The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-06-22 00:00:00

THE STATES,

MR. SHERIFF PARWINS.

Mr. Sheriff Parkins having seen in the newspapers
go: the I:Ith inst. the report of a spetiat lov 31r. Charles.
l'earson in the Cottrt of Common Council, whercill he
.• " that be hail helped Sheriff Purltius to the office,"
has ;t. observe, that title would seem to imply that the
eia:t initi ii;ri:aknatted uith 31 r. Parkins, sod that he had
!en,: !it the assistance of Mr. Pearson for the obtaining
gel it. lie, therefore, conceives himself hound in duly
tow. rds the pnblir, and his friends in particular, to
g:ve the following statement and correspondence in
xpLawation :
Mr. Parkins having casually employed Mr. Charles
PlarSt.ll as his solicitor relati‘e to his private affairs,
Mr. Pearson, font the kit.iwle Ige be had thus ob-
tained of Mr. Parkins, was led to make a proposal that
hr .i1:41111 become the Sleet ill 1.1 London; and fre-
tittently mentioned the anhject, at the sate time urging
I ins, on pnhlic g..littmls, to accept the office ; and
pointed out the it:intolerable grievances, extortions,
abuses, which existed in the Sheriff of 3liddlesex
oiler, and which, still to a greater extent, were prac-
tised in the Sheriff of London or Secondary's office ;
ail a.I which, it was said, it would be in the power of
a Sheriff to redress, if he was an independent charac-
ter. aud totally unconnected with corrupt City politics.
31r. Parkins hesitated fur a considerable t. and at
I agth wrote the Poll. wing letter to Mr. Pearson:-
2d March, ISIS.
Its to Sin-1 called ups a you last night for the purpose
towe particular!) to ask the following questions :—First,
Is i' absolutely urcessary for thr purpose of enabling me to
prourrute Freeman with effect, that I should be in London at
liar next Sessions ? The next question will show what se-
-01.114 consideration I have given yonr patriotic proposals
retell', to the Sheri:tails% The confidence I have in your
abiiite and integrity. inclines me to relinquish my intention
for the present) of leaving England: at all events, If I ac-
cept the office of sheriff for the neat sear, the duties of the
‘dice will detain me two years from dll5 period, which is no
smelt sacrifice at my time of life; however great it 1121” be,
I should not regret the tasking it, If I could with you effect
a real seru ice to our unfortunate country. You have already
Immertalized your name by rectifying evils, and releasing
v :ethos from destruction and oppression :.• but the wretches
who have practised and fattened on such iniquity undis-
ratty ed, still continue to carry It on with • high hind—
their dark minds not permitting them to see that every evil
they leave you to And out aid rectify, hastens their own
•I.•sinfall. Now, my good friend, to induce me to under-'
ref e the etpensite and arduous duty which you have seg.
ge-Ord, I must. in the tint instance, beg to he made ne-
ip•mnted with the nature of the same; not only what is
required of me. but also what I can demand of others to do;
a .1 whether or not I am competent to the executing the
• t: e. all of which requires my serious consideration. A
•:n.-ere wish to aid you is your laudable endeavours, and an
a-iteitt desire to correct evils, may induce me to remain in
ti.• native country, which I had made up my mind to than-
c. .r. shortly, to its fate. if chance, as It were, had trulkthrown
you is my way. I have beard of a book (which I should
like to read), " Description of the Ihities and
oxlips, of a Sheriff of London and Ilddlesett;" perhaps
%sill have got it In your library, or if not you eau borrow it
fur me • the sooner the better, as I wish to decide on my plan
of opeden before I leave Leadon. I sm. &c.
(Signed) J. W. PARKINS.
• This alludes to a number of unfortunate families who
to•ffered heavy exactions from the Sheriffs' °Score and who
were released from It through the humane taterference of Mr.

