The Sun. — London, England, 1837-11-17 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. The Tories, and some not over wise Tory Radicals, contended during the late elections, that the Reformers were not justified in making their opponents respon sible for the despotic acts of the King of Hanover. It certainly did appear to us that the first act in his capacity of Sovereign, of one so near to the throne of these realms, lately the head of the Orange faction, and the acknowledged head of a large if not the largest section of the Tories, ought not to be viewed in Eng- land with indifference ; that, on the contrary, we were justified in inferring the intentions of the Tories, should they possess power, from the acts of this Tory leader the moment he was free from restraint. The zeal with which the cause of the Sovereign of Hano ver is espoused by the Tories, and the nature of the arguments urged in his defence by the Times and Standard, remove all doubts as to the fairness of charging on his former associates the despotic conduct of King Ernest. The principles which would justify the arbitrary destruction of the Constitution of Hanover would justify the setting aside the Reform Bill. And it is our firm and conscientious belief that had Heaven in its wrath opened to the despot of Hanover the suc cession to the Sovereignty of this kingdom, he would at least have made the attempt to return' to the old ho roughmongering system—an attempt which, though it could not have ultimately succeeded, would, from the known unrelenting character of the man, have been productive of the most ruinous consequences. In what respect does the setting aside the Constitution of Hanover by the arbitrary fiat of the King, differ from the arbitrary superseding of the Reform Bill ? For the life of us we can see no difference whatever in principle. The people of Hanover, it is true, are less able to resist aggression than the people of England, but injustice is not less injustice when perpetrated against the weak than when perpetrated against the strong. The Times repeats, after the patent, that a change in the fundamental law of 1819 could only be effected by the decided concurrence of the King and the States. Well, be it so, was that concurrence withheld ? The Times tells ns " that this concurrence was withheld, is notorious." And what is the proof? " The States (says our Contem porary) submitted a fundamental law to his late Ma jesty, who, without requiring their consent or concur rence—without consulting them at all—gave a Con stitution in direct contravention of many of the arti cles proposed ! To the Constitution so given the States in the first instance demurred, and the heir presumptive to the House of Hanover, his present Majesty, formally protested against it. It was, how ever, established." And how was it established ? By the consent of the States. The demurring of the States, in the first instance, is beside the question: We are to look to what the States did in the last instance and not what they did in the first. The House of Lords in the first instance demurred to the Reform Bill : but ultimately, by means best known to their Lordships themselves, a majority passed that mea sure ; and it did not the less become the law of the land, because in the first instance their Lordships de murred, and because their reluctance was overcome by strong appeals to their prudence, and other means respecting which some of them have not always kept their own secret. But King Ernest, as an agnate, votested against the Charter. Why, he also protested against the Reform Bill. In that protest he declared of the Bill that i= it is, in truth, a new form of Go vernment,' of which no one has ever pronounced that it %voulti be practicable, and which, if practicable, would be pernicious." The name of Ernest will be found to protests against every measure which En9-,lishmen have just cause to be proud. But are a people, with the hind they inhabit, the property of a particular family ? What right had Ernest, because lie was related to tl:e King of Hanover, to protest against any act of that King in his capacity of Sovereign ? A kingdom is not entailel estate—a feudal possession. The Constitution of Hanover, having been given by the King, and adopted by the - Estates of the country, became the established funda mental law of the country, and that fundamental law could only be repealed by the authorities constituted under it. Ernest had no more rii ' ht to issue letters declaring the Constitution of 1833 not in force, than the Estates had to declare that he was not King. If fundamental laws could be questioned, because in dividuals in the line o succession might protest against them, the power of Governments would be ruinously fettered, and there could he no confidence in any in stitutions. The Sovereign anti Estates, for the time exercising the powers of government and le g islation, are of necessity absolute, and the opinions and wishes of individuals not actually in the possession of autho rity are of no consequence whatever, in as far as the legality of laws is in question. So much for the pro test of King Ernest, the alitiiion to which ought to be deemed an insult by all who live under constitutional go vernments. King Ernest's Act is unconstitutional—is tyrannical. His Ministers, to a man, resigned their si tuations when he published his second letters patent. Into the merits of the Hanoverian Constitution we do not feel ours6ves called to enter. It may have had its defects, and yet have been, what : we believe it was, a vast improvement on the Constitution of 1819. It is enough for us that it was the lawfidly established Constitution of the country. It could only have been altered or repealed, as the Constitution of 1819 was altered, by consent of the constituted authorities. King Ernest is an usurper when he, of his own accord, does that which he has no right alone to do. It is a viola tion of the laws, and he deserves to be treated as a vio . lator of the laws. He may be an instance of a suc cessful usurper ; but the success wili not wash out the stains of guilt. But the great point for Englishmen is to draw attention to the circumstance that the Tories do not now scruple to make common cause with this bold bad man. The avowal of his intention to de stroy the Constitution may have come upon them at an unseasonable time ; but it is clear that prudential considerations alone kept them silent during the period of the elections. They would cheer on King Ernest, were the suecession to open to him, to do in England what he has done in Hanover.