughters of farmers. Hence, (Appendix p. 23-5. Evidence of Mr. Rhys Jones :— When those females come to market, they are often obliged to come to shops to have their accounts made up e. g. if they sell so many lbs. of cheese at so much per lb., &c. With the foregoing sort of Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, the education of the common schools begins and ends. It is true that, in Summary No. VI., there are enumerated Geography, English Grammar, English Etymology, English History, Vocal Music, Linear Drawing, Land Surveying, and Navigation. But, without insisting upon such of these subjects as are liable to be called specialties, or upon the national loss which is yearly incurred by the waste of talents, for the cultivation or indication of which such subjects are suitable, I have no hesitation in saying that a child might pass through the generality of these schools without learning either the limits, capabilities, general history, or language of that empire in which he is born a citizen, and this is the kind of knowledge which I con- sider to be the province of Geography, English History, English Grammar, and English Etymology in elementary schools. The ideas of the children remain as helplessly local as they might have done a thousand years ago. All that they learn now they might have learnt then. There is absolutely nothing in their education to corres- pond with any part of all that which has since happened and is happening in the world. I do not imagine that it is possible adequately to conceive the narrowness which circumscribes their view, or the confusion which renders unmeaning to them every word that expresses a relation more extensive than their daily sphere. They cannot, on leaving school, read with intelligence the most ordi- nary work upon subjects of common information. What share in those notions which constitute our national existence can a lad who calls the capital of Eng- land, Tredegar; who, being pressed to name another town in England besides London, names Europe or America; who says that William the Conqueror de- feated the English at the Battle of Waterloo, and reigned next before Queea "V ictoria that Napoleon was a Russian or an American, Scotchman, Spaniard. What compass has a person for the direction of his energies to the most profitable acount who docs not know to what English port the packets sail from Cardiff, whence all j the produce of his neighbourhood is shipped? What I hold has society upon the sense of interest, sympathies, or reasou of such people ? Schoolmasters defend themselves by saying that with the smaller farmers It would be no recommendation, but rather the reverse to be told that their children would learn history But can this be wondered at when in a school, by no means of the lowest class English history and geo- graphy were taugnt from half a page devoted to each at tie end of a spelling book ? In the words of the master of this same school, who could get no better books supplied by the parents of his scholars, It is necessary to show Wales the value of educatiou. If good education could be given to a few, the promotion of these (which would be sure to follow) would stimulate the rest to exertion. Much of the present agitation on the subject among the people has been occasioned by the example of some few of the farmers who have sent their sons to the Loudon University, or Glasgow, to be educated. The subsequent advancement of these (which has been almost invariable) has awakened a desire in others to do the like. They will not, however, make sacrifices until it shall be more plainly shown to them how great an advantage will be gained. Vocal music in day-schools rarely extends beyond singing common psalm and hymn tunes. The subject, however, is popular, and enters largely into the popular worship. Considering the temperament of the Welsh labouring classes, I should say that music might be made to form a peculiarly important part of their education. education. (To be continued.)
HOUSE OF LORDS, THURSDAY,…
HOUSE OF LORDS, THURSDAY, DEC. 9. I MINISTERS' MONEY (IRELAND). I Lord Campbell presented a petition irom ooric, pray- ing for some substitute for ministers' money in Ireland. Lord Monteagle suggested that the payment of ministers' money should be commuted in the same man- ner as the payment of tithes. Lord Stanley admitted that it would be desirable to commute the payment of ministers' money in some manner. It was a tax laid upon house property, payable by the occupier it might be more convenient to levy it upon the owner, but k would make no real difference, inasmuch as the owner would demand a hiS her rent. The Earl of St. Germans thought there would be great practical difficulties in levying the tax on owners instead of occupiers. IRISH OUTRAGES. Lord Farnham drew attention to a communication from a person suggesting the necessity of a more effi- cient and stringent measure of coercion for Ireland. He would not mention the name, because if he did so. the writer would afford another instance of the truth that life was not worth one day's purchase in Ireland. He had communicated the name to the Noble Marquis. (The noble lord then read an account of the assassina- tion of the Rev. J. Lloyd.) He took that opportunity of doing justice to the Rev. Mr. King, a Catholic clergyman of that neighbourhood, who had exerted himself to the utmost to suppress these outrages. The Marquis of Lansdowne had seen the letter, and considered the writer as one of the highest authority, whose name would command the entire confidence of their lordships. Their lordships then adjourned until Monday.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, THURSDAY,…
HOUSE OF COMMONS, THURSDAY, DEc. 9. I NEW HOUSE OF COMMONS. I Lord Duncan seeing the noble lord the First Lord Commissioner of Woods and Forests in his place, was desirous of putting a question to him, the answer to which involved in these times of epidemic disorders, the health of the Speaker and every member of that house. (Laughter.) He wished to know at what date it was likely the New House of Commons would be fit for the reception of the members, and also why the other build- ings such as the libraries were not at the present time fit for the reception of the different officers, and why greater progress had not been made with the official residelices ? Lord Morpeth stated that he had been informed by the architect that the new House of Commons would be ready for the reception of members in from fifteen to eighteen months after the arrangements for lighting, warming, and ventilating the house were completed. Having said thus much, it was necessary he should state that the Government, considering all the circumstances, had thought fit to desire that Dr. Reid's plans for ventilating the house should be carried into effect. With respect to the official residences, it had been con- sidered best to appropriate the sums voted by Parliament to the completion of the shell of the building in pre- ference. Mr. Hume said that last year he had moved for re- turns of the liabilities incurred with respect to the erec- tion of the New Houses of Parliament, but those returns not having been laid on the table, he was desirous of knowing w hen they would be. Lord Morpeth said that the returns would be shortly laid on the table. THE CHOLERA. I In answer to a question from an hon. member, Lord Morpeth stated that Government were now con- sidering what were the best and most desirable measures to be adopted in this country for the prevention of cholera. After some