Papurau Newydd Cymru
Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru
16 erthygl ar y dudalen hon
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no T O "W 1ST r-r I-i BY aUB SPECIAL OOBBESPOKDBKT. OW readers will understand that we do not hold oiirselvea respon. j s" for our able Correspondent's opinions. THE Influx of holiday visitors into London at I Easter inclades now a consid-e:fflbleIÜlmberpos- I sessed of higher tastes than formerly. Art, litera- I ture, illustrated magazines, art unions, art exhibi- I tions, audi schools of design have made many 'j mechanics carious about art treasures open to in- spection in the metropolis. One daily journal, the Standard, now gives at this season a sort of j visitors' guide to the art exhibitions. The. iNational Gallery is constantly being enriched by new pictures-tbe Nat|ojial.Portrait-Gallery bynew.. i portraits—the South EensiDgtoc. Museum by new objects of interest of ail kinds. Those who would see what a clever craftsman a blacksmith was formerly, should spend, an hour examining the ii-ougites in this museum, which were forged by Huntington Shaw, of Nottingham, in 1695. There were in those -piacliiaes for making machinery, such as now exists, and the way in which these gates are riVeted together is as crude as the iron work of ancient Egypt; but the wonderful graee of the designs, the accuracy of the forging of leaves, and heads, and bodies of figures, inter- woven in the designs, prove Huntington Shaw to have' been ra man clever'at the anvil. We have no blacksmiths in these days' who could do anything like his work with the hammeiv. j The-, a is in Bond-street a little chamber known as the GermaSt GaJlfryiS It is always occu- pied by pictures of. some foreign land or other. Just now Mr. Eb'jali Walton is filling it with his draw- I ings and paintiDgs^fj/the;Dolomites,the )aiima given to the glåmers of the South Tyrol. The 'I' "dolomite "is composed of magnesian limestone, consisting of carbonate of lime and carbonate, o, MA^4W4-STISTONB,^TH.WHICHI!:IHE^pecpfe llis country |iaye; a,costly, acquaintance .The. new- Houses of Parliament.were built of this unfortu- nate stone. The H dolomite," like many other things, is both, good and bad, a the, bad kind was used by Sir,: Charles Barry. If the London obsaw8».wish«s 1gee a spfeciinett'of the goocl"tillioriaite," he rnay,d,o it in Jermyn-street. The Geological Museum there is bailt of the enduring' "doloyjaite.li It is to the credit of science that the right kind of stone was employed in this erection. It is a pity Sir Charles Barry, i or whoever was responsible for the selection of the stone a, St. Stephen's, did not first consult the geologists. Sir Charles Barry, whose reputation was. concern u in the matter, would have been fortunate ha,,l he.obtained the assistance of Sir Charles Lyeil. ¡ WRITING in Quarterly Reviews," in these I daywust be the pleasantest and easiest employ- ment of the daj. It does not matter what you say, nor very much how you Say it. Facts are quite unnecessary. The iicat conjecture at hand will do as well. So it would Seem from what may be read in the new number of the Quarterly Review." The writer is criticising the printed p-r a report of Mr. Bright's speeches, lately issued, y "revised by himself." As to Mr. B eight's politi- cal views, the "Quarterly" may be right or wrong; it is not my intention to enter upon that topic. I merely question the literary statements of the reviewer, who tells his readers that Mr. Bright's Hansard speeches, that is, his speeches reported in Hansard (the Parlia- mentary printer), "display great ability, and are remarkable for that debating power which is more esteemed in the House of Commons than any other oratorical gift;" and as they are neither numerous nor lengthy, their exclusion from the publication before us appears at firstr sight unac- countable but the reason becomes apparent when they are read and compared with the speeches out of the House, which alone have been considered worthy of Mr. Bright's revision. The excluded speeches were made in the presence of political opponents, who were ready and able at once to reply to them. They are therefore free from the faults of style of the platform orations made before les3 instructed audi- ences." How little the "Quarterly" writer knows what he is sa-ying! It was no act of Mr. Bright's to publish his "platform" speeches. A Man- I' chester publisher asked him to permit the issue, and the publisher afterwards prevailed on Mr. Bright to look over the proofs. Mr. Bright did not omit" hia "Pdrliaoieatary speeches," for their publication was never proposed to him, and Mi-. Bright never had time to 1tridertake their re- vision himself. This, I believe, is no secret among the orator's fiiends-Eio that the: inanifold conjec- tures of the