The Express. — London, England, 1848-03-03 00:00:00

Foreign still auto only a limited retail inquiry, at about former prices. The small supply of Barley wu fully equal to the demand, and it was with diele•elty that the currency of last Wednesday could be maintained. Oats were in fafr A pply ; choice parcels, being in demand ter seeds, were Is. dearer, but there was no change in the t slue of other sorts. Beans dull, and rather cheapow. Wheat, to 645. ; average, 813 '. ihrley , top, 355. 6d ; averegt, 31 .. 3d. Oats, top, 32s ; average, 235. ad. Beans, top. 36e. ; average, 325. Bd. Oi.aaoow, March 1.-Since this day week there are re ported to the Clyde 620 qrs. Wheat, and 1,780 bac Flour, coastwise ; and 530 qrs. Wheat, 6,200 qrs. Oats, 1,0 30 tsars Flour, and 1,460 loads Oatmeal funs Ireland. At Grange mouth the arrival, for same period amount to 220 quarters Wheat, 3.490 quarters Barley, 1,200 quarters Beans, 300 quarters Peas, and 900 sacks Flour, all coastwise. Trade has continued without animation ; uales being confined merely to supplying immediate wants, and little change i n occurred in the value of any article, although the leaning in priePs generally has again been rather in favour of buyers, mo especially as regards Oats and Beans. At this day's market, which was pretty well attended, there was rather better inquiff for tine old Wheats, which are scarce ; but the tales made were only limited in extent, and late rates could not be exceeded. There was more steadiness in the Oat trade, with a fair retail 1)011111/11 at l as t week's prices. Barley was again rather easier. Beans fully 6d. cheaper, with a dull sale. Little alteration occurred in the value of Oatmeal or Flour. Prices; Wheat, per 2491ba., 245. English white, old, 275. to 29 5. ; new, 265. to 285.; red, to 27c ; new, 251. to 275.; Scotch, white, old. 265. to 28 . 5.; Irish, red and white, old , 24 5. to 255. ; new, 245. to 27s ; Danuic, old, 28e. to 30i. ; Pomeranian, old, 275. to 295. ; new, 275. to 28s. ; Danish, old. 255. to 285., new, 26e. to 28s. ; (Mem, soft, old, 23.. to 255.; Russian hard, old, 711. to 235. ; Comedian, old, 24s.United States, old, 253. to 275. 6d. Barley, per 3201 b., Berwick and Scotch, new, 225. to 22a. 6.1.; Inch, new, 21s. to na.; Pomeranianford,, &c., new, 2 1 s. to 22 5. Oats, p er 2641ba . Irish, Wex &c , new, ne w, t 17a.; Limerick, &c., new, 17s. to 18s. ; extra, prepared. ne 185.61. ; foreign, Russian, old, 16s. to;l6s, 6d.; Banish, 16.. to 163.6 d. Beans, Irish, per 2601 be.. new, 18s. to 19s. ; Egyptian, per 2801b5., old, 16s. to 17s. Peso, per 280Ibs. white, old, 20s. to 21s. ; grey, 18s. to 20s. Canadian, old, 19s. to 20s. ed. Flour, per 2801ba., English, superfine, old, 425. to 43c 68.; Irish ditto, o'd, 41s. to 424.63. ; fine, old, 38c to 405.; extra choice qualities, old, 445. to 455. ; American , per barrel, sweet, old, 28s. to 29e. 6d. ; Ca nadian, sweet,:old, 28a. to 295. ; sour, old, 245. to 2.55. Gcl. Oatmeal, per 2801b5., Irish, common cut, new, 28s. to 295. Indian Corn, per '9801b5., 17s. to 20s. Indian Coro Keel, 16s. to 16s. per barrel. WOOL.—The following is the circular letter of J. T. States and Co.. wool-brokers, announcing the close of the sale of that important commodity yeaterelay, together with all the necessary particulars :—" 'the present series of eolosial Wool sales commenced on the 10th ultimo, and con eluded yesterdey. The quantity comprised about 10,000 bales, held over from November and subsequent arrivals, and consisted of 11,690 bales Australian Wool, 3,782 Van Diemen's Land, 3,463 Port Philip, 4,379 Cape, 230 South Australian, 160 New Luland 87 Swan River, 338 East India. Grand total, 24,133 bales. From the long in terval which hat elapsed since the last Wool sales, the stocks in the hands of dealers and manufac• tuners were materially reduced, and thi., coupled with t he i ncre ased facilities of the money market, togetner with the certainty, from the advanced state of the season, of but small quantities arriving from the colonies for some time to come, led to the expectation of improvement in prices, which we are happy to say the result has mor e than realised. At no former period was the attendance of buyers, both for home coniumption and continental dem lad, larger than at the commencement of the present sales, and by far the greater proportion having passed the hammer before the sudden and unlooked-for course of es eats in France had taken place, the impetus given by the competition of foreign buyers was fairly sustained to the close of the -ales ; it is, however, probable, that we should not have been enabled to quote so favourable a termination had the sews been received at an earlier moment. We can only again repeat our regret that the o. ndition of the great bulk of the Wool received from New South Wales during the past season has been most un satisfactory, both as regards the washing and more especially from burrs and prickles, and hope that the cornier clip may show a very decided improvement in these respects. Cape Wool was in good demand, and tally supported the im provements in price obtained in other descriptions. The quantity of East India 00l was s nall, but in much re quest, and sold with spirit, W at advanced rates." CATTLE, B:c.-SMITIIIFIELD, Two o'Clock.-We have to-day a good supply of Beasts. There is a numerous attendance of buyers ; trade is therefore brisk for the best qualities. Monday's prices, for all kinds, are tolerably well supported, but not at all exceeded. Included in the number returned, there are about 150 Mulch Cows; from Holland, 280 Beasts ; and from Scotland, 140. The number of Sheep is rather increased, but still the supply is short; trade a slow but we cannot discern any change from Monday's quotations. There are nearly 400 from Holland. Calves are more plentiful :we have 70 from Holland, of very fair quality. Prices must be quoted 2d. per 81bs. lower ; they are not readily sold at this redaction. The number of Piga on offer is but small ; trade continues very steady for them. I Per Qtooe of Illbe. ad.a d. Per stew of 81ba ad.a d. Do: Scots. neuronic .46 4 8 Beet Do. 6, Ht•bda. db. 0 0 iteed Sb-re•borm . - ... 42 4 6 Beet Leog•woole ...... 4 6 Second 4tu114 Benda.. 36 4 0 Do. de. Mem . - 0 0 Cal, es ....• • • •... .... 446 11 Ewes and wend cfeeday 4 4 Pip . 480 6 I Do. do. Shorn 0 0 lest iiiii. i ilat.kiVi;li; 556 8 I lambs ~..... , ... 0 * 8811411 at market. 099 ; fibeep and Lambs. tjsu : C abs. . iSs ; Pies. 24.. Deter, Feb. 26.-Our market to-day was better supplied with fat stock, especially the Sheep. Fat and store Calves plentiful Beef made from Old. to 7d. Mutton, 7;1. to Bd. Tul, 6d. to 7d. per lb. Leese, March 1.-There has been s fair supply of both Beasts and Sheep at market to day of excellent quality. There was a good attendance of buyers. Beef fetched from Bs. to Bs. 4d. per 161 b. A few remained unsold. Mutton, 7ld. per lb. There was a disposition not to make purchases, yet all was sold up. NEWCASTLZ, Feb. 20.-There was only a very moderate , supply of stock shown to-day, and, as a whole, the quality was middling. The number of fat Beasts for sale was about 400 bead, for which there was a brisk demand at improved rates from last week, and all sold. The supply of Sheep was 4,743 head. The Mutto n trade w..s not so animated as last week, owing to the high price. Butchers were purchasing very . reluctantly, consequently there was more time to do business, and it might have been termed a dear, slow.salling market. The Pork trade was steady at former rates. Prices : Beasts, 6s. 6d. to Ss. ; Pork, Os. to 7s. per stone of 14Ibs. ; Sheep, 7d. to Bd. per lb., sinking offal. Rovseebiate 2.-We had a tolerable supply of cattle at our market this day, but the prices were disposed to recede. EDINBURGH. March 1.-Thero was a short supply of Sheep, and good aged Wedders, of which came to hand, brought from 7d. to 7ld. per lb; middling sorts, of all ages, from GS. to 60. ; 'inferior,sd. to:s id. There ; was a very large supply of cattle, and the reduction on our last week's prices nay therefore be rated at nearly Gd. ocr imp. stone. Good qual i ty brooo bt, frommiddling, ss. to 51. 