The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDA Y, MARCH 25, 1819.

address, took credit for the comparative revival of
trade, but they deceived no one. They might have
added to the evils caused by the crisis of 1837, but
they did not at all aid the improvement which took
place in 1838 ; nay, on the contrary, they checked it,
by their retrograde policy and their utter disregard
of commercial interests. What share could the
Ministry have in producing any real prosperity in
the country—that Ministry which could not resolve
any of the great questions that have sprung up
within these two years, neither the conversion of the
funds, nor the question of railroads, nor that of the
sugar duties, the postponement of which has caused
so much calamity—a Ministry that have allowed the
consolidation of the German Commercial League,
under the patronage of Prussia—taken no steps to
put down an organised civil war in Spain on our
very frontier—alienated Switzerland—our political
ally and the best customer for our transit commerce,
and at last terminated their career by abandoning
Belgium, a country of all others in Europe with
which we have the most lucrative and most exten-
sive commercial intercourse ?

COURT CIRCULAR.

Her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta of Cambridge
was confirmed on. Saturday in the Chapel II()) al, St.
James's. Her Majesty, and their Royal Highnesses, the
Duchess of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,
and the Duchess of Gloucester, were present. The cere-
mony was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury,
assisted at the altar by the Bishop of London. The prayers
were real by the Rev. Dr. Wesley, and the lessons were
read by the Rev. Messrs. Haden and Povab. The Sub-
Dean also assisted. The musical service was Arnold's in
C., and the anthem " Blessed be thou Lord God of Is-
rael," (Kent.) The verses were sung by Messrs. Wylde,
Hobbs, and Bradbury. Mr. J. B. Sale presided at the
organ.

The Queen was attended by the Marchioness of Nor-
manby, Hon. Miss Murray, Lady Charlotte Cepley, Mar-
quis of Conyngham, Lord Gardner, Sir F. Stovin, and the
Hon. Colonel Cavendish. Lady Flora Hastings was in
waiting on the Duchess of Kent. The Duke and Duchess
of Cambridge were attended by Miss Kerr, Baroness Able-
feldt, Sir James Reynett, Major Stephens, and Baron
Knesebeck. Lady Georgiana Bathurst was in waiting on
the Duchess of Gloucester.

The Danish, Hanoverian, and Saxon Ministers, the
Countess of Lichfield, Sir William and Lady Gomm were
present at the rite.

* The official returns of exports and imports in France
are not made up till the end of the current year, fur the
year preceding.

- Her Majesty and suite afterwards returned to Bucking-
ham Pslace in three of the Royal carriages.
The Queen had a dinner party on Saturday. The
company were—Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent,
the French Ambassador and Countess Sebastiani; Reschid
Pasha, the Ottoman Ambassador; Duke of Argyll, Mar-
quises Douro and Conyngham, Viscount Palmerston, Lord
anorben, Lord and Lady Barham, Lord Seaford, Lord
Frederick and Lady Augusta Gordon, Lord and Lady
Radstoek, Earl of Surrey, Marchioness of Normanby,
Lady Flora Hastings, Hon. Miss Lister, Hon. Miss
Murray, Lady Charlotte Copley, Miss Davys, Baroness
Lehzen, Lord Gardner. Sir Frederick Stovin, and the
Hon. Colonel Cavendish.

