The North Wales Express

ttflrtb Wales (fxpress FRIDAY, MARCH 31, H)82. The polling for the Carnarvonshire Boroughs took place on Tuesday, and resulted in the return of Mr Jones- Parry by a majority of 1441 votes, There were considerable rejoicings at Greenfield, Holywell, on Saturday, to celebrate the coming of age of Mr Theophilus Vaughan Hughes. The famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, died on Fri- day last, in his 76th year. The charge brought against Mr W. A. Darbishire of having published a libel on Mr Sorton-Parry was partly heard before the Carnarvon magis- trates on Monday last, the hearing of the defence being adjourned until the 1 ith of next month. At the Bangor Petty Sessions on Saturday, Evan Hughes, a labourer, of Glanadda, was charged with the manslaughter of his wife, and commit- ted to the assizes. On Tuesday evening an enthusiastic town's meeting was held at Rhyl in favour of that town as the most desirable locale for the provincial college recommended by the Depart- mental Committee. A committee was appointed, and several resolutions carried. At Pembroke, on Wednesday, Robert Lock was committed for trial, charged with beating Richard Griffiths with a piece of iron, which he had drawn from the fire. Lord Spencer and Mr Mundella, in acknowledging the resolution adopted at the recent Diocesan Conference held at Bangor concerning inter- mediate and higher education in Wales, forwarded to them by the Bishop of Bangor, promise to give the question their most careful attention.

CARN AR VON SHI RE BOROUGHS ELECTION. As we predicted in our leader columns last week, Mr Love Jones- Parry has been returned for the Carnarvon Boroughs by a sweeping majority. We doubt whether anybody thought otherwise, excepting perhaps Mr Sorton-Parry, the "indepenoent, candidate," and one or two of his most ardent admirers. But now that the contest is over, we can afford to put partisanship on one side, and take a retrospective glance at the events of the past fortnight from an independent point of view. We are inclined in one way to sympathise with Mr Sorton- Parry. That he received promises of support from a section of the voters we think there can be no doubt, but he should not have mistaken this section for the representative body of the Liberal party. That was his most grievous error. Because he was patted on the back by a few individu- als 'who had an eye to business, he should not have allowed himself to be deluded into the belief that the whole constituency had similar sympathies for him Mr Sorton-Parry's candida- ture was, to use no stronger term, sheer madness. The Liberal executive from the first declared war against him, and in ninty-nine cases out of a hundred this would have been sufficient to actuate an honourable retirement. But in the present instance it seemed to infuse fresh vigour into the man,and to urge him on with redoubled deter- mination. As we have said before, we admire the ambition by which Mr Sorton-Parry was prompted-no doubt he has a burning wish to represent his native county in the great legislative council of the country,and to do all the good he can, and is capable of doing- but we do'nt admire the impulse which urged him to act upon it. He should have remembered the axion that "dis- cretion is the better part of valour," and abided his time. Although no political interest at- tached to the contest there were issues involed which will cause Mr Jones- Parry's return by a majority of 1441 to be regarded with general satisfaction. From a party point of view it mattered little whether the choice of the con- stituency fell upon Mr Sorton-Parry or Mr Jones-Parry. Both are ardent supporters of Mr Gladstone, and though the former, by way of distinc- tion, preferred to call himself an Inde- pendent Liberal, it was manifest that his political programme differed but very slightly from that of his opponent. But the candidature of Mr Sorton- Parry raised a question of importance to both political parties-namely, that of self-nomination, as opposed to deliberate selection of accredited representative bodies. The verdict of the constituency as expressed at the polling booths on Tuesday is perhaps the best answer to this. Nor could it be more satisfactory, as it emphatically endorses the action of the Liberal executive in making the hold stand they did against the pretentious claims of an unrecognized candidate. ♦- ■■ ■

LONqFELLOW. Nothing reminds nations of their common origin so clearly as the death of a celebrated author. Longfellow was as much of a household word in England as in his native land. His language was our own, his sentiments and style as much English as American. Our regret at his death therefore will approach, if it does not equal, that of the people amongst whom he lived, ahd for whose especial delight he wrote "thoughts that breathe and words that burn." So thoroughly had he identified himself with our every day life that it is difficult to think of him as a foreigner. Probably there is scarcely an English poet who has penetrated so deeply into our hearts and affections, and there is certainly not one who can be classed higher as a moral teacher. It is somewhat the fashion to deride poetry as being too sentimental for our prosaic age. Those who do so, however, are strangely unconscious of the influence which men like Long- fellow have exerted over their minds and perhaps their daily actions. They may never have read attentively The Psalm of Life," yet would be ready enough to acknowledge that life is real, life is earnest." The vein of sound morality which