The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-16 00:00:00

"2. Instead of the moon' of the heavens, they ought
to have said the moon of the calendar,' which is a very
different thing. The moon of the calendar is not even a
mean, or uniformly moving moon to which astronomers
refer the real moon ; but differs from it intentionally and
avowedly, by two classes of arbitrary alterations, the
first class intended for simplicity of calculation, the
second for avoiding the possibility of the Christian aster
falling on the actual day of the Jewish Passover.
" In.the year 1845, the fourteenth day of the calendar
moon falls on Saturday, the 22d of March, whence Easter
is rightly made to be Sunday, the 23d, according to the
law both of the Roman and English Churches, though
the English statute does not well explain its own method.
With regard to this country, it should be noticed that
this statute enacts that Easter shall be kept by the' ca-
lendar, tables, and rules' annexed to the Act; and these
agree with Clavius.
" Of course any one is at liberty, as many did in 1818,
to think that the statute should be altered ; and cer-
tainly it would be worth while to avoid misconception
by repealing the faulty definition, and substituting a
better one, in the Prayer-books of the Established
Church. But if any oue should wish to advocate the
repeal of the rules, and the construction of new ones
agreeable to the existing definition, and astronomi-
cally true, he will perhaps pause when he finds that
his own system would sometimes cause it to happen that
St. Paul's Cathedral must keep Easter a week after
Westminster Abbey, and would very frequently make a
week's difference between the festivals of the colonies
and the mother country.—l remain, Sir, yours faithfully,
" A. DE MORGAN.
" University College, London, July 11, 1844."

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, July 15.
(Before Sir C. F. WILLIAMS.)
EXTRAORDINARY FRAUDS.—IN THE MATTER OF WILLIAM
BROMLEY.
The bankrupt in this case, a solicitor of Gray's Inn,
appeared to hear the judgment of the Learned Commis-
sioner pronounced, upon his final examination, and the
Court was crowded with persons—some attracted by the
extraordinary disclosures which had been made at the
previous examinations, and others more immediately and
painfully interested in the proceedings.
Mr. Humphrey, as before, attended for the assignees,
and Mr. Sturgeon represented the bankrupt.
The case had been appointed for twelve o'clock, but
owing to private business the Learned Commissioner did
not take his seat till nearly two.
Sir C. F. Wittalams—You wished, Mr. Sturgeon, at
the close of the last day's examination, to say something
in palliation of the bankrupt's conduct. I am willing to
hear anything you may have to urge now.
Mr. STURGEON begged to state first, that, but little
time had been allowed him to prepare anything like a
fair statement.
Sir C. F. Wimalats—Then no injury can arise to any
one from a further postponement.
Mr. STURGEON said that with the Learned Commis-
sioner's sanction, the few words he had to advance
should be said now. It was a painful thing to stand
in that Court, under any circumstances, but doubly pain-
ful for a gentleman like his client of respectable stand-
ing, who transacted great and important business, and
through whose hands more than a million and a half of
money had passed, in his capacity of solicitor for a Prime
Minister of the empire (Earl Grey).
Sir C. F. Wimuams—ls there any evidence of that?
Mr. STURGEON—Yes, in the banker's books.
Sir C. F. WILLIAMS —ls Lord Grey a creditor or
debtor?
Mr., STURGEON—A creditor. In fact the extent of
the dealings of the bankrupt, not wily as a solicitor but
as a speculator, was very great, and the Learned Com-
missioner was aware that when once this spirit entered
the mind of a person there was no knowing to what
extent in sPeculatien that person would proceed. Now,
as far as the bankruist's accounts showed, he had been
in receipt of from 3,0001. to 4,0001. by his profession,
and from his property he had an annual rental of
from 5,000/. to 6,0001. It was exceedingly difficult
to say, what might not .be the bankrupt's reason-
aide expectations of repaying any moneys he might
have speculated with ; and if on investigation of his ac-
counts his Honour should filid any .extenuating eir-
cumst Awes, he (Mr. Sturgeon) felt convinced that the
Court would inetinv to give that leniency to the bank-
rupt of which he stood so much in need. That he had
striven manfully against his evil fortunes was true, for,
for a long period of his life he had not gone to bed on
any one night till two in the morning, so anxious was he
to restore to all the properties he might have
taken the temporary use of. But would the creditors
greatly lose by this unfortunate gentleman? He held
securities on property which was valued at 120,000!
Sir
.C. P. WILL:Ams--I would compound for 120,000
half crowns, Mr. Sturgr on. I feel so much for you, on
account of the difficulty in which you are placed between
this Court and your client, that I will hear all you have
to say in Mitigation ; but I will feel obliged if you will
state nothing but %hat is founded on feats, lest it should
get to the`piiblic through the medium of the public press.
I cannot permit you to go on with these statements, be-
cause if I do I must reply to them.
Mr. STURGEON was not aware that the amount of
property stated in the schedule was contrary to the fact.
Sir C. F. Wriu.sams—There is no voucher for it.
You have no foundation for those statements but your
instructions, and a kind and generous feeling towards
the fallen.
Mr. STuaorost—What he was contending for was,
that the property in the balance-sheet was stated at
120,000/., which was proved from the banker's book and
other sources. Mr. Bromley, lie was assured, would
amend his schedule. He would, however, suggest that
the creditors should meet to prevent the sacrifice of the
bankrupt's estate at a nominal %glue. He complained
that in the addresses of his Learned Friends on the pre-
ceding examinations of the bankrupt, they had used lan-
guage which, to say the least of it, was greatly exagge-
rated, as when his Learned Friend, Mr. Humphrey, said
that he had twenty-three similar cases to those advanced
by Mr. Clarkson.
Mr. HUMPHREY—I have them now.
Mr. STURGEON—Had written I'M- the list of such cases,
and many of them he found (sixteen, no less), which
Mr. Bromley could not, after the most careful considera-
tion, charge himself with.
Sir C. P. WILLIAMS—HOW can you prove that ?
Mr. STURGEON--Would prove by the oath of the
bankrupt that on these sixteen cases no fraud had been
committed.
Sir C. F. WILLIAMS—I am sure that I can cite from
the bankrupt's own books amounts to the value of
20,000/.; where, and I am obliged to say it, this cold and
determined wronghas beet' committed.
Mr. "STURGEON—No doubt ; but there seemed a
deeper and hidden motive on the part of the
learned gentleman retained by the assignees. There
might have been money appropriated in three or four
cases—a man' might do. so with the firm intention of
refunding it ; but then it was stated that an

