The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-05 00:00:00

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Tux ANTI-LEAGUE AdtrAlift* *iiiiiiiiit - -of A' e --1 i InJ t I --- JOURNALS,
AND THE CORN-LAWS. FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF SATURDAY.
(From the Times.) GLOBE.—The House of Commons was last night
We have been favoured with a copy of the following important principally occupied with a debate on the outrage upon
utter from Mr. Jones Loyd, in answer to a request that he should decency, and contempt alike of the law, its Judges, and
become a , nember of an Association formed for the purpose of the dignity and duties of his high office. which the
COunteractine the designs of the Anti-Corn.law League. Attorney-General of Ireland showed on Tuesday last.
It will be found well worthy of an attentive perusal. If the conduct of the chief law officer of the Govern-
To J. W. SUTHERLAND, ESQ. ment in that country has provoked universal cou-
pes: 9114—1 beg to acknowledge your circular letter, inviting
Me to Attend a preliminary meeting of the landed proprietors, demnation, the defence set up for him by Sir Robert
Peel—follovred, of course, by the subordinate mem-
oir:am, and others of the . Eastern division of the county of bens of the Government--has
Ad-
Sunny, with the view to the formation of a general " Society for drawn down upon the
ghe Protection of British Agriculture in opposition to the Dais. minisrration, whose servant heis, a similar ex-
ailerons designs of the Anti-Corn-law League ;" and further, re. pression of public disapprobation. The Attor-
questing "that in the event of my being unable to attend I would ney-General for Ireland is a fortunate man. He
oblige the Committee with my views on the subject." escaped committal for contempt of court from the
Having been m meted, by my absence from home, and by the Judges; and he is now kindly screened from dismissal
late period it which your letter reached my bands, from attending from his post by the Premier. The former would have
the meeting in question, I proceed to comply with the latter part consigned any other individual to the prison of the Court
at youz.request. . for contempt ; and have directed the Attorney-General
The prosperity of British agriculture is a cause in which I to prosecute for the high offence, in order that all per-
should gladly enlist myself; it is, I am convinced, indissolably sons might be warned against a similar interference
Connected with the well-being of the community at large; for no with the calm and dignified administration of the jus-
great interest of this empire can suffer alone. The prostration of
Lice of the country. The latter ought to have merged
agriculture must inevitably involve a corresponding depression of
*very other important interest of the country. This consideration,
party considerations in what the public interests impe-
m well as motives of a more immediately personal and selfish ratively demanded at his hands. The offence committed
character, Would lead me cordially to co-operate with you in the forma- was of no ordinary description. To incite to a breach
Mon of the proposed Society, could I bring myself to believe that the of the peace, which may involve the commission of a
agricultural Interest Is at this moment menaced with any real injus. capital felony, is invariably treated by the Court as an
tee, or that the measures by which it is supposed to be protected offence that calls for severe punishment ; , more es-
are really efficient for that purpose, and not inconsistent with the pe,cially when the alleged provocation has refe-
equal justice which is due to other classes of the community. rence to any act which the party challenged
The maintenance of the present corn-laws is usually meant by has performed in connection with his public duty. In
she eXpressit n " protection, to British agriculture," and if this is '
the purpose is which the efforts of the proposed Society are to be the Irish Attorney-Generals case every imaginable
directed, I =tart at once declare that my views on this subject are ingredient heightens the enormity of the offence. The
directly opposed to those of the Meeting which you represent. I challenger is the highest Law-officer of the Crown ;
cannot acquiesce either in-the policy or in the juitice of any at. engaged at the time he pens and transmits the chal-
tempt to protect my own individual interest as a landed proprietor, lenge, in prosecuting a number of parties for conduct
or to uphold the welfare of that class in general, by laws which tending to disturb the peace of the country. The
restrict the **et supply of the food of the people, and which are party challenged is one, of the counsel for these defen-
Intended to emzipel them to purchase in a dearer market the notes- dants. At tl e time he is challenged he is in the midst
series of life, which it is apprehended they might otherwise obtain of his address to the jury in behalf of his client. That
from a cheaper source. To whatever extent the present corn-laws; he may be able to discharge his anxious duty with
by producing that effect, protect British agriculture, it is clear that effect, it .
