The Express. — London, England, 1848-07-06 00:00:00

Mr. HUME disapproved of legislative interference in dif ferences between religious stets. However, the present ease was imperative, and he should support the bill as a means of ending differences which were inflicting serious injury on the pe lee of Seethed. Mr. ANDERSON would support the bill, and give his decided opposition to the amendment. Sir 0. GREY said that the house having assented to the principle of the bill, the only question left for decision was whether the law should Is, of a temporary or permanent Character. Ile looked upon this as an exceptional case, re quiring exceptional legislation. He was unwilling that such legislation should be permanent or general, and therefore bad made up his mind to sopriort the amendment of his boo. friend the member for it • allure hshire. Many con gregations of the free church had obtained sites by the ulna tery act of the landed proprietors; but thirty remained as yet unprovided to. ; and he felt it to be necessary that par liament should s'ep in to remedy their grievance. At the same time he by no means intended to sanction the general prineild • th it wherever a congregation of 100 persons above twenty one years of are chose to secede from an estabiisbed mode of worship, parliament should be called on to compel proprietors of land to afford them sites for their churches. Mr. J. S. WORTLEY holding views similar to those of the right hon. baronet who bad spoken last, should support toe amendment. Mr. F. Al AU LE regretted to say that he had come to a conclusion different from that of the right hon. member who had just sat down. It he had prepared the bill exclusively with a view to the relief of the free church, he should at once and jur ly have been reproached with bringing in a rec. tarian measure. The Application for sites was so guarded by the bill that there wiss no danger of each. being applied for by parks suck as those alluded to by the hon. member for Renfrewshire. He, therefore, still retained his opinion in favour of the measure. He wished to say, in justice to the established church, that they had so e body laid aside all hos tility to the free church in this matter, their opposition being confined he lblieved to one petition. Mr. [MART objected to the motion of his hon. friend, lied contended that it the house interfered at all, it should do so by a full, comprehensive, and final measure. bleM ACO R EGO It hoped the bill would be pawed as it was, at least that there should be no amendment which interfered with its principle. If the bill were made general, the land lords would be ready everywhere to grant sites, and we should bear no mere of this dispute about sites for churches. He should vote against the amendment. The LORD ADVOCATE supported the amendment, and contended that as this was a measure of except:out legislation, it should be confined to those cases for which it was intsoluced. Mr. S. CRAWFORD considered that the introduction of the proposed amendment would alter the whole character of the bill by limiting its operation, not only to the free church, but to a 'mall portion of the free church. That amendment involved an invasion of the principles of re ligious liberty and equality, and he should on that ground vote against it. Mr. KEItSHAW said, if the amendment was carried, he should teel compelled to vote against the bill altogether. When it was remembered that the dissenters of Scotland comprised almost two-thirds of the population, he could not consent to any rmasure which should confine the liberty to demand sites to a small number only. Mr. DUNCAN thought the application of a lees number than 100 (or • site should be attended to. He was favour able to extending the right to all religious denominations, and rhould therefore oppose the amendment. Mr. ANSTEY observed that the only clam of non-con formists who had demanded their interference was the free church, and in ri ference to that church it appeared that in twelve out of every thirteen cues the landlords bad granted sites ; but why should they, in providing (or the exceptional case, do so by a hid which would interfere with all the property in Scotland ? He looked upon the measure as establishing a most dangerous pr. rodent, and it passed, before long there would be a demand for a much wider es• tension of its principle, so as to include Socinians, and all other sects. (Cries of " Divide.") Mr. ELLIOT said his object was to remove • grievance from • portico' a. set of pelple, without reference to whether they belonged to the free church or not. The committee then divided— Fur the retention of the words in the clause 58 For the amendment Some verbal amendments having been made in the clause, it was carried. Clauses '2 to 14 inclusive were agreed to. Oa clause 1-i, Mr. W. J. FOX said he ha.l felt some hesitation in sup porting this bill, as being an invasion of the rights of private property"; at least if they were to interfere with those rights to relieve any dissenting body of a grievance, he appre hended they must do so on dissenting principles. He there. fore moved the following amendment:—Clause 15, line 5, to omit "purpose than the purpose for which the game shall have been acquired," and substitute "than religious B pur Mr.poses. O UVERIE and Sir G. GREY opposed the amend m nt, which was withdrawn, and the clause was agreed to. Mr. ELLIOT then moved the insertion of the following clause, " And be it enacted that this act shall continuo and be in force fir the space of two years from and alter the passing thereof," declariug that he would take the sense of the committee upon it. The committee accordingly divided— For the clause Against it The pteamhle of the bill was then agreed to, the house re sumed, and the third reading was fit-c 1 for Wednesday. next. The report to be brought up to-morrow (this day). PARLIAMENT (IRELAND) BILL. On the order of the day for resuming the adjourned debate on the subject of the repeal of the union, breaght forward by Mr. J. O'CoNeate., being read, Sir B. HALL said that although the question was one to which he did not attach much importance he must beg the attention of the house to it fora lew moments. It had been introduced so long ago as the 11th of April, since when both the mover and seconder had shunted themselves frem that house; and he thought it was high time they should come to some decision as to whether the order should remain -lathe paper. (Hear, hear.) When gentlemen who set themselves forward an the leaders of a great body of the Irish people declared this measure to be a panacea for all the evils affecting that country, and yet postponed the consiueration of it from time to time, and never presented themselves to take charge of it, he thought the house would be fully justified in determining that the order ought to he discharged. (Hear, hear.) But that he might not give those gentlemen an opportunity of saying that such a course was adopted on the sugrstion of an English member during their absence, he now gave notice that on that day three weeks he should move that the order be dis charged. It was only throwing contempt and ridicule on the subject and the proceedings of that house to allow it to remain. those leaders of the Irish people were scam towed to complain that they, the representatives of Ire land, had no influence in that house ; but it was impossible for men so conducting themselves to have influence in it. It was a miserable exhibition to find a measure declared to be of such importance so neglected by the very men who brought it forward, as well as by these who professed to be supporters of it. From this charge, however, he must ex empt the