The Sun.
London, England, 1834-01-24 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We do not believe that on the whole a more
useful communication has for many years been
made public than the memorial which has been
addressed to Mr. R. Owen by Ebenezer Elliot
and other Members of the " Sheffieldßegene-

ration Society," and which we publish in
column. If it be good that the ignorant
should acquire useful knowledge, and that
the errors of which not only they are ao
often victims, but of which, by acting on them,
they make their neighbours also victims, should
be eradicated from their minds, how infinitely
desirable is it, and how truly, when the thing
happens, a subject of national congratulation,
that those who are more exposed to be made
the recipients of such errors, and the agents for
realizing their pernicious and destructive effects,
should be the very foremost and the happiest in
dissipating the chimeras generated for their own
deception, and for that of their industrious but
imperfectly educated brethren. The amiable
dispositions of Mr. Robert Owen we have never
been so uncharitable, nor indeed so inobservant
of his course of action, as to deny. We believe
the zeal of that wholesale projector, for what he
considers the welfare, or rather the redemption
of society, to be as honest and disinterested as
as it is injudicious and misguided. We believe
his views to be as abundant in benevolence as
they are signally destitute of common sense ; and
if by some. miracle Mr. Owen should become
capable of adapting discreet and sober views to
ends which were specific, practical, and substan-
tially useful, he has shown beyond all question,
under a series of what to any other man would
have been repulses, disappointments, miscar-
riages, and mortifications, unvaried by one glim-
mer of remote or contingent success, a pertina-
city—not to say an obduracy of volition—by
which every thing short of direct miracles might
be accomplished. Mr. Owen has been executing
a crusade against the understandings of the work-
ing classes at Sheffield, amongst other great esta-
blishments of our manufacturing industry. But he
has encountered amongst those whom he under-
took to edify, men who could reason, and, happily
for themselves, could generalize with far more skill
and power than the kind-hearted visionary him-
self, who has been so far perplexed and blinded
by problems of the most simple solution, as
actually to tender the loan of his " co-operative
system" to the monopolists of human food, by
attempting to persuade the sagacious artisans of
Sheffield that " they would gain nothing by a
free trade in corn !" for that their wages would
fall in exact ratio with the fall in corn. One
fact appears, indeed, never to have entered the
contemplation of Mr. Owen, who upon this
subject is just as sound a philosopher as (but
no sounder than) the greediest and most
chuckle-headed 'squire in the west of England.
He seems to think, that after a repeal of the
prohibition, corn, if it found its way into Great
Britain, must come there by some sort of gra-
tuitous process. He forgets how each sack must
be paid for. Mr. Owen may learn from his
sinewy-minded preceptor, Mr. Ebenezer Elliot,
that for every sack of corn imported an equiva-
lent of British manufactures must be exported ;
that therefore, if a larger amount of foreign
bread could be purchased than of British for the
same money, or for the same money's worth,—
that is, for the same amount of labour,—the
difference would be for the manufacturer's
profit. There can be no disputing that if
5,000,0001. of English money would purchase
as much foreign corn as it requires 6,000,0001.
to procure of English corn, the people of Eng-
land, taken as a whole, would have 1,000,0001.
sterling to spare, after having supplied themselves
and families with as much bread of Polish or

