The Sun. — London, England, 1839-12-19 00:00:00

7Prlit ;. • no.. , to, 4 c Y EVENING EDITION. PUBLIC MEETING. CASE OF JOHN THOROGOOD. (From the Scotsman and the Scottish Pilot.) On Wednesday evening a public meeting was held in South College-street Church, " to take into consi deration the case of Mr. John Thorogood, of Chelms ford, a victim of religious intolerance, who has been i mmure d in a common gaol for nearly twelve months, in consequence of his refusal to pay an ecclesiastical, but anti-scriptural impost, called Church-rates ; and also to consider the mischievous and degrading effects of all compulsory exactions in support of religion." I From 1,500 to 12,000 persons were present. Adam Black, Esq., bookseller, was called the chair. He was supported by Councillors Falkner, Ritchie, and Renton ; the Rev. Messrs. French, Massie, and Har per ; Duncan M'Laren, John Wigham, William Tait, John Johnstone, R. W. Jameson, Thomas Russell, and 1 James Drummond, Esqrs. i The CHAIRMAN, after stating the purpose of the meeting, and reading a letter of apology from Dr. John Brown and Mr. Macallum, W.S., said, that consi dering the object for which they had met, they might well ask were they living in the nineteenth or in the thirteenth century ? Were they living under a Pro testant Government or under Popish domination. The land rings (he continued) with alarms of the spread of Popery. From the pulpit it is announced that the mys tery of iniquity has polluted the Court, the Ministry, and the Parliament. And the " drum ecclesiastic" has been most energetically beaten to warn us against the Popery involved in the general education of the people —against the Popery lurking in the Registry Bill—and that the absolute destruction of Protestantism would follow the reform of the Orange Corporations of Ireland. In short, lynx•eyed orthodoxy has discovered that the only object of every Liberal measure that has been proposed has been the a dvancement of Popery.— (Laughter and cheers.) I also must acknowledge that I apprehend the prevalence of Popery in our land. What are the most distinguishing and dreaded fea tures of Antichrist ? Ecclesiastical usurpation, eccle siastical oppression, ecclesiastical cruelty.--(Cheers.) I care not in what denomination these hideous fea tures appear, they are the true marks of the beast. Christianity repudiates them, humanity abhors them, whether they are manifested in the tortures of the Inqui sition, the massacre of Rathcormac, or the incarceration of John Thorogood at Chelmsford, or in our own Calton gaol ; whether the Church of Rome, the Church of Eng land, the Church of Ireland, the Church of Scotland, or any Church of Dissenters, are the perpetrators of such enormities.—(Great applause.) Surely these are not the genuine fruits of that Gospel which was ushered into the world in the morning light with angelic songs of peace on earth and goodwill to the children of men, but fruits of another Gospel, which indeed is not another, which must have been announced to the world with midnight thunderings and lightnings, and the appalling words of, war on earth and hatred to the children of men. —(Loud cheers.) Is it possible that any man can read the New Testament and pretend that it authorises the most distant approach to anything like violence or coercion in order to propagate or maintain the religion of the meek and lowly Jesus ? Is there a tittle within the four corners of that blessed book which would justify the immuring of any man in a dungeon because he refuses to contribute money for the support of a system which he believes to be unscriptural ?—(Hear, hear.) It may be asked why should we interfere in this case, why not leave it to those who are more im mediately aggrieved by the imposition of Church-rates ? My answer is, that this is not a question of pounds, shillings, and pence. It is a question of the rights of conscience ; and the violation of these, especially if claimed as a privilege by either individuals or corpora tions, is an outrage on the religious liberty of the com munity, and the community should arouse thenfsclves to abate the nuisance. —(Cheers.) True, the friends of civil and religious liberty on the south of the Tweed ought to have laboured at an earlier period, and ought more generally to have manifested their sympathy with their suffering countryman—(Hear, hear)—and they should not have passed quietly by on the other side like the priest and the Levite, when their unfortunate bro ther had fallen among thieves.—( Laughter and loud cheers.) We may well ask are these deeds of oppres sion end cruelty perpetrated in the land of Milton and Hampden, and Pym and Sr Harry Vane, and the glorious company who laid broad and deep the foun dations of liberty in England, and cemented them with their blood—who braved the powers of an unlimited crown, broke the fetters ofan established superstition, and, for the first time, manifested to a wondering world the genuine principles of Civil and Religious Liberty which exalted Great Britain in the midst of the nations, and which, when fully understood and generally adopted, will diffuse peace and happiness through all the nations of the world ?—(Cheers.) He concluded by calling upon Mr. Aytoun to address the meeting. Mr. AYTOUN then came forward to move the first resolution, He commenced by reading a letter from John Th o ro goo d t o a f r i en d i n r Leicester, in which he detailed, in the simplest and most unpretending manner, the treatment be had undergone, and the motive by which he was actuated in refusing to contribute to the support of a system which, in his conscience, he believed calculated to injure the moral and ,relig ious welfare of his countrymen. M r . Ayt oun then asked, is anything more required than a knowledge of the ;details of the sufferings of poor Thorogood, as related by himself, in order to call forth the sympathy of every friend to Civil and Religious Liberty —to excite in the mind the utmost indignation at the cruelties he has undergone ? Here we have a man of the most unblemished re putation, whose only object is to support his family by honest industry, and to fulfil the duties of that humble station in which he is placed, torn from his wife, his friends, and his home, and immured, without the hope of release, in a lonesome cell, his health debilitated, his worldly prospects ruined, and his peace and happi ness destroyed ; and to all this has he been subjected because his conscience forbade him to contribute to a rate which he believes to be anti-Scriptural, and which he considers that in paying he would be acting in strict disobedience to the divine commandments. Now, Gen tlemen, let me ask you, if such are to be the legal doings in Great Britain, can we be said to inhabit a land of liberty? What becomes of our frequent boast, that England is the freest and most civilized nation of Europe, if the best and most conscientious of our fellow citizens are liable to be dragged from their homes, to be deprived of their personal liberty, and to be immolated, persecuted, and ruined victims to the Moloch of the State Church.—(Loud cheers.) Let it be fully under stood that John Thorogood has contravened no law. The law says you must pay the rate or go to prison; it proffers no alternative. His religious faith forbade him to pay the rate. Thorogood has, therefore, gone to prison, submitting gently and peacefully, like a good citizen, to that penalty which the Ecclesiastical law of this country, in its tender mercies, has decreed as the punishment due to those who prefer obeying the distates of their conscience to those of their worldly interests. And recollect, my friends, that what is Thorogood's case to-day, may be yours to-morrow. Recollect that you are—every one of you—liable to be torn from your homes, and transported to the Calton-hill Gaol, should you refuse to pay the annuity tax—the Church-rate of Edinburgh—an impost fixed and extended over the citi zens by an act of direct fraud—by a surreptitious clause smuggled into an Act of Parliament. Let us keep this ever in mind, and recollect that in exerting ourselves for John Thorogood, we are in fact acting for ourselves. The Englist hierarchy is the wealthiest in Europe. It possesses, in fee simple, in full possession, immense tracts of the richest ground in England and Ireland. It has, besides, a tithe of the gross produce, nearly equal to a third of the rental of the land possessed by laymen. But this, it seems, is not enough to satisfy its ravenous maw ; so what is called a Church-rate is yearly levied over and above, to which the Nonconfor mist, as well as the Churchman, is obliged to contribute. This Church-rate is not applied to the maintenance of the Clergy ; it is appropriated to other purposes— to the keeping in repair the fabric of those Churches which the Dissenter never enters, and to the defraying the expenses of that particular service which so many of the Dissenters look upon with disgust. For instance, the money levied from Thorogood and other Noncon formists is applied, in a great measure, to the repairing the organs and tuning the fiddles and other musical in struments made use of in th e Ch urc h o f E ng l an d ser vice, .and t o t h e b uy i ng, patc hi ng, an d was hi ng t h e surplices and o th er t aw d ry vestments i n w hi c h are decorated their