The Sun. — London, England, 1844-03-21 00:00:00

All he possessed was invested in agriculture, and they =night easily suppose that he would not wilfully do anything contrary to his own interest.—(Hear, hear.) 31e was one of those who believed there were many mistaken notions as to the utility of agri culture. He compared agriculture and commerce to a pair of scissors, very good when properly united begether, but when separate nearly useless.— (.aughter, and cries of " Hear.") And however in days gone by agriculture might have been of para mount importance in the kingdom, he believed that state of things had gone by, and although, engaged in ttgriculture, he must say that he believed manufac tures were now of paramount importance. It was in Ahe mistaken belief that agriculture was the para ;nount interest, that the corn-laws of 1815 were im- Tosed. It was very well known that during the war :at -was an easy matter for the farmer to pay rent, and for the landlord to receive it—(A laugh)—and equally clear that the landlords then, as now, formed la large majority in both Houses of Parliament—that tth?y passed the corn-laws with a view of increasing :their own incomes, as they now supported 'that law with a view of securing them.—(Hear, hear.) 'The inconvenience of the principle which was then mdopted had been, from the first moment of its opera ; ion up to the present moment, productive of the -worst and the most unfair effects. All bad prin kfples, all vicious laws, were certain to produce injury'; eod those laws which were passed with a view to be►sefit agriculture lie sincerely believed were most iojttrious to its best interests.—(Hear, hear.) The landowners of the country had been trusting to these laws to secure their rents, instead of to improvements in the system of tillage, and in general management, nand hence had resulted the present state of 'things. A great deal had been said about erection in and out of Parliament, and protection Societies had been got up, but his opinion - was that protection was a real injury.—(Hear, hear.) 'let him for a few moments investigate the present condition of the landed interest of the kingdom, and particularly with reference to the tenant-farmers. Why, the landowners, instead of turning their atten tion to the improvement of their estates, had trusted to the corn-laws for their rents, and the farmers - were led away by the delusion that it was by those ]aws they would be enabled to make up their rents. —(Hear, hear.) The consequence was, that the land lords held their tenantry in a state of great political :vassalage.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear," and cheering.) He had been all his life engaged in the culture of land, and knew the farming class well, and he declared it as his firm conviction that the tenant farmers had no political independence, and that they had scarcely any political sentiments.—(Hear, hear.) There were high and bright exceptions among the landowners, as shown in the case of their Noble Chairman, but, generally speaking, the tenants were driven hither and thither wherever their landlords pleased to take them.—(Hear, hear.) Nor had the farmers derived any pecuniary advantages from the present system, as might te reasonably expected, in return for the surrender of their liberties and privi leges, which, as reasonable beings, they had a right to exercise. No ; the condition of the tenant-farmei was deplorably bad, and he was satisfied that it was not likely to improve under the restrictive laws now in :force.—(Hear, hear.) These laws had another effect —they lessened the national demand for agricultural labour, and therefore to the agricultural labourer they were especially injurious.—(Hear, hear.) The landowners, as Mr. Cobden had justly observed, held certain old-fashioned notions, which they could not bear to see any innovation upon. There was yet =oiler very bad effect of the corn-laws—they , caused a great deal of land to lie in an almost unpro- Auctive state. On his way from Bristol to this city hP had passed by thousands of acres of land, which, by judicious culture, would be capable .of producing more than twofold what it did at present In effecting those desirable improve ments it was clear that a large demand for labour. - would take place, and hundreds would be called into ' :active and profitable employment who were now reggling about in starvation and idleness.—(Hear, hear.) All good farmers knew how much more em afloyment, permanent and certain employment, tillage land gave beyond pasture—more than double the labour and much more than double the produce. Speaking of the agriculture of the kingdom, as a whole, he must say, that if the best system o f farm ing were adopted—he would not exaggerate, (tor he disliked exaggeration)—where one labourer was at present employed three would then be en . gaged, not in temporary, but in permanent, profit . able, and useful labour ; and further, the land would be much 'tore productive, and the net profit would be vastly greater.—(Hear, and loud cheering.) If the corn-laws were repealed, a much larger amount of labour would be called into requisition, for the landlords were at present unwilling to encourage agricultural improvement, because of the uncertainty of the system. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had said something about the landlords taking the farms into their own hands, in the event o the repeal of the corn-laws. Why, to be slue, some few landlords might do so, but they would not—they could not, as a class do so, because they had not the means.—(Cheers.) Again, farmers would not be willing to throw th e i r capital, if they possessed it, into their farms, except under the protection of long leases.—(Hear, hear.) Rat if the corn-laws were repealed, those leases must be granted, and there would be an end'to that system of political tyranny so much felt at present.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear," and great cheering.) He -would like to show them how things went on under the present system. The farmer, were the land his own, might, no doubt, under the present system, improve land; but under the present yearly and uncertain tenure, how could it be expected that the tenant would throw his capital, his energy, his hopes, into his farm, which a conscientious refusal to vote at the next election, according to the wish of his landlord, might deprive him of ?—(Hear, hear.) Three or four thousand pounds, which the farmer employed in drainage, fencing, &c., on his farm, might be thus lost to him for ever. The election would come, and the agent would write a note to him, saying " The Duke of So-and-so, or Mr. So-and-so, . would feel obliged to Mr. foe Mr. So-and-so at the ensuing election." And if he did not comply with the request he would receive a notice to quit. So that he must either sub mit to the degradation of voting against his con science and his interests, or be turned out of the farm in which he had vested his labour and every shilling he possessed. The granting of leases, which must take place in the. event of the repeal of the corn-laws, was, he believed, a great obstacle to that repeal.— (Hear, hear.) But let, then, the tenant-farmers ask 1 - I'e question, " What have we done for ourselves ?" Note of them had got rich—a very large proportion of them were struggling, enduring great suffer ing and privation—(Hear, hear, and cheers)—not withstanding this much boa3ted protection. A great sympathy was lately evinced for the agricultural la bourers.—(Hear, hear.) Now, he was for benefiting the labourer of any description, and he gave, it as ~his opinion, that the agricultural labourers were in distress—that those among them whose cir cumstances were comfortable resided chiefly in the vicinity of large towns, and in the neighbourhood o manufactures ; and those who resided in purely agri Oultural districts had the loss est wages.—(Hear. • : Why, the labourers in Gloucestershire - and Dorset- shire were living far below the ,usual standard . at.. union worknouses. In Gloucestershire, hun dreds, of families were living, on seven shillings a week, and . there were .districts .in Somersetshire where no more was given ; and the farmer then corn pinined of the frequent . petty robberies of their gates and farming implements, which doubtless arose from the extreme poverty of the labouring classes. Taking the average of the kingdom, the expense of maintain ing paupers in workhouses was 2s. a week per head, rot including any charge for rent. Now a man and his . wife and four children maintained in a workhouse would cost 12s. a week, exclusive of rent--add Is. Gd. for rent, it would be 13s. Gd. Had the agricultural labourer' any b •ucla sum to support his family upo n (Hear, hear.) He had already pointed- out num berless instances where the labourer had but is. lie had been lately speaking to one of the Duke Of :Beaufores tenants on the subject of the distress ,of .the agricultural labourers, but this farmer 'said, " Oh, don't talk to me about ihe distress of the la lurer, and about their not tasting any meat for a lon . g time ; w h y t h ere are scores Of farmers that can't get , 9r afford to buy any mea t. , '!—(Loud cries of r, H e az, hea r ," and gr ea t cheering.) Yet all this was' carrie on under what was called the protective sys tem. . bie believed that farmers woul d benefit by the vOie corn-la ws , f rom an impr: • - repeal oi wed • system of which would b e founded upon them.— : (Hear.) . .A few years ago the in on trade in • ...Monmouthshire was very brisk, and the all in full employment, were livi ng operatives, bo,ing comfortably, ond hundreds of capital daily left Bristol to he seotP , the markets in Arlo' unouthshire, where they were ,eagerly bought up to • supply the wants of the mechanics—there was a . .tonstant de oand on the . Bristol market. What was tl. te case now? instead of a demand in the Bristol market, the Ai on * i. nouthshire farmers were inundating the Bristol market themselves with that stock, whi ..ch formerly was not i warly adequate to the supply .e f their own. There was not a third of the meat .consi lined in that . district at pi vsent that there was forme.. rly. It was urged as an argument against the corn -laws, that a great deal of . Ana would be thrown or lof cultiva tion. Now, th€' Duke of Richmond, an. d those men who called theniselyes the -farmers friends, had turned out bad pr ophe:s on a former occasion, and so he apprehended t hey w.ould prove on the present. The Duke of Rich mond a,.iid that if the duty on wool was reduced, we stiould have no mutton and no sheep-. walks, but that duty was', reduced, an .d the conse quence we that the stock of wool had increased, and there was more sheep in the country t lutn there had ever been before.