Star.
London, England, 1830-12-31 00:00:00

FRIDAY EVENING, DEC. 31, 1830.

THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKS—WEDwzsDAY.

I regret to state, that the rick-yard of Mr. Allnutt, of Menton, near
Theme, Bucks, burst out In flames about eleven o'clock on the morning
of Christmas Day, and burnt with such violence, that destruction was
not only threatened to the grain, but.- also to the dwelling-house and
outbuildings. Several engines arrived on the spot, but considerable da-
mage was done before the fire could be extinguished, the state of the
weather preventing a plentiful supply of water. For some time past a
stranger has been observed in the village and its vicinity, and on tbe day
previous to the conflagration taking plate, he entered into conversation
with several persons, and amongst the rest, a carter belonging to the
farm, and asked him, in the event of seeing any person setting fire to
the ricks, how he would act. The carter replied that if he had a gun,
he would not hesitate one moment in the rascal. This indivi-
dual was seen on the premises two hourssiia shooting
the breaking out of the
fire in the rick-yard. A number of persons immediately proceeded in
all directions in search of the supposed incendiary, who, frum the route
he took, must have been well acquainted with the neighbourhood. He
was traced within a abort distance of Marlow, when all further clue of
the route was entirely lost.
MIRK.

We are very sorry we cannot state that the steps adopted to repress
disorder in this county have proved completely successful. The pre.
sent state of the gaols leads to a different conclusion. There are already
, between fifty and sixty rioters, including about twenty foe machine.
breaking, for trial at the approaching Sessions. They have been prin-
cipally apprehended in the ,neighbourhood of Newport, Clacton, and
Kirby, which districts remain still much agitated. A disposition to
riot and insubordination has manifested itself amongst the labourers at
Roswell, Writtle, and Willingale, and threatening letters have been
received by the farmers in the vicinity, informing them that a decisive
blow will be struck in the course of a few days. The Magistracy,
however, are not insensible to the alarming aspect which the county
has assumed, and have been actively engaged in swearing in special
constables and mounted patrols t so that almost every parish has a
constabulary force of from fifty to one hundred men, ready to act at a
moment's warning. The fires which lately took place at Bishop's
Stonford were of a very destructive nature, and, as they occurred at
the same moment, there can hardly exist a doubt of their having been
the work of individuals acting upon a precomerted plan. The inhabit.
ants are unanimous in acquitting the farmers' labourers of these acts.
It is the general opinion among the respectable inhabitants that they
were the work of two men who called at the cottage to light a pipe.
Some clue has been obtained to their connexion in the neighbourhood,
and their sudden disappearance will probably be accounted for in a few
days.—ffent and Esse: Mercury.

THE " 'TURN-OUT," IN LANCASHIRE.
MANCHESTER, Dzc. Dzc. 28.

