The Sun. — London, England, 1844-08-13 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAT. LIMES.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer on Thirsday last made an announcement, on which, as it somewhat regards ourselves, we may be excused for commenting. He then intimated, that it was the in tention of Government in future not to furnish a re turn of the stamps issued to each individual news paper, but to give the aggregate of those used by all of them. And the reason assigned for this recurrence to ancient custom was one the fairness of which we readily admit, inasmuch as it appears that the returns, as hitherto published, have been prejudicial to the circulation of some of our Contemporaries ; those of them which have been but lately established, and others which had not yet formed a connexion, having made earnest remonstrances against a system which, by a premature disclosure of their condition, too effec tually prevented them from improving it. As for us, we are by no means sorry to see Ministers revert to the practice of former days. This practice was first infringed by a Whig Chancellor of the Exchequer for the express purpose of injuring us. Mr. S. Rice, whose political connexions had naturally made him suspicious of trickery and cunning in every department and profession, had lent himself with too facile credulity to the notion that, for the purpose of deceiving the public, we were in the habit of purchasing an unnecessary number of stamps, and selling those we did not require to other papers. Hence the distinctive die—an invention which, like many other shabby devices, instead of effecting the harm it designed, was of great advan tage to us, and, we flatter ourselves, ultimately visited its own authors with condign retribution. In the amount of our circulation they have furnished the public with a gauge of their own unpopularity. They have given to our humble efforts to expose them and their misdoings a weight—not altogether factitious—but which we never could have obtained for them ourselves, by enabling us to publish a quar terly evidence of our success. When we bade adieu to the Whigs, we remember well the auguries of failure by which we were beset. We had de serted, it was said, the cause of the nation, and the nation would desert us. We had dared to separate ourselves from the public opinion to which we owed our strength, and public opinion would avenge itself. The contrary has happened. It is not too bold to say that the English nation has sanctioned the sentiments which we then dared, at some hazard, to express. If ever the circulation of a public journal testified the accomplishment of a great revolution in public opi nion, soh an evidence is to be found in the increas ing amount of support which we have ever since enjoyed, and, most of all, which we at this moment enjoy; and for the official, incontrovertible, and con tinually recurring proof of this support, the Whig Ministers of 1834 have only themselves to thank. However, gainers as we have been in every way by an innovation which owed its origin to the most con temptible spite, we are not unwilling to forego an ad vantage which can be obtained only at the expense of our Contemporaries. It is true that each succes sive quarterly return has exhibited our continued superiority both in circulation and advertisements— it is true that the prestige thus obtained itself reacts by . increasing the success to which it owes its birth— it is true that to Mr. Spring Rice's manoeuvre we are indebted for the most satisfactory, because hostile, testimony to that position which it is our pride to have achieved, as it must be our ambition to maintain; yet we willingly abandon these advantages, convinced as we are that we can well afford to dispense with those guarantees of success which are furnished by the indirect depreciation of our brethren of the press. CHRONICLE.—The Otaheite affair is still the Subj,ct of much discussion in the Paris papers, and we are glad to observe that both the Mioisterial and Opposition journals begin to look upon the question with more moderation than heretofore, and with a more decided inclination to look into the true merit, of the case, and judge of the conduct of all parties according to that conduct. We hear of no more such absurd pretensions as that the conduct of Mr. Pritchard shaild be disavowed, anti that gentleman put upon his trial, and the Journal des Debuts has ceased to speak of the conduct of Messrs. Brunt and D'Aubigny as being perfectly justifiable. When the Affair firet burst upon the public, followed, as it was, Ire the declaration of the English Prime Minister thet "a gross outrage " had been committed, the Freitch Ministerial prese e spoke of it as a matter which required explanation ; and while they did lief deny that, according to the statements which ap peared in the English papers, the affair looked badly, they held out a hope that, since the statements were expnrte, the explanations to be received from the French officers would, in some degree, exculpate them. No sooner did Lord Aberdeen, and his Lordship's organ, the Times, show symptoms of weitkness and vacillation than the pretensions of the Freed' papers rose. They declared that there was nothing in the conduct of MM. Brunt and D'Aubigny that was inconsistent with their honour as French officers, or with the law of nations. Since that time the strong feeling exhibited by the people of England, the masked opinion expressed in Parliament, and, above all, the last declaration of the Duke of Wel lington in the House of Lords, that a gross outrage had been committed, for which some one must be ac countable, have made a strong impression in France. Some accounts of the negotiations going on between 1 the Governments on the question are looked for ward to with some anxiety. It was reported in Paris that the answer given to the first communication of the English Government by the French Cabinet, was simply that it had received no official accounts from its officers, and that it was necessary to wait for information. A second communication from the Bri tish Government is said to have given very complete and authenticated documents, which place the impro priety of the conduct of the French authorities in a very striking light ; and it was further said, that, in. dependently of the conduct of M. d'Aubigny to Mr. Pritchard, he had offered a decided insult to the Bri. tish flag in the manner in which he ordered the Cor morant steamer to quit the island. It has always struck us that the unceremonious manner in which the Cormorant was told to " be off" was not a little extraordinary. The expulsion of that ship removed almost the only protection remaining to the British inhabitants, and we shall be glad to find that further light can be thrown on the matter. Should it be true that there was discourtesy or insult on the part of M. d'Aubigny in regard to the British flag, the in jury sustained by England will certainly be greatly aggravated ; but the difficulty of settling the ques tion will, if anything, be lessened, as the French Go vernment should have no difficulty in at once acknow ledging end repairing the injury. POST.—Our modern clever men have a wondrous facility at detecting and denouncing an evil when it is quite too late to rectify it After four months or more of the Parliamentary sitting are wasted in im pertinent or mischievous talking, and much less than two months devoted to the actual "dispatch of the business " of the country, Lord John Russell and Sir Robert Peel, the two great party leaders, simulta neously discover that the superfluous talk is a con summate nuisance and a hindrance to urgent and im portant matters. In the month of August these pro minent members of the Legislature come to the ac knowledgment of the lugubrious truth that three fourths of all their fellow-senators have been doing and saying for more than six months were a good deal worse than useless—that the time occupied in Parliamentary prating would have been more bene ficially addressed to practical pursuits of local and general utility—that the session holds much too long —and that a bad use of a long session is to spend all the early and vigorous months in sheer logomachy, giving only the dwindling, thinly-attended skeleton sittings of the few weeks at the "fag end" to the actual performance of legislative func 'tions. Caution and prudence are qualities surpassingly commendable in your grave and potent statesmen who have charge of the public interests ; and to caution and prudence e we suppose we must refer as a reason 1 why two greet men put off their avowal of a fact notorious__ to all England, t o th e ver y mome nt w h erea t the fact ceases to have present importance. In the months of February, and March , and April of this year, a n d o f last year too, we made earnest represen tations to the Premier and his friends of the folly and public scandal arising from the time wast e d i n li s t en - , outpourings ing to the p o urinss of dull inane co nce it, f rom noisy and im p u dent intruders at either side of the especiallyhappened amon g " gen tl emen oppos it e ." Exactly what has we then made bold to predict—that, as mat were proceeding, so much time would be sacrificed in noiseandprate, as to leave none whatever for thought and t legislation. heer 'We re minded Sir Robert Peel that were many azy.questions of exceeding