The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-02 00:00:00

FORTY SHILLING FREEHOLDERS.

Mr. Cobden has addressed the following letter to
Mr. Scholefield, M.P., in answer to an invitation to
attend the annual meeting of the Birmingham Free-
hold Land Society :--

Hayling Island, Hants, Sept. 21, 1848.
My dear Sir,—l have read, with much interest,
the letter written by Mr. Taylor, which you were so
good as to enclose to me, giving a detailed account
of the operations of the Freehold Land Society in
Birmingham and the neighbourhood. Should you
take the chair at the anniversary on the Gth of Oc-
tober, pray communicate my best wishes for the
success of the society, and my regret at not being
able to accept the pressing invitation of its indefa-
tigable secretary to be present at the meeting. In
your note, you tell me that the freehold qualification
movement claims me for its father. It is very ex-
traordinary that this mode of extending the franchise
did not occur to our Parliamentary Reformers long
ago. It was not until after the League had been
for nearly five years agitating for the abolition of
the Corn Laws that the idea of urging all Free-
traders to purchase forty-shilling freeholds struck
toe. I don't know how it entered my head, but
I remember afterwards feeling astonished at not
having previously thought of so obvious a means
of effecting our object. Up to that time I could
never satisfactorily answer the question which was
constantly recurring in my own mind—Wow can
the Corn Laws be repealed ?' But from the moment
Shen we launched the county qualification project, I
never felt the slightest doubt or difficulty in the
matter; it ' became thenceforth merely question of
time and labour, both of which we were prepared to
give for the triumph of our principles. Five years
have since elapsed, and I am more than ever con-
vinced
that the Freehold Land Society of Birming-
ham has resorted to the only safe, certain, and legal
means of effecting those further political reform;
which are necessary to bring the Government into
greater harmony with the wants and wishes of the
majority of the people of this country. I observe a
disposition in certain quarters to flatter us English-
men with self-complacency and quiescence, by
pointing to the revolution of the Continent, and, like
the Pharisee, thanking heaven that we are not as
other nations are ; but if we have escaped those con-
vulsions which have shook the very foundations of
social order amongst our neighbours, it is because,
hilst they have been politically stagnant, we
have been constantly reforming and changing, and
I see no other guarantee against revolutions
for the future but in the labours of earnest men, like
Mr. Taylor and his coadjutors, who inspire their
countrymen with confidence and hope that hence-
forth, as in times past, by moral means alone, all ne-
cessary reforms may be effected in the institutions
and practical policy of this kingdom. Whatever may
he the remedial changes desired by different classes of
Reformers; whether they be of an organic kind, such
as the extension of the suffrage, the ballot,
shorter Parliaments, a fairer apportionment of the
franchise—or of a practical character, such as the re-
duction or equalization of taxation, the maintenance
of peace, &c., the Freehold Land Society points out
the direct, and, I believe, the only path for reaching
the objects they have in view. With such a ready
means of arming themselves with political power,
available to the majority of Englishmen through the
exercise of a moderate share of prudence and economy
they will betray a want of self-respect if they do not,
by a general imitation of the example of your
society, obtain a sufficient control over the represen-
tation in the House of Commons, to secure the tri-
umph of those principles and that policy which shall
fairly reflect the public opinion of this country ; and
believe me, my dear Sir, faithfully yours,
COBDEN.
RICHARD
William Scholefield, Esq., M.P.

BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, SEPT. 29.—Grocers
have shown more disposition to purchase West India
sorts this week, and several boards have fowl(' buyers at
steady rates; the rt-finers are still open to buy a large
vantity at the day's value, but there is scarcely any-
thing offering which is suitable for their purposes. The
salts of the week are about 400 hogsheads of West
Indian,—Bristol Mercury.

