The Express. — London, England, 1848-06-22 00:00:00

2 wbenrer bribery end corrupt treating were reported to Mr. Mr. ADDERLEV said, even if these writs were issued, legmiry would not be prevented ; indeed, he thought a good afoot would result from it, for the idea of preliminary pun hilmients would he removed. Mr. S. CRAWFORD had hitherto voted against the bane of these writs, but he did not think be was longer justified in pursuing that course. He saw not the smallest hope that during the present session the parliament intended to do anything to prevent corruption. (Hear, hear.) He thought all their proceedings leaked like an attempt to deceive the country into a belief that they were very anxious to do that which they had no intention of doing. Mr. SLANEY thought the house owed a deep debt of obligation to his hon. friend for introducing, as he had done, • measure providing for inquiry into these matters. He hoped the government wined, without delay, give his hon. friend effective assistauce, for it was of the greatest eeneequence that they should in some way or other show that they were ready to apply a practical remedy to the evil. Having looked to the evidence in this particular case, he thought there was no suffieient ground for sus ,ending Cie writ for Cheltenham. Sir D. L. EVANS did not desire to be one of those who gave grounds for the opinion out of doors that they were playing with these questions; and desiring also to act with consistency, be shout,: vote against the into of the writ. Mr. Serjeant TALFOURD hoped they should deal with the question as one of individual justice prim; facie. This constituency had done nothing to justify the house us exec ci ting the power it poe-eased of suspending the writ. No wholesale corruption was proved, though in one or two in stances isolated treating had been established. If they sus pended writs upon ouch grounds, they would defeat their very find object—that of giving an interest to an electorate to expose corruption. Mr. HENLEY agreed with 8•47 word that had been said by the last speaker. The principle laid down by mem bers opposite went to this, that if among the 30,000 electors of Yorkshire one single man was treated with • pot of beer the writ for the shire was to be suspended until a roving com mission had inquired in.° the perfect purity of the whale 30,000. (Hear.) Mr. OSBORNE must sty ha thought the course taken he the Rome Secretary was most extramdinary. After patting the member for Ftint upon the back, and urging him to bring in • sort of mock reform bill, he came down and voted for the very thing that bill was to prevent. (Hear, hear.) Coated( ring the course the government had tski n, he mild not but think they had virtually abandoned their mock bill. After their shuttling and conjuring conduct, ho thought they would not be able to get the members to support their bill. For his own part he should not vote at all upon the question. (Ironical cries of " hear.") Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL wished to bring back the house to the temper in which he thought they ought to discuss this question. The honourable gentleman who had just conic back fresh in amiability from his rural enjoyments seemed unaware of what had been done or what had been proposed. It hid been his lot to be chairman of the cons mittees on the elections both for Lincoln and Cheltenham. In the Lincoln cue he had himself moved the writ the some evening the report hail been made. The writ had been Wined. In the Cheltenham case there was only one incident which gave any supicion of extensive corruption. Such cases must not be confounded with those of Yarmouth and Leicester, where corruption was old and hereditary. He felt it to be his duty to support the issue of the writ. Mr. NE WDEGATE agreed wits the member for Middle. HI that there had been elicitation on this subject en the part of her Majesty's government. Ccl. SIBTHORP characterised the bill of the hon. baronet (Sir J. Helmer) as a most mischievous, most inqui sitorial, and most unconstitutional in. a,ure. He should de cidedly vote for issuing the writ. Sir J. FAKING lON thought it would have been better to hays discussed the question of all the vacant boroughs to gather. At the same time he should vote for the present motion, because he considered th it no borough should be kept vacant spinet which no Pieced r,port had been directed. The house divided.—For hewing the writ 5O Against The writ was then ordered to TENAN!S AT WILL (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. H. DRUMNIOND then moved that the house go into committee on this bill. Sir G. GREY suggested the postponement of the discus sion on this bill until the similar measure introduced by another hon. member was also before the house, so that their respective merits might be considered together. Mr. 11. DRUMMOND said that his bill differed from the other measure introduced on the subject in this important resp.ct, that hi, measure merely applied to money which had been already expended by the tenant, whereas the other measure was of a prcspective character. The hon. member then proceeded to urge the adoption of the bill before the house as a means of remedying a great injustice which bad been in fl icted upon Ireland by lanilord legislation, which had first created a m is. of 40s. freeholders for its own pur poses, and when tl.eSe freeholders couiLno longer be made use of, wanted to turn them all out of their holdings, and even pull down their e Amps over their heads. The hon. gentleman adverted to the Roman catholic pr,ests, who, in the absence of legitimate maintenance, had resorted to all sorts of cintr;vances for a livelihood ; encouraging juvenile marriages, for ex imple, to the infinite damage of the coun try, merc y the cake of the fees, though the exaction of fees was altogether illegal, as had been declared by repeated canons. The whole system of landlord and tenant in Ireland was vicious in the highest degree, placing the tenant so entirely at the mercy of the lanalorS, that, as as Irish L rd Chancellor had expressed it, a landlord of straw could grind down • tenant of steel. What he proposed was that no tenant-at-will timid be ejected from his house, if he had built it, wi houtreceiving the price of the house. The proposition would sonnd • mere absurdity in Eng ish ears, but would be well under stood and aporeciated in Ireland. Teem were oil er im provements which he should require the tenant to receive compensation for, and which he would det,il in committee. He did not mean to say that the grievances se loudly and so justly complained of by Ireland could be effectually re moved, except by the presence and care of a resident pro prietary. No legislation could supply the want of this grand remedy ; but in the meantime be thought that much good might be effected by 'be measure which he now requested the house to go into committee upon. Mr. S. CRAWFORD said that a great number of meet. logs had been held on the subject of tenant-sight in Ireland, which, although developing views and feelings of the utmost importance for the legislature and the public to know, the English press had wholly omitted to notice. It was the uni versal demand of the tenantry of Ulster that tenant right should be secured to them by legislative enactment. As to the bill of the hon. member for Surrey, while he concurred fully that the tenant should receive the proportionate value of the legitimate expenditure he had made, he considered that it would be unfair that the landlord should be respon sible for any extravagant and unwarrantable outlay which the tenant might have chosen to incur. On