The Sun. — London, England, 1825-01-04 00:00:00

'FRENCH PAPERS. ( From the Ccmstitutionuel.) P2IRI S, DEC. 31.—After Mass the King re ceived-the congratulations of the M a jor-General of the State, and of the other Great Officers. At eight in the evening the King, seated on his 'Throne, with the Dauphin at. his right, and sur rounded by the great Dignitaries, received the Deputation of tLe Chamber of Peers, headed by the President and the Members of the Treasury. Dambray, Chancellor of France, presented to the. King the congratulations of the Chamber on the occasion of the new year, and then presented to his Majesty the following Address, voted by Charni)er during the Sitting of that day STitx—Your faithful subjects, the Peers of France, come to ;ay at the foot of the throne, the customary tribute of their devotion, their love, and their respect. " The first want of our hearts was to offer to your Majesty the homage of all the sentiments which you inspire, and of all the hopes which you create. The first want of your heart, r.••lre, has been to tell us of the loss of a brother beloved, and worthy of being . so, and to seek in our sorrow some consolation for yours. Enjoy, Sire, that consolation ; let it soften the bit terte,s of your regr:As : the universal consternation which has prevailed must have shewn your Majesty to what an extent France has felt and shared your affliction, and that she has four:it no relief for her grief except in seeing the Father whom she had lost, revive in his Successor. " We, Contemporaries of that memorable Reign, we have admired the Monarch, who in the midst of the most difficult ,:;:cumstances in which any King was ever placed, gave his people, like Charlemagne and St. Louis, both Institutions and Laws ; and who, the visible instrument of -a paternal Provi dence, like Hairy IV., reconquered. his kingdom from fac tions, by disarming hatreds, forgiving error, and welcoming repentance. Posterity will say : Louis XVIII. found France exhausted by long disorders and great calamities, yet a few years were sufficient for him to re-establish the throne, to con solidate it by institutions, to leave France happy and free, and to reconcile her with he rse lf an d w i t h E urope. " Thus France was able to renew with neighbouring na tions those friendly relations which had been so long inter rupted, and which the well-known loyalty of. your Majesty will render so easy to maintain. They will be for all States a powerful guarantee of security, and the pledge of a lasting peace and of the advantages which such a peace is calculated to produce. _ Theseadvantages promised to your subjects, these amelio rations called for by all their wishes in the interest of Religion, of Legislation, of education, and of Manners will be hence foi ward the object of the high conceptions and solicitude of ,your Majesty. You know the duties of Royalty ; strong in your love for your people and your religious confidence, you will have the necessary courage and firmness to discharge them effectually. These noble expressions of your Majesty have re sounded in the hearts of all Frenchmen. If the misfortunes and the wants of a neighbouring Go vernment still detain a portion of your troops beyond our fron tiers, France tranquilized respecting all the interests which the conventions announced by your Majesty guarantee, does not see, without pride, the result of that glorious campaign which hos restored to pain her King, and has added new lustre to the warlike and political virtues of the august Prince destined one day to reign over our children. " But Sire, your Majesty aims at another kind of glory : you have deigned to remind us that a great act of justice and of po licy, intended to close the last wounds of the Revolution was the most constant wish of your Illustrious Brother, and you an nounce to us that the moment was come of accomplishing it. Fidelity, which sets no price to its devotion, has suffered with resignation as.long as the necessities'of the State have required all its resources. It now perceives a happier futurity, when your Majesty condescends to assure us that this measure will not increase the taxes, will not injure public credit, and will curtail no part of the Funds appropriated to the various services of the State. " The Chamber of Peers will receive with respectful grafi tilde the communications which your Majesty announces re specting an object, the thought of which it deems it an honour to have entertained as early as the first days of the Restoration. Thus. Will the reparation Of a great misfortune signalize the accession of your Majesty to the throne of your ancestors, and tbo.era of felicity and glory which your Reign promises, will commence under the happy augpices .of concord between all you rxhildren. Sire, your Majesty has deigned to invite the Peers of France and the Deputies of the Departments to that imposing ceremony by which the antique and holy alliance of Religion" and Royalty will once more be consecrated. They will . come to renew under the eyes of him who received thei r f irs t oat h s , a secular union which extends to the cradle of the Monarchy. " The France of Clovis and of St. Louis will again be found in the France of Charles X, and the restoration of the Mo narchy will seem to be the anniversary of its foundation. The successor of Clovis will be seen receiving the holy unction from the hands of the successor of St. Kemigius, and invoking the same God at the foot of the same altars. There will &so be seen another Clotilde, full of courage and faith, who has brought down the benedictions of Heaven on the arms of her 43band, and will implore them for the reign of her father. " And in those two great Bodies of the State, present at that Royal ceremony, who, according to the expression of your Pre decessor, unite in one the present and the past, there will-be Found those Chiefs of the nation and the army, who dedicated therrselves with Clovis to the worship of Christianity and the iservic.e of the Monarchy ; and whilst your Majesty will invoke who judges Nations and Kings, to witness the sacredness of your engagements, and you will renew the oath of maintain •ing and causing to be observed the laws of the State and the -Institutions granted by your august Brother, prostrate at the foot of the same altars, happy to obey the Prince who is proud to govern us, we shall address to Heaven the most ardent -prayers for the preservation of the life of your Majesty, the prosperity of your reign, and the happiness of France." The K ING replied- "MT LORDS—It would be difficult for me to express the satisfaction I feel at the sentiments expressed in the name of Chamber of Peers • I shall embra ce ever y opportun i ty to give. it proofs of my confidence, and I depend on the reciprocity *of this sentiment. " I shall cause a law to be presented to the Chambers, which I doubt not will unite all the French, as they are united in my le:strt ; but I shall not step there, my Lords: the Sessions will be renewed, and I shall cause all those ameliorations to be sue vesaively proposed to you, which I shall judge useful to the happiness of a people so dear to me. " What glory for the Throne and for you! for I shall com plete, I hope, this happy wish in concert with you, my Lords, and seconded by God that protects France." His MAJESTY then received the Grand Depu • tation of the Chamber of Deputies,headed by the 'President, the Vice-Presidents, and Secretaries. M. RAvEz, after having., in the name of the Chain - Ler, congratulated his Majesty on the flew year, presented to him the following Address from the Chamber : " SlRE—France has shared your Majesty's sorrow. , She has wept with you for that King, who, in-adversity preserved a . grandeur of soul independent of fortune, and whose wisdom turned supreme power into a pledge of mercy and of peace._ A mediator between the present and the past, he has secured the future, by institutions destined to last as dor.g as his me , mory._ "Sire, in succeeding a Prince who was not less beloved by his people than by his family, your Majesty has created in the • hearts of your subjects the noblest hopes. If their affliction and confidence have filled your soul with sweet consolation, you first words have justified our love, and we have felt that Providence restored to us all that she had taken away from us. " A Sovereign who speaks of the dutirs of Royalty renders the obligations of his subjects still more sacred. Firmness, Sire, is the first attribute of Justice. Firniness alone gives to good ness its true character; and when your Majesty impl ores i t o f the God who inspires Kings, you make us presage the virtues of your reign. " Your Majesty informs us of the maintenance of the happy harmony which subsists between France and Foreign Govern ments. When all at home unite without difficulty at the voice of a magnanimous King, all abroad must beconsolidated by the vo i ce o f Royalty seated on a powerful throne. " For the purpose of confirming this unanimity, and the peace which is its result, your Majesty prolongs the residence of your trosps in Spain. Guided by a Prince, the honour.of our arms and the just pride of a father, they have restored a Monarch to his subjects ; they will now protect them against the return of the -scourges by which they have been too long desolated. In conciliating by the conditions of this measure the interests of the two Monarchies, your Majesty has given a pledge of the at tachment which you feel for your Allies, and of your provident solicitude for the welfare of your kingdom. directs all respect to our external relations, your Ma. jests directs all your thoughts to the internal prosperity of your empire. " mn It is with a tender t* -Si that we have sun your - I * l . esty censect, to l e n' - Sire , iost which ought t o `iitve belon ged g enerous cares moments to grief alone; give to corn -mem and industry encouragements which promise the same protection to agriculture ; soften by your presence the greatest sufferings of humanity, and shed in the cabin of the poor the affe,:ting consolations of the heart which no other benetit can equal. " ;pre, Religio n i s th e f oun d a ti on o f society ; without Reli gion there would be for natiens neither duration, felicity, nor glory, and in order to be; respecte, ,l laws must bear its impe rishable stamp : we shall second with gratitude the zeal of your Majesty for such important interests. " Justice and policy inspired yeaAraugust Brother with the wise design which occupied his last thought. To you, Sire, is re served the accomplis:nnent of this work of reparation, the pious legacy of a great King, worthy to be accepted by your Majesty. We are happy to have been able to assist in the re storation of the public income, which allows. so noble a use to be made of its resources, Without injuring public credit, er compromising the services and the wants of the State. The Chamber of Deputies will accep., the honour offered to it of assisting in this ;treat measure. Your Majesty will find us faithful to justice and to our .p . romises. " Sire, we return thanks for having been invited - to the au gust ceremony by wl!iell your Majesty intends to terminate the first session of your reign. At the foot of the same altar - where the holy oil will flow on your head, our wishes and our pmyers shall unite themselves to your oaths. We sha:l ask of Heaven that tile Royal House of Franco, so miraculously preserved 6y Divine Protection, may govern for ever a people who place their glory in obeying it, and who owe it their liberties." The King answered : " GrNT LE 31 r: Deeply affected by the sentiments which the Chamber of Deputies has just expressed to me, I can only answer with my heart. Yes, we shall always agree for the glory and happiness of France. A union of sentiments, a union of principles; we shall never separate, proud of contributing to the felicity of this beautiful France, which we all love. I. shall faithfully fulfil the intentions of a Brother whom I lament. I shall not confine myself to this, Gentlemen, be assured that I shall always seek whatever the welfare of my people shall re quire of me. What a satisfaction to us, Gentlemen, as I have said to the Chamber of Peers, to repair cur misfortunes, and cause them to he forgotten. I shall proceed, if God grants me life. But, if Providence should not allow me time, there is my Son, Gentlemen, who will complete what I shall have begun. Gentlemen, believe my sentiments, and if I express them to you with sensibility, believe also that it is with satis faction that I receive the expression of yours." (From the Eloile, dated Sunday, Jan. 2.) _ _ A letter from Trieste, in thy ilugsburg Ga zette, says—" A vessel from Constantinople brings di,patches from Hydra of the 6th of De cember, perfectly confirming the events of Nov. 12th. It was after being again beaten by the Greeks that Ibrahim Pacha retreated to the Bay of Marmarissa. Another division of his fleet had already steered for Alexandria. The Greeks say he had three brigs burnt. Thry have taken besides, five schooners and 17 transports. Several Egyptian Captains, prisoners of war, have ar rived at llydra.