The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-19 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 19, All.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY

tained considerable misapprehension on the subject, and
the consequence was, that their stock was unnaturally
depreciated.
His proposal gave rise to a very lengthened discus-
sion ; but the matter was eventually set at rest by
The CHAIRMAN stating that the information demanded
would be found in his last half-yearly speech.
Mr. SAUNDERS (the secretary) declared that if such
a statement were to be put forward, it would only lead
to misapprehension, for while they could state positively,
and were freely prepared to disclose their liabilities,
they must, in justice to themselves, place on the other
side of the accounts what they considered would be the
probable returns of their engagements.
The report was then adopted.
The dividend having been declared, the retiring
directors were re-elected.

A vote of confidence in the directors, and approving
of their proceedings in the matter of the Birmingham
and Oxford line, was proposed and carried unanimously.
The meeting terminated, after the customary vote of
thanks to the Chairman.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF commON PLEAS, Feb.lB.

;Sittings at Nisi Prins, before the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE
and a Special Jury).
HOPWOOD V. THORN.

Mr. Cockburn, Q.C., Mr. Edwin James, and Mr.
Lush, appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Sergeant
Talfourd end Mr. Atherton for the defendant.

In this case both the plaintiff and the defendant were
Independent ministers, the plaintiff being the minister
of the Independent chapel at Thatcham, and the de-
fendant an Independent minister residing at Winchester.
The action was a joint action for slander and libel, the
declaration containing counts for both. The slanders
complained of were various statements made by the de-
fendant, to persons of his congregation mad others, at
Thatcham, that the plaintiff hiving, before his entry
into the ministry, carried on business as a draper at
Southampton, in partnership with a person named
Pinhorn, had, on his withdrawal from the partnership,
taken out large sums from the concern, mere than he
was entitled to do; and upon this statement used the
words that the plaintiff was " unworthy the name of a
gentleman, a minister, or an honest man," and that " no
person would let him get into a pulpit anywhere, so bad
was his character." There were other words declared
on, that the defendant " had called the plaintiff a rogue,
awl he could prove it by the books at Southampton that
he had cheated Mr. Pinhorn of 2,0001." The libels
complained of were contained in a series of letters, one ofl
which was to a Mr. Hunt, and two to the Rev. 31/%1
Ainslie, Dissenting minister, and secretary to the Con-
gregationul Board of Education, residing in London,
which stated "that Mr. Hunt had been to Southampton
and found all true;" there were other statements similar
to the above. This correspondence was of great length.
To prove the libels and slanders,
Mr. Edward Hunt, surveyor, residing at Thatcham,
was called. He stated that the plaintiff called upon him
on Janury 7, 1845, and made a statement of something '
which a Mrs.Burfield had told him. On the following Sun-
day the plaintiff made a statement from the pulpit, re-
ferring to the accusations made against him, demanding
an investigation, and defying proof of the charges made.
The plaintiff also asked for an appointment of mutual
friends to consider the matter. The witness was the
friend alluded to to be appointed. He afterwards met
the defendant at Mrs. Burfield's house, where a conver-
sation about the matter took place, and there were sub-
sequent meetings of the parties at Mrs. Burfield's house,
and the defendant expressed himself anxious to have a
public meeting, and there was a public meeting subse-
quently held, on the 18th of March; that meeting was
held at the Independent chapel at Thatcham, both plaintiff
and defendant being present. Statements were there
made by the defendant, which he had before heard him
make at Mrs. Burfield's house. The defendant read a
long statement of accounts between Pinhorn and the
plaintiff, theresultbeing that the plaintiff had taken 6,000/.
out of the concern, and had only put into it 1,2651.;
and that the plaintiff had drawn out 2,0001. more
than be ought to have done, which equity would compel
him to repay, and that these accounts were taken from
the books of the business. The defendant afterwards
told witness that the plaintiff's name " stunk in South-
ampton ;" that he had looked into the law of libel, and
could not be made liable for what he said.

Edward Pinnock, a member of the plaintiff's congre-
gation, deposed that the defendant and two Misses Bur-
field called upon him and made similar statements to
the above, and said that " Mr. Hopwood would not be
able to hold up his head in Thatcham pulpit or in any
other."

