The Aberystwith Observer

TO OUR READERS. It is now upwards of four months since we started the "ABERYSTWITH OBSERV- ER" as an experiment, to supply a deficiency long felt in this town by tradesmen and others in th emeans of advertising and as the period of our labours is about to close for the present, it seems a 'fitting time to cast a retrospect at our progress. The history of the government interference with the Press of this country isjust the history of the struggles of the people for liberty of thought and expression. Governments in this, as in other countries, have always opposed themselves to the gradual growth of. public opinion. Though Great Britain is now an old country, its institutions being the growth of at least a thousand years, the Press is the develop- ment of popular opinion during scarcely two centuries. Nothing worthy the name of a news- paper existed 200 years ago. The wars of the Roses, the' rise aad fall of the Stuarts, the working out of the Reformation, were move- ments which existed when there was no Press at all equivalent to the under-current of opinion. During the struggle of Dynasty against Dynas- ty, of erown against aristocracy, or of both combined against the people, the vox populi had no outlet of expression but by tumultuous com- motion and f renzied excitement; and it is no wonder, therefore, that the people were alter- nately the sport of the aristocracy and crown. It is, moreover, an undoubted truth, taught by history, that the progress of the people in true political and social power has just been coeval with the progress of their Press. The people, as a direct power in the country, began to find their legitimate claims acknowledged, especially during the Commonwealth, at the very time when the Newspaper-Press was struggling into being. The age of pamphlets and news-letters was the spring-time of popular liberties, and from that period the Press and popular freedom have progressed by equal steps. Governments, however, have never aided the Press, and it is only after continued pressure from without that any remission of restrictions has been gained. The reduction of the stamp duty from 4d. to ld. in 1836 was a grand step in advance; but the crowning triumph (not reckon- ing the abolition of the paper duty, which is yet to come) was the abolition of the compulsory penny stamp in 1855. Since that period, the Cheap Newspaper-Press, which at once sprung into existence, has been growing in power not the less sure because it has been gradual. The Cheap Press must be regarded as at once the appropriate medium for the expression of public opinion, and the best guarantee for the continued existence of national freedom. In saying this, we do not wish to undervalue those other institutions to which we also owe more or less of public freedom. The House of Commons, as an institution which, with many faults, is nevertheless not a bad exponent of the national mind, has done much for political and social re- form. We owe much to those energetic men who for a long series of years have severally laboured for the public good; we owe much to the pulpit for the efforts which good men have made for the religious and moral progress of society; we owe much, very much, to the Dear Press, the pioneers of progress, the conductors of which, amid much discouragement, laboured hard to dis- seminate information and to enlighten and amuse the upper and middle ranks of society. But to the Cheap Press we owe more-far more than all this. The Cheap Press is the PEOPLE'S PRESS, and it is well that the people are acknowledging this fact, and affording to their own Press a large measure of support. But we believe the Cheap Press is yet only in its youth, we cannot say its infancy, for it has grown out of that state into the vigour of youth, and is destined still to grow into a powejful ma- turity. As soon as the compulsory stamp was abrogated, local newspapers sprung up in almost every quarter. It was but natural that many of these, from various causes-such as inadequate capital, want of tact in general management, or the absence of local knowledge—should fail, and that many Cheap Local Newspapers havefailed is undoubted. But success has been the rule, while failure has been the exception, and now there is scarcely a town in the United Kingdom, if it is properly alive to its own interests, that has not its local organ. There is, nevertheless, a wide field for the extension of the Cheap Press; districts, towns, and hamlets now unre- presented in this fifth estate, as we may well call it, have yet to secure a privilege which, once pos- sessed, becomes a necessity. There is room enough for all, and legitimate competition will but result in the public good. Our own share in the development of this new power has been, we trust, as satisfactory to our supporters as it has been pleasing to ourselves. We have striven hard to give our reader, à re- cord of passing events of general importance, while we have devoted considerable attention to matters of local interest. How far we have succeeded in our efforts we leave our readers to decide; but we will just say thus much-that if we may judge from the sup. port awarded to us, we think we have not labour- ed in vain and in co nclusion we tender our best' thanks to our friends and supporters for their aid and kindness.

