331.rtnitritiL

The dinner to her Mkjesty's Ministers given by the Lord Mayor. on: Wednesday, at the Mansionhouse,, was; as all such dinners of course are; successful, but it had no unusual eclat: Nearly all the Ministerff were present, anclthe generalmompany was large. The chief speakers were— Lord for the Army ;, Sir Charles Napier' for the Navy ; Lord. John Russell, Earl Grrey, and Lord Palmerston, for Ministers and the Houses of Parliament ; and. the French. Ambassador, for the Diplomatic visitors. Sir Charles Napier's, speech. was notable for a certain air of t niculont civility to the Premier. He at some length applauded. the Mercantile Marine Bill, as promising great benefits-to the service and the country,, and then finished by saying.—"In' making these remarks in the presence of the First' Minister of the Crown, he hoped he might not be accused of indiscretion '; anti that the noble Lont and those whom he ad- dressed would acquit him of any such error in the observations he had; made to them." Lord John discreetly observed a. supreme silence on the point. The Junior United Service- (nab gave' a. banquet in honour of Lord Gough on Wednesday evening : Captain Bolder° presided, and upwards of a hundred gamete were present.

The Canterbury Association, for establishing a settlement in New &a- rena on Church-of-England principles, held a meeting in St. Martlifil Hall, Long Acre, on:Wednesday, to promote the objects of the association. The hall was crowded in every part, by a well-dressed audience of both sexes - and the meeting was remarkable in- many respects. In the 'first place:the class of the principal speakers and attendants was peculiarly influential.: -the Chairman was Lord Lyttelton; among the gentlemen on the platform were the Bishop of Norwich, the Bishop of Oxford,, Mr. Sidney Herbert, Lord Wodehouse, Lord Courtenay, Mr. Adderley, and several other Members of Parliament: The plan of the settlement was fully explained by the Chairman; but it is already 113101911 to the readers of the Spectator. Every speaker contributed some. useful statement or happy illustration. An unexpected incident varied the proceedings with a little opposition, and helped to excite still more animated interest. A Mr Sidney rose in the body of the meeting, and entered into a general tirade against the Wakefield principles- of colonization—adopted by the founders of the Canterbury settlement, and avowed' by the Ilishop of Norwich and other speakers at this meeting. After some patient listen,. ing, the Chairman proposed that the interrupter should raise his more abstract discussion after the general business. WCU3- over ; but there WaS some desire to hear the controversialist, he was had up to the platform, and there he finished his speech and his readings. This debating episode called forth the mover of the next resolution, the Bishop of Oxford, in a very vivacious reply, pregnant with forcible argument and illustration. The meeting lasted four hours ; and the resolutions proposed in further, mice of the Canterbury scheme were passed immaimously.

The British Ladies' Female Emigrant Society- held its first annual meeting on Tuesday, at .Willis's Rooms; tile Duke of Argyll in the Afar. This society was not established with- any view of directly promoting emigration," but "originated in an earnest desire on the part of several benevolent individuals, to elevate the character of those who are leaving their native country, and who will form. the basis from. which society in our Colonies is to be built up." It recognizes the fact that a large emi- gration is going on; and it seeks to provide an agency of moral improve- ment to the emigrants by establishing homes for the reception of female emigrants before they leave this country, by providing visitation at the ports, and the supply of means for instruction and employment during the voyage and the appointment Of chosen matrons, and by forming .cor- responding societies in the Colonies, to receive, protect, and assist the emi- grants on their arrival. The report stated that 1,070t had been received and expended in this useful work.

In the Court of Queen's Bench, on Monday, Sir Fitzroy Kelly moved fern rule calling, on Sir Herbert Jenner Fust to show came why he should not be prohibited from carrying out the order of the Judicial. Committee of the Privy Council in the case of Gorham versus the Bishop of Exeter, and from admit- ting, instituting, or inducting, Mr. Gorham to the Vicarage of Brampforxh. Siselte. Sir Fitzroy Kelly quoted two statutes of Henry VIM, under which he contended that the appeal to the Queen in Council was an erroneous pro- ceeding; the appeal ought to have been to the 17pper House of Convocation : the erroneous proceedings are null and void ; and the sentence of the Court of Arches, confirming the Bishop. of Exeter's refusal to institute Mr. Gorham on the ground of his unsound doctrine, is untouched and valid. The statutes quoted are the 24th Henry VIII chapter 12, and 25th Henry vur. chapter 19. The first of those statutes enacts, that in "causes testa- mentary, in matrimony and divorce, and in tithes, obventions, and obis.. tions," appeals to Rome shall be forbidden, and'shall only lie as follows- " in the &et place, from the Archdeacon to the Bishop of the diocese, and then from the Bishop to the Archbishop of the province ; and if any of the matters in dispute should touch the King or his successors," the appeal should be "to the Upper House of Convocation." The second- statute esta- blished the same order of appeal "in all manner of causes ecclesiastical." The matter being,," ventilate, commenced, and begun," the party grieved may appeal from any of the said courts of this realm" "to the spiritual Prelates and other Abbot: and Priors of the Upper House assembled and con- vocate in Convocatien." Then, "whatsoever be done or shall be done and affirmed, determined, and decreed by the foresaid Prelates, Abbots, and Priors of the Upper House of the said Convocation as is aforesaid, appertain- ing, concerning, or belonging to the King, his heirs, and successors, in-any of the foresaid causes of appeal, shall stand and be taken- for a final deureo; sentence, judgment,. definition,. and. determination ;- and the Frame. matterso determined, never after come to question and debate, to be examined in, any other court or courts."

