The Sun. — London, England, 1844-07-15 00:00:00

Mbtrt Lbittion SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAY. GLOBE.—We regret, of course, that the constituency of Birmingham have shown so perverse a fancy that their Parliamentary representation, like their pound sterling, should represent nothing at all. While this is matter of regret to a Liberal Opposition, assuredly it affords the party in power no matter for exulta tion. The new Mealer comes in on the express de claration that he is "no Peelite;" on the express pledge of opposing all the principal Ministerial mea sures now pending. and adding the gratuitous sweetener to his supporters—that he would have opposed those which are carried—had he been in time The case is parallel, as regards Parliamentary Conservatism, to what it would have been bad Parliamentary Liberalism claimed a triumph in the return of some Ultra-Chartist candidate, who had expressly declared he vas" no Rus sone ;" anal that he meant to oppose all the leading measures charaeteriing the Whig party. Ilad the 'Fury candidate mounted Pvel colours, it, is evident he would not have been returned ; sothat the moral drawn by the Government organ from the event is most-ludicrously inappropriate. " Let the Young Enghtntlers," says the Herald, " and the other discontented Conservatives, -meanwhile take instruction from this unegnivo::al proof, that, whatever they may allege against Sir Robert Peel's administration, they must admit that that administration has advanced the Conservative cause throughout the country." It would . seem that " the discontented Conser vatives have matter of eneouiagcment, rather than of warning ; and that Young England may live in hopes of flattering fraternisation with Young Brummagem. The only mode in which Mr. Spooner's return can he coluurably argued as indicating that the present Mi nistry have advanced the Conservative case, is as afford ing a fresh token that the measures of Ministers have aroused the Conservative strength against them. They have been useful in rousing and rallying that " great national party" from its slumbers. So successful have t:ir liohert Peel's measures of the present session hr'; d, in this point of view, that the Conservative candidate for a place like Birmingham finds no rheto ric so powerful as trie distirct enumeration of those measnret , , with a dist;nct note or reprobation attach: d to each: Mr. Spooner. in his first speech to his friends at I),2e's Hotel, declared as follows:—" He was a true Conservative, but he conre - sed he wcs no Pi:elite. Daring the present session he had seen many deviations 1.-ern what he considerAl to be a constitutional course Government ; and under such circumstances he could not undertake to give a ct , nstant and undeviat ing support to the pres,nt Government." Mr. Spooner opposes the l'cor-13w 8 7 1 l and Sir Robert Peel's currency measur. s, including the pending Banking B:11. Mr. Spooner would have opposed the Factory Bill and the Sugar Bill. It is difficult to conceive a candidate coming in with a more complete and raisonne manifesto of "no confidence." " Allusion had been made to the Factory Bill, aye, and to the Sugar Bill. He had no vote on those subjects; but he would tell them, if he had had, he should, together with upwards of 100 Members who are usually supporters of Ministers, have voted against Ministers ; and he should, together with Mr. Newdegate, their county Member (then on the hustines), have stuck to his vote, and no threat of turning out should ever have made him vote black was white on Friday, and reverse his vote on the following Monday." It may be perceived from the above samples, that we can afford to speak impartially of this return. And our impartial opinion is, that it does pretty nearly equal dis credit to both panics. We need say nothing of the conduct of the local minority of the Liberals, who, un able to carry extreme views on their own side, ap pear to think it the next best thing to give the victory to extreme views on the other. If these gentlemen have convinced themselves that no bread is better than a half-loaf, we know no argument which can avail to prevent them, where parties are nearly balanced, from reducing themselves and us to the "no-bread" pre licament. Neither can we think that the oppo site party derive much credit from their choice. Mr. Sno eier may be, and we believe is, a very respectable and respected gentleman amongst his fellow-townsmen. But be represents no party of possible government, un less Birmingham could be isolated, like San Marino. The Birmingham notions on "Corn and Currency" are as incapable of influencing actual measures, as Sir James Graham's past opinions on " Corn and Currency" of af fecting his preent conduct. STANDARD.—The Birmingham election terminated on Saturday, in the return of Mr. Spooner. Taking it as an exponent of the prevailing sentiment of the country, it is impossible to exceed in rejoicing upon the occasion. But twelve years have passed since Birmingham was the focus of that political discontent which overrun the ei hole of Great Britain. In Birmingham the politi cal unions had their mirth, and there these unions flourished the longest and mast vigorously. The "New Hall-hill meeting" at Birmingham set the ex'nmple of those physical force demonstrations of which the Whig Government availed itself to control by intimidation the Crown and the Parliament. Finally, the army, as strong as both the contending forces at Waterloo, with which the Legislature was menaced, was to come from Birmingham. Yet such has been the happy improvement of public feeling, that within less than twelve years from these violent indications of discontent, we find Birmingham returning a Conserva tive Member to the House of Commons, upon, con fessedly, as pure, as cairn, as deliberate, and altogether as unexceptionable an exercise of the right of election as, any patriot can wish for. Does this prove any dis creditable inconsistency on the part of the electors of Birmingham ? Very far from it. It merely proves that these electors have not been blind er indifferent to the events of the last ten or eleven years, and that they are manly enough to act upon the instruction of experience and of common sense. Twelve years ago few then living had seen Whig principles practically applied to government, acne had ever seen Conservative government. The Whig party was then in blossom, full of grace and of promise, the Conservative party was loaded with the just odium of the overbearing Tory policy. The bitter fruits of Whig principles were, however, soon to show themselves—the blos s om s f e ll one by one—all those who possessed the respect of the country by charac ter or talent dropped sueccosively from the adminstration. First, Lord Grey, then Lord Stanley, Lord Ripon, the Duke of Richmond, Sir James Gra ham ; lastly, the greatest of all, the one man whose gigantic powers of mind had created the party, made it popular, and while he countenanced sustained it—Lord Broughaen; five yelrs of the worst government that can afflict mankind followed—the combination of pervereity and vverkness—and the country suffered all the injurious and irritating effect. Meanwhile the Conservative party unfolded itself with consummate prudence, under the guidance of the great statesman, to whom may be confidently ascribed its existence and its triumph. Sir Robert Peel taught the friends of the Constitution that to he imperious or jealous over the people is not, as the Torks were accustomed to suppose, necessary to good government ; but that it is not only more just but even more easy to preserve the institutions of the State by the aid of the people them ,elves than in defiance of them-- the distinction as, we believe, between Conservative and Tory principles, and the ground upon which the people have preferred the former to the negation of all principles, of which the Whig creed is apparently made up. Parallel to this progress of the political mind of the country, and largely contributing to it, has been, within the last twelve years, a prodigious improvement in the intelligence and in the religious sentiment of the nation—the work of the pro moters of education, and chief among these pro moters, of the clergy of the Established Church. The electors of Birmingham have merely followed in a great and most happy revolution of opinion, produced by these causes. And if they are a little later in the read than others, it is easy to understand why they are so. Birmingham bad to complain justly of a wrong be fore the Reform ; its great population had grown up without any participation in the representative Legis lature of the country ; cud according to the maxims laid down by Tory statesmen they must continue • fur ever in that humiliating state of privation. The Reform Ministers who gave representatives to Birming ham appeared, therefore—until their purely selfish pur pose in the gift was unequivocally proved, by the at tempt to make a " Reform Club" borough of the place— as generous benefactors ; and the violences which these refermine• ' Ministers countenanced, and eve r p rompte d , in 1832, were, by the people of Birmingham, rc garded as a kind of pledge from which it would be dLereclitable to swerve. This, however, we rejoice to see has passed away, the electors of Birmingham have since 1832 seen nine years of Whig government, alet three years of Conservative government, and they have drawn from the comparison the inference which a majority of the nation had drawn from the sad cape ineica of Whig government alone, and without the ceetrast. BANKRUPTCY-(THIS DAY.) (Before Sir F. C. IVlLLiims.) I.IAorIDLNARY It MID S.