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among the best informed persons in Ireland, that this association confided in the favour of the Lord Lieutenant, and more particularly in the connivance of the Attorney General, who, though he had been found so prompt to visit with the thunders of the prerogative the "bottle-throwers" in the theatre, had patiently looked on for months at the illegal and incendiary practices of this association. In conclusion, Mr Brownlow begged to explain, that he had been misrepresented as having, on a former evening, reprobated, the Orange institution-such was not the case; he was himself an Orangeman, and though he disapproved of the unnecessary processions, which had sometimes produced disorder, he would never cease to admire the principles of the institution. Mr Plunket defended his forbearance towards the Catholic Association, of the legality of whose proceedings he refused to say any thing. He was, he said, an enemy to left-handed justice; and haying refused to give an opinion upon the legality of the Catholic Association, he at once pronounced the Orange Society illegal; and promised to prosecute Mr Brownlow, if he were satisfied of that gentleman's connection with it. The debate was prolonged to a great length.

The Game Bill was thrown out, on the motion for the third reading, after a short debate. The amendment, to read the Bill that day six months, was proposed by Sir John Shelly, and carried by a majority of 120 to 103.

June 1.-Mr Brougham brought forward the subject of the late Missionary in Demerara, Mr Smith, and after a masterly speech, concluded by moving, "That a humble address be presented to his Majesty, representing that this House, having taken into its most serious consideration the papers laid before them, relating to the trial and condemnation of the late Rev. John Smith, a Missionary in the colony of Demerara, deem it their duty now to declare, that they contemplate, with serious alarm and deep sorrow, the violation of law and justice which is manifested in these unexampled proceed ings, and most earnestly praying that his Majesty will be graciously pleased to adopt such measures, as, in his Royal wisdom, may seem meet, for such a just and humane administration of the law in that colony, as may protect the voluntary instructors of the negroes, as well as the rest of his Majesty's subjects, from oppression." Mr Wilmot Horton defended the proceedings of the Governor and Military Tribunal of Demerara, by a repetition of the charges alleged against the deceased Missionary. Sir J. Mack.

intosh followed in support of the motion, which Mr Scarlett opposed, on the ground that it was too strongly worded. On the suggestion of Mr Canning, the debate was then adjourned, Dr Lushington being in possession of the House. The subject received an unexpected interruption on Wednesday night; in the progress of some business of inferior interest, it was discovered, at six o'clock, that there were but thirty-one members in the House, when an adjournment of course took place. On Thursday evening, the resumption of the debate was fixed for Fri day next, the Whitsun holidays in the meantime intervening.

3. Mr Hume presented a petition from some persons of Stokesley (Yorkshire), complaining of the restriction imposed upon free discussion by the prohi bition of works upon disputed points of theology. The Honourable Member for Aberdeen professed his concurrence in the views of the petitioners. Mr M. A. Taylor animadverted, with some severity, upon this claim of license for blasphe mous publications. Mr Hume characterized these animadversions as cant and hypocrisy. Mr Taylor indignantly repelled the imputation of cant, of which he had the utmost abhorrence; but he said there was a wide difference between a repugnance to cant, and an indulgence to blasphemy. Mr W. Smith and Sir R. Wilson supported the prayer of the petition. The petition was ordered to be printed, as was another to the same effect, from a person named O'Neill.

The Marine Insurance Bill was read a third time and passed, after a short but lively debate, in which the measure was attacked by Alderman Thompson, Sir F. Ommaney, Mr Robertson, Mr T. Wil son, Mr Plummer, Mr Grenfell, and Sir C. Forbes; and defended by Mr Buxton. There were four several divisions; upon which the measure was approved by majorities of 33 to 22-33 to 12-37 to 12 and 30 to 7. The second division was upon a whimsical proposal by Sir F. Ommaney, that the act should not come into operation until the year of our Lord 2000.