—Morning, Chronicle. When last alluding to the affairs of Hanover, we stated that we should speak of what we may call the county constituencies in that kingdom. It should at the outset be observed, that the principal object of the reigning Sovereign is, that property should be fairly represented ; for with this question of direct represen tation of property it is clear that the local interests of the several counties must be naturally connected. In England, it is true, we, without personal intercourse or actual residence, may comprehend the circumstances and interests of particular classes, because the nature of our Constitution, the pervading influence and predo minating power of Parliament, must, of necessity, give an unity and concentrated purpose to the Government of the whole. But the Constitution of 1833 in Hanover presents this primary difficulty, that it abruptly gives the power of representation to persons having no direct interest, and presumably no political sympathy, with the constituency represented. It would, indeed, appear that no interest was consulted in the forma tion of this representative body, save the miser able squabbles between the deputies of the nobi lity and the landed proprietors not ennobled. So fierce was this jealousy, that the Assembly of the States, convoked under the provisions of the law of 1815, was so modified by the law of 1819, that the nobility con stituted one branch, and the commonalty another. Then silently arose into importance a class of men vhose sole claim to distinction is that they take advan age of the indolence, not to call it incapacity, of their uperiors—men, for the greater part, without birth, .rtunc, or independence of feeling, who, anxious only r their personal aggrandizement, - have displayed an ter insensibility to the interests of the Kilns and the elfare of his subjects. During the last quarter of a ntury' the Ministers depended entirely upon persons this description. They styled thems e l ves servants o f e State, but under that designation they were deter ined to be something more. They introduced, for ample, a law declaring that public functionaries could t be dismissed from their office .• We need not waste a rd upon the ludicrous nature of such a provision. It clearly establishing an antagonist influence against Crown, and one which never could have been esta ,hed, had not Hanover been so circumstanced that interests were administered to '.)y a Sovereign at a s'amp and thus imperfectly acquainted with the exi n cieT of the State. It is evident that the present King, on assuming the reins of government under such circumstances, must have found an immediate change imperative. His Majesty could not be ex pected to incur the responsibility of acts which he had not the power to direct or to controul. In fact, the question was narrowed to this simple point—whether the King should govern his dominions or not. If the functionaries, by being irremovable and consequently independent of superior authority, were left to admi nister their offices as they thought fit, without refe rence to the will of the Sovereign, or to the wishes of his people, a most debasing oligarchy must have been established. This has been prevented by the firmness of the present King. His Majesty has called on the country, under the Constitution of 1819, to decide as to the national interests, and has by this course given satisfaction to all classes of his sub jects, save those having personal interests in misgo vernment. It is well known that his Majesty's acces sion to the throne, and his arrival in Hanover, were hailed with enthusiasm. And when the Hanoverians boasted that they were thenceforth to " have a King Of their own," it was not that they rejoiced at the severance of their connexion with Great Britain, but that they exultingly anticipated a release from the thraldom to which the underlings of an indolent Government had subjected them. To come more im mediately to the question of the counties. Here we find a subservient mercenary class of officers filling the place of the county magistracy of England. These persons travel from town to, town, they exercise an ad ministrativ.e and adjudicative power, and incredible as it may appear, they cannot be dismissed, however flagrant the abuses of which they may be convicted. This, or something very like it, is the system which Lord John Russell and Mr. Joseph Parkes .have evinced a disposition to substitute, under the name of " centralization," for the county magistracy of England. We could almost fancy that these two worthies had been employed in concocting the Hanoverian Constitution of 1833; for the provisions of that Constitution directly militate against the legitimate local influence of pro perty and station. The irresponsible officers to whom we have alluded exert an influence in their journevings through the several counties manifestly incompatible with the independent action of any constituent body, and consequently fatal to the free expression of po pular opinion. That the resident nobility and gentry in the several counties should resent the vagabond in terinedling of persons of this description is but natural. Let us for a moment consider the prin ciple upon which the counties of Hanover have proceeded under the provisions of the Constitution of 1833. Each village in a county elects a wahl mann—that is, a chooser or elector, who pro ceeds to the county town, and gives in to the Com missioners appointed the name of the deputy for whom he votes on behalf of such village constituency. Now, it is obvious that an irremovable functionary will have that influence in s'ich village elections which in England, and indeed in Prussia, attaches to the pos session of property and to residence. Another class of persons has also been actively engaged in opposition to the resident nobility and gentry : these are the law yers in the several provinces. They formed a sort of league with the public functionaries against the landed proprietors, and succeeded in introducing laws, by which several of the privileges and immunities of the nobility and gentry were abrogated. These persons, however, are now greatly irritated against the said functionaries, having found that the latter merely made use of them for their own purposes. In short, the relation between these classes is pretty much that of the Whigs and Radicals—the one grasping all they can, and the other growling in vain for participation in the plunder. Under these circumstances it is that the King of Hanover has afforded his subjects an opportunity of constitutionally expressing their wishes under the provisions of tire Constitution of 1819. The Assembly of the S%ites, so convened, will calmly and deliberately co-operate with the Sovereign in his en deavours to remedy the defects of a hasty, and, in many respects, mischievous law. In so doing, they will not less consult the wishes and the interests of the Hanoverian people than the dignity and inde pendence of the Crown.