Prussian growth, as now that we are forced to
have it of British growth, does not leave a single
shilling in our pockets. Of that 1,000,0001.
so saved, the British manufacturer could afford,
still reserving a full remuneration, the master for
his capital, the workman for his labour, to give
up a portion by reducing to a certain degree
the price of his goods, and precisely in that same
degree would he undersell the foreign manufac-
turer beyond what he does at present, and ex-
tend the exportations of British produce to the
foreign market. One ludicrous feature in Mr.
Owen's plan has been powerfully exposed by
the memorial. Only think of a man pretending
to be sane, and telling the people that they will
be richer by working for but eight hours a
day, when in the existing state of the world, of
laws, and commerce, it is as much as an in-
dustrious man can effect to feed himself and
family by labouring for 12 or 14 hours ! What
master-manufacturer could meet foreigners in
the market, when, instead of the higher wages,
hour for hour, which the corn law wrings
from him, he would have, according to Mr.
Oven's proposition, to pay the same wages and
have less work done, or, in other words, a less
quantity of goods manufactured ? This, in-
deed, would be lighting the candle at both ends
with a vengeance t and since Mr. Owen has not
sense to perceive it, the journeymen whom he
would " instruct" have corrected, though per-
haps enlighten him they may not. Ebenezer
Elliot and his brethren recommend what seems
to us by no means an unreasonable set-off against
the corn tax,—a tax on that landlord's rent,
which it was the purpose, and has been the
consequence, of the corn tax to raise beyond
its natural level. This would, so far as the
landlords are concerned, be no more than jus-
tice, but it might tend to perpetuate the corn
lawitself, and therefore we must not at present
dream of it. The withering invective and bitter
complaint with which alternately the author of
the memorial treats the inflictions of the dreadful
corn law are well contrasted with the gentleness
of his apostrophes (on the face of them quite
serious) to poor Mr. Owen, on the sad score
of this gentleman's well-meant follies. " We
believe," quoth Ebenezer, " you are entirely
wrong, and, we trust, not at all dangerous ; you
will have no followers among the thinkers of
any class, and they will lead the rest. But why
should the co-operation of so good a man as you
be worse than undesirable e &c. The Me-
tnorial is, in many passages, earnest and eloquent,
and bears decided marks of the strong-minded
author of the Corn Law Rhymes.—Times.
The principles of the juste-milieu, as we anti-
cipated, are shattered in Spain like Alnaschar s
basket of glass in the Persian tale. The Queen
Regent enjoys the advantages of the advice
which she received from Louis Philip, and which
she was silly enough to act upon. By so doing
she disgusted the Constitutionalists without con-
ciliating- their opponents. She declared for the
principles of Ferdinand and of absolutism, while
she pretended to be desirous of ameliorating the
political condition of Spain ; ay, just as much as
Louis Philip himself was desirous of ameliorating
the political condition of France when he pro-
mised the credulous Lafayette a monarchy
with republican institutions, and immediately set

to work to annihilate the liberty of the press by
the scourge of penal law—to destroy all political
discussion by police plots and trials for con-
structive treason—to keep France in the bon-
dage of a wretched oligarchy by resisting all
reform of the representation—and to overawe
the mind of Paris by a chain of fortresses
drawn round the city, which was yet reeking
with the " blood and glory" of the revolution
that placed him on the throne ! The Queen
Regent, following the advice of the " King of
the Barricades," had no party in Spain ; for a few
courtiers, placemen, and expectant place-hunters,
could not be called a party. Her foolish mani-
festoes gave great moral strength to the Carlists,
and drove the liberals into that conspiracy against
her power which has broken forth in the sudden
thunder of the Catalonian declaration. In this
j instance political dishonesty has worked its own
calamities. The principal minister of the Queen
Regent, Zea Bermudez, is also an example of
the adroitness with which political cunning can
sometimes trip up its own heels. The perse-
cutor of Riego became a traitor to Don Carlos,
and he has met the reward of treachery. He
is cast off by one party and despised by the
other. Even the Treasury Journals of this
country, that worship fortunate profligacy where-
, ever it is to be found, will now discover that
this most " able and enlightened" statesman
wanted both capacity and wisdom. But, though
the principles of the juste milieu system have
been broken to pieces in Spain, an attempt
will be made to re-unite them ; and even now
that attempt is indicated in the patched-up
Cabinet which supplies the place of that over
which Zea Bermudez presided. In the soil of
Spain the principles of the French Doctrinaires
cannot take root, but every possible effort will still
be made by the Queen Regent and her advisers to
carry on the Government in accordance with the
tortuous and dishonest system ofthe Tuileries. We
have no confidence in either the wisdom or virtue
of the newly-appointed President of the Council.
The French Paper Le Temps says that " the
appointmant of Martinez de la Rosa as Presi-
dent of the Council is a sure guarantee that
Spain is about to obtain institutions in unison
with the spirit of the age." We believe no
such thing—Martinez de Ia Rosa is placed
where he is to prevent Spain obtaining such in-
stitutions. We would as soon expect Lord
Palmerston to regenerate the foreign policy of
this country, or Lord Durham to bring the
Russian Autocrat to reason, as Martinez de Ia
Rosa to regenerate Spain. He is a mere pre-
tender, both in regard of political talent and
liberal principles. He will endeavour to carry
on under another name the principles of Zea
Bermudez, but will miserably fail. Our readers
know that we predicted the disappointments
which the Queen Regent would have to en-
counter from the moment that she issued those
absurd manifestoes that placed her Government
as an isolated body between the fires of two
conflicting and powerful parties, which comprise
all the active and formidable population of
Spain. It is not difficult to foresee that those
" who sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind."
The Spanish Government has sown that seed
and now gathers in that harvest.—Morning
Herald.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, JAN. 23.

