The Sun. — London, England, 1829-03-30 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE LONDON JOURNALS. (FROM THE MORNING CHRONICLE.) The No-Popery phrenzy is drawing rapidly to a. close. Excitement is necessarily of limited dura lioss. People cannot be always in a state of alarm. People must cat, drink, sleep, work, and pay their debts, even though the Protestant Constitution of 1688 lie doomed to destructions The first effect produced on us by the recent exhibition of popular stupidity and ignorance, on din subject of the mea ewe before Parliament, as chagrin at the disco very of the small progress which has yet been made by the schoolmaster in this country, However, out of evil sometimes cometh good; and we set our selves to consider whet good could come out of this exhibition of national doltishness. There has been, throughout England and Scotland, what may be called a complete separation between the classes in respectable circumstances and the poor and unedu cated. In Edinburgh, we have seen a petition signed by nearly 8,000 pertons, including almost every educated individual. Yet we have not the smallest doubt that even in Edinburgh, as well as through out the rest of Scotland, the lower orders are as generally hostile to concession to the Catholics as in England. The Editor of the Droiffries courier describes the phrenzy of the lower orders in that respectably-inhabited town as extravagant in the extreme. In some places, ns at Thateo and Inverness, the lower orders have proceeded to acts of violence. In the United States of North Ame rica it would be impsessible to separate the different cloeses in this marked manner. The North Ame ricans are erne people. In this island there are two nations living together who possess a sort of con ventierial language for the matters which bring them in - contact with each other, but who have tach their separate language, the language of the one not being intelligible to the other. How is this ? It is because in the United States all are not only edu cated, but the same channels of intelligence are ac cessible to and common to all. Every man in Ame rica reads a Newspaper ; in England N ewspapers, from their price, and the poverty of the people, are accessible only to the higher and middle classes.— Newspapers arc the °lily co;:ans of instructing told disciplining the minds of the people ; they furnish a constant excitement of sufficient power to rouse the laborious classes from the lethargy which would otherwise oyes-power them ; and tote habit of hear ing ar7;atnents, pro and con, on th s numerous guff ticans discussed in Parliament and Courts of Law, gradually disciplines and strengthens the mind. Of the Newspaper readers of England and Scotland nine-tenths at least are favoureble to the measure of :Ministers. A better test of this cannot be afforded than the circulation of the Papers throughout the counties which advocate Emancipation. But then, the great body of the people never read any Newspapers, and to this ignorant body the Tories have appealed. This great class, for the most part, can read; but their reading is only an occasional act, when any one wishes to make tools of them for some base object, when a tract, suited to their igno rance and prejudices, or some book written with re ference to the state of affairs 200 years ago, is put into their hands. The s y s t em of England is to ne glect the lower orders, and to take the opinions of the higher trod middle classes for public opinion,— I-knee, from a stupid jealousy, lest the lower orders should read seditious books, taxes have been im posed on the vehicles which circulate intelligence, so that they may be placed beyond their reach. Per haps a Ministry with bad intentions might find their account in this policy ; but we have just seen that the stupidity caused by Government can also be turned against Government when its intentions are honest. If Newspapers had not been placed beyond the reach of the lower orders, instead of sorting themselves in public-houses, and approach ing a question with minds so constituted that the worst reasoning is sure to be the most successful with them, we might have had men as intelligent as the lower order of Americans, proof against the vile arts of those who are DOW making use of them for the worst of purposes. If we could prevent the people from being appealed to, it would be all very well to keep them in ignorance; but the evil is that theywill always be appealed to in critical conjunctures, and therefore the only question is, whether we should wish them to judge in a sober and discreet manner, or to judge like the animals bereft of reason. Dr. Paley, in his Moral and Political Philosophy, has the fol lowing sensible observations on the beneficial in fluence of the agitation of political subjects on the minds of the people. " The satisfaction," he says, " which the people in free Governments derive from the knowledge and agitation of political sub jects ; such as the proceedings and debates of the Senate; the conduct and characters of Ministers ; the revolutions, intrigues, and contentions of parties; and, in general, from the discussion of public mea sures, questions, and occurrences—subjects of this sort excite just enough of interest and emotion to afford a moderate engagement to the thoughts, with out rising to any painful degree of anxiety, or ever leaving a fixed oppression upon the spirits; and, what is this but the end and aim of all those amuse ments which compose so much of the business of life, and the value of riches? For my part (and I believe it to be the case with most men who are arrived at the middle age, arid occupy the middle classes of life), had I all the money which I pay in taxes to Government at liberty to lay out upon amusement and diversion, I know not whether I could make choice of any in which I could find hgreater pleasure than what I receive from expecting, earing, and relating public. news ; reading Parlia mentary debates and- proceedings—canvassing the political arguments, projects, predictions, and intelli gence, which are conveyed by ' various channels to every corner