The Sun. — London, England, 1829-01-03 00:00:00

danger attached to one branch of crime more than another will materially affect the results. If robbery combined with murder, for instance, be followed with death, and simple robbery only by transportation, murder will seldom take place. The same spirit of calculation which disposes a criminal to avoid unnecessary cruelty, when it exposes him to danger, will lead him to commit murder when it frees him from danger. It is because murdering poor and wretcheestrangers, about whom no one cared, was less dangerous than violating churchyards, that it has been re sorted to. Mr. Cox, who had the merit of dis covering the horrid practices of Macdaniel and his gang, in 1756, observes in his valuable pamphlet, " that the convicting poor friendless lads who never were thieves at all, was introdu ced (that is, as far as I could trace it) about 20 years ago ; since which, it has been carried on in some degree gfproportion to the increase of the rewards designed for the suppression of robberies." In 1756, seventy innocent persons were slaughtered by one gang, who received from the Treasury for blood-money 1,7201. ! ! —The number of innocent men altogether slaug:aered judicially, for money, must have been enormous. We repeat it—that there can be no security against murder, except from re moving the pecuniary temptation to commit it, especially when it can be committed with ease. —The conspiracies against life in this Me tropolis were difficult, compared with the Edinburgh scheme. "In tracing these trans actions (says Mr. Cox), I find that various have been the projectsby them made use ofto accomplish' their designs ; and sometimes they have been hardy enough to swear a robbery against one or more lads who never were near the place they swore them to be at ; as was the case of Alex ander and Pritchard, and of Baily and Swannick, the one being almost twenty years ago, the other eighteen ; but as Berry and his companions were then detected, it made them more wary, and they found it necessary always to get the victims to the place under some pretext or other, and then they could swear the robbery, whei kr any was done or not. In order thereto, they used to employ a person of some art, and confederate of theirs, to introduce himself into the company of those unfortunate and thoughtless poor crea tures (desperate and artful villains they seldom meddle with), and who had been tried for small offences at the Old Bailey, and acquitted. At this place it was that the thief-takers con stantly attended, that they might have an oppor tunity of fixing their eyes upon, and becoming perfectly acquainted with, their mark, the wretch whom they had pointed out for destruction ; hence well might it become a saying, when one of these poor creatures was discharged from the Old Bailey, that they should be sure of him again in a Ses sions or two, for it was impossible to escape the snares laid for them : the mark fixed, this agent or confederate of the thief-takers, or thief-makers, which you please to call them, being well in structed, gets himself into the unhappy creatures' company, treats them with victuals and drink, and afterwards they take an airing together in the evening, and himself commits a robbery on any person that shall happen to -come in his way, sometimes with and sometimes without the knowledge of him or them who are to be sworn against ; the robbery being done, the confederate dra,,vs his companion to a certain place, or to some lodging, as before agreed on, where the rest of the thief-takers, at a proper time, come and apprehend them together, their own confederate and all, to whom they appear to be entire strangers, arid they are all carried before a Justice, where they have art cnouglrto get their own com panion admitted an evidence," &c. Such are the attempts against life to which money will lead.—Morning Chronicle. Our city article of yesterday mentioned that great complaints are made of the scarcity of money, and it is said that the Bank has been very close in its discounts." Money is likely enough to be scarce when gold is leaving the country in order to pay for grain imported, or if it be sent for Russian, French, and Turkish war purposes. As to the Bank being shy of dis counting, we do not wonder at it. Our wonder, some time since, was that it should discount at the rate of four per cent., when the common rate of interest for common-rate paper . was five per cent.; and, even at that rate, it was not easy to get common-rate paper discounted. But what a temptation the Bank has held out to bankers to discount common-rate paper ! The cus tomers of the bankers, for the most part, are shopkeepers or wholesale traders. It is pretty well known that both the latter classes are in continual want of discounts. The greater part of them would give more than five per cent. for the discounting of the bills they take in the course of their trade. Here was the tempta tion to the bankers. Their customers apply to them to discount bills at five per cent. The bankers know that, by putting their name to such bills, and sending them to the Bank of England, they could get them discounted at four per cent. Here was the temptation of one per cent. profit, and for merely putting their name to the back of a bit of paper. Also, the bill-brokers would, a short time since, discount bills, with bankers' names to them, at 21- per cent. Here was another temptation to a banker to discount his customers' bills at five per cent., when a bill-broker would discount them at 2. We should think, from these two causes, that paper must have been greatly multiplied. But the time comes when payment must ensue on the part of the shopkeepers and wholesale traders. If they or tlis=r customers tail in honouring