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the tables were being cleared, the chil- the New Road, leading from Finsburydren marched round the room to the Square to Paddington, in order to reach sound of the fife played by one of the the lines leading to the north-west and elder scholars. When settled in their northern parts of our island. But this appointed places, the teacher having was soon felt to be a great grievance, briefly addressed the little ones, the and for some years efforts have been pastor (Rev. A. McMillan) gave them an made to remove it. It was at length address previously to their joining in suggested that a railway might be conseveral games; after which their young structed below the surface of the roads, hearts were made glad by each receiving proceeding from Paddington, and passing a prize from a large and well furnished near the stations of the North Western Christmas tree. The proceedings were and Great Northern Railways, having a enlivened by the children singing a terminus in the valley of the Fleet near number of familiar hymns, accompanied Holborn Bridge. It was long before the by the harmonium. design took any practical shape; adequate pecuniary support was not obtained, and all hope of carrying out the plan seemed abandoned. The failure of another undertaking, however, opened the way to the carrying out this, as it is commonly called, underground, but more correctly, METROPOLITAN RAILWAY. The Corporation of London had been induced to open a new road from Holborn Bridge in continuation of Farringdon Street, with a view of making a more convenient way to the north. A large quantity of property was necessarily destroyed, the road was constructed, but no one would erect buildings on either side of it, and a large quantity of land belonging to the City was thus lying unoccupied. It occurred to the late Mr. Charles Pearson, the Solicitor to the Corporation, that if this new railway could be constructed, this land, which would be wanted for the station, would become valuable; in addition to which great

A MEETING of the senior scholars, formerly, and now, in the SYDNEY STREET CHAPEL SCHOOL, TWIG FOLLY, BETHNAL GREEN, was held on Twelfth-night, 6th January, 1863. About sixty, including the teachers, sat down to tea; after which the Rev. T. Temple, president of the school, took the chair; the superintendent, Mr. B. Pryor, Messrs. Burt, Ellison, Fletcher, and some of the scholars addressed the meeting. Refreshments were provided, together with music, &c., and it was manifest throughout the evening that each one present enjoyed the opportunity of seeing each other after a lapse of years.

Whatever opinions our readers may entertain on the subject of excursion trips, they will probably all admit that the examples here set are worthy of imitation. The manifestation by the teachers of sympathy with the scholars in their innocent recreations cannot but be productive of good.

facilities would be afforded to the dead meat market, which it was proposed to establish in Smithfield. He therefore induced the Corporation not only to promote the scheme, but to render large pecuniary help, aided by which it has at length, after more than ordinary difficulties in its construction, been completed, and was opened for traffic on January 10th. We were coming out of

Ir will be in the recollection of many, that when the great lines of railway from London to various parts were opened, care was taken that their metropolitan stations should be kept at a distance from the business parts of London. Thus it became necessary to travel to Paddington to take the Gloucestershire that morning, and availed rail to Bristol; to Euston Square or to ourselves of this opportunity of getting King's Cross, both on the north side of to Fleet Street. The motion was re

markably smooth, and no inconvenience | nate in the metropolis. From day-break was sustained from the tunnels, which to midnight, the stream of life rushes occupy a considerable portion of the through our streets; it never ebbs, exdistance, although not the whole. The cept for the few cold hours that come rail appears to be found exceedingly con-between extreme night and the earliest venient, and the number of passengers dawn. Before the man of fashion—and already exceeds 20,000 daily. There is not even he is idle-has left his last another line approaching Farringdon Street from the South, connected with the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, and which will cross the Thames near Blackfriars Bridge. By the aid of these lines, there will be connected railway communication between the Continent and the whole of the North and West of England, as well as Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.

party, the market-carts are rumbling into Covent-garden, and Billingsgate is awake. London never sleeps throughout her whole length and breadth. At all hours there is some twitching in her mighty limbs-some muttering from her giant lips-some restless tossings to and fro. Our citizens relieve each other, even as sentries do; but perpetually there is some one on the watch. No imaginative drama was ever so full of strange and startling contrasts, of sudden surprises, of splendour and squalor, of enjoyment pushed to its wildest heights and sorrow thrown into its most hidden

In addition to this, other lines are in progress, and still more contemplated, which will carry railways through some of the busiest districts of the metropolis. The comfort of the residents, and the aspect of the public ways, are not in-depths, as one single day of real metrocreased by these undertakings, which politan life. There was never a painter in the South of London require arches and bridges, but the continually increasing traffic seems to render them a necessity. On the day the Metropolitan Railway was opened, The Daily Telegraph published an article on the streets of London, part of which we extract for the amusement of our readers :

who could limn the scene in its entirety. No smaller man than Turner could ever suggest to us the sombre splendour of our London sunsets, when the sun burns slowly down through clouds which are blurred with the smoke of a mighty city; no weaker hand than Hogarth's could reproduce the busy and bustling crowds who sweep onward, intent on pleasure or on gain."