6d. • and inferior, 4s. 61. Fed Calves are selling at from Si. toSs. For Yesterday's Marital tel We Date• SHIPPING. Marts Atintray.—Dublin,3; Waterford,2 ; Donaghadee, 1; French,li Guernsey, &c., 1; Holland, 1. Dl:roue, March 3.—Wind this day at noon, N.N.W., Liam breeze and fine clear weather. - Doing, March 2.—The Poet Boy, of and from London, whichruc by a heavy sea, 24th ult., in 1at.45 N.,10n.14 W., threw her on her beam-ends, and, the ballast having Gifted, her masts were obliged to be cut away; her crew (wit the exception of one man) were taken off on the 29th, by the BeEinn, from Batavia to Amsterdam. LIVERPOOL, March 2.—The schooner Bromilo, of and from Sligo, came on shore this morning near Southdort, and must discharge. The Kingston, for Dublin, in beating out this morning, missed stays, and ran aground on Burbo, were she remains. The Galga, for La Guyara, in beating down the river this morning, was in colli.ion with the Ferdinand, for Port-au-Prince, when the former lost her main-boom, and has returned ; the latter proceeded. The Agnes, for Lisbon, in beating down, missed stays, ran against the Prin cess-pier, and carried away her bowsprit, head, cutwater, &c., and has returned to the George's-basin. Data,,hlarch 2.—N.W.—Arrived: Sappho,China; Fawns, Calcutta, f. r Have, with loss of sail, and fore-yard sprung ; ' Prince Albert, Mauritius; John Stewart, Cape Coast Castle U.M.S. Persian, Bermuda. Arrived from the river and sailed : Seringspatain, Sydney, N.S.W. ; Martha, Launceston; John Bright, Calcutta; Windsor, Madras, Go. • Wm. Gibson, and Chatham, Bombay; Chieftain, Ceps minim) of dood Hope ; Duke of Bro nte, Ascension ; Pearl, Val. • Earl of Leicester, Pernembuco ; Ginnessee, Boston. Sailed Ferozepore, Chi n a; Warlock, Madras ; Jame‘ Crnikshanks, Demerara ; Emerald, Antigua ; Collingwood, and Druid, Barbados; Princess Victoria, Bermuda; Gladiator, New York ; Cornet Madeira; Swanton, Cadiz ; with the rest of the outward-bound. POICISMOUTH March2.—N.W.—Arrived: Medora. Cape Coast Castle. Sailed : Lady Clarke, Algoa Bay and Madras. LIVERPOOL, March 2.—N —Arrivi d • Emily, Shanghae; Crescent, Zanzibar; Violet, Port as Prince. Sailed: Jenny Wren, and Mirzapore, Calcutta; Marian, Hong Kong; Henrietta, Vera Cruz ; Formosa Maranham ; Pilot Fish, B a hi a; Parland, Valparaiso ; itose, Lima; Ferdinand, Port-au-Prince: Blonde, Barbadoes; Columbus, Patrick Henry, New York. PLYMOUTH, March 2.—Sailed• Amphitrite, and Industrie, Newfoundlsad. PENZVICS, March I.—lt blow a very heavy gale, with violent squalls, all yesterday at W.S.W., and continued until to day at 4p. m., when it moderated. Wiad N.N.W. to W.N.W. Jertaxe, March I.—The Centurion, Rio Janeiro to Ham burg, struck on a sunken rock off here yesterday, and was run on the beach with eleven feet of water in her hole, and is now on her beam-ends, and cargo washing out. It is blowing a gale. Mounter, Feb. 29.—Several den boards and tke top mut of a large ship, have washed on shore near the light house. LIMERICK. Feb. 29.—The Royal Bride, for Cardiff, got in contact with the Guard, c b l ei ß g t hy th instant, and has put back with considerable damage. BERWICK, March 2.—The Mariner. of and from Perth to London, struck on the rocks off the Magdalen Fields, 28 , 11 ult., was asaisted off, with, it is supposed, considerable damp. MiTPORT, Feb. 28.—Tke Premium, of London, is Ins. needed. KHAIMAH, Feb. 28.—The Lively, from Gallon to Troon, is on shorn et Morin. but is not expected to have received any t'auisege. 1 U wi wl fn tb fo L 1 : 1 11 4 1 I • i t ; !I f • THE EXPE,EBB, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 3, 1818. AFFAIRS OF GREECE. Mr. R. COCHRANE rose, pursuant to notice, to move for copies of, or extracts from, despatches which had passed be tween Sir E. Lyons and the noble Secretary for Foreign Affairs, rela ive to the affairs of Greece. The hon. member said he would commence his observations by briefly reca pitulating the circumstances which had led to the present de plorable state of that country. The how. was aware that after the battle of Navarino the crown of Greece was offered to Prince Leopold, but refused by him on the ground that the people had not been coaulted. It was afterwards conferred on Prince Otho of Reverie, a prince not more than 16 years of age. He was accepted on the condition that he would give a free constitution to his subjects, and a loan was granted by the three great powers of 2,300,0001., advanced in equal portions by each. Ile need hardly say, that never since had the constitution been granted, or the interest of the debt paid. The state to which the country was reduced was familiar to every one. A general system of plunder and brigandage was carried on throughout the entire extent of this country. To confirm his statement as to the present condition of Greece the honourable member road a communication from M. Eynard to the late Colo* in which a picture was drawn of the' dreadfel disorganisation prevailing in that kingdom. Ho also read extracts from rrports of the Minister of Finance stating that the finances of Greece were in a state of utter disorganisation, and that no account of the revenue or expenditure of the country could be obtained, and that the robberies on the public treasury eurpassed belief. A cont. mission had been appointed last year to examine into the alleged frauds on the treasury, which, after a long investiga tion, decided, by a majority of 9 to 1, that the thence minister had been guilty of fraud, that he had embezzled the public money to a vast amount, and recommended that he should be impeached. Then the system of oppression and torture carried on in Greece was almost incredible. In fact, the people had never yet enjoyed the constitutional government guaranteed to them by the protecting powers, and was at this moment the worst governed country in Europe. (Hear.) He gave the noble:lord (Lord Palmenton) credit for his despatch, in which he had used very strong, but perfectly justifiable, expressions, in condemning the system of government carried on in Greece. And though some there were he knew who said that the noble lord hid used language iu dealing with a weak which he would not have dared to employ in dealing with a strong power, he hoped and believed that there was no power so strong as to make this country fear to express its detestation of tyranny and oppression. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the noble lord would continue his exertions to obtain for Greece that freedom which had been guaranteed to them, and that the present government of France, composed a it was of men of great eminence and ahility, would not fail to demand for another country that liberty they had so success fully asserted for their own, but that they would practice that which was the first blessing of freedom, the conferring of freedom on others. (Hear, - hear.) He was now plead ing, not for Greece alone, but for the c tune of constitutional liberty all over the world. The hoe. member concluded by moeing for c Ties of correspondence b e tween Sir E. Lyons and the noble lord (Lord Palmerston). Viscount PALMERSTON-1 am not aware that there is any objection to the motion of the hos. gentlemen, provided he will shape it in the usual way, limiting it to some pe riod, and stating the subjects of the despatches of which he wishes copies or extracts to be produced. Upon the general question, 1 am sorry to say I must bear my testimony to the accuracy of the description he has given of the present state of Greece, whether in reference to the mode in which the fines cid affairs of that country are regulated, whether as ...gee& we loarso,r ha.s worked, or whether es to the manner la whisk the executive power deals with lbw people. Is is by no nuns pleura; eapecialle when there is no absolute neossaity for it, to @peek handily in this house of the adminismation of the internal affairs of other countries, but this of stands in regard to Greece in a positioa wholly different from that in which stands in reference to other countries . We have rights and obligations u to that country which we have not as to others. (Hear, hoer.) England was one of the three powers which by their interposition between Turkey and Greece finally eecomplished the mds pendenee of the Greek nation, and constituted it into a sa lperste and independent state. England was one of the powers to whom was delegated the task of choosing a sove reign for Greece ; and England was also one of the three powers by whose r epresentation was drawn up the proelama lion which announced to Greece the selection of their sore reign, and guaranteed that he should give to them a free constitution. We stand, therefore, in the position of parties who have undertaken obligations to Greece, and thou obis leaden., as far as lies in our power, we are bound to see car red out. (Hear.) But, sir, there are many circumstances connected with the present movement which make me averse to enter into any long discussion of the nnitters, or going into the various details upon which the hon. gentleman has touched. I will only say, therefore, that if the hon. gentleman will so shape his motion as to specify some particular period and move, in the usual war, fur copies or sitracta of the particular despatches be wisbes to have produced, I will offer no objection. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps he had butter withdraw the present motion, and amend it in the way I suggest ; for which purpose ishall be happy to consult with him. The motion was then withdrawn, Mr. Cochrane adopting the nuble lord's suggestion. THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. Sir R. INGLIS, in moving for a select committee on the present state of these buildings, and to inquire into the pre sent state of Westminster -bridge, referred to the complaints which bad been made of the great increase of the cost of the new houses of parliament over the estimates, end contended that the increase was oceasiooed by alterations from the ori ginal plan, for which neither t he architect nor the Board of Woods and Forests were answerable. The architect's com mission, which amounted to • u large su m s—tie it wee not to be expected that Mr. Barg would be contente an d with the glory of his work—was not included in the estimate. Ile believed the ri suit of the attacks which had I een made on Mr. Barry had been to increase the public confidence in him. He was happy to say that the regress made in tne wo rks since last year had been very tepid, and there was every raison to believe that the House of Commons might next year mat in the new chamber. de could not under stand on what ground the hon. member who had given no tice of an amendment to his motion proposed to strike oft from the list of the committee every person who held office, not only in the Board of Woods and Follett, but in any other department. He (Sir E. Inglis) proposed to substitute the name of Lord Mahon for that of the late Lord 0. Somerset, whose death was a great loss, not only to that boas& but to ety in eneral. (Hear, hear.) ltnot ice of such subetitet ion aunt h e given, he would move now only fourteen Lames, and give notice to add the name of Lord Mahon tomirrow. lie regretted to keen that her Ms 7's gum rnment had come to the determination of greatly the amount to he spent in the course et the present year. e thought it bad economy to spread over two or three years the expenditure of one. With regard to West. mineter-bridge, although no longer in an unsafe condition, it was nevertheless still • question of sufficient interest to be made a matter of inquiry. The hon. baronet concluded by moving that the following be the committee Sir R. IL Inglis, Viscount ldorpeth, Sir It. Peel, Earl of Lincoln, Mr. Berries, Mr. Cardwell, Mr. Stephenson, Mr. W. Pat- I tan, Mr. Hume, Lord E. Bruce , Mr . D eerin g , Mr. Stat. ford Mr. Tufeell, and Mr. E. Denison. Lord EBRINOTON having seconded the motion, Mr. B. OSBORNE moved as an amendment that en ad dress be presented to her Majesty, to appoint commi s sioners to superintend the expenditure of the amount voted by that house for the new houses of parliament, with a view to make each arrangements es shall complete the building at the earliest period. The hon. gentleman reiterated his opinions upon the subject of extravagant expenditure and great delay in the progress of the works; but in doing so denied any intention of making the slightest charge or castir.g the least imputation upon Mr. Barry, the architect. What he demanded to know was who was the responsible officer to control' the expenditure ? At the present moment it was particularly necessary that they should know how and under whose authority the public money was spent. Every com mittee appointed on the subject had added to the expense, that of 1836 having increased it by upwards of 60,000 f. but the fact was the original design had been widely desisted from, and the funds frittered away in minor details, and in statues of kiII gs which would not be dieting uiehable two rear s hence. This h e' stated on the authority of the meet eminent architect of the age, whe was of opinion that before long the whole building would be little better than a great metropoli tan am luen for birds'-nests and soot. (A laugh.) The hon. gentleman took particular exception to the expenses connected with what he termed the goe s/cow gothic gewgaw decorations of the House of Lords, which no one would have the hardihood to evert was suited to a deliberative assembly. There was a precedent fur his amendment—a royal commission having been appointed in 1824 to superintend the building of Wind eor Castle—end if not followed on this occasion, they might find themselves involved in expense which, according to the opinion of many competent judges, would raise the total ex penditure M tot lees than 4,000,0001. And where was that money to come from ? Would the Chancellor of the Exche. quer pay itout of his balances ? (A laugh.) Lord MORPETH opposed the amendment. Re de fended the conduct of the Woods and Forests, but readily admitted that they bad not a sufficient organised staff to fulfil the duties of • regularly constituted office of works. The hon. gentleman asked who woe responsible for the ex penditure. No one could be responsible but the governmen at large and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who brought forward the annual estimates. The hon. gi ntleman denied making any attack on Mr. Barry ; but surely he attacked his character as an architect when he spoke as he bail done of the building. (Hear, hear.) Upon that subject he wished to observe that he had lately area a letter from Mr. Playfeir, the celebrated Scotch architect, to a friend of his, in which he said that the new houses of parliament were beyond all praise both inside and out, that he considered Mr. Barry's genius to be beyond the age in which he lived, and I that his fame would be immortal. The hon. gentleman was correct in saying that a commission had been appointed in the ease of Windsor Castle; but, looking to the questions of expenditure and economy, he did not think the hon. gentle , men's precedent likely to favour his proposition. Upon that proposition he (Lord Morpeth) would not offer any preens tore opinion ; but, as during the several discussions which had taken place on the subject of the new houses of parlia ment, the general wish of the house appeared to be that a committee Should be appointed who should have an oppor tunity of cousidering tee present state of the building, and I settle the heels upon which its future progress should be milled on, her Majesty's government had 1. It it their duly to sanction such committee, and be would therefore support the motion. It might be a question whether the committee might not adopt the scheme of the hon. gentleman or some other, to secure the rapid and economical completion of the remaining portion of the building. Sir B. HALL did not think the noble lord had applied himself to the question, which was, whether any direct con trol should be placed upon the expenditure, which had been so extravagantly lavished upon the building as to have more than doubled the original estimate, or whether that expende tutu was to be allowed to go on as hitherto. lie (Sir B. Hall) did not believe that any committee could effect the required control, or diminish the expense. He thought, on