The Newcastle Weekly Chronicle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England • 5

THE NEWCASTLE WEEKLY CHRONICLE SATURDAY FEBRUARY 25 1871 ment which has been quietly and very ably prepared He himself is elected in at least four places General Trochu has been elected not only to three seats in his native Brittany but also at Albi Lille (where he was at the head of the poll with 62671 votes) and St Etienne Admiral Jaureguiberry a staunch Republican of a more advanced hue than Dufaure is returned in the Var and the Basses Pyrenees Admiral Fourichon who calls himself a Republican comes in for Dordogne Count de Chaudortlv who ought to be a Republican since for the last five months he has been the pro-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic is elected in the Lot and Garonne Among the many places in which the entire Republican list has passed I notice Avignon which returns among its sixmem-heis Taxile Delord of the Charivari and Gustave Naquet now the Prefect of Corsica The Bordeaux correspondent of the Times says Garibaldi wore gray high-crowned felt hat conically-shaped lie kept singularly enough on his head all through the debate being the only Deputy not uncovered a loose blue ponclia which when thrown back over one shoulder revealed the famous historical red shirt and round his neck a large red silk scarf In this unparliamentary costume joined to unkempt gray hair and gray whiskers and beard his earnest yet mild face and bright truthful eye he certainly looked the most remarkable as well as the most picturesque peusonage in the room After the first buzz however he attracted very little attention and I scarcely saw a Deputy even speak to him until Esquiros came up and warmly shaking hands with him took a place by his side and retained it during the whole of the debate GERMANY AND FRANCE THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS The negotiations for peace have beon proceeding at Versailles since Tuesday Count Von Bismarck being desirous of ascertaining the views of the South German statesmen in connection with tbe approaching negotiations for the conclusion of peace has for that purpose addressed to members of the South German Government letters of invitation to Versailles Tbe Versailles correspondent of the Times has sent the followiig telegram dated Wednesday: Thiers was received by bis Majesty at ten General Uhanzy being present and drove at 130 to visit the Crown Prince Peace is considered to be concluded though not signed On Sunday next probably Paris will be entered quietly without any solemn or triumphal ceremony The army will not remain long in Paiis Thiers returns to Paris rs he did yesterday The Orsini bomb3 captured by the Paris police have been sent over Bordeaux Wednesday A general belief prevails that peace is certain It is stated that the marines in Paris have received orders to hold themselves in readiness to proceed to their respective forts Paris Wednesday noon Nothing positive is known as to the conditions of peace proposed by Prussia The Figaro asserts that Thiers announced that lie had reason to believe that Count intentions were conciliatory but nobody believes here in tbe moderation of Prussia Brussels Thursday The Independence Beige publishes a telegram stating that the treaty of peace will contain no articles relative to Luxemburg or Switzerland which could give reason for the intervention of the London Cabinet No function of the foieign Powers will be required for the treaty of peace Prussia maintains the principle of non-intervention Bordeaux Wednesday The Bordeaux papers mention rumours which however are not traceable to any authentic source that the Prussians arc willing to meet the Alsace and Lorraine difficulty by proposing the neutralisation of those provinces Other rumours mention the possibility of the transfer of the Assembly to Versailles or Fontainblcau occupy himself with the Constitution question while Fr 03 Ls still in the grasp of the enemy Such is oar policy Every man of sense be be a Monarchist or a Republican can work usefully for the interest of the country so that it should say to us under what form of Government it desires to exist and then with the full knowledge of wants decide your destiny and that not only by a minority but by the national will Such is the policy to which my colleagues and myself devote ourselves To give your assistance to the policy whose only object is the interest of the country will be the strongest power you cau confer upon your negotiators (Loud applause greeted the speech of Thiers) Jules Favre then rose and said the Government deemed it neeessary to unite Parliamentary powers with those of the executive and proposed in consequence in order to facilitate the negotia tions that the assembly should appoint a committeo of fifteen deputies to proceed at once to Paris who will be in constant communication with the negotiators Tbe latter will be empowered to negotiate in the name of the country and the commission will subsequently report thereon to the A ssembly Gambetta asked if the commission would take a prominent part in the deliberations of the negotiations and would thus pledge the subsequent decision of the -M Jules Simon replied that Thiers and tbe Government did not intend that the commission should in any way pledge the Assembly The commission is only an intermediate body between the negotiators at Versailles and the Assembly at Bordeaux Gambetta declared himself satisfied Thiers then announced that in selecting the members of the ministry he had been guided solely by the public esteem they had enjoyed and their public character and capacities The following is the list Dufaure Minister of Justice lules Favre Minister of Foreign Affairs Picard Minister of the Interior Jules Simon Minister of Public Instruction Lambrecht Minister of Commerce General Le Flo Minister of War Admiral Pothuan Minister of Marino de IArcy Minister of Public "Works The minister selected for the finances not yet haring arrived at Bordeaux Thiers did not feel justified in mentioning his name A letter from General Faidlierbe was read resigning his seat Two petitions were lodged from natives of Lorraine and Alsace resident in Bordeaux and Paris protesting against tho dismemberment of France Jermain made a proposition to open a credit of 100000000 francs for the Minister of Finance to cover the expenses of the war and to meet the deficits in the Budgets of 1870 and 1871 Jermain demanded that henceforth the Assembly should undertake the entire control of the Budget and that no expense should be incurred without a vote of the Chamber Picard accepted the proposition bo far as it aimed at introducing regularity into the state of the finances Barthelemy St Hilaire proposed that the Assembly should appoint eight commissions charged to examine the state of the military forces the marine finances railways roads posts and telegraphs in the invaded departments tho general commerce of Franco and the administration of the interior Urgency was declared A committep of fifteen was appointed to assist in the negotiations for peace Rochefort writes from Bordeaux that he has mot Gan betta whom he lias found in excellent health 3 lie Phare de la Loire says that the Count de Chambori is living under the name of Aubry at Grand Sacoouex close by Geneva A singr lar coincidence has been noticed by the French papers The war began on July 28 Strasburg capitulated on September 28 Metz on October 28 Paris on January 28? The Monsieur says that General Trochu has resigned liis functions at the request of Thiers Ho has retired into-private life and is now residing at liis hotel in the Rue A letter from III Cremieux to his colleagues in the Government dated the 12th inst complains of the attack lrGCea against him on the occasion of the decree dismiss-leg certain magistrates who sat upon joint commissions aking into consideration the exceptional position in sjwzerland has been placed by the entry of tho nf i Trce has consented to allow tlio export territory' corn salt and forage into Swiss According to the Journal de Rouen the inhabitants of ave petitioned the French Government protesting nganist the annexation to Germany The navigation between Rouen and Paris is re-established The ouly diffi-removedf bndge Bou8ival but that will speedily bo The 1 aris papers mention an important resolution taken by the representatives of Paris in case the Assembly should adopt decisions contrary to the honour and the future of France and the Republic In such a care the deputies of Pans would withdraw and at the same time solemnly protest agamy such decisions Cathelinenu has declined to take his seat as deputy for Bouchts du Rhone not wishing to separate himself at the present time from his companions in arms He also states that he could not consent to treat with the invader since he wishes to preserve France in her entirety Rochefort will present a resolution and urge its pa sage through the Assembly declaring the forfeiture of tho throne of Franco by all members of tho Bonaparte family The committee of the Moderate Left have decided to reply to the proclamation of the Emperor Napoleon by a motion formally confirming the deposition of the Imperial dynesty The news which-has been published in reference to Gen Ducrot is incorrect According to advices received an inquiry has been held in Germany which entirely exonerate him from the charges of which he was accused aud completely established the truth of his statement The General lias gone to Bordeaux to take his seat in the National Assembly Count Bismarck lias taken the Paris press in hand The tone of the Parisian says he in a communication addressed to it which is in great part responsible for this war is a serious obstacle to tlio couolusion of peaco it prevents the French nation from recognising tho necessity of pence and produces the most prejudicial effect upon the disposition of the German mind in regard to it Ficaro supports the representations Thk Luxemburg Indemnity Le Gattlois allege that by a treaty still secret but already signed botween Prussia and Luxemburg the Grand Duchy undertakes to pay the Cabinet of Berlin an indemnity of two million francs for the wrong it did in violating its neutrality The personnel of tho railways in Luxemburg will he Prussian in future and Prussian troops only will garrison tho Grand Ducal fortresses Tiik Revival of A decree dated Feb 13 allow the exportation of butter and eggs The trade from Dieppe which was formerly so important will iu ail probability loon A consignment of flour has been received from a house at Newliaven in aid of the poor of Dieppo and neighbourhood