The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-04 00:00:00

E SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 4, 11444.

P 17%) i of tra , PUBLIC .101TRNALS. !
FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—The " thorough" Tories have always
'been emphatically the party of personal slanderers.
Addressing ignorance and prejudice, slander, of
course, is their readiest weapon. 'filo "thorough"
democrats have ignorance and prejudice for their
audience in like manner—the distrusts and grudges
of those who stand lowest in the scale, against all
above them—just as the " thorough" Tories address
themselves to the conte opt of the vulgar great for
all below them. Nothing can he more natural, there-
fore, than the sort of coalition in 'calumny esta-
blislied between the Ferrands and Hobsons—the
Standards and Northern Stars. We request our
readers to pay more attention than provincial and per-
sonal disputes for the most part can challenge, to the
report of proceedinu:s in the Leeds Town Council. The
original subject of those proceedings was first brought
under the attention of London readers by a blazing
leading article of the Standard, showing up Leaguers
as described by themselves. The authority on which
the Standard proceeded was that of a certain Mr.
Joshua Hobson, a town councillor of Leeds (whom
the Standard promoted, of its own mere motion, into
an ablernaa), a:id publisher of the O'Connor Chartist
paper, the' Northern Stur. The charge against the
Anti-Corns!aw party is Leeds, which the Standard
brought forward for the gratification of its Tory
readers, on the authority or its Chartist ally, was
reiterated as follows by M. llobon—itt a letter to a
.Morning Contemporary :
" Some weeks ago, at a large public meeting in the town of
Leeds, I took occasion to relw e a circumstance that had come
under my obs,.rvation, with reference to the strike of 1842,
whi •h seriously implicated the conduct of an Alderman of
Leeds, the said Alderman being a well-known Whig, a member
of the Anti-Corn-law League, and once a member of the
watch committee of the Common Con cil of Leeds.
" That circumstance was, that in the m nth of February,
1843, I received a certain letter from a Member of the
House of oinmons, inclosed in a note to myself, desiring me
to make the following inquiries:—
" I. ‘,Vhether suc:i a person as the one represented to be
the writer existed ; and
whether, if there was such a person. he was prepared to
maintain the truth of his statements ; arid further, whether he
was worthy of crederce.
" The reason assigned by the Member of Parliament for
wishing these inquiries to be made was, that he was fearful the
letter was a hoax, intended to lead h.m into error.
" That the said letter purported to be written by a master
mach:me-maker in Leeds, name and address being given.
le That the writer averred that some fortnight before
the strike occurred an alderman of Leeds, whose name was
mentioned, sent for him (they writer) and informed him that a
general strike would in a short time take place ; that when
at reached Leeds, he wound greatly serve tha cause if he
would turn the men employed in his machine-shop our, with a
hint to draw the plugs of the boilers ; that as the men were
mechanics, they would be useful in teaching others how to
draw the plugs ; and that they would also, if it were needful,
know how to blow the boilers up.
" These statements were said to be made voluntarily, and
from just and patriotic mo ives ; and the writer declared his
readiness to make oath as to their truth at the bar of the House
of Commons.
" That in accordance with the request to me I ascertained—
" I. That there was a master machine maker of the name
and at the place set forth in the letter ; and
" 2. That he bore a character for fair dealing, probity, arid

scattered through the desert. To what the colo-
nists grew in the course of a century we have
painful knowledge; but to what else could they
grow ? The history of the first settlers is known ;
we left them as they were, and " like to like,"
says the proverb—the reinforcements that they
received from England were like themselves,
instead of that constant stream of affectionate
British feeling with which it would he the wisdom
of our country to supply her colonies, the Ame-
rican colonies served as a sink to draw off whatever
was worthless, disgraced, or discontented in the me-
tropolitan state; and we had our reward. A better
system of colonisation seems to have arisen spon-
taneously in Upper Canada ; the faithful few—
the men of religion, loyalty, and honour driven
from the southern provinces— the small band of
American loyalists, laid the foundation of the
colony, and they invited to their society kindred
spirits from England, from the north of Ireland, and
from Scotland. These men saved the whole of the
British dominions in North America in the late
rebellion, and they show not only what class of colo-
nists ought to be selected, but also what is the value
of such citizens. It is but to keep the channel of colo-
nisation to Canada, as well as to the other colonies,
constantly open and constantly clear, and the British
spirit, with the language and religion of Britain, will
cover the earth "as the waters cover the sea."
Nothing can be as absurd as jealousy in this matter;
se►►d out good men with good feelings towards the
parent nation, and the same goodness and the same
good feeling will be found at the end of centuries ;
send out bad men and enemies, and their descendants
to the remotest generation will be bad men and
enemies.

