The Sun. — London, England, 1839-03-25 00:00:00

Tr FN ENG EDITION. SKETCHES AT RANDOM. " JOE." The reader who should hastily conclude, from the :onosvliabic laconicism of this title, that it desig tcd nothing of moment, would manifest consider- 1.)le shallopness of understanding and superficiality of ju:!ginent. We shall elicit from it a character, and show each letter to be potent with interest. The characters of Shakspeare have been . pre erFiinently lauded by certain profound critics, as so many heads of classes ; while other no less sapient commentators have professed to find the main ex c.llence of those characters in their personal indi is ity. As Sir :Roger de Coverley would say, is much to be said on both sides." But we to assure all who read these our " Sketches" e intend not to liken them to the matchless its of our immortal dramatist, in anything but hat they embrace at once, delineations of in 'als, and descriptions of classes. The English are a gastronomical nation. We to this not so much as a truism, which, for some Curies, has been notorious, but as a fundamental I universally admitted axiom on which to base ev , logical deductions. With the French, who dine on soup nzaigre, 'cassees—with the Italians who are contented acids and olives ; dinner is by no means a bus anir. With us English, however, our are important, nay, they are an essential lent of our national character. To an Eng ler is the most important epoch in his . ; the event which gives to the whole t period of his diurnal existence—its this story To those who may be somewhat startled by this, , ur masticatory philosophy, we would recall Dr. Johnson's honest enthtviasm, when he declared ern " Sir, I mind my stomach." Slight reflection would convince every one of the truth of the .c' s rcat lexicographer's maxim. As the influence the body on the mind is perhaps stronger than that. of tilt; mind on the body (for the correctness of which we confidently appeal to daily experience)._ -liriugh what agency can that influence " be more powerfully exercised than by the medium of our— , dinners." The characteristic pugnacity of the British has hecn ascribed by foreign nations to our carniverous propensities ; and Gallic philosophers have not scrupled to traca to our beef and mutton meals, our indomitable and unconquerable courage. We think there is much soundness in the argument. That dinners exert a powerful influence on human temper and disposition we have high authority for averring. When a great hero has refused a request, Shakspeare attributes it to his not having dined : ____ , c When we have filled, These pipes, and these conveyances of our blood, With wine, and feeding, we have suppler souls Than in our priest-like souls." Tlif?rc never was a more penetrating observer of human nature than the Bard of Avon. Is not this, his theory, borne out by daily and hourly experi ence ? Who ever was denied a favour when it was asked of a person who had just well-dined Not we. And when is it that people are so unwontedly liberal?—at charitable dinners; or, indeed, so marvel- I ouslvgood humoured and benevolent ?—at dinners in general. Hear Lord Byron : " Of all appeals—although I grant the power of pathos, and of gold, Of beauty, flattery, threats, a shilling—no Methods more sure at moments to take hold Of the best feelings of mankind (which grow Mnre tender, as we every day behold), Than that all-softening, overpowering knell_.. The tocsin of the soul—the dinner-bell." Now Byron is an impartial witness, forli. ed to dine—on potatoes and soda-water. Had he dined more substantially he would have been less misanthropic, though perhaps not so poetical. Ingenious speculations have been formed as to the peculiar effects of different species of diet on the human character. We ourselves would be bound to make a: shrewd guess at the disposition of any man if we were told how he dined. These, however, are topics so weighty, and requiring such research, that RI) decline entering into them at pre ! sent. But what have D r. Johnson, and Shakspeare, and Byron, to do with " Joe " ? Thus much : that they have laid a foundation for three simple propositions— Ft rat, that to Englishmen dinners are—vital : secondly, aught pertaining to dinners, must therefore, be here interestin g : thirdly, that dining houses are in this metropolis much in vogue : and fourthly, that con sequently those who minister therein, are worthy to to be described. And herewith, we purpose to dis course upon a waiter. Yet we select not our speci men from the vulgar tribe of " Yes-sirs," and Corning-sirs." No. Him of whom we are to trot is no ordinary waiter (though he may wait at ua or•dinarzy).. He is of the aristocracy of waiters— tiie very elite of serving-men. He soars as high above the common menials of his profession, as Sir Astlev Cooper above the bunglers in surgery, or Thall;er,g above the tyros in music. Joe bath that innate sense of dignity which is the invariable accompaniment of conscious superi orit,•. He offereth not himself to the vulgar gaze of the canaille, who resort to the dining-room at the plebeian hours of twelve and one. He reserveth himself for those higher orders, who can defer the Momentous meal till two. Then he cometh down, arrayed in the glories of full dress. Yes, worked cambric ehirt, and flowered silk vest, with a snow white handkerchief thrown over his left arm, he •valks into the the room with the courtly air of a Lord Chamberlain : with the condescending affihility of a prince. He does not yet mingle, in the actual business of the scene. lle stands aside in the calm attitude of attintive observation ; giving, perhaps, an oc casional direction to his subordinate officials. When the more elevated dinners—the three o'clocks —begin to arrive, Joe deigneth to "take orders." But how ? " Aye, there's the rub I" Herein chiefly Both Joe differ from the common herd. Does he incoherently gabble over an unintelligible list of dishes ? No : in euphonious accents, and with a ,of dignity, too, which exalts the subject bov . e its customary grossness, he delivers the catalogue, commencing, with judicious at the plainer and more solid joints, rising the impressive at the " roast pig," gliding into soft at the mock turtle, becoming musical at Partridge," and positively eloquent, at the The common waiter merely runs gh an undistinguisliable variety of eatables : is a feeling of coarse grossness created by You imagine yourself a mere feeding animal, Joe reminds you of a connoisseur enumerating e trasterpteces of art ; you feel a relief from the iqiatin:? viiloarity of eating. c . ), when Joe asks 'you for your choice, your Lied ideas, if vou have any, are not subjected to ,t repulsive shock which they experience when a c-minded wretch of a waiter puts to you roughly question, " Roast mutton and taturs," or, Biied beef and carrots ?" Neither is the fasti- ison; thro tiler dices appetite tortured by the revolting repetition of sotre much-loathed dish—calves' liver and bacon," or pork and sausages." Joe is a skilful advocate. He etimuneratei the different viands, with caution and delicacy—watches carefully your countenance all the while, and notes the effect which each arti cle produces—wisely refrains from p ress i ng th a t r „hid, appears to excite aversion —awaits your se- Ilection with deferential and considerate silence— resorts not to the degradation of "puffing," till pressed to give his opinion as to the merits of rival dishes, which he does with unimpeachable discrimination of judgment and eiegant appropriateness of terms—as though criticising a cliff dceuvre of Raffaers, or a work of Scott's—and with strict impartiality also—unless one of the dishes he knows to be not ready, or to have vanished, when he will throw the whole weight of his eloquence into the opposite scale, and never fails of success. We consider Joe a master of rhetoric—talk of Cicero and Demosthenes, or Burke and Brou,gham —they might " wield fierce democracies," or f' charm listening senates"—but could any of them have " seduced an Englishman from his pre , determined appetite ?