reviewer hava no foundation whatever in fact, and the facts could have been easily as- certained, had the reviewer tried to be sure of his premises before making inferences from them. MANCHESTJSB is not to be A very sen- timental city, nor much troubled with soaring after the ideal in politics; yet oddly it has sent up to Parliament more numerously and 1 more influen- tially signed petitions in favour of the enfranchise- ment of women than any other town or city in the empire. It is no mean example of the influence of a philosophical name and high courage that the question receives decent atten- tion by the press/and even in Parliament, which before Mr. Mill lent his name to it was a subject of constant derision". Nobedy was so stupid but he could make a joke about the R i 8-hts of Women," and there was no galvanic jokg, however excruciating, but it excited peals of laughter. When Mr. Mill was elected he was the first member of Parliament who ever ventured to claim a political status for women. Half the human race had but one responsible advocate two yeara ago. The other week Mr. Russell Gurney presented a petition from a thousand ladies, who, he said, "had every qualification except that of SEX." The laughter which greeted this sally of Parliamentary wit was of a very different charac- ter to that cicehination which formerly greeted this subject. THE.Gawcott labourers have subsided into work. Not a few of the farm men have been tempted to emigrate to counties where better wages are paid. It is a great point gained to get farm labourers to look out upon the market, and find places where they can "sell their labour if not valued at home. THE Factory Acts imposed by the landlords upon the cotton lords, have at last come to be .<M r h extended, and the provision of schools for children, wherever ilimplovej, is about- to be enforced 8,11 j round. The iron trades are in consternation I about it; the steel-pen Send up j depatations to Mr. Walpole; the bookbinders don't I quite see their way to its adoption. There, will be difficulty, and perhaps some injustice; in its more general enforcement, but children in the long run will ba benefited, as the children of the I last generationne-ver WBre. f Z. i
,_.",.,..,..-",t wi ikyuf*…
t wi ikyuf* P A I ll,n.i EVENTS, j —*— j 1 WE are glad to Red that our differences witli the Spanish Government may be considered defi- nitely settled. A message has beea received at t the Foreign Office, which announces the uncon- ditional compliance of the Spanish Government with the demands of Lord Stanley for the restitu- tion of the Queen Victoria, wrongfully seized, and 9 9 for compensation to the persons injured by this î aefc of violence. The capture was first condemned I aa illegal by the Court of Cadiz, and this decision was afterwards confirmed by the Council of State at Madrid, and this almost before Lord Stanley's threats were received therefore, her Most Catho- lic Majesty the Queen of Spain may claim, if she pleases, that she does not yield to the. threats of any foreign Power, but to the j unbiassed judgment of its own tribunals. It is not for us to inquire whether the Government ihq-liTrea Ifth.e~English fleet was yet in sight" when the judgment was given on which the Cabinet of Madrid acted. "It is sufficient that justice has been done and peace has been pre- served. For the attainment of this result con- siderable credit is dute> to1 Lord Stanley. He has not, by needlessly or prematurely menacing language, made it difficult for a weak but proud nation:to yield. -jHe.'has- ^hpwn; tih^tf long for- bearance and studious moderation' are compatible •With a firm determination to protect the fights and' liberties of British subjects'and the honour and interests of England. interests of England. A LITTLE ;sensatiÖ\InV.aS'¿'ated'Ori'tJie'StMk Exchange, a few days ago, by some of the leading members of it signing a petition to the Queen, praying her Majesty to pardon Mr. Wilkinson, the fraudulent manager of a loan and discount company, who was sentenced, three months ago, to five years' penal servitude^ after the jury had convicted him of appropriating to his own use two cheques of £ 4,000 and £ 860 respectively. The history of this' man is peculiarly characteristic history of this' man is peculiarly characteristic of the "Limited Liability" fever which set in some "ten years ago, and led to so much/ruin through over speculation. James .Freesland Wilkinson was supposed to be a wealthy man, and well known as a bill discounter; his book# showed large annual pro- fits, and his connection was so first rate that he set about forming it into a limited liability company upon. his own terms—viz., to. receive ■ £ 25,000 for the "geod 'will," and an annual stipend of < £ 3 000 for five years as manager. At the expiration of that