The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-29 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING. JULY 29 1R44

While the Whig Government was in office, the
people of Spain looked to England, and now they
are under the dominion of France.

The accounts from Madrid still continue of a very
unfavourable character. A decree issued by the
General-Commandant of Logrono on the 15th inst.,
declares that province in a state of siege, awl a mili-
tary commission had been appointee to condemn to
death all who retain fire-arms, or in any way resist
lawful authority. One journal' says, "All Spain will
[-soon be once mare proclaimed in a state of siege, as
Barcelona, Saragossa, Teruel, Almeria, and many
other places, already are." It was reported, with
every appearance of truth, that martial law was to be
proclaimed also at Madrid. These arbitrary and
horrible decrees evidently emanate from NAR•
VAR; and two members of the Cabinet had
gone to Barcelona to remonstrate with him
for adopting these illegal acts without consulting the
whole Cabinet. Cannot these gentlemen see that
"the Sabre," an appropriate title for this military
despot, will soon do without them. More arrests had
been made of persons charged as accessories in mur-
ders committed during popular commotions several
years since. These terrible proceedings are exciting
universal consternation, as scarcely any man con-
siders his life safe. Senor Mori and Senor MAYANS
set out for Barcelona on the evening of the 20th,
with a view it is believed to induce Queen CHRISTINA
to put an end to this reign of terror.
Madrid Bourne on the 20th.—Three per Cents.,
264 for cash ; Ditto, 264 for 60 days; Five per Cents.
20 11-16ths for 23d August.

