The Sun. — London, England, 1829-02-04 00:00:00

.1. s.sl s • , • ' SIIIPPLNG iNTELLIGENtE—(THIS DAY) 1. • FROM LLOYD'S. (From the 1141 Pocket.) : . . d . ,• • S.W.- . s-Arrived from London, We regret to sidle that it falls to our lot this flay the St. Anus, Mann, for Grenada; Eclipse, Donkin, to announce an event which will be a cause of deep ; -Melvin, Cousins, for:Jamaica; and AdaMs, regret to our readers, mid will almost be viewed us a Pidstroni, fOr .Cadiz. • • national calamity. That ancient awl splendid pile, PEymotrirti;.FEa. 2..-Wind S.—Arrived the Rector, ' Short, li en s Naples, the York Minster, has, by some lamentable accident. Hos nesn FEa froml with the particulars of which we are a t p resen t,: un - Li ver ' Ql,,Zl7which The .Mery, M'Leish th ' e acquainted, been rendered a prey to the devastating ;ihreeiniles - east 'of this harbour, the 22d - ult., h as b ses effects of fire; and is, we fear, a scene of desolation :,,:ttoat,:d wt. by , the casks and tm . vilid in her about 700 almost, if not totally, irreparable. We use not at quarters of oats, in a dry state, have ken brought on shore present informed of the full extent of the damage this froth bee: I venerable edifice has sustained. The only particu lars that have as yet readied us, arc contained in the following accounts forwarded to us yesterday from York : " Yours, MONDAY, HALF-PAST ONE.—That mag nificent and beautiful structure, York Minster, is at this moment nearly destroyed. About seven o'elolis this morning it was discovered to be on fire. The organ is completely destroyed. The roof; and every part which would burn, from the organ to the eastern window, being the whole of the prayer house, altar table, &c., are entirely consumed. The vaults are on fire,.and most of the monuments are. destroyed. The fire is still burning—the city is lid in confusion—and the origin of the calamity is wrapped in mystery." " YORK, F.Fas.. 2.!---This. morning a little after seven o'clock, one of the singers entered the Min ster, as is said, for the purpose of practising, when he discovered that the organ was on fire. On the alarm being given, it was:discovered that the. fire had communicated with the -stalls in the choir, and was extending through the whole - of the east At ten o'clock tile flames issued from the roof, from the, square tower. to the east window, in one coliti s nued flame. The. engines were promptly got to the spot, but such was the . rapidity with which it burnt, :that the whole of the roof has completely fallen in. TWELVE O'CLOCK.—I have just returned, en I had a view into the interior, which %vas a body of fire, from the organ to the ; altar table. It is pro bable that the square tower and the west end may be preserved. The wills, &c. which were deposited in a part of the Minster, have all been-removed to a place of . safety, - and some few. of the stalls . hie also been removed into a large room near the spot. Beilby Thompson, Esq. of liscreet, despatched engine drawn by four horses, to the scene of de struction ; and the engines from Li eds were ei peeteil every minute. The military from the bar racks, with their powerful engine, were noticed very active. As yet, amJuippy, to, say, Hot. any net.- sonal injury has been rec e iv e d. hereare a number of reports as to the cause of fire, but nothing satis factory. As I expect the coach every minute, I CAD not go so far again, but from a person just passing I Understand, the flames are got under." We have only to add to the above, that we hali.e conversed with a gentleman who arrived by the mail from York last night. He informed us,,that at the time he left that s city the cause of the fire was still it. matter of surmise. The whole of the wood work in the interior of the Minster s ou r informant stated to be destroyed. The part, that had received the greatest damage WaS the east end. The flames were subd ue d before he left York. The damage is vario us ly esti mated. We have heard that, at a rough calculation, 100,0001. would not be sufficient to repair the injti rieS the edifice has sustained. (FURTHER PARTICULARS.) On the Sabbath evening there was service in the Minster as usual, and all appeared to be left safe.-L- Abont• four o'clock on s Monday morning, a man passed thiough the Minster-yard, and saw a light in the building;' bat it not being very considerable, he supposed that there might be workmen preparing :a vault, or otherwise engaged, and he passed on with out inquiry. Between Six and seven the discovery was, - how el, made in a most extr a o r di nar y manner . A young boy, named Swinbank, one•of the chorister, was passing through the Minster-yard, and accident ally stepping on a piece of ice, was thrown on his back. - Titus placed,, and before he could recover himself, .he saw a quantitysf smoke issuing froth various parts of the roof. The sight was ararming and unaccountable, and he lost no time in going for the man who keeps the keys. They returned to gether, and, when they entered, the sight was awful beyond descriptiOn. A dense mass of smoke perva ded the whole building, and the beautiful wood-work of the choir was extensively on fire. On the arrival-of the work Men and others allow seven o'clock; they feund the interior of the vestry, in which the clergy and choristers usually uurobe, completely consumed by fire. Its communication with other pinta of the Minster was then easily traced, and we arc sorry to say that the beautiful wood-Work of the choir, together with the invalu able organ, which had not its equal in the kingdom, were soon a heap of ruins. COmmunication with the roof was not at first ap prehended; but, we lament to say, that the pillars being of limestone, served as conductors of the fire, and the roof of the choir being of very dry wood, it soon was joined with the other wood-work, in one