The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-11 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Noble Lords who oppose the Govern
ment just formed, if formed it he, are active and
strenuous in their new vocation. It may be wise
to distrust the depositaries of power in a free
state ; but it is also not unwise to wait until
experience shall afford us matter f.or something
more than distrust, before we venture upon a de-
termined course of open condemnation and hos-
tility. The Duke of Newcastle is reported to
have declared himself last night an adversary,of
Mr. Canning, as " the most profligate Minister

that ever was in power." This is nothing strange
in his Grace of Newcastle; perh4.l it may be a
sign of some improvement on the part of the
Noble Duke—Of some sensible advancement in
that peculiar species of intellectual faculty and
judicial integrity which belong to him-Lthat he
now decides, before any evidence has been offered
as to the merits of the Minister whom he repro-
bates ; whereas on a former memorable occasion,
when another distinguished and less fortunate
personage was under trial, the same scrupulous
judge only ventured to condemn when the evi-
dence was already given, but when he had not
heard a word of it. In 1820, the judgment of
guilty," is the result of ignorance—in 1827,
of prescience. This surely exhibits a powerful
" march of intellect" in his Grace, if, as we said

before, his language be correctly repoited. How=
ever, as some indemnification to Mr. Canning, Lor
Spencer declared himself a friend to the Ministry o
the Right Hon. Gentleman. So did the Earl o
Darlington, we find, whose voice has the privilege
of making itself heard pr.:lty loudlyy it is thought,l
in the other House of -Parliament. Lord Harewood
kicked. a little the term " factious" being applied
to theo;:position. The time has been, wben the
ears f'.;r a Lascelles would not have felt any,greati
'...fnoyance at such an epithet being chosen to de-
scribe the Oppositim, side of the House. Lord
Grey declared his want of confidence in Mr. Can-
ning; and therefore, with perfect propriety and jus-
tice, refused to pledge himself to the support of the
present Government. A Government, indeed„
which is said to be no more than. proviSional, does;
not come under the most inviting form, to claim the'
countenance of experienced and fastidious observers.

Questions put to Ministers in either House
of Parliament, are, for the most part, answered
in terms so vague, as to furnish few materials of
useful discussion. From one which was put
last night by Lord . Ellenborough to the Secre-.
tary for Foreign Affairs, respecting the inten-
tions of his Majesty's Government as to the pro-
duction or non-production of papers explanatory
of the grounds on which his Majesty had acceded
to the demands of Portugal for the aid of Bri-
fish troops, nothing further was elicited:than- a
refusal by Lord Dudley and Ward to lay any
papers whatever before Parliament, his Lordship
adding merely that " the withdrawal of the Bri-
" tish troops from Portugal"—a circumstance
but slightly hinted at in the speech of the Noble
interrogator—" was one of great importance, and
" was connected with negotiations which were
" still pending," though with what power"pend-
ing, the Noble Secretary would not say. Cer-
tainly this is a question of extreme import-
ance. The British troops were sent to Por-
tugal as a security to the independence of an
allied Sovereign, who had experienced from a
foreign Power a series of unprovoked attacks.
If the troops be withdrawn before the object in •
consideration of which they were despatched to
Portugal, viz. the protection of the rights of that
kingdom against foreigners, be fully and durably
provided for, we condemn our own much-boasted
policy, besides leaving our ally to destruction. It
is obvious, indeed, that, in lieu of a military
force, there may obtained from foreign States a
political security for the Portuguese Crown and
Constitution. We may find friends among the
Powers of Europe willing to engage, in con-
junction with England, for the safety and inde-
pendence of our ally. With Ferdinand, whose
bonds are " like dicer's oaths," we cannot,
of course, venture to form any mutual en-
gagement. The danger lies on that side :
the guarantee, therefore, must be looked" for
on some other. Without entering toe minutely
into the circumstances of a case so unripe as the
present, we riay yet observe, that the questions of
withdrawing French troops from Spain, and British
troops from Portugal, rest on very opposite grounds.
We certainly shonkl be glad if both armies retired;
but the army of Charles X. does not perform a si-
milar office with regard to Spain to that which is
fulfilled by the English army on the Tagus. Eng-
land has sent her force for no purpose but to repel a
foreign aggression upon an allied sovereign--France
to take part in a civil war : Ferdinand has made
positive war upon Portugal, and still continues, by
plots and conspiracies, those enterprises which, in
a military shape, have been defeated. •It must be
the duty of England, therefore, to avert, by force or
negotiation, the fatal injuries with which Portugal
is-menaced from abroad ; whereas no foreign Power
threatens Ferdinand. His Throne is safe, except
from his own misdoings. There exists no cause
whatever to legitimize the continuance of a foreign
army in Spain ; but abundant cause, in the well
proved spirit and proCeedings o(the Spanish Go-
vernment, to authorise and exact an effectual
guarantee, either by military power or• by conven-
tion, on behalf of that of Portugal.—lbid.

