The Sun. — London, England, 1832-09-25 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, Sir Walter Scott, the greatest genius and most popular writer of his nation and his age, expired at Abbotsford on Friday last,—a man, not more admired or admirable for the inventive powers of his mind than beloved and respected for the kindness of his disposition and the manly sim plicity of his character. After an absence of some months in Italy and other parts of the continent, which, it was fondly but vainly imagined by his friends, might restore his health, —broken down by excess of mental labour, — he returned about Midsummer last, with an in stinct of patriotism, to lay his bones in his na tive land. On his way home, in descending the Rhine to embark for England, he suffered at Niineguen, in Holland, a thi r d ti me , a p a r a lytic attack, which, but for the surgical skill and promptitude of his servant, must have been in stantly fatal,— and from which he never recovered sufficiently to be sensible of that zealous admira tion with which a grateful country was desirous of honouring his name, and paying homage to his setting star. It is almost needless to say, that though the death of this illustrious man has been long expected, no loss could be more deeply felt over the whole republic of letters, and none could excite more general or unmixed regret. His name and works are not onlyßritish but European, —not only European but universal ; for wherever there is a reading public,—a literature,—or a printing press, in any part of the world, Sir Walter must be regarded as a familiar household word, and gratefully admitted as a contributor to intellectual enjoyment. Of a man so univer sally known and admired—of a writer, who by works of imagination, both in prose and verse, has added so much to the stores of intellectual instruction and delight—of an author who, in his own time, has compelled, by the force of his genius, and the extent of his literary benefac• tions, a unanimity of grateful applause which generally only death (the destroyer of envy) can ensure—it would be superfluous, and perhaps impertinent in us, to speak in this short an nouncement, as critics, or biographers. The illustrious author of Waverley, and twenty other historical romances displaying the spirit of Waverley, of The Lay of the Last Min strel, and six other greater lays than ever an cient minstrel sung—has latterly been exempted from the proverbial injustice inflicted on con temporary genius ; " - et sua riserunt semis Alteonidem," and has been able to realize the most ample visions of posthumous celebrity. He does not, therefore, require any vindication of his fame, or any display of his literary merits, at our hands. Our object in alluding to his death and character is of a higher kind than that of literary criticism. Our object is to speak of him as a tolerant, candid, and kind-hearted member of that great republic of letters, of which he would willingly have been elected President had that republic acquired a settled organization—to recommend his personal simplicity of character and total absence of lite rary affectation, to the imitation of those who, though they cannot pretend to his genius, think themselves exempted,—on the ground of their inferior powers,—from the common restraints and customs of society, to which he always submitted, and to bestow its due meed of praise on that noble and manly spirit of independence which led him to the immense labours of the last years of his life, that he might disengage himself from debts and difficulties under which a less re solute mind must have sunk, or from which a less honest one would have sought relief by leaning on those friends and patrons who would have been proud to have offered their aid. The republication of his novels, with notes and illus trations, was perhaps one of the greatest literary enterprises known in this country ; and the success of the work, if it has not enabled him to leave much to his children, has at least satisfied the demands of his creditors. His indifference to the attacks of envy and ma lignity with which he was assailed in the earlier part of his career was as remarkable as his can did appreciation of the merits, and his zealous desire to promote the fame, of his friends. The garland which he threw on the grave of Byron, and the zeal with which he defended his personal character, when it evinced some courage to re but the charges brought against his memory, will never be forgotten by the admirers of mis guided genius. Though Sir Walter Scott was an unflinching Tory all his life, his politics never degenerated into faction, nor did they ever inter fere with his literary candour or his private friendships. Indeed, his party principles seemed to have been rather formed from his early con nections or his poetical predilections, than adopted for ambitious objects, or even selected after mature examination. But one distinguish ing characteristic of this great author's mind and feelings deserves, even in the shortest allusion to his memory, to be mentioned as having given a colour to all his works—we mean his love of country—his devoted attachment to the land of his birth and the scenes of his youth—his warm sympathy in every thing that interested his nation, and the unceasing application of his industry and imagination to illustrate its history, or to celebrate its exploits. From the Lay of the Last Minstrel, or the border ballads, to the last lines which he wrote, he showed a complete and entire devotion to his country. His works, both of poetry and prose, are impregnated with this feeling, and are marked by the celebration of successive portions of its wild scenery, or of separate periods of its romantic annals. Hence his friends could often trace his residence, or the course of his reading, for periods anterior to the publication of his most popular works, in the pages of his glowing narrative or graphic description. Hence the Lady ,of the Lake sent crowds of visiters to the mountains of Scotland, who would never have thought of such a pilgrimage unless led by the desire to compare the scenery with the poem. No poet or author since the days of Homer was ever so completely a domestic ob server, or a national writer, and probably none has ever conferred more lasting celebrity on the scenes which he describes. The border wars, — the lawless violence of the Highland chns—the romantic superstitions of the dark ages, with their lingering remains in Scotland,—the state of manners at every period of his country's annals,--the scence of any remarkable event, are all to be found in his pages,—and scarcely a mountain or promontory " rears its head un sung" from Tweed to John o'Groat's. In short, we may apply to him what Cicero so hap pily says of the great poet to whom in this re spect we have compared him. Qua' reazo2 quer ora2 qui locus Gracia' (Scotix)? quce species formce ? quce pugna 2 quce acies? quid remigiztnz? qui motus animorunz? qui je rarunz, non ita exptctus est, ut quce ipse non viderit, nos ut videremus efficerit ? The patriotism of Sir Walter Scott, though sometimes tinged with party, was always as warm as such poetical feelings could render it. Hence two or three of the most spirited of his lyrical pieces were written on the threatened invasion ,by Napoleon, and we need not cite his enthu siastic sympathy in the fame of his country, ,evinced in Waterloo and Don Roderick. His mind disdained that pretended enlargement, but real narrowness of spirit, which affects to consi der all lands as alike, and would be ashamed to show any predilections for home. But, as our object is not either criticism or biography, we ;must conclude these hasty remarks by referring for an account of Sir Walter Scott's publications to the short article which we have extracted ,from the Globe. He had abandoned for nearly ,twenty years the cultivation of poetry, in which he was first distinguished, for the composition of his historical novels ; he had left thus a most respectable property on Parnassus to descend into a more fertile spot below. Thence he has given to the world twenty works which will communicate delight, and extend his fame to all ages. The enchanter's wand is now broken, and his " magic garment plucked off;" but the spi rits which this Prospero of romance has "called up," and placed in these noble productions, will last as long as the language in which they ex press themselves.— Times. Notwithstanding appearances are somewhat threatening at present, we do not believe that there will be a general war. We do not see what any of the great nations could gain by war ; and we can see that - all of them would be more or less injured by it. We do not believe that France and England would have ventured to coerce the King of Holland, had they not had a good assurance that Austria and Prussia would remain passive. We hear it said, indeed, that Prussia has protested against the step about to be taken by England and France. This may or may not have been the case ; but still we return to our position, there will be no war. Our con temporary (the Standard) had an article last night in the high tragic vein, breathing nothing but war and devastation. " The blow," says our contemporary, " has been at length struck. The war of which no man can foretel the end, but which even the simplest must see can bring nothing but misery to Europe, and weakness and disgrace to England—the Whig continental war is on the eve of its commencement." The consequences stated by our contemporary as likely to result from the war are these :—" Is there any man out of the Ministry, in all England, so stupid as not to see that if this war be permitted to commence, and if England engages in it, the ruin of this Empire—the speedy ruin of this Empire—is perfectly inevitable ? England, if she engages in this war, embarks as the ally of a revolutionary state in the cause of revolution. Admitting for a moment the monstrous hypothe sis, that the revolutionist allies, England and France, succeed against the whole banded power of the European Sovereigns, fighting not merely for the integrity of their dominions, but per sonally engaged for the Crowns they wear, and the very preservation of their lives and the lives of their families—admitting, we say, that fickle France and half-disinclined England persevere in prosecuting to a successful issue a contest against a confederacy so tremendously sincere, what are we next to expect ? France, we may suppose, has resumed Belgium, and Italy, and Holland, and it may be Hanover, and perhaps the States on the Rhine ; and from the plunder of her ally, England may have recovered their Spice Islands." It is here supposed that the war on the part of the European Sovereigns will be for the Crowns they wear, and the preservation of their lives and the lives of their families." Now, before a Sovereign embarks in a war which maybe attended with such serious con sequences, it is natural that he should ask himself why he should incursuch a risk? Itdoes not strike us that the reasons assigned by our contemporary why they should encounter such a risk are at all conclusive. " If (he says) the Sovereigns of Europe have a care for their subjects—for their several States—for their own station in the world, and the prospects of their children—for their own lives, and the lives of their families—they must make common cause with the King of Holland. The war against that Monarch is (it can never be too often repeated) a war of propagandism— a war in vindication of the abstract right of re bellion ; and, as such (indeed the English Whigs are at no pains to conceal it), it is a war against every Throne in Europe. What, then, are the chances that the Sovereigns of Europe will allow advantage to this war—will allow the work of conspiracy to make way for it into their very capitals, by farther submission and delay ? Let them lose another season and they