general conflagration. All the fire-engines in the city were on the spot, but they were found quite insufficient ; and expresses were sent to the barracks and to Tadcaster for others. Notwithstanding every exertion, the flames got through the roof of the choir, about half past eight; and it is impossible for us to describe the awful pic ture which the devouring element rising above the majestic building,and threatening it with desolation, presented to the view. The effect produced by the glare of light upon the stained glass of the windows surpassed all attempts at description. - About 9 o'clock the roof of the choir fell in. : The roofs of the side aisles were sm o ki ng w h en th e mail left; but there was reason to believe that die fire bad been checked, and would be ultimately got under. The Minster has been once before seriously in jured by fire, twice burnt down and re-built. Its origin may be dated from A.D. 626. In 741 it was dreadfully damaged by fire, and remained in that state till 767, when it was taken down, re-built, completed, and consecrated in 780. Thus it stood until 1069; when the Northumbrians, aided by the Danes, having besieged the City of York, the gar rison set fire to several houses in the-subu r b s which fire unfortunately extended further than they in tended, and amongst other buildings burnt die Min ster to the ground. In 1137, the same fire which burnt St. 'Mary's Abbey, St. Leonard's Hospital, 39 churches in the city', and one in the suburbs, again destroyed the Minster; since which there has not been may damage done to it by file, excepting two trifling occurrences which have taken place through the neglect of the workmen within the last sixty years. Carelessness with fire or candles, has no doubt been the only cause on the present occasion; but we cannot point to any one as the culpable per son, nor can any one (at present) in the least calcu late the amount of the damage which has been dons. 'timour says 70,0001. 4 - )W . 7 MTV b 02 YORK MINSTER BURNT. . . The Alliance, from Campeachy to Loudon, was driven on shore, the 17th inst., on Florida Reef, but got off with iMnfiderable damage, and arrived at Key West. The Amiableisabel, - front St. Domifigciiii - hist . betWeen • that Island and Fayal. - 'The George, Farran, of New York, was totally lost at royal the 29tli of December ; the 'crew, and moat of --. the saved. • .• TILE FUNDS.--(THIS DAY.) CITY, TIVELVIi Ai the period approaches when his Majesty's Speech will be naade.known to,his subjects, and, connected, at it . is slap. -Plied in the best intermed circles, with topics so impor - tent to the domestic and .internal tranquillity of Ireland; a 4 ,o Fresponiling anxiety exists in the monied interept to have allencertainty set at rest on this important subject ; thus then it, is that the Stock inat.ket has beta rather fidgety all the morning, but unattended ; with any important busi - new+, Consols: opened at 87i, immediately after became • buyers, were s ell ers - at 874 , and• for money at 871; . they May now be quo t e d a t 814 / fur account, and 137/_# for money ; the Commissioners gave 874. Exchequer Bills 66 8 - ,pin..; India Bonds 66 8. pm. • • ::In the Foreign Funds Bonie business has been done 'in POrteguese.Bonds at lower quotations, and the Stock has • fallen from 52 to 5041 ; Buenos Ayics, 434 44; Mexi can and Colombian Bonds . are rather Tower, the 'former being 19 4, and the latter 30; such is the credit of his Catholic Majesty that Spanish' Bonds are now reduced -to „Bi- 9. In Shares every thing- remains in its usual dull state. Three per Cent. Coniels, 87f 4, Ditto, far Account, 11 74 India Stock;:. 239 :49 Bank _Stuck, 2.12-13 ; • ;mita .Bonds, 66 7 .pin. ; Exchequer Bills, 66 7 pin. FoaxioN.—BraXilian,434 4 ; Buenos Ayres, 431 41 ; Chilien; 22 ;. Colombian, 19 1 ; 'Danish, 64 ; Greek, 141 154; Mexican, Five per Cent., 23 4.; Ditto, Six per Cent. ; no; Peruvian, 16 17;' Portuguese, 52 I; Russian, 97 . 1 S p anish, 8i 9. • Dliniza.—Auslo Mexican, 80 dis. ; Brazilian, 39 40 pm.; • Bonilla, 70 88 pm. ; Colombian, 17 16 ; Baal Del Ninth!, 140 60 pt.* share ; United Mexican, 273- 264 dis. TWO O'CLOCK. - . $o"" little business has been doing in Consols that the •',.rnsnabers.' have amused themselves by .chalkir. the Fobr per Cent. p ar t o f t h e : market, an d g ivi ng a sham ball, whiih .attc•rded certain •Jobbers an opportunity of displaying their wit: Consols have been 871, buyers, but 'are now Vets: Consols, 871 THREE O'CLOCK. 1111 MARKETS.-CTIIIS BAY.) CORN EXCHANGE. The supplies of all Grain this week arc moderate, except of Oats from Ireland, of which there is a good arrivsl. The quantity of Meir coastwise is unimportant ; the factors are holding Wheat firmly at Monday's prices, With little doing to•day, but .there is expectation of • a considerable demand for this article when the intsnd navi gation is. reopened ;, Barley ; Beans, and Pease each meet a dull sale Oats barely maintain:the terms of Monday.— lilt Flour trade remains very heavy.. The Lord Chamberlain has recovered from his attack of the gout, and rode out yesterday for the first time. A deputation of five of the committee from the Spitalflehls weavers proceeded to the Treasury yester day afternoon, at two o'clock, followed by a very numerous assemblage of the weavers, and presented a petition and a letter for the Duke of Wellington, - which were received at his house, and it was intimated that his Grace would send an answer. THIRD SA LE OF ROWLAND STEPHEN ION'S EFFECTS.