The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-19 00:00:00

Ti-LE 9T,TN, LONDON, rtIDA.Y MO

in favour of a system of agricultural statistics, had
first led him (Mr. Gibson) to look into the evidence
taken before that Committee. He found from the
evidence that many eminent men were in favour of
the views he now asked the House to adopt—more
especially Mr. G. Webb Hall and Mr. Saunders.
The former gentleman had stated that the agricul-
tural interest were in profound ignorance as to statis-
tical information—that such information would be
of almost incalculable benefit ; and he had
suggested that the machinery for obtaining it might
probably be supplied by the Poor-law Commission.
The Right Hon. Baronet opposite (Sir J. Graham)
had, as a Member of that Committee, put questions to
witnesses which justified him (Mr. M. Gibson) in
hoping that he was favourable to the motion. The
character of the questions put by the Right Hon.
Gentleman certainly justified such an opinion, for he
had particularly questioned Mr. Saunders as to whe-
ther or not a good system of agricultural statistics
might not tend much to produce steadiness of price.
—(Hear, hear.) There was a good deal of evidence
of the same character, with which, however, he would
not then trouble the House. Now he might he told
that it would be very difficult to obtain this informa-
tion, and that he was asking the House to pledge
I itself to an impracticable and wild scheme without
going into any details to show how it was to be re-
gulated and worked. But he begged to say that the
duty of devising details did not attach to him, but to
the Government. It was for him to show the pro-

