The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-12-13 00:00:00

THE CORN LAWS.

(From the Dublin Evening Mail.)
Ministers plainly mean to try their luck with a new anti-
corn law agitation ; and the method which the Morning
Chronicle suggests for revising the question is neither more
nor less than a rising of the working classes. " Before the
poison of Chartism had spread among the working classes,"
says the ministerial organ, " sound notions respecting the
mischievous operation of the corn law used to be entertained
by them." These " SOUND NOTIONS" are illustrated in the
following naive manner :

" In the year 1820. a little after the rising at Bonniemuir,
in Scotland, a gentleman of our acquaintance was a passenger
in a steam-boat on the Firth, in which Baird, the leader, who
had ben convicted of high treason, was conveyed as a pri-
sOner. Being, as most Scotch artisans are, decent and re-
spectable in his appearance, the gentlemen allowed him to
remain in their company, and he entered freely into conver-
sation with them. On one of the gentlemen accosting him
thus—" I wonder that you, who appear to be a man of some
sense and information, should think of a general rising against
the government ; there may be defects in our institutions,
and sonic desirable reforms may be refused ; but you cannot
fail to see that the government substantially does all that
subjects have a right to expect—it protects us in the enjoy-
ment of persons and property ; every man is free to exercise
his industry, and turn it to the best account"—" Stay," in-
terrupted Baird, " I deny that the government is what you
describe it to be. There are now in the west of Scotland
and in Stirlingshire numbers of men altogether idle, yet wil-
ling to work. There are countries willing to take the pro-
duce of their industry, and, to give them corn in exchange
for it ; but the government steps in and says this shall not
be. Some of the workmen, accustomed to an indoor life,
are begging for employment on the highways; others, un-
able to work out of doors, are starving. Do you call that a
just government which sacrifices the labouring classes to add
to the incomes of the lords of the soil ? No, Sir, I knew my
risk—l did what I could to effect a rising in this country, on
the promises of the workmen in Lancashire and Yorkshire,
which have not been kept. I have failed, and I have for-
feited my life to the laws. I snbmit cheerfully, but Ido not
repent ; and I here vow before God, that if the thing were
again to do, and I had the same hopes, I would again hazard
my life.'''
To ENTHUSIASM LIKE THIS," continues the ministerial
organ, " IT WAS IN VAIN TO REPLY"—and to raise such an
enthusiasm is the modest proposal of those who prate so
glibly of the "poison of Chartism."

They will do anything for office. They would play the
part of Baird right gladly to-morrow if they could only de-
pend on the " workmen in Lancashire and Yorkshire."

MURDER OF A BRITISH OFFICER IN INDIA.—We have
letters from the camp at Caubul to the 6th instant, and are
sorry to have to announce the murder of Colonel Herring,
of the 37th regiment of native infantry. It appears that his
detachment, consisting of his corps and a troop of native
horse artillery, left Candahar some time ago in charge of five
lacs of treasure for the army at Caubul, and they met with no
opposition whatever as far as Ghuznee. At Hyder Kheel,
three marches from that city and 40 miles from Caubul, the
detachment halted, and Colonel Herring,with Captain Rhind,
of his corps, went out for a walk, accompanied by one orderly
havildar and two orderly sepoys. They bad not advanced
much more than a mile from the camp, which was still in
sight, when some 19 or 20 natives fell upon them. The
colonel was seen defending himself with a stick by two sepoys,
who immediately ran out of the lines and gallantly shot two
of the fellows as they were escaping. When they came up
they found the colonel and the orerly havildar dead, the
former with 19 cuts on his head, and Captain Rhiud senseless.
The two orderly sepoys had the good fortune to escape. Col.
Herring's body was brought into Caubul and buried on the
15th instant; his truly melancholy fate, rendered more so by
his having been selected by our envoy and minister to com-
mand Shah Soojah's contingent in the room of General Simp-
son, who resigned, has called forth great expressions of hor-
ror and sincere sympathy, for he was universally esteemed.
The many similar murders already committed, Which still
rankle in the memories of our officers, would it might have
been supposed, have afforded a warning to the gallant de-
ceased of how very little reliance was to be placed in con-
quered tribes, to whom the name of Christian must fora long
time be one of detestation and horror, and this murder adds
another proof of the frail tenure with which we, for some
time to come, will have to hold tbe country is which we
halt reinstated Shah Soojah.--Deis Gazette, Sept. 25.