—Timcs. The paragraph which we copy below from a Morn ing Ministerial paper shows how fearful Ministers are lest Sir Robert Peel should take a decided and ener getic part—the only part that can do credit to himself, and be worthy of the Conservative cause—in the ses sion of Parliament which has now formally com menced, but which will not be regularly constituted for the despatch of public business until the delivery of the Queen's speech on Monday next. The su periority of Sir Robert Peel's talents and qualifi cations for the Conservative leadership of the House of Commons is acknowledged on all hands ; but, somehow or other, the Whig-Radicals have lately got into their heads that the moral courage of the Right Hon. Baronet is not on a level with his great and splendid abilities. They also seem to entertain the fanciful notion that, when they fail to alarm him by their threats, they may succeed in wheedling him, by their soft cajolery, into the adoption of that temporising and " shilly-shally" sort of policy, which in the struggle of great principles never yet achieved any thing important or memorable—any thing de serving the gratitude of a nation, or the recollec tion of history. The talents of the elder and younger Pitt, transcendent as they were, could not have obtained for the memories of those distinguished states men the prominent position which they fill in the an nals of their country, if it were not for the energy and decision of character which accompanied and gave to those talents their prompt and powerful application. How it has happened that the Whig-Radicals have got it into their heads that Sir Robert Peel is so defi cient in courage and firmness necessary for a Conser vative leader in these times as to make him a fit sub ject upon which to try their artful experiments of alter nate intimidation and cajolery, we do not pretend to say. Certain it is that such experiments are repeat edly made in the hope that his talents may be neu tralized by timidity, or rendered ineffectual for any great purpose through a political complaisance to his adversaries, scarcely less injurious to a national cause than timidity itself. The most recent attempt to alarm the Right Hon. Baronet, and induce him to shelve himself for the benefit of Melbourne, O'Connell, and Co., affects a most sensitive regard for the Conserva tive statesman's health ! We transcribe it here : " Sir Robert Peel took occasion to express his concur rence in the re-election of Mr. Abercromby ; and in doing this every one must have been struck with his altered per sonal appearance. His voice and spirits also exhibited a painful contrast to what they used to be ; altogether it is but too clear that the Right Hon. Baronet's health is seriously injured. We deeply regret this. Though differ ing from Sir Robert in political opinion, we have always felt for him the highest respect both as a private individual and as a public man. It is to be hoped that the illness. under which he now suffers will only be temporary. Should he, however, in his present state of health, be so far cajoled by tho fulsome adulation of the Tories as to attempt to take the prominent part in the discussions of the House of Commons which for some years past he has been accus tomed to do, he will certainly do an irreparable injury to his constitution ; he will sacrifice himself to his party." The regard expressed in the above paragraph for the preservation of the health of Sir Robert Peel strangely contrasts with the undisguised, unmanly, and indecent expressions of exultation which appeared in some of the Whig organs when the Right Hon. Baronet was Premier, and it was supposed his health was giving way in consequence of the great exertions, mental and physical, which he felt it necessary to make, in order to meet the malevolent and unprincipled attacks of the most 'factious opposition that ever endeavoured to pre vent any Ministry from having a " fair trial." Then the Ministerial organs went the disgraceful length of making it a subject of triumphant announcemsnt that there were visible signs of the health of Sir Robert Peel being so seriously affected by the continued wor rying which he received from the Whig-Radicals that the sources of life itself seemed to be daily sinking un der the pressure. To-dav the Whig-Radicals " deeply regret that the Right Hon. Baronet's health is seriously injured," their real cause of regret being that it is not seriously injured, as we trust the Whig Ministers will find to their cost before the close of the session. T he ministerial writers are afraid " he will do an irrepa rable injury to his constitution if he takes the promi nent part in the discussions of the House of Commons which, fur some years past, he has been accustomed to do." Generous antagonists ! "It is quite de , lightful," as the American said, " to be soundly THE SUN LONDON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1837. threshed by so kind an enemy." We suspect the real cause of apprehension in the ministerial camp is, that Sir Robert Peel, not complying with the advice to " band-box" himself while the herculean Lord Johnny displays his vigorous parts and prowess on the floor of Parliament, may do " irreparable mischief," not to his constitution, but to Lord Johnny's Cabinet, at pre sent in so ricketty a condition as to be in some danger of tumbling to pieces without the application of any very extraordinary external force.—Morning Herald. We have no doubt that Mr. James Abercromby as he ought to be, and as he said he was, very much obliged to the House of Commons for unanimously choosing him as their Speaker. We suppose that he did not consider this (on the present occasion) as a mere party distinction, for which she was indebted to the Whig-Radical consideration of the paltry and pompous Lord who leads the band of motley Minis terialists. Mr. Abercromby distinctly expressed his particular sense of the honour of having been una nimously elected, and we have no doubt that he felt this honour very particularly. To be chosen as the favourite of a faction comprising all that is w orthless, contemptible, and ridiculous in the political world is, as every gentleman must feel, no honour at all. What signifies it that— " A sneaking, cringing, treacherous, artful race, Of babbling tongue, and never-blushing face ; A Protean tribe one knows not what to call Which shifts to every form, and cheats in all—" What, we say, can it signify to any man of under standing and sensibility that by such a party as this— by such a revolting heap of political refuse, he is con sidered the best man to preside over the debates of the House of Commons? But far different it is when that party, comprising the majority of the Representatives of England, and three-fourths of the county Repre sentatives of England—when that party which repre sents the honour and spirit, and learning and wealth of the nation, concur in approving of the man whom the motley rabble of Ministerial politicians had set up. This is indeed an hononr, and we feel with Mr. Abercromby that it is one which he has reason to cherish and esteem as the proudest of his life. Of this honour, however, the factious and brutal stupidity of O'Connellite Ministerialists desires to rob him. The morning journal of the Administra tion speaks of the proud situation of Mr. Aber ,cromby as one v‘bich be owes to the " nomination of the Queen's Ministers !" Upon the face of the proceedings in the House of Commons there was no nomination by the Queen's Ministers ; but lest any thing should appear to have been arranged in that House untainted with the foul and factious touch of the present contemptible Administration, the news paper is to be employed to represent Mr. Abererona by s position as if it had been accomplished by the sic volo of the Treasury leader. If anything were wanting to display, in its most disgusting colours, the vulgar and spiteful animosity of the Ministerial Whie.b gery, it would be found in the tone and spirit with which the courteous moderation of the Tory leader, on the first assembling of the new House of Com mons, has been treated by the Ministerial press. When we call to mind the position of Sir Robert Peel, at the head of the most powerful, the most united, and the most respectable minority (?) that ever surrounded an