hen, member for Dublin. Mr. REYNOLDS freely admitted that there - was much truth in the remarks of the hon. baronet. He must, how ever, plead " not guilty " for other Irish repeal members as well as himself, who were now engaged attending the amines in Ireland. He and many others had condemned the hon. member for Limerick for bringing forward the question upon a Wednesday when there would not be sufficient time to dis cuss it, and when that bon. member's speech alone occupied four out of six hours. He (Mr. Reynolds) moved the ad journment of the debate, and was responsible for the subse quent postponements. It was now half.past four o'clock, and the house must rise at six. Surely no one could expect him to br i ng it en then, particularly as there were only three re peal members present. (Cheers from the conservatives.) He fully understood; that good natured cheer, but he had already accounted for the absence of repeal members by stating that they were discharging other important duties in Ireland. He believed that those members, like himself, were incapable of shrinking from the discussion of the question, and it there was any intention to back out of the dismission he was not aware of it. He =seed that the debate be further adjourned to that day three weeks . _ _ Mr. SCULLY seconded the motion. He regarded are peal of the union as the only measure that could effectually benefit Ireland, and he was moat anxious it should be fairly discussed in that house. Mr. KEOGH did not wish to interfere in what appeared to him to be a very pretty quarrel, as it already stood, amongst the Irish repeal members. But he could not join the hon. baronet in exculpating the hon. member for Dublin from all blame in the course which had been pursued in re ference to this question, for that boo. member had informed his repeal auditory in Dublin that there was to be found upon the repeal benches in the House of Commons a greater amount of political rascality and protligacy—(laughter)— then in like proportion had ever di.graced the sacred benches of Concilii.tion Hall. Who could wonder then that the Irish repeal members were not present ? Neither did he exculpate the hon. member for Limerick, that bland de (Cries of " Order.") He apologised to the house if he need a term inconsistent with its rules. He would say that bland popular orator, who declared in that house that he had always encouraged the ., of Ireland to place confidence in the British 1 • tura, and who de nounced his supporters the first • on going back to Dublin. He gale them all notice that on the 31st of May, come what might, and even if he should be engsged defend ing his seat, he would bring on the question el repeal, but he did not do so, he only kept it hanging, like the sword of Damocles, over the British parliament. (Laughter.) The hon. gentleman seemed to be of opinion that the surest way of electing a repeal of the union—that measure which, in his opinion, could alone give prosperity to Ireland—was by never bringing it en. (Laughter.) If, thought he, by any chance we can get the House of Commons to agree to perpetual postponements, than the question is lmmedlatel tarried. (Lud laughter.) But for the introduction sad eat of this question he was net disposed to blame fhe i repe e aTmembers alone. He included those gentlemen on the Treasury benches who had long lent themselves to the agitation of it, and front whom the repeal members received at the last general election so ranchencouragement and con solation. The plan then was to have a returned If possible, but where that could not be, the whole power and influence of the government were employed to achieve the BUCOOIS of those very men who had kept Ireland in hot water for so many years by their agitation of a measure which, if carried, would undoubtedly lead to a dismemberment of the empire. (Hear, hear.) Well might his right hon. friend the member for Dsusgarvan smile, for in 1834 he said " Against drinking let drunkards rail—let Crockford'e Club against gamin` but let not a whig government comp lain (Cheers and laughter.) The question of repeal bad, he regretted to my, been used by some for their own purposes ; for they had forfeited their THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 6, 1848. Wit Op :profs. MAILS. The mails for Vigo, Oporto,Unlan,ilarleira, Cadte, and Gibraltar will be made up on the morning of the ith July. The mails for British North America, and the United States, will be made up on the evening of the 7th July. The overland cloeed molly rtes Marseilles, to the Mediterranean , Egypt Ceylon, India, Hong-Kong, La, will be mad, up un thil; evening of the 7th July. The Went India Mails, excluding Bermuda, Naman, Havanna, Hondurax Now Oilcans, Vera Crust, Tammou, and Porto Rico, and including those for Madeira, Jacmel, Carthage., s c ut, Martha, Chagrea Panama, West Omit of south America, and St Juan-de. Nicaragua, will be made up on the evening of the 17th July. The overland malls liar Gibraltar, Malta, Limnos, the lonian Islands, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Ilong-Kong, and China, via tioathanip ton. will be made upon the morning as the 20th July. The mail. for New South Walea, Van Usernan'a Land, and New Zealand will be made up oat the evening of Use 3(4 July. The male for the West Coat of Africa and Madeira will be mak up on the eyelids, of the 31st July. The mails for the Brasil., the tiller Plate, Moots Video, Penton. buco, Bahia, Madeira, and Buenos Ayres, will be mode up au the evening of the 4th August NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. The number of STAMPS iasued by the authorities of the Stamp-uthce, during 1847, to the DAILY NEWS WSJ 3.447.009 Thu, we believe, is within eight per amt. of the number Mimed to the Morning Herald, Morning (Aro:tick, and Morning Pose, ALL PUT TOOEIIIII. In addition to the above, issued to the DAILY NEWS, Morning Paper, there were issued for the Eventnr &Mien, THE EXPRESS 778.714 Which was more, we believe, than were Maned either to the Globe or tilandard, Evening Papers. 161011 &&&&& AT WAWA 1111001. Tn• /7 .1.. •••6 AftinserA 111 W.. post I. to• liorsu& 7t WA Not 6; Aftwesea. d dn. Not 6. LONDON. THURSDAY. JULY 6. WHEN Lord JOHN RUSSELL introduced the greet measure of reform into the House of Commoni, he supported it on three grounds—en those of right, of reason, and of expediency. The principle of right which the minister then asserted was identical with the principle pleaded by Mr. Helm, that by our old constitution all but villeins and vagrants were ex pected to concur in the election of a member of parliament. As an exemplification of the reasonableness of the demand of reform, and the absurdity and injustice of refusing it, the ministerial orator of Mil introduced I l the figure of a distinguished foreigner, who, struck with the might and glory of England, inquired into the basis of its representation and government, and was told that an old wall or a green field returned two members to parliament, whilst Man chester was excluded from the representation. The foreigner iu 1831 thought this no doubt glaringly ab surd, but he might have excused it, as an irregularity which had grown out of a system originally natural and just. Hut what would the foreigner say in 1848, when told that the old system had been changed, that reform had taken place, and that the result of this reform had been to distribute the electoral fran chise in the very inverse proportion of the population, the wealth, and the intelligence of the country ? Were Lord JOHN an ardent lover of reform, eager to exemplify the gross irregularities which mar its completion, he would first drive the foreigner across the