I * .pnceinna ’f

LIVERPOOL, April 16.—- Travelling otffly-stz miles an hour.—The ten feet wheels attached to the locomotive engines employed on the Great Western Railway not being found fully to answer the expectations of the Directors, they have al- tered their plan, and, in future, wheels of seven feet in diameter only, are to be employed. The result has been the attainment of the speed of fifty six miles an hour. _‘I -

A meeting was held in London, April 24, to protest against the “opium war”——I§arl Stan- hope in the Chair. Strong resolutions were adopted, and a petition to Parliament, which was to be presented in the House of Lords by Earl Stanhope, and in the Commons by Lord Sandon. It was resolved, also, that the resolu- tions should be done into Chinese and sent to the Emperor of China.

O’CONNELL 0N TEMPERANcn.—This celebra- ted orator, in the course of a speech lately made in Dublin, after congratulating his countrymen on their present quiet, uses the following remarks concerning the late temperance movement.

“I hail with the most unalloyed feelings of delight, this disposition of my countrymen, and the tranquillity that at present prevails over the land. But, above all, I hail with feelings ofjoy and gratification, to which, I confess, I am utter- ly unable to give expression, the mighty miracle of total abstinence from intoxicating liquors that has been wrought. (Tremendous cheering from all parts of the House.) 0, blessed be my God that has given me to see the day that Ireland, universal Ireland, has set an example, such as has neier been equalled by any other nation of the earth, whether savage or civilized. A few, a very few years ago, indeed, the feast ofour patron saint, St. Patrick, was celebrated in a manner the most iniquitous and degrading. .Then even female lips were polluted by the puisoned draught, and hundreds ofthousaiids sacrificed to the filthy Moloch of intoxication. Who, I would ask, that saw last St. Patrick’s day, and was not struck with the mighty change that came

' over the habits and morals of the people? To

see immense masses coming forward to say they were purified from the grossness that had so re- cently overwhelmed them—who did not feel the full force ofthat moral energy that, had forever dashed the poisoned draught of intoxication from their lips'! (Great applause, and “ one more cheer for the Teetotallers.”) I may, perhaps, be asked, why it is thatI do not myselfpractice what lpreach’l I have been always sober., I do confess I did entertain a very strong notion, indeed, to take the pledge, but then I considered that my doing so might be construed by some

‘ that it was for party or political purposes. (Hear,

hear, and cheers.) However, my mind is fully made up on that point. A cry may be raised against me, that what I preach to others, I am unable to practice within myselfi—Letevery man who hears me enquire of his own heart what power it wasthat urged forward this imposing

exhibition of moral control over the worst of A geunmuuu int».qu u": nut} in:

had been recently through four of the largest towns in the south of Ireland, and that not in a single instance had he seen a human being go into a public house, in any oftheni. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Other countries of the earth have been converted to Christianity, as ages roll on ; but in Ireland the conversions were simul- taneous, so that preachers ofthe word could not be had in numbers suflicient to give baptism to the converts ; and in the course of three or four years, all the land was a land of converts—and that miracle of Heaven has again been enacted here. A great moral change, general and uni- versal, has come over us, and I laugh to scorn all our calumiiiators when Ireland will thus be a land of morality. I 'have been led away by this topic, but it is a topic so intimately con- nected with that act ofjustice which we seek to obtain, that I could not refrain from thus advert- iiig to the subject.”

FAR. Nauru—Several British Whaling ships have proceeded as far north as within ten de- grees of the North Pole. In 18l6, several passed the 80th degree of North latitifde -—and according to the log-book of the Nep- tune of Aberdeen, that ship actually attain- ed the 82d degree.—It is said that the Prince Frederick of Liverpool, in 1765, commanded by James Bisbrown, actually reached the lati- tude of 83 40.—-’l‘liis is the highest latitude which has been attained.

RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT FOR COLONIES.

(From the London Colonial Gazette.) _ We have just received a little volume entitled

Responsible Government for Colonies, and pub- lished by RIDGWAY, with the following

ADVERTISEMENT 2

r “Exce taportion of the Introductory Chit tor and the Conc usion, which are chiefly new, the oIlovving papers are reprinted from a Series of papers, written yveek by week, for the Colonial Gazette, and published in that Newspaper in the months of December, January and February last. Though originally intended to [elu- cidate and apply a doctrine of Lord Durham’s Report, that had often been misunderstood and misinterpreted in the strife ofparty politics, the papers were based on principles ofthe widest range; and while their appear- ance has been welcomed in the Provinces of British North America, for their hearing on questions of the highest interest to those countries, the have been recei- ved with equal favour in the West In ies, as a contribu- tion to the cause ofgood government in all the Colonies. To aid in this object, and preserve them for reference, they are now collected, revised and published in a com-

pact form.” .

