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There was an enormous meeting at Exeter Hall on Tuesday, called by the Protestant Alliance, to rouse the British public against the doings of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Incidentally, Popery in England was also struck at, and substantively at the end of the meeting. The president of Otis vast gathering was the Lord Mayor ; and surrounding his chair were the Earl of Cavan, Sir Harry Verney, Mr. Thomas Chambers M.P., the Reverend W. W. Champneys, Dr. Bunting, Dr. Cumming, the Reverend T. Binney, Captain Trotter, and other well-known members of the Evan- gelical section of the Church of England.

As stated by the Lord Mayor, the object of the meeting was to create an indignant public opinion throughout Europe against the Tuscan perse- cutions. It was held by the various speakers, that the sentence against the Madiai was not only illegal even in the opinion of Tuscan lawyers, but it was alike inconsistent with the principles of religion and humanity; for no authority whatever has any right to prevent the reading of the Scriptures, or the worship of God according to conscience. It was pointed out by Lord Cavan, that the deputation to the Grand Duke had been deceived ; for hopes of release were held out, not only to be unful- filled, but to be followed by fresh persecutions. When Lord Roden visited Francesco Medial, during his solitary confinement, he seemed de- ranged in mind. The deathlike silence of his cell was so terrible to him, that he had begged to be permitted to " hear something"—" even the ticking of a watch." It was denied him. Lord Cavan also testified to the horrible oppression of the priests; the pollee, rind the Austrians, in the- cities of Italy. Captain Trotter, one of the late deputation, said that Rosa Madiai was emrfined in a cell so damp that the very shoes on her feet had become mouldy. Sir Harry Verney noticed an exercise of the influence of our Royal Family, as believed in Florence; and said that if that were so, then Prince Albert had added one more to the many claims for gratitude he had on the people of this country.

Three resolutions were carried ; one denouncing the imprisonment of " Christians in the dungeons of Tuscany" for simply reading the Scrip- tures; and a second, praying Queen Victoria to consider the propriety of discontinuing all diplomatic intercourse with a court which had shown "itself indifferent alike to the dictates of humanity and to the claims of in- ternational friendship and courtesy." This was proposed by Mr. Baptist Noel, in a speech insisting that the policy of Rome had not changed, and would not change ; and that it behoved us to be strictly on our guard. He read the fallowing appeal to the faithful, to show what the English Roman Catholics are doing.

"Our Ladye of Grace of Acton.—Our Ladye of Grace of Acton has well nizh 100 poor children, bet she has no funds for either school or teacher. Our Ladye of Grace of Acton has a priest, with a cure of 1500 seals, chiefly poor labourini, men and women dispersed through the villages of Acton, Ealing, Turnham Green,'Chis- wick, Sutton, and part of Brentford; but she has neither church for her people nor rectory for her priest. Our Ladye of Grace of Acton sits in her poor damp cellar weeping. Such the sole shelter she has for herself, her children, her people, her priest—ay, even for the glorious presence of her Son. Oh ! Vos manes qui transitis per vim, one you do nothing for our Ladye of Grace of Atton, noble and rich la- dies and gentlemen, with pleasant homes, and bright, fair, happy children—converts who owe your happiness to this same sweet ladye—good Christian people all, who profess yourselves servants of Marye I Money will console her—money will teach her poor neglected children—money will build a church for her people, and a tuber. neck for her Son; and nothing but money will do these things. Ah ! send, then, some aid, even though the most trifling—even a postage stamp. Never was need More dire thin this.

The reading of this announcement was followed by great laughter. Another document of interest was read by Lord Cavan in the course of his speech,—a letter from Rosa Madiai to her husband Francesco.

