The Sun. — London, England, 1837-05-04 00:00:00

'unnatural allimee, an odious y - et ludicrous • ii atier. vi . 3e_ corn In . . Irish agitalms, Popish priests, and paid patriots, 'opng upon a wrli-intentioned, I believe, but, I twi compelled t era ti add, a weak and vacillPting, Administration, whilst the corn try and the times 'demand one firm, capable, business , cloing, and de cided. Believ e me, there can b e no git ater calamity to a country than a weal: Executive Government. These, gentle-- men, are, and ever wer e , my principles, fe e li ngs , an d eplnions. Should you concur in them, you will give me !AIM' support in fighting the battle of the Constitution i if, on the other band, YOU do not concur with me in these opinions and principles, You will do well to oppose me with all your energies, for a more determined adherent to old English principles and I government, laws, and institutions, breathes not his native air. lisb4,2anrernand ain, gentl emen , as I ever was, a true-hearted Eng your devoted, faithful, and very humble servant, " FRANCIS BURDETT." I The°t [The various porti ons o f t h e l etter were received by the various with the most marked indignation.] Mr. CRAWFORD then went on to comment upon it. The Ho n . B aronet talked very scornfully of the " new- , 1 fangled notions, the shallow doctrines, and crude projects talkie float" What new t h eor i es was the Hon. Baronet g about ? Did he mean the Ballot, or the extension of the suffrage, or the shortening of Parliaments? Why the se b were the very innovations which formerly the Hon. "L'ar°net himself so stoutly insisted upon. If not these, ` wh at did the Hon. Baronet speak of, or what did he mean 1:1 throwing himself into the hands of the Tories?---(A cry iraser N° !") No, i n d ee d! Why, was not Sir G. Si nc l air all lf once a Whi g , b ut now a Tory, and the enemy of liberal g o vernment ? Was no t thi s T ory Chairman of Si r Francis's Committee, and had not three Tory Lords that very day given in their names as members of that Com "'tee ? (Hear, hear.) No, Sir Francis had regularly enrolled himself under Tory banners, and, such being the _case, no genuine Reformer could ever again give him 'his 'iuPPort. -- talked (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Baronet had once about the Constitution being crucified between two thi eves —videlicet, the Whig and Tes th e Ron. B aronet had now gone over to or t y he p impenitent thief'S,Side•---(Hear, hear.) Sir Francis talked about " a weak .r.xecutive Government." Had the Hon. Baronet de iiiti r e d to hi s make the Government strong, he would have lent (lei; auPport as a professed Reformer ; but he had been , 4 quite the reverse of this, except, indeed, that it might unsatd, that had every other Member of the House equally ..lbstained from attending in his place, Government would 'lave become strong enough, for in the absence of the Re- P_resentatives of thepeople a Government would soon establish d • a espOtISM. If the meeting IVIli 1 , c.. to of prin express their indignation at a dereliction Fi e pl e such express Sir F. Burdett had been guilty of, they would .!) bests upplied had Sir F. from Sir F. Burdett's own mouth. What •. Burdett said in 1810 of Lord Grey, whom he form eo with being no longer the Radical Reformer he had rly professed himself? These were the terms in l'which 'Sir Francis Burdett, in 1810, on being released from e To wer, de c l are d what was the feeling with which he v ewed .the thi s man who forsook his early opinions :—" In changedvery speech Earl Grey says he has somewhat I le the opinions which he held in his youth. R e s ealif esses, that when he pressed Parliamentary ort xt h e bele pressed it with all the ardour which thongs 2 o to a st a t e o f youth and inexperience, but dent after some years of exper i ence, hi s op i n i on under- , r , -tne vari a ti ons. H e does not favour us with any ac s7s4nt of What those variations are, or were, but he only tells h at his opinions were different from what they were be the'fore and he attributes .the alteration in his sentiments to ti t effect of experience. If this is the case—if the prin- Th P e s of men; can change as they advance in years—if no i t a.a to n be pledged for the consistency of his opinions —if ropis be a sufficient answer for everyman who thinks er to ch ange hi s political opinions to say that .tosday nal old er than I was when I pledged myself to a different °Pin ion,' then I say that such men do cut up and destroy all , z,en,, eonnd e nc e , an d show that there ought not to be any con e,„ Plaed in them. We ought to ask whether such ~i., co uld ev er h ave b een actuated by any principle at 4 ' A prin c i p l e i s not a new thing, which may be thrown ~side, after it h as b een once esta b l i shed : a principle once for do remains for ever the same ; it does not alter by n lle ; the man professing it may grow older, perhaps he ay not grow wiser or honester, but the principle he has Professed continues one and the same —that cannot change ; and when a man once bi nds and pledges himself to cer tain principles, whether wisely or not, it is for himself bito consider, be has stamped on himself the character which ntends sh a ll b e l ong t o hi m ; and if he departs from s , principl es , it i s i m p oss ibl e f or any reasonable man ever after to put trust and confidence in him ; indeed, such a ''tan has no r i g h t to h ave any confidence in himself. " Mr. C rawford concluded by observing, that he feared that Sir .• Burdett's vanity lay at the bottom of all this. Enraged 'at finding that the incense which he found was offered up to 'lint alone, as the only prominent Reformer of the time, was no longer forthcoming, he could not bear the idea of a rival near the throne, and accordingly in sheer spite had deserted to th e enemy. Mr. Crawford then read the resolution, 'tillich was to the effect that " the late insulting address of "r F. B ur d ett , to the electors of Westminster is a con is f eing proof of hi s tota l a b andonment of the cause of Re- . 4°411 : and of his determination to join the Tory faction." Mr. &us seconded the resolution. As one who in his youn ger da had looked up to Sir F. Burdett as his leader in th ys lle le struggle against the enemies of their country, it was f ul e Pl painful for him to see the Hon. Baronet so disgrace .lY forsak e the ranks of the Reformers ; but whatever .>b Ent be the private feelings of the electors of Westminster t e lP e eting Sir Francis Burdett as he once was, they must t. 'Y to their duty, and oppose him to the utmost rather f ua n suffer the liberty which they had so long fought in de ansoeo of, stabbed to the vitals by the apostacy of their once ured representative. — (Hear.) Let Sir J. Graham, it dSi r G. Sinclair, and the other renegades, make the .. ° st of their new alley ; it was for the Reformers to pro- It ' ri e,t their nascent liberties against whosoever attacked them, 1,,, (4 to sho w the apostate Baronet that the electors of forms would not permit him to play with time re triarns he had been so instrumental in affecting as with so 1 )4 - a y o Poppets—to vindicate liberty or destroy it just as the g re at ur suited him. Mr. Ellis concluded by expressing his 7iie'aaitssatisfarLtion at finding the Whigs rally round the Ra ' Th e i n 0 , 14 m omentous struggle. Mr'l resolution was then put and unanimously carried. , task, HOWARD ELPiIiNsToNE came forward on that oc- G„ 4 as an elector of the out-ward of' the parish of St. reicotrge, Hanover-square. The question was, reform or no ti e . r ni ?--•The question was, whether the present Opposi il.e should have the government of the country ? And i_" i s , he believed, was what every gentleman present was itWziare that they had to determine.