—(4ear, .hear.) T ise . farmers of TilE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 21, 1844, this country at one time petitioned that the roads leading to this metropolis might not be improved. because it would lessen the value of land; and yet the roads had been improved, and with increased facilities of communication the value of land had in creased.—(Hear, hear.) At the last election, the tenant-farmers cried out "No surrender of the corn laws," and, under the influence of the landlords, they returned a monopolist House of Commons ; but he believed that no set of men were ever so deceived as:the farmers had been six months after the passing of the last Corn Bill and tariff. If those electors could exer cise their independent and free voice, he firmly believed that 99 out of every 100 of them would dismiss Sir Robert Peel as a bad doctor, and call in another and more skilful physician.— (Laughter and cheers.) Yet the very men who had confessed themselves deceived on this question were now rallyinc , round the professed farmers' friends, in the shape of' Agri cultural Protection Societies.—(Hear.) For his own part he rejoiced in the formation of these societies, because he believed that their opponents must now either discuss the question, or confess themselves beaten.—(Hear, hear.) Discussion would tend to elicit the very same information which would have been elicited by the Committee of their friend Richard Cobden, had that Committee been granted.—( Hear, hear.) In the debate which took place upon his mo tion, an Hon. Member stated that a Mr. Day had been somewhere and shattered the arguments of the Anti-Corn-law League. He hoped these Protection Societies would let in upon their dark minds the light of day. He confessed, however he had some doubts as to their ability to do so. A few weeks ago a county meeting was called in Somersetshire, and though not living in that county, he attended, in order that he might pick up some information. A more triumphant refutation of the principles of pro tection he had never heard than at that meeting, and a more triumphant decision in favour of free trade was never made. A few days after a Protection Society was established in Bristol. From the advertisement calling a meeting for that purpose, he, and several brother farmers considered that every agriculturist had a right to attend and take part in the discus sion. On applying to the chairman, however, they soon found that such was not the case. —(Laughter.) Had the question been dis cussed, he had no doubt that the majority of those present would have determined to form ; a society for the protection of agriculture, in con nexion with the Anti-Corn-law League.—(Laughter.) With reference to this meeting, the Mark lane Express boasted of the attendance of 600 far mers, in a room which, however it might be crammed, would literally hold no morethan 200.—(Laughter.) While, therefore, he rejoiced in the discussion which would be elicited by means of these Societies, he must say, that he thought they themselves were but little inclined to it.—(Hear, hear.) Had the time per mitted, he would have npticed at :some length the arguments brought forward in reference to the taxes imposed on agriculturists. He would notice only one point. He did not believe that the farmers paid an inordinate or unfair proportion of the taxes.— (Cries of " Hear, hear.") What would be the effect of the remission of a certain portion of the taxes ? Landlords knew very well that they could only reasonably expect their rents from the surplus which the farmer produced after the expense of cultivation and his own maintenance had been provided for. If a riding-horse or a shepherd's dog were wanted, and a tax was pai . 1 on this account, this tax must come out of the rent, and the landlords very wisely remit ted the taxes upon riding-horses and shepherds' dogs, knowing that, in point of fact, this would be so much augmentation of their own rent.—(Hear, hear.) From what he had said they would see that he was opposed to the corn-laws even from interested mo tives, setting apart any higher motive.—(Hear, hear.) But he was also opposed to them because he believed them to be immoral and unequitable, laws. He believed they were immoral, as regarded the labouring population; he believed they were inequitable, because they were maintained at the ex pense of the many for the benefit of the few.—(Hear, hear.) Rather than live on the wages of the indus trious himself, he would doff his coat and go to work to-morrow.—(Hear, hear.) The religious Society with which he was connected interfered but little, comparatively speaking, with politics. He thought this subject ought to be discussed calmly and delibe rately, apart from 'politics. His creed was " Civil, religious, and commercial equality."—(Cheers.) But, while he disclaimed any political feeling, he would candidly avow that he advocated a repeal of these laws from a belief that they were injurious to his own interests, that they were injurious to the poor, and also that they were decidedly unjust. He wished his brother farmers calmly and delibe rately to inquire into the erect of these laws ; and he hoped that the Anti-Corn-law League would not re lax in its endeavours to enlighten their minds.— (Chees.) If they could only employ a few sound practical tenant-farmers as lecturers, he believed they would do an amount of good, and further the cause of free trade. The minds of the farmers were already alive on this subject. He had reason to be lieve that the effect of the county meeting, in Gloucester had been entirely to change the opinions of many tenant-farmers, who were before opposed to the repeal of the corn-laws. The principal element of real power was knowledge. Let the farmers become enlightened on this subject, _ • and then he would only ask them to do what their consciences dictated. He would ask them to become freemen in every sense of the word, and he would say to them, " Remember that he only is a freeman whom knowledge on this question makes free.'! Mr. COBDEN then came forward to address the meeting, and was received with the most vociferous applause, which was continued for upwards of a mi nute. After the cheering had subsided, he said, he thought they would now be at no loss to understand why it was that he was refused a Committee to inquire into the condition of tenant-farmers and farm-labourers. —(Hear, hear, and cheers.) He came before them from. that other Assembly, as a court of appeal, and these were his two first witnesses.—(Great laughter.) They had heard to-night two speakers who were bona fide real, live farmers.—(Laughter.) Of their talents as speakers, they must judge for themselves. He had had the opportunity of visiting the farm of one; the other gentleman he had not yet had the pleasure of visiting. He had been over Mr. Lattimore's Tarm, at Whithampstead, in Hertfordshire; and he challenged his brother farmers in that county to say whether he was not correct in stating that Mr. Latthnore was one of the best practical farmers in Hertfordshire.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Nay more, he would undertake to say in his presence, that on his farm he produced in a year, on an average, one-third more than was produced on all the land in his parish, while he employed double as many labourers as were employed on an average upon the same surface of land.—(Loud cheers.) Now, this was but the beginning of the evidence which they intended to lay before them from the mouths of practical agriculturists, as to the benefit which the corn-laws conferred upon their order.— (Hear, hear.) ,7hey had heard something of th e agricultural labourers. He wished they could bring a few of them there,.and let them see the garments of those best of home customers' for manufactures.— (Laughter.) Their friend Mr. Hunt had told them that' in the protection meetings. which were held dis cussion was not allowed on this subject. He (Mr. Cobden) hadinvited : discussion at county meetings. He had held 28 open meetings in as many counties; he hadinvited all comes,, and he was alWays glad to find opponents.. Mention had been made of a Mr. Day of Huntingdonshire ;-and a Noble Duke—the Duke of Richmond—had stated, in his place in the House of Lords, that he (Mr. Cobden) had run away from Day at Huntingdon. Now, that was only one of the slips of his Grace, for he was not at Huntingdon.. It was the only place which he did not happen to go to-t-(Laughter)—and it was the only place where they were, out-numbered by the ma jority. But he did not mention this as any credit to himself, for he could account for the defeat at Hun tingdon on another hypothesis. Huntingdon had always been a little behind the other counties of Eng land. It was a curious historical fact connected with that c3untry, that, it ,was the last place where they burned old women for witchcraft—(Great laughter) —and it was a remarkable fact, but it was true, that up to this day a sermon was preached in Huntingdon, in fulfilment of a bequest left by some, charitable - person, by a fellow of a college in Cam bridge, against witcb.craft.—(Laughter.) Did they not think it would be a very charitable thing, if some body would, in making their will, leave another foundation to send one of these fellows to Queen's College once again to preach against the corn-laws? _(Laughter.) He did not see much difference be t Ween burning old women for witchcraft, and starv ing old women and little children.