The Sun. — London, England, 1827-08-18 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. The changes that were to take place in the internal arrangement of the Ministry were not many or important. Indeed, how could they be, when it was intended by his Majesty to re tain the existing body in power—Mr. Canning, though the chief, and an able member, being but one ? It will be seen by the Court Circu lar, that the arrangement announced in the Times of Wednesday was yesterday completed, as far as present circumstances permit. Of course no answer could as yet have been received from Mr. Huskisson, had lie acquiesced in accepting the new honours 'which the changes consequent on the death of his friend must necessarily intro duce into the Cabinet.—Times. Our City article touches on A variety of topics connected with the domestic relations of the country. The affair, however, of foreign ex-. changes is the most interesting, and of greatest importance. We must ever regret that the. Bank has the power of regulating the circulating medium of the country ; but having it, we know to whom we are to look if mischief or perplexity takes place. We have been painfully surprised at the great amount of paper and specie (jointly we acknowledge) in circulation. If the former be inconsiderately suffered to increase, the latter will vanish ; and then, on the first apprehension, whether founded or unfounded, comes there another crash. The approach, however, to that crisis is more difficult now than it has hitherto been, in consequence of the subduction of coun try small notes : gold must be retained for daily use. Accordingly, it will be perceived that the course of exchange advances against us by very slow degrees. Au article from authority assures us, that the large balance, stated to be due to his _ _ Government, by the Mexican Finance Minister, from the house of Barclay and Co., has been greatly dimished by subsequent advances. " Taut miens," we say. We cannot, however, help observing, without exclusive reference to this transaction, that foreign States borrowing money from English merchants, or companies, have been treated in a way which is not likely to re flect the greatest credit on the high-mindedness of the monied interest of this country.—lbid. The report of a trial—or of judicial proceed ings rather, which prevented a trial from taking place—in the West Indies, will be found in an other page of this Journal. The scene was Trinidad : the prosecution was undertaken by a new description of officer, (an officer possibly much wanted), called the " Protector of Slaves." The offence was the unlawful flogging with a cart-whip, of a female slave, an infant of eight years of age. The party prosecuted was the manager (not the owner) of an estate in the island ; his name William LaMphier ; and he was discharged upon a point of law, a majority of the " Court for Criminal Prosecutions" de claring that some necessary formalities had not been complied with. It is to be observed, that the " Protector of Slaves" had already carried his complaint on behalf of the injured slave be fore another tribunal,—namely, the " Judge of Criminal Inquiry," who, after deliberation, an nounced, that the proper jurisdiction under the Order in Council of 1824, was." the Court of Criminal Prosecution." It appears, then, that either fromthe fastidious delicacy of th e Judges, from some negligence in the attorney or counsel for the prosecution, or some gross blun der in the framing of the Order in Council itself, which was communicated by Lord Bathurst to the conquered colony of Trinidad,—the " expe rimental colony," as Ministers called it,—an act of illegal cruelty, perpetrated by a white man on a slave, has escaped altogether unpunished. The tone assumed by the Trinidad and Barbadoes Journals, i n speaking of the transaction, is this :—They do not throw the least suspicion upon either the prosecuting lawyers for mismanaging their business, or on the Judges for a misconstruction, whether wilful or otherwise, of the law ; nor do they e'en blame the British Government for having neglected so to concoct their Order in Council as to render it effectual for the punish merit of offenders ; but they jump all at once to the conclusion that the cause was well managed, —that the successive judgments of the two tri bunals were correct,—that the Order in Council was as well put together as any order upon such a subject could have been ; but that the grand vice and grievance of the whole affair was, Great Britain presuming to legislate at all between the West India proprietors and their slaves. " This," sa y they, " is an illustration of the practical re sults .of legislating in Downing-street for distant portions of the British empire.", One paper as sures us, that if the people of Trinidad had been let alone, they would " probably" long ago have themselves applied some effectual remedy to the evils complained of, Now, we have always heard and are taught to believe, that the ground alleged by Ministers for their interference in such mat ters, was the utter hopeless of any remedy pro ceeding from the West Indian authorities, inas much as they had always declared that no evils existed for which any remedy was required. However, the escape of the present culprit will show, that either here or in the colonies some thing must be done, and done without hesitation, for the safety of the female negroes.