LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 5, Issue 217, 10 January 1861, Page 3

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

FATAL ACCIDENT. — A very melancholy occurrence took place in this neighbourhood on New Year’s day. A picnic party went out a few miles to the country to enjoy themselves. On their way home in the evening a cart, in which some of the party were, was overturned, and a boy of seven years of age, son of the Rev. David Hogg of this place, was so severely injured that he died about six hours afterwards. A daughter of Mr. Alex. Williamson also received so serious an injury in the back'that at first it was feared she might be lame for life; but we are glad to say that she is now considered out of danger, and likely to recover the perfect use of her limbs. The other children in the cart escaped without the slightest scratch. The accident arose from the driver shifting the bridle to get the bit into the horse’s mouth, a precaution which he forgot to take before he started. The horse, as a matter of course, started off on the blinkers being removed ; the driver (whose injuries are however slight) was knocked down, the wheel of the cart ran over his shoulder, and the cart capsized. Rarely has any accident made a greater sensation in the place, and the sympathy felt for the parents has been the keener from the absence of Mr. Hogg, who had left home for the restoration of his health, and has been recalled so unexpectedly, and in such mournful circumstances. An inquest was held on the body on Thursday last, when a verdict was returned,—“ that deceased met his death from the injuries received by the accidental overturning of a cart in which he was riding.” THE WONGA WONGA. -— We beg to draw attention to the alteration in the time of sailing of the Wonga Wonga from Wellington next week.

THE WEATHER. — After some very warm and genial weather a sudden change took place on Monday. The temperature fell, and a southwesterly wind set in, which blew strongly on Tuesday, and with great violence yesterday. It still continues, and must have done great injury to the crops.

PUBLIC MEETING ON LOCAL MATTERS.

A meeting was held on the 8th inst. at the Commercial hotel, W. Watt, Esq., M.P.C., in the chair. The chairman requested Mr. Paterson to explain to the meeting the object for which it was called. Mr. Paterson said, the meeting was called for the purpose of appointing a deputation to wait on his Honor the Superintendent, and bring under his Notice various matters important to the welfare of Wanganui and district. He then called the attention of the meeting to the necessity of calling His Honor’s attention to the rapid encroachments of the

river on the bank opposite the Hospital, and to devise means to prevent the same. Referring to the -Wanganui. Bridge, lie stated, that his reason for putting the bridge as a secondary matter was that unless the town was preserved the bridge would be unnecessary. The next matter he would call the meeting s attention to was the Reserves on the river bank, opposite the town ; lie believed some wanted to sell and some to lease for several reasons; he preferred leasing. Mr. Roberts next addressed the meeting. He stated that unless some public body was created to take charge of all our interests and husband them for the general good, it was useless to talk about town improvements; but he had no doubt had we a public body to look after the local requirements many im provemehts might be effected. Mr. Broughton entirely concurred in Mr. Roberts’ remarks, and stated lie had seen the Superintendent,, and, from } what he said, - lie had no doubt, he was quite willing to do all in his power to meet the wishes of the inhabitantshe had great faith - in His Honor’s abilities as well as his sincerity and readiness at all times to promote the welfare of Wanganui. , •

The following gentlemen were elected as the Deputation Messrs. George Roberts, William Patterson, John Cameron, James Broughton, senr., James Alexander, James Rpeed, and W. H. W att. . Proposed by Mr. Roberts —-That this meeting stand'adjourned until 7 o’clock on Thursday evening, to receive the report of the Deputation.

MEETING OF MR. FOX AND THE WANGANUI ELECTORS.

Mr. Fox addressed a portion of Iris old constituents on Thursday last, in the long room, Dunleavy’s hotel; T. Powell, Esq., in the chair. The large majority of the electors present were residents in the town, the Rangitikei and Turakina being represented by only one or two electors each, and even from the country districts nearest to JPanganui, such as the il/ataraua Valley, No. 3 line, we observed but few settlers present. Mr.- Fox addressed the meeting] for| more than an hour. It is impossible, with our limited space, to do more than give a summary of some of the leading points on which he touched. 1. The Inquiry as to the causes of the war —Mr. Fox had in the Assembly pursued the course he had indicated in his letter to his constituency ; he and his colleagues joined Mr. Carlton, of the Bay of Islands, in demanding an inquiry. Wluit they wanted was to get Mr. Parris before the house. He was the negociator of the sale of the disputed block, and the only party personally cognizant of the facts. The Governor had rushed into the war on the sole authority of Mr. Parris. The Government was afraid to produce him, and after promising Mr. Carlton not to oppose liis motion for inquiry, they did oppose it, voting for an amendment limiting the inquiry to Mr. McLean and Mr. Archdeacon Hadfteld, neithei of whom knew anything personally of the transaction. The refusal to grant a general inquiry proved that the Government was afraid to show their case. McLean promised to produce Parris’s journals to the house, and other documents which might throw light on the transaction; but lie never did, although during the session lie was at Taranaki, and could have obtained theni from Parris. The fact is, the Government knew that to produce Parris would have exposed the whole affair, and they preferred submitting to the imputation which the refusal justified, rather than run the risk of inquiry.

