The Sun. — London, England, 1829-03-23 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE LONDON JOURNALS. (FROM THE TIMES.) Almost every person whom we meet asks us— " Is Sir Charles Wetherell still Attorney-General ?" Our answer is uniformly—Whether he is or not, he ought not to be so. When a functionary in a high and confidential office not only declares a general hostility to the Government, but accompanies that declaration with insolent invective and all but per sonal outrage against some of the most important :Members of that Government, his retention of his office must be ascribed either to the fear or the con tempt which his conduct has inspired. Those who have opportunities of observation know very well that Sir Charles Wetherell is not a very formidable person,—that he is a man who draws much more frequently on the forbearance than on the respect or admiration of his friends or colleagues. But though this was perfectly well known to a considerable number of persons, tho public generally knew no thing about it, and might have imagined that the " honest" Attorney-General, who had de nounced his party with tones, and gestures, and expressions unparalleled in Parliamentary recollec tion, was so important a personage that the Cabi net durst not dismiss him. We are quite sure that the Government has been influenced by very differ ent motives : that if Sir Charles Wetherell has not yet been dismissed, it is to be imputed to the deli cacy, and moderation, and good temper of the Mi nisters, who do not wish to visit the contemptible folly of their servant with any precipitate harshness of punishment. But we trust and believe, that now that the Cabinet has shown its own temper and forbearance by the slowness of its deliberation and the reluctance of its decision, it will at length vin dicate its own character and importance by not al lowing itself to be bearded with impunity. If Sir Charles Wetherell is not already dismissed, we feel that Government will, with a proper sense of its duty to itself awl the country, lose no time in ex pelling from its councils and confidence a wrong headed and impracticable man, who mistakes inso lence for independence, and who thinks it a matter of conscience to obstruct those whom it is his duty to obey. The public heard with considerable emotion, in the course of Saturday last, that a hostile meeting I had taken place, about eight o'clock in the morning, , between his Grace the Duke of Wellington - and the Earl of Winchilsea; but that, providentially, there had been Rio personal harm suffered on either side. In our humble opinion, if we may presume to form one, the Duke of Wellington was the last man on earth who could be called upon to defend himself by duel against any attack upon his public charac ter. We must also add, that of all men existing, Lord Winchilsea is precisely the one from whom nobody need think of demanding satisfaction for offences growing out of the Catholic question. Than his Lordship, before he unfortunately ran mad upon this subject, there was (and is still in private life) Ito better kind of person : lie has always been harm less and free from guile,—indeed a thoroughly honest well-meaning man ; but we think totally unqualified to form a judgment for himself, or to direct that of others, cn a political question which required a good share of knowledge, a good share of reasoning, and great freedom from prejudice, to decide it safely. The Duke of Wellington, however, having, under the influence of profes sional or fashionable habits, felt himself compelled to notice formally the petulant outrage com mitted upon him by the publication of Lord Whichilaea's letter to the Secretary of King's Col lege, has, by the manner of conducting les whole correspondence, establiahed the highest claims to general respect and admiration, for the inimitable dignity, temper, and even kindness of his expo,tu latums with the man who had wantonly insulted him. Te the very last, the veteran warrior appeared anxious to leave or make opportunities for the Noble Earl to reconsider, and retract, or soften, his furious and unprovoked attack. Perhaps even the grossness of that aggression, forming part, as it did, of a letter deliberately written and published, may have weighed with a Nobleman of high personal gallantry like Lord Winchilsea, rather as an argument against yielding to the Duke's demand, until the event of a meeting might place him in a situation to defy every misconstruction of Ida motives for doing justice to his injured and reluctant adversary. We have heard, what we hope is true, that, after the formal apology agreed upon, the two Noblemen parted as became brave and generous men, with expressions of mutual courtesy and good will. It is a pity that their po litical differences should have given rise to any such painful scenes, and we trust that if 0.0 other benefit results from that which has just been happily termi nated, it may at least have a tendency to calm the violence of partisans throughout the remainder of these diseussions. (FROM THE MORNING CHRONICLE.) ,Nothing was talked of yesterday but the duel be tween the Duke of Wellington and the Earl of Win chilsea. Of the letter of the Earl which led to this affair there can be but one opinion ; but as his Lord ship has himself e xpressed his regret at having unad visedly published it, we shall say nothing on that subject. With regard to the duel, Nye take it for granted that, under the cireusnstances, it was una voidable. However much we might have regretted another result than that which fortunately took place, if a regard to his reputation demaorted from his Grace that he should take the step, lie could only alit as he did. No man could be a better judge of I what the exigency required from him than himself, to say nothing cf theiudgment of those by whose advice he must have been aided. We have heard his Grace blamed for exposing his life at a time 'when so much depended on it ; and the case has been put, would he, when the safety of an army depended on his life, have deemed himself justified in hazard ing it We believe the case is not in point. — A General, so long as he is at the head of an army, is specially charged with its safety. But whatever may be thought by others of the importance of the life of any man in awe, lie is not himself at liberty to assume the necessity of his life to the welfare of the State, Nations cannot be destroyed like armies ; and no public man is therefore placed, officially, in the responsible situation of a General. A Nioister is, therefore, bound to guide himself by the rules by which any other gentleman ought to be gu i de d . And however calamitous the Ices of a life might be, with which is bound up the success; pf measures of paramount isaeortance to the country, his Grace could not, fora moment, place himself in the 3itiia tion of the public. He had to consider merely what a regard to his personal