The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-15 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSI

ONS

(Before Mr. WALESBY and a full Bench of Magistrates.)
'Yesterday Alfred Matthews pleaded guilty to a charge of
stealing a piece of pork, the property of John Marshall.
After his plea had been recorded, the prisoner handed in a
paper which the Chairman on perusal stated, if true, showed
that the case of the prisoner was one of a most heart-rending
description. From his statement, it appeared that when
taken before the committing Magistrate, on the above charge,
lie stated that distress had driven him to the commission of
the offence, and that having previously applied for parochial
relief, he was sent into the stone-yard, and received some
bread, with an intimation that he must not apply to them
again. In reply to questions from the Court, the prisoner
said he could not obtain more than from 6d. to Bd. a day by
breaking stones—that being a kind of work to which lie had
never been subjected—that he had a wife and three children
to support—that he belonged to the parish of Hackney, and
that it was from the officers of that parish he had received
the treatment he complained of.
The CHAIRMOT said the case was one of so painful a
nature, that he felt it his duty to make some observations
upon it before he passed sentence upon the prisoner—in the
hope that their publication through the medium of the press
would have a beneficial operation not only upon parochial
authorities in general, who adopted the practice complained
of, but on those of Hackney in particular. It appeared from
the prisoner's statement, that he had formerly been engaged
in an extensive way of business, and had for a considerable
period maintained his wife and family in comfort and re-
spectability, but had since, from unforeseen causes, become
greatly reduced in his circumstances, and frequently with-
out the means of obtaining food for his wife and family—
that while in that state he applied to the guardians of
Hackney pariah for relief, who, after giving him some bread,
sent him to break stones, and told him not to apply to
them again, and that was all the assistance they extended to
a man who, with his family, was in a state of starvation,
and at length in a fit, of desperation, after he and his family
had been in want of food for a day and a half, he was unfor-
tunately led to the commission of the offence to which he had
pleaded guilty. He (the Chairman) hoped that the publica-
tion of this case would induce parochial officers to act with
a greater degree of mercy and consideration towards those
unfortunate persons who were compelled to seek for assist-
ance at their hands.
A juryman said he could confirm the truth of the prisoner's
statement, that it was the custom of the officers of Hackney
parish to send persons like him, who applied to them for re-
lief, to the stone-yard.
The CHAIRMAN said he was glad that the juryman had so
far confirmed the statement of the prisoner ; indeed, if any
portion
of his statement were untrue, the police, who had
ample opportunities of making inquiries about him, would
have contradicted it.
The policeman who apprehended the prisoner here said,
that such inquiries had been made, and the statement of the
prisoner found to be true in every particular. He had parted
with every vestige of his furniture, and he and his wife and
children not only slept on bare boards, but had not a morsel
to eat.

The prosecutor here said, that olbeing informed of the
wretched condition of the prisoner and his family, so far from
wishing to go on with the prosecution, he was anxious to
drop it, but was informed that he could not do so. The pri-
soner had been in respectable circumstances, had always borne
a good character, and therefore he most earnestly recom-
mended him to the merciful consideration of the Court.

The prisoner said that since he had been in custody several
charitable individuals, who had known him when in better
circumstances, had kindly. offered to give him employment as
soon as he obtained his liberty.
The CIiAIR3IAN, after some further observations upon the
case, sentenced the prisoner to be confined in the House of
Correction, and there kept to hard labour, for the space of
one week.
Another still more distressing case was afterwards tried, in
which an old man, aged sixty-four, named John Goodwin,
was convicted of stealing a knife, value one shilling, and who
had been subjected to similar treatment by the officers of the
Lambeth 'Union, and who having been turned out of the
workhouse, wandered about from day to day in search of em-
ployment, which he was unable to obtain, and having walked
from town to town, at length, in a fit of desperation, commit-
ted the offence of which he was convicted. He was sentenced
to a month's imprisonment, the Chairman promising to pro-
cure his re-admission to Lambeth workhouse when the term
of his imprisonment had expired.

SOUTH LANCASHIRE ELECTION.
MANCHESTER, MONDAY NIGHT.—The canvass for the free -
trale candidate goes on gloriously. The reports from all
parts of the southern division of the county speak in the most
glowing terms of success. In the manufacturing towns,
especially Manchester, Bolton, Oldham, Bury, Rochdale,
Ashton, and Warrington, and also in Liverpool, according
to the correspondence of the Committee, there are many per-
sons who at the last election supported the Conservatives,
who have expressed their determination to vote for free trade.
Mr. Brown, the free-trade candidate, addresses his Committee
to-morrow, at Liverpool, and in the evening a great meeting
is to be held in the Free-trade Hall, Manchester, at which
Mr. Cobden will be present, and Mr. Robert Hyde Greig. On
Wednesday Mr. Brown commences his canvass personally, and
will visit Manchester, Bolton, Ashton, and Oldham on
Thursday ; and on Friday he is expected to be at Ormskirk
and the neighbouring towns.
Mr. Entwistle met his central committee at Newton-in-the-
Willows, at twelve. There was but a slender attendance,
and though it included several considerable landed proprie-
tors, there was a great lack of spirit, arising from not getting
a candidate of higher mark—a man of family and influence,
all which men, it is now undisguisedly admitted, have
shirked the contest from a fear of the expense, which is cal-
culated at from 20,0001. to 30,0001.

The Sheriff's proclamation was issued this morning, fixing
the nomination for Friday, the 24th instant, at the Horse
and Jockey, Newton-in-the-Willows, and the polling it is
presumed, will take place on Whit-Monday and Tuesday.
The following is from the Liverpool Times:—
" The free-trade candidate for South Lancashire, Mr.
Brown, was born at Ballymena, county of Antrim, and edu-
cated in Yorkshire, in which county he now possesses a large
landed estate. He left this country for the United States in
the year 1800, returned to England in 1808, and has resided
in the neighbourhood of Liverpool ever since. We mention
these circumstances, about which there is no more doubt than
there is about Mr. Brown's existence, because it has been
stated that he is a native of the United States; and, for the
purpose of contradicting another mis-statement, we add, that
Mr. Brown, though born in one of the most Presbyterian
districts in Ireland, has for many years been a member of
the Established Church, and one of the congregation, as well
as personal friend of that accomplished scholar and clergy-
man, the Rev. Edward Hull. Of the benevolence of Mr.
Brown, and his disposition to use the wealth which
he has acquired by his judgment and enterprise
in the relief of his fellow-creatures, we need ad•
duce no further proof than the tact, that he is this
very day to assist in laying the foundation-stone of the
New Northern Dispensary in this town, to which he several
months ago contributed the munificent sum of 1,0001. As a
merchant, Mr. Brown has many years held the same rank
which the present Lord Ashburton held before his elevation
to the peerage—a rank fully equal to that which the founders
of the Peel and Arkwright families earned for themselves by
their pre-eminent success in another departmeht of industry
and enterprise. It is one of the proudest distinctions of this
country, that eminent success in improving the useful arts
and in extending the beneficial intercourse of commerce, has
ever been held a legitimate title to the favour of the Sove-
reign and the honours of the State ; and it is, therefore, on
good and solid grounds that a man who has eminently pro-
moted the commercial greatness of England solicits a share in
the honours which the people also confer, appealing to the
mercantile and trading classes as one of themselves, and to
the landowners as one of those whose activity and skill has
added so immensely to the value of their estates."
The same journal informs us that there was a meeting At
Liverpool on Monday, which Mr. Cobden and Mr. George
Wilson addressed at some length, giving the most encourag-
ing assurances.