The Lord Advocate of Scotland presented a petition from the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, praying that the House might not sanction the Bill which had been introduced for the regulation of paupers in Scotland. The Learned Lord observed, that this petition came rather late, as the Bill was already withdrawn; but he hoped that, after a strong opinion expressed against it by so numerous and respectable a body as the petitioners, the Hon. Member

(Mr Kennedy) would not again introduce the measure next Session. Mr Kennedy said, he could not let slip this opportunity of stating, that, on the only occasion on which he had delivered his sentiments fully on this subject, they had been misrepresented and garbled in the accounts which went forth to the public. The petition was ordered to be printed.

4. A message from the Lords announced that their Lordships had passed an Act, dispensing with the taking of certain oaths by Mr Erskine, previously to the passing of an Act for the restoration of the title of the Earl of Mar, of which his ancestor had been deprived; and they prayed the concurrence of the Commons; after a few observations from Mr Peel and Mr Brougham, in favour of the Bill, it went through all its stages, and was passed.-In moving the commitment of the Transportation of Offen. ders' Bill, Mr Peel took occasion to explain, that the provisions of the measure before the House were directed to render much more effectual the punishment of transportation, by empowering the Crown so to class offenders, after their removal to New South Wales, that the greater criminals should have a considerable additional punishment still to undergo. The Chancellor of the Exchequer having moved that the Report of the Committee on the New Churches Bill should be brought up, Col. Davies and Mr Leycester opposed the grant. Some other Members spoke shortly, and the motion was carried by a majority of 42

to 9.

10. Mr Brownlow called the attention of the House to a petition against the Catholic Association, which he had presented on a former night; and Messrs Canning, and Horace 'Twiss, expressed their unqualified disapprobation of the proceedings of that body.

11.-Breach of Privilege.—Mr Gourlay. Shortly after the meeting of the House, as Mr Brougham was passing through the lobby, he was assaulted and struck across the shoulders by a person, whom the Learned Gentleman recognised to be a Mr Gourlay, whom he had seen about three years ago, when he applied to him (Mr B.) to present a petition to the House from him. He now addressed him, and exclaimed, "You have betrayed me." To what act of his this could apply, he (Mr B.) could not conjecture; but from what he had heard of this person, and of his conduct at differ ent times, he was inclined to credit what had been reported of him, namely, “ that he was at times deranged." Under these ircumstances, he left the matter to be

dealt with as the House might determine. Mr Secretary Peel agreed in the opinion given by the Hon. Member for Winchel. sea of the state of Mr Gourlay's mind. Mr Hume thought there was no room for doubt on the subject. He adverted to the eccentric conduct of Mr Gourlay, on various occasions, and especially to his perseverance, for several weeks, in labouring with common paupers, breaking stones upon the public roads. Mr Wynn thought, if Mr Gourlay was in this state, he ought not to be at large. Mr Can. ning, in an under tone, observed, that on a common case, the House would have had the offending party to the bar, to have heard what he had to say in his own defence; but it appeared useless to do so on the present occasion. gested, that the most expedient course for the House would be to continue him in custody, until inquiry could be made. Mr Brougham said, that, as far as he was concerned, he wished no steps to be taken against the individual; to him (Mr Brougham) there could be no personal hostility, as for three years there had been no sort of communication between them. Mr Canning then moved that Mr Gourlay do stand committed. This motion was agreed to.

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In consequence of the report of the physicians, appointed to visit Mr Gourlay, he was subsequently placed under restraint; and at the prorogation of Parliament, being discharged from confinement, he was immediately apprehended under a warrant of the Bow-street Magistrates, and, after a long examination, was committed to the House of Correction, with directions that every attention should be shown to him.Here the unfortunate gentleman still continues.

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The debate in the case of the unfor tunate Mr Smith of Demerara was then resumed. Dr Lushington opened the discussion with a review of the evidence, which he analysed with great skill. He contended that it clearly proved Mr. Smith to have had no idea of an intended revolt, and consequently to have been guilty of no misprision of treason. showed that the unfortunate Missionary was not the cause of the disturbance which took place among the negroes, but that the real causes were these-the exacting from them excessive labour-the subjecting them to severe punishmentsthe restraining them from religious worship-and the withholding from them a knowledge of his Majesty's benevolent instructions for their good. Dr Lushington fully admitted the respectability of Mr Wray's character as a civil Judge, but ex

posed, with great force, the impropriety of that gentleman's conduct as a Member of the Court Martial; and he concluded with a spirited peroration, claiming for all classes of his Majesty's subjects in Demerara the protection of English justice.

