The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-26 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
PROSECUTION. EXTHAORDINARY CASE OF
. . FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. '
-,...-..... GLOBE.--,A custom appears to prevail in many of
particular attention to
the Union workhouses of turning out inmates who it We are induced to call partic • •
i, alleged have no claim on the particular parish where : the case of Curtis Georgei charged at the ies-
they4ave asked for relief—a practice to which we
SLOIS
of writing a threatening letter to Mr. Mor-
- .
should see no objection, if it were acted on with the gani
of Brainford, because there are sonic re-
intention of transferring paupers to the place thati
markable featuresn it, and some which were
ot brought out , bw ma not
ought to .be charged with the burden of supporting
the
less interestin ourevidence readers.ut hich
A man nay med
them. instead of this, however, destitute creatures
are thrust out of the doors of a workhouse merely Worledge, suspected of stealing turnips from a
field of Mr. Morgan's, has his house searched on
to enter those of a prison ; for, finding parochial
Sabbath
imorniing, and six turnips found—two
relief refused to them, they have no alternative but
(a)f them
to transfer themselves to gaol by committing some saucepan—a conviction takes
Place, and ansutmiemary punishment is awarded of
. small offence which entitles them to a short period of
two 4eeks: imprisonment—in the mean time the
.:: imprisonment. By this system the Houses of Cor-
..
leaving
with Prisoner isoner dies in gaol; of an affection of the heart,
rection are becoming inconveniently crowded with
a widow and large family. A letter
-4t criminals in spite of themselves—persons who can
sent to the wife of the prosecutor ofreatening character. Curtis George is
get supported with less difficulty as delinquents than
is ent
tain Hatton, the Superintendent
i
as mere paupers, and thus the gaols are becoming, as a
it -were, refuges for the destitute who are driven Pointed out to Ca
:- from the workhouses. Besides-the immorality that is of Police, by the prosecutor, as the suspected
occasioned by the obligation under which the poor are author, from a supposed similarity in the hand-
,
-7 . - often placed of committing an offence, in order to ob- writing, although it appears by his evidence that
tam the food which is due to their necessity alone, the he never saw George write or ever had a letter
system we are alluding to is unfair towards the payers from him. His house is searched by a warrant
- of the county rates, who are saddled with a burden illegally obtained, it having been long since de-
that ought to be borne by the contributors to the poor termined by the highest legal tribunal that no
rate. In addition to this, the individuals who are ac- search-warrant can be granted for evidence.
cidentally: selected to have their windows broken—one Were this once admitted, where would be the
of the most usual ways adoptedbydesperatepersons for-
security to any man against all his private letters
obtaining an entrance to prison--have strong reason to and papers being ransacked over by a policeman,
complain, as well as those who are subjected to the loss upon a bare suspicion of wrong, as was proved in
of their property by thefts committed with the view this case.? His house is searched in his absence--
of wining for their perpetrators the support that the all his papers ransacked—all his letters exa-
.. parish authorities withhold from them. It should mined—all his private memorandums perused.
also lis remembered that habits of robbery and vio- Not an article could be found to justify the oath
lence, commenced from motives of want, are likely to of the policeman sent by his superior to swear
grew-on .those who practise them, and
who thus be- that he suspected a duplicate of the threatening
come confirmed enemies of society, and reckless vio-
letter might be found—he finds no obstruc-
Inters of the rights of property. It is time that some tion on the part of the wife—Capt. Hatton
better course should be adopted than that by which takes away one of his letters—goes to the bar-
parsimony'of the poor rates appears to be paramount racks where George is at work—obtains his sig-
- to. every consideration of morality, humanity, and nature, in order that he may swear to having
• justice, all of which are„indiscriminately document wherewith so compare the threatening sacrificed seen the prisoner write, and that lie may have a
that the " parish" may be relieved as much as possible of the burdens that press upon it.
This day is the second of the two letter. He is hurried off to the County Gaol
STANDARD
without being told of the offence of which he is
accused—where two Clerical Magistrates, one of
sacred anniversaries upon which we have been always i. . .
w aim signed the Illegal warrant, are waiting to
:accustomed to claim for ourselves an exemption from
receive. him, although they live some miles off--
the necessity of prosecuting political controversy;
he is not allowed to inform his family, or consult
an exemption in which, as we gratefully remem-