This town, but Mere particularly its neighbourhood, is in a state of
ferment, occasioned by the immense number of people (certainly not
less than 100,000) now out of employ; for it is not the spinners only
that suffer, but numerous other trades that follow in their train, and are
dependent on them. The men seemed determined not to yield to the
eduction proposed by the masters, and the masten seem as firm in their
resolves as the men. Your node's may not all be aware that the bone
of contention is, that the masters were paying 4s. 3d. far spinning 1,000
hanks of forties mist, whilst in other districts other masters were only
paying 3s. Rd. for the same quantity of work. To remove this disad.
vantage, or to " equalise," as the masters term it, has been the cause
of the turn.out ; and, however justified they may feel in the measure,
it is considered by disinterested men to be, in the present excited state
of the country, an " untoward event." There is one fact much to be
lamented—which is, that the ma*ers never stop to consider whether or
not the men can keep their families with less wages thin they happen
to be earning ; but it is, " can we reduce their wages if we decide
upon a turnout ?" and, by the opinion of a majority of the "combined
masters" on this point, a turn-out is decided on fir deferred.
The men state, that four months since, when then Irma
demand for yarn than thin is at present, and when every mill greater
ss
many orders as they ettni3 uteri*, the isissuee UMW NNW ats reduc-
tion of wages ; but now that cotton has advanced in price, and the de.
mind for yarn become less (as it generally does at this period of the
year) although there has been no alteration in the price of provisions,
the masters seek to make up the difference in their profits by reducing
our wages, and this, too, at a season of the year when they know we are
the least able to resist the reduction.* I
Hitherto all their meetings have ended peaceably, and their only ob..'
ject seems to be to prevail upon the spinners of other districts to make
common cause with them. Yesterday many hundreds congregated at
Staley-bridge, and were proceeding towards Hyde, where the mills are
in full work. On the road several Magistrates, with a poise of consts.l
bles, backed by a strong military force, met them, and immediately
commenced reading the Riot Act. One of the Magistrates then rode in
amongst them and, in a firm and determined tone, told them that un.l
less they dispersed, he would instantly order the military to fire on
them. This measure had its desidera effect, for they immediately die.'
persed, and returued to their homes.
From the measures taken yesterday and to-day by the authorities in
this town, it would appear that they are apprehensive of a more serious
disturbance than has yet taken place. Whilst I have been writing this,
a body of at least 500 of the Rifie Corps, headed by their band, has
twice passed my window, and have been parading the town the most of
I the afternoon. The object must be to intimidate the disaffected, or to
create a feeling of security in the minds of the manufacturers, who are
• principally in town to-day, this being market.day. The Borough.
reeve has issued a requisition, calling upon the inhabitants who are
interested in
.keeping the peace of the town, to attend the Town.ball
to-morrow to be sworn in, and to enroll themselves as special con.
stables. _ _ _ . . .

The " tutn-out" has evidently been the cause of the principal dis-
turbance In that neighbourhood ; for I hear of no great complaint of the
want of work in any branch of trade, except by the hand-weavers, whose
labour has been superseded by the power-loom; but as yet they have
shown no disaffection. The stocks of manufactured goods in every line
are unusually small. The broad silk trade, which has Increased amaz-
ingly in this town since the •' fra•traden system came into operation,
is quite brisk : as a proof of which, that article has advanced ten per
cent. within the present month. The canals have been closed by
the frost for several days, and I, for the present, must close my
narrative.

PRICE 7D.