--(Hear, hear.) But whilst on the subject of the Duke of Richmond's high authority, Mr. Day, be might mention that th e protectionists had been very industriously circulating, a pamphlet written by Air. Day, with very great industry, and very great ingenuity—he wished he c ould say with as much truth and candour—in which this worthy gen tleman had gone through all theirspeeches for the last five years. It was no slight task—he gave him credit for his industry— (Laughter) —but of that heap of rubbish—for he must confess that they had talked a great deal of nonsense in past times — out of that heap of rubbish he had collected every thing he could find that was in the least worthy of being recorded ; and, by ingeniously transposing sen tences and suppressing dates, he had managed to give. often a totally different meaning to what the speakers intended. He would not give them more than one instance. He wanted to prove his (Mr. Cobden's) inconsistency. How did he do it ? He quoted one speech, in which he told the operatives of Lancashire that they ought to have their land at one-third less ; and he quoted another speech, in which he told the artners, in Bedfordshire, that he did not think that if they had free trade in corn, corn would be any cheaper. But though he gave the date of the first speech, which was delivered in 1840, when wheat was at 705., he did not quote the date of the last, which was delivered in June, last year, when wheat had fallen more than 33 per cent.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") He had sometimes found people a little at a loss to account for their arguments; contending, as they did, at one time, that they should have cheap corn, and stating at another that they did not intend to injure the farmers by lowering the prices of their commodities. Many were at a loss to understand how they ceuld be benefited as traders, manufactur ers, merchants, and consumers, without the lower- ing of the price of food. Now these people always went upon the assumption that they had enough to eat already. They forgot that there were at least 10,000,000 of people in these islands who were not sufficiently fed, and that the growers of wheat were raising their produce for the subsistence of not more than 20,000,000, at all events, of the 28,000,000 of their population ; while the rest f the people, by their restrictive and suicidal system, were thrown out of the market for wheat, and were living upon potatoes, oatmeal, barley bread, or beans.—(Hear, hear.) Let those people into the market, bring them forward as consumers, and then they might not only sell their wheat to these newly created customers, but even enable them to buy wheat from abroad. A calculation had been sent to him the other day by a large biscuit baker, which was worthy of attention, as coming from a practical man. He said that if they gave to the people of these lands 2i ounces of bread per dey, that would amount to 3,000,000 quarters of wheat : and if they would allow ten millions of the people to have this extra allowance, in addition to what they had, it would amount to an importation of ten million quarters of wheat. This was the compensation which they offered to the landowners and the farmers.—(Laughter.) He would allow the people to prosper, instead of making them paupers, and then the farmer would have them for customers. There were times when corn was sold as low, nay, lower, in this country, under the corn-law, than it would be under perfect free trade. When they had famine seasons, as they must have if they limited their supply to these narrow islands, with their capricious climate—when they had a succession of three or four years of famine seasons, as they had had from 1838 to 1842, what was the consequence ? Why, they starved down and ba nished their population. He told those farmers who would like to have their customers at home, that from 1838 to 1842, 500,000 persons had emi grated from these islands to find food in other coun tries.—(Hear hear.) When, at the termination of this period oidearth, they had but one good harvest, the agriculturists were astonished to find that they had not customers ready to consume the extra pro duction of their land. Why they had been destroy ing their customers by bringing down the labouring classes to potatoes and oatmeal, and sending away every man who had the means to emigrate to those countries which were not cursed with corn-laws. Now he was of opinion—and he had said it in the House of Commons, where he never wanted to pay them compliments, or say anything that would be too pleasing to them—(Laughter)—that neither land lords, farmers, nor farm labourers had derived any benefit from this system. He believed that land would at this moment have been more valuable in this country if there had never been a corn-law. He had asked the Government last autumn to send to their Ambassador in Switzerland for an account of the value of land in that country ; and he ventured to say, that land in Switzerland was at this time more valuable than land in England, although in Switzer land there was perfect free trade in corn.—(Hear, hear.) He had never told the farmers, in all his peregrinations, that they must look for their remedy in the reduction of rent.—(Hear, hear.) He said, most unfeignedly, that if he were going to take a farm for a twenty-one years' lease, he would rather take it at all the present rental, knowing that the corn-laws were to be abolished to-morrow, than he would take upon himself the burden of the land if he knew that the re strictive system were to continue. In the first case, he should be sure that he was surrounded by a pros perous community, capable of consuming all that he could produce, and he would not confine himself to the production of old fashioned wheat. But, in the other case, he would dread the retribution that was coming upon him in the shape of pauperism, income taxes, rates of every description, and county as well as general taxes, which, if this system continued, threatened to render and valueless both to landlord and tenant. Now, with these convictions, backed as they were by the most intelligent amongst the land lords and the farmers, why need they continue to take this is a close question?—(Hear, hear.) They were no longer a body of manufacturers or traders. They had the best of the landlords and the best of the farmers with them, and he did not despair ofyet repre senting the county of Buckingham in Parliament. The time was not far distant when the landowners would be just as anxious to claim for themselves the merit of being free-traders, as the West Indian pro prietors now were to profess their abhorrence of slavery.—(Laughter.) Let them look to what the League had done for the best interests of agriculture, he meant improvements in tillage. Who could go through the country without observing the beautiful spectacle which the draining tiles presented through out the land in all directions ?—(Hear, hear.) If they had done that by the mere fright of free trade, what would free trade itself do for the land ?—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) He had a letter the other day from Northumberland, in which the writer _ . . said that he was connected with agriculture, and that the manufacturers of agricultural improvements, of draining tiles, &c., and that agricultural chemists and Men connected with scientific improvements in agri culture, ought to subscribe in presenting him (Mr. Cobden) with a piece of plate for his exertions in the cause of agriculture. He (Mr. Cobden) should have that piece of plate, and he would be bound the Duke of Buckingham would subscribe to it.—(Laughter.) Let them picture to themselves the candelabrum standing,upon a tripod, with a sheaf of wheat in one corner, a power-loom in another, and a ship the third—the union of manufactures and, com merce with agriculture.—(Cheers and laughter.) He had no doubt whatever that they should shake hands on this question in less than five years from the present time.—(Cheers and laughter.) He was anxious that they should make the question less of a class question, and take agriculture more and more into their view on the subject. Agriculture was the .strongest ground on which they (the Leaguers) stood. - They had heard what had been said of the condition of the farmers. There was a gentleman on the plat form had told them just now that he was in company the other day with fifty farmei", when an in telligent gentleman at his elbow Whispered into his ear that there were not two, out of those fifty that would not be bankrupts in less than two years.—(Hear.) He (Mr. Cobden) was at a large dinner once in the Midland Counties on the occasion of a ploughing-match, at which there were present several landowners, and in the course of a' discussion on the Condition of the farmers they all agreed that if the tenantry of the comity was sold up not one or them would be found to be solvent ; and the result of a similar discussion, On the condition of the lana 7 owners was, that if they were sold up' they would tint' he found to be solvent. He (Mr. Cobden) then ven- tured 'to throw in an observation; and he said, "Gentlemen, you have had it all your own way for these eight and twenty years, and it seems - you were not able to take care of your 'selves. Now let us, freelraders,have a turn, and see whether we shall not do better for you than you haie done for yourselves."—(Hear, hear.) Now he hoped, after the evidence they had had to-night, that no one would go away from that magnificent gathering with the idea that what they asked for—free trade—could possibly injure the agricultural , labourer. He (the agrieultural labourer) was as low as he could be: _ _ (Hear, hear.) What they had heard from Mr. Hunt that night would be verified by the intelligent farmers of all parts of the country—that if their land was cultivated not up to the pitch of garden cultivation, but up to the point at which farms were cultivated in parts of Northumberland and Scotland; that then those counties of Eng land would produce double what they did at present, and that there would be three times the demand for labour. They had heard something about the super stitious reverence of 'landowners. for. their acres. Those men would not allow any changer to take place that was even displeasing to their eye. They wonld not allow their green lawns - to be ploughed up be cause their grandfathers had looked upon them; and they, therefore, must look upon them forsooth, though their surface no longer was covered with grass, but with moss. That superstitious reverence for the land as it was would disappear before the stern neces sity which would be imposed upon the owners of the soil, when they saw no other means of drawing their rents and meeting their mortgages, and showing themselves at the accustomed period in the west end circles--than by treati ng thew. land as traders did their commercial commodities, vii., as something from which by skill, science; and capital, they could draw the utmost possible amount 'of produce.