such bills of course the banker must fail, provided be has carried on such traffic beyond his means. We do not think it good policy, on the part of the Bank of England, to discount bills under what may be called the fair market price of inte rest for the common run of bills, because it holds out an encouragement to the extra creation of paper, and such paper is sure to come to a blow-ups--Morning Herald. The friends of Catholic EmancipAtion, as if the subject were " spell-bound," aiways contrive themselves to mar any prospect of success which befals it. Whatever good effects the Duke of Wellington's letter, for instance, mu likely to have, is more than . counterbalanced by the inju dicious reply of Dr. Curtis, which stamps itself as Jesuistical a production as the most crafty of that craft could indite. The attempt to justify the making public a private communication is of the shallowest kind. A letter franked by the Duke of Wellington, forsooth, must of neces sity become known to every body, lest the world should " fabricate in its stead some foolish or' mischievous nonsense of their own !" Whether his Grace's letter has not produced ,a manufac turing of some such commodity as this, we leave the dispassionate readers of the reply to it to de termine. The public has yet to learn whether the letter was a mere volunteer of his Grace, or whether it was called for by any previous com munication from the Catholic Primate. If the former, which we do not believe, then we think his Grace had much better have abstained from writing at all; if the latter, then the public! is treated disingenuously by Dr. Curtis, in not learning from him the true origin of the affair. But, taking the matter as it stood on the Duke's letter, how does Dr. Curtis receive the olive I branch which is thus held out by the first hand in the empire, if not in the world ? Why, by rejecting it as wholly inadmissible, and vituperat ing " the Orange and Brunswick " Press (as the organs of Protestantism in Ireland are styled) as the authors of language which this mild Prelate ' stigmatises as " sanguinary and atrocious." What a second Daniel is here come to judgment ! what a profound, impartial, and statesmanlike view of the question that mind must take which can thus see so plainly the mote in its neighbour's eye, while the beam remains immovably fixed in its own ! We do not deny but that there may have been intemperate language, and on the part of the Protestants ; and, if so, we deplore it, because we are convinced that violence and intemperance never benefited any cause. But we are con vinced that it has been only as a feather in the scale compared to the inflammatory appeals to, the worst passions of the multitude, which have so long been, and continue to this hour to be used by,the Catholic Leaders, the demagogues of the Association especially. And how would a Christian Minister---above all, one who calls himself a Christian Prelate, and Primate to boot ---be best employed on such an occasion but in anathematizing those over whom lie never can nor ought to have a controul---but in condemning the wanerings of his own flock, and calmning those bad passions which he appears to see only in other:, ? The Duke of Wellington prescribes peace and good will: •the Doctor professes the same thing, but promotes it only by applying harsh epithets to the warmth of the Protestants, while to the excesses of the Catholics he appears both deaf and blind. We repeat, then, that Dr. Curtis, by his injudicious reply to the Duke of Wellington's letter, has marred whatever of good to the Catholic cause that letter was calculated to effect. At any rate, it will cure his Grace, we should think, of seeking for Catholic corre respondents ; and show him that, if the question can be settled at all, it must be through other means than of those whose vision is so distorted as to see every thing which concerns them with an obliquity which scarcely leaves a single fea ture discernible.—lbid. At the last meeting of the Irish Catholic As sociation Mr. Agitator O'Connell made some speeches and motions of the usual description. He gave notice of votes of thanks to several persons connected with the Association, one of which was in compliment to Mr. Otway Cave, who has thus become degraded by the approving voice of so disreputable an Association. Mr. O'Connell also announced that the negociations between the British Government and the Pope had been resumed through the supposed medium of the Duke of Buckingham ; but we haTe good reason to believe that this statement is utterly void of foundation in truth. With respect . to the Duke of Wellington's Letter to Dr. Curtis, it appears that the publishers of it made an altera tion of a word in the first paragraph of it, viz.:—" I have received your letter of the 4th inst., and I assure you that you do me justice in believing that I am sincerely anxious to witness 'A (not the) settlement of the Roman Catholic Question, which, by benefitting the State, would confer a benefit on every individual belonging to it." In this verbal alteration something insidious might undoubtedly have been meant ; but even giving to the crafty Agitator the advantage of the definite article the • over the indefinite a, still will we take our ground upon their own artful choosing. Every true friend to the Constitution in Church and State would be happy " to witness the settlement of the Question ;" but that settlement must be effectual pi otection of the Legislature against the pollution of Popery, and the annihilation of all the sources of conspiracy against our Pro testant Constitution. The illustrious Premier with his characteristic candour confesses that he sees no prospect of such a settlement—an ob servation which, to all intents and purposes, amounts to an announcement on the part of the Government that it cannot be carried, and of course that all the reports of late so artfully cir culated upon this subject are totally void of . foundation.