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JOT/Y 26, 1856.]
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IRELAND. The Tiri'EBAitY Bank.—The Maste...
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OUR CIVILIZATION. TRIAL AND CONVICTION O...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Continental Notes. France. The Emperor H...
~ nd the if » aiadiiet ffratiandi was expressly reserved by % BBt ^ ti ; LTiT ^ xp powerTal ia their hands , by virtue of the military force 4 h §; ne raT Giibaldi , on leaving his little island of Caprcra , . vent to the baths of Voltagio , where the young men of the place and the neighbourhood gave him a serenade . On the following day , the General thanked them in a letter , in which he said : — "Young people of the rising veneration , you ore called to accomplish Gods great de-Sgn as manifested to the great men of Italy » every SLl-tlie unity of the great people that produced the Archimedes the Scipios , and the Emmanuel Phihberts . ^ ne Itelians in every ' province of the peninsula are ready to rally to the glorious flag you carry ; and for my part , glad that I can fulfil my vow for Italy , I shall riVe to it , thanks be to God , the remamder of my life . S Daily News gives the annexed as the reply of the King of Naples to the representations of France and England :- " His Majesty thanks the Governments of France and England for their counsel . He wishes to act with clemency and to introduce reforms , but in such matters believes himself the competent judge of the time and proper mode of so doing . At this moment they would not be suitable to his dignity and independence ; still less would it be fitting to recal those who are banished , and liberate those who are imprisoned . A proclamation from the Liberal party has been extensively circulated throughout the capital and provinces of Naples . It recommends the Neapolitans to await patiently the development of events which will probably iccur shortly in the south of Italy , and to conduct themselves when they shall have attained their freedom , with moderation , and with a determination not to " madly in the regions of Utopia . " The Sardinian Government has received an official invitation from the Powers more immediately interested to send a representative to the conferences for the adjustment of the Danubian Principalities . A very curious scene ( says the Times Turin correspondent ) took place in the Municipal Council of 13 ologna the other day , when the subject of local charges for military accommodation came to be discussed . On the sum required for this purpose being put to the vote , Count Marsig li , who is a strong upholder of the Papal Government , and a personal friend of Pius IX ., rose and said " he would not oppose the vote , but he would propose to the Council that they should address the Pope on the subject , and humbly request that he would take measures to remove the cause of such a hi' den on the town . " This proposition was seconded immediately by another supporter of the Government , Signor Sassuoli , and was carried unanimously . Count Crenneville has been recalled from the command of the Austrian troops in Parma . His successor is the Field-Marshal Lieutenant von Baumgarten , now the Austrian commandant in the fortress of Mayen . ce . — Augsburg Gazette . A congratulatory address has been sent to Count Cavour from the Lombardo-Venetian provinces .
Jot/Y 26, 1856.]
JOT / Y 26 , 1856 . ]
T H 3 B LEADE B . W 3
Ireland. The Tiri'ebaity Bank.—The Maste...
IRELAND . The Tiri'EBAitY Bank . —The Master of the Rolls sat for a short time last Saturday to hear an application for the appointment of a receiver to collect and receive the outstanding assets and property of the Tipperary bank , and over the real and personal estate of James Sadleir . The judgment of the Court was that the question was too diilicult and doubtful to bo decided upon motion . The effect of this rule is to leave matters as they stand until the main question comes on to bo heard before the Chancellor by a cause petition next November . I ^ KOUEAsii ov Ojumij :. —Tho summer assizes of 185 G are not likely to bo soon forgotten by tho legal profession in all its brunches . "With ono or two exceptions , the criminal business was , so far as the circuits have been completed , all but nil , and the lists of records to be disposed of were equally scanty and profitless . In Clonmol , the capital of South Tipperary , at one time tho focus of crime and litigation , the criminal calendar occupied three hours , and tho trial of records six more , being the lightest commission which was over hold there . Tho exceptional cuaes are those of Westmeath and Mayo . — Times . Skins ok VVakino . —Some conversation baa been ex-• cited in Ireland by a communicated article in the Nation —onoo tho great organ of rebellion—advising tho Irish people heartily to subiniL to their connexion with England , to become moro and more British , more and more Imperial , and to seek in that direction , as being the only true one , the development of their prosperity and of their rightful influence in the world . Young Ireland , ho observes , in dead , but Irolund horuolf survives , with vital requirements . Ho adds : — " Rebellion in earnest is a good thing . Submission in earnest is tho next best thing ; and submission in earnest ought now to set in . I do not understand how pridu or honour enn forbid to the rebel of 1648 to declare now for tho Queen —God bless her—or other formula signifying allogiance iih a British Imperialist . Tho English submitted to tho HouHo of Hunovor ; tho Scotch submitted to tho llousu of Hanover ; why not tho Irish ? Victoria , by tho grace
of God , is Queen of Great Britain and Ireland . She is a stranger to Ireland ; but let it he remembered there is not a drop of English blood in her veins , and still our Queen' is popular . The Prince of Wales and the rest of the Royal familv are pure Germans , and yet the English drink their healths with three times three . The Scotch and English are stubborn races , but have come to endure the adopted aliens ; and , if we cannot do better , let _ do likewise . " The writer recommends co-operation with the English Liberals ; and concludes : —• " Against what have the Irish contended from the first ? Against the Norman aristocracy which conquered the English . It is against that governing class that the English are also contending . In England , a nation is rising up that will destroy a caste . Let us ally ourselves with that nation . "
Our Civilization. Trial And Conviction O...
