The Sun. — London, England, 1839-04-01 00:00:00

L:',VE,'NEN'G EDITION. fiHE EDINBURGH REVIEW, No. CXXXIX. WILL BE PUBLISHED IN A FEW DAYS. CONTENTS. REIGNS of GEORGE the THIRD and FOURTH.—Public Characters. Mail AL and INTELLECTUAL STATISTICS of FRANCE. GALLY KNIGHT'S ARCHITECTURAL TOURS. 4 CII `.li LES the FIRST and the SCO'II'ISH COMMIS. lONERS 5. .5 7 .13. JOiiN BARROW'S LIFE of LORD ANSON. C. COMMISSION on the IRISH RAILWAYS. 7. LIFE and ADVENTURES of COLONEL MACERONL S. rill, ANCIEN I' LYRICS ani MUSIC of SCOTLAND. C. FALSE TASTE in CO kIPOSITION.—Rev. Dr. Charming. .0. CH rj STATE.,—Mr. Gladstone. NOTES. London: Long-man, and Co. Edinburgh: A. and C. Black ;ow ready, No. 111., Trice Is., of the new and entirely ori ginal Work, entitled )AV Y DR EAM Y. Edited by FLIT ! With Two Comic Etchings by PETER PALETTE. vof the scenes are quite equal to those of Nicholas ti the illustrations to any of Cruikshank's."—Age. to is a quiz of the first water, and will startle oz r, out of their fair propriety. The illustra- Caledonian Mercury. and flext,ill, 265, Strand. Fc: S 0 N 0, P 0 L Y.-TOWER ' HAMLETS. [.r;:vide:l. and most respectable MEETING of GAS :',\IERS, held at Mr. Blay's, the Golden Eagle, Shad \i'edn.:.sday last, and thence adjourned to the old as:, Mr. 1101-111 in the Chair, it was unanimously hat the following Resolution be inserted in the Morn rrtiser and Sun newspapers : Mceting feels indebted to the Committee of the Gas Company for the prompt manner in which are come forward to afford explanation and information to the progress made by the New Company to relieve isoi;:inrs of gas in the Tower Hamlets from their present nn,and this Meeting public') pledges itself to support the per ial Gas Company by every possible means, and to use oileztive and individual influence to promote the welare p-orperity of this great boon to the consumers of gas gene iy, by in - acing each consumer in the district to become, not y a customer of, but a shareholder in, the Commercial Gas St na:: r THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT GARDEN. THIS EVENING, Arm 1, Will be performed the New Play, in Five Acts, called RICHELIEU, OR THE CONSPIRACY, Written by Sir E. Lyttan Bulwer, Bart. The Characters by Elton, Mr. Diddear, Mr. Maeready, Mr. Warde, Mr. An o;1, Ir. Vining. Mr. Roberts, Mr. Phelps, Mr. G. Ben , :ATI.. Howe, Miss E. Phillips, Mr. Tilbury, Mr. Yet.- , Mr. W. L. Payne, Mr. C. J. Smith, Mr. Bender, ra , ,110, Mr. Gouili, Mr. Thorne, Mr. Brady, Mr. Bur- Smith, Mr. Kirke, Mr. Hollingsworth; Mr. Wal. 1, Mr. AlliiTe, Mr. Andrews, Mr. T. Matthews, Miss Ftu±. Miss Charles, Mesdames Reed, Corder, Lee, t0:1,11.c , , Mathews, Mew, and Morgan. v:liich will be revived the Grand Dramatic Romance, of LOD OI SK A. Thrrotv, Richelieu, with a Grand Dramatic Romance. TO OUR READERS. Printer on Friday blended together portions le; , .!ers, and produced an article which it must b-!eri impossib!e to understand. We regret the a . ,;( 1 care has been taken to prevent the recur- ~ ....t 4 > 4fej;,. :.., 2. ..r . ', r- 4:: ", " (.4 , • -'=-I'v;s•-•4(z , -.1-1 4 : , - , zk — i,.. - -,_ ;:.4 1 .-'W-",..§. ( . 1 '....-", ' f I , ' 3 ~,.- c • - ..-. - a 4,k 4 - ,~,.~.~: f.)ltin : MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1839. troversy has sprung up among the Liberal s as to the propriety of now endeavouring to the country to procure a further reform of On Monday the Morning l e began a series of articles, and continued v day during the week, to demonstrate the of the Reform Act, and the necessity of a rlly of the Liberals to procure another ) Act. Our Contemporary requires the Bal mise hoid Suffrage,. Triennial Parliaments, 'Jnlition of the Property Qualification, and are equal distribution of Ha presentation. these are points on which we cor ly echo our Contemporary, and have long in the habit of demanding them. ,)pearin% in the Chronicle, these articles indicate comp!otc change in its views, and from being a a very humble servant of the Ministers as long as IliCy Were likely to remain in office, it has, all at once, become, now that their fall seems at hand, as the National says, furiously Radical. The new aspect of our Contemporary, just at this time, has it t I„".:t:tution. excited more the attention of the Contemporary Press, than lips been vouchsafed to the Chronicle 1,7; r a long period. The Globe, the Courier, and the Examiner deprecate the changeas unseasonable in re qtad to the Ministers, and,comingat this time, itgives rise to no pleasant suspicions. The Spectator, the Weekly Chronicle, and perhaps other Liberal Jour. nals, praise the articles of the Morning Chronicle, and highly approve of the time of issuing what has been called its manifestoes. We feel called on, therefore, to state our opinion on this point, and having made up our minds as to the impropriety of the course now recommended by the Chronicle, we sha!! unreservedly assign our reasons for this con clusion. We are not finality men, but, like the Chronicle, we have advocated the changes which it demands. The only difference between us is as to the time of raising this rallying cry. We think it most injudici ously chosen. The question must be looked at practi cally ; between us and the Chronicle, there is no difference as to the object, but we ask how it is to be achieved ? The Chronicle has been driven to open its batteties just now, because the Corn -1:-Iws are insultingly maintained ; and it would avowedly effect a further reform in Parliament to carry the repeal of the Corn-laws. The Chronicle, however, has written strongly against appeals to arms, and decreed within these ten days the use of physical force, with all its might. It would there fore procure a further reform of the Parliament by constitutional means, in order to procure a re peal of the Corn-laws. Does the Chronicle sup pose that the men who resisted that repeal will yield *further Parliamentary Reform ? Not they indeed. They will opp ose i t to the utmost. No sentiment of justice can be brought to operate against them on that point, and the men who would not yield this unjust tax on bread will not yield another change in the Constitution. They will be able to say Seven years only have elapsed since you carried 'eat change in the Constitution ; it was all, or all, which you then desired ; you promised corntry from that the greatest blessings, and here now and tell us that it has been a failure. What reason have we to suppose present changes you demand will be more ? What guarantee of their expediency or can you possibly offer us ?" They would rot be convinced by the arguments of the It', and very nearly every man of the ma jority of 342 who voted against Mr. VILLIERS' ; , n, would resist to the utmost the Chronicle's furi.l - ier reform. r,es~ V (ritro Besides this majority nearly all the Ministers and i:,1 -eat body of the Whigs who voted with Mr. • TEES on the Corn-laws, wr: , ::d vote against , ;osition to establish the : - ;allot,to shorten the cr to extend t..e Suffrage. We want to .refore, bow that much larger majority n opposed Mr. VILLIERS' 'notion is to be ? L hat force can the Chronicle hope against them to obtain an Extension of the or the Vote by Ballot ? For our parts we . not the slightest chance of present success, and it is unwise to endeavour to excite po!itical agita- Con without the least hope of achieving the object x, IFr, propost7d. there can be no hope of inducing the Parlia ment to yield on this question, without exciting a complete commotion amongst the people, is there any hope that they could be excited zealousy to ':nand the changes required by the Chronicle ? C:e failure of the Reform Act, so vehemently the m the Chart agitation amongst the whole people, we cannot love see; hut, till circumstances rouse them the efforts of writers will be in -vain ; and we sie at piesent no circumstances which afford the least proof of a dis poaisloo in the people to serious political excitement. Wean; afraid that the middle classes are alarmed by the doctrines of the Chartists, and the meetings of the Convention, and that they would be just now total;i , a , erse fi (En adopting the " furio us Radi (alisin of tl e Chronicle. Whatever, therefore, way be the demerits of the Houses of Commons and Lords and nobody is more sensible of them than we are, we see no signs in the public opinion which can induce us to suppose that a national movement can now be excited against them ; and unless there be a national movement, they will only laugh at newspaper pellets. Besides objecting to the deliberate agitation of these questions now, because there is no hope of success, we object to it as interrupting the pursuit of a positive good. Though the Chronicle may not have taken the lead on Corn-law agitation, arid may only have come third or fourth into the field, that we believe is a cause which still interests great multitudes. To complete one thing at a time is gool policy. There exists a great Anti-Corn-law league ; to that most of the towns of the empire have adhered ; funds are collected, Delegates are sit- I ing, justice is on their side, and we are not to give ti t , that great cause in despair, and chase after some other good at the first rebuff. No great be nefit was ever so won. The Chronicle would divert ts from that pursuit to another, wh:Lli, licwever proper in itself, is now unseason able. We will not folloW the Chronicle. The eviloilee we lay before our readers of the failure of the Couvevaion inspires us with a hope that the