And a mOSt opportune publication it is, as will be seen by referring to the news from Nova Sco- tia and New Brunswick. In those colonies, not 1e5s than in Upper Canada, (all of them being free from the war of races which complicates af- fairs in Lower Canada,) the one thing'on which the people appear to be bent, is. Responsible Government as suggested by_Lord Durham.- In N0va Scotia the question takes a practical shape, and calls for immediate decision by the Home Government. The Assembly, disappointed in

0 ex ctations raised by Lord John Russell's illiaepatdlf of the 16th October, addresses the Crown for the removal of the. Governor. Thfi ground of this prayer is, that Sir Colin Campbe f has refused to carry into effect the instruction 0 Lord John Russell’s . _ his confidence to a body of executive ofiicers In‘ whom the Assembly has no confidence; and, therefore, the Assembly, being unable to procure a change ofMinistry, seeks to remove the quasar Sovereign. This is the revolutionary state 0 things which has generally, prevailed in Colo-

nic anarchy" necessarily occasioned by givmg representation and withholdingexecutive res- ponsibility. If the Governor had removed the unpopular officers, and appointed others enjoying the confidence of the Assembly, the Assembly would never have thought of praying for his I?- moval. But it seems that Sir Colin Campbell a “ reading of the despatch” differs from that of the Assembly; and he wishes Lord John himself to decide between them. They too refer the matter to Lord John, by praying for a new Governor who will read the despatch as they read it. And thus the whole question is brought before Lord John Russell for a practical dem- sion. He must give the Colonies his own read- ing of his own despatch.

That important document admits, no doubt, of several very different readings. All that it positively expresses, is authority to Governors to remove executive officers at pleasure. It thus placed at the mercy of Governors those Family Compacts who have hitherto been able to do as they pleased with Governors. It therefore gave Governors the power to choose Ministers from time to time, agreeable to the Representative body; but it did not direct them to pursue the policy of thus prOViding for harmony between the Executive and the Assembly. The authority bestowed upon the Governor was ample; but there really is not a word in the despatchexpres- sive of the object with which the authority was given, still less of the manner in which it was to be used. “I hereby,” says Lord John in substance, “ put an end to the system of Family Compacts ruling over Governors by means of their life tenure of office; I authorize you to dismiss and appoint whom you please.” But this is all. The purpose with which the new power was given to the Governor, is not merely left unexplained, but all allusion to it seems to have been studiously avoided. It might well happen, therefore, that an Assembly and a Gover- nor should differ, about the reading of this circu- lar.

What is meant by “ the reading," is the opin- ion as to the aim of the writer.‘ Now it appears to us that he might have had three widely dif- ferent purposes in view. First, supposing the despatch— to have been composed by Lord John Russell himself, and considering how long and how violently the question of Executive Res-

ppnsibilit had agitated the Colonies to whose overno it was anathema, .i... mus—z... :5

that it was designed for the purpose of enablin the Governors to appoint officers enjoying the confidence of the Assemblies. To this object it was completely apropos; and if this were not its object, then it was apropos to nothing. In this sense, therefore, it was almost universally received, and especially in the Colonies. But, secondly, there have not been wanting suspi- cious persons who imagined, that Lord John Russell’s only purpose in signing his name to the circular, was to frighten the Family Compact ofUpper Canada, to place them at the mercy of Governor Thomson, and thus to give him the means of obtaining from the Anti-Union Assem- bly an unconditional vote for the Union. It cer- tainly did enable him to do this, and was there- fore not quite apropos to nothing, though it would have appeared so at the time ifit had not been very applicable to the question of Respon- sible Government. Lastly, supposing the des- patch to have been written by Mr. Mothercoun- try, and merely signed without reflection by Lord John Russell, it may have been designed to render the Colonial Family Compacts subser- vient to Mr. Mothercountry, whose own tenure of office is still for life. That it might have that effect is obvious. The Governors are at all times but servants of Downing-Street; and the great power which it bestows on them must needs be wielded according to every bidding from hence. The official tenure for life of the Family Com- pacts has enabled them to assert a sort of inde- pendence of Mr. Mothercountry, and not unfre— quently to set him at defiance. The new authori- ty for the'Governors may only be meant as a new authority for him—to be exerted through the Governor: on the Colonial officials. In this view of the subject, the effect of the despatch would be to constitute a system of colonial government more than over like the bureaucracy of France or Russia, of which the Colonial Office would be the centre and Mr. Mothercountry the head. And this interpretation of the despatch is much favoured by observing the extreme care of the writer to avoid every thing like explanation or statement of the purpose with which it is written. However, the secret must soon be out. If Lord John Russell should take part with Sir Colin Campbell against the Assembly of Nova Scotia, all British America will understand that the despatch was not written with any view to the question of Responsible Government. It Will then hear one of the two other interpretations of it which we have here suggested. The colo- nists may take which they like best. Once more, steam for ever! This paper will go by the British Queen to-morrow, and reach Halifax and Toronto in three weeks. We say to our friends there—to all colonists in all parts of the world— mark Lord John Russell's course as to the As- sembly and ‘Governor of Nova scotia! The question of Respbnsible G‘oVerninem for Colonies has to be practically decided ndiv,°‘andperhaps'

for ever. ~ , , . .. 32¢;

despatch. He continues ’

nice with Representative Assemblies-Alia “chro— ’

