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A deputation from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce had an in- terview with Mr. Cobden at the Board of Trade on Tuesday, anent the French treaty. The deputation strongly urged upon Mr. Cobden the propriety of ad valorem duties being adopted under the treaty as being least liable to objection, and pointed out from samples of various cloths, mixed and plain, the great difficulty of any valuation being applied to these commodities specifically. Mr. Cobden stated that he would only be too glad, if he could, to induce the French Government to adopt the ad valorem duties, but as he feared that would not be possible, he begged the Chamber of Commerce to afford him such information as would faci- litate the grouping of various descriptions of cloth, &c., with a view to carry out the specific duties, should his efforts to obtain the adoption of the ad valorem dudes fail.
A deputation from Bristol waited upon Lord John Russell, on Tues- day, to prefer a claim to an additional Member. They drew a contrast between Bristol and Leeds, and asked for the Member it is proposed to bestow upon Leeds. They produced these curious statistics :—
Now it appeared that in 1851, the population of Bristol was 137,328, and that of Leeds 172,270; and the number of houses inhabited was, Bristol, 20,873, and Leeds, 36,165; but while in 1857 the property assessed for pro- perty and income-tax in Bristol amounted to 118,396/., that in Leeds only reached 96,9361., being about 22,000/. in favour of Bristol. There were other things, however, which showed Bristol to be in advance of Leeds. Take, for instance, the number of letters delivered. At the date of the last return, Bristol showed 8,334,000 as against 5,075,000 in Leeds, or si millions in favour of Bristol. For postal services, therefore, Bristol paid 31,947/., while Leeds only paid 24,206/. The voters at present were—Bristol, 12,929, and Leeds, 5945; and the proposed addition was Bristol, 4956, and Leeds, 5979, so that the new constituencies would be Bristol, with 17,885 voters, only two members; Leeds, 11,924, three members. Lord John Russell said he had received many deputations, all of whom with a plentiful flow of statistics, claimed additional representation. All he could say was that their statements should receive due attention.
Guildford sent a deputation to Lord John Russell on Wednesday, to beg that the borough might still return two members, but without effect.
The Court of Aldermen was occupied on Tuesday with the grievances of the Shoeblack brigades. A memorial was presented, setting forth that non-society boys crowd round and interfere with society boys, take away their customers and steal their brushes and blacking. The non- society boys are not subjected to discipline, and they certainly do mis- behave. The memorial prayed that the regular shoeblacks might be protected. In the debate which ensued on a motion to refer the memo- rial to a committee, it was admitted that a monopoly of the trade cannot be secured to the ahoeblack brigade, but several aldermen thought that means might be taken to protect those boys who are subject to discipline. Motion agreed to.
The Bishop of London in a letter to the laity of his diocese has called attention to the spiritual destitution in the metropolis. Among the 2,500,000 inhabitants of London, he insists that a vast multitude must be beyond the reach of religious ordinances ; and admitting that much must be left to missionary effort, he proposes that the larger parishes (there are 62 with populations above 15,000 and under 35,000) should be sub- divided, and that of course more churches should be built to be followed by more schools and local societies. The agency for the work to be done is the London Diocesan Church Building Society, which will receive the subscriptions of the faithful.
A pastoral from Cardinal Wiseman was part heard in the Roman Catholic chapels of London on Sunday. "Part heard," for the docu- ment was too long for one reading. It was intended to support an ap- peal for money on behalf of the Pope, and consisted of a denunciation of those who have robbed the Papal Court of a portion of its temporal do- minion. The Cardinal is especially indignant that the Roman Catholic laity should have invited the Pope and his clergy to fly for refuge to the catacombs ; that advice, as he plaintively observes, being tendered with "an evident understanding that not a privilege, not a right, not a com- fort of their own is to be touched, the honour of loss and of tribulation to belong exclusively to the hierarchy and its chief head!"
