The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-20 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HO USE.
While the LORD MAYoft was occupied in the
routine business of the Justice-room, one of his
friends placed before him the librning Chronicle
and illernints. Advertiser newspapers, and requested
that he would read the article under the head of
Guildhall, Containing some condemnatory obierva:-
lions from Sir Pster Laurie upon his Lordship4s con-
duct in issuing a notice to the public that the Lord
Mayor would not permit a meeting to be held in
Smithfield on Tuesday last._ . .

The I.26tib MAYOR having been assured that he
might rely upon the correctness of the reports, said,
that as the attack had been made upon him by Sir
Peter Laurie from the Magistrate's chair, he (the
Lord Mayor) should return the compliment from a
corresponding eminence at the Mansion-house.—(A
laugh.) He should, he said, have felt exceedingly
surprised, had the statement made by Sir Peter
Laurie come from the lips of any other Magistrate,
or indeed from any person gifted with a moderate
portion of that ordinary gift of Providence called
common sense, but falling, as the words did fall,
from the worthy Knight, every one who was aware
of Sir Peter's peCuliar talent in making his public at
variance with his private asseverations, must look
upon the matter as no more than a mere joke.—
(Laughter.) The worthy Knight did certainly pos-
s-ss the knack of making an individual appear a very
different sort of person when abs Pit from what he
made him look when present, and, unlike the pro-
fessional artist, forgot all but the deformities of the
friend whose likeness he took.

The Lord Mayo►'s friend said he certainly felt no
slight degree of astonishment at the statement of
Sir Peter Laurie, which appeared tc him to be such
a one as one Magistrate would be very likely to
make of another, who octal to the best of his
judgment.
The LORD MAYOR said he could readily excuse
it, in consideration of the strong tendency to mis-
interpret and misrepresent for which his worthy bro-
ther of the gown was distinguished. In the present
instance the statement of the worthy Knight was
contrary to the fact, inasmuch as the course adopted
by the Lord Mayor had had the concurrence and ap-
probation, both in public and private, of all the
City Magistrates, with the exception of Sir Peter
Laurie, whose concurrence and approbation were
certainly confined to his private opinion and private
advice.—(Laughter.) He (the Lord Mayor) should,
however, be always glad to listen to the sentiments
of Sir Peter Laurie, but he hoped that, for the fu-
ture, the worthy Knight would not subject himself
to retorts which would be calculated, supported as

they would be by the authority of his own brethren,
to injure him as an authentic historian.—(Laughter.)
The Lord Mayor's friend said he had not seen
the attack made by Sir Peter Laurie in the Times.
The LoRD MAYOR said he supposed that some
things of a similar description might have come to
the knowledge of those who conducted the papsr
alluded to, and that they thought it better to act as
they usually dA in matters of doubt.
Mrs. Pritty, a well-dressed lady, was summoned
for having detained two gold rings, the property of
Mrs. Dixon, a dealer in articles of the kind. The
case excited much curiosity.
Mrs. Dixon stated that Mrs. Pritty, who had run

up a pretty long bill with her fur various articlei,
came to her by way of recompensing her one day,
and requested two rings to show to a friend who
wished to purchase them. Witness intrusted her
with the rings, upon the promise that she would
bring them or the money to her immediately. Nei-
ther one nor the other however were forthcoming,
and at last Mrs. Pritty actually laughed at all appli-
cation for them.

The LORD MAYOR—WeII, Mrs. Pritty, why don't
you give this poor woman her property ?—Mra.
Pritty, in the very politest manner, assured the
Lord .Mayor that she had purchased the rings of
Mrs. Dixon, end that she would pay for them most
sei upulouly. She had one of them on her finger;
the other she could nut find, but she should pay
for both.
Mrs. Dixon swore that Mrs. Pritty never pur-
chased the rings.
The LORD MAYOR—WeII, Mrs. Pritty, suppose
you give up this ring, and pay for the other? Mrs.
Pritty—Oh dear, my Lord, I should not hesitate,
but you see, my Lord, if I were to give up the ring,
it would appear as if I had become dishonestly pos-
sessed of it.—(Laughter.)
The LORD MAYOR—Believe me that if you give
them up, it will have a much more honest appear-
ance, and I hope vou will for your own sake.—Mrs.
Pritty (evidently'deceived by the mild tone of the
Lord Mayor)—Oh ! my Lord, I really cannot think
of it—it will look so.

