The Sun.
London, England, 1829-05-27 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE LONDON JOURNALS.

We trust that the defeat of Mr. Grant's motion
for a reduction of the duties on all imported sugars
is to be considered as no more than temporary, and
that a measure in all respects so just, humane, and
wise, will, if not introduced, be at least, on the sug-
gestion of others, adopted by his Majesty's Govern-
ment before the end of 1830. Mr. Grant's argu-
ment went to a variety of points, which are all
worthy of serious consideration. He showed, by a
striking reference to the progress of consumption ►n
the two great articles of wine and coffee, that a large
addition to the quantities brought to market had
followed a reduction of the taxes on these articles.
In coffee the consumption, which before the duties
were diminished had sot exceeded 8,500,0001 b.,
rose in four years to upwards of 17 millions. The
reduction of the wine duties had produced an abso-
lute and extensive increase of revenue. The tax on
French wines, for instance, in 1820, was 65,000/. ;
and in 1826, after a repeal of (about) two-fifths
of the duty, its produce was very nearly double
—viz., 119,000/. In Port wine, the high duty
yielded (1824) 490,0001.; while the amount of
the low duty, in 1827, was 723,000/. So with
Spanish wines. The year 1823, during the opera-
tion of the full duty, gave 202,000/. to the reve-
nue ; and the low duty of 1827, 410,000/.
After such facts as these, Mr. Grant might
well wonder at any doubt being entertained as to
the consequence of lowering the taxes on sugar,
which, it appears, had not increased during 20 years
from 1807, in any degree equal to the population.—
Mr. Goulburn, in his attempt to cope with this rea-
soning, merely refused his concurrence by alleging
that although sugar was sold in 1815 at 91s. 10d.
per cw t., and now at 535. or 595., the consumption
had not extended itself with the fall of price. But
Mr. Goulburn forgets how much of that fall has been
only nominal on account of the change in the value
of money, and of a corresponding diminution in the
apparent price of all other commodities as well as
sugar. Wages have fallen in as great a proportion,
if not still more sensibly; but a reduction at present,
or at any time since 1824, would have operated as
powerfully as that in the tax on wine at the same
period,—an argument from analogy with which the
Chancellor of the Exchequer did not meddle. There
was► another consideration which was not noticed by
Mr. Goulburn, viz. the large increase of comfort to
the poor throughout the whole kingdom, which would
accompany a larger enjoyment of this most whole.
some and palateable production. The use of
coffee has spread more peculiarly among the lower
classes than in the upper or the middle. A more
liberal consumption of sugar would naturally have
attended that of coffee, had a similar indulgence as
to the article of taxation been vouchsafed to the
working classes in the former instance as in the
other; and it is really time for Finance Ministers to
look a little at the effect of taxes on the feelings and
domestic economy of the poor, and not confine their
measures either to precedents furnished by their
official predecessors, or to purposes of mere revenue,
were the revenue to be injuriously affected, which
in the present case Mr. Grant has proved very
clearly that it would not. With respect to the pre-
cise adjustment or proportion of duties out West
India sugar, as compared with those on the East
Indian and the foreign, we are not competent to
offer an opinion : but as it is certain that in time
the free labour of India, when directed by European
skill and capital, must possess extraordinary advan-
tages over the slave-wrought produce of our colo-
nies in the west, it may be worth the trouble of
Ministers to consider how they ought to frame the
schedule of comparative duties so as to save the
property of our countrymen in the old western colo-
nies from too rude and sudden a depreciation.—
Times.

