The Sun.
London, England, 1830-02-05 00:00:00

THE FIRE KING'S BENEFIT.

The benefit of the individual claiming the above title having
been announced for yesterday, at three o'clock the Argyle
Rooms, where his performances have hitherto taken place, were
crowded to excess, principally by gentlemen connected with me-
dicine and science, the advertisement which announced his be-
nefit having stated that the Fire-King would re-enact the
whole of his performances. It was evident, however, that the
whole interest of the promised exhibition was restricted to the
expected feat of his swallowing prussic acid. The audience,
which by half-past three o'clock, had filled every vacant space in
the room and gallery adjoining, began now to manifest symptoms
of impatience, which, however, were partially appeased by the
appearance of the Fire-King, who, mounting the platform, as.
sured the company that every thing announced in the bill should
be performed. He wished, however, to offer some observations
with respect to an impression which appeared to have gone
abroad ; but being imperfectly acquainted with the English lan.
guage, he had applied to a gentleman to address the company on
his behalf, and make known to them what he was desirous o
saying.
Mr. Welch, the proprietor of the rooms, here stepped forward,
and at the same moment Mr. Wakley, the Editor of the " Lan-
cet," mounted the platform ialso. 'I he appearance of the latter
gentleman was hailed with a round of applause, and as soon as
order was in some degree restored,
Mr. Welch, holding a bill announcing the performances of M.
Chabert in his hand, said, he was deputed by that individual to
repeat his readiness to perform every thing which the bill had
announced. A statement, however, having appeared in the
Newspapers, from which it might be inferred that M. Chabert had
undertaken to take prussic acid himself as a part of the day's per.
formances, he begged to say on behalf of that individual, that it
was not his intentiontodo so upon the present occasion.

A general burst of disappro6ration followed this announce-
ment, and cries of " Shame ! shame ! imposition ! imposition !"
prevented Mr. Welch for several minutes frora obtaining a hear-
ing. At last, however, by elevating big voice, he succeeded in
making himself understood, but to those only who were imme-
diately around him. He begged to say, as proprietor of the
rooms, that if M. Chabert failed to fulfil all that he had engaged
to perform on that day, he never should have the opportunity
again of repeating his performances under that roof. Mr. Welch
repeated, however, that M. Chabert had not undertaken to swal-
low prussic acid himself, and said he merely intended to try its
effects on two dogs. He was proceeding in his explanation, re-
ferring the company to the bill which he held up, when his
voice was completely lost in the universal yell that arose from
every quarter of the room.
M. Chabert then endeavoured to obtain a hearing, but the
uproar was such, that very few could catch his words. He was
ready, he said, to go on with the performances as advertised, but
it was a mistake to say he had undertaken to swallow prussic
acid.

Mr. Wakley then advanced in front of the stage, and holding
the (Times) journal in his hand, asked M. Chabert if the adver-
tisement which it contained, announcing his benefit, was not his.

M. Chabert nodded assent.

By this advertisement, said Mr. Wakley, you undertake this
day to repeat all your previous performances.. Now, you have
declared to many gentlemen, some of whom are present, that
you possess an antidote for prussic acid, and that, in fact, you
have swallowed the poison on different occasions. Are you pre-
pared, yes or no, to fulfil the terms of your advertisement, by
swallowing prussic acid ?
Monsieur Chabert—l will do what I have advertised to do—
no more.

Mr. Welch--I feel bound, on my own behalf, to say, that if
M. Chabert had consented to take prussic acid I would not have
permitted him to do so under this roof, at least without a previ-
ous consultation with the faculty. Ladies are very much in the
habit of attending these rooms, and if any thing fatal should oc-
cur,the effect—('The conclusion of Mr. Welch's observations was
lost in roars of laughter.)
Mr. Wakley again came forward, and said he wished to bring
the matter to a speedy issue, as the room was very cold,notnith.
standing their close proximity to the oven. Are you willing, M.
Chabert, he repeated, to fulfil your promise, and allow a dose of
prussic acid to be administered to you P
"De dogs be ready," replied the Fire-King, very coolly, but
(shrugging up his shoulders) me no say I take prussic acid to-day
mysel. You are a clever man, Monsieur Lance," he added,
aside, but it won't do, lam no such fool."
At this moment the shouting and hooting of the company was
quite deafening. The Fire-King, finding all his endeavours to
obtain a hearing useless, completely lost his accustomed compo.
sure, and throwing himself into the attitude of a Merry-Andrew,
he mimicked the yelling of the audience to their no small amuse-
ment.