importance that qsire long and deliberate consideration by both Houses of Parliament—that some of these questio ns were embodied in Bills—and that a fi rs t d uty of as " strong" Government was to see that such business have due and timely attention, and not be shelved for the gratification of vulgar, ignorant, and frequently disgusting garrulity. Most of the motions in which the " debating" of the session was spent were evi dently and confessedly factious, or brought forward for the purpose of ‘‘ testing some principle" which any presuming shopkeeper might choose to make the stalking-horse of his loquacity. Our strong Govern ment was certainly strong enough to crush or curtail such discreditable displays—to break them in the opening with stern, and, if necessary, with con teroptUotis -- reproof. Not liumerically merely, but ,_..e . Alone . fly, intellectually, the Administration was :strong •....,„.. ~ • .., N , ',enou gh to sweep away this unclean froth of the r,-.;- \:- ___,/, prest . stative seething-pot. Our strong Government, se . .. , had it taken couniel from the warnings we addressed k o „„- 0.... tin t he . early'months of the year, by going on :="4 4ll .bwTheees"ini despising the bubble and muddle of Is ' Ake ,yuloo S'wouldsha 'e found full time for the con deration_, in. either ,`hav e found every important mea \\6ld caure, -and avoided the eon.emptibl e and intolerable mockery of legislation . presented by the latter days of a protracted session. It might possibly, too, have avoided the humiliating catalogue of abortions and postponements, and the parallel between the conduct so pungently satirised in Lord Lyndhurst's Parlia mentary resumes, and that which is now pursued by the Government of which that eminent person is a distinguished member. And what has been the prac tical course of the Administration ? Far from check ing impertinent prating, our highly-gifted Premier plunged as readily into prolonged debating"—was as liberal in the exhibitions of his wit, his eloquence, his vast range of knowledge and great argumentative power, upon some trumpery motion of a Hawes, or Hume, or Bowring, as on the most vitally important questions of national practice or polity that could engross the devoted attention of a patriotic statesman. And now, at the close of the session, the Premier grows pathetic at the recollection of the abuse, whereof his own good nature, or complaisance, or as singing folks say, " willingness to oblige," was as suredly a main promoter. HERALD.—Of all the productions of the Trac tarian school, the work of Mr. Ward, of Banjo' Col lege, which has just appeared, is the most offensively Romish. He inculcates what his predecessors only insinuated, and proclaims as his deliberate creed those conclusions at which the subtleties of Newman and the mysticism of Pusey merely hinted. What is still more remarkable, and perhaps important, he avows himself to be the author of those anti-Protestant and anti-national articles on which we commented at the time of their appearance, with no disguised indigna tion. In fact the work before us, which he designates The Ideal of a Christian Church, consists of the no torious articles which disgraced and ultimately de stroyed the British Critic , enshrined and set in a series of defensive comments. He does not retract one sentiment, or recant or abjure one expression. He glories,!,on the contrary, in what most Church men must reprobate as his shame, and sets up a de fence for papers which demand from a clergyman of the Church of England un qualified retrac tation and apo logy. From Mr. Ward's remarks it is easy to perceive that what has been long anticipated has at length come to pass—the Tractarian party are divided against themselves. Mr. Palmer, startled at the ominous re sults which their writings were precipitating, shrunk back into a moderate and by no means helpless Trac tarian ; but Mr. Ward has pushed on his Roineward excursus till he finds himself at the very doors of the Vatican, a fugitive from Protestantism, and a penitent and patient candidate for admission, absolution, and communion with Gregory XVI. It is the pervading characteristic of this book that it denounces every person and institution, Protestant and English, and lauds and idolises everything foreign and Romish. After quoting other doctrines, usages, and persons in the Church of Rome, on all of which he pronounces glowing eulogies, he turns to speak of things nearer home as follows :—" I know no single movement in the Church, except Arianism in the fourth century, which seems to me so wholly destitute of all claims on our sympathy and regard as the Eng lish Reformation." "The Lutheran doctrine of justification and the principle of private judgment sink below Atheism itself." " That a sustained and vigorous attack on the principles of the Reformation is the only course, is my deep and certain conviction." " The Church of England is wholly destitute of external notes, and wholly inde fensible as to her position by 'external historical ec alesiastical arguments." " When I feel called on to use strong language about the corruption of our Church or the sinfulness of the Reformation, the .cords I use do not even fully express the convictions hat are among the very deepest I feel." This work brings Tractarianism to a crisis. It is the concentration of all its heresies in the ample and wowed creed of Mr. Ward. Palmer, Hook, and some others, whose policy modifies their principles, he de eounces as timid and intractable associates. In New man, Pusey, Oakley, and hi ms elf, does he see the types of Catholicism—the livin, ;exponents of primitive se-inciples, the fearless witness es of true religion. We 'ave no great fear that sentiments so alien to the Protestant faith and to English feeling will very widely prevail. The recollections of other days will rise with freshness and with for ce in the minds of our countrymen, and lead them to• protest against this nflux of pollution and persecution into our churches Ind our families. English maid ens will not approach the confessional, and English men will never cringe at the feet of a presumptuous pr it st, and neither the one nor the other, we trust, will part with Old Eng.- land's heir-looms—the Bible wit in nit a clasp, and the cross without a screen. Mr. Ward may find an echo to his sentiments in Belgium and: Spain, and there also plenty of scope for his thirst for confession in their convents and nunneries. But a Protestant people abominate alike the principle and the practice, and honest men will ask with yet g renter emphasis, why is this man suffered to designate kiimself a minister of the Church of England? mom THE EVENING PAPERS; .OF YESTERDAY. GLOBE.—A case of an ext raordinary, if not al together unprecedented, character, was last Tuesday , brought before a court constituted under the provi sions of the Church Discipline? Act, and held at Totnes, Devon, by special apponintment of the Right Rev. relate who presides over the diocese of Exeter. The circumstances out of which the charge arose, the proceedings in the case, an especially the im portant principle involved, cm nbine to render the affair one of special interest to the clergy of the Church of England, and o f importance to all classes of the community. Th a Rev. James Shore, was the party proceeded against : the charges alleged against him, and into the prima P•cie validity of which it was the province of the commits ,ion to inquire,were briefly these :—Bridgetown, a hat al et containing nearly 2,oooinhabitants, is a portion of:' •the parish of Berry Pomeroy, and is the property of his Grace the Duke of Somerset. f:-re 1832 his Grace built a chapel, a capacious s 'rid costly structure, for the convenience of the in avabitants. The Rev. J. Shore, who had been curate of the parish for about two years previously, and was much esteemed by the then vicar, the Rev. J. Edwai Nls, was appointed and licensed by the Bishop, minist P..r of the chapel. In 1836 Mr. Edwards died, and Mr. Brown succeeded him. He did not renew the appointment of Mr. Shore, nor was it required by th are Bishop. Mr. Shore continued to officiate as the Mit Lister of Bridgetown chapel, without interruption or qu testion from any quar ter, his Grace the Duke of Somei !set paying all the ex penses of the service. In 1843 Mr.. .Brown wished to ex change livings with a Rev. Mr. Cc sens, and the Duke of Somerset facilitated that arran Bement, which was carried into effect. Mr. Cosens• grained an addition to his income by the change, to the extent of be tween 1001. and 2001. a year. Tb is change could not have taken place without the I rood offices of the Duke. A few days after the induction of Mr. Cosens, Mr. Shore received a ?letter from Mr. R. Barnes, the Bishop's Secretary *, inquiring whether he had received a fresh appointritc3nt from the Rev. Vicar ; because if he had not f Bishop would not permit him to continue minister of the chapel. Mr. Shore consulted the Duke of f.lomerset. An appli cation was thereupon made to IV) rr. Cosens to give the required appointment to Mr. Sho. :te The application was met by a positive refusal. Mr. Cosens was "highly indignant" that Mr. Sho T e should have first gone to , "a mere layman ;" and observed that he could not conscientiously appoint Mr. Shore. He was pressed to state is •hether he knew anything against Mr. Shore. This was em barrassing He confessed th 