the contrary, that the government would screen them selves behind its decision, and he therefore objected to the principle of a committee. But after hearing from the hon. baronet the member for the University of Oxtord that the committee now named had been arranged with the sanction and concurrence of the government, he mutt object to its constitution, as likely to enable the Woods and Forests to go on with the expenditure at the same rate. The Earl of LINCOLN said he must protest against the house resolving itself into • dilettanti committee to aeon matters of taste, as to the appropriateness of the frescoes sad so forth. No good result could arise out of such discussion. The proper province of the House of Commons was to watch the expense. (Hear.) He should have supported thin com mittee had he not learnt that every successive committee had led to an increase of the expense. If. the height of the tower were referred to this committee they would inevitably have an increase of the estimates. He would, therefore, much rather trust the matter to the noble lord opposite (Lord Morpeth), who would no doubt take care that no unneces sary expense was incurred. (Hear.) ' Sir G. STRICKLAND expressed astonishment at one at the objects proposed for the committee's ir.quiry—the state of Weetminster-bridge. (Hear, and laugt ter.) As well might the committee be directed to inquire into the uaviga- I Lion laws, or the state of Blackfriars-bridge, some of the stone of which he understood was in a crumbling state. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY said he took only a tiusucial view at this question, and he feared it would turn out a @Mailer business to the Kaffir war. (Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME thought the course recommended would be productive of increased inconvenience and expense. He was originally of opinion that a sufficiently authorised parson should be appointed to control the expenditure. Mr. Barry had had a twelvemonth in which to prepare his plans ; but no controlling authority having been appointed, there was new a probability that double the amount of the estimates would be expended. The government would be much to blame if they allowed any further expense to be incurred until this step was taken. He presumed it was meant to pull down Westminster-bridge, and erect in its place some Chinese structure to correspond with the facade of the new houses. (Great laughter.) The proposed tower would have the effect of shutting out the sun from the build ing at the only angle by which it could gain access. Let the house hold me titers responsible, and they would then take some steps to control the expenditure. A committee of fif teen would be no check at all ; it would be better for the authority to remain in the Woods and Forests. Viscount MORPETII said Mr. Barry . was now inclinedto make the tower lower than h ad been originally proposed. Mr. BERNAL was at a loss to divine the objects sought to be gained by the appointment of this committee. Mr. R. H. YORKE said, if the motion for the committee was pressed, ho should persist in his objection to the names he had pointed out. Sir It. H. INGLIS sail that Westminster.bridge bad been introduced into the motion in conformity with a similar motion made two years ago. Westminster-bridge formed one of the principal approaches to the house, and would naturelly form a subject for the committee's inqury. About 170,0001. would be applicable to the reconstruction of that bridge, if the houses belonging to the trust estate were sold ; and this being so, the committee might very properly inquire as to the addi tional sum which would be required for rebuilding the bridge. at Westminster," he might defend it on constitutional e - eiteel ; I:ut it 4.7 us:cc' tia 1 - ,!g!:cr euth...ri7 than his citu, the hams baying boo so designated, et the time of the fire, by bights WOW mid subsequently by no is an authority than the Us. ix Montrose, (laughter.) As he , had getynasil sad noeninstod this committee with the sane ' *mkt ~eminent, he should net withdraw his prepaid but elseald pre es it to • division. OILANCELLGE of the EXCHEQUER said he only &bfmself mgpomible fur the expenditure to the ex ams aggeumualebg hire _much should Ise voted in any one plat, aa ineomag the expenditure generally, he had sr doe to ends ea the subject. He was one of the cora- Wallowa ef Westminster -bridge, and he feared that con attend& atipenas "odd necessarily . be incurred on that toidge hi a short thne. The repairs two years ago hod placed it la • state of safety; but this was only temporary, and sooner or later, somethiug must be dune to put it in a state in which it would afford a permanent means of crossing the river. Oleo.) The huse must be aware that it was quite out of tke power of ministers to control the op ndi tore on the new so ubos s; their other occupations precluded them from doing he should therefore be the last to ob ject to the appointment of some competent authority. Pro bably if the committee to be appointed were to participate with the Woods and Forests in the responsibility it would be an improvement. Ile would not give them the power of increasing the expenditure; and he thought the ap pointment of a openntending authority ought to rest with the government, or with the Commissioners of Woods and Forests. With this view, he should recommend that both the motion and the amendment should be withdrawn. Sir R. INGLIS would consent to withdraw the motion on receivi the assurance that a commission, such as was sug gested by the rieht hon. inntleman, should be appeinted. Viscount MORPETH said he should be quite willing to consider what advice could be given to her Majesty respect ing the appointment of a controlling commission, to look very closely into the expenditure. If appointed, it ought to be a very small one. (Haar.) After a few words from Mr. OSBORNE, leave was given for the FEES of both the motion and the amendment. IN COURTS OF LAW AND EQUITY. Mr. ROMILLY moved to discharge an order, referring to the committee on fees in courts of law and equity all petitions presented to the house praying for inquiry into the fees imposed upon suitors in Chancery, in pursuance of the powers contained in 6 & Vie., cap. 103. the object of the committee as appointed was to inquire into the fees now pay able in the Court of Chancery, and to recommend the most desirable reforms • but not to meddle with the compensa tions that had been awarded to the six clerks. Subse quently a motion had been agreed to, sub silents°, extend ing the committee's inquiry . to the latter object, of which he disapproved, the compensations in question being subject to the inquiry of the Lord Chancellor; and therefore he brought forward the present motion, with the view to reverse a decision which had been obtained from the house saguaro. lie thought the compensations decidedly too lade although the act under which they were granted had been a very gnat benefit to the suitors, still that hi nefit had been purchased too dear. An inquiry might be necessary, but it ought to be a separate inquiry, and Lot mixed up with the object of the existing committee. Mr. AGLION BY opposed the motion. It was on his pro posal that the committee's inquiries had been extended, as stated. Ile had given notice of his motion to that effect, and when brought forward it was agreed to without oppo sition Sir 0. GREY said the committee had been granted on the express understand ng that the compensations should not he made a pert of its inquiry. Afterwards that object had been added, he believed, inadvertently ; and it would be most in. convenient if the order for referring the petitions alluded to should nest be discharged. Afterwards, any hon. member might either more a separate committee on these petitions, or bring forward a motion in reference to the whole subject of the vmpensations. Mr. HU hIE hoped that a new reference would be made to the committee, embracing the whole inquiry ; sod on this ground he would not oppose the discharge of the order. I Mr. EWART also acquiesced in the course suggested by the right hon. the Secretary for the Home Department. Mr. J. STEWART mid he understood that great benefit was likely to be derived from the more limited inquiry of the committee: be was therefore opposed to mixing up with. it other matters. Mr. BAINES said that neither the profession nor the public would be satisfied without the fullest inquiry. He a h Eydtothpeoelitown.i:litoeumthepurtlionrgCaoemkto.zonuothi, wtLuldnontrii:e.allez for a committee to inquire into the matter fully. The motion was then agreed to. The other hon. members who had notices on the paper either not answering when called on, or postponing their motions to a future dee, the house adjourned at a few minutes before ten o'oleek. ELECTION COMMITTEES.