Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register

MR. MAIN WARING, M.P. Some five-and-twenty years since went, To the Commons' House of Parliament, A very skittish sort of gent, Named Main waring. At first he took the Torj side, And then the Liberal benches tried, And then at either party shied, Did Mainwaring. Anon he joined the Tory set, Then with the Liberals play'd coquette, And Mr Gladstone was the pet Of Mainwaring. But all this change of sides and men Was not at once, but now and then, With many funny freaks between, Of Mainwaring. One time he voted Church-rates bad! The old women thought this very sad! And that he'd certainly gone mad! Had Mainwaring. Straightway he voted Church-rates good This reconciled the black-browed brood, And It should keep its seat it should, Poor Mainwaring!" Since then I've never heard or read, That a thought above a bigot's creed, Has ever passed the narrow head Of Mainwaring. Except that now and then a whim Of Ins and Outs has bothered him, But the Whips have always wished at lim- bo Mainwaring. He cannot drive, and won't be led! He doesn't want the fish and bread A "country gentleman" instead, Is Mainwaring. Yet Dizzy is a dangerous Jew Lord Derby's something stiffish, too, Gladstone is the chevalier true Of Mainwaring! Oh Watkin Williams, 'twas unkind Of you to make him change his mind, Although as fickle as the wind Is Mainwaring! To make him eat the ribald rot From the Tory slums—all scalding hot, With which the miscreants sought to blot Poor Mainwaring! To make Lim humbly cringe to those Who lately were his deadliest foes And laid by far the heaviest blows On Mainwaring! But yet all's well! I think I can Predict, and in the future scan If he keep his seat he'll keep his plan Of being "acountry gentleman," Will Mainwaring.

THE TWO HOMES. Look through the latticed window Where falls the sunset ray, When evening's gentle footstep Soothes the long toil of day. Within no gorgeous decking, Nor gold, nor jewels there; Nor doth the glowing fire-light Illumine statues rare. Yet bright the hearth-light gleameth As in the halls of kings, And joyous children faces Are lovelier, fairer things. Against the window pre&sing, What rosy cheeks they lay, And oft to make it clearer The breath is wiped away. The flushes of the fire light A happy mother show, Her slumb'ring infant rocking So gently to and fro. Up to the raftered ceiling Floats the soft cradle song; Never thrilled, sweeter music, From the full choral throng. The neatly ordered chamber, The softly cushioned chair, The slippers on the hearth-stone, I Arranged with thoughtful care The clean white table cover, The savoury supper done, And warmly kept, betoken Some loved expected one. Hark a firm manly footstep, The twilight watch is o'er, What shouts from merry voices, What rushing to the door Joy beams across all faces, Content hath reached its sum, There's heart-felt rapture in the words, The dear, dear father's come! • *•••• Say! is this an English dwelling, Where the shattered window frame Shuts not out the stormy wind, Nor the chilling winter rain ? All within is bare and dreary, Scant the embers in the grate, Round which shivering children crouch, Looking pale and desolate. And the mother worn and weary, Who hath meekly suffered long, With her sick child walks the chamber, But hath not the heart for song. No glad expectation smileth In those half-starved children's lips, On their youthful hearts, too early Life's most sad experience lies. Grown to vice and sin familiar, How can they who plant the root Wonder that in years long after They must reap the bitter fruit. Who shall train their minds to virtue ? Shield from snares on every hand ? Who by precept and example, Guide them to a better land ? Now, uncertain, staggering footsteps, Senseless shouts are drawing near, From the fireplace dark and dreary Start the little ones in fear. Motionless the mother stands With foreboding terror dumb, And the children cower near As they whisper Father's come." August 29th. M. E. R.