the other hand, the reasonable ela;ms of the tenant were by no means satis fied by the present bill, for it failed to give him that security of tenure which it was his right to enjoy. It was, however, a step in the right direction, and he should therefore sup- port it. Lord C. HAMILTON denied that the hon. gentleman represented the feeling of the tenant population of the north of Ireland. The large mass of that tenantry, on the con trary, wholly rejected the views of the hon. member as mis chievous fallacies. Tho meetings, whose proceedings the hon. member reproached the Louden press for omitting, were mere holc'and corner affairs, got up by itinerant agitators, infinitely more with an eye to repeal than to the question of tenant right. The farmers had nothing to do with throe meetings. What was the composition of the very grandest of them ? Why this, that the chairm in was a half-pay navy surgeon, and the leading orator, a Mr. Macknight, the publisher of a London journal, who harps upon a chord of re pe r at agitation. The noble lord opposed the bill before the ouse. Mr. FAGAN vindicated the character of the hon.member for Rochdale as a man who MO thoroughly acquainted with the whole subject, a proprietor of large estates in the district where tenant right prevailed and had conscientiously employed all hisiefforts to the amelioration of tenant conehoon. The bill before the house he Mr. Fasten) regarded as contain ing the elements of much good to Ireland. - Sir W. SOMERVILLE regretted that the hon member for East Stine , had not postponed his bill until the other bill on the subject was before the house. As the hon. mem ber had not consented to do AO, he (Sir W. Somerville) should move as an amendment test the bill be read a see nd time that dry six months. There were no doubt some use ful suggestions in the me turc, but the practice] effect of ifs principle would be that every landlord would have to Tay the purchase money of hie estate over again to the tenant, simply on the production by the latter of a packet of papers, got up no matter how, as vouchers of alli ged expen diture, no matter Low prepoaterous, upon tie property, during the term of his Last orcupaten. With refirence to the views of the hon. member for Rochdale, whose personal character, let him observe, he respected equally with that of any man in the house—(hear, hear) he had taken consider able pains to .acquire their precise meaning, but he must confess he had arrived at no understanding on the subject. A Mr. Laotian, secretary to one of the tenant right associations, had put it down in black and white that there was no legislation practicable upon the question of tenant right, an opinion in which he (Sir W. Somerville) entirely concurred. The right hen. baronet then moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months. Mr. P. SCROPE contended that the condition of the tenants in Ireland required material amelioration. At pe rmit they were Shelly at the mercy of their landlords. He considered that thi hon. member for Rochdale was a more authentic exponent et the feelings of the Ulster tenants on this occasion than was the noble lord opposite. He believed that it wee a universal determination among the Ulster tenants to have their tenure of the land placed Ott a more secure footing. Ile considered te.c present a moat important question, for he felt that, whereas one million of Irish were driven ever here to ,eck subsistence, every Irishmen would be enabled to obtain bin own living in his own country, if he were permitted to have a fair share in the produce of its soil. Mr. HERBERT said that the evils complained of by the hon. member our Stroud arose out of the competition fee land, • teine which was qui* e out of the control of the land. lard. He deprecated the agitation which had been raised in Ireland on the subject of tenant right, which was, in his opinion, calculated to unsettle all the relations of laudlord and tenant, and to injure all iless'a, and none more than the tenant-farmers themselves. lie must oppose the com mittee. Col. CONOLLY etientatised the proposed bill as an iu vsaion of property, under the guise of believolence, and thought that, therefore, it should be denounced in the strongest terrine Its his opinion the monster i vil of Iceland was the subdivision ot lend, and nothing was more calcu lated to perpetuate the *Warn than the Mil before the house. lie should also feel it his duty to oppose the committee. THE E \ PRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 22, 1848. in hospital and could possibly command the use of 1 his Limbs, instantly returned to his place in the ranks, full of alacrity to share the adventures of the cam- Pa I i r?. t exceedingly fortunate that the apparently entire submission of the Punjaub has never induced the Indian government to relax their vigilance and dimi nish their precautions. For the last two years we • have constantly maintained upon the north-western frontier one or two flying divisions of 10,000 men, who were always furnished with artillery, and kept in a state of readiness to advance upon any indicated part. At the present moment the total force at the command of the officer in chief at Lshore is more than 50,000 strong, and of thereat leastlo,ooo men are Europeans. Dispersed among these troops are 120 pieces of cannon—precisely the arm in which we were most deficient in 1846, and in which any Punjaub in surrectionary force must be deficient in 1848, since the immense park of Seikb guns have been reared up into a military column before the gates of Fort William. The ultimate result, therefore, of any dis turbance, many times more serious than that which has so abruptly arisen on the banks of the Chenaub, may be predicted with confidence. The Indian government, therefore, is in no grave pre dicament ; nor, as fares we are advised at present, dues there seem to have been any , gross misjudgment on the part of the authorities at Lahore. But this is a commendation which cant.ot be extended to the recent extensive and hasty changes in the persons charged with the government of our new dependency. In the highest class of offices within the Punjaub we believe there is not at present a single officer to whom the Sikhs have become accustomed, or who is associated in their minds with the events which have reduced them into the station of a dependent people. Sir JOHN Lermen has been removed to Calcutta; Major M'OREGOR has been transferred to Benares ; Colonel LAWRENCE is absent upon a year's furlough; and Mr. JORN Law Reser:, we believe, either has or shortly will leave the Sutlej provinces. Sir FREDE RICK CURRIE, who fills the office of Resident at the court of the Maharajah, does so upon a temporary tenure, and as he is by this time informed, upon a tenure which the court of dirvctors do not approve. Sir J. Lirri.eit is every way entitled to the honours which have been bestowed upon him at Calcutta, but these honours would have been as valuable to him, and more con veniently bestowed, a year hence as at this peculiarly ill chosen moment. The respite which has been accorded to Colonel LAWRENCE we can well believe to have been essential to his health, but there exists no excuse for the removal of Major MAchasoort from a sphere where his services have been so eminently successful. These changes have all taken place within the last few months; and if it shall be proved by the event, that the out break at Moultan has been adventured, partly upon the strength of this untimely and inconsiderate weakening of the reins of supreme authority in the Punjaub, we hope and trust parliament will know how to stigmatise a