Star.
London, England, 1828-11-27 00:00:00

COURT OF ALI?E3MEN.

yesterday a numerous meeting of the Members of the
Court ot Aldermen took place. The business for the
dispatch cf which the Coot was held was of little im-
rortan rce in comparison with that which arose out of
whit had very recently taken place with respect to the
unfortunate ct calm es who lie under sentence of death in
Newgate. It was expected that a subject of such deep
interest would not escape the first Court of any kind
into which.the Recorder of London should enter; and
the Lord Mayor, who had on Tuesday rely strongly
aspressed hiropinion on the delay alluded to, we under
stand, made it pretty generally known that he would
r(quire an explanation.
Alderman Fanesawntaa, in rising to address the
Court, said, that he could not refrain from introducing
. q-estion which had no reference to the business on
which they had assembled. He was sure that be should
be readily excused, in consideration of the nature of
the subject, and the deep and extensive emotion to which
it had given c ,use. It was matter of general notoriety
that his Majesty had determined to hold a Coutt on
Monday at Windsor, to which the Recorder was sum-
moned; for the purpose of reporting the prisoners under
sentence of death in Newgate. The report was expected
en Monday night, but, to the astonishment of all, and
to the great anguish of many, no intelligence what-
ever was received at the poison during the night.—
Every movement in the. prison produced a thrill in
the bosom of each poor wretch,. and their relatives
and friends paced up and drown the street in the most
dreadful state ot suspense. Next morning there was no
re:ief to the doubt and suspense which prevailed during
the night; every place at which intelligence might have
been procured in the fancy of the unhappy relatives
was visited, and ev:ry pubic man in thf City, who was
known to take a stro rg interest in theVealkions cf the
Executive, was questioned, in the belief that the result
was known, although concealed from the -afertunate
individuals most nearly concerned. Such a circuit
stance coold•not escape the eye of the respettabte press,
which was at all times ready, as was trod'; every day
most powerfully displayed, to advocate the cause of the
miserable. The newspapers had noticed this extraor-
dinary occurrence. Tee delay was justly considered an
apparent violation if the rights of huibanity. Toe
public looked upon it as an outrage upon society; and
as a member of that Court, he comidetedbiwiself bound
to call upon the Recorder for an explanation of the fact
that, although the Report was made on Monday night,
the Covet nor of Newgate did not receive it until halt-
past five on Tuesday.
The RECORD/1R rose amidst the deepest silence. He
regretted that there should be imputed to him any'
thing like a disposition to add to the sufferings of the
entortunate convicts and their friends, or an insensi-
bility to the feelings and opinions of the public. He
felt very differently. No one could more lament the
frequent repetitions of the most painful part t f his
duty than he did. The Learned Gentleman then
proceeded to explain the cause of the delay. He had,
he said, been summoned to attend the Palace, at Wind.
sor, at three o'clock, and he reached the presence of
his Majesty just an hour before the 'Council was
held. The convicts who had been sentenced in the
September Session were those along whose cases un-
derwent the deliberation of the Council, and the Coun-
cil bad not terminated its labours until half-past eight
o'clock in the evening. He repaired immediately after-
wards to the Castle Inn exceedingly fatigued, the extent
and the nature of his duties on the occasion being far
Item slight or trivial. But his duties cliri not terminate
with the Council. He was obliged to occupy himself
in writing. and between that occupation and the great
fatigue he bad undergone, be felt unable to recut u to
town until nee: slay. He admitted that the Report did
not reach. Newgate until half-past five on Tuesday
evening, but then he did not reach town until three
o'clock, only two hours and a halt Wore that time.
If any inconvenience or additional pain was the conse
quence of this unavoidable delay. he sbotild deeply
lament the circumstance; but then it must be consi-
dered that the delay was unavoidable.
Alderman FAUBROTAIZR said, that if the Reeender
was unable, in consequence of the caress of his fatigue
and his feeling., to return to.town oil the night the re-
port was made, an application ought to have beer made
to Mr. Peel, who would, no doubt, have dispatched an
orderly with it to Newgate immediately after the exe-
cution of the three unfortunate men was determined
upon. The report would its that case have reached
town as safely as if it- was carried by the Recorder's
clerk, or the Recorder himself, and a great deal o
Misery would have been saved.
We understood the RECOP.DIR to say that
his
fatigue.:
revalued him from acting expediticoosly.
• Several of the Aldermen expressed their surprise at the
delay, which appeared to them to be unwarrantable.
One of their Worships said, that so little tegitrd had
been paid to the feelings of the unfortunate convicts or
their friends, that it was notorious that sevetarPeisows
were acquainted with the fact that Fenn Higgins, and
Hume, were ordered for execution, before any coin-.
metrication whatever had been made to Newgate.
The conversation dropped, after the Recorder had
repeated his former explanation.

A broom bush was lately cut on the farm of West
Cairnbegg, pariah of Foordcun, the site and beauty cd
which is worthy of remark. Its parent stem measured
41 inches in circumference. and divided itself into siz
hutches. It grew to the height of 14 feet, formed a
cline body, and filled a circle of 36 feet at the top.—
For some years past a wood pigeon has brought forth
her young in its branches.

LITER A Iva The London publishing' sett°. n has
eninmenced earlier than rival. ,Among the ndsceflaneous books
veldt h have already appeared, the Reader will be greatly attracted
by the " Memoirs of NoUekens and his Times," a Biography, by
Br. Smith, of the Btitish Museum, which, 'in piquancy of nom-
Om and fertility of anecdotei may rank with the Lives of Bestre-
wn Cellini and Cony Cibber. The font th volume of " the Doke.
el litorigo's Memoirs," which completes the work, comprises what,
as fu mike councils of Bonaparte were concelned, may be called
the great history of the Battle of Waterloo, followed by details,
*ever before made public, touching the final exile of the Faye-
Tee of the French. The Memoirs of the late -Ertipre.s Jow-
l/has and of the Courts of Navarre and Malosalsou" will, no
oink. be eagerly received, as the only authentic &cement extant
of the private life of the most interesting, and, at'oese 'period,
lsbetuial female personage connected with the destinies of
hams under Napoleon. With regard to our own ulnae,
the Reader will be glad to learn that Mr. Godwin's valu-
able " History of the Commonwealth of England" Is sow
wimpleted by the publication of the fourth volume. Foremost in
Vet ank el mot!. of fiction stand Mr. florae* Smith's " fella, a
Tie of the Holy City." ihe era of this grand lionsace is just
previous to the advent of our Saviouu, and the work okay Blue-
tram the state of head on the eve a the comb's of Tres Mu-
tate; the eagle change from Jerusalem to miser parts Id 0111111811,
then to Alexandria and Rome; and the plot embrace* several
thancteis at al.cieut history, such es Antiguan, Herod;Ckopatra,
Mark Antony, Virzi!. Horace, &c. The " Tales of the Great St.
&fused" are said to be written by the soarer of the noble story
et Salathiel, and are acknowledged to be every way worthy of this
sof*. To conclude this Mitch—the author of Pelham prembes
new work of active,, different in design from his fine, bulsold
la* Miett Interesting in pint and disracur•—liorniag J.sraai.