The Express. — London, England, 1853-07-21 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WZDNEsatT, JOLT 20. The Sre.a►ca to.,k the chair at noon. PRIVATE BUSINESS. REPORTS OF I* COMMITTEES AGREED TO AND BILLS ORDERED TO STAND lOU tutu) READING. Ayrshire and Galloway (Smithtown and Dalmellington) Railway; Caledonian Railway (connecting branch with ildinhergh and Glasgow Railway, &c) ; anal Farago Railway. The Severn and Wye Railway and Canal Bill was read a third tame. l'auneelort Duncombe's Estate Rai was real a second time. PUBLIC BUSINESS. CLITIIEROE ELECTION. -COMMITTAL OF A WII NESS. Mr. 0. A. HAMlLioiappeare d at the bar and re ported that Robert Fowler, one of the witnesses before the Clitheroe election committee, bed twin 'silty of prevarica tion in giving his evidence, and that be tMr. Hamilton) chairman of the committee had committed him to the cus tody of the Sergeant-at•Arins to await the pleasure of the house. VACCINATION EXTENSION BILL. Sir J. PAKINOTON moved the second reading of this bill, which he sail had received the sanction of the other house of parliament, and the object of which was to pro vide better seeuritii fur the protection of the public against the ravages of the small pun. The voluntary sys tem having been tuund insufficient, it was newreast7 to make vaccination compulsory, arid it was for that purpose the bill bad been introduced by a noble friend of his (Lord Lyttelton) in the House of Lords, and having been affirmed by that branch of the legislature, it had now come down fur the assent of the House of Commons. Lord I'ALM hits rON gladly supported the motion for the second reading, upon the understanding that the right hon. baronet would, between this and the committal of the bill, turn his mind to the subject, with a view to make such alterations in the details as would make the bill less liable to the objections to which it was now open. (Hear.) Mr. BRADY opposed the bill as being impracticable and wholly inadequate for its purpose. Sir 0. STRICKLAND objected to the bill because it was compulsory. Mr. FREWEN would also vote against the bill. It was proposed to enforce vaccination before the child was three months 041, under a penalty of from If. to U. But how were they to compel payment of this penalty as against the poor? The motion for the second reading was then put and agreed to—the opponents of the bid declining to divide against it. ♦I'TORNEYS' CERTIFICATE DUTY.- TUE AD- VERTISEMENT DC I Y. On the order of the day for , the second reading of the Attorneys' Certificate Bill, Lord R. GROSVENOR thought that this was one of those occasions when on appeal might be made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and that his tight hon. friend would have thanked him for the opportunity of conferring a boon upon the class whose cause he advocated, who were suffering from a special grievance, and the majority of whom suffered severely. There was one other circumstance to which he mast allude, and that was the alteration which the Chancellor of the Exchequer bad made in the duty. Ilia right how. friend might think him very um.trateful to say se, but really that proposition was more distasteful than the original tax itself. In his speech is introducing his financial scheme, his right hon. friend stated that the attorneys had suffered by retest legislation, and that there ought to be some remedy. The remedy which he proposed was to take off owe-fourth of the duty, viz., 3/. out of 121. in London, and 2/. out of 81. in the country ; and then to reduce the duty on articles of clerk ship. That reduction, which was not asked for, was pleaded in bar to the further consideration of the subject. He did not know what could have induced his right how. Edged sot to treat the advertisement and certificate duties L the same comprehensive manner as he had dose ether taus. The ulble :ord concluded by moving the woad reading of the bill. Mr. bl URROUG II said they were about to vote for • political sham, sad if h. (Mr. )lurrousgh) bad con sulted life own &shop. he would have stayed away altogether, but he was uswillicre to lot the sable lord go sway without hie hamlets; his (Mr. 111 strangles) feeltegr, and that of the majority of the pro fession with regard to his conduct. The noble lord had pestpased his bill till the fag sad of the session, when all the junior neembers of the bar, and the frioads of the at. terneye—(lend Isughterh—were en circuit. Ilea. pa tients night laugh, but ke hoped it was at the noble bid'starmac (,aughter ) r. HUME dseeld give his inseams opposition to this motion ; set besenee he loved the tan, or was an enemy of the atterson—for was a hand of every attersoy— (a laugh)—sad wished him to be relieved ftom tazation— bet only as ems of the sosemunitv. TM,CRAMCELLORofth.k.XCHEQUERsaid he would state the reasons why he should all on the house not to adopt this proposition, bat he could sot give any assurasee that is the seat. any future year that he would repeal this duty, and for this names, that whatever might be the Amadei prospects of the wintry, there were ether subjects of logis laties which bad far awn Imperative claims than this tan es a Chancellor of the Subplot and the hoes*. (Hem. lieu.) He could not give any snob pledge, for he maw a long amy of claims fee eaesaption from Meath* which, la his opiaion, were of a higher nature than this duty. He did peonies a ',dus tiest in the certificate duty sa equable reduction both I. the certificate duty and the duty payable on articles of elerkship, the nlatioas between the two duties being fairly imiataieed, fee be thought it might have boss sionsid' ered unfair if the "'Letitia' between them duties bad act bees esaistaieeil. He would aow in a few words resat to the louse a statement of the position of the rename. 0a the 18th April he bed stated the changes which he proposed to make is the fiscal regulations of the country, and he them calculated that he should have • surplus fee the year of 495,0001. Since, some changes bad takes place, and be was able to speak more positively on many subjects with which be then had to deal, and the result was materially to alter the state of things, he then described. His noble friend must not found himself on the last quarter's returns of the ; for, though no doubt they indicated a prosperous and increased state of the revenue, yet I. some respects they would prove falla cious, for it would be fouled that they had been swelled by accidental circumstances. Looking at the present state of the ematry, and including is that view the prospects of the ooaiag harvest, it he wee to sub the home to go into the gaieties et the revenue and to make a sew estimate of it fee the year 1843-54, they would not be able to make a mere favourable estimate than that which he had brought Steward in April last. Siam that time it had been moor- Mined that the expense of the militia would be 52,0001. less than the vete ; hut, es the other hand, there would be a lees on the packet service of 36,0001. more than was expected, while it would set he possible to am a sum of 66,0001., which he had Moped to have obtained from retrenchments La the Clausal Islands. Then was a sum