Zbe Metropolis.
Immediately after the adjournment of the Court, the Court of Com- mon Council was held. A Committee reported on the state of the law proceedings in the dispute between Government and the Corporation with respect to the title to the bed of the Thames river : a conference with Government promised to result in an amicable settlement ; but the recent changes among the Law-officers of the Crown had occasioned delays ; and as the time for filing an answer to the bill in Chancery was passing away, the Committee asked powers to give the necessary instructions. That matter disposed of, Mr. Ashurst, one of the anor- aks petitioning the Court of Aldermen, proposed these resolutions-
" That it is desirable that the Mayor's Court should be thrown open to the public. That it be referred to a Committee to consider of the steps necessary for that purpose, with reference to the present and future constitution and practice of those courts ; and also to inquire what (if any) compensation ought to be made to the counsel and attornies of the Mayor's Court for the sur- render of their exclusive offices, rights, and privileges, or any portion of them " Mr. Lawrence was favourable to opening the Mayor's Court ; but the petitioners should first try their right by mandamus ; and he moved "the previous question." After a short discussion, the amendment was negatived, and the resolutions passed.
The weekly meeting of the Anti-Corn-law League was held on Wednesday, at Covent Garden Theatre. Lord Kinnaird presided ; and there was a very full attendance both of members of the League and of miscellaneous visitors. The first speaker was Mr. Ricardo; who made a good speech, with some happy illustrations. Mr. Somers, a tenant-farmer of Somersetsbire, declared himself the advocate of free trade in every thing all over the world.
Mr. Cobden challenged the Duke of Richmond, who said that he had all the tenant-farmers with him, to answer Mr. Hunt, Mr. Lattimore, and now Mr. Somers. He touched upon the tariff-
" Daring this week we have not been without some evidences of progress in 'high quarters : we have had the Budget. I cannot say it is a Free-trade Budget, because when the Leaguers get into power we will bring forward a much better Budget. Still, some little things were done in the Budget of Monday night, and every thing that was done was in the direction of free trade. What have the Duke of Richmond and his Protection Society been about? I thought they had organized themselves, and had met in his parlour, and declared that the Prime Minister had gone too far, and that he should go no farther. It is quite clear to me that the Prime Minister does not dread these carpet-knights much; he is not much alarmed at their chivalry. I think he has a great deal more reliance on them than dread of us. There has, however, been one thing done by the present Government that was well done, because it was totally and immediately done ; and that is the utter abolition of the protection on wool. When they proposed twenty years ago to take off this duty, the agriculturists, that is the Buckinghams and Knatcbballs of the day, declared that if the duty were repealed there would be no shepherds employed—they would all go to the workhouses; there would be no mutton in the land, and all the shep- herds' dogs might be banged. To have heard them talk in those days, you would have thought that the sheep, instead of merely its own wardrobe, carried on its back the wealth and prosperity of the entire nation : now they are going to carry on the business of sheep-shearing and wool-selling without protection. Why not carry on the trade in corn on the same principle ? If it be unreason- *Me totally and immediately to abolish the duties on corn, why has their own Prime Minister totally and immediately abolished the duties on wool? "
Turning to the subject of sugar, he quoted a declaration by the Anti- Slavery Society, that free-labour is cheaper than slave-labour ; and he called upon the Abolitionists to do as the Free-traders did, rely upon their own principle, and fear no competition with slave-labour.
Delegates from all parts of England, Ireland, and Scotland, assem- bled at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, on Tuesday, as an " Anti-State Church Conference," to consider the best means of effecting a severance between the Church and the State. Upwards of 1,200 delegates were present ; amongst whom were, Dr. Bowring, M.P., Mr. S. Crawford, M.P., Mr. J. S. Trelawney, M.P., Mr. J. Sturge, Dr. Epps, and several Dissenting ministers. The Reverend John Burnet was called to the chair. A long report was read by Dr. Cox, and speeches were made by Mr. Sharman Crawford, Dr. Bowring, and others ; all in accordance with the main object. The Reverend Dr. Young moved a resolution, declaring that " the Conference was not intended as a demonstration of Nonconformist strength, and that its object was the disenthralment of religion from the influence of secular control." In the course of the two next days, several other papers were read and resolutions passed on the subject of ecclesiastical establishments ; one resolution an- nouncing an appeal to Parliament for the abolition of all laws support- ing any particular form of worship or exacting public contributions in support of it. On Wednesday, it was resolved to establish a society to be called " The British Anti-State Church Association," and to hold a conference every three years, An executive Committee was ap- pointed to carry out the plan ; and, with thanks to the officers of the Conference, the assembly broke up.