-- (Hear, hear.) He asked the" faimers now present what it was that was most wanted to the land of England? They would tell him it was capital, by which he meant, not sacks of money, which would be useless, but more sheep— five where there were now one, and three heads of cattle where there were now one ; also better ploughs, better harrows, and better under-draining in every acre. That was the capital which they wanted; but even that would be valueless unless it was allied with - labour to give it constant increase and production.— (Cheers.) Now he asked how it was that there was no capital on the land which was necessary for its proper cultivation ? Why, in this country there was at present a positive plethora of capital. Money was down to two per cent. Every trade, every manu facture was over-ridden by competitors having capital wanting employment, and yet the complaint was that they had not capital enough wherewith to till the land.—(Hear, hear.) They had heard the cause in the explanation of those intelligent gentlemen who had addressed them—they wanted security for the application of their capital.—(Cheers.) The corn law, which they ever said was for the benefit of the agriculturist, deterred the capitalist from investing in the land, because on that corn-law rested those other monstrous grievances to which Mr. Lattimore and Mr. Hunt had referred. The landowners, not trusting to the application of skill or science to the cultivation of the soil, confided only in the corn law, which they could only maintain by poli tical means—by keeping the tenantry in sub jection as tenants at will." They made every thing subservient to political power, and they made political power subservient to the corn-law, and thus it was that in a vicious circle the corn-law reacted in an injurious manner upon the tenant.—(Hear, hear.) Thus it was that the corn-law was the basis f every grievance under which the farmers suffered.— (Cheers.) It was not their business there to talk of game but of corn ; but if the landowners prevented by law the people from being supplied with goods from other countries, they invited inquiry as to the way in which they used the land upon which they linsisted we should he fed ; and if we found they were wasting the produce of the soil for their own useless and sensual amusements, while they denied the people's right to getting food from other coun tries, then their game-preserves and their parks, and every other arrangement about their estates became a fair question of controversy.--(Cheers.) When he (Mr. Cobden) was in Scotland, at a public meeting held in Cupar of Fife, a farmer, whose name he gave to the public on the occasion, informed them, in a letter which he read to the meeting, that he was the tenant of Captain Wemyss, the M.P. for the county, and that he and two other farmers rented seven hundred Scotch acres adjoining the pre serves of Captain Wemyss, and that he had a clause in his agreement by which he was entitled to receive compensation for the damage done by game annually to their crops ; and in the year 1841 these farmers received as compensation for the injury done by the game to the crops on the 700 acres, of which only one-fourth was sown, a sum of 7001., and yet they assured him that that was far from sufficient compensation for the damage done ; for the crop of the year was not only destroyed, but the land was poisoned, so as to affect the crops for the succeeding four years.—(Hear, hear.) He had taken pains to inquire as to the amount of damage done by game in this country to crops, and the opinion of intelligent farmers was, that the damage amounted to no less than 2,000,000 of quarters of corn.—(Hear, hear.) Now, if they were not allowed to be supplied with corn from elsewhere, he insisted that they had a right to call on the landowners to destroy the vermin which did so much injury to our crops. He was glad to find that their friends the farmers were putting their brethren on the right scent. Let them, instead of looking after the League as a bugbear, see to grievances nearer home. The Hon. Gentleman then adverted to the system observed with respect to game, and then went on to observe that all parties would benefit from throwing the land on its own resources. He said the usual way was for a Noble Lord first to vote for the corn-laws, and then to bring in a Bill to inclose the commons of the country, in order to benefit the poor by taking from them the commons, on which they fed their geese. He did not pretend to be a judge whether those commons were advantageous to the poor or not; but he knew that labourers were very good judges of their own interests, and that they had a very great objection to the inclosure of commons. He knew riots to have taken place, in consequence of labourers insisting upon their rights of commonage.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Fyshe Palmer, who for a long time re presented Berkshire, used to stand up in defence of the peasant's right to the use of the commons, and, on one occasion, he ventured poetically upon the subject, and he said— " The fault is great in man or woman, Who steals the goose from off the common ; But who shall plead that man's excuse, Who steals the common from the goose ?" —(Laughter.) He (Mr. Cobden) had transmitted to him from the United States of America a speech de livered by a senator of that country in advocacy of free trade, whose sentiments they reciprocated from that gorgeous assembly. He alluded to Mr. M'Duffy, who had been twenty years the Villiers of the United States. The Hon. Gentleman then quoted several passages from the speech of that gentleman, which, though used in condemnation of the protective system to manufactures in that country, were per fectly applicable to the protective system as regarded agriculture in this country; and he went on to show, that what he called the calico oligarchy in America, were as opposed to free trade as the agricultural oli garchy were in this country. He pointed out that the great majority of the fifteen millions of American citizens were as much in favour of free trade as the greater portion of the inhabitants of this country, and expressed his satisfaction at the prospects of free trade, when the monopoly of what he termed the oligarchy of the madder-hogsheads would be put an end to in America, equally with the monopoly of the agricultural oligarchs of this country. He showed the absurdity . of supposing that monarchical institu tions were inimical to freedom, when there were found among the Yankees, who threw overboard what they considered the lumber of crown, church, and aristocracy, those who were opposed, notwith standing all their free institutions, to not only freedom in trade, but also to freedom to the slave. —(Hear, hear, and cheers.) And he instanced, in proof of his position, their having at that meeting a Nobleman in the chair. He justified his agita tion on the ground that even in America, where they had republican institutions, men were not able to see their own interests without being taught. He concluded by stating that Mr. Gisborne, who was to have addressed them that night, had pressed him (Mr. Cobden) into the service, but that Hon. Gentleman would attend on the next evening of meeting.— (Cheers.) Before they separated, he begged to say that he thought they would best conclude the even ing's proceedings by giving three cheers for the Noble Earl who favoured them by taking the chair that evening. He (Mr. Cobden) would be fugleman, and let them be three good cheers. The Hon. Gentleman then signalled with his hand, and the vast assemblage rose eh masse, and gave three cheers accordingly, with one cheer more. The Noble CHAIRMAN then advanced to the front of the stage, and in a few words acknowledged the compliment, after which the vast assemblage dispersed. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.--011 Tues day there was a numerous meeting of the members at the Horticultural-rooms , in Regent -street ; Sir Charles Lemon, Bart., M.P., in the chair, supported by a fashionable assembly. There was a large miscellaneous collection of ornamental plants and flowers. Amongst the more remarkable were some, specimens of the Schomburgia undulate, a plant of brilliant flower, indigenous to the tropics, but naturalised in this country by Schomberg, the traveller. Mrs. Law rence contributed some - fine specimens of dendrobium and epidendrium. A curious plant, cultivated with charcoal, from the Society's gardens, was likewise exhibited, remark able for its gay and flaunting colours, and which has found its wa..into the floricultural cabinet under the title of " Fanny 'lrippit." There were some fine specimens of a class of richly coloured plants called epacris, with other distinct varieties, from Mn Arabin, of Woodford, Essex, Mr. Schroeder, Brixton, and other Fellows of the Society. The hot-beds of the Society's gardens, produced cucumbers from between 13 to 19 inches long. The following is an'ex tract from the Society's weather almanac :—March 8, baro meter highest, 30 . 260 ; March 15, ditto lowest, 29'452. March -9, thermometer highest, 58 deg. Fahrenheit; March 5, ditto lowest, 19 deg. Fahrenheit- Total amount of raip, l inch. The medals and rewards, together with the' subject for exhibition at the Society's annual exhibitions, having been announced, the meeting separated. HORRIBLE ATROCITIES AT PARIS.