The Sun.
London, England, 1824-08-20 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

211Awstox-TlousE—Yesterday the Solicitor for the. Post.
Office attended at the Justice-Boom with evidence to make the
case .completeagsinst Robert Wightnum, who was charged on
Saturday with haying stolen money out of a letter directed by a
young lady named Barry to a person who resides in the country.
It will be recollected that on the former examination it was
stated that the prisoner, who is a stamper of letters in the Post.
Office was seen by a fellow-servant to put axide a letter which
was supposed to contain money, and afterwards to go to a Water-
closet, in which the fragments of a letter were found sub-
sequently.
Miss Barry stated that the writing on the fragment of the
letter was hers to the best of her belief, and that she had en-
closed half a sovereign in the letter which she superacribde to
a person at Truro in Cornwall. :She also stated that sheen.
trusted the letter to another young female to put into the Poet.
Office.

Proof was given that the letter was delivered at the Pot
Office.

To a question put to her by Mr. HARMER, who attended
for the prisoner, Miss Barry said the money was put so care-
lessly into the etter that she could not swear it might not have
dropped out.
Mr. Hee mien then asked the Solicitor for the Post Ofßee
(Mr. Dowling) under what Act of Parliament it was his linens
Lion to prosecute Wightrrian ?
Mr. Doweino replied that the Post Office would prosecute
hint under the 7th Geo. 111. cap. 50.
Mr. if anstEn submitted to the Lord 'Mayor that supposing
the prisoner had taken out the half sovereign, he was not guilty
of any offence of which the Act took notice. The Act alluded
to made it a capital offence for any servant employed in the Putt
Office to secrete a letter containing notes or securities of any
kind for the payment of money, but in no part of the Statute
was there the least mention of money itself as prohibited fee=
being stolen.
Mr. DOWLING said the Judges had decided already in many
Instances that the offence of secreting a letter containing money
was punishable by the Act he had quoted.
The Loan Ma iron, upon referring to the Act, observeirthat
although great care had been taken to enumerate the different
sorts. of securities which it was made felony to take out of a
letter, certainly not one word was said about money itself.—
Why so important an omission had been made in the provisions
of the Act he could not guess, except indeed the Legislature,
when they were framing it, never contemplated that melt would
be transmitted by such a conveyence.
Mr. DOWLING said he should, under these circumstances
shape the charge as one not for stealing money, but fur stealing
the letter itself out of the Post-office. That was by the 2d see-
dos of the same Act made a distinct, but still a capital offence.
Mr. He ItSIER said that here again his client was secure. - It
was certainly a capital offence under that section for persons
who were not employed in the Post Office to steal lettenrout,of
it, but it had been held in Pooley's case, that the 2d section did
not extend to servants in the employment of the Post Office ;
the first and third sections of the Act being expressly intended
to guard against the misconduct of such servants.
Mr. Dow tax G said that the 2d section made servants amenable
when they stole letters which did not come into their possession
in the regular course of their business. Now he submitted that
when the prisoner took the ietter, which was when he went out
of the Office to carry the parcel of letters, which he had no
right to do, he took it out of the regular course of his business,
and therefore was amenable. He was besides a servant of tbo
Post Office, only for the purpose of stamping letters. Beyond
the desk where the letters were stamped he was no longer their
servant; his respopsibility under the 2d section was theretbre
palpable.
Mr. lIMIAIEx said, that unfortunately for this fine position,
the letter happened to come into the possession of the prisoner
whilst he was engaged in stamping the letters at the desk, mid
therefore whilst lie was acting as a servant in the Post Office.
Ergo—he wits not liable tinder the Act. Mr. Harmer observed,
that the Lord Mayor might, if he pleased, send 'the case before
a Jury, but it would be very easy to guess at the result of a trial
at the Old Bailey.
Mr. Dow Limo said-that at all events the prisoner-Was
punishable for the larceny of stealing the half-sovereign.
Mr. IlAn at ER—ROW can you prove that he ever had it in
his possession ? The evidence will not touch him in any way.
The Loin i lAron said the case was one that certainly was
new to him, and lie wished that the Solicitor for the Post-office
had been ready with the authorities in support of the charge. A*
the life of the prisoner was in question, he thought it would ha
most advisable in Mr. Dowling to bring forward all the Omura..
stances he could collect to elucidate hie view of the subject.—
At the same time his Lordship could not help stating, tiutterNirs
the hasty reference lie had himself rises to
nts
punishable by the Act. statement,ozn
Vie probable issue Of
the charge, was then remanded.
priTsohneepr'rsiscoagener,dwidhltliosteaemPlecda
or
vteorjboey
ectiona,tpre hted
el in

THE MAItIiETS.

