gbe jitittropolis.
The Lord Mayor entertained the Queen's Ministers at a splendid banquet in the Egyptian Hall of the Mansionhouse, on Wednesday. There were present, Sir Robert and Lady Peel, Colonel and Lady Alice Peel, Mr. Peel, Mr. William Peel, the Lord Chancellor and Lady Lyndhurst, Lord Wharncliffe, the Duke and Dutchess of Buceleuch, Mr. Henry Goulburn. Lady Emily Hardinge, Sir James and Lady Graham, Sir Edward Knatchbull, Mr. Gladstone, the Earl of Lincoln, the Earl and Countess Delawarr, the Earl and Countess of Jersey, the Earl and Countess of Dalhousie, and a number of other official gentlemen and their ladies, the Governor of the Bank of England and officers of several public bodies, Members of Parliament of all parties, gentlemen connected municipally and commercially with the City—in all, more than a hun- dred and seventy persons. The speeches were entirely complimentary ; except where Sir Robert Peel rather vaunted the deeds of Ministers in describing some of the things which they had "endeavoured" to do— to maintain peace, to equalize expenditure and revenue, and so forth. The company broke up soon after eleven o'clock.
A Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday, for the despatch of business. Alderman Copeland called attention to the weekly payments made by the City of London for the removal of Scotch and Irish pau- pers; giving instances in which parish-officers removed paupers who had received the merest trifle of assistance. Persons were thus sent back to Ireland who had not been there for thirty or forty years, and who had neither friends nor relatives there. Six or seven years ago, the whole annual cost of removals did not amount to 2001; in 1842, it amounted to 3,0001.; in 1843, to 2,666/. He moved that the whole question be referred to a Select Committee ; which was carried without dissent. In seconding the motion, Alderman Wood mentioned, as in- stances of the frauds practised, that an Irishwoman and a Scotchwoman came up to London to visit their respectable friends, and took that econo- mical mode of returning home. Alderman Musgrove presented a memo- rial to the Court from Mr. W. H. Ash urst, the Chairman of the Second- aries and the Officers and Clerks Committee, pray ing that the Court would appoint a Sub-Committee to confer with the Committees of which he was Chairman, on the subject of the Mayor's Court, with a view to some arrangement. He moved that the prayer be agreed to. Sir Peter Laurie seconded the motion ; observing, that a mandamus had been ap- plied for, and therefore until that was decided, the Court could not actively interfere ; but he saw no objection to the proposed conference. The motion was affirmed; and after transacting some other business of no public interest, the Court adjourned.
The adjourned meeting of Bank of England Proprietors was held on Monday. The Governor read the resolution adopted by the Court of Directors, acceding to the terms proposed by Government for the renewal of the Bank Charter. Mr. Hammond moved that the Court of Proprietors affirm the resolution of the Directors. He contended that the terms were advantageous to the Bank; that if they were rejected, a hundred gentlemen in the City could easily be found to accept them; that the Bank would be placed on a securer foundation than ever; and that the division of the issue and banking departments would enable the Directors to turn their attention to the banking, making it more profit- able to the proprietors than it now is. Sir Robert Peel, he said, had taken a most enlightened view of the state of the monetary system. Mr. Cook accused the Governor and Deputy-Governor of such subser.- viency to Ministers as prevented them from defending the rights of proprietors ; and he wished to read a petition which he had sent to Parliament two years ago; but the Court would not hear him. Mr, Fielder proposed to send the charter to the winds of heaven rather than submit to terms so unjust ; and then the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street would act for herself, in spite of Downing Street and all their officers. He moved as an amendment, " That this Court of Bank Proprietors, taking into consideration the risk and charges attending the banking business, as relating to the issuing and management department, cannot accede to the payment of 120,000/., for which the Hank Proprietors will not receive an adequate remuneration." Mr. Young seconded the amendment. Mr. Weeding considered that the plan relative to banking and currency had emanated from a master- mind; though he took exception to some particulars : and he moved as another amendment, a resolution acceding to the proposal, and also acknowledging with approval the intelligence and public-spirit which the Governor and Deputy-Governor had evinced in the negotiation& Mr. Solly objected to the principle that the Government should take any profits from the circulation if it should exceed 14,000,000/. Sir Peter Laurie thought that the gratitude of the Court was due to the Directors and the Government. Mr. Jones Loyd heartily supported the proposed arrangement, and urged unanimity. Mr. G. R. Robinson did not regard the proposed terms as so very advantageous. Mr. Salomons considered the measure propounded by Government one of the most able and statesmanlike ever laid before the country. Mr. Barry considered the whole plan as comprehensive and unobjectionable. The Governor re- minded Mr. Fielder, that if the Bank reopened the question Govern- ment might do so too. Mr. Fielder, knowing the value of unanimity oa such occasions, withdraw his amendment. Mr. Thompson, however, moved another amendment, claiming power for the Bank to extend its issues on securities to 20,000,000/. But, after a few rather confused ea+ marks on the new question, the original motion was carried, with only three dissentients.