system of backstair management, which pitches about the honour and safety of the empire as if it was a brass farthing or a pinch beck counter, in subservience to private views and convenience. Nor must it be forgotten that we have just sent a noble lord to Bombay, to occupy the post of governor, who can scarcely know more of India than that it is a hot country, or more of the duties of his office than that it has the advantage of a large ie-lary. • To make way for Lord FALKLAND there is the resig ' cation of Mr. CLERK —of precisely the very man whom, with all the changes' at Lahore, it was most essential to retain at the western presidency. TUE new reform has had as yet but one night's parliamentary life, and already it has achieved no inconsiderable portion of those conversions and con victions which indicate at once its infant power, and promise its mature end complete success. As yet but two parties have taken ground of resistance against it. The whig premier and a talented protec tionist chief both signified their dissent and distaste from this middle-class movement. The objectious of both, however, and their avowed preferences, show that their only hope of defeating this movement got up by the middle classes, will be by embracing and encouraging a rival movement on the part of the lower clan , . The chief reproaches of Mr. Dtsito:t.i, and indeed of Lord JOHN RUSSELL himself to Mr. Ilestz, were that the proposed reform did not suf ficiently enfranchise the working clauses—that it sought to establish still a mere property qualification : that it was illusory and illiberal to include in the franchise merely the artisans who had acquired suf ficient property in furniture, or lodging, to be rated to the poor, when the intelligence of the entire work ing class demanded larger privileges and more con sideration. Mr. )I , RA P. 1.7, for himself and his friends, declared that they were most willing to lend themselves to the patronage of popular rights, provided the people would put trust in them, and take the country gen tlemen as the guides and leaders of the agitation, in lieu of the horrid and vulgar chiefs sprung from the middle and commercial classes. For our part, we most strongly deprecate, especially in the present state of Europe, the continuation of the chartist move ment. But when that movement is thus directly ap pealed to, when the exclusive and peculiar demands of the working classes are proned, and when the leaders of that popular movement are told by whig and tory, by Mr. D'lsnAst.t and Lord JOIIN RUSSELL that they would prefer giving the working classes their own peculiar electoral bodies, and, of course, parlia mentary representatives, either by means of guilds or in some other shape and fashion than a low pro perty qualification—when the chartists have these offers, and see how much their agitation is pre ferred to a movement of citizens, they would be the greatest fools on earth not to take advantage of these offers. Let them meet, let them agitate, let them take the statesmen and the gentlemen at their word, and if they gain nothing, they may at least arrive at s^me information as to the . peculiar concession with which the conservative hook is to be baited for catching the gobe-mooches of the people. And hero let us remark that there is one mode of giving a very popular and plausible extension to the franchise without rendering it inimical to aristo cratic influences. And this mode has been the fa vourite scheme of all despots, when compelled to give the show without the substance of representative government. This is, to make the suffrage very po pular and general, but then to correct it by double election, the people choosing, not representatives, but electors. Such was the idea of popular reform enter tained by CHARLES X. and POLIGNAC. It was the ruling plan of the ordonnance of July, for which the Parisians kicked the dynasty and the minister out of the country. Yet this is what Lord JOHN RUSSELL aims at, when he says that the working classes may elect guilds, and these guilds may re turn members. And Mr. DISRAELI had some thimble-rig of the kind in his eye, when he entreated the people and the chartists to trust to the liberal tendencies and hereditary liberality of the squires. The industrious classes of England are in an excel lent position for the gaining of political rights. This reform movement which has receiv, d such universal adhesion and impulse from the civic population of England, offers the artisan the elective franchise on hie first acquirement of property or settled income. It at the same time emancipates him by the ballot from the dictation of employers, and gives him a con trol over his representatives, and over popular politi cians in general, by the more frequent recurrence of elections. Moreover, by the equalisation of electoral districts, it gives the artisan equal rights with the Buckinghamshire farmer, whilst Mr. DPIRAELI would confine them to the latter, because, with him, the man who holds the plough or wields the hoe, is worthy of more privileges, than the man who holds the file or throws the shuttle. Fearful of equality, and dreading with Lord JOHN Russe.Lt, that the constitution might perish if par liament were not seasoned by due variety, the spokes men of the aristocratic parties come forward and offer the people certain direct advan tages, greater and better than Mr. HUME or the middle class can give. We can only say to the people, take the gentlemen at their word. Let Lord JOHN RUSSELL bring in a bill for giving memners to the industrial classes , let Mr. DISRAELI expound his plan for elevating the opera tives, and doing away with a property qualification. But let them be acts, not promises; defined plans, not moonshine theories. Let the protectionists set down the points of their charter, and we will promise them every consideration the moment we can learn and und• rstand them. The world, however, has as yet been able to do neither the one nor the other. The sole aim of the aristocratic parties is to kindle and to fan dissension between the middle and the operative dames, and with calumny, sophism, and clamour, and with party and unmeaning words, to met chartist and reformer down, like cocks in a pit, to tear and spur each other to anger and exhaustion, whilst the lordly spectators not only enjoy the strife, but coolly and exclusively pocket that profit and those advantages which their privilege has so long ensured to them, and which their craft is still labouring to retain. WE have somewhere read of a profound mathema tician, who, by dint of intense study, succeeded in combining all the mechanical powers—screw, wedge, lever, &c.