° [saturday (New Year's Day) being a Holiday at Paris the Stock Exchange was shut.] FOREIGN CORN TRADE. The following is an extract from the CIRCULAR of an eminent MercantilP 'louse, dated— " liaNzw, 24th OCT. 11124.—The languid state of the Corn Trade, for upwards of si x y ears p ast , h as h a d t h e most disastrous effects upon the whole Northern Continent, and in no part of it has this depression been more seriously felt than here. The immediate consequence of this evil has been the ruin of our Agriculturists, and thence, necessarily, the gradual diminution of produce ; those causes latterly affecting all classes of the community, have seriously impaired our commercial in tercourse with the western part of Europe. It is generally thought that the consumption of British Colonials and Manufactures does not at present exceed the one-half of what It amounted to, before this unfortunate crisis of the Corn Trade took place. The price of Wheat, by which the Prussian farmer could afford to pay even the moderate taxes of this country, is calculated by the best Economists at 35 shillings sterling per Winchester quarter. But the landed proprietors in Volliynla (from which province we get the bulk of our good wheat) cannot supply the ports of the Baltic, unless obtaining about 38 shillings, as they have nearly 14 shillings to pay for freight, duties, and charges. Hence it appears, that our prices have been for more than five years, under the cost of production. This sufficiently accounted for the considerable decrease observable in the extent of the Polish supplies, and our home produce. Under the circum stances just mentioned, it is not -surprising to find that the spirit of enterprize hr..s been gradually disappearing, since the more,prices declined, the less inducement is felt by the specu lator to come into Market ; hence exclusively proceeds the low rate of our Corn prices, whi c h are ne i t h er in just proportion to the existing stock, nor in general to the present monied system of Europe. Much has been s a id f or some t i me past a b out a favourable change in the British Laws, and very considerable benefit might be expected to result to both countries from such an act of the Legislature. This prospect, however, has not y e t had any generarbenelicial effect. ' FALSE RETURNS in MARK-LANE to ENHANCE I'HE PRICE OF CORN- Ypsterciey a•subject of the utmost importance was lrought before the Loup MATOIL and Alderman THOMPSON', by the Receiver-General of the Corn Returns at Mark-lane, in consequence of a practice which has for some time existed amongst some of the cornfactors. The Justice room at the Mansion-house was crowded during the investiga tion, and the greatest possible in,erest was manifested. The defendants are cornfactors of respectability, and were legally assisted on this occasion by Mr. ADOLPHUS and Law. Upon the other side was Mr. BOLLAND. The LOUD MAYOR and Alderman TticisePsosr were attended by the City Solicitor. Mr. Holder, the Chief Clerk, stated, that the defendants Messrs. Frederick and Thomas Rushton of Mark-lane, corn-, factors, appeared upon an information charging them with hay-. ins made false returns to the inspector.. He then read the information, which stated particularly the nature of the offence as it was afterwards disclosed by the Counsel for the prosecu tion.—The defendants pleaded Not Guilty. Mr. lim.naND said, he attended in support of the informa tion, which was tiled by Mr. Jacobs, the Receiver General of the Coin Returns, for the purpose of repressing a most danger ous practice which had for some time existed. He meant the practice of falsifying the Iteturnt of the Corn sold in order to enhance the price in the market. This scheme had succeeded in the early part of the year with respect to one article, and at tention was drawn to the subject in consequence—with respect to barley, of which there were great quantities in bonds from Foreign Parts, and which perhaps it was anxiously wished by interested persons should by any means whatever he re leased. The untruth which the defendants were charged with having told was, that between the 1 1 th and 16th of October they had caused to be returned to George Levick, the Inspector of the Corn Returns for the City of London, an account in which they represented that they hail sold 842 quarters of barley at 50s. per quarter, when, in point of fact they had made no such sale. The proceeding against the defen dants was founded on the Act of the Ist and 2d George IV. cap. 87, sec. 12, which said--" And be it further enacted, that any such corufactor shall, and he is hereby required to return, or cause to be returned, on the Wednesday in each and every week to the said Inspector of Corn Returns, an account in writing, signed with his own name or the name of his agent, of the quantities of each respective sort of British corn so by him sold and delivered during the week, with the total quantity and value of each sort of corn, and by what measure or weight the same was sold and delivered during the week, with the prices thereof, the amount of every parcel, with the total quantity and value of each sort of corn, and by what measure or weight the same was sold, with the names of the buyers thereof, and of the parsons for whom such corn' shall have been sold by him respectively.; in default thereof every such corufactor shall, for every such neglect, forfeit and pay the sum of 101." The Act then goes on to state, that the Inspector of Corn Returns shall transmit weekly an account . of