THE GOVERNMENT PLAN OF
BANKING AND CURRENCY.
The following resolutions of the private country bankers
now in London have been sent to every member of their body
in England and Wales :
At a general meeting of private country bankers, held at
Herbert's Hotel, Palace-yard, May 8, 1844, William Rodwell,
Esq., in the chair.
Resolved—That, adhering in all respects to the reasons
which induced them to deprecate all legislative interference
with the present system of circulation, it is highly satisfac-
tory to private country bankers to find that in the proposed
alteration in the law relating to banking establishments,
these reasons have not been disregarded by her Majesty's
Government.
That laying out of consideration any supposed exclusive
benefit to ourselves as bankers, we are of opinion, after mature
deliberation, that the measures announced by Sir Robert Peel
might be modified in such a manner as to be less injurious to
the interest of the public.
That in accordance with the invitation given by Sir Ro-
bert Peel at an interview with him, we deem it to be our
duty to submit most respectfully to her Majesty's Govern-
ment such suggestions as our experience and practical know-
ledge lead us to think will secure the greatest amount of ad-
vantage that can be made to consist with the principles on
which the proposed measures are founded.
That with this object a further interview with her Ma-
jesty's Government be requested, and that it is expedient
to limit the deputation for that purpose to the number of
seven.
That the following gentlemen be requested to form such
deputation :—J. P. Plumptre, Esq., Chairman ;
Rod-
well, Esq., Vice-Chairman ; the Hon._ A.chard Spoone David
r, Esq A. L. Melville
Vesey, Esq., W. M. Tweedy, Esq, Richard
Thomas Birkbeck, Esq.
The Committee meet on Wednesday next, the 15th lust
at two o'clock. .)

THE COUNTESS DEA ap)
ULAIRE'S SOIREE.—me
Countess de St. Aulaire had a soiree at the French Embassy,
on Monday night. It was a small and early party, agreeably
to the cards of invitation. The company was yen, select,
and included—The Duke of Wellington, Duchess of Northum-
berland and Miss Percy, the Turkish Ambassador, Duchess
of Buccleuch, Duchess of Beaufort and Lady Augusta Somer-
set, his Excellency Baron Nieumann, Marquis of Salisbury,
Marquis of Normanby, Marquis of Clanricarde, Marquis and
Marchioness of Ailesbury, Marquis of Headfort and Ladies
Mary and Olivia Taylour, Earl and Countess of lladdington,
Viscountess Palmerston, Countess of Tankerville, Earl and
Countess of Jersey and Lady Clementina Villiers, Earl and
Countess Cowper,Viscountess Jocelyn, Lady Ashley, Dowager
Countess of Mansfield and Ladies Murray, Earl of Mansfigie.
d,
his Excellency Count Pollon, Baroness Brunnow and
Ma
Olga de Lechner, the Swedish Ministern_ and Countess
Bjornstjerna, the Belgian Minister ade Lady Elizabeth
Madame Van de
Weyer, Countess of Mount Edgeeumb
• Fielding and Miss Fielding, Lady Sheller.

c •
EWIRATURE.E-•eA-e>K-e(.‘twc..9<
"DER BLAUBART; EIN MARCHEN FUNF
AKTEN. Von Ludwieh Tieck. With a Translation
of all Difficult Words and Passages, explanation if
Grammatical PecUliarities, 6-c. By H.. Ipel.
The tale of Blue Beard has furnished the English
stage with a musical melodrama, a pantomime, a,.d
may, perhaps, afford Planche the materials of a c 1( ver
burlesque • but it has not been recast by any haul
capable oilifting the old tale to a higher level than
the literature of the nursery. For the Germans it
has done more; it has given to their literature a
comedy which may rank with the best for the purity
of its language and style, well marked variety of
character, and playful satire. Tieck has dramatised,
ix the same form, most of the popular nursery tales
common to both countries, and his Puss in Booty,is an admirable specimen of his style; but for the
purpose of M. Apel " Blue Beard" is the most suita-
ble. It is intended as an assistance to the student of
German in acquiring the idiom, and turns of ex-
pression, of familiar, every day conversation, far more
likely to be acquired from a perusal of a comic pro-
duction, than from the more elevated style of tragedy.
On the same principle, a foreigner learning English
would form a better notion of the familiar language
of the time from a modern comedy, Bell's Mothers
and Daughters, or Jerrold's Bubbles of the Day, than
from Macbeth. It is no slight credit to M. Apel
that he has been the first to depart from the
usual mode of putting into the hands of the learner
the highest works of Goethe and Schiller, which if
they could be read, certainly would not be fully
comprehended by a child, who would be perfectly
home with his old acquaintance "Blue Beard,"
though presented in a foreign dress. The publica-
tion of 'flecks' tale will also make him better known
to others than beginners ; for it is here, for the first
time, printed in a separate form, being extracted from
the colleCtion of the author's tales and dramas, enti-
tled " Phantasus." But whether it is read by th::
pupil or the proficient, it cannot fail to please. The
conversion of the Eastern Wife-killer into a partly
German Baron of the middle ages, half soldier, half
robber; the use of the machinery of a feudal tinie,
combined with the language and ideas of yesterday, and
the continual contrast of the characters, kept up through-
out with admirable artistic skill, all arrest the attention
by exciting us to a good-humoured laugh. Nothing
can excel the rich stupidity of Heyman and Conrad,
who, at the commencement, are leading an expedition
against Peter Berner (the Bluebeard), and mar it
with a pompous blundering that renders the whole a
most happy burlesque of campaigning. The Coun-
sellor and the Fool are capital pendants to the two
most incapable of commanders; the sisters, Anne and
Agnes, are finely discriminated, and there is an equal
distinctness in the characters of their three brothers,
while old Mechtilde, the housekeeper of Blue Beard,
bas a careless malignity in her, which, combined with
the effects of " age and envy," make her a sort of
domestic Sycorax. The work is clearly printed in
roman type, a departure from the usual " black letter,"
which will be acceptable to many; we believe the use
of this antiquated form is becoming less general in
modern German works. A translation is given at the
end of the work of the difficult words and passages,
which the learner will find always useful and often in-
dispensable. As a work both useful to the beginner and
agreeable to the more advanced, M. Apel's edition of
" Blue Beard" will secure an extensive circulation.