agricultural counties of Rutland, Wilts, Dorset, Hants, and Sussex. He would have informed his friend that the rated property of these five counties amounted to seves and a quarter millions s•erling, the population to 290,000 males above 20, and the number of their electors to 55,500. Lord JOIIN might then have changed his tour to non-agricultural dis tricts, and after perambulating Middlesex and Surrey, might visit the West Hiding, Lancashire, and War wickshire. In these five counties he would have found rateable property to the amount of 29,000,000/. ster ling, a population of nearly a million and a half of males above 20, with an electoral body of 280,000. Lord Jetty should close his inspection by informing the foreigner that each of these so different districts returned almost the same number of members to par liament. In enumerating the boroughs, the exemplifier of reform and its necessity might compare Arundel with Huddersfield, 'ihetford with Liverp,ol, cnd finally might sum up 320 members returned by 180,000 elect re, and 328 memters by 900,000 electors; the rateable property represented by the 320 being six millions sterling, and that represented by the 328 being seventy-eight millions. What would the distinguished foreizner say to the a reasonableness " of such a distribution of electoral rights and political influence ? Or if he exclaimed against the preposterous inequality and injustice, how could Lord JOHN RUSSELL refute him, except by adopting the principles and the logic of Sir ROBERT INGLIS, who denied that the constitution of England was a representative one, who scouted the right of any one to any political power, save that which hereditary traditions, or the caprice, not the justice, of the legis lature gave him, gnd who saw no reason in any doc trine, except - .hat which declared the many to be born for the government and exploitation of the few. The memorable expressions of Lord JOHN liussELL in 1831, when insisting on the expediency of reform, were, that to consider the House of Commons a re-- presentation of the people of England was a mockery, and that the people in consequence had lost all confidence in the House of Commons. Whether the great measure of 1832 has not left it still a mockery to assert that the people of England are fairly represented in parliament, is a question which we leave facts and figures to answer. And whether the House of Commons has completely recovered thtt confidence of the people which the present minister declared it to have lo4t, is a question which every one is able to answer, and one which, in our opinion, the great majority will continue to answer in the negative, until all cavil and cause of malcontentment is taken away by a principle, not of temporary expediency, but of permanent justice, being adopted, as the basis of the representation. The multitude even of liberals object to change, and are eager to embrace finality and fixedness in settling the foundations of the con stitution. We, too, are partisans of fixedness in eo vital a point. But we repeat it, there is no fixedness in expediency; there can be no staving off of change by pleading that the present system, however unequal and unjust, works well, and that it is dangerous, especially at the present moment, to alter it. This excuse, not defence, of the present system, goes to shake it, and to render it far more insecure than the most open attack or the most radical objection. The franchise, which I is the very foundation of our constitution, ought to be based on the granite of principle, not the perishable pile of expediency. The worst of the present system is, that it is based on nothing at all. It is not based on population ; it is not based on property ; it is not based on intelli gere. It is founded partly on chance ; partly on pre scription, with a very small int, or a ff ec t a t ion , of justice. It is built on the old ed system, which, " as a mockery, had lost the confidence of the people," bolstered tap with a new principle. It is an old vemel eaalked up to go anotheryear's voyage, but with timbal so rotten as to inspire the crew with terror, not bc,":, and which is considered a permanent or sa f e 1 1 Te y none Dave the rats that have burrowed in it, and which are unanimous for the expediency of not breaking it up. At present there are two questions for the minister to himself to. The one is, the extension of the franchise to a thus of electors as industrious and intelligent ea the present, but who have not attained the same amount of security or of property. The other is, the equalisation of the frimthies Amm o that class, already esteemed worthy to possess it. Both am important, and we do not want to make the ate yield to the other. We merely would premise, that the ts which apply to the rebutting of the one, do suffice for the rejection of the other. If minister, ar if parliament are determined that no one, save the inhabitants of at least ten poun d houses shall participate in the franchise ; if dete rm i ne that the great man of the earners of • country shall go still unrepresented and unreoonciled ; that is no reason for contanuinf to keep the middle claws political Bah of the higher ones. That is no reason for subjecting trade to land, and monied industry to rentedidlenees. That can be no reason and no excuse for conglomerating and monopolising electoral rights and a parliamentary majority, in counties and boroughs under the complete sway of the agricultural interest, whilst the mere crumbs of political power are let drop for that great majority in the country, which are cheated into furmiug but a minority en parliament. What ministers and what true conservatives mast obviate is, the possibility of such accusations as these being made—what they must destroy is, the existence of inequality and injustice so re volting and so dangerous. It will not do to say, that the system cavilled at is far from perfect, far from just, but that the system re commended in its stead is impracticable, is visionary, is pernicious. Nothing can be so pernicious as for the governing class to hug the misshapen and ini quitous system by which they profit, on the pretence that justice is impracticable and relorm dangerous. We deny that they are so. We deny that the re forms proposed are either visionary or revolutionary, or even democratic. No one in the ranks of re formers wants to divide England into electoral squares, count voters like sheep, or swamp the rica and the intelligent by the indigent and the igno rant. If popula' ion be thought too democratic a prin ciple, whereon to apportion out the franchise, do not take population as a principle. Take population and property together, and let the number of members to each district be in the combined ratio of both. It is the blessing of England that population and property go together. If in our emp:re there be districts where there is population without property, do rot give them the franchise, or allot the proportion of members to mere numbers and rotten pauperism. A property qualification demanded for the district will imply and secure it in the election of the members. This is not visiosary —this is not unpractical—this is not democratic. On the contrary, it is feasible as well as just and as a principle, with one hundred times more fixity and ust ice than the nc-principle laid down in 1832—that moving sand into which the whigs have cast the ever-dragging anchor of expediency. Tim Incumbeeed Estates Bill seems at length in a fair way of being thoroughly discussed, and we trust eventually carried. The delay which has hitherto arisen is so far unpropitious to its success, that it gives colour to the insinuation widely and industriously