—in one engine. The machine was too large to be brought under cover, two hours were required to set it in motion, and its use was to slice cabbages. Lord JOHN RUSSELL must have taken the hint for his measure of West India relief from this notable engine. Yet the complicated machinery of Lord JOHN'ti measure, though contrasting strangely with its obvious inefficiency, is not without a reason. The problem that his lordship has taken upon him to solve is no easy one. It is to persuade all parties that he is doing something, while in reality he is doing nothing ; and to persuade, at the same time, each of two irreconcile able interests, the one that he is doing them much good, the other that he is doing them no harm. Much diversity of feature was obviously required in a measure which should present such diversified appearances to eyes cleared and sharpened by inte rest, and in which, at the same time, the complex arrangements should entirs ly neutralise each other. Lord Jortres farce is infinitely better entitled to the name of " Much Ado about Nothing" than SHAHS- PEHe's comedy. By the Sugar Duties Act of 1846 a duty of I Is. per cwt. was imposed ' upon muscovado sugar the growth of the British West Indies, or of those parts of our East India possessions into which the importation of sugar is prohibited. By the same act a duty of 11. Is. per cwt. was imposed upon foreign muscovado sugar till .sth July, 1847 ; this duty to be dimi nished by Is. in 1818, and by Is. Gd. every subsequent year till it should be equalised with the duty on British muscovado sugar. Lord Jolts, with a view to please the West Indians, who ask for higher and more enduring protection, and at the same time not to anger the sugar consum ers, who are naturally averse to pay tribute longer than they can help to the sugar interest, ha• hit upon the following expedient: There are to be two declin ing scales of duty ; the duty on British sugars is to fall from 14s. to 13s. per cwt. in 1849, and to be re duced Is. each succeeding year till it comes to 10s., at which it is to remain fixed. The duty on foreign muscovado is to be 18e. Gd. in 1819 (as under the Sugar Duties Act) and be reduced Gd. in each of the years 1850, 1831, and le. in each of the succeeding years till 1834 ; in 1835 it is to be further reduced by in order to equalise it with the duty on British .i.oscovarlo. The result of this alovation is that the West Indians will continue to enjoy protection for six instead of three years after 1848 ; that their gradually evanishing protection will start in 1819 from a differential duty of sa, Gd. instead of 4s. tid. per cwt. ; and that the reduction of the duty on British will be affected by slightly larger an nual reductions than that of the duty on foreign muscovado. In addition to this the foreign sugars now classed as foreign muscovado are to be divided into two classes, and on the class in which the higher qualities are placed the duty of 20s. exigible under the Sugar Duties Act in 1818 is to remain unaltered in 1849, alter which the duty on this class is also to be diminished gradually till, in 1831, it becomes equalised with that on British museovado. The starting point in the declining scale of duties on this class of sugars in 1849, w ill afford a protection to British sugars as against them in that year, of 7s. The result is, that in 1849, British muscovado sugar, instead of being protected by a differential duty of 4s. 6d. against all foreign sugars of the same class, will be protec ed by a differential duty of 7s. against some sugars of th class, and of 3s. 6d. against others. What proportion the foreign sugars liable to the higher duty will bear to those liable to the lower duty, Lord JOHN Russell. cannot tell, nor can the sugar growers, foreign or British, conjecture ; it will depend upon the chapter of accidents—upon the season or the chances of boil ing. The distinction is made simply for the purpose of persuading the West Indians that more has been conceded to them than is really the case. The ruling differential duty will be 3s. Id., and all that will be gained by the introduction of an additional class will be perplexity, squabbling, and wrangling between Custom-house officers and brokers. 'the element of uncertainty introduced will cost the sugar importers far more than the slight additional measure of protec tion can make up for. 'this is rendering the sugar tariff more complicated, to persuade the sugar importers that a boon has been granted them, whereas, in truth, they will suffer by it. All then that the British sugar interest have gained is, that the entire equalisation of the duties is staved off for three years longer, and that the initiating part of the decreasing scale of differential duty in 1849 is to be .ss. W. instead of 4s. Gd. If matters are to remain in the NVest Indies as now, this Is. of difference will be entirely unfelt. It will merely afford the labourers a plea to stand out for higher wages. And what prospect does Lord Jolts hold out that matters will be essentially different in 18.54 from what they are likely to be in 1831, or even from what they are now ? It is true ho proposes a loan of .500,0001. to promote the emigration of free tropical labourers into the West Indies; but, even should parliament vote this sum, when is the emigra tion to commence? Where is it to come from ? By what means is it to be effected? Upon these points Lord JOHN entertains views differing from those held bythe West India body here, and that body views dif fering from those entertained by the resident West Indians, and the residents of each co lony views differing from those entertained by the residents of every other. Judging from the past experiments in immigration, and from the prevailing discrepancies of opinion, the six years will have claps d before any uniform and efficient scheme of immigration can be agreed upon. But labour is not the only thing wanted to place our British sugar-growing colonies in a condition to compete with the foreigner. Indeed, it is only in the three great colonies of Jamaica, Trinidad, and Guiana, that increased supplies of labourers are wanted. The more intelligent West Indians say, and say with truth, that it is less a reduction of wages than the power of commanding continuous labour that they require. The high rate of wages, enabling the labourer to enjoy comforts, and even luxuries. in which the labouring class have never dreamt of indulging by inadequate and precarious toil, is the maiu cause why continuous labour cannot be obtained. But, in all the West India colonies, except the three, we have named, the labouring population" is so numerous, that competition among themselves would soon beat down the rate of wages were it not for the protecting duty that enables the planters to outbid each other in competing for their services. In the fully-peopled colonies it is the pro tecting duty alone that keeps up wages. In Jamaica, , Trinidad, and Guiana it is otherwise : there is in those colonies a deficient supply of labour, and a co pious immigration of free labourers can alone enable the planters to obtain continuous labour with or with out protection. But this incapability of obtaining continuous labour, as it is not the r. al source of the distress in the other colonies, so neither is it the sole source in these. Ever since the slave trade was de clared illegal in the British dominions, the cost of production in our sugar colonies has been increased, and it has continued to increase with every step in the 'ameliorated treatment of slaves and towards their ultimate emancipation ; but the N't est Indiana have obstinately shut their eyes to this change in their position. They have been resolute not to see that the change in their position was irreversible. They have for upwards of thirty years gone on managing and living as if no alteration in their modes of transacting business or io their personal expenditure had become necessary. The consequence is that, with few if any exceptions , they have come to be at the mercy of those agents in this country to whom they are in the habit of making consignments, and from who - n they have been receiving stores. The estates which are nominally the planters', belong in reality to English commercial houses. Some have been transferred to English houses, others are mortgaged to the teeth to English houses; the owners of others are so bound to their consignees that they must continue to deal with them on their own terms, however exor bitant. The West India proprietors have little capital and Its credit, and this it is that renders them unable to