THE COUNTY OF PERTH HERALD, STRATFORD, WEDNESDAY, i a Sh AGRA 2 Ob Ni = MAY 25, 1864. "Who's the Duke of Bucking- ham." To the Editor of the Herald. Sin.--The following is a copy of a letter which was picked up near the Post Office, Stratford. The rightful owner can have the original by proving property and paying charges, on appli- cation to i Yours respectfully, CoprerHeaD Brutus. Tuumpscrew Hovss, { Land of the Free, 24th May, 1864. To His Mightiness the Duke of Buckingham. Dear Micurrzss.--I duly received your ap- plication for a Consulship to represent Colum- bia's sons in that benighted part of Victoria's dominions at present favored with' the beams of your illustrious countenance. By the same mail I also received a good endorsement of your loy- alty from the proprietor of my organ at Toronto. "Ihave been a constant reader of your valuable paper, the Rattlesnake, ever since my attention was drawn to its merits by my friend Brown. I need not say how much I admire the easy sir plicity of your imagination. One would almost think you had been trained in our own semina- ries of editorial literature. I am glad to see you so" wellup" in natural history. Cats is Sustrate, and donkeys is quite original. There is no real novelty in describing a man as a smoked Irishman. Abuse a man by comparing him to a long eared animal and there is no fear of the compliment being returned. I laughed so much over your last paper that it nearly re- minded me of another joke. I will bet a thou- sand dollars in Greenbacks that you have shut up one Copperhead for the remainder of his Ge Your articles on our own great country are worthy of the pen ef the great Mackenzie, who for so many months partook of our Republican hospitality at Rochester. All your sympathies seem to "kinder slide" to-ward the " home of the free and the land of the brave." You know how to make a better selection of war news than even our own enlightened editors. I have no fault to find with your general manifestations of loyalty, except that I think you sometimes puff old Grant a leettle too much. He is a tough old cuss, but he a'int fit for President. Between you and me he might get popular, if he was to strike a big blow at the rebellion, and gobble up my old friend Davis. Such a catastrophe would take all the wind out of my sails. If he were to get into power he might overlook your claims toa situation, because he has not had time to read the last two or three issues of your valuable Rattlesnake. Maybe, I shall manage the nomi- nating convention, which I have arranged, shall as far as possible be composed of Postmasters and Generals, who are indebted to me for the shirts on their backs and the rags in their pock- ets. I hope, Duke, you will speak a good word for me--George is doing his very best at Toronto. I need all the help I can get, and promise to create a sufficiency of Offices to sup- ply all demands. This reminds me that Ihave not yet come to the main object of this letter, which is to answer your application for the Consulship at Stratford. The importance of such an appointment has been made known to me by an underground agent, who reports that several suspicious looking iron clads have recently been fitted out and launched upon the navigable waters of the Avon. Two of these vessels of war are the property of men, who have-been heard to utter sentiments. deci- dedly of a revolutionary character towards the chief magistrate of the best government in the world. I have no doubt of your eminent fitness to look after my interest in your disloyal neigh- borhood, but would you not like, my dear Duke, to be a little nearer my throne. I fear the imme- diate appointment to a Consulship might, in some measure, dim the effulgent lustre of your editorial intellect during the coming struggle for the Presidency. Go on working in my behalf, and if the Presidential battle is successful, I can exercise my gracious favor by bestowing an office you are better fitted to fill than any trumpery Consulship--your mightiness shall be my own private Secretary. Your Mightiness' obedient servant, : OLD ABE. The Daughters of Poland. Paris, 6th April, 1864 While Europe is witnessing with almost in- difference the life-and-death struggle of Poland, the people of that ill-fated country are resisting with untiring energy against the overwhelming forces of their cruel oppressors. The noble acts of self-sacrific are accomplished in silence, and every effort is made to assist those who combat for liberty. Treasures long hoarded up, the prudent provision made for age and infirmity, the maiden's portion the widow's dowry, and the orphan's only support, are generously given to the general fund, and the donors often un- hesitatingly