The Sun. — London, England, 1837-01-24 00:00:00

If we refer with pride and satisfaction to the magnificent meeting held yesterday in Drury-lane Theatre, it is not, assuredly, because we deem any such manifestation necessary ao prove that the people are not their own enemies ; that they are not possessed with burning impatience to be once more plundered and trampled on by the Tories ; that they are not in eetsitile to the blessings of civil and religious liberty ; anxioir; to strip theirrelees of all the privileges ex torted from the oli , arcliv by the Reform , • Bill, to lay them at the feet of the boroughtnongers, and to bend their necks to the yol;e of virtual representation. We have no taste for any such work of supererogation. To the enemies of the people great efforts are no doubt necessary to carry on the war of falsehood and decep tion, by which alone they can have the remotest chance of succeeding in their objects. To produce in any quarter a persuasion that a change has come over the public i that there has been a reaction—that the people arc sick of the Reform Bill, deeply ena moured of the men who sought to prevent their obtain ing it, and bursting with gratitude to the Tory Peers, who have done so much to render the Reform Bill al:ortivois evidently a task or no ordinary magnitude; and the Tories who enter on that task must ride and run, and make the most of their. forces ; by due parade, if they hope even a partial success in their work of de lusion. But the people have nothing to gain by de ception. They have the consciousness that in them selves all poc.'er is centered, and that whenever they choose to put forth that power it must be irresistible. They do not, therefore, deem it necessary to seek to dazzle the senses by gaudy structures of colossal inagnitude, and much idle pomp and show, but are satisfied with meeting in their different localities to give an honest expression to their constitutional feelings, and testify their sense of the conduct of their representatives. Viewed in that light, Reformers may well be proud of the display of yesterday. We never witnessed more order and regularity in so great a multitude. The whole house appeared to be so arranged as to give admission to the greatest possible number. Stage, pit, boxes, and galleries were all thronged, and the Tory must have been strangely constituted who could look on the numbers and respectability assembled around him, and yet retain the persuasion that, notwithstanding this splendid exhibition, there was no doubt of re-action. The contrast between the noise and fury of the Tories and the calm bearing of the Reformers was very hap pily drawn by Mr. Clay : " Now," said the Hon. Gentleman, " it is the masses who are tranquil, and the upper classes are disturbed. I protest the most turbulent class of the community, at this moment, is the Tory aristocracy ; and if at any meeting language of a very dangerous and almost seditious kind is used—such, for instance, as drawing the sword, civil or otherwise, according to the discretion of the speaker, against the constitutional power of the majority—ten to one but it is a meeting of Tory peers and squires, and reverend gen tlemen, most of them worth two or three livings. Let, how ever, these well-dressed agitators not reckon too much on the calm attitude of the people. They are tranquil, but their tranquillity is not indifference : it is the repose of con scious strength—it is the slumber from which the giant will awake refreshed—it is the pause of the mighty river, which seems to sleep in the bosom of the lake, until it again pre cipitates itself on the obstacles that oppose its onward course." There seemed to be but one feeling among all the Reformers present as to the importance of having power in the hands of a Reform rather than a Tory Ministry. " Is it nothing (exclaimed Mr. Clay) to place at the disposal of our opponents, and to array against the progress of our own principles every source of influence, from the ermine and the mitre to the post of a tide-waiter in the Customs ?" We are glad to perceive that on this point all were united, so that the hopes built by the Tories on the disunion of the Re formers r2st on a very insecure foundation. The ses sion which approaches will undeceive them. All Re formers will support Ministers ; they will not commit the unspeakable folly of assisting in driving Ministers from power, in order that their places may be sup plied by those who hate them, because their measures are too liberal. The people may be assured that all who atK;ct to view it as a matter of indifference, whether Lord Melbourne, or Sir Robert Peel, be at the head of affairs, are not honest Reformers. Such pretended Reformers found assuredly no countenance at the Drury-lane meeting. The speech of Mr. Byng will be read with much interest, on ac count of the valuable points of comparison it sup plies. They who are dissatisfied with the present times, may see that Mr. Byng commenced his career in much worse. The great enemy of the people in all times is ignorance. Against that enemy they cannot be too much on their guard. Ignorance is the great ally of the Tories ; whenever they are strong, it will be found that ignorance fills their ranks. The humi liating confession made by Mr. Byng, that nine out of ten of the people of this country were in favour of the unjust awl impolitic war waged against France at the breaking out of the Revolution, ought to be a warning to make constant head against ignorance and prejudice, its offspring. The Reformers are now united and strong ; but they can only be strong and united by adhering to principles, and respecting the civil and religious rights of each other. Among the most de- Ugrian] exhibitions of this great festival was the truly admiral le manner in which the Noble Chairman dis charged the dutieS of his post. We congratulate the friends of reform on this bright and important acces sion to their ranks. The advocates of popular rights, whik have grieved at the apparent dearth of high talent amongst the younger branches of aristocratic families, may well rejoice in the evidence which Lord Russell afforded last night of his well-founded claim to take his place amongst the public men best able to per form useful services to their country. In all our ex perience of public meetings, we never saw the duties of a Chairman discharged with more easy elegance and dignified propriety ; and we are sure the sense of the meeting will bear us out in our assertion that it was impossible to enforce liberal sentiments with more happy and effective eloquence. The rare union of brilliant talent with a deportment at once manly and graceful, justify the people in looking forward to a continuance of the connection between themselves and the distinguished family which has so long been associated with the support of the liberties of the nation. Many of the speeches delivered last night were excellent. Mr. Ward's and Mr. Charles ]3ul - told with great effect. Mr. Hume spoke with his usual cordiality. Our opinion of Mr. Clay's speech may be gathered from the use we have made of it ; but where there was so much excellence we must content ourselves with a general reference. Our limits preclude our doing more.