The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-02 00:00:00

CHARTIST RECRUITS FOR THE
ARMY AND NAVY.

(From the Spectator.)
Few years have elapsed since it was considered an
imperative duty of the British Government to train the
adult population of this country to arms. They were
drafted into the Militia, and annually for weeks together
were subjected to the discipline and instructed in the
habits of regular troops. To save expense, the practice
of calling out the Militia was discontinued, by the Mar-
quis of Lansdowne, in 1827 ; and we suspect it is not
likely soon to be revived. There have been rumours
recently of an intention to re-assemble the Militia ; but
what Minister would venture now to put muskets into
the hands of the labouring classes, and teach them
military discipline ? There is already some alarm
in consequence of the purchase of pikes by pro-
bably no great number of the working men ; and
Magistrates are directed to watch the proceedings at
Chartist assemblies, and take note of the speeches de-
livered, " that it may be considered whether the par-
ties concerned in such an illegal transaction should not
be prosecuted."' But the grounds of apprehension
would be far more serious, were many thousands brought
into close contact with, each other for weeks together
with arms in their hands and Chartist doctrines in their
heads. Every billetting-house would contain a club of
Conventionists ; and it would not be surprising were
the effectual proceeding of the Irish Volunteers imi-
tated, and petitions for Universal Suffrage forwarded to
the Legislature by citizen-soldiers resolved not to lay
down their arms till the object was-achieved.
It is not unusual to hear men speak slightingly of
the power of the Chartists ; and their influence on Par-
liament is small indeed. Neither is there much
reason to apprehend outrage from them on the
other classes, notwithstanding the menaces ut-
tered by the more reckless and impatient. But a
time may come, when, almost without an effort,
they shall take all which is now refused to them. It
may happen, and soon too, that the country will require a
large army for foreign and domestic service. That army
must be raised from the classes whom we are now afraid
to trust with a pike or a pistol. Not a few recruits, who
might be awed by established discipline, and rendered
powerless in a mass of *obedient soldiery, but tens of
thousands, would be needed. Suppose another struggle
resembling the last, against Europe and America com-
bined ; would the labouring classes in England and
Scotland shrink from the defence of their country ? Far
from it ; but, as sure as the opportunity occurred, they
would use it to establish their own claims.

A mighty change has been wrought in the character
of the British population. They are no longer the
ignorant serfs who could, be stimulated by cries of
" Church and State," " God save the King") and Do n
with Buonaparte." They demand physical and intellec-
tual improvement and a participation in the most esteemed
rights of citizenship. They swell with a sense of dig-
nity and wrong. That their present movement has
proved a failure, whatever may be the cause, is no balm
to their wounded feelings. It will only strengthen the
resolve to coerce their adversaries when the means are
with them. They will bide their. time.
From a population so minded, the British Army must
be recruited in time of war. The process is even now
going on. As sure as one generation dies off and an-
other succeeds, the regular Army and Navy of Great
Britain will, before many years have passed away, be
composed of Chartists. Mark that, Lord John Russell
and Sir Robert Peel ! Your finality doctrines will soon
be preached to men armed and disciplined, and claiming
to be citizens as well as soldiers. Take care they don't
" purge" your House ! Political fanatics may perform
the feat as effectually as Cromwell's religious myrmi-
dons did upon your predecessors.
These unwelcome reflections are suggested by events
of the day. There are threatening prospects in every
direction. The necessity of augmenting the military
force of the country is asserted by those who act upon
their opinions. The Army, Navy, and Ordinance Esti-
mates are increased : and none offer the slightest avail-
able opposition. "The Great Captain" declares that we
must have war establishments—that is, more soldiers
and sailors, who will be taken from a class almost uni-
versally inoculated with political opinions adverse to
those of the Government. What miracle if, instead of
making terms with a petitioning people, the Finality men
become fain to sue for merciful consideration from a
Chartist army ?—.who may not be so easily satisfied or
duped as the Irish Volunteers were by the Whig Mar-
quis of Rockingham.
'4 The Home Secretary's Letter to the Magistrates of
Cirencester.

ENLISTMENT OF WOMEN. On Monday
evening last, Mr. Vincent arrived in this town (Newport)
for the purpose of meeting a set of females at a tea party,
which was held at the Ship and Pilot, Commercial-street.
We understand that after they had discussed their bohea,
Mr. Vincent addressed them.—Merlin.

