The Sun.
London, England, 1828-03-04 00:00:00

VICE CHANCELLOR'S COURT.

RICRARTE DEGVII.LE AND ANOTHER. IN RE ERERS.
This was a petition of two of the bankrupt's creditors,
praying that his certificate might be stayed on the ground of
his having knowingly and wilfully concealed from his credi-
tors his interest in a certain debenture. The petition, after
detailing several circumstances respecting the cause of Wa-
ters v. Taylor, set forth that Mr. Daniel Giles, of the Albany,
held an Opera-house debenture for 7001., and that he be-
ing desirous to recover the amount due on it, entered into
a written agreement with Mr. Ebers, who was then the
Lessee of the King's Theatre, to the effect that Mr. Ebers was
to have for his own use half the amount of the suns which
he s!iould succeed in recovering on the debenture. Mr.
Giles immediately handed over the debenture to him, and a
claim in respect of it was carried in before the Master
by Mr. Robinson, the bankrupt's solicitor. Whilst this
claim was pending, the bankrupt passed his last examine-
' tion, and upon being asked whether he had any claim
upon the Opera-house in respect of a debenture of Mr.
Giles, he positively declared that he had no interest whatever
in it, that he was merely employed to recover it upon a pro-
mise of being remunerated for his trouble, if he should
succeed, but that having failed in getting the amount Sro
Mr. Giles, he considered that he had now no interest
whatever in the debenture. This explanation being
quite satisfactory to the Commissioners, the bankrupt
was declared to be entitled to his certificate, and the con-
sent of the necessary number of his creditors was also pro-
mised. The petition went on to state, that since that
period the true nature of the agreement between Mr. Giles
and the bankrupt was discovered it was ascertained that
there remained due on the debenture 300!., which might
easily be recovered at the expence of about 30/., and that.
the bankrupt had therefore a clear subsisting interest
in the debenture to the amount of 1201. The affi-
davit made by Mr. Ebers in answer to this charge,
admitted his having got, whilst lessee of the Opera-house,
the debenture from Mr. Giles, and also that he was pro-
mised one half of what should be recovered on it;
but lie solemnly declared that he had forgot in
the interval between that and his examination, the exact
words of the agreement ; and that not knowing the na-
ture or value of the debenture, he took it to his own
solicitor, Mr. Robinson, who informed him that it
was not worth any thing, or at all events that nothing
was likely to be recovered on it during his (Mr. Eber's)
life-time. In consequence of this assurance, Mr. Ebers
stated, that he took no further trouble about the
debenture until questioned respecting it before the
Commissioners where he referred the parties to
Mr. Giles for further information on the sub-
ject. In conclusion, he positively swore that he never
considered that he had any interest in the debenture, or in
any part of it, and that if he had the slightest idea that he
had any right to it, he would not have concealed the cir-
cumstance from his creditors. In proof of this he referred
the Court to his examination before the Commissioners, in
which he fully and fairly stated to them the nature of the
transaction between him and Mr. Giles.

The affidavit of Mr. Ebert; was corroborated by the of
fidavits of Messrs Robinson and M'Cleary.
Mr, SUGDEN and Mr. MONTAGUE were heard in sup.
port of the petition, and

Mr. WALEFIELD appeared for the bankrupt.
The VICE-CIIANCELLOX was of opinion that Mr. Ebers
had stated upon his examination, what he really considered
to be the nature of his interest in the debenture, and there-
fore dismissed the petition with costs.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, GumnuALL•
(Before Lord TENTERDEIC and a Special Jury.)

BRADLEY' V. WATERHOUSE AND BRIGGS.

