The Sun.
London, England, 1827-12-19 00:00:00

COMMON HALL.-(THIS DAY.)

BICH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW.
Morning... 27 minutes after 3.1 Eveninq....47 minutes after 3.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

FROM LLOYD'S.

DEAL, DEC. 18.'--Wind S.W.-r-Arrived the
George and Ellen, Allison, from Charente.

PORTSIOUTH, DEC. 18.—Wind W.S.W.—Ar-
rived the Dorothea, Elise; from Bremen. It is re-
ported that the Spring, from Bombay, on shore at
Pagham, has gone to pieces.

PLYMOUTH, DEC. 17.—Wind S.W.—Arrived the
Jane Elizabeth, Gower, froth Faro; the Poll Blank,
Stubbs, from Lisbon ; the Dasher, Jarvis, from St.
Michael's ; and the Jane, Peake, from Prince ';Ed-
ward's Island.

The Mary, Howland, from New Orleans, was on
shore near the Red Noses, Liverpool, on Monday,
with loss of rudder, and three feet water in her hold
The Harrison and —, Jackson, from Riche-
bucto and Belfast, is on shore near Buckfoot.
NORTH SHIELDS, DEC. 17.—The William ;and
Anne, Goodall, put into this harbour on the 15th
instant, with damage, having got foul of a vessel
coming out of Sunderland. The William and Mary,
Nelson, of Sunderland, also put into this harbour,
having received considerable damage by coming in
contact with the Wellington, Lamb, which is sup.
posed to be sunk.

LIMERICK, DEC. 16.—1 t has been blowing a very
heavy gale from Wel to W.S.W. and no appearance
of a change. There are now nearly.4o sail of vessels
wind-bound hi this river.

THE FUNDS-(THIS DAY).

CITY, TIVBEVE 01 accir.

In the first part of the morning the British Funds
remained nearly motionless, from a continued want
of belief in the news from -Constantinople of the
24th ult., which appears in the Gazette de France,
and the question is asked how it is that "our own
Government are without information so long, on a
point so important to peace as the continuation of
the negociation, and the 'taking off the restraint on
the merchant vessels on the 16th ? an important
event of this description was likely to come by
more channels than one ; the fact is, the rumours
upon the subject of our relations with Turkey to-
day are said to be very unfavourable, and the Sultan's
policy is supposed to be extremely cautious, in giving
no cause for the Allied Powers to declare war against
him, and sooner than come to this conclusion he has,
perhaps, taken off the embargo on the shipping ; by
this he gains time for his defence, and leaves the
onus of further proceedings upon the former. We
come to this reasoning, from the circumstance of the
provinces of Wallachia and Moldaviabeing understood
not to be defended, as' no troops have been hitherto
sent to these quarters, and the only preparation making
has been to provision the fortresses of the Danube;
this will-also give, at the same time, no pretence for
the Russian army marching, which might otherwise
be the case. Consols opened at Ml} the price,
,went down to 8411 sellers; a slight improvement
then took place to 84*, but a disposition to sell from
parties at the West end of the town has driven them
down to Sq- sellers. India Stock, 73 5, and Ex-
chequer Bills 47 8 prem.

The decline in the English Market appears to
have had some effect on the Foreign Securities.—
Mexican Bonds are 48i; Colombian, 271 8; Greek
are stationary, 174 184 ; and Russian, 90/ 1.
Shares have but little doing in them to-day; Bra-
zilian Mines, 73 76 prem.; Colombian, 18 19 per
share ; and Real Del Monte, 15 25 prem.