TIMES.—We have really been so much amused at t New
Year's manifesto by one of our Contemporaries that we feel
bound to rescue it from the obscurity in which its own
limited
circulation might otherwise leave it, by offering it the ad-
tional notonety of our own columns. Our Contemporary ap-
pears to be in a state of revolution; it has changed its size—it
has changed its managers ; it appears conscious of having
(" not essentially ") changed its politics; it has, if we mistake
not, changed its type (at least we recognise here and there in
its columns the familiar letters of an Evening Contemporary),
and out it comes," spick and span," on New Year's-day to pay
its readers the compliments of the season in its new dress. Its
first words are its own name, "A 6 Jove principium." " The
Morning Herald having lately changed its proprietors and
managers, we deem it right, at the commencement of the pre-
sent year, to announce to our reader¢ the principles upon which
the paper will be henceforth conducted." These announce-
ments of principles are very dangerous things. Few people
court them, and those who do are very apt to burn their fingers.
Placemen in posse do, because they wish to gain the confidence
of an office-bestowing Government, and can only do so as
pledged raen. Premiers in ease do so, because their friends
cannot know how to support them if they don't. Members of
Parliament in velle do, because there they are on the hustings,
and have to state categorically what merits or opinions of their
own have brought them there. But none of the sober men of
the day like it. Look at Sir Robert Peel. He parts with his
opinions as if they were so much gold. He loves them so dearly
that he can't bear to let them drop out of his mouth ; and if he
does, he takes them up again and whips them into his pocket
before we have had time to be sure what they are. And we
frankly admit that we do not wonder at it. To the most honest
and straightforward man abstract professions of principle are
sure to prove embarrassing. Explained by the circumstances
of the moment, the known opinions of the speaker, and the
understood requirements of the hearer, they do very well to con-
vey a true impression in conversation or an after-dinner speech.
But when liable, as such public declarations are, to be noted
down, treasured up, and produced at some future period, under
circumstances to which they were never intended or under-
stood to apply, with a demand for literal performance, they are
about the most unmanageable and unreasonable enemies that a
statesman in-an electioneering town can well leave behind him.
What in the world, then, we asked ourselves, can our Contem-
porary mean by this sudden and apparently gratuitous exposure
of its inmost heart? Is New Self going to throw Old Self
overboard ? In plain words, is there a rat in the case ? The
suspicion was half rebutted and half confirmed, but our wonder
was scarcely abated by the next sentence which we read :
" They (the principles aforesaid) will not essentially differ
from those which have been espoused by the Morning Herald
for some time past, viz., the principles of moderate Conserva-
tism in Church and State." " Not essentially." Well, then,
we get rid of a few uncomfortable articles in the Morning
Herald, Senior, which might have embarrassed us. " Mode-
rate Conservatism,"—that may be made in the course of the
next year and a half to embrace anything between Lord John
Russell and Lord Winchilsea. On the whole, the readers of
this paragraph will not gather much beyond the fact
that the writer had no great wish to be hampered by the
past or for the future. But to proceed into particulars.
The theology of the paper is to be consonant to that of the
" great body of divines" of the English Church, from Hooker
downwards. This again is somewhat of the vaguest, and will
do, not indeed correctly, but plausibly for anything between
Laud or Andrewes on the one hand, and Tillotson or Warbur-
ton—perhaps even Newton or Cecil—on the other. Like
everybody else, our Contemporary is unfavourable to what he
considers " extreme High Church views ;" but where modera-
tion ends and extremity begins is left for future consideration.
On the poor-law our Contemporary is not less judicious in his
sentiments. Under the law of Elizabeth we are told, " Eng-
land has reared up an industrious and efficient population of
labourers;" but that law was abused, and some amendment be-
came really desirable. "At the same time when a system is
introduced which, instead of recognising the right of the un-
happy panper to relief, treats him as an intruder upon society,
if not as a criminal, we are disposed"— Well, what are we
" disposed" to do on this alarming hypothesis? To do battle,
tooth and nail, against the unrecogn.sed right of the pauper—
to expose abases—denounce false principles—beard Ministers
—urge petitions—exhort electors—confute fallacies? Nothing
of the sort—" We are disposed to look with doubt on its wis-
dom, and to watch its administration wish the utmost jea-
lousy." No one, certainly, will think that this pledge is likely
to be very embarrassing to its maker. Let the question of the
poor-law fall how it may, our Contemporary will not break his
head against it. But the sliding scale is left in a still more alarm.
ing state of unstable equilibrium. Was the Morning Herald
frightened by the false report of Lord Hardwicke's speech, when
it could bear to be so very backward in " backing its friends,"
as it shows itself in the following most unsatisfactory sentence :
" The adjustment of the corn-laws upon the modified sliding
scale of Sir Robert Peel is an experiment, to which we think
that a fair trial should be given. We deprecate frequent and
hasty change in financial matters ; but most strongly
do we condemn that restless agitation which tends to dis-
turb the public mind, create panic in the commercial
world, and destroy all confidence in the security of the law."
Not a word of approval of this most eminently Ministerial mea-
sure—not a hint as to the probable duration which is to be
wished or expected for this " experiment." Only our Con-
temporary advocates that most uncertain advantage " a fair
trial"—" condemns restless agitation"—deprecates " frequent
and hasty changes in financial matters," as everybody else does
in every other branch of human practice, and then proceeds
with the same oracular caution through the various heads of
Irish and foreign politics, manufactures, and law reform. Only
one somewhat unguarded expression a hypercrital eye might
notice—and that upon an incidental point where it is amiable to
be enthusiastic. " With the progress of the reformed religion,"
says our Contemporary, " is associated not only all the glory
and happiness of our own kingdom, but everything which is
great in the history of man,"—including, of course, Abraham,
Moses, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander, Julius Caesar, Tamerlane,
'Peter the Great, and the wall of China. This is not quite
historically true. But, with this exception, we can do nothing
but approve. We will only venture to regret that such a con-
fined application has been made of a formula which occurs but
in one paragraph of the article, but than which nothing could
have been more happily appropriate as a beginning and ending
of the whole composition. " IVe need scarcely say," says our
Contemporary ; " You need not, indeed," we cannot help re-
ply ing ; and we are irresistibly pushed on to add, " and why
in the world did you?" Yet we cannot regret a composition in
which the coy dignity of a maiden Queen addressing her first
Parliament is so gracefully compounded with the mysterious
caution of an experienced Minister. We will even hope that
our Contemporary will continue hie annual exhibition of a
counter Queen's speech (the imitation is obvious), detailing to
the world with the same majesty his probable course for the
next twelvemonth. It would be a novelty in newspaper his-
tory, and we think might tell—at least no worse than some late
vagaries of our resuscitated friend.
POST.—Our Ministerial Contemporary, the Herald, has
once more changed its shape. It has ceased to be " penna-
nt ntly enlarged." The Herald's " principles," however, will,
we are assured, be hereafter very much what they have been
heretofore. These will undergo neither " permanent enlarge-
ment" nor contraction. They will remain, we presume, in a
state fit for the application of either process. They will prove
as " stretchable," in short, hereafter as they have proved in
time past. Of the corn-law of 1842 the Herald, in his new
confession of faith, discourseth in the following strain:—
" The adjustment of the corn-laws upon the modified sliding
scale of Sir Robert Peel is an experiment to which we wish that
a fair trial should be given." A fair trial given to the corn-
law of 1842 ! Why, the Herald has, ever since the pass-
ing of that law, prorionnced it to be the consummation of
political wisdom ! And is that admirable law to be
now described as merely an " experiment ?" Ihe
corn-law of 1842 was, as the Herald has a thousand
times proclaimed, " a settlement of the question ;" yet
from that " settlement" the Herald, looking to Ministers
(whom, according to the measure of his feebleness our Con-
temporary flatters), desires now to escape. Ministers dread
the League, and that base fear may soon induce Ministers to
abjure the policy of protection in practice, as they have al.
ready abjured it theoretically. The Herald naturally longs
to be free to follow its patrons. Four years ago the Herald
advocated a protective policy so stringent as to amount al-
most to a policy prohibitive of the use of foreign labour. For
two years the Herald has mouthed the modified free trade doc-
trines of Sir Robert Peel and Mr. Gladstone. For two years
the Herald has sought to defend free trade doctrines, when,
these have been assailed by the Post—and yet, during the
whole of the same period, the Herald has been abusing- free
trade doctrines when advocated by Mr. Cobden. This process
of bowing hot and cold must have proved awkward work.
The Herald is naturally anxious to escape fcom it, and
to prepare for the assumption of a place in the ranks
of orthodox free traders. The Herald has, for a long
time, trumpeted forth League doctrines—the Herald will,
doubtless, speedily be employed in trumpeting the
praises of the League itself. Of the daily press, only the Hi-
raid and the Standard have supported the industrial policy of
Ministers. This unity of view would seem to have led the way
to union of a closer kind. These worshippers of the wisdom
of Peel and Gladstone have, at length, been joined together.
The morning and the evening song of sycophancy will now be
more harmonious than ever. As Ministers, moreover, shall
approximate, towards the League, so will the Standard become
more and more impregnated with the spirit of that benevolence
by which all Leaguers—whether Ministers or millowners—are
animated ; and as the Peel of 1843 is, in the Standard's judg-
ment, the wisest of Ministers, while the Peel of 1829 was pro-
nounced, on the same authority, to be the basest of traitors, so
may the Bright of 1845 appear to our Contemporary an angel
of light, although the Bright of 1813 has been described by
him as among the vilest of mankind. N% hy, in short, should
Standard and Herald quarrel with the League ? Herald
and Standard have, for two years, linen doing the League's
work. It is time that they openly wore the League's colours.
Let Ministers give the word, and these colours will forthwith
be " sported" by our lofty-minded Contemporaries 1