-Yesterday the live stock, comprising the best part of Stephenson's late property at Marshalls, was sold, on the premises, in 100 lots, by Mr. Shuttleworth. The stock appeared in good condition. The horses, 13 in number, and all but one grey, Stephenson's favourite colour, sold at fair prices, as (lid the cows and calves; but the sheep—Southdown ewes and wethers—the pigs, and the poultry, produced remarkably high prices, the sheep selling at 21. each, geese, 7s. 6d., ducks, 35., and the fowls in proportion. Indeed, some of the prices were astonishing. The sale was admirably conducted, and ter minated at five o'clock. .Z ARRIVALS. Eptlirh Wheat. Marley. Oats. , Flour. Arial . .... « tQ4 Ara. 3.601.1 qrs. 66 0 rit s. 3,250 sacks. ....... .. 100 -- 20,600 oieigu LAW. INTELLIGENCE.THIS DAY.) COURT OF CLIANCERY. JUIMAIENT.-11ANCOX V. STOKES. Samuel Pemberton and Tho Mas and George Stokes carried on the business of iron masters in Partnership,. at. Colesly and Erdin g t on . S amue l emberton died,.and by his will bequeathed his property-to - Ificeireutors, with directiona.that they should carry on the business for the benefit of his family. It was afterwards agreed-that Thomas and Stokes should buy their interest in the part - ,• Tership for 49,0004 It was stipulated that the money should be paid by certain instalments, the due payment of Which Was' seeured upon the pro pprty by a certain deed, upon which the present icitteitloti Prose. After the dissolution of the pp4tmership the tipsiness was c arr i e d on b y the Stokes, atnt ultiMPto7 by George Stokes alone till he'becatne bankrupt, The whole interest of the executors becatne vested in Edwin Pember ton; he was the sole creditor of the partnership. When the matter came before his Honour the Vice : Chancellor (the present Master of the Rolls), on the ..'petition of Edwin Pemberton, he directed that an account should be taken of the property, and also of h is debt. Against this order the assignees have ap pealed, upon the ground that the Court had made no deelaratiorE with respect to which part of the pre petty was liable to this debt ; whether the whole, o r Only that part whi c h was s i tuate d at C o l es hill. The Court apprehended, on looking at the judgment ' of the Vice-Chancellor, that his opinion was ex ` tended to, the whole of the property. With that °Pinion it agreed, and atlirtned. that decisien. PHIPP V. LORD ENNISMORE. • Ili LORDSHIP also gave judgment in this appeal, Oirtting the decision of the Court below. OTTER OF CLEMENT, A SUPPOSED LUNATIC. The AvrOlttilEy-ONNERAL resumed .his arguments to this platter, the obje4 of which was the granting of a. writ de lunatic° iiiqqirelida, COURT OF KING'S BENCH. . CRIM. CON.-7-WALDER; v. BURKIT. • Mr. CAMPBELL applied for a rule to show cause why the venue in this case should not be removed ' from the county of Gloucester into the county of Here ford, or some neighbouring county. T he application was read s i n consequence o f several paragraphs which had s Ppeared in newspapers circulated in that cowl which the Learned Counsel's client (the defen i!tat) considered wou ld p re j u di ce t h e J ury aga i nst and prevent his having a fair trial. His client, al iPtgktrate, had reason to believe that the plaintiff W4a the author of some of the statements. Mr. Justice BAILEY asked if he had inquired at • the newspaper office whether or not the statements were inserted at the instigation of the plaintiff. Mr. CAMPBELL replied that he had not done so, • 1 1 or was it very probable that he would have pro : l 'ured much information there if he had. The state %eats were published in several newspapers. lie S ubmitted that as the adm!nistration of justice should • be above all suspicion, perhaps their Lordships would think it proper to grant the rule, unless the plaintiff Foul(' show that a trial in another county would in- Jury the cause. Lord TENTEIMEN said that the Court could never grant an application on such slight grounds, parti- Niirly in a civil action. One could hardly take up , 4 i!gWiipiper without seeing paragraphs of that de- I riptio u , ca l cu l ute 4 to amuse an d interest the idle. • Would, however, be too great en obstruction of Justice t o grunt a ru l e f or such a cause. If t h e de relidant thought himself injured by any statement in newspaper, he had his remedy.—Rule refused. . A Cabinet Council was held at half-past three ? 1, 404 reaterday afternoon, at the Foreign-office, Down /a, fftltreet, which was att en d e d by th e L or d Ch ance ll or , .„ t " Duke of Wellington, Earls Bathur s t an d Ab er d een , vrieount Melville, Lord gllenborou g h, Mr. Secretary the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir George Mur ray, M l qr r. Vesey Fitzger a ld, a n d M r . H err i es . Th e Minis "r• sat in deliberation till half-past six o'clock. A grand annual dinner was given by Earl Plithurat as Lord President of the Council yesterday even - I n! at his residence in Cumberland. street, to the Cabinet Ministers, the great officers of State, and other official gen tlettien, wh en th e nom i na t e d li st o f Sheriffs for England 44 , thet r beiWales for the present year was arrange d previous to being pricked for by the King in Council, SPIRIT OF THE LONDON JOURNALS.