exchanged wealth and indepen- dence for want and distress. But of all the proofs of devotedness and love of country, the most touching, by far, are those that have just been made by people of every class in life in that heroic nation, in sending their jewels to Paris to be sold for the benefit of their suffering countrymen. Ihad the privilege of seeing those precious relics yesterday, just as they had arrived from Poland, from whence they were brought by a few patriotic Polish ladies, concealed on their persons and in their dresses. The Princess Dowager Czartoryski, whose life has been one act of charity, showed me, with tears in her eyes, these precious treasures, amounting in number to over six thousand ob- ects. They are to be exhibited and sold in her splen- did salons, for the wounded soldiers and the orphans and widows of those who have fallen in this unequel contest. I counted nearly two thousand rings of every possible description. There was the peasant girl's and the noble lady's the simple marriage rings and the richly ornamental one, with armo- rial bearings and precious diamonds. Some had portraits, souvenirs, words of sorrow or joy, of promise or hope, partly effaced by time, or of recent date. There were hundreds of bracelets and necklaces,and a varied collection of carrings, brooches,and chains of every shape and fashion adopted in high and humble life for long years past. There were watches in numbers, from the old timepiece that had figured at the Court of Poland's last king, and that had marked the hours of her century of agony, to the perfect in- strument of the present day, destined (would to Heaven it were so), perhaps, to mark the hour of her glorious resurrection. Precious,gems ob- jects of art, arid a thousand nameless trinkets and ornamentswere mixed up on the tables, where the noble Princess and her charitable friends were assorting them for the great sale fixed for the end of the month. Heaven alone knows what pangs were felt, what tears were shed, by those who gave the best souvenirs of a parent's, a brother's, a child's, or husband's love : who tore from their hearts and bosoms trea- sures which neither want nor distress would have forced them to part with, but which they generously give for the brave defenders of their country and their homes. What a tale of poetry, of love, and sorrow, does the past history of those glitt-ring orna- ments, and their present and future destiny, throw over them. How sad to think that those who prized them so much, and mourn for their loss, will never see them again! If cold states- men and prudent diplomatists could witness such heart-rending scenes, they would, perhaps, feel some throbs of compunction, and some doubts of the justice of that policy which leaves a nation, once the bulwark of civilivation, to perish in a just and honourable struggle against barbarism and oppression. Be gah 2 a ee Arrival of the " Peruvian." Porr au Basgug, N. F-, May 20. In the House of Commons on the 11th, Mr. Baines moved the second reading of the bill reducing the franchise in boroughs to six pounds for householders. After a debate the measure was defeated by 277 to 216, amidst loud cheering from the Conservatives. The British Channel fleet on the 12th left the Downs and returned to the westward. Mr. Gladstone had made an important speech in the House of Commons on Mr. Baines Reform Bill yesterday morning, so far as even to advo- cate manhood suffrages. The Liberal journals are jubilant over Mr. Gladstone's position, and regard this defeat as the commencement of a great Reform victory. A special telegram from Helingsland, 10th, says that in the naval engagement there was 170 killed and wouaded on the German side, while the Danes had 53 wounded and only one killed. ~ The German squadron is at Cuxhayen.--The Danes had left for Norway. The Times correspondent at the Danish head- quarters says the whole disposable force of the Danish combatants is only 24,000, while the Austrians and Prussians in Denmark numbered 80,000. The allies compelled 2,000 inhabitants to assist in demolishing the fortifications at Fred- ericia. ; FRANCE. M. Rouber, in the Corps Legislatiff, had been defending the Government from the recent at- tacks in the speeches of Iris and Beerrurr. He fully acquiesced in the policy of peace. He said peace was in the hands of France, and France would only open that hand when compelled to defend her honor and the inviolability of her frontiers. He hoped now fora pacific solution of the conflict of north Europe. He considered that the Mexican question hada very reassuring aspect and was fruitful in its results. The Italian Parliament had been debating the foreign policy of the Government and strong denunciations were uttered against the continued Papal Government of Rome.