NATIONAL RENT.—Holmfirth has at length
appeared in the National Rent List, which states that the
munificent sum of two pounds seven shillings has been con-
tributed by the Chartists of that place. If Feargus were
correct in estimating his supporters at that place, he has
signally failed in his ulterior object, that of charming
money out of their pockets.-11alifax Express.
MYSTERIOUS CASE.—A respectable middle-
aged woman, who lodged with her family at New-street,
Vauxhall-road, died on Friday evening under circumstances
which have excited considerable suspicion in the neighbour-
hood. it appears that the husband of the deceased (of
whom little is known, except that he had the dress and
appearance of a gentleman) bad been seldom at home, and
has only slept there three times within the last six months.
He came in on Friday evening, about half-past five o'clock.
His wife was then lying so ill that the people of the house
advised him to send for a doctor; but he said, " I want no
doctors, I have walked the hospitals myself;" and added,
" I shall physic her myself," or " I have physicked her
myself," they could not tell which. He went away at six
o'clock, promising to be back at ten, and has not since
been heard of. The deceased expired before nine o'clock
that night. There are two sons, the eldest 13 years,
from whom it is difficult to obtain any information beyond
the fact that their father is an exciseman. An inquest will
be hell on the body, before which, it is understood, a
post mortem examination will be held.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENTS.—At the late Assizes
of the county of York, three men were convicted of a rape
on a married woman, at Armley, near Leeds. In the cri-
minality of the three ruffians there was so little (if any)
difference in degree, that the Learned Judge had " to con-
sider, and reconsider, and reconsider again," before he
could catch a glimpse of any distinction in the cases which
would justify to his mind a distinction of punishment.
Having, however, " with great.difficulty," detected a mi-
nute difference, his Lordship seized upon it as a foundation
on which to base his application of an immense dispropor-
tion in the penalty to the offenders. Two he sentenced to
banishment ; the third—TO DEATH. We see in this fact a
striking illustration of the growing repugnance in the pub.
lie mind to capital punishments. There are few men living
who cannot recollect the day in which the Judges of the
land sought out no refined distinctions of guilt, but passed
santence of death, as a matter of course, on six, seven, or
eight men at a time; and many of us have witnessed the
awfully disgusting spectacle of men—three, four, five, or six
of our fellow-creatures—brought out on the scaffold toge-
ther, and swung off to die like so many dogs, destitute of
immortal souls. A better day is dawning.—Gateshead
Observer.

AWFUL INSTANCES OF SUDDEN DEATH.-
A Coroner's Inquest was held last Saturday night at the
Coach and Horses, Mount-street, on the body of John
Edgerley, aged forty.four years, valet to Lieutenant-
General Huskisson, of No. 10, Mount-street, Grosvenor-
square. It appeared in evidence that the deceased, after
having spent the evening of Thursday last with a friend,
returned at ten o'clock to his master's house. Ile retired
to rest at eleven o'clock, in his usual health and spirits.
In about half an hour after one of his fellow-servants,
having heard him moaning, proceeded to his chamber, and
found him in bed in a state of insensibility. He placed him
in a sitting position, and was in the act of unbuttoning his
shirt-collar, when the deceased fell backwards, and in-
stantly expired. Verdict—" Died by the visitation of
God." A second inquest was held at the Geneva Arms,
Hayes-count, Soho, on the body of Mr. John Boswell, a
locksmith and bellbanger, carrying on an extensive business
in Cursitor-strect, Chancery-lane. It appeared from the
evidence that the deceased left his house about seven
o'clock last Friday evening, apparently in excellent health
and spirits, for the purpose of seeing his daughter, who
resided in Nassau-street, Soho. When he arrived within
a few doors of his daughter's house he suddenly fell in the
street, and died whilst his grandson and others were lifting
him from the pavement. Verdict..—" Died by the visitation
of God."

TRIAL OF THE CLAIMANT TO THE EARL-
DOM OF STIRLING.-We learn from a Correspondent in
Scotland that the trial of Mr. Humphries or Alexander,
claimant to the dormant Peerage of the Earldom of Stir-
ling, which was fixed to take place on Wednesday next, at
Edinburgh, before the High Court of Justiciary, will not
proceed on that day beyond a merely formal arraigning of
the prisoner, and that the trial will then be adjourned till
the beginning of May. Our Correspondent adds that Mr.
Humphries or Alexander is indicted on a charge of forging
and uttering, or alternatively of uttering documents know-
!rig them to be forged, with the fraudulent intent of support-
ing false pretensions to the Earldom, &c. of Stirling. The
documents are in the French language, and the important
witnesses in the cause are Parisians, and among othe's, the
great fortune-teller Madame Le Normand. The prepara-
tory investigations were made in France personally by one
of the Deputes of the Lord Advocate (an officer equiva-
lent to the English Attorney- General), as public prosecu-
tor. On being committed for trial, Mr. Humphries was in-
dulged with a large isolated apartment in the principal gaol
of Edinburgh, formerly one or two large dormitory apart-
ments for civil debtors, known under the designation of
" The House of Lords," and by some waggish debtor its
walls were at one time and still continue covered with
painted decorations, now fast fading away of the appro-
priate emblems, of crown, coronets, and other symbols of
state. By the Scotch practice the names of 45 persons sum-
moned on the Assize, from whom the Jury (15 in number)
is ballotted, have to be served upon the accused, with the
indictment, 15 days before trial, and a Peer on trial is en-
titled to a jury of landed gentlemen. In the present instance
it occurred to the public prosecutor that either course would
infer a pre-judging of the cause, and so the singular course
was adopted of serving the accused with lists of two sets of
jurors. His Counsel have intimated to the public prose-
culor that they cannot be prepared by Wednesday, the 3d,
and consequently, by arrangement, the trial will on that
day be adjourned till about the first or second week of May.
The trial will probably occupy some days, greater time
being requisite from the necess.ty of interpreting the ques-
tions and answers of French witnesses.— Worcester Herald.