The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 11, 1839

GENERAL CONVENTION.

(YESTERDAY.)

The Convention re-assembled yesterday morning in
their old room at the Johnson's Tavern, Bolt-court,
Fleet-street. The room was crowded with strangers,
and there was a full attendance of Delegates.
Mr. JAMES TAYLOR, of Rochdale, was called to the
Chair.
Mr. Hartwell was requested to act as Secretary, in
the absence of Mr. Lovett.
Mr. HARTWELL stated, that in consequence of the
absence of the messenger at Birmingham with the
books and other documents of the Convention, he
should not be able to call the names in the regular man-
ner. He must therefore merely take down the names
of those Members present.
Mr. CARDO then moved, " That the Standing Order
be suspended, in order that the discussion on the Sacred
Month should be brought forward."
Mr. NEESOM seconded the motion.
Dr. FLETCHER would strongly oppose the motion.
He thought it would be premature to hurry on this dis-
cussion, after the Convention had resolved to set apart
the 13th inst. for the discussion of this subject; neither
would it be fair to those Members of the Convention
who were prevented from being in London to-day.
Mr. Moir, Mr. Burns, Mr. Skivington, Mr. Wood-
house, and other Delegates opposed the motion.i
Mr. CARDO briefly replied, when the motion was
lost on a division.
Dr. FLETCHER then reported from the Committee
appointed to confer with the Members of Parliament
upon the introduction of the People's Charter. The
Committee had waited upon Messrs. Attwood, Fielden,
and Wakley, but were not yet prepared to state any
definite arrangement.
On the motion of Mr. SKIVINGTON, the Treasurer was
empowered to pay over from the National Rent to the
Defence Fund Committee, by way of loans, the sum
of 1001.
Mr. CARPENTER rose to move the following re-
solution, the standing orders having been sus-
pended in consequence of the importance of the sub-
ject. In introducing the resolution, the speaker re-
ferred to the conversation which took place in the
House of Commons on the preceding evening, in the
course of which Lord John Russell spoke in terms of
approbation of the conduct of the Metropolitan Police
force in Birmingham, and avowed that their presence
in that town had tended greatly to the preservation of
the public peace, while th very organ of the Govern-
ment, the Morning Chronicle, which contained this aver-
ment of the Home Secretary, contained a report of the
proceedings at Birmingham on Monday evening, which
showed what Lord John Russell's opinion upon the pro-
priety of conduct in the police was. The following was
the account furnished by the Morning Chronicle re-
porter of the conduct of the police in Birmingham on
Monday evening :
" Yesterday evening the military were again called out.
There was a great assemblage of the people in the differ-
ent parts of the town, but no indication of a riot until the
police made their appearance. At seven o'clock a troop of
the Royal Irish Dragoons galloped down Moore-street, and
was quartered in the Wool-pack, an ir,n adjoining the Pub-
lic office. At eight o'clock the Rifles on duty at the Pub-
lic-office turned out, and formed an advanced guard, leaving
open spaces in their ranks for several squadrons of dra-
goons, who at that moment came at a brisk trot down
Moore-street, taking their station in the Bullring. A
large body of the metropolitan police followed, supported
by several companies of Rifles. The dragoons were sta-
tioned in all the avenues leading to the Bull-ring, after
which no one was allowed to pass these lines. After some
time the police divided into sections, each section followed
by a troop of dragoons. Immense crowds were attracted
to the spot at this moment, and wherever the police saw
them congregated they commenced an indiscriminate
attack with their staves. Great confusion followed : men,
women, and children were thrown down and trampled
upon, while the police beleaguered them right and left.
Broken heads and arms, with other severe wounds, were
the result. One man who was returning from his work
had his teeth knocked out. The poor fellow exclaimed,
"Aml in England ?" Several special constables came up
at the time, and expressed their horror at such proceedings.
The police have made themselves so unpcpular here, that
it is the opinion of many that there will be no peace in Bir-
mii.gham so long as they are left in it."
Mr. CARPENTER then commented upon these facts,
and declared it as his deliberately formed opinion, that
the Convention should at once declare that, whenever
people were thus assaulted, they were fully justified in
meeting force by force, and destroying all who were
either directly or indirectly parties to it. He beg-
ged to move the following Resolution :—(For the
resolution see Advertisement.)
Mr. CARDO felt glad to second the Resolution.
Ile was highly pleased at such a resolution being brought
forward, at the present crisis. The people of
te north,
the west, and the south, were anxiously watching the
Convention, and they must act firmly and deci-
sively.—( Hear.)
Mr. HETHERINGTON said, that having read
the account of the infamous proceedings at Bir-
mingham, he thought they were such as the
Convention could not for a moment tolerate.—
(Hear, hear, hear.) They must fearlessly express
their opinion upon the conduct of the police, who
seemed to delight in attacking and knocking down
defenceless men, women, and children,—(Hear. hear.)
Whilst these outrages ware being committed, not one
Member out of the 658 in the House had, as yet,
honesty, or courage, or manliness enough to get up in
his place and denounce the brutal and bloody %Vhigs
who sanctioned these proceedings. This was a most
convincing proof that the working classes were politi-
cal outcasts. For himself, he would never attend
another meeting without being prepared to defend
himself from such bloodthirsty attacks. (Hear.)
He would cordially support the resolution.
Mr. NEESOM supported the motion. Mr. Carpenter
had said that the men had been too tame under th