31 he had heard nothing of him except from t' b a Bishop. Matters had now arrived at a crisis; either the chapel must be closed, and the people c f Bridgetown be de prived of a pastor who had fai Vhfully ministered to them for thirteen years, or the ;lapel must be with drawn from the Establishment. Mr. Cosens refused to re-appoint Mr. Shore ; and t Ile Bishop of Exeter withdrew his license from the cl iapel, and thus ren dered any clergyman who officia t ed within its walls liable to pains and penaltie as an offender against ecclesiastical order. There remained one of two courses to the I ti uke of Somerset. His Grace might, of course, oh e y the Bishop's be hest, deprive the people of E ridgetown of the minister to whom they were aff 2tionately attached, and send him forth injured and h elpless, leaving the pubit of the chapel which he h v I erected at great cost to be filled by whomsoever the Vicar 'and the Bishop might please to select and appoint. This was • one course; and this was, evidt t itly, the course to which it was expected the combine s 1 operations of the Prelate and the parish priest NV ould reduce the Duke of Somerset. But there w.) i another course. The chapel might be licensed umi ler the provisions of the Toleration Act. Mr. Shu re might qualify , himself as a teacher and preachy r under the pro vision of the same statute. Thus 1. separating himself from the Established Church, t' it 9 authority and control of the Bishop of Exeter ow* T him and over the chapel in which he officiated, woc uld, he naturally supposed, terminate. The control,' ef •sy would thus be brought to a close. This course flu z Duke of Somerset sanctioned and approved—it wou' id even seem, sug gested. The Duke's agent lit ensed the chapel; and Mr. Shore duly qualifier 1 himself as the minister of a separatist congre, ration, by making the prescribed declaration, and obtaining the ne cessary certificate. Mr. Shor. notified to the Bishop's Secretary that he 1 sad taken refuge .under the Act of Toleration ~ and asked if there were any other net to be do. le by him to com plete his desired severance from t he Church of Eng land. The Bishop's monition was thus converted into moonshine. The chapel, enjoined tc be closed against its minister, remained open. The a, 3rvice in it, how ever, continued to be performed in . exact conformity with the directions of the Book o f C ommon Prayer. The most careful observer would have detected no variance between the former and tl t E! present state of things. Within the Duke of Som e rset's chapel, at Bridgetown, the prayers and other re gious ordinances were performed as they had been _from its erection. The mode in which the dilate ty •created by the Bishop had been obviated by the Duke, pleased and satisfied all parties —except, indet id, the 'relate and the Vicar. These co-operators, to eject Mr. Shore ' from the chapel, found themselves foiled by a move for which they were utterly unprepared. But there was yet another chance. Mr. Shore had, by virtue of his ordination vows, engaged to obey : his Diocesan in all things pertaining to the clerical office. By preaching and administering the sacra ments in an unlicensed place—he having been duly cautioned and admonished of the fact, that the Bishop's license had been withdrawn from the chapel at Bridge town—Mr. Shore had been guilty of a breach of ecclesiastical discipline. He was, therefore, cited to appear before the Commission issued to inquire into the facts. This proceeding was preliminary to his being prosecuted in the Ecclesiastical Court, to be therein dealt with, for the restoration of his soul's health ; the wholesome discipline of the spiritual court having wondrous efficacy to raise the fallen, and to restore the erring sons of the Church to the fold from which they have strayed. STANDARD.—There is something heroic in the determination of the Irish Whigs to contribute their share, small though it be, to the general discontent, notwithstanding that they are so cruelly assaulted by the O'Connellite faction on every possible oppor tunity. Their affection for agitation is willing, like true loyalty, to suffer alli things not only for, but from, their taskmaster. It is unfortunate that a fa tality of rendering themselves ridiculous should at tach to personages so self-denying, but what choice can they have when the repealers abuse with equal ferocity Whigs and Tories, and there is only left for Lords Charlemont and Gosford the opportunity of attacking those inconsidered trifles in which Mr. O'Connell is pleased to think the guilt of the Conservatives greater than that of the Whigs ? The close of the session has produced another manifesto from Charlemont House, relating, it does not exactly appear to what, but kindly advising the Minister to take the state of Ireland into his considoration, as though that were a piece of policy hitherto untried or now likely to be neglect ed. His Gracc the Duke of Leinster, though his timid Whiggism has deprived him of the right to the hereditary and questionable motto of his house, heads this very select list ; and, in addition to that circum stance, the authors of the document demand attention to their opinion 3 on tho ground of Cho i r boin g pro prietors of estates in Ireland. The claim is one which we are not at all disposed to deny ; for opinions on Irish questions have been of late years too generally taken from persons who are proprietors of nothing Irish but assurance. We cannot, however, see why even such a qualification should enable these few noblemen to give the sanc tion of their names to statements calculated to strengthen the false outcry of the O'Connellite clique, that there is a disposition on the part of her Majesty's Government to neglect the affairs of Ireland. If the determination of Ministers to devise measures for the amelioration of Ireland were prompted by any anxiety for popu larity, the flood of unfounded abuse with which every measure is assailed by the adherents of Lord Charlemont's party might well induce them to abandon the attempt. One of the complaints made in this document is, that the Government seems to apprehend a civil war by augmenting the number of the troops, and that in this seeming apprehension there is some great evil which their Lordships are not pleased more fully to explain. It is perhaps clear to the Duke of Leinster and Lord Charlemont that the best course to pursue, when a whole population has been excited by lan guage most violent and inflammatory, is to leave that population to take their own course for the redress of supposed grievances, without presenting to them the visible tokens of the power of the law. Such, however, is not the most obviously rational view of the matter. From what ever supposed apprehensions their Lordships may think the augmentation of the number of troops in Ireland arises, it is plain that that augmentation is the most effectual mode of removing the ground for all species of apprehension, and is a course preferable, we cannot but think, to the coercion Bills and daily proclamations with which the Whigs have found it necessary to treat their present allies. THE DUNCOMBE TESTIMONIAL. A large and respectable meeting of the electors and inhabitants of the borough of Finsbury was held last evening, at White. Conduit House, to consider the best way of forwarding the Duncombe Testimonial, so as especially to mark their gratitude to their inde pendent and indefatigable representative, Thomas Slingsby Duncombe, Esq., M.P. At seven o'clock, W. NICIIOLSON, Esq., the eminent gin distiller, was called to the chair. He briefly ex plained the objects of the meeting, and after highly extolling the talents and patriotic c mduct of Mr. Duncombe, called upon the meeting to contribute towards the testimonial. Mr. R. MOORE (the Secretary) read letters from gentlemen who, from various reasons, were unable to attend. N. HEWETT, Esq., rose to propose the first resolution, which he supported by an able and eloquent address. The resolution was to the effect that they, the electors and inhabitants of the borough of Finsbury, express their high admiration of the conduct of Mr. Duncombe, whose energetic and dis interested exertions in the House of Commons de mand their warmest thanks, and something more. NV. BALLS, Esq., seconded the resolution, which was supported by J. P. BARNARD, Esq., and carried unanimously. W. ROGERS, Esq., proposed the next reso lution, which was seconded by Mr. SAVAGE, sup ported by Mr. M‘LEon, and carried unanimously. It was to the following effect :--" That this meeting learns with pleasure that a large portion of our coun trymen have already originated a subscription for the purpose of enabling them to present to Mr. Duncombe a testimonial of public gratitude for his public ser vices; and, as the immediate constituents of that gen tleman, we feel it our duty to be among the foremost in promoting and adding value to the projected testi monial, by immediately opening subscription-lists in Finsbury, and to take steps to render the testimonial worthy of the borough, and the acceptance of its re presentative. Mr. CAMERON then addressed the meeting, and warmly eulogised the conduct of Mr. Duncombe, and detailed the most prominent acts of his life. If six millions of men subscribed but one penny each, so large a sum as 24,0001. might be raised towards the testimonial. After earnestly calling upon the meet ing to support the object of the meeting, he concluded by moving the next resolution, which had reference to the collection of the fund, and placing the task in the hands of those gentlemen who signed the requi sition. Mr. KNIGIIT seconded the resolution. He said he was a Chartist—(Cheers)--and was one of those who commenced the opposition in that borough to the noxious Masters and Servants' Bill, which was so strenuously opposed by Mr. Duncombe in the House of Commons.