Three per Cent. Consols, shut; ditto for the Account,
841; India Bonds, 73 5 pm. ; Exchequer Bills, 46 7 pm.
Foity.low.—Brazilian, 60i 1; Buenos Ayres, 50 2 ;
Chilian, 25 7 • Colombian, 271 84-; Danish, 593 60 ;
Greek, 174 181; Mexican, 5 per Cent., 37 8 ; Ditto, 6
per Cent., 484 ; Peruvian, 24i 7 ; Portuguese, 71 ;
Russian, 904 1 ; Spanish, 11 I.
MINES.—AngIo Mexican, 60 55 dia. ; Brazilian, 74 6
pm. ; Colombian, 18 19 per share ; Real del Monte, 15 25
pm. ; Tialpuxahua, 10080 dis. ; United Mexican, 18 17 die.
HALF-PAST TWELVE.

Since writing the above it is positively stated that
our Government are in possession of news from
Constantinople of the 24th ult., at which time no-
thing was settled ; the embargo had been partially
taken off for light vessels to the Black Sea, and a
want of corn had begun to be felt in the Capital.
TWO O'CLOCK.

Consols have been. done at 84, hut are now
buyers. It is now stated the Ambassadors informed
the Turkish Government that the embargo could
not be considered but as a hostile measure; they were
answered it was not so intended, and after some de-
lay it was taken off. We regret to announce a
failure in the City of some consequence, Connected
with the Drysaltery business; there are other re-
ports of the same distressing nature, both in town and
country, which for obvious reasons we must decline
stating at present.

Consols for Account

FOUR o'CLOCK—
Consols
Do. for Ac. 81
Brazilian Bonds
Buenos Ayres Do. M
Chilian Do.
Columbian, 1824, 271

THREE O'CLOCK.

844
CLOSING PRICES.
Danish Bonds
Greek Do. 1825, 17i
Mexican Do. 1825,
Peruvian Do. 26
Russian Do. 91
Spanish Do. 11

SPARRING.-(THIS DAY.)

Whitheaded Bob took a benefit to-day at the Tennis
Court, which was very thinly attended, probably front the
wetness of the day.
A Cambridge swell and Henry Jones ; John Gaynor
and Jem Burn ; Baldwin and Aby Belasco ; and several
minors lent their aid on the occasion, and the day was
wound up by Ned Neal and young Spring. Harry Jones
challenged Bill Savage far 25/. ; Bill answered, and the
meeting was fixed for to .night at the Norfolv Arms,
Strand. Donovan challenged Pick for 20/. Bob had all
tile hest of his opponent, and returned thanks in a pithy
straits, apologizing for the weather.

MR. CANNING'S MONUMENT.—In addition
to the other establishments formerly advertised, the Com-
mercial Bask of Scotland has also offered to receive sub-
scriptions at its head office, and all its branches, for the
Monument to Mr. CANNlNG.—Edinburgh Evening
Courant.

The following is a copy of a letter from the Mar-
quis of Lansdowne to the Secretary of the Bath and
West of England Society, &c., read at the Society's
meeting on Monday :

Whitehall, Dec. 8.

" Sir,—l regret, exceedingly, that if any public duty
here should admit of my leaving town the beginning of the
week after next (respecting which I am by no means cer-
tain), 'a meeting of the Lieutenancy of the county of
Wilts, the first since I have been Lord Lieutenant, is
fixed for that time at Salisbury, and will unavoidably
prevent my taking the Chair at the Bath sad West of
England Society for the Encouragement of Agricul-
ture, Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, this year (at
their interesting meetings of the 17th and 18th instant).
6" I have thought it right to give you the earliest inti-
mation of this circumstance, in case any inquiries should
be made by members. I am, Sir, your faithful humble ser-
vant, " LANSDOWNE.
B. LEIGH LTE, Esq. (Secretary), ifear Bath."
Yesterday a Court of Directers was held at
the East India House, when Capt. JOHN SMALL HENRY
FRASER. was sworn to the command of the ship Marquis
of Handel', consigned to Bengal and China.

On Wednesday last a sportsman, h the vici-
nity of Childwall, near this town, shot a grouse, a bird
which is rarely found in this neighbourhood. The same
person killed, at the sun, time, two woodcocks at one shot.
Liverpool .44114074.