The Anti-Corn-law League held the weekly meeting at Covent, Garden Theatre, on Wednesday ; Mr. John Bright, M.P., in the chair, Several of the principal Leaguers were still absent, looking after the South Lancashire election ; and the attendance was altogether thinner than usual. Mr. James Wilson delivered a speech on some points of the political economy of the day. He alluded to Sir Robert Peel's measure on banking, and contended that the attempt to prevent fluctuations and the drain of bullion would be hopeless while the Corn-laws continue-to cause sudden and irregular demands for foreign corn. Mr. Turner, a tenant-farmer of Othery, in Somersetshire, denounced the Corn-laws as injurious to the enterprise and industry of the agricultural classes, and as preventing any thing like fixity of tenure, in order to preserve poll- deal influence. The consequence is, that the farmer solely looks to present prices, and not to the steady amount of acreable produce. The Reverend John Burnett, of Camberwell, having addressed the audience; the Chairman stated, that after Wednesday next the meetings would probably not be held so regularly ; as the Free-trade Bazaar might in- fringe upon them. The meeting broke up with three cheers for Free- trade.
A public meeting was held at Willis's Rooms on Saturday, to form a society for the improvement of the condition Of the labouring classes. Lord Ashley was in the chair ; and there were present, the Bishop of Salisbury, Mr. Monekton Milnes, M.P., Mr. J. C. Colquhoun, Sir John Dean Paul, the Honourable William Cowper, M.P., Mr. R. A. Slaney, Mr. Bond Cabbell, the Honourable and Reverend Sidney Osborne, the Reverend Hugh M`Neile, other clergymen and gentlemen. and a number of ladies. Lord Ashley described the objects of the society to be—to improve the dwellings of the poor, especially in re- spect of drainage and ventilation ; to further the allotment or field. garden system ; and to assist friendly loan societies. The endeavour would be, to find means of acting in concert throughout the country; and the Society might make useful representations to the Government of the day. Mr. Slaney spoke of the Society's conducting inquiries as a primary object, to obtain information as to the various modes in which they could attain their ends. The Reverend Hugh M`Neile suggested the purchase of land for a model establishment, to illustrate the practice of allotments. He inculcated the necessity of showing personal sympathy with the poor: they must be visited in their homes, not with ostentation and condescension, the visiter scarcely waiting for an answer to a question hastily put—visits which did evil to both : but they must be visited at leisure, and in a kindly spirit; their troubles and their tales must be listened to ; advice must be given ; their vulgarities corrected, but not laughed at—above all, with no rudeness, for rudeness was unjustifiable in any one. It is easy to give bank- checks ; but without friendship they would be useless. The Reve- rend G. Bull, clergyman of a populous district in Birmingham, men- tioned some instances of miserable living in that town ; advocated short hours for labour, as the poor can only be visited after their daily work ; and insisted that those who would improve the condition of the poor must search into all the evils which lie at the root of domestic order and prosperity— Without this improvement, education is worthless, and the Word of God cannot be well inculcated. He was recently sent for to visit a poor woman t he read to and consoled her; and after he had finished, she said," Your prayer is good, your discourse is good; but I have not had a breakfast." Of course, she had a breakfast immediately. Her case, however, illustrated his position. The evil was at their own doors : for he found from a return furnishedbya physician in the neighbourhood of Grosvenor Square, that out of 1,465 fami- lies, there were 925 that had only one room for each family, and 623 had only one bed for each family. Think of the morality of that
The Reverend Sydney Osborne enforced the necessity of setting an example to the poor : it is in vain for the ministers of religion to preach, whilst the poor see others less exposed than themselves to temptation living in open breach of the great principles inculcated. Mr. Leonard Horner, to prove the necessity of greater exertions on the part of the wealthy in behalf of the humbler classes, stated, that in a district which he visits as Inspector of Factories, the extent of which is abaut five miles radius, there is a population of 105,000, nearly 90 per cent of whom live by daily wages; yet until within the last two years there was not a single public day-school. Since that time, and recently, some schools have been opened, and an amended state has begun; but it is by no means adequate to the exigency. He bore testimony to the evil effects of bad nursing on the growth of the factory-population, the consequence of the extent to which women are drawn from their ma- ternal duties. "The Society for the Improvement of the Condition of the Labouring Classes" was formally constituted; and subscriptions were announced to the amount of 1,357/.
The following are among the Exeter Hall meetings of the week. The Home Missionary Society, which enumerates 70 missionaries, 74 assist- ants, and 50,000 hearers; 216 Sunday schools, 2,000 teachers, and 14,500 scholars receipts, 7,337/, besides a legacy from Mr. Hill of 3,7001.; expenditure, 9,175/. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge: the Society has distributed 3.775,000 Bibles and other religions books during the year ; various grants of money were made, including 500/. to be placed at the disposal of the Bishop of New- foundland; donations were announced to the amount of 594!.; legacies, 1,500/.
