The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-22 00:00:00

themselves in taxes.

NVe have, indeed, more

than once distinctly stated of late, that that por-
tion of the Nobles who po3sessed overwhchning
estates must lose in their share of taxes more

than they can get back in places. But the power
of those individuals is of course very great, and
contributes materially to the controul exercised
by their order over the Lower House of Parlia-
ment. The dozen Peers who possess kingly
incomes, give stability to the state of things,
which enables the boroughmongers of their order

to draw to themselves the great prizes in the
lottery of Church and State. The secondary
class of Gentry could do little or nothing of
themselves, because the system hinges on the
ownership of boroughs, and the share of that

ownership possessed by the House of Lords
gives them a majority in the Lower House. A
Ministry might, as our contemporary observes,
carry on the public affairs very smoothly with
the nine persons named by us, and, perhaps,
also, any nine others, in opposition to its mea-
sures ; but it could not carry on the public affairs
with so many in opposition to its measures as
possessed boroughs returning a majority of
Members of the Commons' House. The great
mass of the secondary gentry could do no-
thing then of themselves without the great land-
owners, because they could not command the
majorities. They are, it is true, drawn into the
support of the system, and it is natural that the
men of talents and enterprise of the body should
endeavour, in return for that support, to ob-
tain as great a share as possible of the loaves
and fishes. The Government being really
in the hands of the owners of estates of
2i millions a year, the great mass of gentry
can only make their consequence available by
yoking themselves to the car of the Nobility.—
Were boroughmongering destroyed, the mass of
property would obtain its fair weight, and the in-
fluence of the hmall gentry would be nothing if
not exerted in behalf of the community. When
our contemporary, therefore, observes that " it
requires but little acquaintance with England to
discover that the strength of the existing system,
with all its corruptions, is to be found in the
support, not of a dozen or two of the richest
families, but of the great mass of the secondary
gentry," he must mean that the system derives
its chief oppressiveness from the circumstance of
the great borough owners being in some sort
obliged to bribe the secondary gentry with a
large share of the money wrung Irma the com-
munity, This, however, is rather an effect than
a cause. The cause is the system of borough-
mongering, which places the Government in the
hands- of an Oligarchy. But it would be strange,
indeed, if the Boroughmongers did not gain
more proportionally from this system than the se-
condary Squires. Let us take any estimate of
the incomes of the inhabitants—for instance, that
of Colquhoun in his Treatise on Indigence, as
something like an approximation to the reality.
He gives to the Peerage, 2,296,0001.; to Ba-
ronets, 1,620,000/. ; to Knights, 525,0001.; to
the 'Squires of 1,5001. a year, 9,000,0001.; to
Gentlemen of 7001. a year, 14,000,000/. Now
we have only to compare the amount of public
money allotted to functionaries of a class cor-
responding to these descriptions of nobility and
gentry, to see that the share accruing to the se-
condary gentry must bear but a small proportion
to that of the incomes from private property ;
consequently, that the public money cannot pre-
vent the constant breaking clown of the owners of
small estates, from the necessity of providing for
children. At this game of beggaring the public
the nobility come in for the giant's share. Those
who have two, or two and a half millions, have
the most of the great places in Church and State
for themselves. Hence the observation of Mr.
Humphreys and one or two other Conveyancers,
that the idea of making a family is now generally
abandoned, the leaving the estate to one son
being nearly confined to the high Aristocracy.—
And how could this high Aristocracy avoid set-
tling their estates in the same way as the secon-
dary class, if they did not almost universally con-
trive to provide for their children at the expense
of the public ? Our assumptions as to the
shares of property possessed by classes of the
community at different times, must, of course, be
very conjectural. We went chiefly on such data
as are to be found in Gregory King, who, how-
ever, lived a little later than the period named by
us. In the great point our contemporary is
agreed with us, that property in the mass is no.
protected.--Ibid.

