The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-30 00:00:00

MURDERS IN CALIFORNIA.

The Sacramento papers have long accounts of a warm
and exciting chase after the famous robber Joaquin.
On Friday last, the citizens of Jacksonville b-_-ought in
the dead body of Mr. Lake, a butcher of that place, and
the body of a Chinaman, who was wounded by a pistol
ball. It was not then known who had committed these
outrages. On the next day, Saturday, three Chinamen
were killed between Sutter and Jackson, a distance of
some four miles. The driver of the Stockton stage and
two passengers were killed on th• same day by Joaquin
and two others, supposed to be Mexicans. The three
men were shot, and the horses taken from the stage.
On the same day, the same parties drove some fifty
Chinese from a camp in the neighbourhood, and carried
away or destroyed their tents. On the Thursday pre-
vious Joaquin rode through the village of St. Andres at
a quick gallop, and shot thiee Americans as he passed
through the streets. Joaquin is a young man, of about
19 years of age, and must be one of the best shots with
a revolver in this or any other country, as nearly all
these men were shot through-- the neck. The whole
band, it is supposed, consists of about 60 men, all of
whom are thought to be Mexicans.

A letter froni-Jacksonville, dated 13th Feb., says :
" The town is under the greatest excitement. A- large
meeting of the citizens was held this evening, at which
measures were taken that must lead to the eventual cap-
ture of the murderer. Nearly our whole population has
volunteered to turn out in pursuit to-morrow. Woe to
the Mexicans if they are caught."
_ _

The party of Americans who started in pursuit, found
at Cook's Gulch, on Sutter Creek, the dead body of a
Chinaman. They traced the robbers to Jackson Creek,
a few miles below this village, and there found more of
their work—one Chinaman mortally wounded. Mr.
Lake was living, but speechless, and died in a few
minutes after the arrival of the Americans. He had
been shot twice, and stabbed in the neck, and his mule
taken.

The American party followed on, and soon overtook
the Mexicans who had committed all these murders. The
villains managed to escape, with the loss of their horses,
blankets, &c., and one, or perhaps two, of them were
wounded.

One of the party, worn out by fatigue, having been
in hot pursuit of the robbers for six days, returned to
Sacramento with three horses captured from a portion of
Joaquin's
throughous the mines.
party. The utmost excitement prevails

SHERIFF'S COURT-(THIS DAY)

(Before Mr. Ogle, Q.C.)
BUCHANAN V. THORLEY.-HEAVY EXPENSES OF COUNTY

PUBLIC DINNER AND PRESENTATION TO SIR
GEORGE GREY, M.P., AT ALNWIOK.

On Monday a public dinner was given at Alnwick to
the Right Hon. Sir G. Grey, M.P., for the purpose of
presenting him with a testimonial, subscribed for prin-
cipally by the working men of the district, to show their
appreciation of the right hon. baronet's eminent services
to the Liberal cause, particularly during the recent con-
test for the northern division of the county of Northum-
berland, when he was defeated by a small majority by
the Conservative coalition. Upwards of a month ago
1,000 dinner tickets were issued at three shillings each,
in order to give the working classes an opportunity of
being present ; but these were all disposed of in less
than a week, and ever since, though a considerable
number of after-dinner tickets were issued at the same
price, large premiums have been offered for them.
The dinner was held in a spacious pavilion erected in
the market place. Nearly 1,500 persons sat down to
dinner at one o'clock. Two galleries, running the whole
length of the pavilion, were appropriated for ladies, and
were well filled.
The chair was filled by Sir W. Trevelyan, Bart., who
was supported by Sir George Grey, M.P., the Earl of
Carlisle, W. B. Beaumont, Esq., M.P., Earl Grey, Lord
Panmure, R. Ingham, Esq., M.P., J. B. Blackett,
Esq:, M.P., &c.

The usual loyal toasts having been duly honoured,
Mr. MICHAEL YOUNG, of Bedlington, presented the
testimonial to Sir George Grey. It was an elegant siver
candelabrum, supported by the figures of working men
—a miner, a blacksmith, a ploughman, and a sailor.
It bore the following inscription
Presented to the Right Hon. Sir George Grey, Bart.,
M.P., from more than 13,000 workina men of Northumber-
land, in testimony of their gratitude for his support of the
wise, just, and beneficial measure of free trade, their re-
spect for his private worth, and for the eminent integrity
and ability which have distinguished his public career.
Alnwick, 28th March, 1853."

