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A Court of Aldermen was held on Saturday. The report of the In- spector of Weights and Measures was brought up by Alderman Copeland. Alderman Wilson stated that the penalty of 5L seemed inadequate to pre- vent fraudulent practices: one tradesman made so much by his small cheat- ing, a thousand times repeated each day, that the penalty was no check on him. It was suggested that the names of offenders be published; and it was agreed to take a legal opinion if this could be done. The prosecution of the "common cheats" by the City Solicitor was advised by Alderman Copeland; and the Court concurred. At a Court of Common Council, held on Thursday, it was resolved, with- out opposition, " That the Court petition both Houses of Parliament pray- ing for the abolition of the Ecclesiastical Courts, and the transfer of their functions to the Civil Courts of the kingdom." The use of the Guild- hall, for the purpose of a ball on the 7th of July next, was granted to the Committee of the Spitalfields School of Design. A special meeting of Proprietors of East India Stock was held on Wed- nesday, to consider the propriety of petitioning Parliament to restore a differential duty of 10s. per hundredweight in favour of the sugar of British Possessions for the period of six years. Sir James Law Lushington pre- sided. Mr. Arbuthnot, Mr. Hankey, Mr. Marriott, Mr. Weeding, Mr. Fielder, Mr. Strachan, Mr. David Salomans, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. Prinsep, and Mr. Masterman, supported the resolution; which was carried by acclama- tion, with the dissentient voice of one proprietor. The Master and Wardens of Merchant Tailors Company gave a mag- nificent banquet on Monday, in their hall, to the President and Senior

Fellows of St. John's College, Oxford, and a large number of dis- tinguished guests; the occasion being the two hundred and eighty-eighth anniversary of the establishment of Merchant Tailors School. Prince George of Cambridge, the Dukes of Richmond and Cleveland, the Marquis of Londonderry, Viscount Hardinge, the Earl of Lincoln, Sir George Clerk, several of the Judges, and many other gentlemen of note, were present. The toast of the Royal Family was acknowledged with tact by Prince George; his speech being followed by loud cheers and the glee " Halcyon days, now wars are ending." The rather inopportune wording seems to have struck the Marquis of Londonderry; who feared " the halcyon days alluded to might not be so perfectly realized in this country." Mr. Baron Parke, in acknowledging the toast to the Judges, remarked that symptoms indicated the eve of dark and tronblous times: however, if the City of London would give conscientious and impartial juries, he could answer that the Judges would not be found •wanting in their duty.

Explicit announcements were made on Saturday evening, that the in- tended meetings on Monday would be persisted in by the Chartists, "come what might ": on the other hand, Government as distinctly for- bade and engaged to prevent the meetings, "at all costs." The Chartist programme became publicly known. Simultaneous meetings were to be held in Clerkenwell, Bonner's Fields, Bethnal Green, and at Limehouse; at Islington, at Paddington, and the Hippodrome; and at several places in Southwark. The clubs met, and were joined by leaders of note from the manufacturing centres of the North; whence also cheap trains were to bring up small but effective detachments of men prepared for earnest work. As a part of a widely-extended scheme, monster meetings were to be held in all the great towns of the Northern, Eastern, Midland, and Western counties.

The authorities both in London and in the provinces duly prepared themselves. In London, the police and military dispositions of the 10th of April were repeated, with alterations suited to the changed topography of the dangerous points. The Aldermen of the City wards put themselves in commission, to assemble their special constables in organized force. On Saturday night, Government proclamations were issued, which alluded to the dangerous experience of the past meetings of the " persons calling themselves Chartists," and prohibited those announced for Monday.

On Sunday, some attempts were made to excite the idle population of Clerkenwell and Paddington; but the police were in all instances able to disperse gathering assemblages without tumult.

