The Sun.
London, England, 1832-06-01 00:00:00

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LONDON,
FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 1, 1832.

We this day think it our duty to request at-
tention to the proceedings in the Court of King's
Bench, which occupy so large a portion of
the paper. We should not have adverted to the
matter at all but for the circumstance that two
morning papers have published long affidavits by
some of the defendants, without dealing the same
measure of justice to the speech of Sir JAMES
SCARLETT in reply. This apparent partiality
may have been unintentional, and is the more
singular as occurring in papers of such inde-
pendent principles and otherwise impartial.
In matters affecting self, it is painful to ob-
trude on public notice. We have hitherto care-
fully abstained from all remark, though the
means of refutation from calumnies daily pub-
lished, and industriously circulated, were
as easy as they were ample. But hav-
ing been taunted by the Counsel for the
defendants with not having made any affidavit in
the present case, and unjust conclusions having
been deduced therefrom, we took the earliest
opportunity of repelling the insinuation, by
making the affidavit which follows, even though
against the advice of Counsel, upon which we
have hitherto implicitly acted :
IN TUE RING'S BENCII.
AFFIDAVIT OF MURDO YOUNG, OF THE STRAND, COUNTY
MIDDLESRX, PART PROPRIETOR OF THE NEWSPAPER
CALLED " THE SUN."-SWORN MAY 29, 1832.

STATES—." That having been advised by his counsel, Sir
Edward Burtenshaw Sugden, to refrain froM noticing' the
libels hereinafter mentioned, pending the proceedings
adopted by this deponent in the Court of Chanc rv,
touching the said Newspaper, he, deponent, did not in-
terfere or take any proceedings himself in this honourable
Court, or assist, by his affidavit, in the application of
Henry Winchester, Esq. and Thomas Briggs against
Patrick Grant, John Bell, lnd John Ager, respecting such
lib 1, contained in a certiin pamphlet and a newspaper
called the True Sun, printed and published by some or
one of them ; but deponent saith that having been present
in this Court on the 28th of May instant, and heard the
obsei vations of counsel respecting his not making any such
affidavit, he, deponent, upon his oaths now saith, that he
had not any knowledge of, nor ever saw the said Thomas
Briggs until after the commission of bankruptcy issued
against the said Patrick Grant, nor has he new, nor ever
had, any intimacy or friendship with the said Thomas
Briggs, and that he never had any collusion with the said
Thomas Briggs nor with the said Henry Winchester, in
the issuing of the said commission of bankruptcy, nor to
defeat the interest of the creditors under the same.

" That his offers to purcua-e tl:e three-fourth parts or
shares of and in the said newsp iper, have been bona fide and
without fraud or collusion with the said Henry Winchester
and Thomas Briggs, or either of them, or any other person
or persons whomsoever, and that it is the firm belief of the
deponent that his said offers have been tint only real and
bona fide offers to purchase the same, and that the several
offers to purchase such shares by other persons, were only
intended to mislead and impose upon the assignees of the
said bankrupt.
" That his only knowledge of the said Henry Winches-
ter arises from his having been a large creditor of the said
Patrick Grant previous to deponent becoming the co-
partner of the said Patrick Grant in the said newspaper,
and that he has not any intimacy or friendship with him
whatever, and that neither the said Henry Winchester, nor
the said Thomas Briggs is interested, or expects to be in-
terested, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatsoever,
either with deponent or with any other person or persons
for or on his behalf in the said newspaper, or in any other
manner to secure the purchase of the shares and interest
of the said bankrupt in the said Sue newspaper, with a
view to assist deponent, or to defraud the creditors of the
said Patrick Grant, or with any corrupt view or motive
whatever. .

" That long previous to the issuing of the said commission
of bankruptcy, the difficulties of the slid Patrick Grant be-
came so great, that he, deponent, teas under the necessity of
communicatim: the same to the said Henry Sykes Thornton,
the co-assignee of the said hsnkrupt, who has for many years
been and is a very particular parsonal friend of the said bank-
rupt; and deponent received from the said Henry Sykes
Thornton a letter, in the words and figures following
Birchin.lane, July 17, 1829—Dear Sir, I have heard
from Mr. Charles Grant on the subject of Mr. P. Grant's
affairs, and he tells me that he and his brother have come
to the determination of leaving things to take their own
course. As we cannot get the deed signed, it is impos-
sible for Mr. Winchester and me to act under it, and I
have therefore told Mr. Bartrum that I see no alternative
but a commission of bankruptcy. Ido nqt intend to stir
in the business myself, and I mention the circumstance in
order to put you on your guard, and that you may see
Mr. Bartrum, and confer with him in what manner a
bankruptcy may take place with the least injury to the
property of The Sun newspaper.
"Believe me, yours truly,