honour."
Now we beg attention first to one simple considera-
tion, which does not seem to have occurred to the
" Member of the House of Commons" (who turns
out to be Mr. Ferrand), nor to the Standard, nor to
the Not them Star branch of the calumny coalition.
If this Anti-Corn-law Alderman of Leeds, who is
thus said to have sent for a master machine-maker of
the same place—a man of fair dealing, probity, and
honour—really did send fur a respectable fellow-
townsman to propose such infamy to him—to serve the
cause by drawing the plugs of his boilers, and, if need-
ful, blowing the boilers up—if this extremely probable
proposition was made by one capitalist to another—and
accompanied with timely intimation that a pre-
meditated scheme for performing sec% operations
" would in a short time take place" in Leeds as else-
where, by the particular desire of the Anti-Corn-law
League—Forewarned, forearmed—w hat would the
machine-maker of fair dealing, probity, and honour,
have done ?- If the impudent liars, who fabricate,
publish, and republish such things, were not as stupid
as impudent—if the Tory-Chartist coalition had an
ounce of brains, any more than a scruple of honesty—
if their one Member of Parliament,
Their knight o' the shire, who represents them all,
—were not, in gross swallow, as in foul tongue, pre-
cisely their fit representative—how could it have
failed, to occur to some of the crew, whether inven-
tors or retailers, that the tale stultifies itself—that
the man was a public criminal, who could keep it
secret, when notice to the local authorities, or the
Home Secretary, might have prevented the whole
outbrealring of August, 1842—who could bottle all
this up till February, 1843, and then only write
it—to - Mr. Ferrand—that famous depository for
authentic matters of fact from all quarters. The
story-teller, therefore, put himself' out of court by his
own story. But it was not amiss to track him out
notwithstanding, and detect who he is. This is what
has been done by the discussion at the Leeds Town
Council. It appears, then, that this Leeds Titus
Oates, who stores up conspiracies in bottle for the
Tory-Chartist coalition, and whom Mr. Joshua Hob-
son, of the Northern Star, guarantees as a man of fair
dealing, probity, and honour—according to his esti-
mate of those qualities—is a certain William Smith,
a fraudulent bankrupt, who could not obtain belief on
his oath before the Bankruptcy Court—but who has
been more fortunate in obtaining a witness to his
"probity" in Mr. Hobson of the Northern Star, a
correspondent in Mr. Ferranti, Member for Knares;.
borough, and a copyist in the editor of the Standard.
STANDARD.—" A farmer," said Mr. Cobden, in
one of his late incendiary harangues, " has four
sons ; he can give his farm but to one—the other
three must go into trades. He has, therefore, three
times as much interest in trade as in agriculture."
The proper reply to this fallacy was the questions—
into what trades were the three young men to go ?
What trades or prokssions are there from which all,
without a command of money, are not excluded by
you monied capitalists ? What trades are there that
you are not destroying by your grasping monopoly ?
Has it not come to this, that in your unbridled lust
of gain you now seek to rob even the labour of
the agriculturist, and leave even the fourth son
without a meana.of living? The coma- eti tion among
the class of mere labourers is the lightest and least
distressing competition of our day. Go into any
family, from the artisan or the petty retailer up-
wards, and ask how its younger members are to be
dispose I of, and you will hear the same melan-
choly complaint, that the head of the family does
not know. His own, tre.le or profession is already
overstocked ; as fir as, he can learn all other
trades and profesions of corresponding rank are over-
stocked also; what is to become of his offspring ? lle
cannot tell, for even the classes below him are suffer-
ing from the common repletion. This is a description
of the present state of society, which must he familiar
to every one. Is the evil beyond the reach of cure?
We trust not ; and we are ene imaged to hope a remedy
• possible, by o consideration that a very slight degree
.of relief, would predace c ffects far begged its seem-
ing influence, that a subtraction of but a tenth or a
twentieth from any (Arise profession, or trade,
would, go far to place it in a healthy state, just as the
taking of a few ounces of blood frequently subdues a
fever. What is the remedy ? The Foreign and
Colonial Quarterly tells us, colonisation—colonisation
which afforde a twofold relief in its inception, relief to
those who emigrate and relief to those who remain,
and which, in its completion secures to the empire a
twofold profit upon an indefinitely increasing com-
merce. The present relief affordsd by judicious
colonisation is far greater than at first sight
may appear. We have been led to reflect upon the
matter by what has offered to our owa experience.
Living in a very narrow and suflielantly humble
circle, we have seen, within the last year or two,
pass into the East Lulls. •Cempany's army 10 or 12
young men, of higher or lower rank, of different
flegrees of talent and education—eerne of noble
families, some of families less exalted, some from
the Universities, some from schools, and all within
our own aegtetietance. What would have been the
destiny of these young mail, if the Indian army,
now almost the only resouree, had not been open to
them ? Must they not have fallen back upon trades
or professions, already choked by competition—ren-
dering by so much worse the state and prospects of
all already committed to these trades and professions
But call these 10 or 12, 10,000 or 12;000—and in
the United Kingdom tore must be more than twice
that number of young men of respectable rank
-who would eagerly embrace opportunities like
those which our young friends gratefully received
as instances of good fortune, and °surely you will do •
much to lighten the competition at home. Open
your colonies, however, and you will have even larger
drafts than this upon your youth of all classes- The
benefit of such colonisation to the colonicsthernselves,
and through them to the empire at laige, will be
great beyond calculation. Hitherto cur colonisation
has proceeded upon a principle altogether erroabus ;
we sent out none hut the criminal, and destitute,
and ignorant ; this Was to lay the founda-
tion, not of civilisation, but of immorality, ignor-
ance, and barbarism. A merely rude society—
which has never been anything but rude—may, and
often will refine itself, but the sifted offal of a country
people whom you send abroad because they are
Frittolheerable at home—the unhappy beings to whom
Sour civilisation has taugrwht,hich at leest
thet,
yeeenv theo
grand hate
of vice,
though circumstances, fo
you, have forbidden them the fuonlll indulgence of
y propagate tits
he
practice ; such offsets will
disgraceful and corrupt part of civili
wsed so-
ciety, and to the children's 111 willhe-
queath an undying hatred of those their first insulting
connection with whom must be a reproach for ever.
Such, however, were the earls, British colonists, and
lest their natural evil tendency should suffer any re-
straint, we sent them into the wilderness without any
instruction. There were 80 Church of England clergy-
men among four millions of the Americans before the
revolutionary war—that is, one to each of fifty thousand

A very extensive fire brolie out on the premises of
Mr. Brown, clothier, flute-street, Cardiff, on Thursday, the
21st ult., which destroyed property to the amount of 8,000/.
BRIGHTON, TUESDAY.—On Sunday night we were
visited with a tremendous hurricane, which lasted until the
following morning. A number of large fishing-boats have
within the last few days been fitted out to proceed to Plymouth
to commence the mackarel fishery ; fortunately they had not
started. The wind has done considerable damage to houses
in exposed situations, and it is feared that disasters have
occurred at sea. About ten o'clock yesterday morning the
wind lulled, and was succeeded by a fall of snow, the first we,
have had here this winter,

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Jan. 2.
IN RE JOHN CAMPDELL.
This case had been partly heard on a former day, when the
insolvent was opposed by Mr. Cooke, and the hearing adjourned
to produce a person named 'Langdon, who held a bill of sale of
all the insolvent's property, which had been executed in July,
1842. That person had allowed the property to remain in the
insolvent's possession up to the present time, the bill of sale
being in possession of an individual who resided in his house.
Arr Langdon having refused to give up this document,
Mr. Cooke intimated that, under the Ist and 2d Vic. c. 110,
sec. 61, the bill of sale was valueless, it being enacted that un-
less the goods were sold before the insolvent went to prison,
they belonged ro the assignee.
Mr. Langdon said he could not help that, as the circum-
stances now stood.
Mr. Cooke said the assignees were determined to bring an
action against Mr. Langdon, to try the merits of the case.
The insolvent was eventually ordered to be discharged.

Esti, at Delamere, in August last, and ignored the bill against
John Maddocks, his brother.

OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Statrord, Jan. 1.
(Before Mr. Baron ROLFE. )
George Mid heron, George Wilkinson, and; George Wilcox,
were charged with highway robbery, with violence, upon the
person of Ralph Leragg.
Mr. Yardley conducted the cat* for the prosecution ; Mr.
Allen defended George Middleton ; the other prisoners had no
counsel.
It appeared from the evidence, that on the night in question,
the prosecutor was returning from a house in the neighbour-
hood to Shelton, in the Potteries, linked to the arm of a friend,
a caution his eopieus potations had rendered somewhat neces-
sary, when he was attacked by four men, who wrenched from
him a stick he was carrying, knocked him down, and struck
him upon the head until ho was insensible, and then rifled his
pockets. On the return o f his friend with assistance, the men
made off, but the three prisoners were subsequently captured,
and identified by the prosecutor and other witnesses.
For the defence, it was contended that, although a most
aggravated and uniustafiaVe assault had doubtless been com-
mitted, still there was no evidence to prove that the prisoners
had actually robbed the prosecutor, but that, in consequence of
his intoxicated state at the time, he in all probability lost the
money he alleged to have been stolen.
The Learne i JUDGE having summed up,
The jury took the view •. the case suggested by the counsel
for the defence, and found the prisoners Guilty of the assault
only.— They were sentenced to one years' imprisonment.
Edwin Picken, an intelligent lad of 17, was charged with
setting fire to a stack of hay and a stack of clover, the property
of Henry Southwick, a respectable farmer residing at Brewood,
in this coun•y.
Mr. Allen conducted the case on the part of the Crown; the
prisoner was defended by 11r. Yardley.
The prosecutor, it appeared, had declined to receive the pri-
soner into his service; which refusal engendered, on the part
of the latter, a degree of malignity that, after manifesting
itself by a series of petty annoyances inflicted on the pro-
secutor, at length instigated him to perpetrate the offence of
which he now stood accused. It was proved that several days
previous to the one on which the stacks were fired the pri-
soner had purchased a box of lucifer matches ; that he was
seen in the immediate neighbourhood of the rickyard but a
very short time before the alarm was given, and that he alone
of all the neighbours, not only abstained from offering any as-
sistance, but was not even present during the efforts that were
made to extinguish the flames. It was further proved by a
comrade of the prisoner, that, in a conversation they had re-
specting the fire, the prisoner observed, that at length he" had
served the old devil eat," and several other witnesses gave such
an account of various sayings and doings of the prisoner with
reference to the fire as were utter.y inconsistent with his in-

