The Sun. — London, England, 1822-04-19 00:00:00

THE LONDON JOURNALS. JATRACTS FROM TIIE DAILY MORNING PAPERS, April 19, 1822. [IWORNI-NG POST.] That the situation of France has been more critical during the last three months than even the liberal Journals have chosen or dared to ac knowledge, is now revealed by the means adopt ed to quiet the public mind. It is certainly gra tifying to be able to announce that tranquillity has been restored, as•from the natural influence • of example it may be expected that the intelli , gence will promote pacification, where a tendency r to insubordination has manifested itself. But when people are told that places are tranquil, the • - peace of which they thought had never been broken, the only effect is to chew that the extent of the danger had been concealed, and to create an impression that the same course may continue to be adopted with regard to towns and districts, respecting which no such statements are made. The Ultra French Papers have lately fallen into this error. Had they originally admitted the full extent of the evil, the announcement of its gra dual repression and decrease would have pro-. duced a salutary effect both on the well and on the ill disposed. To the former it would have brought encouragement and confidence ; to the • latter it would have imparted dismay ; whilst in the present case it leaves the one in doubt of its correctness, and raises the self-importance and criminal hopes of the others, who do not repine for instance, at learning « that great tranquil . lity reigns at Strasburg, and that strong and nu merous military parties patrole the streets of that place at night," because it informs them that the peace of that important fortress has been disturbed, and inspires them with a confi dent expectation that fresh attempts, which may prove more successful, will in future be made. I - MORNING CHRONICLE.] The Chancellor of the Exchequer has consent ed at last to the appointment of a Committee for devising a mode of keeping the public accounts in an intelligible manner. At present no one can tell the amount either of the Income or Expendi ture, or of any branch of them. The public are greatly indebted to Mr. Maberly, who, by his late exposition of the blundering and inaccuratei; manner in which these accounts are kept, has actually shamed the Chancellor of the Exchequer into the nomination of this Committee.—ln the • discussion on this subject last night, a very import. ant matter was alluded to by Mr. Ellice, namely, the expensive machinery now kept up far the old or imaginary Sinking Fund, useless establishments, as he observed, for the purpose of receiving with one hand what was paid with the other. Mr. Ellice's suggestion on this subject did not, how ever, seem to afford much satisfaction to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.—We must keep up both what is called a real, and what is called an in , . ;inary Sinking Fund, though it is not easy to see why both should not be abolished, because the application of the surplus revenue to the dis charge of debt would be the most simple and effec tual way of going to work, relieving us, as it would, from the apprehension of Ministerial misapplica tion. But, at all events, there can be no reason for keeping up machinery for managing an imaginary fund, except the naive and never-to-be-forgot ten reason urged by Mr.. Robinson some time ago, namely, the necessity for establishments to counteract the increasing intelligence of the age. To sympathise with the feelings and wishes of a people, as the American Government is unfortu nately compelled to do, is not governing, in the Ministerial sense of the word. [BRITISH PRESS.] A Select Committee was appointed yesterday evening in the House of Commons, on the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for the pur pose of considering the best mode of simplify ing the public accounts relating to the national debt, the national expenditure, and the trade and . sj‘ navigation of the kingdom. The object proposed to be attained by this Committee is not alone' a change in the mode of stating receipts and dis bursements, for the purpose of rendering the ac counts laid annually before Parliament more easi ly intelligible. Were the labours of the Commit tee confined even to this point, they would be very profitably and advantageously employed ; but we collect from the Chancellor of the Ex chequer's answer to one of Mr. Grenfell's ques tions, that the Committee will have to inquire in to the expediency of reducing the nominal sink ing fund of 17 millions to the actual one of 4 or 5 millions, or whatever it may amount to in re ality. Accounts have recently been ordered by the House of Commons with reference to the in vestigation of this most important subject. These accounts have been printed, and from them we collect that the total capital of stock redeemed, as it stood in the names of the Commissioners for tt►e liquidation of the national debt on the sth January, 1822., is 403,970,0951. To this is added the capital contracted for by the sinking fund loan of 1821, amounting to 16,296,8751. making a - total of 420,266,9701. This capital includes 5,200,6331. redeemed on account of outstanding Exchequer bills, but does not include the sum of 160,2961. Irish 5 per cents. redeemed in England. The money in the hands of the Commissioners which ought to be available for the redemption of more stock amounts to about 17 millions, and if s,ufrered to operate as was orininally designed, would quickly relieve the country from its present unnatural burden. The necessities of the Go vernment, however, have driven Parliament to invade this sacred trust, and . to defeat the hopes of the country. Twelve millions of the Sinking Fund are annually diverted from the payment of the debt to the current expenses of the country, and after allowing for all charges and demands, it is hoped that in the present year there will be an actual sum of five millions available in the hands of the Commissioners for the redemption of so much capital stock. There can be no doubt that if the sum of twelve millions thus diverted from its legitimate use, be merely received with one hand by , the Commissioners for the purpose of its being trans (erred with the other on the instant to the Chan cellor of the Exchequer, it is an idle and an ex pensive mode of transacting so much of the pub lic business. Circuits ought by all means to be avoided, and it will be a question for the Com mittee to consider whether it will not be expe dient to demolish so much of the machinery of the Sinking Fund, and to cancel so much of the redeemed stock standing in the names of the Commissioners, as will be equivalent to the an nual interest of twelve millions. Such a measure would not only tend directly to simplify the public accounts, but it would also to save the coun try all the expence attending the management of so much capital, and the, subsequent appropria tion of its interest. [MORNING HERALD.] It appears, really, that there is no keeping a secret from the French Journals. They have found their way even within the precincts of the Seraglio—and give a formal report of the pro ceedings of the Turkish Divan Avit'a as much circumstance as if they were recording the business of the Chamber of Deputies, or of the Institute. Even the presence of the Sul tan behind a screen has not escaped their vigi lance. 'We yesterday gave this curious docu ment. It has one sign of genuineness, the extreme parsimony of speech with which , business was transacted. The ancient Spartans were not more sparing of words. The worst of it is, that, pre cious as this report of a debate in the Divan may appear in expectancy, the reader is not much edified by the perusal of it. There is, in fact, nothing in it which may not have been got up with perfect ease at Paris. It is, however, not in the Turkish Councils only that they have been admitted to private confidence. They have come to the knowledge of secret and even delicate negociations between this coun try and Denmark. A Princess of that na tion, they state, was or is still to bestow her hand upon his Majesty. From the deliberate pace, however, at which this affair proceeds, it is to be hoped that experience will not have been thrown away. The next discovery is that of a negotiation between the King of Denmark and his Majesty for the exchange of the kingdom of Hanover against the capital of Denmark and the Isle of Zealand on which it stands, with Jut land and Sleswick—in fact, all but the Danish territory on the German side. There can be little objection to such a bargain on our part — if it can but be obtained. At the present moment, certkinly, the Northern navigation is to England an object of no small importance ; and it would be difficult to prove that Hanover has been an acquisition rather than a charge since the accession of the House of Brunswick. There is another territorial arrangement equally advan tageous and practicable—it is the cession of the Dardanelles, by our good friends the Turks. With these two checks upon t the naval preten sions of Russia, we should, no doubt, be per fectly secure ; perhaps the latter news will come by the next French Journals. They are, how ever, as reserved, at least as unsatisfactory, in their communications respecting the Turks and Russians, as they are circumstantial respecting matters of greater privacy, and less interest for public curiosity. [NEW TIMES.] Among the numerous communications which we daily receive on the Agricultural Question, it is difficult to make a selection of the most inte resting, consistently with the great object which we have in view, namely, to afford fair and equal means of publicity to those conflicting princi ples, from the collision of which national utility may be expected to arise. Having ourselves no other object than the common good of all orders of men in our country, we cannot profess to advocate the agricultural interest in opposition to the manufacturing and commercial, nor either of the latter in opposition to the agricultural. —lt follows, therefore, that we are not to be considered as adopting the sentiments of any Correspondent on these topics, merely because we admit his contributions into our columns. In another part of our Paper will be found a letter signed J. P., on the general reasoning of which it is not for us to offer an opinion ; but we insert it, as an attempt to apply to practice a general principle, on which there will perhaps be little controversy, viz.