—lbid. The whole of our recent accounts from Spain and Portugal serve to prove what we have more than once predicted would soon happen, that our relations as to those countries have now be come critical in the extreme ; and the uncer tainty under which we labour in regard to certain circumstances, gives .a still greater character of peril to the already existing difficulty. The ac counts which we are in the habit of receiving, it is true, are various and confficting; but there are facts which adn3it of no doubt or un ertainty,--namely, that the bigots of Sp a i n are supported by the Apostolicals of Franc e ; th a t the promises of Ferdinand are not to be relied on ; and that the fi-e,e, Constitution granted by the Emperor Pedro to his Portuguese subjects is either not generally approved, or in unsuited to the people of that degenerate country. There was a period when the Portuguese were adven turous, commercial, brave ; but the glorious re collections of what they wore seem now alto getior faded from their memories. Priestcraft and bigotry rule over the many blessing; which their happy soil affords them ; and the mummery of m istaken reiisi.,2n has obtained the ascendant Over sober iDquiry and the results of reason. It is certainly difficult to reason upon the state of affairs in Portugal, fawn our having at present no positiv e data ; but all our recent communica tions u p on the subject characterise - our in terference as unnecessary, illytirried, and likely to end., —ger the repose of Europe in its ultimate eonst., y•ttees. It is evident that the Emperor Pedro must brave been influenced in some quarter .or another to grant his late Char ters. They never' - :coUld have emanat i 2d from himself ;. his religion, his habita . of life, the doc trineswhich he was . educated-L • of the school* - • • must have all conspire o keep him the abso lute, rather than to make him the dispenser of liberal institutions. That Spain should have in terfered with his Charter to the Portuguese, or seduced his subjects from their allegiance, is not to be tolerated ; nor could Spain have been enabled to do the one or the other, if she were not assisted by the treasury and the bayonets of another Power. France, by fraud and. strata gem, obtained possession of the strong holds of Spain ; her Cordon Sanitaire was soon con verted into an Army of Observation ; and it is matter of question up to this moment, whether the quiescent policy of England was not carried too far in permitting it. France, Bourbon France, should be grateful to England—France owes us obligations which neither time nor money can repay ; but if her Government think that we shall so far extend our forbear ance as to allow them to retain possession of the Spanish territory, they will find themselves woefully mistaken. Our object evidently has been to secure the blessings of that peace, which we so dearly purchased, and to secure it not only for ourselves, but for the other Eu ropean nations ; but, nevertheless, we cannot al low our ancient Ally to be torn asunder by the intrigues and the money which France makes use • of through the agency of the wretched Ferdinand. If the Portuguese are unfit for the enjoyment of liberty, we can only pity them ;—if they will be slaves and hewers of wood, and drawers of water, we must lament their degradation ; but the trea sure and the blood of England should not be ex pended upon so worthless a set of benighted helots. England, from the commencement of the invasion of Spain, should perhaps have as sumed a -tone of greater boldness and decision ; however the policy she acted on was to remain neutral ; and until the formal demand of Portu gal for assistance—our Government was satisfi ed with diplomatic negociation. This was unsuc cessful—Spaiii dreaded the infectious principles of civil or religious freedom, and Bourbon France largely participated in her apprehensions. Our interference had still one strong ground of defence—the faith of treaty ; but whether we should have precipitately yielded to the call of Portugal, remains yet to be decided. If we were to judge from the present appearances, we should unquestionably decide it in the negative. The late Premier assured us—that our assistance would be received with gratitude and affection— that Portugal would willingly defray the expellee of any armament which we might forward to her assistance ; but it is now matter of history—that our troops were received with coolness—apathy —distrust—dislike ; and that we have to pay for their maintenance into the bargain. „or would these disappointments weigh mu c h "Itith us, did we succeed in effecting our praise worthy object. Could we perceive a ray of hope that our armed interference was likely to better the condition of the Portuguese—to tage Ferdinand (for his own sake) to the adoption of honesty or fair-dealing—or • to induce France to withdraw from a contest into which, contrary to the faith of nations, she had entered—then, in deed, would we be satisfied with the wisdom which dictated such a course of proceeding. But the very reverse of all this has happened ; what worse may yet come, time only can deve lope. Our situation in Portugal is any thing but enviable ; arms without use ; men without exertion ; money expended without profit to our character or our dignity ; these are not the means whereby England can reach that point of elevation, to which the councils of a wise Ad ministration would have led her. By the last Paris Papers -we perceive the French Govern ment is feeling the pulse of England, as to the occupation of the States of Barbary. Their ambition may prompt them to seek so desirable an acquisition ; but the shallow device of destroying barbarians and pirates, with a view to replace them by French Christians, will not answer. England cannot, and will not permit it.—Morning Post. From various circumstances which have come under our notice of late, we are inclined to think that religious cant, generally the besetting sin of the people of this country, is somewhat on the decline. The higher ranks were so often told that the French Revolution was the fruit of irre ligion, that they deemed it incumbent on them to encourage, as much as they could, an appear ance of religion. The rich in every country are naturally indisposed to asceticism, and there was no intention on the part of those of this to allow their religious zeal to interfere at all with their lax practices. But they used to say to each other, " Religion is a very good sort of thing for the lower orders ; and though there is no necessity for our curtailing our vicious enjoy ments, we ought to make the sacrifice of an hour or two's attendance, occasionally, at Bible Meetings, and appear to take . an interest in such things, in order to encourage religion among the vulgar." The lower orders, and indeed all who had to make 'their way in the world, and to whom the good opinion of the rich and power ful is every thing, took the hint ; and whether they felt any religious zeal or not, were careful to make a show of it. We do not say that many of the higher