The Sun. — London, England, 1837-05-02 00:00:00

Sir RICHARD MUSGRAVE was understood to sup the of the measure. h e Mr,r. YSli said th a t one po i nt absolutely necessary to t_ successful wor ki ng out of this or any other system of P oor -laws, was a bold and genral of education, ' e mbracin g a ll c l asses, and conflicting with system the feelings of no religious sect. This, and a proper system of emigration, and a good system of public works, would do much to im prove and raise the moral and physical condition of the peopl e of Ireland. Mr. LUCAS highly approved of the general principle of this Bill, but there were many of the details which he should f eel it to be his duty to object to in Committee. The people i n th e N orth of Ireland complained of the ex tent of the Unions, and when the Bill went into the Com mittee he should feel it his duty to propose their reduction. _ Mr. PRY ME decidedly objected to the principle of the It would, in his opinio n , diversi on of move afford no practical relief t o t he poo r o f Ireland. Its only effect, ind ee d, wou ld b e th e e the p oor i n the sha y which of w migagesht otherwise be appropriated f_ .p forproductive lab. His obj ect i ons to the details of th e measure he shouldour re serve for the Committee. _ Sir ROB ERT PEEL observed that if the Hon. and Learned Member's objection were valid against the mea sure before th e House, it was equally valid against the P r inciple of Poor -laws altogether, for it was, of course, qt.iite impossibl e to raise any money by way of a poor-rate without diminishing the funds applicable to productive leahbour.--(Hear, hear, hear.) Now, it was valid as against everyty altogether, private as well as public, seeing that as a diminution of funds which might otherwise be given :;L.,(,)0 productive labour.—(Hear, hear.) The object of a ) or-law was, not to provide employment for the poor, but %give relief in cases of destitution. Even supposing such case as that all the able-bodied persons in the country were i tut emplo y m ent, there would still be so many cases of desti e aged, infirm, and impotent as to form a strong claim to ,Piublic assistance', for it was out of the question to say that th e • bie charity of private individuals should be made chargea with it all. This was the legitimate object of a Poor-rate ; but the moment it was carried beyond that— tfolie moment an attempt was made to provide employment 1 ,, r the poor out of it, then it became liable to the Hon. l-ember's objection.—(Hear, hear, hear.) It would be lound that sometime before the 43d Elizabeth, that as far ba ck„, ;it the reign of Henry VIII., as well as of Edward 1., the necessity for compulsory relief was felt and some . llieetned upon ; for at that time if a party refused his .propor of voluntary- assessment to the relief of the destitute, to and successive app li cation of the Clergyman, the Bishop, itittthe Justic e o f the Peace, he was liable to be co ed. rn Then came the 43d Elizabeth, the principle of With some modifications, they were now about to a „PPIy to I re l and. He was prepared to give his vote in p kv our of t h e second reading of the Bill, for he must con tTehss that h e could not concur with his Right Hon. Friend c Memb er f or the University of Dublin, as to the ex did not Pedi encY of d e l ay i ng the matter.—(Hear, hear, hear.) H e pretend to deny that be had some doubts as to the „ ult . i mate effe c t of this measure ; but the feeling had become f'4niversal that it was not consistent with justice or the ur- Plt demand s of charity that there should be no relief for He Poor of Ireland, while relief was given to the poor in 1 . 1 ,) the other parts of the empire.—(Hear, hear.) It was, therefore, universally admitted that it was necessary to t s ak e an experiment, and this being admitted, the sooner be experiment was made the better. It was self-evident that they could never arrive at a satisfactory Poor-law fThe ort Ireland without so me p rev i ous p ract i ca l exper i ment. Lure to e experiment being made, it would be for th e Legisla tUre effect such modifications in the system a s ex p er i ence hould dictate. It appeared to him that the delaying the raeasure could b e of iuct ive of considerable mischief. The House co u ld h ar dl y Zave fuller i n f ormat i on on the subject than was already be i\Tr.e them i n t h e Report of the Commissioners and of Mr. iebolls, and if the measure were delayed, the House Mi ght find at a future period the public mind in not so good a state as it was now in for making this very impor tant experiment. He should, therefore, vote for the se cond readin g of the Bill, and he trusted that in its future Stages it might be allowed to have precedence of the ordi- Al' a ry business of the House not of equal importance. The neas ure came b e f ore t h e H ouse under the very favourable auspicesau t h at no one regarded it in the light of a party ques- Wo Some H on . G ent l emen had argued the successful Working of the measure from the successful working of the ne w system in England. It was, however, to be observed, that the new experiment in this country had hitherto been W orkin g under very peculiarly favourable circumstances, ° Wing principally to the very g enera l d eman d f or l a b our. The 841 /lecircumstances, ho w e ver , did not ex i st at present in I reland and the Irish measure varied in several important M odifications from the English. In the first place they here about to mak e th e exper i ment i n Ireland without the Wof settlement which prevailed' here. He was well aw arei how great were the evils arising out of a law of set ttaraent, the litigation it gave rise to, the disadvantages of e 'nfinine the ideas of the people within a certain limited district, the peculiar difficulties of applying it to a people so migratory in their character as the Irish, and the hardships the ir from p revent i ng poor men, whose only capital was labour, from carrying that labour wheresoever there Might b e the greatest demand for it ; but, on the other f ., a nd, it was difficult to say what would be the operation of fee workhouse system without a law of settlement.— (Hear, hear.) In no place would this difficulty be more aell 'iblY felt than in the sea-port towns, where mcndi „cants peculiarly resorted. To these mendicants, having t"? natural connection with the soil, a right would be h lv e,n to enter the workhouse of the place, so that th e e f support would fall, not on the parish to which t en Y W ould be restr i cte d , were a law of settlement in exis for c e. but o n the rate-payers of the district which—and f e good r eason i n many cases—they might happen to pre ex"_---( He ar , h ear.) Then, again, relief was to be refused e ` i pt it was administered in the workhou se . N ow , h e geriullY acknowledged the advantages of this principle as a b e 7 41 rule, but he had great doubts whether they would Th e regularly to act upon it in all cases.--(Hear, hear.) twue distinction which had been set up on this point be- A ce " ,t!le respective systems was rather a fine-drawn one. feet, c ' r aulg to the construction of all our laws on the sub tn,there existed on the part of the destitute poor of m i g f l and a clear legal claim to relief, but this legal claim to e x ,was to be refused to the Irish poor. It was admitted c4 " 4 ". Nicholls that this could not apply to extraordinary o ec es ; such as f am i ne. S uppose —no unlikely case—the 11 0 ren ce of a st a t e o f t hi ngs i n w hi ch, while the work -4 enunse was full, t h ere were other parties in a uni on o f 400 :re, miles, equa ll y destitute with those in the workh ouse , it °Q° as the principle contained in this Bill was established • w . °41,1 speedily be found very difficult to maintain the po 'lit.'" t hat, because the workhouse happened to be full, tah„.erefore no relief should be given to anybody out of it.