The Sun. — London, England, 1827-04-05 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, Sir T. Lethliridgeifi motion fOi to-morrow must, if persevered in, or not got rid of by a side-wind, create singular perplexity. The ob ject of that motion is to produce an united Ad ministration,—who can prefer a divided one? Those who can do so may state their opinion, but they will not make many converts. The question will then resolve itself into one of ex pediency and practicability ; as thus ; if you cannot have an unanimous Administration,would it not be better to combine certain men of ta lents of various opinions, than to take all your fowls out of one hatch, the unfledged, half addled, and wringlings included ? We answer, undoubtedly, if the variety of opinion be only shades of difference. But if the diversity be upon essential points, then it would be, and has been, as absurd to compose a Ministry out of such discordant materials, as to unite mules and dromedaries in drawing the same carriage. The King forms his Ministry about the time that Sir Thomas makes his motion, so that his Ma jesty cannot derive much advantage from the dis cussion in the Commons. It may be thought, and that not without reason, that the effect of asking of the King an unanimous Administra tion upon essential points, would be (regard being had to the quarter from whence the great est portion of unconstitutional influence flows) simply to exclude the men of greatest talents from the present Administration. Then let such men swell the ranks of Opposition ; in that situation they would either controul the Ministers, and, press them, as it were, by external force, to act rightly, or turn them out. And if Mr. Canning and Mr. Huskisson were to retire upon principle, or be rejected from insubserviency, Mr. Robinson, at least, in the lower House, and Lord Harrowby in the upper, are of the same opinion with them upon the chief ques tion of national interest, and must retire with them and what then would the Ministry be ? (we beg pardon if we overlook any great genius in our pur view, though the unintentionol omission itself would. not speak highly for the person passed over); but. we should say, with the exception of Mr. Peel, (all name never to be mentioned without respect,) a mere collection of shreds and patches, the very sweep: ings of office. It must not be forgotten, that Lord Liverpool possessed in a manner that may be' called p , .irsonal, the whole representation of the Tory, or ultra-Protestant and Ultra-Royalist interest ; and at his fall, it is difficnit to say to whom that representation is to ' descend. Mr. Canning cannot reap the succession, from the liberality of his principles and the expansion of his ' mind ; and should he attempt to compromise his dignity, by an obsequious union with the remains of the party, hav ing lost the command which he possessed over them through his influence with their late Chief, he would only expose himself for awhile to the contumely of base natures, inflated by the pride of undeserved elevation : he could not retain his situation for three months : there is no humiliation which they would not make him suffer. We may be mis taken, therefore ; but we seem to have arrived at this con clusion—that Mr. Canning, if not chief, would do wall not to bee subaltern in theA dministratioa now forming.-- Times. The autobiography of the celebrated Theo bald Wolfe Tone, for commenting on the manu script of which, on its late importatiOn from America, - Mr. Sheil has been subjected to pro secution, is at length about to appear in this metropolis. Judging from the hasty perusal we have been able to bestow on it, we should pro nounce it a valuable addition to the materials for the history of a most interesting period. Of the clear and manly manner in which Tone reasons on the affairs of his native country, we cannot afford a better specimen than his account of the Bill for the Relief of the Catholics. We wish those who now oppose further concessions to , them would only peruse attentive) his unan- swersble argersreessies t -- most important privileges were now secured to the Catholics, it will appear that much was with held, and withheld in the manner most offensive to their feelings, because the Bill, admitting the lower order of the Catholic people to all the ad vantages of the Constitution which they are com petent to enjoy, excludes the whole body of their gentry from those functions which they are na turally entitled to fill. A strange inconsistency ! During the whole progress of the Catholic Question, a favourite and plausible topic with their enemies, was the ignorance and bigotry of the multitude, which rendered them incompetent to exercise the functions of freemen. That ig norance and bigotry are now admitted into the bosom of the Constitution, whilst all the learning and liberality, the rank and fortune, the pride and pre-eminence of the Catholics, are de graded from their station, and stigmatized by Act of Parliament. Of the head-roll of disqualifications, many indeed are unnecessary, doing that by Act of Parliament which his Ma jesty is already competent to do by his Royal:discretion. The exclusion is the more in vidious, from the utter improbability of any Irish Catholic being called to fill the stations of Lord Lieutenant, Lord Deputy, or Lord High Chancellor, which are formally excepted in the Bill, merely, as it should seem, to affix on the Body a mark of dis trust and inferiority. But these are exceptions of fensive only to their pride; there are others directly trenching on their interests. By their exclusion from the two Houses of Parliament, the whole body of the Catholic Gentry of Ireland, a high-spirited race of men, are insulted and disgraced; thrown down from the level of their fortune and talents; and brand ed with a mark of subjugation, the last relic of inter ested bigotry. This is the radical defect of the Bill. If the Catholics deserved what has been granted, they deserved what has been withheld ; if they did not de serve what has been withheld, what has been granted should have been refused. There is an inconsistency not to be explained on any principle of reason or justice, in admitting the alleged ignorance, bigotry, and numbers of the Catholics into the pale of the Constitution, and excluding all the birth, rank, pro perty, and talents. By granting the franchise and withholding seats in Parliament, the Catholic gentry are at once compelled and enabled to act with effect as a distinct body, and a separate interest. They receive a benefit with one hand, and a blow with the other, and their rising gratitude is checked by their just resentment; a resentment which, in the same moment, they obtain the means and the pro vocation to justify. If it was not intended to eman cipate them also, they should have been debarred