working classes may yet be roused to demand in thuieler the repel of the Corn-laws ; and when there ;s a hope, 07 even a possibility, of that, it is extremely hail polic% to direct attention to any other object. On these great public grounds we decide that the Cbionicle has badly ' osen its time ; pri vate 3 gleutis t ; and bow its , sertion may affect the Miaistcrs, enter not into o , consideration. We shall merely say that, as a party journal, its tactics are as bad as those of the Ministers who have sa crificed the interest of their party and their friends to individual crotchets against the Ballot and about finality. We hope that the vanity of a somewhat strong and eloquent mind, and the hopes of taking the lead on a question of reform, have not over mastered bustling, pompous, but prudent shallow ness, and led our Contemporary to aim at gratifying private ambition at the expense of public advantage. The secession of the Birmingham representa tives to the Convention from that body, which was indicated in our report of its proceedings on Satur day, is confirmed by a letter which we publish from Messrs. HADLEY, SALT, and DOUGLAS, the Birmingham M. C.'s. Their secession coming so immediately after that of Dr. WADE, and after the disputes which have arisen in that body, be token, we think, its speedy dissolution. At any rate it is now pretty evident that the Convention will effect nothing considerable, and that it would probably be politic and prudent in them to disperse, and spare the funds of their constituents for a more favourable occasion. Although we never approved of the object the Chartists had immediately in view, and although we did all in our power to dissuade the working classes from demanding the Char ter, and earnestly called on them to join us in endeavouring to obtain a repeal of the Corn-laws, we have never thrown any obstacles in their path; we have written nothing against them, and have opened our columns to as full a report of their proCeedings as was compatible with our duty to the public. We, therefore, have in no wise con tributed to their failure. The impossibility of reaching the object they had in view without the assistance of the middle classes, and the struggles of private ambition, which always will penetrate into such assemblies, are the true causes of their want of success. They will now return to their consti tuents disappointed and discomfited, as we have always anticipated, and as we told some of the leaders ; but how different would have been their position, and how much better would it have been for themselves, their constituents, and the country at large, had they followed our advice, humbly but sincerely tendered, to unite with the middle classes in demanding the repeal of the Corn-laws. The whole course of the debate and discussion on that subject, both in Parliament and in the newspapers, demonstrates that had the working classes bestirred themselves in that cause it would have been achieved. The main practical argument of the landowners and the Tories was that the repealers were not supported by the people. The Tories kicked out Mr. VILLIERS' resolution be cause they had been told they had nothing to appre hend from the misled multitude, whose trade they were destroying, and whose wives and families they were consigning to poverty and starvation. Under the influence and direction of persons who are suspected of having been hired by the Tories, but who, if they are not, could riot have better served their cause, the working men of England have lost an excellent opportunity of achieving the freedom of industry. The extinction of the Corn-laws would have been the annihilation of the chief of those restraints which prevent the inhabitants of England from prospering beyond all other nations. We shall not, however, regret this failure if its instruction be not lost on the working classes. The error, happily for them, can be yet retrieved. The Anti-Corn-law League is in full ope ration ; other motions to repeal the Corn-laws will be made during the present Session, and if the work ing classes, beginning with the tin-canister men of Bir mingham and their representatives, will cordially and uanimously rally round the Anti-Corn-law League, which has now engraved on its banner the sacred principle of FREEDOM OF INDUSTRY—if they will unite and demand a repeal of the Corn-laws, that may yet be carried. The landlords are terrified at the very thought of the working men agitating the subject, because on this point they are sensible of their own weakness and the people's strength ; justice is against them, and their own consciences are against them ; and it depends at this moment on the workmen of England, who must be convinced that by the Convention they can get nothing, whe ther or not the landlords shall be compelled to give up the most scoundrel, ruinous, and degrading tax that ever was levied on a free people. If, however, the workmen of England will turn aside from a sub stantial improvement to pursue a chimera, they will convince their best friends that they are not yet ripe to enjoy the blessings of freedom which they despise. THE SHAKSPERE CLUB.--, Ja, turd ay members of the Shakspere Club gave a splendid enterteie, ment to Mr. Macready, at the Piazza Coffze-house, Covent-garden, to commemorate his great exertions in the restoration and support of the legitirna!e drama. There were present about fifty gentlemen, most of whom are as sociated with the literature and the fine arts of the country, and some of them their brightest ornaments. Charles Diekens, Esq. (Boz), was the Chairman, in the absence of Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, the President of the Club, who is engaged on the Midland Circuit. A Bristol Coal Company is in operation in France, and the cur,iosity of the Parisians is not a little ex cited by the manner in which their business is managed. The carts, horses, harness, fiec., bear an exact resemblance to these in this city, and even the coal-heavers, with their hats with the flap behind, and their long whips, differ in no respect from their London prototypes. The coals are ex ported from Wales, and fetch 75 francs the 20 cwt. ST. JANIES'S THEATRE.—This Theatre was opened on Saturday evening, for the purpose of affording a favoured few an opportunity cf witnessing the perfor mance of M. H. H. Schryer's celebrated company of monkeys and dogs previous to their public debut, which will take place this evening. The exhibition is certainly an extraordinary one, and will no doubt attract as much attention in this country as it has already done in Paris and and others of the principle cities on the Continent. It is difficult to conceive by what process of training the animals have been brought to imitate humanity as they do. At a supper party, at the toilet, in the riding academy, or in military evolutions, the bombardment and capture of a fort, they seem equally at home. They waltz, fight duels, ride a la Ducrow, and jump a la Jim Crow, with extrem. (finery propriety and decorum. We shall defer entering into the details of their performances until they have ap peared publicly, which will be tl,i; evening, CHRIST'S HOSPITAL. last public supper for the season took place last night ; when, in addition to a numerous and brilliant party, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge honoured the institution with his pre sence. The duty was read by the senior Grecian, Mr. It. Andrews, after which the Easter anthem (the words by Mr. H. S. Maine) was performed. His Royal Highness, after partaking of refreshments at the Treasurer's residence, left the Hospital highly gratified. Workmen are employed in fizing a new gasome ter under the window of the library of the House of Commons, preparatory to an attempt to light the house with gas. Nlendelssohn being invited by the Philharmonic Directors to recommend to them one or two of the best singers in Germany, mentioned Miss Clara Novelle) and Mrs. Alfred Shaw. The Directors, who were expecting some Fraulein von Donnerundblitzcn or Madlle. von Ho. henstanfen, must have been astonished at the pleasantry of recommending to them their own old familiar friends ; - a serious and sober truth is at the bottom of it. —ilitteica, ilroi Id. NEW ERA IN AGLICULTURE.—A gentleman just arrived fi.:rn Georgia, who has brought with him a new colossal and prolific clover-aced from Bokbara, which he is going to submit to Mr. Loudon. According, to the accounts of the most celebrated travellers who have visited that distant and important country, which is equ , .l in climate to that of Great Britain, all grains, herbs, and ve getables distinguish themselves by their gigantic growth. The clover seed just imported grows to the enormous height of twelve to fifteen feet, and can be cut every month. But this is not the only valuable property of this most extraordinary production of the vegetable kingdom. Out of the stem a hemp is prepared which is so highly esteemed in the distant region of which it is a native, that preference is given to it over all other sorts. Should the plan succeed in England, and of which there can be but little doubt, it will form a new era by rendering this country independent of foreign supplies of clover-seed. It is fortunate that it has arrived in time to be tri-cl th's year. It must be sown in April. It is said that each grain will produce 300,000 seeds. —Globe. ,_ed by the Chronicle, would operate with the timid coddle classes not to trouble themselves about tter. We doubt whether all the exertions the Press, even if combined, could stir up thoSe clas:ics to follow in the wake of the Would the lower classes stir ? Would sts support the Chronicle ? We have ers•tood that they would m:cept lionsebeld Suf ee, but only as an instalment to tlet. mote They tl:atetn)i(tSuffraie is o. ly ;•tleted than as a lure to ta k e tllem awe.; from their one datling otc e J Rad they will not, we believe ; sti. a hand to :• , oeur e r the fa, reform s required by f h Chronic/0. Ballot t a t unfranchised to ast.' for the would bet to Univers a l Suffr age !. e obtained, the enfeutthemsclv s e off from all , o,lence over ra chis c d classes, a , i.l :11 of ever obtainin g t h e S uft ,,,, can Neither, are, by the help o f the raiddi ,; of the lower classes,there e CiasSez.., n r be 1.