The Sun.
London, England, 1819-01-19 00:00:00

Spain, from the 211 March to the 30th Novels:
ber last inclusive; occupying about 250 14711°

FOR. '1 tiE SUN.

CVSOLVENT DEBTORS' ACT,. AND .4BVSES OF
INSOLVENT DEliroßs. AGENTS.

TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD REDESDALE.

MY LORD,—The praiseworthy efforts and at.
teution which you have always evinced on sub--
Jects of public concern, induce me to confide in
your indulgence for- the liberty I now. take in ad-
drest•ing von, under a conv?ction that no subject
is of greater' importance than the AdatinistratiOn
of this Act 'of Parliament.' '•

It is understood Wit the proOrietiofits conti-
nuance and terwiliation will speedily attract the
attention of the Legislature. lam free to con-
fess, as a practical Lawyer, that the abuses result-
ing from its operation are centered in,causes which
can only be „ascertained by going into a Com-
mittee, and I shall have no difficulty to offer a
Clireetion, through which niischiefs will be de-
velopetf,as must•eall for remedial provision.
The tnachinery and technical application of this
kw has been grosily perverted for a great length
of time, through the medium of ,illegitilnate and
improper Agency, snrl the great.- liody- of the
legal Profession has obtained' an odium-from the
effect of injuries which they • 1111A'e felt' iri.otir!rnoir
with the Public, without any jillYtitifiWtlo` h in
creating ;bent.

A race of persons, under the deniiminntion nt
.ktents of thq Insolvent Court, have engrossed to
themselves the practice of the law Connected with

that Court ; find if evidence is sedulously called

for, nr,ny very serious mischiefs coMplained of,
as resoliing from the Act of Parliament, ti ill, in
tny j,,dgment; be found to originate in a %vatit of
ptinciple or qualification on !lie pert of those
who usurp legal practice withotit due respon-
sibility.

They have been accus,orued it; gain their ad:
rnii.sion as • Agents upon payment of a fee, with-
- out previous inquiry into their qualifications either
for integrity or-talent.
Tuey ate for the most part persons who have
been discharged- from Prison by the operation of
the Act, and that seems their best.qualification
to act for others, and like sheep from a fild, the
aperture to one becomes a portal to the whole
flock ; their numbers are' without limit, and they
become practitioners of the law without the be-
nefit of legal education, or the probationary pe-
riod of service usual with Attornies ; they are not
sworn to duty nor to allegiance; they are subject
to no duties of revenue on admission, and arc
liable to no annual certificate as Attornies
Under the appellation of Agents they are known
to issue proems for suitors and defendants, and
to transact a great part of the ordinary business
of common • law, and -are not recognized by any
legal Tribunal ; they convene Meetings of Cre-
ditors, proceed to the choice, and sometimes take
the appointment of Assignees under the Act, and

it ;a conceived that, under such Administration, a

correct statement of the Debtor's affairs, and a
just distribution amongst the Creditors, must be-
come irregular and uncertain. The greater mis-
- chiefs arising from their interference in the
common law, is their intermeddling with suits as
plaintiffs or defendants in, all cases where Debtors
are parties. Collusive Arrests, Habeases, Hired
BALSupersedeases, Motions in Court by Counsel,,
Appearances, as well'as Writs of Error, are con-
sidered as the province of these self-constituted
Agents by the Debtors, generally, throughout the
Kingdom ; and under this impression, they engross
a very considerable part of the practice of the
Common Law, to the manifest inconvenience and
detriment of the Community, and to the great
prejudice of legitimate and authorised Practi-
tioners. To detail the numerous evils and abuses
resulting from their unauthorized conduct, would
exceed the limits of correspondence, and stagger
even credulity itself.
My Lord, the learned Sages who adorn one
Courts of Just'ice, and preside there day to admi-
nister the laws; deserve the gratitude and applause
of the country. They have shewn, at all times,
readiness in cleansing-tbe Augean Stable of the

filth and dregs which art, avarice, and peculation
haVe created.—My Lord, it is the interest as well
as..thl duty of every one to revere, observe, and
enforce those rules of natural justice which re-

strain fraud and euntroul perjury, which guide and
promote individual benefit, and ultimately lead to
maintain the safety and ti ell-being of mankind in

general.

