The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-04 00:00:00

' sreaking in his own defence.—(Hear, hear.) My
Lords, " I came to administer the laws, not to alter
them"—were the words of a distinguished statesman,
a near relative to the Illustrious Duke I am happy to
see in his place opposite (Wellington), because I
know that from that Noble Duke, at least,
I shall receive justice.—(Hear, hear.) " I come to ad-
minister the laws, and not to alter them," were the words
used by Lord Wellesley, in answer to an address pre-
sented to him on his arrival to take the govern-
ment in Ireland, when reference was made to opinions
he had expressed upon Catholic Emancipation—f: our
which it was assumed that his corning to take the Go-
vernment was in indication of an intended concession
upon that question. " I come to administer the laws
and not to alter them," will be my answer to
any addresses—should I be honoured with any—re-
ferring to opinions of mine upon any legislative mea-
sures in this, or in the other House of Parliament,—
( Hear, hear.) My Lords, allow me to say
that I have not taken up this view merely at
the exigency of the present moment, or the spur of the
present occasion—l have been all my life a strenuous
advocate for reform—l have during my political life
advocated considerable changes in many of the laws
in this country and in Ireland, and I am happy
to say that many of those measures for which
in my early days I wished to have liveet to
see brought to a consummation, but I defy any
man to prove that on any occasion I have
advised disobedience to existing laws, however repug-
nant they might be to my own feelings and opinions ;
and I am sure that with respect to Ireland, 1 can
confirm this statement, for with the opinions I enter-
tained as to the Church of Ireland—belie fng hat it
ought to be reduced within limits mere commensurat!
with the demands of the Protestant population—with
these opinions, which I never shall shrink from declaring
—here or elsewhere—l beg leave to say that there is
no one of your Lordships—that there is no man
in this country who has exerted himself more strenu-
ously to procure for the ministers of that church the
payment of their past dues.—(Hear, hear.) My
Lords, I was in Ireland in the autumn of the
year which immediately preceded the passing of the
Coercion Bill—when all persons paying tithes were
publicly denounced as enemies to their country. At
that period I gave directions that the whole of the
tithes on the property with which I am connected
should be paid to the minister to whom they were due,
and I took care to make it known that I had done so ;
and the result of that was, that my life and pro-
perty were threatened by a placard stuck up
upon the chapel—and such was the intimidation o' that
time that no individual could be found to remove that
paper till Itoe i: down with my own hands.—( Hear,
hear.) My Lord, it is irksome always to speak of one's
self; and I owe an apology to your Lordships for men-
tioning this matter. I can assure you that I have done
so only for the purpose of showing that however dis-
p sed. I may be in my place in Parliament to alvocate
certain changes in the law, there is no man more
strenuously determined to maintain existing laws.
Now, my Lord, with respect to the speech which
forms the subject of conversation on the present
occasion. On referring to the reports of that
speech, I must say both of them are rather meagre,
and are rather general outlines than anything
like correct or accurate reports of the words spoken
by me on that occasion ; and I can further state that
the words quoted by the Noble and Learned Lord
were those by far the most incorrectly reported, and
were the most unlike what I did say in that
• debate. My Lords, I will not trouble your
Lordships with any part of the speech, except one
particular passage ; and the words which, to the best of
my recollection, I used,: were these : " But if the
struggle against the present tithe system were still
going on, and notwithstanding the passing of this
Bill, the burdeli of that struggle will be trans-
ferred from the shoulders of the poor and ignorant
peasant, to those of the rich and powerful landlord,
whose shoulders would be much better able to bear it,
and who, I hope, will carry on the war." I regret
I used that word, because I am quite sensible that it
was liable to be interpreted in a very different sense
from that in which I uttered it. My Lords, it may be
supposed that this is an ex post facto explanation
—that I attach a different sense to them now from
what I did at the time I used those words
in consequence of the notice that has been taken of
them. My Lords, I trust it will be believed by those
who know me that I am incapable of such shuffling.—
(Hear, hear, from both sides of the House.) What I
intended to convey by the expressions I used
was that I hoped measures for the reduc-
tion of the Church Establishment in Ireland
would be pressed, in the shape of petitions and re.
monstrances, addressed by the landlords through
their proper constitutional channels, upon this and
the other House of Parliament—that that mode
of warfare would be substitued that that
this legitimate and constitutional warfare would
be substituted for -the resistance of physical
force, which had produced miseries and horrors in Ire-
land ; and that coming, as it would do, through
those channels, it would receive due attention from
the Legislature of this country._(Hear, hear.)
My Lords, that was the sense in which I used
that expressed. lam aware that in the course of the
debate a different construction was put upon it,
and it had been my intention to have got up
at the time to explain it. My Lords. I spoke at
the time to my Noble Friend, the Secretary
for Foreign Affairs, and I asked in what sense
he had understood me. He said, though others had put
a different construction on the words, he had understood
them in the way I have just stated ; and he added,
" I will, if you please, make that explanation
on your behalf." My Lords, I acquiesced in
that, feeling as I always do, and as I am afraid you will
have plainly perceived this evening—(Hear)—feeling, as
I always do, my own incompetency to make an address
and I felt particularly reluctant after having once spoken
to press any further observations on the House.—
(Hear. hear.) My Lords, I feel that I am about to
undertake a situation encumbered with great diffi-
culties—difficulties, allow me to say, which have
not been diminished by the course taken in this
House of Parliament, by the description which some
or your Lordships were in my absence pleased
to give of my political opinions, and by the anti-
cipations you were pleased to form of the clay
ratter of my Administration.—(Cheers.) Aly
Lords, I have, however, the satisfaction to know
that I have before my eyes the example of the
predecessor. My Lords, I shall endeavour to carry
into the administration of the laws of that country
that strict impartial justice which procured fur my
Noble Friend (the Marquis of Normanby) from one
your Lordships, a pretty strong opponent of his
Government, the important admission that at no
period had the law been more rigorously
exerted fer the prevention and punishment of crime,
then it had been under the AdtniniStration of my
Noble Friend.—(Cheers.) My
_Lords, I shall carry
with me into the Government of that country the
same sympathy which has been shown by
my Noble Friend for the wants of the
people of England—the same affection for their
open-hearted and manly character tiro setne
anxious desire to ,extend their comforte aud I
(LEFT SFEAKING.)