of 100,0001. which he had stated would be the probable result of the Isamu' sieseures with regard to Exchequer Bills, but that would set be available in the present year. This, there was a ma el 110,0001. which was expected to be received from liessma, bat he (mid that it was so cut down by re duetiese intesded to satiety the fair claims of parties which moldiest be resisted, that that sum could not he essaidered available. Bo that 300,0001. of the surplus was thus disposed of, sad, eves adding the eme gained from the Mimed esti mate he the snide, mew 260,0001. of surplus only would remain. Pram this it would he secomary to deduct 160,0001. which would be required to meet some supple mental ultimates shish it would be ammeary to Wag forward, sad all that would thou remain would he a sum between 60,0001. or 100,0001. Two demands were made for the repeal of duties ; namely the repeal of the advertimmeat Ave, tweeting to 80,000 L, mad the duty oa attaenys• sertikates, oho animating to 80,0001., sad emargoently if both them duties were re pealed they would have to carry es the financial year sot with a earplug but with a deficit. Something had bees said of a tacit saderetanding which existed Detweeo himself and the right hem patiBMILS the member for Maaehester; but whatever sadentoading existed, it was not tuft but our opekes ; and whatever bad bees conceded by him (the Chaamßer if the Exchemier) to the right hem tentlemes the member for 11asehreter, in Medea to these duties, was so noes than he had stated to Me midi lord two deys ago, whoa he called es him with regard to the gaieties. (Bear, Mu.) The goversmost was asked to repeal duties satesstiss to 100,0001. is some of 110,0001. melt, and to Mart is the Inamial year sot with surplus, but with a; debit. The government was of opi nion that it would be the most prudent course to stake mither of those redustiese of duties. They had proposed their own plan, and how was it received by the limas ? Ha did net refer to chases divisions which had bees takes lets is the sartiag ; but than wee • resent division ow the gaieties of the advertisemest duty which showed to him and Ms colleagues that there was a steam feeling is the haw is favour of the repeal of the advertisement duty. It woo the °plaint of the goverameat that that duty ought set to be repealed, and it was quite clear that both them duties could sot be repealed. Bat the goversmest had so ►f it was a goosing between the repeal of the me or the other of them duties—if the home premed on the government the repeal of the advertisement duty, however wooed it might be to what they thought Usit strict duty, and if they had to consider where they were to take their stead, there could be no doubt that they ought to take their stand against the repeal of the duty on attorneys' sertilt rates. They admitted that the house had expressed a strong desire for the repeal of the advertisement duty, and the g eat placed both those duties before them, and said that, in their opinion, if one of those duties wee to be repealed, it ought not to be the duty on attorneys' certificates. There was, therefore, no tacit understanding on this subject but such as had been made known to the noble lord. He had new explained the position of this matter as regarded the financial condition of the country, sail he bad declared ;that he could give no pledge with regard to the course to be petalled in !attire years, and he had also stated the views of the government, and their belief that it would not be consistent with their duty to secede to the repeal of the duty on attorneys cortifieates; and he could only leave the question in the ban Is of the house, hoping that this subject would not continue to be made a tax in another form, namely, a tax on the time of the house, but that there would be a decisive expressicn of opinion as I to what course would be taken with respect to it, and that they would be enabled to apply themselves to other hula , nese in future sessions without being interrupted by dis- CUSSiOnS on the duty on attorneys certificates. After a few words frou Colonel Sie moue. Mr. EWART said, he was one of these who supported the c-peal of the advertisement duty, and also the repeal l of the duty on attorneys' certificates ; but es be had tol ehoosc between the two duties, he could not hesitate to give his assent to the repeal of the advertisement duty, which affected all classes of the community, believing that he should, by so doing, best discharge his duty to his consti tuents and the country. Mr. MAGUIRE was one of those who voted in the chance divisions on the motion of the member for Manches ter, which had been alluded to ; but lie had not spoken on the question of the repeal of the advertisement duty, as it might have appeared that he was influenced by personal motives. If he was influenced by mere personal motives, he should now vote against the motion of the noble lord ; but he should not do so, and he had stronger reasons than ever for taking that course since the Chancellor of the Ex chequer had said that the attorneys were bred up to pay this tax. But, at least, they were not bred up to pay the income tax. The recent law reforms had cut doan their business and their nrofita, and they were therefore more entitled to this indulgence than before. The house divided— For the second reading illgaituit it NUNNERIES BILL—ADJOURNED DEBATE. On itil!lMO Mr. SOW YER asked the opinion of the Speaker with regard to the form of the motion es it stood on the paper. He wished to know what motion they were about to discuss. He understood that on a former occasion the motion that the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question had been negatived, and all that now remained was the word " that.' He understood that the second reading of the bill was thoreby negatived. The amendment of the noble member for Bath was not now on the parer ; although an amendment of his (Mr. Bowyer's), and one of the hon. member for Meath, remained. The SPEAKER said the order of the day on the 22nd June was, that the bill be read a second time, to which an amendment was moved to leave out all the words after the word " that," for the purpose of .inserting the amendment of the hon. member for Bath. Oa that the house divided, and the y came to the decision that the words in the motion not stand part of the question ; then the word " that" stood by itself, and the question to be decided was, whether the proposition of the noble member 'for Bath should be and d ; and that was the question now before the house. Mr. BOWYER—Then my motion that the bill be read a second time that day six menthe falls to the ground. The SPEAKER—That motion falls to the ground, and that question rennet now be entertained. Mr. J. BALL then proceeded to address the house, and objected to the motion of the noble member for Bath, as well as the bill. He thought this the first of a series of move ments to engage the legislature in an attack on institutions of this nature. He urged that the means taken to get up as egitation on this subject were derived from the obsolete literature of the Bowen catholic church of the middle ages. He asked if these institutions