—could they have allayed the anger of one disapppointed gastronomist ? No. But Joe has accomplished such feats. The be witching eloquence of his honied tones has con vinced a grumbling customer that meat rather better than raw is " beautifully done"—that a substance hearing a strong resemblance to well-macerated brown d that paper is fine-flavoured, juicy beef—an j. the most impregnable potatoe that ever opposed its share than adamantine hardness against the vain assaults of knife, or fruitless thrusts of fork, is an , 1 ezeelle nt , mealy vegetabl e . T he main distinction of a gentl eman has been i de9neil by some distinguished writer as self-posses sion• O n t hi s henry Joe Joe i y s a gentleman of no or dinary pretensions. He is the very impersonation of easy collectedness—the actual embodiment of all that could be imagined of imperturbable coolness. He paces the apartment with the noiseless softness of a ball-room. He discourses with the most equa ble and gentle politeness. The fall of a soup-dish — direst catastrophe of a dining-room—disconcerts him not. The demolition of a wine bottle—most awful of a waiter's calamities—shakes not his composure. Undisturbed by the frightful clash and clatter of gastronomy—undistracted by the multiplicity of con tradictory calls—he issues his orders with brief pre cision and unfailing exactness. Joe is a " great arithmetician." A good deal has beeen written about men who could calculate decimals and " square the cube root, without the use of pen or pencil, paper or slate. But their attainments sink into nothing when viewed in com panion with Joe's. Let any person who wishes to see practical arithmetic in perfection behold Joe in the very hurry and press of business—every moment bringing with it a fresh " call," or a new order"—coolly estimating the debt of each person, with no other preparation or opportunity of calcula tion than that afforded by the bare enumeration of a lone list of items. Joe was never known to make an error—on his own side. .Where will such a bright exemplification of Cocker be found. Joseph Hume?—No. He might aspire to the simple operation of " roast beef, plum-pudding, bread, and potatoes ;" but he never could achieve the complicated problem of soup, fish, flesh, fowl, three different vegetables, four different wines, pastry ad libitum, sauces ad i7!finitunz—all which we have seen Joe, with marvellous celerity, accom plish. Joe is a philosopher—he has studied in that loftiest school—human nature. We once were curious enough to interrogate Joe as to the ma chinery whereby he was enabled to keep the com bined accounts of so many dozen individuals, as often dine under his directions at one and the same time. Instead of enlightening us as to some un known rule in arithmetic, or some wondrously swift method of book-keeping, he told us that he left it to each gentleman's honour. " But are there not sometimes suspicious characters ?" " Yes ; but I find them out directly, and keep a sharp look out upon them." " And were you never done, Joe ?" " Not of a single plate," was the triumphant re joinder. Hence we gather a consolatory refutation to those who reason on the entire and universal depravity of human nature. But what a power of mental perception must Joe's eye possess, in an instant to detect premeditated swindling and dor mant Dando-ism !—Worthy of Richelieu It would take a volume, or a newspaper, to deli neate the manifold excellencies of Joe. We can only mention one more—the manner in which he receives the fees of office. This is a most delicate point ; it affords us at once a test by which to dis criminate the gentleman waiter from the vulgar. Equally removed from sordid grasping and fawning, he accepts the penny with proud indifference— the twopence he deigns to acknowledge with a condescending nod—to the more liberal threepence he graciously accords a dignified " Thank you, Sir." Where is the scene of Joe's glories ?—East of Temple-bar. THE RUSSELL ANTI-REFORM ARGUMENT. (From the Weekly True Sun.) The reply of Lord John Russell to Mr. Hume's speech on Household Suffrage is a specimen of disingenuousness so flagrant that, even after all our experience of the depths to which Whiggery can descend, it plunges his Lordship lower than ever in our estimation. It is a speech replete with the very reasonings and assertions that were employed by the Tories against his,own Bill, and that, if they be justly employed now, were not less justly employed on that occasion. If Lord John be honest in them, he ought not merely to oppose Mr. Hume's mo tion, but to move the repeal of the Reform Bill. He should confess and do penance. There is no escape for his wisdom or honesty. And it would he more manly to come forward and say, " I see my error ; I acknowledge the gross ignorance of my former pleadings, or the delusion I passed upon the people in my sham Reform, and I beg pardon of the Cause of Corruption and of the gentlemen opposite for the offences which I now fully retract." The Tories perhaps will forego this humiliation for the sake of the service his Lordship renders by his doctrine of finality. One great argument relied upon by his Lordship is precisely that which the Tories ceaselessly urged against the abolition of nomination boroughs. Only it was really a stronger argument as applied to indi vidual nomination, than it is now as applied to very small constituencies. The use of these small con- stituencies is, he says, that in "periods of great po pular excitement, persons of very great talent who might have rendered themselves unpopular in large constituencies might be enabled to get into Parlia ment." How far it is good that public responsi bility should be thus defeated, the public will be baffled, and the punishment which public opinion awards, be nullified or reversed, we shall not now inquire. Enough to say that the process is in direct defiance of the principle of representa tion. But supposing'the evil to be a good, as Lord J. Russell assumes, the proprietary Peer, or other boroughmonger, was a fitting agent for its accomplishment. He saved his nominee the forms of election and ignominy of defeat. He made his man of much talent a legislator, on the strength of his own personal appreciation of individual desert. And many reasons can be imagined why a borough monger, whether Peer or untitled capitalist, might, with all the honesty of his nature, think well of a candidate of whom the public thought ill. But not so with Lord John's little constituencies. Why should a small constituency take to a man whose conduct has offended a large constituency ? If "persons of very great talent" conduct themselves so that the majority of a constituency of five thousand voters deem them ineligible, the chances are that a majority of a constituency of one hundred voters will think them ineligible also? Opinion is not contingent on a man's belonging to a club of five thousand mem bers, or to one of a hundred members. What makes the rejected legislator stand a better chance with the smaller number ? Corruption ! and nothing else. It is easier to bribe the little majo rity than the large majority. The small boroughs are a reserve for the especial purpose of corruption on behalf of those whom the people reject. Lord John's plan is worse than the old Tory plan, just in the degree that electoral corruption is worse than direct individual nomination. Lord John does not wish these corruption re serves to return " an unfair proportion of members." What is their fair proportion ? The constituen cies numbering fewer than 1,000 votes each, return 219 Members out of the 360 Borough Members of Great Britain. They possess three-fifths of the entire borough representation I There are three fifths for corruption, and two-fifths for honesty ! A reserve of three-fifths for persons of " very great talent," but of very great unpopularity, who are unacceptable to the other two-fifths I If this be reform, what, in the name of Heaven, is corruption ? There is one class of the " persons of very great talent" for whom this ingenious theory makes no provision : viz., those who have scruples about em ploying the reculiar means of persuasion adapted to small constituencies. Lord John leaves unpopular honest ability under the ban. He takes no care of talent when it keeps company with integrity. An honest man might accept the nomination of a boroughmonger ; an honest man will not set about bribing a constituency. In this respect also is the Russell reform worse than the old Tory system. There is a hint in his Lordship's speech that should not be thrown away. Alluding to the artisans, he observes, " if that very important class had entered into his (Mr. Hume's) scheme, it might have in creased the inducements of the House to adopt his plan, but there was nothing of the kind." There is in this allusion the dishonesty that pervades the speech. Had all the Chartists in the kingdom peti tioned for Household Suffrage, Lord John very well knows that his own disposition, and