The Sun. — London, England, 1841-12-16 00:00:00

MORN LNG SUN the collar, and dragging him clown stairs threw him into the street, and he should produce a witness to prove that he was seen there with his clothes in disorder. Shortly after that, his wife, taking advantage of the confusion, rushed into the street with out her bonnet, and went after the defendant, and both entering a cab, drove to a house in Lincoln's Inn, where they spent the night together. Subsequently went to.the Southampton Arms, near the railway, and also slept there. She was ultimately persuaded by a friend to return to her parents' roof. The Learned Counsel having detailed other facts at considerable length said he had no desire to exaggerate, but would leave the case in the hands of the Jury. Evidence was then tendered to prove the statement of the• Learned Counsel, and Mr. FITZROY KELLY replied for the defence, contend s ing that the plaintiff had neglected his wife. The Learned UNDER-SHERIFF summed up the evi dence, and the Jury returned, after ten minutes' consul tation, a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 7001. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Dec. 14. IN RE CAVE. MINING SPECULATIONS.—This day was fixed for the final adjourned examination, and on which occasion the Learned Commissioner, in pronouncing his adjudication, entered into an elaborate review of the leading points of the case. This was one of the most extraordinary cases that had recently come before the Court. When holding a situation in the Horse Guards, and certainly, as far as there appeared, without any improper design or intention of a fraud on his part, Mr. Cave propagated the plan of entering upon this extensive pursuit, without possessing, as he himself admitted, any knowledge of geology. Ile, however, procured a certain number of mines, and then obtained the assistance of au extraordinary class of Shareholders, to the number of 54, to aid in th e i r b e i ng worked ; ' but he (the Learned Commissioner) could not concur with the statement of Mr. Cave, that the money and assistance had been so obtained without either puf fing or exaggeration upon his part. He (Sir C. F. Wil liams) thought it had been obtained by seduction and allurement, in proof of which he quoted the letters which we gave in a late report of those proceedings. In this unseemly race for lucre he was sorry from his heart to find a number of clergymen., Fifteen clergymen had lost 121,0001., and the result has been that many families have been deprived of their comforts, and not a few re duced to comparative ruin. The Learned Commissioner next adverted to the hopes held out by Mr. Cave as likely to result from the Rospeath and Weal Bolton Mines, bat a few simple figures would show how fallacious were those hopes. The produce of the llospeath mine from 1833 to 1839 was 5,1241., while the expenses were 19,7221.; and the pro duce of the Weal Bolton, for the same period, was abont 18,000/. and the expense 34,0001., so that in whatever seductive colours the value of the mines had been dressed out, there Was a loss upon one of them alone of 14,398/. The Learned Commissioner next referred to the paper of instructions (given by us before) as a proof that while Mr. Cave - denied having used entreaty, or hold out any flaming exaggerations of anticipated profits from his mines, the paper to which he (the Learned Commissioner) now referred was a formal contradiction. The next letter on which he felt it his duty to make some com ment, was one written by a clergyman to Mr. Cave, and dated in September, 1838, in which he asked that gentle man to furnish him with an account of the value, profits, and if assailable by the sea or not. To that letter Mr. Cave gave a most flourishing answer, stating the outlay to have been about 600,000/., but that in consequence of the necessity of a further outlay the sum of 100,0001. more would be required, as the supposed amount of pro duce would realise 100,0001. a year, and that taking all the mines together they must then have been worth 2,500,0001. That in the event of his death he had left his property in the hands of trustees, in order to pay the dividends to the Shareholders, and secure to them the value of their capital, as existing circumstances might require, and to give them all a controlling power over a property which Mr. Cave considered to be so va luable. The gentleman to whom this letter was address ed was a heavy sufferer, and no one could deny that it was calculated to deceive or to decoy, and many there were who embarked in these " magnificent" investments under similar representations ; whatever the honest opi nion 'of Mr. Cave might have been, that ultimately his Quixotic notions upon these speculations might be carried into effect, all the great benefits thus anticipated by Mr. Cave were without any proof ; and he (the Learned Commissioner) must deplore the credulity and fatal ac quiescence to which a clergyman, a man of high education and knowledge of the world, had lent himself in advancing nearly 30,0001 under the delu sive hope of making 10 per cent. by it. " I ver il y believe," continued the Learned Commissioner, " that at the outset Cave was a Quixote, and that he thought great things might be done of these mining speculations, and thought he was doing no wrong in hav ing shareholders to join him ; but when I find a clergy man sent to Algiers, when I find large advances made to some, and bounties granted to others, I feel within my self that Mr. Cave must have begun to doubt the ultimate realisation of his wonderful expectations. I think that in 1838, the bankrupt found he was engaged in an un righteous and an unholy pursuit, although, at the same time, I am willing to believe that his fanaticism and his Quixotism induced him all through to think that in the end he might realise a fortune ; that fortune now, how ever, turning out an empty bauble, leaving on ly a b out 6 /. in the hands of the two bankers where the subscriptions of the Shareholders had been deposited. In what I have thus said, I have only been speaking from the evidence before me, and I have been only induced to make these observations with a view-of saving many a family from ruin, by preventing them from embarking in such mad and i seductive _speculations. Upon the working of the mines (enumerated by the Learned Commissioner, and reported by us before), there was a loss of 194,0001., and if Mr. Cave views the case differently, even as he appears to do now, I can do no more than pity the con tinuance of his delusion. No person is entitled to greater credit than Mr. Cave, for the clear and unre served disclosures which he has made of the whole course of his conduct throughout these affairs; but the sum of 6,8C0L, expended in presents of pipes of wine to one and to another, and in advances of money to outfit parties to India, and bring others from thence home, might be called generosity in some circumstances ; but in those of Mr. Cave they are not justifiable. lam astounded at the credulity, and mortified at the in jury . which has been inflicted upon fifty-four respect able families, who cannot now get the fiftieth part of a shilling for all the thousands which they have embarked in these speculations. Now a word as to the accounts of Mr. Cave ; and I must say that they do him and the accountant (Mr. Hutton) for the creditors every possible credit ; I believe that no fraud was intended, but I 00 believe that there was seduction used, and that serious injury has resulted to many deserving persons, as well at to Mr. Cave and his family. I now report my commendation of his accounts, which are to me highly satisfactory, as they are quite fair, and fully intelligible ; and by law I have no power to withhold passing his fina examination ; and as to his certificate, that rests entirelj with his creditors." The balance-sheet having been handed in, and the truth of its contents having been sworn to, the bankrupt answered the usual interrogatories, and was declared to have passed his final examination. WEDNF:SDAY. LN THE MATTER OF W3l. 'HITCHCOCK, A BANKRUPT. The bankrupt's examination was resumed this morn• ing. The interest excited by the case has not at al abated, as the Court was again crowded by commer cial men. Mr. ASRURST begg e d to call the attention of the COM missioner to the situation to which he was placed. The solicitor of the two assignees refused to give him any of the aids which were nece for the examination of the bankrupt and the brini r T o li gh t the whole of the facts of the case. The two hi 6 e res, by their solicitor, are in possession of a deed w conveyed the lease of the premises in Regent -street to bankrupt's brother. Now it was most important that he should see or have a copy of that deed, but they e refused Probably to give him ai.Lhough, vihen that facility for pursuing, and greatly shorten ing the examination, they set out, they promised that the inquiry would be Cull and satisfactory. He dill not wish that the Corn ta i ss i o . him to be furnshed with it; all her should or d er pression, of opinion upon the point wished was, an ex- Mr.gnees, said as the full his to the SOLE, solicitor for the assignees, expected . to destroy Cook and Gladstone's ‘,1, ---e yY • amount of at least 70CL, he found i t refuse".•Mr. Ashurat a copy. He might obtain, i ti t ty f to From the bankrupt's solicitor ; that was the proper quarter from Which it should co:ae. - Mr. ASHURST said the reason given for the refusal was most insufficient upon the face of it. If Ai r . S ole attempted to expunge any of his clients' debt, he (I.llr. Aslturst) would be entitled to see the deed as a matter of Tight. • Why then not show it now, when it was so ha- portant to him? Tire COMMISSIONER could see no objection to Mr. AslnErst being furnished with a copy of the deed. It rnight . a.s well be given now as in a future stage, when he must have it as a matter of right. Mr. SOLE—If we are to furnish every information, of Course it must be recip roca l ; b u t i n justice to my clients I must refuse a copy. L e t hi m get i t f rom M r . Marsden. Mr. MARSDEN—I o ff ere d i t l ast n i g h t , an d will furnish it to-morrow. Mr. ASZURST.