—The Gazette des Tribunaux relates that for some time past there have been rumours of the existence of a mysterous society in the Faubourgs St. Jacques and St. Marceau, the members of which came forth in the dark, in the environs of the barriers,, and having seduced or forced away with them several young girls, did not set them at liberty again until they had under gone the most brutal treatment. About ten days ago several fathers and mothers of families laid informations before the commissary of police that their daughters, who were only between twelve and fourteen years of age, had been accosted, some at the Barriere de Fontainebleau, others at the Barriere St. Jacques, by-young and well-dressed men, who - invited them to go to a dance, and afterwards compelled them to accept a supper. Of what took place at the conclusion the poor girls could give no account, for they were thrown into a state of lethargy in which they remained for a long time, and on recovering their senses found themselves resting against stone posts in obscure corners of the quarters above mentioned. On returning home it was found that their per sons had been so cruelly abused that itwas necessary to place them in a hospital. .The commissary, excited to the utmost indignation, set every engine at work to discover the perpe trators of these enormities, and by his exertions no fewer than twelve of these wretches have been arrested." It appears from the examinations that these pests of society had joined in hiring a house in the Rue de l'Oursine, to carry on their hideous designs. To this they gave.the name of the Tour de Neale, And they called the room in which they consummated their outrages the Chambre Orsini, each assuming the name of one of the characters of the drama entitled Tour de Nesle. Their victims were of course thrown under the influence of some powerful narcotic. The examinations preparatory to the prosecution of these wretches are still in progress, bat ,r either the name nor station of any one of them has transpired. SPRING.—The prevalence of cutaneous visitations at this period of the year inculcates the necessity of pre serving the Skin iu a pure and healthy state, so that its func tions may be duly .performed. The great celebrity which " Rowland's Kalydor" exclusively maintains as an active yet mild and soothing agent for extirpating all impurities, and imparting a healthy freshness to the Skin, is most pleasingly evinced at the present season. This balmy and odoriferous creamy liquid is composed of extracts from the most rare flowers and herbs of an eastern clime—its discovery by a lady of rank, was no less singular than its effects have been felicitous during the last thirty years. Its universally great demand excites the cupidity o f unprincipled shopkeepers, who give th e titl e of "Genuine" Kalydor to some compounds of their own manufacture of the most deleterious character, containing mineral astringents utterly ruinous to the Com plexion, and by their repellant action endangering health. It is, therefore, imperative on purchasers to see that the words " Rowlimd's Kalydor" are on the wrapper.—All others are fraudulent counterfeits, ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—Bedford, March 18. (Before Mr. Justice PArrasoN.) James Booth was indicted for having maliciously and un lawfully set fire to a stack of barley, the property of William Squire. The only evidence against the prisoner was that he had been seen near the stack when the fire took place. He was acquitted. James Asplin and Thomas Elsome were charged with wounding W illiam Bird, with intent to maim, disfigure, and do him some grievous bodily harm. Mr. Gunning and Mr. Birch appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. O'Malley defended the prisoners. The prosecutor is an under-keeper, or watcher, who, having received instructions to preserve the game in a wood and certain fields over which some gentlemen had received per mission from the occupier to shoot, proceeded on the night of the 27th of December last to the wood, in consequence of having heard a gun in that direction. As soon as he got into the field adjoining the wood, he saw the two prisoners emerge from it through a gap, Asplin being then armed with a gun, while Elsome bore in his hand something which looked very like a cock pheasant. Notwithstanding the disparity of forces, Bird walked up to them, and, challenging them with being "on trespass poaching," proceeded to collar Elsome, while he intimated his intention to hand them both over to the law. The time, place, and circumstances were, unfortunately, too suited for a fray, and Asplin in a moment dealt the keeper a severe blow on the head, which brought him to his knees. As he retained his hold, however, and persisted in so doing, the two poachers then set upon him, and breaking the gun over his head, inflicted several severe cuts and wounds, which ultimatel,' had the desired effect. As soon as they had made off the poor man crawled home and, giving the alarm, took his bed, from which he did not rise for seven days, during which time he was almost out of his senses, and in a most critical condition. Mr. O'MALLEY submitted that as the prosecutor had no legal authority to arrest the prisoners, for he was not the servant of the occupier or possessor of the wood, or the lord of the manor wherein it was situated, this indictment could not be sustained. Mr. Justice PArrasose was clearly of opinion that, sup posing the arrest of Elsome was ever so illegal, Asplin could not be justified in assaulting and wounding Bird. The pri soners having been found Guilty, they were sentenced to be transported for fifteen years. His LORDSHIP then disposed of several other cases, includ ing one of arson, in which the prisoner was charged with hav ing set fire to a pigstye. It appeared that the stye was in a yard attached to a house, and inclosed. Mr. PRENDERGAST, for the prisoner, submitted that the pigstye in question was not an outhouse within the meaning of the Act. The point taken by the Learned Counsel having been reserved for future discussion before the fifteen Judges, the prisoner was convicted upon the facts, and at a late hour his Lordship proceeded to Huntingdon, whither Lord Abin ger had gone at an earlier hour, in order that preparations might be made for commencing the business of that county the first thing to-morrow morning, there being an unusual quantity of business in that lively town. OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Shrewsbury, March 18. This morning, at ten, Mr. Baron Parke entered the Crown Court, and Mr. Justice Coleridge presided on the Civil Side. There are only 20 prisoners for trial, and, with the excep tion of four, they are charged only with the commis s i o n of larcenies a very trivial character. William Rowland was indicted for a felonious assault upon one Edward Turner, with intent to maim and disfigure him. The prisoner, it appeared, had been drinking on Tuesday the 23d of last January, at the Horse Shoe public-house, at Dorrington, in this county, with some others, amongst whom was the prosecutor ; while there, an altercation arose in which Rowland and Turner both took an active part ; they were, however, separated by the bystanders, and the dispute seemed to have subsided. Soon after, Rowland left the house, and in about half an hour was followed by the prosecutor, whose way home coincided with his. He had not, however, ad vanced many yards along the road, when the prisoner, who had been apparently waiting for the purpose, commenced a ftirious attack on him in the dark, and succeeded in knocking him down ; while he was lying prostrate the prisoner knelt upon him, drew his knife, a formidable instrument of its kind, and inflicted several desperate wounds upon his face. Some witnesses were called, who gave the man a good character as far as regarded ordinary quiet conduct and de meanour, but, as it was impossible to negative the charge in the present instance, he was, after a very brief deliberation, convicted. His LORDSHIP deferred passing sentence. Joseph Willetts, aged 17, was charged with feloniously firing a barn and four stacks of hay, grain, and clover, the property of Joseph Morris. Mr. Allen prosecuted. Joseph Morris, a farmer, living near Halesowen, examined by Mr. ALLEN—On the 10th of February I left home ; every thing was then safe. On my return home that night I found my barns, stacks of hay, grain, and clover, nearly burnt to the ground. I immediately set to work to assist in putting out the flames. The neighbours were all similarly engaged. The prisoner was the only one on the premises who rendered no assistance, and he was standing idly by the stables, as he said, to prevent the horses from kicking. I asked him some time after to help at the fire, but he continued loitering about . the stables. George Graham, superintendent of the Halesowen Pulice— On the following day charged prisoner with the commission of the offence. He stated when in custody that he had some lucifer matches, which he had purchased in Halesowen on the Tuesday before the fire, but had thrown them away. Some time after I heard him, as if talking to himself, say, " Oh, good God! it must have been me who set the barn on fire—if I had a knife I could cut my own throat ;" and soon after he expressed a wish to see his master. His LORDSHIP having summed up, the jury immediately found the prisoner Guilty, and he was sentenced to be trans ported for life. NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—York, March 18. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron ROLFE.) Thomas Walker was indicted for forging and uttering, knowing the same to be forged, a certain interim order in bankruptcy for the protection of the person and goods of an insolvent debtor from arrest and execution. The case being called on, Mr. WoWmET rose and said he appeared as the representative of the Attorney-General, by whom this prosecution was instituted on the part of the Crown ; but he believed the Counsel for the defendant wished to submit some observations to the Court. Mr. WILKINS then rose and said that himself and his Learned Friend Mr. Pashley had looked carefully into the case, and they had come to the conclusion that they could not resist the case, which they knew would be proved against the defendant; and as no effectual defence could be made, they had advised the defendant to plead guilty, which advice he was ready to follow. Mr. WORTLEY said that in that case he should not deem it necessary to proceed upon any other charge against the de fendant. There were two other indictments; one for obtain ing money by false pretences, and another like the indict ment ,now before the Court. The course which he proposed to adopt, was to take the plea of guilty upon the indictment before them, upon which the defendant would receive the judgment of the Court. To take a verdict of " not guilty" upon the indictment for false pretences, would discharge the jury from giving any verdict upon the other. The defendant having surrendered and pleaded Guilty to the indictment on which he stood charged. The Learned JUDGE inquired what was the nature of the charge ? Mr. WORTLEY then stated that the defendant had been in the habit of practising in the District Court of Bankruptcy at Leeds, and having undertaken the case of an insolvent debtor there, he gave to the debtor an interim order, pur porting to be signed by Mr. Bere, one of the Commissioners of that Court, as a protection to the insolvent and his goods against arrest and execution by any of the creditors. To this order the defendant had forged the name of Mr. Com missioner Bere. Some witnesses were then called to his character, and .___ The defendant was then directed to stand down, the Learned JUDGE saying he would make some inquiries, and consider what sentence he should pass. John Rose and Thomas Turner were indicted for feloniously assaulting William Askew, on the highway, at Gilding Wells, in the West Riding, and stealing from his person four and a half sovereigns, a silver watch, a gold chain, a gold key and gold seal, his property. The case was proved, and the jury returned a verdict of Guilty against both prisoners. To be transported beyond the seas for 15 years. IRISH ASSIZES. KILKENNY, March 16. 31ORDER OF MR. JOHN MORTI3LER.—The Lord Chief Jus tice took his seat on the bench at nine o'clock, and the long panel being called over, the absent jurcrs were fined 5/. each for non-attendance. The Court was soon crowded, it being known that the trial of those accused of the murder of Mr. Mortimer, at Freshford, was about to be proceeded with. Laurence Dowling and Thomas Dowling were then placed at the bar,, charged with the wilful murder of John Mortimer, by Laurence Dowling striking him with a stick on the right side of the head inflicting a mortal wound, of which he died in the space of three hours, and that Thomas Dowling was aiding and assisting. Mr. BREWSTER. Q.C. (who came down specially), Stated the case for the Crown. The two prisoners at the bar were the sons of a man named Thomas Dowling, and who for many 3 ears lived in the townland of Ballylarkin, a mile and a quarter from the village of Freshf, rd. The father had been a tenant of the late Mr. Mortimer, and the latter got. into litigation with Dowling, who disputed his title to the lands; the result was that the deceased brought an eject ment, old Dowling was defeated, and the deceased received possession of the land in the year 1840. He was, however, induced to grant a lease to the sons of the old man, the prisoners at the bar. The lease was executed on the 25th of August, 1840, under which the prisoners were t• hold twenty acres of land for the space of seven years. Some penal clauses were inserted in the lease, and about the year 1841 or 1842, the tenants not having fulfilled their part of the covenant, disputes arose, and Mr. Mortimer took proceedings in the Civil Bill Court against. the prisoners, which were successful. This did not, however, put an end to the litigation ; and in the course of the autumn of 1842 he employed Mr. Hyland to take further proceedings, which he did, by issuing a capias. The prisoners then came to terms, agreed to give up the possession of the farm, and to pass two notes for six pounds each, payable at two distinct periods. This arrangement was partly carried into effect on the 25th of November, 1842, by the surrender of the lease, and the murder, took place on the 29th, the day sub sequent to that on which possession should have been given up. In the neighbourhood of the farm, at a distance of a mile, there lived a person of the n am e o f Tracy, whose name had been heard before the present period in the criminal annals of the county, and whose house was the receptacle of the most dangerous and infamous characters. Among others, he was intimate with a man named William Delany. Possession not being given, Thomas Dowling, one of the prisoners, came to the house of Tracy, and stated there that he would rather (lie upon a dunghill than give up the land ; but, although on the day of that visit, the 28th of November, nothing definite was ar ranged with reference to the murder of Mr. Mortimer, it would be proved that the object Dowling had in view was to procure the co-operatian of Delany, who, being a native of the county of Tipperary, was not known in Freshford, and, therefore, a more desirable instrument. Mr. Mortimer, finding that the Dowlings did not come to execute the notes, determined on proceeding into Kilkenny on the 29th, in order to consult his attorney; and, becoming aware of his intention, Thomas Dowling, at break of day the same morn ing, returned to Tracy's, and he then proposed to Delany to come to his house, where arrangements would be made to meet and waylay Mr. Mortimer on his return from Kilkenny. In the course of that day, the 29th, Mr. Mortimer pro ceeded to Kilkenny in the public van, to consult with his attorney ; and Delany, in company with the prisoner Thomas Dowling, came to the house of the latter at ten or eleven o'clock on that day. Mr. Brewster next proceeded to explain the place where the murder was committed, which was in the- town of Freshford, opposite the chapel, and near Mr. Mortimer's house, which was higher up and farther re moved from the Kilkenny -road. After some delay, the Dow lings did not conic up, and night falling, Delany proceeded towards the house of the deceased, who lived net far from the chapel, and stood in a stream, so as to see Mortimer coming. Delany then saw the prisoners coming, and the noise of the car was heard as it approached from Kilkenny, and they went towards the car. Mr. Mortimer soon came towards his house, walking by the chapel, in the belfry of which Laurence Dowling posted himself. The other Dowling stood at the lower chapel gate. The deceased got between the prisoners, and Laurence Dowling struck him down, and, extraordinary to say, they so soon effected their purpose, that he lived only three hours afterwards. Delany, the approver, was then examined, and corroborated the statement of Counsel in opening the case. On his cross examination he admitted being concerned in the murder of Mr. Hoyne, since the above m ur d er . H e a l so a d m i tted that he had been at the beating of two Connaught men, but he could not say if either of them died. He went to steal a cow from a man who owed him 205., but did not do so. He broke into a house at night, and took a pistol one day. He was with those who robbed a man of his papers. The CHIEF JUSTICE summed up, and at half-past nine o'clock the jury returned a verdict of N o t G u il ty. The CHIEF JUSTICE then ordered that the men should be discharged. GAL IVA Y, March 15. SPORTING ACTION-QUALIFICATION OF IRISH GENTLEMEN. This was an action which arose out of the Athlone races, in which Michael Kelly, Esq., of Myrehill, was plaintiff; and. William James Young, Esq., Lieutenant of the 90th Regi ment, was defendant. The action was brought for the re covery of a plate, value 551., won by plaintiff's horse Bacchus, at the races in that town, in September last, but whi c h th e defendant refused to pay plaintiff, in consequence of an objec tion made by one of the riders, Mr. Moore, of Moorehall, against Mr. Kelly, the rider of Bacchus, alleging his want of qualification, as a gentleman, to ride the race. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff for the amount of the plate, and 6d. costs. .The Galway Vindicator says, " It was proved by several gentlemen of the highest rank in the county, that they were always happy to meet Mr. Kelly in their society, as a mnn of the purest integrity, and yet, because Lady lanricarde, Mrs. Laurence, Mrs. Blake, of Castlegrove, or Mrs. Lynch, of Moynehill, do not come in their carriages and leave their visiting cards for Mrs. Kelly, of Myrehill, Mr. Kelly is ,not qualified as a gentleman, nor ought he to look for his just debts—so argues Mr. Fitzgibbon, because he is descended from Con of the 100 battles—but the idea was scouted in the nineteenth century. On the trial, one witness swore the present Lord Chancellor was no gentleman." POOR-LAW RIOTS. Patrick ilf‘Doirough, and forty other persons, were indicted for rioting and obstructing the police, whilst employed in pro • tecting a poor-rate collector, in enforcing payment of the tax. Mr. CLOSE, counsel for the aqused, stated to the Court that they regrette.d their conduct, and would plead guilty. Baron RICHARDS, after admonishing the prisoners, directed that they should enter into personal recognizances to come up for judgment, if called upon. The prisoners entered into the required sureties, and were discharged. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) CLEI?KENIVELL. Thomas Samdens, a provision dealer, residing in Gray's-inn-road, was summoned to answer the com plaint of Ellen Leet for assaulting her. The complainant, a decent-looking poor woman, de posed that she went into the defendant's shop on Sunday morning, to buy apiece of pork; she offered sixpence half penny a pound for a piece, and the defendant having cut it, demanded sevenpence, which when she refused to pay, he seized her by the shoulders, and rudely dragged her across the shop. The defendant alleged that the woman agreed to give him sevenpence a pound. He never touched her, and could produce two witnesses who would so depose. Complainant—Did you not .tear my little basket off my arm? The defendant hesitated to answer until the Magistrate put the question, when he admitted that he had done so. Mr. COMBE—Why, you said you had two witnesses to swear you never touched her. Defendant—Then why did she not pay for the pork? Mr. Comm.