The Express. — London, England, 1848-03-24 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS:THURSDAY, MARCH 23. The LORD CRANCBLLOR took hh seat at b o'clock. PUBLIC at:SINUS. !MST HEADING.—Cowman' BUI (east.Unis coroners to take inni la ores where Teraina of manslaughter ars found). COMMlTTEE—Administration of Oaths, ke. (Court of Chnneer7), .11 RE PORT.—Audit of Railway Acconts Rill. PAt ERR PRESENTED.—Seoondu Report et the Sultan Cent mission. CHARITABLE BEQUESTS—LEGACY DUTY. The Bishop of LONDON wished to ask the noble marouL (Lansdowne) whether the government would be able to c im. ply with the prayer of a petition which be had presented for a remission of legacy duty payable on charitable bequ ons ests ? The Marquis of LANSDO WNE said the pe pre sented on the subject a ere eminently entitled to the conside ration of tho house. But in that house no proceeding could originate to give relief to the petitioners; and the time was peculiarly unfavourable for a remission of any duties. It, however, any remission of this tax was found practicable at any time, it appeared to him to ho cue wed worthy the at tention of the government. (He) ODD FELLOWS SOCIETIES. Lord BEAUMONT asked if the government intended to introduce any measure for the purpose of legalising Gdd Fellow. Societies ? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said these societies were composed generally, he believed, of extremely respectable and loyal persons, and their request appeared just and reason able. The mode which would be most convenient for giving relief to those societies would not be by a separate act, but by the extension of the Benefit Societies Act, so that it should embrace societies of Odd Fellows. A bill had been brought into the other house of parliament to amend the Benefit Smieties Act, and he thought when that bill was in committee the question might be considered, with a view to the iutreductiou of a clause extending the operation of the Benefit Societies Act to the societies of Odd Follows. Lord BEAUMONT said the bill referred to in the other house was brought M by Mr. F. O'Connor, and hetia terence to the chartist laud scheme. He should be sun that so respectable a body ss the Odd Fellows should, then fore, he supposed to be connected with the persons known as chartists. He was. nevertheless, glad to hear the govern ment entertained so favourable an opinion of the societies of Odd Fellows. The Duke of RICHMOND thought it would be better to refer the matter to a select committee. The subject then dropped. ADDITIONAL BISHOPS. Lord STANLEY said a bill had been introduced last ses sion by the government with reterence to the bishopric of Manchester, the preamble of which set forth the necessity of creating other bishops. A statement was made on behalf of the government to the heads of the church by a right rev. prelate now unhappily no more, that four additional bishops were to be appointed (and that was also distinctly stated in the preamble of the bill to which he had referred) with the understanding that no addition should be made to the number of spiritual peers. The bill itself only went so far as to confirm the intentions of the go emollient with reference to the see of Manchester, but the First Lord of the Treasury said that it was the iutent'on of the government to pros. eel with the appointment of the ad ditional number of bishops, and also that it was their inten tion to keep the episcopal fund and the general fund for the augmentation of small livings separate. In the course of the last year the church had b en deprived of the services of two of her most cmineut petioles, and there must, therefore, be a considerable addition to the funds of the ecclesiastical com missioners. lie thought it, therefore, a tit opportunity to ask the goverument whether they adhered to the decla ration which thy had made last year of their intention to keep the episcopal hind and the general fund separate, and if so, whether, having a surplus at their dieposal, it was their intention to apply it by following up the plan announced last year, and ince, ming the num ber of bishops > He believed that 2,0001. had b• en audiod to the fund by the death of the Archbishop of York, and about 10,0001. by the deceak of the Archbishop of Canter bury ; and after making certain necessary reductions, the sum now at the disposal of the commissioners was between eight and nine thousand pounds. He had therefore two questions to put, first, whether it was the intentiou of the government to adhere to the distinction between the two funds; and secondly whether it was their int, ntion to pro. teed, without delay, towards the formation of one or more bishop ties The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was happy to say that the government enteitained the smile views as they did when the bill to which the noble lord alluded was introduced, as to the expediency, eventually, of increasing the number of bishoprics in reference to the amount of the population and the state of the particular dioceses. (Hear, hear ; The noble lord had stated most correctly that the bill to whicl. hi had alluded had reference only to the tee of Manchester; but its preamble recited what the intentions of her Majesty would be, with reference to the creation of additional bishoprics, when it might be convenient so to do. The preamble, however, was struck out in the othei house, because it had nothing to do with the provisions 01 the bill. This was the state in which the question DOW stood. Whenever there were means amply suthaent for the purpose, it woulo be for her Majesty, in connexion with the two houses of parliament, to consider whether further addi tions might be made to the number of bishoprics, void whe ther that would be the best application of the episcopal fund. Therefore, when the means arose for endowing another bishopric, it would be for parliament to consider tne goes Lion. The amount of the fund had been considerably over- , stated by the noble lord, for he believed it was far short of the sum he had stated. Under these circumstances, and in consequence of the lamented death of two right rev. prelates, it would have been impassible for the commissioners to snake any report on the subject, but when they were in a position to do so the whole matter would be taken into considera.ion; and with regard to the application of the episcopal luhd. he apprehended that the object alluded to would have a prefera ble claim on .t. (Hear, hear.) The Bishop of SALISBURY said it was gratifying to t r ee church to know that her Majesty's government adhered to the declaration which they had made last year. After a few words from the Earl of Devote, which were inaudible in the gallery, Lord MONTEAGLE deprecated the idea of increasing the number of bishops. The feeling of the people, who were as much members of the church as the clergy, was opposed to it. He hoped the condition of the working clergy would not be lost sight of, and that the increased fund would be applied as might be thought best for the in terests of the church as a body, without reference to any separate claims of the episcopacy. (Hear, hear.) The Bishop of OXFORD regretted the tone of the noble I lord's speech, which was so totally different from that of the noble marquis (Lansdowne). It was no discovery that the laity were part of the church ; on the contrary, he admitted that they were the most important part of her, and the bishops, priests, and demons were her ministers. There was no jealousy on the part of the episcopal bench with regard to the working clergy, whose condition they wished to see im proved ; and the question was merely whether the interests and proper government of the church did not require en additional number of bishops. (Hear, hear.) lle rejoiced to rind that the government adhered to their determination of last year. (Hear, hear.) Lord LYTTELTON said the feeling among the laity of the English church was, that the number of prelates was greatly inadequate ; he thought an amalgamation of the two funds would be desirable. Lord REDESDALE said if the two funds were put to gether it would be almost impossible that an addition to the episcopacy could take place. If there was now 6,0001. is hand, as appeared to be admitted, why was it not at once applied to the creation of a new bishopric ? The Earl of HAItROWBY confirmed the statemeetol his noble friend Lord Lyttelton, that the feeling of the laity as well as the clergy we* generally in favour of an exten sion of episcopacy. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said he fully accepted the explanation given by the Bishop of Oxford, as to the proper application of the funds, that was, that in carrying out an extension of the episcopal staff they should be applied fa such places, or in such ways, as should tend most to the interests of the church. Bat he never had given any pledge that the whole of the funds should be applied only to episcopal purposes, if it should appear that the interests of the church would be promoted by a different application. Under all circumstances it would be the true interests of the church that would be considered. The Bishop of OXFORD abould abject to such a , 111- wing of the two funds as to make it impossible, under any circumstances, to add to the efficiency of the episcopate. Their lordships adjourned at ten minutes to seven. MOUSE OF COMMONS. THURSDAY, MARCH 23. The firrraza took the L chair at ESS. 4 o'clock. PUBIC BUSIN NOTICES OF MOTlON.—Bluseee AT Eurrorra—Mr. Iltarr,on Iltureday next, to more that the attorney-General be d,ecti... I. Ftoaeeu .te Mr. Attwoed for bribery end corruption is different he. ON TO POLITICAL 0111.1.1)FRX-Mr. F. O'Coamoa, on Aprill3, to more an address to the crown for a free pardon to John Frost, Wil lson and Jones, and all otberpolideal offender& HORSHAM ELECTION. ViacountCOURTENAY brought up the report of the cow inlttee on this election, stating that Mr. Jervis had not been duly elected; that he had been guilty,threugh his 'gum, of treating ; and that, therefore, the election war void. ELECTION RECOONISANCES BILL. —l r said that, as it appeared that the hon. did not intend to proceed with this was so strongly convinced of the ne the subject, that he would move the bill, with the amendments he had ,on Monday neat. (Hear, hear.) iH OF HARWICH. moved, pursuant to notice, that the warrant to the clerk of the crown tc the election of a burgess to serve in for the borough of Harwich, in the Esq., whose election had been de- said that though on a former ewe . duty to oppose the issuing of the writ evidence taken before the election cora and in the hands of members. he was reading the evidence, that there was t on which to visit the borough with • its disfranchisement. He begged the condition of Harwich, and to contrast - by the census of 1831, with that of . bad been understood at the passing .at no borough should return two mem population of not leas than 4,000, but it matter Harwich had been highly government of Earl Grey ; for of Harwich had a population the government added an adjoin population of 356 inhabitants, thus 1. Mr. member for Midhurst d lull, he (Mr. Wortley) we amity of legislation on th ascend reading of the bi already laid on the table, BOROUGI Mr. MACKENZIE m Speaker do issue his wi maks out a new writ for 1 the present parliament ft room of John Attwood, : doted to be void. . ' .l Mr. BLACKSTONE I *on he had felt it his dui until the minutes of avid '1 mattes were printed and now bound to say, after r no ground afforded in it so great a punisluneatm i house to look at the coi ill population, so shown *a census of 1841. It *the Reform Act that n ben unless it had a popu wanted in this ma favoured by the go in 1831 the pasi!ih 0 of only 3,771, but „_ • with, with a 9 , • • • making the population of the borough 4,307. But in 1841 the census showed that the population had fallen ten per cent., and that instead of being 4,307, it was only 3 , 829 . Be wee in the hands of the house, but would suggest the fur ther addition of part of a neighbouring hundred. Heould therefore move as an amendment for leave to bringwith in bill to extend the limits of the borough of Harwich, • view to increase the number of the electors of the said borough. Dr. BOWRING seconded the amendment. Mr. HUME said, when he looked at what had already taken place this session with regard to bribery and treating at Great Yarmouth, Kinsale, Lancaster, oughs, it Carlisle, appeared Lincoln, Dundalk, Derby, Horsham, and other bor to him that it was incumbent upon the house to consider whether some means should not be taken to vin dicate the character of the house, and to ascertain if pos sible in what way the bribery and treating had been con ducted, and to Willa ex tent. It was perfectly well known that election committees, as soon as a single ease was made out to invalidate the sea t of the member petitioned against, took no further evidence, and therefore the house was never informed as to the real state and extent of the bribery and corrup ti o n. Now, though weathers bad been te-e many of the places he had mentioned, he thought that all the remaining cases ought to be suspended until a general inquiry was bad before a separate select committee, which should take a review of the whole matter, and see if there could nut be some modification of the existing law. By the decision of some committees, a degree of uncertainty had attached to the seat of almost every member of the house, however careful had been his conduct, and how ever pure his motives at the time of the election. If that were to, it became necessary on the part of the house also to consider whether the law was not faulty in this re spect. (Hear, hear.) On this double view of the matter, he would suggest to the lion. member for Wallingford (Mr. Blackstone) to withdraw his amendment, and then that this and all other writs should be suspended until the ter mination of all the election committees, when a general in quiry could be instituted. Mr. DIACKBN ZIE said that the simple question at pre sent was whether the writ for Harwich should issue. lie should not agree to the =endue at, bemuse it was admitted that the evidence of the committee afforded no ground for the disfranchieemeet of the borough. Sir B. HALL observed that he entirely differed from the opinion which had been stated that a great improvement bad taken place in the borough of Harwich. So far from 'improvement in the conduct of the electors mid of the parties who went there as candidates, there had only been a change. Anybody reading the evidence would find that a new mum of corruption had grown up in consequence of the proomidings of former elections having been shown up be. proved Mr. Roebuck's committee. Mi. Attwood had been ,on the evidence of Mr. Colqulioun, his agent, to have purchased property in Harwich which was let to tenants on condition that they should vote for him, and it appeared that one tenant, of the name of Watts, had been turned out of his holding because he had not so voted. The notice to quit served upon Watts was shown to have been signed by Mr. Attwood himself immediately alter the election. Surely these were matters which demanded a full and searching in. riTuiry M . r. B. COCHRANE thought that nothing could have been harder upon the members affected than some of the decisions pronounced by election committees during the pre sent session. (Hear, hear.) Mr. HENLEY said he had heard no sufficient reason u signed why the writ in this case ought not to issue. He also considered that some of :be committees had strained the proof of agency rather too tightly. lie should vote for the original motion. bit De L. EVANS said that if the decisions of some of the committees were to be adopted as precedents, and that any trifling act of corruption, committed without the know ledge or sanction of the member, was sufficient to unseat him, there was no member of that house who would be safe. As in this case there was no special report, he thought it would be unfair to the borough to refuse the writ. Dr. BOWRING concurred in the opinion which had been expressed in favour of a general inquiry before the issuing of this writ. Mr. ELLIOT said it hid been observed that election committees only took evidence enough to warrant them in unseating a member, and that, therefore, general corruption was never exposed. As a member of the Harwich committee, he begged to say that the committee had resolved unani mously to go into a full inquiry to ascertain the actual state of the borough, and they had done so, the report containing the result of their investigation. The committee, after a full investigation, had only iound one case of bribery accom panied by a certain amount of treating, and, under all the circumstances, he should support the motion for issuing the writ. Mr. ELLICE said, that after what was known of the borough of Harwich, and after the disclosures of other com mittees with respect to Mr. Attwood, the purchaser of pro perty in that borough, a great suspicion was thrown over the whole t,ansaction, and he thought if tho house issued the writ without further inquiry, the public out of doors world be apt to think that parliament was returning to its old course, and that the house stopped at the very threshold of full investigation. (Hear, hear.) Mr. WORTLEY, as c hairman of the committee, begged to state his impression as to the result of the evidence adduced before it. Before he did so, he must remind the house that so far from committees screening corruption, this session