The Sun.
London, England, 1828-07-15 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Last night there took place, though it was
professed but temporarily, and not in principle, a
deviation from the adopted rule or practice of
free trade. 'We refer to the debate in the House
of Commons. It had been long understood that
Bandana handkerchiefs were to be admitted on a
reduced duty from October next. This was a
pledge given by Mr. Huskisson to the public :
Courtenay appears to have since promised
the English silkmen that the prohibitory duties
,hould continue for another year. On either
way there was deception and disappointment ;
but it is obvious that the first engagement, which
should not have been broken, ought now to pre-
vail. Mr. Huskisson, for the first time since his
ejectment from the Ministry, defended his own
Nystem, and reprobated the violation of it with
t~tiiirit enough ; and it was curious to observe,
that Mr. Peel, who of course had previously
sanctioned the moderate duty with all its conco-
mitant circumstances of time and quantity, now
had to consider whether it should commence and
be rendered permanent from October next ; the
admission of foreign silks having been notified
from the year 1826 ! The merchants who had
z.ent out their orders upon the conviction that the
duties would be reduced, will of course be sub-
jected to an unexpected, and therefbre unjust,
imposition on their articles: it would have been
more equitable to have let the reduction take
place at the, time expected, bad—which sound
policy forbid ! the prohibition been re-imposed
afterwards ;—afterwards ; and if there be one
article or product more than another upon which
the principle of a free trade may be put to the
test of experience without the hazard of ,„,great
suffering, it is upon the mere luxury of silk.—
Times.

Orie of the consequences naturally to be ex-
pected from the Vice-President of the Board of
Trade keeping his mind a perfect blank with re-
spect to matters connected with his office, was dis-
closed last night. When it -was proposed to im-
pose an ad valorem duty on East India silks in
1826, owing to the supposed ignorance ofthose by
whom the value of the article was to be ascer-
tained it was determined to adopt a rate of duty
founded as nearly as possible on the scale of 30
per cent., which rate of duty was to be continued
for two years, at the expiration of which time, in
October this year, an ad valorem duty was to
be imposed. The rate of duty now levied, in-
stead of being 30 per cent., amounts actually to
5Q and 35 per cent. But on the faith of the
parliamentary pledge, that the Bill would expire
in October, 1828, considerable orders had been
sent out, and the consequence of not adhering to
the pledge would be a great loss to the indivi-
duals acting on it. But the Vice-President of
the Board of Trade, being unable to have the
Hank of his mind filled up before the period
fixed for the expiration of the Bill, had
derermined, that as his mind must remain
in static quo, so things should also remain in
static quo. " His Right Honourable Friend
(said Mr. Peel) had declared • to persons
deeply engaged in the silk trade that there was
no intention of making any change this year, as
his Right Hon. Friend was not aware of any
pledge having been given by his Right Hon.
Friends (Messrs. Huskisson 'and Grant) upon
the subject." The plan of governing of Mr.
Courtenay—namely, doing nothing—is, no
doubt, a very delightful one ; and there would
be no alloy, were it not that very awkward
consequences sometimes result, as well from
leaving undone those things which ought
to have , been done," as from " doing these
things which ought not to be done." The Mac-
clesfield and Spitalfields weavers approach the
Vice-President to know whether the ad valorem
duty shall commence in October. No; for I
shall not have made up my mind by October.
This would all be well but for those who, count-
ing on the pledge, had acted on it. But he has
done great injustice to those who have embarked
capital on this Parliamentary pledge, if he do
not adhere to it. If the blankness of his mind
had enabled him to decide in time, he would
have been able to steer clear of responsibility.
As it is now, he is between the Devil and the
deep sea. If he adhere to the Parliamentary
pledge, he has the Macclesfield and Spitalfields
weavers on him, charging him with a violation
of promise, and upbraiding him with their losses.
I F he keep his word with the latter, he has to
sustain the complaints of those who may be
ruined by their orders to India. The world will
not stand still because it would be convenient
for the Vice-President for the Board of Trade
that it should ; and we cannot help thinking that
it would be as well to have Offices filled by men who
knew something of the duties of them, as to have
men who let things take theircoursewhile they are
indulging in all the apathy of the gods of Epicurus.
Mr. Huskisson gave Mr. Courtenay a piece of
advice, by attending to which he may save him-
self some trouble. " He begged to caution the'
Right Hon. the President of the Board of Trade
against allowing himself to be persuaded by cer-
tain branches of trade ; if he did this, he would
never be able to carry any great measure, as he
would be continually requested to open all other
branches as freely as possible, but to give the
particular applicant a decided moil 0p01y..--Morn-
ing Chronicle.
A correspondent informs us, that.the Marshal
of the King's Bench prison does not hold his
situation by purchase, but in virtue of a corn-
mission from the Crown, " so long as he con-
ducts himself properly, and resides within the
prison ;" and, consequently, he possesses no
vested interest in the office. But does he per-
form the condition of residing wienin the- pri-
son ? He has, we understand, a house adjoin-
ing the gaol, where he occasionally resides ; but,
it is said, he has not for some years visited the
interior of the prison. For the accuracy of this
statement we cannot vouch,
.but if he receives
the great emoluments of his office without even
visiting the gaol which is supposed to be under his
immediate and personal superintendence, it surely
is a subject with regard to which' the Crown, as
conferring the commission, ought to institute an
inquiry. We stated, some time ago, that the
Marshal has an arbitrary power as to grant-
ing or refusing the rules of the prison, and
that this power is the source of a splendid in-
come to him, as he has a per centage upon al-
lowing to debtors the indulgence of the rules.
We are now informed that for such indnlgence,
he charges eight guineas for the first, and-four
guineas for every subsequent 1001. on the
amount of the detainers, besides the bond;" and
gratuities to his officers for inquiring into the-,
securities given by the prisoner, to save the Mar•
shat harmless in case of his escape--amounting:
altogether to an average of abont five per. cent.
But this is not all. When ,p,Ator has suc-
ceeded in obtaining the benefit-of the rules on
these conditions, should of fresh detainer be
laid, he is brought again within the walls until he
gives further security; and the Marshal then as-
sumes a right to consider tti4tondi already given

