The Sun. — London, England, 1840-01-24 00:00:00

EV EN 1N G EDITION• IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, J. it . 23. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'Clock. The Clerk of the Hanaper in Ireland brought up the writ showing the election of Edward Baron Crofton in the room of Earl Kingston deceased, as a representative Peer in the kingdom of Ireland. PRINCE. ALBERT. Prince Albert's Naturalization Bill was brought up from the Commons. ___ SPAIN. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY begged to ask a question of the Noble Viscount opposite relative to the late Spanish pacification. He desired to know if the officers in the army of Lord John Hay were parties to the Bergara Convention, and if the British Government were party to it ? Secondly, he wished to know if the Bergara Convention was in the possession of the Government, and if it was their intention to lay the Convention on the table of that House ? Thirdly, he wished to know if the Noble Viscount had any information to lay before that House to show the satisfaction of the Spanish Government and the Basque Provinces ? Lord MELBOURNE'S reply was at first totally inaudible. We, at the close, gathered that he would have no objection to produce the Convention. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said he would reserve himself till then. JAMAICA. On the motion of Lord REDESDALE certain re turns were ordered relative to Jamaica. BUENOS AYRES. The Earl of STRANGFORD asked if the Govern ment were aware of the late arrival in Paris of a Deputy from the Government of Monte Video, offering to place itself under the French Government, as the lonian Isles were under the British Government. Lord MELBOURNE was not aware, but would make inquiries. FINANCE. The Earl of RIPON said he was desirous to ask her Majesty's Government for some information upon a matter that he regretted to say was not noticed in her Majesty's Speech. Nothing appeared to him of greater or more paramount importance than the question of finance.—(Hear, hear.) He was afraid that the reason why it was not noticed was in consequence of the Government being unable to state anything that might be satisfactory to the Parliament or the people. He felt so strongly upon the unsatis factory state of their finances, that he did not feel him self justified in withholding what he had to state upon the subject, or at least by abstaining from giving her Majesty's Government an opportunity of enlightening the House upon that subject. He considered that it was so important a topic as to require any arguments from him to prove its importance. He thought it quite un necessary to waste their Lordships' time in establishing the fact of how much the prosperity, the power, and the safety of the empire depended upon the wholesome state of the financial department. Those formidable evils which result from the opposite state of things were already clearly established. These were truisms which required no demonstration from him. It was nevertheless at all times the duty of the Legislature to give every inforinetion of the condition in which the finances were, and the more so because an unsound and unsatisfactory arrangement came on by very slow means. Stnguine minds might think these casual accidents, and that all will become right in time. Those who were careless and indifferent as to what might happen after their time, might continue indifferent to this subject ; and those who knew nothing about it might not feel any anxiety at all in a cpteation, of the merits of which they were ignorant.—( Hear.) But this did not absolve Parliament from the duty of paying the most vigilant attention to this important subject. What he was now about to state was not with the view of imputing blame to any persons or to any party. lie was net actuwed by any hostile spirit against any one, but he felt it his Lounden duty to state that he felt persuaded that we were on the verge of an un satisfactory and an unsound system of finance, and he , should be wanting in the execution of his duty if he l did not call the attention of their Lordships to this subject. He would now state the facts which had led him to come to so painful a conclusion. Their Lordships would recollect. that when the Nettle Duke (Wellington) behind bias was at the head of the Treasury, certain laws were passed abo lishing the system of the Sinking Fund, and pointing out a new and superior system, which was entitled to admiration on account of its judicious simplicity. Instead of giving a grant for the Sinking Fund, whatever might be the state of the finances, it directed that only such a sum would be applied in each quarter as amounted to a quarter of the bona fide surplus 1 in each antecedent quarter. At that time the stir ! plus was sufficient to enable his Noble Friend to 1 appropriate a considerable additional sum to the diminution of taxation. That alteration contemplated b the possibility of there being a surplus, but he felt con vinced that his Noble Friend never contemplated that it should be part. of the foundation of the financial sys tem of the eountry that there should not be a bone fide surplus. He had asked his Noble Friend at the time of this alteration if he had calculated what amount of surplus he might then expect, and if he intended it to be part of his system to have a surplus, and his Noble Friend had replied, that it was part of his system. For the five or six years following this alteration, they had had, with the exception of one year, a regular surplus, and, according to the regulations laid down, the surplus was applied in various ways. They had, at the same time, the benefit of the surplus for the Sinking Fund, and the benefit of a considerable reduction of taxation. But there was now no surplus, and not merely so, but a considerable difficulty, and what created alarm in his mind was, that he could not see any prospect of getting out of the vicious system of borrowing money during peace, to carry on the expenditure of the country. It appeared, from papers laid on the table, of the House—last year the excess of expenditure over income in the year ending the sth of April, 1838, was 1,420,0001., and in the year ending in April, 18:39, 400,000/. being on the whole about 1,900,000/., and, ac- ' cording to estimates laid before Parliament last year, the expenditure would exceed the income of the Government in the year about to endin April, 900,000/. , since then additional expenses had been incurred, which had not been calculated, and for the sear ending the sth April next the surplus expenditure would be found to have increased not less than one million, so that for three successive years there was a clear, avowed, and unmitigated excess of expenditure over in come, and he thought he should be able to show that there were no grounds for supposing they would be able to extricate themselves from that perilous system. It would be said these were fanciful fears of his, that he did not rely on the resources of the country and the elasticity of those resources, and their power to lift it above its difficulties.—(Hear.) He hoped he did not undervalue their resources, he had had much to do with them, and was the last person so to do, but if it could be shown this expenditure they were habitually incurring in time of peace arose from } a deficiency in our resources, his apprehensions would l be lessened, because that deficiency might be caused by , transient circumstances ; but that was not the case, for it appeared the revenue was no less than 1,600,000/. more than in 1836, which satisfactory circumstance showed this evil had not i arisen from the resources of the country not being I worked out. He admitted that, and therefore it seemed somewhat paradoxical for him to say that he feared it was a more alarming state of the revenue on that ac count, and he would tell them why. If that deficiency had not arisen from any falling off in the revenue of the country, it must have arisen from an increase of the expenditure. He found that the excess of the . expenditure for the present year, as it was estimated last year was, as he had already said, 3,200,0001. over the amount of the sum expended in the year 1836. Now, if it could be proved to him that the necessity for that increase of expenditure so enormous in a mount existed (as to its object that was another matter to which he would advert by and bye—if it was shown to him that increase was owing to any carelessness, or profusion, or any other cause of that sort exclusively, and he did not mean to say that it was liable to any of these imputations, he should feel coat i Iteratively comfortable, because he should have no hesitation in relying upon the vigilance of the House of Commons, and he would trust to their exercising such a rigorous scrutiny into the expenditure, that there would be no doubt of their putting a speedy stop to it. But the fact was, the expenditure was increasing ; and that the increase had placed them in a predicament from which they could not escape. In fact he believed it was impossible for them to escape from it. He would call their Lordships' attention to what had occasioned a very considerable portion of it. 600,0001. or 700,000/. had been occasioned by the ad ditions made to the public debt within the last few years. That addition was made in two ways, partly by the funding of Exchequer bills, which always oc casioned a small increase in the expenditure, but not much, and partly on account of the interest. The deficiency of past years had been wholly made up by borrowing money, for which interest was to be provided, and if it was not to be provided for by any new taxa tion it must necessarily fall upon the aggregate re sources of the country. The mode in which' the t largest addition had been made to the debt of k the country arose from the operations carried on in the year 1836, when the great measure of the eman cipation of the negroes was carried, at an expence of twenty milions of money. He (the Earl of Ripon) was a party to that measure, and if it was to be done over again, he would most willingly become a party to it, because he considered it a wise, a politic, anal a humane act ; and, moreover, he believed the question was in snch a state that the act was one of inevitable necessity.