i4r 3iittropulio.

The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress gave a dinner at the Mansion- house, on Tueaday, to about seventy guests, including two of the City Members, Lord John Russell and Mr. Masterman. Alter dinner there was a ball, to which about five hundred were invited.

A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday. Mr. R. L. Jones observed that a Committee had been appointed some time ago upon the subject of the purchase of Irish estates, and members had been delegated to hold a conference with Lord John Russell ; yet nothing at all had yet been done in the matter. Several members replied, that if the Remem- brancer had been called upon by the members delegated to act, the meet- ing would have most likely been held long ago. Sir James Duke having mentioned the subject of enlarging the citizen franchise, the Lord Mayor said he should gladly comply with the wish to have an early discussion thereon. A motion of Mr. Richard Taylor to consider the means of pro- viding suitable habitations for the poorer classes of citizens was referred to the Improvement Committee.

The Provisional Committee of the National Charter Association held their " first grand Metropolitan meeting for the year 1850 " on Monday evening, at the London Tavern. The audience was estimated at 1,400 per- sons, which included many foreigners and a considerable number of "ladies carrying in their arms infants of tender years." Mr. Feargus O'Connor presided, and made a speech.

He related how he had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Cobden at Aylesbury, when that gentleman sanctioned a resolution tantamount to universal suf- frage ; and he asked the meeting to remember that "they were not yet the better for reform or free trade, and would never be so without the suffinge." He declared that Lord John Russell's announced project of reform was a mere clatrap—" a cry with which to go to the country at the next general election " ; for he knew that the measure would be thrown out in the Lords. What was wanted for tholguafit

tribution of wealth.- it had been the darlingobject of his ' e that free trade should be made to conduce to the benefit of all, and that land might be so brought into the retail market that none should be able to prevent Nature's children from sucking at Nature's pap. He wished to see every man eating corn at as cheap a rate as it could be produced. That much fin- provement might be effected in the system of cultivation, was proved by the cases of Jersey and Belgium ; and what he proposed in 1834 he proposed now, namely, that every occupier of land should have a lease for ever at a corn-rent.

Mr. M. Reynolds moved a resolution, to the effect that the alarming decline of the commercial interests of the country is the result of an un- just and unequal system of government ; and the only safe remedies are to be found in independent responsible government for the Colonies, and the Charter for the home constitution. Mr. M‘Grath seconded the resolution with condemnatory comments on the misgovernment of the Colonies. Mr. Vernon, a liberated Chartist convict of 1848, made a speech of general scope ; as he had not been allowed to see a newspaper, or scrap of printed paper, for the eighteen months of his imprisonment. He avowed principles of Communist tendency. He looked to the Charter as a stepping-stone to a far greater measure— the organization of labour and the better distribution of the land. In fact, politics were only of use as &means of making a people socially better, wiser, more monsIe;sind more Christian. Therefore he thought another revolution waikiaseebsarteipid,b) hoped it would be a moral one. He hoped the people would be strong enough to gain their rights by moral means. The Govern- ments throughout Europe are now the real physical force men, and with- out fierce andritaid ther would not be alio hi, stand a moment before the strength of *As opiman.

lfe. Julian limey made a Red Republican.speech ; although he was glad. to see " thislittle•reform movement."

He believed that moral few was sufficient for England ; but the French nation got in three days, by trdifferent process, the principle of universal suffrage, which it would have taken scores of years to accomplish by moral force. It is admitted on all hands that the principles of social democracy are advancing in France ; and he believed that at the next election, unless universal suffrage were put down by force, Louis Napoleon, Thiera, and other rascals like him, would be sent to the right-about, and the Red Republic tri- umphantly established. If the recent revolutions in. Europe had no other use they would at least have this benefit, that the people would on another occasion treat their pitiless and remorseless enemies as they deserved, and show them that mercy which they showed the people. He should glory in the fact of the Cossacks bivouacking in Trafalgar Square. Why? Because the aristocracy and the monied classes would be compelled to go down on their knees to the working classes for their assistance. The Charter would then be carried. Let justice be done, and the people of all ranks would do their duty in defence of the country ; but without justice, the people would resemble the donkey in the fable, who, when threatened with the enemy, asked why he should care for them? Like Samson, burying themselves in the ruins, they might be disposed to aid rather than repel. the foreigner in his efforts to pull down the present system.