"Wonderful are our London streets; no city in the world presents a panorama at once so swift, so varied, and so full. Life with us is at fever heat; no hour of the day is without its business or its The DISTRESS IN THE COTTON DISTRICTS excitement. We are a nation tremen- has somewhat abated, so far as can be dously at work; as ceaselessly as the judged by the number of applicants for hammer beats upon the anvil, so cease- parochial relief, but it is feared that it is lessly throbs the brain. There is little beginning to be felt more severely by idleness in England. Our country many whose means have enabled them gentlemen, when they are not labouring to encounter it hitherto. It is not the through thick covers or charging at five- want of cotton which is felt now, but its barred gates, are visiting gaols, attend- high price, which renders the manufacing quarter sessions, or examining blue- ture of it unprofitable. Trade cannot books. Age itself has not the privilege be resumed to any extent until the prices of being lazy. Genially and cheerfully of the raw material, and of the manuto the last, the Englishman of sixty factured article bear a fairer proportion labours away. This activity, this in- to each other. The kind and liberal cessant toil, this fiery speed, all culmi- effort made in New York to assist in this

season of trial has been most successful. We copy from The New York Times an account of the departure of the ship "George Griswold," which, it will be remembered, has been gratuitously granted by its owner, from New York for England on the 10th January. It is gratifying to our common humanity to have to record such acts of sympathy with our Lancashire sufferers.

were on board of that ship, 11,236 barrels of flour, 200 boxes of bacon, 50 barrels of pork, 500 bushels of corn, 500 barrels and boxes of bread, 200 boxes of bacon, 1,500 barrels of flour, and 50 barrels of pork by the Produce Corn Exchange. There remained yet in hand 30,900 dollars in cash, a sum sufficient to inaugurate another movement similar to this. More sums were being sent in."

We notice in The Sunday School World a collection made for this Fund at Yonkers, New York, after a very singular service, which we record as being the only instance of the sort which ever came under our notice.

"So peculiar an event as the sending of a ship laden with food from our shores to the land where dwell our bitterest enemies and our most malignant traducers,* is too significant and too thoroughly an exponent of our national habit to be permitted without the custo- "Six congregations were united on mary reception, Accordingly, the good the occasion, completely filling the ship was decked in her brightest holiday first Presbyterian church, and six garb. From every available point waved pastors, representing the two schools of to the breeze an emblem of nationality the Presbyterian church, the Dutch and an insignia of power. Upon her Reformed, the Episcopal, the Baptist, deck was gathered a company of New and the Methodist churches, took part York merchants and philanthropists, in the services, and joined in preaching with many of the fairer sex, who, one and the same sermon! The text of though not of the former class, are the discourse was Eph. v. 20, Giving honorary and working members of the thanks always, for all things, unto God latter. But more especially we noticed and the Father, in the name of our Lord the Rev. Dr. Vinton, Rev. Dr. Adams, Jesus Christ.' The Dutch Reformed Rev. Dr. S. H. Cox, Rev. Dr. Cuyler, pastor introduced the sermon, and very Rev. Dr. Smith, J. C. Green, A. T. naturally divided it into six parts. Stewart, W. A. Dodge, A. A. Low, Each part had been assigned to one of S. B. Chittenden, G. Griswold, David the preachers, and at the end of an Dowes, H. W. T. Mall, Jonathan Sturges, hour the large congregation had heard, B. H. Field, J. T. Johnston, S. Sloan. with evident satisfaction, a well-jointed, "The Rev. Dr. Adams invoked the and interesting sermon, preached by six blessing of God upon the work so ministers of as many different denomiauspiciously begun. nations! At the close of it, a collection was taken up for the suffering operatives of Lancashire, England."

"Mr. Green gave an account of the proceedings of the Executive Committee. It was distinctly asserted that they had no object in the work in which they were engaged other than to come to the rescue of suffering humanity.