-But I want to examine from it now. I will pay • you for the copy if you will let me look for very few minutes now. (This offer was declined). I art aware that there has been a bargain made that this man shall get his certificate, but it shall not be until the whole truth is out. Mr. ASITHURST. —Nave you communicated with your brothe r George since yesterclay.—No. l ' u e Yen advised with your solicitor, who is also the ,• soautor of your brother, since yesterday ?—I have not received any proposition. Answer ,the question, Sir.--Only in referenc e to m y owe efiaire, I will have an answer. Have you advised with your soliAtor, who is also the solicitor of your brother, since yeaterday ?e-I have. Before the regular examination was proceeded i n th e bankruptrupt before I am questioned further, to Lave oirr-llenour's permission to make th e f o ll ow i ng explanation. Mr. Ashurst questioned me in reference to certain bills which were dishonoured, and for which b a il was given. T now add that Messrs. Cook and Glad stone knew at the tim e of the dishonour of the bills, and of the bail which w as g i ven, and they said there was no reason why I should not* go on, as the parties could not get judgment until, I think November. When was it that this conversation took place 7—At one of the meetings in the library or the dining-room, to which I have before referred to. In their librarynow it ?—ln their lib rary or dining-room. How did they k communicated it to them. The time I did so being a period when I was acting under their instructions. I told them that some of the parties whose bills were dishonoured were pressing for b a y m ent, and had served m e w i th a 21 days' notice of an kruptcy. was it Cook or Gladstone ?—Both, I believe. • Was that all you told them ?—I believe it is all on that subject. Will you state all that took place on the occasion ? I stated all that I recollect occurred then. Will you swear that you now believe you have stated all that occurred on that occasion on that subject ?—I have already sworn it. What did they say, and if possible tell me which of them, and in what terms?—They said (which of them I cannot say) that there was no reason why I should not go on, as the parties could not get judgment until, I think, November. Was that all, whoever spoke it, spoken in the presence of the other ?—I am not sure, as I before stated, that both were present, but believe they were. If they were both present, was it spoken by one in the presence of the other ? Mr. MARSDEN submitted that the question was improper. The Commissioner—lt might be put in another form. In all the conversations you had with the two on the subject, was that which was said by the one said in the presence and hearing of the other ?—lf both were pre sent, as the question implies, I should think that both would hear it. I cannot say, but I believe so. You stated that one of your reasons for making over the lease held by R. P. Pritchard to your brother was, that he might again become security for you. Will you now state what guarantee or security your brother gave? —I believe it was a guarantee. For how much, and when due 7—l think for the amount of both bills, and which were to be paid by a certain day. I have no doubt the guarantee is still in existence if it be important. Did you pay off that guarantee 7—Yes. Did you deliver up that letter of guarantee to the official assignee?—lt was not in my possession. Where is it now ?—I don't know. Will you swear that a guarantee was given by your brother to Pritchard?—No. I will swear that I under stood a guarantee or some other document of security was given. I have no doubt it was. Did you transfer the leases from Pritchard, by an ar rangement, to your brother, and afterwards paid off the debt of 2,0001., without seeing the document of transfe rence, or asking for the document when you paid the money ?—The leases were not transferred from one to the other. Did you pay off a debt of 2,000/. without seeing the document by which it was secured?—l believe I did. I think Mr. R. P. Pritchard called on my brother to ob tain the guarantee. Then you never saw it?—Not to my recollection. Is that the only reason you have for not asking to see the document before you paid themoney in discharge of it? —Yes, and my receiving back the lease which Mr. Pritch ard previously held. Did you not receive back the lease before the money was paid.—Yes. Did you receive back the lease at the time the guaran tee was given 2-1 believe about that time. Then did you pay 2,0001. in discharge of a document you' had never seen 2—l paid the 2,000/. in discharge of the debt I owed, and in accordance with my promise. Did you obtain the document by which you were, or your brother were bound, at the time you paid the 2,0001? —I think not. Did you not make over to your brother the other leases of the premises in Regent-street, as well as that held by R. P. Pritchard, as security to your brother ? Yes. How many leases did you make over of the Regent street premises ?—Three. Were they not made over by the same deed or arrangement which made over the lease held by Pritchard ?—I object to answer that question, Sir Mr. Ashurst has frequently endeavoured to mislead me by putting questions founded upon my answers, and ap parently embodying them, but not correctly. He is now endeavouring to make it appear that the leases were made over directly from R. P. Pritchard to my brother. Add to the question "previously held" by Mr. Pritchard. The COMMISSIONER saw no objection to the amend ment. Mr. Ashurst was not to assume anything con trary to the evidence. Mr. ASHURST—That puts it upon me, Sir, that I be lieve all he says. I have no objection to say, " alleged to have been previously held by R. P. Pritchard." The question so amended was then put.—Yes. Did you not make a conveyance of the lease of the house in Regent-street to your brother ? The bankrupt had no objection to answer the question, but objected to the form in which it was put. The COMMISSIONER said they had already got from the witness that he had conveyed the leases to his bro ther, and some of the securities he had given to Cook and Gladstone were those leases. Mr. Amin:en—l only wish that you should bear that in your mind. The COMMISSIONER—I have it all in my mind a long time. —(Laugh ter.) Mr. ASHIIRST wished to show that till the goods had been converted into cash, and the money paid over to his brother— The COMMISSIONER thought it better that there should be no argument at that stage of the business. It ap peared that they had the security of these leases for money advanced to them. Did you tell Cook and Gladstone that you were trans ferring the leases they held to your brother George ? No, but I told them so immediately afterwards. Did you tell your brother that the goods you sent out, as you say, for the purpose of enabling you to secure them, you should sell and apply the cash to discharge R. P. Pritchard's debt?—l never said that the goods sent out for Cook and Gladstone were to be applied to thc. payment of Pritchard's debt. Mr. ASHURST said that was not an answer. Mr. MARSDEN objected to the form in which the ques tion was put. Mr. ASIIIIRST wished to show that the bankrupt had said he would not have sworn falsely, but for the purpose of accusing his clients. The Bankrupt—l deny that in toto. I appeal to the Honourable Commissioner for protection. Mr. ASHURST wished to have a narrative of the mo tives which had influenced the bankrupt in raising col lateral issues, by which the charact ers o f o th er part i es were attacked, without their having an opportunity of defending themselves. The COMMISSIONER thought it would be better for the interests of his client, and more just to the bankrupt, to put questions which would not allow of any inferences being drawn. Mr. ANIMIST would put the question in whichever way the Commissioner would dictate, and the question was then put as follows Did you tell your brother out of which goods you in tended to pay Pritchard's debt ?—No. Mr. ASIIURST understood Mr. George Hitchcock was in Court, and that the deeds were in his possession. He wished to have them produced. Mr. George Hitchcock was then called, and said he had the documents (the leases) referred to, and had no objection to produce them. Mr. ASHURST inquired of Mr. Marsden whether he was now ready to produce any documents which con veyed any interest to George from the bankrupt ? Also the documents relating to R. P. Pritchard's debt, and all letters and papers relating to the bankrupt's affairs? Mr. MARSDEN did not think he could produce all the documents Mr. Ashurst required. He would give up any he had. Mr. ASHURST wished to know if he would produce the guarantee given to Pritchard. Mr. MAasnEN did not know whether he had it or not, but would send to his office and ascertain that fact. To the Bankrupt—Did you tell your brother that you intended to make over the lease of the house in Regent street before the deed was executed?—l told my brother that I would make over the two leases to him, Cook and Gladstone having only a lien upon them. When did you tell him this?—lt is impossible for me to say. M. SOLE said he could save a good deal of time by stating that the deed of assignment contained a recital that Cook and Gladstone had only a lien upon the leases. Was that all that passed between yourself and your brother ?—I should think not. Mr. ASIIIIRST would now go to the case of Heeles and Co., and refer to the evidence given on a former occa sion, the 6th December. A bill accepted by you in favour of Heeles and Co., for 8631. Bs. 9d., is now in your hands, is that bill alluded to in you r ev id ence o f the 6th December ?