Monday morning found Bonner's Fields occupied by 1,600 foot, 100 mounted police, and 500 pensioners. A body of Horse Guards also took position in a farm on the outskirts of the fields. By noon no appearance of a gathering of Chartists was visible, though the meeting was arranged for that time. Many women, boys, and spectators, were present, and were undisturbed by the police. Two o'clock came, and with it no sign of a demonstration. The police passed a kind of holyday. They sat down and took a cold collation on the grass, such as the itinerant vendors could sup- ply. Soon after two, the Chartist leaders M`Douall and some friends appeared, and requested an interview with Mr. Arnold; that gentleman, with three others, posted in proper places round the fields, having been ordered by Government to attend in capacity of Police Magistrates. Audi- ence =was given. M`Donall asked if Government really did mean to stop the Chartist meetings- and received the laconic reply—" Yea, sir." He rejoined, that he would use his infliienhe to see that the Government deter- mination was not opposed; and `riceortlingly set about dispersing the meeting which had never assembled, He met with such-`derision or angry remonstrance from one quarter and another, that at last he de- camped across the fields, and disappeared. Soon afterwards, a thunder- storm came on,-and drenching rain fell. That settled the matter: by four o'clock there was hardly a person to be seen, even under the hedges or trees, beyond the police: by nightfall, all the forces, military and civil, were disbanded; and later still the neighbourhood was as tranquil as on any evening in the year.

Similar expectations of great meetings in the places we have already mentioned were similarly disappointed; Government preparation in each instance having been an efficient preventive of even an attempt to hold the prohibited meetings.

Mr. Feargus O'Connor appeared at Bow Street on the 9th, together with Mr John Sewell, an upholsterer, to offer themselves as bail for Mr. Ernest Jones. The time for making objections to bail had not, however, expired; and Mr. Henry had not then heard from Mr. Mettle, the Treasury Solicitor, whether the Crown ob- jected to these gentlemen as bail. Mr. O'Conn ir set off to obtain a personal interview with Mr. Mettle, and get his consent to the sufficiency of Mr. O'Connor and his friend as bail. He returned with a letter assenting to himself as bail, but arrived after the Court was closed, and had to wait till Monday in town; breaking political appointments for that day in the provinces. On Monday he appeared for the third time, and was met by a legal objection raised by the Ma- gistrate. A Member of Parliament is ineligible by law to become bail for another person, because his privilege of Parliament places him beyond the power of the ordinary process of the court. Mr. Sewell was examined touching his property and debts, and proved his ownership of 5001. worth of property. Two other per - sons, who were in succession proposed, broke down under a similar ordeal. The means of one were reduced below 5001. clear property, by mortgages and other debts; and the means of the other turned out to consist really of credits founded on bills.

The Recorder on Tuesday, at the application of Mr. Parry the barrister, agreed to by Mr. Bodkin for the Crown, diminished the bail required for the liberation of Mr. Vernon—on account of the poverty of his friends. Vernon was required, in addition to his own recognizances, to find four securities, on the two indictments against him, of 501. each.

On Wednesday, the Grand Jury returned true bills for misdemeanour against each of the four political prisoners. Mr. Bodkin applied on behalf of the Crown to have the commencement of the trials fixed for yesterday; but Mr. Clarkson appeared for Mr. Jones, and, informing the Bench that it was intended to retain a Queen's counsel for him, requested the postponement of the trial till next ses- sion, in order to give full time for preparing the defence and instructing counsel. The consideration of the two applications was deferred till Mr. Jones should have filed affidavits of the facts he relied on for postponement. On Thursday, affidavits had been filed, and application was made by counsel in each case for a postponement of trials till next session. Mr. Bodkin, on behalf of the Crown, opposed the motion. Mr. Baron Rolfe thought sufficient cause shown, and postponed the trials.

Michael O'Brien, a labourer, was charged at Clerkenwell Court with assaulting Policeman Martin, on Islington Green, last Monday evening. O'Brien had raised a disturbance on the Green, where there were crowds assembled to hear Chartist speaking; and having been arrested, he fought, bit, and tried to " gouge " his detainer, and was at last rescued by the mob: Martin procured assistance, and went after O'Brien into George Yard, a nest of very wild Irish. There O'Brien attacked the constables ferociously with a red-hot poker: Martin himself at last grappled with and threw him down, and he was carried off with difficulty from a mob of his assembled countrymen. He stands committed for trial.

