The Sun. — London, England, 1827-04-06 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. The affair of the Premiership, if we may use , the word, rests still as uncertain as ever. Some of Mr. Canning's friends are confident ; himself, we believe, less so. Perhaps, indignation at the treatment he has received, may deprive his countenance of that hilarity which the belief in his approaching elevation would otherwise im part to it,—that is, provided he does believe that his elevation is approaching. The Duke of Rutland, at the visit of which we gave an account, not only spoke of his own opposition to Mr. Canning as Premier, and of the course which he meant to adopt with respect to the representa tives of his dependent boroughs, but was the bearer of an intimation to the same effect from the Dukes of Beaufort and Newcastle and from Lord Lonsdale. What would the men have ? Whom have they got of talent enough to direct the councils of the nation as chief? However, all these circumstances inform us very fully, that if Mr. Canning be Prime Minister, he will be betrayed and thwarted by those to whom, in that character, he,would have a right to look for sup port ; and the affairs of the nation are no sine cure, even if all who have the direction of them were sincerely co-operative. The Duke of Wellington and Mr. Peel have acted, we believe with openness of manner and integrity of heart throughout the whole affair ; and their since rity in promoting the objects of a joint Admi nistration of which Mr. Canning should be chief, may therefore be relied on, if the present and even dangerous state of things should terminate in such an arrangement. The object of Sir Thomas Lethbridge's motion, which stands for to-night, in the mind of the mover is obvious : still we think it fair to call for an united Administration upon great State"questions, though the person so calling would have the unanimity in a different sense from our selves. He is said to have received his hint from a quondam high officer of the House of Commons, whom ambition spurs on to seize the first place in the Ministry also. There is no class of men who have so much disappointed public expectation as the Speakers of the House of Commons, whenever they have come to contend with others upon equal terms in the common arena of debate. There was once an idea that Mr. speaker must be a profoundly erudite anti ready man—of vast capacity of mind— eau his mind 'cored to its utmost capacity with every kind of useful knowledge—with an eloquence to give that knowledge utterance. Mr. Addington cured that prejudice : he broke the charm which no subsequent Speaker had ever had power to recom pose. Very ordinary and flimsy talents have been found to suffice for a Speaker. The sitting part of him is more in request than the thinking part. It may not be recollected that there was the same di latoriuess, perplexity, and irresolution in forming a Ministry on the death of Mr. Perceval, as has now oc curred. It was after weeks and weeks of delay that Mr. Stuart Wortley wished to call upon the Crown, in a mo tion made on the 11th of June, 1812, to form " an Ad ministration that might be entitled to the support of Par liament and the confidence of the nation ;" it being held on all hands that Lord Liverpool was not a person capable of presiding over an Administration fit to govern the coun try. Lord Castlereagh owned that such an Administra tion ivpuld be but a dull one, yet that, " at least, it had one recommendation to public confidence, and that not a small one---trey had no disunion among themselves."— (" Hansard's Parliamentary Debates," vol. xxiii.)—Yet Lord Liverpool has managed to go on taliter qualiter, and it was not till many years after that Lord Castlereagh was exchanged for Mr. Canning. Who would not allow with the Swedish Chancellor Oxenstiern, that but little sense is necessary to govern the world ? Tunes. Our city article presents some subject for re flection. Of the Bank Directors who go out by rotation and are subject to a re-election, two will not pi.esent themselves anew. Mr. Jere miah Harman resigns by choice. This gentle man is not only one of the oldest Directors, but is, we believe, also a specimen of that ancient and respectable character—a British merchant— which is, we fear, now becoming extinct: direction would suffer in its dignity and conse quence by the retirement of such a man as Mr. Harman, even if the substitutions for him and others were happy ones. The old British mer citant and the new are as different from each other as Hamlet's two pictures of the last King of Denmark and his successor ; and we might Say, with little variation— " Look here upon 'this picture, and on this, " The counterfeit presentment of two merchants," &c. One was the merchant, the other is the mer chant! Mr. Harman hed nothing4o do with i the late infamous joint-stock compaiiiesAwhichahave inflicted so much mischief on the nation, and On individuals and families. Now, the case with ,respect to some of those who are to succeed to the direction is so different, that we should merely wish to know, as a matter of calculation, in how many of these once things Mr. Alderman Thomp son has been rned as a Director we believe he will hardly be exceeded by Mr. Matthias Attwood. Perhaps Mr. Thompson will favour us with the list himself, or some of our correspondents will do it for him. And is this a man to make a Director of the Bank of England in the 19th century. Why, then, may not Messrs. Bent and Brogden aspire to the same situation ? In the barbarous States of Africa, it is a rule that whoever aspires to the situation of a chieftain should bring the skulls or jaw-bones of the enemies with who:A he has been engaged, as a test .of his merit and competence to Ell the situation to w. ttich he aspires. Let Mr. Thompson do the same; let prove his competence to the office of Bank Director, by producing the skulls and jaw-bones (the greater part of the bodies being defunct) of all the bubble-comeanies with which he has been.en gaged, during, the late season of jobbing. We say these things with as much pain as we inflict : but we would wish to ievive, if possible, the anent character of the British merchant ; and we know that t!'sre are still respectable men in the city, who have conducted their own concerns with quietness and prudence, and have no Connexion with the late wild and desperate speculations : among these the Bank might select its Directors. Mr, Campbell, who, with Sir John Lubbock, is addressed in a letter, signed by . a Spanish bondholder, is also a Bank Director. We would direct the attention of both the persons thus addressed, Mr. Campbell and Sir John, to the letter ; and shall have gregt pleasure in inserting their answer.