lose an ally ; and how much they lose in that, the expe rience of the first revolution war cannot fail to teach them." We had imagined that there was no question about principles or propagandism— that England and France did not differ from the other Powers with respect to the conditions of arrangement in the case of Holland and Bel gium ; that the question respecting which there could be any difference was not the terms of the arrangement, but the mode in which effect should be given to it. The separation of Holland and Belgium is a fact ; and if there is propa gandism and rebellion in the case, the Five Powers have sanctioned propagandism and the abstract right of rebellion in prescribing the terms of the arrangement. Our contemporary libels the Powers of Prussia, Austria, and Rus sia, by his mode of arguing ; for we must infer from his language, that in prescribing terms of arrangement they were insincere, and that they knew all the while the King of Holland would hold out. Charity requires that we should suppose the Conference acted bona fide, and in that case they must have set at defiance the danger from propagandism, and from appearing to vindicate the abstract right of rebellion. It is to be regretted that the King of Holland drove the Belgians to revolt, because the expenses of Government would have fallen much lighter on the kingdom of the Netherlands than on Holland and Belgium separately. But after what has passed, the two countries cannot be united ex cept by forcible means. It will be no easy matter to prevent Belgium from being one day annexed to France. A small Republic has its inconve niences, but a small Monarchy is a downright nui sance ; and it will be no easy matter to convince the Belgians that they can derive from inde pendence any compensation for the heavy bur dens which their Monarchy entails on them. How ever let us have the best settlement that can be obtained in the meantime, and if Belgium must be a bone of contention some day or other, it is as well to put off that day as long as we possibly can. It is quite clear that France, un der Louis Philip, is not disposed to aggression. Austria and Prussia know that so long as he is King of the French, they have nothing to fear from France. Why, then, should we suppose them so foolish as to go to war with France and England, merely because they are determined to make the arrangements of the Conference com pulsory on Holland ? The issue of a contest with two such counples is one which may or may , not be favourable, but the contest is sure to be both tedious and expensive. We can see no motives for their incurring such a risk. They may have been insincere in the Conference ; but they will hardly have the assurance to proclaim to the world that they were insincere by making war against two Powers for giving effect to their own declared views. We loathe war; and if we thought that Ministers were about to plunge the country in war, we should be the first to con demn them. But we have a better opinion of them than to suppose that they would take the course they are now pursuing, if they were not assured that the interests of this country will not be compromised by it.—Morning Chronicle. It was always our opinion from the commence ment of the silly interference of our Govern ment in the affairs of Holland and Belgium that those two States ought to have been allowed to settle their own disputes between themselves. If they had, the question of the evacuation of the citadel of Antwerp—of the free navigation of the Scheldt—of th e capitalisation of the debt, and others of a minor nature, would have been all decided long ago, and the general peace of Europe need not have been disturbed. If our Government had had wisdom enough to avoid entangling itself in the protocol negotia tions, as we recommended from the beginning, it would have been free to act according as circum stances might demand, in the event of Prussia on the one side, or France on the other, giving the aid of their armies to the Dutch or the Bel gians. The interference of England under such circumstances would have been an interference for the purpose of guarding her own interests against the ambitious encroachments of other Powers, and against any thing in the nature of a war of conquest and aggrandisement. By standing clear of all the absurd complexity of engagements in which she has been involved by treading the endless mazes of the protocol labyrinth, she could have awaited the opportu nity to use with effect the great means which her maritime power confers upon her, in defence of her own interests, if the necessity arose. But from the moment when our liberal Government abandoned the vantage-ground of neutrality, and leagued itself with the Holy Alliance, in making decrees never to be enforced, and treaties never to be ratified—from that moment England was placed in a position in which she must either sa crifice her honour and her interest to keep on good terms with treacherous and circum venting Allies, or, if stung by repeated in sults and acts of bad faith into war, it would be a war created by the intermeddling folly of her own Government, and not one forced upon her by inevitable necessity. Our Government, by its unwise interference, has not only mixed itself up in the Belgic quarrel, but it has placed the Belgic nation and those who rule it in a most awkward predicament. It has been Lord Palmerst o n' s p o li cy to i n d uce t h e Belgian Government to make various conces sions, on the assurance that England would use its power in coercing the King of Holland, if he should be " mad enough" to resist all milder modes of persuasion. The farce was carried so far, that even an English fleet was once sent out to the coast of Holland to carry the threat of coercion into effect. The King of Holland was inflexible—he prepared Flushing and other for tified sea-ports for our reception—but "the meteor-flag of England" was only seen in the offing—seen like