—Morning Chronicle. We point the attention of our readers to the report which will be found elsewhere of the great Middlesex Dinner yesterday in 'Drury-lane Theatre, with a de gree of satisfaction and delight which it is impossible for us to express, but which those of our readers who know our enthusiasm in favour of Reform can readily enough comprehend. Those who previously calcu lated upon a disunion in the Reform camp, and built upon that disunion the hope of once more introducing themselves to power and place, and the patronage of corruption and abuse in every department of the State, tvill now learn that their hopes were but a rope of sand, and that there is About as much chance of the Shah of Persia or the Great Mogul disinheriting the legal descendants of his present Majesty, is of the Tories ousting the present Administration by means of any domestic feud among the Liberals of Great Britain and Ireland. No, there is no disunion among the Liberals. Difirences do exist among them respecting the time when—and the extent to 'which— certain measures ought to be brought forward and supported ; but there is not the slightest question or division of opinion with respect to two main points— the keeping of the Tories out of office, and the maintenance, in opposition to them, of a Liberal Ad ministration. Not only were all the speakers most unanimous upon this point, beginning with Mr. Byng, the father of the present House of Commons, and closing with those whose sentiments, growing with their growth, and strengthening with their strength, are somewhat in advance of that venerable gentleman— but the company present were equally so—and where, we ask, has a more numerous or more re- speetable company been seen ? The thunders of applause which echoed from side to side of the immense dinner circle, upon every allusion to the destruction of the Tories, was only exceeded by the still louder thunders which followed every appeal to union among Reformers, and to sup port of Lord Melbourne's Government. Never, in fact, was tjicre a more foul, or a mere foolish, slander upon the Liberals of the United Kingdom, than the bare imagination that any considerable portion of them would, for the purpose of even expressing their own individual opinions—much less urging them—expose the Government of Lord Melbourne to jeopardy or hazard. The idea was scouted, as it ought to have been, by every one present—and by none more strongly than Mr. Hume, who laughed to scorn the attacks which had been made upon him, because, in an imminent crisis, be had declared that he would vote that black was white, rather than expose the country to greater perils than could possibly result from his supposed defection from Reform principles. With regard to open questions—that is to say, fair discussion of debateable matters, such as the Ballot, Triennial Parliaments, and others—the feeling of the meeting was pretty strongly, though not universally, evinced in favour of them ; but even with regard to these questions, there was not one present who was not ready to surrender them, rather than by their dis cussion assist the Tories in their madness for office. Many other points were mooted in the course of the evening—such as confidence in hiS Majesty's Minis ters—justice to Ireland, &c.—to which we have neither time or space to allude till to-morrow. Suffice it to say that we have given the spirit of the meeting, and that to-morrow we shall endeavour to do justice to the admirable speeches and sentiments expressed upon the occasions—Morning Advertiser. Drury Lane Theatre—the scene of many a good and bad performance in its time—was crowded yester day by the Whig-Radicals, who, having resolved to get up a Reform dinner, strained every nerve to give stage effect to the undertaking. A report of this la boured effort will be. found in another place. One of the great objects of the meeting was to exhibit the nu merical strength of a party who, with all their talk and boast of Lumbers, have latterly manifested anything but a tendency to increase. It would, indeed, be strange, if, with all the pains that have been taken, and with all the facilities which a crowded and diversified popu lation affords, the attempt should be found to fail altogether in the metropolis, with its Radical boroughs and their Radical Representatives at command. Ac cordingly it appears, that they made a very tolerable muster at head-quarters. As a dinner patty the thing was well enough, but as a national manifestation of the preponderating power of Whigs and Radicals, which is the exhibition we were threatened with, the display was nothing short of contemptible. What comparison can there be as a test of party strength between the 1,200 or 1,500 Destructives collected in the metropo lis of London, and the 3,000 Conservatives assembled in the remote city of Glasgow, without any beating up for recruits ; in short,without the exertion of any other influence than the spontaneous energy of the Conser vative principle itself. But there was another object in this meeting, which, if not so plainly avowed by the prime movers or principal performers in the drama, was one which they had quite as much at heart—that object was to keep the present Ministers snug in their places. It is well known that the extreme Radicals have lately become rather restive in the traces, and begin to think it hard work to be dragging Ministers through the dirt without any corresponding advantage to themselves. A blow-up seemed therefore inevitable, unless something could be done to sink what are called, strangely enough, " minor differences," in order to restore that good understanding between Whigs and Radicals which is necessary to the continuance of the Whigs in office. Mr. Hume laboured hard, as he has always done, for this purpose. The burden of his song was, that the Conservatives must be kept out, or in other words that the Ministers must be kept in—a very cheering note fOr the present occupants of Downing-street. His fa vourite expedient is that of keeping certain questions, and those the most important in a constitutional sense, open questions in the Cabinet. Now, however the theory of open questions may be glossed over by inge nious painters of language, the practical operation is this—that open questions, such as vote by ballot, an nual Parliaments, and universal suffrage, involving in their consequences no less than the utter subversion of the British Constitution, the Ministry as a Ministry shall have no opinion of its own. How long Mr. Hume intends that the Ministry who could accept such a compromise should remain in power, we have no means of ascertaining ; but we think we can venture to assure him that hours and not days would be the mea sure of their political life. It is not, however, our in tention to criticise the performance of yesterday with any degree of minuteness. Having called the attention of our readers to the subject, and placed the report before them, we shall have done enough to show that the great effort of the Whig-Radicals was one which may be contemplated without much alarm. If their numbers be so moderate, and their expedients so im practicable, we may safely rely upon the good sense of the-community for protection against all their manceu vres.