2 . Mr. Fox and his colleagues had been charged with opposing and impeding the progress of the war.-—This was entirely false. Zt is true they insisted on knowing why we were fighting; but they f?aid,—“ though the war is in our opinion an iniquitous one, and the responsibility of having got into it rests on the Government, yet the Queen’s supremacy must be maintained ; we must fight it out till King lays down his arms ! I” Neither lie nor his colleagues refused a single sixpence which the Government asked for the war. Mr. hitzherbert said, if you require £500,000 we are ready to vote it. Mr. Renall actually forced £25,000 upon them, which they had not. asked for, to pay the militia. No one felt the necessity of a vigorous prosecution of the war more than lie did. It was because the war had been conducted in the most feeble inconclusive and discreditable manner, that lie blained the Government. At the present rate it would never be brought to an end. He wished to see it ended. General Gold had |been blamed for his dilatory proceedings; jbufc it turned out that he was for 3 entire months prohibited by the Governor, jl/cLean, and the Ministers from striking a blow at IV . King. This absolved him from responsibility. We were told that a new General would soon put things to right. Had he done so? General Pratt arrived here in the middle of July——this was the 4th of January —what had General Pratt done ? Did they call this a vigorous prosecution of the war? Of all the wars in British History this has been thei most disgraceful: in its commencement, and the least creditable in its conduct and results. He was utterly ashamed of it and of . those who carried it on. ’ 3. He had opposed what were called the War bills—the Native Offenders' bill, the Arms bill, and the Militia bill.—The object of these bills was practically to place the northern island under martial law —to substitute the Mutiny act for the British Constitution.; Of-course lie opposed them, and was glad to say successfully. The first enabled the

Governor, by a scratch .of his pen, to place any district under the provisions; of, the act. The Governor must. relv for information on some peripatetic bush, justice some, subordinate official of small repute- —in; whose" hands the power of declaring war with the natives would practically be placed. From that time every person holding any communication with such district—reading a letter •froth., any person residing there, or writing a letter to such person—was liable to be convicted by .such bush justice in.a penalty of jSSOO for . tlie first offence, six; months imprisonment:for a second, and by the Supreme, Court to be for several years for a third. : There never was a more monstrous law.. Had,this act and the other, two passed, ..all Europeans must at. once have abandoned the: country, or been content to remain in it as. slaves under the lash of bush justices and. militia-majors. Tiie //rms bill wa3 an equally , ..atrocious measure. It actually imposed.a fine of some hundred pounds on a man for haying' in bis possession an old ramrod, or for lending a gun to his friend to shoot a pigeon. Most of its offences were, declared to be;.felonies—-hang-ing matters ; and most of its. pecuniary penalties were to be inflicted by a single bush justice, some without even information on oath ! He (Mr. F.) proposed to refer,*this bill to a select committee, but the Government refused to adopt, that reasonable proposition, and, carried the second reading. It, was, however, near the end of .the session, and by threats of opposition he compelled them at last to send it to a committee, which cut out all the obnoxious parts of the bill, and sent it back.to its authors in a shape which they would hardly recognize. The history of the Militia hill,yyss ridiculous It was one of the great war uneasures of,the Government, who ought to have?, taken their stand on such a measure as a muiisterial one, and fought for it through thick and thin. : But so indefensible an affair was it, that a single speech—nay, half , a speech—demolished it, and the Prime Minister dropped his pet measure as if it burnt his fingers. He then proposed another, but that fell eh’tirbly still born —never got the length of being printed. Mr. Weld then came to the rescueHvith his Militia amendment bill, and very 1 mild‘ the amendments were. However, he (Sir. F.) and his friends took pity upon him, and by the aid of his opponents Sir. Wefd got his bill through the house. There was not much in it, but on the whole -it was a slight improvement on the old laWj and might ease the burden of militia service till another session. .■

Mr. Stafford’s militia bill 'contained one most monstrous clause, which gave the Governor power to remove any militia 100 miles from its district. The object was to exempt the middle island men, and so hold out an inducement to them to vote'lorthe bill; they however rejected the bill with'indignation,,and saw through the contemptible trick.; 4. The Government locked- the stable door after the steed was stolen, and actually tried tr prevent the owner of the stolen horse from, saddling another to ride after the thief. —It was the Government which had armed the natives, and inspired them with 'confidence to go to war. Returns laid by the Government before the house proved, that' in the three years which followed the repeal of Sir George Grey’s restrictions on the sale of arms and ammunition the natives had purchased somewhere about £40,000 worth of these- articles! When Sir George Grey left they were practically disarmed; Governor'Brovtme and the Stafford ministry had armed- them to the teeth. But not content with arming the'natives, they actually disarmed the settlers. . After the date of the proclamation of martial law they allowed 1000 stand of excellent percussion muskets to be sent away J frOhi Aucklandto England. After the King agitation had assumed an alarming magnitude, they allowed another 1000 to be sent from : '/Wellington; and about the same date, the'"thunder muttering on the horizon, they actually sold in Auckland some 400 stand of arms,; reported by the military authorities as unserviceable, but the whole of which were sold :to the natives in condition quite good enough, he was assured, to shoot down any white mah they might come across. What would the" people, at .home think, when by the same ship, as carried to England 1000 stand of ariris, they received the Governor’s despatches imploring the Government to send out troops ? Would they not think we were mad in New Zealand ? And. yet to this prudent," sagacious government, we were told we might', safely entrust such powers as were proposed to be conferred by the Native Offenders bill, the Arms, and Militia bills!! * ; <*>’ -.*»■ •