Hocal information. WE beg to draw the attention of our readers to an advertisement in an adjoining column of a Public Dinner to take place at the Gogerddan Arms Hotel, m this town, to celebrate the completion of the Town Clock and Turret, to which Capt. Pryse, our worthy and respected Borough Member, and his nephew, Pryse Loveden, Esq., have been invited, in order to be personally thanked by the tradesmen and inhabitants generally of the town for the great boon conferred upon them by the Family ofGoger- ddan, by the presentation of the Clock. We under- stand that upwards of 60 of the principal gentry and inhabitants of the town have already signified their intention of being present. In a future number we hope to be in a position to lay before our readers a report of the proceedings. PETTY SESSIONS.—On Tuesday last, at the Town Hall, before F. R. Roberts, Esq., Mayor, three boys, named Robert Griffiths, Richard Griffiths, and David Edwards, were charged by Mr. Benjamin Hnghes, with having wilfully thrown down a Kitchen Range lying outside his shop, whereby it was damaged. The complainant called two witness- es to prove the case. The Mayor advised defendants' parents to come to a settlement with regard to the damage done, and in the meantime adjourned the case for a week. FATAL ACCIDENT.-On Monday last an inquest was belli by J. M. Davies, Esq., Coroner, at Llwyn- ygog, near Goginan, on the body of John Davies, labourer, aged 66 years. The deceased it appeared was at work in the Quarry, at Goginan, on the preceding Saturday by himself, and when the witness, his grand-daugh ter, carried him his dinner she found him dead, amid aheap of sto ies. He had been struck down and killed by the mass that fell upon him. Verdict, Accidental Death. ANOTHER FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Monday last, in Cwmrheidol, an inquest was held by J. M. Davies, E-q Coroner, on the bodv of Frederick Richard Evans, a little boy, aged 6 years, who met Ins death under the following melancholy circum- stances as adduced from the evidence given at the inquest. A waggon load of poles was being dis- charged by Tanyrallt, Cwmrheidol, and deceased getting too near the waggon at which the men were at work, one of the poles fell on the poor child's head, whereby his skull was dreadfully fractured. Dr Rowlands, Goginan, was soon in attendance but the little child after lingering a few hours, breathed his last. The jury after a short deliberation de- livered a verdict of—Accidental Death. T.kir CARDIGANSHIRE MILITIA are going through theirvt.hree weeks' drill, and the numbers are in- creasing, some joining the force almost every day The period-tor which they are called out being so limited hardly gives a chance for that improvement we might otherwise expect. If the time given were three months, instead of so many weeks, the result we feel confident would prove the efficiency of the corps. On Thursday last, the Lord Lieutenant of the County was on the parade ground, and wit- nessed the evolutions apparently with satisfaction. TURNPIKE v. RAIL.SPIRITED CONDUCT OF CoACH\ PROPRIETORS.—-In consequence of the alteratioajn the trains on the Kington & Leominster Railway, rag month, passengers arriving by coach at Kington %puld have been unable to reach Hereford in titik- for the 5 o'clock train to London and as the railwa"y¥julers were peremptory, the pro- prietors of the "Cambrian" have come to the determination of running their coach on to Hereford, independent of the little railway that attempts to rule the road. This plucky spirit, we hope, will be duly estimated by the public who are interested in keeping open all lines of