Star.
London, England, 1830-01-29 00:00:00

INDIA.

LETTER FROM LORD I,ENBOROUGEI TO SIR
J. MALCOLM.

India Board, Foorwary 91.
SIR—I had not intended to write to you until I could
communicate to you the opinion of the Law Officers of
the Crown upon the difference which appears to have
taken place between you and the Supreme Court of
Bombay ; but the Chairs have just informed me that
they wrote to you by a vessel which sails to-day, and I
am unwilling that you should not receive a letter from me
at the same time.

" I believe there is but one opinion in this country as
to the conduct of the Supreme Court. Their law is
considered bad law ; but then, errors in matters of law
are nothing in comparison of those which they have com-
mitted in the tenour of their speeches front the Bench.
Had Sir Charles Chambers lived, I think he must have
been displaced. Sir J. Grant seems to have confined
himself more strictly to a legal argument. He may have
been led by his erring chief; still there is much to cen-
sure in his conduct ; and, and although I think it will
probably not be considered necessary to recall him, his
case is by no means decided upon. lam to have some
conversation upon it with the Chancellor in a few days.
We are so much occupied with our Roman Catholic Re-
lief Bill at present, that we have little time for other
matters, however important ; to this circumstance must
be attributed the delay which has occurred on the part
of the Law Officers. There was none in sending the
case to them. In the mean time, the King has, on my
recommendation, made your Advocate-General, Mr.
Dewar, Chief Justice. I advised this appointment, be-
cause that gentleman appears to have shown ability and
discretion during the late conflict with the Supreme Court,
and because be appears to take a right view of the law,
and to be on terms of confidence with you.
" I thought the putting hint over Sir J. Grant's bead
would do more to notify public opinion than any other
measure I could at once adopt ; and you have him in ac-
tion two months sooner than you could have any other
sent from here. I hope this arrangement will be satis-
factory to you.
"The Puisne Judge appointed in the room of Sir C.
Chambers is Mr. William Seymour, of the Chancery Bar.
The Lord Chancellor has a very good opinion of him, and
generally, I think he appeared to have higher claims than
any other candidate. He is a gentleman in his manners,
and a man of cultivated mind. He seems to have right
notions of his duty, and of the law which has been so
strangely misinterpreted. He will rather support Go-
vernment than use the authority of the Supreme Court as
a means of raising opposition. At least, if he is not all
this, I have been deceived in him. He will embark in
less than two months. He will probably be knighted
before he sails ; and as it will not be right that the Chief
Justice alone should not be knighted, we must consider
in what manner that can be best effected. I believe it
may be done by patent ; but my present idea is to em-
power you, as Governor, to confer the honour of knight-
hood on Mr. Dewar. This will evidently place the Gover-
nor above the Court. It will mark you out as the King's
representative ; you may make the ceremony as imposing
as you please. I have written to the Heralds' Office to
know if the thing could be done according to precedents.
" It is as yet undecided, the law officers not having
as yet given their opinion as to the law whether
a declaratory Act would be required. Perhaps the
opinions of the law officers, and those which I may obtain
of the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice, may
',e sufficient to induce Sir J. Grant to revise his notions
Jf law. At any rate, no more mischief can happen, as
ho will be like a wild elephant led away between two
tune ones.

