The Sun. — London, England, 1832-12-05 00:00:00

SPIRIT or THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. , Though adding any thing to what has been so powerfully and unanswerably urged against the house and window duties may have the ap pearance of slaying the slain, yet we cannot re frain from giving two reasons, which appear to its alike obvious and irresistible, though they do not seem to have occurred to any of the nu. merous speakers who delivered their sentiments upon the subject at the late meeting in the City. These am— t. That these taxes take for their data a man's neces sities, without any reference to his ability. 2. That they defeat their own object, by swelling the number of absentees, who spend their income in untaxed commodities el'ewhere. In proof of the first of these we need only take, from many others, the two instances of a man's trade, and the number of his family. How many men are there who, far from carry ing on a lucrative business, are still compelled to live in premises of great show, extent, and expense, and who, in addition to heavy losses, have these taxes to pay to ten times the amount of the wealthy foreign merchant, or wholesale dealer, who, at his counting-house or ware house in some obscure court in the City, is amassing thousands, and pays no assessed taxes at all ? In private life, to the man with a large family, the burden is still more onerous and unjust. In his case the size of his house is regulated, not by his means of living, but by the number of persons to be housed ; while the man with no family at all, but perhaps of ten times his wealth, in a lodging, contributes not one iota in this way to the exi pencies of the State. Under the second head it is quite notorious that since the continent has been open to our countrymen, shoals of them have every year unwillingly expatriated them selves, merely on the score of the expense of living at home being beyond their means. This is a disadvantage which must always attend a highly-taxed country ; but then the secret of taxation should consist in rendering it as little onerous as possible on the middle and lower ranks of society, and in taking care that even in being induced to avoid one tax people do not evade all. Now the great difference between the expense of living in this and other countries consists principally in the article of house rent, which is here mainly enhanced by the direct taxes in question. This it is that has driven hundreds upon hundreds of English, Scotch, ar.d Irish to spend their incomes abroad, and thus avoid not only these two taxes, but the many other sources of revenue at home to which they must otherwise have contributed. And to such an extent for the last 15 years has this ab senteeism been carried, that it may fairly be doubted whether the country has not lost more by it, in the various other heade of the revenue, than the whole of the house and window duties have in the same period produced. In the repeal of taxes very little judgment has unfortu nately hitherto been shown ; mere clamour having, in most instances, taken the place of any thing like discretion, foresight, or discernment. In the case before us, however, both justice and policy go hand in hand with public opinion ; and whether it be economy or substitution which fills up the vacuum to be created, this partial burden must and will, we have no doubt, be speedily done away with.—Morning Herald. After what we said yesterday of the tenour of the speeches, and the result of the discussion, on the address in the French Chamber of Deputies, our readers will feel vet) , little interest in any further details on the subject. A little incident, however, occurred towards the close of the deli beration which, as it gave rise to an explosion of violence totally at variance with the previous course of the proceeding, and is, moreover, con nected with a curious portion of recent history, deserves to he noticed. M. Odillon Barrot, in showing that the declaration of the military law in Paris on the 6th of June was as unnecessary as it was unconstitutional, alleged that the de cree for declaring the capital in a state of siege had only been adopted in the afternoon of that day, when order had already been restored, and when, consequently, the ordinary tribunals and authorities ought to have been allowed to pursue their usual course in ordering the arrest and punishing the crimes of the insurgents. To this assertion Admiral de Rigny, the Minister of Marine, gave a hasty contradiction by interrupt ing the speaker, and declared that the decree had been unanimously agreed to at a Cabinet Council in the morning. The Opposition orator adroitly said that in present circumstances he would take the word of the Minister, and de cline the reassertion of his statement. The point was of some importance, as M. Odillon Bar. rot immediately perceived, by placing the de claration of the King and that of his Minister in direct opposition to each other. M. Barrot had been one of a deputation who waited on the King in the afternoon of the 6th of June, when the insurrection had been subdued. We some time ago quoted the report of this interview from the recent work of M. Sarrans, and our readers will probably recollect that his Majesty took eredit to himself for opposinr , the measure of a state of siege which he said ° his Ministers had projected. Here, therefore, his Majesty was found saying in the afternoon that no such mea sure had Len adopted, and Admiral de Rigny declaring that it had been adopted in the morn ing. The contradiction is palpable, and it will not be easy to explain it away without supposing that his Majesty, who then had no President of the Council, and who generally presided over its deliberations himself, had not been made ac quainted in the afternoon of that day with what, in an important crisis, his Ministers had decided on in the morning. That the Opposition de puties cannot be mistaken as to the date is evi dent from the report which they made to their constituent body, sitting at the house of M. Laffitte, immediately after the interview, and which is recorded, as we have already mentioned, not only in Sarrans's book, but in other publi cations. Probably the French Ministerial jour nals will be able to help us to some better ex planation. Some warm altercation took place on Saturday between a Ministerial Member and the party of the Movement, but as such con flicts are common , and imply no point s o f inte rest beyond the Chamber itself, it would be superfluous to describe them.