17 MAY 1851, Page 5

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At a meeting of the constituency of the Ward of Langbourne, on Saturday last, Mr. William Cubitt, M.P., was unanimously elected Alderman of the ward, in room of Sir John Key, now representative of the senior ward of Bridge-without.

At a meeting of the Court of Common Council, on Tuesday, on the motion of Mr. Dakin, and after a long debate, it was resolved, by 48 to 15, to petition the House of Commons to pass the bill now before it for incorporating the Great Central Gas-consumers Company.

Sonic of the more important of the May meetings, religious, philan- thropic, and scientific, have fallen within the week.

The annual examination of the children educated by the British and Foreign School Society again had the distinction of Lord John Russell's

presence, after some years of absence compelled by engrossing political cares. Earl Fitzwilliam, Earl Waldegrave, Lord Ebrington' Mr. Fox Maule, Dr. Lushington, the Reverend G. Clayton, and the Reverend T. Binney of the Weigh-house Chapel, were among the leading occupants of the platform.

Lord John Russell adverted to the time when it was the agreeable cus- tom of his life to attend annually at these meetings. He then spoke in specific advocacy of the principles of this society as distinguished from others-

" There are many other societies engaged in the work of education, and most usefully engaged, and they have a great number of pupils. With re- gard to one of those societies, which is called the National Society, I confess it seems to me that, however great may be the benefits it confers, it is de- ficient in this respect, that the greater portion of the children of the popula- tion of this country are excluded from the schools by the terms they impose. With regard to another society which is endeavouring to make its way, and which rests upon secular education only, I may observe that the present so- ciety has a great degree of superiority over that kind of education, because the religious element of man, which guides his conduct on earth and on which he founds his hopes for the future, is omitted from that system. Therefore, commendhi', as I am quite ready to commend, the efforts made by all other societies, F think upon the whole we have not only chosen that which is the best system of education, but that which is best suited to the wants of the great majority of the people of this country." He sketched the history of public grants in aid of education—from the first one of 10,0001. recom- mended by "a tried friend to education, Lord Brougham " ; observed that he himself once conducted that part of the business of the state ; and then paid a tribute of praise to the Marquis of Lansdowne and Sir Bay Shuttle- worth, for their laborious and attentive management of the system in its present far more developed extent. In conclusion he recurred to the revered names of those labourers in the cause who have passed away—" I will only say further, that in returning to this place, which I have done with great gratification, and in observing the progress which has been made by the in- stitution, and the success which has attended its endeavours, I cannot but

recollect in former days, when attending meetings of this society, I have seen men of eminence, men of piety, men of unwearied benevolence, who have since been taken from us. I have seen Wilberforce pouring forth in

his eloquent language and with his silvery voice his recommendation of Scrip- tural education. I have witnessed my late excellent friend the Bishop of Norwich with his zeal and eloquence enforcing the doctrines he thought right, and never concealing the feelings of his heart. I have moreover laboured for manyyears with one who is now taken from us—a friend whom I greatly Nalued—I mean the late William Allen, who took an active part in this as in every benevolent work. I cannot but lament that we have done no more in this important matter : but I trust that a younger and more active generation will supply our places ' • that you

will see this society extended in its operations; and that the ii-esh exertions

which will be made in the cause of public instruction, as prla.ices are dis- pelled and men are brought nearer to one another, will at length result in a more general education of the people of this country. I believe that the time has arrived when such efforts ought to be made I trust and hope, and I believe, that the means of the masses of the people are greater than they have been for providing the comforts and necessaries of life ; I trust that you will find the poorer classes more anxious for the benefits of education. There is not wanting in the people of this country the desire for moral and spiritual good, and, as time advances, they will doubtless have increased power of conferring the blessings of education upon their children."

