The Sun.
London, England, 1823-01-01 00:00:00

[BRITISH MESS.]

New restrictions, we perceive, have been placed
on the press in India. A regulation has been
made by the Supreme Government, by which
licences are required for all newspapers and pe-
riodical works, and these licences are to continue
solely at the will of, the Government. This im-
portant regulation, which we conceive to be
most despetic and arbitrary, was registered in
the Supreme Court by Sir Francis M'istaugh.
ten, on the 31st of March last. The Courier of
yesterday has one of its usual articles upon it,
and a coarse attack on Mr. Buckingham, the late
respectable editor of the first public print iu In-
dia, the Calcutta Journal. It may be a question
of present policy, how far an uncontroulled
press is suited to the present situation of
India; but it certainly did not need, in our opi-
nion, any new restrictions. Measures of this sort
always raise suspicion; 'of the Government that
originates or sanctions them : when it fears dis.
cession, it is generally a proof that its adminis-
tration is unfitted for rublic scrutiny. Our empire
in India, we admit, is in a great degree one of
opinion : if the fealty of the millions of wives
subject to the power of Great Britain be once
shaken in sentiment or general feeling, our domi-
nion in Ilindostan is at an end. But it can fear so.
thing from a press fairly and respectably conducted.
The aspersions of the Courier on Mr. Buckingham
are founded on gross exaggeration ; but they are in
the usual spirit of that Journal. " Radi( cals" is the
slang word of abuse with the Courier---a sweeping
term of denunciation against all who differ from
the base and interested politics of this versatile
Journal. We have never heard of " Radicals "
in India until the Courier mentioned them; but
its columns are bad authority for any thing. Re-
strictive measures so arbitrary as those now fetter-
ing discussion, are no very flattering commencement
of LordAinherst's administration. While the Press
Is so completely at the mercy of the Supreme Go.
vernrnent, no enlightened or independent man
will be connected with it • and it must gradually
sink into a mere State Gazette. The removal
of Mr. Buckingham from India will, we under-
stand, become u subject of discussion in the ap-
proaching Session ; and these new restrictions, on
a press already heavily fettered, will not, We
fear, add much to the character of the Indian
Government.

[summit' chino:4lcm]
The Dublin Evening Post states, that the opi-
nions of the Cabinet on the subject of the Ca-
tholic Cluims have undergone a great change of
late, and that in return for the concessions which
are to be made, the abolition of the Forty Shil-
ling Freeholders, and limiting the franchise to
Electors having out of their freehold a clear
yearly income of 101., is to be proposed. The
following extract contains
.the information to
which we allude :

" We have some reason, strong reason, indeed, to expect,
that a great Measure Is in progress, with a view to tranquillize
this country, and controul those Factions which refuse to be
tranquillised. Yourr, Lordship (Lord Latiedown) should, of
course, be better acquainted with this plan than we can pretend
to be—yet, if we be not much mistaken, and our authority is
by no means despicable, a serious alteration is likely to take
place in the sentiments bf the• Cabinet, or in the Sternberg
thereof, touching the Claims of the
.Roman Catholics of Ire-
land. We have heard, and we are not disposed to doubt the
source .from which our Information Is derived, that a Relief
Bill is in agitation—that its principles are liberal., and that the
only return likely td be, demanded, is one which, beyond a
doubt, will be serviceable in the long run to the country,
namely, the abolition of the Forty-shilling Freeholders, and
limiting the franchise twElectors, having out of their Freehold
a clear yearly income of Ilit. We do, not know, and indeed
we do not expect; that any opposition will be made to this men.
sure, on the part of the Catholics. But it is tune/enough to
moot this point, when the Bill in its details shall come before
us--There will be some opposition, of course, to it in Ireland.
We laugh at that opposition. If the faction cannot be conci-
liated, it must, we repeat it, be controuled. And, sittlified, •we
are, it would scarcely be heard in six months after the Act had
passed."
We agree with the Irish Journalist, that the
abolition of the forty shilling freeholds would in
the long run be serviceable to Ireland, and care
.
not. ao4 soon the, system of slavery for life, under
the name orchartered right is abolished. Whatever
tends to encourage the great Irish manufactitie,
that of human beings is necessarily an evil, cud
we are certain that no conceivable operation of the
present 'gates) could diminish the amount of po-
litical freedom at present enjoyed. We would
fain hope the above information is correctl though
we have our fears on the subject. It would give
us very great satisfaction, indeed, to know that

