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A very large meeting of Mr. Charles Pearson's late constituents in Lambeth assembled at the Horns Tavern on Monday, to hear a farewell address from their late representative. Mr. Pearson's address had two main features,—an exculpation of himself from the imputation that he has not taken a prominent agitatory part in Parliamentary polities; and a congratulatory reference to the advanced condition of the cause in be- half of which he first sought to be returned to Parliament—the improved discipline of convict prisoners. On the first point, he made these effective - remarks.

He had told the electors before they chose him, he did not intend to be- come a standard-bearer of agitation, and he was determined not to speak upon any of the favourite topics of public discussion unless he thought him- self qualified to communicate some information of which the House was not in possession. The habit of speaking at all times and on all subjects might be gratifying to personal vanity, but the endless repetitions which formed the staple of a large portion of the House of Commons oratory did but serve to obstruct public business, without advancing any one public principle they proposed to uphold. On the second point, he quoted statistical facts to show that since he attacked the lazy and luxurious practices of the "so-called cellular sys- tem," large improvements and reductions of cost have been made in every department of the Pentonville establishment.

The cost of each prisoner has been reduced from 351. 17s. 4d. in 1847 to 251. 78. hi. in 1850. The criminals confined in the gaol were compelled to wait upon themselves and wash their own linen, instead of having warders in livery to wait upon them, and their dirty clothes sent out to be blanched and purified at the Refuge for Destitute Washerwomen. There were 600 prisoners confined in that celebrated establishment : taking the saving as the report gave it at 10/. 10s. each, the annual amount would be upwards of 6,000/. This saving had been effected through the instrumentality of their late representative. If every one of the 650 Members were to devote their minds to the achievement of one single object, a mighty result would be ac- complished. The ancient method of removing mountains was for each MIU1 to take his mattock and his shovel and remove a barrow-load at a time, and in time the mass would vanish. If each Member would emulate his ex- ample and save 6,0001. a year, the amount annually invested and reinvested at 5 per cent would in fifty-six years pay off the 800,000,000/. of national debt, and leave a surplus of half that amount to meet future contingencies.

Pearson retires from Parliament, because he finds the effectual dis- charge of his duties as City Solicitor and Representative of Lambeth more than his health and strength will sustain. But his retreat is only for a sea- son, to enable him to return to the field of battle at some future time, with renewed vigour and strength in mind, body, and estate. For aught he knew to the contrary, the Corporation might at some future period be disposed to lighten his duties by authorizing him to have the assistance of a deputy; or they might reward his many years of service with a retiring pension, while yet in the possession of his faculties to serve the public. If that should be the case, he should rejoice in an opportunity of again tendering to Lambeth his best services ; or he might offer himself to a smaller constituency, and`• might take their vote to serve as a good character from his last place. In- an earlier part of his address, he had expressly discredited the absurd rumour - that he had accepted the Government appointment of Prison Inspector, with a salary of 3,000/. a year.

The meeting unanimously resolved, that Mr. Pearson enjoys the full confidence of his late constituents, condoled with him on his ill health, and anticipated his ultimate success in his praiseworthy labours to improve prison discipline.

The Roman Catholic gentry residing in London assembled in great numbers on Sunday morning, at St. George's Cathedral in Westminster Road, to hear an expected farewell address from Dr. Nicholas Wiseman on the eve of his departure for Rome to be installed in the dignity of Cardinal. The Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl of Kenmure, Lords Camoys, Beaumont, Clifford, Petro, Lovat, Strafford, Stourton, Arundel and Surrey, and Dormer, with Mr. Shed, Mr. An- stay, and some other Roman Catholic Members of the House of Com- mons, were present. High mass was celebrated; and the Cardinal elect delivered an address, glorifying the success of Roman Catholicism throughout the world, and the zealous labours of the clergy in his own district. In the evening, many clergymen of the Church. of England were present to hear a second sermon by Dr. Wiseman. The Pope, it seems, has expressed an earnest desire that Dr. Wiseman should reside permanently in Rome, to give him the assistance of his counsel in the midst of the political and spiritual difficulties which now environ the Church. Cardinal Wiseman's successor here is not yet named : the choice is expected to fall upon either the Reverend Dr. Doyle, the senior priest of St. George's Cathedral, or the Reverend Dr. John Henry New- man, priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, King William Street, for- merly Vicar of Great St. Mary's, Oxford.

The East India Company entertained Lieutenant-General Sir William Gomm at a grand dinner, on Saturday, in honour of his appointment to be Commander-in-chief of the Bombay Presidency.

At a Court of Sewers, on Tuesday, it was formally resolved by a quo- rum of Commissioners, that the engineer's report on the drainage of the South side of the Thames, presented last week, be approved of; and that the works therein recommended be executed with the least possible delay. Captain Harness observed, that a mistake has crept into the public re- ports of the estimated expense of Mr. Forster's plan,—which is not half a million, as stated, but only a quarter of a million.

