The Sun.
London, England, 1830-10-15 00:00:00

STOCKPORT POLITICAL UNION.

On Monday evening last, pursuant to publinnotice to
the gentlemen, tradesmen, and working duties, the third
meeting of the Stockport Political Ultima was held at the
Cotton Tree Inn, Heaton-lane, Beaton Norrite'' The
principles of this Union are similar to timer, of the Bir-
mingham. The membere demon triennial Parlianwatsr
universal suErage, and vote by ballot, to Ire absolutely ne-
ees,ary for regaining and securing the political rights of
the British people. At the time appointed about five hun-
dred persona assembled, and Mr. Rayner, an eminent
druggist of Stockport, wee, by acclamation, culled to the
Chair. The purpose of the meeting was fully, but briefly,
exp Lined by the Chairman, who regretted that some one
if more importance than himself had not been called upon
to fill the high situation to which he had been called. Ile
knew that persons of the highest respectability for rank,
wealth, and talent, in Stockport, were favourable to re-
form, and saw the necessity of it, hut they were deterred
front being its open and avowed advocates front their con-
nection with Magistrates and the Aristocracy. After some
discussion, resolutions were unanimously adopted, all fa-
vourable to radical reform. A General Committee was
appointed to meet every Weduesday, and District Com-
mittees were appointed, to superintend the collections of
ld. per week from the members of the Union, to defray
the necessary expenses incurred in time furtherance of the
great object in view. Several gentlemen from Manchester
attended the meeting, and a letter was read from that tried
champion of freedom, Mr. Alderman Prentice, in which
that gentleman regretted that he could not attend the
meeting, having an important engagement in Manchester
that evedng.
Several eloquent speeches were made by members of the
Union, all tending to show the necessity of a thorough
reform.

A weaver, whose name we could not learn, but from
appearance and language a true John Bull, was very sar-
castic upon the Earl of Wilton and his notions about edu-
cation. He wished the Duke of Wellington would- ,come
to Stockport, and sit by his side for a week, and see hint
work at cotton for id. per hundred, by which labour be
mould, if lie had constant employ, earn, by 16 hours' daily
labour, 12s. it-week ; but his average earnings, for the
last twelve months, did not amount to 9a. per week, The
bread for his family was generally exhausted'hilltOday
night, and Friday was a rigid fast in his housenot from
principle, but neeessity. lie exhibited to the meeting Ida
ragged coat, and declar'ed that three years since he had de.
termined to give it away ; but, such were the times, he
could not afford to do so, and thus appeared amorig them
like the Patriarch Joseph, in a coat of Many colours.—
(Truly this coat was patched with pieces of all colours of
the rainbow.)
It was observed at this meeting that his Grace the Duke
of Bridgewater, se famed for his canals, had declared that
the diffusion of knowledge among the middle and lower
classes would eventually bring about a reform, and Secure
the liberties of England. Never was a meeting more una-
nimous in opinion, or a greater regard for rational liberty
displ iyed. Finally, a petition to the Kiel: was voted.
similar to the one limn the Birmingham Political Union,

