28 FEBRUARY 1852, Page 4

Int Ottrupatio.

The inhabitants of the Metropolitan Boroughs are preparing to win ad- ditional political rights in the coming struggle of parties. Marylebone met in public assembly on Monday, and pronounced a frank opinion on the abortive Reform Bill of the late Premier. The meeting formally declared its opinion, that "the fall of the late Ministry is to be attributed to their want of political integrity" ; passed a resolution group- ing the usual demands for household suffrage, the ballot—"indispensable," triennial Parliaments, and the extinction of small boroughs; and then added a special declaration, that any reimposition of the food-tax will be highly dangerous to the peace of the country. Finsbury, on the same day, agreed to similar resolutions, with one ex- ception—" manhood suffrage," in substitution for "household suffrage," was carried by a large majority. Lambeth followed in the wake of Marylebone on Wednesday. The Borough Members were present at each meeting, throwing them- selves heartily upon tho rising tide of popular feeling. Mr. Tennyson D'Eyncourt was the only representative taken to task : he was told plainly, that if he do not "take more courage in telling plain truths to his parti- cular class," the hardhanded men of Lambeth must find some one more willing to the task.

The Association "for Promoting the Repeal of all the Taxes on Know- ledge, and particularly the Newspaper-stamp," held its annual meeting on Wednesday, in St. Martin's hall; Mr. Milner Gibson in the chair. The gathering was a very large one ; Mr. Cobden and Mr. Bright having been expected speakers, but Mr. Bright was off to Lancashire on Anti-Corn- law business. Mr. Cobden, Mr. Hume, and Mr. Scholefield, described the agitation against the taxes on knowledge as increasing in momentum, and as immediately promising of result, under the new literary Chancellor of the Exchequer.

A public meeting "to petition Parliament against the proposed law for calling out the Militia, as unnecessary, oppressive, and deeply injurious in its moral influence on the community,' met at the London Tavern on Wednesday, under Mr. G. W. Alexander' heard speeches from Mr. Richard the secretary of the Peace Society, Mr. Scoble Ur. Gilpin, Mr. Fry, with others of peaceful repute; and resolved accordingly.

The French refugees in London mustered in considerable strength at the National Hall, High Holborn, on Wednesday, to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Revolution of February 1818. M. Louis Blanc, and M. Gustavus Macquet, editor of the late Le Peuple Souverain, were among the speakers; saying that they are determined to do nothing to offend the generous country and people who give them asylum but that

the refugees," though vanquished, are not tamed, and sooner or later they will resume the contest for the political and social enfranchisement of the great mass of mankind."

An aggregate meeting of the Guardians, Churchwardens, and Overseers of the parishes in the East London, West London, and City of London Unions, assembled at the Guildhall Coffeehouse on Tuesday, to forward a purpose of "endeavouring to induce the Government to introduce the promised measure of poor-relief during the present session." The at- tendance was large ; Alderman Sidney M.P. presided ; the speeches and resolutions showed a hopeful advance of opinion on the subject of rating and settlement—a district rating was universally advocated.

After the annual meeting of the Council of University College, on Wednesday,—Sir James Graham in the chair,—Professor Quoin intro- duced a motion to the effect that the time has arrived for reconstructing the University of London on the basis of the admission of graduates to a recognized position in the corporate body. The graduates of the Uni- versity of London are now 700 in number, and they increase at the rate of 100 per annum. The resolution was slightly opposed, but it received the praise and support of Sir James Graham, and was passed.

An act of Parliament passed in the reign of George the Fourth gives power to either of the Chief Justices of the Court of Queen's Bench, or the Chief Ba- ron of the Court of Exchequer, with two Aldermen of the City of London, to form a court of inquiry into the administration of all the property given or bequeathed for the relief of poor debtors in the City and its liberties, and enables them to call forth all parties on oath, and compel the production of all books, &c. Chief Baron Pollock and six Aldermen are sitting as a court under this act, and are unveiling the origin and management of a large quantity of property given at different times in the last three or four cen- turies for the benefit of poor debtors, and placed by the donors under the administration, not always conscientious, of various city companies.

At the Central Criminal Court, on Tuesday, John Gilbert was tried for "feloniously forging and uttering a bill of exchange! for 1101., with intent to defraud." Gilbert is an engineer, and has a factory in the Hackney Road ; he had supplied an engine, boiler, and hydraulic press, to Mr. Orr, the publisher of Amen Corner. In the course of the transaction, Mr. Orr gave Gilbert a bill at two months for 1101. Gilbert forged a duplicate of this, and got a Mr. Davis to discount it ; when the bill arrived at maturity, the accused tendered 110/. to Mr. Davis to take it up ; but the bill had been paid into the Union Bank by Mr. Davis, and that bank had presented it to the London Joint Stock Bank, where Mr. Orr has an account; the signature was considered correct, and the bank paid the bill. Thus the lapse of an hour or two pre- vented Gilbert from getting back the forged document by paying the 1101. Mr. Orr stated that the imitation of his signature was so close that he should have paid the bill himself if it had been presented to him. Gilbert told a policeman that he did not know which of the two bills he gave to Davis. Mr. Ballantine attacked the prosecutors, the London Joint Stock Bank, and urged for the prisoner that there was no proof of intent to defraud any one ; and its the intention to defraud was the principal ingredient in a charge of forgery, the accused was entitled to an acquittal.