propagated by the opponents of the measure, that the government are not sincere in their professions of desire that it should become law. Their culpable negligence in the manner of originally framing the bill, and tardiness in pressing it forward in its amended shape, have done enough towarrant distrust of their real purpose. But we are willing to acquit them of any thought of playing false to the country on so im portant a subject; and the presence of nearly all the cabinet who are members of the House of Commons during the morning sitting of Tuesday, which had been specially appointed for considering the bill, ap peared to be intended to give an assurance that, how ever late, they are at length in earnest. The explanatory leatement of the policy of the measure and of its principal provisions was made on behalf of the government by the SOLICITOR GE NERAL. It is no disparagement of the lucid and well arranged exposition of Sir J. RomILLY, to say that we have more thanordinarycause for ri grettingthatthere is at present no Irish law officer in the house. On a question so intimately connected in every branch with the peculiar details of local practice as to land, and money, and law, imperfect information on the part of those who seek to change the enactments regulating all of these matters is much to be deplored. It is not the fault of any English practitioner that he is unacquainted practically with their details ; tt has never been his business to know them. Their sphere lay out of his sight and out of his range of Inquiry ; and, however astute his understanding on general subjects may be, or how great soever his facility in "making himself up" for a particular discussion, it is neither possible that he should be thoroughly cognisant of all the bearings of the case, or that parliament or the public should believe that he is so. Justice compels us, how ever, to add that everything which industry, care, and ability could reasonably be expected to do, has been done by the Soticeron-Gessiw. in the present Matinee ; and his speech on moving that the house should go into committee on the bill was listened to with great and merited attention. We gather from it that the amended bill now affords two distinct facilities whie , did not heretofore exist for the sale of encumbered properties in Ireland The creditor and the owner may if hn chooses proceed by way of petition instead of by way of bill in equity. This alternative is one of practice, not containing any new pri .ciple. Petition is said by Sir JOHN HOMILLY to be a cheaper mode of proceeding in Chancery for the purpose of compiling a sale, and therefore he gives it. Many of the best informed of the Irish lawyers and solicitors avow their belief that it will be fully as costly and tardy as the old method, and we suspect they know more of the mat ter where a question regarding their own gains is concerned than any English law-officer can be sup posed to do. But if there be a chance for economy, and no strong objection can be urged to giving the choice suggested, by all means let it be given. The second concession is of a different kind, and leads to much wider consequences. A power is given to any proprietor of freehold estate, or any creditor having a legal charge upon the inheritance, to sell the whole or any adequate portion of the lands, upon certain conditions, of which the principal are that notice of the intention to sell shall be duly served upon all other parties who may be interested in the estate, as persons having charges or incumbrances thereon ; and that in all cases whatsoever the pur chase-money shall be paid into court, to be thence distributed to those who may establish their claims to it respectively. It is to this permissive power, as opening the door to collusion and to fraud, that the most plausible op position is raised. We say plausible, because with out denying that there are some grounds for it, in the nature of the proceedings so allowed, we wholly dis believe the notion that other and very different motives mingle potentially with them ; nor have the speeches delivered by Mr. NAPIER and Sir Lucius O'BRIEN upon the first stage of the committee tended by any means to weaken this impression. '1 he amendment moved by the latter gentleman, to the effect that Eng land and Scotland should be included in the bill when at the same time its provisions are denounced as mischievous and wrong, needs no commen tary. And the unmeasured terms of reproach with which the principle of liberating land from the fetters of entail was assailed by the learned member for the University of Dublin leaves little room for doubt as to the political quarter whence the opposition springs. In due time we shall, doubtless, have Mr. STEWART and Mr. HENLEY, and others of the protectionist chiefs, bringing up the main body of their forces to resist all further change in the right direction. Some few Irishmen like those we have named may be induced to lend their aid or sanction to the opposition; but to the great majority of Irishmen, both in and out of parliament, the hope of seeing the present destruc tive system of land-owning to Ireland gradually changed is but too welcome, and by them it will be zealously supported. The speech of Mr. MONSELL, the tory member for Limerick, is a tolerably plain indication of this. Like many others of his party, Mr. MONSELL sees that the true interest of improving landlordism is to get rid of bad landlordism u fast as it is possible. They feel that both are encompassed by common dangers, and that to bide by the wreck is inevitably to perish. They are for striking oct boldly while there is time, and swimming for their lives. They are right ; let them have courage and constancy, and they will yet be laved. But the obsolete notions of the sanctity of entails must be resolutely abandoned. In a country circum stanced as Ireland is they amount to infatuation. If the landed gentry are wise they will see their true in terest in time, and follow it. They will gladly rid themselves of pecuniary liabilities which now oppress them, by getting rid of property which they hold but in name, and are wholly unable to improve. By this path there may yet be salvation for them; but as suredly there is none by any other. THE revenue returns for the year and quarter end ing bth July, 1848, certainly do not warrant the more hopeful tone in which the CHANCELLOR OF THE Ea =mum affected to speak of the financial prospects of the year, in the debate on Dir. BRIGHT% motion respecting the sugar duties. These returns show a decrease in the ordinary re venue of the quarter ending bth June, 1848, as com pared with the ordinary revenue of the corresponding quarter of 1817, of 327,7411. Tne ordinary revenue of the quarter ending sth April, 1848, was in excess of the ordinary revenue of the corresponding quarter in 1847 by 67,3911. The ordinary revenue, therefore, of the first half-year of 1848, falls short of the ordi nary revenue of the first halfiear of 1847, by 260,3501. And it must be kept in mind that on the ordinary revenue of the year 1847, there was a de crease of 1,453,143/., as compared with the ordinary revenue of 1846. The only items in which the ordinary revenue of the quarter ending sth July, 1848, shows an increase upon the corresponding quarter of 1847, are the excise, the crown lands, and miscellaaeous. The in crease on the crown lands (10,0001) and on the mis cellaneous (81,56114, is not so oonsiderable in amount as to inspire much confidence, nor are these items, from their,tiature, such as to be reliable indica tions of the actual condition of the revenue or the country at large. The increase for the quarter on the excise is 182,7511., of