The Sun. — London, England, 1833-10-24 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF 711 E PUBLIC JOURNALS. Happily, the States-General of Holland, since its separation from Belgium, like those of the United Provinces of the whole Dutch and Belgic Netherlands, during the time of their incorporation, are obliged, by their fundamental law, to meet for the despatch of business on a particular day about the middle of October. It is owing, no doubt, to this necessity alone that we have a speech from his Dutch Majesty to their " High Mightinesses" on Monday last, which, but for the said fundamental law, would have been postponed to a more convenient sea son. His Dutch Majesty, with all his pro crastinating ingenuity, seems exceedingly puzzled what to say on the present occasion. He cannot, as in October, 1831, announce the rupture of an armistice which he had himself engaged to maintain, or the successful invasion of a terri tory which Europe had promised to protect. He cannot, as in October, 1832, continue his hypocritical professions of peace, while he flat tered his people with the idea of being able to withstand the two most powerful nations of Europe in a blockade of his ports and an at tack on one of the fortresses which he unjustly withheld from its rightful owners. Neither can he announce the welcome tidings that, grown wise by experience, he has renounced his visions of ambition, and has consented to a reasonable accommodation with his neighbours. He is still as obstinate as before, but wants the same excuse for his obstinacy ; he is still as decidedly op posed to peace, but cannot pretend to have any hopes from war. 'Without considering on whom the whole blame must fall, his Dutch Majesty has the assurance to avow to his States that he opens, " for the fourth time," their ordinary session amid political difficulties. And who created these difficulties ? Who is it that mag nifies, multiplies, and prolongs them ? Nobody but himself—by hoodwinking his people and deceiving his allies. Had he been satisfied with the glory (such as it was) of the unprovoked inroad into Belgium in August, 1831, and agreed to the treaty of the 15th of November following, he might have saved a great deal of unnecessary expense to his people for the support of an useless army,—he would have prevented all the commercial losses of the late embargo,—he would have deprived the French of an opportu nity of acquiring fresh military renown, by the destruction of his Antwerp garrison—and he might have now been reaping, in peace and tranquillity, the fruits of increasing trade, amid a people happy to get rid of their Belgic con nexion, an.' in the enjoyment of respect from all Europe He has, however, wantonly thrown away these advantages—he has incurred an overwhelming amount of new debt to add to the old—he has oppressed his people with heavy taxes and forced loans to no purpose—he has broken in upon the ancient habits of a quiet, peaceful, and frugal race, in order to convert them into soldiers, idlers, and spendthrifts—he has accustomed the Dutch to the sight of camps instead of commerce, and laid up a plentiful resource of misery and disturbance for his towns, when he shall disband his huge, overgrown, military force—and he has taught Europe to speak more of Orange chicanery, than of Dutch simplicity or honesty. The " new difficulties" which have lately sprung up to interrupt the negotiations of the London Conference are solely to be ascribed to his Dutch Majesty. He might have presented to his States-General a ratified treaty, instead of an apology for delay, had he attended either to the interests of his people or to the advice of lois allies. But he has done neither ; he has even had the duplicity to convert into a cause of procrastination, an article of the proposed treaty to which he had formerly given his unreserved assent. As long as he thought that he could suspend the London ne gotiations on the amount of duties to be levied on the navigation of the Scheldt, he never thought of objecting to the partition of Luxem burg, and it was only as a last resource of em broilment that he started the difficulty of obtain ing the consent of the Germanic Diet to that arrangement,—a consent which only required to be asked in order to be given, but which he was resolved never to solicit. We request our readers to give what credence they can to those parts of the speech which indicate growing prosperity, only desiring them to remember that forced loans are not the usual resources of po pular Governments and prosperous common wealths.— Times. We will not allow ourselves to be drawn into any controversy on the subject of the various libels circulated against Lot d Durham, because, though we have a vague recollection cf a number of the libels against him in certain weekly journals, yet many have, no doubt, appeared in provincial papers which we have never seen ; and even in the cases which have received a contra diction in other journals, we are not authorized to make any statements regarding them. Neither our omission to notice these cases, nor our no tice of them, ought to warrant any inference either for or against his Lordship. We have, however, the utmost reliance on his Lordship's honour ; and we are convinced that lie will never be found prosecuting any individual for state ments which are not both false and malicious. We protest, therefore, against our silence or refusal to enter into the controversy opened by the Standard, with regard to the libels against his Lordship, being construed unfavourably to his Lordship, who is no more answerable for our observations than we are answerable for his de termination. The Standard has the following observations on the law of libel : " The importance of the subject will, we hope, be our apology for pressing it upon the attention of the public. It has been well said, that the liberty of the press is the only security which the people have for the preservation of all their