—Morning Post. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GLTILDHALL. SO,IIE - rinse DELICATE.—One John Brown was charged with having stolen four pieces of ginger bread, the same being of the aggregate value of three-halfpence. John Brown, it appeared, was caught in the com mission of this very " petty larceny ;" but the owner of the gingerbread, supposing John Brown might have been instigated thereto by hunger, would have let him go; and he was about to do so, but per ceiving John Brown's pockets stick out very awk wardly, he had them searched, and found therein a bottle of brandy and the better half of a quartern loaf. " Why you unconscionable vagabond !" said the owner of the gingerbread to John Brown, " how could you think of stealing gingerbread, when you had all this bread and brandy in your pockets ?" To which John Brown replied--" Truly, I admit the bread and the brandy, but my stomach is weak, and wanted a bit of something delicate." Now the gingerbread-man, however he might feel flattered by the compliment thus paid to his ginger bread, had no notion of the goodness of John Brown's plea; and, conceiving that John Brown's honesty was more weak than his stomach, he gave John Brown in charge to the constable, who now brought him before the Magistrate. Before the Magistrate John Brown said nothing; and the Magistrate being of opinion that John Brown was more troubled with the cacoethes filchendi than with dyspepsia, committed him for further examination on Saturday, under an idea that he had not come honestly by. the bread and the brandy, and that a more lawful owner for those things might be found in the mean time. BOW-STREET. Yesterday Mr. Ferstandeg, who, it will be re membered, was committed .from this office about the middle of last November, by Sir R. BIRNIE and Mr. MINSIIULL, upon a charge of having feloniously de tained a certain manuscript, the property of Mr. Wilks, bookseller, Chancery-lane, of which charge he was afterwards acquitted by a Westminster Jury, came to this office to demand a public conference with Sir Richard Birnie upon the subject of his committal. Sir R.BIRSIE having ascertained Mr.Ferstandeg's object, sent to him to say that he would see him in the private•room. In a few minutes after the re porter for this journal was sent for, when the follow ing conversation occurred : Sir R. BIRNIE— Here is a gentleman who was present when the case Was before us. The Magis trate then asked the reporter if he recollected Mr. Ferstandeg having said that he would not give up the manuscript to Mr. Wilks. Reporter—l certainly do recollect that Mr. Fer standeg said so; but I suppose he meant that he would not restore the manuscript unless his demand were satisfied. Such was . my impression at the time. Mr. Ferstandeg—Of course that was my mean ing: all I wanted was to be paid for my trouble. Any man of common sense would have seen my object. Sir R. BIRNIE—I considered that it was your determination to detain the manuscript, which was clearly not your property, but the property of Mr. Wilks; and it was upon that ground that I joined in your committal. Mr. , Ferstandeg—That committal, Sir R. Birnie, was contrary to law and justice, and as a man in jured in my health and reputation, I have come to demand of yo❑ a public apology. Sir R. BIRNIE—WhiCh I shall most certainly not afford you. Mr. Ferstandeg—Then I have been most scanda lously treated, and you may depend upon it that I shall not rest tamely under the injury I have sus tained. The acquittal of the jury absolved me from the guilt of felony ; but what compensation am I to have for the stigma which a committal to gaol Upon such a charge must fix upon my character ? Sir R. BIRNIE—No man was better pleased than myself to hear of your acquittal. God knows, wish there were more acquittals than there are. Mr. Ferstandeg--I have no doubt of your charit able wishes, Sir Richard Birnie ; but I own I tun rather incredulous, when you say you were glad of my acquittal. Sir R. BIRNIE—Upon my word I was though. You mistake me, my good Sir. I was bound to act as I did ; and, what is more, I should have been liable to a mandamus from the Court of King's Bench if I had refused to entertain the charge. Why, did not Mr. Wilks and his man both swear that vou forcibly took possession of the manuscript ? And did I not myself hear . you say that you would not give it up ? Mr. Ferstandeg—No magistrate in England, ex cept yourself, would have acted as you have done. Sir R. BIRNIE—You are quite mistaken ; and I would wager my existence that if the depositions taken before Mr. Minshull and myself were placed before any five magistrates in England, three out of the five would have signed your committal without the slightest hesitation. Mr. Ferstandeg--Perhaps they would, Sir Ri chard. Magistrates in general, although dispensers of the law, are not overstocked with wisdom. Thank God, however, that an honest British jury can see their way without being influenced by passion or prejudice. Sir R. BIRNIE--You have no great opinion of magistrates, it appears. Mr. Ferstandeg—Why, no : I have but little right ; they are at best but a necessary evil. Sir R. BlRNlE—lndeed ! you are very compli mentary. Mr. Ferstandeg.-1 mean to say that magistrates are necessary only because of the existence of crime. They are appointed for the good of the community to detect and punish the guilty. Sir R. Bit:WE—Come, now that is something better. feted to place it in your own hands until two honour able men should have examined into my claim ? Sir R. BIRNIE—You had no right whatever to detain the manuscript, which, I understand, you have not as yet given up. Mr. Ferstandeg—No; nor will I until I am paid. Sir R.