The Sun. — London, England, 1839-09-23 00:00:00

14WENING EDITION. A LETTER ON NATIONAL EDU CATION TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD, K. G., FROM LORD BROUGHAM. This Letter has just issued from the press and cannot fail to excite the liveliest interest among Churchmen and Dissenters, and indeed among all classes of the community. It announces the im portant fact that he who has fought the good fight for the last thirty years, who has laboured in season and out of season to establish a system of universal instruction independent of the control of the Es tablished Church, has yielded to " inevitable neces sity," arid given up the contest in despair. Lord Brougham states at length his reasons. "We have b een completely defeated," he says, " and de feated without any hope of a favourable reverse of fortun e another time, in the attempt to carry any plan of education in which the Established Church shall not be consulted, that is to say, shall not have some deference paid to its claims beyond those of the different sects—some superiority assigned to it above the level on which all sects are to be kept ;" and expresses his conviction, from the result of the de bate on the subject towards the close of the Session, that " some such acknowledgment the Church and the Lords are fixed in their determination to have, a.nd that both will be satisfied with a very moderate one." God grant that his conviction be well founded, and that the Dissenters and all the friends of unshackled education, except himself, be wrong in entertaining the belief that the Church and the High Church party, who rule in the Upper House, will not be satisfied with any moderate acknow ledgment. It would, however, be only a waste of tim e to discuss the plan till we know what are the moderate views of the Church, and we shall there fore rest satisfied for the present with giving copious extracts from this important document. His Lord ship thus commences his letter to the Duke of Bedford : " BROUGHAM, SEPT. 6, 1839. " In the correspondence which we lately had upon the great subject of National Education, I . , . li r n 3 e S n o t i o o n n cd as mt the e'ephemeraldesign creations letter of a t h e Sessionto an a y nd mo i r t e s . . Should g iuvleldperl place c o e ttheir the rep ose periodicalof which change, m are wont to taste than have acquired a right to it by th e good their labours have done. To whom , . c o o f u a l t i l l I I n o e i:e t i n o ns my moremin fi d t I n ) ? t o i n i a n t he to yo most u, with sv momentouswhom I have not only been united in the closest habits of private and of political friendship, but as a fellow labourer for thirty years in promoting the Improve ment of the People, by undermining, if we could not at once overthrow, the empire of ignorance,--their most tyrannical oppressor ?—I say nothing of per sonal obligations, both because I am addressing one who has long since forgotten them, and because the present token of esteem would be but a poor attempt at repaying them. If the person to whom I write is appropriate, no less so is the moment I have chosen for writing. Af ter many _years of anxious expectation that some thing would be done by a Liberal Government for the Education of the People, whose freedom used to be the chief object of the party's desire, a plan was pro pounded, good, certainly, as far as it went—for to such acause, tothe relief of such necessities, the very smallest contributions must be acceptable—but of so very trifling a kind compared with the exigency of the occasion, that it had nothing like a claim to be called even a half measure, unless that, like all half-measures, it excited as great opposition among adversaries as the boldest scheme could have called firth, and failed to rouse the least interest among friends. The House of Commons voted a small sum for schools, and the Government pro posed to spend it upon establishin g a single seminary for training teachers, but very un necessarily stated the rul es o f t h e i ntended in stitution in a Minute of Council, which alarmed the Established Church, in my opinion most groundlessly ; whereupon the small scheme was sit once abandoned, and the great clamour spread wider and raged louder than before, until intended in a vote of the House of Lords condemning the principles of the plan by an almost unexampled majority, the Commons themselves having only re fused to concur in the sentence by a bare majority in a very full House. " A. few days after this most mortifying event— mortifying to you and me, and all who think with us that the true principle of Education is to give the people secular instruction in which all sects can join, and leave the important task of spiritual instruction to their several religious teachers—l once more brought forward my plan of Universal Education, and was opposed by one of the Whig Prelates, a most respectable and learned individual, who had voted with us on the previous occasion, but whose only objection to ray plan was its not giving the Church any control over popular instructi on and who there fore h a d a ll a l ong f e l t , an d even thought, with our 1 adversaries, while he voted with us the week before. Lord Melbourne expressed himself favourably to my Bill, which, indeed, had been originally digested and framed in concert with Lord John Russell ; but he suggested very naturally that the period of the Ses 'ion seemed to point out the expediency of delaying it until next year, and to this I acceded—not per haps at the moment quite expecting to see, after that day, some score or thereabouts of new measures in troduced by the Government, and which no man had ever heard of before, instead of being, like my P 131 14 ultimately pressed on the consideration of arliament, after lying for years on the table, and bei ng for y ears di scusse d i n the country. However, fearful of cooling whatever zeal for the subject might exist in any quaiter, I did comply with our friend's desire, and, everythin g considered, I do not regret a step by which I really lost nothing for the Bill, beyond a division that would have left me in a mi nority —with the Government support, no doubt, but still in a minority. " Between the division upon the Archbishop's mo tion and the debate upon my Bill, a private belt im portant meetin3 of our friends had been held in the same place in St. James's -street, where, thirty years ago, I had presided and had proposed the formation of the British and Foreign School Society, of which You have always been the head, and always the muni ficent supporter. Undismayed by our recent defeat, and steadily adhering to our principles, we resolved to persevere in promoting by private exertions, that sys tem of Universal Instruction (unminglecl with secta rian considerations) which we saw daily less hope of obtaining from the wisdom of Parliament. The fast Wfriends of our cause, the Duke of Sussex, Lord John, . Allen, a man among a million, the truly venerable J. Costar, Joseph Foster, T. Mills, W. Tooke, and many others, were present ; but I name some of these Ai among th e most em i nent i n the religious world, order, for the thou san d t h t i me , to s h ow h ow silly the cry is that we care little for religion, be ,,c.,'-'se, in truth, we consider religion of so inestima uiy important a nature, that it can never be made the subject of comp rom i se an d concess i on ; an d t h at t herefor e it cannot be taught to children of one sect by professors who belong to another. Resolutions were entered into for establishing training and model school s ; and a very large subscription was immediately made to effect this object. But while I joined in these proceedings most heartily, I tookoc casion to unfold my general views, both on the subject at large—on that we all were agreed—and on the pre sent position of our question, which was likely to create more difference of sentiment ; and touching the practical inferences to he draw n from recent occurrences, I broached those opinions, which form a main subject of the present communica tion, and which I have of late repeatedly canvassed with the friends of Education. They were briefly b ut distinctly adverted to when I soon a f te r moved the second reading of the Bill, and again, w hen I last addressed the House of Lords on the s ubject. I earnestly desire your best attention to th em. I most anxiously implore every real friend of Education to think seriously of them ; and I am sure that, in proportion as any one sh a ll f ee l dee ply impressed with the importance of edu cating th e p eo pl e , an d shall be resolved to p ursue this,_ par amount o bj ect w i t h a bsolute singleness o f neart, so will h e be disposed to dismiss from his n'ind any consideration of party and of sect, and, regardless of all victory, save the trimnpit over gno ranee be found and rice, will cono best calculated speedily to er about ha this ll Most blessed consummation. in bring w'la t ey disting u i sh I hav e no w rehearsed the circumstances which tne present moment from all former p e riods i n the history of our cause. They are of a mixed .o n ature ; of very various hue ; some calculated t inspir e us with hope, —some to damp our ex pectations, —none, I fondly trust, to fill tr. with (le " Voodencycertainly all, without exception, fitted rouse our best exertions, tQ r Calmly, though ' anxiousl upon the course which it now behoves us to h Y.' and make us deliberate old in a somewhat new posture vim`__ THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, SE of affairs. For the first time we have had the at tention of Parliament fully directed to the subject of Education ; attracted, no doubt, by other mo tives than the mere zeal for popular improvement— led by sectarian animosity—whetted by factious rage—yet still pointed, for whatever reason, to this great question,which, as it never before had obtained any share of Parliamentary favour, so, I presume to think, never henceforth can, with its prodigious in trinsic merits, cease to occupy the Legislature, for its own sake, until it is finally and satisfactorily disposed of by some great national measure becom ing the law of the land. It is thus that the wisdom of an overruling Providence, bringing ge neral good out of partial evil, orders so as some superficial irritation, some flying ache, shall excite our attention to the deep-seated mischief that is preying upon our vitals, lead us to probe its hidden source, and enable us to apply the needful remedy, long after the superficial feeling that first gave us the warning shall have passed away and been for gotten. The ignorance of the people, the origin of all the worst ills that prey upon our social sys tem, has become at length the object of Legislative regard ; and I defy the constituted authorities of this free country to delay much longer in applying the appropriate cure, by eradicating a disease, as easily cured as it is fatal if neglected." After adverting to the temper of the present Government, as favourable to a liberal system of education, he thus continues, assuring those who have long laboured with him that he will fight still as valiantly in the great cause for which they have so long contended—the Education of the people ! " For my own part, I can feel no doubt or hesi tation whatever. The Legislature is at length, no matter how, roused to the subject of Popular Edu cation. The existing Government is perfectly friendly to our cause ; nay, adopts our views not only regarding the necessity of a great exertion to teach the people, but regarding the manner in which the efforts of the State should be directed. The time, therefore, is arrived when the com paratively feeble labours of individuals should give place to the work which stronger hands can better do. You and I had better stand aside and let the Government bring forward the measure as their own, with all the weight which a Government is sure to have, and the support which no individual can command. In adopting this course, of resigning my favourite scheme into their hands, I felt that I was doing the best for its success. I knew that I was gaining for it an accession of strength which it never could have while it remained in my hands. I was aware that many who were lukewarm, and were jealous or even hostile towards it, as long as it passed for my progeny, would see a thousand beauties in the bantling, as soon as the Ministry, the parent of so many good things, by the act of adopt ing it, made it half brother to patronage and place. 'Tis true I was not introducing it into a very powerful family ; and all their foster ing care might fail to establish it successfully in the world. But every thing is by comparison. A cottager's child is thought lucky to be adopted by a poor curate. I was wholly without the means of providing for my offspring ; and its fortune was made if the Government would take it off my hands. I followed a great and a successful example. too, that of Mr. Wilberforce, who, as soon as our friends came into office in 1806, resigned the great cause of the Abolition into their hands ; and by their hands the good work was finished. " I believe I need hardly have said even so much to convince you that this is our wisest course by far. Suppose the Government should fail, as there is but too much reason to fear they may in the present state of parties both in the Lords and Commons,—still we are not worse than if we had failed ourselves. Nay, we are a very great deal better ; for, depend upon it, we shall have received much valuable support from those who on party and on personal grounds now hang back. The Educa tion of the People upon a great and comprehensive plan, will have been made a Government measure ; and whatever influence the executive power has either in Parliament or in the country, will have been added to the support which our cause already has obtained from both. Shall we as individuals relax in our exertions, because we are backed by the weight of place and power ? Will those efforts be less effectual than when we were ill supported, if not actually opposed by both ? Of myself I should not speak, were it not that to my amazement some (they are but a few) friends of Education have talked as if my services would now be lost to the cause which has occupied my life ! Does any one know human nature so little as to be lieve that the prospect of success is calculated to abate hope, and damp zeal, and lull to inaction ? Is any one so ignorant of even the less respectable portion of our common nature, as to imagine that there is no pleasure in the pride of see ing ,the tree flourish which our hands have planted, though others may have watered it, — no savour in its fruit, though others may pluck it and commend it to our lips ? lam somewhat amazed, indeed, to see one good friend, but one only, so simple as to imagine that I shall get lazy, and rest while others toil. I should have thought nobody who knew me at all, could know my nature so very little as to suppose I could rest quiet one moment, when any cause to which I had devoted myself was labouring. I should most probably not wish for such repose if I could take it ; but very certainly I could not take it if I would. The signal sounded by the Government would pierce my 'heart with rapture, and call me in an instant to their standard ! No toil, no suffering, no patience, would be found too great ; all I could do or attempt would be at their absolute dis posal. They would have all the glory of the great achievement, for, suecessful or not, the enterprise would he an achievement ; enough for me to have the satisfaction of witnessing their good works---an ample reward for years of anxious labour. Nor would it be the least part of my gratification, that so old a friend as Melbourne had signalized his public life by earning before its close a distinction among the very few worth living for." " Now there are some among us of so hot a zeal, that they will not consent to see how entirely we have been discomfited, nay, are somewhat impatient of being told the truth. Nevertheless, I have always made it a rule to keep the eyes of such worthy and thoughtless persons as wide open as I could to the real state of things, well knowing that the operation, though painful to them, is salutary to the cause they so manfully esti( us 3, prevents them from throwing their pains away in the pursuit of impossibilities, and secures them from the dan g ers which beset the walk of the blind. But why do I so confidently affirm that we never can rally with any effect round our beaten colours ? Because I can see not the shadow of a chance that the Lords Spiritual and Temporal should be converted to our faith. For, ob serve, the Commons are substantially of nearly the same opinion with the Lords. All that the Govern ment plan could there obtain was a majority of four, and that on a question where all the minority were strongly of the opinion expressed by their votes ; while many of the majority, who agreed with them in their hearts, gave their voices to the Government, rather than turn the Ministers, including some of themselves, out of their places. I know myself at least a score of men, who disliked the Government plan on its own merits, yet voted for it to keep the Government in; I don't know one who voted against it in order to turn them out, and yet approved of the plan." " It is certain, that as things now stand, the two _HE ,LECTION AT CLERKENNVELL.—A Cor great parties into which the community is un- respondent, who writes from Clerkenwell-green, says it is happily split upon this mighty question, are re - a b surd to suppose t h at Dr. Dillon would give 'up 1,000/. solved that we should have no system of Education a-year for 6001., the incom e of the Rector of Clerken ,w,etill, and , declares the assertio n,,Th D. o srt f r.e o e u t r . Correspondent at all,—n o national plan for training teachers, and Dillon h receives a thereby making the schools that stud the country n willingly place both statemceanptselb'e' thousand mo a-year from the a Charlot t te fotorebteh the all over, deserve the name they bear,—no national calumny. We plan for training young children to virtuous habits, r e ad er , b e i ng i n nowise interested either for Dr. Dillon and thereby rooting out crimes from the land. A n d or M r . F au lk ner , though we feel some interest in such a severe contest between two parsons and their friends for this interdict, under which both parties join in lay- severe of a church. ing their country, is by each pronounced to be ne- possession CHARGE OF HORSE -STEALING.