outrage they had suffered ; now it was his opinion that,
had it not been for the unfortunate interference of Dr.
Taylor in protecting the police, the people would have
taken ample vengeance ; and what did the Doctor get
for his interference ?—why, insult and imprisonment.
Mr. WOODHOUSE expressed an opinion strongly un-
favourable to the conduct of the police.
Mr. BURNS supported the resolution. He had no
sympathy with men who for 18s. per week would hire
themselves out to slaughter their fellow countrymen.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
It was then resolved that the resolution should be
advertised in the daily and weekly Papers.
The Convention then adjourned till eleven o'clock on
Thursday.

•
Mr. O'CONNELL AND THE WESLEYANS.—
Mr. O'Connell has taken to task the Wesleyans of Man-
chester, to whom he has addressed a long letter accusing
them of bigotry and injustice. Their reprehensible oppo-
sition to the Ministerial scheme of education has drawn
down upon them Mr. O'Connell's castigation.
LONGEVITY IN LANCASHIRE.—If there be
any who fancy that the dingy smokiness of Lancashire
is prejudicial to health, we think the following will go
a long way towards shaking their belief :—The kindness
of a gentleman in Walmersley, near Bury, assembled be-
fore a good old English dinner a number of old men, col-
lected within five miles of his residence, of which assem-
blage we give the following particulars :—Their number
amounted to 20, and the number of years their ages made
was 1,667. The youngest (considered by the rest quite a
lad) was 72, the oldest 97. Amongst the venerable pa-
triarchs was one who was at the siege of Gibraltar; ano-
ther who had seven great great grand children, and ano-
ther who deserves particular mention. His name is James
Horrox ; his father William, who was alive at the
time of the Commonwealth, married a second time in
the 86th year of his age, in the year 1743. His son
James was born in March, 1744; after his birth the old
man lived eleven years. His son (the old man present)
was 95 last March. We may safely say such an instance
cannot be paralleled in the kingdom. Their average age
was 83.—Manchester Courier.
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.—The third exhi-
bition of the season given by this Society took place on
Saturday, at their grounds at Chiswick. The greatest
praise is due to the Managing Committee, for the means
by which the objects of the Society are carried into effect.
The company, consisting of between 6,000 and 7,000 per-
sons, contained many of the first and foremost of the land
for rank and beauty; and notwithstanding the necessary
absence of the cacti, which occupied so conspicuous a
place in the last exhibition, the fruit and the flowers called
forth many an acclamation of wonder and delight. The
heaths were, in our opinion, the most entitled to admira-
tion—they wee. truly magnificent. and reflected the greatest
credit on their producers. Several military bands belong..
ing to the infantry and cavalry regiments were in attend-
ance, and enlivened the scene by the performance of some
fashionable airs and favourite overtures. The attractions
of the day, assisted in no small degree by the fineness of
the weather, and the flourishing► condition of the
-gardens,
caused us to grieve, and every one present will join in our
regret, that these delightful exhibitions are over for the
season.

THE SCOTTISH CROWN IN DANGER.--While
on a visit to Edinburgh the other day, we took a peep into
the room in the Castle,'in which is contained the Imperial
Crown of Scotland, the Sceptre, the Sword of State, and
other most valuble and interesting relic. We do not know
exactly how it came into our head, but were forcibly struck
with the idea that these ancient insignia of the monarchy
are in danger every day of being carried off; indeed, we
are certain, that to do so, as they are at present kept, would
not require a thousandth part of the ingenuity which was
displayed by the English thieves in the robbery of either
the Union or Greenock Banks. Of late it has been the
custom to show the Regalia to all and sundry on produc-
ing a line, which is easily obtained. The crown room is
very small, and it is frequently in possession of the keeper,
a very decent man we have no doubt, for hours together.
What is there to prevent a gang, on a concerted plan, from
taking possession of the room and overpowering the keeper?
—Paisley Advertiser.
CURIOUS DETECTION OF A ROBBER.--At the
Stockport petty sessions, on Saturday week, two men
named Partington and Hurst were charged with a biirglary
in the house of Mr. Rostron Lingard, of Stockport. The
principal piece of evidence against Hurst, who is a soldier
on furlough, consisted of the mark of his teeth in a pat of
butter ! He happened to have a broken tooth of very pe-
culiar form; and having, whilst plundering the house, in-
dulged himself with a mouthful of butter, he had left the
shape of his teeth so distinctly imprinted upon the re-
mainder, as to leave no doubt about bis guilt.—Manchester
Courier.