British ...........•
Ditto Provincial....
Bristol • • • ••
Brighton ...... • . • • ..
City of London .. • . ••
;ontinentalConsolidat.
Ditto, New ........
Equitable. • • • • • .. •• • .
Imperial • • .... • • •• ••
Independent
London—

X. s. d.
40 0 0
20 0 0
20 0 0
20 0 0
00 0 0
50 0 0
50 0 9
50' 0 0
50 0 0
40 0 0
50 0 0
50 0 0
50 0 0
1100 0 0
50 0 0
50 0 0
50 0 0

Phoenix . • • ; • • • ..
Itatcliff . • • • • • • • •
United General ....
Westrulagter Chartered
Ditto. New

11. Bs.
lel. per cent.
51. per cent.
101.
925. pr share
85s. pr share
15s. pr share
61. per cent.
61. per cent.

A. e. d.
18 0 0
19 0 0

51. per cent.
5/.
4%1. pr cent.
3/.
12s.

100 0 0
39 5 0
37 10 0
50 0 0
50 0 0
40 0 0
40 0 0
50 0

O 0
O 0
O 0

10 0 0

12%
b 2
10%

c.A117.11x.5.
a Dividend
Names of :1.3. IDiTidend , Names of w
Companies. A per i is- ~.,-
Companies. t., i per Price.
v_ Annum.. icri i Annum.
1.____.....
.._..
X 1
.£
kshtn& Oldh 971 5/. pc 1 80 Macclesfield • 100 -
tarnsley •• • • 1601 121. 180 Neath ••• • • • 100 181.
Irknk&Abrg 150 51. 85 Oxford.... • • 100 201. 190
Birmingham 35 41. 80 Peak Forest. 78 31. -
Coventry.... 100 25/. - Regent's ••• •33 11. ss. 18%
1/erby ••• •• 100, 61. 63 Rochdale.... 85 41. 54
Ells 1 re&Chs 133' 565. 47 Somrset Coal 150171.103. 130
.:c, Itch •• • 100 32i. - Do.LkFdSt 12 I 61. p. c. --
IratidJunctn 1001 51. 77 Stffri&Worc 140 281. 290
irandSurrey 1001 - 35 Shrewsbury.. 1251 151. --
.rand Union 100, 11. 10s. 25 Stoarbridge- 145 201. 285
Irantham .. 150; - - Severn and
l
i.ennt & Avn 39; 7s. 6d. 4yi Wye ltall.j 26 11.8 s. 24
r..eeds&Livrp 100, 341. - Warwick&l
Leicester ..- 140 101. 75 Mirming. j 100 41. -
C.eicstr &Nth 831 4/. 36 Warwick&
-
:.oughborogh 142, 701. - Napton.. 100 V.
Nionmouthsh 100 81. - Worcstr 81 78 21. 39
Wntgemrysb lOO - - Birming.
VeltnMwbrylloo - i - Wilts & Brks - 11. 11