" Are you ready to take the dose," repeated Mr. Wakley ;
" you have declared you can take prussic acid without injury ;
are you willing to put your bout to the test ?"
M. Chabert.—" I will do all my bill say. I will kill one dog
wid de prussic acid, and another dog dat take it shall not die;
what more do you want, Monsieur Lance ?"—(Roars of laugh-
ter.)
Mr. Wakley—But you said you would take prussic acid at
your benefit.
M. Chabert—No, no, me said no such Ling.
A gentleman here mounted the platform, and said M. Chabert
had declared to him that he would take prussic acid at his
benefit.
"-At this announcement the hissings and hootings were re-
newed, and the Fire-King cut an anxious franca towards the
door, while several voices exaaimed," He is a rank impostor!
Where is Welch? Are we to be swindled in this way out of our
money ?"
Mr. Wakley, amid the contusion which prevailed, addressed
something to M. Chabert. and then same forward, declaring
aloud, " Take notice, gentlemen, that the Fire-King decidedly
refuses to take prussic acid. He declines also to take common
water at 220 degrees heat."—(Great confusion.)
A gentleman then mounted the platform, whose name, it ap-
peared, is King. He declared that he was the author of a letter
which had appeared in the Times, snd in which he challenged
the Fire King to take a small portion of Shield's prussic acid, and
such as is vended at Apothecaries' Hall. Monsieur Chabert had
called at his house the day after the letter was published, and in
a conversation which they had upon the subject, he (M. Chabert)
hoped that the challenge would not be pressed, as by so doing the
bread would be taken out of his mouth.--(Another general burst
of execration, more loud, if possible, than before.)
It would be utterly hopeless to attempt to give any thing like
a detailed account of what followed. The whole company arose
from their seats and pressed forward in the direction of the plat-
form, and M. Chabert, finding how matters stood, held up his
hand and declared, that those of the audience who felt disap-
pointed might, by applying to Mr. Welch (who had previously
left the room', receive their admission money back. He then
left the platform!, and in his passage through the room and down
stairs, was greeted with the epithets, cheat," and impostor."
In passing through the hall he met some rough usage, and was
finally shoved into the street, where, turning short upon his
pursuers, he darted down the area steps, and finally took refuge
in the coal-hole attached to the premises.

SECOND EDITION
SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock.

IM PERIAL PARLIAMENT
THIS EVENING.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAYIR took the Chair precisely at Four o'clock,
when he informed the Members present that, agreeable to
the wish of the House, a list of Private Committees had
been drawn up.
COURT OF CHANCERY.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL moved for a return of
the number of persons that had been committed to
prison for contempt within the last ten years ; and also for
an account of the number at the present time in confine-
ment.—Ordered.

Mr. D. W. HARVEY gave notice, that on the 25th
instant he should move for a C( mmittee to inquire into
the revenues arising from Crown Lands.
Mr. G. BANK ES moved for a return of the Fees charged
in the Courts of Fort George and Fort William, Bengal.

Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN moved for several returns
connected with the Cotton Manufactures, enumerating the
duties paid awl drawb,cks allowed since the year 1814.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from Killarney
against the Siii,-letting Act ; and another from the
Roman Catholics of Kilkenny to the same effect.
The Hon. Member then presented another petition from
the Roman Catholics of the parishes of St. Michael's and
St. John's, Dublin, against the Vestry Act. The peti-
tioners complained that persons of the Roman Catholic
Reigion had not a right to be compelled to pay towards
the support of any other religion. They were quite willing
voluntarily to contribute towards the support of other re-
ligious sects, as a proof of which, from a sense of Chris-
tian charity, he would mention the fact, that on a recent 1
occasion a Roman Catholic Archbishop, he meant Dr,
lurodPagAavleethaomdiostst liberal subscription towies the erec-
tion chapel.—(flear, hear. )—The Hon,
Member then presented a petition from the same parish
against the Sub-letting Act.
LORD ELLENBOROUGH'S LETTER.
Mr. SPRING RICE had a petition to present on a
subject which was likely shortly to engage the attention
of the House. It was respecting the East India Com-
pany's Charter. But before he presented that petition,
be wished to ask a question of his Hon. and Learned
Friend opposite, and to that question he wished to
call the particular attention of the House, as it was of
great importance. A letter had lately appeared in the
public 111143 earing the signature of the iNoble President
of the Board of Controul, which he bad not yet contra-
dicted. That letter stated matters of vast importance,
and intimated very broadly the intentions of Go-
vernment. The question, therel ire, that he then
took the liberty to ask was, whether that letter wtts or was
not genuine and also whether it received the sanction of