period the salary was to be increased to £ 4,000 per annum. The company commenced in 1856 with a paid up capital of increased to e4,000 per annum. The company commenced in 1856 with a. pa-id up capital of £ 800,000. The directors had the fullest con- fidence in their manager; they signed blank cheques and left him to fill them up.. No man I kept a better establishment than Mr. Wilkin- son; his dinners were the best in London, his wines "the most reclurixTv', his equipments of the highest order. He had the best seat at the opera, and gave the most delightful parties, boastirg- upon one occasion that the flowers which decorated his table cost £ 50. He was, besides this, very generous to his friends; the National Loan and Discount Company would always eash their bills, and a certain friend of his, Mr. Eleman, was introduced to the directors, and they permitted him to have credit to £ 30,000. When the business had to be wound up in 1866, this creditor owed XISO,000, and was nowhere to, be found. Just before the company ceased to exist, Mr. Wilkin- son, being in immediate need of X5,000 to pur- chase shares to keep up the credit of the company, appropriated a cheque drawn for this Mr. Kleman for £ 4,000 to his own use, and also one purporting to be drawn in favour of a respectable firm, whose name he had entered in the books as receiving it as a loan. This they repudiated, and hence the conviction. For the defence it was contended that Mr. Kleman, if he could have been produced as a witness, would have proved his right to appropriate the cheque of .24,000, and as to the cheque of XS60, it was a mistake made in the hurryof business." Tha judge would not take the recommendation of the jury to mercy, and avowed that he did not be- lieve Mr. Wilkinson's loud assertion of innocence. Now, however, the writer of the City article in the Times eays that the man was. not guilty of a, felonious intent; "mad mismanagement'' it may have been, but that it does not stand to sense that a person in Mr. Wilkinson's position, who could at any time have appropriated to his own use £ 100,000 and got clean away, would make himself amenable to the law for so small a sum as £ 4,860; and that the Cityiner-1 chants generally have; so much faith in his henour that if he were q gain at liberty they would trust him with their full confidence. The Pall-mall Gazette has a very severe article upon this, and asks the Times whether because the man has not taken a larger sum he should be declared innocent of stealing a lesser one, and wonders at the moral reasoning contained in its contemporary's argu- ments. 7 WE have H^d lots of vacation,speeches .during the holidays. Many members professing Liberal principles have justified themselves upon the vote they bact kivetl in -f PVour of Government on the recent division; and Mr. Bright has, at a demon- stration in Birmingham, spoken strongly against the Government bill, and declared it would be unsatisfactory to the people; but that which startled the world most was a letter written by Mr. Gladstone, in reply to a question put to him by Mr. Crawford as to what his policy would be in the future. He pointed out the fact that the twenty-one majority for the Ministerial Reform Bill was composed of renegades from the Liberal party, and, as they were pledged to support a basia of Reform to which he, was opposed, he felt that pru- dence required him to withdraw from any attempts to assume the initiative in amend- ing a measure which cannot, perhaps, be effect- ually amended except by a reversal either I formal or virtual." This was in effect resigning j his position of leader of the Opposition. Mr. j Gladstone, however, intimated in the latter part j of his letter that he was "willing to remain at the service of the Liberal party, and ready when any suitable occasion shall arrive to, vttempt concerted. | action on Reform or any other subject." The j Liberal organs express a "hope that the leader f they so much respect will alter his decision; whilst Jhe Conservative'organs consider he had no other course to pursue. THE news recently received in reference to Luxemburg is of anything but a satisfactory.I character. Something very like what was going on last year at this time between Austria and Prussia is now going on between. France and Prussia. Charges are made, on either. the other's arming. The semi-official North German Gazette treats as beyond all doubt true the reports that France is increasing and adds that the increase is taking place principally 1.r.f the strength of the army and in arming the fortresses on the Eastern frontier. Oa the other hand, the allegations that Prusaia. is arming are renewed, and altogether the charges and counter-charges are going briskly on. The France mentions a rumour that the suggestions of England.. as to