frattiutial.

Anti-Income-tax meetings continue to be held in the provincial towns. Cirencester and Exeter have to be added to the list of towns desirous of the reduction of the impost to sevenpence in April next, and a reform in the mode of assessment as regards permanent and precarious income. Both meetings were held under the auspices of the chief magistrates. At P1 !! . uth, a meeting, called and presided over by the Mayor, was held on !! onclay, and adopted substantially the same resolutions. One of the speakers, Dr. Rowe, said that, although the country had hitherto submitted to the burden cheerfully, the time has arrived when it becomes necessary to show the Chancellor of the Exchequer that they are im- patient.

Cheltenham met in its Town-hall on Tuesday. Captain Berkeley, the Member for the borough, presided ; and denounced the continuance of the Income-tax at 16d. in the pound beyond April next, as " a violation of promises made at the time of its enactment by her Majesty's Govern- ment." They also asked for " a fair and equitably apportioned tax upon realized property." A meeting at Rochester on the same day passed similar resolutions.

East Kent will lose the services of one of its County Members in the early part of the ensuing session. Sir Edwaid Hering has, " with feel- ings of sincere regret" informed his constituents that he cannot attend. His medical advisers, he writes, have recommended him to seek a warmer climate until the cold winds of spring have passed away, and he is there- fore on the point of embarking for Egypt.

Sir William Codrinon has accepted an invitation to become a candi- date for Greenwich. The support of the Army Nravy, Reform, Free-

trade, Civil and Religious Liberty, are the " Sir William's address.

The election quarrel at Southampton increases in bitterness. A new impetus has been given to the strife in the Liberal party by a state- ment made by Mr. Lankester, chairman of a meeting convened to hear an address from Mr. Weguelin. Mr. Lankester read a statement of a conversation with Lord Palmerston at Broadlands, in which his Lord- ship declared that Mr. Andrews is totally unfit to be a Member of Parliament, and that his conduct is very impolitic in dividing the Liberal party. Mr. Andrews is said to have written to Lord Palmerston, inquiring whether he had really said what Mr. Lankester at the meeting stated he did ; and if his Lordship did say so, whether he gave Mr. Lan- kester permission to mention it in public.