bishops, archdeacons, prebends, deans, rectors, vicars, curates, deacons, and singing-boys— (Laughter) --all of which' mummeries our reforming and covenanting ancestors taught us to regard as the mere shreds and patche s of the garment of the old Lady of Babylon—she who sitteth upon the seven hills. And because John Thorogood demurs to subscribe to the support of such things, which he might regard as par taking of idolatry and superstition, he i s cast into prison by those calling themselves the ministers of religion, and that. too, in the name of religion—in the name of the meek and lowly Jesus, who has declared his kingdom not to be of this earth, and whose mis sion was that of peace and good- w ill to all mankind. Such, however, was the natural consequence of a Church Establishment. Ignorance may abound --.with that the Church takes no concern ; crime may be ex tending itself over the length and breadth 01 the l an d —the Church turns a deaf ear to every measure pro posed for the abatement of the evil ; but let tithe s b e menaced in Ireland, Church-rates in England, or the ' annuity-tax in Scotland, then is raised the Ecclesiastic a l war cry of the " Church in danger," for the loaves and fishes are in jeopardy, and, like a swarm of angry wasps, when the plunder of their nest is invaded, the parsons of the three sister Estabiishments of England, Scotland ) and Ireland, rush forth, buzzing, stinging, and perse -1 cuting.—(Cheers.) The clergy of Establishments are, the s ame everyw h ere, whether Catholic, Episcopal i an. 1 or Presbyterian. Their ruling impulse is the spirit of 1 ascendancy, domination, and persecution. They view Dissent with much greater detestation than infidelity or atheism. I am fully persuaded, if they dared, they would relight the fires of Smithfield, they would again resort to the gibbet, to the faggot, and the torture ; but, being debarred from such amusements by the spirit of the age in which we live, they are obliged to content themselves with the gaols ! And, if they had the power they would cause to be imprisoned for the term of their natural lives such men as John Thorogood, who, by their firmness, their adhesion to principle, and self immolation, hold forth a worthy example to others, and raise up a spirit of resistance and indignation in the minds of the people, which, if properly acted upon and turned to account, must bring to a speedy termination a system so replete with oppression and injustice. Mr. Aytoun then went on to urge upon Dissenters the ne cessity of increased exertion in order to secure their reli gious freedom. That the claims of the Dissenters had been so long overlooked was not altogether the fault of the Legislature. Considerable blame was attributable to the Dissenters and Voluntaries themselves. They had never yet come forward as a body, on a firm, de cided, and commanding attitude, to demand their rights —they had never y e t made use of the power conferred upon them by the Reform Act, to press upon their re presentatives and on Ministers their undoubted right, as citizens of a free country, to be placed upon a perfect footing of equality with their fellow-citizens, the mem bers of the Established Church. On almost every oc casion the great body of the Dissenters had trimmed and crouched to the " powers that be." They may, from ti m e to time, have made a splutter about their principles in public meetings and in newspapers, but their exer tions had seldom, if ever, gone further. They must all have observed, in nearly every contested election which took place, either in England or Scotland, that the Dis senting interest never hesitated to desert the voluntary candidate—he who was pledged to their own principles —for the Church candidate, provided the Churchman had the ministerial influence on his side. How different is the conduct of the Church party ! They at least bad one merit, that of standing by their principles through thick and thin ; for they made a point of opposing every candidate who did not pledge himself to the principles of the Church, to support the ascendancy, domination, and intolerance inseparable from Establishments. The consequence of this different line of policy adopted by the two parties was, that the Church party were not only favoured by the Tories, but they were soothed, courted, and flattered by the Whigs ; while the Disssenters, being regarded by Ministers as their humble servants— their abject vassals—were despised, degraded, and in sulted on every occasion. In short, the Dissenters and Voluntaries, or the religious equality party, as he pre ferred calling them, were regarded in the light of spaniels, who, the more they were cuffed, the more they were expected to fawn and cringe. He called upon them, as they valued the cause of civil and religious freedom, to eschew all false friends and truckling Journals, and rely upon public opinion for the guidance of their conduct ; to give up every species of truckling and all abandon ment of principle ; for what had they gained by their eight years' truckling but contempt, disappointment, and division ? He concluded by moving the first resolution. Mr. JAMES DRUMMOND having seconded the reso lution, A person (an operative, whose name we could not learn) rose and said he had an amendment to move, which he begged leave to read. It turned out to be a motion in favour of universal suffrage, which was re ceived with mingled hisses and cheers. _ _ Mr. AyTous - said this was not an amendment to his resolution. The two were quite incompatible. It should rather be brought forward as an additional resolution— if brought forward at all—at the end of the proceedings, when he (Mr. Aytoun) pledged himself that the speaker should get a hearing; but in the meantime he had bet ter allow the business to proceed. The CHAIRMAN said he had great doubts whether it was at all in order to bring forward such a resolution at the present meeting, which had been called for quite a different purpose ; but he should leave it to the meeting. The mover then agreed to withdraw his resolution in the meantime. Mr. R. W. JASIESON, W.S., rose to move the second resolution, and was received with loud cheers. He ob served that they were called there to consider a question with which they were not immediately concerned them selves, which touched not directly upon their own local or patrimonial interests, and the effects of which would only reach them as, and when they affected the common interests of British society itself. Any interference, therefore, on their part, must be justified, in the first place, by the cause being such as to require such inter ference ; and, in the second, by the calmness and deli beration which should precede and give dignity and authority to their decision. The cause, he appre hended, was one which a very little reflection must show deeply concerned the freedom they themselves enjoyed, or the,freedom they wished and ought to obtain. A large body of their fellow-citizens—a body which numbered itself by millions—a body which comprised a moiety, if not a majority, of the intelligent and well educated in the most important section of the em pire—by the Constitution entitled to live among their fellow-men in perfect and joyous equality—had conceived themselves aggrieved in being forcibly compelled to submit to taxation, to contribute towards the splendour of a hierarchy which ministered not to them, and the very splendour of which they thought, in no small de gree, detrimental to the simplicity and influence of that common faith which all alike profess.—(Cheers.) This forcible taxation had been often complained of—many schemes had been devised, and very much and very fruitless eloquence had been expended on the subject, when all at once it occurred to a poor honest tradesman of Essex—one who seemed to have studied more of the acts of the saints of old than the words of modern pro fessors, that if to pay the said tax went against his con science, there were a few words recorded in a certain book which teaches everything of and concerning Chris tianity, except, perhaps, how to levy a Church-rate or an annuity-tax—( Hear, hear)—declaring that we are to obey God rather than man, and who, feeling that the Christian's conscience was but the voice of God speaking to his inmost soul, which voice he must obey at a peril, and under a sanction against which the perils i of law and the sanctions of society were too contemp tible even to be named with the same breath—he, thus enjoined by his conscience, at once threw away all suggestions of comfort, convenience, worldly well-being, even the far dearer ties and claims of family affection and duty, and submitted to the last and worst rigours of a law which he could not and would not obey ; and by so doing, gave a theme, and, he trusted, brought a blush on the cheeks of thousands who would expatiate eloquently enough on his suffering merits, but could not, like him, afford to reach merit through suffering ; for this had been no constructive or fancied suffering—it had been no make-believe imprisonment that Thoro good had endured ; he had remained there far too long for a mere bravado ; and the filthy damps of his un wholesome gaol had already eaten into his health quite enough to satisfy his enemies, and assure his detractors that a cause surpassing ordinary human motives had dic tated his endurance. But it might be argued that it was not