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Our belief in the preservation of peace rests on
the inability of the powers of the Continent to go.
to war. Those more immediately concerned may
beter.no good will to the new order of things in.
France, and under any other i c.rcumstances than the
present would have entered Belgium, but they
dread their own subjects more than the danger from
the new order of things, While, however, we rely
on the embarrassments of the Powers, and the pa-
cific disposition of the Duke of Wellington (who is
known to have made strong representations to the
French Government against the allowing French-
men to take part in the affairs of Belgium), we can-
not shut our ears to the language of individuals con-
nected with the foreign embassies here. They urge
that these Governments are beset with dangers, and
that the example of successful resistance is pro-
ducing effects which will drive them to desperate
courses. They urge, too, that Russia is like the
devil at the ear of a sinner, constantly tempting
tltem to accept her aid. The Russian Government
is under a sort of necessity of making war. The
army cannot be with safety left in peace; and the
Russian landholders are notoriously disaffected. On
the other hand the Germans would to a man rise,
were the Russiens to attempt to cross their own
frontiers. However, the principal difficulty is to
come. We shall soon see how Austria conducts
herself in her trial,. It cannot have escaped the
most obtuse observer, that much of the present
embarrassments in the political world arises from the
mixing up family affairs with matters of government.
For instance, the connection of the Stadtholder
with Prussia led to the invasion of Holland, under
the countenance of England, at the commencement
of the French Revolution. At this time the con-
nection of the Prince of Orange with Russia is also
a source of alarm. Thus the nations of Europe are
considered as so many family estates. Well might
Jefferson exclaim, on the invasion of Holland by
Prussia, that this system of a separate Royal caste,
of which the families marry only into each other, is
pregnant with dreadful evils ! Think only of a
whole Contiwent being involved in war on account
ore single family !--Morning chronicle.
The following letter is from an English gentle-
man of high character, and possessed of great in-
fluence in Brussels. According to him, De Potter
is decidedly in favour of the Prince of Orange, as
Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom, or a sort of
guardian for his eldest son, the Duke of Brabant;
and this party seems recently to have gained ground.
lie complains of the statement which appeared some
time ago in the Courier, and which we noticed at
the time. The communication on which he ani-
madverts was so extravagant as to refute itself. The
correspondent of another contemporary (the Globe)
observes—

