The Sun.
London, England, 1826-10-31 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOUTOTALG.

A Meeting was held at Nottingham on Tuesday
last, and a Petition voted to Parliament for the aboli-
tion of the restrictions on the introduction of foreign
corn. Numerous signatures were immediately affixed
to the Petition. It is difficult to write or to conceive
any thing new upon the Corn Laws. The petitioners
from Nottingham can only express, therefore, in ardent
language, as under the immediate pressure of dis-
tress, resulting in no small degree from tho prohibi-
tion of foreign grain, that which the most disinte-•
rested politician would feel, after the most de?erate
• .
inquiry, on the same sulect. The pekfioners state
the prohibitive system to be suhverlve of the trade
and manufactures—of the mor'!.),s and comforts of the
people : in those allegation'', there is more of philoso-
phic truth than the ato!nors may have been aware of:
individuals may sty:iggle, and sometimes with success-
ful eflbrt, again-A the demoralizing effect of poverty ;
but whatever, sinks the great body of a people into
want, sildf.s them almost simultaneously into vice, and
Bttini9P.ently into barbarism. We trust that, by per-
ttever.ng efforts, our Corn Laws will be placed on that
forting which Nature and Providence intended ; that
' That -which is produced freely in all countries, should,
like the air, be allowed to circulate freely' in all coun-
tries ; and that only those products which Are appro-
priated to particular soils and climates, should be sub-
jected to imposts on their introduction into other
regions where they constitute luxuries.—Tinies.

We wonder what the Prime Minister of England,
who enjoys the lucrative and not very troublesome of of Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports, says to the
disclosures which took place at Bow-street a few days
since, as to the state of the prisons and the magistracy
in that quarter.. We should have supposed that, by
the aid both of a military and naval force—to say no-
thing of the moral influence of the Bible and other re-
ligious Societies, which his Lordship and his col-
league, Lord Bexley, with so much zeal support—.
even the crime of smuggling would have been done
away with on the Kentish coast, and that, at all
events, we should not have to record a savage ran-
matte of armed men under the very nose of the Lord
Warden himself, near Widmer Castle, This, how-
ever, is only one of the natural effems of high taxation,
and shows, we fear, how fittile mid unavailing all at,
tempts are`to put an cud to any traffic to which inor-
dinate profits are attached. But the inadequacy of the
Magistrates and of the prisons to deal with the of-
fences, or to confine the offenders, is quite another
question, and deserves, we should imagine, the ear-
nest attention not only of the Prime Minister himself,
but of the whole Government and Legislature, On
the occasion we allude to, it was broadly stated that
"an officer could reldont get his warrants against
smugglers backed by the Magistrates of the Cinque-
Ports,. and that "the reason he gives is, that the
greater part of the Magistrates, are smugglers them-
selves; and that " there was no gaol on the coast of
Kent where they would be safe ; every one of them,
from one end of the coast to the other, having, in
its turn, been pulled down by men of this descrip-
tion, when any of their comrades were confined in
them ; arid. that " the gaol at Dover, about five
years agO, was broken open at mid-day by the
smugglers, isle) took thirteen of their companions
out in triumph, the Magistrates looking on all the
time." This is a state of society which the public I
at large were probably as little prepared to hear of as
ourselves. It is, in fact, almost revolutionary,..
implying, as far as it goes., an utter la.lbverston of
all, constituted authority. We should, we confess,
in pure simplkity, have imagined, that had the
knoWledge of such a state of things existed but
for a inotnent, the necessary steps would have been
taken to bring to condign punishment, and to
rid the country of such Magistrates, and to put an
end to such a state of things, utterly disgraceful to
a civilized country ; yet, as far as we understand the
matter, this evil continues unredressed up to this hour,
and the different natives of France visiting this country,
as well as our own countrymen visiting France, arc
left to report that our much-boasted laws, and our im-
mense naval and military force, are incapable of prevent-
ing a handful of daring dealers in contraband cognac
and geneva setting the Government at defiance, under
the very walls of one of its garrisoned fortresses. That
the corrupt Magistrates alluded to should not only
•
escape punishment, but continue to possess power, is
still more astonishing. Who appoints or removes
these Cinque Ports Magistrates we have yet to learn ;
but when we hear of the Court of King's Bench being
continually called upon to punish other. Magistrates,
Whose offences are as nothing compared to these, we
are curious to know what power there is behind the
curtain which protects these b"rester delinquents from
the punishment they so highly merit. What earthly
use there is in these Cinque Ports, and their Warden,
ur their Magistrates, we could never imagine. We
think the great Officers of. the State might be better
provided for than by appointments so evidently useless
as this Lord Wardenship appears to be. A more ho-
nourable and respectable man than its present possessor,
in. all probability, never held it ; but to talk of War-
dens and Magistrates, of troops, of sailors, and of
constables, while the law is openly set at defiance, and
the King's gaols broken open and torn down by a law-
less banditti, in a state of society which 'cannot, and
ought not, to be tolerated, and which it is high time,
if there is any thing like lawful power and authority in
the country, were immediately put an end to. We
Will only add, that Cinque Port and Borough justices
are part of the blessed effects of the Cinque Port and
borough system. Surely these things are rotten
enough in other respects, without the Magistracy be-
ing polluted by this kind of contagion. What a mi-
serable spectacle it is to see sonic low, vulgar cheese-
monger or grocer, because he becomes the Mayor or
BMW- Of some corrupt, time.serving Corporation,
armed with powers to deal with the lives and liberties
of the King a subjects! Surely it is enough that
those places should make legislators by wholeside,
without entailing , upon the country .the additional
curse of seeing
the laws violated, or openly set at defi-
ance, by persons who are every waywbolly unfit to he
intrusted with the execution of thein.Moening
Herald.

