The Sun. — London, England, 1839-12-23 00:00:00

ETY ENING EDITION. sure for the abolition of the civil jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts. Should they oppose that mea s ire, and their hostility to it be crowned with suc cess, their triumph will not only be of temporary dura tion, but it will be a most costly triumph. Their defeat of the Government measure will raise such a storm of public indignation against the Church, as will speedily involve her in utter ruin. (FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF SATURDAY.) (From the Globe.) The result of Thursday's meeting at Manchester for the repeal of the Corn-laws, afforded the most satisfac tory proof of the union of feeling which we anticipated I would be produced on this question in times like the Ipresent. The Charti s t an d pseu d o -C onservat i ve inter !, raptions only mad e thi s more man if est. Th e conv i ct i on / has spread, in the language of one of the resolutions carried by acclamation,—" That, at the present time, the b ane f u l i n fl uences o f t h e C orn -l aw are ex i siting themselves with peculiar severity upon tha i middle and working classes of the community—injuring the banker, by the derangement of the currency—op -1 pressing the merchant and dealer, by the excessive rate of i interest—annihilating the p ro fit s o f th e cap it a li s t— an d reducing to pauperism the industrious artisan and la bourer ; and that, unless repealed, this destructive law iwill, by banishing our manufacturers to other coun : tries, and throwing upon the soil the entire burden [ of supporting a destitute and unemployed population, [ involve the landowners, with every other class, in one common ruin." While the Manchester petitioners were all but unanimous in their conclusions, individual opinions were uttered in the course of proceedings ! sufficient to set up the St an d ar d f or t h e next mo nth I in a new stock of sophisms. There are a certain sort of reaspners, on this as on other subjects, who jump from flets there is no disputing to conclusions which nowise follow from those facts. Thus a gentleman who has enourw:d the proposition, that the home-market is the ntost. important and profitable, seems to deem himself di' , ,pensed from i nqu i r i ng w h e ther the present Corn -1 .sues arc the best means of preserving the full benefit at the home market. Another gentleman, who has f di,T.evered that the corn duties have only pro ' diked 186,7601. to the pubLc revenues, while the %gait tax produced 4,982,080/. straightway infers that the former are burthensome to the nation only in the same proportion ; as if it were not pre cisely one of the worst features of the present system, that it makes us pay periodical high prices, without wivantage to the revenue, or any other national interest. We have al:eady declared our opinion on many former , ccasions that the Core-laws are hurtful to the agricul tural interest ay well as to every other. They are hurt ful to that interest in the same manner as artificial pro teetion has so often been to any privileged branch of it4ustry. They encourage a single branch of produce Al a greater extent than the natural laws of demand and supply really render it, on an average, profitable. The monopoly prices of dear years encourage an ex tended breath of corn cultivation on soils which can not profitably be kept under that culture. Thus, while those prices pinch the consumer, and crip ple industrial enterprise generally, they stimulate the a: Ticulturist with the hopes of such continued high prices a s -cannot be secured excepting by giving him a bounty on export in those years when excess of home production snakes import duties inoperative. On the first recur rence of abundant harvests, we are certain to hear re newed complaints of agricultural distress—arising from p-evious misdieection of capital in the over-cultivation of ungrateful soils, encourard by protection. It would be far better for the agricultural interest, as for every other, that the natural operation of a regular trade in grain should prevent prices from rising so high in some ye arc,—to sink so low in others. The excessive low prices at which we could import from abroad are a per ! fact bugbear. Those low prices, like the present cues, are amongst the phenomena of an artificial system and ;vould speedily vanish on a change in that system. (From the Standard.) The Ministerial Papers have been for some days /occupied with articles deprecating or denouncing the measures anticipated from Sir Robert Peel, upon his succeeding Lord Melbourne. The writers of these articles seem to think unnecessary any inquiry as to Sir Robert's own views and intentions, although he certainly has furnished them with no grounds for assuming the plan of his future government, beyond Lis well-known principles of attachment to the Con- Aitution in Church and State, and indeed has left hens in the dark as to his intention of taking the office that, it is thus confessed, lies ready for his acceptance. There can be no question that, whenever Conservative Administration shall give its services to tkie Queen and country, Sir Robert Peel will stand at the head, of that Administration. His wisdom, and gcaius, and integrity, entitle him to the distinction, and the claims of wisdom and genius are in his case power fully reinforced by services during the last nine years, which no amount of national gratitude can overpay. .But though Sir Robert Peel's title to the first place 4 in the Government is so clear, it is not yet manifest that ho may think the present the best time for assert ing it. He at least has given no indication that such is his opinion. Upon personal grounds the night Hon. Baronet can have no wish to change from his position— ! a position, perhaps, the most honourable ever occupied by an Englishman—the position of commanding the Government of his country, and restraining, rather than soliciting, the zeal of his countrymen to place him at the right hand of their Sovereign. Compare this posi t tiou with that of almost any other statesman in our history . Here is no vulgar party race, Jostling by dark intrigue for place ; not even the less dishonourable warfare of ambition, which contends openly in party contest for the posses sion of office. And for what must Sir Robert change thi6 so enviable position ? The profits of office and pa , n - onage are happily far beneath his regard, and to him the duties of office were toil indeed. He is not a man i of tiuit easy conscience to treat as a sinecure the re ; spolsible station of first Minister of the British empire, or to squander the time due to the care of the public h Appiness and prosperity in criminal pleasures or frivo ( ',pus indulgence—such breach of trust may suit Lord Melbourne, but it were alien to the habits and character of Sir Robert Peel. (From the Courier.) It is stated by a correspondent of the Morning Post that Mr. Gibson, late M.P., who distinguished himself hut a short time as an overheated zealot of a sort of Toryism in extravagance long extinct, or nearly so, and is now figurin g a t suc h di nners w h ere a d m i ss i on Ican be gained, as an ambulant orator of rampant it idicalism ; that this Mr. Gibson, we say, is only eating, drinking, and spouting his way to a Baronetcy, of which he h a s th e p rom i se " on t h e Q ueen ' s mar . riage.This report seems the more entitled to credit 4s the act would be in such perfect keeping with the at hole tenour of Ministerial policy hitherto in the dis pensation of honours and patronage. And truth to 1, speak, the claims of Mr. Gibson are at least as well founded as those by which Admiral Fleming achieved the only naval achievement ever recorded of him—the entrance into Greenwich Hospital. There is, however, this difference in the two cases. for the unscrupulous means adopted in the electioneering exploits of the Ad- mint! were crowned with victorious results vainly to be Loked for in his naval career, whilst Mr. Gibson remains a defeated candidate, after two desperate contests, in which, if votes could have been purchased and consciences corrupted, :there wau no lack of the moat profuse prodi g4lity of the money of the Government as of his own. Toe difference, however, ought rather to enlist on the of Mr. Gibson the commisserating sympathy of Ministerial patrons, who besides have established pre cedents in favour of his pretensions in all respects an swering the peculiarities of his case. Of these prece dents we need only to adduce two in his behalf at present, and they are those of Admiral Ommanney and Sir John Josiah Guest. The Gallant Admiral, so far as we learn, is almost as little known in the annals of 11;:i own profession as Admiral Fleming himself, a kind of obscurity which seems the unenviable fate of most Admirals marked out. for dignities and places of the present day. The Bath Theatre, which has always been con sidered as one of the nurseries of talent for the metro ruditan stage, has (otv ing to the ill success attendant "Pon some of his speculations) devolved from the hands Ol Mr. Woulds, its former lessee, into those of Mr. D widge, the fortunate manager of the Surrey Theatre, who, having ample means an d a ppli ances t o b oo t, w ill who, carry on the scheme with spirit and enter prise, and ensure a su ccess f u l i ssue t o hi s un d erta ki ngs EXECUTION OF A FRENCH MURDERER._ Loas Romain, who was condemned to death some months ago for the murde r of a farmer named Boileau, and his wi f e pn d daughter, with whom he had lived as servant, the circumstances of which we have reported, was exe cuted at Tours on the 16th inst. During the whole of his confinement, up to the moment when he left the P.