The Sun.
London, England, 1832-08-16 00:00:00

of the remission having resulted from the consideration of
his being a recruit.

" 14th. Major Wyndham harangued the troops.'
" This has been proved,
" 15th. Why did Major Wyndham, if I was punished
for disobedience of orders, comment on the political
affair, and never at all advert to that for which I NO,
tried and punished ?'

" It is by no means unusual, nor does it appear to the
Court improper, for a Commanding Officer to address his
men when assembled on such an occasion, more particu-
larly as it was reported in Birmingham, at that very time,
that several of Major Wyndham's men had joined the Po-
litical Unions, and would not act against the mob ; under
these circumstances, and while the troops were liable to
be called out every hour, Major Wyndham might properly
take the opportunity of the first parade to recommend
strongly to them to keep themselves unconnected with po'
litics, and to encourage them to do their duty.
"Private Somerville's evidence, page 15.—Lieutenant
Gillies said, ' It was because the horse was not easily ma"
naged that he (Lieut. Gillies) had set me on it.
" This is directly denied by Lieut. Gillirs, and not con.,
firmed by any body else.
" A detailed account of the proceedings of the Court
at each sitting, and the minutes of the evidence taken he"
fore them, will be found annexrd as an appecdix to tbis
report.
" Having now examined in detail, and, according t°
the evidence before them, disposed of the particular alle-
gations against the conduct of Major Wyndham, which
they find preferred in the documents transmitted to then'
by the General Commanding in Chief, or which have
been suggested in the course of the present inquiry, 60
will next proceed to state their own opinion on the prin.'
cipal points comprised in the general question referred bi
the instructions of the General Commanding in Chief to
their consideration.

" In relation to these points the Court is of opinion,
" That Major Wyndhamnacted injudiciously in enter'
ing into conversation with, or making inquiries of, private
Somerville on the subjects of the letter in the Dispatch,
while private Somerville was before him as a prisoner,
charged with a military offence; and that this was espe"
cially inconsiderate at a period when, from the excite-,
ment which prevailed in the neighbourhood, and from the
nature of the contents of that letter, the object and put'
pose of such conversations and inquiries were peculiarlY
liable to be misinterpreted.
" That Major Wyndham, when he heard a recruit
offer the highly objectionable opinions, which are re'
corded to have been expressed to him by private Somer.
ville, respecting the duty and allegiance of a soldier,
acted injudiciously in not suspending all proceeding!
against private Somerville, in relation to the military of
fence wherewith he was charged, and laying hetbre the
General of the district a full statement of the case of pei'
vate Somerville, and of the opinions so expressed by MO
in order to obtain from the General commanding the di?
trict instructions applicable to the occasion.
" That the method of procedure which Major Wynd'
hall followed in bringing private Somerville to trial befall
a Court-martial, the effect of which was, that private
Somerville was warned for trial, tried, and punisbei
within the compass of a very few hours, and especialll
that he was brought to trial only an hour and a half *fief
he received notice of it, were unduly precipitate, and ie
that respect not justified by the general usage of the
service, though in accordance with the practice of the
Scots Greys, and, as the Court believe, of other regimen°
of cavalry.