—Times. Our readers must have observed that we have been very chary of remarks respecting I re l an d. We have not been inattentive observers of the proceedings in that country, nor have we been indifferent to them. The fact is, we have seen but too clearly that Mr. Stanley had involved Ministers in a course with regard to tithes that would infallibly heap mortification on them and all their adherents in that country. Mr. Stan ley is a clever man unquestionably, and it may seem strange to the heir of the house of Derby that so great a man as himself should fail so signally in Ireland ; but a man may do very well for England, and (as is shown in the case of the unfortunate Mr. Dawkins in the Wild Sports of the West") " not do at all for Galway." We saw that our advice might be liable to misconstruction, and that the system of eternal snarling at O'Connell (whom Mr. Stan ley has made what he is) pursued by some of our contemporaries, was more likely to prove palatable here, however unprofitable in the end. In fact, Mr. Stanley's policy has from the first been utterly inexplicable on any received prin ciples. We can understand the meaning of those who, like the Duke of Wellington, think that Ireland should be reconquered, and the population, after being duly thinned, subjected to another century of Helotism. But with a country in the enjoyment of popular institutions and popular suffrage, in which the mass of the 'people do not look to the law for protection, but to a system of organised intimidation (for the limit to undue exaction is not the ability of the tenant, but the death that awaits the man who takes a farm over the head of another), it is incomprehensible to us how any man, with brains in his head, should think of giving strength to authority, by adding to the com binations for defeating the law an acces .ion of the most powerful interests. The Governments on the continent, which we choose to term despotic, generally take care to protect •he lower orders that they may not become instru ments in the hands of ambitious men. A well• eti Austrian or Bohemian peasant, whom nei ,,her landlord nor priest can injure, is proof against all the blandishments of sedition. But, n Ireland the lower orders as yet owe literally ;loafing to the Government. They exist by heir power of setting the law at defiance ; for the landlords under the law are, by the compe tition for land as the only means of existence to :he population, vested with what is tantamount to the power of life and death over them—a power which is only counteracted by terrorism. With these elements of discontent, the Govern ment have proceeded, as if what usually secures ;)bedience to law—the interest of the body of the people—had the same existence in Ireland which it has in England. Obedience to the law was to precede, instead of following, the changes which shall make it palatable to . the people. What ;night have been effected by persuasion of its benefit, was persisted in, when a contrary per suasion prevailed, merely with the view of exhi biting the possession of power. The result has been most unfortunate. At the eve of a gene. ral election, the mass of the population, by the absurd perseverance in an irritating system, are alienated, b e y on d recover y, f rom the Govern ment. Mr. O'Connell is now completely Lord of the Ascendant. We are assured by those ,vho know well the state of things in Ireland, chat the elections will almost everywhere go against Ministers. Mr. Stanley has made re• peal the sine qua non for appearing before the electors of Ireland. Some stood out for a cinger and some for a shorter period ; but all have at length been obliged to conform. Mr. Sheil, we have no doubt, hung back as long as oe could ; but he is now a first-rate Repealer. At the meeting of the Political Union on l'hursday last, we find him declaring_ " There are eight millions of us—(Reiterated cheers)— ind if there was reason for opposing the Union when there were but four millions, is there not some rea•on for de• minding the same measure of dealing as an Irish Parlia ment would adopt when there are eiv.ht ? It is said that w e should wait for a reformed Parliament. We have .mad some experience of a refirming Parliament.—(Loud ol,eers.) Is not all Ireland reduced to a condition the , oust distressing and most perilous? Is not the very cry .or repeal, in the minds of Englishmen, a proof of the :•.stal mismanagement of the country? And how is the reformed Parliament to remedy these evils? Not, surely, persevering in the same fatal policy, which must ine vitably be the case, unless the British House of Commons shall be scared by the fear of repeal into the adoption of a qt.ter dealing towards Ireland. In the last Session, it was riot Whig against Irishmen, nor Tory against Irishmen, rut it was Englishmen against Irishmen.—(Clieers.) It vas a national, not a party feeling ; we were arrayed and marshalled against each other, and men who were most lisposed to contention on other questions, Leagued them elves together to put Ireland down.