honour arid reputation de manded. The possession of that honour wed repu tation untarniebed was indispensable even to the success of his futun'e exertions; for, whether well or ill founded, the law pf opinioe in such matters is not to be combated. If any man could have been justified in disregarding opinion, that man certainly was the Duke of Wellington. (FROM THE NEWS.) The Catholic Relief Bill, it will be seen by out' Parliame! - tary Intelligence, was read a second time on Wednesday, after an adjourned debate, by a ma jority of ISO; the division being 353 to 173. This result is supposed to have settled the question in the Commoua ; unless the Ultras mean to try aa other-division on the - third reading, which will pro, bably - take place on Wednesday or Thursday. The more this important question "progresses," the more personality and acrimony appear to mingle with it. It is well that the angry effusions which escape the Ultras in the souse of debate—for the wrath is all on their side—are uttaed in a place where the forms enjoin a submission to being called " miserable disreputable apostate" " a dirty tool" -" unprincipled deserter" " fool," &c. &c. by any personage however insignificant, or there would have ere now been mixed- up with the consideration of the Catholic Claims, various pistollings, cudgellings, or pinkings—for it must be allowed that the pa-- tience of one portion of the House has been griev, ously exercised by the viperine language of the other. Had this abusive line of conduct proceeded from young, hot-headed, inexperienced Members, it would not have so much astonished us; but grey bearded veterans have been foremost in it—and I amongst the foremost of the foremost, in the race of oral libel and personal abuse, is the very man whose station in life, should more especially have taught him to keep his tongue and temper under due controul. We a;lude to the rambling bear-garden speech of the Attorney-General in the House of Commons on Wednesday even ing, which we have, reported at length in our se cond and third pages. It would seem that in the opinion of this Learned Gentleman, the English lan guage hardly afforded bitterness of expression enough for him to heap on the devoted heads of Mr. Peel, Lord Lyndhurst, and Sir N. Tindall. One is an " apostate," " black one day and white another"—the second " a Protestant Master of the Rolls on one day and a Catholic Lord Chancellor on the other" —and the third, whose only crime appears to be that he did what Sir Charles Wethe rell refused to do, draw the Bill in question—is "a dirty tool." " I would not," quoth this mild spoken Gentleman, " I would not condescend to frame such a Bill—no Minister in this Country—no man in this realm should compel me so to stultify my self. I refused to draw it. I would not be guilty of such folly, such inconsistency, as that which must ac cumulate upon the head of the man who drew it. I said, you may turn me out of office, but I will never consent to be the dirty tool to draw such a Bill. I would not soil my hands with it."—lf Sir Charles had been as careful of soiling his tongue as his hands, such expressions as abound in his speech • would never have been tittered in any society of gentlemen. That his personalities are only fit to be laughed at, on account of their grossness and . absurdity, we admit, but the intent to wound is . the same—and it deserved to be visited with an in • fliction, which the forensic libeller would not quickly I have forgotten. CATHOLICS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. TO THE RIGHT LION. ROBERT PEEL, &e. &e. Sag—This letter merits your attention, both personally and publicly. You doubtless would not willingly leave incomplete the great measure which, it may now be said, you have vir tually carried through the House of Commons. I am about to submit to you a necessary and interesting comple ment to it, and to yosr own fame. The Emancipation Bill which you have framed proposes to leave untouched the disqualifications of Catholics in the Universities of this realm—including, of course, Trinity College, Dublin. I confine myself to this last alone, be cause it is the University with which alone I am compe tently acquainted, and because it is there the injustice is the most pernicious and glaring. The University of Dublin is a Protestant endowment or foundation, intended by the Royal foundress, Elia ibetli, and her Protestant successors to a very recent period s @ the maintenance of Protestantism and Protestants exclusively. Granted. But what are the objects and purposes of the Uni versity of Dublin at the present day ? This is the real and only question—and the answer must be, that it is no longer a Protestant, but a National Seminary. Now, Sir, I put it to you, is it just or reasonable that in a nation where the great majority is Catholic, the emoluments and honours of this single overgrown endowment should be confined to Protestants ? Catholic Students, it is true, are admitted, and take degrees, but they are admitted merely to contri bute to its wealth, not to compete for its honours and emoluments. To come to particulars— The University of Dublin, as an endowed corporate body by the title of " Trinity College, Dublin," consists of a Provost, 22 Fellows, and '73 Scholars, exercising equally and exclusively the Elective Franchise. The Provost has almost invariably been previously a Fellow—Fellowships and Scholarships, the former for life, with certain conditions, the latter for tlie period of five years from Junior Sophisteis to Masters standing, are obtained by the best answerers in a prescribed course of reading, after a searching and cer tainly impartial examination. Of the Fellows three are, by invariable usage, or a bye law, Laymen. Now, why should Catholics be excluded from these lay vacancies ? It is no part of the business of a Junior Fellow to teach his pupils religion. His hueinees is only with logic, mathematics, physics, metaphysics, and classics. And I never heard that a Catholic, as such, was less competent to manoeuvre syllogysms through the modes and figures—to demonstrate the equality of the square of the hypothenuse to the sum of the squares of the remaining sides—or of the latitude of the place to the elevation of the pole, Pascal bad some very incomprehensible notions about " la grace efficace," but was not the less a perfect reasoner, and a geuius in the exact sciences. When the Junior Fellow becomes in time a Senior, his being a Catholic would not interfere in the least with his new duties, of occupying his easy chair once a week, at the beard, and administering the over grown and overgrowing finances pf the University, with out the trouble of any responsibility or account beyond the secret concert and conscience of his ln other Senior. Bat I abandon Fellowships, except for the principle, because the disqualification is very limited, if not absolutely null, in effect. The