Mr Tindal, on the other hand, delivered an able argument on the Dutch Law, by which he stated misprision to be equal in guilt to treason, and observed, that under that law the planters would have been Mr Smith's judges; from which considerations he inferred, that the trying of the prisoner by Martial Law was favourable, and not prejudicial to him.

Mr J. Williams maintained that Martial Law was in truth no law at all; and deprecated the sanction of the House being given to an act of gross injustice, under colour of whatever law it might have been perpetrated.

The Attorney General said, that he himself might not have come to the same conclusion as the members of the Court Martial, but that there was no ground to think their judgment malicious or corrupt; and, without some such motive, they would not deserve the strong cen

SEPTEMBER.

sure conveyed in the motion of Mr Brougham.

Mr Wilberforce defended the character of Mr Smith, whom he said he must ever regard as a martyr to the faithful discharge of his duties as a Christian teacher.

Mr Canning professed not to be sufficiently versed in the Dutch Colonial Law to know how far it might justify the sentence passed on Mr Smith, but he thought the conduct of that individual, if not highly criminal, yet certainly blameable, in not revealing to the Local Authorities all he knew of the intentions of the slaves. He disclaimed, on the part of Government, all indifference towards the interests of religion, and gave full credit to Mr Brougham for the manner in which he had brought the subject before the House; though he thought the censure which was called for by Mr Brougham's motion not justified by the circumstances of the

case.

Mr Denman followed at some length.

Mr. Brougham then replied, and the house divided, when there appeared-For the motion 147-Against it 193-Majority against the motion 46.

BRITISH CHRONICLE.

Bursting of an internal lake in York. shire. On Thursday the 2d instant, within four miles of the village of Haworth, near Keighley, Yorkshire, at about six o'clock in the afternoon, a part of the high lands, on the moors, opened into chasms, and sunk to the depth of five or six yards in some places, exhibiting all over a ragged, chinky appearance, and forming two principal concavities, the one full two hundred, and the other not less than six hundred yards in circumference. From these issued two immense volumes of muddy water, which, uniting at the distance of one hundred yards from their sources, constituted, for about two hours, an overwhelming flood, generally from thirty to forty yards in width, sometimes sixty, and seldom less than three or four yards in depth. This dark slimy mix. ture of mud and water followed the course of a rivulet, overflowing its banks for twenty or thirty yards on each side, and to the distance of six or seven miles from the immediate eruption. All this way there was deposited a black moorish substance, varying from three to thirty-six inches in depth, and mixed, occasionally, with sand and rocky fragments, pieces of timber, and uprooted trees, that were

borne along by the impetuous torrent. This heavy and powerful torrent entirely broke down one solid stone bridge, made huge breaches in two others, clogged up and stopped four or five mills, laid flat and destroyed whole fields of corn, and overthrew to the foundation several hedges and walls. It also entered some houses, greatly to the astonishment and terror of the inhabitants. At the time of the eruption, the clouds were coppercoloured, gloomy, and lowering; the atmosphere was strongly electrified, and unusually close and sultry; and there was loud and frequent thunder, preceded by much zigzag lightning, peculiarly glaring and vivid. An hour before there was scarcely a breath of air stirring; but the wind quickly rose, almost to a hurricane, and after blowing hard from six to eight o'clock, sunk again into a profound calm; at which time the heavy rain, which had continued all the while, ceased, and, with the exception of a few floating clouds, the sky was nearly serene. On the 6th, the river Aire, at Leeds, continued to present the most extraordinary appearance, being exactly of the colour of the grounds of coffee. All the fish in the river were poisoned, and the woollen manufactures, dye-houses, &c. upon its banks are com

pletely at a stand. It was some time before the waters of the river could be used for any culinary purpose. The village of Haworth is about 24 miles from Leeds.