of the kingdom. These topics, ex citing universal curiosity, and being such as almost every man is ready to form and prepared to deliver his opinion about, greatly promote, and, I think, improve conversation. They render it more ra tional and more innocent—they supply a substitute for drinking, gaining, scandal, and obscenity. Now the secrecy, the jealousy, the solitude, and precipi tation of despotic Governments exclude all this. But the loss, you say, is trifling. I know that it is possible to render even :the mention of it ridiculous, by representing it as the idle employment of the most insignificant part of the nation, the folly of village statesmen and coffee-Louse politicians; but I allow nothing to be a trifle which ministers to the harmless gratification of multitudes ; nor any order of men to be insignificant, whose numbers bear a re spectable proportion to :the sum of the whole com munity." This is admirable. Any man, hots ever. who calculates the proportion which the number of Newspapers bears to that of the grown population, must see that they find their way to a very small portion of society. Wherever they reach they ele vate. And we are confident that a better gage of the intellectual advancement of a district cannot be obtained than the number of Newspapers circulated in it. When the mob of Edinburgh and Glasgow burnt Popish Chapels in 1780, the number of News papers circulated in Scotland was not one-tenth of the present number, and the proportion is still be low that of England ; from which we infer with confidence, that the quantity of ignorance and pre judice among the lower orders 'of Scotland is still greater than the quantity among the same classes in England. When Arthur Young travelled in France, about the beginning of the Revolution, he found the people every where ignorant and credulous from the want of Newspapers. " Though they are now slow (he observes) in knowing what has really happened, they are very quick in hearing what is impossible to happen King has been advised to take several steps of au thority against the States; but none of his Mini ters have advised the establishment of Journals, and their speedy circulation, that should undeceive the people in those points his enemies have misre presented. When numerous Papers are published in opposition to each other, the people take pions to sift into and examine the truth ; and that inqui sitiveness alone—the very act of searching, en lightens them ; they become informed, and it is nol longer easy - to deceive them." He again and again describes the helplessness of the more respectable people from their ignorance of what was going on elsewhere ; and contrasts this helplessness with the energy which would have been displayed in Eng land in consequence or the correct information cir culatedihtoUgh Newspapers. Mr. M a lth us t e ll s us (2a edition, quarto, 1803), " in some conversations with labouring men, during the late scarcities, I confess that I wit! to the last degree disheartened at observiitg their inveterate prejudices en zl . fe sub ject of grain; and I felt very strongly the almost absolute incompatibility of a Government really free with such a degree of ignorance." He says In a note—" During the l a t e dearth half of the gen tlemen and clergymen in the kingdom richly de served to liave been prosecuted for sedition. After inflaming the minds of the common people against the farmers and corn dealers, by the manner in which they talked of them, it was but a feeble an tidote to the poison which they had infused coldly to observe, that however the poor might be op pressed or : cheated, it was their duty to k ee p th e peace," We may thus see how dangerous it is to deliver over the lower orders, bound neck and heels, to clergymen. One Newspaper In a village would do more to enlighten and elevate the charac ter of the people, that: a whole year's discourses of their clergyman. In general, in political subjects, it is the blind leading the blind; for how should tine sort of education which a clergyman receives make him a guide in political subjects ? There is not one clergyman in a hundred who knows even the first elements of the science which has for ob ject the happiness and prosperity of nations; and how should he give good advice to others who is profoundly ignorant himself? If the Government really wish to improve the people, let them encou rage the circulation of Newspapers, which will make them both better informed and better fathers and husband!, by giving them a substitute for degrad ing sensuality. (FROM THE TIMES.) The last shift of the Cumberland faction is in no small degree characteristic ; for it is extravagant, l►dicrous, impudent, hypocritical, and knavish, be ing actually an attempt to poison the King of Eng land's mind with apprehension of a plot, which they ascribe to the Duke of Wellington, for expelling the present Royal Family from the kingdom, and seizing on the vacant throne We have thus plucked nut the heart of their profligate mystery, and shown I he world what a crew of factious block heads will dare to insinuate against the most eminent subjects of the realm, flattering themselves that the affected pomp of inuendoes and dark menaces will add something like zest to their miserable calum nies, and pique the curiosity of the vulgar to inquire into what, if stated in plain terms, would move no thing but astonishment at its transcendent folly.