Star. — London, England, 1830-07-20 00:00:00

INPEIII.II. PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LOlt!)':N Jrt.Y liia R,,:1 IliLthocss th: Doke of Ctunberl tn.l, the Duke of Matl.eirough, and Viscount Arundel. took the oaths of alle ianco. Petitions wt.if presented from Pembroke against the Welsh Judi cature The Duke of WI:I,LINGTON said, that as the evidence in the case of Sir Jonah Barrington had been only laid upon the table that day, he would move that the further consideration of the case be postponed until to-morrow (this day.) Agreed to. The Archbishop of CAN rERBURY brought up the report of tlo Commissioners for Building Churches. Earl GROSV ENO It complained that the question of Colonial Si had not been taken into consideration during the Session. He had hoped that something would have been done this Session to do away with slavery in the Colonies. The growing feeling of the country against slavery was now quite manifest, and the Govern ment would be obliged to bow to that feeling. He begged to in form the House that it was his intention at an early period of the next Session to bring before the House a motion, having two ob jects, namely, that all children born of slaves should be free, and nest, after a stated period, all slaves should be free. The Duke of WELLINGTON hoped that the noble lord would so frame the bill upon this subject, that a provision would be made for those slaves that would be set free. He suggested that it would be better to wait until the recommendation of parliament on this subject, which government were trying to carry into effect, had had a fair opportunity of seeing how far it could be effective, before any bill should be brought into parliament. The recommendations of parliament were, he was happy to say, likely to be carried most fully into effect. The efforts of government had, in a great mea sure, been successful. Earl GROSVENOR said a few words in reply; and adverting SO the subject of the game laws, said that he regretted that those laws had not come under the consideration of the house this session. Lord CALTIIORPE denied that the measures of government, respecting the abolition of slavery, had produced the effect intended by parliament. After a few words from Earl BATHURST, Lord WHARNCLIFFE said that the reason he had notbrought forward any motion on the subject of the game laws was, that he expected that a bill upon the same subject, which was introduced into the Commons during this session, would have come up to that house, when he would have had an opportunity of giving it his support. Owing, however, he supposed, to a press of business in the other Ileum. the bill was overlaid. Earl BATHURST brought up the reports of the committees upon the East India affairs and the coal trade. The Marquis of LONDO DERRY adverted to the latter re port, and congratulated the country on the nature of it. From this report it appealed that 1,6001. a year was paid to the corporation of London for duty upon coals coming into the port of London.— The report added that coal-whippers were unnecessary. The report contained a great mass of information, and it proved to the country that the sole cause of the high price of coals was owing to the tax levied upon this necessary article of consumption by the corporation of London. He regretted that the committee had not said anything upon the King's duty of 6s. a chaldron on coals. Lord TEYN HAM, in presenting a Petition from a person named Hutchinson, relative to a claim which he had upon the East India Company, said that that Company acted with great illiberality towards those persons who had been in their service, and the Noble Lord, in support of his observation, instanced the circumstances connected with the Registrars of Madras Bill, now before the House. Lord ELLENBOROUGH said that the East India Company were not to blame in the case of the Registrar of Madras business; the fault lay with the Judges of the Supreme Court, in not taking security for their officers. EAST RETFORD BILL. The Marquis of SALISBURY, in moving the second reading of the East Retford Bill, alluded to the cases of Grampound and Crieklade, in which instances their Lordships were required to go much further than they were asked to do with respect to this Bill. The principle on which Parliament acted on in the cases to which he had alluded, was that a corporation ought to be held responsible :or the acts of the majority of its members; and he was prepared to contend that, by the evidence given in this case, corruption had been dearly established. The Noble Marquis then proceeded to com ment upon the nature of the evidence, and said that the only ques tion for the House to consider was this, was there or was there not corruption proved against those electors ? Upon the question that the Bill be read a second time being put, Lord DURHAM said he was opposed to the bill. He objected to the rights of freemen being taken away upon the evidence given support of this bill. They were to decide upon the bill in a strict and legal manner ; they were sitting upon it in their judicial characters; and, judging of the evidence as a Judge, he must say, that he saw no one charge found against the freemen supported in a kgal manner. The noble lord then read several authorities, to show Ono there must be