The Sun. — London, England, 1832-06-12 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. Our friends, the friends of Reform and good Government, have already received a hint or two from the independent press, that if they wish the Reform Bill to be of any use to the country, they must exert themselves to put it into immediate and effective action. It is clear, we presume, to every man, that a law for the creation of a free constituency must derive all its value from the energy and wisdom wherewith the new constituents may be disposed to employ . . their franchise. No law, however admirable, can execute itself. No law can operate but through human agents. The best imaginable statutes for securing the liberty of the subject may be ren dered unavailing by corrupt Judges, or stupid and subservient Juries ; and the most perfect theoretical precautions that can be devised against an overbearing prerogative of the Crown, or against its acquisition of und , ..!c influence in stead of prerogative, may be, and have been, entirely frustrated, by the supine, the sordid, the animal indifFerence of those who ought to have guarded conscientiously the public interest from all encroachments, under what- ever form, on the part of the executive power, Our countrymen may be assured, that if they con- tent themselves with celebrating the triumph o the Reform Bill as a bare historical fact, and for• get it as the introduction to a wide field of ur gent and bounden duty, they will have gained nothing by the Bill, or by all the incalculable toil and exertion which it has cost them, but the shame of discovering after two or three years that the Conservatives have stepped in to ravish from them the fruit of their labours. If Reform and good government candidates now hang back, or are not supported by those new constituents who owe their existence to the public virtue of the peceding electors spurring on the represen tatives of the United Kingdom—if there be no gratitude in the young possessors of the fran- aise, to their t;rethien who eagerly shared the Constitution with them, and no consistency in the voters under the oid system to prosecute their patriotic work—if the Reform of our institu. tions, though framed by liberal Statesmen, .be left for Tories to finish, to act upon and pervert, why then we do allege, that Reform is but a roll of parchment, ink, and bees' ‘vax,—tbat the freedom so obtained is a practical mocke t ry, that the blind and foolish confidence derived from such unsubstantial forms, is infinitely more perilous than our former state of discontent with the corrupt concord which reigned between the principle and action of the Government, and that the lethargy into which the nation will now have sunk, is a far more fatal symptom than the acute and irritating consciousness which before afflicted it. Well then, what is to be done This. As we know that there exists an House of Lords, possessed by a spirit of unrelenting and incurable Toryism,—as we know that, apart from the Reform Bill, which was forced upOn _ _ many repugnant individuals among its MeM hers, the present House of Commons is bu slightly attached to Lord Grey's Administration and may any day in the week be induced to oil it up, on some question unconnected with I form,—under such circumstances Great Brit ought to exhibit, by unambiguous testimony, determination not to endure for one mom the transfer of power from a Liberal to a To Cabinet, before the ensuing Parliame shall have assembled. Whatever may be ea se by and by, and however impossible, after few years more, for any anti-national Dover meta to rule this empire, on principles adverse those predominating throughout the nation this time during the interval which elapses b, tween the birth of the Reform law, and its ab lity to walk alone, that precious offspring English spirit and intelligence must not be cor fided to nurses who would have destroyed it eve, in the first hour of its conception. First, the! such a spirit must be manifested by the countr! as will render the early formation of a Tory GC vernment politically impossible; second, stiC an organization of the whole constituen throughout the United Kingdom ought to lie completed, without losing another week, as rn4y secure the return of a large, independent, a9d upright majority in the reformed House of Conli n-ions, thus rendering the subsequent creation of a Tory Cabinet, if not wholly impracticable, inct pable at least of any serious mischief to the Stat . We repeat our solicitations, and with deepest eaF nestness, to our brethren, the electors of Greet Britain and Ireland, entreating them to orga nize, and not to rest until the work be accoi I plished, election committees in every quarter, f r il the effectual return to the approaching Parli - merit of candidates in the interest of the peon. Read the letter of " A Reformer" in this days Times. His spirit is right, and his views are sagacious. Let men be sought for, should some be not inclined to come forth, men who will vote through fire and water for a redress cif all practical grievances—men, who will take up, not for pay, but use, the corn laws, game laws tithes, perversioks of the poor laws, abolition sinecures, abolition of corrupt pensions, over throw of monopolies, banking,and commercial' abuses of the civil list, defects in the adminis tration of justice, the law of libel, the militar law, according to which, as at present constitute( , soldiers by profession have, in some cases, n 6 alternative but to be cashiered or hanged, an 4 the people none but to be quietly enslaved of sabred ;—to these, with sundry other important topics, the attention of candidates ought to be in' vited, and on these their sentiments ascertained Let then immediate, active, and well-regulated preparations be made for a trial of the new elective, franchise. Liberal men, of good education, and of pecuniary means which place them above net necessity or undue influence, will make upon, whole the most