of all share of political power." The above brief ex tract may be said to comprehend all the points of the Catholic Question. It is, as he says, utterly impossible to find arguments for going so far as the Bill alluded to went, which do not im periously prescribe the going farther. There is but one way of solving the difficulty, and that is to suppose that the opponents of the Catholics as sumed that the higher ranks of both Protestants and Catholics are indifferent to religion, and that they cal eulated on the gradual defection of the Catholic gentry to th e Established Church, as is usual with the Dissenters, after the Relief Bill, by removing the grievances of the lower orders had softened down animosities. But the boundary which separates the different descriptions of Pro testants from each other is very different from the deep gulph Which separates the Catholics from the whole of them. A Dissenter is easily transmuted into a Church man, and a Churchman into a Dissenter ; but a Catholic quits his faith with much more difficulty. There is another n'abetial difference, too, between the Catholic, and the Dis senter, The higher ranks hold nothing so much in abhor rence as 'wh a t is vulgar. One great raison' for the rich Dissenters ttirig over to the Church is their fondness, in common 11 /i. ether rich men, of splendour and ahoy/ ; and, consequently, . 11 sir 'dislike of the plainness of the Prestiy teriaa and Pe Ctati ,iorthip. But *a Catholic worship is still more gaudy than that of the Church of England. The daughter is still at a great distance from the mother ip s point of finery. If we are to believe an able writr - on pro. selytising, who has just published a work, on that subject, in Germany, Bretschneider, the King of Prussia bas been induced to give Bishops to the Lutheran Church, in order to arrest the desertion' of the German Nobility to the Ca tholic Church, to which they are led by their natural par tiality for ecclesiastical splendour. It was long ago ob- Nen ed by Bayle, that there could not be a stronger proof of Calvin's honesty, than the simple Republican footing on Which he placed his Church. It was impossible, he said, that so acute a man could have overlooked the advantages of the splendour of that of Rome, in working on the imagination; and he could only have been induced to re nounce that splendour, by a conscientious determination to adhere 'rigorously to the rules of the Scriptures.—Morn ing Chronicle. The King is expected to arrive in town to day, to settle, as report says, the new Ministry. His Majesty has been much blamed, but, we think, without reason, for having so long post poned a business of such importance. Con sidering the sudden and dreadful complaint with which Lord Liverpool has been recently visited, and which could not by any possibility be fore seen, his Lordship being a remarkably stout and healthful man, and much accustomed to horse exercise, we think it would have been ungracious to appoint a successor immediately, as some per sons seem to say ought to have been the case— the more so, as his Lordship had so long and faithfully served his Majesty. It appears to be generally understood that Mr. Canning is to be his successor, and we by no means think it im probable. Now that Lord Li ver p oo l is reg ar d e d - as politically dead, a man of strong nerve, elo quence of tongue, and free delivery, is wanted in the House of Lords to cope with the Oppo sition. We scarcely know any one at present so well calculated for this purpose as Mr. Can ning. He would be a complete match for the Opposition ; for he is of good deportment, highly endowed with the gift of language, ready at re partee and reply, witty, sententious, and sarcastic. Such a man would be an acquisition in the Upper House, to oppose Lord Lansdown, Lord King, and other Noble Lords who embrace their line of politics. Should the Right Hon. Se- cretary for Foreign Affairs be raised to a seat among their Lordships, he would certainly bring with him the advantages we have alluded to. The country too would derive no slight advantage from the circumstance, inasmuch as Mr. Canning being in some degree nearer the Lord Chan cellor, might profit by his counsels in religion and politics. While we state thus much, how ever, on behalf of the Right Hon. Secretary we will not disguise our opinion, that if any other could be found equally capable of filling Lord Liver pool's place, it would be wisdom on the part of his Majesty to retain Mr. Canning in his present situa tion. There can be no question but that he hasade quately discharged the duties of the Foreign Depart ment; and notwithstanding all that has been said on the subject, we should not be surprised if he were still continued to do so,and that the Earl of Har rowby or Bathurst would be promoted to the rank of Premier. It has been insinuated, that what may be called the Irish interest in the Cabinet is on the decline latterly, and that the English interest, at the head of which is Mr. Peel, is gaining the ascen dant. This we are not at all surprised to learn.— For since the union with Ireland has done away with all those duties which served as an impedi ment to a closer intercourse between the people of both countries, Irishmen do not experience the same difficulties as formerly in acquiring ingress among Englishmen. In fact they are now precisely in the same situation that the Scotch were 20 or 30 years ago, when Mr. Dundas stood at Mr. Pitt's right hand. The Scotch then found their way here, and great numbers of them were promoted to places and situations. We think that the Irish interest has of had been in this country, and we should not be sur prised if it turned out that for some time past great numbers under Mr. Canning's patronage were in search of places and profit, as the Scotch were at the period ;alluded to. But perhaps the number is, by possibility too great, and the Crown is too much teased by the appli .cants, for whom, in fact, there are not situations enough ;vacant. This circumstance, if we be right in our conjec iture, must in some degree deteriorate Mr. Canning's in fluence on the present occasion. If we take into consi deration also, the line of politics he ;,as adopted latterly, seconded by Mr. Plunkett and other Irishmen, with regard 'to the Catholic question, and that the King probably 'cherishes a secret dislike to the project of further conces tien to the Catholics, we need not be surprised if the Right Hon. Gentleman's progress be impeded on these grounds alone. We have always remarked of late, that when his hlajesty comes to town, the Bishops are not slow in visit 'g him. Now, it is well known that the Clergy have at itll tunes had great influence over the minds of Monarchs ; and as the Bishops of this country do not wish that any iitange should take place in favour of the Catholics, lest it should lead to contentions about tithes, it is not at all improbable that they have conceived a lukewarm opinion bf the services of such men as Mr. Canning, Mr. Plunkett, and others, on the Irish side of the question, who express themselves so liberally on the Catholic Claims.