The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-31 00:00:00

AUTHENTICITY OF STATE

MENTS IN THE SUN.

In the Port Philip Gazette of July the 31st,
received with our last batch of papers from Austra-
ha, we find the following:—

The happy object of Queen Victoria's choice
is Prince Albert, son of the reigning Duke of
Saxe Cobourg, and cousin of her Majesty. Prince
Albert is handsome, and about twenty-two years of
age. He has resided some time in this country, on
a visit to his Royal relatives. How soon the happy
event is to take place we are not prepared to say,
but our readers may depend upon the authenticity
of our information."—Sun.

We are authorised to give the most positive
contradiction to the above announcement.—Morn-
ing Chronicle.
This is amusing, coming back to us now when
the reality is known, after the expiration of so many
months, and when The Sun's announcement and
the Morning Chronicle's contradiction had been
alike forgotten. It reminds us, too, how the
Chronicle was served by Mini;terial " authority"
in the matter of another important announcement.
We can believe what the Morning Chronicle states
on its own credit, but whenever it professes to have
" authority," we become suspicious and sceptical.
—Spectator.

SPECIAL COMMISSION AT

MONMOUTH.

MONMOUTH, SUNDAY NIGHT.
This place is already beginning to present some o.

the bustle and excitement of an assize town. There
were, for instance, yesterday not less than 114 of the
Rifles, who are now stationed at the school-room ad-
joining the church of Monmouth, and within a short
distance of the goal ; there were next the counsel for
the prisoners, who came in all the eclat of their profes-
sional dignity ; and to-day there were coaches, some filled
with witnesses, and others laden with London police.
men. The natural shrewdness of Welshmen is profit-
ably employed in turning the Newport outrages to their
pecuniary advantage. I know that in some parte a
great. deal of unnecessary alarm prevails. One rumour
is, that vast bodies from Kingswood, in the neighbour-
hood of Bristol, are coming up to Monmouth to attend
the trials, and, if necessary to rescue the prisoners.
In alluding to the reports which I have heard, I may
as well state one of them, in which I fear there is some
truth. It is this—that amongst the witnesses who were
examined before the Magistrates, and afterwards gave
their testimony in presence of the Grand Jury, some
have been induced by the friends of the prisoners to
abscond, and that, therefore, they will not be forthcom-
ing at the trials. I do not suppose that the persons
who have so fled can be very material witnesses, when

it is well known that numbers of witnesses are now
under the care of the Mayor of Newport, and others of
them have been in London, from which a few arrived to-
day. Any one who had the opportunity of seeing, as
I had, the manner in which the prosecutions were got
up at the Warwick Assizes by Mr. Motile, may be quite
,ure that he will not have suffered a single material link

in the chain of evidence to be lost. At this moment
both parties are busily engaged in preparing for the
trials. The Attorney and Solicitor Generals, lam told,
are here ; while, on the other side, Sir F. Pollock, Mr.
F. Kelly, and Mr. Thomas have been in consultation
with the solicitor for the prisoners, Mr. Geach.
It is impossible as yet to surmise what course will
be taken with respect to the trials ; but I believe that
the endeavour will be made, on the part of the priso-
ners, to postpone the trials to the latest possible period.
It is said that none of them will consent to join in their
challenges, and that an attempt will even be made to
impugn the entire panel returned by the Sheriff. It is
supposed that one great object that will be thus gained,
in case of a conviction, will be to bring the period of
carrying any sentence into execution as near to the
Queen's marriage as possible, in order that such a happy
event may give to these unhappy men the benefit of an
act of mercy. If these intentions be acted upon, it is
probable that the first two or three days will be occu-
pied with legal arguments, and that no trial can take place
before the latter end of the week. In that case the
sitting Commission will be very much prolonged—an
event not at all improbable, should the Court, act upon
the determination which it is said Sir Nicholas Tindal
has expressed, that it would be adjourned by him every
day at four o'clock.
The London policemen who have already arrived do

not exceed seventeen in number. It is merely intended
that they shall be used for the protection of the wit-