HALIFAX, 27th MAY, 1840. ' t nant Governor has “igeduzdlgzudltgh tfhl‘tal:n tIigrtll‘flJet‘ilhen Russell, intimating rece _

' (it been in - Hzrr‘llglii‘jzstryailih Iiiiiv‘ie'i‘it Address of the House of Assam

ker' the th t r on by the Speit , _ bly’e lfddifigdeliber‘i):ran:mi¥i’etli without the intervenstljgln ol‘mflis Excellency, and the proceedingdb’t’eingciép‘gider, irregular, and inconvepient‘; airline Igzrbsehipl,r of Her ‘ ' ' tl re are 0 , ' . i'ig'éithv': (Ridgreslgntative in the Provincekthe Jig-Le; adIiJereiiee to those obllervlanccs tzd wvjfirh gngmibe ' ' indie utabocaim, a g . dixdgtid’ednwithmit derogating from the respect due to

‘ d uthoritv? . 1 h" 21:: :l‘so tariformed that Her Majesty’s Government

' His Excellent: 'I determi- :::l::Prfell.l:egflu::I:H;ot:l‘75, Address of tile hfltéuleczf Aswmbly {or "'9 cilanlge (gilizuiuIlflbglldiiiiisesanfiion Elena'iui'iiiigtlyliciiiiti yliuldistinczly Ii nified not; 511i: Excellency would not'liave acted. in con orrni’tly bill mi. Instructions, b making, on his own out on y, > change deman ed by the House.-G¢z.

(From the Nomacotian, June 3.)

The above would seem to be “ a heavy blow and great discouragement” to the popular party in Nova Scotia, and will, we apprehend, be read with surprise and disgust throughdut the British North American Provinces, save and except by those only who family the miserable system.of misgovernment which it is their desire to 'main— tain. For ourselves, we may say, that while we feel indignant enough that a course ‘of such pro- ceeding intended to save the feelings of the Governor, (for to ask a man to transmit an ad- dress complaining of himself, was to.ofI'er a needless insult,) should be characterized as “ unusual and irregular,” we cannot perceive the the consistency of a Government that, in the case of New Brunswick, received, wandered and approved an Address, transmitted precisely m the same way, and then urges this miserable

oint of form against a Colony, second to no other in loyalty, public spirit, and intelligence. Lord John ' Russell mistakes the stuff of which Nova Scotians are made, if he supposes they will be content with this evasion.

One oftwo things is evident—either that Lord John Russell does not intend that his own Despatch shall be anything but a dead letter, in Nova Scotia at least—that he intends to act upon Mr. Stewart's advice, and try how much she will bear; or that, believing the representati- ons sent thence, that the Governor would be sustained by a majority of the people, he has been advised to strengthen -his hands in this way, and let him dissolve the House under the most favourable circumstances. If the Governor can get a majority, then he will be all right—if he cannot, his conduct will be highly, approved of, but he will be withdrawn, and. another one sent out to pursue a more prudent policy. Our advice to the country then, is—trust not in Go- vernors nor Secretaries of State, but in your- selves—and remember that all now depends upon the Elections.

As regards the Address, it has done its work, though Her Majesty has not been permitted to and? . Imus becu, and will be read in all the Provmces; by the members of both Houses of Parliament; and by some portion of the British People—and it must elicit despatches and ex- planations, about which there can be no mistake, Ifthe system is to be changed, we care time for the approval of Sir Colin’s conduct—if it is not, Lord John may be assured, that it is not the last that will be written, and the rest will cer. tainly be sent through the proper channeL

/

PAPERS BY THE UNICORN.