is requisite that his mind be Doom-
they must do so at the expense of the British consumer, that is—of , , .
ett.rrasseu, 'in order that he may apply himself
the people at•large. I hey .are made to pay more for their food than
with unclouded judgment and fervid zeal to the cause
would 'Otherwise be necessary; and the sum thus taken from them
la roppOised se.go to the benefit of the agriculturist, or, more cola-
he has undertaken to defend. At such a time, in such
rectly speaking, of the landed proprietor. The difference between a'place, under such circumstances, the Attorney-General
the natural Stara et article of general consumption, the supply —taking personal offence at something which the advo-
of whictils eetteeted 'S no legislative restraint, and the higher cate had uttered respecting the mode in which the pro-
price of a &Alai' irticks, the supply of which is restricted by pro. secution had been, conducted—pens, and causes to be
tective lawt, is sr tax imposed upon the whole community ; and the conveyed, a challenge to the Counsel so engaged. He
amount it that differebee either goes into the pockets of the pro- thus necessarily distracts the attention of the gentle-
ducers of tle: protected article, or is altogether lost, being produc-
ergot hew& to no claws. ' As a landed proprietor, I amnaturally man he challenges, and diverts it from the subject-matter
SOritlelle•to protect my own interest by all just means; nevertheless, of his argument, to the obvious injury of the party
li Shrink 'front the resposibility of seeking protection through this whose conviction the Attorney-General has employed
protean. ' Thore seems to me to be injustice involved in it, against all his professional skill and power to secure. The cir-
which protection
els indeed needed, not, however, to the British curnstances of the country, out of which the prosecution
landowner, Let to 'he Britsh people, has arisen, called for the most careful abstinence from
Protective laws,' a proportion as they are effectual for their in- everything which could detract from the cool and im-
tended purpose, me! st necessarily give the character of monopoly partial administration of the law. The Government has
to the protected trs ie; and monopoly, it has been most justly ob-. deemed it .necessary to impress the public mind with a
served, Is the parent of scarcity, of dearness, and of uncertainty, conviction of its determination to put down agitation.
The injury thus mufti', ted by these laws upon the British people as The majesty of the law was to be exhibited—its autho-
consumers scums to It rto admit of no question. But I would sub. Pity was to be upheld. With, or without, sufficient cause,
mit to you, whether, as a preliminary step to any further proceed.
Inv would:
,it Pe,: not be a all for us as landed proprietors to examine the Government had determined to teach this great lesson
carefully Whether these 1-ma, thus at once offeniive and injurious to the Irish people. Intemperate speeches had been
to other ',lasses Ara really productive of the benefit to delivered at the Repeal meetings ; and, as intemperate
our particulsr at tts• which has usually been ascribed to words may incite to intemperate acts, and thus the pub-
them Tilts' r ,••• -mist is a dealer in the produce of the lie peace be broken, O'Connell and his co-defendants
soil ; and flier. s ,: •- lily ct his, as of every other trade, must are indicted, and are put upon their trial for this alleged
be dependent •••-•-- the prosperous condition of his cus- offence. The Attorney-General is instructed to conduct
tomers. The ~ .e mass t f the population constitute the cos- the prosecution ; and, to say nothing more, has stretched
tomers of the • rrisulturist ; and, therefore, whatever improves the his- prerogative to the utmost of its limits—we think
i
general condi' .on of the pro! !e, whatever increases the demand for ,
uevonti them—to carry out the purposes of the Go-
their labour, .nd thereby causes a rise-of their wages, must pro-
vernment. In the exercise of his functions, this
mote in the meet effectual manner the prosperity of the agricultu. . . .
functionary evinces a temper the most irascible, and
list. Our porolmion is annually increasing at a fearfnl rate; if a ., .
corresponding lane. ease of employment be not found, that popula. adopts a conduct the most illiberal, towards the prose-
Lion must tensest -.v become a charge upon our land, and thus cuted parties. Restrained at length by the strictures of
prove ruirfoua so -le( interests as landowners; but if, by the re. the press, he for a time conducts himself with pro-
cnoval of the üb•ar actions which protective laws create, the eaten- fessional decorum. But he has only " nursed his wrath
sion of ou. trade, sn , the 'consequent demand ter labour, be made to keep it warm." At length it explodes. Tho concen-
to keep paste with :he "scream of our population, then the number trated violence of his irascibility is discharged. A three-
and resources last t .ese who constitute the customers of the agri- cornered note is the missile emitted from the volcano.
