The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1838.

strong, was justified by the occasion. On Saturday morn-
ing we announced, in common with some of our Contem-
poraries, upon the authority of a correspondent, the
news of the arrival of an order to respite the exe-
cution at Chester. Previously to being made ac-
quainted with that fact, we wrote some observations
on the subject, which appeared in our leading
article of the same morning, in which we treated the
matter as doubtful, nor did we think it right to alter or
omit those observations upon the authority of a casual cor-
respondent, who, for aught we then knew, might have been
himself misinformed. Besides, as our remarks were chiefly
directed against the injustice and barbarity of the bastardy
clauses of the New Poor-law, the force of their application
remains while those clauses continue in the Statute-book,
notwithstanding the lives of Dinah Jones and Ann Byrom
have at length been spared. In the Chester Chronicle we
find the confirmation of the intelligence which we gave
" from a Correspondent" on Saturday morning. We give
it in the words of that paper :
The application to the Government was signed by about
three hundred respectable citizens ; and the females of the city,
to the number of seven hundred, addressed the Queen in affec-
tionate and loyal language. The leading inhabitants of the
city have all exerted themselves, and brought what influence
they could to bear upon the fate of both prisoners, in order to
ameliorate the sentence. The City Sheriff, the City Clergy,
and the Ministers of all denominations, have given their best
aid. A feverish anxiety was felt as to the effect. Each post
was anxiously looked for.
We congratulate the citizens of Chester on the interposi-
tion of the Royal prerogative—that brightest jewel in the re-
galia of the Sovereign, even mercy, on behalf of these crimi-
nals, and not only on their behalf, but also on behalf of the
morals, the feelings, and the wishes of the citizens of Chester.
It is a boon to the city to relieve us from the outrage of public
executions. The city thanks are due to the Queen for the act
of grace. Let our prayers accompany those thanks, that our
city may never again be outraged by another public execution."
In attacking the bastardy clauses of the New Poor-law,
which are so well contrived to create the dreadful tempta-
tion to the commission of the crime for which the two
unhappy women at Chester were condemned to the
scaffold, we kindled a more than ordinary degree of
rage in the gentle bosom of that Somerset House
Amazon—Cupid's maid of all work. In the harmless
exasperation cf her toothless fury she calls us such
names as the fish market supplies to a Doll of Wapping
like herself. That she should cull her names and
metaphors from Billingsgate is natural enough, seeing what
a reputation she formerly obtained for her dealings in cod
fish—and when she next catches a fine fish of that sort at
Lowestoffe or elsewhere, with a child in its belly, we hope
she will give us timely notice, that we may render due
honour to her exclusive possession of a rarity in verum
natura surpassing any thing that has been brought under
the notice of the British Association of Science and Non-
sense in its sectional lectures or dissectional dinner par-
ties, while cultivating arts mechanical and gastronomical,
by which the disciples of Watt and Ude, of Cross and
Kitchener, may go on hand in hand " smiling to immor-
tality." We observe that this British Association had a
lecture upon a fish with four eyes one day—and Scottish
white-bait on another, both of which rarities, we hope,
like the good children who learn their letters in ginger-
bread type, they did not forget to eat ; but what is either a
fish with four eves or Scottish white-bait to such an edible
curiosity as the Globe's little " Jonas" and his finny
dry—or rather wet, nurse—the cod fish which would give
" science" and subsistence to a whole section of philoso-
phers for a week? We can assure Cupid's maid of all
work that, notwithstanding the foolish flippancy of tongue
and petulance of temper which she evinces whenever we
bespeak the public sympathy for the miserable victims of
the Wbig bastile law, we are so far from feeling any ill will
towards her in return, that if to-morrow all her other spe-
culations railed, we should have no objection to recom-
mend her to the post of matron to a union workhouse,
where the practice she has had in the management of the
Downing street scrubbing-brush and slop-pail, might make
her eminently useful. Now for the angry lady's facts.
Wishing to make it appear that the respite arrived in Ches-
ter as early as Thursday morning last, she gives the fol-
lowing narrative, although neither on Thursday or Friday
teeming had that Journal, which is in constant communi-
cation with the underlings of Government, published any
knowledge of the circumstances which it now puts forth :
"The first petitions from Cheshire on the subject of these
convictions was received at the Home-office on Friday week,
and transmitted, by the direction of Lord John Russell, to the
judge who tried the prisoners. The judge's report reached
town on Monday, and was immediately transmitted to Lord
John Russell at the Isle of Wight. The Noble Lord decided
on recommending the cases for the mercy of the crown and
next day the respite was forwarded to Chester, where it ar-
rived early on Thursday morning."
Will the reader believe that in the very same pub!ica-
ti,m of the Globe—that of Saturday—there is also given
another equally " authentic" account of the matter, in