Sir Fitzroy Kelly regretted that these. statutealad not been looked-into by thole who argued: the case for the-Bishop of Exeter before the Judicial Court. of Privy Council ;. for if that had. been. se, it would have been unneoeseary- that he should: now make his application. With all respect towards that high tribunal the Judicial Committee,, it was.impossible- not to perceive that the Upper House of Convocation' was a- more suitable body to. decide in a. matterof spiritual doctrine.

Lord Campbell conferred with themther Judges,, and then stated that the: statutes csiWd should bfeexamined, and an, early. answer made to the appli- cation.

In the:case-of hayeeek versus- Piekslay, tried at York,—where, the. plaintiff gained a verdict with an award of 400e. damages for a breach of premier:ref marriage,—the defendant, a young attorney, has applied fora rule calling on the _plamtiff to show cause.why the verdict should not be entered for the de- feri era new trial: had; on' the ground that Baron' Alderson. wrongly de- cided. certain' lettem to be: no dissolution of the agreement to marry: hr. 1847; the-defendant wrote to break-off the.match. which: was of long, stand- ing. The plaintiff answered, "You know full well how long and fondly1 have lured you, and therefore may have some idea what L must-feel now. Since it is'your wish; we will pare" On the same day, the plaintiff wrote' to defendant's mother, affectionately mourning over the feat that "at Ed.- ward's own' request our connexion, is broken off." The defendant's couneel argued that these- expressions- showed- that "the parties: had resolved and. agreed to absolve- each other. from. their promises." Suppose the- same terms had-been-used on a sale, how could-any one doubt that the contract woe. off. The Court granted fe rale-calling on the-plaintiff to show cause-why her verdict should, not be-reversed or a:new trial- had.

hi the'Comt of-Bankruptcy; on Wednesday, Mr. Cc:numb:ark:nor Holroyd gavejudgment in the matter of the fet. Alban's:Bank, onthe applicationteof Mr. Edward.Gibson and-Mr. George Start for their certificates: The-St Al- ban's Bank opened in 1844, with a borrowed capital of 1,5001: ;. and in

1847 Mr. Gibson had overdrawn his own account by 5,902/,,. and-Mr. Stint, who was managing partner with a salary. of 3fi01., had gotbehind, by litigation

and overdrawing,, more than.2,5001. At the end of. 1847 the bank stopped payment, with a large deficit. The Commissioner elaborately reviewed the case, and declaredlornself compelled. to award. the severest purdshment of the law of banhamteyy. Inconsequence-of the unprincipled managementof their bank, and the shameless misapplication of alarge amount of its-assets, the allowance of the certificate of both. the -bankrupts was refused:.

At the eentral.Criminal Court, last week, Jane Kirtland was-tried for the manslaughter of her husband. The couple frequently quarrelled. and:drank.;

the woman reproached the man for leaving his family destitute ; abused her and thrust-his fist in her face ; in her anger she Struck him with-the chopper. The Jury found her guilty, but recommended her te mercy- on So,. count of great provocation. Sentence, sit m-ontheimprisonment

Albert Merminod, a Frenchman, was convicted' of forging the signalize of Mr. Calm to bills-of exchange-surreptitionsly obtained in France. Sen- tence, ten years' transportation.

Regan, the man convicted of arson, wassenteneed-to be trarimportediertcat years.

On Saturday, four- offieers of Customs and three labourers employedin-the London Docks were tried. on divers charges of stealing tobacco from the warehouses. Three of the officers, Preece, Lye, and Evans, were convicted ; but the evidence against the others was not'deenedstifecient by the Recorder, and they-were acquitted: The three- convicted men. were sentenced to be imprisoned each, for. twelve--months,, with hard. lair= r..

Eighteen soldiers-were puton theirtaial for riot and assault at the last Greenwich Bair. They had already been in prison for ten days, and there they had behaved.well. Mr. Nelson Lee, the proprietor of' the show-where the riot occurred, was the prosecutor; but he avowed that he had no vin- dictiveness in the matter, though a good deal of his property had' been destroyed. From hisstaiement it. would appear-that the soldiers-had been mofstm the wrong -in the "sorimmage." Five of the accused were identified; and were found.guilty; but the Recorder merely held them to baillto keep the peace-for a year: On Monday, Jane Knight, a- young woman, was tried for robbing Mi; Cowell on the Queen's highway. The mime was committed by the aidlof chloroform. While proceeding home at night, near the Albany Road, Cam- berivell,. the woman caught hold of Mr. Cowell; two men came up as if to rescue him; but one thrust a rag under his nose, and the other struck him. The prosecutor became insensible, and afterwards- found that he had been robbed. The woman was convicted. Sentence, fifteen years' transportation.