--Morning Herald. At seasons like the present, when important arrangements of a public nature are known to be in progress, it is not surprising that the faculty of invention should be stimulated to unusual acti vity, or that the most gross and monstrous fabri cations should be presented to an anxious, eager, and susceptible community, as substitutes for ac curate information; for patient and industrious vigilance, and for sober anti penetrating sagacity. At such a juncture, fabrication is the staple com modity of the political market ; and the valuable qualities we have enumerated are converted for the moment into positive disadvantages, inas much as they form so many impediments to the workings of the imagination, and withdraw from its power the very materials out of which the most effective fictions might be manufactured.— One of our contemporaries presented us yester- day with some remarkable proofs of his happy exemption from all the disadvantages and re straints to which we have alluded, and illustrated in a manner the most striking the effect to be produced by mere invention and effrontery, when the mind has fairly cast off the shackles of truth, probability, and decency. His statement is briefly this :—That the Duke of Rutland had recently obtained an interview with the King, for the purpose of dictating to his Majesty, in the name of a knot of Boroughmongers, of whom his Grace is represented to be the leader and the mouthpiece, as to the selection of a Prime Mi nister, and of announcing their determination to the Sovereign not to support Mr. Canning, should he be the object of the Royal choice. Now certainly no story can be better adapted than this to illustrate the position with which we set out ; for by no possibility could it ever have been engendered in the mind of the inventor, if he had possessed the slightest knowledge of the character either of the Monarch or the Noble, to whom it relates. They are, perhaps, the two men in the world in relation to whom such a tale is the most incredible ;—the Sovereign the most incapable of brooking—the sub ject the most incapable of tendering an insult. The transaction, we have no doubt, is fabricated in all its parts; but our contemporary so contrives to manage his story, as to intimate that the approach of the Duke of Rutland to the King, for the purpose of tendering even his respectful advice at the present crisis, would have had in it something censurable and suspicious ; and he thus, in the doctrinal part of his production, shews himself as great in the knowledge ._of Constitutional principle as in its in- ventive . portion, he had shewn himself in the diseri -mination of individual character.; ;There are-prig bably few men in England so ignorant as not tia know that one of the Constitutionalifunctions of 4 Peer of the realm in this country ; is that of an he: reditary adviser of the Crown; and that any . -Peer has a right to request an audience of the Sovereign, whenever he sees in the state of public affairs any • sufficient motive for his interference. This is a right and a duty, it is true, which is seldom called into exercise, because in the ordinary course of affairs the King is surrounded by his ministerial advisers, who must necessarily possess the confidence of the col lective Peerage, as one branch of the Legislature. The formation of an Administration seems, for this reason, to be the only exertion of the Royal Pre rogative in which any advantage can be derived to the Sovereign or the country from the assistance of the hereditary Counsellors of the Crown, and to impugn the conduct of any Peer who may tender his advice on such an emergency, is therefore equivalent to a denial of the existence of the value of this con stitutional provision. Sir Thomas Lethbridge, as we stated yesterday, has given notice of a motion in the House of Commons, the tendency of which is to im pose upon his Majesty a task which may prove ra ther a difficult one, that of forming an Administra tion, the members of which shall be unanimous upon every political question of any national importance; and our con temporary appear to think, that the course pursued by this worthy Member of the Lower House may be advantageously contrasted with that of a Peer offering his individual coun sel upon the same subject. The distinctions between the two eases appear to us, on the contrary, to be altogether in favour of the latter. The interference of the House of Commons is destructive to the free agency of the Sovereign, from the very weight of authority which goes along-with it ; while that of the individual Peer extends no fin•ther than to the giving of advice, which the Sovereign may ac cept or adopt at his pleasure. This, in a matter which the Constitution has exclusively delegated to the Crown is an important distinction in favour of the latter case. But the practical effects generally to be expected from these two dif,, ferent kinds of interference, present another distinction highly favourable to that of the Peer. The House of Com mons can hardly interfere in any crisis of this nature without creating difficulties, and narrowing the range of choice : it is obvious, on the other hand, that the indivi dual Peer may occasionally have it in his power to extend the range of choice, and to obviate difficulties already ex isting. As to the immediate tendency of the conduct falsely imputed to the Duke of Rutland, and that really pursued by the Hon. Baronet in the House of Commons, we think the distinction attempted is yet if possible mere futile. There can be no doubt in the mind of any reasonable man, that the success of Sir T. Lethbridge's motion would as effec tually exclude from the Cabinet all its present Members who are favourable to the Catholic Claims, as that the pre valence of the counsels imputed to the Duke of Rutland would exclude one individual of their number from the office of Prime Minister.