Captain Hartstein and his brother officers of the Resolute have both given and received hospitable entertainment at Portsmouth. The Cap- tain has paid a visit to the Premier, at Broadlands,`,and returned charmed with the cordiality of his host. On Tuesday ho received a deputation from the Liverpool Shipowners Association, and in reply to their address made a neat little speech. • " To say that I feel honoured by this unmistakeable mark of your consi- deration would but feebly express my sense of the compliment which you have thus paid through me to the Government whose representative I now have the honour to be. Meeting you as delegates from the shipowners of the greatest commercial city of the United Kingdom, I rejoice at the kindly feeling thus manifested for a nation with whose interests you are so inti- mately connected. In my present mission to your Government, you can read the spirit of Americans towards the people of this country, and can easily believe that your happy allusion to the mutual bonds of origin and a community of feeling between us will meet with a cordial response. The advancement of science and the arts, to which both nations have, in a spirit of generous rivalry, so greatly contributed, have changed our ancient geo- graphical positions. Miles and seconds have become almost synonymous. words, and now the iron messengers of our commerce fly like steam shuttles,. weaving between us a fabric of mutual interest. May that spirit of friendly emulation, enterprise, and enlightened purpose, which has given to our shipping interests the distinguished place they occupy throughout the uni- verse, over continue." On the same evening, together with his officers, he was the guest of the Mayor and Corporation of Portsmouth, at the Portland Hotel, South- sea. Mr. Croskey, the American Consul-General of the district, the heads of the naval and military departments, except Sir George Seymour, unavoidably absent, and a number of officers of both services, contributed to render the dinner a success. The tone of the speaking was one con- tinual interchange of friendly feelings and compliments. Mr. Croskt y took advantage of the occasion to make some remarks of a political cha- racter, not without interest at this time. " England should glory in America's prosperity. America rejoices when she hears of the increase of British prosperity and the extension of British empire in a legitimate direction : for she knows that such extension is ac- companied by those emblems of civilization, the Bible, the newspaper, and the plough ; she knows that wherever the banner of St. George waves there will be found freedom of opinion, freedom of speech, personal liberty, and that universal benefactor of mankind, commerce ; and therefore she re- joices. Why should not England also rejoice if new territory be placed un- der the benign influence of our institutions, which insure like benefits to the world at large, and give self-government to and develop the natural re- sources of the countries that may join our Union ? The world is large enough for both nations to fulfil their respective manifest destinies without coming into conflict with each other. The East seems peculiarly the field of action wherein the civilized duties of England must continue to be em- ployed. The West would appear to be, both geographically and otherwise, the sphere in which America rather than England should exercise the influence which the Anglo-Saxon race have never failed to exercise amongst semibar- barous people, or over undeveloped countries. At all events, while the feel- ings of the two countries are now warmed towards each other by this happy event, it becomes the duty of both not only to foster the present kindly feef- ings, but to adopt such courses as will guard against anything that may tend to disturb them. Let us hear no more talk of war between England and America. If the words should be uttered or printed, let us refuse to hear them or to see them. Let each be chary of the other's honour and feelings as our own. Let us always remember that hard words too often lead to hard blows; and that as both nations speak the same language, whatever is writ- ten or said about either is diffusely circulated, and the full force and mean- ing is felt and appreciated. I would not be understood to deprecate the free discussion in either country of the domestic affairs or politics of the other, but let it be done in kindness and with kind words : Nothing extenuate, nor set aught down in malice.' If difficult questions arise, they will be settled by that good common sense which distinguishes both nations, provided the preposterous idea is done away with that either nation wishes to insult the other."

In replying for the army of the United States, Mr. Croskey said that the time might come when 'England and the United States would have to form a coalition for the defence of common interests and civilization. If that time should come, England had only to ask the United States, and then those States would be ready to join the Mother-country in the de- fence of those principles which each nation so highly prizes.

At a soiree of the Pontefract Mechanics' Institution, on Tuesday, an

ilk

animated discussion—for such it really was tho h conducted in a friendly

guise—was raised by the Reverend R. Stainfo who insisted upon the necessity of combining temporal education wit religious instruction. This drew forth an admirable speech from Mr. Monckton Milnes; Mr. Milnes agreed as to the necessity of giving both religious and tem- poral instruction ; but in this country each man exercises his undoubted right to bring up his children in the creed he prefers : thus the question is encumbered with difficulties • but they may be surmounted if each man in his own sphere will talk and think more of what we wish to do rather than of what we wish not to do. It affects the whole of the difference of his progress in life whether a man is educated or not educated. There may be educated rascals, but education helps a man to get on in life, and his tempt- ations to crime are necessarily far less than those of the man who is stag- gered at the very entrance into life with his own ignorance. The refusal of our great Australian Colonies prevents our throwing upon thein that burden of crime which we have heretofore been able to shove off to the other end of the world. For the first time in a hundred years we are celled upon to provide for our criminal population ; and the only course to relieve this country from a great calamity is to take up the young—to take care that the naughty boy does not pass into the adult criminal.

A short time since, a daring burglary was committed at Manor Oaks the house of Mr. Bradley, a Sheffield brewer. On Monday last, a pub- lic meeting was held in Sheffield Park, near Mr. Bradley's house, to consider what better means can be adopted to protect life and property." The meeting pledged itself "to sink all minor differences in considering the cause of the vast increase of crime, to grapple with the evil, and bring about, if possible, a better state of things. ' They also recom- mended an increase of the Sheffield police-force.

