be _Metropolis.
A Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday, for the despatch of business. On a motion to consider the report upon a communication respecting the West London Union, Alderman Farebrother suggested and urged the neces- sity of conferring with Mr. Charles Buller, the head of the Poor-law Com- mission, on the subject of vagrant pauperism in London. It is impossible to endure the conduct of the union officers in respect of the poor creatures who are daily sent off; regardless of their state of fatigue and exhaustion, to apply for relief at Peckham. An order for Peckham seems to be deemed the remedy for every complaint. As the Poor-law was about to be revised, a conference with Mr. Buller on the embarrassments which the Magistrates suffer would be very desirable. Alderman Challis stated that he had good reasons to suppose Mr. Buller would be glad to receive information on the subject. The report was adjourned, and the Committee was directed to seek the conference.
A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday, for the despatch of business: but nothing of general interest occurred.
The Irish Repealers in London held a meeting on Tuesday night, at the Theatre in Cripplegate, to organize Repeal Clubs. The meeting was im- mensely crowded. The police were assembled at adjacent stations, to prevent any procession; but none was attempted. Mr. Kenealey, the barrister who defended Looney on his trial for sedition, presided, and made a speech described as short and cautious. Several resolutions were pro- posed and speeches made, and then Mr. Marr ventured into language of a questionable tone. The Chairman interposed, " and requested him to retract the words he had used of a seditious tendency." A confused clamour arose; but at last Mr. Marr consented to withdraw what the Chairman considered seditious; and he said that, as he was not at liberty to open his mouth, he would simply second the motion,—which spoke of the Club system as the best and only one to obtain Ireland's rights. Mr. Shaw, an English Chartist, said that Mr. O'Connor would have been glad to at- tend, but by accident got his invitation too late. Mr. O'Kavanagh having launched into some heated declamation, the Chairman again interfered. The report is graphic, and profitable for instruction—
The Chairman said, when he came there that evening, he understood that there was to be no violent or seditious language uttered by the members of the meeting. Mr. O'Kavanagh had used language which he considered, if pit before a jury of the country, would be looked upon as seditious. If the speaker did not withdraw the remark holding defiance against the Government, he must order the meeting to adjourn. It was not his wish that any of that meeting, or he himself, should become a victim in the dock of Newgate for Mr. Olavanagh's incautious language.
Mr. O'Kavanagh, with great warmth, continued—When a Government deprives thepeople of their constitutional rights and privileges, the people are justified in holding out against them. (Tremendous cheering, which lasted for several mi- nutes.) The Chairman again rose amidst much confusion; and as soon as order was a little restored, he said, the Government did not care a single straw for the defiance of the people. (A Voice—" But we will make them care." Great cheering.) Upon this the Chairman rose, declared the meeting to be adjourned, and im- plored them to leave without causing anything in the shape of an uproar. (" Three cheers for Mitchel.")
The Chairman having vacated his seat, a cry was raised for a fresh chairman; and a scene of indescribable confusion took place. Several persons on the stage advanced simultaneously and essayed to address the meeting, amidst repeated cries of " Order !" yells, hisses, and every other mark of disapprobation. After a boisterous contest by the candidates for the chair, and some sub- sequent inaudible speaking, the meeting broke up. A policeman in plain clothes was present for some time; but was discovered, and compelled to make a quick retreat.
On Wednesday evening, a second meeting was held, under the chair- manship of a Mr. Dennis Dwaine, with the object of discussing and de- nouncing the inhuman treatment of the Chartist convicts in prison. A letter written by Sharpe to his wife was read. Sharpe complained of the prison treatment, and contrasted it with the treatment of Lieutenant Munro, who was allowed all manner of indulgences, though his crime was that of murder. Mr. Ernest Jones complained of the oakum-picking, which he found greatly affected his sight. A speaker denounced the Government, as bloody—" not in an offensive sense," but literally bloody; inasmuch' as they prepared the most fatal weapons against the people on Bonner's Fields —cannon, grape-shot, and shells. The Chairman explained, that remarks made against Lord John Russell were not personal, but were meant to apply to his mode of governing the people. So much premised, he said, Lord John's presence in the country was a stain on mankind. Resolutions Were passed, to the effect that the treatment of the political convicts should be brought under the notice of the Government.
