The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-21 00:00:00

ARREST OF MR. VINCENT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUM.
County Goal, Monmouth, South Wales,
May 19, 1839.
SlR—Your paper of Thursday, May 16, contains a re-
port of a meeting of the CONTENTION, held in Birmingham
on the preceding day, at which meeting my esteemed
friend, Feargus O'Connor, is reported to have made cer-
tain remarks relative to my imprisonment in this gaol.
Amongst many others I find the following :
" He had been told it was Mr. Vincent's intention not
to accept bail ;" and further—" He (Mr. O'Connor)
thought that whn a man refused bail, who was able to get
it, the country would call him a coward, and would say,
• this man has been arrested for a bailable offence, and he
refuses to take bail because he is afraid of facing the dan-
ger he has himself created.'"
Now, Sir, how stands my case ? I was arrested upon a
warrant, signed by three Magirrates of Newport, Mon-
mouthshire, upon a charge of " sedition, and endeavour.
ing to make the working classes discontented !" I was exa-
mined before the County Magistrates, in the town of New-
port, on Friday, May 10. I cross-examied the witnesses,
and felt such thorough contempt for their twaddling depo-
sitions, that I declined offering any observations at the
close of the proceedings. The Magistrates then retired,
were absent about three minutes, returned, and said they
had considered my case, and had decided to bind me over
to appear at the Monmouth Assizes for trial, myself in the
sum of 5001. I and two sureties of 250/. each ; AND ALSO
TO IR 07 GOOD BEHAVIOUR TO OUR LIEGE LADY THE QUEEN
701 TWELIZ MONTHS 1H Think of that, Master Broke !
I do not know what the people may think—but I should
think myself unworthy the name of Radical, and unfit to
hold a place in the people's affections, were Ito accept my
liberty(?) upon such base conditions!
I was not astonished at the decision of the Magistrates ;
they belong to the class of " fine old English gentlemen,"
who look upon the " State Church as by law established,"
the " Corn-laws," and " the New Poor-law Bill," as
" THE CONSTITUTION"—and upon all Radical Reformers
as men who make starving people " dissatisfied" with
" their condition."
" Good behaviour to our liege Lady" forsooth I Softly,
good Magistrates ! First prove, by trial, that I have mis-
behaved to cur " liege Lady," before you receive bail from
me for my " good behaviour." Why, I am one of the
best-behaved persons in the nation in which " our liege
lady" lives. lam anxious to see all the people living by
their honest industry, and in the possession of their just
political and social rights!
I intend to be removed before a Judge by a writ of
habeas corpus, to take his opinion upon the heavy nature
of the bail, as well as to the conditions thereunto attached
—and, whatever the result may be, I shall be perfectly
contented.
I would beg, through this letter, tb inform my fellow.
countrymen, that I embarked in the Charter Agitation
with a full conviction of its necessity as well with a perfect
knowledge of the dangers by which I should be beset—and
it is with no small degree of pleasure that I find myself
worthy of the persecution of our mongrel Finality politi-
cians. How long I shall remain in prison I know not—
but I am resolved never to leave• t but with honour to my-
self and credit to the cause of: e impoverished and toiling

millions. V
You will be kind enough tol sert this in your paper, as
I have no other means of set ng myself right with my
fellow-countrymen.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
HENRY VINCENT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

London, May 15, 1839.

SIR-Such circumstances as those detailed in your Paper
•f this day, in reference to Mr. Potts, must excite inquiry
and lead to change.
That Magistrates should, as the executive, have the
power, upon proper evidence and on grave reasons, to keep
a person in a place where he will be kept in safety, cannot
be denied ; but that a Magistrate, or any other person,
should ii,ve the power to place a person, not as yet proved
guilty of any offence, in a place which may be destructive
to his health—a place not suited even to a convicted felon
—is what can never be allowed; and that the deliverance

from such a place is dependent upon an " appeal to Lord
John Rusasil," or any other person in his situation, indi-
cates that, as yet, the principles of liberty are not under-
stood in this highly favoured land.
In fact, the conclusion to be deduced from the facts, re-
corded in your paper is, that a distinction should invariably
be made betvrei,n persons remanded or persons summarily
arrested, and those who have been proved guilty of crime;
and that if prison regulation; exist, those regulations
should have reference to the two conditions.

What impropriety can there be in allowing a communi-
cation between a party admitted by a Magistrate's order,
(the Magistrate can take care whom he admits) and a
p,,rson remanded, being in private; in fact, it is unjust that
any one should interfere, because the prisoner's defence
may require that he should communicate what those op-
posed to him should not be able to garble.
These prison regulations are too much neglected. The
poor are their objects too often ; end because the wicked
generally are there, the e)es of humanity have not been
turned to the dreadful inflictions of the dreary prison house.
.1. E.