the disposition of the House would have been just the same. He knows very well that, not considered as a restriction, but considered as an extension, Household Suffrage is a portion of the Chartist plan. Universal Suffrage includes Household Suf frage as the greater includes the less. It has all the weight that attaches, in Lord John's real opinion, to the authority of the Chartists and artisans ; and it has the additional weight of all those classes who are for a broader suffrage, but who stop short of its universality. The pettifogging sophism recoils therefore on its author. The trick is evident. The fallacy is glaring. Nor is it other than a painful and humbling spectacle to see the author of the Reform Bill reduced to such petty shifts by his nonsense about its finality, and to wear the characteristic disingenuities of a Peel repeated by a Russell. But though untrue to himself in this remark, it yet has some truth in itself, as to the advantage, not of implied opinion but of direct and energetic co operation. Had the Chartists and middle classes combined, they might have commanded the repeal of the Corn-laws. Were the Chartists and middle classes to combine, they might command the House hold Suffrage. And what shorter road to Universal Suffrage? If the answer be "by a fight," we must confess our doubts. FOREIGN TRADE OF FRANCE DURING THE YEAR 1838. [ln the chief commercial journal of France, the Commerce of March 18, there is an excellent paper on this subject, of which the following is an abriged account. The writer appears to have drawn up the statement with great care and impartiality, point ing out, at the same time, the gross defects of their present prohibitory system, and the new measures which a liberal Ministry should adopt to increase the resources of the country.] The trade of France with foreign countries and her colonies suffered great depression during the year 1837. The amount of imports remained nearly stationary, while the exports had fallen off about one-fifth, chiefly in articles of manufacture, and the value of goods imported and entered for ex portation had decreased one-third, being in the pro portion of 208 to 147. This decrease has arisen from various causes—from the defects of commer cial legislation, the faults of the Government, but chiefly from the commercial crisis in the United States. An improvement had been expected in 1838, and as regards imports this has taken place, the amount, as far as can be ascertained, having exceeded that of 1836, but there is no ground for believing that the exports, which had fallen off to the amount of four millions and a half sterling, have resumed their former activity. The first official document which holds out a fa vourable prospect is the return of the Customs' duty. The revenue from this important branch of indirect taxes in 1837 amounted to ab0ut4,500,000/., and in 1838 to 4,720,0001., higher than it had been at any former period, and it is worthy of remark that this increase has taken place, notwithstanding the reduction, or more properly speaking, in conse quence of the reduction of duty. In fact, the increase in the Customs has taken place chiefly on foreign wool, which produces a revenue three times as large as it did before the reduction. In England the Customs give an annual gross revenue of 22,000,0001., and in France, under proper Custom house regulations, it might certainly produce a third or even a half of that amount. At the head of the raw materials which form the ground work of French commerce and industry may be placed cotton, wool, and silk. The manu facture of cotton goods, which remained stationary in 1837, made a considerable advance in 1838, the quantity of cotton imported in the latter year having increased from 94,600,000 lbs. to 112,200,000 lbs. or nearly one-fifth. Great as this is, however, it is considerably smaller than the increase which has taken place in England during the same period, which amounted to not less than 59,400,000 lbs. The total quantity im ported into England in 1838 was 418,000,000 lbs., and if we take the ten years between 1828 and 1838, we find that while the amount in France has risen from 59,400,000 lbs. to 112,000,000 lbs., in England it has risen from 183,000,000 lbs. to 418,000,000 lbs., so that the proportional increase is greater in the latter country, though the cotton manufactures there had already reached a much greater height. Speaking only of the year 1838, it was nearly four times as great in Eng land as in France, and this comparison shows what an expansion may yet be given.to our manufac turing system. Havre is still the great cotton market. The imports at Marseilles in 1838 re mained stationary, and Havre at present imports three times as much cotton as all the other seaports in the kingdom. The woollen manufacture has increased still more than that of cotton. The importation of fo reign wool, which in 1837 amounted to 22,000,000 lbs., had reached 33,000,000 lbs. in 1838, and notwithstanding the competition thus caused be tween foreign wool and the home grown, the latter has still maintained its price, thus demolishing at once all the arguments raised by the interested landowners in 1834, against a reduction of the duty in foreign wool. - Notwithstanding this vast increase the trade still goes on improving, and the Treasury reaps its share of the benefit. Previous to the year 1834 the import duty was 33 per cent., and produced a revenue of about 120,0001., while in 1838 the duty being reduced to 22 per cent., it produced 400,0001. Thus, by reducing the duty one-third, the revenue has been trebled. The importation of raw silk has kept pace with that of cotton and wool. In 1838 the total value of silk imported was 2,300,0001., an amount greater than it reached at any former period, and hopes, therefore, are entertained that the trade begins to recover from the severe blow inflicted on it by the panic in the United States. In 1837 the quantity of silk goods exported had fallen off two fifths, as compared with that of the preceding year, and the question is whether the returns for 183 S will show that the trade has completely recovered from this enormous depression ? =;* The accounts received from Lyons certainly do not allow us to entertain such a hope, and the more so as it appears, from official documents, that the total value of imports of all sorts into the United States has been only 112,000,000 dollars in 1838, while it was 189 millions in 1836, and even 140 millions in 1837. The importation of indigo, cochineal, olive oil, and other articles used in the manufacture of cot- ton, wool, and silk has necessarily increased in pro portion to the increase of the raw material. ' - The articles of commerce next in importance to those used in the manufacture of cotton, woollen, and silk goods, are undoubtedly the metals. Our Custom House laws, it is well known, all but pro hibit the importation of iron. It is also well known that these laws, originally made for the supposed benefit of the iron masters, and hardware manufacturers, have benefited only the aristocracy of forest-proprietors. The price of wood now is three times as high as it was twenty years ago, and our a m u e d c h t b a o n i 81 bprice industry o i f n iron. N' ai n Butstr struggles even high against c, as tthbis e duty Eng England, s o , d, we import and the amount a certain has quantity be e o o li t o t i f e bothin increased e f a r s o e m d by the late trifling reduction of duty. When we look at the ruinous effects of our laws relative to iron and coal, we almost congratulate ourselves that France produces no other minerals in any considerable quantity. The importation of lead, which fell in 1837 to 24,000,0001b5., is now 30,800,000113 s.; nearly as high as it was in 1836. Copper which we draw entirely from abroad, has increased lately one-third, and zinc has made a still more rapid advance. In 1830 the whole amount imported o did t 24 7 000 te o xe l e bs. 4,400,00001 e wouldecl lbs.have expected Nowit is about the importation o f coa l , 1 the most important agent in creating manufactures, to increase in the same proportion ; but such is not the fact—the total increase being only 50,000 tons. Government must, therefore, see the neces sity of reducing still further the duty on foreign coal ; or, at all events; equalizing it. Why should the duty be a third higher at Dunkirk, than it i s at Toulon ? The city of Nantes 'complains wi t h reason of this inequality, which nothing can justify. Indeed, so far from foreign