The Sun. — London, England, 1827-12-15 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF TIM PUBLIC JOURNALS. We know not whether it be worth the while to mention the various rumours of a general change in the Ministry ; they prove, however,—and they are, perhaps, the first outward signs that have proved, — a failure in the hopes of those who have recourse to so contemptible an experiment, or trick, to promote their views. If they were making progress, they need not prematurely circulate fictions. The Ultras, before organizing themselves under Lord Grey, should have looked to what lie has said of them, after MK Canning became Prime Minister, particu larly in his speech on the 10th of May last, wherein his Lordship said—" For 20 years, except for one' short period, he had sat on that (the Opposition) side of the House, and he felt himself compelled still to retain that place ; at the same time he wished not to be classed with those noble Lords before him, who professed to be united in opposition to His Majesty's Government. * * * * * * If he were adverse to any one thing more than ano ther,it would be to giving his support to any measure which would tend to restoring the Noble Lords who sat before him to power." If this does not settle the question of a coalition between Lord Grey and the old Tory faction in the negative, or condemn him to shame as long as his life lasts, we know not what political act can produce that effect upon a political character. But we, in truth, augur better of Lord Grey, and firmly trust that he will not disgrace the fast approaching close of his po litical career, by a dereliction of the principles of his whole life, and by associations which his soul abhors. We press this matter now, on account of the great peculiarity of a whisper, - which has been conveyed to our ears from a most respectable quar ter : a whisper to this effect—that Lord Goderich, professing . to be wearied by the opposition which he met with in the Cabinet, and the difficulties result ing from the financial situation of the country, had tendered his resignation to his Majesty. We have reason to believe that the greater part of the Mini stry—indeed,we will say,some in the most important stations—were ignorant of the fact, if fact it were, at a late hour last night. The public will therefore suspend their belief; but still we think they may suspect with us that some intrigue is weaving. The financial situation of the country is no doubt diffi cult, but that is not a reason why the Chief Finance Minister should desert his post. We give the above statement much weaker than we have received it. We cannot call it a rumour, because it is not yet circulated : we cannot be answerable for its exact nees, because it wants the authority of many names; but it has in its support the assurance of one whom we know to be incapable of an intentional misrepre sentation, and who never yet has misled us.—Times. The history of diplomacy—and we believe there are many thousand volumes upon the subject—does not present a more singular incident than that which we have to notice to-day. The incident, indeed, is so singular as it now stands before Europe, that we shall hardly trust ourselves to say any thing respect ing it beyond merely explaining and rendering it ',intelligible, hoping that facts will be hereafter made known, which may alter itsschaeacter, or divest it of that suspicious appearance in which it is at present clothed. We yesterday published, from the Gazette de France, an official document addressed by the Austrian Minister, Prince Metternich, to the Inter nuncio from his Court at Constantinople, chiding him in the severest terms with ignorance, or wilful vio lation of his instructions, letting him know that the Emperor and King " blamed him and disavowed him," imputing to him motives that could not be comprehended, for refusing to co-operate with the other great Powers " in making the Porte desist • from its obstinacy, and obliging it to accept the salu tary measures lately proposed to it by Russia, France, and England." For this his ignorance or disobedi ence to orders—orders of which he had been in pos session since the month of December last year—he is commanded to go himself and apologise to the gentle men of the other missions, and to promise them his co-operation in future, "the wishes of his Imperial Majesty being entirely conformable to those of his august Allies for the preservation of general peace, and the re-establishment of order end security in the East 1" Now it is remarkabl e , that though the th date of this despatch be had been 22d l th ough t proper Setember, and though therefore , it to make it known in Europe, it might have been so made known two months ago, or long before the battle of Navarin, yet it only appears in the German papers under the date of the 30th of last month ! But—and now we come to the principal part of this strange story—hearing the very same date as that which is affixed to this disgrace of Baron d'Otten fels, (namely, the 30th of November), there appears in the Vienna Gazette an Imperial instrument, au order proceeding from the Emperor' himself, ad vancing this same degraded Envoy, Baron d'Otten fels, to the office and state of Privy Councillor, " ie consequence of his able and zealous diplomatic ser vices in keeping the peace of the Levant ! ! !" There we put three notes of admiration, as having really attained the top of our climax ! " By due gradations we attempt to rise." What can all this mean ? Are these instruments — thus laid almost simultaneously before the whole of Europe—are they, one or other, or both of them, forged ? The first and most obvious reasoning on them, supposing both to be authentic, would be this—that the despatch in which M. d'Ottenfels is disgraced, being falsely dated upwards of two months back, is put forth to satisfy and please the Allies after their success at Navarin ; and that the now honour of Privy Councillor is conferred on d'Ottenfels to keep him quiet a nd silent under such manifest injustice. But we cannot, and will not, suspect the Court of AuslCia (a Court so dignified, so decorous, nay, even so pious) of such duplicity; and surely Prince Metternich, a statesman so skilful and practised in the deeper and smoother arts of statesmen, could not he guilty of so bungling a piece of chicanery, upon which the world may suspend its judgment for a while from its extreme improbability, but which ultimately can deceive no one. But what, then, are we to suppose ? Can the Emperor and the Minister entertain different opinions on the