This was an action brought to recover the value of six
pounds of tea, anti 200 sovereigns, sent by the Defiance
coach, of which the defendants were proprietors.
It appeared from the statement of the SOLICITOR-GENE-
RAL, that on the Sth of July, the parcel in question
was sent by David Bradley by the Defiance coach to
his father, the plaintiff, who resides at Ashbourn, and
that it was stolen from the coach in the stable-yard
at Leicester, by a porter in the employment of Briggs,
and who assisted in the stable-yard. This porter,
whose, name was Massiline, absconded with the contents
of the parcel, but was afterwards apprehended, and on the
evidence of another porter, who was concerned in the fe-
lony, was found guilty, and sentenced to be transported.
The evidence called fully confirmed the statement of the
Solicitor-General.

Sir Jamrs SCARLETT addressed the Jury for the de-
fendants, and contended that they were not responsible for
the loss after the publication of the notice, which stated
that the proprietors would not be accountable for any
parcels sent by their coaches over the value of M.,
nor for money sent under any circumstances. It had
been laid down, indeed, that this notice did not
save the proprietors in cases of gross negligence on the
part of themselves or their servants. But in this case
there was no proof of negligence on the part of any per-
son but the plaintiff, who led the defendant's servants into
temptation, and when one of them acted dishonestly the
defendants could only do as they had done, namely, pro-
secute the offender.

Lord TENTERDEN left it to the Jury, whether it was a
case of gross negligence against the defendants or not.—
Verdict for the defendants.

THE BRUNSWICK THEATRE.

This morning the workmen were still removing the
rubbish. Some of them, however, refused to work under
the South wall, which is still standing. This wall is
about 70 feet high, and 2 feet• 6 inches thick, and as it
stands unsupported, bears a very dangerous appearance.—
Directions were then given to pull it down, and some
strong ropes were provided for that purpose. They were
fastened to the highest corner, and about 100 men pulled
with all their strength, but they could not accomplish it,
being onlyable to sway it backwards and forwards in a fright-
ful mariner, till the corner of it came off with the rope.
A scaffold had been erected outside of it, and several
of the boards were'detaclied by the wall swinging against
it. The firmness of this wall astonished every one ; it
was ultimately determined to work it down, and in a few
minutes 20 Irishmen were on its top, working with pick-
axes, &c. A young man, named Moss, a Jew, was passing,
and spoke to the unfortunate Joseph Levy, a minute before
the accident. Levy told him pettishly not to bother him while
he was reading the bill. Moss, contrary to his usual habit,
did not stop to talk further with him, and was in conse-
quence but just removed from the spot when poor Levy
was buried. The latter had only been six months mar-
ried, and has left a pregnant widow in distressed cir-
cumstances. No more bodies have been found.

MEETING AT DRURY-LANE,
FOR THE RELIEF OP THE SUFFERERS AT THE ISE

BRUNSWICK THEATRE.

At a few minutes after two o'clozk, a highly respectable
Meeting, composed of the Proprietors, Performers,".&c. of
Drury-lane, and some other Gentlemen, was held in the
Saloon of the Theatre, for the purpose of adopting
the best measures for the relief of those who suffered by
the late deplorable catastrophe in Well-close-square.
Mr. CALcu.arr was voted into the Chair, and addressed
the meeting. He thanked them for the honour,
and after apologizing for his deficiency in filling the Chair,
in consequence of a severe cold, he expressed, his readiness
to undertake the discharge of the duty which they had
at heart; namely, to do what each could, in their
different ways, for the relief of those unfortunate indivi-
duals who had suffered from the late melancholy accident.
In consequence of having been apprised of the nature
of the event, he deemed it unnecessary to describe
it, or to excite the sympathy of those present by any thing
he might be able to relate. He held in his hand an account
of eleven persons who had lost their lives, and of ten
others who had been severely injured;of whom many could
not, in all probability, survive. What be should propose
was, the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the
cases of suffering, both as to the families of those '
who had unfortunately lost their lives, and into
the state of the injuries and families of those who
still survived. He considered it highly to the credit of
Mr. Price, that immediately on hearing the catastrophe
came forward and offered that which he thought most
likely to alleviate the sufferings of the distressed. The
Committee of the present Meeting would act in con-
junction with the Committee of the Meeting in the City,
and with all who sympathized with the condition of those
who had suffered. Perhaps it would coins better from
some other gentleman to name the Committee and Treasurer
than from the Chair ; but should
,it meet the approbation
of those present he had a list of names before bins of indi-
viduals whom he thought well qualified for the office.
No one present rising to suggest any thing more likely
to further the objects of the Meeting, the Chairman read
over the following list :
__