-IN THE 3IATTEROF BRO3ILEY. The bankrupt in till's case, asolicitor of Gray's Inn, appeared to hear the judgment of the Learned Commis sioner pronounced, upon his final examination, and the Court was crowded with persons —some attracted by the extraordinary disclosures which had been made at the previous examinations, and others more immediately and painfully interested in the proceedings. Mr. llumphery, as before, attended for the assignees, and Mr. Sturgeon represented the bankrupt. The case had been appointed for twelve o'clock, but owing to private business the Learned Commissioner did not take his seat tili neatly two. Sir F. C. WILLIAMS—YOU wished, Mr. Sturgeo n , at the close of the last dayPs examination, to say something in palliation of the bankrupt'sfconduct. I am willing to hear anything you may have to urge now. Mr. STURGEON begged to state tint, that, but little time had been allowed him to prepare anything like a fair statement. Sir C. F. WILLIAMS-119n no injury can arise to any one from a further postponement. Mr. STURGEON saidLthat with the Learned Commis sioners' sanction, the few words he had to advance should be said now. It was a painful thing to stand in that Court, under any circumstances, but doubly pain ful for a gentleman like his client of respectable stand ing, who transacted great and important business, and through whose hands more than a million and a half of nioue.y had passed, in hi s capacity of solicitor for a Prim e MiMB/44 K f kl i tS Grey). • .5.;. - -ry 're any evidence of that? , _ '"'lair F. ..eflOhtAir? , 'Sr 3aM4Otlitc empire (Earl Grey), — kY...C.!Wilairlx Is there an y ev id ence o f t h at ? tr. Savio - am,- ,in the bank er ' s b oo k s . it F. C. WILLIAM --Is Lord Grey a creditor or tdr? / A Ir. STURGEON—A' reditor, In fact the extent of g--- - 7 - . 4 i 4 fk: the dealings of the bankrupt, not only as a solicitor but as a speculator, was very great, and the Learned Com-, missioner was aware that when once this spirit entered the mind of a person there was no knowing to what extent in speculation that person would proceed. Now, as far as the bankrupt's accounts showed, he had been in receipt of from 3,0001. to 4,0001. by his profession, and from his property he had an annual rental of from 5,000/. to 6,01;0/. It was exceedingly difficult to say, what might not be the bankrupts reason able expectations of repaying any moneys he might have speculated with ; and if on investigation of his ac counts his Honour should find many extenuating cir cumstances, he (Mr. Sturgeon) felt convinced that the Court would incline to give that leniency to the bank rupt o' which he stood so much in need. That he had striven manfully against his evil fortunes was true, for, for a long period of bis life he had not gone to bed on any one night till two in the morning, so anxious was he to restore to all the properties he might have taken the temporary use of. But would the creditors greatly lose by this unfortunate gentleman? He held Lecurities on property which was valued at 120,000/ — Sir C. F. WlLLtams—l would compound for 120,000 half-crowns, Mr. Sturgeon. I feel so much for you, on account of the difficulty in which you are placed between this Court and your client, that I will hear all you have to say in mitigation ; but I will feel obliged if you will state nothing but what is founded on facts, lest it should get to the public through the medium of the public press. I cannot permit you to go on with these statements, be cause if I do I must reply to them, Mr. STURGEON was not aware that the amount of property stated in the schedule was contrary to the fact. Sir F. C. WILLIAMS—There is no voucher for it. You have no foundation for those statements but your instructions, and a kind and generous feeling towards the fallen. Mr. STuncros—What he was contending for was, that the property in the balance-sheet was stated at 120,0001., which was proved from the banker's book and other source. Mr. Bromley, he was assured, would amend his schedule. He would, however, suggest that the creditors should meet to prevent the sacrifice of the bankrupt's estate at a nominal value. He complained that in the addresses of his Learned Friends on the pre ceding examinations of the bankrupt, they had used lan guage which, to say the least of it, was greatly exagge rated, as when his Learned Friend, Mr. Humphrey, said that he had twenty-three similar cases to those advanced by Mr. Clarkson. Mr. IlwirlinEy—l have them now. Mr. STURGEON—Had written for the list of such cases, and many of them he found (sixteen, no less), which Mr. Bromley could not, after the most careful considera tion, charge himself with. Sir C. F. WILLI...Ns—How can you prove that ? Mr. STURGEON—WouId prove by the oath of the bankrupt that on these sixteen cases no fraud had been committed. Sir. C. F. Wmootais—l am sure that I can cite from the bankrupt's own books amounts to the value of 20,0001, where, and I am obliged to say it, this cold and determined wrong had been committed. Mr. STURGEON—NO doubt but there seemed a deeper and hidden motive on the part of the learned gentleman retained by the assignees. There might have been money appropriated in three or four cases—a man might do so with the firm intention of refunding it ; but then it was stated that an amoant of 90,0001. had been used in various acts of speculation, and every one of them steeped in fraud, that it would be painful to go into. Therefore, he thoeght his Learned Friend Mr. Humphrey was hound, in justice to the bankrupt, to prove these allegatir.ns. hy, in the list he held, he found the name of Earl Grey for an amount of cash to have been invested in stocks, but which the assignees alleged had been misap propriated, and vet none of Lord Grey's family were there to Ares; their claims. None of the family of Mrs. Hare were there, and her name was also in the list. He prayed the Court to confider that the bankrupt was in declining health. the result of his intense application to business, which had induced an affection of the heart ; his wife was also in the same condition, and he had a family of eleven children. He felt confident, that if the Court did not paralyse the bankrupt's energies, the creditors would reap the result of his activity. He trusted that the future would not only exhibit a gleam of hope for the unfortunate gentle man beside him, but for those also who at present seemed the greater sufferers. He was deeply contrite and penitent, and would do all in his power to give satis faction to the assignees. Sir C. F. WILLIAMS said that the question before him was, whether or not he would be satisfied with the ba lance-sheet sent in by Mr. Bromley. He would not comment upon the figures quoted by Mr. Sturgeon, as the whole endeavour of the Learned Counsel had been to raise a feeling of compassion for his client. But he (Sir C. F. Williams) had a duty to perform, not only to the public but to the creditors, and not only to them but to himself also and to the unfortunate bankrupt; and he he must say that he never, in the whole course of his lire, saw a balance-sheet more calculated to excite the strongest feelings of disappointment, and not disappointment only, than this sheet of Mr. Bromley's. Mr. Bromley's trans actions reached over a long period, those which were blameable, and those which were much more than blameable, had extended over ten and thirteen years. If there was one avocation more than another which re• quired honour and integrity in its professors that of an attorney required them, for there was scarcely a family, scarcely an individual, who, at some period or another, were not obliged to consult an attorney. There fore, these transactions of Mr. Bromley not only injured himself, but cast a blighting influence over his profession. These transactions had not been done on the impulse of the moment—on the spur of necessity. No ! they had covered a course. of years. He had dropped, on a previous occasion, an expression that it' part of those transactions was not obtaining money under false pretences, he did not know what was, and such, he felt convinced, would be the opinion of all honest and all estimable men in the profession of the law for would not such doings as these be calculated to excite deep distrust and suspicion, would not men quote the unfortunate man's name when they wished to produce proof that their suspicions, and that their distrust was not a chimera. And now to the balance-sheet. The bankrupt did not profess to show in it that he had possessed one single shilling when he commenced those speculations, and yet, at the time of the issuing of the fiat his liabilities amounted to 141,5221. Is. 11d. Out of this there were creditors without security, without: the shadow of a shade of security to the enormous amount of 86,7911., and of the whole names in his schedule only those drawn for an amount of 4541. 15s. held secu rities. On examining the balance-sheet, and scruti nising the property value at 120,000/., he was verily of opinion that it would not realise 6,0001. The Learned Commissioner then recapitulated in detail the bankrupt's transactions with Archdeacon Brymer, respecting the misapplication of various sums under the will of the late Mr. T. Wilkinson ; and a further sum of 3,500/., also appropriated to his own ate, and other sums of greater or lesser amount, appropriated in a similar manner. Let them imagine four, five, or six families reduced, through the means of the bankrupt, from opulence to indigence ; from enough and to spare, to a loaf, and would the Learned Counsel, under these circumstances, have them extend their sympathy to the creditors, or to the bankrupt ? He thought that ere men commenced to speculate, they should first examine their banker's book to ascertain if they could do so upon their own resources, without trenching upon property en trusted to their care. He never knew an instance (perhaps he might except one) where ruin did not sooner or later overtake the speculatm without a capital. The present was a sad instance, the speculator without a shilling. The bankrupt in 141,000 L Such a case had never been before him yet, and never would be, he trusted again. He would, therefore, adjourn the further examination of the bankrupt, to give time for the amending of his balance sheet, and he trusted that when he next came up he would be prepared to show the real nature of his property. for he might rest assured that pass he would not until the Court and his creditors were fully satisfied. After some further remarks and some discussion be tween counsel, as to whether the bankrupt should still receive his allowance from the estate, the further hear ing was adjourned till the 29th of October, at ten o'clock. TATTERSALL'S.