The Sun. — London, England, 1844-01-09 00:00:00

- •. . . SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS FROM THE EVZNINEI ?Ak'EOS OE YESTI.:ItDA GLOBE.—The striking of the special jury for fhe trial of O'Connell and his ere-lei - et:dents, and the subsequent redmeeieti of ;:me n'ty- names (drawn by ballot irons the list) to Lwciati f::ar, who will be summoned to try the issue eetween the Crown and the travereere have to lieu place. These preparations for the grand notional drama have terminated the temporary hail of public excitement which the suspension of the proceedings, by the postponement of the trial, had produced. Time course to - tepted by the law•officers of the Crown in tles striking of the jury—an account of which THU be found in another column--is applauded ee. condemned, in conformity with the relative political position of the journals and the Govern 2-13.ent. Their rejection, on the part of the Crown, of every Roman Catholic, is Leiden as a !nester stroke of policy by the ultra- PrO LOA all t irt rty ; while it is denounced by the Liberels es indica tive of' a determination, on the part of the Go vernment, to obtain a conviction by the alem d.eament of even the semblance of impartiality. The striking off by the Crown oflieers of eleven Roman Catholic jurors and one Protestant (an Englishman) from the list, must be admitted to be an extraordinary proceeding; tied calculated to excite suspicion of a detertnination to pro cure a conviction by whatever means. We will not, however, assume that even a jury thus sus piciously constructed, will necessarily return a verdict hostile to evidence. But this we will say—and we expect the concurrence of all who are not precluded by . party prejudice from forming an unbiassed opinion of • the case—that no course could have been adopted so likely to em barrass the deliberations of twelve men desirous of arriving at a just decision on the facts, as ad sleced in evidence for the prosecution and de fence. It will be impossible for the jury not to feel that they are placed in an invidious posi tion by the conduct of the Crown officers. In sensitive minds such a feeling will produce timidity. This will be associated with regret that they as a jury are wholly selected from one of the two great parties into which their country is, unhappily, divided. Resentment against the reck less officials, if not against their employers, whose commands they executed, for having thus endea voured to convert the jury-box into the engine of their purposes, and the jurors into their tools, will be, more or less, the result, as mind inter elianges with mind its own views and kelings. An indignant refusal to be thus degraded, in -their persons as citizens, and in office as jurors, will be produced. The Irish A ttorney -4G eneral's " devil," like the person from whom he derives his appellation, will be found to have over-helped those who called him to their aid, and thus pitched them into - the mud instead of placing them in the saddle. But, take the other view. Suppose a conviction —and for the purposes of our argument, it is immaterial whether the finding he sup ported or not, by sufficient evidence—a ver dict against O'Connell and his co-defendants, to be of any service to the Government, or of any avail in putting down, the agitation for Repeal, must be in accordance with public opinion. By impugning the impartiality of time jury, the Government has destroyed the moral ie fleence which a manifestly impartial verdict - -would have secured. By securing a jury of Pro testants, they have neutralised the ietluence - which a conviction would have exercised on the thinking part of the community; while they have converted the prosecution into an addi tional provocation to excitement in the coun try which they would tranquillise by intimida tion. O'Connell convicted by a jury so eon stltuted, the Government—strong, as it deems Yeelf in the possession of Ireland by military occupation—would be embarrassed by success ; and would be compelled, by fear of an insurrec tion, to make a virtue of necessity, and decline to follow up the verdict by calling the defendants forjudgment. The Irish Government is put Qn the defensive. In justification of the question able policy pursued by the law officers of the Crown on striking th e jury, the Dublin Packet puts forth a laboured apology in its behalf. The specious xeasoning of the advocate is frequently fatal to the cause for which it is employed. The pains taken by the Crown officers to obtain a jury of parti sans, not only shows something approaching, to fear that a mixed jury could not be trusted with the case they would be called upon to try, but also that the bold step of striking off every Catholic was one which it was necessary to gloss over by sophistry, and to bolster up by an tip -peal to the theological prejudices of the domi nant Church. The following extract from the (government organ, in the article we have al leded to, shows the extremity to which its cepporters are driven to find plausibilities for the sweeping rejection of Roman Catholics, as unfit to serve, because of their creed, on " such a fiery" : "We contend that there existed good and incontrovertible seasons for excluding the persons professing the Romaa Catholic -religion from acting upon such a jury. We all know that the xpeal a g itation, which forms the essence and subject-matter of : 4 : , J1-3 prosecution, is, with some very few exceptions, maintained rxclusively by the Roman Catholic population of this country, -fostered and encouraged by the Romish priesthood, two of whom are numbered amongst the traversers; and we also know That resort is had to every . species of oppression awl intimida tion to draw recruits to its ranks; and we verily believe tech to be the general feeling amongst the lower orders of the people upon this subject that were a Roman Catholic to agree 20 a finding of guilty' against O'Connell and the traverser?, he would be subject to every species of persecution, and become an object of execration to the vast majority of persons of his own persuasion. This, we admit, is a hard saying, but such is our solemn conviction; and admitting, as we unfeignedly do, that any one of the individuals in question would be most desirous act c onscientiously, even under circumstances so trying and kaaardous, yet it would be an act of the most positive cruelty to -,,lace an individual in a position w h er e the contest might be between his conscience and his fears." The trial of O'Connell and his co-defendants then, to be a contest between Roman Catholics -and Protestants! The distinctions which long prevailed, and which, while they prevailed, were a reproach to the Legislature and a source of dis teaction and danger to the country, are revived. The Government has practically re-enacted the civildizabilities which excluded Catholics froin the rights of citizenship. Its officers have dared public opinion by expunging Papists from a jury pauel, 3n a country the inhabitants of which ere of the -Roman Catholic religion in the proportion of even to one ! The religious hostilities, which hid pre • 'sailed for three centuries, and were begi tieing. to abai with the late concession of civil rink's to the long-prescribed Many, are revived. The Covernment declares that it dare not trust a Roman Catholic in the jury-'sex Oil Ow c a se to which it is a party. Yet, witl, wondemee inconsistency, Sir Robert Peel pretest's to re 01 1.1 Ireland as an integral part of the enmpire ,ceeitled to equal p rivile g es, and to les governed - use equal laws, with the other part.i or her lifejesty's domestic territoncs ! leeel Lyo l taut r i g ht in his denunciation of t, prac tically-, though w roeg epee • s Irish are '' aliens" in the meoim mtien of con e- ent Tories. `as Alien me re:igioe "—they are i valified to act as juror.; between a Pretestaet esevernment and Roman Catholic defeedatos ! is the substance of tht; Del din Pachet's argument in defence of the cot--in in perfect consistency with Lord L endhurst's fulmination. Yet, were they instead of being only nominally, " aliens," then would Roman Catholics be its a better position when prosecuted by the Goverimment for alleged political offences. They would, us aliens: be en- • titled to a mixed jury, to pass betwwom them awl the Grown. The Government treats the Catholics ita aliens, without allowing tlomn the privileges of foreigners. Surely such a panel ;will he set Aside by the Court. STANDARD. —The proceedings at the strik tea of the special jury for the State trials, to coinmence in Dublin this day week, is eetremely amusing, more particularly on account or the noif affectation of surprise and indignation of the traversers' solicitor, as some Roman Catholics mere excluded from the panel. The tone of the attorney was, however, mild and sober, compared - with the reclamation of time Fpeeman's JOupnal of the day following the striking of the jury. Eight personsare tobe tried as members °fa conthination assumed by the prosecutor to be illegal. Of these eight persons some are Roman Catholics, sonic at least professing Protestants, and one is a ,Roman Catholic clergyman. Forty - eieht mines „Zre taken by lot from a list of 717, prepared in 'strict Conformity with the terms of a statute, the -provisions of which cannot be thought illiberal, ee ehen it is known that the statute was intraduced ey /he late Sir Michael 0 Loghlin tied the pre ., sit Nr. Justice Perrin, under the Irish adminis ieation of the Marquis of Normanby. The list F a r 48 being thus obtained by lot, the Crown solicitor and the traversers' attorney proceed to 'reduce it, according to the peremptory direc sions of the law, by striking off twelve names emelt ; how well soever satisfied with the whole 48, still the solicitors must reduce time "list. The Crown solicitor strikes off twelve names, of which, says the Dublin Free . ni man s Journal, eleven (other accounts say ne) are the names of Roman Catholics, and the travellrser tt hout a s' aornyn e xception, theey strikes offnames twelve of slarnea, a , wit Protestants. If the striking; off names, there core, is to be taken as insult, the professors of the -,2rotestant religion are prima f ac i e snore insulted 1: eats-the professors of t he Romanist faith.. But it is said by the Freeman's Journal that.the Roman inatholics objected to form the whole number Roman Catholics in the list of 48. We teleow not how 0;44 may be, but the Dublin Lvea• ~„ . fj P (whet answers the invidious, insulting, and, y.a, believe, unjust inference that the gentlemen question were objected to as Roman Ciath elks ) explaining that every man, of the twelve ,b}.