" Persons here are astonished at the palpable falsehood
contained in a London Evening Paper, in its attempt to,
justify the conduct of the Dutch troops. If that journal
still continues doubtful en the score of their dreadful pil-
lage*, I. can and will give it the names of the unfortunate
sufferers."
indeed, the Courier admits last night that the
communication was a tissue of miarepresentations,
and endeavours to account for the excesses com-
mitted by the Dutch troops :
."Phat excesses," he says, " were committed by the
besiegers there can be no doubt. But it must be remem-
bered that the soldiers (half Belgians) were irritated by
resistance, soured by privation and hunger, and perpe.
tually exposed in the streets to at murderous fire; and that
they were obliged to fight inch by inch, and to carry every
house by assault ere they could obtain a lodgment. They
knew, also, that their comrades had been entrapped into
the town at the Fiandeis gate, and there suddenly and
treacherously wailed, not with the usual weapons of
war, but with vitriol, lime, pepper, burning oil, 'and, in
short, every destructive missile, liquid or substance, the
most opposed 'to Acknowledged modes of defence, and ruin-
sequently the most calculated to infuriate regular troops,
and to ratite a spirit of revenge throughout the army:
They saw their fellow-soldiers fast felling by the heavy fire
directed from the surrounding houses, and if in their first.
bum of fury they did maltreat the occupants of those
houses carried by storm, it cannot create surprise, still less
can it he expected that they should be able to distinguish
friends from foes, or passive front active enemies.
" All military men are aware of the difficulty of pre-
serving discipline amongst soldiers quartered on citizens,
even in peaceable times. They must likewise be aware of
the proneness of troops of all nations to mischief and dis•
order when nnresiated, and that cases of aggression and
rubbery are daily and hourly occurrences. They, there-
fore, comprehend the difficulty of preventing acts of die-
order and plunder at the moment of attack, and, in fact,
the impossibility of restraining men whom passions' are
inflamed by opposition and cuff-ring---end, above all,
when these men are scattered /Me oink through hon See
in
all the confusion naturally incidental to street warfare.
41 Our own army, the best disciplined and most orderly
in Europe, can ferule!' a Iniudresi examples corroborative
at this feet."
lint we proceed to lay the Brussels letter before
our reedere:—
" Beessees, Ger. 13.—Little has transpired, within
these few days worth relating, and the affairs of the Bel-
glans remain, in regard to settlement, in static 'quo. The
National Congress I. expected to be convened the first
week in November, when they will immediately proceed
to the discussion affecting the appointment of a fixed forte
of Government for Belgium, and they will in that die.
cession decide whether the Prince of Orange, his son, or
who else, shall lintel the sceptre of authority. A party of
2,000 volunteers are gone to complete the capture of
Ghent, which, when effected, will leave but Antwerp to
subdue. Don Juan Van Haien has retired front corn.
mend, with a pension for his widow in eau of his decease.
He is succeeded in command by Nypele: the second in
command is colonel Fortson, and General Martinet it Chief
of the Etna Major. De Potter ledevidedly in favour of
the Prince of Orange as Lieutenant-General of the king.
dont, as a sort of autos for his eldest son, the Duke of
Brabant, and this party seems to have recently gained
ground. Reports froth Antwerp this evening state, that
they are there in a very unsettled state indeed. Prince
Frederick appeared a day,since on parade at Antwerp, and
was obliged to retire .in consequence of the Moses of the
people, Some one should call at the courier Office, arid
tell the Editor that he either receives from his Brussels
Correspondent very partial information, or that be is at
. •
no pares to sscertuin whether tire intelligence which he
receives he true or not before he inserts it. Perhsps,
in-
deed, be cares nothing about inserting untruths, provided
they blacken the Belgian cause and the conduct of indivh
deals with sufficient malignity. But felsehoods, however
never again hand Belgium over to Hollerith
Xt is easy to see how it happeni that thin English Govern-
gout is so uninformed as to the real state of things in
Belgium. What can he expected from such a prejudiced
mid empty-headedi of Correspondent as tire _Biggish
Secretary of Legation'?" ,
It does not follow because Mr. Cartwright, the
Secretary of Legation, is not exactly a man to, set
the Thames on fire, that the English Government
is uninformed as to the red state of things in
gium. The Duke of Wellingtoe, during his Penin-
sula empties, was remarkably distinguished fur
the Correctness of his information, and We doubt not
he has not yet forgotten the secret for obtaining
. •
correct information. His Grace knows too well the
nature of the meteriels of our diplomatic men to rely
on any information to be obtained Val a them. He
is obliged to name persons to. situations abroad, not
because they are fitted for therm, but because they
possess on interest which he cannot disregard : tut
he is not obliged both to
,try these men anit to
believe their statements. The country suffers, no
doubt, in being obliged to give a large amount of
money to a parcel of empty-beaded coxcombs, who
are merely made Diplomatists because theycannot
be otherwise disposed of ; and much mischief is often
done by them in retch cases es ' the Belgian insurrec-
tion, which the Government at home cannot easily
undo. They carry with them the weight- of the
powerful Government to which they belong, and
from that circumersuce, if weak in judgment, they
may give a mischievous direction to affair.. If, for
Inoternee, Mr. Cartwright had been a man of sound
jtitignient, he would have prevented the assault on
meastire Which. as Mr. Wood stated ire
his letter, could even if tutcestiful, only serve to add
to the difficulties of the King, Any soars Who knows
the ofteetitianey of English Councils in the Nether.
Nods will readily believe that Mr. Cartwright, if he
did not persuade Prince Frederick to that disastione
measure, could et least have prevented it. This is