the quantities and prices of corn, received by him from the cornfactors to -the Receivers o f th e C orn R eturns. Wi t h out going, ;ilr. Bolland observed. to the full extent into the nature and effect of the offence complained of, it was obvious that it tended greatly to the injury of the fair trader by contributing to raise the price of barley. Theinjurious effect upon the con sumer also was very great; for although barley was not abso lutely so great a necessary of life as wheat, no one could deny . the extreme importance of it. Tile practice was thus of double injury. The Court were aware that when grain attained a certain .price the ports were open fur the admission of foreign corn: and it wo u ld h e seen t h at there were individuals wuio were desirous of seeing that effect produced, and did not, hesitate to falsify the Returns for the purpose of producing it. He should call Mr. Levick, the Inspector of the Returns. to prove the particular return put in by the defendants; and he should also call M essrs . Gosling, the person to whom the barley in question purported to he sold, to prove that. they bought no barley at the time answering the description in .any -.respect. He (Mr. Bolland) understood that for the defence it would be attempted to set up that there had been some sort of sale or other. Now, - not only was it required by the Act that there should be a bona fide sale of the article, but that there should bean actual delivery ; and it could be no answer to this charge to say that there had been a delivery by santpls, for there must be an actual delivery of the bulk, other wise fictitious sales might be made of any quantity—the same sample bag would serve in twenty instances, and the purpose of the Act would be entirely defeated. The Receiver-General of the Corn Returns had brought this case berme the Court rather than proceed against the defendants in the Court of Ex chequer, a prosecution which would have proved extremely in convenient and expensive to the defendants. Mr. AnotPflus said, the 49th section of the Act provided against such prosecutions, and therefore the prosecution before -two Magistrates, which was the only one that could be main tained, was no great act of mercy or forbearance. Mr. Levick, Inspector of Corn Returns was then called—lle stated. that he was Inspector of the Returns. Mr. Anor.Pitus claimed the production of the witness's ap , rointment l and when it was produced, objected to it as invalid. l'he Act states (cap.. 7), that the Inspector of Corn Returns for the City of London shall be appointed in the manner herein after directed ; that is to say, the several proprietors of the Corn Exchange in Mark-lane shall, and they are hereby anthorised and required to meet, and under their hands and seals nominate and appoint a fit and proper person (not being a cornfactor, merchant, clerk, agent, or other person buying corn for sale, or for the sale of malt, meal, or flour made thereof), to be In spector of Corn Returns • and every such Inspector shall be, and is hereby required within one week after he has received his appointment to deliver the same to the Lord Mayor, &c. It then goes on to require the Inspector to give bonds, to take an oath for the due performance of his office, and also to cause the certificate to be enrolled at the Sessions. The witness, on his cross-examination by Mr. Anormius, said, that he believed there might be about 60 of the proprietors of the Corn Exchange, but he could not positively say. .:\ ui general meeting was sumoned for the purpose of appointing him according to the Act. He was appointed by those who attended, and be believed that the signatures, about 20 in num ber, to his appointment were the signatures of those who then attended. Mr. ADOLPHUS contended that the appointment was worth nothing at all, as it had not the signatures of all the proprietors of the Corn Exchange. lie could not help the defects of the Aet, but it clearly required that the appointment should be made and signed by all the proprietors. Mr. licii.LAND, in answer to this objection, referred to the next section of the Act, which said that in case the proprietors or the major part of them shall refuse or neglect to appoint as aforesaid, then the Lord Mayor and Aldermen might appoint. The Act, in thus mentioning the 44 major part" of the proprie tors, did away with the position contended for, that the signa tures and attendance of every one of them was necessary.— There wax every reason to believe, until the contrary was shewn, that those who did sign the appointment were the major part of the proprietors. The LORD MAYOR and Alderman THOMSON, after con sulting the City Solicitor, declared the appointment to be valid. The witness then produced the return of the alleged sale, which was signed by the defendants, John and Frederick Rushton. Croii-examined by Mr. ADOLPHUS—The returns in ques don had a tendency to raise the price too high. Calculated the averages from the various returns he received. Mr. Anr.Pu us—Have you not the power of refusing or dis allowing returns when you suppose them to be too low ? Witness--I have never seen any thing of that kind in those returns. Mr. ADOLPIIIIA—I ask you, have you never disallowed or kept hack returns because they were in your opinion too low ? Witness—l swear I never have disallowed or kept back one. m (The witness here coplained that an unjust insinuation was intended to be conveyed by the question.) Mr. Anot.puus said the question conveyed no more than it was intended to convey, as he had an idea somehow or other that returns were occasionally kept back. There were some persons whose profits would be reduced by the raising of the prices. The witness solemnly declared that he never had disallowed a return. Edward Gosling, the witness who was summoned to prove that no such sale as that stated in the return had been made, was then called, but he did not appear. The Solicitor for the prosecution said he did not expect that the gentleman would appear. . . . . _ 111 i. BOLLAND adatted that this information must be quashed, and he therefore proceeded to the next, which was against the same defendants, and alleged, that on the 10th of November they made a false return to Mr. Levick, stating