—Morning Herald. The great Middlesex Reform dinner, which has given occasion to so many preliminary puff's, was the per formance of last night on the stage of the Theatre Royal Drury-Lane. We believe the meritorious per sons who usually perform upon this stage are entitled to designate themselves his Majesty's servants. Last night, however, none of his Majesty's servants ventured to present themselves to the audience'. And they judged wisely : the assembly would not have suited them, nor would they have suited the assembly ; for the meeting at Drury-Lane con sisted chiefly of persons who seem at least to mean something, and, what is worse, who seem to be fully aware that the King's servants mean nothing but to keep themselves in place. Had the meeting been intended as a Ministerial manifestation there could have been no hesitation in pronouncing it an unequivocal fai lure. But to do justice to it we must not regard it in this light. It was a meeting, to judge from its proceed ings, neither decidedly friendly nor decidedly hostile to his Majesty's Ministers—a meeting intended ostensibly to promote objects which his Majesty's Ministers do not yet venture openly to avow—a meeting of which the distinct, specific, and immediate purpose seemed to be to save, if possible, Mr. Joseph Hume's seat for Middlesex. The assembly was numerous, and, re garded as . an assembly in support of Mr. Hume's next election, it was as respectable as could have been ex pected. But yet it presented very satisfactory evidence that Mr. Hume's re-election for Middlesex is perfectly hopeless, and evidence still more satisfactory that Mr. Hume, unpopular as he has evidently become, is still popular in comparison with those Ministers to whom lie professes to give a qualified support. Of the ora tory displayed at this meeting we may convey an accu rate idea to our readers by the simple statement that Mr. Hume was, beyond all comparison, the best and most effective speaker who addressed the Chair. This remark may seem excessively severe ; and Mr. Clay, Mr. Grote, Mr. Duncombe, Mr. Ward, Mr. Charles Buller, Mr. Warburton, and the Chairman, Lord Russell, who were the other orators of the assembly, may perhaps think that, in making it, we do them less than justice. But we confidently appeal to every man who was present, whether the observation be not strictly and undeniably correct ; and the public will, we imagine, be at no loss to judge from this circum stance what was the average display of talent upon the occasion. The effect, Indeed, upon the meeting was precisely such as would naturally be expected from effusions of which those of Mr. Hume were the most eloquent and glowing. We never before had the misfortune of being present at a festive assembly of so cold a temperament, or so dreary an aspect. Mr- Clay laboured hard to excite sonic degree of enthusiasm when he invited the assembly to resoond to the toast of " Lord Melbourne and his Majesty's Ministers," but he laboured in vain. He was surrounded by living masses of ice, and the successive periods of his well-studied oration fell ineffectual from his lips. Nor was the fate of Mr. Grote much better, although lie had to deal with the more stimulating subject of short Parliaments and vote by ballot." These well-known sounds, and the topics with which they are habitually as sociated, failed to arouse the assembly from its lethargy. The cheers, when cheers there were,proceeded evidently from something less than a twentieth part of the meet ing, while all the rest were in a state of torpor, from which nothing could awaken them. Even the O'Connell cry of " Justice to Ireland," the Whig- SPIRT ii - 61 7 TIIE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIIE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, - J NNUARY 24, 1537 Ralical watchword, as it is intended to be, of tic approaching Session of Parliament, failed to elicit from the drowsy assembly any general ex pression of sympathy, or any decided symptom of animation, although Mr. Clay, Mr. Duncombe, Mr. Warburton, Mr. C. Buller, great orators and mighty statesmen as they are, did their best, to affect enthusiasm, and to excite it, on this party topic. The characteristic of the meeting, visible at every moment, whoever was the speaker, and whatever was -the topic, but more cOnspicuously visible when the merits of his Majesty's Ministers, and the policy of supporting them, were insisted on by any imprudent orator, was apathy and indif ference, amounting almost to the show of contempt. We must not omit to mention that the boxes of the theatre were occupied by ladies, whose presence im parted to the scene whatever it possessed of grace, di g nity, or animation. In this, the only brilliant part the meeting, our experienced eye detected at once a fair assemblage of decided Conservatives. The commendation of his Majesty's Ministers, when any body had the courage to commend them—the doc trines of progressive and never-ending Reform—the oration even of Mr. Thomas Duncombe, in praise of everything that is called liberal and free, failed to ex tort from the boxes the slightest manifestation of sym pathy or approbation. No handkerchief was seen to wave in the hand, no smile to mantle upon the coun tenance, of any of the fair spectators. Who, after this, can be surprised that the meeting was a failure ? Who, after this, can doubt that Conservative feelings , and principles have the ascendancy in society ? Morning Post. A copious, if not very interesting, report, will be fOund in other columns of the proceedings at the " Middlesex Reform Dinner" last night in Drury-lane Theatre. After all the noisy bluster of the Whig- Radical organs the thing was far from formidable in point of numbers, character, respectability, station, or electoral independence. We very much doubt whe ther 200 electors of Middlesex could be mustered out of the lot. Of the sixteen Dukes, Earls, and Vis counts, whose names figure so conspicuously at the head of the list of stewards, not one was present, or sent an apology for his absence ; and when the health of his Majesty's Ministers was drunk, not even one solitary understrapper could be found to acknowledge the compliment. — 'limes. The haters and enemies of the British Monarchy are the most arrant hypocrites in existence ; and, as in all analogous cases of insincere pretension, their hollowness is made apparent by their inconsistencies. For many years it has been the unintermitted endea vour of the revolutionary press, in subserviency to their anticipated profit, to debase the monarchical power in favour of the democratic one. No doubt the amount of talent and influence which they have brought to the realization of this object has been contemptible enough, but their deficiency in these respects has in some de gree been compensated by the intensity of their zeal. Day and night have they laboured to discredit the Royal authority. They have sneered at the King's prerogative. Their objections to an hereditary Peer age have been covertly levelled at an hereditary Crown. " The Court " has been the object of their