At the Warwick Assizes, two men were convicted of burglary. In passing sentence, Mr. Justice Wiles remarked, that they had been sentenced to four years' penal servitude in January 1855 ; then liberated on tickets-of-leave; and again at the bar ofjustice in December 1856. The ticket-of-leave sys- tem has been proved to be fallacious, and injurious to the criminals and-the public. " You two young fellows," continued the Judge, "are well able to earn an honest livelihood, and I heartily wish that you could. I hope, for the sake of the convicts themselves, that we may return to a system which sends them out to a colony where labour is in great demand, and where they may (as many transports have done) regain good characters and be- come useful members of society. In order to give you a chance of being sent to such a place, in the event of the former system being renewed—as many persons, together with myself, fervently hope it will be—I will sen- tence you to be transported for twenty years."

At Lewes Assizes, on Tuesday, Charles Hendrick, the youth who stabbed a girl at Brighton, was tried for that outrage. The girl was sufficiently re- covered to be able to attend and give evidence. For the accused, Sergeant Ballantine pleaded hisbronth—eighteen only—in extenuation of his foolish act, and begged the Jury not to fix the stigma of felony upon him. The Judge thought the felony was not made out; and the Jury convicted the accused of " unlawfully Wounding " only, and not of " feloniously cutting and wounding." A number of witnesses gave the culprit a good character : he has been an Ensign in the Lincolnshire Militia. Sergeant Ballantine stated that the prisoner's family intended to present the wounded girl with 501. Sentence, imprisonment with hard labour for one year.

Thomas Smith, a dock-labourer of Birkenhead, has been committed for the murder of Policeman Vaughan. The prisoner was making a disturb- ance during the right; Vaughan attempted to take him into custody; whereupon Smith stabbed him under the heart.

A lad of fifteen, Robert Mitchell, has been frightened to death, near Al- freton in Derbyshire, by Percival, a young labourer, having acted the " ghost" in a tablecloth at night, waylaying Mitchell in the fields. The fright caused such excessive nervous excitement, that the lad died in less than a week. A Coroner's Jury have returned a verdict of " Manslaughter" against Percival. Mr. Robert Mitchell, the Superintendent of the Police of Tynesnonth, has absconded, leaving a number of petty defalcations in his accounts.

The three Italians, Lagava, Pietrici, and Barbalano, convicted of piracy and murder on board the British barque Globe, in the Black Sea, were executed at Winchester on Tuesday. Up to the eve of execution, the prisoners had refused to acknowledge their guilt. At last Lagava spoke out. He had been praying with Mr. Rogers the chaplain, and Signor Ferretti an interpreter ; both these were about to leave .the cell, when Lagava sud- denly seized Mr. Rogers by the wrist, and, after an apparently painful in- ward struggle with his feelings, exclaimed in Italian, with tragic ges- ticulations, " I am guilty ! I am guilty ! I am guilty !" Before Signor Ferretti could question him, he added, " I have five murders on my soul." Signor Ferretti now asked Lagava what he wished him to understand by the last observation : upon which the prisoner exclaimed, "I am the chief sinner, and upon my head will rest the murder of the two sailors for whom we are condemned, as well as of my two poor companions, whom I dragged into it by the hair of their heads. I am guilty, and deserve death." Pietrici, finding there was no chance of a respite, fell on his knees and passionately begged that he might not be hanged—he would willingly be a slave for life. Late on Monday evening he also confessed. "I am not guilty of having conspired beforehand to plunder the ship Globe. I do not know how the fight began. I only know I was struck, and defended myself. I acknowledge it was by my hand the wounds were given of which the sailor died in hospital at Therapia : but I did not do it for plunder. I know I deserve to die, not for piracy, but for worse things I did on the Globe. I am a bad man. I have a bad heart. I deserve to die." After a short pause,. he added, " I am a murderer. Two years ago, I killed three persons at Trieste—one a woman with whom I lived, and two gendarmes who were sent to arrest me. I also attempted to commit a murder in Constan- tinople; but the person I attacked escaped by jumping into the water and swimming away.' Barbalano was a youth of eighteen, the son of a law- agent, and'educated in the Marine School at Naples. As he had never been confirmed, Dr. Grant, titular Bishop of Southwark, went to Winchester and confirmed him in his cell, to qualify him for participating in the communion. On the eve of their execution the prisoners signed a letter to the master and crew of the Globe, begging for pardon in this strain—" Jesus Christ pardoned

