The Sun. — London, England, 1837-07-28 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PU3LIC JOURNALS. If public opinion is to be_ anywhere inferred from the results of elections, it must he in those of large c onstituencies. - Hence the elections in the metropoli tan boroughs are far more conclusive as to the sense of the people, than the clee:ione in places frLie , the smallne• , .s or the dependent cirenmetences of the constituencies, they are subject to the controul of all manner of unfair influences. In all the metropolitan boroughe Reformers have been returned ; and nearly all the Reform candidates by very large majorities. If this be not evidence of public opinion, we beg to know what ie.? Yet the Times declares " there is hard's, a tradesman east or Qf Temple-bar who has not 'Lth e been outraged by threat or fir'fir'..,_,with tal e %1047,:°. titu betrayal of the trust reposed in him by the tion." How is this ? The numerous constituencies of London, Westminster, Mary-le-bonne, Finsbury, and . Southwark outraged by threat or bribe ! Who were the threateners ? Who the bribers ? According to the Times , the Tories constitute the majority of rich men in all these districts. The idea of the poor men bribing or threatening the rich is ridiculous. But then, quoth the apostate, " There is not a right of appointment to any office, however mean, vested in any functionary of Lord Melbourne's Govern ment, which has not been bartered on condition of prompt pat meat by a vote, or kept in abey ance to extend the influence of the - Treasury by a mul tiplicatiOn of open-mouthed expectants." We are to understand, then, that though the Ministry, as the Times told 115, exerted their whole influence a few months ago to o L , tain a victory for Mr. Leader over Sir Francis Burdett, that influence was insufficient in Westminster alone, anfl yet it has now been sufficient to obtain not only a greet majority for Mr. Leader and Colonel Evens in Westinioeter, but a great majo rity for the Refoim candidates in a:! the metropolitan boroughs. These is no use in mystifv:Pg a very plain matter. During the contest between Mr. Leader and Sir Francis Burdett, the old renegade did certainly succeed in deceiving not a few of his old supporters to his asseverations of consistency ; but many electors also were either intimidated into voting for Sir Fran cis, or into abstaining from voting at all. During the present election Tory intimidation, which before had been concentrated in the metropolis, is diffused throughout the country, so that the electors are less subject to the pressure of corrupt in fluence. A general election leaves the metropo litan borough free to exercise an independent suf frage ; for the aristocracy of all parties, in a great mea sure, withdraw to the different parts of the country ivith which they are more immediately connected. Still we do not believe that the Tories could have succeeded in returning Sir Francis Burdett against Mr. Leader, except in the very peculiar circumstances under which the last election took place. The election was unex pected, time had not been allowed to undeceive many of the electors with respect to Sir Francis's epos tacy, and there was no organization on the part of the Reformers. Again and again the Westminster electors have defeated the Court and the Tory aristocracy united. But if Westminster may be vexed but cannot be conquered by intimidation, the other metropolitan boroughs are still more favourably circumstanced. But to attribute the result in all these boroughs to threats or bribes is such an outrage on truth and probability that its very extravagance renders it harmless. if the • Tories, then, have been everywhere beaten in the metropolitan boroughs, we cannot have a more decided proof that what influence the Tories possess anywhere is derived, not from public opinion, but the means the Reform Bill has left them of defeatinc , the independent suffrages of the people. For though the metropolitan boroughs possess too numerous and too independent constituencies to be managed by unfair means, it is but too true that in a number of the old boroughs throughout the country, the returns are ef fected by intimidation, and more especially by bribery. In all of them there is a certain number of voters known to be venal, and the election is generally deter mined by these men. In some, though we trust not many, of the new boroughs the election is determined by the venal votes. Our Contemporary, the Stand ard, who is a great adept at mystification, and who is a master of all languages but that of sincerity, has, for instance, discovered that " the election of Green wich is incomparably the most important that has taken place since the passing of the Reform Bill." And why ? Because it has been discovered that Greenwich differs from the neighbouring metropolitan borcoghs in being manageable. Ho.'v happens it," exclaims our Contemporary, " that Mr. Wolv;rley Attwood succeeds by hundreds at Green wich, as a Conservative candidate, while all his brother Conservatives b: the metropolis, except Mr. Palmer, were defeated by very large majorities? Mr. Wolverley Att wood has very high personal and hereditary claims, we admit. He is a man of great worth and talent, and the son of a gentleman second to none in the House of Com mons in the highest attributte of genius and virtue. But it would be an extravagancy insulting to Mr. Wolverley Attwood himself to say that he is as distinguished a man as Sir G. Murray, or the superior of that Gallant Officer in talent ; or to pretend that, upon any consideration of virtue or ability, he could claim to take precedence of Mr. Dudley Perceval or Lord Teignmouth." A very slight acquaintance with Deptford, a great part of the population of which is so poor that in the evidence taken before the Police Committee it was stated that they must subsist by thieving incursions into the neighbouring districts, as they were without visible means of employment, would serve to account for the success of Mr. W. Attwood. Mr. W. Att wood, as the publicans can tell our Contemporary, spent much money on the venal voters, and the votes of the respectable electors were nullified by such means. Sir G. Murray might have succeeded as well in the boroughs of Greenwich, Woolwich, and Dept ford, as Mr. W. Attwood, had he spent as much money. But our Contemporary pursues this subject farther : " On the other side, Mr. Attwood's opponent, Admiral Napier, is at least not inferior in merit or prestige to any of the successful Radicals in the metropolitan representa tion. We clearly, therefore, must look beyond personal considerations to arrive at the reason of Mr. Attwood's success ; but that reason will be soon seen to be wholly free from mystery. In a few words Mr. Attwood began early and pursued his object with constancy and skill. When we name Mr. Attwood particularly, we do not at all in tend to exclude his Conservative friends in the borou g h from their due share in the praise of a glorious and most important victory. But we are tracing the modus operandi in an experiment upon new matter, and we are firmly con vinced that the first element of success in the case of Greenwich, and the indispensable element of success in rescuing all the metropolitan boroughs is that the man who is to be the r epresentative, and not merely a Conservative association, should begin early and work hard. Mr. Att wood-began early ; two years and a half ago he declared himself a cauilidate. He gave the Greenwich constituency so long to consider his character, and during that whole time the Conservatives of Greenwich, knowing that they had a man worthy to lead them in redeeming the charac ter of the borough, and knowing that it would be contested, laboured indefatigably to insure his success." Mr. Attwood's opponent, Admiral Napier, is cer tainly a man of very distinguished merit ; and if merit alone could succeed with such a constituency, Mr. Att wood would certainly have been defeated. But the modes operandi, to borrow our Contemporary's phrase ology, is not fighting but bribing. Cicero informs us that when Ile returned from Sicily to Rome, he found that all his meritorious doings abroad • • availed him no thing. In the same manner - the inhabitants of Mill lane, Tanner's-hill, and the pauperised regions of the •iarish of St. Nicholas, were not curious Co know how Aui7n •laNapier I had succeeded i n d es t ro yi ng t h e fl eet ()I Don Miguel, but how he would " come down" z.t this election. If Mr. Wolverley Attwood had been the veriest tool of Don Miguel or the tyrant King of Hanover —if he had been one of those Englishmen unworthy of the name who have fought the battles of Don Carlos, and endeavoured to restore the Inquiei tion in Spain—he would have equally succeeded by lisia guineas against Admiral Napier, who, though greaz in deeds of arms, is but a tyro in election war fare. We see no remedy for this venality but such as it is vain to expect. We have had our first reform, for which we have reason to be thankful. Though Re ;formers cannot do all the good of which they arc de c.:foils, the Reform Bill prevents the Tories from doing evil.—Morning Chronicle. T,: e Tories appear to have an uncommon appetency for a dm atelsing ; they absolutely boast as much of their defeats as others would of victory. The Times, after stating that Mr. Perceval " laboured under a disadvan tsge"—that of being a Tory we suppose—:: which it ::as next to ier.l7oFstble to overcome —that the " Bo rough business" --like all in which Mr. Richards ma k es a party—was '' purely ridiculous," anal that the fascinations of Alderman Farebrothcr and the Knight f Kerry evl!cd saris " personal predilections" in Lambeth, that the elec!or: remained. insensible to tine Tory blandishments of Mr. Bald.. in, broe.dlv acknow leges that it is neither :: surprised nor disappointed" at the result of the contests iii Finsbury, Southwark, and Lambeth. So much for the pompous vauntiop,s with winch the poor dupes of expiring Toryism, Perceval, Baldwin, and Richards, were cheered into struggles wherein they had not a chance of sucess ! It appears to fornidi mitter of exultation to the Tories to be aid,: a shCW of oppol:'.on in the metropolitan ho roughs. Dei'catea as they have been by majorities of thorrsands in Ensbury, Westminster, Lambeth, and e Southwar k, their surprise appeals not to arise from their discomfiture, but from their baying bean- permit ted to show their faces to those honest and indepen dent constituencies. This reminds us of an Irishman who boasted of having been in conversation with George the Fourth at the time of his " visitation" to the Emerald Isle, and having been asked what his Majesty said to him, replied—" Faith, sure enough, I was staning in the way of the King's po-chay, and his Majei.ty said, git out u' that you sprilpeen (says he), or you'll be kilt: " This was a memorable era in Pat's life, and always when he wished to show his con sequence he spoke of the honour thus conferred upon him. So with the Tories ; they have been kicked out, ignominiously kicked out of all the Metropolitan boroughs ; they have attempted to stand in the way of Reform, as Pat did in that of his " Majesty's po chay," and received a similar caution, "git out o the way you spalpiens, or you'll he kilt,"—and this fur nishes them a subject of exultation, upon which we beg moat iiincerely, to offer them our congratulations. — Morning Advertiser. We are disappointed at the result of the metropolitan elections ; but, after all, the Conservative party in the House of Commons will be no worse off in this respect than they were before, and so far as a public demon stration goes we have gained, even by those unsuccessful contests a great deal. Never since the Reform Bill was passed have Conservative Candidates been so well supported in the metropolitan districts which that Bill created, and at the time that Bill was passed neither Radicals nor Conservatives calculated that within five years a Conservative candidate might venture to show his face in these districts at election time. Though it be true, then, that the expectations which were formed some days ago have not been justified by the result, there is no wound for any feeling of despondency in the Conservative mind even with respect to the metro politan elections. We have not gained what we hoped for, but we have most decidedly gained, by an approach to success which some time ago was not dreamed of. As to the boasting of the Radical party upon the occasion, we are not in the least surprised at it ; nor should we be at any other additional instance of the falsehood upon which the statements of that party are generally bases. 'We must, however, bear in mind that this boasting has nothing but falsehood for its basis, and ought, therefore, to be regarded with cool contempt. In which of the metropolitan districts have the O'Connell slaves gained anything ? The only diffe rence between the circumstances attending the present contests and those which have taken place before is, that the Conservative candidates have polled about twice as many votes as they did on former occasions, while the O'Connell candidates have not advanced at all. If the Radicals find any matter for joyful triumph in this we commend their ingenuity, and we heartily wish them a speedy increase of such causes of re joicing. If it were allowable to indulge in so extra vagant and fantastical a supposition as that the Ra dicals were in the slightest degree affected by a sense of shame, or by any compunctious visitings on the score of gross dishonesty, we should consider them fair subjects of pity, even in the midst of their ap parent satisfaction. But a knowledge of facts for bids us to give way to any such romantic notions. At the moment that they prate of liberty, they know they are gaining votes by the exercise of the grossest tyranny. Even while they are shouting about inde pendence and freedom of election, they know that the most unscrupulous exercise of Government influence has been resorted to. They are very well aware that they are prostituting the influences created by the Re form Bill to a grossness of slavery such as no borough patrons of former times ever thought of exacting, and all this they call a triumph of their principles ! Heaven defend us from such principles. They are so hardened in vice that they do not feel, and scarcely see, the blackness and baseness of such proceedings ; but the flagitious facts are not, therefore, the less real, nor will their "blindness of heart" be the less effective in bringing on that ruin which sooner or later always waits upon depravity. From the first hour that the Metropolitan districts of ten pounds a-year voters were proposed, the Conservatives well un derstood the political evil of which such districts would be the source. They