The Sun.
London, England, 1825-04-06 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL SUICIDE.

PLYMOUTH, APRIL 3.-1 am just retur ied from
a Coroner's Inquest, which has been summoned on the body of
a commercial traveller, named John Burberry, from the houses
of Messrs. Murdock and Venables, and Mr. Frankhani, both
of London; and as I know you take deep interest in matters
connected with commercial affairs, I hasten to. give you, for the
information of your readers, a brief outline of the tragic scene.
From the evidence of a man named Venn, hostler at3lurcleki
Ilotel here, and which was corroborated by the chambermaid,
it appears Mr. Burberry arrived there late on Friday evening
from Madbury ; his general conduct up to Saturday afternoon,
when he left the house for the last time,' was unusual,- anti
pourtrayed great,mental anxiety. A man named Wood tray
on the Hoe on Saturday evening at eight o'clock, and saw a
man standing on the brink of the rocks, near the Citadel,
leaning -on the rails; he passed him, and went to the other
end : on his return the person was still there, but turned round,
and holding the rails on the inside ; he looked at Ifm for when he heard a cry of " Oh !" and the wan (sin;
proved to be Mr. B.) fell backwards, a distance of ,%t feet.
rugged rocks. Wood got ass:stance, and the body was borm:
to the workhouse.—Mr. Fug; surgeon, went to the line 1 Cor,„t
the body was removed, and with great risk reached the fright.
ful spot, when the deceased was found doubled up, with bo.:'l
legs and thighs broken, and his skull so horribly fractured. zr•
to be wholly emptied of the brain. In his pocket were to Ind
' letters, evidently written in contemplation of the fatal act. The
most important letter was one to his wife, at %Veils, written
from Madbury the Friday evening, by which it appeared that
he had neglected his duty, and spent about 1001. of his em-
ployers' money. Preparatory to his death, in a trembling
hand, he wrote a certificate of his wife's good conduct, anti de-
Oaring the cause of his destruction to be irregular habits and
pecuniary difficulties, " which had caused his blood to facer ;"
and lie added, that " his nerve was took weak to survive the
effects." Several other circumstances were adduced, itiiies
clearly established the 'perturbed state of his mind.—The
roner, R. J. SQUIRE, Esq., in summing tip, was fully per-
' suaded of the wretched Iran's mind Ite_vng bee. temporarily
deranged, in which opinion the Jury agr, el, and retuned a
verdict accordingly.—Mr. John Green, Mr. Henry Robinicu,
land Mr. Joseph Mason, all commercial gentlemen, were pre_
sent, and took deep interest in the inquest; and for the comfort
of
.his relatiVes in town, I can assure you these gentlemen ',lave.
resolved to be at the expence of a decent interment. The 'Cum.
ner has the custody of 111:. B.'s property.

CORN EXCHANGE, APRIL a.
The arrivals of Grain•this week are very small. The Itrheat
trade remains in the-same dull state as reported ith Monday--
Barley continues to sell very heavily. In Beabs anci feasa
there is scarcely any trade. to-day. Oats Meet buyers Very
slowly at about the same terms as on Monday. In the Flour
trade there is scarcely any business transacting at ptesent.
ARRIVALS.—EngIish Wheat, 1,5%4 Barley, 760—Oats.
1,380 quarters—Flour, 2,3T0 sacks.