- BIRNIE-I,lpon my word you are acting illegally. If a cabinet-maker gives his journeyman a piece of mahogany to manufacture into a table, that journeyman is hound to return the work to his em ployer, who, if he refuses to pay for the work and labour done to it, is liable to a civil action for the amount. The workman is not to take the law into his ow•n hands, by retaining his employer's property, and demanding what he pleases. • Mr. Ferstandeg--I dare say that law is very good between master and journeyman; but in literary matters it is suite another thing. In short, Sir Richard Birnie, I have been wronged by you, and I wish to come to the point; will you apologise ? Sir R. BIItNIE--Most certainly not. I never injured you—at least not intentionally. Why should I ?—Mr. Ferstandeg—What 1 Was it no injury to consign me to a dungeon ? Was it no injury to brand me with the name of miscreant—a foreign miscreant Sir R. BIRNIE—I remember very well what I said. It was just as you declared your determina tion not to deliver up the manuscript that I turned to Mr. Mitishull, ail, said " I wonder that these miscreants should find encouragement in this country." Mr. Ferstandeg—l am no miscreant, Sir Richard, and I defy your whole country, and all your col leges to boot, to prove me one. My friends tell me that the term " miscreant" is even worse than your consigning me to prison. I have been directed by the committee of the King's College to demand a public apology from you, Sir Richard Birnie, for the injuries I have received at your hands ; and the Royal Society of Literature have also directed me to apply to you. Sir R. BIRIcIE—If any of the gentlemen belong ing to either of the institutions you have named would do me the favour of waiting on me uny morn ing, I am persuaded I should satisfy them that I not only acted as became my duty as a Magistrate, a distinct offence having been positively sworn to, but if I had acted otherwise 1 should be unworthy of the station which I fill. Mr. Ferstandeg—One of the committee of the King's College, who directed me to call upon you, is his Grace the Archbishop of York; another is the Bishop of Salisbury. Sir R. BirtmE—l certainly cannot expect that those distinguished individuals should call upon me to hear my explanation; but I am reudy to wait upon them at any time they may appoint. Mr. Ferstandeg—l am not unreasonable Sir Richard Birnie : all I want is a line from you in the newspapers, stating that you believe me to be an in jured man. I will draw up such a paragraph as no reasonable man could object to. Sir R. BIR:qIE-I shall certainly say thus much, that had I known as much of Mr. Wilks at the time you were under examination as I have since learned, I would have hesitated before I committed any man .upon such testimony. But, good God, how are magistrates to know the character of complainants ? Are they to find it out by intuition ? Mr. Ferstandeg (clapping his hands in seeming exultation)—That is all I want you to say, Sir Richard Birnie : set my character fair before the public by contrasting it with that of my prosecutor Wilks, and I require no more. , God forbid! I have some. compassion in my nature—l do not look for more. Sir B. BIRNIE—I have no objection to do any thing in reason consistent with my character; but I shall not send any thing to the newspapers. I never wrote an article in a newspaper in my life, but an explanatory letter to Alderman Wood, when he was sheriff. Mr. Ferstandeg (going)- 7 -Then you refuse to afford me the only reparation in your power? Sir R. BIRNIE (to the Reporter)-1 am obliged to you, Sir, for your company. Mr. Ferstandeg, he so good as to remain ; I wish to speak with you privately. Our reporter immediately withdrew, leaving Sir Richard Birnie and Mr. Ferstandeg closeted toge ther. The result of the interview did not transpire. PETTY SESSIONS. UNITED PARISHES OF ST. ANDREW, HOLBORN, AND ST. GEORGE THE MARTYR, MIDDLESEX, V. THE OCCUPIERS OF CHAMBERS IN LINCOLN'S INN. A petty sessions was held yesterday morning at the workhouse, Little Gray's Inn-lane, for the pur pose of the magistrates giving their decision respect ing issuing distress warrants against several profes sional gentlemen, occupiers of chambers in Lincoln's Inn, for seven years' arrears of poor rates. Shortly after eleven o'clock, Mr. Purvis, Captain Tomlinson, and Mr. Beckett, entered the commit tee-room, when Mr. Purvis stated, that himself and brother magistrates had given the cases the most attentive consideration, and they were unani mously of opinion that the parish was entitled 'to the full amount of rates demanded, and if not imme diately paid they should feel it their duty to issue a warrant of distress. Mr. BRODERICK end Mr. SMITH attended as Counsel for the occupiers of chambers, who it is ex pected will appeal to the Quarter Sessions against this decision of the Magistrates. The Overseers then applied for summonses against fourteen other gentlemen, occupiers of Chambers in Lincoln's-Inn, amongst whom were the Attor ney-General; Mr. Maule, Solicitor to the Trea sury ; Mr. Sugden, Mr. Horne, &c., which were granted, and the cases ordered to be heard and de termined next week. The parish demand seven years' arrears of poor rates, amounting to nearly 12,0001., which the other side are determined not to pay but upon corn pulsion. It will be recollected the question has been three times tried in the Court of King's Bench, and on each occasion a verdict has been obtained in favour of the parish. The case is one of im mense importance to the parishioners, and excites very great interest. The Egyptians sometimes placed a skeleton within sight of their guests at a feast, that, in the midst of feasting and inerriment, the frail tenure of life and its en.. joyments should not be forgotten. A German chymist has discovered, that by mixing two parts of nitrate of potash, two parts of neutral carbonate of potash, one part of sulphur, and six of sea salt, all finely pulverised, a fulminating powder of the greatest strength is obtained ; and what is very remarkable, the force of the explosion is constantly directed below. COAL.