A Court of Common Hall was this day held at the
Guildhall, for the purpose of instituting an inquiry into
the office of the Secondaries of the City of London, and
discussing the propriety of petitioning Parliament to place
the serving of writs on the same footing in the City of
London as it is already in other parts of the kingdom.
The LORI) Maybe, said that having received a requisi-
tion requesting him to convene a Common Hall for the
consideration of the subject which had just been read to
them by the cdminon crier, he felt it. his duty to do so as
early as possible.
Mr. Hurst then stepped. forward and addressed! the
meeting. He -had, he said,-'often appeared before theka to
address them on the subject of theirspublic grievances,lbut
he came forward"to ask, them to reform their own body.—
The City of London bad, unquestionably, a right to elect
their own Sheriffs, as had all the Counties of England,' un-
til, through apathy, those Counties allowed the ditty to de-
volve to the Crown. The City of London, thanks to our
forefathers, had not suffered it se to devolve, and the citizens,
in consequence, had the power of choosing their SheriffS. It
so happened, Lowevers that in the city the Sheriffs' Officer
who arrests a man has no power to give bail, so that when
a man was arrested and offered bail, the officer must tell
him that he has no power to take bail, but must apply to
the Secondery6 Node the Secondary's office was closed
except during four hours of the day, an I therefore the lean
must go to a lock-up house,;or fee the officer very higlily;
and he had known as much as 501., aye, and 1001., 'ias a
fee given' to the officer. An attorney must be employe4 and
fees must be given to the attorney as well as at = the
Secondary's office. He knew one man in Cheapside 'who
was arrested for a debt he had actually paid, and had the
receipt in his pocket, and who was dragged to jail with-
out being allowed to offer hail, because he resisted the ex-
tortion of the officer. He wished, however, to make
charges against no man, it was against the system that he
was directing his efforts. By the law no man was allowed
to take any thing for showing favour to a prisoner.
There were regular fees allowed by law, 4d. for this, 4d.
for that, and so on ; • but it was alleged on the part
of the officers, that that Act passed in the reign
of the Henrys, and that 4s. then was nearly as much p a
pound now. The fact was, that the office of the Wider
Sheriff was sold to the' Secondary for 10.200/. ; would !any
man pay such a sum for an office unless he intended to take
illegal fees. He wished not to be personal, and not to allude
either to the late secondary or his successor, but the practice
was bad, and the officer was not so much to blame, forl out
of every pound of those extravagant fees he got but half-a-
crown, a suns which could scarcely remunerate trim
for his trouble, though much less than was usually!ex-
torted would amply repay him for every kindness
which he could show a prisoner. He {Mr. Hunt) spoke
not feelingly on this subject, for be was never in a lock-up
house in his life, except to assist a friend in distress ; hut it
might be any man's case, for no one could say that when
our Government might poll another ruilliou or two out of
the pockets of the people, for the purpose of enabling our
good ally of Russia, to oppress and dethrone our old ally of
N o doubt
Turkey, in order to get nearer to our robberies in the
East—no man could say in what situation such
eha
n
might place
the
secondaries
d himself swelefreand
ery hisor
thpyroniireenr
risen, but
it was very strange that they should have refused to be ex-
amined by the very Court that appointed them. Ile
should call upon the meeting to agree to a petition to Par-
liament, requesting an Act to be passed which, while it
would afford ample remuneration to the officer would also
protect the party arrested from extortion. They had been
often taunted in Parliament when seekinglfor a reformation
in Parliament, and asked why they did not reform them-
selves. They were now, he hoped, met to reform themselyes.
He could not enter fully into the abuses which took place
under the systirn as would he done by his friend Mr. Charles
Ps'srson, who had known hundreds of cases of great hard-
ship and oppression under the present system. Mr. Mint
then read. the foll Owing Resolutions, first stating, that by
Act of Parliament the sale of all offices connected with the
administration of justice was prohibited, and of course by
law the sale of the Secondary's office was against the prin-
ciples of the British system .of jurisprudence. He also
moved that the Resolutions should be adopted as those of
the Common Hail