• h ,alc:1; the 01ject the .(17-o„i c ) hoe .e regetres us •, en! hance may brill,. for:11, cuLualst.aaces may arise to excite political wt4t The final and amicable settlement of the Boundary Question between Great Britain and the United States is not likely to be promoted by the further discussion of newspapers upon the subject. Bad blood may be engendered, hostile pr e judices re vived, and national jealousies excited, by intempe rate denunciations of this or that policy ; but we believe that every honest friend of England and America will rather seek to promote a spirit of mu tual forbearance between the two Governments than to foster sentiments which it would be well for both bad never an existence. In this spirit we quote the following observations from the Observer ( Diinis ter;al Journal) of yesterday, in answer to some very ill-judged remarks of the Times upon this very delicate, but at the same time, highly important subject \V feel great reluctance in provoking angry discussion upon the question now Fending between her Majesty and the United States of America, lest we should do public mischief by exasperating the people of one country or the other. That question has become the subject of serious negotiations between the two Governments ; and, involving, as it does, PEACE or WAR, we should have been content to await silently the issue, did we not find that the Times, a journal of most extensive circulation, has published an article but too well calculated to mislead the public. The article in our Morning Contemporary professes to be an answer to the Globe evening paper, and proceeds all through upon the assumption that Viscount Palmerston is the author of the remarks which it answers. Now, our Morning Contemporary a ell knows that nothing can be more absurd than to attribute to this personage or to that articles appearing in newspapers. Our Contemporary itself has had occas i on , more th an once, to protest against such reports, and therefore it should know that, as a weapon of party warfare, it is wholly unworthy of any respectable Journal. When the Times attributed to Viscount Pal merston the article in the Globe, and sought to fasten upon his Lordship, exclusively, the opinions of that paper, it must have forgotten that upon such a vital subject the Minister for Foreign Affairs can be but the organ of the w h o le Cabinet, and that irreparable injury may be done to the public service if the hasty expressions of a newspaper were, in every instance, to be mistaken for the deliberate decision of the Sovereign's Council. We cannot avoid noticing here a case of downright mis representation by the Times. Our Contemporary says, " Our firm; charge against Lord Palmerston is, that du ring eight whole years hc made no proposal of honest or permanent arrangement." Now, we entreat our Contem- THE SUN, LONDON. MONDA Y, APRIL L 1R39 porary to the read the papers laid before Parliament last year by the Foreige Secretary before it again ventures to write upon this subject. From these papers it will be seen that Viscount Palmerston had proposed an arrangement both "honest and permanent ;" honest, for it proposed to divide the disputed territory equally between the contend ing parties—and permanent, for if the proposition had been acceded to, the question would have been then finally set tled. By advices from Paris to a late hour on Saturday evening, we learn that no progress was made in the way of bringing the long ministerial crisis to a close. The French Journals of Friday and Saturday, report a series of hourly interviews between the leaders of the several parties in the Chamber, and the KING, during nearly the whole of Thursday, FI-iday, end Saturday morn ing, but ; by some means or other, intrigues had been set. on foot about the Palace, which rendered them all abortive. On Friday the KING had the ex treme modesty to propose to M. THIERS a temporary exile as Ambassador to London--just as if any part of the blame of the jealousy of parties, and the enmity of political chiefs, was attributable to the conduct or the presence of the Ex-Minister for Foreign Affairs ! M. TRIERS, of course, firmly declined to pass a sen tentence of banishment upon himself ; and, had the etiquette of the Court allowed him to bandy compliments with his Sovereign, we have no doubt that he would have observed in his turn, that were his MAJESTY to try for a few months the influence of a Scotish climate upon his Royal Constitution, the machine of Government would be found to revolve much more smoothly than by the expedient of ostracising po pular Deputies. The Lcft Centre warmly and justly applauded the conduct of M. THIERS in not de serting his proper post as Chief of the Coa lition. It was rnmoured on Saturday that the Kr_sio, finding that he could not get rid of THIERS, proposed an Embassy to SOULT, in order to prevent the possibility of their re-union ; but this the veteran Marshal spurned as an indignity amounting to an ac knowledgment of being defeated. Thus the KING, after succeeding in estranging the Marshal from M. TRIERS, can now neither get rid of the one nor the other. In proportion as the Court has opposed, M. THIERS has become popular, so that no strong Ministry could now be formed able to do without t bim. As no hopes were entertained in Paris on Saturday evening, that a Cabinet could be formed before the time fixed for the opening of the Chambers, it was expected that the KING would be obliged to extend the prorogation by Roy il Ordinance for another week. There is not much mis cellaneous news in the Journals of Friday and Satur day. The little there is will be found in the subjoined paragraphs : The trade of Paris is suffering severely from the Mi nisterial crisis. The following is the official return of failures for this year : ___ ......_ THE MA I ,:IKETS.-(THIS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE. The quantity of English Corn reported last week was small. Of Foreign Wheat good. There was again a short fresh sup ply of nearly all descriptions of. grain. The best parcels of English Wheat have obtained rather more than on Monday se'nnight. Other sorts Fold slowly at former prices, and in Foreign there was a fair trade, at somewhat improving terms. Good Barley rather exceeded last quotations. Beans heavy sale. In Peas of both kinds very little doing. Oats have experienced a slack demand, good parcels as last quoted. The top price of Flour 625. per cask. Trade exceedingly heavy. PRICES ON BOARD OF SHIP Wheat, Red (old) ........ .—s. --s. Beans, Small (new) 43, 4is -- White (cid) ...... —B. —s. ---- (old) 46..153. —Rod It33S) ....... 593. t Os. Tick (new) 13 , 31. Finfl 624. (4i. •--- (old) 38 .403 Superfine 67a. 70.3. Harrow (new) ...... Z'...tis. S7s. White (l 8313).• 625. ( - 43. ------ (e1d)...... 42.3.41 i Fine (6s. 6Ss. Brink Superfine its. l'fis. Oats, Feed ----Foreign free 58,. 753. ---- New 23,.27 Ilyt 40s. 425. Poland —s —s, Barley 30x.383 New 9 45. 26a Grinding 283 n4s. -- Potatee is 30i. Malting 403. 423. Malt s6s 655. Scorch Fine New 633. Gig. Irish 333..,. 24 .26a. Pease, Grey, New 355. 365. Flour 'lown ,her sack).... 60:.621, Maple New 37:. 1'.83. ----- Yee on d s 54 .5 41 . White 403. 4•23 ---..-- Narth Country.... t 0,.52 . —... Boilers 42a. 41s.__ Bran _ ' 12. 13 FIELD. METROPOLITAN POLITICAL SUMMARY. The Times of this morning, alluding to the present state of _the political atmosphere in England, and the op proaching discussion in the Commons on the subject of the Ministerial policy pursued towards Ireland, observes : —" He who talks of any arrangement by which Conser vatives are to join Whigs for office has little knowledge of the principle on which the Conservatives stand, and on which alone they can be useful to their country. To the Conservatives character is every thing. The day which should see them take office through the hands of the Whigs, would hopeleasly overcloud their reputation, and wither all confidence in public men. Now a word or two touching the Radicals. Between them and the Conserva tives a partnership in office would be obviously impassible. But though coalition for office is out of the question, yet !f . the Radicals had the gift of common eelis, co-operation to a certain extent, end to good public purpose, might nut be impossible." Our Contemporary evidently contemplates a change of Ministry, and this is thrown out as a signifi cant feeler. ' The .3.nening Chronicle contains a leading article on Post-office reform, in the course of which our Contem porary ebserves as follows :—" If we examine the scale of human existence, from the highest to the lowest point, we shall not discern one gradation in its range that would not be bettered in some degree