The Sun.
London, England, 1830-02-03 00:00:00

CRIPPLEGATE WITHIN.

Yesterday a Wardmote of the inhabitants of
Cripplegate Within was held before MATTHEW
Woon, Esq., their Alderman, in pursuance of a
requisition, to take into consideration the propriety
of petitioning Parliament to reduce the Assessed
Taxes, and also to increase the taxes on gin.
Mr. MOORE proposed a string of resolutions, and
a petition founded upon them, in pursuance of the
requisition. He particularly dwelt on the demo-
ralising consequences which, he said, were expe-
rienced from the low price of gin ; and he proposed
that, whilst the duty on that commodity was in-
creased, the Beer Tax should be diminished.
Mr. HOOLE moved, as an amendment, a string of
resolutions, in which the reduction of the Beer Tax
was more prominent, and all allusion to the low
price of spirits was omitted. He was for leaving
the duty on spirits as it was, and diminishing the
demand for them by rendering malt liquor more ac-
cessible to the labouring classes.
Mr. KNAPP supported the amendment in prefer-
ence to the original resolutions. He denied that the
degradation of the poor was to be attributed to ex-
cessive drinking. Magistrates and others, when
they talked about the evils of gin-drinking, treated
that as a cause, and greatly exaggerated it, which
was but one of the minor effects of numerous and
Very complicated causes.—(Hear, hear.)—lf the
moral condition of the labouring classes was to be
improved, it was by bettering their physical condi-
tion, by reducing the taxation, which diminished the
demand for their labour, and by other measures to
relieve their distress.

Mr. DILLON, in a long and able speech, urged
that there was a point beyond which taxation could
not be increased : that point had been found in the
silk trade; it was found in the spirit trade, and it
was a matter of necessity that the duty was re-
duced. The effect of the reduction of the duty on
spirits had been in Ireland and Scotland to diminish
illicit distillation, and to improve the morals of the
people; in England it had almost suppressed the
smuggler. In the reign of George 11. the effect of
prohibitory duties, as preservatives to the morals of
the people, had been tried and failed. It was at the
time these prohibitory duties were in full force that
gin was sold in every cellar, and that signs were to
be seen on which were written, " Drunk for a
penny; and dead drunk for twopencel; clean straw for
nothing." Licensing Magistrates in the metropolis,
whilst the Champaigne was passing round, or whilst
they were sobering themselves with the brewers'
claret at brewers' (turners, were in the habit of talk-
ing about the evil effects of gin, and the shocking
excesses of the poor. He denied, however, that
there was any deterioration of the public morals.—
If there were any deterioration, it was with parti-
cular classes—these who were reduced in circum-
stances. The great cause of crime had been well
pointed out by the Berkshire Magistrates, to be in
.the want of demand for the labour of certain classes.
But, admitting the representations with respect to
spiritu( us liquors to be true, he denied that the re-
medies proposed would be of any avail. He con-
cluded by moving a string of resolutions, in which
it was set forth that in this, the fifteenth year of
peace, the public had a right to expect a diminution
of their taxes : that a reduction of the tithes and
assessed taxes, and useless offices, was especially de-
manded; and that at once to relieve the labouring
classes, and with a view to afford a cheaper and
more nutritious beverage of general consumption, it
was highly desirable that the duty on malt and on
beer should be reduced, and a fair competition in the
vending of malt liquors should be secured to the
public.

Tl•ese resolutions, after some further observations,
were carried by an overwhelming majority, in pre-
ference to the two sets of resolutions proposed by
Mr. Hoole and Mr. Moore. A petition founded
upon them was also carried.

The late severe frost has not at all impeded
the formation of the tunnel which is to unite the former
Zoological Gardens with the new allotment on the north
side of the row!.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT. Vim• g•

John King was opposed by a ereditor named John
ihearcroft, a tailor.