merits of Baron d'Ottenfels ? and has each published an instrument in his own sense or views, one disgracing and the other exalting the Baron ? This supposi tion is not more probable than the other. Can the Baron d'Ottenfels, after having so shockingly dis graced himself up to the 22d - of September, have so far recovered his honour by the 30th of November (out of which intervening period the time spent in journies to and fro between Vienna and Constanti nople must be taken)—can the Baron, we say, have so far redeemed his honour in this short time, as not only to have wiped off his dis g race, but to have merited the highest distinction of his Sovereign ? Tsis would be to achieve a greater victory in diplo plomaey than the heroes of the united fleet gained in the poet of Navarin. Besides the Imperial man date making d'Ottenfels a Privy Councillor, confers that honour on ,him " for keeping the peace of the Levant ;" and it u nfortunately happens to have been during this short perked that the peace of the Le vant was most effectually broken by the battle of Navarin. We must, therefore, wait till further light is cast upon this mysterious affair by fresh in formation.—lbid. According to all the recent accounts from Con stantinople and Smyrna, the landing of Lord teoeh reale and Colonel Fabyier at Selo took place on the 29th of October, by which operation the Turkish force was shut up in the Castle by the invaders. It may be deemed, perhaps, not impossible that the whole of the naval force of the Allies having been , called off in other directions, this landing may have been effected without collusion or culpable negli gence on the part of some of the Naval Officers of the three what singular t o AIR quwitons ; but we own it appe ars some that this expedition, t he prepa :rations for which aft said to have bees mat ter of no toriety in the Levant, could have taken place without some effective notiFei I NCOren to the parties engaged . , 0 fl agr ant a vio lation of the ar m i stice . The de ; n of the three Admi n d c laration ex dated from the port of Navarin, was directed against the expedition to Scio by name ; but that declaration being sent to what is called the Greek Government on the 24th of October, must have been too late to prevent the landing in Scio on the 29th, through the inter ference of the Greek Government; and common reason suggests that if the warnings were intended to be effectual, they ought by all means to have been given to Lord Cochrane and Colonel Fabvier by the Allied Admirals themselves. This not having been done, the Ottoman Porte is afforded just ground of additional complaint, which it has not failed ener getically to express, in regard to the extreme and wanton injuries which it has sustained at the hands of those from whom its long experienced fidelity and friendship had given it just claims to widely dif ferent—generous, fair, and honourable treatment ; and for which, we are grieved to admit, it has in vain looked in the present pernicious policy of the Allied Courts.—.2llorning Post. The trial of Mr. Eneas Macdonnell, for a libel on the Hon. and Rev. Archdeacon Trench, occupied the Court of King's Bench, Dublin, during the whole of Monday and Tuesday. We gave a brief account of the proceedings of Monday in yesterday's Chronicle. Mr. Macdonnell finished speaking on Tuesday, at about a quarter past three o'clock. The Jury retired at about a quarter before four o'clock, and in about four-and-twenty minutes afterwards, returned with a verdict of Guilty. The subject of the libel originated in the Bible battles at riallinasloe. It was contained in the report of a speech in the Dublin Morning Register of the 21st of October, 1826, said to have been delivered by Mr. Macdon nell, at a public meeting of Ballinasloe, on the 16th of that mouth. The Dublin Morning Register had sent a reporter to the meeting, who drew up the ac count inserted in the Morning Register, but Mr. Macdonnell generously threw himself in the breach, to shield the proprietor of the paper. " That speech (said Mr. Macdonnell) I never saw till it appeared in print. I was no party to its publication—l had no communication with those who published it, and, in point of fact, I do not believe I read it, until the application on the part of the prosecutor was made. I avow now that I never saw this speech in the pa per until Mr. Galway produced it to me. Perhaps I may have taken a rash view of the obligations of public men. The Learned Counsel referred to the liberty of the Press. I have always felt that in this unfortunate land, deprived of its domestic legislature, the Press has been always our only and our great protection.— Therefore, whether this Report were true or untrue — if it were any thing like what I said, and that it had not purposely distorted what I said—as a mart of honour, I felt myself bound to see that no man else should suffer. I know not what may be the conse quences, but no consequences should influence me one way or the other. I state facts. You will see that, if this be an instance of ill-judged concession, shall at least go from you without the imputation of dishonour. The liberty of the Press has been the idol of my devotion. I have spoken of it else where—l have written of it elsewhere; I have said what I think of it—that a liberal Press is the lungs of the Constitution, performing the double function of inhaling and diffusing throughout the extremities the vital aliment of public opinion. So thinking, I did not shrink from the responsibility of acting upon those opinions which I felt it my bounden duty to profess." A meeting called at Bal linasloe, by the London Hibernian Society, on the 10th of October, 1826, was continued to the 12th, when it was dispersed at the point of the bayonet, under circumstances of a very irri tating nature, the armed force having acted by the directions of Archdeacon Trench. A meeting', having been called on the 16th, in order to allow a manifestation of feeling on the subject, a very large assemblage took place, and on that day, under the influence of strong excitement, Mr. Macdonnell de livered the speech which contained the subject mat ter of the Libel, as given in the Chronicle of yester day. Mr. Bennett, in stating the case for the pro secution, observed—" If that publication was not a libel, there never was a libel written. That publi cation attacks a respectable gentleman, a Clergyman and a Magistrate—it imputes to him a premeditated disposition to enter an assembly and murder 'his fellow-subjects there—it imputes and charges him in the most decisive