The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-30 00:00:00

country the grossest and most unfounded charge. The
working classes were charged with being tainted with
idleness, improvidence, and vice."—(Cheers.) The
money-law of 1819 having swept away fifty per cent.
of the profit of productive capital and the wages of
labour, Sir Robert Peel, in 1834, tells the labourers or
England that by their habits of idleness, improvidence,
and vice they were swallowing up the capital of the
country. It was remarkable that the gentlemen to
whom the country was indebted for the money-law of
1819 were never foundin the wrong. Every prediction
they hazarded might be falsified, yet still they main-
tained that no fault could be attributed to their mone-
tary policy. It must be in the recollection of many
gentlemen that the year 1822 was marked by the
deepest distress, particularly among the agriculturists.
Sir Robert Peel was charged in the House of Commons
with being the author of this misery, in so far as he
was the author of the money-law of .1819. What
was his reply ? "My money-law has had nothing
at all to d with it. You, gentlemen agriculturists,
are the cause of it. During the war you cultivated
too much land, and the fact is we have now a redun-
dant supply of food ; and in this I discover a sufficing
cause." The early part of the year 1826 was marked
by great prosperity. Towards the end of that year
there was a dreadful commercial crisis. What was
the cause ? Of course not Sir Robert Peel's money
law. Oh, no. It was owing_to the private bankers
of the country, who supplied their customers with
too much money.—(Laughter.) In the years 1830
and 1831 the deepest distress prevailed among the
agricultural labourers, and incendiary fires blazed
throughout the country. Commissions were issued
by the Government, and then came— what ? not an
acknowledgment of any error on the part of our
rulers, not en apology by Sir Robert Peel for
the money law and its effects, but the new poor
law. The labourers of that time were charged with
being idle, improvident, and vicious. Having been
robbed by the influence of this monetary legislation,
they were told that they were no longer entitled to
that right which those before them enjoyed for nearly
three centuries—the right to be supported in idleness
at the cost of the wealthy, provided the wealthy were
no longer able to find them employment. 1839 was
also a year of distress, but we were told that this dis-
tress was caused, not by the labourers or prive`e
bankers, but by the monopoly of landowners. Well,
the monopoly of landowners had been got rid of, and
here again, in 1847, we had severe distress. Did Sir
Robert Peel, or Sir Charles Wood, or the bullionist
supporters of Sir Robert Peel admit that this mone-
tary policy was at fault? No, they said that traders
were now improvident, that they indulged in rash
speculations. It was most extraordinary that from
beginning to end every body was impugned but Sir
Robert Peel. First, the landlords, for sending too
much food into the market. In 1826 the private
bankers were attacked for giving their customers too
much money; in 1833-34 the labourers were charged
with eating up the capital of the country. In 1839-40 the
landowners, and now the traders and merchants of
the country, were in turn impugned. When the
traders and merchants of a mighty community like that
of Great Britain were charged with being too fond of
speculation, and too ready to indulge in hazardous
enterprises, were they not entitled to ask Sir Robert
Peel how far the censure might conform to the spirit
of the theories which he and his supporters indulged
in ? Were we not told by Sir James Graham that
England was no longer a chiefly agricaltural country,
but trading and commercial country, and were we
not encouraged by Sir Robert Peel and Sir James
Graham to extend our commercial enterprises? Thrl
we not hear loud congratulations from those men when
the Chinese market was opened to the industry of
this country? Were we not told that the Usury Laws
were opposed to just speculation, and were not those
laws repealed and set aside in order that speculation
might be encouraged ? Such being the theories of
Sir Robert Peel and his supporters, what right had
those gentlemen, after .encouraging speculation, to
turn round and censure our merchants ?----(Loud
cheers.) It was said by Mr. Taylor that the
working people in this country were treated worse
than the cattle. He (Mr. Bell) feared there was too
much truth in the statement. The farmer found it
to his interest to keep the cattle in good condition,
but the same stimulus was wanting with regard to
the labourer. The condition of the great mass of the
labourers of this country was far from being comfort.
able, and we should no longer flatter ourselves that
the traders and manufacturers of this country would
long continue to enjoy that measure of prosperity
hitherto permitted them, provided the policy which
had debased the labourers of the country continued in
force. It was impossible that the traders and manu-
facturers could be long prosperous if the labourers
were permanently debased.—(Cheers.) It, therefore,
behoved all who wished well to the labourer, to strike
a blow at those laws which narrowed the field of his
employment. If he could suppose any gentleman in
that room indifferent to the sufferings of the labouring
classes, to that gentleman he would say, if engaged
in commercial pursuits, let him look to his own posi-
tion. The position of le labourer might soon be the
position of the great body of the mercantile men in
this country. (Mr. Bell resumed his seat amid loud
cheers.)