The LORD MAYOR—Oh ! hut if you don't, you
must go to the Compter. The rings were not
bought, Mrs. Pritty. They :were ; you un-
derstand me.— ( A laugh.)
Mrs. Pritty—Oh dear ! But I hope you'll allow
me to consult a solicitor, to see whether my charac-
ter would not suffer if I was to give them up.
The LORD MAYOR—Oh ! certainly ; but you
must stay in the Compter till then.
Mrs. Pritty then told Mrs. Dixon to take her
bauble, and the other should be sent to her.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Yesterday a man of respectable appearance, abou
thirty years of age, was brought before Mr. ROE,
the sitting Magistrate, charged with a very unequi-
vocal act of indecency towards two female children,
belonging to respectable parents, one about ten, and
the other about eight years of age.
The offence alleged against the prisoner was re-
presented to have taken place at St. James's church,
in Piccadilly ; and in consequence the Rev. Mr.
Ward, the Rector of the parish, attended the inves-
tigation of the case.
The accusation made against the prisoner was so
clearly supported by the evidence of the two chil-
dren, who appeared perfectly to comprehend the na-
ture and obligation of an with, and by that of two
other witnesses, who had the prisoner taken into
custody on the spot, that the Magistrate at once
sentenced the prisoner, under the recent Police Act,
as a rogue and vagabond, to three months' hard
labour in the House of Correction.
The prisoner, who was attended by a respectable
solicitor, protested with much earnestness and in-
dignation against this sentence, declared his entire
innocence of the alleged offence, and that the whole
of the evidence against him was pure invention,
and a tissue of falsehoods ; and under the advice of
his solicitor expressed his determination to appeal
to the sessions against the Magistrate's conviction.
Mr. ROE said that the prisoner certainly had an
undoubted right, under the Act of Parliament in
question, to appeal, but he must first enter into sure-
ties to prosecute that appeal.
The prisoner, who up to this time had given his
name as John Smith, said that he was already pro-
vided with sureties for that purpose.
Two persons here came forward to offer them-
selves as bail, but when questioned separately as to
their responsibility, &c., by the Magistrate, they dis-
agreed altogether as to the prisoner's Name, one say-
ing that his name was Smith, and the other that it
was Jones.
The Magistrate said that it was now clear the
prisoner had given a false name, and he should not
be admitted to bail on the appeal at all until it
should be satisfactorily ascertained what his real
name \ins.
The prisoner then admitted that he had given a
false name, but his reason, he said, for doing so was,
that he did not wish his friends and connexions,
who were most respectable, to know that a charge
of such a description, howev,T false, had been made
against him. His real name, he then said, was
Edward Pedley, that he was of no business or prc-
fession, but a private gentleman.
The two persons who had offered themselves as
bail were then sworn, and they also declared en
oath that the prisoner's real name was as he bad

now given it; and their bail being then accepted,
the prisoner was set at liberty until the Sessions.
Mr. ROE directed that the thddren should be
taken every proper care of in the workhouse of St.
James's parish until the Sc.-Along, and that Mr.
Ward, the rector, alone should have access to them
besides their parents.

CHURCH iIEFORM.

(From the Birmingham Journal.)

TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD BROUGHAM, &c. &c.