5. Another subject of great interest was the Finance. . Mr Fox here Explained the action of the Wellington members in respect to the Eevenue Appropriation act and the Land sixths, particulars of which .have already been given in our columns. : 6. The downfall of the Stafford Ministry. —Nothing could exceed ; with which the ministry went dowii hill after its first defeat on the Native Offenders bill. Before the end of the session'it could have been turned out at any time, and had it not been near a general election would; have been so. The cause of its fall was; the conviction which grew in the mind of the ho,use,.that its whole aim and object is to destroy the Provincial governments —not by open, manly opposition, but by cunning, underhand devices, such as the New Provinces bill, which, under semblance of increasing the powers "Of self-government, breaks up the provinces, v and i: reduces -them to mere insignificant' dependencies* on the General government. This it ; was•>:.-which sealed, the fate, not only of the * ministry, but of centralism. Judging by the elections which are going on, the ccntralizing-iStafford ministry

will not have more than a dozen. suj>po rters V a house of 53 ; and, whoever may succeed them, it is certain that mo ministry hostile to Provincial governments, as they are, will ever again stand for an hour. Mr. Watt made the following motion,— “That this meeting, having heard Mr. Fox’s statement with regard to his conduct as our representative in the General Assembly, expresses its confidence in him, and begs to tender him their best thanks for his past services.”

He said, that he thought that the electors were much indebted to Mr. Fox for the manner in which they had been represented by him He was not a man that for any selfish end would betray the rights of the people in the smallest matter. He was honest and con sistent, and had never shrunk from what he considered to be his duty.. Although lie would now change his well known cognomen of the hon. member for Wanganui for that of Kan<jitikei, lie would still continue to represent us all the same; he was a bona fide settler, and had a large stake in the district, and the electors might rely on his doing his host at all times to serve them, and to maintain the constitution inviolate. He (Mr. W.) trusted, therefore, that this meeting would pass the motion he had brought before it. Mr. Speed asked Mr. Fox whether, at the opening of the late session, he would if called on have voted the money necessary for the prosecution of the war. Mr. Fox replied, that he would not have voted away any money until he understood to what object it was to be applied. The motion was seconded by Mr. 7/arper. ;

Mr. Speed said, that lie, along with a number of the electors, had confidence in Mr. Fox on every question except, that of the war, respecting which they thought his conduct had been such as to encourage the A/aories in their disaffection. The natives all along the coast from this to Wellington were more unruly now than they had been previous to this war, and he had no doubt it was owing to the encouragement given to them by the expressed opinions of the party Mr. Fox was in league with—Archdeacon Hadfield, Bishop Welwyn, and the Missionary party. Mr. Treweek. said, that he also differed from Mr. Fox on the war question. Sir Geo. Grey had certainly, as Mr. Fox said, passed a disarining act; but he had allowed King with 500 followers to return to Taranaki, and ever since that settlement had been in a state of turmoil. The money which should- have been employed in subduing the natives had been expended on institutions which had done them no good whatever. Mr. Fox seemed to think that if Mr. Parris, who was an honorable, intelligent well educated gentleman, had produced the documents respecting the negociations with Teira, the ministry would be con demned.

Mr. Fox— Mr. Treweek has misunderstood me. . I said, that Mr. Parris had not been brought forward as a witness, ami without his evidence no sufficient investigation could be made. Mr. Treweek—-The truth is, King’s friends have got him into a scrape, and they don’t know well how to get him put of it. He denied that the Taranaki people got up this war to get a bit of land. JFhen Mr. Fox referred to bush magistrates he (Mr. T.) did not know whether he meant .Europeans or Maories. He had always found that Maories managed well. The European magistrates he thought less of. He had lost a horse through them, and being now tired of riding on horseback thought of getting a jackass; but. the Wanganui people, had magistrates enough already. As for the ministry, the sooner it was capsized the better.

