The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-01 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We have at laiegth the benefit of the Ministerial
scheme for the regulation of the Trade in Coin, and
a precious scheme it is. So, his Grace the-Duke
of Wellington thinks he has fairly settled the Corn
Question ! We are to have a free trade in Corn, sub-
ject only to a duty, which will allow no corn to be
. imported. At 57 shillings the Winchester quarter,
the duty is the same as in the Bill of last year,
namely, 28s. As the price falls, when of course
there will be no importation, we are very liberally
allowed an abatemerit of duty on the scheme of last
year. When the price shall be above 50 shillings
and under 51 shillings, the duty by this scheme is
34, shillings; by the scheme of last year it was 40s:
But this increased liberality when the price is low is
a mere show, because no foreign corn will be im-
ported at the duties according to either scale. But
then, the price in the home market is oppressively
high, then the Duke's duty rises above that of last
year ; so that when wheat is at sixty-five shillings
the quarter, the duty, which by the scheme of last
year was only twelve shillings, is, by that of this
year, twenty shillings. His Grace of Wellington is
haunted with the old idea of the danger of our de-
raiding on foreign countries for our supplies of food;
and he has proposed a scale of duties which will
effectually prevent any such dependence. But com-
merce resolves itself into barter, and those nations
who produce only food, must content themselves
with being equally independent of us for Colonial
goods and manufactures. The mischief of the
scheme is, that it flatters the agriculturists with the
prospect of protection which they will not receive.
Should the averages, altered as they have been, by
including Scotch and Irish Corn, reach 675. in our
present improved currency, the duty of 16s. could
not be levied. Ministers would be forced to sus-
pend the law by the cries of a starving people.
The prospect of high prices will, therefore, be
merely illusory. It would be much wiser at once to
abandon the idea which still haunts the agricul-
turists, of keeping up prices in this country greatly
beyond the level of the neighbouring countries. That
system is impairing our N 1 ealth, and consequently
destroying the sources whence the agriculturists can
obtain their high prices. Lord help them ?
they talk like idiots, of being able to employ
an immense number of additional hands, if
they could only get higher pie, s; but whence
are the consumers to obtain the means for
paying them these high prices ? At present the
issdustrious classes exert their utmost strength
to obtain scanty wages; masters are struggling to
exist on very small profits; from one end of the country
to the other, there is nothing but one constant strug-
gle to exist; and how, in God's name, can the
people, straitened at this rote, contribute more to the
agriculturists ? Mr. Huskisson supported, as he was
bound to do, the new scheme, but showed very sa-
sisfactorily that there was no necessity for it. " Cer-
tainly," he said, " 500,000 quarters did come into
the country when the duty exceeded 20s. a quarter,
which established a prima facie ease that a duty of
2Us. was insufficient." But it was only a prima
facie case, for the Act of November, 18.?6, gave
the Crown a power, under certain circumstances,
of allowing the importation of 500,000 quarters at a
duty of 12s. It was highly probable that the pos-
sibility of its exercise might have led to the intro-
duction of a greater quantity of foreign corn into
the warehouses ; a large part of which was con-
verted in a few months, at a loss, into money.
There was this farther circumstance, that in August
there was a prospect of a fine and abundant harvest ;
the consequence of which was, that the holders of
coin were seized with panic, and sold with rapidity."
However, it was enough for the Landlords that
morn found its way into consumption; and accord-
Jingly " an attempt," says Mr. Huskisson, " was now
mule to meet the apprehensions of the agricultural in-
terest by putting a drag, by adding an impediment to
the facility of admitting corn when the price was be-
tween 60s. and 645. Mr. Huskisson," from the very
Lottom of his soul, lamented the misery and evil
which the Act of 1815 had caused ; the fluctuation
in property and the destruction in capital which for
twelve long years it had inflicted on the country.
Me was also ready to make it apparent that the
effect of That law haJ been to keep down the price
of corn more than it scould otherwise have been
kept down." We suspect be may gay of the pre-
:sent project,/ that it will be little, any thing, less
prejudicial. • Its object is to keep up prices alit&
by preventing the trade in Corn, on the plea
a the danger, as the Duke phrased it, of foreign
dependence. With a law having much en object,
we must continue to have ruinous fluctuations. It
is useless urging any arguments to those who have
the decision of this question, except such as are re.
tferable to their own exclusive interests. The people,
'indeed! The great concern, as the Duke of 'Wel-
lington observed, ought to be, " to maintain in
affluence the Nobility and Gentry of this country."
Dr. Priestley somewhere states, that the object of
Government ought to be the greatest happiness of
the greatest number. The Duke of Wellington's
reading is, " to maintain i 3 affluence the Nobility
and Gentry." It so happene, however, that the
Nobility earnest be maintained in affluence without
the people, otherwise it would be, perish the peo-
ple—live rents and pieces !—Morning Chron;ile,