—• I,t!ear, hear.) He must repeat that it was his impression ._ 7 ms a prin c i p l e could not be rigidly acted upon. He vas not af ra id that the proposed extent of unions l'il ld be f oun d too large and cumbersome.—(Hear, hear.) Tl l , Was anoth er part of the Bill which no doubt pro 'ceeded f rom a good motive, and was quite intelligible to "Y one who applied himself to the subject—he meant the mode o f admission to the workhouse, ivhich no doubt was intended to discourage applications. By that art of the B ill it was l a id down that if one of a family in a state of litter destitution applied for admission, he could not be ad rnitted unless the whole family accompanied. Now he oould suppose a f am il y o f ten persons, and one of them y was disabled, his only passport for admission was that the other nine should also be admitted before he could be P r ovided with board and lodging. He saw the object of beep a r egu l a ti on, b ut h e feared it would in many instances the c onsequence would be either that they must refuse the ""ally destitute admission, or if he is admitted with the rest, that the workhouses would soon be completely filled —not with the impotent and disabled only, but there would be idled to these probably three-tenths of the pauper - popu nP• Th a t i nvo l ved a principle which it would be ex eaie'ngly difficult to carr y i n t o e ff ect . M uc h h a d b een Zd had been about Mr. Nicholls's r e p or t. Th a t repor t, h e mus t , drawn up with great care and attention, and .opini on of Mr. Nicholls, from his long experience, as Well as from his being above all suspi c i on o f i n t eres t e d mo trs, and from th e c i rcumstance that he had spent f • 0 1! gr:ater part of hi s lif e i n d ev i s i ng an i mprove d system the m anagement of the poor, he . considered was en- I t l it e l d ed , to great weight. The vituperation, therefore, which hp _ueen cast upon him was wholly uncalled for.—(Hear, 0 ,; 41- .) He thought it proper, also, that they should begin th e u t I ,`, 4 'ited scale, because it would be highly expedient '"eY should see how the Bill would work for two or oth :e years before they carried it into general operation ; Were th ere m i ght be some danger, if all the destitute l !'e ts, be ad m i tted ; and if they considered they had a w 'ght to board a n d l o d g i ng in the workhouses, that they 4vldrather trust to that sort of relief than to their own ual exertions Now, though he saw considerable eulties in the way,. y:t if he were asked what other rrie e.4l , law, nee would be a more effectual check than a Poor- Wag should find it difficult to give an answer. There r ings°ne other point. MuCh had been said of the suffe - risant s eall sed by landowners ejecting a number of te- Qvil : and might it not be apprehended that some In S yste m at respe c t m i g h t ar i se from the proposed that excie to"tne a nd that t h e l andowner might have recourse dient, i n or d er ,not to be burdened by heavy e T` re for the keeping up the workhouses ? As he had m ired as approved o f th at part o f t h e Bill w hi c h at first, op!ra,tion s t o a small portion of the population extendit lf the system worked well, it would be easy_ to b r whercas, if th e d oors were thrown open indiscri i o Yat 013 C 3 ' it might b e very difficult afterwards to g ab out a noire coptiveted system of relief. tie would, port therefore, support the second reading ; and when the Bill went into Committee, he would do everything in his power to find a remedy for any of its defects, in order to render the measure as perfect as possible.—( Hear, hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL said, at that stage of the Bill, and the late hour of the night, he would not go into the details of the Bill, but would make a few observations in reply to some of the objections urged. He did not regret that these objections had been urged, because he thought it very useful that objections should be stated, and that such a course was likely to be conducive to the adjustment of the different parts of the measure. The more convenient time, however, for 'expressing his opinions on these points in detail would be when the Bill went into Committe. He thought the Right Hon. Baronet had stated with perfect truth what he was sorry to say had often been lost sight of in discussions on the English Poor-laws and Poor-laws for Ireland, viz., that a Poor-law was not a general law for providing em ployment.—(Hear.) That had been the practice for some time in England, and it had latterly been fostered to such an extent, that recourse was had to the Poor-law to make up the deficiency in wages, and provision made for a de serving man with a large family by means of a compulsory rate, instead of encouraging him to provide for himself and family by his own individual exertions. He thought this was a great mistake as to the intentions of a Poor-law. It had led to great abuses in England, and he should therefore be sorry to see a Poor-law established, one of the objects of which was to find employment for labour. He thought the great advantages of a Poor-law were, first, to relieve the extremely destitute, which in another state of society might be left to starve ; and another was, that it gave a right to the constituted authorities to prevent vagrancy and im posture. It had also a beneficial tendency in another respect, by bringing the landowners and the labourers into more frequent and closer contact, and by con necting them together, thus giving greater social strength to the whole. With that view of a Poor-law, and at the same time taking no exaggerated view of destitu tion in Ireland, he thought it would be of very great ad vantage to that country. With regard to what had been stated of Mr. Nicholls by the Hon. and Learned Member for Kilkenny, he wished to say a few words. He was bound to say that the report of that gentleman was extremely de serving of attention. Mr. Nicholls did not take upon him self to supersede the Report of the Commissioners, or pro pose a new plan. It was well known that the question was one of great difficulty. A Report was made by the Com missioners last spring, and on considering that Report his, Majesty's Ministers had serious doubts of the practicabi lity of many of the parts. These doubts only increased when they were referred to Mr. Senior, who was compe tent, from his experience and ability, to judge of the propo sition made in that Report. It therefore did occur that so far as respected the poor-law, they should not attempt to apply the principle of the English Bill to Ireland. The principle which they therefore proposed to adopt was, not one which might be suitable in England, but one which was consonant with general reasoning, and which might be applied in any country where a poor-law was to be established. That being the case, the Government thought it would be better to employ a gentlem a n we ll acquainted with the subject. He was accordingly requested by the Government to employ himself on the subject, with a view to inquiry ; and on that request . Mr. Nicholls undertook the journey to Ireland, and entered on the task with a de gree of ability, zeal, and attention, alike beneficial to the public service and to the people of Ireland. With respect to out-door relief he must say he was opposed to it. He did not wish to begin by sanctioning out-door relief, be cause he saw it would be dangerous in any country, and more particularly so in a country like Ireland. From a re port made by the Mendicity Society it appeared that the society had great objections to such a plan, on the ground that it would establish a system similar to that which lately existed in England, when one-half of the wages was paid by the parish, and the other half by the landholder or te nant. [The Noble Lord read an extract from the Report to that effect ; and also an extract from the Report of another Society in Dublin, alike opposed to out-door relief.] He thought the authority of these two Societies, who had experience on the point, ought to have great weight, with regard to the size of the Unions, which was a sub ject for consideration in Committee.