—Morning Post. The strike of the weavers of Spitalfields is nearly at an end. The great majority of the mas ters have complied with the demands of the workmen, and agreed to pay the book-prices ; and the few houses that still hold out, differ from their brother manufacturers only in respect of certain articles. It is, we learn, the inten tion of the workmen, with a view to putting an end, in future, to similar disputes, to apply to Parliament, for what they term a , 4 Labour Pro tection Act." They wish, that whatever rate of wages may be agreed on by a majority of two Committees, one appointed by the masters, and the other by the workm en , th e same shall be binding on the whole of the trade, whether ma nufacturers or weavers. The latter suppose, of course, that by such an arrangement, greater stea diness of prices will be insured, and that masters will be kept from attempts to lower the wages of their workmen, and workmen from aiding them in any such attempts, by competition for em ployment. It is almost unnecessary, to argue. upon a plan, which, in the present state of public opi nion, has not the most remote chance of ever being i carried into a law; but, even gran ti ng t h e possi bility of gaining their object, we cannot see what — labour Was diminishing, such a plan - might, for si week or two, retard the fall of wages, (though even that is not a necessary consequence of art Act, whose provisions it would be so easy to evade.) But do not the workmen see, that, when the demand for labour was on the increase, the retardation of ad . vance would be exactly proportionate; and that their notable plan is neither more nor less than a cumbrous apparatus robbing one pocket to replenish 'the other ?—New Times. LONDON SESSIONS, APRIL 4. Mary Bignell was indicted for keeping an improper house, at No. 7, Tower Royal. The Ward beadle, swore that he observed a number of prostitutes going into the house frequently, accompanied by men, and several respectable inhabitants deposed to the same effect, and that the street was a scene of constant disorder and riot, in contiquence of the manner in which the house was conducted. It was not satisfactorily proved however, that the traverser was the mistr ess o f th e h ouse, and in consequence of this defect in the evidence, the Jury. under the direction of the Recorder, acquitted the traverser. Peter Hayes was indicted for assaulting and falsely im prisoning William Hunt. It appeared that the prosecutor is the servant of a wine merchant at Dartford, and that he was standing on the pavement near Leadenhall-market, when the traverser came up, and stated that he was employed to keep the pave ment clear, and that the prosecutor must move. The latter, however, still continued on the pavement, and the traverser came and forced him off, upon which the street keeper came up, and upon the charge of the traverser, he took the prosecutor into custody, and confined him in the watch -house for about twenty minutes, after which he was discharged without having been taken before any Magis trate. The traverser having been found guilty, the Re corder observed, that it was a most unjustifiable exercise of authority on the part of the traverser, and sentenced him to be imprisoned for 48 hours. DISORDERLY HOUSE, CRIM. CON., AND COMMITTAL OF A WITNESS. lifOria, the wife of Johillart, a woman dressed in the first style of fashion, was indicted by the officers of the pa rish of St. Andrew, Holborn, for keeping a disorderly house between the months of January, 1821, and Sep tember, 1822. Mr. C. PHILLIPS said, that to save the time of the Court, his client would plead " guilty," and undertake to abate the nuisance. The indictment had been hanging, in terrorem, over the defendant for five years, and the Court would find that she had never resided in the house during that period, although she had certainly received the rents. This overture was refused, and the case was proceeded with. Thomas Gamage, formerly a watchman of the parish of St. Andrew, stated, that he knew the house complained of, No. 12, Gloucester -court, Holborn; he had frequently, during the period stated, seen women of ill-fame frequent it, and the defendant and her husband go in and out, they appearing to be the conductors of it. Cross-examined—He had dined at the house with a young lady.—(Laughter.)--He was discharged by Mr. Deputy Reeve, because he did his duty in informing against a watering-house. He never had a feted tete at the house in question more than once over a good dinner. James Tarr examined.—He is a watchman. On the 2d of June, 1821, he was applied to to go to the house in question, by a person who stated to him that he thought his wife was concealed there. When he went, he saw several females, but he could not say whether the defendant was present. They found the wife of the person who applied to him up stairs in bed with a man; the man was given into custody upon a charge of trim. con. lie resides at the next house, and had frequently seen the defendant there at the period stated. Cross-examined.—There are a great many --r-- houses in that court. The hOuse in question is not worse than those kept by other folks. He was never disturbed more than twice by any noise there. The parish books were produced, from which it ap peared that Hart had paid the rates in 1 821-2, and that he also paid the parliamentary taxes. William Henry Ki ng , th e ward beadle, stated, that on oue occasion he went to the defendant's house with the witness Tarr, an d th ere he found a man in bed with ano ther man's wife, the husband who was in Court, was pre sent when the discovery was made. When be went to speak to lilre. Hurt about it, $l2. pointed out the room where they were. He, with others who were with him, retired while the sinful'couple were attiring themselves. The description of the house was further proved by other hvitnessea.. Gamage was re-called, and said that all sorts of folk went there, some gentle, some simple.—(A laugh.) An Alderman—l think they were all simple. W. H. King cross-examined---A person named Scott apprehended the defendant, and brought her to him ; he had never seen her from the time die warrant had been given to him, until that day; he had never declared that be had not seen her in his life before. Francis Coombs examined—Six years come next Whit suntide, he found his wife at the house in question ; he did not know the woman who kept the house; he found his wife in bed with a man. [At the latter declaration, and from the manner in which it was given, the Court was convulsed with laughter, in which the witness joined.] Thomas Downes stated, that in the year 1821 he went at an hour approaching midnight, to a house in a court in Holborn ; he paid money to a female, who provided him with a candle, and showed him to a room ; he took a lady with him (the wife of the last witness) ; the night he al luded to was the night that he was discovered i n b e d, as stated by the former witnesses. On his cross-examination, he said he did not know that an action had been brought against him ; he was taken into custody at the time, and brought to the justice-room on a charge of abuse. Mr. CHARLES PHILLIPS addressed the jury for the de fendant. He was at a loss to know why the parties who promoted the prosecution had not acceded to the fair pro position that he had made at the opening of the case, un less, indeed, the correct taste of those promoters induced them to think that by an inquiry like the present, public morals would be advanced. These gentlemen had been on the alert, and not content with the evidence of beadles, watchmen, and patrols, they had actually brought forward the husband of an adulteress, to prove his own cuckoldom. (Loud and repeated laughter.)