priety of the principle to the House, and if approved
of it was for the Government of the country to carry
it out. They best knew what officers they had in
their service, who were most competent to undertake
the duty, and upon what department it ought to devolve.
He appealed to the Right Hon. the President of the
Board of Trade to allow the address to pass. It was
not uncommon for Members of that House to move
addresses to the Crown, on which the Government
subsequently founded measures and passed them. It
other countries he found that this agricultural infor-
mation was obtained; for instance, in the United
States of America, where the Commissioner of Pa-
tents presented an annual agricultural report to Con-
gress. It gave precisely the same information which
he wished to see furnished in this country. He might
be told that the farmers would object to state the
amount of their produce, thinking it involved some
future taxation, or something more than merely fur-
nishing information. But a Mr. Tremanhere, who
had undertaken to procure such information in five
parishes by himself, stated, in the work he published,
that he found no great difficulty. He said, that
though there might be a little jealousy at first, yet
where the farmers found it was merely for the
purpose of affording information he had no
apprehension that they would refuse to give it.
He, for one, was prepared to vote for an Act of
Parliament to enable them to obtain this information.
They passed an Act of Parliament to obtain a re-
turn of the amount of hops when they wanted tc
levy a duty, and an Act to enumerate the people for
general purposes. His simple object in this case was
information. He would be strenuously opposed to
any attempt to impose a tax on home-grown wheat.
He hoped the Right lion. Gentleman would alloy;
this resolution to pass, and not merely say that he
would take the subject into his consideration. No-
thing could be easier than for every farmer in the
United Kingdom to make a return of the quantity of
wheat, barley, or oats, which he produced, and great
advantage would result from it. Many persons had
been opposed to the taking of a census. Dr. Price,
a very eminent man, in writing a book on annui-
ties, had endeavoured to show that the population of
this country had been diminishing ever since the Re-
formation, and that, in 1797, it was only four or five-
millions. If the census had not been taken.
that error might never have been corrected.
It would conduce to the benefit of the agricultural
interests to know exactly in what position they stood:
and, actuated by this motive, as well as by a desire
for the general welfare of the community, he moved
for these returns. It should not be for a moment
supposed that all those who advocated a free trade in
corn were enemies to agriculture; on the contrary, he
most sincerely desired the prosperity of agriculture.
He hoped the Right Hon. Gentlemen would not de
cline acceding to his motion.
Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE said, that althougl
there were reason.; of a particular kind, which made-
it inexpedient for the Government to accede to the
motion on the present occasion, yet he was fully alive
to the importance and desirableness of achieving the
object which the Hon. Gentleman had in view. The
Hon. Gentleman had quoted in favour of his motion
the opinion of certainly the most competent man in
England to give an opinion on the subject. Mr. Saun-
ders of Liverpool also thought, that proper agricultural
statistics would materially promote a steadiness of
price. Now he (Mr. G.) admitted the full force of
that remark—he felt that question was one of com-
mon interest—one which affected all classes of the
community, and was not confined merely to the corn-
grower. He further admitted that, at present, agri-
cultural statistics were of a most vague and conjectu-
ral description. Those who were importers of corn
and dwelt in the great seats of commercial activity,
had means of arriving at the state of agriculture
which the isolated farmer had not. He had no means
of knowing what breadth of land was sown with corn
each year, nor what produce the crops yielded. These
facts were all plain and palpable enough, and he mule;
assure the Hon Gentleman, that her Majesty's Go-
vernment felt the greatest anxiety that information
should be procured. He feared, however, that thc
motion of the Honourable Member was mud
too comprehensive in its terms, and tha•
if carried it would excite much apprehension
among the farming class that their condition
and affairs were to he scrutinised in too rigi6
a spirit ; nor would they, he feared, at leas.
for some time, be willing instruments in procuring
the desired information. The Government had been
in hopes that the labours of the Tithe Commission
would have supplied much valuable intelligence on
this subject. They had to a certain extent furnished
communications of a satisfactory and interesting cha
racter, but they did not give any simultaneous ac-
count of the crops, and what they had now in view
was not merely to ascertain what state the agricultural
counties were in at particular times, but a permanent
system of statistics by which the market might, to a
great degree, be measured. The Hon. Member had
spoken of Lord Sidmouth having applied for certain
information on this subject, but those queries the
Hon. Gentleman might see were not replied to in at.
ample or satisfactory manner. The most plausible
plan of all for obtaining information was that
of the Poor-law Commissioners, but they repre-
sented difficulties towards the attainment of such
information of a very peculiar kind. On the whole,
he did not think it would be advisable for the lion.
Gentleman to press his motion ; at the same time he
hoped the House would understand that the Govern-
ment were not hostile, or even indifferent, to his
views. The Government had already taken some
steps in the matter, although he admitted those steps
had not led to success. The Government did not see
by what means the object of the Hon. Gentleman,
however laudable and desirable it might be in itself,
could be carried out, and therefore he did not think it
would be right for the Government or the House to
pledge itself to the motion. He would feel it his duty,
if the Hon. Gentleman declined to withdraw his reso-
lution, to move the previous question. The Govern-
ment, he repeated, were-anxious to promote theobject
he had in view, and would seek its attainment by
every means in their power.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER had no objection to the in-
formation being procured, but he did not think it
would be possible at present to obtain it. He should,
therefore, oppose the resolution.
Mr. BROTHERTON did not think it would be
desirable for the Hon. Member for Manchester to
press his motion.
Mr. MILNER GIBSON withdrew the motion,
on the distinct understanding that the executive
powers of the Government would be exerted to obtain
the object of his motion.
The other Orders of the Day were then read, and
the House adjourned at Seven o'Clock.

Benedict's forthcoming new opera at Drury-lane,
to be entitled the Brides of Venice, will be rehearsed for the
last time this evening : the principal characters by Messrs.
Harrison, Stretton, Borrani, Mrs. Alfred Shaw, and Miss
Romer.

THE LAST OF THE STUARTS.—The remains of this
extraordinary man were on Sunday last consigned to the
tomb, their last resting-place, in Tweedmouth churchyard.
The funeral was attended by an immense concourse of people,
considerably more than 1,000. James Stuart was born on
December 25, 1728, at Charleston, in South Carolina, United
States. His father, General John Stuart, was a near relative
of the PreteOlder Prince Charles. James Stuart left Ame-
rica when seven years of age, and was a spectator at the
battle of Prestonpans, and witnessed the death of Colonel
Gardiner and the flight of Johnny Cope. He beheld the
triumphal entry of Prince Charles into Edinburgh, and was a
spectator at the battle of Culloden. Stuart, when about 20
years of age, enlisted in the 42d Highlanders, in which re-
giment he remained about seven years. He was an Ensign
in General Wolfe's army, and fought at the battle of Quebec ;
after that war lie sold his commission, but very soon after
he again entered the army, and served during the Ame-
rican war, and was at the battle of Bunker's-hill. After
this he entered the navy, and served under Admiral Rodney.
He was also for several years a sailor on board of merchant
vessels. About sixty years ago he settled in Berwick-upon-
Tweed, or rather in Tweedmouth, and during that period he
has travelled the borders as a wandering minstrel, scraping
bn a wretched violin. He has had five wives and twenty-
seven children. Ten of his sons were killed in battle—five in
the East Indies, two at Trafalgar, one at Waterloo, and two
at Algiers. Stuart was short in stature, but of remarkable
strength ; he is said upon one occasion, about thirty years
ago, to have gone beneath a cart loaded with hay, and carried
it on his back for several yards. He was able to follow his
wonted avocation until a few months ago, when he was
almost entirely entirely confined to his house. A fund was raised
cl
long
whichna
n
lifein
the old man tos peenade
and t h e
comfort.evening o timef
He
since
ns
g d f
said a few weeks ago comparativethat a
he " hadna been
sae weel aff this hunder year" His death was caused by a
slight accident, which he received on the hip joint from a fall
on the Thursday preceding his death.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF CHANCERY, April 18.
YOUNG V. WATERPARK.

