The Sun.
London, England, 1826-03-13 00:00:00

[MORNING CHIRONICLE:I

A Correspondent (a Country Justice) has call-
ed our attention in the observation. of Mr. Peel,
that " the increase of 'Offences- in London anti
Middlesex bore no proportion to that of the
Country, though the int.retise of the population
was greater there than in any..other districts of
.the kingdom." We have .more than once our-
selves called the attention' of our readers to this
anomalous, circumstance, and very fairly inferred
from it that there, was something rotten in the
provincial system of England.—Our Correspon-
dent says, " '!'his fact is by no means extraordi,
nary, and I am touch surprised that Mr. -Peel
(who, doubtles, has devoted much of his per-
sonal attention to these important subjects,
,in
addition to the valuable suggestions he has receiv-
ed from others), should not have understood and
avowed the real cause of it. " A tolerably
extensive acquaintance with the buSiness of
the Crown Courts enables me to say, that the
offenders tried, within the period Mr. Peel
mentions, both at the Assizes and the Quarter
sessions, in the proportion of three to one are
agricultural labourers,—the offences for which
they were tried, petty larcenies—to the corn-
mission of which they had been tempted by
the extremity of poverty and distress During
the latter part, especially, of this period, the
situation of the ogriculturill labourer has been
one of greater sufTering and privation than has
ever been antecedently known among any other
of the working class, arising wholly from the
big!) prices of the necessaries of life, and the
scanty pittences paid for their wages. This is
the indisputable cause of the fact stated by
'Mr. Peel, and if no remedy be speedily tio..H
plied, which common humanity as well as policy
requires—instead of mitigating the punishment
of our Penal Code, other severities must be en-
acted. or there ran be no security for property.—
This interesting subject will he found closely
Connected with the Corn Laws." That the Corn
Laws have contributed greatly to the demoralize.
tion of the peasantry can hardly be, questioued,
and indeed the fact, that in those districts of the
island, in which the farm labourers are paid, in
produce, as Berwickshire, Itoxburghshire, East
Lothian, Stc., there is no increase of crime, what-
ever, would seem to remove all doubt on this sub-
ject The English peasantry are evidenly not in

that condition of body which they ought to be.' I
The structure denotes sufficiently that they are a
large breed, but from insufficiency of food and
overexertion, they have uniformly a gaunt ap-
pearance. Were their bones sufficiently covered,
they would be a fine looking people (which the
gentry and yeomany certainly are) ; but they
have all the look of having greatly deteriorated
from what they formerly were. To think that
men can be honest who toil without the
consolation of a sufficiency of food, is to know
very little of human nature.—But a variety
of causes, no doubt, concur in producing this
melancholy result. The English of the towns
are independent, the peasantry are in a state of
thraldom. It is in the country that we find the
system of feudalism in all its perfection ; Land-
lords armed with judicial power, subject to no
responsibility, combining in their persons the cha-
racter of Judge and party. It is in the country
that we find Game Laws and Poor Laws, of
which every year the Administration has been
more and more faulty.—But the Country Gen-
tletnen are only anxious for the Corn Laws for
the sake of the people of the country. In Eng.
land every man is only anxious for the good of
his neighbour.
[THE REPRESENTATIVE.]
This evening the Chancellor of the Exchequer
makes his financial statement. We are confident
that the state of affairs which it will disclose will
be such as to astonish those who have been
alarming themselves on the subject of our total
ruin. We trust, that in spite of all prognostica-
tions to the contrary, whether they conic from
friends or foes, the riches and credit of England
stand on as firm a footing us ever. We are quite
sure, that none of the solid branches of our na-
tional wealth will be found to have really suffered
during the late severe crisis. If confidence be
regained, our cure is effected—we only want faith.
The state of the silk trade in Spitalfrelds is said to be
reviving, and the looms which were of late so un-
employed are, we learn, agaiu corning into action.,
We should be sorry to believe that the insinua-
tions which we quote from the John Ball of yes-
terday were entirely correct ; for it would he
distressing thing to think that the masters in the
silk trade should have contributed to occasion
actual misfortune, for the poor purpose of making
a case. ". We do not," says John Ball," affect to,
doubt the existence of the most heart-rending
distress at the time when the charitable and hu-
mane came forward to relieve it ; we are only
suspicious as to the cause. We have heard
at the Police Offices stories of beggars tsho
go the length of applying caustic, and cop.,
peras, and all kinds of ' C6MbUStiblii to their
limbs and bodies for the purpose of ' getting up'
wounds and exciting interest and compassion—
we do not mean to charge the masters of the poor,
weavers with conduct quite so gross, but we be.
lieve that they were made not only to look,,but
to be as bad as possible, to strengthen an appli-
cation to which pity might have granted a reply
which justice would have refused." We have no
fear, that in the silk trade, as in every other
trade, British industry, and talent Will be able to
compete with the exertions of foreigners, without
so much assistance as has been called for. If in-
terested persons have inflicted, or contributed td
inflict, misery on the poor weavers in order to
annoy ministers, we hope they, will not be suffer.
ed to escape, without, at least, the punishment
of public exposure.

