The Sun. — London, England, 1837-02-03 00:00:00

TOTAL ANT) IMMEDIATE AI3OLI- `PION OF CHURCH-RATES. , NOTTINGHAM, THURSDAY, FEB. 2. A very numerous meeting, called together by a requisition • Addressed to the Mayor of this town, and which was signed by the majority of the wealth, influence, and respectability of the inhabitants, was held !to-day at the Guildhall, for the purpose of petitioning butte Houses of Parliament, with a view to the total and immediate abolition of Church-rates. The Hall was completely crowded long before the proceedings fe- commenced. Mr. MORELY (the Mayor) said, that in consequence of a requisition numerously and respectably signed, addressed to him a week ago, be bad consented to call the prevent meeting, the object of which was to petition Parliament for the pur ee., pose of obtaining the total and immediate abolition of Church iseeates. Though he had consented to call the meeting, he felt an objection to take the chair on the present occasion—he was stteltenre that some other gentleman would he found better suited for the situation than lie, and he therefore begged most re e,spectfully to decline the honour they had intended to confer upon him. Mr. Alderman HEARD was then unanimously voted into 0 , the chair. He expressed his obligation to the meeting for the honour done to him, and his regret that the Mayor refused ash to preside. It was not fit that he should descant on the subject before the meeting ; all that he had to do was to dis charge the duties of Chairman with perfect impartiality, which lie promised to do. Mr. Thos. WAKEFIELD (the late Mayor) said that he pre sented himself to the Meeting on this occasion in order to move the first resolution. He believed that it was pretty ge nerally known that as far as his feelings, interests, and wishes, az , ere concerned, he would be much gratified if the ques tion respecting Church-rates was settled according to the prin ciples propounded on a former occasion, Ile thought it of great importance that the question should be speedily settled, in order to prevent severe injury to the Church, and to put a stop to increasing dissensions among the Christian community. Hear.) Every one present knew that he entertained.no :angry feelings towards the Established Church. On the contrary, be felt an affection for it, as he was brought up ac- carding to its doctrines, and if he wished for a satisfactory set tlemeeit of the question of Church -rates, it - was rather in or der that that Establishment might be strengthened than weak cried. He certainly was of opinion that no settlement could be satisfactory except the immediate and total abolition of the • impost alluded to.—(Cheers.) He begged to remind the Meeting that he asked for the abolition of Church-ratee not with any feeling indicative of hostility or injury towards the Established Church—not with any view that those who dis sented from its doctrines would be relieved by the doing away with those rates, but solely from the interest he took in the welfare of the Church Establishment. If be saw that Church rates were cheerfully paid by the Dissenters, he would not ob ject tothem ; but when he saw that they were obnoxious and objected to by a very large portion of the community, he could not help thinking that they were most unjust. It was unjust and unwise to compel any body of men to pay for a religion whose doctrines they did not embrace, and from whose service they received no benefit.—( Cheers.) If he thought the non-payment of Church-rates would injure the Establish ' extent, he would not now come forward as he had done. It was his opinion that such would not be the case, for Ile be - •lieved that permanent good would be done to the Church, and relief afforded to the Dissenters, by the abolition of Church • rates. He considered - that among the Protestant community there was a sufficient number of persons to contribute to the support of the Church, without having recourse to laws to compel them to do so ; they would do it of their own accord ; and it was far better to lbave the matter with themselves—to their own option--than to force upon those Who•dissented from the doctrines of the Church to aid in its support. The reso lution he had to propose was, that in the opinion of that Meeting' it was manifestly most unjust eo compel DiSsenters to pay rates for the support of a religious Establishment from whose tencts they conscientiously dissented; and that it was their duty to use all lawful efforts to obtain the immediate and total abolitioet of all such rates. The worthy Gentleman concluded' by stating that he knew from extensive observation and . experiences e ihat Church-rates created, mucliangry feeling towards the Established Church itself, andahat the injury done to the Protestant religion could not be in any way counterba lanced by the benefits—the pecuniary one's only—it obtained by compelling conscientious Dissenters to pay a tax which on principle they objected to. When such then was the case, could there be any argument adduced to prove • that a continuance of those rates would not be unjust, and, II • consequently , if they were unjust — and he maintained that they were—were they not all bound to use every legal means to get rid of them ?—( Hear.) As he had shown that Church rates were an unjust tax laid upon all Dissenters, he was sure • • that every one present would agree with him in the sentiment . that they ought to be abolished.—(Cheers.) The resolution having been seconded, Mr. BRADSHAW rose to oppose it by proposing an amend- , ment. He commenced by reading the oath or declaration which the Mayor took on accepting office, and contended that by giving sanction to the present meeting, he had committed a most fearful breach of that declaration.—( Hisses and cheering. ) He ( the Mayor )ought rather to have imitated the conduct of the Mayor of Cambridge when placed in a similar situation, who declined giving his sanction to a like meeting, saying that he had taken an oath to protect the Established Church, and that he could not countenance proceedings which tended to undermine it. The preceding speaker had stated the ques tion of Church-rates had caused considerable animosity be tween the different Christian classes of the community. Why was this ? Simply, because men holding official situations— men in his Majesty's Commission of the Peace, who were bound to support and enforce the law of the land, lent them selves to agitation, instead of using their efforts to make the King's subjects obey his laws.—( Laughter and hisses.) Af ter some other remarks on the new Poor Law Bill, and other • matters irrelevant to the question before the meeting, he con cluded by moving an amendment to the following effect - " That it was a maxim of the constitution of the country that all should obey and support the laws of England : that Church rates were sanctioned by those laws, and that they were levied not to make tho Church political, but to render the State soli ,gious ; that to present petitions to Parliament to abolish this Lairs without suggesting any substitute, was trifling with the time that ought to be devoted to the public good, and that re alm:mice to those rates was to be traced to factious motives, and that it was to be considered more in the light of an attack upon Christianity itself, than as a desire to promote true re ligion." Mr. T. SMITH seconded the amendment, and insisted that Church-rates were not an unjust tax. If they were he would be among tise foremost to vote for their abolition. He consi dered every man interested in keeping in repair those edifices in which Christianity was taught. The late Mayor seemed to be of the same opinion since lie contemplated finding a sub stitute for Church-rates in the Consolidated Fund, or in some other public property. He fully agreed with the last speaker, that the present subject was agitated in order to make it a ye bide of attack upou the Established Church, and he emphati cally called on all rest Christians to come forward in the sup port of that sacred institution. Mr. WAKEFIELD begged to say one word in reply to what Mr. Bradshaw said about persons filling official situations giving support to meetings like the present. The question of Church-rates was one on which all persons, whether magis trates or not, should give their opinions. If a Church-rate had been legally passed in vestry assembled, he would feel it his duty, as a magistrate, to call on every individual to pay a tax that had been levied according to law. That, however, did not prevent him from wishing to-day to do away with a contribution which he certainly thought was illegal.