right in this free country to set themselves in active or even passive resistance to any laws which, how ever bad, might be abrogated by the proper and constitu tional means. He admitted the apparent force of this objection in both instances—he admittedits almost eternal truth in all matters of active resistance to the law. Active and armed resistance was justified only where the most irresponsible power was wielded with the most remorse less cruelty ; and even then it should be well consi dered, and most reluctantly resorted to, for the armed opposer of law brings, for the doubtful result of a fear ful struggle immediate misery on thousands, who, without their consent, ought not to be made the victims of so terrible an experiment ; but, on the other hand, he conceived a fallacy lurked under the ob jection to mere passive resistance. The passive op ponent of a bad law submitted patiently to its ponal ties, and at most only injures himself, while he brings more conspicuously before an apathetic public the evils which, perhaps, pressing lightly on individuals, are yet, in the aggregate, a great public enormity. Hamp den was often quoted—he was successful in his opposi tion. The rate he opposed was not legal, but he could not foresee this ; but, whether legal or not, his resist ance convinced all of its oppression. How this convic tion told upon England's liberties you all know well. In like manner thousands knew that Church-rates were a nuisance, which they grudged and yet sanctioned by paying ; but Thorogood went to gaol that every one might feel they were a nuisance which must now be abated. His imprisonment had roused sympathy—his sufferings had made that sympathy active—and should it please Providence he should sink under this oppres sion, how long did they think would the rich arches of the English Cathedral sustain the accumulated burden of public wrath which their Ministers will have brought on themselves ? Mr. Jameson concluded by expressing a hope that even the Lordly Prelates of the Znglish Church will, themselves, from the real sufferings of Thorogood, be convinced that they have done wrong, and induce them to relieve themselves and the country from the exaction, and thus earn for themselves a glo rious title to the respect and good-will of their Christian brethren.—(Cheers.) He begged to move the second resolution. Mr. D. M'LAaEN said, that when he was asked to attend the meeting he very cordially agreed to do so on the ground that no speech was to be expected from him. He could not, however, refrain from saying that he deeply sympathised with John Thorogood, whose conduct he considered as worthy of all praise. After the eloquent remarks of Mr. Jameson, however, who had kept strictly to the question, it was unnecessary for him to say more. Before he sat down he might ob serve that he could by no means approve of the descrip tion given by Mr. Aytoun of the conduct of Dissenters. He was aware that it was unusual at meetings of this kind to enter into discussion ; but he would only take leav e to say that that description did not accord w i t h thea experience h e h a d h a d o f th e f ee lings and cting s of Di ssenters. —(Ch eers an d hi sses. ) Th a t the description might apply to particular indi viduals, or even to some sections of Dissenters, might be true ; but he repeated that, as a gene ral descriptio n of the conduct of Dissenters, it did n H o e t ba eggedcc o rd w cordiallyi t t he experience second h h e e r e shado resolution t h i o ft d e of f them. proposed by Mr. Jameson. Mr. ANDREW NICOL, in the absence of Mr. Peddie, \V.S., proposed the third resolution. After remark ing upon the persecutio❑ to which Mr. Thorogood had THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1839. been subjected, and urging upon the meeting to I support the subscription in his favour as the only means of benefiting his family, and testifying their sympathy for him under his sufferings, Mr. Nicol remarked that Mr. Thorogood's conduct was highly worthy of imitation. Had all the Dissenters of Edinburgh acted in the same manner with regard to the Annuity Tax, where would it have been at this day ? (Cheers.) Where would gaols have been found to ac commodate them all ? Perhaps some of the empty Churches of the city might have been useful in this re spect.—(Cheers and laughter.) Trinity College Church, for instance, to which it was said only three of the parishioners resorted.—(Laughter.) These with their minister might have been much more comfortably accom modated in the Session-house, and that ancient building would have held a goodly number of the voluntary re cusants. Mr. Nicol concluded by moving the third re solution. Mr. THOMAS RUSSELL proposed the fourth resolu tion, and prefaced his speech by reading several ex tracts from a letter written by Mr. Childs, of Bungay, giving the following among a number of other interest ing particulars respecting Mr. Thorogood's personal character :—" His minister says, his character has been, so far as he has had any opportunity of observing him, perfectly consistent and praise worthy.' Prisoners who have been released thus write after their liberation, debtors who attended prayer meetings in his room, which he set up from the time he entered. An old man says—' I write to let you know I have not neglected the practice you wished me to follow ; my partner in life joins, and I hope I shall remember you as long as I live, and that in your prayers you will think of me, for I never forget you night and morning.' Another, a young man, says, I feel greatly indebted to Mr. Thorogood, for the great kindness he showed me when I was in prison, both spiritual and temporal ; and I trust that God, who was my God in the prison, will give him strength according to his day ;' and so on—more in the same strain. These men, when they entered the place, had never heard of prayer, or prayer meetings."—(Cheers.) He also read a communication received by a Gentleman in this city, from Mr. Thorogood himself, containing some facts connected with his case. Mr. Russell then called at tention to the curious circumstance, that while John Thorogood was immured in a gaol for his conscientious refusal to pay Church -rates, Dr. Chalmers and the other rebels against the law of the land were allowed to go at large unmolested. He concluded by expressing a hope that the present meeting would tell powerfully in favour of full, free, and unrestricted religious liberty. Colonel RITCHIE seconded the resolution. The Rev. Mr. Massie, in moving the fifth resolution, thus addressed the meeting :—After the very pleasing testimony which bad been read to them of the character of John Thorogood, who, amongst this large meeting of the citizens of Edinburgh, will say that his character remains under a shade, or that there is a question re specting his benevolence, his patriotism, or his piety ? He, as a good citizen, was content to labour at his humble occupation to support himself and his family, and even after he was immured within the jail of Chelms ford, he was happy to continue his work for the main tenance of his dependent wife, until he was informed that, by the rules and regulations of the prison, he must give the proceeds of his labour to the funds of the dun geon in which he was iuca:cerated.—(Sensation.) Just let them look upon this poor man, honestly and indefa tigably employed in his confinement, and then let them turn aside to his gloomy cell and there behold him taking by the hand the old man who never prayed, and the young man who never was taught to pray, and kneeling with them at the throne of grace. They will long remember the name of John Thorogood as the instrument who taught them to make their supplications to that God who heareth the groanings of the prisoner. They had, however, a termination to their imprisonment ; they were freed from their gloomy abode ; and John Thoro good heard the locking of the gates which gave them liberty, but retained him in captivity. Like one doomed to perpetual slavery, he is brought back to the clanking of his chains, and the dreary loneliness of his damp dungeon. Look to him lying there for months ; and for what Because he had a conscience. —(Cheers.) We, said Mr. Massie, with emphasis, congratulate ourselves and the country that we have abolished imprisonment for debt.—( Hear, hear.) Now, no civil court of justice could have imprisoned John Thorogood. The highest Court of Equity in Britain could not incarcerate him for twenty times 3s. 6d.—(Hear, hear)—but because he was the debtor of the Church—(Great cheering)—he was deprived of his liberty because he would not add a patch to the polluted garment of that system which was the offspring of the Man of Sin, and there he was doomed to remain helpless and hopeless till death cam( as his deliverer.—(Great cheering.) True, the church warden of Chelmsford, a solicitor, had asked him what conscience had to do with it. In the debate brought on by Mr. Thomas Duncombe, Dr. Lush ington complained that, as a Judge, he had been compelled to imprison John Thorogood for ss. 6d. ; but a sage and Noble Lord replied, in the House of Commons, that the sum was a trifle, and ought tohave been paid ; and in answer that the sufferer pleaded conscience,—" Conscience 1" said his Lordship, " conscience has nothing to do with it—the majesty of the law must be maintained."