The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-26 00:00:00

merly only 147 colliers could unload at a time, no less
than 186 vessels were at that moment unloading in
the Pool ! And what does he prophecy as the result ?
That good coals may be received into cellar in London,
for 20s. 6d. the ton ; or about one half the amount
paid by the poor at present.

We refer our readers to a report of the proceedings
before the Greenwich Magistrates on Friday last, in a
Church-rate case. It appears that the Churchwar-
dens of thin parish had taken out summonses against
several of the inhabitants who demurred to the pay-
ment of a Church-rate made last February, this being,
a necessary preliminary to the issue of distress war-
rants. The granting of the warrants was successfully
resisted by Mr. ARNOLD, the barrister, on behalf of
the recusants. The grounds of objection taken by
Mr. ARNOLD were--Ist, That the rate was in part
retrospective. 2d. That several of the items in the
Churchwarden's budget were for purposes not neces-
sary to the decent celebration of divine worship ; such
for instance, as tuning the organ, winding up the
clock, and mending the beadle's boots. 3d. Because it
was unequal, some persons having been passed over by
the Church-wardens, on their own authority, as being
poor, and others having, in virtue of a composition,
been rated on a scale lower than the non-compounding
rate-payers. 4th. Because an election of Church-
wardens had taken place between the laying of the rate
and the demand of payment.

Any one of these objections would have been suffi-
cient to prevent the interference of the Magistrates,
who, according to the Act which gives them jurisdic-
tion in such cases, are stopped in limine when the
validity of the rate is disputed, and notice given them
by the party disputing. The Justices of Greenwich,
therefore, could not, and did not hesitate to dismiss the
summonses which they had issued for the attendance of
the refractory rate-payers. The matter, however, can-
not rest here.

By the arrival yesterday at Liverpool, of the Packe
Ship Independence, from New York, we have received
United States and Canada Papers—the former to the
7th instant inclusive ; from which interesting extracts
will be found in another part of The Sun. Rumours
of the capture of a Russian agent, and of preparations
for another invasion of the Canadas, include nearly the
whole of the intelligence from the British Provinces.
Congress was occupied with the preSentation of various
reports and documents by the Executive, elucidatory of
the various official statements contained in the PRESI-
DENT'S Message. In the House of Representatives
on the 4th instant, Mr. JOIIN QUINCY ADAMS, ex-
Ptesident, moved the following resolutions, the reading
of which excited the greatest attention :

" Resolved, that a Committee of members be appointed,
with leave to send for persons and papers to inquire and re-
port to this House—
" 1. Whether Andrew Stevenson, Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States in Lon-
don, is, or has recently been engaged in a public newspaper
controversy, involving his personal integrity and the honour of
his country, whose representative he is, with Daniel O'Con-
nell, a Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland.

2. Whether the said Andrew Stevenson, holding the pri-
vileged character of an Ambassador, has, in concert with
three other persons, citizens of the United States, one of them
an officer in their navy, engaged in a conspiracy with intent to
stop the wind, or in the language of the laws of God and of
man, to murder the said Daniel O'Connell in a duel, or by a
premeditated provocation to a duel.
" 3. Whether the said Andrew Stevenson, after a written
demand of explanation, in the form usual among duellists,
as preliminary to a challenge, and with the intent to follow
it up by a challenge, preconcerted with the said three other
citizens of the United States, did accept of an answer from
the said Daniel O'Connell equally unsatisfactory to the codes
of genuine and of spurious honour, and thereby tacitly admit
the truth of the imputation upon his honour, at which he had
professed to take offence.
"4. Whether the said Andrew Stevenson, in these transac-
tions, has violated the duties of his office as an ambassador of
peace, the laws of nations, the laws of the land to the Govern-
ment of which he was accredited, the privileges of the British
House of Commons, in the person of one of its members, and
the interest of his own country.
" 5. Whether the said Andrew Stevenson has, in these
transactions, so conducted himself as to require the constitu-
tional interposition of this House, by impeachment or
otherwise."

It was subsequently moved that these resolutions
should lie on the table. A division took place, when
the motion was carried by 140 votes against 75.
Should they be eventually adopted, the excitement
throughout the Union will be very great, as their dis-
cussion will open again the whole question of domestic
slavery.
The Russian Consul at Boston, seized as a spy in
Montreal, was carried before Sir JOHN COLBORNE,
who, after examining him on the charge of fomenting
a rebellion, ordered him to be released. His Excel-
lency further directed the Attorney-General to furnish
him with a letter of acquittal, which, having obtained,
he returned to the United States.

The liberal electors of Perthshire have given a
grand entertainment to Mr. Fox MAULE. There
assembled on this occasion a numerous and splendid
array of the Reformers of that great County to pay a
tribute of respect to a gentleman who, independently
of what may be called his hereditary claim to the re-
gard of all who value constitutional liberty, has, in
his own person, deserved well of the Reformers by
he services which he has rendered to the cause.
As we have inserted elsewhere a report of the
proceedings at considerable length, it is almost un-
necessary to occupy the attention of our readers
with observations on the able speech of Mr.
MA U LE. They
.will peruse it for themselves,
and in the rapid, yet comprehensive view which the
Honourable Gentleman took of the state of our politi-
cal affairs, they will find the subjects of chief interest
at the present moment sagaciously and eloquently
handled.
We think the Liberals of Perthshire have done them-
selves honour by the honour which they have conferred
upon their former—and we hope their future—
representative. That he is not their present represen-
tative is owing to the bribery, the fictitious votes, and
the other base arts to which the Tories so un-
scrupulously resorted at the last election, but which
the friends and supporters of Reform could not employ,
because they were inconsistent with the prineples they
hold, and indeed constitute a main part of the
evil which Reform was intended to put an end to.

The many representations which have been addressed
to us within the last fortnight—most of them of a pri-
vate and personal nature—on the subject of Reforms
in the British Navy, have led us, in vindication of
certain statements upon which the friends of " things
as they are," assume our complaints against the pre-
sent mode of conducting that branch of the public
service to be founded, to republish from the Devonporl
Telegraph a speech delivered in the House of Com-
mons, during the last Session of Parliament, by Ad-
miral Sir EDWARD CODRINGTOIsT, illustrative of the
working of the system as regards the more especial
objects of Aristocratic solicitude in the practical ope-
ration of all
braonlacihnegs
Cofonitlmicisspitiohnlsi.c servicee—t
the Officers h
ground to tax. the Govermneut with a neglect of the
claims of meritorious Officers, who, ftcm their educa-
tion, rank, and position in society,
possess ti-iaans,, of
making their complaints known both to the public
and to the individuals charged with the administration
of the Navy, the nation may be certain that the con-
dition of the p9or: ileyesl, ignorant, and unfriended
sailor working before mast, is comparative;" infi-
nitely more wretched. And ye,: from the statements
contained in that speech—statements which have since
their delivery been well authenticated—is it not mani-
fest that Naval Officers are, to a great extent, at the