manner with the most corrupt and wicked conduct 'in his office as a Magistrate — it imputes to him in the plainest language a suborna tion of perjury, and procuring witnesses to state on their oath that which was false—it imputes to him the abominable and detestable crime of having pro. cured livings in the Church, in order that lie might provide for his illegitimate children." And he added, " Will lie (Mr. Macdonnell) endeavour to allege that it is true ? What right would he have to speak of it, because it might be true ? He alluded to a period of history—to what occurred thirty years ago, when Archdeacon Trench was Adjutant, and a per son was flogged on a triangle. Will he allege such a fact, and make it his defence because he misrepre sents the truth ? As a lawyer, Mr. Macdonnell must know, that that would not be a defence. If it were true, as it is false, he would not be allowed so to defend himself in a Court of Justice. Was a man, after obtaining a character for integrity and truth, to be for ever taunted and aspersed with the crimes of his earliest youth, by every person who happened to differ from him on speculative points. Was he for ever to be gibbetted before the public ? Will the gentleman who was a lawyer so advocate his cause as if his charges were true ?" We have in this cagT an exemplification of some peculiarities in the judicial Procedure of this country, which are well worth the cost serious attention. Mr. Ben nett states that Mr. Macdonnell, in the alleged libel, charges the Hon. and Rev. Archdeacon Trench, " a magistrate, with crimes which, if true, he should be hurled down to eternal and interminable disgrace." When Archdeacon Trench applied for the criminal information, he swore that the crimes with which he had been charged were falsely charged.— Without coming forward with an affidavit de nying the statements in the libel, the Court will not grant a rule to show cause. Mr. Macdon nell met the affidavitr. ,. of Archdeacon Trench by a number of affidavits in support of the statements, which, if true, should, according to his own Advocate, " hurl him down to eternal end in terminable disgrace." If, in the eye of law, it mat ters not whether the charges be true or false, why doge that law impose on a prosecutor a necessity of swearing to the falsehood of the charges imputed to him, and subject him to the hardship of having his fair fame blasted Ina affidavits in support of the charges ? The law mug et rely suppose the truth or falsehood of the charges materia:,.etherwise it would not impose on parties such a preliaLtiery cross firing of affidavits, before refusing or granting the criminal information. If we suppose any principle in the Jaw, we must suppose that there is some ob ject in requiring these affidavits pro and con, and that object can only be the enlightening the mind of the Court with regard to the truth or falsehood of the imputations in the libel. TO require the perform ance of certain acts without an object is idiotical ; and if the affidavits on both sides are without any object with reference to the matter which is to come before the Jury, the Court might as well order the prosecutor a n d defendant to hop round the Court so many times. But if this proceeding is not altoge ther such as an idiot would prescribe, and if we must presume that it is of importance to ascereale whe ther the statements in an alleged libel be true or false, why, in the mune of God, is this inquiry not conducted according to the mode which it is allowed on all hands is the only efficient one for the disco very of the truth ? Instead of the prosecutor - coming forward by affidavit, he should he compelled to place himself in the witnesses' box, that his evi dence may be subjected to the test of a cross examination; and the defendant, in like manner, produce his witnesses, that should be compelled to they may undergo the same ordeal. If it be ad mitted that the examination of witnesses viva voce, is the only effectual security against mendacious evidence, and that evidence by affidavit is the very worst possible, why for the attainment of an object, namely, the discovery of the truth, is the worst method prescribed in preference to the best ? in Mr. Bentham's recently published work, the " Ra tionale of Judicial Evidence," that acute writer has placed in a striking light the " flagrant incongruities" of the Anglican system of procedure in case of in formati on—incongrui ti es,as he observes,"more num e rous,more diversified, more inconsistent, and in respect of their consistency, upon the whole, more revolting to the scrutinizing eye" than those of any other system. "In the third place," he observes, " party may proceed in the way of in formation ; in which care are exhibited the two of the three courses of in- quiry, and masses of inquiry, and masses of testimony above stated, under that head,viz., Ist, Affidavit work, on the occasion of the motion made by the Advocate of Lresus for the rule upon Furius, to show cause why the information proposed to be exhibited against him by Lmsus should not be filed; e. en tered among the records, to form a ground for the definitive inquiry called the trial. On this occasion, LMSI2i exhibits his own testimony, his own ready written and uninterrogable testimony, in the shape of an affidavit, together with the testimony of any such extraneous witnesses as (the transaction having happened to furnish them) can be persuaded volun tarily to join their affidavits to his; 2d,on the occa sion of chewing cause as above, comes on the part of the defendant, Furius, his own testimony in his own behalf; which, being in the ready-written form, and secure against the scrutiny of adverse interroga tion, is therefore admitted without scruple. Of course, unless subject to any special objections, so are the affidavits of as many extraneous witnesses as he can prevail upon to take part with him; for in this stage, the cause affords - not, on either side, any compulsive process for the obtainment of evidence ; so that, in this stage, upon which the remaining ones are built, there cannot be any other witnesses than partial ones." The pre liminary inquiry into the truth or falsehood of the statements in the alleged libel, having been disposed of on evidence impotent for the discovery of truth, then comes a second inquiry—namely the trial— when the best description of evidence is receivable, but where all the circumstances which give their colour to the alleged libel,—namely, their truth or falsehood—are excluded from their enquiry. The worst description of evidence is taken