Mr. Braham Mr. Linley
Mr. Robins Mr. Wallack
Mr. Church Mr. Cooper
Mr. Durant I Mr. Harley
Mr. Price Mr. Dunn.
Messrs. Price and Dunn were appointed Treasurers.
Mr. PRICE said it was his intention to have proposed
a benefit at this theatre, for the sufferers, and that that be-
nefit should have been free of all expenco; but he had the
satisfaction of being able now to state, that the ladies
and gentlemen conmected with this theatre (and which he
considered a better plan) had proffered the gift of a night's
salary, He therefore at present proposed that a paper be
sent round to give the gentlemen present an opportunity of
fixing their names to it, with the sums they felt
disposed to contribute to the sufferers. The Committee
would act in conjunction with that at Covent-garden and
also the City.

Mr. DURANT entered into a short description of the
sufferings experienced by some of those persons in the
Hospital, which he gave with great feeling ; and said that
the Lord Mayor had authorised him to say that he would
himself, if nominated, feel happy to act as one of the
Committee.

Mr. MAruEws said that a Meeting of the Covent Gar-
den Theatrical Fund was held yesterday, at which it was
proposed to apportion a sum from that Fund, but he
resisted such an application of the funds as being con-
trary to the purpose for which they were collected. If they
wished to be liberal, they should be so out of their own
pockets, and not out of a fund which was purely theatrical.
The meeting after that at once came forward and volun-
teered a night's salary fur the relief of the sufferers. He
wishes' also to state that a meeting would be held to-
morrocv at the Freemasons' Tavern of the Covent-garden
Ladies and Gentlemen, for the same purpose as they
were then met upon, and he hoped that those who might
have been unable to attend the meeting of to-day, would be
informed by their friends that an opportunity to attend a
similar meeting would occur again to-morrow.
Mr. HARLEY stated that it was originally the intention
of the persons connected with the Drury Lane Theatrical
Fund. to appropriate part of it to the relief of
the sufferers; but it was discovered that the Act
of Parliament tied up that fund ; and that it could only
be applied to the purposes for which it had originally been
established.

After some further conversation, the subscription paper
was handed round, anti several gentlemen very liberally
subscribed.

THE MARKETS.-(THIS DAY )

HAY MARKETS.-(At
ST. JA

Lowland Mead. Hay 3 sto t 5
Upland Ditto 4 0 5 0
Rye-grass Hay 4 0 5 0
New Meadow Hay 315 410
Supply moderately good, trade
last quoted.

per Load of 36 Trusses.)
MESS.

.E. s. A.
Clover Way 4 oto 5 15
Oat straw
Wheat Ditto ll6 2 0

SMITH

somewhat brisk, and prices as

[FIELD.

X. a._ X. s.
Lowland Mead. Hay 3 5 to 4 0
Upland Ditto 4 0 b 0
Rye-grass Hay 4 0 5 0
New Meadow Hay 3 15 4 5
A good supply, and a dull

s. .E. s,
Cloy. Hay generally 4 10 to 5 15
Do. extra fine 0 0 if 0
Oat Straw llO 112
Wheat Ditto ll2 11G
trade, at Saturday's prices.

FISH-MARKET, BILLINGSGATE.

