The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-29 00:00:00

COMMON HALL.-(THIS DAY.)

LONDON,
THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 29, 1836.

Whatever the Tory Journals may say to the con-
trary, the question of Peerage Reform is making rapid
head-way. With the exception of a very few, all the
Liberal Members who have as yet addressed their con-
ti
stituents, have spoken of it as an event that must ine-
vitably take place, if the Lords do rot obviate the ne-
cessity, by adopting a more enlightened system of
Legislation. Of this, however, we have not the
slightest hopes ; hence we agree in opinion with
Mr. WILLIAMS, that the people cannot bestir
themselves too actively on the subject. In ad-
dressing his Coventry constituents yesterday, this
gentleman, alluding to Peerage Reform, said " It
now became an important question, what was to
be done in a state of affairs like this, when
the two Houses of Parliament were in direct oppo-
sition to each other. If the House of Lords pro-
ceeded in their present course, it must be self-evident
that it would be impossible to proceed further in the
various Reforms which the people required, as the
fruits of the Reform Bill. Of all Governments the
oligarchical was the worst, and the House of Lords
was a decided oligarchy. Was it to be endured that
two hundred and fifty of these Lords should set at
nought the wants and wishes of twenty-four millions
of the most intelligent people in the world ? Would
they be satisfied to allow these 2.50 individuals to refuse
every Reform expected from them ? The question then
was, how was the House of Lords to be brought to work
for the people, instead of against them ? The KING
was accountable for his actions through his Ministers
—the Commons were responsible for theirs—but the
House of Lords was the only party that was not so ;
and he asked them whether they would submit to have
the efforts of the House of Commons, and Reforms
of the most important nature, rendered nugatory by
this portion of the Legislature ? If they desired to
prevent the continuance of this state of things, the
only mode of proceeding was to reform the House of
Lords, and that could only be done by the people
themselves." Just such language as this was held lately
at Somersetshire, East Cornwall, and Waterford, by
gentlemen of the first consideration in their respective
counties ; of keen political foresight ; and who have
hitherto refrained from any allusion to a Reform in the
Lords, in the hope that that House might be induced
to sae its error, and retrace its steps. Finding, how-
ever, their hopes disappointed, they have now come
manfully forward with an express declaration, that the
time has arrived, when it becomes the bounden duty of
the people to consider what steps they should take in
order to accelerate the progress of Peerage Reform_
for it is one of those vital questions the consideration
of which can no longer be postponed with safety.
Thus the ball is at length fairly on the roll. Stop it,
who can I

It was not to be expected that the proceedings which
took place in the city of Waterford on Thursday last
would escape attack from the hired ruffians of a faction
too degraded to have any scruple about the means
which it employs to attain its ends. All that was re-
spectable either in point of wealth, character, or talent,
in the county of Waterford, joined in bestowing a well
merited honour on Mr. VILLIERS STUART, the Lord
Lieutenant of that great county. Here we see a gen-
tleman of the highest official rank, of great wealth, of
extensive influence, but of moderate sentiments in po-
litics hitherto, standing forward on a great public
occasion, and denouncing with a force of argument
and eloquence but rarely witnessed, the conduct of the
House of Lords during the late session of Parliament.
This was not to be passed over by the Tory
hacks. It was too well calculated to counteract their
base efforts to deceive the public with respect
to the necessity of, and desire for, Peerage Reform,
now so generally admitted and expressed, not to
come under their condemnation. Was Mr. STUART
to be allowed, for instance, to utter with impunity such
truths as this ? " There was a time most assuredly,
when the higher orders of this country, being sole
depositaries of learning, of wealth, and of politi-
cal information, were necessarily intrusted, conjointly
with the Monarch, with the sole direction of the
affairs of the -commonwealth ; it was both fitting
and proper that they who possessed exclusive know-
ledge should likewise be possessed of its attribute, ex-
clusive power ; but is it not as preposterous to insist
upon retaining the monopoly of power when the mono-
poly of education has passed away, as it would be in
that parent who should endeavour to restrain in leading
strings his offspring, after that offspring had arrived at
the full maturity of their intellect ?—(Hear.) Yet this

is Conservatism—this is the very end, and aim, and
object of the Conservative principle—namely, to re-
tain in the hands of the patrician order the nearest
possible approximation to that extent of power which
it possessed in the olden time, and to admit to the
leastivossible share in self-government the other orders
of the community.—(Hear, hear, and loud cheers.")
No, no ; these sentiments were too just, and found
too ready acceptance with those to whom they were
addressed, to please those to whom they applied.

