The Sun. — London, England, 1830-05-17 00:00:00

the industrious classes of society, and the people call for . assistance_ in vain. It was, no doubt, a find conceit of less, enlightened times which estimated the 'capacity and virtue of a Go vernment by - the comfort and prosperity of those who were under its dominion. To make the con (Edon of a State the criterion of the qualifications of its rulers is a notion which it is the pride and triumph of modern " philosophy" to explode; and, therefore, we continually hear from the " public in structors" who illuminate the minds of the ignorant f , !i this subject that the people, whose sufferings AVerC ascribed to the selfish ambition and vicious pr !icy of their Governors, are the authors of their own misery, by most obstinately and foolishly con tinuing to obey the Divine command, which bade them " increase and multiply, and go forth and re plenish the earth." In the present circumstances of England, this doctrine of the " economists" is an invaluable acquisition to the Government : without ;t, we do not know how they could meet at all the responsibility of their situation; with it, we do not know how they can possibly be to blame. It is acknowledged on all sides that the great mass of the peasantry and manufacturing po pulation are in a most deplorable state of poverty and debasement; and, though some persons are so unreasonable as to charge this upon the head of Government, and factious enough to call upon Ministers to change the measures and abjure the policy which they suppose have led to so me lancholy a result, yet, if their friends, the Malthu sian philosophers, are to be believed, it is quite cer tain that Ministers can de nothing for their relief, unless they can roll back the wheels of Nature, and correct, according to the superior light of human wisdom, the Divine economy of the universe! Why should they substitute frugality and prudence for extravagance and profusion, when they are con vinced that the nation is enfeebled, not because the Government is prodigal, but because the people are superabundant ? Why should they cut down taxa tion to the level of the currency, when they are convinced that distress does not arise from the taxes being too great, but from, the people being too many ? Why should they restore the wholesome policy of the navigation laws, and get rid of the legislative folly of the " free-trade " theorists, when they are convinced that popular misery is not aggravated by a declining market for British produce, but by a perverse increase of the Bri tish population ? Thus we see that to every imputation of misgovernment a ready answer can be given, as long as the disciples of Malthus can prevail upon human credulity to believe in the errors, not of Princes or politicians, but of the Creator of the universe! Impious pretenders to superior sagacity ! they tell us that the people in crease beyond the means of subsistence, and there fore, believing them, we should believe that the quantity of food raised in this country is insufficient for the demand ; from which it would follow, that the demand being greater than the supply, all sorts of produce necessary for the nourishment of man would be extravagantly dear. Let them leave their stools of philosophy and go to the market places—there they will find instruction. Let them ask the farmers of England whether the prices of corn and cattle, and butter and cheese, and all sorts of agricultural produce, are exorbitantly high, they will receive an answer which would be sufficient to convince all but those whose minds are as absurd as their doctrines are impious, that the people have riot increased beyond the means of subsistence, but that a vast portion of them are prevented from pro curing their share of the bountiful supply which Providence intended for their support by a vicious system of Government, which exhibits to the world the practical anomaly of a population starving in a land of plenty.—Morning Herald. The Bill for throwing open the trade in beer passes into a Committee this evening; and much as we have already observed upon the subject, we trust that our readers will forgive us once more for praying the Legislature to pause before it yields its consent to a measure pregnant with injustice and ruin to individuals, and no less pregnant with mis chief to the public generally. There never was a measure brought forward or discussed, on which so much ignorance has been displayed. We do not blame the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the former; for, we are fully convinced that he has been merely made the organ of interested motives, and is, in every respect, the victim of delusion. But what can be said of those who advocate daily the throwing open of the beer trade, on the ground that jobbing has existed to a great extent between the brewers and the licensing Magistrates ? That the licensed victualler has had nothing to do with the jobbing, every one must be aware; yet it is never theless proposed, that the licensed victualler should be. sacrificed for the sins of the former ? Such, at /east, is the language of those who advocate the course pursued by the Government ; but, in reply to all such observations, we beg to state— 1. That punishment, if it is to be inflicted, ought to light on those who deserve it. 2. That no new licences are required for the sale of leer or any other exciseable commodity—the numher of public-houses being already too great, instead of too small, 3. That the public will have no security against fraud, adulteration and mal-practices of all kinds, in case the present Bill should pass into a law, in consequence of the parties embarking in the beer trade alone, having neither character or property to lose. 4. That by the Bill proposed to be passed into a law, it will ha lawful for every one who can produce two gui neas to obtain a licence for the sale of beer, and to esta blish a beer-shop, if likely to be profitable, in any quarter whatever, however much it may injure private property. 5. That every beer-shop established under the proposed Act must, necessarily, not only prove a great injury to pri vate property, but give rise to disorders, which even the new police would not be able to control. We could add many other items to this account, of the evils likely to arise from this measure, but we refrain. The case, we think, is too plain to be mis undertood ; and the arguments urged against it too foolish to deserve a reply.