The Sun.
London, England, 1827-01-16 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We insert at full length an account coming from the
" Free-thinking Christians" themselves, of the commence-
ment, one day, and final celebration, the next, of a mar-
riage of two of their sect at the church of St. George the
Martyr, Queen-square. The public should be aware that
it is the Free-thinking Christians themselves who relate
their own story, and must, therefore, take it as an account
on one side. We do not know whether the clergyman of
the Church of England may think it necessary to relate
any thing on the other, as there is nothing which reflects
:in the slightest degrec upon his conduct, and therefore he
is under no necessity of coming forward in self-defence. h
;is, surely, but proper and fair, that those who stickle for
liberty of conscience, should pay some attention to the

'consciences of others. Whai Can a clergyman of the
Church of England do, when a Dissenter, like Mr. Lionel
Trotter, trots up to him with a Miss Agnes Campbell in
one hand and a protest in the other ? If he complies
with the protest, he cannot bestow the bride ; if he
bestows the bride, he spurns the protest. Was ever ab-
surdity like this ? The bridegroom comes to demand
the celebration of a rite, and at the same time protests
against its celebration in the only way in which the
clergyman has sworn and is bound to celebrate it. The
clergyman has no option ! Why-should he be pestered ?
If Dissenters of any kind think it proper to protest against
a ritual to which they' submit of necessity, let them pro-
test in their own congregations or to their own Ministers.
Let us suppose for a moment, that a clergyman were
found capable of violating his own most solemn vows, of
deviating from that service or ritual from which he has
even more than sworn that he will not deviate, and of
marrying a couple as they would prescribe, would they be
content with such a ceremony ? Would they take the
consequ'nces of its nullity ? Certainly not. We again,
. then, ask, what it is that they expect from the clergyman ?
Our separation from the Church of Rome is adduced.
This is not the place for entering at large into such a
question. But how do we conduct ourselves in this very
article of marriage with respect to that church ? With
the Roman Catholics, marriage is a sacrament; with us,
not. Yet, can any thing be more common than for a Pro-
testant, marrying a Catholic, to receive this sacratnent,
and that without any protest, the parties being ordinarily
married according to both forms ? Let the Free-thinking
Christians do the same, if they please. But why will,they
break into our churches only for the sake of creating noise
and confusion ?—Tines.

If no hopes of a peaceful termination to the dispute
with Ferdinand can be founded on any confidence in his
justice or discretion, it is supposed, by the last accounts
from Madrid, that some good effects may arise, in spite of
him, from the positive experience of his own incapacity to
support by arms the criminal enterprise which he has com-
menced. The most respectable Spanish Authorities as-
sure us, that whatever may have been the intentions of
the Court of Madrid to carry its army on the Portuguese

frontier to the amount of 26,000 or 24,000 men, it is as
notch as can be accomplished by Ferdinand's Government
to assemble 6,000 effective soldiers for that or any other
service. Here, then, if such be the fact, and if the Ca-
marina be a reasoning or prudent body, there seems at
once an end of the whole question, and a certain and tran-
quil victory to the Allied Governments of Portugal and '
Great Britain. But there are other engines than those of
common sense at work in the interior of the Palace at
Madrid, and without pretending to ascertain before hand
'tlaeeiltimate.success of the agency of these instruments,
we-thust at least deserve the direction in which they act,-
attel.suspend a decided judgment on the issue. We believe.
it' -friar be taken for an axiom universally admitted among
ourselves, that if Portugal continue long in the enjoyment
of a free constitution, Spain will not long remain a slave
toethe.despotism which depresses her. This truth, indeed,
appears to be the only one with which the minds of the
Apostolic Junta of Madrid are as strongly impressed as
that of the most enlightened Englishman. From this con-
riction only, has sprung the treacherous and atrocious at-
tack
.upon the freedom of Portugal; and we may depend
upon it, that so long as the neighbourhood of liberty can
be deemed injurious or dangerous to a tyrant—that is, so
tong as the race of man continues—the lovers of absolute
eovieein Spain, the Court; the Ministers in its confidence,
and thi wealthier Clergy, will regard as a fundamental law
ofelteir existence, the necessity of destroying the liberties
Of:Portugal; or, failing that, they will cherish the chimera .
of redheing the kingdom under the Spanish crown. That
there are evil advisers, industriously athanlating the slug-
gish hsind of Ferdinand on this question, abniiiient proofs
are offered us. A curious paper, in illustration of the fact,
has been published by one of our contemporaries, bearing
for title " A Private Exposition to the King," by In-
gnanzo, Archbishop of Toledo. Of the authenticity of the
document we can say nothing, but that we cannot per.
ceive .any proofs of fabrication on the face of it ;—at all
events, the argument and spirit of the document are such
as the Archbishop and his party would most probably
adopt. Many points, of moment to the orthodox, are
touched upon by the pen (if it be thepen) of the Archbishop.
The purpose of the wi:ole representation is to hinder Ferdi-
nand from yielding one joi; to Mr. Canning's demands, or
menaces. He tells the King, that the object to which he '
refers is no other than " the present state of affairs, as
relating to the occurrences in Portugal, in the influence of
which over the country Divine Providence has confided
to your Majesty, all, Sir, unanimously agree." Now, we
are justified from reason, as well as authority, in censidee-
ing this confessed and paramount influence of Portugal, in
her present state, upon the other portion of the Pere:mile,
as the real clue by which to guide us in ail our specula-1
tions upon the real policy of the Spanish Court and Mi-
nisters. When they can attempt the ruin of Portuguese
liberty by force alone, they will do so—by force and per-
fidy combined they will do so—as they have already done
so, and are at this moment doing. When beaten or de-
terred from trying force, they will resort to treachery
alone, signing any treaties,' swearing any oaths, nay
offering any pledges that- can be exacted from them ; but,
they will ever burn with inextinguishable hatred towards
the tree of life which biesisoment- their-neighbourhood,
and towards those who rally round it 'to gather a new mo-
ral existence from its fruits. The Archbishop (sup-
posing always the paper to be genuine), declares,
as is the custom with priestly politicians in des-
potic countries, that " this cause, . (viz.—the cause
of absolute power) •" is the cause of God." This
might be a solid argument with Carlos, who is a
eiaese ; but with Ferdinand,--who is a profligate, a hy-
pocrite,end a coward, -without n spark of devotion
oraeligion ai, - ~213 t
him, it furnishes nothing more than a
pretext for shelteriq the cause of tyramiy under a fanatical
cloak. The exposition
aboneEngland—with execs''-beeforgi yen speech—w;th
and -stupidity about the glory zoes on to speak contemptuously
tioonf ospai
f Mr. Canning, for his
n evereto
much Castilian conceit
rf—wi,th much coati-
dence-and-apparetif acuteness, on the necessity-which must
compel -the "%eitelt Court to come at last in aid of its
Spanish '"!-Islh i- Itud, finally, with a forcible deprecation of
any shadow
the atiniatuneof
of such counsels, if
following_ K Ilildhilin word or deed by Ferdinand to
this country What must be the result
pa,,,graph446leirpresie:-Itis easy to foresee. The
the turn - which ought -to be.
with England :—" If Englands.ift„
1 the. author'sfeeling on
._very. .
given to the negotiation
already gone too far
with your Majesty, throw dowo_she
gauntlet, and your
Majesty will see him tremble who is
%lied upoa forei n to take it
g
up. Threaten if you are threatened, and if
en-
voy" (Mr. Lamb) " announces that he is about ton quit
the kingdom, let your Majesty tell him to do it without
delay; we shall then see the empty bravadoes of his in-
structor " (Mr. Canning) " fall to the ground—we shall
see the backwardness Of a Foreign Minister to risk his
place in stipport of a constitution, which he pronounces to
be legitimate, merely because it was issued from his own
portfolio."—lbid. .
It is confidently reported that the Government of
Buenos Ayres has made a direct and pressing application
to our Cabinet, to interfere, by mediatory means, for the
,kurPse of Putting an end to the present war waging with

Brazil, and that an Envoy, charged with this special com-
mission, is to sail for Rio de Janeiro in the next packet.
We have always deeply regretted this war on the Eastern
• bank of the river Plate, which has now been for so many
• years an extensive theatre of desolation ; but, without
referring in the least to the origin of the hostilities, we
cannot help thinking that the Government of Buenos
Ayres has been both rash and improvident in attempting,
single-handed, to seek a rupture with a powerful neighbour,
at a time when it had no other revenue than what it de-
rived from an external trade, which could not fail to be
annihilated from the moment its port was blockaded, and
the interior provinces refused to join the Union. It was
more than madness to suppose that Buenos Ayres could
continue to carry on so unequal and disastrous a war, with
resources borrowed from British capitalists. The sacrifices
already made, during a war, commenced at an inauspicious
moment, and in rather too high a tone, must be long felt in
Buenos Ayres; but it is now, we are inclined to think, that
the pressure of the difficulty begins. The Emperor of Brazil
did not, for a considerable time, put forth all his strength,
hut, from the moment he took up the affair in good earnest,
the issue of the contest was no longer dubious. He dis-
played the greatest personal activity in sending off his
troops, and when he harangued them, previous to their
embarkation, we remember that he made use of the fol-
lowing remarkable words :—" One of the stars of our
standard has been insulted—all must stand together, or
fall;" meaning the nineteen stars on the Brazilian flag,
representing the nineteen United Provinces. The nego-
ciation above alluded to, therefore, bids fair to be an ex-
tremely arduous one, as, no doubt, the question of indem-
nity must follow. The inclination for peace thus evinced
by Buenos Ayres must naturally have raised the Emperor's
tone; and we apprehend, if the opportunity is favourable,
and he can only secure a guarantee, he will be disposed to
bring in a long bill of charges. Even if the cause of the
original dispute was submitted to umpires—an expedient
to which he has sworn he will never consent ; and even
although the award were against him, who would be pre-'
pared to pay the charge of an army of 10,000 men, and a
large navy, from 181-5 up to the present time, and now
nearly doubled in number, besides the captures under
Artiga's flag, chiefly condemned in the United States,
spoliations, &c. ? Such charges would amount to several
millions sterling, yet, for such a sum, we do not know
where a paymaster is to be found.—Morning Chronicle.
It is evident from the manner in which the organ of the
Apostolics speaks of the Persian war, that our allusions to
the political intentions of Russia in the East have not been
unfounded. The Quotidienne mentions with exultation
that the pacific interference of England between the two
States has been rejected by the Russian Emperor, who is
determined to push on the war with vigour. It is not
wonderful then, that he should wish the attention of Eng-
land to be fully occupied in another quarter, and with that
view he may give Ferdinand assurances which have the
effect, at present, however, of preventing that pusillani-
mous Monarch from falling on his knees before the hostile
demonstrations of the power of England. It is this policy
which may make for a time something like a common
cause between the head of the Greek Church and the do- ,

mineering agents of the See of Rome. But it is not likely
that the co-Operation which Nicholas would give the Spa-
nish King would proceed any further than diplomacy.
Even should a war arise between England and Spain, be
is too remote from the scene' of action to effect any thing
without a vast expenditure, to which the Russian finances
are not adequate—we mean in the West of Europe. But we
are vulnerable in another point of our Empire, to which he
may make himself an access, and dismember our Last India
possessions, as Bonaparte would have done had he suc-
ceeded in subjugating Russia. It must be allowed, that in
attempting the overthrow of the Persian power her Scy-
thian adversary has undertaken a difficult task. It was a
labour of ambition which the Roman Empire, in the pride
of its military glory, could not accomplish. The disci-
pline, hardihood, and courage of the legions that carried
their eagles to the remotest boundaries of Europe, did not
avail against the obstacles which nature, and an enemy
that fled only to ensnare their pursuers, presented to them
in a Persian war—let us, however, recollect that Russia
has the advantage of being contiguous to this power,
which Rome had not—and should she hold the towns
Which she may take in military occupation, and establish
armed colonies of her own subjects, as we did in India,
the road to the frontiers of Hindostan will be open. Then
our Merchant-Princes, the Directors, may begin to think
that the throne of their Eastesu dominion is.not of ada-
mant, and should America co-operate with Russia, our
West India colonies will be in just as . precarious a state.
It is not for alarm, but security, that we would call the public
attention to these matters, as to have a distinct perception
of danger is the first step towards taking the proper means
to meet or to avert it.—Morning Herald.
On the merits of the question between us and America,
concerning the trade with our Colonies, there can scarcely
be a difference of opinion ; and the American Government,
conscious that the pretensions which it advanced are alto-
gethes: unreasonable, would now be glad to recede from
them. But they allege, as matter of complaint against us,
that we have hastily closed the door against negociation,
and that there is, to say the least, a harshness, and a want
of courtesy, in declining to arrange by treaty, what would
be settled more conveniently in that mode, than by mutual
and independent legislation. This complaint is entirely
misapplied; and America, if she looks back to what she
has done, will find that, as far as any blame can arise from
pitting an end to the negociations, that blame must attach
to herself, and not to us; for she deliberately did
an act, which rendered negociation nugatory; an act,
too, which no Envoy, or Plenipotentiary, can do
away with; and, until her Legislature retrace their
steps, treaty would be an idle mockery and farce.—
In 1823, that most extravagant and insane law was
passed, which imposed alien dutiei on British ships and
cargoes coming from our West India Colonies, " until
proof should be given, to the satisfaction of the President
of the United States, that no other or higher duties of
tonnage, or impost, and no other charges of any kind, are
exacted in the British Colonial ports, upon the vessels of
the United States, and upon any goods, wares, and mer-
chandise, therein imported from the United States, than
upon British vessels entering the same ports, and upon
like goods, wares, and merchandise, imported in such ves-
sels from elaewhere." We at first thought, that " from
elsewhere" meant only from other foreign 'countries; but
we soon learned, to our infinite astonishment, that these-
words were intended to include the Mother Country and
her dependencies ! What was the effect of this measure
upon the negociations which were then pending at London ?
The American Plenipotentiary declared, that no pro-
position could be received until we had made the con-
cession required by the law of 1823—that is, until: we
had agreed, that though our own produce and manufac-
. tures were subject to heavy duties in the American mar-
ket, the produce and merchandise of the United States
should be admitted into our Colonial markets on the
same terms with the produce of merchandise of our own
dominions. Thus the negociations were terminated—
and thus it was, that the door was closed against treaty.
We do not condemn Mr. Rush for what he did; he could
take tics ether course; and our blame falls, exclusively,
upon the absurd law, which left him no other alterna-
tive. The Legislature 14 tied up his hands, and
those of the Executive Government; the public func-
tionaries were not at liberty to exercise their own dis-
cretion, The law had prescribed a preliminary con-
dition, without which no arrangement could be en-
tered into. Where was the authority of Mr.' Rush,
or any El-IVOT, to dispense with this condition ?
The condition was of a nature, which it required
an uncommon combination of ignorance and impu-
dence to propose. Great Britain could not listen to
it for a moment. Treaty, therefore, upon that basis, was
entirely out of the question. Neither could there be any
negotiation, as to whether we might not be induced to
grant America the boon she demanded; for the point was
one, which admitted of no doubt. England could never
nuke the concession, upon which the American Legisla-
ture insisted. It being thus impossible to treat upon the

terms fixed by the American Law, could negociation
be entered into upon any other principle ? Clearly
not : for every other principle is repudiated by the Ame-
rican Legislature; and it would be an idle farce to
treat with the Functionaries of the Executive Govern-
ment, upon a basis disavowed by the -supreme autho-
rity of the State. The American Ministers say, that they
are now willing to recede from the extravagant de-
mand made by the Law of 1823, and that it is ungracious
in us, to refuse to negotiate upon the more equal terms,
which they now propose. We believe that they are sincere,
and that they are as sensible of the extravagant absurdities
of that demand, as we ourselves. But the demand was
not made by them alone, nor is it enough that they recede
from it : it was made by the law, and it is the law which
must recede, and authorize them to recede from the wild
and unreasonable pretension. It is ridiculous in Mr.
Adams and Mr. Clay, to propose to negotiate with us
concerning the arrangement of the colonial trade, on terms
contrary to what the law, which they are bound to obey,
and over which they have no controul, compels them
to exact. While the law of March, 1823, remains on their
statute book, an offer of negociation is a mere jest : that
law precludes all negociation, except upon a basis which
we have ever declared to be inadmissible, and upon which
they, themselves, are now ashamed to insist. If, therefore,
the door has been shut agzinst treaty, it was their Legisla-
ture who first closed it, and who keep it closed. Let
them repeal the Act of March, 1823, and then, and-not
till then, will they be in a condition to offer to negotiate.
When they shall have placed themselves, in that respect,
on a footing with us, it will be our part to consider whe-
ther we ought to make any proposals to them, or listen to
any which they may make to us.—New Tires.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF CHANCERY, MONDAY, JAN. B.
LUCENA V. CRAWFORD.

The Loa'. CHANCELLOR, addressing Mr. Hart, informed him,
that he had considered thik muse of " Lucena v. Crawford," and
that he was prepared to give judgment. His Lordship said he
was of opinion that the patty was not bound by the contract to
pay the sum of 2,0001.

Mr. HART, who had been listening to his Lordship, said that
in consequence of the noise which prevailed in the Court, he had
not been able to catch a syllable which fell from his Lordship.
The LORD CHANCELLOR repeated his observation.
Mr. HART said the matter had occurred so long ago, that he
had really forgotten, not only the facts of the case, but even the
aide on which he had argued. He, however, had no doubt that
his Lordship's decision would he satisfactory to all parties.
The LORD CHANCELLOR bad great doubts of that.
Mr. HORNE said, that he was precisely in the same predicament
with his Learned Friend Mr. hart.. He really did not know on
which side he had argued, but his impression was that the de-
cision of his Lordship was in his favour.
Mr. HART requested that the Registrar might take down his
Lordship's judgment, in order that no subsequent disputes might
arise.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said, that he would write it down
himself and give it to the Registrar.
The LORI) CHANCELLOR intimated that to-morrow he would
name some day on which he would give judgineut in several causes
which had already been finally heard.

SMITH V. EDWARDS.

Mr. HORNE moved the Court to dissolve the injunction in this
case. It had been obtained at a former seal by Mr. Shadwell,
and the object of it was to restrain the defendant from publishing
a pirated edition, as it was termed, of the plaintiff's " Eton Latin
Grammar."

'lhe LORD CHANCELLOR said, that he should certainly dissolve
:he injunction.

VICE•CHANCELLOR'S COURT, JAN. 15.
His HONOUR Sat to-,day for the first time since the holidays.
This was the first seal day, and the Court wu occupied in hearing
motions; but none of them were of any interest.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, GUILDHALL, JAN. 15.
WIDGER. V. BROWNING.

This was an action to try the validity of a commission of bank-
ruptcy sued out against the plaintiff in the year 1828, and under
which the defendant had been subsequently appointed one of the
assignees. The plaintiff was a serge-manufacturer, carrying on
business at Buckfasthigh, near Ashburton, in -the county of
DeVon, and during his absence from home for the purposes of his
trade, and in consequence of an illness occasioned by an injury
received from the overturning of a coach, the commission in ques-
tion, it was alleged, had been maliciously issued against him.
For the defence, evidence was produced, proving that he was,
greatly indebted to the house of Sir John Price and Co. ; that
they had repeatedly applied to Lim in vain for payment, and that
an application being made at his residence, the only answer that
could be obtained from his sister or his clerk was, that he was
from home, that they did not know where he was, but that he
would be back in a week or ten days. It was also proved that on
payment of a particular debt being demanded, he promised at a
time and place then appointed to meet the witness in order to dis-
charge it, but that he never attended fur that purpose.
The Loan Cum' JUSTICE expressed his opinion that that iu
itself was an act of bankruptcy, and the case was therefore at an
end.—The plaintiff was accordingly nonsuited.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STlMET.—Yesterday, a gentleman, whose name did
not transpire, applied to the Magistrate for advice under the fol.
lowing circumstances :—He said he was attached to the medical
profession, and desirous of purchasing a country practice. He
was induced, a short time ago, to answer an advertisement in a
morning paper, that held forth a very flattering offer, on terms
the most advantageous to any medical gentleman who should feel
disposed to transfer his professional exertions to a desirable situa-
tion in the country. In short, a clear income of 6001. a year was
ensured by the advertiser to the person who was lucky enough to
apply in time; and, to make the proposal still more enticing, the
advertisement stated that no money would be required by way of
premium. The applicant said, that he wrote, without loss of
time, to the very liberal gentleman to whom communications on
the subject were to he addressed, and in whose gift the lucrative
appointment lay. It turned out, however, in the course of the
negotiation, that a small advance of 100/. was required before
matters could come to a close, a sum which the applicant was
induced very foolishly to part with, and for which he received no
other consideration than the Utopian promises of an unprincipled
swindler, and an unstamped agreement under his hand and seal.
Thus situated, the applicant said he was induced to submit his
case to a Magistrate, in the hope of obtaining redress by summon-
ing the offending party, and causing him to refund the sum of
money of which he became thus fraudulently possessed ; the fel-
low's name, he said, was Pritchard, and he bad no doubt but
that he was in the habit of practising similar frauds upon the
public.
Both Sir R. BIELIVE and Mr- HALLS expressed surprise, that
any man in his senses should have parted with 100/. to an sitter
stranger without a due inquiry into his character and pretensions.
Frauds of this description were constantly attempted, but after all,
it required a very small share of common prudence to guard
against them. The applicant bad no other redress than that
which a civil action might afford him ; in adopting which pro-
ceeding, it would be necessary in the first instance to get the
agreement in question stamped, the expense of which would be a
further loss of 10/., and the fellow by whom the fraud was prac-
tised might either evade the action by a professional manoeuvre, or
elude it altogether by beating a retreat to another quarter.
The gentleman, and a friend by whom he was accompanied,
having thanked the magistrates for their advice, withdrew.
Stevens and Goodwin, the two men who have been repeatedly
examined at this office on suspicion of being concerned in a variety
of robberies near Hounslow, were discharged, no further evidance
having been produced to warrant their committal ; but little mo-
ral doubt, however, exists, of their connexion with the daring
gang whose depredations have of late been carried on to an alarm•.
ing degree in the above neighbourhood, and they were not per-
mitted to depart without a suitable admonition ; and a warning,
that if fresh evidence should come to light, they would be imme-
diately sought for and
- -
apprehended.

WORSHIP-STREET.--CHARGE OF Anson.—Mr. Henry
Holden, a person of very respectable appearance, who described
himself as of No. 9, Great Cambridge-street, Hackney-road, and
No. 25, Bucklersbur
Y house.'eity,was charged on suspicion of having
set fire to his dwelling
Mr. Yates, of No. 20, High-street, Shoreditch, pewterer and
brazier, said, that about o'clock on Sunday evening, as he
and his friend (Mr. Angus) were passing through Great Cam-
bridge-street, they saw smoke issuing from the prisoner's house.
The street door was open, and they proceeded up stairs.
On the landing-place of the first floor they observed a quan-
tity of new clean straw, strewed along the landing place to the
back room, which was enveloped in flames/ and the door
standing open. The straw appeared in a train from the front

to the back room ; it was not thickly strewed on the landing-
place, and there was not any on the stairs. The straw bad not the
appearance of having been used in packing ; there was suf-
ficient to cover the floor. The witness further stated, that the
windows and shutters of the house were closed, and there was a
quantity of furniture of the best quality in the parlour and the
kitchen.

Mr. Angus, a chemist and druggist, was next sworn, and con-
firmed the testimony of Mr. Yates, as to their entering the
house, and finding the straw strewed as described. He ob.
served a vessel in the middle of the room, which appeared to
him like a tub, from which a great body of fire ascended to
the ceiling. The smell proceeding from it appeared to him to
resemble coal tar. He did not observe the furniture on the
ground floor, but he saw that the kitchen was very well fur-
nished. He did not see any of the-inmates of the house until
twenty minutes afterwards he saw the prisoner at the Wellington
public-house, and gave him into custody.
Mi. Jones, Secretary to the. Phenix Fire Office, said, that the
house, only, was insured at their office, by Mr. Collins, the
landlord.

Mr. Baden, .Secretary to the Imperial, stated that the prisoner,
when he resided in Mount-street, City-road, insured the furniture
of his house in their Office for 4001. He had lately, however, re-
moved into Cambridge-street, and, on the Ist of January instant,
effected an insurance on his furniture for 600/. the policy for
which wai not yet made out.

The Foreman of the Imperial Company said, he was of opinion
that the fire originated in the back room of the first floor, from
whence it coninrunicated to the front room, and, spreading to the
upper part of the house, the roof, in a short time, fell in.
Mr. Staunton, the landlord of the Wellington public-house,
said, that a little before six o'clock, the prisoner came to his house,
with a lady, in a fainting state, and said that his house was on
fire. He proceeded to the spot, and saw the straw spoken of,
but he did not think it so thickly strewed as the first witnesses
had described.

Mr. Payne, a carpenter, who had been employed to_prepare the
house for the reception, of the prisonor, said it was furnished in a
handsome style ; the furniture, he calculated, could not be worth
less than 500/.

The prisoner, in his defence, said, when he resided in Mount-
street, he insured his furniture for 4001. but the policy did not in-
clude jewellery, plate, &c. Afterwards, he had removed into a
larger house, and purchased additional furniture, to the amount
of 2001. and he then increased his assurance to 6001. He could
prove the purchase of the additional furniture by bills and receipts,
and also by the evidence of neighbours, who had seen it at his
house. With respect to the fire, he could only say that he lunched
with his family between one and two o'clock, and was to hive
dined at five. In the interval he went up to the back room on
the first floor, which was used as a sort of store-room, and he
there opened a twelve-dozen hamper of wine, packed with straw,
hay, and waste paper. Afterwards Mrs. Holden went to the front
room on the same floor, their sleeping-room, to arrange some
dresses in her drawers, and having incautiously placed the candle
on a chair near the bed, the flame communicated to the curtains.
She endeavoured for sometime to extinguish the flames herself, and
it was not until the fire had gained a considerable ascendancy,
that lie knew any thing at all about it. On entered the room he
found his wife in a fainting state, and was obliged to carry her for
safety to the public-house.

Air. Yates and Mr. Angus said, the house certainly did appear
to he «•ell furnished.

- Mr. Burton, of Cornhill, said, the prisoner had been in his em-
ploy for twelve years, and he considered him one of the most trust-
, worthy persons he had ever known, and quite incapable of coin-
miffing such an act as he was suspected of.
After some private communication between the Magistrate, the
Secretaries of the Fire Offices, and the prisoner's friends, it was
agreed that the further investigation of the case should be post-
poned for a week, the prisoner being in the mean time admitted to
bail, but the amount of bail was not specified.
UNION HALL.—Yesterday morning, on the arrival of the
Sitting Magistrate, Maisey, 'the night constable of St. George's
parish, Southwark, stated, that several watchmen employed to
act in that portion of the district, were attacked on the preceding
night by a gang of ruffians, and severely maltreated. The circum-
stances under which the outrage was committed are as follow :
Between 11 and 12 o'clock on Sunday night, a disturbance oc-
curred in a place called the " Mint," which is chiefly inhabited by
thieves and prostitutes of the lowest description. The watchmen
stationed in and near the spot, hastened, on hearing the noise, to
ascertain the cause : but as they approached, they were knocked
down one after another by a gang of ruffians, who, in order to
elude the possibility of detection, disguised themselves by blackening
their faces in such a manner as to render it impossible to identify
any individual belonging to the gang. Two of the watchmen at-
tracted to the spot by the uproar were so desperately maltreated
by the ruffians, that they were left lying in one of the purlieus
of the Mint in a state of insensibility, both of them having
been cut severely on their heads. The gang, it appeared, were
all armed with bludgeons, and committed several outrages dur-
ing the night. Maisey observed, that in consequence of the
darkness that continually prevailed at night in the streets and
alleys in the Mint, the whole of that neighbourhood being
without either lamp or gas-light during the whole year, ren-
dered it a place of security for thieves and vagabonds of all kinds,
who now swarmed there amazingly, and committed outrages of
the most flagrant description without much risk of being de-
tected. The constable added, that of late frequent robberies had
been committed on the Southwark-bridge-road, and most of the
offenders escaped into the Mint, where the watchmen stand no
teid.hoannece of apprehending them, owing to the causes above men_

place
their for
. neglecting
dwellings,
l
Mr. CHAMBERS, on referring to a very ancient local Act of
Parliament relating to that part of Southwark called the Mint,
discovered that there was a clause in it which empowered him to
peiaumflipest aatfiri respective on
ettiv the e inhabitantsof
opposite
s
Hall, the chief constable, said, that a few years back he had
occasion to complain of the outrages that were committed in the
place alluded to, on account of the gross neglect of the inhabitants,
who, imagining that they were exempt from having this
distances,that
neces-
sary duty performed, suffered people to he knocked down and
rubbed by ruffians, who generally escaped detection the moment
they entered the Mint.
The Magistrate issued summonses • against the inhabitants of the
Mint, all of whom he expressed his determination to fine for suf-
fering their neighbourhood to remain in dark '
ess, and thereby
facilitating the refuge of thieves. n