FUNERAL OV THE LAM LADY
FLORA HASTINGS.

( From the Times.)
Before this day's Times is in the hands of its readers the
body of Lady Flora Hastings will be on its paisage to the
tomb of her antsistors in Scietleird; ft was to be removed
at the early hour of three o'clock this morning from Buck-
ingham Palace ; and all the usual marks of respect will be
shown to it by every inmate of the Palace, by her own per-
sonal friends, and those of her family.
We really ourselves know not what more can be done,
or expected to be done ; but we presume there it no rea-
sonable expectation that has not been or will not be gra-
tified. We are in some doubt whether we shall lay be-
fore our readers the comments in various shapes,
letters, paragraphs, and leading articles contained in the
Morning Post on this subject. However, in our columns
the greater part of it will be found, chiefly on account of
the but too notorious source from whence it springs ; and if
such wild ravings ever before appeared in print, all
that we can say is, that we at least are not acquainted
with them. The relatives of Lady Flora must grieve
at her death ; but we are sure, if they have proper
sentiments, they must almost grieve equally at the
wild and disgusting excesses to which it has given
occasion. Excesses springing from such a quarter too !
From such persons I with whom the object is, not to
mourn over the deceased, but to cover their own
shame, and to traduce the youthful Queen. We
confidently trust that the noble family of Hastings
will not suffer their natural sorrows, the sacred
sorrows of a mother, a brother, and of sisters, to
be participated in, or made common with the selfish
effusions of the creatures who are raising this cla-
mour, and endeavouring to make a pother in the
state. Let the surviving members of that noble
family cut off, abruptly and at once, all inter-
course with the section of the Palace from whence (toge-
ther with its external connection) these bursts of grief,
simulated only to cloak more malignant passions, proceed.
The death of Lady Flora is tiot the most painful removal
which hes recently occurred in the quarters to which we
allude : the real rage and disappointment spring from
another cause.
According to the letter signed " A Barrister," in the
Post of yesterday, " the deplorable event of Lady Flora's
death is tube deeply inscribed upon the historic pages of the
reign of Queen Victoria." Indeed ! We sincerely hope the
historic pages of her Majesty's reign may contain no more de-
plorable an event, and the country will not have much cause
to grieve. We could mention at this moment certain poli-
tical occurrences and aspects resulting from an incompe.
tent Ministry much more to be deplored and dreaded.
But to another point. The pos' mortem examination of
the deceased lady's person has been made public, and if
anything could haue stopped the voice of slander, this do-
cument would have done it; for it is therein expressly
declared, that the most ordinary and necessary functions of
the human frame " must have been interrupted and inter-
fered with," from causes " that could only be referred to
someformer and distant period of time." So that, except
a life of excessant suffering were desirable, Lady Flora
Hastings' death is a mercy.
We must, in conclusion, again and again caution our in-
discreet Contemporary from proceeding in his present out-
rageous course. Again and again mast we warn those
who set him on, and aid him with their partial information,
to consider well what they are doing. We conjure them
to stop, and not endanger their own, we had almost said,
existence, through a most unjust resentment. And we
can assure them, that if they will be henceforth silent, our
columns shall no longer teem with the chastisement of
their offences; we shall drop them wholly. We would
sacrifice every feeling of our own to the welfare of the
monarchy, which is now at least wound up with the cha-
racter of the Court. How long it may continue so, Hea-
ven only knows.
With reference to the preceding subject, the following
articles are to be found in the Spectator of last Sunday
and the week before :

" The writers who waste their fire upon the Court phy-
sician must know that to the unhappy feud between the
Queen and her mother is attributed the circulation of the
slander, for which a voyage in the same steam-boat from
Scotland with Sir John Conroy afforded the groundwork
and pretence. "—Spectator, Ji n 3 29.
" We mentioned last week, that Lady Flora's voyage in
the same steam-boat with Sir John Conroy is-said to have
given rise to the first slander against her honour."—Spec-
tator, July 6.