—( Hear.) He believed sufficient funds might be found within the Church itself to meet nearly all its exigencies, particularly if its rich and ample sinecures were to be made use of, the existence of which he considered an absolute injury to the best interests of the Establishment. His chief reason for objecting to the pro-sent amendment was, that he c onsidered the carrying of it • would be fatal to the welfare of the Established Church. Mr. SHARPE, amid a great deal of confusion, supported the amendment. He maintained that the question was one which ought to be left to the decision of the different parishes. They had the power of arguing the matter in vestry assembled, where they could curtail or augment their expenses according as cir cumstances required, and to the best of their own j ud g ment. He was of opinion that if Church-rates were a bolished, a host of Commissioners would be appointed, who, conniving with the architects of the different towns, would be continually or dering the repair of churches, so that instead of a lesser evil, they would have to put up with a far g reater. JAMES \\remelts (a working man) that he had heard a great deal said against Church-rates and something in favour of them, and that they were good for the poor man. He de nied this, unless indeed it was a good thing for a poor man to be locked up in dungeons, as a poor neighbour of his was on account of the non-payment of a Church-rate of the amount of 2 s. Bd. (a stamp). When lie heard people say that Church rates were good for the poor man, it made him so mad that he Was ready to pull the cars off his head.—(Cheers.) lie could not forget how he was obliged to pay 7a. 6d. before lie could get his poor child buried. Some might say that 7s. 6d. was a small sum—perhaps so it would be to them ; but it was as much as 2001. to others, nay more, for it often happened that it would be e nough to keep him and his family from starving during se veral days._( his family, Hear.) 7s. 6d. would buy a - week's bread for and he liked better to spend it in that way than in unjust burial fees.--( Cheers.) If he wanted the aid of a parson he would send for him and pay him ; but until he did want him, no one on earth should compel him to pay a single farthing i n t h e s h ape of Church-rates. When he saw the Ministers of religion with the Bible in one hand and the dagger or gun in the other, he thought it was enough almost to make any man cease to be a Christian. in reply to a question from Mr. Wieso a Roman Catholic Clergyman, as to what was become. e of the . 'great property and extensives revenues of the Church, Mr. Beaestraw stated that they were in great part in the hands o f th e Duke of Bedf or d, and other Whig Noblemen and Ge n tl emen . lie also stat e d t h at Church-rates were esta blished more than 1,000 years since, and he believed that they were a Saxon institution. The amendment was then put and negatived by a majority - of 158 to 70. The original Resolution was then, of course, adopted. Here th e Ch urc h par ty retired, givi ng t h ree cheers for Church and King, which were responded to by vociferous groaning for the Bench of Bishops. Mr. Il uesr rose to propose the first Resolution. He s a id that, Chu rc h- rates seemed to him an exceedingly simple ques t„'on, and nothing could be more evident that that Dissenters not to be compelled to pay taxes for the support of a Chle - elt whose service they did not attend, The mode of ar gums', t of the venerable Arelide:sene Wilkins (resident in the town) w,as easily confuted. That veners4 - 10 . Gentleman con tended ths't all cl as s es were b oun d to pay Churchsrates. It was equally ps obligatory on them to pay those rates as it was to pay for the expenses for prosecuting those who had robbed their neighbour's house. Ile contended that this illustration was based on an erroneous assumption—there was no analogy betwceu the two cases. In the case of the prosecution of a felon, the public were not taxed solely for the benefit of the person robbed, but for their own benefit and protection, since putting the rigour of the law into execution would prevent other felons, and, consequently, be beneficial to all Not so in the ease of Church-rates. They were levied for the benefit of one party, whilst the party paying reaped no profit. With respect to another argument, that the Established Church ought to be supported on account of the sound religious and moral principles that were disseminated by its means throne'. out the country, he wonld answer it by asking, were not similar principles extensively circulated by Dissenting Minis ters ? Were not their conduct as religious and moral as that of the ministers of the Established Church, and did they not take every opportunity of impressing on the minds of the population—particularly of the poorer portion—principles 'of peace, virtue, and good order thronghout the land. The Bishops, Deans, Archdeacons, and other Church dignitaries, would still receive their accustomed emoluments, and when he understood that three-fourths of the country were in Protest ant hands, surely he could not conceive how persons could be frightened about the ruin and impoverishment of the Esta blished Church.—(Hear.) He concluded by moving the adoption of a petition to both Houses of Parliament, em bodying the first Resolution, and which stated, moreover, that the abolition of Church-rates would give satisfaction to all denominations of Dissenters, and that it was the decided opinion of the petitioners that all future attempts to collect Church-rates would be attended with considerable popular excitement. Mr. Fox seconded the resolution, which was unanimously agreed to. A vote of thanks was then voted to the Chairman, and the meeting quietly dispersed. Before the lapse of many minutes numerous signatures were attached to the petition, and it is conjectured that it will, in the course of a few days, receive such an addition of names as to prove to the Legislature the extreme unpo pularity of Church-rates among the inhabitants of Nottingham. IMPORTANT MEETING of the LON DON PARISHES upon the POOR LAWS AMEND VENT ACT. Yesterday afternoon a meeting of the official authorities of the parishes of Laden was held at the Doctor Butler's Head, White Rose Court, Coleman-street, in compliance with a cir cular, issued by Mr. Thomas Jones, the Vestry Clerk of St. Stephen's, Coleman-street. Mr. Sharp, Churchwarden of St. Clement, Eastcheap, was unanimously voted to the Chair. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the day, said that the meeting was aware that the city of London had, and that very unexpectedly, been brought under the operation of the Poor Law Amendment Act.—( Hear.) The «ay in which the measure had been introduced could not, lie conceived, be approved of by the generality of the parishes of London.— ( Hear.) It bad been introduced through the instigation of the Common Council—(Cries of Hear, hear)—who had, in his opinion, stepped out of their line of duty in interfering with the affairs of the London parishes before consulting the feelings of the rate-payers upon the subject.—( Hear.) It was incumbent upon them to have consulted' those rate-payers as to the advisability of such a measure, ere they presumed to re commend it to the Poor-law Commissioners. No persons, he would say, were so able to distribute the funds for the relief of the poor as those who raised them—no persons so compe tent to attend to the wants of the poor as those who were in timately connected with, and neighbours .among them.— ( Hear, hear.) The best steps they could take to defeat the attempt about to be made to take the rate-payers' local affairs out of their immediate control, would be, he thought, to 'adopt a series of resolutions to mitigate such an evil. The Common Council had evinced a most reprehensible absence of Christian feeling in calling in the Poor Law Act. Mr. JONES, the vestry clerk, then submitted a series of reso lutions to the consideration of the meeting, upon which THONIAS SAUNDERS, Esq., suggested the propriety of the authorities present stating, prior to the introduction of the re solutions, the state of feeling in the parishes to which they belonged relative to the introduction of the Poor Law Act into the City.—( Hear.) The suggestion being acquiesced in, Mr. FINNIS, a Member of the Court of Common Council, and senior churchwarden of St. Dunstan's in the East, said that a requisition for a meeting upon the subject had been presented by the rate-payers of that parish. St. Albans, Wood-street.—Mr. JONES stated that a vestry of this parish had been held, and that the feelings of the rate payers were against the introduction of the Act.—( Hear.) Allhallows, Bread-street.