" As we may not impossibly renew the Charter next
Near, we may take that opportunity of rectifying the ex-
pressions of the Act of Parliament, should they require
it. Many persons think it would be inexpedient to open
u discussion on Indian matters this year, if it could be
avoided ; but, as I tell you, no decision is yet come to.
" You will see that there is no intention of deserting
vou. You have acted with much firmness and prudence.
I entirely agree in the view you have expressed of the
dangerous consequences which would result from the ex-
tension beyond the limits of the Presidency of the powers
claimed by the Supreme Court. Orders have been given
for expediting the patent of the Chief Judge.
" It is with deep regret that I have heard that the
Company and the country are so soon to lose your services
in India. I could not ask you to stay one hour to the
danger of your valuable life ; but I am confident you will
stay till you have re-established the authority of Govern-
ment in the opinion of the natives. I trust, indeed, that
the unbending firmness you have displayed will have pre-
vented much of the evil which might have been expected
to flow from the conduct of the Judges.
" I am going to send you a very excellent new Bishop
whenever Dr. James resigns—Mr. J. M. Turner. The
Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, and,
indeed, all the Bishops I have seen, are quite satisfied
that Mr. Turner is as fit a man as could have been se-
lected. He will be mild and firm ; he is a very good
and pious man, without worldly notions, and really de-
voted to his high calling.
" I feel satisfied that you will act with the same firm-
ness under all circumstances, and at the same time with
moderation and discretion. You may thus depend upon
the support of the Board of Controul, which I have the
honour of presiding over.
" I Ilan, &c.
" Sir J. Malcolm,(Signal) S.
ELLENBOROUG H.
G.C. 13."
- - -

DINNER TO Ma. O'CoxivELL.—This
took place on Tuesday evening, at Morrison's and wanattended by about 300 gentlemen. Cadwallader Waddy,
Esq. presided, with Sir Francis Macdonnell, and Denis
O'Conor, Esq. of Belenagare, as Vice-Presidents,
Morning Register.
Ma. LAWLESS.-A meeting is called in Dublin he
Thursday next, to consider the propriety of remunerating
Mr Lawless for his exertions in the cause in which be
has so long embarked. The requisition is signed by
Lords Killeen and }french, sad many other perms
of distinction. It is not signed by Mr. Neil or'*.
O'Connell.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY MEETING.

A Meeting of the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, and
Freeholders, of the county of Cumberland, convened by the High
Sheriff on the requisition of a numerous body of freeholders, took
place in the hiarket•hill at Wigton, on Toesday, the 26th Inst.

• -
The High Sheriff having taken the Chair at twelve o'clock, the
business commented with the reading of the requisition by the
Under Sheriff; after which,

M. &Amax, of Thackwoodnock, Eaq. addressed the Meeting
in a speech of considerable knob, in which be stated, that the pre-
sent distress did not affect any one class particularly, hot was uni-
versal in its extent, and In its severity unexampled In this country.
It bad been objected that the Meeting had been got up for party
purposes, but this be disclaimed. He was aware that the county
was notorious for the disunion of its branches with respect to po-
litics ; but in a case of general distress like the present.
unanimity was necessary, for the Duke of Wellington does
not believe that the &strew exists—or if be dies know
it he will not act. Mr. Blamire went on to urge the
wretched situation of the labourer, the many drawbacks en the
farmer, and the dreadful condition of many of that class in the low
of capital. He next proceeded to detail the wants and misery of
the poor mechanic, and concluded with contending that a reduction
of taxation was the only apparent mode of rditf.

Mr. Wamme, of Holmpte, said the repeal of the Malt and
Beer taxes would afford sensible relief. It was objected that they
formed one seventh part of the public revenue, and therefore their
repeal was impracticable, but he was of opinion that Government
could do without them, and that at no distant day they must do
without them.

WILLIAM JAMAS, Esq. (late M.P. for Carlisle) said this country
had arrived at a new political era : distress was every where appa-
rent, in colours too appalling to look upon. " Misery," it was said,
" made a man acquainted with strange bed-fellows," and certainly
he felt" strange" in finding himself here, surrounded by Gentle-
men who had long been the steady and consistent supporters of
all those measures that had at length brought this once happy and
glorious country to its present state of degradation, difficulty, and
unparalleled

under which all classes of the people
were groaning, from one end of the kingdom to the other. His
opinion was, that it could only be alleviated by a reductioe of tax-
ation. He was glad to see their excellent Representative, Sir j.
Graham, upon the hustings ; and he begged to tell him that it would
be his duty, in his place in the Houle of Commons, to urge 'burr-