that they ha , ' sold for certain persons under the name of Ford and Co. 2,440 quarters of barley at 495. per quarter to Messrs. Ihnirti and Co. Mr. Levick produced the return which was signed by one of the defendants. lie said he knew Mr. Ford as a buyer of barley, but he knew no such persons as Gonna and Co. William Ford suited, that he is a maltster residing at Nine Elms. He had a partner named Hewitt, and they were sonic times called Ford and Co.. Ford and Hewitt, or Hewitt and Ford; but his partner did not take an active part, and he alone was known on the Corn Exchange. He did not sell on the day mentioned in the return 2,440 quarters of barley through the defendants to Messrs. Gourtz and Co. Mr. A DOLPII us cross-examined the witness to show that some other house under the name of Ford and Co. might have been concerned in the transaction. The witness said he knew no other house of that name that dealt in barley. Mr. Bo LLAND hoped that Mr. Adolphus had some more un exceptionable defence than that which had been adopted in the former case in answer to such a charge. Mr. ADOLPHUs then addressed the Court for the defendants He said, that without taking into consideration the policy or im .policy of those informations, or of the Act of Parliament under which they were laid and without saying whether or not the im mediate effect of those return* was to raise the price of corn, he would observe, that there miht be some scheme sanctioned by those whose object it was to keep down the price of corn to an 'improper rate, and that something might have been necessary to .counteract the operation of such a motive. There were one or two Jpropositions set forth by his Learned Friend, which were very far from being well founded. He (Mr. Adolphus) con tended that it was not necessary that there should be a delivery of the bulk in order to constitute a delivery within the meaning -of the Act of Parliament. A delivery by sample bad been held .under the Statute of Frauds to be a good delivery, and it would be a good delivery here. With respect to this charge the ac .counts which his clients gave of the business was, that they were in correspondence with a house named Gourtz and Co. of Ber lin, who did order them to purchase the quantity of barley spe cified, and that they did purchase it of a liou4e named Ford and Co.; but the proof of this case was clogged With so many diffi culties as to the production of the letter cootinissioning them to buy, and as to who are the parties, that it would perhaps be better to (rive no evidence in answer to the case for the infor mation. tl !'his was the account given of the case by his clients, and if his Lordship and his Brother Magistrate thought the case for the informer was made out, they would convict the de fendants. As, however, this was only brought forward as an example, they would perhaps consider th a t th e l owest fi ne o f 40s. would answer the purpose of the prosecution. The LORD 3lAroit anti Alderman Ttroatrsos: had not the slightest doubt that the defendants had contravened the Act, and felt it necessary to convict them in the penalty of 10/. and costs. (The penalty fixed by the Act is from 40s. to 201) The next case called was an information against Messrs. Boggis and Savage, cornfactors, for having made a false return of the quantity of British corn sold by them between the 18th and 23d of October, stating that they had sold for James Thomas to George Walker 976 quarters and 3 bushels at 40s. per quarter, which statement was altogether false. 'The defendants were called upon to pleat but did not appear. Mr. LOFTY appeared as Solicitor for the defendants, and undertook to Plead in their behalf. Mr. BoLLAND said the personal attendance of the defend ants could not be dispensed with. Such a thing was never known in a criminal case. Mr. I4oFTY said, that one of his clients had been bed-rid den for many years, and the other had long been so unwell as not to be able to attend. Mr. BOLLAND seemed disposed to wave the objection ; brit one of the witnesses. Mr. Walker, being called not appearing, the Learned Counsel refused to make any concession. Mr. LAW requested that the case would be given up, as his clients had not for many gars been able to take an active part in business, and were not likely to be ever able to attend. To this it was replied, that they must be made answerable for the conduct of those who carried on business on their be half. The person who served the summons on the defendants de posed that when he served the summons on Mr. Savage, that gentleman was lying on a sofa. Could not swear that he was ill. When witness served the other .defendint, Mr. Boggis, that gentleman walked out of .one room into another to re ceive it. Mr. BOLLAND, after a few observations, agreed that the case should stand over. 31r. LOFTY hoped it would he postponed for three months. This proposal was peremptorily rejected by the Solicitor for the prosecution. Mt. LAW observed that in the interval the bill might be re pealed._ _ _ Mr. BOLLAND said (we believe, for many things were in distinctly stated ; indeed some parts of the speeches as well as the evidence were inaudible) he hoped so, in order that some more penal Statute might be substituted. The case was ultimately adjourned, the Solicitor for the pro secution being determined to pursue 'every case without ex ception. GENERAL ELECTION. There are attempts made in various places to disturb, at the ensuing Election, many of their present Representatives in Parliament ; amongst them Canterbury and 'Wells. In the former, it is 'said, an effort will be made to introduce a third Candidate, with a view to the exclusion of Lord CLIFTON ; but there appears no inclination what ever on the part of the resident freemen to disturb him in his s e at! At ‘Yells, a most unwarrantable attempt is made to reject one of the present Members. The rumour is, that this attack ori ginates with a Sowersetshire family, who are not satisfied with the conduct of this in dividual in another county, where the fa mily alluded to formerly had an exclusive influ ence in a Close Borough, but which, by the independence of its inhabitants, it no longer possesses ; and it is surmised that this Mem ber for Wells is not disposed to lend him self to the purposes of this family in the Borough in question. To give the Public a correct idea of the present state of parties in this ancient City, we refer them to the following extracts from the Bristot Papers : WEr.t.s.