they had exercised the powers given them John Russell's act, and had acted with extreme vigourcarry ing the law to the utmost extent. Indeed he thought, with the hon. member for Montrose, that there were some grounds to inquire whether the present state of the law did not expose members to oppression and injustice. Following some of the decisions he believed that there were not ten members who had stood a contcst, who would be able to re tain their seats. On the other hand, he thought it would be most unconstitutiona to siopeuil the writs in no less than 21 cases, until a general inquiry should be instituted. With respect to the case now bzfore the house he must say that the statement about the round-robin signed to draw out Mr. Attwood rested upon the evidence of a witness, evidence which, if it stood alone, the committee would not have acted upon. Concurring in what had fallen from the hon. member opposite (Mr. Elliott), he must say there w,ui no evidence of general corruption; and he was bound to add that he had come to the conclusion upon the evidence that there were no constitutional grounds to withhold the writ. The Earl of ARUNDEL said it was clear there had either been great harshness or gross bribery, and a committee ought to inquire into the matter. Lord CASTLEREAGH said the committee had evidently executed their task with great care, and now they were as• soiled by a broadside from the hon. member for Montrose (Mr. Hume), who ought to be the last person to complain re' the decision of a committee. It was an extremely difficult point to prays bribery or treating, and disconnect the agents from the sitting members ; but an the case before the house house this was clear enough. It would be much better for the to amend its own legislation instead of attacking the com mittee for doing its duty. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said be would willingly support a measure for reforming the reform bill, and getting rid of these small constituencies ; but as they were now called on to perform a mere judicial act, he could not say that the amount of coruption proved was such as to call for the borough to be disfranchised. Capt. HARRIS was anxious that an example should be made of some of the agents, whereby much corruption would be avoided. The house then divided—For the amendment 64 Against it 195-131 On the motion that the writ do now issue, Mr. WAKLEY said the course pursued was calculated to bring the house into contempt out of doors. There was no doubt the hon. member who was unseated knew what was doing. (No, no.) Corruption had been proved, and now the writ was to go to the same corrupt parties. The house ought to negative the motion, and institute a searching in quiry. The public belief was that the majority of the mem bers of that house had obtained their seat. by the expendi ture of large sums of money. (No, no.) But if this writ were issued, and inquiry were stifled, would not the infer ence be that the house was afraid of the truth being known ? Mr. WORTLEY said the hon. member had made a most untounded charge against the members of the committee; and oo their behalf he begged distinctly to deny that they knew the sitting member to have been privy to the acts of bribery, as alleged by the hon. member. (Hear, hear.) The evidence showed that the parties at Harwich had studiously avoided general earruption ; had the contrary been proved, the committee must have reported it to the house. Mr. ELLIOT also defended the committee, and said the hon, member for Finsbury had only one speech, which he had been uttering for seven year.—" You are all a set of rogues; I, the hon. member for Finsbury, am the only honest man among you ; and everybody out of doors knows it" (Cheers and laughter.) He would tell that hoe. member what was said of him out of doors, that he made these attacks for the purpose of gratifying the lowest per sons in the borough of Finsbury. (Hear.) Mr. OSBORNE said it was hard that an hon. member whose seat perhaps scat less than any other should thus be attacked. lie would answer for it that those who were styled " the lowest classes in the borough of Fiosbury," if possessed of the franchise, would not barter it away, as the constituents of some hon. members were proved to have done. (Hear, and oh.") Looking at the evidence before the Harwich committee it was difficult to believe that Mr. Attwoodwas not privy to the expenditure, especially in the ease of a person named Seeley, (Hear.) He (Mr. Osborne) thought the institution' of the country would be much safer, and the house a more efficient representation el the people, if a portion of those who were called the lowest classes were admitted to the franchise. (Hear.) Mr. ELLIOT said in using the term " lowest classes " he meant those lowest in moral feeling. Mr. WAKLEY asked if it was consistent with order that the hon. member who had just sat down should impute im proper motives to him? (Mr. Wakley.) The SPEAKER said he did not understand the hon. member to have imputed such motives. After a few words from Mr. Hum and Sir DE L. EVANS, The house divided.—For issuing the writ .... 164 Against it The writ was then ordered. BOROUGH OF HORSHAM. An Hon. Mistexa having moved that a writ should issue for Horsham, for the election of • member in place of Mr. Jervis, Mr. HUME moved, as an amendment, that the writ should be suspended until the evidence was before the house. The Earl of MARCH supported the brining of the writ. Lord COURTENAY, a member of the committee, said if • division was pressed he should support the amendment. ;The amendment and motion were then, by leave, with- Mr. HUME moved that the evidence taken before the committee should be printed and laid before the house.— Agreed CABE OF CAPT. JOHN DILLON. Mr. O'CONNOR moved an addren to the crown on the statement contained in the petition of John Dillon, presented to the house on the 14th Dec. last. The cue wu simply THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 24, 1848. this: The brig Peru, • smuggling vessel, laden with tobacco, was forced into the harbour of New Ross, in 1822, by stress of weather, and Capt. Dillon, who was then stationed there, went out to capture her, and drove her into the harbour of Kinsale. There the vessel was taken in smooth water by • person named Masten. The vessel, with the cargo, was sold for 63,000 L, of which Masten got 11,7001. Now, he nmin. tained that it was not necessary for Capt. Dillon t have pursued the brig into the harbour in order to entitle him to compensation. Tue cue had been referred to Sir E. Codring ton,and he gave his award against Capt. Dillon on the ground that the react was bound for France. In consequence of that decision Capt. Dillon went to New York, and he then ascer tained from the books of the Customhouse officers that the vessel was bound for Ireland. He maintained teat Capt. Dil lon'. claim was valid ice point of law, and it was no answer to say that the exchequer was empty. The very fact of the government bovine/ paid Capt. Dillon 1801. showed that they recognised the justice of his claim. The case of this gentle man was not perfect heretofore, because he could not prove that the vessel was not bouad for France. That imperfection was now supplied, and he wanted to knew what reason the Lords of the Treasury could allege for not making Capt. Dile lea:compensation. He hoped that the time which elapsed sines the transaction took place would not be set up as a bar to his c l a im. The hon. gentleman concluded by moving that the , house resolve itself into a committee this day fortnight fir the purpose of moving an address in the case ef Capt. Dillon. Mr. PARKER said that it was the duty of the 'Treasury, in deciding upon the claims of individuals, to take care that they were fully and clearly established. (Hear.) He would assume that the Peru was a smuggling vessel, and that its object was to laud contraband goods OD the coast of Ire land. No doubt Captain Dillon was desirous of ccpturing the vessel, and he sailed out after the l'eru ; but that ves sel being stronger than his own, he returned re infecto. Subsequently the Peru put into Kinsale from stress of weather, and was there seized, and the proceeds were dia tributed in the manner usual iii such cases. Capt. Dillon never put in any claim at that time. lie did not take any steps in the matter from 1822 to 1829. After that period his applications were indeed very numerous, and his efforts were most per evering. When the question was brought before Lord Althorp, he said that Captain Dillon was not entitled to compensation. Subsequently the subject was referred to Sir E. Codrington, but he only pronounced his judgment with reference to a professional point, and not as to the justice of his claim to compensation. There was no imputation on the character of Capt. Dillon for want of bravery, but it was considered that what he did in the affair did not entitle him to compensation. Mr. HUME said that he was of opinion that Capt. Dillon had not established his claim to compensation. He could bear hie testimony to the anxious conelderation which Lord Althorp gave this subject. He thought Lord Althorp's de cision was a correct one, and he saw no reason to alter that opinion. Mr. AOLIONBY said that he gave considerable attention to this subject, and he came to the conclusion that Captain Dillon had been ill-treated. Mr. S. CRAW FORD was confident in Wooten mind that Capt. Dillon wesentitled to compensation. Mr. WAKLEY thought no adequate answer had been made to the statement of the member fur Nottingham. Dr. POWER brit Hy supported the claim. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had con sidered the case with the moat anxious regard to justice, and had come to the unhiaise4 decision that Capt. Dillon hail no claim whatever for compensation. At the same time he thought there was no pretence for any charge %Ton his pro fesaional character. But Capt. Dillon had not captured the Peru ; he had driven her off the coast and prevent , d her landing her cargo, but he had nothing in the world to do with her putting into Kinsale or with the seizure of her cargo when she got there. Mr. AGLIONI3Y asked if it was not true that Capt. Dillon's vessel gave the l'eru chase, and that she went into Kinsale in consequence of the damage she received from his fire ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that Capt. Dillon might have given the Peru chase, but that he kept up a lire at her from bis hosts he ventured to doubt. Mr. F. O'CONNOR replied. It had been distinctly proved by the ship's carpenter that Capt. Dillon did keep up a fire at the Peru. He lelt it to the house, whether a man who had spent his whole substance in an effort to obtain justice, should now, he righted or not. The house divided—For the motion 59-51 Against it GAME LAWS. Mr. BRIGHT then rose to move for leave to bring in a bill for the repeal of the game laws. lie said he should make no apology for offering this motion to the attention of the house, except that which mght be due for having so long delayed bringing this subject forward. It was in 1845 that he obtain, d a select committee to inquire into the operation of these laws. That committee was of a character as impartial as could peke sibly be obtained, and the majority was constituted of those who disagreed with his (Mr. Bright's) views. The commit. tee examined about sixty witnesses, twenty-one of whom were teneet-fanners. It was proved before that cimmittee that game were mist destructive to agricultural produce. Mr . Bites, of Luton Park Farm, said that in thirty acres of wheat he hail had damage awarded amounting to 1181. Mr. Redding, a tenant of Lord Folkestone, showed that in forty-five acres he had damage done amounting to 1721. In four years previous to 1845 he lost 4601. on wheat and barley land alone ; or 11.51. per annum without reckoning turnips and green crops. Other wit shies proved similar facto. Mr. 3.11e11, Salisbury, damage to his mowing crops in 1044, on 223 save, 4161. 81. —Mr. Chambers, Norfolk, farms, 0,000 mares not r nt land, 1844, line near I,oool.—Mr. W. sewell, near Swaffhara, re 1,0241., damage Mr one year, estimated on 700 acres, was 700/. Mr. A. Gordon, Wenlock farmers' Club, 11441, loss on his own farm, 1301, en Si acres; 1042, loss on his own farm, 051., on 10 acme; 1844 and winter of 11145, tom oa his own farm. 1141.—Mr. Woodward, liemprey, Wormaterehire, 5165 USCG of Lord Coventry, 200 acres of his own land, 1644, lm, MI. by game oa the land he rented from Lord Landide, surveyor, ttrealiire, 1641, six farms,peo =Capt. Wernysis, 1,059 Scotch arms, valued lova 655/. ; 1841, estimatol near 1,000/., Capt. Wemyse paid the rums awarded according to agreement in the leases of the six farms.—Mr. 3. W. %c sear Bury St. Edmunds, 1,00 acres of arable land, Nov. it ewes of wheat so in ringartrides and winged game SS enmeshed it up, lose of p u n unit solving this wheat crop =I/11W taxation lilt., name low double that sum.—Mr. W. Mr Louth, 740 acres, Duke of Newcastle; 1843, 23 acres of whist *imaged, valued at 1501., game injured him to. pen acre on whets bon or 1851., but all Ms taxes not much over W.—Lincoln- Alm, near Krttlehy, Thorpe, 1844, farm 500 acres, boon 2401., emu sere. of wheat wen. .otally destroyed bygone. I The only tenant-farmer who was brought up to give evidence against the repeal of the game laws was a Mr. Taylor, who was agent to Sir John Shel ley, in Sussex; but even be admitted the great damage that particular sons of game effected. It bad been said by Lord Salisbury before the committee, that 12 hares could not consume as much as a sheep. Ile thought much weight could not attach to evidence in which such an opinion could be incorporated, for the experiment had been tried. A Mr. Gaylord had kept, in one place, 12 hares, and in another place 2 sheep. In six weeks the 12 hares consumed of oats, beans, B:e., 33 bushels and 3 pecks, weighing 68 stones, and costing lbs. 21d., whilst in the same time the 2 sheep consumed only 2.5 bushels, 3 pecks, and 2 pints, weighing 45 stones, and costing lbs. 91d. Thus the consumption of the 12 hares exceeded, in 6 weeks, the con sumption of the 2 sheep by 8 bushels, or 23 stones of food, costing 4s. 50. Within a fraction, therefore, 41 hares con suite das much as a sheep whilst in confinement, and of course the calculation did not include all that would have been destroyed and injured had the hares been at large. Every farmer to whom the question was put, and the ques tion was put to every farmer called, declared that game was prejudicial to agriculture. As to the cases in which the game on land was let to a third party, it was peculiarly im possible for the fanner to cultivate his land to advantage- Any man renting the game over a farmer's land might, as a witness, Mr. Villebois, had described the matter, preserve as much game on it as he chose-10,000 partridges, and 10,000 pheasant., and 10,000 hares, if he liked, and still as many more - if he liked, and have a whole regiment of keepers to guard his game, every . keeper having the right to go over the land, in all directions, and at all hours of the day or night. It was impoesibled that farmers could prosper, or that labourers could obtain employment as they ought to do,unless this real burden upon land—a burden which those who made such an outcry against burdens upon land did not advert to— wns removed. The manner in which the game laws were administered by the country magistrates afforded another strong reason why the game laws themselves should oe done away with. Mr. Phillipps, in his evidence before the committee, had stated the fact, that it having been found necessary, in consequence of complaints on the subject to government, to direct copies of all commitments under the game laws to be forwarded to the Home office, it was ascertained that in one year alone, the year ending March, 1845, there had been no fewer than 1,849 commit meats, under the game laws, of which forty were absolutely contrary to law, and the prisoners were accordingly dis charged by government, while in principle other cases were characterised by the most monstrous irregularities. As to the moral effect of the game laws upon the rural I Population,that effect was most pernicious. The penalties inflicted were in no Instance regarded by the sufferers as the just retribution of the law for a punishable offence, but as the tyrannous acts of partial magistrates, either the actual preservers themselves, or iufluenccd by their friendship fur the prosecuting landlord. As a proof of the want of confi dence in the magiatracy un the part of the government, it was sufficient to state that the Home Secretary had just recommended that cases of night poaching ;should be trans ferred from the sessions to the assizes. So long ago as 1796 Mr. Fox denounced the game laws as fraught with the most demoralising effects upon the rural population ; and repeated committees et the House of Commons corroborated this opinion, by evidence from all parts of the coun• m. In his evidence before one of the com ittees, the right hon. member for Ripon (Sir J. Crakes) had declared as follows : lan myself a preserver of game, and, being so, I embed to moan that the most tenant source denim in my immediate nigh- Manhood is connected with pre, and with the preservative of ft • • • I think the lower erases, la summon with the iddlien, bens a love, a natural love, of dee wed. wow stimulated ember by the rein Weediest an Um !he stpadlsel meg awns, also, is a great loimmennt te Nand M Met I drill = r i t i my own reerldle nsied ire ends wet ever err* ft. • • dolw Wilt= urea *pre wen delft thea it nes Sls err, era saws alsefrorrerss s sot due I lave sj 'sal prided losetheseeek riethethsthee di say elder le pernt de Nible, vadiNkkaiss4Wellear elle* * Loner l ie wiertg s e a b a the MI %MEM et Ore ==itssaisali Ye a le the imp tellers le take them. • • • Use the waoM d I shah think goesishet Ma" rather than the ememellment* criminal habits. As to the extent of offences under the>e laws, the Duke of Richmond had stated that, The system masks MSS* witit thislarefin earedesees—lt in creased and heightened the liniesbetweee time Vslem, Ile middle, and the lower classes. Wahl** Wahl. Yews tbst In *me yea" from 1827 to 1830, 8,30 1 jig ainlmma awn illaniike6 of 0011111111 as the game laws ' sod Weise alert Sir J. Graham, speaking of the change in the law of 1831, said : I hale not before the the re of the number of mimeo sgainst the game laws at that period, Out l have a distinct reoodeetka that the attention of Lord Ore?. government wee forms! toted, Added on *scowl el Mt/reed itlerenell of enme ender treesinclionged tem at ear Mae apparent, and which circumstance Is now attracting, In • painful degree, the attention of the country. ' The hon. member then proceeded to read the following etatistical returns respecting the operation of the game and in support of his arguments England and Walen—Ocovictions under the game laws In 1643, 4,326. HMS to 184 S-42 gern . skeepers killed and inquests held; in 25 of Mice cams a verdict of arliNl murder was returned. 1841-7 giunekeenelll killed and 11117BICMS held, of which Were re turned wail =order, and 1 was returned manelaughtsr. 1844,184 3 , to May, 1846 (2 years and 4 montbs)—Total convictions, 11,392 being an average of 4,884 COIITiCtIOOS per annum, and au in armor o ld 3 over tee year 1843. He w further ezemplify the dreadful evils arising out of the maintenance of the game laws, in so far as the criminal jurisprudence of the country WWI concerned. The Cages to which he should call the attention of the house were ell of recent occurrence, and they would prove beyond a doubt that much of the bloodshed mid maiming that had attracted public attention took their rise solely out of the system of preserving game. The hon. member then read t he following cases, which he had extracted out of the pro vincial end other papers: Fauna CLZIOTILAYI Itt IIZATTOILIAIIIitt.—Itt the county prison are now (i.e. at the Epiphany riemiun) confined don prisoners. Of these 4/ are for poaching. heady half, you tee, of those In the county gaol; more than Calf of throe in the liberty gaol. Add the.se together, had wo have 133 prisoners, of whom 64 were poacher.. Think of this, gentlemen of Hertfordshire, when next you discuse the mum of desnoralissUon among us, or take in hand name remedy for the perils of the nation. Just one short of ;0 are i re yo u r genii. for aggreoion on the spade of the he a t o f Dare you uliply this by 40, and may that 2,70) are in gaol in the whole of the Smiled counties? or can you feel ouistied that our county should fumish an unhappy disproportion of such basest I cannot pledge myself for the accuracy of a unit; but there Is no intentimal exaggeration, and the proportions ran hardly be altered. Herbs and Meadham tried for cutting grid wounding Grant, a keeper of the Marquis of Aylesbury. Teem keepers heard shoo on Bolioneurnmon. Saw four men coming down Bath and London road. Keepers were armed witb oemlAing a Bain Keeper% stood Is the middle of the road, and King, one of them, m tookid, " lads, what's up?" Fight began tremendous fighting place. The blood streamed down Grant's bead, nearly blindi n g him. The heads of the keepers dreadfully cut, and the worst coneequencoi were apprehended !Tom them. Thomas Meadhum's arm was broken, and Booties Mcadham died from concussion of the brain the name day. The Warr caused much pain to the marquis, who sent meoagis every hour fur intelligence as to the state of the deceased. Thomas Meaitham transported for mien 'sow—Dreier , /sr/encl./eon December 23, Christmas-day. —Thompson and Wallace, poaching in a moil belonging to Mr. licaumont, of Dyne!, Northumnerland. Desperate Buhl with keepers. Thompson fired twice or thrice. Once at a large dog with the keepers. Wallace wounded in the thigh. Both taken. bent to Morpetb gaol, where Walla, e died of a lock-jaw on or abut the Sth January. Manslaughter. lii years' tranaport, tion on Thompson. Keeper said ill evidence," My dog between a Newfoundland and a bloodhound; he b. very large, but I do not know how savage he is. I keep the dug to Rs with me at night lie has been trined to scent a hthll: he can trace the footsteps by the scent, and tube me to any part of the wood w h e re anybody LA." Three men, Davies, hill, and Bryant, were charged at Cardifr with ahosing David Davies, en assistant keeper to W. W. Lewis, Km The keepers heard firearms in the preserves. Their dogs scented out the three primness and another man nut in custody. The keepers followed them and demanded their I.amed. A keeper mired Bryant by the leg to prevent his getting over a fence. Bryant resisted, the keeper struck him on the sun till he dropped his gun. Dablow vies Mouldered boo `tun , sayieg, "If you don't let that man go I'll your brain. out.' , Tho three other keepers rushed forward and laid bold of it hy the stock. The prisoner register!, the gun went off, and the deceased received the contents in the groin. Ile staggered, fell down, and cried out, "lam shot, lam a dead man." lie was car ried into a cottage covered with blood, but life was extinct Arias? AT ellYsliT-lIALL, LANTAllllllth.—lour keepers and four poachern—desperate tight or 20 minutes, the p sobers getting the worst of it. During the struggle a gun was fired, but without any • enact. The poachers used it gun-stocks and bludgeon*, and the , keepers were seined with strung, heavy cudgels. The wounded roan, Tudor, who was Bing on the ground m a state of intensibinty, was then onweyed to 'Pie ball, as well as his conpanion, Brown. Tudor had a severe wound on the head, which had tits . n inflicted by -ne Me keepers' clubs, besides other injuries, and his recovery is coo sidered very doubtful. Brown h. s several cuts and bruises, bat nut of a serious character. Loco ICO.3IANDY'II Panssavok--About Ist February, flee keepers were watching in the Mulgrave woods. Heard firearm.. Keepers armed with sticks, the marquis forbidding firearms. They met a gong of poachers, armed with guns. Summoned them to surrender. One of the gene ?resented his gun and fired at a keep,: named Brown, the contents lodging in Ms right arm. A struggle foLowed. The keepers were beaten off, the cher. firing at them. The wounded man was carried to the n ew est house. One of the gang was Mot In the thigh by one of his comrade , . Ile crawled away, concealing bimsell in a thicket, but wee discovered. The wounded poacher died the following *fhureclay. • Mardis of Charles layer, ASMtlint Gamekeeper on the Estate of Mr. A. It. Drummond, 01 Clue:lnds Park, Hants.—The watchers were only armed with sticks. The poachers had two guns, and they used tie buttends to keep off the watchers. Deceased's Mull wan 'rectum:l by the butt-ends of the gone, and one gun went elf by accident, and part of its contents lodged in the bread of Morris, but not to any surieux extent. Payne survived but a short time. The coroner's jury returned a vented of wilful murder against Morel. as principal, and against Smith, Brack., Carrell, and Knapp ss aceevoanes. Morris, the principal in the murder, is the son of stephen Morris, the heal gamekeeper. Thus the father Is chief gamekeeper, and the eon in poacher, and now charged with murder. —Lasts Independent, March It. Mascot le. alit; Dowson, for the Murder of Shirley, Duke of Cleveland's Whipper-in, acting as Keeper at Baby Castle.— Affray on the 2nd of Feb., 1514. thdll • found guilty, and sentenced tu be hanged. Shirley died 12 days af.cr he was shot in the arm. He did not say a word in vindication of these men, but he would assert his conviction that parliament should interfere and put a stop to a system which engendered such crimes as these fur which these men were condemned. As , to the successive palliation , of those laws, attempted by legis ; lotion, they had all tailed in the 'Urged purpose. The hon. member for Derbyshire had introduced a bill fur • making hares into rabbits. The bill was a mockery of legit.. lotion, and if the house was contented with such measures, the country would think, and justly, that there was an in : dispoeition to meddle with the privileges of the rich, and that rather than deprive them of the game laws, the legislature would prefer running the risk of disturbing public tranquil lity. What was the number of persons interested in the game laws ? The tax returns showed that in the years 1841. 