—Morning Advertiser. TILE TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE.—THE FOURTH ESTATE.—The apathy manifested by the majority of the London papers on the subject of the general taxes on newspapers, and also on the subject of the pro posed increase of the taxes on Irish newspapers, has by no means escaped the notice of a considerable portion of the public. One opinion we have heard ex pressed as to the cause of this apathy is, that as the increase of the price of the Irish Papers to that of English, by the assimilation of the stamp duties, will probably occasion an additional number of English papers to be sold in Ireland, the probable gain of some additional pence per diem by the change is a sufficient motive for the London journals to view with complacency the progress of opera tions which, in their accomplishment, will be at tended with the destruction of a considerable por tion of the Irish Press. But why, it may be asked, do the Metropolitan journals remain so inactive, so patient under their own burthens ? The common answer is, that they are apt to believe that these burthens fall entirely upon the public, and, to a considerable extent, secure to the existing papers a monopoly, by enhancing the expense of all at tempts to establish new papers. The views of the greater proportion of the newspaper proprietary are indeed sufficiently narrow; but their fears, we be lieve, are strong, and their covert hostility is decided against any reduction of the taxes. The expence of establishing new papers, which consists mainly of the annual literary and other engagements, is not, however, materially increased by the stamp duties, since the expence of the stamps only arises, part p a ssii, with the increase of sale; and with the sale the returns of course increase. By a proper reduc tion and better adjustment of the taxes (not to speak of their remission) there can be little doubt that the total sale of newspapers would be tripled, and even quadrupled. But this increase of sale would enable the smaller existing papers to compete with the more powerful, and the extension of the field would make room for new comers. The expence of setting up new papers would notlie, materially diminished , but their chances'•orsiieis a' Would be augmented, and many might succeed without doing any pecuniary injury to those already established. The latter Might be stimulated to make new exertions to main tain their stations; but, in competition, they would start with all the advantages of an established name, long standing, previously acquired skill and charac ter. Yet we commonly find that the fear of losing the reputation for ability attendant on success (a re putation generally gained by the merest accidents of situation, and the absence of deserving competitors) together with the consciousness of the want of stamina to sustain complete competition, will pre vail against the strongest evidence of extensive ad vantages to be obtained in new courses of action. Now, as the proper reduction of the duties would certainly be attended with a great increase of the sale of papers, by which increase it is pro bable the whole of the existing papers would pro portionately benefit, it is evident their hostility can only arise from misgivings that, on the points we have mentioned as their advantages, their strength is not great ; and that, if the proposed reductions were made, superior papers might and would arise. These grounds of opposition on the part of the Newspaper Proprietors are grounds which call for support to the proposed measure from the public. The tacit acknowledgments of the Proprietors of the Metro politan Newspapers, as to the want of any security in their own merits, coincide with the impressions entertained by a large proportion of the public. In the course of the important discussion to which we lately adverted, Mr. Knapp said— . . _ " He expressed the feelings of a considerable portion of the mercantile community when he stated, that the greater number of the Daily Papers, while they displayed their virtue by attacking interests in which they had no concern, protected others more noxious to the public. There being now but few daily Morning Journals, and those not being always in the hands of the most pure or the most en lightened persons, they ►ere constantly directed by mo tives of the lowest and most sordid description. Ex ceptions there were, of course; but the smallness of the number of the daily Morning Papers enabled them to sup press important facts, and there was scarcely a department of news in which those most conversant with the real facts had not to complain of mischievous errors and mismanagement, arising from ignorance or corruption. This was especially the case in commercial matters. Now, if the monopoly in news papers were abated, suppression or perversion would not i.e so easy ; there would be increased secutities for the full and fair publication of truth, and the journals themselves would be of a character to do more credit to the intellect of the nation."—(Hear, hear.) Paul Courier, in speaking of the number of pub lications in America, adverts to the security which the unlimited variety gives to the public against combinations for the suppression of useful truths:— " La tout s'imprime ; rieu n'est secret de ce qui importe chacun. La presse y est plus Libre que la parole ailleurs, et l'on en abuse moins. Pourquoi ? C'est qu'on en use sans nul empechement, et qu'une faussete, de quelque part qu'elle vienne, est bientot dementie par les interess4s que rien n'oblige a se taire." But that the House of Commons is the last place in which experience will work conviction, even in matters which affect the interests of the Members themselves, they would never consent to the conti nuance of the taxes on knowledge, every penny of which tends to narrow the sphere of their own in fluence, and to sustain a species of monopoly and a mischievous power from which they, in common with the people, are always liable to suffer. The taxes in question limit the circulation and profit of the media for the communication of the knowledge of their proceedings ; they prevent the full and power ful competition by which the mode in which the accounts of those proceedings would be improved and perfected, and their fidelity be secured. The monopoly which the taxes creates secures to two or three journals (which, in practice, govern the rest) the power of deciding what part and how much of the proceedings shall be made known to the public; it subjects public men to the caprice of an irresponsible tribunal,;to which Windham and Canning were com pelled to submit. Men of all parties are subjected to the pains and penalties of this body, and we are informed that several do now suffer as its victims, though they suffer in silence. Does a public man venture to denounce a wide circulating journal, its familiars soon understand the mode in which he is to be dealt with, and, as the first operation, his speeches are cut : the reporters of the other papers, having a strong motive to adopt a relaxation of the labour which only competition can sustain, follow the example ; and the unfortunate offender is made to appear to his constituents and to the world as having advocated his principles inefficiently, and he incurs the disgrace of having made a failure. Let a Member of less degree than a Prime Minister give offence to " the gallery," and when he speaks he will be voted inaudible, or his speech, even from the involuntary operation of indifference or aversion, will be rendered inconsequential and pointless, whilst the arrows of any adversary will be sharpened, barbed, poisoned, and aimed with deadly precision. If an adversary " flings back the imputations on their contemptible authors," by the mere elision of the s —accidentally of course, from " the noise Mat pre vailed in the gallery," or "front the tone in which the Hon. Member spoke"—a public insult is made to appear to have been inflicted on " the con temptible author." The House may entertain pro ceedings on a subject interesting to the whole of Eu rope, but unless " the gallery" think fit to entertain them, the proceedings of the House are to very little purpose so far as regards the immediate influence exer cised abroad. In fact, a new and Fourth Estate is now added to the Constitution, and the proceedings of the Legislature should be recorded as having been sanc tioned by the Kings, Lords, Commons, and Reporters in Parliament assembled. Sir Manasseh Lopez is now a far less important personage, as to constitutional influence, than a Newspaper Proprietor who sends to the House, not one or two, but eight or twelve Representatives, whose seats are duly paid for.* The nominees of Sir Manasseh may indeed speak and vote, but whether the immediate influence of one word of what they say shall extend beyond the Mem hers of the Third Estate (or those of it who may chance to attend and listen) to the millions out of the House who read, depends upon the nominees of the patrons of newspapers who compose the Fourth Estate—the new check and balance in our Consti tution ! An anecdote will show how much the property of the latter is respected. A session or two ago, whilst the House was sitting, its delibera tions were interrupted by a tremendous knocking or kicking at the gallery-door. The usual oblique request of the House, when it wishes to be per mitted to proceed without interruption in its business—" Order, .order ! at the bar" (etiquette, we believe, does not permit any of the other estates to be directly named in its proceedings) was made but was not regarded. The thundering at the door was redoubled, and it became absolutely necessary to take strong measures. In ignorance, we presume, as to the person who occasioned the interruption, an order was given that the disturber should be taken into custody. The order was obeyed, when it was discovered that the person was no other than an honourable and much respected Member of the Fourth Estate, who had been endeavouring to gain possession of his seat. We forget for what paper he then sat, or who was his patron, but the Hon. Member expressed great indignation at the breach' committed upon his privileges and the privileges of his order—first, by keeping him out of his seat, and next, by taking him into custody. He threatened that, if he were taken before the House, he would assert his right, and put it to their feelings whether a gentleman who had paid for• his seat should be disturbed or impeded in the possession of it. He was not taken before the House, but was immediately liberated. The officers must have been * A certain sum of money is paid each Session by the proprietor of every Morning Newspaper for the privilege or right of the admission of the Reporters to the gallery. Each of the seven daily newspapers has always one repre sentative present, so that in each House there is always a perpetual committee of seven members of the fourth estate, sitting to determine what the people shall know of the transactions relative to their affairs in Parliament. The Irish members, from Trinity College, Dublin, predomi nate. Two or three members, the representatives of the principal papers, lead the rest. Virtually, therefore, a committee of three may be said to form the Executive in each House, well aware of the potency of any appeal of the na ture threatere 1, and their course was prudent. He was liberated without the payment of his fees, a circumstance which must be taken as a confession that he was an injured gentleman,—the only anzende which could be made to him, the Third Estate not being well-bred or accomplished in making apologies. One example stated to us, of the superior breeding of the Fourth Estate, we cannot forbear to mention. A Member of the Third having complained of the manner in which something he had said had been reported, was told, that if he felt himself aggrieved by what had been done, he should be met " on the ground" and be allowed a gentleman's satisfaction." We ourselves wish to be distinctly understood that we intend no personal imputations; we complain of errors in judgment and the inconveniences which must ever attend irresponsible power, when exer cised by bodies of men, however estimable may be the individuals of which they are composed. We moreover think it due to the Fourth Estate to declare, that it has ever been honourably distinguished as being above the suspicion of any pecuniary corrup tion; and further, that its intellectual rank is deter mined by this—that the average of the speeches which it permits to be published contain more sense when printed than was apparent in them at the time of delivery. In consequence of the inexpe rience of the inconveniences of which we have spoken, an Hon. Member of the Third Estate gave notice