—(Laughter.) Yes, the majesty of the law.--(Hear. hear.) He loved the majesty of the law. It was the bulwark of society under whose canopy our security is enjoyed ; and it is presumed every man lives under his own vine and under his own fig-tree, none daring to make him afraid.—(Hear.) It was under this majesty of the law, as a shield, that a man's house was rendered his castle.--(Hear, hear.) Under this broad banner were they enabled to meet together within this edifice, set apart to sacred services, with safety, and their persons and property protected. The majesty of the laws should neither be degraded by cruelty, nor usurped by oppression or injustice. Has God's law no majesty? Have they no regard to the majesty of the other ? The man who talks of the human law, and neglects the other—who upholds the one and tramples on the other, is either a hypocrite or a robber.—(Great cheering.) The eloquent and comprehensive representations of Mr. Aytoun have set forth the secular objects for which Church-rates are levied. But they have also a reli gious aspect ; they are applied to purchase the wine and bread which are employed as memorials of the blood and body of a crucified Redeemer. The rich and powerful members of the Anglican Church, will not, from their own purses, contribute what will purchase these memo rials ; but they commission their churchwardens, — their officers of exaction,—they employ the dens and dungeons of their Ecclesiastical Courts—to extort the shillings and pence of John Thorogood and other Dis senters. We all know the solemnity which should be at tached to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Among us, with our sober and unostentatious Presbyterian or Independent distinctions, can anything be more sacred than this ordinance, and would anything tend more to weaken our feelings of devotion than to know that this was an offering of robbery—(Cheering)—that it was polluted by injustice, and that we were partaking of wine which we believed had been stolen from the shop on the other side of the street ? John Thorogood objects to this payment—he cannot give it, because he considers the system for which it is enacted pollution. Now, is there not religion here? Mr. Massie then referred to the doctrine held by the Church of England, that, in the sacrament, the real presence of the body and blood of Christ was assumed to be consubstantiated with the elements, and related, as an instance of the truth of it, what occurred with Dr. Hooke, of Leeds, shortly after his induction to that living :—A large quantity of the wine used on the sacramental occasion, about twelve bottles, was not needed. The Vicar, having drawn the corks, poured the wine on the floor of the church, as he could not per mit that the wine which he had consecrated should be used beyond the precincts of the holy edifice. The Churchwarden said that it was wasting the wine, and why not give it to the poor ? Dr. Hooke's answer was, that he could not suffer the blood of our Lord to be taken off the consecrated premises ; and in utter ing this sentiment he was only speaking that of the Church of England.—(Some gentlemen called out " No, no.) I know better, said Mr. M. The Book of Common prayer, to which every clergyman must give his sub scription, contains the express language. And if such views be entertained respecting what they call the sacrament of the supper, can we wonder that a man of Thorogoad's principles should demur to payment, and far more, that he should refuse, when force was applied to exact the money? The resolution he had moved proposed that exaction in support of an eccle siastical Establishment materially impedes the ad vance of Christianity, and causes enmity, destroying the kindly feelings and brotherly love which are' its best bulwarks. He need hardly illustrate a point which was so clear to them all. Only think, as an in stance of this, of a minister of the gospel hasting to the Ecclesiastical Courts for the purpose of persecuting and punishing his brother. Was that a work in which he should be employed ? Such a representation of Chris tianity was calculated to render it odious,—to make men who knew it only by exactions and imprisonments hate its pretensions, and refuse its counsels. They would reckon it a bane and not a blessing to society,— a system of unmitigated priestcraft and cruelty ; so far from proclai m i ng p eac e a nd good-will, exciting angry, hostile, and malevolent passions. The RENTON' seconded the resolution. . Op erat i ve who addresse d t h e meet i ng f ormer ly again rose and p ro p ose d hi s reso l u ti o n, which gave rise to some disord er . The motion was seconded by Mr. Douglas, pianoforte-maker. Mr. M'LAREN moved as an amendment, that the additional resolution now proposed, being in favour of Universal Suffrage, does not come within the limit of the advertisement callin g the meeting, which is strictly confined to the consideration of the case of John Tho rogood, and the evil effects of Church-rates and other ecclesiastical impositions, and therefore cannot be put to the vote. Mr. hne A as To i in seconding th e amendment, state d that your of the principl e conta i ned i n t h e resolution, but he thought it right to off er every opposi wYrf, a opposi tion in his power to that system of tyran n y an d oppres sion which would attempt tointroduce a motion for Universal Suffrage on every occasion, whatever was the bject for which the meeting was asion, whatever was the The motion and amendment were then put to the vote, when the latter was carried by an overwhelming majority. There were not twenty hands held up for the Chartist resolution. After a vote of thanks to the managers of the chapel, and another to the Chairman for his conduct in the chair, the meeting separated. The following are the resolutions which were adopted : L That this meeting having been convened to take into consideration the effect of the Ecclesiastical Impost called Church-rates, as brought prominently forward be fore all classes of the empire, in the protracted impri sonment of Mr. John Thorogood, of Chelmsford, view with indignation the fact that that individual has been incarcerated in a common gaol for nearly a whole year, at the instance of the wealthy Episcopalian Hierarchy, merely on account of his conscientious refusal to pay an unjust and anti-scriptural impost designated Church rates. 11. That this meeting express their admiration of the manly and consistent stand which Mr. Thorogood has made against the levy of this unrighteous exaction, and their ardent sympathy with him under his prolonged sufferings ; and, while they deem it inexpedient at pre sent to address the Queen on his behalf, after the de claration made by the Home Secretary " that the Exe cutive cannot interfere in his case," yet they pledge themselves to employ every lawful means to procure his speedy and unconditional release. 111. That having learned that Mr. Thorogood is suffering severely in his temporal affairs, as well as in his health, from his protracted confinement, this meeting highly a pp ro ve o f the subscription which has been set n , and earne s tly so li c it f or it th e general of the friends of re li g i ous lib er ty i n o root for su p p his or t b o e this city. IV. That the especial thanks of this meeting are due to T. S. Duncombe, Esq., M.P., for the zeal and abi lity with which he advocated the cause of the captive in the House of Commons, on the 30th of July last, and to the other Members of Parliament composing the ma jority on that occasion, who supported him in carrying a resolution pledging the Legislature, " at the earliest possible period of the next Session of Parliament, to make such alterations in the existing laws for levying Church-rates, as shall prevent the recurrence of a like violence being ever again inflicted upon the religious scruples of that portion of her Majesty's subjects who conscientiously dissent from the rites and doctrines of the Established Church." V. That this meeting consider that all support of any Ecclesiastical Establishment from those who may con scientiously oppose it, is calculated materially to impede the advancement of Christianity itself, by destroying the kindly feelings and brotherly love which are among its best bulwarks ; and therefore, pledge themselves to do their utmost to have such abolished, whether they ap pear in the form of a Presbyterian Annuity Tax, or an Episcopalian Church-rate. LAW INTELLIGeNCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, DEC. 18. MAUND V. ALLIES. The arguments in this part-heard case were resumed to-day, but had not concluded when his Lordship rose, shortly after four o'clock. Mr. R. BRUCE will reply to-morrow (this day). ROLLS' COURT, DEC. 16. KNIGHT V. KNIGHT. The arguments of Counsel in this case, which was opened yesterday, were resumed, and occupied the at tention of the Court the whole of the day. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, DEC. 18. (Sittings at Nisi Prius before Mr. Baron GURNEY, and a London Special Jury.) YATES V. THE CITY OF DUBLIN STEAM PACKET COMPANY. This was an action brought to recover the sum of 6561., the value of a cargo of iron, which was run down by the Duchess of Kent steamer, the property of the defendant. The plaintiff's case was that he had shipped on board the Byron 150 tons of iron, at Newport for Liverpool. On the 13th of April the vessel was in the Rock Channel, within a few miles of Liverpool ; the tide was failing them, and she anchored, showing a light to all other vessels. About six o'clock at night she was struck amidships by the steamer and sunk—the crew got on board the Duchess of Kent, with the exception of the cabin boy, who was drowned. For the defence it was shown that the steamer left Liverpool at 20 minutes after 11 on the night in question, which was not foggy but extremely dark ; in the Rock Channel they saw the light of a ship, the Lady Rowley, and gave her a berth by porting the helm ; before pass ing the ship they run on board the Byron, and she sunk in three minutes ; they had three men looking out, but the Byron had no lights, and the night was so dark that it was impossible to see she ship at any distance. Se veral Captains and the Harbour Master of Liverpool said the Byron was anchored in a very improper place, right in the middle of the Channel, while she bad plenty of good anchoring ground in the neighbourhood, where she would have been quite safe. The steamer was going at ten miles an hour. The jury found a verdict for the defendant. Sir F. Pollock, Mr. Whateley, and Mr. Greenwood, were Counsel for the plaintiff. Mr. Creswell, Mr. Jar vis, and Mr. Watson, appeared for the defendant. The case occupied the Court till six o'clock. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, DEC. 14. (Sittings before the Lord Chief Justice TYNDAL and a Special Jury, at Guildhall.) PYBUS V. SCUDAMORE. ELECTION AT MAIDSTONE. -ALLEGED FERJURT BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. This was an action for slanderous words spoken by the defendant of the plaintiff, the late Mayor of Maid stone, and imputing to him wilful and corrupt perjury. The pleas were first, not guilty, and secondly, a justi fication. Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, with Mr. Richards and Mr. Tomlinson, were for the plaintiff ; Mr. Thesiger, Mr. Platt, and Mr. Churwell, for the defendant. The Learned Sergeant stated the case for the plain tiff, and said, the Jury would have in fast to tryan indict ment of perjury against his client : and he should wait to hear what proof his Learned Friends for the defen dants could adduce in support of their accusatory plea. The alleged perjury was charged in respect of the plain tiff's having stated before the Maidstone Election Peti tion Committee that he saw a Mr. Randall go to the Corn Exchange, and that he could see him pass to the stair-foot. Now, from the whole of the evidence the Jury would have to judge whether this was false —or, if false, if it were wilfully so—or whether it was not a mistake, and that the plaintiff merely meant to state that he saw Mr. Randall go in the direction referred to, and that his belief was that he went to a room in the Corn Exchange—the rendezvous of the Conservative party. Lamentable was it, said the Learned Sergeant, that men moving, as both these parties did, in a highly respectable station of life, should have been brought by the excitement of party feeling into a state of such bitter and painful opposition ; and he felt assured that the impartiality and the calmness of decision which, owing to the same party excitement, was not to be expected at Maidstone, would be evinced by the Jury who had now to investigate the case. Mr. Stephens, a solicitor of Maidstone, proved that the defendant had once or twice stated in his hearing that the plaintiff had perjured himself on the occasion, and in the manner before stated. Mr. Allen corroborated this proof. Mr. THESIGER addressed the jury for the defendant, and expressed his surprise that his Learned Friend should have rested Mr. Pybus's prima facie case (as it was termed), for the vindication of his character, on the meagre testimony which he had produced. He pledged )limself distinctly to prove that Mr. Pybus had sworn that which was false —which was materially false—and which was wilfully false. The inquiry was painful, but it had been forced on by the plaintiff himself. The uttering of the words charged as perjury was proved by the short-hand writer, Mr. Cheerer, who took the evidence before the Committee for the House of Commons. Mr. Randall was then called, and he swore distinctly that on the day of the election he had polled at eight o'clock—gone to the house of Messrs. Barlow and Gill, and there remained till past ten, or near eleven ; and that he had not been to the Corn Exchange room at all that day. On cross-examination it was elicited that the way to both Messrs. Barlow and Gill's, and to the Corn Ex change room, was through the same archway, a long narrow passage, and that nearly up to both buildings the Mayor could have seen where he sat ; but not either the door of Messrs. Barlow, nor the foot of the Exchange stairs. And further, that the witness had left the house for a few minutes past 10, to speak to a voter, and had gone with him a little way down the archway, and then returned. By the CHIEF JUSTICE—The Mayor might have seen me then. Many other witnesses corroborated this evidence. Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD addressed the Jury at some length, and with considerable ability for the reply, arguing that it was manifest that there bad been no intentional falsifying of the truth on the part of the plaintiff, for that he might have easily have been mistaken that, in fact, he had on cross-examination followed up the statement referred to by the explanation that he saw Mr. Randall going in the direction stated, and that so he concluded he had gone to the Exchange•room, and that he could have had no motive for a wilful falsehood, because the assertion he had made was quite indifferent to the merits of the case, The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE having summed up, The Jury found for the plaintiff—Damages One Farthing. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. (Before Mr. Justice PATTESON and Mr. Baron ROLFE.) (Continued from our Paper of yesterday.) THE ROBBERY IN QUEBEC•STREET.—James Card well was indicted for stealing in adwelling-house monies to the amount of upwards of 1,2001., the property of Henry Edward Porter, his master, on the 9th of Octo ber last. After four or five more witnesses had been examined, Mr. Justice PATTESON asked the Counsel for the prosecution if they were in a condition to shew that the box which was brought to Chubbs was the box of the prosecutor. Mr. CLARKSON said he certainly was not, but he thought if he could satisfy the jury of the presence of a man at Chubb's with a cash box, he might leave it to them to say if the prisoner was the man, and if the box was the property of the prosecutor. Mr. Justice PATTESON should not leave that as a question for the jury. Mr. CLARKSON would then at once retire from the prosecution. - Mr. Sergeant Bostpas begged to say it was not his intention to cast any imputation on the character of the witnesses. The Jury then, under the direction of the Learned Judge, acquitted the prisoner. On the application of Mr. Clarkson, the Court al lowed the expenses of the prosecution. There were five-and-twenty witnesses to have been examined for the defence in the above case, and it is a curious circumstance that the house of one of them, residing in Swan-street, Whitechapel, was, during her absence from home to attend the Court this morning, robbed of a cash-box containing 5001. ;at least such was the report in Court after the proceedings had closed. THE TEETH.--.The preservation of the Teeth, which serve to o rnamen t or d e f ace one o f t h e most ex pressive features of the human countenance—the mouth, cannot be otherwise than of vast importance to the F a ir S ex ! F or t hi s purpose, as well as for purify ing and embellishing the Teeth and Gums, and freeing them from any foreign substance pernicious to their health and beauty, ROWLAND'S ODONTO has been pre sented to the public, and found truly efficacious. It is patronized by Royalty and the Nobility, is universally appreciated as possessing renovating qualities—un equalled by any Dentrffice of the age, and is accord ingly recommended by the most eminent of the Faculty. PARISH SQUABBLES.—There is, it is believed, no other parish in the world in which such constant and miserable disputes exist as in Chelsea. The officers are always at war. And, as is usual, the belligeren ts not only render th emse l ves ridiculous but make the more rational portion o f th e par i s hi oners p a y for the exhi bition. Every shop window in Chelsea is plastered with papers issued by the contending parties, who make themselves look big at the cost of the great body of the parishioners, who, we should think, must regard the say ings and doings of the Messrs. Bumble with sheer con tempt and disgust. BANKRUPTS AND INSOLVENTS. QUESTIONS SUBMITTED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF WITNESSES WHO ARE TO BE EXAMINED BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS OF INQUIRY INTO THE PRE SENT STATE OF THE LAWS REGARDING BANK- RUPTS AND INSOLVENT DEBTORS. 1. Whether in your opinion it would be advantageous for the public that the estates of insolvents and bank rupts should be administered under the same system of law ? 2. Whether, supposing you to be of opinion that they ought to be administered under the same system of law, the same system of law now pursued in the Court of Bankruptcy in London, or the system now pursued in the Insolvent Debtors' Court, should be preferred ? 