- The Recorder remarked, that the prosecutors had acted quite properly ; confidence would have been shaken in the bank if they had not proceeded

against Gilbert. As to the "intent to defraud," there had formerly been some doubt on the point raised by the counsel; but since then eminent knowing had pronounced that the fact of forging an acceptance, or uttering one knowing it to be forged, with the intention either to obtain money or credit by means of such an instrument, was in itself evidence of an intention to defraud; and the Jury would be bound by their oaths to find a person guilty of forging or uttering, as the case might be, under such circumstances. Mis Baron Parke even said, that supposing the forged bill should be afterwards paid by the party who had uttered it, it would make no difference in the character of the original act. The Jury, after deliberating for a short time, returned the following ver- dict—" We find the prisoner guilty of uttering ; but we at the same time strongly recommend him to mercy, because we believe that he did not intend to defraud any one." Mr. Ballantine submitted that this was tantamount to a verdict of not guilty. The Recorder said, it appeared to him that the finding of the Jury was no verdict at all. It was clear that they could not have taken into consideration what he had stated upon the subject of the law, and he must request them to reconsider their verdict. Mr. Ballantine in slated upon the right of the prisoner to have the verdict recorded in the terms in which it had been delivered by the Jury. The Recorder said he should certainly hear what the verdict really was before he allowed it to be recorded. The Jury then consulted a second time, and in a few minutes they delivered a verdict of "Guilty of uttering the instrument knowing it to be forged," but strongly recommended the prisoner to the merciful consider- ation of the Court. Mr. Ballantine having persisted in his right to have the original verdict recorded, the Recorder said that he would consult the Judges upon the subject during the session ; and if their opinion should be adverse to the course he had taken, he would reserve the point for considera- tion by the Court of Criminal Appeal.

On Thursday, Gerber, Wagner, and Kessler, all foreigners, were tried on

the charge of forging and uttering a check for i4.01. Krahcour, a fourth man charged at the Police-office, was admitted as a witness. The particulars of the case were mentioned a short time since. The check purported to be drawn by Selim Dean and Co , bullion-dealers; the signature was copied from a check obtained by Kessler in exchange for foreign coin. Gerber at- tempted to pass it ; on his arrest, he pretended to be a victim : a man who had hired him at a coffeehouse in consequence of his advertising for a situa- tion had sent him with the check. It appeared that an advertisement had really been inserted, and the thing had been acted as Gerber stated. The Magistrate therefore liberated him ; but afterwards the whole gang were arrested. %rancour now detailed the course of the roguery ; and independent witnesses corroborated many of his statements. The three prisoners were found guilty.

Charles Nash was convicted of forging and uttering a transfer of 196 shares in the Waterford and Dublin Railway Company. The shares stood in the name of Peter Hanstock, a small farmer m Wicklow ; the original owner, Captain Owen, having transferred them to him, that he himself might not be singled out and compelled to pay calls : the company was in difficulties; the shares seem to have been more an encumbrance than a valu. able investment. Several technical points urged in Nash's favour are re- served ; one of them is, whether Nash could be charged with intending to defraud by getting possession of such shares.

At Southwark Police Office, on Saturday, Dennis Hurley, an Irishman, was charged with throwing a brickbat at Connell, another Irishman, by which the latter was seriously hurt on the head. The assault arose from a religious feud. The Reverend Dr. Armstrong has recently preached at St. Paul's Church, Bermondsey, in the Irish language ; and he has converted several Irish to Protestantism. The stanch Catholics abuse and assail the converts; and Connell was attacked as a new-made Protestant—a "scholar," a "turncoat." Hurley was sent to prison in default of sureties to keep the peace.

Lawson, a master sweep, has been robbing the Queen by cutting out pieces of looking-glass from frames in Kensington Palace, to which he had free access as the appointed sweep. He carried off seven pieces of the glass. Ile has been convicted at the Middlesex Sessions, and sent to prison for six months.

William Styles, a stableman living at mews near Portman Square, is in custody, and -has been twice examined at Marylebone Police Office, charged with murdering his wife. Her body was found in a bed, covered with wounds, and the ribs broken ; but death had been caused by suffocation. The woman's clothes and the room gave evidence of a bloxly struggle. Styles accosted a policeman in the street, and pretended that ho had found his wife dead on returning home very late : many circumstances show the improbability of the story.