—At Guild cessary for the sacred interests of religion. Of hall, on Friday, two countrymen, named Wilson and religion I Oh, gracious G o d ! w as eve r the Chandler, were brought before Mr. Alderman Kelly, name of thy h o l y ordinances so impiously pro- charged with steal i ng two valuable horses. It appeared fatted before ? Was ever that the prisoners l called h e on Thursday afternoon at the o n rs C e ow- T cr h o i s r s, Smithfield, and before, thy best gift man, his reason, so bewildered by blind bigotry, or . to ' house of o h f im a ho to rse p -slaughterer h * nt th ty shillings were savage intolerance, or wild fanaticism—bewildered offered and agreed to be taken, b e s aug term . an, so as to curse the very light thou hest caused to aware of its being of far greater value, instead of paying shine before his steps—bewildered so as not to per- the money, gave the custody on suspicion of prisoners in ceive that any and every religion must flourish best being horse-stealers. It was afterwards found that they in the tutored mind, and that by whomsover in- had another horse in their possession, which also they were structed in secular thi ngs, thy word can better be d e sirous of disposing of to the slau g h terer. The prisoners were remanded until Monday next, to giv e t i me f or i nqu i ry . sown in a soil prepared, th an i n one abandoned The Bishop of this diocese has declared his in through neglect to the execrable influence of the t e ntion to enforce the Act of the Ist of Victoria, cap. evil Spirit ? 106, as soon as he can obtain the requisite information. full services s on each Sunday will be "But how long is the country to suffer, that its forme d by the Incumbent reg a rdless of best interests shall be sacrificed to this polemical obliged to be per . . _.. 0 By this Act two the size of the par hls .--1 V ttinghant Mercury. strife ? Rather let me ask, how long are we, the Friends of Education, to betray our duty, when we have it in our power, easily and extensively, and with a very little self-denial, satisfactorily to per form it ? " You and I, my excellent friend, have long la boured in this vineyard--and it is barely possible that we shall hereafter be found, when we render up an account of our stewardship, not to have la boured in vain. It is, I say, barely possible ; but I must add, that I cannot feel at all certain on this momentous particular. A strict, a most rigorous, reckoning will be exacted of us." " But it will be said, Why should not the Esta blished Church listen to all this doctrine, and show her zeal for Education by waiving her claims ? No one feels the force of the appeal more strongly than I do ; none has more constantly urged it than myself upon the late great discussion. Upon this subject I can have no doubts at all. Thus my plan embraces religious instruction ; the Bible is ordered to be taught in every school of every description, founded, or extended, or visited, or in any way holpen under the proposed Act. But if the Scriptural teaching were objected to, rather than the people should not be taught, I should in finitely prefer a merely secular Education to none at all ; and prefer it with a view to religious in struction itself ; nay, even if no religious instruc tion were to follow ; because who can doubt that it is far better the people should be taught some thing good than not at all ? Therefore I am clearly of opinion, that the Church is altogether wrong, even with a view to the attaimnent of its owown objects, the bringing up children in Church princi ples ; and that she is far more likely to spread her own doctrines and discipline, by encouraging mere se cular instruction, without any intermixture of spi ritual, than by leaving children wholly untaught. But I have maintained this doctrine in vain ; and we plainly see that the Church and the Legislature are firmly resolved to reject it. Then I turn to the friends of Education among the Dissenters; and to them I now, through you, a liberal Church man, and the Dissenter's tried friend, make this my last appeal. " First of all, we are to conclude that the ques tion is decided against us, and that the only alter native which remains is a Church school Bill, or no National Education at all. Being thoroughly convinced, both by private communications, and by the whole turn of the debate, that no one will ever dream of proposi ng any c l er i cal interference which can violate the sacred rights of conscience, but that whatever schools are planted, must be open to all classes of the commu n i t y, w i t h out the exac tion of any religious observanc es , a compu l sory at tendance at any religious tuition contrary to the principles of the parents, I am not prepared to embrace the alternative of refusing all National Education, rather than allow some preference, some interference to the Church, where I perceive such preference, such interference to be harmless. " But next,—l conceive that a reason why we should give up our principles of perfect religious equality, sound as they are, and why the Dissenter s should join in the surrender, is to be plainly drawn from the fact of the Church being in possession : She is established by law; she refuses to adopt our scheme ; if the question is who shall yield to the other, it seems no dishonour for us to yield, the other patty being already master of the field." After adverting to the vast advantages of educa tion, even though taught by Jesuits or Romish zealots, he adds : " You car, no more nourish the mind with ' the food that is convenient for it,' and stunt its powers of self-liberation, than you can feed the body and prevent it from waxing strong. " So thought my late Rev. Friend Dr. Lindsay, a man whose life was spent in the honourable office of a teacher. So thought and still thinks my learned and able Friend Dr. Shepherd, who long exercised the same most useful profession. Both conscientiously dissenting from the Church ; both jealous to the extreme of all clerical influence ; both regarding Prelacy as only less to be repro bated than Popery ; yet both held in the con troversy of 1821, that the power given by the Education Bill, and which so many of their bre thren would not admit, was harmless, and might well be offered as the price of so great a boon to mankind. I attended the Conference with the Three Denominations in the Red Cross-street Library, when Dr. Lindsay made the memorable declaration to his Dissenting brethren, the last words he uttered on any public matter, for within four-and-twenty hours he was suddenly taken to his great reward, by the Master whom, in all singleness of heart, in all purity of living, he had so faithfully served : lam a Presbyterian, as you all well know, and no man more abhors the errors of Romanism ; but such is m y faith in knowledge, and such my f ear o f ignorance, that rather than men should not be educated, I would pray to have them taught by the Pope of Rome.' I too say— as a Friend of the People I say—as an enemy to superstition, an advocate of the Protestant religion, a firm supporter of the right of private judgment on all matters spiritual and secular, I say,---as a sworn antagonist to the worst craft of the priest, his temporal power built upon the abuse of his sacred office, I say, and devoutly, and from the bottom of my heart I say,—Amen to that enlight ened and pious prayer !" His Lordship thus concludes : " And shall civilized, shall free, shall Christian rulers, any longer pause, any more hesitate, before they amend their ways, and attempt, though late yet seriously, to discharge the first of their duties ?—Or shall we, calling ourselves friends to human improvement, balance any longer, upon some party interest, some sectarian punctilio, or even some refined scruple, when the means are within eur reach to redeem the time and do that which is most blessed in the sight of God, most beneficial to man ?—Or shall it be said, that between the claims of contending factions in Church or in State, the Legislature stands paralyzed, and puts not forth its hand to save the people placed by Providence under its care, lest offence be given to some of the knots of theologians who bewilder its ears with their noise, as they have bewildered their own brains with their controversies ?