Mr Leo Jourtin tho vioe-consul who lias taken an active part in relieving tho late distress lias consented to distribute it Business is being resumed at Lille The wheat crop having been frozen throughout the Norik of France and ArtoiB the seed is now being sown over again Count Bismarck and thk Ex-Emperor of tit French The London correspondent of the Scotsman says It appears that whatever may have been the meaning of the flirtations carried on betweon the Imperial prisoner at Wilhelmshohe and Count Bismarck they now havo terminated Tho Ex-Emperor has received a notification that he 1ms unwarrantably presumed upon the indulgence heretofore "shown him by attempting to interfere in the affairs of France in the issuo of his late proclamation and that no repetition of such conduct can ho permi tted At Bordeaux matters are not progressing harmoniously Tho election of Thiers as bend of the executive power of France has still left behind it the question of what shape the Government shall assume and yesterday and to-day the Assembly was the scene of angry and tumultous encounters between the Republican minority and tho Orleanist majority Thk Balloon Post of During the siege os many as fifty-four balloons were despatched from Paris The number of letters they carried were altogether 2500000 making a total weight of ten tons The Neptune was tho first balloon which left Paris it started on tho 23rd of September The Armand Barbes which took out Gambetta and the first flock of carrier pigeons started on the 7tli of Octeber Tho Jules Favre which loft on tho 30th of November has never been heard of since its departure and it is supposed that it must have been lost at sea Tho last balloon in this postal service was sent up on the 28th of January It was called tho General Cambronne Different opinicnstprevail with respeot to the number of tlieso balloons which fell into the hands of the Prussians The French version makes out that only four were captured but reports from Versailles give twice that number Besides there fifty-four balloons there were five private one which left Paris and did not carry letters Tho correspondent of tho Telegraph telegraphs from PariB on Sunday night I visited a cafe in the Quartier Latin called the hut better known among the students of tho neighbourhood as tho Cafe The chief attraction there at present is an actor tnio boars a striking resemhlanco to the fallen Emperor Napoleon TIL Dressed in a uniform he sings a song amid roars of laughter and shouts of applause in which the late mannner gesture twirling of tho moustache and so forth are imitated with tho most marvellous fidelity Botwoon every two verses of the song which embodies wittiHmii and allusions in their nature anything but complimentary to the prisoner of "Wilhelmshohe tho singer gallops round the stage with a long sword dangling between his legs to the intense delight of tho audience which unanimously shouts in uproarious chorus Badinguefcl Vive Encore encore And the Emnoror who so lately ruled the destinies of France is anew held up for ridicule by his caricaturist The actor of whom I speak has'excited the sentiment of the Quartier Latin to such an extent that the Prefect of Polico has ordered tho performance to be discontinued Protest or Mktz Citizens against Annexation The following is the protest addressed to the National Assembly at Bordeaux by the citizens of Metz who are residing at Lille The undersigned children of tho town of Metz painfully moved by the rumours which are current relative to the cession of Metz bo the Empire of Germany hasten to protest to you with all the energy of tlieir soul against this fact which would cortainly he tho climax of tho misfortunes with which their unhappy country has been assailed since the war "VVe have brought to boar all our most earnest co-operation for the defence of our invaded and devastated country Our mother will not ropel us from her bosom we who are gathertd around her and have poured out our blood in her defence We are French and wish to remain French It appertains to no one to sell us nor to dispose of interests so considerable as those which are comprised in the importance and extent of country claimed by Germany It is therefore in tho names of our families in mourning and affliction that we protest It is in the name of tho national honour which cannot be alionated it is in tho name of tho future of this mass of citizens who would find themselves by that aot expatriated from a country which is their cradle for which tlioy have fought and in which they desire to dio Long live France our illustrious mother Long live the Republic The Horrors of War Herr Von Wickode of the Cologne Gazette describing an excursion he made from lands were the same in the reign of George II as in the reign of Anne whioh they were not the disturbing question of royal debts came in and in the reigns of George III and IV these monarchs took many millions enough in fact to swamp the crown lands ton times over (Cheers) Not very long after his accession Goorge III became insane but ho (Mr Broalaugh) could not see that his insanity made any difference in the government of the country It was one of the advantages of the English monarchy that the machinery of the State went round just ns well when the monarch was absent in distant lands or insane as when be was present and in his sound mind Iliat was a great deal to say for it If the owner of a shop or a manufactory neglected his business to go to other countries or went mad his affairs would go all to the bad but that rule did not hold good in the conduct of the affairs of this great nation (Laughter and prolonged cheering) About this time John Wilkes made himself famous lie was not there to pretend that John Wilkes was a great Radical but most certainly that well-known No 45 of the North Iiviton gave the death blow to the system of general warrants It was in 1772 that George III and his Government were sending soldiers to America to enforce the payment of taxes there The upshot of the obstinacy of the scion of the House of Brunswick in the latter affair was that 129 millions of money was spent a bitter feeling was generated against them which had not yet died out and the Americans never paid them any more taxes at all Soon afterwards George Prince of Wales emulatod his august father in bringing up his debts for the country to pay and £160000 out of £250000 was parted with Parliament refusing to havo anything to do with the remainder which were gambling debts or still more equivocal obligations In 1791 the Prinee was charged with cheating on a horse race by means of his horse Escape and the Jockey Club had the firmness to request him to withdraw from that body Ten years afterwards when most of tbe poople connected with the affair were dead his jockey 8am Ghifney made an affidavit that he ought not to have been charged with the offence This of course completely exonerated him (Laughter) In 1791-92 almost every meeting of Parliament became special in consequence of tiio Acts introduced limiting the rights of public meeting of writing and of speaking and one of these acts was only repealed a few years ago A few years more and Mr Muir was transported for the term of his natural life for advocating a system of voting in which overy man should possess the suffrage for Parliamentary elections Gerald Skirving Margarot Redhead and others were transported for various terras and it was only when great legal ability and thorough courage were united against the crown as in the case of Hardy Tooke and Thelwall that these infamous prosecutions were checked It was while Muir was on his way across the seas that the three sons of George III who had issued their own bonds for one million sterling payable within six months after the first of the three should ascend the throne had to provide for the interest falling duo It was then that an English nobleman being our Secretary of State sent back to Calais three Frenchmen who had invested in these bonds sent them back with such a charge attaching to them as secured their being guillotined and their bonds thus finally settled It was in 1795 that England commenced to spend money like water to put the Bourbons back again on the throne of France and in one year while broad riots wore taking place in London Manchester Glasgow and Bristol ten millions were granted to tlto French emigres along with immense numbers of stands of arms so that they might murder the French Republic For this purpose the England of George III was content to spend over one thousand millions incurring more than fourteen hundred millions of liability and by driving Fiance in despair under the military dictatorship of Napoleon the First it was the gold and treachery of this country which poisoned the poople of Franco with dreams of military glory and rendered possible tho corruption and demoralization of the Second Empire In 1820 George IV ascended the throne Of him and of his brothers Frederick Duke of York and Ernest Duke of Cumberland lie would not trust himself to speak and would pass on to "William IV who succeeded ten years afterwards His civil list was arranged to be £345000 per annum the income of the Duchy of Lancaster being intended to be surrendered to the State Villiam was one of the House of Brunswick that wits the worst that could he said of him He now came to treat of tluyreign of her present Majesty He was astonished at men such ns Mr Stansfeltl seriously telling them that the income was £385000 a year He (the lecturer) calculated that bIio cost the country £500000 a year and he was ready to prove it by the following undeniable figures Civil list £385000 repairs of palaces 1869-70 £34000 charities and bounties Scotland and Ireland £2300 racing plates £1502 Duchy of Lancaster about £32000 Ho was confident that the Royal Family cost them £750000 per annum and had roughly jotted down for this year £7 10 000 from tho financial accounts instead of £500000 Tho Prince of Wales received this last year £122000 a-yoar tho Duke of Cambridge £25000 and the Duke of Edinburgh £27000 including £J0000 for gifts in India but to this ought to be added £450 advanced from tho pay chest of tho Galatea which did not seem to have been repaid Since the accession of her Majesty tho taxation of the country had increased within a fraction of twenty-five millions per annum He left it to the audience to consider whether they received any very important services in return for the immense sums they paid away to the House of Brunswick and loud applause) He then passed to consider the prospects of an English Republic The first difficulty in the way wns the condition