—I don't know. I believe it is the bill. Was that bill discounted for you, or for Heeles, Gaw thorpe, and Co.?—l'or Ileeles and. Co. Did it fall due on the Gth May 2—Yes. _ Did you not, for your o wn p urposes , g i ve your bankers orders not to_ pay that bill ?—Not for my own purposes, but for the purposes of Cook and Gladstone. State, p in what way were, these purposes to be answered? the b --- con A v ir e .. Cook applied to me not to pay the bill. In a rstion with me about the latter • end of April, or e guntirg of Maalluding debtwith them, that eel: Mr. Cook. said y, to my . and not '`- that he was paying other parties money, payingl, them sufficiently, and he had observed better for ea was coming due shortly, and it would be It was that I should do s Heeles'. pay them the amount instead of to se ahout this time that it was arranged London and so. I subsequently gave orders to the sent it that bill. same day I drew a check for On the e mster Branch Bank not to - pay the exact amount . favour of Cook and ha t d given t o t r h d e e m r s not e iGo.!aadns(t)otenew,hiehansdtatea that I enclosed in and that I now enclosed the ch. pass - to the credit of my accounts check, which they would I check, and referred to my banker's book , since seen th e the check was presented by Jone s; Lit', and I find t oyd, and Co., hat my bankers , on the morning o f the 1 to 7th. It would be i m p or tant for, me here to ascertain what day o f the 15th of May was. . The COMMISSIONER—Saturday. The Bankrupt—To account fur the cheek not n bei g presented till the 17 th , it a ppe ars to me that the lettre containing the check did not arriv e at Cook and Glad stone's - stone's until after four o'clock on the 15th, and whi c h I believe to be the case; presuming that Messrs. Cook an d Gladstone left at four o'clock, the letter would not have have been opened till the following Monday on l y, and therefore not presented at the London and Westminster Lank before then. If the check be in Court, I should like to see it. It has been handed over to the official assignee. Was that payment so made and placed to your cash account at your own request ?—lt was at my request, and which request it was agreed that I should make. Then was it understood between you or not, that that payment was on account, or in satisfaction of Heeles' bill ?—lt was, as far as I was concerned ; but the plan adopted was, as I have before stated, to enable them to hold Heeles responsible, and which they have since attempted to recover. Will you swear that you yourself did not intend that payment as a payment on your cash account?—Yes. The bankrupt, before answering the question, ap pealed to the Court as to the difficulty in which he was placed by the question, having before stated that at Cook and Gladstone's request he had written the letter alluded to, whiCh .might be brought in evidence against him. Mr. Commissioner Houton) said that to statements respecting the circumstances under which the letter was written the bankrupt answered as above. Did not you, in several conversations with Mr. Cook, state to him yourself that you had made that payment onyour cash account, and,therefore, did not make him any further payments in May, or words to that effect ?—I think not. Will you swear you did not ?—I will not. What is your belief ?—I believe not. Do you give that answer deliberately and upon rake tion ?—Yes. I wish to add, having heard my answer read over to me, that I do not think I could have made such an observation, because, during the month of May, I did pay other accounts to a very large amount, as wil be shown by my books. Mr. HUMFREY, the barrister, here' entered the Court, and said that, observing there was a little pause in the proceedings, he wished to take advantage of it for the purpose of alluding to a statement which had yesterday been published as having been made by the bankrupt in answer to Mr. Ashurst, relating to some goods stated to have been disposed of to Messrs. Shoolbred and Cooke. I have to state, said Mr. Humfrey, in the most direct and unequivocal manner, on the part of those gentlemen, that the statement of the bankrupt is a most direct, unequivocal, and mali cious falsehood. So far from the statement then made being correct Mr. Shoolbred was the first person to give information to Mr. Llewellyn, one of the assignees, of the circumstances which had occurred. I cannot ask your Honour to post pone these proceedings to investigate what may be con sidered a collateral issue, but on the part of Messrs. Shoolbred and Cooke I again state that the bankrupt's statement relating to them is a perfect falsehood, uttered with a malicious object, and it is the intention of Messrs. Shoolbred and Cooke to make the bankrupt responsible for it. They are exceedingly anxious that this statement should be as widely diffused as the falsehood had been. They met the Bankrupt's statement with the most po sitive and unequivocal contradiction. There had never been a suspicion of anything against them until Mr. Hitchcock had wickedly given utterance to this falsehood. • Mr. LLEWELLYN, one of the assignees, said that Mr. Shoolbred had stated to him the whole of the circum stances some time since, and that as soon as they had entertained the least suspicion that there was anything wrong, they had insisted on the parties taking back the goods, and returning them the money. Mr. lIUMFREY had held no conversation with Mr. Llewellyn, and he was exceedingly glad to hear that gentleman make the statement he had made. Mr. LLEWELLYN—It was stated to lee that on the oc casion referred to, Mr. Gregory Cook . had asked for a reference, and that the person referred to had said— " You need not take the trouble to ask s for a re ference, for I am very well known to Mr. Shoolbred." Mr. Cook could not at that time refer to Mr. Shoolbred, because he was absent in Ireland. Mr..Humenev—Exactly so, and of course he could never imagine for a moment that a man would refer him to his own partner if he had no knowledge of him. Mr. LLEWELLYN had, when he heard the bankrupt make the statement, doubted whether he ought not to have contradicted him. The bankrupt was about to address the Court, when he was interrupted by the Learned Commissioner. The bankrupt—l have evidence in Court to prove what I have stated. Mr. Commissioner Hoenovp—lt is unfortunate that these sort of things should go forth to the public in the newspapers. Mr. HUaIFREY—It is unfortunate it should so go forth, but it is impossible my clients can suffer these statements to remain uncontradicted. Then, with respect to the statement of the bankrupt, that Shoo'. bred and Cook had had to pay 1,0201. to keep a man out of Newgate, nothing could be more false. There had never been a suspicion of the kind until Mr. Hitchcock had wickedly made the state ment. The only desire of his client was that the contradiction should go forth as widely to the public as the statement had gone, and he could assure the Court that an opportunity should be afforded of testing the accuracy of Mr. Hitchcock's statement, that he would be made responsible for what he had said, and most likely criminally so. Mr. Commissioner HOLROYD—As far as the Court is concerned, nothing that is stated prejudicial to the cha racter of an individual has any effect until it has been properly heard, and the case comes on for judgment. The bankrupt—l hope it will not be understood that the charge is not sustained until further evidence has been heard. The examination was then resumed. Did you not, after the payment of that check, put down figures in the presence of Mr. Cook, and take cre dit for the same as against your cash account ?—I do not recollect having done so. After looking at my banker's pass-book, I see the check was paid on the 18th of May. Will you swear that you did not put down figures in the presence of Mr. Cook, and afterwards take credit for it on your cash account ?—I will not ; but I think it likely that some figuring took place between myself and Mr. Cook, after I had written my second letter at their request. In that letter I think I asked them to pass it to the credit of my cash account, for I believe Mr. Gladstone observed to me at the time wrote the second letter (and he dictated it to me), I think we are not safe with this letter—we wish, therefore, that you would write a second." My hn- Drdssion now is, that on May 15 we did not owe Messrs. Cook and Gladstone this 8631. Bs. 9d. undrawn, and that therefore was the object of the word " cash " being introduced into the second letter, and which, I think, was omitted in the former. The second letter has been seen by a third party now in Court, and who saw it previous to my send ing it to Messrs. Cook and Gladstone. My question is without reference to the first or second letter. The question was repeated.—l do not recollect it. If I did I think it must have been subsequent to the writing of the second letter. Will you swear you did not ? I have already declined to swear. Give the date of the first and second letters to which you refer ?—The first letter I have already stated, the 15th of May , the second letter was written during the time the conversations took place in the li brary or dining-room before referred to, and I believe was dated back to the 15th of May, by their request. By request of which of them P-1 believe Mr. Glad stone. Is the letter now produced bearing date 28th May, marked E., in your hand-writing ?-11 is. The letter was here put in and read, dated 28th May, signed W. Hitchcock, and addressed to Messrs. Cook and Gladstone, enclosing the check, stating that the writer could not pay more that month, and requesting th e renewal of two bills of 1,0001. each. The letter stated the writer to be under great obligations to the party ad dressed. Do you not in that letter take credit for the check in question as paid in your cash account ?