The necessity of legal restrictions to preserve
credit And secure the utmost responsibility which
the Debtor can give, will be admitted by every
considerate person as the - means of compelling
him to pay the debt out of property which he is
presumed to possess or controul, and until be per-
•'rnts SUCII It CONDITION, the Creditor should be
authorized to hold him in custody.

'rise first efforts of Laivgivers anti Politicians
tuwards
&promoting civilization, have unifortuly

consisted in strengthening the several institutions of
society. Amongst these objects the preservation
of Property has been a principal aim. It is a
fundamental' and equitable maxim that man should
securely enjoy the products -of his inheritance,
and the fruits of Ins industry ; and the rights of
acquisition, alienation, and disposal of property
are established as necessary to the subsistence and
welfare of mankind.

The expediency of a revision of this Law must,
.therefore, be universally admitted' as necessary for
theiske of common honesty, and that more ef-
fectual remedies should be instituted to protect the
injured Creditor against the machinations of itn-
pri-stors and the profligacy of dissolute characters.
Many of the Deb'Ors even will be found infinenc•
ed under the interested advice of Agents, who
often per snade them, to act collusively, and to
sack the benefit of the Insolvent Act, when there
is DO necessity for that resource. The Creditors,
therefore; become the dupes of chicanery and ito7
position.' *Au unsuspecting tradesman, who has
been indnced,.by specious appearances and false
pretences, to permit an adventurer to possess
goods to a great amount, and who should soon
after he told of the insolvency of his Debtor, Can-
not, hy this law, personally demand a restitniiiiin
of his propevy,, although absolutely within hts
view ; and it. may he essential to consider of the
propriety of a compulsory clause to render the
Act more efficient.

If it should Please Parliament to enter upon An
investigation, there would, doubtless, be found
abundant evidence in detail to substantiate all,
and much more, than I have glanced at. And in
a Committee for such purposes it might be desir-
able to examine the Officers of the Court itself,
the Clerks of the Judges, the Officers of the Com-
mon Law Courts, and those who execute the pro-
cess. The evidence to be given by them would
he amply confirmed by a large portion of the com-
munity, and would decidedly prove that ,the collu-
sive conduct of Debtors and Agents, with their As-
sociates, bus been the cause of many objections
arising from the operation of the ln3olveut Act,
and must induce a conclusion, that, unless these
evils are removed by getting rid of the canse!of
I hem, it would be much better that the Act should
be altogether repealed.

The odium which has hitherto attached to the
profession of the Law generally,iand parico*.
lar. evils felt by the Public collectijsely, have ex-.
sited my desire to communicate this statemeari'
in the hope that your exposition and able entlett:
yours will not "be wanting to extricate the.Pio-
fessionsfroolan unmerited stigma, and ate Public,.
from the sad -effects of mal.,administrati'on,
that hope 1 humbly subscribe myself, with all due
apology, • " My Lord; •

Your Lqrdship's most obedient Servant,
JUSTITIA.

FOR THE SUN.

MR. EDITOR,-It is with much pleasure I ob-
serve, in your Journal of this evening, that the
Biblical Controversy is now closed. This was my
motive for requesting your insertion of the Queries
I proposed to STACKUOUSS ; since, by them; I
hoped to bring the point to an issue at once : and
that as founded on fair logical deduction, sound
doctrine, historical fact, and true philology—not
doubting but that you will have the goodness to
insert this in justification of my motives, I have
only to add,
• I am, Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
BREVITAS, ULM OXONIENSIS.

FOR THE SUN.