',The religious and charitable societies have begun their annual meet- ings at Exeter Hall. The attendance has been influential and numerous ; and the reports have been in general flourishing, both as to the state of finances and the progress of operations. We can only enumerate some of the chief meetings. On Monday, the Wesleyan Missionary Society met—receipts 110,6204 expenditure 112,908/. ; an old debt of 30,0001. baying been paid oft On Tuesday, the Church Missionary Society— income 104,3231., expenditure 93,4721. On Wednesday, the Colonial Church Society—income 3,775/. ; and the British and Foreign Bible Society. On Thursday, the London City Mission, the Sunday School Union, the Prayer-book and Homily Society.
The Friends of Foreigners in Distress met at the London Tavern oti Thursday ; the Duke of Cambridge presiding. The subscription Wag 1,500/. ; 838/. had been paid in pensions to aged and infirm foreigners, 1991. in casual relief; and 132 persons had been enabled to return to their own countries.
A numerous meeting of artists was held at Willis's Rooms, on Satur- day night, to consider the recent announcement by the Treasury that Art-Unions are illegal. Mr. Thomas Wyse, M.P., occupied the chair; and several members of the Council of the Institute of the Fine Arts were present. The Chairman stated the object of the meeting ; read a letter from the Treasury notify ing that Art-Unions come under the laws for the prevention of gambling ; and described the result of an inter- view between a deputation from the Art-Union of London and Sir George Clerk : Sir George regretted the position in which that asso- ciation had been placed, arrested as it was just on the eve of issuing its prizes ; but represented that Government were bound literally to ob- serve the law. Mr. Wyse remarked that the Art-Union of London had more than realized the expectation of its influence in diffusing a taste for art : the first subscription collected by the Art-Union was 400l, the last was 14,0001.: the money distributed in prizes during the last eight years had been between 40,0001. and 50.000/. ; besides a large incidental expenditure on trades connected with art, such as those 9f the paper-maker and frame-maker. He urged the expediency of appealing to the Legislature. Mr. Room, one of a deputation from the Birmingham Society of Artists, stated that the Art-Union of that place was brought to a complete stand : but its patrons, the Earl of Dart- mouth, the Earl of Denbigh, Earl Howe, and Viscount Comhermere, had promised that when the matter should come before the House of Lords they would give the Art-Unions the best assistance in their power. A resolution proposed by Mr. Hurlestone, and seconded by Mr. Pyne, expressed regret at the suppression of societies so beneficial to art and artists. Mr. Clint, seconded by Mr. Allan, proposed a resolution that a memorial be presented to the First Lord of the Treasury praying for a Committee of inquiry into Art-Unions. This resolution was carried ; as well as another for a petition praying the Legislature to legalize Art-Unions.
