The Sun. — London, England, 1839-12-31 00:00:00

that, " diving the past veer, which has been one of great commercial gloom and difficulty, the applicants at the Infirmary have been unprecedented i❑ number, and, in consequence, the expenditure has been fearmily increased." In the corresponding year, 1,402 patients were admitted into the Manchester Fever Hos- pital ; the number for the preceding year amounted to 799 only; and the deaths were in the same period in creased from Igo to 240, notwithsta )(ling that an addi tional t!mporary building was provided. The Report states, that many applie.itions fbr admission were re luctat.tiy refused. The Manchester Board of Health, in their annual Report for the same period, state that " the year 1837-8 has been alarmingly productive of infectious fever in Alanehester and its neighbourhood ;" and it alludes to the " commercial depression, with its consequent both mental And corporeal evils," as a cause of the great increase of disease. Nearly all the infir maries and dispensaries, the Reports of which the Board have inspected, bear testimony to a similar increase of disease, and many of them allude to the commercial crisis which occasioned it. Criminals were multiplied in the manufacturing dis tricts, simultaneously, from the same cause. A striking example is afforded by Manchester in this respect. By the official report, it appears that 1,313 prisoners were tried and convicted in the year 1837, at the New Bai ley Sessions ; in the preceding year they amounted to 1,0:31 ; and the highest number recorded in any previ ous year aid not exceed 1,112 convictions. The num- Iser of committals to the Glasgow Bridewell in 1837, amounted to 2,067 ; whilst 1,613 prisoners were com mitted in 1836. In the annual Report, published 2d August, 1837, it is stated that there was an increase of 60 prisoners on an average daily, and that " the de pression of trade, and consequently the difficulty of pro fitable labour, operated last year to augment the cost of maintaining the establishment." The Report of the County Bridewell, at Paisley, bears still stronger testi mony in this respect. In 1837, the number of prisoners committea to that prison amounted to 232, whilst for the ve ar 1836 they are stated at 153 only. The Board have thus, it is presumed, brought forward sufficient data from which to form a judgment of the tnag,nitude of the injuries inflicted upon the labouring daises by the operation: of the Bank of England upon the currency. It has been seen tleat the effects of the panic in the money market were to deprive of employment a large portion of the industrious community, to subject them to the moat intense privations, to degrade them to the level of pauperism, arid, untimely, to produce a great increase of disease, crime, and mortality. Similar consequences must always flow from a forced contraction of the currency. Even at this moment, the same pro cess on the part of the Bank of England is again going on, and producing a repetition of all those evils which have been enumerated. In Nottingham, Paisley, Glas gow, and the other large manufacturing towns, multi tudes of industrious work-people are thrown out of employment, whose privations are again causing a la mentable increase of pauperism, crime, and disease. It becomes ,if the utmost importance to the welfare of the community to inquire, how such baneful fluctuations may in future be prevented. Hitherto, it has been too much the custom to consider the question of the cur rency merely in its relation to the banking interests ; or, if viewed with reference to the public welfare, it has been merely to guard against direct losses by the failures of banks. The far greater injuries inflicted upon the community by the oscillations in the amount and con sequent value of a paper currency, will, it is hoped, henceforth engage that consideration which they so strongly merit. Although it scarcely comes within the scope of their present object, the Board will add a reflection upon the subject of the undue privileges possessed by the Bank of England. That such a power over the property, and, as has been seen, the health, morals, and very lives of the community should he vested in the hinds of 26 is ; responsible individuals for the exclusive benefit of a body of Bank Proprietors, must be regarded as one of the most singular anomalies of the present day—that the secret acts of these individuals, veiled as they are even trona the eyes of their own constituents, should de cide the fortunes of our capitalists, and the fate of our I artisans—that upon the error or wisdom of their judg t meat should depend the happiness or misery of millions, and that against the meat capricious exercise of this power, there should be neither appeal nor remedy ; that such a state of things should be allowed to exist, must be regarded as a reproach to the intelligence of the age, and ae. totally irreconcileable with every principle of publ.ic justice. If, instead of having been handed down to us from our ancestors, it had been proposed in the present day, to create a joint stock bank, to be endowed with the powers and privileges enjoyed by the Bank of Eng land, the common sense of the country would have revolted against the attempt to establish so dangerous a monopoly. Yet it is certain that any institution of the kind, founded in the present day, must have been more suited than the Bank of England to the actual wants 1 sof tho community, inasmuch as it would assuredly have been required to posses an amount of capital propor tionatel to that of the great trading community over i which it enjoyed such exclusive powers and privileges. Instead, however, of possessing a fund adequate to pro mote the prosperity of our commerce, or to temper its occasional reverses, the Bank of England has sunk the whole of its capital and and many millions besides, derived trom the public through its deposits and circulation, in permanent loans to the Government. A greater or more fatal delusion does act exist, than the supposition that the affairs of any bank, whose t copit,al is thus invested, can possibly be conducted, with either safety to itself, or advantage to the trading com munity. Such a concern may, indeed, share the profits of prosperous seasons, without having contributed one farthing to the common fend ; but the moment a reverse takes place, it increases the general discredit by its own inevitable embarrassment. In conclusion, whilst it is not designed, in anything that has been said, to criminate the characters of the individuals composing the Directory of the Bank of England—a body of men generally distinguished for commercial probity and high personal worth—the Board beg to record their strong conviction, that tire principle upon which the Bank is founded, especially with refer ence to its want of available capital, renders it impos sible for any body of Directors to conduct its affairs, with advantage to the interests of the manufacturing and commercial community. By order, and on behalf, of the Board of Directors. Dac. 12, 1839. J. B. SMITH, President. A NTI-CoRN•LAW DINNER.—The demand for tickets to the dinner on the I:3th January has been so great, that, notwithstanding the enlarged accommo dation provided in the pavilion, the Council have not env bee❑ compelled to cease supplying tickets, lest they encroach too far on those reserved for invited guests, delegates, and other friends from distant places, bu have been obliged to decline receiving even the names of applicaats for the chance of future preference. Three thottsand tickets have been actually sold, leaving only four hundred for the members, delegates, and other friends who have yet to apply. The gallery, which will be appropriated for the ladies, will seat about 600 ; and already gentlemen, disappointed of seats at the dinner, are applying to have their marries entered for the chance of tickets to the gallery. Tickets are now finding ready purchasers in the town at five shillings premium. We have in former numbers given the names of fourteen Members of the House of Commons who have accepted the invitation to be present. To these we have now to add, Thomas Gisborne, Esq. (Carlow borough) ; Gene ral S.r de Lacy Evans (Westminster) ; Robert Hol land, Eiq. (Hastings) ; James Stewart, Esq., (Honi ton) ; William Evart, Esq. ( Wigan) ; Joseph Brother tan, Esq. (Salford) ; and N. A. ` r igors. Esq. (Car low county.) We understand that Dr. Bawring has also accepted the invitation to be present. DEPARTURE OF THE METROPOLITAN Po- LICE FOR WALES.—On Saturday twenty constables of the A division of the Metropolitan Police left town, under the superintendence of Sergeant Chalk, for Mon mouth. The object of sending this body of the police is to presetve order in the Court and the approaches thereto on the days of the trial of Frost and his confe derates for high treason, sedition, &c. ACCIDENT AT DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—A melancholy accident oet:urr.ii at Drury lane Theatre on Saturday night. As William Mills, one of the fire men, whose duty it is to see everything safe, was going his round, he slipped over a piece of orange peel in the pit passage, and falling to the ground, fractured his right leg in the most fr;glitful manner, the bone absolutely protruding through the flesh. To add to the poor fel low's distress, his wife and daughter are both unable to !care their room, the one being bedridden and the other aacted with drorisy. The unfortunate man, who was not discovered 'Limit an hour after the accident, is now lying i n 3 precarious state at the Charing-cross Hospital. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.—There are note three ?liips hound for Liverpool, each of which will briny; the Prerideet's Message, and are all due, viz.— the steam-ship Liverpool, the packet-ship Cambridge, and the Indepenih•nce. ANTI-CORN-LAW MEETING.—A public meet ing of th , electors, citizens of Glasgow, was held on Sa turday, in the Trades' Hall, a much larger room than where the previous meeting was 1111, which was crowded to excess. Alexander Johnstone, Esq., o f Shieldhall, occupied the Chair, surrounded by James Oswald, Esq., M.P., John Diennistoun, Esq., 111. p., ; and a host of our wealthiest merchants and rnanufac ( turns. Tha first resolution was proposed and seconded ' by the two City Members of Parliament, and passed without a dissenting voice. A leading Chartist, Mr. I .T roes Moir, ex-M.C. for Glasgow, was sitting with an ame idirient. in his hand ready to move, but he let the opportunity sdp. After the next resolution had been proposed by A. Grahame, Esq., there were several speeches from Messrs. Purdic, Pattison, Lang, and Moir,nearly the same parties who proposed the Chartist amendments at the previous meeting ; but their lueubra \ tions were listened to with the utmost impatience. Every speech nu the Anti-Corn.law side was greeted with treniendous cheers, which completely drowned the discordant uproar of the Chartists. Thus ended a meet ing highly satisfactory to the Reformers. `:‘, 4 hSr.t PEI p. ' {~ ~ 7 •. ~~~ _,.r : MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS. (MONDAY EVENING.) TlMES.—Business at the Stock Exchange s 11 continues very inactive. Little has been done in Eg lish Stock, and the few bargains made were at to 9-2, 1 - for the Account. Money being easier, Exclie. l uer Bills were at Is. discount to par. In the Foreign House Dutch Stock was at 53 to 53-,k, (money) for the Two-and-a-Half per Cents., and 98-k to 9S:I- for the Five per Cents. This advance was owing to the letters from Amsterdam, by which it ap peared that Dutch Stock had improved nearly per cent. It was settling day in the Railway Share Market. The shares *illy maintained their prices. The notion of introducing the decimal method of computation into this country, with a . modifiFation of coinage suitable to that method, has given . rise to several plans as to the best mode of applying the decimal principle. One schema proposes to take ad vantage of the circumstance that the great old penny of George 111., still in circulation, weighs about five farthing, while the common penny weighs about four. The idea is to strike a silver coin, equal to two shil lings and 1-10th of a pound, which is to be called a flo rin ; and a 10th part of this florin is to be represented by another new coin, under the name of the stiver. This stiver is to be proclaimed equal to 10 farthings, five of which will be represented by the great and four by the small penny. The coinage would then be thus ar anged 10 farthings = 1 stiver 10 stivers = 1 florin 10 florins = 1 pound Under this arr ange ment the present shilling would till b* an available coin as the half-florin, and be equal Lo ten great pence. The great penny would be the half surer, and the small penny and halfpenny retain their respective values of four and two farthings. It will be seen that the pound will contain 1,000 farthings instead of 960, the florin (or two-shilling piece) 100 instead of 96, the shilling 50 instead of 48, and the sixpence 25 nstead of 24. Thus no alteration is made in the value of the silver, nor even of the copper coinage above the farthing, except the distinction drawn between the pence of different sizes, which is recognized by the favourers of the scheme as legitimate. Another scheme proposes the striking of a new cop per coin to be called the decimo, to represent the tenth part of the present shilling, while the tenth part of the decimo is to be called the cent. Thus there would be -10 cents = 1 decimo, 10 decimos = 1 shilling, 10 shillings = 1 half-pound, and the half pound to be the highest denomination in the scale. The present silver coinage might be retained, and the sixpence, shilling, half-crown, and crown be respectively worth 5, 10, 25, and 50 decimos. The first difference between the two schemes is, in the first place, that the one affects decimal division by doubling the shilling, and the other by placing the half-pound as the highest denomination, thus saving the necessity of a new coinage. On the other hand, while the second scheme proposes to strike decimos, the first finds the decimo already existing in the great penny, while the farthings exactly represent the 100th part of the florin. However, the second scheme does not contemplate a necessity for more than one new coin, as, making a trif ling allowance, the farthing would in that scheme repre sent 2 cents., and the halfpenny 4 cents. By an arrival at Havre, accounts have been received from New York to the sth instant. It appears the President's message was not delivered on the assemblage of Congress, as anticipated. Some difficulties in point of form respecting the admission of certain new mem bers, in a case of double returns, it is believed, from the state of Jersey, prevented the constitution of the House of Representatives as a House of Congress, so that the message was necessarily deferred until this legal for mality was fulfilled. The debates upon the subject are represented as having been warm. The state of money affairs at New York remained with little variation. Money still commanded in discount from 1i to 2 per cent. per month. In the stock-market considerable ac tivity is reported, but generally with a depression of prices. United States Bank shares had receded to 67 to 68. Sales of paper on Philadelphia had been made at 9 per cent. discount, which was a slight improvement. In sterling exchange but little doing. The Havre packet had on board 57,000 dollars, and the Cambridge, for Liverpool, 4,000 dollars only. The anticipation of un favourable intelligence hence by the Liverpool steamer had tended to depress the market at New York, but at Boston and Philadelphia commercial affairs were said to be mending. CHRONICLE.—By the Baltimore packet ship arrived at Havre, advices have been received from New York to the sth December. The Baltimore brings about 57,000 dollars in specie. There appears to have been a strong feeling manifested among the jobbers and speculators that the Liverpool, which was hourly ex pected, would be the bearer of bad news from this side of the water, but on what grounds these fears existed does not appear. The accounts that the Liverpool will have taken out from hence will, it is expected, give much satisfaction, and create renewed confidence in mercantile matters. In Mark-lane there was a fair extent of business doing, and both English and foreign wheat may be qnoted Is. per quarter higher than this day week. We have authority for stating that the reports of the Bank of England having refused to continue the ar rangements with country banks, which, having no paper of their own, issued that of the above moneyed corpora tion, are utterly confounded. HERALD.—The Money Market has been very firm throughout the day, the, same causes operating on it which we noticed in our report of Saturday last. There have not been, however, any large purchases made in Exchequer Bills ; but the recent improvement has been maintained with much firmness. In the morning a few sales were made at 84. to Is. dis, ; but, at the conclusion of business this afternoon, purchasers were obliged to give par for such amounts as they required. Bank Stock is again heavy at a fall from 178 to 1771. The specu lative holders are probably not well pleased with the proceedings of the meeting of the Chamber of Com merce, at Manchester, on the subject of the manage ment of the affairs of the Corporation by the Directors of the Bank of England. The continental arrivals of this day are of little interest. From Batavia we learn that in the interior of that dependency to the crown of Holland a great deal of property had been destroyed by fire. POST.