The whole of the Paris Papers of Tuesday have
been received. Their contents are interesting. The
news of the defeat of GOMEZ by Brigadier-General
ALAIX, mentioned in our City article of yesterday, is
confirmed. The intelligence was conveyed to the
French Government by telegraph from Bayonne. The
Christinos came up with the rebels between La Venta
del Pinar and Villa Vijedo, in the vicinity of Villa
Robledo. They charged the enemy with great fury.
In a few hours the field of battle was completely
strewed with dead bodies. The Carlists were soon
overpowered, and fled on all sides, leaving 1,360 pri-
soners, two field-pieces, and all their baggage and
stores, in the hands of the QUEEN'S troops. Several
detachments were ordered to pursue the fugitives, of
whom it was supposed that very few could escape, as
sections of the Constitutional Army surrounded them
on all sides. By this one successful stroke has ALAIX
terminated the possibility of Don CARLOS'S projected
descent upon Madrid. To add to the mortification of the
Usurper, it now appears that the reported capture ofße-
quena by GOMEZ—upon which we commented in such
severe terms, a few days since, charging the QUEEN'S
Generals with cowardice or worse—was a mere fabrica-
tion. GOMEZ arrived on the 7th at Utiel, within two
hours march of Requena. He remained there to the
13th, and in the interim was joined by CABRERA,
QUILEZ and SERRADOR at the head of their bands.
When the rebel chiefs had united their forces, GOMEZ,
at the head of 7,000 men, attacked Requena at three
different points at the same moment. The garrison
was wholly composed of National Guards, but
it behaved nobly. The enemy was repulsed
on every side, and after two or three unsuc-
cessful attempts, GomEz thought it most prudent to
withdraw from the town altogether. , He, however,
took care to circulate a rumour, which he contrived
should reach Madrid on the morning of the 16th, to
the effect that Requena had been pillaged by his
troops.

The defeat of GOMEZ, after his junction with the
bands of CABRERA, QUILEZ, and SERRADOR, is one
of the severest blows the Pretender has yet received.
We do not suppose that he will be now in any hurry
to cross the Ebro.

The Paris Journals continue to treat of the Swiss
question as one which may yet be amicably adjusted.
The Cantons of St. Gall and Friburg, having voted for
the Report of the Committee appointed to inquire into
the affair of CONSEIL, fresh difficulties are thrown in
the way of a peaceable arrangement. The Swiss
Vorort will now be compelled, by the interna-
tional law of the federal Cantons, to communi-
cate the Report of the Commission to the French
Government, and France has already declared that she
will resent the presentation of the Report as au insult
to her honour. We confess we see no means of getting
rid of the difficulty, unless by referring the whole affair
to foreign arbitration.

Letters and papers from Madrid to the 22d inst.
have been received. The capital was tranquil. Ge-
neral It oDIL arrived there on the 21st, bringing dis-
patches confirming the defeat of GOMEZ ; and on the
same day set out for the army of the centre. All
classes of Spaniards repose unbounded confidence in
the new Ministry.

`We have received Brussels and German papers this
morning. Extracts from them will be found in ano-
ther part of The Sun. The advices from Cracow are
particularly deserving of attention. We do not credit
the account, which we have copied from a French
Journal, of the attempt to assassinate the Emperor of
RUSSIA.

Between 8 and 9 o'clock yesterday morning consi-
derable excitement was created in the neighbourhood of Ken-
sington-crescent, by the discovery of a large dog of the spaniel
breed running along the high road in a highly rabid state. It
was first observed near the Hand and Flower public-house,
opposite Lee's nursery-ground, where it bit a valuable little
terrier belonging to Mr. Jones, a gentleman residing in the
crescent. It was immediately pursued by several persons with
sticks, pitchforks, &c., through the crescent, biting at every
thing which came in its vs ay, and being headed at the corner
of the road it took to the gardens at the rear of the crescent,
where it attacked a dog belonging to a gentleman named
Morrison. It then proceeded in the direction of the Kensing-
ton-canal, but while pursued down Warwick-street, we regret
to state, it flew at a young man named Wilson, who was pass-
ing along, and bit him severely in the hand. Instantly after-
wards it seized a little girl named Emma Green, about four
years of age, who was standing at its parents' door, whose
nose it bit completely through. The rabid animal then faced
its pursuers, whom it kept at bay for several minutes ; and
there is no doubt it would have done considerable more mis-
chief had not Mr. Ralph, a carpenter, residing in Vale-place,
opportunely come up with a gun and shot it dead. The per-
sons bitten were immediately conveyed to the residence of Mr.
Parkins, a surgeon, near the spot, when their wounds were
cauterized and the dogs bitten were destroyed.
On Tuesday night a gentleman in walking along
Kent-street, Southwark, was observed to fall down suddenly
on the pavement. Sergeant Woodhouse, of the M division,
immediately ran to his assistance, and, with the help of a man,
conveyed him to the Castle public-house in the same street,
where, medical assistance having been procured, he was bled,
but died under the operation. By a card found in the de-
ceased's pocket it was ascertained that his name is Captain
Kopp. There was found in his possession 2/. 125., besides a
silver snuff-box, pocket-book, and a gold brooch, set with bril-
liants. It has been since ascertained that the unfortunate de-
ceased had just arrived from abroad, and that he had only come
up from Gravesend the same afternoon.
_ _

