Star.
London, England, 1830-12-09 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE JOURNALS.

exaoirict.E.—The procession of the trades yesterday through the
metropolis was alluded to by the Duke of Wellington, who said that
the practice of processions with Gap, Ike. if not contrary to law, was
most dangerous. His Grass is quick in descrying danger. The incon-
venience of processions in a trading city is mote obvious than their dan-
ger ; though processions through the streets of particular trades, benefit
societies, &c. with gags, are common enough. As far, however,
as interruption of the highways Is conmen4 diem is ten times
more, every day in the year, from large carts loading and un- ,
loading in the day time in the most frequented thoroughfares...l
Were there anything like good order in this metropolis, all these things
would be limited to particular hours in the morning, or to night. Every
day whole lines of carts or carriages block up the way for hours, till
some grocer or ocher tradesman has disposed of the contents of a cart,
which remains opposite his door. Lord Melbourne had not been aware
till the placards were posted up calling on the trades to proceed to his
Majesty, that more was intended than a deputation; and upon consult.
ing with the authorities and police, they all recommended the allowing
the procession, for which they would be responsible. The Lord Chan.
cello, declared in favour of the legality of it.

Tiates.—We are haters of all monopolies, and among others of a
monopoly of the elective franchise, by such a (miscalled) Reform of
Parliament as would introduce into the constituent body, by means of
universal suffrage, the masa, and with the mass the dregs, of the exist.
ing population. That species of Reform of Parliament would be a
monopoly of power, and, consequently, of every thing to the appro-
priation of which unreflecting power could be rendered applicable, by the
numerical majority of the people—in other words, by the mob. We are
staunch friends to a broad and fundamental reform; and if enemies to uni-
venal suffrage, or to the establishment of a low qualification for the greet
mass of elector's it is because such a principle would be, in effect, a saw-
routing of the representative system, by the virtaal exclusion of all
influence derived from property, and an absolute surrender of the can-
rnonwealth to a single c.kast class moved to frequent wafers
against every other, by the extremes of destitution and desperation
acting upon incurable ignorance, prejudice, and distrust. Ls far the
admission of mere " numbers" into die state, set gushiest or distin-
guished by any further claims, the conedtudea of exhibits
no such tendency. The electors fee towns whew forms a
qualification, have a stake in the country des MEI end that
evidence of honest and reputable coniact, liedi of which
constitute their property, and without which they amid not leave
obtained the freedom or their r=rrye rade% IR bees
topewit-
ted earn the wages of art and . Ivan thect=estb
lowest, meanest, and mat worthies el shown, Ms WO-
reat in the borough for which he Taos, them. elieperisd dsdlialerci;tieleb
he has been eousssisd with ad der sot ismorrime dr •
naked numbers. ifs class of elates, be deeirek less spa el MT'
lion than a lap majority of those who now mess that Ostler, the

standard of qualification ought to be raised, and not reduced. 11r. Fos
and Mr. (now Earl) Grey were both for that description of reform ; but
then property, no matter under what name, mast be admitted. If the
representation is no longer to be a shadow and mockery, but a substan-
tial power and safeguard for the state, the close baronies, even of less
than 500 voters, must at ones be ousted from their iniquitous, however
loog.exercised usurpation.
--
Temes.—lf by yielding to the dictation of the rioters the magis-
trates could permanently better their condition, we might forget the
feeliugs of alarm from which they acted, and give them credit for a
laudable as well as an easy receipt foe terminating outrage and restoring
tranquillity. But though their motives may be laudable, their power is
limited. They may order the farmer to pay a certain rate of wages to
labourers when be employs them, but can they likewise order him to
employ them ? If they cannot, what is gained for those labourers
whose services are rejected altogether, but total deprivation of employ.
meet ? and if they can, what becomes of the right of the fanner ? What
, becomes even of the rights of the other classes of the community ? foe
the same authority which would put a labourer, for whom he has no
use, into a farmer's barn or field, would put a supernumerary cook into
a gentleman's kitchen, or a compositor into our office. All that the
magistrates an legally do is to enforce the laws for relieving the pauper
labourer, without interfering with the contracts which regulate the price
of labour. To. just remuneration of labour must depend on the
sh&S
con-
science
and honour of the em yen, and on the terror which the op.
pressed—by a law of astute. h not of the land....nre able to in.
ilia on their oppressors. ly have the poor been treated, and
their wrongs ought to be redressed ; but the law has not invested loud
magistrates with any power to command such redress.

Cnaoxict.x..—We call the attention of our readers to an excellent
Circular, in another column, from Lord Melbourne, on the subject of
the recent conduct of the Justices of Peace. The Magistrates have
been so long accustomed to consider themselves irresponsible for the
exercise of their powers, that we have no doubt they will be not a little
astonished when they find that at length censure has overtaken
them. I am commanded by his Majesty to lose no
time in acquainting you, that it has been observed with great regret
that the:Justices of Peace and others have in many instances, un-
der the influence of threats and intimidation, and the apprehension of
violence and outrage, advised the establishment of an uniform rate
of wages to be paid for labour in their respective neighbourhoods."
Why, they have been in the practice of advising an uniform rate of
wages for many a year. The practice is so inveterate, that we have
awn a table which must have been drawn up by certain Blegistretes in
Oxfordshire, at the very time his Lordship was drawing up this letter.—
We see in this censure the harbinger. of a new state of things. Sir It.
Peel would have it that the poor had been oppressed, but that the upper
I classes were not to blame. What cant I They are to blame—they
have long been to blame. We are all now reaping the fruits of a
policy as narrow as it was unjust. But how an we punish poor infa-
tuated wretches for violating the law in breaking machines,
and compelling mastas to advance wages, when :Magis-
trates—the only authorities known to them—sign declare.
dons, recommending the breaking of machines, and the raising
of wages l Is notithis teaching the people that justice is on their side ?
Well Is it said in the ciradar, ''that these machines are as much en.
tided to the protection of the law as any other description of property,
and that the course which has been taken of prescribing or recommend-
ing the discontinuance of them, is, in fact, to connive at, or rather to
assist in, the establishment of a tyranny of the most oppressive charac-
ter." The rights at property must be upheld. A machine is property
—labour is property—the business of the Justice of Peace is to respect
property, and not to destroy it. The law never contemplated that he
should make the contract between the farmer and the labourer. This is
an usurpation, a dangerous usurpation, which no length of time can
consecrate.

