Star.
London, England, 1830-12-27 00:00:00

WINTER ASSIZES.

LEWES, FRIDAY, Dzc. 24.

The Assizes terminated here this evening, and they now stand ad-
journed to January ; but this is only in the event of fresh disturb•
antes breaking out in the county, of which, happily, there is no indi-
cation at present. It appears to be the general impression, that i;
severity with which the law has already been enforced, a'd the t'• -
termination expressed by the Judges that the utmost punislitin tt
shall in all cues be inflicted in which parties are convicted of offe...
involving the destruction of property by fire, or the pea e and
tranquility of the country, whether by breaking machi"ery or rising
in maps, in order to enforce illegal demands, will have the effect of
reacting o:der and teaching the unthinking peasantry, that .• -
ever may be their sufferings and privations, the laws at all er• itts
must not be violated. As connected with the distresses of this eid.i.y
and the dearness of provisions, I was requested by a barrister whom
I met on this circuit, and who holds a farm of four hundred ace, s
no great distance from Lewes, to correct& statement giving an account a
the high prices at which baker's bread. bacon, and cheese were sole. la
this past of Sussex. lily informant stated that generally spe,ii:i•iit
every cottage baked its own bread, and that, consequently, baker's
uread was purchased but in very few instances by the labouring elastics.
With reirect to bacon and cheese, he assured me that so far from these
articles being at the high prices fixed by your correspondent, the prire
of the former article (bacon) at the present time was only from sd. to
bd. per pound, while the best cheese could be had at 4d. per pound.
land from that to btl. My informant added, that, as a farmer himself,
he should he quite willing to prove the truth of his statement by selling
1 any quantity of the articles mentioned at the prices which be unlit:.
The assizes closed with the case of Winter, who was charged with
the murder of his wife. A plea of insanity was intended to have hen
raised on behalf' of the poisoner, but it was abandoned, there being no
medical evidence to sustain such a plea, and the prisoner is indebted
for his lite to the very merciful way in which Mr. Justice Taunton ap-
peared to view the case, and the hint which he threw out to the jury,
that the parties might have had a quarrel, and that the deceased might
first have resorted to violence herself, in which case her death by the
prisoner would amount to manslaughter only. lf, however, the
witnesses for the prosecution spoke the truth, the great violo.lici: of
the prisoner towards his unfortunate wife commenced at a few minutes
after 10 o'clock at night, when her groans and cries of murder were frst
heard; and at half-past two in the morning the primula (Mr there i, to
doubt that it was he) was again discovered within a few steps of lois own
door, which was open ; while on one knee, and seemingly in the art of
endeavouring to rise, was discovered his wretched victim, staked, and to a
broken voice, begging for mercy, And exclaiming, '• Oh, that p her !"
or words to the saute effect. A poker with blocd and hair upon it was
found in the parlour of the prisoner's house; and front the evi-
dence of the surgeons it appeared clearly that t veto the ma.
nual labour employed in butchering the deceased must have consumed
a considerable time. Every person with whom I have cony, rseil upon
the subject agrees in pronouncing the murder as one of the lids, I
bayous on record, and I have heard professional men declare, t!eit
evidence necessary to sustain the indictment was borne out in ev.
way. Under these circumstances, the escape of the prisoner from ti e
capital charge was considered next to a miracle, and I have minim., 41
the circumstance in consequence of the very strong fueling of surprise
which the announcement of the verdict excited both in court raid else-
where.

Three cases were tried on Thursday evening, the details of which cre-
ated some merriment in court. The defendants in each case were charged
with having aided and assisted in carrying away by main force from the
workhouse of the parishes to which they respectively belonged, the
assistant overseers of the poor, who had become obnoxious to them.
With this view, they surrounded the workhouse, seised the
instant overseer, and, placing hint in a cart which they had pre.
cured for the purpose, the official distributor of bread and cheese
carted to the boundaries of his parish, drawn by women, and contlact.,l
with mock solemnity to • given spot, where they shot him out like a
heap of rubbish. The defendants were all found guilty, and sentenc
to different terms of imprisonment.
The Judges are to open the Commission for the county of Surisy
Thursday next, at Kingston, which will close the Home Circuit.

MEETINGS OF CREDITORS, BASINGIIALL-STRCE I .