11.-Oyster Banks.-The Magistrates of Edinburgh have for time immemorial permitted the fishermen of Newhaven to fish the oyster-banks belonging to the city gratis; with a restriction, however, on the price charged in the Edinburgh market. At one period of the season they were not allowed to charge more than 2s. a hundred, and at another period 1s. 6d. For the present season, the Magistrates have let their oyster-banks to the same fishermen at a rent of £.50, with this single condition, that the oysters drawn from them shall be exposed to sale in the markets of Edinburgh and Leith; leaving them at liberty to take whatever price they may bring in the market. We have no doubt that the new arrangement will benefit the fishermen.

16.-On Friday, workmen began to take down the statue of King Charles II. in the Parliament Square, Edinburgh, pre vious to its undergoing a thorough repair, after braving wind and weather for upwards of one hundred and sixty years. There is no record by whom, or at whose expense it was erected. It was not till Monday afternoon that every thing was in readiness to remove the statue from the pedestal, which was done with every possible care. For half an hour the ponder ous weight of horse and man, supposed not less than five tons, hung suspended in the air, owing to the tackle not work ing freely; every thing at length going right, the statue was laid on two bags of matting on the top of strong sloping tim. bers, on which it slided down to a bed of sand in a wooden inclosure prepared for its reception. When the statue was with in two or three inches of reaching its recumbent posture on the slips, the ring in the church wall, through which the guy ropes were passed, gave way, and caused considerable alarm, but no accident occurred. A great crowd attended, among which a gentleman had his pocket picked of £.13.

20.-Operatives of Glasgow.-Since the abolition of the combination laws, the cotton-spinners and other workmen about Glasgow have formed themselves into associations, and many of them have endeavoured, by various acts of outrage and violence, to compel their employers to accede to any regulations they chose to dictate; but hitherto their unlawful doings have only brought evil on their own heads. On the 16th, two of the weavers, named Allen and M'Both, were tried before the justices of peace of Glas

gow, for a conspiracy against Mr Peter Hutchinson, manufacturer, "to root him out of the trade" by a system of intimi. dation. They were found Guilty, and sentenced to imprisonment for 30 days. Mr Hutchinson, when sentence was pronounced, begged that the culprits might be discharged without punishment, and his agent, after the court had broke up, repeated to them and their agent his desire to pass from the execution of the warrant. The answer returned was, "that they had no objection to be discharged, provided Mr Hutchinson would admit that they were innocent, and that the association to which they belonged had done nothing unlawful." As Mr Hutchinson, however, was not prepared to make these concessions, the men were sent to jail.

Associate Synod and Mr Fletcher.The United Associate Synod of Sece. ders from the Church of Scotland assembled in Edinburgh, on Tuesday, and, next day, took up an appeal from the Rev. Alexander Fletcher, Minister of the Albion Chapel, London, from a decision of the Associate Presbytery of London, refusing to put into distinct propositions the charges which they had substantially adopted against him; and also a reference of the whole cause by the Presbytery, in respect to the fama against Mr Fletcher, that he had violated a promise of marriage, which he had plighted to the daughter of a highly-respectable member of the Secession Church; and also a complaint to the Presbytery, against Mr Fletcher, by several of his elders, that he had dispensed the Lord's Supper in opposition to the will of the Session. A long discussion ensued, at the close of which the Synod came to the following decision:-"Find it proved by Mr Fletcher's letter, and by his confession, particularly in the Court of King's Bench, that he has been guilty of the breach of promise of marriage, aggravated by the duplicity of his conduct, and by asser tions of innocence, which, in direct opposition to his confession, he has frequently repeated, and by the calumnious charges he has preferred against the family of which the lady is a member, and against others who took a most friendly interest in this business; and that in dispensing the Lord's Supper in opposition to the deed of the Session, he has acted in a manner subversive of the order of the Presbyterian Church; and that his offence in this case is aggravated by the charges which he preferred against the members of his Session; and that, for these offences he is liable to censure." The Synod then proceeded to give judg