—Lawgivers of England I charge ye, have a care ! Be well assured, that the st n compareds which ,h at ch t nhl l e w mankind gate, tlha ilk i h n e d v in loud a contempt lavi s h e d f or centur i es upon the cabals of Constanti no pl e , w h ere t h e Council disputed on a text, wh i l e th e enemy, the derider of all their texts, was thundering will be l I s h asa o o es o tc) f k u en niv ° e f rsa r l c respect will send up against you, if you stand still and suffer a far deadlier foe than the Turcoman—suffer the parent of all evil, all falsehood, all hypo crisy, all discharity, all self-seeking—him who covers over with pretexts of conscience the pitfalls that he digs for the souls on which he preys—to stalk about the fold and lay waste its inmates—stand still and make no bead against him, upon the vain pretext, to soothe your indo lence, that your action is obstructed by religious cabals—upon the far more guilty speculation, that by playing a party game, you can turn the hatred of conflicting professors to your selfish purposes ! " Let us hope for better things. Let us hope it through His might and under His blessing who commanded the little children to be brought unto Him, and that none of any family of mankind should be forbidden ; of Him who has promised the choicest gifts of His Father's kingdom to those who in good earnest love their neighbours as themselves!" E SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF RUN JEET SINGH, AND RISE OF THE KING. DOM OF THE SEIKS. The Ruler of Lahore, C7lfled Sukerchuckea by his countrymen, from the name of the village in which his grandfather, a Sansee Jat, of the humblest origin, was born about the year 1780. This person, whose name i w lni a s s s Ch the ,p u au r nn r , u ija t sbo S ,o in jno g i h ne , d a amidst the anarchy band w sse hc d i r i o l prevailed bberi, i ‘i a formidable comm ro a s n e d b e y r 1 0 ) i f s o c u o t u i r a aLe . an ll (1 t i ll n e t e s n t t o e r e b , e , into a league with the Zeemeendars of Goorjarwallah, a fortified place within thirty miles from Lahore, he made it his head-quarters and the depository of his booty. In 1761, Kbawjah Obyd, the Governor placed in Lahore by Alimud Shah Abdalli, marched with a force to chastise Churret Singh, and the Seik confederacies with which he generally acted in consort : the whole of their predatory as sociations under variousleaders,who afterwardsbecame the founders of chieftships, did not then exceed 3,000 men. The Afghan Governor appeared before the mud-works of Goorjarwallah, but instead of commencing opera tions, he suffered himself to be artfully inveigled into a negociation which led to his ruin. A considerable part of his army consisted of Punjaubees, who were brought over to the interest of the Robbers, raising a false alarm by pretending that the camp was attacked at night, made the Mussulmans take the flight, and leave their commander to escape almost alone. The whole of his baggage, equipage, and treasure being thus abandoned, was sei ze d , and a cons id era bl e di str i ct ever afterwards rem a i ne d i n possession of t h e captors. Churrut Singh, now undisturbed by the Afghans, began that system of unscrupulou s acquisition, which has dis tinguished all his descendants. Force; fraud, and stra tagem, gained him considerable territory, part of which he bestowed on relatives and favourite followers, on the tenure of military service. Having interfered between the Raja of Jummo o and his son, with the view of helping himself to their country while affecting to ad just their differences, he was killed, by the bursting of a matchlock, in the forty-fifth year of his age. Chur rut Singh, born a common peasant, and living a robber, left his family when he (lied, a territory which yielded three lacks of rupees a year. He was succeeded by his only son, Maha Singh, a boy ten years old, des tined to imitate his predecessor, with rather less princi ple and equal success. In his seventeenth year, he murdered the mother that bore him, assumed the di rection of affairs, committed spoilation on all his weaker neighbours, and died while besieging, with intent to plunder, his brother-in-law, at the age of 27 in 1792. Runjeet Singh, the son of Mahe, was born in 1680, and succeeded his father in his twelfth year. The ap pointed guardians of his minority were the young chief tan's mother, and Sudda Kour, a lady of greater note, to whose daughter he was married. This mother.in law of the greatest of the Seiks, was left a widow in her youth, and afterwards, it is said, encouraging an in cestuous passion in the father of her deceased husband, she persuaded him to bequeath her the chiefship of the Gunneyah confederacy ; one of the associations pos sessed of land, which she actually succeeded to, on the old man's death. Runjeet, who had lost an eye by the small-pox, when an infant, was, according to the barba eroduuscapractice n e s l h n o d u i a l d , allowed e e t o a p a g b r e w o u f p s u wholly d nng the administrators of his affairs, and disposed to demand too exact an account of the management of them in his nonage. But in spite of this precaution, he got unruly at seventeen, and leaguing with Sudda Kour, dismissed his mother, with all her Ministers, from authority. It is to the counsels, intrigues, and military co-operation, of his new co-adjutress, that he owes the acquisition of his present capital, the seat of all his greatness. The old thieves' den of Goorjah wallah being still the principal city of the house of Suckerchuekea. Lahore was held conjointly by three Seik Surdars, whom Sudda Kour discovered to be disunited, and unprepared to make any great resistance to an enemy. After sowing further dissension among them, and corrupting their officers to gain admittance, she added her own forces to Runjeet's, and advanced unexpectedly on the city by night. It was entered and occupied before morning, partly by consent of the chiefs, who stipulated for the retention of some of their own lands in Jaggeer. This event took place in 1799. Runjeet having now acquired a commanding position in the Punjab, proceeded in the hereditary' spirit of his grandfather's profession, to acquire new territory by every means which cunning, deceit, and open violence could command. A few instances, cited at random, will best show the practice which he continued to the day of his death. Petankote was a little principality ad joining the Kungra Hills, held by a chief whose sons complained of their father's treatment of them. The Ruler of Lahore, paying the family a visit with his army, put an end to domestic feuds by giving them a village in Jaggeer, and annexing the rest of their lands to his own dominions ! The Hill Raja of Noorpoor, having omitted, on one occasion, to pay his respects to the Seik, went afterwards to apologize —was seized— compelled to conduct men to his hoards and jewels, and deprived of every acre which he owned, on man fully refusing to sanction the spoilation by accepting a pittance ! Two Sirdars of the Seik family, called Ramghurhia, being with their troops in tile neighbour hood of Runjeet's camp, rashly went, in a friendly way, to see him. With the most shameless perfidy, he threw them into confinement, and they were compelled, under threats of death, to march with his guards, and order the garrisons of their own forts to surrender a tract of country, worth five lass a year, to the treacherous enemy. Besides, whenever a person of con sideration died, he has been in the constant habit, after giving the children or other relatives, a paltry pension, to serve himself heir to the whole property of the de ceasedhas exhibited Illiterate emergedhe ; ri ha fit and rteeodma n i d t dpu rruiwouldinnhirgi etiunrefined in: be ebsdeadrili barbarism c trei u vst t i iry a t n : : : : spi • pg h oeh e ic r ntt e :i a oet m auh rteosn so g men e a scene of domestic ruin and confiscation, asthe Punjab relaxa tions of Runjeet Singh from plotting aggressions more o hE r aubr l fr e i oth s sp s eerv e a,ee x nr t wg e t eaonspsoienvrnesob, rmuhtaibrutality. consisted irtiyt in sensual indulgences, which appeared excessive even among his countrymen, whose which . was a solitary indulgence or whiskey, generally valued in proportion to their effi cacy in depriving him of his senses. The Padsha, or Kin.' as he now began to call himself, suspected one of hilarity suppose, or s ioni sociability a hr b i a tl mode it fi y a p p r lo o af m i nd o rb t i l e rn d an , i dn a gy s : his Queens, the daughter of Sudda Kour, of following the eminent example of infidelity which he had set to his family, and an anecdote on the subject affords an illustrative sample of Seik delicacy. About nine months after their final separation, the lady apprised her bus. band that she had been happily delivered of twin boys : one of whom is Sheer Singh, and the other is called Tara Singh. Runjeet seems to have taken no notice of the event at the time, but some years afterwards, when dandling the children on his knee, in full durbar, he treated the courtiers with such pleasantries as these :—" It was a pretty trick of the old Kour to make my wife call these boys mine ; who, look you, this little fellow is the son of a weaver, and this one of a car penter, who would take them for princes ( p"). Such is the pedigree universally ascribed to the young men, whom their sovereign does not acknowledge, though he allows them to cherish all the pretensions of being his offspring. Some years ago, having no longer need of Sudda Kour, he repaid her for the "trick," by making the old lady transfer her property to the suppositious youths, and surrender