WINTER ASSIZES.
ff'IIS7ERN CIRCUIT.
The Special Commission for the trial of prisoners in the
county of Hants having concluded, it may be proper, in order
to show the utility, or rather necessity, of a winter circuit, to
give the result of the business in that county during the last
week. There were 50 prisoners, 22 of whom were assize pri-
soners, 16 were acquitted, 6 pleaded guilty.
The fellow ing sentences were pa4sed i-1 transported or 21
years, 2 for 15 years, and 5 for 10 years ; 1 imprisoned for '2
years, 5 for 1 year, I for 9 months, 1 for 8 months, 4 for 6
months, I for 4 months, 5 for 3 months, and the ethers for
shorter periods. Would not the very variation in the sentences '
prove that a winter circuit was necessary ?
It is a great maxim of our law that every one should be con-
sidered innocent until he be pronounced guilty by a jury.
Is not this an argument for a speedy trial? An observer
must have felt this maxim to be a great truth when every
morning last week at Winchester he might have seen
some of his own species marched through the tows
handcuffed two and two, and attached to a long chain,
which reached from front to back of the cavalcade ; but
if the observer would go into the court, he would see this
glorious maxim still further carried out, by a prisoner (of
course, by law innocent) being placed at an iron bar, and
compelled to stand during the whale of a protracted
Why not, as a matter of course, allow the innocent man a
seat ? This was much harder formerly than it is at the pre-
sent day, because a prisoner used to be called upon to address
the jury in his own defence, and a looker-on has often seen
a prisoner required to make his defence after he had been on
his legs from 10 to 14 hours, and this, perhaps, after an in-
carceration upon prison diet of seven or eight months. The
mental vigour would hardly be improved by great bodily ex-
haustion. At all events, you do not act. upon the hod
l
of our law. Unless complaints are made, and abuses noticed,
they will never be corrected. It may therefore be well to
mention another circumstance which might be altered. •Vhen
a prisoner is arraigned he is told with what the indictment
charges him, and to this is added, " and the indictment
states that you have been before convicted of a felony." Now
should not this last sentence be omitted until after the
second conviction? It must have its effect upon the jury;
and it really does not follow, that because a man has bees
before convicted, he should be guilty of the second offence.
There is an old adage, " Give a dog a bad name," &c., and
the man having once had a bad character, is sure to lee the
party sought for in case of any offence being committed in
his neighbourhood; and if he is tried upon circumstantial
evi fence alone, the former conviction being thrown into the
scale, makes up the case, and he is convicted. As a good
character creates a doubt, and leads to an acquittal, sa does
a first conviction remove a doubt, and cause a venlig of
guilty to be returned. Every one who has the good or bad
fortune to have any knowledge of our law is aware that
there are innumerable legal fictions. One of these
is, that an assize is considered to last but a day, and the conse-
quence is, that if a prisoner is acquitted on the first day of an
assize, he is detained in gaol until the business of the assize is
concluded, even though that should last for fifteen days. Some
persons have imagined that this was contrary to our law, and
that the moment a jury had declared a man to be innocent of
the crime for which he was indicted, the prison doors should
be thrown open to him, and he should, of right, be set at
liberty. Such, good reader, is the theory of our law, bat not
the practice ; that law which is to rule and guide all persons,
and by which all persons are bound, is full of absurdities and
defects. The law tells an individual he shall not improperly
and without just cause imprison another, while at the same
time that very law commits that injury itself. It has often
been remarked that a gaol contaminates all within its walls,
and yet, after an acquittal, and an application to a Judge to
give an order for the release of the individual, that learned
person has answered—" No, I think not ; he had a lucky es-
cape, and a few days' more imprisonment will do him no harm."
This is law from the judgment seat, and an action for false im-
prisonment would be scouted. A rich man on bail is instantly
liberated upon an acquittal. One would really begin almost to
think it was a fiction of law that there was not one law for the
rich and another for the poor.
Chester, Jan. 1.
(Before Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN. )
Precisely at eleven o'clock Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN took
his seat upon the bench (the Commission having been opened
on Saturday), and after the proclamation against vice and im-
morality had been read, he proceeded to charge the Grand
Jury. His Lordship adverted to the nature of the Commis-
sion, and the heavy state of the calendar, and dwelt with much
emphasis upon the frightful increase of those cases in which
prisoners were charge i with cutting and maiming. The use
of the knife could not be too strongly discouraged. His Lord-
ship observed, that it was unnecessary to trouble the Grand
Jury with a recital of the several crimes which were set out in
the calendar • he would, therefore, only briefly allude to the
cases in which' souse importance was indicated. There was
one of a charge of manslaughter by persons calling themselves
Mormonites, a sect of persons with whose tenets he was en-
tirely unacquainted, but he had been informed it was something
in connexion with immersing a female in water in some bap-
tismal ceremony. There were many charges, also, of bigamy
—a crime very frequently committed from a prevalent error,
that there was no responsibility when the husband and wife
had been separatedfor more than seven years. He would not
longer detain them.
The following is the list of charges which will be tried under
this commission :—1 for arson, 1 assault with intent to rob, 12
burglary, 5 bigamy, 1 cattle-stealing, 4 cutting and maiming,
1 embezzlement, 1 forgery, 1 horse stealing, 2 housebreaking,
12 manslaughter, 3 murder, I poaching, 2 rape, I sacrilege, 1
unnatural crime, 3 various other felonies, and 5 whose names
are not down in the calendar.
The oases tried during the day possessed no public interest.
Chester, Jan. 2.
Twa Monasormrs.—Jonathan Pogmore (44), and Thos.
Cartwright (28), were indicted, the former for having, in the
township of Monks Coppenhall, on the 23d November last,
seized Sarah Cartwright by the neck, and feloniously, wilfully,
and negligently cast her into a certain brook, in which she was
choked and drowned ; and the other prisoner, Thomas Cart-
wright, was charged with aiding and assisting in the said man-
slaughter.
The Attorney-General, and Messrs. L. Trafford and Towns-
hend, appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Temple for the
prisoner.
The Arronierr-GENERAL said the two prisoners at the
bar were charged with manslaughter, by killing and slaying a
person of the name of Sarah Cartwright by negligence. This
was rather a notorious case, and would require the best at-
tention of the jury. It appeared that the prisoners were
what were generally called " Latter-day Saints," a seal of
religionists in the neighbourhood of the railway station at
Crew. The deceased was the wife of the prisoner Cartwright;
and one of the tenets of the sect was to baptise those per-
sons who joined their body. The person for whose death
the prisoners were upon their trial, was persuaded by them to
be baptized, and the place where the baptism was to be per-
formed was at a brook called Coppenhall Brook, about a
quarter of a mile from the residence of the prisoners. Pog-
more and Cartwright accompanied the woman, who went volun-
tarily into the brook, when Pogmore immersed her in the
brook once or twice. She struggled and got loose from him,
and was drowned. The brook was much swollen at the time,
and the question was, whether the death of the woman was
owing to a want of ordinary caution on the part of the pri-
soners. The Learned Gentleman was then about to call his
witnesses, when it was found that not one was present whose
evidence was of the slightest use in the case ; neither was the
attorney in Court. 'Use Court waited some time, and his
Lordship asked the name of the attorney in the case. Mr.
Lowe, the attorney (of Nantwich), was called frequently, but
he did not answer. After waiting some time his Lordship said
he would not wait ; the case must proceed in the usual course.
It was well known that the case was to come on this morning.
The Attorney- General then called the following witnesses:—
Michael Kinty, a police constable, said. that on the morning
after the death of the woman, Pogmore showed him the place
where they went into the brook. When the water was low, it
was two or three to four yards broad, and not more than a foot
and a half or two feet deep in ordinary times. Upon this occa-
sion there were seven feet of water in depth, and it appeared
that the water had been nine feet deep.
James Moore was next called, but did not answer.
After some time, the following witnesses came into Court:—
George Bazely—l live at Crewe, in the parish of Monks Cop-
penhall. I went on the morning after this occurrence to search
for the body of the deceased. The brook is about three quar-
ters of a mile from the railway. I found the water swollen, and
the body was amongst some trees on the bank of the brook.
There was only a flannel singlet on the body. I assisted in
carrying the body home.
Cross-examined by Mr. Temples—l never saw the river Jor-
dan nor any of the waters mentioned in Scripture. The brook
is in a retired valley.
Lucy Massey—l am a dressmaker at Monks Coppenhall. I
knew the deceased, Sarah Cartwright. She was about 30
years of age. I saw her on Thursday. the 23d of November.
She said something to me.—(Mr. Temple objected to the
witness stating what took place.)—lt was about one o'clock
when I spoke to her. She was quite well then. I saw the
body the next day. It was the body of the wife of the prisoner
Cartwright.
Ann Peace was called, but she could prove nothing material.
James Moore was next called, but not appearing, he was
called upon his recognizances.
William Robinson, Mary Ann Moore, and George Slater,
were also called upon their recognizances.
Mr. Lowe, the prosecuting attorney, at length came to
Court, but he did not explain the reason why either he or the
witnesses had not been attendance.
His Loansnir said he would riot suffer the public time to be
wasted in this scandalous manner, and he ordered the recog-
nisances of all the witnesses who had not appeared to be
entreated.
Mr. Temple submitted that the prisoners must be acquitted.
The JUDGE—Yes. But there is a great failure of justice in
this case. I shall not allow the costs of the prosecution.
The jury, under the direction of his Lordship, acquitted
both the prisoners.
Mr. Temple said he heard his Learned Friend, the At-
torney-General, talking about the coroner's inquisition. He
called upon his Learned Friend to proceed at once upon it, or
to enter a nolle prosequi.
Mr. Hill—l shall use my own discretion. The prisoners
have not yet been arraigned upon the inquisition.
The prisoners were then removed, and the Court proceeded
to try a prisoner for a burglary.
Robert Howe was indicted for a burglary at Staly, and found
Guilty.— Sentence was deferred.
The prisoners Pogmore and Cartwright were next arraigned
upon the Coroner's inquisition, for the manslaughter of Sarah
Cartwright.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he should not offer any
evidence in the case.
The JUDGE, addressing the jury, said, no evidence was offered
for the prosecution, and very properly. A bill had been found
by the grand jury, and in consequence of the culpable neglect
of the parties who ought to have attended en the part of the
prosecution, they had been acquitted. He thought it would be
too much to try them after having been acquitted. Addressing
the prisoners, his Lordship said—With your peculiar
tenets I have nothing to do, but it was most culpable and
incautious on your part not to examine the state of the
brook before you went in. Let the event which has happened,
and ,1)10. tress which I have no reason to doubt you both must
feels arning to you for the future to be more cautious.
There. e three witnesses who did attend. Let them have
their 4 set, but let no other person have expenses of any
sort.--:s. 4.. prisoners were then discharged.
Tir RDER AT DELAMERE.—This afternoon the Grand
Jury br. ' • tin a true bill against Samuel Maddochs, for the
murder o tthias Bailey, gamekeeper to George Wilbraham,