— The crown to which the Duke of Wellington ha,: aspired, is already planted on his temples by the muse of history—" arid it will wear well, foe it has been dearly earned." From the Parliamentary returns it appears that the gross sums raised in England and Wales under the general head of poor-rates during the year 1828, amounted to 7,715,0001., of which 1,370,000/. was for other purposes than the relief of the poor, and 6,300,000/. expended in various ways for that ob ject. There is an avei age diminution of expense, as compared with the year preceding, of about two per cent. throughout the country, which is at least a satisfactory circumstance, considering the increased price of corn. The average diminution, however, has admitted of an actual augmentation in the charges for, and symptoms of, pauperism, throughout certain counties. In Middlesex, for instance, there has been an increase of eight per cent. (FROM THE MORNING HERALD.) It appears by the proceedings of the Civic Par liament that one of its members has opened upon us all the phials of his wrath for the share we have had in calling the public attention to the snug job which the Civic Body was so quietly stealing through Parliament, whereby an attempt is making to tax the chief article of fuel (one of the main ne cessaries of life in a cold climate like our's), for the purpose of making the necessary approaches to the new London Bridge. We want no better proof of such a measure as this being wrong than the snug ness and the silence with which it has been con cocted, and was on the eve of being brought to maturity ; nor can we wonder that the rage which vents itself at our exposure of the matter should be equalled by the disappointment of which we have been knowingly, wilfully, and, we trust, hap pily, the authors. We have said, and we say it again, that if the Civic Body meant what was fair and ho nest—if they did not mean to smuggle through Par liament a project which would not bear the light— they were bound to have made known their inten tions through every possible channel.—We contend, too, that they were bound to do more than that, and that it was imperative upon them, to show that no other means could be found to effect their object and, above all, to shoW what are the extent and re sources of that very Bridgehouse Estate, which there are persons who declare would, if it had been properly managed, been more than adequate for all the purposes of the new bridge, and its approaches. And why, of all things in the world, should coals be fixed upon as the chosen article of Civic taxation ? Why, as Lord Londonderry has very aptly said, not tax the wine and the turtle ? or, if they would not afford revenue enough, why should not a small general tonnage be put on, in preference to singling out an article, the most unfit to be made all object of taxation at any time ? But the truth is that the Civic Body have some thing to do with this same article of coals al ready. The tax which they wish to perpetuate ex pires in about eight years' time; and has alluded, and will afford, while it lasts, some nice snug cor porate pickings, the less of which cannot be viewed without dismay. Besides this, the Civic Body have not a little to do with that precious part of • our coal system called metering. (FROM THE NEWS.) We are glad to find that some inquiry is about to be instituted into the secrets of the coal trade, with a view to the finding out why coals, which cost 18s. per chaldron at the pit, with 103. per chaldron freight to London, should be charged from 50s. to 60s. per • chaldron to the consumer. There is we admit to be added to the above 28s. from 7s. to Bs. for govern ment and city duties ; but still we are very far, allowing every reasonable profit, from the London housekeepers' charge. There is a mystery in this which we should like to see elucidated. We agree with the Duke of Wellington that it does not lay with the duties, for we doubt much were they all taken off, whether the price to the consumer would be proportionably diminished. The reduction of indirect taxes rarely benefits the public in an equal ratio to the sacrifice made by Government.— The taking off the assessed taxes, would come more home to the pockets of the people than the doing away with all the indirect taxes put together. Were such a measure to follow on the Emancipation Bill, it would be an effectual gag to the croakings of the alarmists. THE MtmsTßv.—There is at this moment a sin gular coincidence between the Cabinets of France and this country, with reference to their situation as connected with the Chamber of Deputies and the House of Commons. The " Chamber," like the " House," is divided into three great parties — which, we may denominate, the Ministerialthe Li beral, (occasionally voting with the Minister), and the Ultra, or direct opposition. Whenever the two former unite, the latter is, in course, overwhelmed — but there occur cases in which the Liberal party disagree with the Minister—then, by an union with the Ultras, they are enabled to leave him in a mino rity. A circumstance of this nature happened in the I Chamber of Deputies the other day ;—the questionin dispute was not a very important one, but that arose! from mere chance; had it affected the existence of the Ministry, the result would have been the same. No Mi ter can keep his place in such a state of things, and the French Premier must either vacate, or strengthen himself by a coalition with one or other of the parties L liable to be opposed to ltifrt. A very slight review of the state of things on this side of the water, will theW how exactly similar the Duke of Wellington is situated. In our House of Commons there are three parties—the Ministerial—the Whigs and the Ultra Tories. As long af_' the . ttl•o former agree, the latter b'a defeated ; but if the two last unite, the Minister must be in a minority. 'rbm hence results the necesity of the Duke allying himself with one oi• the other. One would naturally suppose, after what has been spoken and written of him, by one of these parties, that alliance with them is out of the question, and this we believe to be the case. How far terms can be made with the other party a little time will show ; for, after the Catholic Bills are done with, something decisive must be adopted. LENT ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HORSHAM, Mallen 27. THE KING V. DUKE. This was an indictment against the defendant, Stephen Duke, the son of a farmer residing at Arun del, for an assault and battery committed by him upon Mr. George Augustus Coombes, the son of a Magistrate of the same town.