of the agricultural labourer of England It was impossible to make a real republic where tho mass of tho people were ignorant men (Hear heftr) How ignorant some of the English agricultural labourers were might be guessed from the condition of a Suffolk parish in which it was found that only one out of ten poisons could cither read or write while only one out of 30 could both read and write The mass of the agricultural population tfere entirely in tho hands of the landed aristocracy and had been in those hands for the last 300 years This bravo landed aristocracy had paid tho labourer 8s 9s and 10s por week wages whiJh had starved and crushed him To havo a republic tho mass of tho people must know their duties as well as their rights A man to he a republican must not think that the squire and the lord-lieutenant wore creatures to be bowed-and cringed to he must not think that there was nothing for a working man to do but to work eat sleep and breed (Loud cheering) According to the reports which had been issued the agricultural labourers in some of the southern south-western and south-eastern districts of England could not earn sufficient food to give them proper support their fare was beneath the standard of the workhouse These could not he true republicans To form a republic it was necessary that the majority should take interest in tho political life of the country The next difficulty was with the working classes such men for example as those they road of in Montgomeryshire where they took their wages as a favour and whom the avoidarco of the law against the truck system had tied hand and foot (Hear hear) Or they might take such aB those working for the Duke of Buccleuoh at Elvanfoot who did not know whether they were in dobt or otherwise from end to end Another difficulty was the working men of the towns They wore too fond of taking politics for granted too fond of following leaders of pinning their faith to this man or that man and complaining when they were left in the lurch One advantage of a republic would be the breaking up of tho aristocracy when they would get a poorage of talent and merit The enormous charges now laid upon tho country 'by the aristocracy would also be romittod But the republic he desired was not a republic of blood or force not a sudden ropublio but a republic of thought and intellect a republic which should grow up from the knowledge and wisdom and solf-respcct of the people Ho pleaded for the possibility of an English Republic he bolioved that before ho died tho forco of popular feeling on tho ono hand and tho innate weakness of the system on the other would together with tho opportunity bring something more than the possibility the fact The lecturer resumed his seat amidst enthusiastic applause and no one coming forward to question or to dispute his statements the meeting shortly afterwards adjourned tho chairman announcing that lie would issuo a notice convening a meeting with reference to the formation of a Republican Club at any early day NEWCASTLE SCHOOL BOARD A meeting of the Newcastle School Board wav held on Thursday at noon in the ante-room of the Town Hall Mr FalooDar in tho chair All the members of the board excepting Mr Main were present Mr Roberts minute cleric read the minutes of the previous meeting whereupon some exception was taken to ti amount of detail which they Mr Alex-a der thought it very unusual to record such a circumstance as members retiring from tbe meeting but Mr Cowen considered that as it was a protest against certain proceedings tho circumstance ought to bo recorded Tho minutes were confirmed The Chairman presented certain documents received from the Privy Council Rev Mr Aijdison explained that the documents referred to asked certain information respecting the further requirements of the borough with reference to the education of children under a certain age the amount and character of the present accommodation liow it was intended to supply the ascertained deficiency andother details Mr Hamond proposed that the documents be referred to a special committee consisting of seven members Mr Carsh seconded the motion and it was carried unanimously Mr Hamond named Messrs Lintott Luckley Rutherford Alexander Leighton and the Chairman as the committee Dr Rutherford did not see his way to act Mr Hamond: But you must act Mr Rutherford We must let bygones be bygones and work together for the genera good You must not talk that way Dr Rutherford I am quite prepared to do my duty but I feel it would be wise and due to myself to take that position for the time being Mr Luckley also declined to stand because bygones weie not bygones The Rev Mr Lintott made a statement in reference to the meeting complained of Many things had beon said with respect to tho common action taken by himself and other gentlemen that were quite devoid of truth and which if they had been true would to some extent have justified the warmth of feeling displayed by some gontle-mtn on the last occasion He was bound especially to allude to the reports circulated by the Newcastle Chronicle which had been made in respect to the clerkship and other matters which were detailed by that newspaper in such circumstantial manner as to lead to an inference the very opposite of the truth conversations which had never taken place compacts which had never beon thought of with respect to the exclusion of certain members from their proper influence on the board these notwithstanding that they had been denied had been repeated and although he believed they were grounded in the first instance on wrong information yet really their repetition on two occasions since made him say that those mis-statements deserved a harsher name He was not authorised to speak for any other member of the Board but still he thought he might say this that with respect to the religious question they had made up their minds They had given certain pledges to the public which they were prepared to adhere to and on that point he believed there was a bond of union which was stronger than their ecclesiastical differences Blit with respect to any combination on any other question whatever he had to assure them that such a thing had never boon thought of nor spoken of If they had initiated such an unworthy policy as to exclude certain members from their proper influence on that Board such policy would defeat itself Mr Luckley said they did not need to go beyond what happened at the previous meeting when the allegation was made with regard to a private compact which Mr Lintott got up to justify on the ground that in consequence of the opinions of himself and others it behoved those who had met previously to exclude them from the two offices That was tho principle upon which Mr Lintott avowedly justified tho action taken by his friends Something was then said which the unsectarians were willing to accept (so long as they had no other evidence) about conciliating and harmonising the Board and an opportunity was then open for them to havo shown their willingness to bring that about still the opportunity was not taken for it had been deliberately settled before that the offices of chairman and vice-chairman should not bo open to unsectarian membors The Rev Mr Lintott explained that he meant that they simply carried out an understanding they had arrived at as to whom they should support The other party had come to a similar understanding Mr Watson denied that that was so Two minutes before he was proposed as vice-chairman he was not aware of the intention on the part of anyone to do so and so soon as he heard it ho desired Dr Rutherford to desist from making the proposition Mr Luckley contended that whatever the unsectarian members or anyone else did wras not the point so much as that Mr Lintott had stood up in that meeting and had endeavoured to justify on principle the course ho had taken They had precluded the unsectarians from their support and had drawn a hard-and-fast lino making them ineligible on account of their opinions for holding either of the two offices Mr Watson remarked that what ho had said as to Mr Bell being fixed upon as chairman of tho Board was that the general opinion of Newcastle was that that gentleman was the right person to elect The Rev Mr Lintott said he understood Mr Bell at the last meeting to say that he had been informed a short time before that it wad the intention of his friends to propose him as chairman of the Board Mr Cowen The statement that there was any agreement or compact on their the unsectarian side is absolutely untrue Mr Watson declared that lie know nothing about who was going to propose Mr Bell Mr Cowen remarked that Mr Lintott had attempted to convey the impression at the previous meeting that there had been no bargain or compact Mr Game got up and made a statement to the effect that the charge had not been proved Mr Carse I said nothing of the kind (u Mr Cowen You said that there was no of such a compact having been made Mr Cause I did not say anything of the kind I said this that there was as much evidence to prove that there had been a meeting on tho one side as tho other Oh and laughter) Mr Cowen That might be what you meant (Laughter) I wish to impute any other moaning than the proper and correct one to the words of any man but what Mr Carse said was that there was no evidence of tho meetinghaving taken place or my hearing was strangely at fault (Laughter) Mr Lintott too gave us the same impression He hesitated to deny the accusation entirely Mr Lintott I did not hesitate sir Mr Cowen But he sought to give us the impression that there had been no meeting Tho meeting proceeded and we weie not unwilling to accept that assurance till Mr Boyd candidly admitted that there had beon a meeting and a (cries of No that there had been a meeting of which he was ashamed Mr Boyd No no Mr Cowen Or if not ashamed that he regretted the effect it had produced (Hear hear) Mr Boyd I never used the word bargain Mr Cowen: We split on a word The gentlemen opposite knew that whatever might be" the verbal accuracy of the statements what ho said of the last meeting was substantially correct Mr Cowen continuing said that if they went there to discuss principles he knew they were in a minority and when beaten would quietly accept their defeat They had sufficient confidence in the strength and justice of their cause and asked nothing further than a fair field and no favour in the discussions They were willing to meet their opponents and to argue all matters of principle but they objected to a hard and fast line being drawn by a section of the Board beforehand in matters of detail as well as of principle and to