John Haynes, a carpenter, living near the Kingaland Bead, was charged at Marlborough Street Police Court, on Tuesday, with the possession of a gun and several ball-cartridges, for an unlawful purpose. The gun-barrel was seen peep- ing from Haynes's pocket, by Policeman Jones; who followed him to the entrance of some Chartist rooms, and then apprehended him. On the way to prison, Haynes said he feared he had been very foolish, and declared he was not one of the Irish Confederation. Haynes had been seen at Chartist meetings, and heard by con- stables there to urge resort to physical force. In defence, he said he was very sorry, and had been led away by other parties. Mr. Hardwicke ordered him to be detained, for communication with Mr. Mauls the Treasury Solicitor.

On Wednesday, Mr. Hardwick required Haynes to give bail, himself for 801. and two sureties for 401. each, to keep the peace for three months. He was locked up till his bail should be forthcoming and approved.

Oa Thursday, Ilaynes's master and another respectable tradesman appeared; gave him a character for steady courses; stated that he had been led away in a manner he now felt ashamed of, and offered to be his bail. Haynes, with a penitential aspect, backed this engagement. The bail was accepted.

Griffiths, an artist, was charged at Worship Street, on Wednesday, with the use of seditious language to a mob at Dalston, on Tuesday afternoon. It appeared that his sedition was that of tipsiness, and that he was a respectable citizen when sober. He was fined fifty shillings, and bound to keep the peace for three months under penalties amounting to 1401., and liberated.

The Morning Chronicle reports at great length the proceedings of a meet- ing of the " People's Charter Union," held on Tuesday evening at Farring- don Hall, Snow Hill, to protest against the alleged misreporting of Chartist speeches by that paper, and to agitate for repeal of the newspaper stamp- duties. The speakers averred that vulgar sedition whioh was never spoken had been reported, whilst replies which were spoken by moderate Chartists to immoderate interlopers at the meetings had been suppressed. The meeting ended with a resolution to agitate for repeal of the newspaper-tax —an obstacle to the growth of a fair popular press.

The disturbances at Drury Lane Theatre, which are described in our theatrical notice, were the subject of Magisterial investigation at Bow Street on Tuesday and Thursday. On Tuesday, George and William Harrison, young men of respectable appearance, were charged before Mr. Jardine, with rioting in the theatre on-Monday evening. Mr. Chappell, the solicitor to the lessees of the theatre, explained the charge and gave evidence in support of it. Mr. Chappell stated that an uproar was commenced, as if by conspiracy, in all parts of the house, immediately after the curtain rose, and before the nature of the performance could be known or critically condemned. Many persons in the audience bad labels in their hats, bearing the words, largely printed, "No English authors or actors are allowed to exercise their talents in Paris." The prisoners were prominent in their noises, and so violent that some peaceably-disposed persons who sat near them were compelled to leave the theatre. A Mr. Lewis, who was present at the disturbance, avowed he had taken a legal part in it, and defended the prisoners con amore; quoting the precedent case of Barnard Gregory in support of the extreme rights of disapprobation vested in audiences at theatres. Mr. Jardine, the Magistrate, distinguished that case from the present, where he thought there was a manifest !'nonspiracy." For the information of the public, he quoted, as mill applicable, the-explanation of the law given by Mr. Justice Mansfield on the trials which arose out of the 0. P. riots in 1809. That Judge's words were these—" It is time for the public to understand that the proceedings which have lately taken place at this theatre are in a high degree illegal, and that all those who participate in them are liable to be punished severely an proportion to their offences. These premeditated and systematic tumults have been compared to that noise which has been at all times witnessed at theatres, -in the immediate expression of the feelings of the audience upon a new piece or the merit or de.. fects of a particular performer. The cases, however, are widely different. The audience has certainly a right to express, by applauses or hisses, the sensations which naturally present themselves at the moment; and nobody has ever hin- dered or would even question the exercise of that right. But if any body of men were to go to the theatre with the settled intention of hissing an,actor, or even damning a piece, there can be no doubt that such a deliberate and preconcerted scheme would amount to a conspiracy, and that the persons concerned in it might be brought to punishment. if people endeavour to effect an object by tumult and disorder, they are guilty of a riot. It is not necessary to constitute this crime that personal violence should have been committed, or that a house should have been pulled to pieces. I am clearly of opinion that the scenes which have been described amount to a riot."