liberties ; and yet the experience of the last few yews has shown that there is no right which the English people more readily consign to the faithless guar dianship of passion and caprice. After what we hare seen of the dealings of the English Juries with the press, the abject submission of the orientals, even the pride which some slaves of the East are said to feel in acts of tyrenny practised upon themselves, cease to be a paradox. The truth is, when men once get drunk with faction they cease to think like freemen, or to deserve to be free. The spirit of faction is essentially a spirit of despotism, and engenders a sympathy with every disposition of a tyrant. It is easy to toast the liberty of the press,' w ith wbat• ever additions, and to make speeches in panegyric of what the Whigs have so often called the palladium of liberty •' but this is not protecting th e lib erty o f t h e press. Whe n it is considered that no public Journal was ever published for three months, no matter with bow much care and cir cumspectness, that did nor, within those threemonths, give ground for as many libel prosecutions as, captiously laid hold would destroy any sing l e esta b lishment, it must be obvi ous upon bow frail on, w • a threadthe liberty of the pr ess d epen d s. Zr7:7..Whie the law stands in the form in which th e Whi gs i•Oritirue to make use of it, the ease is just such as we have described ; but we frankly own that we . cannot anticipate d • t of the law which will leave t . he press any anten men people, purging their free from all like danger, unless the p own hands. .r• ininds of faction, take the matter int o the i r Character is dear to man, and some laws fo r the protection of character there always ought to be. Atter a reform of the libel laws, the statutes for the protection of character -a3gy Le abused for sardid or vindictive purposes, as the \ --...L . .14 . 04W9 now are, and as laws for the protection of pro- party bays been, though less frequently. What, then, is the remedy? Why the adoption by the public of the same views and feelings in matter of libel, which corrects the operation of laws for the protection of property. Let it be once deemed as disgraceful to bring a spiteful or mer cenary action for libel, as it is to bring a spiteful or mer cenary action of ejectment—let the prosecutor in a libel case be as fairly judged of by his motives as the prosecutor under any penal statute, and men will be as much ashamed to pillory themselves in a court of justice, as libel prose cutor or plaintiff, as they now are to move disgraceful actions or indictments of any other kind." A great deal more is wanted to perfect the law of libel, than what is here stated by our contemporary. What security is it to a man that he will not be spitefully prosecuted, that it is generally deemed disgraceful to bring a spiteful prosecution ? Why the people wh o most frequently prosecute for libel have no cha racter to lose, and therefore disgrace or credit is the same thing to them. As long as a Jury find a verdict for a coin, howeversmall, and a Judge has the power of throwing the costs on the party against whom the verdict is given, prosecutions will be brought. We have uniformly observed in Judges a disposition to favour prosecutions for libel ; and so long as attorneys believe that there is a bias in favour of prosecution, they will willingly take up any cause, in the hope of gaining their costs from the opposite party. It seldom happens that all the Courts have the same way of thinking with regard to libel; but, however this may be, we are sure that into that Court in which the Judge is most favourable to plaintiffs, will causes be brought by attorneys. Without laying claim to the gift of prophecy, we could tell, we think, with unerring accuracy, the Court into which libel prosecutions will be brought for some time, if means be not taken to defeat the design lurking in the mind of some one to destroy the Press by encouraging prosecution. It must always be borne in mind that a Judge is generally a man who has outlived his feelings ; and that the ruin of one, two, or twenty indivi duals by an unjust system is no more in his eyes than the trampling of so many insects on his path. Mr. Foster, of Leeds, for instance, was dragged to trial for having asked a person who had attacked him in his paper, whether he was the individual who had stated at a public meet ing that "sheep's heads were good enough for the working classes ?" and having brought proof to prove the truth of what he had said, on the recommendation of the Judge the action was withdrawn, and the payment of his own unavoid able costs, amounting to 3001., drove him into the Gazette. The Judge wished to save the time of the Court ; the ruin of the party was the last thing that would have entered his head. Judges look down on suitors as the gods of the heathen looked down from Olympus on mortals, without being moved either by their joys or their sufferings. It is the disproportion be tween the offence and the costs which makes the law of libel such a scourge to all who are connected with the Press. And the parties who are most disposed to protect their characters by law are precisely those who have least character to lose. A striking illustration of this assertion has lately been afforded, to which we need not to allude very particularly. An amiable and most accomplished gentleman and scholar was pointed at in a particular Journal in connection with some idle rumour (at least we sincerely believe it utterly unfounded) of guilt, of a nature which we need not to name, as in a short time it will be the only crime deemed unpardonable in England. Shrinking from the notoriety which prosecution would obtain for him, and trusting too much to his high esta blished character, and too much also to the charity of his countrymen and the generosity of his friends, he adopted the unwise resolution of taking no notice of the imputation. He ought at once to