positive and direct proof of corruption against the freemen, before their rights could be taken away. Now no ac tual bribery had been proved in this case. The only evidence given r:terrcd to conversations that had taken place in taverns over the pot of beer. and not in support of any positive proof of bribery. By the law of the land, it was not bribery to take money after an election, provided there had been ne previous promise. Ministers frequently gave their support to places under the government. Was this corruption ? The Minister also gives his adherents situations worth 3,0001 or 4,0001. Was the man who took 201. or 401. for his vote to be disgraced, dishonoured, and disfranchised, and the no bleman or commoner who received 3,0001. or 4,0001. for his vote in favour of Ministers, to be lauded for his conduct, and congratulated for his good fortune. Ile condemned the course adopted by the house, in obliging the voters of East Retford to betray confidence, and disgrace themselves at their lordships' bar. It was a course only to be equalled by the Star Chamber, or the Inquisition of Spain. He was anxious that all die corruption connected with the representation of this country should be investigated and done away with ; but while he was anxious that this should take place, he was not willing that a single borough should suffer, while so many others were equally corrupt. He should, under all the circumstances, move that the bill be read a second time that day six months. The LORD CHANCELLOR said that he could not resist the opportunity of addressing their lordships upon this bill. It was clearly proved by the evidence given in support of this bill, that from the year 1796 up to 1820, a specific sum of money—namely, 20 guineas—was paid for every vote given to the successful can didate. Money had not been paid in 11126, simply because a petition had been presented against the return. He conceived that it had been clearly proved that the money had been paid to the majority of the electors. 'the Earl of ELDON said that he never heard of such a principle laid down by any legal character as that now advanced, that they should judge of previous acts in support of an existing case. They were trying the circumstances connected with the last election, not any previous election ; therefore why advert to the previous acts of the electors of the borough of East Retford to the period of 1826 ? It was the election which took place in that year they were to con sider, and if no bribery was committed during that election, then no case had been proved against the electo rs. Their lordships could not infer from the fact of some of the electors having been guilty of bribe's., that all electors had been guilty of a si milar crime. If their lordships thought it consistent with their duty to pass this bill, he (Lord Eldon) could not say that they were not right, but he felt in duty bound to vote against the bill. Lord WYNFORD observed that the attempt to bribe was, in his apprehension, as criminal as if the bribe had been given, though the fact of bribery had not been completed. If the preamble of the Bill had been established to their Lordships' satisfaction, he thought that they ought to' pass the Bill. He felt satisfied from the evidence on the.sable, that a system of bribery bad been practis ed in that borough at every election, which took place since 1796. Them were no questions asked at these elections respecting the po litical principles of the candidates, whether they were whip or toile'. The only questions asked, related to the security of the pay ment for their votes. The crime did hot consist in the giving of money, but in the corrupt contract. His Lordship then referred to the evidence, which went indirectly to establish acts of bribery at all elections since 1796. It was almost impossible, he observed, to get direct evidence of a corrupt agreement between the electors nd the candidates; but it was clearly proved that money had been paid to the majority of the electors on all such occasions, and was it not evident that such monies hakbeen paid to them for their votes' He had no doubt but that if the Borough should be continued in its present state, the same system of corruption would be practised. The only way by which, in his apprehension, the system could be arrested, was by introducing into the town such a number of elec tors, as would put them beyond the reach of bribery. He denied, as asserted by counsel at the bar, that the franchise was a property; it was a trust, to be exercised for the benefit of the public. This Bill should not be termed a Bill of Pains And Penalties, for it de prived no person of any right which he possessed. Was it not a great evil in this country, that persons who were invested with the trust of voting for representatives for Parliament, should abuse that trust through corrupt motives. His Lordship looked on it as the the best mode of Parliamentary reform, to correct abuses for the co ncise of the franchise, whenever they were detected. Earl GREY observed, that when corruption was as evident as ,' the noon day in the majority of the boroughs throughout the nu- pire, he could not avoid protesting against this mode of pointing out some particular borough for the legislature to exercise its ven geance on. " Give me a bill of indemnit