Opposition leader in the House of Commons, we are almost surprised at the remarkable self-controul, and the total absence of all boastful remark, in his speech of Wednesday. We attribute this to a calm consci ousness of power. He cannot but have observed, and observing cannot have forgotten, the ridiculous threats of the annihilation of his party, which were so rife before the election of the new Parliament began. He and his party were told, not only that the minority would be diminished, and the Ministry rendered abso lu.ely triumphant, but that there would be scarcely such a thing as a Conservative opposition left in the House of Commons. They were told that here and there per haps a Tory might " creep into the House of Com mons," but that would he all. He knew that this had been said, and he knew that, notwithstanding this, he stood at the head of a larger body of Tories than there was in the last Parliament—a body all but numerically equal to the aggregate rabble who, acknowledging ail sorts of revolutionary opinions, are only united to iceep in power a set of incapable Ministers, over whom they may domineer as often as they please. These things Sir R. Peel well knew, yet with cairn courtesy he for bore from either boast or sneer—from either taunt or menace. He had no objection to offer to the propo sition which Ministers were understood to support, and he took no advantage either of their present weme ness, or their former folly, which boasted of an acces sion of strength before it was attained. And what is the requital for this, on the pant of the Ministerial Press ? The stupid and impudent assertion that, even if he would, he dared not offer any opposition to the election of Mr. Abercromby as Speaker I Dared not I Why should lie not have dared, if he had thought proper ? He might have shown that the gentleman approved of by Ministers for the Speaker's Chair, was not approved of by the majority of the Representatives of England. He might have shown that Ministers could not put the man of their choice into the Chair of the House of Commons, except by the votes of men nominated to Parliament by Romish Priests. He might have shown that Ministers, who call themselves popular, and who boast continually (and most indecently) of Having the Court with them, can muster in the House of Commons a majority of but two dozen, while in the other co-ordinate branch of the Legisleture they are in a miserable minority. All this Sir Robert Peel might have done, had he been moved by such paltry virulence as actuates his opponents. But he was true to his character it; hchig calm, courteous, and patriotic, and the Ministerial Press is equally true to its character in being ungrate ful, insolent, and false.—Morning Post. Favourable as are the auspices under which the Session has opened, it would be illusory to expect that it will progress to its close without such collisions of sentiment and of individuals as will agitate to their utmost depth and intensity the opinions of every class and party throughout the whole British community. There was no contest for the Speakership, simply be cause the Tories, knowing that Mr. Abercromby's electiost was secure, did not choose to expose them selves to the mortification of a defeat, by putting an other candidate in nomination. They prudently ab stained from making any commentary on the contest which took place on the assembling of the Peel Par liament, feeling in their most unwilling conviction that they had no chance of retaliating the distinctive mark of disapprobation which the House of Commons then impressed on the Tory Ministry, by choosing a Speaker in direct opposition to their wish. Sir Robert Peel, as the leader of the Opposition, made a virtue of necessity, and acquiesced in an election which the utmost efforts of himself and his sup porters could not have prevented. Mr. Aber cromby was unanimously chosen Speaker of the House of Commons, because the Tories knew that the pro posing of any opponent would have served only to exhibit their weakness. It would have been the de light of their hearts to have retorted, if they had the means and opportunity, the stigma inflicted upon them when the abhorrence of their principles provoked the rejection of Mr. Manner Suttons—a gentleman in all respects, save his Tory predilection, eminently quali• fied to fill the Chair of the British House of Commons. But the higher his qualifications, the more deep must have been the sentiment which dictated his rejection. The merits of the question may be stated in a few words. Mr. Manners Sutton was rejected from the Speakership in the last Parliament, not from any indi vidual disqualification, but because he was associated with a party inimical to the wishes and interests of the British people. Mr. Abercromby is now unani ►nously chosen, because, independently of his personal qualifications, the tenour of his political career has been more in accordance with the feelings of the British public, than has been that of any opponent which the Tories could have started against him. However, it may be regarded as not unfavourable omen that a Libe ral Speaker has been unanimously elected in the first Parliament of a reign of which such vast expectations have been formed. There are some who ima'ine that the Tories have withheld their opposition, in the hope that Ministers will pursue a Conservative p o li c y. If their forbearance has proceeded from such an impres sion, we are gratified to be able to state they are most miserably mistaken. The policy of Ministers must at least be as liberal as that proposed by them in the last Session, otherwise a power will be roused into action which will propel the democratic principle to a greater extent than could be done by the most liberal Admi nistration which could possibly be called into existence with the materials at present eligible for the formation of a Cabinet. A liberal policy on the part of Minis ters may restrain the impulses of democracy. An illiberal policy, or one intended to conciliate Toryism, will call forth exertions for purposes and objects at present immeasurably beyond the general speculation. —Morning Advertiser. THE DRAMA OF LIFE.—It is the custom ou the stage, in all good, murderous melodramas, to present the tragic and the comic scenes in as regular alternation as the layees of red and white in a side of streaky well-cured bacon. The hero sinks upon his straw bed weighed down by fetters and misfortunes ; and, in the next scene, his faithful but unconscious squire regales the audience with a comic song. We behold with throbbing bosoms the heroine in the grasp of a proud and ruthless Baron, her virtue and her life in danger, drawing forth her dagger to preserve the one at the cost of the other ; and just as our expectations are wrought up to the. highest pitch, a whistle is heard, and we are straightway transported to the great hall of the castle, where a grey-headed seneschal sings a funny chorus with a funnier body of vassals, who are free of all sorts of places, from church vaults to palaces, and roam about in company carolling perpetually. Such changes appear absurd ; but they are by no means unnatural. The transi tions in real life from well-spread boards to death-beds, and from mourning weeds to holiday garments, are not a whit less startling, only there we are busy actors instead of passive lookers-on, which makes a vast difference ; the actors in the mimic life of the theatre arc blind to violent transitions and abrupt impulses of passion or feeling, which, presented before the eyes of mere spectators, are at once condemned as out rageous and preposterous.