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Leader (1850-1860), 26th July 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 703, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      She jus dladii ^ t ffratiandi was-expressly reserved by > ucneas Regent . Such is the defence of the Austrian irnment ; but it is obvious that , after all , the real ir was in their hands , by virtue of the military force possessed . meral Garibaldi , on leaving his little island of era , went to the baths of Voltagio , where the young of the place and the neighbourhood gave him a sere-. On the following day , the ^ General thanked the m etter , in which he said : —" Youngpeople of the rising ation , you are called to accomplish God ' s great deas manifested to the great men of Italy in every -the unity of the great people that produced the imedesthe Scipios , and the Emmanuel Philiberts .

      , Italians in every province of the peninsula are r to rally -to the glorious flag you carry ; and , for . art , glad that I can fulfil my vow for Italy , I shall to it , thanks be to God , the remainder of my life . le Daily News gives the annexed as the reply of the of Naples to the representations of France and and : " His Majesty thanks the Governments of ce and England for their counsels . He wishes to irith clemency and to introduce reforms , but in such ers believes himself the competent judge of the time Droper mode of so doing . At this moment , they d not be suitable to his dignity and independence ;

      less would it be fitting to recal those who are shed , and liberate those who are imprisoned . " proclamation from the Liberal party has been exvely circulated throughout the capital and provinces aples . It recommends the Neapolitans to await ntly the development of events which will probably shortly in the south of Italy , and to conduct tkems , when they shall have attained their freedom , moderation , add with a determination not to " riot y in the regions of Utopia . " ie Sardinian Government has received an official inion from the Powers more immediately interested to

      a representative to the conferences for the adjustof the Danubian Principalities . very curious scene ( says the Times Turin eorrelent ) took place in the Municipal Council of Bologna other day , when the subject of local charges for ary accommodation came to be discussed . On the required for this purpose being put to the vote , t Marsigli , who is a strong upholder of the Papal rnnient , and a personal friend of Pius IX ., rose and " he would not oppose the vote , but he would

      proto the Council -that they should address the Pope te subject , and humbly Tequest that he would take uTes to remove the cause of such a burden on the . " This vprop « sifcion was seconded immediately by ler supporter of the Government , Signor Sassuoli , was carried unanimously . unt Crenneville has been recalled from the cora-L of the Austrian troops in Parma . His successor Field-Marshal Lieutenant von Baumgarten , now Lustrian commandant in the fortress of Mayence . —

      burg Gazette . congratulatory address has been sent to Count ur from the Lombardo-Venetian provinces .

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      IRELAND . Tipperary Bank . —The Blaster of the Rolls sat short time last Saturday to hear an application for ppointment of a receiver to collect and receive the inding assets and property of the Tipperary bank , ver the real and personal estate of James Sudloir . judgment of the Court was that the question was imcult and doubtful to bo decided upon motion , fleet of this rule is to leave matters aa they stand the main question comes on to be heard boloro the cellor by a causo petition next November .

      OKEAsis of Cicimk . —The summer assizes of 185 G > t likely to be Boon forgotten by the legal profession its branches . With one or two exceptions , the ml business was , so fat as the circuits have been leted , all but nil , and the lists of records to be disof were equally scanty and profitless . In Clonmol , ipital of Soath Tipporary , at one time the focus of and litigation , the criminal calendar occupied hours , and the trial of records six more , being the st commission which was ever held there . The tionul cases are thoso of Wostineath and Mayo . —

      • nh oir Waking . —Some conversation has boon exin Ireland by a communicated urticlo in the Nation 0 the groat orgun of rebellion—advising the Irish ) heartily to submit to their connexion with ml , to become more and more British , more and Imperial , and to seek in that direction , as being ily true one , tbfl development of their prosperity > f their rightful influence in the world . Young d , ho observes , is dead , but Ireland hersoli' nur-¦ with vital requirements . Ho adds : — " Rebellion nest is a : good thing . Submission in earnest is the Jest things iand 'submission in earnest ought now in . I do not understand 'how prido or honour can to the rebel of 1 / 848 to declare mow for the Queen 1 bless her—or other forrowla 'signifying allogiunoo tritish Imperialist . The ( English submitted to the i of Manover ; tbo Scotch submitted to the House nover { Why not tho Irish ? Ylotoria , by tho grace

      of God , is Queen of-Great Britain and Ireland . She is a stranger to Ireland ; but let it be remembered there is not a drop of English blood in her veins , and still ' our . Queen' is popular . The Prince of Wales and the Fest of the Royal family 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 us 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 ^ w . that nation . "

