Istottiurial.
Meetings enjoining the policy of strict neutrality upon the Govern- ment have been held at Manchester and Nottingham. The speakers at the former place were Mr. Edmund Potter, Mr. E. Watkin, Mr. Bazley, Mr. Henry Ashworth, and Mr. Chadwick. Some of the speakers ex- pressed disapproval of rifle clubs, and Mr. Watkin defendea the Peace Society.
He cordially adopted the belief that we should not be attacked, but he must say that he did not consider our position—with a very doubtful ally within a couple of hours' steaming from the coast, and with a certain isola- tion consequent upon that very alliance—was altogether to be viewed with- out anxiety. Our best defence was stodfastly to keep at peace, and at the same time not to forget that the same doubtful and vacillating policy which led to the secret treaty between Russia and France might lead to engage- ments directly against ourselves. Though not a member of the Peace So- ciety himself, he believed their policy had been much maligned, and that in ease of actual interference with our rights the members of that body would be foremost for our defence, as they were determined against aggres- sion on our part. Mr. Chadwick in answer to disparaging remarks about rifle clubs said he was convinced that they are in accordance with the most constitu- tional method of defending our shores, and he is prepared to give 501. to every regiment that is formed up to 5001. (Loud cheers.)
At Nottingham the formation of volunteer battalions had a prominent place in the recorded opinions of the meeting. Strict neutrality so long as compatible with honour, say the leading men of Nottingham, and Vo- lunteer Rifles without delay.
At a meeting on behalf of the National Society for promoting educa- tion, hold at Ipswich, the Bishop of Norwich in the chair, Sir Page Wood, delivered a speech containin several points worthy of mark.
He was sometimes ashamed to hear that a locality was so poor that its inhabitants could not do anything to promote that work; and he naturally asked who were the owners of laud and property in the district, and what they had done in the matter ? The answer often made with respect to large landowners, large householders, and large millowners, was, that they had done nothing—that they did not even reside on their property, although large populations were necessarily attracted about it. Now, he contended that property bad its duties as well as its rights. Every man who had pro- perty under his charge would feel a heavy debt resting upon his conscience when the time arrived for a review of all things, if he had not discharged his duty in this respect. He never could understand how a gentleman could keep a gamekeeper, and yet leave his parish without a schoolmaster. He should have thought, even looking at the matter from the narrowest point of view, that such a gentleman would find a school would assist him very much in his gamekeeping. Wretched quibbles were raised that the work of education was sometimes impeded on account of religious differences, but he considered that the objection was a preposterous fallacy. He ob- served some years since in the House of Commons, in the presence of many from whom he expected to receive contradiction, but who did not offer it, " You tell me that children remain uneducated on account of our unhappy differences ; I will give you a premium if you can produce a single child who has ever been denied the bless- ings of education on account of religious differences." Heaven knows that we should get on better if we could all agree, and such a unity would be a happy and blessed state of things ; but he would ask who founded our universities and foundation schools ? 1Vhy, the religious men of olden time. And where had the so-called philosophers been found- ing similar establishments ? Something had certainly been done towards founding secular schools, but they had had little or no existence. Every man should teach that which ho believes to be best there should be no pseudo-liberality and indifference ; but everybody should teach what he be- lieves it to be his Christian duty to teach, and God would bless it. But we have the means of establishing throughout the world the great fifth mon- archy of our Lord such as he believed were never given before to any na- tion upon earth, we had a colonial empire such as no nation had ever pos- sessed. We had thirty-seven or thirty-eigeht episcopal sees established in that colonial empire, and upwards of 100,000,000 heathens were now re- covered to our sway in India. Let us beware of thinking that this vast dominion was entrusted to us for any other purpose than that of educating these heathen millions in the precepts of the gospel.
The Town Council of Truro have decided upon decorating the Town- hall with portraits of illustrious Cornishmen. Several portraits have al- ready been presented to the Council. A beginning worthy to be followed by other towns and counties.
Arthur Peeke, a master mariner, belonging to Guernsey, has been com- mitted for trial by the Dartford Magistrates for the dastardly crime of stab- bing. Charles May, a supposed rival, seemed to be courting Peeke's sweet- heart. Words arose and a challenge to fight was given and accepted. During the contest Peeke stabbed May.
A youth, John Jenkins, was killed while descending into a pit in Wales. At the inquest evidence was offered showing that the machinery for lower- ing the men was defective, and that the defects had long been pointed out. Whereupon the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against the pro- prietors, the Reverend Thomas Hughes Jones, Vicar of Pendoylan, and Mr. Price. They were admitted to bail. A horrible crime has been committed at Ledbury. Mr. Masefield, a soli- citor, while absent in London, left his house in charge of a woman. The clerks quitted the office on Tuesday evening at the usual time. The next morning, one of them found her body lying on the floor of a room, half con- sumed with fire, and bearing marks of violence on the throat.
A charge of abducting a voter was preferred on Tuesday before the Ciren- teeter Bench of Magistrates against Mr. Pole of Stratton House, Colburn his groom, Mra. Colburn, and Mullis Mr. Pole's gardener. The abducted voter was one John Kibblewhite. His story was that he was engaged to do some work at Mr. Pole's on the nomination day at Cirencester. He quitted his work to attend the nomination, and on his return at the invitation of Mrs. Colburn he took tea with her. After drinking the second cup he be- came insensible, and awoke the next morning at Ashton Keymes. He had been driven there disguised by Colburn his wife and Mullis. Henry Cro- zier, a lad in Mr. Pole's service, opened the gate for the carriage. Mrs. Bibblewhite saw them drive past her house, and recognized her husband. David Cove the landlord of the King's Arms said that Colburn brought Kibblewhite and asked Cove to keep him until after four o'clock the next day, "so that he should not be able to vote." Kibblewhite then appeared like one stupidly drunk ; and he was so ill that Cove sat up with him. The next morning he went away. Colburn afterwards arrived and asked why Cove had allowed the man to go. Mrs. Cove said that Mrs. Colburn gave her a bottle, labelled "laudanum poison," and directed her to put twenty drops in some rum and give it to Ribblewhite in the morning. After all Kibblewhite got back in time to poll, but he was very ill, and felt the effects of it for some time afterwards. A surgeon deposed that he saw the man and found him suffering from the influence of narcotic poison. The bench committed Colburn Mrs. Colburn and Mullis for trial, but found no evidence against Mr. Pole.
Oppressed by pecuniary and other troubles, Cornet Fellowes, an officer of the 16th Lancers, deliberately retired to his room in Canterbury barracks, • on Wednesday, and shot himself with a carbine. His servant rushed in, but the youth was dead. At an inquest held on the body, the following note, found in the room, was produced—" Frazer, I am going to shoot my- self. I can bear life no longer. One minute, and all is over. God bless you! Poor Fan !" Cornet Fraser said the circumstances likely to depress deceased referred to a lady to whom he was engaged. Verdict, " Tempo- rary insanity."
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