Ministers have determined to look the difficulties
of Ireland fairly in the face. That they would act
wisely in abandoning their present system, it would
not be difficult to prove. They must not be afraid
that Ireland will be too united—the great dread
of their predecessors. They will have enough to
do for some time to come even under the most
conciliating system, in keeping the country quiet ;
and there is no necessity therefore for their seek-
ing to foment disorders by cherishing sectarian
animosity.

[NNW TIMES.]
In the course of yesterday Consols reached
87i. This advance may be attributed in some
measure to the, flourishing state of this Quarter's
Revenue, of which no doubt is now entertained,
and to the large amount of Dividends which will
be payable in a few days. At the close Consols
were Sep; 7, and a further rise is confidently an-
ticipated. Spanish Bonds were at one time at
itii, and closed at 261. The Austrian Scrip
was done Si pm. In the other Securities no
material alteration took place.—lt was reported
that the Bank of England had it in contempla-
tion to increase the amount to be advanced by
them on mortgage.—The Paris Journals to Sa-
turday evening have been received, but contain
no news.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

SURREY WINTER ASSIZES, DEC. SO.

Thomas Baldwin was indicted for stealing at Shaer, on the
Bth October last, a brown pony, the property of Edmund Shal-
let Loman, Esq.

The prisoner said nothing in his defence. He called no
witnesses, and the Jury under the direction of the Learned
Judge found the prisoner Guilty, and judgment of Death was
recorded.

Wrn. Plato was indicted for assaulting Daniel Estick on the
King's highway, at Wokeing, ou the 16th June, putting hint
in fear, and stealing from his person 14 sovereigns and 70s. in
silver..—. Mr. MANGLES conducted the prosecution.—The pri.
soner said nothing in' his defence.--Guilty. —Judgment of
death was recorded.