a meteor, to disappear in darkness. The flag of the Nile and of Tra falgar drooped in humiliation as it was waft ed back to our shores, and the countrymen of Van Tromp had revenge for the vic tories of Blake. As to the present movement of the French troops, it is possible, as our Paris Correspondent surmises, that it may be but a coup de theatre, for the purpose of recovering some popularity for Louis Philip, whose despotic tendencies have reduced him to a miserable state of destitution in regard to reputable fame. The author of the Ancona trick may find imitators in a Cabinet moulded by himself. Yet should the King of Holland deem himself strong enough to take the field, it will not be possible to pre vent the French troops from crossing the Belgic frontier, for the national feeling will be stronger than the policy of Louis Philip, in which case we do not think Prussia will look on with indif ference, while a Monarch combating for the same principles as herself is beaten by revolu tionary France. As to the statement made at this crisis, of the Prussian army being about to be reduced to the peace establishment, it is a fabrication too absurd to require serious contra diction.—Morning Herald. WAR WITH HOLLAND.—It is affirmed and generally believed that Earl Grey's Administra tion has involved this country in hostilities against its ancient and most faithful Ally, Hob. land. We wait, the official acknowledgment of a step so fearful in its mighty consequences; trusting with confidence to the honest and just feelings of the people of England for the course which they will take upon a measure fraught with certain infamy and inevitable ruin.—Morning Post. There are few things too foolish or too mis chievous to be credited when alleged against the men who at the present moment govern the councils of this country, yet we find it impossi ble to refuse our concurrence to the remark of the French Journal Le Temps, that the block ade of the ports of Holland by a British fleet is one of those events that cannot be believed till seen. The good sense, the love of justice, the grateful recollection of past services, of the Bri tish people would instinctively revolt from the spectacle of England at war with Holland upon any such pretences as existing circumstances afford ; nor would the feeling of disgust and in dignation naturally arising from such a state of affairs against its authors be in any degree miti gated by the fact that this war had been under taken by England against Holland, not in pursuit of any British interest or in vindication of anyßri tish right, but simply because the Government of England has recently taught itself to consider the alliance of France as the prime and para mount object of its foreign policy. It cannot surely be that the present Administration will risk the popularity it loves so dearly upon such a venture. What has Holland done that Eng land should go to war with her ? She has been obstinate forsooth. She has chosen to have a voice in the arrangement of affairs which strictly and properly are her own domestic and internal affairs, the navigation of her waters, the adjust ment of her boundaries, the provision for her debt. What more has she done ? She has had the insolence to refer back to the Conference of the Great Powers which have taken upon them selves the settlement of her affairs, to their first final and irrevocable decree, in which, without admitting its justice, she had at once and for the love of peace acquiesced, when she ought to have submitted, according to her ene mies, to each one in succession of the thirty or forty final And irrevocable decrees (we protest we forget the precise number) which have gradually oozed out from the same pure and authoritative source. What more ? She hesitates to enter into direct negotiations upon the point in dispute with the Revolutionary Monarch, for whom a kingdom has been carved out of her former territory—out of a territory guaranteed to her by solemn treaty on the part of every one of the Powers whom she thus offends, seeing no fairness or equality in a nego tiation which must of necessity imply from its commencement a recognition which may be de trimental to her, and must be highly advantageous to him. These are the offences for which Holland is threatened with war by the combined forces of England and France. The threat must be a vain one. There can be no such infatuation, as the fulfilment of this threat would manifest, even in a Whig Cabinet. That matters have been brought to a point in which England, in conjunction with France, is seen to assume a menacing attitude towards Hol land, affords indeed a new and very remarkable illustration of the dexterity, perseverence, and success with which the present French Govern ment cleaves to the ancient policy of the Bour bons in respect to foreign affairs. Whatever other revolutions may have taken place, it is plain enough that there is no revolution here. The old object of excluding England from all influence and power on the Continent was never more steadily or more skilfully pursued ; and certainly never since the first moment when it became a fixed and permanent characteristic of French policy did it assume so favourable an aspect as under the sedulous and skilful manage ment of that revolutionary Government of which Earl Grey is so devoted an admirer. It will scarcely be denied that Holland and the two kingdoms of the Peninsula were the strong holds of British influence upon the Continent of Europe which have always excited the jealousy of France when at peace with England, and crippled her means or diverted their application when at war. What has now become of these ancient outposts of British power ? Is it probable that we shall ever regain that ascendancy in Por tugal which we once enjoyed, let the termination of the present contest be what it may? What are we more than France, whichever party may be finally triumphant ? Have we earned less than that power