—Within these few weeks the Monk land coal has been brought in considerable quantities to Edinburgh. It is an interesting fact, illustrative of the advantage derived from improved modes of conveyances that this coal, after coming 10 mike by the Kirkintilloch Railway, and 44 miles by the Forth and Clyde and the Union Canals, is delivered in Edinburgh at I le. or 12s. per ton, while the coal carted five or six piles only, from the Mid.Lothian pits, cost, a few years ago, one-half more, or"from 17s. to 18s. per ton.—Scotsman. The population of Bavaria consists of about 3,960,000 individuals, spread over 229 towns, 399 burghs, 2,920 villages, and 28,450 hamlets. Divided according to their religious faith, this population comprehends 2,720,000 Catholics, 1,103,000 Christians of the Augs - burgh confession, 80,000 reformed Christians, 56,000 Israelites, and 1,000 persons of various other sects. Public instruction, costs the Government annually 735,000 florins, which is about a sixth of the whole expence of the administration of the interior. The number of establish ments devoted to education is about 5,536—vix. three universities, two schools of law, seven normal schools, one hundred and eighteen lyceum!, gymnasiums, colleges, particular schools, &c. ; and five thousand four hundred primary schools. The number of professors is 7,114, without reckoning nearly 300 inspectors, whose duty is to superintend and improve the various institutions. The Jews have an especial school for their children, and a learned academy at Furth. The total number of persons thus receiving education in the kingdom is 500,000 ; that is to say, about an eighth of the population. There are also many.sunday schools. GERMAN PAPERS. NUREMBERG, DEC. 24.—The municipality of Son neberg brought an action for a libel against the proprie tors of the Doi Zeitung of Hildburghausen, on ac count of some remarks on the proceedings of the Municipality on their management of the public busi ness. The Municipality having lost their cause before the tribunal of Hildburghausen, appealed to the superior Court at Wurtzburg, which has rejected the appeal by a decision, the terms of which - are ex tremely remarkable : " The Editor of the Dot/ Zeitung," says the Court, " like the Editors of the Public Journals, has taken upon himself, and not without the appro bation of the readers; both at home and abroad, to point. out defects and desiderata an public matters, Mr. Ferstandeg—But, Sir Richard, if they act and thus to contribute to effect an improvement, and wrongfully they are amenable to public opinion. I though this use of the liberty of the press has not know you affect to despise it; you never like to taken such deep root in Germany as in other coon- court public opinion. tries of Europe, yet the principle of the press is in Sir R. BIRNIE—I have no dislike to the opinion general adopted in the modern public law; if the of the public; but to tell you the truth, I have lived several Governments have not yet determined on long enough to care -very little about it. the means of preventing the abuses that may occur Mr. Ferstandeg—Ah ! you are a rich man, Sir in the exercise of its rights. If, therefore, the press R. Birnie, and independent of the world. Unfortu is from time to time to give an account of public nately, lam differently situated. The public is matters; if the consequence of defective laws are to every thing to me, who am nothing but a poor be pointed out and information of the injurious pro- scholar, with nothing but my wits to support me. ceedings of organs of the Government to be corn- If, therefore, lam injured in my reputation, I must municated; if persons holding public characters such seek redress in the best way I can. as; the Municipality of Sonneberg are at lea3t sub- Sir R. BIRNIE—What would you have me do?? jected to a moral responsibility, it can by no Mr. Ferstandeg—To do that which no honourable means be taken for granted that the obser- mind would consider a degradation—confess you ration or blame is purposely designed to give have done me wrong, and make a pubic apology. offence ;on the contrary, this is to he con- Sir R. BIRNIE—I repeat, I will do no such thing. sidered as the exercise of a kind of public office, What ! stultify myself ? The thing is utterly im often indeed difficult aril ungrateful, but in the con- possible, and out of all reason. But why do you scientious exercise of which the Government and apply to me individually ? I was not the only ma the governed are interested, and which may be very gistrate who concurred in your committal. You advantageous to the welfare of the state and to en- forget that Mr. Minshull was present also. He lighten public opinion. Besides it is free to every was, in fact, the sitting Magistrate, and signed your body to use the same organ of the press to correct committal. erroneous statements and opinions. Now, if the • Mr. Ferstandeg—'Tis very true, but I could see Courts would listen to every complaint made out of enough Of Mr. Minshull to perceive that lie was un misunderstanding or excessive sensitiveness, to such der your directions all the while. He was your under remark, and criticisms, or, as seems to be intended strapper, your journeyman, and you did just as you , here to give room to what