the great evil to which We are exposed from the
manner in which our Legations are filled. The cor-
respondent or the Courier soya
"As far,as Prince Frederiek rs coneerned with the ex-,
ceases committed •by Ma troops, it is Merely necessary
refer the public to his.daily milers ; and if this is not sof&
cient it can be proved beyond all possibility of contradic-
tion, that be took every possible measure to disc Over and
punish offenders ; and moreover called upon all the /Mho-
dries of the villages or towns occupied by the troops to
arrest any soldier offering stolen articles for sale. Patrols
of marechanssi:e and dragoons were, anti are, established
in every direction to prevent all marauding ; and, in fact,
everything has been done by his Royal Highness that hu-
manity and anutiance could suggest, to diminish the evils
necessarily attendant upon his operations.
" I say humanity, because any person gifted with a
grain of :tense must beconvinced, that had Prince Fre-
derick not been restrained by feelings of this nature, he
might have bombarded the town, and converted it into a
heap of ashes, without exposing a man. It suffices for
any military man to.exemine the points of attack, to be-
come persuaded that it was the Prince's object to spare
the city as much as possible, and, in a military point of
view, he must be condemned for exposing his people to all
the disadvantages of street-firing (when tactics and dis-
cipline are rendered nugatory), instead of establishing his
batteries on the adjacent heights, and thence bombarding
the city, without risk to his army.
" The fact is undeniable, that he could have burned the
town to the ground. Why, than, if be were animated
with sanguinary intentions, did he not take advantage of
the means within his power to injure the place? Why, if
be were the heartless person we are taught to believe, did
he confine his attacks to parts the least populous, and pre-
fer expoiing his troops in the Park and adjacent parts to
bombarding and firing the lower portion of the city F It
is notorious that not a single red-hot shot was fired, and
the number of shells thrown in did not exceed twenty :
these ohm were directed as nearly as possible to the imme-
diate vicinity of the principal point of attack. In short,
no unprejudiced person, who has the commonest know-
ledge of the rules of war, can avoid seeing that Prince
Frederick's efforts were directed as much as possible to
spare the city; had lie been less scrupulous, he might in-
fallibly have reduced it, if not to subjection, at least to a
heap of ruins."
This defence of the humanity of Prince Frede-
rick is the severest libel on the judgment of his ad-
visers. The Courier observes, "We do not think
that the provocation received by the troops was suf-
cient to justify the excesses which they are acknow-
ledged to have committed." This may be true;
but what a fool must that man be, who would ex.
pose troops to provocation, in the belief that they
might not commit excesses ? In the state of ex-
citement in which the population of Brussels notori-
ously was, it was clear that they would resist the
troops ; and the General who did not take into his
calculation the probability that such resistance would
lead to the most dreadful excesses, may be a very
humane man, but he is assuredly also a very weak
man. The Courier says :
" That Prince Frederick's conduct throughout was hu-
mane, almost to a fault, will be admitted by every unpre-
judiced person ; but wo do not admit that lie acted with
good judgment. Our correspondent Bays, that he was
blameable in a military point of view for not battering the
town to pieces. To allow this, would he to acknowledge
a principle against which reason and humanity declare. In
no point of view, military or otherwise, would snob a
course have been proper; and to the high credit of Prince
Frederick, he rejected the advice which was given to him
to lay the city in ruins. A great military fault had been
committed in proceeding against the city at all with a force
unequal to its reduction, by cutting off its supplies and
starving it into a surrender, in the event of its being as-
certained that resistance would he offered to an open at-
tack; and it is too much to insinuate that a military fault
ought to hare been repaired by a military' murder, for
such, under the circumstances, would have been the course
which appears to have been recommended by some persons
less humane than the Prince Commander."

