The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-13 00:00:00

Mit. COMBE AGAIN

Will any of our readers kindly inf no us if a ere be at
this moment a Home Minister ? If so, is he in u mes-
meric condition, or really awake ? If awake, does he
ever read those vul;ar compositions, the daily papers ?
And if not, why not ?
We have I,,oked in our own Pocket-Book, and find
that Sir Jam, s Graham is really Home Secretary. May
we then call the attention of Sir James to the manifold
merits of Mr. Combo, the magistrate of Clerkenw•eil ?
That man is a blighted Lord Chief Justice. He wag
born to he wrapt in ermine—to sit upon the Queen's
Bench. He wears plain black, and is confined to an
arm-chair. Suck is life I

Again and again have we marvelled at the judgments
of Combe. They have at length convinced us that
Apuleius is not wholly a fable. No ; sure we are that
the spirit of a philosopher—albeit nobody shall suspect
it—may animate an ass.
We subjoin a brief police narrative, showing the
wisdom of Mr. Combe

" John Stevens was charged with assaulting Mr.
Thomas Banting, dairyman, John street, Bedford-row.
Complainant owed the assailant a sporting bet of Itil.
Whereupon Stevens entered complainant's shop, and de-
manding the money, aimed a violent blow with a large
~.tick at his head. Witness put up his arm to ward it
off; and received the blow on it. The blow caused a
swelling as large as a half-pint pot on the elbow, and he
has not had since then the use ot the limb."
Now listen to Mr. Combo :

" Mr. Combe—Why don't you pay Mr. Stevens the
13/. ? Complainant—l was unable to do so, Sir—other
parties had not paid me.
Mr. Combe—Nonsense ! how is he to know whether
they have or not ? You had better pay him the 154
You are a long time in his debt."
After more talk, Mr. Combe hints at "a bill."
" Mr. Combo—The defendant asks for a bill. Why
don't you give him your bill for the 151., which you ac-
knowledge you owe ?
" The complainant said that after having received such
treatment, he should be less inclined to do so, than ever.
" Mr. Combe—lf you pay him the 151., 171 fine him for
the assault.
" The complainant said he had been brutally treated,
and declined the offer.

" The defendant, who admitted that he was a betting
man,' was merely bound over in his own recognisance to
answer any charge at the sessions."
Is there not sweet comfort in this for creditors—for all
betting men with money owed them ? Gentlemen cre-
ditors, provide yourselves with large sticks—enter the
houses of your debtors—drub them soundly; and if
brought before Mr. Combe he will use his gentle offices
to get you " a bill" from the man you have thrashed ;
and if failing, will let you off upon your own recog-
nisance !
And then again, how courteous to attempt to make a
bargain with the stiff-necked complainant ! "If you
pay him, I'll fine him." But the ruffian was not paid,
and—equitable Mr. Combe !—he was nut fined.—Punch.

QUARREL BETWEEN CIVILIANS

AND MILITARY.

A serious quarrel took place on Sunday evening last,
at the Dolphin public-house, outside Chapel-bar, in this
town, between a party of the 12th Lancers, and a number
of mechanics. Two of the soldiers were brought before
the Mayor on Monday, charged with an assault upon the
landlord, Mr. Goddard, when the appended particulars
were elicited.

About half-past six o'clock, two soldiers entered the
tap- room at the Dolphin, which was already full of com-
pany, and called for a pint of ale. They had not been
there many minutes before a quarrel ensued, and
one of the soldiers began to fight with one of the civi-
lians. Seeing that their companion was " getting the
worst of it," another of the civilians, it is said, rendered
him assistance, which speedily brought the other soldier
into action. The civilians seem to have thought the con-
duct of the soldiers to be overbearing, fur they unitedly
set upon them, and, after giving each of them a hearty
thrashing, turned them out of the room. By this time a
crowd had collected on the outside of the house, and
amongst them were six or eight soldiers. As soon as their
comrades had been expelled, the fresh soldiers rallied
round them, and commenced an attack upon the tap-
room door, violently threatening the landlord if he per-
sisted in refusing them admission. The landlord and an
assistant kept the door closed as long as they were able,
but at length the combined strength of the military
forced it open. As soon as they entered the room a
most savage battle ensued ; civilians and military rushed
together to the table, three of the legs of which they
tore off, and used as cudgels ; pewter pots, iron spittoons,
&c., were thrown at each other's heads ; and a tin
warmer and a fender were completely battered out of
shape, by having been used as instruments of assault.
The two privates with whom the row commenced aro
named Allingham and Fidler, the former of whom com-
menced fighting. Corporal Mimmick and private Al-
Engl= were taken into custody by the police, where
they remained until the following day, when they were
charged with assault. After hearing the case very fully,
the Mayor and magistrates decided against them, award-
ing them to pay the moderate sum of 245. 6d. costs, and
to enter into recognizances to keep the peace for the
next three months, themselves to the amount of 10/.
each, and two others to the amount of 5/. each.—. Nottin-
gham Review.