importation injuring th e proprietors of coal-mines, the reverse would appear to be the fact ; for the amount of the one always bears the same proportion to the other. In 1827 the proportion of the two was as 5 to 11 ; in 1837, as 11 to 24, the quantity imported being always about a half of that raised from the coal mines of France. And why try to oppose a result which springs from the very nature of things, and which no tariff can defeat ? Notwithstanding all these laws the great part of the north and of the sea -coast of France is always supplied with foreign coal. With regard to colonial produce there has been a falling off in the consumption of colonial sugar of more than 270,000 cwt., and the price in one year only has fallen Bs. the cwt. The importation of coffee remains nearly the same, 25,000,0001b5., but a great deal more is consumed in France. Smuggling must supply a vast quantity when the import duty is more than 100 per cent. In England the consumption is about one pound weight for each inhabitant, while in France it is only about two-thirds of a pound. The late Ministry, during the discussions on the THE SUN, LONDON, MONDA Y, MARCH 25, 1819. address, took credit for the comparative revival of trade, but they deceived no one. They might have added to the evils caused by the crisis of 1837, but they did not at all aid the improvement which took place in 1838 ; nay, on the contrary, they checked it, by their retrograde policy and their utter disregard of commercial interests. What share could the Ministry have in producing any real prosperity in the country—that Ministry which could not resolve any of the great questions that have sprung up within these two years, neither the conversion of the funds, nor the question of railroads, nor that of the sugar duties, the postponement of which has caused so much calamity—a Ministry that have allowed the consolidation of the German Commercial League, under the patronage of Prussia—taken no steps to put down an organised civil war in Spain on our very frontier—alienated Switzerland—our political ally and the best customer for our transit commerce, and at last terminated their career by abandoning Belgium, a country of all others in Europe with which we have the most lucrative and most exten sive commercial intercourse ? COURT CIRCULAR. Her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta of Cambridge was confirmed on. Saturday in the Chapel II()) al, St. James's. Her Majesty, and their Royal Highnesses, the Duchess of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Duchess of Gloucester, were present. The cere mony was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted at the altar by the Bishop of London. The prayers were real by the Rev. Dr. Wesley, and the lessons were read by the Rev. Messrs. Haden and Povab. The Sub- Dean also assisted. The musical service was Arnold's in C., and the anthem " Blessed be thou Lord God of Is rael," (Kent.) The verses were sung by Messrs. Wylde, Hobbs, and Bradbury. Mr. J. B. Sale presided at the organ. The Queen was attended by the Marchioness of Nor manby, Hon. Miss Murray, Lady Charlotte Cepley, Mar quis of Conyngham, Lord Gardner, Sir F. Stovin, and the Hon. Colonel Cavendish. Lady Flora Hastings was in waiting on the Duchess of Kent. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were attended by Miss Kerr, Baroness Able feldt, Sir James Reynett, Major Stephens, and Baron Knesebeck. Lady Georgiana Bathurst was in waiting on the Duchess of Gloucester. The Danish, Hanoverian, and Saxon Ministers, the Countess of Lichfield, Sir William and Lady Gomm were present at the rite. * The official returns of exports and imports in France are not made up till the end of the current year, fur the year preceding. - Her Majesty and suite afterwards returned to Bucking ham Pslace in three of the Royal carriages. The Queen had a dinner party on Saturday. The company were—Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the French Ambassador and Countess Sebastiani; Reschid Pasha, the Ottoman Ambassador; Duke of Argyll, Mar quises Douro and Conyngham, Viscount Palmerston, Lord anorben, Lord and Lady Barham, Lord Seaford, Lord Frederick and Lady Augusta Gordon, Lord and Lady Radstoek, Earl of Surrey, Marchioness of Normanby, Lady Flora Hastings, Hon. Miss Lister, Hon. Miss Murray, Lady Charlotte Copley, Miss Davys, Baroness Lehzen, Lord Gardner. Sir Frederick Stovin, and the Hon. Colonel Cavendish. STATEMENT IN VIIsDICATION OF LADY FLORA HASTINGS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EXAMINER, SlR,—Many false and contradictory reports of the deplorable insult which has been lately offered to my niece, Lady Flora Hastings, at Buckingham Palace, having appeared in the public papers, I, as her Ladyship's nearest connection, feel it my duty to request of you to publish the following account of the transaction, for the correctness of which I vouch. An imperfect knowledge of the details of this odious affair has produced various false conclu sions. In well-informed circles, where Lady Flora is known, the idea of her guilt was never enter tained for a moment ; but in other quarters, where, in the absence of positive information, a judgment is formed by what oozes out in the public papers, I find an injurious idea exists " that she has been spared, or let off easy." The facts arc briefly these :—Lady Flora arrived some weeks since from Scotland, very unwell. She immediately con sulted Sir J. Clark, the physician to both her Ma jesty and the Duchess of Kent. One symtom of her complaint was a swelling of the stomach. By dint of exercise and medical treatment she was getting better, the swelling had considerably sub sided, and she had every hope of a speedy recovery, when, on or about the Ist, of March, Sir James Clark went to her room and announced to her the conviction of the Ladies of the Palace that 'she was pregnant. In answer to all his exhortations to con fession, " as the only means of saving her character," Lady Flora returned an indignant but steady de nial that there was anything to confess. Upon which Sir James Clark told her, " that nothing but her submitting to a medical examination would ever satisfy them, or remove the stigma from her name." Lady Flora found that the subject had been brought before the Queen's notice, and that all this had been discussed, arranged, and denounced to her without one word having been said on the subject to her own mistress, the Duchess of Kent, who had no suspicion of what was going on, and whose sanction was not sought for the humiliating proposition which had been made to Lady Flora. On leaving Lady Flora's room, Sir James Clerk went to the Duchess of Kent, and announced his conviction that Lady Flora was with child ; and was followed by Lady Portman, who conveyed a message from her Majesty to her mother to say that the Queen would not permit Lady Flora to appear till the examination had taken place. Lady Portman (who with Lady Tavistock are those whose names are mentioned as most active against Lady Flora) expressed to the Duchess of Kent her conviction of Lady Flora's " Her beloved mistress" never for a moment doubted Ludy Flora's innocence. She said that she knew her, her principles, and her family, too well to listen to such a charge. However the edict was given ; and the next day, Lady Flora having obtained the Duchess of Kent's very reluctant consent—" for her Royal Highness could not bear the idea of her being exposed to such a humiliation "—but Lady Flora " feeling it her duty to her Royal Highness, to her family, and to herself, that a point blank refutation should be instantly given to the lie, submitted her self to the most rigid examination ; and now possesses a certificate signed by Sir James Clark, and also by Sir Charles Clark, stating, as strongly as language can state it, that " there are no grounds for believing that pregnancy does exist, or ever has existed." Lord Hastings, though at the time very ill from influenza, went to London instantly, and demanded and obtained from Lord Melbourne a distinct disavowal of his participation in the affair,and demanded and obtained an audience of her Majesty, in which, while he disclaimed all idea that the Queen had any wish to injure his sister, he plainly, though respectfully, stated his opinion of those who had counselled her, and his resolution to find out the originator of the slander, and bring him or her to punishment. Lady Flora is con vinced that the Queen was surprised into the order which was given, and that her Majesty