THE MOST EFFICACIOUS MODE OF TREATMENT FOR GENERAL DEBILITY.—In cases of extreme debility, emaciation, defective nutrition, and irregular digestion, the powerful curative influence of Dr de Jongh's Light- Brown Cod Liver Oil is well and scientifically described by Sir Henry Marsh, Bart., M.D., Physician in Ordinary to the Queen in Ireland, who, after extensive use, strongly recommended this preparation, and observed:—" I have frequently prescribed Dr de Jongh's Light-Brown Cod Liver Oil. I consider it to be a very pure oil, not likely to create disgust, and a therapeutic agent of great value." This enlightened physician remarks, that in strumous and emaciated patients this remedy tells with peculiar energy. It does that which is most required it checks the progress of emaciation; restores the yielding health; rebuilds, as it were, the tottering frame; and its reviving and reanimating effects are highly satisfactory in all those cases in which the general health is impaired." REMARKABLE PRAYER OF A DISHONEST SERVANT.— At Canterbury, on Saturday, the county magistrates were for a long time engaged in investigating a charge of felony against a domestic servant, named Jane Elizabeth Attwood. The accused had been in the service of a tradesman at Herne Bay, but left without giving notice, a sum of 25 being immediately afterwards missed from a till in the shop. Information was given to the police, and the girl traced to house a in Norwood, where she was to have paid 17s. per week. The girl whilst there spent a lot of money in articles of finery, &c., and was unable to pay a fortnight's lodging which had become due, whereupon she wrote a letter to an assumed uncle, whom she represented to be a large farmer in the country, asking for assistance. This turned out to be a ruse. But the most remarkable part of the affair is that a document was found in the prisoner's possession by the police, recently written by her, having reference to her circumstances. 0 Lord, I pitty looke down on me, one who now is bowed down with grief; in pitty, Lord, send me all things that I may require. Heal, I pray you, the broken-hearted woman. Things I require- 1 sacke of flour, 1 score of fatt pork, 1 ditto salt beef, 6 pounds of sugar, 1 ditto tea, 1 ditto buthr, 5 ditto chease, 4 ditto candells, i ditto coffe, 2 sacks of pattas, 1 ton of coles, 1 hundred of wood, and 2 sovereigns to pay Mrs Vinall for her kindness." Mrg Vinall was the person in whose house she was lodging, and to whom she owed £2. Evidence was not forthcoming before the magis- 11rates that the money expended by the prisoner was actually that the prosecutor had lost, and the accused I waa discharged. I

THE PARLIAMENTARY SESSION OF 1866. Our correspondent Count Cavour" has favoured ns with the following resume of the Parliamentary session of this year:—The first session of the 7th parliament of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria commenced February 1st, and was finally prorogued on Friday, the 10th day of October. Both Houses assembled on the 1st of February for the purpose of being sworn in, and going through the preliminary business of the session. After hearing the reading of the Royal Commission,they were then dismissed to their several duties, and the Commons proceeded to the election of a speaker, when, on the motion of Mr Monsell, Limerick, seconded by Earl Grosvenor, Chester, the Right Hon. John Evelyn Dennison wab unanimously re-elected. After this Mr Gladstone formally assumed the leadership of the House, consequent on the death of Lord Palmerston, and complimented the Speaker in graceful language. Mr Disraali folio we,1 in thelsame strain. This concluded the preliminary sitting, which was remarkable on account of the relaxation of Parliamentary etiquette, which com- pelled members to appear at the Speaker's levees in a garb not unlike that of a West-end footman. Next day I the Speaker presented himself at the bar of the Lords, I attended by several of the Commoners, when his elec- tion was formally approved by the Commissioners, and the other usual formalities gone through. After this the swearing of member commenced, and was comple- ted in a few days tEeLords, but had not been concluded in the ComfTms on Tuesday, the 6th, when the Usher of the Black Rod came to summon them to the bar of the House of Lords to hear the Queen's speech. So impetuous were the members whilst pro- ceeding to the Upper House that they actually carried the staid Speaker and the solemn Sergeant at Arms bodily from the central lobby to the bar. The Queen herself was present, but the Lord Chancellor read the speech in that curious muffled tone gouty old Chancel- lors generally possess. This farce over both Hou-es proceeded to move an address to Her Majesty. This is usually done by tenth-rate orators, whose vapid and highly original remarks are generally a reflex of the speech from the throne. It was moved and seconded in the Lords by the Marquis of Normanby and the Earl of Morley, and in the Commons by Lord F. Cavendish and Mr Graham. This done, both Houses proceeded to business. Debates of extraordinary length characterized the future proceedings in both Houses. Insurrection in Jamaica, Fenianism in Ireland, and Reform were all matters of great interest. Speaking about Parliamentary Reform, Lord Derby said, "And I promise the noble Earl another thing that his bill shall have fair play that it shall not be thrust aside by any underhand method; that there shall be no factious movement or combina- tion against it on the part of those