The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-28 00:00:00

THE BIRMINGHAM GAOL CRUELTIES.

-
A meeting was held in the Town-hall of Birmingham,
on Tuesday, to protest against the justices appointing
another governor and surgeon to this gaol.
Such a hall has not been seen for years. From seven
until eleven every inch of space was occupied, and a
crowd surrounded the building.
Mr. George Edmonds, the clerk of the peace, presided.
Mr. Alderman Laroden, several town councillors, and
the leading clergy of the establishment were present.
Great excitement prevailed, and some degree of exas-
peration was caused by reason of the refusal of the
mayor to grant the use of the hall, which was subse-
quently obtained by other means.
Amongst the resolutions passed unanimously was one
to the effect, that the meeting viewed with feelings of
indignation the horrible system of cruelty and oppres-
sion which had been carried on at the gaol, with the
implied eauetion of tho visiting jindires:, and the meeting
expressed its strong disapprobation of such inhuman
treatment, also expressed a hope that the people of
England would acquit the people of Birmingham of any
participation of these barbarities.
Also a subsequent resolution, moved by Mr. Coun-
cillor Aliday, the visiting justices were declared to have
entirely forfeited the confidence of the people of Bir-
mingham, and the meeting solemnly protested against
these justices participating in the appointment of an-
other governor and other officers of the prison.
A gentleman, partner of one of the justices, attempted
to move a counter resolution. He made some remarks,
amidst a torrent of disapprobation, and finally gave way
with the simple expression of his dissent, he being the
only person who did dissent in the vast assembly.
The Rev. G. S. BULL moved a vote of thanks to Lord
Palmerston, which was carried by acclamation, as was
also the following resolution :—" That this meeting is
of opinion that the appointment of a stipendiary magis-
trate for the borough would greatly facilitate the proper,
orderly, and impartial discharge of magisterial business,
and would tend to inspire the inhabitants of this great
and important town with a confidence in the administra-
tion of the criminal and especially judicial decisions and
summary convictions, which the borough justices do not
at present possess."

The immense crowd departed quietly at 11 o'clock.

THE FUNDS.

( From the Times City Article.)
The panic in the stock-market continues to increase,
and has now apparently become uncontrollable from the
mere force of contagion. At the commencement of
business, before the course of operations had been influ-
enced by a renewal of vague excitement, there was a
favourable reaction of the same character as that which
took place on the previous morning ; but a continuous
pressure of sales, both for money and account, then
again set in, and a decline ensued with scarcely any
pause, until Consols for money, which had opened at 92.
had been sold at 934. Subsequently, on its becoming
known that the quotations of the foreign exchanges
were such as to put any further immediate transmission
of gold to the continent out of the question, a slight im-
provement took place, but there was no alteration in
the actual appearance of the market, which retained its
agitated character to the last.
Nothing transpired during yesterday to account for
the renewed fall, and operations seem to content them-
selves with general predictions of fearful monetary or
political difficulties, according to the direction in which
the market may be most sensitive for the moment. Of
course, with fears of this kind once set in motion, a
panic may be carried to any extent, since it soon creates
of itself the very evils from the dread of which it had its
origin. Meanwhile, however, it is satisfactory to state
that in no quarter among the respectable firms of
London engaged in general trade does there appear to
be the slightest fear of any commercial disasters—a con
dition of affairs which harmonises with the fact that all
stocks of produce or manufactures have for months past
been cleared off at a profit as fast as they could be accu-
mulated, while, with the exception of the shipments to
Australia, the entire commerce of the country has been
carried on with more freedom from speculation than at
any former period.
The rate for money in the Stock Exchange yesterday
on Government securities was 3 per cent. Out of doors
and at the Bank there was a full, but not au excessive,
demand. Some loans on Exchequer Bills were obtained
at the Bank at the rate announced on Friday last—
namely, 4 per cent.
The fall in Consols since May has now exceeded 10
per cent. ; and on only eight occasions during the pre-
sent century has any continuous decline to a similar ex-
tent taken place. These instances were as follows—the
downward course in each case having been interrupted
by only slight oscillations. It will be observed that the
heaviest periods were in 1803, on the breaking out of
hostilities with France ; in 1819, on the resumption of
cash payments ; in 1825, upon the failure of the private
banks ; in 1830, on the rejection of the Reform Bill ;
and in 1847, in consequence of the railway crisis. In
the remaining cases the fluctuation was little beyond
that which has occurred this year, although in compar-
ing them with the present time, the greater margin for
a fall that has been presented by the recent high prices
must be kept in mind.

Year.
1802
1803
1814
1815
1819
1825
1830
1847

Decline from
79 to 66{
73 —50 i
72.1 62
65
53
79 644.
94i 75
941 77.
94 78

Extent of fall.
122 i i per cent.
10
2

PROPOSED METROPOLITAN MANIFESTATION IN SUP-
PORT or TURKEY.-At a meeting of friends to the inde-
pendence of Turkey, held at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet-
street, yesterday evening, Mr. J. A. Nicholay in the
chair, the following resolution was unanimously adopted :
—" That a metropolitan aggregate meeting, for the pur-
pose of eliciting an expression of public opinion with re-
gard to the Russian invasion of Turkey, and the duty
of this country in consequence thereof, be holden on the
earliest possible day ; and that a sub-committee be ap-
pointed to forward the necessary arrangements, and to
report to a general meeting of the committee on Satur-
day evening, October I.': The sub-committee having
been appointed, the meeting adjourned until Saturday
evening, at the above-mentioned place.