STATEMENT IN VIIsDICATION
OF LADY FLORA HASTINGS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EXAMINER,
SlR,—Many false and contradictory reports of
the deplorable insult which has been lately offered
to my niece, Lady Flora Hastings, at Buckingham
Palace, having appeared in the public papers, I, as
her Ladyship's nearest connection, feel it my duty
to request of you to publish the following account
of the transaction, for the correctness of which I
vouch. An imperfect knowledge of the details of
this odious affair has produced various false conclu-
sions. In well-informed circles, where Lady Flora
is known, the idea of her guilt was never enter-
tained for a moment ; but in other quarters, where,
in the absence of positive information, a judgment
is formed by what oozes out in the public papers,
I find an injurious idea exists " that she has been
spared, or let off easy." The facts arc briefly
these :—Lady Flora arrived some weeks since
from Scotland, very unwell. She immediately con-
sulted Sir J. Clark, the physician to both her Ma-
jesty and the Duchess of Kent. One symtom of
her complaint was a swelling of the stomach. By
dint of exercise and medical treatment she was
getting better, the swelling had considerably sub-
sided, and she had every hope of a speedy recovery,
when, on or about the Ist, of March, Sir James
Clark went to her room and announced to her the
conviction of the Ladies of the Palace that 'she was
pregnant. In answer to all his exhortations to con-
fession, " as the only means of saving her character,"
Lady Flora returned an indignant but steady de-
nial that there was anything to confess. Upon
which Sir James Clark told her, " that nothing but
her submitting to a medical examination would ever
satisfy them, or remove the stigma from her name."
Lady Flora found that the subject had been brought
before the Queen's notice, and that all this had been
discussed, arranged, and denounced to her without
one word having been said on the subject to her
own mistress, the Duchess of Kent, who had no
suspicion of what was going on, and whose sanction
was not sought for the humiliating proposition
which had been made to Lady Flora. On leaving
Lady Flora's room, Sir James Clerk went to the
Duchess of Kent, and announced his conviction that
Lady Flora was with child ; and was followed by
Lady Portman, who conveyed a message from her
Majesty to her mother to say that the Queen would
not permit Lady Flora to appear till the examination
had taken place. Lady Portman (who with Lady
Tavistock are those whose names are mentioned as
most active against Lady Flora) expressed to the
Duchess of Kent her conviction of Lady Flora's
" Her beloved mistress" never for a moment
doubted Ludy Flora's innocence. She said that
she knew her, her principles, and her family, too
well to listen to such a charge. However the edict
was given ; and the next day, Lady Flora having
obtained the Duchess of Kent's very reluctant
consent—" for her Royal Highness could not
bear the idea of her being exposed to such a
humiliation "—but Lady Flora " feeling it her
duty to her Royal Highness, to her family, and
to herself, that a point blank refutation should
be instantly given to the lie, submitted her-
self to the most rigid examination ; and
now possesses a certificate signed by Sir James
Clark, and also by Sir Charles Clark, stating, as
strongly as language can state it, that " there are
no grounds for believing that pregnancy does exist,
or ever has existed." Lord Hastings, though at
the time very ill from influenza, went to London
instantly, and demanded and obtained from Lord
Melbourne a distinct disavowal of his participation
in the affair,and demanded and obtained an audience
of her Majesty, in which, while he disclaimed all idea
that the Queen had any wish to injure his sister, he
plainly, though respectfully, stated his opinion of
those who had counselled her, and his resolution
to find out the originator of the slander, and bring
him or her to punishment. Lady Flora is con-
vinced that the Queen was surprised into the order
which was given, and that her Majesty did not
understand what she was betrayed into—for ever
since the horrid event her Majesty has showed her
regret by the most gracious kindness to Lady
Flora, and " expressed it warmly with tears in her
eyes. "The Duchess of Kent's conduct was perfect ;
" a mother could not have been kinder." " She
immediately dismissed Sir James Clark from her
service and refused to see Lady Portman ;" and
has crowned her goodness by a most beautiful
letter she has written to the Dowager Lady Has-
tings, from whom the accounts were kept till
all hope of avoiding publicity was impossible.
I am, Sir, your very obedient Servant,
March 21. • HAMILTON FITZGERALD.

