The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-05 00:00:00

TOTNES REFORsi iriEETING.

TOTNES, FILIDAY.—The members of the Totnes
Reform Association assembled yesterday evening in the
Mayoralty Rooms. Stanley Carey, Esq., in the chair.
Amongst those present we noticed the Right Hon. Lord
Seymour, one of the Members for the Borough ; Mr.
F. Windcatt, Mr. Prcsswell, Mr. F. Mitchelmore,
&c., &c.
At eight o'clock Lord Seymour entered the room in
company with the Hon. Chairman. His Lordship and
Mr. Carey were both warmly greeted on entering.
After the health of "the Qeecn," "the Duchess of
Kent," " the Duke of Sussex, and the rest of the Royal
Family, resident in England," had been proposed and
responded to,
The CHAIRMAN gave the health of Lord Seymour.
The toast was drunk amidst the most enthusiastic ap-
plause.

Lord SEYMOUR returned thanks. In doing so, he
said, on former occasions he had frequently the pleasure
of returning thanks, but never oci any occasion
was he ever so glad to meet the Reformers of Tot-
nes, and to see the room so filled with those who
were ready to fight the good cause which they had so
frequently fought together.—(Cneers.) He was the
more rejoiced to be among them on the present oc-
casion, because from the great number of misrepresen-
tations which had gone abroad, he found it high time
to meet them and put an end to suspicion and inwendo
and false assertion. He found it time to be there and
to state facts—he found it time to be there and to state
the real case in which their affairs were placed—from
which it would be apparent they were not going to be so
easily defeated as their enemies supposed, for as long as
he was assured of their support, he would not flinch
THE ENGLISH AND FRENCH GOVERN- from the contest ; but he would fight no battle on pro-
, perty alone ; he would sooner relinquish the borough
PARIS, Nov. 2.—The New Zealand question is one than stand there on mere property.—( Hear, hear.)
of vast interest and great importance. The French are But so long as he should stand there on principle, with
mad about it. The bureaux of the Ministers of Marine, the constituency in his favour, so long would he be
War, and Foreign Affairs, are besieged with applica- ready to maintain the contest. He had heard much of
tions from capitalists, speculators, financiers, merchants, the cry that principle was one way and property another.
bankers, &c. for permission to form colonies in the south He thought that in this borough they should show them
isle, or Tawai-poenamon—for protection in establishing that principle and property were both one way, and we
colonies there—for charters of incorporation to socictcc then should come into the field and meet them. Let
anonyncs—for patronage to soctetes cu commanditc, and them go back and see how all the misrepresentations had
in one word, for all serts of aid and protection, en- arisen. Mr. Parrott had resigned his scat in great haste
couragement and help, in the task of colonising, culti- and suddenly—so suddenly, he believed, that many of
vating, possessing, and governing the isle in question, to them were taken by surprise. He (Lord S.) was ;he had
say nothing of the north isle, or Ika-na-maive. The not heard a word or a whisper ; he thought that he
orders given by the British Government to Captain would have stood again,—but whether he-did or not de-
Hobson, and the letters received from Baron Thierry, pended on contingencies winch might have arisen in his
in France, arc the cause of all this stir; and the recent favour, hut which Mr. Parrott alone was alile to calcu-
news of a French crew having been eaten up by the late. He did not know that any requisition had been
New Zealanders has of course added not a little to the sent to Mr. Blount—he did not know whether that
excitement of the French people. gentleman was going to stand—it was their requisition
The French Government has promised to examine that called him into the borough.—(Cheers.) Well,
into the national or political portion of the question ; then, was he to be answerable for their requisition ?
but with the commercial portion it is already suffi- (No, no.) Was their cause to he defeated because
ciently tormented. Each Minister his his favourite they had chosen another to stand with him ?—(No,
speculator or capitalist, who has been to ask him for no.) But, having chosen him, they must stand and
his protection ; and each one has pledged himself that fight together. They would net be driven from the
if the Government shall encourage colonization and
commercial speculation in Oceanic, that his friend or field from want of property or want of determination.—
(Hear, hear.). Their opponents had another resource
friends shall have the preference. So many have pro- —they tnought that their outcries about tyranny and
mised, and so many promises must be broken, that the oppression would drive them (the Reformers) from
Ministry have now deemed it the safest way, one and the field, but they were much mistaken. Ile (Lord
all, to adjourn indefinitely all measures of a conamer- Seymour) did not see the paper which they could write
c•al or colonising character with respect to New Zea- would drive them from it.—(Cheers.) But they talked
land, and to attend exclusively for the time being to of Popery and tyranny, and other trash, at the room
to the question of " whether Great Britain, already at the Auction Mart—the proper place to which they
established on all the coast of the immense continent of brought their principles—(Cheers and laughter)--for it
New Holland, and mistress of Van Diemen's Land, was at the Tory Auction Mart that a man was bought
shall have in Oceanic another vast colony ?" and sold, and made a slave—a slave to what i) To the