communication to this town. LORD JOHN RUSSELL left Harpton Court, Rad- norshire, on the 9th instant, where he had been on a visit to the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Cornewall Lewis. The noble Lord took the rail at Kington. This visit is important, when a report has prevailed of a conference having taken place between the Earl of Derby and Lord John Russell upon the subject of the forthcoming Reform bill, and gives it a practical contradiction, as the noble Lord would hardly be in the confidence of the two parties at one and the same time. THE COUNTY COURT FOR OCTOBER commenced its sitting yesterday, before A. J. Johnes, Esq Judge, when there were a great number of plaints entered. We hope to be able next week to give a full and detailed account of the proceedings" THE GREAT COMETS OF 1811 AND 1858.—It is exactly forty-seven years since our fathers were eye- witnesses of a comet which, until the appearance of the present wonderful celestial visitor, proved the most brilliant of modern times. As the present comet bids fair to outshine in magnitude its pre- decessor, a few remarks on that of 1811 may be very interesting at this juncture. The most brilliant phenomenon which accompanies a comet is the stream of light which we call a tail. On the 2nd of September 1811 the comet possessed no visible tail on the 9th it had a very conspicuous one, about 9 or 10 degrees in length on the 18th, the length was 11 or 12 degress; on the 6th of October it was 25 degrees; on the 12th, only 17 degrees long; on the 14th, it appeared to extend 17$degrees; on the 15th, it covered a space of 23-1 1 degrees in length. The apparent length being 23 £ degrees, its real ex- tent, taking into consideration the oblique position in which it was seen, may have been 100,000,000 of miles. On the 12th of October its breadth on the broadest part was 61 degrees, and about 5 or 6 de- 4 grees from the head it began to be a little con- tracted the real breadth of the tail on the 12tli of October was nearly 15,000)000 of miles. The comet of 1858 arrived at its perigee about midnight on the 10th of October, when 51,000,000 miles sepa- rated us from it.

LIST OF VISITORS. Adney, The Misses, Salop 16, Marine Terrace Bailey, Mrs., and family, Easton Court, Tenbury, 45, Marine Terrace Balfour, Miss, Manchester 13, Marine Terrace Boyes, Mr., and family, Cheltenham, 11, Mar. Terr. Collins, Mr. and Mrs., Hereford, Gloucester House Day, —— Esq. 29, Marine Terrace Ford, Rev. Mr., Exeter 53. Marine Terrace Foster, Mr. R., & Miss, Tettenhall Wood, Compton, Staffordshire, 51, Marine Terrace Fletcher, Miss# Ludlow Gloucester House Farmer. Miss, Ludlow Gloucester House Gillet, Mr. and Miss, Birmingham, 28, Mar. Terr. Gough, Mr. and Mrs. 42, Marine Terrace Haycock, Miss, Montgomery 7, Marine Terrace Harrison, Mr. and Mrs., Welshpool 51, Mar. Terr. Hart, Rev. Mr., Malvern 2.5, Marine Terrace Havard, Mrs., Bath 6, Marine Terrace Hayward, Miss, Dorsetshire 15, Marine Terraee Hill, Mrs., & family, Felton Rectory, Herefordshire, 15, Marine Terrace Jones, Mr. W., Machynlleth 3, Marine Terrace Jones, Mrs., and family 10, Portland Street Jones, Miss, Shrewsbury 16, Marine Terrace Kyte, Mrs. & Miss, Shrewsbury, 6, Marine Terrace Lloyd, Lieut., and family 27, Marine Terrace Lansdown, Mr. L., (Pen tist,) Bath, 10, MarineTerr. Matthews, Mr. end Mrs., Newtown, 17, Mar. Terr. Morice, Hallen, Esq. 37, Portland Street Patershall, Mrs. Hereford 41, Marine Terrace Powell, Lieut.-Col., Royal Cardigan Rifles, 13, Marine Terrace Sirrell, Miss, Felton 15, Marine Terrace ■smith, Bridson, Esq., & Mrs. Smith, Westmoreland, „ Glyndwr House «pooner, Mr. W., and family 41, Marine Terrace Terry, Miss, Hereford 52, Marine Terrace Thomson, Rev. Dr., & family,Kington, Coburg House Thomson, Capt., Queen's Own L. I., Coburg House Welsh, Mr., Mrs and Miss 32, Marine Terrace Watkins, Miss 37. Portland Street Winwood, Rev Mr. and Mrs 29, Marine Terrace Wilding, Miss, Montgomery 6, Marine Terrace