Earl Grey, in the House of Lords last night,
entered into a detailed statement of the reasons
which have influenced him in withholding his
formal support from the Administration of Mr.
Canning, to which, however, he declares it to
be his intention not to offer any systematic op-
position. The Noble Earl does not think that
the approximation of opinion between Mr. Can-
ning
and the Whig party is sufficiently close to
justify him in forming any political union with
Mr.. Canning's Administration. There is no
man in the House of Lords—perhaps in either
House of Parliament—who has given more con-
stant and effective support to the principles of
civil and religious liberty, than Earl Grey ; there
is no man, therefore, whose opinions on all
questions concerning them, are entitled to more
respect. But we think it will be evident to
those who read his speech, that his judgment
on the duties of political parties at the present
moment, has been influenced by personal, though
very honourable considerations, and has been
rather formed by the events of the period in
which he took a more active part in Parliamen-
tary business, than by the events of the present
times. The conduct of Mr. Canning during
those unfortunate times, in which supposed plots
were met by actual invasions of the liberty of
the subject, forms a contrast with that of Earl Grey,
—a contrast entirely, in our opinion, to the advan-
tage of the latter. It may be questioned whether
the principles which Earl Grey has supported,
can gain by perpetuating the' recollections orthose
times, or by binding public men to the opinions
which they expressed under, the influence of sup-
posed dangers. It is scarcely worth while to
inquire whether Mr. Canning's views on
the questions then agitated have changed, when
the questions themselves have entirely passed
away. If, indeed, we were to make it neces-
sary that public men should agree, not only on
present affairs, and on measures under discus-
sion, or likely to be diieussed, but on the con-

duct which should have been pursued in all past
time, and in all past discussions, we fear it
would be difficult for men ever to form a politi-
cal party. Earl Grey thinks that Mr, Canning
has assumed an undue share of credit for the
liberal measures of the past Administration, to
which he is only entitled to an equal share with"
his remaining and seceding- Colleagues. But
the mere assumption of this merit was itself a
merit.. He identifies himself with the liberal
feelings of the country ; he hailed and encou-
raged the desire of improvement, which his se-
cediiis Colleagues (excepting Mr. Peel) never
mentioned except to discourage and repress. If
the people at large are liable to have been de-
ceived in attributing to- Mr. Canning opinions
favourable to liberty, we cannot but think that
the High Tories, who have had the best oppor-
tunities of observing him, are very competent
judges. They have shown the most decided
enmity to Mr. Canning ; and it is not to be dis-
guised, that this very circumstance has been one
reason for his popularity. It is, indeed, no bad
rule to judge a man as well by the character
.of
his enemies, as by his associates. When the
friends of civil and religious liberty in England
see that Mr. Canning is the object of the marked
enmity of the Jesuits of France, the Apostoli-
cals of Spain, and the Lowthers, Newcastles, and
others of the same tribe in _ England, they
cannot help suspecting that he must have
some merit beyond that of brilliant . talents
and fair professions. On the question of
Catholic Emancipation, for which Earl Grey.
has made so many sacrifices, if he asked
himself whether the cause which lie has consistently
supported is likely to be more advanced by the as-
cendancy of Mr. Canning, or by the triumph of Mr.
Canning's opponents, we- can hardly think that his
answer would be different from that which is given
by the Catholics themselves. They feel or believe
that the ascendancy of Mr. Canning is more bene-
ficial to them than that of the Earl of Eldon and
Mr. Peel. They may, of course, be mistaken; but
we cannot see any ground for thinking that they are.
It is to be observed, that in the important questions
concerning the trade of the country, which have been
recently agitated in Parliament, and in which there
is an entire accordance of opinion between the Mar-
quess of Lansdown and his friend, and Lord Gode-
rich, Mr. Canning, and Mr. Huskisson. Earl Grey,
on account, perhaps,of his partial estrangement from
public life, has taken, apparently, very little interest.
On the Corn Laws he differs, we believe, both from
the Marquess of Lansdown and Mr. Canning, and
from the great body of the Whigs, and agrees with
the members of the New Opposition. This may,
and perhaps ought to be a reason for a difference of
feeling towards the Ministry between Earl Grey and
his friends. The Foreign Policy, the Catholic
Question, and the questions of Trade and Naviga-
tion, including the Corn Laws, are the great prac-
tical questions of the present time; and we can
scarcely think that Earl Grey will stuccoed in per-
suading the country, that those who agree ought to
prepare the success of those who differ from them
on all these subjects, by needless altercations on spe-
culative points, or by recalling controversies on cir-
cumstances which have ceased to exist.—illorning
Chronicle.

