gbe Iftetropolts.
A Court of Common Council was held on Tuesday, for the despatch of business. A report of the Coal, Corn, and Finance Committee, on the revenue arising from coal brought into London by land and water, having been brought forward, Mr. Burn objected to a paragraph re- commending-the appointment of an Inspector. He moved an amend- ment, which was carried ; and the report as amended was affirmed.
A meeting was jield at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, on Saturday evening, to congratulate the electors of Durham on the victory for free trade which they had achieved in the return of Mr. John Bright. The chair was taken by Mr. Charles Villiers, M.P.; and on the platform were Dr. Bowring, Mr. Cobden, Mr. Sharman Crawford, Mr. Milner Gibson, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Bright, and other members of the League. The Chairman, in stating the object of the meeting, eulo- gized Mr. Bright's perseverance in following up Mr. Cobden's efforts to enlighten the electoral body on the question of the Corn-laws. Dr. Bowring accepted the election as a "bright light," breaking the dulness and apathy on the subject ; and he adapted an old epigram to the oc- casion— When Dr. Goodenough was called upon to preach to the House, a witty Member said—
"'Tie well enough that Goodenough Should to the Commons preach ; For, sure enough, they're bad enough Whom Goodenough could teach."
I twos meet enough and tit enough The House should be enlightened;
For, sure enough, they're dull enough And wanting to be Brightened.
Mr. Bright described the gradual enlightenment of the Durham electors— Only a few months ago, he did not know one elector in Durham ; but the Anti-Corn-law League then invaded that city. They found the electors pro- foundly ignorant upon politics—voting for the Red or the Blue as their fathers had done before them ; and they therefore made it their first and principal object to instruct them in the question of Free Trade. By these means, they gained the good wishes of the non-electors first. They did not believe that "the abolition of the Corn-laws in existing circumstances" was not the thing. They had canvassed for him, though they did not intimidate. They got up an address, with from 3,000 to 4,000 signatures, praying the electors of Durham to support the principles of Free Trade. Up to Thursday, he was hopeless of success ; but by that time the speeches of his friends on Monday and Tuesday, printed and circulated among the freemen, began to tell home upon their consciences; and on that day thirty or forty men, who four months previously had voted against him, came forward and pledged themselves in his favour. In the previous year, the Marquis of Londonderry was said to have borne the expenses of the election; and Mr. Bright was not surprised that he should feel sore upon the subject. Ile had, with what truth he left them to judge, been called his Lordship's nominee. From the window of his hotel he had seen Mr. Hodgson Ulnae, the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who was returned upon Liberal principles and afterwards apostatized from them, leaving the hotel of the Monopolist party. All these things proved that the Durham election did not involve the usual considerations of party politics ; but that the victory there achieved was founded on the triumph of Free Trade principles.
Mr. Bright mentioned that the Dean of Durham voted for him as a Free-trader, though differing on other points. He suggested a concen- tration of all the electors of the country "in one great confederacy against the tyranny of the aristocracy." Mr. Cobden moved an address, congratulating the 488 electors who had voted for Mr. Bright, and commending their example to other constituencies. He stated that the League had scrupulously adhered to its resolution not to contribute money to any election-contest He thought, that
whatever ; but a public subscription had been opened to defray Mr. Bright's expenses. He promised the assistance of the League at future elections ; with a suggestion— The way to carry an election and to secure the success of a candidate, was first, that he should be a Total Repealer. That being ascertained, a deputation from the League, with George Wilson and his poll-books and John Bright, should go among the people of the borough or county at least ten days before the election. Moore would talk the people down; and then there should be good honest hearts and intelligent beads among the constituents, such as the men of Durham proved they possessed. With those requisites, the League would secure the success of any candidate. They cared not for party squabbles. The parties now in Parliament were like two men who put on great gloves so as not to hurt each other ; but the people should have a new party—the party of the " Practicals." They wanted practical men to legislate for them ; and as one means of accomplishing their object, the people were now beginning to see that they themselves must be true to their principles.
Mr. Cobden alluded at considerable length to his meetings in the agricultural counties. Full notice of the time and place for holding the discussion was invariably given to the farmers, and in every district he had as yet attended they held up their hands in favour of free trade. He had attended at Chelmsford, on Wednesday week, on the challenge of Sir John Tyrrell ; but Sir John did not come to meet him. Mr. Sharman Crawford seconded the address ; which was supported by Mr. Brotherton. Mr. Moore here came in with a resolution to a similar effect, passed by another meeting below stairs, and sent up for the adoption of" the Upper House." It was incorporated with Mr. Cob- den's resolution ; and the motion passed unanimously.