1842, the number of certificates granted was only 35,000, and for gamekeepers 2,600. The amount of revenue derived from this source was 107,0001., but that amount of revenue would not induce the Chancellor of the Exchequer to oppose the abolition of the game laws on the score of public exigen cies. The discontent which was felt by the peasantry was very great. It is a discontent which— ,. Smouldering as it grew In silence teed." He wished the house to proceed on a different principle to ' the past in respect to game. The principle which he sought nametalish was that acknowledged by the common law, ly, to give every one that property which belonged to , him ; whereas, the game laws prevented a man from sho.a. nag or destroying the wild anima ls that were p roduced i on his land. The people had no sympathy with , the game laws. They were habitually disregarded, ; and thereby the poacher wits often led to regard - regard other laws, and rot to shrink from sheep or her-e stealing. The bill he intended to propose he was very simple. It consisted of two c lauses onl y . T first abolubing all laws, and portions of laws which related i to game, or to certificates, or to any other restriction on the killing of wild animals. The second clause was for the pur pose of giving occupiera of land a right to sue for damages in those cases where game preserved on adjacent lands destroyed his crops. This was the sum total of his bill, and it was not so complex as some of the existing game laws were. He did not intend to propose to introduce any clause respecting trespasses, as those could be easily • provided against in cane of need. lie hoped he bad sufficiently proved he had no wish to interfere between landlord and tenant, as he had almost been accused of wishing to do. Having thus stated his views ha beed to thank the house for the attention with which bon. members bad listened to his speech. He asked for nothing less than a complete change in the whole policy of the game laws, and the house could not refuse hie bill or some similar measure, without running counter to the spirit of the age, and also perpetuating the evils which he hart shown to exist. It had been truly stated by Mr. Alison that there was little difference between an Englush sportsman and • Red Indian ; both of them found the only true excit e m ent in sla y in g wild animals and curbing impetuous steeds. It was for the sole amusement of such that the game laws were maintained ; and he ventured to say, not only would public opinion not be satisfied with their continuance, but also that nineteen twentieths of the peasantry were in favour of his bill. Mr. COWAN, in seconding the motion, disclaimed any unkindly feeling towards the proprietors of the soil, to many of whom he was inlebted for facilities ii following the sportaman's trade. (A laugh.) But it was for their sakes he was anxious to see an end put to a system which was a cause of continual heartburning between landlord and tenant, at least in his part of the country. He agreed with the hon. member for Manchester in thinking that the game laws caused a monstrous waste of human food, and were a remnant of the feudal system and a disgrace to the present age. (Hear.) The farmers of Scotland were decidedly hostile to the system, so much so, that thole of Fife and Lothian bad formed themselves into associations to procure its alteration. (Hear.) A case of great hardship had occurred in his part of the country, in which a farmer having banished the game which were destroying his crops, by the most harmless means, namely, by firing blank cartridge and hunting them with muzzled doge, wu sued at law and informed t hat he had acted illegally, and that his only proper remedy was an action (or damages. The honourable member for Man chester preserved the right to damages in his bill. He (Mr. Cowan) regretted that the boo, member had done so, seeing that there was nothing so difficult to trace as the authors of such damage, and nothing so likely to produce ill-feeling be tween landlord and tenant as the attempt. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Cowan) thought that a much better plan would be to give the tenant a right to shoot the game upon hie farm. The hon. member having read an extract from a letter, the purport of which was, that the game laws were considered to be an excessive burden by the majority of the Scottish farmers, concluded by entreating the honee to give a favour able consideration to the present bill. Col. SIBTHORP declared his decided opposition to even the introduction of the bill. Sir 0. STRICKLAND said there was, no doubt, a strong feeling abroad that there was something in the game laws which was not just ; and he thought it was the duty of the legislature to endeavour to remove that impression. But the hen. member for Manchester completely failed in his remedy (hear, hear), sad proposed alterations which would lead to a tate of confusion ha all the relations of land lord and tenant. (Hear, hear.) lie was fur making much more stringent laws of trespass, and by doing so would leave all the evils of the present system as well as create new ones. He had ably pointed out those evils and the demoralisation which they caused, and on that account he considered that the house was indebted to him for having brought forward the question ; but in the remedy he proposed he (Sir 0. Strickland) could not concur. Sir O. GREY likewise felt that the house was indebted to the hon. member for Manchester for bringing this ques tion before it—it being a question to which he thought the attention of the house might be most woefully directed. (Hear, hear.) He likewise agreed with his hon. friend who had just spoken that the hon. member for Manchester had ably depicted the evils ariaing, not, however, se much from the gams laws as from the great accumulation and strict pre- mutation of game (hear, hear); but to the remedy of the hon. gentleman he did not think the hones ought to assent, because it would not remove those evils. He thought that the hon. gentleman would have submitted $Olll9 plan which would have enabled him (Sir G. Grey) to consent to the in troduction of his bill with • vie w to discus sion at • f u ture stage. But having clearly and fully stated the nature of the measure he ounceived that the house was in • position to pronounce upon it at once. The hon. gentleman had connected all the evils which he had so well portrayed with the operation of the game 1 laws, altogether overlooking the fact that many of those I evils arms from the accumulation of game. He quite con curred in his denunciation of the practice of publicly an nouncing as a matter of commendation the enormous quan whic(hcirtivoier .a . th a a r d ., b; r e o n m ans tpoakrtsill of f ith ti i i n e ti a h t o y g u E f e 4 n tim e . iwa. glad to find that that practice was so gene rally discountenanced by that house. The hon. gentleman asked for the total repeal of the game laws on account of the injury they did to the tenants and the crops. There was be believed, no doubt, that great injury was done to crops, especially by hares ; but he could not g o the len g th of ad. mining that that injury alleged by the hon. gentleman ex tended to the stock of food in the country. The real evil and injury was that this game which was used as food by one man should be maintained out of the property of another. (Hear, hear.) But vow net that the consequence of agree ments between landlord and tenant rather than of the law i And agreerneats between landlord and tenant regarding the mode of cultivation, the ploughing up pus land, or the re gulating of game, parliament had never yet touched, and any attempt to do so would he absolutely futile. (Hear.) He hoped the time was not far distant when the farmers would make such agresments with their landlords as would protect them on the best terms. But the most important part of the question was that which affected the morals of the people, arising from poaching and other crimes, said to originate in the existing game laws. The hon. member (Mr. Bright) has stated, that in this respect, for years past, matters hail been becoming worse—that the number of con victions and consequent demoralisation was on the yearly in. creme. His (Sir G. Grey's) information on the subject, however, did not lead him to the same conclusion. Though the offence arising Flom the unlawful pursuit of game were frequent, yet there had been a diminution in their number, arising from the discussions which had taken place on the subject in and out of the house, and which had induced the public to look more into the subject. But speak mg of the number of convictions, the hon. mem ber for