On Monday last, just after the bell had rung for the
start of the last race, a carriage and pair, which had been im-
prudently left outside the course whilst the postilion went up
to the rails to have a nearer view of the approaching contest,
set off at full speed, to the great danger of the spectators.
The horses took a circuit of at least a mile and a half in
circumference, followed by an immense number of people on
foot and on horseback, and the race which took place at the
moment was almost entirely neglected. The horses still con-
tinued at the top of their speed, followed by an immense field
of horse and foot, and actually performed the circuit of the in-
terior of the common three separate times before they were
captured, which was accomplished without injury to the car-
riage or to any one, two men only being knocked down, but
not hurt.' 1 his circumstance was the object of great interest
to the ladies and gentlemen occupying the stand, and more
particularly so as nearly half an hour elapsed before the car-
riage could be recaptured.—Doncaster Chronicle.
An Auvergnat, named Rucq, and his wife, both up-
wards of fifty years of age, had a quarrel a few days ago,
which became so violent that the virago beat her husband so
dreadfully with a candlestick and the handle of a broom, that
though he was rescued from her hands and carried to the
Hotel Dieu, he died of the injuries he received. The murderess
has been arrested. The bloody shirt of the victim, with the
instruments of her crime, are in the hands of the police.
A SCIENTIFIC GARDENER.—The Duke of
Northumberland some time ago received through Prince
Lieven, as a present from the Emperor of Russia, a few
specimens of a rare, indeed unique, species of strawberry.
The original was from the Caucasus. In flavour it partook of
the richness of the cultivated kind, with that delicious aroma
which only belongs to the wild ; in colour it was of a snowy
whiteness. His Grace, as is well known, is much attached to
the study of botany, and valued the imperial present far be-
yond its intrinsic worth. A corner of the kitchen garden was
set apart for the culture of the interesting exotic, which yielded
fruit in abundance, and during its short season the recherche
collations at
Sion House frequently included two or three
golden salvers of the much esteemed fruit, rendered doubly
interesting from its rude and wintry habitat, and the high sta-
tion of its donor. His Grace's old gardener, who planted
the strawberries, died, and was succeeded temporarily by one
of
the new-fanglcd sort, 'ycleped " scientific." This youth
set about
reforming" with a vengeance, and commenced
operations with the kitchen garden. "What !wild strawberries
his Grace's too, growing under very nose; this will never
do ;" and, suiting the action to the word, the reforming
garener" with ruthless hands plucked up the whole of his
master's pet strawberries root and branch, and threw them like
weeds over the garden wall. His Grace's regret is increased
by the circumstance that there is not a single specimen now
left in England ; and he says that in future he will look more
sharply after scientific gardeners.—Morning Paper.

A Common Hall was held this morning, according to an-
nual custom, for the election of a Lord Mayor for the ensu-
ing year.
The Lord Mayor, the new Sheriffs, and Messrs. Aldermen
Kelly, Winchester, and Sir C. Marshall, arrived at the Hall
at near twelve o'clock, and, according to custom, walked in
procession, attended by the City-officers, to the church of St.
Lawrence, where the service was performed by the Lord
Mayor's chaplain.
The cortege returned at one o'clock, when the Recorder
said the Hall was convened for the purpose of choosing a
Chief Magistrate for the ensuing year, one of the most
valuable privileges enjoyed by the City.
The Aldermen then retired to their own Court, when the
Common Sergeant read over the names of those Aldermen
below the Chair.