clearly foresaw, and emphatically stated, the dangers to the cause of os tler and settled Government which would arise out of such a new Constitution. To that Constitution they are now bound by the law of the land ; and, how ever adverse it may be to their interests as a party, and in their opinion, the welfare of the country, they will support it, because the evil of disturbing so important an alteration of the Constitution is greater than that arising from the alteration ; but, in estimating the effect which the late election results ought in reason to have upon the Conservative mind of the nation, we should never forget what the Conservative antici pations were when the metropolitan election districts were constituted. In the progress of the last edition of the Reform Bill through the House of Commons, Lord Chandos brought forward a motion against the creation of these new districts, which he supported in a speech of great good souse and genuine liberality. Upon thnt occasion R. Peal re marked that " It must be obvious to all who heard him that the Members returned to sit for these districts would represent a political, rather than a manufacturing or commercial, interest, and that political interest, in general, a popu lar, or democratic, interest." The prophetic sagacity of that obssrvatron has since been confirmed by the event. On the same occasion Sir George Murray greatly distinguished himself by a most able speech, from which we take the following eloquent extract : " He wished to speak with all respect of the 101. house holders in the metroplitan districts, but it was a well known and notorious fact that those persons were of an inferior station in life to 101. householders in most country towns. Those householders would have an immense in flueuce in the election of Members, and therefore he concluded that the Members for those districts would he compelled to support the extreme popular opinions which might prevail at a particular moment. He was far from wishing that public opinion should not have its due influence upon the Legislature, but he should like to see that opinion come, like the light, gradually dif fusing itself, and not coming, as it would if this clause were adopted with respect to the metropolitan districts, in pas sion, prejudice, and mist." Ilow idle, then, are the taunts of our adversaries upon the results of the elections in the metropolitan districts. We knew from the beginning that these places would he the strong-holds of demoeracy, or— what comes to the same thing—the strong-holds of profligate violence. Thanks to the effects of expe rience, and the gradually and surely increasing con viction of the baseness of W hig- R a(li cal Govern ment, these districts have turned out much bet ter than was at first expected, and the voice of the intelligent gentry is not quite overborne b y the cla mour of that class which Mr. Coleridge (in allusion to the very subject which sve are now discussing) de scribes as one which, " iu all countries and in all ages, has been, is now, and ever will be, the least patriotic and the least Conservative of any." We, therefore, t t i r eny i thatp 1 o there n s i e s r v a a t n i %): the es l p e o a i s i ( t ie g n c r o y u o n i d l Radicala'ocreouilt of the metropolitan elections. The candidates who have so nobly and so disinterestedly stood forward as repre sentatives of the Conservative cause upon this occa sion are not only sure of that best of all gratifications, the sense of. having done well and faithfully under discouraging circumstances, they are not only entitled to the respect anti gratitude of every honest friend to the Conservative cause who has witnessed their ex er:iow, but thov have the proud testimony in their favour of an amount of support %illicit, but a short time aso, none of their party deemed possible upon such a scene of political conflict.—Morning Post. We cannot too often repeat, that upon the Jesuit of the present election, probably more than upon any which ever perceded it, depend the peace and welfare exiitence, of this great country—its existence at least iii that proud position of unrivalled pre-eminence in ail that exalts and ennobles human nature, which has hitherto been the boast of every Englishman. All that relates to this momentous elec tion should therefore monopolize the cares and atten tion of every lover of his country, and he should strive ai if the whole result depended on his single exertions, never forgetting that, whether used for good or evil purposes, the great powers now about to lee intrusted to the national representatives will in all probability be rttained by them for seven long years. Among, the many evils produced by the modern system of agi tation is one against which it is the duty of every honest man to warn the electors at this critical • juncture. It is the baneful practice of electing ob scure individuals, men of no established character or standing in society, having no property or other stake in the country, and without natural talent or useful acquirements to redeem their other deficien cies, merely because they unsempulously ewallow every pledge which the electors propose to them. The last Parliament was full - of these men ; of such were formed the pliable joints of O'Connell's tail, and nearly the whole of the English and Scotch Radicals. So palpable are the motives of these persons for get ting into Parliament, that one would thin.k their threadbare professions could deceive no one ; and that they should succeed in imposing on the electors is ano ther striking illustration of the blind infatuation and maddening effects produced by political agitation. What can be the motives of such individuals to become Mem bers of Parliament, but to raise themselves by any means, degrading and unprincipled, to a rank to which neither their position in society nor their pecuniary means, nor their talent or attainments, or any other circum stance entitle them to aspire, or would ever have enabled them to reach ? And what is their ultimate object in so doing ? None, none whatever. No honest ambition, no patriotic feeling, as their sub sequent conduct but too clearly proves. None, but to get places for themselves and their friends, by a dirty thick-and-thin support of the Ministers of the day, with perhaps the praiseworthy adjuncts of being able to snap their fingers at their creditors, of cutting a dash in order to pick up an heiress or a well-endowed widow, and some other such laudable and patriotic motives. Having nothing to lose, not even in charac ter and standing, those persons are of course ever ready to join in anything by which they may hope to gain, however reckless may be the scheme, unprin cipled the means of effecting it, and ruinous its conse quences. Nay, more : the smooth title of peace and prosperity is not the element in which such men can succeed. If the vision of the community were not obscured by the mist of agitation and their blood heated by its excitement, the enormous deficiences and utter insignificance of those quacks would stand forth in all their naked reality. Hence it is that constant, perpetual agitation, the unceasing fanning of the flame and stirring of the political caldron, is necessary , to their very existence, lest, if the foul mixture should cease to boil, the bubbles would no longer rise to the top, and the dregs would sink to their natural place, the bot tom. But let us ask the