TATTERSALL'S-_-,(THLS EVENING

TUE DETLBY.
6 to 1 agst Lord Jersey's lot—takan
7 tp 2 agst John Day's I',lt
8 to 1 agst Lord Jersey's Bro. to Bay Middleton—t!kon
16 to 1 agst Duke of Rutland's Flamboam—taken
20 to I agst Mr. Bowes's Erin-go-Bragh—,taken
18 to 1 agst Colonel Peel's Day of Algiers—taken
20 to 1 agst Duke of Iliehmona's Meunier—taken
22 to 1 agst Duke of Cleveland's Kremlin—taken
22 to 1 agst Lord Albeniarle's Tros--taken
25 to 1 agst Lord Westminster's The Lord Mayor—taken
40 to 1 ag:t Mr. Bowes's Accelerator—taken
W to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Wapiti—taken •
as to 1 agst Duke of Grafton's/Ether—taken
10 to 5 asst Mr. Mostyn's Hugh Lupus—off, red
50 to 1 agst Mr. Ridsdale's Bloomsbury—taken
80 to 1 agst Sir G. Heathcote's Chimborazo—taken
45 to 1 agst Sir G. Heathcote's Valainet—taken
0000 to 15 agst Duke of Grafton's Montreal—taken
1000 to 10 agst Captain Williamson's Melbourne--taken
1000 to 7 agst Dart—taken