-THIS EVENING. QUARTER TO Six O'CLOCK. LIVERPOOL CUP. 6 to 1 agst iEra 6 to 1 agst A British Yeoman 6 to 1 agst Castor 8 to 1 aget Poor Soldier 8 to 1 aget Aristotle 10 to 1 agst Pompey 16 to 1 agst Mickey Free 16 to 1 agst Best-of-Three GOODWOOD STAKES. 6 to 1 agst Franchise 10 to 1 agst Croton Oil 11 to 1 agst Red Deer 16 to 1 agst The Currier 17 to 1 agst Elegance 17 to 1 agst Lucy Banks 20 to 1 agst Poussin GOODWOOD CUP. 2 to 1 agst Alice Hawthorn 8 to 1 agst The Squire ST. LEGER. 7 to 2 agst The Cure 7 to I agst Princess 8 to I agst Ithuriel IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. Their Lordships assembled at Five o'clock. The Earl of RODEN presented petitions from Caith ness and other places, in favour of the legalisation of Presbyterian marriages in Ireland. MAZZINL The Earl of RADNOR moved that the petition, which he presented on Friday last from Mr. Mazzini, be referred to the Select Committee which had been appointed on the subject of opening letters at the Post-office. The Duke of WELLINGTON said that the Com mittee which had been appointed was to inquire into the state of the law respecting opening letters by the Secretary of State ; and he did not see, therefore, how such an investigation could affect the character of Mr. Mazzini, or how such a Committee could clear his cha racter, supposing it to have been attacked ? He (the Duke of Wellington), therefore, thought this motion of the Noble Earl was premature. The Earl of RADNOR thought if this were the case, that the decision of the Committee ought no t to b e , biased by any statement which might be made with respect to the character of Mr. Mazzini. As the Noble Duke said the motion was premature, he (the Earl of Radnor) would withdraw it for the present, and reserve it for a future occasion. tof I The motion was then withdrawn. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EYENINo, SULY 15, 1644. Messengers from the Commons brought up sEveral Bills. Several petitions were presented for and against the Dissenters' Chapels Bill. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the borough of Sud bury, praying to be heard by counsel against the Sud bury Disfranchisement Bill. The NOBLE and LEARNED LORD gave notice that he should move the second reading of the Alien Bill to-night. PRIVILEGE. Lord BROUGHAM then rose to call the attention of their Lordships to a gross statement which had appeared in one of the newspapers of the day. Thy passage in question, in the newspaper alluded to, the Britannic:, stated, that Lord Brougham had given up his pet s.:heme of the new judgeship in the Privy Council, and in obedience to Lord Lyndhurst had withdraw the clauses relative to divorce. It went on to state that Lord Brougham no longer took any interest in the Bill, and the above clauses were taken out of the Bill during his absence. Now he (Lord Brougham) had on two occasionsdistinctly denied ever having applied for any situation under the new Privy Council Bill ; and with respect to the clauses that had been withdrawn, he could only say that he had• re quested his Noble and Learned Friend on the woolsack to withdraw them for him. The LORD CHANCELLOR said he could confirm what the Noble Lord had stated. The subject then dropped. POST-OFFICE COMMITTEE. Lord SANDON appeared at the bar with a message from the Commons, requesting their Lordships to allow the Duke of Wellington and another Noble Peer to give evidence before the Post-office Committee sitting in the other House.—Leave was given._ ___ between Russia and this country which he could lay be fore the House. Mr. WAWN wished to ask the Right Hon. Gentle man the President of the Board of Trade, whether her Majesty's Government have talon, or intend to take, any measures at the Court of Russia, to get the vessels of this country (not three years old) exempt from navigation dues in Russian ports, and to be placed upon an equal footing in that respect with vessels built in Russia, and belonging to Russian subjects. Mr. GLADSTONE said that no such attempt had been made ; nor was he aware that any was in contem plation. Russia had the privilege in consequence of the advantages con'erred by the treaty. Lord PALMERSTON wished to know what were the advantages which Russia granted to England under the treaty as an equivalent to which English vessels were snbject to a disadvantage as compared with those of Russia. Mr. GLADSTONE—The advantage of having the ships of England received on the footing of privilege in the Russian ports, from whatever quarter of the globe they might come. On the motion that the orders of the day be read, Mr. CHRISTIE rose and said he had understood the Noble Lord opposite to say that he should have pursued a course more consistent with the character of a gentle man and an honourable man. Lord A. LENNOX said he did not know what were the exact words which he had used, but he presumed that they were not unparliamentary, or else he would have come under the notice of the Speaker. He was not in the habit of making improper imputations upon any Member of that House, but he trusted the House would enter somewhat into his feelings when he thought that a noble and dear relative of his had been grossly maligned by an Hon. Member.—(Hear, hear.) The SPEAKER said that if he had understood the Noble Lord to have made any imputation on the per sonal honour of the Hon. and Learned Members he would have called upon him to retract it at the time. But he now thought that the conversation was irregular as there was no question before the House. Hon. Members would do well if they would confine their attention to the subject matters under the conside ra ti on o f t h e H ouse, and not allude to previous debates.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.")' Mr. DUNCOMBE said, as his Hon. and Learned Friend the Member for Weymouth had retracted the offensive expressions he had used in reference to the re lation of the Noble Lord, be thought the Noble Lord should likewise retract the expression " grossly ma ligned," which he had just repeated.—(Hear, hear.) Surely that was not a Parliamentary expression. —(Hear, hear.) _ _ _ Lord ARTHUR LENNOX thought his explanation had been satisfactory to the Hon. and Learned Mem ber. He thought he had cast imputations of an improper nature on his noble relative the Duke of Richmond, and on that occasion had he supposed made use of some ex pressions which it appeared the Hon. Member did not like.—(Loud cries of " Order.") After a pause, Lord A. LENNOX again rose and said, Sir, I will put an end to this discussion, which I know it is wrong to proceed with. If I bare said anything personally offensive to the Hon. Member, I beg leave to retract it. —(Laughter and cheers.) [LEFT SITTING.I refused to give his name to witness, as did also his groom. . Inspector Partridge corroborated the constable, and added that the latter was obliged to get in front of tho hor,e's head to avoid the violent blows which were aimed at him. Mr. Humphries, who attended for Mr. Duff; said that as his client had plvaded guilty, he, of course, sas mit at liberty to make any defence fcr him. Mr. Duff said that the truth was, he was driving a very vicious horse, and as he was attempting to drive through an open space in the rank, the constable seized hold of the animal, and thereby caused it to tear up and shy. He (Mr. Duff) then struck the animal in a ssvere manner, but he denied most positively having struck at the policeman. Mr. TWYFORD said that he must believe the inspector .and the policeman on oath against the statement of Mr. Duff He could make no excuse for that gentleman. He thought it was a very bad case, and one .which he ought to make an example or. The police had given him every warning, and toll him the regulations of the Commissioners, but he had disregarded their orders. lle . repeated that the offence was not excusable, and he s h ou ld order that Mr. Dt i ttf be imprisoned in the H ouse o f Cor rection for 14 days. Mr. Humphries said he hoped the Magistrate would take into consideration the fact of Mr. Duff having pleaded guilty. Mr. Burnaby asked the constable whether Mr. Duff had struck him and injured him, or whether he had only struck at him ? The constable replied, that the defen dant had struck at him, but he warded off the blows with his arms. Mr. TWYFORD said he had laboured under a misap prehension. He thought Mr. Duff had injured the police man, but as he had only struck at him, he conceived that imprisonment was too severe a punishment. On the other hand, he was of opinion that a fine of 5/. was no punishment at all. He wished the Act of Parliament had not given Magistrates a choice of fine or imprison ment. He should prefer an Act which gave• them the power of imprisoning only, but allowing them discre tion as to the number of days they might sentence a person to be imprisoned. As the case did not present such glaring misbehaviour as he had at first thought, he should, instead of imprisoning Mr. Duff, inflict a penalty upon him, but that penalty must, of course, be the highest allowed by law, namely, 51.