The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-06 00:00:00

DEA7FI OF MR. ALEXANDER MACKAY
(From the Chronicle.)
. Ir, is with sincete regret that we record the death, on
his •;--I;ty home, of air. Alexander Macti y ,•••
thb author of
the Western World," and lately the Coinmiseioner
fedi tof the Manchester Chamber ot Commeire. Mr.
Mackay was for many peers connected with this journal,
end we cannot withhold ;hen hie name the tribute due
to the 'memory of an able coadjutor and of a valued
friend.
By Mr. Mackay's untimely fate an opening career c).
great promise is cut short. Endowed with high mental
qualities, possessed of a clear intellect and acute aril
repid powers of reasoOng—a keen observer, and'an ih-
sinctive lover of truth—Mr. Mackay added to these gifts
mast amiable disposition. These powers had been as-
certained, and were in the act of being applied to im-
portant public purpoies, when the climate of a het
country, acting upon a naturally delicate constitution,
cut him off—not, however, bei:oro he had to a great ex-
tent completed his hole ,
A lexeeder Mackay was the 'eon cf Mr. Mackey: a
much-rcrpe6fed hank .4. in Invervess, and was born in
eee, educated at the neigh-
t.hat town about 1824. fie
tiouring town of Elein. and after weld; at Aberdeen.
Famlly entente-tants kd him first to Canada, where
he was destined for the c tloaLl bar, .end for some brief
optic„ practised with repute. Journalisen• however, ter ms
to have heft more attraction for Mr. Msoltay than prefee-
*nine! practise, and accordingly he soon became toe ego-
d uctor of a highly respentabie newspaper in Toronto. After
residing in Canada for several years. end iravelliog over
a greet portion of the proviuw-s and the .Stater, he re-
turned home in search of a wider sphere tinin could be
efferded by colonial life. Ile was speedily gft ed in
contection with deli jeureal, and so highly were his
,:cuteness and laziest rtnililties coin:teed, that he ass
sent cut again by the Morning Chronicle to the Ueiteel
States, for the purpose of examining the dip:omatie.
bearings of the trea'tes as to the Maine bounden; tried
observing the feelings of the American public ow the
question. His letters upon these subjects were replete
with most valuable information, and with clear and
logical reasoning. Not long after his return, Mr..
Mackay published his " Western World." the great
ability and comprehensive grasp of which were at
once acknowledged. Tne book was indeed
pronounced to be the best and most complete work ever
written upon the Transatlantic Republic. Its success
was great and immediate, and the volumes became at
once a standard authority upon that most. important
subject. The author's connexion with this journal was
prolonged for some time afterwards. As one of our
special correspondents, engaged in investigating the
condition of the English rural population, Mr. Mackay
rendered important services to the question of Labour
and the Poor, while his versatile pen was frequently
rs r
devoted
and successfully turned to other topics of general lite-
rary a ndpoliticalAi tme
etlhf et soettht lee mt
oepnito
f
oofe th e
corn-law questionthe
suffrage; and his pamphlet upon our system.of
represen-
tation, with its analysis of the constitution of the House
of Commons, became a text-book
which withit
a large class of Re-
formers on the question oftxeated, and was
repeatedly quoted in the House of
Commons.
that period Mr. Mackay determined to devote Prom
political life. He joined the Reform himselfty, a%
d to
de-
livered many able speeches at public meetingsfar the
metropolis upon the franchise question. He had be-
fore him the hope of ultimately entering Parliament;
but he consented for a time to withdraw from home
politics, and to accept from the Lancashire cotton
interest a mission to India to investigate the
possibility of extending the growth of the plant
in our Eastern possessions. Somewhat more
than two years ago he departed full of hope
and spirit. He died on his passage home. The
subjoined extract from one of our Manchester contem-
poraries will give additional particulars, besides show-
ing the high character Mr. Mackay had earned for him-
self in the East. Our melancholy task is over when we
again express oar heartfelt sorrow at the loss of a highly
promising author, a rising politician, an accomplished
gentleman, and a most amiable man.
(From the Manchester Examiner and Times.)
It is with feelings of deep regret that we announce
the death of Mr. Alexander Mackay, the Indian Com-
missioner, appointed by the Manchester Chamber of
Commerce. Mr. Mackay loft this country on the 20th
December, 1850, under the must favourable auspices—
being accredited and recommended to the Chamber
of Commerce of Bombay by the Chambers of Com-
merce of Manchester, Liverpool, and Glasgow,
and carrying with him the full confidence of
the mercantile and manufacturing public connected
with the cotton trade. The object of his mission also
received the unanireour approbation of the British press,
and .we have reason to know that it was regarded with
good will by the leading members of the Administration.
The main purpose of his appointment was to ascertain
by an unbiassed but minute investigation on the spot,
the real obstacles which prevent an ample supply of good
cotton being obtained from the East Indies, and the
Causes which impede the extension of our commerce with
that country.
The mission was one requiring great industry, intel-
ligence, and sound judgment, on the parts of the indi-
vidual selected for the arduous and responsible under-
taking ; and it was peculiarly fortunate for the jute-
rests represented by the body with whom the mission
originated, that they were able to 'secure the services of
a gentleman so eminently qualified iu every respect to
carry out their views. Mr. Mackay's inquiry embraced a
multitude of details, all bearing on the main subject of
the mission—such as the meats provided by the Indian
toverament to promote the internal as well us the ex.
ptt trade of the ceentry over which they rule—the
nature of the rot is by %%bleb the prodece ot the interior
is brought to the eea,t—the ea, Pea, e f inter conorneica-
tion between neighbouring de.tricia—the state and
tuatiag,me.nt of docks, piers, quays, Sec.—the condition
of the agricultural population, and the circumstances
which tend to stimulate or repress their industry—the
nature of the land tenure, partimilar/y with reference to
the security of the cubivator—the (anoint and kind of
taxelon, and the made of levying nod connecting it—
ail departments of irleiry requiting minute and im-
partial pereetial observation.
On his arrival, Mr. Mackay was cordially received by
the Bombay Chamber of Cennnierce, end every facility
afforded to him for the prosecution of his inquiries,
which were continued during the whole of last year,
and the results of which have been from time to time
transmitted home. The Whence of the climate of India,
was, however, too much for a constitution not naturally
robus., and he was compelled to terminate his labours
than he had anticipated, and endeavour to regain
shoirerheann by leaving she country. In a letter ad-
dressed to the Bombay Chamber of Commerce,
dated March 30th, he mentions his intention of returning
at the
he
time, states that before.
hire, he had succeeded in traversing
atoisEesoigelahnadd, but,
ofthe • -
portion of the cotton field
disabled h
the greater
to the condition, wants, and pros-
portant conclusions u.e
and that he had from actual observation arrived at inn.'
the , district
pe-his return home, by the aid
ets ofile cotton trade in greatin question,
and that he hoped, on . of re-
' newed health, to make the information he had gathered
c:lCsucive to the common banefit of India and England.
These unticipations, alas! were not destined to be
We are told that
aliftisat.o hour of his death,
' realised. Ho lat "14 on the 3ct of April, but his
gradually failed until the 15th, on the evening
dayilt
le
ee
übgaitwheitilhuthihs
and that up to that Tried /In retained the full use of
tale jamitiee, having, previous to his dissolution made
sehtfor Fffi teehhr e
his will and ceufil.d his papers to the care of '
• res. a renew-
pa„ecgter, to be trensima.ed to his brother in Inverness.
These and other details are contained in
be/00e addressed bit 'Mr. 4.ithur
Latham, a mercantile
gentietnaP,wlp was on beard ti .e saute vessel, to Mr.
Bailey, the, president of-the .Chamber
of Commerce.
With the regret inseperable from the untimely fate of
Mr. Mackay is mingled a femain object a his talabloll eling of satisfaction that the
has
plished. not been left unaccom-