A gang of thirty-three blackguards were placed at the bar,
all of whom had been captured by Mr. Superintendent M 'Do-
nald, and a party of police, while engaged in witnessing a
bear-bait, at an arena in Freemasons'-row, where, " under
the rose," such proceedings have been for some time past
carried on.
The names of the parties were, Thomas Shannon, John
garrison, Thomas Brown, John Pickavance, Thos. M`Kee,
John Robinson, William Johnson, John Ward, Joseph
Ward, Thos. M'Pherson, Francis Cassiday, Thos. Cawson,
John Weston, Henry Thorpe, John Burns, James Kenna,
Henry Hale, John Darley, John flinch, Chas. O'Neill, John
Roper, Henry Spencer John Clarke, Edmund Sloane, Chas.
M'Cartney, Michael Devalin, Isaac Reid, Thos. Leff, Henry
Lynch, Thos. Terry, David M`Kee. John Jones, and John
Shallop. The prisoners presented a very motley assemblage
of gentle and simple—`` neat, trimly dressed/' and "
un-
washed"—young and old—plump and cadaverous—ruffians
in a state of raggedness jostled with dandies decked most
daintily, and the hard-handed mechanic was, for the time,
the companion alike of the idler and the young sprig of mer-
cantile promise, destined to be the prop of some establish-
ment whose name is known to the " uttermost ends of the
earth." In this case, it was not " misery," but inclination,
that brought some of the gents " acquainted with strange
bedfellows."
Mr. Superintendent M`Donald stated that he had received
information that, on the preceding day, certain pitched dog
fights were to take place—or " come off," as they are tech-
nically termed—at a certain place in Freemasons'-row.
About a quarter before nine o'clock at night, he went to the
place with ten officers. Before they reached the spot they
heard a noise of dogs barking, and a bear growling. Mr.
M`Donald, seeing a hole in the wall, scrambled up, and,
looking through, saw two dogs fighting. They were tearing
each other dreadfully •, and several persons who surrounded
them, were urging them to increased exertions. Having
witnessed as much of this brutal pastime as he deemed ne-
cessary, he made an attempt to get into the place. A cry
was soon raised of " there are the police ;" upon which a
scene of confusion ensued inside, which it was impossible to
describe. The lights were extinguished, and saws qui pent
became the order of the evening, as with the routed French
forces at Waterloo. But, like the poor rats, condemned to
the pit for the purpose of showing the prowess of the dog
Billy, before congregations of similar blackguards, in Lon-
don, our bear- halters found every avenue strictly guarded.
They could not get out without letting the officers in. The
besieged resolved to choose the least of two evils, and to
keep out the officers, if possible. this view therbar-
ricaded the doors, and seemed resolved upon holding their
position. At this juncture tlie- noise produced by the howl-
ing of dogs, the roaring of the bear, and the less rational
peds, who all shouted together, giving directions for different
modes 0r action, was most hideous. After considerable ex-
ertion, the police succeeded in forcing an entrance into the
premises. All the lights were immediately extinguished, and
the affrighted delinquents retreated to a hay-loft. Mr.
M`Donald, finding that he should have to grope his war in
the dark, and wishing-to capture the whole crew, deemed it
necessary to increase his force. Taking the precaution to
blockade the doors and windows, he despatched an officer to
the station for fifty more men. On the arrival of the rein-
forcement he entered the refuge of the assailed, captured the
whole gang, and marched them in a body to Bridewell.
Polico-officer Edgar, No. 55, it appeared had attended the
arena in plain clothes. He stated that, when he first went,
the parties present were baiting a bear. He saw the dogs run
thirty-two times at the bear. The bear got one of the dogs
doubled under him. The dog was with difficulty released,
and he was carried away, but the injury which he had received
was so gnat that he diet soon after. He (Edgar) afterwards
saw several dog-fights. The dogs tore each other most
fiercely. and more than one were killed.
Police-officer Brown stated that he found a dog dead.
Mr. M`Donald said several of the dogs which had been
used were afterwards found in a most dreadful state.
Police-officer, No. 55, was the principal evidencein identi-
fying the prisoners. lie was corroto:-a:ed by Mr. M`Donald
and Inspector Thompson, both of whom, it seems, got a pretty
good view of what passed inside, and who agreed with Ed-
gar, very closely in their estimate of the degrees of activity
and energy which the prisoners had displayed in pursuit of
the sport. It was proved that the prisoners John Clarke,
Edward Sloane, Charles M`Carney, Michael Devalin, Isaac
Reid, Thomas Lill; Henry Lynch, Thomas Terry, David
M'Kee, John Jones, and John Stratton, were in the place
looking on, but that they did not take any active part in the
brutal diversion. Mr. Rushton said they had all participated
in the cruel pursuit, and they were all demoralized, and de-
based, but under the circumstances of the prisoners above
spoken to, having in some measure kept aloof, he would hope
that the present degradation would be a lesson to them. They
were discharged.
Police-officer 55. corroborated as abovetnentioned, said,
the prisoner, Thomas Shannon, took a very active part in
the dog-fights, encouraging the dogs to tear each other, both
by voice and gesture. Thomas Cawson was a very prominent
person all through. During the bear-bait he was exceedingly
energetic. He let off three dogs at the bear. John Weston
displayed singular activity in both descriptions of amusement,
as did also Henry Thorpe. John Harrison and Henry Brown
were active at the bear-baiting. John Burns, James Kenna,
and John Hirsch were stated to have been ringleaders, ver