Before I enter into the examination of this question, little petty tyranny of bankers and attorneys. But their
I cannot help observing that the glorious progress of opponents would find that this would not avail them
missionary efforts and enterprise, in various portions of He had looked at their speeches, and had seen all they
the world, must, sooner or later, lead to the discussion had written and spoken—at least, as much as they had
of such questions as the one now in hand, relating to dared to publish—for there were some things they
New Zealand. Prior to the introduction of Christianity thought it more wise to suppress—and what (lid it all
into New Zealand by the labours of that eminent man, amount to ? It amounted to accusations in some in-
as well as devoted Christian, the Rev. Mr. Marsden, stances false, and in every instance grossly exaggerated.
the whole of the New Zealanders were ferocious canni-
Their opponents stated th
bale. Tat they had turned off voters
he spread of the Gospel has effected wonders
for having voted for Mr. Blount. Now, he was going
in the northern isle, or Ika-na-maive, in the course of
to state, that of these eleven voters who had notice to
25 years, and although there has been a deplorable quit, seven were Whigs, out of all those who had voted
counteracting influence on some of the coasts resulting for Mr. Blount. These were changes made, not from
from the demoralising conduct of the escaped convicts any political motives whatever, and the best proof of it
from Sydney, yet, on the whole, the state of the New Zea- was the fact which he had just stated, that seven were
Zea-
landers has been so much improved by the labours of Whigs, and only four Tories. The Reformers had
Christrian missionaries, and those missionaries all British, that the country of New Zealand, former) been sleeping on their posts, trusting to public opinion,
y avoided by thinking that the justice of their cause would supply
the French as disastrous and dangerous, is now a the want of activity in themselves ; but if property
subject of envy and jealousy. If in 1809, when was to be brought against em in thoroug, the crew crew of the Boyd was massacred, it had perty should sustain
them th
—(Cheers.)at b
Thereh shopuld
been proposed to the then victorious Bonaparte to be no more foolish trifling on that point.—(Hear, hear.)
civilize, and Christianise, or even to colonise and He regretted that they should be brought to this pass
conquer by force, the islands of New Zealand, —that men should not be able to vote according to their
he would have smiled at such a proposal, and have own conscience. He had etood on conscientious sup-
treated it as utopian. If, when in 1814 the Rev. port, and had never used intimidation, nor had he rested
Mr. Marsden proceeded by order of the Church his claims on such means as the Tories had adopted, to
Missionary Society, any one had •proposed to the resto- increase his power in the town. In leaving the cause
ration and to Louis XVIIL to send priests to the in their (the Liberals') hands—the cause of the Liberalre
Oceanic, and to seek to convert the cannibals and savages Representatives of the borough—and in asking. and
be-
ef New Zealand to the Romish faith, the then French questing their co-operation to consider how should..
to
King would have considered it es a " Protestant or he- best fought for the popular advantage,
han(timmougoqiingfor
retical proposal," to secure the destruction of the Romish the people the future nomination tot e r
should
clergy. The French have looked on. They have seen in their hands ought to be their nomination—he.
connected with
the evidence taken before a Committee of the House of pass on to the general question of policy
Lords, and an article on this subject inserted in the the present Government. The Government had been
Debats of yesterday, written in good temper and with rather like the borough, fluctuating in its prosperity,
a proper feeling, proves that the French aro intimately but, like the borough, depending on the public voice for
acquainted with the history of the rise and progress of its support. The public voice was expressed by a
Christianity and civilization in that part of the world. small majority, and the existence of the Government
Yet the French, although acquainted with this history, was dependent on very slender means. But it was not,
and with these results, have the effrontery to require the proximity of parties to an appearance of nearly
that England shall abandon the suzcrainete, and shall equal number, that could be taken as a criterion of their '
allow France to plant her flag and to proclaim herself actual strength, for, if the Government had depended on
mistress at least of the southern if not of the northern its slender majority merely, its days would have been long
island !
since numbered. But the principles on which those small
The Baron de Thierry, who calls himself King majorities stood gave the Government sound footing
Charles 1., is established, it would seem, on the western , for the present and confidence for the future. This was
coast of the southern island. The French require either exemplified by one or two questions, to which only he
that he shall be recognised as King, and a French Con- would refer, but on which he thought that public °pi-
stil sent out to him, or that he shall beappointed French nion had most signally sustained them. The first was
Viceroy—that the French Government shall take poe- the question on which they had thought it their duty no
session, plant the tricoloured flag, and bid defiance to longer to carry on the Government—the question of
the world. Losing sight of the great and glorious ques- carrying measures for the abolition of the remnant of