Several questions were then asked by different par-
ties in the room, awl answers given, explanatory of
the proposed monetary system.
Some gentlemen 'who-,Wisti€l to prolong the dis-
cussion were anxious for An adjournment; and the
Chairman, in order to meet the wishes of all parties,
withdrew the resolutions, and contented himself by
putting to the meeting a resolution to the effect that
an Anti-Gold-law League be formed, and that Mr.
Bell, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Capps, and the
Chairman, form a provisional committee, with power
to add to their number.

The resolution was adopted, two only dissenting.
The thanks of the meeting were then given to Mr.
Bennoch for presiding, and the proceedings terminated
shortly after twelve o'clock,

SALMON FISIIING.—The season terminated last
week, and parties have now had time to calculate and
ascertain the amount of profit and lass gained and in-
curred. In regard to the former, a few have actually
been found on the winning side; but the balance oh the
whole is sadly adverse to the great majority concerned
—making a total loss on the aggregate, it is said, of no
less than 1,6001. This sum, however, is not the amount
of loss incurred by those fishings with which Perth is
more or less concerned, but takes in the entire river—s,,
that the sorrowful side of the ledger may probably only
show for us and ears somewhere about I,oool—Perth
Advatiser.
HERRING SEPT.2.3.—The weather
has been such, since our last report, th..t even admitting
the fishermen had been inclined to go to sea, no oppor-
tunity has been allowed them, Here, and along the
whole coast, the boats now generally occupy their winter
quarters, being snugly laid upon the beach; as a conse-
quence, no farther attempt will this year be made. As
to the general results of the fishing, we are st;11 inclined
to the opinion, that the total eaten is materially under
nekb, for example, in consequence
e in
g much diminished from
that
hhf
aa
ttt h
engaged
b eei
ranr .othe
bt Vig in
fio Isaht
5i1846, the catch cannot be
les
s hrnbg 15,000 year. The average at
a
is fully 50 erans under last rs teau r, again, cra"
under last
year—
making the catch there other 15,000 less than that of
the previous season. It is quite true that along the
Caithness coast, and at Helinsdale, a larger quantity of
herrings has been caught, but certainly not nearly so
much as to counterbalance the decrease referred to.—
John o' Groat Journal.

THE WEATHER AND CROPS IN THE NORTH.
Since wir last publication the weather has undergone a
most agreeable change. In the beginning of the week
it was cold and stormy, with frequent showers of rain.
On Wednesday the temperature rose considerably, and,
though somewhat damp, that day and yesterday ex-
hibited a complete summer mildness. The wind during
the week has been generally high, and yesterday (Thurs-
day) blew in the exact style of an equinoxial gale. Har-
vest in the south seems to be almost or-altogether com-
pleted. It is not so in the north. Though the corn was
generally ready for eutting,,, the wet weather of the last
few weeks considerably retarded the operations of the
field. Early in the present week there appeared to be
scarcely less than one-half of the crops out, while n,,
small portion remained uncut. While we write, the
harvest must be pretty far from being finished in the
counties of Banff and Aberdeen, and some portions of
Moray. The quality of the grain will in general be ex-
cellent, but the quantity of lodged corn that we have seen
argues tho unsoundness of a considerable proportion.—
Aberdeen Banner.

TEE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.--We are happy to
learn that in the course of about six weeks from the pre
sent time the electric telegraph will be completed between
London and the North. The delay which has occurred
in completing the line of communication, by the fixing
of wires between London and Rugby, is anything rather
than creditable to the greatest of railway companies: we
rejoice that the reproach which it involved is to be so
soon reicored. At the present moment the telegraph
from the Commercial-buildings, Leeds, can communicate
with York, Hull, Newcastle, Berwick, Edinburgh, Man.
chester, Birmingham, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham,
Lincoln, and Rugby, and when the chain is completed
between the latter station and London, all the towns at
present connected with the metropolis will, of course, be
also in communication with the north. The line from
Manchester to Liverpool is now, we believe, completed,
and will be opened for the transmission of messages on
Monday next.--Leeds Mercury,

A fatal accident occurred at Warrington on Sun-
day, wheu a party of workmen (ten in number), belong-
ing to the Bridge Foundry Works, went ont upon the
river in a small boat, the greater number being at the
time in a state of intoxication. The river was slightly
fl oded from the late rains, and therefore, the cur-
rent wa3 -somewhat stronger than. it is on ordimiry
occasions. They were not long out when, owing
some mismanaz-went, the boat upset, and f2ur of the
party met with a watery grave.