is called a process of ten- liked with him. dency, they would not only call in question the right Sir R. BIRNIE—Sir, Mr. Minshull is not a man of freely judging of public affairs, but deter the editors to be influenced by any person in doing that which of public journals from continuing their valuable ex- he conceives to be his duty. He acted upon that ertions; if th e y were to be threatened on every occa- occasion from his own conviction, and lam sure this lion, with tedious and vexatious actions for libel; gentleman will say so also. and by proceeding in such a manner we should The Reporter said, that from all he had ever seen . never see the us e o f the press, regulated indeed by of Mr. Minshull, his conduct, as a Magistrate ; was the laws,•acquire that consideration and influence in perfectly independent. public 'affairs which it ought to have for the general 1 Sir R. BIRNIE—I am convinced that not only good, and according to the experience of other states. Mr. Minshull and myself, but every person who The first tribunal was therefore perfectly right in was present in the office at the time, felt assured wholly 'rejecting the complaint, which was equally that your object was, by retaining the manuscript, unsupported by private and public law, and thus to make a property of Mr. Wilks; by demanding shelving in*particular due respect to the principle of just what you pleased from him. the legal freedom of the press." i Mr. Ferstandeg—How could that be, when I of- PLAGUE AT GIBRALTAR. GIBRALTAR,DEC. 20. About ten days ago the Fever Admission Report was reduced to one case, and I expected that, in a few days more I might be able to say, " at last the fatal malady, which has swept off so many of our country men, has ceased ;" but when our hopes were raised by a blast of westerly wind, and the fall of the thermometer, they were speedly blighted by the return of the wind from the east; and the following day the report of admissions but too truly verified our fears. The mercurial system seems in a great measure to have been " knocked on the head," and the milder practice of constant doses of oil is the one now in use. Chlorine, in its combination with ladium, is used among some of the medical men. The theory must be "to oxydize the system." As a purifier of morbid atmosphere, chlorine is invaluable ; but we have yet to learn what effect it -will produce in yellow fever. There have been several cases of apo plexy lately, that are also attributed to the state of the atmosphere, which must certainly cause a tendency of blood to the head ; indeed, I can certify that I have never been an hour in Gib raltar for some time past, without feeling an in expressible sensation of heaviness around me, and I always return from it with head-ache ; in this I am not singular, for I have heard many of the military men, who are obliged to go into town on duty, complain of the same feeling. Among the deaths two:are worthy of record. The cook of the 12th regiment had been complain ing for some days, but still continued doing his duty. The 12th Regiment are encamped on the neutral ground; but dinner, at that time, was prepared in town and sent out. Ono day the dinner-cart was at the door—search was made for the cook, who was found dead ; however, dinner was ready-Lit was placed in the cart . and driven off. The dead-cart passed a few minutes afterwards—the body of the cook was put into it—and, actually before the second course of the dinner which he had dressed was laid upon the table, his body was under the sod. A Jew known here as Old Joe, was placed in his coffin, supposed to be dead ; but Joe was not to be jewed out of his proper time: he said he was not dead, and proved it by living two days more. In a long description of the fever, which is copied from the John Bull into Galignani's Messenger, the writer makes a few mistakes in the Fever Re turns, and also has been misinformed about the Neutral Ground encampment. One of the Cases of fever mentioned in it is said of our Go vernor, Sir G. Don, who, unless a very slight attack of cold, never possessed better health than he has done for"the last three months, but his illness has been construed into fever. There arc some others mentioned in that article who really never knew what fever was. I have visited all the encampments, and say decidedly that the neu tral ground is most comfortable, and has been most healthy. The John Bull talks of shooting wild ducks on the marshy neutral ground, and of fogs and damps. Many people may have read of " a wild duck being caught in a London fog and, "upon a time," a wild duck may have been shot flying over this spot ; but why should that be twisted into a paragraph to mislead and make Our friends . ' at home uneasy ? Instead of the neutral ground being marshy and tnybealthy, it is hard shingle, and there is not one case of fever which has taken place upon it that cannot be traced to the person either having communicated with the town itself, or with something from town which could communicate the disease. There were heavy rains about the 10th of November, and the tents of some of the officers, who had chosen a nice low, snug, grassy spot, were flooded ; but these gentlemen profited by their experience, and removed to higher ground. The writer of the article in the John Bull has certainly made things appear not in the best light. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. LIVERPOOL Tit a 111131 Y, JA NUA RY W. N • lib water 39 minutes past seven.—Arrived the Cor sair, Goodwin, from Belfast ; William, from Seville ; Leah, Cole, from Paraiba; Hector, —, from St. John's ; Aurora, Key, for Poole. Sailed—The Gouverneur Van Inchoff, Peperboom, for Antwerp ; Perseverance, , for Mobile ; Florida, Tinkham, for New York; Higlifield, -•-.