struggle with the difficulties of their present position, in itself sufficiently arduous. This state of affairs is rendered Woos by the disadvantageous tenures of land in some of the colonies, and by the defective state of the law of debtor and creditor in all of them. Lastly, the profligate expenditure and inadequate administration of government treble all the evils resulting from the preceding impediments to profitable industry and enterprise. '1 hese drawbacks cannot be removed by immigration, or by a loan of 500,000/., or by a grant of double th at amount. The truth is, that in one re-pect the West Indies are much in the same condition as Ireland. The nominal proprietors of the laud are not the usufruc tuary owners of it. The defective state of the law keeps the nominal proprietor in possession as a mere bail,ff, to hand over the returns from his land to his creditors. Capital cannot accumulate—improved ma nagement cannot be adopted under such circumstances. It is not the inability of our British colonies, but the. inability of the actual proprietors and managers to compete with foreigners, that requires a remedy. The first step towards a better condition of these colonies is a gene ral settlement of accounts, and the transfer ence of property toils real owners. The next is the adoption by ouch estate owner of the practice of managing his own affairs in person. The Cubans and Brazilians make their estates their homes; they eclair' their expenditure to their means and to the general habits of society around them. Our West India pro prietors deem the possession of West India estates a warrant to live in the mother-country, and to adopt the style of living of our titled and untitled aristo crscy. In the days of slavery and monopoly this might be ; but those days are for ever past. These considerations show that Lord JOIN Rt.'s- SELL'S measure leaves unremedied the real source of West Indian distress; that it is only calculated to divert attention from that source, and thereby to per petuate the distress. That the measure will be re jected there can be little doubt, nor can this grieve any man of average reflection. But it is melancholy to think that no better measure is suggested by any one, and that the crude nonsense we hear spoken on all sides gives assurance that a sound measure of relief for the British West Indies would ouly be proposed to be rejected. ITALY. CAPITULATION OF PADUA. ITALY.—The last accounts from Italy bring intel ligence of the capitulation of Padua, and the re. tirement of General Pepe to Ferrara. The reason given for the capitulation of l'adua is, that the inhabitants had sent to Vicenza to ask for pr o . tection against the populace, who, the place having been abandoned by the troops, rose and threatened the property of the citizens. This aid was ref use d , and General Pepe, finding the placc incapable of being protected, capitulated. SICILY.—Our Malta correspondent writing on the 14th inst. sags: _ We learn here by letters from Messina, by the Ardent, that a conspiracy had been discovered in that city to give up Messina to the troops in the citadel. The plot was concocted by come emplor4 of the late government. The corrupoe. deuce between the plotters and the commandant of the citadel was carried on by the way of Ciabria. the core. mandant, thinking everything arranged, ordered three hundred of hie troops to make a dem nitration in a sortie to see if the city would show in his favour, and be joi ne d by a party of Calabrese who had been promised the p lunder of the city. But they caught a Tartar, for a Stedien corporal, serving in the citadel, deserted the night before, and gave information of the plot to the committee public safety. The committee in.mi diately eructed the ringleaders, doubled the piste, prepared their forces, said cut off the communication with Calabria. The commandant of the citadel, not knowing what had t_ke n place in Messina, cent out the troops, as arranged. They were e. riven hack with immense loss, and about a hunched taken prioress, 'lwo Calabrese, coming from lteggio, were arrested and taken before the committee, and, together with those arrested in Messina, examined separately. From their examination it resulted that many respectable p er . cons are implicated. Information was also obtained that there are many pc r-ons in Malta who ate paid by the Neapolitan g ivernment ti carry on a corn. spondence between Sicily and Naples, vies Calabria. These events account for the fourteen days' quarantine which the Sicilian provisional government has imposed up en all arrivals from Volta. It is not believed that the citadel of Merino can held out much longer. The Sicilians have now fifteen gun-boats cruising in the Faro, and have cut off ad. commu nications with Calabria, from whence the citadel used to Fret its supply. Water is very scarce and bad, and the supply from the stream is entirely cut off. I am informed that Messina is completely ruined by the fire from the citadel, which is still kept up at intervals. I, ruin Robb, of the Gladiator steamer, has lie.n twice fired at by the Neapolitan sentinels, whilst walking the Marina. Should the citadel fall into the hands of the Messiness, the garrison will get no quarter, and fall it must, unless spe,.di.y relieved, for what with the blockade by sea by the gun-boats, the want of water, and heavy mortar I att, vies jut erected by the Sicilians, tnere is no further hote for them. The Ardent, on arriving at Messina on the Uth, was told that Malta was in quarantine with Sicily fourteen days, hat that if the commander went over to St. Giovanni in Cala. brie, just five index, he could get pratique; and ao Sicily and Calabii etre in free pratique, he would he in pratique also on his return. Re did so, and then communicated with Captain Rabb of her Majesty's steamer Gladiator. When the Ardent lett Messina, the men of-war lying there were the I;:i4tlista steamer Gladiator, the American frigate United States, and screw-steamer Princeton, and a large trench frigate. Sir U. GREY objected to the second clause as giving the tenant miwer to claim for improvements, although he had not paM his rent. Re did not wonder that the bill con taining such a clause had met with a considerable amount of hoetility. Mr. C. ANSTEY approved of the principle of the bill, but depreeated farther program with it on account of the ad. vaneed period of the KW lon. After a few words from Mm. MONSILL, Mr. 11. DRUMMOND replied, di vis i o n the emendment was put and agreed to without a division. Committee postponed for six months. PARLIAMENTARY ELECTORS BILL. The house went into committee on this bill. The bill con tains only one clause, which provides that persons presenting themselves t, vote at elections for memben of parliament s hall have paid the assessed taxes up to October in the pre. viola year. Mr. FORBES oppoaell the clause, u en inyuion of the principle of the Reform Bill. Sir D. L. EVANS contended that the principle of the Re form Act was left untouched, the object of the present bill being merely a slight indulience to the rate payers. The committee divided—for the clause 59 Against it The bill passel through committee, and the house resumed. BM to be reported on Friday next. The house adjourned at 5 o'clock. ELECTION commirrsEs.—YERTERDAY. DUBLIN.—The scrutiny was continued, and three votes were struck off on the ground of non-payment of the paving rate. SLIGO.