Last night the discussions on the Ministerial
changes were, rather unexpectedly, resumed in ;
the House of Lords, which was remarkably full,
and around the Throne was amazingly crowded
by Commoners, while below the bar was throng-
ed with strangers—it having got whispered about
in the course of the afternoon, that Earl Grey
was likely to speak, his Lordship having previ-
ously remained silent on the subject, though his
sentiments bad been anxiously looked for. It
will be seen that such expectation was realised.
The Duke of Newcastle commenced the discus-
sion, declaring that he should oppose the pre-
sent Adminstration, thinking the head of it unfit
for the office he held ; and that decisive steps
ought to be adopted by their Lordships, which
would relieve his Majesty from the unpleasant
situation in which he must now be considered as I
placed. The Earl of Darlington thought the
Administration was well-formed, and that Mr.
Canning was a great Statesman ; he should
therefore support the Ministers to the utmost of
his power. The Earl of Harewood said he
knew not who were his Majesty's Ministers, and
he thought that their Lordships ought to know
such fact, previously to pledging themselves to
support the Administration. The real state of
things, he maintained, ought to be declared.
Lord Falmouth declared, that he had no confi-
dence in his Majesty's present Ministers; and
Lord Ellenborough thought that the Admini-
' stration ought to allow those who had quitted
office to express their surprise at the state of the
Government, especially as it was notorious that
it was a " provisional" one. Earl Grey even-
tually spoke, and at great length. His Lordship
expressed his regret that he could not join with those
friends withwhom he had acted for so many years,
and agree to give general support to the present Go-
♦ernment ; but however painful might be the declara-
tion, he was compelled to say that he saw nothing
about the Administration to justify his confidence
and to call for his support. His Lordship then ad-
verted to the foreign policy, &c. of Mr. Canning,
observing that many parts of it had been mischie-
vous, and especially denying that Mr. Canning had
(politically) called the New World into existence.
The United States had long previously recognised
the independence of the South American States.
And with respect to Mr. Canning's domestic policy,
his Lordship asked what hope was there from him
who bad prefaced his career as Premier by avowing
that he should resist the repeal of the useless Test
Acts, &c.? Earl Grey was listened to with great
attention, and he was repeatedly cheered, particu-
larly by Lord Holland. His Lordship spoke from
the Opposition side of the House, 'but from the
Bench next to the front Opposition Bench. The
discussion, which arose out of the presentation of a
petition, closed after Earl Grey's speech. Lord
Eldon was in the House, and sat on the cross bench.
The House of Commons suddenly adjourned last
night after sitting about an hour, without any rea-
son being assigned for such adjournment. There
were several notices of motions on the paper :
Mr. W. Horton's, respecting the Cape of Good
Hope; Mr. Macqueen's, about the law of settle-
ment; Lord John Russell's, on the cause of the in-
crease of crime in England, &c.; but, after the
Speaker had called their names several times with-
out their answering, or any one answering for them,
Mr. Herries moved the :adjournment of the House,
which adjourned accordingly. None of the Minis-
ters were present.—Morning Herald.
•
The defeat of the modest proposal to double
the Easter Offerings, and render them compul-
sory, in the parish of St. Clement Danes, is a
subject on which not only the parishioners, but
the public at large have reason to congratulate
themselves. We were the first to announce that
such a design was on foot, and the warning was
not in vain. We are surprised that a Clergyman
who has borne the respectable character which
we have always understood Dr. Gurney to pos-
sess, should have lent himself to such a purpose.
The Rev. Gentleman, in the performance of his
duties, must be aware of the diStress and Pauper-
ism which are now so prevalent—and that he
should think of adding to the pressure 'of tex-
ation which his parishioners feel so heavily, is
i what we could not have expected. It appeared,
• also, by the proceedings at the Vestry, that..he
• , does not contribute to the poor-rates of the pa-