ion y, and allow me to p as has ursue . the same mode of esta bli s hing corrupt In other boroughs been practised in this," said the noble lord, " and I'll pledge my. uelf that I. shall disfranchise the majority of boroughs throughout die kingdom." He contended that, as their lordships were sitting here judicially, they should not disfranchise this borough without having such evidence as would be required to establish the charge of corruption before a jury. He maintained that the proceedings were justified by no precedent : in the cases of Aylesbury and Shoreham, a great number of electors had been previously convicted on a charge of bribery. The noble lord then reterred to the parliamentary de bates respecting the charge against the borough of Aylesbury, and quoted a passage from Sergeant Best's speech (now Lord Wynfotd) which was at direct variance with what Lord Wynford had now ad vanced. His lordship then referred to the observations made by the Lord Chancellor, which manifested more partiality in a judge than he had ever heard before. If such doctrines were to be acted upon in a court of law, it would unhinge the security of private property. He submitted that their lordships were not justified in passing this bill on such evidence as that produced at the bar. There should be direct and clear evidence of corruption, for their lordships were not warranted by any precedent in making up the deficiency in evidence by presumption and deductions. For these reasons he should op pose the bill. Lord WYNFORD explained. The Duke of WELLINGTON lamented exceedingly that this bill had ever been brought before the consideration of Parliament ; but having been brought to this, he was of opinion that their Iced ships should dispose of it. He considered this a bill of pains and penalties, and before the house could justly pus the bill, the pre amble should be satisfactorily proved. Now, in his opinion, the preamble (which set forth that a system of corruption had been practised for several years in that borough,) had been satisfactorily proved. The noble duke then read extracts from the evidence, showing the number of persons to whom money had been paid, and the amount of money lodged in the bank for the voters by the can didates at the various elections. It was perfectly true that there was no evidence that the majority of the voters had received com pensation for their votes at the last election, but there was proof that the money had been lodged in the bank, and there was no doubt but that they would have received it, were it not for the petition against the election. Then, if their lordships should come to the conclusion that corruption had been practised in that borough, the next subject for their consideration was, bow they should correct the evil. The customary mode in such cases was to extend the franchise to the freeholders of the adjacent hundred; that was what the bills proposed to do. He would repeat that the preamble of the bill had been clearly proved, and his Grace therefore should support the bill. fiord GREY explained, The Marquis of SALISBURY replied. The Earl of ELDON and the LORD CHANCELLOR mutually explained, after which strangers were ordered to withdraw, and a di vision took place. For the original motion 27 For the amendment Majority — 22 The House then adjourned at a quarter to ten till to-morrow, after it had been settled that the Administration of Justice Bill was to be disposed of to-morrow. HOUSE OF COMMONS, JULY 19. At four o'clock, there being only thirty-three Members present, the SPEAKER declared the House adjourned to this day. THB MARCH OF CRIME. Whatever may be thought of " the march of intellect," concern ing which we hear so much at the present day in the shape either of cant or burlesque, there can be no doubt, unhappily, that " the march of crime" has of late been fearfully accelerated amongst us. Wickedness has assumed new and unheard-of forms ; guilt has put on a darker and more hideous aspect ; while enormities unparal leled in the past history of human depravity, and which even beg. gar all that the genius of fiction ever Imagined in its wildest mood, have been perpetrated either in the " intellectual" city of Edin. burgh, and in the midst of a population previously supposed to be remarkable for its high state of moral and religious cultivation. It is little more than eighteen months since it was discovered that a couple of monsters had established a den of murder in one of the most crowded and populous districts of the Northern Athens, and were carrying on a regular tra ffi c in the produce of their human shambles. It is not eight months since the cold-blooded, fiend-like butcheries of Emond, perpetrated under circumstances of peculiar and unprecedented atrocity, froze the very blood in our veins, and made every man tremble for the safety of his own home. It was only last week that two incarnate demons were convicted, at the bar of the Justiciary Court, of a crime still more unnatural and in human than any of those to which we have just alluded—a crime, the very thought of which must sicken the heart of every man who has one particle of human feeling in his nature, and which, in all its circumstances, is universally admitted to be without example or parallel in the criminal records of this or of any other