int Alttrufolio.

The first Court of Common Council after the vacation was held on Thursday. Important business was done. The Committee of the Chair- men of Committees lately appointed to consider the subject of the maul-- cipal franchise had instructed Mr. Harrison to move the appointment of another special Committee on the subject. Mr. Harrison performed his duty, and moved the appointment of such a Committee, with the duty Of reporting what beneficial changes have already bees made, and what more can be made. Alderman Wire seconded the motion. Mr. Pewtress, Mr. Andertcm, Mr. Bennoch, and others, opposed the motion, as a device to burke the reference of the recommendations already made by the Freedom Committee. They moved the previous question. Alderman Sidney se- conded the amendment; impressing on the Corporation the necessity of reform : they should not disregard the omens which daily exhibit them- selves—especially the hostility of the Times newspaper. The amend- ment was carried.

The recommendations of the Freedom Committee then became the order of the day ; and the following were among those agreed to. "That every person who shall occupy premises in the city of London for a period of a year and a day, and shall pay scot and bear lot, shall be a free- man and citizen and shall be entitled to all the benefits and privileges, and be subject to all the duties thereof. "That every freeman and citizen must be rated to some municipal, Par- liamentary, or parochial rate, to an amount of 10/. "That all reference to the register of voters for Members of Parliament be repealed."

The Revising 'Barristers of the Metropolitan Boroughs have been doing their work this year without exciting much attention. Mr. APChristies vigorous overhanline. of the London lists in former years left him but little to do now ; and in none of the other Metropolitan Boroughs have any very interesting constitutional points been raised.

A meeting was held at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet Street, on Monday evening, to found a "Printers' Athenteum." Mr. Charles Knight was in the chair; and resolutions for carrying out the scheme were passed. The institution is primarily for the use of all persons in any way con- nected with printing, but also for working men generally. The objects seem very much to resemble those of the Whittington Club, with the addition of evening instruction for the children of members. The pro- posed subscription is 13s. a year, the first thousand subscribers to be al- lowed a reduction of 3s. for the first year.

Mrs. Chishohn's Family Colonization Society prosecutes its work with quiet success. The Athenian, the third ship of "grouped" emigrants despatched by it, left the East Tmlia Docks on Wednesday, for Adelaide and Port Phillip. On Tuesday there was a meeting of the emigrants and their friends on board the Athenian; when the Earl of Shaftesbury, Mr. Robert Lowe, late Member of Connell for Sydney, Mr. Leslie Foster, late Member of Council for Port Phillip, and Mr. Sidney, delivered ad- dresses. Reference was of course made to the recent gold-discoveries at Bathurst in New South Wales : Lord Shaftesbury and Mr. Lowe especially warned the emigrants against being carried away by the hope of sudden wealth.

Lord Shaftesbury would not say that there might not he great benefit volved in this discovery; it might be the method of Providence for -peopling those vast and remote regions. But he asked them to go out with their eyes open, and with a determination that, by God's blessing, nothing should su- persede that without which there could -be no security or honour for realms, no peace or happiness for families--bonest, steady, regular, industrious ex- ertion. For the strength and security of a nation, all the gold that ever should be found would not be equal to the honest industry -of a moral, pa- tient, religious population. Mr. Lowe indicated the true gold-field for the emigrants whom he ad- dressed, by reminding them of the prepossession in respect -to character which the old inhabitants of the Colonies already feel in favour of Mrs. Chisholm's emigrants. "Let other people go gold-hunting ; you will derive- the benefit of the discovery in the advanced rate of wages in the market, from which so much labour will be withdrawn. The gold-field is a lottery, in which a vast number will draw blanks ; and in a country where there is a number of persons who have been transported for their crimes, and whose sentences have expired, but who have not all become reformed men, there will be congregated in the gold-field a desperate and reckless set, whom every prudeut man would wish to avoid. Probably, before the requisite force can be applied by the Government, there will be scenes that will rival those in California. The superior class of emigrants sent out by Mrs. Chis- holm command high wages and situations of trust. The great demand is for people who can be trusted when the employer's back is turned ; and the economy and self-denial which must have been exercised by the emigrants present, in order to take advantage of this Society's offer, [the loan of one- third of the passage-money, repayable without interest in two years,] is some guarantee for their good conduct." Mr. Foster again pictured the value of" character." He said—" There is no country in the world where honesty is more appreciated. The very fac* of the paeseiaoe of a clam expatriated for their crimes, and their hildng a name for dishonesty, makes honesty the more prized. Chaxaetar is more. valuable to the emigrant than a pocketful of sovereigns. Comfortable cir-. sumstances are not indeed to be attained without work and frugality; but there is ample opportunity for the industrious. The truth is, too, that peo- ple like Mrs. Chisholm's emigrants better than any others ; and he trusted on present party would keep up the character earned by those whom she has sent out."