A public meeting convened' by the Ragged Schools Union, for the pur- pose of forming a Juvenile Refuge and School of Industry for the East of London,' was held on Wednesday, iiithe-Council-eltaraher, Guildhall... The Lord Major 'presided; and Lord-Ashley, Lord Kinneird, Lord Radstimk, Viscount Drainlanrig, several leading bankers and merchants, an emi- nent Clergyman of the Church and a leading Dissenting minister, were pre- imet.- An address from the Ragged Schools Union was read.
It stated that the paid teachers it employs are now eighty, and the unpaid teachers who assist are about 800; about 5,800 children attend on Sundays, and from 3,400 to 3,500 on week-days. The cost of feeding and teaching each child is from 61. 10s. to 71.; and about 2,0001. a year will be needed to maintain an efficient school in East London on the model of the one in Pye Street, Westminster.
Lord Ashley stated, that the intention is to give the children such an industrial education as shall fit them for becoming good colonists; and it is hoped that the present new school will be the beginning of a great system of colonization in connexion with industrial schools. Subscriptions amounting to 2161. 10s. were announced.
A public meeting was held on Wednesday evening, in the lecture-theatre of the London Mechanics Institute, Southampton Buildings; to lay before the public the plan of the Canadian Land and Railway Association, which has been "originated by and for the benefit of the working classes, with a view to the improvement of their social condition." Lord Ashley took the chair; supported by the Duke of Argyle, the Marquis of Blandford, the Earl of Harrowby, Mr. Miles, M.P., Mr. T. L. Hodges, M.P., and Mr. Vernon Smith, M.P.
Lord Ashley admitted that he had been startled at first by the extent of the plans of the Association; but so far as the colonization scheme went, he had taken the opinion of the Emigration Commissioners, and found that they thought it safe and practicable. With respect to the proposed fund of 2,000,0001., he felt no doubts either ; he believed the working classes could raise even more, from their own resources. But he feared the railway part of the scheme was too vast and intricate to be mixed up with the colonization scheme at its outset; and he Counselled caution and reconsideration.
Mr. A. Campbell, the Secretary, was sure this caution would be well received and well considered. The Committee, however, are practical men; their plan has been laid before the Colonial Office, the Governments of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada, and before Sir John Rennie and other men of matured knowlege; and from the reports received the Committee have judged the railway the best part of the plan. The Duke of Argyle expressed his gratification at the prospect of an associa- tion of working men to improve their own condition: he had no doubt that a well- arranged colonization scheme would benefit them and the empire at large. The Earl of Harrowby gave some practical advice. The Marquis of Blandford, Mr. Miles, and Mr. T. L. Hodges, supported resolutions in approbation and explana- tion of the plan. It was resolved, as the Committee are working men, and are prohibited by law from using more than sixpence a share for preliminary expenses, to open a subscription towards publishing in this country and in the Colonies the principles and plans of the Association.
In the Court of Bankruptcy, on Tuesday, Mr. William Hovritt underwent a fetal examination. His explanations were deemed satisfactory by the assignees; and Mr. Fan stated that nothing had appeared to raise a prejudice against him. The examination having passed, a liberal weekly allowance was ordered.
Messrs. Edward and Henry Hagan, the At the Mansionhouse, on Wednesday,
partners in a firm which had been held in the highest respect, but which recently failed, were charged with having conspired to defraud Messrs. Young, Dowses, and Young, of copper to the value of 4801. The prosecutors alleged that the goods were obtained when the accused knew that they were insolvent, for imme- diate sale in the London market, but on the pretence of being shipped to Australia. The mass of evidence showed that the copper was obtained on the plea of ship- ping it; but that, instead of being exported, it was removed to the St. Katherine's Docks, for the purpose of raising money. It was shown in the course of the pro- ceedings, that Mr. Edward Hagan alone had engaged in the transaction. The counsel for the defence pleaded that Mr. Edward Hagan had merely struggled to keep a once prosperous concern still going, and that he had hoped to get over his difficulties and put all straight. The Lord Mayor discharged Mr. Henry Hagan; Mr. Edward Hagan was held to bail in his own recognizances for 501. to appear again on the 16th August.
