The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-08 00:00:00

LONDO:N. FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 18_9.

R. JAMIESOINI, CONSULTING CIVIL
ENGINEER, author of a Dictionary of Mechanical
Science, Mechanics for Practical Men, Mechanics of Fluids, &c.
No. 39, Smith-street, Chelsea, March '2, 1889.

In a few days,
PROUT'S SKETCHES
IN FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, AND ITALY.
Drawn on Stone exactly like the original Sketches from
Nature, made during several Foreign Tours.
By SAMUEL PROUT; F.S.A.,
Painter In Water Colours, by Appointment, to her Majesty.
Price—lmperial Folio, Tinted, 41. 45.; India Proofs, 51. ss. ;
Half bound.

A few copies will be coloured and mounted, 101. 103., in a
Portfolio.
Loudon : Hodgson and Graves, her Majesty's Printsellers
and Publishers, Pall-mall.

BA RFIELD'S DIAMOND PLATE POW-
DER, warranted not to wear the Plate.
It instantly clears tarnish and dirt, and mAgically produces
a most inimitable Poosh upon Gold, Silver, Plated Goods,
Brass, Tin, C pper, and makes i3ritish Plate, Zinc, and Pew-
ter, look as white as the best Silver.
Sold, wholesale and retail, at Ilatlet and Co.'s British Plate
Factory, 41, Ludgate-street.
Bateman, Chemist to the Queen, Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight.
N 0.3, Castle street, Leicester- Poole, Manchester
square Holbrook, 115, Grafton-street,
J. Chappell, No. $4, Lombard-! Dublin
street Parkinson, Birmingham
Wilson, $7, Fenchurch-street Nettleship, Lincoln
Warren and Son, Carmarthen Bloomfield, Poole, Dorset.
And at the Manufactory, 92, Fenehurch-street.
AGENTS WANTED for every Town in the Kingdom.
N.l3.—Plato cleaned with this powder will not again tarnish.

We understand that the health of Lo d IVlethuen
is greatly improved and that he is about to return from
Torquay to Iris mansion at Corsham, to remain for a short
period, when he goes to his residence in town.— Wilts in-
depenlent.
SA LE OF BEER ACT.—The petitions pre-
sented by Mr. Mark Philips on Tuesday evening last, prior
to Mr. Packington's motion for the introduction of a Bill
" To Alter and Amend the Laws relating to the Sale of
Beer," were in favour of the repeal of the existing Beer
Bill, and not, as stated, in favour of its continuance. These
petitions were three in number—the first signed by seventy.
one Clergymen,
viz , thirty-seven of the EstabliSt.ed
Church, and by the Ministers of every other persuasi.rn in
the borough of Manchester. The second petition was
from the Boroughreeve and Constables, Churchwardens,
and Overseers of Manchester. The third from the inh-r-
-bitants of the township of Newton, in the parish of Man-
chester.

MEETING OF LICENSED

VICTUALLERS.

A meeting of the licensed victuallers of the metropolis
was held this day (Thursday), at the Crown and Anchor,
fur the purpose of meeting the Delegates from twenty-
seven provincial towns, and agreeing with them as to the
measures to be adopted fur the purpose of procuring a re-
peal of that clause of the Beer Act which authorises the
keepers of Leer-shops to retati beer to be consumed on the
premises.
Mr. OSBORNE, the Governor of the Incorporated Society
of Licensed Victuallers, took the Chair at half-past three
o'clock.
The advertisement convening the meeting having been
read,
Mr. VOUSLEY, sen., rose to propose the first resolution.
lie thought that much argument would not be required to
convince the meeting of the hardships under which the
licensed victuallers laboured in consequence of the Beer
Bill, or of the injury which had been given to their pro-
perty by that measure. He was glad to see, from the
speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this subject,
th,-t be had acknowl, dged that the beer-shopkeepers had
established a vested inter( st Now, if the beer-shop-
kcep,rs, who had been only established from eight to ten
3 ears, possessed a vested tight, in what situation
were the licensed victuallers, who had embarked
their capital in a trade which, for three centuries,
had been sanctioned by different Acts of Parlia-
ment? But he was sorry to say that the vested inte-
re.;ts of the licensed viettrdlers had not obtained that
resrect of which they were deserving. The Beer Bill had
been a totel failure. The beer w,ts neither cheaper nor
he to in consequence, the present comparative cheapn.•ss
having been occasioned by a reducticn in the duty.
—( Hear, hear, hear.) The establishing of the beer-
-shops had opened the sluices of vice and immorality
in the rural districts. He would congratulate the meeting
on the union which bad taken place between the licensed
victuallers of town and country, and he trusted that this
onion would continue. Our forefathers had thought proper
to render the d• tilers i intoxicating liquors responsible for
the quiet and sober demeanour of their guests. They had,
ih, refore, been placed ut:dcr the superintendence of the
Magistr..cy. With regard to the petition in the House of
Commons, he had been told that as they were interested
patties, their petitions were entitled to no attention, but yet
the petitions from the corn-growers had been received with
the greatest attention, notwithstanding they were interested
parties. The licensed victualler had a direct interest in