ceaseless hostility and contempt ; and now, finding that the old Constitutional toast of " Church and King " has become a standing favourite at Conservative festivals, they affect to be scandalized beyond all measure because the honour of our earthly Sove reign is not preferred to the supremacy of Al mighty God. The Conservatives desire to remem ber, that the order of dutiful allegiance, as commanded in Scripture, is first to " fear God," and then to " honour the King ;" but the infidel hypocrites of the Whig-Radical press desire to reverse this order. The loyal principle which they hate at heart they are now zealous to place in advance of the religious prin ciple which they hate still more, and hence the obvious propriety of the Coast given at the Kent dinner is the object of their infuriated malice and misrepresentation. The truth is, that viewed in the aggregate, the English character in its best style is essentially a religious one ; and in illustration of this, we may refer to the remark able fact, that the question of religion has, more or less, occasioned and modified almost all the-great strug gles which have occurred in the history of this country. Without claiming for the illiterate subjects of Henry VIII. any intelligent or extraordinary interest in the ecclesiastical disputes of that reign, it is certain that the influence of the 900 priests who voluntarily repu diated the domination of the Roman Church awakened a popular zeal in favour of the Reformation, without which not even the despotic power of the Monarch could have carried it into effect. The violent per secutions that disgraced the Popish days of the " bloody Mary" were demonstrative both of the impor tance which Englishmen attached to pure religion, and of their heroic willingness to suffer for it. Under the house of Stuart, the troubles which disturbed the country were occasioned not so much by their civil administration, as by an impatience of their spi ritual intolerance. The wars of the Commonwealth partook of the same character ; and although we are by no means blind to the hypocrisies and ambition of the Puritans, who gladly installed themselves, like Dr. Owen, into Vice-Chancellorships of Universities arid chaplaincies of the House of Commons, still we honour that grand demonstration of religious charac ter, whereby the nation asserted and vindicated its in terest in the establishment fax pure a national church as the materials of the times could afford. At that period the paramount power of the Dissenters took every thing into their own hands ; and the consequence was, that instead of battling about the voluntary prin ciple, they took possession very quietly and snugly of the vacant benefices of the church. After the resto ration, the passing of " the Act of Uniformity" was a signal for new manifestations of the deep interest felt by Englishmen in the preservation of their reli gious rights. For a series of years they submitted to grievous encroachments on their liberty of conscience, till at length awakened to retaliation by the enormities of James 11. and Judge Jeffries, just as the existing Pi otestants in Ireland are goaded by the insolent ty ranny of Mulgrave the first and barrister Dan, they achieved that glorious revolution of 1688, which as a valuable example will not, we fervently hope, be lost upon their posterity. Viewed as the• futile attempts of Romanism to regain its forfeited power, the rebel lions of 1713 and 1745 were scarcely more remark able for the absurd pertinacity of their Popish plot ters, than for the. noble consistency of their Pro testant opponents. " A Reformed Church and a Protestant King" constituted the great question of that agitated period ; and, happily, the cause of tem perate and enlightened liberty was again triumphant. The Birmingham Riots, during which the house of Priestley, the Socinian, was destroyed, were a local ebullition, most culpable we admit, but yet demon strative of a predominant national sentiment in favour of puce religion ; nor can any person doubt that the Immense and menacing multitudes which, from all parts of the country, assembled in London during , Lord George Gordon's popularity, exhibited an over whelming proof that Protestantism is one of the deep est and most irradicable principles that adorn the English character. The thorough establishment of the Protestant succession in this realm diffused among its friends a feeling of security on the one hand, and, on the other, a proportional relenting towards its ene mies. Men of liberal feelings and transcendent abi lity were the leaders of the public mind. Among these Dunning, Wyndham, Burke, Sheridan, Pitt, and Fox exerted their stupendous powers in favour of a mild and tolerant policy towards the Catho lics. Following the opinions of these eminent men, the cuckoo-rig' e of liberality became. ultimately the popular cant of the day. Lord Liverpool hesi tated—Mr. Canning thundered—the Irish clamoured —the English Dissenters importuned, till at length the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel, yi e ldi ng to their honest convictions of State policy, passed almost simultaneously the two great measures of Ca. tholic Emancipation and the repeal of the Test and Corporation Act. At that. period (1829) the tide of liberalism set in with prodigious force. On the one side, success created insolence ; on the other, reserve was superseded by concession. Then came s ,the grand struggle for Parliamentary Reform, wherein, acting conscientiously, as now, for the real good of the country, we took a prominent part, which, in spite of temporary disappointments, we shall never cease to approve of. Meanwhile the popular sentiment, which was mainly instrumental in carrying that measure, rolled onwards, as we foresaw it would, with great impetuosity. An enlightened toleration degenerated into a spurious , and licentious liberality. Under the administration of • the Whigs, Popery in the Colonies was established by law. A spirit of fierce democracy was extensively manifested. The voluntary system insisted on the overthrow of the Established Church. A complete confiscation of eccle siastical property was demanded by revolutionary de magogues, and partially conceded by-a perfidious Mi nistry. Annual Parliaments, universal suffrage, bal lot, destruction of the House of Peers, and we know not what all, were important items in the democratic bill of demand. For some year or two the waves of popular tumult lashed and dashed against the bulwarks of constitutional liberty, and, conceiving that the ves sel of the State was in jeopardy, we made no scruple • to throw all the lumber overboard ; we betook. our selves immediately to the pump ; and we have now the satisfaction of knowing, not only that the storm has subsided into a beneficial breeze, but that our country men, profiting by the experience of past danger, are now directing their energies to the maintenance of public order and security. Their languid Protestan tism has revived. Their old religious feelings arc quickened into vitality. The traditionary associa tions connected with a patriotic and pious ances try are happily rekindled. The inertness of tran sition has been followed