which about 80,0001. must be set down to the transference of the carriage duties from the stamps to the excise. In the quarter ending April 5, 1848, there was an in crease of 349,7361. in the excise returns, as compared with the corresponding quarter of 1847. This in crease must also be abated by about 80,0001. (on account of the transfer of the carriage duties noticed above), in order to institute a fair comparison be tween the excise returns of the two years. The apparent increase in the excise retains for the first half-year of 1848 over the excise returns for the first half-year of 1847, is 532,4871., but deducting the 160,0001. yielded by carriage duties, it is only 372,4871. And the revenue from excise was 1,093,4921. less in 1847 than it was in 1846. The excise revenue is not recovering from the severe de pression it experienced in 1847 at a rate calculated to inspire confidence in our financial prorects ; and it was to one item of the excise duties alone that the Chancellor referred when he professed to entertain better hopes of the year's revenue now than he did in February last. The customs returns for the quarter just ended show a decrease of 71,2871. as compared with those for the' corresponding quarter of last year; and the returns for the quarter ended sth April last showed a decrease of 55,023!„ The customs revenue of 1847 was 622,6511. less than that of 1846. In the half year just closed the renewal of the corn duties tends to make the falling off appear less than it really is. The falling off in the returns from stamps for the quarter ended sth inst., as compared with the corre sponding quarter of last year, is 311,824/. ; in the quarter ending April 5, 1848, it was 198,6141. This gives an apparent decline of 510,4381., or, de ducting 100,000/. for the carriage duties transferred to the excise, a real decrease of 350,4381. There is a falling off in the returns from the pro perty tax during the quarter just closed of 48,1161. as compared with the corresponding quarter of last year. In the quarter ending April sth of this year there appeared an increase of 8,5681. as compared with the corresponding quarter of 1847. This would seem to indicate an extra exertion to call up arrears in the first quarter of the present year, with a view to present as favourable an account of the revenue as possible, leading, by a natural and necessary reaction, to the more considerable falling off in the secoad quarter. The decrease of 79,0001. in the Post-office revenue for the quarter ending sth inst. is accounted for by the payment of arrears greatly exceeding the defi ciency in question to one of the railway companies for conveying the mails. There has been no falling off in the correspondence of the country, though the rate of increase has been seriously checked by the badness of trade. Altogether the state and prospects of the revenue are such as show the necessity of far greater reduc tions in expenditure than were announced on Friday last by the CHANCELLOR OF TILE EXCHEQUER. They show the urgent necessity of an immediate revision of our whole system of taxation and of the whole of our expenditure. The ordinary revenue of 1847 was nearly a million and a half less than that of 1846, and, according to present appearances, the ordinary revenue of 1848 will be at least half a million less than that of 1847. Tne worst feature of the case is the palpable leaning of ministers to make delusive favourable representa tions of the state of the revenue. The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER effects to believe that it will turn out better this year than he at first expected. The re turns for the years and quarters ending sth April, and ith July, 1848, have some peculiarities of form about them differing from those of former years, which have the appearance of an attempt to soften and gloss over the unfavourable state of the revenue. The petty in crease in the property tax returns for the quarter end ing sth April of the present year, and much larger decrease in the returns of the quarter just closed, tend also to raise suspicions of an effort to represent matters en beau. It is to be apprehended that mi nisters are afraid to tell the country the plain truth respecting its financial condition—perhaps to look it resolutely in the face themselves. Such paltry attempts at popular and self delusion can only aggravate the mischief. The country ought to insist upon knowing the worst, in order that there may be some chance of remedies adequate to the emergency being had recourse to. The truth cannot long be concealed, and all that ministers can gain by flittering misrepresentations is the loss of any little financial reputation they may still retain, and the responsibi lity of increasing the national embarrassments. FRANCE. PARIS, WEDNESDAY, 11 A.M. Great division of opinion prevails in the Assembly respecting the project of the constitution. As yet the discussion has been confined to the bureaux, of which it will be remembered there are fifteen, each containing sixty members. The preamble containing the declaration of rights has been hitherto the chief subject of discussion, and on the question of rejecting this " in toto" the bureaux have been very nearly equally divided. The " en semble " of the preamble has only been admitted by very small majorities, and even where ad mitted the articles composing it have been seriously modified. M. Cormenia himself, the au thor of the preamble, has seen it necessary to propose the withdrawal of the unqualified acknow ledgment of the right of labour and instruction. It is evident that the entire project will undergo serious modifications. The question of one or two chambers has also muchdivided opinion. It is intended that a debate on the principal points shall be geld in the Assembly at an early period, in which all the leading members will take a part. The report which I mentioned—that M. Dnpin in tended to propose that Gen. Cavaignac should be appointed president for 15 months, and which was generally credited here, is, I am assured, witl'ont the least foundation. Although the loan agreed upon by the former go vernment with the Bank of France of 150 millions has been adopted by the present government and sanctioned by the c .amber, this has not been done without some reluctance, and under the pressure of over-ruling necess:ty. The election of General Lebreton at Questor, which I announced yesterday, is another triumph of the moderate party in the chamber. Among fifty arrests which took place ye s t er d a y o f persons thawed with participation to the late insur rection several are of a very important character. Among them are the Mayor of the 12th arrondisse ment, a Captain of the Etat Major of the 12th Legion of the National Guard, a Captain in the Garde Mo bile, and several officers of the National Guard. As I announced yesterday would probably hapFell f a division of the army of the Alpe arrived last at Vincennes. It is announced that Bing Charles Albert has invited Marshal Bugeand to take the command of the principal corps of his army, and that the Marshal has arrived in Paris, to come to an understanding with the Government on that subject. Sixteen hundred prisoners confined in the Fort divry, have attempted to escape by excavating a passage from their dungeons with large nails. A meeting of the principal officers charged with the examination of the insurgent prismers took place on Monday, to speay, such as taken with arms in their hands, are liable to be transported to the colonies. A special commission is to be appointed to examine into this matter. Gen. &dem, who, when con fi ned by his wound, was appointed Mini ster of Foreign Affairs, has de clined the office, and M. Bastide, who was to be transferred to the Ministry of Marine and Colonies, remains in the Hotel des Affairs. Etrangems. Who is to occupy the Marine is not yet settled. The Ministry of Public Instruction is still in &he It is understood that M. Carnot will retire s It is announced in the journia of to-day t Prince Louis Napoleon declines the office of rep tatire of Corsica, to which he has been almost o mously elected. Short as the period is that has elapsed sit e . establishment of a new government, givinz ga me like a promise of secu ri ty, it has sufficed to r t ., oonfideace, and many of the Paris manufacturers had closed their workshops have already ris business. On Sunday night 200 prisoners, confined i o • l•arracks of the !tire de Tournon, dug throogh ground to the quarries beneath, and desceudeo them. There is, however, no issue to the quarts!, that escape is impassible. A lieutenant des ateliers nationaux fur a po t t ot the 2nd arrondissement, having examined a lie the men employed under him, has anertai* t6 out of 53, there were only 15 w h o ought to ha re br lt ' inscribed. LO:III3.IRDY.