- - --
SUDDEN DEATH OF A LADY.--The lady of Mr.
Maguay, brother to the Lord Mayor of London, arrived in
this town early yesterday morning, from Dublin, and, having
been indisposed on the passage, she was conveyed in a car
to the house of Mr. Cripps, surgeon, Dale-street, where, not-
wstlistanding the means that were employed for her relief,,
she died in the course of a short time. The cause of deatla
was congestion of the lungs.—Liverpool Tisnee.
On Monday last John Entwistle, aged twenty-
three, of Manchester, plunged suddenly into the water on the
north shore, from a bathing machine, and was killed by the
shock.—Liverpool Albion.
An "extra Sun" [of New York of April 13, con-
tains an elaborate hoax, or joke, entitled " Astounding
News"—" the Atlantic crossed in three days."—"
triumph of Mr. Monck Mason's Flying Machine," &c.
In the details there are some happy hits at the amusing
minuteness with which aerial travelling has occasionally
been narrated. It is well got up, the headitlgs with notes of
admiration occupying half a column !
The showers of Thursday last have had a most
beneficial effect on the appearance of the country. As a
proof of the earliness of the season, we may mention that
we have just now before us a bunch of rye, fully barbed, and
in ear. It was taken from a field of eight acres on the farnt
of Millburn, Dumbartonshire; and we almost regard it as an
earnest of a plenteous harvest.—Glasgow Herald, May 13.
DEATH OF SIR JOHN LOWTHER, BART.—The de-
mise of this highly respected and venerable Baronet, toe,k
place on Monday last, at Swillington Hall, near Leeds, his
principal residence. He was the son of the Rev. Sir 'William
Lowther, Bart., Rector of Swillington, and Ann, his wife, a
descendant of the ancient family of the Zouches ; was born
in April, 1759, and had consequently just completed his 85th
year. On the 4th September, 1790, he married Lady Eliza
beth Fane, second daughter of John, the ninth Earl of West-
moreland, by whom he had three sons and three daughters,
but one of the latter died an infant, and another in 1519.. Sir
John was next brother to the late excellent Earl of Lone-
dale, whom he strongly resembled, both in features and per-
sonal disposition. His baronetcy dates from the year 1824.
The successor to his title and estates is his eldest son, John
Henry (born March 23, 1793), one ots the Members for the
City of 'York—now, of course, Sir John Henry Lowther, Bart.
A SINGULAR COINCIDENCE.—In the parish of
Harrow-on-the -Hill the offices of churchwarden, overseer,
vestry-clerk, parish clerk, sexton, and registrar of births and.
deaths, are at the present time filled by five members of one
family, named Winkley. It is an old and respectable family,
one or two of its members having uniformly held offices us
the parish for upwards of a century.
DREADFUL ACCIDENT.—A shocking accident, oc-
curred at Blenheim Palace yesterday. News arrives in the,
afternoon of the birth of a son by the ]Marchioness of Bland._
ford. Some cannon in the park were fired off in honour of
the event, when a young man named Henry Sunsiner, who
was employed in discharging one of the guns, proceeded to
reload the same without unfortunately having cleaned it ;
hawing put in the charge, it ignited from some fire left in the.
gun, at once exploded, and blew off both his hands. He was
as speedily as possible brought to the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oa.
ford, where every attention is being paid him, but with very
slight hopes of his surviving many days. His age is 25, and
he has a wife and two children.

ARUNDEL; MAY 14.—INCENDIARY FIRE ON THE
DUKE OF NORFOLK'S ESTATE.-011 Saturday evening, about
half-past ten o'clock, a portion of the inhabitants we.re.
alarmed by the cry of fire, which, on inquiry, turned out. to
be a wheat-rick, belonging to his Grace the Duke of Norfolk,
situate in Park Bottom, about a quarter of a mile from the
dairy. The engines were soon on the spot, and the attention
of the fire-brigade, under the direction of Mr. John Hart-
well, were directed principally to the saving of the adjoining
bouleildscinagreskwy
of water.
hieliwa
swith great difficulty effected, owing to.
The rick, which contained about ten,
loads, was literally burnt to a cinder, and was insured in tied
Royal Exchange office. Every exertion has been made tee
discover the perpetrators by our police, but hitherto wiCesit
effect. No reward has yet been offered. This is the firm and
only_ fire by incendiarism that has ever occurred on the Duke:
of Norfolk's estate ; and, of course, has caused the greatest
excitement in the town and neighbourhood, as well with
those connected with the estate.—(From aCo ndent.)
DETERMINED SUlClDE.—Yesterday afternoon in-
formation was received at the police-station, Arbour-square,
that a man of the name of Simonds, residing at No. 25, East--
field-street, Limehouse, had written a letter to a relative, in-
timating that it was his intention to destroy himself. A
constable was instantly sent to investigate the matter, tame
on forcing an entrance into the house, and bursting open the
door of an apartment which was locked from the inside, t'ott
unfortunate man was found lying upon his bed, quite e.ead.
Beside him was a coffee cup, which smelled stror.gly of
laudanum, and a bottle labelled " Laudanum—poisor.i," which
contained a portion of the deleterious drug. A sr.Argeon who
was called in gave it as his opinion that life had:been extinct
for several hours. The deceased was stated to be forty-four
years of age, but looked much older, He had, been a seafaring
man, and had received some injuries of the eyes and hands,
which had much enfeebled him, and considerably soured his .
temper. Amongst ether documents left behind him by tl
_e
deceased, is a letter addressed to the Coroner, which, it is -prt-
sumed, will disclose his reasons for committing the rr,dh act.
He was not in want, as he had only recently purc.„,ased the
house in which he resided.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT AT PUT-say.Bß/DGE.
—Yesterday afternoon Mr. T. Wakley, M.P.:, coroner, held
an inquest at the Swan public-house, F. alharn, Middlesex,
on the body of Mr. Archer Croft Ryland, aged 20 years, who
iiie evening of Wednes-
day
was dlasrzitiheedBitnhtihneaLi,un-erdTerhathmees on t
foll'jwing distressing circum-
stances deceased, who resided in
io eldest son of Mr. Ryland,
Cleave-lane, Camberwell,
the barrister, and held a situ`...tion in the Registrar-General's-
appeared that
was ;:
office, Somerset-house. ca the evening of Wednesday
last
he hired a boa for the purpose of having a row up the
river.
He was alone, and, .4 he returned through P -
utney-bridge,
he found himself ',Roadside on one of the piersof
before he was '..-.ware he was so near. He . the bridge
immediately put
out his hand to endeavour to clear the b
but his doing so upset the wherry,
and he was
from the pier,
was immedii itely
immersed in the water, and, after holding
few moments for assistance, he sank up his hands ) rot a
Several boats were promptly upon the spot,
never rose a gain.
dragging for the unfortunatet, and comm enced
though every effort was made t young gentleman o find the body that rxening
• bi it, al-
and during the next day, it was
not discovered edit;,l turned
up by one of the steamers on Monday last, al;out 2:00 yards
from the spot where the accident took plan o,
ashore, was conveyedand, being get
to the above houses,satisfied The jury, being
that no one was to blame in the, affair,
r. sad affair, returned a
verdict of " Accidentally
ydrowned."
CORONER'S INQUEST.—Pestr d
r ay afternoon Mr.
T. Waklei, M.P., Coroner, held al, inquest •
lours of A r. Ives, Ivy-cottage ta.iin-m -common
nne gitdigelearx-.
on the body of Mr. Edward William Percy Sinnett, aged 49
years. The deceased gentleman, who resided at N.P. 9,.
Ehrenburg-place, Regent's-part, had, it appears, for the.
last twelve months been labouring under consumption,. and
had latterly been persuaded to abstain from active ~mert-
ion, and especially from night employment as the , triter
of the Parliamentary summary for the Morning Ribald.
For the last three days of his life he had cor;iplained_
greatly of a giddiness in his head, and a 4 few mi'iutes .after
his leaving the train, the station being but a short tilt-
tame from Ivy Cottage, he was seen by Mrs. Ives Nis
. proach the house in a staggering manner. That
door was opened to him by Mr. Ives, jun:, and, on his en-
tering, Mrs. Ives said to the deceased, " Well, Sir, you have
come back again." The deceased smiled and bowed, and
went up stairs, but he did not speak. Within ten minutes.
afterwards the deceased's sister-in-law called Mrs. Ives, and
asked her to procure some water,fwhich that lady did ; told,.
on taking it into the room in which deceased was, sr e ob-
served that deceased looked very black in the face. •fle vas,
immediately laid on a sofa, and IV.r. Johnson, a sir_
geon, sent.
for, who promptly attended and bled him ; but, humaa aid.
was of no avail. The deceased bad been se' •
Vaed with an at-
tack ofvenous apoplexy, after which he nevr.tr spoke, and ex-
pired about a quarter to nine o'clock the same evening. The
jury returned a verdict of " Natural, .
death from venous
apo,plexy."
rAIRS ON LORD ASHLEY'S Az" .
Morison, against, with R. Etwall, 0.. ENDMENT:GEDeraI
against, with Lord Rendlesham, ‘l\-0,2. ; Stewart Marjoribaks,
Admiral Dundas, for; the Hon_ v •; j• Hume, against, with
C. Buller, for. —.l d. B. Baring, against, with