—ln general cases this was no matter for merriment ; but Coombs gave his testimony, with a broad grin on Ins countenance, and no doubt con gratulated himself that he had found the woman at this house, and made it a pretext for getting rid of her who had been the terror and tyrant of his home. The defendant, he understood, had a large family whom she was educating in a moral and respectable manner, and he trusted that the Court would bear in mind that she was a married woman, and might have been acting under the control of her husband. Cecilia Braharn, clashingly dressed in silk, with a deep veil, sable muff, and a numerous display of gold (or other) rings, was called on the part of the defendant. She stated that she resided at No. 6, Grenville-street, Somers -town; her husband is an artist. The defendant has seven children, and conducts herself like a lady in every respect. She lives with her son, who is a jeweller. Cross-examined.—She lives with her husband. Do you keep a house like that in Gloucester-court?— Witness.—lndeed not, Sir. You are sure you are married ?—Yes. Were you not one of her bail ?—I was. How was it your husband did not become bail?--Ho was ill in bed, and said I should do as well. Before whom did you put in bail, that gentleman there (pointing to Mr. Shelton) ?—No; it was a lusty very fine-looking man.—(Loud laughter.) Why did you not tell the gentleman that you was mar ried ?--Ile never put the question to me. Now, really lam sorry to repeat the question. Were you not a widow?—Well, I was, if you will have it CO. I am not a married woman. RECORDER—HON came you to say just now that your husband was ill in bed, and that you consulted him about giving bail ?—Witness. lam married, that's the truth ; I was not when I became bail. RECORDER—Is it true or false that your husband was ill in bed when you gave bail ?--Witness. It was true, but I was not living with him. I never consulted him about being bail. (The defendant here pulled the dress of witness, and begged her to come down, bnt she refused, and said, " I am quite correet, depend on it." The Foreman of the Jury said, that they (the Jury) did not believe one word that the witness had said. RECORDER.—Nor any body else, gentlemen. Take care hit she does not leave the Court. The Jury instantly found the defendant Guilty. The RECORDER remarked on the nature of the offence, and on the defence set up, and sentenced the defendant to be imprisoned in the House of Correction (Bridewell) for six calendar snoutha,,and there to be kept, to hard labour.. The previtricating witness (Braham) was then ordered into custody, and conveyed to Giltspur-street prison. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. --- £4. - )W - - - STREET:=-Kireilinetabielnerking man, baying much the appearance of a naval officer, who give the name of Launcelot Cooper, was yesterday placed at the bar, charged with forging, making, and uttering two cheques on the banking-house of Sir W. Curtis and Co., Lombard street, one for 101. and the other for 341. with intent to defraud that. firm. • • Mr. GATES, the solicitor to the Society of Bankers and Merchants for prosecuting .cases of this description, ap peared for the prosecution. Charles Taylor, of No. 4, Brompton-terrace, bookseller, stated, that on the 21st of March the prisoner, of whom helm' some previous knowledge, came into his shop, and asked him if he was going into the city, in which case be (the prisoner) requested him to get a cheque changed at the consented, house of Sir William Curtis and Co. for 101. as he (the of paper, on wh a i n ch d prisoner) was unwell, and unable to proceed so far. Wit ness htheewproritsoonaer cheque asked himfor 101. for aoopisecier William Curtis and Co. payable to witness or bearer. The cheque was signed " James Cope," and dated from " No. 4, Brompton-grove-place." (Witness here identified the cheque.) The prisoner then asked for 51. on account of the cheque, which witness handed him. Witness went into the city on the same day, but forgot to present the cheque for payment. He handed it to his brother-in-law, Mr. John Ottley, of Fleet-street, to get cashed. Two days afterwards witness presented the cheque for payment, but was told at the banking-house that no such person as James Cope was known there. Prisoner never came for the ba lance of 51. John Ottley, hosier, of No. 159, Fleet-street, received the cheque in question from the last witness, and presented it for payment on the day it was dated ; it was dis honoured. William Elks, shopman to Mr. Reddels, hosier, No. 34, Piccadilly, deposed that the prisoner came into his master's shop on the 22d March, and asked to see some ready-made shirts. He then selected from the stock a variety of arti cles, amounting in all to 341. He said he was going to India, and gave particular directions as to the manner in which the articles should be packed. He called again on Monday the 26th, and wrote a cheque for 341. on the house. of Sir William Curtis and Co. The cheque was signed " James Cope," and is the same now produced.-- Witness was directed by Mr. Reddels to present the cheque for payment ; but was told at the bank that the drawer was not known there. Witness immediately returned to his master's shop, with an officer, and from thence pro ceeded to the prisoner's residence, No, 4, Brompton-grove place. He was there told that the prisoner had left town for two or three days. John Forrester, a city constable, deposed, that he appre hended the prisoner about 11 o'clock that morning, at No. 5, New-road, near the Yorkshire Stingo. The pri soner was pointed out to witness by Mr. Taylor, who was first examined, and by whom he (the witness) was accom panied. The prisoner went by the name of Mr. Cottage. He denied that his name was Cope.—Committed for trial. John Carey underwent a re-examination on a charge o f 'stealing a horse from a person named Warr, who resides at Yardley, in Worcestershire, and was fully committed for trial. MARYLEBONE-OFFICE._Mr. Edmund Clifford, a conveyancer in Ely-place, Holborn, was on Tuesd a y even ing committed to the New Prison, Clerkenwell, for want of bail, charged on suspicion with defrauding Mr. Wise, of Blenheim-street, Chelsea, and others, of various sums of money. Yesterday John Hill, a man of respectable appearance, was charged with having stolen a silver tea-pot, a cream jug, and other valuable articles, the property of Mrs. Pal mer, from her house, Manchester-street, Manchester -square. It was stated by Sarah Harbutt, Mrs. Palmer's servant, that on the morning of the funeral of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, she and ,her mistress went to see the procession, leaving the door of the house se cur ed by a latch-lock; the witness returned before her mistress, and before she unlocked the door, it was opened to her by the prisoner, who , with another man, was in th e passage.