He also advocated a Communist theory regarding the land. They had been told that the land ought to be free—that it ought to be bought and sold like anything else. But he denied the right of any man, or even of the state, to dispose of the land. The rent of that land, if managed by the state for the benefit of the people, would afford ample means for the education of the people, and for providing everything else which was now provided for by taxation.

Mr. Clark, moving a resolution to form an association for giving effect to the demand for the Charter, repudiated. Mr. Harney's "bloody Demo- cracy," and advocated a friendly alliance with the Financial Reformers. The Financial Reform Association propose to enfranchise four millions of men. (Cries of "No, no!" and " Yes, yea!") He repeated his assertion. The voters at present amount only to one million; and if the four millions, when enfranchised, refuse to share the franchise with the remaining one million, it would be the act of the majority, and he should not complain of it. Let them go into the workshops, and examine what power they had of attaining their object unaided. (Cheers.) Let there be no unjust allusions. The people could not be cheated unless they defrauded themselves. When he found a mass of intelligence and wealth running parallel with Chartism, he could not consent to cast suspicions or to refuse 9iiinneP (Cheers.) There was nothing of which the people of this country stood so much in dread as a bloody Democracy ; there was nothing so dangerous or suicidal to public liberty. (Cheers.)

All the resolutions were passed unanimously.

The Railway Directors who held a meeting on the question of audit in November, and adjourned to this time in order that the opinion of shareholders Might be collected, reassembled on Wednesday. The meet- ing was held at the King's Arms in Parliament Street, under the presi- dency of the Earl of Lonsdale ; and it included representatives of all the great railway companies. The Earl of Lonsdale stated the result of the formal canvass of shareholders made by the directors. He admitted that "a very restricted number" had given their assent to a bill founded on the resolutions passed at the meeting held in November ; "yet, on the other hand, there was a remarkable paucity of opinions in favour of a Government audit." The directors generally retain their opinions, but do not feel justified in acting without the support of an overwhelming ma- jority of the shareholders. He moved a resolution, to the effect that "it ILI not expedient to introduce the bill into Parliament " ; " that it appears to be no longer the duty of or becoming in the directors to take a prominent part upon the question of audit' ; and "that it therefore be left to the shareholders themselves to take hereafter such course with regard to the question as they think fit; each board communicating to its constituents this resolution, prior to the ensuing general meetings, in such way as may be deemed right."

Mr. George Carr Glyn seconded the resolution. Mr. Edmund Denison stated, with emphasis, that the Government "do not wish to make any such appointment"

They have said, "It is a commercial affair which is to be dealt with ; manage it among yourselves : but, as involving great interests, all that we require is that it be managed honestly for yourselves and the shareholders." He repeated, they are adverse to any interference themselves. He disap- proved of a Government audit, but disapproved also of an audit by officers chosen solely by the shareholders. Let ten or twelve names be submitted to the Governor of the Bank of England ; if he deem them unexceptionable, let him draw two names out of a hat for each company. Mr. Charles Russell advocated the appointment of the auditor by the shareholders ; and suggested the application of Mr. Denison's plan to the choice of a professional accountant of the highest standing to assist the auditors. Mr. Laing stated that the Brighton Company had attempted to nut Mr. Don ;..e4 idea in practice, but the Governor of the Bank of Eng- land had refused to "mix himself up with" a matter which was "not his affair." • The resolution proposed by the Chairman was adopted unanimously.

The proprietors of the London and Westminster Bank held their half- yearly meeting on Wednesday. A dividend of 6 per cent was declared ; and, as showing the greater certainty which prevails in bill transactions, it was mentioned that the 70,0001. of loss incurred in the disastrous year of 1847 had now been entirely wiped off. The chief interest, however, centered in a discussion as to the expediency of adopting the practice of " cash credits," which forms the distinguishing characteristic of the banking system in Scotland. The practice is this : a bank agrees to ad- vance to a particular person, a sum within specified limits, to be drawn for as needed ; security for repayment being provided by a bond bear- ing the names of the person for whose use the money is to be advanced, and of two and sometimes three other persons, who join as sureties. Two objections to the adoption of this plan were stated : first, that the bank- note system does not hold in London ; and second, that the people of London do not know each other sufficiently well to induce them to join in bonds involving liabilities which might extend over many years. The Chairman remarked, that the experiment is now under trial by the Royal British Bank, (Mr. Macgregor's) ; and that if it prove successful, there is nothing to prevent the London and Westminster from following the ex- ample.