In the purity-of-election Meeting at the Crown
rind Anchor, the public will have perceived that there
was much violence : the result was, that Cobbet
was at intervals overpowered by noise and numbers,
and at other intervals defeated in reasoning by Mr.
Hobhouse. However, we observed, and with some
contempt, that the latter gentleman chose to tem-
per his triumph over his adversary by many ill-
placed and hollow compliments to the talents of the
defeated. He was a great knave, but a clever one.
This is very much the language of the day, with
respect to the person to whom it was applied; and
we are therefore inclined to give its propriety and
justice a few moments' consideration. Now, in the
first place, we very much doubt whether a man can
be reckoned a really clever one, who does not see
the advantages of a regular, honest, truth-telling,
consistent line of conduct, and adopt the virtues
into his practice through policy, though his heart be
a stranger to their influence ; and as to truth, con-
sistency, or any thing of that kind, why no one
ever thought or thinks of attributing them to Cob-
bet : he would take it to be an insult—very stu-
pidly and erroneously, but he would still take
it to be a mockery, or an insult—to his under-
standing, if they were attributed to him. Then with
respect to his literary attainments. He was self-
educated, and in that respect has the ordinary
merit of such persons, of whom there are not a few.
He makes more noise than the generality of them,
because his labours are dedicated to popular subjects,
and he is withal clamorous, noisy, and impudent to
an excess. Mr. Hobhouse shamed him and put him
to flight on Monday; Alderman Waithman frightens
hint out of his wits in the city ; but this is not al-
ways his fate. Yet, with respect to self-educated
persons in general, it may be said of them that they
are hue usque gentry—" hitherto shalt thou go and
no further"—and Cobbett has long been at the
length of his tether. Indeed, we put it to general
observation, whether there ever was a public writer
who improved so little as he has done from the first
moment at which he was known in that character.
He treads the same dull sound of expression every
week, like a mill-horse in his track. If his too kind
benefactor, Sir Francis Burdett, be mentioned, it is
always " Daddy Burdett, who thrust his knees into
Canning's back." Lord Londonderry is always
" Castlereagh who cut his throat." No invention—
no variety iii the course brute's malice! If there
were any wit or talent in these expres-
sions, it would be exhausted when they were
first made : if there be none, what disgust-
ing stupidity and dullness in their endless
repetition ! Then as to his sagacity on political
questions. Was there ever writer that blundered
with more beastly ignorance than he has done on
the question of the currency ? And yet he goes
on bragging like Katterfelto when he had failed in
a conjuring trick. He was to be roasted or grilled
if ever we resumed cash payments ; and as a sign
of his certainty on this point, he placed the grid-
iron on which he was to suffer at the head of his
publication. Well, we have resumed cash payments,
and probably with less difficulty than wiser heads
than his imagined; yet we have resumed them.
Still he goes on bragging, as if he had been right.
Ay, but small notes—the revocation of these was
impossible in his thick sight. They are recalled ;
yet he brags on. Was there ever greater stupidity
than this ? In fact, we will give him any political
question of any kind (he knows nothing else)—give
him a truth, we say, however clear, and if he can
establish it by reasoning, without a•grievous admix-
ture of lies, we will eat him when grilled. Let us
hear no more, then, of this man's genius and talents;
and let not Mr. Hobhouse disgrace his taste by at-
tributing to him either in a superior degree. He
has picked up a precarious livelihood, as others have
done by similar arts, and that is all that can be said
of him.—lbid.

There was distributed yesterday a statement of
the number of perttons committed for criminal
offences in Ireland during the last seven years, with
the number of convictions, acquittals, no bills, &c.
and the sentences and executions. It is curious that
the year 1828—the great year of agitation as it is
called—stands distinguished as being the lowest in
the commitments of the whole seven yeara. The
number of commitments, however, even for 1828, is
very great-14,683. The -lumber for the seven
years is 112,838, averaging 16,419 a year. The