ranks were nut sincerely re ligious, but merely that there was a sort of understanding among them, whether religious or not, to countenance and encourage religion from the motives alluded to. The sort of feeling among them is happily characterised by Mr. Galt, in one of his novels, where a profligate West Indian, during the prevalence of alarm on account of Jacobinism, sends for a Clergy man when he finds himself dying, and observes to him " it, Doctor, in these times it is the duty of every loyal man to die a Christian." Religion is so natural to man, and the lower or ders in particular are so much disposed of themselves to its exercise, that we believe the higher ranks have very little cause to fear either its extinction or diminution. That their encou ragement increased the amount of real religion, we much' doubt ; but that it increased in an ex traordinary degree religious cant and hypocrisy, is certain. There was a sort of general under standing that all should play at a game of simu lation. That our thieves and rogues of every de scription should not be the poorest proficients in this game, was • to be expected. They soon perceived, as well as their neighbours, the benefit derivable from hypocrisy ; and, as soon as they found themselves within the four walls of a prison, were seized with an ungovernable desire of bible-reading. We have already noticed the observation of Mr. Orridge, of Bury, in his Evi denpe before the Parliamentary Committee, that lirpocrisy goes to a great extent in prisons ;" that ‘ 4 the worst prisoners are :generally the best behaved,"--that is, we suppose, affect the greatest contrition—and " that a complete scoundrel con cea)s himself." Mr. Cunningham would not have detected the motives of the pious men on board hisship so soon, but for the hint of the York shire man, that the hostility of the rest of the prisoners to. them arose from their resenting the practising a deception on the Doctor, for the sake of preferences and advantages gained at their expence. It is admirably observed by Bishop_Patrick—" You must consider how fair an occasion men have to be dishonest, when. others rely so much on their credit that .they will thank them even when they deceive them, and think they have used them very kindly be cause they say so, when they have dealt very hardly with them. This makes many dress themselves up religiously, because it is a more cleanly way of catching the prey when the wolf puts on the sheep's skin. He may devour a silly lamb in a corner, and wipe his mouth, and none can say that he bath done any harm. The well-minded people flock very innocently and simply to a man who is famed for piety ; and now, if be be a beast of piey, there is no such opportunity as this to devour and raven, because lie is taken for one of the sheep of Christ." If pretending piety be favourable to the practising deception, a rogue must be a greater simpleton than rogues generally are, to appear impious. The difference, however, between correct con duct and hypocritical pretences is pretty clearly shown in the rapid increase of our, criminals. In the course of a few years, crime has multi plied tenfold, while such an appearance of piety prevails in our prisons, that if St. Bernard were to rise from the dead, he would take one of our Correction-houses for a well-regulated monas tery of his order. The higher ranks have begun at length to be convinced of the folly of holding out premiums for the encouragement of hypo crisy, and to let things take their natural course. Hence the freedom with which they now venture at meetings of Magistrates, and in Committees of the House of Commons, to inquire into what would have been deemed only a 'few years'ago a very ticklish subject. The foul attempt made in an Evening Paper to fasten Atheism on Mr. Canning, because in his last agonies no Minister of religion was present, has excited very general abhorrence throughout the country. The attempt failed, however, merely because of its having been too late. Many years have not elapsed since e similar appeal to the most disgusting hypocrisy would have been in all probability but too suc cessful. But, thank God, we are not so far gorse as we were—that the better sort of people are fairly nauseated with a cant with which we have been surfeited—and that common sense dare ven ture to raise her voice a little. The Papers throughout the country, organs of the general feeling, all express themselves in the same indig nant language ; and as those who have reeeived the reproof are wise in their generation, we trust the lesson will not be• lost on them. They would as readily have accused Mr. Canning of religion as Atheism, if an accusation of religion would have been injurious to him.—Morning Chronicle. It is worth observing that no public solemnity takes place in this country which does not fur nish matter of complaint on the ground of mis management and violation of decorum. The obsequies of the lamented Duke of York afforded an instance of this reproach upon the national character, which will not soon be forgotten. The scenes which occurred at the lying in state excited tfie astonishment of foreigners, and were quite at variance with the sympathy so universally felt for the illustrious deceased. On that occasion the Deputy of the Lord Chamberlain, who took an active part in the arrangements, attracted to himself a good deal of the public indignation— and certainly never was there any thing of the sort more wretchedly misconducted. It seern2a to be presided over from the - beginning - to - the' end by the evil genius of confusion. The public wishing, as they did, to show every possible tes timony of their sincere regret for the memory of a Prince, whose amiable disposition and popular address d conciliated all classes, were proportionably irritated at finding that it was in the power of some conceited and blundering indi vidual to turn the scene of decent sorrow into one of tumult and disorder—consequently great were the public chagrin and disappointment. We did hope that the exposure made by the Press on that occasion would have worked some good—that it would have pre vented such solemnities from being, for the fu ture, placed under the controul of persons who have neither the