PRICE OF SUGAR.
AFFECT OF MONOPOLY.
Table shoring this ex-duty price •f West India Sugar in Mine.
nz.lane, and comparing the same against that of foreign sugars :
London, May 18th, 1839.
Per owt

The Gazette of Friday night quotes the average price •f
British Plantation Muscovado Sugar, exclusive of
duty, at
The actual quantity sold in the week ending the 13th inst. on
which the above price is computed, consisted of :2,137 hhds., 143
tierces, and 51 barrels, and not of 2,600 hhds as estimated in
the market.
Muscovado Sugars produced by free labour in the Manilla have
been sold this week at from :235. to 245. ed. per cwt., being about
17s. 6d. per cwt. less than the average price of West India Sugar.
The refined produce of those Sugar houses working foreign Su.
gars under bond for exportation only, less the duty and charges of
shipping, has been sold this week as follows:—
Refined Sugar, equal to the double loaf standard, at 345. per cwt.
Bastard ditto... ditto ditto :218.
Treacle
The refined produce, being of precisely the same finality as the
above, manufactured from West India Sugar and Molasses, has
commanded, ex-duty, from the British public, the following

prices :
Refined Sugar, equal to the double loaf standard, at 595. per cwt.
Bastard ditto
Treacle
This nation therefore pays 255. per cwt. for refined, 18:. per
cwt. for bastard Sugar, and 18s. per cwt. for Treacle, more than
foreign nations, which are suppliiid in the same market, London,
with articles, so exactly similar in quality, that it would be im-
possible even for Sugar Brokers to determine which was theproduce
of the Foreign, and which the produce of the West India Sugars ;
computing at this rate of exccess, the West India monopoly in
Sugar alone, oasts this country 4,500,0001. per annum.
Since the recent change in the wind, quite a fleet of Sugar ships
has entered the Channel; three of these vessels have already been
docked, and their cargoes landed, so that an account of the number
of hhds. brought by them will appear on the statement of the land.
ings for the present week, independent of the great number of ships
now working their way round for the river. Monday's pest will
doubtles announce other extensive arrivals, so that the landings of
all descriptions of Sugar for home use are expected to be, in the
next and the ensuing week, enormously large, say equal to 15,000
hhds. Importers win nor. rest e.it oe the speculation
which has prevailed for several months, and which, through excel-
sive price, has stinted the consumption of !ugar to two-thirds the
weight usually taken off at this period of the year, and thereby oc-
casioned a considerable accumulation of stock. Parties holding
Seconds have been offering their Sugars for sale during the week;
the increased value of money, and the diminishing prices of Sugar,
will induce holders to get out of their speculations as early as prac-
ticable, and will convert them into competitors with the importers
of the newlytarrived Sugars in effecting sales.
The price of Sugar may fall at least 14s. per cwt., and yet leave
a handsome remuneration for the West India growers of it. We
find, by a public advertisement, inserted some time since in a Daily
Paper, that each free labourer produces two tons of Sugar in a year
on the estate specified. Now, on the supposition that there may
have been some favourable opportunities, or advantages, on this
plantatien, which were not enjoyed by others, we are willing to de.
duct one-fourth of the weight, and to call the two tons one ton and
and a half. By this clue to the cost of the operation, we shall easily
estimate the value of the Sugar before it is packed into hhds. The
labourers require a shilling sterling for a day's work ; excluding
Sundays and holidays, we strike of 85 from the 365, leaving 300
working days, and consequently so many shillings to be paid for the
labour bestowed on the production of 30 cwt. of Sugar, being exactly
10s. per cwt., allowing the balance of Colonial incidental charges.
After dedvcting the value of the Bum made with the Sugar, the
proceeds of which spirit has hitherto been considered sufficient to
defray the whole; but granting for the altered state of things in the
Colonies, a balance on this acceuntagainst the proprietor equivalent
to Is. per cwt., and adding Is. per cwt. more for the coat of the
hhd., &c., we have as the total value of the Sugar 121, per cwt.
prior to its shipment. The remaining charges, those which accrue
for drogerage (a Colonial term for shipping in lighters), the freight,
primage, insurance, dock dues, commissions, and the interest of the
money advanced for duty and for the payment of these costs, Loge.
ther, usually taken at 9s. per cwt., are paid in this country by the
consignee. Therefore, after paying the Negro Is. per day for wages,
and 2s. per cwt., the balance of Colonial incidental charges, and the
cost of the hhd., together with Os. per cwt., the charged; paid by the
consignee here, we find the planters can afford, without loss, to sup-
ply this country with Sugar at '2 ls. per cwt. And yet, by rumours
of short crops, and of indolence on the part of the Negroes, the user.
chants have contrived to raise the price, as quoted last night in the
Gazette,
to 41s. Oid. per cwt., being 250 per cent. on the value of
the Sugar, and
100 per cent, upon the Sugar and costs, as profit for
/he West India proprietor.
Next week we intend to analyze the 'price of Manilla Sugar,
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Cwt., and yet realise a clear profit of 51. per cwt.
COFFEE.—The prices of Coffee remain the same as last week;
600 bags of Brazil Coffee, imported by the way of the Cape, were
put up to auction this week, and were taken in—the buyers not
approving either its quality or its slave-labour origin.