—that the landed interest is en titled to as much protection from foreign compe tition as it contributes (exclusively) to the State. What that proportion of the public burdens is, and whether the best mode of compensating it be by a fixed duty on the importation of foreign agricultural produce, are certainly points by no means so obvious. [TnE TIMES.] Some proceedings of the Supreme Court of Calcutta have reached this country, which are not perhaps so new or interesting in themselves, as they are in relation to the scene on which they have been exhibited. We understand that it is a perfect novelty in India, that the Supreme Court should entertain a motion for a criminal information against the Editor of a Newspaper for a public libel. Three years only 'are said to have elapsed since Lord llastings gave up the power of previous Censorship over the Press of India. This concession was much applauded, as being the result of a liberal anxiety for the circu lation of knowledge, and for the gradual improve ment of our native subjects throughout the East. There, nevertheless, were many reflecting and re spectable mindswhich doubted the possibility of re conciling the privilege of perfectly unrestrained discussion, and the consequent concentration and ascendancy of national feeling, with those principles on which a military empire depends for its existence, and by which forty thou sand Englishmen, aliens to the inhabitants in religion and in blood, lord it over as many millions of Hindoos and Alahonletans recently subjugated, already prone to combination against their conquerors, restless, intriguing, subtle, and impatient of the European yoke. With all our reverence for right and liberty, we cannot shut our eyes to those opposite circumstances which render the enjoyment of them the best support of a free Government, but the knowledge of them a cause of unavoidable jealousy to a Go vernment founded on force. It was upon some discriminating notions of this kind that men who looked at the essence. of things _mere than at their surface, described the surrender of the cen sorship by Lord Hastings rather as a showy and dazzling tribute to popular admiration, than as the sacrifice of a real power, or as, the announce ment of a bona fide rule of practical forbearance by the supreme authority. The Governor-Ge neral still retained the prerogative of remanding an obnoxious individual to Europe. But if this check Upon indiscreet politicians was not enough, the Government has now built up another barrier, to overleap which, at the height to which the Advodate-General, and two out of three of the Learned Judges in the Supreme Court, have raised it, would require no small strength and agility. Criminal infor mations have found their way to Bengal. A person of the name of Buckingham has been at tacked by one of them. It is well enough to withdraw the gag from a man's mouth, but it looks rather like a trick than an indulgence, if the next minute you begin to bastinado him for speaking. Mr. Buckingham's license to remain in India was some time ago threa tened by the Secretary to the Government to be annulled, if any comments which the Govern ment should judge to have violated " 4 the laws " of moral candour and essential justice," should appear in his paper, the Calcutta Journal. How exact a type does this present of the conduct more recently pursued in France, where, with much parade, the censorship was relinquished, but the power of annulling a license to print or publish what should displease them was granted in lieu of it to the King's Ministers ! However, one or more of the Government agents,it appears, soon after the above threat, indicted Mr. Bucking ham for a libel, which was found by the Grand Jury at Calcutta. Pending the prosecution and before the trial, some of his brother-journalists (there is a " John Bull" at Calcutta) beg an to bespatter Mr. Buckingham with a deal of Court rancour, and provoked replies which appeared in his columns. These replies to the virulence of his contemporary and rival tradesmen the Go vernment prosecutor thought fit to denominate so many attempts to impede the course of justice, and moved this criminal information : the alleged grounds of it were, that the'defendant had en deavoured, Ist, to influence the Petty Jury ;:.2d, to intimidate future Grand Juries ! by reflecting upon that which had found the bill against him self; and 3d, to attack the conduct of the pro secutors in the action now pending. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY.—TuunsDAY, APRIL 18. This morning, the LORD CHANCELLOR observed, that it might be useful to the Bar to know that he would rise at half past one o'clock, as he was obliged to attend elsewhere. At the request of Mr. HART, the 'hearing of the petition Ex-parte Carroll in the matter of Howard and Gibbs, bankrupts, was postponed until to-morrow. COURT OF KING'S BENCH, APRIL 18. ISBISTER AND OTHERS V. TEMPLAR. The plaintiffs, who are ship-brokers, brought this action to recover from the defendant 4071., the amount of their commis sion of one per cent., on the price of two East Indiamen which they had sold for him. The defendant contended that he was not liable to this de mand, inasmuch as it was not he, but the purchasers of the vessels, who had employed the plaintiffs to negotiate the sale. The usual per centage on sales of this description was admit ted to be one per cent. • and it was stated by several ship_ brokers, who were called, to be_always paid by the seller, even though the negotiation should have originated with the pur chaser, the broker being considered as the mutual agent of both. From the deed of sale it appeared, that'lo,oool. had been given for the beneficial interest of the defendant's contract with the East India Company, and 30,7921. for the ships, which were then in an unfinished state. The Lo RD CHIEF JUSTICE directed the jury, if they believed the evidence, to give the plaintiffs the per centage on the price of the ships, which in his opinion could not include the 10,0001. which was formerly given for the contract. The Jury accordingly found a verdict for the plaintiffs— Damages 3071. 18s. DOWSON AND ANOTHER V. LONOSTER AND ANOTHER. This was an action brought by Messrs. Dowson, shipwrights at Limehouse, against Messrs. Longster and Leek, as joint owners of the ship Ranger; to recover 8471. for repairs done to that vessel. The defendant Longster suffered judgment to go by default ; but Leek resisted the demand, on the ground that at the time the repairs were done, he had disposed obis share in the owner ship of the vessel to Longster ; and although he had suffered his name to remain on the register, by way of a collateral se curity for the payment of certain bills which he had received for the purchase-money, yet having parted with the beneficial interest in the ship, and the credit having been given to Long ster, he was not liable to this charge. It appearing, however, that the defendant had not wholly parted with his interest in the vessel at the time the repairs were done, but had merely executed an agreement to transfer his share to the other defendant, when the lastof the bills should be duly paid, which was not until the following pear, the Jury found a verdict for the plaintiffs.—Damages 8471. GRANT V. SAUNDERS. This was an actionCouglttoiecO;e7ike sum of 4001. upon an alleged warranty of a large quantity of herrings that were exported to the plaintiff's estate at Jamaica, in the year 1817, and sold by the defendant to Alderman Atkins and Son, the plaintiff's agent. Mr. MARRYAT and Mr. Alums were for the plaintiff, and Mr. SCARLETT, Mr. GURNEY, and Mr. COMYN, for the defendant. It was said that the herrings, on their arrival in the West Indies, were unsound and unfit for the purposes intended; al though other herrings of the same cure, bought of the same de fendant by other persons, and also sent to the West Indies, turned out to the satisfaction of their purchasers. Mr. Lane, Alderman Atkins's clerk, was called to prove that the defendant warranted the herrings to be as good as any which were in that year sent out to Jamaica ; but on his cross-examina tion by Mr. Scarlett, he admitted that Mr. Saunders posi tively refused at the time of contract, to warrant them in writ ing, but that he did so verbally.. It also appeared that Mr. Grant had long since been paid in account for the herrings, and that in fact this action was the worthy Alderman's, al. though he came into Court under Mr. Grant's colours. The evidence for the defence was in complete contradiction to the statement of Mr. Lane ; proof being given that a war ranty was expressly refused, and that the herrings appeared of the finest quality. The Learned Judge, in his charge to the Jury, left it for them to say which they believed—the plaintiff's witnesses or the defendant's,—and to give their verdict accordingly. The Jury returned a verdict for the defendant. DUEL.--A duel was fought on Wednesday morning, in an inclosure between Southall and Arlington-corner. The parties exchanged two fires, and one of them was conveyed to the Pied Bull, public-house, in the neighbourhood,wound ed in the hip. It is known that the gentleman wounded is a Mr. P. and he was removed in a gentleman's chariot soon after his arrival. It has since come out that a Mr. A. was his antagonist, but the cause of dispute is not known. Since Friday the weather has become milder, but is still unsettled ; on Saturday afternoon, dur ing a heavy shoiver of rain there were several loud peals of thunder.