—(Cheers.) Per h ips it may he said, the fault was ours.' How? What 17 is our crime? Giving an opinion on our own business rml concerns. For was not the tithe question our qua ? It was net English—it was not imperial ;it was strictly and exclusively Irish ; and on this point on which, it there had been a domestic Parliament, Englishmen would have had no sort of right to interfere, there was an alli- once made to roar and bellow down in gregarious tumult, very remonstrance made by Irishmen against the injustice arid the impolicy of their measures. There it is that I say, that in the reformed Parliament, as well as in the unreformed one, it befits Ireland to assume a high and im ;,erious attitude, and to press Repeal,' if for no other durpose than, with a view to its avoidance, to extend jus tice to the country. Let there be but forty Irishmen corn ,,ined on this great measure, who shall act in a comhina- tion, which sfisll represent the confederacy of the Irish people, and salutary results will speedily accrue. They can arbitrate between rival parties, and let politicians talk with as much magniloquence of phrase, and as much vaunt is they like—still, such is the passion for power and office, chat in emergencies the Government will accommodate themselves to the exigency of the occasion, and send for the Members, and inquire, ' Pray, Gentlemen, what do you wish should he done for your country ?' Thus, there !Ore, independently of the grandeur of the object, the •neans which are afforded by repeal become more salu *arv. This question is to he employed as an instrument o insure justice. The hope of putting it down is idle. It has a lodgment in the feelings of the country from which it cannot he driven—it has taken so profound a root that t cannot be plucked tip." - - - - These are fruits of the stupid policy of the clever Irish Secretary. We regret to say that many of the men, of whom Ireland has much reason to be proud, will not be re-elected. Already Mr. O'Connell has started one Anti- Union candidate for the Queen's County, and the probability is that he may start a second. Such, we understand, is the fury of the people, caused by the mad course pursued regarding tithes, that it is by no means improbable that the moth rately disposed electors who wish to oppose the repeal candidates will be afraid to vote. Mr. Dominic Brown has already given up. That Sir Henry Parnell's seat is in great jeopardy may be easily conceived, from what we have stated. We cannot help thinking that it would be a disgrace to both England and Ireland, were such a man as Sir Henry Parnell to be ex cluded from a Parliament of which it is said that it will fairly represent the people. We trust that an endeavour will be made in England to atone for the injustice with which he is threatened in Ireland. There is, we know, in many parts of England, a lack of first-rate candidates. In Dor setshire, we believe a third liberal candidate is wanted. Why may not the liberals of that county exert themselves to return Sir Henry ? There are other places, we know, where inferior men are hailed, merely because better are not in the field. Surely the man who has laboured more than any other to introduce order and eco nomy in our finances, and who has written the best book on finance in the English language, ~tihich has been for some time the text book with Reformers, will not be neglected at this time. If it was deemed by Ministers an honour to obtain the accession of Sir Henry, his inva "dile qualities will not surely be forgotten by the people. We have thus offered, without dis guise, our sentiments with regard to Ireland, ' which Mr, Stanley has so long been suffered to mismanage. We trust that there will yet be time to repair the injury which this course of policy has inflicted on some of the most honest and independent adherents of Ministers in Ireland.--Morning Chronicle. The people of England are now on the point of commencing the exercise of a privilege and the execution of a duty the importance of which cannot be overrated. 'Whether this country shall continue to possess those inestimable bless ings by which it has heretofore been distinguished among the nations of the earth—the full secu rity of life and property, and religious liberty in the highest measure ; political freedom, asso ciated with, emanating from, upheld and fortified by, habits and principles of veneration for legiti mate authority, and obedience to established law—the commercial prosperity, the public power, the national glory, the social harmony, and the general an d i n di v id ua l h a ppi n ess which flow from the union of freedom and order, and must perish, as all experience and all reason attests and proclaims, from the moment when that union shall be dissolved, such is the solemn, the awful, the appalling question, which the people of England are at this moment about to decide. The approaching general elec tion must go far to determine whether the new political institutions which have been given to the country are so skilfully adapted and adjusted to the character, feelings, wants, and interests of its inhabitants as to exhibit in their operation the principles of life, vigour, and efficiency, and thus to take root in the na tional habits and affections ; or whether all that has been done is to supersede what was old by what is new ; to throw away the influence of prescriptive reverence in order to commence an era of convulsive discontent aed a series of in toxicating and enfeebling innovations ; to clear away apparent anomalies, by which fastidious theorists were offended, and to rectify abuses which could have no sensible effect upon the general welfare, at the expense of surrendering ourselves and our posterity, for perhaps several generations to come, to the miseries of anarchy and the terrors of civil rapine and slaughter. It is in vain to deny or dissemble that this is the question which the Reforming Administration has been contented to raise, or that all present appearances are unfavourable to the probability of it receiving such an answer as the friends of the public peace, security, and welfare would desire. Nothing can be more