—The fine was paid. MA RYLEBONR. Sarah Smith, alias Thompson, a very well-dressed woman, about thirtyLfive years of age, was placed at the bar before Mr. Long, charged with having obtained money from the nobility and gentry by falsely repre senting herself to be doaf and dumb. The Marchioness Cornwallis and Lady Elizabeth Palk were present, and accommodated with seats near the Magistrate. Charles Barrett, butler to the Marchioness Cornwallis, 12, Park-crescent, Ree:ent's-park, deposed that on last Monday week the prisonvr called at the house, and pre sented to him two cards, one of which was printed, setting forth that the bearer thereof had been deaf and dumb from her birth, and that she was elucted by Mr. Depuget, at the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, Five ways, Birmingham ; and the other purported to bear the sig.iature of Lady Elizabeth Palk, prisoner at the same time writing.upon a pice of paper, that her Ladyship had authorised her to make use of her name in any way she might think fit. Witness took the cards to the Mar chioness, who declined affording any relief until she had communicated with the Mendicity Society The deter mination of the Marchioness Cornwallis was made known in writing to the prisoner, who then left the house. George Robinson, footmen to the Marchioness of Abereorn, stated that about a week ago the priSoner came to her Ladyship's residence, Dudl. y-house, Park lane, and presented, in addition to one of her printed " deaf and dumb" cards, another card, upon which was written " Lady Anne Blanche." Upon that occasion the Marchioness gave witness a half sovereign ; lie handed it to the prisoner, who then left the house. Thomas Drew, footman to Mrs. Dawson Pennant, 8, Wimpole-street, Cavendish-square, proved that about ten days ago he opened the door to the prisoner, from whom he received two cards and a small book. Ile to o k them to his mistress, who said that she should write to the Mendicity Society. The prisoner pretended to be deaf and dumb. Horsford, an active officer of the Society, stated that in consequence of letters which had been received by Mr. Knyvett, the secretary, from the Marchioness Cornwallis and Mrs. Dawson Pennant, he kept a sharp look out for the prisoner, and at length appre hended her in Oxford-street. She then spoke ably enough, and begged for mercy. Witness here produced a great many printed cards and a book which he took from the prisoner; the said book w a s fill e d w i t h t h e names of the nobiity and gentry who had subscribed liberally to the necessities of the " deaf and dumb " ap plicant, whose simulated deprivation of speech and hearing had evidently brought her in a considerable amount. It was further shown that the prisoner had upon two former occasions been sent to prison for a similar offence. Mr. Sturgen, chief clerk in the begging letter depart ment of the Mendicity Society, intimated to the 3rlagis trate that he had no wish to have the prisoner com mitted for trial at the sessions. Mr. LONG commented upon the flagrant nature of the case, and said that such practices as those which the prisoner had pursued were calculated to prevent the hand of charity being extended to those who were really in distress. Committed for three months to hard labour in the House of Correction. QUEEN-SQUARE. Oliver Walsh, described as a builder and architect, at Dublin, who was charged at Bow-street Police-court, on the 11th of June, with sending a threatening letter to Sir Robert Peel, in which he declared " he would stand on his right as a citizen with his life, and if justice were not awarded him, would leave some of Sir Robert Peel's authorities in Ireland as sad a tale to brood over as ever the family of Mr. Drummond had," and who was or dered to find two sureties in 1001. each for his future good behaviour, was yesterday brought from Tothill fields Bridewell, by an order from the Secretary of State, and liberated on entering into his own recognisance in 2001. Defendant, who has all the appearance of a supe rior mechanic, has, it is almost unnecessary to say, been in custody since the period of his examination at Bow street, in consequence of being unable to find the neces sary sureties. LAMBETH-STREET. It will be recollected that on Saturday week Mr. Jonson, landic;rd of the Fir-tree, in Ch urc h-l ane, Whi techapel, made an application to Mr. Norton, relative to two Derby Clubs held at his house. Notwithstanding the strong opinion then given by the magistrate, and his doubts whether any person could be found with sufficient temerity to bring an action in such cases, Mr. Jenson has since been served with two writs of action ; but, instead of giving him the trouble of arpi , aring to them at Liverpool, as threatened, they are to be brought in Westminster Hall. MARLBOROUGH -STREET. Mr. Timms Smith, of the firm of Smith, Brothers, the tailors of Regent-street, was summoned before Mr. Nlaltby, for having assaulted William Jones. The complainant said that he was in the service of .Mr. Niitcheil, hosier Regent-street, and he had been sent by his employer to the house of the defendant to ask for the amomit of a disputed bill. Having called repeatedly for the ana,unt, he told Mr. Smith (the brother of the defendant), when he saw him, that his master would reduce the bill by the amount in dispute, and that he would wait in the shop until he got the money. Mr. Smith ordered him out of the shop, but the complainant refused to go without the money. The defendant then came up to him and struck him on the face, and beat him with sufficient violence to draw blood from his nose. The defendant said the complainant entered his shop, and behaved with great insolence, declaring he would stop there until he was paid the money. In consequence of being provoked by the complainant's behaviour, and being unable to find a policeman, he certainly told the complainant he must leave the shop. The complainant, however, instead of going away, struck him on the body, and then he (defendant) certainly punished the com plainant for his insolence. The complainant denied having used any insulting expressions, or having struck the first blow, The defendant's brother corroborat e d the statement of the defendant. Mr. MALTBY was of opinion that undue violence had been exercised, and inflicted the fine of 40s. and costs. , THE Fox CLun.—On Saturday the noblemen and gentlemen of this Club had their annual White Bait dinner at the Crown and Sceptre, Greenwich. There were present —Lord Duncannon, in the chair; the Earl of Charlemont, Earl Fortescue, Lord Melbourne, Lord Denman, Lord Sudeley, Lord Worsley, Lord Marcus Hill, Lord Bateman, Lord Scarborough) Lord Besbo rough, Lord Oranmore, Lord Morpeth, Lord Ilchester, Sir R. Adair, Mr. Stephenson, Mr. Alston, Mr. Pen darves, Mr. Denison, Mr. E. Petra, Mr. Langston, Mr. Clive, Col. Anson, Mr. Atherley, Mr. G. S. Byng, Mr. Sandford, and Mr. Tracey. The party proceeded from the West-end, at ten minutes past six, in a steam-boat specially engaged for them by Mr. Quartermaine, and arrived at the tavern at a quarter before seven, return ing to town at ten, by the same conveyance. MURDERS IN FRANCE. The following horrible massacre has thrown the whole of the city of Blois into con sternation, An elderly man, named Gronteau, lived on a small property of his own at the Granges, and, as he was know to be industrious and economical, and had lately re ceived a sum of money for a piece of laud taken for th e rail road, was b e lie ve d to have large funds in his house. On Sa turday last, his son, who lived apart, was surprised that the whole day should pass without his seeing his father or any one of his household, which consisted of a man and two maid servants. Eight o'clock being passed, John Gronteau went to his father's, and, finding the house shut up, and re ceiving no answer to his knocks and calls, got in at one of the windows. He first discovered his father weltering in his blood, from several desperate wounds in the head, but still breathing, and able to utter groans. Having done all he could for the moment for his father, John Gronteau sought for the servants, and found them all three depl—the man in a pool of blood on the floor in an adjoining room, one of the women in the same state in her own room, and the other in her bed. Information was immediately sent to the magistrates, who hastened to the scene of horror. It was soon ascertained that the murderers had got into the house by breaking into the cel lar, and had audaciously chosen the early hour when the fa mily were only about togo to rest forthe night ; for with the ex ception of the woman in bed, they had nu t laid down, though partly undressed. It was an extraordinary circumstance that, although th e h ou s e was surround e d by neighbours, no one had heard any unusual noise. Several pieces of furniture had been broken open and rifled. Providentially, the elder Gronteau, though unable as yet to undergo any interrogatory, lies in the hospital, with some, though very slight hopes of recovery. Having passed the greater part of the night in investigation, the magistrates, in the morning, discovered in the well an instrument used by the engineers on the railroad for perforating the rock, in order. to form mines for blasting, and which, from comparison with the wounds of the sufferers, had undoubtedly been used in the murders. Every exertion is being ramie for the discovery of the criminals.—Galignani, QUEEN'S CONCERT ROOM ' HANOVER-SQUARE. On Friday evening a concert, equally novel and splendid, was given by Don J. M. de Ciebra. Several ductti (guitar) were performed in a style of. exquisi:e perfection by the accomplished professor and his talented relative, Doti R. A. Ciehra". They were lite:rcl with de light, and applauded with rapture by as ere,: ded and as scientific a company as ever graced the fashionable reunions of cultivated taste, for which these rooms are distinguished. Those who think little of the guitar as an instrument of expre&-ion would do wall to hear these gentlemen, who prove that its the hands of educated Spaniards, the guitar, unpretentious as it is, becomes an instrument of great power, and capable of expressing the most tender sentim: nt and the deepest emotion. A solo on the flute, by Ribtv, was deservedly and enthusiasti cally encored. He 'convinced us that the professor was mistaken who " disliked nothing more than a flute, except two flutes." The Bob ro, on the concertina, by 11€- gondi, was executed in a sty la which proved what intui tive melody in the performer may effect with the most imperfect means. The Morossini family, Miss Galbraith, Miss Florence Messum, Miss Badger, and Miss S. Flower, received their full share of the applause which this grand display of art elicited i from a most judicious audience. The great work of the evening was a grand martial fantasia on the pianoforte, by Mr. Cohan. So well construct e d a pi ece seems to be misnamed as a " fantasia." The unity is so pure and perfect, that the whole work gives the impression of a single melody, the effect being in no degree impaired by its length, and never interrupted by the variety of subject, to the ex pression of which the well-sustained theme is adapted. The subject is the late "Revolution of the Greeks at Athens." The theme is found in the third passage — the aria expressive of hope. There is true poetry in the mind of that man who could conceive the idea of making a melody expressive of hope the base and the prevailing sentiment of his " Areios. Yaimn" upon a tumultuary revolution. In the introduction we had an intimation of the melody, delicately varied. In the second passage, " The murmurings of the people," the phrases occur again, and are admirably modified and subdued. In the third, we have the aria itself, in ten derness, earnestness, and simplicity, quite as original as the oldest work of the Celtic bards. The tumults, the rejoicings are all admirably described ; but there is one passage to which no general criticism can do justice--the Prayer." It is wonderful that even in this glorious passage the theme is still preserved, although the gentle expression of hope is swelled into a magnificent anthem. Mr. Cohan's performance of this piece was listened to with breathless attention, and was followed with such applause as might be expected from so refined a com pany. It is not easy to say whether his construction or his execution is the better. He is, at all events, a worthy pupil of his great master, Beethoven. Yet, Mr. Cohan did net carry away the honours of the night ; for Marras was applauded most vehemently in Mercadante's " Fra membi crudeli." BIRKENHEAD DOCK BILL. The Earl of STRADBROKE moved the third reading of this Bill. The motion was agreed to. On the motion that the Bill do pass, The Marquis of SALISBURY rose, and was (LEFT SPEAKING.