The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-05 00:00:00

StriN, LONnONT. PITTTPSPAY, MARCH 5, IP4O

FROM TliN DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
(From the Globe.)
The. Bill of which Lord J. Russell has given notice
will, we trust, terminate the struggle between the How,
af Commons and the Courts of Law—a struggl,
which, however imperative in defence of a privilege es•
sential to the free exercise of its legislative functions.
anS been attended with incidents the recurrence of
,vhich ought to be guarded against. The Ultra,
Tories in and out of Parliament have, as might bt
expected from them, taken to represent the assertion of
an important principle as a party question, and have at-
tributed to the Government a disposition to press tht
prerogative of the House of Commons to an extent
dangerous to public liberty. The division lists sutii-
ciently testify that the question of privilege is alto-
, gether distinct from party. The object sought, so
far from being dangerous to public liberty, is essen.
tial to its preservation, by ensuring publicity to the
proceedings of the representatives of the people. TM
means resorted to on Friday last by the Tory agent,
to pack a meeting at Freemasons' Tavern, to which the)
most falsely gave the appellation of a County Meeting.
Are perhaps a better proof than any other could have
afforded of the impossibility of obtaining from any fairly-
constituted public meeting an expression of opinion,
Averse to the legitimate object aimed at by the
Commons.

(From the Standard.)
The nightly exhibitions upon the privilege question it
he House of Commons are full of profitable instruction.
.vhich will not be lost upon the just and thoughtful peo-
31e of England ; last night's display was eminently va-
luable in this respect, as developing the real character
of the Romanist and Radical chiefs. We do not
refer to the contradiction between their loud profes-
sions of a zeal for liberty and their practical tyranny ;
that is a con trndiction so well understood from long
.xperience as to almost acquit the parties of hypo-
:risy, we would particularly refer to the deligh'
,vith which they manifestly revel in the suffering,
,f their victim, and to the extravagant arrogance with
which they treat as deeply criminal all opposition to
heir will—traits of character from which it ►s cer-
tain that if ever the country shall be thrown into sucl
confusion as afflicted France at the close of the last cen-
tury, Masats and Robespierres will not he wanting
►mongst us. Lord Mahon, as our readers are aware, ap-
plied to the House in behalf of Mr. Sheriff Evans, though
without that gentleman's knowledge, stating, upon
the authority of a medical gentleman in attendance
upon the Sheriff, that the prisoner's life is in danger
by reason of his long imprisonment. When we have
said that the application was made by Lord Mahon,
we have given assurance that it was just and reason-
able,. supported by facts, and conveyed in the style of
a polished gentleman and a man of genius.
(From the Courier.)
Mr. Baines has at length so far succeeded in the
measure which, at the instigation of the Political Dis-
senters, he has persisted for several Sessions in pressing
upon the House, as to obtain leave to bring in a Bill,
which, under a pretence of relieving the clergy of the
Establishment from the payment of an impost, is
intended to levy a tax upon all livings, of which the
mnual income exceeds 300/. The justice of abolishing
he First Fruits; which for two centuries had been the
oroperty of the Crown, and which were given by the
Crown to be applied to a specific purpose, may be ques-
tioned. The reasoning on which he founded his former
motions on this subject has often been refuted. He still I
alleges that the valuation of the livings was mane in one
coin but paid in another, overlooking the fact that after
the First Fruits were arrested on their progress to the
Papal coffers, and transferred to the Protestant Mo- •
much, the valuation became stationary that the impost
might not become oppressive to the Clergy. This is
dmost evident from simple inspection of the Act of
Queen Anne, by which the original valuation was con-
firmed. Mr. Goulburn justly stated that none of the
most acute lawyers had ever conceived that the svhole
of the First. Fruits were actually taken ; meaning-, we
presume, from the reign of Henry VIII.