evident than that an immense numerical majority of those whom the Reform Bill was contrived to gratify, for the sake of enlisting them in the party of the Ministry of the day, do in fact at this moment very cordially hate and despise the Reform Bill and its authors. They have accepted Earl Grey's Reform as means to an end, that end being a succession, a n unceas i ng an d i n d ef i n i te succession, of further Reforms. With this view they gave the Reform Ministry their support, and they never disguised from the Ministry or the world that it was with this view. The Mi nistry graciously accepted the support, because without it they could not have maintained them selves in office, and they are now embarrassed most deservedly ; but the peace and welfare and future fortunes of the country are at the same time deeply endangered by the conflict which is evidently springing up between them and the great numerical majority of their former allies. There is, however, a powerful, and we hope and believe a rapidly increasing, party in the country, who are by habit, principles, and feel ings devoted to the cause of peace, of order, of public welfare and security ; and who are, there fore, equally opposed to the Ministerial Revolu tionists, the Revolutionists from the love of place, and the more consistent, disinterested, and untired Revolutionists who are such from mere ignorance or passion. It is from the predomi nance of this party alone that any hope can be naturally entertained of salvation to the country ; and, whatever may be the result of the approach ing election, as between the two rival parties of Revolutionists, it is of the highest importance that the Conservative and Constitutional party, who will eventually have to rescue the country from the meanness of the one and from the fury of the other, should resolutely, and in every in stance, keep aloof from both, from the well-paid and insincere Revolutionists of Whitehall, as from the ragged and furious Revolutionists of the Political Unions. We earnestly recommend, therefore, to the Conservative party to absent themselves altogether from every election (and we hope the number will not be great) at which they have only the choice of can didates belonging to the two rival classes of Revolutionists. The choice is not worth a pin. These two classes were firmly united but yesterday, and would be as firmly united again to-morrow if the Ministerial class could thereby prolong its official existence for the space of a month, or the Political Unionists could see a chance of thereby advancing by a single step the progress of the movement. Let the friends of the Constitution resolutely refrain from la n di ng the sanction of a single Conservative name to the election of a single Revolutionist of any kind or degree. But we must at the same time ob serve that the higher classes of Constitutionalists will justly incur the censure of lukewarmness in the noblest and most interesting cause that ever stimulated the energies of mankind, if they do not take care that there shall be throughout the three kingdoms no body of electors left without the opportunity of electing a Conservative Mem ber at this election. The ground should every where be resolutely contested, in defiance even of the most unfavourable appearances. Where no preparations have yet been made Conservative candidates should be put in nomination without further delay. In many cases victories would he obtained where defeat had been considered sure. In many others present defeat would pre pare the way for future triumph. The display of vigorous resolution and invincible spirit on the part of their natural leaders would inspire the whole host of Conservatives throughout the country with corresponding energy and c ourage . The importance of the question at issue is surely enough to justify and to demand extraordinary exertions and extraordinary sacnfices.----Morn- in g Post. If war, and its concomitant horrors, were not too revolting a subject to be treated of with l ev ity, we could find ample matter of amusement in the sore and exasperated efforts to be plea sant which our contemporaries of the Treasury Press exhibit in commenting upon the almost universal expression of commercial opinion which has gone forth from this commercial country in reprobation of our unjust and dis graceful aggression upon Holland. An awful" announcement gave the world to understand, in the first instance, that the great meetin g of mer chants and ship-owners in the metropolis, to address the King against the war, was a " des perate failure"—then sundry pieces of h eavy jocularity were played off against this " abortive" meeting, more distinguished for their coarseness than their wit—next, a more grave and solemn strain was taken up by the leading advocate for a " peaceful war" and an " amicable aggression." The changes wererung upon charges of high trea son and sedition against all who spoke or assisted at the London commercial meeting, to denounce the great crime of an unnecessary and unprovoked war. Whether the treason was against the majesty of Lord Palmerston—to whose clever work of " pacification" the slaughter now going on in Belgium puts a finishing hand—or whe ther against the recognised supremacy in British councils of the crafty Talleyrand and the Doc trinnaires—we know not ; but it seems there was treason lurking in the resolutions against the Dutch war—and the " liberals" of the Treasury Press showed as much shrewdness of intellect in discovering it as the acute Dogberry evinced in defining slander against a person of high degree to be " flat burglary." But really to pursue, with all the high-sounding denunciations of " mine ancient Pistol," this " abortive attempt" to make a public impression, was worse than slaying the slain. It was, if we may be allowed to use the phrase, not a whit more like a bull than a " peaceful war''—it was killing something that