who can combine for nothing else; that it shall be dealt with on its merits that if we can approve of it we shall give it our cordial support; but that on the other hand if we disapprove of it, and think it is imperfect, inadequate, and danger- ous, and above all, if we think it one leading to future agitation within a brief period of a perilous character, then with whatsoever means we may possess we shall do our best to throw it out by fair debate and honourable oopos'tim." Such w: s the language of Lim who now sits at the helm of the State. We shall see how this promise was kept. Meanwhile, an important debate on the Cattle Plague was going on in the Commons. On the 13th of February Sir George Grey in a speech of great pqwer introduced the Cattle Diseases Bill. Mr Ward Hunt assumed the part of critic on the bill, and obtained leave to bring in a measure of his own upon the subject. I need not follow the fluctuating features of the bill. The compensation clause was hotly assailed, particularly by Mr Bright. It was of course defended by that loio member, Mr Lowe. Mr J. S. Mill rushed to the rescue of his friend, and crossed swords with the member for Calne. Mr Mill :s a v< ry eloquent speaker, but I think that his reasoning is too deep for the amiable thick-skulled gentlemen who make up two- thirds of the House of Commons. However the bill was passed, and received the royal assent on the 20th, and the royal raent was given on the 20th of April to the Cattle Diseases Contagion Bill. On Saturday evening, February 17th, both Houses met for the purpose of considering a bill legalising the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland. This was rendered necessary (in the opinion of the Govern- ment) by the alarming increase of Fenianism. The bill was brought before the Lords by Earl Russell and by Sir G. Grey before the Commons. It passed readily through all its stages in the House of Lords, but it fared otherwise in the lower House. It afforded Mr Bright an opportunity of delivering one of the noblest speeches of the session, and also gave Mr Gladstone an oppor- tunity of vindicating the constitution. The bill was passed, only six votes being recorded against it. This was the last time that Mr Roebuck addressed the House. Her Majesty gave her assent to the bill at half-past one on Sunday morning. A question was raised next day as to the legality of this proceeding, but it appeared that it was quite proper, and all the harm done was a little inconvenience to Her Most Gracious Majesty. A renewal of the bill was passed in the last week of the session. We now come to the great question of ths day, the Reform Bill. The great struggle was pre- lnded on February 20th by Mr Clay, who moved and obtained leave to bring in his bill to create an Educa- tional Franchise," whatever that may be. This was a feeler," the straw flung into the wind, and was eagerly supported by the Adullamite clique. It was afterwards brought forward when no one cared about it, and was summarily disposed of and despatched to the limbo of all crotchets. On the 12th of March Mr Gladstone moved for leave to bring in a bill for the amendment of the representation of the people in Parliament. Like all his speeches it was clear and exhaustive, although singularly temperate and unimpassioned. In the debate that followed, Messrs. Horsman and Laing were the only speakers of any importance. The next day the debate was renewed. In a speech of undoubted ability, but un- mistakeable in its animus, Mr Lowe unfurled the anti- Reform banner, and entered the lists on the Trojan horse." Poor fellow! no London cab or omnibus screw was ever worked so hard as this noble charger in the session of 1866. Mr Villiers replied, and then several dull and tedious speeches followed. Mr Bright then rose and delivered a very cutting speech. He gave to the small, but by no means select party then in course of formation, the distinctive title by which they were afterwards known—Adullamites, and covered its two I Richmonds with ridicule by the happy illustration of the Skye terrier. Leave was then given to bring in the bill, and the second reading was fixed for April 12th. The Easter holidays then followed. On the 12th of April the House was thronged, many members being compelled to sit in the gangways, and Mr Lowe was happy to find a resting place on a bale of petitions, which were about to be presented by Mr Bazley, Manchester. Mr Gladstone moved the second reading of the bill in a fiery speech, in which he used the rod on Mr Lowe with right good. will. The battle of Reform had now fairly commenced. Earl Grosvenor, Chester, moved as an amendment That this House, while ready to consider with a view to its settlement the question of Parliamentary Reform, is of opinion that it is inexpedient to discuss a bill for the reduction of the Franchise in England and Wales until the House has before it the entire scheme contemplated by the Govern- ment, for the amendment of the representation of the people." This was seconded by Lord Stanley, and the debate which followed, the Marquis of Hartington speaking for the Government, was enlivened by a blnft, effective, thorough-going, and uncompromising Tory speech by General Peel, the present Minister of War. It was resumed the next evening by speeches from Mr Baxter and Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton,the latter giving an admirable literary composition, but nothing more. Mr J. S. Mill replied. This speech decided his rank as a Parliamentary speaker. It was one of the finest of