Luxemburg have not been favourably received at Berlin. Another journal of a semi official character the Mendarcl sa.ys that the most cordial relations exist between. France and/England, p,nd between France, Russia, and Austria, relative to the Luxemburg (IiAebtion. We ftg, -qI -jomtrse, left te infer that all these Powers are adverse te Prussia. The .authority, however, is not very good. We are not inclined to believe.that, E afrland is taking any very aptive part in the lmSixless, and assuredly'the'news to ,4iaud lately would tend to show that Russia anq 'Prussia are on the most friendly terms. The re- port that Count Bismarck had resigned is denied. ON Måimday "Thrsday this year the usual special service and ceremonies.. took place at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall, with reference to the distribution of the Queen's charities. After the first anthem, Blessed is he thatconsidereth the poor and needy," < £ 115s. w;as given to each woman, and shoes and stockings to each man. After the second anthem woollen and linen clothes were dis- tributed; and after the third red and white purses. The red contained, the usual gold sovereign and 30s. in lieu of provisions formerly issued and the white purses the Maundy coins, in pence and silver, 48 in number, corresponding with the years of her Majesty's life, amounting to X4 3s. 2d." WE cannot say much for the liberty of the ^Press in France. For the second, time within a few weeks M. Emile de .Giradin has been convicted, by a police-court of exciting to contempt and hatred of the Government, by his published writings, and sentenced, aa on the former, occasion, to pay a fine of five thousand francs. The Correctional Tri- bunal admitted "extenuating circumstances." Extenuating circumstances, in the con templatioji of French criminal .justice, are not very easy to define; the-reasonable jealousy of a husband,who has murdered his Wife, the age or ugliness of a husband whom his wife has poisoned, the elegance of a burglar, the sanctity of a priest,; are all occa- sionally treated by a French jury as extenuating circumstances." Sometimes "exténuating circûm- stances" mean nothing but the horror of inflicting capital punishment; in the case of a conviction by a Correctional Tribunal for a Press offence, it is per- haps the unwillingness of the magistrates to pay a public writer the respect of sending him to prison, especially now, when it is proposed by the new law to abolish imprisonment for Press offences altogether, rather than an implied homage to the good faith of the writer of the inbriminated article, or a Suppressed avo .val of the truth of the condemned passages, that prompts the mitigation of the sentence.. These Correctional Tribunals, before which Press offences are judged, are com- posed of magistrates appointed, promoted, remov- able by the Government, looking to the approval of the Government for preferment, and well aware that, nothing but the conviction of the public writers whom they are ordered to judge will Merit and obtain that approval.
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FOUNDERING OF THE STONEWALL JACKSON. LOSS OF ALL ON BOARD. Intelligence has been received in Liverpool which settles all doubts as to the fate of this barque, which sailed from Liverpool on the 22nd day of January for the Cape of Good Hope. Captain Jones, of the steam- ship City of Manchester (Inman line), reports that on the afternoon of .the. 18th March, when off Kinsale, he sighted a barque showing distress signals, and hearing down upon her found it was the Stonewall Jackson. Captain Jones offered either to take him in tow or to put a crew on board. Captain Russell (of the Stonewall Jackson) only accepted the offer of a tow line, but as he did not send a boat out for the line, Captain Jones detached the chief officer of the City of Manchester and six men for the purpose. Shortly after the Stone- wall Jackson had .been taken in tow the rope snapped. Two,fresh cables were put on board by.the City of Man- chester, and the towing resumed., The steamer was kept under half steam. Night came on, and about nine 0 Qqloclc, as the tow-lines appeared loose, they were hauled in. It was .then found that they had not snapped, but had been slipped by the Stonewall Jackson people. Thinking that the barque required no further assistance. Captain Jones proceeded on his voyage to New York. Nothing has since been heard of the Stonewall. Jackson, except that a portion of her-_ cargo has been washed ashore. She had a.crew of 20 men, and a very valuable cargo. She Was a vessel of 468 tons, was built about two years ago at Liverpool, and was a sister ship to the Jeff Davis,. It is believed that Cal)tain:,Ptissell? s reason for slippiiig I tho,, hawser wa..s. a desire, not to incur the expense of salvage..