runs through the whole of the poet's productions has produced, we doubt not, a whole- some and widespread effect, and is destined to accomplish even greater things as time goes on. Longfellow's poetry is of the sort which the world will not willingly let die. Its influence is purifying, its moral tendency of infinite good to mankind. Perhaps no poet is simplier or freer from ambiguity unless it be our own Wordsworth. Longfellow appeals to the heart direct, and we receive him as we should the song of the bird and the ray of the sun. Is not this a great merit-the truest pass- port to enduring famer We are inclined to think that if the love of poetry is declining amongst us, the result is owing to those misguided writers who clothe their thoughts in unintelligible language. In more senses than one, therefore, do men like Longfellow act as the salt of the earth. They not only keep alive morality, but they preserve the very essence of their act ,Resigna- tion" will probably be read and admired when "Men and Women" has, long been forgotten. Longfellow is held to have had some faults, but certainly a want of simplicity is not amongst them nor can it be said that he failed as an interpreter of nature. Even when he approached the weird, as in" Hiawatha," he never startles by eccentricity or draws too heavily upon our wonder. He describes things as he finds them, and thus binds him- self to reality and beauty. In two lines we almost see the Indian's arrow in its flight and hear the mighty rushing of the water. In Evangeline," too, we have a tale of life and love as true to nature as the wind that blows and the flowers that bloom. Men like Longfellow do not die. They are immortal. We shall read his poetry just as though he lived amongst us we shall benefit by his teaching as though he occupied the foremost pulpit in the fland. He is not of our nation, but he is of our blood, and his own fellow-countrymen will not do his memory more honour than we, whose literature he has en- riched, and whose intellectual enjoy- ment he has done so much to promote. Has he a successor ? If he were Poet Laureate of his country, it would be difficult to find one who would fill the post so completely. The tendency of poetical literature in America at the present is towards humour rather than towards refinement as is associated with the name of Longfellow. If he has no imitators, however, there are plenty of admirers who will take care that his position is secured in the Temple of Fame. ol A writer in this week's Agricultural Gazette, which by the way is a most admir- ably conducted publication, referring to the strides which education is making amongst the labouring classes, says U Surely the practice of modern agriculture demands, and will demand, higher intelligence in labourers. Nowadays it is said that our old-fashioned and skilful sailors are fast dying out, owing to the general use of steam-ships—that technical knowledge of mechanics is now more required. In the same way machinery has largely superseded manual labour on the farm, and if this is to be done satisfactorily, we shall need some education and intelligence in our own labourers." The story of the recent daring burglary at a farmer's residence, near Corwen, has had a somewhat singular sequel. The money which was stolen, amounting to over £ 2000, has been discovered in an outbuild- ing^ in the farm premises, having, it s believed, been placod there by the thief or tbieves since the offer of a £10 reward. Taffy in this case may have been a Welsh- man, but it is pretty evident that he was no thief. No enterprising burglar or cracks- man would dream of giving up his plunder in such a manner, especially when it is re- membered that the great bulk of it was in gold, and, therefore, not traceable, It is more likely that some practical joke has been played on the owner of the money, who could never be brought to put his sav- ings into a bank, having no confidence in such institutions. By this time probably Mr Evans has seen reason to conclude that there are worse places than banks wherein to deposit one's fortune. A crowded meeting of Churchmen, lay and clerical, from all parts of the diocese, was held last week at Bangor, under the presidency of the bishop, to consider the re- port of the Departmental Committee. Very oordial approval of the general conclusions of the committee was expressed, but a reso. lution was unanimously adopted expressing regret that its members had been misled by partisan witnesses, more active in politics than experienced in education, to attribute to the Nonconformist masses a mistrust of the grammar schools that does not exist. The meeting approved of the principle laid down by the committee that the control of the grammar schools should be entrusted to the classes that may be expected to use them, and unanimously expressed its con- viction that to transfer the government of those schools from their present manage- ment to bodies elected by a majority of the ratepayers would be to transfer it from the classes that use them most to the classes that use them least, and would lower their tone and impair their efficiency. The forthcoming number of the Nineteenth Century contaius a protest against the con- struction of a Channel tunnel, on the ground that (notwithstanding any precautions against risk suggested by the projectors) auch a railroad would involve this country in military dangors and liabilities from which, as an island, it has hitherto been free. This protest is signed by (amongst others) the Marquess of Bath, the Marquess of Sligo, the Earl of