active throughout the whole business, setting dogs 'at the
bear, urging dogs to fight, and giving directions. Charles
O'Neill, was equally busy throughout the evening, but did
not assume so much mastery. Another individual, a young
man about twenty-two years of age, was spoken of by all the
witnesses, as most energetic in urging the dogs both on the
bear and on each other. We have omitted his name from
the list of prisoners, and we forbear to mention it here, more
out of delicacy for his connexions than of respect or tender-
ness for himself.

John Roper, a well-dressed, middle-aged individual, was
stated to have filled the office of master of the ceremonies.
The aebiter elegant;arum at such a den, our readers may
well believe was a rare bird. When he heard that he was the
subject of testimony he exclaimed—" I'll challenge the whole
court ! Who says a word against me. Let then. now speak
—let them now speak ! I challenge the whole court to.pfave
a single iota against my character. Can any one ay one
word against me. Let them now speak." This reminded
many present of the proclamation given by the crier of the
court "If any one can inform my lords the Queen's justices
of any treasons, murders, &c., let them come forward and
they shall be heard, for the prisoner now stands on his deli-
verance," &c. No persons save the officers engaged in this
transaction seemed to have ought to say against Mr. John
Roper, who looked particularly sulky at each and every man
who stood near him. lie -no. Spencer was likewise proved. o

- .
have bees a very active p;'rtiitipator in all that 'occurred.
John Pickavance, Thomas .141`Kee, John Robinson, William
Johnson, John Ward, Joseph Almond, Thomas M'Pherson,
and Francis Cassidy were proved to have been very active
either at the bear-bait or the dog-fight, but not at both.
Mr. Rushton ordered all but Shannon, Harrison, Brown,
Pickavance, M'Kee, Robinson, Johnson, Ward, Almond,
M'Pherson, and Cassidy to stand down. Addressing, the
above, he said they did not appear to have been the worst of
the set, but they had all been convicted of wanton cruelty to
dumb animals. They were fined lOs each and costs.. In de-
fault of payment they were ordered to be imprisoned (hiring
seven days.
Cawson, Weston, Thorpe, Burns, Kenna, Hale,,berby,
Hindi, O'Neill, Roper, Spencer, and the young inqu above
alluded to, were placed at the bar. Mr. Rushton said they,
had all been convicted of participating in the cruel and
grading practices of bear-bating and dog-fighting. By,asS'o,
elation with those who encouraged these brutal propensities,
still more by joining in their pursuits, respectable men be.-
came blackguards, and the transition was easy in a short time,
to equal debasement. It appeared that they had partick
patad in the fuliest extent in all the proceedings. They were
tined 20s each and costs, or, in default of payment, were to
be .cotmuitted for eleven days.

WEDNESDAY.