useful Members of Parliament. They can yield their labour without injustice to their families, and can afford to treat seductive overtures with contempt. But so likewise the' Committees must be formed of gdod men and! true. Extensive correspondences ought to be set on foot between cities, counties, boroughs, all; over the kingdom ; and wherever, as in Ireland . for instance, a scanty constituency may be left under the Bill, we would recommend that a watchful eye be kept over the progress and re sults of a canvass in such places, since Tory . guineas may not be altogether fruitless where electors are but few. But, above all things, the nation must be on its guard against the trick of changing the Ministry before the dissolution of Parliament, —a Court manoeuvre, which would throw the management of the dissolution—of the election—and of the new House of Com mons on its assembling—into the hands of a well-practised Conservative junta. 1 his must never be. Rouse, then—rouse ye, countrymen. The question is—Will you have the name only, or the thing?' ..Will you have Reform a living principle, pervading—moving—cheering—invi gorating the nation ? or, shall it be a dead letter, to our mortification, disgrace, and ruin?— TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. " us not, like the French, after gaining their popular rights, retrograde, or even stand still, which would he as bad. Everything yet depends upon the firmness of the press and people. We must march, and without delay, or the 11.• form Act will speedily become a dead letter. Now hear me, for I speak from a knowledge of the facts. " The Tories are scotched, but not killed. They will revive, if yon be not vigilant and expose their plans. " When all the hills are become Acts of Parliament, they think they will have a chance, either by Lord Grey's re tirement, which is probal le, or by a hostile vote in the Peers, (nay, even in the Commons, on any other subject than that of Reform, there is reason to fear), to get once more into power; and then the Reform Act is to be con strued and acted upon, as far as they dare do so, monarchi cally, that is aristocratically ; and by these means they ex pect that all advantage which the people: hope at present may flow from it, will be, where it can be checked or en tirely crushed. " Nut calculating how little they are likely in the end to gain, and how much more than the present Bill they are thereby likely to lose, they hope to throw out the Whigs before the dissolution of Parliament takes place, that the,edvantage of assembling the new House of Com mons, if any, may be theirs, not the Whigs, and they are to take every benefit of such occurrence. The King is said now to favour such views, and already are the landed and monied aristocracy at work . , manoeuvring, by buying and bribery, amongst the weaker boroughs and castrated counties. The Bill irs some measure may he worked aris tocratically, and perhaps the Whigs themselves, though doers of the deed, may not wish the contrary- The no tion, therefore, ought to be on its guard. Nothing is done till all is accomplished. I will name one wealthy clique, all of whom I know to be at work. Alexander Baring, and the rich Government contractor, Mellish (the butcher), who are both doubly connected by marriage with the Bath family, will lend any pecuniary aid for this purpose; and the other aristocratic connexions of this clique are to lend their influence. The Buccleuchs, Harewoods, Tbynnes, Carterets, and others are to buy and bribe as far as they safely can. There are also others which we have not time to name. " In your leaders you best know how to h indle such a topic. Tie different bodies of the new constituency should be put up to it, as also the nation in general. The people ought to be politically - if they now betray themselves. There is now no standing still ; if things are not made to advance, and at the present crisis, they will inevit 'lily re trograde, so soon as the present feeling and spirit shall have evaporated. • " The present /louse of Commons, though pledged, are but cold and reluctant Reformers at heart, and would willingly cripple the marching of the present measure, if they dared. Of the Peers it is needless to speak. " Dwell upon these points : " When the n.w Parlilt-net-it is summoned, let the elec. tors at the hustings do what they lately did in the case of the Reform Bill—pledge the favourite popular candidate to certain grand and leading measures of that policy ; such, for instance, as the Corn Laws, Poor Laws, Tithes, abolition of sinecures, pension list, and useless places, ame lioration of the law of libel, cheap Government, &e. and, ;lmve all others, let them bear in mind that we yet have the Septennial Act, which will allow at all times a term long enough to engender corruption in needy men who may be elected as Members. Let, therefore, the electors distinctly require a pledge of the popular candidate, that if at any time his public conduct shall so far have displeased his constituents as that he is required by a full meeting of them to vacate his seat, so as to allow them an opportu nity to express their sentiments of his conduct, that be will resign, end so submit himself to a re-election. This will counteract the evils which may arise from the Septennial law. " A REFORMER. " June 10."