Pembroke, the Eazl of Lytton, Lord Dunsany, Lord Overstone, Lord Halifax, Lord Wavoney, Lord l'on- rhyn. Viscount Bury, Sir John Lubbock, bur K A. Cross, Sir A. Otway, Sir J. D. Frao -H°lland, Mr E. Sianhope, M.x.; Cardinal Manning, the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, Mr Tennyson, and Sir Theodore Martin. At the Ruthin County Court on Wednes- day a case came on for hearing which savoured a good doal of the humourous, and revealed that side of human nature which we often read of but seldom see. The action was one in which Mr T. J. Davies, a gallant young squire of the neighbourhood, itued William WiUiaa). who has something of the Sam Weller facetiousness about him, for the value of a pair of top boots which the latter had unwarrantably detained. It I appears that the plaintiff met the defendant at the Ruthin March fair, and hired his services for a period of three days to act the part of "groom," it being his intention to go on a sort of gallavanting expedition to Wrexham. In one respect the groom was better off than his master," for he not only possessed a tolerably respectable livery, but also a cockade, whereas the latter confessed that all he had in this !ine was "an old top coat." With true Wellerian instinct Williams offered to don the cockade,and call his superior "captain," but blushing modesty forbade the compli- ment. The difficulty of top boots was over- come by Mr Davies purchasing a pair from a local shoemaker, and the eventful da for starting on the journey having arrived, "master" and "groom," who might be termed a sort of joint-stock arrangement, I mounted the dog-cart, and made a start. But in order that the primogenial inhabitants 1 of the neighbourhood should not be ¡ alarmed, the "livery" and the "leader" horse (for the dashing young squire intended driving tandem) were kept in the dark until a safe distance was reached. When the imposing turn-out arrived at Wrexham, some ladies were visited, the groom in all the effulgence of flunlcyism, making an evident impression, for one of the ladies subsequently remarked upon his soldierly bearing." Mastern and <! groom afterwards drove to Bangor races, and made a further display, and, we presume, impression. On their return to Ruthin the groom stuck to the boots, maintaining that his "master" had given them to him, and the present action was brought to recover the same, Mr Davies asserting thpt he had only lent them. Tho case was adjourned, so we have not yet heard the last of the boots, which are likely to become as notorious in local us the Ten- league boots are in fabulous history.

T CARNARVON ELECTION. RETURN OF MR JONES-PARRY. CARNARVON, THURSDAY. The polling in the six boroughs constitu- ting the Carnarvon constituency took place on Tuesday last in the most miserable weather possible, a persistent drizzle falling the whole day. Seldom or never has a contested election been more quietly con- ducted than the present one. In each of the six boroughs the polling, from eight o'clock in the morning to four in the evening, proceeded with a silent serenity that be- tokened an utter absence of interest, and there were none of the usual signs of a parliamentary contest. In the two larger boroughs of Carnarvon and Bangor a few cabs were employed by both candidates, but there was an absence of anything in the shape of election squibs, the most violent and original of the placarded appeals being a bill got out by the friends of Mr Sorton-Parry, asking Who insulted th noble family of Penrhyn ? and answered "The loving godfather of Mr Jones-Parry," this being, of course, a sardonic allusion to the lettersent by Lord Newborough which :was read at the Pwllheli meeting. The few ramshackle conveyances employed, and bearing yellow placards con- taining some practical aud unexciting- information as to the numbers of the voters in the various districts and directions as to I the polling stations, were not in full use, and tne drivers were frequently idle for want of a fare. In the same manner the returning officers and clerks and policemen at the Pu)llln? k°otH excepting for an hour in the middle of the day, where in a most des- ponding condition of inactivity, and the appearance of a single voter was frequently welcomed with obvious manifestations of pleasure by all concerned. Anything was better than the dull monotony which sottled like & gloom over the suburban school-rooms and police stations which were occupied for the day by the keepers of the ballot-boxes, and even if a non-voter happened to look in to see how matters were going on, his advent was certain to cause the most unwonted animation among the little groups at the entrance. Once or twice, when the unusal circumstance occurred of a couple of voters arriving together, the ex- citement developed into a commotion which even the well-disciplined and burly police- constables were unable to resist. They would "make away," and open the car- riage doors with phenomenal alacrity, the group of children wearing yellow rosettes would feebly cheer, and faintly suggest Jones-Parry am byth,' sometimes leading to a counter demonstration by some revolu- tionary urchin who would pay the same compliment to Mr Sorton-Pavry and the staff of clerks inside would hastily abandon I the contemplation of stale a tndwiches and s'herry and bvstlo through, tho Agister* 1 if t10\) whole constituency were about plump for the favourito candidate. Su was the Appearance of the polling" -,f1e the placioUy of affairs was disturbed by tJ advent of a voter 0" two, but it is dIflje to describe the painful and silent