which it is stated that the respite left town at such a time
as would bring it to Chester two hours before the time ap-
pointed for the execution, adding—" On Thursday evening
both women were visited by th chaplain of the prison,
and appeared resigned to their fite, at which time they did
not entertain any hope that the royal mercy would be ex-
tended to them." So much for the consistent information
which Cupid's journal gives the public, whose discovery of
the nine Graces made such a sensation in the literary
world the other day.—Morning Herald.
Although we are net at all displeased, but quite the con-
trary, to see the Ministerial policy with regard to Ireland
taking a practical direction, we must beg leave to protest
against the great assumption of merit on that account,
which we find in the Ministerial journals. They are pleased
to say that very great gratitude is due to the present Go-
vernment for the intention manifested by it to do practical
good to Ireland, and they insinuate that the policy of
their political opponents has been heretofore the very
opposite, and that not only in effect, but in design, was
the Tory Government of Ireland, oppressive of the en-
ergies of the people. We wish that the Whigs were
but half as earnest, and half as industrious, in attend-
ing to the public business of the country, as they
are in praising themselves, and imputing all manner
of evil (falsely) to their political opponents. Who
does not know that the grand obstacle to the improve-
ment of Ireland has been its political agitations,
and that general disobedience of the law, which made men
of capital afraid to entrust it in such a country ? Who
(lies not know that the Whigs have ever been the friends
of agitation, and the confederates and comforters of agi-
tators ? Even at this hour the real hindrance to the adven-
turing of capital in the south of Ireland is the fear that no
man would be suffered to draw its profits in security, or to
enjoy them in peace, unless lie joined the party of the
priests, and thus virtually, if not ostensibly, submitted him-
self to their tyranny. Even to this hour, it is a fact that
when a man of sober and industrious habits—especially if
he be a Protestant—realizes an independence, he generally
leaves Ireland for some part of the United Kingdom, where
he will be secure and undisturbed, whatever place of wor-
ship he may frequent, or whatever political candidate he may
vote for. This he cannot be in the Romanist parts of Ire-
lend, owing to the malignant industry of the prime supporters
of the Whig Government. And yet the priests and the Whigs
would persuade Englishmen that they are peculiarly and ex-
clusively the friends of the " material" well-being of the Irish
people. We pledge our personal knowledge to the accu-
racy of the following anecdote, which we give as illustrative
of the kind of benefit which Popery and Whiggery, and the
political ferment in which both delight, confer upon the
material well-being of Ireland. In the year 1809 a man in
humble life, who served in a shop, collected a few pounds,
and determined to try his fortune in the United States of
America. He was shrewd, civil, and attentive, and having
set up a shop foranrg:oo.l me
one-and-twenty
-att the other
went
yyside
years
rs
aproperty
rope
rAtt
y Atlantic, i c le
, fortyi
the
rlen
friendsthea nd, yi
Re
taaernnlddBi
cn3og2, hentpo
as
npb
eroonnuds g
tohhft e
eveningiiss c api t
oa
fl
Of this notion he was full, while he continued at the
realisedtiblhai
soc uk
days
aawyn i
sdt had mo withinil
oml
youth.
hotel
in Dublin, before going into Westmeath, where he had been
mirtol
born and bred. But at the end of tnherpsoeefses
be
we fora
he had
returned again to the same hotel, and
very soon
ryato
y ears,m an
af-
terwards sailed back with his forty thousand dollars
tthe
wUhnoitehdadShteaetens,sedpeacrlaatreindgftrhomat
such
t
ucwhassceial
to endure the condition of strife and hazard whichn was (in
was
a
the only part of the country that he cared for) produced by
Romanfe l t
that
that
a tdroveCatholic.
iatantylonin.terYfeertenthceis
wmiathn
his
religion
him and his capital away from his native land ; but, having
politicall
t
been accustomed to freedom and security, he
Ro-
manist Ireland, its agitation, and its tyranny would not do
for him. Therefore—having the means to live elsewhere
—he went away. If this man had belonged originally to
the north of Ireland, where neither Popery nor Whiggery
have any considerable footing, his capital would never have
gone back to the United States. He would have found
security and comfort around him in the home of his fathers,
and one more instance would have been added to the thou-
sands which exist in the north of Ireland (as in Scot-
land) of the country being enriched by industry exer-
cised in a foreign land. The real curse of Ireland—the
real foe to all material improvement—is the continual ex-
asperation of the people, kept up for the sake of promoting
the interest, of their political leaders, while it keeps them-
selves destitute—and despicable because destitute. This is
the work of those worthy confederates, the Whigs and the
Romanist Priests. But we are told that the Irish have
been kept down by the oppressive laws against the indus-
try of Ireland, enacted after the feeble and inglorious resist-
ance which the Irish Papists made to the arms of William
111. This is the mere cant of recreant Whiggery, and con-
fident liberalism, which always rests itself upon some assump-
tion, to the utter forgetfulness or absolute negation of his-
torical fact. How often must these theorists be told that
Ireland was not only more tranquil, but more prosperous—