" If you knew the pleasure which the news that you are better gave me ! It was tei7 great, and tears of pleasure covered sly cheeks—for two motives ; first, that God has made you worthy of suffering with his dear Son; and, secondly, that he restores your health. Oh! if we knew how to appreciate the degradations that we suffer for having confessed that there is but one Mediator between God and man ! My dear, you speak to me of expecting grace—pardon; but permit me to tell you that the great pardon we have already received. How broken asunder are all our conjugal rites; our house and goods scattered like dttst to the wind. We ourselves ;von see in what state ; and, with all that, we would ndt make an eichange with all the treasures of Pharoah, or lose that holy rest which the Holy Spirit has given ue out of full grace. This I call grace (or pardon) and the great grace. If a star is again to shine for Us, it can be but the star ofjustice, for we have done evil to no one; but, on the contrary, we hate received evil. Selling us for a few francesemil, [alluding to the bribes given to their betrayers,] one for the sake of a shop gratis, another for fifty pieces of money, our accusers are the descendants of Judas. Poor souls I I pray that God may give them the tears of Peter, and not the punishment of Judas; and that one day they may enjoy eternal glory. And if that poor woman who has been bought came and asked alms of me, as at other times, I would still give it her; for which God help me. Amen. My dear, let us be ready to do the will of the Father, as it was done by his Son, our Master. Let us not be troubled. Peter was troubled, walking on the Water, fearing the waves, and forgot that, since the SiViour walked towards him on the same waves, he should not fear. He feared them, and cried out, Lord save Me l' The hand of love succoured him, saying, • Man of little faith, wherefore Bidet thou doubt 1' Yes, the Waves of this world too often make us fear, and the shame is ours. Let us remember the holy Words, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I Will fear no evil.' My dear, rest upon the Lord, whether for prosperity or suffering, in bad as well as in good health. All passes. Eternity is the essential. Be cheerful, and seek to restore year health. While there is that, dear soul, do not give yourself the trouble to write to me, since he will give memews.sif yea. God bless you, and cover you under the shadow of His wings, for the sake of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen." .

A teadutiomaglimst the Maynooth gorsit terminated the proceedings.

ThaPrisons Clitamittaaof the Court& Common Council and the Gaol

Coe tee of **Court -at Al men Visite& and inspected the Holloway City-Prison on Saturday last. Mr. Wright, the temporary Governor, re- ports that since the 6th October he has received 371 male and 93 female prisoners, and discharged 132 male and 50 female prisoners ; that except a few among the women all have behaved well; that several have use- fully worked at their trades, and that the majority have been kept to pump-labour and cleaning. Nine were in the infirmary, and one had died of a diseased heart. Both Committees were pleased with the state of order and discipline, and especially gratified at seeing so many of both sexes so usefully employed.

The Female Emigration Society seat out on Tuesday last its twenty- ninth detachment for Port Phillip ; consisting of forty women, drawn from the overstocked female employments. On board the Kent, they were affectionately addressed by Count Strzelecki, the Reverend Joseph Brown, Captain Stanley Carr, and the Reverend Mr. Quekett.

The arguments of counsel in support of the rule for a new trial in the ease of Arlan versus Newman terminated on Saturday. On Wednesday Lord Campbell delivered the judgment of the Court. It was decided that there

was no defence under the plea of " Not guilty"; that the plea of justi- fication had not been sustained at the trial. After referring at length to the change in the law admitting the plea of justification, and laying down the rule that unless all the charges contained in the libel are proved the Jury must find for the plaintiff, Lord Campbell referred to the principal charges against Dr. Achilli, and said that even if they had been proved the Jury were quite right in their verdict, because there were two charges—those re- specting the debauching of two women of names unknown—which could not be and were not proved. The Court therefore refused to grant a new trial. The only argument used at the bar which could lead to a different conclu- sion, was that the plea might be considered as distributive : but that is fal- lacious; for the plea of justification is one and entire, and in case the whole plea is not proved the defence falls to the ground. All doubt upon this subject is removed by the express enactment, that wherever there is a con- viction after a plea of justification, " the Court, in pronouncing sentence, shall consider whether the guilt of the defendant is aggravated or mitigated by the plea, and by the evidence given to prove or disprove the same." Sen- tence lies with the Court, and not with the Jury. "Tinder these circumstances, how can we set aside the verdict and grant a new trial? This course is to be adopted only where some issue has been improperly found, and a different verdict may be expected. But here it is admitted that the issue has been properly found, and that the Jury must again fed that the defendant wrong- fully published the libel, without the cause or justification which he has al- leged in his plea."—Rule discharged. It ikunderstood that Dr. Newman will be brought up for judgment on Monday.