The anniversary of the Whittington Club, in the Strand, was celebrated on Tuesday. Mr. Charles Lushington, M.P., the President, opened the proceedings with a congratulatory speech ; a concert followed ; then came the dance ; and at midnight, supper. The rooms appropriated to the reading purposes of the members became on this occasion receptacles for painting; specimens of art, scientific apparatus, and articles of verth.

The Whittingtoa Club deserves to be known even to the members of more expensive establishments. The institution has been scarcely three years in existence ; but the difficulties of the first start have been sur- mounted, and an adequate revenue is flowing in. The objects are mani- fold, but bearmore directly on the wants of young men living on moderate means in the Metropolis, whose inclinations lead them to cultivate habits and pursuits yielding not only present advantage but sure to tell pro- fitably on their future career. The members are 1,600 in number, 400 of them of the female sex ; and it is believed that of the other sex about 1,000 are unmarried. The annual charge is 2/. 2s. ; for lady iaombers it is 10s. 6d. A young man who provides sleeping accommodation out of doors, will find himsel4 if he chooses to make the experiment, amply cared for in all other respects by the club. For 15s. a week he may eat comfortably and enjoy some luxuries which are not attainable but at considerable coat in lodgings. For payments ranging from 3s. 6d. to 5s. he may have thirteen weekly lessons in French, Italian, or German ; he may join in the study of dramatic literature for 2s. 6d., in the practice of vocal and instrumental music for a like sum. Other classes or sub- meetings are free, such as the " Classe d'Elocution Francaise," where pieces are recited and essays read in the French language ; and all the lectures are on the same footing. There is a library, with a newspaper reading-room, amply stocked. The management is intrusted to gentlemen elected by the members ; and the leading principle is to supply the largest amount of material and intellectual enjoyment at cost price. Gratuities to servants are as strictly prohibited as under railway management. Paper money is the only circulating medium within the walls : "notes" represent ld., 2d., 3d., 4d., 6d., Is., 28. Members supply themselves with this floating currency, by applyiAnto the proper officer ; and as it seldom happens that less than five RV gle worth is asked for at a time, the managers have the run of the national money till all the Club money is paid in. Further, it checks gratuities : should coins be seen to pass between a member and an attendant, foul play is instantly suspected. A " Club Gazette " is published on Saturday; containing a record of the proceedings of the week, as well as a programme of the business, the classes, and the entertainments of the week to come.

In the Court of Queen's Bench, on Saturday, before Justices Patteson, Coleridge, and Wightman, application was made by Sir Frederick Thesiger for a writ of habeas corpus directing the keeper of the Queen's Bench pri- son to bring into court Mr. William Dimes, and show the cause of his de- tention in prison since the 11th instant. Mr. Dimes some years since brought an action against the Committee of the Proprietors of the Grand Junction Canal Company, recovered judgment, was put into legal possession of a part of the canal, and by virtue of thatpossession did acts which drove the Com- mittee of Proprietors to apply for a Chancery injunction to restrain him, from stopping the traffic on the canal. This injunction was granted by Lord Chancellor Cottenham, in July 1838 ; and Mr. Dimes was not aware till the year 1848 that the Lord Chancellor was himself one of the proprietors of the Grand Junction. Canal, and therefore interested in the result of the injunction and suit. In 1848 he, " by the courtesy of the Lord Chancellor, was in- formed of his (the Lord Chancellor's) interest "; and, without intending any contempt. of court, he has violated the injunction, under the conviction that it was legally void : whereupon he has been cast into prison under the Lord Chancellor's warrant. Sir Frederick Thesiger cited text-writers and eases laying down the fundamental doctrine that a man cannot be judge in his own case, and establishing that the decree of an interested Chancellor is "void," and of course not binding to obedience. He mentioned, that" when this same case was in the Exchequer Chamber, Mr. Baron Alderson declined to sit, because he was a shareholder in the Co any ; and Mr. Dimes might have expected a similar course from the Lord Chancellor. " As Sir Frederick concluded his arguments, Mr. Justice Wightman said—" I think this is a proper time for me to retire, being myself in the same situation." Mr. Justice Patteson said, the writ would be granted ; but it must be understood that this was the de- cision of himself and Mr. Justice Coleridge only.