-qqed to by the Crown Solicitor. whether itoman Catholic or Protestant, is a mem ber of the Repeal Association. If this be 0—:111/1 the excellent character of the Dublin) Evening Packet is sufficient warrant for the strict truth of all its statements —there is surely no just ground for complaint. It may be the misfortune of the Roman Catholic middle class of the citizens of Dublin, that they have been misled to join the Repeal Association, and it is no less a public misfortune if the fact be so ; but it does not follow from their error, that the funda mental principle in the administration of justice, which forbids a man to be " actor et judex," can be dispensed with. If there be guilt in the acts charged against the traversers in the state trials, every member of the Repeal Association is in specie, though not in degree, as . guilty as the gentlemen named in the indictment. Every member of the Association has, in fact,practically, and therefore most unequivocally, recorded his judgment upon the very question to be submitted to the jury this day week—the legality and the moral propriety of the association and of its pro ceedings; for about the facts of the case there will, we presume, be little ground for dispute. It is, we repeat it, a great public misfortune if Repealism and Romanism are co-extensive among; the middle class citizens of Dublin ; but though there is, no doubt, the example of a Pope who condemned himself to the flames, we must not look for such he roical self-devotion in our day, and ask a man to sit in judgment upon himself merely because he is a Romanist—least of all in such a matter as that of the State prosecutions in be hind, which is, in fact, a defence of public liberty. For if these prosecutions fail from any default in the adminstration of justice, or are suspected to fail from any such default, there can be no doubt of some legislative proceeding— of course involving an abridgement of the freedom now enjoyed by the people-,-in order to put down a movement so mischievous and dangerous as the Repeal Association. The Irish Attorney-General has to vindicate the law in more senses than one— he has to enforce its authority, and also to show that it is sufficient for the protection of the public peace and security; but this last duty he certainly would not discharge with fidelity, were he to try persons whom he considers offenders against the law by a jury of their confederates. We do not wish to intimate any opinion as to the verdict to which a fair jury will probably come, but it a single Repealer were on the Jury, and if the verdict should be an acquittal, or if no ;,rerdict should be obtained by reason of a non-agreement. of the jury, there can be little doubt to- what such a. result would be ascribed, and how much responsibility would rest upon the principal law officer of the Crown. We have no question that to object to so many Roman Catholics, whether they are eleven or nine, has been extremely painful to the Irish Attorney-General; but his duty lay straight before him ; he was to procure a fair trial, and that lair trial he certainly could not procure, had he allowed the confederates of the accused, whether these confederates were Roman Catholics or Protestants, to con stitute the jury to decide upon the guilt or innocence Of their common confederacy. The insult, for a gross insult indeed there is, has not been offered by the Attorney-General, but those who complain of his conduct. They surely insult the Protestants of the empire as well as the Protestants of Dublin, when they say that twelve Protestants, against any one of whom personally they have been able to offer no objection, though they have had opportunity to object to every man of them, do not constitute a jury sufficiently honest, intelligent, and im partial to try a case in which no question of Protestantism or Romanism arises. This is un grateful as well as insulting, because there has been repeated proof of the inflexible inte grity of the Protestant juries of Dublin, even in cases where Protestant feeling might be supposed to operate. FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY. ADVERTISER.—The Complete Suffrage movenient is making rapid, though comparatively silent progress. Everywhere it is hourly re ceiving the adhesion of new friends. Persons %eh° a few years ago—in some cases so late as a few months—treated the idea of the extended electoral rights for which the Complete Suffrag ists are contending, with the utmost scorn, are now numbered among its warmest friends. The Complete Suffrage feeling is, indeed, spread ing throughout the country with a rapidity which as seldom been paralleled. Twelve months more of the success which for the last year has attended the efliirts of its friends to propagate the great principle that every man untainted by crime has a right to the elective franchise, will compel the Legislature to meet the national wish, -by con ceding a really national representation. We referred last week to the metropolitan efforts which are making to promote the cause of a full and fair representation of the people. We particularly alluded to the establishment of Complete Suffrage Associations in Finsbury and Southwark. These boroughs do not stand alone in time good work. The Tower ,Ham lets are taking an active part in extending the popular fieling in favour of complete suffrage. In that division of the metropolis there tire two Associations, both of which have been in active operation for some time. The one em braces Hackney ' Stoke Newington, &c.; the o ther e übraces Whitechapel, Stepney, Wap ping, Shadwell, &c. This is well. But what are the other boroughs about ? Where is Maryle bone ? It used to be among the first of the metropolitan boroughs in every popular move ment. I;s inactivity in the present case is a source of surprise as well as of disappointment to the friends of the people throughout the coun try. We know it is an aristocratic borough, but it is not more so than formerly. On all great questions like this the vestry of that borough were accustomed to take the lead. How shall we account for their present supineness? We leave it to themselves to answer the question. Then there is Westminster—for a long period the refuge of popular principles, when they were exiled from almost every other locality in Eng land. How happens it that we hear of no note of preparation in that city in reference to the complete suffrage movement? Has Westminster ceased to be " England's pride ?" It looks very much like it. Certain it is, that if it remain much longer in a state of inactivity, it will forfeit the liberal character it has enjoyed for more than lialfa century. We hope it will not incur this reproach. We trust that, e:.e long, the Crown and Anchor will become the scene or striking demonstrations in favour o r that efficient representation of popularprinci• pies and popular interests for which it has so ionx been celebrated. Latnbeth, too, is behind hauil in the great movement. As yet we per e..ive no symptoms of any demonstration in that l»rough. This is strange, for it is one of the most liberal and enlightened boroughs in the k mOOlll. There are many truly patriotic men in it—men remarkable for their earnestness, their sincerity, and their readiness to make self sacrifices for the cause of the people. All that is wanting to get up a powerful complete suffrage association in Lambeth, is that the first step should be taken by one or more men of note, in whom the unrepresented masses have confidence. Perhaps there is less room for surprise at the I,mi-existence of a complete suffrage association bi the City. And yet we see no reason why there should not be an association there. In no part of London, perhaps in no part of the coun try, have really Liberal principles made more marked progress of late than in the City. Witness the triumph of Liberalism in the person of Mr. Pattison, under the most unpromising cir cumstances in which an election contest was ever iiiugh!. In the City there are many choice spi rits. All that is wanting to make their voice (ffectually heard in favour of a complete repre sentation of the people is, organisation and unity of action. We are aware that on several occa sions within the last twelve months, meetings have been held with the view of promoting the principles of complete suffrage ; but these have been for the most part thinly attended. Besides, occasional meetings never contribute in any con siderable degree to promote an important cause. Great questions have always been carried by an organised and systematic course of action being brought to bear in their favour. What we want to see is the example of Finsbury, the Tower Hamlets, and Southwark, followed by all the other districts of London. We want to see each borough establishing one or more complete suf frage associations. Mr. Joseph Sturge and se veral other distinguished friends of a perfect re presentation of the people, are to visit the me tropolis in ten days or a fortnight, for the pur pose of advocating the complete suffrage cause, and also of directing public attention to Mr. Sharman Crawford's project for stopping the supplies. We trust one of the results of the visit will be the formation of complete suffrage asso ciations in all the metropolitan boroughs in which they do not already exist. TIMES.