--, for Genoa; Ontario, Arnold, for Calcutta. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. LONDON MARKETS (From the Landon Ne►o Price Current of Friday.) SUGAR.—The Sugar Market opened on Tuesday, since which the average daily sales are 500 hhds. and trs : the prices are unvaried. The Market closed this afternoon with a more favourable appear ance. The low rates to which the Refined goods have fallen has rather improved the demand ; sales of low Lumps are reported under the quoted cur rency, but the parcels taken at the reduced price could not be given as the general currency of the Market; in fine goods there is little variation. Mo lasses steady. The Refined Market this afternoon was in the most depressed state. Molasses are brisk. FOREIGN SUGAR.—There has been about 400 chests of the newly arrived Brazil Sugar brought to sale, all damaged; they sold very low, and form no guide as to Market prices. EAST INDIA SUGAR.—There are renewed inqui ries after grocery Mauritius Sugars, and after Ben gals, but the sales are quite inconsiderable. WEST INDIA MOLASSES.—There are more inqui ries, and several buyers appear. COFFEE,—The only sales of Coffee early in the week were damaged parcels of Foreign, which form no criterion of the market. The public sale this forenoon consisted of 109 casks, 205 bags British Plantation Coffee, chiefly Demerara and Berhice de scriptions, mid. and good mid. 745. a 80s.; a large proportion was taken in ; ord. mid. Jamaica broken, a favourite mark sold as high as 675. 6d.; generally the Coffee market is still heavy. Rum, BRANDY, AND HOLLANDS.--There are no sales of Rum to any extent; the market is heavy. In Brandy or Geneva there is no alteration; the late sales are trivial. HEMP, FLAX, AND TALLOW.—The demand for Tallow has been steady and considerable ; there is little variation in the prices. In Flax and Hemp there are few transactions; the late prices are sup ported. IRISII PROVISIONS.—There is no alteration in the prices of Provisions in this market ; there are sales of India Pork free on board in Ireland, at 51. 12s. 6d. Butters are dull. Fum.—There is very little alteration to notice this week ; there are some inquiries for the different descriptions of common Fruit and Currants, but there has been scarcely time for the demand to come on since the holydays. TEA.—The Market continues with but few in quiries. The declaration. for March Sale will be given out next week. COtTON.—The Cotton Market continues languid; the sales for the week ending last night inclusive, consist' of 350 Surats at 3id. a 4id.; 20 Pernam buco 74d.; 100 Egyptian 'lid.; 10 Smyrna 6d. INDIGO.—The accounts from Calcutta are to the 16th August; they are conclusive as to a short Indigo crop; the estimates are 65,000 to 80,000 maunds, chiefly 75,000, and in no instance does the estimate exceed 85,000 maunds. In consequence the unfavourable report from Calcutta there are r newed inquiries after Indigo, and several conside able sales are report44l, chiefly aboat 4d. per lb. a ranee on the late India House sale. SAl.Tpurn.E.—The demand for Saltpetre has bei very considerable; the purchases are chiefly at 24 but it is difficult now to buy at that price. PIIICES OF lioPS.—Jae. 4. Kent Pockets .. 4t. Ql. IBa. to SUESC'X Ditto RI 194. 41. Os. 6/. Os. P/ 7/. 10s. 5/. Vb.' 5/. 54., E.:ssvx I)itto 31. 18J: 41. 46. to 41. 106. Si, ss. to Farnham Vitto, Fine O/. Os. 8/. Os. to Seconds 01. Os. fil. Os to 3/. 16s. 4/. HS. to 3/. 10s. 3/. 16s. to 41. 40. 41. 16s. to Kent Uags— Sussex Ditto Essex Ditto.. WHITECHAVEL If Al MARKET.—Jan. 1. Hay -- 35 , 4 Od. to 88i. Od. Clocer 70t. 0,1 to Neg. OP tki. to 34.. Od. I'ItICE OF OIL. nape Oil, brown .......—... 431. Ga....—. Refined 0 Linseed Oil —.. l9 0 Linseed Oil Cake at the Mill, per thousand 13 0 Rape Cake, per ton 3 10 PRICE OF POTATOES.—Jan. 2. Marsh Champions 3l. 151. to ht. (la. per toll. Oznohles and Shows 21. 10s. to 31. 10s. ditto. LEATH F.B. rer lb. d. to& Tanned Horse Hides.... 4 16 20 Spanish Ditto 22 0 I'er dozen. Calf Skins... 36 to 40lb. 19 If Ditto -50701 b. 24 30 Mite 70 to 801 b. 22 24' Small Beale; Greenland 22 29 IDES. Per Stone, 1, d. to 6.4 Ordinary 11 10 2 Market Calf-- 3 0 each PRICES OF Per lb. d. to d. Butts...--',O to 561 b...., 19 20 Ditto.--60 to alb—. 2l 23 Dressing Hides--.. 15 17 Fine Crack Midos —.. 18 201 Crop Hides, 35 to 4011). 15 171 Ditto 45 to 5(11). 18 20 Ditto RAW Per Stone. Le. to 0. d. Bog ileitars& Stoor4 10 3 2 Middlings 2 6 2 8 PRICE OF TALLOW, S , Towh Tallow 15s. Od. Yellow 45.5. Od. White.-- 423. Od. Soap 395. 6d. Melted Star 365. Od. Ditto Rough Od. 'AP &c. per 1121b..—Jan. 2. Yellow Soap 74 0 Mottlod 80s. 0 Wh 84s. 0 Graves 20s. 0 Good Ss. 0 PRICE OF RAW FAT, per stoneet 81b.-.Jan. 2, Price of Tallow (as stated by the Tallow Me1ter5),...........25.th1. PRICE OF The price of store Candles, in t Candles, per doz. 7s. Pd. to N. Pd. C A NDLES. the retail shops, is as follows :- I 'Moulds, perilusen .- .. Ss. t COAL M Alt Adair's Beaumont 't! ft Charlotte 32 3 Ilebburn Main 35. 0 Holywell -34 0 Ord's Redhugh 30 6 Percy 27 0 PontopWrithlsor .. 31 6 32 9 Wallslindßewicke&Co. 37 0 Ditto Bell Robson & Co. 36 0 Ditto Brown's 34 6 Ditto Clarke and C 0... 34 6 Ditto Crainlington—.—. 31 0 Ditto Hilda Ditto Northumberland 34 6 Ditto Peareth 33 6 Slit/. at trutrket, 101%-31ti K ET.—Jan. 2. Walls End Newmareh„ 365. Od Ditto Perkins and Co. 35 0 Ditto 35 9 Ditto Russell's Si 6 Dial Walker 36 6 Nesham Main 34 9 Russell's High 30 0 Walls End Hett0n„......... 33 0 Walls End Stewart's „ 38 0 Hartley 31 6 W. E. Henderson 27 0 silk6tone Field and Co. 31 0 W. E. Perkins Bean « 27 0 Walls End small 16 6 Durham W. E. small, 16 0 Lambton small 21 0 Tyne small 16 0 LO5 35—Unsold, 138}x. COUNTRY CORN mAnKtxs DURING THE We Et Wheat. Barley. Oats. Per Quarter. Ashburn- Basingstoke Bath 76 84 60 P'4 56 99 76 FS 6t 80 78 86 82 86 56 00 78 00 I 8 0 80 90 66 60 46 00 - 87 40 97 55 78 Bridgew•atcr 46 49 30 39 37 44 Chesterfield Derby Devizes ---.. T 1 40 :18 42 33 43 41 44 Doncaster Dorchester---. 