[MORNING HERALD.]
From the abstract we this day publish of the
trials at the last Old Bailey Sessions, it will be
seen, that of 217 eases, only 11 were tried by
the three Judges on the rota, while the Recor-
der tried 30, the Common Sergeant 105, and
Mr. Arabin-71. We mean no kind of disrespect
to any one of those Learned Persons, when we
say that this statement represents a picture of the
Criminal Jurisprudence of ►he metropolis which
ought not to, continue. To say nothing of the
apparent impropriety of the same persons ap-
pearing in the double character of _Advocates
and Judges, we put it once more to the good
sense of those in whose department the remedy
lies, whether it is fit that the bulk of the cases
tried in this, the most important Criminal Court
of the kingdom, should be confided to an infe-
rior grade of persons to those who preside over
such important matters in other counties. Why
should the county of Lancaster be better served
than the county of Middlesex ? Why should the
lives and liberties of prisoners, on the one hand,
and the cause of public justice on the,other, pre-
sent, at the very seat of Govertuniill, au anomaly.
so glaring as this ? We have frequently repre-
sented the evil. We wait for a reply.

[BRITISH PRESS.
Considerable fluctuations took place on Satur-
day morning in consequence of a severe struggle
between the speculators for a rise and the spe-
culators for a fall ; but after a variety of efforts,
which for a time rendered the contest doubtful,
the former succeeded in rallying the funds, which
iIIIeWC4 so much elasticity on Saturday morning,
that it appeared necessary that some report
should be put in circulation to counteract the fa-
vourable influence of the purchases which were
made ; and in the early part of the afternoon it
was stated, not only that the Duke of Welling-
ton had arrived at St. Petersburgh, but that he
had hastily quitted that capital. Another rumour
was, that his Grace had died suddenly, when
within one Otty's journey of his destination ; a
third was, that time Russians had crossed the
Pruth ; and the fact of the suspension of pay-
ments of two country banks, mi %et] up with these
reports, caused considerable alarm at the Stock
Market, and countenanced, as they appeared to
be, by the courage of some of the dealers, who
sold very largely, a reduction of not less than one
per cent. took place in the prices. Consols for
Account, which had advanced to 78f, declined
to 77j, but did net remain long at this reduction.
At four o'clock, after a violent struggle between
the contending parties iu the Market, which ter-
minated in favour of the Bulls, the price rose
more than half per cent. above the extreme de.
pression: so sudden was the change, that it was
impossible for those wbo had sold hugely

to turn their accounts without submitting 1
to a considerable sacrifice.;-- The funding
of Exchequer Bills was more confidently talked
of on Saturday than = ever, and it is said
that Stock will be created to an extent suffi-
ciently large to reduce from 12 to 15 millions, of
Exchequer Bills. Whatever may be the amount
of Exchequer Bills to be funded, supposing that
it does not exceed what we have just stated, we
have no doubt that the monied interest is already
prepared for such a measure, and that the public
Securities will not undergo any material depres-
sion. The quotation of Exchequer Bills, even
on the promulgation of the reports to which we
have above referred, was steady at from 1 to 2
premium. The Northern Securities have like-
wise been comparatively steady, even Russian
have not varied more than z per cent. In Prus=
sian Bonds there has been a good deal doing, at
quotations between 874 and 89. As soon as the
negociations shall have been commenced by the
Duke of Wellington, at St. Petersburgh, it may
be expected that more attention will be paid to
all the Northern Securities, and whatever may
be the result of these negociations, it is highly
probable that the Bonds will be much depressed.
Danish, which a few days since were at 504,
have advanced in a much greater proportion than
the others, and the rise has amounted to not less
than three per cent.