when the in quiry is difficult and delicate, and when the inquiry is merely to establish the fact of publication, which is all that is at issue, then the best description of evidence is called for. What a barbarous system of law is the English law; what a disgrace to a civi lized nation ! Those who raised their voices in fa vour of such palpable absurdities, ought to be treated as impudent and insolent deriders of their fellow creatures, or as ideots. When, however, a prose cutor wishes to establish his character, which of course, if it have been affected by the charges, he can only do by letting in the truth, he acts as Mr. Hartshorn lately acted. That Gentleman felt that suspicion would attach to his character, unless be went into the box, and allowed those who had in jured him to subject him to a cross-examination. — The Attorney-General boasted that it was a "sub ject of the highest gratifiqation to him, that the Gentleman had passed through the ordeal in a manner which he hoped, would satisfy the world that he bad been fully able to justify his innocence, honour and integrity." The Lord Chief Justice observed, " that it was due to the prosecutor to say, that he (the Lord Chief Justice) had never seen a gentle man conduct himself with more propriety in the witness-box than Mr. Hartshorn;" and Mr. Justice Bayley, in pronouncing judgment, said, "the gentle man did right to his own character not to be satisfied with that explanation, but to pursue the case, so that he might have the opportunity, publicly in the witness-box, of exposing himself to cross-exami nation." Then, according to Mr. Justice Bayley, the Honourable and Reverend Archdeacon Trench did wrong to his own character, when charged by Mr. AV - Donned with crimes which, according to the ad mission of his own Counsel, " if true, he should be hurled down to eternal and interminable disgrace," he (lid npt avail himself " of the opportunity, pub licly in the witness-box, (f exposing himself to cress examination." The inference which Mr. Justice Bayley draws is, that every man, when charged with what wouhl disgrace him if true, will expose himself to cross-examination, if innocent, and that his not availing himself of such an ' opportunity, _not to a confession of guilt; at least, warrants the conclusion by others that the charges are true, as they might have been denied, and were not. Mr. Macdonnell wished for nothing so much as to afford such an opportuulti to Archdeacon Trench. " The Hon. and Rev. Arch deacon Trench," he says, " has the right, and he ought, if vindication, not vengeance, were his object, to be in that box to-day. He should have come there and told the truth—he should have denied the statements reflecting on him ; _he had a right to give you the benefit of his own evidence—he had a right to swear, himself, that the publication he com plains of is a libel, before he asked you to swear that it was so. The law empowered him to do so.— Why did he stay away ? Why did he not leave the facts fully before you ? Mind, the Hon. and Venerable Archdeacon complains of a variety of statements, and he does not come forward personally to swear to any one of them as a libel. It is a very safe thing to swear upon paper. He swore they were false where he could not be cross-examined.— He shows that he can swear respecting them, for he swears where he cannot be submitted to the or- deal of a cross-examination. Why does he swear that on paper which he shrinks from swearing be fore a Jury ? Can you believe such a man, that he has been libelled, and injured, and that falsehoods have been told of him ? I heard he was in town this very day; I believe so—l believe he is within a few minutes' walk of this Court at the present , moment. Let him come now,and any advantage which I might claim on account of the case for the prosecu tion being closed I shall abandon —let him come now, and, so help me God, if he vindicate his character upon oath, ix your presence, I will abide the result. I do not appeal to the God of Heaven in vain. If the Arch deacon comes hare and swears that I have wronged him, I have done at once. But if he will not come; if he leave Learned Counsel to state his case, and Learned Counsel to follow up that statement, what will you say to that, Gentlemen of the Jury ? The' Learned Counsel who stated the case, said, "That if al) the charges against the prosecutor were true, he would deserve to be hurled down to eternal, and interminable disgrace.' I never uttered such a libel ; I never talked of eternal and interminable disgrace. j The libel emanates from the prosecutor's Counsel, who tells you, that if these charges were true, his client should be hurled to eternal arid interminable disgrace. If that be true,' says his Counsel; and I now offer to him an opportunity to swear before you that they are not true, I do not know whether there be any chance of his appearance, but I shall abide by my protestation. More, Gentlemen :—from the advanced hour of the day, I trust to the indul gence of the Court that we shall not he concluded this afternoon. Now, I make this fresh offer to the Arch deacon. Let him appear in that box to-morrow, and I will abide the consequences. Gentlemen of the Jury, it may be said that, in point of law, he is not bound to appear." If the Archdeacon be innocent, how ill he must have been counselled to keep back all evidence by which his innocence may have been established. With this damning charge against him, he flies to that law, which, according to Judge Bayley, no man conscious of innocence would resort to, as it leaves ground for szaspicion, and calls for the penalty in the b on d. Oh what a triumph to the noble family to which he is related ! Oh what a triumph to the Church—to the Church of which he is a dignitary ! Jut this is not the worst of this business. The pro secutor shrinks from trial in the county where both parties reside, and where he ought to possess in fltnce, and the trial takes place in Dublin. In that city nineteen twentieths of the population are Ca tholics, and the Catholics form a large proportion of the The Sheriff returns a panel with 5 these there are 531 not Catho lics.ames chosen not one is a Catholic. 5 freeholders . Onames te 4 amongB n In another case connected with it there is a list of 640, and when the panel is stock, not one Catholic. This in a case where the dispute arose out of Bible squabbles—where the prosecutor selects his place for trial—where the defendant is identified with the Catholics—even the Court depart from their rules against poor Mr. Macdonnell. We shall return to this case, to show that justice is not for a Catholic —that he is put out of the pale of the Law.