— Where is the poor , woman's basket? Defendant—l have it. Mr. COMBE—Then give it up to her. Defendant—ls that justice ? Why should she get her basket until she pays me for the pork ? Mr. COMBE inflicted a penalty of 11. on him for the assault, and 2s. costs, telling him at the same lime that he had no right to detain the basket, and that the act almost amounted to a charge of felony. He should not keep his shop open on a Sunday morning, and ought to learn to be civil to his customers. The defendant applied language of an indecorous nature towards the Bench, and exclaimed he would not pay a farthing of the fine ; but having been delivered over to the jailor, thought better of it, and paid the money. RORBERY AT A STATION-HOUSE.—Mary Anne Webb alias Quinn, was charged with stealing a pair of boots from George's -street police station, the property Gf Po lice-constable Harris, 59 E. The prisoner was employed at Charing there, and since she was employed Harris and his brother offiCers have been repeatedly plundered. The prisoner was re manded. William Turney, a painter, rather stylishly attired, wa s charged with violently assaulting Benjamin Greene, police constable 82 E. It appeared from the evidence that on the previous even ing the prisoner had picked a woman's pocket of half-a crown, and ran out of the house where the offence was committed, followed by the woman and several other per sons, crying " Stop thief." He was stopped by the officer in Hunter-street, Brunswick-square, between two and three o'clock this morning. The prisone r ma d e a d esperate e ff ort , to escape, but finding it fruitless attacked the constable in a very savage manner, strove to knock him down, And kicked him in the side and on the hip. The officer shouted for assistance, and police-constable E 117 came up, and with his help the ruffian was secured. At the station-house he used the most disgusting language, and it required the combined exertions of four officers to restrain him from committing further violence. Mr. COMBE sentenced the prisoner to seven days' impri sonment, without the power of releasing himself by the pay ment of fine. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. Frederick Johnson, a young man very fashionably-dressed, and who was described on the Police charge-sheet as residing at No. 5, Ely-place, Holborn, law student, was charged with committing five different assaults of an aggravated nature, for which penalties were imposed, amounting altogether to 181. It appeared that between eleven and twelve o'clock last night, the prisoner, in a state of extreme intoxication. vio lently assaulted a respectable tradesman, named Brockling, as he was passing along New Bond-street. Not the slight est provocation was given by the complainant, and the prisoner would have further ill-treated him, but that police-constable, No. 106 of the C division, came up and took the prisoner into custody. He then violenty assaulted the constable by striking him, unawares, a tremen dous blow on the right eye, and afterwards on the forehead ; and he aiso kicked him on the leg so violently that a serious wound was caused, which will prevent the constable from going on duty for several days. After that he assaulted po lice-constables Nos. 38,122, and 58, kicking them in the groin and abdomen ; and, finally, his conduct became so outrageous that it was found necessary to strap him down ou the police stretcher and carry him to the station-house. The prisoner, in his defence, said that he was extremely sorry for what had occurred, and it pained him very much to think that he had so misconducted :himself ; he should not have done so, but that he had taken more wine than he was accustomed to. Mr. MALTBY then apportioned the penalties as follows : For the assault on Mr. Brockling, 21., or twenty-one days' imprisonment ; for that on the constable, No. 108, 51., or two months' imprisonment ; on No. 38, 5/.,;0r six weeks' im prisonment; No. 22, .41., or one month; and No. 58, 21., or twenty-one days.—The fines were instantly paid. MARYLEBONR. George Spink, a working whitesmith, was placed at the bar charged with having, on many occasions annoyed the female domestics of No. 10, Montague-place, Montague-square, in a very indecent and disgusting manner. The offence was clearly proved, and the worthless scoundrel was committed for six weeks to the House of Correction. QUEEN'S-SQUARE. Eliza Holloway, a young woman, apparently not more than twenty years of age, and whose eyes were red and swollen with cryirig, was placed at the bar before Mr. Bond, charged with pawning a piece of carpet for 3s. 6d., the pro perty of the person in whose house she had lodged for five weeks, and to whom she gave the money, in payment of a week's rent then owing. This person stated that the defen dant was an unfortunate female, and that she was evidently in distress, which had no doubt induced her to pawn the carpet, The defendant's mother, a decently dressed elderly female, here stepped forward. She said her daughter was a married woman, having been married five years ago. Her husband, who was in good employment, left her three years ago. She supported her daughter as long-as she was able, but could do so no longer ; but she would willingly redeem the piece of carpet, though it would take all the money she had. .I have done all fur my daughter that I could do. lam only a monthly nurse, and I have a daughter sorely afflicted, and a son solely dependent upon me for support. Mr. BOND said—What assistance is that you have given your daughter to allow her to walk the: streets? The tie which binds a mother to her child does not terminate when she marries ; you have now an opportunity of saving your daughter from her unhappy fate, and y ou oug h t to take her home and endeavour to reclaim her from her present course of life. Mrs. Holloway said—Sometimes I have not a morsel to eat from day to day. I have been ill myself, and ' find it a hard matter to live. I really have done all I can for her. I have applied to her parish but they will not assist her. Mr. liosn asked what parish the defendant's husband be longed to? Mrs. Holloway—Chelsea parish. Mr. BOND said he should discharge the defendant, and directed an officer to take her to Chelsea workhouse. The defendant said she would not go to a workhouse. Mr. BOND said, that as she had refused the only means left by which she could be supported, and ultimately attain a situation, he had no alternative but to discharge her; but if brought up again charged with any other robbery, no -HALL. mercy would be shoNi u m s to l h o e s r. Sarah Rich was charged before Mr. Cottingham with as saulting Mary Welch, under the following aggravated cir cumstances :—The parties had been in the company of a gentleman, who exhibited a good deal of expensive jewel lery on his person, and they were all drinking together at a public-house in the London -road. When they came out the defendant proposed to her companion to rob the gentleman of some of his jewellery, a proposition which was rejected, upon which sho was attacked by her assailant, who struck her in the face with great violence.--She was held to bail. A young woman named Mills was charged with inflicting a serious wound on the head of a young man named Twig, with a quart pewter pot. The complainant stated that, while taking some beer in front of the bar of a public-house, the defendant, who was there with others, took up a pewter pot, and struck him a blow on the head which cut it open. The defendant's account was that, while standing at the bar, the complainant pulled her petticoats over her head. Mr. CorriNoimiu said he could not punish the offender, who had received such strong provocation, and therefore dis charged her. - DEATH IN THE MILLBANK PRISON.-011 Tuesday Mr. Higgs held an inquest in the Millbank Prison, on the body of Samuel Siltett, aged seventeen, a convict, sentenced to ten years' transportation. Captain Groves, the governor, said deceased was received on the Ist of December last, from Ipswich gaol, having been convicted at the October assizes of housebreaking, that being a second conviction, and ea ceiving the above sentence. Dr. Baly, the prison physician, said that when deceased was admitted ho had scrofulous affection of the intestines and lungs, from the effects of which he died on Monday last. In reply to a question by a juror, the Governor said that, though the silent system provalled in the institution, it was not rigorously emtreed. Dr. Baly also, in answer t o a ques ti on , sa id that the silent system would aggravate the diseases most common to the inmotca of the prisou.—Verdict, " Natural death," LLOYD'S SHIPPING. Losnox, MARCH 20.---Wind this day at noon, fresh breeze from the westward and cloudy. . DEAL, MAncis 19.—Wind N.N.W. to N.W. 7 r.m. , light.—Sld. New Phcenix, Jamaica ; G. D., New York. RAMSGATE, MARCH 19.—Sld. Sun, New York. OFF DOVER, MARCH 19.—Maria Elizabeth, RotterdeA for Batavia. • POOLE, MARCH 19.—S1d. Harmony, Newfoundland. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 19.—Arrd. her Majesty's ship Tortoise, Portsmouth, for Ascension. ~ FALMOUTH, MARC H 19.—Wi n d N.E., fresh awe. —Slit Eclipse, Cape of Good Hope. LY3IINGTON, MARCH 17.—S1d. Eleanor, Fayal. with SHOREHAM, MARCH 18.—Arrd. Red Rover, stern carried away, having struck the west pier. MUMBLES, MARCH 17.—Th e Gratituie, Richards, ofi . digan ; Union, of Co r k ; H anna h , of Bude Hero, of the ford ; Fame, of Porthcawl ; Ab eona , o f Gloucester ; of Penzance ; Brothers, of Swansea ; Charles, of Lle°, Superior, of St. Ive s; R e b ecca, of Brid gewa t er ; and this . Charles and Diligence, of this place, all drove ashore morning, during, the gale, with more or l ess &trace o f YARMOUTH, ISLE OF WIGHT, MARCH 19.—The cogriec) o f London, from Shield s t o J ersey, f oundered on t h e night„ ht the 17th inst., aft er h av i ng b een i n contact with '111„, brig with bright sides; crew saved by the Goshen, Wisbeach to Marseilles. BRIXIIAM, 'MARCH 18.—The William Hanningtons -fr fh a . „, Shields to Carthage n a, d rove l as t n i g h t during t h e galel:0, three anchors do wn , a t t h e b ott o m of the Bay, an d c ut 7 ', her mainmast. LOTI . MILFORD, MARCH 18.