such arrangements they would offer the most strenuous opposition When they proposed a oommittce and put on three or four of their side and only two of the unsectarians the consequence would be that the two would practically have no voice Mr Hamond That is not tho way of this committee but just the reverse Mr Cowen On such a committee they would simply have to hold up their hands in hopeless opposition to the decrees of the majority I care what the consequence may be I will never bo a party to such an arrangement I will criticise your proceedings and express my approval or disapproval but I never will consent to act as a mero registering machine for other motions (Hear hear and applause) The Chairman knew of no arrangement in respect to the committee then appointed It was a matter which had arisen on the presentation of the documents and he was quite sure that no arrangement had been made The best plan appeared to be to refer thorn to a committee but if tho Board thought otherwise it could adopt any other course Mr ITamond said he had really hoped that after the former meeting all their angry feelings would have subsided and that they would have done the best they could to servo the interests of tho ratepayers by whom they had been returned to that Board He did not think that his friends on the opposite side had any right to complain of Mr Bell not being elected chairman of tho Board If any one had a right to complain it was Mr Hamond himself (Laughter) Mr Hamond was the man who should complain and more laughter) because not only did the public indicate by an immense majority their confidence in Mr Hamond (laughter) and their opinion of his capability of being chairman of tbe (hear hear Dr Rutherford: There was a compact entered into and the principle was that five or six gentlemen who wore known as unsectarian candidates were not so competent a3 the other members of tho Board to discuss the question of those No and that they should not be considered in the matter Therefore uutil they knew that they stood upon the same perfect level as tbe other members of the (hear hear) unlil there had been an abandonment of a course that was unconstitutional and insulting and one that was calculated to hand over tbe business of the Board to a clique he for hia part could not see his way to act upon any committee The moment that it was proved distinctly and clearly that tho course had been abandoned bygones with him should be bygones and he should be prepared to act He was astonished at the speech of Mr Lintott and at the position that ho took The unsectarian candidates never had any meeting to consider who should be tho chairman though Mr Lintott seemed to think that there had been one Mr Addison asked what Dr Rutherford meant when he asked them to abandon the course they had pursued Dr Rutherford replied that the principle as expressed in the action of those gentlemen who met at Mr was that of the formation of a of a board within a board to settle the most grave and important questions that could come before them If they acknowledged that they did that was an answer and the proper thing to do He had thought that the proper way would have been for the whole fifteen members to have met and seen whether they could not rub off their angularities and whether they could not find a common Basis of action But the matter had been taken entirely out of their hands and so long as they were on the Iteard he could not see bow they could work harmoniously together They would havo continually before tlieiji the impression that such things would be done again and there could be no harmony or unity of action Mr Carse assured the Board that so far as he knew he had never had any desire to act with any clique He had attended the meeting but before he went he had made up liis mind as to whom he would support as chairman and vice-chairman and it was probably on account of the views he had that he was invited to attend the meeting Mr 'Bell believed his friends objected to the proceedings of the compact not because they desired him Mr Bell) or Mr Ilaraond to fill the office but because they had made the question notwho should be elected but who should be excluded No and That wras how he understood it and he was confirmed by what Mr Lintott had just told them namely that he went pledged to the public to a particular line of Conduct But could it have been a line of conduct to which the unsectarian candidates were not pledged Had they not pledged themselves to uphold the Board apart from dogmatic teaching and what therefore was the difference between them excepting that the one was more outspoken than the other Though ho felt no personal disappointment at not being chosen chairman he did say that a more disastrous mistake was never made by a public body They must not forget however that they had before them a most important duty to discharge and he therefore appealed to his friends on tbe other side whether they had not better in tho first instance see whether the unfortunate mistake which had been made could not be remedied If they would reconsider tlieir decision and agree to be nominated on the committee in the hope of seeing their councils regarded harmony might be restored (Hear hear) Considerable discussion followed as to the nominations for the committee and as Dr Rutherford and Mr Luckley persisted for some time in declining to serve The Chairman was appealed to to nominate a committee and ultimately the committee was constituted as follows Messrs Hamond Boyd Leighton Alexander Stephenson Bell and the chairman THE EXPENSES OF THE LATE ALLEGED ILLEGALITY OF THE ELECTION The Chairman informed the Board that the Town Clerk had handed him a list of the expenses incurred by the returning officer at the late School 13oard election amounting to £456 11s 9d As the question was one of outlay seven notice would have to be given before it could be considered TVlr Hamond said he had very serious objections to take to the bill because there was no doubt that the election of members to the School Board was invalid Oh oh Mr Cowen asked Mr Hamond what he meant Mr Hamond That the whole election was invalid Mr Cowen: No wonder that we are nob a harmonious body (Laughter) Mr Hamond said that if they came to ask the Town Council to levy £400 or £500 upon the ratepayers they must take care that no money was paid but such as had been spent for legal purposes because when the auditor examined tho accounts any ratepayer might dispute any amount and it would he the duty of the auditor to erase the whole of the money that they had paid for the election expenses and then they must distinctly understand that the money would have to come out of their own pockets Mr Bell did not assume to be so learned in the law as Mr Hamond or the chairman but he thought that the fact that the numbers of voters not being added ujin the presence of the candidates could not affect the validity of the election Mr Hamond: I give that as a reason for its being invalid The Act states that the voting must be conducted in the same manner as burgesses usually vote the votes must be entered in a book at the place and at the close of the poll shall as soon as possible bo transmitted to the returning officer In the present case the directions of the Privy Council were not complied with Mr Bell In what way Mr Hamond Becauso the voting papers were not sent away every half-hour Mr Bell It would be impossible for the most captious of men to say that the result of the election wits prejudiced by the mode which it was conducted Mr Hamond That is another question Mr Bell thought Mr Hamond had raised some objection to the votes not being added up in the presence of the candidates or their representatives Mr Hamond I say they should be I find fault however Mr Bell thought the Act or the regulation merely provided for candidates or their representatives being present if they thought fit and at the late election they were not refused if they liad desired to be there It was not to be supposed that the business of courts of law should be suspended because none of the public who had the privilege of being present if they thought fit chose to go He hoped Mr Hamond would not insist on his objection because it would have no practical result Mr Hamond moved that the chairman be requested to write to the Privy Council explaining tho mode in which i the election was conducted and asking if it was a legal election If they said it was all right the Board would then have their Authority and the onus would rest on the Privy Council The motion after having been seconded was put to tho meeting and carried unanimously DAYS OF MEETING Some discussion took place as to the day i the week on which the ordinary meetings of the Board should be held and the Monday in each alternate week having been agreed on the next meeting was fixed for Monday the 6th of March the appointment of treasurer Mr Dickenson of the National Provincial Bank was appointed treasurer a letter having been read from that gentleman intimating that he would undertake the duties of the office without any remuneration the clerkship of the board Mr Carse referring to the appointment of clerk recommended the Board to resolve themselves into a committee to consider the duties and salary of such officer Mr Watson suggested that the question of the appointment be deferred for a month or so as at present it was quite impossible to define the duties which the clerk would be called on to perform and not knowing the duties they could not fix any salary Mr Boyd agreed with the view taken by Mr Watson Mr Addison seconded the motion of Mr Carse that the Board resolve itself into a committee Mr Boyd seconded Mr amendment Mr Luckley and Mr Cowen having supported the amendment a division took place when eight members voted for the amendment namely Messrs Hamond Bell Stephenson Leighton Rutherford Luckley Watson and Cowen The four members voting against the amendment were Messrs Lintott Carse Addison and Alexander The amendment was declared carried NOTICES OF MOTION Dr Rutherford having drawn the attention of the Board to the notice of motion given by Mr Hamond at the last meeting said that when it came on for consideration he would propose as an amendment that no dogmatic teaching should be permitted Mr Hamond explained that he had added two clauses of the Act of Parliament to his motion which would obviate the necessity for the amendment Dr Rutherford said that if they met his case he should he very thankful Mr Hamond read the words of the addition he proposed to make which were as follows That subject to sections 7 and 14 of the Elementary Education Act the Bible