good feeling nor good taste to consult for the public feeling, in preference to making officious and insolent displays of their own brief authority. But the funeral of Mr. Canning proves that not even the decencies of the grave and of religion, are yet exempt from the outrages of those underlings in office, who interfere with every thing of this kind only to mar it. The confusion which such persons created in the Abbey ought to be inquired into and punished, to prevent a recurrence of such disgraceful conduct at a future time. It was, perhaps, from an apprehension of such interfer ence that so great pains were taken to render the - funeral of Mr. Canning as private as that of an individual who died in so high a station, and in .possession of so much celebrity, could possibly be ; but why should not a proper and peremp tory authority be exercised to prevent such offi cial vandals fro n disturbing those rites :which to outrage, in the case of the humblest individual, excites indignation and disgust? Why should not some officer, whose rank and qualifications would excite deference, and be a guarantee for the decorous performance of his duty, have the management of such things ? The funeral cere monies of the people of Otaheite and New Zea land are conducted with as much decency as their religious notions will admit—why should England be disgraced by scenes at which the heart of a barbarian would revolt ?-111orning Herald. narrated ye ster d ay . We have said that we should be happy of the to see g so r e rn a e t m in a monument fu e i r i e e c r t a e l d we to memory We cannot for a moment doubt of the wish, al most universally entertained, to offer this, the last, honour to one of the greatest, wisest, and best of public servants. The circumstance of Mr. Canning's having raised himself to the proud station which he occupied at his death, by his talents alone, gives him a double claim on t h e sympathies of his countrymen, who, in honouring the deceased, honour an example which none but a free people can hope to witness. Had the late Minister sprung Trom the loins of the Con queror, there would have been reason to fear that, with the great mass of mankind, the respect paid to his remains might have been attributed rather to his ancestry than to himself, and the lesson it inculcated have been deprived of half its force. He who wanders through Westminster Abbey, and surveys the tombs erected there, will find many whose existence gives him but small encouragement to run the course of high and virtuous ambition. Were all of them titled, he would turn from the show with disappoint ment. But when he sees monuments to genius undecked with either honours or high birth— when he sees the ashes of those whom no adven titious claims brought into notice, whose patent to distinction was the possession of God's highest gift alone (an enlightened and enlarged understanding steadily and virtuously exercised) —he will depart with every motive to ho nourable action, and every inducement to in tellectual exertion, increased and strengthened.— There is another cause why the friends ofthe en lightened system of Mr. Canning, as well as those whom circumstances brought more imme diately withiii the sphere of his personal influ ence, should be forward to mark, in the most decided manner, their admiration of his conduct. They ought to do so to show to the enemies of that great man how poor and pitiful their num bers are. We would have the admirers of sound principle and liberal policy, to come from among the crew of revilers against departed greatness, and leave them, like Corah, and his companions, to sink into the earth from which they sprung. We were happy to find from a correspondent, whose letter appeared on Thursday, that the sug gestion, which we take credit to ourselves for having first thrown out, was likely to be acted upon. Such a requisition as our correspondent alluded to requires but one man of honour and credit to commence it—it will move on without assistance. We are sure that hundreds in this great city would feel pride in setting their names to such a document, and that not even the highest subject in the, land, if properly invoked, would scruple to preside at a meeting summoned for so praiseworthy and honourable a purpose. One thing only, we would impress on those to whom such a requisition may be presented._ Let them recollect that time hurries on with re sistless foot—that new feelings will claim their share of public attention—that old feelings, though not forgotten, will lose their present in tensity—that where delay has once interposed, it will always furnish an excuse for delaying somewhat longer, until that object may be irre coverable by any exertion, which the slightest would, in the beginning, have kept from ever being put in hazard.—New Times. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. • MANSION-HOUSE.—Mr. Gilbert, the proprietor of the Blossoms-inn, Lawrence-lane, was summoned by a gentleman named Parnham, who charged him with having refuied to deliver up a box which had arrived in town by the Brighton Mail. The complainant said, that on Tuesday night he and It friend came to London by the Brighton Mail, and upon their arrival at Lombard-street he gave the coachman and guard a shilling each. The guard, however, was dissatis fied with the perquisite, and said, "Is this all you are going to give us ?"—" I give you that for myself," said the witness, "my friend will of course give you what he likes."