Star.
London, England, 1822-05-22 00:00:00

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Bench iagistrates.
William Davis was indicted for a gross assault on
Mr. John Swan, a coal-merchant, in the New-toad.
Mr. ADOLPHUS stated, that the prosecutor and a
friend were passing along Thonthaugh-street, on the
night of the 14th January last, when the defendant
rushed out of a public-house, and threw the prosecu-
tor and his friend, Mr. Coreen, into the kennel.-1
Words ensued, and the defendant knocked down Mr.
Cohen, and gave a broken nose and two black eyes
to Mr. Swan. The defendant was at last secured,'
and taken to the watch-house.
The prosecutor aad his friend proved the case, as,
stated by the Learned Counsel, from which it ap-
peared that it was a Tom and Jerry lark on the pat
of the defendant. The Jury found him Guilty, and'
be was sentenced to two months imprisonment in
the House of Correction.
Robert Storey, engineer to the Sun Fire Office, was
iadicted for an assault upon Henry Putnam, a lad
about fourteen years of age, on the 22d March last.
From the evidence for the prosecution it appeared
that the premises of Mr. List, sugar-baker, in Alie-
street, Whitechapel, were on fire the day above-men-1
Itioned ; that the defendant was there performing his
public duty as a fireman, and that he besmeared the
boy's head and face with damp sugar, and struck
him with a carter's whip.
Mr. BOLLAND, who conducted the defence of Sto-
rey, by desire of the Sun Fire Office, stated, that a
more flagrant case on the part of the police officers
than the present seldom came into a Court of Justice ;
for Ellis and Benson, two of the patrol, were the real
prosecutors in this case, and not the lad Putnam, for
the sole object of obtaining expenses from the county.
From the evidence of Mr. List, and other respect-
able witnesses, it was proved that upwards of one
hundred boys were at the fire, busily engaged in pil-
fering sugar out of the casks, and that Putnam was
similarly employed with them ; that the police offi-
cer s did not interfere in stopping the boys from steal-
ing the sugar, but the moment they observed the de-
fendant touch the boy with a whip, they took him
into custody, and even had the temerity to refuse the
respectable bail of lr. List.
The conduct of the patrols was animadverted upon
by the Bench, and the defendant instantly acquitted.

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irAMr'DUTII

been brotight into the House di Ceill►
Treasiry, by Mr. LuSlllllOl.O7l. caned
Relict Bill, which is an entire remodelling
-ties on :lealies, mortgages, &e. with as
duty, which on one species of stamps alone,
_ ,4g to be in sdvanee• of 0100,000 annually!
It is known, that where leases and mortgages, mid
deeds of such character, exceed a amain length (loft
words), there must be extra stamps, so that the second,
third, fourth, and following skins of parchment, each
bears a twenty shilling stamp; but, afteording' to this
BM, the progessiVe duties, on succeeding. sins, are
to be in 41W arta twenty: five shillings!' At this
moment the landed interest are complaining of dif.:
ficulties bordering on rain; arid so severely have they
felt the operation of the Stamp Duties in the effott tft
gain temporary relief by means of mortgage, &c. thai
various agricultural petit ons, and several County Meng.
bers,have made the tax a distinct ground ofcomplaini,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was even asked
in the House, whether he could afford relief from the
ad valorem duty "on the is anger of mortgages?" The
Right Hon. Gentleman answered in the affirmative.
But there is no ad valorem duty on the transfers of
mortgages—they are made on a common stamp (ex.
cept in some peculiar and very rare cases), which uill
equally answer the tranifer of mortgages. for £lOO
or £lOO,OOO. The circumstance, however, of relief
in such peculiar and very rare cases, being received as
a boon to the depressed landed interests, is a proof of
the severe workings of the Stamp Duties. 'We have
said, that this " relief" alone will he an increase of
duty to the amount of ONZ HUNDRED THOUSAND
POUNDS. That statement is made on calculations
derived from the fact, that there are in London alone
about fifty law stationers, and each of them annually
uses 1200 of the progressive duty stamps!
The Bill also proposes some entirely new Stamp
Duties—namely, a graduated scale of duties on leases
or tacks, " if the term shall not exceed one calendar
month," and the rent reserved not above 131. per
annum—sixpeace stamp duty on each lease or tack ;
above 1.5/. and under 351. the monthly duty to be one
shilling; and above 351. two shillings 1 And these
new duties are followed with this statement—" the
term shall exceed one calendar month, then such duty
as last hereinbefore mentioned (the rate not exceeding
35/. per annum) to be charged in respect of the fi, t
calendar month of such term, and the like duty to be
charged in respect of every calendar month, and (wry
period not amounting to a calendar mouth, of which
such term shall consist, after the first calendar mink.'
The. Bill also imposes penalties on the stamping of
" deeds, agreements, and other instrument;' after
the signing of the same; not the 10/. penalty as here-
tofore, but a penalty " equal to double the amount of
the. duty" regularly charged upon the inAi ument
stamped, which might amount to 2,0001. And these
pehalties are to be retrospective, to affect ,4 any deco,
agreement, or other instrument whatsoever, executed
sEkone, or to be executed after the passing of this Act."

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ing propetty, which the insnlvent minit
iti i ghinthet with which the Leithilid Oindidsin •
pliiimsOf perfectly satisfied, toil the Oman di. AMI has b
.c insolvent entitled to his discharge forthwith. mans, from the
MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. the Staoseps'• Rd
Yesterday these Sessions commenced atllialm's of Stamp Datil
Hall, 'before Mr. Costar, the Chairman, and a bill crease V doll-
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Bench of Magistrates. • issalctilated to
It ia known_ t 1