Fellowship course of reading is so overcharged with lumber, that it de mands years of toil and duty, and the lay vacancies, at the same time, so rare, that no Catholics would devote themselves, unless with the intention, secret or avowed, of confirming and taking orders. The great and crying grievance is the exclusion of Ca tholics from Scholarships. I will not now stop to inquire what a seliolarship should of right be worth, I reserve the touching and ptoving of this delicate topic for another oc casion. My present business is only with its actual value to a Student, premising that Fellow Commoners (a nume rous class) never read for it ; that the candidates are Pen sioners for the most part of little means, and Siasrs of still less. A Scholar has his chambers, commons, a small allowance, sometimes as low as 41., and never above 201. a year, and the elective franchise. The emoluments, though email, are yet important to a Student of limited means--and tl;g academical rink which a Scholarship confers is a powerful incitement to talent, industry, and good conduct. The Scholars ad. minister no instruction or authority whatever. They are simply Students, who go out like other Students, when their course is finished. I put it, Sir, to your candour, whether the exclusion of Catholic; from competition for this reward of talent, industry, and moral corsilu;:t, be not an unjust, uncalled for, and most illiberal exclusion. One objeption only will and can be made, that Sao • larships are a bounty by which the Established Church raises vecruits from the ranks of the Catholics. I ad mit the fact—but is this quite moral ? to tempt youth both in its poverty and its aspiriogs, by a bribe — to tell the aspirant he must capitulate with his conscience before he can start for the prize. M soy Students pre ronesly Catholic conform, I know, from honourable ino tivee,'from preceding latitude and liberality of opinion, and an enlargement pf views, as they become more con vers int with science, their feilpw-students, and the world. But these would either conform withou, thp bribe, or they would return to the community, whence they caane, libe ralized f' s stholics, the most useful class of subjects in the peculiar state of Ireland. But the greater number of the conformists disgrace, not strengthen, the Church to which they desert—they carry into the bosom pf the Protestant Ciluech their early bigotry, with the superaddtef viruleriee or apostate/. Some, perhaps, retain the very dogmas of their first creed, .tut 4 shroud their hypocrisy in intolerance and exaggeration. It is nos" fame years, Sir, since you were Chief Secretary in Ireland, and i well know that vulgar partisans could as little apprpagli you Its a gentle man as they could influence you as a Minister. 134 YPu isusst still know the state of I reland well enough to be aware that thp raost notorious and unprincipled of the re verend trailers in BetmsFssick bigotry and incendiary de clamation are renegades from she teligion which they ma lign—that their violence is not l; but the F seairulence of corrupt aspostacy, exaggeration, and bad faith. I submit this question to you, however, upon broader principles. Is if meet, I ask, that a national seminary should be an arena for aectariaa proselytism:; that the youth should continue fettered in the career o. 13.9 educa tion, whilst the man is mune:tailed, and his course tree ; that the genius of intolerance should be alloitsed a last refuge in the very first place where it should be expelled ; the piece where the youth of a nation, various in creed, first meet in the morning of life, with their feelings and their minds yet fresh and notvorn ; in the ardent com munion of their studies, their frisinisiiits, and their pur suits of pleasure. The Irish University may lie (!. - ; sc;;te,c . l as a laboratory in weigh all that is best an d worst in the Irish character, and most intitteptial in Irish society, is determined and formed. Surely, Sir, r ..L e/.:oold .be re-ad justed and purified in the general process of reviaten, god thin may be effected by a clause of a.few lines in the ap. proachiag committee on the Bill. j. have the honour tc , be, Sir, f7e. &c. Tr C. Pe SECOND EDITION. SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock. IM PER! A L PARLIAM ENT TIIIS EVENING. HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLOR, Lord SHAFTESBURY, and Lord MELvlcr.r, sat as Commissioners at a quarter before four o'clock, to give the Royal Assent to the Exchequer Bills Bill, the Army and Marine Mutiny Bills, the Edin burgh Gas Light, and several private Road Bills. The House then adjourned, and sat again at five o'clock. Lord KINMORE presented a petition from the Minis ter and other Inhabitants of the city of Perth, against fur ther concessions to the Roman Catholics. Also two others from different parts in the same county to the sane effect. The Duke of SUSSEX presented petitions from the Roman Catholics of Long Sutton, the parish of Sutton, Lincolnshire, three from the county of Limerick, one from Antrim, and another from an individual, an elder of a Protestant congregationlin:Birmingharn, all in favour of Emancipation. Mr. ORD and others brought up from the House of Commons two Private Bills; and also a message, request ing to be furnished with a copy of their Lordship's evi dence on Kyley's Divorce Bill. Lord SIDMOUTH presented a petition against the claims of the Catholics. Lord LORTON presented 25 petitions from the Pro testants of different parishes in Ireland, against concessions. The Bishop of BATH and WELLS presented a petition from a parish in the county of Cumberland, against the claims of the Roman Catholics. The Right Rev. Prehste (as we understood,) stated in a very low voice, that in a few days he should, as he had been requested, present a petition from the Under Graduates of Cambridge. Earl GREY presented a petition signed by 2,126 of the most respectable inhabitants of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in favour of Catholic Emancipation. Lord DURHAM presented a petitio❑ from a parish in the county of Durham, in favour of the Catholic Claims. This petition would not have been brought before their Lordships had it not been for one presented of a con trary nature from the same town, by the Noble Lord (Eldon) on the cross benches. Lord ELDON was quite sure that this petition could contain no hin d ; like the number of signatures that the one had attached to it which he had the honour of pre- senting. Lord DURHAM rose and observed that in getting up the petition, more attention had been paid to col. lecting the respectability of the county to affix their names to it than in gathering together in a heterogenous mass the names of all persons, however ignorant and unintelligent that could be got hold of. An indivi dual, who had been requested to sign the petition, pre sented 11 , Lord Eldon, praying their Lordships ; it was stated to him to preserve the Protestant Constitution, slid, " Yes, certainly, I shall, for I think there is nothing more necessary than that Parliament should protect us againq resurrectionists!