— Morning Chronicle. • It appears from the letter of Mr. Thomas, the con- ' stable of the parish of St. Paul, Covent-garden— whose active exertions to suppress disorderly houses in that parish, and to clear the entrance of Covent garden Theatre of the gangs of thieves and vaga bonds that nightly beset it, deserve the highest praise —that he is about to transfer the execution of the duties of his office into the hands of a substitute. The reasons that he gives for so doing are the ob struction and ill-treatment which he has received from some police-officers, and the reception which he met with from the Chief Magistrate of Police at Bow-street on endeavouring to state his complaint at that office. For a long time past we have felt it our duty to call the attention of the Home Depart ment to the state of the Police. We have taken up the subject as we take up other questions of public abuse—upon public principle. We have en deavoured to bring about a reformation of a system which greatly concerns the well being of society. In doing so we frequently find it necessary to com ment upon the conduct of individuals—not in their individual capacity, but under circumstances in which their conduct affects the interests of the public, and therefore becomes amenable to public opinion. We have supported Mr. Thomas because he has practi- Cally shown that the inefficiency of the Police does not so much arise from the want of adequate laws to abate the nuisances of which we complain, as from the supineness or connivance of the officers them selves. For this we have supported Mr. Thomas ; and also because, having given an example of how much one honest, resolute, and active individual can accomplish, in vindication of public morals and public security, we thought it right that such ex ample should be as generally known as possible, that other persons intrusted with the discharge of similar duties might be induced to imitate it. We regret that a person who, in the execution of a public office, however humble, has sacrified his personal convenience to the interests of society, and made himself as useful to the public as the limited sphere of his operations would allow, should be driven by anything like cabal to adopt the measure of transferring it to other hands. He should recollect that by so doing he acts precisely as those, who have felt his conduct to be a severe reflection on their own, desire. It is true he gives very strong reasons for the step which he considers himself forced to take when he says, " With the various difficulties that a contact with abandoned characters and notori ously bad houses would offer I was prepared to con tend. With the far greater difficulties of a reluctant, prejudiced Police I was not prepared to encounter; for it would be madness in me to sacrifice my quiet, my Circumstances, and personal sgfety, in so perilous a contest." Whatever difficulties and opposition Mr. Thomas may have to encounter, he should bear in mind that such conduct as he has hitherto pur sued in office must always secure the great support of the moral and respectable portion of society. No jealousy on the part of underlings, or petulance on the part of superiors, should drive a man from his station who has such a support at his back. But we trust that Mr. Thomas will, in duty to himself and the public, lay the whole of the circumstances of which he complains before the Secretary of State for the Horne Department, as this affair is so intimately connected with the character and conduct of the Police.—Morning Herald. THE CONVICTS, FRENCH & WILLIAMS. The unhappy men who are ordered for execu tion on Wednesday next, were convicted at the last October Sessions—the former for horse stealing, and the latter for house-breaking. The case against French was clearly established on the till], notwithstanding he endeavoured by the evidence of his son, a boy 17 years of age, to rebut the testimony adduced on the part of the prosecution. The horse in question, which be longed to Mr. Mott, an attorney, at Much Hadham, in Hertfordshire, was put into that gentleman's meadow on the night of the 23d of July last, and at ten o'clock the next morning it was missing ; and it was discovered that Mr. ` 1 "-(A4'..atable had been broken into in the night, and a bride — and - 'paddle carried sway. Three days afterwards the horse was found by Attfield and Garton, officers of Worship -street, in French's stables, at No. 42, Chenies-mews, Tottenham court-road. French absconded, and was out of the way a considerable time, but was at, length apprehended in Park-place, Kennington, and he then admitted that the stables where the horse was found were his ; adding, that he had been paid by some person 11. a week to keep out of the way. It was attempted to be proved by his son that the horse was brought to the stables during his father's absence, by a man named Thomas Shaw, residing in Osnaburgh-street, New-road, who, he said, left it at livery. Shaw, however, was not forthcoming to corroborate the boy's statement, nor was any other witness called on the prisoner's behalf, except two or three who spoke to his general character as having been very good up to the transaction in question. The Jury, on this account, recommended him to mercy. The unfortunate man, who is upwards of 50 years of age, has a wife and a large family of children. Williams, who, though a young man, has, been lon g known to the - police, was we believe, convicted on a charge of entering .the dwelling hono u t s h e e of nNi ght oof Marc, th h e a n B t t of h o F f i e o l d e t - l o a h n e e r , H I a s o t l , b o a r n n a , stealing a cash-box, containing Bank of Eng land notes, and gold and silver coin, to the a mount of 401., besides trinkets, and other ar ticles. A man of the name of Richards, a lodger in the house of Mr. Marchant, heard a noise .on the tiles of the shed adjoining the wall that divided the yards of Mr. Marchant's house and the adjoining one. He put his head out of the back window, and saw Williams on the shed. On being asked what he wanted there, he said he was looking for a dog, for which he had given half a guinea. Richards, seeing him pre paring to get over the wall into the yard of Mr. Marchant's house, immediately went into the yard, when lie found the prisoner had dropped into the water-butt. He helped him out, and another man came to his assistance, when they found the cash-box, &c. concealed under his coat. A watchman was called