At a meeting, on Wednesday, of the friends of the Malta Protestant College, an institution intended to promote the education of the natives of Turkey, Lord Stratford de Radcliffe, who moved a resolution declaring the College adapted to promote the end in view, made some interesting remarks on Turkey. The Turkish empire, after having filled the world with the glory of its arms and the fear of its further extension, so as to spread a very inferior civilization over the Western and Northern countries of Europe, to the great disadvantage, and perhaps even the destruction of the religion, had,
in consequence of its vicious administration and its & their
system of religion, fallen into a state of weakness and decay which demanded their sympathy, and as far as it could be rendered, required their assistance. There was a wish for amendment on the part both of the government and of the people ; there was a hungering and a thirsting on the part of many for a brighter and purer form of religion ; even the Turk himself, with all his fanaticism and all his religions bigotry, had begun to open his eyes to the superiority
of Christianity i and by applying their efforts to the affording -him the means of satisfying his wishes and supplying his wants, they might obtain the great satisfaction of having contributed to the accomplishment of the highest and noblest objects of humanity. (Cheers.) Malta, where the col- lege whose claims he was advocating was established, not only possessed the advantage of position in relation to surrounding countries, but was also on the highway to India, that country with which they had so many ties of in- terest, to which all their dearest and warmest sympathies had lately been directed, and he would add, where the glory of having rescued their country- men from the peril to which they were all exposed, was largely shared by one whom they had the pleasure of seeing among them on that occasion. ((Seers.) The institution had had great difficulties to contend with, but, notwithstanding these it had manifested a power and produced an effect which more than justified the hopes of those who took part in its for- mation. They were not without competitors in the 'Turkish field. Other countries had, perhaps, shown a deeper sense than they had done of the importance of the interests which were at stake in the East. Russia had, as they all knew, long exerted hermit' there for the purpose of establishing churches and schools, and spreading the knowledge and practice of her imperfect form of Christianity. Among those who formed part of the original possessors of the country, the Ar- menian catholics, assisted by one of the most powerful nations of Europe, had exhibited equal activity in spreading institutions useful according to their point of view, and not without utility in a general point of view, in various parts of the Turkish empire. They had honoured themselves by the exertions which they had made Recording to their own views, and had pro- duced a very considerable effect. But we might perhaps be allowed to look a little at the motives which in ,part stimulated their efforts. We should not expose ourselves to any special blame if, looking back at the history and the circumstances of later periods, we said that policy entered largely into the object of their exertions ; that they probably foresaw a time when the weakness of the Turkish empire would have reached such a point that they might increase their power and extend their dominiona at the expense of that decaying empire ; and it was not uncharitable to suppose that their statesmen were not blind to the effect which their exertions, bearing ex- ternally the most philanthropic aspect, were calculated to produce in favour of the interests which they represented in future times. But this country, he believed, looked for nothing of that kind. It looked forward to no con- quests but those of humanity—its only object, so far as he knew anything about the matter, was to improve the administration of Turkey for the bene- fit of those, whether Christians or Mahomedans, who were under the Tur- kish sceptre, and to extend that superior civilization which prevailed in this part of the world. If we had any interest of our own, it was simply the le- gitimate interest of commerce, which, in promoting the prosperity of each individual nation, increased the prosperityof all in a link of common depen- dence. (Cheers.) Sir John Lawrence, the Lord Mayor, Lord Shaftesbury and Mr. H. Kinnaird took part in the proceedings, and it was determined to raise a special fund of 10,000/. to increase the number of free oriental students. The anniversary festival of the British Orphan Asylum took place on Wednesday at the London Tavern, the Marquis of Bristol in the chair. This is one of those useful institutions which have so legitimate a claim upon the support of the public.