Prince Frederick, we understand, makes no secret
of the advice under which he acted. It is, we be-
lieve, a settled muter, that whew Mince Hilts (to
use the nomenclature of another contemporary) or
Prince Frederick are entrehted with troops, there
should be akeeper assigned to him to guide his move-
ments. All we can say of Prince Frederick is, that he
has been in very bud hands. The least knowledge of
mankind would have withheld a Prince from rouzing
against hiMself the indignation of his own subjects,
by subjecting his capital to the horrors of an assault.
The misrepresentations in English Newspapers are
of less moment; end if our Diplomatists had only
occupied themselves in representing the Belgians as
a contemptible rabble, so long as the Government
were not the dupes of the misrepresentation, the
breach admitted of a remedy. The gentleman ;hove
alluded to is not the only , correspondent who has
figured in this precious correspondence. There are
at Brussels a set of fellows who left a well known
school, not far from this metropolis, under circum-
stances which did not reflect the highest credit on
them, us those who have been beggared by their
debts of 40,0004 have reason to know, who also
figured away in the honourable ocenpatton of en-
lightening the British public us to the baseness of
the Belgians, through the columns of some of our
Ministereal contemporaries. The motives of these
worthies are as well known at Brussels as their
exertions are there correctly appreciated ; but the
British public are not in the same situation.—
Morning Chrimiele,
The House of Commons in a few days will have
a most important duty to perform when it meets, in
electing a Speaker. The person selected should
have great knowledge of the usages of Parliament,
patience, suavity of manners, an excellent temper,
and dignity in his deportment to ensure attention
tend respect. These are qualifications rarely corn-
bitted in the sittrie individual, but they should be the
guide to the Members in electing one.of their body
to preside over their proceedings. So tenacious
formerly were the Commons to have un efficient
Speaker, that all parties expressed a wish that the
late Mr. 'lateen, first Clerk of the House, in con-
sequence of his -great Parliamentary knowledge,
should fill the: Chair, which he modestly declined.
The Chair was subsequently occupied by a
Lord Grenville, a good speaker. Lord Sidmouth
was stiff and formal, but still better. Lord Rr-
desdale sat in the chair, but was totally incompetent
to the ditty, and presided only during one Paige-
merit, when Mr: Abbott (the late Lord Colchester)
was appointed Speaker, who was decidedly the best
that ever filled the high and important situation. It
is now said 'that Mr. Goulburn is to be proposed by
Ministers to fill the Chair. If this gentleman is
considered ao,inefficient Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, surely it is not probable that he will be an
excellent, or even a mediocre, Speaker ; ant this
subject the House of Commons is imperiously called
upon to do its duty. There are, in our opinion,
fifty Members in the House more competent to fill
the situation then Mr. Goulburn—and from these
they should make their election.--Morn. Advertiser.
The pamphlet published a few weeks ago, and
entitled What has the Duke of Wellington gained
Iv the Dissolution? made, as is recollected, and as
the author intended, a noise in the political world.
From the resolute,--nay, fierce party spirit in which
it was composed, and the acute and sarcastic power
ethibited in ,every page of it,there Was little proba-
bility-that the partisans of Ministers would take
altogether without resistance the chastisement in-
flicted on them by the author. An answer to that
pamphlet, or whet is meant for an answer, ac-
cordingly been pet forth within the last two days.
But, in tke good faith of criticism, we are compelled
to acknowledge that the writer has demonstrated
more zeal thee wisdom in 44 laying himself along-
side" an antagouiet so far above his match. Some
filets in correction of a few of those which were
thrown out by the Whig adversary are, parlor,
well founded; but whatever light they may let in
upon the composition of the House of Commons
as to votes, they undoubtedly shed none mien
the Composition of the Ministry, with regard to
that intrinsic strength or , weakness which re-
sults from their character as statesmen, and
on which, after all, their active influence over the
great Cody of their political supporters will be found
-elm/duo/0 to turn - refutation of the :tables in
the former pamphlet, which made out a list: of 51
votes, inimical to Ministers, beyond the limits of
the old Opposition, the author produces a rival list,

which represents 33 Ministerial Members in the ex-
isting Parliament,' in hen of as many who had for-
merly allied themselves to the Whigs, or interthe
diate opposition. We are not enough acquainted
with the new Parliament
.to judge how, far Ove las.
sumptiens tyre accurate, but such as it is we insert
the list its follows. The column of old Members,
it will be remarked, contains the names of ousted
or self-dismissed opponents of the Wellington Go-
vernment,—they are 33 in number :
Places. New Members. Old Members;
Arundel Lord D. C. Stuart Edward Lambe..
Bedford. Frederick Polhill Lord W. Russell.
Bristol Tames Evan Millie Henry Bright.
Caernarvon W. Ormsby Gore Lord W. Paget.
Derby . Edward Strutt Samuel Crompton.
Dover Sir Jan Rae Reid W. H. Trant.
Evesham Lord Kennedy E. Prot heroe.
Hastings
Maidstone .... Ald. Winchester J. Welk
Northampton Sir It. H. Gunning W. L. 'Maberly. ,
Peterstield Sir W. Jolliffb W. Marshall.
Reading Charles Russell J. B. Monck. •
Rye Francis Bonham Col. De Lacy Evans.
St. Alban's Charles Tennant John Easthope.
Old Sarum J. Du Pre Alexander Sir Strat. Canning.
Southwark J. Rawlinson Harris Charles Calvert.;
Stafford John Campbell 'l'. W. Beaumont.
Tregony r James Ad. Gordona James Brougham.
James M'Killop j Dr. Lushington.
Wareham James Ewing C. B. Wall.
Wmehilsea
....