—YESTERDAY. LIME IW - in.—Several witnesses were examined on behalf of Sir F. Kelly, to disprove the allegations of bribery agaimt that gentleman. CARLISLE.—The petitioners proceeded with the treating evidence, but were stopped at two o'clock by the committee, the chairman of waich intimated that the offence had been sufficiently proved. The committee then adjourned to this day, when the defence of the sitting =soi -1 ber will be entertained. —......—5---7 --- rest taxes as paid in the year 1846 may be thus enumer lieW ated : •Pd bums to 0,343,582 Ueda bads sad lastsosats ANIMA Yam Log sal mutate duties Liallalatianeuthd 07 the KW'S) 1 -- Total C13,321,502 With respect to the property and income tax we have of late so often bad occasion to dwell upon the injustice of assessing income derived from realised property and professional incomes at the some rate, that at present we need do no more than mention it. This tax, too, it will be remembered, presses only indirectly . and to a very small extent upon any in comes deemed from Ireland. The land and tenement tax is only the ghost of what was once an efficient, and in the state of society which prevailed when it was first imposed a very I fair, tax. Under the Land Tax Redemption Act of 1789 it has become a very partial tax. and as, though now paid by only a comparatively small proportion of . the owners of r..al property it ts uniformly made a I pretext for resisting any new imposts, however just and necessary, on the whole class, it were well to get rid of it. From this tax also Ireland is exempted. The assessed taxes are fantastically unequal in their pressure, and objectionable on account of their multi -1 plicity and the trifling returns from some of them. The hair powder tax yielded in 1846 only 3,323/. ; is such a tax worth the expense, trouble, and annoyance of collecting it ? Nearly one-half of the whole returns from the assessed taxes in 1846 was derived from the window tax (1,626,0390. Ten other taxes (the hair powder tax included) clubbed their returns to make up the other half. The inequality and anti-sanitary character of the window tax is admitted on all hands. Not one of the others (except, perhaps, the duty on armorial bearings—a tax upon vanity ; and the game duties—accessaries of the game laws) but is excep tionable as being a tax on certain industrial pursuits from which others are exempted. 'fo this class of taxes also the objection applies that they are exacted in one part of the empire while the inhabitants of another part are exempted from them. The license duties are so far impartial in their incidence that they extend to Ireland as well as Great Britain. But they are grossly partial in this respect, that they are paid only by certain professions. They are in effect a poll tax paid by all adults who trade on their own account—as: auctioneers, brewers, sellers of beer, cider, and perry, tea and coffee dealers, glass manufacturers, malisters, paper makers, soap makers, distillers, spirit dealers, makers of stills, che mists, manufacturers of tobacco and snuff, dealers in tobacco and snuff, wineruerchants, vinegar -makers, and hirers of horses and carriages. Now, upon what principle ought members of these trades to pay a poll tax, and members of all other I trades and professions escape it? Why sh ould a soap maker, or a tea and coffee dealer, or a vinegar maker, be required to take out a license, and a linen draper or a cutler be allowed to set to work without any such pre-requisite ? Surely it is not a valid reason that, because the articles in which the former deal pay excise or customs' duties, and those of the latter do not, that the already burdened parties should be still further surcharged. In endeavouring to discover some principle, or principles, which, however indistinctly understood, may have guided the imposers of those direct taxes, the following appear meet plausible : The land-tax (in so far as it his not been redeemed), and the property and income tax, are a demand on the part of the state of a certain fixed proportion of each man's annual income. The assessed taxes appear to be meant as an attempt to tax men in pro portion to their property : the rude and roundabout way of arriving approximately at the amount of their property by coniectuies based en the comforts or luxuries in which they habitually indulge, having been adopted. The legacy and probate duties are ' also a tax upon certain kinds of property, levied in a lump sum at the time that the owners come into possession of it by inheritance. Licenses are a poll tax upon persons engaged in business as their own masters on their own account. In short all these taxes are either more or less happily devised pro perty taxes or poll taxes, and more or less general in their application. There is obviously great room for reform in this class of imposts. Their pressure is so grossly partial and unequal as to require only being placed in a dis tinct point of view to create intense disgust. The mul tiplicity of the modes of assessment and collection adds to the inequality and also to the expense of levying them. Simplification and a more equitable appor tionment of the amount of the tax to the means of the paver are what is chiefly wanted in this department. We showed, on a former occasion, that by extend ing the legacy and probate ditties to real property the annual return of this tax would be about doubled. The principle of a poll tax, as applied in the licensing system, is indefensible, unless its application is made universal. Instead of attempting this it would probably be better to continue to exact a reduced rate from incomes derived from pro- fessional exertions; thus taxing men in business proportionally to their means, instead of taxing rich and poor alike. By extending the legacy and probate duties to real property, and abolishing all license duties, the loss on the repealed tax would be replaced, and a surplus of about 1,400,0001. left. This would more than replace the revenue uerived from the tax on lands and tenements, were that repealed. But a simple repeal would, in this case, be unjust to all whose land tax has been redeemed. The re demption of the land tax ought to be made compul sory within a limited period, and thus government w,:uld obtain a sum in hand to facilitate its operations in shit' ing the incidence of taxa- , tion. There remain the property and income ' tax and the assessed taxes. Of the latter, the window tax is acknowledged to be a tax upon house property most iniquitously , assessed. Its remission would be cheaply purchased by a slight addition to the tax on income derived from real property. A considerable 1 diminution in the rate of the tax on income derived from professional exertions, accompanied as we have I proposed by the abolition of license duties, would' warrant the extension of this impost to incomes be low 1501. per annum. And this extension, together with the imposition of the property and income tax in Ireland, would give an increased instead of a diminished aggregate return. Legacy andprobate duties extended to real property—a slightly increased tax upon incomes derived from realised property-ared aced tax on professional incomes of whatever amount—and these taxes, levied in Ireland as well as in Great Britain, would, we hare little doubt, yield as large a return as the list of complicated and unequal taxes we have enumerated above. This simplified assess ment could also be more economically collected : a larger proportion of the gross revenue would be available for the expenses of the state. In suggesting this mode of revising our direct taxation, we merely seek to indicate the way in which an important and most advantageous reform might be effected. We are not bigotedly attached to any of its details; but we feel convinced that some thing nearly approaching to it ought immediately . to be undertaken. It may also be necessary to remind our readers that at present we only seek to show how taxation may be rendered at once leas burdensome and more productive. Economy in expenditure, as a means of reducing taxation, will receive our atte-' in in due time. • 9 . 