The Express. — London, England, 1848-08-25 00:00:00

by Young Ireland, from smouldering end bursting forth in some months into a rebellion of privation and amine. TIER Man esTv's ministers and their immediate me ioses/ors have made up their mind, to resist any a lteration in the Bank Act. So we gather from the veoc hes of Tuesday night. We are sorry for it ; and whether or not they thank as for our opinion, we beg to s ay that they have fallen into a serious error, and into an error al the more ser:ous because they have en tirely failed to fortify by reasons an announcement so awkwardly at variance with experience and autho rity.. Sir ROBERT PEEL has a dexterous knack of making more baste than good speed in his currency speeshee, and as he does not happen at the present moment to be oppressed by the responsibilities of ° di c e, nor cond.tuned to walk with a minister's apprehension of the potato rot before his eyes, he may ofely afford to be jocular and superficial. He is at perfect leisure to exercise his wit upon the philoso phers of Birmingham, and there is no good reason why he should not be super& ously eloquent upon t h os e parts of the subject which nobody calls in ques tion. But Sir ClLtitLEn WOOD'S temerity is an expe riment possessing none of these advantages, and we must confess that when, by an effort of courtesy and patience, we have nailed to the bottom of his speech, end we begin to read that " for all these reasons; &c., her Majesty 's government will resist every attempt to mo dify the law, we are not entirely free from those u ntoward sensations with which the ancient squire beheld his redoubtable master enter into conflict with the windmills. If Sir C. WOOD and Sir R. PEEL have said all they intended to say in their speeches of Tuesday night, they have had the singular infelicity of leamig the main allege' ions of the other side not only unretuhd, but absolutely unmentioned. Sir C. Wool) said a great deal about the influence of the cir culation upon prices, and Sir It. PEEL was exceed ingly. emphatic, as ho ntways is, upon the general questioa of the convertibility-. No donbt the-e ore matters which hare a good deal to do with the sub ject. But they are not the precise and pertinent questions which now press for an answer. 'I he reply to Sir C. WOOD is simply that the notion about prices and circulation has become as notorious a Egment as the notion about the social contract, or the Anthropophagi ; and to Sir ROBERT PEEL it is eufficient to say that the statute in debate is not the law of 1819, but of 1841. IVe will remind these distinguished controversialists of a few of the vital lessons which are urged upon them by their opponents. in the first place, we want some reasonable def.. nee of the new regimen which enjoins precisely the same treatment for an external and an internal drain upon the Bank—which regards equally as • national calamity an export of sovereigns to America and to Suffolk, and can see no difference botween an applica tion from Mr. GLYN for his country customers, and &demand from Baron ROTII , CRILD for the supply of some remote cornerol the continent. In the next place we want to know why the notes are to enjoy an unt.ue, and, equitably speaking, an unfair, preference over the deposits ? Why the recipients of the public di vidends are to wait the convenience of casual note holders? In the third place, we want to know what is meant by a preservation of convertibility at a time when there was no apprehension of inconvertibility to allay? Upon this particular point we confess to an especial curiosity. There would have been no difficulty if we could have recalled to mind any instance in which a Bank note for dl. has sold for 41. or 4/. 10s., oat of sheer disbelief in the power of the corpora tion to pay twenty shillings in the pound, or if it had ever happened during the last twelvemonth that the thoroughfares of Cornhill had been effectually relieved of a plethora of applicants for gold by the comfortable bulletins of the issue department. The facts, however, are all the other way. The difficulty has been a difficulty about notes, and not about gold, from the very beginning, and hence the persuasion that this perpetual rejoicing over the preservation of convertibility will after all resolve itself into a mere confusion of phraseology or the introduction of some new-fangled nomenclature which calls old things by a new name. And finally, we want to know what are the immense advantages resulting from a law which in ordinary times is a dead letter, and in extraordi nary- times can only be preserved by a temporary abolition. To these leading inquiries we may reasonably add a few seasonable questions as to the real functions of the Bank of England ander the new economy. Where is the use of all this paraphernalia of a charter and exclusive privileges, and a state connexion, and a aedit which can boast the unsullied luxurianc. of a hun dred and fifty years, and an immense capital, and as much serplus profit under the modest name of the "rest," as would buy up three-fourths of all the banks scat tered over any half dozen degrees of continental latitude —where is the advantage of all these things, if the Bank is to be of no more use in sharp and sudden collapses of confidence than any other money dealing concern, which has neither