g
rich from which he derives his income, for he is.
non-resident.• The perSOns who supported- his
demand, stated his income at 4001. per annum,
and their proposal was to raise it to 6001., by
doubling the Easter Offerings, which they esti-
mated at 2001.; but when a person got up, and
said that in the year 1700 the income of the
Rector was stated to be 700/. per annum,.and
could hot be less now, none of the friends of the
measure gave • him: any answer. It is probable
that if the income was 7001. a year so long since, it
must be more now, especially, when we take into
account the altered value of money, which was then
so much greater than it is now. But however this
may be, the Rector is better able" to live on his in-
come than hundreds of industrious .shopkeepers and
others, whoSe income such a proposition went to di-
minish. We do not like to see so eager a love for
Mammon among our Clergy ; it seems rather to in-
crease than lessen of late years; but many circum-
stances that have happened of late ought to convince
our Clergy that there is a spirit and independence
of mind among Protestants, which, although it does
not prevent them from paying proper respect to
Clergymen who respect themselves, will not allow
them, like the Roman' Catholic laity, to pay,a blind
and ignorant obedience to a covetous or ambitious
priesthood. There are many Clergymen of the
Church of England who possess the virtues and
good feeling that become their station ; but we ad-
vise those who show in all their ections too much of
that worldly-mindedness which they decry in the
pulpit, to beware of the plague of avarice, which,
along with ambition, brought the Church of Rome
to destruction, and has done much to injure the cha-
racter of the Church of England.--/bid.
We do not by any means profess an unhesi-
tating-approval of the- violent manner-in which
some of the more sensitive of the ejected
-Ministers have been betrayed by their wounded
feelings. On the contrary; we. "are of opinion
that both the talents and the understanding of a
Statesman are best evinced by the maintenance
of a calm dignity under reverse, and the exhibi-
tion, whether in or out of office—whether pur-
suing the triumph and partaking the gale of a
brilliant colleague, or mourning over the suc-
cessful manceuvres of an ingenious rival, of that
greatest of qualities in the great—moderation.
But while we are sufficiently philosophical, in the
retirement of our closet, to admit this principle,
and heartily to desire that those to whose
views and reputation we wish well, • should
ever be guided by it, we do say 'that a
great deal of allowance is to be made to the
ebullition of irritated feelings in men, who
not only find themselves deprived of the
smile of their Sovereign, and of a station
which they occupied with deserved applause,
but who have too much reason to believe
that they may attribute that deprivation, or
to say the least,- the circumstances which neces-
sarily led to it, to the hollowness of pretended
friendship, the inconstancy of a too expert tac-
tician. The sentiments of the good easy crea-
ture in the fable, who let into its cave -the adroit
porcupine, by whom it found itself in the sequel
excluded, could scarcely be expected to have re-
mained very amicable or calm towards the said
porcupine, however agreeably diversified his
fretful quills might appear to the less interested
bystanders ;—and if it be remembered that iii
addition to such personal causes of irritation, the
seceding party suddenly saw preparations for
making over the country to a set of men to whose
every principle they had been fundamentally oppo-
sed, and who were pledged in particular to a mea-
sure which they deemed eminently ruinous and
unconstitutional—if they saw the seat's, lately their
own, filled by a row of political puppets, of which,
the strings were to be pulled by the ingenious
head-machinist for the amusement of the public,
till it suited the convenience or the caprice of
the real actors to appear upon the stage—we
think that a little departure from the precise
phrase of drawing-room courtesy, a little angry
showing, may well be pardoned to men placed
in such a position. Nay, more—we doubt whe-
ther an entire self-command, under such circum-
stances, might not argue a want of that principle
and high-minded feeling, from the imputation of
which want, these little impolitic bursts at least
exculpate them. It is therefore with great dis-
gust that we see the attempts which are made
to put down by coarse ridicule and abuse
every endeavour to ascertain the real prin-
ciples and views of the existing Govern-
ment, though these ought certainly to be
matter of more than :common suspicion to the
adherents of the late one. Nothing -can .be more
constitutional than the course pursued by Sir Thos.
Lethbridge, with a view to -this objeet; -and the
same was adapted by Sir-John Newport, upon the
occasion of the delay in remodelling the Administra-
tion in 1812, when he said, " that the House was
reduced to the dilemma of either refusing the sup-
plies, or'granting than without a responsible Mini-
ster." The old Government were -still in their
, places, and it was only expected that they would be
removed. If Mr: Canning and his friends now only
occupy their places, ad, interim, the name and prin-
ciples of his successor being unknown, the House of
Commons is placed in a similar situation of suspense
and ignorance; and Sir Thomas Lethbridge's sug-
gestion of postponing the Supplies until some satis-
factory declaration takeiplace, is neither absurd, un-
reasonable, or unprecedented.-;--Morning Post.