by the adoption of an uniform low rate of postage, on the plan of Mr. Roe-land Hill. To the poor and necessitous of every description it would be an especial blessing." The Morning Post remarks, in reference to the present Ministry :—" In all quarters of the country, where any thing like freedom of opinion reigns, the public are sick and weary of this Ministry. They despise its weakness ; they are ashamed of its want of ability." The Morning Herald, speaking of the present Ministry, observes as follovrs:—" The Members cf the Cabinet are bestirring themselves in every direction, in order to secure a majority on the question which is to be brought under the consideration cf the li,:use of Comm Ons on Monday next. Undeterred by the consciousness of their own utter unfit nes for office—undismayed by that feeling of contempt, with which men of all parties regard them—the Queen's confidential advisers cling to place, whit a desperate te nacity, not unnatural, peraps, in those who know, that within a brief period, they must bid adieu to place for ever." The Morning Advertiser, in the course of a leading article sufigested by the coming discussion on our Irish policy in the !louse of Commons, says :—" We confess we cannot perceive any thing so very chivalrous in appeal ing from the judgment of the Lords to that of the Com mons, in regard to the manner in which the Irish Execu- tire has been conducted. Much rather would we have seen the Ministry appeal to the House of Commons on some of those questions of general policy on which the Peers are certain to array themselves cgainst the national intereas. Then the triumph might have some good result ; in the present case it will merely leave things as they are." PRICE OF SUGAR. EFFECT OF MONOPOLY. Table showing the ex-duty price of West India- Subar in Mine, ing.lanc, and comparing the same against that of foreign sugars : London, March 30, 1839. Per cwt. The last Gazette quotes the average price of British Plantation Muscovado Sugar, exclusive of duty, at 405. 4-l e -d. The actual quantity sold on which the above price is computed, consisted of 1,C , 32 hhds. and 60 tierces, and not of 1,758 hhds. as repotted. Muscovado Sugars raised by free labour in the Manilla, has been, this week, according to quality, worth from 235. to 255. per cwt., being about I Gs. per cwt. less than the average price of West India Sugar. There are no sales of British Refined Sugar for exportation to re port this week. , Dutch crushed may he bought in the River Thames, at 345. 6d. per cwt., that is to say, the ex-duty price of double refined Sugar, manufactured in lio;land, is, in the same market, about 6s. per cwt. less than the average price, ex-duty, of West India raw Sugar. As we predicted, the demand for Sugar has abated in Mincing_ lane ; the Weal India importers have been unable to dispose of more, this week, than 300 hhds., although lower prices have been submitted to in some instances. The resolutions, advertised in the Daily Papers, and subscribed by several Jamaica. Proprietors, stigmatizing the accounts, pub. fished in The Sun of the 21st inst., relating to the unabated in dustry of the Negro population in Jamaica, &C., &c., as libellous and false, have been entirely disregarded by the buyers of Sugar; the buyers have, with good reason, asked why have so many ships been dispatched to Jamaica since Christmas. Is it, say they, probable that the merchants would he at the cost of fitting out these vessels, unless they were certain there would be ample lading for them on their arrival in the colony, and that then what becomes of the as sertions circulated by West India agents—that there would be an enormous defalcation in the crops of sugar this year ? In Jamaica, without, however, the aid of such reasoning, the truth of the allega. tions made by Mr. Sturges correspondent has been since completely established by the publication of the Marquis of Normanb3's first despatch, dated 28th ult., to the Governor of Jamaica. The stock of Sugar on hand exceeds that of last year by 5,000 hhds, and, in the absence of all exportation, is quite sufficient to satisfy the diminished consumption of the country until supplies arrive, al though, from Jamaica, they may be a couple of months later than usual ; we therefore anticipate a considerable reduction in the price of Sugar at least 10s. per cwt. COFFEE.—The duty protecting West India Coffee against the competition of Foreign, is equivalent to 250 per cent. ad valorem. If this favouritism in duty had the effect of shutting out from our markets alt coffee raised by slave labour, the nation might consider this costly protection as a part of the price paid to the West Indians in addition to the twenty millions for the emancipation of their slaves ; but as it is notorious, no such effect results from the pro tectien, the cost of it is just so much money abstracted from the industry of the British public and lavished on the Wcst "India colonists. The fact is, that importers, in order to avoid high duty, avail themselves of certain privileges conferred by the East India Company's Charter to ship coffee from the Brazils to the Cape of Good Hope, and thence to England, where, in consequence of the privileges alluded to above, it is admitted for domestic use at a duty of 84s. per cwt. in lieu of 140 s. Sales of Brazil coffee brought by this circuitous route have frequently occurred in Mincing lane. By this kind of trickery, therefore, the British public are unconsciously made consumers of slave.cultivated coffee, and to that extent en. couragers of the slave trade, while coffee raised by free hands in St. Domingo is sedulously excluded. FAILUEES. FRANCS. January Febluary March up to the 26th 69 17,863,000 The receipts of the octroi or municipal tax also exhibit a great falling off. The spring orders have been SUS prided, and the workmen are thrown upon the streets, and drawing out their earnings from the Savings' Bank. In fact the funds are the only exception to the general complaint, and they have been sustained by a combination which has resorted to the tours moyen, with success up to this moment. " It is certain," says a letter from Vienna,.quoted by the Suabian Mercury, " that the object of M. Solomon de Rothschild's journey to this capital is the negotiation of a new loan of 60,000,000 florins required by the Austrian Government. The rate of interest is not, it is believed, yet fixed, but is expected to be 4 per cent. On Wednesday evening Baron Pasquier, Admiral Jacob, General Colbert, and the Count de Bondy were received by their Majesties. Count do Flabault has returned from England, and was received by their Majesties on Thursday evening. A Gallo. Roman skeleton was found, a few days ago, buried at the depth of only 18 inches below the surface, in the forest of Maulevrier, near Caudebec. Near it were found a Roman clasp, two Roman medals, and two but tons. The skeleton is supposed to have been preserved by the aridity of the soil. The army of Russia at this moment comprises 1,020,000 men. The Russian navy consists of 36 ships of the line, 28 ',frigates, 8 cutters, 10 brigs, 61 schooners, 27 galleys, 42 gun-boats, 30 floating batteries, :and 132 - .steamers, making a total [of 483 sail, carrying 7,400 guns ; 39,000 sailors, 1,100 marines, and 6,300 marine artillerymen. The Crosses of the Order of the Legion of Honour were delivered on Sunday last, at Brest, to those officers of the Creole who were entitled to them by the recent Royal Or. dinance for their conduct at San Juan d'Ulloa and Vera Cruz. BOUNSE.—Ptims, SATURDAY, MARCH 30. To REE.—The market has not been so firm, and has given way. For the settling, which will be on Monday, the Three per Cents. opened at 80E, reached 80f. 10c., declined to 79f. 90c., and closed at 80f. 5c , being a fall of 10c. The Five per Cents. from 109 f. 20c. declined to 109 f. 15e., and closed 109 f. 2:1c., a fall of sc. For money, the Three per Cents. arc 10c. loner ; and the Five per Cents. unvaried. '1 he Bank of France Shares are 9E 50c. lower. The Laffitte Batik, 5,000 E Shares, have recovered sf. The Belgian Three per Cents. for the account, 71f. 30c.. The Spanish Active has declined I, from 20} it fell to 20k, rallied to 20k, and closed at 20g. Toe Railway Shares have in ge neral declined. The St. Germain, Veriailles Right Bank, and the Versailes Left Bank, sf. each. The Havre, 7f. 50. The Orleans have advanced sf. _ _ First Highest Lowest Last Price. Pr:ce. Pri Price. French 5 per Cents li,9 :20 ... 1()9 21 ... 109 15 ... 101) 15 3 per Cents BO 5 ... q) :, ... fit) 5 ... 80 5 sank of rlance Laflitte lila:_k ),roof. SO 10,30 —lO3O ...10'. 0 ...11 :i0 5,0048 oh 5190 ...5190 _519,1 ...5 :e1 Relgian 5 per Cents lO3 ... 103 ... 11)3 ... 103 Bank 990 ... C9O ... 033 ... Vs - , Coupons kanish Ac ive ON ... 20.4 ... 2C' ... 20% - Passive 4% ... 4% ... 4•% ... 4% Neapolitan Raman _RAILWAY SHARES. ___ St. Germai , . 677 :,0 ... 677 51 ... 675 ... 675 Versailles, A. B 672 50 ... 6;5 ... 670 ... 670 L.B. 237 50 ... 237 50 ... 235 ... 235 Havra ... 952 50 ... V 2 50 ... !152., 53 ... 952 50 Orleans . Strasburg to tale ., ... 337 :.0 ... 237 50 ... 235 ... 