Star.
London, England, 1829-12-21 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY MEETING.

Mr. Comm, in one of his Lectures at the Mechanics Insti-
tute, alluding to the system of secresy adopted by the Cabinet.
said, former Ministers were too fond of talking; they let out every
thing; but the present Ministers tell the public nothing. They
keep all to themselves. He did not, however, inform his audi-
tory, which of the two he preferred, the babbling or the silent
Minister. The Ministerial Papers have not displayed the same
reserve. Loud and deep have beta their incessant wailing' on
account of the seam observed by Government and the rigour
with which the non-intercourse is enforced between it and their
Officers. " Alas!" they exclaim, " the Cabinet is hermetically
sealed up, and not a whisper is suffered to escape ; uo official in-
telligence, no communications from authority now recommend our
columns, and the meatiest of the Opposition Papers equal, if not
excel us, in priority of intelligence, foreign and domestic." Bat it
is in the Stock Exchange this silence is attended with peculiar
hardship and distress. Without rumours and insinuations, for
which be can claim the semblance of official information, the gam-
bler in the funds is like -a tinker without tools. His occupation is
gone; he is actually powerless. It may, therefore, be readily
presumed, that in that celebrated mart no pains hare been spared
to get rid of the present restrictive system, and establish a free,
tilde in official information as in days of yore. Fur this purpose
a meeting was held a few nights ago at a house in the neighbour-
hood of Change-alley of the proceedings, of which the following
is a brief sketch :