—I cannot answer that question. Mr. Commissioner HOLROYD—The letter explains i tself. How do you reconcile that letter with the answers you have previously given P--This letter was written in the hurry of business, and was chiefly intended to bring to Messrs. Cook and Gladstone's mind, that after they had complied with the request contained in the letter, that it would show them I should have reduced my liabilities to them of 3,1381. during that month; and that the item s conta i ne d i n the letter being only in round members, will show it. I did not think at the time I was writing this letter that the account stood in the same form in my books, but simply to draw their attention to my reducing the liability to the amount of about 3,0001. The bankrupt—l wish for the letter in reply to this, and for the letter which drew. forth mine. I have not the originals, but I have no doubt but that Cook and Glad stone have copies. It was stated there were no copies in existence. Is the letter now produced dated May 31, 1841, signed W. Hitchcock, in your hand-writing P—Yes. Was it not addressed by you to Cook and Gladstone? —Yes. Is the letter marked G., dated May 15, 1841, in your hand-writing ?—Yes. Was that addressed by you to them ? The letters were then put in and read. The first re lated to the bill of Heeles and Co., as being in a satisfactory train for settlement by that firm, and the second stated that the bankrupt, in order to prevent detriment to his position, had ordered his bankers not to pay Heeles' bill, but that he remitted a check to Cook and Gladstone, as the holders of that bill, requesting them to place it to his general .cash account, and to hold over the bill, so as to enable him to recover from Heeles and Co. What was the amount of your debt to Cook and Glad stone at the beginning of 1841 ?—I do not at all recol lect, but can tell by having proper time given me to re fer to my books. You are requested to refer to your books, and state?— I cannot refer to my books in Court, and give such an answer as I could wish. Can you not state nearly the amount that was owing ? —No ; nor do I wish, without reference to my books. Mr. ASKURST had no objection to wait until to-mor row morning for the answer, in order to give the bankrupt time to refer to his books. The bankrupt hoped, considering the fatigue he had undergone, that the Court would give him one clear day to examine his books, and that he should have notice of what was required. Mr. ASHIIREIT wished him to be prepared to give a statement of the accounts between him and Cook and Gladstone, from the beginning of 1841. He would not. Mr. SOLE wished to ask the bankrupt one question. Mr. Ashurst had stated that the assignees had promised the bankrupt his certificate. He wished to ask the bankrupt the question, because, no doubt, it would go forth to the world. Mr. Commissioner ITOLROYD thought it was better not to put any such question. s tOoldr. thSa°tLSEu—chYiess Mr. Am:men—lt was merely a bye observation of mine, utd I withdra w it. I h ave no t b een so thine,- skinned a s t o w h at the bankrupt may have said. , n b o u t t t l he wi c s as h e i , t an to d I be w d is is h ti i n t c forth to the Mr. Co mm i ss i oner HOLROYD—He has a long way to travel before. he s t h y o u u l n dd e g r comes to his certificate. The bankrupt cond lette r written, applied for the ex hibiti on o f th e se by him to Cook and Gladstone. Mr. ASHU RST in in due time —I ha ve t h at l etter, an d i t shall b e put —at present I do not think it necessary. Mr. Soen, on, behalf of the assignees, pressed that the examination should be The bankruEt said it was with to-morrow. accounts, and e required time. p complicated question af Mr. SMURST had no wish t * o enable the defendant to continue himself as an object of public exhibition longer therefore longer than necessary. Ile would tion of interest, and merely confin e • his examination to showing how the bankrupt had travelled into Cook and Gladstone's debt, while representing he was getting- out of it. He would merely ask the bankrupt to detail the THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1841 state of the account between himself and Cook and Wadstone on the first day of every month from the Ist of June, 1841. - The banrupt—l require a day to do that. - After some discussion it was arranged that the examina tion should be resumed to-morrow, and that Mr. Ashurst should confine himself to the Ist January, 1841. The bankrupt—l accept that. The Court then adjourned till to-morrow at eleven o'clock. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Dec, 15. IN RE THE REV. WILLIAM JOHN ST. AUDYN. The insolvent in this case, who had been frequently before the Court on his application to be discharged, again came up in custody of the Warden of the Queen's Bench. It may be -recollected from the previous report of the examination in The Sun, that he had been the Rector of Stoke-Damarel, in Devonshire, and was the son of Sir John St. Aubyn. By his ecclesiastical emoluments he derived upwards of 1,8001., and had in right of his wife's jointure 800/ a year ; yet during a few years he managed to incur debts to the amount of 22,0001., and upon proceedings being instituted in the Ecclesiastical Court his living was sequestrated and a curate appointed to d o th e d u ti es o f the parish, which yielded 1,8001. per annum, for an annual salary of 100/, while 2001. arising from surplice fees was allowed for the yearly support of the insolvent, and the balance made available to his creditors. After a lengthened examination the Learned Commis sioner ordered the applicant to be discharged. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT• OLD COURT. Mary Casey, aged 21, was convicted of unlawfully ut tering coin, well knowing the same to be counterfeit, after a previous conviction for a like offence. The LEARNED JUDGE, in passing sentence, said it was necessary to make an example of the prisoner, as no sooner was she released from prison than she commenced her old-practices. The sentence was that she be trans ported for ten years. Frederick Edwards, aged 16, was indicted for cutting and wounding John Day, on Sunday last. The prisoner, with the prosecutor, were in a public house together, and a quarrel arose, when the prisoner committed the offence of which ho stood charged. The prisoner was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment. Richard B. Hibbert was indicted for stealing and se creting the will of Dorothy Hibbert, deceased, for a fraudulent purpose. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. Mr. Clarkson appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. C. Phillips for the defence. Mr. PHILLIPS objected to the indictment, and re ferred to the statute regulating wills, which came into operation on the Ist of Jan., 1838, whereby it was pro-, vided that every will should be signed by the party making,that will, to be in the presence of and attested by two witnesses, in the presence of each. Mr. Phillips submitted that the will in question was neither signed ner attested on the date when it was made, consequently it could be no offence under the statute to secrete such a will ; and he therefore submitted that the objection was fatal to the case. The LEARNED JUDGES consulted for a short time, and then said that, under the circumstances, the offence was not one which could be submitted to inquiry. The Court had no jurisdiction. Mr. William Croft, a respectable tradesman, was in dicted for a felonious assault upon Sarah Deborah Stevens. Mr. Ryland, at the request of the Court, read the depositions ; and Messrs. Clarkson and Charnock ap peared for the prisoner. - When the prosecutrix was called, she requested that she might be allowed to retract a portion of what she had sworn before the Magistrates. The COURT told her that was not the proper time, and when she came to the part of the evidence she wishei to correct, she might do so. She was then sworn, and according to her evidence the defendant went to her lodging for a newspaper, and there being no one else in the house he took the oppor tunity of committing the offence, to which she swore positively. Upon her being cross-examined, she admitted that she had sworn before the Magistrate that she was married to the person named Stevens whom she was living with, but she now admitted that this was false, and that Ste vens was already married, and that sho was aware of that fact at the time; and sho assumed the name of his real wife when she was at the police office. She also said that she had been accused of pawning a blanket, and that on another occasion she was locked up all night in the station-house, and she said that the reason was because she refused to give a policeman some drink. She also said that Stevens told her to swear that she was his wife, to the Magistrate, in order that the prisoner might be brought to justice. She said that her real name was Sarah Harman. Mr. Baron ALDERSON said this put an end to the case. The indictment charged her name to be Stevens. Mr. CLARKSON wished to put another question to the itness, and he asked her whether, as she and Stevens were going to the police-office, she did not hear him ask if the prisoner were to come forward and make an offer to settle the matter, what they should do ?