Star.
London, England, 1831-01-26 00:00:00

presented to the Grand Jury by the Clerk of the Crown,
against lieutenant Hswiwts, of the Honourable Com-
pany's ship, Cruiser, for piracy; and five of them were re-
turned true Bills."

The arrival of the Estafette from Francs this morning,
has brought much less matter of novelty than we usually
derive from that quarter; nor hare the Foreign Mails
added much to what was before known. The internal af-
fairs of this country, however, present a supply of symp-
I toms, which are now almost of every day occurrence,
showing quite enough to alarm the mind of all 'English-
men, and concentrate their reflections at home, where
they cannot perhaps be too unremittingly or intensely
concentrated.

The account, which will be found under our head of
" Progress of Incendiary Fires," of the destruction by fire of
St. Peter's church, Birmingham, taken in combination with
the two preceding events—the destruction of Blackburn and
Lewisham churches—must be considered as evincing that

the discontented in the land are seriously turning their at-
tention, to mark the abuses of our church system to ob-
noxious, and demanding reform.
It is impossible to think of this species of outrage, without
calling to mind the many beautiful ecclesiastical structures,
which may be justly termed " the jewels of high price," of
which every Englishman must be proud. We hope, there-
fore, that vigilant attention will be now paid to their preser-
vation ; for we apprehend this species of outrage may be
considered only commencing ; and when so many of the
idle and key are, by the defects of the system, fattening
on the splendid specimens of art to which we allude,
surely it will be quite criminal neglect, if any de-
struction of such property occurs; Let thine who
have the care of these structures throughout the Wand, di-
rect their attention, to establish an adequate number of nightly
watches, in and about the Cathedrals, and the evil cannot
often take place. _ _

As a radical prevention, however, of the apprehended evil,
we earnestly recommend to all true friends to the interest of
the established religion, while they are awake to the danger
of the Church literally, remember that the Churchfigura-
lively that is the Church as by law established—is not
evidently lees in danger, and can only be preserved by
a sagacious, honest, but bold reform. It is impossible that
the, agriculturalists will starve—that the public credi-
tor will be defrauded of hie property and nod
More unlikely, that the landowner will mar hissolf
to be ousted from his estate, and not ask themselves
—are the tribe of Levi only to escape untouched? If
the dignitaries of the Establishment meet the coming
evil

rationally, they will be themselves the intro-
ducers of some great modification in their present
system. The right of tythes, they will recollect, can
only be considered, in the present age, as a matt& of
sufferance ; and not one, which will bear the investigation
of even the humble student, whose reading is confined to
Hume's History.

