The Sun.
London, England, 1833-08-27 00:00:00

To WILLIAM TAIT, ESQ.

Sir—We, the Council of the Northern Political Union,
deem it to be a duty, nut to ourselves only, not only to
you with ourselves, but to the whole people of this king-
dom, to convey to you our thanks for your recent admir-
able conduct, in resisting that most unjustly levied, most
partial, and most unconstitutional impost—the Clergy
Annuity Tax, as existing in the City of Edinburgh. We
do not, Sir, affect to apologize for thus troubling you
with this public expression of our admiration and gra-
titude. The force of example, whether for good or
evil, is infinite ; and he who omits to express that
sympathy which all good all free men ought to feel
towards those who set examples such as that which
you have set, commits a misdemeanour against society.
Deeds, both good and evil, propagate their likeness ;
and become the parent of a line of tifects to be lauded
or deplored, as their influence on the welfare of society is
happy or infelicitous. To you, Sir, and to those indepen-
dent citizens of Edinburgh who have so admirably sup-
ported you through this trying crisis, we feel we ought
to be grateful, and deeply grateful, for many happy
events which fortune has probably yet in store for this
country.
We shall see the compulsory payment both of church-
rate and tithe cease in England ; and when we do so,
we may, no doubt, attribute our deliverance, in some
measure, to the self-devotion and courage of yourself,
and of those independent men who have so nobly se-
conded your efforts in this cause. Accept, Sir, in our
name, the thanks, not only of every associate of the
Northern Political Union, but of every independent Re-
former in the three northern counties of England. And
permit us, Sir, to seize this opportunity of wishing that
to you may be allotted that long and- happy life which
your services to your country compel us to hope for, less
as a boon to you than as a benefit to ourselves.
JOHN FIFE, Chairman.

In consequence of an application to the Lords
of the Admiralty, on the part of some members of the
mercantile body, for certain information respecting the
vessel which is to convey the mail between Carthagena
and Jamaica, their Lordships have made known that the
local packet is one of his Majesty's armed schooners on the
West India station, and that the bills of lading for trea-
sure conveyed by her will be signed, for the delivery of
the same at Falmouth, as usual, without any additional
expense to the shippers.

J-The
HEAD
e% I\i
money,lo N E :ir FOlLeepecuniary
i arCAPTUREDy gratuity
awarded
cap-
tured slaves, during 1827, was 61,5481. 10s. ; la
in Eito
29,273/. 11s. 3d. ;in 1829, 66,0471. 10s. ; 1 r
74,2391. 18s. Id. ; in 1531,NE.GfoRr:sE2sS
17,683/. 15a. ; in 1832,
20,242/. 10s. ; and 4th .Lin. 1833 to the sth July, 1833,
5,8371. 10s.—making a total of 271,073/. 7s. 4d.
PORTUGAL.—The following is an extract of
a letter from Admiral NAPIER, dated Lisbon, Aug. 11 :
" My dear . I have read the bright speeches of
Don Miguel's friends about the blunkade. What will they
,3Y
to the curious letters that have been intercepted?
They will surprise the Tory friends of Don Miguel.
* * ' I have sent three frigates and two brigs to
cendeavour tov i l takei
Villa
noFri g
basue l' r a
beguns, which
to will
mar alarmmarch
nortthhwemardat.
We hear the Miguelites have detached troops from Oporto:

1-1 of ►hom_

SUMMARY OF INDIAN NEWS.

Hurkaru Office, Calcutta, Feb. 18, 1833.

Our summary of the 4th inst. had scarcely issued from
the press, ere the Enterprise steamer arrived from Penang,
bringing intelligence of the death of Sir W. 0. Russell,
the Chief Justice of Bengal. Little was known of him
here, but, as far as a brief acquaintance permitted us to
judge, there seemed reason to think that be was inclined
to display considerable activity in the discharge of his
duties, and, as a politician, would have supported those

liberal doctrines which alone are suited to the prosperous
and happy advancement of the interests of India. There
will, of course, be a considerable struggle for the vacant
office amongst the men of practice at the English bar,
but it is to be hoped that in their selection Ministers will
not overlook the claims of Sir Edward Ryan, one of our
Puisne Judges, and Sir John Peter Grant, late Puisne
Judge of Bombay, and now a barrister in the Calcutta
Supreme Court. Looking at the constitution of the
Privy Council who gave judgment in Sir J. Grant's
celebrated appeal against Sir John Malcolm's opposition
to the writ of habeas corpus directed to an individual in
the interior, it would be folly to pretend that any other
principle guided the decision then pronounced, than a
tender regard for the supremacy of the East India Com-
pany, and a desire to get rid of those who attempted to
control their political proceedings. This being the case,
and seeing that Sir John Grant was supported by the
Whigs when the question became a subject for Par-
liamentary consideration, it would be in perfect keeping
with their ostensible principles, were Ministsrs now to
make the amende to Sir John Grant and place him on
the Calcutta bench.
The Commander in-Chief, Sir Edward Barnes, for-
merly Governor of Ceylon, arrived at the Presidency on
the 6th instant, for the purpose, it is rumoured, of being
enabled, by taking his seat in council, to record his
opinions with regard to the necessity for increasing the
strength of the military establishment in India. Sir
Edward Barnes appears to be acquiring popularity here
amongst " all sorts of men," though it is doubtful bow
long harmony will subsist between his Excellency and his
colleagues in council. It is any thing but judicious, as a
general principle, to appoint to secondary offices men
who have been accustomed to absolute power : they are
too prone to exhibit a tenacious regard for their own
opinions, forgetful of the supremacy of those with whom
they become associated.
The Thalia, Captain William Biden, which left
Gravesend on the 18th September, reached Calcutta six
days since, and the last post from Colombo mentioned that
the Victory, Captain Christopher Biden, reached Ceylon
on the 20th January, with Sir Charles Marshal), the new
Chief Justice, on board.