—Verdict, guilty. In the Crown Court there were no cases of the slightest interest. In the Nisi Pries, an action for breach of promise of marriage, for which a Special Jury was impannelled, Mr. Gurney and Mr. Adol phus retained on one side, and Serjeants Spankie and Andrews on the other, arid which crowded the Court with ladies at an early hour, was hushed up, and a verdict of 130/. taken by consent. The busi ness of this Assize was finished at three o'clock this afternoon. MIDLAND CIRCUIT, DERBY, TLt cx 27. Paul White, a farmer, about 40 years of age, was indicted for a rape upon the person of Hannah Key, at Shottle, in this county. The prosecutrix, a country girl about 19 years of age, whose countenance and manner bespoke a mix ture of simplicity and cunning, stated that in Fe bruary last, she lived in the service of Mrs. Elizabeth White, the prisoner's mother, at Shottle. Mrs. White was an old woman upwards of 70 years of age. Her son Daniel lived with her, and managed the business of the farm. The prisaner (Paul) was a married man, and came to his mother's occasion ally. One day in the middle of February, when there was no person about the place but Mrs. White, the prisoner, and the prosecutrix, she (prosecutrix) went to feed the fowls as usual, but found no oats in the oat-tub ; upon which the prisoner told her to come with him to the corn-chamber, and he would give her some. She accordingly took the tub, and followed him to the corn-chamber, which stood about thirty yards from the dwelling-house across the yard. As soon as they had got inside, the prisoner let down the door, and immediately threw the prosecutrix on some sacks. He then ill-treated her, in a manner which, according to her statement, constituted the capital offence, according to the recent Act Of Par liament on this subject. She cried out as well as she could. He afterwards told her she might put some corn in her bucket out of a sack that was about half full. She did so, and went out and fed the fowls. She afterwards attended to her usual busi ness for the rest of the afternoon, and milked the cows. She met a woman, a Mrs. Walker, whom she had known very well. She did not tell her what had happened to her, neither did she acquaint her mistress with it ; but she told the prisoner's brother Daniel (it was said in Court that these bro thers had been on very unfriendly terms with each other for some time before this) of it the next day, and Daniel told her mistress. She (prosecutrix) was for going home, but Daniel told her his mother could not do without her for a couple of days, and if she would stop, he would see her righted. Her father and mother were informed of what had oc curred, and they and Daniel accompanied her before a justice. It was a fortnight after she had been ill treated that she first went before a justice to com plain of the prisoner. A verdict of acquittal was returned; and the prisoner, who had been previously out on bail, was discharged. He declared solemnly, before he left the bar, that he had never meddled with the pro secutrix; the whole case was the result of a wicked conspiracy against him. Samuel Smedley, aged 22, John Collier, aged 22, and George Warrel, aged 20, were charged with maliciously killing and maiming sheep. Warrel was admitted King's evidence, and from his testimony, corroborated by the evidence, and the prisoners' own admissions, it appeared thut these three young men, having been drinking together at a public-house on the evening in question, sallied out for the purpose of " doing something to be talked about" (that was Smedley's proposition), and with this laudable view they entered a close in which were some sheep, and driving them into a corner they caught two. Smed ley then pulled out his pen-knife, and with the assist ance of his two companions, who held the poor animals down for him, first cut off the head of one, and then partly did so to the other, and, whilst it was still alive, cut open its entrails. The Jury found the two prisoners who were in dicted Guilty. The Learned JUDGE sentenced them to trampor tation for life. THE KING V. EDW ARDS, GENTLEMAN. This was an indictment against the defendant, an attorney of this place, for a violent assault upon a watchman named Tomlinson, in September last. The case, which had been removed into the Court of King's Bench by certiorari, excited considerable in terest in this neighbourhood. The circumstances, as they appeared in evidence, were briefly these :—On the night or rather morning, in question, the prosecutor heard a great noise and disturbance in the streets, and finding the defendant and another person named Mason active in creating it, he took the latter, who was a stranger into custody, intending to summon the defendant, whom he knew, before a justice next morning. As they were pro ceeding to the watch-house, Mason called out, " Go at him ;" to which the defendant replied, " No, not yet." The latter had a bludgeon in his hand at the time. He offered to be bail for Mason at the watch-house, which was refused, and that person was therefore locked up. In about half an hour afterwards (between two and three in the morning), when the prosecutor was in another part of the town, he suddenly received a blow on the head, from behind, which brought him to the ground completely stunned. He could not tell at the moment whether it had been given with a stick or a stone. The blood flowed copiously from the wound. In a few minutes afterwards some people having collected about him, the defendant came behind, and stretching his head round to look the prosecutor in the face, said, " Are you hurt ?" " Yes," replied Tomlinson; and " you are the hand that did it." The defendant made no reply, but subsequently asked him, " would 50.'. be of any service to you ?' To which the prosecutor answered, "No, nor 5001." These were the principal grounds on which the charge against the prosecutor rested. The Learned JUDGE having summed up the evi dence, the Jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict of Guilty. CAMBRIDGE, MARCH 27. Win. Osborne, aged 23, was indicted for felo niously assaulting one David Durwood on the King's highway, in the parish of Elsworth, on the sth of December last, putting him in corporal fear, and stealing from his person 12 sovereigns and a 5/. note. David Durwood.