Tile Chairman having taken the chair, he proceeded to develope
the object of the meeting.—" Where is the man." said be, " who
remembers the Stock Exchange In the hey-day of the late war,
and could recognize it in its present melancholy condition ? The
living Alderman and his skeleton are not more unlike. The sub-
stance, the life, the spirit of the scene, have vanished. The place
is only a shadow of itself. Scrip, a term that once possessed so
many charm, now never occurs in conVersation ; it is totally foe-
gotten, or only to be found in the tales of the Crusades, or some
pear pilgrim's story. The fate of Oisusiases, that once alike bright and
honoured name, has suffered a like eclipse. It has no place in our
vocabulary, and our adventurous friends on Change once so fat and
deek,now roam about mute and chop-fallen like the ghosts u! depart-
ed mortals haunting the favourite scenes of their living pleasures." II
(4 loud and dismal rear from the bulls and bears) " This change I
admit has been partly effected by the termination of the war. The
trade of the Stock Exchange has suffered like other trades from the
peace ; but the political wet Id, both at home and abroad, is still
sufficiently agitated to maintain a flourishing trade in time-bargains
and speculations, were not the adventurous dealer and manufac-
turer debarred from the use of the necessary materials by the cruel
restrictions and prohibitions to which I have alluded. Messengers
come and go between all the principal courts of Europe; but those
employed by our Government and who carry its despatches, know
no more of their contents than the chaise that carries them. Thus
the Ministerial Journals and the Stock Exchange are left to perish
in the midst of plenty. It is the condition of Tantalus dying of
thirst with the cup at his lips. Official or government intelligence
is the precious metal which may be issued in its original purity as
sterling coin, or mixed and melted down with his own base
materials in the crucible of the gambler. That currency. is,
however, now uopt ; and he is left not only without the pre-
cious metal of official information, but also of the fabricated
coin which he was accustomed to impose as genuine on the public ;
for, however specious the counterfeit, it cannot obtain circulation, it
being notorious that the legitimate Mint is shut, and all issues are
interdicted." The worthy Chairman concluded with stating that
this was the subject which the Meeting was called to discuss, and
be was ready to hear any Gentleman who was disposed to deliver
his sentiments upon it.
Mr. CIENTIMUS Site approved of every word that bad fallen from'
the Chair. The removal of the present non-intercourse. and restora-
tion of the former facilities afforded in Downing-street. would be
to himself and his friends. a prize not less valuable than the discovery
of the philosopher's stone. He had consequently pondered, with
no ordinary degree of anxiety, on the means of achieving so great a
good—and it bad occurred to him that none would be more effica-
cious than to invite the Noble Duke at the head of the Govan-
mem, his colleagues and the beads of offices, occasionally to a good
dinner. There is an old maxim, in vino coitus, which he had
.often found true, and which might operate as well on Ministers as
on common men- He was the more inclined to think it would be
attended with success, seeing, from the accounts in the daily news-
papers, that the Noble Duke has a taste for hospitality, and does
not grudge travelling many miles every day, at this inclement season
of the year, to enjoy a feast.
Here the orator was interrupted by a smart little man in a
brown coat and a scratch wig, who said the old maxim, in vino
yentas, was no longer available—not that wine has lost its virtues,
but because Ministers are become degenerate.— Men high in office
do not inherit the convivial talents of their ancestors. and have not
confidence in the strength of their heads to venture them in contact
with a few bottles. There is no chance of being able to induce
such men to drink wine in sufficient quantity to unlock their breasts
and let out their secrets. Some of them will not taste wine at all,
more than if they bad been sworn on the Alcoran or served with
the Eunuchs in the Seraglio of the Sultan; and of those who have
Dot forsworn it altogether, few will venture beyond a few glasses.
As loyal end true subjects they will not refuse the King's health in
a bumper ; but if pressed to a third or fourth, the odds are four to
one, though it should be " The Navy," they will call for a de-
canter of water and drink down the toast in its own element. The
fashion of late dinner hours, by abridging the time of drinking.
may beveled to this change of manners. The severity of military
discipline)** most of our Ministers have served its the army, may
have also bad some effect.
Air. %moan, (formerly a low duck, but who hod berm reinstated
in the diky,kaving paid sip his deficiency,) now addre.eed the Meet-
ing. He agreed perfectly with the last speaker. Ministers boast
their battles, not their bottles : but though the bead of the Minister
could not be assailed in the way proposed, he did nut despair of
reaching it by other means. Barbers bare been, from the earliest
ages, renowned as purveyors of news its all countries. In the
Augustan age, the barbers of Rome were the recognised oracles of
the city; and our own country furnishes a very celebrated instance.
A worthy and loyal friend of his, now no more, the late Alderman
Curti+, acknowledged in bit place in the House of Commons, that
he derived his political intelligence from his barber, and of the
I /aloe set that, intelligence the success of the worthy Alderman in
Ills may afford sonic idea. He should, therefore, propose that a
Committee be appointed to devise a mode of conciliating the Noble
WWI barber. • The freedom of the City would perhaps be a suf-
ficient bait ; bat if not, a dinner might catch the man, though it
**old be lost oa the master. The condescension thus shown would
sot be unbecoming or degrading. In Penis, the individual who
has the King's beard under his especial care, is, by virtue of his
Ace, the second man in importance in the kingdom. The Noble
Duke, they knew, is Ps ince of Waterloo.
The Coatassan here interposing, begged leave to correct Mr,
Waddle. He apprehended," be said," that the noble Duke had
no barber, but like other military men, had learned to shave him-
self. Whether his grace dressed his own hair or not he could not
say ; but if be did not, a barber might frizzle and pull at Ma locks
until belch his head bald, without extracting a single secret. His
grace hag hems known to declare that, if he thought a hair on his
head knelt's Particle of *bat was passing within, he would not
hesitate s moment to cut off the impertinent appendage. Affairs
of state ate conducted in a very different way since the time of
the Frisch kW:, who, when reproached by his wish's?' with
having divulged a secret Imparted to him In strict confidence,
claimed credit for his good faith by sekeudy declaring he bad
cemesdakated it wily to his mistress."
Mr. Sesames Comm mid, be would not give mesh for the ba-
yosesasioe ad any barber, for the proverbial garrulity of the trade
wield eel* the meet Impertmet beelllgesce—se far es to asy use

•

at the Stock Exchange—where, if it wete not ettelsisively in the
possession of one or a few individuals, it could not prove of any ad-
vantage. There was another mode of getting at the secrets of the
Premier, which he thought more feasible. It had been ascer-
tained that if the hand of any person when asleep in bel be taken and
put gently into a basin full of lukewarm water.tbe party will answer
any question put to him or her so sleeping, care only being taken
to avoid any noise or violence. The elopement of a young lady
of his acquaintance with the apprentice of a haberdasher in Cheap-
side bad been prevented by this device. Being interrogated after
this fashion she divulged every thing to her governess, the name of
her lover, the hour, the place of her destination; in abort, all the

of her intended flight.