Miaisters, after some delay, opened their new
Corr. Bill in both Houses of Parliament last night.
in the, House of Lords such a Bill could not origi-
a money bill from its imposing duties;
nate, as th2ilig
hut, that ti it Lordships might not be left in igno-
rance for a few hours of a communication made to
the other House, the Noble Duke at the head of
the Government moved for certain corn returns, to
give him an opportunity of explaining the intended
measure. The same course was, to have been pur-
sued with regard to the proposed Corn Bill of last
year, for we find it recorded the Parliamentary
debates, that Mr. Canning, when Secretary of State,
and bringing forward the measure (which was after-
wards strangled), regretted that Lord Liverpool's
sudden afflictioei did not allow his Lordship the
power " to appear in his place in the other House
of Parliament, to submit there simultaneously the
same propositions which he ONir. Canning) was
Low about to state to the Hoti4e to-night, and to
vindicate to himself that share—that paternity, I
may rather say—of a measure which I IkqA9lV my j
Noble Friend was most anxious to vindicate to
self, and upon the success of which he was resolvee, I
to stake more, perhaps than any Minister of this
country has ever done upon any measure of such a
nature—that eminent reputation which is natmally
most dear as well as most honourable to ti 4
indivi-
dual in his exalted station, and even that station
itself."—Parliamentary Debate of March 1, 1827.
it appears then, from the above, that Lord Liver.
pool was ready to have staked both his reputation
and his place upon a bill, the principle of whieh was
to affix the import duty of 20s. upon foreign wheat
when the average price at home amounted to 60s,
per quarter. This was the pivot of his Lordship's;
ascending and deseending scale, in the fixing of which
he would have staked place and reputation. With
what surprise, then, must the real admirers of Lord
Liverpool see his pretended frieMds introduce a
rrca-
sure, the principle of which is to Oaf) on 4s. more
duty when.ll
wheat per nuarter of
Winchester m9sure? we
are sure that all the
faithful adherents of his Lordship, the admirers of
w
his talents and integrity, will oppose a bill so con-
trary to his sentiments of justice and humanity, and
to strive to reduce the scale to the same position or
level at which he would have placed it. 1 here being
some difficulty in equalizing. the Winchester with
the Imperial measure, we shall here insert
what Mr. C, Grant said upon that subject last
year, when the apparent change was made in the
Bill of which Lord Liverpool was the father, Air.
C. Grant said, " that in compliance with the xish
expressed by the House, he had altered the resolu-
tions in order to accommodate them to the Imperial
measure. The duty proposed to be payable upon
wheat per quarter, Winchester measure, was 20s.
when the price should be 605.: the corresponding
price of the Imperial measure would be 61s. 10lid,

and the corresponding duty would be 21s. 7id. He
had taken the price at 625., and the duty at 20s. Bd."
But by the Bill now proposed, the duty upon a
quarter of wheat, Imperial measure, the price being
62i., would be 245. Bd. The duty, therefore, is to
be increased by one-fifth upon the pivot, or that
which is assumed as the medium quarter. The
ascending and descending scale, also, is much more
complicated, and therefore of more difficult applica-
tion than under Mr. Canning's or Lord Liverpool's
Bill. We have inserted the resolutions in the de-
bate in the Commons; the two scales we subjoin :
SCALE OF DUTIES NOW PROPOSED, AND OF THE BILL OF
1827, IN IMPERIAL AND IN WINCHESTER IIEASURE.

Imperial Measure.

WHEAT.