The uninitiated have a very slight idea of the amount of roguery which is carried on by the money-lending interest. Generally the money-lender secures his victim, but sometimes he is foiled. One of these gentry met with a striking and probably an unlooked-for defeat at the Nisi Pries sittings of the Court of Common Pleas, on Saturday, before Mr. Baron Platt. A. man named Casey, "little Tommy Casey " as he is familiarly styled, brought an action on a promissory note for 1501. against the Reverend Francis Edward Arden. In the month of April 1852, Mr. Arden, a gentleman in orders unat- tached, whose father allows hint100/. a year, was in want of money to meet some trifling liabilities. Taking up the Cambridge Independent Press, he saw an- advertisement headed " Money instantly at command," on personal ; and inviting an application for full particulars to "Zeta, 12 Duke Street, Portland Place, London." Mr. Arden could not resist the tempting offer ; mid he applied to Zeta for 1001., naming his resources. He received a letter in reply, signed " A. Graham" ; and, after a short correspondence, in which " A. Graham " said he would rather negotiate for a larger sum, it was finally arranged that Mr. Arden should borrow 1501. at 10 per cent; and a bill for signature was forwarded to him. Mr. Arden signed and returned it ; Graham promising to get it discounted by a " capitalist," and to forward the money. Of course he did not send a farthing. Instead of that, Mr. .Arden received a notion in July nom one "Casey," that the note had been indorsed to him by one "Thompson," the "capitalist," who had received it from Graham ; and in August Casey wrote to say that unless some arrange- ment were made an action would be brought. As he had received no money, Mr. Arden took advice of his friends. They discovered that A. Graham was James Whalley Gardiner, a notorious person, who had already been in New- gate on a similar °barge ; that Thompson was the tool of Gardiner; that Casey had been an insolvent, a defaulter as a collector of the Income-tea, a keeper of a betting-house in the Haymarket, and three or four times in the custody of the Police. When he went through the Insolvent Court, his property was valued at 31. ls. 10d. The letters sig,tied " Thompson " were proved to be in the handwriting of Casey. The real Thompson, "capitalist," lived in the back room of a house in Marshall Street, London Road, paying a rent of Os. in advance. Crutohley, another of the indorsees, was a notorious gambler. A corn-dealer was brought into the witness-box by the prosecution, to prove that he saw Thompson receive money for the note from Casey: but as Thompson and Casey were identical in the epistolary depart- ment, some one, probably Gardiner, represented Thompson on that occasion. The fraudulent nature of the whole transaction was thoroughly exposed by the defence ; and the Jury readily returned a verdict for Mr. Arden. Mr. James, who appeared for him, asked that the note might be impounded. ldr. Baron Platt—" Certainly. It may very properly be made to form the groundwork of other proceedings!. I think a ease of conspiracy has been made oat, which ought to be carefully looked into elsewhere. I entertain very little doubt on the matter."

Robert }'erdinand Pries was finally examined at the Mansionhouse on Tuesday. Sir Robert Carden committed him for trial for "feloniously forging aoconntable receipts for goods—namely, 7313 quarters of wheat—and uttering the sanie " ; these Were the false bills of lading purporting to be signed by granary-keepers, The prisoner's solicitor took the opportunity of denying that Pries had—as had been nituoured—sent large sums of money to Ger- many with intent to secure something for himself out of his operations in England. Mr. Johnson, the official assignee under Pries's bankruptcy, said, from a cursory examination of the books, it did not appear that Pries had sent away money. Mr. Ballantine, for the prosecution, remarked that the Magistrate had nothing to do with the question of how the prisoner had dis- posed of the money obtained by his forgeries.