—The Opposition at Welts presents a curious political anomaly. The interests of two Candidates (who are said to exist, but of whom the names, and every thing relating to them, save that they are strangers, are alike un known to the electors) are supported by a self-styled " Church and King" party against the present Members, one of whom, without being able, by any influence, apart from the bias which is created in his favour by an unimpeachable integrity and an uniform political consistency of nearly 30 years past, to com mand a single vote in the borough, has, during that extended period, been its Representative in Parliament, and against both of whom it is made a matter of reproach, by their political op ponents, that they are powerfully supported by many influ enced by the ties of private friendship; and this same junto, soi-disant " Church and King," is, in a marked and public manner, discountenanced by the whole of the dignified Clergy, who compose that most respectable and influential body, the Chapter of the Cathedral of Wells.—(Bristol Mirror, Dec. 25.) WELLs ELECTION.-011 Monday se'unight, the Members for this City, J. P. Tudway and Charles W. Taylor, Emirs., met their friends at the IVliite Hart Inn, at a supper, which was most numerously and respectably attended. The kind manner in which they were received must have been most flattering to them, and can leave no doubt, in the minds of the public, of the certainty of their re-election in the next Parlia ment. Sonic of the Opposition have asserted that the Corpo ration are not favourable to the present Members; but this cannot be true, as the whole of the officers of that highly re spectable body were present, viz.—the Mayor, Recorder, Jus tice, Town Clerk, and Chamberlain, with six other members; and is to be observed, that altogether there are but 11l mem bers resident in Wells, four of whom were prevented by illness, and one could not with propriety attend, holding a situation under Government. The health of the Mayor and Corporation was drank : upon which the Mayor, in appropriate terms, re turned thanks, and stated that the Corporation did not consider it consistent to enter into a pledge as a public body; but lie was happy to say, that the whole of its members, with the excep tion of one or twe- - at the utmost, were decidedly in favour of Mr. Taylor and'Mr. Tudway. Amongst the company present, besides the above, were the Rev. Canons Frankland, Geo. H. Templar, RObert Foster, James King (son of the Bishop of Rochester), Vharles H. Pulsford, and Aaron Foster, Colonel Strangewaya. Captains Lamont and Foster, with nearly the whole of the respectable inhabitants who are electors. The evening was spent with the greatest conviviality, and apologies were made for the absence of the Lord Bishop of Rochester, the Rev. Canon Gould, the Rev. Edward Foster, Admiral Holloway, Mr. Alderman Porch, Mr. Broderip, &c., by their friends, who assured the company that these gentlemen were firm supporters of the preaent Representatives, and would have been present but for ill health. here was a supper the same evening at the Christopher Inn, given by the Opposition party, at which there was not present a single Clergyman, and but one of the Corporation, viz.—Mr. Edward Spencer, a non-resi dent Member. So much for their assertion that the Clergy and Corporation are friendly to their cause. The persons who are to be the new Candidates have not yet been named.—(lbid.) IRELAND. COMMISSION INTELLIGENCE. (Freon the Dublin Correspondent Jan. 1. ) About one o'clock the Loan MArott, and the Judges Moore and Vandeleur, proceeded in State to open the Commission in Green-street. The Session Court was unusually crowded, from the anxious wish manifested by all present to hear their Lord ships' Charge, which, of course, would refer to the indictment pending against Mr. O'Connell, for the seditious expressions attributed to him, as uttered in the Roman Catholic Association. The Clerk of the Crown then called on the High Sheriff Warren for the precept, which being presented to him, and proclamation made for the Jury, the panel was called over. It contained a great number of names, and those who did not attend were called on tines of 10/. each. A little before the Judges appeared on the Bench Mr. O'Connell entered the Court, habited in his gown, and took his place in the centre of the Council, and immediately under B. Rickey, Esq. the Clerk of the Crown. The Lord Mayor and the Judges entered the Court about half-past one o'clock, and took their places on the Bench. Previous to the arrival of the Judges, the following Counsel appeared on the part of Mr. O'Connell, and occupied nearly the entire of the space about the table usually allotted for the Gentlemen of the Bar : Messrs. Wallace, Holmes, Perrin, H. Walsh, Shell, Graydon, Bethel, and Bric. The only Counsel who appeared on the part of the prosecution was John S. Townsend, I.:sq. K.C. CITY GRAND JURY. , After some time the following persons were sworn on the City Grand Jury, many declining to answer until they were called on fines : HICKMAN KEARNEY, Esq., Foreman. John David Latouch e Wall Chambers Abraham Lane George Wilson Boileau Edward Croker Isaac Hynda Addison Hone James Moore Samuel Fisher Robert Hyndman George Carleton John Phelps William Porter James Jackson William Jackson John Alley, jun. John Smyth Taylor I John Hutton, and Henry Peel Thomas Hunt, Esqrs. Thomas Wright William Ring, Mr. Peel and Mr. Wright appealed to the Court, and en treated they may not be put on the Jury, as they attended the last Sessions Grand Jury for three months ; but the Court re fused the application. . COUNTY GRAND JURY. The County Panel was then called over, and the Jurors not attending, they were called on fines of 101. After some little delay, the following Gentlemen were sworn on the County .Grand Jury : ing, Foreman. John Wisdom John Helton John J. Boileau Jonathan Bagnoll Francis Mills William Hutton Thomas Macready Wilson Mills