Scotch Places.
Aberdeen Sir James Carnegie Joseph Hume.
Dysart
Fortrose Colonel J. Millie Robert Grant.
Lanarkshire Hon. C. Douglas Sir M. S. Stewart.
Irish Places.
Cork
Drogheda Henry North P. Van Homrigh.
Dublin
Monaghan
Wexford County Hon, Mr. Blaney Hon, H. Westenra,
Westmeath
r Colonel Chichester ) Lord Stafford.
/Lord Vale:Ala 3 It. H. Carew.
Wexford Town
—( Tithes.)

In considering the settlements of England on the
west coast of Africa, few persons have of late years
been hardy enough to deny that a large price
was paid for the object—even the ostensible object
—of the policy under which those settlements had
been established,—viz., the releasing from unlawful
bondage, and the admitting to some chance of civili-
zation, the negroes found on board captured slave-
ships, and, generally, the diminution of the nefarious
traffic. The price paid by England has been for a
period of many years a sacrifice of British lives,
most unexampled and dreadful, scarcely. one English-
man in twenty who visit those pestilential shores
having ever the good fortune to escape from them.
Every Governor who has been sent out within our
memory (one only, we believe, excepted) is said to
have died on the spot of diseases unavoidably con-
tracted in the performance of his duty. The govern-
ment of these possessions, therefore, is regarded as a
fatal, not a friendly gift. The officers named to it feel,
for the most part, like Mussulmans when the bowstring
is presented to them, they bow their beads, and perish.
But has the main purpose been yet fulfilled for
which the nation undergoes these terrible sacrifices?
Has the slave-trade been in reality, and sensibly
diminished—first, by its abandonment, on the part
of Great Britain, us a commerce; and secondly, by
her persevering and well-meant efforts to arrest it
on the African coast ? We are much afraid that if
the truth were known, it would appear that not
Only full as many slaves had been kidnapped since
England had virtuously abjured the traffic, but
that the seizures made, and the negroes liberated by
her cruisers, had borne no higher comparison than
that of a drop of water to a mill stream with the
mass of wretehesswept off to irretrievable degradation
in another hemisphere, through the horrors of the
middle passage, now a thousand times more bar-
barous than at any former period. Neither, there-
fore, in the price paid, nor in the article purchased,
if we measure them both by their qufintity, can there
be alleged much ground for encouragement to
longer retention of these miscalled colonial pos-
sessions. But it would appear, that even were the
loss of life to our countrymen less extensive, and
the preservation of life and security to the Africans
snore so, the settlements of Sierra Leone, &e.
gm., ought not to be maintained an hour longer,
unless an important amelioration were to take place
in the mode of administering . the powers and.pa-
tronage of the executive Government. It is not
surprising that under the Parliamentary system of
this country, the creation of offices in any quarter
should be almost commensurate with the numbers
of individuals qualified or riot qualified to hold them.
But on the coast of Africa death outstrips die Mi.
nister. He kills off loyal officers of the kingdom
so expeditiously, that the sponge of the Treasury
cannot keep pace with the scythe of the stern de-
stroyer. The Minister cannot put an end to places
so successfully as the career of their several occu-
omits is terminated; and as it would be disloyal to
leave a lucrative post without a tenant, we find, by
the letter of one of this day's correspondents, that
several offices are heaped on one pair of shoulders;
—that from the havoc made by the climate, the few
survivors are compelled to do treble or quadruple
work, in the way of collecting, fur their own use,
as- many sets of • salaries—a task which they can
no otherwise find time to execute, than by fore-
going the official and less bearable business, for
whose discharge the said salaries bad been granted.
Thus, a " beardless boy " steps in to the situ-
ation of " Colonial Secretary," " Chief Justice of
the Colony," Judge of the Admiralty Court,"
" Colonel of Nlilitia," and a " leading member of
Council 1" for each and all of which we presume the
youth may have been equally well qualified. A Jew
shop-boy stuck in as " King's Advocate," " Re.
gistrar of Vice-Admiralty," and " Member of Coun-
cil l" The instances, or rather system of low-lived
oppression, practised by creatures like the above on
the coloured population, have led, as may be learned
from the letter alluded to, the greater part, if not the
whole of the Maroons, who had been sent out as
colonists from Jamaica to SierrusLeone, and who are
said to constitute the great body of intelligence mid
industry among the people of colour, to petition
to be re-transported to Jamaica, us a refuge from
the evils they have been enduring. We do
not say, therefore, by u sweeping inference,
" abandon all these aettlements of Western Africa,
but be consistent with the principles on which
they were planted : if they be for the benefit
of the blacks, let black men share the favours
of the Government and the duties and respect-
ability of public office." Let a Governor and
Chief Justice, if necessary, be sent out from Eng-
land, but let all the rest of the place-holding com-
munity he men of colour, capable of .standing the
climate, and of being drawn towards the King's Go.
vernment by_ kind and fostering usage, instead of
repelled by insolence or negligence, and induced to
petition for release from the liberating colony.
olomnyo.reo‘S.Vere,
recommend, for the sake of English life,
that negroes should be the administrators of these
possessions, as well as negro happiness their osten-
sible object. Our correspondent's letter may be read
with hilventage, for its suggestions on massy interest-
ing points.—Times.