Cum PUBLIC LEDGER.I
It is rather strange, whilst all the other Powers
have long since sent persons, distinguished in
most cases by their high rank as well as their
military renown, to congratulate the Emperor
Nicholas, that the Court of France has dispatch-
ed no one as yet on this high errand. Yet that
Court is remarkable for great attention to punc-
tilio in these cases ; and we can therefore only
put down the delay to one of the two fol
lowing circumstances ;—the difficulty of select-
ing a fit and competent person ; or to diplomatic
caution, provided always that important nego-
ciations are to be entered upon at Saint Peters.
burgh. The difficulty in the former case would
lie in the preference to be given to a person of
the old or new nobility ; whilst in the latter in-
sonce, we should be inclined to think that the
French Cabinet was anxious to see what pro-
gress tile Duke of Wellington made, before the
French Ambassador made hit; appearance on
the scene. We imply of course the existence of
the greatest cordiality between the Courts of
the Tuileries and St. James, in any confer-
ences that may be held in the Russian Capital.
We do not know, if the removal of the Military
Government of Lombardy from Milan to Verona
has any connexion with the topics, to which we
have 'already adverted. The removal was to take
place before' the end of last month ; and General
Frimont, if not the best, one of the very best
Officers in the Austrian service, had already com-
pleted' his arragements to bet out with his nume-,
rous staff for the former place. Whatever may be
the cause of this change, it shews that the atten-
tion of the Austrian Court has been diverted from
the West of Europe to the East. It also seems
to prove that it thinks it of more importance to
have its military force concentrated at this mo-
ment, than to haVe a part of it dispersed over
Italy, notwithstanding the anxiety with which
it watches over the affairs of that country.

[NEw TimEs.]
The English Funds experienced some fluctua-
tions on Saturday ; several reports were in circu-
lation calculated to advance or depress the
Stocks, according to the wishes of the two par-
ties of Bulls and Bears. The speculators for a
rise have for these two days past felt themselves
secure from either a Loan or the funding of Ex-
chequer Bills, and by way of increasing the rise
that had commenced on Saturday morning, they
asserted that a Property Tax Was to be laid on,
and that the Assessed Taxes at present in opera.
tion were immediately to be taken off, and that
a considerable reduction of the duties on Brandy,
llollands, and Tobacco, &c. will take place.—
These rumours, with some others, caused an ad-
vance in Consols, which opened at 78f, and
almost immediately rose to 781. This advance
caused a panic amongst the Bears, and it was
found requisite that some reports should be cir-
culated to counteract the effects of those above.
mentioned. The invention in the Stock Exchange
was instantly set to work, and the productions
were of so deadly a nature as to strike a
panic into some of the most determind
As Russia has been a quarter from whence
evils have been anticipated by some of
the speculators for a considerable period past,
it was deemed an excellent opportunity of
making it the grave of the Duke of Wellington.
At first the report merely stated, that he had
been but coolly received at the Court of St. Pe.
tersburgh ; then, that he was on his return home ;
at last, that lie was assassinated, and that
war
was commenced by the Russians against the
Turks, the declaration of which was actually in
London. News, also, of the failure of two coun-
try banks, one of them at Ripon, in Yorkshire,
had been received, which it was feared would
materially add to the distress of the quarter where
they had taken place. Such a combination of
fearful rumours soon produced the effect desired,
Consols almost directly declined to 77/1, and re.
mained fluctuating between that price and 78 for
the most part of the day, and closed at 78 to
74, both for Money and the Account. Excite.
quer Bills have advanced to 3s. pm., and India
Bonds le. pm.

[MORNING ram]
As'the Chancellor of the Exchequer is to muke
a full and formal disclosure of the State of our
National Finances this evening (a full and faith.
ful report of which will be given in our paper of
to-morrow), we deem it necessary to add but very
few observations to what we have already offered
upon the erroneous and indiscreet propositions
of Mr. Moberly on Friday last. In comment-
ing upon the errors of the Volunteer Chancel-
lor, we shall not so far imitate his example as
to express any opinion Whether the present
amount of Ex
chequer Bills outstanding is too
little or too great, in a very few hours we shall
have the advantage of knowing the opinion of Ihe