Mr, Geo, Roberts said, that as one of* those who had signed the memorial he could not agree with Mr. Fox on the war question. The Governor had been censured for rushing into a war without sufficient troops ; but after seeing how difficult it was for him to obtain assistance after the war had begun, how could they suppose that troops would • have been sent before the necessity for them was apparent ? Had they come in time there would have been no war; the natives would have been overawed. The contest was part and parcel of the King movement. The Wellington Independent had referred to Wi 7'ako as an authority on this question. But what did W\ Tako say when he came down the coast some months ago? He said the dispute arose about a woman; and it was only some time afterwards that lie took up the opinion regarding it lie now holds. He (Mr. R.) did not believe the Governor expected the dispute would assume the dimensions it has done, and he contended that when it had grown.to an alarming extent the object of all should have been to put it down. People did not inquire as to the origin of a fire until it'was.extin- ; guished. And now it was said the rebel natives should not be punished; he had been told that if a show of hands were taken in this room it. would be against confiscating the land of the Ngatiruanuis-—(No, no). Well, lie had been told so. For his part he thought such leniency would be quite misplaced. Mr. Fox said, that those who had spoken against the position he had taken in the war! question had done so very generally; lie would like to know more particularly what objections, they bad. ] Mr Roberts —I object to your makings inquiry as to the origin of the contest. The j time had not come for inquiry. It tied the | hands of the government, strengthened the hands of tke Maories, and encouraged W. King, who took the law into his own hands.

Mr. W. Powell then moved the following amendment, —

“ That believing the views advocated by Mr. Fox in the General. Assembly, regarding

thp .present war at Taranaki, were' not v accordance with the opinion of a majority | his constituents,' this meeting, is unable to join in a vote of confidence to bim.”

It was seconded by Dr. Gibson. Major Cooper rose to support it, but it was ruled by the chairman, thatn not being an elector he could not speak to it. On the motion of Mr. Lewis, however, he was permitted to address the meeting. He said, he had little doubt that Mr. Fox’s policy was in general approved of; but not so on the war question. That question was the question of the day. He himself did not go along with the general policy of the ministry; but because they took what he. thonglit the right course on this momentous question, lie would give them his hearty support if returned to the house of Representatives, lie considered that rhe settlers at Taranaki should .be supported and assisted. The war might have broken out at Wanganui instead of at Taranaki, and in that case the Taranaki settlers would have sympathized with and assisted as. Not only must they be assisted in quenching this rebellion, but a material guarantee must be obtained which will prevent any such rising in future. One of Mr. Fox’s colleagues had the other day declared, that he objected to the confiscation of any land at Taranaki, and he presumed that Mr. Fox was of the same opinion. Mr. Fox threw cold water on the war at its very commencement. He forced an inquiry while it was going on, a thing not at all usual at home. In the Crimean war, for instance, no inquiry had been made until after its close. If the electors voted for the motion they attacked the war policy. If they gave a general vote of thanks, they denied their own signatures to the memorial. Were murders and spoliation to be taken no notice of? It was their duty to see that the people who had been deprived of their property should be thoroughly supported, and compensation made to them from the lands of the natives. The conduct of the opponents of the ministry on this question had tended to raise the natives, and had given them increased confi- , uence, which was injurious to them. No one could feel more sympathy for the natives than himself. (Great laughter.) No one was more anxious for their welfare. But they should be dealt with openly and honestly. (Hear, i hear.) If you give into this vote (continued | the gallant Major) you oppose your own me- . morial, and I hope the people here will show P that they are thoroughly English. My own ' impression is, that Mr. Fox has allowed him- ( self to be drawn away from the right side by ! the strong bias be has toward bis own party. . He spoke of provincialism having been at- ’ tacked by the ministry in ’Auckland. 'There, however, the contest is between the city and the country, the Superintendent and his party taking all the money from the country for the improvement and embellishment, of the town ; i and the ministry, was, in reality turned out by a cabal.

Mr. Field said, the question seems to narrow itself into the propriety of the inquiry as to die origin of the war. Had there been no inquiry we should not have known the proper time at which to bring, the war to a close—(a voice: When die nativ.-s lay down their arms.) —neither should we have known what terms to dictate. The justice or iujustice of the war lmd an'important hearing on its termination. If the natives were in the right ami the Governor wrong throughout, we ought to be ready to make peace at once on any terms. If it were doubtful, and the right and wrong evenly balanced, we ought to be content to replace things as they'were,or to gain some small advantage. But if the Maories were clearly wrong we might justly ciairn ample compensation. He thought, therefore, an investigation was necessary, and that the Wellington members were right impressing for it. Mr. Fox rose and remarked, that with reference to what Major Cooper .had said in regard to his (Mr. F.’s) objecting to compensation being obtained from the natives, the gallant gentleman had never made a more unfortunate mistake. He was standing for an Auckland constituency, but he would require to obtain more accurate information regarding the proceedings of the late session before he spoke of what any particular member of it had done. It was Major Cooper’s own friend and political colleague, Mr. W. E. D. Stafford; prime minister, who had, of bis own accord, without being asked for “his opinion, declared that he would never be a party to taking land .flora the Ngatiruanuis as compenpalioi for the injuries they had inflicted ; and this opinion met with a general concurrence in the .house., He (Mr. F.) thought that allowance sli aild be made for the peculiar circumstances of WKing—but that a great distinction might be made between him and the Ngatiruauuis, He could not express his sense of the unfair manner-in. which-Major Cooper had indirectly charged him with want of sympathy, for the Taranaki sufferers. He hoped that lie was not so deficient in generous feeling, in common humanity, as not to sympathize deeply with their sufferings, and do all iu his power to relieve them, //is colleagues and himself had frequently so expressed ..themselves, in thehouse, and lie. considered it ungenerous to accuse them of indifference. Major Cooperhad also said, that the present ministry would carry on the war with greater,, vigour than those who aspired to succeed them. 'Ubafc activity, had they shown ? There never had been a war carried on by British troops in so inert and disgraceful a manner. If he (Mr. F )was in the ministry to morrow he would push on the war with the utmost vigour. He denied that there bad been any cabal formed against the ministry ; all parties in Auckland had combined against them. It was the persuasion tint the ministry were in m under