—A pamphlet on the monetary system has been published by Mr. Henry Drummond, the purpose of which is to point out " the causes leading to a Bank Restriction Biil." Mr. Drummond is, as everybody knows, a banker of high eminence, and his opinions must, therefore, have considerable weight with the public in relation to all matters of finance. Mr. Drummond is, however, to a very great extent, a theorist, and, although his treatise contains much that is worthy of attention, we are by no means prepared to say that his arguments and conclusions will, in all cases, stand the test of experience. To treat successfully of so complicated a subject as that of the currency in all its bearings, it is necessary that a writer should be an expert merchant as well as a banker, and one whose commercial views have been again and again defeated by a combination of circum stances to which, in that arduous character, he is often exposed. Mr. Drummond appears to us to be one of those reasoner' who, in reply to an opponent that shows him where his doctrines are at variance with every-day practice, would insist that those doctrines are neverthe less correct, and worthy of being acted upon at all ha zards. He is a stickler for an invariable observance of the " principles of currency," as laid down by certain authors and authorities, considering that, whatever de rangements exist in our money and commercial affairs, all will come right again sooner or later. Mr. Drummond condemns in the most positive man• ner that alteration in the monetary laws of the country which gave to the joint-stock banks the power of issu ing notes, the measures taken by the Bank of England for regulating the currency being of necessity neu tralized and the derangements of the money markets needlessly protracted by the counter-operations of the others. All this is perfectly incontrovertible. Great credit was given, upon the publication of the last return of the circulation of the joint-stock banks, for the re duction they had effected in their issues in the course of the preceding quarter. But, from what Mr. Drum mond states, it woul3 seem that no such credit was due, and that , ha d strict justice been dealt out to them, they would have been charged rather with the commis sion of a gross any premeditated fraud for the purpose of deceiving the public on this point. Mr. Drummond says of them— " It has been stated upon unquestionable authority that on application being made in a town where two of these establishments existed, to know the amount of paper they bad in circulation, it was discovered that they returned the balance only after mutually clearing the charges they re spectively had upon each other; that is to say, one having 1,200,0001. and the othe r 1,500,0001. out in circulation, the amount in the hands of each being 1,000,0001., they cleared that sum, and then returned the balance—viz., 700,0001. as the amount in circulation, instead of 2,700,000/., which was the truth." Any comment upon such conduct were superfluous. The degree of punishment to be inflicted on the delin quents is the only question. The observations on these banks are about the most valuable portion of the pans- SUN.—The American merchants are still in a state of suspense in consequence of the non-receipt of the Pre sident's Message from New York. It is, however, almost hourly expected. There was very little business transacted on Change this afternoon in American or Canadian produce. The other principal markets arc also in a dull state, in consequence of the holidays. Teas are looking up. Sales at a rise of 4d. per lb. on the prices of this day week have been made to-day, though we have arrivals from Canton and the Cape of Good Hope announced to-day. The public securities closed firmly this afternoon, the opinion being that the Bank must support Exche- quer Bills at par, to prevent them being paid in as duties after the Ist proxi:no, as least such portions of them as will then arrive at maturity. Consols closed at ; Exchequer Bills at par to 2s. dis. ; and Bank Stock at 1771. Spanish Consols left off at 24,i ; Portuguese New Five per Cents. at 231 ; Colombian at a fall to 23i 24 ; Mexican at 28i ; and Dutch Two-and-a-Halt • per Cents. at a rise from 52i to 53i. There was a large amount of business doing in the Railway Shares after the middle of the day, and prices were generally higher, or, at any rate, well,supported. PRINCE ALBERT. (Extract of a Letter from Cobourg, Dec. 13, 1839.) For the last two months the curiosity of the public in reference to the family, the religion, the education, &c., of Prince Albert of Saxe Cobourg Gotha, so na turally awakened by the prospect of an event now no longer doubtful, has given rise to the most ludicrous, the most absurd, and, what is more to be regretted, the most false statements, that the fertility of the journalists' imagination and the artful designs of the intriguing could suggest. I take the opportunity of making a communication which may, in some degree, tend to cor rect these false statements, and which may not be wholly without interest to the English public. Having been honoured, in the kindest manner, by the notice of the different members of the reigning fa mily, during my residence at Gotha, the moment that I received authentic information of our Gracious Majes ty's decision, I felt it my duty to hasten to Cobourg, and to offer my respectful congratulations to the Prince and his illustrious family ; and never did duty and in clination harmonize more truly, for I was confident that Europe had not a Prince who possessed in a higher degree all those shining virtues, those amiable qua lities, and brilliant accomplishments, which must in fallibly ensure the happiness of our amiable Sove reign, and cannot fail to secure to her illustrious con sort the universal love and admiration of Great Bri tain. On my arrival I was honoured by an invitation to the Ducal table, and felt highly gratified in being the first Englishman to present his personal congratula tions. The Prince replied in English in the kindest and most unaffected manner, and with the greatest delicacy and tact commenced an animated description of the literary curiosities that are to be found in the Ducal Library, and made some allusions to his tour in Italy. At dinner I was fortunate enough to be placed near the Prince, who conversed with the greatest ease on various subjects, with some in German, with others in French, and with me in English. I was delighted to hear the flattering manner in which he spoke of England, and of the pleasure he had experienced during his residence in its capital. Being honoured by several invitations to the Castle, the more I saw of the Prince the more I dis covered the extensiveness of his acquirements, the soli dity of his understanding, and that aimableness of charac ter which has absolutely rendered him the idol of his people —the more I felt the blessing which our Queen has conferred upon her people in selecting a Prince so worthy of his high and brilliant destiny. On Sunday, December 8, I was present at the proclamation of the Prince's marriage About 300 persons were assembled in the ancient castle of the Ehrenberg, from Austria, Prussia, Saxony, Hesse, &c., including deputations from the corporations of Gotha and other towns, who presented addresses of congratulation. I know not when I have seen a more imposing sight. When the Minister (Baron de Carlowitz) had read the pro clamation, the Duke embraced his son, and the Duchess next imprinted on his forehead the kiss of fond affection, while in every eye one read the heartfelt wish that all the parents' fondest, proudest wishes might be fully realised. More than 160 persons partook of the hospitalities of the Duke's table in the " Riesen Saal," or Giants' Hall ; and a more sumptuous or splendid en tertainment could not be imagined. The loud anu cordial cheers which the health of England's Queen brought forth, and which burst out with an enthusiasm that all the forms of etiquette and courtly ceremony could not restrain, were almost too affecting, and when the band struck up, " God save the Queen," the tears of joy flowed freely. We must not omit to mention a circumstance characteristic of the Prince. By his orders the people were admitted during dinner into the Riesen Saal to see the assembled company. Old and young, peasants from the hills, all walked about without the slightest restraint, to their evi• dent enjoyment ; and to hear their hearty exclamations, the blessings they invoked on their beloved Prince and his august parents, was a more eloquent and sterling panegyric than volumes could express. To describe the universal attachment of all classes to the Prince were impossible ; I have never heard other than the most en• thusiastic praise ; not one dissentient voice could be heard from one end of Thuringia to the other. If I have remarked the personal beauty of the Prince, the general reply is, " Ach ye! gewiss Er ist ausserordenllich zchon-und zo gut, zo gut wie Ur shoe ist, Freilich Er ist ein liebenswur diger Printz." The older servants of his august pa rent, and persons attached to his suite, cannot speak of him without tears, and are Quite wretched at the thought of his leaving his native land. With respect to the Prince's religion, I myself have seen and heard convincing proofs of his attachment to the Protestant faith, of whose doc trines his ancestors have ever been the firm supporters. Those who have had the opportunity of knowing the instructors of the Prince will not for an instant credit the absurd and utterly false reports of his attachment to the Roman Catholic church. The Prince's being confirmed by the Rev. Dr. Gensler, of Cobourg, an enlightened divine of the Lutheran Church, and his commonly re ceiving the sacrament from this gentleman, are suffi ciently convincing proofs to the contrary. The Prince and his illustrious family are far removed from all bi gotry, either Catholic or Protestant, and without any parade or show of religion, attest by their lives and ac tions that they arc in