The Band of the Ist Life Guards was in attendance at
the Palace during the evening.
The Duke of Cambridge visited her Majesty yesterday.
Viscount Melbourne had an audience of her Majesty.
The Duchess of Kent attended Divine service yesterday
morning in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The Sermon
was preached by the Archbishop of York from the Acts
of the Apostles, chap. xxiv, verse 25. The Prayers were
read by the Rev. R. Barham ; the Lessons and Litany
were read by the Rev. J. V. Povah ; and the Altar Service
was read by the Bishop of London and the Sub-Dean.
The musical service was Barrow's in F. The Sanctus
and Responses were Sale's. The -anthem, " Who is this
that cometh from Edum" ( Arnold). Mr. J. B. Sale pre-
sided at the organ.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess
Augusta of Cambridge attended Divine Service yester-
day morning in Grosvenor Chapel. Their Royal High-
nesses were attended by Baroness Ahlefeldt, Major Ste-
phens, and Baron Knesebeck.

A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday afternoon al
Lansdowne House. It was attended by all the Ministers,
The Council sat two hours.

Messrs. Wiiliam Coates, Rockley, Brett, Richard Wilson,
and Watchorn, a deputation from the Retail Wine and
Spirit Dealers of the Metropolis, accompanied by Mr.
Wire, the solicitor, had an interview with the Chancellor
of the Exchequer on Saturday in Downing-street,
The Right Honourable Tennyson D'Eyncourt had an
interview with Viscount Melbourne, on Saturday, in
Downing-street.

Mr. Valentine Smith, from Lima, had a long interview
with Viscount Palmerston, on Saturday, at the Foreign.
office.

Mr. Parker, Chairman of the Hull Dock Company ;
Mr. Bethel!, M. P. ; Mr. Broadley, M. P. ; Sir W. C.
James, Bart, M. P. ; Mr. Hutt, M. P. ; and Mr. Frost,
Solicitor to the Dock Company, had an interview, on
Saturday, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in
Downing-street.

A Deputation, headed by Mr. Calvert, had an interview
with the Marquis of Normanby, on Saturday, at the Co-
lonial-office.

The French Ambassador transacted business at the
Foreign-office, on Saturday.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer left town, on Satur-
day, for Hastings.

Sir Harris Nicolas and Mr. Evans had interviews with
the Marquis of Normanby, on Saturday, at the Colonial.
office.

ARTISTS' GENERAL BENEVO-
LENT INSTITUTION.

The Anniversary Dinner of this praiseworthy charity,
which has for its object the benevolent purpose of
affording relief to decayed artists, their widows, and
orphans, took place on Saturday evening at Freemasons'
Hall, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields.
The company was numerous, 162 gentlemen having
sat down to dinner, and among other distinguished
persons connected with the arts who were present, we
noticed Sir Martin Arthur Shee, the President of the
Royal Academy ; Sir David Wilkie, R.A., Mr. Philips,
R.A., Mr. Cockerjll R.A., Mr. Collins, R.A., Mr.
Landseer, sen., Mr. Edwin Landseer, and Mr. Knight.
We also observed that Mr. Hope, M.P., Mr. Scrope,
Mr. Charles Dickens, and Mr. Jerdan, were in the
room.

Sir EDMUND FILMER, Bart., M.P., was in the chair.
The dinner, which was excellent, having been dis-
posed of, and the cloth having been removed, Non
' Nobis Domine was given with pleasing effect by Messrs.
Broadhurst, Chapman, Hawkins, and Hobbs, whose
" sweet voices" had been secured for the occasion, and
who, with accompaniments on Mr. Kollman's newly in-
vented pianoforte, delighted the company with several
songs and glees during the evening.
The health of her Majesty " The Queen," and that
of " The Queen Dowager, and the rest of the Royal
Family," having been successively drunk with the usual
demonstrations of loyalty and attachment, " The Army
and the Navy" followed, and that toast was succeeded
by " The Health of his Royal Highness the Duke of
Sussex, the President of the Institution," which was
responded to with hearty applause. The next toast
was " The health of the Vice-President," and, of
course, due honour was done to it.
The CHAIRMAN said he had now the pleasure of
proposing the principal toast of the evening—namely,
" The Artists General Benevolent Institution ;" and
he was convinced it would receive a cordal reception
from every gentleman present. This institution had ex-
isted since 1814, and during that period the funds of the
charity had so increased as to enable them to afford re-
lief to no less than 600 cases. The sum applied
amounted he believed, to 5,500/. ; but he entertained
strong hopes that in a year or two they would be ena-
bled to extend the charity, and double its usefulness.
For this purpose they required only an addition of 30/.
a-year to the Permanent Fund ; and when it was
known that the relief afforded by the charity was not
limited to subscribers only, but was given indiscriminately
wherever a deserving object was found, he had no doubt
the public would support it cheerfully and amply. For
his own part, he did not know of a more deserving
charity, or one in which the public ought to take a
higher degree of interest.