the rest. to himself! Kurruck Singh, a son by another Ranee, and older than the fore- going, is the heir apparent of Lahore. No domestic occurrences ever diverted Itunjeet Singh from his schemes of aggrandizement. Having become• a master of almost all the petty states to the north of the Sutlej, he was preparing to dispossess the Scik chiefs between that river and the Jurr.na, in the same manner, when they took alarm, and solicited the protec tion of the British Government in 1808. Mr. (the pre sent Sir Charles) Metcalfe was appointed Envoy on this occasion, to ne,gociate with the sovereignty of the Punjab. The treaty which he finally concluded havin g been subvtantially respected by both parties ever since, is still in force. Its principal stipulations, fixing the river Sutlej as the boundary between the two Powers, provided for the security of the states to the south of it under the British Government, and the co-operation of Runjeet Singh against any European enemy who should invade India through his dominions. It was not, however, without much evasion and long procrastination that the conqueror of so many sma ll a rh principalities tite consented extend his authority t o forego his desig ns , o p en l y claiming to the Jum na , which he said would make a much better line of frontier than what the Envoy insisted on. The mission was first received at Kusoor, with every exterior mark of respect, but negociations had scarcely begun when the Maharajah struck his tents and marched at th e h ea d o f an army, across the Sutlej , when c e taking poss ess i on o f Fureedkote and other districts , b e proceeded as f ar as Umbaila, which he likewise reduced. Mean w hil e M r. Metcalfe h having ad re f .0 protestedsei(to accompany astrongly against th ese ag gressions,r,y the expedition, and, in consequence of the events which foll owe d , a de tachment under Colonel Ochterlony was sent to support the invaded states. It advanced and finally established the cantonment of Loodiana , as Runjeet, r e t reat i ng be fore it, re-crossed the Sutlej , gave up thes e recent con quests, Envoy agreed required to r t o t erm s already menti one d, w hi ch the gsubscribe to. Whilst Mr. Metcalfe and his escort remained at Amritsir, our M us selman sepoys, not being prohibited it appears, made a Tazea for the usual celebration of the Mahurrum, a ce remony interdicted in the Punjab, and held in abhorrence by all the bigotted followers of Gu roo Govind. One Phoola Singh, a leader of Acalis or Immortals, a sort of Knight Templars among the Seiks, attempted, at the head of this band, to cut up the party in a night attack. Captain Fer guson was severely wounded, and several of the men killed, but the assailants were fairly repulsed and driven into the town. Runjeet Singh made a decent show of regret for this outrage, which it is now believed that he was not accessory to, although at the time many con sidered it an experiment made at his instigation, to try the mettle of disciplined troops. lie is known after wards to have upbraided Phoolah Singh for bringing T EMBER 23, 1839 disgrace in his country, by attacking an Ambassador, and then tarnishing its martial reputation by suffering a handful of foreigners to defeat these sacred . defenders of Amritsir ! In 1805, Runjeet Singh had under his banner twenty seven independent chiefs, and thirty-two jageerdars, with their contingents of horse and foot. His own force, be sides 10,000 cavalry, consisted of 900 artillerymen and five battalions of sepoys, drilled after the English fashion, by deserters from the Company's service. The whole army at his disposal, never perhaps in the field at a time, is said to have amounted to 40,000 cavalry and 20,000 armed men of other descriptions. After gradually over-running the intervening districts, he first attacked Multan in 1810, on pretence of de manding the place for Shah Soojah, the Kin.. of Cabul, who had just been dethroned. The Nawab, Muzuffur Khan, refusing to surrender his fort, was offered forbearance if he would pay three lees of rupees ; but rejecting these terms also, he had to prepare for a siege, which immediately began. Famine was threatening the besiegers, when the commander dis covered, to his great joy, that the Nawaub was now willing to pay 180,000 rupees to get rid of such un pleasant company. The siege, which had continued all the cold season, was accordingly raised in the month of April. Although he returned, annually laying waste the country until bribed to desist, Runjeet did not obtain possession of Multan for eight years after the event described. In 1818, his army again invested the place, under the nominal command of his son, Kour Kurruck Singh, but really directed by Missur Dewan Chund, a person who rose from a menial station, to be the ablest of all his master's generals. In the course of a month the parapet was demolished in many places, and the garrison reduced to great distress when Sadu Singh, a commander of Acalis,advanced to the Dhool Kot of Fause Braye, of one of the bastions, and springing over the breast-work, effected a lodgment, which com pletely dispirited the defenders. The Sieks, animated in a corresponding degree, escaladed the walls, and took possession of the fort. The aged governor, Muzuffur Khan, a Syud and a Hadgi, dressed in green, defended the door of his dwelling, until he and two of his sons were slain. A daughter, of fifteen years of age, seeing the fate of her relatives, and dreading the brutality of the conquerors, struck a dagger to her heart, and died before their faces. Multan was delivered up to plunder, and the troops were supposed to leave it loaded with wealth. Their vigilant sovereign, whom an illness had kept at Lahore, coming out to meet his victorious army on its return, surrounded it with his batta lions, and commanded the spoilers to resign their spoil to him This claim being quite . unexpected could neither be evaded nor resisted, and the wily. chief got nearly all the booty of the devoted city and fort. In 1813, the Sieks obtained possession of the fort of Attock and an adjoining territory, on the east bank of the Indus, by negotiation with the Afghan officer, Juhan Dan Khan ; Futtey Khan, the vizier of Cabul, with the view of recovering the place, marched a large army against it in July of the same year. Dewan Chund was forthwith despatched from Lahore, with a force to raise the seize, and protect the new ac quisition. When he reached the river, five miles below Attock, he found his enemy drawn up between him and the fort. A large body of the Mulkuah, or militia of Afghanistan, formed the first division, and it was supported by the cavalry under the command of Dost Mahomnaed Khan, the late Ruler of Cabul, and brother to the Vizier. The Mulkuah ad vanced to the attack before the Sieks had all come up ; but Dewan Chund made prompt arrangements for re ceiving them, by ordering one of the battalions to form square, while he divided his horse into four bodies, to keep Dost Mahomed in check, and expected the ar tillery to open on the Afghans. The square we may suppose was nothing very formidable, but the novelty of it startled the assailants, who, though they rushed on with great impetuosity, could not stand the fire which began to gall them from one side, and they were repulsed with great loss. The Afghans fell back in confusion, being compelled to make a precipitate retreat, and to abandon his designs on Attock. In the month of May, 1814, Runjeet Singh com menced preparations for his first attempt on Cashmere. He succeeded in gaining over the Mussultnan Rajah of Rajouree, in the intervening hills, but in spite of all his intrigues, Rook Ullah Khan, the neighbouring Raja of Poonich, remained faithful to his alliance with the Go vernor of the valley. The Siek, putting himself at the head of the main body of his troops, resolved to move against the country of that prince, in order to penetrate from thence into Cashmere by the Toshah Mydan pass. Another division under Ram Dyal, the grandson of the Dewan, was ordered to proceed by Byram Gullah, to the town of Soepyn, which is within the valley. Though the rains set in with great violence, bringing disease, and cutting off supplies, Ram Dyal following these instructions got to his destination, and defeated the first party of Afghans who opposed him. But when fairly in Cashmere, he suffered a severe reverse and was obliged to retrace his steps over the moun tains. He and his whole force were at last over powered, and surrendering to Mahomed Azeem, the Governor of Cashmere, he treated them with un usual humanity on account of his friendship for Missur Chund. Meanwhile, Runjeet having reduced Poonich and advanced within a few miles of the Toshah Pass, was waiting for tidings of success from his general, when the fatal news arrived. The mountaineers bad already got in his rear, and nearly put off his communication with the plains, but the Poonich Raja now fell upon the Sieks in front, with his whole army, and made them commence a disastrous re treat. Runjeet is acknowledged to have behaved well in this affair, as be kept in the rear giving