of the resentment of Miguel, or more of the gratitude of Pedro ? Shall we not find ourselves at the end of the affray precisely upon that level of equality to which it has for ages been the anxious desire of France to reduce us ? And with respect to Spain is not the case precisely similar ? Have we not conjointly and equally with France assailed the independence of the Spanish Monarchy, by forcing upon it a neu trality alien to its feelings, irreconcileable with its interests, repugnant to all the principles of policy and justice which have been universally held to justify the intervention of neighbouring States in the internal affairs of each other ? And to complete the destruction of the ancient influence of Great Britain among the Continental nations, we are seen at length threatening Holland with war—a war in which the forces of France and England are to be combined against the domi nions of the representative of the House of Nassau, upon pretences the most futile and absurd—a war the very mention of which can scarcely fail to alienate from this country the con fidence and affection of the most loyal and pa triotic people in Europe for a century to come. It is very fine, no doubt, to talk of the commu nity of free institutions and liberal sentiments by which the Governments of France and England are knit together. But it is a most unfortunate and most suspicious circumstance attending this new alliance, that all its practical results, without a single exception, are eminently favourable to the anterior objects of one of the parties, and utterly destructive of some of the most important pre-existing interests of the other.--Morning Post. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. Yesterday the City Solicitor appeared at the Justice-room, by direction of the Commissioners of Sewers, to prosecute for a most dangerous and alarming nuisance now in the Poultry. The City Solicitor stated that the Commissioners of Sewers having had reason to apprehend that some persons were meddling with the great sewer which passes along the Poultry and Cheapside, ordered that, for the protection of the public, an investiga tion should take place. After considerable trouble, it was ascertained that% nuisance was in a state of operation, and that if it was not at once checked, the greatest inconvenience would result to the inhabi tants, at the same time that the lives and limbs of his Majesty's subjects would be endangered. Mr. Truentan, of No. 10, in the Poultry, and Mr. Gould, of No. 94. Cheapside, were then separately accused of having unlawfully excavated the ground, and made drains into the public sewer. The evidence of Mr. Acton, the Surveyor em ployed by the Commissioners of Sewers, w as as follows :—The pavement had been observed to sink suddenly before No. 11, in the Poultry, and it was suspected that a drain was forming by stealth. Witness caused the ground to be excavated, and found a drain fifteen inches in diameter, and only four in thickness. It had been recently made, and without the leave of the Court of Commissioners. The great sewer was broken into and injured, and all the ground above was loosened, and rendered unfit to support the pavement. It had also been ascer tained that Mr. Gould, of 94, Cheapside, had not only made a drain through the empty house adjoin ing, but also had broken the new sewer in Law rence-lane, and inserted a drain nine inches in diameter, turned in half a brick, and that a quantity of rubbish had been thrown into the sewer. Mr. Trueman said he was not the proprietor of the house under which the work had been going for ward, but he attended on the presumption that he was responsible as the present resident. Mr. Har rison, of Lymington, in Hampshire, was the owner, and that gentleman was absent on a shooting excur sion. Witness had not employed men to interfere with the great sewer, and never had issued instruc tions to that effect. -- William Sadler, inspector under the Commission. ers of Sewers, in obedience to the order he had re ceived, had excavated the ground to the depth of sixteen feet, and found a drain made in cement on the premises. It was perfectly recent. The drain was made apparently in consequence of the building being converted into public water closets. The public sewer was so constructed that such an inno vation could not at all be allowed, and must in a little time prove a most annoying and i n t o l era bl e n uisance to the public. _ Mr. Trueman was authorised by his principal to say that he would make good any injury which might have been done to the public sewer. Mr. Deputy Brook said it was more necessary, in so serious a case, to make an example for the pro tection of the public. The LORD MAYOR observed, that the offence was one of a most serious nature, and that the discovery would probably have the effect of preventing a great deal of mischief in the most populous neighbour hoods. His Lordship then wished to know whether the Commissioners would prosecute for penalties, or by indictment ? The City Solicitor intended to proceed by indict.. ment, as the public would be less liable to danger ous e xperiments of the sort, if example were made. Mr. Truman, who is a mere agent in thislmatter, was then inforrnedby the City Solicitor that his own recognizance would be sufficient. Mr. Gould's case was somewhat similar, but not calculated to produce so much mischief. He de l Glared that the sewer was interfered with when he was in the country, and quite in ignorance. He was perfectly at the disposal of the Commissioners, and would at once pay all the expenses of remedy ing the evil which had been done, although by no means a conscious party to it. The City Solicitor said that both cases should stand over for a week, in order that the Commis sioners of Sewers might make other inquiries. Some idea may be formed of the excavation, from the fact that a waggon sunk in the pavement to the depth of several inches. G UILDHALL. A decent looking young man, named Sanderson, was charged with stealing a silver spoon from the Burton Coffee-house, Cheapside. After drinking a glass of gin and water, he was walking out, when the waiter, who recognised him as a stranger who had six months ago visited the room, and carried off a spoon, stopped him, and charged him with pur loining a second spoon. The prisoner immediately exclaimed, " Oh, Heaven !" sank down on a seat, and drew the article from his coat sleeve. In his defence, he said he had walked a great distance, and he must have put the spoon in his sleeve when in a sleepy fit.