To out utter amazement, we observe, that Mr.
Hume attended,
yesterday, a General Meeting of the
Subscribers of the London University, held at me
Crown arid Anchor Tavern, in the Strand. we say
to our utter amazement ; for we could not have aup.
posed that even Mr. Hume, with all his " nerve," as
the Morning Chronicle calls it, had so much
intrepidily, as to remain silent under such charges as
have been preferred against him, respecting the Greek
Loan, being in the metropolis, and, therefore, no
stranger to their existence. 'We concluded, as a mat-
ter of course, that he was sojourning in the northern-
most part of Scotland, and so made fair allowances
for the time that would be requisite ere he could know
how slanderously his fair, name had been assailed.

But; ,bere be is in tohaoh, siva not a Word !
Does he think becan set public 'opinion at defiance-,
he, who is the creature of that opinion—he, who
owes all the little popidatity that clin_gs to him, to
that source, and to that alone? Mr. Hume is a tthi-
dern patribt--it persevering Reformer, of what he
considers abuses in the Stat‘t;,-an unsparing censor
of the supposed delltiijoencies of others. It is im-
possible he eltki be guilty of the:paltry conduct ini4
puted him. With all his love for ponnas, shil-
-1-I.P.gs, and pence, where the interests of the people are
concerned, we do tibt, we cannot, believe that, in.
his private dealings, he Would compromise his
character in the way that has been represented. It
must be a calumny ; a gross and most injurious ca-
lumny. We know there is sometimes a sort of lofty
pride, born of conscious innocence, which disdains to
repel a degrading accusation. Mr. flume, we doubt
not, feels this ; but he should remember, that a public
Man cannot defy the public. Meanness, avarice, a
sordid lust of gain, and the base sacrifice of a cause
which he professes to serve, are east in his teeth ; of
course, he can disprove it all, and spew that, when he
spoke of his-principles, he was not thinking of his
pocket. We call upon him to do so. It is not be-
batise we, who know his character, are Satisfied as to
the purity of his conduct, or that others, like ourselves,
estimate him rightly, that he shonld wrap himself up
in the silent consciousness of his own integrity.—
Them are those, as he must know, who will gladly be-
lieve the fOul calumny ; and it will stagger even our
confidence in him, it we find he shrinks from that
vindication which it must be in his power to give.—
As to Mr. Bowling, what shall we say of him ?
With the full knowledge of the, several transactions
which have come tet light lurking in his mind, he had
the effrontery, most recently, to make himself the in-
vestigator of the misdeeds of 'others, and to insult the
Livery of London, in the capacity of " a young mer-
chant,'' by presenting him Self before them in order to
traduce men, who (thanks be to Heaven !) cannot
conceive the sort of understanding, and the sort of low
cunning, which he accounts cleverness and wisdom,—
New Times.

CARLOW QUARTER SESSIONS.

THE GAME LAWS.

The following case appeared to excite a stronk interest, being a
prosecution under the Game Laws.

John Watson, of Ballydarton, Esq. was examined and stated
that he recollected Thursday the sth October, wlsen he. saw Syl-
vester Shaughnessy, in the fields near Garryhill ; he, Shaughnessy,
had two dogs with him; they were beating about; one of them
appeared to be a pointer, the other a spaniel ; he had also a gun
and shot pouch ; there was another man with him who also had
a gun ; they were in a bOg and beating about among rushes ; can-
not say,that it was a rabbit burrow ; and thinks they were in
pursuit of game.

- Mr. 1114fatION,—I ask you, Sir, Ms either of thorn a spaniel?
Mr. WaTsorr.—One of them appeared to be a spaniel—a
setting
Q.—l may appear to'be a setting dog.—(Laughter.)-Ll'll make
a dead set at you—(Laughter)—and perhaps catch the whole
covey before you get offthetable.—(Laughter.)--I again ask you,
Sir, to state what colour they were, and whether yon will swear
that they were spaniels or pointers ? A.—One of them was red
and the other white—they bad all the appearance of a pointer
and spaniel.