electors, are pledges on two or three political questions, which, too, are made mere vehicles for the advancement of party purposes, the only considerations in choosing a representative, in se lecting a Legislator for such a country as Great Britain, for a land equally pre-eminent in commerce, manufac tures, and agriculture, and i❑ which an endless multi tude and variety of great interests so unceasingly require the vigilant superintendence and fostering care of the most g►fted, most experienced, most honest, and most zealous of Legislators? If our representa tives be not men thoroughly conversant with the great sources of our national prosperity, and who have a deep stake in their welfare, how can we hope to see effected those important Administrative improvements from which the whole kingdom would really derive that practical benefit which political quacks vainly promise us will result from their crude and pernicious schemes ? Had the majority of the late House of Commons been composed of representatives possessing those qualifications, instead of being mere party brawlers and unprincipled demagogues, as empty of head as of pocket, session after session would not have passed away in mere empty assertions of principles— the far-famed appropriation clause, for instance—but this valuable time would have been spent in conside ring the numerous improvements of which the various branches of the public service are susceptible, and by which commerce, manufactures, and all the other great channels of industry could be encouraged and in creased. What reception did Mr. Hill's proposition for the ref'orm of the present system of letter-postage meet with from the Whig-Radical Ministry—and what has been the fate of every question nut imme • diately connected with the current of political agita tion ? All such questions have been either immedi ately cushioned, or, if brought before Parliament, it has been found impossible to " make a House" to enter into the consideration of such insipid subjects, or they have dragged on their slow and weary way without comment or remark, accompanied only by the snoring or gaping of the few Members whom, not zeal or conscience, but the fear of their constituents, had induced to be present. Disgraceful as it is, this is a true picture of the recent state of things ; and such it must remain, if candidates are elected merely because they are base and subservient enough to swallow any pledges asked of them, without the least reference to all the other qualifications which are so imperatively required in a British representative. If the electors will send such men to Parliament, they must expect that they will follow their only vocation—that of keep ing up agitation and turmoil, that they may fish in troubled water, and of turning their backs upon all useful and practical measures, because, however bene ficial they would be to their constituents, they bring no grist, but some trouble, to the mill of the dema .... gogue.—Times. %%'e think there are several reasons of the very strongest kind which ought to weigh with the English people, and which, we have no doubt, will do so, if the proper means be taken to bring them under the con sideration of the electors. In the first place it was not known at the last election, and it would have been un charitable to have conjectured it, that the Whigs could be at once so unprincipled and so mean as to sell themselves to the Irish demagogue and his tail as they have dune. It was not believed, even by the most experienced Conservative politicians, that the Whigs could be so base as to consent to be the political agents of the Romish faction, and to engage in carrying into effect the virulent hostility of that faction to the Established Church of Great Britain and Ireland. We cannot, then, be surprised that the peop!e at large, who had so much less oppoltunay of appreciating the true nature of Whig fidelity, should have been similarly mistaken in this matter. The miscalculation was in deed au honourable error on the part of the Conserva tive leaders, and the Prote 2 tant public throughout die country. Just and high-minded men are not the first to suspect the absence of like sentiments in others, and to suppose that the Whigs, whose policy had been so reviled, and whose persons had been so ridiculed by Mr. O'Connell, would cringe to him, and comsent to his terins for the sake of his support ; to suppose this, until the flagrant act was done and published, would have been, on the part of honourable men, impossible. Now, however, the thing has been done. Nuw there is no doubt. Now it is quite certain, that, so far as Ireland and the Irish Church are concerned, the present Ministers are the Ministers of Mr. O'Connell. They are pledged to the persecution ofProtestantism,and who ever gives a vote in favour of a Ministerial candidate, gives an indirect, but still a certain aid, to this persecu tion. We hope that every Protestant elector will bear this in mind. We hope that every man, before he repprai; his vote, will ask himself whether, by doing so, he is helping on the persecution of Protestantism in Ire land, or contributing to a majority in Ow Honse of Commons who will dojustice to Ireland in good ear lie st, and begin by saving the Protestant Church from the hand of merciless oppression under which it suffers , In the second place, the electors of gnOand must now THE SUN, LONDON, FIUDAY„JULY 28, see that the only way to provide for the proper dis patch of the public business is to give to the House of Commons a majority which will be of one mind, and have one object. When the last election took place, it could not have been supposed that panic.; would so adjust themselves in the House of Commons as to constitute an administration without the power to conduct the public business. Yet this has evidently been the case for the last hvo years. We know that it is pretended, on behalf of the Yfinisters, that they were ineffectual, because their master, the King, was ad verse to them ; but that now they will not be so, be cause they may do what they like at Court. We shall not stop to criticise the nature of this compliment to the present Sovereign, because we know that the state ment is, in some respects, at all events, not true. It was not because the Court was aoinst the Ministers, • nor because the House of Lords was, and is, against them, that they got thronc;ll no business, buz because their supporters in the House of Commons could not agree among themselves. The Ministerial majority has been made up of a strange jumble of factions, without any common aim, but that of keeping a sub servient Administration in place. That evil will con tinue unless the Conservatives have the majority. The only party of considerable strength in the country with definite purposes and a definite policy is that of the Conservatives. The Ministerial majority being made up of Whigs and Radicals—of Unitatians and Papists—of zealots and infidels—of persons holding place under the Crown, and persons who think the Crown a nonsensical nuisance—it is quite impossible that agreement can be attained in most of the matters of public business. Hence the delays which end in nothing being done. Every elector, every man of common sense, who wishes to put an end to the do nothing system, %sill do well to remember that, unless a majority of the House of Commons be constituted who are at unity within themselves, his object cannot be attained. Such a majority cannot be found, un less it be made up of Conservatives.