Advertising
";t FORGED BANK NOTES.—A beershop-keeper named Lockwood was on Monday committed for trial by the Lord Mayor-on a.charge of uttering lbrged notes. Two cases were proved in which he had offered for small payments and received the change a X20 note and a £10 note, each purporting to be issued by The Reigate, Croydon, and Dorking Bank." That bank stopped pay- ment in 1850 but the forged notes had been printed from a genuine plate, and the date altered to 1865. The names of Messrs. Dimsdale were printed on the note as the London agents of the bank and it was stated that several similar forged notes had lately been presented at Messrs. Dimsdale's bank for payment. .folrn OosneH m>(l S-'O.cin-vry Tooth Pnsie prior, Is. Pocidedly the best preparation for cleansing and preserving tho teeth". S 1 by all perfumers and chemists.- vs. Upper Thames-street London- Tooliiaciio Ù.LJ<VI3 mwnuiiy UY which also ioru^a a stopping, saves tlw tooth, and renders ex- tractio ii unneo«a»axj. Sold ay ail chemists, la. l^d. par packet. No Jffedicine for the cure of Asthma, Consumption and Coughs was over attended with such speedy and un- failing success aa Dr. LOCOCK'S PULMONIC WAFERS. They have a pleasant taste. Sold by aU Medicine Vendors.
ENGLAND AND SPAIN".. ■ j
ENGLAND AND SPAIN" ■ j MADRID, April 18. I The Council of State has confirmed the decision of the prize court of Cadiz, declaring the illegality of the seizure of the Queen Victoria. ■■■■ The King and Queen of Portugal are expected to arrive here on the 26'th inst., on their way to Paris.
- ''! rW""FI WCl .;I
rW""FI WCl I TVRTS April 16. Reports have been current of the arrest of Prussian officers by the French authorities at Thionville, and of the arrest of French officers at Mayence and Landau. These reports are declared to be without foundation. It is announced that the Emperor and Empress of Russia will shortly proceed to Kissingen, to drink the waters, and, from thence will visit the Paris Exhibition. The JPrcsse of this evening alludes to some rumours of the resignation of Count Bismarck, "which," it adds, is said to have been caused by a difference of opinion between the Count and of Prussia, the latter being unwilling to accept the evacuation of Luxemburg on principle. Co tint" von, dér Goltz,ýould succeed Count Bismarck as president of the Prussian Ministry."
THE FRENClI ARM\.
THE FRENClI ARM\. PARIS, April 16. A circular has been issued by the Minister of War, dated yesterday, which fixes the sum to be paid for exemption from military service at. 8,000fr. during the year 1867. The price of exemption for each year of military service remaining to be performed is fixed at 600fr.
,::¡ "ü ¡ ■> ill MJ'i ','i.…
,¡ "ü ¡ > ill MJ'i 'i. •' ■ SPAIN. MADRID, April 12. A royal decree has been published to-day, dismissing, from their posts five magistrates of the Superior Tribu-J nal for having voted in the Senate in favour of the motion expressing regret at the measures taken-by the Government against Marshal Serrano. Senor Gonzales Bravo, Minister of the Interior, has delivered a speech in the Congress in reply to some statements made by some members of the opposition, in which he said The exceptional and repressive system pursued by the Government will continue so loho-'as':the parties opposed to the Government persist in their re- volutionary attitude." T The bill of indemnity for all acts of the Government since the closing of the last session of the Cortes has been adopted by 245 against 4 votes.