— Being surprised , she exclaimed, " Good G od, is mistress come home ?" One of them replied, " " How long?" „ Not long : she i s up stairs. " very What, ?" 4 , y es , e time leavingDidyou come home homoeuswe,itaddhheedrr 44 We are goi ng a little l 8 ill." n way, yes ;" and, atthe and sh a ll return pre The wi tness shut the door after them, an d ran . tip Sta're' when th e a b sence of h er . mistress and th e a b sence of the plate disclosed th e na ture of their vi s it. Buckerid ge, t h e o ff tc e r , and a person name d S m i t h, saw the— prisoner uear Mrs- Palmer's hou se a b ou t t h e time of the robb ery , an d s ucceeded in appr e h en di ng hi m on T+tess' t e i' day n i g h t . The servant further stated, that both the men wore great coats, the pockets of which were large enough to contain the stolen property, and poiitively . sivori to the person of the prisoner. He-was committed for trial. THAMES-OFFICE.—Mr. Samuel Parish, a fashion. ably dress.sclyoung man, holding • a respectable situation in the Bank-of England, was yesterday brought before the sitting Magistrate, charged with committing an asl.ault on Wilson, one of the principal officers of this establishment. Wilson stated, that there was a person under a charge of felony at this office, for the substantiation of which the evidence of Mrs. Parish was necessary. She refusing to attend, a warrant was put into his hands, for the purpose of compelling her attendance. He, accordingly, on Tuesday morning, went to the house of the prisoner in 'Upper Tooting, and he met him at his door; lie communicated to him his mission, and requested to see Mrs. P. Mr. P. replied that Mrs. P. was ill. Wilson said, if that were the case, he had orders not to execute his warrant, but, at the same time, he was directed to see Mrs. Parish. The pri - Boner said he should not see her. Wilson observed, that it was a painful duty he had to perform, and he was anxious to do it mildly, and any interruption would be attended with unpleasant consequences. Wilson, at the same instant, made a movement towards entering the house. Immediately Mr. Parish placed himself in a pugnacious attitude, and told Wilson that he should not enter. Wilson remonstrated with him, hut to no purpose. On Wilson making a more determined movement, Mr. Parish put his fist in his face, and declared that he would not permit him, or any man, to enter his house, or see Mrs. Parish ; and he said that he wondered that the Magistrates could ha►e the impu dence to send such a fellow as be was to his house, and that he cared as little for them as lie did for him ; and even if they (the Magistrates) were there, they should not see Mrs. Parish. Wilson assured him that it was not his wish, nor that of the Magistrates, in any way to inconvenience Mrs. Parish, and that if she were ill, he was only authorised to ascertain it; Mr. Parish again told Wilson he should not see Mrs. Parish, and if be attempted to enter the house, he would not be pleased with himself for making the ex periment. Wilson requested the address of Mrs. Parish's medical attendant, which, after a great deal of discussion, he got; he then called upon the medical attendant, and he told him that Mrs. Parish had sore lips, and was tak ing mercury. Mr. BALLAwritsz asked Mr. Parish what he had to say for himself? Mr. Parish—Upon my word, Sir, I have no answer whatsoever to give, for_ if that person makes such a state ment upon oath, no person is secure. Mr. BALLANTINE said, that, from his knowledge of Mr. Wilson's character, he saw no reason whatsoever to doubt his word, much less his oath, - Mr. Parish—Every word he has sworn is false. I did not interrupt him. I merely placed my hand on the ve randa-gate of my cottage; and, if I were upon my oath, I contradict him. Mr. BALLANTINE observed, that he trusted he should be one of the last persons who would deal hastily with a lady. The case was this :—A person had been charged with a felony ; the evidence of Mrs. Parish was requisite ; he sent a polite communication to her, requesting her at tendance; it remained unnoticed. He then issued a sum mons, which was answered by a verbal reply, that she could not attend. subsequently a certificate came from a Me dical Gentleman, which stated that Mrs. Pariah was ill; but it was drawn up in such a manner, that it required explanation, and the Medical Attendant was requested to come and verify it ; this he refused to do. Under all the circumstances, he (Mr. Ballantine) felt it his duty to issue his warrant ; but at the same time, in doing so, he ordered the officer not to execute it if he saw that Mrs. Parish would be in the slightest manner inconvenienced by an im mediate attendance ; and the Officer who bad been chosen was one who, upon all occasions, would do his duty in the mildest manner possible, and was a man of undoubted ve racity. He, therefore, certainly believed him upon his oath ; and he felt it his duty to hold the defendant to bail for the assault upon him. Mr. Parish.-4 consider this proceeding unjustifiable. Mr. BALLANTINE.—That may be; I shall take the re sponsibility of it. Mr. Parish then left the Office, to await the arrival of his friends, to enter into the necessary recognizances for his appearance at the Sessions. TOWN-HALL.—A very showy female, about 30 years of age, solicited the Alderman to grant her a warrant against a Mr. James George Schuller, for an assault, and threatening. her with serious She 'described herself by the name of Anness Burrell, an actress of the Surrey Theatre, and stated that she had for six years lived in the closest terms of intimacy with the object of her complaint, br whom she had three children. They had been some ti=ne separated, upon an agreement of his allotVing a certain stipend for the maintenance of the children—an agreement he had never fulfilled. On Satur- evening last, chancing to enter a tavern, near - the theatre, for some benefit-ticket money due to her, where he was, he no sooner beheld her than he closed the door, and made a violent blow at her with a nobbed stick, but was prevented carrying his intentions into affect, by the t e et;ri intervention entdinaamc eyt i:onont yobtt twoaoi db.to: of :c a d aef arhsw, summons woman m mr; presentmeaefaonundagainstai ifbodily afterwards rhwaar (shehrni;naappear appearedf;rsouhmne declareddtunder ii. hadshisot haffin n e: bore e d cdeoenyt eseersi cir cumstancesh the Alderman granted a warrant. UNION-HALL.