TEETOTALISM.—Let it not be supposed that
the Irish alone, renouncing strong drinks, enjoy a monopoly of
" the great moral revolution," for "the progress of Tempe-
rance" in England is no less steady, though not quite so mira-
culous and fast as with Father Mathews disciples. This is
proved by our country papers, which absolutely teem with ac-
counts of Teetotal Meetings similar to the subjoined, notice
from Monmouthshire :—" A meeting, for the promotion of tem-
perance," says the Merlin, " was held at Varteg School-rooms,
at seven o'clock on Monday last. At a few minutes past seven
the upper room was full, and a great number of persons were
standing outside ; it was Necessary, therefore, to open the lower
room, which was immediately filled; yet timbers were
obliged to go away, because they could not gain admittance.
In the upper room the chair was taken by G. S. Kenrick, Esq.,
on the motion of William Needham, Esq. The meeting was
then addressed in a convincing and effective manner by
Wm. Needham, Esq., upon the general principles of the.
Society, and he was followed by the Rev. G. Jones, in
speech exhibiting the progress of Teetotalism since he be-
came a member; it was then a term of reproach, but it was
now considered a most honourable distinction. Thomas Thomas
and Rees Price, two respectable operatives, gave a very encou-
raging aocount of their trial of three years' teetotalism ; and
the chairman closed thi meeting by giving a summary of the
advantages which a working man might expect to derive from
becoming a teetotaller. As soon as notice was given to receive
signatures, there was a rush towards the table ; each one seemed
fearful that he should not get his name put upon the list, and
for about twenty minutes the heat and crowd about the chair
was quite oppressive. The number of names enrolled in this
room was above a hundred. In the Meantime the chair was
taken in the lower room by E. Bowman; Esq., supported by
the Rev.l. Lewis, and Messrs. E. Thomas and Jenkins, who
s pointed out so clearly the evils of the drinking usages of
society, as to persuade thirty-four of their auditors to sign the
pledge. The total number of signatures received this day was
1“; but it is in vain to attempt to describe the interest and
enthusiasm which was exhibited by the meeting von this oc-
casion. Though the speaking began at a quarter past seven,
and the meeting did not separate till a quarter past ten o'clock,
there ware no symptoms of weariness : the men listened
with the same eagerness at last as at the beginning, and they se-
parated, exclaiming to each other, " What a splendid—what
a glorious meeting we have had ! what a deal of good it
is calculated to effect!" The next day showed that its happy
influence was not exhausted by the fervour of the moment,
for thirty-eight more signatures were added, making in the two
slays a grand total of 180 persons whose minds have been pu-
rified from the prejudices of early education and habits, or
who have nobly set the example of self-denial that they may be
the means of reclaiming the unhappy drunkard."
ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.—The annual meet-
ing of the Gavel nors of this institution was held on Tuesday
evening, in Greville-street ; Alderman Harmer in the chair.
The meeting was more numerously attended than any previou
annual meeting for many years past; and among those present
were the Rev. Mr. Rice, of Christ's Hospital, Rev. Mr.
Knapp, of St. Paul's, and several other clergymen of the
Church of England, besides some of the earliest friends of this
charity. The Rev. R. C. Packman, the honorary secretary,
read the report, from which it appeared that the institution is
in a flaurishing condition, and that the amount of relief afforded
during the past year has exceeded any previous efforts of the
Governors. The number of out patients, who had re-
ceived the benefits of the charity, was 10,581; and of the per-
fectly destitute and diseased persons admitted into the wards
of the hospital, 427, of whom 369 had been discharged cured,
eight had died, and twenty-nine at present remained under
treatment. The amount of the receipts, including subscrip-
tions, donations, and legacies for the year, was 2,565/. 19s. Bd.,
exceeding the total of the previous year by upwards of 7001. ;
the total expenditure for the year was 1,561,. 12s. lid. ;
and the funds remaining in the hands of the Treasurer were
larger in amount than on any previous occasion, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the hospital has been enlarged by the addition
of another house, the lease of which has been purchased at a
cost of 8001. The report further stated that her Majesty, the
Patroness of the Society, had forwarded a handsome donation to
the Secretary in consequence of the representations of the
Marquis of Normanby, who, with the Marchioness, isamong the
most stanch supporters of the Free Hospital: besides the Duke
of Wellington, the Duke of Bedford, the Duke of Buceleuch,
Earl Fitzwilliam, Lord Kinnaird, the Marquis and Marchioness
of Westminster, and other personages of distinction. The thanks
of the meeting were given to the Rev. Mr. Packman, the
Secretary, in highly complimentary teams, for his unpreceden-
ted exertions on behalf of the institution. And voles of thanks
were also passed to Dr. Weatherhead, Dr. Marsden, Mr.