—The day's proceedings consisted of the !raring of evidence to prove agency and treating. the erprews. MAILS. The mails for British North America, and the United States, will be mime up en the evening of the 23rd June. The overland closed mails, rift Marseilles, to the Mediterranean, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, lmlia, Hong-hong, Sc., will be made up on the evening of the 34th Jane. The resits fur Vigo, Oporto ? Lisbon, Madeira, Csadlx, and Gibraltar will be made up on the morning of tb 27th June. The mauls for New Sabath Waleo, Van (airman's Land, and New Zealand will be made up oh the evening of the 10th June. The mails for the West Csast of Africa and Madeira will he made up on the evening of the ;Kith June. The Wee India Mails, excluding Bermuda, Nauman, Havanna, Honduras, New Orte.va, Vera Crus, Taunploa, and Porto Bic°, and including those for Alsdeira, Jamie, Garthagen sianta Martha, Chaves, P211:01111, W ent Coast of South America, and st. Juan-de. Nicaragua, will be made up on the evening of the lot July. The mails for the Bruits, the River Plato, Mews Val." Pernarn buco, Bahia, Madeira, and Buenos Ayres, will be made up on the evening of the 4th July. The overland mails tor Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, the lonian lolanda, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Hong-Kong, and China, via Southanays toe, will be made upon the morning of the Illath July. NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. The number of STAMPS issued by the authorities of the Stamp•o:tice, during 1847, to the DAILY NEWS was 3.447.009 This, we believe, is within eight per cent. of the number ,E.sued to the Alorniny Iterated, Morning Chronicle, ant Morning Post, ALL PUT TtIOETHInt. In addition to the above, issued to the DAILY NEWS, Morning Paper, there were issued for the Event's/ 1.:44°n, TUB EXPRESS 778.714 Which was more, we believe, than wets) issued either to the Glebe or Standard, Evening Papers. 611011 WATER al LONDON lIIIIDOX. 14.—NotoI ag. maga. put b g ihgags.o.66 blb• bbb6 S. Tp.. —Yoram, la was. Mil ••••••••. aY mac wag 6. LONDON, THURSDAY, JUNE 22. THE arrival of the Calcutta despatches of the Bth of May have made us better acquainted with the origin and aspect of the insurrection in the southern districts of the Punjaub. It is a matter of grave regret that fuller and more authentic details do not confirm the impressions conveyed by the original rumour. The disturbance has been neither trivial nor accidental. The infriugement of our laws and the insult to our authority have been extreme and premeditated; and at present the probabilities are in favour of the belief that the revolt in Moultan must be regarded as another of those instances so common in Asiatic history—of a lung-concerted conspiracy sud denly and somewhat prematurely brought to a crisis. The public are already aware that this disastrous collision has arisen out of the transfer of the district of Moulton from the poesession of the DEWAN MOOLIUJ to the custody of the Lahore Durbar, or virtually to the control of the Indian government in whose hands the stripling, Maharajah, is a mere puppet. DEWAN MOOLRAJ was the viceroy of Moul tan previous to the campaign of the Sutlej, and from various considerations Lord HARDINGE was led to confirm him in his authority, in spite of the ma chinations of that arch•scoundrel of the north-western countries the Rajah Lat. SING it. The systematic reforms d COI. LAWRENCE have rendered it essential that in the same country there should not be a diversity of codes of adminis•ration, and, acting upon these views, &negotiation was opened and concluded with 9iOOL 11.Al for the peaceable absorption of his fief into the general system of the I'unjaub. Mr. VAN': AGNEW, of the Bengal Civil Service, and I.ieut. ANDER.-ON, of the Bombay European Fusiliers—two young officers of high promise and, as the event has proved, worthy scions of a service which has produced BURNES, M'SAUGHTEN, BROADIOOT, and CLARK — were deputed to Moultan to carry the treaty into effect. They left Lahore on the sth of April, with an escort of 300 Sikh troops, and completed the distance of 200 miles of bad and desert road, to the city of Moultan, in eleven days, or on the itith of April. On the day succeeding their arrival the revolt occurred. The two commissioners were at first savagely attacked. They then threw themselves into a gurree, or small village fort, and prepared to hold out until succour could reach them from Bahawulpore, or from the troops with Lieutenant EDWARDS in the l)erajat. There cannot be a question that, had these 301) Sikh followers remained faithful, this could have been accomplished, for although the hostile garrison who held the strong fortress of Moultan kept up a vigorous cannonade, Beakers upon the little party in the gurree were not serious. On the 20th April a grand attack was made by the rebels upon the two officers and their escort ; and this attack appears to have been the signal for the simultaneous mutiny of the whole of the 300 Sikh soldiers. The catastrophe was then speedily accomplished. Lieut. ANDER.sON was already disabled by his wounds ; Mr. V A NS AGNEW defended himself for a short time against tremendous odds, and in common with his companion was overpowered and slain in the true fashion of eastern treachery. These are the ascertained facts of the revolt : how far they are the offspring of any widely-organised scheme of rebellion remaii.s to be seen. The unanimous and critical desertion of the Sikh escort is acircumstance exceedingly full of suspicion; and, taken in conjunc tion with intelligence of the sympathising movements in various quarters of the Sikh territory, lends coun tenance to the belief that the standard of the seditious DEWAN will be the rallying point for all those despe rate bands of miscreants who were neither extin guished nor overawed by the terrible defeats at Moodkee and sobraon. It is unliuky that the theatre of the war should be so well adapted to their pur pose. The military position of Moulton is one of the strongest in the north-west of 1 idia. It was attempted once or twice by Hyrum Small without success; and when at last, in 1818, it did fall into his hands, it was at the cost of great efforts and 1,000 men. It must not be supposed, however, that it possesses any advantages of defence which cannot be speedily overcome by the skill and daring of our modern corps of artillery. Kote Kangra, another Punjaub stronghold, currently described as impregnable, has too recently surren dered to us at discretion to justify any uneasiness as to the result of an expedition against this southern citadel. The first impressions of the Lahore resident, Sir FRED. CURRIE, appear to have corresponded with those in England. He held the outbreak to be the madness of a few fanatics: valise quent intelligence corrected this misapprehension. He then ordered the immediate advance of a considerable body of troops from the ample garrisons of Lahore and Feroze pore. The ascertained death of the political agents materially modified these orders, and the latest intelligence represents the whole army as still in quarters, and the improbability that any important military measures can be taken until the departure of the hot season. The prudence of this measure will scarcely be doubted by those who know anything of the fatal influences of the monsoon months upon a European force carrying on operations in the field under the meridian of the Indus. Until the march ing orders were revoked the colonel of her Majesty's 10th, now at Lahore, reckoned upon the loss of half his men by climate before he could accomplish the distance of 200 miles in twenty-two marches. And yet whenever these brave fellows of the 10th do come up a al% the motley host at Moulton they will nA nil to do their duty; for it must be recorded