The whole of the engine-drivers, firemen, and fitters employed on the Eastern Counties Railway, have threatened to resign. A large number of them held a meeting at Stratford on Sunday evening. It was stated that Mr. Gooch, late of the South-western Railway, has been appointed locomo- tive superintendent of the Eastern Counties Railway, and has begun a strin- gent system of economy—discharging drivers who have earned the highest rate of pay, and so with the firemen and fitters ; filling up the vacancies

.ivith less experienced hands at a lower salary, and taking on a number of young people. Exorbitant tines are &vied, the drivers are to be made to act as titters, and engines are to be "patched." The men resolved, for themselves and their brethren, to memorialize the Directors to dismiss Mr. Gooch ; if the Directors decline, the whole body of workers to give in, no- diem of leaving the service of the company. On Monday, a number of the men had an interview with Mr. Ellis, a Director; he refused assent to their . demands, and nearly two hundred gave a week's warning. The Directors deny the statements of their servants.

Mr. Ingham, the Thames Police Magistrate, has not had to decide be- tween the rival gas companies ; for when the charges of assault werecalled, on Monday, it was announced- that the matter was, by mutual agreement, to be carried into a civil court; and, after some discussion, Mr. Jaques, the secretary of the Commercial Companv, and Mr. Church, an inspector, were discharged from custody, on the understanding that they would not again break the peace. John Smith, a man who charged Mr. Church with assault- ing him, received a- sum of money as ccmaensation ; and the mob of gas people vacated the court.

A reward of 501. has been offered for the discovery of some person or per- eons who removed the bolts from the roof of the retort-house of the Great Central Company, whereby a portion of the roof fell : hail the workmen been within at the time, life would most probably have been sacrificed.

At the Mansionhouse, on Saturday, Mr. Ashby, of the firm of Ashby, Bro- thers, Queenhithe, was summoned for having permitted four men not water- men, lightermen or apprentices, to navigate a steam tug-boat on the Thames. The ease was made out; but Mr. Ashby said the master of the boat was the really responsible party, as he engaged the men ; and if there were any pe- nalty inflicted, he should make the master pay it. The =later stated that there are thousands of men not watermen daily thus employed. Alderman Gibbs said, he was determined to protest the watermen. It would be very hard indeed if opposed as they are by a combination of changes and circum- stances, the Magistracy of London hesitated to protect them. He inflicted a fine of 408. anecosts. •

All the persons—five in number—charged with participation in the gold- robbery at Whitechapel, have been committed for trial by the Thames Police Magistrate.

• At Marlborough Street Police Office on Tuesday, Mrs. Anne Sevester, a lady of property residing in Regent Street, was charged with improperly re- taining 10/. the propertyof Mr. Ruddle, who occupied a house in Regent Street, as her tenant. Mrs. Sevester having applied for 201. to Mrs. Ruddle, that lady in error gave her two five-pound and two ten-pound notes, think- ing they were all fives. When she discovered the error, Mrs. Sevester per- sisted that she had only received 20/. But the contrary was subsequentiv proved, and Mrs. Sevester now wanted to escape from the matter by ad-- Drifting the receipt of the extra 10/. on account of rent. Then her soheitor Offered to replace the note, admittin,g an error. The Magistrate was inclined IX) allow this ; but Mr. Ruddle urged that the accused had been very rude to his wife, and had constantly denied the receipt of the 10/. till it was proved against her. Mrs. Middle kindly- interposed, and her husband consented to forego the prosecution. Mr Bingham hardly knew how to act; but eventu- ally he remanded the accused till next Monday, taking bail.

Charles Lovell, a stone-mason, having had some words with William Pres- ton, a fellow workman, in a public-house, suddenly sprang upon him and bit off a portion of his nose. When Lovell was dragged from his victim, the piece of nose could not be found, and he is supposed to have swallowed it ! Before the West 'minder Magistrate, Lovell pleaded that he had lately been affected in his head, and that he was unconscious of having attacked Pres- ton. He was held to bail to appear at the Sessions.

William Rourke accused or suspected of complicity. in a murder perpe- trated in Ireland tine years ago, has been discharged from custody by Alder- man Finnis : no satisfactory answers have been obtained from the Police in Ireland, and it seems to have been pretty clearly proved that Rourke was in Fagland when the crime was committed.

George Smith, a notoriously bad character, has died in Coldbathfields Pri- son, from starvation. Since his imprisonment, Smith had behaved with great violence, and latterly he refused all soliil nourishment. He died sud- denly and =expectedly. There was nothing to account for his death but the refusal to take or retain food. His age was twenty-one. I Coroner's Yury have given a -verdict accordingly, declaring that the prison authorities behaved with kindness to the prisoner. At Worship Street Police Office, on Monday, Sophia Hancock was charged with illegal pawning and attempted suicide. The prisoner is only twelve years old ; but she has already been many times in custody for robbing her parents. In the present instance, the poor mother had directed the girl to take home some articles she had been mangling : Sophia pawned the articles, spent the money, and then threw herself into the canal at Horton, whence she was taken out insensible. Mr. Combe remanded the culprit for a week.

While a sailing-boat belonging to Mr. Owen, of Greenwich, was beating up Woolwich Reach, on Tuesday evening, with a party of six, on board, a sudden gust turned the vessel keel upwards. A sailing-barge was near, and her people saved four lives ; but two youths, sons of Mr. Greenaway, of Kennington Road, were drowned.

, William Hannay, a young man, has died in the swimming-baths in the Westminster Road, from an apoplectic fit, apparently ceased by the sudden immersion of the body while the stomach was full.

John Burns, a man who was employed on the railway near New Cross, has been killed while crossing the line, two trains having passed at the same mo- ment.