. .
From what did that course arise? From a desire to
better their condition without knowing what course
to pursue to attain that obji ct. Then, again, whet
did we see in the manufacturing districts ? Chartism
rearing its head, some men running after one de-

lusion, and some another—one man demanding Uni-
versal Suffrage—some demanding the remodelling
of society altogether—and, in short, a thousand
different schemes, all put into motion, opposite and di-
verse in their nature—many of them frightful to so-
ciety, hazarding its safety. The Noble Lord proceded
with much force and eloqunce to enlarge upon the ne-
cessity of general education. He dwelt on the conduct
of the clergy in opposing it ,and hinted that they were
open to the suspicion of acting with motives not altoge-
ther worthy of their sacred character. The peop.e
would, however, have it ; and he was happy to see tlrat
their own Bishop had been convinced of the truth of
the fact. There was one of the signs of the times preg-
neat with interest and worthy of remark. He had gone
the other day with the greatest pleasure to a meeting at.
Exeter, where he saw Lord Ebrington—(Great cheer-
ing)—whom he had always respected nod venerated—
receiving a most honourable tribute of approbation, en-
nobling him who received and those who gave it.—
(Cheers.) He (Lord Seymour) was delighted to see
those who differed with that distinguished man meeting
him with cordial esteem and honest respect.—(Hear.)
It was like what they read of in ancient history of two
hostile armies meeting, and in the moment of battle
laying aside the arms of death, while they walked tide
by side, and hand i❑ hand, to worship and do homage
in the temple of their common deity.—(Cheers.)
So they had seen the two armies pause, and come
together to pay a just homage to the great cause
of justice and humanity, and sound policy, which had
been pursued by Lord Ebrington in Ireland.—(Great
cheering.) Should they be told the Government had
done nothing when it had sent a man like Lord Ebring-
ton, who had secured the affections of a great portion
of the Roman Catholic community in Ircland—(Hca:,
hear)—and disarmed opposition to that policy in Eng-
land.----( Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord next proceeded
to address the company on the subject of the ap-
proaching municipal contest, which had some connec-
tion with the political contest. It would not do, he
said, to 6c beaten in one field, for if they were they
would have to fight at a disadvantage on the other.
After adverting to one or two other topics, which we
regret our space will not permit us to lay before our
readers, the Noble Sord resumed his seat amidst loud
and long-continued cheers.

Several other toasts, but merely of local interest,
were subsequently proposed and responded to, and the
meeting separated.

THE FIRE IN PIMLICO.