HUNGARY. :
HUNGARY. PESTH, April 14. An order has "beep issued by Count Szaja&y, directing that the prepara,tionS"fOr the coronation of the Emperqr5 and Empress as -King and Queen of Hungary must^0 completed by the 20th May.
: -—t—! )T Til!; VAPAL STATES..…
-—t—! )T Til!; VAPAL STATES.. THE PAPAL, STATES. ROME, April 11. A proclamation has been 'issued here calling upon the population to rise against the Papal Government, and promising the support of Garibaldi. The people "have remained quiet, but''troops have been serif to watch the frontier. ROME, April 13. The city was splendidly illuminated last niht, in celebration of the anniversary of the return of the Pope to Rome in 1850. Triumphal arches were erected at several points, and bands of music paraded the streets. The Pope was much cheered by the people. ■■
! ........-.'CROATIA.'.
CROATIA. A GUAM, April 12. The Croatian Diet will open on the; 1st of May. There is good reason to believe that that body will adopt the resolution relative to the relations between V Croatia and Hungary which was recently passed by the Diet at Pesth.
THE DANUBIAN PROVINCES. ,
THE DANUBIAN PROVINCES. BUCHAREST, April .1'3. Prince Michael of Servia has arrived here. His High- ness was received at the gates of the city by Prince Charles, and was cheered by a large crowd of the inhabi- tants. Prince Michael paid a visit in the course of the evening to the public hospitals and barracks. He will take his departure to-morroiv.
AMERICA. • ■ j
AMERICA. ■ j NEW YORK, April 12. Numerous strikes are taking place among the working classes throughout the North. The. latest advices received here from Mexico do not confirm the reported success of the Imperialists at Queretaro, NEW YORK*. April 13. It is officially announced that the Austrian-minister at Washington received a telegram from the Emperor Francis Joseph instructing him to ask MroSeward to request Juarez that the Emperor Maximilian should be treated as a prisoner of war in the event of his capture by the liberals. "Niw YORK, April 16. The Supreme Court has restored the ship Peterhoff to the owners. At theengagemen,t, at Qtieretara there was heavy loss on both sides, Escobedo retired a short dis- tance to wait until he was reinforced.. The Hamburg and American Company's steamship Allemania arrived e 0 at New York on Monday afternoon. i': 1.
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CLOSE OF THE NORT1-IGEmiAN I PARLIAMENT. The close of the North-German Parliament by the King of Prussia in person, as previously announced by Count von Bismarck during the morning's sitting, took place at noon on Wednesday, in the White Saloon of the Royal Castle, Berlin. A large number of deputies were present, including Piince Frederick ,.Cjjarl§|. ,t .The Left, however was only represented atid' Schraps. 'in the box of the diplomatic body were the anibassadpn-s df England, Russia, Denmark, and Holland. The Queen and the Crown Princess, with, her eldest son, were in the Royal box. On the entry of the King, Herr Sipspn,^ president of the Parliament, IiOiig live the King, the protector of. tli,e Nort]A-Geranaft-,Bund. president of the Parliament, exclaimed IiOiig live the King, the protector of the, Nprth-Gersman-:Bund.'T His Majesty then'delivered the following speech from,- the throne :— Illustrious,'noble^ and honourable members of the Parliament.of ..the North German Confederation,—I see you again assembled round me at the termination of your important labours with a feeling of sincere satisfac- tion. The hopes I recently expressed from this place in the name flf,h,e allied. Governments have since; then through your aid, been brought to fulfilment. With patriotic earnestness you.have understood the greatness of your task, and have kept in view our common objects with voluntary self-restraint. For that reason we have succeeded in establishing upon a secure basis a con- stitution whose development we may confidently leave to the future. The federal authority, is fur- nished with the attributes indispensable to but also sufficient for, the prosperity and power of the" Confederation. The individual states, while their future is guaranteed by: the totality of thé r B1fud, have retained their freedom of action in all depart- ments wherein variety and development is admissible and salutary. Popular representation has secured that co-operation in carrying out the great national objeets which corresponds to the spirit of the existing constitu- tions of the countries, and to the Necessities of the Governments to see their action supported by the agree- ment of the German