215 Yarn (Maberly's) Madrid Papers of the 23d ult.. have been received, with letters from San Sebastian of the 24th, and from Alcandre, the present head quarters of ESPARTERO of the 23d. In the Gazette of the 22d we find an official announcement of the defeat of the Carlist el lief BALMASEDA by a Christino force, commanded by Colonel SCHELZ, in which " glorious action" the rebels lost ten men made prisoners! With despatches containing accounts of such victories are the official columns of the Gazette regularly filled. Of more important news we find not a syllable in the Papers and letters received this morn ing, with the exception of the announcement that Gen. CORDOVA has escaped to Portugal. On S LLOYDS' SHIPPING-(THIS DAY DEAL, MARL H 30 AND 31.—Wind, S. E., fresh.—Came down from the river and proceeded, Maria, Brown, for Quebec ; Sumatra, Harvey, St. Jago de Cuba. Arrived the Egmond, Vink, from Amsterdam, and sailed for Ba tavia; Perseverance, Harper, Newcastle and sailed for Jamaica. PORTSMOUTH, MARCII 30.—Wind E. to S.E.-31, E. S. E.—Arrived the Malcolm, Bell, London. Sailed the Elizabeth, Hare, Algoa Bay; Rainbow, Arnold, Que bec; Boadicea (packet), Stephens, Bermuda. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 30.-- Wind E. S. E.—Arrived the Wbarfingcr, Duck. from Cork ; Ashburton, Gass, Seville; Broders Monde, Nelson, Norway; Strathfieldsaye, Spence, London ; Ariadne, Aire, Zacte ; Marshal Blucher, Jotus, Figueira; Jonge, Rotterdam. Sailed the Adventure, &Hey, for Lisbon. Off port, Plymouth, London. FALMOUTH, MARCH 29-30.—Wind variable.—Arrived the Petrel, packet, from Vera Cruz, sailed 4th ult., Tam pico, 15th, and Havannah Ist inst. ; Levant, packet, Toay, London ; City of Limerick (steamer), Moppett, do. ; Pigeon packet, West Indies; Enchanted, Newson, Con stantinople; Briton, Mason, do. ; Apollo, Eckstrom, Longsound ; Satellite (steamer), Gordon, Aberdeen. Sailed the Regalia. Cobb, Trieste. LIVERPOOL, MARCH 30.--Wind S. E. fresh; 31, S. S. E —Arrived Christopher Columbus, Gibraltar. Sailed the Heyworth, Dunlop. Trinidad ; Bykes, Lawson, St, Thomas; Bombay, Gay New Orleans ; Superior, Tucker, Mobile, Birmingham, Robinson, do. ; Rival, Sutherland, Nassau; Dit-on, Le Gros, Caraguel ; Robertson, Neil, Vlontreal; Magnet, Morton, do. ; Jane Walker, White, Halifax ; St. Patrick, Webster, Sydney; Mayflower, Wakcham, Newfoundland ; Fisherman, Gibaurt, Bay Chaleur Haa bet, Robinson, St. John's, New Brunswick ; Modesta, St. Andrew's. Off port, the Clipper, Constantinople. Viscountess Deerhuist, with her infant son, the present Viscount, who is only one year old, has taken up her residence at Croome, the scat of the Earl of Coventry, her Ladyship's father-in-law, until her year of mourning has expired.—Worcester Journal. _ The Earl and Countess of Minto entertained Viscount Melbourne, Marquis and Marchioness of Lans downe, Sir Charles and Lady Adam, Sir Wm. Parker, Laiy Hislop, and a select party at dinner on Saturday evening at the Admiralty. Lord Stanley has - arrived in town from Knows ley Park, the seat of his father, the Earl of Derby. We are happy to learn that the Earl of Derby has recovered from his recent indisposition. _ Lord Carrington, the Lord lieutenant of the county of Bucks, has ordered that the head-quarters of the militia staff shall be removed from Buckinghim to High Wycombe.— Oxford Journal. TIE HEREDITARY GRAND DUKE OF RUS mt.—The arrangements for the visit of the Grand Duke Alexander to this country, have been completod. Two of the five spacious mansions that compose Mivart's Hotel, have been taken by M. de Benkhausen, the Russian Con sul-General, for his Imperial Highness and suite, from the 13th instant until the 13th of June. We understand that the Grand Duke's suite consists of 12 Russian Noblemen of the highest rank, and a retinue of 30 servants. Great preparations are making for the reception of his Imperial Highness. Although the State rooms are very elegantly fitted up, being those occupied by the Prince of Orange and his sons during their recent visit to this country, yet several hundreds of pounds will be laid cut upon them or.. this occasion. Power appears this evening at the Haymarket Theatre in O'Flannigan and the Fairies; and 0. Smith also makes his first bow. A novel exhibition will take place, in the shape of an ascending orchestra, by which the band of this establishment will be placed on a level with the stage, in order to aid the Effect of the execution of many of the compositions which have proved attractive at the Concerts ala Mesard. Yankee Hill will also per form in A Wife fora Day. BELL'S LIFE IN LONDON OF SUNDAY, AFItIL 6, will contain, in addition to its usual popular features, full reports of the Newmarket Craven Meeting, Cheltenham and other Steeple Chases, Cambridge and Oxford Boat Race, Caledonian Coursing Meeting. AL phabetical List of all the winners of all the coursing prizes throughout the season, with their pedigrees. Fights between Hanman and Walker, and every other important event in the sporting world. Price of BELL'S LIFE Five pence. Early orders to agents are indispensible. NEW LIGHT FOR LIGHT-HOUSES.--A letter of the 10th instant from Trieste states that a new system of producing light for lighthouses has been invented by a sergeant-major in the Austrian artillery, named Selckonsky. The apparatus consists of a parabolic mirror, 62 inches by 30, with a 12- inch focus, and the light is produced by a row kind of wax candle, invented by M. Selekonsky. It has been tried under the inspection of the Austrian Lloyd's Company in the port of Trieste, by being erected on the mast of a vessel. The light is said to have illuminated the whole of the port and the surrounding parts of the town equal to the moon at full (!) ; and at the distance of 600 yards the finest writing could be read. A second trial has been made in bad weather, and the result was proportionally favourable. - SMITI The supply was not abundant, still the trade was heavy for all descriptions of meat except Mutton, which fetched fully last week's prices. Lamb 6d. lower ; Beef, 3s. 4d. to 4s. 2d. ; Mutton 4s. 6d. to ss. 41. ; 'Veal 4s. 6d. to ss. 2d. ; Lamb 6s. Bd. to 7s. 4d. Beasts 3,351 ; Sheep and Lambs 17,390 ; Pigs 340; Calves 44. . CITY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, TWELVE 0' CLOCK LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, SA TURDAY.—We have had very little demand to-day for Cotton, and the sales are only 1,500 baprs, at rather easier prices. A. riTals this Morning-Two French, two Ostend, one Dutch, one Ilimburgh—and r. mail from Jamaica, by the Pigeon, which sailed from St. Thomas's on the 25th Feb., Cape Henry on the 2d of March; a mail from Vera Cruz, !o the 4th of Feb., Tampico 15th of Feb., Havannah Ist of March. We have received Jamaica Papers to the 27th of Feb The current opinion in the City seems to be, that the Constitution wilt be suspended, and thisislar,d reduced to the condition of a conquered colony, governed by Orders in Council, and a Legislative Council, consisting of Go vernment Officers, as in British Guiana, Trinidad. &c., and the opinion appears to be founded prinn:r.lly not en tirely on a remark made by the island agent in a recent communication to the Commissioners of Correspondence. We have read that communication attentively, and see no- thing in it beyond the mere statement by Mr. Barge of that he perceives will bit the course purFued by the Government, and for which he distinctly states, he has no authority whatever, either from Ministers or any one connected with them. ---- Captain G. W. Ccurtenay, her Majesty's Consul- General •it Hayti, will leave this port on Thursday for Port au Prince. _ _ _ The disbanding of the Militia force in the Colonies has commenced. A Demerara paper of the 22d January, gives the fol lowing account of an earthquake : At St. Lucia, yesterday morning, at six o'clock, a shock of earthquake was felt of so severe and appalling a nature as to baffle all description ; it was accompanied by rumbling sounds. The roofs and walls of the habitations seemed ready to fall and crush all beneath them. It lasted about thirty-five seconds ; one second more, and the town must have been a heap of ruins. The damage done, as far as ITC have been able to ascertain, is considerably less than ou: fears led us to expect." BARBADOES. —We have been kindly favoured by a mer cantile friend with the perusal of a letter from a firm in the island •' Our crop has commenced, and will be large, certainly an average one, say 30,000 hhds. of sugar. Demerara has fallen off since August, compared with former years, 12.000 hhds. sugar, 6,000 puncheons of molasses, and 4,000 puncheons of rum in five months " COLONIAL BANK. —The Directors of the Bank have de. dared a half yearly dividend of 21 per cent. on the paid up capital to the 30th June last, leaving a reserve fu❑d of 9,3701. is. 4d. The Directors anticipate that the transac tions of the half year just ended, will exhibit a steady in crease of profit even on the improved results of that which preceded it. We have receixed Port of Spain papers to the 13th February ; they are void of intelligence. Batbadoes papers received to the 3d February. By a vessel which arrived from Martinique on Sunday last, information was communicated to the ComMercial Hall that another severe shock of earthquake was expe rienced at, Martinique (whether St. Pierre or Port Wil liam we have not learned), on Monday, 21st, which mate terially injured a great number of houses, but no lives were lost. (From the Jamaica Papers.) The labourers on the Mina estate, finding . that the managers was about to employ strangers, have turned to work, and are cutting canes. The mill is also at work, the rates produce from lOd. to 3s. 41 per day ; the latter rate is for 15 hours The cane-cutters get 2i. Id. per day. No rent is