After the speeches were made, the accommodations of the ship were examined. They will be to some extent understood by persons conver- sant with the subject, front the statement that the Athenian has carried out three hundred and fifty troops, including officers, and yet has had her space so divided that her full complement of adult emigrants is two hundred and eight.

A meeting of the leading merchants connected with the Australian Co- lonies was held on Tuesday, at the George and Vulture Tavern, in rela- tion to the aspect of affairs consequent upon the gold discoveries. The chairman, Mr. Flower, referred to the state of uncertainty in which all who are interested in the trade with Australia have been placed by the resent news, and pointed out the necessity for ascertaining what steps the Government intend to take, especially with regard to supporting the Co- lonial authorities in maintaining proper regulations. A discussion then followed, and it was finally resolved that a deputation should be formed to wait upon the Colonial Minister, with the view of obtaining a confer- ence upon the subject. —Globe.

The daily returns of the visitors and receipts at the Great Exhibition, since last Friday, have been as follows.

Miters. Receipts.

£1604 138.

.... 2863 6 .... 2856 7 .... 2572 12 .... 2725 14 .... 2415 15 A further portion of the sculptured remains recovered from the ruins of Nineveh by the exertions of Mr. Layard was received at the British Museum on Thursday. The whole of the collection will be arranged in the new gallery of sculptural antiquities, during the recess. The Syrian gallery, the Elgin room, and Egyptian gallery, are now arranged. The classification of the British antiquities in the new room, in the Western wing, is rapidly proceeding. Some very interesting specimens of flint stones used by the aboriginal inhabitants of Great Britain for hatchet, arrow, adze, and spear-heads, have lately been received, and will be de- posited in this collection. The Museum closes on Tuesday next, until Wednesday the 8th October when it will be reopened to the public every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from ten till four o'clock, for the remainder of the year.—Times.

A dock constructed by the East and West India Dock Railway Com- pany has been recently opened. It is near the Eastern entrance of the West India Docks ; the extent is seven acres, with a depth of twenty- four feet. One side of the dock is devoted to coals. A double line of rails has been laid down along the entire frontage of the Eastern ware- houses of the West India Import Dock; so that goods can now be low- ered from the -warehouses into trucks, and conveyed to Aberdeen without one change of carriages.

A meeting of the allottees in Mr. Feargus O'Connor's National Land Com- pany was held in Vice-Chancellor Turner's Court on Tuesday, before the Master in Chancery, Ilumphry, to choose an official manager under the act passed last session for winding the company up. A number of the poor weavers and others who had lost their money at Snigs-End and O'Connor- ville were present, seemingly under a fancy that the proceedings had to do with declaring a dividend. The meeting had been adjourned from the 4th instant to allow the claims of the several candidates for the office—all of them eminent professional accountants—to be considered. Mr. Ainger had been recommended by the votes of many thousands of allottees: but it had been found that many of the signatures were not genuine. A great mass of affidavits were now filed in explanation: the allottees are mostly illiterate, and had signed by proxy. The explanations were not satisfactory, and the meeting was adjourned till next Tuesday.

A gentleman named Homes has obtained 10s. 6d. damages, in the Shore- ditch County Court, from the East and West India Dock Junction Railway, for damage done to his Malacca cane. Soon after a train started, the door of Mr. llomes's carriage flew open, the stick fell out, and was crushed. The plaintiff's claim was allowed,on the ground that the railway servants had neglected their duty in not securely fastening the door.