1 - LORD GEORGE BENIINCK'S committee on sugar and coffee planting is, it is reported, relieving the tediousness of the dismal complaints of the West In dians by taking evidence on the flourishing condition of slave sugar countries, and of the slave trade ; and if all the reports which are in circulation be true, some very extraordinary testimony on the latter subject has been given. We, of course, know nothiig with precision ; but the statements current are so import ' ant, that we give them as we hear them. In reference, then, to Brazil, it is stated that since the admission of slave-grown sugar into this country, a most extraordinary impetus has been given to sugar planting in that empire—that whole districts have been laid down to receive the sugar cane—that go vernment is making free grants of the public lands for that purpose, and that the supply of slaves has fully kept up to the demand. It is calculated that not fewer than 70,000 slaves were imported into Brazil from Africa in the year 1847; that upwards of 100,000 left Africa for Brazil in that year; and that not fewer than 30,000 human beings perished in the middle passage, the victims of our slave-trade polies - . We say the victims of that policy, for it is established that the main causes of this awful mortality are the crowded state of the slavers, the length of the voyage, and the want of water on the voyage. In many of . the slavers there are between decks of six feet not fewer t'.lan threc ticr., is which: s o th6 6.1,1yri slaws Zhe erpregg. MAILS The overbuy' mails for Gibraltar, Malts, Greece, the lonian Islands Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, flung-Kong, and China, eia Southampton. oill be made up on the morning of the 3rd March. The mails for the Brazils, the River Plate, Monte Video, Peream. then, Bahia Madeira, and Bueuee A3Tes, will be made up on the evening ol the 4th March. Toe overland closed malls, via Marseilles, to the Stediterrimean. ithypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Hong Kong, Mc., will be made up on tin evening of the 7th March. The mails for &dish North America, Bermuda, and the United States. will be made op on the evening of the 10th March. The West India Mails, excluding Bermuda, Neural', Ravenna, Hoodurne, New Orleans, Vera Crux, TainPieo, end Porto Rins. and including thorn for Madeira, Jeemel, Carthsgena, Santa Martha, Chagree, Panama, West Cant of South America, and St. Juan-cle- Nicaragua, will be made up on the morning ol the 17th March. The mans for New South Wales, Van ihemen's Laud, sad New Zealand will be made up on the evening of the Slid March. The mails for the West Covet of Africa and Madeira will be made up on the evening of the Sig March. NOTICE. TEN number of S VAMPS issued to the DAILY NEWS by the authorities of the Stamp.offlce, during the year 1847, was: From JAN. i, U Dix. 31, 3,447,009 I This, we believe, is within eight per cent. of the number issued to the Morning Herald, Morning Chronicle, and Morning Post, ALL PUT TOGETLIEIL In addition to the above, issued to the DAILY NEWS, Morning Paper, there were issued for the Evening Edition, TILE EXPRESS, From JAN. 1, to Disc. 31 778,714 Which was more, we believe, than were issued either to the Globe or Standard, Evening Papers. TO CORRESPONDENTS. bilmtlawassbn I model TIN twos." Leda* evestab paper, mar be at the oaetb lboayerteamm. by Two o'clock ea tle dAy et publleatle. MOB 'DATUM AT LONDON ISIDON. Tao DAT—Dania,. 7 Ws. post 0 . Aftemboo. 27 Wi 0. Toilloasew—Mama. 2W. mat 1. aDaraooa. Z ni.6 NM LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 3, THIS evening the Howse of Commons will again be asked by ministers to renew their lease of the pro perty and income tax for three years. Unless the distinction between income from realised property, and income from professional exertions, is conceded, • decided stand ought to be made against the pro -130811. The consequences of the attempt to increase the property and income tax must have gone far, we should imagine, to reconcile many people to the idea of making direct taxation the permanent means of raising a fixed proportion of the annual revenue. In direct taxes can generally be increased without ex citing universal and combined opposition. Their im mediate pressure is chiefly limited to some particular line of business, which is thereby embarrassed or cur tailed. Consumers grumble afterwards at increased prices, and the necessity of stinting their consumption ; but beforehand they entertain no very distinct notion of what effect an augmented customs or excise duty is to have upon their comfort. But when a man is duly called upon to pay a certain sum quarterly, the in. cumbrance is tangible, and that reason must be a good one, indeed, which will induce him to submit quietly to its being made heavier. A property and income tax is a very disagreeable thing, but even herein consists its safety. There are few other taxes that ministers will find it so difficult to increase: it is a constant check upon those profuse habits of expen diture which make ministers require new taxes, or higher per centages in the old. Our aim ought, therefore, to be, not to get rid of this tax, but to have its weight more equally ad justed—more fairly proportioned in respect to the strength of the different backs upon which it is laid. And, as the property and income tax is only part of our direct taxation, it is desirable that when the question of its readjustment is under consideration, the distribution and other peculiarities of all our direct taxes should be reviewed at the same time. In general the designation, " direct taxes," is con fined to the assessed taxes and the income and pro perty tax; but, in reality, the taxes upon licences, though collected by the excise, and the taxes upon legacies, and probates or letters of administration, though collected by the board of stamps, are direct taxes. The licence duty is a direct tax paid annually by persons engaged in certain professions. The legacy and probate duties are a property tax, paid by one class of the community on a certain occasion. Looking at the aliit'sr ire this point of Tics,, oar di- IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—THDRIIDAT, MARCH 2. The Loin Canwonmos took his east at 6 o'clock. POBLIC InNUNESS. SECOND BLlDlNCL—Coosolidated Toed (8, .000,000 L) BBL 001LILITTBIL o LATE CLERK THE LATE CLERK ASSISTANT. The LORD CHANCELLOR read a letter (ruin Mr. th e ir o: his gratitude tor the resolutions peered be their lordships allowing him to retire on a pension of 2,0001. I ;lit lordships then adjourned at halUpset 3. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TituaaDAY, MARCH 2. The Semites' took the chair at 4 o'clock. Col. R. Ferguson and an Kilkean P. 8. Butler took the oaths and their seats for Kirkaldy d y County. BOLTON ELECTION COMMITTEE. Mr. HAMILTON brought up the report of the committee on the Bolton election petition. The committee stated in their report that William Bolling, Esq., WAS duly elected to nerve for the borough of Bolton, that several freemen had been proved to have received bribes, but that such bribery was not proved to have been with the knowledge or consent of Mr. Bolling.—The report was agreed t n o. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. Mr. F. O'CONNOR gave notice that, on the 17th March, he should move for leave to bring in a bill to amend the laws relating to friendly societies. Mr. ItOMILLY gave notice that, on the 16th March, he should move for leave to bring in a bill to abolish certain offices in the Court of Chancery. CASUAL POOR. ADAIR, seeing the right hoe. gentleman, the President of the Poor-law Commission, in his place, begged to put a question to him, of which he had given notice some time since. lie wished to ask thent hon. gentleman whether he purposed , d urin g the p tendon, to make ' any alteration in that part of the Po..r law Amendment Act which related to the ',lief of the casual poor in those eases where the expenses of such relief were thrown exclusively upon the parishes wherein the relieving officer resided? Mr. C. BULLER woe very glad the hon. member had asked the question, se the subject of it had often attracted his most serious attention. Complaints had been repeatedly made to the poor-law commiasioners of the heavy burden thrown upon single parishes, in con s eq uence of their being obliged to sustain solely the expense of relieving the casual poor who applied to the relieving-officer, or at the workhouse, the site or residence of one or the other being within the limits of such parishes. The subject certainly manifested the existence of a great evil. He did not know what the in tentions of the government in this respect were, for he had never brought the subject under the notice of his colleagues. The question was intimately connected with the law regu laing the law o rnti ng in su bjects union, and a dfficult existed auto separating f the two . s The act i known y by the name of the Bodkin Act would, howevet, come under the notice of parliament during the present session, as it was about to expire, and then the house would be able to deal with the whole question. The reconsideration of Bodkin's Act would bring the question under discussion during the present session, when the house might depend upon it he should give the point his best consideration. PAID GUARDIANS (IRELAND). Mr. A. STAFFORD wished to know whether govern ment had received any information from Ireland as to thel dismissal of more boards of guardians Sir W. SOMERVILLE believed that some additional boards bed been recently dismissed, but he did not at the moment recolect the name, except one, Ennistymon. To morrow (this day) he would , give the hon. member the par ticular'. POOR LAW COMMISSION (IRELAND). Mr. HERBERT asked the right hon. baronet the Score- Eery for the Home Department when the recently granted commission to inquire into the operation of the Irish poor law would be laid on the table ? Sir G. GREY said that when the commission had been issued, end the commissioners appointed, it would, in due course, be laid on the table. He was at present in commu nication with the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland on the subject, and believed that one commissioner had been appointed. SIBTHORP inquired whether it was to be a paid comeniseien ? (A laugh.) Sir G. GREY believed that the commissioners would be selected from among persons already receiving government pay, but be could not speak positively on the subject. Dr. BOWRING, in rising to bring under the notice of the house the grievances of the Isle of Man, said that the master grievance of that island was the self-elected character of their legislative assembly, the House of Keys. To that assembly was intrusted the government of the island, and they were a body wholly irresponsible. But this was not all. The House of Keys was alai the ultimate court of appeal from all the inferior courts, and many of its members being judges of the inferior court., as also attorneys and advocates at the Manz bar, it might easily be imagined what chance of justice such a tribunal gave to the people. The people of Man also complained that there was no written law, no do cuments to refer to, everything was left to the Deemater, who decided everything according to his judgment or caprice. In neither law nor law-making had the people of the island any controlling voice, the popular principle being wholly ex tinct, although it was a historical fact that in ancient times when Man was only an appanage, the Lords of Man were frequently in the habit of consulting the people in parlia ment assembled on the formation of laws. Another branch of the Manx grievance was the commercial system, The rich were in everything protected, while the poor were mulcted in every article which they purchased. Some of th, se grievances, such as the hewing system, had been re moved, but there were s till enough remainiog to make the people di s contented. The people also complained that their towns were unlighted and undrainod, because no rate could be levied without a proper representative assembly. He hoped he should hear from her Majesty's government a de claration of their intention to issue a commission to inquire into the grievances which it had been his duty to bring un der their notice. Mr. EWART seconded the motion. Sir G. GREY was not prepared to deny that there were many grievances in the Isle of Man demanding inquiry. He did not think, however, he could say more than he had al ready said in a letter to the governor of the island—namely, that the real remedy for these grievances would not be a re construction of the local courts, but an incorporation of the island for all legislative and judicial purposes with the rest of the United Kingdom. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member was not right, however, in saying that the House of Keys was wholly irresponsible, as some of their acts had been ne gatived by the Commons. lie believed that many valuable acts bad been passed by that body. He did not see that there would be any u‘e in a commission, and therefore he could not hold out any hopes of its appointment to the hon. and learned member. The people of Man were lightly taxed, and he believed very contented, but if th ey had grievanci a the only remedy would be that which he had already indicated. Sir R. INGLIS would recommend the inhabitants of the Isle of Man to take the hint which had fallen from the right hon. baronet the Secretary for the Home Department. If they preferred • local legislation, they should be careful about bringing local questions continually before the im perial parliament. Dr. lb WRING, after one or two observations, withdrew his motion. parallel to each other on their aides, often crammed down and packed in by violence. From these horrid places they are never allowed to come on deck; they cannot be cleaned, but live in an atmosphere of fetid gums , receiving only one draught of water, and th a t frequently impure, daily. When the length o f th e voyage exceeds 20 days — and it sometimes reaches 90 —the mortality commence. ; nor does it te rm i nate with the debarkation ; for one-tenth of the number actually landed, die, it is said, within eight-and-forty hours afterwards. Yet are the profits of the trade so great that 800 per cert. is frequently realised on the capital em ployed in it. The price given for the survivor s can be repaid out of their lab air in less than two ye ars . Nose, for these causes of this shocking mortality.... the crowded state of the slave-ships, the length of the voyage, and the want of water—our cruising system is responsible. The risk of the venture caused by that system leads directly to this overcrowding of the slavers; the number of our cruisers induces a round about and lengthened voyage; and as any article that will hold an extra quantity of water is deemed an article of slave equipment, and, as such, subjects the vessel, if captured, to condemnation, it is owing to that stipulation in our treaties that there is a waut of the means of carrying water on board slavers, Hence, in 1847, it is, as we are told, mat e d, on competent authority, to Lord GEORGIC BENTtNCK's committee, that 30,000 slaves pm-fished in the middle passage netween Africa and Brazil, and that 10,000 died within two days of their being landed ; and what is there in the proceedin_ : s of our cruisers to compensate humanity for this sad outrage on it ? Why, the annual average of the number of slaves released by there captures does not exc ee d 3,000. In spite of their vigilance, 100,000 were ex ported in 1847 for Brazil; because of their vigilance 40,000 of that number perished! Surely these are facts that will induce the public to pause in