The change in the Government of Ceylon appears
already to have worked advantageous effects. A spirit of
inquiry is abroad, and all suggestions tending to the im-
provement of the island, whether as regards financial
affairs, internal communication, the civilization of the
Cingalese, or the rights of the colonists, are received with
respect, and duly considered. The press at Colombo was
formerly represented by a small weekly abstract of ship-
ping intelligence, eked out with a few wretched extracts
front English Tory journals, miserably printed, and other-
wise badly " got up." Now the press is free, and under
the auspices of Sir Robert Wilmot Horton, the Colombo
Journal comes forth the earnest advocate of liberal prin-
ciples and perfect toleration.
The press in India continues much in the same state
in which it has been f,,r the past 10 years, at least so far
as the laws are concerned. It is still competent in Go-
vernors to deport, transport, or transmit to England the
refractory, and, consequently, the freedom we enjoy is a
freedom on sufferance, which may be taken from us at the
nod of a Governor. Lord W. Bentinck has shown no
disposition to withdraw his toleration of the public advo-
cacy of truth, but Lord Clare, at Bombay, and Sir Frede-
rick Adam, at Madras, have both manifested symptoms of
dissatisfaction with radicalism, and interposed, but with
little effect, to suppress it. In our next you shall have a
sketch of the state of the press throughout India.
The cholera has made its appearance at Madras, and
at the date of the list accounts was carrying off four or
five natives per day. The appearance of this scourge is

ascribed to the absence of the usual quantity of rain.
The plague, which committed such terrible ravages in
the Persian Gulf about a year since, has entirely ceased
at Bushire and its neighbourhood, and people are gradu-
ally returning to their former avocations. The Bombay
Government has not, however, as yet, thought proper to
remove the quarantine imposed on all vessels coming from
the Gulf.
The famous Mr. Wolff, the converted Israelite, who
has been travelling a great deal in Persia and the north of
India in search of the ten tribes, is now proceeding to the
west, and has sent challenges, by way of precursors, to
all the Catholic clergy at Bombay. It was expected be
would have found his way to Calcutta, and we anticipated
much entertainment from his account of the places he has
visited ; but circumstances have caused him to abandon
his original intention, and we shall now only get the
details of his journey at second hand.
The failures of the agency houses of Alexander and
Co., and Mackintosh and Co., continue subjects of serious
attention. The Commissioners of the Insolvent Court
(the Judges of the Supreme Court) have fixed a scale of
remuneration for the assignees, partners, and establish-
ment employed in winding up the affairs of the first house,
but it is so utterly inadequate to the labour and responsi-
lity of the parties concerned, that it is expected they will
resign rather than continue to work on such terms.
Mackintosh and Co. have procured a letter of license to
continue their affairs under a new title, for three years,
in the hope that a better dividend may be ultimately
realized through this means than by any other. This
licence, however, to be of any validity, must be subscribed
to by all the creditors; for if a single individual holds
out, and obtains a sequestration of any part of the property
of the firm, the concern must go into the Insolvent
Court—a proceeding the more to be deprecated, inasmuch
as it appears the house has not available assets equalling
half its debts.
Affairs in the Chooar or Cole country approach a ter-
mination. Gunganarain, the ringleader, has, it seems,
been killed in a fight.
Accounts from Bombay give no very cheering descrip-

tion of the future prospects of agricultural capitalists.
Every attempt to introduce the cultivation of indigo to
Guzerat has proved unsuccessful; nor has better fortune
attended the endeavours of certain scientific and practical
men to promote the growth of silk in the Deckan and
Northern Concan (high and low countries.) Hopes still
seem, however, to be entertained that something may be
done towards improving the cotton staple, notwithstand.
ing the unsatisfactory results of some experiments tried
many years ago in Broach and in Salsette.
The Bombay Government has issued a regulation
which, as it affects ships resorting to that port, is here
given at length, for the benefit of your commercial
readers:—