The Sun.
London, England, 1837-02-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1837.

:he appointment of Sheriffs. It may be safely ad-
mitted that in doing this, Lord MULGRAVE broke
through a custom generally though not uniformly
observed. But the cases &hid :d to by his Lordship's
accusers are a proof that time practice is sometimes
" more honoured in the breach than the observance."
Lord NT I.ll,GrtA vE, in six or seven instances, rejected
the persons whose names were inserted in the lists sent
in by the Judges, because they were members of Orange
Lodges—that is, of exclusive Societies bound together
by secret oaths, pronounced by a vote of the House
of Commons, after a solemn investi.lation, subversive
of the Constitution, and commanded by Royal
authority to be dissolved. This was Lord MUL-
GRAVE'S principle in passing by the recommenda-
tions of the Judges, and none but a thick-and-thin
partizan will deny that it is a sound constitutional one.
Then, as to Mr. PIGOTT'S appointment. This
Gentleman is allowed by all parties to be one
of the most eminent lawyers at the Irish Bar, but he
happens to be a Catholic. This is in truth the cause
of time dead set which the Orangemen have made at
him. They pretend, indeed, to say that he has been
promoted out of his turn, which is so unfair a thing,
and so very unusual in the distribution of Irish
patronage, that they cannot think of it without pain.
Now, if the routine of seniority had been followed in
this appointment, it so happens that the lot must have
fallen on a Catholic. Therefore, it is quite clear that
the whole of this hue and cry about Mr. PIGOTT is
raised for the sole and individual purpose of seeing
fair play given to Catholics. What an enormity
it would have been in the sight of these Puritans had
Lord MULGRAVE appointed a Protestant and Orange-
man to this important office ! We should never
have heard the last of it. We wish the principle
here acted upon by Lord MULGRAVE—nameIy, that
of appointing to confidential situations only such men
as, in addition to their other qualifications, are firmly
attached to liberal principles, had been the uniform
rule of the Government for the last six years. There
would not have been so many causes of embarrassment
as there are at present, had a clean sweep been made
of all disaffected persons, and their places supplied by
staunch friends to the cause of Reform.
Last comes the charge of abusing the prerogative
of merey—which amounts to this, that the LORD
LIEUTENANT shortened a little the periods of impri-
sonment to some twenty poor men who had been found
guilty of participating in those rows that so often take
place in Ireland, or of breaches of the revenue laws.
Did Lord MULGRAVE throw open the gaols for
the indiscriminate escape of all the criminals confined
in them ? Such is the insinuation meant to be
conveyed by the charge, when the plain and simple
fact is, that the objects of clemency were selected on the
recommendation of the Clergyman Protestant of
course—who is both chaplain and inspector of the
gaol in question ; and who, from personal intercourse
with the prisoners, was the best qualified to appreciate the
different degrees in which they merited the boon conferred
upon them, and who knew also the grievous hard-
ships to which their families were subjected by their
imprisonment. Such are the heinous crimes for which
Lord MUL GR A. VE is arraigned by the Orangemen—and
such their reasons for denying justice to Ireland.