BREAKING Wiro A WAREHOUSE, AND AUDACIOUS ATTEMPT

TO COMMIT FELONY

Two young men., John Murray and George Gilkes, Were
placed at the bar, on a charge of breaking intUa warehouse'
with intent to commit felony.
William Weir, a police-officer, said; about nine o'clock
last night (Tuesday' I was on duty in Bachelor-street.
went to the door of the warehouse belonging to Mr. Rout-'
ledge in that street. I tried the daw with my stick. It gave way
a little. I then observed a light towards the office. knocked
at the door, and asked if any person was in. I received no
answer. I then looked again and saw thatllle light bad been
put out. 1 knocked for assistance. Be4,lre:4,ny one came to
me the two prisonerscame to the door, and attempted to rush
out. I struck at them and prevented them. They.dosed
the door, and ran up stairs. Another constable and others
came up to my assistance. I followed theairisoners, leaving
the other constables to watch the door. I heard a breaking
through at the jigger-loft. I saw one escaping by a hole which
had been made. He got upon the roof. I ran and caught
him behind a chimney. 1 delivered him into the care of the
other constable. I afterwards got the assistance of the wit-
ness Price, and went in search of Murray, and found him upon
the roof of the Royal Hotel, which he had reached from the
warehouse top. I took him into the street, end the two pri-
soners
were taken to bridewell. I returned and eNamined
the warehouse. I found that the staple of the front door had
been drawn. I also found that the staple of the lock of an
inane door had been forced. I found that the doors of the office
had been forced open, and the bolt of the lock very much
bent, (The lock was produced.) I found that two drawers
had been taken out of their places, and put upon the floor of
the office, and the contents thrown on the floor. I then
exandaed a desk in the office. I found that those drawers
had been forced ; and in another room I found the iron safe •
and a cooper's adze. I then went to the hole that had been
made in the roof. I then found a crow bar, some lucifer
matches, and a candle—were produced.
Price Morris, a painter, said. that he heard an alarm at the
hour stated, and went to the warehouse, where he saw Weir
with a light, and followed him up the stairs, and upon the
roof. They went over the roofs of several warehouses, and
caught Murray on the roof atilt Royal Hotel, where Weir •
took him into custody.
Mr. William Routledge, wine and wirit dealer, who owned
the warehouse, stated that in the evening, at six e'clock, the
premises were Safely locked, and he took the keys house With.:
him. About a quarter to ten o'clock, he was called from his
house in Finch-street, and . informed that his warehouse
been entered. Ile came down and found three dobrs broken ,
open, and several drawers forced, and the iron safe taken out
of the office, and carried into another room. He had not
missed any things. His papers and books were thrown upon
the floor of the office.

The prisoners, both of whom have frequently been impri-
soned, were then committed for trial at the sessions. Mr.
Rushton said, that as no property had been abstracted, they
were entitled to be set at liberty and finding sufficient bail—
themselves in £5O, and two sureties of £2O each. In default
the prisoners were lacked up.

By a recent regulation, deserving soldiers, on quitting the
army, are presented with a medal and a sum of money.
CORK SCREW CuttLs.—lt is not true that Lord Normanby
ever drew the cork of a bottle of Eau de Cologne with one
of his curls.

The Ottoman government has prohibited the exportation
of wheat, and of every sort of grain, from every port depen-
dent on the empire.
It is rumoured that Lord Elphinstone is on his return to
this country from Madras. His lordship will probably ar-
rive at the critical moment of her Majesty's marriage.

- -
GLORIOUS SPORT.—" Well, my boy, what have you shot ?"
" I saw a crow, father; and if I'd killed that and another, I
should have two more than I've got."
BAD TIMES.—The Wheelin Times says :—The times are
so bad and payments so rare, that the girls down east com-
plain that the young men cannot even pay their addresses."
THE VACANT BISHOPRIC.—The new Bishop of Lichfield,
is, we hear, already declared, in the person - of the Rev. Mr.
Anson, Dean of Chester, a brother of the Earl of Lichfield,
the Postmaster-General.—Argus.
Friday night's Gazette announces that Sir John Colborne
has been raised to the peerage, by the till,: of " Baron Seaton,
of Seaton, in the county of Devon." The Marquis of Breadal-
bane has been appointed " Lieutenant and Sheriff Principal
of the Shire of Argyll."
Should Mr. Thessiger succeed at Newark, and adissolution
of parliament soon after take place, it is supposed that he
will lose full £20,000 by not being in that case able to appear
as counsel in the numerous election petitions consequent upon
a new parliament.