—lbid. The statement of Lord Suffield last night, in the Committee on the Spring Guns Bill, gives a strange idea of the pleasures of a country life. The Country Gentlemen seem really to have at tained to a very tolerable proficiency in the noble art of killing and maiming their fellow-creatures. It is a pity that the name of the ingenious Gen tleman, the friend of his Lordship, who con trived to attach a shell to a spring-gun, so that those who took tip the gun after it had been dise charged. without iceNving the nature of the con trivne.e, were b:own to atoms—should be lost t.) ate w 0.14. The attaching shells, too, to boughs of trees, is another noble invention. One is almost tempted to exclaim, after Swift, on hearin g of these amusements of the class who are the peculiar glory of this country—" By what I have gathered from your own relation, I cannot but conclude the bulk of you to be the most pernicious race of odious vermin that Na tere,ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth." Thomson might exclaim, in his en thusiasm for rural life— " You cannot rob me of free Nature's grace; You cannot bar my constant feet to trace The woods and lawns, by living stream at eve." Yes , ,; woodi with shells, to blow men to pietei, s uspended front boughs ; and lawns, with . ep f ; cp.-guns and m an-traps! W e ca n read of those c onceive, f ezn zz what we have employed in torturing, that Gentlemen may at length bring themselves to enjoy exceedingly the diversion of blowing their fellow-creatures to atoms by such ingenious inventions. Grevitis, an Armi nian Clergyman, who in his confinement had oppor tunities of witnessing persons put to the torture, says, that what gave most pain to the•poor victims, was the savage looks of the Judges, and the bitter laughter and mirthful gesticulations of the torturers, eager to begin their work—" judicurn terribiles mine, truculenta verborum fulmina, acerbi risus, carnifi cum etium lretabundorum et gestientium, quasi ad has operas, torvi in miseros vultus, et dux ac crudeles i means, ante ipsa cruciatuum nitia, miseros pene enecant." The countrygentlemen have acted wisely in consenting to a restraint on themselves in these horrid indulgences. What might at first be resorted to as a means of protecting game, or taking ven geance on a poacher, would soon come to be relished as an excitement. In the middle ages, Barons used to amuse' themselves with letting men fall through treacherous parts of floors into vaults, filled with all manner of spikes, which entered their bodies, and produced the most exquisite suffering. The inge nious friend of Lord Suffield would have been a great man in those days, and even yet would, per haps, be an accession to the Inquisition.—Morning Chronicle. The best proof that nothing is actually known as to the final arrangements of the Administra tion, is the variety of reports which are afloat upon the subject. Among others, it is stated, that Mr. Canning is to have the Premiership, but shorn of the Church patronage ;—another, that a Noble Duke has represented to his Majesty a decided objection, on behalf of himself and other powerful borough-owners, to Mr. Canning being the Minister ;—and a third, which is rather a conjecture, is, that when a certain Learned Lord, who has not yet seen the King, obtains an au dience, the thermometer of Mr. Canning's hopes may still fall to the freezing point. There pro bably is not the slightest foundation for any one of these reports, .with which political quidnuncs, who generally think themselves wise in propor tion to their ignorance, amuse and play upon the credulity of the public. We have all along ex pressed our hope that the secession of Lord Liverpool will not deprive the country of the services of Mr. Canning ; but we have also all along thought, and still think, that those services are of most value in the office which he now holds, and that to remove him to another would only be to increase the difficulties and embar rassments of the country. And this is the very , ground upon which his continuance in office was at first so strenuously urged by those who now wish to see him placed at the head of the Trea sury. " How important is it," said they, " that the various negociations now on foot with Fo reign States should not be taken out of the hands of the person, who is alone acquainted with their intricate details, and therefore alone capable of bringing them to the desired termina tion." Now, however, we find them advocating a totally different arrangement,—one which must necessarily remove Mr. Canning from the Fo reign Office ; and because we do, so far, not worship the god of their temporary ido latry, as to prefer the gratification of mere ambition to the welfare of the country, we are assailed by a portion of the Party Press, in a manner which we consider the best com pliment which it can pay to our independence and consistency. They mistake their object, too, if they seriously imagine that Mr. Canning can be for a moment caught or misled by the kind of ser vile flattery in which they deal. That praise is the ambition of great minds cannot be doubted; but :praise is only valuable as it is just; and no mind can be truly worthy of praise which cannot so far resist its influence, as first to weigh both its justice and the motives of those who offer it. Treating seriously, for argument sake, the reports we have [not believe for a moment that Mr. Canning would consent to take office upon the terms there stated. Instead of gratiting ambition, or placing him upon the eminence he is supposed to aspire to—an eleva tion coupled with such a condition, would be, in fact, a degradation, the submitting to which would cast a stain upon his character and honour, by im plying a distrust of the soundness and integrity of ' his principles equally groundless and unjust. ,Of the second report (viz. the object of thek4M, Rutland's visit to Windsor) we should be ratlier:in filined to believe that it had no political object, but c x -as merely to give,his Majesty an opportunity of pressing to the Duke,his Majesty's sense of the uke's kindness and deVoiion towards his deceased r oyal Brother. But even had the Duke's visit the h u o t s l y t 0 whichtalk of f s sasuscie an interference inttoerfietr,..weee onc tnhoetpaargtreoefwlthe Aristocracy as un constitutipnal. , The Peers are, in fact, by the Constitution, the hereditary counsellors of the Crown : and every Peer of the realm has a right to solicit an audience of the Lin g , and to represents to him his, opinions upon the state oLpublic affairs. It is true that. such a step is seldom resorted to ; though there have beeN , precedents of it, on more than one occasion.during.the later King's reign. Of the last report, cr rather conjecture— viz. as to the effect of the hitherto dormant influence of the Lord Chancellor, little need be said. Between that venerable personage and Mr. Canning, it is pretty well Understood that there can be no very warm sympathy or accordance. Hitherto, however, that difference has been powerless or immaterial on all State subjects except the Catholic question ; and we do not see how Mr. Canning's merely changing his position in the Ministry need or can affect either the attachment or the smothered antipathy which may exist between him and his venerable colleague. That the general wish of the country is that Mr. Canning should continue in the Cabinet we have no doubt; and it , ip one of the advantages of our free Constitution, that pub lic opinion tan never be without a weight and influence, which no spirit of intrigue, or other motive, can long have the power to countervail.