of a motion to have better accommodation provided for the reporters. This motion has, we understand, been abandoned, in consequence of an intimation from the Fourth Estate, that it is con tent with things as they are, and does not desire better accommodation I We could not help admiring the perspicacity which accepts, as a sufficient reason for withdrawing the measure, that the reporters did not desire it. We marvel that it never occurred to any Hon. Member to inquire why they should de sire to continue to endure all the tribulations of which they so constantly complain ? We think it our duty to state what we have been informed is the real reason :—That if better accommodation were given them, they would be subjected to new responsibilities for accuracy, and would have fewer excuses for mis-statements. In other words, the Fourth Estate would lose power by the innovation; no obnoxious Member of the Third could readily be voted inaudible; no one who spoke distinctly could safely be misunderstood in consequence of " the confusion which prevailed in the gallery," and greater care would be requisite. The patient and silent tndurance, by the Fourth Estate, of taxes such as were never borne by any part of our de funct constitution, is of a similar character to the en durance of the inconveniencies of the House, and, in the minds of many Members, will no doubt be considered a conclusive reason for resisting any alteration. The example of the brute near-sighted ness of Peter Pindar's bear, that " Hugs with pride " The staff with which its master drubs its hide," is less edifying than the spectacle afforded by the obstinate adherence and clinging of the Hon. House to the taxes, by the operation of which its own im portance and dignity are often so largely diminished. —The evils experienced by various classes from the state of the Press in the metropolis, are aggra vated in the provinces. There also the taxes, by limiting the circulation of the public journals, diminish the profit and the competition by which greater talent and better management might be obtained. The mischievous effects of the taxes on the Irish papers are out of doors made the pre text for further impositions; these must aggravate the existing evils ; and in this wide-spreading circle of misgovernment our Ministers recklessly proceed. It seems that it is only in cases where the conse quences are tasted or felt, or produce an immediate effect on the senses, as in the cases of the adultera tion of food, that mischievous taxation is fully ap preciated. Must further experience be had before it can be perceived that it is only by entire freedom the Press can be improved ; that it is only by com plete competition that its means of working mischief can be abolished, and its obligations to do good in creased ? We can only account for the continuance of the barbarous imposts on knowledge, by the pre vailing obtuseness of perception, and disregard, by public men, of the operations of such imposts upon the public morals. When this operation is more clearly perceived, these taxes will be considered the most detestably foolish or climitial that have ever been imposed by weak or unprincipled Legislators. We must not forget to notice that The Sun was the only paper which gave a full report of the proceed ings of the interesting meeting held at the City of London Literary and Scientific Institution; the first time, perhaps, in which the subject of the taxes on knowledge has ever been publicly discussed as a mat ter relating to the progress of civilization. The Herold and one or two other Morning Papers con tained slight but honest notices of the meeting. The Times was entirely silent on the subject. On Mon day se'nnight Sir J. Newport gave notice in the House of Commons, that he should move for a re duction of the duties on advertisements and on newspapers in Great Britain and Ireland to one half the amount proposed by Government. A paragraph mentioning this notice of motion ap peared in the Herald of Wednesday se'nnight, but we have been unable to find the slightest mention of the subject in the Times, or in any other of the Morning Papers, up to that day ; although they did state, in the report of the debate, that Sir John Newpoit had given notice of his intention to pro pose a reduction of the duties on legacies payable to children in Ireland, and of " certain other duties." On Tuesday a meeting of Irish Members was held, to consider the subject of the additional taxes. The Times noticed the meeting in the following para graph : Yesterday there was a numerous meeting of the Irish Members held at the Thatched House Tavern—Sir John Newport in the Chair—when a series of resolutions were adopted, expressive of their determination to resist, by every means in their power, the Chancellor of the Exche quer's intended imposition of fresh taxes upon Ireland, viz. the intended additional duties on corn, spirits, stamps, &c. These resolutions received, last night, in the House of Commons, the signatures of several other Members con nected with Ireland, who had not attended the meeting." The tact'with which the subject of the intended impositions on the Irish newspapers is covered by the general term, " stamps," &c. is characteristic T. An entire omission to notice the proceedings might excite such attention as to defeat the object of sup pression. In the other papers they are therefore made to pass with the cursory notice bestowed on a Bill for the formation of a distant road, or the impo sition of a local tax. The Times, by its suppres sions, indicates the extent of its fears.—Examiner. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. On Friday a Court was h:ld for the despatch of business. 11r. TICKNER presented the report of the Committee relating to coals. After which, The COURT proceeded to the consideration of the repent of the Wholesale Dealers' Committee of the City, with the opinions of Counsel, in respect to the admission of the Jews, being natural-born subjects, into the freedom of the City. The opinion of the RECORDER was, that Jews could not be admitted by the Court of Common Council and the Court of Aldermen, to the freedom of the City. Mr. PELLATT described the Jews as suffering under great political degradation. lie wish e d them to be admitted at once to the privileges from which they had hitherto been debarred, to the disgrace of the Corporation. He then read the oath necessary to be taken by freemen, and showed that there was nothing incompatibl e in that oath with the religious principles of a Jew. He c onc l u d e d b y mov i ng f or the appointment of a Committee. Mr. EVANS seccnded the motion. Mr. TresrlEa most decidedly opp ose d t h e mot i on. H e concluded by moving the prev ious question. Mr. PELLATT replied ; and a great majority appeared for the original motion. A division Oen took p q la u c e e s , ti a o nd the n...... . 