The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1826-04-08 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS. croatness, it is the imperative duty of Parliament to con fer upon the of whatever lustre mere emolument can give to it, in order that the possessor might not have his time and attention distracted by any other official situa tion, soil be at the same time informed of the value which t he public sets upon his exertions. The principle, there- I fore, of the grant we conceive to be sound and constitu tional; and no individual could have been more fitly selected to reap its first fruits than Mr. lit sst asnv. Ever since he took office, he has devoted himself to the complex interests of trade with the most unbending zeal ; and after sketching the outline of his plans, not with a hasty, but with a prudent and a cautious hand, he has not permitted any factious voice to prevent his filling up its minutest p ar t s . When lie first announced his determination of pursuing his present career, his sincerity was questioned ; or at least his plans were looked upon as a tissue of fine spun theories, which Government would not have the courage toreduce to practice. How completely these prog nostics were falsified by the result, our readers need not be told; and the cheers which accompanid the gradual deve lopment of the commercial policy of the night lion. Gen tleman, and the overwhelming majorities by which they where sanctioned, tended to sweeten the bitter waters of party, and to animate the Minister in his course. Mr. Ilusasssow also overcame what his friends view as his Eoblest triumph; the repugnance with which no incon siderable Portion of the public naturally looked upon the man who had burst the fetters of monopoly, which was so beneficial to them, and allowed our national industry to exhaust itself in the freest competition. The advantages which his intrepid get.ius has achieved for us, ought ever to be held in grateful remembrance ; although his best tri bute will be found in the applause of those who value the true interests of their country. CITY, FRIDAY EVENIXO. Consols drooped this morning in some degree, probably in consequence of the paucity of business that was trans. aced, as brokers were making up their balances ; and also on account of the gloomy communications from the manu footuring districts. It is stated in these advices that the consumption of cotton in manufactures, estimated last y:or at twelve thousand bags per week, averages for the first three months of this year only eight thousand. In all the manufacturing towns of Yorkshire and Lancashire, the price of provisions, unfortunately, continues to advance; and to add to this extreme distress, accounts were this morning received that the hours of work had been gene- Lilly diminished in those districts, and that the manufac turers in Manchester and the neighbourhood bad come to the determination of further reducing the wages ten per ceht. It is impossible that such a convulsion as commerce has recently experienced can pass away without producing these effects, and continued fluctuations between compara tive prosperity and depression must occur. It would pro bably neither be natural nor desirable that this storm should clear up without these occasional vicissitudes, and that they are occasional, we have no doubt. The worst, we are satisfied is over, and it is probably a wholesome symptom that the country does not too suddenly rush into prosperity after the severe depression that has taken place. Consols opened at 791, and closed at 1 and Ml. Exchequer Bills were 6s. is. premium; and India Bonds 7s. .ss. pre mium. The Foreign Market was subjected to excessive fluctua tions; Colombian Bonds left off at 46/, baying been as law as 451 ' • Mexican 6 per Cents. were 65 1 6; Peruvian 11 Inds also declined to 27, owing to the doubts respecting ele payment of the dividends. Greek Bonds have suffered crestiv, in consequence of the recent reports relative to Missoionghi. They were to-day at 131, 164; Russian ditto were 801; and Spanish 9i, 10. LAW NOTICES. COURT OF CHANCERY. Before the Lord Chagrellor and Vice-Chancellor, Notions only--being set •c4l previou4 W Eit.t-r ROLLK COVRT. Gonerol petition day at the Rolls oti Tuesday next, the I Ith inst. at six In the ev..i.ing. inti+t lie set down, and copies left with the Secretary, before two lel lOt on Monday neat. EAST 1.\7,1A 110 USE. reverday a Special General Court of Proprietorti of nit India Stock wan held at their bowie in Leadenhalloureet. M R.RUCK I NG 11A M. After the usual routine business had been disposed of Clistustste (C. Slarjorihanka, Esc! ) Informed the Court that it had been made special for the purpose of taking into consi. deration the subject mentioned in a requisition which he would timet now to be read— The Secretary then read the following requisition : " feulon, March le. 182 R. " To the Honourable the Court of Directors of the East India Company. " lion. Sirs—We, the undersigned Proprietor* of East India Stock, duly qualified. request that you will he pleased to call an early Special General Court of Proprietors, at which it is our in tention to Submit the following motion s--. "fhat the severe loss of property sustained by Mr. Buckingham, in consequence of the measures of the Bengal Government subse quently to his departure from India, having involved him in pecu niary difficulties, which it could never have been within the con. templation of the public authorities to occasion, but against which no human foresight on his part could have provided, and these difficulties having been greatly augmented by the obstacles which prevented hint from returning to Calcutta for a short period to wind up his affairs; the Proprietors of East India Stock, animated solely by a desire to relieve that gentleman from 'he embarrassment in which he is now unhappily plunged, earnestly recommend to their Honourable Directors, that there be granted to Mr. Buck ingham from the funds of the Company. for the purpose of' assist ing him to surmount his present difficulties, the sum of MOO/. sterling, being not more than one.eightli part of the estimated loss of actual property occasioned by the proceedings adverted to; assuring the Honourable Directors that they will meet with the cordial support of this Court in helping to repair misfortunes and alleviate sufferings, no doubt unwillingly witnessed and unin tentionally inflicted.' " We have the honour to be, " Hon. Sirs, your most obedient humble servants. JOSF.PII HUME. DOUGLAS KINNAIRD, " HENRY GABAOAX, CHARLES FORBES, ".1011X WILES, J. Docar, " C. J. DOYLE, H. STRACHEY. " W. 31AXI1ELD, "JOSEPH DART, Sec." Mr. DOUGLAS KINNATRD rose, and said that in submitting the case of Mr. Buckingham once more to the consideration of the Proprietors, he felt happy to state at the outset, that he was relieved from the necessity of entering into the grounds of his motion, for the case had