—" That he —," said the guard, " I will have half-a-crown ; and if you won't pay it, I'll have this here article ;" and he seized the box, "and I'm if I don't keep it till you pay me." The witness then was appre hensive of being annoyed, and desired that the box should be conveyed to the coach-office, where he certainly ex pected that justice would be rendered to him. Upon ar riving at the coach-office, however, he was told to his astonishment that the box was over weight, and ought to have been charged at Brighton. The guard mentioned, as if in excuse for the neglect, that the box had been brought to the coach in a hurry, and put in the box in a moment, without examination or delay. The book-keeper of the defendant declared that he would keep possession of it until the extra sum of 3s. should be paid. The complainant, ' in answer to a question put by the Loan MAYOR, said that the box had not been brought in haste, as had been stated, to the Mail. It remained at the hooking-office for five hours and a half, and the book keeper looked at the box and their other parcels, and asked if they were all the luggage they had. The LORD MAYOR—Is the box entered in the way- bill ? The book-keeper replied in the affirmative. The LORD MAYOR desired that the way-bill should be produced. After aroma (Wax the waybill was produced, but the items turned out to be niece interlineations, and written in a hand different from the writing of the body of the The book-keeper admitted that those interlineations had not been made at Brighton, but in London, after the arrival of the mail. The Lone 'Maros asked, what was seriously the inten tion of the defendant after having made these admissions? Did he mean to detain the box, or give it up ? The book-keeper said that his master was not in town, and that he knew nothing about the conduct of the guard or the coachman. The LORD MAYOR said it was evident that nothing was intended to have been charged for the conveyance of the box until the guard and coachman were dissatisfied with their perquisites. If the complainant had not voluntarily surrendered the box when required so to do, he would have sent the coachman and guard to Newgate for stealing it.— He hoped, however, that an action in trover would be brought for the recovery of the box. The complainant said he should bring his action. BOW-STREET.—SEDUCTION.—A young man, of very respectable connections, was yesterday brought before Sir Richard Birnie, at Bow-street, after the business of the office had closed, on a warrant of bastardy, at the instance of a beautiful younc , Swiss lady, whose age did not exceed eighteen years, and charged with being the father of her child, of which she was then pregnant. He did not at tempt to deny the young lady's statement, and the Ma gistrate told him that he must give the usual security to the parish that they would not be burthened with the mother or the child..—A gentleman, who accompanied the young lady, said, that it was the defendant's intention to quit this country; and he added, that the lady had been seduced by the defendant under the most atrocious circum stances. She had been educated in Switzerland, her native country, and was highly accomplished. Seven or eight months ago she arrived in this country, and was engaged as governess in the family of a Mr. Alston, in Bedfordshire. About two mouths ago the family were in Northampton, and there the defendant became acquainted with her. H e prevailed on her to abandon her situation ; and as an in ducement for her to elope with him, he produced a written promise of marriage, with a seal annexed to it, and he even went so far as to tell her that the banns had been pub lished,-and shewed her a letter, which he stated was written by the Rev. Daniel Wilson, the Rector of Islington, to confirm his statement. Sir RICHARD—I should like to see that letter, for there may be something to punish such villainy made out of it. The gentleman said it was in his possession, but he had not got it about him. The conduct of the defendant to wards this poor young lady had been the most atrocious lie had ever heard of, and he richly merited being held up to public scorn for having seduced her, and lived with her a month. He was preparing to leave the country ; and the gentleman then read a printed circular, in which the de fendant's father appointed an agent for their business dur ing their absence from this country. Sir R. RIRNIE observed, that as that appeared to be the case he should have inquiries made, and the defendant should certainly not leave this country until he found suffi cient securities; and lie hoped the solicitor was in the office, who intended to bring an action against the defend ant for breach of marriage-promise or seduction ; for a more atrocious case of the kind had never come to his knowledge. He repeated, that inquiries should be made respecting the defendant, and in the meanwhile ordered his commitment to be made out. The defendant, who was observed to smile frequently during the investigation, was then locked up, and the young lady withdrew, accompanied by her friends. A young woman, who is employed as servant at the &etch Arms, in Round-court, in the Strand, summoned the porter of Mr. Cowdry, the brush-maker in the Strand,- to show cause why he kept a ferocious dog.—lt appeared that the poor girl went into the parlour of her master's house to serve the defendant, and a man who was with him, with a glass of brandy and water, when the dog, .tvhieh was then with the defendant, flew it her, and bit her in the face near the eye. The Magistrate said, be could render no assistance ; her only remedy was by an action at law. Mr. Harding, the proprietor of an eating-house, in Ru pert-street, came before Sir RICHARD Biaseis, for the pur pose of inquiring what course he was to pursue respecting the proceedings that informers were now taking against the proprietors of eating-houses, for supplying their customers with beer. Mr. Harding drew the attention of the Ma gistrates to the fact, that the proprietor of an eating-house was a few days ago fined at Marlborough-street, is 101. for supplying a common informer with a pint of beer, and said that if they were to be prevented from supplying their customers with beer, there would at once be almost a total overturn of their business. Sir RICHARD RIRIVIZ said, that if ouch A Me bad bees brought before him, he did not think he should have in flicted the fine. Eating-houses were a great accommoda tion to the public ; and it was hard, when a customer re quested to be supplied with a pint of beer from a public house, that a fine of 10/. or 20/. was to be imposed upon the proprietor of the eating-house, merely because he suffered the pint of porter to come into his house. Mr. Harding said, that the eating-house-keepers were in the habit of having a can full of porter brought into the dining-room from the public-house, and it was served out in pints or half-pints, as it was required. Mr. Wood, the Magistrate's clerk, said that if the eating house-keeper sent to the public-house every time any porter was required, and it was brought in by the waiter of the public-house, and he received the money for it, he thought that the eating-house-keeper would not be liable to fine.