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
STANDARD.—The Factory Bill was last night read
a third time and passed in the House of Commons; Lord
Ashley's amendment (limiting the hours of labour in
factories of young persons to ten) having been
rejected, after a long debate, by a majority of 297 to
159. The greatness of the majority, by which the
House has, within a few days, rescinded its solemn de-
cision, three times repeated, will come by surprise
upon the public. We confess that though we anti-
cipated a decision against Lord Ashley's proposition, we
werenot prepared for such an adverse majority as 138 ;
and now we can account for it only by two causes :
—First, the distinct and unequivocal declaration
of the Ministers that they would resign office if
defeated ; secondly, the occurrence in the debate
of menaces against the corn-laws, introduced into
Mae debate by Lord John Russell and some others of the
new converts to the principle of limiting the hours of
labour. These two considerations co-operating—the
fear of losing a Ministry that had proved the faithful
protector of agriculture, on one side—the fear of that Mi-
nistry being succeeded by another, the leader of which
2t the very moment threatened to repeat the desperate and
ruinous attempt made in 1841, would naturally alarm
the agricultural Members of the House. As regards
the first of these two considerations, there can be no
doubt that if Ministers appreciate, as we believe they
do, the magnitude of the change that Lord Ashley s
proposition would ultimately produce, and fear the
effect of that change, they were right to give it
a determined opposition, and, if unsuccessful in
that opposition, to release themselves from the
responsibilities of office. For an Administration to
prosecute the routine of Government without the power
to govern—to submit to defeat after defeat, as was
the practice of Lord Melbourne's Cabinet, or to merely
:evade defeats by abandoning to the majority its
own conscientious judgment, is of the worst pos-
sible example. And, indeed; the present Minis-
ters had precluded themselves, and we hope all
future Ggvernments, from pursuing -this unworthy
course, 11; the memorable resolution which closed the first
session of 1841. They who think with us, that the
Cabinet is in error respecting the short time ques-
tion, must nevertheless approve, on constitutional
grounds, of the course which they have taken re-
specting its decision. But though the Ministers
themselves are perfectly clear in the matter, we are
not quite sure that the fears of many who supported
them last night Were not unreasonable. Our own
belief is, that though Sir R. Peel should resign office
on the Ist of June, he would be no less Prime
Minister on the Ist of August. A Whig Admi-
nistreion is what, while a remembrance of the
ten years from 1831 to 1841 shall remain, the
country will never bear ; and there is, even
among the Conservative party, no man in whose
genius, wisdom, prudence, temper—in a word, in whose •
consummate statesmanship the country has so much con-
fidence as it has, most justly, in the qualifications of Sir
Robert Peel. The gentlemen who sacrificed their own
opinions, upon an important and deeply interesting ques-
tion rather than deprive the country of the services of
such a Minister, acted no doubt conscientiously, and
paid to Sir Robert certainly the highest compliment
that could be paid to a public man ; but ought they
,not to have given the people credit for the same feeling;
oight they not to have remembered, that though the
gret;:t majority of the nation differ from the Right Hon.
Baronei upon this one question, that same majority
gratefully appreciates his value as a Minister, and after
defeating him, even with the effect of render-
ing his resignation necessary, would restore him
to office as zealously', and with even a more
cordial affection, than they placed him there in 1841?
The second consideration—the Apprehension excited by
the Anti-Corn-law menaces of the new converts—
ought to have been of even less weight than the fear of
disturbing the Ministry. Without wishing to detract
from the value of any recruit to what we believe to be
a good cause, we must still remember that the converts
in question are party men. They may not, and we trust
not, come over to us with party motives, but they cannot
help bringing with them their party incumbrances. One
of these is hostility to the corn-laws; and as it is too much
fur even the most unscrupulous of politicians to get rid of
two dL.inct sets of political principles at one and the same
time, they' must try to reconcile their old enmity to
the protection of agricultural, with their new zeal
fel- the protectini of manufacturing labour. Between
the corn laws and the limitation of the hours of labour
there is. however, no natural connexion except this—the
competition of foreigners, of which we have heard
50 much, as necessarily en;;;Teing long hours
of' labour, would be infinitely increased by a
repeal of the corn-laws. All that the f,seigner in-
habiting a leis encumbered, a less taxed country, with
s population long familiarised to starvation, and an
abundance of water power, cheaper than steam as 21 is
to 12, and working much nearer than we to the great
Continental markets—all that the foreigner wants in
. competing with u 3 is capital ; and a few years
of a free trade in corn would hand over to him the
capital of this country. " Were it not (said the
late Mr. Rothschild) for occasional bad harvests,
all the money of the world must flow to and settle in
Nngland ;" and we have little doubt that the recent active
competition which has excited so much apprehension
raigkt, with little difficulty, be traced to the effect
pf the successive bad harvests from 1838. The
Inquiry, though an important one, scarcely falls in
with our immediate subject, and therefore we dis-
miss it for the present. We can, on the whole, find
no valid reason for the votes of the majority of those
who opposed Lord Ashley last night, though we are very
far from imputing improper motives to any considerable
number of them. And now to come to the most im-
portant question. The fate of the short time propo-
sition having been decided for a session, how are
the friends of that proposition to act ? to pre-
pare a strong force and a strong case against the
next session, when, or at least in the succeeding
session at farthest, they must carry their point, if they
only act with prudence. The principle of limitation has
been established, and it was strongly, though somewhat
inconsistently, urged by some of Lord Ashlety's most
distinguished opponents, that every such principle must
in the nature of things be progressive. How, then,
is its progress to be aided and accelerated ?
by angry agitation and violent speeches, and, as was
obscurelyriot hinted, by " strikes ? Oh, no; none of
these things ever forwarded any but a bad cause
and have never been employed in a good one
without retarding or injuring it. The way in
which the strength of the factory labourers is
to be augmented, is by the preservation of
that noble character which they have achieved
for themselves. It is in rooted repose that the
.forest oak acquires its magnificent dimensions ; it
its in repose from violent agitation that large
bodies of men acquire a great and noble character. Next,
information adapted to the new phase of the question
smut be diligently sought for and accurately prepared.
Enough is known of the suffering of the factory la-
bourers by direct testimony—more than enough for
those who are by experience acquainted with the con
ruption of human nature, and know that all responsible
power which men can. profitably abuse, will be abused
by those who possess it.
GLOBE.—A motion stands on the order-book of the
House of Commons for this evening, the discussion of
which will open the eyes of the public to the enormities
perpetrated by Lord Lyndhurst's Chancery Reform Act,
for the passing of which the session of 1842 will be dis-
tinguished in the history of Parliamentary credulity, indif-
ference, and idleness. When Tory Lord Chancellors endea-
vour to lull suspicion asleep by extraordinary professions of
regard for the public interests, then is the time for
legislators to be more than commonly on their guard
:against deception. The motion we allude to, which will
lbe brought forward by Mr. Watson, Q.C., is for "A
Select Committee to inquire into the orders for
scompensation made by the Lord Chancellor to the
_persons filling the offices of Clerk of the Enrol-
;nents, Comptrollers of the Hanaper, Riding Clerk, Six
CfCrks, Sworn Clerks, Waiting Clerks, Agent or Re-
cord ir.eeper in the Court of Chancery, under the Act
5 and 6 Vic. c. 103, and to inquire into the nature,
duties, and emoluments of those offices before the pass-
ing of that Ant, and their' right to compensation (and
if any, to what amount), during their life, and for seven
years after the death of such person ; and to inquire '
into the taxation Oc suitors in courts of law and equity,
and the application of moneys raised thereby, and the
propriety of continuing the same." The Chancery Offices
Abolition Act was frareeeilly, or under the immediate in-
structions of, LordLyndhurss, and was introduced to the
House of Peers by the Noble and Learned Lord with a corn-
placency of demeanour, and a blaielness of tone, which
-tended to allay suspicion that any misehief to the public
-interests could lurk under so fair a form. The legal pro-
Jession concurred in denouncing the Six Clerks'-office
01-B.lie principal cause of the reproach which the
public agreed Io cast upon the Chancel:3r Court ; the
vet), name of which was synonymous in the public ear
withinterminable delay and ruinous expense in litiga-
tion. Until Lord Lyndhurst undertook the Herculean
task, Oat Augean stable reposed in security. The
dread of izsterfering with e .rested interests," and the
horror of touching the time-honoured_e institutions of the
,country, were alternately
pleaded
as
hanieheoxpcpurseessefodr,
jaot abolishing tilt, monster-grievances
liseassed, and frequently destroyed es
thew
in the Chancellor's Court. Lord Lyndurst hapless suitors
the arduous
undertook
Chaneelljsous
and—it was boasted—completed
elleabour !
It was not until the Lord
orders were issued in December last, that celebrated
orders
t which the benefits of the Chancery Offices price
Abo-
lition Act had been purchased became known.
Whether the framers of the Act had any idea that
compensation which it gave would amount to a
roximating to that which it is now ascertained
su n't aPPprovisions, we do not undertake
to be' paid under its
Certain, however, is it, that a sum
prosextince.
'consider:lVY more than a million sterling is awarded
:as compensation to the holders of the offices abolished
',by the Aet.. IT the Lord Chancellor knew that such
;would be the effect of his first experiment in law reform,
'he ought to have stated the fact. If his Lordshiewas.
ignorant of that which is now made manifest, it will
go
i.ar to convict him of negligence in the discharge of his
istiblic duties. It will also cause suspicion of the Noble
sm.! Learned Lord's other reforms in the administration
cf it:istice, which he 'has engaged to effect. 111
frst grand experintent has entailed a gross amount
of charge` on the suitors of the Court, in the shape of
compensati on to the holders of useless offices, to the
.gfietcnt of J 3518,4241. 3e. 50.! This is more than enough for
NEI 41Net • leidgfat That the Bill was pressed through
_
ramie rapidity, will be seen by a reference
, -
gs of Parliament. The Bill was introduced
e';; kt)101 of the session of 1842. It was brought
s on the 11th of July, 1812 ; and passed
a mmons in eight days, nearly set, ~,iLtittie.
"."U;raceivect, Royal Assent on the 10th of August fol-
.
r being on Circuit and the London attor-
:4 kirs %ens y wholly uninformed of the measure. In
:titi-Z:eoutrnens it moved two stages after midnight. Han
bare. Debate i mord not ono lln9 Of discussion in Par.

