The Sun.
London, England, 1825-09-24 00:00:00

[THE PUBLIC LEDGER.]

We have received Jamaica papers to the 10th
ult. Through this channel we have intelligence
from Lima to the beginning of May, and from
Bogota to the 21st July. That from the former
city holds out a hope of the immediate surrender
of Callao—Rodel, the Spanish Governor, bay-
ing, it is stated, offered to capitulate, pro.
vided he obtained for himself and the garrison
favourable terms. The same intelligence an-
nounces the capture of the only armed vessel
which Spain had in those seas ; and yet Ferdi-
nand asserts his claims with as high a tone as if
he had a formidable fleet and a powerful army to
support them. However, he will change this
tone shortly ; or, if he does not, the South Ame-
ricans will carry the war into his European pos-
sessions, where they would find thousands upon
thousands ready to hail them as friends and deli-
verers. If 5,000 of these brave troops, who have
effected the liberation of Peru, were to make
their appearance on any part of the Spanish coast,
they would shake the Throne of this doughty
Monarch ; and what is to prevent them, if the
latter persist in his absurd pretensions ? It would
be attended with less trouble and expellee to
transport an army'from the shores of Colombia to
those of Old Spain, than to convey one from Co.
lonubia toPeru ; and if France opposed it,she would
violate her neutral character, and forfeit all the
advantages she now promises herself, from a com-
mercial intercourse with the New States. In the
mean time, the General Congress of those States
was about to meet at Panama, as we learn by the
last accounts from Bogota. The Colombian De-
puties were on the point of setting out, and, dur-
ing their absence upon this important mission,
the duties of their respective departments
(Foreign Affairs and Finances) were to be
discharged by Messrs. Ravenga and Respi-
to—the former provisionally superintending
the Finance Department ; the other, that. of
Foreign Affairs. The Learned and Patriotic
Alaman is to represew l'iexico at this august
meeting,where the de. tin:es of a vast Continent are
to be.fixed upon the imm9table basis of justice,and
Molino is to appear there as the Representatival
of Guatimala. No Deputy from BUPIIOS Ayres
is announced as yet ; and there is the same omis-
sion with respect to Chili and Peru. The last
State, however, has appinted a Minister Pleui-
potentiary to our Government ; and as the inde-
pendence
of Pen' is now unalterably fixed, and
her happiness likely
to be secured by wise in.
stitutions, the appointment will no doubt be
met by a corresponding one on the part of
England. The character of our political re-
lations with that, State will, in all probability,
be definitively fixed before the next Meeting
of Parliament; and we should nit he surprised
if Ministers were to decide on it immediately.,—
The only cloud that darkens the horizon of
South America, is the misunderstanding between
Brazil and Buenos Ayres ; but it is only a flitting
one; and indeed we look upon it as the harbinger

of a long calm. The party, who has provoked
the controversy, will, to a moral certainty, pay
the full, penalty of his rashness ; and the Brazils
will noionger present the anomaly of being mis-
governed,whilst every other part of South America
enjoys the blessings of legal rule. Don Pedro will
compromise himself too much to be able to recede ;
and, whilst he is weakening himself, by employ-
ing his troops and shipping to vindicate an unjust
claim abroad, he will leave himself yOthout re-
sources at home to meet the dangers that are sure
to arise from the notorious discontent of his sub-
jects. The Brazilians, who submit from compul-
sion alone to the present system, will display
their real sentiments as soon as they see the
means which are now employed to coerce them,
wasted in a rash quarrel with a neighbouring
State.