- .- ;•on for the place of executio n , h a ev i nced the greatest indifference for life, and, durin g the last few days, showed (:Lon an anxiety to go the scaffold. He insisted upon having a good breakfast on the morning of his execu ton, and invited a fellow-prisoner to p artake of it, joking ling th e r epast upon what was about t o happen When Procureur du Itoi visited him in the hope of obtain he refused to m a k e any, and ing some new confession, sold nettishly—.. lam going to die—so much th e better. My heart leaps with joy. There must be an end of all this. I Is ill have no more to do with justice." On I:!aving the prison for the scaffold he showed the greate st o:Jduracy of character, asking for a glass of brandy. It was given him, but the priest who attendedrn.t me pure.poured in snore water. " No, no," said Romain, "give I Wilen I arrive la haul I wish to be able to say that I (lrank my brandy pure before I set out." He mounted the scaffold with alacrity, embraced the priest, and in a few minutes had ceased to exist. Captain Woodford has obtained the lucrative and responsible appointment of Chief Constable of the Rural Police at Preston. For the maintenance of this force the county is to be taxed to the tune of 30,000/. a year, or probably much more, and an immediate county rate is to he laid for the purpose of raising a temporary fund I of 15,0 00 /.—Liverp oo l Mail. PORTUGUESE AND AMERICAN FUNDS. The stirring remonstrances which have been ad dressed to the Portuguese Government by Mr. Richard Thornton, on behalf of himself and other Portuguese bondholders, a portion of which we had a few days since an opportunity of laying before the public, have evidently made a deep impression. The new Minister of Finances feels very sensibly, we think, the necessity which exists for something being speedily done, in order to rescue the name of Portu gal from the stigma cast upon it through the shameful treatment the foreign creditors have received from his predecessors in office. M. Ferraz feels, moreover, that no honour can accrue to him personally as the individual selected to preside for the future over the Treasury de partment, so long as the just demands of any cl ass o f persons, whether domestic or foreign, remain in abey ance ; but, least of all, can he be satisfied to see that, hile the dividends of the native creditors are punctually provided for as they become due, the foreign creditors, many of whom have been reduced to beggary in conse quence of their misplaced confidence in the Governments of Portugal, are totally neglected. In the following correspondence will be found a very gratifying exposition of the views and sentiments of the Queen's new Minister of Finances : .‘ TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING POST. 64 Sir,—As the humble advocate of the interests of the foreign bondholders, I beg leave to trouble you with the enclosed translation of a letter addressed to me by his Excellency Senor Ferraz, the newly-appointed Finance Minister of her Most Faithful Majesty the Queen of Por tugal, which may prove in some measure satisfactory to the holders of Portuguese bonds. " I have omitted, as you will observe, a portion of his Excellency's communication, which has reference to my own individual claims on that Government, but cannot, in my capacity as Chairman of the Bondholders, withhold the rest from publicity, as the general assurance which it conveys, and the voluntary spirit in which it is written, augur (to my mind at least) the dawn of brighter days to all those interested in the securities of that kingaorn.—l have the honour to remain, Sir, your obliged and most obedient servant, "RICHARD THORNTON." TRANSLATIIti. " Illustrious Sir,—Having received the honour of being called to the counsels of her most Faithful Majesty, who, by a decree of the 26th of November last, was graciously pleased to appoint me Minister and Secretary of State for the Department of Finance, I consider it my duty, in making this communication to you, to as sure you that the new Ministry, of which I form a part, will not omit employing every means possi ble towards upholding the national credit, and to maintain with the strictest integrity and faith all their engagements, and to attain which they are prepared to make every pos sible sacrifice compatible with their difficult circumstances and the preservation of public order, without which all their efforts would be in vain. " The claims of the foreign creditors in London and else where will, undoubtedly, deserve, in strict justice, the most serious consideration of the present Government of her Most Faithful Majesty the Queen ; and, as regards yourself . . . . to whom this country is so muchindebted, I trust you will continue to con fide in the honour and good faith of the Portuguese nation, which, be assured, will not fail to satisfy and dis charge all her obligations honourably, if a little time be allowed, and which is indispensible for the development and the rendering productive the ample resources which she has at her disposal.—God preserve you, &c. &c. " Public Treasury, Dec. 2, 1839. (Signed) "FLORIDA ROEZ PEREIRA FERRAZ. " Rich. Thornton, Esq., &c. &c." We alluded a few days since to a proposition vet out to the United States for the consideration of the Legis lature at Washington, the object being to consolidate the numerous States' debts under one general national arrangment. The proposition in question has been sub mitted in the annexed form by the eminent house of Baring Brothers and Co., of this city : The late loan made by the United States Bank for about two years, and for 800,0001 , on deposit of Pennsyl vania and other States' stock, at a price which gives ten per cent. annual interest to the subscribers, shows what rate of interest must be paid to obtain any amount of money on the best American securities, and serves, there.. tore, as a guide to capitalists here for their purchase of State stocks. We quote the last prices of the principal securities at which business has been done, but must add that, even at these rates, only small and occasional sales are practicable. The continued fall in their value destroys speculation, whilst many years will be required for real investments to absorb all that is at present in our market. We do not doubt but that such gradual purchases will continue of the stocks of well.. known States which do not ever-issue, and which faith fully meet their engagements to their creditors, as the confidence in the resources of national honour of the United States remains undiminished in this country, as well as the conviction that by such investments England England employs her annual surplus of capital both safely and profitably, encourages her best customer, and binds more closely the ties of mutual interest between the two countries. But if the old scheme of internal im provements in the Union is to be carried into effect on the vast scale, and with the rapidity lately projected, and by the means of foreign capital, a more comprehensive gua rantee than than that of individual States will be re quired to raise so large an amount in a short time. A national pledge would undoubtedly collect capital together from all parts of Europe ; but the forced sales of loans made separately by all the individual States in reckless competition through a number of channels, render the terms more and more onerous for all, lower the reputation of American credit, and (as reliance is almost exclusively placed en the London market) produce temporary mischief here, by ab sorbing the floating capital, diverting money from regular business, deranging banking operations, and producing an unnatural balance of trade against this country. It would seem, therefore, as if moat of the States must either pause in the execution of their works of improvement, or some general system of combination must be adopted. " All corporation stocks are neglected, nor do we hear of any transaction in Bank shares, excepting those of the United States Bank.—We have the honour to be, your obedient servants, (Signed) BARING, BROTHERS and CO. This letter appears to us to define in a concise man ner the relative state of mometary affairs between Great Britain and the United States with great accu racy, and, although it may not have the effect contem plated by the writers and other leading houses in this metropolis, it is one that is nevertheless in all respects entitled to the most serious attention.—Morning Post. MONEY M4RKET and CITY NE (SATURDAY EVENING.) TIMES.