is

J `.

liament on the Bill. There is yet some hope for the
country from the inquiry which Mr. Watson seeks to
obtain by his motion.

MARKET INTELLIGENCE.

(From the London New Price Current of May 14.)
SuGAIL—To-day the market for West India Sugar pre-
sented a very dull appearance, and the trifli. g parcels dis-
posed of were at prices ratker under those of Friday ; the
total sales are only 150 hhds and tierces ; there is a better
show of samples in the market ; a vessel has arrived with a
cargo of new Barbadoes. The parcels of Bengal and Mauri-
tius offered at public sale were again very large.
REFLNED.—To-day few purchases were made in Refined
goods for home consumption, brown lumps are 775, and
standard lumps 78s per cwt. Bonded Crushed Sugar is
wanted at 25s 9d to 26s per cwt. Loaves in good demand ;
Turkey Double Refined 2i to 41bs at 35s to 38s ; Hamburgh
6lbs 345, 9to 101bs 30s 6d to 31s, 13 to 141bs 30s ; Tittlers
20 to 301bs 26s 6d to 27s ; Prussian 40 to 451 b 26s 6d.: Pieces
are wanted at 21s to 235. Bastards yellow at 19s to 20s,
and brown 17s 6d to 18s. Treacle in fair demand at lls. In
Dutch Crushed Sugar not much doing ; 22s 6d to 23s 9d per
cwt is the value.

MADRITIUS.—This afternoon buyers purchased with cau-
tion, at prices Is per cwt under those of this day week ; fine
yellow sold at 64s to 65s 6d, good 62s 6d to 63s 6d, mid 60s to
625, low 58s 6d to 59s 6d, ord foxey brown 52s 6d to 545,
good 56s 6d, fine 57s to 58s, and common to good grey 58s to
63s per cwt.
EAST INDIA.—In Foreign East India Sugar little business
has been transacted privately, but holders remain firm. This
afternoon there were four public sales of Bengal Sugar, con-
taining 7,583 bags 6 casks ; white was all bought in at pre-
vious rates ; the few lots of brown and yellow sold went at
a further reduction of Is per cwt ; strong yellow sold at 60s 6d
to 62s 6d, middling rather soft 58s 6d to 59s 6d, damp 56s to
58s, brown 52s 6d to 54s per cwt.
FOREIGN.—To-day yellow Havannah Sugar was sought
after, and a floating cargo of 800 boxes of low quality was
disposed of, for a port in the Mediterranean, at 20s 6d per
cwt. Maroim Sugar, at public sale, sound all taken in at 22s
to 24s for mid to good white, good brown 18s 6d to 19s, and
ordinary 17s per cwt, being above their value ; a few lots
washed were sold at 21s to 22s for white, and 16s to 18s for
brown. Bahia were taken in at 18s for sound brown.