CORONER'S INQUEST ON MRS. HARDING
Yesterday an inquest was held at the Prince's Head
Princes-street, Westminster, before Mr. Higgs, Deputy
Coroner for Westminster, on the body of Elizabeth
Steinkopff alias Harding, who expired on Saturday
morning, at the Westminster Hospital, in consequence
of the injuries she had received at the fire. The de-
ceased was the wife of Arthur Steinkopff alias Harding,
the fire-work manufacturer.
The following is the additional evidence adduced on
the inquest :
Mr. Charles Archer, house surgeon to the Middle-
sex Hospital, deposed that the deceased was brought
into the Hospital on Friday evening last, about eight
o'clock. She expired about 12 the same night, in conse-
quence of extensive burns covering the greater part of the
body Ind limbs ; she was sensible during the greatest part
(lithe time ; she bad a difficulty in speaking., but she
could speak. Witness did not converse with her as to
the cause of the occident.
Deborah Jenkins, the little girl, whise mother was
one of the sufferers on this melancholy occasion, stated,
in addition to the evidence that she had given on Satur-
day, that Arthur Steinkopff, nt the time of the explosion,
was not in the parlour with the others, but in the cellar

.
below.
Eliz tbeth Glover, nurse of the ward in which deceased
was placed, deposed, that all that deceased said was that
her name was Harding, and that she wished to see her
husband. Deceased did not suffer much pain ; she
Only
in
ec
no
tm. p 1 asi
hn
ne dk on
ef
,sc. oslhde. w
aSshdeytisn•ags,
ansensibleyteod tGh fad to
last
n 111 c room
one'
given on Saturday,i
take her. She said nothing about how the accident
d
occurred.
John
addition,stated
tht the per
ato the evidencesos 1e l
had in t
in which the explosion had occurred had only
pot of porter between them, and no gin, st
back Harding had '2,slbs.
(hn
Hanson, in
in
of gunpowder ime weeks
in the house,
and he had had none since. He was by trade a gold-
smith and worked in Clerkenwell. He was about forty
years of age, and his wife about thirty-three.
He does
not think Harding would have
suffered the boys to play
with fire in the room. There
was no smell of fire in
the house before the explosion,smoke. -
~ nor any •He
always mixed his gunpowder • as soon as it came m.
He kept it in
thekitchen, to which none but Iri if
and his wife had access. Hardingoccupied a'''.
had the
premises a twelvemonth.
A Juror remarked on the neglect and delay which
had taken place in examining the ruins.
Crow, the beadle, stated that he had as yet re-
ceived no orders about it, and that there would most
probably be a litigation as to the payment of the in-
surance, in consequence of the nature of the business
carried on in the premises. There is one person,
named William Odell, missing still, who was in the
parlour when the explosion took place, and who is
most probably still in the ruins.
The Jury then returned a verdict that " Elasa
Harding, alias Steinkopff, met with her death from fire;
but there is no evidence to this Jury to prove how the
said fire originated." -

—the last of them having entered Dundee
Tire whole of our whale-fishing vessels have
to this port
Inia7bonurrrho'enaTuesday. Ttiis has proved to be one of the
by the whole vessels belonging
p')orest fishing seasons ever known.
.The number of
could easily have been brought by one of the:lL—Dun-
dee Advertiser.
fish taken

NEW NAVAL STORY by the AUTHOR of " CAVEN-
DISH."
Now ready, in 3 vols. post Bvo.,
FirHE FLYING DUTCHMAN.
A LEGEND of the HIGH SEAS.

By the Author of " Cavendish," " Gentleman Jack," &c.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street
To be had at all the Libraries.

13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH-STREET, Nov. 4.
MR. COLBURN WILL PUBLISH
-INA. DURING THE PRESENT MONTH, THE
FOLLOWING NEW WORKS :

THE DUCHESS of ST. ALBAN'S MEMOIRS.
2 Vols., rose Bvo., with Portrait.

COMMENTARIES on the HISTORICAL PLAYS of

SHAKSPEARE.

By the Rt. Hon. THOMAS PEREGRINE COURTENAY.

2 Vols., post Bvo.
EXCURgIIONS in DENMARK, NORWAY, an!
SWEDEN.

lucluArg Notices of the State of Public Opinion in those
countries, and ANECDOTES OF THEIR COURTS, with
Notes of a Visit to the Laplanders, and of a Sporting Tour to
the North Cape.
13) ROBERT BRENIMER, Esq.
thor of `• Excursions in the Interior of Russia," &C.
2 Vols., Bro., with Portraits.