ductlnn--the reduction also of the salaries that had been increased in
consequence of a depreciated currency, and to denounce the scanda-
lous extravagance committed at a time when the people are starving.
Nothing would me the country but a very large remission of tax-
ation—the knife and sponge must both be applied—the latter par-
tially, and the former with an unsparing hand. He had long ad-
vocated the justice of a Reform of Parliament; but now be was
more than ever convinced of the necessity of that measure. The
Duke of Wellington was a bold man, and, be believed, an honest
man. He trusted be would have courage to look fearlessly at the
dreadful state to which the country bad been reduced ; that he
would call the people to his aid : that he would grant them Re-
form, without which which we can never expect indemnity for the
past, nor security for the future. We were up to our necks in
misery, but perhaps not until we were chin-deep, or ear-deep,
would all parties unite In a cry for that Reform, which alone could
restore the nation to a healthy and prosperous state. He was no
party-man, but be trusted that all parties would join in praying for
Reform, without which there could be no hope fur the country.—
Mr. Jana then:read the following Petition :

"To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled—The
humble Petition of the People of the County of Cumberland.
" Unnerves—That your Petitioners are plunged into distress
absolutely intolerable. That, in a country so highly f dby
Nature, all the proofs of decline, decay, poverty, and misery,, are
seen in their strongest colours. That farmers, manufacturers,
tradesmen, and shopkeepers, are become one mass of insolvents
That thousands of virtuous and industrious, and frugal families, are
either ruined. or are on the verge of ruin ; and that the conse+sent
want of employment amongst the labouring classes has led to a state
of want and minty, such as no people on earth, moth lees EngUsh
people, ever before bad to endure.
" Tour Petitioners are convinced that this disgraceful and fearful
state of things would not have existed, bad the People been telly
and fairly represented in the Commons House of Parliament.
" Tout Petitioners therefore most humbly, but earnestly pray,
that your Honourable House will be pleased to pass an Act for
causing an emdent Reform in the Commons' House of Parliament,
in order that such Parliament may adopt the necessary measures
for restoring happiness and prosperity to the people.
" Lod your Petitioners will ever pray."
Mr. JAMES then said he had not spoken to any freeholder to se-
' nod hiss Petition. He had done his duty; it was for the free-
holders to do theirs.

The Rev. Mr. Batson said rather than the Petition should fall
to the ground. he would second it.

Mr. &amiss again stepped forward, and stated that he bad
wished the various facts of the Petition to be proved by the dif-
ferent Gentlemen who were to address the Meeting, before pro-
posing his Petition : but as another course seemed now desirable,
be would move a Petition be bad prepared. He then road the
following Petition :

" To the Hon. the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Bei-

tain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled—
•• The Petition of the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry, and Freeholders
of Cumberland, duly convened in County Meeting,
" Humbly sheweth—That after fifteen years of uninterrupted
peace, which heretofore was wont to bring prosperity and plenty,
the burthens under which the people labour become continually
more oppressive—industry less profitable, trade less successful.
losses more extensive, poverty more general, than at any period.
" That the distress is not confined to any one branch of produc-
tive industry, but at the same time and with equal p weighs
down the landowner and the manufacturer, the shipowner and the
miner, the employer and the labourer; that profits decrease, while
wages fall, and the colt of producing is barely exceeded by the sell-
ing price of those staple commodities, which, being native, are the
sinews of national strength.
" That the fatal depression and general dlstreu cannot be as-
cribed to any visitation of Paovionscs, or fault committed by the
people.—Greater efforts were made to overcome diffi,ulties
by Increased exertion, and the patient endurance of privation was
n more exemplary ; yet property of almost every description,
unless arising from And money payments, still diminishes in value;
and since in such various instances it is impossible to assign special
causes to each, the belief cannot ►e deemed unreasonable that
some general cause must be productive of this common disaster.
• " That your Petitioners cannot contemplate the enhanced stelae
of money occasioned by the suppression of the small paper currency,
and the adoption of a high gold standard:unaccompanied by a pro-
portioned reduction of taxation, without entertaining an earnest de-
sire that your Honourable Home would be pleased to institute an
enquiry whether these measures may not have caused the distress
which fills the nation with Warm ; and whether the addition to the
value of money be not also a corresponding addition to all incomes
drawn from the public purse, and to all taxes borne by the people :
and would further pray fora repeal of the Malt and Beer Duties.
" And your Petitioners will ever pray, Etc."
W. Snowy, Esq. of Tannins Hall, seconded the Petition.
Mr. P. Dixon (manufacturer. of Ceiba') teemed, as an amend-
ment, that t►e Clauses in the Petition which related to the Cur-
rency Ossetian should be left out.
H. Howann. Req. of Corby Castle. seconded the Amendment.
The Rev. Mr. Beason, ef Ceickeratootk, now that another Pa-
dden was before the meeting, would decline seconding the Petition
of Mr. James.