TO-MORROW. II M
J. Hart, Hand-court, Holborn, victualler .. 3 I I
IW. K. Hodges, Minories, linen draper ... 3 1l
O. Dyson, Pall-mall, picture dealer • ... .. 3
Rs H. Higham, New Bond street, hatter ... al Il)
H. Bowring, 31incing lane, colonial broker ... 3 1::
J. Atkinson, Cock-lane, West Smithfield, brass founder 2 I
J. Seaman. Tooting, Surrey, brewer
W. F. Bray, Liverpool-meet, New-road, builder 2 11
W. Prior, Charlotte-street, Bedford-square, brewer
W. Hayden, Oxford-street, silk mercer
C. P. Pronckert, Jewry-street, Aldgate, iron founder . ........ 2 2
IL Chapman, Strachan.place, Islington, builder . ... 2 11

stvinzuns. H.
G. Bell, Regent-street, tailor ... .. ... lO
T. Christian, Crown-street, Finsbury-square, woollen draper 11
H. Shaw' 13illerieay, & sex, grocer ... l2
..
J. Edmond., late of Warwick-lane, eheesemonger
J. Reynolds, Portugal-street, Mile End, carpenter
W. Turnbull, Upper Grafton street, Fitzroy square, music seller 10
J. Till, Basinghall street, woollen draper ...

Alderman king has got 2,5001. a-year' as compensation
for the surender of Ins patent. He wanted a round sum, but
the government preferred giving him a pensibu.
The Stockport troop of Hussars have received orders from
their Colonel, to hold thenmelres in readiness for service on the shortest
possible notice.

A hostile meeting took place yesterday (Wednesday)
morning near Ashbourne, between Richard A. Pope, Esq. attended by
(1. Chadwick, Req. regiment, and L'Estrange, Esq. accompanied by
Esq. After an exchange of shots, the seconds attempted
a reconciliation, but in vain. Mr. Pope's second fire his anta-
gonist's tight arm; but, we are gratified in being enablediri :rladd, very
slightly. The misanderstat ding arose from expressions used in the
theatre, regarding a lady whom Mr. Pope attended thither.—Dublin
Freeman's Journal.

PRESTON E I.ECTION.—P RESTON, Thursday, Dec. 23.
Notwithstanding all the bustle and noise that has been made here re-
specting • scrutiny of the voters, Mr. Stanley has, at the eit vent,'
hour, declined to enter upon it, and Mr. Hunt will consequently he
declared duly elected by the returning oilers at the opening of the court
to-morrow. The scrutiny, as your readers are aware, was tint ap-
pointed to take place on Blooday last, but on that day Mr. Hunt
pleaded for further time, en the ground that the official copies of the
poll books had only been delivered to his friends on the pnceding
evening, and it was consequently postponed until to-morrow. Thus
matters stood until to-day, when (although every preparation had been
made by the parties) Mr. Stanley intimated his intention ot' declining
the scrutiny, thinking it more advisable to bring the subject berm, the
House of Commons. Mr. *leant Merewether was employed b% 31r.
&spicy, and probably that gentleman may have recommended his client
to abandon the scrutiny as hopeless. Whether he will be more MICCON.
ful in the House of Commons remains to be seen.

LONDON.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 27.

Despatches have been this day received at the Foreign
Offirs in Downing-street, from their Excellencies Lord
STUART DE ROTHSAT, our Ambassador at Paris, and
from Sir CHARLES BAGOT, our Ambassador at the Hague.

Despatches are this day received at the Colonial Office,
from Major-General Sir PEREGRINE MAITLAND, Lieute-
nant-Governor of Nova Scotia ; and from General Lord
AYLMER, Governor of Lower Canada, dated the 27th of
November.

Our private letters from Paris state that Count Pozzo Di
801100, has, at length, received his credentials as Ambassa-
dor to the KING of the FRENCH, from Russia. These letters
also state that the EMPEROR of RUSSIA will make an at-
tempt to settle his differences with the Poles, in a friendly
manner, previous to his commencing hostilities with them.

The Proclamations of the students at Paris have excited
some alarm among the commercial community in that
capital ; and, owing to their Revolutionary principles, com-
merce remains in a languid state ; and money was scarce,
as the Bankers will not discount.

Montreal Papers to the 25th of November, and Quebec
Papers to the 27th of the same month, are received this day
at the North and South American Coffee House. From the
latter we learn, that the speech of his Excellency the Lieut.-
Governor, at the opening of the legislature, is calcu-
lated to call forth those feelings of harmony and
cordiality, between his Majesty's Council, and the House
of Assembly, which ought ever to exist.
By the Montreal Papers, we find that the winter had set
in with great severity, on the 10th of November. These
Papers do not contain any other intelligence of interest.

The private letters from Holland, this morning, bring the
Dutch funds about i per cent. lower ; Russian Stock, about
3 per cent. lower.