Mr. Jardine said he was prepared to commit the prisoners if the charge were pressed: but the charge was not pressed; and the prisoners were liberated, on en- tering into their own recognizances to keep the peace for two months.

Henry Liudden and William Attwood, both styled actors, were charged with similar offences; and the latter with assaulting a constable. Mr. Liudden was liberated on binding himself to keep the peace; but Mr. Attwood was tined 51. for the assault. Mr. Lewis offered his services here, as before, and was somewhat froward in his loquacity and positiveness as to the law. He was rebuked by Mr. Jardine; who observed that "he ought to know better, if he had read his law- books, than to maintain that a few persons may go to a theatre and get up a tu- mult sufficient to stop or injure the performances, merely because those persons entertained certain views that might or might not be correct; or, as in the present case, for the mere indulgence of a petty feeling of rivalry, as discreditable to them- selv.-s as their whole conduct was illegal, ungenerous, and unjust."

On Thursday, Samuel Cowell, of the Princess's Theatre, was charged before Mr. Hall, with leading a number of persons in a riot on Wednesday evening. Mr. Simon the barrister, who defended Cowell, did not oppose his committal, after a few facts had been proved; it being desired by" both parties " that the case should be sent to trial to ascertain the rights of the theatrical public. Cowell was ordered to enter into his own recognizances for 501., and find two sureties of 251. each, to appear and take his trial at the Old Bailey.

At the Central Criminal-Court, on Tuesday, Henry Drake was tried for em- bezzling 51. intrusted to him as a collector to the Finsbury Estate and Building Society. Drake was tried at the last sessions; the Jury could not agree, and were discharged without findings verdict; bat he was detained on another charge of the same sort. The Jury now found him guilty, but recommended him to mercy; as did the prosecutors. He was sentenced to two months' imprisonment The trial of Mr. Thomas Buxton Barnes, a surgeon of Thaxted, charged with the abduction of the daughter of a clergyman, was to have come on at the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday; but the counsel on both sides said there Was a prospect of an amicable arrangement being effected, and asked for a post- penmen' of the case, in the expectation that it would not eventually go to a jury, and the feelings of the young lady's family thus be spared. Mr. Justice Patteson acceded to the request.

William Clnett, a letter-carrier at Stepney, was convicted of stealing a letter containing money: sentence, seven years' transportation.

On Thursday, John Wilkinson, an infirm old man. was tried for forging a transfer of 1,0701. stock in the Three per Cent Reduced Annuities, with intent to defraud the Bank of England. The prisoner's son bad married a lady who had 2,0001. in the Funds, in the name of trustees; the trustees on two occasions ad- vanced half the money. to the lady's husband, to be employed in his business; and eventually, the remainder was transferred in trust to the prisoner and a Mr. Sheppard—Mr. Wilkinson junior and his wife to receive the dividends. Mr. Sheppard did not pay any attention to the matter for some years; last year a sus- picion arose; and it was discovered on inquiry that the accused had sold out all the stock, on the 17th January 1843; when he produced a man whom he called Mr. Sheppard, who signed the transfer—of course this signature was a forgery. The crime was full ,proved, and a verdict of " Guilty " at once returned. Mr. Baron Rolfe, remarking that it was a very bad case, passed sentence of trans- portation for life.