3. Supposing you to be of opinion that the system of the Court of Bankruptcy is to be preferred, whether, in your opinion, that system could be applied to the cases now administered in the Court of Insolvent Debtors, un less a debtor, when he feels himself insolvent, may cede his property and submit himself to the Court ; and whether, in order to enable the system to work, it would not be expedient to abolish imprisonment for debt in all cases ? 4. Whether, in your opinion, the Courts of Commis sioners ought not to be Courts of Record ; and whether they should not have, in the first instance, all the powers now exercised in bankruptcy, subject to appeal ? 5. Whether, in case of appeal, the party ought not to give good security to perform the judgment of the Court, and to pay costs of appeal in case judgment on appeal should be given against him ? 6. Whether, in your opinion, it would be advisable that the name of the Court should be altered, and that it should be called " The Court of Commerce ?" 7. Whether all the proceedings ought to commence in the Court of the Commissioners without a previous fiat ? 8. Whether, in case of a party being compelled to come into the Court, he ought to have an opportunity to defend himself before a messenger enters into possession of his property ? 9. Whether any alteration ought to be made, as to giving certificates as to number and amount of creditors ; and, if imprisonment continue, whether a debtor should not be protected for the twenty-one days which take place before the affirming certificate ? 10. As to the emolument of official assignees, whe ther they ought to be paid out of a joint fund, or out of each estate ? 11. Whether it is more advantageous for the credi tors that an insolvent debtor's property should be ad ministered under the Courts of Commissioners or under trust deeds ? 12. Whether a power ought to be given to Commis sioners to punish fraudulent debtors in the same way as they are now punished by the Insolvent Debtors' Court ? 13. Whether the Commissioners ought to have power to decide disputes between assignees and all per sons as to matters concerning bankrupts' estates when the parties consent ? 14. Whether, when there is no evidence but that of a creditor of the bankrupt, a debt ought to be admit ted to be proved? 15. Whether in all cases the debtor should not be compelled to deliver a cash account of the last year? 16. To consider the best mode of extending the practice of the London Commissioners to the country fiats. 16. Whether it be right that the adjudication of the bankruptcy should take place as at present, without no tice to the party, or whether the supposed bankrupt should be heard before he be declared a bankrupt ? ECCENTRIC CHARACTER.—On Saturday an inquest was held at Moulsham, Essex, on the body of Jane Lee, aged 66, who died rather suddenly. The deceased had lived 44 years as servant with a most eccentric character, known in the neighbourhood as Miss Brown, but whose real name is Mattocks. It appeared that Miss Mattocks, who is between sixty and seventy years of age, has lived for many years in the most secluded manner ; for the last six years, it is stated, the front door has not been opened for the admission of any one, being secured by a chain, and for the last twenty years she has held no communi cation with her neighbours ; formerly she quitted the house once a year to pay the rent, but this has been for some time discontinued. It is her custom not to retire to rest till the hour of morning, when early risers are going to their occupations. She is un derstood to be rather wealthy, but lives in the most niggardly manner, and she states that as her money came from Government, to Government it shall revert at her death. The deceased was kept in the most secluded manner, though she was sometimes sent on errands. The body, when the jury went to view it, was lying on the kitchen floor, it was much emaciated, and the legs were in a dreadful state ; they had been bad for some years, and one of them had burst towards the heel, which was the cause of death. Miss Mattocks, whose , appearance to those who know her not, would indicate poverty, evpressed great objection to leaving the house to be examined by the Coroner, and it was at one time thought it might be necessary to send a warrant for her, but finding resistance was vain she complied. She stated in her evidence before the jury, that deceased had lived with her 44 years ; that she had been going to leave her, and would have gone on Wednesday, the day previous to her death, only that she, Miss Mat tocks, had not change to pay her wages with. On Wednesday night witness's attention was attracted by seeing something on the ground, which proved to be blood from the leg of the deceased. " I cried out," continued witness, " with all my might, but there was no one to hear me, and if there had been the door was fastened, and admission could not have been obtained. I did not know what in the world to do, when it came into my mind to take off my garter, and tie her by the arm to the rail, and see if I could get her down stairs." She bled " all along the floor like a flood." The legs of the deceased, it appeared, had been bad for years, and she had been in the habit of poulticing them with bread. After the bleeding she remained on the floor covered over with a cloak until about five o'clock next morning, when she died. Wit ness stated that she did not send for medical aid, be lieving it to be of no use. It had been supposed that deceased had not had the proper necessaries of life while in the service of her eccentric mistress, and that her treatment had accelerated her death. But there was nothing elicited at the inquest to show that this was the fact ; and the Jury returned a verdict " that the deceased died from natural causes." FALL FROM SUNDERLAND BRIDGE.—MI RACULOUS ESCAPE.—On Monday afternoon, at. about four o'clock, as a sailor, named John Barnett, was en gaged painting the metal works of the stupendous bridge in this town, the plank on which he was stand ing slipped at one end from its resting place, and the poor fellow was, in consequence, precipated into the Wear. The man caught hold of one of the trans verse ribs of the arch for a moment, but from the suddenness of the fall he could not longer retain his grasp. He remained a considerable time under water, but eventually appeared at the surface, when he again breathed the air. Being a good swimmer, he made towards a sloop lying at the north side of the river, though he was much impeded by the force of the tide ; the men in the ship perceiving his situation, put off a boat, took him up, and landed him at Fenwick's Quay, when, to the surprise of all, he ran up the bank, jumped over a wall, and went to the bridge, for the purpose of locking up his working utensils, though he had fallen from a height of upwards of 90 feet ! It was high water at the time of the accident, or his fall would have been one hundred feet. So little worse was the man, that he walked home as if nothing had happened. At present he complains of a little stiffness at his back, and be ima gines from this that he fell into the water on his back. The man states that the effect produced upon his imagi nation, when he dashed in the water was as if he had fallen into a flame of fire ; he also states that he felt the de scent so long that he thought he should never arrive at the bottom. He lives in Sans-street' and is 43 years of age. He was employed by Mr. Moore, architect, who is the surveyor of the bridge.—Northern Times. RECENT PUBLIC CONDUCT OF THE CLERGY. —Amidst much to cause pain and grief to moderate men in the recent conduct of the clergy, there is no thing that has given us more concern than to see the manner in which they have demeaned themselves with respect to the two great questions of education an d re gistration.—Manchester Guardian. CLEAN STABLES.—As for the straw which ofis impregnated with ur i ne , it i s th e i nva riable c ustom a nineteen grooms o u t o f t wen ty t o a llow it to r emain when i t lnot at the bottom of a ho rse ' s b e d for several days,vng heard g in . a the d handfe affirma tive, fellow, must n ever make is at length cl eare d awa y ; I remember b will that a crusty o ld merc h an t, 0f whos easkn namei g an applicant mention, was always in the habit for a clerk' s berth whether ho "scratching out." If the a the reply always " t henwas," e r was a my good o you won't do for me, for my clerks mistakes." You may, therefore, previously to hiring a groom, ask him " how often he mucks out," and should he say" once a week, or twice a week, Sir," the soo ner think that to look after a horse properly he "mucks himself out the the . better. Some of these oref_trta.mmg to the business at all ; and I wwhhoo kappliedhunters for the too, situationsituation gentry, ire s i indeed, e s d , cavalierly " that he did not know much about have knowtona gen t o l l e m h a e n m , but had looked arter a kiow (cow) a good bit !" Oldl o o f d g g r o oo v m ery nags, sporting Magazine. UNEMPLOYED AT PAISLEY.