—( Hear.) He was ReformP to say that a meeting had taken place that day at the 31_ Club, at which several Whigs were present, and they .1 declared that they would pull heart and hand with the e „ adi cal supporters of Mr. Leader—( Hear, hear)—and use F!ntl'erY exertion in their power to secure the return of that 11,ouernun as the future representative of Westminster._ d cheering.) In conclusion, he trusted that every and : I _,. t! In the room would be held up in favour of the reso ?tton lie,M was a b out to propose, namely, " That the poli eftl condu ct o f Mr. Leader, in and out of Parliament, en -led him to the utmost exertions of the electors present et that meet i ng to secure his return as Member for the Ci ty of Westminster instead of that of Sir F. Burdett." Mr. ADAM SMITH had learned that intimidation _was tarried on to a considerabl e extent by the gentry amongst their tradesmen, and that even ladies were exerting them selves to the. utmost canvassin g for the Tory, candidate. Ile trusted that all such persons would be regarded and treated as the enemies of the electors of that great city. ti e would beg the electors of Westminster to bear in min The nobl e con d uct of many of the Irish electors in the va rious contests in that country. He never should forget the spe ech made by an elector at the recent Carlow election 10 Mr. Bunbury, the Or ange can did ate. That gentleman v ns kett the elector, who was hi s tenant, whether he would °, .e against his landlord, for if he persisted in doing so he itilv:3eld b e utterly ruined. The elector replied, " As'God is i Y judge, I wou ld sooner die than vote against ni) good 4edkrd /u but my consc i ence compels me to oppose you, as %0..44 hav e joined she:•encinies of' the cou n t r y."—(H ear, hear.) indep en d ent elector was urged to vote for Sir Francis 1 rdett, he should go to the hustings and say, “ Sir Fran cis, long-. as e oul , i ~_ you were a consistent friend of liberty you 'elector "Pend on my cote as well as that of the independent 4i 0 ;._ . (4. 4 of Westminster ; but you, Sir Francis, having . I c ,' ,d the enemie s of the country—having joined the party You r Robert Peel and Sir J. Graham—l will vote against ecuirsbe the consequence what it may." This was the (lie_ e r which he trusted every honest voter would pursue.— ii hear.) the4..r• LEA DER then came f orwar d , and was received with buteulost enthusiastic cheering, which lasted several ni , i- Re addressed the meeting as follows :—Bre.,',, r3es l e ., ° ,, tn rs of the out-ward of the parish of St. Geo - ,ge*-Before tee e 4 r„! single word about myself or ;,oeties, I beg 'sin are t hank you for the kind dud flattering manner in 41 . 0 i yOn have received r:,, e . The contest on which we 1 h apout to enter tip' 5 hot be made a personal contest. 1,,, a ," nnt f"s -3eir u the. vanity or personal presumption to set Les ler . P P-igainst Sir Francis Burdett, whols a man who done ~,,ye,( l his country for many years --a man who has r -ellen .to advance the cease of reform ---and a man of ereat sbii• Port it 7, who long enjoyed your confidence and suis %re •"(li nar. hear.) All that I can advance, I trust, , ray . , tlon t 01.014 i ntentions and a firm and honest determine fo44444..-inere to thns; principles which I believe to be Gov ern ,,in truth, and which aro calculated to promote good (Ctrirseir il,'"t.--(Cheers. I nothing to say as regards heerbut that I am a determined friend . of the people a s ) - -- a I en , an would willingly sacrifice everything in the 4 • . 1 ray e re In , whtch we are engaged.—(Hear.) Therefore . natu re miss from your minds everything of a personal hot d e t , .the. present contest.—(Hcar, hear.) If this is Y " i t w ill 1 lead Us far away from the attainment of the object we have in View ‘; it would be attended with sacrifice of principle. I therefore urge iOu 6 av3id this, so as to prevent our sac'ri` eltig a great and noble cause merely Id the naMe of this or that individual.—(Cheers.) Bef&O the present resolution is put to you, and before you Say wliether you will receive me or not,. I feel that it is my duty to say, so met hi ng about. my f, , ClitiV,A lirinciples. I have been a! tong as CO`Old 4 , i'stVrigUi'sh between right and wrong, .a Reformar..)liters.) I knoW that there are many kinds 'of It eformers. There is the nied4a . te Whig, who almost approaches the To 4- - -414 1 1. ttige is the Whig, the Whig proper--(LanOrYte.' and cheers)—then comes the Radical, win', is halt' a Whig—then the real Radical, and the rit 4 t 4 tadical.--(Laughter, and hear, hear.) Ido not rii3tend to belong to any one in particutar of these sections, but I am a Reformer generally.—(Loud cheers.) I be lieve that every man who hears me is satisfied that it would be better to have 'certain alterations in some of our institutions—for instance, that certain financial matters would be better arranged than they now are if the people of this country had a greater voice in the Legislature than they at present had.---(Cheers.) The first reform that I reqn — ire is a thorough olfik entire reform of the Church Es tablishment.-----(Renewed cheers.) Do not let any man suppose that I am an enemy to the Church Establishment ; and still less of the Christian religion, for I am myself a member of the Established Church.—(Hear, hear.) But this is not a reason why I should support the iniquitous system pursued against the Dissenters.—(Cheers.) I would not support a system in the Church which at the same time gives to archbishops and bishops from 10,0001. to 15,0001. a-year each, while the poor curate, who has anxious and arduous and laborious duties to perform, is left to maintain himself and family on a miserable pittance of less than 50/. a-year.—(Hear, hear.) I am not one of those who say that I think that it is better for religion that the bishops should have seats in the House of Lords, where they can struggle to obtain better bishoprics, or can exert themselves to fur ther their own peculiar interests, and provide for them selves and families.—(Hear, hear.) I do not think that such a state of things either seems to promote the interests of religion or to extend the blessings of moral instruction.— (Cheers.) 1 therefore wish to see a reform of the Church Establishment in this respect : mind, I do not wish f or it s abolition, b u t on l y f or i ts reformation;—(Hear, bear.) Ano ther reform which I require is good extensive reform of the law. I dare say that there are a great many who hear me who have suffered from the present state of the law, and I have no doubt that many of you have friends in the country who complain that they have not justice, but a thing called justice, administered to them by persons who call themselves unpaid magistrates.—(Hear, hear.) These were irrespon sible persons —young gentlemen of twenty-one and upwards —political dependents of the Lord Lieutenants, and those who have rendered themselves artful by their subserviency. Were these the persons who should be allowed to decide on the liberty, the property, and perhaps the lives of their neighbours ?—(Hear.) I say, then, that we must have a reform in the law in this respect. I would also have Local Courts established throughout the country, by which justice would be brought home to every man's door. I dare say that there are many gentlemen present who would like to see trade as free as possible/ Now, one of the first things which I should like to see accomplished, and in regard to which a free trade should be established, would be that the country squires should be deprived of the control they now have on the trade, and consequently, the price, of that ne cessary of life, bread.—(Cheers.) It might be supposed that country gentlemen would be content to rest the maintenance of the Corn-laws on something like argument ; but the truth. is, that if a Member only gets up and tells the House that he wishes to bring forward a motion, not for the abolition but merely for the revision or even inquiry respecting the operation of the Corn-laws, all the country gentlemen instantly lose their tempers.—(Laughter.) They think that they have a right to have corn at their own price ; and if any independent Member, like my friend Mr. Villiers, suggests an alteration of the Corn-laws, they become indignant.—(Hear, hear, hear.) There is another tax which is also very obnoxious which I would get rid of. I do not know whether or not you feel any pressure from the window-tax in this district, but I know that it is felt as a most grievous burden in many places.--(Hear, hear.) There are many means of raising the revenue without tax ing the light coming in at the windows.---(Hear, hear.), Every tax pressing on the happiness and well-being of the working classes should be altered and got rid of ; and, if it was found necessary, the revenue could be raised by some other less objectionable mode of taxation. There is another reform which I cannot think necessary--if the term reform can be used with reference to a thing which does not exist--I wish, therefore, for the establishment of a good system of education for the people at large.