The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-18 00:00:00

RIOT AT WIGAN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The result of the trial of the two indi-
viduals, Plunkett and Cash, for one of the most
extraordinary outrages ever committed in a civilised
State, and more particularly in one continually
boasting of its even-handed justice, must strike
foreigners as well as Englishmen, who are not
blinded by national and educational prejudices, as
one of the most extraordinary anomalies in this
most anomalous of all Governments. Here are two
military officers, having control and authority over
an armed force, enormously paid by the public to
protect them and support their laws and liberties,
not only resisting the civil power, but—whocandoubt,
for one moment, on reading the evidence—instigating
and encouraging the soldiery to rescue, Ili et (mitts,
the Sheriff's officer's prisoners from his safe custody.
Notwithstanding the proof of this grave and serious
offence, how does the Judge handle the matter when
it becomes his duty to pass sentence on the con-
victs ? Because, I presume, Plunkett was a noble-
man's son and a military officer, Judge Coleridge
could not believe (although the fact was sworn to)
that he had committed an intentional assault on
the female complainant ; and as for the other
offence, it was of so trifling a nature when com-
mitted (one would infer from the whole tenor of
the address) by an individual of that class to which
Mr. Plunkett belongs, that the Judge publicly de
Glared he would take care to make such a repre-
sentation in the proper quarter, as that no ulterior
punishment should fall upon the prisoners—in
other words, that they should not be dismissed from
the Army, in which they had so unworthily
conducted themselves. The sentence on Plunkett,
however, was only twelve months' imprisonment,
and on Cash three months. Now, let me ask every
one who has paid attention to the frequent trials of
the useful and industrious classes of society, and
who have been convicted of offences not half, nay, not
a hundredth part so dangerous to the commonwealth
as these officers were found guilty of, if the prisoners
had belonged to a humble station of life, whether it
is not their opinion the sentence would have been
tenfold as severe ? Should we not have found the
Judge, instead of slurring over the crimes of these
officers, harshly commenting on them, and threaten-
ing the vengeance of power if again repeated ? But
then there would have been a wide difference be-
tween the parties, they would only have belonged to
the powerless and defenceless mass of creation.
What matters it whether their families are ruined
and they themselves disgraced ? No, it matters only
to the Plunketts and the Cash's and such like,
that if convicted, as their Counsel observed, it
would entail everlasting ruin on them ? What
different language would have been made use
of, if a poor starving and ill-treated mechanic
had been found guilty of attacking these of-
ficers and their subordinates ? Not only would they
have met with no commisseration, but they would
have been subjected to the grossest indecencies and
insults, such as Mr. Vincent and others had
heaped upon them, even before they were convicted of
any crime. I would ask, whether the convicts
Plunkett and. Cash have undergone the same gaol
regulations which the arbitrary power of the
County Magistracy has inflicted upon men fully
their equals in honour, virtue, and manly feeling ?
I would ask, whether they have been made to strip
naked before all the prisoners where they are con-
fined, and compelled to bathe in the same filthy
water where others have washed before ? If not,
what becomes of the cuckoo-cry of the impartiality
of English laws and English justice ?
Sir, the country has arrived at a most extraordi-
nary era, when we find that a common soldier, taken
from the very dregs of society, but who is paid and
fed fifty times as well as those who toil from morn-
ing to night in order to buy a little barley-bread for
their own support and that of their families—l say
that a common soldier is allowed and encouraged
to set not only tire laws at defiance, but, as would
appear from this trial to be the fact, audaciously to
assert that the very Magistrates themselves were
dependent on the military. Is it any wonder we
hear these men in their drunken fits insulting the
very persons who put bread into their mouths, and
calling them "d—d civilians," &c. ? lam sadiv
afraid the inconsiderate and reckless praises, which
it has been too much the fashion of late years to
lavish on the soldiery, have turned their heads, and
that, by degrees, we shall be so accustomed to
military and police despotism, that not a vestige will
be left ere long of our boasted civil and local Govern-
ment.

The subject of these few lines being or srch
vital importance to all those who have neither
titles nor privileges to bias public opinion, nor even
the judgment of our rulers, let me entreat of you
to take it up in that manly, powerful, and inde-
pendent spirit which always characterises your ex-
cellent Paper.

I hasc the honour to be, Sir,
Your very obedient servant,
A. F. H.

THE SHAKSPEARIANS.