C.IST OP SCOTTISH COMPANIES' PRICES.
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of I Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
X s. d. £ s. d
tank of Scotland
tritish Linen Company 81. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 195
;'aledonian Bank •.• • 7% per sent. 10 0 0 210 0 41. Os
City of Glasgow Bank . 61. per cent. 10 0 0, 10 0 0 11%
Clydesdale Bank• •••• • 6% per cent. 20 0 0, 10 0 0 12N
!ommercial Bank .. • • 71. per cent. 500 0 0 ,100 0 0 14834
,:astern Bank.. ••• • • • 61. per cent. 25 u 0 10 0 G 91.195.
Edinb.k Glasgow Bank 61. per cent. 50 0 5 0 0 5%
Exehange Bnk of Scot 6l. per cent. 100 0 0 50 0 0 37
isle of Man. Company 71. per cent. 10 0 0 7 0 0 -
National Bank 63y per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 1336
North of Scotlandßank 7Lper cent. 20 0 0 5 0 0 31.152.
North British Bank 50 0 0 10 0 0 2
Loyal Bank of Scotland 5/. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 11834
LTnion Bank of Scotland 81. per cent. 100 0 0 50 0 0 80
i'estern Bank- •••• • • 81. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 675 i
Aber leen Fire and Life 121. per cent. 12 10 0 20 0 234
B. Accord. Lite aud Fire 20 0 0 011 0 9s Od
iiritish Guarantee Ins. 10 0 0 1 0 0 95 Od
'aledonian Fire Insur. 10/. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 21
Church of England Ins. 50 0 0 2 0 0 2
City of Glasgow Life 6l. per cent. 25 0 0 2 0 0 21. 4s
-,.dinburgh Life Insur 6l. per cent. 100 0 0 12 10 0 17
East of Scotland Life lO 0 0 015 0 116.0 d.
Eng. & Scot, Law Life Si. per cent. 50 0 0 217 6 465 6d
dercules Insurance Co. 71. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 11
Insur. Co. of Scotlnd AL per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 7
Life Assoc. of Scotland 51. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 11. 65
Mercantile Life . 10 0 0 010 0 ,43. Od.
National Fire and Life Si. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 1205.0 d
North British Incur 5% Lpr cent. 200 0 0 20 0 0 1 22
North & West of Scot 6/. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 ;125.0d.
Scottish Life and Guar 2O 0 0 0 11 0 55.
Scot. Mm. and Gen. Life 1 0 0 0 15 0 105.0 d
Scottish Union Insrnce. 641. pr cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 ; 11. is
Stan laid Life •. • ... . 51. per cent. 50 0 0 4 5 0 ! 94
nited Dep. Assurance 51. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 125.0 d
MISCELLANEOUS.
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
X. s. d. X. s. d.
Australian Agrlculturl 100 0 0 30 0 0 -
Anglo-Mexican Mint ll. 4s. 10 0 S 10 0 0 16
Ditto, Half Shares.. 2 10 0 -
Canada ............. G/. per cent. 100 0 0 32 10 0 2634
Uppr Canada Bonds 51. per cent. -
City Bonds.. 3341. pr cent. - 82
C'omp.Cppr Mars Eng. 51. per cent. 100 0 0 70 0 0
Gen. Revers. & Invest. sp. c.& bs, 2/ 100 0 0 100 0 0
Equitable Reversionry s'. pr cent. 100 0 0 ,100 0 0 91
Gen. Steam Navigation 11. Bs. 15 0 0 14 0 0 -
10
London Institution . • •
Peninslr& Orient.Stm. 8/. per cent. 50 0 0 0
000 0 s”i
Reversionary Int. Soc. 4%1. pr cent. 100 0 0100
Royal Mail Steam.... 3541. pr cent. NO 0 0 60 0 0 •-•
South Australian ..... 1/. per share.
Van Dieman's Land.. 10025 00
00
2328 00
00
Universal Salvage.... 25 0 S 5 0 0 -

MAN SCALDED TO DEATH.—On Tuesday last,
great sensation was caused in the neighbourhood of
Bridge-street, Warrington, owing to a report being cir-
culated that a man had been scalded to death. It ap-
pears, from what 'we can learn, that a man, named
Samuel Drinkwater, who was in the habit of assisting
at the brewhowe of Mr. Robert Stanton, the Rose
:ird Crown Inn, Bridge street, was, on the morning of
Tuesday last, engaged lading water from a large brew.
ing pan of boiling water, when he became overbalanced,
and was precipated headlong into the pan. Mr. Stanton,
who was present at the time of the occurrence, ran to his
assistance, and succeeded in pulling him out, not, how-
ever, without having his hands very severely scalded.
The body of the unfortunate man presented a horrifying
Spe,ctaele, his flesh being literally boiled off his bones.
Mr. Robson, surgeon, was promptly called in, and ren-
dered every assistance, but death put a period to his ex-
istence the same evening. Drinkwater has left a wife
and one child.—Liverpool Mercury.
SLIP OF EARTH ON THE SOUTH YORKSHIRE RAlL-
wAF.—During the past week a portion of the hill near
\Varmsworth church, upon which the South Yorkshire
line of railway and the " spoil bank" rests, slipped
several feet. The " spoil bank," which runs parallel to
the railway line, consists of redundant material from the
cutting in the cliff. It is of great height and breadth.
and is supposed to have caused the slip in question. The
embankment has sunk several feet into the earth, as if
there had been a hollow beneath, and has forced the
surface-soil out of its place from the embankment to the
edge of the river Don, where it has partly fallen in. The
line of railway has not been at all damaged or disturbed.
Doncaster Chronicle.