—Committed. BOW-STREET. Yesterday, four Irishmen, named Gillhain, Donne, Ryan, and Hagan, were charged with a gross and unmanly assault upon Mr. Williams, the proprietor of the White Hart Tavern, Drury-lane. They were remanded till Mr. Williams is able to attend. MARLBORO U G H- S TREE T. CONFLICTING EVIDENCE IN A CASE OF ASSAULT. —Thomas Boyle, a policeman, of C division, No. 62, appeared before the Court yesterday with his head bound round with a pocket-handkerchief, and one side of his face and nose covered over with large strips of adhesive plaister, in consequence, as he stated, of wounds which Mr. Beere, a tradesman, residing in Carnaby-street, had inflicted upon him with a cleaver. The policeman, on Saturday night, about 12 o'clock, had occasion to move a boy on who was conducting himself improperly, when Mr. Beere, to whom he was well known, left six or seven of his friends with whom he had come out of a public house, and came over to him, and, after abusing him for laying hold of the boy, knocked off his hat. Witness then laid hold of Mr. Beere by the collar, but in an instant he was thrown down, and while on the ground he received twe heavy cuts on the face either from a hatcher or a cleaver. Several police men having come to his as.istance, Mr. Beere was conveyed to the station-house, and complainant ac companied them to make his charge, and get his wounds dressed. John Hudson, policeman, C, 25, swore that he came up just at the moment when Mr. Beere threw the policeman down ; and he assisted in pulling Mr. Beere from the constable, but not until Mr. Beere had struck him with a cleaver or chopper, which he afterwards threw on the ground. Mr. Beere, when called upon for his defence, in the most positive manner declared there was not One word of truth in the statements of the police men. He solemnly denied having struck the police man while on the ground ; and with respect to the blows he was asserted to have inflic:ed on the man with a cleaver, he believed it was a charge trumped up by the policeman to screen his drunkenness and his improper conduct towards him. Ten or a dozen of Mr. Beere's neighbours, trades man, living in Carnaby-street, who had witnessed he commencement and the conclusion of the dis- turbance, here stepped forward, and begged to give evidence in favour of the truth of Mr. Beere's state ment. Mr. CONANT directed the witnesses should all leave the office, and be admitted separately, as the charge was of a most serious nature, and he was anxious to arrive at the truth. Several witnesses were then separately called in, and their testimony in no material point varied from this account of the transaction :—Policeman C 62, had been noticed by several of the tradesmen in Carnaby-street to be in a state of intoxication some time before the present occurrence happened. It was further stated where and with whom the police man had been drinking, and that a private watch man in the same district, with whom the policeman had got drunk, could be brought forward in evi dence. The policeman, who was not in a fit state to be on duty, struck a boy on the head, and laid hold of him; a tall man, a tailor in the neighbour hood was passing at the time, and after saying some thing sharp to the policeman for striking the boy, he knocked off his hat and went away. The police. man picked up his hat, and mistaking the person, from the situation he was in, he ran over the road to where Mr. Beere was standing in conversation with some friends, and laid hold of him, calling out, " Curse you, I'll have you, Mr. Beere." He then threw Mr. Beere on his knees, but Mr. Beere got up and said, " Let me go, you have made a mistake, hut if you think I am the person, I will go with you to the station-house; leave go of my collar, or I will lay you down." The policeman still continuing to drag Mr. Beere, the defendant did put the policeman on his back, but not at all violently. Mr. Beere did not attempt to strike a blow with his fist, and all he had in his hands was the tobacco-pipe he had been smoking, which was broken in the scuffle. Several policemen arrived on the spot, and laid hold of Mr. Beere, amongst whom was policeman C 25, in or der to take him to the station-house. While they were thus conveying him, policeman C 62, came behind him, and struck bins on the back of his head with his fist and the handle of his rattle, policeman C 25 dropping his hold, in order that the other po liceman might have space to strike Mr. Beere. Mr. Beere might then, on being treated so shamefully, have made a blow with his fist at policeman C 62, but they all declared that Mr. Beere never had any knife or cleaver in his hands that evening; and one witness hinted that it would be prudent to examine the policeman, to see if the bandages really covered such wounds as he said were inflicted. His ap pearance, with the exception of the plaisters, by no means indicated that he had experienced any severe . . suffering. Police Sergeant Walsh did not believe the police man was drunk when he made the charge. He con sidered that the appearance of " giddiness," which the policeman exhibited, was from the effect of the treatment he had received. Mr. CONANT, in deciding the case, said the testi mony of so many respectable tradesmen so com pletely negatived the stateme n t of the two police men, that he was bound to allow it to have some weight. He should therefore call upon Mr. Beere to find one respectable housekeeper only to be bound for him, to answer the charge, if prosecuted, at the sessions. UNPLEASANT FINALE TO A LOVE APFAIR.