On Thursday, Mr. Dimes was brought into court; and the official return was made of the matters justifying the gaoler in detaining him. It appeared that though the original injunction, disobeyed, had been granted by the Lord Chancellor, the order of committal for the disobedient contempt was issued by the Vice-Chancellor of England ; and the Court held that it had no power to review the Vice-Chancellor's deciaion,—assuming the validity of the injunction. So Mr. Dimes was remanded to prison.

At the Central Criminal Court, last week, Daniel Blackmer° was tried for stabbing Policeman Matthews, with intent to murder him. The ease was clearly made out, and the Jury found the prisoner guilty of the whole charge. The sentence of death was recorded ; but the Judge intimated that, on ac- count of the convict's age and his having been wounded while a soldier, he should recommend that the usual punishment of transportation for life should be commuted to transportation for fifteen years.

The Recorder passed sentence on Harvey, who assaulted the late Mr. Taw- ney. He regretted that the result of the medical inquiry respecting the im- mediate cause of Mr. Tawney's death would prevent Harvey's trial for a more serious offence. The sentence was imprisonment for twelve months.

On Friday and Saturday, Louis Joel, "jeweller," aged twenty-five, was tried for forging and uttering a bill of exchange for 1,0001., with intent to defraud John Marcus Clements. Many particulars of the case have been mentioned in the progress of investigation by the Police Magistrate. Mr. Clemente is a son of the late Colonel Clements, formerly Member for an Irish county. In opening the case, Mr. Clarkson said he must admit that Mr. Clements had been guilty of great extravagance and recklessness in money matters. Two affidavits made by the prisoner, on applying to be al- lowed bail and for a postponement of the Uial, were put in as evidence. In these Joel stated, that the prosecutor had given lum a blank acceptance while he was under age, with the understanding that Joel should fill it up for 1,000/. when Mr. Clements had attained his majority, in August 1847 : this was the bill now said to be forged. Mr. Clements was examined. He knew Joel in Dublin, while himself was in the Thirteenth Light Dragoons. He had many transactions with him ; obtaining money and jewellery for bills of exchange. He never signed a bill for 1,000/. ; never accepted a bill in blank ; never authorized any one to accept a bill. He denied the state- ment in the prisoner's affidavits. He first heard of the 1,0001. bill in August last. In cress-examination, the witness admitted that ho had acted in a most reckless way in raising money on bills and getting into debt with tradesmen during his minority ; but arrangements were made by his guard.- Ian to pay all bona fide claims. Mr. Chambers asked—" Did you borrow much money between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one ? " Witness— "I did not get much." Two other bills, for smaller amounts, now in exist- ence, he declared to be forgeries. Many of his answers began—" My um- pression is" ; and his recollection of money transactions was very imperfect. He had taken stones out of jewellery that he had bought, and sold them. "I cannot say whether I so disposed of them on the day after I received them from the prisoner, but I should think it was not so soon." He gave jewel- lery and money "to a woman at Dublin." He bad not been in a gambling- house in London since 1845. Mr. Pullman, a barrister who had been em- ployed in 1847 to settle the prosecutor's affairs, deposed that Joel did not state to him that he had the 1,0001, bill; he only heard of it last sum- mer. Evidence was adduced showing how the present holders of the bill— who had instituted legal proceedings against Mr. Clements upon it—had re- ceived it from Joel, inDublin, in September last, Divers witnesses ex- pressed a belief that the signature to the bill was not Mr. Clements's writing. Mr. Chambers addressed the Jury for the defence. Ho pointed out that the prisoner had all along asserted the same probable account of the bill, and had made two affidavits to that effect : the witnesses on the other side had a strong bias, and independent testimony as to the signature had not been called, though it easily might have been. The counsel commented on Mr. Clements's conduct, especially the breaking-up of the jewellery imme- diately after he had purchased it of the prisoner and other persons. Such conduct was not only disgraceful in a gentleman and an officer holding her Majesty's commission but in an ordinary case, if such facts were laid before a jury in support of 'a charge of felony or robbing the tradesmen of such articles, he was of opinion it would go very far indeed to induce them to re- turn a verdict of guilty. The withholding of the money admitted to be due to the prisoner had driven him to bankruptcy. The existence of the signature to the blank stamp was not mentioned to Mr. Pullman, because the matter was a confidential one.