—Afora. Herald. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, JuLr 27. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. CARLIFFE. In this case a long discussion took place on the question of whether the trustees of the Blackburn Academy, or the executors of the late Mr. Carliffe, ought to bear the costs of the proceedings anterior to the payment into Court of a sum of money, producing 1001. a-year, be queathed to the Academy while it was continued in the borough of Blackburn. His Lordship was of opinion that the executors must pay their own costs, and the other side have their costs, out of the interest of the fund. CONSISTORY COURT, JULY 27. WILLIAMS V. WILLIAMS. This is a suit for divorce on the grounds of adultery, promoted by Maria Theresa Williams against Henry Wil liams Williams, her husband. The Learned Judge gave his decision this day. No one who had heard the evi dence could for a moment doubt either of the guilt of Mr. Williams or of the innocence of Mrs. Williams. The recriminatory plea alleging adultery against . that lady had entirely failed, even on the evidence brought forward to support it. The marriage of the parties had been proved to have taken place in December, 1826, as also the separation which occurred ten years afterwards, in the January of 1836. The Court had no hesitation in pronouncing for the divorce as prayed for by Mrs. Wil liams, and felt bound to condemn the husband in costs. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY—JaLr 27. • JOHN MABERLEY'S BANKRUPTCY. A meeting of the creditors under the fiat issued against Mr. John Maberley, banker, of London and Scotland, was held to-day, for the proof of debts and the declaration of a further dividend. The claim on behalf of M. Franchesson to prove fot; the sum of 7,086/.75., being the balance due upon a bond given by Mr. Maberley, while in Paris, some years since, for a large amount, the validity of which at former meetings had been disputed by the assignees, on the alleged ground that it had been given in consideration, in whole or in part, for losses on time bargains in foreign stock. The validity of this bond was discussed at former meetings of the creditors, and the claim was allowed to stand over until this day, then to he struck off the proceedings, unless the claimant should adduce further evidence to satisfy the mind of the Court of the bona fide character of the stock transactions for which the bond was given by the bankrupt. On behalf of the claimant, the opinions of four French Counsel of eminence were produced before the Learned Commissioner to-day, in favour of the validity of the bond under the law of France, as having been given for liabili ties incurred by Mr. Maberley under the law of France. Mr. Commissioner FONBLANQUE ought to admit M. Franchesson to prove for the balance claimed, subject, how ever, to any decision of another Court as to the validity of the proof, should any steps be taken on behalf of the credi tors to obtain the striking it off from the proceedings. In consequence of this decision the declaration of a fur ther dividend was postponed. The admission of the claim will materially reduce the amount of the future dividends to be paid to the creditors. The amount of dividends already paid is 3s. 6d. in the pound. MESSRS. SOMA AND CO.'S BANKRUPTCY. A meeting of the creditors under the fiat issued against the Messrs. Isaac Solly and-Son, who were extensive mer chants in the timber and other trades, was hell to-day for the purpose of auditing the accounts, and declaring a di vidend. The total amount of the assets of the firm as at present ascertained, is 58,370/., and the devisable assets in hand are about 9,5001. A first dividelid of about 3s. 9d. in the pound was ordered to be made. The estate is ex pected to be more productive than was at first anticipated. NAPOLEON'S TOMB-FRENCH' SEN TIMENT-FIZENCII FANCY. The garrulous old soldier who has charge of the tomb showed us the books in which the names and sentiments of many hundred visitors arc inscribed. Of these, sonic effusions breathed the deepest regret for the loss of an Emperor and master, while others were rhapsodies of abuse against the Government which had held him in durance. " How do the French behave who visit the grave ?" I inquired. " Their behaviour, • Sir, was the first thing which turned me to Christianity," was the answer. " If a French frigate come to St. Helena the men and their officers march up clean and regular, with music playing a dead march before them. When they come within sight of this place they all uncover their head!, and when they reach the railings they fall down on their knees and kiss them, with the tears running down their cheeks, both men and women. The Priest then reads prayers and afterwards the officers and men all walk in pro cession round the grave, and take away some of the earth or grass with them. I never can help crying myself, Sir, though I have been a soldier for 43 years. when I see Frenchmen take the loss of their old master so much to heart ; and I feel much the better for seeing what I have seen here." It is the general impression and belief of the old residents here that the complaints of ill-usage which emanated from Longwood did not proceed from the Emperor himself, but from his attendants, impatient of restraint. To show how absurd were some of the grievances I was told by a mer chant in James Town that, owing to the great quantity of fine oil employed in the cosine at Longwood, the Govern ment stores were at one time exhausted of that article, on which the English purveyor sent and purchased twelve dozen from the merchant. The maitre (Motel returned it, declar ing it was rancid ; but the merchant put it in new bottles and sent it back, saying it came not from the Government stores, but from his, when it was immediately approved of. " On all occasions," said the merchant, " I know that the English Government took the greatest pains to provide the best of everything for the table of the Emperor, and spared no expense for him."---A/exandar'r " Africa." A MARAZION BULL—The town-crier of Mara zion, Cornwall, in calling a meeting of the inhabitants pre viously to the proclamation of The Queen, requested them to meet at the Town-hall to take into c:Asideration the best mode of proclaiming the Princess Victoria as King.— Vest _Briton. M. Corte, director of the Temps, is named Cheva lier of the Legion of Honour. The Cross of the Honour has a l s o been conferred upon M. Bethune, printer and director of the Phronique de Paris. F ,NOLISII AND MA LTEllE.—Little intercourse exists between English and Maltese families, the one or two exceptions proving the rule. Lord Hastings endeavoured to promote union by having all parties - frequently uniformly at the Palace, thus rising the natives in their own estimation ; but since his Lordship's death, separation again widened. In part, I should say, we arc to blame. As superiors, it is our duty to make first advances—as superiors, we should drop the national feeling, exclusiveness, which broke up more than one public amusement where the English and natives might mingle without etiquette, without feelings of condescension on one side or the other. Our customs, diametrically opposed offer, it must be confessed, a bar to sociality. We dine at six, they dine at two. We associate through the instrumentality of cookery and wine; they are satisfied with simple corn:cr op/wit. The Ntaltege, also, are greatly to blame in rdlisinti to learn English ; for English people seldom speak other languages with pleasure—for to the employes the Italian lan guago is merely a temporary convenience—is not, Olin, as English to a of lasting utility. They should have perceived t his. or have they an excuse. rfilirty -54 years glider our rule, twenty-one years annexed .to our empird — y e t no more than twenty of the natives spealc. pplecOy•—s l o(le i s Turhog, Oiceve, anti *IN. CORONERS' INQUESTS. FATAL ACCIDENT 0:4 T:iAmr.s.