—Morning Herald. The King arrived in town yesterday evening, and is expected to hold a Council this day at St. James's Palace. When the pleasure of his Majesty in the appointment of a successor to the Earl of Liverpool is made known, it will not only show the wisdom of the selection, but fur nish a new proof of that earnest desire to meet the wishes of the country, which forms so pro ! mment a feature in the character of the present Reign. The public will then see how gratuitous the alarm is which the factious portion of the Press affects to feel, and how malignant the sur mises are in which it has ventured to indulge, whenever it has vented its venom in the discus sion of this most interesting subject. We do not regret this new effusion of factious rancour, much as we detest the motive, as it will add, if pos sible, to the respect and confidence which the nation must ever continue to entertain towards its Sovereign. No one would have less cause to feel offended at this display of malignity than the King hiinself, if he merely consulted his po- Pularity, because it never fails to draw more closely round him the affections of his_ subjects. To' a wise and good Monarch, faction, except in very rare cases, serves merely as a foil to show the benefits resulting from his Government to greater advantage ; andithough the factious have had abundant proofs of this in the present Reign, yet the lessons of experience seem wholly lost upon them. We once thought they were only vulgar, noisy, self-important agitators, with ai greater admixture of knavery than folly in their cbmposition ; but we must now alter this opinion; for an instance of greater folly and extra vagance than their attempt, by rude clamour, to dictate to the King in the choice of his chief ad visers is certainly not anywhere upon record. In the first place, it betrays such an utter ignorance of his character as to suppose that he would be di verted by so clumsy an artifice from the free exer cise of his discretion, that such a supposition could never enter into any head that was merely wicked ; whilst it takes such a circumscribed view of the personal influence of the King as could never origi nate in an intentional misrepresentation. It is well known to every man of the least discernment that his Majesty possesses far greater power than any of his immediate predecessors, not from any unconsti tutional stretch of the Prerogative, but from the contrast of his personal character. Whilst he enjoys the full and free exercise of his Kingly Authority, and a personal consideration at the same time, such as no Monarch befor e him enjoyed for the last two centuries, it is pre-eminently idle, as well as ridi culous, to say that he cannot follow the suggestions of his own wisdom on so momentous an occasion as the choice of his Chief Minister. To defend his right upon constitutional principles would be alto gether supererogatory, as there is no dispute what ever on that subject ; and we trust it is now unne cessary to vindicate it upon the score of expediency, after the many and splendid proofs he has given of a penetration which nothing can deceive, and of a love of true glory, which, as all the acts of his reign attest, is synonymous in his person with love of his people. To what safer hands, therefore, can the choice of a successor to the Earl of Liver pool be entrusted than to those to which it belongs by virtue of his Royal Prerogative ? We can only say, that any attempt, enforced by factious means, or supported by underhand intrigue, to divert it into any other channel, would be as inconsistent with the best interests of the country, as incompatible with the spirit of the Constitu tion, and would be repelled with indignation. The King can only be influenced by one motive in the nomination, namely, the desire of imparting the utmost possible strength and harmony to his Government, and without which it would be vain to count upon the continuance of concord at home or of respect abroad. Whatever his choice may be, it will have the powerful recommendation of being the result of mature deliberation, to which was brought the.clearest insight into the various folds of the human cha racter, aided by a judgment formed upon long and familiar intercourse with men of different shades of genius; and to suppose, therefore, that it will not give satisfaction to the public, would be a libel upon the good sense which has ever characterized the people of this country. In conclu sion we must say, though we have said it again and again, that there is not say one man in the country, however high his reputation or splendid his endowments may be, whose presence in the Cabinet is an indispensible condition either of its strength, respectability, or true popularity ; and we can conceive nothing so precarious as a scheme of national prosperity which rested upon the sole support of any in dividual.—Morning Post. ARIGNA MINING COMPANY. REPORT FROM THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE ARIGNA MINING COMPANY. ORDERED, BY THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, TO BE PRINTED, MARCH, 1827. (EXTRACTS TROU THE REPORT.) The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the origin, management, and present state of the Arigna Iron and Coal Mining Company, and to report the same, with any special matter touching the conduct of any Members of this House, together with the Minutes of Evidence taken before them, have examined into the matters re ferred to them, and now submit their Report to the House; subjoining to it in an Appendix the evidence both oral and documentary on which it proceeds. (Concluded,from our Paper of yesterday.) Of Sir William Congreve, there can be no doubt, that by himself or his agent he was one of the principal parties in the transaction. In fact, his name is linked with every part of it; but whatever suspicions that circumstance may excite, it does not necessarily follow that he is involved in the fraud. [The Report here comments upon the