Pro. Bill of
Rotel]. 18137.

s. d. g. d.
52 and under .53...34 8
53 54...33 8 38 8
54 55...328 369
55 56...31 8 34 8
57...30 8 32 8
57 58...298 30 8
58 8 28 8 ;
59 60...27 8
60 —• 61...26 8
61 62...25 S 22 8
62 63-21 8 20 S I
63 61...23&'
64 65...228
65 66...21 9
66 137...20 8
67 68...18 8
69
69 —6Bl
70 71...108
71 72... 6 8
'72 73... 2 9
1 0 1 0 '
[Times.]

Winchester 'Measure.
Pro. Bill of
posed. ISt 7.
s. s.
50 and under 51—.34 U 40 l)
51 52...330 3BO
52 0 36
53 54...31 0
54 55...30 0
55 56...29 0 MO 0
56 57...230
57 58...27 0 26 0
53 50-26 0 24. 0
50 60...25 0
60 61...24 0
61 61-23
02 63...22 0 16 0
64...21 I)
65...20 0
66...180
67...16 0
68. 13 0 GO
69...10 t.,1
70... 6 0
71...2 U I U
72 1 U I t)

64 -
65 -
56 -
67 -
G 8 -
t 0 -
70
71 -

To the best of our judgment, so fur as the news
from the foreign papers is to be considered, there
appears to be no doubt that war between Russia
and Turkey has commenced, or is about to com-
mence. We should not be surprised if the Russians
passed the Pruth the week after the issuing of the-
late Russian Manifesto, and if, on last Saturday,
such intelligence had been received from Vienna by
the Hebrew party in London. A few days, how-
ever, will determine whether we are right or wrong
in our conjecture. As we have often mentioned,
there is a regular news manufactory going on in
Paris, Frankfort, Vienna, and probably Augsburgh,
in conjunction with stockjobbing houses in London,
so that it is not easy to determine whether news
coming from those places be genuine or the con-
trary. V The way it is managed is this—A, living in
London, writes to his friends B, C, I), of Paris,
Vienna, and Frankfort, to this effect, " put such and
such a paragraph into such a newspaper; and the
day such paragraph make its appearance despatch
me an express." The paragraph is inserted—the
express is despatched—arrives in London--the pa-
ragraph is sent round to the London Papers--they
insert it, and write leading articles in respect to such
manufactured news. The contriver of the paragraph
sells or buys, as may suit his purpose with the stock-
jobbers. The latter square their accounts, as is the
technical phrase at the Stock Exchange, and the
public are taken in. This is the game at present
playing in London and elsewhere, especially for those
things called " Foreign Securities." The Colom-
bian, Mexican, and Spanish Bond Game, was played
in the same way when those things were rife. Pa-
ragraphs were sent from London to the correspon-
dents in those respective countries, in order that
such paragraphs might find their way into the Mexi-
can, Colombian, and Spanish Papers, so that they
might afterwards make the routine of our Papers.—
Morning Herald.