the preservation of good order, hut the frequenters of the
to r.shop had full scope to do as they lik..d. lie con-
cluded by moving the resolution that the Beer Act was
an utter and complete failure.
Mr. READER seconded the resolution.
Mr. JONES suggested that the beer-shopkeepers should
be placed on the same footing as the licensed victuallers
The res• lotion was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. HORNER said that the Chancellor of the Exchequer
had refused to take intoc9usideration the vested interests of
the licensed victuallers in the year 1830, interests which
could be traced back to the year 1643, and yet
he talked of the vested interests of the keepers of
beer-shops, who, taken as a body, had not a
vested capital of more than 201. each. It had been
clearly shown, that the Act of 1830 had been a gross in-
fraction of the vested interests of the licensed victuallers,
and had led to the ruin of many of them. He had great
pleasure in proposing a resolution to that effect.
Mr. GROVER seconded the resolution.
Major ATCHERLEY here endeavoured to address the
meeting, but was received with loud cries of " Order."
The CHAIRMAN asked if he was a licensed victualler ?
Major ATCIIERLEY said he was not, but had authority
from two licen;ed victuallers at Stow-in-the-Wold.
The CHAIRMAN requested that the names of the Dele-
gates should be read, when Major Ateherley's name did
not appear among them:

MWOr ATCHELEY—I gave my name to the Secretary
on corning in, and my property is vested in public-houses.
—( Considerable confusion here prevailed, with cries of
" Turn him out I")

The CHAIRMAN, however, suggested that he should be
suffered to remain, as, after what had taken place, he *did
not think he would make any attempt to disturb the pro-
ceedings. _

The- resolution was then put, and carried unanimously.
Mr. VOUSLEY, jun., said that he did not care who
might be preaent, or how adverse they might be to their
cause, provided they adopted a gentlemanly course of
conduct. They cared not who knew of their
proceedings, and all they asked was to be permitted to
pursue the even tenor of their way, uninterrupted by
impertinent intruders. In anything which he might say
he begged to be considered as not attacking the beer.shop.
keeper individually, but the system. The difference be-
tween the beer-shopkeeper and the licensed victualler was
this, that the first was irresponsible, and the second was
responsible. The licensed victualler must possess a certain
degree of capital, and pursue his vocation under the inspee-
tion of the Magistracy ; bile the beer-shopkeeper's stock. in-
trade consisted of a deal-bench and table and two barrels of
ale, and he was subjt ct to no inspection whatever. lie did
not lay claim to superior morality on behalf of the li-
censed victualler, but the circumstances in which he was
placed necessarily made him more careful than the keeper
of the beer.shop. The g-rea,er part of the beer-shop-
ke,pors themselves had been ruined by the business.
There had been much said of the monopoly of the breWers, I
but he denied the existence' of any such monopoly ; and
even admitting that it were so—the permitting the exist-
ence of shops for the sale of beer not to be consumed
on the premises would be sufficient to put an end to it.
Bet r-,hops had been denounced by men of, all ranks
and pat ties as injurious to the morality of the
nation, and it behoved the Legislature to repeal the ob-
noxious clause rt fel red to in the resolution. Reference