— The Act of Parliament said, that no persons but those who are duly licensed shall vend or sell any beer, ale, &c. Now if it was brought into the dining-room by the waiter of the public-house, and he received the money, it could not be vended or sold by the eating-house-keeper. Mr. BEcKETT, a Magistrate, said that that was the plan adopted at the Boiled Beef House in the Old Bailey. Mr. Harding said, that where 500 or 600 persons were in the habit of dining every day at one house, that trouble could not be taken. Eating-house keepers were in the habit of having beer brought into the room in a can, and it was served as required. Lie repeated, that it was rather hard they should be fined for endeavouring to render the public every accommodation they could. Sir R. BIRNIE said, that he was so fully convinced that eating-houses were a great accommodation to the public, that he thought they ought to be protected. He added, that if any case of the kind was brought before him, he would not give any decision until the appeal against the conviction of the Magistrates at Marlborough-street had been decided. QUEEN-SQUARE.—Yesterday a number of persons ent,red the office in a state of great excitement, bringing with them a young man, apparently of rather idiotic ap pearance, who had attempted to strangle a fine little boy, about 15 months old, in St. James's Park. On the prisoner being placed at the bar, a' lady who had witnessed the transaction entered the office with the infant in her arms, who immediately screamed in the most dreadful manner at the sight of the prisoner, and clung with all its might to the lady, who had considerable difficulty in ap peasing it. The prisoner stretched out his arms to the child, who shrunk from him with instinctive horror. At this juncture the mother of the infant entered the office, having by some means heard of the circumstances. She stated her name to be Mary Forbes, of No. 52, Old Round-court, Strand. The prisoner was the son of the landlady of the house, and his name was Robert Water man : she had intrusted her child with him for the last three months, to carry him out. In answer to some questions by Mr. Martazarr, the sit ting Magistrate, Mrs. Forbes said she did not consider the prisoner a natural idiot ; he had no recollection, nor could he deliver a message ; she could not express what he was, but she considered bins harmless. Mr. MARRIOTT made some severe remarks on the mo ther entrusting her child with a person of the prisoner's description. He felt it his duty to hear the evidence, as he had known many escape a just punishment on the plea of being an idiot. Mrs: Amelia Burn, of No. 22, Charles-street, deposed, that as she was returning home about 11 o'clock that morn ing, when near the Horse-guards, she saw the prisoner carrying the child under his left arm ; the infant was screaming, and the prisoner struck it several times over the mouth. lie took a handkerchief from his pocket, and endeavoured to ram it into its mouth. The infant screamed dreadfully, when the prisoner thrust his fingers into its mouth, apparently endeavouring to strangle it ; the blood gushed out from its mouth, and several persons seized hold of the prisoner. Witness wrested the child from him. Had not the slightest doubt but the child would have been strangled had it not been for assistance. The prisoner said it was his own child, and endeavoured to get away. A respectable gentleman, residing in York-street, fully corroborated this evidence, and declared the screams of the child to have been dreadful. The prisoner got his fingers in the child's mouth, apparently attempting to tear its tongue out. The poor child bled at each corner of the mouth, and its struggles were painful to behold. Mr. MARRIOTT questioned all the witnesses as to whether they thought the prisoner was a natural idiot at the time. They all declared he had no appearance at the time, nor did they consider him so. The mother said he was scrry for what he had done, and would not do it again. The panther evinced the most callall4 fie - rizieduring -the examination, which called forth some severe remarks from the worthy Magistrate, at her want of parental feeling. The mother wished to know if the prisoner was to be locked up, and whether he could not have bail. Every person was surprised at this question, and Mr. MARRIOTT indignantly told her he should not answer her questions. _ The prisoner was ordered to be committed for trial, in default of bail. UNION-HALL—Two men, named For and Chuck, were charged with committing a highway robbery. It appeared that on Thursday night a young man named Page spent the graater part of the evening at the Alfred's Head public-house, Newington Causeway, and on leaving the house he gave the waiter a 51. note, desiring him to deduct the amount of what he had drunk. The waiter did so, and gave him 41. 189., and Page then left the house. On passing an unfrequented spot near St. George's market, he was surrounded by five men, two of whom l swore to be the prisoners, who knocked him down, beat lim and kick ed him about the body, and robbed hint of his money. Both prisoners were described as bad characters. They were committed. MEETINGS OF CREDITORS. LONDON DI ARY.•=rIJESDAY Commissioners, 1 Adams, J., Union-street, Southwark ll Collinson, T., Bread-street 11 Craft, G., Oxford-street Crokat and Co., Lawrence Pountney-place Cubbidge, NV., West Wy- AUGUST 21.--(At the Court of iaslnghall-street.) Jessop, W. Oxford.st. ll Joseph, A.;Compton-street, Brunswick-square Letts, G~ M'Kinnon, T., Wapping I Nash, W., St. Mary Axe 1 Neely, W., Sherborne-lane 2 Neely, S., Regent-street 11 Neupert, G., Pall-mall l2 Taylor, - J., Somers-place, New-road ,Underwood, J., Woolwich 11 IWardale, M., Allhallows- coma ll D'Oyle,N'.,Vauxhall-bridge road ll Duke, J., Basinghall-street 1 Friedman, J., Finsbury-sq. 10 Hawes, W., Regent-street 10 llennell, F., Potton, Bed fordshire ll Jackson, J., Poultry lane 1 Wells, J., Aldbourn 1 Woodward, D. Cheapside COUNTRY DIARY.