— (Hear, hear, hear.) I do not wish to see our system of national education reformed, because there is no such system ; but I consider it to be the deepest disgrace to the Government and Legislature of this country that we have been so long without such a system. Englishmen boast that this is the greatest and most civilised nation in the world ; but I can mention three or four countries where such a system of general education exists, and where the operation has been found to be most beneficial and produc tive of the best consequences. One of the best things that can be done for the attainment of such a result would be to get rid of all the taxes on knowledge. Some persons are only only able to read Newspapers ; and, in point of fact, this is the only means of educating them. On that ground the Newspaper tax should be abolished. I have now referred to three or four kinds of reform which I am ..... anxious to see effected. I wish for a reform in the Church, a reform of the law, the establishment of a system of free trade, and a good system of national education. In addition to this I should also like to see carried out a thorough re form in the army and navy. I should like to see the system of promotion in both services a little less aristocratic, and that a greater chance of becoming officers was given to the lower classes.—(Hear.) I wish that every man who behaves well, whether belonging to the lower orders or not, should have a chance of becoming an officer instead of the probability being so slight as it is at presents—(Hear, bear, and an exclamation, " 'Would y2u abolish flogging ?") Does any man here present suppose that I would be a sup porter of such a debasing system as flogging ?—( Hear, hear, hear.) Whenever I have had an opportunity I have voted against the continuance of this system, and I shall ever continue to do so ; and, as regards myself, I confess if I were a soldier that I would rather be shot than flogged.— (Cheers.) We have been told that the discipline of the army could not be kept up without resorting to the lash ; but I am satisfied that this could be done if care were taken that men of better character were enlisted into the service ; let sucli men have a fair chance of rising and becoming officers, and then the debasing lash might be got rid of:— ( Ileos, hear, hear.) These, then, are some of the re forms which I wish to obtain ; but how are we to get them, how are we to attain this end ?—( A voice, " By sending you to the House of Commons.") Not a bit of it.—(Laughter.) Not by sending me but by send ing 300 men like me you would do something.—(Hear, hear.) But let toe add, that sending me in would not bo altogether useless ; for I am in the habit of stating my opinions on any subject, and in any place, openly, fairly, and fearlessly, regardless of the conse quences.—(Cheers.) For the attainment, then, of the ob jects I have just alluded to, the first great thing is that the people should be fully and fairly represented in the House of Commons.—(Cheers.) Does any man suppose that the people are fully represented now ?—(No, no.) It would be a mere farce to say so ; it would be throwing dust in the eves of the people to tell them that they were represented. No doubt a great deal had been done by the Reform bill, but that measure wa.s; as it were, only taking one step when we had a mile to proceed.—(Hear, hear.) There were even at the present moment a great many rotten boroughs, and a great deal of corruption prevailed in several of the stnaller boroughs. Before you can obtain the reforms you want'there must be a change in the House of Commons ; and befor e it can be made truly to represent the people se veral things must be clone. You must, in the first place, have an extensio❑ of suffrage.—(Hear.) It is not possible to unite men of all shades of opinion, and not being dis posed to frighten men not disposed to go all the Way, I confess 1 should be satisfied with Household Suffrage— (Hear, hear, and hisses)---although I am not an enemy to even a more extended suffrage ; but Household Suffrage is a very good step.—(Hear, hear.) It is absolutely ne cessary that electors should be protected by the vote by ballot.—(Loued beers.) I was always favourable to the Ballot, as I consid e r e d that it was necessary for the protec tion of the voters jp smaller constituencies ; but since the commencement of the present canvass I think it is also ne cessary for the protection of the electors of Westminster. I had thought that in a great constituency the people were ire° and could vote as they pleased, but to my great sur prise I found that even in Westminster, which justly is con sidered the first constituency in the kingdom, the greatest. coercion and restraint and intimidation is resorted to for the purpose of preventing the independent exercise of the fran chise. I find that great ladies are going about canvassing for the other side, and resorting to proceedings which are utterly unjustifiable. I have had several persons come to me within the last few days and said in nearly the same terms, " I agree with you in politics, but my Lord such a one will take away his custom ; my Lady such a one has threatened to ruin me if I vote for you."—(Cries of " Name.") Why should I name the parties, when I dare say many present know many instances of such proceed ings ? If in a constituency like. Westminster such intimi dation is carried on, what must it be in the smaller bo roughs where there are two or three hundred voters, and where one or two great families could ruin several fami lies if they voted against them ?—( Hear, hear.) I would, therefore, say agitate, agitate, agitate, until you ob tain the Ballot, which is the only secure protection to the voter. In order to get such a House of Commons as you. wish, you must 4160 get rid of that most absurd law re- ?, •• • 9 u4ring a property qUalificatich ~.embers oc die 'louse Ofcommons.—(Hear, hear.) I have no doubt that there are several gentlemen in the room fully as competent to be Representatives in Parliament, but who have too tender consciences to swear that, they pre worth - .1,00,/. : year, but sub iS staid of inOra4 'on this iiolot; that it is not re garded. I trust we shall get iiiiS abolished in a short time. To conic back to the House of CorihnopS,H(A. voice," We will send y'k4i,back:!')' I an-i Rot ,O;it of it fet; As I h ave . not yet There is one thing in which I trust, that there will be a change in the law within a short time, namely, that we should go back to the old English system of having Annual Parliaments, or that the duration of the present Parliaments should be shoftetied. I dila, that it would be sUffitient if 0. , 6 hho tdned the duration from seven to three yeah.-- , qUries of" No, no, " Yes, yes.") I am quite delighted to see such unanimity.--4 Laughter.) I see that you are all agreed on one point ; natnelk; that you Will have Parliament§ Of Adder ddratidit thall the ftt'Oettt, 1 do not say that I would stop at triennial, but you are all agreed that that would be better than having septennial Parliaments.—(Hear.) There is another point respecting which I believe you also aro all agreed, and in which indeed the Government concurs, namely, the getting rid of the rate and tax-paying clauses of the Reform Bill,—(Hear.) By these clauses a man is obliged to pay something for the preservation of a right, and if he should be absent from home on the day the tax-collector might call, he may be de prived of the elective franchise. By these means you would get a good House of Commons, that would really represent you. If the duration of Parliaments was shortened—if you .- obtained the Ballot—if you got rid of the rate-paying clauses, and the property qualification for Members, it would be your own fault if you did not get a good House of Commons. —(Hear.) Supposing you had such a House of Commons, I may be told that we should be as far as ever from other reforms, if we had an hereditary House of Peers, voting by proxy. Such a body might do all that they could to oppose their reforms, and we would do all that we could to harmonise with it ; but if we did not succeed, the people of England would tell them that they were determined to have reform, and that if the House of Lords would not give reform, the people of England would pass by the House of Lords.