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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 296, 10 August 1865, Page 3

Russell.—The correspondent of the Now Zealand Herald, under date July 28, thns writes: — On Monday, the 24th, news was recieved here that the schooner St. Kilda was lying at Wanganui supposed to be smuggling. Mr Mitford, Sub-Col-lector of Customs, accompanied by Constable M’Cabe, Mr Greenaway, Government Interpreter, and the two Customs’ boatmen, started at once via Waikari. They found the St. Kilda at anchor and boarded her. Mr Mitford demanded the manifest and register, which the captain at once delivered. “ W here is the remainder of thecargo F” asked Mr Mitford. “ Overboard,”- said the captain don’t you see the bulwarks carried away and the galley gone ?” “ Well, 1 shall seize the vessel, and she shall go to the Bay.” “Very well,’’ said the captain, and, turning to the crew, “My men, the vessel is seized, and now belongs to the Government. You can go ashore, if you like, I have nothing moreforyoutodo.’’ TheSub-Collectorplaced Brown, one of his boatmen,in charge, and returned with the other to the Bay. Some repairs having been made to the vessel, and the wind being fair on Thursday, also a carpenter having been shipped, the captain gave the word, “ Man the windlass,” and then to Brown, “ These are three chances for you: Go on shore ; go over board ; or go with me on cruise—make your choice." “ Oh, I’ll go ashore,” says Brown, and so he returned here. The Kt. Kilda has gone to sea, and has on board about 1000 gallons spirits, tobacco and other trade. The OVEEBOAEB cargo is 50i)u gallons spirits and six boxes tobacco.' The duties on these, should they, per chance, float into the Waitemalaor Mnuakau will amount to over £3,000. No one can blame our Sub-Collector for his vigilance and prudence, but there are some who think lie should have seized captain and mate sent them on shore, and he remained with the vessel < ill she was safely at anchor here. The Government will decide. Nor without Honor.— We read in a recent number of the Sheffield Daily Telegraph of the presentation, on the 6th May, by the Provincial Typographical Association of the United Kingdom to its secretary, Mr Josephus Speak, of a handsome testimonial consisting of one hundred and twenty sovereigns, a valuable timepiece, and a massive silver snuff-box, with a written address, the whole being the gift of the united trade of letterpress printers in England Scotland, and Ireland. The occasion of the testimonial was the removal of the head-quarters of the Association to Manchester from Sheffield, at which town its management has been conducted from its foundation in 184 D. In the course of his reply to the address presented to him, Mr Speak took occasion to refer to those who had been at the head of the Association’s affairs in earlier times, as follows: “In glancing over the various executives which have administered the affairs of the Association, I am forcibly struck with the amount of talent—nay, often genius—which has from year to year attached particularly to the president of the body. Taking all the men collectively who have officiated in that capacity, I hesitate not to say that they would compare advantageously to themselves with the cream of the profession in the three kingdoms. It would be a pleasing task to run over their names, and to point out the peculiar excellences of each for the position he has filled ; but time will not permit this if my ability were sufficient to assure me that I should treat the analysis in a manner deserving of it and of them. I cannot, however, refrain from mentioning two names—those of Mr Thomas Bradweli and Mr David Walkinshaw—-than whom, and taking them all in all, the operative part of the profession has not in my time, produced superior men. (Applause.) It is to those and other presidents, and to those men who have acted along with them, that much of the credit which is now given to me really belongs.” Mr Bradweli alluded to in such complimentary terms, is now,a citizen of Christchurch, in business in Colombo-street; for several years he was foreman printer of the Lyttleton Times; and he as held a seat in the Provincial Council of Canterbury. It is not a little honorable to such a man that his exertions on behalf of his fellow workmen throughout England should be remembered and recorded with approval by the voice of their principal representatives twelve years after he lias ceased to be present among them. As a former member of the staff of this journal we have great pleasure in calling attention to the circumstance. —Lyttelton Times. A Willino Wife. —A Liverpool fisherman was summoned for being drunk. His wife appeared for him, and pleaded that he was the best man in the world when sober. He waa fined five shillings and costa, when his wife —loving soul’.---said, “ You must take me for it, for he’s gone out a fishing.” A governess, advertising for a situation, says she is “ perfect mistress of her own, tongue.” - . A celebrsied physician, boasting at a dinner that he .cured his own hams, a guest observed, “ Doctor, 1 would sooner be your ham than your patient.”