...unwise will pray. essively increase. The counsel, who has applied the match to the combus-
It is in the ea ‘lsion of the market for our products, and in tible matter pent up within the brain of this irate fu nc-
the improved t 0110 1.1.34 cif those who are our customers, we shall
tionary, is required instantly to apologise for some-
find the best -ec.miti. inr the present well-being, and the only .
thing he has said in his speech, or to "name his friend,"
safe ground of Irv( fu.- the further progress, of agricultural pro-
sperity. In this sr atvior it is, by a system of free competition, and vindicate the Attorney-General's fame and feelings
and equal exemption nt all interests from pernicious interference, by reciprocal perforation with pistol-bullets ! Brought
that • the welfare t, 'i r•-•h class is indissolubly bound up with the under the notice of Parliament, the Prime Minister,
general prosperity ni all. Protective laws necessarily array the if he does not positively justify, so pares down the
different classes op thv community in jealous hostility with each offence as to represent it as a mere accidental ebullition
other; they dimint.:h the general wealth of the country, by inter_ of ill-temper on the part of his Attorney-General—a
rupting the naturr i distribution of its labour and capital; they peccadillo so trifling as to be unworthy of notice. The
tend•to diminish . out profits and wages, thus impoverishing the Attorney-General is a man of warm temperament. He
markets in whio Cie products of agriculture must be sold ; and
the benefit whicl :,,e confer on the protected trade is in all cases is easily excited, and ought therefore to be excused.
apparent rather lan real, securing to it a fitful and transient, not " The Attorney-General for Ireland had, it was true,
a steady and per inanent prosperity. been betrayed, by a momentary irritation, into the act
Prices forestay raised above their natural level by fiscal protec- which the Hon. and Learned gentleman (Mr. Roebuck)
Lions are naltir- lly•fiuctuaring and precarious; they constitute a had referred to, and which could not be justified ; but
very inadequate conmensetion for the real and permanent wealth for this he had been reproved by the Court." Reproved
which we might otherwise find in the improved cultivation of our by the Court ! The reproof was of the gentlest cha-
land, augnienting the supply, whilst the simultaneous increase of ratter. A fond and foolish mother endeavouring to soothe
the population and wealth of the empire extends the demand for, a wayward child could scarcely have expressed herself ,
aid by legitimate mcans•raises the price of, all agricultural produce, more mildly. The Chief Justice really seemed as if
To relieve British agriculture fromthe odium which must ever
he feared he should draw down upon himself the ire of
'leach to the allowance even of injustice; to substitute for the
the Attorney-General, and become the next victim of
debilitating influence of artificial protection that steady and healthy
v.ttour which can &rile enly from free competition and self-depend- his passion for pistols. The whole scene was scarcely
s::Ce ; and to save the landowner from the danger to which he ex- more creditable to the Judges than it was to the At-
VON hiniself, by seeking a delusive protection in measures which, torney-General. The Chief Justice descended from his
by impoverishing his customers, are really undermining the founds. dignified position, and actually suspended the admi-
lion of his own proaptirityl—these are the avowed, and I know no nistration of the high functions of his office, out of
reason for supposing that they are not the real and the only designs tenderness to the delinquent before him. Without
of the Anti-Corn-law League. I cannot concur with you in de- solicitation or a single expression of regret from him,
rignating them as mischievous designs. They seem to me to be he positively coaxed and fondled the offender into
founded in reason ; they would, lam confident, be found to be a qualified admission of error. " His Learned
really protective and beneficial to our interests ; and they are stip-
Friends told him (be never once admitted that he
potted by a weight of argument and authority which, in my judg.