. hand and insidious manner doing all they could to undermine and destroy provincial institutions, that led to their downfall and destruction. < _ Major Cooper here handed Mr. Fox a letter, asking what authority he (Mr. E) .had for certain statements he had made in the house of Representatives ; regarding the /Fanganui militia. Mr. Fox said, the expressions referred to were uttered in the course of the militia debate; the authority he had for the statements Was the Wanganui Chronicle and some tetters I had received from private 'friends. I told ■ the house my authority, and on the supposition that the information was correct censured the Government for appointing such officers. Mr. Stafford, with that gentlemanlike feeling for which I have given him credit, and which he sometimes shows, rose in his place and said, that in the province of Wellington the officers appointed wereVn'otT'fcn'ch as the Government could approve of, and, that no such mistakes would again be made. And (continued Mr. Fox) I here express my astonishment that the militia officers, on reading this remark (for it was printed in the Auckland papers) did not nt once tender their resignations. (Great cheering.) Major Cooper—My reason for saying that the present ministry would carry on the war .with greater activity than any other was the report of a meeting held at Auckland by certain members of the house, as given in the New Zealand Advertiser of 29th Dec., which I would be obliged by the chairman reading. It is there stated, that it was proposed at the meeting to stop the war by suing W. King for peace. Here was read copy of a letter from Mr. King (a General Assembly member for Tara-, naki) giving an account of a meeting held at > the Royal jp/otel, Auckland, at which Mr. Fox was present, and at which resolutions were proposed, the bearing of which was, “that a deputation from the house should be sent to. Wiremu Kingi, to state that the war < had been entered into by the Governor on his sole responsibility, and contrary to. the wishes of the colonists, as. represented in the, great * runanga,’ or council of the settlers, and to ; endeavour to bring about an immediate peace.” Mr. Fox said, that the meeting referred to had taken place three or four months ago

7’he Wellington members were invited to sit, but took no part in the proceedings. They stood with their backs to the wall in perfect silence while it lasted, and came away when it was finished. There was not a word of truth as to such resolutions being proposed. He (Mr. F.) believed that the resolutions brought forward proposed the sending of a deputation to the Governor to consult with him as to obtaining peace. Mr. Wilmot Powell here said, that Mr. Fox was leading the meeting away from the only question of importance—-the war question. It had been said that Mr. Fox would he able when he came to bring them over to his side; but they were not children, and were determined to show they had opinions, of their own.

Mr. Watt said, lie would not detain, the meeting by replying to the various speakers, but would make a few remarks on the most important points in the debate. The first great gun fired had been the memorial. Now, on looking over it he found several names of men who were not electors, and a good many others whose names appeared in it, had since signed the letter which had been sent tp. Mr. Fox expressing confidence in him, Mr. Roberts objected to an inquiry being made. The Governor was evidently not prepared for war, and it was the height of folly to. begin it until lie had obtained support. The settlers were unarmed, and might have been massacred throughout the colony. Had the war arisen from a circumstance like the contest at Wan-

ganui, not a settler but would have been ready

to shed his blood in defence of his fellows. The justice of our cause should have been thoroughly ascertained before an appeal was made to arms. Who was responsible for the blood of the Taranaki settlers ? It was the Governor rather than the natives —(a voice : Hadfield). Although he believed the war had

been entered on without proper consideration, be would not vote for peace until proper terms were obtained. Mr.. Treweek, in the remarks