—l am a farmer at Warboys. On the 3d December I was at the Three Tuns pub -Ik-house, at Knapwell, about four in the afternoon. I stayed there about two hours. The prisoner was there also, sit! Mg opposite to me. He had a dib bing-iron with him. The landlord wished me to stop all night ; but I said, in the presence of the prisoner, that I would go home. The landlord gave me four sovereigns and a :5/. note, which I put in my left-hand breeches pocket, with eight other sovereigns. He left the Three Tuns a quarter of an hour before I did. Master Holben, of Elsw•orth, accompanied me as far as the road leading to Els worth, when we parted, I going to Conington.— When I had got about a furlong, I met a man on the road, whom I saluted with " Good night," and he tame and caught me directly by the collar, and said " Stand, deliver your money." That man was the prisoner. tie had on a light waistcoat and a frock coat. I said " I have no money ;" and he replied " but I know you have, and I'll hare it." He then struck me a great many blows with a large heavy club or dibbing-iron. I have the scars on my head now. Part of my ear was., cut off by one of the blows. He beat me till he got me nearly to the dike, and there he throwed me across the dike, put. his hands into my left-hand breeches' pocket, End took out the eight sovereigns and the 51. note. lie did not feel in any other pocket. After he had robbed me, he hit me a desperate blow, seemingly with his fist, on the face, and ran off. This was a mile from Conington. On the next day but one I went to see a man who was in hold ; he was with two others, and I picked him out, and said, " That's the man as robbed me." I have no doubt the pri soner is the man. John Holmes, landlord of the Three Tuns, cor roborated the prosecutor as to the prisoner and pro secutor being at his house on the sth. The Jury, after two minutes' deliberation, found a verdict of Guilty. The Learned BARON then put on the black cap, and, in an earnest and most solemn address, passed the awful sentence of death upon the unhappy cul prit ; exhorting him to lose no portion of the short remaining period of his mortal career in the vain hope that mercy could be extended to him on this side the grave. LAUNCESTON, M kRCIf 26. THE APOTHECARIES' COMPANY V. SERGEANT. Mr. Serjeant WILDE (with whom were Mr. C. F. Williams and Mr. Follett) stated the case to the jury. He said this was an action brought by the masters, wardens, &c. of the Apothecaries' Com pany, to recover of the defendant certain penalties for his having acted as a surgeon and apothecary, he not being a competent person, or having passed the examinations required by the Act 55 Geo. 111. It was there enacted, that all persons, from the passing of that Act, before they should be enabled to carry on the art which they professed, should undergo a certain examination as to their ability ; the defend ' ant, knowing this, tendered himself, and on exami nation he was found not to have the knowledge which was required. Some time afte-, he again applied, and the result was the same—he was again rejected. From that time till a little while since nothing was heard of him, and then the plaintiffs received information that he was practising in this county ; and it was found that he had set up at Carrington, and being a man of some address, he had managed to get into considerable practice, and it would appear was employed by the parish autho rities to administer medicine to the poor of that pa rish. The defendant was not present to defend this action ; he (the Learned Serjeant) should therefore r limit the inquiry, and ask for two pe nalties only, the object being to stop the mischief. Peter Stentiford examined—l had occasion for medici.l attendance from July, 1827, to July, 1828. Dr. Sergeant attended me. He gave me medicine, especially pills for the loosening of my body.—(A laugh.) Mr. Sergeant WILDE—We will not inquire into the effects of his medicine. Dr. Neal examined—l attended as physician to the late Mr. Procter ; Mr. Sergeant attended as apothecary. I prescribed, and the defendant sup plied the medicine. Mr. Justice GASELEE summed up. There could be no doubt that the defendant came within the meaning of the Act, and they ( the Jury) would give a verdict for two penalties of 201. each.—Verdict accordingly. YORK, MARcii 27. REED V. BOWMAN. Mr. MATTHEws opened the pleadings. The de claration stated, that the defendant had seduced the (laughter of the plaintiff, whereby the plaintiff lost her services. Mr. BROUGHAM stated the case. The plaintiff was a respectable shopkeeper at 011erton, in the North Riding of Yorkshire ; the defendant was the son of a tradesman, residing at the same place. The parties had for some time bees acquainted, for the de fendant had concealed the design which he enter tained on the person of the plaintiff's daughter under the presence of an honourable attachment ; and had visited her, with the avowed intention of making her his wife. The consequence of such a profession had been, that the parties had (as was always the case) been suffered to be much together ; and the defendant had availed himself of the oppor tunities which this confidence afforded him, to ac complish the real object of his attentions. The daughter of the plaintiff had, unfortunately, trusted to the man whom she bad supposed would soon be come her husband, and an intercourse bud ensued, which ended on her part in the birth of a child. It was for the injury thus inflicted that the plaintiff now sought a compensation in damages. Mary Reed—l urn the daughter of the plaintiff. 