amoflut of 90,0001. had been used in various acts
of speculation, and every one of them. steeped in fraud,
that it would be:painful, to go into. Therefore, he
thought his :Learned Friend Mr. Humphrey was bound,
in justice to the bankrupt, to prove these allegations.
Why, in the list he held, he found the name of Earl
Grey for art' amount of cash to have been invested in
stocks, but which the assignees alleged had been misap-
propriated, and yet none of Lord Grey's family were
there to press their claims. None of the family of Mrs.
Hare were there, and her name was also in the list. He
prayed the Court to consider that the bankrupt was in
declining health, the result of his intense application
to business, which had induced an affection of the
heart ; his wife was also in the same condition,
and he had a family of eleven children. He felt
confident; that if the Court did not paralyse the
bankrupt's energies, the creditors would- reap the result
of his activity. He trusted that the future would not
only exhibit a gleam of hope for the unfortunate gentle-
man beside him, but for those also who at present
seemed •the greater sufferers. He was deeply contrite
and penitent, and would do all in his power to give satis-
faction tothe assignees.
Sir C. F. WILLIAMS said that the question before him
was, whether or not he would be satisfied with the ba-
lance-sheet sent in by Mr. Bromley. He would not
comment upon the figures quoted by Mr. Sturgeon, as
the whole endeavour of the Learned Counsel had been
to raise a feeling of compassion for his client. But he
(Sir C. F. Williams) had a duty to perform, not only to
the public but to the creditors, and not only to them but
to himself also and to the unfortunate bankrupt; andle
must say that he never,-in the-whole course of his life,
saw abalance-sheet more calculated to excite the strongest
feelingi of disappointment, and not disappointment only,
than this sheet of Mr. Bromley's. Mr. Bromley's trans-
actions reached over a long period—those which were
blameable, and those which Were much more than
blameable, hid extended • over ten and thirteen years.
If there was one avocation more than another which re-
quired honour and integrity in its professors that of an
attorney required them, for there wa's scarcely a fanaily,
scarcely an individual, who, at some period or another,
were not obliged to Consult an attorney. There-
fore, `"these, transactions of Mr. Bromley not
only-injured iniself, but. cast a blighting influence
over his profession. These transactions bad not been
done on the impulse of the moment—on the spur of
necessity. , No ; they bad covered a course of years.
He hid dropped; on a previous occasion, an expression
that if part of those transactions was not obtaining,
money 'under false pretences, he did not know what was,
and such,,, he felt convinced, Would' be the opinion
of all honest and all estimable men in the profesitiont,
of the laW ; for' would' not • such doings as these
be calculated to excite deep distrust'And suspicion? Would
not men quote the unfortunate man's name when they
wished to produce proof that their suspicions' and that
their distrust was not a chitnera? 'And now to 'the
balance-sheet. The bankrupt did not profess 'to shoiiin
it that he had psssessed one sin *le shilling when he'
coinineneed those speculations' and yet, at the time Of
the issuing of the fiat his liabilities amounted to
141,5221. is. 11d. Out of' this there were creditors
without security, without the shadow. of a shade
of security, to the enormous amount t of 86,791/.,
and of the whole names in his schedule
only those disiwn for an amount-of 4541 15s. held SEIM.-
rities. On examining the 'balance-sheet, and scrati-
nislng the property valued at 120,000/., he was verily of
opinion that it would not.realise 6,000/. The Learned
Commissioner then recapitulated in detail the bankrupt's
tran-actioss with Archdeacon Brymer, respectine the
misappli6tion of various sums under the will of tbe late
Mr. T:. Wilkinson ; and a further sum of 3,500 L, also
appropriated to his own we, and other sums of greater
or lesser amount, appropriated in a similar manner.
Let them imagine four, five, or six families reduced,
through the means of the bankrupt, from opulence to
indigence ; from enough and to 'spare, to a loaf ; and
would the Learned Counsel, under these circumstances,
have them extend their sympithy to the creditori, or to
the bankrupt ? He thought that ere men 'commenced to
spectilate, they should first examine their banker's book