780 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLYE. 
[Nov. 4, 
gentleman said, ‘In reading her Majesty’s commission, 
you must be struck with the wording as to the definition 
of its objects, for although her Majesty’s Government, 
who I believe, and in fact know, are firmly resolved to 
meet with the strong arm of the law all attempts at dis- 
turbance, and to do everything to suppress and put down 
outrages by the persevering exercise of power on their 
parts; still at the same time they are most anxiously 
desirous to ascertain whether there be any real causes of 
grievance existing, in order that by the powers of the 
Executive Government, or of Parliament, or both combined, 
a legislative remedy may be effected, for which purpose it 
is that we are here.” He then proceeded to the subject 
of turnpike roads as one of the alleged grievances, and 
said that the commissioners would zealously inquire into 
the subject, with a view to afford redress. “ We will 
hold ourselves open,” he said, ‘*to receive every 
species of information from persons acquainted with 
the country, come from whom or where it may, in 
order that it may be shown to us what have been the real 
causes of the disturbances that have taken place in this 
country. Be that information what it may, our eyes and 
ears shall be open to receive it, and it will be subject to a 
proper and impartial inquiry, in order that a remedy may 
be found. Ifthe complaints be reasonable, rational, and 
well-founded, they may be capable of redress; but 1 can- 
not help saying that I have heard enough to lead me to 
believe that there are other circumstances which we can- 
not hope to remedy, because I have been told from autho- 
rity which I cannot doubt, that there are persons ill- 
judging and illinformed, not knowing the basis upon 
which society is founded or property secured, who have 
interfered with individuals in t and due 
control of their own property. Let no person shut his 
eyes to the important command issued by the Almighty 
Creator—‘ Thou shalt not steal.’ By this command a 
right of property was recognised by the Deity, and that 
which was delivered to the Jews was confirmed by our 
Saviour Christ from his own mouth. If men are not to 
steal, it is clear that there must be something belonging to 
another that is not tobe taken. Thus, even the Creator 
himself recognised a right in property; and it is this 
foundation on which seciety is built, the object of all 
Government being to secure to every individual a free and 
undisturbed control and enjoyment of that property which 
by his labour and industry—his honesty industry—he may 
be justly entitled to. If deluded men fancy they can 
interfere with property without doing injury, not to its 
possessor merely but to society itself, they will soon find 
their error, for there is no disturbance of the enjoyment of 
property that does not recoil on society itself as well as 
upon the individuals. It is in the nature of things that 
the products required for the consumption of our fellow- 
creatures cannot be obtained if he who sows is not secure 
to reap—if he who plants is not entitled to gather. Gen- 
tlemen, society itself is so constituted, that the industrious, 
thrifty, prudent, and careful people, are by the will of 
God tolerably secure of their reward ; whilst, on the other 
and, i id , violence, ful and acts of 
outrage as certainly bring distress and misery, with all the 
ruinous consequences that follow in their train, on those 
persons who are unwise enough to perpetrate them. I 
say, then, looking to the causes of the recent disturbances 
which may come before us, if in any case we are led to 
believe that there has been an infringement on property, 
there can be no hope of legislative remedy: the rights of 
property must be sustained by the promuigation of these 
great truths, and those persons must be taught that their acts 
can tend to nothing but mischief both to those who commit 
them and to those who suffer them. But even to wrong- 
doers I will say that this inquiry will be conducted with 
feelings of compassion and kindness towards all.” 
Hereford.—Two interesting curiosities have lately been 
added to the collection at Goodrich Court, in this county, 
One is an Affghan sword, found on the person of Prince 
Hyder Khan, son of Dost Mahomed, and brother of 
Ackbar Khan, on being made prisoner. He was governor 
of Ghuznee, which was surrendered to the British arms in 
July, 1839, when the gates of Somnauth were brought away. 
The other is the monumental stone of Sextus Valerius 
Genalis, a Roman knight, on which he is sculptured in 
bas-relief in armour on horseback, and trampling on a 
Briton, whom he is in the act of piercing with his lance. 
This interesting piece of antiquity was found in Water- 
more, about a mile from Cirencester, in 1836. 