1 resided with my father for the last four or five years. I have known the defendant since he was a child. There has been a considerable intimacy be tween us for the last five years. I expected that his intentions were honourable. In March, 1827, an improper intimacy took place between us. I be came pregnant in consequence, and in November, in the same year, I was delivered of a child. The de fendant visited me all that time, and after the child was born. The defendant lives with his father, who is a blacksmith at 011erton. He is an only sea. His father is in good circumstances. Cross-examined—l was 21 years of age last May. The defendant was 23. It was about a month since my father failed in business. His affairs arc now managed by two persons. I have sworn the child to the defendant. He pays ls. 6d. a week. He paid the expence of my confinement. Mr. Justice BAYLEY summed up the case. The Jury, after a short deliberation, found a ver dict for the plaintiff—Damages, 5/. Mr. Justice BAYLEY—Gentlemen, the defendant thinks he ought to pay that sum, for he offered it before the trial began. MURDER. Martin Slack, aged 18, was charged with the wilful murder of a female child, by administering to it a quantity of uquafortis. Elizabeth Haigh examined—l know the prisoner at the bar. I have been acquainted with him about three years. I was delivered of a female child on the 19th of October last. The prisoner at the bar was the father of that child. I swore the child to him, and he was in consequence sent to the house of correction ut Wakefield. He returned before the child was born, and continued to visit me. On the morning of Sunday, Nov. 2, I got up between six and seven. As soon as I got up I took the child down stairs and suckled it. The prisoner came in. At the time he came I was sitting before the fire suckling the child. I was not quite dressed, and I placed the child on the squab, and went up stairs to finish dressing. The child was in very good health, and had not before ailed any thing. Almost as soon as I got up stairs I heard the child scream. I ran down stairs and saw the prisoner sitting with the child in his arms. The child's head was lying upon his left shoulder. The prisoner got up from the chair when I came down, and gave me the child. I was going to put the child to my breast when I saw something was the matter. Some thing had been given to it. There was a sort of blaze coming out of its mouth, and something like brimstone was running from it. I put the child's mouth against my cheek, and my cheek was burned by it.--(Witness h ere s h owe d a mar k, which was still visible on her cheek.)—The stuff running out of its mouth also burnt my arm. In about three quarters of an hour the child died. Cross-examined by Mr. COTTINGHAM—The banns of marriage had been published between the prisoner and me, and forbidden by t h e p r i s oner's father. The prisonett always seemed attached to me, and fond of the child. The Jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict of -Guilty. Mr. Baron HULLOCK then sentenced the prisoner to be executed on Monday next. During the address of the Learned Judge, the prisoner more than once exclaimed that he had no occasion to seek for pardon, for he was an innocent man ; and when the sentence had been passed, he said, " This is just what they wanted ; they wanted to have me hanged, and my body taken to Sheffield to be dissected. and you have not done your duty in passing this sentence upon me. You are an unjust Judge."—The prisoner was then removed. SECOND EDITION. SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Cloc4. 131 PERU L PARLIAMENT THIS EVENING. HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLMR sat to-day at five minutes before Five o'clock. Six Private Bills were read a third, and one or two a second time. Lord STANLEY and others brought up a road Bill. _ _ Mr. LAWLEY and others brought up another road Bill. Lord HARDIVICKE presented a petition from the Protestant Dissenters of Wisbeach, in favour of the Ca tholic claims. The Noble Lord entirely concurred is the prayer. From six years resideve in Ireland, he was satisfied that the proposed measure was necessary, and was sure that when it passed into a law, no act would be found more calculated for public economy. Lord BOYLE presented a petition from the Roman Catholics of Ilminster, in favour of their claims. The Marquis of ANGLESEA presented petitions from several parishes in Ireland to the same effect. Lord WINCIHLSEA presented petitions from East Peckam, New Romney, St. Paul's, Deptford, Newberry, and from numerous other places in England, Scotland, and Ireland, against further concessions to the Roman Catholics. Lord CAMDEN presented a petition from certain in dividuals in the county of Pembroke, in favour of the Ca-• tholics. In doing so, he begged to state, that at a county meeting a Clergymen of the Established Church made a most unwarantable attempt to agitate the mind of the people of that county. On the hustings he stated that the present measure would be to admit Popery into the Constitution, and the Protestants would be compelled against their inclination to support Popery. The admission of Popery would be nothing short of depriving the Protes tants of their religious liberty. He strongly recommended the inhabitants to petition his Majesty to dissolve Parlia ment, as then he would see how ill he had been used by his present hypocritical and ill-informed Ministers. The most inflammatory and seditious papers had been circulated in that county, and the worst of them propagated by a society for the circulation of Tracts. The Reverend Gentleman enquired if the people were ready to give up their bibles, if they were then they might assent to this measure, if not it was their duty to object to it. When the meeting had heard this gentleman, and the one who seconded the Resolution, it became so tumultuous, that the Sheriff was obliged to dissolve it, and therefore no petition from that Meeting could be presented as the Meeting of the County. Windows had been broken, and in one instance fire thrown into the houses of those who were favourable. to the measura. The present petition was from a number of gentlemen, who were present at the meeting, and who objected to what took place there, and expressed their ap probation of the measure. Lord ELDON observed that he had a petition from that county, signed by a great number of the most respectable individuals, against the Catholic claims. Lord FARNHAM presented 28 petitions from parishes iu Ireland, against the Catholic Claims. The Bishop of DURHAM presented a petition from Rotherly, and two other parishes, in the county of Dur hara, against