Richard Gooden John H. Stanley George om Stapleton Fry J. Stevens Frederick Dempster John Birch T Alexander Ferrer h Jonathan Jesson William. Pickering William Figgis Thomas Sherlock, an d John Morris Benjamin Ayton Mr. Justice MOORE then dressed the Grand J ur i es ; b ut Thomas his Lordship, at the commencement, spoke in so low a tone, that it was with great difficulty we could catch his words at the extreme distance at which we were situated. His Lord ship commenced by observing, that, although the respective calendars of the city and county exhibited nothing to the present Commission of a serious nature in the way of crimes deserving capital punishment, nevertheless he would men tion to them other offences which required their considers tion, and of a nature which they were not often called upon to decide. Before he would proceed to them, he would submit a few observations to them. First, he begged to congratulate the County Grand Jury on a matter which he considered of the utmost importance, and that was. in having established under a late Act the Constabulary force in their county. It reflected the highest honour on their characters to . have carried the provisions of this Act into effect in the best manner, and the most conducive to the public interest. The selection of this force was made without favour or affection to any one. No description of force could be. more conducive to preserve the quiet and good order of the country than this. In all the quarters of the country lie visited he found that under proper regulations, it rendered the most essential services in preserving the pub lit peace—and his Lordship said he. considered it a great defect that such a force had not been earlier established, because whatever disposition the Magistrates and the Geutiginez) like Sir A. B. K. those comprising the Oven& Jury, may have to enforce the laws, their execution could not be carried into effect in many cases, from not having persons in the lower department able and disposed to forward this part of their duty, And it was on this account that he looked upon this regulation as of the utmost importance. His Lordship continued to observe that he con sidered it of equal importance and equally necessary that the Magistrates would be enabled when assembled at their Petty Sessions to keep in controul this force—they could watch over the proceedings of its members—they could call them to account before them, and visit their acts with whatever degree of censure or praise they deserved. It was on this account that he looked upon the formation of the constabulary force, as one of the most important measures effected since the establishment of British law in this country. . . The next subject to which he would call the attention of the City grand Jury " was, that long continued and dreadful combination called the onion of Trades. This evil was car ried to a great extent. heretofore it seemed confined to particular trades, but now it appeared there was a corres pondence carried on through all parts of the country, and an intercourse established between the various towns. This his Lordship looked upon as one of the greatest evils which afflicted the country at the present moment. The parties engaged held their regular assemblies—they formed Courts, and issued their decrees, which awarded and inflicted punishment, and this was not only attended with personal vio lence, but went to the extent of enforcing death itself on those who may come under their denunciations. These were crimes of a flagitious nature, and should not be suffered to exist. Strangers from another country are not allowed to work or earn their bread in this, without the license of this body ; and if they attempt it, what is the consequence b u t th e ' d eat h of the party offending ? Is it to be tolerated that a person must be persecuted for endeavouring to provide for his family? The Gentlemen of the Grand Jury may suppose their city free from the crimes of White boyism ; but was not the present system en offence of this cha racter. The parties assemble at night, they resort to burning the houses of, if they cannot meet, the persons they are in purauit of to inflict vengeance upon. His Lordship considered that in strict analogy they should be regarded as guilty of the same offence as Whiteboyism. They were illegally combined—they have their illegatoatlis by which they are bound, and they le gislate on what manner the King's subjects are to earn their bread—how long they are to work—what materials they are to use—what payment they are to receive, all of which regulations evidently establish that a dreadful combination is in full force and operation to dispense with the laws of the land, when such measures are allowed to take place. His Lordship asked, need he illustrate this by referring to any recent instances ?--- There were found some spirited and honest individuals whore+ slated these demands, but they were surrounded by difficulties which prevented them from carrying their intentions into effect, so that the transgressors found more protection than those who wished to obey,. and who suffered under the laws. Was this a state to be endured ? He would not call on them for a remedy, because that already existed under the present laws, but he would require they should be enforced so as to afford an ex ample to all classes. A person recently imported English wrought iron work, but lie was not allowed to employ it with effect here in his business, in consequence of this combine , tion. ‘Vhat insanity did these combinators manifest, for, if the people of England resorted to retaliatory meaeures,what would bee come of the Irish peasantry who resort in such shoals to that man try, and yet they will not allow a native from that to come here to exercise the mechanic arts. How many establishments would fail if this were allowed ? Look to what happened to the Gee Company, and to .Messrs. Hutton ; and even persons who were disposed to come from Scotland to sink their capital in title country were prevented. This country had e no other etiarkee but Great Britain for its principal productions; and if these p . ersone were allow e d to pro cee d i n th e i r wor k o f proscrip• lion, and be suffered to dictate in this