CRUEL CASE OF IMPRISONMENT

FOR DEBT.

The toast was drunk with loud applause.
Mr. HOPE, M.P., after enlarging on the usefulness
of such an institution and the claims it had on public
support, proposed " the health of the Chairman," which
having been responded to with acclamation,
The CHARMAN expressed his sense of the honour
which had been conferred upon him, and said that no
exertion on his part should be wanting to promote the
benevolent objects which the charity had in view. In
the high and palmy days of ancient Rome artists were
looked up to with admiration, and he hoped the day
would come when their merits would be fully acknow-
ledged in this country. When foreign artists were brought
amongst us, it was clear that the people of England were
not aware of the jewels of art which were created in this
country. Before he resumed his seat he must express
the great pleasure it gave him to find the arts and
literature so happily united. There was a natural con-
nexion between the pen and the pencil, and he rejoiced
to say he saw around him individuals who were emi-
nent for the exercise of these, he might almost say
magical, implements, when wielded by the hand of true
genius. In speaking 9f literature, he could not avoid
adverting particularly to one gentleman whom he saw
near him, and those who had wept over the sorrows of
Oliver Twist, and had laughed at the broad and inimi-
table humour of Sam \Yeller, must at once recognise
the highly-gifted individual to whom he referred, for it
required no conjuror's wand to point him out. The
Hon. Baronet, in conclusion, gave the health of Mr.
Charles Dickens, and the rest of the stewards.—The
toast was drunk with loud applause.
Mr. CHARLES DICKENS said that, if he could
consider the compliment as one paid to himself, unex-
dected as it was, he should have had great difficulty in
returning thanks ; but he recognised in it the connexion
which existed between the pencil and the pen, and
therefore, in the name of the stewards, of whom he had
the honour to be one, he begged to return their sincere
acknowledgments for the mark of distinction that had
been paid to them. It would be bad taste in him if he
were to detain them at any length, but he must at the
same time Fay, that it gave him sincere gratification to
see around him, on as occasion of this kind, those distin-
guished artists, who cast lustre by their genius on the low-
est subjects, and raised them by the power of theirgraphic
pencils to the level of their own fanciful imaginations.
He hoped he would be permitted to say, that it gave
him pleasure and delight to be connected even for a
moment with an institution which partook of the grace
and beauty of the pencil, and shed its soft light upon
poverty and distress, into the house of sickness and of
sorrow.----(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN proposed " The Royal Academy."
Sir MARTIN ARTHUR SHEE, in returning thanks,
observed on the vicissitudes which marked the career of
the artist, and enforced the advantages of a charity like
this.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—If life and liberty are the inalienable " rights of
man," he who deprives his fellow-man of either must, of
necessity, make out a strong case to justify himself.
After years of political conflict more enlightened views
obtain. The sacrifice of a human being at the altar
of justice has proved valueless and inefficient. The
punishment of death fer offences is now so rare, that this
barbarous and unchristian mode of preventing crime must
soon cease and determine. The other great moral blot in
the national escutcheon was the odious imprisonment for
debt. This has been recently erased from the Statute-
book. .