the session. A couple of dull Reform nights followed when the debate was resumed on Thursday, the 19th. Mr Graham, and Mr Darlton, Lambeth, were the prin- cipal speakers, the latter causing much laughter by a misquotation from Shakespeare, and in his efforts to escape ridicule he entered the cave of Adullam. He was followed by several small wits, who treated the House to several hours of mere small talk. On the next night Mr Coleridge and Mr Horsman infused new life into the debate, and it was announced that it would be terminated the following week. On Monday the 23rd the discussion was resumed by Mr Bright, in a neat speech. Mr Whiteside, Q.C., followed, talking boisterously against time to all appearance, and Mr Walpole and Mr Goschen terminated the evening. Mr Lowe for a second time entered the lists on Thursday, the 26th, in a speech bristling with quotations, and was met by some awkward selections from his Australian speeches, which were laid before the House by Mr Childers. The great contest was now drawing to a close, and the whips on both sides were busy preparing for a division. The debate was resumed on Friday, the 27th, by Lord Cianbourne, but the only speakers that the House desired to hear were the respective leaders. Mr Disraeli stood up at 10-24 p.m., and addressed the House for two hours and forty minutes, and was of course vociferously cheered by his followers. Mr Glad- also addressed the House in a brilliant speech, winding up with a peroration which for magnificent eloquence has never been surpassed. The division came, and the numbers were as follows For the motion.„ 313 Against 318 Majority. 5 Both sides elinmed the victory, and the cheers ot tne I Conaervativea. were met by the counter-ebeers of the I l Liberala. On Monday, the 30:h, Mr Gladstone stated that it was the intention of the Government to proceed with the bill, but that before doing so he would introduce a bill for the Redistribution of Seats, and also the Irish and Scotch Reform Bills, so that the Honse might have the whole measure before them. These bills were in- troduced on Monday, May 7th, by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Lord Advocate, and Mr Chichester For- tescua. The first was read a second time on Monday, May 14th, and on Monday, May 28th, both bills, the Representation of the People, and the Redistribution of Seats, were on the motion of Mr Bouverie referred to the same committee, with instructions to consolidate them into one measure. At the next committe Sir Rainold Knightley carried by a majority of ten, a mo. tion against the Government for the introduction of clauses providing against bribery and corruption at elec- tions, and the tactics by which the measure was to be defeated became apparent. Captain Hayter then moved his amendment condemnatory of the system of grouping proposed by the Government, but it was negatived with- out a division. On Monday, June 18th, Lord Dunkellm moved to substitute "rating" for "rental" in the borough franchise clause. After a severe debate the House divided, and the figures were :— For the motion Its Against 304 Majority 11 oO. A ministerial crisis followed. Then came what Wal- pole would call an "interministerium," and finally the resignation of the Cabinet and the accession of Lord Derby to power. Church-rates of course were a fruitful subject of debate. Mr Gladstone's bill received most favour, but when that gentleman went out of office the bill was to all intents and purposes deserted. Mr Cole- ridge's Abolition of Tests Bill passed the first and second reading in safety, but when it came to the third reading he had to drop it." Mr Bouverie's Fellow- ship of Colleges Declaration Bill passed through all the stages in the Commons, aud reached the Lords and ob- livion at the same. A bill for the Amendment of the Law of Bankruptcy, which was brought forward by Sir R. Palmer, then Attorney General, failed, but it may possibly be a feature in the coming session having de- scended as a valuable legacy to his successor. But the most unfortunate bill was the Irish Court of Chancery Bill. The Irish law officers have encountered as much difficulty in the endeavouli, to make it law as did the Flying Dutchman to round the Cape of Storms. It would create new places, and the appointments would rest with a Whig Government hence the strenuous and disinterested opposition of every Irish Tory lawyer in the House. The Irish Sysyphus will have to roll the stone up hill again, and if a Tory Government should be in power when he has successfully completed his task his reward probably will be the consolation that he (a Liberal) has laboured to provide a pleasant and lucrative resting-place for a Tory Vice-Chancellor in an advanced stage of decrepitude. The Jamaica question was soon disposed of, the Jamaica Government Bill merely occu- pying a night. The Cattle Diseases Act, the Oaths Bill, the Qualification for Offices Abolition Bill, the Labouring Classes Bill, the Public Health Bill, and the Reformatory Schools Bills, were all good and nseful acts. On the whole, although the public money has been sadly wasted, and tne interests of the people shamefully betrayed, we must say that a fair amount of good has been done in the session of 1866. In conclu- sion we beg the electors to bear in mind the unworthy conduct of the Denbighshire representatives, and not only to bear it in mind, but to take away from them the power of acting similarly again, and to return men better qualified both by nature and education to fulfil their important duties.