—Mr. SAUNDERS informed the meeting that a vestry was held last year respecting the Poor Law Act, and the feeling on that occasion was, that the intro duction of the measure into the City was altogether uncalled for.—( Hear. ) Mr. SOUTIIWOOD, churchwirden of St. Alphage, said that a vestry of that parish had been held, and that the whole of the rate-payers present, with two exceptions, were against the in troduction.—(Cheers.) . _ Mr. FAVOR, the upper overseer of St. Andrews by the Wardrobe, stated that his parish bad not had a meeting, but his opinion was, that it was decidedly opposed to the act. Mr. Cox, the upper churchwarden of St. Anne, Blackfriars, said their parish had not yet had a meeting on the subject. He and his colleague attended merely to watch the proceedings. Mr. CooKsoN, vestry clerk of St. Faith under St. Paul's. The parish had not yet had a meeting, but he was perfectly persuaded that the rate-payers were not friendly to the Act. lie should advise that a petition against the introduction of the Act into the city be sent to every inhabitant within it—(hear) —that it might be ascertained who were and who were not in favour of the measure. For himself he was point-blank against the Poor Law Act.—(l-lear.) Mr. SAUNDERS, on the part of St. Bennett's, said that parish had a meeting last year, at which the introduction of the Poor Law into the city of London was opposed, and be had been instructed to watch the measure. The CHAIRMAN, as representing St. Clement's, Eastcheap, stated that the parish had held a vestry, at which several reso lutions in decided opposition to the introducing the Act into the city had been passed; and they bad a petition against the introduction, signed by every rate-payer of the parish except one, who was a pilot, and at sea.—(Cheers and laughter.) Mr. Piinu.s, one of the overseers of St. Martin Orgar, said they had on a former occasion petitioned the Commissioners not to unite them with any other parish without consulting them (the parishioners)—( Hear, hear)—and this petition was signed by all the inhabitants except three.-_( Cheers.) As to the present opposition, they had unanimously carried resolu tions to the effect that they believed the proceedings of the Common Council had induced an erroneous belief in the minds of the Commissioners, by representing themselves to have the voice of the various parishes of the city, and that that voice was in favour of a union of such parishes. Mr. CCLLISON, overseer (,f St. Edmund the King, Lom bard-street, begged to state to the meeting that the parish which he represented had sent a petition to the Poor Law Commissioners, and he thought they had 19 out of 20 of the bankers of Lombard -street, and the great body of the rate. payers against their interference with the city.—(Hear, and cheers.) As to the parishes petitioning, or the wards peti. tionino . , that he thought would not answer their purpose; it would be better to have one petition most numerously signed, and that the petition should be respectful and temperate. Mr. SAUNDERS, on the part of St. Leonard, Eastcheap, said they had not held a meeting, but that last year the authorities were instructed to oppose the measure.—( Hear.) Mr. PARKE, Churchwarden of St. Magnus, London-bridge, said that a meeting of the rate-payers was held last year, and that a memorial against the Act passed on that occasion had been signed by all the rate-payers but one.—( Hear, and cheers.) A vestry will be held to-morrow (this day) on the subject.—( Cheers.) Mr. Him., a Common-councilman of the ward of Bridge, said that the Common-council of his ward was decidedly against the introduction of the Poor Law Act into the city. Mr. SOUTHWOOD, Churchwarden of St. Alphage, knew the feeling of the Common-council of the ward of Cripplegate Withi n was decidedly against the introduction of the measure. Mr. DAT, upper Churchwarden o f St. M ar ti n O u t w i c h, thought the feeling of the parish was against the introduction of the Act. Mr. SAUNDERS could, as a rate-payer of St. Martin Vintry, assure the Meeting that there was a decided feeling of hostility in the parish to the introduction of the Act. Mr. IRELAND, senior churchwarden of St. Mary, Alderman. bury, stated that the parish conceived that the Common council of the city of London had taken a most unwarrantable step in having, without consulting the inhabitants, recom mended the introduction of the Act into the city.—(Hear.) The CUURCIIWARDEN of St. Thomas the Apostle could say that it was the universal opinion of the inhabitants that the Poor Law Act should be opposed.—(Cheers. ) Mr. LUCAS, senior Churchwarden of St. Mary-le-Bow, stated that they had a meeting a short time ago, and that it was the decided opinion of those present that the intro duction of the Act would be very beneficial to the city. It is, said Mr. Lucas, purely a financial measure.—(Vehement cries of " No, no.") Mr. CoLusos was of opinion, that the introduction of the Act would materially increase the rates of the parish that he represented.— (Hear.) Mr. Rice, overseer of St. Mary Botham, and a common councilman, said that his parish was against the introduction. Mr. GOYMER, churchwarden of St. Mary Magdalen, had no doubt that nine out of ten of the inhabitants were also op posed to it.—( Hear.) The Rev. Mr. Lusrallolv, rector of Allhallows the Great, was entirely opposed to the introduction of the measure. Mr. Rowsem., of St. Mathew, Friday-street, said that his parish was divided on the subject, but he thought that a ma jority was in favour of the union. Mr. DES%AR, upper churchwarden of St. Michael, Wood street, said they had had a meeting which was unanimous for the introduction of the Act. Mr. JONES, under churchwarden of St. Olave, Silver street. They had not had a meeting, but the feeling was decidedly against the act. They would have a vestry next week.---( Hear, ) Of St. Peter, Cheapside, Mr. ROWSELL said they were in favour of Cis union. Mr. LARBY, of st. Stephen, Coleman-street, said the parishioners were very strongly opposed to the new law. flt. Giles, Cripplegate.—Tho CHAIRMAN said that . the vestry of this parish had passed very strong resolutions against the introduction of the net ; and that, notwithstand ing the strenous opposition of Mr. Richard Lambert Jones, Common Councilman and Chairman of the London-bridge Mr. FINNIS propowid tine 4rip recohltion. He was entirely opposed to the Act, which he thought On. or tbe riot knfreiing 'censures over carried through the Legislature...-(Hear:T • Mr. LENNARD (of St. Alphage) seconded the resolution. Mr. DEWAR moved an amendment, which in substance im puted interested motives to those who opposed the introduc tion of the Act into the City, and that it would ill become the citizens of London to support a factious opposition to a mea sure which had already done so much good. • Mr. PATTISON seconded the amendment, which was sup ported by Mr. Jeffrey, the Vestry Clerk of St. Bartholomew the Great. After some more observations upon the uuron3titutional and cruel enactments of the new law, in which Mr. Southwood, Mr. Collison, and Mr. Saunders took a part, the resolution was carried, with three dissentients only. Mr. Mathews, Mr. Collison, Mr. Lennard, Mr. Butler, Mr. Ratcliffe, Mr. Bartholomew, Mr. hall, and Mr. Saun ders, spoke at some length upon the other resolutions, which were carried unanimously. CAPTURE of the " VIXEN" by RUSSIA IMPORTANT PARTICULARS. CQNSTANTINOPLE, JAN. 4.—The pilot whom the Vixen engaged at Samson for the coast of Circassia arrived here a few days ago from that country, and has communicated the following particulars relative to the interview its captain and gentlemen on board had with the natives, and the cap ture of this vessel by the Russians. On the second day after its departure from Samson, the Vixen was off the Cir cassian coast. In the afternoon it anchored at Djook. The pilot having represented this port as very unsafe, in con sequence of the weather, the schooner sailed for Psad, and subsequently for the port of Soudjak-Kale. The pilot having on landing given notice to the natives of the ar rival of an English vessel, they collected in large numbers on the beach, and sent a deputation on board to wel come their guests and invite them on shore. On being informed by Mr. Bell of the object of his voyage being to establish commercial -. relations between their country and England, they invited him, the owner, and captain, of the vessel, to wait on the Prince of that part of the country, who lived at a few leagues distance in the interior. On the proposal being assented to by these gentlemen, they landed, and, escorted by a guard of honour, composed of 500 horsemen, proceeded to the chief's residence. Mehemet Bey received them in the most cordial manner, and insisted on their remaining