--No action was taken. . POLAND. It was reported that six innocent young Poles at Opatow, while walking on the street, were arrested and hanged on the same gallows, with- out trial. . The Emperor and Empress of Mexico had reached Madeira on the 29th of April, and sailed again the same day for Vera Cruz. The King of Dahomey, with a large force, had attacked Affiakuti, and was repulsed with a loss of 100 killed. The Position oftie Danish Question. The conquest of continental Denmark by the German armies may now be looked upon as com- plete. Everything but the sandy wastes which form the northern extremity of Jutland has passed into their possession. Not content with occupy- ing the principal places of the Peninsula, and quartering troops on the inhabitants, Field- Marshall Von Wrangel has, if report be true, seized eleven persons and sent them to Prussia to be detained as hostages until the payment of an extravagant war contribution. At the same time it is avowed that the allies demand from Denmark a sum to cover the expenses of the war ; in other words, that Denmark is to be com- pelled to pay for the movement of the troops that have despoiled her. Amid such events it is little comfort to be told that the Austrian ships of war which have been hurried round from the Mediterranean have no immediate intention of going to the Baltic, or that we have a fleet which is capable of pursuing them. In the case of an attack on the Danish islands, no doubt the Channel Fleet could interfere with effect ; but as long as the Germans keep to the Peninsula there seems nothing to stop them in their career of spoliation. It is in these circumstances that the Conference resumes its sittings, and that this country will make its last efforts to induce the two Powers to pay respect to their eugagements. That the remonstrances of our representatives Will be successful we have little hope. The designs of the two Powers, whatever they may be, will be carried into effect, and if they tend to a European war the curse must light on the heads of their authors. We do not pretend to forsee the future, but it requires no great acute- ness to discern that a movement has begun in Northern Europe which will lead to changes more important than any since 1815. By the fanaticism of the German people and the rivalry of their Sovereigns the old combinations of Europe have been more broken than by the events in the East ten years ago, or by the Italian Re- volution. It is even now difficult to understand the real forces which have been at work in this de- plorable conflict. At the bottom, no doubt, there is the strong movement among the Ger- man people, the most extraordinary agitation which has affected them in our time. The ha- tion, ordinarily so tranquil under the hands of power, particularly with respect to its relations with foreign nations, had been filled by some twenty years of angry discussions, with a hatred of the Danes, which burst out as soon as one of its Princes gave the signal. The present gener- ation has grown up to hear little but of the wrongs and the essential unity of Schleswig and Holstein. All the young men, from the Crown of Prussia downwards, are anti-Danes, and at- tach to the petty questions about the Kiel Uni- versity and the school-masters of mid-Schleswig an importance with those who know their apathy in affairs of greater moment can ill understand. It would be unjust, however, to suppose that the present war has been made by Sovereigns, or that it represents only Royal ambitions and mi- litary restlessness | Sucha man as M. Von Bis- mark would not have gone into it unless there had been a real enthusiasm of which advantage could be taken. The war is popular, and would have been even more popular if it had been car- ried on by the minor States as champions of the Prince of Augustenbarg. 'The Germans really believe that by punishing the tyrants of the Duchies they vindicate the rights of the Confed- eration, and fill the great Empires east and west with respect for their valour and power. It isa singular hallucination, but it exists, and as a real national feeling it has a certain strength which must be recognized by statesmen. That this movement, however, can be con- trolled by the German rulers is shown by the ease with which Prussia and Austria took the matter out of the hands of the diet and the people. Three months ago, if Germany could bave been polled, an immense majority of the nation would have placed the Crown of the Duchies on the head of the Prince of Augustenburg. They had, they thought, now gained what they had been longing for during so many years. The Danish