nocenee.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, but recommended him
to mercy on account of his youth.
The Learned BARON, after commenting in very severe terms
on the heinousness of the offence, and the deliberation and vin-
dictive feeling which had marked its perpetration, sentenced the
prisoner to be transported for 10 years.
There are several eases that yet remain to be tried, and it is
uncertain when the assize will terminate.

SOUTH TVALES.—Carmarthen, Dec. 31.
THE REBECCA RIOTS.
The judge (Mr. Justice Cresswell) entered the Court at
nine o'clock on Saturday.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL announced, that after the deci-
sion in the Dolanhirion case, he should enter a nolle prosequi
en the charge of felony against Thomas Hughes, John Jones.
and Benjamin Jones, for the offence at Pontarlliche, and re•
move the minor charge by certiorari to the next assizes. If
anything further should be dime in the Dolanhirion case, the
evidence would be best tested by proceedings in the Court of
Queen's Bench.
EXTRAORDINARY CASE:—David Evans, a farmer, and
dames Evans, his servant, were then charged with having, on
the 30th of Ceptember, with others, riotously and unlaw-
fully assembled at Pantycerrig, in the parish of Llanfihangel
Rhosycorn.
Both prisoners pleaded not guilty. They were defended by
Messrs. N. Came and E. C. H. Hall.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL. rose on behalf of the prosecu-
tion, and said, that the prisoners were indicted for a misde-
meanour and riot. The substantial charge was, that on the
night G f the 30th of September they, with others, demanded a
sum of money from Thomas Thomas, of Pantycerrig, a farmer.
He then proceeded to detail the facts, which will be found
in the depositions and evidence. The object of the parties ap-
peared to have been not to remove any public grievance, real
or imaginary, but to make the agitated state of the country
subservient to their private purposes, and obtain a settlement
of a claim or debt. Since the occurrences for which the pri-
soners were now arraigned, Mr. Thomas had been found dead.
He did not, however, mean to hint that they were implicated
thereby. The character of the county had been satisfactorily
vindicated by a careful inquiry, which had given every reason
for belief that Mr. Thomas's death had been the result of an
accident. The Attorney-General then read the deposition of
Thomas Thomas, as follows :—" I live at Pantycerrig, in the
parish of Llanfihangel Rhosycorn. lam a farmer. I remem-
ber, early on Saturday morning, the 30th of September, at
about one or two o'clock, a number of peopandc le, aboutd fifteen o
tor
twenty, came in disguise to my house, alle on me
come out with 51. They said they came on behalf of David
Evans, of Bergwm, to demand the 5/. in satisfaction for a trespass
upon his corn by my cattle. I did not go down to the door, but
my wife did. In consequence of the door not being opened imme-
diately, I suppose they reduced the demand to 40s. I went out of
the house amoeg the crowd and was taken by the collar by a tall
man in disguise, with his face blackened. He called himself
• 'Bette.' I was dragged against my will to Bergwm, a dis-
tance of about three-quarters of a mile. It is the house of the
prisoner David Evans. They all acted in concert. Some had
guns, and others horns. 1 recognised James Evans; he be-
haved the worst to me, and shuffled me. I also recognised
David Evans. James had a short old gun, and was disguised
by having his face blackened. His clothes were not changed.
David Evans was not so much disguised ; I knew him very
well. They took me to a field near Bergwm, where we were
desired to stop, while some went on, so as not to alarm the
family. I saw David Evans go en first, and go into the house.
They then took me into the yard, and afterwards into the
house. I saw David Evans, and told him that I had made up
with him for ten shillings for the damage done to his corn. He
said, • The matter is now in these people's hands, and I cannot
interfere.' They further demanded money of me, but I said
that I bad none. I then asked David Evans to allow me to
stop in his home, as I was afraid to go out. James Evans
seized me, and dragged me out of the house, in a different
direction from my own house. He said he wished to kill me.
'Becca called out to him, Why, he took me in that direc-
tion ?' 'Becca and the party then took me along the turnpike-
road to my own home. They called to my wife, and told her
they had brought me back as they promised. They then gave
me nine days to pay the money ,co and said, that ff I did not
pay it by that time, they would me again, and would kill
and burn."
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL concluded his address by al-
luding to the recent Government prosecutions, and said, that
the object had not been so much the punishment of every
individual who took part in the disturbances, or were con-
cerned in the outrages, as to restore the authority of the law,
to give confidence to those who were willing to obey it, and
policeman of the A division of the
protection to those who were willing to assist in its just ad-
Robertaknew the late Mr. Thomas Thomas, of
metropolitan
ministration.
Pantycerrig. He is dead. 1 saw his body the mottling it
Brapoy—licle.aml
was found in the river.
George Spurrell—l am clerk to the magistrates at Car gs
marthen. I took down the examination of Mr. Thomas. He
was examined in the presence of the two prisoners. I saw
him sign it. He was sworn. He was examined in Welsh, but
understood suffielent English to make any correction required.
He told his owe story first. Mr. Price, the Magistrate, in-
terpreted it. He was not sworn as an interpreter. I took
down the English as Mr. Price interpreted. I understood
sufficient Welsh myself to interpret. Mr. Price put the whole
of his story into English, omitting no part of it.
Mr. John Lloyd Price—I am a magistrate for this county.
1 took the depositions of Mr. Thomas Thomas. He was exa-
mined in Welsh. He understood English. He corrected
two or three words when it was read over to him. I took
an examination previous to this, with a vie
w to issue the war
rants. I went to Bergwm. In consequence of the apprehen-
sion of those two men the houses of Mr. Thomas were burnt
down. Thomas Powell and Rosa Thomas went with me to
Bergwm. We could get no assistance from the parish con-
stables. Robert Bray was also there. We found David Evans,
the prisoner, at home. He was in bed. I went from home
about four o'clock in the morning. I reached Bergwm about
six. David Evans, when he had been apprehended, and as
he was dressing, said, " I know nothing of the servant, James
Evans. I quarreled with bim a few days ago. He wanted to
go to Breckfa fair. I was against his going, and I have not
sees hint since." I had previously desired the police to search
the outhouses. They came in, and had found no one. I
suspected something was wrong, and asked David Evans again.
He made the same statement. I sent the police out again,
and I saw them tumble him out of the loft. I did not see
him found. As far as I can remember the examination took
place the same day. I remember in the course of the exami..
nation, when Thomas was stating about the 405., David Evans
said, "We agreed before we left the turnpike-road to take U."
The deposition was then put in and read.
Thomas Evans—l am a mason. I live with my father at
Pynyffordd. That is about half a mile from Pantycerrig,
and a mile from BergWllll. I recollect Saturday, the 30th of
September. I was disturbed between 12 and 1 o'clock on
that morning. I was in bed at the time. I got up and went
to the window. I saw a good many people out. I don't
know how many, it was too dark for me to see. I saw more
than three. Idi I not see them all. I heard a great noise.
The next thing 1 heard was a man calling out, " I warn you
not to go to the farm you have taken ; if you do we will burn
your hay and corn, as we bave done to your neighbours." My
father had just taken a fares. The voice was that of James
Evans, the prisoner. I did not see him, but I ant well ac-
quainted with his voice. I sing in the same singing-school
with him. They fired guns as they went away. After they
were gone I got up and went out of the house. I went to-
wards Pantycerrig. I went into a field and saw a crowd pass
by on the other side of the hedge. They were goine towards
Pantycerrig, and were within two fields of it. They blew
horns and were armed with guns. They fired guns frequently,
and from their light I saw something white about the dresses
of the men. They were about 20. About 9 o'clock in the
morning I went to Bergwm. The people there were all in
bed. I knocked at the door and was let in by the girl. A
short time after David Evans came down stairs. He was
dressed. A gun was on the table in the kitchen. I said, " I
think here is one of ' hecca's guns." David Evans said he
thought it was. He appeared surprised at my remark. I then
requested David Evans to come out with me. When he came
out I told him that the servant that waa at his house had
warned my father not to take the farm. He said that he had
not, for hehad been in bed all night. David Evans then went
into the farm. I went with him. David Evans told James
Evans what I had said. James Evans came and raised his fist
in my face, saying, " You devil, to tell that of me."' David
Evans then came forward and put his hand upon him, and told
him to be quiet. I then went down to Pantycerrig. The next
day I saw James Evans. He asked me why I had told Thomas
Thomas that he had confessed to me. I said I had not.
James said a servant at Pantycerrig had told him so, and
added, " If I had a chaste I would put you quiet enough, for
saying so." I answered, " I don't know whet"
It yo
will
have an opportunity or not." He then replied, It you tran-
sport me for seven years I'll give you a coat when I come back.'
Mr. N. CARNE addressed the jury for the prisoners, and
called John Evans, a boy, brother of the defendant David
Evans, who swore that his brother and James Evans were in
bed with him when "Becca" came to their house with Mr.
Thomas. After a long cross-examination by the Attorney-
General.
The ArronsreY-GENERAL put in an affidavit of the witness,
that was sworn to by -him for the purpose of obtaining bail fur
his brother. This affidavit, when read, was diametrically op-
posite to the boy's evidence in several most important par.
titulars.
The sister, Catherine Evans, was then called. She was
examined to the same facts, and, on her affidavit being pro-
duced, the same contradictions appeared.
The counsel for the defendants then threw up their briefs,
and stated their conviction that perjury had been used.
The prisoners were told the situation in which they stood,
and were asked if they wished to examine any more witnesses?
They replied in the negative.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL replied briefly, and the Learned
Judge having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of
Guilty.--Senteuce deferred.