It requires no great intimacy with agricultural
affairs to know that there is no branch of industry
which calls for so large a consumption of iron
as that of the farmer ; and that therefore, in pro-
portion as his means fall off, the iron trade must
be, and is, the sufferer. Many large farms have
a smithy of their own ; but, besides the common
operation of the shoeing smith, carts, waggons,
ploughs, harrows, drags, spades, and nearly every
implement of husbandry, require, when it is able

to receive it, a renewal and repair from this one
source. No wonder then that, when we hear of
agricultural distress, we hear, in the next breath,
of decay and falling off in the iron trade ; so
true is it that every branch of industry is, and
ever must be, dependent upon each other. But

then, say the manufacturers, « we must have
cheap bread." It is in this that the fallacy of our
free trade and of our Corn Laws has mainly
risen and existed. Cheap bread is a very fasci-
nating idea ; but dearness and cheapness are
mere relative terms, and the latter can, in this
respect, only impose upon those who lose sight
of the indissoluble connection which must ever
exist in the same community between all the ar-
ticles which contribute to the wants, nay, even
the luxuries, of life. Cheap iron, perhaps, is
desirable as well as cheap bread ; but, when
cheapness reaches the iron-master, he feels his
trade ruined. The same with cotton and
woollens; a calico shirt may be bought for a
shilling, a pair of stockings for fourpence, and a
coat for half its former cost. But who is the
better for this ? Has cheapness of bread, of
cotton, of iron, or of woollen, extended the trade
in the one or the other, or added to the happi-
ness of the people ? Far otherwise ; when
things were dear every class of the community
were flourishing, contented and happy. Surely
then, those who were loudest in the call for
cheap bread must have found how senseless and
how useless, in the result, that cry has been ; and
that enlightened band of theorists, who led the
van in that cry, must by this time see, unless
they are wilfully blind, that in doing so they were
only sacrificing at first one interest to another,
which, in the end, if not arrested, must involve
all in one common ruin.—Morning Herald.

At the Kingston Quarter Sessions, held yes-
terday before BENJAmiiN BARNARD, Esq , Chairman,
Licences were granted for ASTLEY'S Theatre, Vauxhall
Gardens, the Surrey Theatre, and the Coburg Theatre.
WORKINGTON SHIPPING INTEREST.—AS
a proof of the benefit accruing to the port of Workington,
by the erection of patent slips, we iwiy mention that there
are now five vessels on the different Slips, and six more
large vessels awaiting until those ate launched, most of
which vessels would have been repaired in Liverpool or
elsewhere, but for the adoption of these slips. The
number of vessels repairing and fitting there is 15, and
their amount of tonnage 2,464.—Carlisle Journal.

THE BLACK COCK.—Black game have in-
creased greatly in the southern counties of Scotland and
north of England within the last few years. It is a pretty
general opinion, though an erroneous one, that they drive
away the red grouse; the two species require very different
kinds of cover, and will never interfere. It is to be re-
gretted that some of our extensive and wealthy northern
proprietors do not attempt the introduction of the wood-
grouse ; extensive pine or birch forests, and quiet, would
be all the requisites; and the birds themselves, or their
young, could be very easily obtained, and at a trifling ex-
pense.—Note to White's Not. Biat. (f Selborne.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.

THE ROBBERY IN IRONMONGER-LANE.—Yester-
day a young man of respectable appearance, named
John Allen, was brought before the LORD MAYOR,
charged wilt having robbed Mr. Newton, an agent
of the Taunton bank, of a parcel of country bank-
notes to the amount of 625/., a bank post-bill for
671., and 3 sovereigns, at the house No. 32, in Iron-
monger-lane.
Mr. Newton repeated the circumstances respect-
ing the loss of his parcel, which have already been
stated.
The LORD MAYOR—Do you know any (hit g of
the prisoner Allen ? Mr. Newton (who appeared
to be very deaf) said he had merely seen him at the
lodging-house, and known him as a lodger in the
same house. Allen came into the room where he
was sitting, and asked him " how he was ?" by his
name. They had no refreshment together. Wit-
ness generally carried parcels to London from the
Taunton bank, hut had no reason to suppose that
the prisoner or any other person was aware of that
fact.