yoke was overthrown, and a German Sovereign had been enthroned, not only by the name of his own indefensible rights, but by the choice of the people. It was only necessary to secure this great victory that the Federal army, or an army contributed by the States of the Confederation acting under the orders of Frankfort, should drive the Danes out of Schleswig, and give the new Sovereign possession. Yet while the Prince of Augustenburg was the most popular man in Germany, and even in the Prussian and Aus- trian capitals, the two great courts had deter- mined on displacing him. They advanced their armies, took possession, not in his name, but on a pretext which was, in fact, a recognition of Charles IX., and from that time the -fayorite of the people has not been heard of. This sufiici- ently shows that the Sovereigns of Prussia and Austria are really masters, and compel us to look to their counsels for the ultimate issue: of the war, and not to the demands of the multi- tude, however much it may suit these Sovereigns to declare themselves urged on by an irresistible national movement. It is only by considering what each power has to gain that we can understand the leading part which Prussia has played in this affair, Through- out the whole the Court of Berlin has showed more animosity towards the Danes than is to be found in the conduct of the Austrians. It may be said that the events of 1848 are sufficient to account for this; but those events have gener- ated, perhaps, something more than mere empty dislike. From dwelling on the struggle in which they were then engaged, and the proba- bility that it would sometime recur, the Prussian politicians have probably come to cherish a hope that if ever the Duchies were severed from Denmark they would become either completely and formally or else virtually parts of the Prussian dominions. There is one idea which the true Prussian welcomes more than freedom, progress, or any other watch word of the Liberal Deputies in the Chamber; that idea is the exten- sion of the Prussian State, whether at the ex- pense of Germany or of a neighboring country, All the Bismarks, present or to come, would receive full absolution from a large part of Prussian public opinion if they could add ever so little a province to the States which are go- verned from Berlin. How great, then, would tke popularity of the Minister become if ho could not only avenge the fancied wrongs of Germany but more clearly establish the hegemony of Prussia by transferring to her the spoils of the vanquished! To place the two Duchies in such a position that they will be virtually dependen- cies on Prussia, and thus perhaps to prepare the way for a complete absorption, is just such a policy as M. Von Bismark, bold, reckless, and intent on maintaining his power at home by a success abroad, would imagine. In this Austria may have but little interest; it may be against her secret wishes, but since the fall of Dybbol the Austrians themselves are unwilling to meet the enemy again, and gain ror themselves a credit similar to that which has fallen to the lot of their allies. ' With these two nations, then, which are joined, the one probably from a spirit of covet- ousness, and the other from rivalry and vanity, in despoiling the weak, what terms are we to keep? Why should we regard those traditions which only bid us wait and forbear and submit to insult, while our so-called allies disport them- selves by tearing treaties to pieces? What have we ever guined by adhering to these Ger- man Powers, but the liberty to pay them heavy subsidies, or to shape our policy in deference to them, and not according to our own interests? In the Crimean war we studied the feelings of Austria, and though the matter concerned her far more than ourselves, yet the Emperor Francis Joseph contented Limself with an armed neutra- lity, and left us to bear all the burden of the war. There are signs now that the policy of England will not be again subjected to any such influences. The tradition of an alliance with the two German Powers, which has lasted for some eighty years, is passing away. This country is free to act as it pleases, and should future events place these powers in opposition to any powerful neighbor, England will have the right to look on as anunconcerned spectator, The American War. Since our last issue, affairs have been rather quiet in Virginia. Lee still. occupies his posi- tion infront of Grant. On Thursday last Grant made an attack on the right wing of the Con- federate army, which does not appear to have been very successful. In this engagement he lost over 1000 killed and wounded. Beaure- gard has driven Butler from before Fort Dar- ling, and is now operating so as to crush his army, or force him to re-embark his troops. In this engagement, Beauregard captured alarge number of prisoners and guns, including some heavy siege pieces. On Sunday, the 15th, Gen. Sigel, who was proceeding down the Shenandoah valley to endeavor to capture Gen. Lee's supplies, was driven back, and is now in full retreat northwards. Grant has now lost the assistance of Sigel and Butler, and will have to depend on his own army alone to over- come Lee. From other parts there is nothing of mportance. We are sorry to have to announce the death of General .J E. B Stuart--as a cavalry leader, he leaves no equal behind him. A Happy Caanez.