—(Much laughter.) The Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented a peti tion from the Roman Catholics of the county of Tyrone, in favour of their claims. Lord KENYON presented sixteen petitions, all against further concessions. Lord KING presented several petitions in favour of i concession to the Catholcs. He acknowledged the courtesy of Lord Eldon in having delayed presenting a petition to the house for several days from Welch Cal vanists. Than those petitioners, a mole intolerant set of beings never lived. Were he to be called out for the purpose of being tried by a parcel of those Welch Calvin. ists, or a parcel of Cardinals, and he, from his choice, of the two he certainly should prefer a trial by the latter, b:cause he was sure "he should stand a better chance of olttaining justice. He had presented a petition from another set of those persons, of a more tolerant disposition and whom the Intolerants had turned out of their society, in favour of the Catholics. The Noble Lord on the cress-benches a few nights ago had presented a petition, as he stated, from 94 Dissenting Ministers in London and Westminster. The fact was, that only one out of those 94 individuals was a regularly qualified minister among the three denominations of Dissenters, and the rest were tailors and shoe-makers, probably good men in their stations, of life. lie would just state, likewise, that a boy p..ssing through the town of Exeter, and seeing an immense rowel of persons going into a house to sign a petition atlainst the Catholics, asked his companions to ac company him to sign the said petition also ; the companion at first demurred, but after a little persuamn consented. After they got in the boy, t.aok up his com panions paw (for he was dog) put a pen into it, and wrote John Rover,—(immense laughter,)—and the petition prayed that the Protestant Constitution might be pre s. reed as it was gonatituted in 1688. Lord ELDON—No doubt the dog wagged his tail, after having done it.—(Continued loud laughter.) (LEFT SITTING.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The House was summoned to attend a Commission in the House of Lords, for the purpose of giving the Royal Assent to several Biils. On the Speaker's return, Mr. V. FITZGERALD took the oaths and his seat for Newport. On the motion of General GA scovris, that the Report oa the Liverpool Church be brought up, Mr. W. HARVEY opposed it on the ground that it was a misappropriation of the grant to the Commissioners for Building Churches, which was intended for the provision of churches where the people were not sufficiently ac commodated, and never was intended to have been ex pended on places which were able to provide for them elves. Mr. HUME also opposed the Grant. It was only in tended to apply the million and a half voted to the building of churches, where the inhabitants had contributed, and could not make up the deficiency. General GASCOYNE, is reply, stated, that Le would not persist in the :notion, which was ultimately postponed till this city week. Mr. BELL presented two petitions against the Orphans Duty on Coals, from the Coal Owners of . London and 6outhwark, Mr. FERGUSON said, that this duty ought not to be continued. He would ask his Hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, if he would submit that the people of Westminster should be taxed for the local improvements of the City of London. 4lderrnan WOOD contended that the coal-owners had more reason to complain of the combination in the north, by which ss. or 6s. per chaldron were laid on coals while the present Bill only imposed Cs. per eltaldron. Part of the Orphans' Fund had been applied to the improvement of Westminster, as well as of London and Southwark. After a few words from Mr. Alderman WAITIIMAN, the petition was ordered to be referred to the Committee on the Bill. _ . Mr. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from the town of Leeds, in favour of Emancipation. He stated that his deliberate and advised opinion was, tlaat there was a large and preponderating majority in all parts of Yorkshire, ip favour of the Catholics. Lord MILTON differed with the Hon. Member in sup posing that the majority was on that side of the question. Petitions had only b, en presented front 118 places, front a county which contained between 800 and 900 parishes. Q 4 the motion of Mr. Alderman WAITIIMAN the Bill for rebuilding Et, Pgnstan's Church, Fleet-street, was read a second time. The LORD MAYOR presented a petition from several individuals against the proposed approaches to London bridge. Sir lAN4S M'INTOWI postponed the motion of which he had given nritice, respecting Portugal, till after the Easter recess, the Hod. Baronet a1%9 gaYe notice, that on Thursday next he should present a Petition from the City Of Edinburgh in favour of Catholic Eman piration. Sir k;Rw4up KNATCHBULL presented petitions and — nine iilaccs in the County of from Deptfnrif, Kent, against any further CoM•essions to Use Catholics. Nr, MUNDY presented a ptition from Chesterfield and iwo other pl a ces in the county of Derby, again st the Cathoilc The one from Chest e rfield was agreed to at a public meeting regularly convened, and al most unanimously-,.-it Was also signed by O l i o gagi strates. Lord G. CAVENDISH slid the AlaOstrates who had ‘; ,, T.:ed the petition did n ot reside io th e ne i g hbourhood, and' wa4 ,thr, , y did not express the sense of the ma jority of the district: After a few words from Mr. Cam!Prox, the petiticp brought up and read. A Message i:roy the Lords announced their Lordships having agreed to several private petitions. (FT FT smnio.) LENT ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. MAIDSTONE, MARCH 21 FRIDAY V. RUST. This was an action in trover, and was brought against the Sheriff of Canterbury, for having illegally sold certain property belonging to the plaintiff, under an execution issued against the goods of Mr. Dilnot Wildash. The action was nominally aganst the sheriff, but the real de fendants were Messrs. Ray and Co., wine-merchants, of London. The Jury found for the plaintiff—Damages 5501. LINCOLN, MARCH 19. The business for the county terminated yesterday, ex cept one case, which was an indictment against the Gran tham Canal Company, for conspiring to raise the price of coals. Lord Chief Justice "law, having been attacked by gout in the knee, wee obliged to try the case in his private room at the Judge's lodgings, his Lordship reclining on a sofa during the trial. It appeared that the defendants did agree to buy up the coals, and therefore offended against the letter of the act ; but their object was stated to be to prevent their attaining a high price, by always keeping the market steadily