—(Hear, hear.) He might say, however, that the size had been fixed from the experience which the Commissioners had had in England, and from the fact that when the Union was large there was less chance of private jobbing. The Right Hon. Ba ronet seemed to apprehend some fear that landowners might be induced to eject their smaller tenants on account of the operation of a Poor-law. Now, so far from thinking that ejectments would be more frequent than at the present time, he thought the contrary would be the effect. At present, when tenants are ejected they resort to towns and trust to public charity, but their numbers are eventually greatly di minished by fevers brought on by want and suffering, and they are not much heard of by those who ejected them because they are not burdened with their maintenance. But. the case would be very different under a Poor-law such as that proposed. If the landlord ejected a num ber of persons from his estate they would go to the work house, and he would find from the increase of the rates that he gained no advantage by such an expedient ; and besides, the fact would becOme so notorious that he would be obliged to desist from the force of public opinion. He thought too much blame had been cast on Irish landlords. They had great difficulties to contend with—difficulties im posed on them by former generations ; but it was his opi nion that by a measure such as that before the House not only much of the distress which prevailed in Ireland would be relieved and destitution prevented, but that the landlords in the long run would be grea tly b ene fit e d. R espect i ng t h e question of settlement, he would say, that he did not see how they could adopt it without depriving the labourer of a fair market for his labour. If the law of settlement was agreed to, many persons would be driven from a particular district and forced to subsist by mendicancy, instead of gaining a livelihood in districts where they thought the de mand for labour was the greatest. He was much gratified with the general tone of this debate. There had been an absence of party feeling on the subject ; and there seemed to be a disposition to consider the details of the Bill with a view to render it as satisfactory as possible. He was encouraged by that feeling to hope that the Bill would be allowed to go into Committee ; and he was rather sanguine in expecting that when the experiment was tried it would be attended with success. He must say that he did not calculate on those extraordinary effects from this measure which some had anticipated ; but he trusted that it would have considerable power in accomplishing that which was so very desirable, namely, an improvement in the con dition of Ireland.—(Cheers.) Mr. CALLAGHAN said lie did not think that desti tution in Ireland was so, extensive as the Commissioners re presented it to be ; but he was friendly to a system of poor laws. He, however, was apprehensive that the proposed establishment of workhouses would not be found so bene ficial as was anticipated. The Bill was then read a second time. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he would move that the Bill be committed pro forma to-morrow ; and he should then propose that it be re-committed on Monday. Mr. POTTER said he had a petition to present from the town he had the honour to represent, and lie wished to be permitted to state the number of signatures it contained, and the description of persons who had signed it. The pe tition had been agreed to at a public meeting, the Mayor in the chair, and was signed by the late and present Mayor, and' by 4,527 individuals, including one County Magistrate, four Borough Magistrates, ten Aldermen, twenty-two Coun cilmen (out of the thirty), the Coroner for the Borough, Town-clerk, Clerk of the Peace, and a great number of highly respectable tradesmen ; no petition had ever been presented from Wigan with anything like the number of signatures. He felt convinced that there was an increasing feeling in the country in favour of the Ministerial measure for the abolition of Church -rates, and a firm belief that it was founded in justice. The other orders of the day having been disposed of, the House adjourned at One o'Clock. IRISH IVILINICIPAL BILL.-A Meeting was held, this day (Monday), at Portsmouth, of the Town Council, when a petition was agreed upon to the House of Lords, in favour of the Bill for Corporate Reform in Ireland, as being a just, healing, and wise measure. It was carried unanimously, save one dissentient; and voted to be presented by Lord Melbourne. AUSTRIA AND THE AUSTRIANS.-ThiS iS at once an instructive and an amusing book. A great deal is told which it is highly necessary to know. There is a great deal of information, a vast number of anecdotes of distinguished persons of the last and of the present age, and a mass of gene ral instruction, important and novel. The author appears to have had access to genuine sources of information, and to have made good use of his time and opportunities. He has had his eyes about him and he has used them to a proper purpose.— Times. GENTLEMAN JACK, BY THE AUTHOR OF " CAVENDISII."-This new naval novel is inscribed to the " Old School of the British Navy," and the materials of the work have been furnished by the distinguished career of one of the ornaments of this old school. The events that give rise to so much of the interest as belongs to the incident occurred between 1790 and the period of the Walcheren expedition : they are set forth from beginning to end with the graphic free dom of touch and the easy power of transition which the author has displayed in his former sketches ; while they have the ad vantage of being manifest realities, and mingled with a good deal of practical observation, reflection, and suggestion. The characters, too, are as real as th e events.—Court Journal On Saturday evening last an inquest was held at the John Clark, Yorkshire a Blackh eat h Hi ll, on the body of Mr. tradesmen o f t h at ne i ghbourhood. It respectable G rey lnn, appeared from the evidence that the unfortunate deceased was going up stairs to bed, and had scarcely ascended two stairs when he fell down in a fit. Two medical gentlemen were called in, and attempted to bleed him, but thei r e ff orts were unavail able,: as the vital spark had fled. Verdict —Died by a fit of apoplexy. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1837. POST-OFFICE The EIGHTH REPORT of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the management of the Post-office Depart ment. (Part I.)—Presented on Friday to both Houses of Parliament by command of his Majesty. TO THE RIGHT HON. THE LORDS COMMIS SIONERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S TREASURY. FEES - SECRETARY'S OFFICE, LONDON. My Lords,—We have directed our attention to the fees and emoluments received by officers of the Post-office, and proposed that this inquiry should have formed the subject of our English Report ; but finding that the various branches of the investigation would be likely to occupy a considerable time, especially as regards the Colonies, we deem it of importance that we should now submit to your Lordships the result of our inquiries with respect to the Secretary's office in London. The accompanying return gives, we believe, a correct statement of the fees and emoluments of every description which have been received by the officers in the establish ment in London, during each of the three years ending 31st December, 1835. In the Secretary's department, fees are received on the deputations granted to every new Postmaster in England and Wales ; upon commissions to agents and Postmasters abroad ; upon private expresses to and from London ; and for the supply of intelligence to the London Press of the state of polls at the time of a general election. A more considerable sum is realised from the profits on the Packet and Shipping Lists. The whole of these emoluments form what is termed " the