2.5 42 3(1 43 Ilungertbrd 30 40 33 44 Ncwbury lipmsey . 3( ies 27 33 Shatleb'bury ---, Shepton Mallet .-.. Slierborne— Taunton —.—... Yeovil —.....-- Per Bushel. ShrewsUury 72 88 72 94 80 92 72 88 s. d. s. d. 12 0 12 7 Beans. 213 &I 41 28 39 43 :32 40 32 40 39 42 a. (1. R. d. 56 62 27 St 21 27 5'9 St 30 - 28 31 ,26 '34 35 Ti 33 I 9 • 32 50 54 35 44 40 50 • 38 43 40 48 50 /V 44 48 4? 49 44 M 48 51_ 405 M 39 4.9 -- 47 30 44 33 444 45 30 40 4 .S 9 40 4.5 42 Mt 6. ti. F d• 00 0 0 24 32 28 30 24 32 22 $0 19 23 32 25 23 38 26 36 16 St 30 36 s. d. s. d. 56 62 BIRMINGHAM MARKETS, Jaw. I. CORN. MARKET.---At to-day's market the supply of Wheat was rather small, with a free sale; of all other de scriptions of Grain the arrival MU good; there was a. brisk sale for good Barley, 'but other articles 'Were Wheat, 93. 4d. to 101. 4d. per'62lbs.4 Marley,• 37t. to 425. ; Malt, 56.. to 645. ;:-Pease,.4ol. to'hes. per Im perial quarter; Beans, 155..0d. to 20s. per bag, tea Score gross; Oats,' 3s. 3d. to 4s. per 391 b. ; fine Flour, 61a.. to 625. ;• seconds, 565. to 581. per sack of 2801 h. - BIRMINGHAM SMITH FIE Li).—Thito day's'market exhi hited a good supply of live stook ; there was brisk de mand for the best Beef and Mutton, at a trifling adtance u■ the last quotation ; fat Pigs and Porkers did not sell quite so well as last week.—Beef, bid. to bid. ; Mut ton, sp. to 6id. per lb. ; Bacon Pigs, 9s. 6d. to 10s. ; Porkers, 12s. to 14s. per score. SCOTCH MARKETS. EDINBURGH CORN IVIARKKE.-.Deo. 31. • We bad a large supply of all sorts of Greif to-dapi which sold readily at last week's prices, except Wheat, which is a shade lower. Wheat. Barley. I Oats. ' First Sts 01 42s Od 28s tid • Second 7Bs Od 38s Od 26s Od Pease. 3Ss 03 Bait's. 3Si Od 3els Od 280 M S6s Od Third .... 68,4 04 313.3 Od I 28s Od I 2SS Od POWYS OF PROVISIONS, Beef, per lb. Z. 41. to 0,7,1. Frail Butter,lb.s.od. to Os. 101. Mutton 0;} 0 6 Salt 0 8 010 Veal 0 7 0 9 Ditto, per mt.o 70 '76 0 0 4 0 6 Eggs, per dos. 0 0 1 0 Lamb, per qr. 1 6 3 0 OatStraw(kpl.) 6 0 6 6 Tallow, cwt.... 12 0 35 0 Wheat Ditto.. 5.6 6 0 Puartern Loaf 010 011 Barley Ditto.. 5 0 0 0 otatoes. pub. 0 0 0 4 Hay, 0 6 0 7 EDINBURGH MEA We had a large supply of which sold heavily at last we MARRET. - -Dee.3o. Oatmeal at to•dey's tnarkst,, :k's Per Stone ,of 141 b. lo W. First Oatmeal ZO . 2 ;Second ditto 0 sl' 0 ; P 1 10 Peasemeal. . . 0 1 10 ate`. - -Paat 1265. GLASGOW CORN MARKET..Dec; 31. Per Sack of 2801 b. Imp. First Oatmeal . ..... £2 0 9 Second ditto 1 18 0 Barleymeal 1 f 5 0 Peascmcal 1 12 0 Pot Barley—No. I, per cwt. 15 _......._.... . ___ We had a dull market this day. Wheat was offered Is. cheaper, and Barley hardlysupported its price. Fine Oats' had a fair sale, without alteration. . Wheat, per 2401 b. a. d. s. d. Oats, per s64lb. a. d. 1. d. British, old 39 Ato42 0 Irish 220t0 250 new 33 0 40 0 British n 0 25 6 Canada, free 4l 0 43 0 Beans; I.er 2601 b. • Irish Barley, per 3201 b. Scottish English Pease, Stottish Scottish 33 6 34 0 Oatmeal, per 140Ib. 21 0 22 CI Irish SO 0 32 0 flour, per44301b.... 00 0 (21 0; BIRTHS. On the 31st ult. at Plaistow-lodge, Mrs J. J. Saunders, of a daughter. On the Ist inst. at the residence of her mother, Brarop ton-place, Bexley, Kent, the lady of Captain Browne, ILA., of a daughter. MARRIED. On the Ist inst. at Wimbledon, by the Rev. Henry' Lindsay, A.M. John Sanford, Esq. of Wimbledon, to Louisa, daughter of the late Charles Bicknell, F..eq. of Spring-garden-terrace and Putney-heath. On the 27th ult. at Westbury, ,in the county of Glon.. cester, Charles Dunn, of the city of London, surgeon, to, Susanna Claggett, youngest daughter of the late Mr. John . Birtill, of Bristol. On the 20th ult. Francis Wright, Esq. to Fanny, youngest daughter of the late William Lucas, Esq, of , N e wport Pagnel. On the Ist inst. at Ahberley-lodge, in the county of Worcester, by the Rev. Henry Reginald Chandos Pole, A.M., the Rev. Henry Somers Cocks, rector of Leigh, only son of the late lion. Reginald Cocks, to Frances Mercy, daughter of Henry Bromley, of Ahberley-lodge, Esq. DIED. On the 2d instant, after a short but severe illness, Mr. J. S. Cornish, surgeon, New Cut, Lambeth. On the 24th of July last, at Kernaul, Bengal, aged 47, Lieut.-Colonel Wm. Dickson, commanding the 7th Regt., Bengal Light Cavalry. • On the Slat ult. at his house in Powis-plaee, • aged.s6,: Godfrey Sykes, Esq. Solicitor to the Board of Stampe. On the 27th ult. at her house in Arisonably-ro,w, Mile end, Mrs. Mary Taylor. On the 2d inst. Jere Brown Alcock,,maly.,child ef.Wut. Nicholson Alcock, Esq., of Upper Harley-streei, ageiffive . years and seven months. . . On the 2d inst. after a lingering Thomas Jackson, of G a iasford-street, Horslydown, aged 4... .. • On the 28th ult. at Barnstaple, .at the.house ofCaptfin: C. B. Gribble, Maria, the beloved wife of Henry.Gribble,, Esq. of the Hon. East India CompauOueryice„ iffier. a protracted illness of. many , months i !having,surviVedLher infant child three weeks; possessing an. eminent degree, qualities which would have graced, any statien,.she.alsO, exhibited under her severe trials the _faith, meekness, patience, and resignation of the Christian, forming 'a cha-. racter which excited the admiration of all with whom she. associated, and leaving in their minds hopes fall of gen: solation. On the 20th nit., at Bremen, in consequence of an apoplectic fit, Mr. lohn Frederick Ilarastede, age 4.64, for merly of this city. PMWito anti.l?u11,1611111P by MLJHDO YOUI(C, m,li k e. bvw Orrtea, emisiate„ L441;4.