—We feel it our duty to call attention to a case of mutder which was lately tried at the Liverpool Assizes, and has left five men under sentence of death. It appears to have been just one of those cases of fatal collision between poachers and runckeepers which have so often appeared in our assize calendars. A party of poachers proceeded to the Earl of Derby's pre serves at Knowsley, and found themselves con fronted by some of the Earl's gamekeepers. It was before daybreak, and hardly light; shouts and threats were exchanged on each side. One of the poachers (Roberts) fired, and killed one of the gamekeepers(Kenyon). For this murder he and four others, who were of the poaching party at the time, and are therefore by the construc tion of the law participators in the crime, now lie under sentence of death. Now, we are not going to thrown one palliating shade over a case like this. It would be inconsistent with what we have all along said upon such subjects to do so. We have oftener had rather to take the very con trary part, and animadvert upon the extreme leniency and softness which has been shown in our courts of justice to cases of outrage and violence. Again and again has the ruffian, whose act has really come so near murder that it would be scarcely possible to draw the distinction, and who, at any rate, has shown all the animus and brutality of the murderer, escaped with some few months' imprisonment, while the miserable half-famished purloiner of a bit of bread or a bit of bacon has had his seven years' transportation. It is on this very account, and following up this opinion, that we take the view we do of this case at Liverpool. We say we do not see in the whole aspect of this trial any sign of its having been really conducted upon that genuine simple prin ciple of abhorrence for bloodshed, which ought to be always the mainspring of a trial for mur der. Our courts, we repeat, have for years dallied with ruffianship and brutality, and the hatred of the crime for its own sake seems very much to have left us. It is only as it interferes with the rights of property, and attacks our pocket and purses, that we treat it with the severity that is due.. There is, if appearances do not very much mislead us, a good deal of this mixture of feeling at the bottom of the Knowsley trial. It is impossible to help more than half suspecting that the case that might have figured as a mere fatal outrage, and dropped down into man slaughter and some six months' imprisonment, or, at the most, a transportable affair, underother circumstances, has gained criminality from its ominous connexion with preserves, and that the poacher gives the judicial stroke to the mur derer. We may be wrong, but we cannot help thinking that policy and expediency supply more than half the substance of our march-of-mind disapprobation of murder; and that the ob ject of smoothing one or other difficulty in the civil system, and protection of this or that inte rest, furnish modern law with its most grave and retributive feelings on the subject. There is an awkward appearance about the fact of joining the other four prisoners who did not fire with the one who did, and bringing all under one head, as this trial does. We know the law implicates the whole of such a party in the crime of any one of them ; but it is obvious that there must be immense hardship often in enforcing such a rule literally. A party of poachers are not ne cessarily men of exactly equal amounts of men tal villany and hardihood; they agree in the act of poaching, but one may be far more of a thief or a murderer than another. They are not pre pared all of them for equal development of atro city. The greatest ruffian fires, and kills, per haps ; others abstain from firing, because they were not ruffians to the same extent. If such should. be the case—and it is fair to give per sons the most favourable construction of theirout ward behaviour—to lay hold ofj.the common ground of poaching, and hang them all with out distinction, because, though one fired and another did not, all poached alike, and you have them there—such a judicial course goes very far to make murder and poaching parallel offences. The old stoic maxim of the equality of crimes seems to have a chance of reviving again, and transportation, imprison ment, the lunatic asylum, and the halter, will be distributed from our Courts according to some system of metropolitan police and gendarmes justice, and with reference to some changing centre of expediency, that has as little to d o' with Christian principle or natural law as the rules of free trade or the manoeuvres of a field of battle. What we mean is, let there be fair play. There are four men who, at any rate, are not chargeable with the literal crime of murder. They may be lawless, headstrong ruffians, and their outrage may deserve in itself, and ab stractedly, or morally considered, any amount of punishment—even the gallows. Still, what is the standard of punishment on which we have prac tically been going ? Only the other day a man named Stolzer was convicted of stab bing his fellow-workman so as to cause his death. There is, really, very little difference between his crime and that of the actual mur derer of Kenyon • and with that of the four who did not fire at Kenyon it stands in an actually unfavourable comparison. Stolzer, however, was reprieved. Or what do we say to Mac naughten ? That was a case indeed of insanity, if we are to believe the mad doctors, of unac- countableness in the individual, not of pardon, ableness in the crime. But, with all deference to their insanityship, we must say his was the oddest kind of insanity to excuse a crime that the world ever heard. And, although we cannot undertake to say that the poachers at Knowsley can reap the primary benefit of it, or claim the privilege of an hallucination with re spect to all distinctions of day or night, and shooting as poachers and as licensed gentlemen, and between Knowsley and Australia or any other place where people may shoot as they please—still, a thoroughly lax and indulgent sentence as that was toward Macnaughten, would come into odd comparison with the present Liverpool verdict (it it is to be carried into effect)—by which four men who have committed no external act of murder are left for execution. It goes against our feelings to seem at all to be glossing over a crime of such an atrocious and ruffianly character as that just perpetrated. We think an abhorrence of such crimes, and a dispo sition to visit them with the very worst conse quences, are inherent in a proper state of moral and social feeling. All we say is, let crimes be punished .as the crimes that they are, and not as other crimes; let murder be hanged as murder, and not as poaching; and if we lose the sharp ness of our moral disgust at such offences, and take to laxity and leniency, then let one man have the benefit of it as well as another. We like a deep and an equal system of justice ; but if our justice loses its depth, let it, at any rate, retain its equality. COMMERCIAL NEWS. MARSEILLES, DEC. 30.—WHEAT.—In consequence of the festivities of the season, the commercial week has been of short duration. The orders from England, so confidently looked for, have not yet arrived, and the im portations continue to be extensive, producing a certain depreciation, which would have been more notable but for the already extremely low price of wheat. Several cargoes of Roumelia have been sold, and the good sorts have obtained no more than 17f. to 17f. 25c. per charge. Mention is made of sundry sales of Polish at 21f to 21f. 500., and 22£ for a very superior parcel. OLEAarcrous SEED.—There has been some business done in Sessame this week, without, however , producing any real activity in the market ; 400 quintals, disponibles, were sold at 45f., discount one per cent., and 2,000 quintals to arrive in January, at 44f. 25c. ; 600 quintals Russian Linseed, disponibles, have been sold at 26f., dis count one-half per cent. ; while in other descriptions no thing whatever has been done. Our market for cotton seed continues dull ; 500 quintals Rape have realised 18f., discount two per cent., which is reputed a high price ; 2,000 quintals Poppy have been disposed of at 38f. ; but this seed has as yet no fixed position or rate of value. Oms.—Olive, notwithstanding the absence of arrivals, has fallen in price this week, in consequence of the in activity of the soap-boilers, and the amount of business done has been very trifling. First quality, disponible, remains offered at 1111. 70c. per hectolitre, but without buyers. In a livrer, what was in demand at 112 f. 50c., is now neglected at 112 f. 10c. Malaga Oil, to ar rive between March and June, has been contracted for at 110 f. 93c. ; Tunis, between January and March, at 105£ 46c. ; and Sicilian, between January and February, at 106 f. 25c. Sessame Oil occupies a somewhat better position than it has done of late. Fifty five thousand kilogrammes have been sold, deliverable over the first nine months of 1844, at 89f. 45c. per 100 kilogrammes. The price now held for future delivery is firm at 90f. 70c. Linseed Oil has not yet recovered from its degraded position, although the price of disponible is maintained at 71f. 10c., and an amelioration is expected to take place in the early part of next month. The position of edible Oil has mueh improved, and during the week some rather important transactions have been concluded for re-exportation, principally in the products of the kingdom of Naples. In Bouches du Rhone qualities there has been less demand, and in the Department du Var purchasers are few at 123 f. to 145 f. per hectolitre. CoAL.—There is no change to notice in this commodity. The price continues high, and the arrivals not sufficiently important to shake it. Freights remain low, and ship ping is abundant. We have the greatest satisfaction in observing that one of the first acts of the Earl of Leicester on attaining his majority has been to identify himself, like his noble father, with the feelings of the yeom anr y . and to come forward ' to the aid of his countrymen in distress. We understand that his Lordship has not only subscribed, within a day or two of his coming of age,to the Hail Storm Fund, but has adopted the principle of the parochial contribution, by directing the 3d. in the pound to be paid on all his extensive estates. We are delighted also to see that the name of the amiable Countess of Leicester is attached to the list with the munificent donation of 501. The poor of the parishes of Sparham, Bintry, and the very nu merous other parishes comprised in Lord Leicester's estate, beg to return their thanks to the Earl and Countess for their bene volent donation on his Lordship's Mesnion to his majority.