supplied. The Learned Judge, therefore expressed his dleapprobatiou of this prosecution ; and upon the Jury returning a verdict of Guilty, - only sentenced the defendants to pay a fine of One Farthing each. HUNTINGDON, MARCH 21. William Angel, aged 23, was indicted for the wilful murder of John Grange, at the parish of Warboys, on the 6th of September last, by shooting him with a gun loaded with gunpowder and leaden shot. Jane Roblett examined—On Saturday, the 7th of Sep tember, 1 was lodging in the house of Robert East, at Warboys. Ann Hawkes was lodging there also. The prisoner came to assist East in his harvest-field. About 11 o'clock on the night 1 have mentioned, there was a great snob of people collected about the house, throwing stones at it. The prisoner went out of the house to look after his horse and gig, and when he came in, Mrs. East requested bins "to go out and still them." He went out, and returned in half an hour with his lip cut; be said they had b en knocking him about, and if they were not off, be would shoot some of them. A gun hung on a beam in the room. It was loaded, and the prisoner used to go out and watch the corn with it. He took the gun down from the beam, and went out directly. I did not hear bins say anything about its being loaded He uncorked (coked) the gun in the house. I heard the gun go off as soon as he got out. He came in again, and began to load the gun anew. While he was loading it, East said to him, " Angel, you've shot somebody." I did not hear his an swer. The gun was taken fi otn him by Huggins. East again said to him, " You've shot a man; go out and own it." Prisoner went out, and never returned. Cross-examined by Mr. Gl;Nxixo—When the prisoner came in after he had been to still the mob, his lip was cut and his face bleeding. 11is hat was knocked off. He complained of very bad usage. He was in a great passion. He reached the gun down directly. He did not stop to say any thing. Martiii Hodson-1 heard the gun, and saw John Grange stagger back and fall. lie died very soon. The prisoner, in his defence, said they were knocking him about very much. He called no witnesses. The Jury, after a minute's deliberation, found the prisoner Guilty of Manslaughter. The Learned Be gox, in passing sentence on the prisoner, said that the verdict was a very proper one, but the crime amounted to one of the most aggravated cases of man slaughter he had ever witnessed. Under these circum stance, the Learned Judge sentence I the prisoner to be transported for the whole term of his natural life. John Bishop was indicted for stealing twenty sheep, the property of Mr. T. Lindsell, of Hemingford Grey. The facts were wholly uninteresting ; and the prisoner was found Guilty. The Learned BARON passed the awful sentence of "Death" on the unhappy man, holding out to him no hopes of mercy on this side the grave, in consequence of the magni tude of the theft, and the circumstance that the prisoner did not appear to be actuated by want to the perpetration of the crime. SHREWSBURY, MARCH 20. On Wednesday last the Commission for the county of Salop was opened here by Mr. Justice JAMES Particr, and the following day business commenced. The calendar contained the names of 48 prisoners, and only 13 causes were entered for trial ; five of them were undefended, two withdrawn, and three referred. The absence of business is remarkable in this town, when compared with the great number of important causes which have of late years been tried at these assizes. LIBEL.-PETTINGALL V. ARROWS3IITH. Mr. Meesoe• openel the pleadings. Mr. CAMPBELL said on this occasion he had the honour to appear as Counsel for the Rev. George Hanbury Petti gall, .who had been reluctantly compelled to bring this action, which the defendant, by suffering judgment to go by default, had acknowledged was without defence. The plaintiff was a clergyman of the Church of England, with a patrimonial prtperty of 1,2001. a-year, but without a benefice. In 1818, he married a lady of great respecta bility, residing in this county, a Miss Jane Baines. With her be had no fortune, but received afterwards 1,0001. on the death of a near relation. They lived very happily to gether for some time, and, if it had not been for the de fendant, might have continued to do so, with very slight interruption to their felicity, to the present time. There had never been the slightest imputation on the honour of Mrs. Pettingall ; nothing could be alleged against her, ex cept some peculiarity of temper, which might, with proper management, have been corrected. But the Jury would find that those small differences heal been fomented by the arts of the defendant and some of his relations. The plaintiff was willing to do every thing in his power to gratify the ca prices of his wife. His fortune was at her disposal to go where she pleased, and in 1828, Mrs. Pettingall having expressed a desire to visit the Continent, they crossed the Channel and settled themselves at the Hague. Here they lived hap pily for some time, but at length Mrs. Pettingall became tired of her husband's society, and i nsisted on returning alone to her relations, Mr. Pettingall furnished her with money for her journey. She arrived in this country, and came down to Shrewsbury, where Mrs. Ford, her aunt, resided. While at the Hague, Mr. and Mrs. Pettingall had been living with a respectable gentleman of the name of Theron, who wrote a letter to Mrs. Ford, to explain the manner in which Mrs. Pettingall had been treated while there, and expressing his hope that Mrs. Ford and her relations would do what they could to induce Mrs. Pettingall to return to her husband. With that view the letter was written and arrived in Shrewsbury, where the defendant, Mr. Arrowsurrith, a surgeon, resided. He (Mr. Campbell) did not wish to say any thing against the defendant, except what arose out of this cause. Mr. Ar rowstnith was no relation of Mrs. Pettingall, but a nephew of Mrs. Ford. Ile had seen the letter from M. Theron, addressed to Mrs. Ford, and in answer to that chose to write a letter, not to M. Theron, but to another gentle man, Mr. Proctor, to brand the character of Mr. Pet tingall in a foreign country with those slanderous reports that he had been propagating in this country. The learned Counsel then proceeded to comment on the different parts of the letter which he deemed most obnoxious to the plaietiff. It had been written in coat !ence, and without malicious motives, Mr, Arrowsinith might have attempted to defend the action ; but it was no such thing, the de fendant had pleaded guilty to the charge. Mr. BATHER said, said his Learned Friend had talked of the differences which had been fomented by the defend ant, but what evidence had they of any thing before this letter aves written? It was admitted that the plaintiff and his wife had not lived very happily together,—that their days had not been all halcyon days,—that there had been the tiffs, the quarrels, and 'the April showers of me trimoly ; and it had Leon urged that, notwithstanding those cloud:, and gleamacif sunshine, they would have been happy, and lived the eery Darby and ,lean of married life, if it had not been for the defendant; yet of any iuterfer ference on his part previous to this letter, there was not a shadow of evidence. The letter contained a history of itself,—it told the cause of its origin, it was written pru dently in cenfidenee, bet was entirely destitete of that coldness and malignity ascribed to it by his Learned Friend. The defendant had not attempted to justify it, because he could uot,—there was the expression of " the most varied and ingenious brutality." If the plaintiff had not exercised every torture,—if he had not tarred and feathered his - e:ife,—the justification would have been in- I complete.