An Appeal To The Home Secretary. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,-Public attention has of late been directed to the riots a. Brighton and Worthing in connexion with the proceedings of the Salvation Army. WVill you allow me tc call attention to a still greater evil in the same locality I On the 6th of November every yearFthe Gunpowder Plot anniversary is observed at Lewes in amostoutrageout 'Way. Indeed, the extent to which the rroceedings are allowed to go can hardly be realized by thoso living awa3 from theplace. Let me give a brief outline. Themob (including the rougha from Brighton and all the neigh- bouring places) thlie undisputed possession of the town about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. The police retire, the street lamps are put out, and a scene of a most unearthly kind begins. By this time the fronts of all tho houses in the principal streets are barricaded, the cellar windows are protected, as well as they can be, from fire, and the snob numbering many tbousands, hundreds of whom are dressed in all kinds of hobgoblin costume, so that it is impossible to recoguize who they are, indulge in all sorts of mad freaks, with fireworks, torches, tar-barrels, fire-balls, bonfires, &c. A huge bonfire is oven lighted in front of the County-hall, the flames from which are made to ascend to the height of the building itself. The people subscribe something like ?1,000 a year to pay for,allgthis. They do not like it, but are afraid to refuse to subscribe for fear of being marked men. No w, is it right that a place of such wealth and importance as Lewes, with its 12,000 inhabitanits, should be handed over in this way to mob-law ? Last year a fire of considerable magnitude was caused by it, and yet hand- bills are agaiu in circulation now asking for subscriptions for this year's carnival. Is Lewes governed by a different law to other towns ? If not, why, does not the law assert its undoubted authority and rid us of this outrageous rulfanism ? Several people have been maimed for life by injuries they have sustained on these occasions, even when taking no part in the proceedings. Can there be any sort of justification for the continuance of sueh a scene ? Yours obedientlv. Lewes, Uct. 4. DECENCY. r.r,-j31 itGe event of a serious conflagration would the insurance olfices be responsible for the damage ? AN APPBAL TO THE HUMB SEORETARY.