— Norwich Altrourf, GRAND COURT OF WARDMOTE, GUILDHALL. Y..sterdty a Grand Court of Wardmote was held by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, for the purpose of receiving the presentments of the several wardmote inquests. COMPLAINTS AGAINST NON-FREEMEN. The Lord Mayor having taken the chair, Sir PETER LAURIE called the attention of the grand ward mote to the presentment which was about to be handed in by the officers from the ward of Aldersgate. A course of rather an unusual kind had been adopted with respect to the indi viduals who were believed to be non-freemen. The proper officers had received ;directions to return the name, address, profession, trade, or occupation, of every one in the ward who was supposed not to be free, in order that measures might be taken to ascertain whether al!, without distinction, were not compellable to prove that privilege . The question h ad become, by recent proceedings, one of extreme interest and importance, and ne hoped that it would not sink into a mere matter of form, as had hitherto been the case, but that the City Solieitor should be directed to proceed against the large dealers, who had hitherto evaded the obligations for which the poor man, to whom the payment of even the small sum at present required was a serious object, was p r osecuted for the omission.—( Hear, hear.) The return would include all ranks, and all trades and profes sions, and he should, at the next Court of Aldermen, propose that a Committee be appointed to examine and report upon the presentment. The presentment, which contained the long list alluded to by Sir Peter Laurie, was then handed in by the Ward-clerk and received. The presentment from Bassishaw ward contained the follow ing observations, which particularly attracted the notice of some of the members:-- " And as touching more persons occupying or dwelling within this ward, we beg to draw attention, as we have fre quently done before, to the presentments made by the inquests of this ward in the years 1828 and 1829, and to complain that although more than fifteen years have since elapsed, and al though throughout the whole of that period several of the per sons included in these presentments have continued to carry on trade within this ward without taking up their freedom, the right claimed by those persons (and by others in similar cir cumstances in various parts of the City) to carry on trade within this City without being admitted to the freedom thereof, has never yet been brought before any legal tri bunal. And we present that in obedience to the articles given us in charge, we have caused to be summoned up wards of eighty persons now carrying on trade within this ward, and who were suspected not to be free of this City, and required them to appear before us to produce and show the copy of their freedom under the seal of the officer of the Chamber of this City, but that such summonses have (with two or three excep tions) been entirely disregarded by the persons to whom they were addressed, in consequence, as we believe, of the known in ' attention that has been shown to our former presentments. We, therefore, present our request that the decision of some com petent tribunal may be obtained, first, whether wholesale dealers are compellable to take up their freedom, in order to their carrying on trade within the City, and, if not, then se condly, what constitutes a dealing by wholesale. And, we pre sent our further request that until those questions are decided the articles given in charge to the inquest may be so altered as that the members of the inquest may be relieved from the in vidious inquiries which, under the solemnity of an oath or af firmation, are now so unavailingly cast upon them." Some remark having been made by one of the law officers as to a certain inaccuracy in the language of the presentment, Alderman FARNCOMBE rose and moved that the present ment should be at once received. Alderman FAIRBROTHIR said he merely wished to have the opinion of the Town-clerk as to the admissibility of the present ment, containing, as it did, a charge against those to whom it was addressed. His object was merely to maintain the order and dignity of the Court. Sir PETER LAURIE considered that the inquest had a right to send any presentment they considered it to be their duty to sign to the Court of Grand Wardmote, and that the subject was one of too serious a nature to be subjected to injury or inter ruption by verbal forms. Alderman HUGHES Humus said he felt, for reasons which were perfectly well understood, the deepest interest in the sub ject matter to which the presentment claimed the attention of the Court—the question whether the wholesale dealers could, or could not, be compelled to take up their. freedom. He pledged himself to pay the most scrupulous attention to it when before the Court of Aldermen. The TOWN-CLERK intimated to Alderman Farncombe (the Alderman of Bassishaw-ward) that the reception of the pre sentment was not matter of motions but upon the face of it there was an inaccuracy. It stated that the inquest had before called the attention of the Court to these presentments. Now such was not at all the fact. The present inquest had never done anything of the kind. What had been alluded to was the act of an inquest of a former period. Alderman MUSGROVE said it appeared to him that the Court would not compromise its dignity by receiving a presentment charging it with inattention to former present ments. Alderman FARNCOMBE declared that the gentlemen who had made the presentment never contemplated an offence or slight to the,Court. Their object was to press the attention of the Court to a matter which had, hitherto, whatever might be said to the contrary, been very much neglected.—( Hear. ) Sir PETER LAURIE said the inquest was perfectly justified in the language they had used. They had constantly presented the wholesale dealers of the ward who were not free, and these presentments had been as constantly disregarded. He did not see how such a matter-of-fact statement should be withheld, or how it could be contradicted.—( Hear. ) The Foreman of the inquest begged to be allowed to state to the Court that he and his fellow-jurymen could net act otherwise than they had acted, in making the presentment, with satisfaction to their own consciences. For seventeen years they had been in the habit of returning from 70 to 80 individuals for not having taken up their freedom. Their summonses were now almost wholly disregarded, no more than two out of the number having condescended to take any notice of the proceedings of the Inquest on the recent occasion. The Inquest of Billingsgate Ward presented that certain in dividuals carried on trades in that ward without being free, and complained that the state of the market was such, that dan gerous diseases were to be apprehended if remedy were not applied promptly. The Foreman stated that 60 persons had been summoned to show that they had taken out their freedom, and of that number one only attended.. The Inquest of Bridge Within Ward presented the coach stand near the Adelaide Tavern as a nuisance. They also stated in their presentment that the streets were in a deplor able state of filth, and that respectable persons, particularly females, were subjected to great annoyance by the conduct of idle vagabonds in the neighbourhood of the wharfs at which the steam vessels received and landed passengers. They like wise prayed the attention of the Court to the notorious in stances of neglect as regarded the treatment of non-freemen. The Inquest of Cordwainers Ward handed in a presentment, but it passed sal) silentio, and no mention was made of the dangerous state of Watling - str eet in th e document, notwith standing the fact that the Ald erman of the ward strongly ad vised the Jury to present tha t choked- up thoroughfare as a nuisance ; and Mr. Lott has, in the Court o f C ommon C ounc il, upon every occasion which presented itself, within the last five or six years, spoken of it truly as one of the worst street evils in the whole City. The Inquest of Candlewick Ward presented that King William street was dangerous, in consequence of the want of proper crossings, and that on account of the inattention of the scavenger contractor, the whole neighbourhood was in a state of filthy puddle. The Inquest of Castle Baynard Ward presented Puddle Dock as a filthy and disgusting nuisance, in which masses of animal and vegetable matter were accumulated to the preju dice of the health of the inhabitants of the vicinity. The pre sentment called upon the Court to interpose its authority to cure or abate so dreadful a source of disease, to compel the person who superintended it to do his duty, and to prevent the additional evil arising from the conveyance of all sorts of abomi nation to that place fromvarious parts not at all within thelimits Of the City. Coleman-street Inquest presented that the laxity in the per formance of the duties of the law officers of the City had caused a great increase in the number of non-freeman in that ward, an evil, in the opinion of the jury, calculated to operate most prejudicially to those who were free, in the competition so warmly going forward amongst tradesmen. The LOAD MAYOR—lnquiry shall be made, and if it be found that the law-officers have been remiss, steps shall be taken to make them apply themselves immediately to active exertion. The Dowgate Inquest presente d th at the streets in the ward were so much neglected by the contractor for scavenging the City as to be almost impassable. They also presented that Dowgate Dock was becoming a most