conversation, and at the request of Sir G. Grey, Mr. Anstey postponed his motion for this evening, as did Lord G. Bentinck and Mr. Hume. CRIME AND OUTRAGE (IRELAND) BILL. I Sir G. Grey, cn the resumption of the debate on this bill, explained some matters which he thought were mis- understood among other points, with respect to acces- sories, as it had been stated that the government had not taken notice of them. With respect to accesssories after the fact, the notice of his noble friend would be well considered by the Government. As to the question of accessaries before the fact, such cases were under the consideration of the Lord-Lieutenant, and he (Sir George Grey) had his assurance that he would not shrink from the performance of his duty. (Hear, hear.) The right hon. baronet concluded by moving the second reading of the bill. Mr. John O'Connell did not consider it necessary to go at any length into the objections which he entertained for this bill. Not only was it an unjustifiable measure in point of severity, but it cruelly interfered with the liberties of the people of Ireland. The house, how- ever,had al ways beeu indisposed to act withjustice towards Ireland, and this bill was nothing more than what was to be expected from it. Why not make concessions ? Why not try the effect of remedial measures before they applied:the scourge ? No doubt the House would in- crease the severity of the provisions of this bill, and then it would become utterly inoperative. Indeed, the only effect it would have would be to prolong the shedding of blood; whereas, if remedial measures were resorted to, many of the existing evils would be removed, and the affections of the people of Ireland drawn towards this ,Lre( l to him that rn i country. (Hear, hear.) It appeared to him that mi- HKters were adopting a retrograde course. Formerly they were for extending conciliation towards Ireland, but now they were going to resort to measures that would have disgraced any of the dark ages as they were called. (Hear, hear.) Mr. B. Cochrane expressed astonishment at the course taken by the hon. member who had last spoken, and who, on the introduction of the bill, had professed to give his assent to it. Comparing this bill with former coercion bills, .and comparing the present state of Ire- land with its condition in former periods, he was rather surprised that the house did not call out for the bill to be made stronger, instead of listening to such philippics as those of the hon. member, whose only specific seemed to be that England must be continually sending relief to Ireland. (Hear, hear.) The right hon. baronet, the member for Tamworth had, on a former occasion, de- clared that, though the repeal might be injurious to England, it would be utterly ruinous to Ireland. Unless that country was materially changed, the cry might soon come from England for an entire repeal of the union, not such a repeal as some hon. members opposite advo- citted-(hear, hear)—and he should like to know what would be the condition of Ireland six months after such a repeal? Mr. Hume said he had uniformly protested, through- out his life, against the oppression of Ireland, and had ad vocated measures of amelioration. He had voted against the Coercion Bill of the right hon. baronet oppo- site; but in supporting the present bill he could not be accused of inconsistency, for this was not a coercion bill. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member for Limerick had talked of its coercing the people of Ireland. This was not the case; it was only meant to coerce those who were com- mitting murder and outrage, and preventing the peace- ably disposed from pursuing their occupations in short, it was only to punish the violators of the law. (Hear, hear.) Another fallacy of the hon. member for Limerick, was the assertion that the Irish members opposed this bill. Why, on the first division, out of 105 Irish mem- bers only 14 had voted against it, and only 13 on the second division. (Hear.) This reminded him of the complacent assumption of the Three tailors of Tooley- street" (Laughter.) Mr. Callaghan said it was difficult to find words to ex- press his feelings of the fallen state of the hon. member who had just sat down—(laughter)—now that he had be- come the advocate of coercion bills for Ireland. The hon. gentleman proceeded to defend the Irish priests. He disbelieved the statements made as to the priests they were well educated and loyal men from one end of the country to the other. (Oh, oh.) He certainly did know a case where a priest read from the altar an ac- count of a number of turkeys which a gentleman had lost, and he added that if he had given away more of them he would have lost less. (Laughter.) But he was sure no priest in Ireland would dare to instigate the peo- ple from the altar to the commission of assassination and murder. Mr. F. O'Connor said although the bill professed to be so mild in its nature, it was constructive in its character —it left an indefinite degree of force to be used by the lord-lieutenant at his pleasure it, in fact, embraced all previous coercion bills, and was a mockery, a delusion, and a snare." Lord D. C. Stuart said it was a melancholy thing that they were called on to discuss a subject of this kind after professions of so many hon. gentlemen that they were desirous of ameliorating the condition ot Ireland. lie believed that the people of Ireland were brought to their present condition by the misconduct of foimer govern- ments which had been continued for centuries. That was a reason why they ought to look on many of the faults committed in Ireland with indulgence; but that was no reason why they should refuse to pass this bill. It had been said that there was a feeling in this country hostile to the people of Ireland; but he disclaimed that sentiment altogether. (Hear, hear.) Mr. M. O'Connell was surprised that the noble lord who had just sat down, and whose philanthropy towards foreign nations was proverbial, should have so little sym- pathy for Ireland as to recommend for that country nothing better than coercion. Tile noble lord was the avowed protector of rebels against their sovereign in Poland, and the avowed oppressor of the loyal people of Ireland. Sir W. Somerville supported the measure as indis- pensable in the present state of Ireland. In his opinion the inea.siire, if efficiently carried ont, and all who knew the lord-lieutenant of Ireland would feel confident that it would be efficiently carried out—(hear, hear)—would suffice to put down that system of assassination, that signal terror which was now stalking through the laud. After a few words from Mr. Grace, Mr Moore, Capt. Harris, and Sir W. Verner, (interrupted by loud cries ol divide.") The house divided—For the second reading 296 Againstit. 1!1-277 The house adjourned at half-past twelve. FRIDAY, DEC. 10. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the suggestion of Lord G. Bentinck, consented to postpone the appoint- ment of the committee on commercial distress tillMonday. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reply to Mr. Ilutt, denied that he had used any observations in mov- ing the appointment of the committee on commercial distress calculated to prej udice the credit or character of the Newcastle Bank. Mr. Strut!, in reply to Lord Jocelyn, said that it was proposed by the Government to advance a sum of three millions to the East India Company for the construction of a railway in the Presidency of Calcutta, to be repaid in 25 years, with interest at 3 per cent. ATTACK. UPON A CATHOLIC BISHOr. Mr. Maunsell took occasion to pay a high tribute to the character of the Right Rev. Dr. Ryan, the Catholic Bishop of Limerick, whose conduct had been stigmatised on the previous evening by Mr. B. Cochrane as an ac- cessory to murder. Lord Lincoln and Mr. Labouchere, who were appealed to by Mr. Maunsell, bore testimony to the exemplary character of Dr. and Mr. A. Stafford, who was personally acquainted with Dr. Ryan, expressed his conviction that no man was more entitled to the true character of a Christian than Dr. Ryan. Mr. B. Cochrane again read the passage from the charge of Dr. Ryan, to which he had referred on the previous evening, and regretted that a gentleman whose character stood so high should have been hastily led into the use of such expressions. Sir B. Hall also read extracts from the charge of Dr. Ryan to show that the right rev. gentleman had exercised a sound discretion on the occasion. Mr. J. O'Connell and Mr. J. Reynolds vindicated the character of Dr. Ryan, and the Catholic bishops and clergy of Ireland generally. CRIME AND OUTRAGE (IRELAND.) On the motion that the Speaker do leave the chair, Sir W. Verner called the attention of the House to what he had predicted would be the result of not passing the Irish Arms Bill. He was satisfied that the permission to carry arms had led to much of the crime and outrage that existed in Irelaud. He approved of the Bill as far as it went, and he called upon the Government not to make terms with rebels having arms in their hands. Mr. Anstey said that although he admitted that Lord Clarendon was entitled to the confidence of the people of Ireland, he objected to placing the liberties of the entire country at the discretion of any one individual. As he did not think that any alteration or qualification of the details of the measure would render it advisable to carry it into effect, he should, if any opposition was given to its going into committee, record his vote against it. Mr. P. Scrope would support the bill, but thought the Government ought to bring in measures of a remedial cliziracter. After a short conversation, in the course of which Mr. Scully, Mr. O'Fiaherty, Mr. F. O'Connor, Mr. J. Rey- nolds, and Col. ltawdon took a part, the motion was agreed to, and the House went into committee. On the first clause being read, Mr. J. O'Connell moved an amendment to the effect that the Lord Lieutenant should only have power to proclaim those portions of the country that were formally reported to him as being dis- turbed. After a short discussion in which Mr. Fox, Col. Damer and Sir G. Grey took a part, the amendment was lost upon a division the numbers being, for the clause, 203 against it, 4. Majority, 199. The several other clauses, after a lengthened dis- cussion, were then agreed to. On the motion of Mr. Baines a clause was added to the bill, the effect of which was to make accessories after the fact liable to be punished, although the principal had not been convicted. The report was then ordered to be brought up on Saturday. The Public Works (Ireland) Bill went through com- mittee proforma. SATURDAY, DEC. 11. The house met at twelve o'clock. I CRIME AND OUTRAGE (IRELAND; lilLL. I Sir George Grey having moved the oraer ot the day for receiving the report on this bill, Mr. J. O'Connell trusted that he should not be con- sidered factious, or as putting the house to any great delay, if he gave notice that he should feel it to be his duty to take the sense of the house for the last time on the third reading of the bill, with the view of noticing the fact that the house had not felt it necessary to enter into remedial measures before adopting the Coercion Biil. The report was then brought up and agreed to. Sir George Grey moved to bring up a clause. In the course of last session an act had passed, giving the Lord-Lieutenant the power to remove any prisoners under sentence of transportation in any gaol in Ireland, from the gaol in which they were imprisoned, to any other gaol, in case of fever existing, or being appre- hended. It had been thought desirable to give a similar power in those proclaimed districts in which the gaols might be inconveniently full, and the clause he proposed to bring up would authorise the Lord-Lieutenant to direct the removal of any prisoners in any proclaimed district from the gaol in which they were confined, in such proclaimed district, to any other prison in Ireland, leaving the expense of the maintenance of these pri- soners chargeable on the former gaol. Mr. J. O'Connell asked if this only applied to prisoners after conviction ? Sir George Grey Simply to prisoners under sentence of imprisonment or transportation. Mr. J. O'Connell readily agreed to the clause. The clause was brought up and agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time on Monday. The house then adjourned till Monday.
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MURDER OF FOUR CHILDREN BY THEIR MOTHER. At Bath, on Wednesday, a woman, having cut the throats of four of her children, destroyed her own life by the same means. The unhappy creature was the wife of a jobbing brewer, named Ridout. The husband had been absent the whole of the day on which the dreadful deeds were committed. It appeared in evidence that, some time ago, the unfortunate woman, who had been for two months suffering from melan- cholia, took her children to the canal side with the intention of destroying them and herself, but that their cries, to use her own expression, softened her heart," and she brought them home again and also that the surgeon who attended her had cautioned her husband to remove all destructive instruments out of her way, and had advised him to send her into an asylum for treatment. Verdict in the cases of the four children, Wilful murder against Jane Ridout," and in that of the mother, Temporary insanity." —The coroner said as he knew that there were many persons at large who ought to be placed under restraint, he wished that there might go forth with the particulars of the inquest an expression of his conviction that it was most cruel and unjust on the part of the friends of such persons, while there were in every county institutions fitted for their reception, to give them a liberty which they might devote to the sacrifice of their own lives and those of their nearest and dearest connexions. It unfortunately happened that the publication of crimes of this cha- racter, acting on minds predisposed to the homicidal mania, induced the commission of further crimes. He hoped, however, that his remarks would induce the friends of persons whose minds might be unhappily affected, to adopt the only kind and just course in regard to them. NATIONAL DEFENCES.—OUR NEED OF TIIEM.