never had life. It was stabbing to the heart a still-born project ; and yet, strange to say, al though it received such merciless treatment as aforesaid, this " desperate failure" was followed by others in all, or nearly all, the commercial towns of the kingdom. In vain did the wea thercock Journal cry " Bah !" and its evening satellite, with humble imitation, utter the exqui site monosyllable " Faugh !" the " failures" went on, and hence much melancholy mirth and sad facetiousness has been sported by our Trea sury Journals. Yet there is no doubt that to those " failures" is owing the partial remission of that scandalous embargo which had been laid upon Dutch vessels, while it was declared in the same breath that the two countries were at peace ; and if there be any truth in the report to which a Ministerial Paper has given currency, of Lord Grey having written a letter to the King of Holland, to pick a loop-hole for creeping out of the war, by offering to give up the question of the free navigation of the Scheldt if' the citadel of Antwerp should be surren dered, such a letter must have been written from a thorough conviction that public opinion was decidedly against the French scheme of hostili ties, into which our Government had been fool ishly betrayed.—Morning Herald. Our columns are this day so crowded with electioneering proceedings, that we have scarcely room for any remarks upon them—nor do we regret it. Those who are not now aware of their rights and privileges—those who do not value, as they ought to value it, the great and glorious opportunity of redeeming themselves and their country from odious exactions, unjust monopolies, heavy burdens, unmerited pensions and sinecures—from oppression in the State, and oppression in the Church—from burdens which not only press most heavily on the poor, but are severely felt by, and greatly abridged the comforts of, the better conditioned orders of the community—we say that those who are not alive to all these matters, and are not prepared to act accordingly, would neither be alive to them, nor honest and active in their proceedings, though an angel were to attempt to persuade them, or a gibbet were in view to punish them for the iniquity. Every thing has been said, every thing has been done, to insure the triumph of those principles on which the future prosperity of the country, and its salvation from revolution depend. The weapons of victory are in the hands of the com batants—the positions which they are to occupy have been indicated —courage is only wanted to render them impregnable—arid if, after all the pains that have been so cheerfully taken to in sure a satisfactory and glorious result, the enemy should triumph, and again put Englishmen under the domination of the Tory yoke—why we have only to say that the fault is their own, and that they richly deserve it. If slaves will he slaves, let them by all means enjoy slavery and its consequences ; but in heaven's name let us hear no more complaints from them. Let not taxes be complained of—let not sinecures be spoken of as abominations—let tithes be lauded as a part of religion—monopolies be praised as necessary to the comfort of the people—let not the pension of the fairest sine curist that ever humbled herself in order to earn it, be mentioned in the presence of honest men —for now is the time for correcting all abuses, by returning to the ensuing Parliament, upright and determined Reformers—men who will pledge themselves to see the people righted— and if it be not improved, the fault is not in the Government, which has done all that it can do ; but in the people who have complained, and are not virtuous or courageous enough to redress their grievances.—Morning Advertiser. CORONER'S INQUEST IN THE PENITEN TIARY, before Mr. GELL, on the body of J. FERDINAND, a Frenchman, aged 56. It appeared that the deceased came to this country during the French revolution, and enlisted into the British army, which he left in a few years to serve under NAPOLEON: About twelve years since he again returned to this country ; and after many years' privation he was convicted at Nottingham assizes for stealing a ham, and sentenced to seven years' transporta tion, which was commuted, according to the Act of Parliament, to five years' imprisonment in the Penitentiary. The d.-ceased was taken suddenly ill on Saturday night, attended with violent pains in the stomach, and, notwith standing the usual remedies were immediately applied, he expired after a few hours' severe suffering. The Jury re turned a verdict of Natural Death. A Coroner's inquest vir; held before Mr. BAKER, at the vestry-room of St. John's, Wapping, on the remains of CAROLINE CHAPLIN, an unfortunate young female, who had committed suicide through distress and misery. ELIZA SIMPSON, a woman of the town, had known the deceased, who was about 22 years of age, for the last eight years. The last time she saw her alive wa. about six o'clock on Tuesday evening, when she was in the Blue Anchor public-house. She was not intoxicated at the time, nor (lid witness see her drink anything. The deceased had been in the public-house the greater part of the day, owing, as witness believed, to her having no other place to go to. She complained of being turned out of I:er lodgings by her landlady in consequence of not being able to pay her way, and se eme d very me l anc h o l y and cried bitterly in consequence. It further appeared that the deceased was most respectably connected, but being seduced about three years since, her family discarded her, and her seducer having in a short time afterwards deserted her, she was driven to th e m i sera bl e lif e o f pro stitution. Verdict—Temporary derangement. SHOCKING DEATH BY BURNING.