Jones, and Mr. Gay—the medical officers ; to the Committee
of Management ; the trustees, and other officers, for their ac-
tive exertions during the year. And the thanks of the meeting
having been carried by acclamation to Alderman Harmer, for
his conduct in the chair, and his usefulness to the charity front
its earliest dawning, the meeting adjourned.
Some of the paper manufae'.urers, stationers, ard
printers of Bristol have presented a Memorial to the Lords of
the Treasury in reference to one feature in the plan proposed
for securing the revenue arising from the Post-office depart-
ment, by the authority given to the public to send paper to be
stamped at one of the Government offices in the Metropolis.
The Memorialists consider that to confine the stamping of paper,
as proposed, solely to the Metropolis, will have the effect of di.
venting a considerable portion of the trade now enjoyed by this
locality, from the circumstance that the paper manufactured in
this vicinity wilt have first to be supplied to the stationer—
thence transferred to London for stamping—and then returned
again for consumption. This will expose the Memorialists to a
competition with the manufacturers and trailers in the Metro-
politan market, which the Memorialists consider to be not only
injurious to their interests, but manifestly unjust. The Me-
morialists, therefore, humbly pray that their Lordships will
please to direct the establishment of a local board for stampine
paper in Bristol, as well as for the issue of envelopes and covers,
proposed to be used for the circulation of letters. And, as a
means of affording increased employment for an establishment
of the kind in Bristol, the Memorialists suggest, for their Lord-
ships' :censideration, the expediency of connecting with the
stamping of letter-paper that of newspapers, the circulation of
which in the West of England is now very extensive. we
should be glad to see a similar Memorial preesmenptoewderfreodmbßyattlhle.
—Bath Gazette.
THE CITY POLICE,—The Com Missioner of
the City Police is actively engaged in making improvements in
the force. He has been, we understand,
City authorities to raise the pay of the men whose conduct he
approves of, to twenty-two shillings per week, so that it will be
in his power to draw a very intelligible distinction between
the active and the indifferent in the performance of the police
duties. Station-houses are, under his judicious authority, in a state of preparation in several parts of the City. A large
house has been taken on the west side of Smithfield for the
principal station-house; another is to be constructed out of
the union workhouse in Shoe-lane, and a m >del station.
house is to be immediately erected in Cripplegate,
and three are to be built in the eastern parts of the city. An
admirable plan has been adopted to prevent the long complained
of omnibus nuisance, generally understood by the word
" creeping," Officers have been placed in different parts,
whose duty it is to oblige the omnibuses to move on briskly.
Their stations ere Aldgate Pump, the East India House, Corn-
hill, Mansion House-street, Bow Church, the Obelisk at the top of Cheapside, the oorner of St. Paul's, New Bridge-street,
the hottom of Farringdon-street, and .Nesegate-street. The
men so stationed have directions to attend to the omnibus and
cab stations alone, and passengers can, if drivers dare to creep,
apply to any officer on the line, and be saved the trouble of sum-
moning the offenders. The shopkeepers have experienced great
benefit from this arrangement, which will not be violated with
impunity.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.