The grand jury were then discharged, his Lordship expretss-
lug a hope that it would be long before they would be called
together on a similar occasion.
Philip Phillip, William Phillip, and William Harries,
were charged with a riot and assault at Pound, in the parish of
Llangunnor. The prisoner Philip Phillip was in a very weak
state, having met with a severe accident. He remained seated
during the trial.
John Evans—ln the month of Oc•oher I was employed to
make distress on the goods of William Phillip. I met Philip
Phillip the day previous, and told him that I was coming over
to distrain. He said, " You had better no', for the mother
and her children will be there to meet, )ou." On the following
morning I went to Pound with John Lewis. We met Philip
Phillip. Phillip said, " You're come." I said " Yes, I
have. He said, " You had better go- hack, as Mr. Wilson
has made a mistake in the account, and in next term we will
see whether the award is right or wrong." I said I did not
consider that the award had anything to do with tl,e distress,
as that had been a matter of dispute a few months previous, and
that the son could do as he did with the March rent, he could
replevin. The elder Phillip said, I had better go hack, and
not go on. We then went into Mr. I.levlye's, at. Nanty-
caws. Philip Phillip went with us. Mr. Llewellyn had been
in company with Phillip when we met him. We all sat down,
and Air. Llewellyn said that he was of the same opinion as
myself. We then went to Pound. We saw the son, William
Phillip. The father pointed him out to us. The son said,
" What the devil do you come here for, to ruin me ?" Ile.
said this in a loud tone of A gun was then fired.

Mr. Alderman Gihhe, hahited in sm..-r!Vrock, corduroys:,
and hobnailed high-lows, and to all appearance as un-
likely a subject for masquerading in petticoats as Fat
Jack, in the " Merry Wives of Windsor."
City policeman 322 stated that late on Monday even-
ing he observed a lady perambulating Chath
Blackfriars, and "carrying herself" in such an extra-
ordinary manner as to create in him serious suspicions•
lie accordingly watched her motions, and perceiving
her at last suddenly slip down the bridge-stairs he con-
eluded that she was mad, and was about to seek the cold
water cure fir her complaint in the Thames. Ile ae-
cordingly hurried to the stairs to prevent such a caitas-
trophe, but what was his surprise, on arriving there, to
find that the lady had vanished, and the rustic youth
at the bar substituted in her place. The mys-
tery, however, was soon explained on examining
a basket which the prisoner carried in his hand.
lie had disrobed himself of his feminine apparel on
the sLties, as rapidly as crst Mathews in it 111,111,
102:41e, and in Cie :et-ket w,re fon%l the iden!ic.l gown,
bonnet, aria boa, which had attracted the wit-
ness's notice. in Chatham-place. Oa being asked what
he was about, the prisoner assumed a new character—
namely, that of a deaf and dumb ploughboy—and he
sustainiai it all night at the station-house with imposing
effect, until at last, his articulation returning with his
appetito, he undeceived the inspector and his men, by
demaeding, more audibly than was necessary, " When
the devil they were going to bring hilt)his breakfast ?"
The A LDEB.3I A N asked the prisoner who he was and
that he had to say f'or himself ; but he was again ai
deaf and dumb as a woolpaek, and the Alderman or-
dered him to solitary continem,,nt in the Compter until
he hOl.lll be in the humour once more to recover his
sp,a,ch.
CHA CITABLE DONATIONS.—The ALDERMAN requested
to acknowledge the receipt of a donation of la to the
poor- box, from the Goldsmith's Company ; of a similar
donation from the Grocers' Company, and of 4s. from
another source.

It was fired a little distance. Two or three shots were
fired in succession. A number of men sallied forth ; some
from a field, some from the garden, and others from the
haggard. They were all disguised. There were about 2)
or 25. Lewis and I turned to run away ; they pursued us,
and brought us back. -One of them struck at me. It was a
tall man. He struck at me with a large bludgeon. I warded
the blow off with my arm. He collared me with his left
hand. He demanded the writs. He spoke in English. He
had on a bonnet and a kind of goat's beard. He bad a kind of
handkerchief over his face. They compelled me to go hack.
About six or ten of them compelled me to go hack. When we
got back to Pound there were about 15 round us in the yard.
There were three or four who had guns. I saw Lewis as we
were being taken back. He was bleeding from the head. His
breast was covered with blood. They were all disguised, ex-
cept Philip Phillip and his son. Some had blackmed their
faces, others wore handkerchiefs. I was desired to pull off my
clothes and walk naked back to town. The tall man told use
this. I was then taken back to the house. I was desired to go
on my knees. Philip Phillip was sitting in a chair by the fire.
I went on my knees. The tall man ordered a Pible to be
brought. Before he ordered the Bible he rdered me to burn
my papers, which I did. Philip Phillip said in Welsh, " There
was another paper." I produced it, aad that was burnt. It
was my authority to distrain. The Bible was then produced.
The tall man handed the Bible to my hand. The cover was
loose. He said the words I was to swear, that I would not
come there again to distrain, "So help me God." He told me
to kiss the book, and I did so. At that time there were 18 or
19 round me. The room was crowded. When the tall man
made me swearehe held his stick up in a threa.*ening posi•
Philip Phillip said that John Lewis was willing to go back on
his first request, but the:fault was upon me, as I was a relation
of Mrs. Elinor Evans.
By the COURT—I do not know who the tall man was. I
had no opportunity of identifying him.
The evidence of the last witness was corroborated by John
Lewis, a bailiff, who accompanied him.
On cross-examination by Mr. HALL, the witness stated that
he was not mistaken in the identity of Harries, because the
disguise came loose, and he saw his face and knew it well.
Harries had on a mantle and bonnet, and hankerchief over his
head and face.
James Harries--T remember going to Merthyr one Tuesday
morning. Saw John Evans running from Pound to Carmar-
then. Some people followed him. They were disguised, with
the exception of Philip Phillip, and armed with sticks a' d
guns ; there were from lb to 20. They called out, " Catch
him." John Lewis was in the middle • d them, and was bloody.
They took both Evans and Lewis back to Pound again.
Mr. HALL, for the prisoner Harries. called several witnesses
to prove that he could not possibly have been at Pound at the
time mentioned by the witnesses for the prosecution.
The ATTORNEY. GENERAL replied, and
His LORDSHIP summed up at very great length.
The jury, after deliberating for some time, returned a verdict
of Guilty against Philip Philip and William Phillip, but Ac-
quitted William Harries.— Sentence deferred.