Secretary's Office Consolidated Fee Fund ;" out of which 7501. is paid annually to the revenue, and the re mainder is divided among a certain number of the clerks in the Secretary's office, in the proportions stated in the return. We recommend to your Lordships that the fees charged on deputations and commissions may be forthwith abolished ; and if it is considered expedient to continue to give facility for the transmission of private expresses, and for the receipt of election intelligence through the post-office, we are of opinion that any fees which are charged ought to be carried to the public account. PACKET AND SHIPPING LISTS. The Packet List was established in 1799, under the au thority of the Postmaster-General. It contains all, the packet intelligence received at the General Post-office by the morning mails ; and, being published in time for distri bution with the letters of the same clay, the information could not by any other means be so speedily and accurately. conveyed to the public. The Shipping List was established inlBol, likewise with the authority and concurrence of the Postmaster-general. Mr. Johns, one of the senior clerks in the secretary's office, who Wad been for many years editor of the Shipping List, states that it contains information respecting " the arrivals and sailings of ships from and for foreign ports," and also " vessels from one English port to another." Since the first establishment of these lists the clerks have enjoyed the privilege of receiving information for them free of postage. They have likewise been circulated under the secretary's frank, and notices to subscribers, or circulars for the public, and all other correspondence relating to them, have been transmitted without any charge. It has been the practice to employ the country post masters and the letter-carriers in London as agents, and to allow them a gratuity for the orders they obtain, and a per-tentage on the money collected by them. The returns from the agents of some of the large ship ping houses are likewise permitted to be sent through the post-office free. The clerks have the advantage of the in telligence contained in these returns from their lists, and afterwards transmit them to the persons for whom they are intended, who thus save the postage they would otherwise be charged with. Returns from the agents at Lloyd's are likewise ex empted from postage. '1 he Tenth Report_of the Commissioners of Fees and Gratuities (dated 30th June, 1788) contains the following statement with respect to the information received from Lloyd's : - - An account of the arrival and sailing of ships from all parts is transmitted to the Postmaster-General, and sent, immediately on the coming in of the mails, to the Master of Lloyd's Coffeehouse, for public information, for which the sum of 2001. is paid annually ; which sum is at present divided equally between the Secretary and the Comptroller of the Inland•office. " The intelligence should be continued ; but as, from the early delivery of the letters, the Master of the Coffeehouse cannot avail himself so much thereof as formerly, we are of opinion the sum of 1001. per annum only should now be paid for such indulgence, which sum ought to go in aid of the general fund." In consequence of the above recommendation, the charge made for the returns appears to have been reduced, and in 1793 it was entirely discontinued, by direction of the Post master-General, who stated that he considered it " of con sequence that these returns should come up regularly and free, and be addressed to the Postmaster-General, without charge to the party." 'l'lie privilege has continued on this footing since 1793, and has, in our opinion, been of much advantage to the shipping interests of the country ; nor do we think that any individual has reason to complain of the existence of this privilege, as the public have access to the whole of the in formation as soon as it is received. The returns are con fined entirely to intelligence relating to the arrivals and de partures of vessels, or accidents at sea, and a list is pub lished twice a-week embodying this information. No undue preference is, however, given to these lists by the subscribers or managers of Lloyd's, as every other news paper or periodical has an opportunity of publishing the re turns even before they appear in Lloyd's List. It appears to us important that there should be some one public establishment in the kingdom to which reference can be made for correct and accurate intelligence, such as is contained in the returns received from the agents to Lloyd's. We therefore feel assured that your Lordships will be de sirous to continue the facilities which have been hitherto afforded by the Post-office and other Government depart ments with this view, on condition that the public shall have gratuitous and unrestricted access to the returns. With respect to the Post-office Shipping List, we must state to your Lordships, that we entirely disapprove of the clerks of a department having any portion of their time employed in managing and editing a publication of this na ture ; and we consider it still more objectionable that an exclusive privilege should have been conferred upon them of sending the publications which are unstamped postage free, and of receiving and transmitting their returns and correspondence in the same manner. We beg, therefore, to recommend that the Post-office Skipping List should be immediately discontinued, and that the clerks shall, at the same time, cease to have any interert in the Packet List. It will be desirable, however, to continue to publish the Packet List at the Post-office, as the information it con tains is necessarily transmitted to that department, and ought to be communicated to the public as early as pos sible. The price of the List should be fixed at the low est rate which will defray the expense which the depart ment will be put to by its publication, and if any small profit is derived from it, the amount should be carried to the public account. We have also to propose to your Lordships, that for the future no officer in the Secretary's depart ment shall be permitted to derive any part of his income from official privileges, or from fees of any description ; and in making this recommendation, we are at the same time bound to sav, that the clerks appear to us to have a just claim to a fair compensation for the emoluments they will be deprived of, by an addition to their respective salaries. The privileges and fees to which we have alluded have con tinued for upwards of thirty years, and have been fully re cognised by successive Postthasters-General, and always returned and considered as forming part of their official incomes. In confirmation of this statement, we would call your Lordships' attention to a communication addressed by the Postmaster-General to the Lords of the Treasury in 1809, where he says, " that the salaries of this department have been purposely kept down, that the fees in question might come in aid of the expenditure." We find also, in a Report made to the Lords of the Treasury in 1832, that the Postmaster-General proposed a reduction " in the salaries of the chief clerks and the seniors in the Secretary's office, because they derived emo luments from the Packet and Skipping Lists." We have further to submit to your Lordships that it would be expedient, in settling the amount of compensa tion to be givdn to the officers who now derive emoluments from the fee fund, to fix a permanent scale of salaries for their successors. ( Signed) DUNCANNON, H. L AI3OUC HE RE, SE YMO UR. Office of Woods, April 15, 1837. Despatches were forwarded yesterday from the Co lonial Department for the West India Islands. An instance of female heroism is related as having taken place during the late campaign against the Seminoles of Florida, well worthy of being banded down to posterity. A Mr. Sikes, together with his wife, their only daughter, her husband, Lieut. Smiley, and infant child, and three old negro women, occupied a house which was attacked by a large body of Indians-. The first alarm was , given by the discharge of three muskets fired at Lieut. Smiley, who was chopping wood in the yard, the balls from which caused his immediate death. His father-in-law, who was near him, fled instantly to the house, which he entered without. injury. Fortunately there were seven muskets in the dwelling, which were loaded in succession by the negro women, and discharged at the assail ants by Mr. Sikes and his wife and daughter. The last-men tioned lady was very active in avenging the death of her hus band, and killed three of the Indians. The attack was conti tinued until dark, when the savages retired, having lost five or six of their/lumber. ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS. PRIVATE VIEW. On Friday, at one o'clock, the King, accompanied by the Princess Augusta and the Dukes of Cumberland and Cambridge, and attended by a numerous suite, visited the Royal Academy of Arts, in their new location in Trafalgar square. They were received by the President, Council, and Officers of the Institution. These apartments having been allotted to the Society, in exchange for those originally granted to them in Somerset House by their founder, George 111., the keys were presented to his Majesty (in token of homage to their immediate patron) by the Presi dent, to whom his Majesty graciously returned them, ob serving that he could not place them in better hands. The King surveyed all the different rooms of the Royal Academy with great attention, and expressed himself much satisfied with their appropriat e distribution, as well as with the various productions of art assembled there on this oc casion. On departing, his Majesty being perceived under the portico, was greeted with loud acclamations by an im mense concourse of spectators, which he acknowledged with his usual affability. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria, attended by the Duchess of Northum berland and the rest of their suite, arrived at the Royal Academy a little after three o'clock, by which time the rooms were filled with a great number of visiters. Their Royal Highnesses, attended by the President, passed through all the apartments, and evinced much approbation of the general arrangement and effect of the whole. On Saturday the members of the Royal Academy gave their Anniversary Dinner, at their apartments in Trafalgar square, which was attended by a numerous assemblage of guests of the first rank and talent, among whom were— The First Lord of the Treasury, the Lord President of.the Council, Lord Privy Seal, the Chancellor of the Exche quer, the Secretaries of State for the Home, Foreign, Co lonial, and War Departments, the Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, the Vice-Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, Lord Chief Baron, Sir John Nichol', Attorney and Solicitor-General, General Commanding-in-Chief, Field Officer in Waiting, President of the Board of Control, the Lord Mayor, Chairman of the Board of Customs, Chairman of the East India Com pany, Governor of the Bank, Master and Warden of Dul-. wich College, Presidents of the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons ; the French, American, Prussian, Netherlands, Saxon, Belgian, Spanish, Portuguese, Bavarian, Grecian, Danish, Hanoverian, and Wurternburg Ministers ; Dukes of Nor'folk, Richmond, Devonshire, Wellington, Suther land, Buccleuch, Argyll and Newcastle ; Marquises Cam den, Conyngham, Abercorn, Anglesey, and Blandford ; Earls Rosebery, Cawdor, Ripon, Carlisle, Morley, Brown low, Grey, Aberdeen, De Grey, Albemarle, and Norman ton ; Bishops of London and Gloucester ; Lords Prudhoe, Burghersh, Northwick, Holland, Morpeth, Stanley, Lynd hurst, Hatherton, Neville, Burlington, and Tankerville ; Right Honbles. Sir R. Peel, C. W. Wynne, Sir J. Gra ham, Poulett Thomson,. and J. W. Croker ; Hon. Gen. Phipps ; Sirs H. Wheatley, R. H. Inglis, J. Conroy, Wil loughby Gordon, A. Carlisle, G. Phillips, and B. Stephen son ; Messrs. Ridley Colborne, T. W. Coke, R. Vernon, E. R. Tanno, Davies Gilbert, W. Wells, J. Neeld, Hart Davis, J. Sheepshanks, J. Morrison, J. Marshall, J. Tur ner, C. Babbage, J. Cartwright, C.- Hampden Turner, A. Milne, W. Ilamilton, W. Seguier, T. Moore, Scrope, Hallam, J. H. Green, &c., &c., &c. WINDSOR-MONDAY. We are happy to state that her Majesty is much better. The Queen has had a good night. This afternoon his Majesty, accompanied by his Royal sister the Princess Augusta, (hove in a close carriage to Virginia Water. Sir Horace Seymour and Lady Clinton left the Castle this morning for town. Yesterday evening the Marquis Conyngham, the Hon. Mr. Ashley, and J. Martin, Esq., arrived at the Castle. The Noble Marquis returned to town this afternoon, accompanied by the Hon. Mr. Ashley and J. Martin, Esq. Earl and Countess Brownlow are expected to arrive this evening to dinner. COURT CIRCULAR. The Duke of Cumberland came to town yesterday from his residence at Kew. The Queen, and her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta, patronise the grand fete champkre at the end of the present month, in aid of the Royal Dispensary for Diseases of the Ear. The Archbishop of Dublin had an interview with the Chan cellor of the Exchequer yesterday in Downing -street. The Earl of Fingal and O'Conor Don had interviews with Viscount Melbourne in Downing-street yesterday. The Bavarian and Spanish Ministers transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office. Reschid Bey, the Ottoman Ambassador, gave last evening, at his residence in the Regent's-park, the last of a series of entertainments in honour of the birth-day of the Sultan. The company included the Turkish merchants resident in this coun try, and several English and foreign gentlemen, friends of the Ambassador. The dinner party given yesterday week by his Excellency consisted of Lords Nugent and Dudley Stuart ; Sirs Edward Cust, Gore Ouseley, Claudius Hunter, William Curtis, John Reid, and John Paul ; the Governor of the Bank, Mr. Hallifax, Mr. Grant, the Treasurer of Christ's Hospital, Count Metaxa, Colonel Dundas, of Woolwich, Colonel Moody, of Waltham Abbey, and several other gentlemen of rank. The Lord Mayor, Mr. Baring, Mr. Bates, Mr. Irving, and Mr. Groves were prevented from being present. A military band was in attendance at the hall on both evenings, and the front of his Excellency's residence was illuminated, as on the former occasions, with variegated lamps. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lady Theodosia Spring Rice entertained at dinner on Sunday, in Mansfield street, a select party, including the Solicitor-General, Mr. and Mrs. E. Romilly, Messrs. Wishaw, Taylor, Richard Burk, Barington, and Hempson, Professor Smyth, &c. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge and suite left town on Sunday morning for Rotterdam, by the Netherlands steam ship the Batavier. The Duke of Newcastle and the Ladies Clinton arrived in Portman-square on' Saturday last, from Clumber Park, for the season. The Duke of Sutherland will give his second grand dinner at Stafford House on Thursday next. The Marquis of Lansdowne gave a grand dinner on Sunday last, to the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Earl and Countess of Rosebery, the Earl and Countess of Minto, Lord and Lady Horvick, Viscount Palmerston, the Rey. Sydney Smith, Mr. Thomas Moore, and Mr. Sheil. The Earl of Sefton's dinner parties will re-commence next week, in Arlington -street. Despatches, dated the 2d of January, were received yesterday at the India Board from Lord Auckland, the Go vernor-General of India. In the sitting of the First Chamber at Hanover.on the 17th and 18th ult., there was a confidential discussien on the Ministerial letter of the 13th of June, 1836, relative to the claims of the subjects of the kingdom of Hanover upon the Go vernment of the former kingdom of Westphalia. Their pros pects appear to be favourable. The Vice-Chancellor has specially appointed Friday next for hearing the cause of Taylor v. Rundell, the ques ti on in which relates to th e ri g ht o f the executors of the late Duke of York to some valuable mines in North America, the deci sion of which is of great importance to the creditors of his Royal Highness. The Earl of Shannon lies dangerously ill at his house in Hamilton-place, from the bursting of a blood-vessel. His Lordship was thrown off his horse many months ago, and has not been well since. Lord Molyneux, Lady Craven, Lady Seymour, and Mr. Storey were among the passengers to Antwerp on Sunday by the General Steam Navigation Company's splendid new steam-ship Ocean. Lord and Lady Frances Egerton had a distinguished party at dinner last evening at Bridgewater House. Amongst the noble guests were the Duchess-Countess of Sutherland, Earl and Countess of Surrey, Earl and Countess of Grosve nor, Lord and Lady Eliot, Lord Fitzalan, Lady Charlotte Greville, The Hon. and Rev. Dr. 