—(Hear.) They could not however help paying for it, and that was one of the items which had added to the expenditure of the coun -1 try. Now of that :3,200,000/. excessive expenditure over the year 1836, a very considerable portion had been oc -1 casioned also by an augmentation of the expense of the army, the military, and the Ordnance, and he should like to ask any one who thought he could look forward (and any one who could look forward for the next six months with certainty must be a bold man), he should like to ask any one who thought he could look forward beyond the present moment, to stand up and demonstrate that there was any reason to think that they could curtail any one of these expenses.—(Hear, hear.) Their Lordships would recollect that last year, after the estimates had been presented to the other House of Parliament, there arose, unfortunately, a state of circumstances which compelled Government to have re course to the painful duty of asking for an additional grant of 5,000 men. What were the grounds on which Government did 502—The internal state of the country. He did think that there was no man echo had watched the progress of events since that time, who could say that similar circumstances might not soon make it ne cessary again to have recourse to a similar demand. Ireland, it had been said, vas now in a state of perfect peace, but in a state which made its tranquillity depen dant on a contingency—which contingency was no thing but the continuance in office of her Majesty's present Ministry. A tranquillity which depended on such a fact as that—on the fact whether her Ma jesty was to exercise her prerogative in naming her ad visers, was one which might be undermined by the snap of a finger. There was nothing in this which could enable them to reduce their army. He was aware that the military force had been diminished in Ireland, and that part of it had been brought over to this country. It was forgotten, however, that though a portion of the regular army had been withdrawn from Ireland, they had added to the constabulary force there, which was in itself an army, and which was, perhaps, more effec tual than any other, for the purpose of preserving tran quillity. The number of the constabulary had been in creased, and it was therefore possible for them to dimi nish their military force. This country had a large army in Canada, and he was most happy in believing that the circumstances of that country had improved, and that there did not exist the same danger of out break there as there did at a late period.—(Hear, hear, hear.) It was not the immediate disposi tion of the people of Canada which caused his anxiety as to the state of that country, and though it was to be hoped that those questions which had so long been pending there should soon be satisfactorily settled, and though some measures might be going on which might lead to such a settlement, there was a part of her Majesty's Speech from the throne which did not satisfy him. There was something about the neces sity of settling the question. It was stated that it must be settled. There was something, however, in the feel ings of a high spirited nation which might make them feel hurt at such allusions. There was another question which involved great difficulties—it was the boundary question pending between this country and America. There was also another boundary question which might soon add to those difficulties ; he alluded to the boun dary of the district westward of the Rocky Mountains, which might give rise to new discussions between the two countries.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") It was now settled by a treaty, but that treaty would expire in twelve months. He had no jealousy of the American Government; God forbid that he should do otherwise than believe that they were disposed to main tain the most friendly relations towards the Government of this country, but those grounds of discussion must arise ; they were in existence now, and of course ren dered it naturally imprudent for us to reduce our at my in that quarter. No country had such an immensity of foreign possessions as we bad, but throughout the whole, could any man put his hand upon one and say that there was too much garrison ? On the contrary, he believed that many of them were too weak. Circumstances might arise which would imperatively demand an increase of our army abroad, and so certain as those circumstances did arise, if not directly, certainly indirectly, they would demand an increase of the army at home, otherwise it would be impossible to keep up that system of relief— (" Hear, hear," from the Duke of Wellington)— which was necessary in order to keep the minds of men at ease by knowing that they were not banished from their country for ever. Then, with respect to the Navy. Great complaints had been made last year re specting the proceedings of the Admiralty, which were positively denied by that department, and it was said that ships were building, stores being laid in, and ships being put in commission, but all natu rally leading to an increased expense, and the Go vernment complained of the great difficulty they had in isducing the other House of Parliament to grant them sufficient sums of money for the purpose. He be lieved that those complaints were well founded, and that similar complaints might be made by every Go vernment that had been in office since the peacr. He did not wish to keep up an extraordinary force in the time of peace, but it was necessary to be prepared for any contingency. He, for one, was not so much afraid of the resources of Russia as many \ other people were, but still, when it was known that they were in a state of great activity,—when it was known that those resources were so groat, and in a state of such forwardness, and that they might l i be applied hostilely at any time, was a thing that was not to be left out of mind. Then with respect to France : a report had been made I to the French Government containing propositions which it was very reasonable Louis Philippe should I adopt and the Chambers would sanction ; but that did not make it an object of less solicitude to this t 1 country. They would he blind indeed if they treated the course adopted b) the French Government, with respect to their Marine, with so much indifference as to say they would not notice it. He called on them to think, and if the Government and Parliament thought of 1 it effectually, he, for his part, would entertain but little alarm. Then as to the United States of America. 1 The American fl ee t was f o und stationed everywhere.— ; ( Hear, hear.) But what right had this country 1 to complain of that ? and without imputing designs or showing any unreasonable jealousy, that fact justified him in coming to the conclu sion (and he could not come to any other), that it I was not possible, in the present state of things, for this 1 country to diminish the present enormous expenditure with respect to her Navy. Then, as to the unintelligible state of things that existed in the government of China. Nothing bad been laid on the table of Parliament with respect to the policy of the Chinese Government, nei ther had the House any information as to what had occasioned these differences, what were the views of the Government, or what was the nature of the steps they had taken or intended to take with respect to it. But it was quite cheer it had caused an interruption to our trade. Nobody could say how long it might last, or what consequences might result, but it undoubtedly was an interruption to a most important branch of the commerce of the whole country. It was a question involving some serious principles of commerce—of ruin to the merchants, and inconveni ence to the East India Company—besides involving the loss of three millions of money and the prosperity of the tea-trade, the enhancement in the price of which arti cle, and the consequent decrease in its consumption, must necessarily lead to a great defalcation in the revenue. In the midst of all this there was another question cal culated to produce in its consequences great alarm as respected the revenue. He alluded to the new Post-office regulations, and whatever might be their probability of ultimate success, he would not:now venture on a prophecy on the subject, though he would express his conviction that it was a most ill-timed experiment, nor was there anything in the state of our finances to warrant such an experiment, in the absence of any plan to meet the possible deficiency. It was true that Parliament had given a sort of pledge to supply any deficiency that might arise ; but he did not consider that sufficiently satisfactory, be cause that pledge did not apply to any other deficiency than that arising from the Post-office, and offered no consolation with reference to the three millions which had occurred in the last three years, nor could he see anything in that pledge to prevent the great evil of a declining revenue in the time of peace. Those were the consideratio ns that appeared to him to follow naturally from the facts that he had called their Lordships' attention to.