till the next day under his roof. Towards the evening chiefs from the neighbouring districts came in to welcome their English friends and offer them their ser vices. The whole night was spent in revelry and merri ment. On the following clay Mr. Bell disposed of his cargo of salt, at the conditions he himself thought proper to fix. Wax and box-wood were the principal articles offered him in exchange. The weather continuing very boisterous, the landing of the whole cargo was found impracticable. Several among the chiefs, however, went on board the Vixen, and sat down to the entertain- inent prepared for them. In ans►ver to the inquiries made as to the political state of the country, the chiefs unanimously declared their firm determination of shedding, if necessary, the last drop of their blood in defence of their independence. They represented the attempts of Russia against them during the summer as having proved abortive. General Willeminoff had, it was true, succeeded in landing a body of troops at Soudjalc, but had soon after been himself constrained to effect his retreat. The only Russians at present to be seen in Cir cassia were their prisoners and deserters at the service of the native chiefs. Oo the following day a Russian brig. of war entered the bay of SoUdjak, and anchored at a considerable distance from the shore. A boat, having an officer on board, shortly after came up to the Vixen, but on the refusal on the part of its crew to allow him to walk on deck previous to the captain's return from the shore, it went back to the brig. An hour after, the captain having re 'turned, the Russian boat was again sent to invite him on board. He embarked in company with Mr. Bell and the owner in the Vixen's boat. On reaching the Russian brig, they Were met on deck by the first lieutenant, and asked how they had dared, in defiance of the Emperor's intimation, to carry on commercial relations with a country Russia was at war kitl►? The observation having been made to him that the British Government not having communicated this intimation of the Emperor to the English merchants, they had in coming to Circassia availed themselves of the indis putable right they possessed, the Russia❑ officer grew fu r►ous, and threatened to sink the vessel, unless it imme diately surrendered. On hearing the loud altercation on deck, the captain left his cabin, and on presenting himself before the disputants, observed in very moderate terms to the Englishmen, that his orders being to seize every foreign vessel found approaching the coast of Abasia, he could not do otherwise than carry them into execution. The reasons they brought forward might be excellent ones, but as it was beyond his competency to decide on the case, he suggested to them the propriety of referring it to the General's arbi tration at Ghelendjik. He intimated to Mr. Bell, and the owner of the Vixen, that lie could not allow them to leave his vessel till the question at issue had been settled, and re commended the captain to return on board to prepare him self to follow h►m. The Circassians had in the mean time sent a deputation on board the Vixen to ask what were the English captain's intentions. Should his determination be to resist, they were ready to lend him every assistance. Hear ing that he intended leaving for Ghelendjik, the Circassians, after expressing their disappointment, returned on shore, taking with them the pilot. The chiefs, who are naturally. deeply interested in becoming acquainted with the British Government's decision on a question of such vital impor tance to the destinies of their country, have sent this man to Constantinople, where he is to remain till intelligenc e is received from London. I mentioned in my last, that on the departure from Caffa of the Austrian vessel which brought here the first intelligence of the capture of the Vixen, this vessel had not arrived, and that much anxiety was felt by the captain of the brig that had taken it. No subsequent intelligence having been received, although seve ral sl►fps have since arrived here from the Crimea, it appears highly probable that it is lost. If this report turns out to be correct, what a fine case for Lloyd's 1 TEE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAI, FEBRUARY :3, 1837. TO THE EDITOR OE THE SUN. Sir—Although my name and that of my late firm in Bu charest have been frequently mentioned in the public prints, and on several occasions very recently, in connection with gross and injurious misrepresentations proceeding from the German press in the interest of the Russian Government, and put forth, as many other intrigues have been, for the purpose of destroying a rising and rival commerce, still I have ad. hered to that best of rules for private individuals, viz., not to embark (if it be practicable to avoid it) in personal discus sions in public prints ; but as, within these some days past, the Russian Government have thought fit to propagate, in their Official Gazette and Frankfurt Journal, statements re lative to the voyage of the Vixen to the coast of Circassia which they must know to be grossly false, and which are in tended to hold up the British Government to the eyes of all the world as instigators and co-operators in an attempt to aid and supply with munitions of war what they call "rebellious sub jects" of Russia, and to stamp my brother and me as agents of our Government for that purpose, as smuggling contrabandists, and not as merchants prosecuting legitimate trade ; and, fur ther, as I find that some newspapers and persons here have proceeded to argue upon the premises assumed by the Russian Government, I feel myself compelled, now that I have re ceived the proper documents, to make public the real facts of this simple case. My attention was first directed to the question of the trade with the coast of Circassia in consequence of an application to me by the Government of the Turkish principality of Wal lachia, and afterwards by the farmers of the salt mines of that country, to take an interest in the extension of the sale of the salt produced from these mines, and, as very advantageous pro posals were made to me, I set on foot inquiries, antrfound, on an examination of the state of the neighbouring countries, as to their supply of salt, that no one afforded a greater or better debouche or market than the eastern coast of the Black Sea. I immediately made application to the British Government to know whether any legal impediment existed to the prosecution of a trade with that coast in the shape of a blockade, as I had heard that an attempt had been made by the Russian Government to institute one some years ago, which had not been admitted. I received from the Foreign Office such replies, referring me to the Gazettes, as convinced me that nothing of the kind, if it existed, was recognised by our Government. This led me and my brother into much more extended researches, in various literary works, treaties, &c., and we found much valuable in formation relative to Circassia, and, among other things, that a most valuable branch of British trade had, within these few years been totally cut off, solely through the apathy of our own merchants in never questioning the Government whether there was any good cause for such a change. We also found that some years before Russia assumed her soi-disant sovereignty over these coasts, there used to arrive there an nually between two and three hundred native vessels, laden with valuable cargoes, the greatest part of which consisted of British manufactured or colonial produce, brought from Con stantinople or the Levant, for which the staple articles of pro duce of these countries were exchanged. It is now said by Russia that this claim to sovereignty is founded on the treaty of Adrianople, by which Turkey ceded to her all the eastern coast of the Black Sea ; but I believe there are ample docu ments within the walls of the Foreign Office to prove that Turkey never had herself the possession of the country which she ceded—that she did make the cession of it solely under the pressure of Russia's demands—and that Russia had never yet been able to obtain possession of the ceded country. And further, from the information I have lately received from Cir cassia, she is still less likely now to succeed in getting bold of more of it than the three ports she has of Anapa, Glielendjik, and Soukoum- Kale, beyond the walls of which her troops never venture except In strong face, and with artillery, for the facilities she has hitherto had consisted in the disunion of the various tribes, encouraged by her intrigues iwhcreas these t ibes are all now impressed with the idea of the necessity of concert in the prosecution of their opposition to Russia's at. tempts