already been repeatedly discussed in that Court in all its bearings, and every circumstance was of course familiar to those whom lie then had the honour of addressing. His present object was to place the case of Mr. Buckingham before them, resting it solely upon its bowl fide merits, divested of all collateral circuit). stances. He had no indirect object in view, nor had lie any inten. tion of casting reflections at any quarter—if such objects or such intentions existed anywhere, he, for his own part, would utterly disclaim them. Ile appealed to all that he had ever said upon the subject, to prove that such All inference could not be drawn from his exertions in behalf of a ruined individual. In appealing to the great body of the Proprietors, he would not enter into the discussion as to whether Mr. Buckinghani was or was not pursuing a legitimate purpose, because, even if he was not, the Government of India had sent hint away, and there was an end of it. But that to which he would direct the attention of the Court was, the circumstances which took place after he hail been sent from India. (Bear, hear.) By those circumstances, which were well known to the Proprietors, his property was destroyed, and he himself consequently ruined. It never could have been the intention of the Government of India to punish him in his property. He wished most distinctly to ac quit the Government of India of any such intention. Ile would go further, and declare that if any pecan could assert that the destruc tion of Mr. Buckingham's property was contemplated by the Go. moment of India .s part of his punishment, he would give up the appeal in his 'Mull' at once. (Hear, hear, hear.) He meant distinctly, in justice to the Government of India, to state on their part, that they did not mean that the ruin of Mr. Buckingham's property should form any portion of his punishment. Here there was a case in which a dreadful evil had fallen upon an unfortunate man—a man of unblemished character—unexpectedly depriving him of those resources to which he looked for the future support of his family ; so that instead of receiving remittances from his agents for his types and other property, he was actually brought in debt to them ; and this from no fault of his own, but arising solely from the circumstance that the Government there did not think it pru. dent to license the types as long as he had a property in them. lie thought that it was in the power of the Proprietors to afford a re medy to the sufferings of that individual, without casting a reflec tion anywhere. Ile repeated, he had no intention of casting such reflections, and if the provision he was about to propose to be granted to Mr. Buckingham could be made upon the grounds of ge nerous compassion only, he would make that the sole ground of his appeal. Ile wished to have the sentiments of the Proprietors at large upon the motion which he was about to submit, and as a day was approaching (that of the election of Directors) when there would be a greater number of Proprietors present than could be hoped for at another time, he hoped that that day would also be se lected far laying the case of Mr. Buckingham before the good feel ing of the Proprietors. The lion. Member then submitted the motion contained in the requisition. The mation being read, the Honourable Member next handed to the Chairman a paper signed by nine Members, requesting that the sense of the Propnetois might be taken by ballot. Mr. Hume seconded the motion. He entertained, he said, the fullest confidence that the appeal which was now made to the hu manity and justice of the Court would not be rejected. He recol lected no case which had ever come under the consideration of that Court which had such strong claims founded in justice to support it as that of 3lr. Buckingham. lie coincided in the opinion that it would not be at all proper to allude then to the question of Mr. Buckingham's removal from India, because whetever offence he might have committed, that offence was expiated by his trans mission from India. In common justice, therefore, his punishment should not be suffered to extend to the infliction of a severe cala mity upon himself and his family, nothing short of total ruin. (Hear, hear.) He believed there was nu occasion, when similar misfortunes had occurrei to individuals under similar circum stances, in which the humanity and consideration of the Court had not been beneficently exerted. On these groubds he entertained the strongest confidence that the great body of the Proprietors would kindly take into consideration the case of a ruined individual— ruined by no fault of his own, but from the total suppression of a paper in which he had a valuable interest. In the words of the editor of a provincial paper, lie might truly say, that the sup pression of the Calcutta Journal was the first and only instance In which an English newspaper was put down by the exercise of a despotic power. The sum which it was proposed that the Proprie tors 'Maid advance to Mr. Buckingham was little more than an eighth of what that gentleman had lust. Ile sincerely hoped that the question would not be considered one of party, or one in any way connected with the freedom of the press. (Hear, hear.) He was never anxious to vote away public money, either in that Court or elsewhere, but he conscientiously felt that in this case justice demanded that something should be done to redress, in part, the losses of Mr. Buckingham. Mr. POYNDER said that no person could regret so heartily as himself the necessity of going over ground so often trodden as had been the circumstances attending the suppression of the Calcutta Journal ; but notwithstanding the caution, the lawyer-like address, which characterised the diction of the motion—notwithstanding they had been invited to avoid going into the merits of the case, still when lie was called upon to vote, no matter what sum, and no matter to what individual, it wits perfectly competent for him to examine how far that individual wra deserving of the money. The Proprietors were requested to waive all notice of 31alluckingham's conduct, because they were aware that that conduct was unjustifi able. If, therefore, he could skew that there were no grounds for granting the sum in question to Mr. Buckingham, he thought it was perfectly competent for him to do so, even though the argu ment might leaf him into a history of those occurrences which led to the deportation of Mr. Buckingham from India. The Hon. and Learned Clentlenian here entered into a succinct detail of every oc currence, from the time of the first establishment of the Calcutta Journal up to the present day, and recapitulated all the arguments which have been front time to time urged against the policy of ad. 