— Times. Having received, and still receiving innu merable applications on the subject of the pro posed illumination, we are really constrained to offer a day for the approval of our countrymen throughout the kingdom. The 15th of June is certainly the day on which Magna Charta was signed, and that may be too early for the pass ing of the Scotch and Irish Reform Bills. But let it be recollected that a change in the style took place in the middle of last century. Insert eleven complete days therefore, and the 27th will be old Magna Charta day. On the evening of that day we recommend that the illuminations should take place throughout the United King dom, for the new Magna Charta—the Reform Bill,—a day we trust to be for ever remembered. If the Ministers have resolved to make no alteration in the Reform Bill for Ireland, they will have a most difficult struggle to encounter, in the way of argument at least, with the repre sentatives of that country, who are almost to a man dissatisfied with the extent of the present measure. The difficulty of Ministers arises chiefly from this circumstance, that, in the pro visions of the English Bill, they have created a standard by which the Irish will insist that their Bill shall be tried, if not with a view to demand perfect equality, at all events to ascertain, by comparison, how far that principle has been violated in their case—whether something like an approximation cannot be effected before the measure has become law, and whether Parliament ought not to do what the Cabinet has left un done. Nothing can be more easy than the simple process of comparison, by which an argu ment of this nature is to be maintained. In fact, it will require great dexterity on the part of those who have created both the rule and the excep tion to keep themselves clear of that inconsis tency which is one of the most disqualifying charges that can be brought against public men, and which will most assuredly be brought in the present case upon no weak authority, and by no inconsiderable advocates. Nor is inconsistency the only charge Minsters have to encounter. The assistance which they received in their un paralleled conflict with the boroughmongers, not only from the representatives, but from the great mass of the people of Ireland, gives that country a claim upon their gratitude as well as their justice. We do not pretend to determine how far the Bill, in its present form, can be considered a violation of either of those claims. That it is so considered in -- Ireland the representatives and the public Presi concur in stating ; and it will be for those who support the Bill in its present form to disprove it, if they can. One consideration we would suggest to Mr. Stanley. He is anxious that the measure should be final. Let him consider whether the discrepancy be tween the English and Irish Bills be not too great to afford a rational hope that the latter can be a final settlement ;—let him consider whether the avowed hostility of the Irish, through their Nembers—through the Press—through their public meetings—be not a plain and verit a bl e intimation as to the impossibility of making that a final settlement to which discontent itself is one of the parties. If it was chiefly in anticpa tion of the performance of such an arrangement that Mr. Stanley gave his support to Parliamen tary Reform, it well behoves him to consider whether the permanency he has in view does not require some concession to popular opinion as necessary to the support of his own argument. The additional Members required by Ireland, which is the chief point of contention, have been refused, for this reason, that the House of Com mons is already too numerous. We are strongly inclined to the same opinion ourselves. But the addition of ten or twenty Members would not be such an increase of the evil as to counterbalance the objection of partiality, at a time when the union between the two countries is threatened with dissolution. If the House of Commons be too numerous already, the fact should have been considered not in reference to one, but to all the three Bills. The rule of proportion derived from that fact should have been applied, not to one, but to all ; because wherever a distinction is drawn which cannot otherwise be accounted for, partially must sat tach, and partiality is an attribute irreconcilable with the character of good Government. The debate on this important question, however, will soon take place. We sincerely hope that it will be conducted in a spirit of candour and moderation upon both sides, and that no party or factious motives will be permitted to mingle in a cause too important to be decided upon any other than the most enlarged views of policy and conciliation.—Morning Herald. That excellent Member, Sir John Newport, has just furnished a valuable contingent to the History of Corruption, in a short pamphlet under the title of " The State of the Borough Representation of Ireland in 1783 and 1800; dedicated to Earl Grey, in testimony of the sin cere admiration and respect which the writer en tertains for his patriotic, enlightened, and per severing exertions, by which the triumph of Parliamentary Reform has been effected." We trust that Sir John, notwithstanding the an nouncement with which he commences the pamphlet—" On the eve of terminating my poli tical life, I offer to public inspection a document connected with its commencement in 1783" will continune to enjoy several years health and strength to enable him to extend his patriotic career. There are few men who can look back on a public life of half a century with so little to dread from the monitor within the breast. Sir John, who, in 1783, was a Niember of the Convention of Delegates, assembled in Dublin under Lord Charlemont, and one of the very few surviving Members of the Committee of that body entrusted with the charge of investigating the state of the Borough Representation of that kingdom, with a view to Parliamentary Reform, gives in this pamphlet the minutes of that ex amination. He has added the names of the boroughs extinguished in 1800, and of the Peers and Commoners paid for their miscalled rested rights, on returning the Members for borough in question. The value of a command through Parliament of the money of the people had risen immensely between the period of the Union of Scotland and that of Ireland. The Parliament of Scotland sold their country for 20,0001., and some Nobles did not receive more than 111. for their share. At the Irish Union the price of a single borough was 15,0001. ; and this sum was paid to the holders of no fewer than 82, of whom 55 were Peers. But that