—/1 Itisoryimento of July 1 r„,, that an envoy of Radeteki had arrived at Va 11,,,,„ with a despatch for Charles Albert. It w u saie t ; it contained proposals to conclude peace. The 1111lah Gazette of the 30.1 i says that its% reported that Radetaki was about to enter %r at with 15,000 troops, with a view o f marching , Milan. The Ducal Palace was being repaired, i t ._ said, for the ez-Duke of Mod ena . Cann°, heard on the aide of Chiusa. The Pieducoter 148—• great numbers passed the Adige to attack Verna l ,„ the left bank of the river. NAPLES.—We have received despatches from o er Naples correspondent to the 28th. The condition Naples is such as to render the future fate of th e kingdom extremely doubtful. Th e emit of the attempt to procure a parliament, se i metd by a different spirit from the last, has eat been favourable. Some of the provinces, es No Calabrias, have risen in open insurrection, ot r , at Apulia and the Basilicat have refused to e h * deputies, in consequence of those they forraerlyelesto being dissolved, and others have reelected die former deputies. The Marquis Dragonetti openly threatens to impeach the ministers for dissolving a te chamber. It is said that the dissolution was te tt of Bozzelli, and not the suggestion of th e Ki ng. The Calabrian insurrection had assumed a fze. midable character, the insurgents not only hei rig animated with a desperate enthusiasm, but shoo t s. sisting of large numbers. It was though', hovels, that the military farce was sufficient/3' strong to suppress them. A revolt had taken place on the 25th among*, galley-slaves at Procida. It was said that this ono. Dated in the refusal of the government to liberate those who had completed their term d punishment. Some contend that the mores leg g was political. In the morning, while the awl:lain" and troops were occupied in a religious proemial, . 1,700 of the slaves armed themselves with swords axes, and crow-bars, and attacked a body of about 100 men left in charge of them; the latter were sox reinforced by the Islanders and a portion of the Nfr tional Guard. The conflict continued several hoary until reinforcements arrived from Pozzuoli and from Naples. At length the insurrection was subdad, About SOO of the prisoners were killed and wounded, about half that number, at least, being killed. CONSTANTINOPLE.—We have letters fret Constantinople to the 19th ult. Prince Ca'honk, ambassador at London, had sent his resignation se consequence of the dissolution of the cabinet Reschid Pacha. A despatch, however, was to London requesting him to retain his post. case he should retire, it was understood the he would be succeeded by M. Massaro; Turkish envoy at Athens. The Greek government had still evaded the stances of the Porte to obtain the surrender of t assassin who attempted the life of M. Muslim Said pacha ex-Seraskier had been exiled to Sinei in consequence of his political intrigues. A large portion of Pere was destroyed by first the night of the 17th. Upwards of 3.000 houses me burned. The the lasted about ten hours. Sir Sus ford Canning was still at Athens. pledges, and excluded 'from that house others who woad have honestly represented the country. He need not specify names or places ; hut when he heard the boa. mem ber for Dublin declare himself and others blameless, and at the same time declare that they regsnled the repeal of the union as • substantial question, he egauld not avoid observing that his and their acts were not mach as to lead any radoW man to suppos e otherwise than that that question had been usedas a pretence, to enable them to obtain seats in that house, thereby deceiving the people of Ireland, and injuring the character,uf the British House of Commons. (Hear.) The question of adjourning the debate to that day three weeks was then put and agreed to, upon which Mr. REYNOLDS, is order to entitle himself to reply to the hon. member for Athlone, moved the adjournment of the house. He denied having used the observations attributed to him by that hon. gentleman. He had known that hon. gentleman long, but had never yet heard of his being guilty of one act of public utility to his country. (Laughter.) His attack up in the hon. member for Limerick reminded him of the old saying—" Put an Irishman on a spit, and you will get another Irishman to turn him." ( Roars of laughter.) The hon. baronet had put the hon. member for Limerick on • political spit, and the hon. member for Athlone turned him. He gave that hon. gentleman joy of his new appoint ment of turnspit. (Much laughter). He had stated that cer tain Irish members of that house had received comfort and consolation from the Treasury benches. Now he shoeld like to have that translated into plain English. He liked open and advised speaking—(laughter)--and not vague insinua. tion. He was aware that there were some apostates in that house who owed their seats to their pretended advocacy of a repeal of the union ; but he knew also that there were other hon, members who owed their seats to the influence of wholesale beroughmongers, and whose expenses were paid by money remitted from this country, justifying the act, he supposed, by the argument that the prosperity of Ireland would be increased by the infusion into that country of British capital. (Laughter.) He would not say that any of it found its way to Athlone. (Renewed laughter.) What the hon. gen tleman meant by "comfort and consolation from the Treasury benches" he was at a loos to understand. He (Mr. Reynolds) bad certainly not received either one or the other from the government. (Loud laughter.) He was not sent into that house to distract its counsels, nor as a waiter to providence, nor as an expectant lawyer watching to pick up the crumb, from the table of a future administration. lie wan an independent member, and amongst those who voted Inc him were some of the most uncompromising opponents of • repeal of the union. He did nut eater that fifties as • repealer alone, hut as possessing other qualifications supposed to be necessary for the due dis charge of the duties of that house. He quite admitted that a great question like the repeal of the union ought not to be made a handball of ; that it it was not to be followed up it ought to be withdrawn; and unless it were brought on on that day three weeks, he would join the hon. baronet in ealliag on the house to discharge the order. (Hear, hear.) He begged to say that there was no quarrel between him and the bon. member for Limerick, as the hon. member for Athlone seemed to say. He desired to lee the legislature of Ireland restored to her, believing that such a measure was consistent with a close aad intimate connexion between the two countries; end he would as readily oppose it as he now advocated it, if ne thought it could in any degree endanger , that connezion. Mr. KEOGH said, after what had fallen from the hon. member tor Dublin, he claimed to offer a few words in ex planation. When be spoke of a quarrel between the hon. members for Limerick and Dublin, he had nut meant it in the sense which the hon. member assumed. 