A dinner in aid of the funds of the London Homeeopathic Institution took place on Wednesday. The Earl of Wilton occupied the head of the table ; at which about one hundred and forty gentlemen sat down. After the meal, a report was read : it stated that the sum subscribed in the past year was 1,4811.; the total number of patients since the este- blishment of the institution has been 2,753; of which number, 1,180 have been cured. 94 nearly cured, 178 much improved, 458 relieved, 354 treatment discontinued, 148 beginning their treatment, and 53 dead. The collection of the evening was 325/. 18s.
At Wandsworth Police-office, on Saturday, Augustus Mimes was re- examined on the charge of murdering Mrs. Sarah M'Farlane; and more evidence was taken. Rebecca Seward, a glover living at Chelsea, deposed, that at half-past ten o'clock on the night of April the 29th, she saw a man and a woman standing close to the new rails at the right- hand corner of Battersea Bridge, [dressed as the prisoner and the murdered woman were.] They seemed to be quarrelling ; and the man said, in rather a loud angry voice, "And so you won't!" James Cook, a coal-porter, was standing opposite the old church, at twenty-five minutes to eleven, when a man came running down Duke Street, crying out, but in a low agitated voice, "Police! Police !" He ran up Church Lane. Cook crossed the road to the corner of the lane, to see what was the matter; when the man returned, and said that a woman had one her throat on the bridge. Dalmas had been removed from the dock and placed among several other persons; but when the witness was de- sired to point him out, he did so without difficulty. Some question was raised by Mr. Gilham, Dalmas's solicitor, as to the admissibility of Mrs. M'Farlane's declaration, since it did not appear that she believed her- self to be dying : but Mr. Clive, the Magistrate, decided to admit the evidence, as the woman actually was dying. Frederick Langton, a Policeman, then stated, that when he asked Mrs. M'Farlane "Who has done this?" she answered "Dalmas." Langton asked if any one else was with her ; and she said "No." A third time he asked her if Dalmas had done it; and she replied "Yes, yes.' Several letters written by Dalmas were produced and read. One set, comprising ten letters, dated from November to April 29th, bad been found at Mrs, M'Farlane's : in them the writer addressed her in the most affectionate terms, calling her "his beloved Sarah," himself her "affectionate husband" or "devoted Augustus." In the last he complains that she had sent him a "cross" message; assures her that she would be paid by his daughter for a temporary abode with her, and that the girl would soon obtain a situation ; adding, "therefore do not be angry." He alludes more than once to efforts made to estrange Mrs. M'Farlane from him, especially by one of her sisters; and the last letter of the set contains, as a sort of postscript, the words " Relent, relent!" The other set comprised three letters, undated ; they were found at Dalmas's lodging, and they appear to have been written not long before the murder. The first was addressed to Mrs. M'Farlane ; whom it accused, in coarse and indecent language, of abandoned profligacy, of "cursing, swearing, and gin-drinking," of laziness, and of having robbed the writer and his daughters. "Love, jealousy, and despair—all your work," it added, "have brought me to complete madness. My pen curses you; yet, in my dying moments, my poor heart still loves you. Farewell for ever." In the second letter, addressed to a Mrs. Falk, at Battersea, he said that, "under the cloak of hypocrisy," Mrs. M'Far- lane had resolved on his ruin ; and that "by her caresses" she had "created the fatal feelings" which had "brought him to perdition." It Went on-
" What a miserable and unfortunate man I have been, to put my affections in the power of such a vulgar woman ! Now that she has completed my ruin, she insults me, and calls me gross names I never expected. Heartless wretch I When last Sunday week she kept me until four o'clock in the morning at her house, I informed her then that my mind was in that state, that I should cut my throat ; when she coolly said, Don't do it here, it will make such a mess.' "
In conclusion, he said, "She has driven me mad—mad ; she has mur- dered me." The third letter was addressed "To my unfortunate chil- dren," and contained the same accusations; closing thus-
" My unfortunate children, my unfortunate family 1 farewell. Caroline, farewell; Charlotte, farewell; Sophia, farewell; Augusta, farewell for ever! That Millwood M'Farlane has murdered me. Avenge my death. A. Dalmas."
The prisoner was remanded till Tuesday : when the preliminary evidence was completed, and more documents were read. Among them was a declaration, signed by Dalmas, and dated on the 12th March 1844; setting forth how he had been about to marry Sarah Andrew M'Farlane—how unforeseen circumstances had compelled him to post- pone the solemnization of bis marriage for the present—and bequeath- ing all his property to the said Sarah Andrew M'Farlane, including two dwelling-houses in the mrty of Tours, which had been left to Mtn by an aunt. Finally, Augustus Halms was committed to Newgate toe trial.
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