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. NEW POOR-LAW AMENDMENT BILL. 3lr. T. DUNCOMBE (in continuation from our afternoon edition) said—He objected to the power given to the Commissioners to fix the annual value which was to give a vote to ti e rate-payer. This power had never been given to the Commissioners, and he hoped it never would be. If the postponement of the clause was not consented to, he should move the omission of the words giving that power. Mr. WAKLEY entreated the Hon. Gentleman to postpone the clause. The clause was one that could not be discussed in the absence of the Right Hon. Baronet, who had charge of the Bill. Mr. FERRAND called the attention of the Govern ment to the power given by the clause to the overseers of the poor to appoint the district board that was to manage the schools of the poor. Mr. M. SUTTON could not consent to the postpone ment of the clause. The power given to the Commis sioners was the same as that given them by the 38th sec. of the New Poor-law Act. • Mr. JIAIVES thought that the clause ought not to be discussed in the absence of any Member of the Govern ment who would be able to afford the House any ex planation. Mr. B. COCHRANE said that this showed how little was known of the new Poor-law. Here was a power possessed by the Commissioners which few were aware of. He thought that the power of the Commissioners ought to be curtailed, and no'; increased. Captain FITZROY- thought that the conduct adopted by Hon. Gentlemen opposite, and by some on his side, was such as to afford any Government little inducement to bring forward a Bill to mitigate the operation of the new law. He thought the opposition to the Bill was an unfair one. He was as much opposed to the new Poor law as any one, and as such he was justified in not op-. posing a Bill which was a mitigation of that law He thought that the conduct evinced with regard to this measure showed who were the real friends of the poor. It was not enough to come down to the House like the Noble Lord the Member for Newark, to make flashy speeches, in order that they might appear in the news papers. But the mask was now taken off those who called themselves the friends of the poor.—(" Oh, oh," and " Hear, hear.") Sir C. NAPIER said he did not know whether he was included amongst those who wished to stop the Bill. He had no wish to stop it, but it was no wonder that the Bill should be delayed when, on the last evening it wag under discussion, a clause was for four or five hours under consideration, which, according to the Right Hon.:Gentleman, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, was not applicable to the rural districts, and which the metropolitan districts aid not want.— (Hear, hear.) Why should such a clause be introduced into the Bill? He hoped this discussion would induce the Government to pay more attention to the Bills they introduced. They were now on the 24th line of the present clause, which he thought was a very improper one. He hoped they would not pass it. He considered it gave the Commissioners too much power, and therefore he should oppose that part of it. After a desultory conversation, Mr. M. SUTTON moved that the Chairman do report progress, and ask leave to sit again. The House then resumed, the CHAIRMAN reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Wednesday next, at Twelve o'clock. The House then adjourned till Five o'clock. The House resumed its slating at Five o'clock. The London and Croydon Railway Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. HUTT presented a petition from Gateshead, complaining of the opening of letters by the Post•office authorities. Mr. WARBURTON presented a petition from certain parties in the eastern division of Surrey, complaining of the contradictory decisions of revising barristers. Messengers from the Lords brought down several Bills, and also asked leave for Lord Palmerston to be examined before the Postage Committee of the Upper House, which was agreed to. NOTICES OF MOTION—MR. WCDEHOUSE AND MR. WAKLEY. Mr. WODEHOUSE said he had a notice of motion to give ; but before he did so he hoped the House would allow him to say a few words in reference to what fell from him on Saturday last. It had been intimated to him that the explanation which he had given on that occasion to the Bon. Member for Finsbury had not been satisfactory, and he had, therefore, no hesitation in frankly and explicitly saying, that when he made the allusion he referred to, he had acted under an erroneous impression with respect to the trial. The Honour able Gentleman, it now appeared to him, from the explanation which he had given, had a verdict distinctly in his favour—that everything which occurred afterwards was also clearly in his favo ur , an d, there fore, he (Vr. Wodehouse) feeling that he had dune the Honourable Member for Finsbury an injury, felt it his bounden duty to make himself the instrument of reparation.—(Loud cheers) He felt this to be a duty NI hich he owed, not only to the Honourable Member himself, but to all connected with him —(Cheers)—not only to his relations in private life, but to his connexions and his friends in public life, did lie feel it his duty to make this ex planation. He (Mr. Wodehouse) hoped he would be permitted not to go any further into the matter, but at once to tender his apology to the Hon. Member for Finsbury, and his thanks to the House for allowing him the opportunity of doing so.—(Loud cheers.) He now begged to give notice, that at an early period of the next session he should move an address to her Ma jesty, praying she will be graciously pleased to appoint a Commission of Inquiry, with a view to restoring the standard of money on which it had been placed by the advice of Sir Isaac Newton.—(Laughter.) The SPEAKER having read the notice of motion from the Chair, Sir ROBERT PEEL rose and said, in reference to what had fallen from an Honourable Member on a personal matter, he thought, after the insinuation which had been made, and after the full and ex plicit expression of regret fur that insinuation—an expression which be (Sir Robert Peel) believed to be sincere, and which he was sure must be sufficient for an honourable and innocent mind—(Cheers) the Honourable Member for Finsbury might retire from the House that night, with the understanding that complete reparation had been made to his feelings, and that he could carry his head as erect in public as any man breatbing.—(Great cheering from all parts of the House.) And he was sure that he (Sir R. Peel) was only expressing the unanimous feeling of that House, in moving that they should put on record this declaration of their opinion. —(Continued and general cheering.) Mr. WAKLEY rose (evidently under very subdued feelings) and said it was impossible for him to refrain from expressing his gratitude to the Right Hon. Baronet for what had fallen from him, and he must also express his grateful acknowledgments to the House for the man ner in which they had protected him in this most painful affair.—(Loud cheering.) At the same time he must say that he received the expressions of the Honourable Member opposite (Mr. Wodehouse.) in the same spirit in which they were offered ; as a frank and honest expression of regret for what had occurred. —(Loud cheers.) That reparation he felt ought to be satisfactory, not only to himself but to every member of his family; and he had a particular motive for making this declaration.—(Loud and general cheering.) Here the matter dropped. HORSE-RACING AND GAMBLING. Mr. CHRISTIE said that after the observations which had been made elsewhere, he thought the House would not refuse him an opportunity of making an explana tion. It had been complained in another Honse that he stated there was presumptive proof that an improper use had been made of the evidence delivered before the House of Lords. He bad no intention of accusing the Noble Duke who presided over the Committee of the House of Lords of conspiracy.— (Hear.) Lord A. LENNOX hoped the House would indulge him for one moment. He only had to say that be thought Gentlemen—he begged pardon, he meant to say "Honourable Members "—ought rather to in quire into the facts of the cases which they brought be. fore the House.