by the activities of re action ; and hence the zeal shown at the Glasgow banquet : and the English Conservative festivals are only so many arterial indications of that national health and vigour which is once more buoyant in the heart. " Church and King," therefore, or " religion and liberty," are again the rallying-words of constitu tional Englishmen ; nor do we entertain a doubt that, whatever minor differences of opinion may obtain among the mighty Conservacy of Britain (for Mr. Gladstone was right in saying at the South Notts dinner that " to be a Conservative it is not necessary to be a Tory"), their great leaders in Parliament and in the provinces will avail themselves of the present favourable state of public feeling, to deepen and per petuate an absorbing attachment to Protestantism, as the basis and bulwark of the monarchy, as the dis tinctive characteristic and undivided aim of the Con stitutional party, as the dearest inheritance we have received from our ancestors, and as the richest legacy we can bequeath to our children. On this subject some sensible remarks will be found in a letter by Mr. Woodward, which we insert in another column.— Times. A CAPITAL DURING WAR.--That city (Ma drid) exhibited a sad mixture of luxury and desolation. When it was first entered, a violent, cruel, and unjust per secution of those who were called Afraneesados was com menced, and continued until the English General interfered, and as an example made no distinction in his invitations to the palace feasts. Truly it was not necessary to increase the sufferings of this miserable people ; for, though the markets were full of provisions, there was no money wherewith to buy ; and, though the houses were full of rich furniture, there were neither purchasers nor lenders ; even noble families secretly sought charity, that they might live. At night the groans and stifled cries of famishing people were heard ; and every morning emaciated dead bodies, cast into the streets, showed why those cries had ceased. The calm resignation with which these terrible sufferings were borne was a distinctive mark of the na tional character ; not many begged ; none complained ; there was no violence, no reproaches, very few thefts ; the allies lost a few animals, nothing more, and these were generally thought to be taken by robbers from the country. But with this patient endurance of calamity, Madrilenos discovered a deep and unaffected gratitude for kindness received at the hands of the British officers, who contri buted, not much, for they had it not, but enough of money to form soup charities, by which hundreds were succoured. It was the third division, and, I believe, the 45th Regi ment, which set the example ; and surely this is not the least of the many honourable distinctions those brave men have earned.—Napier's Peninsular War. On Wednesday evening, the 11th instant, the .fol lowing fatal occurrence took place at Layton, in this county :—An aged couple named Manshaw reside in a cottage upon some little property ; the old man is in the habit,. nearly every night, of smoking his pipe at a public house ; and on the above evening he went out as usual, leaving his wife, who has been a cripple nearly 40 years, sitting on a chair by the fire-side, and the door locked. It is supposed that by some means her clothes caught fire, for on her husband's return she was found consumed to a cinder, her right hand being entirely burnt off. She was 60 years of age. The interior of the house and the furni ture were considerably injured. On Saturday last an in quest was held on the remains of the unfortunate woman, and a verdict of " Accidental Death" returned.—Chelms ford Chronicle. The following is the number of burials which took on Sunday afternoon in the following burial-grounds :—St. John's-wood burial-ground, Regent's-park, 16 ; 'Paddington street, St. Mary-la-bonne, 2S ; Paddington Church-yard, 81 ; St. James's Chapel, Hampstead-road, 41 ; St. George's, Uxbridge-road, Hyde-park, 38 ; in the same ground, mili tary funerals of the household infantry, 14 ; St. Pancras Old Church, ;at Greenwich Hospital the mortality among the pensioners is very great. The disorder is - now spreading to an alarming and extensive degree amongst the household infantry, cavalry, and Royal artillery, at WOOlivieb. STROLLING POLITICIAN.---A paragraph headed thus, appearing in the Stockport Advertiser, has been pointed out to us. We hardly know whether we are justified in reprinting so scandalous and indecent a libel on Mr. O'Con nell. After such a specimen of reckless slander the fetidity of a cess-pool is comparatively inoffensive. Here is the dirty second-hand lie with its foul scarlet commentary : " At a meeting of the Operative Conservatives of Oldham, Mr. It. S. Sowler, of Manchester, made the following very important statement Mr. O'Connell had written to Rochdale, in reply to an invitation from the Radicals of that place, that he would accept it only on condition of being paid the sum of .50/. and his expenses.' This is, indeed, making of itinerant sedition a trade more profitable than that of the strolling player, but not so honourable. It is quite in the character of the meretricious female who meets the advances of a temporary lover with the burden of an old song, Without your cash your kissing won't do.' Never has there been a prostitute °fatly description so base, impure, shameless, and mercenary as O'Connell." LONDON ORPHAN ASYLUM. Yesterday fore noon the general annual meeting of this- institution took place at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street. Mr. Alderman Thompson was in the chair. The report read by the secretary contained a favourable account of the state of the institution. The receipts between the 24th of December, 1835, and the 24th of December, 1836, amounted to 11,3371. ss. .5d.; and the expenditure to 11,190/. 10s. 6d., leaving a balance of 46/. 14s. 11d. in the Treasurer's hands. Among the receipts was a legacy of 2,0001., bequeathed to the society by the late Mainwar- Mg Davies, Esq. The number of children on the founda tion at the last election was ;3•10, since which time there had been admitted 56. During the past year 63 had left the asylum, and 6 had died. The number now under care was stated to be 3'27 ; and the total number who had re ceived the benefit of the institution since its commence ment was 959. The average expense of clothing, maintain ing, and educating each of the inmates was 21/. 10s. After the reading of the report the meeting proceeded to the election of the Board of Managers, and of 25 additional children. The thanks of the meeting were also given to Mr. Alderman Thompson, to the secretaries, and to the board of managers for the past year. A man was observed by the police of Yeovil on Thursday searchin g for a person, who, he said, had taken aw ay his child. After a short inquiry the person and the boy were found at a lodging-house. It then turned out that the mother and father had sold the child for half a-crown. The father said it was true ; and if the pur chaser would give him another half-crown he might keep him : the man not having as much money in his pocket, the unnatural parent took home his child.