probable way in which Sir William Congreve, had he been really innocent, would have acted when he first learned the charge of fraud, the indignation he would naturally have shown, and the haste he would have used to exonerate himself from all im putations of fraud.] It then proceeds as follows The Committee must with concern observe, that the feelings and conduct of Sir William Congreve, as collected from his own evidence, differ considerably from those of which the outline has been just delineated. He was strongly pressed in his examination, to state whether, on hearing the transaction of the purchase, charged with fraud, he had inquired of Messrs. Clarke what had been done, or I.4,cooikuisined. £ it, oe.l.6l.....ovoqufereest a with the On the subJect. "I do not recollect ;' are -- y - tEraCT did;"—" I dare say some discussion took place ;"—" I dare say that I must have expressed great regret ;"—" I pro bably made the same request of Messrs. Clarke that Mr. Brogden and Mr. Bent did ;" - ---were his answers. He was asked whether he had conferred with any other per son than the Messrs. Clarke? "No," he answers, "I do not recollect that I did." He admits that he opposed the inquiries moved by Messrs. Bent and Brogden at the Board of Directors, and does not deny that he endeav l oured to prevent Mr. Bent from attending the public meetcng of December, 1825 ; and the reason he assigns is, that lie was " in hopes that the Clarkes would be able to vindicate themselves, and show that they had done nothing that was intrinsically wrong." Instead of condemning the trans action in the shape in which it was actually carried into effect, he even now speaks very doubtfully, if not with more than doubt, of its impropriety ; treating its defective.. ness as a matter purely of form, and as a question of Chan cery-law, respecting which he is not lawyer enough to give an opinion. _ . _ The only topic still to be noticed on this head is the al leged liberality of Sir William Congreve in insisting on a distribution of great part of the 15,000/. among the friends of himself and the Messrs. Clarke—a circumstance which he considers as affording evidence of the purity and disin terestedness of his intentions, and which he, therefore, means, it is presumed, to oppose to the imputation of the sordid feelings, connected with fraud. It must, however, be recollected, that Sir,William Congreve himself was to have 2,5001.' is two agents between them, one of them being his brother-in-taw, 2,0001., and another brother-in law and a nephew, hetmeerl 11levy, about 2,100/. ; making in all, among Sir Williamongreve and his connexions, 6,6001.—a sum litile:ahort of one-half of the whole 15,000/. ; and this, alnfough the Messrs. Clarke had a prima fucie right to two-thirds of that sum. It seems questionable, therefore, whether so great a sacrifice was made by Sir William Congreve on occasion of this distri bution as the argument supposes. The Committee are therefore afraid that they must resolve his conduct, either into a not unwilling suppression of scruples, which, when once felt, could not be silenced without blame, or into an insensibility to evident obligation, which no rule, either of law or morals, admits to be a defence of transgression. The Committee will next proceed to the case of Mr. Brogden ; taking in conjunction with it that of Mr. Bent, who, though not now a Member of the House is so inti mately blended with Mr. Brogden throughout the trans actions under consideration, that their acts can hardly be viewed apart. After much and careful examination, the Committee are distinctly of opinion, that neither Mr. Brogden nor Mr. Bent was privy to the fraud respecting the reservation of the 15,0001. on the sale of the property to the Company. It is, however, true, as has been before stated, that both those gentlemen subsequently received sums of money, which the Messrs. Clarke allege to have been portions of the 15,000/., and their receipt of these sums forms no un important point of consideration. The Messrs. Clarke state the 15,0001. to have been distri buted or disposed of as follows To Mr. Beaubien £ 1,000 To Mr. John Ilinde To Sir William Congreve, Chairman of the Di- rectors To the other ten Directors 1,0471. each (the share of Mr. Schneider, jun. however, was paid to Sir William Congreve, and that of Mr. Morgan is unpaid, except that 100/, part of it, has been paid to an agent of Mr. Flattery) To sundry charges SO Total £15,000 Mr. Bent received the 1,0471. at the meeting already mentioned of the Board of Directors, on the 15th of Janu ary, 1825 ; and Mr. Brogden, at the office of Mr. Clarke, in King's Arms-yard, a few days afterwards. The sum of Mr. Brogden's defence as to his reception of the 1,0471. resolves itself into these propositions:--that he, as well a• Mr. Bent, believed that he was entitled, as Director, to 100 shares in addition to those for whi c h h e had subscribed ; that he was satisfied, op the authority of Mr. Bent, after Mr. Bent himself had received the 1,047/. that Mr. Henry Clarke had sold those hundred shares, to gether with shares belonging to other Directors, and that the sums of 1,0471. came out of the proceeds; and that, so believing, he received the 1,047/. as mon e y to which he bad an undoubted right. And on this defence, the Ceim mittee are of opinion, that Mr. Brogden, as well as Mr. Bent, did believe that they Were respectively entitledlO,P hundred additional shares, and that they at some period or other conceived the sale of those shares to have produced the 1,047/. ; but at what precise time Messrs. Bent and Brogden distinctly and definitely adopted the idea that such was the real source of the 1,0471., or how far this idea was so- adopted before Mr. Brogden received the 1,0471. does not seem to the Committee to be clear on the evidence ; and it is, at all events, their judgment, that Mr. Brogden did not take sufficient pains to ascertain the source of the money previously to kis receipt of it. On the next question—that is, at what period. Messrs. Brogden and Bent distinctly adopted and rested in the per suasion that the 1,0471. was the produce of the hundred shares which they conceived to be reserved for them, the Committee can only repeat that the evidence does not en able them to speak decisively. True, it would appear from the statements both of Mr. Brogden and Mr. Bent, that the money was taken by them, more or less, under the persuasion alluded to ; but, while the Committee disclaim the purpose of imputing to those gentlemen the offence of intentional misrepresentation, they must observe that their testimony can be tried only by the ordinary tests ; and that, taken as it stands, and compared both with itself and with the statements of others, it exhibits so many marks of hasty and imperfect