RELIES' DEPOTS Fog THE WlNTER.—Government
have given orders to have all the stores in Ireland,
hick they held when Sir R. Pool was in office, re
taken, and prepared for food in the coming winter, as
notwithstanding the assertion " that, the crisis is over,"
they have grounds for anticipating scarcity before the
linryest of 1848 in Ireland..!--.Limerick Reporter,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
Ili AN SIO,N SE.
Jaseph Seager, the reputed clerk to Gardner and
Holliday, who have been committed to Newgate upon
the charge of having conspired with Cusell and Loup
to defraud Mr. Gray, the rope-maker, was brought
before the LORD MAYOR as a particeps criminis with
the above-mentioned defendants.
Mr. Hilleary attended for the prosecution ; Mr. G.
Broetn appeared for the defence. The defendant had
been apprehended through the unwearied exertions of
Mr. Barber, of St. Paul's Churchyard, on the Toes
day night, to whom the Lord Mayor considered the
thanks of the commercial public were especially due
Mr. Hilleary said, in bringing forward the charge,
—Since your Lordship committed the four defendants
who were some days ago accused by Mr. Gray, we
have traced part of the goods which were obtained,
antecedent to the transactions specified in the exami
nations already held, from that gentleman to the
defendant, and we have discovered that the defendant
has been completely mixed up in the system of gross
imposition so fully exposed. We have found that the
defendant, es ith the knowledge that the goods were
packed and marked for shipping, removed them from
.me wharf 'to another, and finally pawned them for
211. Under such circumstances, it appears to me to
be quite evident that Joseph Seagar is a particeps
critninis in the fraud, and I hare to request your
Lordship to postpone the further considertion of the
case until we have prepared it for a jury.
The LORD MAYOR said, he was happy to see that
the prosecutor and his friends showed every deter-
mination to follow up their strong statements with
corresponding acts.
Mr. H. T. Gray stated—ln June last I supplied
Gardner and Holliday, of 4, Pancras-lane, with rol e
to the amount of 911. 193. 11d. Holliday called at
my house and said he had an order to ship some
cordage to the Cape of Good Hope, and upon the
faith of that representation I supplied them with
goods to that amount, and I sent those goods to the
Custom-house Quay-wharf for the purpose of being
shipped. They were marked " H.C.' (in a diamond),
which denoted that the package was for shipment, and
were delivered at the shipping department at the
wharf. I have since found they were sold in this
country at reduced prices, and that the defendant had
pledged sonic of them at Budge-row, at Mr. Booth's
premises. When I delivered the invoices at the office
of Gardner and Holliday I saw the defendant in the
counting-house, and be was aware of the transaction.
I have been there before and after the goods were ob-
tained from me.
Cross-examined by Mr. Brown—l took the de-
fendant for a clerk of Gardner and Holliday, and he
told me to draw a bill at three months for ray
account.
Kibblewhite, City policeman, 45, said--I took
the defendant into custody. I told him I appre-
hended him for removing the six packages from the
Custom-house Quay to West Kent-wharf in a boat,
signing the book in his own name, on the 12th of
June, and on the 14th of the same month, taking them
in a cart to Messrs. Booth's, the auctioneers', in
Budge-row, getting 211. upon them, and signing Mr.
Booth's book in his own name, and paying Mr. Booth
50s. for packing the goods. I said we had proof that
he had taken the cases or gunny bags having the
shipping mark on them off the rope, and that he took
the covers away with him. The defendant said that
he did take the goods from the Custom-house Quay•
wharf to the Wes:, Kent-wharf, in a boat, but h
declared it to have been his intention to take them to
Paul's-wharf, as Holliday was to meet him there.
He said the waterman was not able to get so far as
Paul's-wharf, on account of the tide running strong,
and that at the suggesti n of the waterman he lent
them at West Kent-wharf, and on the 14th he
fetched them in a cart, took them to Mr. Booth's, met
got 211. upon them from that gentleman ; that he told
Mr. Booth that they were for Gardner and Holliday,
but Mr. Booth said he only knew'him (the defendant)
about it: This morning the defendant asked me if I
had got Gardner and Holliday's books and papers
from their office ? I said we had all we could find, anti
he said there was a book secreted, which he thought
we had not got. He said, "If you go to the further
cupboard you will find it standing upright against the
front of the cupboard, but you won't see it unless
you put your head inside." I have since been at the
office, searcned the cupboard, and found the book 1
produce. The defendant said he had been persuaded
by his friends nut to come forward before.
Cross-examined—The defendant appeared to be
willing to give information upon the subject.
Mr. Brown submitted that his client had merely
acted as clerk to Gardner and Holliday in the trans-
action, and had obeyed the instructions which he had
directly received from them.
The. LORD MAYOR said it was quite clear to him
that the defendant was a particeps criminis to all in •
tents and purposes, in whatever relative capacity he
might have appeared to have been acting, and re-
manded him for a few days.