tolerating a system so murderous. But these statistics are, it may be said, exaggemted. Possibly, nay probably, to some extent; but there is corroborative testimony that they are an approxitni tion to the melancholy truth. For notwithstanding the extraordinary demand for slaves in Brazil consequent on the admission of its sugar toonr market, the price of slaves in that empire has fallen.. In 1844 the price of a newly imported slave in Brazil was about 701. At the last dates slaves might be had in almost any num bers fur 341. a head. his reduction in their vane concurrently with increased demand. is demoustrative of the enormous extent to which they must have re cently been imported. We do not, we repeat, vouch for the fidelity of these statements ; we only print what others speak; but if one half only be true, it is high time that the people of this country should take the question of the slave trade suppression, for which they arc paying so enor mously, " into their own hands." Ile statements are in ' conclusive if meant to prove that Brazil, with its slave labour, uust necessarily and permanently produce sugar at a cost that no free-labour country can compete with. Let free African labourers have unrestricted access to our colonies, at the rate per head for which Mr. JACKSON has pledged his character for experience and sound judgment that they can be landed there, and sugar may be made as cheap in Jamaica as in Brazil. That, notwithstanding the liberal encouragement given by the Brazilian government to extended planting, the price of slaves has decreased in Brand, is a proof that sugar production in creases more slowly than is alleged. Sugar pro duction, it must be remembered, us more a mane factoring than a mere agricultural process—too com plicated to be rapidly augmented without an wenn= of skilled labourers as well as of uncivilised diggers of cane holes. The importation of slaves, too, will experience a check as soot, as their number, when compared with that of their white masters, becomes too great for a sense of security. But though incon clusive as arguments for continued exclusion of slave grown sugar by prohibitory or even restrictive duties, the statements we have been referring to are conclu sive against our Quixotic attempt to put down the slave trade by force of arms. They show that in defiance of our most strenuous efforts the slave trade has become more active, the sufferings of the slaves have increased, and their price fallen at the rate of i 0 per cent. in three years. THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE. The following from Paris up to Wednesday noon, appeared in a second edition of last evening's Expreu. The following most important decree shows that the new government, though anxious to concede all in their power to the popular desire, will not do anything without the sanction of a national assembly. How the postponement of popular and loudly called for reforms will be borne by the working classes, re mains yet to be seen. At all events the firm tone of the government is creditable to it. The provisional government declares that, inasmuch u every new political system should include a new system of I credit and taxes, one of the first laws to be presented to the national assembly will be a new budget, in which the provisional government will satisfy the wishes of thepeople in all that concerns indirect taxes, entrance duties (octroi), the stamp duty on the periodical press, and all other taxes bearing upon subsistence and the expression of opinion. But the provisional government thinks it is its most rigor ous duty to call to the mind of citizens, that no system of taxation can be decided upon by the provisional government. That it is the part of the delegates of the nation to judge supremely in this matter, and that any other conduct on its part would imply the rashest usurpation. The suspension of the most important services would be risked by it, and it would be almost impossible to think of facing events of which France and Europe may become the witness. For these reasons, the provisional government thus decreez • I. All taxes, without exception, will continue to be levied as heretofore. 2. flood citizens are requested, in the name of patriotism, not to delay the payment of their taxes. 3. The provisional government engages to present to the national assembly a budget, in which will be suppressed the stamp duty on the periodical press, the gate dune. (octroi), salt duties, and a law modifjing the system of indirect taxes. The partisans of the revolution already begin to manifest the sense they entertain of the importance of an alliance between France and England. The exultation with which the announcement of the second conference of Lord Normanby with M. Lamartine was received by all parties, showed in a very striking manner the importance which is attached to the establishment of friendly rela tions with England. There was on Wednesday a still more significant example of the prevalence of this sentiment in the following leading article of the National, the semi-official organ of the provisional government, and lately so bitter an opponent of an English alliance : The blow struck, the Orleans dynasty banished, the re public proclaimed, the first attention was directed towards the great continental states, whose displeasure will be so greatly excited by thy news of our revolution. Eng land wss but the second nation to be taken into con sideration ; for at the very first it was judged, that however unexpected, however prodigious, might be the advent of the French republic, it would meet with no extreme repugnance on her part. And the news we have already received from the banks of the Thames serves to confirm our previsions. Under the former monarchy, that is to say eight days since, the National counted itself among the adversaries of the English alliance. Yet it did not do se without its reserves, and in all circumstances it had declared that nothing ap peared to it to be more desirable than an alliance between the two people, but that it could not call by this name that unmeaning thing which had at last received the ridiculous qualification of entente canticle ; and, in feet, nothing was Clear, nothing was true in those relations devoid of loyalty which the late government endeavoured to form. The Or- leans dynasty had in view neither the welfare of France, nor that of England ; it was a mere calculation on the part of that dynasty to secure to itself a support, not so much against the eventualities from without (end the event has most positively proved that from without there was no eventuality to be feared), but against the eventualities from within. 'Chat dynasty borrowed from England a certain portion of strengh which it opposed to us; and as the whole forte they acquired was to be employed in • counter-revolutionary manner, it was ve ry natural that we, the ardent friends of liberty, should react against any connexion which increased the power of this fatal dynasty. That is the reason why we fought up sgaiut the English alliance, and the English must nos be au& cieatly enlightened by the events to comprehend that out conduct has been sincere, and, however firm, was in tact no wise hostile to England. And we can now declare that we will accept an alliance with the great English nation on condi tions honourable for both states, end with those guarantees we have a right to exact. Another point excited some opposition. It seemed to us that the French government did not act on an equal footing with that of England. We were so well convinced that Louis Philippe stood in need of the hand of England, that we could not but see in this need the motive of those e races sions by which he purchased her support. The private in. terest of the dynasty was ever there, throwing a st i g ma upon every t rans action. It was a weakness which :cited our indignation, and against which we were ever willing to protest. But now, when no dynasty has anything to demand at the hands of England; now, when it is impossible for us to ester upon any treaty whatever on any other than upon an ulna WWI& It ia with we hp se ;esti* wM area Wilma kno the MOS Wit and whi