the means, the credit, nor, above all, the traditions of the Bank of England ? Sir ROBERT PEEL would very possibly reply to this by saying that capital and paper money are two different things, and that tke business of the world is carried on by capital and not by paper; and that it is a palpable fallacy to expect relief from paper when you have no capital at the bottom of it. These are exactly our own doctrines. We have never held any other. We have always confessed, and confessed emphatically, that to send a nation paper without capital was exactly the blunder of the benevolent peer, who " Sent a man eagles when wanting a shirt." But then there is one decisive answer to this train of general reasoning. The conjunctures when you want the intervention of a great body like the Bank of Doglaod are not conjunctures where the mischief is produced by want of capital, but by want of paper. This was the case in 1825 ; and no body, as far as we know, denies et this time that such was the case in the panic of last year. We are not to be intimidated by the perpetual bug bear of inconvertibility. The truth is, that this is a apexes of terror which has been reduced to common place by indiscriminate exhibition ; and it is also trae that latterly there has been a re-action, and that men have begun to discover that they . were running ham a phantom, and sacrificing their pretence of mind to a good which has been desperately magnified. It is quite clear that you must have a regimen of con vertibility at the bottom of your system of currency, or there is no reason why a five pound note should not et last be required to pay the fare of a Paddington omnibus. But there is something even more import aotthan full and instantaneous liquidation in gold under all circumstances of the paper part of the circa- Wien. The last generation thought that, of the two evils, it was better to submit to paper guineas than to BONAPARTE, and we are quite sure that if we, as their successors, do not repudiate their common sense, •e shall follow the safest, as well as the wisest, line of oonduct Sir It. PEEL says that all oar experience goes to show that those countries which possess a circulation resching nearest to the purely metallic type are 2 e most exempt from the evils of fluctuation in the state of confidence and the rate of interest. We very greatly doubt this. We are not sure that the facts Arend the very reverse of the representation. At all treats, we can appeal to one conspicuous example. Of ell the specie-paying people of the world the people of India are probably the most decisive illus tration. On a moderate computation 90 per cent. of 11 the plyments in Bengal are made in gold and elver. But what are the facts as to the rate of in terest? Simply these, that within the last twenty frer months the merchants at Calcutta bave experienced aeries of fluctuations, which range between the ex treme points of seven and five-and-twenty per cent. the fourth report of the Commons' committee on the slave trade is now before the public. It contains the resolutions adopted by the committee, and the Protocol of the res gestee at its meetings. It is no more than justice to the committee to say, that, in °lots of strong and obvious prepossession., influencing (Wsbelieve unconsciously) some of its members, its I Mliries have been characterised throughout by an Quest endeavour to elicit the troth, and that the re !°lotions ultimately adopted evince candour and sound went. But it is no less true that the conclusion proceedings in committee betrays a lamentable infirmity of purpose. The resolutions adopted by the committee are twelve in number, the twelfth being merely a decla i re lmn that th e comm itt ee oug ht t o b e -appointed at . o . 1 % commencement of next session. Of the eleventh resolution we w ill speak presently ; the remaining ten are mere affirmations of facts, but these facts viewed % combination amount to an entire condemnation of the system hitherto pursued with a view to the sup pression of the slave trade, ea not only inadequate to attain the end contemplated, but as positively aug menting the atrocities and horrors of that nefarious traffic. The first resolution embodies a tabular statement of the extent of the African slave trade in each year from 1798 to 1897 ; from which it appears that the amber of slaves exported from Africa in 1807 (the year in which the slave trade was declared illegal by act of parliament) was 85,000, and that the number exported in 1817 was 84,356. The second resolution states that, during the progress of the present year the slave trade has been in a state of unusual vigour and activity, although, as we are told in the third, the preventive squadron on the west coast of Africa hue, since 1845, attained an unprecedented degree of strength and activity, and has, moreover, been aided by French and American squadrons. The fourth reso lution goes on to say that the total number of negroes liberated by British cruisers in 1816 and 1847 eaarcely exceeds four per cent. of the 'ambir carried off from the coast of Africa; and the fifth, that during the years 1846 and 1847, and the part of the present year already elapsed, the price of slaves in Brazil has experienced • progressive and very considerable decline. It is obvious from these facts, that all efforts of Great