'bitting a free press into India, but which we think it here unne cessary to repeat. Mr. Buckingham had placed himself in opposi tion to the Government of India upon principle, anti his free dis cussion consisted in virulence and personality. Ile opposed the proceedings of Government in all its details, civil as well as mili tary, and sought to persuade the natives that they were ill.governs ed: This could not be considered an error of judgment on the part of Mr. Buckingham, for he knew better; he had had sufficient warning, and the eventual suppression of his journal was owing to his determined perseverance in such conduct. Mr. Buckingham was, in fact, actuated by a selfish motive to acquire a fortune, and he would have been contented to succeed even though he might have risen upon the ruins of India. If ever there was a due in which the strong arm of power " Delayed to strike though oft invoked," it was the case of Mr. Buckingham. With respect to what followed it must be considered the result of Mr. Buckingham's own free choice, for " Scienti et volenti non tit injuria." lie had in fact been injured by himself alone. His conduct was somewhat more than an insane attack upon windmills—he in fact ran a-muck, and the words of Mr. Burke might be applied to his career t " Not even the sanctuary of the tomb was held sacred by him." lie recollected an anecdote of Chief Justice lisle, who when requested to show mercy to an offender, said that he was dis posed to be merciful to the offender, but that he felt it also neees. sary to be merciful to the country. Mr. Buckingham had no " locus %Tamil in judicio." lie did not come before the Court with clean hands. it they were to consent to the present motion, how could they refuse permission to Mr. Hunt or Mr. Cobbctt to go out to India; or how refuse to grant them 8,0001. upon their return, after they had disturbed the general tranquillity of the country ? Upon the whole bearings of the !sae, he would ad. vise the Court not to adopt the recorrunendation contained In the motion. Buckingham was indiscreet and irregular; hut, after all there were shades in his conduct which entitled him to their indulgence. Although certainly to blame for the course lie had adopted, the proceedings of lord Hastings proved that he, at least, did not think him so had as to require his removal, and therefore that the punish. ment inflicted was more than commensurate to the offence. Ile should therefore support the motion, firmly persuaded as lie eta. that the Proprietor* would show in this case those honourable feelings which are amalgatnated with the British character. Sir Jona. St:w r.t.r. said that the object of Mr. Buckingham was to establialt a popular paper in India; and he was not very scrupulous in the means of raising it into circulation, With re spect to the punishment which had been inflicted upon him, the facts were th...e :—The Indian Government did not think it safe that he should be suffered to remain in the country ; and a'irr sending him away, they discovered there would be little use in that, if Mr. Buckingham still continued to be Proprietor Odle Cotentin Journal, which must necessarily he subject to his control. lira loss was entirely to be attributed to the mismanagement of los agents, who kept up the establishment after the Governnient had expressly declared its intention not to license the paper while it con. tinued to be the property of Mr. Buckingham. It wax suggested that Alt. Buckingham was a person in a state of the greatest distress, and it was even mid, upon a former meeting of the Court, that before its next assemblage lie might, perhaps, be incarcerated within the walls of a prison. tic heartily congra tulated Mr. B. that such was not the case; but he thought when such a statement was, put forward hir such a purpose, it might as well be proved, Ile (•.tr.l. Sewell) had heard that he was a pro prietor of shares to the amount of 1.500/. and that he was, in fact, a man in easy circumstances. I 'pon the whole he thought he had little claim to the consideration of the Court, and that to acquiesce in the object of the resolution would be to consent shamefully to waste the funds of the Proprietors. Mr. (,AttAn.s, sai l lie thought that the Hein. and Learned Gentleman (Mr. Poynder) instead of entering upon that occasion into the merits and demerits of Mr. Buckingham. would have done better to have canvassed them upon fornier occasions, when they were fairly the subject of discussion. The merits of Mr. Bucking. ham were not now the subject of discussion ; the question was not whether an individual was not to be rewarded for services rendered to the Company, in which case it would be fair to canvass the me_ . rits of hi, conduct; but here he would, for the sake of argument, concede that Mr. Buckingham had been a delin quent who deserved punishment, and then the question WAS, whether the penalties inflicted subsequent to those, an the first instance apportioned as his punishment, were not unjust, and such as called for some compensation from the Proprietors. He appealed to the Court of Directors, as the dispensers of power, not to inflict injustice while they were exercising summary justice. So far as the penalties to which Mr. Buckingham had exposed himself in India went, to them he must submit; but when it turned out that the property of that individual was ruined by dream. stances which occurred subsequently to his deportation from India, then he (Mr. Gahagan) would say that it behoved the Court of Di rectors to repair that injury which nad been done beyond even the rigour' of the law. Ile would suppose, for the sake of argument, that any person in the most respectable house of agency in India had so miacondocted hi mse lf 83 to subject him to the penalties of the law; suppose, for instance, that Mr. Palmer had been one of those whom the Government of India had felt called 'toms to send home, could Lord Amherst have sent to the house of Palmer and Co. -- " Gentlemen, I have transported your partner, Mr. Palmer, from India, and I warn you that you shall not henceforth carry on the business of the Item under the designation of that company ; nay, more than that, Mr Painter's share shall be taken out of that firm ; it shall be sent to the market and be disposed of, or your house shall not stand." (Hear, hear.) He put this as an analogous case. But if such had been (Ls it had) the consequences following the removal of Mr. Buckingham, the Court was called upon, by every thing that was dear to their character for justice and equity, to see justice done to that gentleman. A word or two as to what had been said by his Honourable and Learned Friend, (Mr. Poynder) with respect to the law upon this question. His Learned Friend had said that the Government of India was armed legally to do what it did, and that the deportation of Mr. B. would have been as nothing, if they had not taken care that the property left behind him should not be left impreg nated with the spirit of its possessor. The law, however, said no such thing. He would affirm, and maintain, that the Government had no business