—(Hear, hear.) He I could not suggest any remedy. He had no right to suppose that any suggestion would be listened to. If he had attracted the attention of those who were better able to deal with the subject, he only hoped that dis cussion would produce good effects. The papers he had alluded to were the statements of the net income for the last five years. The funded and unfunded debt for the same period, and the regulations issued since the Ist September, with respect to the reduction of the debt. Viscount MELBOURNE then rose, and said he was sure that the Noble Earl who had just spoken was actuated by no other motive than that of principle.—(Hear.) The subject which had been alluded to was certainly one of the most paramount im portance to the country. He cer tainly concurred in the principles s Lod Melbourne)ofrbisNoble Friend, and in the main facts that he had stated. He entirely agreed in the wisdom of the staking fund measure adopted during the Administration of the Noble Duke. He also entirely agreed that it was not a satisfactory state of the financial affairs to have a clear admitted deficiency. But the Noble Earl further considered it a right principle always to expect an increase. Now he (Lord M.) did not entirely agree in that. And he rather thought that when the deficiency was but small it was not wise to burden the country with any extraordinary exactions, but to trust to its natural resources. Still it was impossible to deny that a deficiency, year after year, increasing, was a state of things to which the country must boldly and decidedly apply itself. At the same time, be felt, that in financial, as in all other matters, boldness, and confidence, and courage,were the best opponents to danger,and that it was not well al ways to adhere slavishly to rule. His Noble Friend, the Noble Earl, stated truly that the deficiency arose, not so much from any defalcation or falling off in the revenue,nor by any failure in the productive power of the country, but from temporary cause from which the country might soon recover. Still, it was not to be denied that the expenses of the county had been long growing in a great degree, and from causes which, he agreed with his Noble Friend, there was no reason for hoping would or could be speedily diminished or obviated.—(Hear, hear.) His Noble friend had gone through a great many sub jects which he (Lord Melbourne) did not think it ne cessary to follow; but unquestionably from the causes he had stated, he did not fairly see any proba bility of any Government greatly to diminish the expenses either of the military or the naval posts of the country. They have increased very much since the year 1816, at which time they were very low ; it could not be denied that there have been growing dif ficulties to account for its increase. He did not fear or apprehend from all the arguments of his Noble Friend, which he (Lord Melbourne) did not mean to contravene, that he took any unfair view of the question. But he trusted that it was not calcu lated to excite alarm or promote danger. From those circumstances which did exist, he had al ready shown it was not possible, with a view to the safety of the empire, to cause any reduction in those establishments, or in the exigencies of them ; unquestionably it is hoped there will not be the same demand for the great establishments which it was necessary to keep up. With respect to Ireland, he had hopes that that tran quillity which the Noble Lord had doubted was fully established ; yet he (Lord Melbourne) had every reason to suppose that tranquillity will not be shaken—at the same time he saw no possibi lity of diminishing rapidly the military force in Canada. With respect to the boundary question, considering; the course of proceeding ac adopted b e y the American Go vernment, in which he pled entir confidence, he cer tainly entertained the strongest hope that it would be brought to an amicable termination. It was cer tainly true that the naval force of foreign powers had, as might naturally have been expected, grown mad increased, and although we were not called upon to keep a force equal to the whole of the other navies in the world, yet certainly this circumstance called for an adequate increase of our naval force. The Noble Lord had adverted to a question of great difficulty, and in doing so he had abstained from using any terms that might be likely to increase it—(Hear, hear.) In his reply, therefore, he should cautiously, abstain from the use of any expressions, which, under the circumstances, might be considered unnecessary and misplaced—he meant the question of China. Undoubtedly a crisis had taken place there which, considering the relations be tween the Chinese and European nations bad been often thought likely to occur. He was not prepared to undervalue the difficulties of this crisis, for he thought that it was fraught with all those commercial difficul ties, and also with many of those financial consequences, that had been alluded to by the Noble Lord. The Noble Lord had dwelt upon the loss that was likely to occur to the revenue in consequence of the Bill which had been passed in the last Session of Parliament for reducing the duties of Postage. A large deficiency of the revenue had on all hands been anticipated as a consequence of the adoption of that measure. He would, however, state that the plan bad been adopted bona fide by her Majesty's Government, and notwithstanding what had been stated in a pamphlet which he -had seen "by a Faithful Counsellor of the Crown," he could assure their Lordships that the measure had been adopted bona fide, and not with with the idea that it would be thrown out by the opposition of Noble Lords opposite. That Faithful Counsellor of the Crown,"acting upon his own lively impressions, had taken the promptings of his own imagination for a reality. This was often the case with persons of a lively imagination, and there was no more pregnant source of error and absurdity than for persons to fancy they were acquainted with th motives of others, and acting on this as on a certainty. The Noble Lord had said, that although the House of Commons was pledged to make up the deficiency arising from the Post office alterations, yet that pledge did not extend to other deficiencies. He begged leave to say, that whether the deficiency arose from th( Post-office project, or any deficiency, he should not ask for any express pledge ; he felt sully confident both with respect to that and every other deficiency that might arise. He felt fully confident that the cnere ' ies of the country—that the patriotism of the H ou s e of Corn mons and of its constituencies—that a due regard to the fidelity of contracts, the honour of the country, and her station among nations, would be amply sufficient to induce them to meet the financial difficulties of the country, boldly and firmly, whatever the) might be, and in such a manner as should be ade quate, and suited to the occasion, whatever the occasion might be, that should arise. With respect to any dr ficiency that might arise by the adoption of that measure for which they had distinctly and expressly pledged themselves, he could not think that the Noble Lord had done other than his duty in calling thus early in the Session the attention of their Lordships to a matter of such importance. He per fectly adrniaed the reasoning of the Noble Lord. He perfectly admitted the greater part of his facts. Unquestionably he saw difficulties in the present posi tion of the country in that respect, and unless the coun try was prepared to exert itself, and maintain its place among the nations, be felt fully confident that the energies and resolutions of the coun try would carry it through its present difficulties.— ( Hear, hear.) —The motion was then agreed to. THE CHARTIST PRISONERS. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from two persons who were confined in Chester Castle since Au gust last, on a conviction for having used inflamma tory language at a meeting, and for which they were to be imprisoned for twelve months, after being duly convicted in due course of law The petition stated a variety of things, but not to trouble their Lordships, he would only recommend it to their best attention. He begged to state that it was committed to him in a letter from a respectable solicitor residing at Manchester, and the statements rested only on his authority, and therefore he (Lord Brougham) was not answerable for them. If true, it would appear the Justices present were not well advised, that the practice of the law required that the person to be committed should be present at the examination of the witnesses against him, that he might hear the evi dence and have the power of cross-examining them. This, it was stated, the Magistrates did not do : but the petitioner, who was a medical man, said the witnesses were severally introduced, and instead of being exa mined in the usual way, and giving their answers sub ject to cross-examination a paper was read over to them by the Magistrates' clerk, and they were asked whether the statements which purported to be evidence taken down before was true. This was not the proper way, for the examination was not taken in the presence of the parties, and it was one thing to read over a paper, and another to examine, and thus subject them to cross-examination. The other ground of complaint was, that the party, when called upon, was proceeding to state his defence, but was told he must speak so slow that the clerk, who could not write short hand, might take down every word he said, that it might be used in evi dence against him. That was a very great mistake ; for the use to be made of the defence was not that of has bag evidence against him, but to influence it in his fa vour ; and he really hoped no party would again be required to utter his defence in such a way, since many would thereby be obliged to hold their peace. No person was more cautious than himself in interfer ing with the administration of justice ; but he had thought it proper to state these facts to their Lordships, and he submitted they were well worthy of their con sideration. The Marquis of NORMANBY said, that he had a considerable correspondence with the sitting Justices on the subject. As far as the case had come before him. he thought the magistrates were justified in the course they had taken. He would, however, make further inquiry on the matter, and lay the results before their Lordships. ENFRANCHISEMENT OF COPYHOLDS. On the motion of Lord BROUGHAM, a Com mittee was appointed to consider the details of the Bill for the Enfranchisement of Copyholds.