were not of such a character as to deserve, if not the encouragement of the government, at least their undisturbed existence, and he enlarged on the benevolent objects to which they were devoted; for almost all conventual establishments were directly engaged in the work of education and the relief of the poor and &Mimed. He quoted the opinion of Voltaire and also of Dr. Forbes, an eminent physician of the present day, with regard to the usefulness and benevolence of the Sisters of Charity. He then urged that it was not that the how was to be asked to grant to these institutions sums of mosey or lands, but only that their inmates might have the same liberty which other persons enjoyed to devote them selves to acts of charity and benevolence. Probably the most flourishing of the so-called " religious " societies in the coastry at the pr. sent time were, not those which were in teadtd to promote the spread of religion or morality, or even to carry on proselytism bT ao l i zitimate means, but those whose object was to revile n eatholics. Those societies were composed of men who disavowed anything in 10•111011 except their animosity towards the faith to which be (Mr. Ball) belonged. Such bodies rejoiced in different same*, but their object was the same. There was the "Protestant Assoeistioa," the "Evangelical Alliance," tho " Protestant Alliance," and so forth. Atrocious as were the libels which were showered upon es thetics, he did sot ask the house Mt any meaas of redress. He felt sionfideet that in the long :run truth would prevail ; but be did implore the house not by any act of theirs to give these persons the least shisdow of 'neon t. Mr. E. BALL said that throughout his life 6e bad been eadeavouriag to undimmed something of religion; and, if he halm anything at all upon the subject, he should say that its chief feature was charity. (Cheers.) When he came Ihrwszd for Cambridgeshire, it was very natural that his rellsbuis opinions should be made the subject of co ast dead& dismission. For them opinions he had suffered these* Rib I and be thought it better and more straight fawned to Nees la bin address that he was a Dissenter , al was st the same time strongly attached to the: ri. etas seesbikbed ehenth. The same liberty that lee bingnif be was perfectly willing to bestow span slow Ma was Weer mire that the way to change the ginismeithesew be considered to hold erroneous views, woe sot to behave offensively toward them. (Cheers.) New in skis sees he asked whether any thing had been proved bible that bete to justify the course theize an re called apes tit She ? (Cheers.) He had heard eathelie mumberamer and over again demand to have some can bee onasesetisted; and that fact had never been forth whom (Hear, hear.) Before they were asked for an = alz, la s i ome grounds ought to be shown for granting it ; grounds, though often challenged, had sever be adduced. (Cheers.) They had been told of young MOM seduced into convents and treated with cruelty ; and it was said that if they wi•lied to leave, egress was denied to them. But what would this motion do to relieve them ? They were detained not by bolts and bars, bet by the obligation of their solemn vows, and by a belief that to quit their cells would be to peril their safety in the world to come. (Hear, hear.) Besides, if they wished to do • real benefit to women, there was • far stronger obligation upon them to demand the protection of the legislature for those numerous unhappy women who were so shamefully sad cruelly illtreated by their husbands. (Hear, hear.) Even within the immediate neighbourhood of that house women were subjected to intolerable ill.roagei from those who ought to be their protectors. (Hear, hear.) They had had petitions presented to them against inter ference by those whose mothers, wives, and daughters bad been, or were, inmates of nunneries; and were they to be told that • lady, who herself had gone through the routine of • convent life, would ever consent to send her child to • place where her principles would be contaminated or her metals corrupted ? (Hear, hen.) He believed that the Roman catholic doctrines were wrong, and he regretted that they should have assumed titles so offensive to protestant*, though he thought it was else unfortunate that the noble lord (Lord J. Russell) should ever have written the Durham letter. (Hear, hear.) He had heard an invitation given to protestants to go and inspect these nunneries, and he had lately seized the opportunity of asking • Roman catholic triend to take him to one—desiring him to do so at once to prevent the possi bility of any preparation being made beforehand. His friend drove him immediately to the convent in Blandford square. They rang the boll, and asked to see the Lady Abbe... His friend, who had never been at the establishment ibefore, told her that he (Mr. Ball) was a protestant, and wished to see the building—was there any objection ? The reply was, " None whatever—pray emit in, sir." (A laugh.) Well, he went over the whole establishment, even down to the coal cellars. (Laughter.) The Lady Abbess said to him, " These are the dungeons where we keep the unhappy captives you talk of in the House of Commons," but so captives did he see except the coals. (Loud laughter.) He row is tbe estat lishment. hows.sr, a thousand children, partially fed and clothed, and all as well educated as children should be without any cost to themselves. (Hear hear.) To educate these chil drenwee sae of the tasks ' of the nuns, who were charged with leading such melees lives. (Cheers.) The Lady Abbess took him to another part of the building, where he sew • multitude of servants out of place. The Lady Abbess told him that they received protestants and catholiee alike ; that they endeavoured to bed them situations, and that they stayed as long as they pleased. She added that she believed they were the iastriments under God of miming multitudes of women from destruction. (Cheers. He (Mr. Ball) endeavoured to express his sentiments to the the Lady Abbess, and he entered upon the subject of thee- Way with her. (Laughter.) Really he did not know a more seHoss thing, and he could mars the house that he at least was is earnest. (Hear, bear.) He had a long conversation with this lady. Of coarse he expected a great degree of refimment in *as who belonged to the highest aristocracy ; but he found her so well informed, so thoroughly educated, so well grounded as Christianity, and eo imbued with • real Christian feeling, that he went away from the presence of that lady with feelings of the greatest admiration and respect. (Cheers.) Nest they proceeded to the convent of the Good Shepherd at Harnmenmith. The work of that establish meat wee the »formation of women who had fallen victims to the evil peak= of maa ; and be could not but feel the force of the Lady Abbess's appeal to him. "If it is not eharity which badman us to undertake a task which brings us into mats» with the worst of our sex, what else can be our motive? And yet you repellent us in your House of Commons as the moot abandoned of human beings." (Cheers.) He IA that mama with the same impression as that produced in his Wed by that