made by him, no doubt thought himself facetious and clever. He stated, like Mr. Roberts, that inquiry was needless before the affair was concluded. He (Mr. Watt), on the contrary, thought that inquiry was necessary while the contest was going on, and he knew Mr. Treweek, in his business, did not allow things to remain till they were finished before he inquired about them and kept them right. No ; the proper time to. look after your servants, is before or while they are working, not when they have finished doing the mischief. Major Cooper tried to work on our feelings confiscation, he said, should be adopted. But if such a step is to tend to the loss of my life, what good will confiscation do to me ? I feel as much for the Taranaki sufferers as ibfajor Cooper; but don’t let us attempt to compensate them in a way which may do great injury to ourselves. It is much to be lamented that so many of " those who clamour for the continuance of the war should be persons inter*, ested in keeping up the contest. But the war will be brought to a close, I trust, soon, and then will come on the question of centralism and provincialism. Let us see to it that we keep the power in our own hands, that we do not let it be usurped by a centralizing government, and then we shall be able to avoid war and live peacefully with the natives, as there is no difficulty in doing if they are treated fairly and firmly. A show of hands was then taken by the chairman, but as he could not decide which

had the most, a division took place, and the amendment was lost by 47 to 42.

SCOTLAND. (From ottr own Correspondent. J Edinburgh, Oct. 10th, 1860. The poet. Cowper says, “ ’tis pleasant from the loopholes of retreat to look on such a world.” Had .Cowper lived in Edinburgh at this pre-ent time, he would have found that there is, now-a-days at least, no such thing as a “loophole of retreat.” We are pursued everywhere by the wind ; there is nothing too high for it and nothing too low for it, no place so hidden and cozy as to escape its ravages. It has been away out on the sea playing the most fantastic tricks and committing the most fearful ravages. On land it has been blowing down the sturdiest trees and stripping the greenest stalks of corn, knocking down chimneys, driving out windows and window panes, and exposing the most sacred secrets of the domestichearth to the gaze of passers by. We have had an awful time of it, and if it does not “ take a thocht and mend,” it seems to me as if this wind will blow us all out of the country. Some of us indeed wish we were; we would like exceedingly 'to wake up some fine morning and find ourselves beside you, with the happy prospects of your rising colony ; but then, these Afaories 1 Well, there’s some thing everywhere, as has been very frequently said before.

It has now beet) ascertained for a fact that the harvest will not he finished this year. In several Moorland districts the green and leeklike colour is still strong upon the standing corn, and the f.iinn ra in these regions are in disgust and despair. Still, however, on the whole there has been a good harvest, and the crops have been got in in wonderfully good considering,” as the man said. And on this account we are all asking who is keeping the markets up ? iFlio ever heard of potatoes selling at ,£65 the acre? They are plentiful, were planted in large quantities, and are entirely free from disease, a thing which has not been since 1846. It. is said that they have been grievously spoilt in the ground by the extraordinary floods with which we have all been favoured more or less this year; and this accounts for their enormous price.

In the western metropolis the Social Science /Association has been holding its meetings last month, and a great stir they have made ; but as they come under the personal observation of one of your correspondents I leave the subject, in his hands.

in Edinburgh we have been holding a number of meetings in the prisons and streets and churches in connection with the Revival movement, which to a greater or less extent, has been going forward for the last two years in this country.. Some of the meetings were well attended, but I do not imagine that, the results have been very great. 7’he columns of a journal like yours is not the proper place to discuss this subject at length, though I feel it inviting, and I daresay all will confess.it to be important. I may remark, however, that the feelings of the majority of good peop'e here seem to be,TT-\Ve need a TJevival of religion, we are willing to work for a Hevival of religion, hut how are we t > begin anil how go forward? And then, in connection with open air services and special meetings, there is the thought of absurdities and extravagances, which have had a most unhealthy effect* and gone far to make the word Revival a reproach ; in fact, so much is this felt, that the term has been almost abandoned, and the promoters of works of this kind call them by the name of tiie Religious movement, or .Evangelical effort, or something of that sort.

We ha ye also Iwil a good deal of excrement in connection with the Annuity, tax. Your readers are aware that this tax was levied on a portion of the population of Edinburgh for the support of the city clergy of the Established church. It was being continually objected to, arid payment very frequently refused, and the most scandalous scenes of riot and imprisonment taking place. Some d>j.-cte ion the ground of conscience, and others on the ground of no conscience—i.e., they had nothing to do with religion, and had no wish to pay for the religion of others. Various proposals !have been made to remedy this state of tilings, and it was fuund us' difficult to get all'parties to agree to a measure of settlement as it is to get all sects united on a common scheme of National education. At last the Lord Advocate has brought iu and carried a bill for its final settlement—=as we thought, but most raistakingly. He has lessened the amount, but extended the operation of the tax ; moreover, he has made it part of the police rates. Dissenters, who are conscientiously opposed to the payment of the tax, feel insulted and agif it were merely the amount: to which they objected, and not the principle on which, and the purpose for which, it is raised. If I give a penny against my conscience / may as well give a pound, unless I am a mere mercenary creature—r-and this the Zord Advocate by this bill has declared voluntary dissenters to be. I don’t know what the state of feeling with you on this subject is, but for my part t am an out and out free trade man; I wish nobody to be taxed for my religion, and will not be taxed to pay for other people’s. the folk just do with their ministers as they do with their one choose and pay for his own; and ; that’s what I call fair play to all parties..