stigated by the hope of reward, or pardon, or blood-money,
and who, besides a badness of character which hardly al
lows us to presume that they have any regard for the sanc-
tity of an oath, are farther disentitled to belief by baying a
direct and positive interest in the conviction of others. We
do not say that in this case the witness on whose evidence
the conviction was obtained did not state that which was
true. We only say that the evidence was given under
circumstances which were not calculated to satisfy public
opinion as to the man's guilt ; and when the public
have a doubt of the propriety of the verdict, the infliction of
death, even when a crime is generally supposed to de-
serve it, does not operate as a salutary example ; for the
horror of the crime is lost in commiseration for the person
who is suspected of being the victim of an erroneous decision.
We understand that there was an application made to the
Hesse Office ralgtivc4Abia,..anfortunate man, end that,lo4,
Melbourne, on The report of the Judge declined to inter-
fere. Such cases make us regret that there; is not here, as
in France, a Court of Criminal Revision, of which the law
would, as a matter of right, give the prisoner the benefit, on
his merely saying, " I appeal." The other case of doubt is
that of Dyke, who suffered on Friday, at Penenden Heath.
—lt was considered of such importance that be should make
a confession of his guilt, that the Chaplain said to him on
the scaffold, " Now you have come to the worst, and
there is nu chance of escape, do tell the truth." The
other prisoners had admitted their participation is
the offences of which they were convicted ; but
, Dyke's reply was, " lam innocent." He . afterwards
read a paper, in which he declared that a man and his
wife, who were the principal witnesses against him, had
sworn falsely, and exhorted all who heard him to " mind
the ninth commandment." It is difficult, if not impos-
sible, in those dying declarations, to distinguish the firm-
ness of conscious innocence from the obstinacy of a de-
praved heart. We only say that this was a case for in-
quiry. The witnesses whom he charged with swearing
falsely might have the most inflexible regard for truth,
but we must, at the same time, recollect that consider-
able rewards have been offered for the conviction of of-
fenders ; and though the witnesses in this case might be
exceedingly pure and honest, there are others who would
swear away the life of any man for a valuable considera-
tion ! We have, therefore, on principle, a great objection
to procuring evidence to affect men's lives by the offer of
tempting sums of money. In a civil action, and where the
rights of property only are at stake, no man is allowed to
give evidence who has the least possible pecuniary interest
in the result. Why should life beheld less sacred than pro-
perty ? Why should evidence tainted by self.interest be
admitted in the one case which would be instantly rejected
in the other ? Among the 'culprits who stand condemned
for arson is a youth of eighteen, named Thomas Goodman,
who was convicted of setting fire to a Mack and a barn at
Lewes, and who is ordered for execution on Saturday. His
youth, and some other circumstances, which tend to show
that he was rather a dupe than a person of original ma-
ligetty of disposition, have excited a strong feeling in his
favour, though there can be no doubt whatever of his guilt
inasmuch as he has himself fully admitted it. We are
informed that when the verdict was returned, there was
a loud expression of dissatisfaction throughout the Court ;
not from any persuasion of his innocence entertained at the
time, but of abhorrence of the penalty which the spectators
knew would follow such a verdict. Nobody can doubt that
he is a fit subject for punishment, though it is not quite so
clear that his punishment should be extermination. Be-
sides, the unfortunate young man was strongly recommended
to mercy by the Jury, on account of his youth—a recom-
mendation which ought always to be attended to, as in ca-
pital cases, it expresses the solemn opinion of the tribunal
that finds the prisoner guilty, that he ought not to suffer
death. We hope Government will take this case into their
serious consideration. It is impolitic in any case to go against
the recommendation of a Jury, because, by making the ex-
tension of mercy doubtful, under circumstances which Ju-
ries think require it, it may lead to those " pious perjuries"
in the Jury-box which prevent the possibility of too severe
a punishment, by inducing verdicts of acquittal where the
evidence of guilt is clear and incontrovertible.—Herald.
PENSION LIST.—We ate glad to see it stated, and
stated on authority, that the pension list, as the sailors say,
is to be overhauled. The notice taken of certain sinecures
has already done good, and will do a great deal more in a
little time. Among others, her Grace the Duchess of
Newcastle has taken the alarm at seeing her name in
print, and accordingly resigned a pension of 6001. per
annum. The First Lord of the Admiralty, in alluding
to the circumstance ascribed it to the publicity which is
so promptly given to the proceedings of Parliament, and
for our own parts we devoutly wish that the reporters'
labours were oftener crowned with similar results. And yet
the puzzling circumstance is—not that the Duchess of
Newcastle has got off the pension list, but how, in the name
of wonder, she ever got on it. As ladies neither fight, nor
make speeches, nor serve as ambassadors, governors of co-
lonies, consuls, &c. her Grace's public services must be pot
down as nothing. But the Duchess has relatives in male
attire, and these relatives are the owners of burghs, which
they can dispose of as they list, and thus controul the poli-
tical consciences of their nominees. Yes, yes, this little
circumstance at once plucks the heart out of the mystery.
Whether the Lady in question is the mother or spouse of
the great Duke of Newcastle, we have no means of ascer-
taining at present; but in whatever relation she stands to
him, the British public will be overwhelmed with wonder
when they learn, that a nobleman of his reputed wealth
and undoubted hiflueuce allowed her to be placed in a situ-
ation so humiliating. We hear a great deal of the demo-
ralizing effects of the poor laws, and the observation, us
suspect, has a wider range than we at one time imagined.
A sweeping pension list has a mighty tendency to swell the
ranks of pauperism ; and where no real service is performed,
or even required, it should always be borne in mind, that the
only difference between a state and a common pauper is this,
that the one is paid by the government, and the other by the
parish, and that the money in both cases comes out of the
pocket of the public at large.—Dumfries Courier.
The workmen of some of the Flintshire Collieries turned
out last week for an increase of wages, which, we under-
stand, was immediately granted, and the men then returned
peaceably to their work. We are assured that the work-
men's earnings did not average more than Bs. per week be-
fore the turn out : and that now they do not exceed in any
instance 12s.—Chester Courant.