The young woman, Louisa Latham, whose throat
was so severely cut some time since, has been discharged
from the Stroud Hospital with the wounds in her neck
healed. She, however, still suffers under extreme debility
from great loss of blood.
WRITING IN SUNDAY SCHOOLS.—A short
time ago it was intimated to the teachers of the Top-of-
Moor and Austerland's Sunday schools, in connection with
St. John's chapel, Hey, Lacs, Oldham, that unless the
teaching of writing on Sundays was discontinued, the
minister of Hey, the Rev. G. D. Grundy, would not allow
his pulpit to be used to procure collections for those school=.
The teachers refused, to cease instructing in writing, and
have been therefore denied further aid from Hey chapel.
Two sermons were consequently preached on Sunday, in
the Independent Chapel, Greenacres, by the Rev. John
Winterbottom, of Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, on
behalf of the Top-of-Moor and Austerland's schools, and
the collections amounted to 401. Is. 8 It is probable
the two writing schools will become connected with the
Independent Chapel, Greenacres. [This is certainly a
strange mode of advancing the interests of the Established
Church.] —Manchester Guardian.
Two LIVES LOST. About half-past six
o'clock on Mona..? morni..g au aoeictunt of a most afflict-
ing nature, by which the lives of two respectable youths
were sacrificed, occurred in what is called the Timber
Pond, in the Commercial Dock, Rotherhithe. It appears
that a lad named Luck, the son of Mr. Luck, a baker, in
Rotherhithe, accompanied by a youth named Bryant,
nephew to Mr. Bennett, shipowner, of Rotherhithe,
got into a small crazy boat, which had been left
in the docks several months previous by a South
Sea whaler, and proceeded to row across the
Timber Pond, but owing to some mismanagement the
frail barque capsized, immersing them both in the water.
They struggled for some seconds, endeavouring to reach a
raft of timber which was floating at a short distance, but
unfortunately were unable to do so, and sank. Drags were
speedily procured, and the bodies taken from the water,
but life was extinct.
THE TOURNANIENT.—The excitement arising
from the approaching Tournament in the North, is, we
understand on the part of the ladies and fair friends of
the Knights, somewhat damped by the erroneous and
unfounded report which has been circulated as to the pro-
bable danger when " Knight meets Knight, and splin-
tered lances fly." We beg to assure our fair readers,
that the danger is really nothing compared with the con-
tinual disasters attending a common fox hunt or steeple-
chase. The few trifling accidents which have occurred
(and which have been absurdly magnified) prove that
our assertion is correct ; for several gentlemen have had
falls, so severe, that had they not been in armour, loss of
life, or fractured limbs must have ensued. When the
Marquis of Waterford was thrown yesterday, his horse
trampled him under foot, yet the armour so fully pro-
tecttd his Lordship, that he was not afterwards aware that
the horse touched him, and instantly remounted and pur-
sued the usual practice. The exaggerated rumour as to
the expense, we learn, is equally unfounded ; we have it
from head-quarters that one fourth of the sum mentioned
will more than defray every expense.
RIOT AT RAMSGATE.--The hitherto peaceable
town of Ramsgate was on Monday thrown into a state of
considerable excitement, in consequence of the conviction
of several fishermen for hawking fish about the streets.
After the public business was disposed of, and while the
commitments for the prisoners were being made out, large
numbers of persons, principally consistingof Torbay fisher-
men and women, continued to assemble before the building
appropriated for the use of the Magistrates, where the pri-
soners were confined. Every minute brought an accession to
the numbers, until at about three o'clock the mob had in-
creased to nearly 1,000. At this time a pair-horse fish-van
arrived, for the purpose of conveying the prisoners to Sand-
wich Gaol, when a tremendous rush was made at the vehi-
cle, and its progress immediately arrested. The prisoners
then made their appearance at the windows, and called upon
the mob to rescue them, to which they were energetically
urged by the concourse of women assembled. This was
the signal for action; the mob surrounded the van,
and literally carried it some yards from the building.
This was followed by uproarious huzzas and cheer-
in,g, with the destruction of every window in the building.
The police, comprising only seven or eight men in all now
made their appearance outside, and endeavoured to dis-
perse the mob, when they were assailed with showers ol
stones and other missiles, and were soon compelled to retreat
within the building. The mob now became more des-
perate than before, and no reinforcement to the police
arriving, they commenced demolishing the win-
dow frame and shutters which were partly closed.
A simultaneous rush the.. took place at the doors which
quickly gave way, and the prisoners, accompanied with
three others, committed for an assault, made their escape
amid the most deafening cheers o the mob. In attempt-
ing to secure one of the most active of the rioters, police
constable Ellis, and one of the harbour police, were fallen
upon by the mob, and most cowardly and brutally ill-used,
particularly Ellis, whom they dragged along the ground,
and kicked, and otherwise
maltreated in a most disgraceful
manner. Tuesday morning one of the prisoners, James
Buzzy, was apprehended and conveyed to Sandwich gaol.
The police, assisted by the coast guard, are in active pur-
suit of the other prisoners.
About ten days ago, a baker's boy in Storie-
street, found a partridge nest with nine eggs in it, which
he brought home, and without bestowing any considera-
tion on the matter, put them carelessly into a boiler close
to the oven that had not been used for some time, in which
there were some papers and an old flannel jacket. The
circumstance was entirely forgotten until the bakers, one
day this week, heard some chirping proceeding from the
place, which they thought was occasioned by rats. On
examination, however, they found to their surprise seven
young partridges, which had chipped their shells. Mr.
R. Kerr, landlord of the Fox Tavern, Cross, having heard
of the circumstance, took them under his charge with a view
to bring them up. He procured a hen which had the task
of incubation in hand, and resolved to hoodwink her a little,
while he drew upon her services. He took seven eggs,
and after Mrs. Chuckie had sat a short time on them, she
was enticed away for a few moments, when a young part-
ridge was substituted for one of the eggs. On returning
to her nest, she was glad to find that matters had been
going on well in her absence, and took the young stranger
under her care, and manifested towards it due maternal
solicitude. A second, a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth,
and a seventh time, each about an hour apart, this expe-
dient was adopted, and on her last return she found her:
self the mother of seven lively little brown chicks. To-
wards the close of the proceedings Chuckie occasionally
gave a suspicious look, which translated, plainly meant " I
fear you are jockeying me." If, however, she ever bad
any suspicions, she has now thrown them to the winds, and
is devoting all her attention to her adopted family.--
Paisley Advertiser,

