The Week.

undertaken by the Liverpool economists , but he adds : — " AVith an export and import trade trebled in little more than twent y years , it is difficult to make the public feel aggrieved at the score or two of articles which still remain subject to the Customs and Excise duties . In the eye of reason and philosophy this ought to be only a motive for aiding you in putting the crown

upon the edifice of fiscal reform . But mankind are not reasoners and philosophers , and it is possible that your case may never have a proper hearing until the country falls into a state of temporary adversity . " A meeting was helel at Lancaster , on Wednesday , in support of an object which must commend itself to public sympathy . It is proposed to establish at Lancaster

an asylum for the reception of idiots from the Northern Counties . Some time ago , a gentleman belonging to the Society of Friends offered to give £ 2 , 000 towards the realisation of this

project ; and since then subscriptions have been received to the amount of from £ 3 , 000 to £ 4 , 000 . It was to further this movement that the meeting was held . Sir J . P . Kay-Shuttleworth occupied the chair ; and among those present were Colonel AVilson Patten and Mr . Fenwick , M . P . The deputation from the Emancipation Society waited upon the American Minister

in London , last week , to request him to transmit to AVashington an address congratulating Mr . Lincoln upon his re-election . Mr . Adams , in reply to the statements of the deputation , said the address would do good , as " an opposite disposition had been manifested here in very influential circles , and the knowledge of this had given rise to a general impression among his

countrymen that the whole British nation really desired the disruption , and consequent downfall , of the power ofthe United States . " This had caused a " corresponding degree of ill-will in America , " but the communications which he was now " continually receiving" for transmission to Washington , would" enable

those who valued the blessings of peace and international amit y to prove that , whatever might be the hostility of some , it was by no means shared by the greater number of the British people , and -ought not to be presumed to be a national impression . " A meeting is to be helel in Dublin next week for the purpose of organising a movement in favour of tenant right , the abolition of the Irish Church establishment , and the " perfect

freedom of education in all its branches "—whatever that may mean . The requisition calling upon tho Lord Mayor to convene the meeting was signed by twenty-three Eoman Catholic prelates , including Dr . Cullen and Dr . Dixon , " the primate , " but the names of Dr . M'Hale and other bishops do not appear in the list . Mr . Maguire , Major O'Reilly , Mr . Michael Dunne ,

Mr . Lanigan , and Mr . J . A . Blake are the only members of Parliament who have lent their names to this agitation . Acting upon an intimation from the Government , the railway companies are said to have appointed a committee of their managers to consider the best method of establishing a communication between railway passengers and guards . It is stated that

upwards of 200 persons have sent in plans for effecting this object , " none of which , howeverj ? has given entire satisfaction . " The Bishop ' of London on Tuesday addressed a meeting of the Islington Church Extension Society , and stated that the progress made by his fund , for overtaking the spiritual destitution of the metropolis , was most encouraging . The desired

fund is a million sterling in ten years at the rate of £ 100 , 000 a-year . The bishop stated that in the first year , which was now closed , they had received in actual money £ 99 , 000 , while they had promises to the extent of £ 71 , 000 more . Vice-Chancellor AVood has decided a question that has been before him for some time respecting the validity of Cunningham's patent for reefing sails without sending tho sailors aloft to man the yards . The patent consists in a plan for lowering the yard

in such a way that the sail winds round it as on a drum The sailors therefore reef or unreef by simply lowering or hoisting the yard , and this can be done from the deck . The defendant , a Mr . Collins , urged that the principle was not novel , anel if it was his process was substantially different ; but the Vice-Chancellor decided against him on both pleas , and

confirmed the validity of the patent . The only decision of Mr . Justice Cresswell that ever was reversed was in the case of " Stone v . Stone and Appleton , " where tho full Court ordered a new trial , contrary to his opinion . The jury in tho first trial had found the adultery proved . The second trial has been finished , when the jury reversed the decision of their

predecessors , anel found for the respondent . Then followed a curious piece of legal absurdity . The co-respondent , a Mr . Appleton , did not make his appearance , having absconded , it was said , for debt . So tbe judge informed the jury that ,

though they had found the lady innocent , they must find the gentleman guilty , and assess him in some damages . The jury did not see the point of this , but in obedience to judicial direction they awarded damages , affixing them at one farthing . An action for breach of promise to marry , under peculiar circumstances , was tried before the Chief Baron and a jury on

Saturday . The plaintiff was only 16 years of age ; the defendant was 32 . The courtship hael gone on for about two years , and the defendant had seduced the girl , although little more than a child . AVhen her situation became known the defendant promised to marry her at once ; one clay after another was fixed for the wedding . The last clay fixed was the 26 th of last

October ; the defendant again wanted to postpone it , but on the 24 th the suit was threatened , and on the 26 th it was commenced . The Chief Baron , in summing up , severely condemned the immoral conduct of the defendant , while at the same time

he could not approve of the precipitancy with which the action had been brought . The jury awarded £ 500 damages . Two actions for breaches of promise to marry were hoard on Monday at tlie Liverpool Assizes . Iu both cases the parties were in comparatively humble life . The promises were proved to the satisfaction of the jury , who awarded one of the plaintiffs

£ 70 and the other £ 75 . An action of considerable importance has been brought in the Lord Mayor's Court to recover £ 537 10 s . for the non - acceptance of a number of bank shares . A shareholder in the bank had offered the shares to the secretary at a certain price , who agreed to take them , but , as was alleged , afterwards

receded from his bargain . Through thc absence of a material witness , however , the plaintiff was nonsuited . Mr . Thomas Reynolds , the secretary of the British Anti-Tobacco Society , was charged at the AVesfcminster police-court , on Monday , with seeking to extort money from Mr . C . E . limes , a clerk at the War-Office . Ifc may be remembered , from what recently appeared , that the Society issued placards , offering rewards

for the conviction of smokers in railway stations and railway carriages . On the Sth inst . Mr . Innes , while waiting for a train at Barnes Station , seated himself at the end of the platform , which was uncovered , and began to smoke . A person came up to him , said he was an agent of the Society , and demanded his name and address . Mr . limes gave his name and

address , put his pipe out , and wrote a letter to the Society . He received a reply , informing him that it remained with him to decide whether he would quietly pay the fine—40 s . —or iucur the " cost and exposure" of a prosecution . He very properly refused to pay the fine ; but his charge against Mr . Reynolds broke down on the ground that there was no absolute demand for money , but merely a suggestion that he might pay the 40 s .- The magistrate , in dismissing the