The promoters of the British Missions met in Exeter Hall on Tuesday, under Mr. Pilkington, M.P., and appealed for further support; the Church

Pastoral Aid Society, in the same place on the same day, under Lord Ash- ley, asked for the means of recovering a deficit caused by its extended operations ; the Protestant Association met in the same place, under the Earl of WinchiLsea, on Wednesday, and vowed "no peace with Rome," having a good balance in hand. The report of the Scottish Free Church Mission, which met, under Mr. Fox Malik on Wednesday, showed an in- crease of income over expenditure of 3340i, and yet a large extension of operations. The festival of the Sons of the Clergy, in St. Paul's Cathedral, on Thursday, went off with the usual success ; and at the subsequent dinner

in Merchant Tailors' Hall, there was promise made of more magnificent celebrations in future years. The meagre choir of St. Paul's is, perhaps, to be augmented • and the nave of the cathedral is, at all events, to be fitted up, said Archdeacon Hale, "so that thousands instead of hundreds may attend the festivals."

The sixty-first anniversary of the Literary Fund was celebrated, at Freemasons' Hall, on Wednesday, with great éclat. M. Van de Weyer presided, with taste and warmth of feeling ; and besides many Members of our own Legislature, there were present some illustrious foreigners—as Baron Martini, and Baron Charles Dupin. The speech of the evening was made by Mr. Thackeray, on behalf of the English Novelists.

He was anxious to make the foreigners aware that the literary men of this country are not the " unfortunate, degraded, and seedy people," that are pictured for the time of George the Second : that disreputable phantom ought now to be hissed out of society. He does not believe that a man of talent and character is obliged to do anything that an honest man should be ashamed of ; and, therefore, he hopes that from this day forward the oppressed author will disappear from amongst us. The author nowadays does not want pa- trons—except such as these, [pointing around] ; for there is no longer ant- thing degrading in his profession. They no longer need to be pitied. Mr Thackeray had certainly advanced himself by his literary efforts, and has been admitted into circles which but for them he should never have reached. There's Mr. Disraeli, now the head of a great party in "another place "—he stood "on his own head " alone for Buckinghamshire; and there's another eminent novelist, who now writes letters to John Bull from his ancestral hall ; and John has bought eight editions. Mr. Thackeray had experienced, at one period of his career, the advantage of temporary assistance ; and he was anxious to extend by means of the institution that alit to his brethren which he found so useful to himself. They managers of the Artists' Benevolent Fund held their yearly meet- ing, at Freemasons' Tavern, on Saturday, with success.

The members and friends of the Metropolitan Sanitary Association dined together at M. Boyer's "Symposium," Gore House, on Saturday last, in aid of the somewhat languishing subscriptions to their funds. The Earl of Carliale was chairman ; and Viscount Ebrington, Lord Robert Grosvenor, the Bishop of Ripon, Mr. Bond Cabbell, Mr. Henry T. Hope, Mr. Slaney, Mr. Ewart, Mr. Evelyn, and some other Members of the Le- gislature, with Sir Benjamin Brodie, Mr. Charles Dickens, Mr. George Cruikshank, Dr. Southwood Smith, and other notabilities who take an interest in the sanitary movement, were among the guests. The enter- tainment seems to have been an inaugural one to M. Soyer's establish- ment; and his good cheer contributed, no doubt, to the very hopeful spirit of the oratory, and to the encouraging amount of the subscriptions afterwards received.

The May show of the Royal Botanical Society, in the Regent's Park, on Wednesday, was the most beautiful and the most magnificently at- tended that the Society has yet seen. The Queen was present; and a multitude of well-dressed foreigners were among the company. It is stated that nearly thirty thousand of the Society's season-tickets have been sold already.

In the Bail Court, early in the week, Sir Frederick Thesiger appeared successively on behalf of the Morning Advertiser and the Morning Herald, to retract a libel which those papers lately inserted at the expense of the in- mates of a convent at Clapham. They had insinuated that there was lately a furtive acoouchement there : but a number of affidavits by the surgeon and medical gentleman of the establishment, and by a crowd of other witnesses, proved that the whole account was a fable. The journals expressed deep re- gret at their inadvertence ; and on their paying costs the criminal informa- tions were withdrawn.