Britain have been unable materially to diminish the extent of the African slave trade. From the sixth resolution, we learn that our fruitless laboure are coating us, one year with another, not less than 650,000/. tier annum. The seventh, eighth, and ninth resolutions, state facts which show that future persist ence in the system which has proved so ineffectual, must be at least equally unproductive of results. The seventh states that the Brazilian slave trade has always been attended with large profits, and is now conducted with a degree of organisation and confidence of success, such as never before stimulated the parties engaged in it to bid defiance to any efforts to suppress it; the eighth, that the extent and ac tivity of the slave trade have always been governed by the demand for the produce of slave labour in the markets of Europe ; and the ninth that the admission of slave grown sugar into the British markets has rendered an effectual check on the slave trade more difficult of attainment than at any former period. The tenth resolution claps the climax on this picture of contented perseverance in efforts which have not been, and cannot by any possibility be, prodactive of good. It states : That the suffering' and mortality of slaves in the barns. coons, and in the middle passage, arc appalliog to humauity, and the intensity of the sufferings, and the amount of the mortality, are unexampled in the history of the slave trade. We leave it to any unprejudiced man of average common sense to say what wee the duty of a com mittee which, alter a protracted, extensive, and searching inquiry, has had these convictions forced upon it ? That duty clearly was to declare without cum prom ise or evasion that the system hitherto pursued by the British government having been proved by the experience of thirty years inadequate to diminish the extent of the slave trade—that this system having been proved by the experience of thirty years to have aggravated the guilt and horror of the slave trade— it is the duty of the British government, without loss of time, to adopt some other system. Great Britain is pledged in the face of Europe and the world to put an end to slavery and the slave trade ; Great Britain having been shown to have adopted measures for this purpose which have had the effect of aggravating the cruelty of the slave trade without curtailing its amount, is bound to relinquish such mischievous schemes and adopt others more conducive to the end contemplated. The committee have, however, seen fit to wind up their demonstration of the impotence and mischievous ness of the system of slave-trade suppression hitherto pursued by the British government with the follow rug inane resolution : That, in the uncertainty under which the committee labour, whether any recommendations which they might make would be accepted by the government and parliament, they have not thought it advisable to take into considera tion, at this late period of the cession, an alteration of the policy heretofore pursued for the suppression of the slave trade. The committee have been induced to adopt this oourse from a wish not to weaken or embarrass' the execu tive government during the recess, but they cannot conclude without urging upon the immediate atlontion of the govern ment the difficulties and embarrassments which attach to the present position of the subject. Tne first part of this precious resolution is simply untrue. It appears from the minutes of the procted ings in committee that no less than three different plans for modifying or changing the preaeut system of slave-trade suppression were deliberately pre pared and brought under consideration by the three classes or interests of which the committee was composed. The discussions and votes on the resolutions actually adopted show that the minds of a majority in the committee are made up as to the main features of the system by which slavery and the slave trade ought in future to be combated. The majority of the committee have shrunk from the duty of urging an immediate relinquishment of a system which has been only powerful to increase cruelty and suffering. The shallow pretexts by which they seek to palliate such culpable weakness only add to their disgrace. It was their part as brave and honest men to state their convictions on a matter of such importance and urgency, regardless of what the government or the parliament might see fit to do. If they entertained suspicions that the government and parliament would not do what was right, that was only an additional reason for publish ing the truth as an appeal to public opinion. The second reason they assign for their dereliction of duty is more pitiable still. They aver that they have sacrificed the interests of humanity from mere partisan or political considerations from reluctance to weaken or embarrass the execu tive government during the recess. The actual suf ferings of the negro are to be protracted—the prospect of gradually extinguishing slavery and the slave trade is to be indefinitely postponed—in order to avoid the chance of rendering a minister uncom fortable Such motives would be discreditable even were they real. But it is apparent from the proceedings in the committee that they are men e pretexts. It is clear from the divisions in committee that a majority of the members