ResoLvEn—l. That the office of Sheriff is one of great
importance ; upon the Sheriff devolves the executing of the
King's writs and warrants, the nominating, summonine,
and impanelling of Juries within their bailiwick, for the
due performance of all which duties the Legislature has
provided an ample remuneration.
2. That by the ancient Constitution of England the of-
flee of Sheriff was invariably elective; but at various pe-
riods of our history the encroachments of prerogative trans,
frrred, in counties, the election from the people to the
Crown ; but to the wisdom and virtue of our ancestors the
citizens of London are indebted for the preservation of this
invaluable privilege.
3. That, in gratitude to our forefathers and in justice
to ourselves, we feel it our duty, in confiding to citi-
zens of our own choke this important office, to take
ever 7 measure in 'eur power to enable them to perform
its various duties with honour to themselves, credit to
their constituents, and advantage to the great body of in-
dividuals who are by law placed under their protection.
4. That it appears to;this Common Hall that the all im-
portant functions of this office within the city of London
have for years been exercised by certain individuals called
Secondaries, who, it appears, have recel::ed their appoint-
ment from the Corporation ; though they have always
executed the King's writs, and nominated, summoned, and
impanelled Juries, in the name of the Sheriffs of London.

5. That the appointment of.,Secondary has been fin• many
years sold by the Corporation of Leadon for very large sums
of money; in consequence of which sale and purchase these
officers have claimed exemptions from all responsibility for
their conduct, either to the Corporation by whom ,they
were appointed, or to the Sheriffs of Londcn, in whose
name they have on MI occasions acted.
. . .

6. That this Common Hall bath seen the Petition of
Mr. Charles Pearson, a citizen of London, to the Cow t of
Common Council, praying them not to proceed to the sale
of the situation of one of the Secondaries now vacant ; and
also a Memorial from Mr. Crowther, the surviving Secon-
dary, denying the allegations thereof. But this Common
Hall disclaims all intention of interfering with the proceed-.
ings of any Committee to whose investigation the same
may be referred, hoping that such Committee and the Court,
if the allegations of the Petitioner are proved, will take
prompt measures to prevent the future misconduct of their
officers, and to prevent, if they possess the right of sale, the
selling of an office, the disposal of which has led to the
perpetration of the evils complained of.
7. That by the law of England, the duty of executing
writs upon mesne process devolves upon the Sheriff and
his officers; co does the right
_and duty belong to them of
accepting bah for the person arrested ; however, in the city
of London, the officers who make the arrest, are not al-
lowed by the Secondaries to take the' bail ; and the de-
fendant and his proposed securities, opulent as they may
be, are dragged to a lock-up , house by these officers, unless
he purchases Isis temporary freedom by the payment of an
illegal and arbitrary fee.
8. That, independently of the alleged 'nal-practices
charged against the Secondaries of London and their offi-
cers, which are now under investigation by the. Committee,
it is a matter of public notoriety, that the process of the
law is often used for purposes of oppression and extortion ;
that arrest for debt before trial, as it is now conducted,
greatly aggravates the severity of the law ; and that, for
want of sufficient legal protection, the unfortunate vic-
tims of its various process are often subject to the most
cruel extortions and oppressive treatment.
9. That from the refusal of the Secondaries of London
to acknowledge the authority of the body by whom they
were appointed, or to be examined by them touching their
conduct in office, this Common Hall is of opinion that it
may be impossible fully to investigate and bring to light
the whole of the abuses complained of, without an appli-
cation to Parliament.
10, That a petition be therefore presented to the House
of Commons, praying for the appointment of a CoMmittee
of the Honourable House, to inquire into the manifold