Mr. YOUNG in the course of his address said--They
were met to do honour to a distinguished statesman—
one who is admired by his friends and respected by his
opponents—one who adorns and ennobles the order to
which he belongs—a friend of civil and religious liberty
—and an able advocate of a policy which has conferred
great and innumerable blessings on the people of this
country.

Sir G. GREY was received with loud applause when he
presented himself to reply. I stand here (he said) to re-
ceive a testimonial that, in your judgment, and in the judg-
ment of 13,000 of the working classes, those measures
which in my place in Parliament I felt it my duty, while
one of the representatives of this division, to promote
and advocate by my vote and influence—and especially
those measures which relate to the financial and commer-
cial policy of the country—were measures dictated by
sound policy, and measures conducive to the permanent
welfare and interest of the great body of the people of
this country. (Applause.) I accept that testimonial,
valuable in itself, representing as it does the varied
industry of this great country. To me, however, it pos-
sesses something infinitely beyond its intrinsic value, as
it will be a permanent record to me—and I hope also to
my children's children—that I have been fortunate
enough to obtain what I must consider the highest prize
in political life—the warm, generous, and sincere regard,
and the good wishes and attachment, of that large and
important industrial class of my fellow countrymen who
possess as yet no direct voice themselves in the choice of
members of Parliament (loud cheers)— but whose
interests, whose daily comforts, whose happiness and
permanent welfare are intimately concerned in the
good government of the country and the acts of the Legis-
lature, and in whose moral and social well-being the
prosperity of this country is so intimately bound up.
In another part of his speech, he said : " There can, I
think, be no doubt now entertained—though a slight
attempt was made at the time to disguise it—that the
real question at issue, the question submitted for the
decision of the constituencies at the last election was,
whether the .;ree-trade policy should or should not be
maintained -whether the commercial system which has
been recently adopted by successive Parliaments should
be upheld as conducive to the best and permanent inte-
rests of the country, or whether—as some strenuously
contended—it should be reversed as prejudicial to those
interests. (Hear.) I felt the difficulties and disadvan-
tages which I, as a candidate, would have to encounter,
avowing myself as an advocate for the maintenance and
extension of that system of free trade, and addressing
myself to a constituency in a great part of agriculturists.
Under these circumstances, asking, as I did, for a re-
newal of the trust which in 1847 was reposed in me, I
felt it my duty to make a clear, unequivocal, and expli-
cit avowal of the opinions I entertained—(cheers)—and
having made that avowal, I was willing to abide what-
ever might be the issue of the contest. (Applause.)
Of the result of that contest I have not the slightest
reason to complain. The result was the defeat, by a
small majority, of the free-trade candidate, followed, as
soon as Parliament met, by the complete, unambiguous,
and unequivocal triumph of the free-trade policy. (Loud
cheers.) An attempt, it is true, was made by the leaders
of that party once called Protectionists, to avoid an express
recantation of the opinions they had long and strenuously
urged on Parliament and the country, but ultimately a
resolution was passed by such a majority of the new
House of Commons as to amount almost to unanimity—
a resolution by which stands recorded on their journals
their verdict that the present commercial system of free
trade ought to be maintained, and on the especial ground
that it was conducive—eminently conducive—to the wel-
fare and comforts of the industrious classes. (Applause.)
The verdict of the House of Commons is ratified by the
free and spontaneous expression of opinion on the part
of the working classes of this country. (Cheers.) Their
conviction is founded- on their own personal experience
- founded on that comparison which they themselves
are best able to institute, and which they cannot help
instituting between their present and former condition."
The right honourable baronet concluded by declaring
his resolution to promote, with all his ability, the poli-
tical, social, and physical welfare of the whole body of
the people.
The VICE-CHANCELLOR then proposed the " Health
of the Lord-Lieutenant of the County, Earl Grey."
(Cheers.). _ _ _

Earl GREY said he had with the greatest pleasure
joined in paying this compliment to one with whom he
had been so long connected in the closest manner, both
by unrivalled friendship and by complete agreement on
public questions. The testimonial which had been pre-
sented to Sir George Grey was honourable to them as it
was honourable to him. The noble earl then proposed
the " Health of the Chairman."