Pedro Germaine alias Edward Moody, a young man, was convicted of attempt- ing to pars a forged five-pound Bank-of-England note on a silversmith in Regent Street: he had succeeded in a similar fraud on a neighbour two days before, which proved the means of his detection in the last attempt. The sentence was twenty years' transportation.

John Taylor Uren pleaded guilty to a charge of uttering a five-pound note. It was stated that the prisoner belonged to a highly respectable family at Truro; and Mr. Clarkson said that from inquiries made by the authorities of the Bank it was believed that the present was the first offence committed by him. Judg- ment was postponed.

George Metcalfe was convicted, on his own confession, of robbing his employer, Mr. Channan, of jewellery to the value of 3001. Yesterday, Metcalfe was sentenced to ten years' transportation: Vree—on the ground that the depositions proved confederacy on his part—to transportation for twenty years.

The Insolvent Debtors Court has gone through a long investigation of the affairs of Mr. George Ross, an insolvent, and the nature of his connexion with the Heir-at-law Society, at No. 14, Chatham Place, New Bridge Street. The great doubt, and the contest, had arisen on the question whether Mr. Ross was the manager of a bon& fide society, or had in fact been the whole society - himself. The Court held the latter opinion, and refused (adjourning sine die) the ap- plication of Mr. Boss for protection against arrest by his creditors.

Peter Carlton, a servant in Major Turner's employ, was charged at the Lam- beth Office, on Wednesday, with bigamy. A female proved that he married her a year ago, and had since treated her with uniform affection. It seems Carlton married an Irishwoman, ostensibly a widow, about eight years ago, in Dublin; but just before the birth of his third child by her, he found that she was the wife of another living man. He accused her of deception—which she admitted—and left her: but he regularly sent her funds to support his children. He married in London in the persuasion that he was unmarried before. A short tune since, the Irishwoman came to London after him, and publicly annoyed him: on his trying to give her into custody, she anticipated him, by charging him with bigamy. On the present charge she claimed him loudly of the Magistrate. In reply to ques- tions, she admitted that she had been formally married to a husband before Carl- ton; but she proclaimed that that husband was himself married to another woman before her; moreover, the clergyman was a disrobed priest, and his marriage was not binding in law. Mr. Elliott felt puzzled at the weavings of the plot, and ie- mantled Carlton. Afterwards, hearing that the man bore an excellent character, he let him out on moderate hail.

Richard 4yrton, a.aboemaker of Spitalfields, was charged at Worship fitioet, omMonday,with assaulting Sophia Nathan, because of informatioe lately given by her to the police, vrhich, enabled them to arrest Williams the'Chartist. 'The pri-' soner and three others surrounded Nathan, and abused herfaith vile epithets; and Ayrton struck her on the mouth. Nathan said that threat had been used against her sister, of murdering her if she came to give evidence against Ayrton. The prisoner was fined, and in default of payment sent to gaol; not to be liberated

till bail for his peaceable behaviour were given. '

George Forrest was finally examined at Lambeth Police Court, on Tuesday, on a charge of assaulting a lad, Nathaniel Turner, by throwing a brick at his head. On Monday week, Forrest being tipsy, had dressed himself as a woman, and ran abroad,pretending to weep for a lost husband: a crowd jeered him, and made him violent: he ran home, seized a hatchet, and tried to wound a policeman, who endeavoured to restrain him: his wife disarmed him of the hatchet; but he lifted and hurled a brick, which missed the constable, but struck down the lad Turner— splitting his skull, and putting his life in danger for a week. Forrest was com- mitted for trial.

Dr. Lhotaky was charged at Westminster, on Monday, by Baron Hugel, with sending a letter threatening Prince Metternich's life. The letter was pro- duced—an incoherent epistle of alternate threats with exclamations of " God for- give you"; of requests for money to pay rent and purchase shower-baths; for restoration of estates in Austria, sequestered manuscnpts, and claims against the Austrian Government. After some discussion, Baron Hugel accepted Dr. Lhotsky's promise on his honour to annoy Prince Metternich no more; and the warrant was suspended for two months in terrorem.