did not understand what she was betrayed into—for ever since the horrid event her Majesty has showed her regret by the most gracious kindness to Lady Flora, and " expressed it warmly with tears in her eyes. "The Duchess of Kent's conduct was perfect ; " a mother could not have been kinder." " She immediately dismissed Sir James Clark from her service and refused to see Lady Portman ;" and has crowned her goodness by a most beautiful letter she has written to the Dowager Lady Has tings, from whom the accounts were kept till all hope of avoiding publicity was impossible. I am, Sir, your very obedient Servant, March 21. • HAMILTON FITZGERALD. The Band of the Ist Life Guards was in attendance at the Palace during the evening. The Duke of Cambridge visited her Majesty yesterday. Viscount Melbourne had an audience of her Majesty. The Duchess of Kent attended Divine service yesterday morning in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The Sermon was preached by the Archbishop of York from the Acts of the Apostles, chap. xxiv, verse 25. The Prayers were read by the Rev. R. Barham ; the Lessons and Litany were read by the Rev. J. V. Povah ; and the Altar Service was read by the Bishop of London and the Sub-Dean. The musical service was Barrow's in F. The Sanctus and Responses were Sale's. The -anthem, " Who is this that cometh from Edum" ( Arnold). Mr. J. B. Sale pre sided at the organ. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Augusta of Cambridge attended Divine Service yester day morning in Grosvenor Chapel. Their Royal High nesses were attended by Baroness Ahlefeldt, Major Ste phens, and Baron Knesebeck. A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday afternoon al Lansdowne House. It was attended by all the Ministers, The Council sat two hours. Messrs. Wiiliam Coates, Rockley, Brett, Richard Wilson, and Watchorn, a deputation from the Retail Wine and Spirit Dealers of the Metropolis, accompanied by Mr. Wire, the solicitor, had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Saturday in Downing -street, The Right Honourable Tennyson D'Eyncourt had an interview with Viscount Melbourne, on Saturday, in Downing -street. Mr. Valentine Smith, from Lima, had a long interview with Viscount Palmerston, on Saturday, at the Foreign. office. Mr. Parker, Chairman of the Hull Dock Company ; Mr. Bethel!, M. P. ; Mr. Broadley, M. P. ; Sir W. C. James, Bart, M. P. ; Mr. Hutt, M. P. ; and Mr. Frost, Solicitor to the Dock Company, had an interview, on Saturday, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in Downing -street. A Deputation, headed by Mr. Calvert, had an interview with the Marquis of Normanby, on Saturday, at the Co lonial-office. The French Ambassador transacted business at the Foreign-office, on Saturday. The Chancellor of the Exchequer left town, on Satur day, for Hastings. Sir Harris Nicolas and Mr. Evans had interviews with the Marquis of Normanby, on Saturday, at the Colonial. office. ARTISTS' GENERAL BENEVO LENT INSTITUTION. The Anniversary Dinner of this praiseworthy charity, which has for its object the benevolent purpose of affording relief to decayed artists, their widows, and orphans, took place on Saturday evening at Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. The company was numerous, 162 gentlemen having sat down to dinner, and among other distinguished persons connected with the arts who were present, we noticed Sir Martin Arthur Shee, the President of the Royal Academy ; Sir David Wilkie, R.A., Mr. Philips, R.A., Mr. Cockerjll R.A., Mr. Collins, R.A., Mr. Landseer, sen., Mr. Edwin Landseer, and Mr. Knight. We also observed that Mr. Hope, M.P., Mr. Scrope, Mr. Charles Dickens, and Mr. Jerdan, were in the room. Sir EDMUND FILMER, Bart., M.P., was in the chair. The dinner, which was excellent, having been dis posed of, and the cloth having been removed, Non ' Nobis Domine was given with pleasing effect by Messrs. Broadhurst, Chapman, Hawkins, and Hobbs, w h ose " sweet voices" h a d b een secured for the occasion, and who, with accompaniments on Mr. Kollman's newly in vented pianoforte, delighted the company with several songs and glees during the evening. The health of her Majesty " The Queen," and that of " The Queen Dowager, and the rest of the Royal Family," having been successively drunk with the usual demonstrations of loyalty and attachment, " The Army and the Navy" followed, and that toast was succeeded by " The Health of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, the President of the Institution," which was responded to with hearty applause. The next toast was " The health of the Vice-President," and, of course, due honour was done to it. The CHAIRMAN said he had now the pleasure of proposing the principal toast of the evening—namely, " The Artists General Benevolent Institution ;" and he was convinced it would receive a cordal reception from every gentleman present. This institution had ex isted since 1814, and during that period the funds of the charity had so increased as to enable them to afford re lief to no less than 600 cases. The sum applied amounted he believed, to 5,500/. ; but he entertained strong hopes that in a year or two they would be ena bled to extend the charity, and double its usefulness. For this purpose they required only an addition of 30/. a-year to the Permanent Fund ; and when it was known that the relief afforded by the charity was not limited to subscribers only, but was given indiscriminately wherever a deserving object was found, he had no doubt the public would support it cheerfully and amply. For his own part, he did not know of a more deserving charity, or one in which the public ought to take a higher degree of interest. CRUEL CASE OF IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT. The toast was drunk with loud applause. Mr. HOPE, M.P., after enlarging on the usefulness of such an institution and the claims it had on public support, proposed " the health of the Chairman," which having been responded to with acclamation, The CHARMAN expressed his sense of the honour which had been conferred upon him, and said that no exertion on his part should be wanting to promote the benevolent objects which the charity had in view. In the high and palmy days of ancient Rome artists were looked up to with admiration, and he hoped the day would come when their merits would be fully acknow ledged in this country. When foreign artists were brought amongst us, it was clear that the people of England were not aware of the jewels of art which were created in this country. Before he resumed his seat he must express the great pleasure it gave him to find the arts and literature so happily united. There was a natural con nexion between the pen and the pencil, and he rejoiced to say he saw around him individuals who were emi nent for the exercise of these, he might almost say magical, implements, when wielded by the hand of true genius. In speaking 9f literature, he could not avoid adverting particularly to one gentleman whom he saw near him, and those who had wept over the sorrows of Oliver Twist, and had laughed at the broad and inimi table humour of Sam \Yeller, must at once recognise the highly-gifted individual to whom he referred, for it required no conjuror's wand to point him out. The Hon. Baronet, in conclusion, gave the health of Mr. Charles Dickens, and the rest of the stewards.—The toast was drunk with loud applause. Mr. CHARLES DICKENS said that, if he could consider the compliment as one paid to himself, unex dected as it was, he should have had great difficulty in returning thanks ; but he recognised in it the connexion which existed between the pencil and the pen, and therefore, in the name of the stewards, of whom he had the honour to be one, he begged to return their sincere acknowledgments for the mark of distinction that had been paid to them. It would be bad taste in him if he were to detain them at any length, but he must at the same time Fay, that it gave him sincere gratification to see around him, on as occasion of this kind, those distin guished artists, who cast lustre by their genius on the low est subjects, and raised them by the power of theirgraphic pencils to the level of their own fanciful imaginations. He hoped he would be permitted to say, that it gave him pleasure and delight to be connected even for a moment with an institution which partook of the grace and beauty of the pencil, and shed its soft light upon poverty and distress, into the house of sickness and of sorrow.