in Blandford-equare. Lastl, he went to Rashamptes, that was an educational estab lis hment ; and the whole of the surplus morning from very high rates of charge for tuition went to the main tension of the poor. (Hear, hear.) Now, he would ask, kiwis( witaused Wee things, was be not boned, at what ever cost, to state frankly and fairly what be had seen ? (Cheers.) Ile felt that be Was ,• aM he must confess the impression left on his cows swirl by thou convents was, that they were most useful illstainduseate ; and that the inmates were influenced by the very hishest motives that could move human hearts. (Cheers.) He believed that it was only the fear of God, and a desire to benefit their fellow creatures, that prompted them to enter such institutions; and was he then to give his vote in favour of a motion that would revolt their feelings ? (Hum, bear.) Did he fear for the interests of protestantism ? Surely not. His fear rather was, that whatever might be accomplished by all classes of Christians, it would be insufficient to defeat the wile* of Satan, and that the great adversary would triumph over all their efforts. One thing was clear, namely, that in no way would those efforts be foiled so much as by Christ Mas indulging in divisions. (Hear, bear.) For his own part he confessed that he had a prijudice in favour of all thou who showed themselves zealous for the service of that Great Master in whose ways it had been the study of his life to walk. (Cheers.) Mr. WHITESIDE remarked that if he chose to follow the arguments of the two lut speakers, he should be pre pared to maintain that in exact proportion as popery pre vailed, was human liberty crushed, the progress of know ledge arrested, and the march of human improvement checked. (Cheers, and cries of "Oh !") But that was not the point before them. The real question was, in the words of his own motion, " to consider whether any and what regulations were necessary for the prevention of the exer cise of undue influence in procuring the alienation of pro perty of persons in conventual establishments." (Hear, hear.) lie scorned to raise a "no popery " cry. lie put the whole issue upon the simple question of property ; and he would ask why the law cast around married women such precautions before they could dispose of their pro perty ? Because an undue influence might be exercised over them by their husbands, and they might be compelled to part with it against their will. So prisoners in gaols might not execute warrants of attorney except in the presence of witnesses. So protection was afforded to the inmates of lunatic asylums, because persons in all such situations really required it. They were asked to adduce proofs why the some protection should not be extended to persons in convents, but such proofs were net wanting. With respect to the motion before the house, they might depend upon one thing, namely, that whether it was carried or not an inquiry would ultimately be con sidered necessary. (Cheers.) Mr. DIU:DIMOND begged to assure the hon. member for Cambridge that when he smiled at an observation of his, he was not the less inclined to be serious upon a serious subject; but he smiled at the naive simplicity with which the boa. gentleman had gone through his " First Acci• deuce" in the knowledge of convents. Indeed the lines would almost have applied to him— THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 21, 1853. Ah! the pod saint little knew What the wily sex would do!" (Great laughter.) It had been his (Mr. Drummond's) good fortune and happiness to have many private friends and nearest and dearest relations Roman catholic'; and he had, therefore, every sympathy in their favour. He would go even further, and say that seeing all ecclesiastical principles abandoned by the bishops and clergy of the church of Eng land doily—all recognition of sacraments, and everything else essential to the existence of a church given up by them—be should with infinite delight have seen the strengthening a church which at least would bear faithful witness for these things. He should have rejoiced, seeing that Lord Derby, under a conservative government, bad knocked down ten bishops at a blow—(a laugh)—..hat there were other bishops established in this city and all over England. (Hear, bear.) Bat this was a very immaterial part of the question. The real question was the secular power, assumed and never abandoned, mollified, at any time by Rome, and by all its clergy in the lowest depths of their seeming prostration. (Hear, hear.) He would quote protestant authorities, but he would always take the instructions of the priests them selves, and nobody could find fault with him if he en deavoured to understand plain English and bad Latin ea well as they. (Laughter.) The motion before the house seemed to be a very injudicious one fur the object in view. He Mr. Drummond) did not deny that these establishments did immense good by their acts of benevolence ; they were besides extremely good schools for young ladies. On this account they were the best possible meant of collecting money ; and in former times they had proved the very best pioneers of civilization. As the Pope's nuncio had acknow ledged that it was the intention of all of them to deliver this country from that slavery under which Protestantism had ground our souls, he was as determined to fight that ' principle to the death as they were. (Cheers.) He was de termined to expose the doctrines of the priests, because he knew them to be subversive of morals, and because it was impossible for the priests to be loyal to a Protestant Sove reign. (Hear, hear.) He had petitioned that house over and over again against the Roman Catholic Relief Bill ; he was called a bigot for so doing ; but be had lived to see his assertions verified. It was now seen by the acts of Romeo eatholies themselves, not by protestant charges, that it was utterly impossible for the slaves of the pnesthood to be shares, with protestant freemen in conducting the affairs of a free country. (Cheers.) uldr. P. O'BRIEN yes surprised that • large section of English liberals should be to forgetful of past obligations, as to support a measure so repugnant to their catholic 1 1 brethren. Mr. E. B. ROCHE, after complimenting Mr. Ball on his liberal and christian speech, said that the evidence ad duced by him had not been at all shakers. Were Ireland always legislated for in the spirit of that speech, she would be much more tranquil and prosperous. A committee of inquiry ;on this bill was asked for. The result would be that they should get up to their necks in theology, with out say result, except that of irritating the people of Ire land. The most eminent lawyers agreed that the law was strong enough as it stood to meet any possible abuse of the conventual system. It was said this proposal was made is a kindly spirit; but would it be received in a kindly spirit by the people out of doors? Would it not rather tend "to set the people of Ireland against those of England? (Hear, hear.) Sir J. TYRELL said the question was one that ought to be decided hy facts, and facts only. Some had been stated by Mr. Ball, but there were facts on the other side. The hon. gentleman seemed to have had the privilege ot emeriti to the (*events, even down to the coal-hole. (Laughter.) He knew that Sir Frederick Smith and his lady had gone to visit the convent at Newhall ; and after as interview with the lady abbess, the party were denied access to the convent without some letter ot recommenda tion. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) Lady Smith had visited almost every convent on the continent, end had never at with such a refusal. He knew that since the question was agitated in that house contrary orders had been given, and he believed any member of that bones would now be admitted to these places. He regretted that so many Wednesdays should be frittered away in discussing this matter, without any opinion being expressed by the government. Lord Palmerston had given an intimation that he was In favour of the bill ; and if he were to declare those sentiments he might influence many independent members of the house. Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD commented on the absurdity of the view advocated by the last speaker, that any unau thorised person might at any time demand admittance to a convent. He contended that there was no case what ever for a committee of inquiry. He could produce double the number of ewes in the protestant church where bequest' had been set aside on the ground of coercion. There remained the question whether any legislation was necessary to secure personal liberty. This was originally the sole object of the bill. For this no ground whatever had been laid; not a stogie tact or argument had been adduced. The mover of the bill had gone back to the 18th century, sod quoted certain writings ; but did the Habeas Corpus Act then exist ? (Hear, hear.) No matter whether incarcera tion took place in a convent or a private house, that act supplied a remedy. The house had in effect done with the bill originall, proposed ; but the motion of Mr. Phinn for a select committee could only tend to keep up irritation, and to fan religious discord. (Hear, hear.) Charity and Christianity could not exist along with the demon of secta rian animosity. (Cheers.) He entreated the house to banish this animosity from their debates, and not to keep it alive by agreeing to the resolution prppeeed. Reference had been made to the exclusion of Archbishop Whiteley's book from the national schools ; but would it be contended that the catholic children of Ireland were to be compelled to read it? Even in the exclusively protestant schools, un connected with the national system, this book had not been made a class-book in a single school. (Hear, hear.) Two or three hon. members rose, but Lord PALMERSTON said he hoped the house would allow the debate to be adjourned, as the few minutes remain ing before six o'clock would enable two or three reports appointing election committees to be received, which otherwise would suffer inconvenient delay. He moved that the debate should now be adjourned. Mr. C. BERKELEY asked the government to name • day for its resumption. (Laughter, and cries of " Next Mr. NIWDEGATE said the *abject was one of intense interest; there were a great number of facts yet to be stated, and he hoped the government would 6: a day. Lord PALMERSTON - said the debate would be in pre cisely the same position afar the adjournment as it wasthen. Theiintion for the adjournment of the debate wu then agreed to, and after a convenation it wu resolved that it should be adjourned (or a fortnight. ELECTION COMMITTEES. Mr. BAINES reported, from the general committee of elections, the committees that had been struck that de,. ENTRY OF SEAMEN BILL, AND NAVAL COAST VOLUNTEERS BILL. air J. GRAHAM postponed the committee on ;theta bills till Monday, at twelve o'clock. The other orders of the day were postponed, and the house adjourned at two or three minutes before PAIRS. ATV/R/11AV CIRTIPICATI DUTY. -- Mr. H. Herbert paired for, with Mr. Tufnell against; Mr. Kaight ley paired for, with Mr. W. M. Milner against; Bir D. Honeys paired for, with Lord A. Paget against; Colonel Freestun paired for, with Mr. Whitbread against ; Mr. J. D. Fitzgerald paired for, with Mr. Masten against. Mr. Collier has paired off for the present week with Mr. H. Lowther ; Mr. Lee with Mr. R. Moors for the 21st and 72nd inst.; Mr. Whitmore in favour of Mr. Balls' motion on the malt duties, with Mr. Milner, and against the third reading of the Succession Daty Bill, with Mr. Portman; Mr. F. Dundaa, with Mr. Robertson, for Thursday and Friday in this week. Mr. Banbury was accidentally Ant out of the division on the Attornies Certificate Duty. Mr. Oliveira's notice oa Metropolitan Buildiogs is put off to Tuesday, the 28th inst. MARIA ANTONIA RAILWAY.—TraiIIo for the week ending July 7, 1853. 2341. ; carrseporidiog week, 18.2, 2291. gate erpreois. TO CORRESPONDENTS. a 'Snood Z& .t" 71se Expresn" containing On moo ovocilnirs Casette," G publialed ova, Tooting end Yr.day WO; in tine low cost giverucesmanosintniaad for "Ms Tagrens,^Lonica Brenta, papa, most be at tin Mee, 10, Booveria-stren, by Two o'clock an the gay of pabliosilon. DIOR WATER AT LONDON BRIDOIL Tan DAT—lllandar. lb. Ith. ..—...Afteroxs. fa. 4lce. T. , -ucesow—!laniag. ils. 6a.. —.....1.11en065. 311. I. LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 21. THERE is no subject more nationally interesting to the public, at this moment, than the weather. Every fine or every wet day may make a difference of millions in the national income, and come home to individuals in a rise or fall of ld. or 2d. in the four pound loaf. We rejoice, therefore, at every fine day, and lament over every day of wet and windy wea ther. The Corn Market yesterday felt the influence of a bright sun and a calm atmosphere, and, in com parison to Monday's market, prices were " dull and declining." The weather was aided, too, by the re ported arrival off the Land's End of nearly fifty corn-laden vessels, and though the home arrivals were small, there was no inclination to make large purchases. We may hope, therefore, that the fur ther rise in the Corn Market on Monday is not to be followed by a still further rise. But this will en tirely depend on the state of the weather here, and on the yield of the crops abroad. We mentioned, last week, that the harvest news from the United States was favourable; we have now to add, that the latest intelligence from Odessa promises very large crops there, and though we shall certainly not be overwhe:med with the produce of Tamboff, we may hope to get from thence a reasonable, and, if we required it, a large supply. But the latest intelligence of the condition of the crops was accompanied by the information that prices were rising, that demands from Marseilles and Genoa had unexpectedly come in and disorganised the market. We have similar news from Alexandria, of July 7, where the prices of all kinds of breath:tuffs had risen in consequence of advice, from Marseilles. The French, therefore, are competing with us in the Eastern markets as well as in our own markets, and we are accordingly almost as much interested in the weather and the crops in France uin the weather and the crops at