Leeds.—On Monday, Mr. Thomas Walker, attorney- 
at-law, residing at Dewsbury, near Wakefield, was brought 
before the magistrates of this town, charged with having 
twice forged the signature of Mr. M. B. Bere, Commis- 
sioner in the District-Court of Bankruptcy. From the 
evidence of Mr. Geo. Newsome, of Battley-bar, clothier, 
it appeared that he employed the prisoner in August last 
to get him through the Court of Bankruptcy for 15/. 
The prisoner got part of this money at the time the agree- 
ment was made, and the remainder was to be paid by 
instalments. He supplied the witness with a protecting 
order purporting to be signed by the Commissioner, and 
afterwards gave him a similarly signed document extend- 
ing the protection to the 29th Nov. Mr. Bere deposed 
that the signatures were forgeries, and the Deputy-Regis- 
trar of the Court proved that no petition had been filed in 
the Court from the first witness. The prisoner declined 
to say anything in his defence, and he was held to bail, 
himself jn 100, and a surety in 100/., to appear at the 
next assizes to take his trial. 
Leicester.— Messrs, Mitchell, Clarke, Phillips, and 
Smith, partners of the late Leicestershire bank, appeared 
last week at the Birmingham Bankruptcy Court for their 
final examination. It appeared from the balance-sheet 
that the probable amount of assets wherewith to pay a 
dividend, after making all deductions, was 308,8497. 4s. 8d., 
and that the assignees expected that a dividend of 10s. 6d. 
would be realised by the creditors. The assignees pro- 
duced various articles of jewellery belonging to the wives 
of the respective partners, which in the case of Mrs. 
Mitchell were represented as exceeding 1000/. in value, 
but the creditors unanimously resolved that the whole 
should be returned. 
Merthyr.—On Friday the 20th ult., a fire broke out at 
Dowlais-house, the residence of Sir J. J. Guest, Bart. 
The prompt assistance rendered by the neighbours and 
police succeeded in subduing the flames in about two 
hours, but not before the premises had been completely 
saturated with water. The fire originated in that portion 
of the house recently erected, in which large fires were 
constantly kept for the purpose of drying it. A spark 
having flown from the grate among some shavings incau- 
tiously left by the carpenters, they were ignited, and the 
fire communicating with some deal boards, the flames 
spread with great rapidity, and excited apprehensions for 
the safety of the whole building. The damage done is 
said to be inconsiderable. 
Newcastle.—On Saturday week, according to pre- 
vious announcement, a meeting of the miners of North- 
umberland and Durham took place on the Black Fell, 
about four miles from this town. Long before the hour 
appointed, an immense concourse had assembled—Black 
Fell presenting the appearance of one moving mass. Dif- 
ference of opinion exists as to the numbers at the meeting, 
the computation varying from 35,000 to 45,000; but the 
most probable amount was 40,000. The chair was taken by 
a miner of South Hetton colliery, An address to Mr. 
Duncombe was then adopted, expressive of certain 
grievances which that gentleman was requested to bring 
before Parliament. The address was founded on the fol- 
lowing resolutions :—‘‘ 1. That in the opinion of this 
meeting it is the duty as well as the interest of this 
association to adhere to the restriction system, as it is 
essentially necessary to our very existence as an associa- 
tion to keep all our members equally employed. 2. That 
in the opinion of this meeting a petition shouldbe for- 
warded to Parliament, praying for a repeal of the export 
duty oncoal. 3. That in the opinion of this meeting a 
more safe and efficient system of ventilation ought to be 
established, by sinking a greater number of shafts, and 
those shafts to be more equally placed; and that we 
petition Parliament to obtain that object. 4. That inthe 
opinion of this meeting the present machines for weighing 
are faulty, and weigh very much out of truth. We there- 
fore resolve to petition Parliament to pass a measure 
compelling the masters of collieries to have machines on 
the beam-and-scale principle.’”’ Mr. Duncombe rose 
amid enthusiastic cheering, aud proceeded to assure them 
that, unless he had seen for himself, he could not have 
believed that so vast a multitude could have been 
assembled; and he was led to conclude that the cause 
must be very important and serious to bring them togetlier 
in such numbers. He promised to bring their grievances 
before Parliament at the earliest opportunity. Mr. Feargus 
O'Connor then addressed the meeting, which continued 
for about three hours, after which they quietly dispersed. 