I 0-0 TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLOSION.—TWENTY- FOUR MEN KILLED. A terrible accident occurred at Pelton Colliery, near Chester-le-Street, on Wednesday morning week, in con- sequence of an explosion of gas. Of 27 men who were working in the part of the pit which was the scene of the occurrence only three were rescued. The fatal catastrophe happened about half-past five o'clock, in the south side of the Busty or Harvey seam. The deputies, John Grey and Jonathan Maddison, and a young man named John Anderson, went down into the pit about 12 o'clock to examine the workings before the body of the men began to work. At two o'clock the men proceeded to their work, followed by the boys at five, there being about 40 of them in all in the different parts of the t. Nearly thirty men and boys were engaged in the south side, the others being at work on the north. These sides being entirely separate in their ventilation, although both are reached by the same shaft, the effect of the explosion was confined to the Busty seam, in which it originated. The shock was so great as to wake the sleepers in the adjoining colliery village, and to spread great alarm. Mr Ritson, under-viewer, William Beatie, and Matthew Stoves, were the first to arrive on the spot, and they at once went down into the pit to learn what had occurred. So much injury had been done to the apparatus for ventilation-doors being blown away, and one of the main crossings," a very strong piece of work, being destroyed-that it was found impossible to push their inquiries as to the nature of the calamity until the ventilation had been either wholly or partially restored. Mr Ritson therefore proceeded to bank and obtained relays of willing men to partially repair the injury done to the workings. The ventilation being sufficiently restored the work of recovering the men and boys, dead or living, was commenced. The first body found was brought to bank about an hour and a half after the explosion, and near the shaft the searchers came to those who had had a most miraculous escape from immediate death, although their injuries were so great that ultimate recovery was doubtfuL After that one dead body was found after another in close succession, the total number being 24. It is at present, as is usual in such cases, impossible to explain the cause of the occurrence. The workings on the south side are not very extensive, and no part of them escape the effects of the explosion. All the work was done by the light of safety lamps, and every precaution observed by the management, whilst the current of air through the workings was very strong, so that it is diffi- cult to imagine how such a quantity of gas as exploded could have accumulated. The colliery belongs to Messrs W. J. Hutchineon & Co. The Newcastle Chronicle of Saturday says that work. ing parties had been incessantly engaged since the time of the accident to reach the place where the body of a lad named Bateman was supposed to lie. Five times they had been driven back and baffled, however; once by a heavy fall from the roof, and four times by the coming down of the temporary crossing put up just after the first explosion to restore ventilation. On Friday morning, when the temporary crossing came away again, the accumulation of gas was so great that the danger to the men in the seam compelled the cessa- tion of all further proceedings for the time being, and it was resolved not to recommence the search for the body of Bateman until the stopping could be permanently set in its place. This would require about ten hours to do, and the working party, making their way towards the place where the body of Bateman was expected to be found, would commence operations again at a late hour on Friday night. On Thursday night, one of the work. ing parties engaged on the north side heard a noise like the movement of an animal, and one of the men jow- ling against the side of the pit, he was quickly an. swered by three distinct kicks from the hoof of a pony. The animal then whinnied, and the men making their way towards the place from whence the sound proceeded, found it fastened up behind two tubs. The men had left it there when they vacated the seam, shortly after the explosion, and it had not been able to move after. It was at once taken to the pit stables, none the worse for its long confinement. On Friday the remains of 13 of the sufferers were interred at Chester-Ie-Street. To show respect to the friends, and deep sympathy for the bereaved families, the whole of the shops closed at three o'clock, and all the blinds were drawn down as the mournful procession passed up the town. Five hearses and five colliery spring carts carried the coffins to their last resting place. The procession was one of the largest seen in the neighbour- hood since the funeral of the first Earl of Durham. It is computed that not fewer than 2,000 friends and rela- tions followed the corpses to their graves. Thousands of spectators took up their positions to witness the funeral.

FAT PIGS WANTED, any weights from five to twelve scores, at WALLIS'S BACON SHOP, 26, Hope-street, Wrexham. 1496 The Lincolnshire Sheep Powder, which cannot be washed off by rain, is the best remedy for preventing the fly striking sheep or Iambs in the hot weather, and has established its superiority by the best of many years use. It is an invaluable application at this time of the year thereby securing them against that dreadful scourge, the grub or maggot, which too often from neglect of this calibrated preventive, makes such havoc amongst the best flocks.-Sola in canisters the avehigo quantity for sheep, Is each, by Richard Nokea, Chemist. Wrexham. No MORE GREY OR RED HAIB.—Madame le Bay's Extrait Des Noix will restore grey hair to its natural colour and darken red hair, eyebrows, whiskers, and mnstachios. Price Is. 6d., free by post for 24 stamps. It has an extensive sale and has been highly successfnL It is patronised by the nobility of France and England) is warranted free from anything injurious, and will not stain the skin or dress. Prepared by Madame le Ray,, St. Hilier's, Jersey. Original consignee for Wales, is Mr Nokea, chemest, 31, Yerke-skeet, Wrexham. 395