One of those irregular debates, which have
characterised the proceedings of both Houses of
Parliament during the last ten days, took place
last night in the House of Lords. With two or
three exceptions, however, the language employ-
ed, and the sentiments expressed, were much
less" acrimonious and intemperate, than on for-
mer occasions. The Duke of Newcastle, in-
deed, indulged in some epithets- of 'suverlative
vituperation ; but hard words are a sorry substi-
tute for convincing arguments. Earl Grey spoke
at some length ; and his Lordship's speech was
so far gratifying, that it announced the Noble
Earl's intention of not uniting with the Oppo-
sition, although he was, at present, unable to see
his way clearly to the other side of the House.
We have an unfeigned respect for conscientious
scruples; but we are no great admirers of scruples
which are so. elaborately fashioned that they only
serve to perplex the choice they should direct. One
of the most marked and determined qualities of a vi-
gorous mind, is the faculty of deciding upon its own
impressions. The Noble Earl, however, after the
most anxious deliberation, and the most severe scru-
tiny, could get no further than to resolve upon sit-
ting where he had sat for upwards of twenty years,
with permission from himself to vote according to
circumstances.—New Times.

We give this day an account of a public
meeting held at Liverpool, on Wednesday last,
to vote au Address of Thanks and Congratula-
tion to his Majesty, on the formation of a new
Ministry. Liverpool has thus taken the lead in
a proceeding which, we doubt not, will be fol-
lowed by many other towns and cities throughout
the empire. The King, in asserting his just
right to place whom he pleased at the head of
his Government, maintained at the same time an
important national right, that of being governed
by a Ministry possessing at once the confidence
of the Sovereign and of the country. It is pro-
per, therefore, that, in an exercise of the Royal pre-
rogative, which involved the assertion of -a public
good, the King should find himself supported by

his people. With respect to the Liverpool meeting,
we cannot say the tone of some of the speeches was
exactly to our taste; but, in .a public assembly, it is
impossible to prevent the partial intrusion of persons
whose absence would be a comfort. The principle
of the meeting was good and laudable, anti has our
entire approbation.—lbid. . .

THE ROYAL WESTMINSTER INFIRMARY

FOR THE DISEASES OF THE EYE.

This Charity held its Anniversary Dinner at
Willis's Rooms yesterday, when about 150 Noble-
men and Gentlemen sat down to dine.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence took
the Chair. •

After the cloth was withdrawn, his Royal High-
ness in. rising to propose the health of his Majesty,
stated, that during the last year, the King had de-
voted no less than 30,0001. to charitable purposes.
His Royal Highness then gave, in a very emphatic
manner—" The King, God bless him," with four
times four.