----(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN proposed " The Royal Academy." Sir MARTIN ARTHUR SHEE, in returning thanks, observed on the vicissitudes which marked the career of the artist, and enforced the advantages of a charity like this. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—If life and liberty are the inalienable " rights of man," he who deprives his fellow-man of either must, of necessity, make out a strong case to justify himself. After years of political conflict more enlightened views obtain. The sacrifice of a human being at the altar of justice has proved valueless and inefficient. The punishment of death fer offences is now so rare, that this barbarous and unchristian mode of preventing crime must soon cease and determine. The other great moral blot in the national escutcheon was the odious imprisonment for debt. This has been recently erased from the Statute book. . These are great triumphs, but still they are not corn plete, if one solitary prisoner is now incarcerated for a debt which he cannot liquidate. lam no lawyer, and therefore cannot say why a man should enter upon his SIXTII YEAR of eold and dreary im prisonment, AFTER imprisonment for debt has been abolished. But lam a MAN, and can find no language suf ficiently strong to execrate such cruelty. There is at this moment in the Queen's Bench Prison a man of the name of Frederick Hall (late of St. Ive's, Hants), who has been there for a judgment-debt of 401. for more than five years. He may have been fraudulent—but so have hundreds of others who have been able to purchase their liberty. He carried on the business of a butcher until he was confined to his bed, for many weeks, with a broken leg. During this period he bought several fat bullocks, and paid all but 401., for which he was arrested and thrown iuto prison. During this imprisonment his father and mother have died. His eldest son enlisted for a soldier, and died at Chatham. His wife, having been confined but five weeks, carried her infant, to he present, at the funeral, caught cold, and died in St. Thomas's Hos pital. Another child, aged seven, is also dead, and he now remains, with his motherless infant and one daughter, almost a solitary in the world—having lost father, mother, wife, son, and daughter, not one of whose death-beds he was permitted to witness. Surely this savours more of SAVAGE VENGEANCE than just punishment. Had he stolen the bullocks the punishment could not have been so severe. The powerful advocacy of The Sun rescued Mr. Paternoster from incarceration. May i ts cheering rays fall upon the wretched man, whose cause I feebly advocate; and may some philanthropist, blushing for his country, hasten to rescue him from a confinement that bids fair to be perpetual. I am, Sir, your's, Cambrid ALPHA. eshire, TO THE EDITOR OF TEE MUN. Sea,—Neither you nor the public will perhaps believe the many acts of petty and capricious tyranny by whi c h the p assengers are h aras sed on the leading lines of Rail way in this country. I reside in Manchester. On Friday mornin g , I left my waypl aeestiantiNone. o New . Bronwtnalsting my place for London, beingreet, for the Grand Junction Rail. warm, I walked about a little to cool, when I was told in the most imperious way by Mr. Baker, the manager, that whistling would not be allowed there. Till then I was unconscious of being engaged in so offensive an act as that of whistling. You will observe that t . his was a pl ace i n which th e d oors were c onstantly opening and shutti ng _ passengers com i ng in with their parties and se rvan t s , Jostling each other, accompanied by all the n oise that m us t exist in such a place. I suppose the next gentle restraint Imposed on passengers by these haughty monopolists will be to prevent winking or talking on this line. It is hard to say where such tyranny will end if allowed to go on. I am ready t o su b s t an tiate the charge at any time, if re quired, and for that purpose leave my address. Manchester. The CHAIRMAN gave " The British Institution." Mr. HOPE, M.P., returned thanks as a member of :hat institution. The CHAIRMAN next proposed the Royal Societies of Ireland and Scotland. R. M. Sir DAVID WILKIE, in returning thanks, said he was happy to say that the Royal Society of Scotland had received a charter from her Majesty. He alluded to the state of the arts in Scotland, and expressed his pleasure at seeing a gentleman present who had been in that country, and whose admirable work on deer-stalk ing, and graphic descriptions of Scotch scenery, had _ . iently been careless in their sear . , o' The LORD MAYOR havi ng th an k e d t h e company for more remains w ou ld h ave b een, d i scovered. It is e°11.:50 .he honour done hi m , p ro p ose d t h e h ea l t h of h i s distin- tur e d f rom var i ous appearances, that they had come acp if guished guest, B aron F ORTESCUE, L or d L ieutenant the body whi c h h a d b een b ur i ed i n the other direction. ;0 o Ireland. 1 thing, howev er , was e li c i te d to j ustify an inquisit i on by ( Coroner A deed of darkness has, no doubt, been_r t i l . Lord FORTESCUE thanked the company for the waled; butis buried in the womb of time. The 'Z . , g., honour they had conferred upon him, and expressed his will ere this have had their award at an unerring trw 'F. hope that he he should be able to go to govern Ireland Various reminiscences of the sudden disappearance O f d :1 01 upon principles calculated to benefit that country.-- male, forty yea= ago, have been brought up • but the t (Cheers.) of them would be unwarrantable.—Kendal Mercury 01' The next toast was , " the Marquis of Normanby THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF MICIII loos and the Colonial i n t eres t s o f t h e emp i re. " ARMS TRONG.--It is now sev e r a l years s i nce t h e cond rjir The Marquis of NORMANBY said that he felt much of the children in the factories of our manufacturing lir gratified at the compliment paid to him ; that he was tricts first attracted the attention of a few p o hilosor'bl i pri e very desirous of di sc h arg i ng f a i t hf u ll y h i s duty to the dividuals.. The object of M rs . T ro ll ope ' s new. 41 1 Colonial interests, and that he should ever feel high re- ‘‘ Michael Armstrong, the Factory 8 0 y, ,, i s to bola case of these unhappy beings in a peculiar and O r ; : o°, spect for the City of London. His Lordship then manner before the British public. Englishmen 1 0 9 i ) 1/ proposed the health of " The Lady Mayoress." the appalling horrors of this atrocious system. ,It,. ls w c iii cll , fidently Lord Morpeth's health was next drunk. He returned hoped, therefore, that the exposure of n' ...at 11 " - thanks in a neat speech. is the purpose of the work, will serve the cause of 3" - -0 0 The LORD MAYOR returned thanks for her Ladyship and humanity. The cheapest form of pu blication :, His Lordship then pr o p ose d " Th e h ea l t h o f the Ma. been adopted, that the work may find its way into the " o jit' gistrates of the City o f L on d on. " H e sa id that those tage as well as into the drawing-room, an d that the r . e 00 0 ' functionaries not on ly p er f orme d t h e i r d ut i es gratui- less, though not quickly-moving weight of public opo f tously, but were themselves put to considerable expense; ma y be fully brotstht to bear upon the subject. :. on 1 o 0 that no Magistrates could discharge the duties which RICHELIEU. —The new acid cheap editi .g . t il t , devolved upon them more to the satisfaction of the Mr. James's celebrated novel " Richelieu," ( tbra' ,:ill . e- a f citizens than they did, and that if Barristers of seven new volume of " Colburn's Standard Novelistsd_ on nat - ,g cite fresh attention at the present moment on a sug g c e e ' , the interest attached to the comparisons it mustroman pie years' standing were to be imposed upon the City of between the two works,--" Richelieu," London in their place, it would give the greatest sor- the • a row and alarm to the whole city.