sadoe, which seemed to fill the bosoms of the Wi fortunate officials during the greater part the day in all the boroughs. This a spending humour seamed to prevail A] arnong the electors. The figures will fib0! that only a comparatively small proporti^l of tne constituency went to the poll. 1^1 Consei vatives wo:e exceedingly quiet &\ uncommunicative, and many of them wofl'i h>t, Referred t? fight themselves ratbe'| than play Lli.j uncongenial part of onlookoff It is thought that very few of them vote" for Mr Soiton-P;.rry—probably not 3 hundred altogether The number of elector: on the register i,, tho various borough were Carnarvon, 1,184; Bnngor 1^1 Oncciesh, 20S; Kevin, 336: eoiwav,'49l;| JrwllLou, —total, 4,290. The "rmmb'i who voted in each borough is as follows y\ arnarvon 813; Bangor, 727, Oriccietb 014' b>403; Conway, 280 Nev^ I 211—total, 2,574. J I At Carnarvon there were two pollingI stations, one for each ward of the borough I Representatives of each candidate W<| posted at an early hour in the vicinity o*| tho bootas ticking off on their lists the name of each voter who presented himself I Matters went on very quietly during tbeI first two .hours. At ten o'clock 200 vOt«fl only had been recorded, and there was b^'I a small band of parties interested, coJJ1' prising chiefly of the boyhood of the to** I who displayed anything like concern in I events of the day. At intervals perqtúsiteg were thrown to these juveniles as inducement to them to kindle a little life jJJ the proceedings. Two or three dingy cabi I were seen now and again bringing in I voter who had been boaten up in the out I shirts of the town, Few, if any, runnel I were employed on either side: and: I excepting Mr W. A. Darbishire, who I seen passing through the town at an early I hour, not one of the Radical leaders waS I noticed in the streets during the day. vr I Jones-Parry, at a late hour, had not beeC I seen out of doors, and the morning was I gone before Mr Sorton Parry was observed I I- taking a quiet stroll with his customary I cigar, which he seemed to enjoy, and oll I apparently the best terms with himself I At no period during the polling was I observed much greater activity, excepting; I perhaps, a slight improvement during the I dinner hour of the working classes, wheC I the SIDhU crowd was slightly increased- I At two o'clock about 570 voters only had recorded their votes, and there had beeO not the slightest demonstration of foeling ot interest on either side. The better class ot voters were more numerous during the afternoon; and though admitted to the polling station three at a time, at 110 period was there anything like a crowd of electorS kept waiting to record their votes. Slowly- but, steadily, did the voters turn up on the scene, and during the last hour the polling was by no means more brisk than it had been during previous hour. There was nothing worthy of mention to enliven the proceedings, except, perhaps, a little incident which occurred in connection with a local county magistrate. This gentleman, who has pretended lately to associate with the Conservative party, sent a kindly message to the Radical meeting the other evening wishing Mr Jones-Parry success, and intimating- his intention to come and vote in his favour on the following morning; but after a mes* seriger had been despatched in quest of him it transpired that his name was not on roll of electors. In the evening large crowds of lads paraded the streets singing and 91 cheering for Mr Jones-Parry, and any attempt made joculary to cheor for Mr Sorton-Parry was at once drowned in a volume of cheering. Rockets and other fireworks were let off in the Square, but there were no serious disturbances, although one or two men were removed by the police. At Bangor no sign of interest was mani- fested in the polling. There were three booths for the convenience of voters, but very little energy seemed to be displayed on either side, and if it had not been for the appearance of a few hackney coaches placarded with the usual election manifes- toes Bangor would have worn the same appearance as on and ordinary week day The voting commenced at eight o'clock in the morning, and from that time till twelve o'clock not more than three hundred persons recorded their votes in the town, which might have been accounted for owing to the very inclement state of the weather. The voting seemed to get in favour of Mr Jonea- Parry, although it was expected that many Conservatives would, during the afternoon vote straight for Mr Sorton-Parry, and considerably swell the number of rotes recorded in his favour. As the day wore on qinetapjB still^pievaile^and it La not until the ballot box was about closin? that any interest began to be displayed H»T dreds of persons crowded the sheets v.p tea late hour, and the utmost excitement pre- vailed untill the result was made known of appro™!5 r TehVOd nith l0Ud eventful » 'o polling was equally un- Conway Oriccieth, Nevin, Pwllheli, and

MEETING AT CARNARVON. On Monday evening a meeting of Mr Love Jones, parry's supporters was held at the Guild Sail, Carnarvon, there being a very large number of persons present. Before the proceeding* commenced a small gang of boys obtaiued accew to the hall, and caused raaoh amusement by the singing of a Welsh electiou song. On lb Love Jones-Parry making his appearance on the plat. form, accompanied by Mr W. A. Darbishire and Mr R. D Williamo, secretary of the Carnarvon- sliiie Libertd Association, he was received with much cheering. Cbsers were also given for Mr Darbiahire. MrHughPugh occupied the ekafe