MY LORD,—I wish to submit to your Lordship's
attention the following analysis of a work, published
by E. Wilson, of the Royal Exchange, with Au-
thorities and Statistical Accounts of the extraordi-
nary consumption of public wealth by the clergy of
England and Ireland, compared with other countries,
which require your most vigilant attention in the re-
forms you are about to institute.
It is stated that the clergy of England and Ire-
land receive a larger remuneration annually than all
the clergymen of all the rest of the Christian
world put together, which may be seen by tabular
statements.
The hearers of the church of Scotland are esti-
mated at 1,500,000; the cost to the country is only
202,500/.
The revenues of the Scotch clergy are derived
from a charge on the rent of land paid by the land-
lords, at about 9d. per acre. On comparing notes
between an English and a Scotch landlord, it was
found that the Scotch gentleman paid 301. tithe on
800 English statute acres to a minister who had
never absented himself from his parish for a series
of years. The duties of a Scotch clergyman are
numerous and laborious; they officiate regularly in
the public worship of God, delivering every Sunday
a lecture, and a sermon with prayers, which are all
required to be of the minister's own composition,
and extempore; besides examining their people from
the Scriptures and Catechisms of the church, and
visiting them from house to house, and the super-
intendence of all schools within their bounds. The
English gentleman, it was found, had paid the same
sum of 301. tithe on 80 statute acres only, to a
clergyman who had not, for a series of years, been
nearer to his parish than 150 miles ; performing the
slender duty by allowing a scanty maintenance to
his substitute, although himself enjoyed from the
parish 3,0001. per annum. Well might the Scotch
gentleman be astonished.
Again—lt appears from a careful examination of
public documents, that the clergy of all the Christian
world, except England and Ireland, receive annually
8,852,0001. from 198,728,000 hearers; while the
clergy of England and Ireland receive 8,896,0001.
from only six millions of hearers, making 44,0001.
more than is paid from all Christendom to their

clergy.
The hearers that arc Dissenters of all denomina-
dons in England and Wales, are computed at six
millions, and their ministers are supported by
voluntary contributions at an expense of only
510,000/. besides budding and supporting their own
places of worship, as well as paying their quota to
the clergy of the established church.
Catholics and other Dissenters of Ireland,
are said to amount to 6,600,000 hearers, who sup-
port their own ministers by voluntary contributions
of 261,580/.
The Morning Chronicle, of the 20th of May,
1822, says—" The estates of the see of Armagh, if
out of lease, would bring 140,0001. per annum, and
that the annual income of Derry, Kilmore, Water-
ford, and Clogher, if out of lease, is computed
100,0001. a year each : the practice that has pre
vailed is to grant leases for twenty-one years, and
renew every third and seventh year, in consequence
of fines." Thus, five bishoprics, if out of lease,
would make 510,000/. per annum.
Pasture land, in Ireland, is tithe-free ; when it
passes into tillage, the tithe demanded is about lOs.
per English acre, for wheat, barley, and potatoes,
instead of 9d, per acre, as in Scotland. In a country
of 14 millions of acres of cultivable lands in Ireland,
rapidly passing into tillage, it may be judged how
great will soon be the amount of tithe.
Can your Lordship, then, be surprised that Ire-
land is in a state of agitation !
Again—The writer estimates, from diligent and
laborious research, the following value of church
property.
Tithes belonging to livings in the gift of the
Crown, the Bishops, and the Ecclesias-
tical Corporations
Tithes belonging to livings in
the gift of individuals
3,000,0001. per annum,
at 25 years' purchase... £75,000,000
Less 9-25th, to be paid to
the individuals as a com-
pensation

49,000,000

Tithes X 129,250,000

Estates, 1,000,0001. per anu.
at 30 years' purchase .. •

30,000,000

Value of Church Property in Eng1aw1X159,250,000
Ditto in Ireland, 1,300,000/.
at 14 years' purchase •• •