- KING'S THEATRE. x The Opera of La Donna del Lago was repeated It is impossible for any human being to feel at this Theatre last night—but in a sadly mutilated otherwise than penetrated with the deepest form, owing to the sudderi and' severe illness of commiseration for the poor weavers of Spital- Signkr CUIZMNI, for whom a substitute eeidd not fields, whose melancholy procession through the be found, upon so brief a notice, to. sustain the prin- streets of London yesterday bore such sad evi ' eipul ehaeicice of Fitz-Janies. The Hamlet of deuce to the dreadful state into which they had SHAKseEARE would almost be as intelligible and Men. We trust that no exertions will be spared effective, as the Lady of the Lake, without its for the relief of those industrious and honest James. N evert hel ess , t h e dil emma b e i ng one of att people, whose conduct h a s b een as exemp l ary unforeseen and unavoidable kind, the audience re- las their sufferings are acute. But it would be ceived the broken portions of the Opera with th e extravagance and folly to admit any real cell utmost kindness, and appeared to be more delighted nexion between the destitute condition of the with' PISAILONI" and DON ZELLI t h an u p on thei r Wst inhabitants of Spitalfields, and that Change in the appearance on Saturday. commercial policy of the empire which the pre judices of these poor men, or the artifices' of others, have led them to assign as the cause of r their actual destitution. The free trade in silk, as it is absurdly termed, has and can have nothing to do with the distresses of the •Spitalfielg weavers—nothing, we mean, of a nature to in duce the sort of remedy, viz. a return to the old monopoly, which trey, or their evil counsellors, would prescribe. With what pretence to truth or ' decency can that be termed a " free trade" in silk, which ~unposea on the country a,tax of 30 per cent. ro protect the hoine,nianufactuier against the foreigner ? }low -can that be called a free trade • which has destroyed the business of- the only •free foreign trader—namely, the smuggler, and transferred his profits to the hands of the British Manufacturer. If' the substitution of a pr6tett ing duty for a prohibition had been capable of working mischief' to the interests of British la hour, when rightly employed, would not those pernicious effects have been experienced every where else throughout England, as Well ;as ,in the unfortunate neighbourhood of Spital fields ? Look at the . keneral progress of the silk trade in this country since Mr. 1 - luskisson's measure Caine into operation ; and then , let any man, with even one eye in hiS. head, answer the question for us, Whether the so-called " free trade" and " foreign . ; competition" have not in a manner created mid nationalized the manufacture, instead of leaving it ib:a state:of stagnation and decrepitude, con fined to London only. If the manufacture con- A '§',Sea ly flourishes throughout the north of Eng land, under the influence of that very sys, tem of protecting duties - which is exclaimed against as the source of great misery to the de serving population of Spitalfields, we are surely justified, on the face of things, in ascribing the calamity to some cause peculiar to that branch of the manufacture which has been: visited by the peculiar suffering. If coun try silk goods can be produced on easier terms 'than those wrought in London, Where expenses are higher, and can therefore undersell the London silks either in the home or a foreign market, this disadvantage would prove that Lon don (from the cost of living) was an ill-chosen seat for the manufacture. But this' fact cannot be considered as adducing the least shadow of argument_ against the principle of Mr. HuskiS- Son's reform. If the English trade has really suffered from the change introduced by Mr. Ruskissen, how comes it that the rival trade— , namely, that of France—should have suffered avowedly from the same cause, and in a degree not local (as the distress of Spitalfields, however originating, is known to be), but co-extensive with the French manufacturing districts theie selves? We regret unfeignedly that the indu9- trious French silk-weavers have been injured by any law of the British Parliament enacted solely :to benefit Englishmen, and having, undoubtedly, no design whatever to wound the interests or im pair the comforts of our neighbours. Far more keenly do we spripathize•with the miseries of our own fellow-subjects and fellow-citizeiA ; but we cannot be so false as to concur with them in attributing their distresses to an unreal . source—we cannot be so perfidious as to join them in crying out for measures, by which we know they would be•cruelly deceiVed, if in their ope ration they were to anticipate a remedy. It has been more than once recalled to the recollec tion of our fellow-citizens of Spitalfields, that frequently, before any repeal of the prohibitory system as to foreign silks were dreamed at least by the public,—the Spitalfields weavers were reduced to the last extremities of want and wretchedness. In the memorable year, for instance, of 1816, their suffbrings, in point both of duration and intensity, exceeded be yond comparison all which they have since ex perienced ; yet at that period certainly there was no " free trade." We have been conscientious in declaring the sorrow with which we see and feel the poverty-stricken faces of these indus trious and worthy creatures : we can no othei wise prove our earnestness in pleading for them, where alone, we fear, their afflictions can be softened,—that is to say, at the bar of public charity, (since the hands both of justice and policy are tied up)—than by imploring the af fluent of all classes and parties to come forward with bountiful subscriptions for their relief, until better times return, and markets, or the manage ment of their particular branch of industry, shall mend.