Fisst Plot to Assassinate President Lincoln .—From the day when' Abraham Lincoln was first elected to guide the destines of the Republic, a portion of the pro-slavery party panted lor his life. When in the act of passing from his home in lllionis to assume the reins of office he was apprised by General Scott that a plot had been formed by some Southern men to assassinate him. The plan was to raise a riot in Baltimore as he passed through that city on his way to Washington, and in the midst of the tumult Mr Lincoln was to be slain. The messenger who brought the news of the conspiracy to Mr Lincoln at Harrisburg, was Fredrick Seward, (son of Secretary Seward, and himself dangerously wounded in attempting to save his father’s life against the assassin Payne.) Mr Linclon, with his usual prudence, at once stopped in his triumphal progress towards the capitale, and, disguised as a country man, passed safely through Baltimore by the night train, and arrived at the White House in Washington. When raising a flag in Philadelphia, be asked whether the Union could be saved upon the Declaration of Independence, and in answering his own question uttered words which sound propheti tally after the occurrence which has troubled America:—“ If this country cannot be saved without giving up that principle—l was about to say I would rather he assassinated on this spot than surrender it,” and closed his address with the solemn utterence—“ I have said nothing but what I am willing to live by, and, if it be the pleasu eof Almighty God, die by.” He stood by these principles during his life, and he had completed the most triumphant defence of these principles when called on to die. Among his private papers, after death, was found a packet endorsed in his own handwriting, “ Assassination Letters,” some containing threats to take bis life, others warning him of plots for the same purpose The extent and ramifications of the late conspiracy, which uuhapily proved successful, show that the assassination of President Lincoln waa not the isolated act of a madman. There is no reason to believe that the chiefs of the rebellion were cognizant ot the affair, but there is strong reason to fear that the plot existing over a period of at least six weeks, was known to, and encouraged by, persons of social rank and influence at Richmond. Remarkably enough an advertisement appeared last December in an Alabama newspaper offering for a consideration to assassinate President Lincoln, General Grant, and Mr Seward by the 4th of March, and by a curious coincidence, if we may so term it, the last plot was planned for the 4th of March, and embraced the three persons named in the advertisement. Indeed it would seem that the object contemplated was the destruction of the whole of the leading chiefs of the Northern administration. The Court of Inquiry sitting at Washington has obtained reliable evidence that Mr Stanton, Secretary at War, Mr Chase, Chief Justice, and Mr Charles Sumner, the well-known senator, were also marked for assassination. At the latest advices from America, strong detachments of troops mounted guard at the residences of these gentlemen, by order of the military commandant. General Anger. It is gratifying to record that some of the leading men of the South have readily expressed their abhorrence of such atrocious deeds. Commissioner Ould, the Southern representative for the exchange of prisoners, declared “ that it was the worst disaster that had yet befallen the South. The surrender of Lee was nothing to it.” General Ewell, who first heard the news while on his way to Boston, on parole, burst into tears, wringing his hands in agony, as he thought of the disgrace and shame which would befal his country ; and General Lee fairly broke down, locked himself in his room, and utterly refused to hear the sickening details of the bloody deed.

A thief has just been tried for stealing candle from the Virgin’s alter in Santa Croce. He was caught in the act by a monk belonging to the adjoining convent, who consigned him to the tender mercies of the police. Brought before the magistrates the delinquent owned to the fact, and narrated that as he was pacing up and down Lung’ Arno, meditating on the possible method of appeasing his craving hunger, the Madonna appeared to liim and gave him leave to take a certain number of candles from her altar in Santa Croce and sell them for bread. He objected reminding her that he should be taken up for thieving, hut she replied that the candfrs were hers, and that she had a right to dispose of them as she pleased. The judges, however, did not seem of her opinion, and, as she did not appear to confirm her gift, condemned the tiiief to two months’ imprisonment.

An leish Rebuke.—A lad from the “ Green Isle,” whose occupation was that of blacking stoves, fire-places, and stove-pipes, bearing on his arm a pot of blacking with brushes and other implements of his trade, addressed a denizen of this city, who was standing at his door. “ Has your honour any stoves to polish this morning ? I’m the boy for that business.” The person addressed, not being of a courteous manner, gruffly answered: “Go about your business,” Pat moved a few steps off, to be out of the way of a kick, and replied with a knowing wink: “ Your honour would not be worse for a little polishing yourself, I’m thinking.”