all essential things the true follow ers of their Divine Master. I could with pleasure dwell much longer on this subject, but here it would be misplaced. I shall conclude my brief notice by the expressio❑ of a sincere wish that my countrymen may appreciate the Prince's sterling merits as much as they are here prized. SOUTH AMERICA. Extract of a letter from authority that may be relied upon from the Rio Plata : " The French have landed 600 men, and garrisoned the town of Monte Video, and, in conjunction with the Government of that place, are carrying on most activh measures against the Buenos Ayreaus. The French have now in the river 86 vessels of war, including barges and launches. " Our merchants are complaining most bitterly in Buenos Ayres. Thotisands of pounds' worth of pro perty are lying rotting on account of the blockade. In Monte Video no shops are allowed to be opened until a gun is fired, which is sometimes at six, sometimes at ten, in the morning, and all shops and warehouses are obliged to be closed at sunset. These are the orders of the French, and an end is thereby put to trade. In deed, our commerce in the River Plata is now entirely dormant, in consequence of the unpunished insolence of these rascally Frenchmen. " It is really heartrending to se© the destruction of British property—vessels having on board cargoes valued at 30,0001. lying for nearly 18 months at Monte Video, and their return cargoes rotting in the warehouses and skin-yards ; and our own ships of war, the few that come here, being perfectly quiescent. and apparently quite indifferent to all these proceedings of the French, whilst the latter are thus ruining our most important commerce in South America ; and I shall not be surprised if, ere long, they ended by securing the monopoly of it for themselves." Extract of another letter equally authentic : " The French, who are now co-operating with the Monte Videans, have landed 600 or 700 men here, and have absolutely now possession of the place (Monte Vi deo) ; and, having thus obtained a foot►ng on the soil of South America, it is impossible, under existing circum stances, to foresee how far they may go, or to what pe riod they may extend such occupancy, for their own advantage and to our detriment." The Mediterraneo of Malta, in its account from Ourlac, has the following- The Castor, Daphne, and Dido, with the Zebra as umpire, have had an ex perimental cruise of ten days, to try their rates of s iil ing, the result of which places them, as regards their respective sailing qualities, in the order in which they are above named. On the 2d inst., at a court-martial on board the Rodney, composed of Commodore Parker, President, and thirteen Post-Captains, Jchn Brown, a seaman of the Powerful, was tried for using mutinous language to, and striking, the master-at-arms of that vessel. The Court, after deliberating for two hours, declared the charges fully proved, and sentenced the prisoner to be hung, but recommended him to mercy, in consequence of his having received an injury in the head whilst serviug in the Naiad frigate, which had per haps in some manner affected his brain." " The Archbishop of Albaracin," says the Memorial of Pau, " died recently at Madrid. No example of the state of distress to which many of the Spanish clergy are reduced can be more striking than the case of this prelate. He was in such destitution that it was found necessary to have recourse to public charity to defray the expenses of his interment ; and the civil authorities had sequestered his pontifical habits to pay for some debts which he had been forced to con tract in order to support himself." INTERDICT.-It will be recollected that the Aberdeen Presbytery unanimously granted an ex cain bion is the case of Nigg, in virtue of which the majority of the heritors of the parish were to convert the house of Tullos into a manse for the Rev. Mr. Thom. Mr. Muir of Loirston protested against this decision, and applied to the Court of Session for suspension and in terdict, which have been obtained and served upon the parties. This question will now bring out the point which involves the civil status of the quoad sacra Ministers, Mr. Leslie of Fintray having dissented snd protested, on the ground that they were not legal)}' en titled to vote in this case.—Edinburgh Courant. AUTHENTICITY OF STATE MENTS IN THE SUN. In the Port Philip Gazette of July the 31st, received with our last batch of papers from Austra ha, we find the following:— The happy object of Queen Victoria's choice is Prince Albert, son of the reigning Duke of Saxe Cobourg, and cousin of her Majesty. Prince Albert is handsome, and about twenty-two years of age. He has resided some time in this country, on a visit to his Royal relatives. How soon the happy event is to take place we are not prepared to say, but our readers may depend upon the authenticity of our information."—Sun. We are authorised to give the most positive contradiction to the above announcement.—Morn ing Chronicle. This is amusing, coming back to us now when the reality is known, after the expiration of so many months, and when The Sun's announcement and the Morning Chronicle's contradiction had been alike forgotten. It reminds us, too, how the Chronicle was served by Mini;terial " authority" in the matter of another important announcement. We can believe what the Morning Chronicle states on its own credit, but whenever it professes to have " authority," we become suspicious and sceptical. —Spectator. SPECIAL COMMISSION AT MONMOUTH. MONMOUTH, SUNDAY NIGHT. This place is already beginning to present some o. the bustle and excitement of an assize town. There were, for instance, yesterday not less than 114 of the Rifles, who are now stationed at the school-room ad joining the church of Monmouth, and within a short distance of the goal ; there were next the counsel for the prisoners, who came in all the eclat of their profes sional dignity ; and to-day there were coaches, some filled with witnesses, and others laden with London police. men. The natural shrewdness of Welshmen is profit ably employed in turning the Newport outrages to their pecuniary advantage. I know that in some parte a great. deal of unnecessary alarm prevails. One rumour is, that vast bodies from Kingswood, in the neighbour hood of Bristol, are coming up to Monmouth to attend the trials, and, if necessary to rescue the prisoners. In alluding to the reports which I have heard, I may as well state one of them, in which I fear there is some truth. It is this—that amongst the witnesses who were examined before the Magistrates, and afterwards gave their testimony in presence of the Grand Jury, some have been induced by the friends of the prisoners to abscond, and that, therefore, they will not be forthcom ing at the trials. I do not suppose that the persons who have so fled can be very material witnesses, when it is well known that numbers of witnesses are now under the care of the Mayor of Newport, and others of them have been in London, from which a few arrived to day. Any one who had the opportunity of seeing, as I had, the manner in which the prosecutions were got up at the Warwick Assizes by Mr. Motile, may be quite ,ure that he will not have suffered a single material link in the chain of evidence to be lost. At this moment both parties are busily engaged in preparing for the trials. The Attorney and Solicitor Generals, lam told, are here ; while, on the other side, Sir F. Pollock, Mr. F. Kelly, and Mr. Thomas have been in consultation with the solicitor for the prisoners, Mr. Geach. It is impossible as yet to surmise what course will be taken with respect to the trials ; but I believe that the endeavour will be made, on the part of the priso ners, to postpone the trials to the latest possible period. It is said that none of them will consent to join in their challenges, and that an attempt will even be made to impugn the entire panel returned by the Sheriff. It is supposed that one great object that will be thus gained, in case of a conviction, will be to bring the period of carrying any sentence into execution as near to the Queen's marriage as possible, in order that such a happy event may give to these unhappy men the benefit of an act of mercy. If these intentions be acted upon, it is probable that the first two or three days will be occu pied with legal arguments, and that no trial can take place before the latter end of the week. In that case the sitting Commission will be very much prolonged—an event not at all improbable, should the Court, act upon the determination which it is said Sir Nicholas Tindal has expressed, that it would be adjourned by him every day at four o'clock. The London policemen who have already arrived do not exceed seventeen in number. It is merely intended that they shall be used for the protection of the wit- nesses, and the Mayor, I understand, has given orders that in no case shall they act, unless under the direction of special constables, who are to be responsible for their conduct. With respect to the Mayor, I may remark that he has, in present circumstances, many duties to perform, each of which are well and satisfactorily dis charged by him. This gentleman, I am told, is not a Laberat to politic., ;. ‘,..cettnl T ..ppo site to that of a partisan. He has shown himself to be perfectly impartial, and his anxiety is to give equal ad vantages, and to do equal justice to all. The following is a communication from Merthyr : " 111URTHYR TYDVIL, SUNDAY MORNlNG.