—(Cheers.) o dor 0 and . " Richelieu," the drama. Both the se i „ tte r Ye , t h Sir C. S. HUNTER said that he came to the enter- fictions are strictly historical; both refer to the ". ~ bt • o f tainment with much pleasure, as he was sure that her of the life - - King o ionn. ( 1 of the celebrated " Cardinal Majesty's Ministers would, upon an occasion of meeting, handle with first-rate skill the character and!' es 0 3 , give some token of their good-will toward the the most consummate statesman of modern tilywith tie Magistracy of the City of London, as regarded both bleu I the strong excitement of roman ce e the rights and privileges which the citizens had solid interest of historical truth. TI bey t„f ....... th at exercised from time immemorial. Her Majesty's THE LATE DUKE GF BUCKINGI L a" . : a ph, t," 6 , 0 Prime Minister had expressed himself to that effect is no truth whatever in a recent newspaper Pa r r a g o r d o ke P O , and they hailed from his sentiments of regard the p re - ! the Marquis of Buckingham was indebted servation of their rights without further struggle,— ,to the intercession of Louis XVIII. Th- „, benev° l ";et f :7 es tored 14 eic e (Hear, hear.) He was sure he spoke the sentiments of narch's gratitude for many acts of gener,t ily was oftbe be his brethren when he said that if any improvement , which he received from the Grenville 18"1 very remarkable, though he had a lively recollectionri_ris he fon,,. r , could be made in the police establishment they would ale at Stowe. e had not been long at " accordingly r most cheerfully adopt it. They were most anxious to sent a request fur l s cask of it, which . id, add to the advantages of that establishment, but . .s S a having an inheritance to guard they were jealous of a ged) I t 1 M r innovation. Upon the rights of the citizens i ' Prince Louis Napoleon has e n nisbed to him.—Gentleman's Magazine °. occupied by no n fringement had ever been made, except • 'in times ofti • an opera box for the season opposite that Majesty. brought forcibly to his mind when he read them the words of the old Jacobite ballad— " My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here ; My heart's in the Highlands, a limiting the deer ; Chasing the wild deer, and hunting the roe, My heart's in the Highlands wherever I go." In conclusion, he said that this was a charity which dm served to be encouraged by every lover of the arts, and which he hoped would be supported as it ought.—(Hear.) Several other toasts were then disposed of, and proper homage having been paid to the ladies, the com pany separated. The subscriptions amounted to nearly 5001. GRAND ENTERTAINMENT TO HER MAJESTY'S MINISTERS. THE PRIVILEGES OP THE CITIZENS. Oa Saturday the Lord Maycr gave a splendid banquet to her Majesty's Ministers. We do not speak in exaggeration when ,we state that the account of the proceedings on the occasion will be read with more gratification by the Citizens of London, and all who have been apprehensive of a serious invasion of cor porate rights, than that of any entertainment which has taken place within any man's memory within the walls of the City of London. We noticed amongst the company :—His Excellency the Right Hon. Baron Fortescue, the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Melbourne, .the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby, the Most Hon. the Marquis of Headfort, the Right Hon. the Earl of Minto, the Right lion. Lord Viscount Morpeth, the Right Hon. Sir Henry Parnell, the Attorney-General, the Hon. Fox Maule, Sir Claudius J. Hunter, Bart., Sir John Key, Bart., Sir Matthew Wood. Bart., Sir John Cowan, Bart., Sir Peter Laurie, Sir Chapman Mar shall, Sir James Shaw, Bart., Aldermen Kelly, Lain son, White, and Gibbs, the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, Mr. Cawford, M.P., Mr. S. Wilson, Mr. Josiah Wilson, Mr. Ambrose Moore, Mr. Saunders, &c. &c. Several of the Nobility sent apologies, some on ac count of illness, others on account of previous engage ments. The company sat down to dinner at about half-past seven o'clock. The loving cup was used, according to ancient custom, at this entertainment. The Lord Mayor and his guests were all dressed in full court custom, and the sword and mace bearers and other civic officers were in attendance during the night, after having proceeded the Chief Magistrate, carrying the emblems of the City authority in state to the dining room. The whole of tie magnificent services of the City plate were dis played with elegant taste, and, the company seated, producted a most splendid effect. As soon as the cloth was removed, The LORD MAYOR rose to propose "the health of the Queen." He said that well knowing the loyalty of his guests, it would ill become him to make any obser vation upon a toast to which he was convinced they were all most anxious and ready to do honour. Since he had presided in that chair he had endeavoured to: support and maintain all the ancientrights and customs of the hos pitalities of the Mansion House, but for the comfort of his guests he had made one alteration which had given considerable satisfaction, and he intended to adhere to it in the present instance ; that alteration was the aban donment of the ceremony of the old form of rising to drink each toast. There should be but one exception to this new innovation—" The health of the Queen." — (Loud applause.) The company then all rose and drank the toast most enthusiastically. The next toast was " The Queen Dowager and the other branches of the Royal Family." The LORD MAYOR next gave " Lord Minto and the Navy and Army." Lord MINTo expressed the gratification he felt at being present on such an occasion at the table of the Chief Magistrate of the first City in the world, and also at the honour done him in connecting his name with the Navy and Army. He was happy at having the opportunity of stating that if ever the time should arrive when the services of the Navy might be required, he was confident it would be found, as it ever had been, both ready and capable to perform exerything that could he expected of an establishment of its distinguished re pulation.—(Cheers.) The LORD MAYOR then rose and said, " My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, we have met this evening to celebrate one of the ancient customs of this renowned and celebrated City—l may say to assert the rights and privileges of the City, subject to the approval of the Ministers of the Crown.----( Loud applause.) It gives me peculiar pleasure, on this occasion, to be honoured by the presence of so many of her Majesty's Ministers, because it satisfies me of that, which indeed I never doubted, that although certain differences have arisen between the Government and the Citizens of London, her Majesty's Ministers would not allow that circum stance, in the slightest degree, to abate the respect they entertain for the Citizens of London, or for their Chief Magistrate, or to operate against their disposition to show me that countenance and support which have been so pleasantly and readily afforded to my predecessors in office.—(Applause.) In proposing the health of her Majesty's Ministers, and naming Lord Melbourne as the head, I feel that I am proposing the health of a nobleman in whose hands we maysafely leaveeurrights and privileges, and best interests. When I first came forward in public life, I found Lord Melbourne in the adminis tration. With a very short intermission the Noble Lord has been there till the present time. I had been called forth by Lord Melbourne upon a trying occa sion, then Sheriff of London, to enforce and maintain obedience to the laws of the land, in securing a payment of a part of the income of the country. My colleague and I exerted ourselves and incurred personal danger on tile occasion, but we succeeded to the Noble Lord, ut most satisfaction, and having experienced the benefit of the assistance of the officers of the Corporation of the City of London in such an important matter, his Lordship would not, I feel assured, do any act that may tend to weaken that assistance at any future time, or to deprive the Government of this country of the co-opera tion and aid of the Corporation of the City of London. —(Cheers.) My communications have been princi pally with my Lord Melbourne, and the Noble Lord has always shown the greatest attention to the applica tions of the citizens. His cordial kindness and conde scension in coming amongst us upon every occasion of our festivities—his advising her Majesty to confer the distinguished honour of her company upon the Corporation so soon after her accession to the throne, all tend to convince me that we may rely upon Lord Melbourne, that he will be more disposed to preserve for us all those rights, which, from ancient usuage, we feel so dear to us, than unnecessarily to deprive us of any one of them.