had been made to the comparative convictions of keepers
of beer- shops and licensed victuallers for adulteration of
beer. But it should be recollected that the victualler I
w,ls liable to conviction if 141bs. of sugar were found on '
his premises, while the keeper :of the beer-shop might, if
he chose, be a grocer as well—moreover, the penalty
pail by= a licensed victualler was 2001., and that paid
by a beer. shopkeeper 201., half in each case
b ing• given to the informer—the licensed victualler
pending the decision of the case could not transfer his
licence, the keeper of the beer-shops could. Thus, there-
fore, the licensed victualler was:unrelentingly followed up,
while the beer-shopkeeper escaped, because he was not
worth prosecuting. He would therefore move a resolu-
tion attributing the esils resulting from the Beer Act to
that elsuse petmiling the consumption of beer on
the premises of the beer-shopkeeper.
Mr. BRYAN seconded the resolution.
Mr. WATCHORN thought that, as the Legislature seemed
inclined to assimulate the trade, any interference would be
injudicious, especially as they could not be considered dis-
interested parties.—( Confusion and cries of Chair, chair !)
The CHAIRMAN then, put the resolution, which was car-
ried unanimously.
Mr. BINGLEY said it was necessary they should be
stirring ,otherwise the Leeislature would imagine that they
were satisfied. The beer-shops were not supported by the
sale of beer alone, but by the illicit sale of spirits, by which
the revenue was defrauded. If the West Indian planters
were entitled to a compensation of twenty millions, the
licensed victuallers were entitled to a compensation of
fifty millions ; but they did not asked for this—
they only asked for a repeal of that clause
which operated so prejudicially to their interests He
would therefore propose a resolution embodying these
statements.

Mr. ORGILL seconded the resolution, and said be knew
many persons who had been reduced to poverty in conse-
quence of the Beer Act.
Mr. OLIVER wished to have the resolution worded still
more strongly.
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, which was car-
ried unanimously.
Mr. MORGAN, in proposing the petition to be presented
to the House of Lords by the Duke of Wellington, and
thet t he
necessityl ti us e ooff
aCert na bys in Lord a
nysignatures Francis
Mr. WALTER secon'ded the resolution.

Mr. BINOLEY said he wished the other promoters of the
act would follow the example of the Duke of Wellington
aid acknowledge their error.
The petition, embodying the resolution, was then read.
At this period a fresh attempt at interruption was made by
nes' t'itu thet ions connected with
the trade. lie would propose a surplus of which
would Major Ateherley, which was speedily suppressed.
Mr. CultllY congratulated the meeting on the union
which at present existed between the licensed victuallers
of the town and country, which he trusted would be per-
manent; but as it was impossible anything could be done
witheut the sinews of war, he hoped they would each sub-
scribe the expenses,
institutions
Mr. BitowN seconded the resresolution to that effect.
olution, which was
passedunanimously.
Mr. MITCHELL, of Greenwich, said that a petition bad
b en prepai(
• .d in that borough which would be presented
,
i 1 d 2be devoted 6 l.
towards
o charitable
and supported Members.
Mr. by both their
Delegate from Leeds,
Mr. METCALF, was rejoiced at
the Union which had taken place between the licensed
victuallers of town and country._ Parliament would not now
refuse to attend to their complaints. He would suggest
the necessity of their appointing aermanent Committee
for the purpose of watching the Parliamentary proceedings.
Mr. ROWE would propese a resolution, embodying the
suggestion of Mr. Metcalf. ,
Mr. HYDE said, had such a Committee been in existence
in 1830, the Beer-Act would not have passed. flo se-
conded the resolution, which was put and carried una-

nimously.
Mr. KEASLEY moved, arid Mr. HUGHES seconded, a re.
solution of thanks to the country Delegates.
Mr. BRYDEN, of Liverpool, in returning thanks, bore
witness to the distressed state of the Trade in Liver')lol.
Many of the Licensed Victuallers were not taking 50s. per
week in that town,
many others were shut up, and in seve-
ral instances the licences had not been paid for from ins-
bay to raise the means, but he trusted the proceedings of
this day Mould hive the effect of remedying those evils,
causing the Licensed Victuallers once more to rejoice,
Mr. LYONS, of Mdnchester, bore testimony to the de-
pressed state of the trade in that town.
Thanks
separated are
rc then
shortly after Six o'clock.
voted to the Chairman, and the meet-
ing