--On the 19th of "October, 1741,David Garrick made his appearance beforea thin audience, in the unfashionable locality of Goodman's fields, in the character of Richard IlI.. For seven performances the receipts were only £30 4 night ; but suddenly London was arroused, and we read that carriages on their way to the far eastern theatre crowded the road from Temple-bar to Whitechapel. Soon the new star migrated to Drury-lane, and from thence crossed with Margaret Woffington to Dublin, where assemblies 80 densely packed gathered to see him, that, the summer being at its height, a distemper broke out among the frequenters of the playhouse, which was called the " Garrick" fever. A like result, 'only differing in name, attended Mrs. Sidon's visit to Glasgow during the height of that great artist's fame. | Mocal Hneelligence. TRAVELLERS' GUIDE, STRATFORD TRAINS LEAVE Granp Tsunk Rarmway. Going East. BPRS OR gins ae gins Ss 100 pr. M. NING: TORS oo ie ai ane 1.50 A.M Mail "Train. oo pea ce - 8.004, ™ Accommodations «scious vines 4° 4.40 Pp, M. _ Going West. ER TT oO Re 3.00 -pM. Night Express,........... La a ie BT Be jE fas ae SERS SLRS ap eae goa pee 8.00 P. mw. Aceommodation cess: os <5s's 5 > 2.30 P.M Baffalo and Detr.o. Exp.......... 4.00 P.M. es ss | Ee 3.05.4. M, Burrato & Laxe Huson Ramway. Going East. Night Bxpresa y .ss baa dkink ss 12,30 A. M, PT CoS Saati arden BL oee 3.48 P.M. Mail fo) s.crciteds she weeeme di Y 4O15 4. Going West. ACCOMMOMBYON, 65 os ac tnieine Opes 8.10 a.m MBs panties ess Keeps Craes eee ee 4.00 P.M STRATFORD MAILS CLOSE. Buffalo and Lake Huron East... . 9.40 A. Mal Gieng Teonk Mast... sy v0 aie aia 12.15 Pp, M Grand Trunk eet gino & St. Mary's (Sarnia Branch] ape? Buffalo and Lake Huron West. 2.40 " Grand Trunk West--London 7.30 « mnd St. Marhs 6.35 .c0ne ; Grand Trunk East--Toronto 9.00 «& and intermediate Stations. The Northern Mail, by Stage, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, only, closes at2 p, m. The Brooksdale, Embro, and Fairview mail, on Tuesdays and Saturdays only, closes at the same hour, The English mails close on Mondays [per Cun- ard line] at 9.40 a. m., and on Thursdays, [per Canadian line], at 12.15 p.m <> Mr. Jackson's letter received too late for this issue--will appear next week. xs Those desiring Gold and Silver Watches, cheap and good, can be accommodated by paying a visit to Mr. W. R. Robert's large Jewelry es- tablishment. See Ad. THe WEATHER AND THE Crops.--The farmers of this County have, mostly, completed their sowing. The weather is very favorable just now. We had a fine rain during Sunday night. So far there is every appearance of an abundant harvest. x= In order to afford our printers an oppor- tunity to honor our beloved Queen by observing Her birth day as a holiday, we have publisned the Herald one day sooner, this week, than usual. We will netice the proceedings of the day in our next. 1g We publish elsewhere a letter from a North Easthope correspondent which, while fit proves that what we said, regarding the Assess- ment Roll of this township, is correct, shows that the Beacon is incorrect. It had better apply its remarks of last week, referring this subject, to itself... xg" We have received the second number of the True Briton; a weekly journal published at Clinton in the County of Huron, itis a neatly printed sheet and appears to be cleverly edited. In politics it is Conservative. The publisher has our best wishes. Sroten Corpwoop.--A resident of Avon Ward requests us to say that he has lost a great quan- tity of cordwood during the past winter, and that he is now in a position to prove who helped themselves from his " pile." For certain reasons, which the guiity party, on reading this, will un- derstand, he is reluctant to commence a public prosecution. If the gentleman comes forward and settles the matter, the owner of the wood will allow the affair to drop, Should the guilty party be ignorant of the real owner of the wood in question---we remark that he is a wagon maker. xe Charles Scott, Hsq., lately a student in the law office of Messrs. Carroll & McCulloch, of this town, was admitted, during the late term, to practice as an Attorney. Mr. Sco't is among the few who are destined to rise in their profes- sion. He is a young man of unsullied character, of superior mental parts, possessing sufficient ambition to impel him forward in the upward course. There is no doubt of his ultimate tri- umph, and that one day his name will be men- tioned among our most talented Canadian Bar- risters. Harper's Monraty Macazine.