country. To what cause or condition of society, then, are we to ascribe such appalling manifestations of human depravity ? and how are we to account for the commission of such inconceivable atrocities in the bosom of a metropolis which plumes itself on ac count of itz fancied superiority to the capitals of other nations, and considers itself, perhaps, as the most civilised portion of this civi lised country ? Poverty and misery are usually regarded as the main causes and chief stimulants of crime ; and, in point of fact, offences arc found to multiply in proportion as the Inhabitants of a country arc reduced below that point in the scale at which they are enabled to earn a comfortable livelihood, and as they gradually sink down to the condition of those who are content if they can procure the means of prolonging life and sustaining a mere physical existence. But the offences which arise out of such a state of things are, for the most part, offences against property merely : and as the causes which produce them are often but temporary In their operation, their deteriorating and demoralizing effects are checked and counter acted before the mind of the lower classes becomes thoroughly corrupted by familiarity with guilt, and prepared for the com mission of great enormities. None of the diabolical atrocities to which we have alluded, however, appear to have been the progeny of poverty and misery. Burke and Hare organised a system of murder tint they might sell the bodies of their victims ; not to supply their physical wants, but that they might procure ample means for indulging their depraved appetites, and rioting in the most brutal debauchery. Emond beat out the brains of his sister-in-law and his niece, that he might satiates deep, des. Aerate, and determined revenge. Thomson and Dobie,'" in the mere diabolical wantonness of wickedness, and with circumstances of bru tality unequalled on earth, and altogether worthy of Pandemonium itself, destroyed the poor unhappy creature who had confided in them, and put herself under their protection, in a manner and with a brutal barbarity which astounded and appalled even those whose profession necessarily renders them familiar with examples of al most every form of iniquity. All these crimes, therefore, have clearly been the immediate offspring of sheer wickedness and de pravity alone ; and they are consequently to be regarded as mani. festations and evidences of tLe depth of that moral degradation into which a certain class of our people have fallen, and of the facility with which many of them may be induced to commit any wicked ness, however great, to perpetrate any crime, however horrible. In fact some malignant principle appear, to have generated and become endemic among the class to which we have referred; and to have banished from their minds all fear of GoD, and all regard for the laws and institutions of society. They have grown reckless, aban doned, and desperate ; devoid of all self-respect or regard to charac ter or opinion ; shamelessly and outrageously profligate; utter strangers to all religion ; and ready to obey the impulse of every corrupt and disorderly passion. This is a fearful state of things ; but truth compels us to paint the picture in its true colours. Mat ters have gone too far to admit of palliation or extenuation. A dreadful evil has suddenly displayed itself, and the only consi. deration that ought to actuate every ingenuous and upright mind, is how to devise a suitable and adequate remedy. It is clear, indeed, that unless society uses means to destroy this alarm ing tendency to crime, it will ultimately end by destroying society. The law has been vigorously and wisely administered, but its ter. tors appear to have lost their power. Examples are multiplied in vols. Moral and religious discipline alone remains to be ens. ployed : but this powerful instrument, if properly applied, will in the end work out a cure. Let us then abandon all our present Quixotism about the conversion of the heathen, and begin out reli. gime and moral charity at home. There is an ample field fat our enterprise at our very doors. We have heathens greater than any in India, Africa, or America, around us, near us, in the very beam of the community of which we are members. Let us then Can. llMlllte our labours by trying first of all to convert the barbarians vises:all themselves eivili dinburgh Paper. e The crime for which Thomson and Dais were tried and con demned, as already reported in the STAR. was—violating, robbing, sad murdering Margaret Patterson, daughtez of Wm. Patterson, ar Dalkeith , on the 17th of April last, between Cellarbank or eel hawk, em the Dalkeith road, and the village of Oilmerton ; as with circumstances of peculiar atrocity. From the na ture of the Mines charged against the prisoners, and the shocking details into which it was indispensably necessary to enter, the case was tried with closed doors, and the public were excluded, until the moment the jury retired, when, by order of the Lord*Justice Clerk, the doors mere thrown open, and the public admittett On this oc. casion the Lord Justice Clerk addressed the criminals, saying—no words which I can use are capable of describing the unparalleled brutality, cruelty, and wickedness, of which you have been con victed ; and I shall content