which we deem most precious in this well-timed communication of Sir John, is a transcript from a Parliamentary document,lwhich throws a valu able light on the advantages which Christianity derives from the Union of Church and State, and tends moreover to explain the partiality of Bishops for boroughmongering. Among the claimants for compensation was the Bishop of Ossory, for the borough of the Irish town of Kilkenny, and the grounds of his claim were the following : " That, by immemorial custom, part of the oath of office, taken by the Portreve, is to be true to the interest of the Bishop of Ossory. " That, for a long series of years, all elections of Mem bers of Parliament have been held in the Bishop's Palace yard, and the other corporate meeting in his hall. " That the Burgesses are always elected on the recom mendation of the Bish' p of Ossory. " That neither property, residence, or service in tho borough is required of any freeman; and that hardly one inhabitant of the borough is at present a freeman. " That the influence of the Bishop has always been so powerful, that the Members of Parliament and burgesses have been unifot mly elected on his recommendation, with out one instance to the contrary. That the circumstance, above mentioned have given the Bishops of Ossory so much additional consequence, and obtained for them so much attention from Govern ment, that the Bishops of that See (with the exception of only two Bishops who died soon after their appointment,) for above a century past, have been all translated to much more eligible bishoprics. " That by the Union your memorialist is deprived: of that influence and consequence which his predecessors al ways enjoyed, and from which they derived great ad vantage ; and, therefore, considers himse'f entitled to claim any allowance which may be awarded for said borough ceasing to send Members to Parliament." The Bishop of Ossory does not scruple to admit that the uses to which he and his prede cessors in the See put the votes for the Irish town of Kilkenny was to obtain for them a much more eligible, i. e., a richer bishopric, Ossory having been only then worth the small sum of 5,0001. a year. This is a practical comment on virtual representation. But do not let us be so uncharitable towards the then Bishop of Ossory as to suppose that, though his admission is sin gular, there is anything singular in his case. Was there no connexion between the transla tions of the Bishops of the name of Manners and the boroughs of the Duke of Rutland ? In former days, the Barons and Baron-bishops robbed on the highway. One of the Archbi shops of Cologne, having built a castle near the Rhine, and being asked his object, as he had no lands there, answered, it was conveniently situ ated for four roads; and he turned the situation to good account, having been a most successful robber. The Baron or Bishop, who for per sonal considerations votes away the money of the people, is as much a robber as the Archbishop of Cologne ; and the latter had as good a right to compensation for the privilege of plundering on the highway, as the Bishop of Ossory for the privilege of selling his votes for translation. The celebrated Father Paul, to whom the world is indebted for the History of the Council of Trent, wrote also the history of a very singular Christian nation,called the " Uscochi," dwelling towards the head of the Adriatic. This people were one and all robbers and pirates, and Father Paul tells us that " the very clergy themselves, in their public preachings, exhort to robbery, because the churches receive the tithe of the booty ; and in Segna, and in all that region, the families held in highest honour are those who, from the remotest periods, are sprung by a continuous de scent from persons who have been hanged for robbery or killed in the act of committing it." These Ustechi were not, it would seem, so suc cessful in persuading their neighbours to submit patiently to pillage, as the Bishop of Ossory and the Barons and Baron Bishops of England and Ireland were. Even that sacred part of the spoil—the Tithes—which fell to the share of the holy men who ministered at the altar, proved no immunity f rom t h e ga ll ows . Such is the dif ference between a b ar b aro us a ge and an age of civilisation. Those who take their religion merely from the Bible, are no doubt often sorely perplexed to understand how the journals which are more especially the organs of the Church, should be so hostile to Parliamentary Reform. To such persons the claim of the Bishop of Os sory may not be without its use. It will let them see, that though Christ warned his follow ers to eschew riches, the Ben c h o f Bi s h ops are by means of the opinion of him wh om th e y pro fess to follow , bu t p refer a rich to a poor See. — The Acts of the Apostles . and the acts of the descendants of the Apostles so far differ. We must not look in the Bible for an explanation of the partiality of the Bishops for borough mongering ; but we may find in borough mongering the cause of the partiality of the Bishops for the Bible. We mean the wonderful partiality which lately mani fested itself for the Bible, the whole Mile, and nothing but the Bible, at the very time when boroughmongering was at its last gasp.—Morn no- Chronicle. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, JUNE ii. AUSTEN V. ALLEN. Lord LYNDitunsT gave judgment in this case. He said there were one or two points remaining for consideration, which related to the question, as to whether the rector was entitled to tithes of tares, clover, and other artificial grasses, cut green and given to the cattle. As to the question, whether tithes were payable in respect to these articles, judgment was already given by Lord Chief Baron Richards, in the case of Dormer v. Surs. He deci ded that tares and cut grass were not liable to pay tithes when there was no sustenance of any other description for the horses used in husbandry. It was contended, that the case of Lewis v. Young was at variance with the decision of Dormer v. Surs. The late Lord Chief Baron Alexander had decided that 'al-es and cut grass were liable to small tithes payable to the Vicar. He considered them agist ment tithes, and supported his decision on the dictum of Lord Chief Baron Richards. He took the case of Dormer v. Surs, as founded on a decision upon law, quite in point. It was a question of fact, whether it was satisfactorily proved upon evidence that there was not sufficient sustenance, including fodder, without having recourse to artificial grass. He thought the evidence was not so satisfactory as to be a foundation for judgment without farther in quiry. He would, therefore, refer to the Master, whether there was a sufficient sustenance, indepen darn of artificial grass, for the maintenance of the horses used on the farm for agricultural purposes, with liberty of reporting sp:-icial circumstances. There was another question relating to the tithe of agistment, which embraced the question as to whether the costs ought to be allowed ? Upon the whole the evidence was not sufficient to deprive the Rector of costs with respect to tithe of agistmant. THE LATE MRS. PALMER. The circumstances attending the death of Mrs. Palmer,of Ham Common, near Richmond, have been made the subject of a most serious and lengthened investigation. It would appear that on Thursday evening se'nnight Mrs. Palmer had been engaged in conversation with her nephew, Richard Sharpe, Esq., in the drawing-room, and about eight o'clock she retired to an adjoining apartment, and com plained of slight indisposition. At half-past nine o'clock Mrs. Palmer desired her maid to inform Mr. Sharpe, to whom she was greatly attached, that feeling herself rather indisposed, she should not be able to see him again that night. The servant ac cordingly proceeded down stairs for that purpose, leaving her mistress at the door of her bed-chamber, with a lighted candle in her hand. Scarcely had the young woman left Mrs. Palmer, than Miss Pot ter, the housekeeper, who was reading in the front parlour, heard a noise as if some person was gasp ing for breath. She immediately ran into the hall ; but before any answer could be made to her in quiries, she distinctly heard the same sound again, issuing from an apartment on the first floor, and it instantly occurred to her that Mrs. Palmer was either in a fit, or had met with some accident.— Miss Potter rushed up stairs, when the first ob ject that met her view, was her mistress enve loped. in flames, and standing with both arms ex tended in the door-way of a passage leading and im mediately contiguous to her bed room. The horrify ing sight for the instant paralysed her exertions; but momentarily recovering herself, she attempted to extinguish the flames, but without effect. — The cries of Miss Potter for assistance alarmed Mr. Sharpe, who also in vain tried to put out the fire, which completely enveloped the unfor tunate lady. There was nothing near sufficiently incombustible with which they could smother the flames, and they continued to endeavour to extin. guish them with their hands. The smoke, how ever, was so dense that it nearly suffocated them, and they were under the necessity of leaving Mrs. Pal. mer to her lamentable fate, as they would them selves have met their deaths by suffocation. As it was they were much burnt, but more particularly Mr. Sharpe, who received some severe burns on his face and hands. The smoke, it would seem, pre vented Mrs. Palmer calling loudly for aid ; and from the period at which she was discovered on fire until she fell on the floor insensible and half burnt, she was unable to utter a word. There can be no doubt she died from suffocation, and when she fell her head struck against the outer door immediately facing the stairs. The flames from her head-dress had partially ignited the canvass which formed the interior covering of the door, and left a burnt hole. about the size of the unfortunate lady's head. When Mr. Sharpe recovered from the effects of the smoke he ran into Mrs. Palmer's bed-room, and for the first time ascertained that it was on fire ; the flames were extending their ravages throughout the room, which was very shortly completely filled with fire. An alarm was given, and about fifty persons, who were at the time attending the fair on the common most promptly lent their aid. Water was plenti fully supplied to them, and they succeeded in con fining the flames to the room in which they origi nated. Thus the extensive building, with its costly furniture, was preserved from the destruction which, at one period, appeared almost inevita ble. In the apartments above, there were the brother of Mrs. Palmer, an infirm old gentle man, aged 80, and her son. They had retired to bed, and much difficulty was experienced in making the old gentleman acquainted with his perilous situ ation, and conveying him to a place of safety. The body of Mrs. Palmer was as soon as possible after she fell on the floor conveyed to the dwelling of one of the cottagers adjoining. Mrs. Palmer, at the time of the dreadful occurrence, was attired in a full muslin dress, with a quantity of loose trimming - , about it, and it is conjectured tnat some portion of it caught fire from the candle which she held in her hand, and being at the time close to the bed-curtains they also became ignited, which may account for the destruction of the whole of the furniture in the apartment. On the following day a Coroner's In quest was held on the remains of Mrs. Palmer, when a verdict of " Accidental Death" was recorded. Notwithstanding this inquiry, rumours of an un pleasant nature were propagated, and as it was well known that Mrs. Palmer was of recluse habits, and reported to have kept large sums of money by her, added to the fact that the conflagration was exceedingly rapid, it was deemed advisable to thoroughly inves tigate the matter, not only for the satisfaction of the relations and friends of