— Times. Whether the Duke of 'Wellington would have been able to obtain a Parliamentary majority, had he persisted in staving off the settlement of the Catholic Question to a future year, is a point to which diff eren t opinions may be enter tained. But there can be no difference of opinion as to the impossibility of resisting with any hope of success his determination to place the Catholics of the United Kingdom on the footing of the other Dissenters. It cannot have escaped the observation of a soldier, so prac tised in estimating the strength of forces as his Grace is, that by resolving on one course he is opposed to an enemy who may prove too power ful for him, and who, even if foiled for a time, will return incessantly to the combat ; whereas, by resolving on the other, he can only be en countered by a shadow. We put altogether out of consideration the supposed private iuclinae Lions of the Sovereign, because the Constitution ' of this country knows nothing of the opinions' and inclinations of the Sovereign except as they are conveyed through Ministers, Now this much is obvious, that if the Duke of Welling ton have the firmness to persist in making the settlement of the Catholic Question a Cabinet measure (his present intention) he has the ball at his foot, for were his Majesty to dispense with his services on that ground, a Miiiry formed on a principle of opposition to the Catholic Claims ew,ild not posssibly receive the support of Parliament. His Grace would, no doubt, have preferred the delaying the settlement of the claims to a future year; but, as his advice to bury the question in obli vion for a time was not 'taken, he had only a choice between a greater difficulty and a lesser. When circumstances demand action, to, remain passive is folly. The Puke ktippose, too good n t4ptiPiaP to between a course at tended with ver y lit t l e r i s k, an d one w hi c h i s pregnant with danger. The attempts to organize COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE. A new comedy, entitled The Widows Bewitehedf from the pen, as we were given to understand,o Mr. LUNN, was produced last night at this theatre The -plot is complicated and inconsistent, turriiiig for the most part on the expedients resorted to:by a Captain Fairwin (Mr. C. KliunLE) and Captain Frankley (Mr. GREEN), to enable them to marry two widows, one Mrs. Franlley (Miss CIIESTEI9, and the other Mrs. Delamere (Mrs. CIATTERLE)9. The chief merit of the piece consists in the exd,el• lence of Mr. C. KEMIILE'S acting; \Vho, the better; to fern-aid his plans, :apes the appearance of a cloWn, for whom Airs. Frankhy had expressed an affectiim; inasmuch as she believes that such a man would be likely to let her have her own way uncontrolled. :MiSs CHESTER played-the widow just as she always plays her parts—that is to say, with spirit and djs cernment;.:and Mr. GREEN was lively as the suitor of Mrs. CRATTERLEY. The piece,. as it at inkivnt stands, is sadly too long, and requires considerable curtailment;- it was, however, received with ap plause. - -TO CORRESPONDENTS. [By an error in making up the Correspondence on the Catholic Question in our front page, the follow ing was omitted :—it reads after 29th line in the lust column, ending . . " with the Constitution of 1688, and with priti'ciOleS . which called the House of BrUpswiels to,. the throne, however supesfluouS it, maybe as a se curity, it cannot be considered as evasive i . ruitsre-• strictivecharacter The Constitinion, us established . in'l6BB,may or-may not h ave been im the abstract a' wise 'arrangernent ; but it is that under wbich.We . live, and which cannot be changed without the Ord: ces.s of another revolution. But above all, this pro hibition of legislation for the Protestant church pre sents, as it appears to me, the means of not only sa tisfying, but obliterating, any lingering scruples which might exist in the breasts of the Princes of the House of Brunswick, founded upon their con struction of the conditions upon which their family were called to the throne of England. • Their ob jections have always rested upon this :particular point of Catholic legislatidn for Protestant interests. I have been reproached by some suppo r ters Of the Catholic question in the House of Commons, for having endeavoured to facilitate the settlement of that question by the suggestion of any security. I trust that I shall be able to show, whenever a suitable opportunity occurs, that I am not justly ob noxious to such a reproach. Considering the opi nions of .the constituent body generally upon this subject, —considering the expressed opinions of those present members of the House of Commons, amid of the House of Lo r d s , Wh o ' ar e oppose d to' the gee's tion,—considering the expressed opinions of the pre sent Lord Chancellor,- - --of the Bishops, the only 'Parliamentary representatives of the Protestant church,—and 'of the clergy generally, not to tidvert to opinions presumed to exist- in other and higher quurters,—l have not been able to bring myself to concur with these enemies to all securities, who re proach me for having dealt in them, and who main tain that a final and conciliatory adjustment of this question can be effected at an early period, without any security whatever. ; Consequently, I have felt myself justified in suggesting a security, as have stated in my letter to Dr. Baines, " not trenching upon the faith of a Roman Catholic, nor in any 'in convenient degree upon the full sum of his civil . rights : while at the same.. time it was calculated specifically to obviate the main apprehension enter tained by Protestants, as the .possible • result of the removal of Roman Catholic disabilities.". But .this suggestion has not been made for my own satisfac tion; because I consider that the .Constitution fur nishes many other conclusive safeguards for the sta bility of the Protestant establishment ; and, above all, that the true and best security is to be found in the discontinuance of religious disabilities, and the consequent cessation of religious differences. If, then, no security be required, or if security must be had, should any other be pointed out, more simple and more satisfactory, let this security sug gested by me be at once:and for ever set aside ; but let it not be discarded, as has been attempted, with a sneer, and withotit consideration, because it does not proceed from authority, but merely from an indivi dual, who, relying on the protection of public opinion, has dared to think and act for himself upon the Ro man Catholic question. I trust that, through the medium of temperate dis mission in