—(Cheers.) IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT. Mr. HUME wished to ask a question of the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Graham) respecting the law for abolishing imprisonment for debt. He found that within the last twelve years upwards of 12,000 persons had been imprisoned for debt, notwithstanding the Bills that had been brought in professedly for the purpose of abolishing the imprisonment. Sir J. GRAHAM was understood to say, that he did not consider the object of the Bills brought before Par- Lament to have any other object than the release of debtors against whom fraud could not be alleged. In answer to a question from Mr. CHRISTIE, Sir R. PEEL said that there was no correspondence SIGNOR MORIANI. The following sketch of the career of this celebrated artist, which a e abridge from the Maestro, may not be uninteresting to our readers :-- " Sigror Moriani is a native of Florence, where lie was born in the latter part of the year 1809 ; so that he is now in his thirty-fifth year. His father, who was a man of the highest respectability, and some wealth, and destined his sett, to ‘vhorn he was devotedly attached, for the legal profession, and before he had completed his twentieth year, Napoleotie was sent to the classic shades of Pisa to commence his studies for the bar. But the dry pursuit of jurisprudence was of all things the most unconge!lial to the taste of the future artist, and an arde: t attachment he farmed at Florence during his first vacation, t endered hire still more unwilling to quit the fair city of his early affections and fondest hope. for the dull cloisters and prescribed walks of alma mater. It was about his interesting period of his life, when love had quickened his feelings to a sensuous appreciation of the "concord of sweet sounds," that he heard for the first time the then popular singer Bianchi. That touch ing voice, in one of the love songs of his country, went home to the susceptible heart of the young inamorata, and from that moment of raptur-, as he has frequently been heard to declare, he formed the resolution to de vote himself exclusively to the lyric stage. Fortune as well as nature favoured him. He became acquaiuted with the celebrated maestro Rugs, who, struck with the genius of the youthful aspirant to vocal fame, not only gave him gratuitous instruction in singing, but in • • terested himself to provide his pupil with the best masters necessary to qualify him for the profession of his choice. The peculiar and hereditary gift of his countrymen was Moriani's in an extraordinary degree. Welt might the generous and enthusiastic Buga be proud of his hand some pupil. Moriani devoted himself with ardour to the study of music, and the astonishing progress he made called forth the most sanguine expectations from all who had an opportunity of hearing him in private. " Moriani made his first public appearance in the concert-room of the well-known academy for vocal debatants at Milan, and, consequently, before an audience well qualified to form an estimate of his in trinsic merits. The remarkable properties of his voice, his noble figure and expressive countenance, and the singularly fine dramatic conception he evinced, com manded the admiration of all who beheld him, and from the extraordinary sensation he then produced it was not difficult to forsee that a new star would soon rise re splendent on the lyric stage. He was shortly afterwards offered an engagement by the impresario of Pavia, and in that city he made his debut in Donizetti's opera of Anna, Bolena. From that time the fame of Moriani continued to spread. Italy quickly recognised in tin Florentine artist one of the finest tenors the present age had produced. From Pavia, Moriani went to Padua, and thence to Cremona and Turin, and subSequently to Parma, Venice, and Genoa. The impresarii of Naples, Rome, and Milan simultaneously proffered him engage ments, and his first performances at the two most im portant theatres in Italy—San Carla and La Scala— were successively hailed with a furore of delight. " It would occupy more space than we can afford to record but one-third of the triumphs which have at tended Moriani in his artistic career. He is as mueh esteemed at Vienna, Dresden, and Berlin as at Rome, Florence, and Milan." GERMANY. RIOTS IN THE MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS. The riots which took place in the early part of June, in Silesia, have been followed by others in Prague ; and Com missions are sitting in both districts, to explore the real cause of these excesses. From the various accounts from those districts, these causes are pretty plainly excessive lowness of the price of labour, and, to a great extent, utter want of work. For a long period the distress among the hand-loom linen weavers has been dreadful. This has now extended itself to the cotton spinners, and the description of the ap pearance of these workpeople—the formerly simple, peace ful, industrious, and happy inhabitants of the Silesian val leys, is heart-rending. Pale, consumptive, weak-eyed men, languidly gliding down from the mountains, staff in band, clad in their blue linen jackets, and bearing wearily the bundle of linen to the master's, which they have woven at eighteen-pence the 120 ells ! is the picture of the linen n eavers. That of the cotton-spinners is worse, because it is more morally revolting. Before Christmas some disturbances took place—the distress has gone on increasing. On the one hand the formidable competition of England; on the other, the strict closing of the trade across the frontiers with Russia, has at length brought the people to desperation. They at tributed all their miseries to the introduction of machinery, and accordingly against that they turned their fury. Col lecting in a mass of more than a thousand, they marched with a white curtain torn down from a window, and hoisted on a pole as a banner, and to the singing of a song which had long been sung through all the district to express their injuries, into the populous manufacturing villages of Peters waldau and Langenbielau, where they attacked the chief factories, those of Messrs. Zwanziger, Hilbert and An dritzkv, and Dierig. Attempts were made to turn away their fury by the distribution of money, but in most cases, in vain. The fury of the rioters was terrific. Windows, roofs, machinery, furniture, all met with one common de struction. The stores of yarn, indigo, manufactured goods, spindles, &c., were all carried out and flung into the mill streams. During four-and-twenty hours that it required to get an order from Breslau for the employment of military, this work of demolition and plunder went on. The soldiers, on their arrival, fired on mob, and killed thirteen on the spot, besides wounding many others. The rioters then fled to the hills and woods, whence the soldiers hunted them out. Upwards of a hundred were conveyed to the prison at Schweidniz. The Prince Adalbert of Prussia hastened to Breslau, to ascertain the real facts of the case. There, also, the mob manifested a disposition to the same excesses ; broke the street lamps, and the windows of houses, and of the Re formed Church. No sooner did the news arrive in Prague, than the cotton -spinners also assembled on the 17th and 18th of June, and demolished the machinery of the factories, to which they attributed the lowness of their wages, and all their consequent miseries. All these excesses, except those at Peterswaldau, have been attended without loss of life. Thus Germany is beginning to taste some of the sours as well as the sweets of the manufacturing system. With all their ambition to become a great manufacturing power, and to make themselves independent of us, it is plain that, spite of our corn-laws, and excessive taxes, they find it a severe contest with us ; and if these things " are done in the green —tree, what will be done in the dry ?" If these miseries store them in the face in the youth of their manufactures, what may they expect when they have converted millions of their la bourers into spinners? It is a prospect that may well in spire the most serious reflections. In the meantime, the manufacturers raise a loud cry for fresh import duties, not only on our fabrics, but on our yarns. Till they can make their own yarns, they assert that they cannot fairly compete with us, as they lose the profit on the manufacture of those yarns. To effect this object s fresh duties must be imposed both on webs and yarns. This now will be the vehement cry on the Zollverein, and this our manufacturers must ex pect, for nothing less than this can remove the dreadful misery that haunts the once happy Silesian valleys, or, in deed, save from premature decay the manufacturing system of Germany. At the root of all this forced and unnatural system lies our corn-law. Abolish that, and the whole convulsive effort is annihilated, and a healthy ex change of our goods for their corn is secured to both countries.—Atlas. FRIGHTFUL OCCURRENCE ON BOARD THIS WATER MAN STEAMER, No. 6.—On Saturday, between the hours of eleven and twelve, a deplorable accident happened to a tine lad, named Waller, on board the: Waterman steamer, No. 6, when off Blackwell pier. It appatra that the unfl)rtunate youth was what is termed a call boy, and at times would assist in cieaning the machinery. At the period above stated he was performing the latter duty whiht the engine was at work, a practice much adopted on hoard the small riv,r steamers, iv hen, through some unfortunate circumstance the huge rev olving crank caught his head, and completely smashed it. against the frame-work. lie was removed to a neighbouring surgeon's, Dr. Bain's, but the unfortunate lad was beyond recovery, and died in the course of two hours. LARGE IMPORTATION OF SALMON, Sct FROM SCOTLAND.