—WhiIe every thing is doing that can be done by the wealthier classes to alleviate by their contributions the distress which at present unfortunately exists amongst the operatives at Paisley, we regret to observe that some mischievous persons have been attempting to mislead the poor people into a course calculated only to injure their cause with the charitable, by instructing them to demand that as a right which they are only entitled to as a boon. At the meeting the principle of the petition was not, of course, recognised ; and we do hope the operatives themselves will endeavour to seize the common-sense view of their position, unfortunate though it may be, and not by per verseness and extravagant demands freeze the sources of benevolence.—Glasgow Herald. STATE OF TRADE. (From the Manchester Guardian.) MANCHESTER.—There were some symptoms of im provement in the yarn market yesterday,—the demand for India and the Mediterranean continuing to be good ; and a considerable extent of business was done at the full prices of the preceding week. Although the prices of yarn are still unrernunerating to the spinners, it is gratifying to observe, as an indication of improvement, that, whilst every former decline in the price of cotton at Liverpool was attended by an immediate reduction here, the recent progressive decline in the cotton mar ket has produced no effect on the prices of yarn, which have continued perfectly steady, so that the con dition of the spinners has been sensibly improving ; and, as stocks of yarn are generally light, a further and more decided improvement is pretty generally antici pated. In the goods market there was not much de mand, and some description of manufactures, especially domestics and 27-inch printing cloths, continue much depressed. There was, however, no decline in prices ; and the absence of inquiry may be in some measure ascribed to the near approach of Christmas, when bu siness is usually very limited. On the whole, we may say, that the feeling in the market was more cheerful and encouraging than for several weeks past. ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET, DEC. 16. —We have had a dull market to-day ; the quantity of goods sold has been very limited, and the prices extremely low. The wool market has been heavy, and prices the same as last Monday. HUDDERSFIELD MARKET, DEC. 17.—We are not able to give a more favourable report of this market, if it deserve the name ; for a more discouraging state of trade never existed. Goods certainly are sold ; and, in the worst of times, this always was the case ; but the object of trade is profit, which is nearly extinct. Nothing is heard of but complaint and distress, failures, and evil forebodings. Every day adds to the number of the unemployed, and every post brings tidings of failures and losses. SUICIDE THROUGH AFFLICTION.—Tuesday an inquest was held before Mr. Higgs, at the Coach and Horses, York-street, Westminster, on the body of John Parsons, aged 47, who terminated his existence by cutting his throat from ear to car. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased, who was formerly a private in the Ist Regiment of Grenadier Guards,lodged at No. 5, King's-head-buildings, Wesminster. He had served under the Duke of Wellington in the battle of Waterloo, and had been in many other engagements. In July, 1838, in consequence of being disabled, he was dis charged from the regiment with a pension of Is. .1-d. a day. With his pension and the assistance of his friends, who were very respectable, he was in comfortable cir cumstances. He was a married man and his wife was in the service of a clergyman. For the last few months he had been labouring under :a consumptive disease, and latterly his cough became so troublesome that for ease he had been obliged to sit up in an arm-chair for nights together. He had in consequence of his bodily ailments become very desponding. Not making his appearance on Sunday last, towards evening a female lodging in the house knocked at his door, but receiving no answer she thought something had happened to him, and accordingly called in a policeman, when, the lock being forced, deceased was discovered on the floor, his head in a pool of blood, which had flowed from a fright ful wound in his throat. He was quite dead and cold. A razor with which the suicidal act had been committed was lying by his right hand. The jury, being of opinion that the deceased committed the fatal deed while labouring under an aberration of mind, brought on by long and painful suffering, returned a verdict of " Temporary Insanity." FEMALE MISERS.—In the course of an in quest held within the last day or two before M. Wak ley, M.P., on the body of an elderly lady of property, whose death it was proved had been accelerated by her own wilful privations, and in which a verdict to that effect was recorded, the Coroner said that the case re minded him of one which occurred a few years ago, and the facts of which he believed had never gained publicity. A. miserly old lady, residing in the parish of St. Clement, dying suddenly, an inquest was held upon the body, and in the course of evidence it appeared that she used to live in the most miserable manner pos sible, her fare consisting principally of tainted meat, mouldy bread, rotten eggs, &c. She occupied a house, and had a female with her as companion and housekeeper. Her appearance at the Bank, where she used to go re gularly to receive her dividend, exciting the curiosity of one of the clerks, he watched her home, and seeing that the house adjoining was to let, engaged it, and im mediately removed there. He soon managed to ingra. tiate himself into the old lady's favour, and with his brother paid her a visit every evening. After her death the housekeeper gave information to the sexton of the parish that she had died worth a vast deal of money and that the gentleman who lived next door had, with his brother, shook her to death, they being in the nightly habit of shaking her by the shoulders till she was quite out of breath. It further appeared that the house keeper bad been induced to state what she did in consequence of her request to be presented with a new gown-piece, and have a hundred a year settled upon her being refused by th 3 gentlemen. By the exertions of the sexton it was at length discovered that the old lady had died worth 40,0001., which her neighbour had got possession of, but all of which he was obliged to disgorge to the Crown (she having no relative), and then leave the country. A N HONEST MAN.—Last week a man of the name of Ra nse y, a f armer f rom the United States of America, arrived at Perth, on his way to Aberdeen shire, to pay a visit to some of his friends there. His reason for coming this way was, that about four years ago he rec e i ve d ten sovere i gn s from a neighbouring farmer, when on his death bed, to give to a brother of his Of ever he came to Scotland), to whom he had sent many a letter, but never received any answer ; but the last word he had of him was, that he had removed from Edinburgh and gone to live in Perth. After a lon g an d anxious search h e f oun d t h e man living in a garret in High-street, in very embarrassed circumstances, and gave him the ten sovereigns ; a welcome supply, no doubt, to one in his condition.--Scotch Paper. cc COLONEL THOMAS." —By the way, we h ave heard a stat ement on pretty goo d authority, whi c h may serve to expl a i n a s li g h t appearanc e of insincerity in th e corresponden ce o f C o l one l Th o mas with the Adjutant- General. When asked respecting the actual expres sions used by Mr. Roby, the Gallant Colonel cert a i n l y does not app ear to h ave answere d the question with the prompt and soldierly frankness which one would expect from his character and profession. We understand the truth to be, that, at the time when Mr. Roby Was speaking, the Gallant Colonel, whose turn came the next, was very busy conning his own speech, an d na turally paid m uc h more attent i on to his own eloquence than to Mr. Roby's ; so that, when questioned on the subject by Sir John Macdonald, he seems to have been equally unable to justify the words quoted to him ---to say that they were not used —or, if used, to say why h e did is not protest agai ns t t h em ; a ll which sufficiently ex plained by the statement which we have given.