The ROYAL. CHAIRMAN then begged to offer to
the meeting a toast, which he was sure would be
appreciated : the " Memory of the Duke of York,"
which was drunk in respectful silence.
His Royal Highness then rose, and said, that
after having drunk to thetmemory of his late lamen-
ted brother, who had been st, long at the head of
the army, ie could not do better than propose,
" The British Army."
The toast was drunk With enthusiasm.
His Royal Highness then gave, " The British
Navy," with three times three.
Lord LYNEDOCH then rose, and. proposed the
health of his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence,
which was drunk with great enthusiasm.
His Royal. Highness then proposed the health of
the Duke of Wellington, President of the Charity.
which was drunk with. great applause.
The health of the Vice Presidents, particularly
those at the meeting, was next drunk.
Lord BERESFORD returned thanks ; and proposed
the health of her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Clarence, and the other Ladies Patronesses.
This toast was drunk with marked applause.
His Royal HighneSs the Duke of CLARENcE felt
infinitely obliged to the Company for drinking the
health of the Duchess ; and he took that opportu-
nity of communicating the wish of her Royal High-
ness, that her name should be put down as an annual
subscriber of ten guineas.—( Loud applause.)
A number of other toasts were drunk in the course
of the evening, and his Royal Highness did not quit
the Chair until eleven o'clock, when the company
immediately separated.

ANNIVERSARY _OF THE SONS OF THE

CLERGY.

Yesterday, the Anniversary Festival of this laud-
able charity, which has for its object the apprentic-
ing the children of necessitous Clergymen, was cele-
brated with peculiar pomp and solemnity in St.
Paul's Cathedral.
Messrs. Goulden, Sale, Philips, Hawes, and Horn-
castle, were selected to perform the solo parts, and
the boys from Westminster Abbey, and his Majes-
ty's Chapel Royal, St. James's, were in attendance
in the choir. Mr. Greatorex conducted the music;
Mr. Cotton Reeve led the band, consisting of the
Members of the Royal Society-of Musicians, and
Mr. Attwood presided at the Organ.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, who
was to have attendectas proxy for his Royal High-
ness the Duke of Cambridge, was not in attendance,
from a desire to avoid the fatigue of the day. But
at a little before twelve o'clock, her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Cambridge, her Royal Highness the
Duchess Of Clarence, and the Misses Fitzclarence,
arrived in their carriages; they were immediately
conducted by the stewards into the vestry, and
shortly after were ushered to seats on the south side
of the Cathedral, where their appearance attracted
general attention.
Soon after twelve o'clock, the Right Honourable
thes,Leard- Mayor, arrived in his state carriage, ac-
companied by the Sword and Mace Bearers, the
Recorder, and was followed by Sheriffs Farebrother
and Wincheiter, the various Aldermen, attired in
their civic habiliments, with their families, in pro-
cession, preceded by the City Marshals on horse-
back, the Marshals, and other City Officers.
The performance commenced with the -Overture
"Esther,"
Ar,"natiiem
ndcr
in fulltcltde Chorus.
At withor H andel's Grand Co-
At about half-past five o'clock between three,and
400 gentlemen sat down to dine ; the Lord Mayor
in the Chair.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, who
was attired in a Field Marshal's uniform, sat at the
right hand of his Lordship, and among the company
we noticed the following persons of distinction, viz.
Bishops of London, Gloucester, Sodor and Man,
Bath and Wells, Oxford, St. Asaph, Chester, Llan-
daff, Ely, Litchfield,- Coventry, St. David's, and
Peterborough ; Archdeacons Durham and Armagh;
Judges Park, Bayley, Gaselee, Baron Hullock, and
carious Other•persons of eminence.
The spacious galleries at each side of the Hall
were filled with elegantly dressed ladies.
On the removal of the cloth, Non Nobis Domine
was sung, after which " The King—God bless
him," and other loyal toasts, were drunk with enthu-
siastic applause.
The subscription at the Rehearsal and Perform-
ance of the Music at St. Paul's Cathedral, and at
the Dinner, amounted on the whole to 1,0701.
The company separated at'half-past eight o'clock.