The further arguments in this part-heard appeal from the
decision of the Vice-Chancellor of England occupied his Lord-
ship the whole morning. The question in the case was,
whether a power of appointment had been properly exercised.
The Vice• Chancellor of England decided that it had not, and
from that decision the present appeal was brought.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT, Apr4lB.
The VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND took cause petitions
to-day, none of which possessed any feature of interest.
(Before Vice-Chancellor Sir JAMES WronAm.)
GRIFFITH V. P.ICKETTS.

The Court was engaged during the morning in hearing the
arguments iu the above part-heard case, which came before
the Court on demurrer. The case was of no interest except
to the parties immediately concerned.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, April 13.
(Sittings in Banco.)
TILE QUEEN V. HAY.NES AND OTHERS.
This was au indictment against the defendants, who were
the parish officers of the parish of St. Michael, in the city of
Oxford, for disobedience to an order of sessions, in not paying
a sum which they had been ordered to pay as the expenses of
an appeal. The case was tried at the last Oxford Assizes,
and the defendants Haynes and Foster, the churchwardens,
were found guilty, and the other defendants Byron and
Walker, who were the overseers, were acquitted.
Mr. WHATELT, on behalf of the two-first defendants,
now applied for a rule nisi to enter a verdict
for the defendants or in arrest of judgment. The circum-
stances of the case were these. Several of the new buildings
of the Colleges in Oxford had been rated to the poor, and an
attempt had r een made to rate the old foundati,ns of Jesus
College and of Exeter College. A rate had been made and
an appeal entered against it, on the ground that the paish
officers had omitted to rate these ancient foundations The
College authorities refused to interfere—the parish of
deers did not defend the rate, and when the appeal
came on for hearing, it had been disposed of by the sessions
as, in fact, an undefended cause ; and the Recorder of Ox
Cord, to the astonishment, he believed, of every erne present,
had ordered the parish officers of St. Michael to -pay 3041.
Ss., as the costs of this undefended appeal. They had re-
fused to pay this sum, and this indictment was in conse-
quence preferred against them. He applied for the rule on the
uround—first, that the Recorder had no jurisdiction whatever
in the case, inasmuch as the rate was assessed under a local
Act, and that as by that local Act the guardians of the poor
were the persons to whom the rate was paid, the defendants
had in fact no funds out of which to pay the costs. The
Learned Counsel was proceeding with his argument when he
was interrupted by
Lord DENMAN, who said that as there were many points
of law which would arise for consideration in the case, it had
better go into the Crown paper for argument.
WORTHINGTON, ADMINISTRATOR OF DUNCAN DECEASED, V.
GRIMSDITCH, M.P.
This was an action for money lent and interest thereon,
which had been tried before Mr. Justice Williams at Chester,
and in which a verdict passed for the plaintiff for 1,2081.105.
Mr. EVANS now moved for a rule nisi to enter a verdict for
defendant on the third plea, the statute of limitations. The
defendant, it appeared, had in 1810, 1813, and 1816, borrowed
of the Misses Duncan, the laSt of whom died in 1842, various
sums of money in bond. There were various accounts of
decuniary transactions between the parties, but these ac-
counts ceased in 1823, but there was an account put in, dated
1824, in the defendant's handwriting, stating that he had
paid half a year's rent for the Misses Duncan, up to 1825.
The rent was annually 17!. less than the sum the defendant
owed for interest, and to take the case out of the sta-
tute, the steward of the landlord under whom the
Misses Duncan held Was called to prove that the defendant
had regularly paid the rent for the Misses Duncan up to the
cime of the decease of the survivor of the sisters. He con-
tended that the evidence was not sufficient to take the
case out of the statute of limitations, and submitted that he
was therefore entitled to his rule.
Lord DENM.AN--Take a rule.