The Corn Laws question was opened last night
in the Lords by the Duke of Wellington, in a speech
of that plain, unadorned, and precise description,
which suits so well with his high station and cha-
racter. The style of the Duke bears the manifest
impress of his mind in the severity of its simplicity.
His oratory resembles his form—a knitted and com-
pacted mass of bone, nerve, and muscle, adMirably
fitted for vigorous and ready action, but without
those fillings-in, those roundings of contour, which
add in grace and flexibility what they diminish in
power. As the addresser of a popular assembly the
Duke is deficient ; but amid the Nobles of the land
he is in his own peculiar element. The dignity of
the Upper House is indeed sometimes more a dignity
of manner that' matter—but his Grace is
weighty in counsel as well as grave in
eloquence. Ilis speech last night was a true
specimen of both those qualities, and we could
not help deeply regretting that the crowd below the
bar, and the etiquette of the Haase, should have left
such little accommodation to those whose duty it
was to eonvey it to the public. Whatever belongs
to the fame of the Great Captain is matter of sacred
property to every one who boasts of the name of
Englishman, and we may well be allowed to grudge
any circumstance which conies between us and the
full enjoyment of so valued a right. The resolutions
ailadgd to by his Grace, for did not move any,
were of course the same as those moved in the
Lower House by Mr. Grant, in a speech of great
talent and ingenuity. The principle on which they
are founded is analagous to that by which Mr. Can-
ning's scale was arranged; but in its application by
the present Ministry, a much stronger leaning has
been observed towards that great interest which
is denominated, by way of eminence, the country
interest, and so far, therefore, we feel inclined to
give it our unqualified approbation. We wish it
had gone further in this respect, but we acknow-
ledge, at the same time, the truth of a remark of Mr.
Greet, that however desirable it may be to adhere
in all thinge to rigid and unbending principle, the
complicated and artificial character of our system of
policy in all departments, and indeed not of ours
only, but of that of all the kingdoms with which we
hold fellowship, operate as so many disturbing forces
to mar the regularity of our political orbit, and to
render such an adherence impossible. We feel, there-
fore, that in approximating towards it in this instance,
the Ministers are justly entitled to the meed of
our thanks, and, valent quantum, our support.—
The scale we shall lay before our readers in as plain
a way as we cart. It begins, according to the table,
at 525. We speak just now of the wheat scale,
which was the only one touched on by Mr. Grant.
When wheat is at 525. the quarter, and under 535.
the proposed duty on importation will be, in round
numbers, 355.; when above .535, and under As. the
duty will be 345. and in this way the duty goes on
decreasing a shilling for every shilling that the price
increases, until the price of the quarter of wheat is
above 665. and below 675. when, by this reciproca-
iiefe process, the duty, it is obvious, will have dimi-
nish6d tie 21s. It is in this first stage of the progress
of duties that tine advantage to the agriculturists in the
present Bill over tire :wet will be chiefly felt, and
it is almost unnecessary to say, that: in this stage
it is most required. Any higher price that; 07s, can
hardly 'be anticipated, when we reflect that for rio
many months it has not risen to 60s. Indeed, since
the commencement of July last, when the prospect
of the coining crop was peculiarly gloomy, up to the
Feeent time, the' price has been above 60s. only in
six instances, and those were the first six weeks of
the period alluded to. Since the Ist of October the
price has not risen to reQs, We repeat, therefore;
that in this first stage the advantage of the proposed
Bill is most required, and that it is net small will
be seen by a simple comparison Gf the duties
w enosed by Mr. Grant with those proposed
byr' Mr. Canning. Commencing tatpspa2rseentu4s, above,nl:;re
the ecale of Mr, Canning is t
favourable by 65., but it is more favourable
rather in Ippearance than in for it must be
obvioue to every one that 355. affords the must am-
ple protection when wheat is that price, and that to
give more would be adding bulwarks to what was
already impregnable. The dtwee approximate until
the price rises to 595.: they coincide, being 295.,
according to both scales; but us the common dif-
ference in Mr. Canning'c scale was 25., and in Mr.
Grant's below 675., only Is., when wheat is 605.,
tire former gives a protection of only 255.,
while the latter gives 275. ; and at 665. the one
gives only 135., while the other gives 21s.—
Above 675., 'Mr. Grant adopts 2s. as a com-
mon measure in his progression, until the price
reaches 695.; from 695. to 715., a common 1110S4n,
of three shillings; anal above 715.,a common measure

of four shillings. Yet even with this acceleration of
decrease at 675., he gives a duty of I9s. where Mr.
Canning gave only 11s.; and at 71s. he gives is.,
where Mr. Canning gave only 3s. The duties of
Barley and other grains were, as we have already
stated, not touched upon by Mr. Grant, nor were
any details entered into; but we shall have, no
doubt, ample time allowed for discuSsion before the
BilLis passed into a law. Upon the whole, we are
gratified that this great and much agitated question
is about t 6 be settled. Ever since 1822—we may
say ever since the rejected measure of Sir H. Par-
nell in 1814—it has been the source of much uneasi-
ness, of many heart buntings and jealousies. Preju-
dice has done much to confuse and complicate, and
wisdom but little to clear it up. Something stable
is now held out in prospect, and we hope that both
parties will agree to give it welcome.—New Times.