to encroach on their independent country, and under one powerful chief, and a national flag, are measures now being taken to drive the Russians even from the three sea• eeast positions before-mentioned, and several towns across the Rus sian frontiers have been lately taken and pillaged. These, then, are the " subjects" for whose preservation the Russian Government, in their paternal solicitude, now on the appear- Ince of British traders declare the necessity of quarantine and eusionisi iegulttooto, whereas it the trutil Wofe NO, the greatest friends Russia could have there would be pestilence and famine; and as to customs' ditties, as the Circassians will not, under pain of the brand of infamy, use any article that comes through Russian hands, it can easily be proved that no revenue ever has been got, or probably ever will be got, for goods consumed by the Circassians, sufficient to pay one tithe of the expense of the customs establishments. All Eu ropean articles are_ brought there from Constantinople in native vessels, and it is such trade that Russia desires to cut off and divert into her own channels ; and to do that she has dared to violate every international law and usage, and tries to stamp with the character of smuggling, of secret aiding of her " rebel lious subjects," and of a covering for " treacherous intentions," a simple and legitimate mercantile speculation. I think it ire portaut for me io state that the reasons given by the Russian Admiral and officers for the capture were, that the vessel was attempting to ht.,: ak a blockade, and that the Circassians were at war with ,them. Thi s is ill he simian in two documents which will be. I believe, made public in a few days • but at St. Peters burg!' the reason of condemnation is called a breach of cus tom and quarantine regulations, because the admission of a state of hostility was not expedient. This brings me to the question of the nature of the cargo put on board the Vixen. She was originally ordered by me to proceed to the port of Ibrail, in the Danube, where I had arranged for a cargo of salt for her ; but in consequence of her having arrived at Constantinople about a month later than I expected, and as the Circassians had, according to our previous arrangements with them, got ready near the coast a quantity of goods for bar ter which could not be left over the whiter, my brother (for fear of the voyage in and out of the Danube throwing the main voyage too late), with my knowledge and concurrence loaded a cargo of salt at Constantinople, also two cases of patterns sent by another vessel from London. As to there being powder, arms, or cannon on board, the vessel was en tirely cleared at Constantinople of every package which she took from Loinlon, and it is well known to all mercantile men in that trade *that no munitions of war can be loaded at Con stantinople without the sanction of the Turkish Government ; and if any had been put in the Vixen, there were, I find, enough of Russian emissaries busy about her to have proved the fact, but that is riot attempted ; it is only said when the vessel was taken that there had been time enough, after her arrival, to have Iroic(' her cargo of powder, viz., 3G hours. Now, I have sent to the Foreign Office papers which prove that there was no part of the cargo landed, owing to a severe gale of wind, and that the Russian gun-brig lay for 24 hours of the 36 near the Vixen, in the Bay of Souja lial& watch ing her, before the captain made his seizure. As to the ves sel's ship's guns, she never had but two, and these were two pounders, for signals. I have accounts from Sebastopol that the cargo has been taken out of the Vixen, and that the Russian officers showed evident disappointment at not finding powder or arms underneath it. lam aware that, previous to the de parture of the vessel from Constantinople, many most extra vagant statements were sent home by the correspondents of all the newspapers relative to the origin and object of the voy age of the Vixen, and the nature of her cargo but I assert that such statements have never been sanctioned by, or even known to, either my brother or me, or our agents, who are a most respectable house, and the Russian Government only give a proof of their bad feeling (Tor it cannot be ignorance) when they attempt, as their organ the Frankfort Journal does, to connect the British Government with such reports or proceed ings. In making this last observation I by no means intend to say that. the British Government were not perfectly aware of my itention to send a vessel to the coast of Circassia—and their ambassador at Constantinople was so also ; but, as they did not, and could not, state that there was any legal im pediment to her voyage, so I cannot now suppose that they will fail in demanding and obtaining the proper redress for this most outrageous violation of the British flag, in the seizure and condemnation of both vessel and cargo, in the capture and detention as prisoners of my brother and his fellow-passengers, and in the interdiction of all right of trade with, or even ap proach to, a coast which cannot be claimed tither de jure or de _facto. This naturally brings me, as I hope it will the House of Commons, to the question why, after the augmenta tion made to our fleet last year, for the avowed purpose of pro tection to commerce, there is not even one British vessel of war stationed in the Black Sea, although we have so many vessels trading there. This is a question which all merchants interested in that quarter have long asked in vain, and I trust that this last attack on our undoubted commercial rights in that sea will show our Government the necessity for having always there some proper maritime force. This is rendered still more necessary when J state that the pretensions of Russia, in the enforcements of quarantine regulations for the protection of her two uninhabited and swampy islands at the mouth of the Danube, are in noways abated, for I have by me the written complaint of the captains of several vessels now on their way home that the otherwise easy navigation of the entrance of that river is rendered dangerous by the Russian regulations, which are, that, however the wind may be, every vessel is to lower her top-sails, receive a boat along-side, and have her papers vised, although she may not have occasion to approach these islands, which are well-lined by Cossacks, stationed to keep all vessels off. The pains and penalties of non-compli ance with these rules are, first, one shot fired across the ves sel's bows, for which twenty dollars have to be paid ; and a second shot right into her, for which forty dollars are charged. One of these vessels narrowly escaped the second shot, only from the pilot, through fear, running her against the bank, where she stuck fast for 16 hours. It is not,i hope, necessary to explain that these rules are made solely with a view to spread a character of difficulty and danger over the navigation of a river admitted by all captains who have visited it to be the least dangerous of any in Europe, and thus to impede the rising commerce of the countries on its banks, which send forth annually from seven to eight hundred cargoes, and which have only been visited within thes e f ew y ears by British ves sels, since which period it has been judged necessary to esta blish a quarantine„ I have to offer my apologies for the great length of this letter, but I trust that my excuse will be admitted on several grounds; first, that the distance and position ,of the countries where these facts relative to the Vixen occurred, render it necessary for me to supply the details, which otherwise could .not be obtained except through a Russian medium ' • and, se condly, that the nat ure o f t h e i n j ust i ce soug h t to be perpe trated against a few humble individuals by a powerful Go vernment, in adding public insult and false obloquy to an outrageous violation of their property, rights, and liberties, as British subjects, justify an equally public defence and con tradiction; and I am much mistaken if the Russian Govern ment will not find that their conduct in this affair might have passed the eyes of the British_ public with less notice if they had not provoked the publication of details which might otherwise have been communicated only to his Majesty's Go vernment. Of the value of the commerce of the Black Sea but little is known in England, and all the efforts of the Russian Govern rnent are directed to the prevention of its developetnent by British merchants. Ido not hesitate to say that so far Russia will succeed that we shall soon be completely excluded from that commerce, and that the Black Sea will become a mare clausum, except by Russi an su ff erance, if t h e B r i t i sh Govern ment should fail to demand proper redress for the outrage herein detailed; but that if, on the contrary, it should be re sented, in the manner in which such outrages always have been in former times resented, the moral effect upon the circumja cent countries of that sea will open up to us a field that will far more than compensate for the exclusion of British goods from Russia—at any rate, as far as relates to the trade with the Danube and the coast of Circassia. lam happy to be able to say that both will still be carried on, and that with vi gour, if proper security is afforded by our Government fur the British flag arid property. Sir, in enclosing this letter, and requesting its insertion in your paper, I have only further to observe, that proofs can be adduced of all the facts stated in it, and that I have to reiterate my apologies for the length to which it has been drawn.