Parliament, this subject will be better understood by the English public. That under- . standing. is all that is wanting to bring this question to a settlement, the delay of which has been elo quently described by Dr. Baines, as constituting " the wonder of all Europe, and the reproach of England." If the letter of the Duke of Wellington to De. Curtis is merely intended to imply that an abandonment of extreme opinions on both sides is necessary to a settlement of the question, I can only express my entire concurrence in such a sentiment, as I have always maintained opinions strictly similar. I have thought, in common with others of no mean authority, that nothing was wanting to produce union, even among men of extreme opinions, but judicious interference from some quarter or other, — that it was a case for mediation,—that the pride, prejudices, and passions, which had been awakened in both parties, had left no neutral ground where negociation could satisfactorily be carried on between them. I have thought, and still think, that if thoSe elements of repulsion and separation, which so un fortunately operate on these parties, could for a short time be held in abeyance, all sensible men on either side, who were not too much committed, would unite for the purpose of effecting a satisfactory settlement; and the King's Government (no matter of whom consisting) would be compelled by the force of pub lic opinion, either to assist in re n d er i ng t hi s tar d y sacrifice to justice and expediency ; or to retire, and leave to others the execution of this indispensable acts of public duty. CORRESPONDENCE, &c. I.—DIR. WILSIOT , MORTON'S FIRST LETTER. Rome, Dec. 10, 1828. My dear Sir,—l am persuaded that you will con cur with me in opinion, that considering the agitated and irritable 'state of the public mind in Great Britain and Ireland, upon the subject of what is called " the Catholic Question," it would be de sirable that the exact truth should be stated upon any important point affecting that subject, whether such truth be conciliatory or otherwise ; d fortiori, should the truth be conciliatory; and any misrepre sentation, however accidental and unintentional, be exasperating, it is still more desirable that all am biguity should be cleared away. I offer these observations as preliminary to question which I shall take the liberty of putting to you at the close of this letter. In Galignani's Messenger of Tuesday, the 25th of November, and in The San newspaper of the 21st of November (extracted from the Dublin Norifing Register), I find the following passage identically the same in both newspapers, 'in the speech of Mr. O'Connell at a meeting •of the Catholic Associa tion :—" I have now to mention a fact (says Mr. O'Connell) of great importance to the people of this country. Up to the 26th of October, the sib Brunswick Clubs through Out the country, have sufficiently revealed - to the least observing the weakness in substantial power and moral strength of those who are opposed to the settlement of the Catholic Claims. The people who have been put in motion are a mere brute mass, with out leaders of character and talent in whom con fidence can be placed. The thing has been, therefore, a signal failure. Whatever opposition the Duke of kVellington may have encountered in the Cabinet, so long as deliberation was the older of the day, there could be none when 'he had once determined to make the affairs of Ire land the subject of a communication to Parlia ment. Then the dissentients had only the choice between acquiescence and resignation ; and, like . Wise men, aware that resignation, under present circumstances, held out little prospect of a return to power, they have renounced the idea. Mr. Peel and Mr. Goulburn have, we learn, become converts to the doctrine that the queStion Must now be settled. We are happy to have it in our power to congratulate our readers, that the Catholic Question has at length been made a Cabinet measure, and that a recommendation to Parliament to enter on the consideration of this subject, is to form part of the Royal Speech-- Dr. Philpotts receives credit for having been One of the first of the Ecclesiastical Authorities to discover the impossibility of departing, in the case of the Catholics, from the system adopted with regard to other Dissenters, without 'landau gcring the Church, by the recognition of the Catholics as a body ; while any security to the establishment,. whi c h cou ld b e d er i ve d from in terference with them, would be aho - geflier illu sory. It is not intended to demand any farther security from Catholics than floo., Dissenters,— namely, a declaration from those who are in places of trust, that they will not avail thein selves of their situation to injure the Church.— It has always been supposed that the repeal of the penal laws affecting the. Catholics would be accompanied by certain other measures. The revisal of the.laws relating to elective franchise n Ireland, will also be alluded to in the Speectli.