to their honour that wixe the news of the eatbrenk reached Lahore, every man of the regiment who wee FRANC E. PARIS, WEDNESDAY, 11.30 A.M. The most terrible problem of the epoch is unques tionably the dissolution of that fearful institution, raised upon the barricades of February, the at liers nationaux. One hundred thousand pairs of hands receive from the state a daily stipend of a franc and a half, and sixty thousand claimants are knocking at she door for admission to a like bounty. The indus trial establishments forming the regular, natural, and profitable channels for labour are mostly closed, unable to stand against the combinations for increase of wages, the formation and continuance of which are facilitated by the ateliers nationaux. The opera tives who desire to extort a rate of wages which would swallow up the entire profits of the employers, have the ateliers nationaux to fall back upon for sup port, until they can compel compliance with their terms. It is feared (says a journal of this morning) that the government does not see with any very unquiet eye that army of 100,000 men that the pay of each day places at its disposal. It is anxiously demanded if this be not a - force which is reserved for a special purpose, and if the ruin of commerce and industry which its continuance pro duces, do not enter into the plans of a social revo lution, which is s cretly but certainly advancing. The state would become the grand capitalist, the grand entrepreneur, the fraud proprietor of France, and communism would issue triumphant from the crisis. In this system the ateliers nationaux would be the corner stone of the new organisation of labour—a temporary shelter presented to the operatives to enable them to wait the final re sult with patience. Such are the suspicions which have been long lurking in the minds of a large and respectable portion of the Assembly and the public, and which now have attained a consistency which forces their open expression. The government, meanwhile, doss nut pretend that the ateliers nationaux are not an enormous social evil, but, nevertheless, it resists all the remedies that are proposed. It does not defend this ter-ible establishment, nor dispute the necessity of dissolving it, but it does nut move an inch towards the attainment of this end; it promises much, but dues nothing. The Chamber yesterday was occupied with the granting of 3 millions for the maintenance of this colossal social evil; the alternative being to make the grant or let loose on the streets of Paris 100,000 men, unemployed, and without subsistence, including 20,000 liberated convicts. The grant was, of course, made under moral compulsion, but the debate indicated the sense of the Assembly. It was intimated that no further grant of more than a mil lion at a time would be given, and that serious mea sures should be adopted for the gradual and speedy termination of the establishment. The committee of secret service money yesterday called before it the members of the executive govern ment, to demand explanations of the manner in which 1,200,000 f. had been disposed of in the interval be tween the 24th of February and the Ist of June. M. Ledru Rollin, through whose hands, as Minister of the Interior, this amount of 50,0001. sterling passed, was the chief object of their interpellations; every effort was made to resist inquiry, and the traditions of the monarchy were appealed to as to the privilege of the executive to dispose of such funds without ren dering an account. The committee, however, declared that under a republic such secresy and irresponsibility are inadmissible, and M. Ledrußollin, and his succes sor, M. Recurt, were ordered to supply to a sub-com mittee the vouchers necessary to show the application of the large sum which has been disposed of. T; o 3 question of the mobilization of 300 battalions of the national guard was discussed in the bureaux, end raised serious opposition on the ground chiefly of the injurious effect produced by the difference of pay of these and the regular troops, the one being nearly double the other. The report which I mentioned in my despatches of last night of the deficit of the Piedmoutese by the Austrians near Verona, and the capture of the Duke of Genoa, son of Charles Albert, is mentioned in the journals of this morning, but has as yet received no confirmation by any advices which have arrived. Last night the att•cmpemente and disorders which took place the night before at the Hotel de Vile, were renewed. At nine o'clock considerable numbers were assembled, principally operatives, singing and crying "Viva l'Empereur !" the armed force which is always on duty at the Hotel de Ville prevented serious disorders, but the continually increasing numbers obliged more severe measures. The national guard and the line made some charges to compel them to evacuate the place. Stones were thrown at the gardiens of Paris, who were assisting the troops. Orders were then given to drive all the crowd on the quays and the neighbouring streets, which was im mediately done. Some arrests were made. The mob dispersed about 10 o'clock. Numerous patrols, composed of soldiers of the line and national guards, obliged those who had collected to move on. M. Cormenin has resigned the Presidency of the Council of State, in consequence of its incompatibility with his duties as a representative. M. Godchaux has sent a circular to his. customers, stating that he intends to wind up the affairs of his bank. The Club of the Revolution has agreed on an ad dress to the Assembly against the adoption of a " cautionment " for the journals, in which it says it considers it the most severe blow that has been aimed, against the principles conquered by the people, at the price of their blood, on the 24th of February. The Messager has the following :—" A new Pre tender is spoken of in the person of the Prince of Leuchtenburg, the son of l'rince Eugene, and a relation of the Emperor of Russia." The Marquis of Boissy, ex-peer of France, has ad dressed a long letter to M. Bastide, the minister of foreign affairs, in which serious charges are made in culpating the diplomatic arrangements of M. de La martine. These imputations are so grave that it is scarcely possible that they can fail to be answered either in the press or in the assembly. The Madrid mails of the 16th have arrived. The resignation of M. Beltran de Lis, and the appoint ment of M. Orlando in his place, which we announced yesterday as probable, appear in the Ga:eUe. MADRID, Jens 16.—Three per Cents., 22 221; cult; after Bal.a. 211 22 malt; 221 paper; Vtvr per Oenta., l 3 paper; utter Balsa, I 1 cash; rAli1•01. 41 paper; after Baba, it hrth ; Coupons, tik cash; 11• 111 i 1 uf tit. Fe:14 . 16=470 paper. ra.chauige on Laudon. at 32 dap, 0114. • • GERMANY. THE REVOLT AT PRAGUE.—BOMBARD NIENT. AUSTRIA.