orders in person to check the pursuers, who followed him to the plains, which he reached safely, but with great loss in his troops, about the middle of August. The second expedition against Cashmere set out in April, 1819. The principal division of the army under Missur Dewan Chund, after reducing the now hostile country of Rajoree, and forcing the Tashah Mydan pass, entered the valley, while Runjeet remained behind keeping up the com munication. Jubbur Khan. the present governor, who could muster only 5,000 men, encountered the Sieks near Soopyn, and was completely routed. The Afghans dispersing fled through the mountains towards Pesha wur, and Cashmere, the favourite theme of eastern story, has ever since remained subject to Lahore. The Maharaja, who has not obtained any footing of consequence to the west of the Indus, overran the country as far as Peshawur, in October 1818. After consulting the stars and the chattering of birds, he made an offering of sweetmeats to the River Deity, and led the way in fording the stream on his elephant. Yar Mahomed Khan fled from the city on the approach of the Sieks, and no opposi tion being offered, Runjeet might consider himself the sovereign of that part of Afghanistan. But for some reason which is not known, he showed none of his wonted eagerness of acquiring territory, and after three days of idle parade, he played off a practical joke, very cruel of its kind, on Julian Dad Khan, the traitor, who had surrendered Attock to the Sick, on the pro mise of a Jageer, by proclaiming the poor man Gover nor of Peshawur, as the reward of his service, and heav ing him without men or money to maintain the new dignity. Yar Mahomed returned and resumed his authority before Runjeet had repassed the Indus. He left a garrison, however, in the fort of Khyrabad, on the western bank of the river, and seems to have formed som e sort of alliance with the ruler of Pes hawur, who was soon afterwards at war with his brothers. On pretence of assisting him against Mahomed Azeem Kban, the former governor who had repulsed the Sieks from Cashmere, but really to take possession of the lands of Akhora, belonging to the family of a chief then recently dead, the Maharaia once more entered the country of the Afghans with 24,000 men 1823. He took the place without en countering opposition, hut soon learned that the son of the deceased proprietor, at the head of four thousand armed peasants, was posted near his camp. This - youth, whose name was Saduk Khan, had levied a force of his own clan called Khuttack, and of the Yoosufzehies, for the defence of his inheritance, and he proved by far the most formidable adversary that Runjeet had hitherto as sailed. Mounting his horse about noon, the Maharaja proceeded with the disciplined battalions, led by a van guard of the Immortals, under Pheola Singh, the leader whohad attacked the British mission at Arrnritsir in 1805. The Afghans, posted in a valley between two small hills, received the onset without flinching, cut the Immortals to pieces, including Phoola Singh himself, and drove back the rest with great slaughter. It is not mentioned why the cavalry, who were in the field, did not charge, but one body of foot after another, was pushed on to the attack and defeated in succession, till sunset, when Saduk with his bold peasantry ascended one of the hills and prepared to defend it during the night. Runjeet Singh, who had been directing the movements all day, now ordered up fresh corps of his infantry and commanded Bulbuddar Singh, the redoubted defender of Calunga against Gen. Gillespie, to proceed with his body of troops at the head of his Goorkas and take possession of the hill, whilst the horse surrounded it below. Bulbudder fell in the attempt, several of the bravest Siek chiefs shared his fate, and a thou sand of their men were slain in this remarkable action. The Afghans, who have suffered dreadfully too, though like the losing parties at Flodden and Corunna, they might boast the honour of arms, were not in a condition to renew the conflicts. The Sieks, by tacit acqui escence, allowed these brave men to pass quietly through the Cordon, and retire to their homes, in the night time. I n September, 1812, the Queens of the Shah Soojah and Zemau Shah of Cabul took refuge from the troubles of their country, and were received in Lahore with every demonstration of respect. Soojah, the deposed King, having been treacherously seized, was conveyed by the Governor of Attock to his brother, who then ruled Cash mere. Two grand objects of the Siek chief's ambition and avarice, the possession of the celebrated Valley, and of the Hill of Light, a very valuable diamond belonging to the fallen family, seeming now to be brought by cir cumstances within his grasp, he plotted industriously to I make the attainment of the one a pretence for procuring the concession of the other. With this view he gave the Queen to understand that he was resolved to liberate her husband in the most chivaifotis manner, and to bestow on him the Fort of Rotas , .. with a t err it o ry tuf ficient to maint a i n his dignity. When the poor lady appeared overjoyed at this generous conduct in prospect, she re ce ived a hint from his Highness's emissary that nothi ng was wanting to make him enter on the execution o f th ese n oble intentions, but the Koh-i-Noor o n w h om h e h a d som ehow set his heart with the f on d ness o f a l over . H er M a j es ty, evincing some skill in diplomacy, had no doubt that when her royal husband was at liberty, gratitude would induce him to conc e d e any thi ng t o so i nva l ua bl e a friend in distress : but with respect to the Diamond it was in pawn at Candahar, f or t wo l acs o f rupees . Runjeet having satisfied himself that the prize, not so far off, was fairly in his power, and dreading its flight, threw the confidential servants of the Queen into close confinement, and placed a cordon of sen tries round their residence, with strict orders to search every person who went out from them. This severity having no effect, he tried what starvation could do, and actually deprived the ladies and their household of food and water for two days. The Waffa Begum, as Shah Soojah's wife was called, still holding out, the Siek at length discontinued his shameless treatment, on getting her promise that the King would redeem tho jewel, and make a pre sen t o f i t to hi s d el i verer when put in possession of Rotas. Runjeet Singh now pretend ing unbounded friendship for Futty Khan, the Vizier, and of late principal ruler of Afghanistan, obtained an interview with him on the banks of the Jhilum, in which they agreed to send a joint force for the reduc tion of Cashmere, which had rebelled, and reclaim the person of Shah Soojah. The expedition succeeded, though many of the Sieks perished in the snow. Futty Khan installed his brother in the government of the valley, and Runjeet had, for the time, to be satisfied with the custody of the royal captive, who was con veyed to his family at Lahore. This success furnished a fair pretext for renewing his inhospitable demands to have the great diamond. The King professing his willingness to confirm his wife's pro mise when the acquisition of his expected terri tory should enable him to recover the precious Koh-i• Noor. Such evasion would not do. The unhap py members of this family were once more incarcerated in separate apartments, threatened with perpe tual imprisonment in Govingurh, at A mritsir, and again denied provisions for several days. Shah Soojah at last negotiated for a sum of money, and a month's time to redeem the article for which he suf fered so much. He tried again to outwit his antago nist here, but proved no match for Runjeet, who knew the facility of giving money and taking it back from a prisoner without loss. Two lacs were therefore speedily advanced, and when the month expired, a day was appointed for surrendering the Hill of Light to the re presentative of the house of Sukerchukea. A native chief, who was present at the interview, describes it thus : The Shah and Runjeet Singh having been seated face to face with some interval between them, Soojah, summoning all the majesty of a race of kings into his dignified countenance, essayed to overawe the mean looking and low-minded grandson of a thief, during an impressive silence which lasted an hour. But the Siek, who could no more read royalty in the glances of a monarch than the Grunth in the manuscript, grew impatient at this Quakerly interruption to business, and desired one who spoke Persian, to remind his Ma jesty of the purpose for which they had met. The Shah without opening his lips, " spoke with his eyes" to an attendant, who, retiring, soon returned, and placed a a small parcel between the great men. Runjeet's itching fingers immediately unrolled numerous envelopes, when to the consummation of his wishes, a large diamond ap peared, which jewellers behind him, who had seen it, recognised as the Koh-i-Noor. Possessed of the treasure which he had incurred so much disgrace in acquiring, his next object was to recover the two lacs, or the value of them, from