--This excel- lent Monthly for June is to hand. This is un- questionably the best Monthy published on the American continent. The best talent of England and America is engaged on its columns and its articles are always worth reading. The present number commences with an excellent ' chapter on the Coolie Trade." Then follows the ' Heir of Raymond Hill," " Wine making in Califor- nia," 'The Small House at Allington," " Our Mutual Friend," by Chas. Dickens, to- gether with an immense variety of articles, para- graphs and notices embracing almost every sub- ject. For sale at Mr. Winter's--price only 25 cents. i3-Our dear friend,Mr. Wm. Mowat, instructed himself to say, in the last issue of the Beacon, that we uttered a " deliberate falsehood when we " charged him with having said he would rather "see the d----1 in the post office than Mr. O'Loane," and then modestly asks us what we have to say to it! We have simply to say we are not suprised. The gentleman is quite capable of denying or asserting anything that will best suit his owu purposes. It is but a month or two since he penned a "deliberate falsehood" when he made Mr. John Kastuer to say, when his father's distillery was seized, that he had néglected to take out his licence--a thing Mr. John Kastner never said. He also penned a " deliberate falsehood" when he said he was profoundly igno- rant as to which political party Mr. P. Kastner belonged. Healso penned a " deleberate false- hood" when he claimed that Mr. Macfarlane had obtained $800 of a gratuity for Mrs. Mickle! It is not therefore surprising that he now instructs himself to utter a"deliberate falsehood" by denying that he ever used the " classic express- ion." We now reiterate whae we said in our last issue ; and by way of refreshing the gentleman's memory, should that have conveniently proved treacherous, we will remind him of the place in which he madeuse of the' language it was in a certain 'mechanic's shop in this town--and 'at the same time that he spoke in this manner regarding Mr. O'Loane he, as usual, made same reference to certain private transactions which had taken place between himself and that gentleman-- among others to a certain book which cost $5. Perhaps these hints will be of some service asa reminder ! Downie and Gore. « = On the 10th inst.. Mr. Wm, McAndrew delivered a lecture on Orangeism, in Mr. McDon- ald's Hotel, Gore of Downie, to a large and in- telligent audience. Mr. McAndrew is one of the best lecturers on this subject in Western Canada. He is thoroughly congersant with the origin,his- tory and doings of this society from its com- mencement till the present time--as a public lecture he is at once clear, comprehensive and popular. We understand he purposes deliver- ing lectures on this interesting subject through- out this county shortly. We bespeak for him large audiences wherever he goes. Those who desire to know what Orangeism has been and is--no matter whether they are in favour of the society or apposed to it--will do well to attend Mr. McAndrew's lectures. RRNA ee eNE Fullarton, Roya Tuames Loner, B. A. O. G. T., Funnar- ron.-- A lodge in connection with the above ef order has lately been started at Motherwell, in the above township, under the name of the Royal Thames Temple. The membership already numbers cver twenty, and has every prospect of increasing largely, great interest being taken in the cause by the people in the neighborhood. The following is the list of officers for the cur- rent quarter :--W. ©. T., Robert McIntosh ; W. V. T., Margaret Butters; R. H.S., Mary Ander- son; L. H.S., John Butters ; T.,Joseph Parker ; F,S., Simon Parker; R. S., James Anderson; A.R.8., Joseph McIntyre; M, R. Anderson; I. G., Jennet Butters ; 0. G., J. Anderson ; P. W.C. T., Thos. Fortune. The lodge meets every Monday evening in the school house at Brown's Bridge.--Argus. Wallace. Freeborn Kee, Esq., Deputy Reeve of this township, has kindly consented to act as a local agent for the Herald. Any of our friends in this neighborhood wishing to pay for, or to order the Herald, can do so by leaving their orders and money with Mr. Kee. a North kasthope. To the Editor of the Herald. Sir.