—( Cheers, and " No, no.") I hear some person say no. I would ask do you wish for these re forms ? How .can you do so if the House of Lords con• stantly opposes you ? I confess Ido not understand you when you say that you desire the end, and yet refuse to pursue the course I have mentioned. If you wish to ob tain the end, you must employ the means.—(Hear.) Such are my political opinions, which I suppose some persons will say are somewhat Radical. Perhaps they are, but they are not destructive.—(Cheers.) I would not subvert pro perty or order in this country ; on the contrary, lam anxious to preserve peace and order, and maintain the se curity of property, and I believe the best mode of doing so would be by granting the reforms I have mentioned.— ( Hear.) Instead, therefore, of being a Destructive, lam really and truly a Conservative.--( Hear, hear, and a voice, " You have no interest to destroy property I") My friend says, I have no interest in destroying property. What man present has any interest in destroying property ? The man whose means of subsistence depended on the labour of his bands had as great or even greater interest in the secu rity of property than the wealthier classes. Suppose, by any misgovernment or series of events, consumers' in come in the country was reduced one half, the person with I,noo/. a year might preserve the means of subsis• tense ; but could the poor man with 501. a year main ; tain himself and family with half of that sum ? I say, therefore, that the poor man has as great an interest in the security of property in this country, and preserving order and good government, as his rich neighbour.—(Hear, hear.) I have thus stated my political opinions in somewhat a rambling manner. Before I advert to Ireland, I must say a few words as to the conduct of the Radical Members in the House of Commons. Many persons have charged us with having uselessly and needlessly attacked the Govern= ment, but what are the facts of the case ? Whenever we could conscientiously support the present Liberal Govern ment—for so it is, as compared with the Tory Government —we did so zealously and firmly ; but when we found the conduct of the Government opposed to what we conceived to be sound principles, we felt it to be our duty to oppose it.—(llear, hear.) Thus we opposed the Government on the Ballot, but the Government was not very zealous on this question ; we also did so on the qualification question, on the Corn-laws, and, lastly, on the unfortunate coercive resolutions against Canada—(Hear)—but we supported the Government whenever we could do so without a sacrifice of principle.—(Cheers.) BUt what would happen if the Tories should return-to power, and possess themselves of the Go vernment ? It would be attended with great mischief to England, but the consequences would be incalculably greater to Ireland. You would then have the Orangemen again establishing their horrible societies, which were worse than even the Inquisition itself—(Cheers)—for they were the means of murdering in cold blood, through the agency of Judges and Juries. You would have such a spirit excited in that country, that it must produce a civil war, or some thing worse in the country.—(Cheers.) I would say, in deed, that if Ireland were again. placed under Orange do minion I should despise my friends from that country if they did not rise in opposition to such a system.—(Load cheers.) Some persons have been pleased to say that lam an Irish adventurer.—(Loud laughter.) I assure you, brother electors, that I should have no objection to be an Irishman, but it so happened, from some cause or other, which I cannot explain, that I was born in this neighbour hood, namely, in the village of Putney. Instead, therefore, of being an Irishman, I am nothing more nor less than an honest straightforward cockney.—(A laugh.) But suppose you lose this election, for it is nothing to me as compared with its importance to you and the country at large— (Cheers)—supposing Sir F. Burdett, aided by the Tories, is returned to represent—(" No, misrepresent")—you, I believe that it would cause this great moral effect, namely, that the Tories would seize the reins of Government. If this followed there would be somethin g like discontent. I will not ca ll it revo lt. Th ere wou ld be something like a rising up in opposition of between seven and eight millions of people. There also would arise universal discontent in the colonies, which are already sufficiently ill governed. Then would the reign of despotism be extended throughout Europe; for at this moment there is a combat going on through out Europe between the aristocratic and democratic princi ples. A struggle is being carried on between good and ill government. It is therefore not merely yourselves, then, or the people of England, that are interested in the pre sent contest, but it is a contest involving, such principles that the interests of freedom not only in this empire, but in Europe and throughout the world, are deeply interested in the result.—( Loud cheers, which lasted several minutes, and cries of " Bravo, young Glory !") The resolution . was then put and carried unanimously amid loud cheers. Mr. MORGAN JOHN O'CONNELL then came forward and was received with great applause. He was satisfied that that the present contest did not involve merely local inte rests, but on the result of the great struggle in which they were about to engage depended the establishment of good or evil government throughout England.—(Hear, hear.) fle could not forget that the happiness and prosperity of his country-men, depended to a certain extent on the pre sent contest ; and the result of the struggle might place them at the mercy of the sanguinary Orange Lodges, which had for such a long period deprived his country of her liberties.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman concluded with some pertinent observations on the passage of Sir Francis Burdett's letter stating that there was a combina tion of Irish agitators, Popish priests, and paid patriots, operating on the Government. Dr. BOWRING said that as an elector of Westminster, he was deeply anxious that his brother electors should now, as they had ever done, distinguish themselves as the beacon light on which the eyes of the whole country were fixed.— (Hear, hear.) On no occasion had the electors of West minster a more important duty to fulfil than that which they were now called upon to perform.—(Hear, hear.) It ap peared to him that Sir Francis Burdett had been treated with too much tenderness by his late constituents.—(Hear , hear.) He knew nothin g w hi c h oug ht t o recom mend a public man to public esteem but principle ; and when a man abandoned a principle he was no longer entitled to esteem. —(Hear, hear.) The electors of Westminster were called upon to elect a man for their representative with a view to future legislation, and not to indulge in a private and personal feeling arising out of former transactions. This being the rule, he would ask, what line of future legislation could they expect in Sir Francis Burdett ? Was it the legislation of Reform ? No, for he had re pudiated Reform, had turned his back on the Re formers, had outraged and insulted them.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble BaAmet called them " pismires," forsooth. He (Dr. Bowring) greatly rejoiced at finding that the pismires had stung the Hon. Baronet so smartly.--( Hear, hear.) The electors of Westminster had before them a Reformer and an anti-Reforiner ; hut the question was not between man and man : it was a question between the oppressor and the oppressed--between right and wrong. The electors of Westminster had a most important and responsible duty to perform : the fixed attention of the country was upon them, anxiously waiting to see whether the electors of Westminster sanctioned their late representative. in his junction with the Tory phalanx, or whether they were pre pared to shake off for ever the disgrace with which Sir F. Burdett—oh ! sad misfortune for him—had. in his old age, associated his once so honoured name.—(Cheers.) Mr. VILLIERS did not scruple to say that in the conduct of the late Member for Westminster he considered that the party to which he was attached had been first aban doned and then insulted.—(H ear, hear.) And that whatever excuses friendship might offer for the ofience, the fact was before the country that the man whose great distinction it was to enjoy the confidence of the people, had deserted their service, and from the pre- T 14.: SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1831. rinds of the Court had attempted to -614 up the, popu lar cause and his own friends to the t,4.