LMORNING HERALD.]
It is equally lamentable and disgraceful to see
one of the wealthiest parishes in the kingdom
continually furnishing the most harsh and dis-
gusting instances of abuse in the treatment of its
poor. Scarcely a week passes that we have not
to detail some instance of its parish officers with-
holding relief from persons who most require
it—of attempts to force people into the work-
house, from no other motive, as it would seem,
than to diminish the few comforts which they
enjoy ; and then comes an expose of the
mode of victualling the inmates of this very
workhouse, which if correctly stated, calls, we
think, for the immediate examination and correc-
tion of those in whose province if lies to super-
intend such things. The true objects of the
Poor Laws are, to maintain such of the aged and
the young as require assistance, and to set the
robust and able-bodied to work. The latter,
probably is not a very easy matter with London
parishes; but that there should exist any defi-
ciency` in the other, reflects any thing hut credit
upon those who are so solicitous to undertake the
discharge of duties which they appear so egre-
giously to misunderstand or abuse. The error
originates in such parishes as that to which we
are alluding in the constitution of its Vestry,
where rich and idle people, for the sake of power
and consequence, embark in pursuits of the na-
ture of which they are entirely ignorant ; and
who, therefore, trust the details which it is
their own duty to superintend to people
who are for ever throwing dust in their eyes,
who lead them to suppose that poverty and
crimes are synonimous, and who flatter their
views of arrangement and economy by dealing
out in pitiful rations food scarcely sufficient to
support nature. Why do not the Magistrates
look a little more than they appear to do into
these matters ? It is of little use that solitary
cases of this kind are brought to light by occa-
sional exposures through the Press of what takes
place at police-offices, unless the whole system is
inquired into, and public feeling set at rest by
the active interference of impartial and compe-
tent inquirers. We are no friends to extrava-
gance or misrule ; and, instead of suggesting any
thing which would increase the high rates already
charged upon the inhabitants, we think they
ought to be and might be diminished. But we
think that economy begins at the wrong end, when
the poor, for whose support the money is princi-
pally raised, are doomed to such a scanty allow-
ance of food, while expences of other descriptions
do not appear to be pared down with quite so
saving a hand. That the Poor Laws are much
abused, we readily admit; but rightly viewed
and rightly used, they present the finest system
of benevolence known to any country ; and if
those who have the exercising of them would re-
member that the first principle of real charity is
to help those who cannot help themselves, we
should see the downhill of life made less irksome
and more comfortable than it now sometimes is to
the aged, the decrepit, and unfortunate.

CORONER'S INQUEST'.

DEATH OF JOHN SPOTTISWOODE, ESQ.

Yesterday an Inquisition was taken before
RICHARD CARTER, Esq. Coroner for Surrey, and a highly
respectable Jury. at the Holland Arms Tavern, Spencer's-
place, on the Brixton-road, on view of the body of Mr. John
Spottiswoode, an attorney-at-law, who died suddenly at his re-
sidence at North Brixton.
Martha Fuller sworn—l have been in the service of the de-
ceased gentleman for the last two years. On Tuesday I waited
upon him at his dinner; it was about nine o'clock in the even-
ing, he having been out during the day. Soon after eleven
o'clock, the deceased, Mrs. Spottiswoode, and myself, with an-
other female, all went to bed; the deceased then appeared to
he in as good health as he had for time past enjoyed. About
three o'clock in the morning my mistress rang the bell which
banes at the bed-side. I instantly said to the young woman,
" O dear.! 0 dear! I am afraid some one has entered the
house, and is murdering my master and mistress." On open-
ing the door I heard my Mistress scream out, and I then thought
she was in a fit. She soon called out again, and said, " Martha,
come to me, for your master is dying." I immediately pro.
cured a light, and repaired to my mistress's bed-room, on enter-
ing which I observed my master, now deceased, lying with his
head on my mistress's arm ; they were both in bed. My mis-
tress told me to fetch a doctor, and I procured the assistance of
Mr. Christie, who came iii about ten minutes. Previous to
going for medical assistance, 1 observed my master to breathe,
but on entering.the room again with the doctor, he was lying
a corpse. • There was no blood about the bed, nor do 1 know
the cause of his death.
Mr. Adolphus Christie sworn—l am a surgeon residing at
North Brixton. On Wednesday morning, about half-part 3
o'clock, the last witness called upon me to attend the deceased
gentleman. I went immediately, and on entering the bed-
room, I saw Mr. Spottiswoode lying in bed. I immediately
examined him, but the powers of life were totally extinct; and
it is my opinion that he died in consequence of a sudden effu-
sion of blood on the brain, occasioned by apoplexy. There
were no marks of violence whatever about his.person.
The Jury having viewed the body at the deceased's dwelling,
on their return, they unanimously pronounced their verdict—
" Died by the visitation of God."

BEER.—Sotne idea may he entertained of the
quantity of beer drunk in the Metropolis, from
the fact of one house alone employing 60 drays I,
and nearly 200 horses to carry it about.
MELANCHOLY CIECUMSTANCE.—Yesterday
morning, as a remarkably fine boy, named Da-
vis, residing at No. 5, Canterbury-street, Corn-
wall-road, wes following some sheep which were
passing near his own residence, he was acciden-
tally upset by one of the flock, and his neck
dislocated by the fall. The boy rose, but imme-
diately dropped down and expired. TI:)e body
was carried into Mr. Brookes's surgeon,,in
West-
minster-road, who found that nriy means that
could then lie used would he ireffe':l”al but
stated as his opinion, that had it tg,',:at-,•,:57::1e to
have rendered assistance at the irr.,):p-nt toe acci-
dent occurred, life might have been pr'''''ed•-
,
The mother is inconsolable.