--Mon day an inquest was held at Guy's Hospital, on t h e b o d y of ANNA Itrcir , an interesting girl, aged ten, the daughter of Mr. Radii, a respectable statuary and mason, of 3, Barnett's-buildings, Kennington. The deceased, who in infancy lost her mother, on Wednesday evening was read ing her catechism with another little girl at the parlour tire, when a burning coal was cas t f rom the time upon her pinafore, which it ignited. She ran out of doors en veloped in flames, and a gentl eman, name d MARGETTS, had the presence of mind to throw off his coat and wrap it round the poor child. The flings were extinguished, but the deceased was shocki ng l y b urnt, and she died on Friday. Verdict—Accident a l D eat h . The following statement will show the com parative ages of the prisoners for trial at the present ses sions, 0 1 ( 1 Bailey: — Above 10 years of age and under 20 years • , 119 ; 2O and under 30, 117 ; 30 an d un d er 40, ,e 7) ; 40 and under 50, 15; 50 and under 60, 8 ; 60 and under 70, 4, Total ; 29'4, COURT OF THE DEAN AND CHAPTER OF ST. PAUL'S.—DEc. 4. SAMPSON V. SAMPSON. This was a suit promoted by Mrs. Mary Samp son against her husband, Mr. Richard Sampson, of St. Pancras, for a divorce, on the ground of cruelty. The proceedings have been going on for some time, and an additional allegation was now offered on be half of the wife, charging her husband with adultery. Dr. PHILLIMORE, on behalf of Mr. Sampson, op posed the admission of the allegation on two grounds—viz., that it was now too late to give in such a plea of adultery; and that on the citation cruelty alone was alleged. Affidavits on both sides were read, from the con tents of which, and the former proceedings, it ap peared that the parties were married in 1819, and that they separated in July, 1831. It was alleged on behalf of the wife, that she had been treated with cruelty by her husband; that on stating her sus picions, from information she had received, that he had an adulterous connection with a married woman, named Harriet Hitchins, he became en raged, threw his boot at her, struck her violent blows, and swore he would break her old neck if she repeated her suspicions ; and that, owing to his violent conduct on other occasions, she had been compelled to separate from him. On behalf of the husband the adultery was denied ; but it was ad mitted that he had struck his wife, which it was al leged was owing to her aggravating conduct. Dr. DODSON said Mrs. Sampson had no certain knowledge of the guilt of her husband. The wit nesses vouched in the cause, on behalf of the wife, gave evidence that they saw the blinds of the win dows of the house in which Mrs. Hitchins lived pulled down when Mr. Sampson went to visit her, as he said, on business; and because the wife had mentioned those suspicions, the husband had Thrashed her. He contended that the libel ought to be admitted. Sir H. JENNER went over the principal facts stated on both sides, and said a new point was in troduced to the Court ; but he could not but think that the wife was sincere in her feelings, when she made an accusation against her husband of com mitting adultery with the woman Hitchins, in 1827, and the Court could not, in justice to the wife, shur out evidence of the fact. There was no reason why a fresh citation should be taken out on the charge of adultery, both parties being now before the Court. In principle the case of " Barrett v. Barrett," was the same as the present, and be should admit the libel to proof after certain reformations. COMMISSION OF LUNACY. Yesterday an investigation took place at the Gray's Inn Coffee-house, tinder a writ de Lunatic() Inquirendo, to try the soundness of mind of Mr. Charles Wright, the well•known wine-merchant of the Opera-colonnade. The Commissioners were Messrs. Phillimore, Whitmarsh, and Winslow. Dr. Thomas Turner visited the supposed lunatic when confined in a private asylum at Holloway, but he could not recollect at what period. From the demeanour and conversation of Mr. Wright on that occasion he was satisfied that he was of unsound in tellect. Among other delusions he fancied that he had got Madame Vestris's legs instead of his own. Witness again saw him on Saturday last, when he appeared in the same state, and said that he was the son of the late Duke of York; that all the money in the Bank of England belonged to him; and that he was the proprietor of the Opera-house and Drury lane theatre. Witness asked him what reason he had for thinking that he was the son of the Duke of York ; to which he replied that the Duke had been with his mother, whose name was Priscilla Maria Guelphs, at Mr. Take's, at Homerton. He added, " You snow Guelphs is the name of the Royal Family ;" and, in the course of an incoherent conversation, he aMked witness to give him a shilling. Witness saw Mr. Wright on the preceding day at Mr. Finch's asylum, at Kensington ; and on attempting to bring him back to the subject of his being the son of the Doke of York, he began talking in an incoherent manner of " Tom " Welsh" taking him away in his cab. In the opinion of the witness he was of un sound mind. Dr. James Johnson, of Suffolk-place, Pall-mall East, had known Mr. Wright four or five years, and had visited him professionally during that period. The first deviation from soundness of mind wits in April, 1830, when he appeared in a state of high mental excitement, which displayed itself by talking of Drury-lane theatre, and of his own affairs, in an irrational manner. Witness believed that Mr. Wright had been a competitor for the lesseeship of Drury-lane, and held at that period the situation of box book-keeper in the theatre. Witness appre hended that he might commit suicide, and informed Mrs. Wright of her husband's condition, recom mending that he should be confined forthwith in an asylum, as there appeared no prospect of his conva lescence. This was accordingly done in May, 1830, when witness signed his certificate. [A letter was here handed to Dr. Johnson, who recognised it as the hand-writing of the supposed lunatic.] He had visited Mr. Wright at intervals