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF C014M0N.3, JAN. 23. There being only 36 Members present at Four o'Clock, the House adjourned till to-morrow. SOUTHWARK ELECTION. CLOSE OF THE POLL. Wood Walter Mr. Curling resigned at an early hour. Mr. J. R. Fyne, the recently-appointed organist to the Abbey Church at Bath, is the successful candidate for the Gresham prix medal. WONDERFUL IF TRUE.—At a little distance from the road leading from: Swinford , to Cuiltemagh, and about a mile and a half from the former town, resides Mr. James Kavanagh, an honest, industrious, and respectable villager. He has a son, grown to man's estate, who has been confined to his be for the last four years, and dur ing that period he has not spoken a word, nor has he been known to eat or drink anythinff whveratevelittle, r—never if tathelall,ess. his colour is fresh, and his strength y impaired. He gets up daily to permit his bed to be dressed, and the moment it is ready he gets into it again, ith out taking the slightest notice of anything said to or about him. He does not seem to sleep ; at least no one can enter , his room unknown to him ; but he takes no further notice of per sons even threatening to maltreat him, than by fixing his eyes sharply upon them. The only exception is, when any person blasphemes or curses, and then he looks most fiercely, and t urns aw ay his head. Previous to his getting into tins strange state, he was fully in possession of all his facultie: of mind an d body, and had the character of being a pious and ingenious young man, an obedient son, and a good neighbeur. F ATAL A C CIDENT DURING THE ill GII Alrisrn_o n Tuesday afternoon, during the hurricane tluit prevailed, a boy, n amed Bolton, the son of a waterman, w coming through Kingston-bridge in a punt, when he observed a barge heavily laden bearing, but close upon ni ne a bs im mediately attempted to get out of the way but a violent gust of wind bore his boat right against the barge, which drove illy punt against the corner of the arch, and stove it in half. The father of the unfortunate lad was standing on the share, and endeavoured to seize hold of his son, but he failed in doing so, and the lad passing under the bat ge rose on the opposite side, and then instantly sunk. The body had not been recovered. TILE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, J k NETARY 24. 1840 SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. (From the Globe.) Sir Robert Peel's declaration of Monday was an hu miliating acknowledgment of the distrust of his fol lowers. The existence of that distrust has long been matter of notoriety ; but it has never been yet so clearly shown to the country as by the present pre caution against its operation for a single week. It is now clear that the party distrust Sir Robert so much, that it is necessary for him to commit himself to its policy a week before he can show his course by vote or speech in the regular course of debate. Sir John Bul ler's notice appeared so much at variance with the usual course of Sir Robert Peel, and the caution of his cha racter, that it very naturally gave rise at first to suspicions that the worthy Baronet was acting on his own head, and without concert with his leader. But the cha racter of that gentleman convinced all who knew any thing of him that such could not be the case. He is really one of the most moderate of the Conservative party ; and during his Parliamentary career he has been generally considered as Sir Robert's particular country-gentleman. We are therefore quite ready to believe that the step has been taken with the full consent of Sir Robert : that it was not taken without the fullest consideration and deliberate concurrence of the leaders of the party ; and that Sir Robert, finding the motion must be made, placed it in Sir John's hands as the fittest person to make it. (From the Standard.) Another night has been wasted upon the deplorable case of privilege. Upon a motion by Mr. Thomas Duncombe, the warrants for the late committals were ordered to be laid before the House, after a short re sistance by Lord John Russell. The motive for this resistance will appear when it is known that the Attor ney-General boasted to have so framed the warrants as to conceal the particular offence for which the parties were committed, lest the Court of Justice should take cognizance of it. Let us understand' this proceeding. Either the offence pu nished is known or it is not known. If it is known the Courts of Justice must take cognizance of it upon application, whatever the terms of the war rant, for complete notoriety is judicial knowledge, as the text writers on the Roman law, and on our own law, admit. If it is not known, what is the use of the punishment inflicted ? The effect of example is the only justification for punishment ; but the penalty inflicted without known offence affords no example ; it appears, and it is, but a barren act of capricious cruelty. How, indeed, is any one to know that Messrs. Evans and Wheelton are not the victims of such an act ? There is an order of the House of Commons forbidding to tell of what these Gentlemen are accused, and the Attorney- General boasts to have craftily contrived the warrant so as to preserve the secret. This is to maintain the dig ;illy! of the House of Commons. (From the Courier.) We can have no sympathy with such a person as Stockdale, between whom and Mr. Daniel O'Con- cell there would however appear, in some respects, such a conformity of tastes and pursuits, that the bitter ,ind personal rancour of the " beggarman" against the other " pauperised person," as in his own acknowledged letter the former styles himself, can only be accounted tor on the vulgar adage that " two of a trade can never agree." But, as in the similar case of Wilkes, it may be said that from evil may arise good, and whatever the true motives of Stockdale, con ceding for the argument that they were as worthless ,ind mercenary, as freely represented in the House of Commons, we must still hold that, wittingly or not, his prosecution of those honourable and really guiltless tradesmen, the Hansards, will result in signal benefit to the nation. The more the extent and consequences of the uncontrolled privileges assumed and now battled for by the House are investigated, the more subversive will they be found of the rights of the subject, and the peace and good order of society. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. (Continued from our Paper of yesterday. ) Mr. Alderman WntrE—He maintained that had Lord John Russell pursued a different course to what ho had done, he would have been a traitor to his historical name and the prin ciples he professed. He believed there was now a confederacy against popular rights ; and he was afraid the Judges had allowed their political opinions to influence their judgments. Although he would trust the Judges with his person and pro perty, yet he would not trust them with the meanest of his po litical rights any more than he would the Bench of Bishops.— ( Oh, oh.) Mr. liAvisox rose to order. He would ask whether it was fit and proper that the conduct of the Judges, who merely administered the law, should be thus animadverted upon ?—( Hear, hear. ) Mr. Alderman WHITE—The Judges and their decisions were in collision with the House of Commons, and therefore were in collision with the people. It became necessary, then, to in quire into their powersay, and their principles; and he would ask what were their political predilections? How many of them (he knew there were some) were members of the Carl ton Club ?—(Cries of " Oh, oh !" and " Order, order.") The LORD MAy on must call the lion. Alember to order. He hoped his good sense would induce him to refrain from such observations. TAvLoa--Anything that is said against the Judges will only lead every body to admire them the more.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Alderman WHITE —I have said nothing against the Judges.--( Great laughter, and cries of " Oh, oh, oh.") ltr. Alderman HARMER—That only shows my Hon. Friend does not know what he has been saying.—(Laughter. ) Mr. Alderman WHITE concluded by saying that the Judges were men with passions like themselves, and that might be some excuse for their conduct.—( Herr, hear.) He thanked them for the attention with which they had listened to him, and he should not have occupied so much of their time, had he not been interrupted. Mr. PEWTRESS thought, that if the opinion of the Judges were to be acquiesced in, the doors of the House of Commons as well as the door of that Court might be as well closed.— (Hear, hear.) He very much esteemed their worthy Sheriffs, and he regretted that the House of Commons had not brought itself in conflict with the real parties. —( Hear, hear. ) Sir PETER LA URIE would make but a few observations. Ile thought the House of Commons was not worth petitioning.— The House of Commons that passed the Penny Post A c t was . . the most contemptible Assembly that ever existed.