HOME OFFICE.
The following very proper and well-tinted notification has just been
Issued from the Home Seaetary's Office :
(taacutaa.)
tehall, Bth Dee. .
fita—l am commandpl by his Illa*ty tool
lose no time in a•ftHMOualne
ing yea that it has been observed WA peat wpm that the Juadm of
Pews end others have in many lestemem, wader the influence of threats
and intimidation, and the epiphanies el Odom anti outrage, ad.
vied the establishment of an unite. Med wools to be paid for labour
in their respecSve asigbabadmsdk awl have abe, boo the some mo.
tires, in many inalalllMl sseemimmdal the dlsiwedasomee of the em.
ployment of maeldnes used he thrashing out eau, and for other
Pu=l and experience concur in proving that a compliance with de-
mands so unreasonable in themselves, and urged in such a manner, can
only lead, and probably within a very short period of time, to the most
disastrous results ; and that the tranquillity which is obtained by con-
cessions grounded upon principles so maxims is likely to be of very
transient duration.

The Austin* of Peace must be aware that thq me invested with no
general legal authority to settle the amount of the wages of labour ;
and any interference in such a matter can only have the effect of exciting
expectations which must be disappointed, and of ultimately producing,
in an aggravated degree, a renewed spirit of discontent and insubi-
nation.

Upon the second point it is only necessary to observe, that these ma.
chines are as much entitled to the protection of the law as any other de.
Seri of property, and that the course which has been aka of pre.
scribing or recommending the discontinuance of them is. in fact, to eon.
nive at, or rather to assist in the establishment of a tyranny of the most
oppressive character.
His Majesty's Government are fully sensible that allowance is to be
made for the new and difficult circumstances in which Magistrates have
been placed, by the recent disturbances which have occurred in various
parts of the kingdom; but under no difficulty, nor in any extremity,
ought principles so contrary to the general interests of the community,
and ao injurious more especially to the welfare of those who have been
deluded into the commission of these offences, to Isp recognised, still less
to be sanctioned by persons in authority, whose duty it is at all hazards
to maintain the authority of the law, and to secure the liberty of the
subject.
His Majesty's Government feel deeply for the sufferings and priva.
dons which have of late years pressed, and still continue to press se.
verely, upon the labouring classes of e community. They are anx.
lolls to odor, as speedily as possible, every practicable and reseenable
measure for their alleviation ; but they are aleoentirely convinced that
these sufferings will only be increased and pretreated by a course of
concession to viuknce and tumult.

It is my duty, therefore, to recommend in the strongest manner,
that, for the Atone, all Justices of the Peace and ether Magistrates
will oppose • Ann resistance to all demands of the nature above de-
scribed, more especially when accompanied with violence and menace;
and that they will deem it their duty to maintain and uphold the rights
of propel/ of every description against violence and aggression.
have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
ELBOURN

THE HOY.'

71ITY.

Yesterday, a deputation of the Fellows of this Society, pursuant to a
resolution passed at the anniversary meeting, waited on his Royal High.
mess the Duke ot Sussex, at Kensington Palace, and pro forma comm.
nieated to his Royal Highness that be had beam elected President of the
Society, vice Davies Gilbert, Esq., M. P. His Royal Highness re.
calved the Fellows composing the deputation with that courtesy for
which he is so well known, shaking them cordially by the hand. His
Royal Highness assured the deputation that no exertions on his part
I should be wanting to promote the interests of the Society—end especially
to heal those &Terence* in the Institutes which So Welt time past bad
formed such a ftultful topic for the gossip of the town. The deputation
took leave of his Royal Highness much pleased with their courteous
recepdoo.

MR. ST. Joint LONG.-3U witnesses against this in-
dividual went before the Middlesex Grand Jury this morn-
ing, with a bill charging him with the manslaughter of
Mrs. Lloyd, and which was returned by the Grand Jury
into Court shortly after twelve o'clock a true bill. The
indictment is similar to that preferred in the case of Miss
Caitlin, and charges him with having produced a mortifi-
cation of the breast, of which the deceased died, by rub-
ing, or causing to be rubbed thereupon, a certain perni-
cious preparation, the secret of which was known only to
himself. Mr. St. John Long has not yet surrendered
himself, but there appears every reason to believe he in-
tends doing so, as, besides aubpcenaing witnesses, be has
retained Messrs. Adolphus, Clarkson, and Phillips, to con-
duct his defence. Mr. Alley is employed for the prose-
cution.
A Proclamation was this morning affixed in the Hall
of the Middlesex Session* House, calling upon the out-
pensioners of Greenwich Hospital to bold themselves in
readiness to be sworn in as special constables, and to act
under the directions of the magistrates of the districts
wherein they reside. The number of efficient men com-
prised within this body is very great ; and as the present
is about the time when they will have se produce their
testimonials at the Excise•otbco of the district wherein
they reside, previous to receiving their quarter's pewit*,
the swearing in of ends as may be selected will be ac-
complished with great sees.