have prosecuted the Journal, and to have trusted his honour neither to the charity of his countrymen nor to the generosity of his friends. These very friends were the first to turn his forbearance towards his enemies against him. We saw this individual thirteen or fourteen years ago in full health and strength, a portly, handsome man ; we saw him by accident two or three months ago—but so changed, so emaciated from inward anguish, that if we had not heard him named, we should not have known him. This man fell a victim to a truculent press. There are advantages and disadvantages in a public education. One of the advantages is, that a boy soon discovers that this world is given as a prize to the energetic and determined, and that physical force and mental resolution (they are generally united) carry everything before them. One of the disadvantages is, that a boy perceives that daring and audacity carry the day, and that out of 200 there are not perhaps 10 who have courage to stand on their own bottom, because imbued at too early a period with a contempt for mankind. One lesson is early implanted in his mind—that the bulk of mankind are cowards, and to be moved by their fears rather than their affec tions. T he fighting Fitzgerald was aware of this truth, when he bullied more than one respectable club. What a man seasoned in a public school would have done, had he perceived any coolness in any of his former friends, would have been at once to strike him to the earth, and trust to the effect of such decisive and peremptory conduct on others. We will answer for it the individual so handled would not have had many desirous of being in his po sition. In fact in this world, a man must, in certain conjunctures, break through all ordinary rules, if he do not wish to be crushed. Unfor tunately, however, many of the most amiable of our species, who are deserving of the best treat• ment, do not possess the energy to command a better treatment ; while some impudent Irish man, or arrogant Scotchman, whose nerves are hardened by the half-savage education he has received, too often succeeds in escaping the pu nishment he deserves, by acting on the prudence of those who should inflict it. Every one who has been upwards of twenty years in London, must remember an Irishman of Herculean frame, Felix M'Carthy, the intimate of Lord Moira, Sheridan, and others. A newspaper was set up in London for the express purpose of li belling, and Felix was hired by the real editors, for about three guineas and a half a week, to assume the responsibility. He sat behind the counter, and when any one of the hundred offended individuals entered the office, and with much bluster, exhibiting a horsewhip, demanded the editor—on Felix rising up, and exhibiting his seven feet stature and broad shoulders, and coolly observing, " I am the editor," the party with the horsewhip usually decamped without beat of drum. T he moral is not very honour a bl e to poor h uman nature . Th e requisites to success in life are, a good deal of sensibility. h a view ielv t NV supportedsehom by force, w e the hard ae,vavenrd these v e r y e s little se s p ' roposed for men smarting under libels. If they patiently submit to them, they are c u t b y theirfriends who very charitably assume th at t h e c h arges ' must be true, or they would not be patiently borne. If they coma forward and prosecute, they are branded as persecutors—as men who, not satisfied with trusting to contradictions in other journals, wish to avail themselves of a civil law to ruin men by a costly law proceeding. Lord Durham will find himself in the condition of the drummer, who, whether he hit high or low, could not satisfy the man under the cat o'-nine-tails.—Morning Chronicle. The speech of the King of Holland, o n opening the session of the States-General, which we gave exclusively in a Second Edition yester day, breathes a calm but determined spirit. While it avoids any expression which might b e indicatio n , it into a menace or a hostile it does not court peace by the sacrifice of the national honour. While it abstains from all boastful anticipations, it retracts nothing, aban dons no claim, surrenders no right. The moral courage of the King will, no doubt, receive, as it has received heretofore, adequate support in the patriotism of the people. No symptoms of fear inspired by the violent proceedings of the Anglo-Gallican Convention are visible in the language of King William. He even dares to allude to the " coercive measures" in thestig matining terms of severe truth. It is evident that the " amicable slaughters" of Antwerp, and Lord Palmerston's " war of an exuberant ima gination," have not caused the heart of the de scendant of a race of heroes to quail. If our Government had shown such a bold and intrepid front to the Northern Autocrat when he inso lently violated the treaty of Vienna, as the Dutch King presents to the united Powers of France and England, insisting upon anti national concessions, Europe would not now feel from its centre to its extremities the almost resistless influence of Cossack domination. England has lost her high position among the nations of Europe by the moral cowardice of her Government—the King of Holland has, by his unshaken and uncompromising intrepidity, preserved the confidence of his people, and extorted the admiration of his enemies. The Dutch King attributes to the " fighting media tors" the difficulties which have been thrown in the way of the final settlement of the Batavo- Belgic question. He speaks of the obstacles which have been opposed to the spirit of conces sion which had been manifested on his part. We think his consistency has been more remarkable than his spirit of concession during the whole of the negotiations and certainly the combineddisplay of the tri-colour and the union jack in hostile demonstration upon the coasts of Holland did not prove more effective in extorting concessions from him than the immortal protocols, the