ber, our readers have never failed to indulge us.
a friend or legal, adviser, but is at once fully com-
The time, we trust, is not distant, when upon such for trial, upon such evidence as was thrown
m
aside by the Court as inadmissible. His wife,
solemn occasions, the publication of newspapers
Will be altogether prohibited by public feeling. We who is said to be the pattern of Christian
think we see an approach . tocharacter in the humble sphere in which
such.a consumma--
tion in the; growing limitation of Sunday journals. she moves, is informed of the incarceration
mbe She is unable to gain admittance to him
of her husband late on the Saturday night.
Meanwhile we adhere to our rule. If we. could de--
viate from it, the are. considerations connected
until Monday, when, after waiting three
with the day, which might shown to have an hours, she is admitted to a three • minutes' inter-
important bearing upon the subject which now •
view—an iron grating parting them—two turn-
properly engrosses public attention. Why is the keys .
, one on each side, attending them, whilst
duty of " preachif, the Gospel to the poor" mutual sob s were exchanged without. even the
so imperfectly discharged ? Why are so many of means of shaking hands. On a second interview,
our fellow-citizens—for whose spiritual welfare we the same delay took place in gaining access, and
are as deeply responsible as for their temporal but little more time allowed—the-Chaplain re-
,
happiness—deprived of the opportunity of conse- fusing to allow 1 • him a book which his wife had
crating this day to prayer, and praise, and gratitude brouht him, because, amongst other reasons, it
to Him, whose sacrifice for us this day commemo- cameg from a Quakeress. The depositions were
rates ? Why, alas, are so many without even the dis- applied for on the Tuesday—the Magistrates'
position ? The answer has been, because the finances Clerk neglecting to give any reply until the Fri-
of the State will not afford the cost of extending the day, when lie stated that lie had copied them but means of religious worship. Is this a sufficient left them behind, having forgotten them,, and
answer from the nation which Heaven has blessed they were not obtained until the Saturday. It was -With more wealth, more abundant wealth, than of course presumed that the evidence was of a very was ever lavished upon a people ? We are conclusive character to justify the Magistrates to fi-
told that our resources must be reserved for rally commit, and it was therefore thought prudent
war, and that to cell them forth for the to see the depositions before bail was tendered,
works of peace and mercy, and preparations that are by which means the prisoner remained in gaol
the preservatives of p eace is forbidden. Is this ra- for ten days, but seeing nothing in the evidence
tional—is it Christian ?Is it not, in truth, saying worthy of attention, two gentlemen of well
that the goods which the Almighty has bestowed known standing in society, hinnediately offered
up on us are confided for the destructien, not bail. The character of the prisoner was most
for the preservation of our fellow creatures ? It closely scrutinized—no indiVidual could be found
is known that Sir Robert Inglis has a motion to who had ever known any cause of offence given
bring before Parliament for the extension of by the prosecutor to the prisoner—no one had
the means of religious instruction ; but how can ever heard the prisoner, on any occasion, to re-
this motion succeed if the revenues of the country fleet on the character of the
was
and the
are to remain crippled, as they have been ? Who Vicar of the parish, who was the onl' witness,
can say that he seriously intends to promote the ob- y
afterwards brought against him, whose evidence
ject of sucl a motion, when he withholds the neces- was admitted by the Court, stated most positively
sary instrument for its promotion ? We trust that to a brother clergyman, Who was in Court,to prove
many will think seriously of this. The first income the words, if needful, " That letter was not writ-
tax ever imposed in England (it was 600 years ago) teri by George, for nave wri tingsof his in the house
w4s imposed for the service of religion—so false is and know his writing," and further, "It was
the pretence that it has always been a war tax.' But not written by George, in a feigned hand, for it
we are sure that we have said enough upon this point, is consistent throughout." This was the clergy.
and we have said more than we intended. man who had been a member of his school, and
who had often seen him write. Now, what was
the course to justify the prosecution—to blacken
his character in a moral,. a religious, and a poli-
tical, point of view ? We are assured by gentle-
men who have spared no pains or trouble to in-
vestigate these calumnies, that they are all with-
out a tittle of foundation, and that his sin was
'hat of Daniel—that of praying; that. far from
icing a Dissenter, he regularly every week
aught the children the Church Catechism, and
hat he was a consistent member of the Evange
ical Church.—Sitfirolk Chronicle.

FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE.
OFFICE OF ORDNANCE, MARCH 22.
Royal Regiment of Artillery—Major-General Alexander
Watson to be Colonel-Commandant, vice Lieutenant-General
Shrapnel, deceased, March 14.
ADMIRALTY, MARCH 19.
Corps of Royal Marines—First Lieutenant Edward Rea to
be Captain, vice Toby, who retires tn half-pay; second Lieu-
tenant William Jolliffe to be First Lieutenant, vice Rea, pro-
moted.
DEC I,ARATIONS OF INSOLVENCY.
JOESPII RADFORD, draper, Appleby, Westmore-
land.
WILLIAM JEWELL NETTLETON, corn dealer,
West-terrace, Upper Grange-road, Bermondsey.
WILLIAM PAIN BOTHAMS, malster, Tor g,
Shrophshire.
BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED.
THOMAS BERRIMAN, builder, Peckham-grove,
Surrey.

THE BISHOPS AND THE WELSH
LANGUAGE.
A • petition was lately presented by Mr. Ormsby
Gore, M.P., from the Welsh inhabitants of the West
Riding of York, praying for bishops that thoroughly
understand Welsh, in which a very striking passage
occurs. The necessity of having bishops that under-
itand Welsh is generiill3r.adinitted, but by the sub-
joined passage it appears that the correctness -of the

ritual in Welsh depends on the Welsh bishops, and
therefore that not only a common but a deep know-
!edge of the language is enjoined by the Act, without
.vhich no person is qualified by law to be a Welsh
')ishop. The passage is as follows :—" That your
)etitioners leak upon the practice of appointing
qishors to Welsh sees, ignorant of the Welsh lan-
mage, is diametrically opposed to the Act of
,Iniformity, which enjoins that the Bishop of Here-
cord, St. David's, Asaph, Bangor, Llandaft; and their
successors, shall take such order among themselves
for the soul's health of the flocks committed to their
charge within Wales, that the book hereunto an-
nexed (the book of Common Prayer) be truly and
exactly translated, and _being by them or any three
-)f them at the least viewed, perused, and allowed to
be imprinted, and they shall have power to correct
And amend in writing any error committed by the
winter in printing of the same book, or of any thing
therein contained, and shall certify in writing, under
their hands and seals, or the hands and seals of any
three of them, at the end of the same book, that they
have examined and compared the said book, and find
't to be a true and perfect copy. ' Your petitioners
humbly think that if a similar commission were issued
In the present day it would place the prelates of the
Welsh Church in a very painful and disagreeable
position."

TRIAL FOR TILE GLASGOW BANK ROBBERY.—The
trial of Robert Smith, lately teller in the Glasgow and
Ship Bank, and James Wishart, wine and spirit dealer
'a Glasgow, who were accused of abstracting and eon-
.-erting to their own uses upwards of 10,70 a, came on

'ore the Ihgh Court of J►isticiary on Wednesday las

i'he charges against them broke clown upon the infor-
Aality of the proceeiiing,,, and they were obliged to be
,erred with new criminal letters, which was accordingly
!one the instant of their dismissal upon the old indict-
ment.

DEATH .or SIR WILLIAM BEATTY, M.D.—We re-
gret to announce that Sir William Beatty, M. 1)., F.R.S.,
;ate Physician to her M:pjesty's Fleet and Greenwich
hospital, died at an early hour this morning, at his re-
sidence in York-street, Portman-square. He had served
iis country long and faithfully in all climes, and had
the melancholy duty of being officially present at the
death of his distinguished commander, the Hero of Tra-
falgar. It may be justly said of Sir William Beatty
that his whole professional life seemed to accord with
Cie sentiment expressed in Nelson's last and ever me-
morable signal to the fleet.
SUDDEN DEATH IN FILE STREETS.--Mr. Wakley
yesterday held an inquest at the Mother Redcap, High-
street, Camden-town, on the body of Thomas Overton,
aged fifty-six, a carpenter in the employ of Mr. Allen,
builder, of Camden-terrace, It appeared that on Tuesday
morning the deceased came to his work as usual at six
o'clock, went home to breakfast, and returned in his
usual state of health, and was laughing and joking. About
eleven o'clock he went with George Scadding, the car-

man, to some new houses, building on St. James's-ter-
race, Kentish-town-road. Scadding went up to the
door, and, turning round, said, "There's no knocker
here, Thomas." Overton replied, " No, there isn't, in-
deed," and instantly exclaimed, "Lord, have mercy upon
me—George, I'm a dead man." Scadding caught, him
whilst falling, and sat him on the step of the door, and
Mr. Curtis, surgeon, was sent for, but deceased was dead

half a Minute. Verdict—" Natural death."

We learn from Bastia that one of the desperate
bandits that have so long been the terror of that part of Cor-
sica has been arrested. The lieutenant of gendarmerie at
Calvi having received information that Lega, the man in ques-
tion, who had been condemned to death by contumacy, was
lately seen in that arrondissement, sent out a party of his
men, under the command of a brigadier. They found him
about four in the morning of the 7th inst., seated by a fire
near a sheepfold ; but Lega's nephew, a boy, who acted as his
spy, gave him notice of his danger, and he fled. Meeting in
his flight njonolarme named Casten', he fired at him, and
1. dgcd a bullet in his left slap, which killed him. Being close
pressed by the others, Lega turned round three times and fired;
the last shot passing through the shako of the brigadiu, within
an inch of his head. One of the gendarmes fired at Lega in
return, and brought him down by a ball, which entered his
back, and went through him. Though thus disabled, such
was his resolution, that before his arms could be secured, he
fired a pistol at his asyailants, but, happily, without effect. He
and his nephew, who was also captured, were conducted Ai
Calvi. Lega, who is about 42 years of age, was one of the
most formidable of the band. When taken, he had with him a
doUble-barreiled gun, with percussion locks, a double-barrelled
pistol, a stiletto, a dagger-linife, 21 bullets, a quantity of pow-
der, and a telescope.
. It is stated that not less than 46 fishermen of Cakrenx2
near St. Valery-sur-Somme, lost their lives in the storm of ilia
11th just,