— Yesterday afternoon an inqaest was held in the chapel of st. Mar tin's workhouse on the body of 'William Weeding, aged thirty-four. The widow of the unfortunate men and other rela tives deposed that the deceased was a coach sprincrntaker, and resided in (Mailes-street, Long-acre. Oa Sun day ' last a party, consisting of the deccas.2d, his wife, and children, with other relatius and friends, was made to go to Rich mond by water. On the return of the wherry in the even ing from some eanse it came ia contact with one of the arches of Westminster Bridge. The result was that tie boat upset, and the whole party were immersed in the water. A number of boats immediately put off and suc ceeded in picking up the whole of the party with the ex ception of the deceased, who suddenly sunk and never rose again. His body was found on Wednesday morn ing floatieg near Hungerford. It is supposed that did deceased's head struck the stonework of the bridge, which stunned him, and prevented his rising to the surface of the water. The jury returned a vordict of " Accidentally drownA." The deceased has left a widow and young family. AlYsTr. moos DEATII OF A YOUNG LAD.—Yesterday a lengthened investigation into the circumstances attending the death of James Yates, a young lad, aged twelve years, was held at the Crown Inn, Colham green, Hillingdon, near Uxbridge. From the evidence of the numerous witnesses, it ap peared that the deceased, about nine o'clock in the even ing of Monday last, way sent by his master to meet a wag gon on the road. While passing the above house he was heard to be singing. A few minutes afterwards he was heard to cry out, " Oh! oh !" as if i❑ great pain, and se veral persons running to him he was found lying by the grass by the side of the road, writhing apparently in great pain. On being asked if he had been run over, he said " No," and on being further questioned as to where ho was in pain, he pointed to his stomach, and shortly after wards became insensible, in which state he continued until he expired on the following morning. On examining his stomach after deceased had been conveyed home, marks of severe injuries, as if he had been run over by some vehicle were observable. The jury said it was a mysterious case, and they felt at a loss what verdict to return unless a post mortent exami nation of the body was made ; but a witness being after wards examined, who deposed that at the moment he heard the deceased call out, he also heard the rattle of a carriage proceeding down the road at a most furious pace. The jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict that " The deceased's death was occasioned by having been run over by some carriage ; but how or to whom the car riage belonged, they had no evidence before them to show." The venerable Coroner said that verdict would leave the matter open for further investigation before the magi. strates of the district. Another inquest was afterwards held at the Red Lion, New Brentford, on view of the body of Mr. Richard Cozen, an elderly gentleman, residing at Twickenham. The Rev. Dr. Stoddart, Vicar of New Brentford, de posed that on Tuesda) last, about half-past ten o'clock, as he was passing along the Market-place towards the church, he observed the deceased, who had just got out of a chaise, in the act of falling to the ground, which he did before wit ness could prevent it. The deceased fell backwards, and a cut was found at the back of his head, from which a quantity of blond was flowing. On the deceased being lifted up a surgeon was sent for, before whose arrival wit ness discovered that life was quite extinct. Verdict—" Died by the visitation of God?' PRESENCE OF MIND. Captain Thickner had been in command of a 500 ton ship, the Earl of Eldon, laden with cotton, and home ward bound from Bombay to England, with several pas sengers, officers and their wives, and with every prospect of a pleasant voyage, when one morning, about four o'clock, much rain having fallen the previous day, the ship was dis covered to be on fire forward, the rain having damped the cotton, and caused it to ignite. In this awful predicament, 900 miles from the nearest land, the island of Itodrique, the Captain fortunately retained his presence of mind. Neither he nor his crew made any bustle or noise on deck, but quietly proceeded to exclude the air from the hold, think ing to choke the fire ; and at the same time every prepara tion was made for saving the crew and passengers in the boats in the event of being obliged to leave the ship to her fate. The passengers were allowed to rise and to take their breakfast at the usual hour ; but after the meal was finished the Captain assembled them on deck and said--" I am sorry to inform you that the ship has been on fire for seve ral hours ; and, owing to the nature of our cargo, it may be impossible to extinguish it. We must be prepared, there fore, to leave the ship in ten minutes, but do not be alarmed. I have made every preparation for our voyage in the boats ; a sheep has been killed and boiled since the fire was disco vered ; salt provisions, beef, hams, cheeses, besides biscuit and water, have been placed in the boats ; also sextants, compasses, charts, and sails to sleep on. But I can allow no baggage to be taken, and I set the example by abandon ing 800/. in specie. Now our last resource is to open the hold and try to drown the fire since we cannot smother it." Accordingly the passengers, about ten in number, and one infant, were placed in the launch, the ladies in the stern sheets, and the gentlemen forward, separated by a screen, one old field-officer abandoning 3,000/. in money, his hard-worn earnings in the Indian service. The hatches were then lifted, when immediately volumes of smoke curled aloft. Nothing daunted, however, all hands set vigorously to work to remove as much of the burning cotton as could be reached, and to deluge the rest with water. But in these efforts several of the men were nearly suffocated, and insen sible fora considerable time ; and the fire gaining ground the Captain again addressed the passengers, asked them if they were satisfied with the exertions which had been made, and if anything else could be proposed to extinguish the flames, which now darted their fiery tongues up the hatches. The passengers expressed their satisfaction with the exer tions made, saw that it was in vain to attempt to combat the devouring element longer, and it was then agreed to leave the unfortunate vessel. Shortly after they shoved off—the Captain, passengers, and some of the crew in the launch, and the first and se cond mates in charge of the cutters, with the rest of the hands, in all about forty souls—the flames and smoke had entire possession of the ship. The sight was painfully mag nificent ; the masts fell hissing into the water, and in two hours the Earl q . Eldon blew up, and disappeared under the waves. The boats stood away for Rodrique before the breeze, the launch at night carrying a light between the two others. For three days they were in a gale of wind, which threatened them with death in another shape, and one of the cutters was actually swamped and sunk ; but the crew were taken into the launch, a washboard being raised on her gunwale to keep out the white -crested seas. In thirteen days they reached their destination in safety, weak and ill from being so long cramped in a small space, but heartily thankful for their preservation, and loud in praise of the intrepid Captain Thickner.