Government, and whether there would, be any objection to
lay the letter before Parliament.

Mr. G. BANKES bad no hesitation in giving all the
information in his power respecting the letter alluded to
by his Hon. Friend. But he must beg to say, that on ac-
enunt of an afflicting circumstance in the family of the
Noble Lord (Ellenborough) he hail ■ot had an opportunity
of seeing him on the subject. lie could take on himself,
however, to say, that if the letter was genuine it was a pri-
vate and confidential communication, and never for a moment
intended to meet the public eye. No copy of the original
letter having been made, be could not take upo❑ himself
to say whether or not, the one published in the public
papers, was or was not correct. But this he would say, that
it was a letter such as one gentleman would write to another
in confidence. He was sure Sir J. Malcolm had never
sanctioned its publicity. On the contrary he had ex-
pressed the deepest regret that it had been published, and
by whatever means it had become public, it was a breach
of the greatest confidence. He, however, must attain
postively state that he could not say whether or nut
the published copy was correctly given. The Noble Lord
had been in the habit of corresponding with Sir J. Mal-
colm, and this was one of those letters of which no copy
was kept. He had no means of informing the House of
any further particulars respecting the letter, but
if any Honourable Member wished to ask any questions,
he could assure them that he felt no disposition to shrink
from inquiry. He should have been able to give them
more information on the subject, had it not been for the
distressing affliction in the Noble Lord's family.
Mr. BROUGHAM made a few observations, bet in so
low a tone that it was impossible to catch the tenor of
them.

Mr. M. A. TAYLOR considered that the letter, what-
ever it might be, was such as to call on the House to
hare before it clearly and distinctly stated whether it was
an authentic document or not?

Mr. GEORGE BANKES—I stated expressly my
belief was that the Noble Lord could not state
whether that what had appeared in the public papers
was an accurate copy of the letter which he wrote
or not. He stated to me that be had sent off the
letter without keeping any copy of it, but that it was
strictly and confidentially a private communication, and
that it had only bee■ made public by a most base violation
of that confidence.

Col. TRENCH said that whatever might be the senti-
ments contained in a letter that had been communicated to
the public in the way which this letter had, he should
be very sorry if his Honourable Friend with whom
he was connected should attempt to found any proceeding
upon such a document. If confidence was to be violated
in the manner which it bad been on the present occasion,
there would be an end to the most important communications
both friendly and otherwise, and be could not conceive that
any gentleman could think it right to proceed on a docu-
ment made public in this manner. He meant not to give
any opinion at all upon the contents of the letter; but he
protested against proceedings being taken upon a letter
evidently written in the most private manner from one
gentleman to another, coming before the public by the most
serious breach of confidence. Knowing a good deal of
East India matters as he did, he could state, that papers
must occasionally be placed in the keeping of per-
sons who might be indnced to make an improper
use of them ; but surely no one would think of making
this the stepping-stone or foundation of any future act.
Mr. SPRING RICE wished to inform the Hon. Mem-
ber for Dover, that with respect to the mode in whick this
paper had come to the knowledge of the public be
knew nothing. The paper was before the public;
and in taking the liberty of asking the question of
the Honourable Gentleman, which he had done, he
had taken the kindest course of proceeding it was pos-
sible for him to adopt, because it gave the Hon. Gentle-
man the opportunity of denying the authenticity of that
letter. The authenticity had not been denied, the letter
was now before the public—it was a document from a
public man, and be the disgrace of its coming before the
public upon whom it might, because of betraying
confidence, disgrace would certainly rest on the
Members of that House, in his opinion, were no
notice now taken of it by them. In private proceed-
ings confidence was always sacred; but he had no
idea of private and confidential eornmunieatious being
carried to the present extent. Private communications
ought to be treated by all with confidence and respect; but
when Gentlemen came to deal with the situation of
Judges—when communications were being made so mate-
rially affecting the governors of a territory such as was
now the case, it was in vain to talk of the same confi-
dence surrounding that communication that belonged to a
private communication between one individual and another.
Whatever might be the means by which the letter had
come before the public, there it was, and in some way or
other there it must stand or there it must fall.