home. We have this week later news also from the United States, and the information from New York, of July 9, is that the arrivals of breadstuff' from the interior and diminished demands had depressed the price of both grain and flour. From this state ment, it is evident that large quantities of corn yet remain on hand in the States of last year's harvest, and that these, with the plentiful crops which are hoped for in the present year, will secure us not only against famine prices, but even against very high prices. From Oalatz we have, in the circular of Messrs. THOMAS Boozes and Co., dated July 7, the following information : Our stock of wheat is light, but of Indian corn heavy, I with but little demand ter either, the great dearth of vessels and the uncertain de'rsouessest of the political drama I now being performed having paralysed our trade. The Rassian troops have crossed the Pruth, and Prince Oen ohakoff, their commander, has issued a very conciliatory proclamation to the inhabitants of Moldavia and Wallachia, whether commercial or agricultural, enjoining them to con tinue their pursuits without fear or molestation. A notice has been issued from the Russian consulate advising the public of • fixed tariff being established at Sulina for lightening vessels at the bar. During May, June, July, and August the rate will be about 6d. per imperial quarter ; in September, October, March, and April, about 9d. ; in November, December, January, and February, from Is. to Is. 3d. per quarter. The price for wheat is— Galsis 'broils Freights, 17e. 9d.., 18a., and 18s. fld. per quarter ; the latter rate paid yesterday and refused to-day for a mall first-claw English vessel, the only one he port. ___ _ The shipments were as follows: May. June. Qrs. Qn. Galata, wheat 14,389 18,719 Indian cora 33,626 26,167 Rye _ - • - • Wateion the bar at Salina rising. Before we say anything about the chances of our future supplies, we must remind our readers that Russia is bound by treaties to keep the mouth of the Danube open ; that she fails to perform her duty, and makes the consequence of her own negligence a pretext for compelling the merchants to pay for lightening their vessels to get them over the river bar which Russia ought to remove. Now as our future prices for corn will depend on what quantity of food we can get from abroid, as well as upon our own harvests, we must look briefly at the supplies heretofore obtained from various sources. From a return laid before the House of Commons, at the instance of Mr. Hann, No. 577, Sess.lBsl, it appears that the average quantity of wheat and flour imported into this country from 1828 to 1850 was 1,902,650 qrs. ; but this included the years 1847- 1848, when the coin trade was partially free, and 1849 and 1850, when the trade was wholly free, and in the two latter years the importations were severally 4,802,475 qrs. and 4,830,263 qrs. It is therefore plain that the 1,902,650 qrs. is a much higher average than it would be were these two years excluded. Now, in these two years the price of wheat was se verally 445. 3d. and 40s. 3d., and at these prices we procured at least 21 times as much corn and flour as the average quantity imported in the 23 years 1828- 1850. In 1851, we imported 5,330,412 quarters of wheat and flour, with an average price of 384.6 d. for wheat ; and in 1852 we imported 6,089,606 quarters of wheat and flour, with an average price of 40s. 9d. No sooner, however, does the price rise a few shillings than orders are despatched to all parts of the world to buy wheat, and the rise makes it profitable for the merchant to draw his imports from a much wider area. As we were able, therefore, to increase our supplies 2i-fold after we had free trade at an aver age price of 425., as we have since been able to procure the enormous quantity of 6,089,606 qrs. at an average price of 40a. 9c1., we may conclude that with such a rise as we now have we shall be able to procure at least one-third more, or 8,000,000 qrs. of wheat and flour. All the countries of the world are food-producing ; most of them produce wheat, and the immense quantities we have obtained since the Com ex§ were repealed quantities far greater than the most sanguine speculators ever anticipated, and brought from countries that were never before heard of as exporting wheat,—entitle us to con clude that at the present, or at very slightly higher prices than the present, we shall obtain,—whatever may be our own harvest,—as much corn as we require. Tho few facts we have stated are amazingly encou raging. From an average import of 1,902,850 qrs., we have risen successively to an import of 4,802,475 qrs., 4,830,263 qrs., 5,330,412 qrs., and 6,089,606 qrs. of wheat and flour alone, be sides the large and increasing quantities of other grain we have imported. On the whole, these quantities are so large, that before we had experience of the fact, it was held to be impracticable to find shipping to bring them into the country. So great and positive has been the continual increase, and so much has it surpassed all expectation, that only the most foolish, not to say criminal, mistrust can throw any doubt on our future supplies. The great increase further informs us that our demand for food has stimulated its production in the various countries whence we have drawn our supplies, Now, as they have gone on increasing, it is plain that cultivation must have been successively ex tended in those countries. The inference, therefore, is, that a greater and a greater breadth of corn is continually sown and con , tinually harvested in those countries. It was greater, no doubt, last year in Wallachia and Moldavia, in Egypt, in New Russia, and in the United States, than the year before, and it will be greater this year than last year. We have no bad harvest news from Egypt ; wo have very favourable harvest news from New Russia and the United States, and though the harvest may fail in France, and not be so productive as we wish at 1 1 home , yet will these facts, and this train of reasoning lead to the confident assurance that we shall obtain an adequate supply of food at prices moderate in comparison to those which, even in ordinary pre vailed under Protection. And, lest our readers should suppose that the great and continual increase of importation we have mentioned, and which we hope will go on increasing, should have injured our own landed interest, we will, in conclusion, remind I them that our English Lamers were never better off than at present, and that at this moment land fetches an unusually high price. THE first effect of Mr. FITZROI"S Bill has been to make "confusion worse confounded," in respect to all transactions in which cabmen and their " fares" are concernei Vehicular locomotion in London seems resolved into its original elements. Nobody knows what a mile is. Grave disputes arise on such ques tions as whether a pine-apple is luggage, and whether a number of pine-apples may be charged singly, per parcel ? Cabmen and cab-passengers never know whether their journeys are to bo estimated per mile or per hour. The provisions of the act are not yet half fulfilled. There are scarcely any tables of