There was a tolerable supply of fish in the market this
morning, and mostly of excellent quality ; the sale was
somewhat tardy, at the folowing prices:--
Prime Turbot, each 9os. Od. to 2:is. Od.
Ditto small, per do.
Salmon, per lb.
Fine Cod-fish, each
Inferior ditto
Fine Whitings, per 15 9 6 7 6
Scate, each
Brill, each
Fine Soles, per three pairs I 6 7 6
Gurnetts, each
Live Flounders, per qimrtern
Live Eels, per 51b.
Fine Lobsters, per score 45 0 50 0
Inferior ditto
Shrimps, per gallon
Fine Yarmouth Red Herrings, per hurvired 0 0 7 0
Scotch ditto 0 0 6 0
3laekrrel, per 100 XS 0 -£8 0

THE SPIRIT or THE PLT2LIC JOURNAL s'

In spite of the despondency produced by a
long experience, which has taught us the mon-
strous humbug of Committees professing
times past to be instruments of reform, rye begie
to have some glimmering of hope, that the pro.-
sent Finance Committee will proceed vigorously
in its detection of frauds and abuses, screened
by the letter of the law, but in plain violation of
its spirit, and in contempt of the most obvious
design and intention of the Legislature. There
certainly never existed a period when the acts of
public bodies, and the characters of the indivi
duals composing them, were looked 41 with
such keen and scrutinizing distrust as they now
are by the people,—the whole people, the wort::
ing classes included, throughout the United
Kingdom. There never was so formidable 1.1.1
array of vigilance, mixed with eager and feverish
impatience, holding itself in observation of the
movements of public men, and ready to pounce on
the first delinquent. The state of cur finances is
awful,—that is the simple truth,—and the nation
feels it. The expenditure is swollen with dis-
ease ; from every spot we tread upon there
spouts forth evidence of corruption. If the
people are aware of this, so are the Members
of the Finance Committee. They, one and.
all, must know, that eyes are fixed on
them w hich never tire—which no illusion
can lull, no evasion baffle—which nothing
short of plain fair dealing will satisfy. It is
much, though no doubt unreasonably, repined at
by some of our correspondents, that under cover
of the superannuation Juggle, clever men should
be sent, against their wills, to idle at the public
expenee, and a set of raw personages stuck into
their places, not merely at the cost of unneces-
sary salaries, but at the incalculable mischief to
the public ofan increase of numbers growing out
of their positive unfitness fur office, and a cone-
plicatiomi and confusion of account, produced by
the double influence of ignorance and numbers
in the officers, and requiring a still further aug-
mentation of an already overloaded establishment,
to attempt the remedy of these self-accumulated
vices. If we turn, again, to the opposite region
of the metropolis, and visit the superannuations
of the Custom-house, there are correspondents
not unwilling, nor apparently unable, to direct
our search. We have received sonic curious
hints upon this branch of investigation in a letter
signed " Inquire ;" but we take this opportunity
of stating, that all letters containing statements
of facts, or notices of persons, must be authen-
ticated before we can use them.— Times.
Theilieeport of the Committee on the Teat

and Corporation Acts is to be brought up to-
night. 'We arc so extremely anxious that this
important question should be discussed with
temper, that we shall abstain from rutting for-
ward any topic which may be calculated to ex-
cite party or political heat. The importance of
the question was shown by the zeal evinced in
bringing members to town. Something little
short of force was in several cases applied. Wc
have heard of one gentleman who bad travelled
150 miles in the course of the day, and before
midnight. He voted against the repeal. Others
that had been called upon, or sent for, by Minis-
ters, to oppose the new measure, supported it.—
Indeed, Mr. Peel, in the second debate on the
subject, acknowledged that the majority com-
prised men of nil parties, and that it was on that
account the more imposing. How readily can
men in power find obsequious imitators, even in
their most indiscreet freaks ! Mr. Peel was
thought by those around him to have retired in
pique from the debate on Thursday night, be-
cause he was defeated. Instantly is his indigna-
tion communicated to nine-five of his adherents,
who seem to understand his will, and they follor-
him out of the House. This is the meanest act
that we ever recollect to have known, as occur-
ring within the walls of Parliament. Mr. Peel,
however, returned before the debate closed, and
resumed his place, vowing that it was hunger,
and not anger, which had put him to flight,—
His followers gave ne account of the causo of
their movement. Perhaps it was hunger also,
that operated upon them,—hunger in prospect.
though not in sufferance, if they should offend
their betters. The House, however, did not.
seem to give implicit credit to the assurance the.
the Right Hon. Gentleman had not been in a
pet. However, a fault rectified is something to
be approved of: a fault rectified, and even dis-
owned, indicates a higher degree of penitence,
though perhaps united to a slight violation of a
certain other duty.—lbid.