MR. EDITOR,—The Roman Catholics make no
objection to disclaim " the PRETENDER " on oath.
I should like to know whom they mean by " the,
PRETENDER ?" ' '

Jn the dialect of Popery, the term " Pretep-
der " may mean the reigning Sovereign.—lr nos
so MANED ALREADY.

When any curiosity is expressed for the proof
of this fact, the enquirer shall have chapter and
verse of an Authority for it, which no good Ro-

monist can dispuie.

I am, Sir,
Your bumble Servant,

PINCH,

P. S.—As Popery begins to talk about raising
her crest, I shall be glad to occupy now and then
a corner of your Journal, which I consider as the
only real PROTESTANT PAPER that we possess.

It has been stated to nit' by a person in this
town, that a female child, of about three years
old, was found, on Thursday night last, in a fish-
pond of the Reverend Mr. Moffit, near Clones.
It bad about its
.iieek •a cord and a large stope.
A countryman rasing by about that time, hear-
ing tie cries of the child, took it up and carried
it home. In the morning, when he was bringing
the child home,- it exclaimed, "Oh ! .don't bring
me to my mother, M— B—, to drown toe
again."—(Neivnj Telegraph)

No PAris Papers have airived th's morning
Two days' Jonrnals are Clue.

New York Papers to the-28th ult. arrived:6N

mnrning,

(Front The New York Commercial Advertiser of the 18th.)

The NoOonal . Inielligencer •of Wednesday gives
the follov6rig account cif' the papers which were
laid before Cotigree OnTnestiAy

" The Documents yesterday transmitted to
Congress, consist of,,first, tle Report of Judge
Bland, one. of the sent by the
Executive to.Sontb,;America, occupying nearly
400 closely written'folio pages. The great length
of this le.ter will preveni probably its immediate

publication.
" 2. A letter from Mr. .1.. R. Prinsert, of South
Carolina, to the 'Secretary of State,
.communi7
catitik, by request of. the Executive, such informa-
tion respecting South America and its affairs as
his long residence in' those Conritrie, and sub-
sequent intelligence therefroin.„. have enabled him
to give. This d!sn, very long, filling,
about 200 folio pages, and will also be prechided
by its length froin:Prfigen.t publication.