Here the meeting betrayed various emotions. Some coughed,
others smiled, and others laughed outright. One gentleman ob-
served that the servant maid. who should make the experiment
on his Grace, would find it u fatal a* a visit into the painted
chamber in the Palace of litstebeard. Another said it would, at all
events, be attended with the loss of her place. and, therefore, none
would be found bold enough to attempt it, for the servants of
Downing-street were notorious for their adherence to place. The
eel was nut more tenacious of life.

The agitation excited by the proposition of M►. fiocomon Cos:.
sues having subsided, Mr. Ososviicx expressed an opinion that
some benefit might be obtained from the curious science of Phreno-
logy and Physiognomy, the former of which had lately attracted so
much notice. Ile admitted, were men in office to submit the
bumps on their heads or the lineaments of their counteoances, to
be nicely examined, the scrutiny might determine the relative
proportion of the different organs, the general character, and the
ruling or engrossing passions. It might be ascertained that they
possessed the organs of combativeness, of secretiveness or philegersitive-
nets, but it would afford no clue to the actual and individual de-
signs, measures, and intentions of the party. In an age, however,
distinguished by the rapid " march of intellect" it would be pre-
sumptuous to limit the advaoce of science. The wonders per-
formed by machinery, of which our ancestors entertained net the
least conception, just.fy the expectation of other discoveries. equally
—if not more astonishing—as near at hand. Human sagacity may
attain a degree of improvement and perfection that shall open to
it" Intellectual Vision," or the science of what is passing in a
man's mind only by looking him in the (ace. The Minister, then,
who would keep his secrets to himself, must wear a mask ; a Privy
Councillor will be unable to appear in public without violating hie
oath, and the fortune-hunter, instead of making love with his
eyes, must press his suit with his back to the lady if he would ob-
tain credit for his sincerity. He should, therefore, propose that a
premium be offered for the discovery of the science of " Intelke•
teal Vision" which several of our most eminent moral philosophers,
under circumstances by no means equally encouraging, have antic'.

pated as highly probable, and within the reach of human invention.
A waiter here entered the room, and announced that " The
Omnibus" was at the door, which had been engaged to carry half
a score of the company to Paddington.
_ _

. .
It was accordingly proposed and agreed to, that the debate
should be adjourned to a future night, when it was expected the
gentlemen, now present, would come fuliy prepared to resume it,
with all the advantages of min ute, extensive, and diligent study
and examinations of the subject in the interval.

