The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-31 00:00:00

CHELMSFORD UNION.

We have much pleasure in noticing that the dis-
position which lately prevailed on the part of the cul-
tivators of the soil, to reduce the number of labourers
in their employ, is fast subsiding, and that
many of those who, for want of work, necessarily
entered the Union houses, have been relieved from
a state of comparative idleness. The numbers
out of employ will, no doubt, be very fluctuating
during the ensuing winter, and in the agricul-
tural districts in particular ; indeed, such we
know has already been the case here, at Braintree,
and at Great Dunmo,,y, but the decrease has lately
been eonsideiable. Thirty and upwards, chiefly able-
bodied, left Braintree Union-house within the last
fortnight; the present number being 287. The aged
and the children there, on the 26th inst., received
their treat of beef and plum-pudding. Since this day
week the inumber in Chelmsford Union workhouse
has been reduced to 297, all of whom on Christmas.;
day received a plentiful supply of plum pudding.
The following is a statement of the present number
of the different classes in this house, compared with
the number in the corresponding week in 1841 :-
1841 1842
Able-bodied men
Disabled by sickness or accident 30 . . . . 44
Old and infirm
Youths (7 to 15)
Boys (2 to 7)
Women (able-bodied)
Temporarily disabled 2B .... 5
Old and infirm
Girls (7 to 15)
(2 to 7) 2l 21
Infants
Born

277 297
The disabled by sickness or accident have been
greatly increased by railroad labourers; but of these,
few now are obliged to keep their beds, one of the
worst cases having received a perfect cure.—
Chelmsford Chronicle.

THE BRAZILIAN TREATY AND
THE SUGAR DUTIES.

A paragraph recently appeared in the newspapers,
apparently from authority, to the effect that the ter-
mination of the treaty was finally postponed until the
end of the year 1844—that is to say, the construction
contended for by the British Government has pre-
vailed over the Brazilian interpretation, which fixed
the termination two years sooner. We understand
that this is the fact. The treaty will be continued
until the end 0f1844 ; but upon what terms or agree-
ment as to the future, or through what menaces, are
the important points to know.
Without pretending to pierce entirely through
the diplomatic veil which shrouds the mission of
Mr. Ellis, we may, notwithstanding, hazard the fol-
lowing guesses, which will, perhaps be found to be
approximations to the facts :—Our Envoy, on his
arrival, is reported to have found the Brazilian
Government averse to any negotiations on the basis
proposed by him, whatever that basis was. They
adhered firmly to their construction of the treaty,
aid were prepared to declare its immediate termi-
nation, although; there ean,.be little doubt that in
this view they are, entirely Wrong, 'anti that the con-
struction applied • to it by. Lord Palmerston and ad-
hered to by Sir Robert Peel's Government, is the
correct one. They further evinced extreme re-
luctance to negotiate on the footing of a duty of 30s.
per cwt. on their sugar and of 16s. on British Plan-
tation. A differential duty of that amount did not
appear to meet their expectations in any degree,
and Mr. Ellis was at last obliged to declare the
ultimatum of his Cabinet, which was, that if -they did
not consent to continue the present treaty until the year
1844, England would consider it a casus belli, and go
to war with them ! By this threat, it is surmised, and
this alone, was the extension of the treaty extorted ;
and from this fact we may see what feelings and what
policy will guide the Brazilians in any new treaty
which they may conclude with us after the expiration
of the present one.-Liverpool Mercury.

MRS. TROLLOPE'N NEW WORK, IN MONTHLY
SHILLING PARTS.—We are requested to state that the
First Part, price one shilling, of " Jessie Phillips, a
Tale of the New Poor-law," by Mrs. Trollope,
authoress of "Michael Armstrong, the Factory Boy,"
&c., embellished with a fine portrait of the authoress,
and an illustration by Leech (to be completed in
Twelve Monthly Shilling Parts), is published this day
by Mr. Colburn, of Great Marlborough-street, and
may now be had of all booksellers and newsvenders
throughout the kingdom. Agents for Scotland—
Messrs. Bell and Bradfute, Edinburgh ; for Ireland,
Mr. John Cumming, Dublin
Mr. Dawson had some property in Dublin on
which a fish market had from time immemorial been
held. He caused it to be all fitted up with convenient
and showy stalls. But the nereids of Dublin being
Catholic, none of them would support the specula-
tions of one they considered an Orangeman, and not
one of the fine stalls were let. In one week, how-
ever after the speech at Derry, (which was-declara-
tory of his sentiments in favour of emancipation, and
was generally considered as a precursor of the
same views being held by the Duke of Wellington
and the rest of the Administration, which after-
wards proved to be the case,) not one stall remained
unlet. Upon this being told to Lord Norbury, he
answered—" Aye, I thought that speech was all
from sel-fish motives."—lrish paper.