"Mr. Ariel A. Low, the treasurer, reported the amount contributed to be over 108,000 dollars. There were two other organisations not reported. There

We wish our American friends would not use such strong language. They will do us more justice by and by.-ED.

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emancipation of all by the year 1900, he has issued, pursuant to his threat as formerly announced, a proclamation declaring the freedom of all slaves in the territories now in revolt against the Federal Government. This proceeding is so important, that we feel it our duty to place it fully before our readers. After reciting his former proclamation, the President proceeds :

free, and that the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognise and maintain the freedom of said persons.

"And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free, to abstain from all violence unless in necessary selfdefence, and I recommend to them that in all cases, when allowed, they labour faithfully for reasonable wages.

"And I further declare and make

dition will be received into the armed service of the United States, to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.

"Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested, as Commander-known that such persons of suitable conin-Chief of the army and navy of the United States, în time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and Government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days from the day of the first above-mentioned order, and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:

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"And, upon this sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the constitution-upon military necessity-I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favour of Almighty God.

"In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

[SEAL.]

Done at the City of Washington,

this first day of January, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh.

(Signed)

By the President, ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
Secretary of State."

The importance of this measure can hardly be exaggerated. It seems to sound the knell of slavery throughout the whole North American continent; for although its provisions only profess to affect the States now in rebellion against the Federal Government, yet they will certainly come to the knowledge of the slaves in those slave States which still adhere to the Union, and must be carried out there. The President has been reproached with inconsistency in not making the emancipation universal; but

In Texas, the Confederates have captured Galveston and the steamer Harriet Lane, but it is doubtful whether they will be able to retain their conquest of the former.

We are happy to perceive some slight symptoms in the Federal States of a desire for peace. The Emperor of the French has also addressed to the Government at Washington, an expression of his desire that some means may be found for putting an end to the conflict. In this desire the whole civilized world will most heartily concur.

this the Constitution forbids. He has done all in his power, in this respect, by his Message to Congress, noticed in our last number, recommending the States to adopt a system of emancipation. The present proclamation is essentially a war measure, it is so treated by the President, and it is thus only that it can be justified. Doubtless, he hesitated long before employing this most awful means of bringing the conflict to an end. It is an attempt, however it may be disguised, to raise the slave population of the States designated, against their masters; and may lead to scenes of horror, compared with which the blood already shed in this war will be but as a drop in the ocean. The only effect of it hitherto has been to increase the bitterness of hatred on the part of the South, and, we fear, to lead to acts on their part which do not surprise although appointment of General Hooker in his they deeply grieve us.

The army of the Potomac was again put in motion at the end of January, but the state of the roads, and attendant delay in supplying the necessary appliances, compelled its return to its former position. This has been followed by the resignation of General Burnside, and the

place. Generals Sumner and Franklin have also been relieved of their com

THE WAR IN AMERICA does not ex-mands. hibit any symptoms of coming to an

end. Mr. Cuyler, of Brooklyn, whose animated address in reference to the relief proposed to be sent to our Lancashire operatives we reported last month, proves to have been mistaken in his opinion of the expedition under General Banks, about which there appeared to be so much mystery. It was destined for New Orleans, where General Banks has superseded General Butler, whose proceedings there have procured him such an unenviable notoriety.

In Tennessee, a five days' conflict ended in the Confederate General Bragg quietly withdrawing his army, without any interference from the Federals under General Rosecranz, thus strictly following the precedents set in this war.

Vicksburg, on the Mississippi, against which the Federals failed last campaign, has been again attacked, but without success. While, in other parts, there has been an alternation of victory and defeat on a smaller scale, but without leading to any decisive result.

THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH has

He

been usefully employed in distribut-
ing prizes to the Exhibitors at the
recent International Exhibition.
took the opportunity of having a laugh
at us, for the fears entertained, about
two years back, of the hostile intentions
of his people towards us, and told his
audience that they had really invaded
England, and had learnt much that
would be profitable to them. He also
took the opportunity of paying a compli-
ment to this country, which our Govern-
ment has thought it courteous to acknow-
ledge officially. We quote it as the
testimony of an intelligent and impartial
observer, and as embodying an important
principle, “That regard for the laws is
the best foundation for real liberty."

"From these material exchanges an exchange still more valuable arises, that of ideas. If foreigners envy us many useful things, we also have much to

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