shall be read and explained by the teachers to the children in all schools under the control of the School Board or aided in any way by its funds and all denominational or sectarian teaching shall be expressly forbidden therein Mr Hamond added that he should be quite willing to add the word dogma to his motion and afterwards remarked that if at any time it was discovered that dogma was being taught lie would have the teacher removed from the school TIIF PLACE OF MEETING The Chairman said that the Mayor had spoken to him as to the use of the Council Chamber for the holding of board meetings but he had stated that before he asked the consent of the Council he must have tho assurance that nothing offensive was meant either personally or officially to him on the occasion of the late meeting He (the Chairman) wished to know if it was the pleasure of the meeting that he should give the Mayor that assurance Mr Hamond asked what the board had done to the Mayor that should induce him to require such an assurance? If any apology was ever due from anybody living to another it was from the Mayor for the slight and insult he had put upon the School Board Mr Lintott thought they would be happy one and all to assure the Mayor that nothing was meant The matter was allowed to drop and the meeting adjourned TYNEMOUTH SCHOOL BOARD On Thursday afternoon an ordinary monthly meeting of the Tynemouth Borough School Board was held in the Town Hall North Shields Alderman Green occupying the chair It was resolved to form three committees The first Tomakejarrangements for ascertaining the number of children within the limits of the municipal borough between the ages of three and five and five and thirteen together with the whole The second For the purpose of inspecting the school accommodation in the town and to provide a return of the cubical area of each school the average attendance the nature of instruction given and a summary of the fees paid by the children and the third To obtain two maps showing the situations of the schools at present existing in the borough and also to obtain designs for a corporate seal for the It was also resolved that the various committees be authorised to employ the necessary assistance in carrying out the work allotted to them The Board then adjourned THE PROGRAMME OF THIERS The Manchester Guardian publishes the following from an occasional correspondent dated Bordeaux Monday I have high authority for stating that Hie plan of Thiers is to make peace at onco to clear France of the German aimy to bring back the French army to re-organise thg rural police in order to put down the marauders who even in the departments occupied by the Germans are doing almost as much damage as the enemy and to pave the way for a speedy restoration of the Orleans dynasty and the re-establishment of the charter of 1830 as the supreme law of the land these two latter projects to he confirmed by tho sanction of a plebiscite Thiers has always been in favour of the maintenance of a strong standing army As Franco cannot now afford the expense of a radical reorganization of her regular forces the Imperial army when it is brought back will not be disbanded and reorganized but will be placed under the command of General Cliangarnier who is belie vSd to be devoted to the plans of Thiers Tho belief gains ground that be the German terms what they may they will be accepted with but little demur GARIBALDI'S DEPARTURE An occasional correspondent of the Daily News writing from Marseilles on the 15th inst says It is finished Garibaldi has quitted the soil of France Who rejoice most the Prussians or the peace at-any-price Frenclmien I think the entire population of Marseilles was on foot at dawn rooms have been full to suffocation over since the doors were opened I saw him at a vory early hour he was writing signing and rejoicing at the idea of seeing Caprera to-morrow He gave me special commissions for the woundod Spaniards may meet again in fifteen days you he said if I como to I answered At nine we entered the carriages which had to pro ceed at a walking pace so crowded wero these wide streets of Marseilles The National Guard and the soldiers tried to make a lino round the carriage but the ranks were broken continually cried a working man there goes our last hope and glad enough they said another Who wore de signed he did not say Vivo Garibaldi echoed from a thousand voices blended with one Vive laR5publiquo Vive la France Republicane was reply As we neared the quay the carriages were separated We descended for a triumphal procession none of us would have cared for a crush but the last moments wero near felt him specially our own As wo went on board the orders were given to keep back the crowd a wise precaution as several times I thought the plank would have given way Ho embraced us one by one and of tho tough red his own Genoese not ono can boast that he did not weep Some sobbed aloud own oyes were full We watched him from the pier as tho steamer backed slowly steamed out of sight TIIE CONDUCT OF THE WAR Colonel Hamley writes a long letter to the Times from which we take the following extracts The system of terrorism against which I protested in a former letter has been adopted by the Germans and justified by their apologists as a means of giving security to their troops and communications by compelling the inhabitants through fear of instant and tremendous penalties not only to refrain from acts of hostility but to aid in protecting their oppressors by betraying the enterprises of their own countrymen They shoot in cold blood Francs-tireurs and inhabitants taken in anus burn villages which have beon the scene of the discomfiture of German troops or where de tachments undertaking offensive operations have been harboured though without the participation of tho villagers and impose separate fines as tho penalty for minor and of con tlimacy or resistance When according to this code acts of hostility occur and tlio doers are captured if they prove to he soldiers they are sent to Germany or oxcliangod if Francs-tireurs or inhabitants they are put to death and thus men who add intolerable provocation to the ordinary motives for defending their country are treated with extraordinary severity This injustice would bo remedied if civilians in arms wero declared subject to the same treatment as soldiers that is liable to ho slain in open fight but if captured to be retained as prisoners and if severer treatment of them were held to justify reprisals on military captives The grand mistake of tho Germans is that while ascribing great influence to fear they ignore tho counter influence of desperation Men who are naturally disinclined to resist or who have families dependent on them will not generally in any case he actively hostile but men who are high-spirited and have a keen sense of injustice will be converted into fearless and irreconcilable enemies by the slaying of their kinsfolk and countrymen This is proved by the course of the war tho Germans have slain mercilessly yet the more they havo slain the more has the country swarmed with armed and exasperated inhabitants In fact their measures terrify those who would havo beon harmless without them and are ineffectual with the rest It is perhaps not necessary to specify objections to such features of the German system as the practice of revenging on harmless villagers the disasters suffered at the hands of their countrymen or the policy of compelling by terror the inhabitants to treat their friends as enemies their enemies as friends a kind of tyranny which will appear to many more horrible than the arbitrary infliction of death To strip a people of its self-respect to make it the accomplice of its own humiliation to compel it to turn traitor to this outrage on humanity is reserved for the army whose soldiers we are told are not as others but lettered cultivated and 'an army which was indignant because France employed against it her Algerian troops But it is not the turban which makes the Turoo and the Africans are not without grounds for a retort That which has enabled the Germans with the approval of their countrymen to indulge their savage propensities is the enormous capture of French troops made at the outset without any corresponding loss to themselves It is not to he believed that if Count Moltke and General Yon dor TanD with many thousand men and officers had been made prisoners in the early battles the French territory held by the Germans would have presented the atrocious spectacle which we have beheld Free from all fear of reprisals and reckoning not unduly on tho toleration of the world they have pillaged and extorted and slain in arrogant security Yet the very fact that their successes were so great ought to increase tenfold their condemnation But after all is said it is more than probable that many will he found to dissent from these opinions and to undertake to refute them "When they have succeeded in proving me wrong to the satisfaction of everybody lot us not shrink from the consequences of our conclusions Let us retract all the censure we have bestowed on Napoleon for his habitual abuse of victory let us indeed honour his moderation for when did an army commanded by him leave a theatre of war so desolate and forlorn as is the ravaged space that lies botween Paris and the Rhine Let us leave off calling Tilly and Alva and Attila curses of mankind lest we give just offence to eminent contemporaries On a church door in ono of our eastern counties is nailed a human skin which according to tradition once covered a Dane who caught during -one of the predatory enterprises of his countrymen in the acts of pillage and outrage was flayed for an example Let us reverently bury this relic of an unappreciated hero whose misfortune it was to be in advance of his time Let us make reparation to the Greek mountaineers who so lately excited our indignation and invite the chief Takos to the hills whence he was hunted and resume the habit of seizing people of condition and holding them for ransom under pain of death which is now sanctified by the practice of so many illustrious warriors of Germany Let us in ja friendly spirit suggest as a fitting decoration for the soldiers of the new Empire the institution of the Most Honourable Order of the Torch And let us not Quixotically sacrifice our legitimate advantages by foregoing any approved method of injuring our foes hut diligently study along with the organisation and tactics of the Prussians their methods of pillage incendiarism and deliberate slaughter MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS The Due de Broglie is mentioned