Thoroughgood, the officer, stated, that he had
received instructions from Mr. Cope, the marshal,
to watch the prisoner, who was a lodger in Mrs. An-
drews's house. He went on Thursday morning
early to the neighbourhood, and saw the prisoner
come out with a portmanteau, and walk to the
Custom-house stairs, where he embarked on board
the Kent steamer for Gravesend. Witness followed.
The prisoner proceeded to Chatham, to the Sun
tavern, and from thence to the Euryalus convict
ship ; after which lie returned to the Sun, and
slept. Next morning he returned on the top of the
coach to town, and witness stuck
~close to him,
having learned from the waiter at the Stu► that he
had a bundle of country notes about him. Witness
let fall a piece of paper, with a view to ascertain
whether the prisoner had the notes he wanted;
when the prisoner saw it fall he cried our," I fear I
have dropped my notes; and putting his hand to his
pocket, took out a bundle of country notes, and said
that " all was safe." The prisoner went to a house
in the Kent-road, where the witness kept up the
watch in the most persevering mariner. From that
honse he came into the city yesterday morning,
followed by the officer, and was apprehended by him
in George-yard, near Mr. Stuckey 's office.
The LORD MAYOR—Did you contrive to keep
out of his sight all this time ? Officer—He never
saw me but once during the whole time.
The LORD MAYOR—You certainly hare done
your duty extremely well.
John Forrester, the officer, deposed that the for-
mer witness bad sent for him, and that he had
searched the prisoner, upon whose person he found
several country bankers' notes.
Here Forrester produced a bundle of notes.
Mr. Nobler, upon seeing the notes, and compar-
ing them with the numbers specified in the list pre-
sented to the Lord Mayor by Mr. Jacobs, declared
that forgery bad been committed in this case as well
as robbery ; for that some of the numbers of the I

notes had evidently been altered.
The LORD MAYOR—A figure has certainly been
added to each of those numbers, which otherwise
agree in every respect with the list which I have
examined. It must ha►e been done in order to shun
detection.

rprrester stated that he had found mare notes in
the firisoner's portmanteau at the house in the Kent-
road, together with the Bank post-bill for 671.
A young man, named Ferguson, who also lodged
in the house in lronmonger-lane, was put to the bar
in consequence of a note having been sent to him
by the prisoner to meet him at the Burton ale-rooms
on Thursday night.
Mr. Ferguson assured the Lord Mayor that his
acquaintance with the prisoner was of a very slight
kind, and commenced in consequence of the declara-
tion of the latter that he had respectable friends in
London, amongst whom was Sir James Shaw. (hi
the morning the prisoner left the lodgings he brought
a box to the witness, and requested him to keep it

under the bed till his return-. Witness owed him
24 of borrowed money, and promised to pay Mrs.
Andrews 51. which was due to her by the prisoner.
Mrs. Anne Andrews, of Ironmonger-lane, de-
posed that she had taken possession of the box, which
now lay in her bed-room, as she thought she had a
right to keep it until she should receive the amount
of what the prisoner owed her. Allen slept in her
house on the 11th of October, the night of the rob-
bery, and went to bed between ten and eleven
o'clock. Next day, when the officers went to search
the house, Allen was up.
The LORD MAYOR—Was the prisoner's bed-room
near that of Mr. Newton ? Mrs. Andrews—The
very next to it—one was No. 15, the other was
No. 16; no other person slept on that floor. The
prisoner had been recommended to her by a gentle-
man who resided in Lad-lane. He remained in the
house until Thursday, and slept there every night.
Witness, when the officer arrived, requested that
nobody would leave the house until all were
searched. Allen made an excuse for going out for
five minutes, but did not return for an hour.
The LORD MAYOR desired the prisoner to reflect
before he asked any questions, and told him that his
case was of so serious a nature, in consequence of
the complicated charge of forgery and robbery, that
legal a,sistanee would be perhaps most necessary for

The prisoner was then sent back to the Compter,

BONV-STREE r.