—(Edinburgh Courant.) LITERARY NOTICE. THOUGHTS on the EXPEDIENCY of a RELAXA t TION of the CORN LAWS, as the most EFFECTUAL REMEDY for AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. This Pamphlet being the production of a practical man (William Armstrong, Esq. mer chant, Newcastle-upon-Tyne), we think it highly intitled to a perusal by all who devote any atten tion to the interesting science of political eco nomy ; and particularly so at the present mo ment, when there are such conflicting opinions abroad as to the real cause of the unprecedented distress which reigns , throughout the agricultural world. Into a very minute examination of the reasoning we cannot pretend to enter. We admit, however, that great ingenuity is shewn in hand ling the subject of which the pamphlet professes to treat. The knowledge and talents of the au thor are, in fact, conspicuous in every section of the work. Various arguments are adduced, and skilfully adduced, to shew that too great an ex tension of tillage, in the United Kingdom, has taken place of late years. Ireland, alone, it is now generally admitted, has more than quad rupled its growth and export of corn within the last three or four years. The author observes, It cannot be doubted that an abundance of corn must always be considered as an important part of national wealth ; but national wealth, and the sum total of individual riches, are not syno nymous ; and the question for our consideration is, not whether an extension of tillage may not have increased the national wealth; but, whether, by diminishing the net income from the land, it may not in reality have inflicted upon our corn growers nearly the whole of the distress of which they so bitterly complain ? It seems perfectly clear that every portion of new land brought into cultivation must necessarily, from the in creased quantity of produce thence introduced into the markets, have the effect of lowering the prices of produce in general, and, of course, of diminishing the net income from the whole of the lands previously in a state of cultivation. Were the quantity of Corn raised in Norfolk to be doubled, but at an expence which the present prices would barely remunerate, is it not. obvious that the reduction in prices consequent upon the sale of such quantity of Corn would operate as a heavy loss to Agriculturists in every part of the kingdom ?" As to taxation, the view taken by the author is in precise coincidence with the sen timents expressed in Parliament, both by the Earl of LITERPOOL and the Marquis of LONDONDERRY. " With regard to the effect of taxation," ob serves the author, "it is sufficient to remark, that up to the year 1813, capital employed in farming yielded more than the ordinary rate of profit ; and that since then the amount of taxa tion, particularly as applicable to the landed in teeest, has been greatly reduced. The repeal of_ the property-tax alone was a most important re lief to both landlord and tenant. The direct taxes now paid by the tenant form so small a proportion of his general outgoings, that, if the whole were taken off, his situation would not be materially improved." Mr. WEBB HALL'S ex traordinary opinions, as detailed before the Agri cultural Committee of the House of Commons last Summer, are handled with no small severity. Mr. W. HALL, it is well known, considers the whole of the Agricultural distress as imputable to the importation of foreign Corn duty-free.---- Yet it is perfectly notorious, that, for a pe riod of 20 years, viz. from 1793 to 1813, there was an annual importation of Wheat alone amounting to 500,000 quarters, during which time nothing could exceed the flourishing state of our agriculture. The author says—" Mr. WEBB HALL himself admits that, from 1793 to 1813, it flourished in a manner never before ex perienced ;" but then, in utter disregard of fact, he has the temerity, or the folly, to assert, " that during the whole of this period the ports, though nominally open, were practically and virtually shut !" 66 Never surely,"—continues the Author, 4C could it have entered into any head, except that of the luminous Chairman of the Committee of Petitioners, that an annual importation of 500,000 quarters of foreign Wheat was evidence of a practical and virtual shutting of the ports! !" This absurd notion of virtually closed ports is only equalled by his absurd conception of vir tually open ports. In 1796, when, according to Mr. HALL, the ports became virtually shut, the quantity of Wheat imported from the Conti nent amounted to 820,381 quarters ; and since 1819, a period in which, he says, the ports have been practically and virtually open, not a single bushel has come into the home market. Really, Mr. WEBB HALL has good reason to suspect, as he himself says, that his understanding is in verted, and that he has got the world completely upside down.' From what has been stated, the Author insists that the most irrefragable proof has been ex hibited, that even a considerable importation of foreign Corn is not incompatible with the flourishing state of our own Agriculture. The Author further says—" My belief is, that the landed rental of the Kingdom can only be advanced again—or were maintained at its present amount, by a gradual relaxation of our present Corn Laws, until they shall have assi milated with the Corn Laws of 1804 ; under the operation of which our Agriculture attained its highest pitch of prosperity. By the Act of 1804, if the average price of Wheat was under 635. a duty was to be paid of 245. 3d. ; if at or above 635., but under 665., a duty of 2s. 6d.; if at or above 665. a duty of 6d. per quarter.