intolerable nuisance and offence, and calculated to occasion disease as well as disgust. Several of the precincts of Farringdon Without Ward handed in presentments, with memorials attached to them, complaining, in strong terms, of the indulgence granted by the inspectors to the rich, in not compelling them to become free, and the hard ship inflicted upon the poor in subjecting them to penal inflic tion upon their refusal, from inability, to incur the expense. The Foreman of one of those inquests presented a memorial of rather a singular description. It stated that one of the parties who had been summoned to attend as an inquest-man and who was a wholesale dealer, had refused to perform the duty. The gentleman who had thus refused was a non-freeman, and still Sir James Duke , the alderman of the ward, was of opinion eligible as an inquest man. Now, the freemen t and hat the h e rest w es ofthe inquest did not consider that such a person could legally serve as an inquest-man, inasmuch as amongst other acts which he would have to perform he might be called upon to present to the Court inhabitants of the City of London who, like himself, were non-freemen, and the rest of the jury being freemen, would, by admitting a non-freeman to act with them, be chargeable with illegal acts, while performing what under other circumstances would be the duties they were sworn to execute. The jury presented the individual alluded to, and his partner, as non-freemen. The TOWN-CLERIC here observed that the Inquest had inten tionally not presented any other p erso ns in the ward as non freemen, although they were sworn to present all the non freemen they could find in th e ward. Alderman T. WOOD said it was t h e b o unden duty of the In quest to return all the non-freemen they, could prove to be wanting in the privilege, instead of impugning the decision of Sir James Duke, who was perfectly corr ect in stating that an inhabitant of the ward, whether freeman or non-freeman, was eligible as an inquest-man. Alderman Iltrones Huomiesaid the Inquest Jury ought, instead of selecting one instance; to have done all they could, by presenting all the non-freemen:in the district, to show the extent of .the evil.—(Hear, hear.) They would by such a course show the strongest title to a remedy- The LORD MAYOR said one difficulty described as regarded the omission of the names of other non-freemen was easily conquered. The jury could go back, and attend with another memorial at another time. The Foreman said: the jury had not had time since the 21st of December, to present all the non-freemen of the dis trict. He and his brother jurymen objected to the proposition to have amongst them a non-fr eeman , f r om the palpable incon sistency of the thing. About t wenty - s ix years ago he took up his freedom, and it cost him all th e mo ney he possessed to ac complish that object. Ever since that period he had seen mul titudes of persons flourishing in trade around him who would not become free, and upon whom no compulsion was exercised. Alderman Humus HUGHE S said that he never would be convinced, until he should see it ruled by the Courts above, that a freeman was compellable to act upon a ward inquest. The LORD MAYOR then directed the foreman to send in an additional presentment, including all the other non-freemen of the district. Alderman Goes informed the several inquest that ors who complained of the filthy condition of the streets,if the inhabitants would attend the Commissioners of Sewers next day, and prove breaches of contract before them upon the part of that individual , penalties should most unq uestionably be inflicted. PETITION AGAINST FOUR OF THE CANDIDATES FOR FARRINGDON WITHOUT WARD. Mr. WELLS, one _of the candidates at the late election in the Ward of Farringdon Without, resented a pe titi en a ga inst Tayl ors , Obbard , • Gresham, and Mr, Hodgson. The petition stated that the f ou r gentlemen above named were not inhabitant householders, abiding, dwel lin g , or residin g within the ward, as was required by the laws an d customs of the the return of Mr. Richard City of London, and that, therefore, their election, at all events as regarded them, was null and void, and it prayed that his Loscl- : ship would issue his precept for a new e l e ctio , or amend the return by substltuting for Mr. Taylor, Mr. 0 ba r d, Mr. Gre sham rTi_ and Mr. goaron,* Pa T t l e s pflims?lf the petiti9ner), eptieriegti Alr. "a * d W 04 5 ,1 . i'- ' • • The Loan MAYon said that the petition should be submitted to the next Court of Aldermen, and undergo due consideration, and that notice should be sent round to all parties. Mr. WELLS said he believed that he was a corporator, and that he was entitled to look at certain documents in the Town Clerk's office, which he considered to be necessary to the sup port of his case. Alderman FAREBROTHER said that Court could give no per mission of the kind. It was a Court of Grand Wardmote, ap pointed for a specific purpose. Mr. WELLS said it was quite impossible for him to proceed with his petition without the documents he was desirous of perusing. Alderman FAREBROTHER—Mr. Wells knows very well that he must apply to the Court of Common Council on that subject. Mr. WELLS—I am. rather shy. Alderman FAREBROTHER—That is a very new failing with you, Mr. Wells.—(Laugh ter. ) The Loan MAYOR stated that all the presentments should obtain the most mature consideration.—Adjourned. LAW INTELLIGENCE. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Jan. 8. IN RE THOMAS TULL. The insolvent in this case had been an officer in the Excise, and on that account received a pension of 75.. per annum. The amount of the opposing creditor's debt wag originally 51. 7s. 9d., but when sued, the insolvent defended the action, and this caused law costs to the amount of 191. to be incurred. He now refused to allocate any portion of his pension for the payment of his debts. The Learned CHIEF COMMISSIONER said he thought this was a case which merited the reprehension of the Court, and he should therefore order him to be imprisoned for five months from the date of his vesting order. IN RE WILLIAM FREESTONE. The circumstances of this case were rather peculiar. A female with whom the insolvent lived was possessed of property to the amount of 2001. a year, and the opposing creditors urged that this income should be made available for.the pay ment of the debts. _ The manner in which the creditors became possessed of in formation en the subject was this, that the female, when in her confinement said to the medical gentleman whe attended her, "I have on my mind something to trouble me, my other husband is alive." This was said according to the evidence when the woman was impressed with the fear of immediate dissolution. The insolvent produced a registry of her former marriage, and said that although he knew this fact, yet he had occasion. ally lived with her since he had acquired the information, but eventually left her when he found her in company with an other individual. At present he could not say where she was to be found. The COURT ordered the case to be adjourned in order that his assertions with respect to the alleged marriage should be inserted in his schedule. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) GUILDHALL. Yesterday Susannah Brissenden, aged 19, was charged with attempting to steal a quantity of baby linen, under singular circumstances. Mr. Teralli, of 189, Bishopsgate-street, stated that the pri soner, on the night of the 25th of December, excited consi derable alarm in the house by declaring she had been met on the staircase by a burglar, who had escaped at the back of the house. Some baby linen was found to have been packed up in two bundles, and removed to a different part of the house. Subsequently the prisoner produced three letters addressed to her, in which the thief declared he would have revenge for having been interrupted by her. He also menaced the life of complainant, and the inspector placed a man constantly within call. It turned out, however, that these letters, which were full of the vilest expressions, were written by the prisoner her self, and put in the post-office, and she admitted that the story of the burglar was a fabrication, to disturb the peace of the family. Mr. Alderman J. Jourrsow asked the prisoner what reason she had fer writing such shameful letters ? She said she had no particular reason. The ALDERMAN said she must have had a motive. She said, very calmly, that she wished to disturb the peace of the family. The ALDERMAN asked who had assisted her in it? She said, no person had aided her. Mr. Barry, of Spital-square, stated, that she was the daugh ter of a poor widow, who died in 1840, and she was one of several widows he visited as the member of a charitable society. He took the girl into his house nine years ago, and she was educated with his own children till she was of age to be placed as an assistant to a lady who had a stand in Soho Bazaar. She was allowed 7s. 6d. per week fer her services, and the society to which he belonged added half-a-crown per week more, to enable her to maintain herself. The lady procured a lodging for her, free of expense, by obtaining leave that she should sleep with a servant. This servant was unfortunately a very wicked creature, and had corrupted the prisoner's mind. She was at length detected in pilfering at the Bazaar ;and turned away. The witness took her home again, and placed her in a female penitentiary, where she bore the rigid discipline so well for 15 months, that he was persuaded she was contrite and re formed, and got a friend in Bishopsgate-street to receive her, and teach her household work. While there, she saw the bill at Mr. Teralli's, and entered his service. The ALDERMAN asked where she would go if she were dis charged?—She replied that she would endeavour to get an honest living. .The ALDERMAN, after some conversation with the com plainant, remanded her for afew days, to consider hew she should be disposed of. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. Joseph Brown, a cab-driver, was charged before Mr. Maltby, with furious driving while in a state of intoxication. On Saturday night the defendant was seen driving at a furious pace through Piccadilly, and, after proceeding a short distance, he came with terrible force against a cart, in which a man and his daughter were seated. The shaft of the cart penetrated the body of the cabman'shorse, and it was necessary to kill the animal, which was valued at 10/. Damage was also done to the cart-horse to the amount of 3/. The case having been fully proved, Mr. MALTBY said he should inflict a fine of 10/. for the public offence, order the defendant to pay 3/., the damage done to the cart-horse, and prevent the defendant from again en dangering the safety of the public by at once revoking his license. QUEEN-SQUARE. Sarah, Elizabeth, and Jane Hopwood, three sisters of re spectable appearance, were yesterday placed at the bar, charged with having stolen a quart of coffee, and about 141 b. of coals, from the residence of Mr. C. Bague. At about a quarter past eight o'clock yesterday morning a policeman saw the prisoners Elizabeth and Jane go to the area railings, where they had not stood many minutes when a hand from the area gave them a basket and jug, with which they walked away. He followed, and stopped them, and found in the possession of Elizabeth a basket containing coals and a quart of coffee. Mr. Bague proved that the prisoner Sarah was in his ser vice, and that there was no other person below to hand the property through the area railings. The prisoner Sarah admitted her guilt ; Elizabeth made no defence ; and Jane alleged that she was innocent, as she had merely gone to the house to bid her sister good-by. Mr. Bague was very desirous that the magistrate:should dis pose of this case summarily, but The MAGISTRATE considered it one of those cases which ought to be sent to a jury, and committed the prisoners for trial. WOR SHIP- S TR EE T. George Brown, a journeyman shoemaker, was charged be fore Mr. Broughton with having violently assaulted Catherine Blit,th, a young woman, of respectable appearance, aged 17 ; and a young man named John Tillyer, was charged with having resisted the police, and attempted to rescue the prisoner from custody. No fewer than thirteen witnesses were examined in support of the charge, of whose evidence the following is a short ab stract :—lt appeared that, about six o'clock on Saturday even ing the complainant was passing Whiteeross-street, when she was accosted by the prisoner Brown, who asked her what she meant by having called him "a Newgate thief," and spread other reports that were prejudicial to his character. She felt much surprised at such an accusation, and assured him that he laboured under a great mistake, as she knew nothing whatever respecting him ; but, notwithstanding her denial, the pri soner immediately struck her a violent blow on the face, which cut open her lip and caused a stream of blood to flow from it. The prisoner afterwards struck her a severe blow under the eye, and was proceeding to further acts of violence, when a tradesman, ' named Cockley, who wit nessed the outrage, prevented bins from doing so, and imme diately dispatched his errand boy in search of a policeman. After abusing him in gross language for his humane interven tion the prisoner made off before the arrival of the officer, but some hours after the complainant happened to meet him in an adjoining street and gave him into custody. 'f he policeman, however, had no sooner taken the charge than he was knocked down by a fellow named Dillon, who was in company with the prisoner, and the latter a second time effected his escape, but he was afterwards recaptured in one of the low courts of the neighbourhood, and was conveyed, after a desperate resistance, to the station-house. It required six policemen to secure his caption, an immense mob having assembled, who made repeated efforts to rescue him from custody. The prisoner Tillyer having been observed to take an active part in the resistance that was offered to the police, he was also apprehended and included in the charge. On behalf of the prisoner Tillyer two respectable tradesmen came forward, who expressed themselves confident that the policemen had mistaken him for some other person, as he -was utterly incapable of the outrageous acts that were attributed to him. Jr. BROUGHTON said that the offence with which Tillyer was charged was one of a most serious nature, but he felt some difficulty in deciding upon it after the excellent character he had received, and he should therefore require him to find bail to answer it at the sessions. The prisoner Brown stood on a very different footing, it having been placed beyond doubt that he had committed a most brutal and cowardly assault on a de cent young woman, who had not given him the slightest pro vocation, and he should therefore fine him 505., or commit him, in default, for two months to the House of Correction. ERUPTION OF MOUNT ETNA.—Accounts from Pa lermo, of the 9th ult., state that the eruption of Mount Etna at that period was considered to have come to its termination. For the fortnight previously the old crater continued to send forth hot ashes, smoke, sand, and lava. The latter had continued to flow, but had turned aside from the direction of Bronte, which was deemed out of danger. The lands of Basiliani are half covered over, and it is thought that the lava will go as far as Gripito. The whole distance it has run over is about ten miles, it having gone across the public road in a stream 60 feet wide. On the 24th November a second crater opened near Coriazzo, from which a fresh stream of lava flowed towards Cartiera. It continued to ad vance in the same direction up to the day when the accounts left, making its passage by a frightful accident, which occa sioned a considerable loss of life. Not far from Cartiera the lava collected in a low spot, where a quantity of water was lying. As it continued to form a smoking mass, a number of spectators came from various points to look at the unusut i , spectacle. A number of workmen were also employed in cut ting down the trees near the spot. All at once a loud explo sion was heard, from the steam produced by the lava acting, on the water, and the superincumbent maps was thrown around in all directions with great violence. Vpwards o f sixty per sons were killed or severely burnt by the burning steam and pieces of red-hot lava, some of them at a distance of 159 metres. The horses and muloq whieh had brought the crowd there were also much injured, and the scene is described as an exceedingly lamentable one. The exact number of persons killed is not stated. RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM. — Dming the whole of last week, special services were W9Anteti to he observed daily at the Wesleyan chapel at tlolmArth ; and as early as six o'clopic ici thp Morning numhers of devotees might be observed wending their way towards the meeting-house. It was on one of these occasions that a most melancholy incident occurred, hy which considerable alarm was communicated to the assernW e 4 members. Amongst the congregation was the wife of a ;e, spectable general shopkeeper in the neighbourhood, named Joshua Moseley, a wernan noted for her activity in the Me, thodist cause, and for her regular attendance at () l im p e t O n thii particular occasion, however, she rayed with wore tha n ordinary zeal, and ultimately worked herseit up to such a pi t o. of imaginary and extravagant inspratioo or duel a decidpd state Qf iimujey, in whi-* as to pro- Atsilioetime• ~...ca state Ale still remains. . ••VI 0 ON LEADING QUESTIONS IN POLITICS. If we examine the different periods of our history, we shall find that every one has been distinguished by some measure of engrossing interest which has stood, for the time, in the foreground of general politics, and cast all other questions into the shade. For example, during the first fifteen years of the present century, the all-absorbing question was the conduct of the war with Revolutionary France ; and, until it should be brought to a satisfactory termination, it was clear that no other question would attract the serious attention of the public ; and hence many political questions, of great im portance in themselves, such as the claims of the • Catholics and the state of the Parliamentary repre sentation—could not obtain that degree of considera tion to which they were justly entitled, under other circumstances. When, in 1815, the war was brought to a close, the Catholic question then rose to the first place in British politics ; and, for the next fourteen years, all other public questions—such as Parliamentary reform and fire trade—were viewed as of minor importance, until this great question should be finally settled. After the settlement of the Catholic question, in 1829, the reform of our Parliamentary representation became the leading question of the day ; and, in 1832, it was brought to a settlement, which, although not founded upon any broad principles, would appear to have been viewed, by the leaders of the movement, at the time, as a final adjustment of the question. Free trade then became the prime question of the age ; and although, for some time it made but slow progress, it has advanced of late with such rapidity, that every person of discernment must be satisfied that the term of its adjustment cannot be far distant, and all must be sensible that there cannot now be any respite to the political agitation which it has en gendered, except by a complete triumph of its prin ciples ; and further, it must be abundantly manifest that no other matter of national interest can be pur sued, with any rational prospect of success, while the question of free trade holds its present position in the politics of the day. This, indeed, is so much the case, that we have heard even Tories admit that, al though still convinced of the expediency of corn-laws, they were so sensible that public opinion had set in against them so decidedly, that no hopes of resisting their abolition could now be reasonably entertained ; and, as the agitation created by the contending parties was most prejudicial to the interests of the country, they would be happy to see the prin ciples of free trade conceded nt once by the pre sent Cabinet. For our own part, we are so im pressed with the conviction that all other plans of national improvement are at present brought to a stand-still by the attention of the public being so much turned to the question of free trade, that we deem it our duty to urge it upon all those who feel an interest in such schemes, not to delay coming forward and helping to effect a speedy settlement. of the question which, at present, obstructs the progress of all others. We would beg to assure the friends of Complete Suffrage, that we are as much convinced as they can possibly be of the necessity for a new reform in our Parliamentary representation, and are heartily willing to join them in their efforts to accomplish this object; and to those who have set their hearts on establishing some general scheme of national education, we have to say that we sincerely respect their devotedness to so noble a cause, and are eager to co-operate with them therein when the proper time for it shall arrive ; and the advocates of Church reform may be well assured that we are as great sticklers for freedom in religion as in trade. But we do beg to submit it to the consideration of all who contend for these great measures, that, from the posi tion which the free trade question has acquired, there is not the slightest chance of any one of these ques tions being taken up effectually until the other has been finally adjusted. To discuss the merits of this question, we hold to be now utterly superfluous ; for we scan scarcely bring ourselves to think a person in earnest who would maintain that the corn-laws are for the benefit of the country at large, and fancy that few Con servatives even will venture to controvert the opinion of Sir James Graham, that " the principles of free trade are those of common sense." Indeed, if ever there was a great question upon which all persons of reflection and intelligence were agreed, it is this— that the present system of corn-laws is a very bad one, and cannot, by any means, be kept up much longer. Now, this being the case, and it being ap• parent to all that the doom of the present Corn-laws is written, why, we repeat, does not every friend to national improvement, whether Whig or Tory, come forward now to accelerate a change which he knows to be inevitable ? We are in hopes that the next meeting of Parliament will bring about the settle ment of this important measure, provided the advocates for it now act with sufficient zeal and determination ; and, as it must be admitted that Aberdeen has not yet distinguished itself so promi nently upon this national question as it did upon that of Reform, we trust it will now come forward, and show, by its demonstration on the 15th inst., that the principles of free trade are as well understood and appreciated here as in Manchester, Birming ham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, or any other of the great towns. It strikes us that the only difference which can possibly now exist among Liberals, on this question is whether we ought to have total abolition (which, for many reasons, we decidedly support), or a moderate fixed duty, fot the sake of revenue ; and this difference is certainly not of sufficient im portance for the two parties to keep aloof from one another. One consideration we would beg leave to press upon the attention of both these parties— namely, to beware that they do not fall into the mis take which was committed at the settlement of the Reform question, when, by agreeing to a partial measure, the advocates of it effected but a temporary adjustment of it, and have left to us the necessity of again undergoing the turmoil and exertion necessary to accomplish a final settlement. We do hope (and we feel confident that every intelligent person who desires earnestly to promote the moral improvement and material interests of the country, will join us in the wish) that the next change which takes place in our system of corn-laws will be a final settlement of the great question of free trade.—Aberdeen Herald. VISIT FROM A DEPUTATION OF THE LEAGUE. At length it may be said that corn-law emancipa tion is almost within reach. The gigantic injustice perpetrated by the corn-laws bids fair to be speedily numbered among the things that were. England, throughout all its towns and most of its counties, is speaking out in accents which are neither to be over looked nor misunderstood ; and Scotland is as firm and as determined too. With a free press, a penny postage, and the right of public discussion, the cause of a nation, founded upon justice and maintained with energy, is drawing visibly nearer to the moment of final and complete success. And when that day has come, and the peaceful and bloodless laurels of the triumphs of argument and truth have been won, the history of the corn-law contest will form one of the most remarkable eras in the annals of the kingdorii. When it is remembered that the Anti-Corn-law League is a body self-originated, and, in the strictest sense, non-partisan--a body which a few years ago was yet in an embryo state, composed of a few public spirited citizens of Manchester,•all of whom probably might have been contained within an ordinary pri vate room—its rise and growth to its present colossal proportions are without a parallel in our history. Never before was there so much energy, intelligence, wealth, and numbers, similarly organised and arrayed outside the walls of Parliament; never before did the middle classes assume a shape so distinct and palpable, or take up a position so quietly abreast of the other " powers that be ;" never before was there such a vote of confidence passed by a large portion of the people in favour of such a body, as the raising of a subscription of 50,000/. for the last year, followed by a subscription of 100,0001. for the year now current. And when it is considered how vast a power hcs accrued to the leaders of the League, deep is the debt of gratitude which should be felt for the manner in which they have acquitted themselves of their most onerous duties. In spite of gross provocation, in de. fiance of all attempts to intimidate, and with the quiet and resolute calmness of men confiding impli citly that truth is great and will assuredly prevail, they have hitherto conducted the great movement with eminent moderation and judgment. The earnest eloquence, the clear temperate reasoning, and the manly courage of Mr. Cobden and his distinguished friends (some of whom are now about to visit S-- ot _ land along with him on their philanthron:-: mission) have long ago silenced everythine• argument on the side of the monopolist!, and have even well nigh The shamed their l ib el . l .Jrs into mutes. The ri:,7fuation • by which the monopolists, from the vaunting tone of confident defiance in 1841, have come rapidly down to their present level, is one of those instances of railway- progress which seems to characterise so many great movements of late years. In the session of 1842, there were at least some quack arguments offered on behalf of the corn-laws, followed up by copious libels on the manufacturers supporting the League, which were uttered appa rently in the vain hope of diverting attention from the subject at issue. But these resources soon failed. Then the session of 1843 arrived, and " do-nothing," " say-nothing," was the order of the day—an order most implicitly followed, save when some Mem ber or some Minister (like Sir E. Knatchbull) blundered out the suicidal plea, that the corn laws must be maintained in order to keep up rents, and enable landowners to provide the better for their wives and children. That session passed away, ani while the influence of Parliament with the country was Palpably on the wane, the influence of the _deague was monthly and almost daily on tW in crease. And now the session of 1 , 44 is about to open. What may be the xlext move of the monopo lists, it were vain to conjecture ; there being no Moo after check mate, which seems to be their present position. But nevertheless there are two things re specting which a prediction may be ventured, and both seem worthy of some attention. The first is, that free discussion and the corn-laws cannot much longer exist together ; and unless the people can be compelled to forego the former, the monopolists mutt make up their mind to part with the latter. The f P cord 13, that, judging from the recent tokens exbilmtcd by the election-hustings, if the monopolists persist much longer in their present course, they will teach the much calumniated League manufacturers, a speeini of new manufacture of which the monopolists are litt/i dreaming—the manufacture of a majority of ti House of Commons.