—TUESDAY, Au°. 21. Britton, T., Pensford, Somersetshire—Office of Mr. Grevile, Bristol Brown, G., Banbury—Red Lion, Banbury ll Duncan E. and Co., Liverpool—Clarendon Buildings, Li verpool l2 Jones, E., Asbon—Royal hotel, Birmingham Lonsdale, J., Northwich—George, Liverpool ll Lucas, T., rampton, Derbyshire—Office of Mr. Gillett, Chesterfield ll Mellar, J., Nuneaton—Globe, Warwick Weetraan, J., Liverpool—George, Liverpool 1 AN oolley, 1., Nottingham—Punch-bowl, Nottingham ll Williams, U., Newtown—Oak inn, Poole ll AUQUST 22. Backhouse and Co., Spring-mill, Almondbury—George Huddersfield Bell, T., Liverpool—Clarendon-buildings, Liverpool Cleininson, J., Salford—Hayward's hotel, Manchetter 9 Jones, E., Aston, near Birmingham—Royal hotel, Bir mingham Lacon and Dale, Liverpool—Clarendon-buildings, Liverpool 1 Latham, J., Liverpool—Clarendon-buildings, Liverpool IMPROVEMENT AT INVERNESS. -. The change which has resulted from the opening up of the country by our new roads is little less than enchantment — but 16 years ago, even the mail was brought to us on horseback. It is but eight years since a two-horse dili gence conveying it was as often empty as occupied: we have now three daily coaches from Inverness to the south ward, and one three times a week - and one daily, to almost ultima Thule, to Thurso, although but a few years ago, the road to the seat of one of our very principal northern proprietors was for six miles in the bed of a river, rendering it scarcely possible to get away during the continuance of a flood, at least until its abatement. —ln verness Journal. DREADFUL DEATII BY FIRE.—An Inquest was held before Mr. Shelton, at St. Bartholomew's Hos pital, yesterday evening, at seven o'clock, on view of the body of Sarah Barlow, of Turnmill-street, Clerkenwell, who was blowing the fire, about one o'clock, on Wednes day, preparatory to her cooking some steaks for her hus band's dinner, when a spark caught her clothes, and she became instantly enveloped in flames. In this state she ran into another apartment occupied by lodgers ; who however, prevented her entering (we hope, for the sake of humanity, through fright), and she made her way to the street. In her progress thither, her clothes were lite rally burnt to cinders, so that, by the time she reached the street doer, she was perfectly naked, except some parts of her apparel which were brushed from her person with a birch broom, and with which mice away great portions of flesh. Mr. Charles Caswall, the house-surgeon, in his ev id en ce, stated that, in the course of bis experience, he never met with so bad a case. The deceased lingered till half past seven, on Wednesday evening, wh e n she died,— VtrdictwAccidentally burned to death, LONDON MARKETS. (From the New London Price Current of yesterday.) Rum, BRANDY and HOLLANDS.--There is no altera tion in Rums ; the transactions in Leewards this week are not so extensive as formerly. The late purchases of fine %Jamaica are about 4s. 2d.—Brandy and Geneva are un varied. At the close of the Market to-day, the report of the sales shows the business has been more extensive this week than what was generally anticipated ; about 400 puncheons Ja maica; the fine of a favourite mark realized 4s. Bd., 31 and 32 over 45., and 28 over Ils. 10d. Some Leewards have been sold at 2s. 2d. averaging proofs. TEA. —The Market is rather dull; common Congous may be had at a discount. SPICES. -There is no alteration 'in Spices since the India House sale. Pimento continues in demand, and good quality sells at 104 d. Tonacco.—There are no sales of Tobacco worth re porting. A cargo of Kentucky at Market has been offer ing at 245., for which we believe offers have been made about 225. PaovisioNs.—The imports last week, have been exten sive, but there is little alteration in Beef or Pork.—Bacon is not so brisk as formerly. FlEmr, FLAX AID TlLLow.—Tbe demand for Tallow has rather increased; all the buyers have kept out of the Market for some time, in the anticipation of lower prices when the extensive arrivals should take place, and yester day the sales were considerable at rather advancing prices. In Hemp or Flax there is little alteration. By Public Sale this forenoon 319 casks Tallow, cargo of the Royal George, from St. Petersburgb, stranded, average 345. 9d. a 355. SALTPETRE.-Since the India sale considerable parcels of Saltpetre have changed hands, chiefly at 235. 6d. and 235. to-day the general currency is 245. Asums.—On Tuesday 340 brls. Canada Pearls 295. 295. 6d. ; Pots 265. a 275. DRUGS, DRY SALTtRIES, &c.—The sale closed at a late hour; particulars will be given in our neat publication. INntoo.—The declaration by the Eaat India Company of 1900 chests Indigo for sale the 3d of October, has pro duced no effect on the Market; the whole stock of the Company is reported about 3100 chests, and about 1000 chests in private hands. The safes of Indigo previously in srn:ill parcels were con siderable, and chiefly at 4d. a 6d. per lb. advance on sale prices. CarTox.•--The Cotton Market con tinues steady ; the purchases are not extensive, being conned to 1200 bags for the weds ending last night inclusive,. WHITECHAPEL HAY MARKET—Aug. 16. 80s. Od. to 115 s. Od. j (lover 90s. Od. to 1475. Od. Straw 40s. Od. to 4( ;s. Od. PRICES OF HOPS (per Cwt.)- Aug. 17. Kent Pockets 3/. 12s. •1/. Os. to 41. 10s. Sussex Ditto Essex Ditto Farnham Ditto, 01. Os. .51. 12s. to 61. 6s. Seconds el. Os. 411. 4s. to 54 ss. Si. 3s. 34 15s. to 41. 2e. 2/. 16s. 31. 3s. to 31. 10s. 3/. Os. 31. 10s. to 31. 16s. Old Duty laid at £95,000. Kent B, Sussex Ditto Essex Ditto., PRICE OF POTAI OES.—Aug. 17. • New Ware PRICES OF Per lb. d. to d. to Ditt0,.,,,,,-.60 to 661 b.— Dressing Hides 13} 16 Fine Coach Hides 16 18 Crop Hides, 35 to 401 b. 141 15 Ditt0.,....... 45 to 50th. 17 191 Ditto lBl 20k LEATHER. Per lb. ► d. to d. Tanned Horse Hides.«, 12 15 Spanish Ditto 15 20 Per dozen. Calf Skins— 36 to 401 b. 18 23 Ditto 50 to 701 b. 24 26 Ditto 70 to 801 b. 21 23 Small Seals, Greenland 18 19 RAW HIDES. Per Stone. s. d. to s. d. Per Stone. a. d. to s. d. Best Heifers 8r Steers 2103 4 I Ordinary 20 2 4 Middlings .2 6 2 8 Market Calf 7 0 each. Downs SHEEP SKINS. Os. Ocl •to Os. Od. I Is. 6d. to N. 2d. Os. Od. to Os. Olt ' PRICE OF TALLOW, 90 TOwn Tallow 425. Od. Yellow Russia. 