—( Laugh ter, and cries of " Oh.") Was the law of the land to be usurped by one branch of the Legislature ? The House of Commons was now in a cleft stick, and he hoped that Court would not help them out of the difficulty, and would not go before them with any petition.—( Hear. ) Mr. JONES cordially supporters the resolutions. Mr. ANDERTON did not consider that this was a question between the House of Commons and the Sheriffs of London merely, but that it was a question in which all the Sheriffs of the United Kingdom were concerned and most deeply in terested. He should vote for the resolutions that had been proposed; but he hoped that, if the Sheriffs were not liberated in a few days, the people of England would take the bull by the horns.—( Hear, hear.) He trusted that Court would set the example, and would petition the Queen to dis solve the Parliament.—( Hear, hear.) The great Lord Bin - leigh had said that if ever England was ruined it would be through the instrumentality of the House of Commons. That House was now endeavouring to bring the laws of the country—which every body venerated—into disre pute.—( Cheers. ) They were endeavouring to take from the Crown the right of issuing processes, and the right of executing them. He concluded by expressing his approbation of the resolutions, and if they had even gone further, he would have supported them. Mr. Alderman CorEtatin hoped that the petition would be deferred. If he were the Lord Mayor, and he said it with all humility, he would let the citizens of London have an op portunity, in Common Hall, of expressing their opinion on this subject—(Hear, hear.) He considered the proceedings of the House of Commons on this subject had done more to strike at the root of the independence of the Judges, of Trial by Jury, and the liberty of the subject, and all that Englishmen held dear as birthrights, than any act perpetrated by the most tyrannical power.—(Cheers.) He lamented to see a Minister of the Crown, backed by the Attorney-General, retrograde, as Lord John Russell had done, from the bold front which he assumed on the first night of the Session, when he stated unequivocally that it was their determination not to punish one party merely, but that if the House of Commons should state it was a breach of privilege, to punish all parties impli erawinf fittsl witnessed, s w ; do theu, asi d impli cated. He (Alderman Copeland) had told the Noble Lord that he would not dare follow up that statement.—(Cheers.) ht H eel e i Th h hha o i sed n ,b o Lr u toeh r teaehdor sympathy ehxynmei discussedAeJpfuatdthhge ye Corporalshe, sh e Nv h u or o;_ on,ruh their the it d rhat i f worthyS t h h e e r y i ffss hadh; fi ti rs on t s len (H of ear th , e land, they would be delighted with the public sfpoirritthtahtat morning mhineaganri.f)ested itself.—(Hear, hear.) He was de cidedly against petitioning, but he would vote for the resolu voe. said that when h. appointed the Court should be hecahlmadlyaangdreatteinwpeisrhatetlhya.t T th h e , subject t must recollect that whatever they did in this matter would go forth to the whole world. The Sheriffs were well advised, and if that Court would adopt the same course which the Court of Aldermen had don not take any steps at present—he thought they would act wisely. He thought the Members of that Court had shown that the Sheriffs were placed in a most unenviable position.—(llear, hear.) He would, of course, be ready to give every attention to what any Gentleman might and d v sg e e ehd t s.e o t:ow s n a (o y Hui n , eda b :dr u et, t htheo h er, a r e et hf o.didthe appointment , h n op o e the discussion would be at once Mr. Alderman THOMPSON thought, after the opinion he had heard, that the least prudent course would be to adopt the members, t were of perseverea NWvitahtChhiisngprCoopomsimtiiotnteteo, fe t w he o r f es t o h lu e tons petition.—(Hear, hear.) A Ward Committee was then a ppointed, including all the a pc n uo dtAu andraftt e or longeaa r d sr e vi s ee u de l e t uh o n l eimm discussioneuisrl.y.mrbetweenre in reply,a Aldermen fAl p d r e e r s m en e t n ,.to co-operate with the Committee of the Mr. WIRE proposed that the foregoing resolutions be signed by the Town Clerk, and presented to the Sheriffs by the Lord Mayor, attended by the whole Court. The RECORDER observed that the place of custoc , ly of the Sheriffs was a peculiar one—it was one within the pre cincts of the Palace, and also within the precincts of the House of Commons. Now, without wishing to give any opinion as to what course that Court ought to adopt, h s i c h h e r i he ffs believed were confined.— was the he i th in would gn m i n e i r n e g l y a s d u m g n t n t them it tm should the difficulty ffi h c e ul ty refused, they the would Sheriffs e t w being in actual custody. B esides the whole Court could not get size into ttoie alroaopmartemigehnttfeinetsquare, h'e v a (A laugh.) It was ultimately agreed that the whole Court, to be selected from the Committee appointed, should attend the Lord May or, and that Mr. Remembrancer should ascertain from the She riffs when it would be convenient I,v i D e putation only, instead of for them to receive the visi t. The Resolutions were orde red to be advertised in the Mora inn and Evening Papers, and the other business having been disposed of, the Court adjourned. The Gazette de Francr, Carlist organ, states that Cabrera had detached a bo d y of troopseompooed of 3,500 in fantry and 300 cavalry, to make an irruption into La Mancha ; which it asserts they have run through unoppo3ed, levying con tributions and colleaing large quantities of ammunition and provisions. THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND On the 14th inst., a public meeting of the inha bitants of Elgin and its neighbourhood took place, in consequence of a requisition to the Provost, numerously signed, for the purpose of expressing their disapprobation of the conduct of a party of the Church, in resisting the declared law of the land. The meeting, which was held in the new Court House, was most respectably and numerously attended—Alexander Forteath, Esq., of Newton. in the chair. The principal speakers were John Paul, M.D. ; Mr. Cameron, Sheriff Substitute ; Mr. Petrie, merchant ; and Mr. Lawson, banker ; who all strongly condemned the conduct of the dominant party in the Church in persisting in the Veto Act, after its having been declared illegal ; in suspending seven respected clergymen for obey ing the law of the land ; and in sending itinerant preachers to the north for the purpose of agitating the country, and alienating the affections of the people from their pastors. The speakers were well received by the meeting, who cordially concurred in their views ; and resolutions were unanimously passed. A numerous meeting of the Commissioners of Supply, Justices of Peace, &c., of the county of Aberdeen, was held in the Court House, Aber deen, on Wednesday, Colonel Fraser, of Castle Fraser, in the chair. Mr. Gordon, of Craig, moved a series of resolutions, expressive of regret at the recent proceedings of the General Assembly and the Commission, importing disobedience to the law of the land, and exercising an undue severity towards seven clergymen in that and a neighbouring county. Mr. Lumsden of Pitcaple seconded the reso lutions. An amendment was moved by Sir W. Seton, seconded by Mr. Dingwall, Fordyce, and resolutions were moved by Mr. Thomson of Banchory, seconded by Mr. Ferguson of Kilmundy. On a division, the votes were, for Mr. Gordon's motion, 56 ; for Sir W. Seton's amendment, 5 ; for Mr. Thomson's motion, 3. At the meeting of the Town Council of Dundee, on Wednesday, a question arose as to the right of Town Councils to prevent public meetings being held in the Established Churches, when it was resolved to prevent the Steeple Church from being " let out" to the non intrusionists, on the ground that the object in view was " opposed to the law of the land." NON-INTRUSION. .--- A CONFERENCE. —We un derstand that the seven suspended clergymen of Strathbogie were requested to hold a conference with the Rev. Dr. Gordon, of Edinburgh, regarding their recent contumacious proceedings, no doubt with the view of obtaining from them something in the shape of an apology for their rebellion against the Assembly's orders. But they declined to meet the Rev. Doctor, and sent their legal adviser to attend the meeting. At last meeting of the Presbytery of Aberdeen, certain of our city clergymen were ap pointed to preach in the parishes of the suspended cler gymen of Strathhogie for the two ensuing Sabbaths, and • to remain during the interval in the parish, and, of course, agitate for the independence of the Church. An interdict, we understand, has been applied to pre vent these strange proceedings.