myself with observing, that the exhibi tion in this case is enough to make every man blush to think that in this land such wickedness and brutal conduct should have been perpetrated; enormities which could never have been supposed or imagined, had they not been actually committed. Followint example of my brethren who have preceded me, and considering the proceedings have been conducted with closed doors till this part of the case, I shall refrain from saying anything of the crimes of which you stand convicted on the clearest evidence ever brought ber fore a jury. My duty i to warn you to prepare for the inevitable fate which awaits you in this world , and for appearin g b e f ore th, judgment seat of Czars?, to answer for all the sins and crimes of which you have ever been guilty. Rest assured that if ever then was • case in which the law will take its full course it is yeses. You are to consider that your days arc numbered, and that you have now no other duty in the world but to pray for the forgiveness of all your crimes, and h enc eforward to humble yourselves at the footstool of ALMIGHTY GOD, wheal you have SO heinously offended. Do not lose a single moment in setting about the work of repentance ; and GOD grant that it may be sincere, and that forgiveness may be extended to you for your crimes." His lordship then sentenced the pannels to be executed at Edinburgh, on the 10th of August, and their bodies to be given to Dr. Moor°, professor of anatomy, for dissection. When his lordship had ended passing sentence, Dobie said, in a flurried and agitated tone—" It's a grand thing, my Lord, they canna dissect the soul." Thomson remained silent. POLICE REPORTS. GITILIMALL.—Yesterday, John Wailer was charged with em. benling various sums of money, the property of hie master, Mr. Wm. Henry Ashurst, solicitor, of Newgate-street. Mr. Ayres, managing clerk to Mr. Ashurst, stated that the pri. Boner was a clerk in the same employ, and was entrusted with sums of money to a considerable amount, to be expended in general pur poses on behalf of his master. It was the duty of the prisoner to settle his accounts every week, sign a book kept by the cashier, and discharge the different sums entered In his own disbursement-book. The prisoner quitted his employer's service abruptly, which excited some suspicion that he had not been fairly expending the Suns placed in his bands, a suspicion fully borne out subsequently by several bills being sent for counsels' fen, which the prisoner had taken credit to himself as having paid. Francis Stratford, cashier to Mr. Ashurst, said that he kept an , account of the different sums paid to his employer's clerks ; and for the week ending May 15th, the sun entered as paid to the was 031.55. for business connected with the office. It was Lt 1 :11 3 :; to pay some fees to counsel. On the Saturday night in that week, when rendering an account of the different disbursements during the week, he charged a sum of 21. 4s. 6d. to Mr. Serjeant Stephens, for settling declarations in the case of Lawrence v. Venable.. For the week ceding May 29th, the prisoner received 401. 12s. for gene ral disbursements; and on sanding his accounts at the end of the week, he took credit to himself for two several sums of 21. 4s. 6d. each, for fees paid to Dlr. Clarkson, in the case of Rex v. Revel, and Rex v. Wood. Mr. Taylor (for the prisoner)—Did not the prisoner make up his accounts before he left Mr. Ashunt's service, and give him credit for a balance, which he is now prepared to pay ? Mr. Stratford--There is a balance still unaccounted for of 21. 15s. 4d. but that sum is wholly independent of the sums alleged to have been paid in fees. Mr. Taylor—ls it not a common thing for one clerk to give ano ther the fee to pay for him, in case it may be more convenient for one clerk to call at a particular place than another ? Mr. Stratford—lt is not a common thing. Mr. Taylor—Did not this young man give security for his good conduct to Mr. Ashurst ? Mr. Stratford—He did. Mr. Taylor—And has not application been made to the securities for payment of the balance due by the prisoner ? Mr. Stratford—Application has been made for payment of the balance of 21. 15s. 4d. but not for the amount of the fees. James Crocker, clerk to Mr. Serjeant Stevens, said that he was the only person whose duty it was to receive fees on the part of the Learned Serjeant, and he recollected the declarations in the case of Lawrence and Venables, for which the prisoner paid no fee. Wit ness since that furnished an account to Mr. Ashurst, who has paid the amount of the fee. Mr. Taylor May not the fee have been paid to Mr. Serjeant Stephens ? Mr. Crocker : It is extremely improbable ; 1 think if a fee were offered to him he would refer the party to me. 1 have been in his employ twenty-two years, and don't recollect he ever received three fees in all that time. John Daniel Hall, clerk to Mr. Clarkson, said that the prisoner brought two briefs to Mr. Clarkson's chambers, on Monday even ing, the 26th of May, the evening before the Clerkenwell Sessions. They were briefs in the cases of Rex v. Revel, and Rex a. Wood. The prisoner not being the young man who usually brought briefs, the witness called him back when he was going away without paying the fees, and asked him if he were not to pay for them, to which he replied that he was not. The witness subsequently sent in a bill for the two fees to Mr. Ashurst, who has paid them. Mr. AYRES said these three cases were the only ones he was pre pared with at present, as some counsels' clerks, whose evidence would be necessary in other cases, were unavoidably gone on cir cuit, but he thought enough had been proved to warrant the Alder man in sending the case to a jury. The prisoner being asked if he had anything to say, replied that he would leave it to his solicitor. Mr. TAYLOR requested that the prisoner should be remands The long interval lietween the present time and the next session would prevent any inconvenience arising from it. The Alderman acquiesced, and the prisoner was remanded until Saturday next. BOW.MILEET.