We are gratified to observe, that the petition of the Corpo-
ration of London is signed so generally, against the public
nuisance of the bankrupt system. One shilling is now too
commonly got in the pound, with ruin to debtors, and ruin-
ous losses to creditors, instead of 15s. or 20s. which might
more generally be obtained, if debtors and creditors could
keep their affairs in their own hands, u their own proper
asenerns, with which, except in extreme cues, the Late
lio
Lawyers ought not to be allowed to interfere. Thee"
can he no reason whatever, for not enabling a debtor to est-
tle, sea majority of his creditors determine to be for the se-
neral advantage, but in a desire to throw the whole of the
estate into the hands of the profession, so that in four case
in five the law takes all, or nearly all, and the creditors get
little or nothing. This is a grievance which comes home I.
to every man's pocket and feelings, and every man of
business understands it too well; yet, strange to relate, the
Reforms, Instead of being taken up by men of business,
are by Parliament referred to lawyers, who cannot be he
earnest, without being false brethren. The entire @abject
merits a public meeting in every trading town in &glued;
the appointment of committees, and firm petitions to Par-
liament. The Corporation of London have done their duty,
and set an example which ought to be followed; foe be it
observed, the party of the lawyers in Parliament are quite as
strong as that of the borough-mongers; and it requires to be
checked by a general expression of the public voice.
Many months ago, we expressed ourselves, on this sub-
ject, in the following words 34.... .
" The only portion of our Civil Law, which does not
appear to have yet ever attracted so much attention as it
requires, particularly under the present circumstances of
the country is the constitution of the Bankrupt Court.
What is contemplated in this department does not to us
=adequate to remedy the evils at present expe-
. We have seen a remark made, that until an
Alderman had, for the good of the public, been tossed upon
the horns of a bull, in its way from Smithfield to War-
wiek-lane, the nuisance of driving the cattle through the City
had no chance of being abated ; and, by parity of reasoning,
Iwe really fear that, until some of our influential Ministers
shall lose his fortune by an unfortunate trader, and become
a suppliant in the all-talking and no-hearing court or courts
is Besiogleall-suseif theutissore ref these courts; forte% eati
give them no other name, will not be properly abated.
Indeed we can scarcely believe that our legislators can
have ever visited that place, which we would recom-
mend them to do, if only es a study, or such disgrace to
Belli& Legislation could not have so long existed.
We hope, for the credit of the country, that Mons.
Cotta, or any of the French Squaw, who have visited
this country to pick up wisdom in legislation, never ven-
tured into those SCOW of wickedness and congsion, ydept
a meeting of 'creditors. If they should have done so, what
would they have seen? The pencil of an HOOARTH might
well be employed on the subject ; . but, unfortunately, we can
only paint with the pen, and that too feebly, for the subject.
" They would perceive, at a long table, certain men call-
ed Commissioners, distinguished principally. by wearing
their hats. They would be told that these men were
' , Wiehlieg almost the power of the highs" dePert•
meat steer law. The would see them surrounded by a
noisy essfnesd mob, differing only from their judges In
be-
ing uncovered. Foremost in the rank, and loudest In gee
squabble, they would 'he shown two or throe
et law. and-two or three counsellors learned in the law, le&
Jr sing themelres attire same time to the Judges. They

were

would remark, perhaps, at the corner of this mass of confu-
sion, a poor miserable man called a bankrupt, under exami-
nation ; which no one could hear except the few who have
been fortunate or strong enough to get within hearing. Hav-
ing seen all this, would he not turn away with that surprise
and satisfaction which a Frenchmen always feels, when he
can say. with STULITS, they order these things differently
in Prams.'
" Who are the meb selected for these Judges ? The ma-
jerky. of them banisters of family interest, but no profes-
sional merit. A few indeed among them are men of diatin-
guiehed talent, and well acquainted with the laws they have
to administer ; and, if paid adequately, to live without
occasionally descending from the very bench they are
qualified to grace, to bee the hired advocate of every
pettifogger Who pleases to call them first from the stand,
might really dispense that justice which must have been
the intention of the legislature. But we maintain that, did
the commissioners comprise all the legal experience and
learning and sagacity of the country, it would be impossible
for them to dispense justice under the circumstances in
which they act. In the first place, is it not necessary to hear
considerately before determining any question, and can they
bear so as to understand and correctly adjudicate upon
three, four, or five cases, in the course of one short hour—
that hour, too, well known to be almost, nal, as regards the
interests in competition ? Every plan, it is equally well
known, that sharp practising attornies can adopt, is used,
to defer the important decision till the last confused moment,
when, perhaps, a decision takes place, more the result of
obstreperous clamour and amurancc, than that of cool,
deliberate, and unbiassed judgment."

We have Flanders and German papers this morning;
and from the extracts we present, it will be seen that no
progress whatever is yet made in the choice of a sove-
reign for Belgium. The Schen, at last, is free ; and
this is t►e only pia* of intelligence of great moment to
be gathered from these arrivals.

BRUSSELS NATIONAL CONORRiSS.
SITTING or JAN. 11.

Among the pinkies', of which s list was read, were four proposing
Lode Phillip, and one the Dub of Leuehtenberg as King of Belgium,
and one against the union of Belgium with France.
The oaks of the day was the debate on the repta of the central me-
rlon en the motion of News. Beheads, Thom, and Bers.
_

Ths astral semen proposed to pass to the order of tbs day on the
proposal of M. Bohemia, the purport of which is to declare that resist.
and m the illegal acts of public foncdonaries is lawful. The sections
thought that this principle, though tans, cannot be laid down in so pod-
dye a mammas:.