Alderman Kelly's name, which was first upon the list, was
received with loud acclamations, and on the Hall being asked
for a show of hands, all were held up for him, and the Sheriffs
declared that Aldermen Kelly and Cowan had been elected
to be returned to the Court of Aldermen.
The Sheriffs retired to make the return to the Court of
Aldermen. In a few minutes, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen,
and other officers returned, when the Recorder reported that
the election of the Aldermen had fallen on Alderman Kelly,
which announcement was received with loud cheers. The
worthy Alderman appeared on the hustings, and took upon
himself the office to which he had been elected by having the
gold chain put round his neck. The worthy Alderman re
turned his warm acknowledgments for the honour conferred
upon him, and he promised to do all in his power to maintain
tte dignity of the office to which they had elected him.
He promised that upon all occasions he would give every
facility to the Livery to lay their sentiments before the public.
—( Cheers.)
The thanks of the Hall were voted to the late Sheriffs and
the Under- Sheriffs in very flattering terms, and suitable
acknowledgments having been made, the Hall was declared
dissolved.

MIDDLESEX MAGISTRATES.
(THIS DAY.)

COUNTY DAY'.
—A meeting of the Middlesex Magistrates
took place to-day, at the Session-House, Clerkenwell, for the
despatch of the business connected with the county. Colonel
Clitheroe in the ciair.

ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN.
On the motion of Mr. BALLANTINE, seconded by Dr. Ro-
BINSON, Mr. Sergeant Adams was unanimously re-elected
Chairman until the February Sessions. The Learned Ser-
geant then took his seat, after thanking the Court for the
honour conferred upon him. _ _

The minutes of the last Court were then read and con-
firmed. The Report of the Visiting Justices as to the state
of the House of Correction and the New Prison, Clerken-
well, were received and adopted. The additional rates to be
allowed under the Mutiny Act for the use of carriages for the
conveyance of his Majesty's forces, were fixed.
A letter was received from Mr. Smith,Vestry Clerk of White-
chapel, complaining of the mode adopted of collecting the rates
in that parish, and suggesting that the same mode should be
adopted for the collection of the rates, as was adopted in the
police force. Mr. Smith also complained of the injustice of
the system adopted towards those parishes who had paid the
county rate regularly. The Government offices in Whitehall
were among the parties in arrear for the county rate.
The CHAIRMAN believed there was a question still depend-
ing, as to whether the Government offices were liable to pay
the county rates.

Mr. BALLANTINE wished to know whether Government
offices were rated in the books.

Mr. ALLEN stated that they were ; they had been
demanded, and payment refused. He believed that the ques-
tion of the liability of the Government offices would come
shortly before a court of law. The ground on which the re-
fusal to pay had been made, was that Whitehall was extra-
parochial. The Attorney and Solicitor-Generals had given it
as their opinion, that these offices were not liable.

The CHAIRMAN directed that the Clerk of the Peace should
return an answer to the letter, stating that under the circum-
stances of the case, the Court could not interfere.

In answer to a question from Mr. Ballantine, the Treasurer
of the County stated that the parish of St. Pancras was greatly
in arrear with their rates, and that proceedings had been taken
to recover them.

- Sir C. FORBES complained of the remuneration to the turn-
keys, the consequence of which was the eternal change of those
officers, much to the inconvenience of the keeper of the county
gaol. lie thought their remuneration ought to be increased.
Mr. STOCKS objected to the increase of any remuneration to
the turnkeys. _ _

Mr. BAKER said the reason the county had been deprived of
so many turnkeys was, that Government had had so many
situations to give away lately.
The subject was under discussion when our reporter left.