2 w 7 ere— A Fo g r ai t n h s e t c . ......... .......................... 54 When the motion was put for a Committee to prepare a by-law, Mr. BROOKS rose and said there was no Court, there being no more than one Alderman present. POLICU INTELLIGENCE. BOW-STREET. On Saturday, a - kirl of the town, named Somers, was charged before Mr. HALLS, by police constable Ridgeway, of letter F. division, with having been drunk and disorderly on the previous night; and the statement of the constable having been corroborated by Serjeant Gardiner, of the same division, the Magistrate was about to - commit the accused to the House of Correction, when she turned round upon the constables, and charged Ridgeway with having cohabited with her until he took up with another woman, and both he and Gardiner, she said, were in the pay of a brothel-keeper in Off-alley, with whose establishment they never interfered, let what would happen. The Magistrate, upon bearing this, determined to investigate the matter, observing, that if the constables were guilty of the conduct repre sented, they were unfit for their situations. Mr. Thomas having heard of the charge preferred against his men, said it should be sifted to the bottom ; and the parties having again appeared before the Magis trate, witnesses were produced on behalf of the con stables, who flatly contradicted the statement of the girl Somers with respect to her alleged connection with Ridgeway, and also as to the conduct imputed to the serjeant. One of the witnesses, a girl of the town, swore that she had heard Somers, say if ever a - policeman grabbed her, she would swear to the Magistrate that he lived with her, and that he was paid for protecting other women. Mr. HALLS had heard quite enough to convince him that the charge against the constables was with out foundation. The Magistrate then directed that the girl Somers should be sent for one month to the House of Cor rection, and as the gaoler was leading her out, she flew like a tigress at constable Ridgeway, and tore his face with her nails. The Magistrate immediately directed that another month should be added to the term of her imprisonment. Mr. Thomas requested to be furnished with a copy of the depositions of the witnesses, in order to lay them before the Commissioners, and they were ordered accordingly. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. A young female, of genteel appearance, and very ' elegantly dressed, named Frances Pearce, was brought before Mr. ROE, the Sitting Magistrate, in custody of Schofield, the officer, charged with the following robbery : Mrs. Banks, an elderly lady, stated, that in October last, Miss Pearce came to her house in Charlotte-street, Portland-place, and agreed for a suite of furnished apartments, giving reference as to her respectability to three different families, one of which was that of Mr. Turnbull, No. 1, Grafton street, Fitzroy -square, where she (Mrs. Banks) made inquiry, and was so completely satisfied with Mr. Turnbull's recommendation, that she carried her in quiries no farther. Miss Pearce came accordingly in a few days after to occupy the apartments, and continued there until the middle of last month, when she quitted the house without having given any notice of her intention to do so, and carried with her the key of the apartments, which she left locked. Supposing that the absence of Miss Pearce was only intended to be temporary, and that the lady meant to return, she (Mrs. Banks) felt no un easiness on the subject, until, in the course of a few days, a young girl, now present in the office, brought her the keys of the room, together, to her great astonishment, with several articles of furniture, which the girl said Miss Pearce had given her to deliver, consisting of sheets, wineglasses, towels, &c. She (Mrs. Banks) immediately recognised these articles as belonging to her apartments; and on entering the latter, she also saw that several other articles of valuable property were missing, amongst which was a picture of a rare and curious kind that hung up in one of the rooms, and on the discovery she employed an officer to search after Miss Pearce; but it was not until last week that the prisoner was found out and apprehended. The articles now produced, con sisting of a dressing-glass, sheets, decanters, pillow cases, &c., and the valuable picture above alluded to, Mrs. Banks said were her property, and had been left in the apartments with Miss Pearce while she occupied them. A professional gentleman, who attended for Miss Pearce, here stated to the Magistrate, that he un derstood the fact to be, that these articles were taken away from the apartments, not by Miss Pearce, who was quite above doing any act of the kind, but by a Mrs. James, who had been a joint te nant in the_ apartments with Miss Pearce, and was recognized as such by Mrs. Banks, and that, in truth, Miss Pearce had nothing whatever to do with the transaction. Mrs. Banks replied, that there most certainly was not any tenant recognized by her in the apartments but Miss Pearce; that lady, and she alone, had en gaged for the apartments, and signed a written agreement to that effect, and she (Mrs. Banks) knew nothing of a Mrs. James, except that she un derstood there was a female of that name used to visit Miss Pearce at the lodging, and sometimes sleep there. The solicitor for Miss Pearce understood posi tively that Mrs. Banks had recognized Mrs. James as her principal tenant, and there was no doubt, he believed, that it was Mrs. James who took away the things, and sent them back again; but now, at all events, the whole of the articles were safely given back to Mrs. Banks, and to what end, there fore, go on with this proceeding Mr. ROE asked Mrs. Banks if she was really de termined on prosecuting Miss Pearce ?