PENTIYN.—This is a borough and market-
town in the parish of St. Gluvians, Cornwall ;
and is situated on an eminence at the mouth of
the river called the King's-road, which runs inte
Falmouth harbour. It is three miles from Fal-
mouth, and 267 from London ; and contains
about 300 houses, and about 3,000 inhabitants.
Its principal trade is in the pilchard and New-
foundland fisheries ; besides which, it is consi-
dered the granary of the south-western part of
Cornwall, having considerable warehouses, gene-
rally well-stored with grain from the Isle of Wight
and the southern coast. As a borough it never
sent Members to Parliament till the Ist of Mary,
and was incorporated by James L in the 18th
year of his reign. A new charter was granted
by James 11. which vested the election of Mem-
bers in the magistracy only, but this they refu-
sed to accept. A custom is said to have pre-
vailed, for the steward of the Bishop of Exeter,
who is lord of the manor, to send his precept to
the portreeve or mayor, to return two elizors, or
principal men of the place, who were to elect
twenty-two more, to make up a Jury upon all
law court days, to execute the town business
and choose the Members ; but this has long been
disused. The Sheriff's precept is still directed to
the portreeve, who has for mai iy years been also the
mayor. The Corporation consists of a mayor,
eleven more aldermen, and twelve burgesses,
with power to choose a recorder, steward, town-
clerk, two constables, and two mace-bearers.
The right of election is in the inhabitants at
large, who pay scot and lot ; but who have,
nevertheless, generally ranged themselves under
one or more powerful patrons. In 1784 this
borough was under the joint influence of the
then Duke of Leeds and Sir Francis Bassett,
now Lord de Dunstanville ; but an agreement
was said to have been entered into between them
not to interfere in each► other's boroughs of Hel-
stone and Penryn, in consequence Lord de Dun-
stanville became sole patron of Penryn. His
Lordship's interest was, however, disturbed in
1802, and has ever since' been gradually declin-
ing in favour of Mr. Henry Hase, who pos-
sesses the real nomination in this and so many
other boroughs.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF KING'S Bi*H, MAY 10.

THY KING AGAINST THE RIM. HENRY BROUGHTON AND

BA RLOW.

- This was a rule nisi for a criminal information ob-
tained last term by Mr. Campbell against Mr.
Broughton, who is a magistrate of Staffordshire, and
also against Barlow, who is a constable, for illegal
and oppressive conduct. The appliCation for the
rule is reported in our paper of 29th. January. Two
children, John Caddie, aged ten, and Julia Caddie,'
aged only seven, the children of a poor cottager,
were, in the middle of the day of the 12th of Octo-
ber, seen by Barlow, with part of their clothes off,
wading in a pond on a common, catehing or play-
ing with"some ducks. It appeared that the girl had
hold of one duck, which belonged to Barlow, and
the boy had hold of two, which we understood be-
longed to his own parents. Barlow directed a man
named Ward to run after the children,who had both run
away,which he did, and brought back the boy, whom
Barlow took before the magistrate, Mr. Broughton.
No charge on oath was made against the boy,who had
not hold of Barlow's duck. However, Mr. Brough-
ton ordered the boy to be detained till the next day,
when he directed that the little girl should be brought
before him. In the middle of the night, Barlow,
who is charged by the affidavits for the information
with personal hostility towards the parents of the
children, went, with a rope in his hand, to the child,
woke him, and threatened to • hang him with the
rope, if he did not confess' that his father set him on
to steal the duck. The next day, when they at-
tended before Mr. Broughton, he took the deposi-
tion of. Barlow apart from the children and their
mother, without affording them an opportunity of
asking Barlow any questions. The children, on being
asked what they had to say for themselves, both said
they were fighting the ducks; and the boy, in his
affidavit before the Court, swore that he had never
stolen any thing in his life, and did not mean to steal
the duck. The Magistrate committed both the
children to gaol for a felony, to take their trial at the
Sessions, where they were both tried and acquitted.
The affidavits stated that Mr. Broughton, on the
mother's intercession for her children, said he wished
he could also send the father and mother to gaol.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Mr. RUSSELL, for
the Rev. Mr. Broughton, showed cause against the
rule, and Mr. TALFOURD showed cause for Barlow ;
after which -Mr. CAMPBELL and Mr. WHATELEY
were heard in support of the rule.
Lord TENTERDEN.—With respect to making the
rule absolute against Mr. Broughton, we are to con-
sider whether he was acting from a corrupt and ma-
licious motive, or in a mistaken discharge of his
duty. If we think it was from the first cause, we
ought to grant the information; but if we think
otherwise, or if we doubt, we ought not to grant it,
for the Grand Jury is still open for the parties to re-
sort 'to. Although I see much in Mr. Broughton's
conduct that I do not approve of, there is not enough
to fix malice upon him ; and he has denied in his
affidavit that he was actuated by any such motive.
Looking at the whole case against Mr. Broughton,
we tliink the rule Should be discharged ; but, never-
theless, it should be discharged upon his paying
costs. With respect to Barlow, we -will either grant
the information, or discharge the rule upon his pay-
ing costs, as the parties may please.
Mr. CAMPBELL said, it was the wish of the par-
ties that the rule Should be made absolute.
Lord TENTERDEN.—The rule, then, must be
made absolute against Barlow.