Mr. Ewart, in obedience to the most numerously-
signed requisition which has yet issued from Wigan, has
become a candidate for the vacant seat. We regret to
hear that Mr. Potter's life is despaired of.—.Lancester
Guardian.
Tuesday morning, as the Erin steamer, from
Ireland. was coming up our river she ran foul of the bows
of the Palmerston, which was on her passage to Swansea;
by the collision, the latter vessel was stranded, and so
much injured that she could not be got off until the next
tide. We understand she must go into dock and undergo
some repairs, when she will again resume her station.
March is a memorable month for astronomical
phenomena. The late Sir William Herschell discovered
the Georgium Sidus on the 13th, 1781. On the afternoon
of Friday the 15th, there will be an eclipse of the sun,
commencing at twenty.three minutes past three, and end-
ing at four minutes past four. On the 19th, 2,559 years
will have elapsed since the first recorded eclipse of the
moon. On the 28th of this month, 1802, Dr. Albers
discovered the planet Pallas ; and on the 29th, 1807, the
same astronomer discovered Vesta..—Aldine Magazine.
MUSIC AND DANClNG.—Accomplishments,
such as music and dancing, considered to be peculiar to
women in. England, are as generally cultivated by males as
by females, in France. This habit, I think, though I hum
many will disagree with me, is injurious in its effects ; be-
cause it assimilates the two sops, which ought ever to
retain their peculiur and distinct attributes. The more
masculine a man's pursuits and amusements are, the more
highly will he be disposed to estimate feminine accomplish-
ments, in which he can have no rivalry; and which, by
their novelty, may tend to form a delightful recreatie,n fel:
his leisure hours. The manly occupation„s, which call him
from home, render him more Poc4Otthle of the charm
of female 49,ciety wheiChe returns to it; hence I would
encourage a system that tended to make women as
feminine, without being effeminate, as possible, and men
--
as masculine, without being coarse.l-dier is'Ird 7 ;
Lady Blessington.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

On Thursday a Court of Common Council was held at
Guildhall, for the despatch of business.
The LORD MAYOR took the Chair at Twelve o'Ciock.
METROPOLITAN POLICE.

Sir MATTHEW WOOD said, that the second reading of
the Metropolitan Police Bill had been fixed for the Bth of
March, but he had prevailed upon Mr. Fox Maule to post-
pone the second reading of it until the 26th of March.
Mr. AldermanNeuesees said, the Police Committee
would hold a Special Meeting on Monday, when they would
take the Bill into their consideration. The Corporation
of the City had admitted the principle that all the Police
of the Metropolis should act together, still he did not see
the necessity for taking from the Corporation a power it
had so long enjoyed, of controlling its own police.
The subject was referred to the Police Committee.
TIIE LORD MAYOR AND THE COAL TRADE.
The LORD MAYOR stated that he had received a letter
from a Member of that Court, which being addressed to
him in his official capacity, he felt it his duty to take the
earliest opportunity of laying before the Court. They
were, perhaps, aware that during the period he had been in
office he had invited to the dinners at the Mansion-house
gentlemen of the Corporation of evety variety of political
opinions, without distinction. A few days since he sent a
letter, inviting a Member of that Court to dine with him
at the Mansion house, and in answer to his invitation he
received a letter, returning his card which was torn into
three pieces, and couched in such abusive language as he
was sure there was not a gentleman present who who
attempt to justify. The letter was from a coal factor,
but that did not justify the insulting language made use
of by the writer. Whenever a proper opportunity was
afforded him, he (the Lord Mayor) would be prepared
to justify every part of his conduct with reference to the
coal trade.—( Hear, hear.) The letter of which he had
to complain had been shown by the writer of it, before he
sent it to several persons it, the coal trade, who expressed
their disapprobation of the language in which it was couched,
and some members of that Court to whom the writer showed a
copy of the letter, after he had sent it, had expressed
their regret that such a letter should have been sent to the
Chief Magistrate of the City, by one of their body. He
the (Lord Mayor) would admit that in the coal trade there
were persons of the greatest respectability, and he never
had vilified them as a body. Some of his friends had seen
the leiter he had alluded to, and they had advised biro to
give it into the hands of the legal officers of the Corpora-
tion, with instructions to apply to the Court of Queen's
Bench for a criminal information against the writer;
but, as he entertained no vindictive feeling towards
that individual, he had resolved not to have re-
course to a proceeding which would put him to
very considerable trouble and expense ; he had (!eter-
mined to lay the letter before the Court, and if, after
bearing it read, the Court were of opinion it was a matter
with which it had nothing to do, he would not give himself
any further trouble about it.
The Lord Mayor then handed the letter to the officer
of the Court by whom it was read. It ran as follows:
" 46, Berner's-stieet.
" MY Lora) MAYOR,—I meant to have treated with
silent contempt yeur invitation, but as your Lordship has
again sent to request an answer, I throw back with the
utmost scorn your impertinent card.
" Your Lordship, in the opinion of all men of character,
has utterly disgraced the high office you hold, by pan-
dering to a base and low popularity, to do which you
found it necessary to atrociously vilify and basely calum-
niate a body of men, the coal factors, (of which I am but
an humble individual) every one of whom is at least as re-
spectable as the poor creature, who fancying himself in his
trappings of office,;clothed in the lion's hide, most woefuly
betrays the animal beneath by his braying.
" Your Lordship has taken up a subject of which
you know absolutely nothing ; and like all men of
your Lordship's calibre, pursue it with an avidity
proportionate to their extreme ignorance of the sub-
ject, and in a way to disgust all right thinking
people. At this pass your sapient Lordship has arrived,
and now I will tell you that all your grandiloquent threats
against the coal trade will end in nothing. I for one
laugh them to scorn, and inform you that you will, even
in your few short months of dearly loved office, live to see
them of no avail. I'll tell you more—the result of your
Lordship's excellent efforts will end in the public being
well crammed with the inferior coals purchased at 225. ! ! 1
under your Lordship's characteristic auspices. " From
the mouth of a fool who can expect wisdom," but yet the
number of those who follow in the wake of official folly is
so great that some time must elapse before the blunder is
discovered and counteracted. Already best coals are de-
pressed, and inferior sorts of the lowest description are
rising in price and demand in our market:
" You have boasted that you know coals would have been
6s. or 7s. per ton dearer but for your efforts. Your Lord-
ship has here taken credit for the natural result of the un-
usually mild weather, and consequent reduced demand.
" But truth and facts are not your Lordship's object ! I
therefore bid you adieu, and am,
" With the most thorough contempt,
" Your Lordship's despiser,
" W. P. POTTER."
The reading of the above letter was frequently inter-
rupted by loud cries of " Shame, shame I" from different
members of the Court.