— A correspondent of the Morning Chronicle forcibly illus- trates the fact that the defenceless state of our coasts is more than negatively injurious it invites aggression. In the course of last spring (he says) I visited Algeria, where I was necessarily thrown into the company of officers in the French army. With them, and even with the civilians, the invasion of England, in the event of a war, seems a settled point. This will be put down by most Englishmen as French bravado, but the reasoning with which I have heard its probability urced is worthy the serious attention of our rulers. I was more than once led to this subject by remarking on the defenceless state of Algeria in case of a war with England, having scarcely any refure for shipping on the coast, and threatened by the hostile Arabs from within. The answer to which was, Ours would not be a war for colonies, we should invade England." W hen I ridiculed the idea, the question was, How could you prevent ?" By our fleet," was the natural answer for an Englishman. Your fleet could not guard the whole line of your coast, and steam would give us the advantage of choosing our point of attack." A young man, who had served seven years in Africa, and who was very communicative, told me that the navy, and especially the army, were most anxious for a war with les rouges," as he said we were commonly called by the French soldiers. We could," he said, easily land 50,000 or 100,000 men in England, and, with Marshal Bugeaud at their head, they would soon be in London. You have no force to bring into the field once landed we should have nothing to fear besides which, all the soldiers who have served in Africa have been under fire, and that is a very great point." Such is the tone they take. To be in a country full of sol- diers, to see them, a la guerre come a la guerre," to see them starting on their expeditions and so forth, makes one tremble to think of an unarmed population opposed to such a t warm. Auy AND THE POST OFFICE. Joseph Ady ap- peared at Marlborough street Police Office, to show cause why he refused to pay El 14s. 8d., for the post- age of 20S letters written and posted, all of which had been refused and returned to the dead letter office. The defendant, who pleaded non-liability, objected to the jurisdiction of the court, and inveighed against the Post-office authorities for breaking open his confidential letters.—Mr. Henry directed the case to proceed.— Mr. Peacock, in support of the summons, referred to the several clauses of the act, in oider to show that if parties to whom letters were directed refused to take them in, they being unpaid, the authorities at the Post- office had power to open such letters, and to proceed against the writer for the postage, including costs.- Mr. W. Scrivener, a clerk in the dead letter office, on producing the letters in question, all of which purported to come from Joseph Ady, 5, York-street, Charlotte- street, Whitechapel," proved that they were all posted as unpaid, and the amount due upon them El l is. 8d. The defendant said that he could distinctly affirm he had not posted the letters.—Mr. Henry said that, as the summons had not specified the particulars respecting each letter, the defendant had no means of answering the separate charges, and he thought he ought to have time to prepare his defence. The defendant admitted that 36 letters were directed in his hand-writing, and requested a month's time to get his witnesses from the different parts of the country. —Mr. Henry ordered him ',h"' r- ;t;' ') f'I' iI' t
IFOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. i
I FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. SPAIN.—The chief feature in the sitting of the Cham- ber of Deputies of the 29th ult., was a violent attack on Narvaez and his colleagues by M. Cotina. He accused him of various arbitrary acts, amongst others of the banishment of Mirault, the singer at the opera. Gen. Narvaez replied on the 30th to these attacks. He maintained that General Espartero was at liberty, when- ever he pleased, to return to Spain; that circumstances had changed since 1843, and that there was no obstacle to his return, so far as the Government was concerned that, for his part, he would be the first to take the Ge- neral by the hand and welcome him back to his country. This declaration of General Narvaez was received with applause by the entire Chamber and the public galleries, and M. Cotina expressed himself satisfied with it. On the 1st inst. M. Benavides made a long speech to vin- dicate the acts of his Ministry. General Ros de Olano explained the part he had acted in the late Ministerial changes, and which he contended had been that of a Caballero. M. Olozaga next delivered a speech of the highest order of eloquence, and the assembly listened to it with much interest. He reproached the Cabinet for omitting in the Royal speech all mention of the events of Portugal and the disasters of Mexico. The recent Ministerial changes he ascribed to a predilection of the Crown for certain men, without, however, ques- tioning the prerogative accorded by the Constitution to the Crown. In referring to the programme of the new Ministry, M. Olozaga spoke in high terms of the mili- tary achievements of General Narvaez, his tried loyalty, his talent as an orator, and his experience of public affairs, and said he trusted in the realization of the programme, because he confided in the sincerity of the man who presented it. In conclusion, however, he strongly blamed the conduct of the Government towards General Ortega, but promised it the support of the Progressista party, if it fulfilled the engagements it had taken in the programme. The discussion was resumed on the 2nd, but the entire sitting was occupied in ex- planations on the part of a number of members whose names had been mentioned in the course of the debate. After a speech from M. Pidal, the discussion was closed, and the address was carried by a majority of 124 to 46. PORTUGAL..—THE "ELECTIONS.—INSOLVENCY OF THE QVEEN !-The Jupiter has reached Southampton with news from Lisbon to the 30th ult., and Oporto to the 1st inst. The election of the Electoral Colleges took place throughout all Portugal on Sunday, the 2Sth. The returns from Lisbon and the neighbouring districts, as far as they were known, give a majority of 0,535 to the Cabralistas against the Septembristas, who only polled 3,630. The ministerial candidates were all with- drawn or defeated. Rumours were again current of the resignation of the cabinet. The Duke of Saldanha had according to letters published in the Diario, formally joined the Cabrals. At Oporto the elections were car- ried by an overwhelming majority in favour of the Ca- bralistas. No less a personage than the Queen is amongst those who have felt the pressure of the times to the extent of stopping payment. Her Majesty has been under the necessity of calling meetings of her pri- vate creditors, with whom she eventually succeeded in arranging matters. GERMANY.—The King of Bavaria has just testified his liberal spirit and. his dislike of the exclusive and intolerant spirit of the Jesuits and Roman Catholics by choosing the celebrated Hellenist, M. Thiersch, as rector-iii-cliief (rector magnificus) of the University of Munich. This is the first time the chair has been oc- cupied by a Protestant. The appointment has given great satisfaction. The students inaugurated it by a procession by torchlight, and a select deputation to the professor. It need hardly be added that the elevation of M. Thiersch is gall and wormwood to the Jesuit or retrograde faction in Munich. The States of Hungary passed on the 23th ult., the amended address proposed by Louis de Kassath, leader of the opposition, by a majority of four, an event which had caused a great sensation. The Austrian Government has prohibited the circulation of the hymn of Pius IX., as well as of Italian liberal songs. Roman and Tuscan newspapers are already prohibited. ITALL-Letters have been received from Rome of the 26th ult., which state that the question of Ferrara has been at length settled. The Austrian troops are to retire from the city and occupy the citadel only, but they are to mount guard at the gate of the city leading to the Po, together with the city militia. The Cardinal Ciacchi, the present legate, is to be removed from the