ment, will render all attempts to resist them utterly hopeless. concurred in their view of his conduct) that he had
Under these circumstances I would submit to your calm consi- been betrayed into something wrong !" And then this
titration, whether we shall not better prove our discretion, as well venerable and thus easily propitiated Chief Justice
as our regard for what is justly due to others, by adopting their "trusted that the proceedings would be carried no
views rather than by resisting them. They are calculated to est*. further." Sir R. Peel says that which is scarcely
olish the interests of agriculture upon the sound and durable basis' borne out by the facts, as reported. The Attorney. ,
ot reason, of justice, and of freedom ; and in them alone I believe General did not " withdraw the letter." It was "tossed
that true and effectual protection of our interests is to be found. In back" to him by Mr. Fitzgibbon. The only circum-
the laws, upon which too many of us at present rely, I can place stance by which Sir Robert Peel's assertion can be
co confidence ; what is unjust and baneful to the rest of the corn-
rnunity cannot be permanently beneficial to us. Our present in. explained, being, that the Attorney-General did not
terests are placed by these laws in a precarious, because in an arti-
" toss it back" to Mr. Fitzgibbon, and thus intimate
Arial state ; our native energies are weakened by unnatural his continued determination for " trial by battle" with
protection; and the laws, which we so blindly and so fatally em_ that gentleman. The close of Sir Robert Peel's speech
;mice, by undermining the general prosperity, are endangering en the occasion is decisive in favour of the Attorney-
that which has raised British agriculture to its present condition General's retention of his office, for which he has given
and the permanence of which can alone preserve it from the most such irrefragable proofs of unfitness—especially in the
'vinous :relapse. perturbed state of the country in which he is the first
I have the honour to be, dear Sir, yours faithfully, . law officer of the Crown :—" As to the suggestion of the
S. JONES LOYD. ' *Hon. and Learned Gentleman, he (Sir R. Peel) begged
31F.TRDER OF LOIt'D gOltAtAri BY'S KEEPER.—Another at once to say that the Government had taken no
step for the dismissal of the Attorney-General for
irstance that proves the inefficacy of the present game-T=Blw.
i stied on Tuesday last, the 30th instant, at two a.m., at Mulgrave Ireland, and had no such step in contemplation." This
Castle,
ole,fthmeirgat of the Marquis of Normanby. It seems that the declaration was received bi loud cries of "Hear, hear !"
Iterl rave has been entertaining a party of gentlemen at from every part of the House. We also say, " Hear,
that mansion, and that after shooting on Monday, the keeper, at. hear !" "He that hath an ear, let him hear " the
tended by six watcher*, went to watch the woods, as is customary. practical lesson which the Premier has given to the
But perhaps a better view cif the case may be attained by our country, and especially to the people of Ireland. By
reinter: if we give the evidence taken before' two magistrates who them it will not only be heard, but understood—and,
happened to be staying at the house at the time :—Charles Low- we fear, acted upon in a way by no means likely to im-
ther, thirty-seven, for the wilful murder of William Moffat, keeper prove their civil and social state.
to the Marquis of Normanby; and Matthew Pierson, nineteen, as
STANDARD.—A foolish motion of Mr. Sharman
accessory to the fact. Before T. Bell, Esq., M.P., of Thirsk, and
Edmund Turton, Esq., of Kildale Cleveland, two of her Majesty's Crawford, to the effect that the House should abstain
Jtistices of the Peace for the North Riding of Yorkshire.—William from offering any opinion upon the inviolability of the
Moffat deposed—l am a gamekeeper to Lord Normanby, and pro. union with Ireland, and thus leave the question of the
ceded, as is my custom, to watch, accompanied by six other men. integrity of the empire an open question, gave occasion to
About two o'clock, I heard some shots fired in the direction Mr. Roebuck to allude to the late correspondence between
of South-lodge, and we went thither. After concealing ourselves the Attorney-General for Ireland and Mr. Fitzgibbon,
for some time, the prisoner and another man came up, and I the counsel for one of the traversers, Doctor Gray.
went forward and said to him, " Halloo." He immediately Now,
we do not pretend to know or to guess
stepped back and fired at me, the shot entering my abdomen. the motives which, . urged Mr. Roebuck to dis-
(4t this stage of the evidence the prisoner kept crying out, tin Dish himself from the other 658 Members of the
51 0 Lord accept 'my soul ;" " 0 Christ, save him.") I imme.