A German journal states that the excavations at
Athens are being carried on with great perseverance. Among
other discoveries there have been found, in different broken
fragments of an inscription, a species of account of the ex-
penses of the sculptured ornaments of a temple which appears
to have been the Erectheon. It bears the signature of the
architect, whose name was Archiolochus of Agryle, and has
hitherto been buried in oblivion. The names of numerous
sculptors are inserted, with the price of their works. Two
modellers in wax were employed in making models of the
rosettes and acanthus leaves in bronze. Kcontract was made
with a painter named Dionysiodori, to paint in caustic 113
feet of the mouldings of the architrave, at the rate of a
pentobolon a foot ; 116 leaves of gold for gilding the
bronze ornaments cost as many drachmas ; the person who
supplied this gold was a citizen of Melita, named Douis ;
the lead for fastening the figures cost ten drachmas. On
demolishing a battery which masked the entrance to the
Propylaea, the original ascending way, or steps by which
they were approached, was uncovered. The road was
made in ridges, so that the horses might go up and
down without slipping. The steps for those on foot were in
part demolished when the battery was erected, but they may
now be restored. While at work in re-establishing the co-
lumns of the Parthenon, a fragment of the frieze was found in
a fine state of preservation. It represented three of the twelve
seated deities which adorned the middle of the frieze above
the eastern entrance. Near this bas.relief was found a re-
markably fine seat or throne of white marble, the back of
which is ornamented with a winged figure covered iiith drapery,
and which is probably one of the seats in which, according to
Herodotus, the priestess of Minerva was accustomed to take
her place. These two fine fragments were enclosed between
the columns of the peristylo and those of the pronaos. In
other parts of this ancient city fragments of statues and tombs
of different eras have been found. Thus have been brought
to light some sarcophagi in marble, on which are sculptured
bacchanals and other figures, but which in barbarous times
have evidently been broken open and made to receive other
bodies than those for which they were originally intended.
In one of these sarcophagi, twelve skeletons were found.
Thus Athens may still hope to form a splendid museum of her
own antiquities.
Our account of the murder of Mrs. Scottowe and the
suicide of M. Martel, whose name, however, proves to be Des-
martel, was borrowed from the Journal du Loiret. The
same journal, however, in its last number has given further
details, which place the affair in a very different light. From
these it appears that Mrs. Scottowe was the daughter of a
butcher, at Orleans, and was taken to wife by Mr. Scottowe
after a. very close intimacy. The husband became jealous,
and frequently used his wife so ill, that she was at times
obliged to fly to her family for refuge. Mrs. Scottowe, how-
ever, it is stated, for a long time gave her husband no real
cause for his suspicions or ill-treatment, until he formed a
friendship with M. Desmartel, of Nogent-sur-Vernisson, a
young man of prepossessing person and manners and distin-
guished talents, but of loose conduct. An attachment arose
between him and Mrs. Scottowe, which soon excited the jea-
lousy of the husband. Violent scenes ensued, and at one time
Desmartel challenged Mr. Scottowe to meet him in a duel.
This rupture, however, was healed, and about a fortnight ago
the two gentlemen went together to Paris; here, it is said,
their former animosity again broke out, and it is even asserted
that Mr. Scottowe was so alarmed for his personal safety
that he never was without the company of a particular friend.
At last, on Thursday evening, M. Desmartel suddenly left
Paris, and riding post, reached the Chateau des Muids the
next morning about 9 o'clock. At 10 he was dead, and Mrs.
Scottowe mortally wounded. When the room was entered,
a double barrelled pistol lay by the side of the lady, both bar-
rels having been evidently recently discharged ; the ball of
one having entered the body of Desmartel, in the region of
the heart, and that of the other had penetrated the breast of
the lady. By the side of M. Desmartel was another pistol,
with the charge still in it. This induced a belief that Mrs.
Scottowe alone had fired. She lived lived till 5 o'clock the
same day, and then died in dreadful convulsions, but without
having uttered a word on the subject of the catastrophe. Two
letters were found in the pocket-book of M. Desmartel, one
addressed to his father, announcing his approaching death,
and the other to Mr. Scottowe, telling him on his return be
would find only two corpses. Mr. Scottowe arrived the next
morning as before stated. Mrs. Scottowe and Desmartel were
both 28 years of age.—Galignani's Messenger.

The -nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine
rail-roads already contemplated in America, are to have one
more added to their number, which is to be through the valley
of Connecticut river.—New York Paper.
The following anecdote regarding Robert Gordon,
the founder of Gordon's Hospital, in Aberdeen, is a curio-
sity. It is introduced in the description of the institution :
" When he wanted to warm himself, he had a basket filled
with stones, which he slung over his shoulder and carried up
and down the room till he grew sufficiently warm. He used
very sparingly the meet common necessaries of life. Loaves of
oatmeal, with a little skimmed milk, were his ordinary fare ;
or, when he would regale himself, a little poor cheese and
butter. Like other misers, he could relish a good dinner at
the expense of another; and it was of a fever with which he
was seized the day after he dined with a friend, that he died."
MAIDSTONE.---It is now certain that the crop o
hops is a short and inferior one, although the colour in many
instances is not so bad as was anticipated. The poor pickers
have had a dreadful season, both from bad weather and slight
earnings. Various opinions are entertained as to the probable
amount of the duty, but everything must now be speculative,
and its early announcement will set the question at rest. In
Ticehurst, Wadhurst, Mayfield, Burwash, and Etchingham,
several plantations have finished picking, and others will close
during the ensuing week ; but in all instances the crop is very
deficient in quantity, and the duty is not expected to exceed
160,0001. The colour is not so much injured as might have
been anticipated from the strong winds.