work of that sapient Minister who has done more to abase the foreign influence of England than any Minister ever did since the inglorious days of that Administration which, in disgraceful sub mission to the dictates of the Court of Versailles, made war upon Holland in the reign of Charles 11. The hope of a final settlement of the dis pute with Belgium is very vaguely expressed— " I continue," says the King, " to entertain hopes of the negotiations being brought to a reasonable termination." That expression certainly does not pledge him to any thing. Nor does it show that, having the fear of protocols or Anglo—Gallican conven tions before his eyes, he is resolved to change the course which he has hitherto pursued. It appears that, notwithstanding all the expenses of an armed truce, which does not differ much from a state of war, the finances of Holland are in a good state. This is more than can be said of our own, although the Whig journals have repeatedly told us that the " obstinacy" of the Dutch King was entailing financial burdens on his people which would induce them to supplant the monarchy by a republic.—illorning Herald. Although we think that the penalty of solitary confinement may be exerted in the most salutary manner in a variety of cases, it is our persuasion that the limits of its application should be cor rectly defined. Unless so limited, it might be rendered the most deadly punishment that any legislative code could inflict. Much depends on its adjuncts. Under particular circumstances it was awarded by the ancients, and so it was by the Inquisition, as a species of torture, and unless qualified by the maximum of our laws relative to the term of imprisonment, and by privileges conducive to health and exercise, it would doubtless be so here. The Americans, in some of the States of the Union, inflict it as a substitute for the punishment of death ; the confinement, according to the lighter or deeper tint of the offence, being unlimited or pro tracted to a long date. In capital offences, the principal of seclusion seems well applied, as a substitute for the sanguinary terrors of our Draconian code, and we are inclined to concur with the late Sir Samuel Romilly that such a pu nishment—if certain—would have greater ter. rors, even for the most hardened culprits, than the present momentary pang of a public execu tion. On the alleged shame of this execution ' we believe criminals are prepared to look with callous indifference, and the chances of escaping it are notoriously made the subjects of the coolest and most contemptuous calculation. Those chances, in cases of felony, may be at once stated to be in the ratio of 59 to 1. But a different argument arises in cases of imprison ment, where the penalty is meant to be tempo rary and probationary, and varying between the minimum time of a few weeks and the maxi mum period of three years, as awarded by the English law of imprisonment. In the latter cases we have our doubts of the efficacy of seclusion. Many of those who, in America and this country, were once in favour of solitary confinement, now entertain similar doubts on the point. It appears to lose much of its effect from repetition. It cannot always be carried far without injuring the health of the prisoner ; and there are individuals, men as well as boys, on whom it is found to produce little or no effect ; while there are others so turbulent and outrageous for whom it is ut terly insufficient. Besides, the punishment is Inequitable, as it operates unequally. To a mind which is susceptible or cultivated, or fond of society, solitude is a grievous punishment, and the probability is, that such a mind will settle down into a confirmed and settled ma' lignity, through broodin g on it. Not so with a man stupid, ignorant, and gross. Torpid ani mals of this description (and they constitute a large class) will sleep awa y t h e t i me of the i r solitude with little inconvenience. We are afraid, therefore, that th e more v i o l ent remed i es of corporeal punishment, under due control, m ust be sometimes employed. In order to preserve order and discipline among a large body of men of vicious habits, there can be no doubt that severe measures must be resorted to, to a certain extent. But the adaptation of the penalty to the crime, as to mode and degree, must also, to a certain extent, be left to the responsible gover nors of the prisons. It must be borne in mind that our o bjections to an arbitrary system of seclusion do knot apply to an equally arbitrary rule for the classification of offenders. Perhaps of all the reforms introduced of late years into prison discipline, that of the classification of offences is one of the most beneficial and humane.—Mornin g Advertiser. The Speech of the King of the Netherlands, which appears in our general summary of foreign intelligence, is a document to which we deem it our duty to direct the special attention of our readers. The King of the Netherlands is a Monarch sui generis ; he commands the esteem, confidence, and affection of his subjects, in a degree to which no other Monarch in Europe can approach, and he does this without resorting to any of the arts by which Monarchs less pru dently advised, having a less solemn sense of their duty, or ruling over subjects less consi derate and enlightened than those who acknow ledge the sceptre of Nassau, have deemed it politic to grasp at a vulgar and ephemeral popu larity. In no circumstances could the address ' of such a Sovereign as the King of the Nether lands, to such subjects as constitute the Dutch nation, be a matter of indifference to the rest of Europe. At the present moment the words of the King of the Netherlands acquire all the additional importance that can be derived from the consideration that the interests of Europe at large are intimately connected with the policy which may prevail at the Hague, and that the peace of Europe has been brought, by a succession of iniquities and blun ders, to