(Reidy fell, and cried out, " I am murdered." One of the House to whom the subject was open, by coming for-
watchers then limbed forward, and he knocked him down with ward upon this occasion. Perhaps it was a burnin.e. zeal ,
the butt' end of his gun. Two others then succeeded in captining for the Constitution and the integrity of the British
him. The others escaped. By Mr. Turton—Were You armed empire that has " grown with his growth, and strength-
with guns I.—No, we had only sticks. Did you say anything but ened with his strength ;" perhaps it was an ex-
ee halloo r—No. No words of intimidation P—No ; when I was cessive devotion to the interests of the profession
lying on the bank ho said, "0, forgive me, and shake hands." of the law—such as is apt to grow ' upon men
I laid, " I will, if you Will tell me who was the other man ;" and in the case of a profession in which they are very
he said " Matthew Pierson, of Eskdaleside." This witness gave -, .•
eminently distinguished ; perhaps it was an in-
his evidence in great agony, and lingered on till Tuesday evening,
tense horror of the possible resort to personal
when he died in excruciating pain. Three watchers then substan-
toted this evidence. Matthew Pierson said he would give vo. encounters, such as we may expect to find in a man
luntary evidence :—He was a farmer's servant in Eskdaleside; that who has through life studiously avoided them, and
Charles Lowther had taken him out poaching twice before ; that eschewed all occasions of offering personal offence.
this night they had shot four pheasants when the sad catastrophe We will suppose any good motive rather than imagine
happened. They were both committed to York Castle for their that he was imitating the party journals in an
trial at the Lent Assizes. The murderer is the KM of respectable attempt to obstruct the course of stice by ""abusing
parents, large farmers in Cleveland, but has long been a notoriously the prosecutor." But whatever the Learned Gentleman's
bad character, and has repeatedly been convicted of poaching, and motive, we must think that his zeal carried him a little
was taken up on suspicion when Mrs. Robinson was murdered, too far, in his reprehension' of the Irish Attorney
near here, two years ago. '
Generals conduct—carried him the length of pro-
PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY.—On Thursday the pounding (unconsciously _we are bound to believe)
He of Lords nominated-a Select Committee to " consider certain two fallacies ; first, that the Learned Attorney-General
matters relative to the libritry of the House, and to the papers and
delivered a challenge ; secondly, that he delivered this
documents delivered for their Lordships House," and the Lords
following were named of the Committee—Archbishop of Canter-
challenge (we quote the Morning Chronicle's report).—
bury, Lord Chancellor, Lord President, Lord Privy Seal, Dukes "In the presence of the chief judges of the land, the ad-
of wichMond, Buckingham, and Chandos, and .Sutherland, Lords ministrators of the law, the maintainers of the peace,
Lansdowne, Salisbury, Devon, Wynfprd, Brougham, Denman, there had been one of the most gross—he would use no
Campbell, &c. Their Lordships will meet on Monday. harsher word, for this reason, that the English language
' ST. GEORGE-IN-THE-EAST.—On Friday a meeting did not supply a stronger one for the purpose—one of
anise parishioners of St. George.iu-the-East, was held in the Vestry- the most gross violations of common decency perpetrated
room, Cannon.street-road, for the purpose of making a church-rate. by the Attorney-General. for Ireland, that had ever been
A rattled not before been called for since 1840, and the sum at perpetrated." Now, we deny that the AttorneyeGeneral
present required was about 5301. To meet this a rate of a penny delivered any challenge, although we are aware that
in the pound was proposed, which was carried by a majority of 63 Sir Robert Peel, Lord Eliot, Lord Stanley, Sir James
to 33. A poll, however, was demanded. Graham, and the other speakers who defended the absent
Fneiscif PLAYS.—Her Majesty and Prince Albert, gentleman with a generous fidelity worthy of them, and
attended by Lady Dunmore, Lady "Caroline Cocks, the Marquis of one which we respectfully assure them attaches even
Exeter, Lord Hawarden, Lord George Lennox, and Colonel
their humblest adherents by new ties, seem to have
VVylde i their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam-
bridge, the Baroness Ahlefeldt, Count Kielmansegge, the Duke admitted. challenge.