House on Loans, May 4.—-Pursuant to a motion by the Lord Chancellor, Chief Justice Tindal advanced to the table, and stated that on the part of Her Majesty’s Judges he had the ho- nor to represent to their Lordships that they had all, with the exception of Lords Denman and Abinger, met together in Sergeants’ Inn, for the purpose of taking into consideration the several questions respecting the Clergy Reserves in Canada, which their Lordships had been pleased to propose to them,_and that after due discussion and consideration of the several subjects involved in these questions, they had agreed unanimously to the answers to be returned to them. The pur- port 'of the answers was, that they were all of opinion that the words “ a Protestant clergy," in the 31 Geo. III. cap. 31, are large enough to in- clude, and they do include, other clergy than the Church of England ;, and when their Lord— ships asked “ if any other, what other ’l" the judges answered, “ the clergy of the Church of Scotland,” They all agreed in opinion that the powers given to the Legislative Council and As- sembly ofeither province, by the 4lst sec. of the 31 Geo. III. cap. 31, were prospective only, and could not be extended to affect lands already al- lotted and appropriated under former grants, and that the Legislative Council and Assembly of Upper Canada had exceeded their authority in passing an Act “to provide for the sale of the Clergy Reserves, and for the distribution of the proceeds thereof,” and that the sales which have en, or may be, effected in consequence, are con- trary to the provisions of the Statute of Geo. III. ang‘zre 1tilliierefore vfo‘ig. ,

e arquis o estmeath asked the Noble Lord (Melbourne) whether the British Govern- ment had interfered to prevent the persecutions that had been inflicted on the Jew at Damascus. thguitardtlljleleournle yyas understood to say, that

n is onsu ' subjec‘. ad been applied to on the The Duke of Wellington has so rted in bi place.in the Lords, the conduct bifothe liritisli Superintendent_ in China, Capt. Elliot. Earl Stanhope’s motion, disapproving of his policy has been abandoned in the Lords, and Mr. Pail: mer, in the Commons. has abandoned a motion of which he had. given notice. for declaring that gluersiizure of opium was not a sufficient cause of

The Lord Adam; tin": mammalian.

ii- intended bill rosin. 21;:défichucmch question, to big ff.” .

dinbur h. It appears he proposes to gm Eongregagtions a right of repotmgvtbreo f V tees in succession, yWIlhOflt reasons, I subsequent ones onl on reasons, which my examinined by the eneral Assembly.

MURDER or

2. i5

bed, with his throat cut, on the morn'

M .’4 s icion has fallen upon‘bii 6th or y “SPwisl, named Cannot-imp“, ‘

ship’s/valet, a ' V. has/undergone several examinations.

he is the actual murderer, does 1:6th pear, but circumstances have lumping... 'v

extensive system of peculation from his Much property had been missed at «vault

and on the morning when the hon” at." discovered, the house presented tulmmw of having been entered by burglanyb," “"9, dence has been shown to prove that thisieotndf ‘_ have been the case: All the prove“, "heir a

the house, and in parts of it to which mm m the valet had access. , The.Tlm-eg sung-rm excitement produced in high life by the M

every hour,,,,p,articularl,y amon

seclusion.”

uncle of Lord John Russell.

is understood, taking measures to close his tensive concerns. Honour to Father Matthew

Land. .

Loan WILLIAM Rosana—'1'“??? I nobleman, aged 73 years, was found dud n ’ .2

prove that Courvoisier had been "magi-l, “11w .

several times, had been found ,secreted about *

ell”

ful event is almost unprecedented, and the feeling" ( of apprehension for personal safety inflating; those of that}, nobility and gentry who live in compnngi'fg The deceased nobleman (was “if? -

It is stated that there are now in Dublin, I. a: fewer than 16,000 puncbeons of Whisky, ih'e‘l property of large distillers. The celebration John Power, Esq., the most extensive and " bably the most wealthy distiller in Ireland, ‘ :3 v,

Sir John Franklin, the traveller, has . his office of Governor General of Van Diemob’s‘

v

L7 .515 , .

i.‘

J

f1? :

._

Mr. Morrison, the 501' disanl hygeist, died“

Paris on Sunday se’nnight.

The Bishop of Bruges lately consecnted'oW Ypres, the new Abbess of the Convent of Iricbt,

Benedictines.

She is a Miss J arrest of Londo‘m'r ‘-

TERMINATION or HOSTILITIES wr’rn Narnia. " —-The brief and bloodless war with Naples .'

terminated after the capture of a number, of

Neapolitan vessels, in the acceptance by the 3. King of the Two Sicilies, of the proffered medi- .,

ation of France. His Neapolitan Majesty

laid an embargo on British vessels, but it web '

in

removed in a fear days. captured Neapolitan vessels will be released, but this is not certain. carried on at Paris.

It is supposed that the, L The arbitration willb’a ,

A Lyons paper asserts, that the betterment i ‘

Syracuse had exchanged shots with and com- ‘ pelled the retreat of two British shipsof ,. ‘ that had chased under their guns two Neapolitan ' -. vessels.

Russu AND CIRCASSIA.-—-A letter. from Quinn, 1 Wallachia, the 13th ult., in'tho' Augsburg]; f

Gazette, statesthat the Circasdians have nevi: ‘ *

ly.

10

shewn so much resolution and coat-

' ' age I: ; I‘hey ’no longer confine themselves to.“ S, T