those who put on the cross. The Lord has been merciful towards us

and we hope thri Ile will also be merciful towards you. We shall not see each other arty more in this world, but may God grant we may see each other again in lniaven. Embrace for us George Nelhgan." [Nelligan was the boy whose evidence mainly contributed to the conviction of the mur- derers.] At the execution, the convicts behaved in a very remarkable manner, Pietrici rose early and walked up and down his cell, crying, in Italian, "I am a sinner ! 'Christ is my Saviour !" While they were being pinioned, Lagava and Barbalano repeated aloud the " Kyrie Eleison," and other prayers. At one period Lagava directed the attention of Pietrici to the priest; but the Other said, Lagava priest did not die for me ; Christ died for me." Pietrici was the first to be led on to the scaffold. As soon as Cal- craft had plackl him under the beam, the most painful excitement was oc- casioned among the crowd assembled in front of the gaol, by the culprits exclaiming, teal loud shrill voice, which resounded across the valley over- looked by the "risen, "Goad Cristo, piglia r anima mix!" and other phrases, which, not being understood by the multitude, were believed to be cries of distress and protestations of innocence. Lagava was brought up next; and no sooner had he been placed near his fellow culprit than his voice was raised in protestations to the Virgin Mary and all the saints of the calendar. Terrible as was 'the scene up to this point, it was infinitely more painful when Barbalinia appeared on the drop. This wretched youth was greatly ex- cited, and could not be induced to submit himself quietly to the executioner. He appealed to' the priests ; and these reverend men, in their anxiety to give the dying men consolation, placed themselves in positions which obliged Caloraft to call' upon them to remove, or it would be impossible for him to perform his oft*: This was done in a tone loud enough to be heard by the crowd below ; Itdm whom a murmur of 4' Shame !" arose, probably as much from the length.of time already occupied in affixing the nooses and splicing the ropes round the cross-beam as from any other cause. At length, after thirteen minutes had elapsed from the period of Pietrici appearing on the scaffold, during `the whole of which time the culprits were exclaiming in Italian at the bill Of their voices, the drop fell, and in a few moments the bodies were hanging lifeless.

William Jackson, who murdered his two children, was hanged at Chester on Satutday. The malefactor behaved with propriety, but with great firm- ness, in his hat moments.

On Saturday afternoon, while the Persia was coming to her moorings in the Mersey, the e,apstan suddenly spun round, and one of the bars struck the second officer, Mr. George Downing Stanley, in the abdomen, producing injuries of which lie died on Sunday. night. The deceased was one of the picked men of, the service ; his death is a great loss.

A fatal accident occurred at the railway station, Louth, Lincolnshire a few days ago, under distressing circumstances. The Reverend William Mason, Vicar of Bilaby, near Alford, was standing on the platform with one of his daughters, waiting for a pessenger-train, by which he intended to re- turn-home ; an engine, rushing through the station caught him by his coat, Which was a long one, and the cloth becoming entangled in the crank connecting the driving-wheels, he was dragged down, whirled several times round, and dashed upon the platform. He was taken up quite dead. Mr. Mason was in his fifty-eighth year ; he bas left a numerous family.

A "bit of a lark" at Barnsley in Yorkshire has ended seriously. Late at night, a surgeon, who courts a woman keeping a shop in the town, went to her house, accompanied by two or three boon companions ; they tried to open the front-door ; the woman was aroused, and she went to the window with a pistol ; hearing the men talk of going to the back of the house, she took them for burglars, and fired at them—her lover was seriously wounded in the neck.