Charles Staden, one of the three men accused of cheating with cards at Brighton, has been admitted to bail by Mr. Baron Martin. The Brighton Magistrates had refused bail, because they thought that the sureties had been " indemnified " : the Judge remarked, that they had erred in this, as the only thing they had to consider was whether the bail had sufficient property to meet the forfeit if the person bailed did not surrender for trial.

At the Westminster Sessions' on Monday, Frederick Otto Hartmann, a young foreigner, pleaded guilty to robbing the house of Mr. Hawkins, a bar- rister' of articles valued at 100/. Hartmann, as being in distress, applied for relief to Mr. Hawkins; who gave him money and food. He went to Mr. Hawkins's house in Pall Mall several times. On the last occasion, when Mr. Hawkins had retired to his sleeping-chamber to rest himself from fatigue, and had fallen asleep, the prisoner collected all the valuables within reach, and carried them off. Official documents found in his possession showed that up to the month of March in the present year he had borne a very good cha- racter on the Continent : his father, it is sad, was a banker. Sentence, im- prisonment, with hard labour, for one year. On Wednesday, William Weale, otherwise "Brother Francis," was in- dicted for assaulting and inflicting grievous body harm on John Farrell, a child six years old. Weale is master in a school connected with a Roman Catholic chapel at Islington L Farrell is the son of poor Irish people, who have refused to prosecute. The present prosecution was at the instance of the Trustees of St. Mary, Islington -, a subscription having been raised to- wards the expense. In opening the case, Mr. Parry said, the impression that Weale was a priest was incorrect : he is not a priest, though he was known as "Brother Francis," and wore a black gown ; probably he is per- forming a noviciate. Mr. Parry called on the Jury to forget all about Pro- testant and Catholic in this matter. Witnesses proved that the child had been very ill-used. Mr. Hinchley, a cab-proprietor, heard dreadful screams, 4,1d found the child outside the door of the school, with his back and legs in a shossing state. Weale said the boy had not attended catechism—had lied ---had stows a paint-brush. The whip used was a formidable weapon, two feet long, made ofgutta ercha. Screams had been heard from the school before. Several witnessePs corroborated Mr. Hi's' chley's statements ; among

Saturday, September

.... 17,366 Monday, „ 22, .... 59,344 Tuesday,

,,

23, .... 60,382 Wednesday, „

54,540 Thursday,

,,

25, .... 57,160 Friday, „ 26, .... 23,644

them, the Reverend F. W. Leighton, a clergyman of the Established Chun*. Mr. Huddlestone, a surgeon, examined the child. "I found his posteriors perfectly black; his thighs and legs, on the right-hand side particularly, exhibited cuts, long, deep, and broad, some of them side by side, and inter- lacing each other. The skin was broken in seven places. I believe the wounds would be made by such an instrument as that whip." For the de- fendant, Mr. Clarkson urged that there was no evidence to show how guilty the boy had been; but he was obliged to admit that the punishment haa been immoderate, and he could only ask for a verdict on the lesser charge in place of the greater. The Judge pointed out, that malice must be proved to exist before the Jury could convict on the first count The Jury found the itemised guilty of a common assault, but under aggravated circumstances. Mr. Parry stated that tries hadbeen heard from the school since the assault in question. Mr. Sergeant Adams declared that the prisoner ought never to be allowed to act as schoolmaster again, as he evidently had no control over his passions in his treatment of the pupils. In the mean time, his sentence was three months' imprisonment. Mr. Parry was directed by the parish au- thorities to thank Mr. Hinchley, as it was by his exertions that the prisoner had been brought to punishment.