legation of Ferrara and is to return to Rome. The address from the Council of State presented to the Pope by M. Minghetti had been previously submitted to his Holiness, who was so well pleased with it that he only changed one or two words of no importance. This proves the fallacy of the assertion made by the retrograde party, that the Pope was dissatisfied with the liberality of the sentiments expressed in this address. The King of Sardinia signed on the 27th ult., the organic law of the municipalities and provincial councils, the most important enactments promised in the edict of the 29th of October. His Majesty had, moreover, established a Ministry of Public Instruction, at the head of which was placed the Marquis Alfieri de Sostegno, formerly chairmaoNDf the reform committee. The yational thus announces the conclusion of the affair of Lusigniana :— The Duke of Modena," it says, has abandoned his claim to that territory, the inhabitants of which refused to recognise his sovereignty, and made over his rights to the Duke of Tuscany, not, however, without requiring a pecuniary compensation, which was immediately granted. If this intelligence be confirmed, Austria will have made another retrograde step. Our readers will recollect that as the Grand Duke of Tuscany was nego- tiating an arrangement of that kind, the conferences were suddenly broken cff by the Fivizzauo. Now, who advised that violence ? The Duke of Modena had not the discretion to conceal it-he acted, he said, in con- junction with Austria, and his reserve was encamped on the other side of the Po. If he now accept an offer he so disdainfully rejected a few days ago, it is because Austria has abandoned him after compromising him." AFFAIRS OF SWITZERLAND.—There is something prodigious, we had almost said prasternatural, in M. Guizot's continuous ill-luck to all that relates to his Swiss policy. His whole course in the matter has been a series of blunders, each successively plunging him deeper and deeper in a bottomless slough of derision. His tender advances to Austria have only damaged the little reputation he had left, but led to no alliance in that quarter. Lord Palmerston has forbidden the banns. We need not tell our readers how signally all M. Guizot's predictions respecting the belligerent parties in Switzerland have been falsified but the oddest thing of all is the fond fatuity with which he clings to his illusions in spite of the hardest and plainest facts. The civil war is ended, yet he talks of it as still existing and he sends notes to the Sonderbund, a body as defunct as the Holy Roman Empire. The latter piece of ab- surdity has afforded matter for inextinguishable laughter to the Paris journals. M. Bois le Comte's chase after the ghost of the Sonderbund is illustrated by the Clw- rivari in a series of cuts, the last of which represents the return of the letter to M. Guizot, with an intimation that the address should run thus To the Sonder- bund, existing only in the heart of the French m inister." but the crowning act in the long series ot absurdities was displayed on Wednesday, when the organ of the French cabinet put forth a solemn twaddling article on the conference that is not to be held on the affairs of Switzerland. One passage in that article is delectable it says, As for us, it is impossible not to behold with sincere satisfaction the great powers of Europe, and England in particular, in accord with our government for the purpose of at last pacifying the Helvetic Con e- deration." A few hours after the appearance of this article the Parisians were in possession of the Eng is » papers, containing Lord Palmerston's explicit statement that as the civil war in Switzerland was terminated, the question of mediation was at an end. Poor • Guizot! If it be asked, why all this pertinacity in p],aying a losing game ? the answer is not far to seek. fhe late war was mainly owing to the machinations of the French minister and that it was brought to so speedy a con- clusion was no fault of his. Intervention might serve to revive it, and renew his chances for doing mischief. At all events, he may hope to undo in a conference the work accomplished by the federal troops, and to replace his proteges the Jesuits in the position they have lost, in order that they may be a perpetual cause of irritation, discord, and weakness to Switzerland. He is a clever and unscrupulous intriguer, but his arts are known they will not avail him nOIV.-Atlas. THE EMPF.KOR OF RUSSIA.—On the 1st of Decem- ber the Emperor of Russia completed the twenty-second year of his reign in three years, therefore, he will have arrived at an epoch which has not been attained by any of the czars before him. A fundamental law exists in Russia, which dates before the time of Peter the Great, and by which the Emperor of Russia cannot reign more than twenty-five years. After this period he is obliged to abdicate in favour of the heir presumptive of the imperial crown or, if be wants to maintain himself on the throne, he does so at the risk of braving all the aristocracy of Russia, and of being stabbed or strangled in his own palace. PERSIA.—News from Persia announces the defeat of Salar, prince and governor of Khoragan, by the troops of the Shah of Persia, under the orders of his son Velide. SIERRA-LEONE.—ENORMOUS GAINS IN THE SLAVE- TRADE.—A writer in the Sierra-Leone Watchman, after showing the enormous gains (200 per cent.) realized in the capture of slaves in Africa and their sale in the Brazils, says So long as these enormous gains are made, at comparatively little risks, it is a perfect farce to try to put down the slave-trade with the present naval force on the coasts. Nearly forty slavers have been captured, and sent to St. Helena during the last few months, notwithstanding the annual expenditure of EC)00,000, for the extinction of the slave-trade. The only plan which is likely to succeed, is for the British government to extend its settlements, aud to purchase the whole line of coast at present occupied by native chiefs, the haunts of slave traders from the Gambia to Benquila, which might be done for a trifling sum, not more than £5,000; establish factories, and employ coloured agents give encouragement to British enter- prize, and let them have protection. British capital would soon find its way through the legitimate channels of commerce, and England would then prevent the col- lection of slaves on the coast I would also recommend the occupancy of the banks of the Niger, and other places in the interior. Establish forts at proper dis- tances, send up two or three steamers, with a good supply of the necessary goods, an d let them be kept running: not returning to the sea-side aftc-i. being four- teen or fifteen days in the river, because a few cases of fever have appeared, or Afiicu will be in the same state for another The trial of the Polish conspirators at Berlin was brought to a close on the 3rd inst. Louis Mieroslawski, Wladislas Kosinski, Felix Sodowski, Severin Elzan- owski, Stanislas Lobodski, Florian Ceynawa, and Joseph Kleszcynski, were sentenced to death as traitors, others to various terms of imprisonment in fortresses, and 18 were acquitted. A letter from Stockholm states that it is the intention of the Swedish government to present to the diet a law for the emancipation of the Jens. Thirty-seven labourers, employed on the works of the railway from Dresden to Prague, were drowned as they were crossing the Elbe a few days ago, in a light boat, near the village of Sebousci, in the district of Aussei, in Saxony.