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      TRIAL AND CONVICTION OF DOTE . 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 ; b \ it 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 harve 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 some one from

      curiositv , and that the wind had blown a little of the strychnine ob . 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 his boyhood . lie 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 the 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 tho reply should be wrilton in milk or lemon juice , in order that the officers of the prison might not be able to read it . Another letter written by him in gaol , and which was relied oa as a proof of insanity , was addressed to Mr . Pearce , the schoolmaster at York Castle , where Dove was imprisoned . It ran thus : — " York Castle , June 18 , 185 G . — Dear Sir , —I am very weary , at present , about a rumour which is said to be very prevalent in Leeds , and among

      the public at largo , that I , William Dove , pretend to be insane . The said talk gives me greut pain . I hope , sir , my conduct in this prison has proved the contrary . To take the Queen ' s pleasure , I canuot away with it , especially when I know that I am innocent of the charge . I ask you , sir , as a friend , would you allow them -to plead insanity ? " A third letter discovered on his poreon was addressed to tho Devil , in these terms : — " Dear Devil , — If you will got me clear at tho assizes , and let me have the enjoyment ol ° health , wealth , and tobacco , beer , more food and bettor , and my wishes granted ! , life till I am sixty , como to mo to-night and tell me . I remain you faithful wubject , William Dove . —Written in blood . "

      A great many witnesses wero oxaminod to firovo the plea of insanity . The genurul ofleot of tho evidence thus adduced was to show that the prisoner bad boon malevolent whun at school ; that in after life ho was Homotimes extremely religious , and the next moinont ti groat reprobate ; that his disposition was at onoo vicious and gonoTous ; that he whs fond of mischief for mischief ' s suko ; that ho would mako tho most irrelovmit and foolish remarks in connexion with his farming- operations ; that ho was wantonly cruol to animals ; that one day ho told his maid servant ho mount to shoot her , himself , and hia wife ; that ho belloved he had sol < f himaelf to tho Devil ; and that , on sevorul oocuhIoiih , his words w « i" ( 3 wondering mid hi . s actions oooontrio . The crosa-oxamiiMttion 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 wKtt the kind of insanity of the prisoner to take life by poison . I-should not call administering poison five or eix times an 5 mpxflae ; I should call it a propensity . 1 should call it-an uncontrollable propensity to destroy life and to give pain . -For the time , it worild be a permanent "condition 'of * the -mind . It might select the special object , and-cofflrtaafly ^ aeek opportunities of carrying lout the propensity . 9 T think a person with such a 'propensity wonld not fcnow 'fhftt Le was doing wrong . 1 tbirik he might fear the -consequences , and would -know'that punishment would follow . He would know . that he was break-ing Hbe 9 aw , prdT > ably .

      1 say that because he would have a 'veryincorrect appreciation of -wright and wrong . He-wouldnoticrurwat the time that he would be hanged . I found that opinion , on the occupation df 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 lie could not otherwise do it . A propensity of that kind generally acts without motive . One of the peculiarities is , that a personseeks no escape , and in certain cases acknowledges . the crime he is charged with . The propensity may come on suddenly ; an impulse comes on suddenly—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 paina 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 nian . permit himself to indulge any passion till it becomes

      uncontrollable , that is moral msaxiitj-, and he is not responsible . Consulting a sorcerer , aud all superstitious belief , is indicative of a weak mind . B ilief in clairvoyance and in dreams is not necessarily an indication of insanity . A'belief in spiritual rappinga , 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 very likely 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 cunning 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 frequently shown very great clevernoss , 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 aud an uncontrollable propensity to commit a crime . No doubt , if an insane person is about to commit a murder , the presence of a policeman would have a controlling influence on him . His Lordship having put several questions to tho 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 testified to Dove having been attached to his wife to an excessive degree , to his wife being jealous and irritablo , and to her having -had a tendency to hysteria , of which-, it was contended , she died . Mr . Overend having replied , and submitted that the evidence for the defence merely proved habitual viciousness and a tendency to superstition , Mr . Baron Bramwcll summed up , and road through the whole of the evidence , commenting upon it as ho proceeded . Ho observed that tho jnry must take the law as it Stands , their duty being to administer it , -whether right or wrong ; not that he was of opinion that it is wrong , but thnt the business of a jury is -to decide ~ upon facts , and

      not in accordance with any abstract opinion . " Tf , " said his Lordship , " you were to announce to all the world that a man who has a strong jn-oponsity to do an evil shall not bo punished , you would take away from , auch persons tho only thing that would deter thorn from committing the evil . " Ho thought that none of the Instances of strange conduct committed when the prisoner was a lad , wore evidonco of insanity , more than might bo found in tho conduct of a perverse , fll-conductod boy , and he contrasted tho opinions of some of tho witnesses as to tho allogod weakness of the prisoner ' s mind , and hia boing almost an idiot , with the letters written t > y him , which oxhiblted -no traces of mental Incapacity . With regard to the opinions expressed Ijy tho medical men as to ^ o prisoner bemginsano , he adopted tho judgment of Dr . Lunhington—that the facts an which they

      Untitled Article

      OUR CIVILIZATION . a

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      toi * 36 , 18 B 8 . 1 THE LEASER . 783

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), July 26, 1856, page 703, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2151/page/7/