oThe b r
por
at
iaot e forn
Aetthe
Acts,
Irh
which
Repealay, be said
stal f
de
to ebset
onrd,
as good as over in the House of Commons, has
to be yet fought in the House of Lords, and.
last night Lord Redesdale stepped forward as
Leader of tile Intolerauts in that House. " The
Noble Lord (Clifden)," said his Lordship,
" mistook the principle of the Test Act, which
was a political one, and to this cffeet----that
whatever was established in any country must b®
supported ; and it could not be supported, un-
less the power and interest of the country were
engaged to support it. This was a general prin-
ciple." There is not a little of his Lordship's
usual confusion of ideas here. If' whatever is
established in any country must be supported,
how comes it that the history of the world, from
the beginning to this day, is a history of incessant
changes ? But having told us that what it
established must be supported, he tells us next,
that it can only be supported if power and inte-
rest are enlisted on its side. Then it is because
power and interest are enlisted on the side of
the Church, that it is supported, and not because
it is established. From this we are to infer, that.
the Church will be supported as long as power.
and interest arc enlisted on its side, and no
longer. But then collies the question, whether
the Test gives the Church its power and interest.
If itd d
But the fact is, that the Test is perms
fectly inoperative, and can give no additional i
-
power to the Establishment, though it may pro-
duce much II will.
If power, which goes with
I)eoe?s, thenßu 3 why is the law
Permanently sus-
pended
property, were against the Church, all the oath,:
be unavailing; but the Test
to'onuolrdiminishes the property which
up
Church. Whatever other advan-
tsinla'egiettpihsioee'rrisvaod trcishlle
may '"d
possess over our forefathers of the
times of the Commonwealth, it will hardly be
contended that we possess the advantage of' being
more religious. In fact, that was the religious
age of England ; so religious an age indeed,
that the people, from being overdosed with reli-
gion, became at last sick of the very name of
piety, and rushed into the extremes of profligacy.
What, then, was the effect of the Tests proposed
in that religious age ? Let us hear Richard Bax•
ter in his Life and Times. " The King being
‘vaCromwell takes on
Commonwealth (but all in order
tot
the toecbe
ufor
o
the good people), till he had
removed
impediments which were yet
thliiu m s takens
thei otrti at
other o
ff tl e
to be removed ; so that the Rump presently

up a form of engagement, to be put upon all
men, viz. Ido promise to be true and faithful
'to the Coninionwealth as it is now established,
without a King or House of Lords.' So we
znust take the Rump for an established Com-
,monwealth, and promise fidelity to them. This
the Sectariart party swallowed easily, and so did
•the Kings old Cavaliers, so far- as I was ac-
quainted with them, or could hear of them (not
heartily, no doubt), but they were very few of
them sick of the disease called tenderness of eon-
. . Without this engage-

nence.