Arrivals at the Gogerddan Arms Royal Hotel. Mr. C. W. Gill, London Lieut. Hughes, R. C. R., Castelldu; Lieut. Lloyd, R. C. R.; Mr. J. C. Sea- ward, London; Lady Burnell, Shrewsbury; Mr. C. S. Fowler, London; Lieut. Thomas, R. C. R.; Lieut. Lewis, R. C. R.; Mr. G. Ayres Miss Harris, Kington; Mr. W. Jackson, London Mr. and Miss Jones, Brecon; Mr. Edward Parry, Shrewsbury Mrs. Humphreys, and Miss Goodrich, Wulrner- Mr. W. Blunt, B. C. S.; Dr. and Mrs. Catlow' Carmarthen; Mr. Rubert Wilton, Liverpool: Mr. and Mrs. Gretrix, Manchester Mr. & Mrs. Vaughan, Penmaen; Mr. and Miss Bullmer; Rev. R. W. Gladown, Chester; Miss Smith, Chester; Mr. and Mrs. Hargrave, Herts; Miss M. Jones, Brecon; Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Roberts, Brecon; Mr. T. Paling, London Messrs. Dorole, Daniel, Davies Newell, Bright, Widdison, Oliver, Lloyd, Thompson, Matthews, Barret, Rowlands, Griffiths, &c., &c.

"SONNETS." FROM "GORONWY: A DRAMA;' By Carnvaldwyn. OLWEN reads from a manuscript of IDWAL'S;- Lines written in Ll- Churchyard." DEII'J! ttby garden holds a peerless treasure, Most worthy of thy fondest, saintliest care A flower most exquisite, that tliri.Td with pleasure All eyes and hearts, low lies, death blighted, there Young, solt, and pure, while blooming erst; and fair As fairest saint that e'er cros^'d Heav'ns own porlal- As An-en's sunniest Dream of Beauty, rare In this dark world; by one deemed more than mortal, And by that one oft press'd unto his breast Willi warm and pure attecuon, till delight Flowed on in sparkling streams 1-0 then how blest He basked in that, love of living light!- — Keep well thy charge, until the dread 'ARTSE 1 Shall claim my Beauteous hence to God's own Paradise. And they are gone she and our cherub-child, Her fairy image, never to return 1 And I am left alone in this dark wild, A single light unable to discern —But hush my frod yet, yet Thou mak'st me learn That Thy Good Providence is ever njild A cheering star, if not with beams that burn, Yet heavenly pure as any that beguiled "With faith, and hope-and love, the woes of man, Those night-shed woes that dream not of a morrow- Shines full npon me. pleasantlv I scan Her beauteous track along my night of sorrow I I thank Thee, L'jrd and pray with grateful lips j- 'Long KMp^nrrtrom Woe's clouds, long, long from Death's l0Ve'y • Truth, and Innocence, And gentle Kindness—combination rare— Shadow'd With no dull cloud of Earth and Sense Shed heaven-fraught sunshine o'er thy features fair I o I shall guard with more than brother's care From Wrong and Sin thy rising loveliness, Dear, dearest Gill! ay, for thy happiness, Should stern need urge, my life I would not spare. -To thee all fresh with purify, I cry- H¡¡.iI, unsophisticated Beauty! hail!' -But when thy'noble intellect I spy And soaring fancy, raptured I inhale The sweets of other days, and strike Joy's chord— 'In thee I view my Mirah and my Babe restored I' Dewi," ( St. David )-the well-known tutelary saint of Wales. There are many churches called after his name, of which that of Dcrvi-brevi is the most famous. t" Thy garden"—the graveyard attached to the said church. Caertfyivydd, Oct. 14, 1858.

islrtfr On the 11th instant, the wife of Mr. E. J. Lloyd, Draper, in this town, of a son. ZJeatf). On the 11th instant, aged 65 years, Mra. Lewis, Llwyniorwerth, near this town.