— (Great cheering). Lord MELBOURNE returned thanks, and assured the Lord Mayor that his Lordship had done no more than justice to the feelings of her Majesty's servants towards the City of London ; that he always bad great pleasure in attending to pay his respects to the Chief Magistrate, either at meetings of the social character of that at which they were then present, or at those of a more public description. He acknowledged how efficient he had always found the City Authorities to be. He declared that the . Government were very anxious to promote in every way the prosperity of the City, and added that he hoped the question, which had been alluded to, would be arranged to the satis faction of both parties.—(Cheering). The Lord Mayor having alluded to the existence of a difference of opinion between the Government and the Corporatien at the present time, he begged leave, on behalf of his col leagues and himself, to assure the company that it was not their intention to interfere with the rights and pri vileges of that ancient and respected corporation, but by such alterations in the good of the community at large might require. The Noble Lord then proposed the health of the Lord Mayor, which was drunk with cheers. EVENING -1114DTTION tyranny and rebellion, %rid the moment the country was restored to peace and liberty amends were made for the violation. H e h ear tily tha n ked the Premier and his colleagues for the tone in which they had spoken of the citizens of Loudon, and of those privileges which they had held t' th e satisFaetio n of every preceding Government.—(Cheers.) The Loan MAYOR, in a complimentary address, pro posed " The Health of the Attorney General:' Sir JOHN CAMPBtLL said he had ever looked ilea the City of London as an instance of the preservation of the pure privileges of Municipal Government, that, although he was himself a barrister of seven years standing," yet he did not contend for any superiority over the excellent Magistrates of the City ; and that be thought there had been some misapprehension on the part of the Corporation, as he felt satisfied of the fa vourable intentions of her Majesty's Government to wards the City.—(Loud cheers.) " The Representatives in Parliament for the City of London." Bon , Sir MATTH E w Woon said, that he and his Colleagues were very anxious to serve the City faith fully, and that he trusted the Government would not persist in a measure which would deprive the Citizens of one of their most valued rights. Mr. CRAWFORD, M.P., also returned thanks, and ad verting to the important question now pending between the Queen's Government and the City of London said, I have been a regular and consistent supporter of her Majesty's Mini s t ers , b ecause I approved o f then' general policy. My first impression was that their were right in this question also ; but when it becarn.f my duty to enter into an investigation of its merits order to guide my own conduct in Parliament, first began t o d ou b t i ts propr i ety, and u ltininte'' l, was fully satisfied that it was not founded on any l ' l3t cessity, and that it would be highly injurious. My OPP ° : sition to it, I b eg it may b e un d erstood, is not there for; that of prej u di ce , b ut o f conv i ct i on ; and I trust most sincerely th a t it w ill not b e persisted in.-0611c cheering.) The Loan MAYOR next proposed the healths of tbn Sheriffs of London and Middesex, and hoped th St n o f Act would he done calculated to render the servinils„, such high o ffi cers l ess ava il a bl e to the community tu- they had been previously in times of danger and diffie4l ll ; Sheriff JOHN SON , i n return i ng thanks, hoped tu„,B the Sheriff s wou ld see t h e i r rights and privileges as Le tire at th e conc l us i on of their year of office as tu"d" found them at the commencement.—(Hear, hear.)The healths of the Governor of the Bank of Eng ta li ( and the D e p u t y Ch a i rman of the East India Comi^s.l having been given, the company retired to the dravil rooms. At 12 o ' c l oc k t h ey b ro k e up, highly &Hight with the evening's entertainment. EFFECTS OF REDUCING T PRICE OF CORN ON FARMER'S PROFI'fr (From a Pamphlet by Hewitt Davis.) A manufacturer having demonstrated to me - much he would be benefited by a slight reductiO the price of labour, but which could not be made wits 1 a proportionate reducti on i n th e pr i ces pa id b y his lab ers for their food, I was led to reflect that if amanufact,S' would be so benefited by a reductio n i n th e pr i ce of; food which his l a b ourers consume, surely a fill, would also feel materially the benefit. And I en:i voured, by calculati ng on one s id e t h e l oss i n the 5,01,, my wheat, and on the other side, the gain by a prOP; so tionate reduction i n th e pr i ce o f l a b our, to asce what the consequences would be to me in my fart Po o and as the results present a very different appearance what I expected, 1 beg to lay them before the publ During the winters of 1829 and 1830, I obt ti ti to from many agri cu lt ura l l a b ourers i n S urrey, a r 000 of how their wages were expended, and I fours' averaging them, they were spent in the following) portions. tf ° I have considered th a t a man, woman, and- 4 1 children, are the average o f l a b ourers ' families, ri,it that they earn fift een s hilli ngs wee k ly, when wheat at sixty shillings per quarter. Decimals of 15s. s. 4, Flour or Bread 375 equal to 5 Meat 120 ... 1 Butter and Cheese OBO ... 1 Tea, Coffee, Sugar, Beer, & Spirits l7O ... 2 "' ," Firing, Candl es , an d S oap ...I Clothes 1 5 105 ... Potatoes O5O 0 S 1,000 lb C i s ti This amount shows that when wheat sells at t p shillings per quarter, and a labourer and his family % e t fifteen shillin gs p er wee k, fi ve s hilli ngs and seven-P.rie halfpen n y, or i t h s , are spent i n flour ; but suppo4 jo decli ne o f t we l ve s hilli ngs per quarter, or one-01101 the price of wheat, then four shillings and fi ee pence; ir , purchase the same quantity ; or, in other words., h t teen shillings and ninepence halfpenny, when % or averages forty-eight shillings per quarter, is e ' e o valent to fifteen shillings when wheat average, sixty shillings per quarter ; and, therefore, ° te r ( possing a farmer loses twelve shillings per cilia in the price of his wheat, he will save one and twopence halfpenny in fifteen shillings, or seven P. a half per cent, on his annual expenditure. As I am d es i rous of making statements on I) own immediate experience, I have founded my culations on t h e wages I pay, which are high, 4:4 not on the average o f all England, although 'of latter would give a much larger proportion in favo r reduced prices ; for where wages are lower, a In portien is expended in flour. Now, suppose the case of a farm cf one thou 0 1/11 0 acres, of which two hundred and fifty acres permanent grass and wood-land, and seven huntrii and fifty acres are arable, and that the arable e j cultivated in five courses ; in that case, one Ilund and fifty acres will annually be sown with will i t ) and reckoning that the crop shall average, o ne year another, two and a half quarters per acre beyond' seed sown, the calculation will be as follows : An Account to show the Annual Profit and Loss fry decline o f 20 per cent. i n the value of Wheat, v" Farm of One Thousand Acres. . - DR. 1 I LOSS. Loss on 375 qrs. Wheat, the produce of 150 Acres beyond the Secd sown, at 12s. per quarter ..... ' 225 I ca. X. 0 GAIN. Saving in Wages, by r. decline of 71 per cent on the gross ex p en di ture, 2,000/ Ditto in Parish Rates, by reduced price of bread, 7 per cent. on 2001. Ditto in Tradespeople's Bills, viz., sawyers, carpenters, bricklayers, wheelers, collar makers, smiths, &c., 73. per cent on 2001 l5 c i Ditto in cost of Flour consumed by my Fa mily, 20 per cent. on 501 lO 61 Ditto in cost of Clothing, Furniture, Servants' Wages, and incidental expenses, 71 per cent, on 150/ ll 1 ! Reduction in Tithes, 73- per cent. on 2001 l5 r Difference (equal to 2d. per acre additional 216 5: rent) 8 / i 2 - 2 5 A considerable &Tree of excitem en t wa s cre fli t t O in this town, on Monday last, by the report that a of a female had been found at a farm-house called Br' e l rigg, about three miles from this place on the Bow' oie s road, which was much increased by several dark s t ' about a murder supposed to have been committed or 'O O spot many ye ars ago . A s i s i nvariably the case in 0, circumstan ces , muc h exaggeration was found to thave t : place. The ground had been sunk for the perpos making some repairs in the pantry, and a number of 17 , 0 14 were found, together with part of a skull. Close some tufts of red hair, and a glove, and a silk 110 ' 1 4 'be , chief, the two l as t crum bli ng away at the touch. d workmen had evid, lv be