—Un der this Act, the importation price was raised 13s. per quarter above the rate at which it was fixed in 1791.—Preliminary to the re-adoption of the Law of 1804, it might be expedient to admit of the introduction of a limited quantity of fo reign Wheat on the average price reaching 70s. per quarter : such a measure would obviate the danger of a glut of foreign Corn, and, at the same time, counteract the ruinous tendency of the re gulations now in force."—Having made our ex tracts as copiously as we can afford at present, all we shall further say is, that we heartily recommend Mr. ARMSTRONG'S Pamphlet to the attention of the Merchant and the Legislator. The scheme lately mentioned by the Marquis of LONDON • DERRY, in the House of Commons, of admitting foreign Wheat at an average of 67s . per quarter, with a protecting duty of 155., is evidently of pro pinquity with the measures so forcibly recom mended by the able Author of the Pamphlet be fore us. And we should always bear in mind that the value of knowledge is in exact propor tion to its practical utility. MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. COUNTY RATES AND TREASURER'S ACCOUNTS. Yesterday Mr. ALLEY moved three Appeals, from the pa. rishes of St. Marylebone, St. Pancras, and St. James's, West. minster, against the new rate levied on the county on the 10th January last. He stated that no hostility was meant in prose cuting these appeals, but to protect the community at large...- The law did not allow any extra rate to be imposed by the Magistrates of the County whilst the Treasurer retained one fourth of the last rate in his hands unaccounted for. Late circumstances had rendered every precaution necessary—. The Treasurer of the County, to use the softest expression, had retired, not less in arrear it was supposed than 24,0001., besides 7,0001. which it was believed had been collected of the present rate. It was not the wish of the Counsel to animadvert on such conduct—but they could not perform their duty to their clients, who formed a fourth of the whole county, without touching upon this enormous defalcation. The law made it imperative that the accounts of the Treasurer could not be passed without being audited by two Magistrates, and a statement of the audit appearing in a county newspaper, and not in The (azette, which was seen by very few of those most interested. A salary of 5001. per annum was allowed the Trea surer, and the law permitted him to pay all the contingencies of the county. These accounts had neither been audited nor published annually, according to the 55th Geo. 3, cap. 51, which directed the audit and its publication, signed by two Justices of the Peace. The CHAIRMAN said, that the rate appealed against had nothing to do with the recent defalcation ; and as to the ab stract of the Treasurer's affecting it, the same could not have. been published, as the rate had not been made till the 10th January last. Mr. AnoLruus stated, that a series of malversation from year to year had been permitted to go on, and in saying this, he did not intend, as the French say, " to defame Adam and Eve;" the Treasurer got the funds into his hands ; specious pretexts were made for delay in producing the accounts for audit ; and the county was therefore called upon to pay, and be saddl4l with an additional and unnecessary rate, by which system all former irregularities were increased without check or controul. The CHAIRMAN admitted there might have been great irre gularities in former instances, but these did not apply to the present rate, and as this was a question of public importance, he requested the Counsel would confine their observations to the present appeal. Mr. ALLEY was desirous that their observations should operate upon future Treasurers as a caution. The circumstance of a public officer absconding with a large sum of the county's money, called loudly for animadversions of the severest nature. The CHAIRMAN said, if the rate were objectionable, the Court would quash it without the necessity of animadverting on the conduct of the Treasurer. Mr. ADOLPH us said, the Petition contained so many grave charges, it called for the decision of the Court upon the whole of them. The accounts should be duly audited and published, and vouchers lodged with the Clerk of the Peace for inspection by any Magistrate. For thirty years the system had been going on from bad to worse, and the late retirement, as his Learned Friend had termed it, crowned the whole. The CHAIRMAN put it to the Learned Counsel whether a late event should be now commented upon ? Mr. ADOLPHUS answered, that Mr. Alley and himself were willing to drop the past, but he hoped it would not be thought unreasonable that their clients should have security for the future. On the 11th January, the day after the rate was made, 2,3231. had been demanded by precept from one parish. The CHAIRMAN said he stopped the rate upon his own re. ' sponsibility, although money had been obtained on it. The Magistrates then quashed the rate, and directed that the parishes that had paid money thereon