Pearson.
Extract of a letter. in reply to the foregoing:—
to reference to the important question which Ibreas a lead-
log feature in your letter. I will endeavour to give a full
en-wer: ii is, ho•ever. sad must resale, a secret.
The of of Sheriff is Leedom is, or ought to he, of the
F. st dignity sod importance, he being, unlike Me sheriffs of
a., cmiutiet, eligible by the inhabitauts, according to the
constitutios of our Saxon ancestor% : and, in this character,
invested with the protectioa of the politiail rights of the
4 :titres of Loudon ; the Lord May or tilling the same chi-
meter is regard to their municipal dutier. Tie duties of the
ogre. es at prevetat performed, are to weer a blue silk gown
sod a gold chain, or. rather, to be arrayed •'in purple and
fine lines, sad to fare sumptuously every day.- My object
t render it as Mice important and gloriosa, to restore to
I the functions which corruption has rives from it, and to
pie-. the Citizen who ills it upon a pinnacle of vestaess
e amity the representative of Loodoo'd eitilt•11111:11* to Nitre
to it an teiolumest and dignity which well oudeein it
f- ow its trivial character of a bauble for fools is play with,
811.1 render It the subject of the emulation of those who shalt
fiertvafter deserve well of their conatry.• My WARS of ac-
eouiplithiug this great are, in the first place. to take
to Orel( the admisistratf:Of sa ofice which by taw belongs
to I'. tamely, tie exercire of the functions of Sheriff in
I ceder. which is the source of great ernoininent, and mach
power and jariadielitto ; sad. la this Belt place, by purging
Vie Special Jury Ile for iliddiesez of the impurities with
vellieb it is toasted. and, by a general correction of the abuses
i^ the Courts of Justice over which the Sheriffs have coo-
trooi and by examisiag and anisdding the state and eon-
di'ioa of the rirtmers and prisons within Alf jurisdiction:
sir I, lastly, bat sot least, to aid the good moo of London
is giriug a just and proper tool of political feeling to those
who require to be roused from their lethargy. not only by
the waHiags of the bumble. het also by the voice of the
greet. The expenses of the attainment of these objects
woesd be the samilles of a year's time, and. probably, LUSK
ottney. Although the great probability is, we should make
mien more than to defray your expenses. la retorts for this,
yto would incur the fear and hatred of the bed—the love aid
emmeet of the good—the approhatlos of your ows time, aid
• OR odedratiaa of Miura ages. lam as euthusiest—l may
ho wrong; you are an older end a Ideas man; it behoves
you to be prudeat, thoughtful, sad rellective--ootto deter-
miss easily, bat to Iht resolutely. Do this without say bias
from me. sad you will doubtlessly decide like a wise man,
seri act Ake a good was.

111 r. Harris opened his temporary theatre in the
Kroh. in Dublin, on Mushy last, with the comedy
of ."he be,le's Struts*, at, and the farce of T.4e Spoiled
CALsi, in both of which Hiss S. Booth snstained the
principal characters.
A !dawn von CA Mtn QUO? EX.—There is a person
resident in a small sea-port in Wales, who " deserves
oy his eonstry." Ile occupies and discharges the
duties-of the following thirirca offices, with great re-
gularity ; and to the satisfaction of all who have occa-
sion to transact braises* with him. He is, in the first
clerk to the collector of the customs—then,
cl !ea to the excise-office--and clerk to the justices. In
aldition to these his clerkships. he is parish-clerk for
dot English service, and parish-clerk for the lreleh
service; clerk to the coaches, and ciirk to tie packets.
He also keeps a loJging-house: is a notary public, an
auctioneer, collector of the King's tames, collector of
paroj;hial rates, and settee!
Sisoutall e I name rateitm.-.-At taster-town of SW-
thin, perish of Tams, Ablittleenshire. a girl who es-
pnintended the poultry, obsbrving a turkey-cock 101
sit on the eggs which were laid by the ham and
welted very angry whet they trete taken from the
sr-st, placed 21 eggs under him, some time ago, which
he bars new hatched, and of brkkh he rakes the 'groat-
est caret sad what is singular, he wiliest even allow
any of the finials Maass to approach his numerous
brood.

S

- EAST INDIA HOUSE.

Yesterday a Qttarterly Oeneral Conrt of Proprietors of
Rot India Stork was hrl4 at the Company's House, in
Lradrnhall•street.