—(A laugh.)—if ever there was a case lit for nominal damagee,—damages which could be paid with the smallest coin of the realm,—this was the case. The costs would be quite enough for his unfortunate client, and lie (Mr. Bather) could not but tremble for his pocket when he looked rcuud arid saw the f2arf4l array of learned wivs against him.—(Laughter.)- There Was Mr. 1:., - !arnpbell . le silk gown, the black patch of Sergeant Peale; and the modest merit of Mr. Meeson—(a laugh)—all to cause out ' of the pocket or bli c!it , nt. Verdict for the plaintiff—Dimiges one farthing. lo,i;n Evans was indicted, charged with ha v ing , on tlte 20th - of Vebruary lasi., al; Bis l 4op's Cattle, in this county, inalichingly shot E.lwird 'Richards, with intent to kill him. - Mr. Sergeant Russir.i . said the prisoner 1;4 been I miller s residing in lieiefordabire, and some time pi-eirious to November last, be took up his abode at an inn at Bishop's Castle, where he remained till the following month (December), when he was apprehended on some charge, and lodged in Hereford gaol. From that place he succeeded in escaping, and in February returned to the inn at Bishop's Cistle in disguise. It would appear by the evidence, that he was immediately recognised, first by a child ; and observing that be bad become an object of at tention, he made some excuse to go into the yard. The prosecutor (Richard•), who was unfortunately present, and had with other persons recognised the prisoner, followed him for the purpose of watching him, and was almost in stantly shot lay the prisoner. Edward Richards, the prosecutor, looking extremely ill and weak, was now with difficulty supported into court. He stated his having been at the Boar's Head on the even ing of the 20th of February last, and seeing the prisoner there. On asking the prisoner whether his name was the same now as when he was last at Bishop's Castle, he said it was, and immediately added, he wanted to go out. Wit ness said he would go with him. The prisoner then got up and went out, witness following, but not taking hold of bins; when the prisoner had got about half-way across the yard, he stood still and took up his frock ; witness then passed him about two or three yard., and asked him if he was coming on ; the prisoner made no reply, but instantly shot him. The Jury, after a short consultation, found the prisoner Guilty—Death. The prisoner is a remarkably powerful man, and very good-looking; his demeanour remained unchanged during the whole of the trial. Most extraordinary idolise are afloat of his daring rapacity and success in robberies, to a very considerable extent. LANCASTER, ALLacH 19. REX V. HYDE. Mr. HALL opened the pleadings. This was an indict ment charging the defendant with an assault upon Fanny Fisher. Fanny Fisher, the prosecutrix, was then called. She is a pretty-looking woman. When she entered the box she was much agitated, and during the whole of her exa mination appeared painfully distressed. She stated, I live in Scotland-row, Liverpool. My husband is a sail-maker. I carry on the business of a dress-maker. On the after noon of the 4th of November last, I heard a knock at the door. I went and opened it. Mr. Hyde, the defendant, a surveyor of assessed taxes at Liverpool, was there. He had a book in his hand. He came into the lobby and then went into the parlour. He took hold of my hand, and asked me how long I had been married? I told hint six or seven months. I withdrew my hand, and turned away. He tried to look in my face, and said, " Yes, yes, you know what I mean—how do you like it." He then asked what rent we paid. I told him 19/. or guineas ; I did not know which. I said I would call the servant to get the receipts to show him, but he said, " Never mind, 1 will take your word."— He said I should get rich in time. When I told him that such gentlemen as he prevented our getting rich, he said that it was in his power to make us rich. When he took hold of my hand he said, " Take care that you have no little stockings to knit. I suppose you and your hus band—" (making a very indecent allusion). I tried to get my hand away. He then went through the kitchen up stairs. In the lobby he said to me, " Come, give nee a kiss." I said I should do nothing of the kind, and would infirm Mr. Fisher. He said nothing, but put his arm round my neck, and took a kiss. He then said, " Come, now, give me another kiss." I said 1 would not, and asked him what he thought Mr. Fisher would say. He said, " Fisher will never know ; there is no harm in it. You don't know what a fancy you've raised. 1 don't see such a nice little woman every day." He then pressed me towards him and took another kiss. I got away with difficulty, and went along the lobby to the door, which I opened in order to let him out. He put the door to with one hand, and with the other took hold of my hand, and —(Witness here spoke to an incident of a very indecent nature.)—l said 1 would tell Mr. Fisher. He said, "By Heavens you must not. You are not yet experienced in these things ; wives do not tell their husbands every thing." He then went away." In about ten minutes there was another knock at the door, and I went and opened it. The defendant was there. He came in and said he understood we had a dog, and he had not put it down. He then took my hand, and—( Witness here detailed the particulars of a very disgusting assault.)—My husband came home at half-past six, and I immediately told him what had passed. The servant of the prosecutrix and her sister slightly confirmed a part of the prosecutrix's testimony. Mr. ALDERSOY addressed the Jury at great length for the defendant, after which Mr. Baron HULLOCK summed up the cage, and the Jury found the defendant Guilty. FRIDAY, MARCH 20. James Cliffe, aged 29, stood indicted for the wilful murder of his wife, Catherine Cliffe, at Manchester. Thomas Trimperly said—l keep the King's Arms, George-row, Manchester. On the evening of the 2d of January the prisoner came to my house, with about ten more. They asked for a room to themselves, and I showed them to the club-room. They had eight pots of beer.