BELCHER AND ANOTHER V. PRITTIE AND ANOTHER.

This was an action brought by the -plaintiffs, as
assignees of Mr. Maberly, a bankrupt, against the
defendants, as trustees to the marriage settlement
of Colonel Maberly, the son of the bankrupt, to
recover possession of a certain freehold situate in the
Regent's Park, alleged to have been conveyed by
the bankrupt to his son, Colonel Maberly, in an-
ticipation of bankruptcy, thereby giving him an un-
due preference. It appeared that some years ago
Colonel Maberly lent his father, the bankrupt, a
sum of 12,0001. on his bond. At the time of Colo-
nel Maberly's marriage, he requested his father to
liquidate this bond, instead of doing which he gave
his son a lien upon some other securities, which
were in the hands of other persons as security for
other claims, which Mr. Maberly subsequently re-
deemed. Colonel Maberly, finding this to be the case
pressed his father for the amount of his bond. The
bankrupt not being able to liquidate it, conveyed
the property in question to trustees, in settlement
for his (Colonel Mabeily's) wife, for the recovery
of which an action was brought by his assignees,
the plaintiffs, upon the ground that, at the time
such a conveyance was executed, it was made in
anticipation of bankruptcy. Mr. Sergeant Wilde,
on a former day, obtained a rule Nisi to set aside
the verdict, and grant a new trial.

_ ..
Mr. Sergeant COLERIDGE and Mr. Sergeant TAL-
FOURD, on Monday and Tuesday, ►vere heard against
the rule.

Mr. Sergeant WILDE, yesterday, was heard in
support of it.
Mr. Sergeant SPANYIE was heard to-day, on the
same side as Mr. Sergeant Wilde.
The COURT, after a short consultation, gave judg-
ment, in which all the Learned Judges concurred.
They were of opinion, that as the question was one
of fact, of which it was for the Jury to judge, the
verdict ought not to be disturbed.—Rule discharged.

Friday night a most terrific hurricane, with
thunder and lightning, rain and hail, visited this city and
vicinity. The storm was most awful, and the effects of
the aerial conflict truly sublime. A correspondent observes
that at times " one side of the sky was beautifully illumed
by the moon, the other enveloped in a black and tangible
darkness.' I stood on Wye Bridge during the lightning,
and its effect was singularly grand and beautiful whilst
momentarily enlightening the dark void several miles up
the river. When I turned and looked bayond the lower
side of the bridge, the ripplings of the stream, and the
water as far as the eye could reach, beautifully shone in
the rays of the moon. I had, at the same moment, on
my one hand perfect darkness, and on the other a radiant
and soft illumination."— Hereford Journal.
MELANCHOLY EFFECTS OF BEER•SHOPS.
--Early on Sunday morning, as a party of men were sal-
lying forth from a beer-shop near the Eist-gate, Chiches-
ter, one of the men, named Aaron Scutt, who was much
intoxicated, struck a blow at a man named Hunt, who was
passing at the time. Hunt, after receiving repeated blows,
became exasperated and knocked Scutt down, who, from
the fall, and being in liquor, expired without uttering a
word. We have not yet heard the result of the Coroner's
inquest.—Brighton Gazette.