Sundry Papers that 11.4,1 been 441 before Parliament
were mllimitted to the room

Mr. Woe tiliserved, with reference to one of these
iiiciunents, that there appeared to he a debt of 960,411,011/.
due to the Company f Uovernment for a long period,
:,n,l that there was another debt of a more recent date,
to the amount of 1,300,1190/. He wished that the amount
of the debt due by Ilovernment to the Company should
be investigated and settled, instead of being, u it new
was, in a state of uncertainty. That point being ascer-
tained, he bad no objection that tiovrrnment should re-
tain the money, is a oan, until it was convenient to re-
pay it.
The CHAIRMAN ((i. A. Robinson, Esq.) stated, that
he would make it his business to bring the subject un-
der the consideration of the Chancellor of the Ex-
clieljner.
Mr. (IRANT said there were claims between the On-
v-rnnient and the Company, which were never likely to
hr settled. liovernment would not admit their validity,
and the Company would not erase them from their
books. This observation applied to the sum of 960,000/.
which the lion. Proprietor had alluded to.
The CHAIRMAN announced that he and the former
Chlirman hail waited on his lilsjesty with the Address
of Condolence on the demise of his late dLijrsty, and if
Congratulation on his present Majesty's Arcessiun So
the Throne, which he had received most graciously.
Divositsfo.—On the motion of the CHAI RMAN, the
Proprietors agreed to the Resolution of the Court of Di-
rectors, of the lath instant, ref mending a dividend
of tri per cent. on the Compitty's capital stock for the
half year, commencing on the sth of January last, and
ending on the sth of July next.
Mr. HOWARTH presented the Report of the Committee
of by-Laws, which announced the intention of the Com-
mittee to protonic a new regulation for the security ot
the Company s seal, and at the same time affording ad-
ditional facilities for the transaction of business.
Tie. Gentlemen composing the Committee of Ily-Laws
were re-elected for the ensiling year.
tto the motion of Mr. R. Jacitanx„ seconded by Mr.
the thanks of the Court were given to the Com-
iiiinee of Ily-Laws, ter their zeal and attention during
the last year.
The eIiAIRAI 1N stated, that lie had received a letter
from Viscount Sidnomili, announcing that his Majesty
had been graciously ple.ised to accept the Company's
offer to raise, at their expense, a corps of voltinterrs. Ile
also stated, that a Hill was then in progress through the
House a Commons, to enable the Company to defray
the charge of the said corps of volunteers. Ile next an-
nounced, that the prusion of 1.5110/. per annum, granted
to Sir G. Widow, had received the sanction of the Board
of Control, and that a letter, thanking the Company for
their liberality, hail been addressed by Sir (3. Barlow
to the Chairman mod Deputy.
The CHAIRMAN then apprised the Court of the receipt
of two letters from the Marquis of Hastings, returning
thanks to the Company for their approbation of his con-
duct, and for the splendid liberality which they had been
pleased to manifest towards him.
The CHAIRMAN also informed the Court, that the ex-
planatory papers relative to the exetittion of the Kille-
dar of Talnier were now laid on the table.

Mr. R. J ACKSON deprecated any discnasion on these
papers at present. as the subject lad been taken up by
the House of Commas*.
Mr. Hewn was awsiotts to do Justice so the eha
of Lieutenant Sutherland, of the Bombay service, s=
he had mentioned when the case of Sir T. Hidup was
nnder oliscrtssion. He (Mr. Hume) hail been led to hoo
here, from a statement in the Bombay Paper, that Lieut.
Statheriand, during the existence of hostilities, had cap-
tured two individuals, riot without farther ceremony,
hanged them up. He hail revived a letter front that
gentleman, from which he found that the statement was
incorrect. lieutenant Sutherland had taken two indivi-
duals, at the heath of a marauding party ; but so far from
eansing their mettles, he gave them up to the Nizam's
Government, by whom they were condemned to die
(sonic months af!er Lieutenant Sutherland had left that
station). for previous acts of plunder and rapine.
Mr. Ilt•sn, before the Court adjourned, adverted to
the great scarcity of Enropean Officers in India ; and
also pointed out the necessity of joists-acting the indi-
viduals intended for their service. rather in the Persian
and Hindoostanee than in the Bengal lauguage.—M-
journed Sider die.