concessions. Lord LORTON presented three petitions from parishes in Ireland. Lord KINNOUL presented petitions from about half a dozen places in Scotland, to the same effect, amon i ; which was one from the Minister and Elders of the Pres bytery of Perth. Lord LORTON presented three petitions from parishes in Ireland to the same effect. The Duke of HAMILTON precented two petitions front Greenock, in favour of emancipation, one was from the Roman Catholics, and the other from Protestants. The Noble Duke presented a third petition to the same effect, and he entirely agreed in the prayer. He was upon this great question decidedly in favour of Emancipation. Earl 'HARE \VOOD presented a petition from near Pontefract against concessions. Lord HOLLAND presented several petitions in favour of the Catholic claims. Lord GROSVENOR presented a petition from the in. habitants of Macclesfield, silk throwsters, praying for re lief. He felt it necessary to observe, that the petitioners had chosen an individual to present this petition who could not agree in the prayer. The petitioners, in his opinion, had taken a very erroneous view of the object on which they thought propea to petition. Lord ELDON presented a great number of petitions front the Protestants of different parts of England and Ireland against further Concessions to the Roman Crtholics. (LEFT SITTING.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes before Four o'clock, at which time there was an universally full ttendance of Members. The gallery was very much rowded. The: Independent Gas Company's Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. The Bill for Building a Bridge over the River Thames, at Staiees was read a third time and passed. Petitions were presented front the following plaees against the Catholic Claims : By Sir Edward Kuachbull, from a congregation of Wesleyan Methodists at Wellingborough, Northampton shire, and another from an individual named Thomas Jones, Vestry Clerk of St. Stephens, Coletnan-street-- (Laughter) ;—and another front a place, the name of which we d►d not hear ; by Mr. Fontayne Wilson, from nine parishes in the county of York; by Admiral Harvey from three different places in the county of Essex ; by Lord Belfast, from the town of Belfast, and by Mr. Egerton, from three places in the county of Chester. Mr. E. DAVENPORT said one of the petitions pre sented by his Hon. Friend (Mr. Egerton) was signed by the Whipper-in and Huntsman of a pack of Fox-hounds, who were decidedly against any further concessions to the Catholics.—(Great laughter.) Sir THOMAS LETHBRIDGE presented a petition from the City of Bath in favour of concessions; Lord Ox mantown presented two petitions from the Kings County. Sir HENRY SYMTH presented a petition from the Eastern Half Hundred of Essex on the subject of Anatomy. Mr. D. W. HARVEY gave notice that on Wednesday next be should move for an account of the manner in which the sum of 512,000/. voted for the Charing-cross, improvements had been expended ; and also for a Report of proceedings instituted by the Attorney-Genaral in re fe-ence to Public Charities. Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from the Mini sters, &c. of the Presbytery of Forfar, praying that the Catholics might be excluded from certain offices therein named. Also similar petitions from the Associate Presby tery of Edinburgh, and other places in Scotland. After a few woe's from Mr. Moberly, Sir R. Ferguson, Captain Weinyss, and Mr. Hume, the petitions were or dered to be printed. The SPEAKER said that the Synod of Forfar was signed by only one individual, and the question therefore arose, whether the petition could be received under these circumstances as the petition of the Synod, or as the pe tition of the individual whose signature it bore. The ge neral rule of the House was that all petitions should be received as the petitions of those by whom they were signed, and the exceptions to this ruie were towns and bodies corporate. There was not one single excep. tion, for there was a precedent where the House had received a petition from the General Assembly of Scot land as the petition of that body, though it was only signed by one individual. He wished to draw the atten tion of the House to the subject, as it appeared to him to be one of some importance. The LORD ADVOCATE aaid that the same rule as had been applied to the General Assembly might be also applied to time Synods and Presbyterians, all of them being of the same nature, anti regulated by the same Act of Parliament. Mr. Secretary PEEL taid, that lie could rot take the same view of the subject. The Precedents of the House were in favour of receiving petitions, tnerelyras the pe titions of those who signed them, hut there being one LEFT SPEAKING.] PREPARATIONS FOR SMITHFIELD. A contemporary (the Examiner) humanely oh sel ves t hat the anxiety lately manifested by the Duke of Wellington respecting the price of coals in the metropolis is not without a cause. It appear', at first blush meritorious in these Le gislators to lend their assistance to reduce any un necessary charge or unfair profit on an article of such moment to the manufacturer and vital importance to the poor as fuel, but we apprehend that a motive less respectable will be assigned for their zeal in this province of public economy. The truth is, that this anxiety has reference to the approaching ascendancy of Popery. It is natu rally and necessarily foreseen that the burning of Protestants, which will commence in a day or two, must be a serious charge at the present high pried of fuel, and will tend to raise the cost of coals to sum inconvenient even to ducal incomes. With this view, therefore, Ministers are casting about to reduce the taxes on importation of combustibles into the port of London. It is remarked, that the Duke's familiarity with prices at the pit's I mouth S by no means surprising, considering that he noW receives all his instructions direct from the gentle., man who has the management of the great bottom . less it itself. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 28.