Mr. HUME rather thought that if the doctrine of the
Hon. Gentleman opposite were to be admitted as a sound
doctrine, the House must expect to remain in almost total
ignorance of the conduct of this Government with respect
to the affairs of India. It happened that a large portion
of the business of India was conducted under private
communications, although public despatches were at the
same time purported to be sent off. He (Mr. Hume)
had not the slightest hesitation in avowing himself to
be in possession of a copy of the letter i■ question
which had been forwarded directly to him from Calcutta.
The letter had been published in every newspaper in Cal-
cutta, and circulated throughout Bombay, the undoubted
object of which was to give to Sir J. Malcolm the opportu-
nity of saying that lie hail triumphed over the King's Court;
that the King's Court was no longer to be considered the
protector of the natives of India, the object far which it
was established, but that he (Sir J. Malcolm) was to be
considered as the supreme Government, lest any man should
hereafter dare to express a free and public opinion con-
trary to his notions. Sir John Dewar, or whatever his
name was—(Laughter)—had been appointed Chief Jus-
tice, because he had entertained notions of the law that Sir
John Malcolm did, that is, that he was considered to
truckle to the objects of the Government, whatever might
ha the orders from the King's Court. This bad
spread dismay throughout the whole colony of Bom-
bay, because it was believed that unless the natives
truckled to the views of the Government whatever their
opinions might be, that they were to have no peace and
no protection from the Judges, inasmuch as they wore told,
that by two Seniors and one Junior being sent out, they
might be capable of leading the refractory Judge there, like
a wild elephant between two tame ones!—(Muck
laughter.)—Considering that this was calculated to
interrupt the orders of the King's Court, the
Hon. Member thought it a subject Galling for imme-
diate interference, and he trusted that his Noble Friend
below him, so well able fir the task, would not hesitate to
bring the matter before the House at a convenient
time, that Honourable Members might find out whether
upon the principles of this letter they could expect to bare
justice done with respect to the affairs of India. It was
well known that Sir John Malcolm must have made this
letter public, in order that be might be considered the King
there. He was to set as the Sovereign there ; Sir J. Dewar
was to kneel before him, and he was to say—" Rise, Sir
Join, I create you a Knight."—(Great laughter.)—ln all
the communications that he (Mr. H.) had seen take place
between this country and India, he Lad never seen one
contain so great a violation of principle. If the House, as
it wu bound, meant to protest the natives of that country
from the most oppressive acts, it was absolutely necessary
that this letter should be sifted into, because no native
could expect justice under the promulgation of such prin-
ciples.—(Hear, hear.)