—Scotsman. THE ALLEGED DETENTION OF SUM OF MONEY BY THE PORTUGUESY GOVERNMEN T. The following is the copy of a letter transmitted I e Lloyd's by Messrs. Melhuish, Gray, and Co., receive(' by them from the Foreign-office, upon the subject). the alleged detention of a sum of money by the Po tuguese Government, produced by the sale of a portie : of the cargo of the Chatham, wrecked on the coastak Portugal, which appears to exonerate that Goverr ment from the charge of vexatious caution : " Foreign-office, Jan. 5, 1844. " Gentlemen,—'With reference to your letter of the 6th of December last, respecting the delay of the Portuguese Government to pay over to the proper parties the sum produced by the sale of a portion of the cargo of the Chatham, a vessel which was wrecked on the coast of Portugal in November, 1842, I am directed by the Earl of Aberdeen to acquaint you that he has received a dispatch from Lord Howard de Walden, enclosing a Report from her Majesty's Consul at Lisbon, upon the circumstances connected with the delay of which you complain. , " Mr. Smith states that the Messrs. Bendel], the agents for Lloyd's at Figueras, made known to him that they held proper authority from the master of the Chatham, and trom the parties interested iu her cargo, to receive the amount which was in the hands of the Portuguese authorities. He immediately applied to the Portuguese Minister of Finance upon the matter; that, after a considerable lapse of time, the power held by Messrs. Rendall was submitted by Mr. Paize, their agent at Lisbon, to the Minister of Finance, who re ferred it to the Treasury Board, and that the docu ment was deemed insufficient by the Treasury, be cause it was not signed by all the owners of the cargo of the Chatham. Mr. Smith states that Mr. Paize was duly informed of this by the Minister of Finance, who suggested that the amount of the sale should be immediately paid through the Portuguese financial agent in London, to the solicitors for Lloyd's, or to any other parties legally authorised to receive the money, upon their giving such an acknowledgment as would release the Portuguese Government from all further responsibility in the matter. Mr. Paize con sidered this proposal fair and satisfactory, but could not accede to it without first consulting his principals, who, when consulted, appear to have refused to accede to the arrangement. " Mr. Smith further reports that, he has no doubt, from a conversation which he has had with the Por tuguese Minister of Finance, that such a proposal will he submitted for the final settlement of this busi ness, as will be considered satisfactory. " I am, Gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant, .(Signed) " CANNING. " To Messrs. Mellhuish, Gray, and Co." TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—The Liverpool Times has an article on the subject of the poachers who, the other day, were convicted of killing Lord Derby's game keeper, and argues forcibly and praiseworthily to save the lives of all except the actual killer. Now, seeing that there are at this time persons under sentence of death in several gaols in this kingdom, and many persons are anxious on the subject of their fate, I may venture to say that, in future, no persons will suffer death fir any offence. That most horrible custom ha's ceased. Such is the case, as all must admit who remem ber the escape from death of Stolzer, who was ordered for execution at the Old Bailey in No vember last, for as cold-blooded a murder as ever was perpetrated, but who, I am glad to know, was reprieved from death and transported for life, instead of being publicly strangled in the open street. This, of course, puts an end to the punishment of death, as it is morally impos sible that any one should, after the escape of this Berman, suffer this barbarous punishment. Your obedient servant, Jan. 5, 1844. B. T. PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE OF FIFTY-THREE FISHER' smr.—On the morning of the Ist instant, at five o'clock, nine fishing boats and fifty-three men left Aberdeen for the fishing ground, with light winds from the south-west. Soon after sunrise, the wind suddenly increased to a heavy gale, right off the land, and by ten o'clock blew a hurricane, rendering their position almost hope less. Every exertion was made to pull in for the land, but their efforts were in vain, and they became quite exhausted. By a merciful interposition of Providence, her Majesty's revenue cruiser Greyhound, Lieutenant Dooley, R.N., commander, was running to the southward at the time, and fell in with the scattered boats, eight miles off the land, with their crews so exhausted that to reach the shore was impossible, ana nothing but a watery grave before them. This humane officer and his gallant crew lost not a moment in affording them every relief, and before noon had succeeded is getting every man on board, some of whom were upwards of seventy years of age, so weak from exertion that they required to be " parbuncled" up the side of the cruiser. The boats were all taken in tow, and every effort made to preserve them and the property ; but the gale continuing, and the sea increasing, some of them already sinking or sunk, the last two were cut away about three in the afternoon. It has since been ascertained that all the boats had reached the shore in safety, ex cept two; and even these, it is to be koped, have been picked up by some vessel, or made some harbour to the. northward. The poor fellows were all landed in safety at Leith on Tuesday, the 2d instant, and taken charge Of by the managers of the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mari ners' Benevolent Society. They embarked for their homes on Thursday, on board the Bonny Dundee steamer, at Granton.--* Edinburgh Paper. DEAFNESS.—A highly interesting paper on the efficacy of Arnica Montana in the cure of Nervous Deafness wet read on Saturday afternoon, by Dr. Cronin, of Craven-street. In the introductory part the lecturer observed, that there was a wide distinction between Nervous Derangements and structural changes. After noticing the difference between deafness arising from mere torpor or increased nervous ac tion, and that which arises from structural alteration of the organs, he remarked that deafness was much more prevalent than generally imagined, and attributed the frequent failure of aurists to the total inattention to those distinctions. He next entered into a general outline of the natural history, chemical constitution, and medicinal virtues of the Arnica, showing that it possessed stimulating properties, which were rapidly succeeded by tranquillising or sedative effects. That from the relief afforded in several distressing nervous affections, he via. induced to try it in Nervous Deafness ; that it was attended, with complete success . Th e D oc t or hen brought f o rwar d several well-marked eases, which, having resisted the ordinal treatment, were rapidly relieved by Arnica ; and concluded most important and interesting lecture, which was listened to with marked attention by the professional and other gentle men who were present, by stating that the College of Physician. • had expunged this valuable medicine from their present Phar macopeia, but hoped in their next it would be restored to itr old place. On Monday, the Bth instant, the Venerable Archdeacon Sinclair laid the first stone of the New Church , • St. John's, Kensington. The site of the church is on eminence opposite to Notting Hill, and commands a viow of the whole surrounding country. The building will be i n tho Gothic style of architecture, and if the funds prove sufficien tg will include a tower and spire. Provision will be made for the accommodation of 1,500 persons. On Sunday last the Arch deacon opened for Divine Service the new 'National School" rooms in the Potteries of Kensington, preparatory to the ere" tion of another church for the north-western - portion of th e parish. BIRTHS. On the Bth inst., at Long Itchington, Warwickshire, the ladY of the Rev. C. Otway, of a son. un the 19th ult., at Carlisle, Mrs. W. F. Simon, of a soo• On the 3d in s t., a t T re d egar -pl ace , the hely of J. W. NY° iv Esq., of a daughter. On the 3d inst., in Cadogan-place, the lady of W. Bridger, Esq., of a daughter. On the 4th inst., at Epsom, the wife of Arthur Williad Woods, Esq., of a daughter. On the sth inst., at Orleans, the lady of James Thomas g a l' Esq., of a son. On the sth inst., in Park- roa d, R egent ' s - par k , t h e I*-Y et Samuel J. Pullin, Esq., of a son. On the 6th i ns t., i n P ark-village West, Regent's-par'b, the lady of John Morison, Esq. ' of a daughter. On the 6th inst., the lady of the Rev. Jame;, y au gbal" Brighton, of a daughter. On the 7th inst., in Notting-hill -square, the, wif e of J. Loc k ' Esq., of a daughter. On the 7th inst., at Portman-square, the lady of Sir Al i° E. Bellingham, Bart., of a daughter. a of On the 7th bust, the lady of James W. Deacon, E s q'' Sotitheriek-place, nyde-parklseioare, of a son. On the ith inst., in Eatort-square, the wife of Graham O n' it ^ 7.,e, Esq., of a daughter. of On the 7th inst., th e w if e of Samuel F. Bilton, Esq.' Regent-square, barrister, of a son. ARRIED. On the 6th i ns t., at Fulham Church, Augustus Waller, las M.D., of St. M ary Abbott's-terrace, Kensington, to M 4 1 0.. Margaret, on l y d aug h ter o f J o h n Walls, Esq., of Bloom" square. On the Bth inst., at Christ Church, the Rev. William ",..`"0. • Nott, eldest son of Majer-General Sir William Nott, &c., Adela Elizabeth H e l gar , on ly d aug hter of lt" , ' General Farrer. lED. On the Bth i ns t., a t hi s ssiden ce, Upper Stamford-1! .eot Mr. ..I.)lin flousfiel,l, formerly of Manchester, merchant, ag e " On the 26th of August, at Singapore, Captain W. = ,1 1, 1 4.• On the 3, th of October, at Calcutta, W. A. TrAgu e ' of her Majesty's 10th Foot. a ged ! On the 17th ult., at Wandsworth, Ameli- 4 Fisher, aged ", years; on the Ist of January, Caroline, Elizabeth , . a,g_ ea 01 years ; and on the 3d, Alice, aged 41 , years ; the chtla` Mr. Joseph Conigrave. Hora tio On the Ist inst., in Morni Tahourdin, of the Chancery P : - .egister-offiee. tit 14 ' On the 3d inst., at Abbo'es-hill Derby, Elizabeth An :igton-crescent, Mr. a' - lict of the late Miles Mu ;day French, ' Esq. r, eo 4ll ‘ On the 6th inst., M''..-. Thomas Joseph Severne, a , —(4 street, aged 66. On the 7th inst., at Dalston-terrace J. A. On the 7th in , ,i., John Jones, Esq., of ' Upper Nortonles Fa, Oa the 7 0 :, inst., at Studland Do r setshire, Sired' Char mund INl a g 8 b , • Aigent, G. C. H., Admiral of t 1... uso, o; Lo:,don: Printed and Published by MURDO Y ° l3 .....ndsi P Ne. 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 1122, a. "" • the cfnuity of Middlesex, Tuesday, January 9, 10 " A. Barnes,:rs_it , al id S r, el 'lnn to SKIP C E N elleis P; Ner s i n n ! SIG BY the lands yn„, Fen tures t • yet n tlee 1 its 41 have e t4 'e• b 'tut C 11„ 11 e, t fo r . akeet tre a d Its e ffic Eo . C it 1 ' 'ft Le ate uati an ef t lr tnc leti; ti t `estim t r4t r 4 1411 ext r 1 Po, i ‘ . s 1' 1 ,7 eas -- e 4g Sou 1 ye ars. th ° not teeyetore Al e e 4 iod i kr , lte hatec be h -4 °iat L — t ° th ( , to l ekl, s °4 tAft er ," 4 a ktioweurain THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUAR \? 9, 1844.