'Wellesley returned to Apsley House yesterday from a visit to his daughter, Mrs. Liddell, at Barking. - 'The Hon. and Rev. Gentleman will leave town on Thursday next, on a visit to Lord and Lady Ailsa at Rome. The Right Hon. Lord Rolle has given Messrs. Miles and Edwards a very extensive order for rich silk damasks for furniture, on the express condition that they shall be manu factured in Spitalfields. Mrs. Vernon, of Hereford -street, gives a dinner this day to the Duke of Norfolk, Lord and Lady Eastnor, Sir Wm. and Lady Pringle, and a few select friends. At a congregation on Thursday last at Cambridge, a grace passed the Senate to sanction a petition to the Chan , cellor for the purpose of obtaining for Mr. Stanley, of St. John's College, the new Bishop of Norwich, the degree of Doctor i n Di v i n i ty b y R oya l Mandate. The Master and Fellolks of Jesus College have sig nified their intention of presenting the living of St. Clement, Cambridge, to the Rev. George Spence, LL.B., of Jesus College. Mr. Randolph Payne, of St. James's-street, was yesterday sworn in at the Board of Green Cloth, as Purveyor of Wines to his Majesty, by an appointment under a warrant from his Grace the Lord Steward. Madam e Caradori Allan's Cueert, under the pa tronage of her Majesty, announced for to-morrow morning, combines all the musical talent now in London. It will, we have no doubt, be fully and fashionably attended. A duel took place in the neighbourhood of Worth- , ing on Friday morning, between Mr. and Mr. —, when., after three shots having been exchanged without effect, t.),e seconds interfered, and the last-mentioned gentleman expressed himself satisfied, and the parties separated. It is said tkvat a quarrel arose between the seconds relative to the loadarig of the pistols, which was very near coming to a disp u t e , w hi c h would, pr o b a bl y , h ave term i nate d much more tragicaliv than the occurrence firSt mentioned. RAIL WAY SUBSCRIPTION CONTRACTS. (From a Correspondent.) The First Report from the Select Committee on the Deptford and Dover Subscription List has been published. This document affords matter of grave consideration for Parliament and the public. To parties unacquainted -with the course hitherto inva riably adopted by Railway Companies in providing their Subscription Lists, the disclosure, through this Report, of an every-day occurrence, doubtless presents the character of fraud ; or, if not of actual fraud, of something closely akin to it. But what is the fact ? The Standing Orders with respect to Railway Bills require a Subscription List, pro portionate to the capital of the Company, to be deposited in certain offices before the Bill can be proceeded with. This document binds the parties signing it, their " heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns ," for the paym en t o f the money so su b scr ibed. All Railway Acts contain a clause, empowering those parties who have so signed the contract to absolve themselves from their preliminary en gdgement, by certain forms, after the Act has been obtained. These forms consist in the voluntary registration of certain other parties, as holders of these shares, who become sub ject to the same legal obligations which are imposed upon thb original subscribers. This is a plain statement of the fact. Now what has been the practice ? Why, to lodge a document, entitled a Subscription Contract, signed as required. Who, either in or out of Parliament, before the present Railway struggle, ever dreamt of inquiring who the parties were who had signed this contract ? The production of the document, complete in its requirement, was all that Parliament re quired, and all that it could require, as neither Parliament nor any other authority has a constitutional right of insti tuting a public inquiry into the private affairs of any sub ject on the abstract question of solvency or insolvency. Both Parliament and the Public know, however much they may now plead ignorance of the fact, that the generality of signatures have been attached to subscription deeds solely with a view to obtain the profits likely to arise froin the shares commanding a premium in the money market, after an Act of Parliament may have been obtained ; or, in other words, that nearly all Railway subscribers have been speculators for prgfit, and not subscribers for the under taking. Will this be denied in the House of Commons, or out of it ? Will the many great and powerful of this land, who have signed these contracts for double, treble, aye, ten times the sums they could by possibility pay up if called upon to do so, now cast the stone of obloquy on less influen tial, but possibly not more needy, persons, who have but followed their example under the same hope of profit ? But let us see where, and on whom, the real responsibility of these Railway schemes lies. It has been already stated, that to obtain a locus standi before Parliament on any Railway Bill, certain forms must be first complied with by the promoters of the undertaking. These forms, of which the Subscription List is one, are but stepping-stones to inquiry into the merits of the under taking itself. The entire case, that is, the undertaking itself, not the Subscription List, undergoes a minute scrutiny be fore a Committee appointed for the purpose. The prehinble of the Bill, together with its several appendices of detail, are reported to the House, proved, or otherwise, as the case may be. A third reading takes place after the presen tation of the Report, and the Bill is granted or rejected. Both Houses adopt this course, and on the decision of Par liament being known, the whole transaction at once assumes an entirely new character. All that which in the first case, pending the inquiry, was but provisional, at once assumes ' a legal character. The liability of Shareholders, which in the first case was limited to the amount of their deposits, is, in the second case, extended to the amount of their subscription to the contract deed ; but simultaneously with this extension of liability, the Legislature, in the very Act granted for the execution of the work, gives a clear and distinct power tb each -original and future Shareholder of absolving himself from his engagement ; thus stamping the whole transaction as a marketable, speculative, and money-making process. This power of absolution from the responsibility first entered into, consists in the power of legal transfer after registration, as before referred to. But it may be urged, that without a buyer there can be no seller, and consequently no real power of getting quit of the shares. Here lies the whole and entire safety of the previous proceedings—safety to Parliament—safety to the public—and, lastly, safety to the Shareholder himself, who, after all, is entitled to the least consideration, having voluntarily incurred his own risk. When the Act for the execution of the projected work is obtained, the first requirement of the Act is to convene the Shareholders. At the first meeting of these Share holders, which