WEATHER IN DUBLIN.—A sudden Change
has taken place in the weather, and there is every appear.
ance of our being visited with a severe snow storm. There
was a heavy fall last uight (T!iesday),. and it has re-com-
menced this afternoon.--. Dian Evening

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

Sir E. Bulwer's historical play of Richelieu was pro-
duced at this theatre last night. The subject is one
admirably adapted to the purposes of the drama, as
every one acquainted with the Cardinal's public and pri-
vate life must be aware of. His political career was
one of constant excitement and surprise. Conspiracy
succeded conspiracy against him, almost with the regu-
larity of the seasons; and he himself, with it King, if not
adverse, at least lukewarm and distrustful, by the mere
force of mental energy, as regularly crushed the eacspira-
tors, and consolidated his own rower. Stern, Intl •xible,
cruel from policy, though not from nature, crafty as a '
Jesuit, and endowed with political prescience but seldom
witnessed in statesmen—the character of Armind
Richelieu is the one of all others calculated to exhibit to
advantage on the sts:ge. Well, therefore, we repeat, has
Sir E. Bultver chosen his suli et, and dextrously has
he evaded many of the difficulties attendant on it. We
had imagined, from a recollection of the period of which
he treats, that. Lis play would have been successful from

the force of character—from the striking contrasts he
would have shown us—from his stirring dialogues be-
tween the haughty Richelieu and the imbecile Louis, end
the still more imbecile Gaston of Orleans, where the
most legitimate dramatic effects might have been
produced—but instead of this, his play depends
for effect on cleverly contrived incident, such as keeps
curiosity constantly awake. The plot is occasionally
complex, r_it, as to its main features, it may be dis-
posed,of in a few words. At the time the drama opens,
Cardinal Richelieu (Macreads) is in the height of his
power. A conspiracy, however, headed by Gaston of
Orleans (Diddear), the Count (lc: Baradas ( %Verde),
end several subordinates, is in vigorous action against
him ; but just at the moment. of its explosien it reaches
the ears of the ever-watchful Cardinal, who hopes to
counteract it by seizing a certain despatch in which
the traitorous designs of the conspirators against
the King are fully revealed. Unfortunately, he
is disappointed in his expectations, for the des-
patch is kept from his grasp by lingua (Bennett,)
a spy in whom he has trusted, and who has leagued
himself with his enemies. All therefore seems at en end
with the Cardinal ; his enemies, having failed in their
attempt at assassinating him, yet contrive to prejudice
the King against him ; and when he makes his ap-
pearance in the Council Chamber, he is received with
that FOI t of frown with which Henry the Eighth received
Wolsey; and which gives him assurance that his power
has for ever departed from him.- But at this crisis of
his fate, when he has voluntarily resigned the helm
of State, and submitted with apparent submis-
sion to his destiny, the despatch is found ;
is brought to him by one of his trusty agents ; and is
instantly shown to the King, who, reading therein the
intentions of the conspirators to depose him, and raise
Orleans to the Regency, restores Richelieu to more than
his former authority, and gives him ample vengeance on
all his enemies. Such is a hasty outline of the plot ; but
there is a sort of under-plot, which is made up of the
loves, and the vicissitudes consequent thereon, of a
young French Nobleman, named Mauprat (Anderson),
and Julie do Mortemar (Miss Helen Faucitt), who
contribute in no slight degree to hasten the action
of the drama. But, as may b• imagined,