depend upon the moderation and for bearance which may characterise the Councils of Holland. We rejoice to find in the speech of the King of the Netherlands what we expected, and what we ventured even to announce amidst the sneers and sarcasms of some of our unin formed or prejudiced contemporaries. His Majesty makes the distinction which we had previously made between the European Powers. " Our present relations with the different Powers inspire tranquillity. From some of them," he continues, " I have received, even very recently, proofs of real friendship." Will it be conve nient even now for the organs of Lord Palmer ston to believe that we knew something of the instructions of Prince Schwartzenburg carried with him to the Hague ? The King of the Netherlands expresses the hope that the discussions of the various questions between Holland and Belgium will be brought to a rea sonable termination, and thus announces his determination to remove an impediment, which the insidious artifices or the arbitrary disposi tions of others had interposed, to the progress of the negotiation. We yesterday informed our readers that such was the determination of his Majesty. With respect to the financial and do mestic situation of Holland, the King of the Netherlands speaks a language which must be gratifying to all who desire that national confi dence and national prosperity should be the invariable meed, as they are the usual and pro per consequences, of that degree of public vir tue which imparts to the governors and the governed a perfect and constant harmony of in terest and feeling. His Majesty alludes to the coercive measures resorted to as a substitnte for negotiation, by those who, in the confusion of their intellects or the depravity of their wills, confound the ideas of power and of right, in such terms of calm and dignified rebuke as are best calculated to increase the confidence and affec tion of his friends, and to implant among his enemies everlasting sentiments of shame and remorse.—Morning Post. CORONER'S INQUEST. Yesterday a Coroner's inquest was taken before Mr. T. Stirling, at the Nag's Head, Hammersmith, on view of the body of Elizabeth Hillier, aged 19, who terminated her existence by taking oxalic acid. Mr. John Whitehouse, licensed victualler and landlord of the Nagg's Head, deposed, that about 10 o'clock on Monday night the deceased came in and asked if she might go into the parlour, as she had made an appointment to meet some one there. Having permission, she went in, and had a pint of ale and some biscui:s. She appeared cheerful. She ate four biscuits, and had two more ; when, within half an hour after she entered, witness heard a noise as if some one falling in the parlour. On going in she was lying on all fours, but immediately lay prostrate and gasped her last breath. Witness, with the assistance of his wife, placed her on a chair, and sent for Mr. Bowling, who came in a very short time. About 5 in the morning of Tues day a paper was found in her bosom, on which was written " Pois oxal," the rest was torn. (The paper was shown to the jury.) By the Jury—No one came with the deceased. She had a green purse in her pocket, in which were twopence. Witness understood that about eleven o'clock a young man of the name of Charles Day, a bucket-maker, and who was a sweetheart of the deceased's, was in the tap. Day has since ab sconded. Several of the Jury observed that they were of opinion the deceased took some of the acid before she came into the public-house. It was extraordi nary that her death should have been so sudden. Mrs. Wood, wife of the landlord of the Chaise and Horses, next door to the Nag's Head, said, that about a quarter before eleven on Monday night Day came in and had half a pint of beer, 'Witness said to him, " How is it that you have come down to half a pint of beer ?" He made no reply. Wit ness then told him of the circumstance which had taken place at the Nag's Head; but he made no reply, nor did his manner betray any symptoms of uneasiness. Witness had seen them together. Mr. Reeves, a juror, stated that Day lodged with him. He was aware of his acquaintance with some young woman. On Sunday he left his lodging, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and returned home at past eleven o'clock on Monday night, when he was crying, and appeared in a dreadful state of agitation. The next morning Day was seen by a policeman, about six o'clock, near Theresa -terrace, having a bundle under his arm, and appearing as if lie was going into the country. He understood from Day that he had been in company with the deceased that day. Anne Crook; 17, New North-row, Earl's-court, a married woman, had known the deceased from the age of five weeks. She was the natural child of an opulent tradesman of the name of William Moore, in Red Lion -street, Holborn, who kept a linen draper's shop. Her mother died about three years ago. On Monday afternoon she left No. 3, Aifred place, Vauxhall-road, where she was in temporary service, for the purpose, as she said, of meeting a person at Kensington. Witness did not believe she was in the family way. Verdict—" That the deceased died from taking oxalic acid, being at the time in a state of temporary derangement." At a coursing meeting in Livesey, on Thurs day, in one of the runs, a hare was very closely cursued by four dogs, and on the point of being nabbed, when she approached a hedge dividing two fields. She dashed into the hedge, and the dogs jumped over, expecting puss had gone through. She, however, doubled and ran beneath the thorns some distance, until she found opportunity to escape into a neighbouring plantation, where all trace of her was lost. In a subsequent run, another bare was si milarly pressed, and had recourse to the same manoeuvre to elude her pursuers. But the dogs had learned wisdom by experience, and, instead of all jumping over the hedge, o ne of them followed puss into it, and caught her just as she was turning off to run beneath the thorns as the other had done.