—.A curious charge of bigamy, arising out of the following circumstances, came on at this office before the sitting magistrate, R. J. CHAMBERS, Esq. in the course of Tuesday afternoon. A decent-looking young woman was placed at the bar, and the constable who had her in custody handed his book to the magistrate which contained this charge against her, namely, "James 2PNamara gives his wife into custody for refusing to live with him." The magistrate on perusing the above, immediately dismissed the parties, observing, that he could not compel a wif e t o li ve with h e r husband, if she did net think proper. 111'Namara and his wife had no sooner left the offi ce , th an s h e up b ra id e d hi m w i t h h av i ng ano ther wife, and the cause of contention became so high, that they were brought back again, when the female declared that she could make out a case of bigamy against him, and that her witnesses were in attendance. Macnamara was accordingly p l ace d i n t h e s i tuat i on f ro m which the wife had b een j ust released. She then procee d e d with the charge against the accused. About twelve months ago she became acqu a i n t e d w i t h t h e pr i soner , an d was married to bin= by banns, on the 27th o f l as t December, in the parish church of St. Cl ement Danes. Soon a f ter their nuptial s , she having some property, he took her to Manchester, un der the pretence of taking her over to Ireland, for the pur pose of introducing her to his family, whom lie described as both wealthy and respectable. Shortly after their ar took place, and h e b rought rival at the form er p l ace, however,dwghingaesstfhaoyerildihgeserethritneerde the hhtere, city.an d f s a h rtn e e p r ro in ce N ed o e r d tka to rnp t t h o e nahire; residence of her . father, who i s a pri soner came back to he r , and having expressed contriti on herforup his totown, conduct, reconciliation n took cili lodgings tion They had not been long living together, wh en a l etter ar rived during the prisoner's absence from home, which she made free to open, and which led to the discovery of his having another wife in Cheshire. The writer of the letter expressed great uneasiness at his long absence from home, and supplicate:l a t s o tat r e et a u p rn pro t a o ch h iin is g w s i m fe rv a a n t d ion fa family speedily as possible, and concl u d e d b y describing that h i s children were in sequence of his neglect. The com pl a i nan t a ccused hi m of the c harge, bu t f he th s e tre a n c u en oi r i a s e l strenuously o d f eni t e h d e it, letterand u i s i h ti e mr somea time ined ignorant after its receipt, w h en one day, while walk ing with the prisoner, his first wif e came up to them in the street, claimed him a s h er husband, and produced the re are, certificate of her marriage, in order to confirm the truth of leer statement. This led to the separation of the prisoner and his second wife, the complainant, who went to reside with her sister at Camberwell, and, strange as it may ap pear, he proceeded there after her, and insisted upon her living with him, declaring there was no foundation for the story that he had been previously married. No persua sions, however, would induce her to comply, and be actu ally gave her into the custody of a constable, who brought her to this office, en the charge already specified. The pri soner's first wife also attended, and the parish clerk of Prestbury church, in Cheshire, produced a copy of the register, and stated that he was one o f th e su b sc ribing wit nesses to the marriage of the prisoner with his first wife. The prisoner cross examined the parish slerk, and put a variety of questions to him to endeavour to shake his be lief as to his being the person named in the certificate, but finding he could not, he attacked the clerk, accusing him of having stolen several bodies from Prestbury church-yard, and therefore was unworthy of belief. The evidence against the prisoner being conclusive, he was committed for trial, upon which be exclaimed with much apparent surprise, and in a strong Irish accent, Faith, then, what are you all about now; this is no joke, you have mixed this up against me nicely." He was ex tremely desirous of comniunicating with both his wives as he stood at the bar, both of whom were deterred from ap proaching him, in consequence of a threat that he was over heard to make, whilst the evidence was read over, that if he could get within arm's length of them, he would do for them, and seal up their mouths forever. IRELAND.-QUEEN'S COUNTY. MARYBOROUGH ASSIZES, Ataacir 29. Honor Coughlan, was indicted for stealing a cloak, the property of Michael Doyle. Michael being duly sworn, stated that he was walking through the street of Athy, with a cloak under his arm, when he met the prisoner, who ran away with it down a lane ;he followed but did not overtake her. He after" wards had her arrested in the street of Maryborough. COURT.-Prisoner, do you wish to ask the witness ant question ? Prisoner.—My Lordship will you let me ax him a question ? Counx.—l have already asked you to do so. Prisoner.—Don't believe one word the thief says, my Lordship, I met him in the street of Athy, and he wanted to induce me into the fields ; I went to walk with him in the fields ; lie was drunk, and I axed him for the cloak ; when lie gave it, I went to the other side of the ditch, and hopped off with it.—(Great laughter.)—Sure, my Lord ship, that wasn't robbing him in the streets.—(Continued laughter.) During this expose, the prosecutor (with a face that would have done honour to the pencil of Hogarth, and in which astonishment and indignation were pictured), stow' motionless on the table. At length, recovering a little, he said, " Oh murder ! gentlemen, do you hear that ?--- (Continued laughter.) The prisoner was found Guilty, and sentenced to trans portation. Marg Gilbert, indicted for stealing a cloak, quilt, and 45., the goods of Mary Horan. The prosecutrix stated that the prisoner robbed her of all the property she possessed. Some of the articles stole" were in the possession of Sergeant Hart, of the Police. CHIEF BARON-State particularly what you lost. D 4 she take any thing but the gown, cloak, and 4s. ? Prosecutrix—(an old woman) to his Lordship—Avour naen macree (Great laughter) she took away my gown, a quilt, my petticoat, a pound note, and all I had, avourneen —(Great laughter, in which the prosecutrix most heartily joined.) .The prisoner charged the prosecutrix with keeping an. improper house.—(Here a most extraordinary scene of erhnination and recrimination took place.) Prosecittrix to his Lordship-=Upon my soul, every word she's saying, is a lie—don't believe a word she says, avour neen.—(Laughter.) The prisoner was found Guilty.