—Dorset County Chronicle. _ We are sorry to have to record another melancholy shipwreck at the mouth of the river Tay. The following are the particulars of this distressing event :—The sloop Success, of Dundee, Alexander Clark master, which arrived thereon Monday, reports, "That he sailed from Holy Island o ❑ the I.2th instant, in company with the sloop Grahams, of Perth, and they arrived together at the entrance of the river Tay on the 13th, about one p.m. It was then blowing a strong dole from N.N.E., with heavy squalls and snow showers. The Grahams, at this time, was about half a mile distant from us, and in the act of staying. As soon as she came about, a squall at the same time coming on very heavy, she went gradually over on her beam ends. As soon as I discovered it (says Mr. Clark) I tacked and stood towards her ; but before I could reach the spot, there was no re mains of crew or vessel to be seen. When the vessel went down, the Buoy of Tay bore a W.N.W,, distance about half a mile." Mr. Clark deserves credit fOr his humanity in standing towards the vessel when he saw her in distress. — Perthshire Courier of Thursday. Elizabeth, relict of Julian Pithardo Hitchcock, of Bungy House, Camberwell, having met with a fatal acci dent, the following epitaph is inscribed on her tombstone " Sad was her death ! she met it thus : She wqs tirtiv over 11 a—bus," LAW INTELLIGENCE. ROLLS COURT, JAN. 23. THE BANK OF ENGLAND V. THE LONDON AND WESTMINSTEIL BANK. The argurnent • in this case was to-day resumed by Mr. PEMBLItToN, who followed the Attorney-General on be half of the defendants. The Learned Counsel, in emu mencinfv, stated that the question was not so much whether his Lordship would overrule or confirm the judgment of the Common Pleas, as whether the plaintiffs had made out a case which would justify the issuing of the injunction. is the present case it was very important to recollect that the Bank of England did not allege that it had been put to the slightest inconvenience, or that the currency of the country had sustained any injury. He would submit that though the Court shoUld be of opinion that the decision of the Common Pleas was right, yet there were sufficient grounds to prevent the issuing of the injunction without a further and more comprehensive case being submitted to a Court of Law. The case was ,ne of vast importance to the commercial world—in fact, every banker in London and its neighbourhood was interested in its result, Every con cern consisting of more than six partners were interested ; and if his Lordship was not thoroughly satisfied on the point, always bearing in mind that no injury nor wrong had been alleged or sustained by the Bank of England, he sub mitted that this or any other injunction ought not to be granted. _ _ Sir WILLIAM FOLLETT followed on the same side. He had lately had occasion to look through all the Acts re lating to the Bank of England, and the result of his exa mination was totally different from that to which the Learned Judges of the Common Pleas had arrived. The most profitable part of a London banker's business was its agencies of country bankers, and how, he would submit, could it carry on such business without accepting bills ? A foreign trader, relying on the law merchant, might take a bill of exchange, drawn upon a banker in London, and when he sent it to his London correspondent he would be told that it must be protested, because the municipal law of the country would not permit it to be accepted. The principal point which his Learned Friend, Mr. Maulc, had urged before the Court of Common Pleas was, that the statute of Queen Anne restricted any partnership consisting of more than six, no matter for what purpose formed— every corporation—from accepting or endorsing bills of ex change. The Learned Gentleman then entered at great length into the different provisions of the statutes bearing upon the case, and iu concluding stated that the effect of issuing the injunction would be to prevent the London and Westminster Bank from acting as a bank of deposit. Mr. KINDERSLEY appeared on behalf of Mr. Murchett, the drawer of the bill ; but upon Sir F. Pou.oeic informing him that he prayed nothing against that Gentleman, the motion as against him was dis missed, with costs. His Lordship would proceed with the reply of Sir F. POLLOCK to-morrow. COURT OF KING'S BENCH, JAN. 23. MONCRIEF V. SMITH. Mr. Sergeant ANDREWS moved fora rule to show cause why the verdict given in this case should not be set aside, and a new trial granted. This was an action brought by the plaintiff, the well-known dramatic writer, against the defendant, a printer, to recover damages for a loss he had sustained by the defendant not performing his agreement to print a drama called " The Cataract of the Ganges." The declaration stated that the plaintiff was obliged to pay a bill of exchange given for - the work, which had not been delivered in time. The Jury found a verdict for the plain tiff. The Learned Counsel now contended that the de claration was not supported by the evidence. The COURT said that on the question of the verdict be ing against the evidence, there must be an application to Mr. Justice Pattison. As to the objection to the declara tion, the contract stated that the defendant should de liver the same to the plaintiff in reasonable time, and as the plaintiff should need the same, and to perform the agree ment in all things. The Court felt inclined to think the allegation sufficient. THE KING V. JOHN MARSH. Sir W. FOLLETT, on behalf of the' town-clerk of Dover, who was also clerk of the peace for that borough, appeared to show cause against a rule calling on him to amend the caption to the indictment. The object of this application was to enable the . defendant to move to arrest the judg ment. It was clear that the motion could not be granted. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL appeared in supported of the rule. The great object of this motion was to save the ne cessity of bringing error in fact. The Couar thought that there was nothing to amend by, and so discharge the rule. The defendant was then brought up for judgment. The indictment charged him with having at the first election of the municipal officers at Dover, under the Municipal Re form Act, fraudulently induced one Joseph Moore to por sonate one John Moore, and to vote as the said John Moore at the said election. Affidavits giving the defendant a very excellent character were read, and the Attorney-General, Mr. Thessiger, and Mr. Channel', addressed the Court in mitigation of punishment. Mr. Platt and Mr. Adolphus were afterwards heard in aggravation. Mr. Justice WILLIANts, as senior puisne Judge present in Court, delivered the judgment of the Court as follows: " You, John Marsh, are to receive the sentence of this Court on a conviction that has taken place on an indict ment which charges, that after the passing of the Munici pal Corporation Reform Act an election was held for the election of Town Councillors for the borough of Dover ; that the borough of Dover is divided into different wards, of which the pier ward is one ; that a person of the name Of John Moore was a burgess entitled to vote at that elec tion, and that you instigated and persuaded a person of 'theaame of Joseph Moore to personate that voter, John Moore, and in addition to that to subscribe his name to a voting paper, purporting to be the voting paper of the said John Moore ; and upon that indictment, so found against You, and upon the trial, as I have mentioned, the Jury have found you guilty. The sentence of the Court is, that you pay a fine of 200/. to the King, and that you be imprisoned till that fine is paid." COURT OF COMJION PLEAS, JAN. 23. VAUGHAN V. MENLOVE. This teas an action on the case brought by the plaintiff, who was the owner of certain cottages in the county of Salop, to recover comp en s a ti on i n damages for the injuries which he had sustained in consequence of the destruction of some of the said cottages by fire, a rising from the sponta neous ignition of a. hay-stack belonging to the defendant, an d standing on the defendant's ground. 