should have credit for the same with the County ; that the Treasurer's accounts should be regularly audited, and the audit published according to law in the newspapers of the County, instead of in The Lond.on Ga zette. OLD BAILEY. Yesterday George Adams stood indicted for stealing, on the night of the 26th of _March last, a watch, chain, and seals, the property of John Spencer, of the George and Vulture public house. The prisoner applied, on the ntght in question, to the prosecutor, for a bed, and being informed he could have one, he inquired at what time the house shut up; being told eleven o'clock, he went out but did not again return. In consequence of a report in the Newspapers, the prosecutor attended at Guild hall, where the prisoner was in custody charged with stealing three sheets, the property of another publican. The watch was found on the prisoner, and was produced by the officer who had him in custody. The Jury found the prisoner Guilty of stealing to the amount of 395. Henry Leonard was put to the bar, on an indictment charg. ing him with stealing, on the 24th of February, in the parish of St. Giles's, 33 silver spoons, and 33 sovereigns, the property of his master, Mr. W. Slade, in his dwelling-house. On the day in question, the prisoner having brushed his master's coat, went out, and was found at the Green Man, Finchley Common, in a state of intoxication. In this state he asked a man to get him change of a sovereign, for which purpose he went out but did not succeed ; on his return he saw two silver spoons pro jecting out of the prisoner's bosom, which induced him to send for an officer, who took the prisoner into custody, when the property was found on his person. From the evidence it appeared that the key of the box in which the: property was must have been taken by the prisoner while he was brushing the prosecutor's coat. Guilty, but strongly recommended to mercy. Richard Smith stood indicted for cutting and stabbing Elias Duke, with intent to kill and murder him, or to do him some grievous bodily harm. There were several counts in the in dictment which charged the offence in different ways. From the testimony of the prosecutor and another witness, it appeared that the parties were drinking together at a public house, when a quarrel arose, and the prosecutor struck the pri soner. They were, however, parted, but continued squabbling for about ten minutes, when the prsoner struck the prosecutor a violent blow, and inflicted a deep wound with a knife which he had in his hand. The prosecutor, in answer to some questions from the Court, admitted that there had been no cessation of the quarrel until the wound was inflicted. Mr. Justice BURROUGH, on hearing this statement, directed the Jury to acquit the prisoner, observing, that the evidence to support the charge must be of such a nature, as if death had en sued, the crime would have been found to be murder ; but, in his opinion, here the case would only have amounted to man slaughter if death had ensued. William Tilley was capitally indicted for stealing a mare, the property of John Mullins. COUNTY COURT.--Yesterday a meeting was held at the Three Compasses, in Holborn, preparatory to a General Meeting 'of the Inhabitant Householders of the Pa rishes of St. Andrew, Ilolborn, St. Giles, and St. George, Bloomsbury, and Mary-le-bone, on the subject of the Middle sex County Court. The meeting was but partially attended. At about five o'clock a Gentleman of the name of Batch was called to the Chair, who stated at some length the object for which the meeting was called. He complained that the fees taken by the County Clerk were greater than he was entitled to by Act of Parliament, and that the Juries were not of the pro-- per description. After some desultory conversation, a future General M eeting was agreed on, and a subscription entered into to pay the expence of it. BIRTHS. On Monday, the Bth inst., at Burton Constable, in Holder ness, the Lady of George Clifford, Esq. of a son. On Tuesday, the 2d inst., at Milton-house, Lady Milton, of a daughter. At North Castle Street, Edinburgh, on the 9th of April, the Lady of Capt. Flint, of a daughter. MARRIED. Yesterday, the 18th inst., at St. Michael's, Queenhithe, George' B. Brown, Es q., of Liverpool, to Agnes, third daughter of John W m . G oss , Esq., of Bull-wharf, and Walthamstow, Essex. Yesterday, Baker Gabh, Esq., of Abergavenny-castle, Mon mouthshire, to M a ry Ann, eldeL, daughter of Thomas Stead, Esq., Of Devonshire-street, Queen-square. DIED: On the 10th inst., in Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inni, aged 23, Mr. Pryce Edmunds, of the East India House. On the 9th instant, at the apartments of her son, M. John Moore, jun., Mrs. Ann Moore, formerly of St. John's;square. On Tuesday last, aged 42, Mr. Wm. Walmisley, for 26 years a clerk in the Parliament-office. On. Tuesday, the 16th inst., in Hunter-street, Brunswick square, aged 15, Sophia, eldest daughter of John Crosse God. salve Crosse, Esq., of Barwick-house, Rainham, Essex. Printed and Published for the PROPRIETORS, at the So Office, No. 112, Strand, by J. it. CAUSTAIRS. f I