A Member inquired whether there was any proof that
the letter was in the hand-writing of Mr. Potter.
The LORD MAYOR said there could be no doubt of it,
because it enclosed the card of invitation to dinner (torn to
pieces) which he had sent to that person.
Another Member inquired whether Mr. Potter was in
,
Court.

The LORD MAYOR said he had given him notice of his
intention to bring his letter under the notice of the Court,
but he lead gone out of town since.
Mr. ANDRRTON, after commenting upon the gross im-
propriety of which the writer of the letter had been guilty,
moved that it be referred to a Committee, who should
have power to- call Mr. Potter before them and report
thereon to the next Court.

Mr. GALLOWAY seconded the motion.
Mr. WIRE trusted the Court would pause before it agreed
to such a motion. It. had no power to punish the writer of
such a letter. All it could do would be to censure his con-
duct, and that would be no punishment. Ho would treat
the censure of that Court with contempt—if in his consck
ence he believed that he had acted rightly.—(" Oh, oh.")
The coal trade as a body had great reason to complain of
the line of conduct which the Lord Mayor had lately pur-
sued with reference to them.—(" Oh.") He would pre-
sently show that—(Cries of " Qu..sstion, question")--du-
ring which—
The LORD MAYOR rose, and said that if the Honourable
Member would give notice of a motion for an inqury into
his conduct with regard to the coal trade, he would be
glad to meet such inquiry, and would afford ever) facility
to its being instituted.
Mr. D. WIRE said he always bowed to the decision of
the chair, except when a sense of duty impelled him to do
otherwise ; but Lord Mayors had sometimes insulted the
members of that Court, and he for one would never submit
to authority which was improperly exercised. He would
show that in the present instance the Lord Mayor had acted
on wrong information, and had proceeded roost improperly.
("Question.") While the Court exhibited such symptoms
of impatience, it was impossible for it to come to a just
conclusion. The coal factors were a numerous and re-
spectable body, and he would prove that they had not
been guilty of the conduct which had been imputed to
them, and for that purpose he would take the earliest op-
portunity of bringing the whole subject before the Court.
After a long discussion the motion was put and carried,
and a Committee appointed.
Some other business of no public importance
disposed of, after which the Court adjourned.