—It is understood among the monied inte rest, that though loans on a deposit of Exchequer bills are not sanctioned, strictly speaking, under the late no tice for temporary accommodations at the Bank, some special applications for that purpose have latterly been made and have been successful. This will be a Season.. able aid to the larger holders of such securities, who have been for months under an absolute interdict in that quarter. This looks, besides, as if the Bank Di rectors felt rather more at their ease, and were desirous of getting a little more paper into circulation. Few persons are aware probably, except the lead ing merchants connected with the Continent and the Bank Directors themselves, how much the recent pro ceedings of the latter have damaged the credit of the country. The advance in the rate of interest began the mischief, and the application for assistance to the Bank of France completed it. Most of the Continental merchants at once straitened their transactions with England, and brought them to a close as soon as it could conveniently be accomplished. We have seen letters from Paris adverting to this state of things, in which a sort of calculation is made that within one month to the application to the Bank of France, which went to establish a credit of 2,000,000/., foreign capital to the amount of at least 3,000,0001. was with drawn from this country. No more instructive fact could possibly be adduced. It has been allowed to go forth to the city, and may be received as certain, that some of the more active and intelligent Bank Directors are not indisposed to the establishment of a national bank with an exclu sive issue of paper under the control of Parliament. Theso gentlemen, if really conscientious and not afraid of speakinc , out, would (a few of them) be the fi rs t t o deplore and seek an escape from the difficulties of their situation. The letttr (Messrs. Baring's) which appears in a pre ceding article, is exceedingly gratifying, proceeding from such a source, in the confirmation it gives of the spirit at least of the recent remarks on the multiplication of American State loans, and the mad career the greater part of the States have been running under the specious pretext of internal improvements. No date is affixed to this letter, but from the tenour of it it maybe presumed to be a circular addressed to var i ous correspond ents and houses of business in the United States, and intended unquestionably as a g u id e to them in the future course of their transactions with this country. In that respect no advice can be more judicious, and to the separate States a distinct warning is conveyed, however circumspect the lan guage may be, " if the old scheme of internal im provements is to be carried into effect on the vast scale and with the rapidity lately projected , ” that then " a more comprehensive guarantee than that of indi vidual States will be required ;" or, in other words, they will break down under the weight of debt. Our warn in;; was a little more explicitly conveyed, being to the effect, that if trusted further without inquiry, this would infallibly come to pass ; and we especially recom mended that no more new loans should be encouraged into. It the true state of the case had been examined It was shown also that this would be equally good policy towards the States themselves and their credi tors, which opinion is manifestly declared by Messrs. Baring, though they do not use the precise words. But the motive given for the publication of this letter and is wholly diff erent f rom an e l uc id at i on o f thi s point of a most extraordinary nature, being that of making it appear to the world that the house of thrings have submitted a proposition to the Legisla ture at S t ; T as.l , ngto n to consolidate the numerous State debts under one general national arrangement, which meaning is not at a ll b orne out by the letter itself. The . a " more c om p re h ens i ve guarantee ," to be necessitybesure,s of pointed out, and an assertion made, which is nothing more than a truism, that " a national pledge would undoubtedly collect capital together from all parts of Europe ;" but not a word is to be found in the letter which can be construed into a proposition to the Legislature of the nature described. As such a step would be a most improper one on the part of any mer cantile house, so is the, inference upon such materials that they have actually taken it most ridiculous. What ever those gentlemen may think of the policy of such a measure ou the part of Congress, they are the last persons in the world to take upon themselves to propose it, and especially to do so under the cover of a mer cantile circular. CHRONICLE.—The depressed and stagnant state of trade throughout the country is now so general, and at tended with such serious evils,as not only fully to corrobo rate what we stated on Wednesday—that the derange ment of our monetary system was now only being felt in its entire vigour --but also to demand the serious atten tion of the Legislature and the Government, with the view of alleviating, in the first instance, the wide-spread distress ; and, in the second, of investigating the causes which have led, in a country abounding with wealth and enterprise, and in profound peace, to a state of things attended with such deplorable consequences. In Leeds and the woollen districts failures of magni tude have taken place, which must be soon followed by further bankruptcies, destroy ing confidence, and li miting still further the power of the country banks to afford relief. We stated on a former occasion that the period for which the Bank of England had contracted with certain country banks for the issue of their paper had expired, and was not to be renewed. We find, however, that notice merely to that effect has been given from the Bank parlour, which has produced the same result as if the period had actually elapsed, aggravating the pressura for money in the provinces, by compelling these esta blishments to curtail their accommodation, preparatory to such an important change in their financial position. The terms on which these banks were supplied with Bank of England paper held out such temptations to employ it largely, during the present high value of money, that they no doubt availed themselves of it to the fullest extent, and thus fostered speculations of a hazardous character, and burdened themselves with securities which cannot be realised without serious loss to all concerned. It will be seen that by this system the Bank of England has given a forced stimulus to credit, and produced a rivalry in granting accommodation with other banks throughout the country, without being able to exercise the smallest check or controul. The reaction will be now shown by the proceeding's of the other bank!, who will contract their issues in a corresponding manner for their own protection, and thus make money scarcer in the provinces than it has ever yet been. We trust that the ordeal which banking institutions are now subjected to will show them the necessity of confining their business to bona fide transactions as dealers in money, and to avoid all that spurious ac• commodation which we fear many of them have got heavily entangled with. It seems to be a fault in English banking, that the parties engaged in it, instead of being satisfied with the legitimate profits, avail themselves of the credit of the Bank to sustain extravagant speculations, in the hopes of obtaining higher profits thaw regular banking would afford. It has been reported that a bank in North Wales has failed. We believe this is not substantially the case, as they have made arrangements with another establish ment to withdraw their notes, and it is hoped that they will be able to settle with the depositors themselves. Their business, however, is suspended ; but steps have been taken by other establishments to supply the dis trict, which is one of considerable importance as regards mines and manufactures. The iron trade forms a striking exception to the ge neral stagnation affecting all other branches of our pro ductive industry. Through the whole of the mining districts the furnaces are in full blast ; new ones are in course of being erected ; the hands are fully employed ; labour is in great demand ; wages high ; and everything denotes great activity and success. This satisfactory state of the iron trade is to be attributed to the demand occasioned by these stupendous national works, our great lines of railway communication, which reflect so much credit on the skill and enterprise of the present day. IVe observe by the Liverpool papers that the cotton market there during the past week has been in an un settled state. Some of the holders in the early part be trayed great anxiety to realize, particularly those of the new crop of American, which in many instances was not accomplished without a sacrifice of from id. to id. on the closing prices of last week for good fair to fine qualities, the ordinary being less depressed. Since the report of Tuesday's Manchester market there has not been the same eagerness to sell, and prices recovered themselves to within about ,-Id. to id. of previous rates. The sales amounted to 24,000 bales of all descriptions, speculators and exporters taking about 3,700 bales. The Congo! Market has been quiet throughout the day, with little doing. HERALD.