Q.—Perhaps, Sir, as you can only speak to appearances, you'd
be kind enough to state how many legs they appeared to have.
—Great laughter.—lam surprised, Sir, to see such a want of de-
termination in you—one of the greatest sportsmen in the county
-.-. but perhaps you were poaching yourself--.(Continued laughter.)
I again ask you, Sir, will you undertake to swear positively that
they were sporting dogs and in the pursuit of game ? You era
prosecuting under a Penal statute, and it is my duty to see that
my client be not convicted by illegal evidence.
Mr. WaTatat,—They were ranging iihs spaniels.
The BARIVISTVO, stated to Mr. Watson that Mr. Armatum was
perfectly right in his last observation—the statute being a Penal
one, the evidence to establish a conviction, must be positive.
BARIMT, (for the prosecution) to 14/.. Watson—To the
best of your recollection, Sir—

Mr. M'MAnow, to Mr. Barret, quite in a passion at the in-
terruption—" You had better hold your prate."—(lmmense
laughter.) To Mr. Watson-.. 1 again ask you, Sir, will you take
upon you to swear they were sporting doge, kept for the destruc-
tion, and then in the pursuit of game? Or, Sir, will you swear
positively, that one of them was Jug Miss Dillon's lap-dog—
(laughter)—.or,
" That in that town, a dot was found,
As many dogs there he,
Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound,
And curs of low degree ?',
Mr. WaTsow—No answer.
Q. Did you prosecute Redmond for the same offence ?
A. Yes.

Mr. Banarr contended, that as the indictment against Red-
mond was not before the Court, Mr. M'Mahon had no right
to go into both indictments.

Air. lki'MAttort insisted on his right, m the informstion in-
cluded Redmond.

The BA RAMER thought there was not sufficient information
to warrant a conviction. He would, however, put the question
in the spirit of the Act of Parliament. Pray, Mr. Watson, from
what you saw, can you make up your mind to say positively that
the dogs were fit for the destruction of game ?

Mr. Warsoti—l ran. I have no doubt but they were then
used for the finding of game.
'Mr. Banarr--I ani certain that those dogs were never used
when shooting rabbits ?

Mr. M'Manox—(guite in a rage)—to Mr. Barret--Why,
what do you know about shooting ? Sure you never could be a
sportsman—you'd frighten half the game in the parish—(im:nem
laughter)—but I was, and kept some of the best dogs of the
day—(turning to some person near him)-.-did I not?—(Conti-
nued laughing).—Your worship, I'll now break new ground, and
contend that the information is bad, as it duos not specify where
the offence was committed—and, should I fail in that, l'll con-
clude that the present Bench is incompetent to try the question
at all.

Colonel Rocurorr said that be apprehended that Gentlemen
were wasting much of the public time.
Mr. BA RANT prayed a conviction—penalty 201.
Mr. AIWA fibs appealed.— Carlow Post.

DESTRUCTION OF WORMS AND SLUGS' &e.—
In compliance with the request ofiVir. M'Dougal,we ac-
compamed him during the forenoon of Tuesday last, to a
grass plot in Clyde-street, and there had an opportunity
of witnessing his complete success. The plot of ground
which Mr. M‘Dougal selected for showing his expe-
riment, was full of holes, and little grass was growing
upon it, in consequence of the destructive vermin
with which it was infested. Mr. M'Dougal, in the
first place, brought:an incredible number of worms to.
the surface, almost immediately after the ground was
watered with his solution, and then poured upon them
a stronger solution, which killed them
shortly after.--
He thus showed distinctly the efficacy of his solution
in destroying the worms. He next poured the stron-
ger solution on another piece of ground which
stroyed the worms in the ground without bringing
them out of their holes. We have no hesitation in
recommending Mr. Nl'Dougal's recipe as the most
eflicacious means of destroying thisspecies of vermin.
/3owling greens may thus be rendered, and continue
after they are rolled, as smooth as a carpet. The
mower will not have to sharpen his scythe so often as
he
at present due,, and will be able , to perform his
wOrk in a shorter time. Flower pots and nursery
grounds may be ti
i
trouble ins rid very speedily, with little
and at little
m ii
expense, of tins most vexatious
and destructive ver
so-
lution' used does not We understand that the
and that this has been estroy
the moat tender plants
mostGarden.....Gial satisfactorily proved in our
Botanic bout Courier.

LAW INTELLIGENCt.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, Aliztraims-m, OCT. SO.

WILLIAMS V. TOMLINSON AND OTHERS.

This was an action accruing out of One of the late joint-
stuck speculations.
The plaintiff's statement was, that Messrs. Tomlinson,
Bennett, and, Cooper, attornies, of Copthall-court, had, in
the last year, projected a company for the cultivation of
flax in Ireland. To advertise this company, and forward
'its views, they employed him (tlie plaintiff), who was
also an attorney in Dublin. Eventually, the " Hibernian
Hemp and Flax Company," like many other speculations,
was found to be-a losing concern to the shareholders, and
dissolved; hut the plaintiff's bill and expences, amounting
to 4001., the defendants resisted, and denied their lia-
bility for.
The LORD CHIEF. JUSTICE strong recommended an ad-
justment. It was eventually agreed to submit both the
questions, amount and liability, to a gentleman at the bar.