BOW-STREET.
Yesterday Mr. Stevens, the secretary of King's
College Hospital, waited upon the magistrate, Mr.
Jardine, to take his advice respecting the refusal of
the parish authorities of St. Clement's to bury the
body of a poor old man who died in the hospital.
It appears that the patient was David Howell, a
casual pauper, of St. Giles's, who eslept...in Seven
Dials the night previously to his admission into the
hospital, where he was taken in a state of exhaustion
and died from apoplexy. As the hospital is in the
the parish of St. Clement's, the parochial officers
were applied to, to bury the body, but they refused,
on the ground that the pauper had been taken from
St. Giles's and had received casual relief. The se-
cretary added, that in consequence of the refusal of
the two parishes to bury deceased patients under cir-
cumstances like these, the charity had been put to an
expense of 151. within one month; and if the respon-
sibility was not removed, the governors of the hospital
would have to require some indemnity before receiv-
ing sick persons into the institution.
Mr. JARDINE said the law clearly placed the re-
sponsibility on the parish in which the patient died,
and quotecUthe authority of the Poor-law Commis-
sioners to-;this. effect.
WORSHIP-STREET.
A young man, named Henry Thomas Thomas, de-
scribed as a Preach polisher, wes charged with having
discharged a rifle loaded with ball at a young woman
named Sarah Meade, who now lies in St. Bartholo-
meW's Hospital in great danger.
Police-constable Leigh, of the G division, stated,
that while on duty in the City-road about 11 o'clock
on the preceding night, he suddenly heard the sharp
crack of a rifle from the direction of the Eagle
Tavern, which was instantly succeeded by a loud
shriek in a woman's voice, and the exclamation, " Oh,
he has shot the !" On hastening to the spot he found
a young woman supported in the arms of a cabman,
with blood gushing from an orifice in the side of her
mouth, and a stream also pouring from a correspond
ing wound in the nape of her neck, close to the spinal
column. In answer to his inquiries, the injured
woman, who spoke with great difficulty, and could
scarcely articulate more than broken sentences, told
him that she had just before met a man named
Thomas, with whom she had been previously slightly
acquainted, who carried a gun in his hand, and that the
moment she accosted him he levelled the piece at her
head, and, exclaiming " I will shoot you," instantly
discharged it at her. She was scarcely of opinion
that the act was committed intentionally, but upon
observing the blood streaming from her face the man
etarted off and effected his escape. Witness conveyed
the young woman to the station-house, where she was
promptly attended by the divisional surgeon, who
dressed the wound, and, pursuant to his directions, a
cab was procured, and she was at once conveyed in it
to the hospital. Witness and officers had since been
in constant pursuit of the prisoner, but were unable to
meet with him until just after the opening of the
court that morning, when he came up to him in the
doorway, and, saying that he was the unfortunate
young man who had shot the woman the night before,
expressed a wish to surrender himself to meet the
cliarge.
Edward Smirke, a friend of the prisoner, stated
that he accompanied the latter, on the preceding
night, to the Albert shooting-gallery, at Hoxton, the
conductor of which requested each of them to carry a
rifle enclosed in a case to the house of the proprietor ,
in the City-road; but that on reaching the Shep•
herdess-walk they observed three girls standing in
front of the Eagle Tavern, one of whom inquired
whether the guns were loaded; the prisoner said that
they were not, and was raising up the cover from the
but-end of his gun, when it instantly exploded, blow •
ing off the end of the case from its mouth, and the
girl, after uttering a loud convulsive laugh, exclaimed
that she was shot, and dropped to the ground. On
hearing her exclamation the prisoner hurried back to
the man from whom he had received the piece, who
was walking a few paces behind him, and asked if the
gun was loaded ? to which a reply was made in the
negative, and the witness did not think it could have
been, as it was the practice to discharge all the pieces
every night before they were taken away, although
that did not appear to have been done in this instance.
Two young women, named Henrietta Ward and
Mary Anne Mansfield, who were in company with
the girl Meade at the time in question, generally cor-
roborated the first witness's evidence, and 'added that
immediately upon discharging 'the rifle the prisoner
turned round with the observation that "there was
nothing in it," and hurried away.
Mr. John Mather, the surgeon, deposed that upon
being summoned to the station-house to attend the
injured woman he found upon examination that she
had received a lacerated gun-shot wound, extending
about seven inches in length from the centre of the
right cheek, and forming, as he found upon probing
it, a perfectly clear channel to the beck of the neck,
where there-appeared a large ragged orifice, througi
which the ball had evidently passed into the street.
He considered the injury to be of a very dangerous
description, and a considerable time must elapse be-
.