charged, nor is it the intention to charge rent during the crop. The people in Papinc, the adjoining property, it is said arc doing well. The call which the Commissioners of Correspondence have made upon the managers of the several properties in the island, to form themselves into a committee, to procure and communicate from time to time to ►he Board informa tion respecting the state of the country, and the admistra- Lion of the law, is now being generally responded to. FUNDS. Our arrivals this morning are from Mexico, Jamaica, and the Leeward Islands; the former is of an old date; from Jamaica, although the intelligence is not of importance, still the accounts are more favourable than those previously received ; on some estates the labourers have returned to work. The accounts from the Leeward Islands ara of a very meagre description. The New York packet of the 13th ult. may be expected daily; she is now due. Consols, which closed on Saturday at 924 Money, and 924 for the Account, opened this morning a shade higher, and may be quoted at present 925 Buyers, Money 924 4, and for the May Account 924 Ae. yet very little business is doing in the British Funds ; the speculators are waiting for the formation of the French Ministry. Exchequer Bills 41 43; India Bonds nothing doing ; Bank Stock, for the opening, 2005 2011 ; India Stock, 252 253. Spanish Active, which closed at 20+, are not so good this morning, and are 191. 20. Portuguese, also a shade lover, 333 : ; Three per Cents., 20-i 21 ; Belgian, 1024; Brazilian 76 77 ex dividend ; Colombian, 284 4 ; Mexi can, 23 24 ; Dutch Two-and-a. Half per Cents., 55i1 ; Five per Cents., 1004 l ex dividend. PRICES OF STOChS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Bank Stuck -- 3 per Cent. Red 3 per Cent. Cons. 9:2%% 354 per Cent Ditto Red. -- New 3% per Cent 100 100 % New 5 per Cent. Bank Long Annuities to expire Jan. 5, 1860 . Oct. 10, 1859 Jan. 5, 1860 — Jan. 5, 1880 April 5, IMO Jan. 5, IBM -- PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS Austrian Bonds — Belgian Bonds Ditto Account Brazilian Bonds India Stock Ditto Bonds — pm South Sea Steck Old Annuities New Ditto 3 per Cent. Annuities, 1731 Exch. Bills, £l,OOO ... 43 40 pm. Ditto 500 4.3 40 pin. Ditto Small 43 40 pm. Ditto Commercial pm. Ditto Advertised pm. Bank Stock for Account ... 2011. India Stock for Account Consols for Account 92 % 1 4 CMS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Peruvian Bands Ditto Account Portuguese Bonds . Ditto New Bonds Ditto Account Buenos Aytes Bonds Ditto Account — Ditto Accoun` 13 % Ditto, 3 per Cent. Ditto Account Prussian EontiS Russian Bonds, 1822 Ditto Account Ditto Metallic Spanish Ponds . Ditto Account Ditto Bonds, ISM ... W. 20 % Ditto Acc0unt....19%% 20% French, 5 per cent...„.. f. -4, 4 per cent. ...... —4 Chilian Bonds D tto Account Columbian Bonds Ditto Account Coiumbian Bonds, 1524 Ditto Account ..... 2f3,4 Danish Bonds Ditto Account Greek Bonds Ditto Bonds, 182.5 3 i , eF cent. litto Accoun [exican 80nd5,... 5 p ...... ..... per uern. _—, ' Fichon g e. —f. —4l. Ditto Account Dutch, 2 , , Q per vent. 55%% Ditto Account — ILOI.I Ditto, 6 per Cent Ditto, 5 per cent Ditto Account Ditto Account.-- Neapolitan PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Paid. Per t'haze Brighton Railway I.,nchettor and Birmingham Railway l5 IIN North Midland Railway Company 65 97 6 Canady Company _ ___ HALF-PAST ONE. Consols are not quite so good as in the early part of the morning, and may be quoted at 92f a for the Account, Money 921 owing to the Government brokers having sold a large amount of Consols for the Account. Ex chequer Bills, 43 42 40, lower ; in India Bonds nothing doing ; Bank Stock, 2001 2011 ; India Stock, 252 253. In the Foreign Market the only feature worth noticing is Spanish Active, which has improved since the morning to 204 ; Poituguese, 33i 34 ; Three per Cents. 20i 21 ; Belgian, 1021 ; B raz ili a n, 76 77 ex. div. ; Colombian, 28,E 281 ; Mexican, 23 24; Dutch Two and-a- Half per Cents., 54- 55k; Five per Cents., 100 a 100 a ex div. We have no further arrival CLOSING BRITISF s to announce. PRICES. [ FUNDS. flank Stock ... .... ............ ... India Stack 3 per Cent. Ile,: 3 per Cent. Cc. s. Ditto Bonds •••••••""' — 02q Ditto Old A nnuitie. :005( Ditto New Annuities ...... _— 3 per Cent. Red New 3y4 per Cent New 5 per Cent 1 ();a Ex. Bills, 1.01.......? - ' .0 pm. Long Annuities to expire Ditto 50 1....—. ....... ...40 pm nr Jan. 1860 Ditto 500 1 41 - 0ct,,1859 -- - Rank St ock for Opg o )1 : Jan. 1860 ;; 2 -, d l 3 . 4 Consols for Act •••• 02% FOREIGN FUNDS. Portuguese r onds, 5 per cent. Ditto, New Ditto Prussian, 5 per cent Russian Bonds, 5 per cent II IN Ditto, lkletallic Spanish, 5 per . cent 2 0 1,4 Ditto, Consolidated F r ench, 5 per cent. —f —r. Exchange French, 2 per cent f. —, , Dutch, 2g, per cent. Ditto, 5 per cent. lOOB RES. Asturian, 5 per cent Belgian, 5 per cent.— 102% Brazilian Bonds Buenos .Ayres, 6 per cent — Chillan, 6 per cent Colomb,an, 6 per cent Ditto, Ife24 ( Danish, 3 per cent et Greek Bends, 1825, 5 per ct Mexican, 5 per cent 1)Itto, 6 per cent.. le , '" Peruvian, P 325,6 per cent — Birmingham and Derby Railway ....................... , 1.4 814 Eastern Countios Railway i 4 Western Railway ..................... - 84 London and Brighton Railway .....................- London and Blackwall Railway 5% L9nilcii and Birmin % h am Railway l5 i• y g London and Cr o yd on Railway (p - un l ) ll Manchester anchester and Birmingham Baths: a Y Il 4‘.; Ditto ditto Extens:on 4% Northern and Eastern Railway . North Midland R 7% ailway ..... .. LOVE IN THE DUST-HOLE. —An " assistant draper," named Williams, wps charged at Hatton -garden, by a gentleman residing in Burton-crescent, With having been found secreted in the dest bole of his house. The " assistant," it appeared, availing himself of the " short hour" system recently introduced, had gone a-courting the maid servants, and they, bearing a footstep approaching, had endeavoured in vain to conceal him. He was adruo nished and discharged. HISTORICAL SKETCHES From Lord Brougham's new work, entitled " His!orieal Sketches of Statesmen who flourished in the Reign of George the Third.") LORD CHIEF JUSTICE GIBBS. Of the class of the inferior though able men to whom we have just referred, the late Sir Vicary Gibbs was certainly among the most eminent ; and he bad all the perfections of the order, and more than the ordinary share of its faults. It is a great error, committed only by those who view them from afar off, to imlgine that their learning is of a confined nature, either in their own profession or in other branches of education. They arc in no respect mere special pleaders, or men familiar only with the practice of the courts. They are even in some respects not to be termed mere lawyers. They are acquainted with the whole of the law, which they have studied accurately, and might also be admitted to have studied profoundly, if depth can be predicated of those researches which, instinctively dreading to pens , trate the more stubborn and more deep-lying vein of ..--.._ . . first principle, always carry the labourer towards the shallower and softer bed that contains the relics of farmer workmen, and make him rest satisfied with Iliese patterns as the guide and the rule. All that has been said or written, however, by text-men or by Judges, they know ; and of it all, much practice has given theca great expertness in the application. Then their education has not been confined to mere matter of law. It has indeed been far from a very enlarged one ; nor has it brought them into a familiar acquaint ance with the scenes which expand the mind, make it conscious of new powers, and lead it to compare, and expatiate, and explore. Yet has this course of in struction not been without its value ; for they are ge nerally well versed in classical literature, and often ac quainted with mathematical science. From the one, however, they derive little beside the polish which it communicates, and the taste which it refines ; from the other they only gain a love of strict and inflexible rules, with a disinclination towards the relaxation and allow ances prescribed by the diversities of moral evidence. From both they gather a profound deference for all that has been said or done before them, an exclusive vene ration for antiquity, and a pretty unsparing contempt for the unlettered and unpolished class which form, and ever must form, the great bulk of mankind in all corn munities. A disrespect for all foreign nations and their institutions has lon g been another appointed fruit of the same tree ; and it has been in proportion to the over weening fondness for everything in our own system, whether of polity or of mere law. The long interrup tion of all intercourse with the Continent during the late war had greatly increased these narrow and absurd prejudices, which are now somewhat more nearly brought back to their ancient level. But still the precise dictates of English statutes, and the dicta of English Judges and English text-writers, are with them the standard of jus tice ; and, in their vocabulary, English law is as much a synonyme for the perfection of wisdom as, in that of Dean Swift's imaginary kingdom, Hounlim was for the "perfection of nature." Of lawyers who belong to this class, by far the most numerous in the profession, it is also a great mistake to ,suppose that their talents are confined to mere legal matters, the discussion of dry points, and the