At the rising of the Insol!_etit_pAtor's Court on
Friday, a case of en extraorffinedy character was presented.
An applieetien was ma'; on the part of a firm (timber_
merchants) at 4.. anngham, for the assigneeship. The
prisone :a the case had been clerk to-ene parties applt ins ;
suddenly left Birmingham,- and it was then ascertained
that he had incurred a few debts. Search was made after
him without success. An order was made by Mr. Baron
Gurney to hold him to bail, on the ground that he was
about to leave the country. Various writs were issued,
and at length he was arrested at the Thames Police-office,
where he had been before the Magistrates, on a charge of
felony, which was not supported. The arrest occurred on
Saturday, and on the following day he was to sail for South
Aultralia--he had taken his passage, and his luggage was,
in the London-dock warehouse, where it now remained.
The present application was as assignee to seize the pro-
perty. The party had petitioned the Court, and had been
anxious to obtain possession of some trunks at the Lon-
don-docks. It was suspected that there was at least 2007.
in them. Mr. Commissioner Law, after some inquiry into
the circumstances, made the appointment. Mr. Wood-
roffe said the assignees could pay their debts out of the
property.
FALSE IMPRISONMEST.—III the Sheriff's
Court on Friday an action for false imprisonment was tried,
in which a shoemaker, earned Dickenson, living in Bald-
win's-gardens, Gray's-inn-lane, was plaintiff; and a Mr.
Stacy defendant. It appeared that some time since the
plaintiff was employed by the defendant to mend a pair of
boots, and after the former had kept them some time, the
defendant called and demanded them back, when the
plaintiff said he had either mislaid or lost them, and the
defendant then gave him in charge. He was taken to the
police station, and afterwards before Mr. Benett at Hatton
Garden Police Office, but the charge was discontinued on
the understanding that the plaintiff should make the de-
fendant a new pair of boots in lieu of the old pair. The
jury retured a verdict for the plaintiff (the defendant hav-
ing confessed judgment), damages, one farthing.
BILL DISCOINTING.—On Friday a ler.N.hemed
examination took place at Union. hall Offin-, relative to a
charge of forgery, alleged to have, been committed by
Captain Charles Munro; lat'l of the army, who was ac-
cused of having forge", the name of Colonel Boyce, to a
bill of exchange for 100/. The case excited considerable
interest, and the office was crowded during the investiga-
tion, in the course of which some extraordinary disclosures
were made, with respect to the scandalous impositions
practised by bill discounters. The prisoner, it is necessary
to state, came up voluntarily to meet the charge. A Jew
named Jacob Ansell,,and a set of fellows calling themselves
bill-brokers, figured in the proceedings. Mr. Traill said
that he should discharge the accused, who, for his own
sake, to exonerate himself from such a charge as that
which was alleged against him, ought to proceed against
the parties for a conspiracy. Mr. Chambers, who appeared
for the prisoner, at the conclusion of the proceedings
said that Captain Munro had fallen into difficulties sone
time ago, in carrying on some law proceedings for the
recovery of some property in Scotland. On that occasion
he had unfortunately fallen into the bands of a set of bill
swindlers, who, there was no doubt, had conspired toge.
the; in the attempt to ruin him.
by a body of
MODESTY.—The three following re_Lvjons
are said to have been unanimously clorre.,kt
Puritans in MassaelimettA, as, a ji.lstification for depriving
an Indian tribe OS its, huating-ground
-4tesolved, that we are the
the earth le the Lord's, and the fulness thereof D't
--- Lee_
lyed that the Lord has giv
,
earth unto the Saints.
Saints."

e__________
London: - Printed and Published by MURDO Youlsi io'iu
No. 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Stre, ~
the ,lounty of Middlesex.—Monday, March 4, 109. ll
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