convictions for the whole seven years are 62,512,
somewhat less than one-half; but there is an evident
improvement towards the last years—the convictions
for 1828 being 9,269. A comparison between the
crimes of two countries so differently circumstanced
as Ireland and England, might be both curious and
instructive. One distinction immediately suggests
itself, the excessive number of crimes of violence. The
commitments for murder during the seven years,
amount to 2,590 ; for manslaughter, to 653. The
convictions for murderare 429; for manslaughter 513.
The acquittals for murder are 1,083; for man-
slaughter, 54. The no bills and not prosecuted,
for murder, are 1,078; for manslaughter, 56. The
commitments for rape are 1,497; the convictions
only 71. The no bills and no prosecutions for rape
amount to the enormous number of 1,116 ; from
which we may infer that the prosecution has effected
in most cases a marriage. Some offences of frequent
occurrence in England seem to be, on the other
hand, unknown in Ireland. There is no sort of
proportion between the population and commitments
of the different counties. It would seem, however,
that the wealthy and prosperous counties are the
most distinguished for the paucity of their commit-
ments. Thus, for instance, the flourishing counties
of Down, Antrim, and Derry, with a population of
793,303, have 961 commitments in 18.28; while
the county of Kerry, with a population of only
205,037, has 944; greatly beyond all the commit-
ments of Scotland. Sligo, with a population of
127,879, has 402; while Wicklow, with a popu-
lation of 169,305, has only 103. Thus Con-
naught, the wildest part of Ireland, with a popu-
lation of 856,380, has 1,696 commitments for
1828. Deducting Dublin County and City, with
a population of 346,550, and 2,375 commit-
ments, Connaught is considerably above the
average of Ireland—including them, it has one-
eighth of the population and one-eighth of the com-
mitments. In \Vales and the Highlands of Scot-
land, and the mountainous districts of the North of
England and South of Scotland, there are hardly
any commitments. There must be excessive dis-
tress in the county of Kerry, to account for no
fewer than 5,983 commitments in seven years, out of
a population of 205,000. But the commitments in
a country like Ireland give a very faint idea of the
state of disorder. In the county of Down, which
approximates, perhaps, the most to an English
county, the commitments may bear a considerable
proportion to the crimes ; but in the less cultivated
parts of the country, who dares to give his testi-
mony in the most cases ? It cannot be too often in-
culcated that security must precede accumulation
and the embarkation of capital. There seems to
be almost an impunity for certain crimes, and while
thissis the case there can be no security. Arson is
one of the crimes which it is most necessary to put
down, arid out of 486 commitments there were
only 60 convictions.—Abduction, another dreadful
crime, is not better. Out of 361 commitments
there are only 68 convictions.—Cattle stealing, too,
seems to enjoy nearly impunity.—Mor aing Gluon.
The question at issue between Sion College and
the Church of Scotland, respecting the right to the
records of the Kirk of Scotland from 1561 to 1616,
was agitated last night in the House of Lords, on
the pre-entation of a petition from the General As-
sembly by the Earl of Haddington. The possession
of these documents being of so much consequence
to the Scotch Church, and of so little to Sion Col-
lege, some amicable arrangement will, we suppose,
take place. It would be ungracious in the extreme
in the Fellows of Sion College to throw any diffi-
culties in the way of the re-acquisition of their pro-
perty by the Kirk. The Bishop of London said, li
"if his Majesty, as the Head of the Church of
Scotland, should assert the claim of that Church,
and direct his law officers to make inquiry as to the
means of establishing that claim, the Fellows of
Sion College would make no opposition to giving
them up." In consequence, probably, of some
animadversion on this by Lord Haddington, the
Bishop of London said, in explanation, " It was us
Head of a Scotch Episcopal Church that he had
spoken of his Majesty's claims." In which way are
his Majesty's claims, as head of a Scotch Episcopal
Church, connected with the claims of the Scotch Pres-
byterian Church ? It is riot surely meant, that his
Majesty, as head of a Scotch Episcopal Church,
should bestow on that Church the property of an-
other—namely, the Church of Scotland. As to the
Church of Scotland, his Majesty has nothing to do
with it in its Ecclesiastical capacity, any more than he
has to do with the Church of Rome. He does not bes
ong to it in any way whatever, and it is only in their
civil capacity that the members acknowledge the au-
thority of his Majesty. The Presbyterians, in this re-
spect, resemble the Catholics.—lbid.
It would appear from a statement of the amount
of the Revenue in some of its principal departments,
from the sth of April to the 23d instant, that in
the Excise, in the Assessed Taxes, and in the
Stamps, there has been a diminution to the tune of
nearly half a million ; and that in the Customs only
has there been any increase, and that only amount-
ing to the petty sum of 4,0001.! We are not in
the least surprised at this statement, but, on the
contrary, should have been surprised if the Re-
venue had not decreased. Where the people are
poor, and unable to purchase, the Government
must also be poor—its means must decrease with
the decreasing means of the people—and its revenue
suffer with the suffering revenue of the individuals
who support it ; for no Government has any other
means of wealth but the prosperity of its subjects ;
and if they are involved in bankruptcy, it also must
suffer,,unless it resorts to a system of spoliation and
plunder. But half a million deficiency in two
months ! What a proof does this fact furnish of
the increasing misery of the people—the decay of
trade—and the necessity of not wasting our re-
sources ! But palace building is the order of the
day, arid what is still more melancholy, the build-
ing of palaces which would even disgrace the
pettiest burgh of the empire ! Half the sums
foolishly expended in this way would have given
liberty to Portugal, and wiped off the disgrace
which, in the eye of every foreigner, attaches to
England, of abetting the cause of usurpation and
t y ran ny.—Moraing Advertiser.

A young man of the name of RYAN, a car-
penter, having been in company with a soldier of the 34th
Regiment, at a public-house in Blackpool, on Monday,
and the latter possessing great taste for theatricals, both
agreed to perform Richard the Third. In the fencing
scene the soldier used his bayonet, and RYAN, who repre-
sented Richmond, held the scabbard. By some awkward
fatality in parrying, the bayonet passed with great force
into RYAN'S chest, and penetrated the heart. —Cork
Southern Reporter.