_ .
abuses practised by those who have the execution of legal
process for debt, and that such a law may be passed as
will, while it sufficiently remunerates the officers fin• the
performance of their duty, effectually protect the unhappy
subjects of their power from the grievous oppressions and
vexatious exactions to which they have been heretofore
compelled to submit.
Mr. TAYLOR said, that it was somewhat innacurate to
say that the citizens were still in possession of the power
of choosing their Sheriffs. They had that power once,
but by a kind of usurpation, it was now vested in the
Livery. He also questioned the utility of the present proceeth
ing, because Parliament never took such subjects in hand that
they did not curtail the privileges ofthe City. The matter was
in course of investigation by the Law Officers of the City,
and he thought it would be better to leave it to them than
to apply to Parliament. Mr. HUNT then said, that he
would alter the words of his resolution to meet the wishes
If Mr. Taylor, by inserting the word " Livery, instead of
Citizen." Why had not Mr. Taylor told the Meeting that
the Corporation was about to sell the place again.
After a long address irom Mr. Paaascus, in support of
the resolutions, they were all carried unanimously, and a
Petition to Parliament, founded on the resolutioua, was
;greed upontp

LAW INTELLIGENCE.-(THIS DAY.)

COURT OF CHANCERY.

IN THE MATTER OF QUEEN'S COLLEGE.
Mr. GARRETT applied for leave to have this cause
to stand over, that an opportunity might be afforded
of filing affidavits, in answer to some that have very
recently been put on the file.
Ordered to stand over till Friday.

THE LATE H. FAUNTLEROY.

Mr. ROSE applied for permission to make a mo-
tion on an early day, in a case in which the assignees
of the late Mr. Fauntleroy were the plaintiffs, and

the Directors of the Amicable Insurance Company
the defendants, to stay proceedings under a decree
made by the Master of the Rolls, pending an appeal
to the House of Lords. . .

His Lordship appointed Saturday morning.

HABEAS CORPUS.

.N THE MATTER OF BAXTER, A BANKRUPT.- COMXIIT-

MENT OF A WITNESS.

Mr. KNIGHT stated that he appeared on behalf of
a person named Glissing, who had been committed
by the Commissioners for not satisfactorily answer-
ing under Baxter's' bankruptcy, and who had been
brought up from Newgete by a writ of Habeas
Corpus. Glissing had been the shop man of the
bankrupt, and had been examined on tivo days re-
specting transactions between the bankrupt and a
creditor that took place in thipresence of the witness;
no fault had been foetid with the first day's e7..a.7.
mination, but the second had been considered un-
satisfactory.
The examination was directed chiefly
to one transaction which took place after the shop
was shut up at night, by which goods were deliver-
ed to a creditor to the amount of about '504, and
the question was, whether that was a preference. The
witness declared his' conviction to be, that it was a
fair sale, and no act of preference ; and Mr. Knight
considered the Commissioners had committed him
because he had not believed the act to have been
that of preference. He was sure the Court could
not judiciously hold that the answers were Unsatis-
factory.
Mr. ROSE appeared for the assignees, and con-
tended that the Commissioners would not have dis-
charged their duty to the creditors had they not
committed the witness. The bankrupt had carried
on business as a draper at Norwich for ten mouths,
during which time he had incurred debts to the
amount of 6;0001., having only a stock of the value
of 2,0001. to satisfy his creditors. The witness had
been his Managing shopinan, and must have knOwn
the nature of every transaction "; his examinations
had been pointed more to his knowledge of
clandestine removals of goods than any act Of
acts of preference, and taking the whole of the
examinations, the Learned Counsel could not doubt
that his Lordship would think that the witness had
prevaricated throughout---=that he had not commu-
nicated to the Commissioners the whole of his know-
ledge, and that until he gave a more satisfactory ac-
covert, he ought to continue to stand committed.
His LORDSHIP considered that the witness had
decidedly prevaricated. He had concealed the
removal of the quantity of goods already alluded to
by a creditor named Pig, on his first examina-
tion, under an - impression that nobody bad
known it, except those connected with the
transaction ;4 and that .at his second appearance
before the commissioners, when the circum-
stance was brought to.his attention, he had tried to
reconcile his answers with those he had formerly
given, which he had failed to do.
Mr. KNIGHT then submitted that prevarication
had never, in this Court, been held to be 'a ground

for committal.
His LORDSHIP added, that looking at the whole
of the examination, he' did not believe the state-
ments of the witness to be true ; that he was in
possession of information he had not disclosed, and
which be ought to disclose to the Commissioners, and
therefore the prisoner ought not to be discharged.
—The prisoner was then remanded to prison.
ANOTHER COMMITMENT.
Mr. KNIGHT said the next case was the commit-
ment of another person named Cobb, the same
bankrupt's book-keeper. The question respecting
him turned on the act of cutting a leaf out of the
bankrupt's ledger. He stated that he had done it
at the request of the bankrupt, he having stated that
he meant to make the entry ott that leaf in another
book. He did not think it was for a fair object that
he was directed to cut out the leaf, but he did not
know what the motive was. The Commissioners
had committed him.
Mr. Rost: did not consider that the witness had
given a direct answer. The Commissioners were
entitled to have a distinct statement of his belief, in
answer to the question put to him as to the bank-
rupt's motive, which had not been made.
His LORDSHIP did not consider the commitment
of this witness could be sustained, and consequently
ortiered him to be discharged.

VICE CHANCELLOR'S COURT.

THE BANKRUPTCY OF 11IESSRS. HURST AND

ROBINSON.
COLE V. sromswoon.
Mr. I.IOaNE applied on behalf of the plaintiffs that
this application might be allowed to stand over un-
til the next seal-day, in order that they might have
time to answer the additional affidavits filed on be-
half of the defendants. The Learned Gentleman►
stated, that when this matter was last before
the Court, defendants were directed to have
all their affidavits filed on the 13th instant ; they
had certainly complied with this order, but in-
stead of a few affidavits they had put on the file
affidavits covering 98 brief sheets. Under these
circumstances, he trusted that his Honour would
afford further time to the plaintiffs.
The VICE-CHANCELLOk thought the request was
reasonable.

Mr. HortNE.—Of course the application will
stand over on the same terms as were imposed on
the former occasion.

Mr. HEALD, on the part of the defendants, ob-
jected to the imposition of any terms whatever, his
clients were not now asking for any
indulgence from
the Court, ivhich ennui make them liable to be
placed under terms.
Mr. HORNE reminded his Honour that he had
been twice in a condition to make his motion, and
that it twice stood over to accommodate the other
side. They had, it was true, complied with the
order in filing their affidavits on Thursday last, the
13th instant, but some of these very affidavits were
sworn so far back as the 4th of December, and yet
they had famished the plaintiffs with copies. On
Thursday last they came forward with a great body
of affidavits, which they had kept back until the
last moment, he therefore put it to his Honour
whether they had not in substance broken faith with
the plaintiffs., by not having handed over to them
the copies of the affidavits as they were sworn.
The VICE-CHANCELLOR asked what the terms
were which had been imposed on the defendants ?
Mr. HonNe replied the terms were, that they
should only sell the property, to which the applica-
tion had reference, in the common tradesman-like
way, and that they should keep an account of the
produce of the sale.
Mr. HEALD repeated his former objection to the
terms sought to be imposed. They were such as
every respectable tradesman ought to endeavour to
prevent.
The 'VICE-CHANCELLOR—What are the subjects
of the sale ?
Mr. HEALD—Books and' prints : and the motion
of the plaintiffs is, that the defendants be re-
strained from selling or disposing of them. They
were bought by the defendants for 15,0001., and the
motion is founded upon an allegation that the de-
fendants had fraudulently purchased them. The
plaintiffs had taken a long time to get up their case;
they had procured affidavits' sworn to by
about twenty-five, different people, and they
were not so ready in giving notice to them. he
Learned Gentleman argued, that as his clients had
in every respect complied with the former order of
the Court, it would be raanifestly unjust to place
them under terms which would clearly have
the effect of lining en them the imputation of in-