—On Friday morning the Dundee, P erth, and London Shipping Company's steam ship Dundee,. Captain J. Kidd, arrived at her moorings. off Itore's Steal n-paelcet wharf, Wapping, after ct very expeditious pass are from Dundee. She brought a considerable number of ps ssengers. Part of her cargo consisted of no fewer than 180 boxes of River Tay salmon., a large number of live oxen, lamb &c. NEXT EASTER. The following curious article regarding " Easter-day, 1855," is by Professor de Morgan : "In an article which I have prepared for the next number of the' Companion to the Almanac,' I have dis cussed the reasons why Easter day will next year fall, in apparent defiance of the Act of Parliament, upon the very day day of the full moon. But as an acci• dental application which I have received (and I know that the superintendent of the Nautical Almanac has received another from a different quarter) makes me think that the computer of almanacs will he puzzled, and that the useless discussion of 1818 (when the dis crepency last occurred) will be revived, unless some one will forthwith state the reason of the difficulty. I re quest that you will publish some of the conclusions of the paper t o w hi c h I re f er, w hi c h w ill i n d ue time appear in the work cited. And I hope that the daily papers will give additional currency to the same conclusions ; and I should recommend that the same thing should be done in the almanics. The rule adopted in this country for finding Easter is that of the Roman Catholic Church, as established at what is called the Reformation of the Calendar by Pope Gregory the Thirteenth, in the year 1582- The au thority for this rule is contained in the papal brief of March Ist, 1582, in which reference is make, for all ex planations, to the then forthcoming work of the Jesuit Clavius, to whom both the adjustment and explanation of the Calendar had been intrusted. The British Par , liament, in adopting the rule of Clavius, made two mis ta'ses in the explanation of that rule. Their explana tion is, that Easter Sunday is the Sunday after the full moon which comes on or next after the 21st of March, and that if the full moon fall on a Sunday, Easter Sun day is the next Sunday. The two mistakes are as follow : "1. Instead of full moon,' they should have said, 'fourteenth day of the moon, the day of new moon being reckoned as the first.' That Easter, as well as the Passover, was always regulated, not by the full moon, but by the fourteenth day of the moon, is of the utmost historical notoriety. And Clavius says that none but a few who fancy themselves sharpsighted ever imagined that the fourteenth of the moon and the full moon were the same in the Church of God.' "2. Instead of the moon' of the heavens, they onght to have said the moon of the calendar,' which is a very different thing. The moon of the calendar is not even a mean, or uniformly moving moon to which astronomers refer the real moon ; but differs from it intentionally and avowedly, by two classes of arbitrary alterations, the first class intended for simplicity of calculation, the second for avoiding the possibility of the Christian Easter falling on the actual day of the Jewish Passover. " In the year 1845, the fourteenth day of the calendar moon falls on Saturday, the 22d of March, whence Easter is rightly made to be Sunday the 23d, according to the law both of the Roman and English Churches, though the English statute does not well explain its own method. With regard to this country, it should be noticed that this statute enacts that Easter shall be kept by the' ca lendar, tables, and rules' annexed to th e A ct; and these e should ib ert y, as many did in 1818, be altered ; and agree with Clavius. to th cer tainly it would be worth while to avoid misconception and O in f k co t u h r a se t a th n e y onesta statute is t a t by repealing the faulty definition, a v. substituting a better one, in the Prayer-books of the Established Church. But if any one should wish to advocate the repeal of the rules, and the construction of new ones agreeable to the existing definition, and astronomi cally true, he will perhaps pause w h en h e fi n d s t h at his own system would sometimes cause it •to happen that St. Paul's Cathedral must keep Easter a week after Westminster Abbey, and would very frequently make a week's difference between the festivals of the colonies and the mother country.—l remain, Sir, yours faithfully, " A. DE MORGAN. " University College, London, July 11, 1844." . LLOYD'S SHIPPING. EAST INDIA SHIPPING. Arrivals—Midlothian, Morrison, from new South Wales, off Salcombe, sailed from Sydney March 15 ; Isabella Blyth, Lane from Mauritius, off Portland, sailed April 20 ; Fawn, from the South Seas, off the Wight, sailed from St. Helena May 29 ; Gardner, Cole, from Bengal at Liverpool, sailed Feb. 29. Arrivals at Sydney, New South Wales—Munro, Bal four, in March, from Liverpool ; Willi am M etca lf e , Philipson, from Cork ; Medusa, P ur di e , f rom P ort Philip. Departures from Sydney Amelia, M`Dougall, March 11, to New Zealand ; Christina, 14th, to Port Philip ; Isabella,' Hardie, to Port Philip and London ; Andromeda, 15th, to London ; Alice Brooks, to Val paraiso ; Mary Ann, Brown, to Launceston. Arrivals at Mauritius—Saucy Jack, Paddle, April 16; Marie Larne, Croft, 17th, from Madagascar ; Scots wood, 18th, from Fort Dauphin ; Ernestine, 16th, from Nantes, passed to Bourbon ; Levant, from Monte Video; Grecian, from Liverpool and Cape Hersey ; Easterby, from Calcutta. Departures from Mauritius—Heart of Oak, April 11, to Liverpool ; Manchester, 12th, to .-Madagascar ; the William Pitt, Vixen, and Thomas Jones, loading for London. Arrival. at Valparaiso—Bangalore, Nelson, from Auckland, and sailed, April 9. Arrival at Macao—Arab, Nickles, from Singapore. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (SATURDAY.) BO W-S TREE T. J. Barrel! was charged with embezzling 52!. 10s., the property of James G o ldi ng , o f 56, S tran d. Mr. Golding stated that he was an oil and Italian merchant, in the Strand. The prisoner was employed by him as a clerk and town traveller; he was accustomed to receive money for him. On the 15th of June, witness gave him a receipt for 521 10s., which entitled him to receive that sum from the Hon. Colonel Montague, with instructions to call at that gentleman's house to procure the money. The prisoner then left him, but never re turned or sent the money. Colonel Montague's butler proved that on the 17th of June the prisoner called at the residence of his master, No. 1, Upper Berkeley-street, Portman-square, and pre sented the receipt in question, on which witness handed him a cheque drawn by Colonel Montague on Messrs. Hoare and Co., of Fleet -street, for the amount named. Mr. Harrison, a broker to Messrs. Hoare, the bankers, proved that he had cas h e d t h e c h eque mentioned, b u t h e could not tell to w h om h e pa id t h e amo unt. The prisoner d ec li ne d ma ki ng any defence, and was fully committed for trial. Mr. James Duff M.P. for Banff, was summoned be before Mr. Twyford for assaulting police-constable A 163, and obstructing him in the esecution of his duty. The Hon. Gentleman pleaded guilty. A 163 stated that on Monday last he was on duty at Whitehall, to keep order and prevent confusion among the carriages which were setting down visitors at the Duke of Buccleuch's fete. The carriages were ranged in line to set down their occupants in regular order. Mr. Duff, who was one of the visitors, drove up in his cab and attempted to break through the rank in order to get down at the gates of the Duke of Buccleuch's man sion. Witness told him what regulations had been made as to the setting down of visitors, upon which the Hon. Gentleman drove off. In a few minutes, however, he returned, and attempted to dash through the rank. Witness went up to him, and, catching hold of the reins, attempted to stop the horse, when Mr. Duff stood up in his cab, and struck at him in a most vicious manner with the whip over the horse's head. Witness warded off the blows, and Mr. Duff eventually got out of his cab itt the appointed place, and walked into the house, He THE HEAVY DUTY ON MTGAR• Large quantities of green rhubarb - lately brought to th e London market, being unsaleable, we.re carted to the dung The true reason of this waste appears to be that, throngh. the heavy duty l ev i e d on sugar, it is very much out of t he reach of th e p oor, and rhubarb, we know, cannot be estell witliout, sugar. Ttie ugh pries of suglr also prevents cot Lagers from using the produce of their Ina. , Barth is, gooseberries and currants, which induces them to offer these fruits in the neighbouring towns, and here again there b t::e same di sa pp o intment 7- -, after toiling.through th e streets 1 1, r many hours in search 0 ' customers, these po or p eop l e are often compelled almost . ° give away their fruit, the oppressive duty on sugar depriving them of purchw , ers.. In the. recent debate on the Sugar Duties, the. Earl of Radnor stated th a t th e a ll owance of sugar to each seaman the Queen's Navy was double the quantity consumed by the cottager at home; and the Marquis of Lansdowne also stated that the convict transported to New Holland could obtain three times as Much sugar as the honest labourer ill England! CAUSE OF INCENDIARISM. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIE,—Su the cause of incendiarism in the agricultural dis tricts, is entirely to be attributed to the present poor - la ws! I must confess I do Pot see good gronnds to believe this general opinion. The reporter einployed by the editor of the Times ought to be abl e t o g i ve us b etter reason i ng than have vet seen. Great distress exists—no doubt of that; but what proof have we that the working of the Poor-law is the real cause of it. The agricultural labourer may thin'' , and those that are inclined to be idle do think, that is the only obstacle to their comfort an d suppor t . Thi s is a poor reason, indeed, backed by the strong proof of their havll burned the property of poor-law guardiaas exclusively. - us look back to 1824 or 1825. A great deal of a gricultura. property was dest ro y e d by fire in the neighbourhood 01 Ipswich. I forget whether it was attributed to the old poor law—l think it was said want of employment for the fl was the cause. At that period corn was extremely low, an s tate. rents extremely high, and they are now in a similar In this state of things the tenant. farmer cannot employ 11 proper number of men, and though he knows the consr quence of neglecting the proper cultivation of his land , 8 is obliged to regulate his 'labour upon his farm by his purs e ' A farm short of hands is like a vessel on the Yorkshire coast, many of which leave a bad tale behind them every year fron l want of hands to work them. The day is gone by for obtaining 80S. per quarter f,or .. wheat in this country, and un l ess th e ren t s o f f arms throur r out England are reduced something like thirty per cent, fear we shall hear of distress and its awful consequenc es, have what poor-laW you will.—l am, Sir, yours, July 9,1844. j, F. IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.