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CHARLES DICKENS ON EDUCATION.—The annual soiree of the Leeds Mechanics' Institution was held, at Leeds, on Wednesday, when there was a very large meeting. Mr. Charles Dickens presided. In the course of his opening speech, alluding to the fear and jealousy entertained of such educational institutions, he said, Imagine here on either hand two great towns like Leeds, full of busy men, all of them feeling necessarily, and some of them heavily, the burdens and inequalities inseparable from civilized society (hear, hear.) In this town there is ignorance dark and deep; in that town, education-the best of education that which the grown man from day to day and year to year furnishes for himself and maintains for himself, and in right of which his education goes on all his life, instead of leaving off, complacently, just when he begins to live in the social system. Now, which of these two towns has a good man, or a good cause, reason to distrust and dread ? The educated one-" does some timid poli- tician, with a marvellously weak sight, say, (as I have known such politicians say,) because knowledge is power, and because it won't do to have too much power abroad.' Why, ladies and gentlemen, reflect whether ignorance be not power, and a very dreadful power (hear, hear, hear.) Look where we will, do we not find it powerful for every kind of wrong and evil ? Power- ful to take its enemies to its heart, and strike its best friends down powerful to fill the prisons, hospitals, and graves powerful for blind violence, prejudice, and error, in all their glc)oany and destructive shapes (cheers.) Whereas, the power of knowledge, if I understand it, is, to bear and forbear to learn the path of duty, and to tread It; to engender that self-respect which does not stop at self, but cherishes the best respect for the best objects to turn an always enlarging acquaintance with the joys and sorrows, capabilities and imperfections of our race, to daily account in mildness of life, and gen- tleness of construction, and humble efforts for the im- provement, stone by stone, of the whole social fabric (loud cheers.) I never heard but one other tangible position taken against educational establishments for the people, and that was, that in this or that instance, or in these or those instances, education for the people has failed. And I have never traced even this to its source but I have found that the term of education, so employed, means anything but education, but implies the mere imperfect application of old, ignorant, preposter- ous spelling-book lessons to the meanest purposes, as if you should teach a child that there is no higher end in electricity, for example, than expressly to strike a mut- ton pie out of the hand of a greedy boy (laughter ;)- and on which it is as unreasonable to 'found an objec- tion to education in a comprehensive sense, as it would be to object altogether to the combing of youthful hair, because in a certain charity school they had a practice of combing it into the pupil's eyes" (loud cheers and laughter.) The meeting was addressed by Mr. J. H. Shaw, Mr. Edward Baines, the Rev. Mr. Sinclair, Mr. George Stevenson, Professor Johnstone, Mr. It. Church, Dr. Hodgson, late of the Liverpool Mechanics' Institu- tion, and others. IRISH REPEALERS' ELOQUENCE.—We give the fol- lowing speech of Mr. Meagher (the leader of the Young Ireland" party) which is aptly described as being able and eloquent, and therefore the more dan- gerous. Our readers will at once perceive that the language is such as would have brought its utterer to the block in the days when "good old George was King." The speech was made at a recent gathering in the North of Ireland.—"Shame upon you! Switzer- land, without a colony, without a gun upon the seas, without a helping hand from any court in Europe, has held for centuries her footing on the Alps, spite of the avalanche; has bid her little territory sustain in peace and plenty the children to whom she has given birth has trained them up in the arts which contribute to the security, the joys, the dignity of life has taught them to depend upon themselves, and for their fortunes to be indebted to no officious stranger and, though a blood- red cloud is breaking while I speak over one ofyiheir bright lakes, be assured of this, the cap of for6gn des- potism will never gleam again in the market place of Altorff. Shame upon you :onvay, witk ^er scanty population, scarce a million strong, has pt her flag upon the Cattegat; has reared a race of Bant sailors to guard her frozen shores year after y r has raised upon that soil a harvest to which the S%v ?r r has raise d upon that soil a harvest to which the Sw?dc can lay no claim has saved her ancient laws; and to the spirit of her hardy sons commits the freedom which she rescued from the allied swords which hacked her crown at Frederickstadt. Shame upon you! Greece has flung the crescent from her Acropolis has crowned a king in Athens whom she calls her own. ^j^me upon you Holland, with the ocean for her foe; from the swamp in which you would have digged your graves, has bid the palace, and the warehouse, costlier than the palace, rise; has outbid the merchants of the Rialto; has swept the Channel with a broom has threatened Eng- land in the Thames and with the shout of Up with the Orange' dashed the tri-colour from her dykes. And you-you, who are eight millions strong; you, with a civilisation older than the conquest (it seems to have died of old age), with a religion ancient as the Gospel; you will make no effort; you will whine, and beg, and skulk you will congregate in drowsy coun- cils and when the very earth is loosening beneath your feet, respectfully suggest new clauses and amendments to some blundering bill; you will mortgage your last acre, bid a prosperous voyage to your last grain of corn, while, beggared by millions and perishing by thou- sands, the loveliest and the finest island which the sun looks down on, amid the jeers and hooting of the world will become a plague spot, a wilderness, a sepulchre God of Heaven! Shall these things come to pass ? What say you, yeomen of the north ? Has the red hand withered ? Shall the question be always as at Innish- owen. Has the time come,' and shall no heroic voice reply, it has—arise.' Swear that the time has come. Swear that you will have no other legislature than the King, Lords, and Commons of Ireland." THE OLD AND NEW POOR LAW.—It appears FRONJ the report of the Poor Law Commissioners, 1847, and former reports, that the amount levied in England, for the poor during twelve years before the "ew Pom- Law, that is from 1823 to 1834, was £ ^92,771,„, o0; that the amount levied during twelve years next after the same was E76,266,990, showing a decrease of £ 16,504,760. LYNCH LAW IN CHESHIRE.—A woman having en- deavoured to corrupt the honesty of an errand-boy in the service of Mr. ootn, grocer, miton, the lad pre- sented her with some parcels of sawdust, made up to represent the booty which she coveted. No sooner was she in possession than three stout men, armed with holly branches and stinging nettles, who had been stationed by the boy's master, rushed out and inflicted summary punishment upon her, concluding their assault by dragging her through a horse-pond. AN ACCOMMODATION BEGGAR.—" Have you any cold victuals said a little urchin to a young lady, who opened the door in obedience to his rap. Oh, no," she replied, jocosely, they are hot." Then I will wait till they are cold." A STAGE COACH PUN.—A passenger, considering that a stage-coach was travelling particujfcly slow, in- quired what name it went by. The Regulator, said the driver. Ah," said the gentleman, I thought so for I observe that every coach goes by it." REQUISITES TO FORM A GOOD ACTION .-A lady asked her uncle, a veteran attorney, what were the requisites for going to law ? He answered. I'll tell you, Maria—first, a good cause second, a good purse; third, a good attorney; fourth, a good counsel; fifth, a good judge sixth, a good jury seventh, good luck." A NICE COUNTRY FOR INVESTMENT.—Where a land- lord calling for his rent has every reaon to be pleased if his tenant has not got a rap so gice him.—Punch.
