POSTSCRIPT.

SATURDAY.

The "confessional" continues to attract attention and the daily journals to receive and publish correspondence on the subject. This morning the Reverend William Greeley himself puts forward in the Times, a justification of Mr. West, his curate. Mr. Gresley says the transaction at Boyn Hill is a "trumpery affair, got up for party pur- poses." The poor woman, upon whom Mr. West intruded, he avers, "instead of being, as stated, upset,' declared that she was much 'com- forted' by his visit, expressed herself as most grateful to him for 'ex- planing the commandments,' and said that 'ho was just the sort of gentleman to visit the sick.' " This can "be proved on oath." Mr. Gresley intimates that the poor woman had been anything but virtuous in her past life.

On the doctrinal part of the "trumpery affair" Mr. Gresley seems to hold far more positive views than his diocesan.

"With regard to confession in general, I heartily wish it were a great deal more practised than it is, for the simple reason because I believe it to be one of the greatest possible helps to repentance. So far as my own ex- perience goes, I have known more sinners brought to repentance by this means than by any other. It is just what sinful worldly men, awakened to their danger, need, in order to work in them a thorough conversion and amendment of life. I seamely ever knew a person relapsing into irreligious habits who had conscientiously used confession. With re gard to the doctrine of the English Church, I may be quite wrong ; but it appears to me that a person who should read the visitation service and the exbortatiOn in the communion service, and say that confession was not taught in the English Church might just as well say that black is white, and that a priest or bishop who systematically neglects to act upon these in- structions of his Church, who never moves any sick ' person to con- fession, and never reads the exhortation to communicants and yet menses, discourages, or even punishes a priest who conforms to the in- structions to which he is pledged, is guilty of a mean and wrongful deed. The outcry against confession is nothing more or less than a party move of the Evangelicals. They perceive that they can damage their opponents by raising an outcry about "Auricular Confession," as they term it., and par- ticularly about the seventh commandment. There is no such feeling among High Churchmen, who I think, may be assumed to be as pure-minded and virtuous as the others. Parents allow their children to go to confession without scruple, and husbands their wives. Not women only but men of all stations, I have known confess their sins; and the deep, heartfelt gra- titude which they have often expressed has been most touching.

"If one could but get people to look at the immense benefit of confession, when conscientiously used, instead of resting on the abuses which are said to have arisen from it, I am sure all this outcry would pass away. I do not i know how it may be n foreign countries, but I am quite sure, from con- siderable experience, that confession as practised in the English Church is almost an unmixed blessing." Here, then, is a broad and direct advocacy and defence of the doctrine of confession.

The object of the Queen's visit to Berlin on the 16th was to inspect the palace now in course of completion intended to be the homo of the Prince and Princess Frederick William. It promises to be not only handsome but "comfortable." On the 17th the Queen reviewed all the troops quartered in Potedam. The Prince of Prussia commanded ; Prince Frederick William commanding the Brigade of Guards. Her Majesty afterwards visited the apartments once occupied by Frederick the Great, and his tomb in the Gamison Kirche.

A telegraphic despatch from Rennes dated August 20, says, "this morning took place the grand Breton entertainment, given to their Ma- jesties by all the Maims of the department of Ille et Vilaine. There were 340 persons present. The Emperor delivered a speech, which was received with the warmest acclamations. He promised his best assist- ance in developing all the resources of Brittany. His Majesty is at this moment passing in review the whole of the troops in garrison at Rennes. Tomorrow, at ten o'clock, their Majesties will set out for Paris, where they will arrive at six in the afternoon."

For many months the Conference at Paris has continued, holding some eighteen sittings altogether. Great difficulties have been experienced in arriving at any conclusion at all, and only mutual concession has brought all the signatures of the Plenipotentiaries to the foot of the common agreement. The last sitting was held on Thursday : the Moniteur of yesterday announces the fact in these terms-

" The Plenipotentiaries of France, Austria, Great Britain, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey, met on Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to sign the Convention relative to the organization of the Princi- palities of Moldavia and Wallachia. The exchange of the ratifications of the said Convention will take place at Paris within five weeks, or earlier, if possible. It is only after the accomplishment of this formality that the text of the Convention can be made public."

The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post gives the following as "the main features" of the Convention.

"1. The people of the Principalities, according to a scale of suffrage, which gives all important classes a vote, will be called upon to elect two Hospodars—one for Moldavia and the other for Wallachia. "2. The Hospodars, in conjunction with deputies, also elected by all classes of the people, will have the entire legislation of domestic affairs in their own hands.

"3. Turkey maintains her guardian rights over the Principalities in all questions of peace and war."

The Convocation of the Prelates and Clergy of the Province of Can. terbury was yesterday prorogued to Wednesday the 20th October.

Sir Henry Rawlinson's appointment to the Council for India has created a vacancy in the representation of Reigate. There are three candidates in the field. The Honourable J. W. Monson, who is a Whig, and who from his connexion with the family of Lord Monson, at Gatton, possesses some local influence ; Mr. W. A. Wilkinson' formerly Member tor Lambeth ; and Mr. Edwin James. Mr. James has personally ad- dressed the electors. He is for law-reform, the unconditional abolition of church-rates, the extension of the suffrage to Si. householders, and the adoption of the ballot.