conduct of suits according to technical rules. Many of them are subtle and most able arguers, some even powerful rea soners. As admirable a display of logical acumen, in long and sustained chains of pure ratiocination, is fre quently exhibited among their ranks as can be seen in the cultivators of any department of rhetoric or the stu dents of any branch of science. They often make high pretences to eloquence, and, without attaining its first rank, are frequently distinguished for great powers of speech, as well as extraordinary skill, in the manage ment of business. Their legal reputation, however, is the chief object of their care, and, in their pursuit of oratory, they aim far more at being eloquent lawyers than orators learned in the law. Hence their estimate of personal merit is all formed on the same principle and graduated by one scale. They undervalue the ac complishmentsof the rhetorician without despising them ; and they are extremely suspicious of any enlarged or general views upon so serious a eubject as the law. Change, they with difficulty can bring their minds to believe possible—at least any change for the better : and speculation -or theory on such matters is so much an ob ject of distrust, or rather of mingled contempt and aversion, that when they would describe anything ridi culous, or even anomalous, in the profession, they can not go beyond what they call " a speculative lawyer." To expect success in such a one's career was form erly thought absurd. But the great triumph of Sir Samuel Romilly was a sore stumbling block to technical minds. A Freethinker upon legal matters, if ever any existed : accomplished, learned, eloquent, philosophical ; he yet rose to the very head of his profession, and compelled them to believe what Erskine bad failed to make them admit—that a man may be minutely learned in all the mere niceties of the law, down to the very minutest details of Court practice, and yet be able to soar above the higher levels of gene ral speculation, and to charm by his eloquence, and enlighten by his enlarged wisdom, as much as to rule the Bench and lead the Bar by his merely technical superiority. The professional character of the man whom we are discussing is generally pure and lofty ; the order to which they belong is sacred in their eyes; its fame, its dignity, even to its etiquette must all be kept unsul lied ; and, whatever may be their prejudices and their habits, political or professional, how great soever their deference to power, how profound their veneration for the Bench, how deep-rooted their attachment to exist ing institutions, how fierce their hostility to all innova tions, how grave or how scornful their frown upon the multitude at large, yet is their courage undaunted in defending whatever client may intrust his suit to their patronage, be. he a rabble-leader or a treason-mon ger, a libeller or a blasphemer; and, in discharging towards him the high duties of their representative cha racter, they so little regard either the resentment of the Government or the anger of the Court, that they hardly are conscious of any effort in sacrificing every personal consideration to the performance of their representa tive, and because it is representative, their eminently important office. Of the men whom we have now endeavoured to pourtray as a class, Sir Vicary Gibbs was a perfect sample. Endowed by nature with great acuteness and an unlimited power of application, he became, to use his own somewhat unseemly expression towards as con siderable a man as himself, and of ar more amiable one, "as good a lawyer as that kind of man can be." Dis ciplined by an excellent classical education, the fruits of which stuck by him to the last, and somewhat acquainted with the favourite pursuits of Cambridge men, his taste was always correct, and his reasoning powers were as considerable as they ever can be in a mind of his narrow range. To eloquence he made only moderate pre tences ; yet was his language, which gurgled out rather than flowed, often happy, always clear and transparent, owning a source sufficiently pure, if somewhat shallow, and conveying ideas not numerous, not original, not fetched from afar, not brought up from the lower beds of the well, yet suited to each occasion, well under con trol, and suede easily accessible to others in the same proportion in which they were correctly apprehended by himself. His legal arguments were often much to be admired. He did not go by steps, and move on from point to point, garnishing each head with two observa tions, as many citations, and twice as many cases ; so that the whole argument should be without breadth or relief, and each single portion seem, as much as any other, the pivot upon which the conclusion turned hut he brought out his governing principle roundly and broadly ; he put forward his leading idea by which the rest were to be marshalled and ruled ; he used his master-key at once, and used it throughout, till he had unlocked all the apart ments by which he mounted to the Great Chamber, and he left the closets untouched, that they who followed him might, if they chose, waste their time in picking the locks, or lose their way in the dark bye-passages. It might be said of him, as . he said himself of Sir James Mansfield, that " he declared the law" while he argued his cases ; and while others left only the impression on the hearer that many authorities had been cited and much, reading displayed, his argument penetrated into the mind, and made it assent to his positions, without much regarding the support they found from other quarters. But he was also a very considerable person at Nisi Prius. His correct and easy knowledge of all legal matters was here by no means his only superiority. He was ready in dealing with evidence ; he could pre sent to the Jury the facts of his case boldly and in high relief ; though he was wholly unable to declaim; and never dreamt of addressing the feelings or the passions, any more than if he were speaking to mummies without any sensation, much less any feelings or passions to address, yet be could, especially when clothed with the dignity of high official station, deliver himself with considerable emphasis, though without any - fluency, and could effect the purpose of impressing the facts upon the Jury's mind, by the same strong and even choice phrases, sparingly used, though coming out with little flow of words and no roundness of period, which . we have remarked among the characteristics of his argu ments to the Court upon the law. Those who beard his cross-examination of Colonel Wardle, in the pro secution of' Mrs. Clarke, and who uuderstood the real circumstances in which the concerted cross-examination of Major Glenie and Captain Dodd was conducted by Mr. Garrow, could be at no loss in dreatly preferring the former display of professional skill and energy. Nor was his address to the Jury less remarkable for energy and for skill. It was a case indeed in which his whole feelings were strongly embarked ; he had defended the Duke of York with much ability of a professional kind in the House of Commons, where other influences than that of pure reason were very prevalent ; and he re joiced to meet upon his own ground the adversaries whom he had failed to defeat upon theirs. The Treason Trials of 1794 were the occasion of this able barrister first being Iran:educed to public notice, and they accelerated his professional rise, although he had already been made secure of great success. He was second counsel to Mr. Er EVENING 14:1)ITION. kine,* as Mr. Erskine had been in Lord George Gordon's case to Mr. Keryon, afterwards Lord Chief I Justice. But although Mr. Gibbs's Eumming up of the evidence was allov• ed, on all hands, to be a was- terly performa'nce, and of very signal service to the cause, the overwhelming- genius of his great leader so far eclipsed him, that while in 1730 no one spoke of the chief, but all admiration was reserved for the second in commend, in 1794 the leader alone was mentioned, and the important contribution made by the junior to the mighty victory escaped all but pro. fc:ssional observation. In Westminster Hall, however, it was estimated at its real worth ; and, notwithstand ing his narrow-minded notions on political matters, his slavish adherence to the Tory party, his bigoted vene ration for existing things, and hatred of all disaffection, or even discontent, the courage. and perseverance whir' he displayed throughout that trying scene, both towards the Government whom he was deleating in their frantic scheme, and towards the Court whom be was con stantly joining his leader to beard, was not surpassed by the technical ability which he showed—nay, was not exceeded even by the manly boldness which won for that leader the most imperishable of all his titles to the ad miration and gratitude of mankind. The general narrowness of Sir Vicary Gibbs' mind has been marked ; but on the side of vanity and self conceit it was out of proportion to its dimensions in other parts. It always seemed as if no ore could do any thing to please him, save one individual, and his perfor mances were rated at the most exhorbitant value. Nay, the opinion of that favoured personage he estimated so highly, that there always lay an appeal to him from the bench, as well as from every other authority ; and it was sometimes truly laughable to observe the weight which he attached to a single sentence or a word from one with whom lie was ever so entirely satisfied. On a certain trial