-LONDON GAZETTE.I
LONDON GAZETTE. BANKRUPTS. — (Friday, Dec. lO.)-Gravescnd and Milton Cemetery Compny.—J. Johanning, Newman- street, Oxford-street, commission agent.—T. Burnell and W. S. Fitzwilliam, King William-street, merchants.— G. Clarke, Dunstable, brewer.-Wixi. Tiley, Reading, brewer. Peter Clanssen, Newman-street, Oxford-street, manufacturer.—J. Tanner, Minories, carpenter.—J. W. Gordon, Culluin-street, Fenchurch-street, wine merchant. Brown, Sutherland-terrace, Cole-harbour-road, Brix- ton.-T. T. 'Catley, Cousin-lane, Upper Thames-street, colour-merchant.—W. ltankine, Gresham-strret, boot- maker. George Windle, Judd-strect, Brunswick-square, hosier.-S. Carr, Newcastle-court, Strand, victualler.- T. Turner, Northampton, boot and shoe manufacturer.— J. Tcrrctt, Salisbury-lane, Bermondsey, victtt,-tller.-B. Davies, Birmingham, drugist.—G. Stedman, Forebridge, Staffordshire, currier—J. Robinson, Huddersficld, Tller- cliitiit.-G. Bradford, Bridport, baker.—E. Rossiter,j un., Torquay, Devonshire, builder.—T. \V. Crowhurst, Clif- ton, grocrr.- W, Wadman, Bristol, brass-founder—J. Birch, Liverpool, grocer.— H. Garthwaite, Hopton, York- shire, manufacturer of fancy goods.-T. Iledpcth, Leeds, auctioneer.—J. Ramsden, Halifax, woollen draper.—F. Smith, Manchester, innkeeper.—F. Bectson, Stockport, carpenter. BANKRUPTS.— (Tuesday, Dec. 14 J—J. Williams, li- censed victualler, Westminster-Bridge-road.— T. Burton, builder, Commercial-road. Lambeth.—G. Lupton, tailor, St. Helen's.—E. Rose, licensed victualler, Roade, North- amptonshire.—W. Silcock, jun., victualler, Crawley- street, Oakley-square, St. Pancras.—G. Clarke, carpet manufacturer, Isham-mills, Northamptonshire.—Edward Callow, and M. Taversham, stock brokers, Cornhill.—R. Chaplin, straw plait dealer, Wetherfieid, Essex.—D. T. Perrott, grocer, Bristol.—J. Stelfox, share broker, Man- chester.—Wm. J. Davies, plumber and glazier, Man- chester.—L. Hepworth. shoopkeeper, Manchester.—J. Wade, draper, Lisson v.rove.-N. Barnsdell, timber-mer- chant, Nottingham.—Eli' Spooncr, butcher, Hanley, Staffonlshire.-J. A. Clarke, china manufacturer, Long- ton, Staffordshire.—J. Barrett, tanner, liorsforth, York- shire.—William Spink, butcher, Purston Jaeklin, York- shire. -s. Com, LAWS.—On Monday night last, Mr. Sandars, M.P. for this borough, gave notice in the House of Commons that on an early day after the recess he should ask Whether it is the intention of her Majesty's Ministers to propose the suspension of the Corn an d Navigation Laws beyond the 1st day of March next?' The President of the Board of Trade said he would consult Lord John Russell. The President of the Board of Trade, at a later period of the evening, gave Mr. San- dnrs the following answer That it is not the intention of her Majesty's Ministers to propose any further extenJ sion." This being of much importance to the corn-trade generally, we give it this prominent place, more partil cularly as the London papers contained no notice of it.- Wakefield Journal.
AGRICULTURE, MARKETS, &c.…
AGRICULTURE, MARKETS, &c. I (From the Mark Lane Express.) I We have had very changeable weather throughout thd week, and an immense quantity of rain has fallen, so a9 completely to flood some of the low lands; the tem- perature has also been unusually high for the time or year, and the weather altogether unseasonable. Whether any unfavourable influence has been produced on the crops in the ground by the extraordinary mildness and extreme wetness of the weather cannot, of course, be ascertained but should frost set in suddenly while the land is saturated with wet, more or less injury would probably be done to the Wheat plant. The humid state of the atmosphere has prevented any improvement taking place in the condition of the corn of last year's growth? and farmers arc naturally unwilling to thrash their grain! under circumstances so ill-suited for that purpose it isf therefore probable that the markets will continue to be moderately supplied until an interval of frost shall have' been experienced. There is, consequently, little prospect of prices giving way at present; indeed the prevailing opinion appears to be that the value of Wheat has1 touched the lowest point. Though the maltsters and distillers have conducted their operations with extreme' caution, the receipts of Barley have barely been sufficient to satisfy the demand; and the tendency of prices has- been upwards. The demand for Malt has not been par- ticularly active, but the somewhat improved tone of the Barley trade has caused the article to be held very firmly, at former rates. The total arrival of Oats, inclusive of 5,67-3 qrs. from abroad, has amounted to only 10,313 qrs.- Notwithstanding the smallness of the supply and the' certainty that no further receipts of consequence can? reach us from abroad for several months to cOjPoe, thå dealers have manifested no disposition to buý beyond what they required for immediate use; and we can note no improvement either in the demand for, or value of this grain. There has been little passing in Indian corll on the spot, but a cargo or two afloat have been sold to' go to Ireland. K. s. 2s. s. Wheat, red 47 to o 1 Oats, Engl. feed 20 22' White 51 -57 Youghal Black 16 19 Norfolk & Suffolk 48 — 50 Scotch feed 2-1 26 White Irish Galway 13 — 1-5' Barley, Malting.. 31 33 Dublin 16 — 19 Chevalier 33 — 34 i Londonderry Grinding. 25 30; Waterford White 16 — 19 Irish Cloiitiiel 16-19 Scoteli Potatee 24-2.5 Beans, Tick new 35 — 37 j Seed, Rape. 301. 321. Harrow 38 — 42 Irish -1. —I. per last Pease, Boiling 42 H Linseed, Baltic 48-52 White. Odessa 50— 52 Blue Mustard, white 7 — 6 Uaple. Flour, Town made Malt, Brown 58 60 and best country Rye, new 31 — 3 t i iiiarlis 41-46 Indian Corn 28 32 Stocliton 36-40 LONDON AVERAGES. E s. (1. E. S. (I Wheat..4,920 qrs. 2 13 5 Rye 0 qrs. 0 0 0 Barley..2,681 1 12 0 1 19 11 0ats 6,032 1 4 5 | Peas 2J7 2 12 8 GENERAL AVERAGE PRICE OF CORN. Week ending Dec. 27.