-- This is a question connected, no doubt, with the tranquillizatiOil of Ireland ; but .it is a question as to which much difference of opinion is ex pected. - Many of those, both favourable to concession and opposed 1.6 ii, will be -opposed to any interference with the franchise. The circumstances which - have placed the fre'R holders in collision with the landloids, - are connected with that state of things to which the repeal of the last of the penal laws put, ne cessarily,'an end. The extent to which the ma nufacture of freeholders has been .carried in Ire land is objectionable in an economical point of view; but., the best corrective of abuse in that respect, would be found in 'approximating the law of Ireland to that of England, regarding the relief of the poor. Brit, another point is to be recommended—the putting an end to the Ca tholic .Association, - and the collection of Catholic Rent. In 1793, the Bill admitting Catholics to the elective franchise was passed in Arra, and the Catholic Association dissolved of itself in June. There is no reason for supposing that the Catholic Association will not dissolve itself the moment Parliament levels the barriers be tween the Catholics and their fellow-citizens, for its functions are necessarily at an end. But it can hardly be expected that the Catholics should not -meet and deliberate till all uncertainty on the subject of their flute is removed. The heads - of the Church have wisely acquiesced in the deterfni , . , nation of the Cabinet. The Clergy will naturally follow their example. The Church of this-coun try, whatever indirect power it may have iu in fluencing time Government, canno t be conceived even to be in direct opposition to the Govern ment. The temporalities give the Church its power, and the Government has the disposal of the temporalities. " The consent of the great body of the Bishops," says a contemporary (the Globe), " has already, it is said, been obtained. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London were, from the earliest period of the late discussions on the subject, favourable to con cession. The Bishop of Durham for a time headed a section opposed to this policy ; but the Consent of this Prelate has also been obtained." :We repeat, that there is no doubt as to the de termination to make the settlement of the Ca tholic Claims a Cabinet measure. Who is there who wishes to See this country happy and prosperous, and its Government respected abroad, that will not rejoice at this wise determination ? The blindest zealot must allow that the system hitherto pursued with regard to Ireland, was one ruinous to our resources, and pregnant with im minent danger to the safety of the Empire.' Thank God, a better prospect is at length opened to us.—Horning Chronicle. - The Liberal rumours respecting the settle ment of the Roman Catholic Question continue to multiply in a surprisingly quick manner, as the clay for the meeting of Parliament ap proaches. Of course, each one as it makes its appearance possesses a greater claim to attention than that which preceded it ! By some it is stated that the question of Emancipation is to be recommended in the King's Speech, with the consent of all the Ministers—by others, that the point is not be mooted until Mr. Peel has re- 5111 i their vilcpur they will en . „s ees eees e taking fro m expedient, (piaso; laioi that, i n , a t e ca ;11?h their o t Q f ppt ph effecting pp tbs them that which. is Weed a tower of strength," a spotless reputation. We do not e therefore, won der that the oppositionistsclis'seminate these calum nies against their adversaries; it is their pro vince to do 50... Every man to his business, says the adage ; and why should the faction do aught but slander the great and good amongst us ? At the same time, however,. we inust con fess that wo arc both surprised and vexed to per ceive that some, who have. hitherto been account ed the firm adherents of Protestantism, have been deluded by the wily machinations of the enemy, and have been induced to attack our, illustrious Premier as an unprincipled apostate. We do not impute any unworthy motives to our fellow labourers in the igoodcause, but we think that their enthusiasm has led them to condemn one whom their cooler judgment would lead them to applaud. Did we suppose for a moment ; that the Duke of Wellington had become the friend of the brawling Irish Demagogues, we should be amongst the most , eager to give warn ing of, danger; but . we continue: to place our most hearty reliance upon his Grace's integrity, because we know that the re ports now in circulation originate with his bit terest and most determined foes. What proof is there of the Noble Duke's apostacy ? We most confidently answer—none at all. Nay, so far from their king any proof on this point, we have every reason to suppose that the Duke of Wellington is still a firm and unflinching Oppo nent of "Catholic Emancipation. "I n hi s o ffi c i a l capacity, his Grace has proved himself the warm supporter •of .Protestantism—he has re sisted with firmness the brawling impudence of the Demagegues--ehe has removed from Ireland a Governor who nurtured the accursed system of agitation—and he has appointed in his place an upright and consistent friend of the Constitu tion ! Such have been the exertions of the Litike of Wellington in behalf of his. Protestant fellow countrymen ; and, we ask, is it just, is it honourable, is it generous •to revile so noble a friend, merely because a rumour of his apostacy has been promulgated by a base and- degraded faction - ? •Let every honest man answer this question according to th e di c t ates o f hi s con science. One word more to our Protestant friends before we conclude. We entreat them to disregard. the reports circulated by the Libe rals ;• or if they cannot entirely do so, at least to suspend their judgment for a little time, and they will perceive that we. have neither been wrong in our assertions nor mistaken in our . ar guments. For ourselve s , we h ave t h e most im plicit confidence in the good faith of the Duke of Wellington—a confidenee which we have long cherished, and one which will not be shaken, until we possesses bowl fide proof of the Noble Duke's apostaCy.