stall to touch the property so left behind. All that they were armed to do by law wag, when application was made for license by the agents of Mr. Buckingham, to have refused to grant it. Had this been done, then those agents would have known bow to have proceeded. But quite the converse of this course was pur sued. Was it too much, then, to give to Mr. Buckingham that re paration which, though not an equivalent for the injury he had sus tained from the course adopted by the Government, would essen tially relieve him from some of its worst consequences ? Sir CHARLES FORTIES said, it appeared to be admitted on all hands that Mr. Buckingham had sustained very heavy losses. and that those losses could not have been in the contemplation of the Government of India, when the measures were resorted to that produced them, and that the situation of Mr. Buckingham was such u to call upon them, in the name of humanity, to prevent him and his family from being threatened with beggary. Consider ing all this to be admitted, he should abstain from entering at all into the question of the advisability of allowing the existence of a free press in India, and should confine himself to one or two ob servations with respect to what had fallen from the Honourable and Learned Proprietor on the floor (Sir John Sewell). In the first place, that Honourable and Learned Gentleman had alluded to the state of Mr. Buckingham's pecuniary circumstances. On this subject he (Sir C. Forbes) had reason to know that Mr. Bucking ham was in a situation very far from the one described by the Learned Judge. If he had one sixpence before hand in the world, it was quite contrary to what he (Sir C. F) believed to be the case. That he was greatly in debt was well known ; fur even the stock which he held as a Proprietor in that Court was not purchased by his own money. (Hear, hear.) He (Sir C. F.) begged not to be misunderstood. He had never lent any money to Mr. Buckingham, although such had been insicuated from certain quarters. filr. Buckingham did not owe him a shilling; but that he had been as. aimed by his friends (much to their credit be it spoken) was the fact. Ilepreaumed, however, that this circumstance could not militate against Mr. Buckingham in the opinion of this Court. With re gard to the manner in which Mr. Buckingham lived, he would tell the Hon. and Learned Judge that it was moat humble and most prudent. The comfortable home which he took on returning to this country had vanished, and he was now retired to an obscure part of the suburbs of this great city, where he, his wife, and fa mily, sat down to a frugal meal of one single joint, without the lux ury of a glass of wine on his table, or even of a single glass of malt liquor, compelled to be satisfied with a draught from the pure crystal stream. This, he pledged himself, was the situation of Mr. Buckingham. He therefore appealed to the benevolence and humanity of this Court on behalf of that Gentleman ; and he hoped that all who should come to the ballot upon this question, would discard from their minds all angry feelings towards that un fortunate individual, and that they would do what the better feelings of their heart must dictate ought to be done. Mr. WEEDING apprehended that the course recommended to be pursued by the Honourable Baronet would lead to a practice that would be very prejudicial to the interests of this Company. Some Honourable Members had put the question upon the ground of justice, and others had founded it altogether on the principle of humanity. If he thought there was the slightest claim of justice connected with it, his voice and hand should be raised in support of the claim now made. But he was not of that opinion. On the contrary, he thought that it they were to make the grant now asked, they would be in effect passing an unjust condemnation, not only on the Government of India, but on the Court of Directors themselves, who had already decided against it. With regard to the property now possessed by Mr. Buckingham, ha was well known to be the Editor of a Monthly Journal, in which there was scarcely a page but what denounced the exclusive privilege of this Company to trade to India. He thought it was nit becoming of an individual who thus wrote, whatever right he might have as a freeman to ex press his opinions upon that or any other subject elsewhere, to come into this Court and ask then to grant him a sum of money to re. lieve him from consequences which were entirely the result of his own conduct. allow any such statement as that to influence them in the decision they might make. If dila Coon should unfortunately express their opinion in a manner contrary t) what .le anticipated, and it the Coma of Directors and the Board of C.,ntrol should not agree to make a grant tn Mr.Buckingliam. he had then to say that he had satisfied his conscience. To the public he should leave it; he had done his duty. The CriataNAN explained, and observed. that with regard to the ballot, he should have no objection to agree to It ; but he could not consent to its being on the same day with the elections for the Directors ; he 'dirndd therefore proposes fader day. 3lr. rose amid loud cries of question. He took it hr granted that the Chairman of this Court had no exclusive right to conclude a debate; but that the observatioos made by him were *abject to be remarked upon by any Member of that Coup t he, therefore, felt somewhat surprised that any individuals should have obtruded themselves to prevent him from exercising that right which he felt called upon to assert on this occasion. It did appear to hint that, on an occasion of this kind, it would have been expe dient if the Honourable Chairman had not expressed the opinion he entertained on the subject, possessing. as he dirt, great influ ence from the situation which he filled. Me also regretted the inti mation that had been given as to what would be the ultiniateopinios of the Board of Control. (I/car, hear.) if that Court possessed a constitution, an obtrusion of that kind was altogether in violation cC it. It was clearly unconatitutional. if any Member of the Howie of Commons were to rise in his place, and state that the King would not comply with what the House required, lie would deserve that impeachment which would inevitably ensue. Let the Board of Control keep their place ; and let the Court of Proprietors dot their duty. if. after the recommendation of this Court, the Board of Control should refuse to sanction it, on them be all the indignity, all the contempt, r.nd all the future degradation. (Hear, hear.) Ile had felt it his duty on this occasion to enter his protest against what lie had heard expressed with regret Mr. ASTELT. considered that the misconduct of Mr. Bucking ham had placed him in the situation in which he found himself; and that there was nothing in his situation different from whet might happen to any other. If this question was carried, it