—A smart young gentleman, who gave his name Barber, and stated his residence to be in Coleman-street, complained that he had lost his watch, chain, and seals under the following circumstances :—He was taking an evening stroll on Sunday,when he noticed a young damsel pensively pacing along Poland-street. As he passed her, she threw a languishing look at him, and then cast her eyes on the ground in the most amiable confusion. He accosted her, praised the beauty of the weather, and concluded by declaring the inexpressible happiness she would confer by permit ting him to stroll in her company. The young lady with infinite modesty declined his advances, accom panying her refusal, however, with a tender squeeze of the hand, and pointing to a handsome house in Poland -street, hinted that was the residence of her " Pa," who expected her home immediately. Mr. B. however, urged his amorous suit so warmly, that she at length said she could not invite him to and combatted h e r ‘tyo d o e u l delicate t p e roow s m c ni r aulepo lodgings itn s her home, as " Ma" or " Pa" would be sure to open the door ; yet she would have " no objection g to la a ss cc o o f m w p i a n n e y t o be effectually, bt oer rude ." taked e Hugging himself at this lucky " chance," Mr. 13 . convoyed the young lady to a house in Sheppar d ' r street, and in t h e morn i ng t oo k a ten d er l eav e° his charmer. He had hardly left the house befor e he missed his watch, chain, and seals, and in fr turning to the house, he was informed the you lls lady had just left. The MAGISTRATE, of course, could do nothing'! Ml the matter, and Mr. B. left the office minus h' watch, and plus a little unpleasant experience. SECOND EDITION. SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock. THE LONDON GAZETTE THIS EVENING. WAR-OFFICE, SEPT. 24. 7th Regiment of Foot—Major-Gen. Sir E. Blakeney, to be Colonel, vice Field-Marshal Sir A. Clarke, G.C.8., d e. ceased, Sept. 20. Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Lanark. Royal Lanarkshire Militia—H. H. Vaughan, Esq., to be Brevet Captain, Sept. 6. DECLARATION OF INSOLVENCY. GEOGRE ASHBY and THOMAS ASHBY, Derby, linen drapers. BANKRUPTS. GEORGE WILLIAM AT K I NSON, Fenchurch-street, itr ° ' cer, to surrender Oct. 5 and Nov. 6, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Parker, St. Paul's Church-yard ; Whitmore, AO' tin-friors, official assignee. THOMAS HOLLINS, Salford, Lancashire, saddler, Oct. 8, 10, and Nov. 6, at nine, -at the York Hotel, Manchester. Ad' ington, Gregory, and Faulkner, Bedford-row, London ; ClaYe and Thompson, Manchester, GEORGE WATSON, Liverpool, publican, Oct. 13 and Nov 6, at one, Clarendon-rooms, Liverpool. Snowball, Clarendon' room, Liverpool; Johnson and Weatherall, Temple. HUMPHREY MAY FREESTUN, Monkton Coombe, sower setshire, dealer and chapman, Oct. 2 and Nov. 6, at twelve, at the Three Cups Inn, Bath. Jones, Crosby.square, London; Hellings, Bath. JOHN BRITAIN, Ripon, Yorkshire, grocer, Oct. 4, at si%, sth,!and Nov. 6, at eleven, at the Falcon I nn , Micklegate, York shire. James Williamson, 7, Gray's-inn-square, London; Messrs. Blanchard and Richardson, Yorkshire. WATTS LEES, Greenacres-Moor, Oldham, Lancaster, cot ton-spinner, Oct. 10, 11, and Nov. 6, at ten, at the King's Arms Inn, King-street, Manchester. Makinson and Sanders, Temple. London ; Atkinson and Birch, Norfolk.street, Manchester. CHARLES SHEA M, Widcombe and Lyncombe, Somerset shire, barilla-manufacturer, Oct. 8, and Nov. 6, at eleven, at the Castle and Ball Inn, Bath. Drake, Vine-yards, Bath; Dax and Bicknell, Lincaln's-Inn-Fields, London. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. T. Dodd and J. Earnshaw, Liverpool, printers. W. Jones and W. Baucutt, Soho-square, drapers. T. Williams and J. Hardwick, Worcester, glove manufacturerS• T. W. Monteath and T. Sutton, Liverpool, wine-merchants. J. and T. Lockitt, Congleton, Cheshire, grocers. M. and J. Tysack, Sheffield, ie-sinkers. B. Bewley and J. Briod, Liddington, Wiltshire. A. Latham and S. S. Gair, Liverpool, merchants. C. Swain and T. Dcwhurst, Manchester, booksellers. R. Hendrick and S. Brownentt, Liverpool, chronometer-TO' S. Young, W. S. Young, and T. Elliott, Parliament-street , Westminster, attorneys (so far as regards T. Elliott). P., J. S., W., and H. Kenway, Bridport, Dorsetshire, twine' manufacturers (so far as regards H. Kenway). Jde Smedt, Boulme, Nottingham, lace commission agents, W. Brswn, and H. Cosier, St. Albans, Hertford, auctioneer' and appraisers. W.'ii.ratson and J. Waltham, Skidby, Yorkshire, millers. W. Booth, J. French, W. Wilkinson, T. Turnbull, and w• Ferry, Deptford, Durham, flint glass-manufacturers. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE LATE KING OF SPAIN. Ferdinand VII., born at St. Ildephonso, on the 13th of October, 1784, was son of Charles IV., and of Maria Louisa of Parma : he was proclaimed Prince of Austurise at the age of six years, and made rapid progress in the sciences. From his earliest youth he detested the favou rite Godoy, Prince of Peace, who, on his aide, did n ot ease to thwart his inclinations, and estrange the Queen rom him. In August, 1802, Ferdinand married a Prin cess of Naples, whose grace and beauty gained his entire affection, but whom he had the misfortune to lose in 1806. Napoleon, who had already conceived his projects u pon Spain, then caused his ambassadors to request secret A udi"- ences of the Prince of the Aus urias, to engage him to ask in marriage one of his nieces, daughter of Lucien. Fer• dinand, for fear of receiving a wife from the hands of Godoy, and induced, besides, by regard for the p u blic interest, accepted the proposal, and wrote in consequence , to the Emperor of France. This step, having come to the knowledge of the