—Between three and five o'clock Sunday morning, the residence of Lord Roseberry, No. 139, Piccadilly, was broken Into by thieves, but whether any property has been taken has not as yet been ascertained. The thieves, it appeared from the state. mint of Gardiner, tho officer, got access to the house by getting over the area railing, and forcing a pannel from the kitchen door, by means of a centre-bit. The lower part of the house was in a state of confusion. At least 20 locks were wrenched from the doors, and all the drawers in the housekeeper and steward's room were ransacked. A candle was found lighted in the housekeeper's room, near a drawer containing papers, which, had they taken fire, mast have led to the total destruction of the house. Lord Rosebeiry and his family are on their route to Scotland. HATTON.GAZDEN.—Yesterday, Williams Show was charged with attempting to murder another Irishman, named David Keefe. About two o'clock on Sunday afternoon, the prisoner went into the Hand and Crown public-house, Church4treet, St. Giles's, and caUedi for half a pint of gin, without the means of paying for it; the landlord refused to serve him with it, whereupon the prisoner became outrageous, and taking out a knife from his pocket, threatened to murder the landlord, if the gin were not furnished him. The landlord continued resolute, and refused to serve the prisoner, when he opened the knife and swore that he would stick it in the landlord's heart. The complainant interfered to persuade the prisoner to go home, whereupon he ran at the complainant, and stabbed himlin the nose with the knife. The instrument penetrated the bone, and almost severed the nose from the face. The surgeon at the Middlesex Hospital described the wound as dangerous. The prisoner was remanded for a week. Utriow-Hara..—Yesterday, a man named Trigg was charged with committing a violent assault on William Madden, a fellow workman. The complainant, whose head and face were frightfully swollen, owing to the beating he bad received, stated that on Sunday he spent the afternoon with the defendant and his wife and two other women. In the course of the evening defendant went out, leaving him with " the ladies," which gave him an opportunity of joking with them, and when he shortly afterwards saw the defendant, that person accused him of taking liberties with his wife, and no sooner made the accusation, than be up with his fist and knocked him down. He (the defendant) immediately rose from the ground, and was about to defend himself from the accusation, when be received another thump between the eyes that again upset him, and a third and a fourth time he was served in the same way, and beaten in the violent manner that he now ex hibited. The complainant here produced the clothes which he wore an the occasion, (his best;) they were torn, besides being covered with mud, owing to the fi lthy state of the cad after the heavy fall drain during the day. The defendant said that he did not mean to deny the charge of haying beaten the complainant, and given him the bruises now Visible on his countenance, but that person had withheld the fact which related to the nature of the provocation he gave to deserve thei treatment he had experienced on the occasion, and which he so justly merited. The facts were : he (the de fendant) bad occasion to absent himself a short time from the room, leaving his wills and two other married women in company with the complainant, who was invited to take tea with them. He (defendant) however, no sooner turned his back, than their guest immediately closed the door and windows, and commenced taking the most improper fiber. ties with the women, but more especially with his (idamlant's)wife, wheel he grossly Insulted, by taking her round the itdotind kissing 'her, although she expressed her disapprobation of mai oviduct, and endeavoured to extricate herself from his easlisattees This behaviour, from a person who was invited as thrift fiat, ea. did the indignation of those to whom the insult was dined and wins he (defendant) returned home, and was informed old* warate l he which his wife, as well as the other &males, Witt Mated by de complainant, he called that individual out of the room, sad is v► quirrng an explanation, received nothing but insult, and, is the an. asperation of the moment, he certainly gave the °Smile a mod thrashing to make him remember taking liberties with sae Ores who gave him no encouragement. The defendant's wife corroborated her husband's evidence. The Magistrate, after hearing the explanation, discharged the de. fcridana Tumult-Po tacr.