must be held within a time specified in the Act, all preliminary and previous arrangements and appoint ments cease and determine ; th© whole power of election and direction reverts to the Shareholders themselves, as it shoUld do, and they then have the power either to proceed or suspend operations altogether. They may refuse to re-elect Directors, or if Directors be elected, they have power to make such bye-laws for did/• guidance as still to keep the power of procedure or suspen sion in their own hands. If the scheme be a good one, sanctioned by Parliament, and in favour with the Public, the original Shareholders transfer their shares with their first anticipated profits ; on the contrary, if not so in favour with the Public, the undertaking stands stik time shortly destroys the power conferred by the Act, and on the origi nal speculative subscriber remains the responsibility of his own deed, who alone has to pay the cost of his experiment. Upon this . individual responsibility of each subscriber rests the whole fabric of commercial enterprise and confi dence. Let Parliament but once interfere and lessen this personal responsibility, and a fatal blow is given to credit in all its ramifications. Let the Legislature, then, pause before it likens to the demand of speculators to rip up Subscription Contracts, which have hitherto obtained their uses, and proved correc tives of themselves. Nothing can bi more fatal to the development of our national energies than Parliament en couraging one party to accuse another, on the most bare faced grounds, of selfish and personal interests, when both parties are equally liable to the same imputation ; and such Parliament would do, were it to listen to petitions seeking to defeat Bills on the grounds of their prospects being 'now more unfavourable than when they were first entertained. A defeated party, or a disappointed Shareholder, has now but to attack the subscription deed of his adversary, and delays, expenses, and every species of annoyance, may be occasioned to Directors, who have but one object in view, and that is, doing their best for the interests of their Share holders and the public. Railway Companies are, in reference to their Subscription Contracts, not singular in their mode of proceeding. Go vernment loans and debentures, for carrying on public works, are all founded on the same speculative principle. This principle has provided us with the East and West In dia Docks, with Railways and Canals innumerable, and will carry out the present system of railway communication throughout the empire, if 12ft to its own influence, free and unembarrassed. Check this principle, founded on individual and personal responsibility, and the progress of civilization will be arrested, the application of science to lessen the cost of production be impeded, and our population will in crease, on a decreaping, or at least stationary, power of production, to the manifest and immediate depreciation of property. CORONERS' INQUEST. Last night, at seven o'clock, an inquisition was taken before Mr. Payne, at Farringdon watch-house, Newgater street, on view of the body of Miss Henrietta Morgan, aged 32, who committed suicide by taking a quantity of arsenic. Elizabeth Thompson, a 'shopwoman, knew the deceased, who was assisting in the millinery department of the manu factory belonging to Mr. Palmer, 9, Newgate-street, in which she had been employed twelve years. On Friday night witness went into the deceased's room to speak to her, when she (witness) found the deceased very ill. She got worse, and about one o'clock in the morning witness sent for Dr. Waller; -hut upon whose arrival life was ex tinct. By the CORONER—The business was formerly carried on by Mr. Fletcher, to whom she was much attached, and who died four months ago. She often spoke of his death. Mr. J. Morgan, the deceased's brother, a commercial traveller, produced a letter which the deceased had written on Friday, and which was in. the following terms : .‘ My dear Brother,—The enclosed handkerchief is one belonging to my dear friend which I have reserved for you. The chain I have had made for you—value them both. I soon shall follow him ; or I hope so, for my happiness is gone for ever in this world. Wear the chain for the sake of your unhappy sister. When lam no more you will have something in memory of us both. My dear John, I have one thing to request of you, that, whenever it may please God to call me from this world, you will bury me in the same g rave with my ver y much beloved friend. Another request, John, that you will not forget your dear mother, who requires your aid and protection. Oh, that I could have lived to see my brother happily united. I ask no more. " God bless you, my dear brother, I remain your,vcry pffectionate sister, " April 28, 1837. " HENRIETTA MOIZGAN.." The CORONER. was deeply affected reading the letter. The foreman of the jury had, since the death of Mr. Fletcher, repeatedly seenthe deceased.hathed in tears. Verdict—" Temporary insanity." A petition to the Pope, prayyng for an increase of Bishops in England, and their election by the working clergy, signed by a great majority of the CP tholic priests and respect able laity of the four northern cr)unties and the Isle of Alan, is now on its way to Rome, and will be soon followed by others from Lancashire and Yorkshivvr—Preston Observer. EXECUTION OF GREENACR (THIS MORNING.) T' ::_ u . ~<.--r- (From the Morning Post.) tia..4l/ 4 44 At an early hour last night the Old Bailey, and the space around the angles of Newgate, were thronged with a clamourous multitude, including almost as many women as men, and amongst the latter persons apparently of every grade in society, though, as in all such cases, the great mass was of the lowest order. Vehicles of every description drove up in quick succession. The passengers seemingly having their curiosity gratified by the gloomy aspect of the walls, soon retired to make way for another train. Occa sionally, a carriage full of gentlemen, and we believe ac companied by ladies in.more than one instance, mingled for• a moment amidst the eager crowd. Many hundreds spent the night sleeping on the steps before the doors of the pri son, the opposite shops, and St. Sepulchre's Church ; and all who had procured places in the windows commanding a view of the place o f execut i on, ma d e sure o f t h e i r seats by occupying them several hours before the dismal preparations commenced. There was not at any time of the night less than 2,000 people in the street. So great was the anxiety to procure a commanding one that several persons remained all night actually clinging to the lamp posts ! The public-houses and coffee-shops were crowded with customers. Any house that had still a seat undis posed of informed the fluidic of the vacancy by announcing the fact'on large placdials:,rpos.!ed on the walls, and forthwith the rush of competheeveSs greater than on any former occasion. The populace did not seem in the slightest degree impressed with reflections upon the dreadful crime of the murderer, and the awful punishment by which he was about to expiate it. The interval was spent in jokes and amusements. Two boys actually sparred with boxing gloves under the gallows, and the spectators were delighted at such a variation of the monotony of the night. In truth, no criminal ever went to the scaffold with less sympathy than Greenacre. His approaching doom excited but jests and maledictions. Every one spoke as if he were about to be released from .some detestable enemy by the hands of the hangman. It was for some time apprehended that Greenacre would, after all, be executed at Horsemonger-lane instead of New gate, and this diversity of opinion certainly caused the crowd to be less dense than it would otherwise have been. At length, at half-past tree, the suspense was put an end to by the opening of the gates of the court-yard, and the appearance of the workmen with boards for the erection of the scaffolding. The clinking of