18,200,000

Total value of Church Property in Eng-
land and Ireland £177,450,000
With this data the writer proposes to subStitute
a new mode of provision for the support of the
clergy and religious teachers in general.
It is certain that in Germany, France, Italy,
Spain, and Portugal, in short, wherever a large
pi operty had accumulated in the hands of the clergy,
all such property has been uniformly applied to the
service of the nation ; and now we are the only
people who have a large mass of ecclesiastical wealth
in reserve.
Even in the Pai.4l territory of Rome, the church
property has been sold to pay the national debt.
In the present state of distress the writer recom-
mends that Commissioners be appointed for this
purpose, empowered to sell all church property,
both tithes and estates. A preference in the sale of
tithes to be given to the owners of the lands. The
money gradually arising from the sales, to be invested
in the public funds, the interest to be paid to the
present holders of livings for their lives, equal to their
present income. The succession to be paid accord-
ing to a scale of national stipends, graduated accord-
ing to the number of hearers and extent of duty.
Thus, by allowing 27,000,0001. for what may be
considered equitable vested rights belonging to indi-
viduals, and securing a life interest to the clergy who
are the present holders of livings, it is calculated
that 177,450,0001. may be made available to the
Government ; and the national debt and annual
taxes be reduced materially, and yet rio man will
have injustice done to him.
His project for a future provision is by giving
national stipends with an hierarchy sufficiently
splendid of the episcopal body and other dignitaries,
as follows :-
2 Archbishop' at ....EB,000 each
21• Bishops, at
60 Archdeacons, at... 1,000 each
27 Dean', at

13 of the Episcopal body £175,000
Canons, Prebend., 84c.
For the working Clergy, both of the establi.hed
and other denominations, from 2501. to 350/
per annum, in England and Wales, for
11,150,000 people 1,815,000

Total annual income £2,060,000 I
From the French Almanac du Clere,O, 1822 :
c, It appears the French Government pay to the
clergy, both Catholic and Protestant, 3-1,,,80 mmis-
ters, dignitaries, and working clergy, for 30 millions
of people, the annual sum of 1,017,837/.; and there
are 1,363 clergymen who perform service gratui-
tously, assisting in the ministry from zeal."
So that with less than half the number of people
to attend, the English clergy by this allowance
would be paid nearly double salary to those of France.
A similar plan of national stipends is proposed
for religious instruction in Ireland.
Without going into further details of tile plan of

future provisions which will admit of considerable
improvement, I beg leave to submit, my Lord, these
general outlines, which are well deserving your
Lordship's attention at a period of unexampled
anxiety—when all men are disquieted, and looking
to you for deliverance ; expecting great things from
your mighty mind, as a master-spirit of the age,
seeing things in their essence and principles, and
placed in the most exalted situation : from this
proud elevation, possessing within yourself an ency-
cloptedia of knowledge, and supported by public opi-
nion, you may survey with calm and steady indiffer-
ence the opposition to be encountered from the arts
and intrigues of a defeated faction of exposed hire-
lings, placemen,and pensioners.
A new era is opening upon us. You have it in
your power to become the founder of an epoch from
which may be dated a system of wise and good
government.
As your great archetype, Lord Bacon, by a sound
and wholesome experimental philosophy, laid the
foundation of our present greatness it► the arts and
sciences, by exploding and spurning the Aristotelian
philosophy of the dark ages, and the useless jargon
of the schools; so your Lordship may become
equally immortal by getting rid of the false prin-
ciples of government, in ruling mankind against the
laws of nature and reason; and by displaying and
demonstrating on the theatre of the world, that nn n
are best governed, and made happy and prosperous,
by the only true safeguards and regulating prin-
ciples of honour, good faith, equal rights, laws, and
privileges, in a connected fabric of universal justice;
instead of the Machiavelian policy of corruption,
exclusion, and favouritism, whereby one set of men
have been armed and paid, in order to oppress and
tyrannise ever , the rest ; as a set of Ja►sissaries,
with neither the natural parts or the moral virtues
of other men.

You stand, my Lord, now in the capacity of a
fasderal representative of the human race. From you
much of Reform in our various institutions has been
promised to the people of England. To you much
power has been given : and allow me to say, in
conclusion, much is naturally required.
I am, my Lord,
With every sentiment of respect,
Your Lordship's most humble and devoted servant,
A FREEHOLDER.

Birmingham, Jan. 14, 1831.
P.S. Among other references to authorities are
given The Clerical Directory, Colquhoun's Re-
sources, Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Accounts,
Professor Playfair's ditto, Ecclesiastical Register of
Ireland, French Budget, &c. &c.