--The witness swore that she did not hear anything of the kind. Mr. Baron ALDERSON expressed his opinion that the case was very properly at an end, and he did not think the parties would venture to prefer another indietment. The Jury immediately returned a verdict of Not Guilty. Mr. CLARKSON said that he felt called upon to state, that if the case had gone on, he was in a position to have shown that the whole transaction was a gross conspiracy to extort money. The defendant was immediately discharged. Frederick Andrews, 16, was indicted fur feloniously cuffing and wounding Thomas 'Husband,. with intent to maim and disable, or to do him som e grievous bodily harm. ft appeared from the evidence that the prisoner and the prosecutor had a dispute, and the prosecutor struck the prisoner on the head. Some further angry alterca tion took place, and subsequently they scuffled together, and the prosecutor received a wound on the leg from a knife which the prisoner had in his hand. The prisoner admitted that ha inflicted the wound, and said that he should not have done it if the prose cutor had not struck him. The Jury found the prisoner Guilty of the felony, but at the same time recommended him to mercy on account of the provocation he had received. Baron ALDERSON said it was a very proper verdict. He did not like to see Juries, where parties were charged with using a knife in this way, return verdicts of assault against them upon slight grounds, and he was sorry to find by the newspapers that this was a practice prevail ing to some extent. The Learned JUDGE, in passing sentence upon the prismier, observed that it was to the advantage of all that the laws hould be fearlessly administered, and that Juries should always return verdicts in accordance with the evi dence, no matter what the result might be. He regretted to find that offences of this description were very nnich on the increase, and he feared this might in some ineastir be attributed to Juries returning verdicts of assault ouYy . in such cases. Taking into consideration the CircuM"- -. stances of the C 1132, and the recommendation of .the Jury, he should only pass the same senten ce u p on the prisoner that ho should have done if he had only been convicted of an assault—that sentence was that he be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for nine calendar months. roar young men, named Wm. Lie, Win. Way, Thomai No.-ton, and Henry Saunders, were indicted for attempt ing to rescue a prisoner from the custody of the police; and they were also charged with assaulting the con stables in the execution of their duty. Mr. Payne and Mr. Ballantine appeared for two of the defendants. When the case was called on, Mr. Baron Alderson in quired whether any counsel were retained on behalf of the Commissioners of Police to conduct the prosecution, and on an answer being given in the negative, he said that counsel ought to have been employed in a case pro secuted by such a body as the Metropolitan Police. Wit nesses were then examined, but it is needless to give the evidence, as it has appeared in the police reports. The Jury found the defendants guilty of assaulting the officers in the execution of their duty. Mr. Baron Al4tasoN - sentenced Saunders to be im prisoned for six, tee fur four, Way fur three, and Norton for two months in the House of Correction, and there to be kept to hard labour. This case concluded the business of the session, which has thus only lastcd three days. The Grand Jury were discharged - on Tuesday, a circumstance that has never before taken place since the establiSlitneqof the Central Criminal Court. The next session will commence on the 3d January. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. William Sutherland, the master of a fishing-vessel, appeared before the LORD MAYOR, . upon an information preferred against him by Mr. Thomas King, the Secre tary to the Marine Society, for having violated the 33d of George 11., cap. 27, which enacts that the master of any fishing-ship, &c., shall, within three days after ar rival at the Nore, with any fish, truly report the time of arrival to the clerk in the Coast-office, London. The penalty annexed to the violati on o f the Act, in ev e ry in stance,is the serious one of 3CI, without mitigation. Mr. Young, the solicitor to the Marine Society, stated that the Secretary had proceeded against the defendant at the desire of the Society, for the purpose of giving an effectual check to the practice which had for some time existed of evading the payment of .the fees established by Act of Parliament, for the admirable purpose of defray ing the expenses incurred by apprenticing the boys un der the care of the Institution, in various ways, to the sea service. The fees, of course, reverted to the hands of the masters or owners of the vessel, subjected to the provisions of the Act, to whom the boys of the Marine Society are bound, and the advantages derivable from the system, were public and extensive. The defendant, against whom there wore two cases ca pable of being established at once, had prudently deter mined to plead guilty ; and, although it was out of the power of the Magist ra t e to rem i t or even m i t i ga t e th e Enplea of ign orance o f t h e l aw , an d th e posi tieveaasit the rance of future observance of it, would no doubt produce a favourable effect upon the Directors of the Marine Society. The LOAD MAYOR said it was most important that the fishing vessels, which became liable to the operation of the Act, should be strictly obliged to comply with its provisions.. He knew that, in consequence of the lax manner in which the duties of the persons appointed to see that regular reports were made, had been performed, the mass of proprietors of vessels contrived to evade the payment of the fees. Mr. Nobler then re a d th e fi rst i n f o rmation, and asked the defendant whether he pl ea d e d g uilty or not guilty guilty The defendant said th a t h e was from ignorance. He begged that the Lord Mayor would understand that he could not read. The Secretary stated-that the defendant and the owner of the vessel had been supplied with copies of the ex tracts of the mulations,.of the Act of Parliament. The Lot Mar he satisfied with one conr i ct i on ? °A-71AUppose the Marine Society will Mr. Young—Certainly. It is now your Lordship's duty to inflict the penalty of 501. I am, however, at liberty to tell the defendant that if, with the assistance of Mr. Goldham, the clerk of Billingsgate Market, he will draw up and present a memorial to the Marine Society, express ing his determination never to violate the Act again, due attention would be paid to the application. The LORD MAYOR then fined the defendant 501. His Lordship observed that from the nature of his business he was necessarily conversant with the advantages de rivable from the Marine Society, and he should rigidly enforce the penalties in every case that might hencefor ward be proved before him. Richard Bevill, a little fellow, who appeared to be 18 or 19 years of age, was brought before his Lordship upon the following extraordinary charge :—Mr. Holman, No. 14, Poultry, tailor, stated that the prisoner came to him as a customer, and said that he had been just left a fortune of 250,0007. by an uncle, and that he wanted clothes to the amount of about 501., which he accord ingly ordered. The LORD MAYOR—You did not know anything about him ? Mr. Holman—Nothing. LORD MAYOR—And did you believe him ? Mr. Hol man—l scarcely believed him. LORD MAYOR—CouId you believe anything of the kind ? Mr. Holman—l asked him for a deposit, and he told me that he would leave 101. or 121. with me. After some further conversation, he asked me whether I could recommend him to a haberdasher, as he wanted some articles of hosiery. The LORD MAYOR—And did you recommend him ? Mr. Holman-1 did. I took him to Mr. Hancock's, the hosier, in the Poultry, and he gave an order thero also. Mr. Hancock said that the prisoner, upon being intro duced by Mr. Holman, stated that his uncle had be queathed him the large sum of 250,0001., and had left sixteen other near relatives without a penny. The young gentleman then looked out various articles to the amount of about 601, amongst which were three dozens of the best Irish linen shirts, and numbers of silk and satin scarfs and hose. As suspicions were entertained of his character, he was closely watched. Indeed, it was be lieved that the prisoner's object was to get what he could off the counter. Upon being questioned about the pay ment, he stated that lie was to receive 500/. next day. Chaney, the street-keeper of the district, stated that the complainants gave him instructions about the pri soner, whose object was supposed to be plunder, and whom he, therefore, took into custody. The LORD MAYoß—What have you to say in answer to this strange accusation, prisonor ? Prisoner—l am very sorry for what I have done, my Lord. I acknow ledge that it was a very foolish and unsteady act. Mr. Hancock—We had him taken into custody because we apprehended he might have committed depredations. The Loth) MAYOR—Prisoner, it looks as if you in tended to plunder these people. Prisoner—l can take my oath I had no notion of the kind, but it was foolish entirely. I can produce most respectable friends. The LORD MAYOR—Very well, do so. I shall remand you till to-morrow.