MOLASSF.S.-In the prices of West India there is no alte-.
ration ' • Antigua at 27s per cwt. Small parcels of Bengal'
15s to 17s per cwt. Cuba Honey was taken in at 19s per cwt.
COCOA.-Prices for West India rule 2s per cwt under those
of last Tuesday ; Trinidad, good dark red at 49s to 49s 6d,
middling 47s 6d to 48s, middling to good grey 43s 6d to 465,
very low 365, and good sea damaged 44s 6a per cwt. For
Foreign in small parcels very full rates have been paid.
COFFEE.-Prices are still on the decline for West India,
and rule 2s to 3s per cwt under those of this day week. This
afternoon Mocha good mid yellow long berry clean garbled
at 82s to 85s, mid green 74e to 74s 6d, tine ord.7ls 6d to
72s 6d, broken 52s Gd to 655, sea damaged, first class, 68e to
69s 6d. Ceylon good ord 5:3s : Plantation fine bold middling
coloury at 86s to 86s 6d, fine rather greyish 85s (one lot 79s
6d), pea berry 94s 6d, sea damaged, first class, 85s, second
ditto 765, third ditto 695, and black 51s; other sorts at 53s
per cwt for good ordinary quality, and 47s to 52s for sea da-
maged. Costa Rica taken in at 59s to 60s for fine fine ord,
and 54s for good ord, excepting a few lots which sold at 50s
6d to 52s for good ord, and one lot inferior 49s Gd per cwt.
TEA.-Although there have been further arrivals of Tea,
still merchants show firmness, and none has been brought
to public sale. To-day green was much in demand, but of
the finer sorts the supply is scanty, and prices are still on
the advance. Of black, several parcels were sold at full rates;
common sound Congou is Is to Is OAd, Hyson ord 2s 3d to
2s Gd, and Twankay common is to is 3d per lb.
lIICE.-There has been a much better demand for Bengal,
and the parcels disposed of by private contract have brought
rather higher rates. Madras at 8s Gd to 9s, and Java 8s 6d'
to Ils per cwt. Cleaned Rice is more in request, Patna at
13s to 17s, and Carolina 21s to 24s and 26s per cwt. To-day
Bengal Rice at lOs 6d to Ils per cwt for mid white. Yellow
Foreign East India is 8s Gd per cwt.
SmEs.-This afternoon white Pepper sold lid per lb. under
former rates, good bold but din;.y went at 5d to sid, good
middling 4id to 4/d, middling 4d, and one lot 343 per lb.
For Cassia Lignea, holders refusing to sell at former rates •
checked business. Suinatra Pepper at 2.11(1 to 3d per lb for
common. Pimento at rafter Iglier prices.
IteM, BRANDY' AND IIor..LANDs.-Jamaica Rum at rather:
higher rates. Leewards at 2s 2d to 2s 3d for proof to 3 per
cent overproof, and common almost black at 2s Id per gallon,
proof; strong Demerara, 35 per cent overproof, 3s 2d per
gallon; Calcutta Rum at 13 Ild to Is 11 1 per gallon, proof
strength. In the better qualities of Brandy few pur-
chases made, but low descriptions have been in
good request by exporters at 2s 9d to 3s per gallon.
For other kinds prices are drooping, and ride as follows:-
Cognac, best brands of t i.e vintage of 1838, 5s 7d, puns.
5s ; ditto 1839, 1111(18 5s 53, puns 5s 3d ; ditto 1840, hhds
5s 3d, puns 5s 1d; ditto 1841, 'Aids 5s 2d, puns Sc; ditto
1842, blids 5s Id, puns 4.s 11,1; and middling qualities 3s 2d
to 4s 6d per gallon. Geneva for exportation at Is 8d to Is 9d,
and several parcels of tine take' by time home trade at 2s 2d
to 3s. English Corn Spirits at lOs 2:1 per gallon, cash. To-
day Calcutta Ram was mach s;-,ught after, and the Dobah
Company have sold all they hot at is 11 d proof. Leewards
proof 2s 23/4d to 2s 33, 9 per cent over 28 sd. Demerara 36
to 37 over sold at 3s 25 to 3s 4d. Jamaica at 3s 3d to 5s for
26 to 37 over.
OILS.-Linseed Oil at 266 9d to 278 per cwt on the spot
Rape Oil, brown at 3Ss to !rs tid, and pale 39s to 39s 6d per
cwt. Olive Oil is much wanted. Gallipoli at 52/ lOs to 53/,
Sicily 521, Spanish 51/ to 511 10s, and Barbary 50l to 501 10s
per tun. Palm bought in at 26s to 27s for good and fine
quality. For Cocoa Nut Oil 28s to 32s is the value of common
to fine. Sperm Oil firm ; 75/ to 76/ per tun paid for British.
Pale Seal is 33/ 5s to 33/ 10s, Cod 341, and Southern 25/
to 291 per tun.
Tarnow.-There are sellers of P Y Candle for delivery in
the last three months of the year at 41s 3d to 41s 6d per cwt.
on the spot 40s to 405 95 par cwt accepted. Town Tallow at
39s to 40s per cwt, net cash. South American Tallow at 34s
to 39s Gd for mid to fine, 28s to 33s 6d for low, and 3s to 9s
• per cwt for scrapings and pumpings. New South Wales
fetched 38s Gd to 305 od for good and fine, and Italian at 39e
to 40s per cwt. To-day 1' 1 Candle on the spot at lower
rates, 40s to 403 6d being accepted. For delivery 41s to 41s 3d
are the quotations fur the last three months of the year.
INDIGO.-Holders of East India remain firm. Some small
parcels of Spanish have brought Stiff prices. This afternoon
Guatemala Indigo taken in at 3s 8d to 4s 3d per lb for mid-
dling and good.
Sacco.-At rather higher rates. 13s is the lowest price of
sound Pearl. Fine small Pearl at 20s Gd per cwt. Sago Flour
taken in at 21s per cwt. Jamaica Arrowroot sold Bd per
lb. This afternoon Pearl ?•ago sold 2s under former rates
good ordinary small brown Pearl at 118 to 12s per cwt.

MR. BARNARD GREGORY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sra,—l take the liberty of handing you a copy of the
petition presented on Monday night to the House of
Commons, by Mr. Roebuck, on the matter of the im-
prisonment of my father, and the privations to which he
is subjected by the rigor,ais system now in force as
affecting persons criminally proceeded against for libel.
Every allegation in the petition can be substantiated
on oath, and nearly every word uttered, or reported in
the public papers to be tittered, by Sir James Graham,
on the presentation of the petition, and in reply to Mr.
Roebuck, refuted by the like means. My father, after
conviction (if it can be called a conviction where a jury
has not pronounced a verdict) for the alleged libels for
which he is now paying a heartless and cruel penalty,
at the time of passing sentence was not permitted to say
a single word, much less, as Sir James Graham has as-
serted, to ask to be placed in the first class of misde-
meanours. My father was ignorant of there existing
any such law, and so it is presumed were his counsel
and his attorneys, for n 1 application was made to the
Court, as stated by Sir James Graham, consequently no
" deliberate refusal" by the Judges could have been
given to that which was not asked, nor would, probably
have been asked even if it had been known, for the mea-
sure of injustice and persecution should be filled to the
brim, that malignity may drink the deeper !
Again was Sir James Graham in error, or the re-
porters have made him so, in stating that my father
" was better now in health than when he was first con-
fined." If to he in a perfect state of physical prostra-
tion—to be attenuated and haggard in looks, and to be
enfeebled mentally from the long deprivation of literary
occupation to which he had from early life been accus-
tomed, are signs of an improved state of health, then is
my father better—much better than he was when he
first entered his present loathsome domicile. The nine
medical certificates (the principal and most appalling
one having been corroborated in all its details by the
chief medical officers of the prison) are pretty con-
clusive as to the amount of credit to be placed on this
part of the "reported" statement. Sir James is aware
of the imminent danger of my father, or why give
directions to the Government medical officer to
report every fortnight the state of my father's
health ? That medical officer knows the opinion of
the eminent physicians who have seen and attended
him ; he cannot deny the facts as set forth in those
certificates ; and those certificates place an awful
responsibility on the heads of all those who, to gratify
private feeling and personal malignity, have subjected
an almost dying man to the cruelties intended only (if
for any class of offenders) for those guilty of the most
heinous offences.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your
obedient servant,

MARGARET GREGORY.
North Audley-street, May 9, 1844.