PORTUGUESE ROADS AND AGItICUL-

TURE.

Our party had now increased to six, mounted bag
and baggage on donkeys and mules, most of them
without bridles and stirrups, and furnished only with
halters and pack saddles, so high, and large, and
round, that even a man of ordinary length of limbs
had the utmost difficulty in encompassing them. It
is hardly possible to conceive a worse road. By--
the-bye, I may mention that a sum of 35,0001. had
been set apart, some Yearaago, for making and re-
pairing roads in Portugal, but, as too often happens
with our Sinking Fund, the Government has always
contrived to apply it to other purposes, and the roads
continue nearly in the state in which they were hun-
dreds of years ago. At one place the mules even
scramble with difficulty over the rugged stony pave-
ment, and at another they are up to their knees in mud.
The only part where the rider is at all at his ease, is
in the open country, where the mules are left to take
their own course. In about a mile from Santarem,
on one hand, nothing but orange and lemon groves,
with fig-trees, pomegranate-trees, and vines are to
be seen. At present, the orange-trees are covered,
both with fruit and blossom, and the pomegranate-
tree is in all its glory. On the other hand, there are
vines and wheat. The fences consist chiefly of mud
walls, raised about two feet high, covered with aloes,
generally of an enormous size. In other places they
are covered with brambles, myrtles, medlar-trees,
honeysuckle, cistus, and plants and flowers of almost
every description. llere and there a few ploughs
are to be teen—with peasants digging the vine-
yards,*or weeding corn. Agriculture here is only
in its infancy; I don't suppose the plough has un-
dergone any alteration since the Romans intro-
duced it first into Lusitania. It has only one handle
—the mould board consists of a round piece of wood,
attached by a.hook at the one end, to the body of
the plough, and the sock:is shod with a small piece of
iron. Every part of it is of the most coarse mate-
rials, and the furrow which it makes is far from a
straight line, and as unequal in breadth and depth as
a mole track. In some places, however, an improve-
ment has taken place, particularly where extensive
farms are in the hands of some rich individual,_
Near Vallada there is an extensive plain, where I
saw twenty ploughs at work, drawn by four oxen
each. The soil appeared to be very rich, and was
tolerably well cultivated. After leaving the suburbs
of Santarem, scarcely any thing is to be seen but
groves of olives. The vineyards are neither very
extensive nor numerous, and hi general are ill
cultivated. Except in one or two villages, there is
not an inhabited house—all having been destroyed
by the French in their retreat. Pernes bears the
same dismal marks of wanton destruction—one half
of the houses are without roofs—the people are-poor
and miserable, and naked, and seem destitute of any
excitement to industry. On seeing such a country,
with such a climw, and so many houses tha t could
be made habitable; at so little expence, one is only
astonished that agricultural companies should have
sent out colonies to the deserts of South America,
when industrious men could find, so near home,
plenty of houses and employment, and be well re-
warded for their labour. The inhabitants, too, as
far as I have had an opportunity of judging, have
many excellent qualities—they are affable and
Obliging, and if we take our host and his family
as specimens, they are not to be surpassed by any
people in the world.

A dreadful murder was committed last night
at eight o'clock, by a man of the name of Shee-
ney, a wood-chopper, upon his son, a child of
four months old. Sheeney has been in the habit
of threatening that he would cut the infant's
head off, and last night he came home rather in-
toxicated, and having sent his wife out to get
some tea, proceeded to effect his horrible purpose.
He cut the head off the little innocent, and
placing it upon the table, threw the body under
the bed ; he then secured the door and made his
escape. The poor mother's feelings may be
easily imagined when she and the neighbours
succeeded in forcing open the door, and dis-
covered the mangled remains of her infant.
Dalton, fan active officer of the police, at Lam-
beth-street, was immediately dispatched in pur-
suit of the murderer. The transaction took
place only five doors from the police office, at
No. 1, Christopher-court, Lambeth-street.—
Sheeney had not been taken at ten o'clock last
night.