But the Court is further of opinion that the militarY
offence which private Somerville was alleged to have cool
mitted in the riding-school, and of which be was after`
wards convicted, appears from the evidence before them
have been of a nature to require serious notice, and sue!
as Major Wyndham might justifiably refer to the con!'
deration of a Court-martial, and on the cons iction of 0'
prisoner before the Court-martial, and his being see;
tenced to receive a corporal punishment, a result at wlalc,
that tribunal arrived, without any previous communicatl.°;
between Major Wyndham and any of its members, t%
Court does not conceive that, in causing one-half of tiv
be censured as having acted in a manner inconsistent eel,
u nhisish mcnevnnt
vtool
uhnetarinflicted
Arctal
jtoero
Nthveyrndh
halafaib
ei
armenmi.
laiirttadt
reeydd
bylity then resting on Major Wyndham, and the critical 014
incumbent on him to keep his troops in a state of di9cl
cumstances in which he was placed, rendered it peculisf!,
law or usage; more especially as the responsl;
p
pline and efficiency.
d
tAhio,:iu'ogArhaw,
ynonntdhhteha e whole
rnr
respects
sbetlis
floreCourtmentioned, is o o
thepno
icoinn tductsrll.
in dealing with the case of private
merville, was deficient in that care, discretion, and ju
ment which the circumstances of the case required of 104
as the officer in the temporary command of the regime;
yet there is nothing to warrant the conclusion that, scib',
d
h
ot
mannervt
BRADFORD, na
ndis ca teitv iaeos ao uel
sec towardsutt,ebtGewteinbt and
nh
anda
not
pynri
onevusdi
ireti
ivweai
he ostensibly proceeded against private Somerville foe
w
d
~,ao 'act, no,oenced by some feel'
military offer
on account of his political acts or sentiments ; or tbs.;
from any motives, unbecoming his station and character'
officer to just impeachment.
(Sign
" J. NICOLLS, Major-General.
" A. CAMPBELL, Major-General.
" GEORGE BURRELL, Colonel.
"J. TOWNSEND, Lieut.-Col. 14th Light Droo "ROBERT GRANT, J. A. cr"
His Majesty has been pleased to signify his approhatioli
of the manner in which the Court has executed its fuel
tions, and his entire concurrence in the observations Al?
opinions contained in its report.
His Majesty has further been pleased to express his deep
regret that an officer of the rank and distinguished service
of Major Wyndham, and who has ever maintained a cbs'j
racter so free from reproach, should, on the occasion 01).
in the instances mentioned in the report, have evinced °,
deficiency in the care, discretion, and judgment required
of him as the officer in the temporary command of a re'
giment.
His Majesty has, however, been pleased, at the salve
time, to express his satisfaction that nothing has appeared
in the course of the inquiry to aethorise any conclusioe
which would reflect discredit on the purposes, feelings, Of
motives of Major Wyndham, or which could subject hie
honour to just impeachment.
The General Commanding.in•Chief diret4s that the
foregoing report of the Court of Inquiry, with his Ahjesty'e
pleasure thereon, shall be entered in the General order
Book, and read at the head of every regiment in his
Majesty's service.
weEh'en :Y
): t such this transaction,

By command of the Right Honourable
The General Commanding-in-Chief,
JOHN MACDONALD, Adjutant. General

NATIONAL POLITICAL UNION.

- -
The weekly meeting of this Union took place last Wu'
ing at eight o'clock, at Saville-house, Leicester-square.
Mr. Saut took the chair.
Mr. DETROSIER, the Secretary, read the minutes of the
la,t meeting, which were confirmed.
Mr. MURPHY had a, resolution to propose, the real ol►-
ject
wished, therefore,
dt
dolfe which
sex.
He was
d tdo
nsoetc
careure the
muchret oar:.
about
tf
the other counties—let them fight their own battle; hut
in this county he was sure that Mr. Hume would be op-,
him. He begged to that the people should rally round
he
pro-
pose
the following resolution, which thought an
onlymea-
for this purpose, but for several other
posed both by Whigs and Tories, and
tial one, not That the National Political Union
useful ends—namely,
August, or they will forfeit
next county elections to register on or before Monday next,
urgently recommend the Reformers entitled to vote at the
the 20th
following are entitled to register:—Freehold in fee of 401. ;
Freeholders for life or lives of 10/. ; Copyholds of 101. ;
Leaseholders of the original term of sixty years of 101.,
of 201. and 50/. ; and tenants at will of 50/." Mr. Murphy
called upon the liberal papers to exert themselves, for
there were considerable difficulties to encounter, and they
ought to be clearly pointed out and explained. The
parishes, above all other things, ought to have forms Q 1
registration.
Mr. PLACE begged to state that Mr. Hume had just.
left him, and that they had come to the resolution to have
the forms of registration ptinted and published by to-
morrow. They should like some other staunch Reformers
to aid them in this useful project.
Mr. ROGERS seconded Mr. Murphy's resolution.
Mr. CARTWRIGHT THOMAS animadverted on the apathy
displayed by the inhabitants of the counties, particularly
by those of the county of Worcester. He knew that
scarcely a single person had registered in that county, as
they conceived there would be no contest, and that they
might as well save their shilling. In Herefordshire, on
account of this apathy, there would be no contest, and a
Tory would walk over the ground quite at his ease.
Mr. PLACE—He was a little freeholder in Kent ; the
overseer should have his shilling before he could be regis-
tered ; and as he knew nobody down there, be should be
obliged to send the shilling by the post, and then could ne-
ver ascertain whether he was registered or not. The ,
Tories all over the country were playinga pretty trick ; they
were sending five pounds to the overseers, and putting
down certain voters' names, the registration of whom they
bad thus paid for; so that he who ►aid most olullinlie
theirt ilfevr.
0. electionse Humes
. T hff
for
r