as cancelled, though there has been no bleach
'of the contract on the part of the debtor,
and he not only requires their re-execution,
but not unfrequently demands other se-
curity, and if this demand, with the conse-
quent gratuities on inquiries, &c., be not com-
plied with, the debtor remains locked up. But
the evil of the system does not rest here. It is
evident that the only reason for compelling a
prisoner to give security on obtaining the rules
is, to indemnify the Marshal against the conse-
quences of his escape, and therefore
.that the
amount of the securities should be limited to
the sum for which he is detained, and so it is,
in the first instance ; but supposing a person to
be arrested for 1,060/. and to have given secu-
rity, on being allowed the rules, to that amount,
and to have paid the fees, and afterwards to have
paid his creditors 5001. out of that 1,0001. for
which he was originally arrested, should another
detainer for 5001: be laid on, still making up,
with the residue of the former debts, only the
original sum of 1,0001., for which the Marshal is
liable and has security, yet new fees are demanded
onthis and every similar sum, so that a man who
owes 20,0001. but has never been detained for more
than 1,000/. at a time, may thus, by possibility, be
compelled to pay eight hundred guineas in fees
Another grievance exists with regard to those
who have broken the rules, though without any
intention of escaping. A rule of Court re-
quires that in such a case the debtor shall be
brought within the walls and not again allowed
the rules, unless he obtains an order from the
Lord Chief Justice to that effect ; but suppos-
ing he obtains it, the Marshal still exercises a
discretionary power with respect to his compli-
ance ; and he generally finds it more convenient
to detain the prisoner whose fees he has received
in close custody, without incurring any further
risk, though if the prisoner's securities are sol-
vent, the Marshal cannot suffer. A Committee
of the House of Commons sat about 12 years
ago, to inquire into the abuses in the King's
Bench prison, and they- animadverted strongly
upon the system ; and although redress has been
obtained in some particular instances, where in-
quiries have been held before the Master of
the Crown Office, still the general system
remains unaltered. It is to the system we object,
as most impolitic and mischievous in its prin-
ciple. We presume the Marshal has only acted
upon the practice adopted by his predecessors;
but we hope the subject will be brought before
Parliament—the oppressive principle of fees abo-
lished, and the Marshal made amenable, in every
respect, to the authority of the Court of King's
Bench. Indeed, it seems to us an unaccountable
anomaly that the keeper of the King's Bench
prison should not be an officer subject to the
immediate inspection and governance of the
Court of King's Bench, in every particular re-
lating to the execution of his office. 'We hope
that Earl Grey, who has already adverted to this
important subject in the House of Lords, will
bring it formally before the Legislature ; for if'
the Marshal's place be not purchasable, that
officer can have no vested interest in the fees
now allowed by the existing state of the law to
be taken ; and, consequently, it is not necessary
to wait his life-time to make the 'necessary alte-
ration in the system.—Morning Herald.
The indefatigable M. Moreau is again before
the public, in the shape of a writer on the
woollen trade-of the empire. We thought, when
We last adverted to the labours of this most ex-
pert and laborious of calculators, that we should
not have occasion to notice any additional work
previously to his quitting England, He has,
• however, in the brief interval which has elapsed,
been able to draw up a highly interesting little
treatise on this important topic. We give in
another column a table extracted from it, of
great curiosity and no small practical value. It
is a statement of the amount of woollens exported
for two periods, of six years each, from 1817 to
1828 inclusive. The falling off in the latter
period is very great. It is true that the fall in
price of woollen goods will in some measure ac-
count for the fall in the declared value of the
exports; but the former has been trifling in
comparison to the latter, which amounts , to no
less than seven millions, being about seventeen
per cent. upon the gross exports. M. Mo-
reau has, of course, not included the exports
to Ireland, neither has he included the woollen
exports for the use of our own fisheries, both of
which are really and truly home trade. %Ve shall
not stop at this moment to deduce any inferences
from the fact we have just stated, but one,
namely, that in this instance, as in many others,
ale free system, whatever be its abstract merits,
has not been found to pay. It was premised,
and it was no doubt expected, that under that
system our woollen trade was to, increase, and
that was the sole reason for the measure under
which our store farmers are at present grievously
suffering. In one or two instances the woollen
trade has increased, but, on the whole, the de-
crease has been, as we have just shown, most
alarming. Such a rate of diminution continued
for a few years longer,. and the trade would be
annihilated,—New Times.