AMATEUR PERFORMANCE AT THE PRINCE'S

THEATRE.

The Shaksperians" gave, on Thursday night,
a performance at the Prince's Theatre, and never
has it been our good fortune to witness an amateur
performance which, either for effect, for knowledge
of stage business, or for histrionic merit on the part
of the different members of the company, could be
compared to that of last evening. Knowing, as we
do, the exceeding difficulty there is in getting the
members of an amateur company to work well to-
nether--the
almost impossibility of impressing on
the mind of a non-professional actor the necessity
there is for attending to certain minutia:, which in
themselves appear the most insignificant trifles, but
a strict attention to which is, however, absolutely
requisite to keep up the illusion of the scene—we
were equally surprised and delighted at the
"getting up" of the piece. The manner in which
they were put upon the stage reflects the highest
credit upon all the parties concerned. A veteran
company, under the direction of a stage-manager
of twenty years' standing, could not have been mole
efficient. The first part of King Henry IV. com-
menced the evening's amusement. The gentleman
who acted the part of Hotspur is evidently a
man of genius, who loves and understands Shakes-
peare. It was delightful to see how completely he
threw himself into his part from the commence-
ment—there was an utter abandonment of self to the
inspiration of the poet. It was Hotspur himself,
and not a gentleman acting Hotspur—there was no
slovening over one part, in order to make another
part tell—no searching after points, no trick, no
feebleness. From his first appearance at the Court
of King Henry to his death on the field of Shrews-
bury, every part was equally efficient, equally vi-
gorous, equally natural. That gentleman, whoever
he may be, need not shrink from a comparison with
the best professional Hotspur on the boards.
Equally good, though, of course, in a different
way, was the Falstaff. His scene with his tagged
regiment, and his description of the manner in
which he had misused the King's Press, were ad-
mirable. The two carriers likewise were most
humourous—their dialect was first rate. The
other characters were all well supported—the
costumes were most correct, and gorgeous
in the extreme. We trust this is not the
last pfrformance with which we are to be favoured
by " The Shakspearians." The farce of Bombastes
Furioso followed, and the King, the wise and
learned Fusbos, and the valiant Bombastes, all
found most efficient representatives. The gentle.
man who performed Bombastes is a first rate comic
actor ; he carries humour to its utmost verge, with-
out once passing the boundary line, which sepa-
rates it from vulgarity. Would that some of our
professional humourous actors would take a few
lessons in his school. Every part of the house
was crowded—the boxes were filled with the elite
of the fashionable world. We hail this as another
sign of a reviving taste for the drama among the
magnates of the land. We sincerely thank " The
Shakspearians" for.having devoted their time and
their talents to the fostering this taste, and we
heartily wish them success in the good work, which
they have undertaken.

Thursday an
inquest was held before Mr. Carter,
at the Larkhall, Larkhall-lane, Wandsworth-road, on the body
of Elizabeth Allen, aged 32. Mr. Playford, of South Villas,
said that deceased had been his servant, and that for the last
three months she appeared desponding and wild in her manner.
On Tuesday morning last, not finding her up at her wual hour,
he went to seek for her, and found her in the back kitchen
suspended by the neck by a handkerchief, from a staple in the
ceiling. To get there she must have mounted on
of a copper,
guilty purloin-
and then jumped off. Latterly she had been
whic she partially
ing some few articles, and then drank harder than h
before. She
had notice to quit unless she reformed,
did, but still continued very mclarich,:ly. _ Vcr_dict--..46 Te,,,0..
rary insanity."

EVENING EDIT!

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DESERTION OF SEAME

On Friday, a meeting of the Shipowners:di
Greenock, called by the Directors of the ChainlieFif
Commerce, was held in the Town-hall, to take into
consideration the best measures to be adopted for the
prevention of the desertion of seamen. John Gray,
Esq , was called to the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN stated the object of the meeting.
He remarked that the desertion of seamen was a very
serious evil, and of late it had been one of frequent
occurrence. The subject had received the anxious con-
sideration of the Directors of the Chamber of Com-
merce, who had recommended that an Association be
formed with the view of preventing the desertion of
seamen.