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT

OLD COURP.
Before Mr. Justice ParrEsoN and Mr. Justice BOSANQUET.
BURGLARY.—EIIen Leary, a little girl twelve years of
age, was indicted for burglary in the dwelling-house of
Henry Bollingtr, and stealing the sum of 2/. 10s.
It appeared that the prosecutor kept a shop in Ber-
mondsey, which on the night of the 3d of June last, was
broken open, and the money stolen. The prisoner after-
wards told a policeman that she had assisted a boy who is
not in custody, in committing the robbery, and detailed the
manner of committing it.
The Jury found the prisoner guilty, and
Mr Justice BosallouEr sentenced her to ten years
Transportation.
CUTTING AND MAIMING. William Henry, a Green-
wich pensioner, eighty•six years of age, was indicted for
cutting and wounding another Greenwich pen4oher named
Edward Adams, with intent to do him some grievous bodily
harm. The prisoner and the prosecutor were inmates of the
Helpless Ward of Greenwich Hospital. It appears that
according to the regulations of the Hospital the pensioners
draw lots for the choice of rations. On the 20th of June
laßt the prosecutor a.ked the prisoner to draw, but he re-
fused to do so, and the prosecutor drew for him. Adams
then turned towards another man named Jones, when the
prisoner stabbed him with a knife in the back. He was
confined, in consequence r f the wound, three weeks.
There had been no previous diErence between the parties,
who had always been on the most friendly terms.
The nurses of the Hospital gave the prisoner the charac-
ter of being a quiet peaceable man, who passed nearly
the whole of his time in attention to his religious duties,
and in the perusal of his Bible and Prayer-book.
The Jury found the prisoner guilty, but recommended
him to mercy on account of his great age and his previous
good character.

Mr. Justice PATTISON, in passing sentence said that
it was lamentable to see a person arrived at the
time of life of the prisoner, and who had borne such
an excellent character, giving way to his pa,sion in the
manner he had done. The crime of stabbing had of late
increased to such an extent, that had it not been for the
recommendation of Jury, and the prisoner's great age, he
should have felt it his duty to pass a very severe sentence,
most probably to have sent him out of the country. As it
was, he should pass such a sentence as would, he hoped,
prevent others from following his bad example. The
Learned Judge then sentenced the prisoner to twelve
months' imprisonment, with such labour as his age would
enable him to bear.

The prisoner, who was dressed in the costume of the
Hospital, and who seemed much affected at his situation—
bowed respectfully to the Court, and was removed from
the dock.