—A short time since we adverted to the announcement that a scheme was afloat amongst a cer tain portion of the holdcrs of the State Stocks of Ame rica, having for its object their total consolidation, and that an application was about to be made to Congress for its sanction. That the attempt will be made there is no doubt. We subjoin Messrs. Baring Brothers and Co.'s circular on the subject, and although it has appeared exclusively in the columns of a Morning Contemporary, there is a peculiarity in the language with which this circular is invested that could not have been avoided, seeing that the project will most probably have as many enemies as advocates in the United States, whilst, on the other hand, were it to succeed, British interests would be se riously affected. This circular has naturally called forth mach atten tion, but as a feeler it will have almost as little effect here as it is pretty sure of meeting on the other side of the Atlantic ; but we do not see, because the United States Bank have obtained a small loan, for two years, on the deposit of Pennsylvania and other States' stock, at a price which gives 10 per cent. annual interest to the subscribers, that the transaction will per se afford any real criterion of the value of American State Stocks in this or any other market, since that bargain was effected under peculiar circumstances, attended with very power ful guarantees. As to any hope that a national pledge would be given by Congress for this consolidation, can this be expected so long as the federal union maintains its integrity, or the separate States do the same ? Would the southern States undertake to amalgamate their State Stocks and Bank Stocks with the northern, or vice versa ? Prejudices will have to be overcome that money cannot buy, and a certain nationality must be created before so wild a scheme can ever be brought to bear in the United States. THE LATE COUNTESS or DEVON.-We re gret to say that the Countess of Devon died at Pow derham Castle, on Monday last. Her Ladyship had been in a declining state of health for some years past, never appearing in society beyond the connections of the family. The deceased lady, who was a daughter of Sir Lucas Pepys, Bart., and Jane Elizabeth Countess of Rothes, was born on the Ist of June, 1777, and was, consequently, in her 63d year. Her Ladyship was married to the Earl of Devon, then Mr. Courtenay, on the 29th of November, 1804, by whom her Lady ship had a family of five thildren, three of whom are living—namely, Lord Courtenay, the Hon. and Rev. Hugh, and the Hon. Charles Leslie Courtenay. The deceased Countess waa a sincere Christian, and the poor have lost a liberal benefactress by her death. The Opera, it is expected, will commence a month earlier than usual next season. Grisi, who is still in England, will resume her situation as prima donna at the opening. STRATHFIELDSAYE.The Marquis of Bute, Lord Seaton, Lord and Lady De Roos, Lord and Lady Henry Cholmondeley, Colonel Gurwood, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, the Right Hon. Charles Arbuthnot, Vis countess Burghersh, &c., have been among the guests of the Duke of Wellington, at the above scat, during the past week, A marriage is said to be on the tapis between Lord Griaiston and Lady Louisa Craven. The Hon, George Rice Trevo: left town on Friday to pass the holydays at Brighton. The West Essex Archery ball took place on Friday last at Harlow Bush, and was kept up with great spirit. The fine band of the Quadrille Institute performed on this occasion some entirely new pieces (the solo parts by Messrs. Patey, Macfarlane, Champion, and J. A. Ireland), which elicited much approbation from the company assembled, amongst whom we no ticed Lady and Miss Bowyer Smyth, Mrs. Arkwright, Mrs. Glyn, W. F. Bramston, Esq., M.P. ; G. Palmer, Esq., M.P. ; and J. Round, Esq., M.P. We have heard on what we consider good au thority that it is the intention of her Majesty to avail herself of the suggestions thrown out in Sir Harris Nicolas's admirable " History of the Orders of British Knighthood" for the revival of that branch of the Order of the Garter which was established in the reign of Richard 11., and included the Ladies of the Knights. This would be a graceful and popular measure, and we trust, therefore, that there is a solid foundation for the rumour.— piled Service Gazette. AFF AIR OF HONOUR.—A meeting took place on Friday morning, on Wimbledon Common, between Lord William Paget and Mr. Thomas Fiske; the former attended by Captain Baillie (late 16th Lancers), and the latter by Mr. Nightingale. Mr. Fiske received his Lordship's fire , and fired in the air, when the seconds interfered. It appears that Lord William had called upon Mr. Fiske to deny that he (Mr. Fiske) had ever lent money to him, as stated in the Morning Herald of the 11th instant, which request was refused to be com plied with, on the ground of its having been accompa nied by a threat ; but, after receiving his Lordship's fire, he had no hesitation in declaring, in the presence of Captain Baihie and Mr. Nightingale, that lie never had lent any money to his Lordship. E SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, DECEMBIAM 23, 1839. PORTUGUESE SLAVE TRADE. FIRING INTO AND SINKING TWO PORTU GUESE VESSELS. By the arrival of the Royal Tar steamer at Fal mouth, from the Mediterranean, we have received Lisbon papers of the 16th instant. The subjoined intelligence from the Diario do Governo—the official journal—of the 10th, with the comments made upon it by the other Lisbon papers of the 11th, will be read with deep interest. In Portugal the account of the sinking of two vessels, with the national fla g flying at the m as t-h ea d o f one o f th em , has created very painful sensation. But we can form no opinion as to the real merits of this case till the whole of the details are before us.. We have here but the Portuguese version of the story, and defective as it is in dates, we cannot for an in stant assume it as correct. Still the affair, however it may have happened, will widen the breach be tween the Portuguese and English Governments, and greatly add to the embarrassments of the newly appointed Lisbon Cabinet : (From the Diario do Governo of the 10th inst.) By advices received yesterday from Angola, the Go vernment have information of a transaction in which insolence and rashness appear to have reached their height, and committed by a British naval officer. By virtue of a convention of the 29th of May, 1839, entered into between Vice-Admiral Noronha and Cap tain Tucker, Captain Elliot, commanding the English brig of war Columbine, entered the Zaire, and took possession of some vessels lying there, perhaps in con travention of the decree of the 10th of December, 1836, but no reason or pretext could be found for similar proceedings in regard to the Portuguese brig Neptuno, of Lisbon, and the schooner Angerona, of Angola, which were in the same port. After the lapse of some days the brig Neptuno was boarded in the night and taken possession of by the boats of the Columbine, which shortly afterwards, having been fired upon by the blacks, also took possession of te schooner Angerona. The Columbine having committed other acts of vio lence, sailed with the captured vessels, and falling in with the Leando packet, compelled her to come to, and detained her 24 hours ; put the crews of the Neptuno aad Angerona on board of her, and then, in sight of the said racket, in order that she might witness the affront, placing herself between the two vessels, one of which bore the Portuguese flag, fired into them until they went down. This fact, although only the act of an individual, and which only proves the brutal daring of the party who committed it, is nevertheless so scandalous from the cowardly injury offered to the Portuguese flag, that her Majesty's Government, as a satisfaction to the national character, cannot fail to require full redress from the British Government. Her Majesty's Government trusts that such satisfaction will be afforded, not only from the confidence it has in the rectitude of its ancient ally, but because the very dignity of the British Government calls loudly against the'passing off wit?; tin punity of an excess of such magnitude, committed by one of its subjects, who, in violation of every principle of justice and the faith of conventions and treaties, con stituted himself at once judge and executioner in an arbitrary and atrocious manner in lavers and interests regulated by specific resolutions, and above all, ignobly insultsd the flag of a friendly nation. (From the Correio da Lisboa of the 11th inst.) We are convinced that the infamous conduct of Cap tain Elliot will meet with exemplary punishment from the English Government, if, as we take it, the immu table principles of reason and justice are worthy of consideration. His conduct is of such a nature, and accompanied by circumstances so atrocious, that there are no words to express it. We are informed that the transaction to which we allude immediately excited the most expressed and general desire of revenge, and that the Commander of the Portuguese naval forces sta tioned