The Queen has appointed Captain Adolphus Slade, RN., C.B., Vice- Admiral in the Ottoman Navy, to be a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

Allen's Indian Mail states, that the Court of Directors have presented Mr. John Stuart Mill with the sum of 5001. as a slight token of their ap- preciation of his eminent abilities, and faithful discharge of most la- borious and responsible duties.

The Morning Post has reason to believe that Colonel R. C. Moody, at present commanding the Royal Engineers in North Britain, and Lieute- nant-Governor of the Falkland Islands, which he with a party of his cops prepared for colonization between 1841 and 1848, has been ap- pointed Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-chief of the new North American colony of British Columbia.

The Atlantic telegraph forwarded last night the first piece of news. The directors received yesterday information that the Europa and Arabia had come into collision, that one had put into St. John's, and that no lives were lost. At five o'clock in the afternoon, they asked from London for "further particulars" front Newfoundland, and at half-past seven received from that place this reply- " The Arabia in collision with the Europa off Cape Race on Saturday last. The Arabia on her way to New York !slightly injured. The Europa lost her bowsprit and cutwater, stern sprung. She will remain at St. John's, New- foundland, ten dap front the 16th. The Persia calls at St. John's for mails and passengers No lo as of life or limb." It is explained that the delay—two hours and a hall—arises from the comparative slowness with which signals can be forwarded along the Single line. By and by the time will lie shortened.

The news of the success of the war ships of England and the United States in their great enterprise of submerging the Atlantic cable was received with great rejoicings throughout America. The first reports were held "too good to be true." In New York the state of feeling could not be described even by the Herald. At Washington the feeling shown amounted to "transport." At Albany people were "wild with excitement." At Boston there was "great rejoicing " ; at Worcester 100 guns were fired ; at Rochester a "feeling of glorification" seized the citizens ; Utica was illuminated ; at Syracuse a band and a company of Militia went about, " spirited " speeches were made ; "and hearty cheers were given for the Atlantic cable, Queen Victoria, and Mr. Cyrus W. Field." More moderate and sober but not less hearty were the exhibi- tions of delight in the towns of British North America. Of course the testimony of" the oldest inhabitant" is evoked to prove that the people had never been so intensely excited before. Perhaps the oldest inhabi- tant was right for once.

Advices from Cape Town to the 7th July have been received. The Boers of the Free States and the Basutos had remitted the settlement of the differences between them to Sir George Grey.

"The Free State is in sad confusion. There are three parties there, one in favour of a union between the State and the Trans-Vaal, under the governorship of Pretorious ; a second party is in favour of Boshof and war ; and a third, and by far the largest and most intelligent portion of the com- munity, yearn for re-annexation with the colony. Claims have been sent in by British subjects living in Moshesh's territory for compensation for injuries and spoliation of their property by Flee State people during the war, to the amount of 2300/.

"Caffreland is quiet, and there is little complaint now of the Caffres in the colony. The Chief Umhala was captured last week, but what his crimes are we do not know. The Governor's policy is a profound secret. Few pretend to understand it. We hear now and then that some chief is to be punished for something or other, and when the thing is done, we get the Governor's or rather the High Commissioner's version of the affair." The revenue was in a flourishing condition. The Parliament had been dissolved, and the 1st September fixed upon for the new elections.

Lieutenant Clavering appeared yesterday before the Hammersmith Magis- trate to be examined respecting the death of Mr. Gates. Captain Miller repeated his evidence. The son of Gates applied for an adjournment on the ground that his solicitor was not present. Superintendent Tarleton said he had no further evidence. Mr. Dayman said that the only evidence at pre- sent was the statements of Captain Miller and Lieutenant Clavering ; had Mr. Gates any more ? Mr. Gates said, it was necessary to bear in mind how easily two men could take the life of one, and that dead men told no tales. Mr. Darman said, that was a very unfair remark to make, because it con- veyed a serious insinuation, of the truth of which at that moment there was no proof. Mr. Gates said, it, was his confirmed opinion. Mr. Hayman said, he had expressed an opinion which be had no right to express. Mr. Gates hoped the Magistrate would excuse him, for he spoke under the feeling caused by the loss of his father. Superintendent Tarleton, in reply to Mr. Serjeant Ballantine, said, he had made the fullest inquiry, and he knew of no evidence that could throw any additional light on the transaction under consideration. Mr. Gates renewed his application for an adjournment of the inquiry, but Mr. Dayman said, he saw no grounds for assenting to it, inasmuch as he could see no prospect of any fresh evidence being forth- coming. If the relatives of the deceased or the superintendent could dis- cover anything on which Lieutenant Clavering could be held chargeable they would be at liberty to apprehend him, and he could be brought up again ; but at present he had no evidence before him on which he could be detained. The transaction was certainly a most melancholy one, but it ap- peared to be directly referable to drink, from which so many misfortunes and calamities from time to time arise. The prisoner must be discharged. The inquiry then terminated, and Lieutenant Clavering let the Court, as he came, accompanied by his friends.

The Wiltshire Independent states that her Majesty has been pleased to grant a pardon to the man William Craft, who was sentenced to six months' hard labour for an assault in kissing a young lady at Swanage.

Tidings of the deaths of two young ladies by fire arrived this morn- ing. Both of them wore light muslin dresses. One was carrying a lighted candle when by some mischance her dress was blown against the flames. The other was reaching up to draw down a window blind. These sufferers were Miss Jane Morrison daughter of the Dean of Faculty at Glas- gow, and Miss Jane Hill, daughter of a Nottingham manufacturer.