An auctioneer in Cincinnatti has outstripped the most in-
ventive genius (this side the Atlantic) on the art of puffing.
lie announces in the Cincinnati Eiening Poet, that he has
so much business he has recently worn out two hammere,
and is now on the nand end of the third.

-

ANOTHER " MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR,'.; ,WIND-
SOR PALACE. • .

(From the Morning Herald of Tuesday)
WINDSOR, Monday Evening, 11 o'clock.
An " extraordinary affair" occurred at the castle last
evening, the particulars of which (as far as the attempted
veil of mystery in which it is involved will permit me to
gather them) I have just been enabled to obtain. They are
as follow :

Shortly after four o'clock, yesterday afternoon, a post-
chaise and four drove up to the castle at a rapid rate, from
which alighted a gentleman, who, from his dress and general
appearance, was supposed to be a foreigner. He was en-
veloped in a travelling-cloak, wearing a foraging-cap, with a
large fur boa around his neck, and a pair of foreign fur-
gloves to preserve his digits from the inclemency of the
weather.

Upon alighting froin the chaise,• its Occupant, on entering
the castle, demanded to be instantly introdUced to the Queen,
having, as he stated to the attendants, some most important
letters and papers to deliver to her Majesty from Germany,
and that he would deliver them into no other hands than the
Queen's. A notification to this effect was immediately trans-
mitted to the Queen, who was at that time with the Duchess
of Kent, Lord Melbourne, and several of the members of
the household: Her Majesty, however, declined to grant" the
honour of an interview" to the " stranger," but forthwith
despatched the Hen. H. C. Murray, the mister of the house-
hold, who conveyed the bearer of the despatches her Ma-
jesty's commands that the letters and papers he might have
for the Queen should be delivered to the Hon. Mr. Murray.
This he peremptorily refused to do, and treated the royal man-
date with the most sovereign contempt. Mr. Murray having
returned to her Majesty and " reported progress," Lieut.-
Colonel the Hon. C. Grey, the equerry in waiting, was then
commanded by her Majesty to proceed to the " stranger"
(who was at this time in the room of Mr. Walker, the gentle-
man porter), and demand, in the name of the Queen, that if
he were the bearer of any despatches to her Majesty, he would
immediately deliver theta up, and that he (the Hon. Colonel
Grey? had tho Queen's authority to receive them on her Ma-
jesty s behalf. The " stranger" remained obdurate, and still •
persisted in his refusal to part with the documents, unless
the Queen sent to him an itatograph letter, giving him autho-
rity to part with thous to the person whom her Majesty
might command to be intrusted with them. This, I need
scarcely observe, the Queen dacting under the advice of the
Premier, ,who was at- her :Majesty's elbow) beclined to do,
and after some little further squabbling, and some additional
negociations between some of the members of the royal
household and the " stranger," he was very quietly taken off
by Russell, the castle inspector of police, to the station-
house in.Chureli-street. and there placed in the custody of
Mr. Gilman, the superintendent of the Windsor division of
police, it appearing, as I presume, to the authorities at the
castle, that the " stranger! was either a maniac, or some
fellow in disguise, who had no rug good motive in seeking,
by such extraordinary means, an audience of the Queen.
When he arrived at the station-house, which was about six
o'clock, and had seated himself at the fire, he told Mr. Gill-
man that so far from his being an impostor, he had the letters
and papers, with which he had been intrusted for the Queen,
in his pocket, and to prove this assertion, he took from his
pocket, and showed the superintendent two or three news-
papers addressed to the Queen, upon which was stamped the
foreign post mark. It may be here necessary to observe
that, during the time he was at the castle, he refused (as I
am informed) to show to any one the documents of which he
was the bearer.