--I am, Sir, your obedient servant, GEORGE BELL. 157, Fencburcb-street, February 2, 1337. Intelligence arrived m town on Monday last of the sudden death of Lady Combzrmere. The Hon. Fulke Gre vile, who lately died at.i)over, the father-in-law of Lord Combermere, has left the gallant general's eldest ton the bulk of his estate. Mr. James M. Campbell, who has announced a great, work; .".Thrs History of the , Indian Tribes of North America," splendidly illustrated , with above a h un d re d portra i ts of the principal Chiefs, &c., bad the distinguished honour of an interview with his Majesty last week, at Brighton, to whom ho submitted the first part of his publication. The King not only examined it attentively, and permitted the dedication to himself, but graciously signed his name as the earlist sub •scriber ; and, after an audience of nearly an hour, dismissed the American citizen deeply impressed with a sense of his Britannic Majesty's condescension and favour. Wednesday morning, between eleven and twelve, a labouring man, named Thomas Hennesey, while employed in taking down the ruins of that portion of the London Univer sity which was destroyed by fire some months ago, fell from a height of about forty feet. The poor fellow was taken up in a dreadfully injured state, and removed 'to the North London Hospital, where he shortly afterwards expired. He had sus tained a severe fracture of the skull and spine. He had a wife and two children. Wednesday forenoon the metropolis was again enve loped by one of those unwholesome humid fogs which have been lately so common, and so very injurious to patients attacked with the influenza. It was necessary to use lamps or candles the greater part of the day, in London and West minster, TEN-HOUR SYSTEM.—" The workmen of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, have struck for the ten hour system' on the ground that if a man work more than ten hours a day he is unfit to read and improve his mind in the evening, or to superintend the education of his children._ Grund' s Americans in their Social, Moral, and Political Condition. The Barcelona journals of the 20th publish a de cree from General Parreno, ordering all foreigners reiiding in that town, and who have arrived there in or after 1833, to present themselves immediately at the office of the Captain- General, A candidate for the representation of the Borough of Gateshead, has appeared in the person of R. S. Sup tees, Esq., of Hamsterley Hall. We fear that Mr. S. is too much a Conservative for the Radical Borough of Gateshead. —Tyne Mercury. We - under s ta n d that the T or i es , an d part i cu l ar l y Lord St an l ey, Sh owe d Lf roat annoyance on Wednesday that notice was so pDoraptly given of the intentions of the Ministers to bring forward on art early day their measure on Church-rates and on Ireland. Ills Lordship would fain have had them post poned till after the measures of the Radical party been submitted to Parliament. lie 40 bia ffien44 rfecc, rtioxtiAed that the angry noti ce thiflaaNOce*.,'ivas vut oftto star a disl4.lti da y. WRECK OF THE MEXICO. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT SOULS PERISHED. (FURTHER. PARTICULARS.) Tho barque Mexico, Captain Winslow, sailed from Liver pool on the 25th of October last, having on board a crew con sisting of twelve men and one hundred and four passengers, in all one hundred and sixteen souls. She made the High land Lights on Saturday night last at eleven o'clock, and on Sunday morning was off the Bar, with thirty or more square rigged vessels, all having signals flying for pilots, but not a pilot was there in sight. The Mexico continued standing off and on the Hook till midnight, and at dark she and the whole fleet of ships displayed lanterns from their yards for pilots. Still no pilorcatue. At midnight the wind increased to a violent gale I'i•om the north-west, the barque was no longer able to hold to windward, and was blown off a distance of somo 50 miles. At this time six of the crew were badly frost bitten, and the captain, mate, and two seamen, were all that were left able to hand and reef the sails. On Mon day morning at 11 o'clock, standing in shore, they made the southern end of the woodlands, when she was wore round and headed to the north, under a close reefed main-top-sail, reefed fore-sail, two reefed try-sails, and fore-stay sail. At 4 o'clock the next morning the mate took a cast of the lead, and re virted to Captain Winslow that he had 15 fathoms water. Supposing from the soundings, as laid down in the chart, that with this depth of water he could still stand on two hours_ longer with safety, the captain gave orders to that effect, and was the more induced to do it as the crew were in so disabled a state, and the weather SO intensely cold that it was impos sible for any one 'to remain on deck longer than half an hour at a time. The event has shown that the information given by the mate as to the depth of water was incorrect ; his error probably arose from the lead line being frozen stiff at the time it was cast. Fifteen minutes afterwards the ship struck the bottom, 26 miles cast of Sandy Hook, at Hampstead beach, and not more than a cable's length from the shore. For one hour and three-quarters she continued thumping heavily without mak ing any water; the sea, however, breaking continually over her. fler rudder was now knocked off, and the captain or dered the mainmast to be cut away. The boats were then cleared, the long-boat hoisted out, and veered away under her bows with a stout hawser, for the purpose of filling it with passengers, letting it drift within reach of the people who crowded the beach, then hauling her back again, and thus saving the unfortunate people on board ; but this intention was frustrated by the parting of the hawser, which snapped like a thread as soon as the boat was exposed to the heaving surf. The yawl was next got alongside, and stove to pieces almost instantly. At seven o'clock the. same morn ing the ship bilged, and filled with water. Orders fol lowed from the captain to cut away the foremast ; and that every soul on board should come on deck. In inexpres sible agony they thus remained until four o'clock in the after noon, when a boat was launched from the beach, and succeeded in getting under the bowsprit of the wreck. This boat took off Captain Winslow and seven men, and succeeded in reach ing the shore with them in safety. The attempt, however, was attended with such imminent danger that none could be induced to repeat it. And now the horrors of the scene were indescribable. Already had the sufferings of the unhappy beings beeu.such as to surpass belief. From the moment of the disaster they had hung round the captain, covered with their blankets thick set w ith ice, imploring his assistance, and asking if hope was still left to them. When they perceived that no further help came from the land, their piercing shrieks were distinctly heard at a considerable distance, and continued through the night until they one by one perished. The next morning the bodies of many of the unhappy creatures were seen lashed .to different parts of the wreck, embedded in ice. None, it is believed, were drowned ; but all frozen to death. Of the one hundred and four passengers, two-thirds were women and children. It is but justice to the people on shore to say, that every , thing which human beings could accomplish to save the un fortunates was done. The only boat which boarded the vessel Was hauled a distance of ten miles, and was manned by an old man and six others, four or five of whom were the old man's sons and grandsons. For thirty-five years has he been living on the sea-shore, during which he has" rendered assistance to numerous wrecks, and nave). before has he or his comrades shrunk from the suit; but us