A day or two since, a traveller, in his eagerness
to explore the beauties and wonde►s of Pendennis Castle
and rock, reached a position from which he could neither
recede nor proceed, and would, in all probability, have met
a watery grave, if it had not, fortunately been for some
ladies, who chanced to approach within bearing, and to
whom he succeeded in making known his perilous situa-
tion, when they immediately procured assistance, and by
the aid of ropes, &c. rescued him from danger.—Fal-
mouth Packet.

RECEIPTS FOR FASHIONABLE SUPPERS.
—For a simple soiree I recommend Katie sandwiches of
fowl, of ham, of tongue, &c., some plates of pastry, and
here and there on the table some baskets of fruit. These,
judiciously placed on the table, with the lights, will pre-
sent au agreeable coup d'ceil, and will cost less by three-
fourths than a very common supper, where the guests are
required to set to work in carving pates, hams, fowls,
aspics, &c. &c., while at a buffet, furnished as above,
neither ladies nor gentlemen need remove their gloves, and
an, notwithstanding,sati4y themselves in every way. For
a select ball I would have more variety in the composition
of the articles. Put on the sideboard, in the first place,
sandwiches of supreme of fowl, sandwishes with fumet de
giblet; sandwiches of fillets of soles ; sandwiches of salad,
and sandwiches of anchovies, for those who happened to
like them. All these things, made with great care, have
many admirers ; and I am confident that, if it were once
customary to adopt them generally, they would never
again give place to those ancient suppers which are only
ridiculous signs of the extravagance and bad taste of the
givers ! Udees Frinch Cook, 10th Edition.

LAW INTELLIGEMCE.

COURT OF CHANCERY, MAY 26.
WELLESLEY V. THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT.

At the rising of the Court this petition, to stay
an order for the taxation of costs, and the allowance
of the attendance of Mr. Wellesley before the
Master, was only partly heard. The argumen►s of
Counsel were now concluded.

Mr. BEAMES addressed the Court in opposition
to the petition, and enforced the right of Mr.
Wellesley to have the order for the taxation of costs
carried into execution.

The LORD CHANCELLOR asked why Mr. Wellesley
was so anxious to go into the Master's Office ?
Mr. BEAMES replied, merely to protect the inte-
rests of the infants.

The LORD CHANCELLOR thought their interests
would be much better protected by the guardians,
when appointed.

Mr. ifEAmEs referred to the affidavits filed in order
to show the payments which hadsbeen made to the
witnesses by the Misses Long, and to prove the
necessity of an immediate taxation.
The LORD CHANCELLOR observed, that Mr.
Wellesley had not thought fit to make any affidavits.
The case rested wholly upon the assertion of the
solicitors.

Mr. BEAMES said, that the Misses Long had
pursued a similar course, by abstaining to make any
affidavit. The affidavit, however, of Mr. Welles-
ley's solicitor was sufficient to shew the dealings
with the witnesses by the Misses Long and others.
The payments made by them to O'Meara were ad-
mitted, and the spirit in which they were given was
pretty well declared by O'Meara himself, when he
spt aks of the " glorious cause," and alludes to his
character having been traduced and injured during
the investigation. These were the grounds upon
which advances were made to establish this injured
character in some lucrative situation abroad. This,
however, was but one single, solitary instance; that
of Mrs. Scott was another; and no doubt many
others would be discovered if the taxation were now
allowed to proceed, and Mr. Wellesley were per-
mitted to attend the Master upon it.
Mr. KNIGHT, on the same side, adverted to the
affidavits, and read that portion of them which
charged Mr. Wellesley with desiring to attend the
Master only for the purpose of examining papers
and documents he could not otherwise obtain a sight
of. lie denied most positively that there was any
truth in such a declaration. The reasons for Mr.
W.'s interference were apparent, upon the affidavits
filed in opposition to the petition. In these affida-
vits was contained a letter of a very extraordinary
description, so extraordinary that he could not for-
bear drawing the attention of the Court to it. It was
a letter written by Mr. Hutchinson, the attorney for
the Misses Long, to Mrs. Scott, inclosing two
guineas. It required Mrs. Scott to send an acknow-
ledgment for the money, and stated that nearly 1001.
had already been advanced to her. It was added,
that as the Misses Long would have to pay out of
their own pockets all which would not be allowed
in taxed costs, it could not be expected that any
further advances would be made. The letter con-
cluded with this most extraordinary recommenda-
tion, that they should " struggle to obtain a livelihood
for themselves."