_,...,e5,~~- - ,

CORN.EXCJMNGE,
4:inoceat ilsloilt:dwaoy:
moThrnienrge,iaso ldlottohitn'ogrcwelsiaalleesvelievioer pricesing must be submitted to.
The Oat trade still remains in the same dull stute us during the
inA thecr o.
,w2ph.eat
trade
this
whole week, owing to the uncertainty of the ports opening.for
this article for the importation thereof; until this circumstance
is decided on, the buyers will only purchase tbr their innutdiate
w aAn tits
I.lllvnAßLair_l ey,wdnigleuasnits,Watiiiteal It' Isis
ono, vlairairalteiyou
Irish Oats 1,200 qrs. ; Flour, 3,400 sacks.

SMITHFIELD MARKET, Alfa. 20.
The following ix an accurate Report of the uumbers and
tp
acpriceslaysetsn at Soli tlh, Ha eslidn
ci
tAaitTahrTekLeot34Birf:tlail
SmipliogAreritsoptix.oni.lng,
:1:rd.::
ii:
;1,.
:to,: . . . .
.. .. . 8, 2 2
Reef 3s 6d to As 24 I Veal ........ . 48 4d to 38 44
Mutton 3s 8d to As Ad 1 Pork ......... 4s Od to As OA
Lamb 4s Od to 68 Od. . RAY AND STRAw
TiLit LOAD.
Hay £B 108 to £5 58 I Clover £4 OP to Al*
Straw

Lord Rua, passed through Per ou Monday)
On his way to Mar Lodge. , ,

Tll E LONDON JOURNALS.

DAILY

.Extracts front the Morning Papers, Aug. 20.

[inn: vmrs.
There is, we are informed, very little doubt

*halo= gentlemen set off in the course of yes-
, terday from London for the Continent, for the
purpose of negotiating with the Spanish Court
the loan of a considerable sum of money. Know-
ing;sas wee do, the character of Ferdinand and his
advisers, the-real end of all their policy, and the
execrable, uses to which any treasure that may
reach their hands will be devoted--7we set out
with acknowledging our earnest hope, that the
present treaty may, like every other which has had
for its object to relieve the necessities of these
tyrants, terminate in their utter mortification. It
is true that those who now hold the securities of
the Spanish Cortes, have not a shadow of chance
that one shilling of the principal or interest due
to them wilt be paid, except in the completion of
another loan, from the proceeds of which they
May be indemnified. But if without a loan they
have nothing to expect, so neither have they with
it. To act honestly is no part of the scheme of
Government as at present constituted in Spain,
and If it were, no Minister employed by -Ferdk
mind and the Priesthood would have power to
execute those energetic measures, or to force from
his Masters these extensive sacrifices, without which
it has become physically impossible that the State
can fdlfil any pecuniary engagement, or sa-
tisfy the demand of a single creditor for
" much as one Awelvemonth from the day
on which he signs the undertaking. There
is no doubt that the first condition pro-
Posed 114 a shit: qua turn for a new loan by the
contractors, will 1w the recognition of the former
loatis which .Ferdinand has. been all this while
proclaiming his resolution to disavow. There is
Perhaps as little question, that rather than fail in
the new bargain he will promise to acknowledge
the old ones ; and what then ? Promises we see
—oaths upon oathi—cost his Catholic Majesty
nothing. There is no depending on his word ;
• but what is an equally grave consideration, with
.the best intentions in the world, which for argu-
ment sake we shall'suppose, es absolute King of
Spain, Ferdinand has not the means of dischar-
ging interest or principal, however solemnly he
may pledge himself to either. As constitu-
tional Monarch he was the most solvent crown-
ed," head in Europe. The Cortes had compell-
ed the church of Spain to disgorge the fruits
of long ages of rapacity—and had applied
the .ecclesiastical dOmains as a fund for the
discharge of all the national incumbrances.—
What is. the case now ? The resumption of the
church-lands has made the nation an uncertilicated
bankrupt. There is not security for 10,0001. itt,
the whole financial system of the country. To
keep Ferdinand quiet, the Clergy furnish him
with money enough for his immediate personal
rants!--but no farthing of debt nor fraction of
Interest have they enabled him to pay since his
restoration, to friend or fortaigner—to creditors,
constitutional or servile. The public interest, of
course, in nil its branches, military, maritime,
and civil, has been left to take care of itself ;
and the most legitimate of all kinedoms has been
restored from a state of political society to worse
than a state of uature.