recollection, as to inspire little confidence in the precise exactness of its details. There can be no question that the general scope and effect of the case of Mr. Brogden is this—that after Mr. Bent communicated to him the fact of the distribution which took place at the meeting of the 15th of January, and suggested to him his conjecture as to the source of the money, an interval of doubt, of reluctance, of inquiry, of consultation, took place before Mr. Brogden could acquiesce in the conjecture of Mr. Bent, or make up hie mind to follow the example of his brother Directors in receiving the money. Such a course of deliberation could hardly be completed within a shorter space of time than Mr. Brog den assigns to it, when he says that " ten days _or more" elapsed before he went into the city ; mere especially as he states that he was then much occupied elsewlaere than in the city ; and if his evidence is to be constrAl with any sti ictness at all, the interval must be farther en larged by allowing for the loud and frequent complaints of the conduct of Mr. Clarke, which he represents him self to have made at the United Gas Office, before he received the money ; for the United Gas Office being con tiguous to the office of the Arigna Company, such com plaints could only have been made after his attendance in the city was resumed. Yet, when documents were resorted to, it turned out, and was, indeed, very fairly stated by Mr. Brogden him self, that he had received the money from Mr. Clarke as early as the 20th of January. Now, the very earliest date affixed to the communication from Mr. Bent to Mr. Brog den is only the 17th of that month ; and, putting these two dates together, it thus appears that, even on the largest supposition which the evidence admits, there could pass but two clear days between the receipt of the communica tion from Mr. Bent and the receipt of the money from Mr. Clarke. It inevitably follows, either that into this narrow span must have been crowded all that process of conjecture, inquiry, complaint, and conversation, at the conclusion of which Mr. Brogden is stated to have appropriated to him self the 1,0471.—a difficult supposition surely—or else that he appropriated the money while that process yet remained incomplete. _ _ Between the alternative suppositions which this state of facts presents, the Committee are unable to make a satisfac tory choice, and must therefore decline pronouncing any determination. But there is one point already alluded to, on which they feel it their duty to deliver their opinion. It is stated by Mr. Brogden to have been his first impression, and it was (as the Committee before observed in the case of Mr. Bent) a natural conclusion, that the 1,0471. had been produced, not by the sale of any specific shares of his own, but by that of a hoard of ;hares secretly reserved for the benefit of the Directors in general, and improperly issued at a premium. Where such a supposition was even possible, nothing less than the clearest evidence that it had no foundation in fact should have induced Mr. Brogden to touch the sum proffered. To,take the matter on trust, to adopt the opinion or follow the example of others, to place any stress on evidence so loose and inconclusive as the ab sence of the supposed 100 shares from the share-list—for it does not appear how that list should contain shares on which no deposits had been paid,—in a word, to rest short of a direct explanation on the subject from the only person who could afford it, Mr. Henry Clarke,—was to be want ing in that duty which the occasion evidently prescribed; and much more was this the case, if the enquiries of Messrs. Bent and Brogden, such as they were, had not been completed when Mr. Brogden received the money. • Even supposing, however, the truth of the conjecture as to the sale of the hundred shaCea to have been distinctly ascertained, still the Committee cannot acquit from blame the parties who acquiesced even retrospectively in et of Mr. Henry Clarke. j Having now commented on that part ofthe c p ears. :ram.% mod Ildarowiloo wWials.- relate. to their irespectiv accept ance of the 1,0471., the Committee have yet to notice their conduct in relation to the Company, subsequently to the acceptance of that money; if Messrs. Bent and Brogden —and the remark in an especial degree applies to the former —really felt a strong and indignant disapprobation of the Messrs. Clarke, for the unauthorized disposal of their shares; but still more, if they seriously doubted whether the pro ceeds had been fairly accounted for, it surely would have become them, in justice if not to themselves, yet ..to the Company and to the public, to ask some explanation, to call for some account, to inspect the books, to make known in some manner their distrust of the persons whom they bad, by whatever accident or inadvertence, consented to join in the commanding and responsible situation of virtual managers both of the funds and of the operations of the Company. Messrs. Bent and Brogden, however, instead of pursuing such a course, continued in cordial co-opera tion with the Messrs. Clarke as co-directors for several months. The arguments by which they justify their con duct in this respect will be found in their respective evi dence ; but to the Committee it appears, either that the fact of their indignation against the Messrs. Clarke, and especially that of Mr. Bent, has been overstated in that evidence, or that they felt hampered by the recollection that ' their right to the produce of shares on which they had paid no deposit might he disputed—a consideration alluded to on one occasion by Mr. Brogden, though no where mentioned by Mr. Bent. The Com - mittee have given it as their opinion, that Messrs. Bent and Brogden, really supposed that they had a hundred shares each in addition to those for which they subscribed ; but whatever may be the grounds for such a supposition, it by no means follows that they had sufficient grounds to possess themselves of the 1,0471., as the produce of the sale of those shares. The present question, however, is one not of right, but of conduct. Until some partial opinion has admitted the title of Messrs. Bent and Brogden to the money, it is perfectly evident that they cannot be justified in keeping in their own hands that which may possibly belong to another, merely from the apprehension lest their placing it in safe custody should be misconstrued. JOANNA BAILLIE. There is something exceedingly striking in the ap pearance of Joanna Baillie. Though she is no longer young, and her features have lost the glow and fresh ness of youth, the rays of beauty still linger about her countenance, and over its expression the tyrant has had no power. Her face is' decidedly tragic, not altogether unlike that of Mrs. Siddons—and