BAIL COURT, April 18.
(Before Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN.)

HIE QUEEN V: THE HULL AND SELBY RAILWAY COMPANY.
This was an application, made by Mr. Watson, to compel
the Hull and Selby Railway Company to pay over a sum of
2,5001: to the Company of Proprietore of a bridge called the
Selby Bridge. The facts elicited were these :—that the bridge
in question was erected in 1791 under an Act of Parliament;
:hat in 1836 an Act was passed for making and maintaining
che Hull and Selby Railway ; and in that Act it was enacted
that should loss accrue to the Bridge Company from the work-
ing of the railway, then such loss should be made good to the
ridge Company by the payment on the part of the Railway
Company of a sum of money, equal to ten years' purchase of
the ascertained decrease of the Bridge tolls, provided such
4tun should not exceed 2,5001. The affidavits filed stated
chat the decrease in the Bridge tolls very far exceeded that
4um, and, therefore, the present application was made. The
Court granted the rule asked for.
CUE QUEEN AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS OF

THE TONER HAMLETS.
Mr. Michael Scales, addressing Mr. Justice Wight
nan, said that, during the last term. the Court had
.;ranted him a rule nisi against the Commissioners of
Sewers for the Tower Hamlets, which was made return-
tb!e cn the first day of the present term. Since that
rule had been. granted, the Commissioners had allowed
um to examine their accounts, and he had done so most
:arefully. He now sought permission from the Court
ro file an additional affidavit, containing some further
.nost important information, and with it a copy
4' the accounts. No part of this information, or of
:he accounts was in his (Mr. Scales's) possession when
he was last before the Court. He also appled to have
the rule enlarged for such reasonable time as, under the
circumstances he had stated, the Court might think
proper.
Air. Justice WIGHTMAN—The Court, Mr. Scales, can-
not allow an affidavit to be filed after a rule has been
:lilted. The rule of Court is not to allow supplemental
affidavits. _ _

Mr. Scales—But, my Lord, I was not in possession of
his information when I obtained the rule, and it is most
desirable that it should be brought under the cognisance
the Court. It consists of the accounts I have exa-
mined. and of which I have now the copy in my hand.
Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN—If you choose to abandon
:he rule, and make .a fresh application for a new rule
founded, upon your new information and your old in-
formation combined, you can do so. Discharge your old
rule, and try, under the new and old matter, for an ,then
rule ; there can be no objection t.) that.
Mr. Scales—With all deference to the Court I think
't would be better to allow this additional affidavit to be
tiled. It is very necessary these accounts should be
brought into the consideration of the matter, for a
;renter fraud never was practised upon the public.
Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN—The rule is inflexible, Mr.
Scales. lean only help you in the way I have pointed out.
Mr. Scales (in a very insinuating tone)—Could the
other full Court help me, xiy Lord, if I applied there ?
Mr. Justice WIGHTM AN—NO. The rule is the same
there as here. •
Mr. Scales—Any of the other Courts, my Lord—do
you!think I could?—(Laughter.)
The Learned Judge shook his head, and Mr. Scales
retired. In a few mibutes, however, he returned, and it
:vas then arranged that the rule nisi aliealy obtained
should he discharged 00 payment of c gists by Mr. Scales,
and that on a future day he should apply fur another
rule, founded on the old affidavit and the new one com-
bined.

SHERIFFS' COURT, AprillB.
KLEY V. ASH.

This action was brought to recover the sum of 101., the
amount of a quarter's rent, for a house occupied by the de-
fendant, a beer-shop keeper, in Byer-lane. The defence set
up was that the defendant's son was the real tenant, but this
being disproved in evidence, the Jury gave a verdict' for' the
plaintiff.