"At sea, on board this Hon. Company 's, steamer
phnr. iul 17, 185.2. ,
Mr. Alexander d(arSircaAcykYoaduva,litw3l;;ail:
.1\1,4 My
suffered in India, be ve:as 0-1 doubt have heard. froml
outtstobleealth havingh asnertirousby
the steamer of thel 3d inst., in the bao7peettheat ctuhe change
_would
strength gradually failed,
_would benefit him. This, however, was not to i 3 e. its
liver
until the evening of the 15th,
hen the doctors suppose that an abscess ot the
liver burst into the lungs, already diseased,
and saffacation and consequent death ensued. I
am glad to say that he suffered little until with•
in half an hour of his decease, and until then also re-
tained the full possession of his faculties. The captain
has confided to me his papers for delivery to Mr. Thomas
Mackay, of Inverness, whom be has lett his sole legatee
and executor, under a.will drawn up a few hours before
'his deith. These I purpose to send by the first steamer
to Messrs. Arbuthuot, Bwart, and Co., of Liverpool;
and I have suggested to Mr. Mackay that on their arri-
val ho should select those of a private nature, and ar-
range with those of Mr. Mackay's friends on whose
behalf he came out to India as to the disposal of the
remainder
" It is at.
Mr. Mackay's own request, made when all
that I now address you; and any
hopefurthermos t wasinformation
happya t aon
se
this sad affair I shall be
afford
respectingo;dy
ou,onyour addressing me a line,
to the care of Messrs. Artbuthnot, Ewart, and Co.
where I expect to be about three weeks or a month
hence.—Mt anti= I am very truly yours,
....
" AST/11111 J./AVIAN.
Thomas Bszley, Esq., Manchester."
___.--• .

GREAT ALEN.
_Bouvet „„,.
THEIR MOMENTS OF COMposIT.
isi-rTece.s• Bulvver wrote
posed his grand sermons on his
scented; influence
before
his first novels in full dress,
commencing his great work, invoked
ni
tho
the Holy Spirit; Chryseetoui
prayed
while contemplating a
knelt down before cornposi%" great
yoorpsoua„ovetirthrailtilit4o•7l
,toilOpSeof well
he
raitTn,llBCor S avvi notr
work,
Bacon
without 131 iogubtt firstfr' g
.piayiug a prelude on
voice. Bentham cout"k"irg ..stite.k.ntatailar" and
the organ, or his pullet:. Saint Winitd
4. patTrandiai';dration,
riG,
ss
,d the w,:otis.. CALDO OS
composed his es with she roar of lattle in hi* eftsz.;
renivescrdorhtins;:i‘,%e !a_ „t Was
raysui,l4doitvrtn.
_titra,...io wrote bits
„- in the meld ce4r; Rqesse,,a
finest pAcees
to ~arty in the znurvit,l4. L 4
wr„to wor • T, °age. at mict-
ayter, at 1: 10,,e re, tour iu a
cinarining, and %%rutc, 1111 hie at night. L•s, Fonsaine
orote bi 3 Fables chic fIY indeir ahue,e of aitree. Pas-
cal wrote most of his '1.11.-vughts on Hale wraps of parer,
t his by-motnetits. Luther, r‘heiisludying, always had
his dog lying at his kat. Calvin ttnise.l in his bet
Kleine compassed his verees while walking about, reciting
1 them in ti loud "jet.—Eliza Cook's Journal.

The convict William Baldry, who was lE ft for
execution at the recent Suffolk assizes, for attempting to
murder his wife by means of administering arsenic, has been
reprieved during her Majesty's pleasure. He will be !fent Lc"
.91310 POW lAtt,Lemolat 110.41101