the wretched captives. After their separation and imprisonment, they had been graciously permitted to enjoy the fresh air in tents pitched for them in the garden called Sha limar. It would have been impolitic to insinuate that the rupees had never left his Majesty's coffers so the noble host of kings and queens now directed a party of expe rienced officials to pay them a domiciliary visit and to bring him all the jewels and money without reservation. To obey this mandate loyally, the plunderers made sure work by taking away not only all the ornaments used by women of rank, but rich dresses and every sword, shield, and matchlock, that a particle of gold or silver could recommend to their master. The royal family was now completely fleeced, and could not be shorn of more by the most practised ingenuity. Runjeet there fore allowed the females to escape to Loodiana where they were sometime afterwards rejoined by their hus bands, on whom the British Government settled 50,000 rupees a year. The remainder of the life of the Maharajah is pretty well known from the writings of Mr. Elphinstone, Cap tain Sir Alexander Burnes, and other travellers who lately visited the Court of Lahore. Captain Burnes re lates that he could drink more strong Scotch whiskey than any Highland chief he ever met with. The only European Powers for whom he appears to have enter tained any regard were England and France ; and though it was deemed necessary to keep a watchfnl eye over him, his fidelity to England is, upon the whole, more deserving of commendation than that of most of our Oriental allies. CITY REGISTRATION. (SATURDAY.) (Before MR. MILNE. ) Mr. Wm. Payne, solictor claimed for a counting house in Alder man b ury . M r . T eague state d that Mr. Payne was ward clerk and coroner for the City of London, and also for Southwark, and that application was fre quently made on the premises for the holding of inquests. He was not an accountant. Mr. I‘IYLNE considered this merely an office and that it did not come under the description of counting-house. Mr. Teague submitted that this was something more than a solicitor's office. Mr. Payne being ward clerk and coroner. He considered that the word counting-house included " office:" the Act said "counting-hoase or other building." Mr. MYLNE—But this is not a building. If it be merely a solicitor's office, the claim cannot be admitted. The only doubt on my mind is whether it is not more of a counting-house, but I don't see the distinction suffi ciently clear to draw it. In one sense there are accounts kept in all solicitors' offices. Mr. Jardine—Suppose Mr. Wakley had an office ? Mr. Trott—He has one in Fleet-street. Mr. MvuiE—l don't think I should admit Mr. Wakley's vote if he claimed. I should not admit Mr. Wakley's claim if I did not admit Mr. Payne's. Mr. Jardine submitted that counting-house business was transacted on these premises, the ward accounts be ing made out there. Mr. MYLNE—Every solicitor who has clients keeps accounts and to a greater extent frequently than in the present case. The Act giving a new qualification alto gether, we are not to extend it beyond the words of the act, and the word office is not introduced. Mr. Teague—Supposing Mr. Payne not to be a solicitor, but only coroner and ward clerk? Mr. MYLNE—There would still be a difficulty about it, and it might be called an office. The question would be the principal object for which the place was kept. But it is not for me to deal with cases that do not arise. I will consider the present case and consult my colleague upon it. WIIY ARE ENGLAND AND FRANCE SO UNITED ?—A few days ago, when Odry was performing in the Chevreuil, in the theatre of the camp at Fontainbleau, a distinguished English officer was sitting by the side of the Duke d e N emours . Od ry h av i ng inquired of Esther, " Do you know why England and France are so united ?" —at these words a kind of anxiety appeared on the faces of some of the audience, for it was feared that some indiscreet answer might be given; Odry, however, replied, " C'erte parce qu'elles se tiennent par la Manche." The audience immediately directed their looks to the Duke and the English officer, and gave way to their satisfaction in a burst of laughter. During the boisterous gale on Tuesday evening part of the Wellington Pavilion was unroofed, and some damage was thereby caused to the expensive fittings-up. The building is now being dismantled, the idea of render ing it farther profitable as an exhibition having been abandoned. The Committee have, however, made the most of it in this line; and though they are understood to be minus the expense of its erection by some five or six hundred pounds, we do not think they can be 'charged with having let slip a single opportunity of turning it to a profitable account.—Dover Chronicle. THE PUBLICANS AND THE NEW POLICE ACT.—At Marylebonc police-office, on Friday, two publi cans were fined for keeping their houses open, though it was not proved they had served any drink after twelve o'clock, and they declared that they had endeavoured to clear their houses by the time specified, but were un able to do so, and the p o li ce o ffi cers would not assist them. At Queen-square Office, however, the presiding Magistrate, Mr. B urre ll, on F r id ay re f use d to conv ict similar under circum s t ances , as t h e wor d s o f t h e Act are, " sh all ..keep open for the sale," &c. It was not proved that any liquor had been sold after the hour of twelve. The Censeur of Lyons, dated the 18t h , an nouncesplans of the Duke of Orleans an alteration in the at Lyons, in consequence of the intelligence transmitted by • telegraph through that town from Cons t a ntino ple. his ad ded that a regiment s t a tioned there had been ordered to form its war batallions, The Augsburgh Gazette of August 28 states that Admiral Sir Robert Stopford has threatened to force the passage of the Dardanelles, if Ibrahim should march to Constantinople; any serious troubles should break out in the capital ; or the Russian fleet should ap pear in the Bosphorus. The opinion in Calcutta is that her Majesty's Government would see all the opium smu gg l ers, as well b u rnt before they w ou ld g i ve a farthing the parties wh o gave up the opium at Mr. towards indemnifying Elliott's demand; and although we consider some compen- , sation will probably be given, as a matter of generosity rather than justice, we can fancy nothing so likely to put a stop even to this, as any absurd pretensions on the part of those, who, by persisting in an illegal traffic, have endan. gered our legitimate commerce with theChinese.—Madras Courier. VENIN; EDITION. SPORTING INTELLIGEAVA. DONCASTER IiACES.—(FuIDAY.) The finess of the weather, aided by an inviting list, attracted ( a falicr attendance than we have been accustomed to meet en the last day ; the sport, it will be .!een, was good and plentiful. The Hornby Castle makes of 20 sous ts.koh, with 50 added. Two m. Four sus. Lord W es t m i nster ' s br h 1 Cardinal Puff, b 5 yrs, sst 21b (Scott) 1 Mr. Ram sa y' s b r c Easingwold, 3 yrs, 6st 111 b The betting opened at even and finished at 2 to 1 on Cardinal Puff, who made his own running, and won by 10 or 15 lengths. The Scarborough Stakes of 30 sous each, 10ft, for three-yr-olds colts, Bst 61b ; and fillies, Bst 31b; the winner of the St. Leger to have carried ilb extra. One mile. Nineteen subs. CAnel Cradock's la c The Provost ( Templeman) Lord Eglintoun's br c Malvolio, by Liverpool Major Yarburgh's bl f L o ll ypop Betting-5 to 4on Malvolio, sto 2 agst the Provost, and 4to 1 agst Lollypop. The filly took the lead at starting, but was immediately headed by The Provost, and he in a few strides by Malvolio, who kept the lead at a good pace, followed by the Provost to the distance, where the latter went to his girths, and kept there to the stand ; he then got to his head, and, atter a smart race, won by a length. The mare was about three lengths behind the second. Lollypop has since been sold to Mr. G. Walker for a brood mar.. The Park Hill Stakes of 50 sous each, h ft for three-yr-old fil lies, Bst 41h. St. Leger Course. Fifteen subs. Mr. Bowes's ch Mickleton Maid Col. Craucurd's b Dolphin 2 Mr. Smith's br Margaret 3 . _ Lord Derby's ch Im;gine Duke of Richmond's b Reel Betting-6 to 4 agst Dolphin, sto 2 agst Margaret, sto I agst Imogine, and 6 to 1 agst Reel. Imogine took the lead at a good pace, followed by the Dol phin, Margaret lying third, Mickleton Maid, fourth, and Reel last; no change took place until they reached the two mile post, where Mickleton Maid, The Dolphin, and Margaret went on together to the distance; Margaret dropped off here, and the other two finished the race ; at the stand Alickleton Maid was nearly half a length in front, where the Dolphin caught her and made a good fight home, the Maid winning by only half a neck. Margaret was two lengths behind, and Reel beaten off. The Town Plate of 1001. Three yrs, 7st Mb ; four, Bst 71b ; five, 9st; six and aged, 9st 31b. Maiden colts allowed 21b, and maiden fillies, 31b; the second to receive 18 guine as. Heats, two miles. Lord Eglinton's ch f Opera, 4 yrs (Lye) 4 1 0 1 Mr. Alilner's br c Humphrey 2 4 0 2 Mr. Smith's br f Memento, 3 yrs 1 2 3 3 Mr. S. King's br f Juvenile, 3 yrs First Heat-2 to lon Opera and 4to 1 agst Memento. A good race between Humphrey and Memento until within a few strides of home, when the former gave way, and the mare won by a neck, but not without difficulty. Second Heat-2 to lon Opera, and 10 to 3 agst Humphrey ; a pretty race between the first two ended in favour of Opera by half a length. Third Heat-5 to 2on Opera and 4to 1 agst Humphrey, who made a dead heat after a fast run race. -....