These are great triumphs, but still they are not corn-
plete, if one solitary prisoner is now incarcerated for a
debt which he cannot liquidate.
lam no lawyer, and therefore cannot say why a man
should enter upon his SIXTII YEAR of eold and dreary im-
prisonment, AFTER imprisonment for debt has been
abolished. But lam a MAN, and can find no language suf-
ficiently strong to execrate such cruelty.
There is at this moment in the Queen's Bench Prison a
man of the name of Frederick Hall (late of St. Ive's,
Hants), who has been there for a judgment-debt of 401. for
more than five years. He may have been fraudulent—but
so have hundreds of others who have been able to purchase
their liberty. He carried on the business of a butcher
until he was confined to his bed, for many weeks, with a
broken leg. During this period he bought several fat
bullocks, and paid all but 401., for which he was arrested
and thrown iuto prison. During this imprisonment his
father and mother have died. His eldest son enlisted for
a soldier, and died at Chatham. His wife, having been
confined but five weeks, carried her infant, to he present, at
the funeral, caught cold, and died in St. Thomas's Hos-
pital. Another child, aged seven, is also dead, and he
now remains, with his motherless infant and one daughter,
almost a solitary in the world—having lost father, mother,
wife, son, and daughter, not one of whose death-beds he
was permitted to witness. Surely this savours more of
SAVAGE VENGEANCE than just punishment. Had he stolen
the bullocks the punishment could not have been so severe.
The powerful advocacy of The Sun rescued Mr.
Paternoster from incarceration. May its cheering rays
fall upon the wretched man, whose cause I feebly advocate;
and may some philanthropist, blushing for his country,
hasten to rescue him from a confinement that bids fair to be
perpetual. I am, Sir, your's,
Cambrid

ALPHA.

eshire,

TO THE EDITOR OF TEE MUN.

Sea,—Neither you nor the public will perhaps believe
the many acts of petty and capricious tyranny by which
the passengers are harassed on the leading lines of Rail-
way in this country.
I reside in Manchester. On Friday morning, I left my
waypl aeestiantiNone. o
New. Bronwtnalsting my place for London, beingreet, for the Grand Junction Rail.
warm, I walked about a little to cool, when I was told in
the most imperious way by Mr. Baker, the manager, that
whistling would not be allowed there. Till then I was
unconscious of being engaged in so offensive an act as that
of whistling. You will observe that t.his was a place in
which the doors were constantly opening and shutting_
passengers coming in with their parties and servants,
Jostling each other, accompanied by all the noise that must
exist in such a place. I suppose the next gentle restraint
Imposed on passengers by these haughty monopolists will
be to prevent winking or talking on this line. It is hard
to say where such tyranny will end if allowed to go on. I
am ready to substantiate the charge at any time, if re-
quired, and for that purpose leave my address.
Manchester.

The CHAIRMAN gave " The British Institution."
Mr. HOPE, M.P., returned thanks as a member of
:hat institution.

The CHAIRMAN next proposed the Royal Societies
of Ireland and Scotland.

R. M.

Sir DAVID WILKIE, in returning thanks, said he was
happy to say that the Royal Society of Scotland had
received a charter from her Majesty. He alluded to
the state of the arts in Scotland, and expressed his
pleasure at seeing a gentleman present who had been in
that country, and whose admirable work on deer-stalk-
ing, and graphic descriptions of Scotch scenery, had