—MT. Joseph has recently presented an important return respecting thg unfortunate persons who are incarcerated in dungeons or "sponging-houses" for debts which they are unable to dis charge. The return moved for by the Hon. Member for Montrose, of the number of persons confined in the metr e ; politan prisons, in the other debtors prisons of England 0 , Wales, as also in those o f S co tl an d an d I re l an d, for tu 4 t : . "offence" of insolvency, &c., was ordered in February la s ,,,v and has only just been printed. The returns were reqlair,_ to show the number of p ersons w h ose d e bt s, w i t h ou t eol"„, t ; were under thesums of 11., 51,10/, 501., 1001.. 500/., and abo l the last-mentioned amount,—stating, also, the average o of imprisonment of each of the se c l asses o f d e b to rs, t name, the amount of debt, and the amount of each Pe r l ; son's expenses who had been i mmure d w ithi n the W Bz of his cage more than five years. These returns covor space of no less than 56 pa g e s . .It a pp ears f ro m the n e , that the gross total numb er o f p ersons w h o are or then imprisoned for debt in the United Kingdom at larbi amounts to 3,352, of whom 2,154 were confined in Engl e , and Scotland, 85 only in S co tl a , and 1.113 in Ireland. total number imprisoned :or debts (exclusive of costs) ot,l a a , i ', 11. amounted to 210 ; un d er 51 . , to 794 ; un d er 10 /. , t o 47,', ' under 501., to 922 ; und er 1001.. t o 249 ; un d er 5 0 0/ . to 2 9 " ' above 5001., to 104, and 36 fi n . amoun t s no t sta ted in the returns before us. As many as 256 persons were imprison, for' offences against the reven ue l aws , an d 85 pr i sone rs w had been confined more than five years—namely, 78 in Eng; land, and 7 in Ireland. Neu iv one-half of the prisoners , ,,i, 1,469, were (exclusive of cos t s ) con fi ne d f or d e bt s u nder 1".!., One prisoner is mentioned as having been imprisoned wit 1 1 . 0 f the Queen's Prison fur 32 years, a t tin annual expense to te" county of 91.25. 6d. ! N am . FALL OF TIIE T OWER OF H ALSTED - CHURCIL—It is with feelings of the deepest regret that "a this day record a lamentabl e o ccurrence w hi c h t oo k place itu the/own of Halsted, on Wednesday last. But for the e - t . ; fortunate event we are a b ou t to notice, an announCe w t e li ll e ; would have appeared in our paper to-day, that Church of the Holy Trinity, e rec t e d b y vo l un t ar y subsol l 9 st tions, in the above pari s h,wo u ld b e consecra t e d on th e 31stillt by the Lord Bishop of London. About a quarter to threeo'et; on 'Wednesday afternoon, the beautiful tower and steeple 1 , tached to the above church, which had been completed tau_, height of 115 feet, fell with an awful crash, which must 11 been heard for miles round. On hu rr yi ng t o th e spot, e a : T e, our correspondent, the scene we w it nesse d was mos t heari'r rending, for the first. impression was that all the,/ bearers were beneath the ruins, and the shrielts screams of the women and children were dread It was a most providential and merc if u l i n t e rposit' 6 o that such indeed was no t ti te case. F rom what /1. 'have been able to collect, it appears that Mr. Johnstoae" the builder, actually saw the tower sinking, and he in 1 01; ,• diately ordered the workmen off; when the tower fell, - 00 4 4 two labourers were th en upon t h e scaffold, one of w hom severely injured, but it is hoped may ultimately recover; other is comparatively but slightly hurt. The Rev. Ar c i y , deacon Burney and G. S per i ng , Esq., experienced a ve i n :, narrow escape, as did also M r . an d M rs . A r d en , w h o Aver e . 4 the body of the church at the ti me o f th e acc id en t, a ur tl- re ; of the ruins falling into that part of th e st ruc t ure . W e f t le.: happy to state that the church itself has received but 'Pi m.; injury, and only such as may very speedily be repaired. present we are unable to assign the cause to which this event is to be attributed.—Chchnsford Chronicle. GLASGOW, DUMFRIES, AND - CARLISLE R i tivis r ...-.• We learn that the promoters of this undertaking . 1 1.,, s actively engaged with th ose pre li m i nary measg`T., which the rules of Parliament require, before ke r; plying for its sancti on t o an A ct next •session. 51 gl „; engineer, Mr. Miller, i s now engage d w ith the liamentary survey, and is instructed to consult t - o r wishes of the D u k e o f B ucc l euc h, th e M ar quis air . Queensbery, the Marquis of Bute, and other ential proprietors, in laying down the line. A nute inquiry into the traffic of the extensive agric tural and mineral districts through whi c h th e line Pe• esefr is now being made ; and though not completed, the sa ports already made of the traffic in passengers, goi"" r , and minerals, are extremely pr o mi s i ng t o th e twee c r taking. That the intercourse bet ween GlasgoW 411 England is rapidly increasin g , i s man if est from the crowded state of the steamers between Glasgow ° I li ; Liverpool, and the increase of coaches on the rod I.Vhen,_therefore, the creative power of the railway 3 Y" • tern is made to dev e lop it s elf , b y t h e two countr i es beil connected by an ir on r , :a d, runn i ng through the fine: part Of the West of Scotland, it is not easy to est/w ll ; the extent of int ercourse that w i ll b e establi shed.----'•* Observer. LORD ErsoN's FULFILMENT OF A PROMISE. - 9 , 1783, when Mr. Scott, afterwards Lord Eldon, first becarrta candidate for the borough of Weobly, he was received a'7, lodged in. the house of Sir: Bridge, the Vicar, who, havi,.og o daughter then a young child, took a jocular promise I ,r` t i e , him, that if h e s h ou ld ever b ecome C hancellor, and the girl's husband should be a clergyman, the Chancellor woul, give that Clergyman a living. N ow comes the sequel, par tly related by Lord Eldon himself to his niece (Mrs. Foster/ " Years rolled on—l came into "dice: when one rnornin,g 4 was told a young lady wished to spe a k t o me; an d I s aid le:, young ladies must be attended t o , so th ey must s h ow her lira ' And up came a very pretty young lady, and she curts i ' r , and simpered, and said sh e th oug h t I cou l d not reco ll ec t Dell I answered I certainly did not, but perhaps she could re% herself to my- memory; so she asked if 1 remembered ti c l, clergyman at Weobly, and hi s li tt l e g i r l , to whom 1 had mere a promise. Oh, yes!' I said, I do, and I suppose you the little girl.' She curtsied, and said Yes.' And I ela pose you are married to a c l ergyman ?" No,' she said, s she blushed, lam only going to be married to one, if yo a my Lord, will give hint a living.' Well, I told her to 09 1- : back in a few days ; a n d 1 made i nqu i r i es to ascerta i n rrti ,. the Bishop.of the diocese. that the gentleman she was go r :4l to be married to was a resp ec t a bl e c l ergyman of the Cher""„ of England; and then I look e d a t my li st, an d f oun d I act ally had a living vacant th at I cou ld g i ve h i m. So ,1:0- the young lady came back, I told her she might return Ito and get married as fast as she liked, for he r i n t en d e d hush 3 „-,.$ should be presented to a livi ng, an d I wou l d send the P!'l3',l, as soon as they could be Mad e out. Oh, no!' she exclaim' s , and again she simpered; and blushed, and curtsied; pray , l%, Lord, let me take them back myself? I was a good e c ` - d . amused, so I actually had th e p apers ma d e out, and I sigik...c them, and•she took them b ac k h erse lf t h e following day- - Twiss's Life of Elden:. BIRTHS. • hi er On the 9th inst., at the Vicarage, L u lli ng t on ; D er bysr the wife of the Rev. Theodore Echalaz, of a son. On the 9th inst., at Riverhead, Kent, the lady of Cha r ler R. Carter Petley, Esq., of a son and heir. On the 9th inst., at Hornsey, Mrs. George Warner, of daughter. On the 9th inst., at Chandos Cottage, Ramsg a t e , the 46 of Richard Tomson,jun., Esq., of a son. llaia On the 11th inst., at Bow, Middle sex , Mrs. Wuo— M'Laren, of a son. ha On the 12th inst., at Torrington -square, th e w if e of uT ° Lendsell, of Lincoln's Inn, Esq., of a son. On the 10th inst., at Speen, Berks, the wife of the Bev ,' A. D. Meakin, of a son. On the 10th inst., at the Vicarage House, Kirtlington, fordshire, the wife of th e R ev. J. illemard, of a d au gh!l • • MARRIED. On the 2d inst., at St. George's, Hanover-square, EdW b g' Wingfield Dickenson, Esq., of Dosthill House, Warw%)' shire, to Sar a h, w id ow of :e Major William Spratt, late of , Hon. East India Company's Service. ipv On the 2d i ns t., a t St . M argaret ' s, W estm i nster , ander Boyle, Esq., Commander, RN., second son of the ivoto • Hon. David Boyle, Lord Justice General of Scotland, o ., Agnes, youngest dau g ht er of J. W a lk er , E sq ., o f Gle George-street, Westminster. eve' On the 4th of May, at Poona, Bombay Presidency, ."-J5O tenant-Colonel S. 13: Boileau, commanding her li es ; ,„ ;; T y 22d Regiment, to Mary Harriet, youngest daughter ofil- Cornbe, Esq., of Caroline-street, Bedford-square. On the 30th ult., at Vienna, Maximilian Julius Xotlitl; warer, Esq., to Laura, youngest daughter of the late Mot Konigswarer, Esq., of that city. DIED. On the 13th inst., at Grove-lane-terrace, Camber e , _ nflg, Elizabeth Carey, relict of Philip Melvin, Esq., Lieuteno - Governor of Pendennis Castle, Cornwall, aged 74 years. ell' of. On the sth inst., at Thame, Oxfordshire, Mr. Bedw"' West Smithfield, aged 59. e t On the 7th inst., at Toxteth-park, Li v e r po o l, S a rah, a lt of Thomas Downwards, Esq., aged 86. llia ps On the Bth inst., at Bishopwearmouth, Durham, 1 Hunter Burne, Esq. 14 01- On the 9th inst., at Bonehill, near Tamwortb, John ing, Esq., aged 83. On the 10th inst., Thomas, eldest son of Thomas LAb ro Esq ~ of near Bury, Lanca shire. On the 11th inst, at Elizabeth Mary, the wife of Joseph Bishop,. Esq., of the Crescent; America square. olf On the 11th inst., at Hackney, Neville Ash, Esq. , surviving son of the late T. Ash. of East. Hair, lissc- r N o1" 11 On the 7th inst., at Park-street, Grosvenor-square , B 1 O n Esq i ns . of the On the 7th t., at Leamington, Elizabeth, the wire Reii. J. James, D.D., Canon of Peterborough. „„. -ger On the 9th inst., Georgiana Swan, the wire of J. 1, • hall, of Woolwich f •• - Landon: Printed and Published by IttURDO TO ri ` No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office. 0 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the 'C° llll Bliddleaex, Monday, July 15, 1844. .. rep Ito v.: Obj an - tit' ,ev