as tho French representative at LondoD Thiers has announced that he will take his scat in tho Assembly as member for Paris The usw elections in Paris on account of double elections will take place on the 1st of the 5th pro Active preparations are being made at the I alaia which is designated as the future residence of iniers It is announced that Gambetta has elected Steaaburg as the constituency which he will represent in the National A Mmotli and Ricciotti Garibaldi Cansio and the majority of the officers lorving under Garibaldi have sent in says the frigate Magellon and the corvette Caton have been sent to Corsica to put down any dis- is informed that the health of the Emperor of Germany is such ns to lead to grave anticipations He is said to be regularly breaking up The French prisoner's interned at Geneva numbering in all 1200 have been sent to-day under escort by rail to East Switzerland in consequence of the difficulty of guarding them Instructions have been received from tho Provisional Government of Bordeaux to put all the public thoroughfares in that department in order and to repair all bridges that have been destroyed Ledru Rollin having previously refused to stand as a candidate for the National Assembly has tendered his resignation for the three departments for which ho had bgcn elected The French prize Frincc Adolphe captured by tne Augusta has been wrecked on the Norwegian coast while proceeding to a North Sea harbour The crew with the TIIF GERMAN ENTRY INTO PARIS It was reported from Versailles on Sunday that tho German Emperor would review his troops in the Champ de Mars and return to Versailles the same evening advices from Paris reported that the police agents were searching for arms and hand grenades in the turbulent districts A large number of hand grenades were seized The Crown Prince was understood to be opposed to the triunqhal entry General Trociiu has sent an important letter to tho LUerte in answer to the question as to what were his sentiments with regard to the German triumphal entry into Paris He says four and a half months of siege after eight combats and battles commenced by the besieged after a bombardment which made so many victims in accordance with a convention which famine alone ould dictate the enemy owes to Paris the honours of war If the government of the city be given up to the enemy he should alone bear the odium and responsibility of such violence As a speechless and solemn protest tho gates should bo shut Let him open them with cannon Disarmed Paris will not reply but will leave to the truth and justice of history the task of Later advices state that the Germans will enter Paris on Sunday without display Information reaches Paris from Versailles that a portion of the Prussian troops will pass through Paris on way back to Germany It is said that Theirs continues energetically to oppose this project pointing out the serious dangers which might arise and the grave responsibility which would rest upon the Prussian authorities should they persist in so perilous an intention notwithstanding the warning they have received The Francais says a red placard was posted up on Monday in the quarter calling upon the inhabitants to make a last struggle should the Prussians enter the ciiy Fresh Orsini bombs have been discovered PROLONGATION OF THE ARMISTICE In consequence of the negotiations which took place on Tuesday between Count Bismarck and Thiers during which Count Bismarck several times co" mlted the Ern-peior the armistice has been further extended till Sunday the 26th inst at midnight RECOGNITION OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC Tbo following has been received from ihe Foreign Office Lord Lyons reports from Bordeaux under date of 17th February that Assembly has all but unanimously that considering the necessity of providing at once for the conduct of the negotiations and the affairs of the Government while awaiting the decision of France upon the institution to be definitely adopted Thiers is appointed chief of the Executive power of the French Re public which he will exercise under the control of the A ssembly and wTith the assistance of Ministers whom he will choose and over whom he will Lord Lyons further states that he has announced verbally to Thiers tho recognition of his Government by Great Britain Tbe Republic lias also been recognised by Turkey Switzerland Spain Portugal Austria and Russia THE GERMAN REQUISITIONS At Sedan the Prussians have demanded payment of the taxes for the last quarter of 1870 On the municipality refusing to comply with this demand they threatened to take away the leading citizens as prisoners The Municipal Council thereupon gave way and has contracted a loan of 210000 francs to meet this requisition The French post-office at Rouen was seized by the Prussians on Friday week The directors were placed under arrest for refusing to deliver up the Government cash The Germans continue their requisitions in tho neighbourhood of Paris and on Tuesday last the Mayor of Chantilly was made prisoner because a filiation of 15000 francs was not fort hcoming A fresh contribution of 40000 francs has been imposed by the Prussians on Alencon The town having refused to pay the mayor and ten of the town councillors have been arrested as hostages It is staled at St Quentin that a fresh requisition of 2000000 of francs has been imposed upon the town General von Goeben has given orders that no requisition is to bo made on seed sent to the North of France by the London Aid Society but on the contrary assistance is to be given in distributing it Of tho twelve million war contribution imposed upon the department of the Oise ten millions have been deterred and of the war contribution in the Seine two-thirds have been deferred The Independence Beige says the following notice published by the Annonce de Weissemhurg affords an explanation for the recent requisitions From the 28th January -by order of the Emperor every German officer and military official is to receive during the armistice a supplementary pay of fifteen fraucs a day The sums necessary for this purpose are to be procured by special imposts to be levied in the communes occupied by the German armies A telegram from Amiens states that the Emperor has remitted several millions of francs imposed on the department of the Somiqp THE RETORT KI BURNING OF A FRANC-TIEEUR A Versailles telegram dated Tuesday says: account recently published in a London paper and reproduced in many of the French journals of the burning alive of a captain of Francs-Tireurs at Bouilles is officially stated to be utterly devoid of THE SINKING OF BRITISH SHIPS AT DUCLAIR Tho correspondence respecting the sinking of six British vessels in the river Seine by Prussian troops was published on Wednesday Most of the documents have already been made public Count Bismarck states to Mr Odo Russell that the German law officers held that a belligerent had a full right in self-defence to the seizure of neutral vessels in the livers or inland waters of the other belligerent and that compensation to the owners was due by the vanquished Power not by the victors He however consents to pay any just compensation to the owners and sufferers which Earl Granville may recommend The official report on the circumstances points out that other methods of stopping the navigation of the Seine would have been difficult and that the suitable ships were pointed out for sinking THE CAPITULATION OF BELFORT Some details connected with the capitulation of this fortress are furnished by a correspondent of the Times who writing from Mulhausen on the 14th inst The peremptory instructions transmitted to the besiegers of Belfort to reduce that important fortress before the impending peace negotiations have been devotedly carried out and this afternoon the news of its surrender is semiofficially promulgated here As at Verdun where time was a paramount object the terms are liberal and Germany has acquired a strategical position of an importance unsuspected by the outer world Vauban who spent 20 years of incessant labour in fortifying the northern and eastern line of the frontiers from Dunkirk to Besangon pronounced the gap of Belfort the heel of the French Achilles the moBt vulnerable pint in the threefold iron panoply of France Belfort opens up Paris by its most defenceless route it directly overawes Lyons it threatens and neutralises to a great extent Strasburg it turns the entire line of the fortr esses constructed to menace and to repel Germany So at least thought wrote and planned the great military engineer of Louis XIV In his eyes Metz was secondary and subordinate Enjoying those local conditions which render Metz impregnable from assault "it has had the advantage of being a fortress of the first class maintainable by a small garrison and with a civic population to correspond! hence of starving it out Up to this moment no detai lshave arrived here but it is believed that exhaustion of ammunition rather than of food has led to a capitulation Small-pox and typhus are known to be raging frightfully within its walls Within the last two days the bombardment and the sallies against the besieging batteries have been so fatal that an armistice for a few hours was solicited by the commandant to bury the fallen No fortress has been so hotly contested as this throughout the war From the districts all round Belfort the most mournful tales of misery and ruin are reported The German officials have notified it to the municipality of Mulhausen adding that they can only undertake the relief of their prisoners Some weeks ago I heard on good authority that the evacuation of Dijon by General Von Warder was mainly dictated by the utter exhaustion of the entire region and the impossibility of any longer feeding his army there Verdun in the North is in the same sad plight at this moment The letters of the German soldiers stationed there are pitiful to read and I feathat standing on the boundary line of the operations of several English relief societies it is in danger of being overlooked by all of them THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY The Assembly met on Sunday when Thiers said that he did not lay down any programme which was always a vague thing but at the present time there was only one line of policy to follow and it was urgent to put an end to the evils affecting the country and to put an end to the occupation of the enemy The country had need of peace which must be courageously discussed but only aocepted if honourable Thiers announced the" constitution of the Councils-General an the municipalities ly fresh elections The Government