the hammers, the ringing of the chains, and the concussion of the boards, as one after another they were incorporated_, into the platform, were now the signal for a simultaneous irruption of hundreds and thousands from 'every part of the metropolis. As the morning advanced the multitude became consoli dated into one vast aggregate, through which neither coaches, cabs, nor any kind of vehicle could make their way but with difficulty. The police and eonstables now began to fix blocki and bars at the termination of the different avenues, to prevent such a fatal accumulation of numbers as that which occurred when Air. Steele's murderers were exe cuted, and when not less than thirty individuals were crushed to death. Still the pressure on many points was irresistible, and -.screams and groans from persons who could not extricate themselves were intermingled in horrible discordance with the barbarous pleasantries of the surrouni, ing body. It was now six o'clock, and the. machinery of death 'was conspicuous at a great distance. The height of the hori zontil beam of the gallows from the base of the platform on which it was erected was about twenty feet. Those who could not approach nearer were glad even to view it from Ludgate-hill. The roofs of the houses ,were covered with spectators. Meantime quarter hour' after quarter tolled, each suc ceeding peal exciting feelings far widely different, the notice of the ignominious doom still nearer approaching to e thi fated criminal, and to the impati en t p o p u l ace t h e announce ment that so much time had been reduced from the inter val that yet existed between their desire and its consumma fol ; for, as we hale &ready remarked, each individual looked forward to Greenacre's execution as if he had by it a per sonal revenge to gratify. Another dreadful hour passed by. About half-past seven the Sheriff's carriage arrived, preceded by a body of con stables. The gentlemen who produced cards were- then admitted to the prison, through the Sessions House. All others, of what rank soever, were rigidly excluded, except the reporters of the press, in whose favour, the Sheriffs, with their wonted courtesy, made an exception, admitting alike the reporters who had procured tickets and those who could only announce the paper which they represented. , After waiting about a quarter of an hour the strangers were conducted into the Press-room, where the hangman and his deputies soon made their appearance. The Jack-Ketch-in- Chief is a small, well-built, wiry, intelligent-looking man, of bronzed features. His hair is black as a raven. He came in bare-headed, smiling, and sat down talking with his assistants as if on a topic of ordinary business, as indeed it was with him. One of his coadjutors was like himself, the other was a tall, venerable man—a hoary-headed apprentice. It was now 16 minutes to eight, and the Spectators in the press-room had increased to about .50. The execu tioner had now gone to manage the gallows machinery for the last time. The minutes now slowly and awfully less ened. Greenacre now came forward as the bell tolled the hour of death. He was preceded by the Venerable Ordinary, Dr Cotton, reading the prayers for the dead. Greenacre was totally unmanned—all his fortitude had left him—he was unable to speak—his lips quivered as if he were vainly endeavouring to articulate- the responses after the Vene rable Ordinary, and one of the officers was obliged to support him or he would have fallen. He neither turned to the right nor the left, and his eyes were closed as he walked along the narrow passage which leads from the cell to the platform. On his appearance outside he was greeted with a storm of terrific yells and hisses, mingled with groans, cheers, and other expressions of reproach, revenge, hatred, and contumely ; but he answered nothing to the last questions put to him, nor did he seem in any way moved—indeed, he could not have been more depressed by the horrible reception. He said not one word of hope, repentance, or reconcilement ; nor did he make a speech, as it was expected he would have done, in order to vindicate himself, if possible, in the eyes of pos terity, as he always complained •that his contemporaries, and especially the Press, had cruelly prejudged and ca lumniated him afterwards. Neither has it transpired that he made any reference to the murder subsequent to the statement we last published. When the dreadful uproar had in some degree subsided, Greenacre bowed towards the Reverend 'Ordinary and the Sheriffs, and seemed anxious to thank them, but he could not speak. At length_ he faintly uttered his last sentence, with 'a final look of contempt at tue crowd, " Don't leave me long in the concourse," and scarcely-had the last syllable fell, than the signal was giVen, the spring was touched, and at ten minutes past eight Greenacre died without a strugee. He left no dying directions, save that his spectacles should•be given to Mrs. Gale. The crowd seemed as if they could never satisfy themselves with gazing on the hanging murderer. The women were, if possible, more ruthless than the men. As the period for taking dosivn the body approached, a fierce conflict ensued between the two crowds, one leaving the place of execution and the other rushing towards it. The pressure became so great in the narrow passages that several fell in a state of exhaustion, and we fear that some, especially the females, have been trampled to death. Greenacre has bad much personal injustice done him ; he was by no means an ugly man. His height was at least five feet eleven inches ; his figure was erect and gentle manlike, and his eyes remarkably full, clear, and penetrat ing. It would be unjust to insinuate that he died unre pentant, fur as far as sorrow could have touched an iron heart like his, insensible to domestic tenderness, and almost from his youth to his last days a scoffer at religion, he evinced it, no criminal ever displayed greater mental con sistency and fortitude, and none ever needed it more, for he: died an object of unmitigated horror and execration to all, who had heard of his atrocious crime. The concourse that thronged the Old Bailey an& the space around St. Sepulchre's Church could not ha: 4l ' been less than twenty-five . thousand persons. It was • scarcely possible to imagine that so great a multitude criuld have been compressed into so small a space until they were seen departing through the streets in so many. direet;.ons, and then every thoroughfare seemed filled. The atroost order and regularity was preservea by the constables. REPRUSNNTA.TION OF WESTMINSTER.--;-(From a Correspondev.„o—This morning Mr. De Year, who has for many years past been the confidential agent and conducted the election of 'Sir Francis Burdett, authorised our informant to state that, it is not his intention to interfere in the ensuing electior,. The explanation he gives of his having become is neutt7,l is the mode in which he had been treated by the friend , , and supporters of General Evans, in their having brought, „, he (Mr. De Vear) says, Mfr. John Temple Leader forv,„d . tc is understocid that Sir James Graham at the bustiw o w ill proposa Sir Francis Burdett as a fit and proper . geuti, eman to represent the City and Liberty of Westminster Irk 'the House of Commons. ,It is not known who will second 6 th e nomina tion. Sir Francis is shortly expected in town, The annual sermon in behalf of the Church Mis sionary Society was preached last night at St. Bride's Church, Fleet.street, by the Rev. Thomas Dale, A. M., Professor of English Literature in King's College, London. The congre gation was very numerous and most respectable. Ti-fE CROPS.—The last few days have done much for the wheat, and given the pastures a much better appear ance. The peas, beans, and oats, which are visible, also show decided symptoms of improvement. The, clover and other green crops have participated in the benefits of the change in the weather ; and begin to look promising.—Maid stone Gazette,