the deceased, but of the public at large. Saturday last Mr. Jemmett, the Coroner; Sir Peter Laurie, Mr. Mackinnon, M.P. for Lymington, s on-in-law to Mrs. Palmer, and about fifty other g entlemen, several of whom are in the commission of the peace, assembled at the mansion on ham Common, and were occupied upwards of four hours in the examination. The whole of the domestics and other persons in the house at the time of the fire were called upon to give evidence, and it would appear that their testimony was of so satisfactory and corroborative a nature as to remove all doubts as ro the manner in which the deceased came by her death. That it was purely the result of accident, was the opinion of every gentleman present. On Saturday the funeral of Mrs. Palmer took place. The procession was followed by a great n umber of poor persons residing in the vicinity. Their lamentations were indescribable. Mrs. Pal trier was about seventy years of age. SIIIPWRECK.—A vessel, supposed to be a Urge smack, was wrecked o❑ the sands, about three miles io the westward of the lighthouse now erecting on the Sass Point, and we lament to add, all hands on board pe rished. A piece of sail attached to a beam that was picked up, has the words '° Christopher Davies sail-maker, Plymouth," marked on Cumbrian. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. B OW-STREET. A half-pay officer, named IV. Banbury Lavers, was examined before Mr. HALLS in private, chatgcd with having defrauded his Majesty of sums of mcinf y to a considerable amount by fraudulently admini4ter ing to the wills of deceased half-pay officers. The prisoner, who was apprehended in Exeter by Led better, the officer, was ordered to be brought up for further examination on Thursday next. .111 A NSION-HOUSE. Yesterday, Mr. John Goldham, the superinten dent of Billingsgate-market, came before the LORD MAYOR, to state that he had felt it his duty to seize and condemn upwards of 1,0001. worth of fish that morning on account of its unfitness for human food. From the late contrary winds, the mackerel boats had not been able to reach the port of London for some days ; and, consequently, a large portion of the fish were in a state of putridity. Four boats, con taining about 10,000 fish each, he had stopped, and as the fish had been caught upwards of four days, he put a man each on board, with strict orders to take the boats beyond Gravesend, and throw their con• tents overboard. In fact, the responsible nature of the situation he held exposed him to a great deal of unpleasantness ; for if he did what he considered to be his duty to the public, then he was compelled to expose the fishermen to a severe loss ; and, if, on the other hand, he allowed tainted fish to be brought into the market, then, not only the pubic blame fell upon him, but he exposed the public health to serious injury. It was very difficult for him in some cases to come to a decision; for fish, when brought to the market early in the morning, might be in a state fit for consumption, but, being on the turn, a couple of hours would serve to render them unfit for food. It required all his vigilance, at the present period, to protect the public, for no soosner was his eye off one boat, than another was making attempts, through the agency of the shorers, to smuggle doubtful fish on shore. In order to exculpate himself from any imputation of partiality, and to satisfy his mind that what had been stated to him was correct, he had re quested a saleman named Cresswell, who had dis posed of a quantity of mackerel, of which he had some doubts, to communicate to the Lord Mayor the day the fish were caught, and the state t hey were in. Mr. Cresswell said the fish bad been caught within three days, and they were in a sound and wholesome state, the greater part having been bought by some of the most respectable fishmongers in London. Mr. Cresswell here produced a sample of the fish, which having been cleaned and cut open, had all the appearance of being quite fresh, and of excellent quality. Mr. Goldham said the present was one of those e d m a a . e s y a e s t s ' b ' fi e v r s i ergia'evtplacedproved l l e y i y‘lv'Ni,ern in m warm, m fi , t t t s b o o ey b e e w d o e i faalleitdellty. be in aThreeif the bad e a state as if kept a day longer. Now, from a large cargo of unsound fish it would be easy to pick a few which would be good and eatable, though the bulk might be in a state fit to breed a pestilent disease if consumed. He had taken at random a fair sample from the same fish as those exhibited by Mr. Cresswell, and they would be found to have a very different appearance. The sample was here exhibited, and Mr. Gold ham pointed out the fact of some of the mackerel being blind, and just beginning to turn black, which appearances he stated to be infallible symptoms that putridity would shortly commence. Mr. Goldham further added, that he knew Mr. Creswell conducted his business too respectably for it to be necessary for him to do more than give his word that the fish had been caught within the time specified ; but there were small dealers, who would buy fish, no matter in what state it was. The fellowship porters, who got 4d. a turn for bringing fish on shore, were the principal agents for introducing bad fish ; for it would be sure to meet with a ready sale from the poorer classes. The LORD MAYOR approved of the whole pro ceedings of Mr. Goldham, and hoped he would still continue to exercise his very responsible office with the same impartiality and judgment which had for so long a period proved of such advantage to the public. A boy named Carey was committed on the evi dence of Mr. Goldham, for having attempted to pick the pockets of those who attended the market to purchase fish. MARY LEB ONE. Jackson, who keeps a beer-shop in Earl street, Kensington, appeared to two informations laid by Johnson, the informer, for allowing beer to be drunk on his premises after the hours prescribed by Act of Parliament. This case would not have had any claim to public interest but for the singular blunder which the de fendant made in his defence. After calling several witnesses to his character, and to repel the charge, but which they failed in doing, he put in a higher cla'm to respectability by informing the Magistrate, in a very pompous manner, that he had the " ho nour" to belong to the new police. Mr. BAwLtNsoN—Do you know, Sir, that a policeman who keep a public-house or beer-shop is liable to be discharged ? This question made the defendant put on a very sorrowful face, and the Inspector ►vas ordered to make a minute of this discovery, and report it to the Commissioners. . Mr. RawuNsoN then ordered the defendant to pay a fine of 40s. for each offence, at the same time observing, that if he were discharged from his situa tion, he would not exact the fines. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. Yesterday Charles Bond, a youth about 17 years of age, was brought before Mr. CONANT, charged with the capital offence of setting fire to the premi ses of his master, Mr. Gill, a silk dyer, in Foley place, Cavendish-square. He was committed for trial. WORSHIP -STREET. Yesterday morning, a well-dressed middle-aged man, who gave his name George Wakeman, was included among the night charges brought to this office, for having stolen a bag and its contents from the shoulder of Mr. Elkington, a brushmaker, at Wal worth. The prosecutor, about a week ago, sent down to Colchester a quantity of brushes, amounting to 41. 9d. ; subsequently he received a letter, stating that the amount had been forwarded to him by one of the coaches going to the Bull, in Aldgate, where, 011 Saturday night, he would receive it. He went there, and found what appeared to be a joint of meat enveloped in a bag or wrapper; and as he was going home with it through Bishopsgate-street, he suddenly missed it from h►s shoulder, and turning round he saw the prisoner running off with it. Police Serjearit G. No. 5, saw the prisoner walk ing at a quick pace, and apparently breathless, when in a few moments afterwards he heard a cry of " Stop thief," in consequence of which he ran after him, and secured him, with the property on his shoulder. Mr. BROUGHTON (to the prosecutor)—Was the meat sent you as a present ?—Prosecutor—No, I expect it is sent as a balance of my account, but not having opened the bag, I cannot say. The bag was now opened in the presence of the Magistrate, and was found to contain a fine leg of pork, and 31. 12s. in money, and also a paper, which was handed to the Magistrate, who, having perused it, said, " Why here's a large order for you for more brushes, Mr. Elkingto,n, and another order from Norwich for a quantity. Prosecutor—Thank you, Sir, I am glad to hear of it. Mr. BROUGHTON—Your Colchester friend ap pears to be a punctual man, for I see here's a bill in which is stated that he has sent you a leg of pork weighing 151 b. for which he has charged you Bs. 9d. ,ind cash 3/. 12s. Did you order the pork P—No. 1 suppose his brother being a pork butcher he wished to give him a turn. It appears, however, to he a fine leg of pork. Mr. BROUGHTON--I must keep the bill ar►d the order, but you may have a copy of it, and the officer must retain the money until the trial. As to the RAW HIDES. Per Stone. s. d. to s. d. Per Stone, s. d. to s. test Heifers & Stoers2 63 1 Ordinary 1S 2 0 2 2 4 Market Calf 6 0 each. leg of pork, that will not keep, therefore you may take it away. The prisoner was fully committed to Newgate for A BLIND HORSE! A DRUNKEN DRIVER ! AND A GIRL OF THE TOWN !—A cabriolet driver, named James Hudson, was brought from the station-house, charged with furiously driving. A police constable at two o'clock that morning saw the prisoner dtiving at a furious rate up White crosr-street in a cabriolet, with a girl of the town, and afterwards drive on the foot-pavement, where he expected to see the vehicle every moment dashed to pieces, in consequence of the prisoner being drunk. Having, with considerable difficulty, and at the risk of his life, stopped the hone, he took him into custody, and took the horse and cabriolet to the green-yard. The prisoner in his defence said he was very sorry for what had occurred, but that it was occasioned by a gentleman having previously treated him with a glass of rum. Mr. BROUGHTON—Your master ought to be pu nished for employing unsteady men. (To the officer)---Do you know what wages these men get? Officer—None ; they are expected no take home every night a guinea, and all above which they pocket for themselves. Mr. BROUGHTON—But suppose they don't get a guinea ? Officer—Then they must make it up. Prisoner (crying)—l hope you will forgive me; I will never do so again. Officer—Your Worship, I am astonished that there are so few accidents occur, considering the furious rate these men drive! On taking the horse to the green-yard I found he was blind ! Mr. BROUGIIION—WeII,—a blind horse, a drunken driver, and a girl of the town, are three fine characters. The prisoner's master, who had been sent for by the Magistrate, here entered the office, and gave the prisoner a good character, but said he should dis charge him. Mr. BROUGHTON told the prisoner that he should convict him in the sum of 51., but, taking into con sideration that he had lost his place in consequence, he would mitigate the penalty to ss. The prisoner, having paid the money, was libe rated, and the cabriolet restored to the owner, on payment of Bs. 61., the expenses at the green-yard. THAMES POLICE. Captain Felix Mitchell, master of the ship Forager, from Jamaica, was charged with commit ting a violent assault on John Mason, a seaman, on the high seas. The sailor eventually agreed to accept of 31. as compensation for the blows, on the Captain paying the expenses. LON DON MARKETS. PRICE ON' BREAD. The highest price of Bread in the Metropolis is 10d. for the 41b. Loaf. There are others who sell from 34d. to I%d. btlow that price. PRICE OF SEEDS.