3. Of CortespondettLe,hetweeti the Secretary
of State and Don Luis de Onis, the Minister of

IA

pages. . .
.• "4. Correspondence between jr.A' IrvivPj
American Minister at the Court of Spam, 511
Don Jote Pizarro, Spanish Secretary of St-11"t
from the Bth July to
.the 30th August inela9il°
filling more than.2oo pages.
" The. two latter series of Papers, altintatelf
twheerslici atalnl
virh:oetilli,itliiiis)ilaiipsaiii)seedasroeolfsnie
relating to topics of great interest to our countrY;
can, and beicl
p.rtifif
made by the House of Representatives 0.1 'tje-
President of the United States, that soMell'in'
the call yest- le
is yet wanting to complete the chain of inf°r4
motion:"
THE NEW BRITISH..TREATY. A letter (rfil;l
Washington IS published in the last Boston Ceriii°e '
which adds a little to our former inform:id° 9f
this subject. In speaking of the Treatii the jett:i
says, Government has received official accou"ts,
its signature, and the outlines of it. Both i''!;iie
being disposed to make a just arrangement; to
Treaty was negociated in a few days' (
Treaty is the basis. The subject of inlpresio3. '
has been satisfactorily tirrlogetf. ,
~,
" The negociatiOns with Spain,
. On our affairs with Spain the letter ,obsel lie
e
Floridas, is all up in the .vied • she vt'illunto``.
;
nor alienate ; and si.:. thinks, that with thebell,,
'edge the United Si ~;:s has of her s!l!ndifl,':
with the ' Holy Alliance,'
they :will;
.110.1 "0,
them by force, merely because they waist
for t10.,.*41C °lt a
In relation to the execution of Arbuthnot slie,
Atnbrister, the same letter dew remarks :-- 4i
oci''
indignation against JaCksoif's. tyranny and,blo
.1
thirsty conduct continues 'dO4 t(:, tocrease;••°'
• i•
men and officers of both pirtiesaiwearAetern)::o
.to check the march of military tiest,'-';'rn; ' die,
Inas long been perin:tl,. o - e rd ii'• pr.
fiance of law or even the 'constitution. *No 9-01
:arn'sbewree.
vices, however great, ought to screen a Or ili
thetu•nti
front punishment."
(Feom the same Paper.)
ni Jai
, .
FROM MONTE VILHIO —A letter' from L e
o'f
neiro of the 10ili October, received iii 13ga1t inlOr
confirms the account we gave a few days.9go,l g
the successes of General Artigas, and adds' "e
he was at that date actually blockading t'
Video ; . that his troops occupied the ‘‘'hole fr°l'
line of. that town ; and that the Portugue9e-tv-itliv'
i
in the walls were suffering ireatly by the s°,.rc.l••'
of provisions:
(From the Sante P Vert 6:f the 2°14.) iti"
EXECUTION OF ARBUTHNOT AND AMORIST.
6,e,
A writer at Nashville, in attempting to justify,
~i
L • „scro/
'level JaCkson in 'executing these In"' --
..t.IJ .
that " the (.;tieral, So far froM regretting; ! ,;.•
lot I 1
course he had adopted, publicly dee' ,ret• .1
.„,;'
' - lie'''. -.'
was only sorry that he had not Munn tip 1 f;..
vcrnor of Pensacola and the Commandant of
Marks."
•
THE SPANISH MAIN.--A letter from, St•
l'
V',
(Frona. the same Payer,
THE
the 2211.),. 40..
that on the Ist N°Y. tbr:
maws, the 24,11 Nov.-to the Editor of 'The.-
0.
0.
mona, Valencia, Vittoria, Caraccos, Lirg"tlll•',,t sc
.111;ollycal3liesatsc"w'crneleill'itii°nmss'ession of Barcelona,
oj
Porto:Covello, and that all the ports to the '-'3

of Cll!Dana were held by
NAH the Pat riots.•tpa
.—Captain ° `
FRO! 11AVAN
brig Mary, arrived at Baltimore, 15 days, fr°l.
Havaunah, informs, that .an Artisan brig n'y
fitienos Ayrean sloop of war had been af "614,,10
nab three days ; during their stay on einbatir'ot
was laid. A sloop of war had gone out 1° r,i1,,/
the blockade, but was drove in,• after excloiMi
to
a broadside. A larger one bad begun to fit °LI •

accompany her, when they. disappeared.
(From the'same Paper of the 25th) t
OUR AFFAIRS WITH SPAlN.—Since oar 10-
r, e
have received the t.Yatinturt Intelligencer of
1116
(14., )Veancs‘laY and Thmsday, containing
late .Corres of
pondence -between the Secret/4 fe.
State' and the Spanish Minister. This C°r.o,o
spontlence., oectipies nearly 14 eolutoti§,eo
shall lay before our readers as expeditiololY
our limits will permit.. frb,,t ptlr reader's i". 114
nle"ntime may know the state of- our effalo cc.lo
tve thinly proper to state, that the 1141101
Minister, in a letterof the 2411) October, encir of
a number of propositions to --serve as the b 65.9
a Treaty, by which ,the provinces of U3st °II
West Florida, with all their towns and forte,,
should be ceded to the United Statesiu foil Pra;
perry and sovereignty. • Connected with- (bi5:111:-.01:
9
po,ition, are others in relation II) the ClO4llOlll
our Government on Spain, for spoliations 00
'commerce, to the boundaries of Lossisia"' 64::t0
of
On the 31st of October, the Secretary
accepts, . with certain modifications, Of the Pr Le
position for ceding the Floridas, and eg°e9 s
oe'
cancel our chims for spoliation!, but reigct tio •
proscribed boundaries of Louisiana, awl '&o'9 I
only line to which the President Win CO
On the 16th November the S; apish