—(Cheers.) - The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. BURBIDGE moved that the chairman be re quested to act as treasurer to the fund. Mr. KNIGHT seconded the resolution. He de scribed himself as a working man, and as a stanch friend of the working classes. He as warmly eulo gised the conduct of Mr. Duncombe as the speakers who had preceded him. This resolution was also carried unanimously. The SECRETARY then read a list of the subscrip tions collected in the room during the evening towards the testimonial, at the head of which was the name of the Chairman for 261. 55., which, by the close of the meeting, amounted to a considerable sum. A vote of thanks was passed unanimously to Mr. Rouse for the gratuitous use of the large room in which the meeting was held, and also for the use of committee-rooms, &e. A vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman for his able conduct in the chair, and the meeting separated. STUNG TO DEATIL—On Wednesday last, an ex traordinary and fatal occurrence took place in the village of Iladdenham. About one o'clock in the afternoon, a horse belonging to Mr. Uppinden, farmer, strayed from his yard into the garden of Mrs. Cox, adjoining. Here the animal kicked down a hive of bees, which instantly surrounded and attacked him with great fierceness. The poor horse kicked and plunged violently, and a man named Blunt, a shepherd, who happened to be in Mrs. Cox's house, went to its rescue. Ile succeeded in get ting hold of the horse, but had scarcely done so, when the bees attacked him, covering his head, face, and every exposed part of his body. It was in vain he strove to beat them off. Wet cloths were flung over him, and every other appliances resorted to, but it was a long time before the enemy left him. Th e un f or t una t e man was conveyed to his home, but died on his way thither, within ten minutes of the attack. The horse died the next evening. An inquest was held on the body of Blunt, on Friday, and a verdict returned according to the circum stance. The deceased has left several children to lament his untimely end.—Cambridge Independent. CABINET COUNCIL.—Sir Robert Peel, the Chan cellor of the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, and the other Cabinet Ministers who are in the country, return to town this day, for the purpose of attending a Council, to be held at the Foreign-office at half -past three o'clock. The summonses for holding a Cabinet Council to-day were issued on Saturday evening. JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES. — Capt. O'Brien, private secretary to Sir James Graham, has been appointed, under the provisions of the Joint-stock Companies Act . (recently passed by the Legislat ure ) , to the office of Principal Registrar. LAWYERS IN CIIINA.—NO attorneys are authorised by law in China; those self-constituted, are thus defined and described by a Chinese classic writer:—" V . illano!is and perverse vagabonds, who are fond of making a stir, and who, either by fraudulent and crafty schemes, excite discord; or by disorderly and illegal proceedings, intimi date and impose upon people I"—From Captain Piddinus Chinese Olio and Tea Talk, No. 15. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 13, 1944. Mr. JAMES—Did you never draw that money from the Romford Bank ?—Term it what you please, then. Mr. JAMES—Now I must ask you a question in justi ficationof Mr. Mann. Did he know that you had used his name for one shilling of this 10,000/.?—l am very sorry my recollection does not enable me to say that I communicated it to Mr. Mann, but I always possessed his power to manage his cash account. Mr. JAMES—I wish to know now, at once, whether you represent this money drawn as having been used to pay the bond?—The principal and interest together amount to 25,0001. Mr. JAMES—Have you got no account showing how you paid the 12,0001. or 15,0001.?—There is an account showing it in Mr. Follett's office. Mr. JAMES—Were you in the habit of going down to the bank and taking away bills discounted by the bank ? —They were sometimes given me. Mr. JAMES—Is there a deficiency on those bills handed over to the amount of 15,0001. ?—lt is so said in the Romford books. Mr. JAMES—Have you not had bills which you never took back, nor their proceeds either ?—They went through Glyn's in some shape or other. Mr. JA3iEs—Have you not taken those bills for 15,0001., and re-discounted them for your own purposes? —I will not say with regard to any amount. Mr. JAMES—Then what was the amount used for your own purposes ?—I cannot say. Mr. JAMES—I)o you not know that after the account for all the bank bills is made up, there is a deficiency against you of 15,7561. lls. 3d. in the bill account alone ? What have you done with the money ?—lt has been used for the purposes of trade. Mr. JAMES—In oil trade ?—Not all. The Romford Bank has cost in eighteen years above 21,000/. in rent, clerks' wages, &c. Mr. JAMES—But what has become of the profits ? They were small. Taking expenses, losses, &c., they did not exceed 12,0001. Mr. JAMES—AII of which you had ? Mr. CHAMBERS objected to the mode of questioning pursued by his Learned Friend Mr. James. The trans actions of the bankrupts extended over a period of 18 years, apd his client must be thought to be super human if he was expected to re:nembcr tha particular purposes to which particular sums were applied in all that time. It was really too hard. Mr. Commissioner GOULTIURN thought the creditors had a right to the full impression of the bankrupt's me mory at present ; and, therefore, ho would not restrict Mr. James in his right of questioning. JA xtva c.aill till lie ry alitca to know was, in what particular channel the large sum of money he had specified had gone ? It had been said by the bank rupt that part of it had been applied to the oil trade, but he (Mr. James) could prove that not one shilling had been so applied. Mr. Commissioner GOULBURN—You have a right to sift his memory to the utmost. The bankrupt's examination continued—On the Ist of July last, did you not have your attention called to this deficiency of 15,000/. on bills, and 10,000/. in cash, stand ing against you 2-1 ,appose I had. I want further time to explain that. Mr. JAMES—Do you mean to state now that those bills have gone in the oil trade ?—No ; not one quarter of them. Mr. JAMES—Has not Mr. Wilkinson, the solicitor, taken from you 51 bills of exchange, which you, however, did not give up till they were discovered by search ? I believe I myself discovered, and gave them to Mr. Follett. Mr. JAMES—No, no ; were they not found in a drawer at Aldgate ?—They must be old and useless bills, then. Mr. JAMES—Oh, no ; some of them are not yet due ? —I do not recollect any not due. Mr. JamEs—Did you not open an account with the Romford Bank in the joint names of yourself and partner in the oil trade, and which you have also overdrawn to the amount of 2,6471.115. ? Now, will you swear that your partner knew anything of such an account ? Mr. Mann is in Court, so be careful 7—l cannot speak decisively ; but I have an impression that he must have known of it. Mr. JAMES—DiII he ever draw cheques on the ac count ?—I do not know that he ever did. Mr. JAMES—WiII you swear that you ever told him that you were overdrawing an account to which he was liable ?—I do not know that I ever told him. Mr. JAMES—Then you mean to say that you began a bank account to which your partner is liable without telling him so 7-1: may have done it. Mr. JAMBS—What capital had you when you com menced the Romford Bank 7-20,0221. Mr. JAMES — And 15,0001. of that was represented by the bond, for which you were paying interest 7 Many of the joint stink banks-- Mr. JAMES—Don ' t talk nonsense about joint stock banks. I will ask Mr. Mann a few questions. The bankrupt, Mann, in answer to Mr. JAMES, said that he was partner with Johnson. Ile never knew that those cheques and bills were negotiated by Johnson. He never heard of the joint account opened in their names at Romford till after the bankruptcy. Was never aware that any.bills had been placed in the oil trade. Mr. Commissioner GOULBURN thought the proper course at that stage would be to adjourn, as the official assignee said that a very considerable time would be ne cessary to examine the accounts. Mr. CHAMBERS made application for some allowance to his client from the estate, which was, however, refused by the assignees. Mr. Mann, whose conduct they were satisfied with, was continued in his allowance. Mr. Commissioner GOULBURN then appointed Monday, the 4th of November, for the next examination. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) • MANSION-HOUSE. A young m;;; - . vvdio stated his name to be William Charles Prince, was brought before Sir John Pirie, charged with having robbed Mr. Kipling, hosier, of Cheapside, of a diamond pin at Doncaster, nearly two years ago. The prisoner was apprehended in King Wil liam-street, in the City, by Sergeant Langley, of the A division of the Metropolitan police, who took him into custody from the handbill description of him, having seen him in company with several of the desperate thieves designated " the swell mob," on the look out for prey. It appeared from the evidence, that as the prosecutor was walking in the middle of the day in one of the most public streets in Doncaster, in September, 1842, with his nephew, a person made a snatch at his diamond pin, which was fastened to his shirt with another pin. The prosecutor seized him immediately, and lieM him against the wall ; but by an active exertion he broke away, and when pursued managed to strike the pro secutor a blow in the face and knock him down. He was, however, collared and taken before a Magistrate, by whom he was committed to Don caster gaol to take his trial at the Wakefield sessions. On the third day after the committal he escaped from the prison, and was never seen by those who were anxious to come in contact with him, until a day or two ago, when Sergeant Langley apprehended the prisoner, and accused him of being the fugitive thief. The governor of Doncaster gaol had offered a reward for the apprehension of William Charles Prince, and caused hand-bills to be circulated; but it was believed that the runaway had taken an excursion to America. Mr. Kipling., upon looking at the prisoner, said he had no hesitation in stating that the prisoner was the thief. Mr. Thomas Kip Hug, nephew to the prosecutor, also recognised the prisoner. In answer to questions from Mr. Humphreys, who ap peared for the prisoner, the witness said he had seen the prisoner, not only at the time the robbery was com mitted, but for a considerable time after, the same even ing, before the Magistrate at Doncaster. George Leadbetter (the Bow-street officer) stated that he was at Doncaster at the time of the robbery, and saw the prisoner charged several times in the gaol after the robbery, and did not in the least doubt that the prisoner was the man. Sir JouN PIRIE was quite satisfied with the evidence, and directed that the prisoner should be delivered up to the constable from Doncaster. BOW-STREET. Patrick Larkin, a letter-carrier at the General Post. office, was brought up charged with stealing severa letters which had been received at the General Post. office. Mr. Peacock, the Post-office solicitor, appeared for the prosecution. William Blackburn, the inspector of water-closets at the General Post-office, stated that, from information which had been received, he was directed this morning to watch the water-closets. At about six o'clock he saw the prisoner go into one of them. These closets are all self-acting. He saw the prisoner take a quantity of letters out of his pocket and open them. He took some bills and cheques out of the letters, and these he rolled up and threw into the water. The witness then went to Peak, the officer, and told him what he had seen, and they went together and seized the prisoner. In the water they found a quantity of letters and bills. Other evidence was adduced, &Om which it appeared that some of the letters were addressed to Messrs. Glyn, Halifax, and Co., and Messrs. Barclay and Co., the bankers. Amongst the papers taken from the water closet were found two cheques for 201., a cheque for 151., a bill of exchange from Constantinople for 501., a bank post-bill 40/, another post-bill 101., an order on the Postmaster-General of the Forces, a certificate for a Hospital a cheque for 1001., an d a rece i p t f rom th e S co ttish Hospital in Edinburgh. The prisoner said ho was innocent of the crimo im puted to him.—He was remanded. MARYLEBONE. Yesterday George Edwards, ali a s George Johnson, a notorious " cracksman," was brought to this Court hand cuffed, and placed at the bar before Mr. Rawliinson, charged with having burgiariously entered the premises of Mr. Gilbart, a tailor, in an extensive way of business, at 86, Oxford-street, with intent to commit a robbery, and also with having desperately ,assaulted Police-con stable Reed, 30 E. Reed stabed, that in consequence of a communication made at the ittation by Mr. Gilbart, who suspected that he had been ibbbed by some one in his house, he (wit ness) went-to the shop at nine o'clock on the previous night for the' purpose of keeping watch, and secreted himself behind a screen or horse, upon which were hung some clothes ; at a quarter-past ten prisoner and an other man came to some folding doors at the back of the shop, one of them having with him a light ; they en deavoured to pick the lock, and, after trying for a (por ter of an hour, but without success, to effect their object they burst the door open, and came in. They must have effected an entrance by a side door in Turk's Head-yard. Mr. RalmbrsoN—When they got into the shop, as you have stated, what happened ? Witness—The pri soner said, " It's all right ; there's nobody here;" and they went towards the front door, which opens into Oxford-street. The prisoner's companion then suddenly turned round and saw me, when I instantly jumped up and seized both of them by the collars of their coats ; they blew out the light, when the prisoner laid hold of me in a private part of my person, whilo his companion struck and kicked me violently. I was compelled, owing , to the pain I endured, to let go my hold of him (the latter) who, on finding himself at liberty, rushed out through the folding doors ; the prisoner then called out to him, " Come back, there's only one of them here ;" he in stantly returned, when I received a severe blow on the head, and also felt something sharp drawn across the back of my hand, which I afterwards found had been cut. lat last succeeded in opening the shop door, and the prisoner's companion then made off into Oxford street. I called loudly for assistance, and a police-con stable, 136 E, coming to the shop, we conveyed the pri soner to the station-house ; close to the folding doors I picked up a knife, which was no doubt the instrument I was cut with ; the wound is, fortunately, but a slight one. Witness produced, in addition to the knife alluded to, eleven skeleton keys, two latch keys, a box of lucifer matches, a pencil case, a sovereign, and is. 10d. in silver, which were taken from the person of the prisoner ory his being searched at the station. Charles Right, foreman to Mr. Gilbart, identified the knife. He had placed it on Saturday night in a cupboard by the folding doors. The prisoner who, by the advice of his solicitor, re served his defence for a future occasion, was fully com mitted to Newgate for trial. James Johnson was charged with the following assault on Rhoda Dunn, aged 17, nursemaid in the service of Captain Beare, Porchester-place, Edgeware-road. It appeared from the evidence, that in the afternoon of Thursday week last, the prisoner drove Mrs. Beare and her children to the railway station at the Brick layer's Arms, they went off by the train into the coun try, and the prisoner was desired to convey complainant, who had accompanied them, home. She got inside of the vehicle, when the prisoner, after going a roundabout way, and stopping at a public-house, entered &e car riage and took his seat beside her, while another man to whom he had spoken led the horses along • he pulled down the blinds, and putting his arms round her neck kissed her; when finding that a strong resistance was made he at length alighted, and resumed his seat on the box. He pulled up at another public-house, which he went into, and she then took the opportunity of jump ing out, when, by inquiring of several persons as to which was the proper road for her to take for Porchester place, she at length reached her master's house. The prisoner's answer to the charge was, that he was somewhat the worse for drink, and that he had merely placed his haad on the girl's knee. After she jumped out he drove up to her, and offered to drive her home, but she refused to let him do so. Mr. RAWLINSON had no doubt whatever with regard to the infamous intentions of the prisoner; and, as Captain Beare was desirous that the case should be summarily dealt with, convicted him (prisoner) in the full penalty of 5/., or two months' imprisonment. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Aug. 12. (Before Mr. Commissioner GouLnuats.) IN THE MATTER OF JOHNSON, JOHNSON AND MANN, OF THE ROMFORD DANK. This being the day appointed by the Learned Com missioner for the further examination of the bankrupts, and for the proving of debts against tie estate, the Court was from an early hour crowded by parties interested, a great majority of whom seemed country persons, small farmers, and agricultural labourers. At one o'clock the case was called, and the bankrupts were placed in the box to be examined. The Learned COMMISSIONER thought that as the ac commodation of the Court was so limited, that those who wished to prove debts had better do so before the Registrar in another room. That done, if any individual wished to hear the 'examination, they might return to the Court again. This mode would enable those who had come from a distance to return as early as possible. The Learned Counsel concurred in the propriety of such a course, and the official assignees and the Regis trar having retired to: Mr. Commissioner Evans's room, the great body of the creditors followed. Mr. Commissioner GOULBURN—Now, Mr. Chambers, for whom do you appear ? Mr. CHAMBERS—I appear for the bankrupts, Mr. Johnson, sen., and his son. Mr. EDWIN JAMES said that he represented the as signees. Mr. Johnson, sen., was then examined. Mr. JAMES—Now, Mr. Johnson, I believe you were examined before his Honour on the Ist of July last ? I expect I was. Mr. JAMES—Since that time havo no papers been found, and sent to Mr. Hill, of Crutched-friars ?