--I observe in the last issue of the Beacon a long article attempting te refute a few re- marks which appeared in the Herald of the 4th inst. My answer will be short and to the point, It is true that there was a certificate attached te the Roll in the form required by law, but itg correctness was not verified upon oath or affirm- ation as required by the 49th section of the As~ sessment Act, a:.d it was on account of the Assessor's refusing to make the required oath or affirmation that the appellant refused to proceed with the trial of the appeals. Mr. "Macfarlane was present on the occasion to which I allude, and on the Assessor's refusing to verify the cer- tificate, as required, he drew up some sort of an affidavit to the effect, that the document then shown was the Assessment Roll of the ownship of North Easthope for 1864, and that the certi- ficate attached thereto was signed by the depo- nent, a thing which no one disputed. The Ag- sessor then made this affidavit before Mr, Trow, Chairman of the Court; but he refused to allow i to be stated in the affidavit prepared by Mr. Macfarlane that the certificate attached to the Roll was TRUE: consequently the affidavit pre- pared by Mr. Macfarlane amounted to nothing, a. the Roll would still be illegal until the core rectness of the certificate was verified ag requir- ed by the statute. The appellant would not accept of this round about way, resorted to in or- der to ease the conscience of the official, in liew of that prescribed by law. The correctness of these statements can be proven by several reg- pectable freeholders who were present, and heard and saw all I have mentioned. I will not trou- ble myself by noticing the choice language used by the Beacon--it is its usual style, and there- fore I allow it to pass. You mentioned that the Assessor had placed on the Roll the names of two individuals for 50 acres each who had been supported by the township during the past year. In this you were correct. One, Jameg Merylees, Sr., was put on the Roll by the Asseg- sor for 50 acres of his grandson's land. This person has been supported by the ward in which he lives. Another, Archibald Campbell, who ac- cepts of support from the township on behalf of a member of his family, was assessed for half of his son's lot. I might mention other peculiar cases, but as you mentioned two cases only I deem it sufficient, for the present, to show that you were correct. No wonder, then, that the. Assessor refused to verify the certificate in accor=- dance with the requirements of the statute. The game of manufacturing votes commenced in thig township, and will go on, no doubt, till the pre- sent law is repealed, which, I think, ought to be the case as soon as possible. I will not com-~ ment on the merits or demerits of the assegs- ment of this township just now, as the matter. will be finally settled before the Judge. Yours, &c., A RATEPAYER. North Easthope, May 21, 1864, a If we compare the religious progress (or no* progress) since 1834, in the thirty-two 'Dioceses or Eclesiastical Provinces into which Ireland ig divided, we find that the proportion (the per centage of the total population) of members of the Established Church has increased in twenty- one, diminisded in nine, remained Stationary in two. The per centage of Catholics has increased - in only sex. What the Romanists have lost, however, has been gained rather by the Proteg- tant Dissenters than by the Hstablished Church. The change whether gain or loss, has been very slight in nearly every case. We do not from these figures draw any conclusion deroga ory to the Church clergy. We have no doubt that on the whole, they discharge their duties very fully and respectably, But itis evident that if conversion be one of their functions, it is not one in which they can boast of much success Their temporalities, we believe, remain in the aggregate the same as they were in 1834, while the flocks to which they have to" minister have fallen off by nearly 700,000 souls, and while the number of those whom they are theoretically to redeem from the error of their ways has de« creased by almost exactly two millions, - The French Press proposes that a new nation should be formed on the left bank of the Rhin or that the Provinces there should be united with Belgium, so as to shield France from | Austrian and Prussian pressure. i One of the most furious gales experienced during two years swept over Chicago on Mon- day night, doing considerable damage to lake shipping. About thirty vessels, some of them flying flags of distress, wer:--anchored "near Grossoe Point, six miles north. Edward Jackson, Esq., of Hamilton, and Johm Macdonald, Esq.. M. P.P., have each given a thousand dollars to Victoria College, SP MPS, ee we aay