silent, no man must have the benefit of suing
:mother at law, nor must they have any Master-
in the Universities, nor travel above so
many miles from their houses, and more such
penalties which I remember not
Some Episcopal Divines, that were not. so scru-
pulous, it seems, as we, did write for it (private
manuscripts, which I have seen), and plead the
irresistibility of the imposers, and they found
starting-holes in the terms, viz. that by the
Commonwealth they wilt mean the present Com-
monwealth in genre, and by Established they
will meamonly ale
,facSo and not de jure, and
by,tvithout a king, ti-c. they mean not quatenza
de ficto pro kinporc ;
but ; and that only
I will be true to the Government of Eng-
though at the present the King and the
House of Lords are put out of the exercise of
their power. These were the expositions of
many episcopal men and others that took it."
Such is the reliance which is to be placed on
'oaths, when men have an interest in breaking
them. The Church rests on a very different
-foundation from that of the forced oaths of Dis-
senters. A man takes the Test either because
he is sincerely attached to the Church or iscnot
attached. • If he is sincerely attached the oath is
superfluous ; if he is not attached, the insincere
profession will not add to his attachment. But
the Church is supported, because a greater num-
her of the people of England ressive its doc-
trines than the number of any other ceet, and
because the property of the Chu is enjoyed
by the Aristocracy of the country ; so that the
landholders of the country, in whom all power
is- centred, have the strongest interest in its sup-
port. The Test furnishes no inducement to
thew landholders to support the Church ; if they
had an interest in destroying it, the Test would
net prevent their doing so. " The Established
Church (quoth this sapient Senator) was iu pos-
session of a very handsome property, and it was
to gs:ard against the overthrow of this Church,
by keeping political power from getting into the
hands of those who differed from it, that the
Test Act was passed. As long as h© sat in that
House he would support this Act, because he
thought it was necessary to the seculity of the
Established Church. Henry the Eighth was
able to overthrow the Established Church of his
day, and to confiscate the property of the Mo-
nasteries, because he possessed political power
superior to his Parliament. He was himself a
good Catholic, but, notwithstanding this, hav-
ing the power, he despoiled the Church."
And what test would his Lordship have
had recourse to, in order to prevent this good
Catholic Sovereign from despoiling the Monas-
teries ? Some such test, we suppose, as that
which would prevent those who possess political
power at present from despoiling the people. He
would be a cunning man who could invent a test
for keeping the hands of Parliament out of the
pockets of the people. That would be a test.
But the test is to prevent the people from getting
political power, it seems. There needs no test
for that but keeping them poor, and keeping
them down. If those who are hostile to the
Church should become the most numerous and
wealthy, they might succeed in destroying the
Church ; but not otherwise. It is the Law
which connects the Establishment with the pro-
perty of the country, then, which gives to that
Establishment its strength, and not Tests. We
know, in fact, that as soon as a Dissenter becomes
'sufficiently rich to purchase land, he goes over
to the Establishment. As the late Lord
Mayor of London shrewdly observed, to be
a Dissenter is of great use to a man in the
way of making money; but when he has made
it, the advantage lies the other way ; and we
are sure Alderman Brown is too prudent a man
to advise any gentleman who possesses the
sight of disposing of a living of 1,0001. a year,
imimected with a land estate, to breed up his
children Dissenters, when one of them could be
established so comfortably on this 1,0001. a year.
A Dissenter, therefore, in this country, may al-
ways be considered as in transits!. When hu-
man nature shall be differently constituted, and
men shall prefer principles to interest, then the
Chin ch will really be in danger ;but this will happen
about the time of the Millenium, when the
Jews shall have been converted, and the rapid
approach of the end of the world shall make
estates sink so much in value in England, that
the loss of Church property will not be so se-
verely felt as at another time. Knowledge, said
Lord Bacon, is power ; Lut there is another
power of more consequence in the world—that
of property ; else how should lie who could
gravely utter such twaddle, have held the Seals
of the Sister Kingdom, and be still allowed to
he-ad a laige portion of his order ?-3/orning
CY/funk/C.