Mr. Justice Talfourd summed up ; pointing out the circumstances relied on for the prisoner's case. The Jury, after considering for an hour and a half, gave a verdict of " Guilty ' of uttering the bill, knowing it to be forged. The prisoner said a few words : if his witnesses had been called his innocence would have been established; he solemnly protested that Mr. Clements signed the stamp. The Judge, remarking that he concurred in the verdict, sentenced Joel to be transported for ten years.

Federman, Lourio, and Gordon, the Germans accused of forging Russian bank-notes, have been finally examined at the Mansionhouse, and committed for trial. The Russian witness required to complete the case—a cashier of the Russian Bank at Petersburg—proved that the plates engraved were imi- tations of different portions of notes. The forged notes were "full of mis- takes"; but they would impose on the unskilful.

At Lambeth Police Office, on Monday, Atkins Thomas was examined on °barges of uttering five ten-pound and two five-pound forged bank-notes. By various devices he bad got the notes changed by tradesmen at Walworth and Ccunberwell. A number of persons who had changed forged notes for a man resembling the prisoner could not identify hini. A Policeman said he had made a wonderful alteration in his appearance by shaving off his whis- kers. Thomas was committed on four charges.

At Southwark Police Office, on Wednesday, William Tinkney, a pipe- maker, was charged with cruelly beating his son Henry, a boy of twelve. He had been arrested in the streets while in the act of beating the boy on the head. When produced before the Magistrate, the boy's back presented a surface of festering wounds. Tinkney pleaded that the boy was of bad dia. position, and was constantly robbing him : but Mr. A'Beckett thought that no palliation, and imposed a fine of 51., with bail for future peaceable conduct.

At Marylebone Police Office, on Tuesday, John Lane, a tall, military-look- ing man, of about forty, was charged on his own confession with 'having been concerned in a murder. He had gone to the Police Station and re- signed himself into custody, stating that he was engaged in a smuggling affray at Eastbourne, eighteen years ago, when one of the Coast Guard was killed. From his replies to the Magistrate's questions, and his manner, there seemed reason to doubt his sanity. He was remanded for a week, that inquiries might be made.

At Lambeth Police Office, on Wednesday, Alfred England, a notorious thief, was charged with a daring robbery of a jeweller's shop in the Kenning- ton Road. On Tuesday evening, a pane of Mr. Miller's shop was dashed in, and watches, chains, &c. worth 501., were carried off. Mr. Miller saw the breaking of the glass and the robbery, and rushed to the door to seize the robber : but the door had been fastened outside by a cord to the scraper • so the thief escaped. From Mr. Miller's description, the Police searched England as the culprit, but could not find him : however, he had heard they were looking for him, and he went to the Police Station, professing inno- cence. Mr. Miller said he believed England was the man.—Remanded.

The continuance of the frost invited a vast assemblage of people on the ice in the Parks on Sunday : in St. James'; the crowd was so great that the skaters wanted room to move, and several were thrown down. The thickness of the ice prevented many disasters by breakage, and only two or three persons were immersed. But divers other accidents occurred : two men fractured an arm each, a woman's thigh was fractured, a man sustained a concussion of the brain, and many minor hurts resulted from falls.

In the Victoria Park, at Bethnal Green, a large portion of the iee broke, ant nearly a hundred people were plunged into the water. The scone was frightful ; and when all had been pulled out that could be seen, it was feared that some persons had been lost under the ice.

A fire having broken out at a luoifer-match-maker's in Union Street, Lambeth, such a smoke arose that the neighbours were driven from their houses. The engines confined the fire to the workshop where it originated.