—The prisoner was then remanded. GUILDHALL. A diminutive lad, named George Withers, about 12 years of age, who had been an errand boy in the service of Messrs. Spottiswoode, the printers, was charged with robbing his employers. William Wild said the prisoner had been for some time employed with the Messrs. Spottiswoode, and seve ral books having been missed, an inquiry was instituted, when it was found that the prisoner had sold a number of books to other persons employed on the premises. The witness produced a number of books, which he de scribed as office copies, or works kept for reference, and which had been taken from a rOwn to which alone the prisoner had access. The prisoner having refused to say anything in his de fence, was remanded until this day week, and ordered to be kept solitary. Three young paupers, named Owen, Murphy, and Roehuch, were charged by Alexander Lamb, the master of the West Londm Union, with refusing to work at the wheel. In reply to the Bench the complainant said the wheel was used to grind flour, and he did not require the pau pers to work more than six hours a day. The prisoners in their defence said they refused to work unless they got some slight increase in their allow ance of food, as all they LOW got was twelve ounces of bread daily with a small quantity of gruel, and they found their strength quite inadequate to hard labour, like that required at the wheel. _ . _ The sitting ALDERMAN ordered them to be disc barged IMPORTANT MEETING AT LEEDS OF,ANTI-CORN-LAW DEPUTIES FROM THE WEST RIDING. A numerous and highly-respectable meeting was held on Monday last, in the Music Hall, Leeds, of de putations from the various Anti-Corn-law Associations of the West Riding, to make arrangements for the col lection and publication of statistical reports relative to the state of trade in that district as effected by the Corn and other Monopoly-laws ; and to determine upon the course of proceedings to be adopted previous to the meeting of Parliament. The gentlemen who attended as Delegates are almost all extensively engaged in ma nufacturing and commercial pursuits, and therefore well qualified to speak as to the present and past condition of trade in their respective localities ; .and the state ments made were such as to convince every,one:of the deep injury inflicted on our trade . thiv , opetiation of the Corn-laws, and all commercial restrictions. Amongst the gentlemen present, we noticed W. Aldhm, Esq., M.P., Joseph Holdsworth, Esq.; M.P., Edward Baines, Esq., Hamer Stansfield, Esq., T. Piint, Esq., &c., of Leeds ; Jonathan Ackroyd, Esq., John Bald win, Esq., of Halifax ; J. Batley, Esq., W. Willans, Esq., of Huddersfield ; R. Milligan, Esq. ; W. Mur• gatroyd, Esq., H. Forbes, Esq., of Bradford, &c., &e. The chair was taken at twelve o'clock by James Marshall, Esq., one of the most extensive flax-spinners in this or any other country. He commenced by stat ing, that the present important meeting had been con vened for the purpose of joint discussion and inquiry as to the actual effects of the Corn-laws upon the various iseportant branches of trade in the West Riding, and of enabling them at once to adopt the most active and energetic measures for obtaining the repeal of those op pressive statutes. The circumstances of national dis tress, under which they were met together, called upon them for the exertion of their best judgment in a serious, earnest, and dispassionate inquiry into the cause of those evils ; and no less called upon them for the adoption of prompt and vigorous plans to obtain their immediate and entire removal.—(Cheers.) Their first great business would be to hear from eye-witnesses as complete a statement as possible of the condition of the population ; and also to express those general principles, by reason of which they thought that the oppressive taxes amounted to an infraction of the in alienable and constitutional rights of the people. Mr. T. PUNT, of Leeds, moved the first resolu tion, in a very spirited and eloquent speech. The re solution was in these terms : " That the Corn and Provision-laws are unjust and unconstitutional in princip!e, and in their effects pro ductive of deep injury to the community ;—that they deprive the industrious classes of the free use of their labour and capit_►l, and thereby directly invade the rights of property as well as the sacred and inalien able right of the workman to the fruits of his honest industry ;—that these laws arc a tax upon the nation, not for the common benefit, but for the benefit of one class only, and in their operation inflict a far larger amount of evil on the people at large than they confer benefit on the protected and privileged class ;—that thus they violate the spirit of the British Constitution, which rests upon the principle that Government exists for the benefit of the whole people, and which no less forbids the taxing of the whole for the exclusive advan tage of one class, than it does the abolition of the great safeguards of public liberty—the trial by jury, the liberty of the press, and the right of meeting and petition. That on these grounds this meeting regards the Corn and Provision-laws as equally unconstitu tional, unjust, and injurious ; and as tending, if perti naciously maintained, to destroy the attachment and al legiance of the people to the Government." Mr. Plint said, said, that it devolved upon him to make the first statement to this meeting. He would, first of ad, give them a few plain and undeniable facts, relative to the state of trade, and the condition of the working population, in the town of Leeds. The first subject on which he would touch was the amount of insolvencies of this town, since 1838, to the present time. Thera had been, during this period, twenty-nine houses engaged in the woollen trade (he referred to the town of Leeds, not the clothiers in the surrounding villages), twenty-nine houses that had become insol vent, whose united liabilities amounted to 515,5001. There had been cloth finishers connected with the trade who had failed, and their liabilities amounted to 38,100/. In the woollen trade, therefore, there had be.n thirty-nine failures, to the amount of 553,6001. Of flax and tow spinners, during the same time, there had failed eighteen firms. He had not been able to ascertain their liabilities, but the amount of capital employed in them was 217,800/. ; and it was found, almost invariably, that the liabilities were more than the capital employed. In one instance, he knew that, where the capital was 40,000/. the liabilities were 70,0001. Of machine makers, sixteen firms had failed, with a capital of 47,000/. With regard to the wool staplers, it appeared that, whilst from 1834 to 1837 there had been but three failures, from 1838 to 1841 sixteen houses had failed, or gone out of trade, with a capital of 174,6004 Of stuff merchants, and worsted spinners and manufacturers, there had been nine houses failed, whose liabilities amounted to 457,8001. The total amount, therefore, of bad debts, he calcu lated at no less a sum than 1,451,400/. He would ask whether, taking the whole of the period from 1819 to 1837, there had been anything like this amount of failure?—(Hear, hear.) And what had been the divi dends paid on this enormous amount ? He spoke within bounds when he said, that, taking one with an other, there had not been more paid than 6a. Bd. in the pound. In the calculation he had presented to them he had thrown entirely out of the account the insol vencies in all the surrounding villages. If he were to add these to what he had already given them, they would, he was convinced, amount to not less than two millions, or 500,000/. during each of the four years to which he had referred.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") Mr..Plint then alluded to the amount of employment in the woollen trade of the town. There had not been, during the last twelve months, more than one-half employment. It would be within the recollection of all, that, from 1833 to 1836, ' ! all the machinery had been fully employed, and, in many cases, working over-hours. Now they were not working more than three short days in the week, and a great number of hinds had been thrown entirely out of employment.—(Hear.) With regard to the deteriora tion in the value of mill property, he had three very important facts to state. In a valuation of the pro perty of the town, recently laid before the Town Coun cil, it was shown so clearly that no one could dispute it, that mill property had depreciated in value, during the last few years, not less than 25 to 30 per cent. Next in the Registration Court, at Brad ford, a few months ago, a great many rotes had been struck off the Pudsey list, on the ground that mill property in that village had so much lowered that they would not give the owners a vote ; so that the tendency of the Corn-laws had been, not only to deprive men of their property, but to rob them also of their political rights. And, thirdly, all would know the ruinous price at which machinery had been sold of late, when, in consequence of failures, it had bean brought under the hammer. They would bear him out in the assertion, that it had not realized more than one-third of its value.—(Cheers.) He would next allude to the con dition of the people, as shown by the number of uninha bited houses as compared with 1831. In the West Riding, in 1831, there had been 12,147 houses unoccu pied; in 1841, 18,870—an increase of 50 or 55 per cent. Another important fact was, that the rate of mortality had been going on increasing during the last ten, and especially the last two years. In 1780, it had been 1 in 40 ; in 1801, 1 in 48 ; in 1831, 1 in 58 ; whilst in 1841, it was 1 in 45.