wo lid devote all its pqjrera to pacify and leorganise the conn Ty to revive credit and to reorganise labour Thiers said that nothing wag more pressing ilw that task I cannot imagine that any one can THE FIRST MEETING OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY The Bordeaux correspondent of the Daily News gives an interesting account of the first meeting of the French National Assembly held at Bordeaux on the 13th inst About half the Assembly (upwards of 300) were present Tho theatre of Bordeaux one of the moat beautiful and best proportioned (though by no means one of the largest) in the world is admirably suited for the purpose The acoustic conditions are far better than those of tho Corps L6gislatif in Paris If the whole number of deputies (759) were to make tlieir appearance which for many reasons including the great number of multiple elections will certainly not be the there would be a little overcrowding but there is ample room for 600 and I do not think more than that number will ever sit in Bordeaux The theatre was lighted lip by three grand chandeliers exactly as it would have been at night and this was necessary because very little daylight comes in Tho members sit in tho pit and in the surrounding stalls which might be called balconies only that they are raised very little above the pit level Tho boxes are devoted to the public and the press The immense number of journalists in Bordeaux renders it difficult to provide accommodation for all and the arrangements are at present very incomplete but there is every disposition to favour the representatives of foreign papers I was fortunate enough though with some difficulty to geb a place on this memorable day and have no doubt that I shall have my entrees regularly The chair is on the stage exactly in tho centre of the line of footlights The at present an ugly deal pulpit but which will probably be made more sightly by the addition of some drapery is in the place of the box On cither sides of the tribune are seats for the shorthand writers and the secretaries sit on the stage on the right and left of the chair A goodly array of ushers brought from Paris and wearing chains enhance the dignity of the Assembly Immediately after Count Benoit a bland old gentleman verging upon 80 took the chair by seniority MM ules Favre Jules Simon Emmanuel Arago Eugene Pelletan Garnier-Pagcs Glais-Bizoin and Magnin entered the House together and walked up the centre of the pit and took their seats on the second row on the right-hand side which must for the present be called tho Ministerial bench They did not come in the character of deputies for (so far as is at present known) neither Garnier-Pages nor Glais-Bizoin is elected anywhero but they were there as members of the Government of National Defenco to give an account of their stewardship Cremieux (who is believed to have no seat in the House) did not appear with them He leans more than any of them to Gam-botta and is greatly disgusted 5hh his colleagues of Paris because they overruled the Bordeaux decree dismissing the judges who served the ex-Emperor as members of mixed commissions for transporting Republicans after the coup d'etat Cremieux shows to his friends a letter from Favre telling liim that Count Bismarck insisted upon these judges being restored to seats because hereafter legal questions of great importance might arise upon details connected with the war indemnity and the conditions of peace and that in the interests of Germany it was essential that there should to try them It must be especially disagreeable to the judges in question to have had their names gibbeted by Cremieux at a time when they might well have hoped that their achievements as aides-de-camp of the coup d'etat were covered by oblivion and next to find that they owe their restoration to their seats to Count patronage Cremieux took a seat as a spectator in one of the dressboxes Garibaldi who was loudly cheered by the public and tho National Guard as he entered the Theatre sat on one of tho back benches or tho pit Having heard that the majority intended to oppose his admission he handed up to the President a short letter the reading of which by Count Benoit formed the commencement of the proceedings in which ho said he had been elected in several French departments on Republican principles but that under the circumstances he judged it expedient to resign This announcement was received with a tranquillity which gave but small indication of the row that was shortly to follow Jules Favre then rose and in a very few words delivered from his place said that under cruel and unparalleled circumstances he on behalf of himself and his colleagues begged to resign into the hands of the National Assembly the power which they had exercised since September 4 They would continue courageously to perform their duty till the moment which they earnestly hoped might not long he delayed when the Assembly would appoint tlieir successors He wished to state that ho must start that evening for Paris to conduct delicate negotiations the object of which he would explain at a future period Unanimous sympathetic applause followed this short declaration The President then proceeded to read out the names of deputies to form fifteen bureaux or committees and while this business was going on the members conversed with each other Thiers appeared at first in the second row on tho left hand but aftewards went across to the Ministerial bench and sat between Jules Simon and Arago He did not say a word publicly during the sitting Dufaure (liis future right-hand man I believe) was not near him hut sat all the time on one of the back benches talking with great animation to an elderly member whose name I did not learn One priest (from Brittany probably) took his seat in the House Admiral and General Jaureguiberry and two or three younger officers in uniform were in their places When the formality of naming the bureaux had been gone through and I rather think after the President had declared the sitting at an end General Garibaldi advanced towaids the tribune and Esquiros deputy for Marseilles exclaimed in a loud voice asked to speak some timo ago hear him A tumultuous scene ensued Vehement cries of Hear were met by others equally energetic of No No Let him hold his tongue The public in the tribunes took part with Garibaldi and several National Guards said It is These men are sold One man with a loDg black beard roared out from an upper box You rural majority listen to the voice of the towns In the midst of the confusion the President put on his hat and gave orders to clear the galleries of strangers There was no occasion to obey the order as Garibaldi gave up the attempt to speak and members and strangers all went out together As Garibaldi left the House the National Guard presented arms to him Thiers quite in a rage went up to the officer In command and said do you do said the officer without a hesitation he is General Garibaldi he is a deputy he has come to fight for France and he is the only general who has taken a Prussian Thiers made no reply and I should think must be sorry that he asked the question As he gat into his carriage accompanied by General Bordone and two aides-de-camp Garibaldi had quite an ovation He rose and I saw standing upright that legendary figure with which pictures have made all the world familiar He had a grey cloak over his red shirt and wore a loose brown felt hat of the kind called a wide-awake He said a few words only to the effect that he had come to Franco to fight for the Republic that he should have been happy to serve Republican France in any way but that his mission was now over and thai he should start that night for his home in Caprera Loud cries of Garibaldi! Vive la Republique were raised by the National Guard and the public and the General was escorted to the Hotel de Nantes by a great following I must say in extenuation of the great disgrace to France that the chivalrous Garibaldi was refused a hearing in a French Assembly that he did not ccme forward at the proper time There was something illogical in resigning at the beginning of the sitting and then asking to speak at the end of it Even the clerical deputies who were delighted to show their spite against him would not I think have refused him a hearing ban they not relied on the technical objection that the House had risen before he approached the tribune was among the foremost to cry Hear Ganbaldi Gambetta was not in the House He probably leserves bimself for a great occasion and scorns to appear at a mere formal meeting Tim most striking and at the same time the most unexpected result of tho late elections is the marvellous success of Thiers I now understand why Thiers lately told his friends that he was no longer an Orleanist but a Republican He aspires to be-come the President of a French Republic and be has a very good chance to realise bis ambition "When you read as you will do many telegrams and letters that the Republicans? are beaten mu must understand that tho word is used loosely to fTtha nartSSs of war a outran of and tlie revolu- fUreimhl can called Rut a vast number if St of the men elected as Liberal ConserW sign tionary---! not the majority of the men or on a of fusion" are adepts of Dufaure 1 )o he declared in for a Republic Dufaure It the lieutenant of Thiers in the KepuLneu- move Belfort to Pontarlier thus refers to some of tho ghastlv scenes comccted with the rout of General Bourbaki's army Heaps of foraak on corpses mouldered away among the bushes and in the ditches by the high road Not far from Montbeliard a doctor and I found eight Frenchmen dead in one house and already in an advanced stage of decomposition Among them lay a wounded man still alive and who cried out for help iu a lamentable voice Wo took him out with some difficulty and laid him in the open air He was a little man scarcely 17 years of ago a student at Avignon A Prussian grenade had torn liis two legs below the knees lie had remained in tins state seven whole clays without being attended to without water and entangled among all those corpses Ho had wrapped up his wounds in tho rags of his uniform and the cold had stopped the hemorrhage He had crawled up to his companions and had taken bits of biscuit out of trioir pockets which sufficed for his subsistence he had slaked his burning thirst by drinking the great flakes of snow which foil in at the window He had lived thus for a week Tho unhappy man lias been taken to Switzerland and tho doctor thinks he will live Horseflesh is now the principal food of the inhabitants of the country and I havo myself seen a bevy of famished women