The Sun.
London, England, 1828-03-21 00:00:00

NOTICkS OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY.

1. Mr. Bankes—Select Committee on the Proceedings of
the Office of Works, and the Land Revenue Office,

regarding Public Buildings.
2. Mr. Bankes—Museuiu Estimates. (In Committee of
Supply.)
B. Mr. Nicholson Calvert—To move Instruction to the
Committee on the East Retford Disfranchisement Bill,
to make provision for preventing Bribery and Corrup-
tion in the said Borough, by extending the right of

voting to all Freeholders of the Hundred of Bassetlaw.
4, Mr. Maurice FitzGerald—Consideration of the Petition
fur leave to deposit plan. ac. in the Private Bill Office,
and proceed with the Tralee Canal Bill.

His MAJESTY entertained a select party to
dinner yesterday at his Palace, in St. James's.
The Duke of CLARENCE presided at the din-
ner given yesterday by the Marine Society.
The Duchess of KENT entertained the
Duchess of CLARENCE and a select party to dinner yes-
terday, at her apartments, in the King's Palace, at Ken-
sington.
The Princess AUGUSTA had a select party to
dinner yesterday, at her residence, in the King's Palace,
St. James's. In the evening her Royal Highness honoured
the performance of Cuy Mannering, at Drury-lane Theatre,
with her presence.
The Duchess of CLARENCE honoured the
Earl and Countess of DARNLEY with her company to din-
ner, on Wednesday, at their residence, Berkeley-square.
The,lloyal Duchess, accompanied by her noble host and
hostess, afterwards honoured the concert of Ancient Music,
in the Hanover-square Rooms, with her presence.
The Ministers, after dining with Mr. Secre-
tary PEEL on Wednesday evening, held a Cabinet Council
in Mr. PEEL'S house, at ten o'clock, and sat in deliberation
for two hours and a half.

A King's Messenger was sent off on Wednes-
day night front the Foreign-office, with despatches for Vis-
count GRANVILLE, our Ambassador at Paris, and for Sir
HENRY WELLESLEY (Lord CowLEV), our Ambassador at
Vienna.

LAW INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Dr. LUSHINGTON resumed his argument in the
Scots appeal M'Neill against M'Gregor, the details
of which are already familiar to the public. The
Learned Doctor was expected to occupy the whole
of the day.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT—Mmten 20.

BANKRUPTCY OF MESSRS. HURST AND RO.

BINSON.

SIR PETER POLE AND OTHERS V. SPOTTISWOODE AND

OTHERS.

(Continued from our Paper of yesterday.)
Nlr. HORNE continued.—Previously to their bank-
ruptcy, the Messrs. Hurst and Robinson, for the
very natural purpose of seeing what property they
possessed to meet the claims on them, caused a va-
luation to be made of their stock. This was done
at a time when they found their funds failing, and
when they thought, by the means of a trust deed,
to have the property sold for the payment of the
debts. To this valuation, made under such circum-
stances, no objection could be made, except that
Messrs. Hurst and Robinson were, perhaps, too san-
guine in their anticipations, and had fixed too large
prices to the several articles composing their stock.
It was never for a moment pretended that they had
concealed or kept back a single article. At a meet-
ing of the creditors subsequently to the bankruptcy,
it was resolved that Beys should make out a fresh
catalogue of the stock. This he did, and took care
to omit what was in fact the only thing wanting,
any statement as to the prices or value of the stock.

'Mr. H. Twiss, to prevent any mistake on that
point, said that Boys in the first instance was
merely employed to make out a stock-book or list,
but that upon a subsequent occasion he added the
prices at the request of the assignees.
Mr. HORNE said, that this catalogue or valuation
was worth nothing to the assignees, whilst it must
have been of infinite value to himself, if he enter-
tained the intention of becoming the purchaser. The
Learned Gentleman, after going through some of
the minor details, said that Boys and Greaves pro-
cured a Mr. Moon, in April, 1827, to join them in
the purchase of the bankrupt's stock; against the cha-
racter of Moon, except as regarded his connection
with these two other persons, he had nothing to
charge. Moon, as far as he (Mr. Horne) believed,
was a respectable man, carrying on business in
the eastern part of the town. These three iNdivi-
duals purchased the entire stock of the bankrupts
by private sale, for the small sum of 14,8001.—n0t
only did they thus get possession of this most exten-
sive stock, but also of the splendid house and fixtures
in Waterloo-place, where they were in fact carrying on
business as the successors of Messrs. Hurst and Robin-
son. Of the 14,8001. only 8,000/. were paid down,
the remainder having been secured by bills, which
were to run for 32 months. One great reason set forth
in the affidavits of the defendants for giving so small a
price was, that it required a large capital in any man
who bought it in bulk to sell it again. But how stood
the matter with respect to these purchasers ? Boys
was himself an uncertificated bankrupt until a short
time before the bankruptcy of Messrs. Hurst and
Robinson. Greaves was actually a minor at the
time, and Mr. Moon not having the 8,000/., was
obliged to borrow 5,0001. of it from a Mr. Ward,
to whom lie gave a warrant of attorney to con-
fess judgment, in case the money was not paid
in the October following the sale, which took
place in April, 1827. The Learned Gentleman
now proceeded to read several passages from the
answers of Boys and Greaves, with the view
of substantiating, even from their own statements,
the charges made against them. They had, he
contended, in order to retard the sale of the stock
to other purchasers, taken every opportunity of
damping the eagerness of such persons as came to
enquire respecting it. It appeared from their
answer, that when they first entertained the idea
of becoming purchasers, they applied to a Mr.
Pike, a professional gentleman, who had a client
anxious, as they heard, to invest twenty thousand
pounds- Failing in that quarter, and having no re-
sources of their own, they applied to their co-de-
fendant, Mr. Francis Graham Moon, who consented
to join them, and who took from them bills, payable
at a future day, for their shares. The Learned
Gentleman said, that in the schedule drawn up.
by Boys and Greaves, there were entries of " odds
and ends," under which head were included prints
worth 10,0001.; there were 375 prints, described
as odds and ends, of Westall's illustrations of the
Bible, set down as worth only 15/. ! It was evident,
however, that they knew the real value of them, as
shortly after the sale, they issued circulars, stating
that these were proof impressions, and would be
most valuable as illustrations of a quarto edition—
Mr. SUGDEN here asked whether any thing was
prayed as against the assignees.
Mr. HORNE replied in the negative.
[An entry of that admission was then made by the
Registrar.]
Mr. DUCKWORTH then proceeded to read a num-
ber of affidavits made by the bankrupts, and several
persons conversant with the value of books and
prints. It was sworn that the entire stock purchased
by Moon, Boys, and Greaves, was worth 50,0001.;
and Mr. Colnaghi, the printseller, swore that the
prints alone were worth 40,0001. Several of the
witnesses declared that the schedule of the stock
was drawn out so as to mislead any person not inti-
mately acquainted with the stock itself] or with the
value of the articles comprised in it. The books
sold to the defendants, according to the testimony
of a person long conversant with the stock of the
bankrupts, were worth 11,0001. The Learned Gen-
tleman then stated that the defendants had filed affi-
davits in answer, the general object of which was to
show that they had given the full value for the
stock.—The Court rose at a quarter past four.