'lb.' hon. member took it in • more serious sense than he (Mr. Keogh) had intended. He (Mr. Keogh), however, ob , erved that he had touched upon a sensitive point when he alluded to the hen. member having received comfort and consolation from the Treasury bench. He did not m an comfort and conso lation in the shape of broad pieces of pounds, shillings, and pence, and he would state what he had meant to assert. It was this, that the hoar. member for Dublin, being a violent supporter of the repeal question, had at the last election opposed the late member, Mr. Gregory; and that while the government professed to be the strenuous opponents of repeal, the very first vote tendered at the last election for the hoar. member opposite (Mr. Reynolds) was to tendered by her Majesty's present Attorney-General for Ireland (hear, hear), who was so zealous in the cause, that not finding the deputy in the booth fur the district in which he was reginertd, he pulled out his watch and called on these present to notice that the booth had not been opened at the proper time, adding that if Mr. Reynolds was lad returned be would on that ground have matenais for • petition to the House of COOIMOLII. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Keogh) would not however rest on this isolated case, but would go further, and state that at the last election he had seen, and could pro duce if necessary, a letter written by the Attorney General for Ireland, who bad conducted prosecutions against men who carried only a little too far the principles agreed to in a modified form by her Majesty's government—a letter under his own hand, addressed to the agent of a candidate standing at the Gat election in opposition to the government, in which he (the lash Attorney-General) stated that although he was not himself a ;repealer, he would much prefer the repeal candidate to be returned than a supporter of the right hon. baronet the mem ber for Taiuworth. (Hear, hear.) Now, when the hon. member fur Dublin again came forward to make whole sale denials he ought to be prepared to meet the accusations of any hon. member why disputed his assertions. What he (Mr Keogh) had now stated he knew :o be true, and he defied contradiction. With respect to the words e had at tributed to the hon. member, as having been uttered in Con ciliation-hall, he (Mr. Keogh) had just been informed by the hon. baronet the member fur Marylebone (Sir B. Hall), who took an interest in matters of this kind, and sometimes fell across some of the " tit bits" of the hon. member for Dublin's oratnry—(a laugh)—that he (Mr. Keogh) had quoted the hon. member correctly, and that the hon. mem ber had said in his place in Conciliation-hall that on the re peal benches in the House of Commons there sat a greater amount of political profligacy and political rascality than ever disgraced the sacred benches which had been consecrated by the presence of the liberator of Ireland. (" Hear," and laughter.) He (Mr. Keogh) made this assertion from the reports contained in the public print of Dublin ; but, after he had sat down, the hon. baronet (Sir B. Hall; informed him that the quotation was perfectly correct, and that he had only just sent away the paper containing the speech by his servant, thinking he eheuld not require it on the present occasion. (Laughter ) After this explanation, he (Mr. Keogh) apprehended the house would not think that he had only hazarded the asaer tions he had made. If he had bad the slightest imagination that the house would to-day have been called upon to discuss this false-pretence question of repeal, he would have been prepared, not with one or two, bat with twenty, instances'of similar conduct to that he bad rated having been pursuni . on the part of her Majesty's government, and to have proved that he was justified in saying that they had been playing " fast and loose " with the question of repeal, in order to secure those majorities at the last election, to which their political consistency did not entitle them. (Hear.) Sir G. GREY had not intended to have interposed in the present very irregular discussion between the two hon. mem bers—who, he must say, were very equally matched—but he rose simply in consequence of the unprovoked, uncalled for, and unprecedented course which had been taken by the hon. and learned member for Athlone (Mr. Keogh) in availing himself of such an opportunity to make a wholesale charge against the government, or rather the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, upon the meagre evidet.ce of a vote given probably Le n fat at a t d h it i t et g rounds by c tp t e Attorney., t f i e ., : ) ln b eir i . ,.. General for Mr. KEOGH.—Not given but te ndered. Sir Sir G. GREY.—WeII, upon • vote tendered, the hon. and learned member had brought a wholesale charge against the government, represented by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, of haying thrown all their powerand influence in favour of the repeal candidates:at the Gat election. He (Sir G. Grey) believed the secret of this attack was that what ever had been the solicitation to obtain the influence of the government, it bad not been given to secure the return of the hon. and learned gentleman opposite. (Hear, hear.) AU that be (Sir G. Grey) could at present do, was to meet the charge by a general denial; and in proof, he might mention that his right bon. friend the Secretary for Ireland (Sir W. Somerville) had, at the last election, met the most determined opposition of the very body who it was as serted had received comfort end consolation from the govern ment. (Hear, hear .) Let the hon. and learned gentleman bring forward a distinct charge against the Lord Lieutenant for having misused his power, and the government would be prepared to meet it ; but he (Sir G. Grey) must protest I against these sweepiag charges being made without notice, and only supperted by mere declamation and general tuner. lion. (Hear, hear.) Mr. REYNOLDS expressed his readiness to withdraw his motion for the adjournment of the house, but several hon. members objected to the motion being withdrawn. The SPEAKER therefore put the question, which was negatived without a division. APPEAL IN CRIMINAL CASES BILL Mr. EWAST said thig 111 dr select committee on the subject of the criminal kior MIMI yet made its report, he would postpone the sicced mew a this bill until this day fortnight. __ HORSHAM BOROUGH BILL. Mr. BANHi3S maid that tboegb the bW had hem intro duced by the noble lord at the Wed elks pvilwariit, sad had been pending many wed= se =Ember sun= le lays charge of it. It bad stood =sr Is order to give doe le pro ceed with the general ne==e, including other ble brought forward by the boa. berm= the atiffibre Flint (Sir John lialumw), but es dot MI was ad INEk pads in the present seedsa, sad se he was &draws es drew that he and those on Ws side of the home were mask= kr inquiry with a view to put an end to bribery, be droll moire that the bill be now read a moo= time. Sir O. OBEY stated that the bill had Mood over In NOM. Tome of the intention of hie noble friend Lord J. Rus sell) to proceed with it in case the measure of the hoc:en ber for Flint