—B/ackburn Alfred. ASSESSED TAXES. Yesterday a preliminary meeting of the Liberty of Saffron-hill, Hatton-garden, and Ely -rents, was held at the Workhouse, Little Saffron-hill, upon the sub ject of the continuance of the above taxes, and it was resolved unanimously, " That an early meeting of the inhabitants be held to take into consideration such measures as may be deemed advisable, in order to co-operate with the other metropolitan parishes to procure the immediate repeal of the above taxes." The City Liberty of St. Andrew's, Holborn, is also making active preparations for holding a public meeting in a few days, upon the came all-engrossing subject. Other parishes are about holding similar meetings. LAMBETH.—On Tuesday night, a meeting of the Lambeth Association took place, Mr. Pitt in the chair. Mr. Bardilow and Mr. Good spoke at some length. Mr. Farren said they had been called half and-half pot-house men—(Laughter)—but among them they could raise a Parliament, which would shame the existing one.—(Cheers, and cries of " Yes.") The meeting separated at a late hour. ST. PANCRAS.—Last night, a meeting of the inhabitants of the northern district of the St. Pan cras Association was held at the Beehive, Brill-row, Somers -town, Mr. Willis in the chair. Mr. M‘Diarmid, the Secretary, read a regulation which had been agreed to by the Central Association, that the members would afford every relief in their power to those who were imprisoned for the non payment of the assessed taxes. Mr. Wood said, he understood the Emperor Nicholas and some more of the crowned heads, and the Duke of Wellington, were about to get up a war, and the expenses would, of course, come out of the pockets of the people{ that was, if they consented to pay the assessed taxes. Mr. Haracle, Mr. King, and others ad dressed the meeting. ATTEMPTED SALE OF GOODS.—MANCHESTER, OCT. 21.—During the early part of last week, a table belonging to Mr. John Doherty, late editor of the Voice of the People, was seized for arrears of assessed taxes, which Mr. D. declined paying, on the ground that he had no vote. The sale was an nounced to take place this morning, at ten o'clock, at which time some hundreds of people assembled before the public-house, next door to Mr. Doherty's, to which place the table was taken; however, an hour elapsed, and it was evident there was some dif ficulty in procuring an auctioneer. Notwithstanding the rain came down in torrents, the people did not manifest the least impatience. The bailiff then in formed Mr. Doherty the sale would take place at three o'clock. Three o'clock came, but no sale; and ultimately at half•past five o'clock the bailiff gave up the table. The people then gave three cheers for Doherty, procured a band of music, and took the table round the town in triumph. CATASTROPHE AT THE CHAIN PIER. (From the Brighton Guardian.) In our last week's over-night edition we had just time to announce the fact that during the storm that was then raging the Chain Pier—the most beautiful structure in Brighton—had been struck by lightning, and that the platform between the second and third towers were destroyed. In our morning's edition we gave a more detailed account of the catastrophe—an event which almost universally called forth the sympathy of the inhabitants and visiters. A requisition was immediately got up, and on Thursday a meeting was held at the Town hall, for the avowed purpose of originating a sub scription to aid the Pier Company "to reinstate the pier in all its former usefulness and attractive beauty." The meeting was very fully attended, and but one desire seemed to reign—that of pro moting the object tinder consideration. Some little difference of opinion existed as to the best mode of attaining the desired end ; but, as all parties at last agreed to the plan adopted, it is not worth while further to allude to that difference. The meeting was addressed by our respected member, Mr. Wigney, by Sir Matthew Tierney, W. Seymour, E.q., Mr. Robert Wigney, Mr. T. Freeman, Mr. Colbatch, and the Rev. J. S. M. Anderson. The Noble Lord-Lieutenant of the county, the Earl of Egremont, was also present, and his Lordship explained the reason why he had withheld his name from the requisition, and why he did not subscribe. lie was a shareholder although for nine years he had not received any advantage from the investment. lie had no wish, he said, that the inhabitants should contribute to uphold his property, and he therefore hoped they would act prudently, while they acted liberally. It was his intention, should the pier be restored, to present his property in it to the town; the Commissioners, he presumed, would be the proper persons to accept it. His Lordship then withdrew amid much ap plause; and a subscription having been resolved upon, a Committee was appointed to carry that ob ject into effect. Many subscriptions were given at the meeting, and the Committee have since ap pointed twenty-seven of their own body—dividing them and the town into nine sections, apportioning a section to each several three; and we are grati fied to learn that the collections have been most satisfactory. Having thus given an outline of the public pro ceedings connected with this disastrous event, we shall allude to the existing circumstances of the pier, and state what we think the town ought to do. It appears from the statement of the Noble Earl, that, as an investment, the pier has ceased to be a property to the shareholders ; nay, the property is likely to become a heavy tax upon them, because, by the 6th clause of the Pier Act, the shareholders are hour:d to keep the pier in repair. The holders of shares are, however, at liberty to dispose of them ; and if any very serious expenses should hereafter appear likely to arise, there is no means of prevent ing the shares passing into the hands of persons of no property, and from such no redress could be ob tained. We are, of