OUR CIVILIZATION . TRIAL AND CONVICTION OF DOVE . The trial of William Dove was resumed on Friday week , on which day the defence was opened by Mr . Bliss , the prisoner ' s leading counsel . It was based mainly on the presumption of insanity ; but Mr . Bliss also contended that there was not sufficient evidence ^ even apart from that consideration , to convict Dove . It had been alleged by the prosecution , he observed , that Mrs . Dove suspected the evil intentions of her husband : in that case , she would surely have kept a watch on him , and would have desired some one else to attend on her during her illness ; but it was in evidence that she herself asked her husband , while there were other persons about , to give her the medicine she was taking , and that she addressed him in the language of affection and confidence : — " Love , will you give me my medicine ? " At that time , it was said , he poisoned her . Could he have done so ? Had he the opportunity ? Mrs . Witham and Mrs . Taylor were present , and must have seen him put in the poison , if he had done so . Besides , the time that elapsed was not sufficient . Then , again , he went for the medical man and for the neighbours . Furthermore , there was no evidence of the existence of any motive for the commission of the crime . An accident might have been the cause of death . Such catastrophes frequently occur even in hospitals , were persons are most on their guard . Supposing the paper containing the poison had been opened by someone from curiositv , and that the wind hid blown a little of the strychnine on to the floor—how easily might some of it have got upon any of the articles of food which Mrs . Dove alone took ! With respect to the plea of insanity , Mr . Bliss brought forward several allegations with a view to showing that the accused had evinced a disordered mind from bis boyhood . He had been violent and cruel when a youth ; had at one time threatened to shoot his father ; and was in the habit of telling wild and extravagant stories of his adventures in America , where he resided for two years . After his return to England , he fell under the influence of a , man named Harrison , who pretended to be a wizard . Dove believed that this person had more power than tlie Devil , and he would get him to perform incantations . During his imprisonment pending the trial , the accused wrote a letter to Harrison , asking him for information as regarded his nativity and the general circumstances of his case , and suggesting that the reply should be written in milk or lemon juice , in ordor that the officers of the prison might not be able to read it . Another letter written by him in gaol , and which was relied on as a . proof of insanity , was addressed to Mr . Pearce , the schoolmaster at l ' ork Castle , where Dove was imprisoned . It ran tlnus : — " York Castle , June 18 , 1856 . — Dear Sir , — I am very weary , at present , about a rumour which is said to bo very prevalont in Leeds , and among the public at large , that 1 , William Dove , pretend to be insane . The said talk gives nio great pain . 1 hope , sir , my conduct in this prison has pToved the contrary . To take the Queen ' s pleasure , I cannot away with it , especially when I know that I am innocent of the charge . 1 ask you , sir , as a friend , would you allow them to plead insanity V" A third letter discovered on hid person was addressed to the Devil , in these terms : — " Dear Devil , — If you will get me clear at the assizes , nnd lot mo httve the enjoyment of health , woulth , and tobacco , beer , more food and better , nnd my wishes granted , life till I uni sixty , come to mo to-night and tell mo . 1 remain you faithful subject , Wim . iam Dovjc . —Written in blood . " A great many witnesses were examined to prove the plea of insanity . Tho general eu'eet of the evidence thus uddueed was to show that tho prisoner had boon niulovolent when at school ; that in after life ho wns sometimes extremely religious , and the next moment a great roprobuto ; that bin disposition was nt onco vicious nnd gonnrouH ; that ho was fond of mischief for mischief ' s enko ; that ho would make tho ino . it irrolovunt and foolish remarks in connexion with his fanning operations ; that ho waa wantonly cruel to animals ; that ono day ho told his maid servant ho meant to shoot her , hiimolf , and his wife ; that ho bolioved ho had Hold himself to tho Dovil ; nnd that , on Novoml occasions , his words were wandering and his actions eccentric . Tho croBS-oxainiuutiou of Dr . Caleb Williams , who on