The following is a copy of the petition presented by Mr.
Roebuck on Monday se'unight

" TO THE HON. THE COMMONS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
-OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND IN PARLIAMENT
ASSEMBLED.
" The humbly petition of Barnard Gregory, a prisoner in
her Majesty's Gaol of Newgate,
" Sltoweth,
" That your petitioner was, on the second day of December
last, at the Central Criminal Court, holden at the Sessions-
house, Old Bailey, sentenced by Mr. Justice Coltman to
twelve months' imprisonment in the gaol of Newgate, for
alleged libels on the characters of the Duke of Brunswick,
and of his attorney, Mr. Henry Wellington Valiance; being
four months for that on the Duke of Brunswick. and eight
months for that on his attorney.
" That the gaol of Newgate is a prison chiefly appropriated
for the imprisonment of felons committed to be tried at the
Central Criminal Court, and, after trial, for prisoners under
sentence of death, or waiting to be removed for transporta-
tion, or sentenced to be imprisoned in other gaols or houses
of correction.

. "That upon
he was placed under the rules, regulations,' and discipline of
the said prison, the same as if he had been of the class of the
most atrocious criminal offenders, having assigned to him a
cell with9nt,
rope matto slevp.,u 0
ajly other turn:Lure than that of a small table
back, a narrow in n bedstead, with a
Al!ow.
and a seat without°
cover-
ing, without -either' „Ueit):,ind three horse-cloths for a cover-
t i
o"ii Tolft a tt
ihlei his
surgeon
e(until f ;El altered by the recommenda-
portion of meat
consisted of water-gruel,'
anal nrk, potatoes. That
being obliged to
varied by a small
lie is deprived of the use of a I,lifid l'iled
suchami books as
'oed himself, like an uncivilised in—,
prisorn ;
wherebvil at night,
Aved, also, of the use of
pen,
ink,
eua,-.:iictllieli
Illiaspehri:gaernsd,• itliei;
~eading of newsparrs, or any hooks
ire permitted by the chaplain of
ltil6.leht,
'le is not allowed the use of any your peti-
tioner has been coirpilled to pass his time iu so'litary dark-
aess 15 hours out of the 2-1-.
"That, in addition to the above privations, your petitioner
is not allowed by the mks of the said prison to have any
i ~iemrsioi I;ii
al
nitili tefiriee(;.:irss,e
e‘xvicltiipthi::pili,l;
lrdaughter or any of his
the especial written order
f a magistrate or tine of i lie s1;:;illS, which your petitioner
icknowledges with gratitHe th('y !lave freely t7ante(r.
"That the said ga,l 601),.in: a pri,,,a, t:u.c: iniinal olli,nders,
he has had no alternativ:! but ~i, Oct. to love ror his associates
persons of that class, or su!;olit Liinself (as he has done) to
solitary confinement.

" That your petitioner shortly before his commitment to
prison ruptured a blood-vessel in the lungs, being the fifth
time of such an occurrence within four years, and he was
upon his said commitment, and is now, in a very infirm and
precarious state of health.
" That for more than the last four months your petitioner
has not left his cell, and, being deprived of his accustomed
air and exercise recommended by his medical advisers, he is
now reduced to such a state of mental and bodily debility as
to excite the apprehension of medical men that his life will
be sacrificed by a longer continuance in the said gaol.
"That, in proof of your petitioner's statement of ill health,
certificates of the precarious state of it, signed by six eminent
physicians, and three general practitioners, have, with a me-
morial from your petitioner, been presented to Sir James
Graham, her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home De-
partment, but witheut procuring for your petitioner any al-
teration in the restrictions complained against, or any remis-
sion of his sentence.

"Your petitioner, however, gratefully acknowledges that,
from the visiting magistrates of the said gaol, and also from
the sheriffs and the governor, chaplain and surgeon of the
prison, he has received every humane attention consistent
with the orders and regulations laid down for their govern-
ment by the said Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment, and the prison inspectors, and your petitioner is now
permitted the use of a chair with a back to it, and also a
feather bed, but without sheets or a pillow, and is allowed
a partial alteration in the prison diet, without which his life
must ere this have been sacrificed ; and he is also permitted
to read the works of Shakspeare ; all the other restrictions,
as against convicted felons, continuing to be enforced against
your petitioner.
" Your petitioner humbly prays that your honourable
house will be pleased to take his case into your humane
consideration, and obtain for him such immediate relief as
will obviate the fatal effects of his imprisonment, which are
anticipated by himself, his family, and his medical advisers.
" lour petitioner also prays (if not contrary to the rules
and orders of your Honourable House) that he may be al-
lowed by himself or counsel to appear and be heard at the
bar of your Honourable House in support of the allegations
and statements in this, his petition, did against those re
strictions being longer enforced against him.
" And your petitioner likewise prays that persons hereafter
convicted of libel may not (like your petitioner) suffer the
same and the like prison discipline and privations as persons
convicted of criminal offences.

" And your petitioner will ever pray, &c.,
" B. GREGORY."

MR. MACAULAY.