Mr. KNIGHT, after some further observations, con-
cluded by opposing the petition.
Mr. SUGDEN rose to reply.
The LORD CHANCELLOR thought it unnecessary
to trouble the Le:titled Gent. He was satisfied that
there was no ground for allowing Mr. Wellesley to
attend before the Master, nor was it necessary that
the taxation should take place immediately. It would
be better for the interests of all parties that the pro-
ceedings should be stayed until the guardians had
been appointed. He would therefore grant the prayer
of the petition.

Mr. SUGDEN was anxious to say a few words re-
lative to some remarks thrown out upon the conduct
of the Misses Long. It had been insinuated that
there had been some unfair dealings with the wit-
nesses. He begged leave most unequivocally and
decidedly to deny the assertion.
The LORD CHANCELLOR observed, that it would
be most unfair and unjust upon such evidence to raise
such a charge. The production of two or three loose
letters could form no foundation for it.

Mr. SUGDEN wished the assertion to be distinctly
met, and positively denied.
The LORD CHANCELLOR had no difficulty in saying,
that nothing had been stated or proved before him
which could in any way prejudice the character or
conduct of these ladies.

Mr. SUGDEN thanked his Lordship for the de
claration.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Yesterday a young rilsn,;;CnW44ffred Smith,
was brought before Mr. CONANT, the sitting Magis.
trate, charged with robbing his employer, Mr. James
Ridgway, the publisher and bookseller, in Piccadilly,
with whom he lived as porter, in the following
manner :—Mr. Sheppard, a respectable cheese-
monger, residing in Wardour-street, Soho, stated
that a few days ago the prisoner came to his shop,
and offered for sale as waste paper, a large quantity
of printed sheets, weighing about 1211.5. On looking
over them, however, he (the witness) observed that
they were parts of a recently printed work, published
by Mr. Ridgway, and on seeing this, he told the
prisoner that he could not purchase such paper as
this without ascertaining that it had been properly
come by, and he
_therefore desired the prisoner to
call another time; he (Mr. Sheppard) in the mean
time, detaining the paper. He immediately sent to
Mr. Ridgway, to ascertain how that gentleman had
parted with the printed sheets, and then, for the
first time, the robbery was discovered; but the
prisoner never returned, either to Mr. Ridgway's
service or for the value of the paper to Mr. Shep-
pard. The latter, however, on Monday, accidentally
met the prisoner in Windmill-street, and stopped
him, upon which the prisoner asked if all was right
about the paper ? " Yes," said Mr. Sheppard,
" it's all right, and you come along with me," seiz-
ing the prisoner by the collar, and giving him in
charge to a constable.

• •
Mr. Ridgway, jun. stated that the printed sheets
of paper produced were his father's property, they
were unbound parts of a work published by his fa-
ther, called " Memoirs of Admiral Lord Coiling-
wood," and were never sold or parted with in that
state. The prisoner, he said, had been for some
months in his father's service as porter, but had
absented himself for several days past.
Lindley, a constable, who took charge of the pri-
soner, and searched his lodgings, produced 13 vo-
lumes of bound books, and a large collection of Lon-
don newspapers, which he found at the lodgings.
Mr. Ridgway, jun. said that these bound books,
and newspapers, were also the property of his father.
The newspapers, Mr. Ridgway said, were given to
the prisoner on various occasions to put in the Post-
office, folded and addressed to persons at Madras,
Calcutta, and various other parts of the globe, and
money had also been given to the prisoner to pay
the postage of those papers, which is necessary to
be done; but it now appears that the prisoner pit
the money in his own pocket, and, to avoid detec-
tion, never forwarded the newspapers at all; and it
was impossible, Mr. Ridgway said, to calculate what
injury his father might suffer in the estimation of the
customers to whom those papers had been addressed,
for the seeming neglect of not forwarding them.
The prisoner had notlsing to say in his defence,
and was fully committed for trial.
QUEEN-SQUARE.
THE LATE FIRE AT MESSRS. DOWNING'S FLOOR-
CLOTH MANUFACTORY AT CHELSEA.—On Monday
James Butler was brought up for further examina-
tion, before D. W. GREGORIE, Esq., charged with
wilfully setting fire to Messrs. Downing's floor-cloth
manufactory, on Sunday, the 17th instant, in the
King's- road, Chelsea.
The inquiry excited the most intense interest, and
the office was crowded to excess, when, after addi-
tional evidence was adduced, the prisoner was again
remanded.