SIR JAMES SCARLETT.—We understand that
this gentleman will be at the present York Assizes, on two
special retainers, one for the devisees of the late Sir THONIAS
PILKINGTON, in the Wakefield Soke cause, and the other
for Mrs. BEAUMONT, in an action for libel brought against
her by Mr. HORSIXGTON, her late steward. The Soke
cause is fixed for Friday next, before a Special Jury. Mr.
BROUGHAM leads for the defendants, the inhabitants of
Ossett.—Leeds Mercury.

MR. BROUGHAM.—We are happy to notice
that this gentleman has, at the late Assizes, taken the station
to which his talents and eloquence entitle him. He has
had a considerably large share of business than any other
Counsel, and has in a great majority of instances been re-
tained for the plaintiff. His success in obtaining verdicts
was also distinguished, and many of his speeches were
masterly specimens of argumentation, replete with varied
information, enlarged views, wit, and satire, and well cal-
culated to advance the interests of his clients. The
Assizes, however, were more than usually barren of such
causes as are likely to excite the powers of Mr. 11ItoucHAaz.
It may also with propriety be noticed, that Mr. ALneasos
is rapidly advancing to the eminence which his great
powers and acquisitions entitle him to assume.—Billinge's
Liverpool Advertiser.

HI PPOPOTA NI us.—The head of one of these

mighty animals, well preserved, with the skin upon it, is
to he seen in St. James's—street. Though curious as an

article in a museum of natural history, we are afraid it is
insufficient for an exhibition. The forms of the teeth and
tusks, however, by which the food is submitted to an ope-
ration like grinding, are worthy of remark.—Literary
Gazette.

The three whale-fishing vessels are now mus-
tering their crews for their long voyage to the icy regions
of the north. They intend leaving the harbour on Sunday
first, and will sail from the roads in a day or two follow-
ing.—Seotionan.

SHIPWRECKS.—During the severe gale of
Sunday, the Arrow of Portpatrick, O'Num, master,
sunk off the point of (9rd. The clew consisted of three
hands, and at the time the accident happened—eight o'clock
a. m.—the master's son was sound asleep in a small cabin
in the bow of the boat. He was never seen afterwards.—
The master and his man swam about as long as they could,
and when well nigh exhausted, the boat lightened as her
cargo fell out, so as to enable them to cling to the rigging.
In this situation they were picked up at ten o'clock by the
crew of the Venus of the same port. The Nelly and
Margaret of Harrington, TIMOTUY MARTIN, master,
sailed from Kirkcudbright on the afternoon of Wednesday,
the 19th curt. ; and when in the mouth of the river,
between St. Mary's Isle, and the Torr Point, she struck and
grounded on a reef of rock. The boisterous weather that
occurred subsequently soon rendered her a complete wreck.
The crew escaped.—Edinburgh Courant.

There are now lying at our office, two re-
markable relics of antiquity, found in a Druid's Temple,
about 21 miles from Lancaster, on the road to Richmond ;
by Mr. JOHN TATHAM, coal proprietor, of Hawes. One
is a spear head of bronze, about four inches lung, and one
broad, with a rib on each side, at the centre. The other
bears more venerable marks of antiquity; being a flint
arrow head, about an inch and a quarter long, and half an
such wide. The formation of the latter is very curious,
and even with the assistance of modern iron implements,
would appear to be made with some difficulty. Mr.
TATHAM informs us, that in exploring the ruims, a number
of other curiosities have been found ; one of them he
describes as au antique drinking vessel.— Westmoreland
Advertiser.

HUGE MUSCLE.-We lately saw a muscle,
the oblong cirrunderunce of which is 14 inches and 9f
inches the other way. This enormous fish of its kind was
caught near Mars Bank, about 15 miles east from the Isle
of May, on the 15th of May last, by JAMES INNXS, jun. of
St. Monance. It weighed, when taken 17A ounces, and
the shell is now in the possession of Mr. ilicim, fish_
curer there, by whom it has been elegantly mounted as a
snuff-box. The writer of this paragraph had the pleasure
of taking a pinch of snuff from this box ; and we have no
doubt but that Mr. MAciim will be happy to chew it to
any gentlemen who will take the trouble of calling upon
him.—To strangers visiting the East Coast of Fife, we
would recommend an inspection of the ancient Church of
St. Monance, which is just undergoing great improve-
ments, in doing which due attention has been paid to se-
cure the comfort of a modern building, without destroy-
ing the magnificent appearance of the ancient.— Fife
Herald.