—Al though no actual outbreak has taken place, still popular ferment continues unabated, and the Chat tists hold their meetings at their own houses, or at their several lodges, which are scattered very widely through the hills. " The fate of Frost and the other prisoners is with them now for the most part their all-absorbing topic. They feel themselves in honour bound to exert all the influence within their reach to rescue them from a dis graceful death. It is idle to deny the fact that they would willingly sacrifice their own lives to save the prisoners. They look on Frost not only as a political martyr, but as one whose life is anxiously sought after to satisfy private revenge. " On Thursday night ti printing-press and a large quantity of type arrived, with which they intend start ing a paper. This will be their organ ; but they arc resolved that its tone shall not be violent, and that it will differ very widely from the extravagant principles advocated by the Western Vindicator. They also con template abandoning the name of Chartists, and calling themselves Reformers. They propose holding a meet ing this day, which is to be addressed by a Chartist preacher. The authorities have as usual received in telligence of their intention, and will act accordingly. Dr. Thomas and Captain Howles have left here for Cardiff to meet Lord Bute, the Lord Lieutenant of Glamorganshire, whose arrival was expected. As soon as they have completed such arrangements as may be deemed expedient, they will return to their duties, which since the riots have been onerous, and, in some instances, perilous." POOR LAWS.—Tuesday last, a formal protest by various landed proprietors, was lodged in the hands of Mr. Ninian Hodgert, Chairman of the Overseers of the Poor, in the Abbey Parish, prohibiting the Over seers from acting on a minute that had been agreed to at the close of the late meeting in the Abbey Church. It appears from the Protest, that after the greater part of the Heritors had retired, a motion was made by Mr. Brewster, to the effect of allowing 2s. a week for the children under 14 years of age of parents unemployed. The Heritors disclaim this motion, hold it as surrepti tious and illegal, and in their protest prohibit the Over seers from acting on it, under the penalty of being held personally responsible for all the advances made.— Paisley Advertiser In the country papers details of, and comments on " The Depression of Trade," and the consequent " Dreadful Distress" of the working classes are lamen tably general. Christmas never set in here in a milder form than at present. With the exception of yesterday, when there was a heavy rain, the weather lately has been like the finest days in October or in Spring. An ex tensive sheep farmer writes us—" We have not had such a season for sheep stock for twenty years."—lnver ness Gazette. ADULT BAPTISM.—On Christmas day, the Rev. Thomas Roberts administered this solemn rite to ten persons at his chapel in Ring -street.—Bristol Mercury. WELSH FEEDERS.—We are glad to announce that, at the instigation of Earl ;Spencer (better known to the farmers of England as Lord Althorp), a pr i ze i s in future to be offered at Smithfield Cattle Show, for the best breed of Welsh cattle. Another prize is offered to Scotland.—Cambrian. DRUNKENNESS.—During the weak no less than twenty•three persons have been fined five shillings for drunkenness. What are the Teetotallers about ? Preston Observer. Primroses in full blow were gathered at Cat Castle Rocks, in Deepdale, near Barnard Castle, on Christmas-day.—Durhani Chronicle. It is, we are informed, now definitely ar range d that her M a j es ty' s marriage will take place on th e 1 6t h of February.—Naval and Military Gazette. CHURCH -RATES, CHATHANI.—Last Easter, the Chatham compulsionists obtained a rate, which they have since discovered to be illegal. On the 15th inst., a meeting was called to lay a new rate, when the Churchward ens wer e defeated by a majority of 29. RURAL POLICE.—The parish of Ilarberton has addressed a memorial to the County Magistracy, against the adoption of the rural police system for this county. The memorialists are quite right in showing themselves alive to the burtheu which the adoption of this system would impose upon the rate payers ; hut it is somewhat premature to suppose that the Magistracy will proceed to adopt it at the approaching Sessions,— Western Times. EXTENSIVE MALT SEIZURE.—On the even ing of Sunday last Messrs. Coath and Pringle, excise officers, of Ballyclare, succeeded in detecting a private malt-house, nearly opposite to the distillery at Carrick fergus, and seizing therefrom about five hundred bushels of illicit malt. ANTI-CORN-LAW LECTURE. A very numerous and respectable meeting of the in habitants of Southwark took place in the large room at the Three Tuns yesterday evening, to hear a lecture delivered by the eloquent Anti-Corn-law lecturer, Mr. Paulton. Mr. APSLEY PELLATT, who was called to the chair, said that they were aware that, in various parts of the country lectures had been delivered on the all-important subject of the Corn-laws. They were that evening favoured by the presence of a gentleman who had kindly undertaken gratuitously to lecture to them ; and he, as Chairman, would not detain them further than by simply introducing to their kind attention Mr. Paul ton, of Manchester.—(Cheers.) Mr. PAuLToN then commenced his lecture, by say ing that he came before them upon that occasion as the representative of the Anti-Corb-law League of Manches ter, to solicit the aid and co-operation of the men of Southwark to help them in carrying on the struggle against monopoly and injustice.—(Loud cheers.) He addressed them, not as a Corn-law repealer merely, but as an apostle of free trade.—(Hear, hear.) In that capacity he recognised no distinction of party or of persons, was the cause of universal justice that he advocated it, and every approximation to the full re cogniLion of its claims drew nearer to each other the entire brotherhood of man. The Corn-law question was not to be regarded as a mere political or party question—in it the Tories, fete W higs, the Radicals, and the Chartists had a common banner round which to rally ; men of all political parties and opinions had ex pressed their opposition to the Corn-laws, and could conscientiously, without any compromise, join in the cry for the repeal.—(Hear, hear.) Perhaps no indi vidual had had a better opportunity of arriving at the actual condition of the different classes of society in this country than had fallen to his lot during the past year. He had lately passed through the 150 chief towns, many of the a g ricultural districts of England and most of the farming districts of Scotland ; he had mixed much with all classes, and had endeavoured to ascertain the actual state and social condition of the people. The fact that most struck his observation was the lamentable ignorance displayed by the middle classes of the absolute wretchedness in which the mass of the population were involved. Very little intercommunication took place between them ; the different circles of society seemed to revolve, almost independently of each other, round each other ; unity was prevented, and there prevailed so much mistrust as to prevent confidence on the one side and exertion on the other. Unless a considerable altera tion in the basis of ;society took place, and unless there was an immediate amendment in the physical condition of the people, he feared,that peace, law, and order would perish before physical destitution. Misery and wretchedness abounded in the land. Everywhere that he had been had the same sad tale of pri vation and suffering been told—everywhere had the famished victims of monopoly proclaimed their !con sciousness of wrong.—(Hear, hear, hear). He saw evi dence of this even in the palliative system of repression which was directed towards effects, and overlooked causes. Were they not called upon to support a rural police ; was it not attempted to cut down pauperism by the New Poor-law, and the extension of the standing army ? What did those facts indicate ? Were they not living, undeniable, nay, acknowledged testimony of misery and crime and political discontent, which were upheaving the very strata of society, and required for their repression a multiplication of coercive means? In a country like this, those were fearful indications.— ( Hear). A wise Govenrment would read them with a pro phetic spirit, and while every Constitutional means were adopted to repress them, it would determine at the same time to investigate causes, and when they found those causes uproot them.