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Mr. Plint next entered into some highly important statements relative to the consumption of butchers' meat in Leeds. The information was derived from a gentleman thoroughly acquainted with the sulsject, and went to prove, that, whilst the prices had risen something like 40 per cent., the consumption had decreased from 2,450 head of cattle weekly, to 1,8001 Mr Plint next brought forward a great quantity of facts relative to the failures amongst the retail dealers in Leeds, and calculations as to the diminished amount of wages paid by the manufacturers and others. He referred to the causes of the prevalent distress alleged by different parties, and traced the distress to its grand source, the operation of commercial restrictions, and the monopoly of food ; and concluded by an do quent appeal to his audience, to join energetically in the demand for the total abolition of these iniquitous and oppressive laws. Mr. Plint was loudly cheered on re suming his seat. Mr. BATLEY, of Huddersfield, seconded the resolu tion, and gave some interesting statements as to the condition of trade in that town. HENRY FORBES, Eeq., of Bradford, proposed the second resolution : " That all restrictive and prohibitory duties, inter fering with the free interchange of commodities, and not levied solely for the purposes of revenue, are in prin ciple unjust, and in their effects ultimately prejudicial to all classes of the community. That this meeting, therefore, claims as a right the removal of all prohibi tions or restrictions on the importation of corn and pro visions ; and at the same time is willing and desirous that the duties intended for the protection of British enAufactures should be repealed ; and that the just, wise, and peaceful principles of free trade should govern the entire commercial legislation of the empire." He stated that, for four years past, trade had gradually been getting worse in that town. Thirty failures had occurred in three years in one street and its immediate neighbourhood, all connected ;with their staple trade. Mill property had deteriorated fully 35 per cent. The rents of cottage property had lowered from 71. to Si., and many proprietors would not get any rent at all. A great reduction had taken place in wages ; in the comb ing of English wool 16 to 25 per cent., and of foreign wool as much as from 30 to 50 per cent. _ Three fourths of the combers were on short work, and did not earn more than half the wages they did three years ago. JONATHAN ACEROYD, Esq., of Halifax, seconded the resolution, and gave a statement of the condition of that town, which, although not suffering so much as some others, was yet gradually declining. -- CLAY, Esq., of Raistrick, proposed the third resolution, and gave a very appalling picture of the dis tress existing in his neighbourhood. The resolution was as follows : " That it has been proved before this meeting, that an appalling amount of embarrassment and ruin among the manufacturers and merchants, and of privation and suffering among the working classes, has existed for some years throughout the West Riding ;—that the demand for manufactured goods, both for the foreign and home markets, has seriously declined ; that several of our most valuable foreign markets are in part lost, owing to the high duties imposed in these countries on British manufactures, in retaliation for our restrictions on their corn, timber, and other products, and owing also to the rapid progress of foreign manufactures, which are obviously promoted by the :English Corn-laws ;—that the home demand for manufactured goods of every kind has been greatly reduced, in consequence of the high price of the chief necessary of life, which has nearly absorbed the means of the humbler classes ;—that from the same cause the consumption of butchers' meat, groceries, awl most of the comforts of life, has fallen off to such an extent in this district, as to involve the retail dealers in embarrassment, and to reduce great numbers of them to insolvency ;—that many manufacturing establishments have been closed with an almost entire loss of the capital invested therein, throwing thousands of workmen out of employ ;—and that, in the opinion of this meeting, the main cause of these accumulated evils is to be found in the inhuman and anti-commercial restrictions on the importation of food." Mr. NUSSEY, of Batley, seconded the resolution, which was supported by W. ACIEOYD, Esq., of Otley. Mr. AARON PEASE, of Clayton West, moved the fourth resolution " That this meeting pledges itself to use every con stitutional means for obtaining the repeal of the Corn and Provision-laws, and earnestly recommends the adop tion of the most active and energetic measures through. out the West Riding for the promotion of this just object, especially the holding of public meetings ;—the preparation of petitions to the Legislature from every town, village, congregation, and workshop ;—the sign ing of memorials to ber Majesty the Queen, by females, praying her Majesty to use all her constitutional in fluence for the repeal of the taxes on her people's food —the collection of information, showing the sufferings inflicted by those taxes on the community, and the dis tribution of tracts, calculated to spread sound principles and to correct error on this great national question." Mr. PEASE gave some interesting details as to the condition of the villages in the neighbourhood of Hud dersfield, whew) the manufacture of fancy goods is carried on. This resolution was seconded by Mr. TINKER, 01 Holrofirth, and supported by Mr. ALEXANDER, 0 Barnsley. The fifth rosraution was proposed by Mr. AKED, of Luddenden Foca, and seconded by Mr. METCALFE, 0 Skipton. It was as follows : That it is .highly desirable that the facts illustra tive of the condition of trade and of the population should be col! . ec ted by local Committees, and arranged in such a form that they may be laid before Govern ment and Parliament ;—that this important duty is hereby recomr3e nded to be entrusted in each town to a small Cornrnitt lof well-informed and judicious persons ; —that, when th a facts shall have been collected and arranged, the members of the local Committees, or de puties from thoni, shall meet in Leeds, not later •than Wednesday the. 12th of January, to collate the infor mation, and de :icle upon the manner in whi^h it shall be laid before t be Government and the Legislature." Tne chair wrs then taken by Edward Bakes, Esq.; when Mr. Josh ma Bower proposed, and Mr. Kelsail seconded, a vote , of thanks to the Chairman, which was carried unapimutioly. The. delegates dine 3 together subsequently in the Picture-room of the Music Hall, when W. Aldem, jun., Esq., M.P.. ior Leeds, presided. DEATH OF PHILIP COURTNAY, ESQ:, BAR RISTER-AT-LAW, :FROM HAVING TAKEN AN OVER-DOSE OF MORPHIA.--- Te regret to record the demise of this highly respectable gentleman, which took place at the Adelphi Hotel, Li.v erpool, on the night of Friday last, under cireumstanc;:‘,s of a peculiarly distressing charac ter. It appears fro in the evidence adduced upon the in quest that Mr. C c ,urtnay, who had been a barrister-at law on this circuit, and lately the representative in Par liament for Bridg , 31,vater, had contracted the dangerous habit of taking m licines without consulting a profes sional adviser for ,7e rtain pains and ailments under which he occasionally laho ured, and that laudanum or some preparation of opium i was his favourite dose. Having re cently come back ft em Ireland, where he had been en gaged in the transo >c tion of some family business, he was staying at the Ade 11 )hi for a few days, prior to his return to London, where resided. Having purchased a phial of solution of ac e tate morphia from Mr. Rawle, of Church -street, and ta second phial of solution of muriate of morphia from 1`.;1 srs. Butler and ColquhDun, of Castle street, the whole, o I The greater portion of both of which, it would seem, he I ;wallowed on the night of Thursday last, for some pairs under which lie probably laboured at the time ; the C or ,sequence was that death ensued on the following eveni The deceased was in his 56th or That 57th year. A Cor; ma or's Jury, without a moment's hesi tation, returned a" ;rdict to the effect, That the de ceased, intending to take a certain quantity of the medi cine, took an over -dog e, which caused his death."--Liver pool Mail Some men are lilt e musical glasses—to produce the finest tones you o r ast keep them wet. — Coleridge. TRADE OF Du -isiEBARTON AND N EIGHBOUR - HooD.—This ancien c ounty town is suffering severely p re o se f n 2 t c 0 vja penters and j o i ners b eing out of d e pressed state of th e s hi pp i ng from the trade, upwardsemployment. But D !unbar ton is not alone in this respect. Greenock and other ports on the Clyde presenting a si milar decline in shi p-building. The Dumbarton Crown Glass and Bottle Works, however, forms an ex ception, the propric ;tort; preceding steadily in the in crease of their man ufact ure, thereby affording a portion of the population of. the . town a handsome remuneration for their labour. "gr e h a ., re nothing favourable to note regarding the printing in the Vale of Leven, as many hands still go iclAe.—Edintri irgh Chronicle. MORNING SUN THE MARKETS —YESTEROAIti CORN EXCHANGE. The arrivals of Barley and Oats have been gu--- - week, but small of other Grain. Wheat firm at g°, 11 _,.., day's prices. B ar l e y s till d u ll. Beans and Pease alas, met a limited demand. Oats extremely heavy 01 1 s,l and Monday's terms were hardly supported. Flour last stated. NEWGATE AND LEADENIIALL. Meat of all descriptions in good supply, but the de" mand was limiter]; the best sorts advanced ful l 2d. pet stone. Game and Poultry in good supply, the demsou dull, and prices on the decline. Ducks, 2s. to 25.. 6d i 5 Wild Ducks, 2s. to 2s. 6d.; Hares, os. 6d. to 35.; Gee ss. 6d. to Bs. ; Chickens, 2s. to 2s. 6d. ; Fowls , 23. 6a to 4s. 6d. ; Pigeons, 6d. to 9d. ; Rabbits, Is. to Is. 6 d't, Turkeys, ss. to 9s. 6d ; Teal and Snipes, Is. ; Widg e°l4 2,_ Is. to Is. 6d. each; Eggs in demand, at previous qu otas COLONIAL MARKET. There was but a moderate business transacte d, and prices little variation took place. The imports front most parts. Raw Sugar moved off slowly at the form value. Brown West India 58s. to Os. and yellow 635. to 7 3 s' per cwt. Coffee not cheaper, but there were few bill. es t at 665. to 765., for good and fine and fine ordinary. . 0 " ra Itplia Cocoa sells slowly at 365. to 475. per cwt. I : e d, met with little attention, prices were barely Main tain • sellers of proof Leewards ls. 10d. per gallon. TEA MARKET. • Prices of Free Trade were sustained, and a fair bo were fair_ ness was done. Company's Congou Is. 9fd. to Is. 9 0 0 ' per lb. ; the lowest rate for ordinary Congou Is. 9d. per lb. . _ MARKET. Prices of P. Y. TALLOW Candle steady, with a fair demand' (3 1 the spot, and for delivery up to the end of th e year, $ 48s. to 48s. 6d. METAL MARKET. In Speller large sales wer e ma d e a t 401. to 40/. 105 per ton. Iron met with a fair sale. 1. 4 . • f 0 9 Walls - End Stewart's ...... South-Pelton ..... .•••• • ••__lo. 0 Walls End Bentlel :l . oart'P2o Walls End Caradoc••••••• .... 40 • 6 W •• •• alls End Cassop ...... Walls End Kelloe ..