"H. S. THORNTON.
"Addressed to M. Young, Esq., 112, Strand."
,‘ That he has at all times used his utmost exertions to
promote the interest of the said Patrick Grant and his said
assignees in the said Sun Newspaper, without favour to
himself twyond the rights and interests he has in the same.
Th it at the meeting which took place at the count-
ing-house of the said ll”nry Sykes Thornton, in Birehin-
lane, on Thursday, the 17th March, 1831, the said
three-fourth shares of and in the said Sun Newspaper, were
agreed to be sold by the said Henry Winchever and Henry
Sykes Thornton to dluinent tor the sum of 9,0001.
in which was to be included a balance of 4,0001. and
upwards, due to deponent in respect to the said partnership,
and exclusive Of a Sinn of 2,0001. and upwards in respect to
liabilities of the said partnership, if upon investigation of the
sa'd accounts by persons to be appointed for that purpose, the
.aid debts and liabilities should amount to those sums; but
should the same exceed those sums, then that deponent
should in any event pay the full sum of 5,000/. for the
same, but if they (1:(1 not amount to the sums of money
before stated, he, deponent, was to pay the excess.
" That at such meeting on the 17th March aforesaid, the
said Thomas Briggs was directed by the said HesarylVinches-
ter and Henry Sykes Thornton to prepare a proper agree-
ment for carrying the same into effest, and an appointment

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was made to meet on Saturday the 19th March following
to execute same, and which the said Henry Winches
ter and Henry Sykes Thornton agreed to do, pr—
vided in the mean time no better offer should t
made by any other person; and deponent saith, that he di,i
accordingly attend on the Saturday fdlowinc, being th,
said 19th March, at the counting. house of the said Hear,
Sykes Thornton, at Birchin-line, aforesaid, for the pug:.
pose of carrying into effect the said agreement for the said
purchase.
" That no concealment whatever was made of the terms
or conditions thereof to any person or persons whomsoever,
on the contrary thereof, the principle of such condi,ional
agreement, that the same was agreed to be sold to de
ponent, provided no better offer was then and there math.,
was avowed and openly acts t 1 upon.
" That the said Thomas Briggs did not at such meetine.
make any offer of 5001. or any other sum, for and on ae
count of deponent, otherwise than he might have r -
peated any offer that had be. 'n previously made to that
effect by deponent to the said assignees.
" That in his judgment and belief the sum of 5,0001.
which in any event he had agreed to ply exclthive of the
sum of 4,0001 and upwards, due to deponent in respect
of the said partnership, and the sum of 2,0001. and op-
wards in respect of liabilities of the said partnership, was a
better offer than any that has yet been made for the pur-
chase elf the said shares in the said Sun newspaper.
"'That on the 30th December last, he received from the
said Patrick Grant a letter in the words and figures herein
after next mentioned, and to which he replied, as is also
hereinafter mentioned (that is to say)
SIR,--Havin,g at length obtained my certificate, 1
am strongly urged to adopt measures of a decisive charac-
ter, which may (or may not) benefit me and my creditors,
but must inevitably affect your interest.
" ' Before, however, acceding to the suggestions of
friends upon the subject, 1 have no objections to meet you.
" Understanding that you are confined to the house,
I will call at The Sun office, if you will name an hour.

" c Your o,)edieot servant,

" ' Private and immediate.

‘" PATRICK GRAN C.

" M. Young, Esq., Sun Offiee,-30th Dec. 1831.'
" Sun Office, 31st Dec. 1831.
" Six,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of your
tter yesterday'.
" I should be sorry to interfere with your acceding to
any suggestions of your friend., or adopting any measures
that may benefit yourself or your creditors, although (you
state) they ' must inevitably affect my interests.'
" ' If you have any communication to make, and will
send it through my solicitor, it will receive due atten'ion.
" ' Yours obedi-ntly, M. YOUNG.

" P. Grant, Esq.'
" That from his refusal again to unite with the said
Patrick Grant in the concerns of the said Sun newspaper,
he believes the hostility of the said Patrick Grant arose,
and has continued towards the deponent; and that the
said Patrick Grant has united himself with the said John
Bell, for the purpose of injuring the deponent in his cha-
racter and int.rest.
" That he has reason to believe th it the hostility of the
said John Bell arose in consequence of the deponent ha-
ving refused to employ the said John Bell in the concern
of the said newspaper when he tendered his services to de-
ponent, in the words and figures following :
" Saturday Evening, Spectator Office, 4, Wel-
lington-street, Strand.
" SIR,—As I understand that you are about to become
proprietor of The Sun, I beg to offer my services to write
leading articles for that paper.
" ' I have for eight months past been one of the prin-
cipal contributors to the Spectator; I have had charge of
the political department—have furnished leading articles
and ' collective wisdom,' besides papers on political eco-
nomy, and others on topics of general interest. The re-
ply to the Standard in this week's number is mine, and
the notice of Mr. Sa(Per's " Law of Population" in the
number of last week. It win give me pleasure, however,
to submit to your notice the, whole aeries of papers which
I have written for the Spectator.
" From some statements which have lately been made
to me, I have reason to believe that you, Sir, and I, have
been hitherto labouring under mutual misapprehensions as
to the nature of the arrangements which Mr. Grant con-
templated when he engaged nt to write for The Sun.
I should be gl id, therefore, at any time when you shall be
at leisure, to talk the matter over with you.