people. All of us who have co- operated in the carrying out of the national task—the allied Governments as well as the representatives of the people-have readily made the sacrifice, of-our views and our wishes, and we were able to do so in the conviction that these sacrifices were made for Germany, and that ] they were worth our union. By this universal readi- ness, coupled with the conciliation' of and victory over ] opposing views, •the guarantee is at the same time gained for that future fruitful development of the Con- federation, with the conclusion of which also the hopes common to us with our brethren in South Germany have advanced nearer to their fulfilment. The timb has, arrived when our German fatherland is able to uphoVl its peace, its rights, and its dignity by its own collective strcngth, The national self-consciousness, which has found elevated expression in the Parliament, has met with a powerful echo from all quarters of Germany. None the less, however, are all the Governments and peoples of Germany unanimous that the regained power of the nation has, above all, to uphold its significance by rendering- secure the blessings of peace. Honourable Gentlemen,—The great work in which we have been thought-worthy by Providence to co-operate is approach- ing its completion. The popular representations of the individual states will not refuse their constitutional re- cognition to what you have created in community with their Governments. The'-Same spirit that Tias enabled the task to succeed here will also preside over their deliberations. Thus, then, the first Parliament of the North German Confederation may close 'its labours with the elevating consciousness that it is accompanied by the thanks of the fatherland, and that the work it has accomplished Will, with the help of Providence, be fruit- fully developed both in our time and in future genera- tions. May-God bestow his upon us and our dear fatherlancl." The paragraphs of the speech relating to South Ger- many and to the duty of securing the bles&ings of peace called forth loild cheers. After the delivery of the speech Count Bismarck, ■ on behalf of the Federal Governments, declared the session closed. The Saxon plenipotentiary then called upon the assembly to give three cheers for the King of Prussia.
TRADES' UNIONS ROYAL COMMISSION.
TRADES' UNIONS ROYAL COMMISSION. The working of trades' unions in the various branches of the building trade was entered upon before the Royal Commission in evidence given by persons connected with operative societies, and the evidence of Mr. Edwin Coul- son., secretary of the Operative Bricklayers' Society of London, will be fou'nd peculiarly interesting, opening up, as it does to public view many "customs of trade" apart from the society itself. The witness stated that this society was established for "trade purposes," and besides supporting members "out of work" (i.e., on strike), it paid for the burials of members and their wives, and assisted travelling members. It has, nb sick fund. The society numbers 96 branches, all in Great Britain, with about 5,700 members. The contribution of a member is only 3d. a week the yearly income is about X2,700 and the re- serve fund last December was £ 3,200. About X300 or X400 a year were spent in strikes, and it had not ex- tended b^ypnd that since :1861', itbeirig found; the wit- ness explained, that in all, those districts where lodges had been recently established the men;, "in consequence of the organisation," had been successful in obtaining an advance of wages Without a protracted strike," such an advance, he said, :'as was*Satisl'actory to the men at present." He gave the history of several strikes, some of which, lie said, had been caused;by the employers en- deavouring to force objectionable tules upon men, while others had been caused by demands, for increase of wages. THE "PICQUETING" SYSTEM. The following examination took place regarding a peculiar trade custom of which much has been said :— Lord Elcho In your trade is there such a. system as what you can piqueting ?" Witness "Yes." Lord Elcho £ < Under, your rules how is that: carried out ? Witness When an employer infringes our custom's and reftises fo comply.with the conditions of the working- rules there, set forth, or with the demands of the men sfor an, advance of wages, we report to the society the 'names of the men who are working on that job, and we appoint a man to watchthere, and as far as possible to use all the influence he can to get .the men away from the job." Lord EIcho: "That is to say, to use his influence with