'Tie case was tried before Mr. Justice Mattison at Shrewsbury, and a verdict was found for the plaintiff, damages 51. A rule nisi for a new trial had been obtained, on the ground of misdirection by the Learned Judge. Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD showed cause against the rule. Mr. RICHARDS supported the rule. 1. : "1 - 1 - C COURT were of opinion that there had had been gross negligence on the part of the defendant, and they must discharge the rule accordingly. ADMIRALTY COURT, JAY. 23. THE LIMA—WAGES. This suit, which is a claim for wages by Mr. Stephenson, against Captain Fewson, the master and sole owner of the brig Lima, came before the Court this day, when the Learned Judge gave his decision. lie stated at some length the circumstances of the case, and read the evi dence of the principal witnesses brought forward on be half of . Mr. Stephenson. Now he (the Learned Judge) felt no hesitation in saving that Stephenson's conduct wa s ungentlemanly and unotlicer-like, and that he had on save. ral occasions in the most flagrant manner neglected his duty. Wh a t, th en rema ined for the Court to do if it was of opinion th a t M r . Stephenson "had neglected, or r e f used to perform, his proper duty," as it most certainly was N o _ thing but to follow the course laid down in the Passages quoted ; and the Court accordingly decided that a con , plete forfeiture of wages had taken place ; that C aptain_ Fewson was justified in his conduct, and that it dismissed hint as defendant in this suit without his costs. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION HO USE. A young man, named John Jones, was brought before the Lonv MAYOR, charged with having knocked down and robbed the Rev. William Woods, a Roman Catholic priest, on Friday night, in Moorfields. He was fully committed for trial. He has been a long time on the town, and is a very active and able young man. John Saunders, a man who frequently works about Bi!- lingsgate Market, was brought up, charged with having stolen sixteen Dutch plaice. Mr. Goldhatn, the clerk of Billingsgate Market, stated that the prisoner had left his work in the morning to com mit the robbery, and was stopped by one of the officers, who asked him what he had in his basket, to which he replied that there was nothing in it. Prisoner—Please you, my Lord, I said that I had no thing of my own in it, and I'm sure I said the truth. The Lout) MAYon---Why, this is a wholesale robbery. Prisoner—l'll tell you all about it, my Lord. 1 was a working - away, when up comes a man to me, an d says h e, '°Lend us your basket t o p u t a f ew sprats i n ." So I c ou ld n ' t refuse him, and he claps it on my head and pushes me on, and then up comes another, and he says to me," What have you got in the basket ?" and I knows nothing about the plaice at all, 'cause, you see, I thought they were all sprats. Mr. Goldham said that the thieves about the market, when they stole valuable fish, generally covered it with a bundle of sprats. The LORD MA.Yott—You must go to Bridetvell for four teen days. Prisoner—l'd rather not go for go Voqf, plause you, my llordt tlet it lae §evori dayrz, and I'll thank your Lordship. The LOUD MAYOR--NO, you have been here before. Prisoner—Oh, that is a long time ago, and_it was only for a few trifles as signified nothitim. Please you, my seven days will cure my bad habit fur a tline.(A laugh.) The Lotto MAYOR—It will take 14 days, at least. Committed. OLIRLBORoUGH-STREET. A well-dressed person,' whose real name is ina. Tucker, a solicitor, but who has occasionally. assumed the names of Ti•ccor, Bennett, nip)) 4ar, &c., was vesterd4 brought be`nre Mr. CONANT, charged by several trades men with having defrauded them, by means of spurious cheques. The Magistrate ordered the prisoner to be remanded till Friday next, in order to give time to collect further charges against him. THA AI ES- OFFICE. Yesterdly James _Barry, an Irish labourer and gas-fitter, in the employ of the City of London Gaslight and Coke Company, was hroo r ;lit before Mr. CLARKSON for final ex amination, charged with stealing five brass cocks, and - two pieces of copper tubing, the property of his employers. 111 r. CLARKSON committed the prisoner for trial s and said he was of opinion the Gas Company ought to employ a solicitor conversant with criminal proceedings to tonduct the prosecution. Mr. Symons, the chief clerk of the Thames'police, said there was plenty of evidence to convict the prisoner, if the prosecution was properly got up, although the property was not identified. Yesterday Tunis Zwaris, a foreigner, and James Tunis Zwaris, a boy about fifteen years of age, were brought be fore Mr. CLARKSON, charged with smuggling 71bs. of fo reign -manufactured tobacco. The elder prisoner said it was his first offence, and he was ignorant of the consequences of purchasing contraband tobacco. The boy—l say nothing, only what my father says. The elder prisoner here attempted to cry, and put on a very sorrowful look, declaring, at the same time, that he w;?..s a poor man, who was working hard. Mr. CLARKSON—You are an old offender. You know what the business of smuggling is very well. You and your son will pay 40s. each for smuggling this tobacco. CORONERS' INQUESTS. Yesterday a coroner's inquest was holden before Mr. Stirling, at the Grapes, Brompton, on the remains of Mrs. Elizabeth Clarke, a maiden lady, aged 62, who was found dead at her residence, No. 17, Yeoman's-row, Brompton: Mary Bennett, a married woman, for the last year and a half was the deceased's occasional servant. She lived alone, and admitted no one to see her except the witness. She lived on her property. Last Thursday afternoon witness was with her some hours. She was scarcely able to speak. Witness washed and dressed her, and on leaving put her to bed. She gave witness the keys of her bed-room and the house door. When witness left she said, " Good night, God bless you." Witness urged her to have a nurse. She refused, observing that she would have no one but witness, and if she would not attend on her she would lie in bed and die. The next morning witness went to her. She knocked at the deceased's bedroom door. Witness obtained no answer, and on entering found the deceased in bed dead. Witness called her husband, who brought Mr. Aldridge, a medical gentleman, who said she had been dead four hours. Verdict—" That the deceased died by the visitation of God." An inquest was held last night in the House of Correc tion, Coldbath-fields, before Mr. Baker, the coroner, on the body of James Mayhew Underwood, aged 27 years. The clerk of the House of Correction produced the record of the conviction of the deceased at the Clerkenwell Ses sions, on the 22d of August last, as an incorrigible rogue and vagabond, and on which be was sentencoa to twelve calendar months' imprisonment. Evidence was thus ad duced of the death of the deceased on Friday morning last, about two in the morning, from a difficulty of breath ing and an affection of the bowels. His constitution was most probably injured by the mode of living usual among such people.