at Angola requested permission to proceed with out delay to wipe away the stain the Portuguese flag had suffered from the cowardly injury just offered to iz. We know not,however,what occurred afterwards, although we believe that this noble and Portuguese-like pro posal was rejected in the quarter where it ought to have been accepted without hesitation. It will be necessary that the public be informed upon this subject, in order that it may be known where the fault lies. We trust that the Portuguese Government will give this matter that serious consideration which it demands, requiring a full and complete satisfaction from the British Govern ment, and punishing Vice-Admiral Noronha, if he ac tually showed a weakness on an occasion which de manded the development of great courage and de cision. (From the Paquele do Ultrantar, of Dec. 11.) We have already announced a Convention effected between Senhor Noronha and Lieutenant Tucker of the British Navy, which was not approved of by the British Government, notwithstanding it granted to the. English cruisers nearly the whole of the powers of Lord Palmer ston's infamous Bill. We have now to announce that the same Vice-Admiral Noronha entered band lifhithd with the English into an unheard of transaction, not sanctioned by any law, and only equally worthy of the evil-minded who proposed it, and the madman who consented to it. It appears then, and know it, ye fellow-countrymen, that the Eng lish cruisers have received orders from the British Go vernment to burn ships bearing the Portuguese fiag, - or that of any other nation they may fall in with .in the African seas ; and that those orders have already been . executed in the case of two vessels, one o f w hi c h the brig (schooner) Angerona, which were met with in the waters of Molembo and Ajuda, and which in. Angola had created the most decided feelings of horror against those who have the effrontery to call themselves our allies, being at the same time our most vile and cowardly enemies, inasmuch as they had not even the candour to make a formal declaration of war against us, being fear ful of the other Powers had they previously announced their intention of setting fire to our ships ; they there fore prepared to forward their determinations in a mys terious manner immediately the Bill was sanctioned. (From the Nacional of the 11th inst.) By the schooner Tentative, which entered this port the day before yesterday, we have adviccs from An gola up to the end of September, which set forth as po sitive the incapacity of Vice-Admiral Noranha to govern that possession in consequence of his violent and pas sionate temper, and also the visionary schemes he has attempted to forward (witness the Elliot affair). We imagine it would be difficult to find a similar case in the annals of perfidy, infamy, robbery, and violence of the English Government, and that such an act, so long as we are without hope of obtaining the full satisfaction demanded by our Government, is calculated to lead our commercial classes to arm cruisers, for the purpose of making just reprisals against certain pirates,who, abusing , the force they have ae their command, have the shame lessness to sink two Portuguese vessels still bearing their national colours. The blood boils in our veins, our heart beats with indignation, and with difficulty we trace these lines, for grief arrests our pen ; we shed tears of rage, because we have it not in our power to take summary vengeance upon the perfidious and treacherous Lord Palmerston for an injury of such magnitude, and give a lesson to those haughty islanders, who, forgetting what they were, and how much they are indebted to Portugal, insult and scoff at us on every side. The sensible part of the English nation will blush with us at this event, and cannot fail to con sign to execration the officer who so conducted himself. We shall see how our present Ministry will act. If our present Government should not take any measures of retaliation against the pirates, who have sworn to ruin us—if they shrink from assuming the attitude which becomes them in such a case—we entreat our countrymen, who reside in Portugal, in Brazil, or on the coast of Africa, to set about arming vessels, to run down upon all English ships, and sink them with the flags flying, wherever they find them. We ourselves are ready to dispose of apart of our property—nay, the whole if necessary, to join in the holy enterprise of burn ing and slaking British vessels. Let all Portuguese concur towards so noble an undertaking, and w e shall enjoy the satisfaction of witnessing the sufferings of those insolent buccaneers, &c. We understand that some Portuguese, moved by a spirit of patriotism, are about to form an association similar to that established by Mr. Bracklami, for the purpose of excluding from consump tion all article s whatsoever of English manufacture or production. We deem this a very praiseworthy thought, and we hope the plan will succeed this time, so that we may, in some d egree , b e ena bled to begin to injure our enemies at once. THE MAURITIUS AFFAIR. (From the French Papers of Saturday.) " The Minister of Marine has received from the Governor of the Isle of Bourbon official reports re specting the dispute which arose in the beginning of September last at the Mauritius between the Governor of that British Colony and the Captains of the French ships of war th en l y in g t h ere . The details arc in con formity with those published in the newspapers. The facts of the m a tt er are a b out to b e the object of com munications between the King's Government and that of her Britannic Majesty.—Moniteur. The Temps gives some further details of the affair at the Mauritiu s . After statingthat it was in error in describing the Greenlaw as a vessel belonging to the Royal Navy, it proceeds to describe the position of the flap of the Isere, for the purpose of showi ng that no, insult could have been intended, an d s tates that Capt a i n D r i ver had, in consequence, as it was reported, of a wager, placed the French flig under th e head of his vessel, which was only re moved by the captain of the port, who went on board the Greenlaw and forcibly took it down. Captain de Tinau, of the Isere, who had been absent during the day, waited on the Governor in the evening, and de manded the punishment of Captain Driver. Sir W. Nicolay expressed his profound regret for the insult which the French flag had received, but observed that there was no law, British or Colonial. by ..1 1 4,1, 1,„ could compel Captain Driver to a pologize, although he was of opinion that he ought to make reparation. Seve ral letters passed subsequently, and on the return of Captain Laroque de Chanfray from the country the affair was taken up by him, as being the oldest officer on the station. At length it was announced that Cap tain Driver would consent to hoist the French flag on board his ship, but refused, in the most positive man ner, to go, as requested, on board the French vessel to apologise. The Governor observed, at the same time, that as he had no means of forcing him to do this, he had ordered a prosecution to be commenced against him in the Vice-Admiralty Court, on a charge of having committed an offence calculated to bring about a rup ture of the peace. The French flag was, however, finally hoisted, but, as it was done at an hour when few persons were abroad, the French officers insisted that as the offence was committed on a Sunday, when crowds were present, the reparation should take place on the same day, and consequently it was performed with due cere mony on Sunday, the 15th of September. Immediately after this, says the Temps, Capt. Laroque de Chanfray, to his great astonishment, received a letter from the Governor, calling upon him to offer reparation for an insult to the British flag on board the Isere. The Governor declared that he was perfectly satisfied with the explanations of the French Captain on the subject, but that several British subjects of the island did not share that opinion, and insisted that the British flag should be hoisted in one of the French vessels in the most honourable position due to a friendly nation. The French officer replied in the sense stated in the account already given, to the effect that he would not comply, as it would be admitting the existence of an insult where none was intended, but offering to hoist the flag when he should leave the port, and fire a salute of twenty-one guns. To this succeeded the me nace and the arrest already mentioned. It is stated that when M. de Tinau wcs arrested, and taken to the guard-house, Major Wilson, of the 35th Regiment, waited on the Governor to know what was to be done with him. The Governor replied that he was then going to bed, that M. de Tinau must be kept at the guard-house until the morning, when he would speak to him. M. de Laroque de Chanfray, when informed of the arrest of M. de Tinau, wrote immediately to the Governor, demanding his release ; but the officer who was the bearer of the letter }vas also taken to the guard-house, and was not able to take his letter to the Governor until the following morning at six o'clock. Tnc Governor then refused to