Drury Wake, the person charged with committing a number of frauds, was re- examined at Marlborough Street Police-office on Saturday. Evidence was given that the bill and letter purporting to be written by Major Troupe in India were forgeries, written by the accused. The case of fraud on Messrs. Hunt and Ras- ken was the only one fully made out for the present: so Wake was committed for trial on that, and he will be brought up again next week on other charges.
At Westminster Police-office, on Tuesday, three young men—Hawkins, Hug- ginson, and Wilson—were charged with having been concerned in a well-planned burglary at the house of Mr. Wollop, a jeweller, Rutland Gate, in Knightsbridge. Mr. Wollop and his family were out of town, and the house was left in the charge of Miss Croxton. On Sunday night, Miss Creston and a female servant carefully examined the house before retiring to bed, and made all the fastenings safe. About one o'clock in the morning, Miss Croxton was awakened by the rattling of a wire guard over a back-window; presently, there was the sound of footsteps on the stairs, and three men successively entered her room, bearing a light; she was greatly alarmed, and pretended to be asleep; the robbers were deceived, and one remarked, " It's all right"; they then left the room, locking the door. Mists Croxton heard them moving about up-stairs and in an adjoining room; she arose, placed a table and other furniture against the door, opened the window, and shouted " Police!" In a little while the thieves beard her cries, and were so alarmed that they made a precipitate retreat by the back-boor. On the arrival of constables, the house was searched; the burglars had made preparations to carry off a large quantity of jewellery, but in their fright they seem to have takes comparatively few articles, with a small amount of money. There were signs that one of the party meat have known the premises well: an entrance had been effected by a slim person forcing himself between the iron bars of the kitchen- window. Wilson had formerly lived in the family as page; Hawkins had recently called and inquired for him, and had thus learnt when Mr. Wollop would leave town. Hawkins was taken in the Hampstead Road on Monday afternoon: he had been into a field, and in the field a number of gold trinkets, part of the stolen property, were found buried in the earth. At Wilson's home more jewellery was found. Other suspicions circumstances came to light. The prisoners denied the charge. They were remanded for a week.
At Clerkenwell Police-office, on Tuesday, John Sayers Orr, a middle-aged man, respectably dressed, who described himself as "a preacher," was charged with causing a riot on Clerkenwell Green, the preceding night. The police found him addressing a mob in most inflammatory language; and the crowd pelted the police-officers with stones. The prisoner had been in custody before, for preach- ing in the streets: he'was a disciple of Mr. Irving of the unknown tongues." Orr denied that he had incited the people to violence; his intention, was to calm them. He said he was a preacher ' ordained by a minister of the Church, who was authorized to ordain. He was locked up, in default of bail.
At Lambeth Police-office, on Saturday, William Branch was finally examined on the charge of firing a pistol at William Haynes. This was the strange-affair which occurred at Norwood, and regarding_ which most contradictory evidence has been 'given. Whatevertheinditement, however, it was clear that Brandt fired the pistol. Haynes has lost the sight of both eyes, and his life was in danger at one time. The accused was committed for trial, but bail was permitted.... - Ilewson, who murdered a turnkey of Coldbathfields Prison, was hanged at Newgate on Monday morning. There was nothing extraordinary in the proceed- ings: the crowd was not great. The convict gave some papers to 'the Sheriffs and the Ordinary, in which he mentions events in his life, and confesses to the murder of two of his children. He intended to assassinate Mr. Chesterton, the Governor of the gaol; and a few days before his punishment he expressed regret that he had not succeeded.