course, speaking generally. The present holders might not be disposed to shift off a responsibility ; but their shares may pass into the hands of mere speculators, who will nut boggle at the means of avoiding a heavy loss. This view of the matter brings us to the question —" What should the town do?" No one is in ! sensible of the importance of the chain pier to the town ; and no one will therefore deny the propriety of adopting means to counteract the disadvantages that may by possibility arise respecting it. Lord Egremont points the way ; he proposes to present his shares to the town ; and we fancy that the shareholders generally would, on a proper represent. tation, see the desirability of their being rid of the responsibility of upholding a structure which yields them no return for the capital they have already embarked in it. The inhabitants at large derive benefit from the pier, and to them, as a town, the advantages would more than counterbalance the ex pense and risk. It therefore appears to us desir able, as soon as the extent of the subscription shall have been ascertained, that the committee should treat with the Pier Company for the transfer of their nominal property in the pier to the Commissioners, in trust for the town, which might be effected at a comparatively small expense by a short Act of Par liament. The Commissioners would throw the pier virtually open to the public, and the full advantage of that elegant and useful structure would then be extended to the inhabitants at large. THE NEW LlGHTS.—During the " argu ment" in the appeal case between the parishes of Tenter den and Beckley, Mr. Darby insisted that " monthly meant something more than a month."—Briyhton Guar dian. A cow, belonging to Mr. Cannon, of Mil bourne, without previous symptoms of disease, was sud denly seized with paralysis of the hinder extremities and bladder. At the suggestion of a surgeon, a heated iron was applied along the spine, corresponding to the seat of disease, until it was well cauteriz:d. Inflammatory action continued three days, when the paralysed extremities re covered their functions, and the health of the animal was immediately re.ertablished,—Carlisl e Journol, THE MARKETS. COAL MAR] Per Ton. s. d. Beaumont,,. . 15 0 Chester Main l5 0 Dean's Primrose 15 0 Hebburn Main l6 6 Holywell Pontop 15 0 16 6 l'ownley l4 6 West Hartley 16 9 Walls End Bewicke & Co. 18 9 Walls End Carr and Co. 16 6 W.E. Clarke and Co.--.. 16 0 Walls End Hilda 17 3 Ships arrived since W vva a i l t h s i E E n n d d N K ewin illin a gei re g :ET.—Oct. 23. s. Per Ton. h 11 ~.r t, .. 11/ Ditto Northumberland., I/ Walls End Perkins & Co. 18 Walls End Riddell's ..... i g Walls End Lambton ..... 1 9 Walls End Stewart's... 0 Walls End Urpeth .....18 Walls End Adelaide.... i 6 Cowpen _ ......." it Hartley . -'-- 15 W. E. Preston Grange. last market-day, 9. vado ING THE COUNTRY CORN MARKETS DURING THE 1 ....... :::" . ', Wheat. i Barley. oats. Dow .........., 0 r Per Quarter. a. to s. s. t o s . s. t o B. mg °. ' Abingdon.—....... 62 81 31 43 22 30 '''' And0ver........—... 50 61 24 28 -- ... 45 Birmingham...—. 56 58 30 40 16 22 fr 4 3ridport ..........—. 56 74 32 36 26 30 ... 53 Cirencester ............. 46 56 25 30 20 23 '''' 45 .... 45 baringdon........—. 54 86 36 40 26 34 Guildford .......—.... 48 74 23 32 26 35 '". e, .... 4 ', Henley 54 83 30 35 20 30 Hereford 64 68 32 34 22 28 .... 0 Highworth —...... 62 80 32 42 28 34 38 4 Maidenhead ....... 56 68 34 44 22 30 Monmouth--.... 66 68 32 36 24 28 Reading ................ 40 66 22 36 14 26 --"' Salisbury 44 53 26 30 20 24 56 rk Southampton ...... 54 58 33 40 28 32 ' ...• 46 Stroud Tewkesbury .....—,. 65 74 30 42 30 38 "''' 45 ... 44 Uxbridge .......—... 48 74 26 34 20 26 34 %Vantage. * 58 80 27 32 17 23 54 45 ,, Warminster —..... 46 59 26 30 20 25 Wind50r................ 59 21 22 ''". j Worcester—. 50 57 30 32 24 32 ...:::/ LEWES MARKET.—Oct 12. 8 ° White Wheat (per quarter).—.......£2 12 oto £2 - 1 0 Red ditto 2 8 0 2 1 0 ~ LEWES MARKET.—.. __ 1: --- 2. ig 0 White Wheat (per quarter), —...,... .£2 12 oto £2 ,'" 0 Red ditto 2 8 0 2', 0 Barley—. 1 10 0 1 ~ 0 1 Oats, New .........--,..-- 0 18 6 1 0 Pease - Oil Cake, New--..—.- - l2 0 0 per thou s CHELTENHAM -- ,d , - dta . Beef 6l Mutton Veal Pork Laud) 0 to 3/. lss. 3d. per ton DUMFRIES MA RKETS.—Oct. 1 Per Bushel, s. d. to s. d, Wheat Barley 3 6 4 0 Oats ............ 2 6 3 6 Beans Pease 5 0 7 0 Flay MA ItKET.—Oct. 22. _ _ Per lb. s. d. s. d. Wheat, Imp. Bush 6 0 to 7 9, Barley . . ....• 3 3 3 6 Oats 2O 26 ' Flour, 141 b. 1 0 3 4 Oatmeal Potatoes, cwt. I J , s 0 ' Butter, 16oz 0 0 1 / Egg,, 22 0 0 9 Beef, per score ...... a 0 0 , Mutton, per lb ...... 0 9l Veal 0 0 I2dartern Loaf 0 MEETINGS OF CREDITORS err AT THE COURT, BASINGHALL-STREET (From the London Gazette.) 14,1% TO-MORROW, 'Oct. 25. gal l G. Ward, hatter, Clare-street, Clare-market A. B. Hopkins and Co., tobacconists, Commercial-place , / 0 City-road 1 11 J. Z. Pulbrook, boot-m a k er , Bl ac kf r i ars-roa d .. . ......... T. Cocks, oilman, Little Lant-street, Southwark DIVIDENDS VI A.M. Mackenzie and Co., merch a nt s , A us ti n- f r i ar s mod D. Haybittle, sen., coal-merchant, Peckham-wharf, Rent" IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDE PARIC.-"'''A eo cent alteration has just been completed in Hyde Par k er ''tlo the south-east end o f K ens i ngton G ar d ens (und, direction of Mr. Sheddon, the Park surveyor), hY„ t ote , ing the bastion, origi na lly an i n t egra l part o f t he 07„ the into the Park, a n d ma ki ng a new p i ece o f r oad ro' direction of the bridge over the S e rp en ti ne . This a lt tion will add much to the picturesque beauty of tbst r P st r' of the Park, and contribute to the convenience and f„ fication of the equestria n s wh o t a k e exerc i se there i ' c i c e also to the public in general, but particularly to P e o ci trians coming from Cumberland-gate in the diee ctil' o ek Kensington, by the distance being considerably sho rte vs , COOPER'S NEW NOVEL, " THE .1 - U araw."