—No. Mr. JAMES—I ask you, did you not send several boxes of papers. to Mr. Hill ?—I sent some boxes of papers, but they have no connexion with the bank ruptcy. Mr. JastEs—When did you send these boxes to Mr. Hill ?—Subsequent to the stoppage of the bank, cer tainly. Mr. JAMES—Did you examine those papers before you sent them ; were there not many relative to the bank sent ?—I was not aware of it at the time. I thought I had sent all the papers so connected to Mr. Follett, the official assignee. Mr. JAMES—Were they sent without examination ? Without examination. Mr. JALuca—Did you uut, ou g geSt that they shouhi Lo sent to Mr. Hill ?—No doubt of it, and for this reason. When. Mr. Follett was in my office, I showed him the boxes, and said that I should like to keep them. He said, " Oh, send the papers ; put them in smaller boxes." I did put all the papers that were connected with the bank in other boxes, and sent them to Mr. Follett ; and I was not conscious that I sent papers of a similar kind to Mr. Hill. Mr. JAMES—Mr. Follett's expression referred to the boxes, and not to the papers, was it not so ?—No, no. Mr. JAMES—I presume you have been looking into your affairs since the bankruptcy?—l have. Mr. James—When did you know that you were in solvent—before the bank stopped?—l:did not consider at any time that the effects I possessed in the City of London were insufficient to meet all engagements. Mr. JAMES—Did you not know, or hear, before the bank stopped, that there was a great deficiency as re garded it?—There was an apparent deficiency in the balance-sheet taken at Christmas last. Mr. JAMES—Of how much?-19,00 01 . Mr. JAMES—Were you not told in May—l'll show you the letter immediately—that there was a deficiency to the amount of' 31,000/.?—l told you Christmas. Your May is subsequent to that. Mr. JAMES—DO you know Mt. Burness?—Yes. Mr. JAMES—Were you negotiating as to the pro priety of taking him into partnership?—l declined for two years to accept Mr. Burness as a partner. Mr. JAMES—For two years you say?—Yes; I had letters from Mr. Burness. I myself never attempted to negotiate. Mr. JAMES—You know Mr. Burness's handwriting? —I had more letters from him than I ever read. Mr. JAMES—I want a straightforward answer. Whose handwriting is that letter?—l think it is like his. I do not know that I should authenticate his letters. Mr. JAMES—Read that letter, Sir, and tell Ins whether you did not receive it?—l do not see why lam to read other person's statements. Mr. JAMES—But it is a letter with a statement directed to you, and it says that the bank is deficient 31,0001., and the writer declines to be a partner on that account. I should think that, to tell a banker that such a de ficiency existed, was rather a material communication, eh? —I disagreed with his statement then, and do so still. Mr. Commissioner Goux.nuast—Had you not better put that letter into Court, Mr. James. Pray who is Mr. Burness? Mr. JAMES—He was cashier at the Romford Bank, toe, with 3001. per annum. I will read the letter, Sir. It is dated the 29th of May, 1844. (The Learned Counsel then read the letter, which was in substance as already stated.) The bankrupt's examination continued—Now, when that balance sheet was made out in May, did you not see it ?—I rather think I did. Mr. JAMES—And it showed a deficiency of 31,6171. 12s. 10d. ?—I say I never agreed in that, nor at this time agree in any such deficiency. Mr. JAMES—Then did you ever by any process of figures attempt to show that Mr. Burness's statement was incorrect ?—No. Mr. JAMES—Did you never, on seeing this alarming deficiency, try to ascertain whether it was correct or not P—l did a few days after, I think, direct an account to be made out by a clerk of the bank,which I brought up to London, and the balance then appeared 19,000/. Mr. James—Were your books correctly kept ?—I expect they were. I depended on their being so kept. Mr. JAMES—Then had Mr. Burness any other means of making his statement, except from the books of the bank f—l think not. Mr. JAMES--Had you a private account with the Romford Bank ?—I had. Mr. JAMES—How much is it overdrawn ?—I will ad mit myself a debtor front 12,000/. to 15,000/. Will this satisfy you ? But I don't call it overdrawn. Mr. JAMES—Oh, it will satisfy me. Will it satisfy anybody else ? I suppose, in fact, you have had your customer's money out of the bank, and paid your old debts with it. That is the plain English of it. Pray what did you do with this large sum of 12,000/. or, 15,000/. ?—I paid off a bond which was given thirty years before with 15,0001. It had been always delayed till I could pay it. Mr. JAMES—Then this specific money went to pay the bond ?—Yes, in instalments. Mr. JAMES—What, at the time you drew it out ? Oh, no ; I wish for an adjournment in order to give a better answer than now. I did not expect to be ex amined to-day. Mr. James—Were you not in the habit of paying in bills and cheques drawn and accepted by yourself to your own private credit ?—I do not say a habit, but I have done so. Mr. JAMES—Have you never paid in cheques which never went through year bankers ?—lf they had been presented they would have been paid. When not pre sented they were used as - vouchers against me. Mr. JAMES—Were you. not in the habit of giving such cheques, placing them in the hands of the clerk in the Romford . Bank, and telling him to credit you with such cheques, and thus falsely receiving credit to a large amount ?—The bankrupt returned no answer. Mr. JAMES—I will refi.osh your memory. Look at that cheque for 1,000/. Did you not direct it to be car ried to the credit of your private account ?—I do not dispute it. Mr. JAMES—Did you not, after having received such credit, prevent that cheque being paid to your bankers ? —I do not think I did so. I never saw them from the time I paid them. Mr. JAMES—Did you not; give the clerk directions not to present this cheque ?—lt is a possible case that such an order might have been given in a single instance. It is possible it might have been ordered to stand over for a month or two. There is a memorandum upon it to that effect. The cheques were placed at the end of .the book to my debit. Mr. JAMES—Did you ncrty.Sir, give a distinct order that they should not be presented, and do not you know that they were not certainly do, for they were placed at the end of the book. Mr. JAMES—Was this an universal occurrence ?—I held myself bound to make up the amounts when our books were made up. Mr. JAMES—They are drawn in the names of Johnson, Mann, and Co. Pray, did. your partner know anything at all of them ?—I did not ask his sanction. I was made cash-keeper with his assent. Mr. Commissioner GOULDURN—What are the dates of those transactions, Mr.. James ? Mr. JAMES—January and March, 1839, drawn to September, 1840. The bankrupt—They stand to my debit now. — fo Did il y a o n u k rt a d n fro M m r ih j e A ß ME om s d raw w t your ak e creditfor customers' c h m e money which never were, and nkver were intended, to be paid ? —They would have been. paid if presented. lam sure if, at that time, they had gone in singly, they would havo been met. Mr. JAMES—When you wanted money for the bank, did it never occur to you to take them out of the strong box and get cash for them?—l had intended to take as sistance for their full amount. Mr. JAMES—Oh, you meant to redeem them from the bank by borrowing. the money?—Yes. Mr. JAMES—Did you have recourse to the same sys tem with bills cf exchange?—We — Mr. JAMES—Don't say we. Have you never accepted bills and deposited them with the Romford Bank to in crease your own private credit?—Not my private credit. Mr. JAMES—Were they not drawn by you, accepted by you, and by you deposited in the bank of Romford to increase your private account?—l acknowledge it. My partner had concurred. in it. Mr. JAMBS—What, do you say that your partner in London knew of' it?--I do not suppose he knew of every transaction, but I am sure that he was aware that one house was made useful to the other. Mr. JAMES—Did your partner know , in 1840, that you were in the habit of drawing bills i n y our j oint names, and hiking credit in Romford for them?—l (lid not account to Inv partner for every transaction, and therefore cannot speak positively of those bills. Mr. Jame s —By thi s mo de did you manage to get credit for a n a moun t of 10,3551. ?—I did not call it credit, fur at the time the balance-sheet was made out it was placed to my debit. Mr. JAMES—Have you not drawn your customers' money out?—The 10,000/. drawn went to the interest of the bank. Mr. James'—You do not answer my question. Did you not draw out your customers' cash for your own purposes ?