•THE CI-DEVANT LA.Dy BA It RYAIORE.—This
day Mary Ann Pearce, the celebrated Ex-Lady Barrmare,
was brought up from St. Margaret's watchbouse, before 11r.
WHITE, the Sitting Magistrate at Queen-square
.Office:_ fon
being drunk and disorderly. There was no charge, hoiveven,
preferred against. her Ladyship, who seemed to sliew Inuck
contrition, and requested to be passed to her parents,—Mr-
WHITE—Is that your real inclination ?-111ary.Ann Pearce_.
It is, Sir. lam ashamed of my past conduct; it is impossible
to walk the streets in my present condition. I wish to .go to
my father who is a farmer at Yarmouth, in Cornwall ; I have
not seen him for 19 years past.-111r. WHITE said, a conver-
sation has taken place between several of the Magistrates and
myself respecting you, and if you will return home you shall
have a letter and proper means supplied you for that purpose.—
To this her Ladyship appeared highly grateful, and
.a letter
was accordingly granted her.
Two GENTLEMEN SHOT AT Tait SAME- Trmr:By
A SPRING GI/N.—As Richard 'Wilson, Esq. of Bildestone, and
his son-in.law, Mr. Oxendon, were returning from Chureli oil
Sunday, the 27th ult., they extended their walk by the planta-
tions, near the mansion, and although 31r. Wilson knew of
spring guns being set, he put his foot by accident upon one of
the wires of a gun,which was fired, and its contents were lodged
in his knees and thighs. An alarm was immediately given, and
Mr. Wilson was soon conveyed home.- The family surgeon was
sent for, who extracted several of the shot, but many were out of
his reach. Every means possible were used to prevent inflam-
mation, and Mr. Wilson appears to be going on well. Mr.
Oxendon was very slightly wounded. This is the third accident
from spring-guns on the preserved grounds of the same gentle-
man. A poor woman, a stranger from .Needham, on her way
through Wartisham, inquired her way to Bildestone ; she was
desired to take the second gate, but by mistake she took the first,
-which led her into a wood called Scapes Grove. No sooner was
she in; than a gun was fired by her treading on a wire, and the
contents were spread upon her. She happened to be pretty
thickly clothed, which luckily for her, prevented serious conse-
quences. The second case was his own gamekeeper, of the name
of Scott, who, in taking his perambulation in a wood called
Muckenger, discovered a rabbit in a snare ; he immediately
placed a spring-gun, at the same time exclaiming, with an oath,
that he would trace the villain by his blood. Scarcely were the
words out of his mouth, before he, by some accident or other,
came in contact with some of the leading wires, and he received
the contents principally in one leg; the man being in a bad habit
of body, a mortification soon followed, and his limb above his
knee was amputated. A single shot injured the branch-of an
artery in the other leg, and some doubt was entertained forseve-
ral days whether that limb would not share the same fate; how-
ever, pressure succeeded in curing him. In a month or so, the •
law, it is hoped, will deprive gentlemen of the
_pleasure qfsho9t-
ing themselves.—(Sit rolk'Chronicle.) .
EXTRAORDINARY FECUNDITY.--Last *e.elt;:a-
ewe of the Leicester breed, on the farm of Hat:doh, near Kelso-,
yeaned five lambs, all of which were perfect in shape, and of
othercommonfour
size.
are
•
alive,One themaonfdina
tlaieidvisnheorwtlay.yafter the hi-WI • the

THE LONDON JOURNALS.

DAILY

Extracts from the .11 orting Papers, April 6, I 825.

DICtIitNING cuitosucr.E.l
When the French led their armies into Spain,
they carefully announced to the world, that in
entering the territories of an independent nation,
" their views wereanost disinterested—that they
went only for the, purple of putting an end to
anarchy—reconciling a people to their Monarch
—and, in short, for restoring a Nation to the great
European Family, from which it had been sepa-
rated by a few designing and mistaken men."—
Since they attained their ohject, and took military
possession of Spain, they have,from time to time,
studiously published that it was their intention,
ut astated period, to withdraw from the Peninsula,
and leave its inhabitants to themselves ; thus giv-
ing the world to understand, that they would re-
deem those pledges under which they crossed the
Pyrenees,and secured an easy conquest. Time has
rapidly passed away ; remonstrate after remon-
strance has been made on the subject of their delay,
and yet no signs are evinced of a readiness to put
an end to the present occupation. On the con-
trary, it is seen that the French are fortifying
Cadiz in a streuous manner ; the quesion of in-
demnity for the expences they have incurred has
been raised, and it has been discovered that they
entertain the secret design of extending their own
frontiers as far as the Ebro, in conformity to an
old plan now revived, into which, it is confident-
ly asserted, many of the leading Catalonians are
prepared to enter. Spain is to be compensated
by the annexation of Portugal, and the latter
country is to be under a. Viceroy, in the inde-
pendent manner it was governed during the time
it was held by the Spaniards. Such, we are as-
sured by a high political authority in Paris, are
the secret views entertained by the French
Cabinet, and for the realization of which ex-
tensive prepartions afe malti:lz. We- are
told that in Catalonia. some men of • influ-
ence have already been enlisted into their cause,
and flattered With time idea of belonging to a
Government more enlightened and more conge-
nial to their habits and prejudices than that of
Madrid. •Ferdinand is also represented as being
favourable to the exchange, as it would give him
possessimi of one of the finest ports in Europe,
and besides punish the British for their inter-
ference in his domestic affairs on the other
side of the Atlantic. The secret intrigues
and machinations in furtherance of that part
of the plan which is intended to operate
in Portugal are, we understand, carrying on
by the Portuguese Infanta Maria Theresa,
widow of the Spanish Infante Don Pedro Carlos,
who has for some time past taken up her resi-
dence in Madrid, and carries on an active corre-
spondence a ith the Queen, her
.Mother, in Lis-
bon. In this scheme a number of the Portuguese
Nobility are said to be joined ; and its dis-
covery, it is added, has given considerable
uneasiness to the King, who is fatly aware
that the plot is mixed up with a large
portion of personal enmity towards himself.
Such, we very candidly repeat, are the as-
surances we have received from a quarter ex-
tremely well-informed, and, indeed, the last
letters written from the Portuguese capital pre-
pare us for some early and momentous event. A
variety of circumstances also render it pretty
clear that our. on n Government are on the eve of
adopting some new line of policy with regard to
Portugal, the commencement of which is en-
trusted to Sir Charles Stuart, who has been pre-
ceded by several auxiliaries. The precise nature
of this policy time only can show ; but if in
reality the French have given to our remonstrance
that answer which is aatributed to them, and very
speciously insinuated—that they are as much en-
titled to Cadiz as we are to Gibraltar—their real
intentions, with regard to Spain, cannot long be
kept secret.