in, Novae:eh:use, taken to the watch-house, where, upon and he e be w in a g s searched, a complete set of the apparatus for house-breaking, consisting of phosphorus-box, matches', picklock keys, chisel, &c., were found on his person. On his way to tl i i n e t he made a desperate effort to escape. He is about 23 years of age. Since his conviction, he has entertained no hopes that the full penalty of the law would not be carried it was first p ropose d to i A th L: Ar uzA .N w o a y s he e n xtrem el y averse to a i narri T ag A e ß vir l her by her father. When the young Princess Lxorommtra, then about twelve years old, Who was present at the inter view, saw her sister so much disinclined to the match, she said, with extreme naivete, " Dear papa, since my sister seems so greatly shocked at this union, I will go in her Place, and be married to NAPOLEON. I have no dislike to the EMPEROR, and I dare say it will be the same thing to him." " You are a little fool," replied FaaNcis, tenderly n ing, " and know not what you say."...44necdotes of Courts. s F or eign POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL.--A middle-aged, portly little personage, named Robert Clapton, was brought before Mr. Alder man WAITIIMAN, charged with assaulting Mr. Griffiths, a schoolmaster residing in Spitalfields. The complainant was passing through Golden. lane, at half-past 11 o'clock on the previous night, and seeing seve ral persons going into a gin-shop, among them the prisoner and his wife, he followed them to obtain a little refresh ment. The prisoner's wife complained that some one had trodden upon her toes, that she was insulted, was entitled to satisfaction, and expected her husband to take revenge. Without waiting to inquire by whom the offence had been committed, the prisoner struck the complainant violently in the face. The prisoner begged pardon, and expressed his sorrow for his precipitation on the previous night, with much ap parent sincerity. What are you, inquired the Magistrate? Prisoner.—l .am the pot-boy at the Lion and Lamb, in Golden-lane. " You are a good large boy," replied the Alderman, " and an old boy too. Now you are a pretty fellow.— While many a man is struggling in misery because he cannot keep his wife out of the gin-shop, we find you actually engaged in familiarizing your wife to go into one." The prisoner regretted that it was true that he was rather inebriated at the moment, but it was because he had too much that he thought he had not bad enough. Mr. GRIFFITHS consented to receive the apology as a satis faction, and the prisoner was discharged. BOW-STREET.—Mr. Lee, the High Constable of Westminster, was yesterday summoned before Sir RICHARD BIRNIE, to answer the complaint of Charles Giles, a cor poral in the second battalion of Grenadier Foot Guards. The information upon which this summons was issued, chaiged Mr. Lee under the Mutiny Act, with refusing to act upon a requisition signed by Captain Stanley, the Adjutant of the above regiment, calling upon the High Constable to provide a billet for Francis Edwaids, a private soldier. The Corporal on Wednesday last went, by order of Cap tain Stanley, to the residence of Mr. Lee, in Charing-cross, for the purpose of obtaining his signature to the requisition in question. Mr. Lee, however, refused to sign it without stating any reason, and shut the door in witness's face. Mr. Lee called upon the corporal to produce the requi sition, and then pointed out to the Magistrate that it was a defective instrument, inasmuch as it was not signed by the Quarter-master, according to the provision of the Act of Parliament. Mr. Lee added, that for the ten years he had been in office, he had never known any regiment to give half the trouble that this regiment had given in Westminster. Sir R. BeRNIE dismissed the information, observing that Mr. Lee was perfectly right in requiring the signature of the Quarter-master. QUEEN-SQUARE. —Monsieur Rouge, of No. 39, Marsham-street, Westminster, a teacher of the French language, was brought to the office on a peace warrant, by Woodherry the officer, before G. W. MARRIOTT, Esq., charged with beating his wife, awl continued ill usage. Madame Rouge, an interesting young lady, was then sworn, and with considerable hesitation deposed to frequent beatings which she had received from her husband, to whom she had only been married about a year. Mr. MAauxoyr desired the lady to state the day. Madame Rouge stated that on Saturday last he had beat and kicked her in bed, about a candle burning. Monsieur, who appeared in a violent agitation, said that lie was a very passionate man ; his wife would not do as he desired her, and he certainly beat her, but not to hurt her, as she could show no marks. Madame—He has beat me nearly every week since we have been married. Monsieur—Oh, my dear, my dear, I will behave myself better; indeed, my love, I will; pray, dearest, forgive me. Madame—My life is in danger. Monsieur—Oh, no, my dear lore, do try me this time, pray do.—Madame—No, I will bind you over to the Sessions. Monsieur—Oh, my dear love, no ! Oh, Mr. Magistrate, do speak to her ; here Mr. Magistrate, here, before all the spectators in the office who shall all be witness, I will now go down upon my knees in the office and beg pardon to behave better. Oh, dear, lam so passionate; pray, my dearest love, consider. Mr. MA nitiorr now interposed, and thought these strong assertions would be sufficient. Whereupon Madame Rouge's youngest sister, a spirited little girl, about 17; stepped forward, and addressed the Magistrate. She declared if her sister lived with that man it would cost her her life, and fully confirmed her sister's statement as to his frequently beating her. "It will make you laugh, gentlemen," said the sister, " but I must tell you he has now got into the habit of having two kinds of butter, one of which is for his own use ; when he came mwhichohn e Saturday inade o a greatsm e n o! s t e h Batt ;e her butter w r sister r aid as si g ie on b eupon a , dad some toast for her tea; words arose ; and he declared she was very dainty. He then went to the cupboard for the loaf, and finding the top cut gone, he flew into a violent rage, and stormed in the most dreadful manner, and committed the assault." This recital excited loud laughter. Monsieur—She has been told by others to do this. Come, my dear love, do make it up. Madame looked at her husband with the most ineffable contempt, and was inexorable. Mr. MARBAorr said it was his duty to hold him to bail. Upon this declaration, Monsieur's entreaties to his wife were doubled ; he begged and prayed, and would go down on his knees that very moment. At last Woodherry, the officer, suggested, that as he lived opposite the defendant, perhaps all purposes would be answered if the warrant was allowed to stand over. To Monsieur's infinite satisfaction he was then discharg ed, after being cautioned by the Magistrates as to his future conduct. Woodberry said, when he went to serve the warrant he flew into a most violent rage, and was the most passionate man he ever saw. Madame and her sister then retired. MEETINGS OF CREDITORS. LONDON DlARY.