nesses, and the Mayor, I understand, has given orders
that in no case shall they act, unless under the direction
of special constables, who are to be responsible for their
conduct. With respect to the Mayor, I may remark
that he has, in present circumstances, many duties to
perform, each of which are well and satisfactorily dis-
charged by him. This gentleman, I am told, is not a
Laberat to politic., ;. ‘,..cettnlT ..ppo-
site to that of a partisan. He has shown himself to be
perfectly impartial, and his anxiety is to give equal ad-
vantages, and to do equal justice to all. The following
is a communication from Merthyr :
" 111URTHYR TYDVIL, SUNDAY MORNlNG.—Al-
though no actual outbreak has taken place, still popular
ferment continues unabated, and the Chat tists hold their
meetings at their own houses, or at their several lodges,
which are scattered very widely through the hills.
" The fate of Frost and the other prisoners is with
them now for the most part their all-absorbing topic.
They feel themselves in honour bound to exert all the
influence within their reach to rescue them from a dis-
graceful death. It is idle to deny the fact that they
would willingly sacrifice their own lives to save the
prisoners. They look on Frost not only as a political
martyr, but as one whose life is anxiously sought after
to satisfy private revenge.
" On Thursday night ti printing-press and a large
quantity of type arrived, with which they intend start-
ing a paper. This will be their organ ; but they arc
resolved that its tone shall not be violent, and that it
will differ very widely from the extravagant principles
advocated by the Western Vindicator. They also con-
template abandoning the name of Chartists, and calling
themselves Reformers. They propose holding a meet-
ing this day, which is to be addressed by a Chartist
preacher. The authorities have as usual received in-
telligence of their intention, and will act accordingly.
Dr. Thomas and Captain Howles have left here for
Cardiff to meet Lord Bute, the Lord Lieutenant of
Glamorganshire, whose arrival was expected. As soon
as they have completed such arrangements as may be
deemed expedient, they will return to their duties, which
since the riots have been onerous, and, in some instances,
perilous."

POOR LAWS.—Tuesday last, a formal protest
by various landed proprietors, was lodged in the hands
of Mr. Ninian Hodgert, Chairman of the Overseers of
the Poor, in the Abbey Parish, prohibiting the Over-
seers from acting on a minute that had been agreed to
at the close of the late meeting in the Abbey Church.
It appears from the Protest, that after the greater part
of the Heritors had retired, a motion was made by Mr.
Brewster, to the effect of allowing 2s. a week for the
children under 14 years of age of parents unemployed.
The Heritors disclaim this motion, hold it as surrepti-
tious and illegal, and in their protest prohibit the Over-
seers from acting on it, under the penalty of being held
personally responsible for all the advances made.—
Paisley Advertiser
In the country papers details of, and comments
on " The Depression of Trade," and the consequent
" Dreadful Distress" of the working classes are lamen-
tably general.
Christmas never set in here in a milder form than
at present. With the exception of yesterday, when
there was a heavy rain, the weather lately has been
like the finest days in October or in Spring. An ex-
tensive sheep farmer writes us—" We have not had
such a season for sheep stock for twenty years."—lnver-
ness Gazette.

ADULT BAPTISM.—On Christmas day, the
Rev. Thomas Roberts administered this solemn rite to
ten persons at his chapel in Ring-street.—Bristol
Mercury.
WELSH FEEDERS.—We are glad to announce
that, at the instigation of Earl ;Spencer (better known
to the farmers of England as Lord Althorp), a prize is
in future to be offered at Smithfield Cattle Show, for
the best breed of Welsh cattle. Another prize is offered
to Scotland.—Cambrian.
DRUNKENNESS.—During the weak no less than
twenty•three persons have been fined five shillings for
drunkenness. What are the Teetotallers about ?

Preston Observer.
Primroses in full blow were gathered at Cat
Castle Rocks, in Deepdale, near Barnard Castle, on
Christmas-day.—Durhani Chronicle.
It is, we are informed, now definitely arranged
that her Majesty's marriage will take place on the 16th
of February.—Naval and Military Gazette.
CHURCH-RATES, CHATHANI.—Last Easter,
the Chatham compulsionists obtained a rate, which they
have since discovered to be illegal. On the 15th inst.,
a meeting was called to lay a new rate, when the
Churchwardens were defeated by a majority of 29.

RURAL POLICE.—The parish of Ilarberton
has addressed a memorial to the County Magistracy,
against the adoption of the rural police system for this
county. The memorialists are quite right in showing
themselves alive to the burtheu which the adoption of
this system would impose upon the rate payers ; hut it
is somewhat premature to suppose that the Magistracy
will proceed to adopt it at the approaching Sessions,—
Western Times.

EXTENSIVE MALT SEIZURE.—On the even-
ing of Sunday last Messrs. Coath and Pringle, excise
officers, of Ballyclare, succeeded in detecting a private
malt-house, nearly opposite to the distillery at Carrick-
fergus, and seizing therefrom about five hundred bushels
of illicit malt.