—Man- eliester Guardian. EVENING EDITION. CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. (From the Dun — f 1 Courier.) " HIGH JINKS OF THE ASSEMBLY'S COMMISSION. " In another column we have inserted a report of the proceedings of the Presbytery of Strathbogie ; as regards the majority and minority of that Court, there appears to have been jockeying on both sides, and especially as regards the part taken by the Moderator. The case chosen for a trial of strength was not a very fortunate one, for Mr. Edwards, after three years' trial, was rejected as unacceptable. But that does not affect the law of the question, and it is on legal grounds alone that the Reverend Belligerents must stand or fall. The majority are loudly blamed for resisting the fiat of i a higher Church tribun a l ; and th e i r d e f e nce s, that they were placed between two fires, and, look ing to the penal consequences that might follow, deemed it their duty to yield to the supreme power as by law established. But the now dominant party of the Church of Scotland, however rebellious the Court of Session and the House of Lords may consider them, have no tolerance for rebellion in others ; and accord ingly, at a late meeting of the Commission, it was re solved, after an animated discussion, to suspend from every pastoral {unction the seven refractory clergyrnen. These gentlemen are prohibited from preaching,baptising , attending Church Courts, or performing any other ecclesi astical functions, until their case is reported to the next . General Assembly i n M a y, un l ess t h ey express contri tion, and promise submission in future. An interdict is to be applied for, which, we doubt not, will be granted ; and the Court of Session, in place of offen sive, will be called to wield defensive weapons. Mat' ters must be brought to a speedy issue, and either the General Assembly must put down the Court of Session, or the Court curb the pretensions of the Church. Thereis no middle course to steer, and heated as,both par ties now are, we see no zhance of the shadow of com promise." The following is one of the protests entered against the strange proceedings of the Commission. The dis pute is exciting the most intense interest in Scotland. REASONS OF DISSENT By DR. LEE, AND OTHERS• 1. Because it is irregular and unprecedented to pro nounce an unqualified sentence, reversing, rescinding , and declaring to be null and void the whole proceed ings of two meetings of a Presbytery, while the mi nutes (though improperly withholden, perhaps, through a mistaken exercise of discretion by their Counsel) , were not fully before the Commission. 2. Because it is not consistent with the law and practice of this Church to pass the heavy sentence of suspension from the whole functions of the ministry, pas toral as well as judicial, against a number of ministers , without having even once expressly and peremptorily cited them to appear personally to answer for the offences with which they are charged ; as the only order which has been served on them hitherto gave them the choice of appearing either personally or by procurator. CORN AVERAGES. GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN, , For the Weekended Dec. 13, 1839, made up from the Returns a: the Inspectors in the different Cities and Tewns in England and Wales, per Imperial Quarter. Wheat 6ss. Ad. I Oats I li d ' Barley '39s. Bd. Rye IMPERIAL AGGREGATE AVERAGES OF THE 5,E WEEKS PRECEDING. Wheat 67s. 4d. Oats I Barley 4ls. 4d, Rye DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. Wheat lBs. Bd. I Oats ^ s. 3d. I Beans.... ..... • ~ Bs.rley THE MARKETS. COAL 1 19 3 Walls Endßradd s, d s. d. Adair's Bell, Robson & Co. Hartley 18 6 Walls End Hetton ......•••••• 4, 6 Carr's Hartley 2O 91Wes End Lamhton ~• ...... :i Howard's Main Original Windsor's Pontop 29 01Walla End Stewart's ......... 24 t 2 Ord's Redhugh Tanfied Moor Butes 94 0 26 0 Walls End Hart1ep001........ e Townley l9 3 Walls End Kelloe ............. 2 4 " Wylam. 2l 0 Walton Steam Walls DM Bell and Brown 21 6 W... 118 End Adelaide' 24 0 Walls End Gosforth .. 1 23 3 Walls End Brown's Deanery 23 0 Walls End Heaton .. 23 0 Walls End Clarence Hetton 22 0 Walls End Hilda Walls End Killingworth Walls End Percy Bensham 22 0 Cowpen 2O 0 Walls End Riddell's Walls End Walker 22 0, u Stavely Main 2l e 0 Eden Main 23 51 Walls End Devonshire 2l 4ARKET. Ships arrived sinec ia stmarket-day, 143. COUNTRY CORN MARKETS. Wo..a i:. " Pi..'ci. o.:' •:. 11:7?.ill. re:SC. r--... --.--...- ----.---- Per Quarter. s. to s. s. to . G. to s. a. to s. 1s to ~.: Boston Braintree 63 73 36 48 28 21 39 44 40 44 B ighton 64 76 44 47 26 29 44 46 -- 49 Cambridge — N— 45 26 35 41 ! 42 Chichester 65 r..: 33 44 28 29 43 44 41 Dunmow 6O :8 33 51 i':6 33 36 44 42 45 Grantham - Grimsby 59 70 35 39 22 26 42 44 -- .-7, Hailsham 6O 72 2ii 32 22 29 46 -- ' Hitchin CI 70 34 46 24 32 25 30, - 7.; Ipswich 64 72 36 32 24 23 38 40 38 Lewes 6O 70 43 22 29 34 40 .--, Lynn 6O 63 28 46 25 31 39 41 -- Maidstone P9 76 313 39 26 5.2 40 50 . " :_t Norwich Petworth - 7 - 4 Romford 52 72 38 48 24 32 34 42 88 '- Sandwich 5B 76 28 32 17 28 ...., 40 42 Thetford 66 70 39 42 21 30 40 42 88 48 Wisbech Witham 63 74 34 47 28 34 39 46 44 46 Yarmouth 62 70 .33 35 28 32 33 40 i4O 44 Li V ERPOOL CORN MARKET.—Dec. 17. WHEAT, English, White, per 701 b. Res! -- Scotch. Welch, and Mani Irish, White 8 3 6 10 6 --- Red 7 9 Foreign ... , . 4 2 OATS, English, Welsh, and Scotch, per 451 b 25 30 38 40 34 40 38 41 40 50 42 44 46 34 42 40 40 42 44 45 3 , 3 46 33 40, -Dec. 17. I°B lo . 3 10 8 8 6 10 6 7 3 9 a' to 1 12 1 3 03 . 8 9 12 37 4 2 310 5 1 1, 0 0 • 0 41 0 48 5 0 4 6 •" 6 4 . 8 0 59 0 43 0 gg . 4 ; 0 . 460 48 ‘.l 44 8 g as e 0 45 0 5 7 0 42 0 44 ii o ) 31 39 A 64 C 75 Foreign ...... , . OATS, English, Welsh, an, -- Irish ... Foreign BARLEY, English, Malting, per Imp. quarter —., Scotch and Irish, pei 601bs. Feeding BEANS, English, per Imperial quarter Irish, &c. Foreign PEASE, English, per Imperial quarter Foreign FLOUR, English, per 2801 b. Irish OATMEAL, English and Irish, per 2401bs INDIAN CORN, per 4801 b. ..... RYE, per Imperial quarter MALT, per Imperial quarter ... HULL CORN MARKET. Wheat, White (per Quarter) 63s. 695. 728. Red sos. 60s. 645. Foreign s4s. 645. 741. Barley, Malting --a. --g• --Ii • Grinding Oats, British Foreign (in bond) Beans 4OB 434. 46a Pease, Grey Blue and White s , —4. —g• Linseed 39s. 405. 435. Flour (per sack) ,. 508.55 1 ' Rapeseed (per 10 quarters) 221. 241. 251. CHELTENHAM MARKETS. Per Bushel. s. d. to s. d. Per lb. Wheat Harley 4 0 7 0 Mutton ..................... Oats 3 6 5 6 Veal ......................... Beans. 5O 68 Pork ... ...................... pease 5 0 9 0 Lamb .................... .... Hay 2/.los. to 71. Os. Od. per ton. d. to d. 6 6 1 7 8 7 8 0 ( CANTERBURY MARKET. Whe , .t, white— 68s. to 755. —B. to s. 60s. to fi6s. 635. to Barley, Malting 365. to 465. Grinding.. --s. to -- 5 . Oats —s. to —B. Old 265. to 325. Beans —s to —s. 445. to 49 . to 47_ s. 5. CHELMSFORD Wheat, White 66 to 80 Oats ........ .......... ..... Red Bailey Chevalier 42 45 Beans, Tick .............. Grinding 405 Pease 435. to 455. .......... 23 tO 32 38 41 42 44 24 33133 SHIPPING INTELLIGENC VESSELS SPOKEN WITH.-- - The St. Andrew, Newfound land to London, Bth inst., lat. 46, long. 23; Governor, Hyde, Quebec to Cork, 4th inst., lat. 32, long. 36, by the Eliza, Jackson, arrived at Plymouth. Albion, of Liver pool, from Calcutta, on the Line, by the Britannia, Bur ridge, arrived off Cork ; England, Liverpool to New York, 10th inst., lat. 51, long. 10, by the Rambler, Bree, arrived at Cork ; a large barque, Odessa to Cork, 20th ult., off Cape de Gatt ; Albion, of London, 28th ult., lat. 36, long. 8, by the Fortune, Pearce, arrived at Cork. Brankenmoor, London to Port Adelaide , sth ult., lat. 4 N., long. 22 W. ; Halifax, to Halifax, 28th, lat. 42, long. 31, by the Tigris, Symons, arrived in the Downs. Ceres, Marten, 26th ult., off the Rock of Lisbon, by the Gulf of Paria, arrived at Poole; Rhoda, London to Lisbon, 6th inst., 'lat. 44. long. 10, by the Star of the West, arrived at Plymouth ; Governor, Quebec to Cork, 4th inst., lat. 32, 35 ; M ar y, Clyde to G enoa long. Tariffa, by the Clyde, arrived in the Clyde. Reform, of W. Bensley, arrived off , Margate; Lalla , Hamburg, for Singapore, sth ult., lat. 2 N., long. 23, by R 2 0 4 0 th kh, u c lt i . y , de the Eleanora, arrived off Swannge ; John Dugdale, Liver pool to Singapore, sth inst., lat. 48, long. 10, by the Sir ° to ff , Marseilles, 3d inst I , .at. 43, long. 12; Steadfast,Bris t o l to Demerara, 9th inst., lat. •, 5O, long. 7, by the Champio n , arrived in the River. GOLD TVATCHES, £7. 7s. each. Highly finished H or i zontal Gold Watches, jewelled in four holes, with enamel dial, h an d t o mar k the seconds, &c. Seven Guineas each. These elegant little Watches will be found exc ellent time-keeper s , an d a printed warranty is given with fixed terms, on which they will always receive any attention required. T. COX SAVORY, Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith, 47, Cornbill (Seven doors from Gracechurch-street), London. N.B.Second-hand Watches purchased in exchange• BIRTHS. On the 16th inst., at Tulse-dale-cottage, Brixton, Mrs' Smith, of a son. On the 18th inst., at Hanover-street, Hanover-square, the lady of the Rev. Robert Lovett, of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 18th inst., at Wille.sborough, Kent, by the Rev. G. Norwood, John Hill, Esq. of West Smitkfield, to Mary Ha? : nah, only daughter of the late James Hartley, Esq. , o f Hi g n bury. On the 17th inst., Mr. William Frances, of Holloway , t° Miss Mary Ann Wood, granddaughter of the late Thou," Black, Esq., of Greek-street, Soho. On the 17th inst., at Marylebone Church, Captain Moyle, of the 18th Royal Irish, to Marie Antoinette, daughter of the late Jam Swaby, Esq. DIED. E s q On the IRh of September, William Robert Deaon, Surgeon of the Bhooj Residency, second son of Harrison Deacon, Esq., of Milton- house, near Portsmou h, Hants. On the 15th inst., George Rooke, Esq., of Bigswear, 010" cestershire. On the 16th inst., in Margaret-street, CaYendish-square, Miss Rachel Jackson, aged 39. On the 17th inst., in New Bond-street, Mr. Mark Cad bury, aged 58. On the 17th inst., Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Mr. Willies Lane, Solicitor, Bedford-place, Russell-square, aged 111. London: Printed and Published by AI URDO YOUNG; n No. 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No 112, A'trand , county of Middlesex.—Thursday, Deecmber 19, 1839.