The re-establishment, or rather re•assurance, of good
order and rational government in France, must be a univer-
sal subject of congratulation all over Europe. The proceed-
ings of the Chamber of Deputies, and the a rrestationa which
have taken place, evidently show, that a revolutionary crisis,
of a most hazardous nature, has been fortunately passed.
There cannot be a doubt, that if the National Guard had
not existed, all the horrors of the first revolution
would have been acted over again ; and would have accom-
plished more for the cause of despotism in Europe, than any
state of events which could occur. It is likewise very evi-
dent, from the good conduct of the National Guard, who are
themselves fair representatives of the people, and the
spontaneous illumination to celebrate the successful vic-
tory gained over anarchy, that the majority of the
Parisians have been as much in terror, for the
progress of the revolutionists, as the Government which
had to withstand their assault. The only set-offs to all these
reasons for congratulation, are the facts, that the military
body we have so justly lauded, are a military body; and al-

though likewise a body of citizens, there may be some'
danger, that the military esprit du corps, which has shown
itself so essential to the very existence of Government,
may, at some period, gain ascendancy over the almost
incompatible esprit tin corps of the citizens, or the
feelings and duties of civil society ; and subject them to be
misled from that allegiance, they have so fortunately dis-
played on this occasion.
The political partisanship of the Schools, is like-
wise an anomalous feature in French politics, which
the sober-minded must view with uneasiness ; and,
although on this occasion, it has fortunately been go-
verned rightly, yet moat correct reasoners will almost be-
grudge to the students, the thanks and plaudits they have me-
rited. Ardent, generous, and brave, they doubtless are—ex-
perienced and suspicious they cannot be ; and, there-
fore, unfortunately, misled they may be. Their good and
great qualities, are the very causes of this susceptibility of
evil inspiration. It is to be sincerely hoped, that the
natural guardians of these youths, should see the
propriety of discountenancing this singular precocity of
political patriotism; and while they are praised for what
is past, make some arrangements by which, in future, the
duties of youth and maturity, shall be more distinctly
separated. The present state of France, it is to be
feared, although the last events have terminated pro-
pitiously, is ominous for the tranquillity of the future. All
France is an immense hot-bed, to rear and nurture nothing
but military ambition. What will be the future effect to the
world, of such a military population, the reflecting mind must
feel not a little ill at ease to contemplate. Even to the
peaceful citizen of France, who values the.secure and tran-
quil enjoyment of life, such a military prospective cannot
afford comfort. In the distance, he may see displayed
the dazzling banners of national glory ; but may not he
likewise see fields of blood, and the chains of military
despotism ? Eloquence may have its evils; but great as they
may have proved, most considerate reasoners will be inclined
to join in the often quoted maxim, cedant arena toga, con-
icedat laurea lingua. Man reasons in general badly, with
a musket over hie shoulder. While thus led to express the
terrors of military ambition, when we turn our eyes to the
b ave Poles, ire almost doubt the correctness of our own
reascr :rig. If the people are not to be armed in their
own defence, how shall the progress of the despots at the
head of their hirelings be interrupted ? Thus in reasoning
on war, we reason in 1% circle ; and it appears either a
blessing or a curse, according as it is I.sed or abused.

CITY, ONE O'CLOCK.

Consols, which left off on Friday at tl2 for the Account,
opened this mornins at 8211; soon after they were done at
; and at present tbuy n:•e 82i f. This improvement may
be attributed to the tranquillity of the Fronch capital.
In the Fcreirn Allttiet nothing doing as yet.

LI V Elu of 1,, Dre 25.—The inapt:nig this week of cotton
is 3,')73 hags, and tha sales 5,550 bzgs, at a further
decline of one-cighth cf a penny sold. In sugar 1,200
ho, shcad: have Veen sold this week, at full prices, with
4',io bags of fine u.Lile Bengal, at 625. Gd. to 63a.

CITY, IVO O'CLOCK.

Consols, which were on the advance in the early part of
the morning, have somewhat receded, from :-;3lj to 824 4, at
which price they continue at present.

The present state of Leland rather throws a damp on the
market. In the Foreign Market but few speculations have
made their appearance. Russian Stock :38i to 89.
The Montreal Papers received this morning contain the
following. By a treasury minute it was ordered that the
Crown duties on and after the first of January next
should be paid in 13t itisli money only, but the Lords of the
Treasury have been pleased to order that this regulation
should be suspended until Anther diieetions, as fur as relates
to the payment of duties in British silver only.
Owing to want of arrivals, we have little to communicate
at present.

It is the general opinion that no serious disturbance will
take place at Paris.