The new regulation of closing the business on the
Royal Exchange at haltp.ist four precisely, is closely
adht red to, and seems, in general, to meet with the
approval of the teereliants, and the most respectable
frequenters of the Exchange.
His illajesty's gracious present of a superb gold medal
and rich chain, to be worn by the President of the Royal
Academy, will, it is said, be followed by an order for
the members to wear, upon all public occasions, robes or
gowns, according to their several ranks in the Institu-
tion, nearly similar to those which distinguish the dif-
ferent degree, at the two Universities.
A society, similar to the Marine Society in Loudon,
for (-loathing. educating, and fitting out for sea
boys. is about to be establishes! in Cornwall. It is :PC
called “ The Mount's Bay Poor Sea Bo 's Society."
Some alterations are about to take place in the regi.
mental. and equipments of the two regiments of Life
lieards; the spleudid Roman helmets are to be discard-
ed. as too heavy. and the men are to wear fur caps. elm
gently decorated with a handsome plume of
two regiment. of Life Hoards havefkil bateAkt
some time past, trainisg, in their respective
houses. in a new exercise, for parrying pikes with
broad-swords, and to render them tune effective in Imo
guise attacks of an enemy.
Accounts from Saxony say, it is now proved by a
moat careful investigation, that the lamented Pro-
fessor Kugelgen seas attacked and murdered by a sin-
gle assassin, the arillery soldier, Kaltofen, and that I
this man also committed the murder of the carpenter,
six months ago, in the high road near Dresden. The
artillery soldier, 11wher, who had previously confessed
himself guilty of both murders, appears to be quite
innocent, and to have beets led to do so by weariness
of life, and is confined, understanding to confess him-
self guilty of these crimes, before the real author of
them was dise.mereil. The Etrther investigation has
nut led to suppose that these ;iv ant accomplice.
A duel was tosght t eeterilaYinorning on Hounslow-
' heath, between Capt. p--e---1 and lir. S-.-at, a gentle-
-1 man of fortune, in consequence of a dispute on Weep-
( ton Race-course. The captain was shot through his
I hand in the aecend fire.
i The late bail-storms have dose istatis injury to the
I hop bins in Kent, particularly lb the neighboarbood
' of Sesen-Oahs.
1 The heavy rains while beeinfolless lately hare bees
i extremely injurious to the hop larasers is the enrirosie
'of London. At Hendon, &barer. Totttri4ge, and
' Barnet, the tills hare homelist/If allinocked down.
IThe lateness of the bay harvest itso+llbasesiarotly,
I thrown hundreds of poor persvairost seilloploy.

N•

BANK FAILURES.

(FRO3I Till 'DUBLIN JOURNAL.)
The Bank failures in the south have checked all
rammer. ial exchange. There is nothing to represent
value, and it will require some time to supply a circu-
lating medium, which has been withdrawn, of more
than one million sterling.
We ventured to say, in a recent publication of
The Dublin Journal, that the failures of the banks'
had been occasioned by the previous losses sus-'
Wised by the failures of those merchants who had
transacted business with them, and we concluded
that, in truth, the bankers were the chief sufferers
by the calamity. A reference to circumstances
will establish this fict.—The corn, provision, and
batter trade is carried to the greatest extent in the
south of Ireland ; tor several years, and indeed, since
the peace, this trade has been declining, and the falling
market has swept off not only profits, but made en-
croachments on capital, to a considerable amount.—
'flee exportation of produce fur several years to the
extent of some millions annually, at eren a email per
centage of loss, would in the aggregate amount to a
large sum. In the first instance, individuals of small
capitals would fail, in the ilex whose of larger resources;
and finally. a considerable part of the loss would rest
with the banks, whose issues would increase in pro-
porti to the diminution of their capital, on the plain
principle that they required their own notes to support
their own credit. _

If the purchasers of Irish produce have paid more
to the producers than could be obtained for it in the
market, these purchasers must have starrrti the loss,
and their failure was the nnav•..idrble comsequence.
But in proportion as they lost they overpaid the pro-
ducerm, and therefore. the one part• has g lord at the
expense of the other, without any positive diminution
of the common stock.

If the owners of land, for example, shall exact more
rent then the value of the crop will authorise, the far-
mer, if he possesses any capital, mill lose it ; and thus a
transference of property takes place, which occasions
•derangement of the relation between the parties, but
does not diminish the total amount of what previously
exi,ted.

Merchants are merely the middlemen between the
growers and consumers, and if they lime lost their
capital by paying more to the growers than they hare
received from the consumers, it is clear that these two
Adis*, have enjoyed an advantage that has ruined the
intermediate party ; but still the sante stock of wealth
remains in the country. ?Atria has been the case in
relation to the trade of the south of Ireland, and the
bankers being the money agents of the merchants, have
unavoidably followed the current of tesi‘fortune.
It may be asked, what will be the result ? in answer,
we should say, that fur the some time exportation wil;
nearly cease, until scarcity in the foreign market shall
induce the profitable investment of new capital, and
until then, we fear, that the distress of the country
will remain unmitigated.

4,411- J.VTELLIONA CS.