that her people were better fed, and in all respects (save
the enjoyment of religious freedom) better circum-
stanced between the periods of William the Third
and since. Let it notbe supposed, however, that we account
the fetters upon religious freedom, which, within that pe-
riod, were imposed upon the Romanist Irish, as a light
matter. No ; we would have respected the men that had
contended for this freedom, and if at the sword's point, so
much the more. But Irish Popery has never contended
in a manly fashion for anything. Irish Popery hath ever
sought sotae base and scoundrel method of proceeding.
Conspiracy, clamour, lying representations—promises art-
fully constructed with a view to their evasion—oaths made
only to be broken—compacts violated without shame, and
protestations of fidelity, trampled upon without remorse—
these have been the political weapons of the Irish Roma-
nists. By these have the leaders corrupted the morals of
the people. This—this is the evil which meets us in so
many shapes. This is the fountain from which so many
slaughters have been derived This is the hindrance to
mercantile, as to every other kind of prosperity. This is
what makes even the best laws comparatively unavailing—
quid leges sine moribus
Vans proficiunt ?
If the laws instituted by Great Britain (as it is said)
for the purpose of crushing Ireland were the real cause of
Ireland's poverty and degradation, how has it not happened
to the north of Ireland even as to the south ? There has
not been one mercantile law for one part of the country
and another for another part. No—the pretence is a false
one—the reason stated for Ireland's backwardness is alto-
gether a mistake. It is the political and social and most
immoral system of Irish Romanism that has done the mis-
chief. Even in the south they who were not Romanists,
nor persecuted by the Romanist system, have contrived to
prosper. There are no wealthier men in Ireland than the
Quakers, who are scattered about in the fine corn country
watered by the Barrow and the Suir. They attended to
their business while the madness of political agitation, pro-
moted by Whiggery and Popery, raged around them. '
They could have given to the Romanists lessons
which, if attended to, would have banished destitution
from the land ; but the people were taught by another
description of persons—by men than whom the world
has never seen more heartlessly selfish wretches. They
filled the land with violence, and they obtained political
power for themselves. This was their object, and this they
pursued, and do pursue, well knowing that their course is
that which promotes the destitution and the social wretch-
edness of the people. If the Irish Liberals were what they
ought to be, they would be utterly ashamed of the pretence
that their inferior situation is owing to England, and that
their progress in material well-being must be owing to the
helping hand of England. Why do they not help them-
selves? They can brawl and bellow loud enough about
some speculative political advantage for their leaders—why
do they not work with equal energy to make themselves
respectable ? Did the Scotch—did the men of the north
of Ireland—ever whine for English help, or howl about
English oppression ? No ; they worked, honestly and
openly, as men ought. They entered into no conspiracies
—they broke no oaths—but they " quitted themselves like
men," and they have their reward in the respect of the
empire and of the world. Let the Irish Romanists behave
themselves as well, and earn their prosperity by a similar
manliness of exertion.—Morning Post.