THIS DAY'S NEWS

BANKRUPTCY.-(THIS DAY.)
(Before Mr. Commissioner Gout:Bum.)
JUDGMENT IN THE CASE OF ROE AND BLACKFORD,
RANKERS, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT.
This being the day appointed by the Learned Commis-
sioner for giving judgment in this important case, the Court
was at the very earliest hour.crowded with parties interested.
The Learned Commissioner having inquired who was the
trade assignee in the case, Mr. Wilford stood forward.
Mr. Commissioner Gouchurts—What, Mr. Wilford, is your
opinion, as trade assignee, of the conduct and proceedings of
the bankrupts in this case ?
Mr. Wilford—As being most deceitful to their creditors:
The same question was put to the official assignee, who re-
plied, that as far as he might judge from the bankrupt sheet,
which was moat voluminous, they had stated their affairs in
a very straightforward manner.
The Hon. and Learned COMMISSIONER then delivered
judgment. This was a case of very considerable importance
as respected the two gentlemen Roe and Blackford, and as
respected the public. It was one of a number of cases of
failure by large banks, and in this particular case mis•
fortune to .a great extent had been entailed on
a large proportion of persons in the Isle of Wight.
Since he had the honour of sitting as a Commissioner in
Bankruptcy, three of those cases had been heard before him,
one of which, he might observe, was in its general aspect
very similar to the one at present before them. The circum-
stances, in fact, were almostjthe same. He referred to the Rom-
ford Bank. In all those cases they observed in the parties incul-
pated gentlemen of station and of position in society, and fre-
quently connected with the best families in the district in
which they resided, trusting to the chapter of accidents ; re-
ceiving deposits up to the last moment from unsuspecting
individuals, and then failing, and leaving but little assets to
cover perhaps their reckless profusion. What were the debts
in that case? 100,0001., and the probable amount recovered
would give a shilling in the pound. It had been strongly
urged by the bankrupts' counsel, in excuse of the conduct of his
client, that the opposingereditors had themselves only to blame
and that, if they had exercised a wholesome vigilance, they
would not then be in such an unenviable position as creditorto
a large amount. He (Mr. Commissioner Goulburn) would
at once accede that the conduct of the creditors of Mr. Cooke
and other gentlemen was not right—that they were greatly
to blame in not using proper caution ; but did this absolve
the bankrupts? Those creditors stated that they had im-
plicit confidence in Roe and Blackford, and more especially
in Mr. Roe, and they therefore wished to serve them, and to
prop their credit on the island. It was imputed to Cooke,
and he thought most unjustly, that he had selfish motives,
and that he assisted the bankrupts for the profits that might j
accrue. He (Mr. Commissioner Goulburn) saw nothing in
the circumstances of the case to justify this imputation.
Now, the question was—how far did this blind confidence
on the part of the creditors justify the bankrupts? Bankers
were frequently, as here, highly connected. Roe was the
nephew of the late Sir Richard Bassett, he was living in
splendour Lied opulence, he was the chief magistrate of the
town of Newport, the principal place in the island, and all
these circumstances induced, a belief that he was perfectly
ael cla t. moisz .e".t. L. Ida Lank, rrLete their Hailers had
guise before, and after depositing their money and leaving,
they looked up at his elegant mansion, and seeing the
symptoms of boundless wealth there, could it be expected,
could it-be thought that a shadow of doubt would cross the
mind of the creditor? Could they, therefore, think the plea
of the creditors' negnligence could be urged by the bankrupts
with a good grace? He thought it but added to their turpi -
tude. Let them look at the charges which had been ad-
vanced against the bankrupts, and he (Mr. Commissioner
Goulburn) was most anxious that they should be fully under-
stood. The first charge was, that in the year 1842 they were and
had been for some time befirre in a hopeless and helpless state
of insolvency, to the amount of 50 or 60,000/., Blackford
being personally indebted in an amount or upwards of 10,0001.,
and Roe in a smaller amount of from 6 to 7,0001. The
charge was, that at that time they permitted the opposing
creditors to form with them a joint-stock bank, they wilfully
concealing their insolvency, and holding out to them a con-
trary and untrue statement. He (Mr. Commissioner Goul-
burn) was afraid that that was proved to demonstration by
the memorandums, which could not err. He found that on
May 22d there was a meeting held, and at that meeting Mr.
Cooke inquired of Blackford, whether, after appropriating such
and such debts and securities, they would retain sufficient assets
to meet their engagements and liabilities, because if they
'had not such they would place the Company in a most awk-
ward position? The answer -to this was a distinct
one—that they held such a sufficient amount of assets
as would meet all their. liabilities. Now that was
a distinct untruth—a wilful suppression of the truth.
It was no argument to say the creditors ought to have looked
The question was asked, and it ought to have been truly
answered. Confidence was reposed in them, and it had been
unworthily abused. The same question was put to Roe, and
he answered in a similar manner. Could any man doubt then
that this was a gross imposition on the part of the bank-
rupts? The consequence of this deceitful concealment was an
involving of those gentlemen, who form the Joint-stock Com-
pany, in a large amount. Here, as in every case, to begin
with falsehood led 'to other and deeper evils. The second
charge was this :—Certain securities and bills of exchange,
which having been the property of Roe and Blackford, were
left in the hands of Glyn and Co., and were thence redeemed
by the Joint-stock Company, and placed in the banking es-
tallishment of the Messrs. Currie, the said securities and
bills being then the property of the new bank. The Joint-
stock Bank devolved on the bankrupts the entire manage-
ment of the new concern. Now, what was their duty as
honest men ? It was their duty to have conducted themselves
with strict integrity towards their employers. But what did
they do? Blackford writes to Messrs. Currie and
out the consent of Mr. Cooke or the other gentlemen of the
co-partnery, as from the new concern, wanting those securi-
ties back, which, having been sent to him, he places to the
credit of his own bank. What is the excuse he makes? This.
That Christmas coming on, he thought that custtomers might
like to take up their securities. If he thought so, why not
have kept them beside him ; why give himself a fictitious
credit by appropriating property not his own ? The Curries
at last wrote that they did not like this mode of doing busi-
ness, and that letter falling into Mr. Cooke's hands, he made
inquiry, was answered with the above excuse, and the se-
curities were sent back again. Another charge was that
certain customers of Roe and Blackford's, who were suspicious
of the stability of that bank, had their amounts actually trans-
ferred to the new bank, and, in one instance, a person, very
wisely, drew his amount from the joint-stock bank
immediately after his account was so transferred. Was
it possible, he would ask any honest man, to justify
this proceedure? They 'had no warrant for such a
course from their employers. To cover this conduct
they had recourse to another evil. It was usual that
a balance-sheet should be submitted to the directors every
Thursday, and Mr. Blackford was in the weekly practice of
altering the state of the accounts in that sheet to meet the
directors' eyes, and then, having answered their purpose, he
re-altered them again for the purposes of the creditors. How
did he justify that? Oh! he called those alterations mere
" scratches." They had got to this position with those gen
tlemen. They began with falsehood and untruths for the
purpoSes of deception ; they appropriated securities belonging
to others for the purpose of building a fictitious credit for
themselves; they transferred accounts from their own bank
to the new without the sanction of the directors, and they
then began those alterations in the weekly statements which
were necessary to conceal their previous misconduct, at.d all
the time they were insolvents to an enormous amount.
Now under these circnmstances were those gentlemen to be
permitted to go back to trade, and to have the
priVileges allowed them. which the law humanely granted
to those who were unfortunate, through no misconduct, and
no culpable negligence of their own? What an amount of
evil had the bankrupts not done in the Isle of Wight ! His
friend who sat below him, and who gone to Romford on a
Chancellor's order, could harrow up their feelings with a de-
tail of the misery brought upon the middle and lower classes,
by the failure of the bank there; and could the bankrupts,
in this case answer to the world, for having introduced such
evils in the island, by their failure in Newport. The question
for that Court was, had the charges against the bankrupts
been proved ? He WAS bound to say they had; and could
lie, from any feelings of a morbid humanity, think of per-
mitting
them to pass that Court ? Could he answer to his
conscience, if he gave protection to those gentlemen—men
of education, of good families, going on from year, resolved
money, and from all persons who might
as a judge in an English
Caofftoeaurlrlt,ei
tvu..enr:iHtseretaoflletrttkhieet
circumstances,hisduty,
to refuse the bankrupts
their certificates.