ITALY. Battle of Castelfidardo. —Letters from Ancona give a different account of the battle of Castelfidardo from' that, imblished in the Turin papers. It was at ten ; o’clock on the morning; of the 18th that the battle commenced. The Papal ,troops had made a forced march of sixty leagues in; six. days. The Sar-

diniari army'not only blocked the road to' Ancona, but likewise occupied with artillery the heights commanding it. Tiie cavalry had taken up a position in the valley and on the sides of the hills, : General de Lamorioiere was forced to pierce through the Sardinian troops! Certain positions were taken and retaken three times; and some of the advancing column burned their last cartridge. The Piedmontese believed that General Lamoriciere and the remainder of his small army must have been captured after the greater part had been cut down with grape shot It was then Eamoriciere, taking the lead, commanded a charge with the bayonet, and suoceeded in cutting through the compact mass, and thus attained his object-—ah entrance into Ancona with a part of his army. The loss was very great on each side. • The Franco-Belgic battalion lost three-fourths of its’men. Those conscripts, for the first time under fire, fought like veterans! ; ;

Fal£ of Ancoxa -wOu the 28th Sept, the bombardment by the fleet had taken effect on the forts, and on . the morning of the 29th General LamOriciere sent two envoys to General Fanti, when the articles of capitulation were drawn up ; the Pope’s French General and all that remained of his mongrel army being prisoners in the hands of the Sardinians. It is added that into their hands also has fallen the portfolio of the Papal commander-in-chief, containing documents of the most compromising ! character, affording damaging proof of the Papal authorities, and their General having been engaged in intrigues with the French Legitimists and even the Bed republicans against the rule of Napoleon the Third. The story is almost too black for belief; and the account of its disclosure at all events is open to doubt, for, as the capitulation was; effected deliberately, it is hardly likely that General Zamoriciere has shown so little of the wisdom of the serpent as to have left .such, traces of his tortuous doings. One hundred and forty guns and 700,000 f. have fallen into the captors’hands. The fallowing is an extract from a letter from Mr. Edwin James, dated, Maria, Sept. 2]. 2’he repulse sustained by Garibaldi’s. troops on Wednesday may and probably will be retrieved by future successes ; but it Was a reverse, and a serious one—not so much from the fact that raw troops were compelled to retire before the murderous fire of the Neapolitan artillery, but as proving a total want of organisation and discijs(ine among a considerable portion of bis and their incapability to contend against disciplined troops. That. General Breslau was deficient in military skill; tout he allowed that which was intended as a mere feigned attack upon Capua to become an actual attack upon such a fortress without any artil.ery at his!command ; that he exposed young troops to a cruel and murderous fire for hours, against which many of them stood firmly and courageously ; that he ought and probably will have to answer for these defaults before a court-martial may be true. But the fearful panic which spread through the troops at the sight of Neapolitan hussars issuing from Capua, covering artillery, and approaching the gate of Santa Maria,, and which spread like a ‘fire in the prairie’ to other regiments, who had not even seen the wild flight led by officers, who seized the carriages intended for the wounded, and galloped wildly through the streets of Santa Maria, along the high road to Caserta! -"-soldiers who left the toad instead of forming to resist the attack, and ran across the fields and through vineyards!—these scenes, which I witnessed, convinced me of a want of discipline, organisation, and of courage, which will demand the earnest attention of the great chief in the remodelling the large number of soldiers who have voluntarily joined his standard. Capua may capitulate or may fall; the prestige of his name, ‘ Unmusical to Volscian ears,’

in ay do, as it has done, much ; Gaeta may i surrender, the King may fly, and probably will; but the moral effect upon an army produced by the, events of Wednesday last is not. in a moment removed." Garibaldi retrieved these reverses on the : 2nd Oct., in the battle of Volturuo, full details of which show that it was a great victory. ; won against great odds, and under circumstances when defeat would have been in a high degree disastrous. The attack by the (loyalists, which was more or less a surprise to Garibaldi’s forces, was made with 30,000 men; and the Garibaldians, even after their full strength, had come up, which was.not for some hours after the beginning of the fight, did not, exceed half that number. Till to wards mid-day the result was doubtful; and there is little or no doubt that, il the victory had been with the royalists the King would have been in tlife capital within a few hours—? so imminent indeed did that event appear that many of the fickle city population were preparing for his Majesty’s reception by pulling down the Garibaldi insignia from their houses. The victory was so dearly wen, and the disaster so narrowly escaped, that Garibaldi has obviously been impressed with the necessity not only of giving more of his own exertions to the field and less to the council, but also of obtaining greater military strength and hurrying the campaign to a''conclusion.. It is stated that Count A rrivabonne, the special correspondent of the Daily ews, was killed in this battle; “•/is far as Garibald’ himself is concerned," says a letter, “ lie seems to unite in his own ; person mpre great and good qualities than has i ever, before faflein to the lot of one man. He ( makes time; for every tiling-: and everybody—- . whether it be for the army, for diplomacy, oi; . for the care and interest of individuals. His [ patience and kindness are inexhaustible. On . Sunday night, about thirty countrymen of, the