No ooe having seconded Mr. James's Peados, It fell to the
groom! of course, evidently sea to the regret of a coosklerable
part of the Meeting.
The Amendment walriben pot and rejected, and the original
Petitioo carried.
Mr J. Gammas, Pert. M. P. fee the County, the* moved the
Sob or the Meeting to the Serif, and &mho mine length in
initinne topics breeched In the alone of the preseodinp.
About 4000 ware pen Neon*
814 g Mademoiselle Bon TAO CODCI: PLUM
/bar theibilAlLl
a Wednesday sestsight, by iii a performance
for the benefit of tint poor.
,;`;a:.,'l, ~. ~.. _ :., ..,,, ~ ~.,

PORTUGAL.

A most interesting pamphlet has just !teen put into our
hands, of which•Enw Aan BULL, Holles-street, is the
publisher. It consists of " Observations on the Papers
lately submitted to Parliament upon the Subject of
the Affairs of Portugal ;" and contains some facts that
are well calculated to strike terror into the hearts of those
diplomatists who were involved in the preliminary ar-
rangements of the Usurpation. Of the writer we can
say nothing further, than that he is a complete master
of his subject. He tells us truly with respect to the
" Papers" under his notice, " that it must be borne in
mind, that documents laid before Parliament are less
to be considered as an impartial statement of events, than
as a garbled defence of a Ministry, whose exclusive ac-
cess to the originals enables them, by quoting some pas-
sages, and by suppressing others, to mould the meaning I
to their own purposes." That this has been the case
with all the documents relating to the foreign affairs of
this country, we presume no one will pretend to deny.
It likewise affects our domestic policy by far too much—
even down to the common returns of our revenue.

In our present brief notice of the pamphlet before us,
we arc not going to enter on all its points, or merits :
these we may probably notice hereafter. But we can-
not resist the opportune appearance of it to make the
following striking extract. After describing, in the moot
forcible manner, the first act of diplomatic duplicity in
the Portuguese tragedy, the Author proceoda thus :
" On the 3d of July, 1827, Don Pedro signed a decree,
naming the Infant Don Miguel, his Lieutenant in Por-
tugal, and at the same time his Imperial Majesty wrote,
both to the King of England and to the Emperor of
Austria, requesting those Sovereigns to provide that the
constitutional charter might continue to be the funda-
mental law of that kingdom. In October began the con-
ferences at Vienna, which prepared the way for the return
of Don Miguel to Portugal.