Reading.—The New Public Hall, the foundation-stone 
of which was laid last June by Miss Mitford, the author 
of “ Our Village,” was opened last week by Mr. Blandy, 
the mayor, assisted by Serjeant Talfourd, Mr. Russell, 
M.P., Mr. Palmer, M.P., Mr. Walter, of Bearwood, and 
about 400 of the resident gentry of the town and county. 
The uses to which the building is to be appropriated will 
be varied, since it will combine the purposes of a mecha- 
nics’ institution, with museums, class-rooms, reading and 
news-rooms, with apartments suitable for the assembling 
of the various benevolent and general associations of the 
town. The hall, on the occasion of the inaugural dinner, 
was decorated with paintings, floricultural and other devices. 
Oxford.—In the case of Macmullen v. the Regius Pro- 
fessor of Divinity, a protest has been lodged against the 
admissibility of an appeal on the part of Dr. Hampden, 
against the decision of the Court below, in favour of the 
admissibility of a certain libel. Mr. Macmullen’s Proc- 
tor protests against the admissibility of the appeal, in 
consequence of its being addressed ‘* To the Delegates in 
Congregation,’’ instead of ‘* To the House in Congrega- 
tion,’ which he contends was the proper form. The Court, 
after some discussion, appointed the 15th inst. for hear- 
ing Counsel on the point, which will have the effect of 
protracting the proceedings. 
Preston.—The Jocal papers state that Father Mathew 
is expected to leave Ireland in three weeks, and will re- 
commence his labours in this town, and afterwards pro- 
ceed to fulfil his numerous engagements in other parts of 
the country. 
Railways.—The following are the returns for the past 
week:—Birmingham and Derby, 1,453/.; Birmingham 
and Gloucester, 2,035/.; Eastern Counties, 2,9887. ; 
Edinburgh and Glasgow, 2,338/. ; Great Western, 15,046/.; 
Grand Junction, 8,487/.; Glasgow, Paisley, and Ayr, 
2682; Great North of England, 1,721/.; Hull and 
Selby, 945/. ; London and Birmingham, 17,5657. ; London 
and South Western, 7,000/.; London and Blackwall, 
7541.; London and Greenwich, 752/.; London and 
Brighton, 4,3942, ; London and Croydon, 2491. ; Liver- 
pool and Manchester, 4,095/.; Manchester and Leeds, 
5,0407.; Midland Counties, 3,045/.; Manchester and Bir- 
mingham, 3,054/. ; Northern and Eastern, 1,832d. ; North 
Midland, 4,734/.; Newcastle and Carlisle, 1,454/. ; 
South-Eastern and Dover, 3,867/.; Sheffield and Man- 
chester, 575/.; York aud North Midland, 1,7492.— 
The railway from the Northern and Eastern line to Ware 
and Hertford was opened on Tuesday, the line having 
been officially reported to the Board of Trade as perfectly 
consolidated and in a fit state for working, by General 
Pasley, the Government Inspector, who, in company with 
Mr. Marshall, M.P., Mr. Ward, M.P., the directors, 
and several of the shareholders, took an experimental trip 
along the line on Thursday week. The first train on 
Tuesday started from the Shoreditch station at eight 
o’clock, and reached Hertford, a distance of 26 miles, in 
about an hour, 
IRELAND. 
Dublin.—A report was current during the latter part of 
last week, that Government intended to abandon the state 
prosecutions. It is now, however, announced that the 
rumour was unfounded, and that the trials are to take 
place on as early a day as the Crown can have fixed, 
before a special Jury of the City of Dublin. It is also 
said that Mr. Steele, who intends to defend himself with- 
out counsel, as he did before, has given instructions to 
his solicitor to wait upon the late Irish Chancellor, Lord 
Plunkett, to ask his Lordship when it would be convenient 
to receive'a subpoena, as, in case the trials should go on, it 
is the intention of Mr. Steele to examine his Lordship as 
his principal witness. Mr. Steele holds that Lord Plunkett 
as well as the late Chief Justice Bushe, and the late Mr. 
Saurin, Attorney-General, all declared in the Irish Parlia- 
ment that the union would be a nullity by reason of the 
iniquitous means by which it was carried. The other 
witnesses whom Mr. Steele proposes to examine are, Sir 
R, Peel, Mr. Bond Hughes, the Government reporter, the 
Duke of Wellington, Lord Lyndhurst, and Sir James 
Graham. A rumour, having its origin in Roman Catholic 
circles in Dublin, is in circulation to the effect that Dr. 