Mr. 11ann's proposal sae to declare that no licence is neceesary to
prosecute functionaries for sets of their adininistration, instead d which
the entice proposed another artide, which, after sons debate, was
adopted, end is to forgo wt. 10 of the Comsat:Woo—the Congress peeling
to the order of the day co the pored of M. Rabaul&
The proposition of M. Bsyts wee in the knowing terms :
The peachy ef &Al death is abolished it cannot be revived.
After some debate, this proposal was adopted.
The Congress then proceeded to disease several ardeles of the project
of law relative so the *kid powers.

BRUSSELS. JAv. 23.

Yesterday evening a repast was circulated him that the Pdass
of Map had arrived at Antwerp from London. Ws an
hardly believe this news, which seems to have originated in the ar.
Heal at Antwerp,•af a yacht of King William, which was lasted by
"the citadel.

An Still* COMO Mostesset arrived at mhbdgbt he. the Hague,
and hobs dellesseg his dophiss to the English Logsdon, pre:seeded
to London.—A Hammel= Cabinet Minister also peeled dumb at
three this morning.
It la almost certain, that the Ditch will not open the Scheldt. Id.
Filsiman, of Antwerp, bad ceased ceders to be gives to a ship belong
ins to him, detained at Flushing, to sail en the Sabin Antwerp; bat the
Adishal who commands the Dutch gem opposed it, and donned on
the 20th that the Scheldt should not be opened. It is pretended that
the centineenor of this blockade is oesard with the Coogrees at
London, Weeder to authorise theist:mace rif an Eng* gen into the
Scheldt, and consequently the armed intoventhen of the Points.
With respect to the pet:dons in favour of the Prince of Orange, we
Ind the following ardde in the • Journal of Louvain,' which will
scarcely be accused of the abominable aims of Claw:giant :
" The Congress, or rather the busses et the Coignes, has anegased
to itself the right to diodes then without discamies, wishonsepeet,
and without nage& on the mere assonneentent of dint cooteets.
46 Who qmoden, whatever may be the result of the examination, leas
isdottiebe debated. These who have got di of it, have committed a
lair; for in pseud people do not denims a dissension unless by con.
inning thonesins too weak to enter apes, sr too conseleatises to sup.
gen it; and in either ass they sena to give the victory to the opinion
sigib they oppose. Whoa the Divan hod to decide on a petition of the
Ihisdan, it sourer* 66 They see cep;" and it fancied that it bad
hisered the triumph of Mehomniudem.
; Oa the 110th, et eleven o'clock at night, a company of ensateen
appeared under the windows of the Hoorinable M. De Ryckere,
and gave to the lihr.Deputy a brilliant teemed., skids oenneded
with aim if " De Ryder. for evert the indinpandest chines ; the
Snead d Manisa for ever I "
M. Contends. Itedenbach, who was at the Hotel de Vienna, might
have hind the accleseadons bestowed on his late colleague. He sew
knows hew a Member at the Congress should act to become popelior
Mawr du Geed.
Lipp Heat Petersinugh, received at Berlin, and which appear to be
astheide, announce that the Emperor will go hi person to Lithe:oW
that he will leant the capital on the 13th, at the bead of his psi.
and antes on the 17th at Wiles, where an army of 140,000 sea
be assembled.
We have this moment received the following deteds,which we believe
to be correct.

Yesterday morning, 10th manuazy, Wand Doing amounted to the
away des reeolotion takes by the Provisional Oeverninest, for the ens.
peados of hootilides. in his Order of the Day, addressed to the eau.
voonden al ceps, the thawed announces that Antwerp will be abase
dosed by the Dutch; that the Scheldt will be five, bat that the Del.
Mans as to raise the blockade of blaretticht ; and that the anteanams
of oath caps will be shortly assigned. " Though this elder," he says
in conclaskal "is very aflictlng to the army, I beg you owletly
madam to kind be the list asset abs areatrlssfa painful °bedlam"