—Captain Alex ander's Narrative of the Western Coast ()Leif, ica. On Tuesday afternoon a decently-dressed woman was observed walking backwards and forwards by the River silo, at Chelsea, in such a confused way as to excite suspicion that she had some design upon her own life. At length she jumped in and sunk. A lad, named Elliot, son of a coal-mcr chant in Westminster, who beheld the act, immediately came up, took off his coat and waistcoat, and fearlessly sprung into the water to rescue her. After considerable difficulty he suc ceeded in getting the body to the shore, where it was laid, ex hausted and insensible, on the bank, till some persons were procured, who carried it to a neighbouring public house, where animation returned. By the kind persuasions of several persons she consented to return home, but would not tell why she attempted the crime of self-murder. A barbarous murder was committed at New Inn, barony of Kilconnell, in the county of Galway, on the (th instant. A man named Michael Rafferty, while on his return from a bog, was attacked at about two o'clock in the day by three or four men, who knocked him down with stones and brutally murdered him. An inquest was held on the following day by Thomas Walsh, Esq., Coroner . of Loughrea, aided by Thomas Cannon, Esq., S.M. After the examination of se veral witnesses, the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Daniel Cannon, Dudley Cannon, and Patrick Cannon ; and that Patrick Cannon, jun., had encouraged them to com mit the foul deed. The deceased was a most peaceful and industrious man. No cause can be assigned for his murder, except that he married a few years ago the widow of Daniel Cannon's brother, with whom he got about seven acres of laud as.a marriage portion. It appears the Cannons were anxious to deprive Rafferty of his land, and had frequently endeavoured to quarrel with the deceased. On the morning of the murder some cattle belonging to the Cannons were found trespassing on the hinds in question ; and as this had often occurred be fore Rafferty remonstrated with them on the impropriety of such conduct. No other provocation, we understand, was given, and the sacrifice of the unfortunate victim's life in a few hours afterwards was the result. Mr. Graves, C. C., of Loughrea station, succeeded in apprehending Daniel Cannon and Patrick Cannon, jun., who have been committed to Gal way gaol. Ile Coroner issued a warrant for the apprehension of the other two men, who have as yet eluded justice. a man amused pair of scissors in In the public gallery of this u c! i ty a cb yu t h imself nagil : a oa f ni e ) (i t I % e , coder:soy three y a r Nrevihia : o i Gi, i tli t .al h :ibvlui a onTTgvi k ).li n iro i rt f ,zu e br toas o y ne by z ca II be us,: so n e n 1 0 z o i e u S i l a , e t _u s r t d r Saturday last, ano 1 C I a n d A , L U m N e d A L e ap pears to be .as tough as Jersey oak, heirsg nearly 100 years of age, led to the hymene4l altaV a young woman, named Le Brun, }yhq liaa seen but thirty small - tiers Mrs. Le Riche 'sa teacher of the violin, and may b e cf great comfort to her hus band in playing her 4ciciiu to the tune of " In the downhill of life; When I find I'm declining," &c. One thing is certain, Miss 140 Dm has beeome Riche by marriage. —Jer k ;' News. GOVERNORS AND THFAR GRAVES Al' SIERRA LEONE. Whilst at Sierra Leone I visited the grave of Denham, the traveller, who, after his many wanderings in Central Africa, died a Lieutenant-Colonel and Governor of Sierra Leone. He lies in the new burial-ground behind the bare racks, under a young plum tree ; and beside him lie also three other Governors—Sir Neil Campbell, Colonel Lum ley, and Major Temple. A house built by Sir Charles Macarths, who fell in the Ashuntee war, looks down from neighbouring hill on the " field of the dead." Besides the above, General Turner, who lies under the plum tree in the old buriAground, is to be added to the list of Germ. no who have died since 1825. • Poor Denham, after long braving the climate of Africa, said that his fate was sealed when he was nppointed Go vernor here. He then imprudently exelianged his resi- • dence from Government House to a wooden building ho side the creek, the mud of which at low water we inoa otreosive. He alto took to physieking himself, became soft and tlshy, and gradually sunk under the fever, His grave is covered almost entirely with grass and bushes, and I was obliged to remove them before I could see the sim ple superstructure of brick and lime raised over the moul dering remains of a traveller of first-rate enterprise. The Governors of' Sierra Leone have in general when they arrived been men past the meridian of life, and vel:ose constitutions were not sufficiently 'vigorous to struggle through either form of the seasoning fever—" tire lion" the severe attack, or " the jackall," the milder variety of the dis ease. As I before remarked, they are harassed with ex cess of duty anti responsibility ; and also, like most Englisb,_ men, they will not alter their previous habits, and desr: ise the advice of old residents. Thus, Sir Neil CampVil, an officer of high reputation, said to the colonial surgeon, " Doctor, there are two things which I wish you to do : tell me when I am really in danger, but give me no calomel whatever." A few months after assuming office he was attacked with fever. The surgeon immediately gave him twenty grains of calomel (disguised), and told his honour to keep the house. Next day the surgeon saw hint dressed and out walking ! But the same night he was laid on his, back, and was quickly transferred to the fatal plum tree. The last Governor, Major Temple, said, when he. t ie . rived in the dry season, " It is all nonsense to talk of the unhealthiness of Sierra Leone. I have been in much worse in the Greek Islands. The reason why the climate here is so deadly to Englishmen is to be found entirely in their indolent habits and dissipation." Accordingly, his Honour was very temperate, though formerly he had been: a free liver, was of a gross habit, and past fifty years of age. He was very attentive to his duties, was much liked and esteemed, and would have been a great benefactor to the colony if he had lived. But whether the season was foul or fair, he took exercise in the middle of the day. Ir. the rains he has been known to ride forty or fifty mik e with his daughter ; and the day before he was taken ill, in the fatal month of August, contrary to all advice, he set out to ride before a tornado, and got drenched to the skin.— captain Alexander's Narrative of Western Africa. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. EAST INDIA SHIPPING. Arrivals.