capable of pourtraying the strongest and deepest emotion. Her air is lofty and reserved; and if there be a dash of hauteur in her manner, amounting, at times, almost to sternness, there is, on the other hand, something delightfully winning in the tones of her deep fine voice. Her eye—l hesitated long before I could decide its hue, and, after all, I am not quite certain whether it be a dark blue or a hazel— has a most melancholy expression; though time has not quenched its fire, or bent, in the slightest degree, her erect but attenuated form. She appeared about 50; thin, pale, and d resse d w ith a Qu a k er lik e sim plicity; and though some might be inclined to say she is too conscious of her powers, and to quarrel with the precision of her manner, here is much of the majesty of genius about her, and, in person al together, she is one, who once seen, is not e asily to be forgotten. The conversation of Joanna Daillie well merited attention. It was indeed charming. more imagi native than argumentative—often highly, poitical, and always in good taste—l should style it equi distant from the dogmatism and learned pedantry o f Madame de Stael, and the glitter and tinsel, and perpetual effort to be striking, of Lady Morgan. There was a description which I well rememb er s h e gave us of her visiting the interior of Exeter Cathe dral by moonlight --,of the witching effect of the sa credness of the plac e , combined with the stillness of the hour---of th e tranqu illi z ing feelings which per force st ole over noNv tsteaezentg through th e pa i nte d as he watc h ed the moonbeams, windows, now falling i n rich gushes over the pre late; and warrior n°Ple; who, "after life's *fitful f ever , s l e pt uelow...k ovv . i t seeme d to blab 3 gUAViitrat every turbulent passion—to subdue every unholy feeling—and to recal to the recollection even , of the most,thOughtless and indifferent "that dim and distant world," where, after the pageantry of life has passed, we must be, and be—for ever. The idea may be mournful, but there is a kind of subli mity mingled with its melancholy. Under its im pression our hearts involuntarily become better; and the cares, and jealousies, and anxieties, and ani mosities of life, seem to sink unperceived from our bosoms. I may not do her justice. Indeed I f ee l I cannot. But it was a burst of genuine feeling ; and only wanted metre to be a passage of the finest poetry. Nor in recalling the incidents of that memorable evening must I pass over an anecdote, very spor tively told, of the mother of Mrs. Grant, of Laggan. The old lady—Miss Baillie—described her as on the verge of eighty, when the novel of Waverley came out, informed her morning visitors, in the most con fidential manner, and as a very great secret, that "in reality it was written by her daughter." The truth was, she had over and over again been asked if such was the fact ; and with the dotage of age had firmly persuaded herself it was so. The garru lity and pertinacity of the old lady ; the wonder and amazement of her guests, who, hearing the fact strenuously asserted on one side, and as positively denied on the other, knew not what conclusion to arrive at; and the extreme distress and utter con fusion of her daughter, were laughably depicted. But beyond all question, the Freatest treat of the evening was hearing Joanna Baillie discuss the Wa verly novels. To listen to one highly gifted genius, good-humouredly and yet critically passing an opi nion upon the productions of a kindred spirit—and this in no light and common place manner, but with a depth of feeling and solidity of remark, which proved her intimately acquainted with its beauties, and keenly alive to its defects—was a matter of no ordinary gratification. My memory unfortunately will only serve me with a few particulars. The professor (the host), " felt confident that the Waverly novels, popular as they were, would not go down to posterity :" and stated, at some length,the grounds on which his opinion was formed. From his premises and conclusion, the dra matist differed in toto. She was " satisfied they would last as long as the English language should endure." She " felt some degree of difficulty in persuading herself they were all written by the same person ; and this as much from their extreme ine quality, as from the rapidity with which they suc ceeded each other." I laughed in my sleeve at this last observation, as peculiarly characteristic of the ivoman ; for Miss Baillie, as the Edinburgh Review quaintly enough observed, at the beginning of a most unmerciful review of her Plays on the Passions, Miss Baillie " writes very slowly." Ivanhoe she placed first, as the most faultless ; and next, though at a considerable interval, Guy Mannering.— The Living and the Dead. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—Edward Steward, an athletic Hibernian, was put to the bar, charged with an assault and robbery. Samuel Reynolds, Esq. solicitor, Carmarthen-street, de posed, that he was returning to his residence, in company with a friend, last night, between the hours of ten and eleven, when, on passing the corner of Meux's brewhouse, at the bottom of Tottenham-court-road, the prisoner darted out of the dark, and giving him a severe blow in the pit of the stomach with one hand, snatched his watch with the other, and made off up Bainbridge-street. Deponent, as soon as he had recovered from his surprise, gave the prisoner chase, and kept up the pursuit, though several dark and narrow streets, in the lowest neighbourhood of St. Giles's, until encountering the watchman on his rounds, at the corner of Church-street, he was, after considerable resist ance, apprehended. Sir G. FARRANT recollected the prisoner's face, and asked whether he had not been there before ? The officers in attendance stated, that he had been twice before his Worship, and not long discharged. The prisoner simply declared his innocence of the charge against him. . The witnesses were then bound over to prosecute at the present Sessions. EXECUTION OF WILLIAM WELLS. NamTroxsam, Aram 4.