William Dugdale, a man who has long followed the infamous trade of sel- ling obscene books and prints in Holy well Street, has received an exem- plary sentence for having such things in his possession, two cart-loads having been seized on his premises : he is to be imprisoned for two years, and is then to find securities for his good behaviour for another year. Technical objections were raised by his counsel ; but the Judge would not receive them at the trial, though he will consider whether he can grant a case for the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Cole, the City Policeman who was charged with the manslaughter of an Irishman in Shoe Lane, was tried at the Central Criminal Court last week. By cross-eesminasion, the witnesses who attempted to fix the offence on Cole were shown generally to be bad characters : in the words of the counsel for the defence, they only proved the mint where the alleged crime was com- mitted to be "a den of thieves." Some witnesses on the list for the prose- cution were not called : Cole's counsel made good use of this circumstance ; and the Judge remarked, that it might be fairly assumed that their evidence would not by any means have strengthened the case. The Jury considered for some time, and then gave a verdict of "Not guilty."

Mr. Charles Appleby, a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, has been ex- amined and remanded by the Bow Street Magistrate, on a charge of forgery and obtaining money under false pretences. Mr. Tomas Frank Judd had known the accused as assistant at a proprietary school at Cheltenham; he met him in Hyde Park in December last; Appleby said he was a barrister • 'Mr. Judd wished to enter himself as a law-student, and Appleby undertook to make the necessary payments on his behalf. Mr. Judd subsequently gave him 40/. ; the .rsoner said he had paid it at the Treasurer's office in the Temple, and gave .1 .. what purported to be a receipt. Mr. Judd objected that it was notstampell ; and his friend got a stamped receipt, signed "If. Comptou, Treasurer.' The complainant has since discovered that he has not been en- tered as a student, Appleby having paid 35/. of Mr. Judd's money for his own entrance. Mr. Compton has not been Treasurer for many years.

On Sunday night, Mr. Williams, of Goswell Street, was attacked in Old Street Road, by some ruffians, who placed an instrument round his neck, squeezed him BO tightly that he became insensible, and whilst in that state took from his pockets a 40/. and a 30/. Bank of England notes, 31. 106. in gold, and 158. 6d. ill silver. The ruffians got clear away with their booty. Mr. Williams is only able to describe one of them—a young man about twenty-five, fair complexion, and wearing black clothes.

A case at Lambeth Police Office, on Monday, showed the necessity for great vigilance in railway officers to prevent drunken men from enter- ing trains. Daniel Shaw, a powerful-looking Irishman, was charged with assaulting three lads on the Croydon Railway. At Anerlev, on Sunday even- ing, the accused got into a third-class carriage, drunk; he soon began to use vile language, and laidabon t him at random : one boy he attempted to throw out of the carriage, and another he thrust into the next compartment. At Forest Hill the ruffian was given in charge to the Police. The Magistrate inflicted a fine of 31., or one month's imprisonment.

An Excise seizure has been made at a soap-mannfactory at White- chapel. The officers entered unexpectedly in the middle of the night ; found the fires relighted, and the workmen on the premises. The locks on the coppers had not been tampered with, but a subsequent discovery showed that there were means to withdraw the soap surreptitiously. After a minute search, an ingeniously-concealed communication through a wall into the cellars of an adjoining house was discovered. In the cellars were five frames filled with soap ; some four tens weight, the duty on which would be 70/. It is said that former delinquencies made the officers more than usually active in watching this manufactory. Mainly through the exertions of Mr. Bishop of Bond Street, an art passed through Parliament to give greater protection to the owners of dogs from the depredations of professional dog-stealers. At Clerkenwell Police Office, on Wednesday, "the Bishop of Bond Street's Act" was put in force against Pickering, a notorious offender. was proved that he enticed away a dog belonging to a Mr. Webb, though the animal was not found in his posses- sion. Mr. Combe sentenced him to prison for four months, and to pay the value of the dog.

Liberal subscriptions have been sent to the Clerkenwell Magistrate for the relief of the poor -..le who lost their money and clothes by the fire at the lodging-house 111 ; • ' rough Street. Another convict has escaped from the halide Woolwich hulk. He man- aged to obtain a disguise, and left his prison-dress behind him.

Mr. Field, a cashier in the Bank of England, haa died in St Thomas's Hospital, from the effects of an accident in -Prince's Street. He was crossing the road, when, in a crowd of vehicles, he got confused, was knocked dowu by a waggon, and a wheel passed over him. The verdict of &Coroner's Jury is "Accidental death."