R. D. KER, Esq., would not detain the meeting
long with what he had to say. Unfortunately, the
subject was too well known—the practice which they
were met to deprecate was far too common—to render
it necessary for him to occupy much time in discussing
it. It was a practice which they had all good reason
to deplore, from the expense, the delay, and the
risk which it occasioned. But its consequences
operated most injuriously on the men who gave
themselves up to the practice. It had the most
direct tendency to destroy their morals—(Hear, hear.)
To break a solemn engagement deliberately entered
upon blasted the character of a sailor ; and, in most
cases, crimps and other seducers benefiteo far more
from his breach of engagement than the deserter
himself, who was, nevertheless, by following this
course, rendered reckless and unprincipled. Sea-
men, he WAS sorry to say, were not now what they once
were. Formerly they were sober and religious, and the
worship of God was kept up in theia ships. The long
war, no doubt, did much to deteriorate their character,
but he was forced to confess that the long peace had
not improved it. It ntver could be mended so long as
desertions continued, for nothing was more calculated
to sap their morals than this practice. He had been
furnished by the keepers of the Seamen's Registry,
Office with a few of the cases of desertion which occur-
red last year, merely as a sample, for the list could be
greatly augmented. The Helen Bryson lost by de-
serters, in St. John's, eight men ; the Jane, in New
York, six men and apprentices, and the master had to
hire labourers to discharge the ship, at the rate of 7s.
10d. each per day. He had also to ship men at New
York at the rate of 31.105. per month for the remainder
of the voyage, and on the arrival of the vessel at Que-
bec, all hands left, save two, and he had once more to
engage hands to take the ship home, at 51. per month.
The Mariner at Trinidad lost five men ; the Spring-
hill at Quebec six ; the Cruikston Castle at Quebec
eight ; the Calypso at Savannah eight ; the Clyde at
St. John's twelve ; the Jamaica at Quebec six ; the
Science at Cork four ; the Lady of the Lake at Gou-
rock Bay ten ; and the Palmyra at Greenock four.
In the last two cases the deserters were captured and
sent to Bridewell. He had no hesitation in saying
that the wages of seamen were too low, and until they
were raised he did not expect that improvement in their
conduct which they all wished to see. In Hull owners
had for a long time been troubled by desertions, and
they raised the wages to 31. 10s. a month, which put a
I stop to the practice to a certain extent. In conclu-
sion, he would say that to effect any good they must act
unitedly, for isolated efforts would be of no avail.
THOMAS HAMLIN, Esq. remarked that the motion
entrusted to him embraced a vote of thanks to the port
of Tyne Association for their rules, and to the Cham-
ber of Commerce of Greenock for bringing this matter
before them. He rejoiced at the proposal which had
been made to raise the wages of the seamen. When
he was last in Liverpool, he was on board an American
ship, and in conversing with the captain he happened to
mention Greenock, when the latter asked if he belonged
to this port. On answering in the affirmative, he in-
formed him (Captain Hamlin) that a sailor wished to
send 101. to his mother there. He asked what wages
he paid, and was informed 41. per month, and he
added that the crew remained constantly with the ship,
which they regarded as their home, and took a deep
interest in everything that concerned it. Such a state
of things was far more desirable than the way in which
matters were managed here. There seamen did not
regard signed articles of agreement as a piece of waste
paper like those here, who looked on them as bind-
ing against the owners, but of no weight with them-
selves. For his part, he thought 31. a month not too
high wages ; and lie was convinced that by paying it,
and getting better men, they would be cheaper. He
quite agreed with what Mr. Anderson had said about
the number of apprentices. They were far too few,
for many rated as such were shams, and their inden-
tures were retained merely to enable ships to pass the
custom-house. By so acting, however, ship-owners
were breaking their own heads, and preventing the
wth of a supply of able-bodied seamen. He con-
,
cut red with what hail fallen from Mr. Tier as to the
supetior character of the seamen of former times.
When he (Mr. Hamlin) was an apprentice, the men
made lot.g voyages in the same ship. Then they felt an
interest in the vessel, and in the welfare of the owners,
but now the: cared nothing about it, and would often try
to thwart thei,- employers as much as possible, and desert
when an oppertunity presented itself. He thought
that whenever a great number of seamen were within
their reach, they should call them together, and tell
them their duty. When he was at Liverpool, a tea-
party was held, attent;ed by masters, mates, seamen,
and apprentices, when asid.resses were delivered, and
the utmost harmony preva:led. He thought in their
endeavours to improve the e.haracters of seamen, they
ought to begin with the masters.
Resolutions for establishing an association and col-
lecting funds were unanimously agreed to.

MOTHER CHURCH AND MOTHER

KIRK.