rfiItITISH PRRsS.I
From La Guayra we have received a file of the
Colombiano to the 19th of February. From
these Papers we have extracted that important
document, the Message of the Vice-President to
Colombian Congress, on the opening of the Le-
gislative Session, on the Qd of January. General
Santander, it will be seen, speaks iu firm and
moderate language with respect to the stability
of the new Republic, and the condition of its
internal resources. The result of the war in
Peru was not known at Bogota when the Mes-
sage was delivered, but the Colombian Govern-
ment state very fully their reasons for antici-
pating the brilliant success which was consum-
_mated by the victory of GuamangUilla.—
The territorial limits of Colombia and Peru
with relation to each other are not yet de-
fined ; and with admirable delicacy and ge-
nerosity the Message advises that the negocia-
Von on this subject between the two States should
be suspended until the troops of Colombia shall
be withdrawn from Peru. The same objections,
however, ilo not apply to the settlement of the
Northern boundary of the Colombian Republic;
and as an accredited Minister from the provinces
of Guatemala was residing at Bogota, the line of
demarkation was to be traced at the earliest mo-
ment. The decree of the Executive, by which
the part of the Atlantic coast extending from Cape
Gracios a Dios to the River Chagres, was declar-1
ed to belong to Colombia, is submitted to the con-
sideration of the Congress. It will be remem-
bered that some feeling among the British autho-
rities in the Nest Indies was excited .by the pre-
tensions set up by the Colombian Government
this territory. The prudence and justice ttrey have
displayed in regard to other subjects, warrant us
in expecting that this question will also be ad-
justed on sound and honourable principles. It is
next announced that a Treaty of " Peace, Friend-
ship, Navigation, and Commerce" has been con-
cluded with the United States, on a basis " so
commendable as to render all eulogiuneauper-
fluous." The relations of Colombia with Europe
are then noticed. Of courae England is .first
mentioned, and a considerable portion of the
Message is devoted to a statement of the proceed-
ings that took place witl,l the BritishCotnmissioners.

,The Colomblati Government did not forget what"
was due to its own character in these transactions.
Our Consuls were accredited " to the Authorities
that might happen to be established" in that part
of the " Provinces of Colombia" in which they
were appointed to reside. Under these circum-
stances, the Colombian Executive would only
permit the Cott,suls " to protect the commerce
and interests off' English subjects in the capacity
of agents for the protection of sailors and com-
merce." This course, to which the British
Commissioners had given their ready assent, was
adopted as " the line of conduct most conform-
able with the dignity of the Republic, and ser-
viceable to the interests of the British nation."
General Santander fairly admits, that the posi-
tion of England with regard to Colombia, would
not allow the British Government to have acted
otherwise previously to the recognition of the inde-
pendence of Colombia. These difficulties,however,
will soon be entirely removed by the treaty of
commerce now negociating, and the relations
between the countries will then be placed in
every respect on the most friendly and desirable
footing. It is worthy of observation, that while
the Colombian Executive never for a moment
neglected to assert its rights, not the slightest
asperity of feeling was manifested towards Eng-
land. Overtures, it appears, have been made
from Hayti, to conclude a Treaty of defensive
alliance ; but the Colombian Government, acting
with respect to the sable Republic on the same
principles on which England has acted with re-
spect to Colombia,wisely declined the invitation.
The remainder of the Message relates to the in-
ternal state of the country. The whole is clearly
and frankly expressed. No attempt is made to
disguise or palliate any evils that exist; but the
general view of the progress made by the Repub-
lic in the consolidation of its institutions, is high-
ly fasourable to its future prospects of tranquil-
lity and prosperity. The Vice-President directs
the attention of the Congress to the necessity of
making " provision for the punctual payment of
the interest, and gradual extinction of the princi-
pal, of the Public Debt." The Message con-
cludes with a picture of the actual condition of
the new State, equally correct and gratifying.