THE DEATH OF MUNGO PARK'S SON.-
Extract of a private letter from Lieut.-Colonel LUMLEY
to Mr. Secretary HAv, dated Cape Coast Castle, Dec. 4,
1827 :—" I am sorry to inform you that a fine young man,
son of the celebrated Alusico PARK, died in the Akimbo°
country, a little to the S.E. of Accoa, about seven weeks
ago. He arrived on this coast in July last, for the pur-
pose of penetrating into the S.W. interior of Africa, hav-
ing resolved to complete those discoveries which his father'S
death had left unaccomplished. Whilst at Akimbo°,
(where he remained for some time to acquire a competent
knowledge of the language before he advanced further into
the interior) the annual Yam custom took place, i. e. fes-
tival. The natives were assembled, as usual, in a large
plain, in which stood a Fetish Tree,' which is never ap-
proached except by the Priests. Mr. PARK mounted this
tree, considered sacred, for the purpose of taking a sketch
of the group assembled. The KING perceiving his inten-
tion, endeavoured to persuade bins from this act, assuring
him, if he were guilty of such profanation, he could not
live long. Mr. PARK was not to be dissuaded from his
intention, and he was a corpse in two days after. The
Fetish men, no doubt, fearing their power and character
would Le shaken, if this impiety could be done with im-
punity, hastened Mr. PARK'S death by poison."

_ -
RYDF.— An Inquest was held, at YELF's
Hotel, Union-street, on Tuesday last, before THOMAS
SEWELL, Esq. Coroner far the Island, and a most respect-
able Jury, of which Wm. WILSON, Esq. was foreman, on
the body of a male bastard child, of which JANE SOTH-
COTT, aged between 16 and 17 years, had been deliver-
ed on. Sunday evening, when the following depositions
were made :—Mr. RAVEN, a surgeon, living with Mr.
RANKES, stated, that o❑ Sunday evening, about nine
o'clock, the wife of Rosetta' Sim. requested him to go to
her house, where her sister was ill ; he went immediately,
and in going, Mrs. Siva. stated that she believed there
was a child already born. Ile foiled it so, and that NANNY,
the mother of JANE SOTHCOTT, had delivered her elangh-
ter ; but sonic part of the operatio❑ not being completed,
she had become frightened, and sent for assistance. Upon
Mr. IlAvxli doing what was necessary, Mrs. Sorocorr
said, "you have done that in five minutes, which I have
been an hour and a half endeavouring to do." Mr. H. asked
if the child was born alive, and was told " no, it was still
born, and that JANE &uncurl' was nut more than a quar-
ter of an hour in labour." He saw the child, which was
a fine one, and at his full growth. Ou Monday he saw
the body again, with Mr. HANKs, when an opinion he had
firmed the preceding evening, that the child was burn
alive, was confirmed; and upon stating it to JANE SOTII-
FOrT and her mother, they acknowledged it was so, and
that the child had groaned for a short tinw. There were
marks of pressure, with scratches on the throat, en the
right side, extending across the windpipe, which Mrs.
SOTHCOTT attributed to her fright and ignorance, as " She
hardly knew what she did, and might have scratched it
with her nails." Mr. It. was of opinion that it might
have been so, as other precautions had been taken to se-
cure the life of the child. Mr. W. H. RAVES confirmed
the abnve witness, and was of the same opinion, that ig-
norance and want of skill might have occasioned the marks
on the throat. Mr. J.►alas I.4lnxr4xt.n, chemist, stated
that on Saturday last NANNY SOTHCOTT came to his shop,
and requested to speak ,with Lim privately. She stated
that a young relation of hers was pregnant, and that she
wished him to prescribe something to destroy the child. He
desired her to think of the crime she contemplated. She
still pressed for medicine, which he continued to refuse.—
The Coroner made a most luminous awl impressive charge
to the Jury, and left the facts to their consideration. The
.Jury, after a deliberation of neariy five hours, returned a
,verdiet Wilful Murder against NANNY and JANE
SOTHCOTT."—Hampshire Telegraph.