‘M and derision of the world.—(Hear, hear.) And now, at every turn the street, whenever a Reformer met those who had always openky and manfully opposed the popular party, he was pointed at with i ,':';!.:-.:tptit,,atttLasitefl what he thought of his favoUrite patriot now ? Sir FranCii; it *al.saidi now began to learn the truth that they had ever told him, that be Mast kick the riedpie .if would have them lick his feet'; and he seemed new lh that Spirit to thrown down the gauntlet to 12,000 electors, and dare theta nod rii-elect him ; and that was the position of the city of Westminster, flit' tiatent of Reform, she who gave the example that the rest of Eng land followed i for it was to the struggle of this borough for a qua'riet of d CartflrY that we are indebted for the Reform Bill—(Hear)--and from that ciretimstance was it that her example on this occasion would again be followed by the constituencies of England.—( Hear.) Let no man therefore disguise from himself the importance of the event, or what hangs upon his own conduct ; let no man who is a Reformer, and cares for his character, doubt that his position in public in the country depends upon the result of this election. The language of their late Member was before them ; the principles involved in the challenge were intelligible ; let no man hope that if ho responds not to it with spirit and success he will escape from becoming the by-word of satire and reproach wherever he is known. —(Hear, hear.) Their borough placed in this position, he should care little by whose instrumentality it was that they vindicated their credit and their cause ; but he thought it matter of high congratulation to them that a candidate for this purpose had presented himself uniting so many quali ties that fitted him for their purpose as his friend Mr. Leader—a gentleman independent in fortune, intelligent in mind, excellent in disposition—at once uniting in him self the desire and the power to serve his cause and the country.—(Loud cheers.) With their interest and their honour then at stake, what excuse had they for withholding from him all the zeal they could display, for not devoting their hearts and their souls, and straining their nerves to secure a triumph so important to themselves ? In every quarter the oldest Reformers are saying that no event in their day has at all approached this election in interest and importance; for, as the Member for Southwark had justly said to-day at a public meeting, on the result depended the policy of England's Government for many a day. If the Re formers from any circumstance, whether from local differences or any other cause, were now beat, it would be a sign to Eu rope, to England, and to Ireland, of the future policy of this country—it would be rumoured through Europe that the first and largest body of electors in England had returned a Tory instead of a Liberal, and it would at once beat down and depress the spirits of that party wherever they existed ; but if this was the wish of the electors of this once liberal city, why let it be known : let them proclaim themselves unfit to be free, and declare that they want the spirit of the worm to turn when they are trampled upon ; that they sympathise with that policy called Toryism ; that they think with their late Member, that a soldier is the fittest ruler of this land ; and that they rejoice that he has taken the right step to prevent their resistance to such do minion ; but he (Mr. Villiers) would not contemplate the disgrace of any body of his fellow-citizens till all doubt of the calamity was removed ; and he would only think of the exulting and cheering reflection which contemplation of success produced upon this occasion, for that would teach a great moral lesson in this country ; it would give the lie to the charge of fickleness and caprice against the people, that they were heedless of principle, and careless of public duty ; it would, above all, teach men of rank and property in this country that they were not to use the people as the toys and tools of their vanity and am bition, and to fling them off when the purpose, was served, without punishment or reproach. This was the moment, then, for teaching such a lesson ; it was thus that the charac ters of public men were to be determined ; it was the conduct of constituencies that formed and fashioned the representa tive ; and it was from want. of prompt and decided conduct upon these occasions, that they had heard of late years of such frequent apostacy. It was the conduct of the electors now that would teach English gentlemen what was expected of them in their position. The Hon. Member was loudly cheered throughout his speech. Colonel P. THOMPSON addressed the meeting as fol lows :—Pismires—(Great laughter)—jackasses in lions' hides—(Renewed laughter)—such are the holiday terms that the candidate for your suffrages applies to you, electors of Westminster.—(Hear, hear.) Gel home to the little pismires—(Great laughter). - -that creep about your hearts, or to those greater pismires, those honest women who adorn your homes, and ask them whether they think that this spirit manifested by the candidate is likely to be useful in the representative for the city of Westminster.—(Hear, hear.) I beg of you, in this contest, not to forget to let your rallying cry be " Pis mires !"—(Cheers and laughter.) Unite, as these saga cious creatures do, and do not let minor differences induce you to divide—(Hear)—and support any man who is bet ter than his opponent, and make no new difficulties for the novice.—( Hear, hear.) Sacrifice partial differences for the promotion of the great end, and no doubt the result of your union will be the triumphant return of Mr. Leader.— (Loud cheers.) Mr. W. WILLIAMS, M.P., then addressed the meeting at some length in an able speech, which was loudly ap plauded, but for which we have not room. Mr. PLACE was happy to be able to state that the con tests in Westminster had always been a matter of principle on the part of the Reformers. He urged the electors pre sent to form themselves into district committees, and to canvass actively, for the result of the contest depended greatly on that. He could not help mentioning that it was on that day, and about that hour of the night, 30 years ago, that he drew up the resolution proposing Sir Francis Burdett in the committee of the electors of Westminster. —(Hear.) They went to the poll on that occasion, and succeeded in returning the worthy Baronet. They fought the same battle on two subsequent occasions, and beat both Whigs and Tories, and it would now be most disgraceful to the electors of Westminster, when they have only one faction to contend with, if they do not succeed. He recol lected that at a meeting that occurred some years ago, Sir Francis Burdett was charged with having abandoned his principles, and on that occasion he replied that he did not know what might happen to him—he might be turned into an oyster—(Laughter)—but he did not think that it was possible that he could ever abandon the principles of. Re form. At that time he (Mr. Place) would as soon have believed that Sir Francis would be turned into an oyster as have turned Tory, as he thei was.—( Hear, and laughter.) He would not have said one word in opposition to the re turn of Sir Francis Burdett, had he not abandoned his principles, as well as the electors of Westminster —(Cheery.) If Mr. Leader hereafter acted as Sir Francis Burdett had recently done, lie trusted that the electors of Westminster would treat him as they were now about to. treat the worthy Baronet.—( Hear.) Dr. WADE hailed with great pleasure the adoption of Mr. Leader by the present meeting. Mr. Leader, lie be lieved, caine from the middle classes, and he understood his friends had acquired their wealth by selling spirits.—(A laugh.) He saw clearly that Mr. Leader was a good spirit, but it was clear that Sir Francis Burdett was below proof.—(Laughter.) He recollected some years ago, in conversation with Dr. Parr, having strongly expressed his admiration of Sir Francis Burdett, when the Rev. Doctor, who was smoking at the time, said, " Pooh, pooh, he is like this," blowing out two or three puffs of smoke from his pipe.