Nye believe was to recover compensa-
MORGAN CUMBERTAND.
tiolnninthdisammagees(wfoirliicilijuries which the plaintiff alleged be had
sustained from certain slanderous expreSsions uttered by the
defendant), Mr. JAMES said the parties had consented to a
verdict of 40s. being entered for the plaintiff.

COUR(BTefQoreFMßr..AcoNmXturipnPeTr CEvYAN,
sAssil 17.
THE DRAPERY TRADE AGAIN-IN RE JOHN CORTELL ADAMS.
The bankrupt had carried on business as a woollen-draper
in Basinghall-street, City. His debti and liabilities are
stated on his balance-sheet to be 12,5561. Is. 2d. ; but, in ad-
dition to this, his transactions in accommodation bills in-
volved an amount of 80,000/.
At the last hearing he was
.adjourned sine die, it then ap-
pearing that during the three years of his trading he had
made "no profit whatever," according to, his own statement,
while he put down his loSses at 5,640/.165. 2d., out of which
was 1,376/. 10s.:10d. for discounts, and his expenses at the rate
of 800/. a year. This extraordinary trading was unvouched for
by documents or books ; and each of his five separate balance-
sheets contained so many discrepancies that the Court ad-
journed him sine' die, but with leave to come up again to-day
for the purpose of passing his last examination, if he could
satisfy the Court and his creditors as to the truth of the
items contained in his amended balance-sheet.
Mr. Lawrence, who now appeared for the bankrupt, said
that the ptincit al objection urged was the amount of his
expenditure, which was unvouched for at the last meeting
and since that time the bankrupt had sedulously applied
himself at the official assignee's office, and had been able
to vouch out of one year's expenditure, 540/. o the 700/.
charged by him in the balance-sheet, and besides this he
had rendered a cloth account, which gave a full description
of the receipt and sale of every piece which had passed
through Lis hands. -
Mr. Commissioner EVA_NS—Why has he not vouched for
the whole of his expenditure. •
Mr./11 40L agwd
er
tat n(ceen—e I
edfn not bebelievee tehs t )
said
had
i dt h
that
it t
tin h
eh
creditors
s power.
really believed that the bankrupt had a purse.
Mr. Commissioner EvANs—Has he satisfactorily accounted
for his purchases and sales of cloth?
The Official Assignee (Mr. P. Johnson)—Why, Sir, after
a fashion he has done so.
Mr. Conntissioner Evans—Well, then, as he has accounted
for the cloth, has he accounted for the outlay of the money
which he obtained upon his sales of the cloth ?
The Official Assignee—He has not, Sit ; and his trading
was carried on in a most extraordinary manner. For ix.
ample, if he sold a tailor a piece of cloth worth 20s. or 30,,
he got him to ace. pt a bill for 1001., 150/., r 200/., a a the
case might be. Those bills heimn-ediateiy got discounted,
and as they became dee he was obliged to find the means of
taking them up, Which absorl ed his cash, and beside which
he could not press his debtors to pay him. It is my opinion
the bankrupt must have some book in which he kilit memo-
randums of these_ various bills.
Mr. Lawrance—As the bills became due, Sir, he took them
up himself.
At Commissioner EvANs—This is ore if the most suspi
cious accounts I have ever seen. Here are discounts charged
at 1,3761., bad debts 3,0001., and the personal expenditure at
the rate of 800/. a year, without a single shilling of profits on
his business. I shall adjourn the banrupt sine die, and with-
out a further hearing.
The Bankrupt 7-1 think, Sir, I can find the memorandum
at Mr. Johnson's.
Mr. Commissioner EvANs—Then if you can, you ma%
apply again. I firmly believe the man is dishonest, and that
he has concealed property; and with this view I shall adjourn
him sine die, and grant him no other hearing, except at his
own expense. A worse case I never had before me. It is
most reckless work.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Aprill7.
IN RE DUNCAN CAMPBELL.
This insolvent has been before the public on former occa-
sions, in consequence of his connexion with the British Ame-
rican Association, of which be was a Director, and was also
proprietor of the brig Barbadoes.
Pie was opposed to-day by. Mr. Woodruffe, onbehalf of a
creditor named Eden, who stated that he had supplied iron-