—The intelligence from Prague, which reaches to the morning of the 16th, shows that affairs in that city are perhaps further from a settlement than was lately supposed. The Austrian government received a telegraphic despatch from the burgomaster of Prague on the 15th, stating that the bombardment of the town had recommenced on that morning at 8 o'clock, and was still continuing, and that the com munications with the Presidium or beat of government, were Moken. The official Vienna Gazette, of the 16th which contains these tiding., adds that the ministry had already sent Count Meusdorif and Coun,aillor Klezanaki to Prague, and they expect every moment the arrival of the report and proposals of these com missioners. The following letter in the Leipzig Deutsche Al gee »wine Zeituay, of the 18th, gives fuller particulars at the progress of affairs between the contending parties; it brings intelligence up to the morning of the 16th : On the 13th at mid-day the military had completely the upper hand, and Prince Windischgra'z determined to re store the communications between the old and new town. For this purpose he caused the chain bridges over the Mol den which had been broken to be repaired, and the barn cedes on the lesser side to be taken by storm. In this affair several of the troops were killed, being shut from the neigh bouring windows. The fighting here lasted tin six o'clock in the afternoon, when the Czech party demanded a parley, and hopes were held out that the students and the people would lay down their arms. Tne Czech party howeverrequired that Prince Windischgratz and the military should leave tbs city ; con-equently, every idea of acoommodation was aban doned. The rumour was spread on the night of the 13th that there would be a general attack on all the German in habitants of the town. Great fright was caused by this, and whole fa.nilies might be seen to fly through the gates out of the town. leaving their all behind. After the breaking off the parley the people retired to Poriskal, where they con centrated themselves, and where the yagers and hussars (al lowed them to attack them. There a ti rril,le slaughter ensued on both sides; 26 hussars were thrown into the Mohlau by the people, and the bottle lasted until the 14th of June, at half-past nine. On that day General Count Dlensdorff arrived from Vienna, in order to assume the command in chief, in the hope that as the Blherniana seemed to have taken a vehement dislike to Prince Windisehgrotz, the assumption of command by Mensdorff might restore peace. This was however a vain hope; the tumult increased every moment, the tight was renewed,and the Czech party obtained poseession of the town. Prince Windischgritz then abandoned the town with the military and retired to the mountains round the city, from thence to bombard the town. The Lorenzoberg, the Marienschanze, and the Zisc %berg, were occupied with cannon; and the Clementinum, Carolinum, and Theresa num strongly cannonaded. Such was thestate of affairsonthe morning of the lfith, to which date our accounts reach. Count Leo Thun had been obliged to fly in the disguise of a servant. _ _ - A letter from Pesth of June 12 says : Last night a report was suddenly spread through the city that an engagement had taken place between the armed Italian troops and the unarmed free corps inthe barracks of theJarlits. At nine o'clock the g ra•srak was Wet, and the tocsin sided from all the steeples. The national guards repaired to the bar racks from every quarter, and an immense number of people were assembled armed with swords, guns, clubs, iron bars, and stones. Shots were tired from the windows upon the crowd, but happily they did not do much mischief. At 12 o'clock the regular military surrounded the barracks and guarded all the doors. C LT non were drawn up facing the building. The Minister of War went into the barracks and in vain endeavoured to induce the Italians to lay down their arms. It was not until 1 o'clock on the following day that they were disarmed and carried cif to Komorn. The minister new repaired to the palace to pacify the free corps, and Kossuth made a powerful address to them, pointing out their duty, to remain quiet, to harbour no th,ught of re venge, to avoid everything which might tend to renew this lamentable conflict, and to reserve all their energy and strength to meet the enemy who is menacing their country. A letter from Innapru'k, dated the 15th, says that the Emperorhad been buffering forsomedaye. His nerves have been greatly tried by the extreme excite ment in which he is incessantly kept by the various reports from Italy, Vienna, Hungary. and Croatia, and the innumerable deputations and audiences which he has been compelled to receive and give. It is ex pected that the imperial family will quit Innspruck in the course of the week, but the route is not definitely fixed. It is, however, probable that the court and the diplomatic corps, with Wessenberg and llehlhoff, will first proceed to Salzburg, while the Archduchess Sophia and her suite will repair to Ischel. The negoti4ons for peace continue. PRUSSIA.—We have received Berlin journals of the 19th, and the Cologne Gazette of the 20th, The following ministerial list is circulating in political circles in Berlin : President of the Council, Herz Camphansen ; Public Worship and Education, Auerswald ; Finance, Milde ; Interior, Pinder or Eichmann ; Public Works, Hansemann ; Foreign, Usedorn or Lychnowski ; War, Scareckenstein. The new Minister of War (Gen. Von Schrecken• stein) commanded the troops at Treves during the I late insurrection there. It will be remembered that the deputy for that city was imprisoned on the charge of having taken part in those disturbances. The Prussian government has recalled Gen. Von Colomb from Posen, where he distinguished him self by his severities a;ainst the Polish in habitants. He is replaced by Gen. Von Brun neck. This important step has, it is toiserted, been taken by the cabinet , in consequence of having received an energetic note from the French republic. Von Colomb has been appointed governor of Konigs berg. The address in reply to the King's speech was not printed up to the night. The Cologne Gazette of the 20th contains a leading article, setting forth the internal dangers to which Russia is exposed, and declaring that in case of war between that empire and Germany the latter has only to ptononnce two words, Poland and freedom. The Posen correspondent of the above journal, writing under date June 16, states that " the reports respect ing the continual marching of troops from the in ' I *fa of Books to the frontiers are well foandol " It is surprisini troops eaipioyee to march toward here at all come Wished on the that the entire c late is sontewlue According to 16th, that duchl ikon has beeu excesses comm chief president prohibition to m In a few day/ will be formed public order. FRANKI , O I constituent wise respecting the c 19th. The rest] bable that the directory of thri rious German a assembly. The Greek gr nand made by th • Turkish stale, - ambusador, N tried by the la Laving been coon the Greek tribun This refuel will cabinet , lithe' crime in Turkey, c,)nsul when elaii Sir Stratford Majesty : a attamei Constantinople 3rd, and dined w ministers were pi The insurrecti chiefs hate been their toll niers, b The budget for 11 are yet got throe@ that it was nearly The ten thouto Lyons on account awl sent by biro A dePpaf ch vertigo of Behre the Princes Mid en route for the tiou in their feet] erections, in the few hours afters than sic days fro taken upon hire Servia,,,nd stupi part ot the pros who were mew Moldavia, arrivo have lt,cn sent Cabouli Effendi _ . The Sultana IL, died on tie on the nth Veit Mahmoud. _ Another chap Darbhor Retch of Itoumelia, ha Imperi4 0 uard President or th missed. The council of all th communication UN ITEI RATIFIC. The Iliberr pool yesterday 7th. She bri 58,900'. Th York on the Boston on the The Hiberr the raiticatio end Mexico b ult. The in steamer, whie May. It is tl for Ettrupr " The treat ties on the 19 The vote on i Congress the by a comps' been issued t army, and tt between the has been apt tion of the fi the city of h duty, on the The passii opposition, chamber, ar they did no Gen. lie was expect been elect thought tb until the tr tho goverr might attar The you menu Liverp NEss sale% bi has bee piece main al bales, N Ft,o well et dole. t, dole. I Model ?dawn i. p'.et t R di, I WI ral