—(Great laughter.) A Committee was then appointed, to sit daily at the Hart Hotel, Fitzroy-square. Dr. WADE then proposed " The best thanks of the meeting to their Honourable Chairman,", whose high and honourable name gave such an eclat to the proceedings. Mr. NOTT seconded the motion, which was carried by acclamation. Mr. GROTE having returned thanks, the electors se par'ated. An article dated Vienna, 20th uit., states that all the accounts received in that capital from the southern and eastern provinces of the empire spoke of new commercial failures. There is a quaintness in half-cunning, wicked, stupid persons, sometimes, that is very like wit. I . remember an instance :—A half-witted boy, maintained by the parish, was in the habit of tearing off his clothes, till they found a method of buttoning his jacket behind. Doubtless he was not fed like a fat friar. Meeting one day a greyhound (there is always a fellowship between such and these dumb creatures), he looked earnestly at him, and felt, with his hand, down his back bone, and spanned him round his body. " Ali, my poor fellow I" said he, " it is bad times for you and I, since button ing-in in the back h come into fashion."—Blackwood. ,It is stated in a provincial journal, that in one of the ancient boroughs in the Isle of Wight a law is still in force, that if any person is found listening at doors, windows, or other places, a fine is levied on the offender, and if not paid, a distress warrant is issued fur levying the amount. Eight individ u als have been taken into custody on suspicion of being concerned in the murder of a woman named Elizabeth Hemmings, whose body was found last week in the Cauldon Canal, near Shelton, Staffordshire, with one arm broken and 'several cuts on the other. —. Liverpool Chronicle. On Sunday morning, about half-past one o'clock, the inhabitants of Great Brickhill, Bucks, were alarmed by the cry of fire, proceeding from the farmyard of Mr. Henry Smith, of the Duncombe Arms Inn. We regret to state that the whole of the farm buildings were entirely consumed. A very fine cow, an in-pig sow, two sheep, one lamb, and about lb fowls, were also destroyed. The cries of the poor animals were dreadful. No assistance could be rendered them, as the fire had completely surrounded them before it was dii covered. It is much to be feared that it is the work of some dastardly incendiary. There is one pleasing circumstance connected with this melancholy affair, that there was not one idle person seen at the fire, although many hundreds were present. The labouring classes exerted themselves as much as possible.—County Chronicle. COURT CIRCULAR. The ling; attended by Sir Herbert t#ylor, ar:ived in town at one o'clocif. yeketday from Windsor Castle. At two o'clock his Majesty held a Levee, which wa , . Pttendcd by the Russian Ambassador, riesh?d Bev, Ottoman Aininssa dor, accompanied by Mr. Salame, his ilniler:log Oriental Inter preter; the Neapolitan, Prussian, Swedish, 'N'Vurfernberg, Ha nOverian, Danish,Gresian, Bavarian, Brazilian, Spanish, .I.ax-on, and Thatch Ministers; M, dc Bourqueney, French Charge d'Affaires; M. gia/lei, Belgian Charge d'Atfa;:esi Count Moiran, Sardinian Charge d'Affaires ; the Chevalier de zow, Swedish Charge d'Affaires at the Court of Portugal; M. liintrrelauer, First Secretary of the Austrian Embassy; Ne deem Effendi, .!leeerid Secretary, and Agob Aga, friterpreter of the Turkish Embassy; the Lord President, the Lord Privy Seal, the First Lord of the Tre - ntury, the Secretaries of Sta:e for the Home, Foreign, and Colonial lierrtments, First Lord of the Admiralty, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Secretary at War, the Lord Steward, the Groorn'of the Stole, the Master of the Horse, the Gentlemen at Arms, the Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, Viscount Combermere, Gold Stick in Waiting, the Master General of the'Ordnance, the Vice Chamberlain, the Treasurer of the Household, the Comptroller of the Household, Sir Samuel Spry, M. P., Lieutenant of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, the Lord Registrar of Scotland, the Master of the Ceremonies, the Master of the Robes, Captain Sir A. Maitland, R. N., Naval Aide-de-Camp in Waiting; the Marquis of Eluntly, and Colonel Wynyard, Aide-dc-Camp to the King ; the - Clerk Marshall, Mr. Reeve, Standard Bearer to Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms ; Sir Horace Seymour, Equerry in Waiting ' • Mr. Ellerthorp, Clerk of the Cheque ; and Sir Thomas Horsley Curtcis, Exon in Waiting of the Yeomen of the Guard ; Colonel Cavendish, Silver Stick in Waiting ; the Sub Dean of the Chapel Royal, the Provost of Eton, Captain Courtenay Boyle, R.N., Groom of the Privy Chamber; 51r. Strachan, Gentleman Usher to the King; Master Cowell, Page of Honour, &c., &c. _ _ _ The following presented Addresses and petitions to the King : The Duke of Rutland—from the Committee of the Derby and Derbyshire Auxiliary Established Church Society, ex pressive of their disapprobation of the provisions of a Bill now before Parliament, for the Abolition of Church -rates, and humbly beseeching his Majesty that the said Bill may not be allowed to pass into a law. Viscount Strangford—fro n 1,03 Rate-payers and others of the City of Coventry (place of residence annexed to each sig nature) humbly praying the King, as Head of the Protestant Church, to protect it against the destructive measures now proposed by his Majesty's Ministers ; also to the same effect from Toleshill, Coventry ; from inhabitants of Margate, and from Standford and Westenhanger, County of Kent. Mr. Wyndham Lewis, M.P.—from the Constitutional So ciety of Maidstone, praying his Majesty will not give his sanc tion to the Ministerial Church-rate measure. His Majesty gave audiences to the Marquis of Winchester, Duke of Argyll, Viscount Combermere, Earl of Ilchester, Viscount Melbourne, Viscount Palmerston, Earl of pinto, Lord Glenelg, Lord J. Russell, Lord Hill, and Sir H. Vivian. Viscount Falkland and the Hon. Capt. George Campbell, R.N., were the Lord and Groom in Waiting. The Investiture of the most Hon. Military Order of the Bath, appointed to take place on Saturday at Windsor Castle, and the State Banquet afterwards to the Knights Grand Crosses and Officers of the Order, have been postponed. The Duchess of Kent entertained a large and distinguished party at dinner yesterday, at Kensington Palace. The Duchess of Gloucester and the Princess Sophia visited the King yesterday. His Majesty gave audience, yesterday, to Sir William Woods. The Princess Augusta hes signified her intention of patronis ing Mr. Blagrove's Concert. Madame Tricoupi, the Lady of the Grecian Minister, was safely delivered, last Sunday evening, of a daughter, at Park crescent. Mr. Stevenson, the American Minister, transacted business at the Foreign-office yesterday. SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE OF MAY 2. ST. .JAMES'S PALACE, MAY 3, 1837.—The King has been pleased to command that the Investiture of the Most Honour able Military Order of the Bath, appointed to take place on Saturday next, the Gth instant, and the banquet intended to have been given on that occasion, shall be postponed until further orders. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. CHESTER RACES, 'TUESDAY. His Majesty'. Plate of 100 gs. ; three yrs, ist. 21b. ; four, 9st. 21b ; lire, lOst ; six and aged, lOst. 51b. Thrice round, rather more than three miles. Mr. Barrow's b. m. Catharina, aged Hopwood 1 Mr. Houldsnorth's ch. h. Turban, 5 yrs Mr. Nanney's ch. c. Ratcatcher, aged Seven drew.-2 to lon Catherina, 3to 1 agst Ratcatcher, 4to I agst Turban.—Ratcatcher took the lead, and was not headed till they came to the Castle-pole the last time round, where Catharina challenged, and won very cleverly. Ran in 6 minutes 27 seconds. Sixty Guineas (clear), the gift of the Members for the City ; three yrs old colts, 6st. 81b ; fillies, Est. 61b; four yrs old colts, Bst. 41b ; fillies, Bst. lib. Heats, once round and a distance. Lord Eglinton's The Black Diamond, 4 yrs Mr. I'. \Valters's King Cole, 4 yrs Mr, W. Pierse's Elizabeth, 4 yrs PARIS RACES. 