—Verdict—" Natural death." THE GAMBLER'S DREAM.—There is much specu lation afloat about this publication, which is said to be a novel that will be as favourably received and read by the Ladies, as it will be feared and rejected by their Lords. Its title would fix upon it an exclusive interest with the latter, but it possesses, like the play of the Gamester, many do mestic scenes of fearful interest to the former. The " Gam bler's Dream," Twill, moreover, suddenly uncover to their view other and stronger fancies, follies, and vices of their Lords than gambling, and the narratives are said to be wrought out with great effect by a very curious, but some what similar agency to that employed by Lesage in his celebrated " Diable Boiteux." QUICK STEAM PASSAGE: FALMOUTH, JA N. 21. —The Peninsular Steam Navigation Company's new steamer Iberia, bound to Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar, arrived here last evening at 10 o'clock ; and as she left her moorings at London at a quarter past 9 the previous morning, she has performed the whole distance, something upwards of 370 nautical miles, in 36 hours and three-quarters —a shorter time than we ever recollect its having been done in ; and, taking into account the stoppages in the crowded part of the river, landing the pilot, a strong head-wind as far as the Downs, and being unaided by wind afterwards—the vessel must have gone 10f knots by steam-power only. HORIZONTAL FLAT WATCHES. with accurately finished jewelled movements, warranted, are offered in Silver cases, price Five Guineas each ; or in Gold cases, price Nine Guineas each, at T. COX SAVORY'S, Watchmaker, Jewel ler, and Silversmith, 47, Cornhill, London. N.B.—Second-hand Watches purchased in exchange. BIRTHS. On the 21st inst., in Claremont-square, the wit* of Daniel Cur ling, Esq., of a daughter. , Camberwell, Mrs. H. K em blo, . _ _ of a so O nt ri li . e 20th inst., at Grove-hill - On the 19th inst., the lady of J. T . I ng h am, Esq., of a daughter. On the 15th inst., in Hans-place, Sloane-street, the lady of J. Bullock, Esq., of twins, one still-born. On the 16th inst., at Wool:lands Park, the lady of Lieut.-Col. O'Aleara, K. S.F., of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 21st inst., at Marylebone New Church, Henry, youngest son of the late Hobert Waithnian, Esq., 11.1'., and Alderman, to Trypliena Penelope, youngest daughter of Airs. Clay, Packba near Chesterfield. On the 18th inst., at the parish church of Conwillgai, Carmar thenshire, Captain James Beek, of the Bombay Army, to Jane, second daughter of the late John Johnes, Esq., of llolcothy. On the 31st inst., at St. Pancras New Church, Mr. Charles Farmer, of St. John's-street, to Elizabeth Silvester, second daugh ter of T. Alaats, Esq., of ltegent-square. DIED. On the 20th inst., James Ireland, son of John Ireland, nephew of the Once influential banker of Bristol. On the 22d inst., in Hertford-street, the Right Hon. Lady Fran ces, wife of Sir J. IV. Wedderburn, Bart., aged 42, sister to the Earl of Mountnorris, and sister-in-law to Lord Farnham, Lord John Somerset, &c. In St. - Ann's-road, Brixton, aged 85, Mrs. Clara Elizab . cth Dixon, formerly of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. On the 20th inst., at 'Wombwell Hall, Kent, Rachel, second daughter of T. Harman, Esq., aged 37. On the 20th inst., Thomas Clutterbuck, Esq., of Bushey House, Harts, aged 62. On the 21st inst., in Broad-street-buildings, Emily, only daugh ter of Mr. Richard Rosier. On the 19th inst., at Paddington-green, Mary, relict of J. But cher, Esq., late of 11aida-hill West. On the 19th inst , aged 75, Mrs. Margaret Hardman, of St. John-street-road. On tho 21st inst., at Snareshrook, Essex, A. D. Welch, Esq., aged 58. On the 20th inst., at the Marine Parade, Brighton, Dover, aged 85, Hester, relict of H. Russell, Esq. On the 19th inst., at Clapton, Berks, aged 73, Elizabeth, relict of Air. James Owen. On the 20th inst., in Lincoln's Inn-fields, Sir John Soane, Pro fessor of Architecture in the Royal Academy, aged 84. On the 20th inst., in Motcomh-street, Belgrave-square, Martha, the eldest daughter of the late John Toker, Esq., of the Oaks, Os prin.s, Kent. On thel9th iust., in Oxford-street, Mr:. Mary Deborah Clin ton, aged 76. On the 220 inst. at Champio n -hill, S urrey, Ri c h ard M ose l ey , Esq., late of Piccadilly, aged 74. On the 21st inst., Richard Russell, youngest son of John White, Esq., surgeon, Storey's , rate, Westminster, aged 12 months. On the 15th inst., aged' 2.5, henry James, eldest son of the late W. Crosse, Esq., formerly of Blackfriars'-road. On the 21st inst., in Paradise-row, Chelsea, Lieut.-General Lindenthal, aged 82. On the 9th inst., at Bath, Philadelphia, relict of Lieut.-General Moors, of Edmonallam House, Dorset. On the 21st inst., Mr. Morel, of 210, Piccadilly, aged 55. On the 17th inst., Mr. J. K. Turner, ironmonger, of Stratford , Essex, aged 38. On the 22d inst., Mary Anne, youngest daughter of Mr. Henri Dunkin, of Blackheath, aged 18. On the 21st inst., Louisa, wife of Mr. Wm. Chappell, of Neo Bond-street, aged 24. On the 21st - inst., Harriette Elizabeth, daughter of Wm. Olce Manning, Esq., aged 19. On the 19th inst., at Ilaldoek, Herts, Mrs. Bailey, widow, one of the daughters of the late George Hicks, Esq., of Shefford, Bed' fordshire, aged 56. On the 19th inst., in Mincing-lane, aged 61, Giles Crompe, Esq'' many years clerk to the Clothworkets' Company. On the 20th inst., in Mornington-crescent, F. J. Burrovieg' Esq., aged 62. On the 20th inst., Mrs. Battye, relict of B. Battye, E sq ., for merly of Chancery-lane, and Hastings. On the sth inst., aged 4, Frederick Augustus Spry, second spa of Major L. Phillips, of Dale Castle, Pembrokeshire. On the 20th inst., aged 41, Ann, wife of J. Covey, EN, of Holloway, and eldest daughter of the late Thos. Phillips, Esq., Bourn, Lancashire. On the 17th inst., in London, Walter Edmund, infant son of W. Phillips, Esq., aged seven months. On the 1 ith inst., at H3Alie, Southampton, Georgians Elig s ' beth, fourth daughter of Captain Willes, 11. N. On the 16th inst., the infant d4ughter of J. APCrea, Esq-' - Clovideslev-terrace, Islington, London: Printed Arid Published by MURDO YOUNG, of r a t 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 1 i 3, Strand, in the col cif Middle-am— Tuc January 24, 1437.