the 49robinces.
In a letter to the Manchester Courier, Lord Francis Egerton announces his probable retirement from public life. We lament the cause. Although the letter is somewhat long, it is in so excellent a spirit and so fine a temper that we must print it entire- " Sir—Since the first discussion on the measure for the increased grant to Maynooth, I have been in frequent receipt of communications from individual members of the electoral body of South Lancashire, deprecatory of the course I had adopted, and acquainting me with the fact that my perseverance in that course would entail upon me the lewd the support of the writers at any future election.. .The receipt of these cemiiitinieations has, in conjunction with some accidental circumstances of the moment, placed me in a situation of considerable embarrasiment. In the first place, they are, without exception, in respect of form and expression entitled to most respectful consideration; and many of them, from the character of personal good-will towards myself which pervades them, have claims on my acknowledgment beyond those which all possess in the earnest sin- cerity and frankness of the writers, and the importance of the subject. A differ- ence of tone and language, forms of remonstrance less benevolent, and indications Of feeling less charitable, might have materially diminished the embarrassment to which rhave adverted; which consists in the difficulty under which I labour in Conveying to such correspondents, not merely a fitting acknowledgment, but any Acknowledgment at all. I could have wished to have accomplished this collec- tively by a few words in the House of Commons, which, if duly reported, might have answered the purpose; but this the state of my health has forbidden, and may indefinitely forbid. It has allowed me but two nights' attendance since the first discussion; and on those nights, having before spoken to the main question, had no pretence for rising again in competition with the gentlemen who for ' many nights, as 'each debater sat down, endeavoured to catch the Speaker's eye, and who were seldom less than twenty or thirty in number. The coarse of writing to individuals has been equally out of my power; for I have lost, and am still without, the use of my right hand; and though some practice and forced leisure enable me to scrawl this with my left, the operation is too slow and la- borious for individual correspondence. I am therefore obliged to adopt the pre- sent mode of communication, and to throw myself on the indulgence of yourself and a brother editor for admission into your columns. "Among the letters I have received, is one which contains too much that is complimentary to myself to allow of my quoting it in extenso; but an extract or two may serve as a convenient text for the feW observations which I wish to ad- dress to those whose confidence I have hast- e. I will not attempt to hide from you the deep regret I feel at finding your distin- guished name among the list of supporters to the bill for the endowment of Maynooth. I regret it meat, because I along with others have, by placing you in your present po- sition, enabled you thus to betray the best interests of Britain into the hands of her bit- ' tercet enemies. I regret it also, because it gives the lie to almost all the other actions Of your Lordship's honoured life.
" It is clear frorn the latter passage, that one of the few incidents of my life worth the notice of the writer or any one else had altogether escaped it. I changed my name in 1833; and this circumstance may possibly account for his evident unconscious- ness, that in 1825I moved a resolution for the payment of the Roman Catholic clergy in Ireland. I have never, with respect to the justice andpolicy of that proposal, altered the opinions which induced use to make, and a majority of a purely Pro- testant House of Commons to accept it: but I can also say, what is more to the purpose of this letter, that I have not, to my recollection or knowledge, in any assembly public or private, given any reason or ground for the supposition that I had done so. It is true that, as far as I am aware, the subject was never brought into discussion at any county meeting : but that is not my fault. It was a topic perfectly open to any of my opponents, Churchman or Dissenter, to bring forward, even if my supporters chose to avoid it. It was embalmed in Hansard ready for use: I never shrank from it. If I had seen reason to do so, I should not have twice solicited and obtained the services of a Roman Catholic gentleman for my nomination at the hustings of Newton. If I had exchanged my opinions of 1825 for those which I am now invited to adopt, I could not even have asked for his vote.