" The first question to be asked, with respect to these
conferences, relates to the right by which they were held
at all. With respect to the expediency there was no doubt.
It was expedient that the credit of England should be
saved—that the party she had compromised in Portugal
should not be exposed—that the fabric she had raised
should not be violently overthrown—that her ancient con-
nexion with Portugal should not be dissolved, nor all
power in that country transferred at once from the hands
of her devoted adherents into those of a sworn enemy.
The expediency was clear, but where was the right ? and
where was the principle of non-interference when these
protocols were framed ? when the conditions upon which
Don Miguel should be allowed to return to the country
he had been appointed to govern, were placed in discus-
sion? when it was announced to him, by the Minister of
Austria, acting in concert with England, that unless he
consented to return by the route appointed for him,
he should not be allowed to return, till a fresh re-
ference had been made to the Emperor, his brother—
which was well understood by Don Miguel, as being
equivalent to his never being allowed to return at all
—where was our principle of not interfering while
these things were doing? Did it sleep, or was it for-
gotten ? Upon this point, it lies with the Government
to reconcile its practice with its professions ; let it
however be understood, that this inconsistency is only
ex to order to show the falseness of the pretences,
under which the Government has veiled its connivance
in other instances, not to reproach it with the inter-
ference exerted in this. That interference was just,
was necessary, and gave a promise of good, never
destined to be realised.

"In the protocols drawn up at Vienna, Don Miguel
pledged himself, by his plenipotentiaries, " to maintain
religiously the institutions of Portugal, and to bury what
had passed in oblivion." Amnesty and the Charter were
the conditions required for his return, and to those he so-
lemnly bound himself. In return, Austria and England
engaged to obtain from Don Pedro " the confirmation of
his act of abdication, the sending of the Queen Maria da
Gloria to Portugal, and the total and definitive separation
of the two Crowns." The engagements taken by Aus-
tria and England were fulfilled ; but when Don Miguel
failed in those to which he had bound himself in return,
the British Government pretended to discover that the
enforcing them would be an interference in the affairs of
a foreign and independent state. Why, in God's name,
at what period of these transactions had they not inter-
fered ? and why was their interference to cense at the
precise moment when it had been legalised by the signa-
ture of a protocol equiTalent to a treaty, and when its
cessation was to deliver the friends and adherents of
England, those who had acted at her instigation, the
agents of her will, and now the victims of her caprice, to
the dungeon, and the torture, and the scaffold ? It is a
hateful recollection, and a stain upon her fair fame,
which neither time nor repentance can efface."
There are a few questions in this extract, which it
would be well that Sir JAMES MACK' NTOS II should press
when he next brings forward the question of our foreign
relations; and he, or any other Statesman, who may
bare the smallest regard for the integrity and honour of
his country, would do well to read the present production
before the National Meeting in a few days. One more
little extract, and we have done for to-day. It is a sweet
and pithy morsel for the Noble Duke ; and accords well
with another extract, from a venerable Author, which
will be found embodied in a certain production contained
in this sheet:—

------
" Already has the attempt been tried ; and in every
country to which the Dube of Wellington's policy has
extended, his power has been found inadequate to his
purposes. In Turkey and iu Austrit, he has shrunk from
fulfilling the expectations he had raised. In France he
has been driven to disavow the short-sighted interference
he hod exerted, in creating a ministry whose movements
lie afterwards found himself unequal to controuL In
Greece he is forced to co-operate in establishing the in-
dependence he bad striven to undermine, and which he
yet labours to restrict within the nurowest limits. In
Portugal he has acted under a mask, which even yet he
dares not wholly remove, and, stopping short of the ob-
ject be had contemplated, is odious to the man whose be
persists in serving. Even at home he has been com-
pelled to become the unwilling instrument of the great
innovation of the age; and to claim credit for a measure
to which his political life had been opposed. Hie strength
has been proved, and every when it has bent under the
weight imposed upon it : but, were his power commen-
maw with his will, would it not yet be well to temper
its ezercies by the recollection that he is Mortal!
pus a few short years, and the very memory of his
mow shall lie with him in. the earth, while the silent
nall 'Wady Progreso of human affairs shall continuo its
uncontrollable march from. imperf,ection to maturity, aedl