AMERICA NEWS

(BY EXPRESS.)

ARRIVAL OF THE STEAM SHIP
BRITANNIA.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY, T[IENE, A.M.
GREAT RIOTS AT PHILADELPHIA—DESPE
RATE AFFRAY BETWEEN THE IRISH ANI.
NATIVE AMERICAN PARTIES--CONFLICT
WITH THE MILITARY—LOSS OF LIFE—JO]
SMITH, THE MORMON PROPHET, KILLED.
The Britannia, Captain Hewett, arrived here at
one o'clock this morning from Boston and Halifex.
The first place she left on the 16th, the latter on the
18th. She brings sixty-two passengers. -
The moat important news relates to Mexico,
Canada, the island of Dominica, and the City of Phila.
delphia. In Mexico, Santa Anna had called upo:
Congress for four millions of dollars and thirty thou
-and men, to re-conquer Texas, the raising rf
which, in the present condition of that country,
was regarded as absurd. In Canada, the movement:
of the Governor-General, Sir Charles Metcalfe, were
perplexed by the hostilities of the Orange an
Catholic parties. A serious riot had occurred at
Montreal on the occasion of. laying the foundation
stone of a new church, caused by the display of
Orange lilies, at which the Catholics took offence ;
and a desperate affray, connected with the same
subject, had taken place in Western Canada,
at a place called Drummondsville. In Domi-
nica, the blacks had had an outbreak, some
meagre details of which came to hand by the
last West India steamer, connected with an
attempt take the census in that island. The papers
by the present arrival announce that Lieutenant Hos
kens had made an offer to the American Government
to run the Great Western and the Great Britain
steamers, if the United States would provide two
efficient steamers to run, like those named, between
New York and Liverpool, a proposition which had
been declined. Lieut. Hoskens having failed to nego-
tiate an arrangement with President Tyler, had left for
Canada, it was stated, on the same errand. The private
accounts, however, state, that the mission of Lieut.
Hoskens to the United States and Canada had no
~.mnw into oonnomion with the propociti AAAA Leal:red to.
The Hibernia had arrived out, and the Great
Western made the trip in fourteen days and a half.
She was to have left New York on the 20th, and will
consequently, in the course of the present week, bring
dates from that city five days in advance of the pre-
sent arrival.
The city of Philadelphia had been the theatre o
further riots between the Irish and the native Ameri-
can parties, arising out of some ill blood on the 4th
of July, the anniversary of the declaration of Ameri-
can independence. The riots commenced on the 6th.
and the native Americans fired three rounds of cannon
on the Catholic church of St Philip de Neri.
The mob increased till eleven o'clock on Saturda%
❑ight, when the Commander of the City Militar.}
ordered them to disperse, and, on their refusal, wa-
about to fire on them, when Mr. Naylor, a late mem-
her of Congress, rushed in between the military and
mob, and begged the troops not to fire.
Naylor was immediately seized and imprisoned in
the church. Incensed by this act, the nativ(
Americans drew up two cannon, and fired three
rounds at the doors and windows of the church.
They then went up, battered in the doors, and re-
leased Naylor.
The mob then demanded that the Greens (Irish-
men) should be turned out of the church, which not
being done as speedily as they desired, the mob
assailed the church and drove them out.
The Greens were pelted with stones, and were
driven out of the church with groans and hisses.
They did not fire till three or four of their number
fell with wounds—when they turned upon their pur-
suers and fired a volley of ball cartridge on the mob.
The spirit of blood and carnage was now let loose.
The exasperated mob rushed on the Greens, and
drove them and the city military before them. Squads
of forty or fifty rioters pursued each soldier through
the streets and beat them unmercifully with guns
bayonets, and sticks. One of the soldiers, private
Robert Gallagher, was dragged through the streets,
beaten, mutilated, and pounded unmercifully.
A large number of the city military were locked
tip in the Grand Bank as prisoners.
At eight o'clock, P.M, comparative quiet had been
restored, when Captain Hill of the City Guards got
into collision with some elderly person, and struck
him with his sword. The man wrested the sword
from Captain ,Hill—a crowd gathered—Captain Hill
was knocked down—an attempt was made to stab
him—one of the soldiers rushed with fixed bayonet to
the rescue—he was met by a shower of stones—con-
fusion ensued—a general riot—when General Chad-
wallader rushed up excited, and gave the word " Fire"
—when a murderous discharge from the soldiery shot
down the mob in all directions, without discrimination.
The air was now filled with cries of human agony
—blood flowed through the streets—and on all
sides Niere heard shrieks of the wounded and the