Mr. BANKES—Sir, I do not know what doctrine of
mine the Him. Gent. who has just sat down bas spoken
of. I am not aware, when I rose. to answer the question
of the Hon. Member opposite, that I laid down any doctrine
whatever, unless it were this, if doctrine it can be valid,
that a man ought not to be judged of so severely for his
private and confidential communications, as if that had
been intended to be made public, and was avowed to have
been a public document. That is the doctrine I have laid
down—that is the utmost of my doctrine, which I think
will bear the test of every good man's feeling. I shall net
he led on this occasion, by what the Hon. Gent. has said,
into a discussion of the Learned Judge's condact, to whom
the letter alludes, for that may be made the subject of
inquiry hereafter. The Hon. Member has referred to
ilm o copiesst material ofit
p
c()pies: ofit
itshisverlyevetrruediretchtaetd
copiest o him front Cal-
cuttat
e r
of
e
this
appearedll
ap rptesa r
fromd first
those publishedien
Calcutta;
London
uttsplp ier s, istruediffern also
s oin that
in Calcutta; and he thought
it was impossible for the Hon. Member to say whether
any and which of them was correct.
Lord ASHLEY scarcely knew what course to take
upon the present occasion. He had certainly been in-
formed that the communication in question had bean
written most strictly confidential. As to the observation
that private communications in contradiction to public
despatches, he could only say, that during the period he
held office, he never knew any such circumstance take
place.
Mr. BROUGHANI said, admitting the communication
to be confidential, he could nut but view with alarm such
a confidential proceeding. It was no very pleasurable idea
that had been produced in his mind by the perusal of such a
letter, public or private written by a Minister of the
Crown. It was a fact to say to a Jedge, that the more
disposed he was to act is strict conformity to the civil

aad military government--the more disposed hi *Ai dl'
have ao will of his own—but anxious he wee to 121
the Government views, the better he was adapted 11:1..1.;',
office. He (lid not understand how such a very intrr'''.4
cemmanication upon a very important subject, betwoll.,
Alinister t,f England and the Official Government of 1101b1:
ries to be considered so private and confidential. No dii
no expression of conrempt or abhorrence could be in
cent to convey the feeling of a gentleman against the Os;
uct of any individual who had made the letter publics
it had really been intended to have been so strictly Or
fidential ; but still that did not exculpate Lord Eg
1 orough from the fact of having such a letter. He coulda
not suppose or imagine that Sir John Malcolm himself II
Fended over that letter to the press, but it was etrtahl
fl
highly piobable, as the letter was altogether in favour °
Sir John, and altogether against his antagonist—hehli°44
him up, and knocking down his opponent—it woe bigb?
probable that Sir John, enamoured of being thus elevate
might have shown the letter to one friend, and then to
another, and that one of those friends having taken a coPI
of the letter, might have deemed it worth sending iorth
the public.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. PEEL said, that the authenticity of the lettar had
has yet by no menus been established. No man who kga
:
read the Calcutta publication, and also the English publ.
cation of the letter could fail to see the d fferenee is eerbs'il
parts. He asked his Noble Friend whether the copies thtl'
had appeared or either of them were copies of the letter be
had written? The Noble Lord declared that it,
utterly impossible fur him to may ; he had written it
hurridly, and strictly confidential, and had kept
copy of it. He (Mr. Peel) did not mean to say Oa"
a public officer was indiscriminately to write °ls
public affair,, as, he might say, confident'ally, and thee
afterwards screen himself from public animadversion under
the plea of having written privately ; but certainly a ps111;0
officer might be at liberty when writing strictly privately
and confidentially to allude to public affairs;
this joke—indiscreet jest or joke, as it might be—was lot
to be censidered so serious a circumstance as to form Oa°
foundation of future proceedings.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL could not doubt that the Nl' •
ter had been ha.tily written, and on that account, withto
any other, reflected great discredit on the writer.
Mr. BROUGHAM wished to know whether any atilt%
had been done relative to the return of Sir J. Grant.
Mr. BANKES observed that the subject had bees under
discuesien when the illness of the Noble Lord at the hold
of the Colonial department intervened.
Sir J. MACKINTOSH considered the Judges in Indio '
entitled to the special attention of the House. They were
a body of men separated from the great body of the jobs'
bi tants of India, having no means if gaining populariSY
being often placed in circumstances that rendered theta IS'
tremely unpopular. It was said this was a private letter. b..
he did not see that a letter written to a Governor in India
could be considered u any thing but a public Act. , It
was true it might be considered as the secret opinions
those who administered the affairs of India. The *fano'
ter of Judges was not to be considered as such a tail%
thing that persons were to take upon themselves to wri'°
letters with respect to them, aid then to say that she/
did not remember what they had written. Such oboe:
vations as " a tame elephant being beet between two wild
ones," were not easily forgotten. It was but a poor dr
fence for any party to use to say that he had forgot".
what he had written.