The new notes which are to be issued from the Bank
of England, at the commencement of the ensuing yea:.,
are to be made payable to Mr.THOMAB HIPPOS, 0:
bearer, instead of HENRY HASE, whose name has been
on the notes 20 years.
THE LORD LIEUTENANCY.---Notwithstanding tha
contradiction of the Times, it was again asserted in let-
ters from high quarters, received yesterday, that Lord
Jersey is to be the new Lord Lieutenant.---We believe
there is more foundation ror these renewed assertions,
relative to the Noble Lord, than the Times imagine.-- -
Morning Register.
COUNTY LIMERICK.—We have just heard that M.
Lloyd, the late excellent Member, is dead. Th:s
cause another struggle in that County, where ineeren-
deuce will again, we trust, assert its rights. The only
candidates yet spoken of are Mr. O'Grady end Si; A.
Were Hunt.—lbid.
The Earl of ENNISKILLEN and the Hon. ARTIlun
COLE are at present on a visit at Hazlewood, the sent INC
his Lordship's brother-in-law, Ow EN WYNN, Esq. M.P.
--Fermanagh Reporter.
A number of distinguished visitors are at present par-
taking of the hospitalities of the Marquess of ELY, at
his Lordship's beautifully situated villa; Ely Lodge.--11g.
Mr. LIN OSA Y CA RNE.G lE, of Spynie and Boystul,
Perthshire, is immediately to recover, by the King's
grace, the forfeited title of Lord SPYNIE, which has
been attained since the year 1715, through the rebellion
of his ancestors.
COURT OF ADMIRALTY.--We hear it stated that tier
officers and practitioners of this Court intend to solicit
an interview with Lord F. L GOWER, to lay before hint
their respectful request, that the long since suggested,
and long contemplated arrangements for the reguletiett
of the Court, and particularly in relation to the situation
of Judges, may be carried into execution. At the same
time, they will have to express to his Lordship their re-
gret, in connection with the Irish public, that the report
of the Committee of the House of Commons respecting
the absentee head of that court, and that individual's re-
signation tendered some months ago, have not been acted
upon.—Evening Packet.

CORN—EXCHANGE, MARK—LANE, Dee. 21.
In addition to an immense supply during the week, we hada
I..rge arrival fresh in this morning from Ems, Kent, and Suffolk.
which made upon the wholes fine Christmas show, and, as a matter
of course, we were extremely dull; stiU fine samples of Wheat
cannot be quoted lower than on last Monday ; the second and it..
fetior sorts were unsaleable. Barley, from the magnitude of tilt
arrival, was also very heavy sale, and (ull la. per quarter lower, and
even at that redaction very little clearance has been effected Beans
and Peas of both descriptions were very dull sale. at a decline of
Is. per quarter. Oats. the arrival being very large, were Is; per
quarter lower. In other articles there is no alteration.
Wheat, Kent fit Essex • 60e 738 Peas, Grey -
Suffolk. A . 60$ 71$ Beans, Small
Norfolk . 40a 45s Tick
Rye 308 364 Oats,_Potatoe
8ar1ey,0141.205.305New,521 551 Poland
Malt 1528 60s
Peas, White . 58s 55s
Boilers . 36e Mk
INIPORTATIONI
Wheat. English, quarters 7.856
Do. Foreign . . 1,0554 Rye,
Irish Ditto . . 1.460 Beans,
Barley, British . 1,8767 Ditto, Form.
Do. Foreign . .
Irish .Peas, English
Malt, English .
English Oats 8,155
Foreign Ditto . . 1,277
SMITHFIELD',
Cam. AT
Beasts—. ............ 2,291
Sheep end Lambs 13,40
Beef b 04 to 51 Od
Mutton ... 4l ad 48 al
WLamb
Hay per load, 45 Os. to £4 10s. Clove. .2V-151. to Z 3 th.
Straw El 10s. to 42 Os.
COAL MARKET—Tun DAT.
The Coal Exchange was fully emoted by merchants toliisy, slid
Cosh were in good demand; the sopply of Ilionderlpad and Now.
mode Coal was again very abundant,l47 ships !wise MIMI *we
Friday last.
Daring the month SOS-
.
Bess Welland Coats .... 576. Od. Ms? dd. .•
Other sorts ... Od. SM. OIL
Ships at Market.i.st
• '•

34$ 51Is
•
335 825
32s 114 s
, 235 295
. 245 1151 s
Pees . 144 Ilis
Flour, per sack, 55:1 40s
Rapeseed 184. 184. per issl.
LAST WM.
'lrish Oats . 34,095
Rye, English . a
Bean, English . 2,600
Ditto, Foreign . 300
Do. Irish . 80
Peas, Rash • 2.207
Ditto Porde. • • '35
English Flom. Slits . 1,407
Anieriesisditeo. ha. 1,5115
MARKET, Disk 21. •
130
Pigs • ' • lBO
Veal . ...... ..4s Cid to Ss 04
P.irk is ed is od

~.. ,~,

r .:~k

ROB ROY.