ying.
The rioters now retreated—organised—armed
themselves with muskets, and two pieces of ordnance.
They then repaired to the scene of bloodshed, and
commenced a bloody fight with the military—common
and small arms being freely used on both sides.
One man had his face entirely shot away. One
discharge from the cannon of the rioters killed twenty
soldiers, who, in their turn, rushed on the populace,
firing on them and charging with fixed bayonets.
The battle raged furiously for two hours. Between
ten and eleven o'clock, P.M. the contest was very se-
vere. The number of killed and wounded is im-
mense, thongb it is impossible to ascertain the number.
The military have suffered terribly. Captain R. K.
Scott, of the Cadawalder Grays, was shot in the
spine, and, as it is feared, in mortal danger ; Colonel
Pleasanton, of the artillery regiment, was wounded
some silver change in his pocket pre-
in the groin,
serving his life.
Captain Murphy, National Artillery, was badly
wounded. Many of the wounded were carried off
by their friends, •others were dying in the streets un-
recognised. The contest continued till midnight, the
rioters taking possession of an Iron foundry, seizing
all the grape-shot and iron scrapings in the place—
loaded their cannon and did great execution.
At two o'clock in the morning the stieets were
filled with people. All was confusion. Families
were weeping and mourning in deep distress. Some
houses were riddled through with shot.
At four o'clock Colonel Jack rode up and made a
speech, urging peace and order ; but was assaulted
with a shower of stones. The mob battered down a
brick wall round St. Philip de Neri Church—entered
pell moll, and set fire to it below.
The flames were extinguished by others, and some
of the more well-disposed persons got up a meeting,
made speeches for the restoration of quiet, and the
excitement seemed to be gradually disappearing at five
o'clock on Sunday morning.
At seven o'clock the military appeared in great
force—warned the crowd—attacked them—charged
with bayonets—but were received by the crowd with
volleys of stones. The word "Fire" was given, and
great numbers shot down.
At half-past eight o'clock the crowd rallied,
brought up two field pieces with muffled wheels, and
soon after the air reverberated with the sound of
heavy cannon, volleys of musketry, and savage shouts!
The military and the crowd were engaged in
deadly conflict. Females were running distracted
'through the streets, and calling out the names of their
dearest relatives, and weeping over the bodies of the
wounded and the dying.
The contest continued violently till noon on Sun-
day, when the field pieces of the mob were taken
possession oby the cavalry.
In the afternoon, large numbers of natives from
Kensington assembled and vowed to aid those in the
south ward to the death. They had determined to
burn the church of St. Philip de Neri.
At five o'clock, two Irishmen, who were heard to
use rough expressions, were sadly beaten by the mob.
On Sunday evening the Mayor issued a proclama-
tion, commanding all persons to preserve order, but
the crowds and excitement still continued.
On Monday morning large numbers of military
arrived from the surrounding country, and about
three thousand troops were organised.
Through Monday evening, comparative order was
restored. The military paraded the streets, while the
Natives took up their position, with several pieces of
cannon, in the Warton Market. They mustered strong,
and with cannon loaded and pointed, declared that
- -