IV.
PREFERMENT. A NOVEL.
yM. GORE. Author of " Mrs. Armytage," " Stokes-
h:ll Place," &c. 3 Vols.

v.
SPORTING EXCURSIONS in the ROCKY MOUN-
TAINS. With a Visit to the Sandwich islands.
Be J. K. TOWNSHEND, Esq.
2 Vols.. post Bvo., with Plates, 21s.
VI.

THE SPITFIRE, A TALE of the SEA.
By c,,aptaim CFIA\IIER• Author of " The Life of a Sailor,"
13cn Brace," &c. 3 Vols.
VII.

hlGH7rs'and SHADES of MILITARY LIFE.
Edited by Iltijor-General Sir CHARLES NAPIER, K.C.B.
2 Vols. pos'. Svo.
VIII.
DIARY of a NUN.
2 ti ols.. post iv°.
IX.

THEMARINE OFFICER; or, SKETCHES of SERVICE.
I3y Sir ROBERT STEELE, K. C. S., Deputy Lieutenant of
Dorset. 2 Vols., post Svo., with illustrations.

VIOLA, THE AFFIANCED;
Or, 'Tis an Old Tale, and Often Told.
Second Edition, 1 Vol. post Bvo.

lIMAJESTY the EMPEROR of
AUSTRIA having AUTHORISED and GUA-
RANTEED several DISTRIBUTIONS of MONEY
PRENIIUMS, which I,though they are NO LOTTERIES)
offsr many possibilities of obtaining

LARGE FORTUNES,
HEINE BROTHERS, at HANITAMGH,
are NOW SELLING SHARES for the.sAid DISTRIBU-
TIONS. Persons desirous to purchase may receive, PRE-
VIOUS to giviag any order, the PRC/SPECTUS and PAR-
TICOLAR‘, upon addressing. WI AIOUT DELAY, a line
to HEINE, BROTP4RS, at HAMBURGH.
T. S.—THE NEXT DISTRIBUTION contains Portions
of TWELVE THOUSAND, SIX THOUSAND, THREE
THOUSAND, ONE T..-IUSAND FIVE HUNDRED,
ONE THOUSAND, -I.IVE HUNDRED, TWO HUN-
DRED AND FIFT-f, , TWO HUNDRED, ONE HUN-
DRED AND FLF"..Y, and ONE HUNDRED POUNDS.
THE DISTRUIUTING DAY BEING NEAR, and
%area oleeziog off most rapidly, A RISE IN PRICE will
ROOS aAsll T.

THEATRE ROYAL COVENT GARDEN.
EIDER THE MANAGEMENT OF MADAME
VESTRIS.
Tins EVENING TUESDAY, Nov. 5, 1839,
Will be perfrftmed the Opera of
ARTAXERXES.
Arfaxerxes, Madame Yestris; Artabanes, Mr. Borrani ; Ar-
Imees, Mr. W. Harri Eon ; Mandane, Miss Austin , Semira,
Miss A. Taylor.

After which,
Pi,.TTER VERSUS CLATTER
car.cain Patter, Mr. Charles Mathews.
To conclude
SONS AND SYSTEMS.
Mr. Lemon Sowerby, Mr. \V. Farren ;
Mr•. Sv,,cetman, Mrs. Orger ; Laura Harcourt, Mrs. Nisbett.
To--morrow, Love, with the Ringdoves.
eds Thursday, The School for Scandal, with Ask No Ques-
ti %dm

Dress Boxes, is; Second Price, 3s. ; First and Second
6,iretes..ss. ; Second Price, 9s. 6d. ; Pit, 3s. ; Second Price,
; Gallery, Is.
Doors to bo opened at half-past Six—the performances to
esisa-nenee at Seven o'Clock.
Tickets and places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr. Notter,
at the Box-office, &mil Ten till Four, where Season Tickets
may be had upon application.
Private Boxes to be had solely of Mr. Andrews, bookseller,
147, New Bond-street.