In a case of no particular importance, on
Wednesday last, in the Court of Common
Pleas, which was tried before Mr. Justice
park, the Learned Judge is reported to have
used the following words, in reference to the
principal point relied on for the defence in
charging the Jury :—" I really pity the country,
when the time of its Courts of Law is to be en-
grossed in the trial of cases which have nothing
in them but the clearest evidence of the grossest
and most scandalous fraud. The first ground
of my Learned Brother's (Mr. Sergeant E
Law) defence appears to me to be valid, but I
regret that he has ever been instructed to urge
it ; for although good in point of law, it is
wicked, scandalous, and disgraceful, in point of
morality." If the administration of justice be
the most important branch of the Government
of a country, and if the reasonableness of the
laws by which justice is administered be the
truest test of the civilization of au empire,
it is of
the first consequence to the charac-
ter of a State that principles should not
be admitted to guide the decisions of Judges
which common-sense reprobates and morality
abhors. Nothing can be worse, either in
a. public or private point of view, than to make
Courts of Law afford sanctuary to fraud, which
dare not look for protection from the
conunon
understanding of society—, or, in other words,
to put the law and public opinion in hostile col-
lision. Hero we have a Judge saving what is lames_
table that he should he enabled to say With truth__
that although acertain plea set up isgoodinlaw,it
is wicked, scandalous, and disgraceful, in point
of nzorality. Can there be a greater satire on
the law of which such a sentence can be truly
spoken ? Why should justice and morality be

at variance ? Why should they not mutually
support and uphold each other ? We would
have this subject taken into consideration in the
contemplated improvement of the laws, that chi-
canery and fraud may be driven from our Courts
of Justice, and our legal system purified from
its greatest reproach.—Morning Herald.

It cannot have escaped the Public that the
members of Lord Goderich's Cabinet who left
it on the recent changes, have carefully abstained
from offering any thing in the shape of annoying
opposition to the new Government. Having
given what explanations they saw fit, of the rea-
sons which induced 'them to retire from office,
they have properly contented themselves with the
declaration of their intention to oppose only those
measures of their successors which should run
counter to their principles, but without any' feel-
ing of hostility to their persons. In the case of
Mr. Herries there seems to have been an excep-
tion made to this honourable rule, not so much
by the Opposition themselves as by those of our
contemporaries, who, while they advocate their
principles, ought in consistency to imitate their
conduct. So far as that gentleman's explana-
tions appeared unsatisfactory, he was a fair sub-
ject of political criticism. But 'it will be ad-
mitted, we think, that there were others whose
explanations Were fully as unsatisfactory as his
own, and Cwhy
.theysshouldi be left undisturb-
ed, and all the enginry of annoyance be inces-
santly directed against the Master of the Mint,
is a fact the justices of which we cannot exactly
see. We are old-fashioned enough to love the
sound English maxim of " fair play to all," and
if we had been ever so much inclined to censure
Mr. Herries, one of our strongest reasons for re-
fraining would be the endeavours obviously made
for sonic time past to convert that gentleman into
a scape goat for the sins of his old colleagues.
But if we feel inclined to blame the continuous
attacks on Mr. Herries, who is a Member of
Government, and who, in that point of view,
may be looked on as a fair mark, much more
would we blame political attacks on those who
hold no responsible office, and towards whom
common courtesy call for forbearance. What
has been done or said by Sir William Knighton,
that he should be selected as a victim ? All that
the Public know of that individual is, that he is
honoured with the private friendship of his So-
vereign. We do not say that this should re-
commend him to the respect of our contem-
poraries, although it does to ours, but as-
suredly it ought not to expose him to their
censure. Principious placuissc viris hated ultimo
laps est. If not indicating the highest, nei-
ther does it indicate• the lowest powers, to
be able to please bins whom all are
anxious to conciliate. And if attention and
skill have enabled him to effect this, surely any
sound thinking man, who pretends to love the
person of the Sovereign, instead of indulging in
harsh thoughts against Sir William, would feel
grateful to him for his endeavours to lighten the
languor to which Monarchs, as well as others,
are subject, or to repel sickness from one whose
health is the subject of our daily prayers, and
whose welfare is so intimately interwoven with
the welfare of his grateful people. We have
been led to these observations on the present
occasion by a letter which appeared in the pages
of one of our contemporaries yesterday, in which,
though for what purpose does not very clearly
appear, an attempt is made to criminate Sir W.
Knighton, by representing him as the sole exc•
cutor of the late Colonel I\l‘ Mahon. Our con-
temporary has incautiously given the weight of
his own name to the assertion; imputation it is
meant to be, though why we do not pretend to
have discovered. ' Our readers will find in an-
other column—in a letter from a correspondent
on whom they may rely—a conclusive contradic-
tion of this purposed. calumny. Col. M'Mahon's
sole executor was his. brother. If, in matters of
so small importance, such inaccuracies be disco-
verable, the natural presumption will be, that in
those of greater importance similar errors may be
found.—New Times.