—On Monday morning last, the above unfortunate individual, sentenced to death at our late Assixes for robbing Joseph Corden, in Bradford laro, on the 7th March, was executed in the forest near this town. From the period of his condemnation no hopes whatever were held out to him of mercy. A petition, however, from his friends, having been forwarded to the Judge, a respite for a few days was granted to the unhappy man, to enable inquiries to be made, with a view to ascer tain if there were really any just grounds for extending towards him mercy. The results of these inquiries was by no means favour able, and the order for his execution on Monday morning arrived here on Saturday afternoon. The information was immediately communicated to him, although frequently warned against entertaining any delusive hope, he naturally at times imagined that a probability existed that his life would be saved. After the first shock of the awful infor mation was over, Wells became composed, and attended with every appearance of comfort to the pious offices of the Rev. Mr. Lund, who was with him great part of Sun day, the Rev. Dr. Wood, Chaplain of the gaol being in disposed. The night previous to his execution was spent in devotional exercises. He appeared composed, and ate and drank as usual. On Monday morning be was, visited by Mr. Lund at an early hour. At seven o'clock, the preparations being complete, he was pinioned in the usual manner, and placed in a cart. The dismal procession pro ceeded through Glasshouse-street and York-street to the place of execution. On its arrival there, the Rev. Mr. Lund ascended the cart, and was occupied for some time in earnest prayer with the unhappy criminal, who was ob served to cast an anxious look towards the place where the heed was committed, which brought him to an ignorki !lions end. Soon after eight o'clock, the rope being ad justed, the cart was drawn away, and the wretched cul prit was launched into eternity. He struggled much for a few seconds, but they soon subsided in the stillness of death.—Nottingh ant Herald. cow the ; RECIPE FOR A CoNSU n month of May gather th e fl ower s from the Thorn bush ; boil two bunches of the bl oss om in half a pint of milk;. let it stand till it is about as warm as the drink it' the first thing in the morning, and take a walk immediately afterwards, if the weather is favourable. This recipe has performed a cure on many persons and one thing must strongly recommend it, which is, the impossi bility of its being injurious to the complaint or to health, and therefbre well worth "trying. The flowers will keep good, and be fit for use all the year, if they are well sprinkled with salt, then put it into an earthen pan or preserving, jar, and tied down to keep the air from them. --Bath Paper. TURKISH REVENGE.--Oli Sunday after noon, while walking with a friend on the Marina, near Djerid Point, I saw a great number of the Smyrna regulars running directly towards me, pushing down every one who stood in their way. When within two yards of me, they seized two men who were walking a-head, and dressed like French sailors. They were both powerful-looking fellows. It appeared that th e y were b o th Greeks, and that one of them, going into a b a th, was r ecognised by a Turk, who, when formerly serv i ng i n t h e M o res, had been t a k en an d made a blar e b y th i s Gree k , who treated the Turk most cruelly, and robbed, him of every thing he had. The Turk, on recognising the Greek, went to the Pacha, who sent at least a hundred soldiers after the Greek, who, in hopes of evading detection, had returned to Frank Town, but he bad been followed, and was soon taken. When brought before the Pacha, be, of course, denied being the same individual. However, other individuals came forward and recognised him. The Turk was then asked what satisfaction he re quired. He replied, either a large sum of money, or his head. The man, ziot being able ,to pay the money, was ordered to be beheaded next morning, opposite the Pacha's house. Accordingly on Monday the poor wretch was butchered. I say butchered, because lam at a loss what other term to apply. While they were conducting him to the place of execution, his late slave amused himself by cutting off his former task-master's fingers, one by one. The poor wretch had his hands pinioned behind. On ar riving at the square before the Pacha's house, this unfor tunate wretch was made to kneel down. The Pacha, at the request of the same Turk, permitted him to be the executioner of his former master. After having cut all his fingers off, one by one, he cut off his wrists, then his feet, and, after three strokes, his head ! Thus died this wretched Greek. His trunk was then thrown into the 'ea. I saw his head l y in g opposite the 1' 1 444'y Won *boom km *for; t MEETINGS OF CREDITORS. INSOLVENTS APPLYING TO BE DISCHARGED, Petitions to be heard at Portugal-street, Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, APRIL 10, AT NINE. Bankart, C., Bradford Murrack, J., Falmouth Burkinshaw, J., Sheffield Payne, W., Dartford Bryant, J., Kennington Plaistow, J. Liverpool , Capon W., Newington Pring, J., firidport Dear, J., Maidstone • Rearden, M., Commercial-road De L evante, W., Hoxton Spice, Z., Norwood Dewhurst, J., Macclesfield Walker, J., Peckham Dowell, 0., Sidmouth Waters, F., Sheerness • Lee, J., St. Martin's-lane Warton, IL, Vauxhall M , Auliff, D., SohO Yeoman, R., South Benham COUNTRY _At the Court-ho Ten o' >use, at Warwick, April 10, at 'clock. Cox, J., Birmingham Davenport, R., Eirminhafla 'Davis, W., Birmingham Davis, 5.., Birmingham Day, D., Westbrornwich Drew, T., Handswoith Duce, J., Handsworth Faulkner, W., Astated Field, J., Ninevali Allen, P., Birmingham Baker, J., Birmingham Barber, ~ Pimlico Berry, W., Birmingham Birch, 'F., Derby Bradbury, W.,Birmingham Burford, 'l'. arwick Burn, J., Itirinintham Col e man, S., Birmingham THE MARKETS. SOUTHALL MARK/LT.—April 4. This day's supply having been limited, and the assemblage of buyers numerous, each kind of meat commanded a brisk sale, at the following prices per stone of 8113 s. to sink the °lbis : Beef 4s. Od. to ss. 2d. 4s. 6d. to ss. ad. Mutton —,.—. 3 8 5 2 I Pork 4 2 5 an 4 The foregoing quotations are beef and mutton 4d , veal d pork Yd. per stone beyond those of this day se'nnight. But a small proportion of the stock left the market unsold. LEWES MA RK ET.—A pril 3. Beef 4s. 2d. to 4s. 10d. ss. Od. to ss. 6d. I 4 4 5 0 Pork 4 0 4 6 Lamb Gs. 4d. to 6s. fid. Supply good, and trade, owing most likely to the presence of a few London jobbers, whom the too close proximity of the prices to those of Smithfield prevented from doing much business, brisk. RUMFORD MARKET.—ApriI 4. s. d. to a. d. a. d. to s. d. Beef 4 2 5 4 Veal . 4 8 6 0 Mutton 3 0 5 2 Pork Suckling Calves from 14s. to 325. ; Quarter old Pigs Ps to 14s. each. Supply limited, and trade brisk, at considerably Improved prices. COUNTRY CORN MARKETS DURING THE WEEK. Wheat. Barley. Oats. Beans. Per Quarter. s. to s. s. to s. s. to s. 5. to S. Blandford --.... 50 60 32 38 30 36 64 Brigg 55 60 35 42 29 35 46 5 2 Cambridge 55 34 30 40 Chard . 56 76 32 44 24 32 44 4 8 Huntingdon .50 55 35 37 25 30 49 50 Louth _ _ 54 60 38 40 28 38 50 5 8 Lynn 5O 60 39 40 28 36 5() e 2 Newark Norwich 52 60 30 40 30 33 42 48 Nottingham 5'7 62 44 49 38 46 57 6 3 Peterborough 50 58 39 42 32 36 Plymouth 52 60 36 38 28 32 Sherborne--.—. 50 56 32 38 30 36 56 B ,± Uppingham 52 55 36 44 32 36 54 0 8 Wisbech....... w . 