—I did not use it for my private purposes. Mr. JAMES—The bend was connected with the oil concern in London , and had nothing to do with the Romford Bankf—Yes, it had. WORSHIP-STREET. Yesterday a middle-aged man, of very respectable ap pearance and good address, who gave the somewhat doubtful name of John Tontkins, was placed at the bar before Mr. Broughton, charged with indecently assault ing a child only five years of age, named Eliza Quin, in a second-class carriage of the Eastern Counties Railway Company. The mother of the child, who said that her husband was a gas-fitter in Lincoln's Inn-fields, stated, that hav ing been with her child on a visit to her father at Bille ricay, in Essex, she was returning to town on the pre ceding day, and took a place in a second. class carriage at the Brentwood station of the above railway. While entering the vehicle the prisoner, who was also a pas senger, proffered his services in assisting her to dispose of several packages she had with her, and conducted himself in a somewhat obtrusive manner. The train had started only a short time when she observed the prisoner paying very particular attentions to the child, which she had been obliged to place on the seat opposite to her, and on which the prisoner was seated, in conse quence of the crowded state of that where she herself sat. After fondling the child in a paternal manner for some time, the prisoner lifted her off' the seat of the carriage and placed her in his lap ; the child appeared to be very comfortable, and witness's observations being directed to the scenery, she thought no more about it for some considerable time after, when a lady passenger, who had been watching the prisoner's movements, called her attention to his conduct towards the little girl, and on looking at him, witness saw that his hand was up the child's clothes. The little creature was then very much agitated and frightened, and before the witness had time to do so, one of the other passengers indignantly snatched the child from off the prisoner's lap. The train went on to the next station, but when it arrived there witness ac quainted the guard of the treatment the little girl had received from the prisoner, and he advised her to give him into custody, which she accordingly did the instant the train reached the Shoreditch terminus. Mr. Augustus Rackham and his wife, who were fellow-passengers with the last witness, corroborated her evidence in every particular ; and in addition the first witness added, that the prisoner was originally seated on the same seat as the child's mother, but that as soon as the child had been transferred to the opposite scat, the prisoner crossed the carriage, and placed himself be side it. When the little girl was taken away from him, the prisoner appeared to be very much confused, but said nothing. Mr. BROUGHTON asked the prisoner if he had any ob jection to state what profession or business he was en gaged in? The prisoner replied, that he was a clerk in a mer cantile establishment, but he must respectfully beg leave to decline being more specific. Being then called upon for his defence, the prisoner entered into a long and generally irrevelant statement, the only pertinent portion of which was, that he felt himself bound to pay every attention to the mother of the child, on seeing her unprotected situation, and that on the little girl being placed beside him, he certainly took her upon his knee ; but he would submit to the Magistrate whether it was at all likely that a person holding so respectable a station in society as he did would be so mad as to forfeit his character and position by being guilty of such a scandalous outrage towards a mere infant, and that, too, in the presence of such a number of people as were in the carriage at the time in question, the vehicle being, in fact, completely crowded ? Mr. BROUGHTON said, that after a patient attention to the evidence which had been offered, he was sorry to say that he could come to no other conclusion upon it, but that an assault of a most aggravated nature had been committed by the prisoner upon the child ; but, consi dering also the public nature of it, he did not conceive that it could be taken to amount to a criminal assault. He, however, felt it his duty, under the circumstances, and for the protection of the public, to call upon the prisoner to put in bail to answer the charge at the ses sions, and the bail must be, the prisoner himself in 40/, and two responsible sureties in 201. each. The prisoner, who appeared to be much agitated, was then removed. CLERKEN WELL. Yesterday, William TVyatt, aged 22, George Walton, aged 14, Alexander Agar, aged 17, William Lincoln, aged 14, and IVilliam Carter, aged 13 years, were charged with destroying their clothes in the Holborn Union workhouse. The prisoners looked more like savages than civilized beings, and their hair hung in filthy matted locks over their faces, which were begrimed with dirt, and they were, with the exception of a threadbare party-coloured rug that each of them wore, perfectly naked. Barlow and Mundy, the porters at the Holborn Union workhouse, proved that when the prisoners were admit ted into the destitute ward of the workhouse, on Satur day night, between nine and ten o'clock, they had some sort of clothes on. In the morning, at nine o'clock, "having heard a great.noise among the destitutes," as Barlow swore, he went into the ward and saw the pri soners standing there perfectly naked, having torn their clothes into small shreds, which lay strewn about the ward. Wyatt, in answer to the Magistrate, with tears in his eyes, declared that his clothes were so ragged that a policeman was going to take him into custody on Satur day for indecently exposing his person ; they were be sides covered with vermin. He was a native of Corn wall, and had been wandering about for the last six weeks without being able to obtain employment. Walton said, he did not know his parish ; had been at sea; his clothes were ragged, and covered with vermin ; had been going about the streets for the last month, night and day. Of the other three lads two were natives of Ireland, and stated that they had subsisted upon mendicancy. Carter declared his clothes were alive with vermin. Lin coln, a native of Liverpool, said he had been equally filthy and equally destitute. Mr. COMBE sent the prisoners to the House of Correc tion for fourteen days each, for which they thanked the worthy magistrate. UNION-HALL. Yesterday Nicholas Giles, a poor emaciated-looking man, was brought before Mr. Trail, charged with wil fully breaking a lamp belonging to the South Metropo litan Gas Company. A policeman of the M division stated, that while on duty the preceding night in High-street he observed the defendant sitting crouched up at a door, which he left, and, walking into the road, picked up a stone. He then returned to the pavement, and while the policeman was looking at him, threw the stone at a gas-lamp, which he broke, and then said that he did it for the purpose of obtaining the shelter afforded in a station-house, to which place he was taken. In reply to Mr. TRAILL, the unfortunate man said that he was in a state of extreme destitution (which his appearance fully testified), that the wards for the casual paupers being full at the different workhouses where he applied for admission, he had no alternative left than that of seeking shelter in a station-house ; but finding that could not be accomplished without ho committed some offence, he thought it better to break a lamp, rather than have recourse to plunder. Mr. TRAILL said, that the unfortunate situation of the poor man was to be deplored, but still he could not be permitted to destroy property by wilful means. The Magistrate then, in default of paying for the gas-lamp, committed him to prison for twenty-one clays, a sentence with which the poor fellow seemed delighted. • LARGE HEDGES.—We have much pleasure in di recting attention to a small pamphlet just published by entitled, " A Few Remarks on the h l e to t be a r r t g s e , of fretdhgis city, Small Enclosures of Devon shire and the adjoining Counties ; by John Grant, sur veyor and land-agent, Exeter." Mr. Grant appears to have made a survey of ten parishes, all within a circuit of fifteen miles of Exeter, and extending over a district of twenty miles. He tells us that the result of his exa mination of these ton parishes, containing 36,976 acres, being an average of about 3,700 acres, is, that there are 1,657 miles of hedge, about half as long again as thl great wall of China, or sufficient to hedge round the whole of England, with an immense bank of earth, and occupying 2,642 acres.— Western Luminary. CHEAP FRUIT.—On Saturday night cherries were cried in the streets in Shoreditch at one farthing per pound. LAWS OF GAMING MINUTES OF EVIDENCE ATTACHED TO THE REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE or( GAMING. Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed, May 29, 1844. It is our present purpose to give extracts from the evidence of one of the witnesses only who were ex amined by this Committee. The evidence of Mr. Crockford, now deceased, is certainly one of the most curious, guarded, qualified, and astute pieces of tes timony, ever given by a reluctant party, anxious to . screen himself from all implications and consequences which might be contingent hereafter on his answers. The reader will bear in mind that the Committee ex amining at the time consisted, including the chair man, of nine persons. Out of these nine gentlemen, we are perhaps quite within the mark in saying that four, at 'least, had been either members of, or had, at one time or other, played at the magnificent hell— the head-quarters of imperial gaming—in St. James's street. Thursday, 28th March, 1844. William Crockford, " Esquire,' examined : Chairman—Have you been made a defendant in any of the qui tam actions which have lately been made the subject of Parliamentary interference ?