If this be the age of intellect, it is also the age
of quackery. We have all sorts of new and strange
projects devised and submitted for, public encourage-
ment daily, upon the moat generous, noble, and dis-
interested principles, the beginning, middle, and end
of which are explained by the one word, subscrip-
tion. Among the most recent of the ingenious' con.
trivances, which are to ufford John Bull the plea-
aure of patriotically getting rid of some of his super-
litmus cash, is the design of erecting a , national
monument" to Shukspeare. Nqw, if ever there ex-
isted a writer, whose" name should be his monu-
ment alone," it is the Bard of Avon, whose works
are as imperishable as the language which they: en-
rich and adorn. Well might he have exclaimed at
the 'close of his immortal labours, like the Roman
poet, but with a more justified 'confidence in' the
eternity of his own fame .Eiregi monumentum sere
perm-pawl But there are, among the great and
atikent classes of this country, many who would
1;0'44 subscribe to raise a statue to- a celebrated
poet or artist when dead, who would net be equally
generous to promote his interests when living. This
it the country, ha it remembered, in which Dryden,
who, eirtaialpnen•after Shekspeare and Milton,
was the greatest and most original poet that England
has produced, died in a state of abject poverty;` the
country in whicii ()way and Butler—the one never

-• • 4 -

• . .
surpassed in pathos, the other never rivalled in
humour—perished of absolute Want. Even the
Scotch, who are now so enthusiastic in paying post-
humous honours to the indignant shade of the, in-
spired and neglected Burns, allowed that exquisite
master of the Doric reed to accept the unpoetic
livery of an exciseman, or starve. Irt short, the
spirit that stimulates men to make a display of their
veneration for departed genius, while they are
negligent of living merit, is not a generous
sympathy for mental worth, but an ostentatious
affectation of patronage, which vanity alone inspires.
Of this vanity there are always cunning and needy
projectors ready to take advantage, who convert it
into the prolific source of " jobs.' We admire not
the " liberality" of the post-mortem patrons of
genius, as they may be called. They deny the means
of living to those to whom they afterwards erect a
tomb. They are literally of that class who " are
asked for bread, and give a_ atone !" They would
not put out a hand to assist. the noblest nature that
was ever born to extend and adorn the empire of
literature or the arts, while it struggled for a great
renown with adverse fortuae and the ills of life—
but when its glorious agonies have terminated, when
it has reached the heights of its intellectual am-
bition, and achieved immortal fame, then they come
forward to obtrude their assistance where it is no
longer required. Talk, indeed, of a subscription
for a national monument to Shakspeare—a poet
whose fame, pursuing its own career, without any
aid but what was derived from its own intrinsic ex-
cellence, has become so resplendent and universal,
that we might almost with as much reason talk of
raising a monument to the sun ! If a monument
connected with the fine arts is said to be wanted,
we deny it. One of the noblest monuments of that
kind ever raised to the memory of a poet was the