was quite clear that other claims would be made upon them with ao better ground than the present. This was not the first or second time that the question had been diacussed and decided upon ; and ' that derision had been invariably against the claims of Mr. Buckingham. Col. STAN HOPE spoke in favour of the grant. Mr. 1). KINNAIHD shortly replied. fle admitted he had ad vanced money to Mr. Buckingham, and if gentlemen would follow his example he should be glad. After some einversation between Mr. Hume, the Chairman, and Mr Kinusird, the ballot was appointed for Tuesday next. Cal. STANHOPE said lie had received a letter, signed by severs/ of the Directors, calling upon him to vote for certain individuals at the ensuing election. The question he wished to ask was, whether this letter was official or whether it was a hoax ; and whether, in the opinion of those high-minded gentlemen, it was joist, politic, or even legal, for the Court of Directors to address him on this subject. The Ctrairtatax said it was a letter from Proprietors only, and• if the !fol. and Gallant Colonel did not like it, he might put it into the tire. The Court adjourned at Four o'clock. CITY OF LONDON AUXILIARY BIBLE SOCIETY. The Thirteenth Anniversary Meeting of the City of London Bible Society was held yesterday at the Egyptian !Hill, Mansion. house. The Hall was filled at en early hour with crowds of fashion.- ab'y dressed females, and a number of City gentlemen, diet a gulshed for their opulence and respectability. The Right lion. the Loan MAYOR presided, and, upon taking the Chair, briefly stated the objects of the Meeting. H e expre sse i his satisfaction at seeing the Mansion-house devoted to so useful • purpose as the promotion of the objects of the London Auxiliary Bible Society, which were intimately connected with the happiness of man anti the beet interests of society. lie reqttested that those gentlemen who intended to address the Meeting would confine themselves to the subject immediately connected with the business of the day. This observation was perhaps unnecesssry, for no die ference of opinion existed amongst Protestant sects as to the pro priety of disseminating the Holy Scriptures. Indeed no such dif ference could exist, when it was recollected that the Bible was the broad foundation on which the superstructure of all Protestant Churches was raised. The particular channels through which it was most expedient to circulate the Bible seemed to be the only point of difference; but, fully impressed with the advantages deriy. able from all institutions the object of which wns to circulate the Bible, he Lad made it his practice to subscribe to them all. (Ap plause.) The Lord Mayor concluded by calling on the Secretary to read the Report. Afr. Joint S111:71: *aid that the arguments of the Hon. and Learned Proprietor who had just sat down, had not the effect of inducing hint to change his opinion upon the case of Mr. Bucking. ham. He did not understand that the hon. mover and seconder of the tesolution, intended to vindicate the conduct of that gentleman ; but merely to contend that his offence was not commensurate with his punishment. He thought it was not fair to plunge any inert dual into hopeless ruin. He cmid adduce many instances in which individuals were sent home fer offences of infinitely greater magni. rude, and in which instances the parties were allowed to retain the fruits of their plunder. Ile apprelteaded that the conduct of Mr The Rev. Mr. Dit.t.orr (the Secretary) then read the Report, which stated that the receipts of the Society had diminished during the last year, in consequence of the distress which was so severely felt in the City. It also au,;gested that some means should now be adopted to augment the tunds, as the meeting of the Metropo. litan Society would be looked to with great interest by the country at large, and would probably be attended with important efects to the Institution. The Report, amongst oilier matters, alluded to the formation of a Bible Society in South America, and, in con clusion, congratulated the friends of the Society on the advantages derived from having the Chief Magistrate of the City presiding over the Institution. The Bishop of Lich t - mm:land COVENTRY,itlesing topropese the first Resolution, bore testimony to the good effec:s of the So. ciety's labours. His professional avocations occupied a great por tion of his time, but he mild not resist the pleasure of attending the Meeting, and bestowing his mite of applause on its objects. However strongly its enemies should oppose those objects, he as sured the Meeting that he felt a warm attachment to the Institution, and had much pleasure in moving the first Resolution, which was, " That the Report of the Committee, just read, be approved and adopted by the Meeting." Lord CALTIIONP/: said, that after what had fallen from the Right Rev. Prelate who had moved the first Resolution, he felt it scarcely necessary to trespass upon the attention of the Meeting, but lie could not refrain front observing that he fully agreed with the Report as to the importance of the example set by the City of London. There was little necessity for his appealing to the feelings of those present, when lie considered the peculiar connexion which subsisted between the Institution and this great capitaL The labours of this Society were such as every good mind must ad. mire ; they were directed to the correction of vice and the encou. ragement of virtue. He did not hesitate to ascribe the horrors to which France was subjected at the period of the Revolution in is great measure to the absence of religious instruction. That country was assailed by a destruction more overwhelming than that which shook the Egyptian and Assyrian thrones. The Monarch was be. headed, and his family exiled. He asked, could these dreadful oc. currences have taken place it the people were sufficiently impressed with a sense of their religious duties ? It was that useful knowledge derived from the sacred Scriptures which could only be depended upon. The Noble Lord here alluded to the death of the late Ent. prior of Russia, who, he said, held the destinies of a great nation m his hands, but he was cut off in the midst of his career, and afforded another striking example of the mutability of human affairs, and that the only true consolation was to be tound in Re ligion. His Lordship here entered upon a defence of the objects of the Society, and argued that it was a groundless prejudice to say that its labours were calculated to interfere with the commercial spirit oftlie country. England, in his opinion, was destined to shine fotth with redoubled splendour, in consequence of the exer. tions making here to circulate the Bible, and its glory as a nation would be perpetuated in proportion as those exertions were con tinued. The early patrons of the Bible Society, he was happy to say, were astonished at its progress, and posterity