addition to its violence on the present occasion, such was the extreme cold, that a second at tempt to rescue was more than they dared venture; it would have inevitably proved fatal to them. The following are the names of the persons saved Captain Window ; William Broom, a lad, brother of the owner; two seamen and the cook ; Richard Haynes, Thomas Mullohan, and John Wood, passengers. The boat put off frOm the vessel without Richard Haynes, but be sprang from the bowsprit, and was drawn from the sea by those in the boat. The following are the names of those who perished as far as recollected by Captain Winslow : Mr. Pepper, wife and six children, of England; William Roberts, formerly of New York ; Joseph Brooks, of Derby shire ; John Blanch rd, Mrs. Barrett ; Mr. Evans, State of New York ; Mrs Evans and five children, England ; Thos. Hanrilian and sister, Longford, Ireland; Standford Thomp son, of Cambridge, England; Michael Murray, Mark De vine, Patrick Devine, Bridget Devine, Eleanor Turner, and Catherine Galaghan, of Cavan, Ireland ; Samuel Black burn, formerly of New York; Samuel Blackburn, jun., and Thomas Elli s , o f I re l an d ; M rs. B a l lantync, of Scot land ; Eliza Lawrence and her brother, of Scotland—bodies floated ashore ; Mr. Hope, wife, and four childre n , o f Dublin—two floated ash ore ; Miles Carpenter and sister, of Ireland; Maria Carr and Bridget Carr; Mrs. Wilson and two children ; Mrs. Heggins, of Ireland body floated ashore ; Mrs. Smith and two children ; John Hays, wife, and two children, of Cork; Mr. Ellsworth and child, of Pougneepsie, N. Y. ; Sidney Thompson, wife, and brother ; Rosy Hughes, and Catharine Ross, of Ireland ; Martin Mooney, of Dublin—body floated ashore ; Edward Smith and wife, of Cavan : James Dwyer, Ireland ; John Riley and George Howland, Cavan; Thomas Mulloney, Bridget Brennan, Margaret Doran, Wm. Babbington, Te rence Byrne, Charles Dolan, Mr. Martin, and two friends (names not known) ; Mary Delany, John Uval, wife and two children, Ireland ; 22 other passengers, names not known ; Walter Quinn, Lord Sherwood, James Munro, Peter Picker ing, Noah N. Jordan, mate ; Jacob• Allen, Stephen Simmons, steward, crew. Perished in all, 103 souls. The ship at present lies with her starboard side about feet under water, her mizen mast standing. Besides being bilged, her upper works have so far parted from the hull as to allow the cargo to wash out. The Mexico was a substantial eastern-built vessel, of 280 tons, eleven years old, owned by Mr. Samuel Broom, of this city. She is insured by the Commonwealth Office, of Bos ton, for 8,000 dollars. The freight is insured by the State Marine, of this city. The Atlantic-Office is also on part of her cargo. The Cargo consisted of 200 tons of bar iron ; 100 tons of coal; and 200 tons of crates—all consigned to Samuel Thompson. Sixteen of the bodies had been driven ashore when our re porter left the beach, all frozen. It was expected the re mainder would drift ashore during the night, the wind and current setting strongly in shore. When off the Hook the Mexico, besides her signal for a pilot, had her flab flying Union down, as a s i gna l o f di s t ress , in consequence of the frostbitten state of the crew and the shortness of provisions. She spoke on Sunday the Montreal, packet-ship, from the Captain of which vessel we learned she was below, and reported her arrival in consequence yesterday morning. Of the fleet of thirty vessels that were off the Hook in com pany with the Mexico on Sunday, waiting pilots, not more than one-half have as yet arrived. The unfortunate passengers were of a very superior class, and had considerable property with them. On the bodies which drifted ashore gold to some amount was found. The wreck master, Mr. James Smith, the Coroner, Mr. Borgen, agent of the Insurance Companies, and a guard of 16 picked men, arc on the beach, to prevent pillage. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, FEB. 2. MORTIMER V. FRAZEE. This was an appeal from an order of 'the Vice-Chancellor, disallowing a demurrer to the plaintiff's bill, which was filed to compel the specific performance of a contract for the purchase of a part of the estate of the late Mr. Farquhar, of Foothill. The Loan CHANCELLOR affirmed the order of the Court below, and dismissed the appeal with costs. VICE-CIIANCEIIY, FEB. 2. RE NEWTON, A PRISONER. Mr. KNIGHT applied to the Court to discharge out of cus tody a gentleman named Newton, who had been arrested for debt a few days ago in Lincoln's Inn, as be was returning from a consultation with his Counsel. Mr. Newton usually resided in Yorkshire ; but early in January last he was compelled to come to town concerning a suit in this Court and some legal proceedings in the Court of Exchequer. There was a sum of money distributable in a cause in Court under the will of Mr. Newton's grandfather, of which he was entitled to a share ; and he was on his return from consulting with Counsel on the subject of presenting a petition for the division of this money when the arrest took place. The cases were generally those where the party arrested had been in actual attendance on the Court itself ; but the Learned Counsel submitted the principle of those cases applied wherever the personal attention of a party to the conduct of his own cause was necessary. His HoNoutt did not think the eases warranted the present application. CO URT Of KING'S BENCH; FEE- 2. SHERWOOD V. ROBINSON. Mr. PLATT stated that this was an action to recover a sum of money, as money had and received by the defendant to the use of the plaintiff: The plaintiff kept a house, in which it could not be denied that play had been. carried on. The de fendant had introduced police officers into the house, and had carried off the money of the bank. The sum contained in it, when it was seized, amounted to 1041. It was the plain tiff's property. The Jury returned a verdict for the defendant. TILE KING V. POLLEN AND nainctzs. This was an- indictment for an assault. The prosect4r4 Mr. Worms, was a broker, who had been put iiltc,ilso boaso, of the defendant Bridges, to make a distress tn , rent. Pullen was put into the houso by Wovms, as a man to keep possession. When Nyty.,-,1 vent to the h ouse to ma k e an appra i sement o f the goods, ‘hC found Pullen and 13rit,res on exceedingly good terms, and they proposed to him to allow of a disposition of the goods, which be could not consent to without compromis ing the interests of his employer; he therefore refused, and a general quarrel ensued. While the prosecutor Worms I. as stooping to pull out a box which contained some bottles of wines awl spirits, that he thought had been fraudulently con cealed, one of the parties attempted to kick him. He tarred suddenly round, and the box received the kick, but was driven upon h;ni with considerable force, and he Was much hiut by it. These were the facts of the case. Witnesses were called for the defence, and the Jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, .Fzui. 2'. BEEMAN V. BARLOW AND ANOTHER. - 2 This was an action of trover, brought to recover 6464 Is., the value of 99 pockets of hops which had been consigned to the plaintiff by a person named Judge, who was a hop grower in Kent. The defendants were hopfactors and whatfingers in the borough'Of Southwark. It appeared that 1,400/. having been advanced by the plaintiff to Judge, who was in conside ration of that ad va nc e t o sen d p l a i nt iff 106 pockets Or hop 9, and the defendants having also advanced to Judge 5081., for which he agreed to leave half of his growth of hops in their bands, 129 pockets were shipped, 30 being directed to the plaintiff, and the remainder to the defendants. In October the 99 pockets in question were delivered at the defendant's wharf, at Maidstone, and on the 21st of November there was a conversation between the plaintiff's clerk and Mr. Barlow, in which the defendant stated the reason why the hops I4d not been forwarded to be, that they (the defendants) had received no order from Mr. Judge. An order was obtained prom Mr. Judge on the next morning, and the defendants then promised to forward the hops, and consign them to the plaintiff. They had not, however, fulfilled that promise, and the present action was consequently brought. The Jury found their verdict for the plaintiff for 6464 ls. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, PER. 2. WIHOIIT V. LAINSON AND ANOTHER. This was an action for a false return against the defendants, the late Sheriffs of London. A writ of execution had been placed by the plaintiff in their hands, against the goods of a person named Hayes: The goods were taken possaiiion of under this writ, but no levy was made, as the Sheriffs, dis c'ovcring that a fiat in bankruptcy had been issued against Hayes, refused to sell the goods, and made a return accord ingly. The plaintiff then brought his action. Lord ABINGER told the jury that there were three questions for their consideration. The first was, whether Hayes was a trader or not; secondly, whether acts of bankruptcy had been committed by him before the fiat issued ; and, lastly, whether a good petitioni ng cre dit or ' s d e b t had been proved. The jury were unanimmus that the affirmative of these three propositions had been established, and therefore found for the defendant, subject to one objection. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. At ten o'clock Mr. Justice PATTESON and Mr. Justice WIL LIAMS took their seats on the bench.-- Kelly, a person of gentlemanly appearance, was capitally indicted for shooting 'at Richard Bourke, a police constable, with intent to kill and murder him. Mr. Adolphus conducted the case for the prosecution, and Mr. Phillips the defence. A greit number of gentlemen were called, whose evidence corroborated the statement of Mr. Phillips. Mr. Justice PATTESON summed up, and the Jury acquitted the prisoner. EIV COURT. TRIAL oF Ma. Zoucn. Richard Zouch (a descendant of the once noble and ancient family of De-la- Zouch) was in dicted for stealing two pairs of boots, value 405., the property of Thomas liowtell and partner, and another count charged the boots as the property of William Morgan. Messrs. Phil lips and Clarkson ( who were instructed by the solicitor of the Earl of Loasdale) appeared for the defence ; and the ease ex cited intense interest on account of the alleged eccentricity of the prisoner. Thomas Bowtell is a bo( tither, at No. 19, Strand. On the 7th of December the prisoner came to his shop and ordered two pairs of boots, when he wrote the following address in the order-book, " M r . Z ouc h , at M r. Abbott's, No. 10, Market place, Oxford -street." He sent Wm. Morgan with the boots the next morning, and told him it' be did not bring them back, or the money, he ( Morgan) should pay for them, and he had done so. The witness added that the prisoner sent Morgan to the Earl of Lonsdale for the money. Mr. PHILLIPS said the Earl allowed the young man a pen sion of 801. a year, and that being paid by instalments, the prisoner might have supposed that something had been flue. Elizabeth Abbott, of Market-street, stated that the prisoner took an apartment at her house for a fortnight, and she took the boots in from Morgan, and took them to the prisoner: The prisoner did not return to the lodgings after that day, and he left nothing in her apartment but a tooth-brush. Mr. John Kittle deposed that he is house-porter and steward to Lord Lonsdale, No. 12, Charles -street. His Lordship allows the prisoner 255. a week, and he has no anthority to draw. for more. Witness pays the allowance, but cannot satisfy other demands without a special order from his Lordship. Cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON--.The prisoner is defended at the expense of his Lordship. Sometimes the prisoner has not applied for his money for seven weeks at a time. The pri soner is very eccentric in his habits, and has sometimes given more receipts than he received money for. He might have imagined that there was an arrear due. Has paid extra sums beyond the stipulated allowance on several occasions. Tavern, tailors', and other bills had been paid by his Lordship's orders on several occasions. Witness told Morgan he would be paid, and he was surprised after that to find the prisoner in custody. The Jury, under the direction of the Court, acquitted the prisoner. Thomas Brooks and Samuel Pearson were indicted for stealing a quantity of wool, on the 24th of January, the pro perty of Messrs. Christy and Co., hat-manufacturers, to whom Brooks was a servant, front their factory, in 13er mondsey. Brooks was not put on his defence, but the case of Pearson went to the Jury, whr.) acquitted both prisoners. The prisoner Brooks was again put to the bar separately, and tried for committing a similar offence on the 25th of January, he being the servant of Messrs. Christy, the prose cutors. The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty. It was proved that in August, 1835, the prisoner was con ♦icted at Croydon Assizes of felony, and underwent nine months' imprisonment and hard labour. Mr. Bodkin said there was a further indictment against the prisoner for stealing a quantity of other articles, but he should not offer any evi dence against the prisoner. The RECORDER told the prisoner that the judgment was,. that he be transported beyond the seas for the term of seven years. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. G UILDILILL. Yesterday Lydia Crick, a )oung woman employed as a cook, at Mr. l3runskill's silk-manufacturer, Gutter-lane, was brought before Mr. Alderman TimmAs Wool), charged with stealing four empty wine bottles, and some soap, butter, and candles. Mr. Alderman T. Woon should commit her to Bridewell ror two months. James Davis and Edward - Wheeler, who were understood to be tradesmen, were charged with assaultilz Mr. Geo;go Reynolds, of llcrners-street. The complainant having been satisfied, the prisoners were discharged. HATTON-GARDEN. Yesterday evening, Police Constable Walls, 130, E brought before Mr. Laing, two women, and a beautifal female child, about twelve months old, neatly clad. It appeared from the statement of the women, that yesterday evening, about five o'clock, a female of decent appearance was seen with the child in her arms, in Buckeridge-street, St. Giles's, and shortly afterwards the child was found lying in a narrow dirty alley, called John's-alley, where they picked it up, and gave informa tion to Wallis, the constable, who took the whole of them to the station-house. On examining the child it was well and thickly clad, with four frocks and petticoats, &c., and a straw bonnet, and bore also the appearance of belonging to a person of respectability. Mr. LAINo inquired whether they had ever seen the woman who dropped the child in the neighbourhood before ? They replied that they had not ; she was a perfect stranger. She had on a white straw bonnet, a large shawl, and respectably attired. The child was left on a heap of mud, and might have been trampled on had they not taken it under their pro tection. Mr. LAING directed that the names and residences of the women should be taken down, and information with a descrip tion of the persons, &c. of the woman and the child given immediately to the vai ions divisions of Police ; and he or dered that the Clerk should write a letter to the parish autho rities of St. Giles's, in his name, ordering it to be received and taken care of until the parties to whom it belonged could be traced. UNION =MALL. Yesterday George Augustus Ilennessey, collecting-cleil; in the brewery of Messrs. Soulby and Co., Lambeth, was brought before Mr. JEREMY, charged on suspicion with embezzling money to a considerable amount, the property of his employers. Mr. Edwards, of Holland -place, Brixton-road, paid.the pri soner the sum of 41. 11s., for ale be had purchased of the above firm, and for which money the prisoner had given him the receipt produced. The complainant stated that the prisoner had not accounted for the above sum. , The MAGISTRATE, committed the prisoner for trial on Mr. Edwards's case, but he will be brought up again in a week on other charges. TIIE' HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.---- We understand that preparations arc in progress for giv ing a Grand Military Ball, at the Armoury House, early in February, with the usual eclat that characterises the pro ceedings of that distinguished body. We hear that their il lustrious Colonel, his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, is likely to honour the corps with his presence. The Tories have been anxiously endeavouring for some time past, to get Conservative candidates to start for any of the metropolitan boroughs, whenever any vacancy should occur ; but they have not been able to succeed. Should there, be anv change in the representation of these boroughs, Tory candidates will have no chance ‘vhatevcr of being returned. At East' Brent, on Sunday last, as the Rev. Mr. Rocket was performing the burial service, and reading .that beautiful pals2ge, " ashes to ashes, and dust to dust," Jot eph Day, the sexton, while in the act of sprinkling the, earth ut:)on the coffin, dropped nt the side of the grave Pala imniediatelY expired. The clergyman's son, a surgoon, attempt:A to bleed him, but it was perfectly useless, the vital strew bad ceased to flow. The deceased was 7G years; W., anti tiad been sexton 20 years.—Bristol Mercury.