An inquest on the body of William Capel Clayton, late a Captain in the Army, was held on Saturday, in the Queen's Bench Prison, by Mr. Payne. On Satur- day week, Clayton, being tipsy, quarrelled with a young woman with whom he was familiar, and who was visiting him in prison; he beat her and tore her clothes; and for punishment was confined to the strong room. He did not recover from his intoxication, but became ill, and died on Saturday. It was alleged by other prisoners that he died from hard usage and prison discipline; but it was proved by medical testimony that he had been well treated, and load died of de- lirium tremens. The Jury found a verdict accordingly.

An inquest on the body of William Woodhouse was held in Coldbathfields Prison board-room, on Monday, by Mr. Wakley. Woodhouse, a warder in the prison, was stabbed while going his rounds on Saturday morning, by George John Hewson, some months ago convicted with his daughter. Evidence was given of Hewson's own confession since the murder, that he had a long time contemplated killing Latham, another warder in the prison; but that he resolved, last week, Woodhouse should be the victim, out of revenge; Woodhouse having charged Hew- son with mi-conduct, which had produced a threat from the Governor that the con- vict should be placed in solitary confinement. The stabbing was seen by another prisoner: it was done with an oakum knife, which Woodhouse had sharpened for the purpose, and ooncimled about him: his deliberate malice was clearly proved, and he was committed to be tried for wilful murder. His behaviour at the in- quest was froward and insolent, with ostentatious self-criminations; and he has dropped hints that some crimes of other persons must " come out on his trial."

On Tuesday week, the body of a gentleman was found on the shore near the Albert Tavern in Battersea Fields, by two bargemen; it had been just washed to land; and on being drawn farther out of the water, blood oozed from a wound in the head. There sesame blood on the clothes, and the body seemed to have been ha,theAvliter for 'twelve hours. There were marks of contusions on the forehead, and the Joanivealibrokeri in, as if with a sharp instrument. At the first sitting of tieri nest, on Frida7,1- there was an impression that the deceased had fallen into

`s ' bis h as he fell; but the inquiry was adjourned that apost reortera examination might be made. This was done on Saturday, and it unite altered the aspect of the affair. The hole in the forehead had been made by a pistol-bullet, which was found bedded in the skull; there were three other wounds on the forehead; such as a life-preserver would make; the hands were bruised on their backs as if they had been beaten. It did not seem that the pistol had been fired by the deceased himself, for there were no marks from the powder such as a closely fired pistol would make. The surgeon expressed his positive opinion that a murder had been committed.

At the resumption of the inquest, on Wednesday, the evidence again changed the appearance of the affair. Mr. Wing, a surgeon of Battersea, described the state of the body. In answer to a question from the Coroner, he said that it was ible the deceased might have been shot and afterwards have fallen off the

k on to the bed of the river, and by so doing might have received some of the bruises on his person; but he did not think it probable that the three braises on the head were occasioned by that means. He was certain they were inflicted during life. Mrs. Eliza Gosling identified the body as that of her son, James Charles Gosling, aged twenty-three. She believed he had committed suicide. and gave a very unfavourable account of him. He was very excitable, ill-treated his wife, and drove her from home; last week, he was lopking for her, having threatened to throw vitriol over her or shoot her with a pistol. He said, if he were sure she had drowned herself, he would blow out his brains. He had fra_ qnently said that cutting the throat was dirty work, and if he wished to commit suicide he should shoot himself in the head and fall back into the river, so that no inquest should be held on his body. A Mr. Smith, with whom Gosling had lodged, believed he had destroyed himself: when last he saw deceased, he appear_ ed deranged. Another witness gave similar testimony. The Jury found, " That the deceased destroyed his own life, be being at the time of unsound mind."