The trial of Tiddeman, Bennett, Laidler, .Tones, and Sullivan for endea- vouring-to extort money from. an'aged- tradesman by-threatening- odious ac- eusations-against him, took place at the Central Criminal Court on Saturday. Mr. Samuel Wyatt, the prosecutor, a tobacconist. in Little Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn 'Melds, is sitty-fouryears old, infirm, nervous,. and- timid ; the prisoners are a gang of extortioners, who acted under the '-generalship" of Sullivan in-playing on the old man's weakness of character- and innocent fears. Their machinations -were discovered. by Mrs. Mary Legg, the prose- cutor's niece. At first she was too shocked to interfere or. attempt preven- tion, but she recovered her courage and self-possession, oompletely duped the prisoners by appearing to be their victim, and led them. into such a fatal self-committal of themselves within, the hearing of concealed Pelicemen, that they-were all apprehended at one swoop, after uttering full proofe of their criminal conspiracy. Tiddeman pleaded "'Criiiity,."' and- was admitted to givemvidence which recounted the ease from its origin; The Jury found all the other prisoners guilty. On Monday; Tiddeman VMS sentenced to two years' imprisonment-wit:le hard labour;. and the- other prisoners to be transpoerted for their lives. Mr. Baron Platt awarded a sum of money to Mrs. I g, for. her clever and resolute instrumentality in the furtherance of justice.

Thomas Denny, a young, man who was awaiting his execution at Horse- monger Lane Gaol for the murder of his infant at-Ewell, has been reprieved in order to a.commutation of his sentence. The chief evidence against him was that of his own child, a boy of' seven; - whose testimony clashed with that of the mother of the murdered infant:: the boy said both man and, wo- man stabbed it; the- woman denied her share of the guilt, and was admitted as a witness against her-paramour.

Mr. Walter Watts was finally examined at the Manaionhouse on Tuesday. The only evidence then given was toprove that the Globe Insurance Company could prosecute in the name of their treasurer, Mr. George Carr cayn, Mr. Watts was committed for trial on the charges of stealing an order for 1,4001. and a piece of paper value 14

At Marlborough Street Police Office, on Tuesday, Mr. Francis John Dean Paul, a very young man, appeared 'before the Magistrate in order to be mulcted in a sum of money as compensation to a Policeman whom he had hart.. Mn. Paul was driving a Hansom cab, a friend aitringwith hirm (they had been drinking,) and the licensed driver was seated. behind; a. 51e of Policemen was crossing a, street; Mr. Paul dashed round the corner at a great-rate, the cab struck Policeman Smith,. dragged him along,. and threw =a.. dawn.. Mr: Paul.was subsequently fined for driving without a licence,.

andithe cab-driver was also fined tar resigning the Mr. Paul AM now ordered. to. pay a fine. of 6d. for furious, driving,. 51. to Smith as cenmensa.- dein and: 2/.. 108. for his doctor's bilL ..kt Seutltwark Police Office, on Tuesday, LouisaSusanHartley was oharged withattempting to poison. her father. The father, a fellowship porter, is a. widower, and his daughter-lived withlint as housekeeper. On that morning. shfr prepared coffee for breakfast ;. Warthey's tasted strangely, hia.danghter's did not ;. he taxed her with putting- poison in his cup, and said he would preserve the fluid and have it tested ; she snatched the- cup from him and threw the contents into a. basin containing dirty water. This, however,, the man got possession of, and took it to the hospital; test-paper showed that some acidulous substance had been put in it. Hartley informed the Magis- trate that he had recently had, occasion to complain of hisdaughter'a can* duct; also,, that her behaviour had appearedffiglity. She was remanded, in orden that medieelevideiace. might be obtained respecting the contents of the coffee.

thelfichlleser Sessions, on. Monday,. there wore three appeals, from pub, 1.1.09.118, whose licences had been. refused by the Magistrates on the licensing- day for St. Martin's-in-the-Fields. The publicans had kept betting-books and lists of horse-rarnsin their houses,, for the use of their customers, who. made bets on the horses, depositing the stakes in the hands of the landlords, The Magistrates considered that this constituted gaming, which- the law pro- hibib*in taverns ; and they refused a renewal of the licences.. After coun- sel- bad, been heard on each side, with seine witnesses,. the Bench, while up. holding the' view of the Magistrates, permitted the licences to be renewed,. on. payment of 101. costs in each case-; intimating,, however,, that any gaining of the kind in future. would be followed hy the refusal of licences. at the nent.peried of renewal-