In the foregoing remarks, I have only been anxious to show, that to whatever extent I may have forfeited the confidence of former supporters, I have done so not from inconsistency of mine, but solely because, in the course of public trans- action; I have been called upon either to act in perfect consistency with principles which I hid formerly reduced to practice, or to disavow them, and have referred the former. I am now warned—I cannot call it threatened—that my votes will lose me support which I value, and confidence I have been proud toenjoy. I make no pretence to indifference on receiving, these intimations. I view them with deep regretibeeliese I consider them as indications that a state of opinion prevails in a - most important and valuable class of my countrymen, which; in proportion to the good qualities of these who hold it, is dangerous tothe security of the state and the integrity of the empire. Eventual results to myself could in no case influence my judgment, or materially add to my concern. For the present, however, I am bound in fairness to disclaim the honours of political martyrdom; which can only be fairly or usefully worn by those who have made real sacrifices for the acquisi- tion. It is very. possible that, not on this matter of Maynooth alone, such dis- closure of my views as an ensuing nomination would require, would be sufficient to procure my exclusion from the representation of South Lancashire: but I shall not enjoy as a candidate the opportunity of putting that question to the issue, or afford it to others. In an ordinary but incorrect acceptation of the word, I am a martyr; not, however, to Maynoothbut to disease, which incapacitates me for the public service; and this circumstance will preclude me from becoming one in the real intent of the term. As I have thus performed what seems to me the duty of disclaiming the credit, which I might otherwise have taken, for sacrificing, or at least risking my seat for the sake of my principles, I hope that honest men will be the more ready to believe my assurance, that I receive their remonstrances with precisely the same measure of deference and respect as it would have been my interest to exhibit under other circumstances. My respect is sincere for the religious conviction in which the remonstrances which have reached me have their origin. As it happens, be the principles what they may on which the go- vernment of this empire is henceforth to be conducted, I can have but little share or influence in the matter. I confess, that if that government is to be dminis- tered on the assumption that our Roman Catholic fellow-countrymen are idolaters —if that theory is to be worked out to its consequences—I shall be thankful that circumstances, however distressing in themselves, operate to release me from the 650th share of responsibility for the welfare of the state to which, as a Mem- ber of Parliament, I may now consider myself liable. "I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, F. EGERTON." " London, 6th May."
A meeting was held at Manchester, on Monday, to oppose the Maynooth grant. The principal speaker was Sir Culling Eardley Smith; who calculated, that un- less the Irish Members come over, the final majority of the Commons for the grant would not exceed 100. He wished the Democratic spirit of Manchester to go forth and uphold a Protestant House of Lords in opposing the progress of the measure. At the commencement of the proceedings, although the meeting was called by ticket, some adverse parties caused a disturbance by loud cheers for "Sir Robert Peel," "the Queen,' and others ; but they were removed or quieted by the Police.
An Anti-Maynooth meeting was held in the town of Bingley on Friday; and as that town is patronized by the Times, the event is duly recorded in a special ,re- port. We are told that the Court-house was densely crowded by "Episcopaliaos, Methodists, Independents, and Baptists—Tories, Whigs, Radicals, and Chartists— joined in a bond of brotherhood, with hearts resolved and hands prepared to de- fend their faith." Mr. Ferrand, 31.P., was in the chair. The meetingi passed these resolutions, besides one of thanks to the Anti-Maynooth Conference n Lon- don—" That the refusal of Sir Robert Peel to receive a deputation from the Great Anti-Maynooth Conference is an insult to the Protestants of the United Kingdom, is unconstitutional, contrary to all established practice, degrading to the high which he at present occupies, and is a proof he dreads that public opinion which he affects to despise." ' That the declaration of Sir Robert Peel, that the manifestation of public feelinghtaagainst the Roman Catholic Maynooth College Bill imposesonly additional obligation on him steadily to adhere to it,' is a reck- less defiance of the tribunal to w om he and the House of Commons are account- able." " That we the inhabitants of Bingley, now assembled at this meeting, solemnly pledge our word and honour, that if the Roman Catholic. MaynooTh. College Bill become a law, we will not at the next election of Members of Par- liament vote for or support any candidate who shall have voted for it, or who will not distinctly pledge himself to vote for its repeal" The meeting also adopted a petition to the Queen, saying such things as these—" We respectfully beg lestrn to represent to your -Majesty, that the House of Brunswick holds the throne of these realms as a Protestant tenure; and we look upon the recognition of Popery by your Majesty's Ministers as involving the throne in danger"—" We beg leave to express our disgust at the treacherous conduct of your Majesty's Prime blinister, Sir Robert Peel "—and calling upon the Queen to withhold her assent to the bill. We must not forget also to state, that the Reverend W. Level, Wes-. leyan Methodist Minister, " delivered a speech which it is to be regretted that Sir Robert Peel did not hear "—[nor the Times report]7-and declared "that he that night withdrew all confidence from him, [the Premier,] as he had lost all respect and esteem for him."