throw themselves upon a dead horse like a pack of wolves and tearing it with all sorts (A instruments swallow morsels quite raw I have even beon hut I do not vouch for tho truth of this tho unfortunate people have eaten hnman flesh taken from the remains of the dead soldiers This is the eighth campaign I have been through but neither in Algeria nor ih Italy nor in Bohemia not even in Schleswig have I seen sights so Mr Capper writing to the Times from Nancy Feb 7 says A man like Erckmann who lias been preaching peace and Republicanism all his life and who knows that the latter cannot long subsist without tho former hut from whose intensely French point of view the cession of tho disputed provinces is an nonqualified disaster for themselves for France and for Europe looks with horror to what he foars the future ill bring forth As during my stay at Phalsburg I have een dejeunering and dining with the German command ant and officers the contrast between their mode of lb ought and that of my French friends is very striking I think I understand both their points of view so Well and" sympathiser so much with both that my mind is filled with a feeling of horror at the dreadful sufferiag which await both the French and German nations Jess they can come to terms Equality seems to me th strong point of French society Fraternity may exist it never seemed very conspicuous to me in ranee and liberty Frenchmen them elves admit they do not yof know the value of But equality does exist tin a sense in my opinion unknown either in England or in Germs ny Here for example in the Cafe Lotau every evening sits Erckmann Any peasant who choose to ord a glass of beer may run elbows with him By his si Je i8 the doctor a professor fiom the college and thee with an odd snopkeeper or peasant makes up the cor jpany After leaving politics the conversation embrace? the whole range of literature Those who take part in it seem as conversant with the Greek dramatists as wif ft Shakspeare and the chefs-d'oeuvre of Germany Ertctmaim prefers King Lear to any other of Shakspeare WOrks We spoke of Voltaire Rousseau and Mtfjere and Erckmann expressed his extreme admin tion La Fontaine saying If in some universal catastrophe I were only able to save two hooks I should I think put the Gospels into one Those thua arrosted wa proprie- threatened with the forcible closing of the cafe and my friend continued to resort here Even the Prussians do not treat us so badly aa that" roy friends here in 18o2 Those thus am have never hoard of since" He pointed to the toe 0f the cafe and wd Tins lady was tin About midnight on Saturday there would havo been a serious riot at Consett but for tho vigilance of the police who dispersed the mob that were assembling in Trafalgar Street after a firearm had boon discharged Strike of The Gateshead Fell quarrymen have all turned out on strike this weok for an advance of 2s per week on their wages and also for weekly payment A Lucky It will be remembered that Mr Flint auctioneer lost almost everything that he was possessed of ly a fire which destroyed his sale room and the premises of Mr Joseph Collinson draper Howard Street North Shields on New Eve Mr Flint was unfortunately uninsured and lost about £1500 worth of stock On Saturday last lie had a search amongst the wreok of tho fire to try and find what ho could of his lost property and he fortunately oamo upon a box of watches and jewellery comparatively unhurt and which are worth newly £200 Violent Assault and Highway Robbery near Met luinness John Marley Thomas Marley and Michel four labourers at Wooley Colliery wore on Wednesday taken in custody by Sergeant Booth before tho Rev Wiikinson at Harperley Hall and remanded till Monday on a charge of violently assulting and robbing John I Lu kin of £6 18s near Mount Pleasant Crook on Monday night Tho prisoners will bo brought before the Bishop Auckland Bench on Monday Fatal Accidents On Monday a workman in the employ of Messrs Clark and Co plumbers Newcastle and who has a contract with the North-Eastern Railway Company for putting up gas fittings was killed at Walker station on the Tynemouth branch by the half-past eight train from North Shields He had got on to the up-fine and did not see the train corniug which was running A workman from one of the up-the-water shipyards in jumping from a Tyne General steamer before she had got close alongside of the North Shields landing at half past 7 on Monday night fell into the water A Strong obb swept him away and he was drowned before any assistance could be rendered to him The body was found soon afterwards llis name was Charles Turnbull Cask of Alleged Swindling in A young man named Plato William Longstaffe was brought before tho magistrates at tho Newcastle Polico Court on Tuesday on a charge of obtaining money from several persons by falso representations and making use of the name of Mr II Wilson stationer Grey Street to accomplish his purpose Miss Ann Smith residing in Shieldfield Btatcd that a wock past Saturday the prisoner came to her and presented the ticket produced for whiph she gave him a shilling lie told her he was agent for Mr Wilson of Grey Street Mr John Holmes also residing in Shield-field said he paid the prisoner Is for a ticket which he said was for the Art Union lottery The prisoner had a picture and told him every person who purchased a tickot would got one of these pictures and had the chance of a prize as well He further stated that if there was a prize for the tioket witness might apply to Mr Wilson of Grey Street who had the management of the lottery Mr Wilson said he did not know the prisoner The tickets were not his and he had nothing to do with anything of that kind In all legitimate lotteries the name and address were printed on the tickets but there was no place given where tho things wero to be drawn for on tho tickets produced It would have been a great nuisance if on the 22nd of March 700 or 1000 persons had come to his shop On Friday a woman came and asked him about this lottery She said she had been told that if she applied to him he would give her any information He told her he suspected it was a swindle for he had nothing to do with anything of tho kind On Saturday afternoon a man oame to him with the same story reply to the Bench Mr Wilson said he was agent for the Koval Scotch Art Detectivo-officer Tliorburn who apprehended tho prisoner produced a book containing a largo number op tickets similar to those the had The Bench remanded the prisoner and but he held that Mr (great laughter-was quite equal in every point of view socially oi in liis possession of knowledge with regard to tho act itself anti also in his ability to give his whole timo to the duties of the office as either Mr Aid Bell or Mr Falconar But it was not to be for a cabal of a certain portion of the Church party becauao he was so out-spoken at a certain meeting would not have Mr Hamond as chairman (laughter) and therefore they fell back upon Mr Falconar If any one had the right to complain it was himself and not Mr Bell but he did not complain For the sake of the Board itself and for tho sake of those who sent them he would ask the two gentlemen not to hesitate to serve on the committee and then if they were overruled they could come and say We again serial on committees because we are not treated with that respect which wo are entitled (Hear hear) The work to be accomplished was very important and upon it depended the future of the Board itself Mr Luckley It is not a personal matter at all Mr Hamond You put it as a matter of personal affront Mr Luckley I put it as a matter of principle Mr Lintott On any other question we have no foregone opinion whatever Mr Stephenson supposed they were again at a dead lock Mr Cowen You are a majority put tho question and you will carry it Mr Stephenson I understand this principle that Mr Cowen contends for Are those five to be chairman and vice-chairman and conductors and majgors and are we to be ignored No and hear hear) It seems to he so from what you say and because we choose to bow and beck and conform to everything you do we are to be ignored No and The Chairman thought they had better go on with the business The minute clerk was then dosirod to read the resolution and that having been done Mr Hamond proposed to have liis name put off the list to make room for that of some other gentleman Mr Cowen or Mr Watson Dr Rutherford said he had no unkind feeling against any member of the Board In the whole business he had entertained no personal feeling and hear hear) He hoped that every member of the Board would clearly understand that It was simply a matter of principle Tho ChAirman What is the principle Dr Rutherford explained that tho reason was this tho meeting of some of the members of tho Board Vl vinrslv ard determining who should be chairman and who vice-chairman Mi- Lintott Whgm they would support exception of one Frenchman has been saved pocket and Fontaine into the Reverting The Paris Jockey Club and the Club of the Rue Royale to his own Hisioire I remarkedthat have passed resolutions that ir future the faot of a candidate for admission being of Prussian nationality would disqualify him from membership at either club Bismarck and The Btrhn Potfsays that the Emperor Napoleon has eceived a reminder from Versailles that he must not again overstep the privileges of a prisoner the sudden mr inner in which Chauvel was seized by emissaries and never heard of by his friends afterwards was from an artistic point of view too painful an incident the story His reply was It was what actually took place in several instances under the first at Phalsburg and what again occurred among Shooting at a At the Shot-ley Bridge Police Court yesterday Roger Farker an old agricultural labourer residing at Consett was placed in the dock on a charge of having discharged a pistol at James Lochrane on Saturday night Lochrane it appears had been a lodger with the prisoner but the old man having discovered that an undue intimacy existed between tho man and hia daughter ordered him about a fortnight ago to leave the house He did so but returned again on Saturday night whereat prisoner discharged a pistol in his faco which happily had nothing but powder in it and only made a 1 black mark upon face Parker was given into the custody of the police but at the court he was discharged of Mar but most abstain from all interference in politics thiough protests 1 reclamations or any other form of demonstration Orders have algo been sent to IV il- to watch the Imperial prisoner rather more clcsely than hitherto ia consequence of representations made at Ytrseilleo.