LUBECK, JULY 4.—The George the Fourth
British steam-boat, commanded by Captain BLACK, of the
Royal Navy, has been engaged to run between this port
and St. Petersburgh, and vice versa during the whole of
the present month. The superior accommodation of this
vessel, combined with the certainty of reaching the Russian
Capital in four or five days, induces many to avail them-
selves of the present favourable opportunity of visiting the
Empire of the Czars.

We are happy to learn that the Herring
Fishery has commenced at Fraserburgb, with every pros-
pect of success. A boat went out on Monday night, with
only half her complement of nets, and returned next morn-
ing with three trans and a half of herrings ; the men re-
port a good appearance of fish upon the cont.—Edinburgh
Advertiser.

•On Saturday a shocking accident happened
to a sailor at Netley Abbey. The man, who was intoxi-
cated, agreed to jump from the highest part of the ruin,
which he did, atid received compound fractures of •each
thigh, and severe contusions of the head. Little hopes are
entertained of kis recovery.—Hants Chronicle.

The trade of Paisley and its neighbourhood
is a great deal brisker at present than Was anticipated a
few weeks back. That important branch Of manufacture
in this district, the India—imitation—trimmings and
shawls are still continuing fiat. 'Tie Canton crape shawls
are now very dull likewise, and ter a houses engaged in that
line are• discharging the greater part of their weavers ;
while those .who arc continued are working at a great re.
duction in price. Owing to the expense attending a
change, from one description of figured work to another,
many weavers have been a short time idle for several
weeks past; ,but, with.this exception, the population gene-
rally are well employed. The light silk fabrics are still
maintaining their ground, and may be considered doing
well for this season of the, year, There has been a consi-
derable revivid in loom-figured muslins this year, and they
are • still brisk, and taking up the weavers, as they are
• thrown idle; from the other branches. They arc likewise
of great benefit in giving employment to the women, who
otherwise would have suffered severely Irons the failure of
the heavy silk shawls. .The village of Kilbaraian, in
particular, has the prospect of being greatly benefitted by
the revival of seedings, which are in considerable demand
at present. This is the first revival with this class of
goods since the panic in Glesgow Chronick.