—Mrs. Banks, laying her hand with much emphasis on her stomach," I will, Sir, prosecute; for I consider that I owe it to my conscience, my country, and my God to do so." Schofield, the officer, said, that since he had taken Miss Pearce into custody, all the articles now produced were sent to him , except the picture, and that he found at a blacksmith's shop, where he had traced it to have been sold. The solicitor said that the girl who had taken the things back to Mrs. Banks herself in the first in stance, and to the officer in this, was present, and, he understood, could prove that she was employed to do so, and that the property was given to her by Mrs. James, and not by Miss Pearce. Mr. ROE said he should wish to . hear the evi dence of the girl on this point. llenrietta Matthews was then sworn, and, to the surprise of every body, she distinctly stated, and no doubt truly, that all the articles of property alluded to were given to her to take back by Miss Pearce, and that she knew nothing of Mrs. James in the transaction ; and she moreover said, that all the property had been pledged by Miss Pearce, and that she had employed the witness to redeem them, giving her the duplicates amid money for that purpose- On hearing this evidence, the solicitor for Miss Pearce seemed thunderstruck, and interfered no fur ther beyond watching the proceedings. Mrs. Banks, in placing a value on the property produced, as she was called upon to do in her evi dence, said that the picture alone was we ll wort h ten guineas, arid the other articles she valued at about five more. The Magistrate asked the blacksmith, in whose possession the picture was found, how he came by it, and what he gave for it ?—The blacksmith said, that about three weeks ago a woman, named Mor gan, who was known to him a little, but who is at present in Cornwall, came to his shop with the pic ture, and said that she was desired by a lady, named Pearce, to sell it for what she could get, and think ing that if he could get an anvil and sledge-hammer painted into it, the figure on it looked so like a blacksmith, it would make a very good sign for his shop, so he bought it for 4s. " Good God, Sir !" exclaimed Mrs. Banks, " to compare that figure to a blacksmith. You don't know what you say ! I have it on th 3 authority of some of the best judges of paintings in this country, that thisis a most exquisite piece of art, and quite a bargain at ten guineas. Mr. 808 asked to look at this highly-lauded painting, and when it was held up to view, it pre sented an oblong pi ece o f p ane l, on which was daubed the bulky bust of what seemed designed by the artist to represent a man, the whole admirably calculated for a pendant sign over a road-side public house bearing the name of the " Jolly Butcher." " You don't mean seriously to tell me," said Mr. ROE to Mrs. Banks, " that this picture is worth ten guineas ?"—" Most certainly I do, Sir," said Mrs. Banks, " and cheap as dirt at the money. Do you know who it is," impressively added Mrs. Banks, " that this picture represents 2" " Upon my word I do not," replied Mr. ROE. " That, Sir, then," said Mrs. Banks, " I can in form you, is one of the twelve Caasars. I suppose you have heard of them. They were, Sir, twelve Emperors of ancient Rome (I ought, perhaps, to except Julius, for he was not properly speaking an Emperor), who raised that nation to the exalted pitch of grandeur and glory that it attained." " Well, I don't know," said the Magistrate, " it may certainly have been intended to represent an Emperor, but it does not strike me as having any thing very imperial or dignified in its composition, and, on the whole, I should have said that the black smith gave a fair price for it." . _ _ Mr. ROE now Observed, that the evidence of the girl who was employed to bring back the property to Mrs. Banks, brought the possession of it, and the conversion to her own use, so completely home to the prisoner, that he had no alternative but to commit the latter for trial, and she was accordingly committed to Newgate, and the witnesses bound over to prosecute. Miss Pearce, who is a very fine-looking young woman, on an extremely large scale for her age, as she is said to be only in her 17th year, appeared to treat the whole matter with the utmost indifference, and evinced not the slightest degree of fear, or any other emotion, during the proceedings; but not so her mother, a lady of very respectable appearance, who accompanied her, and wept and sobbed bitterly the whole time. There seems to be a great deal of mystery en twined round this young lady. It is understood that there is not the slightest suspicion of any im propriety attaching to her charactOr in the ordinary sense of that term as regards young females, and yet, while her mother has a house, and resides at Pimlico, Miss Pearce has been in the very unusual situation for respectable young females of living in hired lodgings by herself, and in the end subjecting herself to this serious charge. And what makes the matter seem still more singular is, that it is un derstood there need not have been any want of money on the part of Miss Pearce, as it is said that the professional gentleman who attended for her is the channel through which abundant supplies were always furnished for giving her an excellent and ac complished education, and to meet all her other wants; the source being, as is said, some person in a high station understood to be related to her in some degree. She was removed to prison in custody of the gaoler, apparently with the regret, under all circum stances, of every one present except Mrs. Banks, who maintained the most stoical resolution through out, and the unfortunate young girl herself. William Jones, alias Grant, alias Graham, a fashionable looking fellow, in custody , on the charge of stealing a set of silver spoons, &c. from the side board in the parlour of Lady Streng's house, in Grafton-street, Bond -street, where he called under the pretence of wishing to see Lady Strong, was brought up for final examination on Saturday, and after taking the evidence of the butler and footman of Mr. Holmes, M.P., the prisoner was fully com mitted for trial. LAMBETH-STREET. The time of the Magistrates on Saturday was almost entirely occupied by hearing paupers' appli cations for relief, and business connected with them. TOWN-HALL. The following case of alleged felony, which has occupied a considerable portion of the Magistrate's time for several days, bears some peculiar features. On Saturday a young man named Rocklife, was brought before Sir J. PERRING, for