-•--Morning Post. Among the reports which are extremely pre valent, is one that Ministers mean to avail them selves of the large increase in the last year's re venue to bring about the long-expected reduc tion in the assessed taxes, at least of those on houses and windows. For ourselves,' we confess that we are not among those who would counsel, or lead the country to expect that any material reduction of its burdens can take place while such a millstone of debt • continues suspended round its neck; and we would rather see a Mi nistry Making Some powerful effort to reduce the permanent charge, than attempt to throw out a mere tuh to the whale in the shape of a little temporary relief. At the same time, we are free to admit that there is no part of our taxation, which pressed more heavily and unequally than the house and window taxes ; and as they form, we believe, one of the main inducements with so many persons of moderate income to spend their incomes in countries where no such im posts exist, their repeal or modification might be bringing back many, who are nose foreign consumers, to be tax-payers . at hoMe ; it does not, therefore, follow that the revenue would, in the end, fall off at all ; or, at any rate, not to the extent of the taxes thus proposed to be with drawn. The most just system of taxation sigma nifestly•that whiCh reaches - every one, according to his means. This is certainly not the case with the house and window tax. It is obviously a mistake, for instance, to assume that because a Man lives in a large house, lie must; therefore, be richer and better able to pay than his neigh bour who lives in a lodging—ethe fact generally being, that a man's house i s necessarily chosen more from the size of his faMily than his actual means ; and that, consequently, the as sessed taxes press with ten times more severity upon such a man, than the same amount would do upon his wealthier neighbour, who peys none. There is one striking inequality, too, belonging to the window tax, that it attaches with much more severity upon old and inton venient houses than upon new ones, whisks hav e been so constructed as to avoid, to a sineilar de gree, its pressure. Such being the tithe, if the country can be relieved from some part of these taxes, without diminishing the permanent re venue, we have no doubt but such a measure would be hailed with very general satisfaction. It is a great satisfactiou to consider that it is nu der the head of the indirect, and what may, in some meastuo, therefore, be called the voluntary taxes, that the main increase in the revenue be te taken place ; and there can he little do,.•:nt but that the more the country is relieve'' from direct taxes the more the i o di se wiIINICS pro s per. We cannot hilt add, th : : , the present surplus, agreeably d 'would have been lar ger st ill , rA" the " s 'quence unfelt by the communit had the .0 y, of Wellington, inst ea d o f hi s gra aiiitea Co rn Bill, 1 imposed a plain, invariable tax upon all imported corn.—Morning Herald. Our Morning, and some, also, of our Even ing contempories, have been announcing, for the last few days, as a matter beyond all possibi• lity of doubt, that a Bill will be introduced in the course of the present Session, under the auspices of the Government, for granting to his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects the same rights and privileges as arc now enjoyed by Pro testants. We informed our readers of this fact many months ago ; and also that, as a prelimi nary measure, not only would the Catholic As sociation be put down, but the forte-shilling freeholders be disfranchised ; and that in conse quence of the resolution to which the Govern ment had come on this subject,,, it was equally opposed to meetings either of Catholics or of Protestants, having in view the proinotion even free n. thos e ii an d i t i s new kk 19 only a without contra diction the delay of this gre a t eifeablii&'' As th e period has approached, .howeyer s: wh en t h e c b ti j o ic r; 1 . question would come to.i4t'fitlay discussed ; - a stronger light appears 1,..,.LaTe-,iiurst .upch the , short time ago pledd themselves to'the - contrary, that all these measures will be recommended in the King's Speech, and carried by 'consider - ale/6 ma jorities beenbo th wonIoi" Houses, partly i'h b i3 y isP a w desire s'it to tired to make way for Mr. Huskisson—and by another party, that immediately after the opening of Parliament, a motion is to be made by the Premier himself, for leaVe to bring iu a Bill to relieve the Roman Catholics from certain dis abilities upon certain conditions, and that the motion is to be seconded by no less a personage than the Lord Bishop of London ! Such are the various rumours which were yesterday ban died about in the political circles of the Moro, polis. Upon the character of thew tmours, which are mere servile imitati,ws, .?" that, ro ma g ated in a Liberal ilapor on .1?- e ; d . ay, we have already delivered • our on;;: ion. We have stated that they are `,l;":worth l y of the slightest consideration; we have met th em , as a ll such calumnies ought to be met, with a prompt and unequivocal denial. We can assure our readers that that denial was not founded upon slight grounds, and we therefore claim their perfect reliance upon its authenticity. If; however, there be any Protestants, who, in de fiance of the repeated contradictions which have appeared, still give Qvectit to the reports circu lated by tb;; faction,—wh o st ill con scientioaly adhere to the supposition that tli the Duke o f W e lli ngton will betray his i f i e l l g lo t s i v i - e c c o o u i i i i t t e r r y ri rn plaudits for the sake of the Papists i n i, we repeat, there he any such amongst the Pro testants ef this country, we shall not attempt to argue them out of their belief—all we shall ask of them is, to suspend their judgment until after the meeting of Parliatizent. To say that we are surp r i se d - at the circulation of these un founded rumonrs, would be to express ourselves Inaccurately. Knowing, as we do know, that the Papists and their Protestant tools arc desirons of destroying the best bulwarks of our Constitution, we naturally expect that they will resort to any