ment with respect to the censure which should be inflicted, and after long reasoning, agreed, "that, for the offences of which he had been found guilty, he shall be suspended from the exercise of his office, and from church-fellowship, until next meeting of Synod; and that he shall be summoned to attend said meeting, in order that he may be rebuked at the bar of this Court, and that he may be farther dealt with as they shall see cause, according to the rules of the Church and the Synod hereby suspends Mr Fletcher, and appoints accordingly, with certification." It appears, that when this sentence was intimated to Mr Fletcher, those friends of his who are proprietors of the Albion Chapel, encouraged him to resist the decree of the Synod; and on Sunday the 25th, when a deputation, from that body demanded possession of the pulpit, it was refused, and Mr Fletcher performed the service as usual. On the Wednesday following, a public meeting of the members of the Albion Chapel took place, when resolutions, censuring the conduct of the Synod Court, and expressive of a determination to support Mr F. were carried unanimously. Next Sunday, Mr Fletcher intimated to his congregation, that he had been advised by some friends in Edinburgh, who dissented from the Synod's opinion, to petition that body to review their sentence. This advice, he said, he intended to follow, and if at their next meeting they refused to withdraw their decree, he would then make his bow and leave them.

AUTUMN CIRCUITS.-Jedburgh, September 4. There were only two cases for trial at this court. William Burton, watchmaker in Dunse, for breach of trust, in appropriating to himself two watches which had been left with him to repair, was sentenced to ten months imprisonment in the jail of Greenlaw. Four men, Quin, Docharty, M'Callum, and Wilson, were tried for stealing two guinea-notes from James Davidson, mason in Ancrum, at St. Boswell's fair, and found guilty. Quin to be transported for seven years, and the others confined eighteen months in the Castle of Jedburgh.

Dumfries, September 8.-James M'Arthur, mariner, accused of murder, was outlawed. Christopher Edgar and William Edgar pleaded guilty of stealing a horse in the parish of Dalry, and were sentenced to seven years transportation. The younger culprit is a mere boy, grandson to the elder. William Galbraith, Daniel Galbraith, and Patrick Doyle, three ragged illiterate lads, and

VOL. XV.

all very young, part of a gang of thieves, pleaded guilty of various acts of housebreaking. Doyle was sentenced to seven years banishment, and the two Galbraiths to eighteen months imprisonment in Dumfries Jail. Patrick Jose pleaded guilty to housebreaking, and was sentenced to seven years transportation. Wm. Richardson was accused of assaulting Thos. Morrison. It appeared Richardson threw a stone at a dog. Morrison challenged him for it, on which Richardson knocked him down and kicked him.

The lad was soon after taken to the Infirmary, where he died. It appeared, however, that he died of Typhus fever, and had been complaining before the assault. The Depute Advocate, in consequence, departed from the principal charge, and the panel was found guilty of the assault, and sentenced to be fined in £.40, and find security to keep the peace for three years, under a penalty of £.200.

Ayr.-The Court opened here on Monday the 13th. John Johnston, accused of the murder of Mr Dow, was outlawed. John Watson pleaded guilty of housebreaking and theft, and was sentenced to fourteen years transportation. In passing sentence on the prisoner, Lord Meadowbank said, if he had been led to understand that transportation was a gentle punishment, he was grossly mistaken. It was now in the power of the Government, not only to increase or diminish the severity of it, according to the merits or demerits of the offender, but they might send him to other quarters than that to which criminals had for some

Lundie

time been transported from this country, where the labour is exceedingly severe, and where it is only performed by persons in a state of slavery; or, if they chuse, they might detain him at hard labour in this country. Catherine Linton, convicted of abstracting £.238s. from a seaman, and Janet Frew, convicted of abstracting £.47 from another person, were sentenced to seven years transpor tation. May M'Luhain, M'Kean, or M'Quon, was convicted of stealing a silver watch, and sentenced to six months imprisonment. On Tuesday was placed at the bar, charged with committing the crimes of rape and incest on the body of his own daughter, a girl of fourteen years of age. The Jury having been impannelled, the Court was cleared. Two witnesses were examined; one of whom said, the facts to which she spoke took place winter was a year. The crimes charged being libelled as committed last winter, the Crown Counsel gave up the case, and the Jury returned a verdict-Not Proven. 8 R

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