—July 24, the Dryad e , Heard, from, the Mauriti us ! o ff D over , sailed April 11. July 25, th.e Gilbert Monro, Duff, from the Nlaurrtius, off Penzance, sailed April 8, and from St. Helena May 26 . July 26 , the Matilda, Wardle, from the Mauritius, off L iverpool, sailed April 17, from St. Helena May 31 ; the Mona, Gill, from Bengal, off Liverpool, sailed from Calcutta March 11, and from Saugur March 13, and St. Helena, June 5. Arrivals at St. Helena.--The Matilda, Comin, June 2, from the Cape, and sailed the same day for London ; the Rhoda, Hurst, June 3, from Launceston, and sailed the same day for London ; the Egyptian, Johnson, June 4, from Sours baya and the Cape ; the Colombo, Beck, June 4, from Ceylon, and sailed June 5, for Bordeaux ; the Middleburg-, Ricketts, June 4, from Batavia, and sailed June 5, for Amsterdam; the Colonel Hoopman, July 4, from Batavia, and sailed June 5, for Rotterdam ; the Marion, Pop e , Jun e 4, f rom C a l cutta ; the Emma Packet, June 5, from London ; the Perseverance, Cockhill, June 5, from New South Wales. Arrivals at Calcutta.—Her Majesty's brio. Zebra, March 8, from Trincomalee ; the Ajax, Brenton, and Elephants, Fu chan, March 9, from the Mauritius ; the Amphitrite, March 9, from Nantes and Bourbon ; her Majesty's brig Algerine, March 9, from Ceylon. Arrival at Bahia.—The Trusty, West, June 4, from China (for Limerick.) Arrivals at the Mauritius.—The Andromeda, Latimer, April 8, from Liverpool, and Bordeaux ; the Belgrave, Sal mon ; Pegasus, Howlett ; Avoca, Boader ; and Charles Heartly, Hopper, all from Calcutta. Ships SpOienWith.—The Imogene, Riley, from London. to Calcutta, May 4, in lat. 6. 44. N., long. 24. W. • ihe Pekoe, Gillies, from C a lc u tt a t o Li verpool, off the at.e; Hon. Company's steamer Berenice, Grant, from the Cape to the Mauritius, off Algoa Bay; the Iris, Mackwood, from, London to Ceylon, in lat. 7. S., long. 28. W. EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE. --O R the ap proach of a violent thunderstorm on Saturday last, some men who were at work in a field at Wytbam near Oxford, 'sought shelter under an old ash-tree, at.d had not been tee m o lly minutes, when the electric fluid struck them to th', ground, and injured one so much that his recovery was fr, some t i rr • doubt!ul ; his hat was,scorched, and his hair burnt from his temple a and head. We understand that now doing well, and tl ere is every prospect of his recovery. Another of the v men had his shoes scorched, and had since suffered from violent swellings and pain in his extremities. The other men were Lut slightly injured. The cireamvtinee is rendered the more remarkable from the interior of the tr e e (which was old and hollow) having caught fire, and continued to burn unnoticed until the following day, when it fell down. WAVES.— 11 rounding the C ape of Good Hope waves arc rather met with, or rather a swell, so vast, that a few ridges and a few depressions occupy the extent of a mile. But these are not so dangerous to a ship as what is termed a shorter sea, with more perpendicular waves. The slope in the former is comparatively gentle, and the rising and falling are much less felt, while, among the latter, the sudden tossing of the vessel is destructive. When a ship is sailing directly before the wind, over the long swell now described, she is first descending headlong on its front, acquiring a velocity so wild, that she can scarcely be steered ; and soon after, when it has glided under her, also appears climbing on its back, and her motion is slackened al most to rest before the following wave arrives. To a passen ger perched, at such a time, on the extremity of the bowsprit. and looking back on the enormous body of the ship, with per haps its thousand of a crew, a hundred feet behind him, heaved by these billows as a cork is on a ruffled lake, the scene is truly sublime. When a coming wave lifts the stern, and ill the same degree depressing the bow, he is deep in the hollow or valley between the waves, and sees only the ship rushing headlong down towards him, as if to be engulphed ; but soon after, when the stern is down, and the bow is raised. he looks from his station in the sky upon an awful scene be neath him and round. The velocity of waves has relation to their magnitude. The large waves just spoken of proceed at the rate of from 30 to 50 miles an hour. It is a vulgar belief, that the water itself advances with the speed of the wave; but, in fact, the form only advances, while the substance, except a little spray above, remains rising and falling with the regula rity of a pendulum. A wave of water, in this respect, is ex actly imitated by the wave running along a stretched rope. when one end is shaken ; or by the mimic waves of our thea tres, which are generally undulations of long pieces of carpet* moved by attendants. PATENT LEVER AV A T With silver double-bottom cases .Et, 6 With silver hunting cases 6 16 6 This celebrated construction (the most accurate on which a watch can be made) is offered, with the latest improvemenlg. i. e. the detached escapement, jewelled in four holes, eapyear hand to mark the seconds, hard enamel dial, and maintaining p ow et to continue going while winding up, at the above price, b y T. CON - SAVORY, Working Silver and Goldsmith, 47, Cernhill, London. N.B.—Second-hand Watches purchased in exchange. BIRTHS. On the bath inst., at Chinner, Oxon, the lady of Aubrey Wen^ On the 24th 1 1 • fC. Sh k • 't the tt , 5 0 a erley, Esq., of Somer;tra " 1 ' " daughter of Cheshire, of a aug . man Wykeharn, On the 24th inst., in Hertford-street, Mayfair, the lady of Co l ' Scott, Scotch Fusilier Guards, of a son, which survived only twenty' four hours. Esq., of a son. of a On son . the 27th inst., at th e Grove, Blackheath, Mrs. Rickart l9, On the 23d inst., at Woolwich, the widow of the late Assistabt" Surgeon Turner, ILA., of a son. On the 26th inst., at Bow,Mrs. daughter. Robert Elli s , o f a d a ,-. _........ MA R R IR D. On the 26th inst., at All Souls' Langhatn-place, Chas. Magrat Esq., late of the 21st Fusiliers, to the lion. Charlotte HenleY Ongley, youngest daughter of the late Right Hon. Robcrt Henley , Lord Ongley. On the 26th i nst., at Bexley, Daniel, the third son of the 1' t-o f Dr. List e r, o f Li ncoln ' s Inn-fields, to Caroline, fourth daughter John Towill Rutt, Esq., of Bexley, Kent. On the 26th inst., at St. George's, Ramsgate, W. P. Tona!: Esq., of the Customs, to Jane, eldest daughter of the late J. Po leyne, Esq., of York. DIED. On the 26th inst., in Lower Grosveuor•stroet, 111aeame . 12-°° Frances Dnding, aged GS. On the •37th inst., in Gloucester. place, Portman-square, rietta Emily, the infant (laughter of John Kingston, Esq.. ag' six weeks. On the 25th inst., Mr. William Duffield, of Duke-street, P °l.t. land-plaoe, aged 34. On the 25th inst., at Reigate, aged 75, Mary, relict of the - 14" J, Reif, Esq. On the 25th inst., at Sydenham, Kent, Mr. Thomas DytellO n ' in his 73d year. On the 21st inst., at Mount Radford, Exeter, Elizabeth AL I/ ' youngest daughter of the late Major E. P. Waller, of Jamaica. On the 23d inst., at Mascalls, Essex, Abraham Gardner, aged 73. On the 20th inst., aged 88, Mrs. Catherine Scott, of G 0 .1 1 1 7 street, second da ug ht er o f th e l a t e E . S cott, Esq., of Sects 113 in Kent. - - - London; Printed and PubliPhed by MURDO YOUNG, ot Nr 1 i 2, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 11=', Strand, in the C 044 of Middlesm—Friday, July 28, 1837. I I 1