The Times is trying hard to make its readers belie7ve
that Lord GREY is opposed to the policy of the present
Government, and assumes that, because his Lordship,
previous to his retirement from office, recommended a
deliberate and moderate course of proceeding, and the
Reform of none but proved abuses in our institutions—
that, therefore, he N hostile to the " Appropriation
Clause" and " Peerage Reform." Our Contemporary
has here recourse to his usual disingenuous artifices,
coupling two things together which, he well knows,
have no necessary connection with each other. Doubt-
less, Lord GREY is opposed to Peerage Reform.
Nothing is more probable—nay, nothing is more cer-
tain. But do the Ministers countenance it ? Our
Contemporary does not venture to say this, though he
has the effrontery to insinuate as much. As to the
" Appropriation Clause," which is a totally distinct
question from that of " Peerage Reform," we will just
take leave t-o
remind the Times that Lord GREY, so
far from being at variance with Ministers on this point,
has already given them his support upon it. So too
with the Irish Municipal Corporation Bill, in favour
of which his Lordship voted last year, and even ad- i
dressed the House at some length on the subject. Is
it to be imagined for an instant that if the Noble Earl
had been opposed to the policy of Lord MELBOURNE'S
Cabinet, the fact would not have transpired long ere
this ?—that the Tory Journals, one and all, in tern
and country, would not have proclaimed it to their
readers by their most sonorous flourish of trump ets ?
We all know with what heartfelt zeal they can enun-
ciate a lie ; how great, then, would have been their
enthusiasm when they had to announce a truth !
Lord GREY had many opportunities last Session of
distinctly avowing his hostility, how, then, did it hap-
pen that he was so provokingly quiescent on the sub-
ject ? But what puts the question beyond all doubt,
and establishes the fact of Lord GREY'S favourable
disposition towards Government, is the circumstance of
his son and heir, Lord HOWICK, being at this present
moment a member—and one of the most active—of that
very Government ! With regard to Earl GREY'S well-
known letter to Lord EBRINCTON, which the Times re-
publishes, and prefaces with such a parade of words, the
drift of that is so evident, that we should have supposed
there could have been no possibility of mistaking it. The
letter is neither more nor less than an expression of the
writer's wish to retire from office, because—to quote his
own words—" My declining strength makes it extremely
doubtful whether I shall be found equal to the task
which is imposed on me." It makes no allusion
which, impartially considered, can be construed into a
disapproval of the system of policy pursued by the
present Government ; but, on the contrary, by in-
sisting on the " correction of all proved abuses,"
clearly expresses approval of their proceedings. If
Ministers never receive a harder rub than Lord GREY
has given them, they will be the luckiest statesmen
that ever swayed the destinies of an empire.

The Paris Papers of Wednesday contain little poli-
tical intelligence of importance. The Carnival so oc-
cupied the minds of the pleasure-loving citizens, that
affairs of a more serious nature were partially for-
gotten. Marshal CLAUSEL has had several in-
terviews with the KING, and it is said has
insisted upon being placed at the head of
the expedition against Constantine. The Marshal is
opposed by the Duke of ORLERNS, who seeks the
appointment ; but, as yet, nothing is known of the
K N G'S intentions.

The POPE, at the instance of Austria, has de-
manded the evacuation of Ancona. General RI-
BEI RO arrived at Portugalette on the 3rd in-
stant, at the head of two divisions, consisting of
nine thousand good troops. He was about to em-
bark for San Sebastian, where lie was expected to
arrive on the sth. Operations would then em-
inence against the Carlist lines on the Bidassoa. The
first attack will be directed against Fontarabia.

Brigadier ALA IX has commenced his old tricks. He
has refused to march, and so paralyzed SAA RSFIELD'S
projects for a general attack upon the Carlist garrisons.
It is said that he has even declined to receive the or-
ders addressed to him by General ESPA RTERO.

FRENCH FUNDS.—Psats, FEB. 8.
Five per Ceuta., 109 f. se, 108 f. 95c. 109 f. sc. 10c. 15e.
Four per Cents., 10If.
Three per Cents. 79f. 10c. 15c. 25c. 30c.
Bank Actions, 2,400 f.
Rente de Naples, 98f. 30c.13Zc.
Roman Five per Cents., 10234.
Spanish Actives, 25%N.

Belgian Loan, rive per Cent, . 103.
I',:rtngtiose Twee •wr ;.,1;4%.
Dutch Two and a Half per- Cents., 54.

EXCHANCI, UN 10!.130N.
One month, paper, 23r. 310-
money, 2:,f.27 1.2 c
There mon Lhs, paper, 25f. 10;4.; money, ;251.
rs Authrulianc.

LAST PRICES
Five per Cents., 10C.if.
Three per Cents. ;9f 60c.
Rank Actions, 2,409 f.
Rente de Naples, 931.55 c.
Roman Five per Cents., 10?%.
Belgian Loan, 103.
Pcrtugucsc 'Duce per Cents., 31%,
--.rianish Actives, 25N.
5p,11,411 Passives. 7.
Miguelites, I
Belgian Society, I,loiol.