should fail to receive the emotion of the legis lature. Kr. MILKS su ppor ted the bill, and truted his hoe. irked (Mr. Banked would preen his motion. Mr. Hi:IME objected to the bill being taken out of the bands of the noble lord at the heed of the government, as being warm to all prior parliamentary pt adios. After • ornversa In which Mr. BLiIIOID, Kr G. GAIT, and Kr. Fouts took part, Mr. D'RYNCOURT roved r an sineadreat that the debate be edjorred to this day week, In order that the asii• lord (Lord I. Russell) should himself have an apperlmilly of stating what coulee he proposed to take with rupee lit this KU._ Dr. BOWRING mieonded the ameadrosnt. ba Mr. FITZGERALD said, as the moon returned mew bee for the borough of Horsham, he to Mob lid Ms constitusata, so br from &Wing to n were Me ilssa to court inquiry into the state of that (Mrs= All they complained of was, that while inquiry was the unprecedented course ahould have been taloa of ow pending the writ. (Hear, hear.) For hiroaslf he MOM* is Give every assistance in his piwer to the inquiry whenever ft might -take place. (Hear, hear.) . After *lbw words from/Mr D. L. Evans, Sir O. OunT, end Mr. ZLIOT, the gallery was cleared for a division. None however took pleas, the amendment for adjourning the deflate to this day week Itavieg been agreed to. PUBLIC BU , ITESS OF THE HOUSE. On the motion of Mr. E. Dantaon, the following mem bers were nominated as select committee to consider the beet means of promoting the despatch of public business In this house:—Lord J. Russell, Sir R. Peel, Sir O. Grey, Sir J. Graham, Mr. Hume, Mr. Disreeli, the lord Advocate, Mr. Goulburn, Sir R. 11. Inglis, Mr. Bernal, Sir W. Heath cots, Mr. Cobden, Mr. M. J. O'Connell, Mr Brothetton, Mr. Henley, Mr. 0. A. Hamilton. and Mr. E. Deniwn. The house then (at sin o'clock) adjourned. GERMANY. We hare received our usual files of German pap from Berlin of the 3rd instant; Cologne the 411; and Vienna the 30th ult. The whole of their We& gence is contained in the following letter frown correspondent: COLOGNE, ins 4. Up to the Ist instant considerable excitement prentlid amongst numbers of the working classes in Berlin. Ake days ago, a body of 1,400 operatives proceeded in madam order through the streets of that capital until they redid the residence of the new Minister of Public Works,with elm they demanded an interview. On being informed that ht had gone to the constituent assembly, they hurried is dii direction of the Sing-academie, but were prevented by tio civic guard in duty from approaching it too closely. Theytbs dispersed. In the evening the rappel was beaten, bat re disturbances ensued. The commission appointed by the constituent assembly* prepare the new draft of the constitution has relabel to place the recognisance of offences of the mm within the competency of the ordinary tribunals— Meantime, in orthr to avoid the delay which a total reo of the laws relating to the press will give rise to it is premed to introduce a provisional law embodying the principle able set forth. The deputies to the democratical congress in Berlin se rapidly arriving in that metropolis. They had not bean any way disturbed by the police. According to accounts from Posen up to the 29th eh, General Von Brunneck was displaying a friendly spirit wit regard to the Polah i,habitants ; and, on the other hist had ceased to place implicit reliance in the statemecu of tk German committee. The Polish inhabitants are quiet Is the present, but sullen and discontented. The enthudasm manifested towards the Archduke Johns( Austria bthe people of Vienna continues undiminished On the lath ult. he reviewed fsd,ooo national giurdi who gave him the most cordial reception. Immense crowd , of spectators were present at the review. It appears by the Cologne Gazif te of this day, thse on the 30th alt. a conflict took place at Apenrade betwess some German volunteers and Danish troops, and that the latter, after being repulsed, marched towards Fuw.n. It is all but official however that a treaty of peace will be shortly concluded. Letters from St. Petersburg of the 24th tilt. state that the cholera was raging there, in Moscow, and numtrous Mbar parts. In the capital not less thin six large hospitals had been opened for the reception of patients. On the evening of the 30th ult., the official gazette of Berlin announced, in an extraordinary supplement, the election of Archduke J ohn of Austria as vicar of the Germs empire. The announcement caused a considerable stir in the higher political circles, but not generally. The citation did not give rive to any questions or observa.ions in the coast tuent assembly during its sitting on the let inst. The sp pointment of Herr Von Bader/Wrens president of the Ber lin police, is now official. The committee appointed to prie pare anew the draft of the address, in reply to the KV speech, has declared against any discussion of the I*l in the assembly, on the ground that the ministry who demanded that discussion, in order to have the S . portunity of cleat ly explaining and justifying its Pet conduct no longer existed. Tne Prussian constituent s. sombly voted, on the lit inst., a bill having in view the obliging of members to submit to a new election after thet accept any paid post. A Pomeranian member complained that, during his election, he was knocked down by a cost chamberlain and calumniated. The Minister of Justice rye' raised, amidst the cheers of the assembly, to inquire lends case. A motion to the effect that the proposed coai ferenoe of professors and schoolmuters should est take place until the members be fieely elects& was rejected by a majority of 107 to 14.1. This result art down an a slight victory on the part of ministers. A comer cation ensued relictilift the excitement of the sordid classes in Berlin. The Minister of Public Works stated that it had been found necessary to send a number of operating from the capital in order to be employed on the lioniphall railway. When this determination was made known the day labourers created disturbances, and committed excesst until the armed force interfered. The minister declared that he could not undertake to find work for all the unmet pied, for such a system would directly lead to Whet nationanx. (Cheers,) The proceedings in the Frankfort constituent assembly oa the Ist -natant were interesting. A motion, to the effect that those members who have been also elected fez the forth diet in Vienna shall be allowed to return to the F trembly on the termination of their labor in the Austrian capital was rejected. The committee of later' national affairs then presented its report respecting the pro podtiatts relating to an alliance with France and the United States. It appears by the report that the committee do not entertain the opinion that a war with Russia is imminent, or that the reports of a great concentration of troops on the seaters frontiers of Germany are devoid of essegertudn-,_ Nevertheless, the reinforcement of the German troops, !n " 1 '" to enable them to make head, if necessary. against the Russian ones is recommended. A war with France, it hatledem,piaire will not likely n y to e erise acknowledging the French Republic, and sending a Oertnald ambassador to Paris. An animated and even stor m y dis cussion ensued tweeting a communication from the Baden o , d an ou d bt th , e th L e ie n n necessary t-G st e pe ni f t g ministry, relating to the election at Thiengen of Herr Hecker (the we known republican leader) as a member of the coS stituent assembly. Finally the cue was referred to a special committee. The assembly then decided that the Austrian government should be invited to Late steps for procuring the