—( Hear.) It was impossible to mistake the chief cause. Dear bread was of itself an unmitigated evil. The Corn-laws were to be dreaded, not so much for their immediate as for their indirect effect. It was the fearful panic, and the commercial distress, which constituted their greatest atrocity. On commerce the population of the large towns depended exclusively for employment, and the Corn-laws not only shut our commerce out from foreign markets, but de stroyed the demand in our home manufactures at the very time the utmost activity was required .. o supply the wants of the people. Could any cm mercial man who knew any thing of the et - ral state of the country doubt for an instant as to titer; ause that had produced the present stagnation of:- L tie, and the disorganisation of every branch of industry? The cause was palpable in the fact, that upwards of twenty million pounds more had been paid for bread alone during the last two years annually than was paid in 1825, whilst the home demand for manufactures had been proportionably lessened. Not only was the loss of trade abroad felt, but the glut produced in the home and foreign market had reduced the price of ware below the cost of production ; and there was not only a sacrifice of interest but of capital. To make " confusion worse confounded," we were obliged to carry our gold out of the country to pay for the foreign corn, and the rate of interest was increased at the very pe riod that our warehouses groaned under the weight of the unsaleable produce of the hood-luom and the steam - engine. The commercial crisis of the last year was only one of a series which had occurred from time to time with increasing violence for the last twenty-five years. There was no instance of a commercial panic in connection with the low price of food. Those de structive vibrations of commerce might be traced to those impious laws that limited the supply of food to a single climate and a single soil, disregarding those ad vantages which the bounty of Providence had placed at our hands ; thus producing rivalry between nations, which otherwise would be like kindred drops mingled into one. He would now give a short sketch of the history of Corn-law legislation in this country. In 1436 a statute was passed legalising the exportation of corn only when the price of wheat should be at or above 6s. Bd. per quarter—equivalent to about 12s. at the present time. But in 1463 another remarkable feature in the history of the Corn-laws pre sented itself. The landlords, finding that richer soils and kindlier harvests prevented them by exportation from keeping the price of corn up to an extravagant rate, they, by a statute passed in 1463, secured a com plete monopoly of price in the home market by forbid ding importation of grain unless the price in the home market exceeded 6s. Bd. a quarter. That rob bery (for he could call it nothing else), was be neficial, to the landowner, but injurious to every other class of the community. When the price of corn was high on the Continent the landlord could export to equalize the price here ; but if the price of corn was low on the Continent and high here, then the ports were of course closed, and the people must either starve or procure from the landholder, at his own monopoly price, the wretched means of existence.—( Hear, hear.) The next remark able era in the history of the Corn-laws, was in 1688. By the very first statute of William and Mary, chap. 12, not only was the exportation of corn permitted, but an actual bounty of ss. on every quarter of wheat exported, while the home price remained at or below 48s. a quarter, was positively abstracted from the pockets of the nation to be given to the landholder to enable him not only to keep up the price, but to bribe the foreigner from purchasing wheat at a lower rate than Britons themselves could purchase it on their own shores. That Bounty Act on exportation continued in force up to 1773. The landholders were somewhat deceived as to its results. The prine;ple on which it was framed was decidedly selfish, but they had overshot the mark ; and in 1773 that Act was modified by another statute, simply imposing a nominal duty of 6s. whenever the home price of wheat should be above 48s. a quarter. That was the most lenient Corn-law ever passed by a British Legislature ; but by a succession of Acts from 1791 to 1804, they raised the nominal duty from 6s. to 245. 3d. a quarter, whenever the home price of wheat should be below 565. a quarter. In 1804, in spite of the pressure of the war taxation, they raised the limit from 60s. to 635., and imposed a prohibi tory duty of 245. 3d. From 1804 to 1815, that last law remained in farce. The landlords were doing well—they did not wish to moot the question. Bad harvests, inconvertible paper, and the bloody war kept, the price of wheat steady at an average of 41. 17s. 6d. a quarter. Could they desire more.?—(A voice—" I should think not.")—(Great laughter.) In 1815 when wheat was selling at 61. 12s. a quarter, a Committee of the House of Commons recommended an increase of the import duties. At the termination of the war in 1814 the prices of agricultural produce fell materially ; but during the war, from 1809 to 1814, when the market price of gold was 25 per cent. higher than its represen tative value in Bank notes, the rents of the landlords were paid in Bank notes, and those rents increased cor respondently with the price of corn. Corn rose during those years from 755. to 61. a quarter. Under those cir cumstances the farmer could afford to pay his extrava gant rent, and realise for himself satisfactory pro fits on his capital. But it must be: remembered that during that period the high profits of the farmer as well as the double rents of the landholder were paid in reality by the consumers of agricultural produce. —(Cheers.) During those years the Continent was closed against our manufactures by the Berlin and Milan Decrees of Napoleon, and our manufacturers were com pelled to sacrifice their productions in order to provide for the payment for foreign corn in gold, when gold was 25 per cent. in value above the price of the paper in circulation. So that from 1809 to 1814 the landholders pocketed 25 per cent on the manufactures of the country.—‹ Hear, hear, hear, and cries of " Shame.") Mark the consequences :—as far as the consumers were concerned they had been shown ; but the •. producers of corn ultimately suffered seriously. In 1813 the harvest was a redundant one. So -great had been the fictitious stimulus to agriculture by the high price of the last six years, that in 1813 the price which had been 1255. fell to 745., and in 1815, to 645. a quarter. A large proportion of the farmers were ruined—general confidence ceased—a run on the banks ensued, and in 1814, 1815, and 1816 no less than 240 country banks stopped payment.—(Hear.) As to the ruin of the farmer, that was a matter of indifference to the landholders. They led him by prohibitory legisla tion and inconvertible paper money to invest his capital in forcing wheat from pasture fields ; and when the 1 bubble burst he was turned out for rent, and thrown on the parish for pay as a pauper. These terrible conse quences surely must have shqwn them the injus tice and impolicy of their selfish measures. After wards they brought in another Corn Bill, in 1814, ' but so vigorous was the pressure from without that they failed ini passing it, and gave it up. But in the following yeai. they succeeded better, and at the point of the bayonet, with the doors of the House of Commons guarded by the drawn sables of the military, the Legis lature passed the infamous Corn-law of 1815, actually prohibiting the importation of foreign wheat until the price in the home maket was 80s. a quarter.—(Cries of "Shame.") This last law, however, not having the effect of keeping up starvation prices, another Bill was brought in in 1822:; and in 1827 Mr. Canning at tempted to introduce an amended line of policy, but ho was met by the Duke of 'Wellington, who carried a clause in the House of Lords which made the Minister of the day give up the measure altogether ; and in 1828 the Corn-law, as it now stood, was passed, Mr. Charles Grant, now Lord Glenelg, having been its framer and the introducer of it into the House of Commons. Having now completed his survey of the historical progress of the Corn-laws, he would now proceed to the bearing of the question as between the British manufacturer and the British landowner. The real question at issue between the British manufac turer and the British landowner was simply this. The British manufacturer asked the landowner to be con tented with his estate, and with a fair rate of remunera tion for their produce in relation to the fair market of the world.—(Hear, hear.) He showed the landowner the injustice of limiting an increasing population to a fixed soil ; he showed the loss occasioned by laying out capital to force a soil, wringing 501. out of the people for every Si. put into the hands of the landowner ; and he asked whether it was justice for the landowner to double the market value of his own com - nodity, when he diminished by half the exchangeable value of every other commodity. He told the landowner that the Corn-laws, and the Corn-laws alone, forced the English merchant to meet the Foreign merchant on un equal terms, and that this inequality must injure com merce, and ultimately reduce the money rate of wages here to what they were abroad. What was the land owner's reply to this ? He called it insolent clamour. He would talk of the agricultural distress caused by his own rapacity ; but he saw only the splendour and the luxury which surrounded himself. If by the in vestment of 2,0001. in manufactures they could procure one hundred or two hundred quarters of foreign wheat, and if, by laying out the same sum upon land, they could only raise fifty or one hundred quarters, was it not clear that they were a manufacturing people, and that they ought to export manufactures and import corn? Was not every quarter of wheat brought from abroad as much an actual creation as if it had sprung up in their own workshops ?