real Chancellor of the Exchequer upon that sub-
ject, and upon his opinion, possessing as he does
the best means of forming a correct one, and
morally compelled by the responsibility and emi-
nence of his station to express an honest one, we
shall be contented to rest. The great error of
the volunteer Chancellor, consisted in taking
the discount to which Exchequer Bills fell
during the late distress, and the liabili-
ty to which Government was constantly ex-
posed, of a great and sudden diminution of avail.
able revenue, by• their payment for duties, a's a
proof of excess in the outstanding amount. He
might just as well have said that the circumstance
of their being at a high premium eighteen
months ago, when the same or even a greater
amount was outstanding, afforded a proof that
the amount was then too little. Can it be
necessary to inform him, that Government
have not the power, and ought not to exert
it if they had, of following the 'successive
fluctuations of the money market, by per-
petually varying the amount of outstanding PA-
chequer Bills. If his argument were good for
any thing, it would go the length of proving that
no floating securities whatever should be issued
by Government, and made payable into the Ex-
chequer on account of duties, since it is unques-
tionable, that however small the amount of out-
standing Exchequer Bills might have been, they
would in the circumstances of the late crisis have
gone to a discount. The question he raises is
not, therefore, whether the present amount of
Exchequer Bills is the fit and expedient amount,
but one upon which we believe little doubt is en-
tertained by any body but himself—whether
Exchequer Bills should exist at all. The use of
this description of security is, that it afford 3 the
means to persons having any portion of their usual
trading capital disengaged for any short or doubt-
ful period,' of obtaining a certain rate of interest
for their money without the risk of any fluctua-
don, by which their capital can be impaired, and
with a certainty of being able at any moment
to realise that capital. The importance of this
constant accommodation to a great trading com-
munity is, we apprehend, much too great to admit
of its, being surrendered with a.view to avoid
even greater inconveniences than any likely
to spring from, it upon the occasion of a tem-
porary crisis occurring two or three times
in a century. At certain seasons of the, year
some of the great processes of national in-
dustry :are of necessity suspended from the
natural vicissitudes of our climate (we wilt
mention, as one instance, the process of malting)
and a large proportion of the whole capital de-
voted to them entirely 'disengaged for some
months. Would there be any sense in the abo-
lition of a system of which the effect is to
prevent large portions of the national capital
disengaged in succession from their customary
employments, from either remaining idle, or
being so invested as to involve the risks and
foster the spirit of gaming ? ,Its folly we are
persuaded no man can better understand than
the volunteer Chancellor himself. And with
a view' even to such a crisis as we have re-
cently passed, when a general breaking up of
credit demanded a great and sudden increase of
the currency, we do not see how the increased
issue could be so well or abundantly dispensed,
if there were not at the time a considerable
amount of Exchequer Bills in the hands. of
the public. If these securities had not on
the late occasion been afloat to a large amount,
,it is obvious that the Bank of England could
not, from the mere absence of a safe and
adequate basis for its issues, have replenished the
circulation, either with the same copiousness or
'celerity as it did in fact ; and the conclusion is
equally obvious, that the distress would have
been not only more intense but more lasting.—
With respect to the Half-pay and Pension engage-
ment between the Government and the Bank, the
other grand topic on which the self elected Chan..
cellor exhibited his skill, we shall only remark,
that before the Hou.Gentlernan stated the whole
value of the annuity granted to the latter, as an
incumbrance upon the finances of the country.
a very slight degree of reflection might have sug-
gested to him the fairness of deducting the sums
the Bank have yet to pay, and .by which, of
course, the finances will be proportionably re.
lieved. Be must be a very inexpert or very er-
roneous expositor of the disadvantages of a pe-
cuniary transaction, who keeps out of view the
whole creditor side of the account.

SHOOTING AT A PATROLE.—On Saturday last.
an examination took place in the King's Bench prison, in
which the accused was a Captain in the Army, who, we under-
stand, accompanied the Duke of Wellington In the late wars,
but who is now a prisoner within the Rules of the above prison.
—'rhe charge against was, that he had fired a loaded pistol at
Bowker, a patrole, on Friday night, on the King's high-
way. liowker stated that the Captain came to him on the night
in question, complaining of gross misbehaviour on the part of a
watchman, named Greenaway, towards him, protesting at the
same time that he would have revenge, and would soot Green-
away that very night. Bowker perceiving him to be a. little in
liquor endeavoured to pacify him, and at length succeeded in
persuading the Captain to return home. Being fearful, how-
ever, that he might yet attempt to do mischief, the patrole con-
cealed himself behind Greenaway 'a watch box, and perceiving
the Captain coming towards the place, he rushed towards him,
upon which the Captain called out, " What rascal are
you," and instantly fired, but fortunately without effect. The
Captain, upon being interrogated by the Marshal, said he was
sorry for what he had done, but that he had merely fired in the
air, and had alv:ays been on good terms with Bowker. After
some further conversation, the Marshal said that the Captain
must be prevented from carrying pistols for the future, and, if
discovered with them, should be locked up within the walls..
Thus the affair has terminated for the present.

We understand some circumstances have re-
cently transpired which may eventually save from an igno-
minous death the, two unfortunate men, Giddins and Nether.
ley, now in our gaol, who are ordered for execution on Wednes-
day next.---( Eerie Mercury.)
On Saturday'afternoon, about five o'clock, as a
little boy, named Edwards, was playing on some floating
timber on the SUrrey side of Blackfriars-bridge, he fell into
the river, and was carried under one of the rafters by the force
of the current. • Some watermen, who witnessed the accident,
hastened to the spot and dragged for the body, which in 20 nil-
'lutes was found, and conveyed with speed to the Guy Earl" of
Warwick public house, in Upper Ground-street, where the
usual means were resorted to, with a view of restoring anima-
tion, but without effect. The poor boor boy's friends, who re-
side in Gravel-lane, Southwark, were wandering about the
streets all Saturday night in search of him, and having heard
that a boy was drowned, and his body was lying at the 'above-
named public house, they repaired thither to examine it, where
they immediately recognized hint. lie was in his twelfth year,
and it is supposed that he fell off the timber in a tit, being sub-
ject to them.