KENSINGTON PETTY SESSIONS.

DUEL PREVENTED. —On Friday evening George Hicks,
Esq , a gentleman holding a high official situation at the Ad-
miralty, residing at No. 1, Camden Hill-terrace, Kensington,
waited on H. G. Codd, Esq., the Magistrate of Worship-
street Police-office, who resides at Kensington, and applied,
for warrants against his son, Mr. George Henry Tempest
Hicks, and a young gentleman named Edward John Heward,
residing at Vauxhall, whom he stated he anticipated contem-
plated fighting a duel on the following morning.
Mr. Hicks, who was accompanied by two gentlemen, stated
that a short time since a disagreement occurred between his
son and Mr. Howard in France. On Thursday night, during
his (Mr. Hicks's) absence from home, Mr. Heward called at
his residence and assaulted his son, and not being satisfied
with that, had challenged him to fight a duel with him at fire
o'clock on Saturday morning.
Mr. CODD—Where is the duel to be fought ? Mr. Hicks
—On Camden Hill, Kensington.
Mr. Conn—l have no fear of the duel being fought on so
public a spot as Camden Hill. However, as you have sworn
that ou fear a breach of the public peace, I will grant the
warrants.

Mr. Hicks—What will be the consequence of such a pro-
ceeding ? Mr. Coen—Why your son, when taken into cus-
tody will be locked up.
Mr. Hicks—l should not like bim to be locked up in a cell
all night.
The Magistrate and Mr. Hicks and his friends having con-
ferred together, Mr. Hicks agreed to the warrants issuing, on
condition that his son should not be taken into custody until
shortly berore the hour appointed for the duel.
Shortly afterwards, when Mr. Codd had quitted the bench,
Mr. Hicks returned to the police station, and begged the war-
r nts might be withheld, stating he thought he possessed suffi-
cient parental authority to prevent the duel.
On Saturday, Mr. Inspector Smith, of the T division, in-
formed Mr. Codd, that notwithstanding the withdrawal of the
charge by Mr. Hicks, he had sent Sergeant Clark, T 12,
White, T 119, and another constable, at four o'clock that
morning, to that gentleman's residence, to watch that no un-
pleasant rencontre took place between the parties. The offi-
cers had subsequently reported to him, that after watching
for some time, they had ascertained that Mr. Hicks, jun.,
was in the safe custody of the family, and they consequently
left.

Mr. Coon having expressed himself satisfied with the cx
planation, the matter dropped.
The cause of the quarrel did not transpire.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

GUILDHALL.

On Saturday, the driver of the hackney•coach No. 72 was
charged by an officer of the Animals' Friend Society with
cruelly besting a horse in Fleet-street, on Saturday afternoon.
The complainant said the driver stood up on his footboard
to lash the horse with greater effect, and that he whipped it
cruelly, though it was going fast at the time.
The defendant said it was a capital horse to go, but it had
been a good while in an omnibus, and in passing through the
streets frequented by those vehicles, whenever the horse heard
a conductor bawl to a driver to stop it instantly pulled up.
lie was breaking the horse of this habit.
Mr. Alderman VENABLES said he had partly admitted the
offence, and he therefore fined him ss. _ _ _

Lyon Bernard, a well-dressed foreigner, who is detained
on suspic:ou of having stolen a box of jewellery from Edin-
burgh, was remanded till Friday, no further evidence baring
been adduced.