would look to its exertions as the most splendid monument ever raised by a nation. (Applause.) The Noble Lord concluded by seconding the Resolution. The Rev. Mr. CUNNINGHAM (of Harrow) rose to move the next Resolu,ion. He said that he felt himself bound to inculcate in children the Christian duty of obedience. He considered Lon don as the parent of all friends of this Society, and, as a dutiful child, he had obeyed the call of the City to attend at this .Meeting. Asa clergyman of the Eatablishment, he did not stench to dress at their mirror, or to warm himself at their great lire, but to give his humble assistance to the Institution. (Hear.) He congratulated the Society on the number and respectability of the assembly he was addressing. If the Bible was in the hands of those who were suffering under the rece'.t mercantile convulsions which had taken place, no doubt it had afforded those persons great consolation, and they could speak to the Meeting and describe its value. Tue Rev. Gentleman concluded by moving—. That this Meeting, convinced that the exertions of any religious institution, however excellent, will be ineffectual without the divine blessing, earnestly recom. mends to every member of the Society the duty of continued prayer for the growing prosperity of this and all the auxiliaries of the Bible Society." Dr. 31onit mix, translator of the Bible into the Chinese lan guage, seconded the motion. Dr. (it t.c HRIST said that persecution, whether real or apparent, was revolting to the mind of every Englirliman. We had an old saying in our language, which said, " Give the devil his due:" and he would say, were his Satanic Majesty now on the floor of tibia Court, and were all to attack hint, he would be his bottle-holder (Laughter.) Persecution was the most odious of all things. The poets had said that " music had charms to soothe the savage breast ;" he would say, " mercy had charms to expand the human heart. " They should remember they were all men. and liable to frailties ; he therefore hoped this Court would be guided by mercy. They would gain more esteem from the public at large by the exercise of that quality, than in adhering to what was by some persons called justice. Mr. D. KINNAIRD was not aware that any argument had fallen from the other side that required any reply from him. It was not he who had raised the question of the liberty of the press in India, and he should not therefore advert to the arguments that had been urged upon that subject. Ile believed that there was not a single Proprietor who would not (whatever might be his opinions) have his feelings gratified if the grant propo•ed were made, and he thought the public at large would sympathise with hem on the occasion. ,- -...-..-... The Rev. dlr. Ilaawnow denied that the Society was inimical to Church and State. The Governments of Prituia, Saxony. and Hanover entertained no such fears, for large orders had come from those States for Bibles, which was demonstrative that the Bible wars not there considered unfavourable to Government. After entering into some detai's as to die number of Bibles distributed in the last year, the Rev. Gentlemsn moved—" That this Meeting views with undiminished interest the efforts of the Association, in connexion with the City of London Auxiliary, and it appeals to the members of the Institution, end to all the citizens of London, for additional earnestness and zeal in tb;s valuable undertaking." Alderman BROWN. is seconding the Resolution, observed, that the Lord Mayor was not only the guardian of the rights and Sian chises of the City, but of its religion also. The London Bible So ciety wits eminently calculated to reconcile man and man, and to promote peace and chari:. lie felt happy a t t hi s opportun i ty of manifesting his zeal for it s views, and expressing his cordial appro bation of its nbtects. The Rea. 11. Witrion proposed the neat Resolution. Hs said that the great advantage which had arisen from the circulation of the Bible was not to be solely attribsted to the early refouncts. Thy were assisted by verso sin high authority, and lie oirsid not hel l ) feeling that the presence of the Lord Mayor, hoirflag stash an exalted rank in the City, must be of great service to the Society, and contribute mainly to Its prosperity. The Rev. Sodium concluded by moving—" That this hlsating, sensible of the odults• tapes which, under the Divine blessing, have resulted from the pa. tronsige (-Inferred upon the Society, tenders an expression of grad_ tude to the Right Hoe. the hood Mayor, the President, and to the. Right lion. .and others the Vice Presidents. foe their countegsp ee and stippnrt. The Rev. J. BLACILEVILM seconded the Resolution. Ile said The CHAIRMAN, after adverting to what had been done on former occasions with respect to this question. stated that, in all the discussions on the subject, there had prevailed an opinion that it was not expedient to adopt the course now proposed to be worn mended ; and as he had no reason to believe that any change of opinion hail taken place, if the motion should be now carried. it would place the Court of Directors in an awkward situation. When a question was mixed tip with much feeling, the Court of Proprietors were at liberty to allow themselves to be controlled by those feelings, but the Court of Directors were sworn officers ; they must adhere to their oaths; they had no choice, and it was no more than candour for him to state that, in his opinion, the Court of Directors were not to be changed in the judgment they had formed on the subject now in discussion. He would add one word more on the subject. Since the last meeting he bal had a communication with the President of the Board of Control, and he also united with the Court of Director* m the sentiments entertained by them relative to this matter. Under these circumstances he should be very sorry to see the Proprietors and Directors at variance, which he thought would be the case if the resolution now to be proposed were to be carried. 31r. H trME considered the observations of the Mb. Chairman to be of the most extraordinary nature. His own experience had often shown him men moat strenuously affirm that in one hour which they rejected the next. It was in his view a libel on the Court ot Directors to suppose that, if the Court of Proprietors ware to re commend a measure to them for their adoption, they would not attend to such recommendation. lie called upon the Court not Cu ~~ - , ELECTION INTELLIGENCE. A report is busily circulated in Brighton that Mr. Cur tel.; intends to retire from the contest ; but for ourselves we hold the rumour utterly unworthy of credit, after the letter which Mr. ('urteis published a month or two ago in this paper, openly avowing his purpose of standing again for the county. R e cannot for a single moment believe that the Electors of Sussex, a county which has manifested into decisive a manner its Anti-Catholic feeling, will suffer i!self to be represented by any members of the Cavendish family, who have uniformly voted in favour of the Ca tholic Claims.