—Arrd. Amicitia, Liverpool , f?r , • dou, leaky, with l oss o f ma i nmast, sails, ecc. Sid. jlipe" .. St. John's, New Brunswick. eta LIVERPOOL, MARCH 19.—Wind N.E. to N.W., 111 ____„ 11 d e r, —ATrd. Arnbas s id or , H e nde rson, Africa. Sld. LP'" Bombay ; Hope, Aden. LErrir, MARCH 17.—Arrd. Passenger, Watson, - Chhtt . .,.. NEWPORT, .31.tiscH 18.—S1d. Rear-Admiral, Aden; r° ll— Philadelphia; Clifton, Bermuda. •. - BELFAST, MARCH 16.—Arrd. Sylph, Buenos ConK, MARCH 10.- 1 -Sld. Royal Saxon, Sydney South Wales. . . RAMSEY, ISLE OF Max, MARCH 15.—The Lark, of Wl haven, -has been got into the harbour. • NORTH SHIELDS, MARCH 17.—The Bee, of Newcastle , been got off - the Herd Sand, without apparent damage. or SHIELDS, ;Masten 18.—Sld. Royal Willi am , Ri o; MO . der Brandt, Ilavannah Robert and Ann, New York., DUBLIN, Mutest 18.—The Active, Norman, of which got ashore on the 16th inst. to the northward Or . ~'— o f gheda, has gone to pi eces , crew saved. The Mary, Jerartbe Milford, from Killala to Lo n do n , i s b a dl y stranded . bar at Wicklow. The following vessels are wrecked-in town harbour :—Brigs Homer, of Maryport, gone 'to pied -Mary, of Whitehaven ; Tom and Pandora, of ditto, all 7-et. schooners Jane and F ranc i s , o f W exford ; Bettin, of DI fs pool ; Bellevue, of B ray ; and Agnes, of P re ston • . 91 ' Colonel Smith, of Cam aroon ; an d C atherine, of Newry?_,A. brig Maria, of Whitehaven. These latter are either „" laden, or in ballast, and have received more or less.da°W a WHITBY, MARCH 18.—P ar t o f a b r i g ' s foremasti,V,2,l9, foresail marked " E. D. Thompson and Son," SoutlOw`: has come ashore in Robin Hood Bay. ~„ is WIVENHOE, MARCH 19. The bark, reported- y6900% 1 1 0 , lost on• the Gunfleet, is a new co pp er -bottomedios. of London, from Shi e ld s to London, or the West: 4l l,u. She has become a total wreck, crew saved by some 5131 ' -- Another vessel is on the Barrows. PORT Rums, MARCH 14.-The Auris, of Inverness' . obere . - near here, must discharge to repair. • • SHAM ATTORNEYS. Complaints have .frequently been made a t the tral Criminal. Court, the Middlesex Sessions,Art o the disgraceful con d uct o f a set of felloWs who " f ir. long been in the habit of attending there, ant°. ig is ing their services to the prisoners and - their Irrl. o as legal advis ers , an d w h o, after extorting„,,d'" them almost th e i r l ast s hill ing, for the *" purpose of re t a i n i ng counsel in their bells" „ ' atte r which, in many instances, they neglect .to do, wards take care to keep out of the way of' their "be on the day appointed for the prisoners' trial -~,A 0 attention of the Le g i s l a t ure h as l ately been cansts the subject, an d t h e f o ll ow i ng clause in O e of " Act for Consolidating and Amending sevS n the Laws relating to Attorneys and Solicitors, a o fpl it is hoped, put an effectual stop to the disr conduct abov e - ment i one d : —" That from an, tor the passing of thi s A ct , no person shall act as . tu " ney or solicito r , or commence or defend any an' "e'suit, or other proceedi ng , i n the name of any other pe e oao g, or in his own n ame , i n h er M a j esty ' s Courts of Chatinsi Queen's Bench, &c., or in any: Court of civil or ehc s o jurisdiction, or act as an attorney or solicitor iii.lalcdore or suit, civil or criminal, to be•tried or determined 1 ,7;01 any justice of assize of over and terminer and gencr a y' t he delivery, or at any general or quarter sessions fore peace for any county, city, - borough, s m ., • or., ho e any justice or justices, unless such' person 0311, hO, been previously to the • passing of this Ac t ato mitted and enrolled, or otherwise duly : T ifie 4oll act as an attorney, arid. continue to be. so. • 00 ts qualified to act," &c. - The thirty-second clause or that if any attorney or:' Soliditor shall 'winia I s or knowingly act as agent in any actiou r ke., , or per,..n i nl ve suffer his name to be in any way made use co(u` a such action, or shall do any other act thereby toe oy such unqualified person-to appear, act; or priteti f v,Thiett respect as an attorney, - &c., knowing Silen,•llo - to be - duly qualified as aforesaid, an d to plaint shall be made thereof in -a- -sUmmary any: of the said superior Courts, and peoolthereof upon. oath to the satisfaction of the CourCthat , sue o 0 ..torriey hath knowi n gl y. and Wilfull offended therein .a aforesaid, such • att orney may be st ruck off the .roll, for ever after disabled from Practising ; and it shall at; may be lawful f or th e sa i d Court to commit such u nt i e lifted person, so act i ng or practising as aforesaid, to one prison of the sa id C ourt f or any terninot exceeding year. • In addition to th e a b ove t h e " new, prison re, tioris," recently p romu l gate d b y the Secre t ar y of ; or directs that the governor shall allow' prisoners O mitted for examination or trial to see their visers at alI reasonable times, and in private if unless a committing or visiting magistrate shall issued an orde r t o the contrary, or unless he „ ta a know ally su ffi cient cause why suc h l ega l adviser.ab u o. not be•admitted. Every person; however, claimin g r his o mission must be a cert ifi e d attorney or solieitPr! I authorised clerk. : S heri In order to carry t h e a b ove into full effect, the to to of London have caused a notice to the following.e' . be posted in Newgate ins:// "No pers on , act i ng as the legal adviser. ° be prisoner c omm i tte d to Newgate for trial,'; iv at 4 1ali, allowed to visit such prisoner, unless he is, it ' .0 0 qualified attorney or clerk to such attorneijiitte 9 that, in eith er case, he must produce a - ,r hiss retainer, signed by the prisoner, and authoriaw l) t.O to act as his attorney, and sign an entry in k be kept by the gaoler, stating that he is so aut„" be re` and that every a t torney, or attorney ' s clerk, '01,"0,0l° quired to s i gn suc h entry b efore he will be al° • have an interview with the prisoner." • a e o t. With regard to w h at const i tutes "acting "Frarlir torney" within the mean i ng o f t h e a b ove Act nAsioisl ment, Mr. Walesby, when lat e ly presiding at _...1.4!'h,g tint` at the Middlesex Sessions, intimated that an delivering a brief to counsel was actin as an a t ' — g - : MARKET NE WS.—(YES TE.— . •,„, CONIV•MCCRANG2I." tocir" Although the supply of English Wheat was brl o otst extensive, the demand fo r th a t art i c l e was i n a verYjefil state, at barely late rates. In Foreign Wheat' ;1, gall little was doing. Th e sa l e f or .B ar l ey and Malt , "" deilq . Oats, was very dull, and prices had a downward ten Other articles as on Monday. ARRIVALS. siett,f 10 Wheat. 1 Barks. I Oats. 1 , 01)P - Eni lris gish......—.. 11.610 qrs. - ' 2,300 qrs. 'lmo va. 1 : . ...... 100 • ...... Foreign.... ..... NO 630 7611 Malt, 4,740 qrs. } . ` C WHI7L'ECRA PFAa. 01 ..4 The supply of e ac h ki n d o f . Meat was but mod e l 'cow , the demand was i n a s l ugg i s h state , at about at: i„, 84i prices. Beef from 2s 4d t o 3 s 4d ; utton, 2s 8d t ii ; Veal, 3s 4d to 4 s 8d ; an d P ork, 2s 6d to 4 . 4d Per 9 - DEATH OF THE E ARL OF L ONSDALE i ke'f fi regret to. announce the decease 0 1 ,: - t nobleman, whi c h t oo k place on Tuesday n i g ° ":•01 1 c o'ciock, at York House, Twickenham, at the Mme of 86. • BIRTHS. f On the 14th Inst., at Castlebar, Mayo the lady ° of 00°' ander Magnay, Esq., her Majesty's 69th Regirne u A, of C sr On the 16th inst.,.at Cli ft on-grove, York, the' o tain Darnell, of a daughter. 11, t he w' On the 16th in s t., a t L aure l Villa, Hammersrait ofAnthpny Reboul, Esq., of a daughter. „ Goo d ,,TP On the 16tivinst., at Bright on , th e l a d y of datiliP-eof Escf., 16th Regiment Bombay Native Infantry, of , gt e On the 17th inst., i n U pper Harley-stree t, Lambert Pole, Es q ., o f a d aughter. j , On the 18th inst., a t Montague-street, RuSS wife of John Sh aw , E sq., of a son. g u nsp- On the 18th in s t., a t St. Janus's-place, Mrs. Julin so , tir i " of a son. On the 17th inst., in Eaton-plac e , geigrays-scr . Hopkinson, of a d aughter. 3fr o On the 17th inst., in Park -street, Grorvenor - eclr s . George Lewi s, o f a son, who 1 survived a few b°u MARRIED. Oh' On the 3d of January at the Barrack Proteetei l t. Berhampore, Frederick Arthur Killwick, to St.,_,lsl third daughter of W. M. Gray, Esq., Nauthpora,,_P•.:oiar On the 27th ult.. at the Palace Chapel, Malta, LAV e ovili Erasmus Ommanney, R.N., of her Majesty's s h i P h , to Amelia Mary, eldest daughter of Samuel Smut h. Majesty's Dockyard, Malta. Of DIED. Ater ..t On the sth inst., at Torquay , Maria Marriott, da, l t e. ow' Lymingten, Hants, aged 12. . Major-General H. Roberts, .B , of Milford L ' On the 4th inst., at Elgin, Jessie, second daughter , of late Robert Marquis, Esq., of Durn, aged 20. e -KO , On the 29th of February, at Naples, Fann,y, th f 0 0 1 Sir Peregrine Palmer Fuller Palmer Adam'. 16artli ° field, Somerset. FA' At Leicester House, Jersey, Richard Chase Sidney , 1,51 4 On the 16th inst., Eliza, the wife of William surgeon, Brighton. f ilo On the 16th inst., at Sittingbourne, Kent, Eleanor, 6 W. Castle, Esq. pig' On the 16th inst., Catherine, only child of Mr. f, Seaton, surgeon, Sloane-street. of e relic t 01 On the 16th inst., in Curzon-street, Henrietta, r a m e ), Balfour, Esq. irbe On th 16th Inst., Robert John Harrison, Esq., ofCgar t, Montgomery. e go' On the 17th inst . Mr. John Groves, of Charlton - r x , ~ o s Cr Islington, aged 86. , On the 17th inst., at Kentish-town, Georgi ans 4 daughter of Major Balchild, of the Royal Marines. o v oa On the 14th inst., at Woolwich, John Wray, th e 4 son of Captain J. W. Mitchell, R.A. T . kai On the 12th inst., Ann, wife of Philip Carteret 11- Esq., of G reenw i c h H os pit a l. 4.f On the 14th inst., in his 84th year, Robert PhiliPl,' of tark, Dear Manchester. OD O W On t h e 14th inst., Mr. John Thomas, chemist , D ev° Street, Portland-place. On the 15th inst., Mr. James Bradley, of Claphant. 4 ..11 ,,,...._..........•mpp.....•k ' '''. ----- ......" Titr S 0! 11, London ; Printed and Publi s h e d by MURDO Y „., n. P o Na 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office. a .: to " ti Strand, in the precinct of the Savoy, in tba l V Middlesex, Thursday, March 21, 1844., -