BRUTAL ATTACK AND HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—
About half-past six o'clock on Tuesday evening last,
as Thomas Smith, carter to Mr. Wright, of the
Mill-bridge, was returning from Mr. Win. Ogden's,
near the Carr House, with a horse and cart, he was
stopped near the back gates of the residence to Miss
Chivers, near the race-ground, by three men, dressed
as navigators, who knocked him down, kicked him
severely when on the ground, mid broke three
of his ribs. They then robbed him of three sove-
reigns, nine shillings, and a memorandum-book ;
after which, he being then in a senseless state,
they threw him into the adjoining pond. Soon
afterwards, a person named Lillyman, came up, and
assisted him out of the pond. Chappel, the principal
carter connected with the same mill, came up about
the same time with his cart from Branton and the
neighbouring villages ; and conveyed Smith to his
home. Surgical assistance was immediately obtained;
the man, however, got worse, did not know his own
wife, and raved all night. Three men were appre-
hended on suspicion the next day, and lodged in the
gaol. On examination, one was liberated, and the
other two were remanded for further examination.
Yesterday morning Smith was still in a dangerous
state.—Doncaster Gazette.

FATAL CAB ACCIDENT.—Mr Higgs held an in-
quest last night, atlCharing-cross Hospital, on the body
of Edward Martin, an elderly gentleman, a watch-
maker, of Paradise-street, Lambeth. It appeared that,
on Saturday last, while the deceased was passing
along the Strand, and while crossing at the top of
Hungerford-street, a cab, which was coming at a
furious rate from Duncannon-street, driven by George
Hannan, turned short round, to go down to Hunger-
ford-market, knocked him down, one of the shafts
having struck him on the forehead, and one of the
wheels going over his leg. There were two persons
upon the box, and no person inside. No attempt was
made to pull up before the accident happened, and the
vehicle was not stopped till a very considerable crowd
had followed and surrounded it. The wounded gen-
tleman was removed immediately to Charing-cross
hospital, where it was discovered that the left ancle
was severely wounded, with a slight contusion of the
forehead. Every attention was paid, but mortification
taking place in the wounded limb, he died on Wed-
nesday last. The Jury, after some deliberation, re-
turned a verdict of "Manslaughter" against George
Hannan. The Coroner then made out his commit-
ment to Newgate for trial.

MU RDEROti ATTACK.—The neighbourhood of Sher-
borne-street was a state of considerable excitement
on Monday evening, in consequence of a most ferocious
assault committed by an Irishman, named M'Sweeny,
who lodged at the house of a Mr. Collins, in Colum-
bia-street, on the person of John Skey, a stonemason,
residing in Sherborne-street. The attack was made
with a sharp knife, used by M'Sweeny, in his trade
of a shoemaker. It appears that Collins and
M'Sweeny were sitting together, when some words
arose between them. M'Sweeny's conduct became
so outrageous and violent that Collins seized an op-
portunity of leaving the house with the intention of
claiming the protection of the police. He had not
proceeded far when he met with the unfortunate man
Skey, whom he induced to return with him to his
house. On their arrival they found M'Sweeny in an
excessive state of irritation, and on their approaching
to secure him, he flourished a shoemakers' knife in his
band and threatened their destruction if they ad-
vanced. Skey struck him and he fell heavily, inflict-
ing a wound on the back of his head which bled pro-
fusely ; he shortly, however, recovered himself and
closed with Skey, whilst Collins hastened away in
search of assistance. During the scuffle which en-
sued we regret to say that Skey received three
wounds, one at the bottom of the stomach on the left
side, which penetrated to the intestines; another on
the ribs, immediately above the heart, which it fortu-
nately did not injure ; and a third on the lower part
of hip, which extended upwards of four inches.
After the infuriated man had inflicted these dreadful
wounds, he escaped over a low wall at the back, and
y,ought concealment in an out-house, where he was
discovered and secured by the police. From the dan-
gerous nature of the wounds it was deemed 'necessary
to take Skey's deposition, which was done before W.
Gyde, Esq., on Tuesday morning. M'Sweeny is
secured at the station-house, and we are informed, in
answer to our inquiries yesterday evening, that Skey,
although not out of danger, is going on as well as
from the nature of the injuries could be expected.—
Cheltenham Examiner.