Saturday testified to the insanity of Dove , was singular as a matter of medical or mental science . He said : — " It is rare for a lunatic with the kind of insanity of the prisoner to take life by poison . I should not call administering poison five or six times am impulse ; I should call it a propensity . I should call it « n uncontrollable propensity to destroy life and to give pain . 'For the time , it would be * permanent condition of 'the mind . It might select the special object , and constenfly-seek opportunities of carrying out the propensity . 'I'thmk a person with such a propensity would not know that lie was doing wrong . I think he might fear the oonsequences , and would know that punishment vrouldfeHow . He would know that he was breaking the'law , probably . I say that because he would have a very incorrect appreciation of wright and wrong . He would not know At the time that he would be hanged . I found that opinion on the occupation of the mind by the insane propensity . It is uncertain whether he would know it before he did it . He might after he had done it . He might do a murder secretly , because he could not otherwise do it . A propensity of that kind generally acts without motive . One of the peculiarities is , that a person seeks no escape , and in certain cases acknowledges the crime he is charged with . The propensity may come on . suddenly ; an impulse comes on suddenty—a propensity more . frequently comes on slowly , and lasts for a considerable time . If a man gives way to his passions and commits a rape , I call that a vice , and not a propensity . Supposing a cruel man wishes to get rid of his wife , in the abstract that would be a vice . Supposing that man had taken every precaution against discovery , and pain 3 to procure poison for his wife , and to prepare for her death , I should think that a vice and not a delusion-Supposing a man of a cruel disposition had formed a dislike to his wife , and wanted to get rid of her , and had nursed that dislike into a propensity to kill , I call that an insane propensity . I do not say that every man who dislikes his wife and wishes to get rid of her is therefore insane . When he acquires the propensity to kill and cannot control it , he is insane . If a man permit himself to indulge an } ' passion till it becomes uncontrollable , that is moral insanity , and he is not responsible . Consulting a sorcerer , and all superstitious belief , is indicative of a weak mind . B ^ lief in clairvoyance and in dreams is not necessarily an indication of insanity . A belief in spiritual rappings , I should infer , is an indication of a weak mind . I think talking to various persons about strychnine , as the prisoner did , an . indication of a feeble state of mind . Talking , as he did , about strychnine , under the circumstances of his wife ' s death , indicated a feeble mind . ' In the course of reexamination , Dr . Williams said : — " Imitativeness is one of the characteristics of insanity ; and hearing strychnine and Palmer ' s trial much talked of would be verylikely in a weak mind to produce imitation . It is necessary to know a man ' s history before you can express an opinion whether certain acts of his proceeded from vice or from insanity . Madness very frequently develops itself in great cunuing and foresightedness when reasoning on false premises . I have frequently known insane persons attempt to escape from the asylum , and in the preparations they have made they have frequentlyshown very great cleverness , and their preparations have often covered many days . " In answer to the Judge , Dr . Williams said he thought it would require a longer period than a month to exhibit disease and an uncontrollable propensity to commit a crime . No doubt , if an insane person is about to commit a murder , the presence of a policeman woidd have a controlling influence on him . His Lordship having put several questions to the witness , Mr . Bliss objected ; but the Judge said he had a right to put the questions , that he-believed he ought to do so , and that he would do so . Some of the other witnesses testilied to Dove having been attached to his wife to an excessive degree , to his wife being jealous and irritable , and to her having hod a tendency to hysteria , of which , it was contended , she died . Jfr . Overend having replied , and submitted that the evidence for the defence merely proved habitual viciousiicss and a . tendency to superstition , Mr . Huron Bramwell summed up , and read through the wnolo of the evidence , commenting upon it as he proceeded ; Ho observed that tho jury must take the law as it stands , their duty being to administer it , whether right or wrong ; not thut lie was of opinion that it is wrong , but that the business of a jury is to decide upon facts , and not ia accordance with any abstract opinion . " If , " said his Lordship , " you were to announce to all the world thut a man who baa a strong propensity to do an evil shall not bo punished , you would take away from such persons tho only thing that would deter them from , committing tho evil . " H « thought that none of tho instunces of strange conduct committed when tho prisoner wus a lad , woro ovidenco of insanity , more than might bo found in tho conduct of a perverse , ill-con ducted boy , and ho contrasted tho opinions of some of the- witnesses as to tho allogcd weakness of the prisoner ' s mind , and his being almost an idiot , with tho letters written by him , which oxhlbited no traces of mcntnl incapacity . With regard to the opinions expressed by tho medical man ns to tho prisoner being insane , ho udopted tuo . J udgmont of Dr . Luahington—that tho fucts on which they
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 26, 1856, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_26071856/page/7/
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