Shortly after he had been domiciled at the station-house,
Russell, one of the inspectors of police attached to the
castle, and the other castle policeman, arrived there, but he
still refused to deliver up the papers. He then asked for
pen, ink, and paper, which being. provided him, be wrote a
letter to Lord Melbourne,- which was immediately trans-
mitted to his lordship, and, shortly afterwards, the noble
viscount's secretary arrived at the station-house with an
authority from the Premier, to deliver into the hands of the
bearer any despatches he might have for her Majesty. This
" authority," however, he did not consider " quite correct,"
for he still refused to give out of his possession, unless the
Queen wrote to him herself, the papers he had for her.
He said he could not, consistently with the oath he had
taken, which he had most solemnly swore to, deliver the
letters and papers to any one, save to her Majesty herself, or
to some one whom the Queen might appoint, in her own
handwriting, to receive them'
Russell, the policeman, then returned to the castle for fur-
ther instructions. On his return from thence to the station-
house, it appearing that the "stranger" really possessed some
letters, and other documents addressed to her Majesty, he
told the bearer of them that his instructions were, that unless
he chose to give them up quietly, he was to resort to other
means to compel him to do so—means which would be
extremely unpleasant to have recourse to.• Indeed, the in-
spector candidly told him that unless he consented to deliver
them up be and the-other three police-officers present would
compel him to do so by wresting them from him. The
"stranger" still refusing to part with them, an attempt was
made to force them from him. The " stranger " resisted to
the last, but, like many a better general, being overpowered
by superior numbers, he was at length defeated, In the
drawer of the table which was upset, were a quantity of Con-
greve matches, and ever and anon, as the party rolled over
them on the floor, (upon which they were distributed,) crack !
crack ! went the Congreves, thus heightening the ludicrous
appearance and effect of the scene. Upon examining the
letters and papers (which were immediately despatched to the
castle) it was found that there were three letters (as I am in-
formed) addressed to the Queen, bearing the German post-
mark, and three or four newspapers similarly addressed. The
letters, it is supposed, were from Prince Albert; but although
this is a speculation, it is a surmise in which I msy, perhaps,
fairly indulge.

The lette-rs and papers having been procured, the next
question was, what was to be done with the "stranger."
Application as to what further steps were to be taken was
then made to Lord Melbourne, who sent back instructions
to tho superintendent of the Windsor police to detain the
" stranger " in the station-house till the morning.
At this period the hour of eight was fast approaching, and
after the ride from London to Windsor, together with the
half hour's scuffle in the station-house, the " stranger" be-
gan to feel very hungry, and expressed a great desire to have
his dinner. He was accordingly permitted to have a dinner
sent in to him, which was ordered from the Castle Inn, and,
he partook most heartily of mock turtle and beefsteaks, ac-
companied by half a pint of port wine, the superintendent
very properly refusing to permit ,him to have. an increased
quantity of " the juice of the grape." .
During a great- portion of the night he occupied himself in
writing, refusing to lie down to rest.
After some time it was discovered—for various were the
speculations afloat as to who he really was—that he is a clerk
in the Foreign Post-office,- of the name of Saunders ; and
upon referring to the Red Book, I perceive, in the list of
junior clerks in that department of the Post-office establish-
ment, the name of William Saunders, who, I have since as-
certained, is the identical " stranger" in question. I have
likewise since learned that he was on duty yesterday morn-
ing at the Foreign Letter-office ; and, upon the arrival of the
foreign mails, discovering the letters and papers addressed
to her Majesty, he put them into his pocket, for the purpose
of conveying them, without loss of time, to the Queen at
Windsor. As soon as his duties had ceased at the office, he
sarted off to the castle, post-haste, in a chaise and four ; and
thus he has got himself into as pretty a scrape as he will find
some difficulty in extricating himself from without, at least,
the loss of his situation at the Post-office, if not at the hazard
of far'rnore serious consequences.
lie, is now charged—and the imputation, looking at it in a
legal point of view, is a most awkward affair for him—with
abstracting letters from the Post-office, which passed through
his hands as one of the clerks in that establishment ; and
upon this charge he is now in custody.
This morning he was taken to London in charge of Rus-
sell, the police inspector, who proceeded there at the early
hour of six o'clock, by the Great Western railway.
kis expected that his examination will take place at the
Home-office, if such an ordeal has not yet been gone through.
Saunders appears to be about 30 years of age, of gentle-
manly manners and address, and has held his situation in the
Post-office (to which he was recommended by Lord Mel-
bourne) about three years.