—Imperial General Weekly :\vcrage,- '\Vheat, 52s. Id. Barley, 30s. 8d. Oats, 22s. od. Rye, 2Ss. lid.; Beans, 44s. Od.; Peas, 49s. 7d. Aggregate Average of six weeks which governed Duty —Wheat, 53s. 2d. Barley, 32s. 2d.; Oats, 22s. lid. Rye, 32s. 7d. Beans, 45s. os. Peas, 49s. 3d. SNIITFIFIELD MARKET. I For a number of years past the holding of what is. termed the Great Christmas Market" has excited a degree of curiosity and interest seldom or never attached to similar exhibitions held in any other portion of the United Kingdom. The market this morning was a scene of great animation; yet, from the comparatively good arrangements made by the city authorities, for the reception of the stock, there was very little of that con- fusion which has been observed on some former occa- sions, although, as a matter of course, a large portion- or more than one-half—of the beasts were exhibited in rings," from the want of sufficient room to tie them up. Throughout the entire day, an immense number of persons, residing in London and the provinces, were present, not a few of whom expressed their astonish- ment at the admirable condition in which the stock was brought together. In looking carefully over the Bullock portion of this great exhibition, we were much gratified to find that the supply of pure Devons, as to number, was nearly, or quite, equal to that of last season. This breed has hitherto shown points well calculated for the butcher, and to-day there was a slight improvement in their weighing qualities. As might be expected, from this being the time of the year when the largest supplies I for this market are invariably derived from the northern grazing districts: viz., Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, &c.—the show of the latter breed was very large. Last season we had to report a decided improvement in its quality but this morning, it faz s- passed anything of the kind we have eVet before t;, nessed. Witherefords we were not q?te 80 largely 'mppled as at the corresponding market day in ISIG. In the quality and condition o? t?at parncu?r tyrv? however, there was no falling off. We observed severiT most excellent North Devons on sale, most of which were heavy weighers. From the eastern counties about 400 homebreds and shorthorns were received, and which added materially to the supply; while the arrival of Scots, from Aberdeen and other parts of Scotland, was seasonably extensive. The Welsh runts formed a by no means unimportant portion of the show; and the num- ber of Irish I)e-.ists-fed mostly in the midland counties- was a full average one, with a decided improvement in quality. There were very few old Sussex beasts in the market but their condition was exceedingly prime. The various other breeds, including the fattened cows, require but little commentary from us. The show of Sheep was an exceedingly good one, especially that of the Downs and Gloucesters. The supply of Beasts being what may be termed a moderate one, and the attendance of both town and country buyers large, the Beef trade was somewhat active, and in some instances the quota- tions ruled very high. The primest Scots, Devons, and Herefords sold readily at from 5s. 6d. to 5s. 8d. per 81bs.; indeed 5s. lOd. per 81bs. was realised in some cases and the value of all other breeds had an upward tendency. With Sheep we were scantily supplied for the time of year, owing to which the Mutton trade was firm at an improvement in the currencies obtained on this day se'nnight of 2d. per Bibs., the pI imest old Downs selling readily at 5s. 4d. per 81bs. The supply of Calves was tolerably extensive; yet the Veal trade was steady, at last week's prices. In Pigs comparatively little business, but late rates were well supported. A COMPARISON of the PRICES of FAT STOCK, sold in SMITH FIELD CATTLE MARKET, on Monday Dec. 11, 181(5, and Monday, Dec. 13, 1847. Per SIbs. to sink the offal. Dec. 14, 1846. Dec. 13, 1847. | s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Coarse & inferior Beasts. *36 to 3 8..4 0 to 4 4 Second quality d 3 8 3 10 4 6 4 10 Prime large Oxen. 4 0 4 2 5 0 5 4 Prime Scots, &e .4 4 4 6.. 5 4 5 8 Coarse and inferior Sheep 3 10 4 0 3 8 4 0 Second quality, do 4 2 4 4 4 2 4 6 Prime coarse woolled, do.. 46 4 8 4 8 50 Prime Southdown, do 4 10 5 2.. oj 0 5 4 Large coarse Calves 38 4 2 3 8 4 6 Prinie small do. 4 4 4 8.. 4 8 4 10 Large Hons. 3 8 4 4 4 0 4 6 Neat small Porkers 4 6 4 8..4 8 5 2 BUTTER, BACON, CHEESE, AND HAMS. s. s. 1 Cheese, per cwt. s. s. DorsetButter,p.fir. 108 112 Double Glo'ster 58 64 Fresh Butter, 13s. 6d. Single ditto 58 64 per dozen Cheshire 56 if} Irish, do., per cwt. Derby. 62 66 Carlow, New. 90 96; American 30 50 Sligo 86 8S Edam and Gouda.. — 50 Cork, 1st. 88 00 ■ Bacon, new 68 Waterford. 88 89 i Middle 58 62 Foreign Butter, cwt. Hams, Irish 40 60 Prime Friesland 106 UO: Westmoreland 88 .Do. Kiel. 94 102' York 9-1 PRICE OF TALLOW, &c. 1813. 1814. 1815. 1816 1847. Stock this dav 33,722.. 40,619..30,329.. 25,771.. 11,662 Price of P.Y.C. 41s. 6d. 40s. 3d. 41s. 9d. 483. Od. 46s. 6d.
WEEKLY CALENDAR.
WEEKLY CALENDAR. THE Maox's CHANGES.—Full Moon on the 21st of of December, at 9h. 51111. evening. HIGH WATER AT THE FOLLOWING PLACES FOR THE F.NSUINO WEEK. Carmar- Cardigan Tenby ??yst- DAYS. then Bar. and and 'th Llanclly. Bristol. Milford.  11. M. Disc 'H. M. H. M. H. M. H. M. Saturday.18 1 59 2 9 0 54 2 39 Sunday 19| 3 11 3 21 2 6 3 M Monday .20' 4 16 4 30 3 15 o Tuesday.21? 5 10 5 1 3 46 5 31 Wednesday 22', 6 2 6 47 4 40 6 2 £ Thursday.. '23;16 ;)() 7 3-? 5 12 7 17 Friday .24] 17 35 8 20 6 ? 20 ? 85 Friday :21, 7 35 8 20 6 20 8 5
Advertising
ADVERTISEMENTS AND ORDERS RECEIVED BY THE FOLLOWING AGENTS LONDON Messrs. Barker and White, 33, Fleet-street; Messrs. Newton and Co., Warwick-square; Mr. G. lteyneli, 42, Chancery-lane Mr. Deacon, 3, Walbrook, near the Mansion House Mr. Hammond, 27, Lom- bard-street W. Dawson, and Son, 74, Cannon-street; Mr. C. Mitchell, Red Lion Court, Fleet-street; Mr. H. Clarke, 22, Charing Cross; Mr. G. H. Street, 11, Serle-street, London. THIS PATER IS REGULARLY FILED by all the above agents, and also at Peel's Coffee-House, No. 177 and 178, Fleet-street.—Deacon's Coffee-House, Walbrook, and the Auction Mart. Printed and Published in Guildhall Square in the Parish of St. Peter, in the County of the Borough of Carmarthen, by the Proprietor, JOSEPH HKOINBOTTOM, ot L'icton Ierracem Carmarthen aforesaid. FRIDVY, DEc. 17, IS47.