Considerable interest was created on Monday morning by Father Mathew's first appearance in London, to administer the pledge of total abstinence to all who were willing to receive it. The spot selected was an open space at the front of the George Inn, in the Commercia Road East. Father Mathew arrived in an open carriage, accom- panied by his two secretaries, and escorted by a band of several hundred Teatotallers ; and a multitude assembled to hear him. On a large platform capable of holding four hundred persons, were many re- ligious ministers of various denominations. Early in the day this plat- form, some feet in height, gave way, and all came to the ground. No one was hurt. The Father and other persons addressed the meeting on the benefits of temperance, and then the pledge was administered to great numbers. At four o'clock, Earl Stanhope arrived, addressed the people, and took th 1eJc. On the whole, more than 5,000 persons took it : the great majority were Protestants, and among them were several elegantly-dressed females. It was stated that the remainder of the week would be devoted to the same ceremony.
On Tuesday morning, Father Mathew resumed his labours, on a piece of ground lately consecrated for a Rowan Catholic cemetery in Com- mercial Road East ; and he administered the pledge to great numbers till six o'clock in the evening. In the course of the day, Earl Stanhope, who was again present, contradicted a report that Mr. Mathew was ac- tuated by pecuniary motives ; and the Father himself brought proofs that he did not seek profit— He had expended 300/. of his own money since he had been in England ; but he did not regret it: and if he had been disposed to favour himself and family, he should not have been a Temperance advocate and converted millions of his own countrymen from drunkenness to sobriety. A brother he dearly loved was the proprietor of a large distillery in Ireland, the bare walls of which cost 30,0001.; and he was compelled to close it, and was almost ruined by the Tem- perance movement in that country. The husband of his only sister, whom he also dearly loved, was a distiller, and became a bankrupt from the same cause. It had been also intimated that he was making a large profit by the sale of medals : he never profited a shilling, and never would. There were 200 of them sold on Monday for a shilling each. The expenses of the day amounted to 15/. • and the overplus, if any, would be devoted to the furtherance of the cause Of total abstinence.
The following is the pledge, which is taken by the candidates in groups of some hundreds, each and all persons repeating it after Father Mathew, kneeling-
" I promise, with the Divine assistance, to abstain from all intoxicating liquors ; and to prevent as much as possible, by advice and example, intempe- rance in others., ' That said, the Father goes round and touches each separately, in- voking a special blessing.
A commission de tunatico inquirendo was opened on Monday; before Mr. J. Barlow and a Special Jury, at the Hanover Lodge, Park Road, Regent's Park, the house of Mr. David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre, to inquire into the state of that gentleman's mind. Mr. Calvert, of the Chancery bar, who appeared in support of the commission, stated the case— Mr. Dyce Sombre was a native of Hindostan, and the son of General Sombre and the Begum or Princess Sirhind. At an early age he came over to Eng- land; where he remained until the course of education laid down for him was finished ; when, at the age of nineteen, be returned to India, and remained at the residence of the Princess, his mother, until her death, which took place in 1836. Some time before her death, she made a will, bequeathing to Mr. Dyce Sombre the whole of her landed and personal property ; and this will she soon after con- firmed by another document. Upon the will of the Princess becoming known, the East India Company claimed the lands left to Mr. Dyce Sombre, but allowed him to retain the personal property, which was enormous. He came to England in 1838; and in 1840 he became acquainted with Miss Jervis, the daughter of Earl St. Vincent ; to whom he paid his addresses, and to whom he was married in September in the same year. It was shortly after his marriage that the first symptoms of mental aberration manifested themselves, and they gradually increased until an inquiry was rendered imperatively necessary. The witnesses examined were—Sir James Clarke, Dr. Dreva, a medical gentleman in the service of the East India Company and a friend of Mr. Dyce Sombre ; Dr. Elliotson, Mr. A. Montgomery, Mr. J. Lawford, solicitor to the East India Company ; Mr. Edmond Ricketts; clerk in the Treasury, a relative of Mrs. Sombre ; William Sheriff, Mr. Sombre's keeper ; and Dr. Munroe. A variety of extravagances were described by the witnesses. Mr. Sombre had challenged Sir James Lushington and Sir Richard Jenkins on the score of his claims on the East India Company, and Sir H. Campbell for looking into the chal- lenger's bat; he had presented pistols at his keeper; on the 17th of May he poured some brandy over an apple and ate it, calling it a letter, and saying that it would prevent the Queen's ball from taking place on that day ; he said that spirits witnessmilis marriage, and that he first
saw those spirits in India, in the form of a T; with many other clear evidences of insanity. But the leading delusion in his mind was that his wife had been unfaithful, and that her principal accomplice among others was Mr. Montgomery, a slight acquaintance. He had wished Airs. Sombre to challenge a lady ; and be explained to the Commis- sioner—" I wished her to challenge any lady she might select, because she might be jealous of the ladies as I am of the men, and I wished to afford her every satisfaction." The Jury declared Mr. Sombre to have been of unsound mind from the 27th October 1842.
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