50 60 24 31 48 5 0 York 54 02 36 44 26 40 50 fa LEEDS CORN MARKET, April It. There was a large supply of Wheat and Barley. but only mid dling of other Grain; Wheat and Barley met a very dull sale, and each Is. per quarter lower. In Oats, Shelling, and Beans, there was little doing, and prices were much the same. For Rapeseed there was scarcely a buyer in the market. Wheat. Norfolk and Suffblk, 601 b. ..--- York. and Lincoln. 601 b. Barley, Norfolk and Suffolk - Yorkshire and Lincolnshire ----- Grinding Beans N. • Oats, Potatoe 38s. to 40a.., -Riesling, Foreign itjd. to 17d....English 171 d. to 15d. per st• Shelling 4ls. to 435. per load. Rapeseed, English, 211. to 221. Foreign, 231. to 251. per last. MANCHESTER CORN MARKET.--March 31. The continued depressed state of the Corn trade in the Metro polis has produced a corresponding effect upon this and the ad jacent markets, and throughout the week business has been in the most lifeless state. The attendance on 'Change to.day was small, and the shew of samples limited. Fine 'Wheat is better sale, at last week's rates ; good Oats are scarce, and the turn dearer. Malt, Barley, and Beans, are heavy sale. Flour is bad to quit, and, to effect any sales, must be, quoted Is. per sack lower. Customary Bushel. Pease (Imp. Qr.) s. d. to s. d• Wheat (701 b.) s. d. to s. d. Blue, (b0der5).......—. 7 g 7 9 English, New s— 9 7 10 0 White...4de Red -- 9 0 9 3 Irish, 9 0 9 3 —Red 8 7 8 11 Canada 8 8 9 11 Foreign 8 4 8 10 Barley (601 b.) For grinding 5 4 5 10 Oats (151 b.) English & Scotch... 0 0 0 0 Welsh 0 0 0 0 Foreign 4 6 4 8 Irish, Kiln-dried 4 7 4 9 Undried...— 4 6 4 7 Per load of 6 Impl. bushel. Malt, New —47 0 49 0 0 0 - Inferior ...37 0 44 0 0 Beans. English j 5 0 58 0 Irish and Foreign —45 0 52 Per bag of 280Ib. Flour, Fine Notts-45 0 47 0 --- Yorks., fine.„.44 0 4'7 ----- I rish, fine--44 0 47 Seconds ---..40 0 42 0 Barrel Flour Sweet—,-- 0 f,0ur...28 0 ." Per load of 2401 b. Oatmeal, Eng, 0 4 0 Irish 0 41 „0 Old(faed)— 0 54 Tares (Imp, Qr. ) A 0 0 0 0 u Bran (broad ) per 201 b. 1 3 1 5 MANCHESTER YAR: No. d. d. Throstle Twist, 20,,12 to 121 Vo 7214 14 • M gr w ecot r risti 30 13 13 40..,14 IS 50 19 60420 21 70-24 26 SO ..,28 31 MARKET.—ApriI 3. -30 12 to 12 40 121 I 50 4.011.44.1. 16 17 60 17i 14 70 20} 2 . 2 80 24 26 100 30 . 3 1 1 120 3 , 1 8i 11"0 14 9 -- 19 10 11 24 11 12 Mule Cop . Weft. Weft from 1 Waste ..' This is a fertile lambing season, many of the ewes having two iambi each; but there is great scarcity of food for stock. • Lambs in Leiaestershire hare been sold for a' shilling each ; and in some instances given away, where others undertook to pay for their keep. Hay, in some parts, has sold as high as 101. a load, and then having many miles to convey it. The following anecdote was told me by Lucas van Vuuren, a vee-boor, residing on the late Colonel Gra ham's farm of Lyndoch, and for two years my next neigh bour at the Bavian's River. It skews that even our colo lLounca a st a was distance, ridi ng to plains, avoid , h colo nial lio ns , w h en pressed for a breakfast, will sometimes for get their usua l respect for " Christian-men, " and break through th e i r genera l rule of " let-a-be for let-a-be."--- Fish River, one m orn i ng a b out daybreak, and observing a i a wide circuit. There wer e th ousan d s of springboks scat teredainsim near b the y in Little king over the extensive flats; but the lion, from the open nature of the country, had probably been unsuccessful in hunting. Lucas soon perceived at least that he was not disposed to let him pass without farther parlance, and that be was rapidly approaching to the encounter; and being without his roer, and otherwise little inclined to any closer acquaintance, he turned off at right angles—laid the sjarc bok freely to his horse's' flank--and gallopped for but it was too late. The horse was fagged and bore a heavy man on his back—the lion was fresh and furious with hunger, and came down upon him like a thunder-bolt. In a few seconds he overtook, and springing up behind Lucas, brought horse and man in an instaat to the ground. Luckily, the poor boor was unhurt, and the lion was too eager in worrying the horse, to pay any immediate atten tion to the rider. Hardly knowing himself how he es caped, he contrived to scramble out of the fray, and mad• a clean pair of heels of it till he reached the nearest house; Lucas, when he gave me the details of this adventure, made no observations on it as being any way remarkable, except in the circumstance of the lion's audacity in pursuing " Christian-man," without provocatio n , i n open d ay . Bat what chiefly vexed him in the affair, was the loss of the saddle. He returned' next day with a party of friends to search for it and take vengeance on his feline foe : but bop the lion and saddle had disappeared, and nothing could be found but the horse's clean-picked b ones. Lucas said he c ould excuse the schelm for killing, the horse, as he had al.. lowed himself to get away; but th e f e l on i ous a b s t rac tion of the saddle, (for which, as Lu cas grave l y o b serve d, he Could have no possible use,) rai se d hi s sp l een m i g h t il y , a nd called down a shower of curses wh enever h e to ld th e s tory of this hair-breadth escape.-- Thompson'. South Africa._ BIRTH. Oa the 28th ult., at Minto-house, Roxburghshire, tb Countess of Minto, of a daughter. MARRIED. On the sth instant, at the parish church of St. John, it Hackney, William Weatbrooke Burton, of the Inner Temple, Esq., barrister-at-lave, to Margaret, daughter of Lent Smith, Esq. of Homarton. On the sth instant, at Paddington church, Jobn Camp bell, Esq., of Londonder r y, to Ellen, young est daughter of the late John Garraway, Esq., of the i s land of Grenada. DIED. h regretted. age, Henry Walter White, Esq. Inuc o f Mrs. Law, in Port- On the 2d instant, at the hon c e o e x t h e late Jam es L aw , E sq * in the 35th year of his On th e 3d i ns t an t, at Pento n ,ille, Mr. J o h n K enn i on , sen., aged 79. B r ighton, after a protracted illness, On the Qd instant, at tic _ East Ham, Essex, in the i ., nt, Lretitia, wife of James ry E sq., f or merly c °oPf°-la -hcalioniumpuon, ""' 5 roo occas i on ed tofh:t year eti:re 20 b f y 6ht h a e r n u ia a tg P . WV R.N., e ldes t sou of Mr. Barnes, of Arthur Barnes? vg. .. Crescent, Green , c ll _ rapid , aged ,„ Lacy/ f Edvrard Jackson, Esq. of Carnforth Lodge, neat I I th Nov. Int at Cartagena de Colombia, Lieu!. wi • : e n o the Lanoot er ' and pare a4 ' an d a generous u nostentatious friend to the peon. Ai a nchester. She w as a most affectionate peon.'rgc..l l late of St. Ann's-suare and Exchange-st ree*f wife On the 3d inst., Mr. Robert Dew er , Great Gef atfeet, Bermondsey ' aged 70. ', 'e-.....5....—..____ ew. PA h NO 434 "; ...D WILLOW/ID YOU ' 54 , 11.0414 1 11711.S,*idariok*;