—Brighton Gazette. Wes. ou r it, Aram .S.—The arrival of Major Wey had has afforded the Freeholders another opportunity of tspressing their political feelings in the most decided and Imequivocal terms. His canvass of yesterday and to-day vas at once flattering anal conclusive. Major Weylanil has declared that the line of p o li c y w hi c h his Majesty's MMisters have hitherto adopted has been the salvation of (.4:r country—to them lie will give his support ; but on question of any further concessions to the Catholics, he shall always unreservedly give his decided negative.— purse( Chronicle. The lion. Mr. Wynn, on Wednesday, waited on the deetors of the Borough of Mahlon, resident in this town a 3,1 its vicinity. The reception of that Honourable Gen. limn we believe, was, as it has been in every other part (I the cuunty, highly flattering.—Cliebnifyrd Chronicle, April J. Extract of a letter from Ittrenos Ayres, dated Jan. 3, tszti:—" You will have learned, by way of Rio Janeiro, of am port being blockaded by the Brazilians, and so natty, that hardly a vessel can escape. Three vessels only have escaped since the blockade was laid on, say 21st ult., and by a proclamation of Admiral Lobos, giving all neutral velvets fourteen days to finish their loading and he WE those detained beyond that period must go in ballast. l'*e only received the account up here when the packet came in on the 31st ult. A meeting of the merchants and shipmasters was held yesterday, to petition Lobos to ex tend the time 14 days from the 31st ult., when his orders were received here; how this will be received, and whether Wanted, we cannot yet tell. go vessel of war has yet made her appearance here, of which I can assure you we are all pleased, else those vessels that were hall-loaded or discharged would be obliged to remain in that state, as no lighter would venture out. Every article of consumption, say necessaries, eatable and liquids, have risen most eissmously, and some articles 100 per cent. and up wu'ls, within these few days. Wheat has risen beyond Precedent, and the crops this year (to complete our destruc tion) have been blighted; the greatest part of what has hero saved is very poor. We have also very little Atne- ries , : flour, and what we have is roost of it bad. Ruautous Digs Ns toNs.—The Protestants and Ca tholics who had formerly concurred in supporting the biepensary at Lyons, have recently separated, on account of the latt er re f us i ng to admit aProtestant as one of the three managers of the charity. In no part of the city, excepting the end of Coleman street, is there greater obstruction to carriages anal pas sengers than on the entrance to Lombard-street from the I'l -. arkion-liouse. It is with pleasure, therefore, we per !fire that the projecting houses to St. Swithin's-lane are 111 the course of being removed. It would be a great P,shhe convenienc e if a b roa d t h oroughfare could he made Nfrom this point through Cannon-street, to the new London fridge. Indeed, if the i n t en d e d street from Finsbury uire should be formed, it would be necessary to con struct a more direct communication from the north and went-end of the town to the principal artery of the city than that of Fish-street -hill, the approaches to which, our readers 01 , to their cost, are excessively disagreeable. [n ee The new Post-Ace begins to assume an imposing ap ranee. It has been raised to the intended height, and now aboUt to be covered in. TI/P. ARMY. The 2.1 11:Vi41On of the CM (West Suffolk) Regiment of Infantry ba embarked ~n beard the Diadem transport, at Cork, for Chatham. Getarhmentr of Invalkis have disembarked at Gravesend, from on board the Larkins, from India. and marched to Chatham. - - UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. Cansstooa. APRILS. The inflect of the Sestoolan Prise Poem for the protein year I* ••The Tranrdgurntinn.•• Plll2lol.—The oubjecto for the present year ate:— For the senior Rochetort—. Quote.; fuertnt antiquorum philmmythorum de animl Immunelime opinloren, et ex quanam militate doctor ," Middle Hachelora—"Qulbusuam prtecipue artibua recentiores antlquos exximemnt _ _ The ("Honing gentlemen of Trinity College were ye.terday morning sleeted Scholars of that Society : Cankrein. Charieworth, Tate. Roir.on, 1)e Morgan, Chatfield. Cooper, Walford, Talbot. P. Smith, nobbt, Word.worth, Pelle. Fawcett, Perry, Fit:he:ten, and Plan. We.tminuter Scholari—Halley, Ro'44, and Wood. THE CHURCH. We understand that considerable donbts have arisen respecting the right of presenting to the vacant Rectory of We.t Bolton, In Yorkshire, which was supposed to have devolved upon the University of Cambridge. but that steps are taking to ascertain the facts of the case, The Rev. Miles Bland, 8.0. P.R.S. late Fellow and Tutor of St. John'. College, Cambridge, has been presented by the Lord Bishop of Bath and Well. to a Prebendal Stall In the Cathedral Church of Wells, vacant by the death of the Rev. Canon Frankland. The Rcv. George Elliot Ranken. R.A of Corpus Christi College. Curt. bet Ilse, was on the 2.7 th ult. licensed to the Curacy of St. Michael's Parish, In the city of Bath. The Rev. Francis 110Weg, M.A. was last week instituted to the Rectory of Alderford a lth Attlehridge annexed, Norfolk, on the presentation of the Dean and ('hairier of Norwich. The Nev. Bell CCook has been Instituted to the Perpetual Curacy of St. Pan! and St. James annexed, Norwich, on the presentation of the Dean and Chapter of thut Cathedral. FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. The rottenest' of Arran's card party, on Thursday evening, In Dover street, was attended by a dlstlardvbed party of fashionable', among whom were—The Dowager llinrchlosess of Salisbury, the Earl and Coontess of Wicklow, Lord St. Helen's Lord Wm. Fiteroy, Lady th.mlytt Williams, Lady Tattered, Sir Gore 0;m1ley, Sir William Burroughs, General Capel, Mr., Mrs., and MISS Gooderiougii, Mrs. Cussanz, Mrs. Coutts, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzhugh, Mrs. Pelham, Mrs. Peering, Mrs. Malcolm, Mrs. Long, Colonel Maleomb, Mr. Giles, &c. &c. The Marchioness of Lan'sdown's assembly on Thursday evening, In Berkeley-square, was attended by a very elegant assemblage of the baut too, among whom were—The Duke of Somerset, the Colombian Minister, the Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury, Countess Lleven, the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen, the Earl and Ladles Grey, the Earl of Carnarvon, 14.11 y H. Herbert, the Earl and Countess of Glengall and the Ladies But ler, the Earl and Countess of Jersey, the Earl and Countess of Roseberry, the Earl and Countess of Tankerville, the Earl and Countess of Wicklow, L oil William Fitzroy ; Lord, Lady, and Miss King; Lady A'Court, Lady D.ivy, the Countess