The Sun.
London, England, 1827-12-18 00:00:00

PUBLIC SALES.-(THIS DAY.)

BY 11R. PAX42N, AT THE MART.
The House and PreMises, No. 130 i Long-acre,
held on lease for an unexpired term of 16 years from
Michaelmas last, at a rental of 1254 per annum.—
Knocked dOwn at 290/.

• The Redeemable I and Tax of 41.125. per annum,
issuing from various houses, at llamPstead-56/.

BY MR, BULLOCK, AT GARRAWAY'S,

A Leasehold Estate, consisting of 38 Houses,
situated in Butte's-pare and Chapel-street, near to
the Edgware-road, 'producing a nett rental of 476/,
12s. per annum-3,6004 •

COUNTRY BANKS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

have oil more than one occasion ex-
pressed my surprise at the manlier in which a
great part of the• Press have thought it right to
treat the Country Bankers. In a letter which
appeared in the illorning Herald a few days
ago, signed " Scrutator," it was proposed that at a
meeting of Country Bankers, then about to
take place, a number of questions should be
put to them, of whiCh the following are in sub-
stance, a lew of them, viz. , •
What quantity of gold, and what quantify of Bank
notes, they kept in the house to answer their circulation ?
Whether they had not outstanding in their ledgers a
number of debts which were very doubtful ; and whether
they were not afraid to call in those debts, lest the ruin
they might thus bring on individuals, might draw the at
teation of the public as to their own solvency
Whether in their annual balance at Christmai they were
not in the habit of including these bad debts as a part of
their assets—thus deceiving their clerks, as to their real
situation ?

Now, Sir, I will consent to spend my Christ-
nias holidays With the boa constrictor at the,
-Tower, or to browse for a. whole month in
Windsor Park, tied to the tail of the cameleo-
pard, if I don't convince your numerous readers
of the absurdity of 4 Scrutator's" letter. In the
first place, I must premise that the' Country,
BankerS now in town, and to whom it was pro-
posed to put the above questions, are, all of
them, _persons who have honourably paid their
engagements. Therefore, what right has " Scru-
tator" to ask them questions relative to the man-
ner in which their business is conducted, any
more than be has a right to go to two or three
merchants counting-houses in the City, and say,
‘f there has been a great deal of smashing work
amongst the merchants in my time—my mind is,
in consequence, greatly disquieted ; let me see
your books—perhaps there " may be something
vicious in your way of doing business." In his
way home he may " drop in" upon the Bankers
in Lombard-street, and say to them, " Even
your body, Gentlemen, , fail sometimes—it -is
exceedingly unpleasant ; you create in conse-
quence distress, right and left ; allow me to ask
you a few questions'as to your balances—What
money you keep in hand to meet those balances,
and what the amount of your bad debts were
last year ?','
I need not say'what, in all probability, would
be " Scrutator's" lot, if he were to try the ex-
periment with . the merchants and London
Bankeis ; and is there any difference in the-eases ?
Why is a solvent Country Banker to be baited
with questions relating to his private affairs, and
a London Banker or Merchant to be exempt
from such iMpertifience ? I shall, perhaps, be
told, what unfortunately is too true, that, on ac-
count of the numerous failures which have taken,
place amongst Country Bankers, the public
loudly call for an investigation and revision of a
system which has been so destructive to the for-
tunes and happiness of individuals—hut while I
admit this to be true, and that it is the duty of
Parliamerapply a remedy, I deny the right
of. indiviatialeto question any class of persons,
who honourably pay their engagements, as to
the mode in which, they may think proper to
conduct their business.

Should, however, 'my views be erroneous, and
" Scrutator's" questions be perfectly proper, I
propose us addition (the transition from banking
affairs to private affairs being very simple), to ask
the Country Bankers a few questions myself,
and I now give them due notice :

1. During the panic in 1825-6, state the quantity of
wine you drauk—distinguihing French wines, Port,
Sherry, and Madeira.
2. What time do you go to bed in summer—and what
time do you go to bed in winter?
3. What family have you got—be so good as to state
how many boys, how many girls—their ages—where they
go to school—whether they have had the small-pox—the
measles—the pooping-coligh : state when each child cut
its teeth—who are the godfathers, and godmothers, and
what did those godfathers and godmothers promise?
4. Do you shave in hot-water or cold water—where do
you buy your razors, and will you undertake to say that
you always use.a nail brush?
5. Do you, nbtwithstanding Mr. Justice Park, suffer
your wife and daughters to wear the present wide-spreading
fashionable bonnets ?

6. With a large family you must be subject to illness.
Now tell me; when any of your children are troubled with
abdominal pains, do you physic them yourself, or do you
take them at once to Dr. Paris?