FATAL EFFECTS OF DRINKING TO EXCESS.
—A short time ago, four young fellows, having contrived
to gain admission into one of the store rooms attached to
Sunbury distillery, broached a large cask of spirits by
means of a gimlet, or other such instrument, and, having
inserted a goose-quill into the aperture thus made, straight-
way proceeded to help themselves. How long they were
employed in imbibing the spirits to which they had bur-
glariously gained access cannot now be known ; it is suffi-
cient to state that when some of the workmen employed
about the distillery entered the store room, they were found
on the floor in a state of the most stupid intoxic,tion. The
&Unguents, whose beastly appetite for ardent spirits had
thus led to their detection, were immediately removed and
deposited among some straw in an out-house, where they
were left in order to sleep off the effects of their excess ; but
on revisiting them, after a time, the workmen were di--
mayed to find the whole four apparently in the agonies of
death. Medical aid was immediately procured, and the
stomach-pump, we understand, applied ; but it was too
late. Two bad already died, and the other two are not
expected to recover. On gauging the cask which these
unhappy creatures bad broached, it was discovered that
considerably more than an imperial gallon of the spirit had
been extracted; in other words, that they had drunk up-
wards of a bottle and a quarter of whisky each.—Caledo.
nian Mercury.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BO W- STREET.

SAVAGE ASSAULT UPON A POLICEMAN.--A ruf-
fianly looking fellow, named John Brookes, was
charged with attempting to strangle Wm. Matthews,
policeman No. 29 F division.
The beat of Matthews lies in Newcastle-court,
Pickett-street, a place notorious as the resort
of thieves and prostitutes of the worst description,
every house in the court being a low brothel. At
two o'clock in the morning the complainant was
called to one of the houses in the Court by cries of
" Robbery" and " Murder," a circumstance by no
means uncommon in that place; and, forcing his
way into the house from whence the cries proceeded
found a young mart on the stairs almost in a state
of suffocation, the prisoner having hold of him by
the throat. The prisoner, who was known as the
bully of the house, no sooner saw Matthews than
he pounced upon him, and seized him by the throat,
and swore he would squeeze the - wind out of
him. The officer had sufficient strength to spring
his rattle, and some other constables came and res-
cued him from the ruffianly violence of the prisoner.
The latter had nothing to say, and was fined 5/.
He said he had no money, and was sentenced to two
months' imprisonment and hard labour in the House
of Correction.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET. _

TIM GAME LAsys.—:Jantes— iVilks, a licensed
dealer in game, residing in Glasshouse-street, yester-
day appeared on a summons charging him with an
infringement of the Act of the Ist and 2d Wil-
liam IV. cap. 32.
Mr. Long saw the number of red grouse specified
in the summons hanging in the defendant's premises
on the 15th of January, that being upwards of
three weeks later than the time allowed by the
Act for dealers in game to have any in their pos-
session.

Defendant expressed his regret at his having un-
intentionally violated the clause. He considered
that forty days were allowed after the killing; but
he had been deceived, as the Act specified that term
for private individuals. The birds were killed
within the limited term in this instance, for he re-
ceived them from Scotland on the 13th, and he
knew that they had arrived some days previously.
The solicitor ventured an opinion that they must
be getting high.
Defendant said that grouse did not get high as
other birds did. They would become dry from keeping,
and, when a change in the weather occurred, they
would possess their original freshness to a great ex-
tent. He had kept grouse for two months.
Mr. DYER, on looking over the Act, observed
that the 4th clause regulated the penalty to any
sum not exceeding 1/. for each bird.
The solicitor did not wish to press for the ex-
treme punishment. It was done to show the dealers
in game that there were gentlemen who were de-
termined to preserve it as much as possible. They
had no interest but that, as the penalties went to
the poor of the parish.
Mr. CoNANT and Mr. DYER consulted together,
and convicted the defendant in the penalty of half-
a-crown ahead for each of the 22 birds.—Defendant
paid the fine and costs, 21. 19s.