receive the letter, de claring that he would hold no communication with the French commanders, but that M. de Tinau was at li berty to re-join his ship. The Governor is stated to have assigned as a reason for not communicating with the French officers that they were aliens without papers, and whom his Government could treat as it pleased. On the arrival of the Lancier and Isere at Bourbon a public dinner was given by the Governor of the island o the officers of those vessels, at which the healths of King of the French and the Queen of England had been proposed. The Governor proposed those of M. de Laroque de Chanfray and M. de Tinau, and pre fad the toast svith a speech, in which, after stating thA a grave insult had been received, for which full entire reparation had been insisted upon by those 4bers, who had refuted with calm dignity the accuse tios brought against them, and refused, under the in flue,hce of menace and the display of military force, to offer a reparation which might have been received as an acknowledgment of an insult which had never been committed, he said, " May the responsibility of this doable offence fall upon ,him who committed it. As to us: we will reject every feeling calculated to diminish 1.1 - lively sympath which we have for our neighbours." The Governor, having concluded his speech, proposed as a toast, " To the maintenance of the union between France and England." Most"of the French Journals give, without comment, from the evening Ministerial Journal, the brief official notice of the affair at the Mauritius. The Temps says it approves of the reserve shown by the Government, as it would he h ghly improper to embarrass by untimely discussion the communications which it is about to open with the English Cabinet on the subject ; but this Jour nal states that nothing short of the dismissal of the Ge yer, or of the Mauritius can make atonement for the insult which has been received. The Capilole and the Journal de Paris, far from approving of the reserve of the Government as it regards discussion at home, or the observance of the courtesies of civilized states in their proceedings abroad, find in the article of the illoniteur Parisien a disregard of the national dignity, and a sub serviency in the foreign policy:of the Government. Ac cording to these Journals the notice of the Monileur Parisien ought to have contained a fulminating article against England, instead of adopting the usual course of demanding explanations first, and reserving a cool judg ment to act upon them when made. SPAIN. MAS DE LAS MATAS, DEC. 13. HEAD QUARTERS OF THE DUKE DE LA VICTORIA. Desertions continue from the rebel ranks. Since the 10th eighteen cavalry and several infantry have given themselves up at Calanda ; yesterday nine of the latter rived here, and have proceeded to their homes. 'he day before yesterday a captain of cavalry, be • longing to tlangostera's party came over. He is a na tive of Tortosa, in Catalonia, and had never served in the Queen's army. He says that every officer of good connections is anxious to leave the re bels, who, he declares, cannot hold together be yond the winter at furthest. This officer was imme diately appointed to a command in a cavalry corps now organising by Brigadier Cabanero. He states that Ca brera has gone to Catalonia with only a small escort, with what object it is not known. Yesterday a very gallant affair occurred at Agua Viva on the part of a few Lancers of the British auxiliary brigade. Eleven of them were on duty at the main guard, under the command of Lieutenant Lyster, and went to the river, at a short distance from the village, to water their horses. A squadron of cavalry, belonging to the rebel Bosque, had been in ambush, for the purpose of falling on the defenceless servants ; and at the moment of the arrival of the few Bri tish Lancers, had charged them to death. On the appear ance, however, of the red-jackets, they took to flight. They had already killed a private servant belonging to one of the officers of the British Auxiliary Brigade, who had gone to water his master's horses. Our gal lant countrymen instantly started at full gallop after the rebel squadron, who were considerably a-head ; but the bottom of the English horses on which they were mounted, and the energy of their riders, soon enabled five British Lancers out of the eleven, with Lieutenant Lyster at their head (the other six having been for a few minutes detained by being encumbered with the mass of horses in confusion at the river side), to over take them, and to kill nine of the rebels and take eight horses, in which the other six, who speedily arrived, as sisted. A party of the Bourbon regiment of cavalry, who also composed a part of the main guard, presently came up and killed three more ; the rest escaped. The British auxiliary cavalry brigade, commanded by Colonel Lassaussaye, is about to be augmented by 106 men, lately belonging to the artillery of that brigade, which is broken up. It is understood that head-quarters will not remove for the present from Mas de las Matas, which is now sufficiently fortified. The presence of the Queen's army in this neighbourhood is, in my opinion, judicious, inas much as it gives confidence to the inhabitants of this part of the country ; and as it is seen that we mean to keep permanent possession of the territory, the faction begin to look about them, and to seek for the means of securing their future lot, as you will perceive from the numerous desertions to this and other points.—Chronicle. The Eco d'Arragon of the 16th instant publishes a letter from Castellon of the sth instant, announcing that the measure of expulsion pronounced by Cabrera against the Christino families residing in the districts occupied by the Carlists was enforced with the utmost rigour. In Benicarlo the party charged with its execution shot the widow of a carabineer massacred by the insurgents in 1385 at Albocacer. All the fami• lies expelled were obliged to assist at this execution, and among them were several females upwards of 70 years of age. In Calix they shot the corregidor, and at Ul decona a man upwards of 60, whose son served in the Queen's army ; at San Mateo, a merchant, named Bayona, was put to death on account of his liberal opi nions ; at Alcorn, two inhabitants of Cabanes, and an other of Borriol, were shot for the same reason ; at Cabanes, two men advanced in years experienced the same fate, because of their being National Guards ; and finally, at Almedijar, a woman was butchered on the mere suspicion of her attachment to the Queen's cause. THE EASTERN QUESTION, CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 28.—France and its diplo macy have drawn the bow too far—it could not but break. The check which it has received is complete and dis couraging, for it can scarcely be repaired. It cannot well be denied that M. De Pontois, on his first appear ance on our political stage, delighted and astonished the Turks by the hopes of a speedy settlement with the Viceroy, which he continued to excite and to keep for a time, and by the confident tone in which he expressed his conviction by the assurance of a perfect under standing between the maritime Powers, be succeeded not only in misleading the Porte, but also in making the representatives of the great Powers uncertain how to act. In this state of uncertainty the Porte followed the powerful impulse that was given it by him. It again entered intn negociations with the Viceroy. The choice of M. Cadalvine for the negotiation, clearly shows forth the insinuations of the French Ambassador. The negociations failed, however, for Redschid Pasha was made aware in time of the real views of the French Cabinet, and he now knows that the Porte was selected as the victim for the purpose of a brilliant opening of the French Chambers with a pompous announcement, how France alone had, by its firm conduct, solved the difficulties of the Oriental question, had obtained an advantageous peace for its Egyptian ally—in plain terms, how it had succeeded in deceiving the European Powers, which fancied that France would go hand-in hand with them in this question. M. Cochelet and Mehemet Ali contrived to extract cut of th e n s, project all that was really advantageous to the Paella and prejudicial to the Porte, so that even the promise to give up Candia was changed into a grant for Mehe met's life. You may now conceive the indigna tion of the Porte, which, by this underhand proceeding sees itself in danger of a dispute with other Powers. The situation of M. de Pontois has, in con sequence, become very unpleasant. He who was lately the object of universal attention, is now almost isolated. and a visible dislike of the French is manifest among the better-informed Turks. Redschid Pacha has had several conferences with Lord Ponsonby and M. Boutinieff, and these two Ministers seem to he on the best terms. Such is the result of the late proceedings of France in the East, an impressive lesson, which shows that rashness and ill-founded confidence seldom succeed. I make no remarks ; only I must say that Admiral Roussin would hardly have lent himself to such a proceeding.—Allgemeine Zeitung, Dec. 18. EDINBURGH. COURT OF SESSION.