the third time, charged with the commission of several frauds : On the first hearing, Mr. George Wilson, of the firm of Wilson, Hopper, and Tomkins, tobacconists, Toeley-street, stated that the prisoner had been a town traveller for the house from the 28th of De cember to the 10th of last April, when he was dis charged; subsequently to which it had been dis covered, in consequence of bills being sent to seve ral of their customers for goods delivered by the prisoner, that he had been paid for them, and never accounted for the money. A letter was then written to him, requiring his attendance to make up his books, to which he paid not the slightest attention. Mr. Wilson then enumerated the several sums, and requested that as the parties paying them were not present, the prisoner might be remanded, and summonses issued for their attendance, which was done. On the next hearing, Sarah, the wife of Mr. Wm. Helyer, of London -street, Greenwich, deposed to receiving from Messrs. Wilson, by the hands of the prisoner, 21b. of tobacco, and that (what was very unusual with him) he went away without the money; that the next day he called, the Monday following the 12th of April, as she believed, she inquired his reason for so doing; he made no observation, and she paid him two half-crowns and 2s. 7d. being the amount of the bill. Mr. Harmer then, on the part of Messrs. Wilson, observed, that as there was a known feeling on the part of the other persons summoned not to appear, he trusted that Sir John would prevent the ends of justice from being defeated by granting fresh sum monses, with a notification that further contempt would be followed by warrants, which was granted and productive of the appearance (on Saturday) of a Mrs. Elizabeth Bruster, of Claremont-place, Union-street, Greenwich ; and Thomas Sears, 23, Church-street, Bloomsbury; the former of whom swore that she was confined to her bed at the time the goods were said to be left, the Bth of April, and her shop confided to th e care o f h e r son, a boy nine years old. If the goods were left at her house, she was ready to pay for them. On Saturday week the prisoner called upon her and she asked him if she owed any thing on Wilsons' account, as they had sent her in a bill of 6s. 2d.; and also whether he had left the goods, and he replied to both questions " No ;" "and, (added Mrs. Bruster) I do not think he (the prisoner) had ever been paid." The latter, Sears (who refused to be sworn till threatened with committal), on his cross-examina tion by Mr. Harmer's clerk, was completely non mi recordo, till at length his recollection suddenly re turned, and he swore positively he never had paid the prisoner any money, whether the goods had been left or not, for which the bill was sent in, and the words were no sooner uttered than the prisoner stamped with his foot several times with violence on the floor of the dock, and extended his arms with a grateful motion towards the witness. Mr. Harmer's clerk (to the witness).—Will you swear you never told any person you bad paid the prisoner ? Mr. Lee, the prisoner's counsel.—l object to that ; don't answer him. Mr. Harmer's clerk submitted that as one fraud had been positively sworn to, the prisoner should be held to bail, as there were other cases against him. Mr. Lee, in strong terms, insisted the prisoner was entitled to acquittal ; he had been most basely persecuted. Sir Jolly PERRING, after communing with Mr. Newman, the Chief Clerk, considered lie was not justified in holding the prisoner to bail ; the charge of embezzlement fell to the ground, the prisoner having quitted the service of Messrs. Wilson pre vious to the time Mrs. Helyer swore to her having paid him, and became a fraud as against her indivi dually, as she was liable to repayment ; and as, furthermore, he was at all times to be found, being in business, he should discharge him. The prisoner was then liberated, and again ex tending his arms, uttered, " My Lord, my Counsel, and my witnesses, I thank you."---Mr. Harmer, him self arrived in five minutes afterwards. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, MAT 15. JARRING OP PRACTICE. The SOLICITOIL-GINESAL had to call his Lordship; attention to one or two points requiring immediately to be remedied. The Muter of the Rolls' Court had now been converted into a morning Court, sitting concurrently With that of his Lordship's, which it had never until very , lately done. The result was, that Counsel had been under the necessity of dividing themselves ; that was, of forming themselves into sets, one set confining themselves to practice here, and another to practice before the Master of the Rolls. When a cause had been set down for hearing be fore his Lordship, and one of the parties afterwards thought proper to set it down before the Master, it was the prac tice in the Registrar's office to strike it out of his Lord ship's paper, and retain it in the Master's. This led to some inconvenience, but not to an inconvenience so great as to cause it to be much felt while the Rolls Court re mained an evening Court, because the Counsel attending before his Lordship had an opportunity of going thither ; now, however, the consequence was very dif ferent. He (the Solicitor-General) and another gentle man had received briefs in a cause that had been set down for hearing here ; that cause had subsequently (in the way alluded to) been set down at the Rolls, the result was, that if it were to be permitted to remain in his Honour's paper, his (the Solicitor-General's) clients would have to be at the expence of employing a second set of Counsel, as those he had already engaged did not go before the Master of the Rolls ; and if this practice were to go on, the expence and inconvenience would be in calculable. This new creation of the Rolls Court had led too to the farther evil of causing a race to take place among the solicitors, to have their causes set down in the Court in which their favourite Counsel were. The LORD CHANCELLOR observed, that the Commit': sioners had recommended that a cause should be heard throughout in the Court into which it first went. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL did not believe such a rule could be laid down without the interposition of the Leg o " lature. The LORD CHANCELLOR saw the evil, and promised to consult the Master of the Rolls upon the point that had been drawn to his attention, and, with his Honour's con currence and sanction, would let the bar know what rule must be laid down on the subject. Mr. HORNE had no idea that some of the charges that had taken place could be valid without an act of Parlia ment. The LORD CHANCELLOR-Very likely not ; but I will see what is to be done in the meantime, and at present/ let the cause referred to by the Solicitor-General be re" stored to my paper. PREROGATIVE COURT. • KERR V. PHILLIPS AND OTHERS. This was a question as to the testamentary intentions O . Mrs. Charlotte Phillips, the lady whose sudden death at Finchley excited so much public attention ashert time since• Dr. LUSHINGTON supported an allegation praying the Court to admit two unfinished papers to probate, as they contained the intentions of the deceased with respect to her property. The deceased, under her mother's will, became entitled to a sum of 5,000/., and she had executed a rege lar will on the 31st July, 1829, disposing of this sum ill a particular manner. Five days afterwards she drew uP another paper of instructions, containing a different dis position of her property, which she placed in the hands of a Mrs. Vesset, requesting they might be given to Mr. Scott, her attorney, to be put into a legal form. Before this was accomplished Mrs. Phillips died, and the adroit , ' sion of these papers to probate was opposed by her ne%t relative, Mr. Atkinson, who would be entitled to the pro perty had she died intestate. The Kiwa's ADVOCATE appeared on behalf of Mr. At kinson, and contended that this paper ought not legally to operate, as the probability was, she had not finally made up her mind as to the ultimate disposal of her property. Dr. Anams appeared for the husband, Mr. H. Phi and contended that the will of July, 1829, was not pro cured by undue influence of the husband, as had been asserted. With respect to the allegation, he declared it was a matter of indifference to his party whether it was admitted or not. The only important difference between them appeared to be a bequest of 500/. to Mr. Phillips's natural daughter, and a different disposition of the moiety of 2,500/. to her husband. The JUDGE said it was evident that the intentions of the deceased were contained in the will of 1829, and the instructions now propounded ; and, he should, therefore, direct the allegation to be admitted. COUNTRY CORN MARKETS. DURING LAST WEEK. Wheat. Barley. Oats. Per Quarter. Carlisle Carmarthen Hexham Morpeth Penrith Sheffield Winchester .. Per Bushel. Coventry Newcastle (Staff.) Northallerton Stafford Swansea Warwick Per 8011. Barnardeastle Durham Richmond --.. Stockton ~...„,.w.,... S. to S. 52 72 50 62 52 69 s. d. s. d. 70 90 10 6 11 3 70 93 90 94 80 34 90 100 14 15 66 1 1 78 1) 6 1 1 2 0 160 12 6 14 6 S. to S. 33 41 32 34 27 34 c. d. r. d. 48 54 46 56 36 46 59 82 44 48 46 50 86 90 86 100 90 106 80 90 s. to s. 18 - 22 29 19 26 29 21 25 s. d. s. d. 36 40 39 43 33 40 36 4 0 30 36 33 40 66 79 56 76 70 86 48 76 S. to S. ..... ..... 36 -- So 5 2 38 40 42 4 0 s. d. a. ci. 5 6 6 0 56 60 59 6 6 72 8 6 00 0 0 73 70 96 126 10 0 I 1 6 n o 12 0 0 0 00 WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET.—May 14. This day's supply of Wheat was short, and the best de scriptions are Is. per quarter dearer. Good Oats are scarce, and prices are fully supported. Although the fresh arrival of Barley is only small, yet this article has met dull sale, at a decline of ls. per quarter, as many of the maltsters are giving over for the season. The de mand for Beans to-day has been trifling, but prices are without material alteraticn. Wheat, Red, Norfolk and Sul%lk 545. 575. to 625. line 685. New 605. 655. to 61s. fine 725. White Old 58s. 635. to 665. fine 725. ............ New 60s. 61s. to 68s: Foreign, Red 545. 575. to 61s. floe 685. - - White 625. 645. to 665. fine 725. Barley, Norfolk and Suffolk - Lincolnshire 3ls. to 335. fine 355. - Yorkshire Wold 3ls. to 328. fine 345. - Foreign -s. to -s. fine -s. Beans, Old - New 345. to 355. fine 38s. Oats, Potato 2ls. to 295. fine 31s. - Poland 235. '2ss. to 275. fine 295. Friezland and Small 23s. 245. to 265. fine 275. - Healing l2%d. to I4d. per Stone. Shelling 3ls, to 335. Od. per Load. Malt 3Bs. 40s. fine 435. per Load. Rapeseed BIRTHS. On the 15th inst. in Bedford-square, the lady of A• Atherstone Park, Esq. of a daughter. On the 15th inst. Mrs. Robert Roberts, of St. John" street, of a son. On the 14th inst. the lady of Alfred G. Gilliat, Esq•, of Portswood-lodge, Southampton, of a son. On the 14th inst. Mrs. Cole, of Highbury-terrace, Islington, of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 15th inst. at Streatham, H. S. Floud, Esq., eldest son of Henry Floud, Esq. of Upper Tooting, to Caroline Ann, only daughter of Wm. Cothay, Esq., of Balharn-hill. On the 15th inst. at Hampstead, A. Charles Vernet, Esq. of Geneva, to Mary Anne, eldest daughter of J. F. Menet, Esq., of the former place. On the 13th inst. at Leicester, Mr. James Roughton, merchant, of Oporto, to Mary Walker, second daughter of T. Wood, Esq., of the former place. On the 15th inst. at St. George's, Hanover-square, H• H. Jackson, Esq., to Charlotte Cecilia, youngest daughter of the late Rev. Sir R. Sheffield, Bart. DIED. On the Ilth inst. Mr. C. Clark, of Francis-street, Gower-street, in his 68th year, many years propri e t or of the York, Wardour-street. On the 30th ult. at Fromenteau, Seine et Oise, France, Thomas Morris, eldest son of the late Alderman Thomas Smith. On the 28th ult. at Terracina, in Italy, J. W. Knight ley, Esq., of Offchurchbury, in the county of Warwick, in his 27th year. _ On the 14th inst. in Woburn-place, Russell-square, after a few days' illness, Jacob Wood, Esq., in the 69th year of his age. On the 15th inst. at John Caley's, Esq., Exmouth street, Miss Tomkins, aged 30. On the 15th inst. in Lower Thames-street, Louisiana, the infant daughter of John and Charlotte Ann 'Von der Heyde, having survived her brother and sister only one week. Lately, at Broadhembury, suddenly, Mr. Knight, $ farmer ; having gone to bed quite well alter eating hie supper, he was seized with a rattling in his throat, which his wife on hearing inquired the cause of, but on receiving no answer, procured a light and found her husband a corpse. PRINTED AND PUBLIsHED BY MURDO YOUNG, At THE SUN Comex, 112, SntAND, LONDON. .~ /,,- LV /- 4 Cita o, L' sent :. dent n acc oin i Literal Her ton -at: .....-- T' Hei ton-et 6th] servi