The Sun.
London, England, 1832-07-10 00:00:00

was. I obeyed, but found the horse unmanageable.
After the horse had turned repeatedly out of the
ranks, I dismounted, and refused to re-mount. I
was confined in consequence, and next day taken
before Major Wyndham, the commanding officer.
The Major said I was getting sulky on their hands,
and spoke of my disobeying orders. I replied I
surely disobeyed orders, and was extremely sorry
for it. Ay, but (says the Major) you are very
fond of writing articles in the newspapers.' Then
taking up the Dispatch, he asked me if I knew
anything of that libel on the regiment therein pub-
lished ? I answered, I knew of no libel, but that
I certainly had written a letter to the editor of that
paper, and I believed that a part of it was pub.
fished. The Major then commented on the treasonable
teadency of that letter—said that I was paid by the
King—sworn to the King—and had no right to
form opinions for myself on any subject whatever,
far less to express them—that I had given counte-
nance to the mob,' and the Political Unions, which
were illegal and unconstitutional societies ; and then
asked what I had to say for myself. I said, that
by saying the Scots Greys would never fight against
the liberties of the people, I could not see how I
had been speaking treason ; that I did not consider
myself paid by the King, but by the people ; and
that I only thought myself sworn to the King in his
capacity as head of the people ; and as to the Poli-
tical Unions, they were certainly within the bounds
of the law, as the Government had declared them
to be so, and instead of giving encouragement to
the mob,' I had declared in my letter, that the
Scots Greys would feel it their duty to put down
all outrage.' This is the sum of what passed. I was
then dismissed with these words, 'But, my lad, you
are now where you will repent of it.' Five mi-
nutes afterwards I was served with an indictment,
and told to prepare for a court-martial immediately.
" No mention was made in the court relative to
' my writing the letters, but it was the impression of
every soldier at the time that it was through preju-
dice alone I had been brought to trial, as you shall
see by what followed my punishment. The minutes
of the Court were read, and approved of by Major
Wyndham, and I was sentenced to receive 200
lashes, 100 of which I got. After being taken
clown and remanded to the hospital from the place
of punishment, Major Wyndham harangued the
troops for a quarter of an hour, wholly on the crime
of my having written in the Dispatch. Now, why
did Major Wyndham, if I was punished for disobe-
dience of orders, comment on the political affair
and never at all advert to that for which it was said
that I was tried and punished ?
" I have been in expectation of my discharge for,
some days past ; but although it is quite certain
that Sir J. C. Hobhouse, the Secretary at War, has
granted it, I do not now expect it for some weeks.
I had a letter to-day from London, which says that
Sir J. C. Hobhouse does not wish to discharge me
until the matter is at rest a little. Now, this is
nothing but to keep me in the fangs of enemies and
daily tormenters until the matter is ended, so as to
keep me from stating facts which they know I would
state were I at liberty.

" I am, Sir, your obedient humble servant,
" Private A. SOMERVILLE, Scots Greys.
" To Mr. John Craig, Woodside, near Airdrie."

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, JULY 9.

WATSON V. LANE.

This was an action of trover of a particular kind,
to recover goods or their value in damages, by the
assignees of the bankrupts, Davison and Noel, for-
merly silk throwsters, against the defendant, to
whom, a short time previous to their bankruptcy,
the bankrupts had given some of their goods. The
assignees contended that an unjust preference had
been given to Lane above the other creditors; and
that the consignment had been in contemplation of
an act of bankruptcy.
The Jury, after hearing evidence, returned a ver-
dict for the defendant.