-FIRST DIVISION. INTERDICT OF THE COMMISSION OF ASSEMBLY.- THURSDAY. Lord 'Murray, Ordinary on the Bills, reported a Note of Suspension and Interdict which had been presented to his Lordship on Wednesday, at the instance of the Rev. John Cruickshank and others, being seven and a majority of the Presbytery of Strathbogie, against the Rev. David Dower, the Moderator, and the Rev. Messrs. J. Robertson, W. Duff, and 11. Leith, being the remnant members and minority of that Presbytery ; and also against the Rev. Messrs. Simpson, A. L. Gor don, Murray of Aberdeen, Messrs. Mackay at Raiford, Shanks of Buckie, Clark of Inverness, Spence in Glass, and Grant of Forres, being the parties specially directed the resolution of the Commission to carry them into execution. The object of this note of suspension was to obtain an interdict against the execution of the sen tence pronounced by the Commission of the General Assembly, at its adjourned meeting on the 11 th inst. suspending the majority of the Presbytery from the ex ercise of their clerical functions, ministerial and judicial. The Judges present were—the Lord President, Lord Gillies, Lord Mackenzie, and Lord Fullerton. The Learned Counsel then stated the particulars of the case, which we have already published, and craved an interdict (injunction) against carrying the resolution of the Commission into effect. After some conversation between the Judges and Counsel, The Court postponed their judgment till next day The Court was completely crowded during the pro• co.edingz. FRIDAY. When the Court met again this day, the same intense interest was manifested as the previous day, by an im mense crowd of spectators. _ The LORD PRESIDENT said the Court was prepared to grant the interdict in some respects. But something was prayed for which, as it was worded, appeared to be too broad. He referred to that part of the prayer in which it craved, that the parties complained against should be interdicted from taking any steps in " the parish." The Commission of As sembly had directed their sentence to be intimated in " the parish." The Court was not entitled to grant an interdict against preaching in " the parish ;" but he supposed the parish church was meant by the Commis sion ; and the Court was prepared to grant an inter dict against using the parish church, the churchyard, the school-room, and the church bell ; which he be lieved would sufficiently answer the purpose. Mr. D. M'NEILL, for the applicants, proposed that some words should be introduced into the prayer of the Note, so as to meet the views of the Court. In stead of praying the Court to prohibit the parties com plained against " from preaching in the respective pa rishes," he proposed to read " from preaching in the church, churchyard, schoolroom, and from using the bells in the respective parishes." Lord GILLIES suggested, that the correction should run thus—" from preaching or from intruding into the c 1 urch, churchyard, school-room, and from using the The LORD PRESIDENT said, the parties complained of might intimate the sentence in any way they pleased, except in the church, churchyard, or school-room. They could intimate it at the Cross of the burgh, it tt:ey chose ; the Court could not help that. Lord MACKENZIE said, the parties were to do none of the things complained against by the use of the church, churchyard, school-room, or bell; and, quoad ultra, the Court reserved consideration of the other parts of the interdict till it came to be heard. The LORD PRESIDENT then directed the Clerk of Court to make an order for answering, within fourteen days or sooner if the parties thought fit, and the Court pronounced the interlocutor prohibiting the service and intimation of the sentence and deliverance complained of by the several parties complained against, or any of them, and interdict and prohibit all and each of them from preaching in or intruding into the churches, or churchyards, or school-houses, in the respective parishes of the complainers, and from serving or intimating the said 4entonce and deliverance to any of the complainers, 4tdrfaem intimating and promulgating the same in any of the;.said- parish, churches, churchyards, or school houses, and from using the church bells in any of the said parishes; and interdict and prohibit all Presbytery and Session officers, or others, from serving or intimating the said resolutions and delkerance to the complainers, or any of them, and from intimating and promulgating the same in the churches, or churchyards, or school 13ouses in the parishes of the complainers, as aforesaid ; and from using the church bells, as aforesaid. ROYAL SOCIETY. At the last meeting the President (the Marquis of Northampton) delivered the annual address, and read biographical notices of the Fellows deceased since the last anniversary. These were the Rev. Martin Davy, Dr. Marsh, Bishop of Peterborough, Professor Rigaud, Mr. Wilkins, Professor of Architecture to the Royal Academy, the Rev. Archibald Alson, Mr. E. L. Lush ington, Mr. George Saunders, the Baron de Prong, of France, and M. Prevost, of Geneva. We have only room for the following brief and accurate sketch of that beautiful writer and excellent preacher, so well known to the literary world—the author of the celebrated essay on " Taste :" The Rev. Archibald Alison, senior Minister of St. Paul's Chapel, Edinburgh, was born in 1757, be came a Member of the University of Glasgow in 1772, and of Baliol College, Oxford, in 1775, and took the degree of B.C.L. in 1784: he soon after wards took holy orders in the English Church, and was presented to several ecclesiastical preferments by Sir William Pulteney, Lord Chancellor Lough borough, and Bishop Douglas of Salisbury. In 1784 he married the daughter of the celebrated Dr. John Gregory of Edinburgh, with whom he lived in unin terrupted happiness for forty years of his life. His celebrated essay on the " Nature and Principles of Taste," was first published in 1790, and speedily be came incorporated into the standard literature of Great Britain. Towards the close of the last century, he became a permanent resident in his native city, as minister of the Episcopal chapel, Cowgate, and after wards of St. Paul's, where be was connected by con genial tastes and pursuits with Dugald Stewast, Play fair, Mr. Henry Mackenzie, Dr. Gregory, and the many other distinguished men who, d ur i ng so many years, made that beautiful and picturesque city the metropolis of British literature. In 1814 he published two volumes of sermon! ; and at a later period, a very interesting memoir of his accomplished friend the Hon. Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhouselee. Mr. Alison was a man of very pleasing and refined manners, of great cheerfulness and equanimity of temper, of a clear and temperate judgment, and possessing a very extensive knowledge of mankind. He was habitually pious and humble-minded, exhibiting, in the whole tenor of his life, the blessed influence of that Gospel of which he was the ordained minister. Ail his writings are characterised by that pure and correct taste, the principles of which he had illustrated with so much elegance and beauty. BRUSSELS, DEC. 21.—The Chamber of Re presentatives, in the sitting yesterday, agreed to the Budget of the Foreign Department. The Chamber then, by a majority of 66 to 2, agreed to the project of law authorizing the Government to issue Treasury Bonds to the amount of 12 millions. THE CORN-LAWS. —The campaign against the abominable Corn-laws is proceeding most satisfactorily in Leeds. During the present week :wo meetings have t been held, one in the South Ward, and the other at Holbeck, each of which was attended by about 500 persons, of whom it was gratifying to find the gr '''' ma jority were operatives. Mr. Greig, agent f theo the mis- Anti-Corn-law Association, ably demonstratedatien law, and chievous and ruinous effects of the Leeds st .;„ rv ous ly adopted, at the close, resolutions were un agitators, and are convinced town are us pleasure calling for their immediate repeal. are awake to the to find that the operatives of thi t s e t place before d to be practised upon delusion which has been attempte d them by certain designing ab t : vs e mnst ina take 1 nroved.-Leeds their condition can be permanently that a change in the Corn-laws Mercury. ,--. ~N-LAW DINNER I THE ANTI-v O .- - 11 demand f) • . con sequence of the exten s ive the_ ,r. tickets for the January, Council of the League dinner of the 13th have determined not toissue any more until they shall have secured proper accommod at i on for guests and dele gates from a distancc • El .e.v en Members o f P ar li ament have already a ccepted the invitation of the Council to be present. Of these we gave the names of six gentle men on Wednesday last, and the other five are—Ed ward Baines, Esq. (Leeds) ; John Easthope,. Esq. (Leicester); Thomas S. Duncombe, Esq. (Finsbury) ; the Hon. C. P. Villiers (Wolverhampton) ; and Peter Ainsworth, Esq. (Bolton). Amongst other gentle men who have accepted the invitation are the Rev. Thomas Spencer, Rector of Hinton, near Bath, whose able letter on the Corn-laws is in everybody's mind, and Mr. Sharman Crawford. We understand also that amongst the towns from which intirontions have hPeri i„15.,;,;,.... 