We are sorry to learn that, for reasons not made
pnblic, Messrs. Cooke, of Loughborough, are turning
off the whole of the men and women working at their
establishment in the Rushes. Rumour, with its thou-
sand tongues, has assigned many reasons, which it would
be foolish to ecutnerate, as each like the other appears to
be unauthorised. This event, with the severity of the
weather, has thrown many out of employment there,
and is likely to prove serious to many poor families.
We hope neither will prove of long duration.—Notting-
ham Review.
RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.—TWO most important
railway Meetings have been held at Liverpool this wick
—first, for the purpose of submitting the conditional
agreement entered into by the Liverpool and Manchester
Company with the North Union Company for the aura-
gamation of the lines, and other minor matters ; and,
secondly, to obtain the sanction of the Proprietors of the
Greed Junction Company to the consolidation of the
Manchester line with theirs. The terms of the first
agreement are, that each consolidated North Union stock
be considered equivalent to 641. 7s. 6d. of the Liverpool
and Manchester, or amalgamated stock. Those of the
second, as stated in the report—that the Liverpool and
Manchester Company having already created new 401.
shares this year to extinguish their debt, and the Grand
Junction Company having issued new 121. 10s. shares to
meet their subscriptions to the Lancaster and Carlisle
Company, each holder of a Grand Junction 100/. share,
or other stock equivalent in amount, shall have a new
251. share, and that being done, that the whole shall be
consolidated on equal terms in one capital stock (instead
of shunt's), under clauses in the 13ill for wh:ch, with the
concurrence of the trustees, the Directors intend to apply
in the ensuing session.
ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF FEMALES.—.
Last evening a public meeting was held at the Lecture
Hall, Greenwich, for the purpose of explaining the ob-
jects contemplated by the above Society, and the provi-
sions of the Bishop of Exeter's Bill, and the adoption
of measures for the suppression of one of the greatest
enormities which disgrace a Christian community. The
meeting was fully and respectably attended, and at a
little after nine o'clock, D. W. Wire, Esq„ took the
chair, and stated that the object of the Society was to
procure a Bill which would entirely suppress the dis-
gusting traffic in juvenile prostitution, and to enable
offenders of that nature to be dealt with according to
their crimes, and not to set the laws (as in the present
defective state they were enabled to do) at defiance. He
felt well aware that it was not only a revolting but a
most delicate subject for investigation, but still the enor-
mities that hid been brought to light, rendered it para.
mount that the moral classes of the community should
exert themselves to wipe so foul a blot from society, and
to guard against children being inveigled from their
homes for the basest purposes. The meeting was subee-
quently addressed by the Rev. Dr. Russell and the Rev,
Dr. Woodward, who observed that he thought a clause
might be inserted in the Police Act, placing those in-
famous house's on the same footing as gaming-houses,
thereby being more under the surveillance of the police.
Resolutions to carry out the objects of the meeting were
unanimously carried.
ANOTHER COLLISION ON THE MERSEY.—On Mon-
day night week the Abbey steamer left the Birkenhead
slip about ten o'clock, and it being ebb-tide, she pro-
ceeded down the west side of the river until she had
passed the Woodside slip, and then turned her bows to-
wards the other side. When near the middle she ran
with tremendous force into the larb:iard bow of her Ma-
jesty's tender, the Redwing, which had just left one of
the mail-packets then in the river. Fortunately there
eshcearPed favourwith-
out
were few, if any, passengers on board the Abbey, and
no paenr3s,o
materialwas
injured.dan,ag
damage, the
tAbbeyde
beingalsoin
but the Redwing was cut down to the water's edge in
such a manner as to make a tremendous opening. She
was, however, heeled over, and was taken the next mom.
Hig into the graving-dock to be repaired. The night
was very dark, but the atmosphere was quite clear, and
nothing to prevents lights being seen. We have been
informed that the Redwing showed no light, but that the
Abbey had one hoisted upon her mast. The bodies of
Harrison and Fahey, the unfortunate persons who perished
in the calamitous collision of the 21st ult., have not as
yet been recovered.—Liverpool Advertiser.
DOWNING-STREET.—Yesterday the whole of the
unsightly hoarding that has been suffered to remain so
long round the vacant space ofground between Downing.
street and Fludyer-street was removed, the footway on
either side cleared and newly paved, and the area in-
closed with wooden paling breast high; it is rot intended
to erect any buildings on the site, which belongs to Go-
vernment, at present, but to allow it to remain in its pre-
sent state until the general improvements in Wesie
minster are finally determined upon. ;