—Oliver Twist in Bentley's Miscellany for Nov. Monday the Duke of Montrose was installed Chancellor of the Glasgow University. His Grace's fa ther, James, Duke of Montrose, held the office for fifty six years, having been elected in 1781. The Hall was well filled, and the ceremonies observed were highly interesting. i The two galleries were crowded with well-dressed ladies, amongst whom we observed in the front seat the Duchess of Montrose. The Duke of Montrose, accompanied by the Senatus Academicus of the University, entered about one, and took their seats in the Professors' Bench. The Magis trates of the city, and several other gentlemen, were ac commodated in the same bench. The next seat was occu pied by graduates. The Very Reverend Principal M‘Far. lane delivered a prayer in Latin, read, the minutes of Se natus Academicus, and delivered a short address in Latin. The Duke of Montrose, who appeared in excellent spirits, and delighted with the proceedings, also addressed the as semblage in Latin, which was cheered at the conclusion of almost every sentence. Principal M'Farlane then called Mr. Beckwick, one of the students of the Greek class, who ascended the pulpit and delivered an Hexameter poem in Greek. Mr. H. Parkin, one of the students of the Latin class, delivered an Hexameter poem in Latin, and Mr. W. Kerr several verses in English, all congratulatory of the occasion. Principal APFarlane, according to the esta blished usage, delivered an address on the subject of the ceremonials in which they had been engaged. He urged them to persevere in the pursuits of literature ; and to show how highly they valued success in these pursuits, he men- ioneda number of the academic honours which the sena• tors had recently conferred. The proceedings were then closed with prayer by the Principal, in English. Cheers and hisses were .gven by the students of each party for Sir Robert Peel and for Lord Melbourne and her Majesty's Ministers.—Glasgow Chronicle. JERSEY.—At about half-past ten, on Saturday morning last, the inhabitants of St. Helier were thrown into a state of considerable alarm and anxiety, on perceiving signals of distress flying at the north yard-arm of the sig nal-post at Fort Regent ; which being immediately followed by the usual number of minute-guns from Elizabeth Castle, soon brought a Fast concourse of persons to the pier, anxious to ascertain the -cause. On inquiry, the vessel Echo of this port, Captain Hamond, from Plymouth, with passengers, had, by some slight mismanagement, struck on .he ledge of a sunken rock, at the b2ck of the Castle, and instantly went down. The captain and the crew had been endeavouring to clear their punt, but cre this could he done the vessel sunk, and two children were drowned ; the oldest a fine boy of about nine years of age. The captain, as also several of the others, are confined to their beds from the effects of the fright—the former of whom was all but gone when taken into the boat.—Jersey Patriot. A splendid specimen of aurora borealis, or northern •• - lights, was obser . ved in this town (Chelmsford) on Sunday night last, between the hours of six and half-past nine. It appeared in the form of brilliant coruscations, which ex tended, at intervalsolfrom the north-east to the north-west part of the heavens ; and notwithstanding the moon was near the full, yet the fiery red appearance which was exhi bited formed a striking phenomenon. It is somewhat sin gular that these lights have been observed about this period for the last two years.—Essex Herald. VEGETABLE GIANTS.—There are at present in our office, for the inspection of the curious in horticultural matters, a colossal cabbage, and a no less colossal Swedish turnip, sent us by a friend in the neighbourhood, as Gold smith sent a cut of his venison to -Reynolds--" to paint it or eat it, just as he liked best." The cabbage weighs fifty three pounds, and measures (although considerably com pressed in the packing) two yards fifteen inches in horizon tal, and one yard thirty one and a half inches in vertical circumference. We defy all the tailors in Glasgow to make up as great a bulk of solid cabbage by their united efforts for a month. If we boil it, we must borrow a steam boiler. The Swedish Turnip is equally uncommon in its dimensions—measuring twenty-eight inches in circumfe rence, and weighing 'fourteen pounds. The assembled posse comitatus of the establishment gazed in silent asto nishment on those wonders when the staves of the cask were knccked from about them, until the spell was dissolved by the youngest devil sighing audibly—" Lor' they've forgot to send the bee f."—Glasgow Argus. Friday morning an attempt was made to break into the branch of the Western Bank lately established in Bogle-street, Greenock, but without success. The porter sleeps in an apartment adjoining the counting-room, which. being accessible by a window in the roof, the rogues re solved thereby to reach the room where the safe was situated. The porter coolly allowed one to drop down be fore he gave an alarm—knowing that when once in, like mice in a trap, they could not get so easily out ; and while the second was lowering himself he laid hold of the first in truder, and bawled lustily for assistance from a person who slept in an adjoining hbuse. Meanwhile a fierce fight was commenced between the valorous porter and the robbers. On grappling with the second one he found from his sooty habiliments and otherwise, that he was a chimney-sweeper belonging to the town, who, after a good deal of pummel ling, surrendered at discretion. Not so the other, who fought desperately ; and it was only when the individual called for got into the apartment that he could be secured. On being taken to the police office and examined, the latter turned out to be a well-known Glasgow thief. The other, who is a rather silly-minded lad, it is presumed had been persuaded to join in the daring attempt by his more accom plished companion. Both have been committed for trial.— Glasgow Herald. EGYPTIAN MODE OF MOVING COLOSSI.