Higgins, titular Bishop of Ardagh, has been summoned 
to Rome to answer before the Sovereign Pontiff for the 
expressions used by him in reference to England at one of 
the earliest of the Repeal meetings. Mr. J. L. Arabin has 
been removed from the commission of the peace for the 
county of Dublin, for having attended the repeal meeting 
at Mullaghmast, and Mr. M. Sweetman, a Roman Catholic 
magistrate, has resigned his commission for the same 
county. One thousand military pensioners have been 
selected in Dublin, and have received orders to be in 
readiness for embodiment and service, and numerous 
bodies of troops have arrived from England during the 
week. Mr. H. Grattan, M.P. for Meath, has published 
an address to his constituents, from which it appears that 
he is rather annoyed at being passed over in the recent 
State prosecutions, and evidently considers himself 
aggrieved by the omission. The letter, which bears date 
Paris, October 18, commences by referring to the late 
proceedings against the Repeal agitation, which he pledges 
himself to bring under the notice of Parliament, where he 
hopes to see the Minister arraigned for this maladminis- 
tration of Ireland, and turned out of office, ‘* on the unani- 
mous complaint of an indignant people.’ He concludes 
by stating that he has “ directed 5/. to be paid to the Repeal 
cause, and, if necessary, it shall be doubled again and 
again.” Dr, Slattery, the titular Archbishop of Cashel, 
has also written a letter to Mr. O'Connell, stating that 
he has hitherto abstained from politics, but ‘‘ the events 
of the last few weeks have determined him to adopt a dif- 
ferent course, and publicly to identify himself with those 
friends of Ireland who are endeavouring to obtain the 
restoration of her Parliament by the repeal of the legisla- 
tive union.” He inclosed a donation of 3/., and requested 
to be enrolled as a member of the Repeal Association. A 
meeting of the law-clerks was held last week in the 
Corn Exchange, for the purpose of petitioning Par- 
liament for a repeal of the union, and expressing the 
confidence of the body in Mr. O’Connell, who was pre- 
sent himself and spoke to the latter topic at some length. 
The weekly meeting of the Repeal Association took place 
on Monday, Mr. Molony, of Crag, an ex-Justice of the 
peace, inthe chair. Mr, O’Connell announced a donation 
of 1007. from Quebec, and the adhesion of Dr. Slattery 
to their cause. They had already two of their four arch- 
bishops declared Repealers, and he was proud to rank 
Michael of Cashel beside John of Tuam. He then alluded 
to the new Government C: ission under the id 
of the Earl of Devon, to inquire into the tenure of land. 
He was disposed to give the present Government its due 
for having issued it,—and this advantage, at all events, 
would be derived from it, that landlords would see that 
the question of tenure was about to be inquiredinto, Sit 
R. Peel and Lord Stanley had declared there must be some 
alteration in that tenure, and he thought it would be un- 
wise to throw cold water on the exertions of the commis- 
sioners. Mr, O’Connell then said, that he now came to 
the immediate business of the day, and the first matter to 
which he would draw the attention of the association was 
the denial, from an important source, of one of the ca- 
lumnies contained in the letters of ‘‘ Philalethes.’’? Mr. 
Trevelyan in one of these letters said that the north was 
ready to pour in military array on the south, and that all 
Ulster was alarmed at the agitation. Now, he would read 
for them a letter which appeared in the Banner of Ulster 
of Friday last, written by the Rev. J. Godkin, a Presby- 
terian minister, denying the truth of the statements of 
‘ Philalethes ’”’ regarding the country, and adducing evl- 
dence to show that he was ludicrously misinformed. 
Having done so, the hon. gentleman proceeded to read an 
address to the association from Mr. Sturge, who said that 
the peaceable demeanour of the Irish people was making 
an impression on the English mind, and that they had a 
great deal of English sympathy. Mr. O'Connell,on this point 
said he would ask, had any of the great towns in England, 
save Birmingham and Preston, made any demonstration 
for them? Had London done so? Had Manchester, oF 
Liverpool, or Leeds done so? Let not Mr. Sturge blame 
the people of Ireland because they judged of Englishmen 
only by their acts, because they could not place confidence 