1. 41 ' i 1., a , ....+, IJ lt; Ltim,ei . are Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, and a number of smeller places, as Kendal, Burnley, &c.—Manchester Guardian. E v L e -k r e 14‘ 1.4 1 • A CHRISTMAS-BOX FOR THE WHIGS BY THE DUKE OP BUCKINGHAM. " I boldly state that her Majesty's Advisers are traitors to their country. "— Vide the Duke of Buckingham's speech at the Winehtster Conservative dinner. Yes, all are traitors ! A viler set Never dubbed themselves a Cabinet ; They seem to think it their greatest glory, To keep in the shade a shivering Tory; Tho' they see us divested of all our pride, And from stern necessity allied To the bleak, cold Opposition side, Freezing in that unwholesome slot, Like Esquirnaux in their wintry cot, And casting many a longing eye To the sunny clime of the Treasury ; Tho' they see us thus, not a Whig will stir ; Not a single Cabinet Minister Has sufliaient politeness—woe betide him ! To beckon us over to sit beside him 11 Yes, all are traitors l They starve our Church, And leave its Hierarchs in the lurch, Giving the poor dear Bishops no more Than suffices just for a coach-and-four; They uphold the doctrine, worst of any, That the Few should aye succumb to the Many ; To Dissenter and Papist they just behave As if either had got a soul to save ; They teach the benighted mob their letters, Tho' knowledge was only meant fortheir betters; In short, without either rhyme or reason, They go the whole hog in Reform and Treason, For every one knows—at least all of us.— That these terms are quite synonimous. But happier times, thank God, are coming, For the Tory war-drums all are drumming, And brave Sir Bobby is marching along, Leonidas-like, three hundred strong, To crush the invading Whigs, dy'e see, And " make a new Thermopylae I"—* Meantime, I offer each doomed Whig fox These rhymes, by way of a Christmas-box, And bid him remember, with awe and fear, That the ominous Ides of March are near. " Of the three hundred, grant but three To make a new The:mot - 41m." BYRON'S Don Juan. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, SUNDAY.—This morning, the Queen attended by the Duchess of Sutherland, the Mar chioness of Normanby, Hon. Miss Paget, Hon. Miss Anson, Viscountess Forbes, Viscount Melbourne, Earl of Fingal!, Sir Robert Otway, and the Hon. Colonel Grey, attended Divine Service at the Chapel RoYal , St. George. The Sermon was preached by the Rev Mr. Musgrave (Canon in residence), who took his text from St. Matthew, chap. vi., and part of the 10th verse, " Thy will be done." The Rev. Mr. Kny vett chaunted the service. The Rev. Mr. Musgrave read the first lesson, and the Rev. Mr. Canning the seeond4 and officiated at the altar. The "Te Deign and " Jubilate" was Dr. Boyce's in A, the Communion Service Rogers in D, and the Anthem Christ being raised from the dead" (Elvey), the Quartett being sung by Master Foster, Messrs. Harris, French, and Turner. Mr. Elvey, pres ided at the organ. Her Majesty, attended by the Ladies of her s uite, walked yesterday for some time both on the Eastern Terrace, from the York and Lancaster Towers, to the entrance gate and back, and likewise along the path towards Frogmore, returning by the Little Park to the Castle. The Duchess of Sutherland, Lord Alfred Paget, and the Hon. Charles Howard, arrived yesterday after noon at the Castle on a visit to her Majesty. The band of the Rifles attended at the Castle on Friday evening, and played the following pieces :-- March—Overture, Zampa, (Herold) ; Duette., Elisir d'Amore (Donizetti) ; Risa Walzer (Strauss) ; Quad rille (Blanche) ; Galop, Le Pre aux Clercs ; Mazurka, Quick step. The Princess Augusta, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Princess Augusta of Cambridge, visited her Majesty the Queen Dowager at Mariborough House on Saturday. The Princess Augusta attended Divine Service yea teiday morning in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. 1 1 1 Sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Dodd, from Malachi. chap. iv., verse 5. The Lessons were read by the Rev. Mr. Dakins, the Prayer by the Rev. Dr' Wesley, and the Communion Service by the Rev. Mr. Dakins and the Rev. Dr. Wesley. The Anthem was " Prepare ye the way of the Lord" (Boyce). Sir George Smart presided at the organ. The Earl of Sheffield and other Noblemen attended the -service. Miss Vyse was in waiting on the Princess Augusta. The Duchess of Cambridge, Priace George and tbe Princess Augusta of Cambridge, returned to Kew 01 1 Saturday evening. The Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Cam bridge visited the Princess Augusta on Saturday. The Duke of Cambridge visited the Duchess of Gloucester at Gloucester House on Saturday. Ills Royal Highness returned to his residence at Kew yes terday. Mr. Bosanquet, the Chairman, and a Deputation - of the Directors of the Eastern Counties Railway, consist ing of Messrs. Rathbone, Hodgson, Crosbie, Mather, and Cropper, had an interview witn the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on Saturday, in Downing-street. The Military Secretary to the Commander of the Forces, Lieutenant-Colonel Oakes, and Mr. Warbur ton, had interviews with the Marquis of Normanby on Saturday, at the Home Office. The Duchess of Sunderland left town on Saturday, on a visit to her Majesty at Windsor. Mr. J. Bishop the Secretary, and a Deputation of the Metropolitan Beer-sellers, had an interview on Saturday with the Chancellor of the Exchequor in Downing-street. Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial Office from Sir Howard Douglas, the Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islands. Despatches were received on Saturday from Sir William Nicolay, Go vernor of the Mauritius, and from Captain Prescott, Governor of Newfoundland. N • FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. The Hon. Captain and Lady Susan Hotham, at B. B. Williams, Esq.'s, at Portland-place, from Brighton ; Mr. Kemeys Tyntc, from Ockham Park, Surrey, the seat of the Earl of Lovelace. DEPARTURES. Mr. and Mrs. Hinchcliffe, from Warren's Hotel, Regent street, for their seat near Warrington; Mr. and Mrs. Clay, from ditto, for Burton-on. Trent ; Mr. and Mrs., Day, from ditto, for St. Neots; Sir Edwin Stanhope,' Bart, from ditto, for Mss eat, Holme Lacy, Hereford ;' William Evans, Esq., ~ and Mrs. Evans, from ditto, for Allestree Park, Derby ; the Rev. Humphrey and Mrs. Sibthorpe, from ditto, for Brighton ; Mr. and Mrs. Morris, - from ditto, for Carmarthen ; Mr. and Mrs. Addington. for Rome ; Lord and Lady Bute, for Luton Park ; the Hon. Mrs. Yelverton, for the Continent ; Lord William Ruaj sell, for Woburn Abbey ; Mr. and Mrs. Nugent, for_ Lea mington Spa ; Sir John and Lady Lambert, for Dover ; ' Lo,d Killeen, to join thn Bth Hussars ; the Marquis and Marchioness Thomond, for Brighton ; the Duke and Duchess of Buccleugh, for Stoekbolc Court. ----___ . The Duke of Newcastle has returned to Clumber Park, from town. The Countess of Chester fi e ld arrived at Chester field House on Saturday , from Badminton, t h e s eat of the Duchess of Beaufort. The Noble Earl left: tlia above seat on Satu rda y , for Northam p to nshire. ' : Lord Fitzroy Somerset arrived in town on Satiii-t Wellington, day from Stra thfieldsaye, where h i s Lordship has -been stay i ng a few days, on a visit t o th e D u ke of Wei..., li ng ton. gCtohna,rlaetssAtrrabthufitehindosatyea.rrived at ips i e y House on S a t ur d ay, from a visit of severa l dery to the l'h e DukeR i ght of v H on. The Hon. William Dundas who is now' on a visit at 111elvillCastle, is ' e in about a fortnight. E His • xcellency Baron Brunow had a dinner party at Mivart's Hotel on Friday last, the party being confined to the members of the Ru • Russian Embassy. THE ... P ANTOMIMES.—Miss Farebrothet IS to be the Columbine in the forthcoming Christmas panto mime at Covent-garden, and Miss Frood in that at Drury -lane. The Duke of Devonshire will keep open house during Ch r i s tm as , a t hi s seats i n D er byshire and Yok e during Lord and Lady Delamere will see comPanY during the holidays, at their magnificent seat near Nantwich. A. fancy ball will be given on Twelfth Night. The Marquis arid Marchioness Cholmondeley, Mr. Charles Cholmondeley, Mr. Watkin William s Wynn (Ist Life Guards), Miss Wynn, the Right Hon. Hugh Cholmondeley, the Right Hon. Thomas Gren ville, and other branches of the family, are expected at Vale Royal at the close of the week. . Sir Robert and Lady Peel have returned to Drayton Manor from a visit of a few days to the Earl and Countess of Warwick, at Warwick Castle. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester entertained a select party to dinner on Friday evening, at Gloucester House. The Marquis and Marchioness , of Downshirc, Lord and Lady Cowley, his Eleellency Baron Munchausen, &c. were among the guests. • . The Duchess of Sutherland came up to town from Trenchant Hall. in concrqii , nno of hnvinr, rrpr,"'(l tLe (4th:efts cumwatitis iur i,er kitilees titLctlaaliCe. at Windsor Castle. The Duchess iefi Stafford House for ) i Windsor on Saturday.