—Jetwes Bryertl and Thomas Little were charged with assaulting Thomas Catlin, a police constable, who had endeavoured to secure them while assisting a loom woman In her attempts to plunder a drunken gentleman in Shadwril. Bryant was fined 61. and Little was sent tor one month to hard labour, as a reputed thief. Towx-nat.L.—John Ryas and M 167 Lloyd were charged with uttering counterfeit coin to James Ramanle, • salesman in the bo. rough market.—They were remanded. SCINTILLA. ENIGMA. The noblest object in the work of art, The brightest scene that Nature can impart, The well known signal in the time of peace, Tl:e point essential in the tenant's lease, The farmer's comfort when be holds the plough, The soldier's duty and the lover's vow, The planet seen between the earth and sun, The prize that merit never yet has won, The miser's idol and the badge of Jews, The wife's ambition and the parson's dues; If now your noble spirit can divine, A correspondent word for every line, By the first letter will be plainly h ewns An ancient city of no mall renow EXTRAORDINARY ASSESSMENTS.—A vestry was lately held at Mothill, in the County of Waterford, in obedience the monition of the Bishop of Waterford, when the following cu. Hors assessments were passed :.-.Two foundlings—two shillings and sixpence; collector's salary, one penny costs of monition. one half penny appartitors fee, one half penny. STRANDS VISITORS.—Four young whales, on a tour, paid a visit to Lossiemouth, last week. The hospitable natives invited their guests, by most taking efforts, to go on shore. But their pressing invitations were rejected. After satisfying their curiosity and looking at the town, making a splash, and blowing up every thing about them, according to act form and good pre. cadent, the illustrious strangers dashed off to sea again in the grand. at style imaginable, leaving the town's folk in an agony of wonder and disappointment. PURITY OY ELECTION.--" How much did they give kr a vote in your town ?" asked one of the free and independent electors of Newry, addressing himself to one of the Downpatrick Pot-wallopers. We were paid well when it came to the last tug, - was the reply t " I got ten pounds for my vote." " Ten pounds !" said the Newry-man, contemptuously ; "and did they put you oil with hat?" " Why, and what did you get ?" demanded the citi. ten of Down, with earnestness. "We got, every man of us, a pun. eheon of whisl r replied :the elector of Newry. " Powers of Justice !" exclaimed the Downpatrick burgher, in a burst of vir. woos indignation—" Powers of Justice ! we have been robbed out of the face !"—Newry Examiner. THE FIRE—IRONS; OR, FAMILY QuAuttELs.—Mr. Chose was gravely reading the original Hafen Slawkenbergius. at one sde of the fire, and Mrs. Chose sat darning old worsted stock ings at the other. By some untoward accident, the fire.irons were all on Mrs. Chose's side. " lily dear," said Mr. Chose, " how miserable it makes me to gaze on any thing that looks un.unifomi ; be kind enough, my dear, to let me have the poker on my side." Mrs. Chose, who was busy taking a long stitch at the time, replied " give it you presently, my love." " Nay, pt'ythee, put mt out of pain at once; 'tis absolutely quite distressing to my eye—the fire-place looks like a sow with one ear." " One fiddle stick I How can you be so whimsical? ' " How do you mean whimsical ?" " Lord, man, don't be so pogo) , fidgetty." " No, madam, I am no such ding I" Pray, sir, don't put yourself into such a fluster." " I tell you lam not in a fluster." " I say, sir, you arc. For shame !—How can you throw yourself in such a passion ?" "I in &passion !" " Yes, sir, you are." " 'Tis false !" " 'Tis true !" " Madam, 'ifs no such thing." " S'death, do you think that I'll submit to such provoking language ?" " You shall submit." " I won't." " You shall." " I shan't." " I'll make you.'' " You can't." "By Heavens, madam." " By Heavens, sir." " Hold your tongue, Mrs. Chose." " I won't, Alr. Chose.' At it they went, ding dong, with poker and tongs. The more he ranted, the more she raved : till, at last, vieing to out.do each other, in provocation, the contention ran so exceedingly high that Mr. Chose declared that he would not live with Mrs. Chose an hour longer; and Mrs. Chose declared she would not sleep another night beneath the same roof, much less in the same bed ! " Madam," said the husband, "'cis time that we should part." " With all my heart," said the wife. " Agreed !" said he. " Agreed !" echoed she. A lawyer was absolutely sent for, to draw up the articles of separation ; being, Inirabls dicto, a peace-loving, strife-quelling. sort of a man, he begged to hear the particulars that led them to such a hasty conclusion. He was or. deved to proceed to business, but obstinately persevered in his re fusal. Addressing himself to the husband, he said, " Are you both fully agreed upon a separation ?" " Yes, yes ;" exclaimed both parties. " Well, sir, what are your reasons for so doing ?" "Sir, I can't inform you." " Madam, will you be so kind as to acquaint me ?" " Indeed, sir, I cannot." "If this is the case," said the peacc.loving lawyer, " I venture to pronounce your quarrel has originated in something so frivolous, that you are both ashamed tc own it." He urged the point so closely, that he at length extorted the truth; nor did he desist from his friendly interference until he had the satisfaction to re-establish the most perfect harmony. Warned by his friendly admonition, this wedded couple grew more circumspect in their words, less aggravating in their manners; and. in short, quite left off wrangling, and lived happy.