It will probably be in the remembrance of our readers,
that, a few weeks ago, at a large and influential meeting of
the constituency of Edinburgh, it was resolved, that when-
ever another election take place for that city, anti-corn-law
candidates shall be started for its representation, should the
'present Members not before then give in their adhesion to
the cause of total and immediate repeal. The resolutions
adopted at this meeting having been transmitted to Mr. Ma-
caulay, as well as the other Member, he has addressed a long
and elaborately-written letter to his constituents by way of
answer. The Hon. Gentleman avows himself an immediate
and entire repealer, and as a consequence intimates his inten-
tion of voting for the coming motion of Mr. Villiers. Ne-
vertheless, his letter in different parts betrays the deepest
mortification that the corn-law repealers of Ediriburgh
should have presumed in any way to interfere with the course
which he might deem it proper to adopt on the corn-law
question. Such interference is, by implication, denounced as
an unjustifiable attempt on the part of the constituency to ty-
rannise over and dictate to Members. Mr. Macaulayis mistaken.
Such an interference with Members is perfectly justifiable.
When a majority of the electors of any place, whether borough
or county, have made up their minds that the adoption of a
certain line of conduct, on any great question, is essential to
the well-being of the country, they have a clear, undoubted,
constitutional right to call on their representatives to give
effect to their views. Adopt the opposite opinion, and what
follows? Why, that the terms member and representative,
instead of being, as they are conventionally supposed to be,
synonymous, are, or may become, as opposite in their import
as the words black and white. To apply the term repre-
sentative to a man setting at defiance the wishes of his con-
stituents, is a glaring perversion of language. It is to dis-
regard the obvious and legitimate meaning of words. The
Nlember who sets up his own views in opposition to those of
his constituents, on any of the great questions of the day,
does, in effect, insultingly tell them, that they elected him to
be his own representative, not theirs. Are the constituencies
of England prepared to submit to this attempt to seal their
lips against all further remonstrances with those Members
who venture to set at nought their well-known views and
wishes? Are they to be put to silence by the supercilious
sneers or open insolence of those very men who on the
hustings protested that it would be the end and aim
of their legislatives lives, to give effect in Parliament
to the principles which their constituencies entertained ?
If Mr. Macaulay's notions are to be adopted, political elec-
tions will become a mere mockery. There was at least more
consistency, if less virtue, in the old nomination borough
system, when a man, if he purchased a seat, was considered
the represesst,stive of his breeches pocket, or if he received
the seat as a ;61't from some Peer of the realm, considered
himself bound in honour to represent the views and wishes
of Isis noble patron. But good is often educed from seeming
evil. We anticipate much benefit from that portion of Mr.
Macaulay's letter in which he advocates the right of Mem-
bers to act according to their own views, however much
their notions may clash with the views of their constituents.
The effect will be to make the electoral body more careful
hereafter as to the kind of candidates on whom they bestow
their suffrages. The electors, as regards the future, have
the remedy in their own hands. If persons presenting them.
selves as candidates, refuse to carry out the views of a par-
ticular constituency, let them be summarily ordered about
their business. No terms must be kept with such persons.
If the electors are not to have the right of taking all needful
precautions for the effective representation of their prin-
ciples in Parliament, why, we beg to ask, did the Legisla.
ture confer the franchise on them ? With the construction
which Mr. Macaulay thinks proper to put on the duties of
the constituent body, the framers of the Reform Bill, in ex-
tmding the franchise, offered a gratuitous insult to the new
constituency which that measure created. If Members are
not prepared to give a practical expression to the principles
of the electoral body who elected them, it is a piece of un-
warrantable impertinence to solicit the suffrages of such
electors. To prevent all misconception in future, as to the
relative duties of the constituencies and the candidates who
ask their votes, let the electors, before giving any candidate
their support, obtain from him a written pledge that he will
vote in a particular way on the great questions of the day—
these questions, and the manner in which Members are ex-
pected to vote on them, being stated in a way which can
leave no room for doubt, evasion, or equivocation. While
Mr. -Macaulay intimates his intention of voting in favour
of Mr. Villiers's motion for the immediate and total re-
peal of the corn-laws, the sole object of his letter seems to
be to persuade the country that it ought most thankfully
to accept of a fixed duty. This is Whig-like. Whoever
yet knew a Whig that was in his heart,. whatever he might
be in profession, in favour of any truly popular mea-
sure? It is clear, that if Mr. Villiers receive the support of
the Member for Edinburgh, it will be from expediency, not
from principle. It is equally clear, that were Sir Robert
Peel to sacrifice his sliding-scale and propose to substitute
for it a moderate fixed duty, Mr. Macaulay would at once
abandon the cause of immediate and total repeal (to which
he has, with evident reluctance, conditionally given in his,
adhesion), and support the Tory Premier. All such time-
serving Members ought to be marked men—persons who are'
to be suspected. They are black sheep, who do immeasur-
ably more mischief to a cause than if they had never pro-,
fessed to identify themselves with it. Hollow-hearted friends
are always more to be dreaded than open enemies. The letter'
of Mr. Macaulay is not only calculated, but is manifestly in-.
tended, to do irreparable mischief to the Anti-Corn-law agi-
tation. He labours hard to underrate the influence of the
League. He affirms that its power is exceedingly limited.
We trust that it will join issue with him here, and furnish
such a proof of its influence as even he shall not be able to
resist. Let the League put forth its energies, and convince'
Mr. Macaulay of what it is capable of doing, by turning him
out of the representation of Edinburgh whenever an election'
for that city take place.—Advertiser.

ESCAPE FROM FIRE.—On Friday morning, at three
o'clock, a person who was passing through Beech-
street, Barbican, observed an appearance of fire in the
kitchen at No. 37, and upen his giving information at
the Whitecross-street station, in the immediate neigh-
bourhood, Mallet, the resident engineer, instantly
got out a small engine and rolled it to the spot. Flames
were then distinctly seen through the kitchen window,
and, admission being obtained, it was discovered that
some shavings and wood, left by a carpenter who had been
at work in the kitchen on Thursday evening, had by
some means ignited, and the flames had communicated
to the furniture and "woodwork in the kitchen, and were
spreading so rapidly that the upper part of the house,
where the whole of the inmates were in bed, would in a
short time have been in a blaze. Considerable damage
was done in the kitchen, but the engineer had been so
prompt in his arrival that he was enabled to prevent
any further mischief. The house, a millinery ware-
house, in the occupation of Mr. Todd, is insured in the
Sun-office.

MURDEROUS ATTACK.—On Wednesday evening
a most diabolical outrage was committed by a bargeman at
Diglis, near this city, under the following circumstances :
Two men, named Hailey and Bentley, employed on board the
Prince Charlie, a barge plying between Ironbridge and Glou-
cester, had been quarrelling in coming up the river. The
cause of the dispute has not yet been ascertained ; but on
the arrival of the barge at Diglis, the quarrel had become so
warm that Hailey knocked the other man off the deck into
the river. With some difficulty he scrambled to the bank,
completely covered with mud, when he picked up some
pieces of turf and threw them at his assailant. Hailey in-
stantly went below deck and fetched up a gun, took delibe-
rate aim at Bentley as he was on the bank, and discharged
the contents at him. Bentley was struck in the eye, and
immediately fell to the ground ; on partially recovering,
however, and, with the assistance of another person who came
up, he managed to proceed towards the bridge, notwithstand-
ing considerable hemorrhage was taking place. On being
taken to Mr. Orwin, surgeon, of Bridge-street, it was dis-
covered that, although the eye-ball had not been forced out,
the sight was irrecoverably lost ; he was then taken by some
policemen to the infirmary. The brute (Hailey) was shortly
afterwards taken into custody, by Sergeait Saunders, after
an ineffectual attempt to escape by steering his vessel to the
other side of the river. The wounded man remained in the
infirmary all night, and on the following morning, at seven
o'clock, a man came, and having been permitted to see him,
after some time they left together, and have not since been
heard of. On Thursday morning the case was investigated
at the county magistrates' office. The prisoner was remanded.
iVorcestershire Chronicle.

The town of itedditch has this week been thrown
into a state of great excitement by the disclosure of circum-
stances leading to the suspicion that a female servant in the
house of Mr. J. Warrin, needle-manufacturer, had on Sunday
last clandestinely given birth to a child, which she after-
wards destroyed✓ by burning it. The w•man is now in cus-
tody, and has undergone an examination by Mr. Royston,
surgeon, which leaves no doubt of her recent delivery; and
the appalling rumour has received further confirmation by
Allday, the constable, after a diligent search on the premises,
having succeeded in discovering the head of an infant !
Worcester Herald.

CONSCIENCE MONEY.—The following letter, with
21. 10s. enclosed, was delivered to Mr. Dowion at his house
is Houghton-le-Spring, on Saturday evening last :—" Sir,—
The enclosed is a restoration for property destroyed in the
garden belonging to the late Mr. Elliott, by a person then
living near to him. The real value of the property is un-
known, but the enclosed will more than meet A.—Yours
respectfully, GULIELMUS —To the heir of the late Mr. El-
liott, surgeon, of Houghton-le-Spring.-4th of May, 1844."
—Durham Advertiser.

THEATRICALS IN TROUBLE.—The Rev. Joseph
Ridgeway, rector of High Roothing, attended at Dunmow,
to prosecute a charge against John Wm. Star, of No. 11,
'fhomas-street, Waterloo-road, London, described on the
charge sheet as a wagoner and comedian, for conducting his
properties and vehicles through the parish of High Roothing
on the Sunday, being on their way to Dumnow fair. Fined
11.; costs 4—.F.'ssex Herald.