Manchester had not adverted to the die tinction between the convictions under the game laws and the violent cases of assault, manslaughter, and murder, arising from poaching conflicts. Under the statute 1 and 2 Will. IV. c. 102, for offences strictly under the game laws, no sentence of transportation could be pared; but the act 9 Geo. IV. c. 69, commonly called the Night Poaching Act, mado any person under the moat serious class of convictions liable to transportation. Now, from the dam of the report ot the select committee of 1846, there had not been a single person sentenced to transportation under that statute until 1847, when three persons, who, while in the unlawful pursuit of game, had committed acts of violence, had been so sentenced, though in the preceding periods the number had been much greater. With respect to summary convictions, the last return won that of 1845, which showed the number for that year to have been 2,796, which was be tween 1,500 and 1,600 less than that of the year preceding; and in 1847 there had only been 48 convictions of any kind in England and Wales beyond that of the three men sen tenced to transportation, to whom he had already alluded. While he (Sir G. Grey) should cheerfully give his best attention to any attempt to remedy and diminish existing evils, he most say he thought the bill now proposed would utterly fail to accom plish that object. The bill proposed absolutely to repeal the Night Poacbieg Act and the statutes 18; 2 Will. IV. It did not meddle with the law of trespass, and, in effect, it would offer a direct premium to crime, and would create still greater evils than any that had arisen under the existing law. Ile wished the hon. member hail made a mote moderate pro penal ; but he (Sir 0. Grey) was new ready to give his best attention to the subject, and to pledge himself that at no dis tant day a Mil should be introduced (which, perhaps, ought to have been done before), founded upon the report of the select committee of 1816. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the loos of life in conflicts wish poachers, he must remark that there prevailed a deep feeling among a large portion of the population, who regarded poaching notas a moral crime, but who alai looked upon murder committed while poaching as not amounting to a crime. He was sure the hon. mem ber for Manchester was the last man who would encourage that feeling, but would lend his iutluence to show that persons who deliberately committed murder while in the pursuit of game were liable to the punishment awarded to that offence. In some cases the juries had properly pronounced verdicts of manslaughter, but at present there were two men u n d er sentence of death at Durham for a murder committed on the estate of the Duke of Cleveland. That case had occupied his (Sir G. Grey's) most serious attention in the most painful duty that could occur to a person in his poeition. His anxious care was to do his duty, and not to shrink from it ; and that while the law remained as it was, not to proclaim to the world that because a man took the life of another while poaching . he could not be subject to the punishment allotted to the crime of murder. (Hear, hear.) He assured the hon. member for Manchester (Mr. Bright) that he opposed the introduction of this bill, not from any want of respect for the hon. member's motives, but because he thought the re =dies he proposed would be utterly unavailing, would in troduce greater evils than any now in existence, and would not be productive of the successful results which the hon. member seemed to expect. (Hear, hear.) Mr. B. COCHRANE said that allusion had been made to a case in Hampshire affecting a gentleman with whom he was connected. He could appeal to many hon. mem bers whether that gentleman did not deservedly enjoy the highest reputation as an excellent landlord. He (Mr. B. Cochrane) did not entirely agree in all that had fallen from the right hon. baronet opposite (Sir 0. Grey), hut he thought the present motion a most injudicious one, and he viewed it as another blow aimed most maliciously at one class of the community—the landed proprietors. Mr. W. P. WOOD rose amidst loud cries of "divide." The hon. and learned member said he felt so strongly on this question that he was determined to express his senti• ments, even if, in order to do so, he should be com pelled to more the adjournment of the debate. He had listened with great anxiety to the speech of the right hon. baronet at the head of the Home INpartment, and he had hoped to have heard him propose • remedy. The grievance had Laken a deeper root than the report of 1846 contemplated, and the evil was that no class of the community, not even the game preservers, could be superinduced to believe that there was any malum in se in the course of poaching—on the contrary, it was merely regarded as a realism prolsibitum. How could men consider poaching as an evil when it had been proved before the committee of 18t6 by one witness that he was in the habit of continually supplying peers, meunmbers of with parliament, clerame and gymen, and with tee B eggs which had been obtained improperly and illegally ? Such being the case, how could the poacher believe himself morally guilty . ? (Hear.) The legislature could not make property of anneals which were wild by nature. There was a strong feeling in all classes of society for this particular amusement ; and in the attempts to quell that feeling de moralisation had arisen. (Hear, hear.) Blackstone had described the game laws as a banter I offshoot of the old forest laws, founded on the same unreasonable ground. There was not a city feast on the 29th September where they had not pheasants on the table, though they could not legally be killed till the Ist of October. (Hear, hear.) As to the administration of this branch of the law by the magis trates, there was no confidence in it whatever. The late ' Mr. Kenyon, of Gloucester, never would sit on a game case, because he felt that he could not dojustice. Many othersmight i be equally Wined without knowing it. When a person was I once charged under the game laws he became a marked man. A boy at Woodbridge, in Suffolk, having been blamed I for destroying pheasants eggs, an order was given to the farmers generally not to employ him. (Hear.) It had been said that if the game laws were abolished the gentry would leave the country. This he could not believe, for he was con vinced they had higher objects. An objection had been made to the bill that it did not provide against trespass. It was no part of the measure to do this ; hut nothing would be more easy than to bring in a bill specially directed to that object. He would have the trespass lawn entirely discon nected with the game laws. (Hear.) Mr. NEWDEOATE (amidst cries of "oh," and "divide ") said that the game laws could only be abro gated by enacting a trespass law, which would be more oppressive. Sir H.VERNEY said that • change of the game.laws was the only important benefit that the legislature could center on the agricultural interest. Mr. G. THOMPSON moved the adjournment of the debate. Sir G. GREY hoped the house would consent to a divi sion. He did not know when the debate could be resumed. Mr. BRIGHT said he knew that several hon. members yet wished to speak. After a conversation the house divided on the question of adjournment. Ayes B2 Noes B7--5 Dr. BOWRING said it would be most unfair to press a division on the main question, seeing that several hon. gen tlemen were desirous of addressing the house upon it, and that so large a minority had declared in favour of the ad urnment of the debate ; be would therefore move t hat the hhouse do now'adjourn. The SPRAYER put the question, which was carried, the whole of the country party joining with the ayes, to the evi dent astonishment of Dr. Bowssng, whose confusion while Mr. Bright appeared to be explaining to him that the effect of kis amendment had been to make a dropped order of the mo tion, which, to be again placed on the paper, would require a new motion, elicited • hearty laugh from the opposition as well as the members of the government. The house accordingly stood adjourned at twenty minutes to one o'clock. ELECTION COMMITTEES.—YESTERDAIT. HORSHAM.—The committee terminated its labours by resolving that John Jervis , Esq., was not duly elected and that the late election for the borough wee null and void. GENERAL COMMITTEE OF ELECTIONS. The following committees were struck yesterday: SLIGO.—Mr. T. C. Granger (chairman), Messrs. Disraeli, P. Swope, J. Haywood, Sir J. Johnston. RYE.—Mr. E. Divett (chairman), Sir H. Raiford, Yalta. J. H. Virian, Hon. F. Charters, IL. J. Blake. PARLIAMENTARY PAP4'ES. HOUSE OF COMMONS. (191.)—Woons AND FOl/88T6.