Its main interest depends on the fortunes of
Cardinal Richelieu. We care little for the subordi-
nates of the play. He it is who occupies our thoughts
from the rising, to the fdlling
of the curtain. In the
two first acts Sir E. Bulwer does him exemplary jus-
tice, and brings out the minute points of his character
in a truly dramatic style ; but afterwards the delinea-
tion becomes languid, and does not revive till the last
scene in the fifth act, which as a matter of dis-
play, is unquestionably the most effective in the
drama. One great fault we find with the author
is, that he has placed too prominently in the
foreground the Cardinal's physical infirmities. Now this
is not in accordance with the truth of history, for Riche-
lieu was a vain, as well as an ambitious man, and would
never acknowledge to the advances of age. It was part
of his policy to keep tinder the old man, and to parade
before the public hit physical, not less than his mental,
alertness and energy, though with the King he would
occasionally counterfeit the hopeless valetudinarian. The
scene, however, where he is represented vainly attempt-
ing to handle the sword which in his earlier days he had
wielded, or fancied he had wielded—with such effect, is
true to history ; for Richelieu never forgot his personal
achievements (worth nothing by the bye) at Rochelle ;
and in one of the Italian campaigns (worth about as
much). Maeready played the Cardinal in his most spi-
rited yet chastest style. It was throughout a classical
performance—that is to say, justly conceived, and equa-
bly executed. To his delivery of one passage, however,
and that a most striking one, we must demur. In the pas-
sage—

" The King is weak; whoever the King loves
Must rule the King; the lady loves another,
That other rules -khe lady—thus we're balked
Of our own proper sway : the King must have
o goddess but the State; the State—that's Richelieu!"
In this passage, Macready pronounced the words
" that's Richelieu," just as if they implied a mere com-
mon-place matter- of-fact, whereas they are the words of
triumph—of conscious omnipotence—of ambition feel-
ing itself' on its highest vantage ground ; and, as such,
should have been delivered in swelling, exultant tones,
with a flashing eye, and statel3 bearing. The following
passsage, which produced an electrical effect on the
house, was declaimed by Macready in a manner winch
it is impossible to praise too highly :

" Adrien de Mauprat, men have called me cruel--
lam not—l am just-1 found France rent asunder—
The rich men despots, and the poor banditti ;
Sloth in the mart, and schism within the temple ;
Brawls festering to rebellion ; and weak laws
Rotting away with ru.t in antique heaths—
I have re-created France! and from the ashes
Of the old feudal and decrepid carcase
Civilization on her luminous wings
Soars, plicenix•like, to Jove—What was my art?
Genius, some say—some, Fortune—Witchcraft, some—
Not so ;—my art was Justice !"
Equally effective was Macready's delivery of this
striking passage :
" The pen is mightier than the sword. Behold
The arch-enchanter's wand! Itself a nothing !
But taking sorcery from the master-hand
To paralyze the Caesars, and to strike
The loud earth breathless—Take away the sword,
States eau be saved without it."

The house acknowledged the truth and beauty of
this sentiment by some of the loudest cheers, thrice
repeated, we ever heard. The subjoined passage was
not less effectively declaimed by Macready. He is
replying, we should premise, to. the Count Baradas,
who has been taunting ban with being old and doting :
" Irreverent ribbald !
If so, beware the falling ruins ! Hark !
I tell thee, scorner of these whitening hairs,
When this snow melteth, there shall come a flood !
Avaunt, my name is Richelieu! I defy thee !
Walk blindfold on ; behind thee stalks the headsman.
Hah ! Halt ! How pale he is !—Heaven save my country !"
Miss Helen Faucitt played her part with great spirit,
though there was occasionally a harshness in her recita-
tion of those passages which were meant to be pathetic,
of which she will do well to rid herself. It is not
energy she wants—of this she has plenty ; but her
tenderness is apt to appear forced. %Varde made a
capital conspirator. We know not that we ever saw
him to greater advantage than in the part of the bold
yet crafty Baradas. His very voice had a traitorous
twang in it. Messrs. Elton and Diddear made as much
of those two royal scamps, Louis the Thirteenth, and his
brother, Gaston of Orleans, as was possible to be made.
On the whole the play was_well, exceedingly well act ed, and
was received with much applause. At its close, after
Macready had announced its repetition for " every
night till further notice," Sir Edward Bulwer was called
for, and made his how to the audience, amidst the
waving of hats in the pit, and white cambric pocket
handkerchiefs in the boxes. With a little judicious
curtailment—for there is no denying the fact that the
play flags in the second and third acts—we have no
doubt that Richelieu will run triumphantly through the
season. The house was crowded to suffocation.

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