The charge of fraudulently obtaining 90001, from Messrs. Monteaux and Co. was then proceeded with. These bankers advanced the money on the security of certain bills of lading : it turned out that the bills were mere du- plicates, Pries having already raised money on the original bills from other parties, who thus becamepossessed of the property which Messrs. Monteaux and Co. thought they had obtained as a security for their advances. Mr. Coventry and Mr. White, partners in two corn-dealing firms, produced the original bills which they had received from the accused. Sir Robert Carden committed Pries on the further charge of " obtaining by false pretences 90001. from Messrs. Monteaux and Co., with intent to defraud them

Hostilities continue between Mr. Panizzi and Mr. Henry G. Bohn. The bookseller was summoned before the Bow Street Magistrate on Thurs- day, for not sending certain books to the British Museum. The investigation was very lengthy, counsel being employed on both sides. After the last con- viction far omitting to send books, Mr. Bohn wrote to Mr. Panizzi, asking that officer to inform him if he had failed to eend any other works, as he would immediately supply them if lie had, and thus avoid further legal pro. eeedings. It appears that by the last act of Parliament upon the subject, the Museum is not obliged to apply to publishers for books, but publishers are compelled to send them, at the peril of legal proceedings in default. The answer to Mr. Bohn's letter was from the solicitors of the Museum. Sub- sequently, the solicitors notified that unless certain volumes were cent, Mr. Bolin would be summoned. Some of the books, mostly reprints with slight alterations, Mr. Bohn thought the Museum could not chum, and others he sant; but the summonses had then been, taken out, and the books were refused. Mr. Bohn'a counsel complained that these proceedings arose from spite : some of the books were published years ago, and nothing was said about the omissions when the former proceedings took place. Mr. Jar- dine endeavoured to smooth the asperities of the contending parties ; and in the cases made out he imposed only a nominal fine of a shilling. One claim the Magistrate decided against ; five were withdrawn; and in the others the defendant was ordered to pay Ill. 16s. 6t1., the amount of the value of the books, the court expenses, and the fines.

Mr. Ridley Wilson, master of the collier Fifteen, was reexamined by the Thames Pohce Magistrate on Tuesday, on the charge of sinking the Essex Lass. Two new witnesses were examined ; but their evidence did not tally in all particulars with that of Cudmore. Mr. Yardley in vain endeavoured to discover what motive Wilson could have for sinking the ship; but it was not shown by the prosecution that he or any other parties gained by the loss of the vessel, as it did not appear that the insurances were more than the value of the ship and cargo. On the other hand, it was alleged that the master was a considerable loser. Mr. Yardley put it to the prosecuting counsel, would it be likely that a conviction would result if he sent the case for trial? Mr. Child, after consulting with the solicitor of the Colchester society that insured the ship for two thirds of the whole insurance, wished the case to be sent to the Sessions, but would not object to bail being taken. The Magistrate, remarking that that court was not the proper tribunal to decide on the credibility of witnesses, eventually committed the prisoner for trial, but accepted bail for his appearance.

Imposture appears in endless variety. Simeon Morwood, a respectable- looking man of clerical appearance, has been sent to prison for three months by the Marlborough Street Magistrate, as a "rogue and vagabond," he having obtained a large sum as subscriptions to the Sailors' Improvement Society after he had been dismissed from his office as collector, which money he applied to his own use. Norwood seems a versatile character : formerly he assumed the office of an Independent preacher, and latterly he has been known in Lambeth as a zealous Roman Catholic priest, challenging Pro- testants to engage him in controversy. The orphan child Gaywood, who was burnt in the hand by a pauper nurse in Greenwich Workhouse, died last week. It will be recollected that the nurse was sent to prison for the cruel act for fourteen days only, by the Com- mon Sergeant. Immediately after her release she claimed admission to the Union, being at the time intoxicated !