since he had been a patient of Mr. Finch, at Kensington, and he was perfectly satisfied that he was labouring under an aberration of intellect. Sometimes he was taciturn, and on other occasions extremely loquacious. He saw him on the 22d of November, when he de clared that he had two fathers and two mothers, and that his last fuller was the Duke of York. The CIIIEF COMMISSIONER, on the suggestion of the July, here directed that the unhappy object of their deliberation should be introduced into the apartment, in order to be examined. _ _ Mr. Wright was accordingly brought into the room. He bowed respectfully to all around, and was conducted to the Commissioners, who proceeded to put several questions to him, Mr. Phillimore pre mising that they were assembled to inquire into his state of mind. The unfortunate man's replies soon satisfied all present that his case was one of decided insanity. He said he had been brought from the asylum of Mr. Finch, at Kensington ; and went on to say that he expected to have become the lessee of Drury-lane theatre. He held a lease of 2l years of his premises in the Opera-colonnade, and lived in the house belonging to the manager of the King's theatre. Mr. PIIILLIMORE inquired what ground he had For supposing he was the son of the D u k e o f Y or k ? In reply he told a long and incoherent story of having been in attendance at the Duke of York's funeral as a Gentleman Pensioner, and of his being required to follow the remains of his Royal High ness, as chief mourner. To illustrate his narrative, he invited a gentleman to precede him round the table at which the Jury were seated—he following in the attitude of a mourner. Mr. PRILLIMORE again asked the supposed luna tic why he imagined he was the Duke of York's offspring. To which he answered, after a pause, " You know, Sir, it is a wise child that knows his own father ;" and, after another pause, he declared that he was perfectly sane, but made no complaint of suffering any restraint. Mr. PnthumonE next questioned him as to the delusion under which he was said to labour respect ing Madame Vestris's legs. Mr. Wright, exhibit ing much wildness of manner, said it was a dream, but dreams are sometimes realised. " It happened," he said, " that he was conversing with Mr. Price on the subject of stars,' and that he suggested en gaging Madame Vestris, as she had acted Proserpine at the King's theatre, and was the best singer of the day." He knew Madame Vestris, and he sup. posed he must have said so, speaking of her per forming in breeches or trousers. He drove to Ma dame Vestris's apartments in May-fair, and when he reached the theatre with her legs ---. Here he wandered from the subject, and expressed a hope that. the Jury would establish who he was. He was then' requested to withdraw, the CHIEF COMMISSIONER undertaking that his case should receive their serious consideration. He expressed some reluctancc to leave the room until the persu sions of Mr. Finch induced hum to obey. The Jury expressed themselves satisfied with tl evidence of Drs. Johnson and Turner, and recorde the following verdict :—" Charles Wright has bee of unsound mind, and incapable of the managemet of his own affairs, since the 14th of May, MO." MARKET INTELLIGENCE. LONDON MARKETS. (From the London New Price Current of yesterday.) SUGAR —The Sugar Market was uncommonly firm 1 the last week, and the prices again advanced about 1 per cwt. ; scarcely any brown Sugars now offer and 525. ; the finer qualities have been in greater request fin the brown, and have advanced more in proportion. TI estimated sales last week were 3,500 hhds. and trs. TI stock of West India Sugar is now 33,686 hhds. and trs vhich is 9,714 less than last year. The stock of Mat ritins is 62,161 have, being 19,008 less than last yea The delivery of West India Sugar is 2,555 hbds. and tre being 352 less than last year. The delivery of Maurith 6,602 begs, being 536 more than the corresponding wee of 1831. The holders of 111uscovades generally asked further advance this morning, which checked the demand the estimated purchases, including public sales are onl about 800 hhds,, and tre., the latter consisted of 130 hhd Barbadoes, 113 hhds. 16 tre. 14 brls. St. Lucia Suga both sold is. a Is. 6d. higher than the la , t public sales The market this afternoon is dull, but the prices are ful supported. In the Refined Market last week there was urther advance of Is. per cwt. ; scarcely any lumps wet offering at 635. ; fine crashed sold 31s. and 31s. 6t There was no alteration in the Refined Market this after noon. EAST INDIA SUGAR. --Some parcels of Siam and Ma ❑ills Sugars sold last week at very full prices ; Siam, 21! a 21s. 6d. ; Manilla yellow, 225. 6d. This day's puhll wale, 821 bags Siam Sugar sold at former prices; 19! yellow up to 235. for mid. white. MAURITIUS SUGAR.—The sales of Mauritius Suga 'ast week went off with briskness, at an advance of 19. Is. 6d. ; brown, 51s. 6d. a 525. 6d. , - - FOREIGN Sucaa.—The sales of Foreign Sugar hal week were 300 casks brown Bahia, averaging 21s : yellow Havanna!), 255. ; 146 chests Rio, 19s. 6d. a 235, ; th latter was Is. lower. This day's public sales 196 chest Brazil, 119 boxes Havannah ; the former was all taken i 235. a 265. ; the Havanna!' also 295. a 325. Averag price of Sugar, I/. Bs. 7d. per cwt. COFFEE. —Foreign and East India Coffee advanced Is , to Is. 6d. per cwt. ; British Plintation fell nearly in OP sam e proportion. St. Domingo pale sold at 565. ; Su rnatra, 525. a 555. ; Batavia, 545. a 603., good to tin' ordinary; Li Guyra, good to fine ordinary, 525. 6d. 575. ; ordinary Jamaica, 675. and 68s. This day's pub lie sales 325 bags common Sumatra, 525. a 525. 6d. ca' ther lower. RUM, BRANDY, AND HOLLANDS......IIIC Rum Marke continued very firm last week. A large parcel of 40( puns. Leewards, lauded i❑ February 1831, 6 over proof , ,sold at Is. 10(1., which is about the previous price; over, newly landed, sold at Is. 101 d. In Brandy 01 Geneva there is little alteration ; British Spirits fell 14 per gallon yesterday. TALLOW.