ISO W-STREET.
A well dressed young man, named George Smith, was
charged with stealing a large cigar case, containing a quantity
of cigars, from the counter of Mrs. Anna Maria Lyons, No.
2, Wellington-street, Strand.
It appeared that, at or.e o'clock yesterday morning, F 4
observed the prisoner in Wellington-street, just above the pro-
seentrix's shop, stooping down over a cigar box, from the
compartments of which he was filling his pockets with cigars.
Ile coultinot give a sal i,factory account of h•,w he became pos-
sessed of the box, so he was taken into custody. Upon in-
quiry, it was found that the box had been stolen from the
counter of the i rosecutrix's shop the night before.
The prisoner said he found the box lying in the street.
He was committed for trial.
Mr. Simpson, the landlord of the Albion Tavern, in Little
Rtusell-street, ',las summoned before Mr. Jardine for having
his house open on Sunday night last for the sale of spirits.
Imprctor Logan proved that he went into the house on
Christmas morning at a guar er past one o'clock, and saw several
pt rsons in the defendant's house drinking spirits.
The defendant. said it was impossible to clear his house in
less time than half an hour. The theatres were not over till
twelve o'clock, anti he was placed in great difficulty, as he
could not order them. to go out. He frequently had 150 persons
in his house to supper.
Mr. JAxntNE said it had been proved that spirits were sold
in the house after twelve o'clock at night, and he should, there-
fore, fine the de'endant in the full penalty of Si. and costs.
The money was immediately paid.
Mr. Robot Flagg, landlord of the Red Lion, Houghton-
street, St. Clement Danes, was fined Si. for a similar offence.
The defendant ex,iressed his determination of appealing
against the decision of the Magistrate.
CLERKEN WELL.
John Trebble, lately discharged from the N division of po-
lice, was charged with stealing several publicans' pewter pots.
The charges were fully proved against the prisoner, who
wus fully committed fur ti ial.
By a strange coincidence the policeman whom the prisoner
succeeded, and whose letter and number he bore, was tried and
convicted for a similar larceny.
Charles Alfred Freenv,n, a footman in the employment of
Mr. May, a solicitor, residing at 14, Queen-square, was charged
with attempting to violate the person of Frances Wilde, his fel-
low-servant, and threats ning to, turfed character, was fully est-
rder her.
The case, which was of an agra
tablished, and the prisoner committed.
John Green, alias Boon. was committed for trial, for a bur-
glary at the house of Mr. Jackson, a gentleman, residing in
Charles-street, Clerkenwell.
IJIV lON-HALL.

-------
CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
OLD CO U IIT.
(Before Mr. Justice ERSKINE.)
George fait alias Jeremiah Regan, aged 2i, smith, was
p'aced at the bar, charged with feloniously uttering counterfeit
coin, well kn swing it to have been counterfeit.
Sir. Ellis, Counsel to the Mint, and Mr. Bodkin, conducted
the prosecution.
It aoneared from the evidence that the defendaet, on the
21st of December, went to Covent-garden Market and pur-
chased some holly from a person named James Moore, for which
he gave a shilling. The prisoner said he would come to Moore
next day to buy more, and wen', away. Moore, in the mean-
time, found the shilling to be bad, and when the prisoner called
next day, he gave him a crown-pieee, which he found was bad,
and which he marked with his teeth. The defendant was then
taken to the station-house and was committed for trial.
Mr. Field, an officer from the Mint, proved that the erowx:
and shilling were counterfeit. It appeared that the defendant
was sonvictedon a former occasion for a similar offence com-
mitted in April, 1842.
The Jury found the prisoner guilty, who was sentenced to
ten years' transportation.
John Clinch and Thomas Horne, two Kensington omnibus
drivers, surrendered in Court, to answer a charge of feloniously
killing and slaving William Knott.
Mr. Adolphus prosecuted, and Messrs. Clarkson and Wilkins
appeared for the prisoners respectively.
The circumstances under which the charge was made were
of rather a novel character. The indictment alleged that the
defendants drove furiously and improperly past a certain dray,
of which the deceased was the driver, and that in consequence
of this furious driving the horses in the dray became terrified
and started off, and threw down the deceased, the wheel of the
dray going over him and inflicting injuries, of which he died.
To support this charge several se itnes,es were called, but the
testimony was of a conflicting character. It appeared that
on the 9th November the dray, which was one of Messrs.
Goding and Co.'s, was proceeding along the Kensing.
ton road towards London, the deceased, not being
the regular driver, but having the horses placed
in his charge by the driver, who was riding at the time in the
dray. The prisoners, who were each driving air omnibus,
came up to the dray near Kensington Church, anil both of them
attempted to pass the dray, one on the near, and the other on
the off-side of that vehicle, and, according to the testimony of
some of the witnesses, in consequence of the speed they were
going at, the dray-horses were frightened, and started off, and
the deceased, in attempting to stop them, sas thrown down by
the dray, and received the injury of which he died. The evi-
dence was not by any means clear as to the precise manner in
which the accident occurred ; and the evidence as to the speed
at which the prisoners were driving was very contradictory,
some of the witnesses stating that they were galloping, and
others, that they were going at a very moderate pace; and, so
far as the prisoner Horne was concerned, it appeared pretty
clear that he was not driving fast at the tone the accident
happemed.
The case for the prosecution having closed, Mr. CLARKSON
asked his Lordship whether he thought there was any case to
go to the jury against his client Horde ?
Mr. Justice ERSKINE said the case certainly was very
weak, but still he did not think he ought to withdraw it from
the consideration of the jury.
Mr. CLARKSON then addressed a few observations to thy
jury on behalf of the prisoner for whom he appeared.
Trio DUKE OF BORDEAUX.—On Sunday morn,
Mr. WILEINs took some technical objec,iens to the indict-
ment, but they were overruled by the Court. fng, after attending mass at the Roman Catholic chapel, at
The Learned Counsel addressed the jury for Clinch. e tenehouse, near Plymouth, his Royal Highness the
He called Mr. Commissioner Bullock to speak to his Duke de Bordeaux, travelling under the title of Count
character, and that gentleman said he had known him for se-
de Chambord, embarked in the barge of the Corn-
veral years as coachman to some ladies of his acquaintance, mender -in- Chief, Admiral Sir D. Milne, Bart., and went
and he always bore a very good character. on board the Sylph tender. His Royal Highness then pro-
Mr. Justice ERSKINE having summed up, the jury, after a ceeded to the breakwater, and, after inspecting that great
short deliberation, returned a verdict of Not Guilty. , national woik, returned into the harbour, and went on
The prisoners were ordered to be discharged. , board the Albion, 9i) guns, her gallant captain, N. Locker,
John Caffyn, 59, was indicted for cutting and wounding C. 8., receiving his Royal Highness with years manned. The
Maria Caffyn, with intent to do her grieveu, bodily harm. Dike and party were shown over this splendid vessel, when hi
Mr. Clarkson prosecuted, and Mr. Ballantine defended the
Royal Highness did not fail to express his gratification. On
,
i Monday morning, about half-past ten, the Duke visited the
prisoner. dockyard, and made a general survey of the establishment, all
It appeared that the prisoner had assaulted the prosecutor,
who is his wife, with a poker, but it was clearly shown that he the 0 likels being in attendance at their respective departments
was at the time in a state of insanity. to give every informatinn. All the respect and courtesy usually
shown to fo:eign Noblemen of distinction have been paid by
The jury accordingly acquitted him on that ground, and be
the authorities to the Royal Duke.
was ordered to be detained in custody during her Majesty's
pleasure. FALL OF SNOW IN THE COUNTRY —So deep I.%as
The RECORDER sat in the evening, but the cases disposed of the fall of snow on Tuesday morning in the country, that
were of no public interest. the Dover train, which left Folkestone at seven o'clock,
-------j was fifty-six minutes behind time in reaching Ashford, a dis-
NE IV CO) U;: T. tance of only 15 miles. According to the guard's statement it
( /Vote the CostmoN SERGEANT.) appears that the snow was in some places 18 inches deep on
The Court was occupied during the greater part of the morn- the metal, and completely solid from the severity of the frost.
ing, in disposing of charges of uttering counterfeit coin, of a It was ten minutes to twelve before the train arrived in-London.
trivial nature. Stephen Soper, Emma Stone, .I. Straughan, THUNDER STORM.—The state of the weather re-
and G. ilistasr, were convicted of the offence. The first three cently has been most extraordinary in all parts of the country.
were sentenced' to six, and the last ter nine months' im- In Lancashire and Cheshire it has been very variable—heat,
prisonment. cold, snow, hail, rain almost on alternate days. The typhus
If. Garhe was indicted for stealing from the person of fever, and other diseases, are very prera'ent. On Monday
Sarah h.llingham, on the 19th of December, a cloak, the pro- evening last these counties were visi;ed by a heavy
party of William Allen. thunder storm. accompanied by hail and rain. The flashes of
The robbery was alleged to have taken place near Ilickmens- lightning were terrific, and the thunder shook the houses almost
worth, in Hertfordshire. The prisoner, whilst driving a cart to their foundations. The effect of the lightning was such as
in open day, asked the prosecutrix to ride. She did so, and the to cause a stage-like effect of the burning of blue fire. We
prisoner first attempted to take improper liberties welt her, and have not. heard wh ther any injury had been sustained by
upon her resisting look from her the bundle. ' the shecks.
This being the evidence for the prosecution witnt sots were
E teo, testierno IN FRANCE.—The Semaphore de
called for the prisoner, who gave him an excellent. characti r,
Marseilles announces that a number of distinguished, English
and Counsel in his defence, contended that he most have been
had, in imitation of lord Brougham, purchased estates in the
drunk at the time of committing the offence, otherwise lie
neiehbourlio d of Cannes, in the south of France. General
could never have done what was charged against him. Sir -- Taylor, amongst others, has built a splendid villa near
The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty. the chateau of his Lordship, and Mr. Leader, the Member for
Thrmaas Cunningham was found guilty of stealing a number
Westminster, has bought a fine estate in the immediate vicinity
of fowls, and sentenced to be imprisoned in the [louse of Cur-
of Lord Brougham's residence, where he intends to erect a
rect ion for three months. handsome mansion, of which he gave the 'plan to his architect,
Richard Stacey was charged with stealing one herdkerchief,
with orders to build it with the greatest activity. "It is ins-
value 21., the property et George Franklin Collins, from his
possible," says the Cosrespondent of the Semaphore, ~to
person. The prisoner was found guilty. There had been a
choose a site offering a more delightful view. It will rise on
previous eonvistion, and an attempt was made to re sue him
: the shores of the Mediterranean, amidst orange groves and
when taken into custody for the last offence, by a gang 'of no-
plantations of cassia and palm trees, and rival in splendour the
torious thieves. He was sentenced to be transported for ten
most beautiful villas of Italy, and, in point of comfort and
magnificence, the chateaux of opulent England. Lord
POLICE INTELLIGENCE. I Brough im and Mr. Leader have jointly purchased an extensive
forest of pines, arbutus, and cocoa-trees, full of game of every
(YESTE ii DA Y. ) description, and abounding particularly with foxes. It will
.31.e1.N5/ON-1/0-U SE. serve as the theatre of one of the favourite sports of British
Several omnibus drivers and conductors were summoned for fashion, It appears that the aristocracy of Great Britain now
having loitered on their way through various parts of the City. prefer purchasing chateaux in southern ciuntries to residing in
In one case the defendant was charged with having loitered the furnished hotels of Nice or l'isa, where Sardinian and
before an Ealing omnibus, while another omnibus was follow- Italian habits do not coincide with the exigencies of English
ing for the purpose, as was evident to all, of preventing the comfort. It is a new luxury: which is now being adopted by
Ealing vehicle from obtaining a fair share of passengers. It the rich inhabitants of England. Cannes, a French town, so
was stated that the driver of the omnibus whieh the whets admirebly -siluate, where the rigours of winter are unknown,
were endeavouring to injure, was a well-con fueled respectable where the ceuntry and the sea present such a delightful aspect,
person, who was obedient to the directions of the efficers ap- has had the good fortune to have become the object of that
pointed to superintend the arrangements of the streets. predilection which will increase the prosperity as well as the
Sir GEORGE CARROLL, on inflicting the full penalties upon renown of our town."
this defendant, said that in adjudicating in that manner, he , (..:
...,T. PANCRAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND
carried out tho intentions of the Lot tt Alas, or, particularly as the : GUARDIANS.—INSUFFICIENT DRAINAGE.-011 Tuesday, at
defendant had joined with another in the t mho your to prevent ' the meeting of tire Directors and Guardians of the Poor of St.
the Ealing driver from gaining bread for his family. He also : Pancras, held at the workhouse in the King's-road ; Mr.
stated that upon any occasion in which such su.picions were Wright in the chair, ter. Curtis, one of the medical" officers of
proved, he should take care to act with two-fold severity to the the north division of the parish, waited upon the Board for the
offending parties, and he directed the police to observe the con- purpose of lay ing before them the alarming amount of fever
duct of all persons who engaged in such unfair courses with pe.
prevailing in certain portions of his district, on account of in-
' culler strictness, and to report them punctually. sufficient and improper drainage. He said that in Ferdinand-
The defendant asked what would be the consequence if he street, the want of drainage was. so great, that the water, &c.,
refused to pay? . lay in stagnant pools, from which a most noxious and dangerous
Sir GEORGE CARROLL—One month's imprisonment in .
effluviumarose, and the result was, that there were no less than
Bridewell. thirteen houses in that street alone infected with fever. He
The defendant paid the fine and costs. - had been applied to by some of the inhabitants, and had given
Another omnibus driver was summoned for having, four a certificate as to the dangerous state of the locality through
eifferent times, violated the law by crawling-along Cheapside want of proper drainage, which he understood- was about to
and other streets. be laid before the Poor-law Commissioners. Mr. Church-
The defendant made a great number of excuses, and per- warden Ilovrarth said th it Kentish-!own possessed a local Act
sist.ed in talking, although several times called upon to be silent. and the Commissioners were hound, by Act of Parliament, to
'He was fined. carry out, throughout, the district, a erol er drainage. Mr.
We are requested to acknowledge the receipt of 5/., by 11. e Douglas thought that the meeical officers of the Board having
Lord Mayor, for the Poor-box, signed ~ Ingleter," and I!., the made such a Report, they were in duty bound to call the at ten-
produce of a wager upon the result of the last election for the tion of the Keetish-loon Commissioners to the state of the
Mayoralty of the City of London.
drainaee of hat. district. It was ultimately resets., d that the
GUILDHALL. clerk should forthwith call the attention of the Kentish-town
-MASQUERADING.—A stout y whim fellow, whose wm , Commissioners to the state of drainage in that district. The
it was to be nameless for the present, was introduced to i Board, after some other business,- separated.