—(Cheers.) The more mouths they had to find food for, the more would ma nufactures be demanded, and if manufactures could be exchanged for food, every labourer might exchange his own. He would labour less, because less labour would procure for him the full gratification of all his wants. By the present law the manufacturer was obliged to sell an extra quantity in the foreign market, whilst the land owners' law prevented his buying corn in exchange ; he could only import luxuries, which he was forced, to sell again at half their value to the landowners. It was an injustice to the capitalists, but it was most oppressive to the labourers. The capitalists were the negotiators be tween the landowers and the industrious classes, and the chief effect fell upon the labourers, who were forced to do double work for half wages. That was the neces sary result of the Corn-laws. Neither Ten-hour Bills, nor Eight-hour Bills, would improve their condition, until this tyrannous measure should be torn to tat ters by the common sense of the people.—(Cheers.) British skill and capital was frittered away by the Corn laws, because the result of those obnoxious laws was that the manufacturers of this country could not com pete with foreigners. One million and a half were ex clusively dependant for employment and subsistence on the great cotton manufactures in Lancashire ; but in consequence of the Corn-laws, the exportation of yarn had increased, on which only 4d. a lb. was spent in labour, while 10d. would have been spent upon it, if it had been manufactured into goods. Was not this a gross injustice towards the labourers ?—(Cheers.) This exportation of yarn, however, would not long continue, for the different States of Europe were using the greatest exertions to institute manufactories in their own domi nions. This was all the result of the Corn-laws. —(Hear, hear.) The Lecturer then proceeded to show that the same results had taken place in the iron and hardware trades, and having concluded this part of the subject, observed that it. now remained for him to show that the cry of the Corn-laws being beneficial to the farmer was a complete delusion. He could not in the present lecture enter into the subject of wages, but he hoped to have another opportunity in Southwark of lecturing on this all important question.— (Cheers, and cries of "We hope you will.") Now, as to the question of the benefit of the Corn-laws to the farmers, had not the experience of the fast tw0.67 yp.rm shown that a large propor tion of the farmer's capital had been absorbed in the shape of rent, whilst the agricultural labourer had become as much degraded as the soil serf of Russia, or the Ryot of Hindostan. Wheat had varied from 375. to 735. per quarter, but the rent-rolls were the same as in 1812, when wheat was at 1255. The fact was, that in bad years the landowners got all they could, and then when corn was high the landlord pressed for his back rent, and so gradually absorbed all the capital. In short, in high times the farmer only held his profits as a sponge holds water—till the landlord should squeeze them.—(Cheers.) There were only three ways in which the repeal of the Corn-laws could injure the agricultu rist ; first, in the shape of rent to the landlord ; secondly, in respect to the profit of the farmer ; and thirdly, the wages of the agricultural labourer. He would admit that a repeal of the Corn-laws might for a time lower rents. But then the rents of the landowners had increased enormously more than the increase of population, whilst the money value of their rental had been again doubled by the depreciation in the vaiue of every species of manufacture. Did they ask the landowners to disgorge ?—No. They forgave the past, and asked only for justice for the future.—(Cheers.) With regard, next, to the farmers. If 60s. were re quired to grow what could be bought abroad for 405., was it not as much waste to force the barren soil as if the difference were thrown into the sea ? But the nature of rent precluded the farmer from obtaining any of the profit,produced by the cultivation of the better soil. The Corn-laws forced the cultivation of the barren soil, so as to afford no permanent profit ; whilst with the higher value of the richer land the competition of the farmers enabled the landowners to fill their pockets. And when the farmer had to look to other employments for such of his children as could not be occupied in farm ing, he would find that the Corn-laws, which had done him no good, had blighted the prospects of his family, It was clear from the evidence given before the Com mittee of 1836, by the farmers themselves, Mr. Robert Hope, of Haddington ; Mr. Andrew Howden, of East Lothian ; Mr. Ellis, of Leicester ; Mr. Parker, of Essex ; Mr. J. Brickwell, of Buckinghamshire ; and many others, all of whom proved that the fluctuating value of wheat caused by bad soils, bad harvests, and the Corn-laws, gave to the cultivation of wheat such a fictitious stimulus, after a year of high price, as to make farmers speculators, and landowners little better than reckless gamblers. The question was really between the nation and the landowners, and the fallacy, now- a-days, consisted in continually thrusting the poor farmer before the world, whilst the rich landowner kept in the back ground. In 1836, there were plenty of farmers brought up to prove to the landowners on the Committee that they were ruined ; but there was not one landowner called to show that he had knocked off a single hound, or disposed of one racehorse.—(Cheers.) If the farmers were thus treated, it could not be expected that the labourers would meet with a better fate. The Report of the Poor-law Commissioners proved their utter destitution. In Buckinghamshire, the county of the Marquis of Chandos—the Duke of Buckingham— the county of the self-styled farmer's friend—(Cheers)-- the county of the hypocritical, canting Duke of Buck ingham—(Cheers)—who paid the interest on his mort gages—for there was not one man who was more deeply mortgaged—out of the capital of his farmer—in Buck inghamshire the rates were 19s. Bd. on the whole popu lation ; yet that same Duke had lately bad the impu dence in his own county to declare that the Corn-law repeal would ruin the labourers, and this declaration he made at the same meeting that he gave prizes elr away their families such agricultur a l l a b ourers as h a d brought up families with ou t p aroc hi a l re li e f—a pretty goodint 'ca tion that laboure r s wh o h a d thus brought up their fami lies were not very common. In other counties the poor-rates had been as high. And he wouldat the e imself L state from his knowledge of the peasantry h pre sent rate of wages did not a verage more than twelve shillings a week ; in many places they did not ex ceed seven. The recent appeal at Uxbridge for relief against the poor-rates, and another appeal so far back as August, were convincing proofs of this. Yet in the face of these facts he had heard Sir Robert declaring agricultural that the C Peel get up before th e collective wisdom of the na ti on to proclam hintselfapkrirteveet, protection n y d for ela the la bourer.--(Cheers.) were_ the h onlyeerso When h e h ear d that Right lion. Baronet his blood rushed to his fingers' ends, and he exclaimed --how fallen is the majesty of Britain, when one of the first of her so called Statesmen consents to become a living political lie.--(Tremendous cheering.) cornTh e now: Corn-lawslvhiwhilst tgtahe labourer gave the o labourerrerofthe last i scarcely one bushel . century or the same or less labour had two bushels. If the Corn-laws were made for the labourers, how came it that they were now starving, whilst the landowners had doubled their rents ? In short, so strong was the evidence against the Corn-laws, furnished by the rgrieulturists themselves, before the Committee of 1836, that the Members refused to give a Report founded upon it. And he would conclude by lamenting that the country was in such a condition that despotism, such as this, should be cramping her industry, and imposing the iron fetters of an impious policy, for the purpose of making the nooks and corn , Irs of the barren bills yield a high rental to the here% litary perpetrators of injustice.— (Cheers.) Thanks were the n voted to Mr. Poulton for his elo quent and 114 , ,h1y it itercsting lecture, and that gentle , man, ienackno:lt pe edgiityg. the honour d one him, said he on the part of the inhabitants of Southwark t suppor t to the utmost of their power the Anti-Corn , .law Le ague which had been farmed in Manchester.— .