—Aberdeen Herald. EFFECT OF THE ATMOSPHERE ON DISEASES. (From Dr. Sigmond's Treatise on the Use of Mercury.) The older physicians laid particular stress upon the influence of the sun and moon upon human bodies ; and Dr. Mead has collected some very curious instances to prove the influence of the planets. Modern science and experience have shown that although the paroxysms and periods of disease are guided by regular laws, there is no reason for the belief that the celestial bodies are in any way connected with them, but that they are dependent on atmospheric changes. We find, under particular aerial states, that epidemics are prevalent, and that their cure must vary according to the changes that produced them, and medicines will, under such circumstances, lose much of their power, and even be productive of evil conse quences. During fine clear weather, the preparations of mercury seldom affect the bowels, nor do they produce that depression of spirits which is so often observed to accompany their use during damp moist weather. This does not altogether depend upon the state of atmos phere determining from the outward surface, and pre venting a free action of the skin, because the coldest weather, if it be dry, is well adapted for its administra tion. It seems, in some measure, to be connected with the electricity of the body. We are well aware, if the weather be damp and foggy, that a listless and languid state is produced ; whilst during dry weather, however cold it may be, there is a feeling of light-heartedness and cheerfulness pervading the whole of the system. In the first instance, the atmosphere is robbing us of our electricity, which it greedily absorbs ; in the latter case, the dryness of the air is such, that it leaves us in pos session of the electricity which seems to belong to us ; hence the buoyancy of spirits on the cold frosty days of December and January, and the suicidal despondency of November, and hence the elasticity, the life, and animation of the Frenchman, the sluggish, heavy move ment of the Dutchman, the variable feelings of the Englishman, one clay full of hope and cheerfulness, the next day at war with himself and the rest of mankind. " During moist states of the weather, mercurial prepa rations should be sparingly prescribed ; and when, from the diseased state of the system, they cannot be dis pensed with, very great attention is to be paid to the clothing. To every one in damp, moist conditions of the atmosphere, flannel is a great comfort, but silk is the most useful covering of the body. It is by far the best friend and comforter that can be applied. We know that if a silk handkerchief be perfectly dry, lightning the most accumulated could not pass through it, so decided a non-conductor is it ; hence, if worn next to the skin, the air cannot absorb the electricity of the human body. Silk waistcoats, drawers, and stockings of the same ma terial, are of the greatest service during the humid state of the winter months of this country. The hypochon driac, the nervous, will derive from them more benefit than from the most active tonic, and they will prove a more invigorating cordial than any spirituous dram; nor are the effects transient, for a buoyancy of spirits, and an agreeable warmth, are thus diffused over the whole fretne. Patients, therefore, during mercurial influence, are much better wrapped in silk than even when con fintd to bed ; but this latter precaution can more ge nerally be taken, and hence the different preparations are always best administered on the invalid retiring to bed, and he should be kept there until the effects have been produced. This is more especially the case with calomel. As much mischief has arisen from the want of proper precaution, as from large doses, and the habit of the individual is always to be duly weighed and con sidered. Females of a delicate, nervous, irritable frame, are rendered languid, peevish, incapable of fulfilling their usual duties; they feel chilly, they easily shed tears, are sometimes almost hysteric, and though they have no actual suffering to endure, are almost as miserable as if they had it to encounter. On the other hand, the stout, robust, plethoric individual, who probably has to bear very great pain from the nature of his disease, seems quite insensible to any unwonted effect ; it, how ever, more generally acts upon such a constitution with greater energy, and leaves behind it a more decided state of debility, if it be persevered in for any length of time, or if it be often repeated. The inhabitants of this country are very little influenced by it, comparatively speaking, from their high mode of living, and from their being so much habituated to the changes of climate ; but foreigners are not so fortunate, nor can they bear a dose which, in their native air, they could take with im punity. Indeed, they have a horror of blue pill and of calomel ; their incapability of bearing it is greater here than in their own climate." A very disgraceful affair has just taken place at Keston-common. In our last we mentioned that an inquest had been held on the body of a man in the employment of the Hon. Lionel Tollemache, who had died from drinking to excess gin gratuitously furnished by his master. On the Jury was a Mr. Haslett, who keeps a large shop on Keston-common, who very properly expressed his disgust at the revolting debauch which had caused the death of this miserable man. On Mon day Mr. Haslett applied to the Rev. T. Scott, a Magistrate at Bromley (who refused permission for reporters to be present), for redress under the following circumstances :—lt appears that since the inquest Mr. Haslett has been subjected to nu merous petty annoyances from the dependents of this wild scion of hereditary legislation, and that a few days previously his wife and daughter, the latter aged about sixteen, were sitting in a parlour, commanding a view of the shop, when two men entered the latter (it being at the time broad daylight) in a state of nudity. Mr. Haslett being immediately called, the two infamous offenders hastily ran away, running vio lently against a young woman who was entering the shop, and passing upwards of 30 houses in their retreat to the stables of the Hon. L. Tollemache, which they were seen to enter. They were also seen in conversation with a man named Hill, Mr. Tcllemache's shepherd, who is stated to have said on their re turn, " You have done it well." Mr. Haslett, suspecting that this brutal and revolting outrage upon public decency had been instigated by the Hon. L. Tollemache, procured a summons against him, and the case after occupying the attention of the Rev. Mr. Scott some time ( with closed doors) on Monday week, was adjourned till Monday last.—Maidstone Gazette. LIABILITY OF SOLICITORS TO SERVE ON CORONERS' JuitiEs.—An inquest was appointed to be held before Mr. Wakley, M.P., at the Middlesex Hospital, on Wed nesday morning, at nine o'clock. The Coroner not having ar rived at the appointed Hour, his clerk, Mr. Bell, began the ex amination of witnesses, when Mr. Thomas Harrison, a soli c it or , who was summoned on the jury, said, ‘. Sir, are you not a ware that you are acting illegally in taking evidence in the absence of the Coroner ?" Mr. Bell—" I know my own business, and stall act accordingly." Mr. Harrison—" If I were a witness I would refuse to answer you a single word." . The Corone r ar rived at ten o'cl o ck, and on the names of the jury being called over, Mr. Harrison claimed exemption from serving en the ground of his being a solicitor. The Coroner said no pe rson , be he Peer, Judge, or military or naval officer, was exempt, on the ground of his station, office, or profession, from serving the office of juror i n t h a t Court. He advised Mr. Harrison to con sult the 9th of George IV., c. 5 0 , where the law on the point was defined. M r . Harrison' would consent to serve for the present; but if he were summoned again he would come pre pared with legal authorities to clear up the question at issue. The Coroner directed the beadle to summon Mr. Harrison on the first opportunity. WOODEN PAVEMENTS IN TIIE METROPOLIS. —The Vivid, Hull steam ship, arrived yesterday at the St. Katherine's wharf, bringing 4,000 wooden blocks of yell ow pine for the pavement now laying down in Oxford-st reet , an d various oth er me t ro p o litan thoroughfares. The Hull Steam packet Company have entered into a contract to bring up 10,000 blocks per week for the paving commissioners. 'The blocks are sawn at the steam saw mills at Hull, and are supplied at a very cheap rate. LAW INTELLIGENCE COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, JAN. 23. IN THE CASE OF THE SHERIFFS OF LONDON. In the course of the morning, Mr. RICHARDS ap plied to the Court to ask if their Lordships would permit him to bring forward the motion which he had been about to make yesterday. Lord DENMAN—This is not the only Court in which a motion can be made, Mr. RICHARDS said this was a motion affecting the liberty of the subject. Lord DENMAN—We have appointed our times for hearing motions, but if you have no opportunity of moving in any other Court we will hear you here. Mr. RICHARDS did not think he could make this motion in any other Court. As the affidavits had been sworn here he could not, without fresh affidavits, move in another Court. His motion would be to discharge the Sheriffs from the custody in which they were at pre sent, and to which the affidavits had been sworn. Lord DENMAN—We shall proceed with the new trials to-day until four o'clock, and we will hear you then. At 4 o'clock, Mr.ltrcHAaps applied for a habeas corpus, to be directed to Sir W. Gosset, the Sergeant-at-Arms, to bring up the bodies of the High Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, in order that the cause of their impri sonment might be inquired into. These gentlemen were now prisoners, but the affidavit set forth that they verily believed they had done nothing to incur the displeasure of the House of Commons, except what they had done in obedience to the Queen's writ issued from this Court. The Learned Counsel then read the affidavit of the Sheriffs, stating the facts of the case, which are already known to the public. The affidavit also set forth the resolutions of the House of Commons relative to the Sheriffs, and the Sheriffs also stated that they verily believed they were imprisoned solely for what they had done in obedience to the orders of the Court, and that they would not have been committed to custody if they had consented to pay over the money to the Messrs. Hansard, and that they had seen no warrant authorizing their com mitment. Lord DENMAN said, that without adverting at all to the affidavit, there could be no reason why the writ of habeas corpus should not issue, so that the bodies might be brought up, and the cause of the commitment inquired into. The fact of their being imprisoned was sufficient to entitle them to that. Mr. RICHARDS then stated he had a further application to make to their Lordships, which was for an attach ment against Sir William Gossett for daring to im prison the officers of that Court, and obstruct them in the execution of their duty. Lord DENMAN—We cannot listen to that applica tion until we see what the return will be to the writ of habeas corpus. SHERIFFS COURT, JAN. 21. WOODLAND V. LORD NORBURY. This was an action brought by the plaintiff against Noble defendant for the sum of 161. 