rears.

Tuesday the drivers of Ball's Brixton omnibus, and Sprat-
ley's Vauxhall omnibus, were summoned, at the Instance of
the proprietor of the former vehicle, for forious driving, and
endangering the lives of the passengers.
Mr. Balls. addressing the Magistrate, said he brought for-
ward the present charge more with the view of protecting the
public against accidents from furious driv ng than to punish
the drivers for the damage oac of his vehicles had sustained
from the violent collision that had takers place on the occasion.
It vas thou givn in evidence that on Wednesday evening
last the two omnibuses in question net together near
the -Rockingham Arms, at the corner of the New Kent-
road, on their way to the (Iv. The vehicles, which had
been standing adjacent to the above spot, started off toge-
ther, and in their eagerness to see which would first get
through the Newington turnpike, they came up abreast of
each other, and at the moment they we pasting the gate,
a roost vio'ent collision took place, by which, as one of the
witnesses (the toll-collector) described it, it was only astonish-
ing that both iehicles were not smashed. As it was, the driver
of one of the vehicles was thrown off his seat into the road, and
a'so an outside passenger, bitt neither sustained much injury.
The driver of the ether omnibus did not even pull up, or stop
a moment to inquire the ext.mt of the damage c rused by such
reckless ..oniluct, but drove on towards the City.
Mr. TItAILL took great pains in ascertaining which of the
defendants was most blameable on the occasion, but after the
examination of the witnesses on each side he came to the con-
clusion that the conduct of both was equally reprehensible.
The Magistrate added, that he considered it as an instance of
such gross misconduct on the part of the defendants, that it
was a proper case to send to the sessions.
It was however intimated that the driver of Spratley's om-
nibus was to be discharged from his situation, and, as an ap-
peal was made to the Magistrate not to send the case for trial,
he at length consented to impose penalties of 40s. each on the
defendants, adjudging at the same time, the driver of Sprat-
ley's omnibus to pay half the damage sustained by the vehicle.
Two young women, the daughters of labouring men, were
charged with robbing their parents. Both charges were of a
very a 42 ravate.l description.
It appeared that the first girl took an opportunity of break-
ing open her father's box, and taking therefrom two sovereigns.
The moment she took the money she absconded, and joining
some loose characters went to one of the " penny theatres,"
as they are denominated, and staying out all night spent the
whole of the money. She was found in the morning in one
of those dens of infamy in Vine-yard. The other prisoner had
robbed her parents on several occasions, and having spent
the money in the lowest company, was in the habit of return-
ing home with scarcely sufficient clothes to cover her.
The latter prisoner endeavoured to exculpate herself by say-
ing that site was cruelly treated by her step-mather, and that
she could not remain in the house with her.
Mr. COTTINGHAM remanded the prisoners with a view of
saving them from utter destruction, and endeavouring to
obtain their admission into an asylum fur the reformation of
female oilenders.