The important question of the Corporation
and Test Acts comes before the House of Com-
mons again this evening, when the Report of
the Resolution of the Committee is to be brought
up. In reference to what has already passed
upon this important subject, we cannot help ob-
serving that upon the part of the friends of the
Dissenters there has been exhibited a degree of
animosity and passion, which if they are not
careful may endanger their ultimate success in
Parliament, if not wholly defeat their first
triumph. Why did certain Members use the
contumelious and exasperating language which
disgraced the last discussion upon this subject ?
Why endeavour to provoke hostility with the ho-
nest and conscientious friends of the Church of
England? And why press the matter with such
undue precipitation as to give occasion to believe
that unless the measure were carried with the
first tide of a majority, it would not be carried
at all ? Such proceeding was surely impolitic,
especially after his Majesty's Ministers had
thrown out a flag of truce, and prudentially
evinced a disposition to make an amicable' com-
promise with the Dissenters, and to suffer the
complained of Acts either wholly to expire, or '
to be suspended almost without limitation. With
such terms offered by Government, it surely was
not wise to quarrel ; and if such conduct be
persisted in, the measure 'will with justice and
propriety be defeated, if not in the Com-
mons, most certainly in the Lords. It
cannot be dissembled, that neither the friends
of Church or State will tolerate the uncondi-
tional repeal of these Acts, without some
security to replace them—the breaking up of
all the fountains of the great deep, to admit
an inundation of impiety and profaneness,
and the levelling of all the barriers against
Atheism and Infidelity, as in the case of the
worst times of Jacobinical France. The Dis-
senters, a respectable class of which is to be
found hi every town and county in the empire,
must from a sincere love for the principles of
our common Christianity, require a security
against avowed Atheism and Unbelief gaining a
passport to all the civil offices of the State.
Surely those must not be admitted to controul
and govern, who blaspheme all religious obliga-
tion, and scoff all divine and salutary restraint.
This Subject came incidentally before the House
of Lords last night, on the presentation of a
Petition from a body of Roman Catholics in
favour of a Repeal of the Test and Corporation
Acts, when the learned and enlightened Lord
Redesdale gave a correct and incontrovertible
elucidation of the principle upon which the
Test and Corporation Acts were founded.
The principle, said the Noble and Learned
Lord, was, that no right, not even the right
of property, could exist in a state of secu-
rity without the supremacy of political power
being united with those rights. This principle
was a sound one, and was as applicable to the
rights cf the. Church of England as to any other.
It we look back into history we should find that

the Church and State had been overthrown the
moment the superior political power and the
army got into the hands of their opponents. He
had himself brought forward a measure to re-
lieve the Catholics from some real evils under
which they laboured ; but the Irish Catholics
refused to take an oath which the English Ca-
tholics took without difficulty ; and the only
ground for this difference, whi6 he could ever
discover, was, that the English Catholics were
without any hope of re-establishing their reli-
gion in this country, while the Irish Catholics
still entertained some hopes of its re-establish-
ment in Ireland.—Morning Post.