-The Tallow Market is higher, and verb firm at the advance. FautT.—The sales of new Fruit were Patras Curranu 68s. and 695. ; Red Smyrna Raisins 395. and 40+•' damaged 375. and 38s. very good 42. ; a cargo of Valen tia 445. Turkey Figs sold rather lower, except fine' which fully supported late prices, flue 65'. TEA.—The Tea Sale at the India House opened heavily yesterday. Boheas have sold at Is. 11,1,1. to 25., and art a fraction above last sale's prices. Congous are going a little cheaper than in Sept., common 2s. 0?.-d. a 2s. OF' COCHINEAL. — On Thursday a public sale of 150 balta Mexican and Vera Cruz Cochineal, 46 bags withdrawn , the remainder sold with more spirit than was anticipated at 2d. and 3d. per lb. above the last public sale ; they wet a mixed parcel, and went, according to quality, from 6 8 . 6d. a Ss. Bd. per lb., mostly taken fur home consumption• About 50 bags have alsa been taken this week by private contract for immediate use. INDIGO. —There is no alteration in Indigo ; the Market continues dull. Cocoa. —There are sales of good B:itish Plantation Cocoa at 704. and 71s, ; Brazil at nominal quotations , about 325. a 344. SALTPETKE.-There is not much business in SAltpetret notwithstanding the commencement of hostilities in Bel' gium ; rough still 375. SPICES.-There is more demand for Pepper, but no improvement in prices. Pimento is ed. to per lb. higher. The Pepper at public sale this day went off ra ther lower. COTTON. —The Cotton Market remains dull; the pur chases are on a limited scale. OrLs.—Oils generally much as last week, with a fa►r demand. TURPENTINE.-2,000 barrels of rough Turpentin e import e d la s t w ee k, an d so ld at quotat i ons, 500 brlg.di rect to drawers; th e a d vance at Li verpoo l i n t hi s ar ticle has caused a rise in Spirits, and 525. has been paid. COUNTRY tORN MARKETS DURING 114 E WEEK' --.---- Wheat. Barley. Oats. 1 .--- Beans. ----- . Per Quarter. s. to s. s. to s. Is. to s. I S. t° ''' Boston — 49 . 22 151 :32 7 4 - ,; Gainsborough —.........— 57 34 18 ,7 0 Grantham .....—.— 53 67 36 41 17 25 37 •: ( 7, Grimsby 42 58 24 30 14 22 25 ' 4 ", 2 Horncastle Lincoln , 46 60 Si) 39 10 21 36 , Spilsby «.....,...,.......,. 48 54 23 35 14 18 32 ‘ 7,; Stamford 47 59 30 36 21 23 3:3 York D. 7 ____.-- • 52 66 26 38 16 24 28 NORWICH, Dec. I. Wheat (per qr.) 42s 575. 60s. Beans (per qr.) 303. Barley --- '2os. 335. 375. Pease, Grey-- 30s. n Oats CAN'IERBUItI, Dec. 1. Wheat, 525. to 5Ss. --.. Old —3. to red 465. to 545. Old--..-- —s. to Barley, Malting —30 s. to 365... Grinding.. 265. to . 14 Oats - Old to 20. Beans Pease -.. 343 to 36 - s". = Old 07 3 .. to Sas' .—,....... 375. to 395, Grey 342. to 36i. MANCHESTER, Dec. I. 5 ,1 Wheat, per 701 b. Bs. 9d. to 9s. Od. Red...— So. 04. to Bs. • Barley, per 601 b 5 6 6 0 Oats n 0 3 1 Beans, per Imperial quarter Pease, White, per Imperial bu s h e l 5 (1 5 6 Malt, per 6 Imperial bushels 43 0 4S ‘ O ., Flour, per Sack of 28011) __..--- EXETER' MARKETS —Nov. 30. rsl. Beef (score) _Rs. Od. 9s. 6d. Wheat (bushel) ,-. 75. od. 43 . a•tutton (lb.) —0 51 0 6 Barley .....—..........—__4 6 4 = Veal and Lamb-0 6 0 7 Oats , 2 n 2 5 Pork q 4 0 6 Beans 5 6 6 0 Geese (each) —...A Ducks 'counleN....4 Fowls ..............3 0 5 6 Butter (lb.)-1 0 1 1 0 5 0 Eggs (P 2) 0 1 „ 0 4 0 Potatoes (peck) ...I) 6 0 IRISH MA' DUBLIN MARKET NO ,RKETS. TE.—FRIDAY, Nov. 30. From To Average' ,805 Wheat,per barrel 20 stone 22 0 30 0 26 0 Bete l6 stone 0 0 0 910 Barley .16 stone 13 0 15 0 14 0 ,888 Oats l2 stone 9 0 11 0 9 2,705 Cwt. Flour 9 stone 5 0 22 0 0 6:36 Oatmeal . . 8 stone 8 0 14 0 11 Sold to Bakers only. 10,763 Cwt. Flour Average price of Wheat and Flour 45.. Od. per sack. , Firsts, from 19s Oct. to 225. tw' Sales o Receipts of Flour, 17,44 f Do. 12,705 17,4x5 Firsts, from 141 . . 6d. to 18s. e u „,* Third 5,.,,,,,. , from ss. Od. to 10s. 04 Quartern Loaf. PRICE OF BREAD. ..«...ENcl. I Half Quartern Al 4 di Wheat, Barley. Oats. Flour, per cwt• per barrel per barr e l p er b arrel ~ 20 stone. 16 stone. 14 stone. Ist. g • s. d. a s. d.l s.d. a s.d. s.d. a s.d. s. d. as. d. s Cork 200 27 611 0 150 78 9015 0 176 5 0 i5O Limerick 1200 268 120 134 120 136 16 1) 19 t , 0 ‘, 15 0 Waterfordl23 0 25 011 0 140 7 0 8017 0 18 010 0 1 0 0 Clonmel 234 270 100 140 100 146 17 0 19 013 0 08 Carlow —122 0 27 012 0 13 0 7 6 86 0 0 6 21 Beef, Mutton,! Pork. 1 Beef, Mutton, Pork, Butter• n. per lb per lb. per cwt. Ist. 2d. 3d. 4 Id. ad.d. a d. s. d. as. _s.d.s.d. s. d• Ob 0 . ,. 0 Cork 6 5 6 320 33 08 1 076 0 66 0 ,3 07, 0 Limerick— 3 431 434 0 35 080076 0 70 v • 0 6 ,, 0 ‘Vaterford 3 6 3 534 0 37 0 ; 85 0 82. 076 0 6 t ) 0 Clonmel 3.1 4 3 61 32 0 33 082 078 0— , 0 ••••• Carlow— 4, 540 0 00 0 0186 08 4 0 71 0 SCOTCH MARKETS. HADDINGTON CORN 51 A ItKET.—Nov. Wheat. I Barley. O a t s . P ease . t'irst s9s Od 34s Od 22s 9.1 29s Od Second 49s Od 28s Od 119 6d 25s Od Third 46s Od I 26s Od 18s Od 24s Od There were MO qrs. of Wheat in market, 5 4 whereof 25 Unsold.-0 Grey. 21. Os. 0,1. 11-12ths. A ti• eragi 3U. Beans. m :303 IN 0,1 2:2 were so, DALKIETH CORN MARK Wheat. Barley. Oats. First s9s 0,1 31s 6d 22s Od Second 3os Od 2Ss Od 2Os Od Third 44s Od 24s Od 17s ed T'.—Nov. ~ns. Cease. ."j"tvi 31s Oli 303 Ott `2.6i tld BIRTHS. On the 3d inst. at Brighton, Mrs. Henry Fitzroy, of a d 3 7,, - dy On the 3d inst. in High-street, Stoke Newington, the '" Henry de la Chaumette, Esq., of a daughter. ‘O l,O O, DIED, On the 3d inst. at Chelsea Park, Sir Henry Wright. of Crofton Hall, Yorkshire, and Drayton Lodge, Hai - 111 , 0"a tress, .t t h r e ab l e lt i h a j u a lt n . e, attiC;iaruaddearuagn,htneer of thearßordleaateuxilaars:ortt his Majesty's Consul at that place. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY MURDO YOUNa , • - k i SUN OFFICE, 112, STRIOID, LONDON*