Spanish Minister, he took occasion to represent in an odious light the correspondence of the Prince with Napoleon, and even went so far as to insinuate to the credulous Charles IV., that his son aspired to de. . e d T a h ll e t m h e o n p a o r c o h e r s , i n o fl f u t e h n e c e l: 1 r i b o y c e t he of himself arrested and confined in the E s c ur i a l. Th e f o l.' intriguesAprui v s t e u h r ams of r o f b h e i ss Godoy, e C iz seized d wc a o nu n the 29 th of Octobe r , 1807, a . O d lowing day a violent decree appeared, which declared the Prince and his servants traitors. After a reconciliation , which was probably not sincere, the insurrection of Aran' juez in 1808, fomented by the Prince, forced Charles IV., on the l 9th of March, to abdicate the throne in favour 0 1 his son, who was proclaimed King of Spain, by the name of Ferdinand VII. ; but surrounded by dangers, the caire of which he could not develope, the new monarch at' tempted at first to reconcile Napoleon, and appointed for that purpose a deputation to go and renew to him assur ances of friendship. Soon Savory came in his turn to compliment Ferdinand, whom he persuaded to leave Madrid to go as far as Burgos, to meet his master, protesting that the step would have the happiest effects. Ferdinand' not suspecting the snare that was laid for him, set out on the 10th of April, 1808, and arrived at Burr* where he did not find Napoleon, and was induced to coo dime his journey, notwithstanding the fears and entree' ties of his people, who surrounded his carriage, and cow' jured him to turn back. In fact, he had scarcely arrived at Bayonne, when it was announced to him that the Em' :peror had irrevocably determined W exclude the Bourbons from the throne of Spain, and that he required the young King to renounce his throne. Meantime Charles n',. having arrived at Bayon ne re t racte d hi s a bdi cat i on, and ordered his son to return th e sce pt re to hi m on pain to, being treated as an usurper. Being afterwards exiled to Valancy, in Berri, where he remained five years, Ferdi' nand divided his time between walking, riding, and the society of his family, till the time when the reverses of Napoleon induced the latter to off e r him con diti o ns 0f peace; in consequence of which he left Fran ce on the 9 4 of March, 1814, to return to his kingdom. Immediately after his entry into the capital he dissolve ! the Cortes, and annulled by various decrees all that the)' had done. At the same time he re-established the inqui sition, ordered all the monks to return to the convent"' proscribed all those who had taken the oath of allegianc e to Buonaparte and Joseph, and condemned to prison or to exile a great number of persons, most of whom bad ine , J ll Deputies to the Cortes. Aft er t h at period, the system "" rigour against the Liberals became more or less intene e ' according to the views and opinions of the Spanish Minis' tors, who succeeded each other in power with a rapidi t y alarming to the people and to tht government itself. In 1816 Ferdinand VII. married his niece, Maria The i resa, daughter of the King of Portug a l. O n t h e 20th ° October, 1819, Ferdinand marri e d th e thi r d t i m e t h e Princess M ar i a J ose phi ne , of S axony . O n t h e 7th e f March, 1820, h e accep t e d th e const i tut i on o f t h e C or tee° 1812, whi c h a part of t h e troops destined for Attie'?co had proclaimed in the Isle of Leon (Cadiz) at du. hill ning of the month of January, and immediately set e - . li berty all persons who had been confined for political or n i ons ; abolished the inquisition ; re-established the lihe l l of the press; permitted ail the emigrants an d par tisans w Joseph to return to Spain; ordered the o rgan i zation of th e Cortes, the Majorites (or right of primogeniture), an d , be great number of monastic orders, among which was "0 ecclesiastical n piolihi t pi ti ireoo veim provement treasury t a i d e i s ;, o t i a f in t o e o t t s tr h 0 d e s li e s gtbj n i ee,r a ees t Tsau i o o i n it idpsiaao;l file sm i r o tdonael i grtei l cshc i r t ahee i 1 e a nsibi ; eawnti abolished, ehhafiteothi Wea bolablyfy tthtoh 1 emfeoe ranches of perfidious assistance 0 ' ,1 French, under the Duke of Angouleme, overcame the liberal party, marked by superstition, party, and the old spirit of oppression was reified government. He has leftbiagodtaruyi public expenditure , His third third Queen died under suspicious circumstance', l ot Ferdinand married a fourth wife, a Princess in the Hots if of Naples and Sicily. Since that period his reign has h rol daughter who o th w e representative of the Bourbons in Spain, with the Ol e , tion of the brother of the late King, Carlos, and bisj,,,,i„. il v l i b ces e the eel; BIRTHS. On the 25th inst. Mrs. Young, of 112, Strand, of a son. .400 , On the 23d i nst. at Brighton, the lady of Capt. Richard . of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 20th inst at Blidworth, Notts, Edmund Lewis t , "' v iet Esq., of Repton Park, Derbyshire, brother of Sir Geo. of Bart., to Caroline Anna, daughter of Lieut.. General Ne' Fountain Dale in the county of Nottingham. On the `24th inst. at Pancras Church, Ethelbert-Biglan- ter o Esq., of the South Sea House, to Fr a n ces y ounges t daugh. the late John Morgan, Esq., of Penge.place, Surrey. lED. On the 2`,ld inst. in Manches D ter-street, Lieut.-Colonel Tucl'er' late of his Majesty's 29th Regiment. On the 22d inst. in Piccadilly, Mrs. Sophi a J e lfe, daug!: i i r e r r ei ° ' r the late Captain Andrews Jelfe, R.N. late of Pend Hill, On the 21st inst. at Ketteringham, ' Norfolk, alter a sevec'o4.l lingering illness, Frances Mary, daughter of N. W. Peach, M.P. On the 19th inst. at Cromarty House, Scotland, Mic hae l DO Clare, Knight, aged 55, Physician-Gener a l and Member 0 Majesty's Privy Council, Jamaica. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY MURDO YOUNO,AT- SUN OFFICN, 112, STRAND, LONDON.