middle class went into Caserta and,demanded an audience of the General for the purpose of ; offering him some good advice. He admitted them all, although after a hard day’s work, and heard them with a patience which might possibly have been better bestowed. A volunteer, a Sicilian, informed one of our party that lie bad lost his father and three brothers in the war, and that he still wished to continue in the service, but Garabaldi, hearing of the circumstances, would not permit it. A lady of my acquaintance went up to Caserta a few days ago, with her two daughters, to inquire after a friend. Garibaldi was passing by at r the time, and asked if he could assist her. She replied she wanted a guide to take her to the hospital. He immediately invited the party into the carriage, and took them over the hospital, conversing with, complimenting, and consoling the sick and wounded in their beds. 7it this way he spent an hour and a half with the lady, telling her, in-con-clusion, that she should have free admission to the hospital and palace whenever she wished / must, however, 'add that the lady is handsome, and that the General has an eye for good looks, as all good Generals have.” Lamentable conflicts have raged in Naples between the republican and monarchical fac tions, and Garibaldi has oscillated between them. The Cavourite party has been in the ascendant since the 12th, when the alarming public demonstrations were made in Naples against the Mazzinians. Mazziui left Naples on the order of the Pro-dictator. The Marquis de Pallaviaciui la- been received with enthusiasm in the Roman States. At the head of his army he is marching for Naples, which city he would enter about the 29th October. It is here* apparently, and at. Gaeta, that the final struggle will take -place ; north of Apples there seems little opposition, and frequent, welcome, to the arms. 700 British Volunteers have arrived, # aml have been sent to the front.

Voting for annexation with Sardinia commenced on the 21st, and is almost unanimous, yiie proclamation of the result is to take place on the day after the entrance of King Victor Emmanuel. Garibaldi will then resign his dictatorship, and retire.

The Sardinian Parliament assembled on 3rd instant, to adjudicate between C’avour ami Garibaldi. The. A/inisterial policy was sanctioned l>y an immense majority. 7’he annexation of the iJoinan States is authorised. Cavour has declared Borne to he the designed metropolis of Italy, and counsels patient delay in acquiring possession. Any further cession of territory to France was solemnly repudiated. 25.000 French troops liave garrisoned Rome,, and the chief town of the districts known as the patrimony of <St. Peter. Their mission is to be limitted to enforcing respect for the “ patrimony of .St. Peter”—a phrase -which embraces Pome, Civita-Yecoliia. and Viterbo, and covers a population of four bun dred and twenty tl| ( .u<-a»d persons. This intimation derives additional force . from the fears expressed by Cardinal Antonelli, ia his appeal, for aid, that Viterbo was-in danger ; and that the French Emperor means to carry out liis purpose with his usual energy is further indicated by the intimation that Marshal Vaiilant; “-The defendersf ifome in when lie took it from Garibaldi-~-will, in case of need be placed at the head of the army of occupation. The gallant Marhead and the no le»s gallant Garibaldi have thus a chance of finding their former positions there reversed ; the latter attacking instead of defending the city. It is rumoured that the'Pope is determined to go to Minorca and if he quits the Eternal City safely and in peace, the chief excuse for tiie French occupation would disappear, though as the imperial phrases now include the seat as well rs th.e person of the Pope fresh doubts are raised on this subject al o • .

7’iie Pope has withdrawn his Nuncio ffcoin Paris.

Diplomatic relations have been entirely suspended between Russia and /Sardinia, in consequence of the entry of the latter into Naples. English ami Prussian ambassadors are the only foreign representatives that remain in 7’urin.

I he Frankfort Journal says that a movement of troops is proceeding on a vast scale in Austria, with as little noise as possible. Heavy trains full of soldiers and war materials are forwarded by night, and pass through the capital without stopping. 7’he Universal Gazette says that 20,000 men have been forwarded to /taly sinee the invasion of the Marches by piedmont, and that the directors of the >'outhern Railway have been ordere. to. prepare for the transport of 15,000 men during the week: By the last intelligence we learn that 150,000 Austrian troops were stationed on the River Po, and that a collision with the /Sardinian forces is immediately expected. Austria is fully prepared' for eitiier the offensive or defensive, and has made immense additions to her already strong fortifications in the Quadrilateral.

The Sardinian army has likewise been considerably augmented. An 'order'.has been issued by the Military Governor of the unfortunate Austro-Italian city for tine extinguishing of the lights on the Littorals, because Garibaldian agents had. been secretly exploring and sounding the Laguues by night! ■ “ Private and trustworthy accounts from the island of Sardinia speak- of the commencement of manoeuvres by a secret agency there for promoting a movement, in. favour of annexation to France, in the same maimer and by the same means as were ; employed by French emissaries in Savoy and Nice!”