—This return of the income and expenditure of fifteen of the royal forests will enable our readers to judge of their value to the nation : Ineome. Expenditure. f s. d. 4: .. d. New Forest t edee aso 17 10 New Park th Parkhurst Forest 413 8 9 925 13 Dees Forest 15,130 1G 1 10,907 5 5 Higiuseadow Words 4,261 0 1,727 16 10 Here Forest Delaraere Posed 4,706 16 1 2,651 10 14 Whittletrood Forest Rahn Pored Whicbwood Forest 426 8 1 303 7 4 Ilsiosult or Waltham Fong 896 13 504 3 1 Alice Dolt Forest. ........ Woolmer Ferret 1,150 8 1500 0 • DMus Woods ......... -- 0 0 243 7 S Chopwsil Woods 663 16 1 413 15 41 44,245 13 104 35,838 7 the erpreoo. MAILS. The mails for Vigo, Oporto, 21;17fCc,Thiladoira, Cadir, ,and Gibraltsz will be made up .41 the morning of the 27th March. The Wart India Mello, Including Ikrmuda,Matl, Maven Honduras, New Orlean*, Vera Cruc, Tamp.), and Porto Biro, and excluding there for Madeira, Januel, Carthagroa, aonta Martha. Chaim*, Panama, Went Coast at SOUll! AI 't. Jumude- Niearamia, will be made up on the morning of the 27th March. The mails for New South Wider, Can Gieman's Land, and NeW Zealand will be made up oh the evening of the 31st March. The muds for the Wont f.'oriet of Africa and Madeira will be made up on the evening of the Slot March. The overland mails for Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, the lonise Is/ands, Egrpt, Aden, Cl4lon, India, Hong-Kong, and China, via Soutbarep. ton, will be made up on the morning of the 3rd April. The mails far the Brazils, the River Plate, Monte Video, Perna, buso, Bahia, Madeira, and Buenos Ayres, will be made cap on the evening of the 4th April. The overland clured rim Marseilles, to the Me litemneen, Egypt, Aden, Oryloe, India, liong.Kong, ace., will he made up on the evening of the 24th Mini. The mails be British North America, Bermuda, and the Ended States, wall be made up en the evening of the 21t4 Apnl. NOTICE. The number of STAMPS issued to the DAILY NEWS by the authorities of the Stamp.odiee, during 1817, ;was: From JAN. 1, to Dec. 31 .• • • 3,447,009 This, we believe, is within eight per cent, of the number issued to the Morning Herald, Morning Clirossirle, and Morning Poet, ALL PUT TOOETHEIL In addition to the above, issued to the DAILY NEWS, Morning Paper, there were issued for the Evening Edition, THE EXPRESS, _ _ From JAN. 1, to Mac. 31 Which was more, we believe, t►en were issued tither to the Globe or Standard, Evening rimers. TO CORREI'ONDENTS. • Adrenieemente Intended tor TVA Zooms,' Lowing. erwor p•pe.. evel be., {la office, ak, Notinn.Olovel, by Two reelect ore the Ity of pewit-Wow Moil WATER AT LOM DON MUDGE. Ten DAT —Morals& MI ota. pre 4; Alteraloos, si .mit pm 4. Tu.roasow—ilonamA ful. past $ ; IbArsoon.l.4 la.. LONDON, .F.RIDAY, MARC!!. 24. AUSTRIA and Prussia presented the aspect of two very different kinds of monarchy, each of which, headed by very eminent statesmen, was proud and confident of the duration and security of its system the imperial and royal politicians of 'Germany point ing with 'elf-complacent superiority during these late years to the embarrassments that beset Spanish, French, and even English constitutional governments. As to the Austrian empire and n s unne, it was, in fact, one of the sixteenth century ; not very unlike what the experience of CHARLES V. might have founded, a fascirstlns of countries bound together by the slender cord of having descended by right of in heritance to the house of LORRAINE. In those mon tries all the institutions of class freedom and independence, invented by the middle ages,. and developed in municipal liberty and feudal rights, had been destroyed, and destroyed as a transition to that fuller and more equable state of freedom of which all partake. But Austria stopped this development in transit's, and, by its religious bigotry and military power, held back the pendulum and the hands of time for full three centa nes. Prince 'NI ETTERSICII was Cardinal GRAN VEILS without the red hat. He had no idea of a govern- ment other than that of a elfspoti: head of a family; and he governed it like a school, where the fear of the rad is varied and relieved by the amusement of the holiday. Whilst Prince Merreeeten thus upheld intact and sacred his monster specimen of the " wisdom of an cestors;' the great northern rival of Austria proceeded to develop a despotisnio illestrodo, an enlightened despotism, gathering to it and enlist :ng in its service all the talent that the schools could develop, and all the force that a great military sys tem could combine. In thin system the King of PRUSSIA had a blind and devoted faith. Other monarchs have defended what they esteem their dig nity and hereditary rights. The King of l'ausqA, on the contrary, had learned to dread and to contemn the constitutional system, as worked in England and in France ; and he deemed himself called upon to found and to preserve a system far more solid, and superior, in which, amidst all the semblance of free institutions, the royal power should preserve the great initiative and high intellec tual influence. These political views of the monarch were strengthened by his religious ones, which were devout, and even fanatic. lie took a high priestly view of the duties of government, and thought him self missioned by his kingly office to provide re ligious tenets as well as political wisdom for his sub- jects. This bran-new cut-iron edifice of FREDERICK WILLIAM has been blown down by the same popular hurricane which levelled the old walls of the burg of Vienna. Antiquity has not preserved the one, nor prepense sagacity the other. The obscurant ism of METTERNICH did not shut out light. Instinct has suggested what the censor and the anti-education jet denied. And, strange to say, the all-education of Prussia produced the same effect as the no-education of Austria. The people of both have learned to will —to will emphatically and irresistibly. And the Viennese epicurean, as well as the Berlin academician, have shown themselves not behind the Fr, nch in the glory and hardihood of heaping paving-s.ones, defy ing guns and soldiers , and teari n g to shreds the monarchy or the authority, which supported itself upon bayonets. As we said yesterday, the " sovereignly of the people " is henceforth the common law of Europe, through whatever forms or functionaries, royal re elective, that sovereignty may be carried on. Wher ever there arc great agglomerations of men, and wherever there is community of opinion between classes, there resides power. The old dogmas of power, consisting in wealth, in knowledge, in heredi tary rights, in loyal armies, or in passive obedience, are swept away, when we see the population of a city, numbering scarcely 300,000 souls, overcoming an army like the Prussian, unlimited in numbers, in equiP ment, and unflinching in loyalty and devotion. Some may think such doctrines dangerous; but unfortu nately they are not doctrines, but facts. As fatty they . cannot be concealed or denied. And it is by al lowing them, and providing in consequence, that their can be b netitralused. us does not exult, if due t wariness and Dan thoro ger with ugh liberalise actuate our rulers. With respect to Germany, we fear that it is not so near the haven of settled freedom and established rights as might be hoped. Had the King of PRCSAA, a the first day, not only made every full concession, bat in making these concessions forbade any further collision between people and soldiers ; had be rushed in person into the public square , and imposed by his respected presence both on soldiers and peoAle—sea this he might have done —FßEDErtics AS would have been the sovereign of Germany, sad the house of Austria shut out to form a new and a Sclavonian empire. But the ambitious prod's* tion of German unity, and bidding for Ger man supremacy, put forward so adroitly in the royal patent of the 18th, has been almost washed away in the blood of that v ery night. It Wag spilt, perhaps, fortuitously. But still it depopulariss the Prussian monarch, puts him in a false position with the patriots of his country, and ion-Germanizes him. - It is a singular and fatal coincidence —the simul taneous discredit and depopularization of all royal races and all candidates for empire throughout the duP• tubed countries of Earope. The three dynasties of France are alike without presentable claims. In Italy there is not a sovereign without a despotic and even liberticide taint. The Bourbons are every ' where contemptible in private character, as in p ublic capacity. The descendant of the houses of Harburg and Lorraine', is a Cretin. The Bavarian hing ie spat upon, and deservedly. The Wurtemberger a nonentity ; the Duke of BADEN a trembling hypocrite. I The Hewes are gov erned by r etrograde fools. Ilan- over Baca' elerc at 11 eau npoi pn rat Wi thi _ I