of Carlisle, the Earl and Countess of Belfast, Sir James and Lady Graham, sir R. and Lady Macfarlane, Lord and Lady Stanley, Captain and Lady Elisabeth Fielding, Sir C. Grevllle, Sir J. Hippesley, Lord and Lady Cawdor, Captain and Mrs. C. Fos, Captain Ashburnham, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Abercromby, Mr. and Mrs. F. Lewis, Mr. and Mrs. Frankiand, Mr. and Mrs. Ord, Mrs. and Miss Baring, Mrs. and Miss Ricardo, Mr. and Mrs. Cunliffe, Mr. F. Byng, Mr. Win. Banker, Mr. and Mnt. Bingham Baring, Captain A'Court, Ac.. The Mam.; of Lansdown had a dinner party yesterday at Lansdown house. Berkeley-square. Lord Melville entertained a select party at dinner yesterday at the Admiralty. - - • • •• -• • - The Hon. George Agar Ellis entertained a distinguished party at dinner yesterday, at his house in Spring-gardens. The Earl of Carnarron has arrived In town, from his seat, Hiehelere. Lord and Lady Francis Osborne arrived yesterday at their house to New Norfolk-street, from their seat in Hocks. _ . Lord Folkestone has arrived in town, from Longford Castle, Wilts. Lord Bingham has arrived to town, from Brighton. Lady Caroline Stanhope has arrived In town, from the Marquis of Ta. vl,.tock•s seat, Oakley Mouse, Bedfordshire. . . . _ George Wilbraham, Esq. arrived yesterday at his house In Upper Sey mour-street, from his Neat, Delamere House, Cheshire. Mrs. Trelawny Brereton and Miss Trelawney hay, arrived at their house In Bolton.street, Piccadilly, from a tour. Arrivals at Fenton's Hotel, St. James's street:—Lord Farnham, from a tour ; J. Maxwell, F.. 4. M.P. from ditto. Arrival at Jordan's Hotel, St. James's-street :—William Champion, Esq. from Brighton. Departure :—Mrs. John Hamilton and family, for Southampton. Arrival+ at Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley-Noire :—The Duke of Buccleugh and Lord Montague, from Ditton Park, Bucks; Lord and Lady Somers and Lady Marguerite Cocks ; Lord Harborough, front Lincolnshire; Mr. Van +hurt and Lady Turner and family, from their seat In Yorkshire. Arrivals at Alivert's Hotel, Lower Brook-street :—Lord and Lady Kirk wall and family, from the hie of Wight ; Lord Lliford and family from his seat, North amptonshire; Rev. W. Crone, from Oxford Dim Chown an I family, from Brookmans, Hertfordshire ; Sir William and LadyJolllire an l family ; William Stater+, Esq. and Mrs Suttees and family, from a tom; John Dauncey, F..q. from Buckinghamshire. . . . . . Al .IVai 4 at Pladonli's !rote', Oxford-M . 4M Charles, Lady, and Mr. C tad, and the Hon. Misses Tumour, from the Continent ; Sir Thomas Paisley, Hart. and M. J. Wynyard, Esq. from a tour; Mr. and Mrs. Deane aid family, from Hastings; Thomas Swinnerton, Esq. from Wales; Clone de la Pastine, from a tour; E. Protheroe, Esq. from Hert4 • G. G. Gilbert, Esq. from ditto; —Mackintosh, Esq. from ditto. Dep artures: —Rer. Mr. Cotton, for Garton; R. A. Thorpe, Esq. and Hoiden, Esq. on a tour ; Halifax, Esq. on ditto ; Edward Tennison, Esq. on ditto; Thomas Stonor, Esq. fur Henley-upon-Thames; Charles Stonor, Esq. for ditto. Yesterday the Duke of York and the Duchess of Glou cester visited the Princess Augusta. The roof of the house building for the Duke of Clarence is nearly completed. The windows of the attics were built in an awkward manner, with an unseemly projection simi lar to those placed in houses of the lowest order. On Mr. Nash, the architect, inspecting the building yesterday morning, he ordered their removal. and in the course of the day they were actually demolished. Lord Auckland's claim to vote for Peers for Ireland has been allowed by the Lords' Committee of Privileges, Dr. Poynter, the Roman Catholic Bishop of the London district, in conformity with the Bull of Leo XII., has ordered a jubilee to be held by the Catholi cs o f England, to commence to-morrow, and to be continued for six mo iths. The day for representing Oberon, with Weber's music, at Covent-garden theatre, is at last fixed—it is to be Wed nesday next; and on the same night it is expected that the long-talked of opera of iltuddin, with music by Bishop, will be represented by the rivsl house. It is whispered that the composer and compilers of these operas have been rather dodging each other—not, of course, with the view of seeing whether the enemy had anything worthy of being transplanted or imitated. PUN Juntein L.—The Roman supper suggested a tole rably good pun to old Sir John Sylvester. A thief, who was convicted before him, was proved to have commenced his career of vice by egg-stealing, from which he proceed ed to other acts of depravity. " Yes," said Sir John, "ab ova u.tque ad ateda." BARBICAN CHAPEL. AUXILIARY MISSIONARY SOCIETY. —This Society held its second anniversary on Thursday evening, when the ('hair was taken by Thomas Wilson, Esq. and animated speeches delivered by the Rev. J. Yockney, J. Blackburn, W. Reeve (from Binary) Dr. Styles, .7. Clayton, jun., Ithamm, from Siberia, &c. &c. The Meeting, which was very numerous, appeared highly gratified, and upwards of 16/. was collectol at the close of thee service, This chapel has, during the past year, voted 150/. to the use of the London Missionary Sec:ety. STATE OF TRADR.—DRESHEN, MARCH 25.—As soon as the King of Saxony was informed of the commercial embarrassments at Leipsic, he sent 100.000 rix dollars, to be lent, without interest, to the merchants of that city. There never W9B such a stagnation in the commerce of that city, and a crowd of persons have been thrown out of employment, and are left without subsistence. The woollen manufacture is the branch which has suffered most severely. LEOMINSTER AND LUDLOW BANKE.—We regret, that the partners of these respectable establishments, in conse quence of the sudden and unexpected demands made upon them, have announced that they deem it prudent to sus pend their payments for the present.—Bristol Chronicle. The Llandilo Haul: of Messrs. Gibbins, Eaton, and Stroud, the affairs of which were vested in a trust, com menced paying the first instalment of ten shillings in the pound on Saturday. The town and neighhourhood of Andover have been thrown into great distress by the failure of the banking-house of Messrs. IVakefords who, besides holding d e p os it s t o a con siderable amount, had notes in circulation to a still greater; on the whole of which the creditors are not likely to re ceive a dividend of more than '2s. M. in the pound. So far of the season as has yet gone, the falling off in the taking of salmon in the Clyde far exceeds that of for mer years. A fisherman of long experience formerly used to have 401. worth of fish taken by this time, and though equally diligent, and with the same quantity of tackle, he has as yet got only 12 fish, which would weigh about half a stone on an average.—Liverpool Correspondent. The gold and silver coins, deposited a short time since in the foundation-stone of Omberaley New Church, were stolen one I:ight last week.