[MORNING POST.]
We trust the revived Committee on the Com-
bination Laws will not confine itself to such ready
cut and dried evidence as Mr. Hume's Bill, which
has done so much fearful mischief, was last year
founded on. We warned Parliament and the public
at the time of the dangers which the Hon. Mem-
ber for Montrose's enactment was calculated to let
loose on society ; we knew the oracles of the new
law, and we foresaw that its operation would be as
baneful in its way as the other slang Reforms of
the. Westminster Radicals, if they had passed
the Legislature, would have been in their ways.
Mr. Hume wa:, upon that occasion, the Triton
of the Minnows. He called together tailors, and
stmetnakev4S, and weavers, and from their dicta he
framed a Bill 'which revoked all the written and
unwritten wisdom of our ancestors, and left the
rights, the properties, the talents, and we may
add, the lives of all the employers in the coun-
try at the mercy of the employed. The latter
were then heard against the former; we trust the
former will now be heard against the latter, and
justice be done to both. We trust the system of
delegation an affiliation will be effectually broken
up, and political as well as other machinations be
prevented for the future.

[Th a TIMES.]
Cararcas papers have arrived to the 10th of
Feb. The President's message we have given
elsewhere, and these papers contain also one or two
other topics worth noticing. A few days before
the departure of the packet, there had appeared
off the port of Laguayra, a squadron under French
colours, consisting of a 54-gun ship, two brigs,
and two schooners of war. Those vessels stood
in close to the shore, but did not communicate
with it. After a communication between the
frigate and one of the brigs, the frigate made sail
to leeward. The destination of this squadron was
conjectured to be Carthagena, and that its object
related to the misunderstanding which took
place some months back, between the French
brig of war Gazelle, and the Colombian corvette
Venezuela. It appears by a return of the Cus-
tom-house at Puerto Cabello, published in the
Colombian°, of the 12th of January, that there
was a surplus revenue of 6,035 dollars in the
month of November preceding. The election for
the Presidency of Colombia will take place in
the course of the present year, within which the
term of service of the illustrious Bolivar expires.

increase over the, corresponding Quarter of last
year of between fifty and sixty thousand pounds,
The amount of the Customs for the Quarter end-
ing the sth of April, 1824, was 2,191,0001.; that
of the Quarter which terminated yesterday, will
be nearly 2,250,0001. In the returns for the
Quarter ending the sth of April last year, the
produce of high duties on viool, silk, salt, &c.
were included, for they continued up to that time;
these, however, form no part of the amount
of the Return for .the present Quarter, which
more than make up the deficiency. The increase
would have been still greater, had not the large
reduction on Foreign Wines taken place imme-
diately on the resolutions to that effect having
passed the House of Commons, which is some
weeks ago. In comparing the Customs Re-
venue for the year ending yesterday, with that
which terminated on the sth of April, 1824,
there is an apparent deficiency of about a quar-
ter of a million ; but if we consider it in refer-
ence to the million and a half of taxes repealed,
then will there be proved a virtual increase in
the Customs of a million and a quarter in the year,
and of two millions and a quarter as compared
with the year ending the sth of April, 1823; and
this in one single branch of the Revenue. The
amount of the Customs for the year ending the
sth of April, 1823, was 9,406,6421.; that for the
year 1824, 10,484,5781.; and the Customs Re-
venue for the year ending yesterday, will he
about 10,245,0001.

[MORNING II ALD.]
The capital conviction of Henry Savery for
forgery, at the Bristol Sessions, appears to have
been one of the many distressing cases which
occur in our Criminal Courts. This wretched
man pleaded guilty, and the verdict was, of
coarse, so recorded, without further inquiry.—
His confession of the crime appeared a sur-
prise, especially on Lord Gifford, who pre-
sided as Recorder, and humanely endeavoured
to induce him to take advantage of his trial
upon the usual plea. The prosecutor also was
deeply affected, and appeared most anxious to
interpose between the wretched victim and his
fate. But why this struggle of humanity and
compassion against the law ? Of the prisoner's
guilt no doubt could be entertained. It is that
reason is shocked and feeling outraged by the
disproportioned and sanguinary harshness with
which the prisoner's offence is visited. This
single fact, that both the prosecutor and
the Judge are anxious to . wrest the vic-
tim from the penalty of his guilt—to interpose
between a criminal whose guilt is undisputed, and
the law, is an anomaly to be accounted for only
by the unjust and inhuman severity of the pu-
nishment. It is quite obvious that the prosecutor
and Judge are in a vicious position. But so many
and such conclusive reasons have been given for tak-
ing away the punishment of death in cases of forge-
ry, that it is only a difficulty of choice. It is even
shewn that the offence is rendered more frequent
by the chances of escape, arising from the cruelty
of the law, and the uncertainty of its execution.
Public opinion has long demanded this mitiga-
tion, and it cannot be much longer withheld.
The trite reasons drawn from our being a com-
mercial country are idle. He who is not re-
strained by public shame and the minor punish-
ment, will not be restrained by the fear of death.
Perhaps there is even something in manhood
which encounters the contingency of death with
more recklessness.