(From the Morning Chronicle.
There were two venerable dames,
Old Mother Church and Mother Kirk ;
They oft called one another names—
" Heterodox 1" " Anti-Christian " " Turk 1 "

The ladies had their separate shops;
Their separate shops and separate patrons :
Some liked one matron's lolly pops,
And some preferr'd the other matron's.

And so, in course of time, they made
Their stores of gold as bees make honey ;
Dame Church had got the largest trade,
Dame Kirk the smaller—yct made money.
They carried on their daily labours
Most prosperously—yet once or twice
They heard a whisper 'mongst their neighbours,
" Th' old ladies are not over nice."

These whispers startled the "old ladies,"
And each to each suggested whether
" As ours the very self-same trade is,
" Were it not well to club together?"

Besides—a hint just then was heard
(At which "tit' old ladies" nearly fainted)
About anc,ther shcp—a third,
Which, rumour said, was even rented
So each to each took solemn oath
To pat' onize the other's shop,
And jointly to proclaim that both
Vended the genuine lolly pop.
Still, Mother Church's old concern
Was most productive of the two;
And shrewdly she emitriv'd earn
Far more than Mother Kirk could do.

Waxing more rich, sbe waxed less gracious,
And smiled on Mother Kirk no longer;
Becoming more and more capacious,
E'en as her wealth and will grew stronger.
One day news came across the seas
Of large bequests of coins and coppers,•
The Lollvpoppers' legatee,—
A)e I all the genuine loilypoppers.
Old Mother Church then changed her tone,
Denounced the rival lollypop,
Shore none was genuine but her own,t
And t'other an impostor's shop.

I know not how the thing will end ;
But as I pa,sed the other day,
Old Mother Church had kicked her friend!
And there I left them in the fray. B.
4` Clergy Reserves?
t •' I cannot call the kirk a true church."—PutuporTs.

TIIE MODERN AMAZON.—The Glaneur du
1/ant Rhin relates the following :—" There is at Colmar a
woman who is with difficulty able to obtain the means of exist-
ence, but who'e extraordinary life should make her an object
of interest. Sh?, was born at Colmar in 1783. Her father
was a sergeant, and her mother one of the sutlers of his regi-
ment. Her father was killed during the campaign of Calabria,
and and her mother's head was carried- away by a ?an
nt°hne-
the battle of Ileums. In 1602 our heroine married
drum-
major of the 62d demi-brigade, named Girard.i.th Sttiee b;iveaismiaen,
like her mother, a sutler, and entered Spain w
oSlarGagezara,lthllenoninjaasdsieeiul.
intS.hie,owrta,,%ptr,esent at the taking of
Bar-
celona, at which time she had eight :newt uh
Ar, rel
turned r t
entered
dthe army. From Barcelona sheee;wa-lenstaonndisn,
subSshee-
sw‘i aass
pwoundedrescnt at
ty Roe lancettallaatgletsof battlefovri
se nv:.
,roaf at d'a was l
months. She
then
antlwith her husband, who was
'oil; Girona, at which she assiste4,
n)g' returnedin
decoratedoia,
ttltihiseotcaci'asiuit'n, a musket, and fighting with the
accompanied the expedition to Russia,
and was reckoned among. the twenty-five who remained after
the retreat, out of four battalions of 1,000 each. She
troops.carry She next
was present at Co,urbeywie on the re-organisation of her regi-
ment,and was engaged in the affairs of Chalons, Troves, Bar-
She followed the Emperor with her
ilisrlainndneof Elba, and was at the battle of Wa-
-15 her husband was made adjutant in the artii-
thetuirrsi-obi:‘ husband
econ andf),l
lery. In 1623 she accompanied him to Spain, and saw him
killed between Barcelona and Gracia. On her return to
France n 16.25, she married a sergeant-major named Varin,
and accompanied him on the expedition to Africa, in which
all her sons 'acre engaged. She lost her husband and two
of her sons, one of whom was drum major, and the other
master of a band, during this expedition, and was twice
wounded hertelf. She retured to her native town last year,
but has hitherto resisted every attempt to excite sympathy
by making her history known. A subscription has been opened
for her at Colmar."
Viscount Powerscourt, MY., intends, at the
close of the Parliamentary session, to make a cruise ofs!verrte
months, accompanied by Viscountess Powerseeurt.Lo
ship has purchased Colonel .llarlihara's yacht, Antelope. His

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