—Accounts are re' ceired from Malta to the 12th ult. Sir Pulteney Malcolm, with a squadron of five sail of the line, A frigate, and some smaller vessels, sailed on the 30th January for Naples, and was expected to return to Malta about the 19th ult. The Royal Marines of the squadron, for the last three months, had WO regularly brigaded on shore twice a week. On the 4th ult. the Wellesley arrived from Zante. Shd met the Ocean at sea, on her voyage to Navitrid and Smyrna, to relieve the Isis at the latter place. The Alacrity, Captain Nias, bad just arrived from Egina and Zante, having on board the master and three me►► of a piratical vessel, which she destroyed near Cassandro, it the Gulf of Salonica. She had brought several witnesses to prove the delinquency of the pirates, from one of the vessels they h a d robbed. The Philomel sloop of war was at Naples on the 6th instant, from whence she would proceed to Malta and then to England. The squadron under Sir Pulteney Malcolm had met with very bad wee' ther, and, what is very extraordinary for that mate, had experienced heavy falls of hail and sleet, and the frost was so severe as to form a considerable quantity of ice on the decks and rigging. The Pallas, 42, Captain Fitzelarence, is to pro; ceed to India, with General the Earl of Dalhous►e, who is appointed to succeed Lord Cotnbermere, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces. The Undaunted, 46, Captain Clifford, C.B. Nob towed out of harbour on Monday, and Bailed yes' terday for Plymouth. The Onyx, 10, Lieutenant Bottler, arrived this morning from Plymouth. The Arrow cutter sailed on Monday on a cruise, and returned to-day. Lieutenant W. H. B. Preby is promoted to the rank of Commander. Lieutenant Charles Robinson is appointed Ike sistant-Surveyor, under the orders of Lieutenant H. M. Denham, who is in charge of the Marine Survey of the South Coast of Wales, in co-opera tion with the Ordnance Grand Trigonometrical Survey. To the subscriptions noticed in ottr last, a t the annual meeting of the Marine Society, we have the pleasure •to add the munificent donation of 100 guineas from his Majesty, This Society was este' Wished in 1756: since which period, it has pro' vided for and fitted out 37,140 boys for the Nay.y; and has also equipped 32,360 landsmen, volunteers who actually served as seamen in the fleet. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. - LIVERPOOL. SATUR DA 7, MA RCH 28.-Wind water 20 minutes past four.—Arrived the Perfect► Prince, from Charleston; Mary, —, from ten(/' Ayres ; Maria and Adriana, Parlevhet, from Hotter:UM; Antze, De Vries, from Harlingen ; Mary and Eli 7ll ' , from Charleston. Sailed—The Ann, Smith, for St. John', ; s e linsf Oldey, for Newfoundland ; Wellington, Bramwell, for ditto ; Endymion, Garbett, for Afiramichi ; . Trita° --, for Cadiz. THE ARMY. A Detachment of the 78th Regiment of Foot has re' ceived orders to proceed from Edinburgh to Graveeendo for the purpose of embarking there for Ceylon. (From the Limerick Chronicle, March 25.) • The Reserve Companies of the 98th Regiment marcbr' in here to-day from Youghal, on route to Clare Castle, t° exchange quarters with the 19th Reserve Comport° . Strength of the 98th-2 Captains, 7 subalterns, 10 g " grants, and 150 rank file. The 19th Depot Companies, from Clare Castle, more l ' in here to-morrow, on route to Youghal. Captain Swinhnrn's Company of the 32d Regimen t ' from Carlow, has joined head-quarters. Coh net Butler has retired from the Lieutenant-60e . ; norship of the Military College, graduated to the rank Major-General, and from thence ad•eaneed to that n' Lieutenant-General. • Aof Lieut.Colonei Considine will succeed to the cowman the 53d Regt., under orders for Canada.. The 24th Regiment is destined for the West Indico• We hear that means are taking to preyent the ase-embling of the mobs in Hyde-park. SWIFT, more than a century ago, said 11 hooks and laws continue to increase as they hare don e the last fifty years, I am in some concern for fixture age'' how any man will be learned, or any man a lawyer." BIRTHS. On the 2Sth instant, Mrs. Rippon, Bartholomew-close' of a daughter. On the 27th instant, the lady of Charles Pott, Est' Ilunter-street, Brunswick-square, of a son. MARRIED. O❑ the 2Sth instant, at Great Bookham, by the Re v ' Wm. Ileberden, Malcolm Orme, Esq., eon of Major Orm e ' Fitzroy-square, to Jane, only daughter of Joseph Bonitos . ' Eeq., Salisbury-square. On the 26th instant, at Greenwich, John Gore, Egg.' of the Royal Artillery, to Hannah Caroline, eldest (laugh' ter of the lute Thomas Lester, Esq., Croom's-hill, Green wich. On the 26th instant, at Cheltenham, by the Rev. J. P' Ostrehan, A. 8., the Rev. Henry Withy, A.M., to Chris , tiara Dottin, fourth (laughter of the late Hon: Sit Jobl Gray Alleyne, I3art., Barbadoes. On the 26th instant, at Birstall, Yorkshire, Mr. Thos' Browne, Fenchurch-street, solicitor, to Eleanor Judith , daughter of the late L l lward Fayle, Es.q., Aldermanbury On the 28th instant, - at St, Pancras Church, by the Rev. Gedrge Hamilton Sidney,' 'John Smith; Eeq., to Elizabeth Henrietta, daughter of John Danvers, Esq., 'Tv vistock.place. On the 18th instant, at Moy, county Tyrone, : by th e , Rev. Charles Richardson, T. H. Rimington, Esq., Roy a l Engineers, Only eon of the late Lieut.-Gen. Rimiugton, t° Harriet, yohngest daughter of the late Richard Betton, EA' Groat Berwick, Shropshire. DIED. On the 28th instant, Elizabeth Orme, aged 27, woo ( ' daughter of Charles Campbell, Esq., Edmpnton. On the 26th instant, Elizabeth, the wife of James Ward , Esq., Albion-place, Blackfriars-road. On the 26th instant, Robert, eldest son of Robert Moore' Esq., Highgate, aged 15. On the 26th instant, at Hastings, Anne Elizabeth, re" lict of the late Capt. Peter Rolland, of the Hon. East Indi a Company's service. On the 16th instant, Carrier Tompson, Esq., Round" coppice, Bucks. On the 24th instant, George Leslie, Esq., Leslie.house , Fifesliire. On the 27th instant, at Kirkby, Nottinghamshire, age d 82, Henry Venablcs Lord Vernon, brother to. the Ara" bishop of York. PILINTD and PuaLump) by I4URi)o_leQUZio i , at the Burt Wm:41112, STRAXD I LONDON,