3 3 The Spring Meeting has been satisfactory, with few excep tions. Yesterday (Sunday) the company at the Champs de Mars was numerous, though the morning was lowering and dull. The Royal Princes honoured the course with their pre sence, and the different pavilions were graced by numbers of most beautiful women. The handicap for 2,500 fr., 300 fr. en trance (half forfeit), for French thorough-breds, once round (beats), was won by the Comte de Cambis's ch. c. Ahasuerus, three yrs, carrying 881bs. and 6lbs. above weight, ridden by Pavis ; both heats were run in 2 minutes 28 seconds, beating Lord H. Seymour's b. h. Icare, and M. Lupin's b. f. Norma, who bolted twice. Ahasuerus and Icare ran head to head to the distance ; the horse looked well and was much admired. He made all the running the greater part of the way. The ch. c. passed him about half a distance from home, and won by two lengths. The judgment displayed by ,the handicapper, whoever he may be, was good. We do not remember an in stance in Paris where any person ever proved such ability in fixing the weights, so as to bring them so close together. The second race was a match for 2,000 fr., once round, be tween M. Auguste Lupin's b. c. Laocoon, and Lord Henry Seymour's b. c. Royal George, 'who bolted by the bridge of Jena, threw his rider, and fell on him. However, we have much pleasure in stating that no bones are broken, as was at first reported, but a severe contusion in the left shoulder. M. Lugin's colt cantered in, and claimed. The third race was for the Orleans prize of 3,000 fr., 300 fr. entrance ; twice round ; which was won by Lord H. Se) moues b. m. Elisondo, 5 years old, beating (Flatman) the Prince of Moscow's b. m. Zitella, 6 years old, and his b. in. Lady Al bert, 5 years old. Clarion was entered, but did not start. This race almost excited as much interest as the first. Lady Albert went off at score, and did all the work for the first mile and a half, when Flatman let loose, and completely beat her; Zitella was behind in the distance. The two former appeared to the eye very fit. Chantilly races commence on the 12th of the present month. The nominations will appear in the course cf the week. We understand there will be no pigeon-shooting during the races at Chantilly, as was first announced; tic private betting-stand not being allowed to go there the amusern:nt is renounced. We regret to announce the death of M'r. Paul Sannegon, member of the Jockey Club. Never was there A better dis posed man, always ready to do a good office, and, whit is rare in these days, he was never heard to speak an ill-natured word of any one. He will long be remembered and regretted by a numerous class of friends and acquaintances. LITERARY FUND SOCIETY. Last night the Anniversary Dinner of the Literary Fund Society took place at the Freemasons' Tavern. The com pany assembled was very numerous, and included many noble men and men of rank, as sell as most of the leading literary men of the day. Among those present we observed the Duke of Somerset, Lord Stanley, Lord Sandon, Sir John Elley, Sir Robert Bateson, the Lord Mayor, Mr. Sheriff Duke, Mr. Sheriff Johnson, Sir William Chatterton, Sir Patrick Walker, Dr. Roget, Mr. Maclean, M.P., Mr. Emerson Tennent, Mr. Adolphus, Mr. W. H. Ainsworth, Father Prout, Air. Charles Dickens, Mr. Jordan, &c. &c. The cloth having been removed, the usual loyal toasts were given and received with enthusiasm. The CHAIRMAN then, in an appropriate speech, proposed " Prosperity to the Literary Fund." Mr. JERDAN, in acknowledging the toast, stated briefly the objects of the Institution. The disposable funds of the So ciety now amounted to 25,0001. The TREASURER then read the list of donations and sub scriptions, Amongst which were the following :-His Majesty (annually), 100/. ; his Grace the Duke of Somerset, 101. 10s., annual subscription, in addition to a donation of 10'4. ; Mrs. Dixon (a legacy), 2,000/. ; Lord Stanley, 101. 10s. ; Lord F. Egerton, 10/. ; Lord Carrington, 101. 10s. ; Sir Charles Met calf, 10/. 10s. ; Mr. Wentworth Beaumont, 21/. annually; the Company of Stationers, 211. annually ; the Lord Mayor, 10/. 10s. ; Mr. E. Tennent, M.P., 51. ss. annually ; the Turkish Ambassador, 5/. ; the Count de Solis, 10/. ; Mr. Phillips, 101. 10s., annually • Mr. T. Hill, 10/. 10s.; Sir John Swinburne, 10/. 10s. ; M r . dhas. Dickens (" Boz."), 10/. 10s. ; Mr. Moran, 101. ; Mr. Charles Kemble, 10/. 10s. ; Sir R. Bateson, Si. ss. ;_ Mr. Poulet Thomsim, 101. 10s. ; Mr. W. H. Ainsworth, 51. si. ; Mr. Roney, the late secretary, 101. 10s. ; and many others to a very large amount. Lord STANLEY then proposed " The health of his Grate the Duke of Somerset, the Chairman." The CHAIRMAN returned thanks. The LORD MAYOR then proposed " The health of Lord Stanley." Lord STANLEY acknowledged the compliment, The CHAIRMAN next proposed " The health of Mr. Charles Dickens and the rising authors of the day." The toast was received with mist flattering marks of approbation. Mr. DICKENS, in returning thanks, felt peculiarly em barrassed in acknowledging the toast from the language in which it was couched. He saw around him many to whom that honour might with far more justice have been awarded. Ho felt the kindness, however, that had been done him. He was proud to receive•so friendly a shake of the hand from the old stagers who sought to raise him to their own level. The great discrepancy in the toast had been drunk was the coup ling with him " the rising authors of the day.' Now, the difference was that they had risen, while lie was, at the most, rising only.—( Hear, hear.) He hoped, however, if helived ever to produce a work that would be known after he Was no . 1 %; •;_ MOr (a elrettinstadec the lee,t 1,1:e1) to itApttetc' ri .: - • ••• won d also be known that the flattering eneourageme 41.• sh that night receive I from his literary brethren had nen— . SAWN to future exertions, a-id animated his endeavour not to do other than justice to their kind praise.—(Chee-s.) The Chairman and the other leadin:.; numbers of this com pany then retired, but the festivities of the evening wei - e. cot - tinned some time after. -1 BURIAL OF GREENAGRE't.._. - ) BODY IN THE PRISON. At nine o'clock, en Tucsilay night, the body of Green- Pero was buried in the gaol of Newgate, close to the spot where those of Thistlewood, Ing, Tidd, and the other per-- sons convicted of high treason lie. The wretched woman who was his com p an i on ex pressed a wish to see him before . execution, and on being told that an interview would be most: improper shed tears, and fell into a state of the deepest despondency, and when she beard the bell tolling in testimony of his departure, her mental agony increased. On Saturday last., the last day he communicated with Mr. nobler, jun., his solicitor, be handed the following papers to that gentleman, with a solemn request - that care should be taken to publish them. " Chapel-yard, April, 1837. " To Mr. Wm. Greenacre, and to all my relatives " Dear Brother and Sisters,—Most sorry am I that the name of our family should be disgraced by any act of mine, when I know that of our extensive family (and as it appears the only ono in England of the name of Greet:acre) has each and all of them always been most scrupulous to uphold a good reputation and the esteem of all to whore they are known or acquainted. Sorry am I indeed that I should be the first to disgrace that name, which has not been stained by any crime cognizable to the laws of our country for cen turies past. This, my dear brothers and sisters, is to me the deepest affliction that could befal me. The sacrifice of life or property is of minor consequence to the very odious noto riety that will be indelibly attached to my name through this fatal accident. " Yes, my dear friends, I feel this the more since I know that none amongst you, nor any person in London, has been more careful to maintain a good character than myself ; this vou may think is saying too much, as London is a large place. But in justification to my very belied and traduced character, permit me to say that sobriety, industry, integrity, humanity, and a quiet demeanour, has always been the careful study of my life, and that which my soul delighted in. " I speak this, my dear relations, in the presence of that God who knoweth all our Lea t;, and before win-fa I must soon appear, for, alas I my hours are numbered, and are but few. Permit me to add, that during the many years I resided in St. George's, in the borough of Southwark, that I enjoyed the full benefit and reward of the unimpeachable course of life which I invariably pursued—the esteem and confidence of my neighbours and creditors I happily enjoyed up to the hour I went to America, neither was it abused at that time ; for had not my character been more to me than gold, I might