10s., which had been paid by the plaintiff to her sister, on behalf of the defen dant, under the following circumstances : Mr. BOTHELL appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. GRIF FITHS for the defendant. It appeared from the statement and evidence adduced, that the plaintiff's sister, Elizabeth Woodland, (a very pretty young woman) was a servant in the employment of a lady in Blandford-street. About a year and a half ago, the Noble defendant saw her, and engaged her as his housemaid, and she went to live at Brighton. It fur ther appeared that the Noble Lord had become the father of a child by this young woman. Before her confinement he wrote to the plaintiff to take comfortable lodgings, and to let her sister have everything which her situation required. This was done, and the sum of 261. was paid by the Noble defendant ; and on 3d July, 1839, he wrote to the plaintiff stating that he would not be liable for any more money. The plaintiff, however, claimed 161. 10s. more, fur lodgings, &c. The witness (Elizabeth Woodland) underwent a severe cross-examination, but her testimony was not shaken. She, however, admitted that she had brought an action against the Noble defendant for wages due to her as a housemaid. After the Counsel for the plaintiff and defendant had addressed the Court, The UNDER SHERIFF said he coincided entirely with what had been stated by the Learned Counsel for the Noble defendant. The Jury, however, found for the plaintiff—Damages, 161. 103. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, JAN. 23. IN RE ABRAHAM HENRY CHAMBERS. The case of Mr. Chambers, the Banker, came on to-day. Mr. Commissioner Law was enabled to defer some of his arduous duties to attend in Court to deliver his opinion with his learned colleagues, the Chief Commissioner and Mr. Commissioner Bowen. Mr. Woonaom proceeded with his application on the part of Mr. Henry Wilton, a solicitor, for a rule calling on Mr. Chambers to show cause why he should not be com mitted to the common gaol of the county in which he was resident, for contempt of Court, in not filing his schedule, on a vesting order obtained under the compulsory clause. The affidavit of Mr. Wilton disclosed that on the 19th of December a vesting order was made, and Mr. Cham bers called upon to fill his schedule within fourteen days, which order he had disobeyed. That Mr. Chambers had since his incarceration in the Fleet Prison received 2,000/. from his so-called assignees under the bankruptcy, which was part of 23,4001., a sum agreed to be given by the as signees for him to acknowledge the validity of the bank. ruptcy. That deponent's debt was 16,0001. for disputing the bankruptcy, and that the arrangement had been made in 1835, after the matter had been in litigation for ten years. His (deponent's) estate was materially interested in the distribution of the funds which was prayed might be made under the jurisdiction of this Court. The question was argued at some length, when the Court refused the application. This decision will settle the question so far as the Fleet Prison is concerned. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. BOIV-STREET. Yesterday Mr. Cheeper who preferred a complaint against Mr. George Glenny, the Managing Director of the Royal Union Association, 5, Lancaster-place, for refusing to pay him the sum of 201., being the amount of a half year's an nuity due to him by the Society, again attended, as the case had been postponed for the purpose of giving the Magistrate time to ascertain if he could afford redress to the complainant, and others similarly situated, and to give the Society an opportunity of explaining. Mr. Bodkin, and Mr. Cross, the solicitor, appeared for the defendant. Mr. TWYFORD said that the original application to him was for an order to compel the defendant to pay, either from the funds of the Society or from his private means, the complainant's demand, but he apprehended it was not within his jurisdiction. A Solicitor, whose name did not transpire, said that he appeared on behalf of several claimants residing in Lam beth, by whom he was instructed to inquire if he could pro ceed against the defendant for obtaining money under false pretences. Mr. BODKIN said that there were proceedings in the Chancery and Bankruptcy Courts, and although the de fendant might come within the meaning of the Act, the rules should have been submitted to the Justices, together with a bond, and a variety of other forms should be gone through, to authorise the Magistrates to interfere. Mr. Twirroan, after referring to the 28th clause of the 10th Geo. IV. c. 56, said it was lawful for the Justices to issue a summons in such cases, and the claims, with the award in case of non-compliance, to be determined by two Justices ; but although it must be allowed that the com plainant ought to have been paid, there were no funds to meet the demand, and he was sensible that he had no ju risdiction, but he was anxious that the Association should have every opportunity to come forward and satisfy their several claimants by explaining the state of their affairs. Mr. Cross said that in a short time printed circulars would be distributed by the Society, in which every shilling would be accounted for to the several claimants. Mr. TWY FORD did not wish to smother inquiry, and he thought it incumbent on the Society to put the public in possession of what was going on. Mr. Bodkin said that the Pension Society had been sup ported by members of the first families in the country, and as several had withdrawn their names as subscribers, and the tentage paid upon annuities being so high, the Soicety could not make good the payments. Mr. Cheeper said he had drawn only 8 per cent. on his money, and the managing director should have withdrawn, instead of deceiving the public; for within the last four months he had seen many flaming advertisements put forth, for no other purpose than to mislead the public. Mr. Bodkin observed that by the 25th sect, of the Act the different officers connected with the Society ceased to liable after the rules had been enrolled. Mr. TWYFORD—AII these forms should be proved before I can act against the Association. Mr. Cross said that the Society had on all occasions paid by cheques on the Bank of England even to the last 101., and that no less a sum than 4,0001. had been paid since June last. Mr, Bodkin was of opinion that the Manistrate could not proceed to make an order on the defendant, or on any person connected with the Association, as the subject was already in an equity court. The Solicitor who appeared in support of the pensioners' claims, said that the defendant might be considered to have obtained money under false pretences, a ho must have known at the time he issued the prospectus that the Society could not stand. Mr. Bodkin— If you are provided with evidence, your best mode is by indictment ; but the Magistrate cannot assist you. . . The complainant said he was extremely sorry, not only on his own account, but on that of thousands of poor people who were ruined by the Society, which he now believed was a swindling concern from the commencement. Mr. Benjamin Bright, who had been a life subscriber in the sum of 10/, yearly to the pension fund, applied for a summons against the defendant, to compel him to produce the books relating to the pension money, as it was his duty to have done every year. Mr. Cross had no objection to exhibit all the books, whenever the applicant had time to call upon him. Mr. TWYFORD said it would be necessary to prove the case by procuring the rules, h ow ever inclined he might be to afford redress, unless it was shown that they were produced at Quarter Sessions. Mr. Cross declared that the defendant had spent the entire of his property in the concern, and he could do no more, but as far as he (Mr. Cross) was concerned, the ap plicant should have nothing to complain , nf. Mr. Bright said he would endeavour to induce the sub.. scribers to appoint fresh officers, as the Board had violetk..d the rules, an d as the proceedings !tad shaken public confi dence in other societies, the pensioners could not be re- EV NNING EDITION. lieved unless by remodelling the Society, which was a very excellent one, if the objects of it w-:re carried properly into effect. Mr. TWYFORD said i hat no other society could be en;. grafted upon it, and as he considered the cases of the seve ral claimants of the most lamentable nature that ever came under his notice, he regretted exceedingly it did not come within his jurisdiction to afford them any redress. The applicants thanked the Magistrate for his kindness, and after expressing themselves in terms not to be misun derstood against the Directors of the Royal Union Society, withdrew. THE MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN OF BOHEMIA. (Her Majesty's approaching marriage being a subject of general conversation, we present our readers with an account taken from Mr. Jesse's " Memoirs of the Court of England," of the wedding of the daughter of James 1., which took place at Whitehall, in that King's reign.) The marriage ceremony was performed in the Ban queting House at Whitehall, on February 14, 1613, and appears to have been really magnificent, The heart of the good Sir John Finnett, the Master of the Ceremonies, evidently warms, as he describes minutely the gorgeous dresses, and the " draughts of Ippocras out of a great golden bowl." " The bravery," he adds, " and riches of that day were incomparable ; gold and silver laid upon Lords', Ladies', and Gentlewomen's backs, was the poorest burden ; pearls and costly em broideries being the commonest wear. The King's and Queen's and Prince's jewels only, were valued that day by his Majesty himself at 900,0001. sterling." The folloviing are given by Rapin as the items : For the Palsgrave's diet at his standing house £6,000 Por his diet at the instalment of the Garter...