—I understand so, but no writ has been served upon me. Chairman—lf any questions should be put to you on the matters with reference to which those actions have been brought, and where your answers may be injurious to you, the Committee desire you to understand that on your stating that to be the fact, those questions will not be proposed. What is your occupation ?—I have no occupation, ge nerally speaking ; I am concerned in mines and other things. Are you the proprietor of a club-house in St. James's street?—l was; but that terminated about four years ago. For how long had you been the proprietor ?—About 15 or 16 or 17 years. During the time you were proprietor of that club house, what were the rules of admission to that club ? It was a private club ; not a thing done in public at all ; it was amongst private gentlemen; I should wish to de cline answering that question. They were elected by ballot ?—Yes. You were not the person who ldid down those rules ? —No ; they were laid down by a committee. There was a good deal of play carried on at that club, was there not ?—There may have been so ; but I do not feel myself at liberty to answer that question, to divulge the pursuits of private gentlemen. Situated as I was, I do not feel myself at librty to do so. Do you not know that play went on in that house ? I do not feel myself at liberty to answer that question. The careful hypothesis, rather than admission, that " there might have been " a good deal of play carried on in this high temple of cards and dice,—the reverential delicacy with which Mr. Crockford shrinks from any divulging of the " pursuits " I) of private gentlemen ;—and his not feeling at liberty to say that he knew of play going on in his own house—are mas terly hits. The quondam fishmonger seems to attri bute a sort of theocratic silence to the mystery of gambling, as if it were the mystery of freemasonry wherewith he was dealing. But Mr. Crockford, when he says, in answer to Q. No. 2,624, " I don't care what I say about myself, but I must beg to decline bringing any gentleman's name into discussion," sup plies us with a key to some of his answers, which would appear strangely incompatible with that quickness of apprehension and general shrewdness for which he was really so remarkable. 111 the following passage it will be seen that the master-spirit of the modern Pandemonium undertook to say that he did not knot who was the proprietor of his house ;—whom he had •given it up to ;—whether, on his retirement, and giving up the mastership,the had signed any papers or not ;- who now paid him rent for the palace he had erected; —or who was its present superintendent. We are only astonished to find that he does plead guilty to some experience in betting on the turf, and some knowledge of games of chance and horse-racing. These confessions do wonderful credit to the in genuousness of the old gentleman : I should wish to ask whether you still wish to decline answering any question with regard to the proprietors of your club four years ago ?—Yes, certainly I should beg to decline it. Mr. Eseott—Are you proprietor of a house in St. James's-street ?—No. Were you three or four years ago proprietor of a house in St. James's-street ?—Yes. Who is the proprietor of that house now ?—I c annot tell ; I have given it up to the committee, and I cannot tell anything further about it. Who are the members of that committee ?—Upon word I do not know; they shift about among themselve s- Who was the person you dealt with when you gave up to the Committee ?—lf you were to ask me myself could not tell you ; I gave it up to the general use of the club four years ago. of Did you give it up at your own suggestion, or that any other person ?—At my own. To whom did you communicate your intention to gip it up ?—To the general club. To the general club ?—To the club in general. 4 „, 4 Was there any chairman of th e c l u b ?—I do 001 myself at liberty to go on any further with the qu e- - ; tions ; I must decline it. When I dealt with the clu b, should say 200 gentlemen were met together, and I elc: pressed my wish to decline it, and the consequence We ' that it was over. Chairman—Surely you must have had some one whee l you considered responsible to make the arrangement - No public arrangement at all ; it was a private sr rangement. Mr. Blake—Did you sign any paper ?—Upon my wor d , I do not kaow ; I would not give an answer to sty whether I did or not. I believe I did not. Mr. Escott—lt was a private arrangement ?—Gen e ; rally speaking. I said I grew too old, and I could 1 :le continue in the club any longer ; and I wished to ape up the club to the gentlemen, who made their own rangements. Cannot you say who were the parties who made the private arrangement ?—No ; I do not care what I about myself, but I must beg to decline bringing it " gentleman's name into discussion. ? Mr. Blake—Do you receive rent for the house no —Yes, now I receive rent for it, certainly ; the r e I Who pays the rent?—lt is paid through the gell e r ,,, rsi club secretary. When I say I receive it, my sna bbe ceives the money, and of course pays it; it is on l Y money I pay myself. Mr. Escott—Who pays the money?—l do not 10 °1 my son receives it and pays it. Is your son in London ?—Yes. Is your son now the proprietor or occupier of t liss house?—No; he never was in his life. if' Is your son conversant with the business carried on that house?—No, e never ws in it. Who is the supe h rintendent a of the house?—l d° know. re Mr. Blake—Does any person authorised by You main in the house?—No. Col. Peel—You have handed the house ov er to till club ?—Yos, and the consequence is, when they g'` pt. up I receive it back again. They have to pay the re d Mr. Escott—During the time you were propriett)reie the house were you cognizant of what took place la house ?—I must decline answering that question. no , Mr. M. Gibson—Have you had considerable &Cr rience in bein on the turf ?—Yes. And a ge n er al knowledge of such transactions ?' Y a 9 You also know something about games of cban o3 ' well as horse-races 7—Yes. ,:„, POPULAR HEALTR.—The mean term of or," t is minishes northwards in Great Britain. The hier,.." in the South Western counties, in the following 0ru_,76.6 Sussex 55, Hants 53, Dorset 55, Devon 56, Coravor, nr or the decrement in the last case is caused by the 5 "„;0 0 lives of the miners. The county of Lancaster has s — s 10 of 36, the lowest county ; in which Liverpool ratefore, 26. Human life in Devon is on the average, the re of' 29 years longer than in Lancaster, and 30 longer in Liverpool. BIRTHS. o f Oa the 4th inst., Mrs. Groucoek, Dulwich, of a dalig 0 0 1 On the 6th inst., at Seal, Kent, the lady of R. S. Th eni " Esq., of a son. Our On the 7th inst., at Bayswater, the lady of Aloe s band, Esq., of a daughter. stre et On the 7th inst., Mrs. William Grimble, Alb sur Regent's-park, of a daughter. Aen , 9 44 ... On the Bth inst., the wife of Richard Edward .a.- of Bedford-square and Gray's Inn, of a son. fO. *e' On the sth inst., at Boath Hope, the lad, 0 , 6 kenzie, Esq., of a son and heir. On the 7th inst., at Springfield, Upper Clapta°' j oix Bunyard, of a daughter. On the Bth inst., in Lawn place, North Brizterl , I li* P -I. Fraser, of a daughter. On the Bth inst., in Stoke Newington-road , th e Robison of a daughter. Pl ec* On the 9th inst., in Chester-street, Grosvenor lady of C. S. Grey, Esq., of a daughter. Se°' On the 9th inst., Minories, Mrs. Taylor, of a so% °mg .,. On the 9th inst., Mrs. Joseph Barber, of Corn a nte, e P- On the 9th inst., in Green-street, Grosvenor -eV— fT. Robert Harris Valpy, of a son. t oy o On the 9th inst., in New Burlington-street, the A i r°. P. Chilver, Esq., of a son. «,e.., On the 10th inst., at Dorset. terrace, Clephata"'- rodamtvigd ht il3 er odguit v ueg,htsers4ol Cunningham, of a son. ine° MARRIED. On the 12th of May, 1844, at Hansi, north-west P i r fo 'v edi_„ egi eosftßabelnisgharal,enM4artiobyFrNecifehritcaingEallele,nE,sqon.,&f the Best Geu r b - P. Hurst, Esq. On the 7th inst., at llutton Manse, publisher, Fleet-street, London, to Alicia, secon d stre et ' the Rev. John Edgar, minister of Hutton. On the 10th inst., Mr. Charles Wilkinson, London, to Mary Ann Corneck, only daughter of Rev. S. Freeman, of Enfield, Middlesex• ife ef DIED. the I f llas, Ellen, On the 9th inst., at Camden-road - v i llas, , „isre, t h ird Charles B. Spaeth, Esq. Annie li e ' . On the 9th inst., in Hyde-park-street, _ el l ' ofColenieentio Ist. daughter of William Frederick Gostling, M ( 17,,,,, re 11 rel y On the 9th inst., Charlotte, the wife ot Jowl L v cover, Esq., of Quex-park, Thanet Es q 0 .7 otfhce Camden -town, ge(l'il tor, Mr. ; f CM the 10th inst., at Park-terrace, Is I g n Julia, the ir" re o Thomson, merchant. On the 10th inst., at Clapham-common' , le o the //' Robert Hudson, Esq. cei Ann , On the 1 lth inst., at Camberwell -terra .adlerseelxie,ta of Mr. Timothy BeTington, aged 57. io . a, o f Sus Tq l : ). f g' Itlii?3!ate Jobuwiiiito London: Printed and Published by ~u s 0 face', lint y .- No. 112, Strand, Printer, at T . i . e v e3 y, in to (A Strand, in the Precinct of the NI 0 Middlesex, Tuesday, August 13,1844. WI th, hli k E: