The Sun.
London, England, 1829-01-06 00:00:00

children, Lnd that ha never committed an offence

before.

The complainant persisted in requiring that bp
should be sentenced to serve his Majesty for five
years.

The LORD INIAYoIt expostulated very strongly
with them, and said that it appeared to him to be
great cruelty, for so trivial an off.,nce, to inflict tile
dreadful punishment of tearing a poor man away
from his wife and children for fve years.
The complainants said it was in the power of tho
Lords of the Treasury alone to remit or mitigate the
punishment.
The Loup MAYOR—It is dreadful to punish with
each rigour. I shall order him to be detained in the
Compter for two or three days, and you can con-
sider what to do. This appears to be a horrible sort
of punishment for an offence of the very slightest
nature.

The seaman was then remanded.
130 W. Eft tt EET.

Mr. Gates, the solicitor, and another professional
gentleman employed by the society of bankers,
waited yesterday upon Sir R. BIRNIE, with whom
they had a long conference in the private-room, re-
lative to the escape of Stephenson, the banker. We
wcre given to triderstand that a clue has been ob-
tained which may lead to his apprehension. Bishop,
had previously stated to Sir H. Birnie his belief that
Mr. Stephenson had in the instance proceeded
direct
.to Bristol, and arriving there had embarked
immediately for America. After the conference
with the Chief Magistrate was over, Mr. Gates and
Bishop left the office together in a hackney-coach,
and Sir R. Birnie soon after proceeded to the Home-
office.

In the course of the morning a gentleman, who
announced himself as the nephew of Lord Stafford,
addressed Sir R. Birnie, and requested to know if a
report published is the Times journal of.a conversa-
tion purporting to have passed between him (Sir R.
Birnie) and a Captain Pettinghall, relative to some
supposed transactions between Lord Stafford and
Mrs. Stamp Sutton Cooke, was correctly given. If
so, Captain Pettinghall, or rather, Mr. Cubitt, from
whom it was stated the information came, had ut-
tered that which was grossly false and highly in-
jurious to the character of Lord Stafford.
The gentleman added, that falsehoods such as had
been stated were doubly mischievous when published
in such a paper as the Times, which was circulated
through every part of the country.
Sir R. BtaNtE was sorry that Captain Petting-
hall had stated what he did, but certainly what had
taken place was fairly reported.
The gentleman then requested that as soon as Sir
Richard Biruie should have made the requisite in-
quiry, lie would state the result, and publicly repro-
bate the author of the slander.

Sir R. BIRNIE bowed in acquiescence, and the
gentleman withdrew.
Just as Sir R. BIRNIE left the ofiSce, Mr. Wilks,
the bookseller, who had previously been waiting for
an opportunity to address him upon the subject of a
report which appeared in the Times of Saturday,
foilowed him into the passage, and pointing to the
report in question, said, " Aly name is Wilks, Sir; I
nut the individual who prosecuted Ferstandeg; I
%%jib to draw your attention to this statement?'
Sir R. lIIRNIE—WeII, what of it ? Wilks--The
report says that the conversation between you and
Mr. Ferstandeg occurred in private.
Sir R.litnNo— Yes, in the private room, not in.
the office; what then ? Wilks—You are made to
say, that if you knew as much of me at the time
when Ferstaedeg was exatnined as you did then, you
would be cautious how you committed any man
upon such testimony.
Sir R. BIRNIE—I did say so; it is quite true.
Wilks—You were not justified in making use of
such an observation.

Sir H. BlRNlE—Begone, Sir ! Wilks—l say it
was unjust and uncalled for.
Sir H. BIRNIE—Quit the office, I say. With--
(going)—l shall seek redress elsewhere.
Sir R. ButNts---officer, turn this fellow out.

Wilks, upon this order, hastily retired, and again
met the chief magistrate in the outer passage, as he
was about to retire to his own house.

Wilks—l can bring testimonials, Sir Richard
Birnie, which will satisfy you that I am a respectable
man!

Sir R. BIRNIR—If you cull produce a single book-
seller, stationer, printer, or bookbinder, in the whole
metropolis of London, who will come forward and
give you a good character, I will attend to your
complaint; but not till then.
Wilks at last retired, after an ineffectual effort to con-
lince the chief magistrate that he ought to bear him.