--Pros and Cons for Cupid and Hymen. IRISH Ds,* waTtow.—The following whimsical scene sews in a lively little volume just published, entitled " Irish Cot tages." It is supposed to take place before a Mr. Bruce and Bench of Magistrates, and to follow a ease of information agains , one Moran, a friend of the plaintiff, for selling spirits without a legal qualifiestion. " Bench.—Call the nest case. Clerk. James Cassidy against Brien Foley, for using a malicious and slanderous explosion against him, in Nick Moran's house on Monday night, the 2d of Decent. her, and also for an assault. Bends—Cassidy, take the book ; not, state what yea have to complain of. Cassidy— Plato your wor. ships, there was a Mgt party of betewkst 50 or 49, (I wont pros, to men than 49, boning the childer are to be counted.) Bench — Don't mind unnecessary particulars ; come to the point. Cossidi —There was, an I was observing, betewkst 49 or 50 of us in the two rooms, very pleasant and neighbourlike together, taking s tumbler of punch to serve Nick Moran's new house, I mean the new ould house, behave he had to buy windy. and to put up a chimlcy. Ernst—What do you mean by serving Nick Moran's house Cassidy—Giving him the benefit, Oast your honour, ot the whiskey. Benoh.—Do you mean that you paid him tor the whit. key ? Cassidy.—No, plan your honor, by no meant' ;it was for the punch only we paid—that is, we owe him for it. Bench. —ray virtue of your oath, did you understand that the punch there was to be paid for? Cassidy.—Every sup, your honour, barring what Nick drank himself, and why not ? sure we're on honour to pay. now that the score stick is broke. Bench.--(To the gauger.) This will prove your case. Clerk, make out a conviction for Nick Mo ran. Cassidy.--Bad luck to his tongue, 'twasn't to bring Nick Moran (my own wiles half sister's son) into trouble, I was intend ing—quite the contrary, your worships: I have no more to say (retiring.) Butch.—Stay ; you have not told me a word of your own affair yet. What's your complaint against Foley . ? Cassidy.—Sure enough. Why then, plaze your honour, I rather not be and about Foley's busmen; lit's enough to be an informer, in spite of one's self too, wanst in a day. Foley sill the skrimmage, that's all. Busch.-oh, vice yen have nothing more to say, we dismiss the case, b mots against you ; sixpence the summons—a shilling the.. Cassidy.— W W I have to pay for the summons, your honour' 1.,s Certainly, if you have nothing to prove against the per.on you have summoned.—easeidy—Why, then, your worship. it that's the case, I'll tell you all about it, from tint to last, and I'll hewn my oath.—Beneh.--You're on your oath already.—Cassidy ...Well, then, I'll be on my oath again, and leave it to my dy . ing boar, that Brien Foley used a slanderous and ten ible word against my character, that is not fit to be repeated before your honours, I ca he rolge--Resch.— Come , Sir, don't keep us here all day. hal am he say ?—Cassidy.—Why then, saving yonr presence, he ealleil ms before one hundred peeple—Beneh.— You said just now there were only between forty-nine and fifty (whatever number tha may be) present ; take care. Cassidy.— You're right ; stead tweeted, your worship. Well, then, b e f ore fifty Cl the asighbours —he called me—but wouldn't it be dac:nt. eraw worships, to send the women out of coon lr l oung girls any way ; the ould one's an't so delicate.—To this an very creditable to Jemmy Castikly's delicacy the tes readily assented. The court was accordingly cleared oVrettales. And after the confusion which this occa sioned had subsided, the complainant stated that Foley, after having called him, nearly twenty times, a gimlet-eyed rascal . (Cassidy squinted a little), and a rogue and a liar, which he did nt much mind, as Foley had the cross sup in him, at last celled him a Go LuIIWU a. Herethere wac an indication of merriment in the Court. in which, to say the truth, the Bench were constrained to . panty: pate ; and this did not diminish when Mr. Bruce dryly rforniu poor Cassidy that Golnnipus was not an actionable word ; glamour. ously asserting that it was compounded ot Go :oh, the giant. and 0 y a m:, the mountain, and therefore must Ten a Man.inountar a _ so, his worship, instead of making lade of you, as ou ha s'. imagined, the defimdent has really beet, making the ,nasal ot you We are, however, to consider the assault. Cassidy-1 don't cs 7 about that, since my character is cleared." BIRTH. The 15th inst. the lady of the Rey J. T. Debrisay, of a son. _•. - - - The 15th inst. in the 77th year of his age, after a lingering Wl nos, Joseph Downes, printer, Strand, Temble Dar. Although eccentric in his manners, he bad kind and benevolent fcelinga.-iw family and many friends deeply regret his loss—his literary Woo were much employed for the general benefit of society. Leptons : Printed and Published by Joint MAIIIR, at the Sus . Ornea No.l. Pickett place.Tentple Bar.