395. Od. White 39s. 6d. Soap Ditto 38s. Od. Melted 345. Od. Ditto 21s. Od. , AP, &c. per 1121b.—Aug. 17. Yellow Soap. '76s. Od. Mottled B2s. 665. Od. Graves 2os. Od. Good Dregs ..... ss. Od. PRICE OF RAW FAT, per stone of 81lt—Aug. 17. Price by Tallow (as stated by the Tallow 31elters) ..........—..25. Sjd. PRICE OF CANDLES. The price of Store Candles, in the retail shops, is as follows : Candles, per doz. '7s. Oct. to Os. Od. I 11fo aids, per dozes ........„. Bs. 6d. COAL MARP Adair's J 32s. 6d. Beaumont 3l 9 Eighton Main 29 6 Forrest Hpl well 1.3 31 6 Old Walker 35 0 Ord's Redhugh 29 6 Pelap; . 31 0 Percy 30 0 Pontop 31 0 Shipcote 31 6 Tanfield 32 6 Townley 3l 9 Wylam 32 9 Walls Rod Bell and Co. 34 6 Ditto Bewieke and Co..- 38 0 Ditto 34 0 Ditto Burraten .-.--.. 35 6 Ditto Carr and Co..— 34 0 Ditto Craralington.—..— 32 9 Ditto Hilda Ditto Northumberland 34 6 Ditto Peareth 34 0 Ships at market, 834--Shi .ET.—Aag. 17. Walls End Newmarch.. 365. Oci• Ditto Riddell's .36 6 Ditto Russell's _ 6 Ditto Walker :40 marmii=l,l g Lambton small 17 6 Londonderry small lB 6 Ellison small 17 0 Culm Chtistie 29 0 Culm Cox 29 0 Elgin Main 0 Fordel Maiu. 35 6 Hartley '2 0 Llangenneth 42 0 Stone Coal Cox 45 0 Inverkeithing Splint 30 6 Stone Coal :Berrington 42 0 Eden's 6 Russell's Lyon's..—.—„, 34 6 Walls End Hetton,—...... i 9 0 Ditto Lambton 38 0 Ditto 36 0 Ditto Stobart's 31 0 Ditto Stewart's 39 CI ,ps sold, 55—Unsold, COUNTRY CORN MARKETS DURING THE WEEK. Wheat. Barley. Oats. Beans Per Quarter. Ashburn.* s. to is. 58 66 51 61 56 60 Basingstoke .—......, Bath *NM Bridgewater ....... Bridport ..—.....--.. Bristol -----,....«. . to a. Chesterfield —,—. Derby .w.............,. Devizes Doncaster —,..—... Dorchester Exeter..—...,.,—.,—. Guildford Hungerford Ipswich ---- Mansfield ...........-- Newbury—..,-,.... Northampton ....... Reading Salisbury Sandwich .- Shaftesbury Shepton Mallet Sleaford Taunton -- 56 56 58 62 56 64 63 66 SI 60 59 66 56 66 68 70 56 58 44 64 52 60 58 65 62 66 53 55 50 6.1 54 60 57 68 56 62 57 65 Uxbridge .................. Wantage Warminster Yeovil Per Bushtl, Buckingham...—. Shrewsbury 60 62 54 56 56 64 57 71 48 65 50 58 58 62 s. d. s. d. 60 76 99 10 1 36 40 38 42 33 s o t 36 4 - - 2 9 36 32 42 36 40 38 40 36 42 32 36 34 40 36 42 40 43 37 40 95 40 - 40 34 38 40 42 40 42 40 44 42 46 30 36 st 3 40 40 44 s. d. 8. d. 40 50 00 00 BIRTHS. 1. tge s. 29 34 29 34 31 40 24 32 26 28 20 28 28 36 28 32 26 32 23 35 27 35 30 32 28 85 25 33 24 33 40 44 az 35 *5 38 30'• 39 25 38 28 32 29 36 32 34 32 35 32 39 25 39 25 35 25 40 32 36 a. d. s. d. 36 43 76 90 s. toy. CO , 64, 62 68 51 51 56 48 54 , 58 6* 60 63 54 6* 59 6`e 54 CO 52 60 56 150 50 56 56 61 48 51 66 'lt 54 62 56 61A 58 5511 56 64 45 48 - 59 62 61 54 56 - 64 50 5e 58 Ot o ; 56 64, s. d. a. d. 60 70 0 0 12 0 On the 16th inst., at Bigods, Essex, the huly of Charles Drummond, Esq., of a daughter. _ _ On the 13th inst., at Stoke-Newington, the lady or G. S. Heales, Esq., of a eon. On the 16th inst., Mrs. John. Campbell, New-stmet,, Spring-gardens, of a daughter. On the 16th inst., at Bartitilftlie lady oit C. if. Blake, Esq., of a daughter. ' MARRIED. Lately, at Newport, Monmouthshire, Mr. M. 11. Cull 4, ' of Bristol, to Susan Taylor, second daughter of the late Mr. Samuel Allen, of Cardiff, Glamoiganshire. On the 15th inst., at the Friends' Meeting-hone, White Hart-court, Thomas Bevan, Liverpool-street, surgeon, ter Hannah Marishall Bennett, of Cannon-street. On the 15th inst., at St. Andrew's church, Plymouth,. by the Rev. John Hatchard, Mr. James Hay Waugh, son, of the Rev. A. Waugh, D.D., to Sarah Short, youngest daughter of John Symes, Esq., of Plymouth. • Mr. Benjamin Moore, of Ebury-square, to Ann, eldest daughter of the late Mr. Christopher Merrick, of Stamen. On the 16th inst., at St. Mary's Church, St. lua r yk,. bone, by the Rev. - W. I. Birdwood, M.A., Robert D'a-sh wood, Esq. of the Royal Engineers, son of J. Dast woo d, Esq., of Harley-street, and Forest-Lodge, Berkshire, 'Lc" Henrietta Mary Annette, only daughter of the late Major John Thomas Eyre, and niece of Henry Samuel• Eyre„l:l - of Bryanston-square. On the 16th inst., at Allhallows, Barking; Mr. Isaac Worley, jun., of Bow-lane, Cheapside, to Sarah Ann Stain tan, youngest daughter of the late Leonard Staff, Esq., of Stroud, Kent. On the 14th inst., at St. Botolph, Aldgate, Mr. Price„ of the Minories, to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Mr. Dickin son, of Gloucester-terrace, New-road. DIED. On the 16th inst., Richard %T., infant son of Mr. J. K. Hooper, of Queenhithe. On the 15th inst., at Hindon, Wilts, in his 73d year, Thomas Lawford, Esq. On the 11th inst., William Botlin, Esq., of the Stock Exchange, aged 32. On the 12th inst., in the 83d year of her age, M u . Thurlby, relict of the late Mr. Wm. Thurlby, of Wapping. On the 13th inst., at Deptford, Wm. Payne. Es q ., i n hi s 80th year. PRINTID Ar gli P .o tTß l L F :S c H s 7D w l ( 7 . ' I M I YOUNG,uta. the Yoi.l derland out; ] Ferryb ford, l early n S. Friend' for any of mon unless at the Undo Sold feesra Londoi divine ' at te, r . ee is t d ,. %treet, )11 JTL fo r i t , N+ I In t AN To be This d RE' BY the " Fie and yet I Me in till country i Printec VEL LI: mut SKIN The folio Birnw with twc Market-s ney Stra Coventr) ham, to Shelton, and Hol] Birmi" coachrnei wick, Le: and Ston early the Barnst North I Chumleil Bath borough, noon at Landon Bostor Huntingi Spilsby, '''en, St Cambj and R oy , quarter Carlis] and Whi pleby, I Richmon caster, N Stilton, direct Cc Chest( porley, A Coven through Weedoa, Dover Dord Blackwa Salisbur: five and Dartn Brigham Exete; Charrnot Sali Water, I Gl asg( tlr axv „hi Well, anC lyb and Salo caster, " Roekit Kends Chorley, Leeds 13 iggleste ford, s ta Markhat Ferrybrii Afternoo fax, Skij mien onl3 Liven Ina six. Liveri and arril Newport terwortb Rudgelel ford, W; Liver] coachme Gonglet( and Stal arrives a Manc Arms at Manc hampun garll lug, Ne' one coat Parton, New Afterno Plym burton, Ram! liroadst jug at I Sheff Rather,' Soutl Winche Water, Coach a eleligh "Y, St Staffs Shelton Chapel. Wan 'entry, Welll Coacbef Wolff Mich, P Wor, Woodst ton, M Broads came E Herefoi to all p