—In the King's library at Berlin is an interesting papyrus re presenting the Egyptian mode of moving Colossi. The Sphinx bcingupon a sledge, the first line of labourers are placed very close to it, and the rope is ramified, after passing under each man's arm, so that every rank in advance doubles the number in the former line, just in the way that foreign heralds exemplify quarters of descent. A drummer appears to be giving time for a simultaneous pull, a process facilitated by several attendants pouring oil where the tire of the sledge is about to pass. The latter circumstance would lead to the supposition that Egypt in prosperity was not deep in sand, as at present, or else that the ingenious in habitants used a temporary railroad for conveying their pro digious monuments, the nil alluded to being poured upon the flange or groove that received it. The former may, per haps, solve the means by which the huge stones at Stone henge and other ancient monuments in this country were placed in their situations. SWINDLING EXTRAORDINARY. — The Leicester shire Mercury has a long account of some swindling tran sactions that took place at Leicester last week. The swindlers finding that their situation was becoming exceed ingly unpleasant, they owned that, being tired of following their respective callings of tailor and bootcloser, and having some money in their possession, they set out on their tra vels from Devonport, in Hampshire, and, after visiting London, (where Pingelly resided many months, having left Devonport a year before his noble-named colleague) had gone to Hull, Retford, Newark, Nottingham, Leicester, Loughborough, Castle Donnington, Sec., for most of which places they had a " bilkis" to show, and in some of them they had endeavoured to get an engagement with " a company," for which their long hair and rouged faces seemed eminently to qua lify them. Pingelly having stated that he had a con siderable sum of money in Lubbock's bank, London, the late Mayor advised him to draw some, hinting pretty plainly that they would not be released until they had paid their d e bts. Pingelly acted on this advice, and yesterday morning it was announced, at the Exchange, that his draft for :M. had been honoured. Having agreed to pay all demands upon them they were then discharged, with a suitable re primand, Mr. Paget hinting that he thought Pingelly had defrauded his creditors. There was no evidence to show that they intended to pass the medals, which, it is probable, had only been rattled and shown " to cut a dash." LAW INTELLIGENCE COURT OF CHANCERY—Nov. 16. PRATER V. SCOTT. This was a bill filed for a dissolution of partnership be tween the plaintiff and defendant as wine-merchants. An application had been made to his Lordship during the vaca tion for an injunction to restrain the defendant from carry ing on the business, and receivinc , and paying moneys ; but it failed, as the plaintiff alleged, because he had not collected sufficient evidence. The same application was now renewed by the Solicitor-General. The case had been partly opened, when the parties agreed to the decree for a dissolution of the partnership, and the appointment of a receiver to wind up the affairs of the firm. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Nor. 16, PECKHAM V. KNIGHT. This was an action of debt for 5001., in which, after the defendant had pleaded and issue was joined, the plaintiff be came bankrupt. Under these circumstances Mr. Vaughan Williams, for the defendant, had obtained a rule calling on the plaintiff to show cause why the proceedings should not be stayed until he had given security for costs. Mr. STAMMERS appeared to-day to show cause against that rule, and Mr. V. WILLIAms, on the other side, urged that the de fendants were entitled to have security for costs. The Court decided that the application for security could not be maintained under the circumstances of the case issue having been joined before the bankruptcy certificate of the plaintiff, and upon that ground they discharged the rule', COURT OF EXCHEQUER.—Nov. 16. TOBIN V. CRAWFORD AND OTHERS. Mr. CRESSWELL moved for a rule to show cause wh y the verdict in this case should not be set aside and a new trial granted, or rather, perhaps, for a rule to enter a non suit or verdict for the defendant, for which leave was given by Mr. Justice Coltman at the trial. It was an action brought at Liverpool by Sir John 'robin, owner of the ship Walker, trading from Bombay to England, for the convey ance of some goods, which were delivered to persons car rying on trade under the name of Copeland and Duncan. This firm, becoming embarrassed, laid claim to the goods 'and paid the proceeds over to the defendants, the freight not being discharged. Sir John Tobin, as it was useless to sue Copeland and Duncan, brought his action against the defendants as owners of the goods, and obtained a ver dict of 7501. The Learned Counsel had contended at the trial, and still contended, that as there had been no con tract between Sir John Tobin and the defendants they ought not to be considered liable. After some considera tion the Court granted the rule nisi. Lord ABINGER observed that the case had much better have been brought on as a special case, and it was deter mined therefore that the matter should be discussed in the form of a special case. WESTMINSTER SESSIONS. The calendar contains the names of eighteen prisoners, charged with felony. Lieut. Tracey, the Governor of Westminster New Bridcwell, reported that therein were 225 males, 125 fe males, and five children ; generally healthy and orderly. Since last session 522 prisoners have been committed. Amongst the prisoners in custody is the following de scription of one in the calendar :—" A man calling himself John the Second, King of England, aged 40 ; committed by Sir F. A. Roe, Bart., on the 11th of November, for making use of certain seditious words and threats against her Majesty the Queen, i❑ the presence of her said Majesty." Lieut. Tracy stated, in answer to a question from a Ma gistrate, that the prisoner conducted himself with gentle manly deportment, and appeared perfectly rational and collected, unless the subject or charge about to be exhi bited against him was introduced. At such times he was greatly excited. The visiting Justices had given orders that he should be mildly treated. MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. Lyall and William Kelly were convicted on se. veral indictments of stealing a quantity of carpenters' tools, the property of John George, a carpenter in the employ of Messrs. Halls, cabinet-makers, of Piccadilly, where all the parties were engaged as workmen. The CHAIRMAN sentenced the convicts to seven years' transportation. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-UOUSE, Yesterday a young man called at the Justice Room, to state that a box which belonged to one of the passengers of the Apollo steam-vessel, which was sunk in the Thames, and forms, together with the boat which about a fortnight ago went down upon the Apollo, a dangerous obstruction to the navigation, was picked up in the River at Northfleet. Soon after this person made his appearance, the owner of the box appeared, and was informed that it lay in safety at Northfleet. The poor man had been constant in his at tendance at the Mansion House, in his great anxiety to hear of the success of the experiment for raising the vessel, as his box contained deeds of great importance to him, be sides other documents which interested other parties. The person who brought the intelligence said that the box was seen drifting down with the tide, and would have been probably out to sea in a short time had not his bro ther picked it up. He also stated, that the papers and parchments, although saturated with water, did not appear to be injured. HATTON GARDEN. Yesterday, Henry Stanley, a powerful looking fellow, respectably dressed, was brought from the New Prison, to which he had been remanded on a charge of robbery, charged by Roberts and Fendon, constables of the, G divi sion, with having committed desperate assaults upon them in the execution of their duty. Mr. LAING convicted him in the penalty of 51., or two mouths' imprisonment. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. Adam Samson was yesterday brought before Mr. DYER, charged with having embezzled various sums of money, the property of his employer, Mr. Webb, gold lace and army accoutrement maker, Bond-street. The prisoner said nothing in defence, and was committed Two of that once-celebrated fraternity, known as " fly ing dustmen," were charged with having emptied a dust. hole in Frith-street without leave or license of the con. tractor. The worthies, apparently the last of their race, were not unknown in Old Bailey annals, and in the palmy days dust prigging fearlessly encountered the perils of Tothill fields and the treadmill in pursuit of their unlawful voca tion. But the days of " dusting on the sly" seem to be rapidly passing away ; the transportation of the renowned Bob Bonner, first of dust-prigs, added to the great fall in " breeze," have caused this consummation, and a " flying dustman" in a short time bids fair to be as great a rarity as a Red Indian. The pair gave the names of William Neale and Edward Jones, but in the scene of their glory, Duck -lane, they are only known as " Pug-nosed Billy" and " Ugly Ned," sobri quets, which a single peep at their phisogs proclaim at once to be remarkably appropriate. The shovel, sack-full of dust, and the policeman's state ment formed an irresistible body of evidence against the culprits. MAGISTRATE—Well, can you give any account of the dust found in your possession ? Ugly Ned—Yes, yer Verships, and a werry good un, sitch a vun as viii clear our caracters in the hies of every gemmen's hindependent mind. Me and my pal vas arvalking along Frith-street—he vith his dusting-shovel and me vith my sack kvite permiscuous, ven a lady comes out of a house in a similar haccident vay, and says she to me, Dustman, says she, sill you grant me vun pertikler favor. Vy yes, marm, says I ; it's unpos3ible to refuse vun of the soft sex, so I'll give my consent, perwising you doesn't asks me to d o nuffin but vots upright and down straight. I vish I may go to blazes says the lady, if it aint as right as a trivet. Our dust-hole aint been hempted this veek, so all the stuff is running into the silo and stopping up the shore ; and, dustman, says the lady, it's gallows hard times as we should be hobligated to have sitch a muck. Veil, marm, says I, jest to hoblege you, out of ginivine good-nater, yell clear away the mess in case you stands a tanner or a drain of short to both on us. This here, your Verships, is the hidentical facts, and if you vants any evidence, here's my pal, Bill, viii take his sacrament hoath on it—von't you, Bill ? Pug-nosed Billy—" Blow'd if I don't." Notwithstanding this very satisfactory defence, both prisoners were adjudged to be guilty , Parliament having decreed that the offence was not to be expiated under a fine of 201. or not less than 101., and, in case of default, a stated period of imprisonment. The Bench, thus tied up, were obliged to inflict the lowest fine of 101., or lowest term, one month with hard labour. MAGISTRATE—Have you got 101. each ? "Me got 101.," said P ug -nosed Billy, holding up his leg, and dis playing a large bole in his breeches—" d'yer think if I'd ten bob, let alone suffrin, 'at I vouldn't precious soon mend these here kicksies with a pair of new uns Bill," said the other, as he left the bar, " there's a screw loose somewhere, vich vants wore by ballot or ban nival sufferage, or summut of the sort to set right. Vy, prigeing dust aint half the crime as it vonce vos, 'cause the stuff vont fetch half so much now as it vould afore. As for hard labour, that's nuflin, for its hard labour every day vith sich as us, but then the willinous fine is vot I looks at." The offenders were then locked up. THAMES OFFICE. Yesterday Win. Tommy and Win. Bogg, shipwri,ghts in the employ of Mr. R. Mills, a respectable ship-builder and mastinaker in Rotherhithc, were brought up before Wished,G it b E y E NAV i o c o h l , ) t , h o e n i r a e c m h a p r l g o y e e o r f lingileoadv been h ee t o e work t u, grefiat loss and inconveniene. Mr. Pelham, the solicitor, who appeared for o t h h a e a Pr c o o s u e . : cutor, said the pri soners a nd twenty other m tracted with Mr. Mills to do sundry repairs and alteratiooack of a large ship, the Gentoo, in Messrs. Sonßattenbury' d in Bermondsey. The men had already rz.,ceived 601. ac count of the work they had done, in advance. Oa rf nod? morning they all struck, and brought a w ritten Pape r Mr. Mills, which they wished him to sign ; it wa s for vance of the prices usually paid to the shipwrights. Mills refused to comply with this demand , and the wen had since left the ship, The prisoners were , by the custohm the of the River, " takers " of the job, and they engaged The other men who were all bound by the same con tract. prisoners had influenced the main bDdy, and it was against them alone proceedings had been instituted. t b e Mr. Mills had no wish to press for a convi ction, on understanding that the " takers" and their fellow workmen completed the job forthwith. The prisoners—Certainly we will. We should have been at work this'afternoon if we had ,riot been here. Those Mr. GREENWOOD—That is your own fault. foolish combinations and atte'Mpts to coerce th e wasters never come to any good. ,What do those men earn? t Mr. PELHAM said their average earnings on the work while they were employed was about 18s. per day. Mr. GREENWOOD—And they wanted a furthe r ado°tha" Mr. PELHAM said they did, and he was sorry to say the prisoners, whom he knew well, and from wh om he ,et. e petted better things, were driving the work out of River by attempting to obtain more than reasonable w°es; Mr. GREENWOOD would now suspend the warrant, n°ci discharge it, on the understanding that the prisoners ;11.11,e. the other men would complete the job as quickly asp ossin`f, This arrangement being effected, the parties left the flee, Mr. Mills and his solicitor promising to advance 0014 as the work proceeded. CORONERS' INQUESTS. Yesterday an inquest was held at the King Alfreclrebit. son-street, Lisson-grove, before Mr. STIRLING and doll,rr spectable Jury, on view of the body of Mr. George 1 1 0 aged thirty-four. The deceased was a master-Slater, al:ito resided in Harcourt -street, Paddington. Being eogng.,,, T eu a slate the roofs of some houses in Wyndham-street, "c... road, Marylehone, on Thursday last he was superintendioeg, his workmen, when he unfortunately slipped, and bac k cipitated from the roof on to the wash-house in the va, yard. Such was t'.3 violence with which the unfortuno'e, man fell that he broke through the top of the wash-13°7, Verdict—" Accidental Death." The case was one 0 , I , peculiarly distressing nature, the deceased having . widow in the last stage of consumption, and fourlleil3' children. - bourhood Some excitement has been created in the neighbor. of Greenwich and Blackheath, in consequence of a reP ci r g that the body of a man had been discovered in the g'" un ni i adjoining the Countess of Buckingham's residence Blackheath. Information was forwarded to the Ce' r ° tl „; for West Kent, and an inquisition taken last o' 6 'l at the Three Tuns, in London-street, Greenolet, From the evidence of John Cockburn, gardner, at Ea s ., comb House, it appeared that the deceased, whose name i s Martin Clements, was in the employ of Mr. Woodgat%o painter, and was engaged in varnishing some iron 10 ', in the garden, about fifty yards from the Countess's 11'1 sion, on 'Wednesday last. At a quarter past eleven n'e l°c „t in the morning of that day, he was seen by the wit ness his work, apparently in perfect health, and at a quarter PI two, the gardener found him lying on his face on the g ras„ i Wiqiess, fancying that the deceased was asleep, c alled. 