••••••"'.. 20 19 . Tennant's Hartlelool••••''' 19 • Walls End Adel,ide.•••••;; 16 Walls End Brown's Dean 1/ Walls Et d Evenwood ••"" • 11 Wllls End Gordon Gordon.. ••_•:" 19 ~ Walls End South Purli'''" . 16 7- Walls End Tee s H etton ..... 19 Wal s Et. d eeb• ...... 11 6 Walls End West Tees••••"'" 11 ; ‘A , ail:. End West Jel l° 90 0 Anthracite........ i/ • Hartley .... ........ 5 Howard% Nethertonlgs, •• COAL MARKET. Ships arrived since last marKet.day. 4L s. d. Adair's Buddle's West Hartley l6 f Hebburn Main l7 0 Molywell Main l7 I New Tantield M00r... Ord's Redheugh l4 4', Walls;End Clark and Co l5 6 Walls End .4osforth Walls End Hedlcy l7 11 Walls End Hilda. ..... Walls End Hotspur Walls End Killingworth Walls End Newmarch Walls End N. rintut berland 16 6 Walis End Ramsey W. E. Braddyll'sfletton Walls End Belint#oid l6 , Walls End 'Leann 2O 6 1 Walls End Lambton Walls End Russell's Hetton 20 31 ----- COUNTRY CORN MARKETS. Peo e '_,.. Wheat. Barley. Oats. Be ans ' ........---0.0 ,s. to --_ - Per Quarter. s. to s. s. to s. s . t o s . S. to l• di ". ... Carlisle - 24 - 46 - ..... 49 Hexha - 3 1 a. Morpeth m 54 64 23 30 2u k,3 59 7: 5 ..• dg Penrith 64 - 33 - 22 -- 1 . 0 0 Sheffield - 67 - 32 - 23 .-- ; I 3 5 , 01. Winchester 44 66 27 32 20 26 40 ",i. Lu g ' 0 0 Per Bush el. s. d. s. (1. s. d. B. d, s, d, s . d. s. d. tio r o, 0 Carmarthen '7 0 81 00 40 00 23 56 cs •,,,(' 00 r :owbridge 76 80 00 4f 00 30 50 - o ", • Swansea ,76 86 40 44 2 6 30 56 " o 10 0 Per 8011. I it 0 0 "o 10 ° Barnardcastl 16 4 19 0 8 9 9 6 4 0 7 4 9 6 ,- 69 , id 0 Durham l2 6 18 0 8 0 9 0 5 9 6 9 0 0 LI 09 u„ 10 0 Richmond l2 6 18 6!0 0 II 0 6 0 7410 0 ,", 6S u Stockton lli 0 19 6 9 0 9 0 6 0 7 0 9 0 I. • 10. IRISH MARKETS. ~,, DEC. - JUBLIN MARKET NOTE for the Week Ow.'" rag e ' . IL," From I - , :.,, 6 456 Wheat,per barrel 2t stone.... 22 0 ~% 5 li 9 273 Bere ~... ..... .... 10 sto.le l5 n 16 11 6 20 0 394 Barley l6 stone...". 16 0 g 11 0 40 Oats )4 story. 10 0 13 'o' •1 •"„, S 0 Flour, per cwt EI stone.... - 0 - 6 ~ 312 °anneal- ~ 8 stone.... ii 0 14 n 0 Sold to Bakers only. 9,121 Cwt. F10ur..... . . .... ...... .. 10 0 25 - s ack. 04 Average price . .ll - Vrhea . t . and Flour 50. 8( 1 P e o r d 195! od Fir5t5........... front 2 0 !• oi d. to f 3§ 'o,l Receipts of Flour, 14,3 ;51 Gales of Do. 11,17 Third; .....". from 1 0 s. 1 "" . ••••••• Seconve from les. A ,, to )Os PRIOR or naltAD. Quarters Loaf 24. a d • 1 Half QUatterll .• •••411 tie z . CORK MARKETS..—Dee 11. 01 tO L - $ Wheat (per 205t.)17s Od. tc 355. Od.ltiats (per 145 t.... a w" Barley (per 165t.)10 6 17 3 Illovr (per cwt )..- 8 0 d • Oatmeal (per ewt.)...........3.. Od to 141 _, t ia to 0 Beef, 6d. to 61d.—Mutton 5d . . to 6d . —VewL - .. sa .r ID. Pork, 4d. to sd.—Fresh ' Butter, Ild. w Ir. k .- ai , . , I , PRICE OF Burma. To the To the Merchants. First Quality••• •••••••••• 854. .•••••••-•••••••• • ..":: :: 2, Second Bl ............ww" .....• ... e "..• T hird ••.. ..... ••••• ....... •73 .. ..........ef ilkon,-- ~ Fourth ... •*" 6, e.g."' .. 1 4 , Fifth•••••••••••••••••• ....• 4 , Fifth ........... . ........ ......a 52 g 0... 06•••••...... " . ..•..» .". Sixth 42 ............ •-'7l .. . CLO N MELL - AI A RKETS.....Dec• 1 d e . e'er cwt. 5 d„ 24 .., • if IC 40 0 New Butter .98 oto 99 0 Hides (ra.)........-7,1 C .... 0 Oatmeal 0 14 6 i1a.C011Pag6........."‘N 9 , Rendered Lard 0 52 U Heads....• ..... asaw. 0 0 Per Beg. , 0 ' 0 .... 40 0 I Flou r 'rtards•••••• "10 0 38 01- -2 1 0ur tda..... , 0 0 15 0 Per Barrel. 1 6 , Rapeseed. 2O 0 0 Barley ........... w V I Bere l3 0 C-uls _....«..:...wa*".. (d. KILKENNY MARK 1.:10. m.o.' 00. Wheat,perbarrel)2Bs. Od.to 53e. Od. Beef 'iler U. ••••' 0 5 0 I Barley 12 0 19 0 &Junco ........."' 0 4 0 f , Uats. 14 0 15 0 Pork ...............- 0 6 j 0 Flour (per bag) 25 0 59 0 Vey , ............ -I 0 0 010' Buttcr(per cwt.) 0 0 98 0 Fresh Butter ••••• ~ 6 .. C."' Bacon Pigs '45 0 46 0 Salt Ditto ......... y. 9 . ~,,, Coals 1 0 1 2 Potatoes (p er st./ u Fleur, Second 0 —Household 0 MARK&TS. AIN. • 13 1. 10 , Barley, Alecklenburgh hio 19 0 ,6 Magdeburgh.. :AO i4l) ------Holstein 1 14. t° - Summer l et. i d Oats, Eider --. Mecklenburg t° -- Holstein l f, 0,4 E2st ?' r i es latul.;• to Pease, Mecklenburg 08 10, 1 43 • Beans ......................« f. - ia or, suck Wheat......"' 601 t , apeaeecl, H a nover , fly Malt ........ . . Tares 07$ ['ON. 64 1 mi Marrnham Bladras ........ ..•••• t 0 3' Swats .. . ......... g Domingo • •• ig 5 s 1% FEE. st •. 1 Domingo • ... 7)i La Citiayra......• 1 Porto Rico ...... llavannah ..... h p ß B e a 3s r il n ia a D m „ i k e bru :h c u w i o te n n. t . : wo l : roi rl ien ,:........ J l. l 5 % 1 4 I° 9 2N, to 24 HAMBURG 611, Wheat, Marks 403 to 510 i Magdeburg SSI to 5161 Anhalt, white 433 to 516 -- red -- Brunswick- 405 to t,lO - Mecklenburg 361 to 5101 -- Polish 450 to 519 1 -- Holstein Rye, Mecklenburg 270 to 366 - Dantzic - Elbing and Ko nigsburg -- Upland -- Riga Cori Carolina and Tennessee 7 1 .(t0 Oeorgia, Ist soil ...... 7% 2d 6A 71 4 3d and 4th 5% 6%1 COE 1 514c1 , 1 . l3 to 135 Batavia 4% 5% Sumatra llio hi 4 5% Bahia 3% 5% SUGAR.—(Witt Havannah, White...—. 3 to 3% Brown 2 2% Rio, White 2% 4 Brown Manilla, Browi • 0 Ttl eitl B ol sl DETENTION OF THE MAILS.-- -- Geo morning several mails had not arrived a t the fl Post-office oodo°. st-oflice at twelve o'clock, on account o f l n ico° On the Southampton railroad several 0 %0 employed, and extra engines used to prope,,,l goof up and down. On the Great Western -and Pri ao -13- ce °- railroads, in various places the waters, for a "A' s one or two miles, have the appearance of a earl — i i/ Or THE CALEDONIAN STEAM -SIIIPe"%,Irbe POOL, TUESDAY MORNING, QUARTER -PAST ',llll. Royal mail steam-ship Caledonis,from lie °1 lifax, is now clue at this port, and may be eNfenefiv run into the river at any hour. ' Her day of ssal l Zy sb ° Halifax was the 3d, and if se sailed on that bloWl o will probably arrive to-night. The wind is u ° W 1 1 v n a Wu? a still' gale from the N.N.'W , and there are philaae-. two packet ships for New * York, and on e f°r" t tOe— .. p , hia, with numerous other vessels, unabl e top The Irish mail has not arrived. 110 coo 1E LATE POLISH BALL AND - -14 1 3015 4 0 —On Saturday last, at a Meeting of the Pol ish tti t‘ gleto tb P 9 ' Concert Committee, at Guildhall, Mr. Treasurer, declared amidst loud applause, tha t s isal 01 proceeds of the ball and concert, -amounted to the s or sa 7521. 2s. 9d. The cash was ordered to be luld ec Vted_ dr( • Lord Dudley Stuart, and thanks 1 vino' be eli th fi ni Mr. Peacock, the Chairman• Mr. 'ariagretont —.foe surer; and Mr. Carr, the Secretary,' Connl" dissolved. SILVER WATCHES. Cbr,..o° Pr E. J. DENT, by special and his meter and Watchmaker to the Queen, and his B Prince Albert, offers an extensive assortment °A r;. csot•r:„ Watches at 41. 14s. 6d. each. From their great sppe.Tir ' over those of the vertical description in perforrns!negetfp ance, and flatness, he recommends them for lad! over ' 1 ., 1 4 men's wear. They have elegant erwraved or Plag i bo ies, "its and cases, and the movements are jgvelled in four . ir. pe e the performance guaranteed. An abstract from chrol i b i Lectures on the Construltion and Manag e ment t o uitoo ly customers, or to the public, price ls., at 82, meters, Watches, and Clocks, may be had 1 Strap"' SI LVER.PLATED CORNER -gs T. COX SAVORY, Manufacturing Silversmith, °' 0 0 1 r • hill, London (Seven doors from Gracech:.-ach-streetA coe, the prices of the following patterns of stronglf Dishes, with silver handles and edges, and silver 51" Plat fig engraving the crest or coat of arms : The Gadroon Pattern. X 1 10 • 0 - Feur Strongly Plated Corner Dishes and Co vers... 0 Four Extra Strongly Plated Corner Dishes and -ig Covers .................. .............................. The Flower Pattern. 0 0 Four Extra Strongly Plated Corner Dishes and is 1 0 . „,i Covers ............................. . ................ .. 0" . 3 1 e- , W. N.B. The covers aro made wi th moveable halku' 0 to 0 they form extra dishes. Drawings of the above forwllo any part of Great Britain or Ireland, postage free. On the 11th of June, a lateW On e on s f , tti t h h e : lAo N l V ta i hd r e irna s o s f t c. R lv . ai:. K i js . eerr S vs c ei :yen, service, oeh,feaE ladyds qa.u,goohfftwrear.d. i l a ug id h i A E i cl oo w rig a i rd Woodhouse . , ttof . ; On th ; e eof l l l 2a t t h sho i n n i.r s is t t ,..a: Esher, Surrey, the lady o f the 1 ' fP' 4 On the 12th inst , at 111uswell-hill, Hom e y' dens, the wife of the Re ir v i . 11,10 ,d 0 of a s ß t o il l i n . elb T o H urn S e . , Port Philip, teNesrtefoGallii:it'A[iii.::! an tl On the 13th in K ' the lady 0 -' ' inst., at Kennington-green , Panente,' e' Esq., of a daughter. W EL e s ‘ t v lo . o ß u r r n o e w - n s t e r , e o e f t, a H i () y u le Par f : -l a g op. so. On the 13th inst., at Penryn Villa, Regent's Park , , , T. Husband, o f a d aug hter. nill- terise* On the 14th in s t., Airs. R. F. Bickerton, Virg- Dover-road, of a daughter. -----,..,, MARRIED. n ee , On the 25th of September, at Christchurch, Ca:„llt,e Captain Wilkie, 4th Native Intantry, to Emily, Y,;,,,00d0 daughter of the late William Bishop, Esq., ef Gr e l ott cloa., Haslemere, Surrey, and North Bank, Regent's Park, .co On the 14th inst., at St. James's Church, Captaint:_ of Of Mainwaring, R.N., to Cecilia Charlotte, only daugb r late Dean of Durham and the Hon. Mrs. Ha_ll..________,.../.. —, DIED. Mil aged°. On the 9th inst., at Gravesend, N. A. Au sten, Esq, - Vail On the 10th inst., in Redman-row, 3Ele-end, Stevenson, ad 75. . nv o Fc On the 10th inst., at Notting-hill-terrace , Morton Balo• q., son of the late A. Balmanno, Esq. ----"'I. n• . _ n ria , London •. Printed aid Published by MU RDO It w 'S - tr ' a : : I° No. 112. Stram Mi, at e Sue Office, N o. 112 the County of Middlesex, Thursday, December l i d 1 et 11 1 t q 1,2 To 1