manner, they would reduce the country to beggary. His Lordship said an instance of the evil consequences of their measures came under hie own observation :—He had occasion to repair au old house; but the persons lie employed were called upon to pay some suit' of money to these combinators. They were regularly noticed. when they refused, these combinators sallied out to wreak their vengeance on those persons; and when they escaped that, the work was pulled down. His Lordship mentioned this, he said', that the Gentlemen of the City G r and J ur y s h ou ld ma k e use 0) the power which the laws gave them to correct those evils. His Lordship said he would not detain them much longs than to revert to a subject which would also come unde r their consideration. In resorting to the place where 10 duty obliged him to go before opening the Commission-41 0 Record-office—he found there an information charging an in' dividual with a certain offence, and which was returned et ) behalf of the Crown. It was his duty to state what the lal f . was in this case. If the indictment should go up to them, the/ were to satisfy themselves on two points—first as to tbl identity of the individual—and next as to the identity ll' substance of the words spoken. If the evidence eatisfi them that the substance and import of the words had ti? l ,. meaning attributed to them, they were next to ascertal l their tendency was such as that imputed to them. He woe ) ; not say what the charge was, further than to ob se r ve , th a t be made criminal there must be some illegal desi g n impute', to the speaker. In order to satisfy themselves they m us t judW of the object and meaning of the words, and consider whethei i they were of that nature as set forth in the indictment, O u whether the speaker intended them i n th a t meaning. On tb' point he took the authority of the first legal tribunal in 1 Empire the Court of King's Bench in England. They con, only estimate the meaning intended from other circumstanct,' The Gentlemen of th e B ar kno w thi s was th e di c t um o f tl Court of King's Bench in the case of Sir Francis Burdett, 0 he trusted the Jury would not be influenced by any thing es , cluSive of the case before them. The witnesses for the prosecution were then sworn to g (i evidence. Correspondent Office—Seven o'Clork., We stop the Press to announce, that the Grand Jury bo r thrown out the Bill preferred against Mr. O'ComarrLt.. LETTER FROM THE REVEREND SIR HARCOViii LEES, BA RT. To the Editor of the Dublin Morning Post. Friday, December 31, 182 4 ' p SlR—Observing that you have stated in your Paper 4 this day, that " it i s rumoure d t h at the Attorney-Gene has commenced l ega l p rocee di ngs aga i nst Si r H ar d Lees," I beg leav e to assure you t h at I h ave received ",„ official notification o f th e ki n d. At a period like present, when the public mind Is much agitated, I id lP , esteem it a favour, tf you will not, in future, connect 111 ; name with any rumours that may be afloat, or I will t be responsible for the conseq u en c e i n th e coun t ry a t moment of alarm. I will give you, Sir, the earliest inil,r t mation should any legal proceeding take pla c e. At r d. sent I have heard of three reports, all equally prolfrabli_ One, that an ex-o ffi cio will certainly be filed, unless I 1 5 Popish Priest; and sooner than comply with this coneiliow„i stipulation, I would prefer the Inquisition. Another rel":": / is prevalent in London—that a Royal Commission, with H. Lees at the he a d of it, i s t o b e issue d, f or exam i n i ng isle and reporting on the religious disqualification (faunacd the General Councils of the Church of Rome) which P I militate against conceding political power to Rom a n Cat/W' And the third rumour, which distances the former two, " that Sir Harcourt Lees and Dan O'Connell are to run a from the Corn Exchange to Maynooth College, and that VI! cipation, or legitimate coercion, will be the Constitutional te," o of the uurna ferspiration of these two politic a l an d re ligi Antagonists. will bet ten to one I beat Dan. In haste, HA RCOURT LEES` . MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.—About a ) 0. . xight since, a young woman was delivered of a child it; Martin's 'Workhouse, and was considered to be doing I '. but in two or three days she was seized with an inflanql tion of the bowels. She was most assidiously attendek e Messrs. Simmons and Gosna, the parish surgeons, but of skill was unavailing, and she died on Christmas-eve. 00 morning of Christmas-day, the two gentlem en a b ove . men ties attended at the Workhouse for the purpose of opening o ; body—an operation which, melancholy to relate, has ready cost one of them his life, and has placed the odic! I I extreme danger of the same fate. Mr. Simmons, w hile 4 the act of removing the intestines, slightly lacerated ogeti his fingers, but paid no attention to the circumstances at time; and it singularly happened, th a t i n t h e coursed f it, operation Mr. Gosna wiped his hands upon a c l o th i n a pin was sticking, and scratched his finger so as to bring bl viola On the following day (Sunday) M r . Si mmons h a d a vios.f pain in the arm, extending to the shoulder, and two tunse v d formed under the arm, near to the arm-pit. Fomenreti o , were applied, and some relief obtained both f rom tin: and the red uc ti on o f t h e t u m ours , b u t i t was with extra difficulty that the unfortunate gentleman cou ld be preeol,i on to take m e di c i ne , an d h e soon h a d a re l apse ; the mivi` increased and he breathed his last on Sunday everQ at his hous e at Pi m li co . M r . G osna was similarly attooo and continued up to yesterday in extreme danger. Therfd be no doubt that these lamentable occurrences were occasiy,i by the introduction of morbid matter into the system by to I,+ of the slight wound which each gentleman received. The of Mr. Simmons will be long regretted by all classes in the rish of St: Martin, as well as by all those who knew hinl vately. We have the authority of a worthy magistrate t t. takes an active part in the affairs of that parish for sayings a more worthy and humane man could not well be found' that his professional skill was unquestiouable.—(llfor Paper.)