Dr. Twigs, the Judge of the Consistory Court, delivered judgment on Tuesday in the case of the Reverend Bryan King versus Robert Rosier. Dr. TWili8 said :—" This is a suit for brawling in a church, instituted by the rector of St. George's-in-the-East, in the diocese of London, against Mr. Rosier, a parishioner of that parish. The defendant is charged with brawl- ing and chiding in the church of St. George's-in-the-East, on Sunday the 14th of August, and Sunday the 6th of November, 1859. The proceeding is in- stituted under the general ecclesiastical law, but the charge is laid in the words which were adopted by the Legislature in the statute 5th and 6th Edward VI., chap. 4, entitled An Act against quarrelling and fighting in churches and churchyards.' By that statute it is enacted that if any per- son shall by words only quarrel, chide, or brawl in any church or church- yard, it shall be lawful for the ordinary of the place where the same shall be done, and proved by two lawful witnesses, to suspend any person so offending,—if he be a layman, from the entrance of the church, and if he be a clerk, from the ministration of his office for so long as the said ordinary shall think meet and convenient, according to the fault.' The statute enacts severe penalties against any person who shall smite or lay violent hands upon another in any church or churchyard. The purpose of this statute was to repress the disturbances which, in the early period of the Reformation of the Church of England were too apt to break out in places consecrated to the solemn offices of Divine worship between the more ardent supporters of the Reformed order of Divine service and the equally zealous adherents to the Latin ritual. It had in later times been applied to repress quarrels and offences violating the sanctity of places set apart from profane uses, and dedicated to the service of Almighty God. The jurisdiction exercised by the Ecclesiastical Courts did not, however, depend on the statute, as it was passed for the purpose of aiding, not creating the jurisdiction of the Ecclesi- astical Courts, and the offence of brawling in a consecrated place subsisted by the common law long before the statute was enacted. The object of the general law as well as of the statute was evidently to protect the sanctity of places set apart for the worship of the Supreme being, and for the repose of the dead, in which nothing but religious reverence arid Christian good will ought to prevail, and to prevent them from being converted with im- punity into scenes where human passion vented itself either in words of malice or acts of violence. Dr. Twiss reviewed the evidence in support of the first charge, in which Mr. Rosier was accused of shouting in a brawl- ing, chiding, and irreverent manner,' on the occasion of the officiating mi- nister having fainted, at the afternoon service of the 14th of August last,— ' It is a judgment of God upon him' ; God has struck him dead ' ; Down with Bryan King!' ; and was of opinion that it was not proven. The learn- ed judge remarked, in reference to the statement of one of the witnesses, Captain Hall, a non-parishioner, that he went to the church on the 14th of August last to assist in keeping order, that that duty. did not devolve on the rector or minister of church. The minister is respon- sible for the performance of Divine service, and the churchwardens and their assistants are authorized by law to keep order, and the rector not having a concurrent authority with the churchwardens cannot devolve upon strangers an authority which he does not possess himself. The interference of strangers with the congregation was liable to promote that disorder which it might be their intention to pre- vent. A stranger who interfered without lawful authority, and laid violent hands upon any other person in the church, was liable, on complaint being made to the Ecclesiastical Court, to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months. The learned judge then went over the evidence in support of and against the second charge, which was that, on Sunday, the 6th of No- vember last, immediately upon the afternoon service being concluded, and before the congregation had dispersed, Mr. Rosier approached Captain Hall, and, pointing at him, said in an irreverent and brawling tone and manner, This thing calls himself a captain he is a disgrace to the Army ; he is a greasy swell,' and that he also said to a member of the congregation, in a brawling manner, that Captain Hall is the man who is going to swear that I spit upon him in Wellclose Square.' The Judge held that the second charge was proved. The Court, therefore, admonished Mr. Rosier to refrain from brawling, quarrelling, and chiding in the parish church of St. George's-in- the-East, and condemned him in the sum of 101. iaomine expensarum.
A Mr. John Lewis parted from a friend near All Souls Church, Langbam Place, at a quarter past eleven at night, to walk to his home in Arlington Street, Camden Town. The distance is about a mile. He did not arrive until twenty minutes to one. Entering with his own latch-key, he com- plained of illness, lay down? and died. A post-mortem examination showed that he had been dosed with morphia, and subjected to personal violence. He had been robbed of a large sum of money. A. Coroner's Jury has found a verdict of wilful murder against seine person or persons unknown.
George Briggs has been committed for trial by the Lambeth Magistrate on a charge of assaulting with intent to murder, Robert Styles. The wife of Briggs did ironing for Mrs. Styles. Briggs thought she was too intimate with Styles himself, and going to his house, beat him severely with a poker, declaring he would murder him, and knocking down and stamping d013 him, wife. Meeting Styles on his way to a doctor, Briggs again assailed h m, and put his existence in peril. It appeared there was not the slightest
foundation for the ruffian's suspicions. htest
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