— 4,000 For diet at his marriage 2,000 For lodging for his servants.... To the wardrobe for apparel for the Princess Eli- zabeth .. 6,252 For furnishing her chamber 3,023 Apparel and necessaries for her to my Lord Har ringtori's Jewels and apparels for her servants 3,914 For divers merchants for silks, &c 995 The Lords' mask at her marriage 4OO For the naval work of fireworks on the Thames at her marriage 4,800 More fireworks on the Thames at her marriage... 2,880 To Sir Edward Cecil, as treasurer, for her journey from hence to Heiclelburgh, and for her purse... 2,€,00 For settling her jointure, and charges to some of the gentry to go thither, and to take the assur ance BOO The charges of her journey B,OOO For her transport to Flushing 5,8 55 Paid over to the Palgrave's agent for her portion 40,000 Total £93,218 The bride was arrayed in white, the emblem of in nocence ; her long hair, as the ornament of virginity, falling in full length down her back. On her head was a crown of pure gold, ornamented with pearls and dia monds ; and supporting her train were twelve young ladies, also clothed in white, and so adorned with jewels, that we are told her passage looked like a milky-way. During her progress to the Chapel Royal she was supported by two single men ; her brother, Prince Charles, on the right, and the Earl of North ampton on the left. On her return she was escorted by two married noblemen, the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Nottingham. The marriage ceremony was per formed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. THE MARKETS. COUNTRY MARKETS. 1 W heat, Per Quarter. , s. to s. Bath Barley. i Oats, S. $. S. to S. 38 50 9.9 36 Beals. s. to s. 43 56 46 50 S. tO 8. -.- /. o. ' .. Biandford --.' 66 71 '32 43 '3O 36 Bridport ......-- ' 68 i Chard 73 85 36 51 20 26 Gloucester 64 761 45 48 30 34 Exe•er Guildford 1 40 16 26 34 Newbury —, 50 81 32 50 21 32 Reading ..--1 50 85 25 47 23 34 Salisbury -- 156 76 40 50 i3O 34 Shtrborne '72 78 42 53 26 30 SheptonMalleti 66 84 33 54 30 34 Uxbridge 37 43 23 32 Warminster.,l 50 80 36 54 j 27 %I . Winchester ~ ,64 76 _ _ _1 _ Yeovil 1647240 48 130 32 i 4650 t LEEDS CORN MARKET. —Jan. 14. - • 6 a 5 6a: ': t t t (3: 4 7 7 5 51 . ... 0 34 Wheat, Norfolk and Stiffiilk, 601 b. York. and Lincoln. 601 b. Barley, Norfolk and Sullblk Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Grinding 33a. to 355. Beans Oats, l'otatoe 26s. to 3111 ~, —Mealing, ker. —d. to—d Eng. 13d. to 14%d. per st°"4 GUILDFORD MARKET, Shelling 365. to 375. per 'O3 Wheat, Old (Per Load) 19/. to 201. les.—New, 161. to 211. 5 6 . Barley (Per Qr.) Oats 2B 34 Rye 4O 4,4 Grey Pease, 425. to 445. DEVIZES CORN MARKET. d Per Sack. s. el. s. d. Per Quarter. s. d. „„s• First Wheat .19 0t042 0 O ats 25 0toD" ( Second 33 036 6 Bean s ( per sack) 2O OC° Third - 0 i ii 3-8 :1 ..6 , Ul.. ... ••• MARKETS. ___ ... o. AIN. "-- 1 Barley, Mecklenbur g ') 7a - to 6 st ---- Magdeburgh 77 to g 2 -- Holstein -- Summer 74 to 4 8 Oats, Eider _____ Mecklenburg - Holstein 54 tO 50 -- East Fri es l an d 46 to Sy Pease, Mecklenburg Beans B6 to '66 Buck Wheat.... ........ Rapeseed, Hanover Malt Tares 'ON. 8 Nlaranbam , E N ,- tfi el Madras sle Surats 5% i 4 Domingo .... ;EE. 5 . 5 'Domingo 5% t° o4 La Guayra. s ,i 64 Porto Rico 6 6N Havannah 5 8% Discount.) Bahia, White 5% t° j Brown 5 1 ,s 75; Pernambuco, White rA SYO Brown 5 n, 53„; t 614 HAMBUR GR Wheat, Marks l'o to 155' - Magdeburg 141 to 156 Anhalt, white 141 to 160 red .., 141 to 155 --- Brunswick 426 to 462 - Mecklenburg 132 to 137 -- Polish Holstein Rye, Mecklenburg 73 to 92 - Dantzic - Elbing and Ko nigsburg - Upland - Riga curl Carolina and Tennessee 7to 9% Georgia, Ist sort 8 9% 2tl X t 354 3d and 4th _...7v, -- " COF] Mcha 13 to 13% Batavia 5% 6 Sumatra — Rio 4% b!,i Bahia SUGAR.—(Wit. Havannah, White Brown 5! 614 Rio, White 53 6% Brown Manilla, Brot _ . PATENT LEVER GOLD WATCHE S Lady's size, with strong engine -turned double-backed g ° iJ cases, elent gold dials, Fourteen Guineas each. Gentlemen's size, with seconds. and small for the Po cket, hard enamel dial, Thirteen Guineas each. ble b This celebrat e d construct i on (the most accurate on W e . a watch can be made) is now offered, with the latest irnP, r° l . l , ments, e., the deta c h e d escapement, j ewel l e d i n f ou r 0 %0 capped, hand t o mar k t h e seconds, ma i nta i ning power to co ntort going while windin up, at the bove price. 1, the A printed warranty is given, a with fixed terms, on which Watches will always receive any attention required. - T. COX SAVORY, s f Oll2 atchmaker, Je we ll er , & c ., 47, C orn hill (S even doo r Gracechurch-street), London. N.B.—Second-hand Watches purchased in exchangj e :.---- - - - ---,. ---~ SUPERIOR LONDON-MADE WATti , se- CorngES -A. B. SAVORY and SONS, W a t cma k ers, N o . 9, hill, London (opposite the B an k o f E ng l an d), su b m it a ds lection a very large STOCK of Highly-finished London-der W ATCHES, the whole of which b e i ng manu f ac tured dto their own inspection, on their own premi ses , th ey c an en °r t r. sell at least 251. per cent. below the usual trade price for al cit h title of the same quality. A printed w arran ty is given each Watch. PRICES MOUNTED IN SILVER CASES. Fine Vertical Watches, jewelled, with double- 0 backed engin e -t urne d cases , warrante d E 4 Patent detached Lever Watches, jewelled in four holes, maintaining p ower , with seconds hands, 6 0 and double-backed cases, warranted ............ 6 Either of the above in silver hunting cases, 10s. 6d. off ol e A large variety of secon d-h an d Sil ver Watches, which been carefully examined, and can be warranted at £2 2s. "- GOLD CASES, SIZE FOR LADIES. Fine Vertical Watches, jewelled, in engine -turned 6 8 1 8 gold cases, and gold dials, warranted Fine Vertical Watches, jewelled, with double-backedo engine-turned gold cases an d go ld di a l s, warran ted 12 12 Patent detached Lever Watches, jewelled in four holes with double-backed gold cases and gold dials, 14 14 0 warranted pate,aGO detachedL D LeCASES,Lever Watches,SlZE F O je t w G ell E ed i\iT in L f E ou A r lEN. holes, seconds, and double-backed gold cases, war- , 0 ranted Patent detached Lever Watches, capped, jewelled in six holes, seconds, double-backed gold cases and 0 enamel dials, warrant e d ........."` ........................ 17 ' Patent detached Lever Watches, capped, jewelled in six holes, seconds, double -backed gold cases and a 0 gold dial s , warranted ......................... . ....... 21 Either o; the Gentl emen ' s Watches may be had in gold hu -n t cases, for 31. 3s, each extra. N.B. Second-hand Watches purchased in exchange•_st . -- - - BITHS, ber t On the 17th i nst., at Westh R orpe, Notts, the lady o' , -- R ° Warrand, Esq., of a (laughter. „re( On the 22d inst, in Caroline-place, Mecklenburgll-5' ntlo , Mrs. Fitz w illi am Comvn, of a daughter. On the 17th i nst., t h e lady of the Rev. E. Phillips, Curate ol _Mitcham, of a daughter. Sli. F• On the 20th i nst., at Thetford, Norfolk, the wife of Nash, Esq., of a son. O f On the 20 t h i nst., in Keppcl-street, Russell-square, th e of Fitzowen Skinner, Esq., of a daughter. ---'''''' .--- RRIED. • ter' On the 11th i ns t., a t the Sub-Deanery Chu rc h o f M c beg s ur by the Rev. J. P. Roberts, John William Griffiths, Es i PjoilP geon, to Mary Leah Weller, youngest daughter of the late Weller, Esq., of Chichester. On the 14th inst., at Annfield Hou se , near S t i r li n g ! 1% ," 1 :r:: Alexander Forbes, late of the 79th Hi g hl an d ers, to Sus', 4tll youngest daughter of the late Captain R o b ert K err , o f Ow Light Dragoons. le On the 20th inst., at St. Jam es ' s , F re d er i c k B erg h, J an e, only daughter of the lat e J ames R attray, Esq., o f Lu a ol On the 21st inst., at Camberwell, John Hampson, itt e Platt, near Manchester, to Maria, eld es t d aug h ter o f tu" Mr. Stephen Shepheard, of Ilackn2y. DIED. h r oth er On the 1 ith inst., in Lo n d on , t h e Rev. James Elliott, -i in of of the Rev. Gilbert Elliot, some time cura t e ant i c/ 13 , 15 1101 1 ' Duncannon Fort, Irel an d, an d l ately curate of Brandon,olicare, On the 19th inst., in So uthampton -street, Fitzroy - v sgg,k; t Mrs. Jane Landseer, the wife of Mr. John Landseer, A . A '' , an d r 0 and F. S. A., and mother of Mr. Edwin Landseer, B• 4 ' . of: of Mr. Charles Landseer, A. R. A., age.l 66. oole , c, On the 18th inst., Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh StacP - ; 0 00- Clanville Lodge, near Andover, late of the 45th Rearm aged 56. 1.01;11 Co At Croydon, Mr. William Parnham, formerly cone- George 111., 1 - ged 82. At Whitby, Mrs. Knight, aged 90. ... ,....... ..,...." 0/ -- - - ire No. : Print e d and Published by MURDO Y°l t)o to• No. 112. Stra n d, at T he Sun Office, No. 112. Stran d ? county of Illiddlesex,—Friday, January 24,1840. ._...,,,r R, k passe 46 50 41 43 40 44 42 52 40 53 44 58 42 48 48 50 50 58