11E1.61 AN 1 UND:—litrustitts, Fto S
Actual Debt, 2!; per Ceut
Reitliechild's Loan, 5 per Cent.
Loan of [flirty Millions... ............... .... .... 9.234
Lean ul f ity, IS:kl, -I per Cent 9914
Society rii Ciirdoierre, .1,., per Cent l3O
Pant: of I:elrillyn, 5 per Cent 1;il
Brussels Papers, Feb. 9.
AUSTRIAN FUNDS.-.NIENNA, JAN 21.
Five per Cents. Metalliqucs
Four per Cents. s
Three pQr Cents
Bank Shares
—Allgemeine Zeitung, Feb. 5.

HULL TRINITY HOUSE.

We have made inquiry into the case of the Hull
Trinity House, which, as would be seen in our Parlia-
mentary Report, occasioned some conversation in the
House of Commons on Tuesday last.
We find that this Trinity House is a Corporation
abounding in the' worst corruptions of the defunct Mu-
nicipal Institutions ; that it has always taken an active
part in the Hull elections in opposition to the Liberal
candidates ; yet, that within the last few months it
has obtained—secretly, if not furtively—a rentwal of its
Charter from the present Government.
The recklessness which a reforming Administration
has exhibited in this business, is, it seems, to be attri-
buted to Lord John Russell, whose conduct generally
commands for him a degree • of confidence and respect
to which all his colleagues are not entitled. We have
no hesitation in saying Sir Robert Peel would not
have done this ; and that the Noble Lord owes it to
the people of Hull, to their representatives in Parlia-
ment, and to the Reformers in general, to make some
public explanation of the motives of this proceeding.

COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.)

MORRISON V. HARMER.

