The Sun.
London, England, 1825-12-29 00:00:00

BANKS.

The following passages from an article in It
New York Paper will be found applicable, in many points, to
the state of our own money market :—" The money matters of
our city," says the -New York Journalist, " are in a condition
that produces much anxiety and distress. Owing to the failure
of several private banks, of some large mercantile houses, and
to the depreciation of produce, a state of real embarrassment
has occurred in the money market. In such a state of things
much may be effected by calmness and moderation.. The
banks of this city „are sound and ~,healthy—their 'Means
are large--their circulation is small _and their interest most
undoubtedly is, that the mercantile credit of the, com-
munity, upon which their own depends, and with which it
is indissolubly connected, should be sustained. The folly,
therefore, of ascribing either to individuals connected with
the tlloney Market, or to Banks, a disposition to produce
pressure is manifest. Against the United States Branch Bank
in particular, there is a desire to excite prejudice ; but in these
respects the Branch Bank is in the same predicament with the
local Flanks. Its prosperity is bound up with the prosperity of
New York, and its Directors are selected from our own citizens.
It is therefore unreasonable to suppose that they can advise
a course of business unfriendly to the community in which
they live, or to the real interests of the institution which
they administer. It may, however, be well worthy of the con.
sideration of all the Banks, whether some steps should not
be taken to relieve, by a concert of action, and, if necessary, by
joint participation of risk, the severe existing pressure. How
this is to be done, it is not for us to suggest; but we cannot
doubt, that a specific appropriation of a certain portion of
the available funds of each Bank, to the relief of those
who, though possessing undoubted means, are yet, owing to
the emergencies of the times, unable to bring them into play,
would be of the greatest importance and beneficence. Some
such measure as this, combined with a mutual understanding
as to specie and draft, and the whole entered into with a spirit
of accommodation and confidence,
,could not fail greatly to re-
lieve the actual difficulties."-:-(Areisi York American, 23d ult.)

INTERESTING A NECDOTE.-A somewhat re-
markable circumstance occurred on Tuesday morning, the day
on which the execution took place. As the Rev. Mr. COTTON,
the Ordinary of Newgate, was proceeding from his residence to
the prison, between six and seven o'clock in the morning, in
order to attend to' the spiritual wants of the poor men who
were about to suffer, he was accosted by a countryman of very
decent appearance and behaviour, who stated that he had just
arrived from the-neighbourhood of Marlow, and had travelled
all night on foot for the purpose of imploring a great favour of
the Rev. Gentleman. Upon being asked the nature of his re-
quest, he stated, that his name was George Roberts' that he
was formerly a private in the 22d Light Dragoons, and had been
pensioned off; that for several years past he had lived near
Marlow, and worked as a labourer, and bore an unimpeached
character ; but about eight years back he and another man
had been charged, on oath, by Edmunds, with having stopped
him on the highway, and stolen four shillings and sixpence
from him. Mr. Vansittart, the Magistrate, having a very
favourable opinion of Roberts's character, interfered, and
there appearing to be some discrepancy in Edmunds's
testimony, the prisoners were discharged. Roberts, conscious
of his entire innocence, and tender of his reputation, was
anxious to wipe away the reproach that had been unjustly cast
upon his fame, and with which he was occasionally upbraided
by evil-minded persons ; he therefore resolved to make a jour-
ney to London, and before his accuser quitted this life obtain
from him, by means of the chaplain of the prison, a confession
of his (Roberts's) innocence.—Mr. Cotton, although unwilling
to disturb the mind of a dying man, considered it his duty to
comply with the wish of the countryman, and desired him to
call in the course of a few hours. The Rev. Gentleman ac-
cordingly, on going into the condemned room, mentioned the
subject to Edmunds, and inquired what was the real truth of
tile case, when he, without any hesitation, frankly owned that
the charge he had brought against Roberts was altogether
without foundation—that, in fact, he had never been rob-
bed at all, but had fabricated the story, for the purpose
of accounting for a deficiency of 4s. 6d. which he had spent,
and which amount wa.,s7tlif prOduce of some articles he had
s sold on his master' account'. On Mr. Cotton's making the
communication • of Edmiinds's acknowledgment to the poor
countryman, he expressed, tuuch gratitude to the reverend gen-
tleman for his humane . ioerposition. He then said that he
would venture to eniretit iipe further favour, which was, that he
might be furniihed ileitit a written statement of what had trans-
pired, as he was apmeitensive that, on his return to the country,
it might be doubted whether Edmunds had actually made the
important confession. Mr. Wontner, the Governor of New-
gate, then kindly gave him a few lines, certifying that he had
been present when Mr. Cotton related the declaration of the
dying man.