non-society men?" Witness: "With non-society men or with any other men that might be on the work." Lord Elcho: "What influence has he over non-society men?" Witness: "No other influence than this—the first opportunity he has he will speak, to the nuyi and, point .out the injury that>! woe: con,-iher 'he ig fo'rciug, upon our society, as well as the injury to, himself, and he will 'endeavour to get him to leave the fob." Mr. Roebuck But in regard to this non-society, man, supposing that V-T' l n,° ? er emPJ°yment; and that this was a job which he had got, how would it be an injury to him to go on to that job ?" Witness He would be doing an injury to our men by taking their place." Mr. Roe- buck "But he would be doing no injury to himself, surely ? Witness No, perhaps not." Mr. Roe- buck Or to non-society men ?" Witness Or to non-society men." Mr. Roebuck And supposing he took that view of it, that it was not an injury to him- self or to non-society men, and. supposing that he did not care for the rules of the society, what would be the next step ?" Witness The next step would be that our meu would report him to our strike committee." Mr..Roebuck,: And what then ? Witness His name would be circulated among the members, who would be informed what" lie had done." Mr. Roebuck So that the result would be that he, being a non- sOciety nia'n, his'hahle would be reported to the mem- bers, and they would not work with that man on further jobs that is the next step, I imagine ? Wit- ness Our rules give no authority to men to cease work against any non-society man, let him have com- mitted himself against any of our members." Mr. Roebuck ",hen-, what is the object of reporting him, if no reStilt is toJoIløw from that reporting ?" Witness ."The society takes no action it rests entirely with the men." Mr. Roebuck "What action do the men take?" Witness "They shun him generally; send him to Coventry." Mr. Roebuck They will not work on a building where he: is, you mean ? Witness "Yes, they will work on the building, but send him to Coventry." Mr. Roebuck They do not speak to him ?" Witness: Just, so." -Mr. Mathews: "There is no physical obstacle,: but a moral obstacle is put in the man's way? Witiiess "Yes." The witness further stated that, in addition to the 5,700 members in this society, there was another society of from 6,000 to 7,000 members at Sheffield, He believed there were from 20,000 to 30,000 bircklayers in the United Kino-dom and he detailed some facts relative to men who had taken part in strikes being set down as marked men and refused employment.
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—fr* —■' THE LATE ROBERT BEIX.—The funeral of the lae Robert Bell took place on Thursday, at Kensal- gr^eii Cemetery. The chief mourners were Mr. George Bell, brother of the deceased, and Dr. Tuke, his brother- in-law and amongst those on the ground were Mr. Anthony Trollope, Mr. Dion Boucicault, Mr. Louis RlaiiCj Mr. Creswicl^ Mr. Gruneisen, Mr. Williams, Mri Floodgate, Mr. Byrne, &c. Mr. Bell is interred close to the graves of John Leech and Thackeray. A number of private carriages of, the members of the Royal Literary Fund, of which Mr. Bell was one of the registrars, were in- the procession, including those of the president (Lord Stanhope), the Right Hon. Milner Gibson, &c. PREACHING ON THE HOUSE-TOP.—The other morning a rev. gentleman, who is temporarily under the 'care of a keeper at No. 9, Hanover-street, contrived to escape to the roof of the house, having on his dressing- gown only, and carrying a Bible in his hand. The rev. gentleman made his way over the roofs of several houses until he came to Mason's Arms-yard, when, throwing off his dressing-gown, and appearing in a state of nudity, he gave out-a text and b%an preaching a sermon to some persons who had been attracted by his extraordinary gesticulations. The police were informed, of what was going on, and Police-sergeant Brady and other officers proceeded to the street, and at last contrived to get upon the roof of an adjoining house, and there to address the rev. gentleman,; requesting him to leave his -dangerous situation. The rev. gentleman refused, and when the police laid hold of him he fought vigorously, and was not overpowered until after a struggle of some duration. The police at last succeeded in getting him through a house in Hanover-square, and subsequently he was restored to the custody of his keeper. In consequence of the Reduction in Duty, Homiimn' Teas are supplied by the Agents EI«HTP £ NCK per lb. CLIEAPAI Genuine Packtte are Biped" Horntman ct Co., London."