1{ 0 Y A L

SURRY THEATRE.
The 'pradustion of Ai nsworth's " E
Jack Sheppard," has attracted
womplete overflows, and been pronounced to be the greatest
achievement ever yet attemp ed, it will consequently be
astedtvery Evening.
Second Night of the Devil's Daughters.
THIS EVENING, Nov. 5,
Will be acted, Ainsworth's celebrated Drama of
JACK SHEPPARD.
1310 grating all Cruiksl-sary;s' illimitable Tableaux Vivant.
Cisaoaeiters by Messrs. Saville, Dale, Heslop, Laws, Smith,
; Mrs. Vining, Mrs. Daly, Miss Martin, Miss
CiTTFR Ms: Laws, &c.
To conclude with an Extraordinary Drama, in Two Acts, entitled
THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTERS; OR, HELL'S BELLES.
Astiroth, Mr. Nr Lille ; Cerberus, Mr. Cullen ; Diavoline,
Miss Martin! Rotiert, Mrs. H. Vining; Polycarpe, Mr. W.
Smith; Tambora., Mr. Ross.

1.111:11W ATtit AT LONDoN IDGE*O-NIORROW.
stnrning ...... 4Y minutes after 1. 1 Evening ... 10 minutes alter 2.

;,-..'
tr
.
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`O. .-*. - ',..:•• , --7,1.L.71,- - ,I.X.iit'lN V/1.
....., ~..„„._ ...........„s_..- - --. ,

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LONDON :
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5,1839.

__..,.._____
It is stated by Captain MA RRYATT, or some
recent traveller in the United States, that the mer-
chants of New York have none of that desire to be
landowners which, not long ago, was the ruling
ambition of our money-making manufacturers and
merchants. The reason is, we apprehend, obvious.
The possession of land in America, where it is
abundant, was never, for them, accompanied by the
advantages which did belong to the possession of
land in Europe. We believe, however, that this
passion is fast dying away amongst our money-
making classes, and a great number of rich men
have latterly preferred the secure investment of the
Government funds to being troubled with repairs,
leases, and bad tenants. Nor can it for one
moment admit of a doubt that a certain and inva-
riable income derived from the funds is, on many
accounts, to be preferred to an income, about equal
in amount, derived from land. It entails no trouble,
is subject to no losses, and is equally secure. Never-
theless, though the sentiment is decaying, there is
still amongst us, after the experience of more than
a century, during which the State annuities have
been regularly paid, fortunes have been made in
trade and lost in estates, a lingering attachment to
the possession of landed property, to which indi-
vidtruls frequently sacrifice many substantial advan-
tages. To trace this to its source will be a key to
many ether such sentiments and prejudices, and
may throw some light on our political opinions.
.In the early ages land was the only means' of
chaining a supply of food ; and our ancestors mi-
grated, or wandercd, to enlarge their hunting or pas-
r°teAroends, just like the Red men of the American
"4"eot. At that time the possession of land
'lles,„ esstatial to subsistence. There was no such
7:.).4. l': as living without it, and to acquire it was the
~. of general ambition. From this motive
r chiefs led forth their followers, and the conquest
equally of a field or a kingdom was undertaken to
,0 tadto the means of subsistence, or the actual
annual receipts of the invaders
We do not intend to e
. the change to the
present times in detail ; it will suffice for our purpose
to remark that the present desire to obtain land is one
of the traditionary prejudices derived from that time
and those circumstances, when the possession of
land was the only means of living. Its influence
is still felt, and still makes monied men buy land,
when that possession is by no means necessary to
procure a subsistence, nor even so advantageous as
many other possessions. A great number of our
desires and passions, like this for land, ared etilviekcel
from 4icumstances which have passed away, and
it, however just, rational, and unavoidable formerly,
may now be denominated traditionary prßjudices.
Such we hold to be the political prejudiceSagainst
Popery, and in favour of the Church of England,
are,gland
to which the Tories continually appeal, which
indeed, the foundations of their whole policy, but
which, as we lately explained, on more than one
occasion, and by a reference to several facts, are no
more warranted by the actual circumstances of so-
ciety, than the desire to possess land is warranted
by the assertion that by land alone can any man
;pets In 'read. They might as well found their
"” ""• on the ancient doctrines of the star-
-0 I:, --Of . air chemistry on the principles of the
... . ••••-
_
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)
il. R

rti