have made a purse at the expense of those whose friendship and confidence I was proud to enjoy. Hundreds of my fellow parishioners, and at least twenty of my creditors, are con vinced of this. Even those four creditors, who, by a mis understanding arising out of the sudden death of my wife, made me a bankrupt for about 1401. whilst I was crossing the Atlantic to America—even those gentlemen know how much larger my credit had been, and might have been, if it had been my design. "My untimely end is an awful proof of vicissitudes of life, and that no care or prudence can protect us from the decrees of fate. But my dear brother and sisters, I solemnly declare to you that I no more contemplated the death of that unfortu nate woman Brown, than did our brother Samuel the death of our mother and the loss of Mary's hand by the accident of his gun ; and may my most precious soul never enter the presence of Almighty God if mine was not es decided an accident in the moment of anger as ever occurred in the world. It has been the subsequent act into which I was propelled by the aberration of mind, and the unavoidable mystery that this act produced, which has given rise to conjectures and surmises that are by many considered to be facts ; it is indeed, my dear relations, that state of mind which led me to put away the body out of my sight that has terminated my fate, and blasted my reputation as a wilful murderer. " In concluding this long letter I deem it my duty to de clare the perfect innocence of all knowledge of the fatal ac cident on the part of Mrs. Gale, so help me God. " Wishing you all health and happiness, and that you may not sorrow nor experience any evil consequences from the fate of you unfortunate brother, "JAMES GREENACRE.'n The next letter is directed to Mr. Price, the barrister, and Mr. Hobler, jun., the solicitor, and is as follows : " Chapel-yard, Newgate, April, 1837. " Honoured beg to return you my most sincere thanks for the indefatigable exertions that you have devoted for the saving of my life, and that, still more than life, the rescue of my name from the odious repute of wilful murderer. I know, Sirs, that the very peculiar nature of my case gave to my prosecutors all the advantage of substituting conjectures and remote recollectious for positive . facts—that against such evidence there could be no chance of a just verdict—that the cruel injustice and murderous attacks which were eagerly made upon my character, by the grossest falsehoods, perverted in cidents, and the most prejudicial comments to incense and mis guide the public mind by a trafficking Newspaper press, that cares not for truth or justice, or the life of any man, so that such Newspapers can but feed the passions of the partial-minded and unthinking crowd—that by means of my prosecutors having got possession of all my boxes, letters,and papers, a most murder ous flame of prejudice is kept alive by publishing gerbled state ments, and perverting the very meaning and object of such papers and articles that were in my boxes belonging to me, and persons in America, whose name and address on sealed parcels arc to be found on some of great value, that were entrusted to me to deliver. " These, Sirs, are some of the disadvantages and oppressive circumstances by which my case is-rendered hopeless, and your best exertions unavailing. But, Sirs, I feel it to be a duty which I owe to my name, to the cause of Mrs. Gale, and to a reflecting public, to protest with my dying breath against these acts of oppression, and the two verdicts, against both real and circumstantial evidence, seeing that the real evidence, which occupied one day and a half, was only intended to bewilder the minds of the jury, as it amounted to little else than what I admitted, whilst the circumstantial evidence goes to show that wilful murder, or any thought of taking life, could not form any part of my crime. Not a dozen persons in London could have condemned, or deemed the catastrophe a wilful murder, if it had not been for the act of concealment, into which I was propelled by my horror-stricken and frenzied state of mind, and with a little reflection the real state of my mind may be conceived, by the very precipitated and delirious mode of pro ceeding, and that, too, whilst the greatest of all possible ad vantages were in my power to have utterly made away with the body, if I had possessed a collected mind, and one capable of devising murder. " If I had at once acknowledged to the fatal accident, I should not then have been in a situation to have back the clothes ; and should not, under the many circumstances op posed to the plea of wilful murder, or malice aforethought, have been thought an intentional murderer. " Not, perhaps, any persons whose minds have been poi soned by the subsequent circumstances, (and what may he con sidered unavoidable circumstances, when once the wrong steps were taken) would have thought that Ay crime was a wilful act. " As regards the fate of poor Mrs. Gale s I can only re iterate in the sight of death what I have before repeated, that she knew nothing of the death of. Mrs. Brown till the day I ac knowledged to it before the Magistrates at Marylebone Police office, so help me. God. " Thus, Sirs, I have taken another and thelast review of .my unhappy situation, which I should be glad if you would send to the Editor of any liberal journal that would give it in sertion. - " I remain, Sirs, " Your most obedient and humble servant, " JAMES GREENACRE." To Mr. nobler, Chapel-yard. Sir,—l understand that it is the opinion of some persons that I have not divulged alt the truth respecting the unfortu nate death of Mrs. Brown—that the blow on s tile face or eye, appears to be done with the stick in my hand. I beg leave to assure you, in my present moment, and in the presence of Almighty God, that I have given a true state ment of the accident as it occurred, by throving the rolling pin out of my hand, but that whether it flew in a level posi tnyitor upon the twirl, I ato not able to say—the act was momentary. " Now, Sir, as regards the supposition that the stick must have Leen in my hands, this is. a decided.feeling of prejudice, because every person must know that when a stick is flung at any object, it is as likely to hit that object in one way as another in making its revolutions. But, Sir, defence is nnneeesskry in such prejudicial feelings. I can only add, that I have given a true statement of the catastrophe, and of the words that gave rise to my momentary passion. " So help me God—and may my soul never enter the pre- Pence of the Almighty, if this statement be not true. ",LAMES' GREENACRE." The following request was written the 'evening before his execution : " I hereby request that the watch, chain, and key be given to my solicitor, Mr. Hobler. It was any property, and used by me up to the time that I was tahn into custody by the officer Feltham, who returned it to me by orde►? of the Lord Chief Justice Tindal. Silver hunting-watch, No. M 3, Pres bury, London; fine gold chain and slides, plain seal, one large key. "JAMES GREENACRE." We much regret to state that the splendid mansion of Pontypool Park was on Saturday night last on fire, from the beam on the side of an old flue over the kitchen fireplace having ignitel, and remained burning 11301 Y days without being discovered. Had it not been fur the distingu►shing and characteristic coolness, good sense, and firmness of the worthy owner, the Lord Lieutenant, who remained ►with the workmen all night, this most splendid mansion must have been burnt to the ground : but from his calmness, and giving 2 0 directions himself, Mr. Ha►,bury Leigh not only saved his nob.;' bout() from falling a sacrifice to the devouring element, but ipireci Mrs. Hanbiirpleigh, who: is in very delicate health, ac as a house full of friends, who were visitors there at the time . * the alarm even of hearing of the catastrophe until the next day, notwithstanding the engines and workmen ►wcrs employed in forcing through a wall of eight feet in thickness to get at the flue where the mischief began. Happily no great injury was sustained, and this seat of hospitality still remains in fu►l power to dispense its accustOrnOd.allurernents. • - Subscriptions have been carried on with great spirit, at Dudley, for the purpose of building two _new churches in that parish, which will -contain free sitt►ngs for upwards of 2,000 persons'. Salopian Journal. ; t 3