_ .
iently been careless in their sear. , o'
The LORD MAYOR having thanked the company for
more remains would have been, discovered. It is e°11.:50
.he honour done him, proposed the health of his distin- tured from various appearances, that they had come acp if
guished guest, Baron FORTESCUE, Lord Lieutenant the body which had been buried in the other direction. ;0
o Ireland. 1
thing, however, was elicited to justify an inquisition by (
Coroner A deed of darkness has, no doubt, been_rtil.
Lord FORTESCUE thanked the company for the waled; butis buried in the womb of time. The 'Z., g.,
honour they had conferred upon him, and expressed his will ere this have had their award at an unerring trw 'F.
hope that he he should be able to go to govern Ireland Various reminiscences of the sudden disappearance Ofd :101
upon principles calculated to benefit that country.-- male, forty yea= ago, have been brought up • but the t
(Cheers.)
of them would be unwarrantable.—Kendal Mercury 01'
The next toast was, " the Marquis of Normanby THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF MICIII loos
and the Colonial interests of the empire." ARMSTRONG.--It is now several years since the cond rjir
The Marquis of NORMANBY said that he felt much of the children in the factories of our manufacturing lir
gratified at the compliment paid to him ; that he was tricts first attracted the attention of a few p o
hilosor'bli prie
very desirous of discharging faithfully his duty to the dividuals.. The object of Mrs. Trollope's new. 411
Colonial interests, and that he should ever feel high re- ‘‘ Michael Armstrong, the Factory 80y,,, is to bola
case of these unhappy beings in a peculiar and Or; :o°,
spect for the City of London. His Lordship then
manner before the British public. Englishmen 109 i )1/
proposed the health of " The Lady Mayoress."
the appalling horrors of this atrocious system. ,It,.lswciiicll,
fidently
Lord Morpeth's health was next drunk. He returned hoped, therefore, that the exposure of n'
...at 11"-
thanks in a neat speech.
is the purpose of the work, will serve the cause of 3"--00
The LORD MAYOR returned thanks for her Ladyship and humanity. The cheapest form of publication :,
His Lordship then proposed " The health of the Ma. been adopted, that the work may find its
way into the "ojit'
gistrates of the City of London." He said that those tage as well as into the drawing-room, and that the r.e 000'
functionaries not only performed their duties gratui- less, though not quickly-moving weight of public opo f
tously, but were themselves put to considerable expense; may be fully brotstht to bear upon the subject. :.on 1 o 0
that no Magistrates could discharge the duties which RICHELIEU.—The new acid cheap editi.g.tilt,
devolved upon them more to the satisfaction of the Mr. James's celebrated novel " Richelieu," (tbra',:ill .e-af
citizens than they did, and that if Barristers of seven new volume of " Colburn's Standard Novelistsd_onnat -,g
cite fresh attention at the present moment on asugg
cee',
the interest attached to the comparisons it mustroman pie
years' standing were to be imposed upon the City of
between the two works,--" Richelieu,"
London in their place, it would give the greatest sor- the
• a row and alarm to the whole city.—(Cheers.) odor 0
and. " Richelieu," the drama. Both thesei„tter Ye ,th
Sir C. S. HUNTER said that he came to the enter- fictions are strictly historical; both refer to the ".
~ bt •of
tainment with much pleasure, as he was sure that her of the life - - Kingoionn. (1
of the celebrated " Cardinal
Majesty's Ministers would, upon an occasion of meeting, handle with first-rate skill the character and!'
es 03,
give some token of their good-will toward the the most consummate statesman of modern tilywith tie
Magistracy of the City of London, as regarded both bleu I the strong excitement of romance e
the rights and privileges which the citizens had solid interest of historical truth. TI bey
t„f .......
that
exercised from time immemorial. Her Majesty's THE LATE DUKE GF BUCKINGILa".:aph, t,"6,0
Prime Minister had expressed himself to that effect is no truth whatever in a recent newspaper Parragordoke PO,
and they hailed from his sentiments of regard the pre- ! the Marquis of Buckingham was indebted
servation of their rights without further struggle,— ,to the intercession of Louis XVIII. Th-„, benev°l";et
f:7estored 14eice
(Hear, hear.) He was sure he spoke the sentiments of narch's gratitude for many acts of gener,tily was
oftbe
be
his brethren when he said that if any improvement , which he received from the Grenville 18"1
very remarkable, though he had a lively recollectionri_ris hefon,,.r,
could be made in the police establishment they would
ale at Stowe. e had not been long at "
accordingly r
most cheerfully adopt it. They were most anxious to
sent a request furls cask of it, which . id,
add to the advantages of that establishment, but . .s S a
having an inheritance to guard they were jealous of aged) It 1 Mr
innovation. Upon the rights of the citizens i ' Prince Louis Napoleon has e n
nisbed to him.—Gentleman's Magazine
°.
occupied by
no n-
fringement had ever been made, except • 'in times ofti •
an opera box for the season opposite that
Majesty.

ry was
or the

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rioritY
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