-- Carlow Morning Post. DANTZIC, MARCH 15. (From H. Altham'e Corn Trade Circular.) The proposed alterations in yotir Corn Laws has made a deep impremion on the min& of our speculatori, as it is generally considered that the English market will for the future be almost entirely excluded from the Continental Corn Trade. We, however, arc of a different opinion, anti believe business will be more regular in this branch of trade than under the old laws. The holders of Wheat have already begun to force sales, and though we cannot yet quote a decline of prices, still we think that in a short time we shall be able to purchase best high-mixed Wheat at 255. to 285., and mixed at 225. to 235. per qr. free on board. On the prices of Summer Corn the proposed alterations have as yet had no influence, Barley still obtaining 19, to 20s.—Oats 16s. to 18s.—Pease 335. per qr. free on board. The present.stock of these articles is small, and the quality not very good. Rye is worth 225. to 245. per qr. free on board. Our rivers are free from ice, and the navigation will consequently commence in a few days. (ANOTHER LETTER.) Your new Corn system, so far as it relates to wleat, generally considered by the most impartial amongst our merchants as being unable to promote the great cause of A free enlivened course of business. This article being by h'S the most important of the Polish exportation, the more liberal principles upon which the admission of pease, besot" barley, and oats is to be regulated cannot produce any Ws; terial good, and the countries on this side of the water will continue disabled as hitherto to draw their'commodities and manufactured articles from your side. We apprehend also that the weekly taking of averages, after which the duties are to be regulated, will render the consigning trade as pm" carious and hazardous as it was in the. worst times of e.v elusion. Our corn traders being so much reduced in peen' niary resources can do nothing without advances from the British factors, who, however, are not likely to allow ally as the liveliness unless authority is given to enter the grain at such periods may be thought convenient• by the consignees, a con&-7' tion to which none of our solid dealers will fe e l i nc li ne d in submit. This impossibility o f a sa ti s f ac t ory arrangemen t between the trader and the agent, will, perhaps, confer a greater stability on the operations of th e English 'specu-. 5 elater,nt circumstances,but fail to impede cas eyour r aver age o f h price inter course te 1 r course in general, except i n ti mes o f scarc i ty. Under pre - Wheat should run up t o 60 s . we may expect very low cur rencies after the arrival of our new supp l y . W e are ob liged to name 23 5 . t o 24 5 . a s th e pro b a bl e va l ue o f high mixed Wheat three or four weeks hence. Oui speculators have invested their mon e y last au t umn in Wheatat 31s. to 375. per qr. and cannot but shri n k b ac k f rom augme nting their stocks. Of Barley, Oats; and P ease , our stock enn:' tinues extremely low.—A . few supplies are shortly expected riverwise, and are lik e ly t o b e s o ld a t a b o rt p resen t p r ice/. Good stout Malti ng B ar l e y 19 s . t o 20 s . F ee d O a t s 150. tn o 6d. to 16s. White Boiling Pease 30s. per'qr. MEETINGS OF CREDITORS. Commissioners 0011 8 aDJF Franklin, n carrkne gf l ni j a . jj t r e , pmeti Maidstone...... Chatham 1d tssrtt yo. n LONDON DIARY.--ThintSDAV, APRIL s. —(At the Court Attfield, J., Richmond Carter, C., Uxbridge Chappell, W., Strand 11 Clarke, C., Holborn ..„ 11 Dobson, T., Holborn Dolton, C., Hackney l2 King, 5., Poplar • COUNTRY DlARY.—Farnar, APRIL 6. 131ounley and Co., Heap—Star, Manchester ll Brabham and Co., Manchester—White's, Manchester 0 Dixon, W., Horncastle--Bull, Horncastlel Gibbins anti Co., Birmingham —R 11 oyal Hotel, Birmingham - Hall, P., Ashton—Buck, Wigan lO Jones, T., Shrewsbury— .. 1 1 Elephant, Shrewsbury Jones, J., Blackr o d — B ear ' s Paw inn, Wigan... ••• 1 Lane, T., Upton—F rance and Co., W 10 orcester Moor, J., Kirkby S tephen—King's Head, Appleby ...... 12 , 2 Mott, R., B r i g h ton—New inn, Brighton Owen, C., Whitl ey — G uildhall, Shrewsbury lO Pierce, J., Ward en —G eorge, Cranbrook Richardson, F 0 k"ir k Wheatsheaf, Ormskirk . 9 Rix and Co., St. N eots—Falcon, St. Neots Robertson, T., O x f ord—K i ng ' s Arms, Oxford Salter and Co., Manchester—Star, Manchester lO Smith, H. M o ld—P a l ace i nn , M anc h es t er Spiking, A., Tetford—Red Lion, Ilardcastle 0 Watts, W., Oldb u ry—White Hart, Tetbury l9 Willmott, T., Manchester—Star, Manchester • Woodlcy, F., Andover—Star and Garter, Andover . . ....... •10 SATCIRDAT, APRIL 7. Hodgscin, D., Harrington—Black Lion, Whitehaven... ...... Moor, .1., Kirkby-Stephen—King's Head, Appleby ........... . Richardson, F., Ormskirk—Wheatsheaf, Onnskirk. ......... lA THE MARKETS. COAL MAR Adaiis Bunion Eighton 31 0 Hebburn Main Percy 31 3 Pontop Windsor 30 6 Tanfield 31 0 33 3 Willington - 37 3 Walls End Bell and Co. 36 9 Ditto Bell Robson & Co. 36 3 Dittaßewickeand Co.— 36 0 Ditto 35 3 Ditto 35 6 Ditto Northumberland 36 0 Ditto Pearetb 35 3 Ships at Market, 63M-4310 IKET.--April Walls End Riddell's*. 375. Ad. Ditto Russell's 37 9 Ditto Walker 37 0 Tanfield Trader . 30 6 Londonderrysmall 10 0 Russell's small. 19 6 ° Liunbton small 19 W. E. Hetton's & Lyon's 37 3 Culm Christie,. 3O 0 Cowpen 29 tj Hartley 30 Russell's Lyon's Main 3i „" Walls End Ditto Lambton 30 X Ditto Slewart's 38 - ips sold, 41%,--Uniold, 213 - LIVERPOOL CORN E7CCHANGE.--April'3. 'did. The supply of all descriptions of Grain during the past week has been small. At to-day's market Wheat brought p th a e r r eel l s imi of te o d a , ta hav ing were 8 o o l i d il , y f f o e i w an advance of Id. to 2d. per bushel, hut, the business was ra ther the to Id. per 451 b. higher than on this, day week , this improvement. general qualities were not saleable at im b i ti o y e r ate b: h re ip . Barley is held Id. to 2d. higher, and 'B eans are fully is. arrivals of per quarter dearer. We are , still without any White Pease. In prices of Flour and Oatmeal no variation. ..... _ vs.' mall:7e fine On the 3d i ns t., i n Upper M onta g u- street, MOntagu- BIRTHS. squar e , th e l a d y o f Frederick Say Flood, Esq., of a son. On the Sd inst., Mrs. Thomas Kinder, jun., efPort land-place, o f a daughter. MARRIED. le street. On the 31st ul t., b y licence, at St. Stephen's, Co Davit..' man - s t ree t, by the Rer. Josiah Pratt, jun., J. R. Da: ' s s o o n n, LTohr:.ed.odnii-cedwalilet to Ann, eld es t d aughter of jack _ DIED. ing, ...sq., James Pidd• r o f Blackhe ath and Cornhill. O n the 3d inst., On the 30th nit., at Union-place, Blackheath-h ill, b l , the 72d year o f his age, Samuel Savage, Esq., late i n service of his Majesty's Customs. On the 4th inst., Isabella, eldest daughter of Samu el W ilde, Esq., of New Palace-yard. Cit at th e PAIXTED and PUBLISHED by M. - 0 " , Strand- Surt-Ornos, No. 112, io) z