—Tcesnay, Dec. 18.—At the Court of Commissioners, Basinghall-street. ' Acton, J., Ipswich 6 Burn, A., Love-1ane......... 11 Billinge, J., Warnford-ct ll Cardinal, J., Leicester ll Booth, W., Worksop ll Cross, 0., New-cut Bray, F., St. Pancra5......... 11 Dove,'W., Paddington 1 COUNTRY DIARY.—TUESDAY, Dsc. 18. Bartlett, C., Plymouth—London inn, Devonport ll Bush, J.,Pembridge—Duke's Head, Leominster l2 Capes, ~ Ddworth—Rein.deer, Doncaster lO Fenton, J., Liverpool—Clarendon, Liverpool 2 Fletcher, J., Reddish—White's, Manchester l2 Fogg, J., Bolton—Bridge, Bolton Goodeve, 8., Gosport—Crown, Gosport l2 Hammond, G., Strensall— , White Swan, Goodramgate ll Harrop, 8., Tarnewater—White Bear, Saddleworth Herbert, and Co., Leamington Priors—Royal Hotel, Bir mingham l2 James, W., Bruton—Blue Ball, Bruton Kinson, W., Bath—White Hart, Bath Low and Co., Stockport—White's, Manchester ....... , rooms,Bishop'sC . astie—Commercial Hotel N p 1 Minton, ett s, E C ., . , Newcastle upon-Tyne—Turf upon-Tyne .................... : .............................. , 13 e7v s cas t°I tie • - • 12 Stanley, T., Stockport—White's, Manchester Taylor, J., Norwich—Mr. Staff, Norwich 6 Turner, J., Cockerham—King's Arms, Lancaster INSOLVENTS APPLYING MTadOdoxl: Petitions to be heard at Portugal-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, BE DISCHARGED, London wall Dec. 10, at I•linF o'clock. Adams, W. Kennington Kimpton, T., Walworth Bale, J., Lambeth! Bradshaw, T., Brixton Sheen, W., Islington . Fell, It., Kentish town Shepherd, W., Walworth Hawker J., J. Deptford §pooner, S., Brixton Hopkins, G.,' Oxford Waltham, C., Smithfield Jakman; G„ Greenwich The Rev. Mr. MEYLER, of ttle Bedwin, has been appointed Surrogate for granting marriage licence*: in the peculiar jurisdiction of the dean of Sarum.—Dorset Chronicle. When CREBILLON was composing his tra gedy of Cataline, a friend called on him, and was surprised to see four large ravens sitting at his elbow. " Walk gently, my good friend," said the poet, " walk gently, or you will put my conspirators to flight." In his last illness, CREBILLON expressed great regret that he should not live to finish his play which he had in hand, having gone through two acts of it only. The only physician who at tended him, begged that he would bequeath him the two acts. CREBILLON turned to him, and with a smile, re peated a line from one of the acts—" Say shall the assassin be the dead man's heir." PRECINCT Olt ST. BRIDE'S.—A numerous Meeting of the inhabitants of the above precinct took place in the vestry room yesterday, for the purpose of choosing Ward Officers for the ensuing year. The chair was taken at half-past two o'clock, by the churchwarden , Mr. LYNN , y clerk, after reading the ac observed that the present c i‘ o f u r . n J t s o s o E f r e S3 I l a l s r t 1 I Iv l e h e e t i v n e g s r Meting was called for the purpose of choosing Ward Of ficers. Mr. ROBERTS, one of the Members for the precinct, announced that the receipt of watch-tax for the years 1826 and 1827 amounted to 1,716/. bs. 11(1., and that the dis bursements conting ent u p on it amo unted to 1 , 6581 . ll s. 6d. leaving a balance in the hands of the Treasurer of b 7l . 14s. bd. The Chairman then said that the next busineis of the Meeting was to choose Members to stand at the Ow nTmaie na cnic e t s atirßy o L f rte, t m h aa e nrdk p sA 7 wr se .e n rß t e. A u T no e: ja i n t A b irait ers TTuwsl M hyic r ah . g agreed after.d t ß os, o 9 a m E e a o s Mr. Wardmote of Farringdon Without. He then read! the SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. • # LIVERPOOL. THURSDAY, DEC. l3.—High water 32 minute . six o'clock. —Wind S. S. W.—Arrived the B i d ' Evans, from Messina ; James, Rankin, from Quebec/0o ashes and timber ; William, —___-, from St. I N. 8., with timber ; Joseph, Wall, from St. 3 1 i 1 :0 with fruit ; Hibernia (steamer), Williams, from P with sundries; Birmingham (steamer), Head, froal',# lin, with sundries; James Watt (steamer), from Gl a t4 with sundries ; Enterprise (steamer), Crawford, Glasgow, with sundries ; Co un t ess o f Lousdale (ge a Marshall, from Whitehav en ; Th e ti s (steamer)/ Tr : l f i from Dublin, with th e ma il.—O ne b r i g and one on° at four o'clock. CLEARED OUTWARDS.—The Triton, Chee/eVoto Charleston ; Aid, --, for Terceira ; W. na t. ' Owens, for Africa. Telegraph, Office, De/ Wind at Holyhead, at Ten a.m. West, blowig Nothing off. LONDON MARKETS. WHITECHAPEL HAT MARKET.—:to ' I IS9. 70s. Od. to 95i. Od. l ('lover 90s. vu Straw, Cd. - to 34g:Od. PRICES OF HOPS (per Cwt.)—Dea.l 4 :, Kent Pockets 4l. 4s. 41. lai• t" Sussex Ditto 31. ISs. 41. 44. to Farnham Ditto, Fine Seconds 41. Os. 01. Os. 01. Os. 31. 12s. 31. 3s. 31. 103. 44 10i. t ° 11. 10s. to (U. Us, to 44 •t 0 31. 10s. to 41. 45. to Rent Bap Sussex Di Essex Ditto 61. 44 PRICE OF OIL. 156 06 Rape Oil, brown , 331. 6 s , Refined •-•,' f./ 6 Linseed Oil 11 a Linseed Oil Cake at the Mill, per thousand itapo Cake, per ton__ Scotch Reds Marsh Chinnpions.— Oznoblos and Shaws PRICE OF POTATOES.—Dee. 14. t o 31. 10s. to I/. Os. pet 3/. 10s. to 41. Os. ditto —3/, 15s. to 41. Os. cl!a: 21. 10s. to 31. 3 3 . cl-2..t./ LEATHER. t ° jl Per sel Tanned Did Yt Spanish Ditto $1 Per doze% 0 Calf Skins— 36 to „ 0). !)_.3 0 Ditto —... 50 to gib, 21 0, Ditto 70 to av,,,,419 Small Seals, Greet , '" 0, (IDES. $e Per Stone. s 9, 0 ft Ordinary ket ' PRICES OF Per 113. d, to d. 8utt5....w....50 to 5C1b..„ 201 224 Ditt0....,,,,,, (10 to 661 b...... 2'24 234 Dressing Hideg 134 17 Fine Coach Hides 17 19 Crop Hides, 35 to 401 b. 14 154 Ditto 45 to 501 b. Iti9 184 Ditto 18 1 204 RAW ___ • . Per Stone. s. (1. to s. d. Best Heifers & Steers 3 0 3 6 Middlings 2 6 210 SHEEP SKINS. oa• (s. sd. to 2s. 3d. Os. oiled 3s. Od. to 4s. Od. Down PRICE OF TALLOW, Si Town Tallow 46s. Od. Yellow Russia 395. Od. White . 41s. Od. Sdap Ditto _ 38s. Od. Atelted Stuff' 365. Oil. Ditto Od. AP, &c. per 112113. — ' 1P 1 1 0, Yellow Soap.--.-^" . " - ~,,f4 ‘ Mottled _ Graves Good Drev.ww••• "' , 14 , efi• PRICE OF RAW FAT, per clone of 8113.