he had occasion to mention some recent victories of Lord W'ellington's army in the Peninsula, and had turned three battles with praise not very la vish, because every word was deemed of inestimable va lue, but had omitted Busaco ; be corrected himself very ostentatiously, and went back to include that fight, with the feeling manifest to all who beard him, that real and irreparable, possibly fatal, injury would be done to the troops had the momentary omission unhappily not heeresupplied. When he came among the heads of the law, whether in his own Court or at occasional • meetings of the twelve, even while junior puisne Judge, he arrogated the place and deference due to the chief of the whole ; and when he was made first Chief Baron, and afterwards Chief Justice, there were no hounds to his contempt for all the opinions of all his brethren, although it is an undeniable fact titan he was not nearly so much distinguished for the soundness of his opinions upon the Bench as he had been for the excellence of his arguments at the Bar. In trials at Nisi Prius ha was - distinguished for the little and peevish temper which predominated in him, often to the seeming injury of his judgment, almost,always to the detriment of his judicial powers ; and so absolutely was he persuaded of his , own universal capacity, and the universal unfitness of others, that it was no uncommon thing for him to ask, somewhat roughly, for a counsel's brief, that he might see what was intended to be stated! then lecture the attorney who had prepared it ; soon after the witnesses ; and down to the officers of the Court, whose functions of keeping silence anti order he would occasionally himself undertake to perform. So that it was not an uncommon remark that the Learned Chief Justice was performing at once in his own person, the offices of judge and jury, counsel for both parties, attorneys for-both, witnesses on both sides, and crier of the Court. To the same conceited spirit was owing his much graver offence of parading rash opinions upon branches of the law with which the previous habits of his life had never brought him very familiarly acquainted, and even of forming hasty judgments upon matters to which he was more unaccuFtomed. Certain it is that there were dechions, both of his own at Nisi Prins, and afterwards of the Court in Banco, which he persisted in forcing upon his brethren, and which do little credit to any of the parties concerned in them. The survey which has just been taken-of this eminent Counsellor does not show him as filling the highest places in his profession ; and yet, if we follow him into the House of Commons, the falling off is very great in deed. There he really had no place at all ; and, feeling his nullity, there was no place to which he was with more visible reluctance dragged by the power that office gives to Government over its lawyers. He could only obtain a hearing upon legal questions, and those he handled not with such felicity or force as repaid the attention of the listener. He seldom attempted m ore than to go through the references from one Act Of Parliament to another ; and, though he was doing only a mechanical work, he gave out each sentence as if be had been consulted and gifted like an oracle, and looked and spoke as if when citing a section he was making a discovery. When Mr. Perceval was shot,. his nerves, formerly excellent, suddenly and entirely failed him ; and he descended from the station of At torney-General to that of a Puisne Judge in the Cora- - mon Pleas. Of his political prejudices, which were quite intole rant and quite sincere, mention has already b een made. To the cause of Reform in all its shapes, and under what name soever, he was the bitterest enemy. To wards all who indulged in free discussion, whether of measures or of men, he was an implacable adversary. The press, therefore, engaged a large share of his dis like ; and under the combined influence of exasperation and alarm he filed so many ex officio informations in a few months, that no two Attorney-Generals ever in a long course of years loaded the files of the Court with as many. It was his truly painful fortune that, as most of these regarded the attacks on the Duke of York, be was compelled soon to withdraw them all ; while in se veral of the others he was defeated ; and partly by his excessive use of the power, partly by his failure in the exercise of it, he had the agony, to him most excru ciating, of both being signally defeated in his attempts to crush the press, and of causing ail the discussions of the ex officio power which first brought it into hatred and then into disuse. This is that successful barrister, that skilful specia l pleader, that acute lawyer on common points, that de% trous and expert practitioner (for all this he was as cer tainly as he was a little-minded man) —this is he wb° lll the men that contemn Lord Erskine, and look down upon Lord Mansfield, and would fain, if they durst, raise their small voices against Sir Samuel Ronal , hold up as the pattern of an English lawyer. SIR WILLIAM GRANT. _ If, from contemplating the figure of the eminen t though narrow-minded lawyer whom we have been sur veying, we turn to that of his far more celebrated con' temporary, Sir William Grant, we shall find, with some, marked resemblances, chiefly in political opinions a nd exaggerated dread of change, a very marked diversity.tn all the more important features of character, whetheren tellectual or moral. We have now named is some r e " spects the most extraordinary individual of his time —o ne certainly than whom none ever better sustained the kg!' cial office, though its functions were administered by 1 0 upon a somewhat contracted scale—one than whom nerv e ever descended from the forum into the senate wi td more extraordinary powers of argumentation, or fie'!" rished there with greater renown. It happened to than great Judge to have been for many years at the Bar w it, " a very moderate share of practice ; and although h!' Parliamentary exertions never tore him away from his profession, yet his public character rested entirely upon their success until he was raised to the Ben et !' The genius of the man then shone forth with extraordy nary lustre. His knowledge of law, which had hitherto been scanty and never enlarged by practice, was now el.: panded to whatever dimensions might seem required f°,l performing his high office ; nor was he ever remark. t , as at all deficient in thebranch most difficult to master wit': out forensic habits, the accomplishments of a case-lawye r; while his familiarity with the principles of jurisprud er l% and his knowledge of their foundations was ample aslls application of them was easily and masterly. The It ° I Court, however, in those days, was one of compara to l contracted business ; and, although he gave the el.°, entire satisfaction there, and in presiding at the , Council in Prize and Plantation Appeals, a doubt -vra, h er always raised by the admirers of Lord Eldon wheth e Sir William Grant could have as well answer large demand upon his judicial resources, had he Pao sided in the Court of Chancery. That doubt apP e _ aa t altogether unfounded. He possessed the first g'Lt quality for dispatching business (the " real" end " affected dispatch" of Lord Bacon), a power of s teau l ad fixing his attention upon the matter before hin,it a keeping it invariably directed towards the successive 0 a guments addressed to him. The certainty that to t _ word was lost deprived the advocate of all excuse for petition ; while the respect which his judgment jun 32.14 checked needless prolixity, and deterred him fro m ralsi by desperate points merely to have them frowned dove in ', a tribunal as severe as it was patient. He bad not' re deed, to apprehend any interruption—that was a ena never practised in those days at the Rolls or the C A ° i t pit ; but, while the Judge sat passive and unein ve ree was . plain that, though his powers of endurance 11.a'as limits, his powers of discriminating his attention was ever awake ; and as it reg k al i ve an eminent hardihood to place base coin n e to so . scrutinising an eye, were ever aetis' e . re d or tender light rn?n e Vii. he weighed in such accurate scales as S ir oor li.am Grant's, so few men ventured to " ft cise a . patience which yet all knew to be unbounded.,e o f may, indeed, be fairly doubted whether the mat . ll In. r sir muscular exertion, so much more clumsily John . Lead] in the same court to effect the great 00.1;er of his effortsthe close compression of the debate" e irs o a succeeded so well, or reduced the mass to . asi °Ariel° bulk, as the delicate hydraulic press of his uthe predecessor did, without giving the least pain to urge 0 1 vocate, or in any one instance obstructing the e n calm, deliberate, and unwearied justice. applied bt obje ct * There was a third, on account of the extrens labou r cast upon the Counsel, and, by a kind of connivance, ,t 11.: Court permitted this, although the Statute of Wi l ' a ' — 111. only allows two, while the Crown had above half a dozen. This third was Mr., now Baron, Gurney , a w ar Din friend of civil and religious liberty, and of that highly , r ";, - spectable and useful farnily to whom the art of stenograri and the history of public proceedings owe much' , ri i w h ose steady and honest adhe r e nce to their priaciP' covers them with honour. —.....0011111 ford e and r -earil every sPeet ; raight Seen, WlB vrei e 10bg e , : „ r Co ;rt th e tist Pron o ; was