„. Fourth Heat-5 to 4on Humphrey; won cleverly. With this Plate terminated a meeting which, however it may have disappointed expectation in other respects, has in th e it em of sport i n fi n i te l y surpasse d i t ; the records of? Doncaster may be searches in vain for so exciting a St. Leger, or one; taking either of the heats, which afforded such severe competition. We may also point out the Cup, both the Two-year-old, the Gascoigne, the Doncaster, and several other stakes, as proofs of our assertion ; and it is not a little creditable to the judge that, with so many close races, his decision was unexceptionable. That the attendance was less numerous than of old must bo attributed to the influence of the weather and the " badness of the times." Had the meeting been confined to four days, we have no doubt that the company would have been larger. The keeping of the course was excellent, the starting as good as ever, and the general arrangements faultless. The stewards for 1840 are the Earl of Scarborough and Lord Kelburne. The following names of visiters to the races have not been given in any of our previous lists :—Earl Bathurst, Earl and Countess of Lincoln, Countess Stanhope, Lord Wenloch, Vis count Alford, .M.P., Viscount and Viscountess Howard, Lord Seymour, M.P., Lord St. Maur, Lord C. Pelham Clinton, Lord Elcho, Lady E. Stanhope, Colonel and Lady Harriet Lane, Sir G. Armitage, Bart., Sir J. Simpson, Sir C Knightley, Bart., Sir W. B. Cooke, Sir T. Butler, Sir F. L. Wood, Bart., Sir G. Drummond, Sir J. Kaye, Bart. ; Honourables--G. W. Fitzwilliam, G. Brown, Major and Mrs. Wodehouse, Mrs. Bland, Captain Gray, H. Brown, Mr. Watson, Major C. Vivian, and Major Finnan; Colonels—Brooke, Thorpe, Graham, Synge ; Captains—Shelve'', Sutton, Owen, Burke, Lownds, Knight, Taylor, Stewart ; Messieurs—Mostyn, Col ville, E. Mostyn, G. L. Fox, jun., H. Hungerford, T. H. Cooke!, Gascoigne, W. Orde, E Denison, Cotton, C. Stan dish, M.P., H. Wormald, H. Handley, M. P., W. Anger_ stein, &c. The fashionable parties were entertained in the neighbour hood during the week : At Earl Fitzwilliam's, Wentworth House—Viscount Milton, M.P., Hon. Mr. Fitzwilliam Mr. L. Thompson, Lady Mary Thompson, Mr. Challoner, Miss Challoner, Mr. Rose, and Mr. Wodshouse. Earl of Scarborough's, Sandbeck—Countess Stanhope, Lady E. Stanhope, Marquis of Normanbv, Earl Bathurst, Comte Horro, Sir John and Lady Gerard, 1 - Hon. G. Brown, General Upton, Captain C. Jones, Mr. C. Newdigate, Mr. G. F. Hol combe, Mr. and Mrs. Cotterell, Mr. F. Handish, Mr. J. T. Tisdale, Mr. W. Angerstein, &c. Earl Spencer's, Wiscton—Lord Elcho, Sir C. Knightley, Hon. Mr. Watson, Captain Peel, Captain Rous, Mr. H. Hindley, M.P., Mr. Knightly, &c. Captain Lumley's, Tickhill Castle—Viscount Maidstone, M.P., Viscount Alford, Lord St. Maur, Sir H. Campbell, Bart., M.P., Major C. Vivian, M.P., Mr. T. Gascoyne, Mr. Cox. LATEST BETTING ON THE DERBY—TuunsnAr. 17 to 1 agst Muley Ishmael (taken). 20 to 1 agst Brother to Euclid. 25 to 1 agst Launcelot. • 40 to 1 agst Fitzroy (taken). 50 to 1 agst St. Andrew (taken), no to 1 was laid agst the following, in one lot :—Brother to Euclid, Launcelot, and Fitzroy. FRIDAY 20 to 1 was taken, to a large amount (6,000/. to 300/. in one bet), about St:Andrew, and 30 to 1 about Fitzroy. No other change. SALE OF BLOOD STOCK (by MEssas. TATTERSALL). The Property of Mr. OSBALDESTON. Gs. Lady Elizabeth (foaled in 1828), by Lottery, out of Miss Wentworth (covered by the Saddler) lO5 Lord EXETER'S. Dahlia, covered by Ishmael Diamentina, covered by Sultan and Beiram 3O Marehesa, covered by Sultan and Beira Palais Royal, covered by Reveller Velure, covered by Reveller Mr. BOWER'S. Tartarina, sister to Sir John, &e., by Tramp, covered by Dr. Faustus 72 Peter the Great, 4 yrs old, by Voltaire, dby Dr. Syntax 60 Lady Fractious, by Comus, d by Vaultress Emela,'by Emilius, d by Reveller 55 Black Colt, 3 yrs, by Margrave, d by Whisker Mr. Allen has sold Fitz-Ambo into Mr. Trenn's stable. SHREWSBURY RACES.—THVIISDAY. The Gold Cup (in specie) by subscribers of 10 sous each ; three-yr-olds, ist ; four, Sst 31b ; five, Sst 111 b ; six and aged, 9st. Mares, &c., allowed 21b. Three miles. Four teen subs. _ _ Mr. Collins's ' ffr g Isaac, aged Darling I Mr. J. Day's br h Caravan, 5 yrs... 2 Sweepstakes of 5 sovs each, with 30 added from the Fund ; three-yr-olds, ist ; four, 86t 21b ; five, Bst I llb ; six and aged, 9st 21b. Mares, &c., allowed 31b ; winners on Wed nesday 21b extra. Heats, once round a distance. Lord Stanley's f Velocity, 3 yrs Dodgson 3 1 I Mr. F. R. Price's br g Captain Pops, 4 yrs Mr. Holker's ch m Maid of Monton, 5 yrs 1 3 3 The Borough Members' Plate of 601. Three yr-olds, Est. 121 b ; five, List 91b ; six and aged, 9st. Mares, &e., allowed 31b; winners once this year (matches excepted) 31b : twice, slb thrice, or of a royal plate, 71b extra; horses that have started twice this year without winning allowed 31b. Heats, _ twice round and a dis. Mr. Barrow's bin Catharina, aged Hopwood 1 0 1 Mr. Price's b f Lady Abbess, 3 yrs 0 0 Mr. Worthington's b c Northenden, 4 yrs Mr. Collett's br c The Dean, 3 yrs Mr. Shepherd's ch ni Maid Marian, 5 yrs 3 dr SADLER'S WELLS THEATRE. We on Friday paid this theatre a visit, which we were happy to find crowded long before the rising of the curtain. The performances commenced with a new nautical melo drama, entitled Paul the Pilot, or the Tirrech of the Raven in 1692, which all admirers of splendid scenery, would do well to see. There is a view of Portsmouth harbour, which, as a work of art, is entitled to the highest praise. To this succeeds a moving diorama of the scenery along the coast, terminating with the departure of his Majesty's ship Raven—the Raven being a perfect and complete model of a large class frigate, which is manoeuvred in regular seaman-like style upon the stage. The illusion is complete, and the working of the frigate reflects the greatest credit upon the machinist. Another magnificent effect is pro duced at the conclusion of the piece. The wrecked crew of the Raven, are on a raft in the midst of the ocean. A sail is seen, and a large ship, the Andromache, occupying the whole length of the stage, sails in and rescues them. Honner must have gone to immense expense in the getting up of this piece—but the public seem to appreciate the exertions of their indefatigable caterer, and The Wreck of the Raven will, we doubt not, prove the fortune of the manager. The Merchant's Daughter followed, to the success of which the admirable acting of Mrs Honner and her hus band, materially c on - trih i mpressiv e style, Cathcart's somew hat heav y , but very mpressile style, told well in the character of Mark Freeland. and the Old Merchant of Williams was worthy the well e arne d fame of that sterling actor. The enterta inments at thi s theatre are altogether of a su p erior class, an d we recom mend tbris.l ov ers of melo-drama to pay a v i s i t to all we Sadlers' UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. CAMBRIDGE, SEPT. 21.—0 n Monday last, the Rev Edward Hawkins, M. A., was collated to the perpetual „ rac y of Coleford, in the Forest of Dean, vacant by the resignation of the Rev. Thomas Dowell. Patron, the Lord Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol. On the same day the Rev. Giles Daubeny, Was insti tuted to the rectory of Lydiard Tregoz, in the county of Wilts, vacant by the death of the Rev. IL Miles. Pa troness, Mrs. Collins, of Bettertan. The Rev. J. Raven, 8.A., has been presented to the rectory of Mundford, Norfolk. Patron, Sir R. Sutton, Bart. the rrheßev. Georgeperpetual y o King, M. A., d been presented Norwich; ict's, on theto nomination of the parishioners. The Rev. Mark Waters, 8.A., has been appointed upon his own petition to the Ministership of Great Yarmouth, vacant by the cession of the Rev. John Homfray. The Town Council of Reading has .elected the Rev. Robert Appleton, of Pembroke College, Master of the Grammar school, in the room of the Rev. F. Valpy. The Council has fixed the sum of 10 guineas as the charge for the education of a day scholar in the classics, writing, and arithmetic. The Rev. Sackville Gardiner Bourke, M.A., has been preferred to the rectory of Hatherop, Gloucestershire, va cant by the death of the Rev. T. Pettat. INCENDIARY FIRE.—A boy named Seale, about 15 years of age, has been committed to Maidstone Gaol, charged with having set fire to Oxford Castle Farm, near Sevenoaks (as already detailed). The property con. sumed at the fire is estimated at 2,0001. 1- I