(thee' ts, and cries of " We will, we will.") He trusted th at so 'excellent an example as had been set by the people of Sr mthwark would be followed by every I pity and every tost , n and village in the kingdom. The Meetiog ti 'len separated. COL rRT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, Mox NDAY.—Mr. G eorge E. A nson an d the Hon. Mrs. Anik ln are expected to arrive this even ing at the Castle, on a visit to her Majesty. The Royal Dianctr Party at the Castle this evening is expected to inclu dL . her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the March io_ness of Norm an by, L a dy Fanny Howard, Hon. Miss Vt, Hon. Miss Paget, Viscountess Forbes, Baroness Le 'bzen, Viscount Melbourne, Mr. G. and the Hon. Mrs. Anson, Lord Byron, Mr. Ricb, the Hon. Colonel Grey, and the Hon. C. A. Murray. The Princess Augusta, and Prince George of Cam bridge, dined with her Majesty, the Queen Dowager, yesterday evening, at Marlborough House. The Duke of Caunbridge visited the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday, at Gloucester House. His Royal Highness returned in the aftcynoon to his residence at Kew. The Duchess of .Gloucester visited the Princess Augusta yesterday at Clarence House, St. James's. The Earl of Clarendon and Colonel Anson, had in terviews with the Marquis of Normanby yesterday, at the P ome Office. De patches from Colonel Cockburn, Governor of the Bahamas, were recerved yesterday at the Colonial Office. The Hon Mrs. Tyrwhit Drake and family, arrived yesterday at Farrance's Hotel, Belgrave-street, from her seat, Paul Walden, He,rts. The Rev. Lord Wrioth.eley Russell has twice declined to be nominated to An vacant Bishopric of Lichfield.—Stockport Advertiser. THE FORTHCOMING NEW TRAGEDY.—The historical tragedy of " Mary Stuart," which was read in the Green Room of Drury Lane Theatre, on Satur day, by Mr. Macready, is not, as rumour has stated, a trauslation from Schiller, nor is it the production of a gentleman known in the dramatic world as writer of the libretto parts of several musical pieces, but was written by Mr. James Haynes, the author of " Durazzo, a Tragedy," &c. Dr. Chalmers has published a long address to the " Dignitaries and Ecclesiastics at large of the Church of England," imploring their aid to preserve the Church of Scotland from " the destruction with which it is threatened by the civil power"! He inti mates that the Divine wrath will follow the removal of of the Scotch " candle-stick," though, he adds, the can dles might not therthre be extinct."—Spectator. Orders have beet; received at Buckingham Palace to have the royal apartments ready for the reception of the Queen and the Cot rt on Tuesday next, when her Majesty is expected to come to town for the season. The Palace is still filled with workmen, of whom there are about 300 employed in carrying into effect the alterations and improvements in the interior of the splendid edifice. THE KING OF HANOVER.—We understand that his Majesty will arrive in this country, from Ha nover, on the 30th or 31st of the ensuing month, to be present at the marriage of the Queen. Lord Ellenhorough has a grand fete on Friday next, at Southam House, his seat in Gloucestershire . His Lordship has laid out a large sum of money in re storing to its ancient magnificence the fine baronial hall of the above mansion. The remains of the late Lady Borlase Warren will be deposited to-day in the family mausoleum near Oxford, by the side of her gallant husband the late Admiral Sir John Warren. THE LATE LADY EMILY WELLESLEY.---* The remains of the late Lady Emily Wellesley, who died at Boulogne on the 22d instant, reached the metro polis on Saturday, having been landed at Dover on Thursday, and removed the following day for town. Captain Wellesley and Miss Wellesley have arrived in town from Boulogne. The Earl of Cardigan gave the Wesleyans of Horsfort Woodside a piece of ground for the site of a Chapel, which has just been erected. The Countess of Warwick, with Lady Douglas, the Ladies Fanny and Sophia Scott, and the Lsdie The Louisa Greville, is staying at Warwick Castle. Earl of Warwick, Lord Broke, Sir Charles Douglas, and Lord Eastnor, are at Drayton Manor, on visits to Sir Robert and Lady Peel, but are expected to return to the Castle to-morrow. The Earl and Countess of Durham and the Ladies Lambton were to have returned to Lambton Castle to-day, from a visit to the Earl and Countess Grey, at Howick Hall, during the Christmas holidays. The Earl and Countess are expected in town at the close of this or early in the ensuing week for the season, their residence in Cleveland-row being quite ready for their reception. The Earl and Countess of Clarendon left Paris for London on Friday last. The Capitole an a nd says n ounces the arrival of the Earl of Durham in that city , that his first visit was paid to M. Thiers. ' The Marquis of Bute left his seat in Bedford shire on Friday last, for Cardiff Castle, Wale s, where he will stay a short time. His Lordship has acce p ted an invitation to dine at the Duke of Wellington' s on the 15th of next month. DEATH OF THE HON. RICHARD WM. LAM BART.—We have to record the demise of the above pro mising young officer, who died at Hythe, on Wednes day last, after a lingering illness. The deceased, svh° was the eldest son of the late Earl of Cavan by his se cond marriage, only completed his 24th year on the 9th inst. HAREWOOD HOUSE.—A numerous family circle had assembled to celebrate the natal day of the Earl of Harewood, on the 25th inst., when the gence of the death of Viscount Lascelles, at Munich, reached the earl and Countess. The present Viscount_ Lascelles, with the Viscountess, the Hon. Georg e Ca vendish, M.P., and Lady Louisa Cavendish, the lion' William and Lady Caroline Lascelles, the Hon. Arthur and Mrs. Lascelles, Lady Frances Hope, Hon. Edwin Lascelles, &c., are staying here with their families. DUNRAVEN CASTLE.—The Earl and Countess of Dunraven have had a succession of entertainments at this elegant seat this winter. Last week t here was a theatrical fete, the characters of which were ably su tained by the visitors of the Earl and Countess. Iris' count Adare intends to leave for town on the 12th of the ensuing month, in order to be at his post on the meeting of Parliament. SALMON PO ACHING.—SeveraI cases of salmon poaching have lately been brought before the Justices both at Perth and at Cupar-Angus, in all of which to convictions have taken place. It may be proper state, that even an attempt to take fish is p unishable under the Act. The most ancient building in Paris is in the Rue de la Harpe, the baths of - Julian ; a m onumental facade is at present in course of ere ction there. The whole population of Spain is s tated not to exceed twelve millions. GENEROSITY 01 LORD WARD.—This be nevolent young Nobleman, with his usual liberality, t fi re oo l d os ._ ses john sustained o,G ro b a y i re cently presented the munificent sum ofthe srna to l tenantry in Strathalladale, Sherlandshire, 501. to n order fo g r re s a eve h make e, i u n p , consequencein come degree , o f Journal. INDISPPSITION OF THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA• —A latter from our correspondent in St. Petersburgb, dated the 13th instant, announces that the Em p eror Nicholas was, and had been for some days, seriously in disposed. Our correspondent mentions that." his Ma jesty had previously become very melancholy.' These circumstances, added to the severe regimen directed by the physicians for the Empress and Imper ial Crown Prince, had caused a ll th e " rece ptions " at Court to be suspended —Gl o b e. SUDDEN DEPARTURE O F THE 19TH REGI MENT—RIOTs IN ENGLAND. Orders were suddenly received this day, for the immediate embarkation of the 19th Regiment for England. Accordingly, two hours after the route was received the Regiment embarked fo Bristol, on board the Ballinasloe and Express s tesna t ; ships. The disturbed state of the Chartist distri% and the apprehended outbreak of the Chartists,"ue eat, 1 .! the ensuing trials at Monmouth, have caused t he sn' departure of the 19th. Happy is Ireland—an dg can indeed, must be the state of tranquillity w hen thus:dispense with troops—which, underthe Tory regime, were necessary to enforce the semblance of tranqulity.-- Dublin Monitor. KENDAL ANTI. CORN-LAW PTITION•-•-• The petition adopted at the meeting of the Working Men's Anti-Corn-law Association on M o n da y eveni l last, has already received about 1,500 signatures, a°_ from the willingness and anxiety to s i g n it, that number will be very greatly increased. The wives of the op b e have been most eager in their solicitat ions tobe allowed to add their names, and finding that it is con trary to usage, express the strongest wish that a Pat s ' tion should be originated for themselves. The dearness of bread is an argument that comes home to them, and the cries of their family speak with a force tha t compe ls conviction. —Kendal Mercury. LONGEVITY.—Last week, four venerable dames were interred in Mansfield church-yard, within a fe w days of each other, whose united ages amounted to 3 0 : 4 years :—Mrs. Mitens, 80 ; Mrs. Robinson, 80 ; M rs ' Massey, 82 ; and Mrs. Slaney, 90. The latter bciel born in 1750, of course lived ten years in the reign ° George ll.—Doncaster Gazelle. y EVENISG EDITION. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1839. EVENTING r EiiiTtONT. I I