A savage murder has been committed at Battersea, on Mrs. Sarah M`Farlane, a widow who kept a day-school: the supposed murderer being Augustus Dalmas, a Frenchman. Dalmas has long been resident in England, and for many years he was engaged in some chemical works at Battersea. Latterly he has been employed at a floor-cloth manufac- tory in Knightsbridge ; and he is understood to have been a clever ope- rative chemist and a good linguist. He was married, and had four daughters, now grown up. It appears that some time ago he ran away from his family, and Mrs. M`Farlane then took the daughters into her house from charitable motives ; which afterwards led to an intimaoy between her and their father. About eighteen months ago, Mrs. Dalmas died ; and subsequently the widower paid his addresses to Mrs. War- lane. She received them favourably, and the bans were published ; but her family persuaded her to break off the match. Nevertheless the ac- quaintance continued: Dalmas visited Mrs. M‘Farlane ; she visited him at his lodging in Chapel Place, Bromptoo, where he passed by the name of Chaplin ; and she used to accompany him to chapel. He recently obtained a situation for his youngest daughter, Augusta, in the family of Mr. Dolley, Upper Church Lane, Chelsea ; and on Monday night he and Mrs. M'Farlane took the girl to her place ; leaving her about half- past eight o'clock. About half-past ten o'clock, a man and woman re- spectably dressed, like Dalmas and his companion, were seen by a wo- man, who afterwards recognized the body of Mrs. M'Farlane, walking towards Battersea Bridge. Mrs. M`Farlane was heard to say that she could not stop out all night. About the same time, Mr. William Parkins, a silversmith living at Chelsea, paid toll on his return home from Bat- tersea : when he had walked a short way on the bridge, he met a woman running and reeling, who asked him to take her to the toll-house. He held her ; but seeing Hall, the toll-collector, she again ran for- ward—Hall caught her as she staggered—and she fell gently to the ground. It was then found that she was Mrs. M`Farlane, aad that her throat was cut. Assistance was procured ; and she was carried to the Swan Inn, close by, where she expired in a few minutes. Before she died, she said that " Dalmas had done it." The cut on her throat be- gan at the trachea and extended along the right side to the spine: it must have been done by some one standing behind her, and with a very sharp instrument. Dalmas was nowhere to be seen, and the Police at once resorted to the usual means of discovery, without success. At quarter past eleven o'clock that night, Georgina Charlotte, his eldest daughter, who was in service at a house in Montpelier Square, heard her father cough, as a signal ; and she went to him. He looked pale and haggard, and gave her a pocket-book. She asked him what wax the matter, and refused to take the book. He took her hand, and said that he had poisoned Mrs. M`Farlane. As he held her band, it was cut by something very sharp. Falling on her knees, with horror at what he told her, she exclaimed, " Oh, father what have you done? " then said, " No, no ; I have not done it—I have attempted it." Her cry brought the young ladies of the family to the window ; and taking the book, she said that she would see him in the morning. He an- swered, " Very well"; and he ran out of the square as fast as he could. In the same day, Charlotte had met him at the corner of the square; when he pushed her shawl down, and felt her neck : she said, Father, what are you doing ? " He replied, " 1 am only examining mole there ": she had no mole. Afterwards, he stamped his foot, and exclaimed, " Charlotte, I'm mad, I'm madl" The Police have searched his lodging, and found some letters: they alluded indirectly to a design of suicide, but contained no threat against Mrs. M'Farlane. As Dalmas is known to have had but little money, it is supposed that he cannot long elude the vigilance of the Police, unless he has destroyed himsel4 An inquest was held on Wednesday, and from the evidence the fore- going narrative is in part compiled: the inquiry was adjourned AB Monday next.
At the Mansionhouse, on Thursday, Mr. Cope, the Governor of Newgate Gaol, appeared before the Lord Mayor, to contradict a report industriously- circulated, that Barber's fellow-prisoners had declared him to be innocent. Barber had tried, through Mr. Cope and the Chaplain, to obtain their signatures to a declaration of the kind. When asked if she would sign it, Mrs. Dorey replied, " Certainly not, for Mr. Barber knew all about it ; I cannot sign any thing of the kind." The others made similar answers ; except Mrs. Sanders, who said that she had only once seen Mr. Barber, and that was in his professional capacity.
At Marlborough Street Police-office, on Thursday, a masculine woman, who called herself Somebridge, was charged with threatening to stab a constable belonging to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, in Pall Mall. In very incoherent language, the woman de- clared herself to be the Queen of England. She was remanded, to be taken care of in St. James's Workhouse.
Some person, supposed to be one of the itinerant heath-cutters, set fire to Prince Albert's plantations at Bagshot, on Wednesday morn- ing; and by Thursday morning the vegetation on 700 acres was con- sumed. The flames still made way, and threatened to destroy the whole of the valuable oaks and firs.
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