A public meeting of landowners and tenant-farmers of Staffordshire, convened by the Committee of the Agricultural Protection Society, was held at Stafford on Wednesday, "to take into consideration the present distressed state of the agri- cultural interest, and to petition Parliament for an increased duty on corn and wheat imported from Canada, and a revision of the Tariff so far as it respects agriculture." The meeting was numerously and influentially attended; but everything did not go quite smoothly. In the first place, Lord hgestre, who had been called to the chair, avowed that be had vot.ed for the Tariff. of 1842 and the Canada Corn Bill, and doubted whether the petition could have any practical result. That cast some damp upon the proceedings. They were enlivened by Mr. Fryer, formerly Member for Wolverhampton; who declared the causes of agricultural distress to be low prices of produce and high rents ; asked farmers whether they could pay their rents, (which elicited frequent cries of "No 1") and called upon them to speak out like men; protested that there must be an equitable adjustment of the National Debt, for it should be paid in the money in which it was contracted, unchanged by Sir Robert Peel's currency-measures; told the farmers to demand free trade; finished by declaring that bread-taxers were all ,rogues and fools; and left the room amid a storm of anger and merrimeet. Several speakers combated these views, advocating protection. Lord Ingestre did not see how the Legislature could retrace their steps; but he agreed with a pre- vious speaker that if rents were entirely abolished that wouldnotmaterially benefit the tenant. A Farmer—" Try it, my Lord." Viscount Ingestre--" Perhaps you would wish the landlords to be entirely without money: if so, what are we to do?" A Farmer—" Same as we do, my Lord; make shift." (Loud laughter.) The proposed petition was carried by an overwhelming majority.
The sixth annual meeting of the Camden Society was held at Cambridge Town- hall, on Thursday last week. The first business was, to take the decision of the meeting as to whether the Society shonld he disSolved or not; which was Pronounced in the ne,gative, by 271 to 109. The income of the year was 2741.: there was - a balance from last year of 1441.; and it was announced that a member of the Society lately deceased had bequeathed to it 6,0001. The Committee were in- structed to revise the laws, with a view to remove such as brought its manage- ment and resident members prominently before the eyes of the University. The Polytechnic Institution of Birmingham held its second amnia"' converse- zione, in the Town-hall, on Thdriday week. " Mr. Douglas Jerrold had been in- vited to take the chair; and he was supported on one side by Mr. Spooner the Member, on the other by the Mayor. Before the business of the evening begap, a deputation from the working-jewellers presented an address to Mr. Jerrold, with a handsome gold ring, in which was set a-fine on stone, as a testimony of admi- ration for his writings, "embodying as they. do," said the address, "those senti- ments of justice; exposure of tyranny, and defence of that 'class to width we ourselves belong; expressed, too, in that extraordinary style of satire, Pathos, and truth, to which no other writer has ever yet approached." At the find Mr. Jerrold made his first essay in public speaking. he did not find the tact SO ready to him as his more accustomed one of writing, and the two speeches which he delivered were very brief: he said that he could not then supply the deficiency, and would not attempt it; but that a time would come when, if he knew anything of himself, he should prove himself worthy of the tolerance which he had that evening received.
At the Reading Adjourned Sessions, yesterday week, Thomas Henry Robinson, late Station-Superintendent to the Eastern Counties Railway, and formerly clerk at the Reading station of the Great Western Railway, was tried for stealing forty- fiie pounds, being part of the value of a fifty-pound note. In February last, Mr. Bhuichett, a publican, changed the note at the Reading station, thinking it was a five-pound note, as he had received it from his wife under that impression; and Robinson gave him change as if for a five-pound note. In two days the loss was discovered by Mr. Blanchett; but on his applying to the clerk, he denied all knowledge of the matter. The note had been changed at the Bank of England. Robinson was arrested. Before the Magistrates, he made a voluntary statement that he was guilty; but that he thought he had a right to make use of the note, as he was bound to make good all losses to the Company, which he had before done: he regarded this windfall as a set-off against such losses; and he averred that he had no felonious intent. It appeared that the Railway-clerks have to make good any deficiencies in receipts arising from their mistakes; and if the balance is in their favour at any time, they make a practice of pocketing the sur- plus. The prosecutor had received back twenty pounds from the accused. The counsel for the defence raised technical objections to the charge; but they were overrated. The Jury, after some deliberation, found the prisoner guilty, but re- commended him to mercy. He was sentenced to be imprisoned for six months.
Mr. Welch, an apothecary of Stourbridge, has been committed for trial, on the verdict of a Coroner's Jury, for the manslaughter of two children, by having sup- plied an ointment containing a large proportion of corrosive sublimate for the cure of ringworm on the head; the application of which caused the death of the children with great torture.
Brooks, a young man living at Manchester, has attempted to murder Leeming, a woman with whom he had lived, by cutting her throat. There is, however, a prospect of the woman's recovery. The pair had quarrelled, and separated; Brooks pretended a wish to be reconciled to the woman, and visited her; she asked hun to buy her a necklace, and he put his arm round her neck to see, as he said, if she was without one; and then he drew a razor across her throat. The man is in custody, and acknowledges his crime, saying he " can now die in peace " The Town-Council of Yarmouth have declared that they have no funds at their disposal to furnish the aid desired by the Coroner's Jury for obtaining scientific evidence as to the cause of the late disaster. The Jury, who met last week for the formal purpose of identifying a newly-found body, adopted a memorial on the subject to the Secretary of State.
Previous page