splendid work known by the name of " Boydell's
Shakspeare." That was not, however, the work of
a little junta 'propping their spurious generosity
upon a public subscription. It emanated from the
energies and resources of the truly patriotic and
public-spirited individual by whom it was devised
and executed. To accomplish that work, he called
upon the talents of such artists as Sir Joshua Rey-
nolds, Northcote, Fuseli, &c. What sort of patron-
age did the public give it ? Until this can be satis-
factorily answered, it would be better to be silent
about another " national monument to Shakspettrer
—Morning Herald.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

GUILDHALL.

Jacob Botfield, a green-grocer, in Addle-street,
Wood-street, Philip Pijle, a porkman in Silver-
street, and - Cotterell, an oilman at the corner
of Milk-street, attended before Sir PETER LAURIE
and Alderman C. SMITH yesterday, upon sum-
monses to answer the complaint of the Inquest of
the Ward of Cripplegate-within, for having defec-
tive weight found in their shops.

Botfield said, he was inspector of the watch, and
with respect to the scales, they had been acciden-
tally broken, and to correct the falseness of the ba-
lance the piece of lead had been used, which a dis-
honest man might certainly remove, during the
weighing, without inconvenience.
The foreman of the inquest said, the defendant
had a large family, and it was his first offence.

The Siagistraia convicted in the mitigated pe-
nalty of 10s.

Philip Pyle was charged with having in his shop
a 71b. weight deficient by ioz.; a 41b. weight by
ioz.; a ilb. weight by nearly ioz.; a ilb. deficient
by something less than ioz.; and a 2oz. weight
alto deficient.

The Magistrate said they must disgrace him also,
by fining him 10s.
The case against - Cotterell was, that be had
in use a lb. weight deficient by }oz., and a
weight by not quite }oz.
Sir PETER LAURIE said, he and his brother Ma•
gistrate must protect the public by disgracing the
defendant with a fine of 10s.

The tines were paid, and the weights and scales
were ordered to be destroyed.

BOW-STREET.

Last night James Jdfreys, a young man in the
dress of an ostler, was brought in custody before
Mr. MINSIWIL by John James Smith, charged with
having, been concerned with others in a burglary
committed at the Royal Oak Inn, Devizes, on the
25th of September last.
The prisoner was remanded until Monday next,
to give time for the prosecutor to come forward.
Information was received at this office in the
course of the afternoon, that on the night of 'Tues-
day, or morning of Wednesday last, the dwelling-
house of Sir John Reado, Bart., at Shipton-courr,
near Burford, in Oxfordshire, was broken into by
thieves, who succeeded in carrying off 50 plain silver
spoons, 44 dessert spoons, 54 table forks, 24 dessert
folk; 8 soup ladles, 7 gravy spoons, 2 fish slices,
3 marrow spoons, 18 King's pattern tea-spoons, 24
gilded table-spoons, 24 gilded forks, 1 silver pu►►ch
ladle, 6 silver salvers, 4 epergne baskets, 8 dishes,
2 two-handled cups and covers, and a.great variety
of articles, all of considerable value. The spoons
were engraved with a falcon with its wings ex-
tended, and all the other articles bore the crest of
Sir John Reade, with a baronet's hand. A reward
of thirty guineas has been offered for the detection
of the thieves.