John llawkes, a post chaise boy, was indicted for feloniously
killing and slaying Rebteca Finch, at Egham, on the 7th of
December.—There was no Counsel for the prosecution; Mr.
ADOLPPIJS was for the prisoner.—lt appeared in evidence that
the deceased, a girl of 12 years of age, was walking with her
father to church at Egliatn, on Sunday afternoon, the 7th inst.
—As they were crossing the road. a Gentleman's travelling
chariot was seen approaching on the wrong side of the way, at
a moderate rate; and at the moment they were crossing, the
postillion drove his horses to the right side, and coming in con.
tact with the deceased, she was thrown down under the horses'
feet, and the carriage wheels, went over her body. She was
taken up in a dreadful state, and died next morning.—The Jury
found the prisoner Not Guilty.
James Staftbrd was indicted for stealing, on the 7th May, in
the Borough of Southwark, 1261. in silver money, a silver
watch, and 14 napkins, the property of John Kitson.
This case afforded a good deal of amusement. Mr. Anot.
Pau., for the prosecution, introduced the prosecutor and his
wife as venders of patent medicine, living in a large caravan,
and travelling about the country. Both had the misfortune to
incur the penalties of the law, and were now under sentence as
inmates of the Brixton House of Correction. The alleged
robbery took place on the 7th of May last, in the Borough,
whilst the prosecutor was in confinement in the House of Car-
rection. His wife had taken the, caravan to the Crown Inn, in
the Borough, on the night of the 6th of May. The property in
question was safe in the caravan, and had been placed in boxes.
On the morning of the 7th, the prisoner was seen coming out of
the van. The prosecutor's wife saw him in the act of leaving
the machine. Guessing that she was robbed, she gave an
alarm. Upon examining the caravan= she missed all the pro. perry mentioned in the indictment. borne time afterwards, the
prisoner's apartments itt Rosemary-lane were searched, and
some articles of wearing apparel were found, which Mrs. Kit-
son identified as he•,oroperty.
This was the the case opened for the prosecution.
Mrs. Jane Kitson, ti.. prosecutor's wife, was then called,
and examined. She spoke in a broad Scotch accent, and ad.
mittcd that she was daughter of a private soldier in the 73d
Regiment of Foot, and was born at Madras, in the East In-
dies. Her husband and she were in the doctrine line, and
vended medicines. On the day mentioned in the indictment,
her husband's caravan was in the Crown Inn yard, in the
Borough. She had counted over her money that morning, And
had left it safe in the drawers in the van; she had bean drinking
beerwith the prisoner, his wife, and soma other relations of his.
During a short time her back was turned, she missed the prisoner,
and soon afterwards saw him corning out of the caravan. She im-
mediately cried out " Hold him, hold him 1" but the prisoner
ran off: Upon searching the van she missed the property in
question. Next day she found the prisoner with his father,
mother, wife,
_ and family, at their lodgings, the Cock public.
house, near Rosemary-lane. She did not mention then that she
had been robbed of any money, but only said that she missed
her watch, and asked the prisoner's father if he knew any thing
of it ; sliq did not charge the prisoner then with any robbery ;
but, on the contrary, treated the whole party with some rum ;
,he did not take any steps to apprehend the prisoner until August
last, when her husband was liberated from Brixton House
of Correction. There was no witness but herself who could
prove that she had been possessed of the money alleged to have
been stolen by the prisoner.
On her cross-examination by Mr. A IiDnEWN, she admitted
that she was the person described in a hand-bill, in which she
undertook to cure all imaginable diseases. She was now suffer-
ing for this imposture. The Lady spoke with great fluency. and
during her cross-examination her testimony was a good deal
shaken by comparing it with what she had stated before the
Magistrates. The account she gave of herself was so unsatis-
factory, that
Mr. Justice Panic interposed, and put it to Mr. Adolphus
whether he could carry the case any further by less question-
able testimony.
Mr. ADot.Pifus admitted that he had no other witness to
prove the alleged loss of money.
The Jury expressed themselves satisfied, and found
.the pri-
soner Not Guilty.

ACCIDENT FROM A 710M-7-Au aucidcnt, at•
tended with nearly fatal consequences, occurred
on Monday, occasioaed by the want of due cans
lion in the keepers of Mr. BALI.ARD'S collection
of wild beasts at Woolwich. A young fellow,
named JAMEY ARNDT, one of the keepers, was
cleansing the den of a tiger, just previous to the
feeding time, when it is the custom to remove
one of the bars of the cage. This was the case,
and the unfortunate lad, in the act of stooping to
take up a pail of water, standihg close to the
cage, when the tiger, *patient for his prof
'render, darted one of his paws through the en.
!gaged space, and seizing him by the head, laid
the skull entirely
.bare. The screams of the no.
fortunate youth, still held within the dreadful
grasp, brought two other keepers to his assistance,
who succeeded in liberating him, but not until
his face and hands, in his endeavours to escape,
were lacerated in a most, dreadful manner. A
chaise. tees immediately' obtained, and the suf.
few conveyed to town to Guy's Hospital, where,
he now remains in a pitiable state.

ItiTEr-A ACCIDICYTe—DII Christmas-day,
five children, of the several ages of five to ten
years, procured a horse'and car to jaunt on the
roads in the vicinity of. Arles, in the Queen's
County. The horse having turned to drink to a
pool of water, which. had accumulated by the
late rules, upset the car and immersed the in-
nocents thereunder. No assistance being near
at hand, four of them were drowned. The oldest
was taken out with the vital spark just per-
ceptible, but his recovery is doubtful.--,(Carlow
Morning Post.)