The insolvent came up on the 6th ultimo, when
e underwent a long examination by his oppoßing
Teditor. It appeared that he had merely described
,imself as a clerk and assistant, without stating
a whom or in what line of business. It turned
ut, on examination, that he was an assistant to
vhat was termed a " subscription-house," at No.
10, King-street, St. James's; he was pressed to
give the names of his employers, and after con-
siderable hesitation he stated that there were only
two proprietors of the house, named Disbrow. ond,
Eppingham. lie had lived with a female name"
Maria Du Puis (whom he had represented to hi°
creditors to be his wife), in Clarendon-square; the
house was well furnished, but he declared that the
lease of the house and the furniture all belonged to
her ; from Clarendon-square they removed to %Vol'
cot-place, and from thence to Bidhorough-street.
His salary was about 3001. a year, and he had stated
in his schedule that his insolvency arose from the
expense to which he was put by supporting his
mother and sisters.

The COURT required further proof that the fur-
niture was not the insolvent's, and in consequence,
Maria Du Puis was called, who swore that the fur"
niture was her's, having been given to her by a gen-
tleman ten years ago.
The COURT ordered the case to stand adjourned,
to enable the insolvent to re-advertise, describing
his occupation more distinctly than merely as " cloyk
and assistant."

To-day the insolvent again came up, having ill
the interim described himself as belonging to a
subscription-house in King-street, St. James's.
The COURT observed, that no case of opposi-
tion had been substantiated against him, and there-
fore he was declared entitled to the benefit of the
Act of Parliament.

Abraham Lassam, a farmer, late of Iluzlemore, in
Sussex, was opposed by two creditors, named Wm•
Lassam and John Tribe.

The COURT called the first-named opposing cre-
ditor forward, and he got into the witness-box.
CHIEF COMMISSIONER—What relation are yOU
to the insolvent ? Lassarn—l am his son.

CHIEF CommISSIONER—I see by the schedule he
owes you 1001. Have you any questions to put to
him. Lassttm—No.

CHIEF COMMISSIONER—Have you any evidence
to give yourself against your father? Lassam—No•
CHIEF COMMISSIONER—Or any witnesses to ?
Lasam—No.—(Lowil laughter.)
CHIEF COMMISSIONER--Then what do you come
here for ? Lassam—To oppose my father.
CHIEF COMMISSIONER—There are only three
modes of doing that, either by examination, by giv-
ing evidence yourself, or by calling witnesses. Will
you choose to do one of these three things ? Lae
sam—He owes me 1001.

CHIEF COMMISIIONER—Do you wi,ll to give anY
evidence ? Do you complain of any thing ? Las"
sam—He owes me 1001., and
CHIEF COMMISSIONER—WeII, sir, and what ?
Lassam—And I should like to have it,—(Loud
laughter.)

CHIEF COMMISSIONER—Is that all you wish to
say ? Lsssam—Yes.

CHIEF COMMISSIONER—Then you may stand
down.

The insolvent was then examined at very great
length, when it appeared that in May, 1828, he
sold all his property ut Billinghurst by auction, for
about 2041., about 861. worth of goods being
bought by himself and some friends for him. E 1
cepting the 861. worth of goods bought in, he had
'petal all the remainder of the produce of the sale
upon himself. In March, 1829, he was arrested,
but remained at large upon bail until the 3d of No-
vember, %hen he rendered to the King's Bench
Prison. The insolvent was next examined as to the
disposition of other property, no mention of which
was made in the schedule: the account given by
the insolvent was extremely unsatisfact.ry, and his
viva voce testimony was completely at variance n;)'
his balance sheet.

The case was then adjourned.
Matthew Bonaeich, a native of Austria, was op-
posed by Messrs. Edden and Dadds, and three other
creditors.

The insolvent had been discharged in this Cowl
five years ago. Since then he had been twice is
prison, and being asked what his real name was, be
said it was Matthew Martin Brunachi Bonacich.

A Creditor—Four names, by which you can ring
the changes sixteen times you know.—(Lnughter.)
The insolvent petitioned this Court in 1824, by
the name of Martin Brunachi, and had since brought
au action against Messrs. Edden and Dadds in that
name, thus selecting his two middle names, and
swearing an affidavit by them.
The COURT held, that as the insolvent had not
petitioned this Court by his full name, the petition
could not stand.