The Learned JUDGE observed, that this was certainly
a very novel proceeding in this court. When a sentence
was pronounced, it was sent to the bishop of the diocese
in which the benefice was situated, who took means to
enforce obedience to the decree, and was, in point of fact,
the ecclesiastical sheriff. On him devolved the duty of
levying the sequestration, and taking care that the divine
offices were performed. A sequestrator was appointed,
whose duty it was to make a return to the registrar of
what had been done, thus assimilating the practice to
that pursued in courts of common law. If a sheriff could
not make a levy, he must make a return to the Court, and
resort would then be had to other means. If the Bishop
of Chichester had certified that he had appointed a se-
questrator, that Mr. Hurst had refused to pay, and that
he (the bishop) was unable to enforce the sentence, the
monition now prayed for might have been granted; but
the Court could not direct it to issue on the present ap-
plication. This was a case of non-payment rather than
of receiving the profits of the living. He must, there-
fore, refuse the motion.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S-THURSDAY.

A very flat afternoon, and no change of any moment
in either of the races now in betting. The Chester Cup
transactions were few in number, and without the slight-
est public interest. The same remark may be applied
to the other handicaps, while on the Derby the only
horse backed for any money was Epirote, on whom
several hundreds were laid out at 9 and 10 to 1. The
Horn of Chase was baeked at 28 to 1 in hundreds, and
afterwards at 25 to 1 ; Bedlam once at 2,000 to 30, and
frequently at 1,000 to 20. Will-o'-the Wisp for about
100/, at 1,000 to 15, and 2,000 to 35 ; and Bingham for
401. at 50 to 1. 800 to 100 was laid agst Van Tromp,
the taker giving six sovereigns for the bet. Closing
prices.

NEWMARKET HANDICAP.
10 to 1 agat Lord Orford's Footstool—taken
20 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Devil-me-care—taken
100 even on the field agst ten
It was for this race, not the Metropolitan, in which he is
not engaged, that Brocardo was scratched on Monday.

METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.

Nothing done.
TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS STA&ES.
6 to 1 agst Sir R. Pigot's Conyngham—taken
800 even on the field agst Planet, Glentilt, and Conyng-
ham

CRIMPER CUP.
20 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Mendicant
25 to 1 agst Mr. B. Green's The Lamb
28 to 1 agat Mr. Herbert's Antler
30 to 1 agst. Mr. Wilson's Punch
2000 to 60 agat Mr. Mostyn's Camera Obscura—taken
1000 to 25 agat Mr. Minor's Duke of Richmond—taken
40 to 1 agst Mr. Gratwicke's Fletch
1000 to 20 asst Mr. Skerrett's Intrepid—taken
50 to 1 agst Mr. W. Scott's Sir Tatton Sykes—takenand
afterwards offered
50 to 1 agst Mr. Heaeeltine's Fitzallen
1000 to 15 agst Captain Pettat's Newcourt
1000 to 15 agat Lord Eglinton's Doleful—taken
1000 to 15 agst Mr. Gregory's Euclid colt—t. and aft. off.
4000 to 40 agst Mr. R. G. Mostyn's Premier (4 yrs)—taken
4000 to 50 agst Mr. Gratwicke's Doleful—taken
2000 to 25 agst Mr. A. W. Hill's Sweatmeat—taken
800 to 100 agst the three-year-olds—taken

DX11131%
9 to 2 agst Kent's lot
15 to 2 agst Lord Eglinton'sVan Tromp
10 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's Epirote—taken freely
12 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Planet
22 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Glentilt—taken
25 to 1 agst Sir R. Pigot's Conyngham
25 to 1 agst Mr. Irwiu's Horn of Chase
40 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's Lunedale
40 to 1 agst Mr. O'Brien's Liberator
50 to 1 agst Mr. Worley's Old Port
50 to 1 agst Mr. O'Brien's Bedlam—taken
50 to 1 agst Col. Anson's Bingham—taken
2000 to 35 agst Mr. A. W. Hill's Will o' the Wisp—taken
Any odds against Christopher, who is reported to
be amiss.

OARS.
15 to 1 agst Sir J. Hawley's Miami
16 to 1 agst Lord Eglinton's Nerissa
20 to I agst Captain Harcourt's Ellerdals
SALE AT TArrEasALL's.—The following horses were sold
on Monday :—Buttress, 4 yrs, 250 guineas—Chamois. 4 yrs,
51 guineas—Wild Roe, 37 guineas—and Emmeline, 26
guineas—and the steeple chaser Vanguard, 110 guineas.

LIVERPOOL STEEPLE CEASE.
The following scratchings are complete as regards
town, but are only up to post time at Liverpool on Wed-
nesday evening :
Switcher.
Firefly.
The Page.
Sabine.
Gazeley.
Palmerston.
Eagle.
Gay (conditionally).
Jack.

Mameluke.
Sparta.
Tea-pot.
Tamworth.
Fanny Elssler.
Jeu d'Esprit.
Indian Prince.
Terrier.
Sacrifice.

COURT CIRCULAR.