,ir R. INGLIS, though he differed from his Hoe'
Friend, considered the illness of the Noble Lord at /101
bead of the Beard of Controul, as some excuse for POt
recollecting the substance of the letter.
Mr. I3ANKES wished to make some observation sell
what had fallen from his Hen. Friend who had said 0
much on the forgetfulness of the Noble Lord: at the k
of the Board of Controul. The friends of that NOl.
Lord would but ill serve him, and badly discharge their
trust, if they rested his defence upon his forgetfulno'
Even the expressions of the letter as they appeared in the
newspapers in England, bad been a good deal miareprr
sented.
Mr. S. RICE wished to say that he had prefaced the
subject by a question, whether the letter which h"
been published was to be core dered u genic* lir
not. His reasons for asking that quest'un welt
on ecconnt of the letter stating what the intentions
isf,lP-
Majesty's Government were with respect to the Eli'
India Company's Charter. After a few observations frora
other Members the petition was read and ordered to lit
on the table.

Mr. WM. PEEL presented certain Returns rear4o4
the state of Gaols, which was ordered to lie on the table•

•
MALT DUTIES.
Lord F. OSBORNE gave astice, that as Tharadd
after the recess he should make a motion the Ilona
go into • Committee on the subject of the duties an •11.5).
and Beer.

STAMP DUTIES.
Mr. E. DAVENPORT moved for a return of it!
Stamps on Bills of Exchange during the last
years inclusive. After a few observations frora 01.
Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr. Hume, Mr. Davoxv
port agreed to withdraw his motion.
Mr. ROBINSON wished to put a question• to bw
Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home Depart's:lo4
and that question was, whether any negociatioas Nero
pending between this country and the United States V
North America, with a view to renew a direct intercoor°
betweeenthew West Indies.d
States and his Majesty's ponsessioes
in

Mr. Secretary PEEL stated that communications bill
been received from the Minister of the United States, II"A
(
that communication was still under the eossideratioa °f
his Majesty's Government.
AMENDMENT TO THE ADDRESS.
On the motion that the Address be brought up.
Lord PALMERSTON moved an amendment, and eon'
demned in strong language the conduct of Government'
as regarded our foreign policy.
Mr. PEEL then addressed the House on the subject al'
luded to. He said the line of policy advocated by 811°
Noble Lord would involve this country and all Europe
in a general war. When the subjects to which the Noble
Lord hail alluded came under the House's cousideratlool
Ministers would be aisle to prove that they had acted for the
hest interests of the country. Hon. Gentlemen should beat
in mind that by concurring in the address they expressed 11°
approbation of the foreign policy of the Government./
The Hon. Gentleman then went on to vindicate O°
conduct of Ministers regarding Russia and Turkey, and
was addressing the House when we left.

THE LONDON GAZETTE

OF THIS EVENING.

At a Court at Windsor, the 2d day of Feb. 1830,
PIitSINT,
The King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council.
His Majesty in Council was this day pleased to appoint
the Right Hon. J. C. Herries President of the Conarnittsc
of Council appointed for the consideration of all matte°
relative to Trade and Foreign Plantations.

DECLARATION OF INSOLVENCY. i
Edward Tutt, Maay-le-Bone-lane, oilman,

BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED,
William Bayley, Macclesfield, silk-manufacturer.

BANKRUPT&
James Core, Hornchurch, Essex, 'Woo!stapler.
William Cooper, and Thomas and William ReAdert
Dartford, brewers.

Richard Ricardo, Redmans-tow, Mile-End, fish-sake
tnan.
Thomas Burton, Hillingdon, Middlesex, brisk-maker.
James Thurston, Southampton-mews, New-road, horse
dealer.
Thomas Cotton, Neitlarop, Oxfordshire, boat-builder.
William Hone, Reading, Berkshire, livery.stahle-keeper'
Edward Bentley, Leicester, grocer.
William Dale, Pickering, Yorkshire, draper.
George Stedman, Watton, Norfolk, merchant.
Samuel Smithson, Leeds, grocer.
James Fisher, Ipswich, miller.
Matthew Elgie, Worcester, scrivener,
William Walker, sen., and William Walker, juts's
Knarebororough, linen-drapers.
William Brown, Ikestou, Leeds, cloth-manufacturers'

v