The Common Sergeant was occupied the whole of Tuesday in trying per- sons accused of passing counterfeit coin. There were no fewer than twenty- nine persons indicted at these Sessions for this offence. It seems that a great number of bad sovereigns and half-sovereigns are in circulation, appa- rently from the same moulds, and cleverly executed.

On Thursday, Frederick Judd, described as eighteen years old, but believed to be younger, was tried for the murder of his father. There is no doubt that he killed his father, by repeatedly striking lain on the head with a poker ; but the old man, though sensible for several days after this, was averse to speak about it—he gave no explanation, and made no accusation. The Jury took a merciful view of the case, and convicted the youth of the minor offence of manslaughter only. He was sentenced to be transported for life.

At the Marborough Street Police Court, on Monday, Captain Paulet Henry Somerset, of the Coldstream Guards, was charged with assaulting Police-con- stable Griffin, one of the officers stationed on the approaches to the Great Evbibition. Orders had been issued that no carriages should go up the car- riage-road from Kensington Gate to the building, but should proceed along Rotten Row. On Monday afternoon, Captain Somerset drove a phaeton up the prohibited road at a rapid pace ; Griffin signalled him with his hands to go back ; but he continued his progress. The Policeman, as he approached, called out to him that he must go up Rotten Row ; but Captain Somerset only whipped his horses forward : the Policeman then caught hold of the reins ; Captain Somerset whipped him over the head and shoulders, and then put his horses to the gallop, until he was stopped by a mounted patrol. Four lashes that fell upon Griffin's face drew blood slightly.

In his defence before the Magistrate, Captain Somerset pleaded, that he did not know the nature of the orders issued to the Police. He had driven along the same road the day before without interruption, and he was not aware he could not do so that day. He denied that his arses were going faster than at a trot. The constable seized the reins, and nearly threw one of his horses, a young horse, on its haunches. Fearing the horse would kick, he desired the constable to let go. The constable would not, and he lost his temper and struck him. He considered he had not met with that courtesy from the Police which a gentleman was entitled to expect. Mr. Hardwick (to the defendant)—" It matters very little whether the warning given by the Police-constable at Kensington Gate was seen or 'not. Two other constables signalled you, and then, whether gentle- man or coachman, it was your duty to pull up at the instant. Instead of doing this, you drove on furiously, and paid no attention to the con- stables." Defendant—" I should have stopped if treated with proper civility." Mr. Hardwick—" If officers exceed their duty, there is an easy remedy by complaint to the Commissioners, or to a Magistrate. I am surprised that an officer in her Majesty's service should not have set a better example of obedience to those in authority. Constables must be protected in their duty, and examples must be made of allpersons who obstruct or injure them when so doing. You will go to the House of Correction forten days." Defendant—" House of Correction ! pray allow me to pay a fine.' I trust you will consider your decision over again : such a sentence will probably oblige me to leave my regiment. I will pay any fine you may inflict." Mr. Hardwick—" No ; I decline to make any alteration in the sentence. The law knows no distinction of persons ; and there are no circumstances of mitigation in your case, as you, from your position, ought i

to have set an example of obedience to those in authority." Captain Somer- set was then removed to the lock-up cells, " evidently in a state of most un- comfortable bewilderment."

At the Mansionhouse, on Wednesday, Thomas, the conductor of a Hackney omnibus, WAS fined 20s. and costs, and his licence was suspended for a month, on the complaint of a gentleman who was obliged to leave the omnibus and hire a cab in consequence of the loitering about near the Royal Exchange and in Bishopsgate Street. The Lord Mayor announced that be means to proceed with vigour against all offenders of the kind.

At Southwark Police Office, on Saturday, two boys, not twelve years of age but known as expert thieves, were charged with stealing a tradesman's horse and cart. While the owner entered a house, the boys entered the cart, and drove the horse off with it ; before they were captured, they had sold the -harness and the goods they found in the cart. A second case of a similar kind was brought against them, where the cart had contained a carpet valued at 81. A Mrs. Moorcroft, a corn-dealer in the Bermondsey New Road, ad- mitted that she bought the carpet of the boys for 3s., which was what they asked for it. The Magistrate ordered the woman into custody as receiver.