This was an action brought by the plaintiff, the well-
known manufacturer and vendor of the pills that go under
his name, against the defendant, Alderman Harmer, the
proprietor of the Weekly Dispatch newspaper, to recover
compensation in damages for an alleged libel published in
that newspaper. The damages were laid at 1,000/. The
Counsel for the plaintiff were, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Phillips,
Mr. Espinasse, and Mr. Chambers ; and for the defendant
Mr. Sergeant Wilde, Mr. Clarkson, and Mr. Bodkin.
Mr. KELLY said he appeared for the plaintiff, Mr. Mor-
rison, a gentleman with whose name the public was well
acquainted, as the inventor and manufacturer of a
medicine, which was in all but general use. Mr.
Morrison was a gentleman of Bamffshire, in Scotland ;
but in early life he went to India. He suffered severely
from the effects of that warm climate, and returned to this
country with a greatly debilitated constitution. He tried
every means to restore his health ; he spared no expence ;
he consulted the first members of the profession ; and, in
fact, resorted to every possible expedient by which he could
hope to avert the fatal consequences of his long sojourn in
India. He did all this without success. He grew daily
worse, until at length the Faculty told him that they had
tried all the means in their power for his relief. Mr. Mor-
rison, upon this, thought that it was time for him to turn his
own mind to the state of his health, and to try if he could
not help himself. He commenced a course of practical
chemical experiments, and after a very long period, during
which those experiments were carried on, and after great ex-
pense, application and labour, he came to the conclusion that
all diseases arose either from:corruption of the blood, or from
the disorder of the stomach, and that they could- almost
all be certainly cured by simple medicine properly applied.
Mr. Morrison having tried the experiment on himself with
perfect success, was determined that the public should reap
the benefit of his labours. The result surpassed his most
sanguine expectations. In the course of a few years, such
was the extraordinary success that -attended this medicine,
that it came into almost universal use, notwithstanding the
general, and he might add, the self-interested opposition
which it had met with from the entire medical profession.
The amount of the medicine sold by Mr. Morrison was
Lot less than 30,0001. or 40,000/. worth a-year ; and though
it could, doubtless, be proved that there were cases in which
the medicine had failed, he bclievad they would find those
instances very rare. In 1836, Mr. Morrison had occasion in
the course of his business to go to France, and whilst he
was absent some of the workmen in his employment struck
for wages. On that occasion the libel for which the pre-
sent action was brought was published in the newspaper
of which the defendant was the proprietor. To show, how-
ever, the origin of the series of libels of which the plain-
tiff had been made the subject, it would be necessary for
him shortly to refer to a fact which would have some weight
on the present enquiry. It happened that Mr. Morrison had a
partner, who had since unfortunately died. This gentle-
man, w!)ese name was Moat, became a purchaser of certain
shares in a weekly newspaper called the New Weekly Dis-
patch, which threatened to be a rival of the paper of which
the defendant was the proprietor. From this moment a
stream of truth and patriotism flooded the minds of the
defendants—a new nett broke in upon them, and they dis-
cfwered that the medicine of the plaintiff was of the most
noxious 411 a deleterious description. From that time also a
series of the meat foul and malignant libels had com-
menced, of which Mr. Morrison was attempted to be made
the victim, and those libels had continued, with scarcely
the interruption of a single publication, down to the pre-
sent time. He would, however, now refer to the part-
ticular libel which they had selected as the ground of
the present action. This libel was published on the
14th of August, 1836—a few days after the occurrence
of which lie had spoken (the strike for wages on the part
of the workmen in the employment of Mr. Morrison) had
taken place. He would read the libel.
" We may safely claim the merit of having crushed the self-
sty!ed Hygeiste system of wholesale poisoning. Since we
commenced exposing the homicidal tricks of these impudent
and ignorant scamps, who had the audacity to pretend to cure
ull d:soages with one kind of pills, which pills were composed
of nothing more or less than gamboge and aloes, several of the
rot-gut rascals have beau couvicteSof manslaughter, and fined
and imprisoned for killing people with enormous doses of-their
" universal," " vegetable" boluses. The trade has conse-
quently, fallen to a mere nothing, and we are credibly in-
formed that, within the last few days, circumstances have oc-
curred to throw the whole humbug " College of Health," and
all the vile machinery of the " Ilygeist" gang into inextricable
confusion. It is said that the archquack has bolted—not some
of his pills—but out of the country, and that a strike has taken
place among the journeymen mixers of gamboge and aloes, in
consequence of the proper "supplies" not coming to hand on
Saturday night. Extraordinary -disclosures are expected which
will finally put the stopper on the whole concern."
He would apply himself separately to time two parts of
the libel—that which related to the nature of the medicine,
and that which related to the supposed insolvency and
failure of the trading concern, and the allegation that the
elder Mr. Morrison had absconded. The defendant, upon
that occasion published the libel, ha thought he might say the
gross libel, upon the plaintiff on the record. The defendant
admitted that the libel.referred to the plaintiff; he admitted
that he referred to their mode of administering the me-
dicine. He admitted, also, that the latter part of the libel
applied not merely to the plaintiffs as traders, but that it
applied to the plaintiff, Mr. Morrison the elder, whom they
charged with having absconded, and charging also, that in
consequence of his having absconded, the-workmen had not
been paid their wages, that they had struck in consequence,
and that the concern itself was on the very brink of failure.
A justification of these facts was pleaded by the defendants,
and, by all the rules of law, it was incumbent on the defen-
dants to prove their pleas. The plaintiff had nothing to do
with them till they were proved. He charged that these
allegations were libellous and Eilse, and they must be taken
to be false until they were proved to be true. It was for the
defendant to prove the truth of these statements; on him
the onus probandi rested. Ho must, however, trouble
them for a few moments with a reference to the facts of the
case, and the mode in which the defendant met the charge,
by attempting to justify the libel. Was it then true that
the plaintiff had for a long time compounded and sold a
large quantity of pills of a noxious and poisonous nature
under the name of medicine ? This was one of
the allegations made by the defendants. They al-
leged also, that this medicine was composed of gam-
boge and aloes, and nothing else, and that being
taken in the way prescribed by the College of Health,
was noxious, poisonous, and-fatal. It was on these grounds
that they pleaded a justification of the libel in question.
It lay upon them to prove these facts, From the moment
when Mr. Morrison first established this medicine, he
courted inquiry and investigation in every slispe. He not
only courted, but he defied any inquiry that
to the
be made ; and he continued to do so up
last moment when this question was raised. Let
his Learned Friends call members of the Faculty
or gentlemen belonging to the medical profession—L-lot them
put any questions to them that be thought proper
let them inquire into the composition of these pills, awl he
defied them) to prove that there, was anything of a nature