The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-08 00:00:00

unclaimed dividend: amounted to 22d,0001. up to 1527.
The fees of the Secretary of Bankrupts, in 1797, were
1,1001., of which 5001. went to via,- clerks, the remaiudes-
r teas Secretary. In 1830 these fees were 10,0001., of
which the tent Chancellor received 4,0901, though for-
merly he receiftli Ma part. From 1700 to MOCO, the
number of bankrupts Were 11,841 ; in ft teen years, front
1816 to 1830, they'amountedto 1'9.659, being an extras
iti.,ttte last fifteen years over the whole of the Nth cen-
tury i 0,818. After some further observation 4, Mr.
Browne correkd'ed by declaring that the measure before
the meeting bad ilia stost cordial and hearty approbation-
Mr. GOUGII was desh•ans of supporting the rese,,nt:sirr,.
as be felt, from his own experlenee, the inefficiency of the
firestrif system. He had f, It severely from the many ca.,
where' he had been a creditor ; the estates had loci: some-
times almost wholly absorbed by the very great difficulty
to elicit facts and obtain the assets belonging to The bank-
rupt's estate. In one at two cases the only persons de-
riving any advantage hade been the Commissioners and
solititots ; and in some cases he himself has, in the
situation Of assignee, paid the exproce out of his own
pocket. In ocle ca'e, where 20s. in the rand was clearly
receivab'e, not more then 71. was realised, the rest being
completely lest in consequence of the large expences, and
the increasing difficulty arising frosts fresh investigation,
which would much lessen the dividend. In a case just
taken place, Where he (Mr. Gough) was a creditor for
1,0001., and the bankrupt absconded, he was petitioning
reditor, and was appointed assignee. The situation of the
bankrupt's property is such, that many private meetings
iimst take place, as it is suite impossible to investi-
gate facts and elicit information from parties who
he Id dent fal securities, and to find tinder what cir-
cumstances those seettritiee were given. He having
so far succeeded is finding where the b,,nkrupt's
property was vested, then yeeoctared a private meeting,
which he attended yesterday ; and, to his surprise,
found a uslicitor attending the witness; and who, even
contrary to the express directions of the Commis-
siolers, persisted In suggesting to many questions sums
amended answers. And he was permitted to persevere in
such conduct, delaying the investigation by unnecessary
observations. This inquiry, Sir, was only to investigate
facts, and to ascertain the validity of security which was
advanced for 1,2001. only a few hours before the bankrupt
absconded. After an investigation of two hours, the re e--
was adjourned till Saturday ; but this cas after
the greatest opposition from one of the Commissioners, who
thought the witness ought not te be brought again from
Clerkenwell, except at his convenience, which appeared to
be only for Friday. That Commissioner, without even
consulting myself, as a large creditor of 1,000/ , and, with
a great difficulty, as assignee, to find out evidence—and
the property, which is ranch dispersed, and to the amount
of 50,0001., all in the hands of others—would not allow
Saturday, and persisted till the last, that he would dis-
solve the inquiry at once; hut, after a long conversation
was prevailed on to consent te eleven on Saturday morn-
ing. lie felt this matter as well as others of this nature,
and did most sincerely wish the petition then proposed to
have the strongest, the most absolute, support from all
the trading community; he felt much by the serious loss
this system entails on himself and others, as traders. The
time was come when the system must he revised.
Mr. PITT complained, as warmly as the worthy Alder-
man who preceded him, of the extreme ignorance of ac-
counts, and of business generally, betrayed by the Coin.
missioners.

Mr. KEMBLE Suggested that a Committee to procure
signatures ought to be appointed, and also to obtain sub-
srriptions for defraying the unavoiiable expenses of the
undertaking in which they were engaged.
Mr. CHALMERS made a few observations in support of
the resolution.

Mr. BOUSFIELD replied.
The first resolution was then put and agreed to.

Mr. lircitaan TATLOIL proposed that petitions founded
on the first resolution should be presented to Parliament,
and praying that they " would adopt such measures as in
their judgment might seem necessary to abolish the pre-
sent fourteen lists of Commissioners of Bankrupts, and, in
lieu thereof, to establish such a Court as might give to the
petitioners and the public at large that confidence which
ought to be felt in the administration of so important a
branch of the laws of the realm." After enlarging upon
the importance of having all judicial functions discharged
by competent persons, and persons of known reputation
for learning, integrity, and talent, he pressed upon the
meeting, as the most judicious course they could adopt,
that of petitioning in the form suggested, and avoiding
any suggestion of a new plan for the administration of that
branch of the law.

After some further conversation, in which Mr. Alder-
man Waithman, 'Messrs. Browne, Bousfield, &c. &e.
participated, the second resolution was put and agreed to
Mr. Alderman COPELAND would not be guilty of the
bad taste of occupying much more of their time by any
remarks of his; he Bare the petition his most cordial sup-
port, and moved the appointment of a Committee of
twenty-nine gentlemen, including the names of those who
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took a prominent part in the business of the meeting.
Mr. HELrs suggested that an alteration ought to be
made in the Bankrupt Law, which would enable seven-
eighths of the creditors to bind by their votes the other
eighth.
The resolution respecting the Committee was then put
and agreed to.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman and to Mr.
Bousfield, and the meeting broke up.