—" In his present story, Cooper brings l e ditt of his now almost unri va ll e d gen i us a per f e ct kri° 9 ' ( ia of every spot which he d e s cr ib es , f or h e dwelt di a j 'oe several years on the borders of the lake Leman, 2 , 0 lo cr journed among the Whit e Alp s , th e t wo principa l the lities of his tale. Indeed, it is impossible not to We , he has embodied in the p resen t romance his O" e rience, and probably some of his own adventures I: 00 0 region of mountains and glaciers; for many of the t , of the story bear about th em an a i r of identity and tr.,13:1 f ' unattainable by the mere imagination. In support o $o opinion, we would particularly cite two of these; 0 , hurricane on the Leman Lake, in which the loaded r oi , sage-boat, the Winkelried, is nearly lost ; and the los storm in the Great St. Bernard. The description o ', of wild hurricane is as fi ne as an ythi n g in ' The Pilo I ,' in The Red Rover ;' while the latter is a fit 0 1'0 1 nion to those g r an d scenes i n ' Th e Pi oneers, ' and o il 'Prairie,' which d escr ib e th e con fl agrat i ons i n the Bwigg boundless wildernesses of the New W0r1d."...../b ril Post. of Alexander Montgomery, Esq., solicito r, lo rt Belfast, has lately discovered in the Rolls' Office the,,o lost Acts of the Irish P ar li amen t p asse d between the ardio; of Charles I. and the restoration of Charles 11., ioc n iu tbe all those passed betwee n th e y ears 1639 and 16 6 '01 1 want of which has caused such difficulties in l'gal et" ever since, though sought with suc h ca re and OP lto by Parliamentary Commissions, &c. —lrish Pape r ' Acts tbt sNier.wroikyrioEtnhtxega Montgomery, es n rhe Parliamentino f B advertingelfat betwe e nat oye—t 1639 • misir•formed there was 50,0001. voted to make ra g 6 , 6 for those dusty records,' on which Mr. Montgoi s , e '',„ his hands by chance, when he was tossing over 0 1 ° rye; in the Hinaper O ffi ce, in his capacity of law agent -10 A Downsbire, who intends compounding with Goser i/ h oit' for the tithes of his estates. Mr. Montgomery f° r : 10 0 1° gave the Irish Government intimation of the discovery. BIRTHS. • t" On the 16th inst., at the Royal Hospital, Greenwic of Matthew Fortescue, Esq., of the Middl e T em ple, °I. t i s 31 14 ' ' On the 23d inst., at Clapham Common, Mrs. Robert - of a son. oe , of On the 19th inst., at Charlton Kin g s, near Chelten'; l .ol s -' lady of A. D. Gordon, Esq., formerly o f t h e B en gal eE a son. On the 26th ult., the lady of Daniel Supple, Tralee, of three daughters, all well. MARRIED. fly ap p On the 23d inst., at Kensington, the R ev . Francis et Prebendary of Canterbury, to Alice, only daughter of# Weldon, Esq., of Notting-hill-square, K ens i ng ton. On the 23d inst., at Stoke Church, near Guildford , ' ,4 50 , 4 Preston, Esq., second son of Ad m i ra l P res ton, of b te , Bryan, Yorkshire, to Hamilla Mary, youngest t - daug „ James Mangles, Esq., M.P., of W oo db r id ge. „ 3 0 0 :: va On the 22d inst., at St. Nichol as ' s Ch urc h, Great •• the Rev. Mark Waters, Minister of St. George's Ch 3 Poo;c l. i mouth, and late of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, to l'''for o Maria, youngest daughter of Isaac Preston, Esq., of t he o f place. On the 9.2 d inst., the Rev. H enr y H ug h W ay . sec-2 d Benjamin Way, Esq., of Durham-place, Bucks, "',„ Glo second daughter of Thomas Daniel, E sq. , o f Heaburl' S ces On tershire. the 21st inst., at Dover, according to the rites ° tholic and Roman Church, and subsequently as the 1 3° olig Kenelm Henry Digby, Esq., of Lacken, Sligo, to Ja ne 'oli rl e 'll, ter of the late Thomas Dillon, Esq. of Mount Dilen, P o utO o r, At Blarney Church, by the Rev. J. St op f or d, G. )1. a Esq., of Ballywilliam, in the county o f Li m erick, t - 0 0 eldest daughter of the Rev. W. Stopford, of AbbeY villei of Cork. lther,;fie On the 17th inst., at the seat of the Lady's 111°` (V O'Neill, of Limerick, to Anne, daughter of the late "' Esq., of Corgrigg, in that county. On the 10th inst., at Asby, near Appleby, "'"„ . 01" t t lie f Stewardson to Miss Jane Ai re y ; w h a t ma k es this , rather singular is the circumstance that the bridegro and the bride's mother are man and wife. AS P DIED. An' h On the 20th lust., at Patshull, Staffordshire, DW I iPf of Sir George Pigot, Bart. CA On the 15th ult., at Bagneres en Bigorre, mi s t of Kellie, youngest daughter of the late Dr. Kellie, 0 ' a lit"' At Blackheath, Maria Moore Sturrock, grand° pf the late Archdeacon Sturrock. : • On the 22d inst., Hannah, wife of Edward 1 5 .° - Mil) yr. Mount-street, Grosvenor-square. On the 22d inst., in Great Cumberland-st reet ' Manby, Esq., aged 68, Deputy Commissary-Gene al :_re D IN Lately, at Wycombe, Charlotte, relict of the ' 4 " o f, General Fisher. I' ol On the 228 inst., in George-street, Croydon, i n be s or Ann, widow of the late Samuel Hemmans, pant j 0' On the Ist inst., at Belmont, parish of cantibUsn e ed beth Stark, relict of Robert Forbes, at the adi r o nc ,,, e 110 Sys , 1 , Till within a few days of her decease, she enjoy ed des' ,01, else of all her faculties; and six days previous t o hers pr0:00- busy at her spinning-wheel. She has left a nue " re ,t consisting of 5 children, 21 grand-children, and 45 g v children, making in all 71 of a posterity. , 13• Ver , On the 18th inst., at Cove, Kate, third daugh ter Esq. 9th Salm Suddenly, at Youghall, Captain H. Evans , 101 ,1 e; eldest son of the late Major. General Evans. 10. übilo f tt ed l On Sunday week, in th e H o use of Correctioco,oo Rosannah Farrol, aged 35 ye a rs, who had been ,„ t he? that gaol 72 times f or h aving b een found disor derly streets of Liverpool. fg a /,‘ FAINTED AND PUBLISHED DY MUKD O 3vx Orricx,lll 2 . STAPIP' i oti Prts~ •,._ C( Al it ~..,, BU p . chti r t j Cit y ci Th, 1 Offi,e, Th, ii 400 ~, h tut nth , bubli, ,-___. °4 tb, 1 ,1 ta IL L(j , 'c'ne; i(x3 AN E: G~