that the note to Mr. Fitzgibbon was a
and Duchess of Beaufort, the Earl and Countess "Chesterfield, The whole history of the affair will be found in an
dm Baroness Brunnow, Lady Pollington, Lady William Paulet, article which we have borrowed from our excel-
Lady Sinclair, Sir George and Miss Talbot, Lady and Miss Quen. lent Contemporary the Dubl;n Evening Packet, and
de, Lord Alexander Lennox, the Baron Talleyrand, and many whoever reads that history will, we think, agree
Other distinguished personages, honoured the French plays with us that no challenge really was delivered. We do
ASPIC presence on Friday evening. with
Beiertsu AND FOREIGN INsTITUTB.--On Frida not deny that a man of a very high but perverse spirit,
this building, situate irrGeorgeastreet, Hanover.square, was opened
and of more sensibility than discretion, might read the
by a %rand dress soirtc, and it having been announced that his note as a challenge, but we certainly should not inter-
Royal Highness Prince Albert intended to honour it with • his pret such an address to ourselves as a summons to the
presence, the attendance of members and their friends was very field, and we are not willing to yield to Mr. Fitzgibbon ,
sorge. Some time before nine o'clock, the suite of rooms was either in the sense of honour or respectability of station. '
crowded with ladies and gentlemen in full dress, and at a quarter. We sometimes get such notes—we consider calmly the sub-
pest nine o'clock, his Royal Highness, attendedby the Marquis of ject of them—and "if right we smile, if wrong we kiss the
Exeter, arrived, and was received at the entrance by the president rod." It would be a most dangerous doctrine to lay down,
and Council of the Institute, who conducted his Royal Highness that every demand of an explanation though exla-
Zrosigh the rooms, with 'which he appeared to be much pleased, nation, through a friend should be sugg'd in p
i, Must ,
a I
pausing several times, to examine the various works of art which be treated as a cartel, a fatal Gent-criaeste,
that t
would
letters
st
inthewhwic'ohrdp
ofm aevgerryossco.mbiilintatihon
should
deceKated the walls or were scattered through the apartments. H.e
il
complaintfrogross insult
rule
eouof
Mopped nearly an hour, and entered into familiar conversation with
be made.. Let us rather adopt the
ninny of the literary ladies and gentlemen present. A concert took
=luring his Royal. Highness's stay, in
.which Madame Dulcken,
legal interpretation —never to presume a.crimel
and Signora F. Lablache,Bentdict, Goodbau, Ella, and
where there is no expressd
evidence of guilt.
What passed in the min of the Attorney-General
ItAngie had the honour to perform. Amongst the numerous per.
ions present during the evening were the Marquis of Exeter, Lord
mhen he wrote his note, within three-
,minutes
G. Lennox, Chevalier Bunsen, Sir E. Codrington, the Earl of
bevOn, Sir George Staunton, Baron Andlau, Lords Courtney, after some months' baiting with systematic and premedi-
tated insult.been consummated bythat gross per-
had
Radnor, and J. Stuart, Admiral Sykes, Miss Strickland, the Sici-
lia's:and Brazilian Ambassadors, Sir R. and Lady Hunter, Mr. sonal outrage which, as Mr. Wyse has very properly sug-
Pick/mill, R.A., Count Wensieroski, Sir A. 13. Faulkner, Lady rested, was probably put by some of the traversers into
Campbell, &c. &c. •
M
',MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.—On Thursday, the r. Fitzgibbon's brief—what was passing in the Learned
,Attorney-General's mind during this agony of intellectual
lit Instant, at Titehfield, Hants, by the Rev. Wm. Thresher, torment, it is impossible to say. He probably then re-
the lion. lion. Sir EdWard Butler, son of' the Right Hon. Lord fleeted—H an forbearance cannot endure this longer,
Dimboyre, to Urania Elizabeth, daughter of the late Vice-
6ttfairat the Right Hon. Lord lleury,Paulet, K.C.B. if it go en I shall be betrayed into some unbecoming
_ .. .._.