—June 11. New English Red Clover Seed (per Cwt.) —s. s•'s. fine —s. 82s. Old Ditto Ditto —s. —s. fine —B. —s. New Foreign Ditto s•ls. 6Ss fine —s. 928. Old Ditto —s. —s. fine —s. —s. New White Clover. . 52.5. 82s. fine —s. Ws. Old Ditto Ditto —s. 77 5. fine —s. —s. STew Trefoil —s. 12s. fine 50s". 525: 31d Ditto —s. —s. fine —s —s. Rib Grass —s. 31s. fine —4. 49.4. English Carraway Foreign Ditto coriander —s. —s. 60s. fine 65i. —s. —s. —s. fine —s. —s. —s. fine 255. 30s. St. Foin Rye Grass Pacey Ditto —.— Linseed, for feeding Ditto, for crushing — Canary Seed, New Quarter).--... —s: —s: tine 725. —s. —s. new 20s. 41s. 40s. 565. new —s. —s. —s. 40s. fine --s. 445. 365. 40s. --s. fine —s. —s. '7os. 72s fine —s. ate Old. . —s. —s. —s. tine White Mustard Seed —,....(per —s. 7s. Bs. fine —s. Brown Ditto —s. 10s. 17s. finc —s. tirraip Seeds, Hound: —s. —s. Bg. fine 128. Green . and Red Ditto —s. —s. Bs. tine 125., fares, Old —s. ss. tki. tine 6g. Ditto New. —s. fine —s. Ita : eSeed, English, fine (per Last) 23/. '27/. --.. Foreign 201. 24e. PRICES OF HOPS.—June 11. Kent Pockets. 5l 106. 61. 15s. te 81. Os. Sussex Ditto 5/. 51. W. 18s. to 61. 126: Ef ssex Ditto 51. 103. 61. Os. to 71. O. Farnham Ditto. Fine Seconds .................. 9/. Os. 12/. Os. to 01 Os. 01. Os. 71. Os to 91. Os. 5/. o.s. 61. Os. to (31. 16s. 41. 10s. 51. ss. to 51. lbs. 01. Os. 01. Os. to 0/. Os. Kent L'•ai Sussex Ditto Essex Ditto.. PRICE: OF OIL. Rape Oil, brown O. Refined 0 Linseed Oil 24 0 10 10 5 5 Linseed Oil Cake at the Mill, per thousand WHITECHAPIa:L HAY MARKEE—June [Tay 50s. Od. to 95i. Od. Clover...—. 55t Od. to 130 t. Od. Od. to 38,. Od. PRICE OF POTATOES.—June 8. Kidneys Scotch Reds Oxnotdes and Shaws 0/. 04. to 0/. Os. ditto. ERICES Ot LhATHEIS. Per lb. d. to d. Per lb. d. to el. Butts, English ................ 15 21 English Horse Hides.. 12 14 Ditto, F0reign............... 15 18i Spanish I)itto ................ 14 16 Dressing Hides—.—..... 12 14 Per dozen. Ditto --..........—..—...... i 7 18 Calf Skint., 36 to 441 b. 15 20 Ditto, light Crop Hides, light...—. 12 13f Ditto 40 to 451 b. 13j 144 Ditto--- . 144 154 Ditto 50 to 70113. 19 23 Ditto 70 to 801 b. 17 19 Small Seals. Greenland 184 19} Large ditto l2 13 SHEEP SKINS. Short Wool 2s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. I Lambs Is. Od. to 25.3 d• Slwarlings--..... Os. Od. to Os. 84. PRICE OF 'FALLON , Town Tallow . 443. Od. Yellow Russia 42s. Cxl. White 43s. Od. Soap Ditto 403. Od. Melted Stuff , , 345. Od. Ditto Itough--...—...22a. Od. SOAP &c. per 1121 b. Yellow Soap. Od. Mottled fiSs. Od. White 72s, Od. Graves ..... Good Graves 14s. Od. 55. Od. PRICE OF RAW FAT, per stone of 81b. Price of Tallow (as stated by the Tallow Melters)---....-2s. 6d. PRICE OF The price of Store Candles. in t Candles, per doz. 7s. Pd. to Ps. Od, COAL MAR Per Ton. dair's 17s. 6d. Bensham Main 17 0 17 0 Holywell . 17 9 Killingworth 17 6 Pontop Windsor 16 0 Shipcote 17 0 South Holywell 16 0 fantield --. 17 0 Townley _,. 17 0 Willington, IS 3 NValls End Bell tv Co.— IS 0 Ditto Bewicke and Co. 19 9 NValls End Callerton —.. 15 6 Walls End Carr and Co. 17 6 Ditto Clarke and C 0... 17 6 Walls End Hotspur.—. 17 3 Walls End Hilda IS 6 Ditto Killingworth IS 3 Ships arrived since CANDLES. :he retail is as follows . I Moulds, per dozen-9s. 6d. .KET.--June 8. Per Ton* Walls End Riddell's..., 19s. 9c l . Ditto Newbiggen 16 0 Walls End Wa1ker..,,... 1R 9 Walls End Hetton 21 0 Walls End Lambton 21 0 Walls End Stewart's ... 21 0 Walls End Adelaide...—. 19 0 Walls End Cleveland—, 16 0 Walls End Tecs 19 6 Cownen l7 0 Walls End Elgin 17 0 New Flockton, Milne, and Co. Silkstone Field and Co. 17 0 Silkstone Wilson 16 , Selby Adair's Trader 17 Shipcote Trader 16 last market-day, 47. " FORTUNE HUNTING."— A comic novel, thug designated, is said to he on the eve of appearance. Jutig_, ing from the title, its subject is an excellent one; and We .the purpose; do , . understand its execution is very much to is to say, the characters are sketched with strong humour , and some of the incidents are irresistibly ludicrous. The hero is a fellow of the Parollcs stamp ; his " s a yings O A ' doings," full of broad farce, cannot, we hear, be re al : without laughter—a good sign for the ne w nove l ; f or i'll? e " a reader laughs, he is always pleased. The work includee' aiso, a specimen or two of the female fortune-hun'er. THE LATE FIRE IN OXFORD-STREE T _Yesterday evening an a dj ourned inquest was held At 'I"- Middlesex Ho.pttal, on th e b o d y of CHARLES R IC HO° NAPOLEON FEAR/sic°, who died from the injuries be r e ; ceived at the late fire in Oxford street. The Jury,,„a,,,i hearing evidence, retur ne d t h e follow i ng verdict—" .1"-• after due deliberation, they were of opinion the decea se'' came by his d eat h i n consequence of JONATHAN , THEas having w ilf u l ly set fire to his house, but in o e de conception, in doing so he entertained no malice towar 4 the deceased, in consequence o f w hi c h th e y could 0 " bring in a verdict of Wilful Murder." —.one BIRTHS. , 1 On the 10th i ns t . a t Curzen Lodge, Brompton, the 134 ° Wiffia - rn Judd, of a son. *D v, On the II th inst. at Kensington, of a son, wife of John Esq., of Friday -street. MARRIED. Wdliam Eitcottf to On the 7th inst. at Fairford, the Rev. Lucy lloratia, fourth daughter of the Dean of Gloucester. ger At Perth, Lord Cardross, ,on of the Ear l o f Buchan , to .13 second daughter of Archibald Tarry, Esq., of Gorgie. of On the 30th ult. at Bath, Richard Chenevix, second s , arcs Richard Trench, Esq., of Bursledon Lodge, Hants,. to Fr 3,0 11 Mary, 'daughter of the late Francis Trench, Esq., of SOP Hall, Tipperary. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY MURDO SUN OFFICE, 112, STRAND, LONDON. DIED. , 18 0 ' On the 9th inst. at Hertford, Mrs. Anne Dim s dale, in t h e year of her age. On the 9th inst. in Dover-street, the infant son of the R ev ' 14' Fardell. Cuf e On the 3d inst. at Belmount, county of Mayo, James, Blake, Esq.