distances. There are no constituted authorities at the stands to serve as referees. The consequence is, that cab-driving London is in a state of ferment. The thoroughfares are conscious of crowds listening to grave arguments between cabmen and their passen gers on moot points respecting distance. The police magistrates have the great portion of their time occupied in settling these disputes. Persons who set out to the Strand or Fleet-street, instead of stop ping at their destination are seen wildly driving back to the nearest police-office. The great "cab ques tion " for tho moment takes precedence of all others. In spite of the constant irritation thus kept up, there is no hesitation in asserting that there are hopeful symptoms. They show that the public, now that a reasonable prospect is opened to them of cheap ness and security from overcharge, are in earnest about riding. As long as eightpence la the old ta riff meant a shilling, and no one knew whether a couple of miles of distance would not be reckoned by imaginative cabmen as three or four, men took cabs only es a pis•eller. All except the very wealthy and the very bold got into these conveyances with a shudder, as into shower baths, wishing themselves well out of them. Now, however, that there is an approximation made to some thing like certainty as to the amount of fare, it is clear that the public are desirous of availing them selves much more generally than heretofore of the services of cabmen. Tho great obstacle in the way of the attainment of all the benefits intended by the act, is the uncertainty which exists with regard to distances. Three-fourths of the advantage to be derived from the new tariff of sixpence a mile is lost whilst we hare no method, except a very expensive one, of determining what a mile is. The book of distances "looms in the distance," and when it comes out will, we confidently prophesy, be al most useless for the determination of at least one half of the disputes which arise. For it must be remem bered that a large number of journeys commence not at any particular stand, but at some point between two. The table of distances, however, can only apply to lengths measured from the various stands, and will be but very partially available for deciding measurements from intermediate spots. Disputes concerning distances of this nature must still be settled by the old expensive clumsy method of mea surement ; and unless some easy plan of determining such lengths be adopted, there will be every possi bility of the recurrence of such acts of flagrant harshness as that committed by Mr. HENRY, the police magistrate at Bow-street, on Tuesday. The facts of this case are very remarkable, and must have excited astonishment in the minds of most persons who read police reports. A Mr. BOND appeared before Mr. HENRY, at Bow-street police-office, on Tuesday afternoon, to have a dispute settled between him and a driver named PHILLIPS. The "fare" maintained that the distance gone over did not exceed three miles—the driver stoutly asserted that it exceeded fear. A charge had been made for stopping, as also for an extra passenger, and no exception was taken in either case. The man was perfectly civil, and confident in the justice of his claim. As there is as yet no official book of fares, Mr. HENRY said that the only resource left to the parties was the old plan of having the ground measured. To do this it was necessary that each party should pay five shillings into court. Mr. BOND stated his willing ness to comply with the requisition, but the cabman had not Ls. in his pocket. Upon hearing this, Mr. HENRY, according to the report, said to the cabman :—" Then as you cannot pay the five shillings deposit, I shall take Mr. BOND'S statement as evidence of the fact, and convict you of the overcharge, for which you must pay the penalty of 40e., or go to prison for a month." Pnlmars, unable to pay the fine, was committed to gaol, and his horse and cab sent to the Greenyard. It would scarcely be possible to match any magiste rial decision with this in respect to its absurdity. Mr. BOND is adjudged to be a better judge of dis tances than the cabman, because he has as. in his pocket, while the cabman has nothing. The cabman loses his liberty and his property because his pockets are empty. He is fined 40s. because he has not sa. He is imprisoned for a month because he cannot pay 40s. Who will say after this that poverty is no sin ? According to Mr. HENRY it is not only a sin but a cause of intellectual incapacity. It caused the cabman to err in his estimate of a distance, and made him guilty of a crime in the eyes of the law. Listen henceforth to no man on the subject of length who has not five shillings in his purse. The man PHILLIPS is punished now, and ruined for the future, for want of a crown piece. Although we may not expect to see very many cases so transparently absurd and thoroughly unjust as this, there is no reason to hope that the present excitement will abate until the appearance of a book of fares. That, how ever, will only remedy a portion of the eril. There ought to be provision made in every police-office, at least, for the speedy adjudication of a question of distance. This might, until any better plan can be devised, be easily effected by providing every police-office with an Ordnance Map of London. I With this and the small, simple, and cheap instru ment that is used by almost every architect and sur veyor in the country, and known as an opisometer any distance could be measured in a few seconds, The recurrence to actual measurement of the streets traversed in a cab, is a cumbrous method, and tho roughly unnecessary now that London has been so accurately measured for the last Ordnance survey. I Whatever plan be adopted, let it be done quickly, or we shall lose half the benefits of an useful Act. Meanwhile it is consoling to see that, in spite of the inconveniences to which we have alluded, good fruits are showing themselves. Cabmen arc more civil: their cabs are more in use : there are fewer idle oe the stands. The present excitement will point out where deficiencies lie, and after a little time and a few corrections, the Bill will have the effect of im proving the cabs and vastly increasing the number of riders. LATEST FROM THE CONTINENT. DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES. Luc:HAßl:sr, JCL? 10. The Russians have arrived and established their head-quarters here. The number in the neighbour hood of the city is 5,000. The supplies for the army arc conveyed up the Danube as lar as to Giurgewo, and thence by bullock - -waggons to this plate. The Russians have taken possession of Oltenitza, on the Danube. It was at this point that General Roth crossed the river in the campaign of ISat, with 40,000 men. TUSCANY. TURIN, TVESDAT. The Grand Duke of Tuscany has commuted the sentence of M. Guerazzi and the cx-Ministers, his companions, to perpetual exile. The rumours of the Grand Ducke's abdication arc premature. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. The following curious version of the apprehended ministerial crisis at Constantinople, is given by the Siecie : Our duty being to make our readers acquainted with every report circulating with a certain degree of authority, we repeat, without accepting the responsibility of the nar rative, what we nave heard upon the sulject of the minis terial crisis spoken of in a despatch of the 9th vitt Vienna. On the ith, when the entry of the Russians into the Dann ldan Principalities was officially known, great excitement was manifested in all potitical circles. The Sultan at once sent for Rita Pacha, a man of energy, long opposed to reform, but now a sincere convert to it, and asked his opinion of the situation. Riza Pacha re. plied that since Russia was making war upon Turkey the only thing to do was at once to repel force by force. The Sultan, although his personal senti ments are not absolutely favourable to Rita, showed himself evidently disposed to adopt the advice offered him, and to Five his father's old favourite a seat in the cabinet, retain ing however all the present ministers. Upon this becoming known the diplomatic circle was in consternation. Every effort was made to persuade the Sultan not to be precipitate, he was assured that the powers would not oppose the use of force if Russia did not desist from her pretensions and engage to re-cross the Truth within a given time. The dignity of the Porte, Abdul-Medjid was told, might counsel war, but not a war without discern moat. The Sultan yielded, but not definitively. All that diplomacy could obtain from hint was a delay—for how long a time we do not know, but after which his high ness declared he would resent the affronts put upon him by Russia, leaving his allies to decide, having regard to their own interests, whether they would support Turkey in the unequal struggle or not. The ambassadors in all baste referred to their governments for instructions. It must be thoroughly understood that we are here but narrators All that we are in a position to guarantee is that, in an im portant quarter, not accustomed to credit light rumours, the above details aro accepted as the exttlanation of the word 1 " happily." used in the despatch of the 9th in reference to the arrangement of the ministerial crisis which was on the point of breaking out at Constantinople. The evening edition of the Vienna Lloyd of the 16th contains the following deliberate statement con cerning the solution of the Russo-Turkish difference: "We have received to-day adviees from St. Peters• barg of a very satisfactory nature. The joint propo sitions of the cabinets of London and Pans had arrived there, and had been communicated to the Emperor Nicholas. They made a favourable impres sion on the Russian cabinet, and on their basis the proffered mediation of Austria has been accepted. If this fact is not immediately made officially known to the public, it arises from courtesy to the Austrian internuncio at Constantinople, who has already com menced the work of peace there." This is the first promise of a peaceful and honour able termination of the present crisis which has been founded on direct intelligence from the Russian capital, and it is to be hoped that the Lloyd has good grounds for its statement. Accounts from Jassy state that a To Deum in honour of the Czar has been chanted in the church of St. Spiridion. Prince Gortschakoff, the Hospodar, his Ministers and Boyars, were present during the solemnity. Our correspondent writes: CONSTANTINOPLE, JULY 7. Yesterday morning, two hours later than the Caradoe, Lord Lennox arrived, per Phebe, screw steamer, with despatches fur the ambassador. Nothing is yet known here respecting the inten tions of the Russian government, on the receipt of the reply to Count Nesselrode's last note. However, latest advice, from Odessa, per steamer 4th inst., state that on the 2nd of July orders had been transmitted to the head-quarters of the army of Bessarabia, to advance and occupy the Danubian Provinces. Some persons, usually well informed, think that there will be, notwith standing, some delay and hesitation in the execution of this measure.. At the present mo ment, it is said, some obstacles prevent the easy pas sage of the river; and, besides, sickness and mor tality have thinned the ranks of the army, partly owing to the insalubrity of the climate, and partly, perhaps, to the well-known pestilence of a Russian commissariat. The Russian consuls of Yassy and Bucharest had started for Kichenhoff, by order of General Gorchakoff, and must, by this time, have returned to their respective posts. Thus the entry of the Russians into Moldavia is no longer a matter doubted at Con stantinople. The great question of the day is, whether the occu pation of the Principalities may or may not be consi dered as amounting to a cams ball, by the Porte and her allies. The final decision of this point will natu rally depend on the Sultan and his government. Reschid Pacha, it is said, has prepared a protest, which, after having been submitted for approval to his Majesty, will be transmitted forthwith to Lon don, Paris, Vienna, and Berlin. He appeals elo quently to the wisdom of these different govern ments, and solicits them to devise the best means of consolidating the principle which they have pro claimed, by maintaining intact the independence of Turkey, and the integrity of her territory. The proffered mediation of Austria, according to Reschid Pacha's views, would be by no means favourable to the interests of Turkey, and would not secure a fair issue from the present emergency. He appears to understand, above all others, the gravity of the situation ; that his country at the present moment has to struggle with difficul ties and dangers more terrible than any she has yet encountered; in short, that the hour is come to ask all Europe whether Russia alone should dictate laws and deter mine the nature of her relations with neigh bouring states? I have heard from a Prussian officer that the Turkish forces amount to nearly 400,000 men, and their artillery, which he says is excellent, counts 400 field pieces. This, by the way, for the informa tion of one of your contemporaries, who, although he has turned tail, and deserted the Russian camp, still returns, at times when he can, d see premiers amours. He has produced from his Berlin corre spondent —a Prussian officer—a letter, dated I verily believe some 13 years ago—but mutatis mutatulis— respecting the deplorable condition and discipline of the Turkish army. With a view of rectifying his ideas, I can refer him to the French and Prussian officers at present in the service, to Admiral Slade, General Guyon, Omcr Pacha, as competent autho rities, who will give him a description of the present Turkish army vets diffeient from what it was at the date of the letter in question. Admiral Slade is of opinion that by sea the Rus sians have no chance; and Omer Pacha has declared, I am told, that he is equolly confident in the result by land in case of a conflict. Another important cir cumstance is that large forces are being assembled in the north, and at Batorim 20,000 volunteers will form an army, which, in conjunction with the neigh bouring Circassians, and Schamyl at their head, will cause a most formidable diversion, and annoy the Russians in their weakest point. '(