— Cliffe's wife came there about twenty minutes before ten o'clock. I showed her into the room. They came to the bar and asked me for a new year's gift. Cliffe was about half drunk. They left about 20 suinutes after 10 o'clock. I gave the deceased a light ; she went away, and returned in about 10 minutes, and asked again for a light, and said " Oh, dear ! what a man my husband is !" She appeared greatly agitated. Henry Riumier said-1 went to the King's Arms public-house, on the 2d of January, about nine o'clock in the evening. I left a little after Cliffe. His wife went out with him. I asked if I might ride his horse ;he said he must, and we both got on together. A man in company said to Cliffe, if he would get off and go home with his wife, he would treat him with a glass. He gut off, and went into the King's Arms. I rode the horse backward and forward. It was rather frightened. Cliffe's wife asked me to ride it away, and not to let Cliffe get on any more. I was told that Cliffe had walked on. I followed. I rode up, and first saw the tvatchman taking Cliffe from his wife. She was at the side of him ; I cannot say whether she wae' standing up or not. I heard her shriek. It must have come from her, as I saw him kick her several times. She was standing up when I first saw him kick her. He kicked her about the back. 1 heard the prisoner say, when the watchman separated him from his wife, and threatened to take him away. " thee, thou devil, I'll pay thee before morning ; thou think'st thou Last got off; I'll have thy life before morning." Cliffe knew what he was doing. Some one took the horse away, and I saw no more. Mr. W. Chalk—l am a surgeon at Manchester. I was called on to see the deceased. I saw her between 11 and 12 on the night of the 2d of January. She was in bed, partly dressed. She we, in a state of insensibility. There were blows and marks of violence on her head. I cannot say how they were inflicted. Kicks to the extent she received would alone havo been likely to cense death. I cannot say that any of the wounds were occasioned by a fall. The Jury, after a few minutes' deliberation, found the prisoner guilty of the murder. Mr. Justice Baxter then passed the awful sentence of death on the prisoner, whom he ordered to be executed on Monday next. • The prisoner burst into tears, and was removed frem the bar. Charles Tranor was indicted for the wilful murder of William Madder, at Manchester. The Jury found the prisoner guilty of manslaughter. His Loicosuir then sentenced the prisoner to be trans ported_fer life. THE LEEDS PRO-CATHOLIC AND ANTI CA•motic PETITIONS. —On Saturday evening last, the petitions from the borough of Leeds, to the two Houses of Pas liament, in favour of the Bill now before Parliament, for the settlement of the Catholic Question, bearing the signatures of 15,900 of the inhabitants, were transmitted to Earl FiTzwitr.rasr for presentation to the Liouse of Lords, and to Lord MILTON for presentation to the House of Commons. .And on Tuesday last the petition from the township or Leeds aya:nsf the Hill for the settlement of the Catholic Question, signed by 9,800 inhabitants, was transmitted to the Earl of HAREWOOD and to Mr. DUN COMM A more decisive manifestation of the preponde rance of public opinion in favour of liberal principles in this great and enlightened community it is scarcely possible to imagine, the 15,900 signatures having been obtained in little snore than two days, while the 0,899 names were not obtained in less than nearly twice that time. It is true that the liberal petaton was called the petition of the Borough of Leeds, and the illiberal one that of the Town - ship, Cot the time allowed for obtaining the signatures was so short that there was Ito opportunity for any systematic plan of circulating the liberal petition through the out townships, and all the signatures to that petition, with the exception of about 2,000, were affixed in the town of Leeds —making the majority of the friends to Catholic Emancipation something more than 14 to 10, and putting out of the consideration the important fact that twice the time was occnpied in , obtaining the entailer number than vas ricitiired . to obtain tbe larger..4eedi 2(erci4)*.. PORTSMOUTH MURDERS. (From the Hampshire Telegraph.) Stacey the younger, since his imprisonment, has t 2 manifesited the slightest contrition, but has shewn the greatest indifference to h's fate. On Tuesday, in reply to a question put to him by a prisoner,. in gaol for a penalty! wilt) was watching over him, he said he would acquaint him how " the chap" told him (Stacey) he cumulate,' the murder. He got in at the back of the house. and on Charity Jolliffe opening the door with a candlestick in bet hand, he seized her throat with one of his hands, and en deavoured to place the other over her mouth, to strangle her ; that he then took the candlestick and knocked het down, and whist there beat her over the head with a long brush, until the brush part came off; that he cond' nued to beat her with the handle till that broke ; that the last words heheard her utter were, " Oh Lord ! Oh Lord! " Thinking her dead, he went up stairs to the old man, an demanded his money ; the old man struck him once of twice with his stick ; on leaving him, the old man fell out of his chair ; he then with a tiling hammer killed hint' , He came down stairs, aed finding Charity Jolliffe moving, be drew his knife and cut her throat ; whilst is this act, some one knocked at the door; he afterwaad t went up stairs again, and cut the old man's throstr took his keys from his pocket, opened the box, plundere d it of the money, and then decamped. A scene of the moat affecting description, ensued lel evening, in an interview between the younger Stacey ar! his three sisters. As soon as they entered his cell, the wretched prisoner threw himself on his knees befof o them, and asked to be forgiven. They instantly fell et theirs in great grief, and sobbed piteously. They er, joined him not to indulge in any hope that mercy wou lt i be extended to him in this world, but to endeavour to fiy? consolation in prayer, to look to Heaven for pardon. their quitting him, the prisoner bade them a lest farewel" and said that he should never see them again. The prisoners were conveyed in a chaise to Winchostar gaol this morning, at six o'clock. On the father and al meeting, the former appeared in great mental distress, a pt burst into tears. He accosted the son with, Oh Jolla' John ! what have you brought us to—you know, J° l ' 4 you have done it—you can expect nothing in this world; you know it is life fur life—confess your crime, a nd eon' vince the world I know nothing of it." Stacey, l b° younger, replied, " Father, I have said all along that yo are innocent." We understand that the prisoner h a 4 made full confession that he alone was concerned in the murder. Mr. Edward Hunt and Cox escorted the pre' soners to Winchester, and although they started at 0 early an Lour, there was a large concourse of persona ad sembled to see them set off. The following is a copy, verbat7m, of a letter written 9° Sunday, by Stacey, the younger, to his sisters : March 15, 1829.