1 1 ; to him to get up, adding, that he would kill himself if No remained there, and that he must be mad to do so . notice being taken of these words, the gardener turne d °L t , the deceased, and found that his face was black, and t " -- he was d Sym ead. Mr. es deposed to the deceased having died from e rupture of a blood-vessel, and a verdict of " Died by t " visitation of God" was returned. DEATH OF MR. HERBERTS IN M O NT- , k A ll o i DRAY, SWITZERLAND.—Lone travellers, who are f oe o r mountain scenery, should he careful not to cross over "r., venture to stand on those deep cisterns designed for wa te ,, ing cattle, which are sunk even within the ground iu l. rious parts of the Alpine country. The death of the g ; tleman above named has lately been occasioned by it , frf the , fir trees with which the cistern was covered bre al n clown in the centre, and immersing him suddenly in / 1 )e -of icy-cold water. Between 1 and 2 o'clock on Wednesday the inb a '; taats of Drury-lane were terribly alarmed by the rep ot , that murder had been committed in the house of a chinierl: sweeper in Drury -court, near St. Mary-le-Strand Ch ure 4 Information of the circumstance soon reached the police ye on duty near the house, who on their arrival found tba, son of a man named Quin, a lodger on the first floor, blee o ing profusely from a wound inflicted by a desert knife in right side. A stretcher was obtained from the statioa house, and the unfortunate son was taken to the Char i t Cross Hospital, where every attention was paid to t 0 wound, which it is feared will deprive him of life. ° E.1 , 1 , 3 a t inquiry into the cause of the dreadful act, it appear s 'A - 0 the father returned home about twelve o'clock yes ter ;as forenoon in a beastly state of intoxication. Some vin„6 ensued between him and the son, which continued for sc'h'er time, but from the generally noisy character of the fnt ;se when drunk, little notice was taken of it by the opP° s. es neighbours, till the son ran down stairs from his Parqbe room into the street crying out " I am_ stabbed." ;c o knife had been broken into three pieces and throw n 1 ; 0 , the fire, but only two nieces could be produced. O n ;be quiry yesterday morning we were sorry to learn that death of the lad ensued. , 7 , - •diS RIDE AND TIE.—A couple of friendly mu esli- t 0 upon the point of starting from Baltimore in a s teauv it .: s , the other day, having the fear of Ben Sherrod, captltp and drunken crews before their eyes, held a co nsu ip tion on the wharf previous to their departure. to the ' e $ lowing effect :—" Murdoch, can you swim ?" stone—to the bottom, jist." " And me too," with a "fie a ened pliiz ; " what the devil shall we do, in the ease ° t o , blow up ?" A moment's reflection brightened up the drip tenance of his friend, as he exclaimed, " I'll tell Yet, ; be ll the danger comes, we'll jump overboard together, a nd t i r ed you shall hold me up for a while, and when you get.,j,iitr I'll hold you up, and so we'll get tä the shore safe. don't say a word to a soul at a 11." PATENT LEVER WATC HE ° With silver double-bottom cases 6 6 16 With silver hunting cases ..... chic!' y This celebrated construction (the most accurate on N o e 0 0! watch can be made) is now offered, with the latest impre /e s eer i. e. the detached escapement, jewelled in four holes, yoi ,ef hand to mark the seconds, hard enamel dial, and maintaini n i° to continue going while winding up, at the above price, 1 1 T. COX SAVORY, Working Silver and Goldsmith, 47, Cornhill, Lend°%, N.B..—Second-hand Watches purchased in exclial__/ ...• BIRTBS. f5(1 4 At Liverpool, on the 12th inst., the lady of Jeffery Se eales. of a son, still-born: uf e°' On the 12th inst., the wife of James Nicholls, Esq ., s v ip Leicemer-place, Leicester-square, of a daughter. CaP V At North Foreland Lodge, on the 14th inst., the lady of Isarke, of a son. btf' On the 14th inst., Mrs. Fisher, Highbury-park , of a ( 13 w' of still-born. f , l'' On the 15th inst., the 'lady of J. St. George B urke, Parliament-street, of a son. grs' On the 15th inst., at Great Coram-street, Russell -s q uare, of ° David Rop on er, of a daughter. At Flors, the 13th inst., the Duchess of Rozburgile' daughter. - 41 ,, ladi ° On the 12th inst., at Hensol, Kirkcudbrightshire, the Ol e ' J. Cunninghame, Esq., of a son 'eq On the 15th inst., in Upper. S eymour - s t re et, Portm an the lady of N. G o ld sm id, Esq., of a daughter. of MARRIED. On the 16th inst., at St. Ann's, Soho:Henry f t be Albion-street, Hyd-park, to Marianne, eldest (laughter 0 e o f t E. Rishton, Esq., of El • k Lodge, Lancashire, a nd nic e , sync uaf,'" late Major-General Sir N. Cam bell, K C B p • • • bes ter-- - . Ae lo On the 16th inst., at the Spanish Chapel, Manc Ancell, Esclblo, Illoonw, 0, Carberry Scully, Esq., eldest son of E. Scully, Esq. daughter °`ol, eounty of Tipperary, to Georgiana Catherine, only -.. ty gf Mallison, Esq., and grand-daughter of the late Gerald F, tag 1 . 1 gee Esq., of Doonbeg, county Clare. On the 16th inst., at St. Marylebone, Lieut. Kelly, 17 ' 0, ment, to Anne, daughter of D. H. Roper, Esq. ta i n Sall e On the 14th inst., at Thorpe, near Norwich; Cap, ciest dace . eldest son of the late Rear-Admiral Sutton, to Julia, i, d Ooto el e f , ter of Colonel Sir Robert Harvey, K.C.8., of Mousell°L, o f‘e to On the 15th inst., at St. Mary's, Cheshunt. V. l. :b r ide' of EN., Bachelor of Physic, of SL Peter's CAI! , : : , t, scl' Sally, youngest daughter of the late Geo. Fred. rres Theobald's Grove. Wind DIED. ( ore , • ais On the 14th inst., in Howland-street, Fitzroy-51_ militia, Bird, Esq., Lieutenant-Colonel of the W es t Middles e a Magistrate for the county, aged 86. d 56 ' 1. 1 G ibb 9 On the 12th inst., Wm. Seaward, Esq. chew John - e- On the Bth inst., at Blackley, near 31ant er ICtsiP e ' Esq., late of Genoa. f Ea °. On the 14th inst., at Bath, Mrs. Knipe, r elict 0 ea 7 , / , Esq., of Hookfield-grove, Epsom, aged 69. . ~,,, ; tin ., g_ a g•_ l On the 14th inst., in Bury Court, Moses 1,1,1171 -i- ,54 ,, ag i 7 354 ,, e' On the 14th inst., at Northampton, J. Thomas Wean , , On the 14th inst., Fanny, daughter of Thoma , a T,' , eet, ' - ' e ,-''' Woodcote Lodge, aged 13. On the 12th inst., Mr. John Jackson, of Watii s i t o r t's -r°ll ' o r On the 12th inst., Mr. Thomas Barnes, of re lief _ n rtol 3 l George's, Southwark, aged 56. B a bbilits" coo" At Cheltenham, on the 14th inst., A nne d 10 EdW sr the T. P. Mosley, Esq., aged 71. T ri ies, On the 20th of June, at Kamptee, East lioutevalit ill 7 , stable, fifth son of Sir Wm . Curtis, Bart. , a __----40, °i jl4 Regiment of Madras Cavalry. 0 41 00 / -- ----- Ct l ; . London : Printed and Published by IVlMW Stran d r is 112. Strand, at The Sun Office No. 1 12, „ • of Middlesex.—Friday, Noventier 1 . 7 ' 1 - 83 i