- - " , " - 1_,„ . Price by Tallow, (as stated by the Tallow Melters),-,''"-- ~/ PbtICE OF CANLES. ' • The price of Store Can dles, in the retail shops, is a 9 0 104 Candles, per doz. 7s. Od. to Os. Od. I Maids, per doze' COAL MAR] Beaumont . 331. 3d. Heaton Hebburn Main 36 3 Holywell— r 35 0 Kilhngworth 36 6 Liddell's Main Newburn 31 Ord's itedhugh 3 l. 6 Percy East 32 o Polito') Wind50r.,,,,,,,,,,,.. 32 6 Tanfield al 6 Townley 35 0 Willington l--Shi Ships at market, 97y 2 Wylam 35 0 WallsEndßewicke&Co. 38 6 Ditto Brown's 36 Ditto Carr and 31 6 Ditto Cramlington— 34 Ditt o Northumberland 36 3 --- :ET.—Dec. I L 3 9 ' Ditto Hilda SS 0 Ditto Peareth.,,,,....w"' 51 g Ditto II 3g 6 Ditto Russell's Si 6 Ditto Walker 0 6 Ditto Nutt 95 6 30 Londonderry 6 Blyth 32 6 Cowpen SO Marquis Maio 33 ; nartley "••••••11,, 3 Stone Coal f1e3 31- , 36 6 Nesham 9 6 0 Russell's Lyon's --"'"*". 40 5 rt Walls EndHetto,-..... Ditto ' 4 6 0 Ditto Stewart's 59 11 Russell's Hetton s sold, 38%--unsold, J6r COUNTRY GORN MARKETS DURING THF;>"/ 0 0> 5 4 # 1 1 46 4 4 , 40 a' 46 6 4 46 6 4 55 '53 8 1 , 41 5r '43 -- 6 0 5 6 6 6 5 5 6 1 60 43 4 4 i 50 48 (3 4g 44 44 4 4 4 0 . 6 6 4 4 0 , , t 100 Wheat. Barley Oats. Per Quarter. Basingstoke —.— Bath 50 58 50 60 48 62 50 64 52 56 46 56 53 56 46 60 46 62 48 64 56 64 56 60 44 60 52 60 49 51 55 58 34 38 27 31 30 34 29 31 30 30 32 38 34 35 28 33 29 86 27 32 30 32 30 32 25 31 31 33 32 37 27 20 Bridgewater —,— Bristol—. Chesterfield Derby Devizes ----- Doncaster Dorchester Exeter Gloucester—,—.. ilungerford Mansfield -,-- Homsey Shafte;bury --- Shepton Mallet ... Sleaford ~..—.......,,,.... 60 CC 47 60 48 58 62 62 s. d. s. d. 80 90 Taunton 34 37 25 32 28 32 28 32 s. d. s. d. 46 50 Yeovil 22 30 19 2 2 24 3 2 19 17 z" 16 . 3 ° 22 xv 22 32 17 211 99 It) Per Bushel. Shrewsbury —.-- 20 " 24 30, 9 d. 9 6 4 i‘bieA:KilEsuTpS:lied Our marketNBUcoRnCGtiOnHuTeCCsOIitoRN.MARKET.--Dec• it 0 11 r . AO ED of Grain. Barley is 2s. higher on the t:Pit;.htthelut s°' shade lower. Oats, Pease, and Beans, re t o vil alteration from last market-day. Ile ftl' o l ,l Wheat. Barley. Oats. Peat L oj I es ,4 First 7os Od 34s Od 28s Od 4.,q9 pd"" 386 Second Third PRICES OF PROVISIONS, * C. ~ 10(1. t ° 11/ ;i m ße n e t f t , o p ii e___ „_ r lb. ..., 0 0 s. 4 4 d. to 0 0s. e o d. sal Fre t s p h i ß u t o lt____ . ter, l. 6' 9 0 :0 Veal —.................... 0 7 0 9 Ditto, per cu t. 80 0 ,.. 0' Pork ' 0 5 0 6 Eggs, per dot. 1 z i i, Lamb, per qr. 1 6 0 0 OatStrawckp)lo 0 o Tallow, per lb. 0 4 q4i Wheat Ditto.., 8 0 B i l Quartern Loaf 0 0 0 9 Barley Ditto „, 7 0 0 ' Potatoes, 141 b. 0 0 0- 4 gay, per 5t..„„,, 010 EDINBURGH MEAL MARKET.---Doc. 11._„,,Ae 0 We had a large supply of Oatmeal at this Lay'? w•- r lC O ' Per Sack of 2SOlb. Imp. Barleywhi ch sold and p aea heavily,m Per Stone of WI/. 0 1 5 ie ea r adisorafetlhle2rs.loownetrheontopthrcrireil:: 0 I First Oatmeal .EI 17 0 First Oatmeal .......... ,) 6 Second ditto 1 13 0 Second ditto ............ s o 1 6 , Barleymeal 1 8 0 Barle y m e al ...... .. ....... 04 Pcasemeal 1 8 0 Peasemeal .... .* . ............. Pot Barley—No. 1, per cwt. 125.-2 d, 145.-3d,166.."" GLASGOW CORN , A steady demand for Whet] ation. Barley a shade lower, Wheat, per 2401 b. s. d. s. d. ' British, old 3O 0 to 32 0 ------ new c a nvla, free . ... Irish Barley, per 3201 b, English Scottish..., Irish. 230 290 250 276 23 0 .25 6 MARKET..—Dec. lh•alts at and Oats, with little 0, ' Oats, per 16411). 15 o d. 13 to ,0 r p 2B l- 0 1 1 4 6 0 . 1b. 4 11 2 , Irish... ................ British ................ v / p Beans, pee 2601 h. 0 10 English ...... 180 lid Scottish ..... 0 Pease, Scottisn 0 Ig i e 00..tuizape, BIRTHS. o f a 1000nrni.tthhee lath h h iinsnstatanntt:aitusnhortn.:qamu:rte,eArbfrisl.i: : e i 6 I , P a ' Mrs. Barrington, of a daughter MARRIED. . ,4 1 kk i o l i je oi l r, g D e a I t E s D 4u . On the 13th instant, at Mary- le ,bone Char — hi( ' ' P'''.:: Very Rev. the Dean of Rochester, George 1)st lo ' 1 1 .,, Ar n . third son of John Darby, Esq., of Markly, Stt9 l "6i, rfr'' Homfray, youngest daughter of the late S. fl° l/1 of Coworth House, Berkshire. age O a n 2 t l b , e Li 2 e S u t te h n o a f nt A ci p e r o u: g t e c r b tll; His death was oc cAisji Os dr t ße he g a im cc e i n d t ei N ith a l ti d v i e sci l i n ar fa g n e tr o y f . his gun. On the '7th instant, M r . coach-maker. A; On the 14th instant, in his '74th ye ar, th e the Brownnutt, of Blaelif figi*. Waugh, D.D., for nearly 46 years mister of the bury, Anne, relict of Win. Stebbing, Church, in Well -street, Oxford-street. in SW " On the Bth instant, aged "76, at her residence tre' ll Esq., a 5100 8.4 Chelsea. . , ,0 01 , : : On thitith instant, in Holies-street, tatendisu-,11, Canada, ire log,r near at t , V i: f i a t; 0 . 2 Mary, wife of Dr. Colin Rogers, of the Hon. Ea s " Company's Madras Establishment. pp toe', t te On the 14th instant, at Claremoat-square, . -I I 0 1 ' after a short but severe illness, Mary, youngest el , '" ' Rev. Edward Irving. or e 0 On the 14th instant, at Isis house in W ellclose- William Sharp Handasyde, Esq., in his 41 st year. ts il l i ' Lately, en his passage from 13erbice to Arichat, Cif Robt. Wm. Barber, aged 34, a native of Manchester, many years a esident of Hifax. 41. try At Halifax, r (N. S.), after al a few weeks' illness, 18.--5 Wallace, eldest daughter of the Hon. Michael Wall A ce. pie At Montreal, the 22d ult., Christiana Gordemhter wife of Capt. Read, of the Royal Sta f f Cor p s, and daub of Major-Gen. Gabriel Gordon, age d 23. the Ist. Doctor Reynolds. kt . P t On the 11th instant, in his Slst y ear, John Basso, On the 13th instant, Eliza beth, (lau g hter of of Bontilatone House , G lamor g anshire. S e At Hempnall, ' Emily Ann, third daughter of the Robert Rolfe, Vicar of that parish. t tO I p iwom e and PUBLISHED by M. YOITI 4O / a SvN 0 0/10a, No. 112, eivat2o. ✓. r P).4 '7.IN---- N.5 11 /At VIE is fu glsSwa ' l l an( ) I ;r 4 i)ton. vtIk e VINST ti h t ° ls e, B ;t ot. LIAIIN- ( %trat c ‘to , Alu . sx ALA I ehht:ltt 4 ,1 tau : AN Cii 114 4 f 0 orc lre4t. ll 'll lNl3l tWli A foNowi W eYrae N ott • Six. In tl' t Exeter, • 'Windsor Bir na i n g Li . verpo r t 'g .'Seuth ht. V , ln tier bi iltighten fl l ttlterb L mot e l, -4° T N t e 4) ••••eri, h e f or Y, Vot fore For f. 14 '0; -r e p oll ; Neff: 11, ;ur," 11 ttilf or , T auntc wing Lives Two. NOnvj berby befor e ,g befor e R t i iBb 11,4 116 before 8 Notti l Quarte r Holy' bete h ebb and , 14 4 toxaele, Gl beforea4 Cant N.B tuting 'kb ° any p, unless tun e sea''