--DEAREST SISTERS.—I beg kafel trobbing you with then few lines, Dear Sisters 0 for Go d i sake Do not bear mullase Dearest Sisters heare am me O i l my Father in Full of trouble. My Father is very at' I can not see him, but all Friends Fair well 0 God for me all the Sin and wickedness that I have done brat Deere! friends, that I can not expect, but I trust in the Lord ek . ° Derest Sisters will have something in your harts but i t not for my Sake that I Frets but it is about my Fathe r ,' but I hope that you will forgive me, and forget it is all that you expect from me I'd sopose but send my k i f, love to my Mother in law and all friends that is both and near, but this is all that you can expect from me b!' t hope that none of you ever will come to such as sue 9 one, but Farewell, Farewell Farewell 1 du not mane tbl for one but to all my friends and enemies-0 may 4 :,: Lord heare my Prairs and forgive me this is all that I ha 0 got to say Dearest friends all, in July i hope some Of Ye t will come and Se me Die Farewell, God blues you all-f° God's sake, So be it, Amen. JOHN STACEY, Portsmouth. Amen. Born June 5, I 808• COUNTRY CORN MARKETS• DURING LASE' WRIER'. Wheat. Barley. o a t,. Ileano•,' Per Quarter. a. to s. a. to s. s. to s. s. to Carlisle:— 71 32 25 Carmarthen— 61 — i 32 17 36 Hex ham - 64 79 27 33 18 9 - 5 5° 1/ 51orpeth ------ 56 67 1 30 40 18 2 5 38 Penrith 62 36 25 Sheffield . 80 92 Si 46 24 34 4 6 jij Winchester 76 31 31 25 27 42 Per Bushel. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. a. el. a. fl. s. d. 11 ,; 0 Coventry —,. 100 10 6 4 54 30 43 50 t',,j Newcastle (Staff:) 12 0 12 65 0 60 4 6 4 9 7 0 j Northallerton —.... 8 0 10 0 4 0 4 3 2 3 2 6 5 0 ~;"0 Stafford. — a-- 121) 1 . 23 56 60 40 43 76 .0 Swansea 9O 94 48 49 26 30 00 00 Warwick 10 0 10 4 48 52 30 43 50 6 Per 8011. Barnardeastle—.... 18 0 21 0 9 6 10 0 7 4 7 9 9 0 10 d Darlington Durhain l7 3200 8 6 65 0 86 11 6 1:1",) Wolshigham 170 206 86 g 0 60 7 6 0 0 ° WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET.—March 13. , The supply of Wheat fresh up here to-day is again very sil°l! the best samples of New, both English and Foreign are 2s. to ~ per quarter dearer, and the middling descriptions are Ic to . !; per quarter higher, but at these advanced rates the dcmand. in not been so extensive as last week; stale samples of Old W 12r, meet dull sale. Oats are in fair demand at last Friday's pri r . ; Fine heavy Barley is Is. per quarter dearer, but the general i l n of Foreign, and light samples of Norfolk, are, dull sale. cfr. e .,. hard New Beans are Is. to 2s. per quarter higher, b ut the I+' nor samples of Old chiefly remain unsold Wheat, Red, Norfolk and Suflblk 63s. to 64. fin: o f . Lincolnshire title. to 70,- fine 73, White Yorkshire, &c 675. to 675. to 60,715. 6. fine79s. — 0,, Foreign, Old ~ Wis. to ties . tine 37 ,, Barley, Norfolk and Suffiilk Lincolnshire 2Ss. to Ms. flu e 0 . Yorkshire Vold Beans, Tick 445. to 375. tin e 0, ----- Small Ws, to iiSs. tine 99A , Oats, Poland and Potato 2 , b. to 2(16. tile .. i v . Friezland and Small 2os. to 23s.ctiltod3: M ea ling I2NI. to lid. p Shelling 32s. to —s. ••-.5.. to 345. per V„ 3 ,1, Malt 3fis. 41s. fine 435. per ''' ii t. Rapeseed 3O/. Os. 321. 04. 311.-.1 BIRMINGHAM MARKETS.—Maecx 19. 11 tie" CORN 314axwr.—We hare had a moderate supply of a scriptions of Grain; Wheat 2e. to 48. per 621 b , and Barley jo per quarter, dearer; Beans and Oats a dull sale; little doing, t Malt. s . d. to g• Wheat, per 621 b. Barley, per Imperial quarter 36 0 64 0 Mrlt 4B 0 0 Terse 3B 44 Beans, per bag of 10 score gross 4 Oats, per 391 b. Fine Flour, per sack of 280Ib. Seconds 55 o 57 110 Sur gl..n.—A full supply of prime Beasts and Sheep, v i iv i met with a dull sale at last week's prices. An abundan t suPP,44I Irish Pigs, prices lower, and a great porti.n left wifsald.-I;iii Beef sd. to sd. per lb.; Mutton sN i d.. to 6d. ; Irish 140 P Sc. 9d. to Va, per score. :OTCH MARKET; ley at this igher. Oats. 20s Od 26s Od 23s Od DALKEII The supply of Wt both of which sold 11 :'H CORN 'eat and Bai .adily and II - - r.-31arch 19. day's niarketis Wheat. Barley. First 74s Od 40s Od Second 7os Od 36s Od Third 64s Od 3As Od 956 S(/ ' B sts catig o jo.a • GLASGOW CORN MARKET.—March 18. a ad' . W A h ll e k at in , d i s )e o: 24o Gr th ai . n s w . e d r . e n s. f d a . ir demand, oats panerd:6loldth.reaid.ily $62,1,16 vanced prices. British, old 36 oto3B 0 Irish l7 oi o 01 —.. new .•l~er2Bolb 19 ° Canada, free Barley, per 3201 b. 39 040 0 Beans, per . w-u ° ' 0 Iridi Scott►sl ... .. . ........ Iv English —o —0 Pease, Scottish ... 16 6 1;4 Scottish 2B 0 2g 0 Oatmeal, per 1 tOlb. 17 0 IS Irish 25 0 AS 0 Flour, per 2801 b.... 58 0 1 ' 31 0 36 0 English ....... ...... ~-:2 ..'OO CORNWALL. MARKETS. 0 ts, l II' Tauno.—Wheat (average) XL 9d.—Barley„ 13s. Od.--- a Ilm.rrox—Wheat, 30s. 4d.—Barley, 13s. 6d. ST. AUSTELL—Wheat, 284. to 30s.—Barley, 134. to 14. 4 ."'vr . 10s. Od. to 12s. 34. ett BODMIN—Wheat (average)llos.od.—ltarloy, 128.-.oalit ' oth LAUNCESTON—AV 12 eat (average) `mss. Od.—.Barley , 12s. ei"• • I Is. Od.—Beef, 60.—Mutton, sitl. nits - ' 4. Lisicsa go— W heat, 284. t , ) 29.5. Od.--Barley, 12s Od•-• - ' ' i . . .4" to Os. Od. m. S. CotuMa—Wheat, 2is. to SOL—Earley, 12s. to --c -- and Mutton, 6d, ta 6#d.—Veal and Lamb, Od to 5d- A., 00' PaNzaNce—Wheat, 295. to 318.—Barley, —s. to lu-,,, -- 0,1,/ Os. to 12s. 6d.—Beef and Mutton, bid. to 0d..- York, Ao' ''-' Butter, 12d. per lb. - - - . „, CO! ru MINING INTELLIGENCII. 1, - ,,e1 . - Quantity of Copper Ore sold at Redth last Thursday ~-- 1 4 1 Average Produce .16 1 c o, Quantity of fine Copper l lei- Amount of Sale. 12,2011. Os. &L—Average Standard, 107 1 On the 18th inst., atBIRTHS Rochester, the wife of CAP tsi° Evan Nrpean, R.N. of a daughter. On the 18th inst., at Frognel, Hampstead, the w` the Rev. R. H. Simpson, M.A. of twin daughter e uo At Ilighlands, Sussex, the lady of John Dua l o -• . Esq., of a daughter. einf On the 21st. inst., at Prospect House, Stoke - , "' s ton-road, Mrs. p. Oen:tents, of a daughter. DIED. On the 21st inst., aged 18 months, Viscount Pevensl,l' only son of the Earl of Sheffield. On the 20th inst., in Upper Guildford-street, 44 Elizabeth Standert, at a very advanced age, a fter 3 01"). but severe 0 ;111 ! On the 18th inst., at Neweastle-upon-Tyne , i n the go, year of her age, Jane, second daughter of the la te N. P perley, Esq., of Wanstead, in the county of Essex. , On the 20th inst., at his residence, Hamilton-10 North Brixton, after a long and severe illness, Hugh O F ' Esq. Pam'An and PUBLISHED 6y MUitDO YOUNG, sir Sum Omele t 112, &RAND; LIMON*