The CHAIRMAN acknowledged the toast.
" The Earl of Carlisle and the House of Lords " was
next given, and replied to by the Earl of Carlisle.
The " Health of Lord Panmure and the other illus-
trious guests," as well as a variety of other toasts fol-
lowed, and the proceedings terminated.

NEW COPPER AND DECIMAL COINAGE.

The notification that the Government have resolved
upon the issue of 500 tons of a new copper coinage has
caused misgivings among the advocates of a decimal
currency, lest by adding this large amount to the exist-
ing circulation the desired reform may be indefinitely
retarded. In the most simple and approved plans for
the introduction of a decimal system, the penny, half-
penny, and farthing are the only coins that would have
to undergo alteration, and the prospect of a change being
proposed just after they had received an addition to the
extent now said to be contemplated would seem hopeless.
It is desirable, therefore, that attention should be aroused
to the case at once, and that if the new issue be perse-
vered in, its consequences should be fully recognized.
There is nothing that would create greater vexation on
the part of every intelligent member of the trading com-
munity than to find that at the very period when
expectations had been held out that the Govern-
ment would have the vigour to accomplish
this task, which is demanded nearly on all
sides and opposed on none, a step is to be adopted that
will not only interpose a difficulty, but operate as a vir-
tual announcement that there is no intention of consi-
dering the subject. Fifteen years have already passed
since the Commission on the Standard of Weight and
Measure, consisting of the Astronomer-Royal and eight
other members of scientific bodies, urged the advantage
and facility of establishing the decimal plan. •" In Our
opinion," they said, "no single change which it is in
the power of a Government to effect in our monetary
system would be felt by all classes as equally beneficial
with this ;" and they pointed out that all that was re-
quisite was "to create a new coin equivalent to two
shillings, to be called by a distinctive name, and to con-
sider the farthing as the thousandth part of a pound, in-
stead of the nine-hundred-and•sixtieth part as at present."
The florin has supplied the first of these wants, and the
only point that now remains is to alter the copper coins.
This might be done with a degree of ease which, when
the vast national and general interests involved in the
measure are considered, seems to render indifference
actually culpable ; and the current coinage of the coun-
try would then stand as follows, taking the sovereign as
divisGibolledin.t.o. thousandsaovereign
p..a.rts!
1.000 money of account
Half ditto
.500
Silver ... Five Shillings.. • .250
Two and sixpence .125
.100.5
.15
Shillingmoney of acoount
RS zpf e
ditto c t •
Copper ......2501
Dime
0 money of account

NEW BILL ON MERCHANT SHIPPING.--A bill, brought
forward by the Government, has just been printed, to
amend various laws relating to merchant shipping.
There are 63 clauses in the measure and a schedule.
The bill, which stands for the second reading on Monday
in the House of Commons, it is proposed shall come in 'zo
operation on the Ist of August next, and is to be cited
as " The Merchant Shipping Law Amendment Act,
1853." The bill has reference to l'ght and other dues on
shipping, and placing the accounts unds:: the. Board of
Trade. After a number of provisions with respect to
manning, volunteering, and deseztion, there is a clause
refpecting Lascars for Australia. It is declared to be expe-
dient to give facilities for obtlinirg seamen in the Aus-
tralian colonies for which purpose it is proposed to enact
that contracts may be made with natives in India under
certain conditions, binding them to go to Australia and
thence to serer in other ships in the United Kingd_42me;
to l
6x
Certain con k, a A
sioners mentioned are to form the
_-
cantile Maiine Fund. The Queen in council is
the tolls to be taken for new lighthouses. To the present
—as in recent' Government bills—there is an analysis of
the contents.

We understand that his Majesty the Emperor of Aus-
tria has granted the golden medal, for literary and artis-
tic merits, to Mr. Leone Levi, for his Work on " The
Commercial Law of the World."