The following is Sir Walter Scott's character of the
real Rob Roy : •
" Ile himself appears to have been singularly adapted for the
; edession which he proposed to exercise. His stature was not of
the tallest, hut his person was uncommonly strung and compact.
The greatest peculiarities of his frame were the breadth of Ms
shoulders, and the great and almost disproportioned length of his
.rms so remarkable, indeed, that it was said he could, without
stooping, tie the garters of his highland hose, which are placed two
it,ettes below the knee. His countenance was open, manly, stern
4 periods of dangers, but frank and cheerful in his hours of festi-
vity. His Bair was dark red, thick, frizzy, and curled short around
the face. His fa-pion of dress showed, of course, the knees and
tapper part of his leg, which was described to me as resembling
that of a highland bull, hirsule with red hair, and evincing muscular
strength similar to that animal. To these personal qualifications
must be added a masterly use of the Highland sword, in which his
length of arm gave him great advantage, and a perfect and inti-
mate knowledge of all the recesses of the wild country in which
he harboured, and the character of the various individuals, whether
friendly or hostile, with whom he might come in contact.
" mental qualities seem to have been Ito less adapted to the
circumstances in which he was placed. Though the descendant of
the bloodthirsty Ciar Mohr he inherited none of his ancestor's fe-
rocity. On the contrary, Rob Roy avoided every appearance of
cruelty, and it is not averred that he was ever the means of unne-
ceseary bloodshed, or the actor in any deed which could lead the
way to it. His schemes of plunder were contrived and executed
with equal boldness and sagacity, and were almost universally suc-
cessful from the skill with which they were laid and the secrecy
and rapidity with which they were executed. I.ike Rubin Hood
of England be was a kind and gentle robber, and, while he took from
the rich, was liberal in relieving the poor. This might in part be
policy ; but the universal tradition of the country speaks it to have
arisen from a better motive. All whom 1 have conversed with—
and I have in my youth seen some who knew Rob Roy personally
—gave him the character of a benevolent and humane man, ' in
his way.'
"" His ideas of morality were those of an Arab chief, being such
as naturtly arose out of his wild education. Supposing Rob to
have argued on the tendency of the life which he pursued, whether
from choice or necessity, he would doubtless have assumed to him-
self the character of a brave man who, deprived of his natural
rights by the partiality of laws, endeavoured to assert them by
the strong band of natural power; and, he is most felicitously de-
scribed as reasoning thus in the high-toned poetry of my gifted
friend Wordsworth :
' Say, then, that he was wise as brave,
As wise in thought as bold in deed ;
For in the principles of things
He sought his moral creed.
Said generous Rob, " What need of books?
Burn all the statutes and their shelves!
They stir us up against our kind,
And worse against ourselves.
• We have a passion, make a law,
Too false to guide us or controul ;
And for the law itself we fight
In bitterness of soul.
And puzzled, blinded, then we lose
Distinctions that are plain and few ;
These find I graven on my heart
That tells me what to do.
' The creatures see of flood and field,
And those that travel on the wind;
With them no strife can last ; they live
In peace, and peace of mind.
' For why? Because the good old rule
Saficeth them; the simple plan
That they should take who have the power,
And they should keep who can.
! A lesson which is quickly learned,
A signal through which all can see ;
Thus nothing here provokes the strong
To wanton cruelty.
' And freakishness of mind is checked,
He tamed, who foolishly aspires,
While to the measure of his might
Each fashions his desires.
• All kinds and creatures stand and fall
By strength of prowess or of wit ;
'Tie Goo's appointment who must sway,
And who is to submit.
' Since then,' said Robin, ' right is plain,
And longest life is but a day,
To have my ends, maintain my rights.
I'll take the shortest way.'
' And thus among these rocks he lived,
Through summer' heat and winter's snow ;
The eagle he was lord above,
And Rob was lord below.'
" We are not, however, to suppose the character of this distin-
guished outlaw to be tbat of an actual hero, acting uniformly and
consistently on such moral principles as the illustrious bard who,
standing by his grave, has vindicated his fame. On the contrary,
as is common with barbarous Chiefs, Rob Roy seems to have
mixed his professions of principle with a large alloy of craft and
dissimulation, of which his conduct, during the civil war, is suffi-
cient proof. It is also said, and truly, that, although his courtesy
waa one of his strongest characteristics, yet sometimes he assumed
an arrogance of manner which was not easily endured by the high-
spirited men to whom it was addressed, and drew the daring outlaw
into frequent disputes, from which he did not always come off with
credit. From this it has been inferred that Rob Roy was more of
a bUlly than a hero, or at least that be had, according to the com-
mon phrase, his fighting days. Some aged men who knew him
well, have described him also as better ac a catch tuizie, or scuffle
within doors, than in mortal combat. The tenor of his life may be
quoted to repel this charge; while, at the same time,* must be
allowed that the situation in which he was placed rendered bins
prudently averse to maintaining quarrels when nothing was to be
bad save blows, and when success would have raised up against him
new and powerful enemies in a country where revenge was still
considered as a duty rather than a crime. The power of com-
manding his passions on such occasions, far from being inconsistent
with the part which bl'Gregor had to perform, was essentially
smeary at the period when he lived to prevent his career from
being cut short.'
SHIPWRECK ---We announce with deep regret a me-
lancholy event, of which information has just arrived. We speak
of the loss of the Hope, Robert Hill, master. from Poole, on the
7th Sept. when arrived off Fogo, Newfoundland. to which port
site was bound, she encountered a violent gale from N.E.. in come--
queue* of which she was wrecked, and we are sorry to add every
person on board perished!
DESPERATE AFFRAY BETWEEN POACHERS AND
Gammatarzas.—About 3 o'clock on the morning of Sunday se'n.
sight, the gamekeepers in the employ of Mr. Renege, came in
• contact with six poachers. armed with bludgeons and guns, in
Mochas% 'wood, in the parish of Lynebam ; four of whom, after
considerable resistance, were secured, and have since been com-
mitted to the Old Bridewell. Their names are James Wells,
Joseph Webb, Wm. Dolman, and Wm. Fowler ; all of them are
severely wounded. From their appearance when they were brought
to the prison, it might have been imagined, that they had just es-
caped from a slaughter house; they were covered with blood.
Webb's left hand is cut almost to pieces. The right band of
Fowler has been run through with a cutlass; he has also been cut
in several other places ; another has two severe gashes in his head ;
and the fourth is wounded its various parts. Most of the keepers
are also wounded.
ASSESSED TAXES.—After so many years of Peace
the country has naturally a right to expect—indeed, its present ne-
cessities seem absolutely to require—that some of those burthens
which press heavily on the people should be at once moderated, or
altogether removed. Of the different descriptions of taxation to
which the country is subject, these is nom so grievous in their ma-
ture. or so objectionable le, their mode of collection, as the Maenad
Taxes, Mamma as they create on the part of the people a natural
desire, in many instances to make their returns as moderate ere
they can, and afford the subordinate agents of Government an
opportunity of harrassing and annoying, under the pretence of
rectifying any real or imaginary omission or nails-statement in such
reeves. Within the last few days. innumerable notices of sem,
chat.* liana been indiscriminately served on different householders,
for- alleged omissions in their returns, and for an increase of duty
oat their renD, although it is quite notorious that the rent. in Bath
have of late considerably fallen. Much sematiou haw conseetstentiv
been 'excited throughout the city at such an anespeeted and un.,
called for proteeding,and.from whatever quarter it May have ema-
stated, we cannot but think the present period .[.general gloom
and distress as uOttleCiely ill chosen for carrying it into effect. A
wholesale system of surcharge cannot be justified on any grounds,
and the present • ill-timed visitation is only calculated to excite
public kali '. and to produce general dissatisfaction.—Bats Herald.