Yesterday Jamcs Rather and a person named
Chapman were brought before Mr. HALLS on a
charge of stealing four volumes of Addison's works,
in quarto, from the sale room of Mr. Evans, the
book auctioneer, of Pall-mall. The work, which
was splendidly bound in red morocco, had been the
property of the deceased Spanish General Miranda,
and had been entrusted to Mr. Evans for sale.

At the first examination, Flather, who appears to
be a respectable man, declared that he purchased the
work from the prisoner Chapman, who had it in
pawn at Mr. Bassett's, of Great Queen-street. The
work, it appears, was forfeited, and sent by the
pawnbroker to the sale-room of Messrs Machin and
Debenham, where it was purchased by Mr. Gosling,
a bookseller in Bond-street. From the information
given by Flather, Chapman was taken into. custody,
at Lewisham, on Monday morning last, where he
was following the trade of a gold wire-drawer.
It appearing that the account given by Flather was
corract, the Magistrate ordered him to be removed
from the bar, and he was admitted as a witness
against Chapman.
Mr. Evans was enabled to swear to the books,
owing to a fly-leaf in the third volume, on which
there was a quotation in Spanish from Addison, in
the handwriting of General Miranda, to the effect,
that eminent men should be above the comments of
the critic.

The prisoner Chapman having declined to account
For his possession of the books, was fully committed
For trial on the charge of stealing them, and the wit-
,e;ses were hound over to prosecute.

M A ELBORO U GI-STREET.
Yesterday Martha Geary, who was committed
for trial from this office some days ago on a charge
of stealing a large quantity of house-linen and
other property, from the Atheneum Club, in Wa.
tedoo-place, where she had been employed in the
capacity of housekeeper for upwards of four years,
%vas again brought before Mr. DYER, the sitting
Magistrate, to undergo a fresh examination on a
charge of having committed similar depredations in
the family of General Stapylton, where she resided
as housekeeper before she went to the Atheneum
Club.

After an investigation, the prisoner was fuily con-
mitted for trial upon this charge also, and General
Stapylton was bound over to prosecute.
Mr. RoE, the Magistrate, was yesterday again
occupied for several hours in a private investigation
of the cases of the nine prisoners in custody upon
the charge of being concerned in the daring burglary
and extensive robbery, a few nights since, at the
house of Mr. Burgl.ar..: , tailor, in Clifford-

street ; but as the examinations of the different wit-
nesses, who are extremely numerous, were altoge-
ther private, it would not be proper in this stage of
the proceedings to give them publicity. We may,
however, mention, that a tenth person was yesterday
added to the number already in custody in the per-
son of the backney•coachman who carried off the
" swag" (booty) from Mr. Burghardt's house. The
officers of this office have been incessant for the Jast
three days and nights in their pursuit of this man,
and, after having traced him in various winding di-
rections, they apprehended him early yesterday
morning, driving, not the coach in which he con-
veyed away the spoil, but the hackney chariot, No.
949, and they brought himself and his vehicle at
once to the office, when he underwent a short pri-
•vate examination, and was then placed in his own
chariot, with Clements and Ballard the officers, one
on each side of him, and Schofield, another officer,
.on the box, who drove off in very good style to the
House of Correction, to lodge the prisoner for re-
examination on a future (lay. This prisoner is a
very remarkable figure, being about four feet in
height, and of about an equal breadth, and perhaps
this is the first time that he enjoyed the luxury of
riding in his own vehicle.
The other prisoners, when their examinations con-
cluded, about five o'clock, were removed per van to
another prison for future examination also.