belonged to one or other of three classes. There were munquirinq zealots who would gladly bungle on with the present ineffective system ; there were West Indians anxious for upholding the preven tive squadron in the vain hope of increasing by its efforts the cost of labour in Cuba and Brazil ; and there were Dome who dared not act upon their own convictions, inasmuch as that would have involved a departure from esta blished precedent. The last named took fright on finding themselves in a majority, and to escape the responsibility of recommending a wiser but novel policy, proposed that the committee should report no opinion as to the measures to be adopted in future. With this proposal the other two, seeing themselves in a minority, gladly cloeed, and thus the arduous and protracted labours of the committee have, for the pre. sent at least, been rendered fruitless by its own deed. The advantage to which Lords BROUGHAM and DENMAN have turned this suicidal policy of the committee, is, so far as the corn mittee alone is concerned, a just retribution for its unmanly weakness. To the noble and learned lords themselves, the speeches they thought fit to deliver on Tuesday evening were anything but credit able. They called upon the House of Lords to pronounce judgment lefore they were in posses sion of the evidence, for the report of the committee has not yet been communicated to the Lords. And not contented with this un)udicial conduct, Lords linouGnAm and DENMAN indulged in unfounded attacks on the characters and conduct both of wit nesses and members of the committee. The world has long ceased to be surprised at such conduct on the part of Lord BROUGHAM, but from Lord DENMAN better things were expected. It is pecu liarly unfortunate that Lord DENMAN's son should have been evincing soreness because the resolutions of the committee express convictions the reverse of what he laboured to impress upon them, and that Lord DENMAN'S speech—the personal imputations excepted—is a mere echo of his son's pamphlets and evidence. FRANCE. PARIS, TIIIIRSDAT, 11 A.M. It is understood that on the opening of the debate on the insurrection to-morrow, government intends to propose that no adjournment shall be made until a conclusive resolution shall be adopted by the house, and that consequently the assembly shall sit through the niAt if neceseary. In order to the completion of the debate in one day government will also propose that the assembly shall sit at twelve instead of two to-morrow. It is also aid that a formal demand for THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 25, 1848. the prosecution of MM. Caussidiers and Louis Blanc' is already prepared, and will be presented to the assembly by the Minister of Justice on Friday. If this latter report be well founde , i, it is probable that the debate will be cut very short, if not postponed altogether. The Conatitutionnel of this morning has the follow ing : It is known that a note which was published by M.Cana sidiere with reference to the elections was written by a ta lented hand formerly employed by many presidents of the council during tt:e two former rigimes, and particularly MM. Decal's, de Polignact, and more recently Marshal Soult. We are nurtured that a speech which will be delivered on Friday in the deb its on the insurrection by M. Caussidiere is already written by the same party. Certain passages are even cited in which M. Odilon Barret, the Prreideet of the Commission, is attacked with unparal ' Idled violence. We shall leave this speech; meanwhile we cungretulate M. Caussidiere in having &this disposal, thanks to the revolution, the secretery of the es. president of the council. The person lure alluded to is M. Linguay. I understand that the leaders of the moderate party have had a meeting at the hotel of M. Odilon Barret, at which it was resolved that while they would avoid all needless sources of irritation in the debate of to-morrow,they would nevertheless repel with firmness and energy any attacks which might be madean the re port of the committee. The' Ordre du lour motive," which I have already mentioned, is also resolved upon, the effect of which would be to send the report and evidence to the Minister of Justice, and express the approbation of the assembly in respect to the committee on the insurrection. A meeting of the club of the institute has also taken place, at which a resolution was adopted also tending to avoid any irri tating topics to-morrow. M. Lech u Rollin was per sonally applied to with this view, but he did not pledge himself as to what course he might pursue. Tile state of Paris meanwhile continues to be that of a city on the very eve of an insurrection. The town is patrolled in all quarters during the night, and extraordinary military preparations are manifest during the day. What is apprehended now is in cendiarism. The diabolical threat announced by Caussidiere to the assembled commissaries of police that the ultra democratic party wculd rather see Paris in ashes than their designs frustrated, and that if muskets failed then they still had lucifer matchee, yet rings in the ears of the citizens. The Democratic PacXque of this morning slys that a despatch has arrived from Vienna stating that the Anglo-French mediation has been refused by the Austrian government. In the National Assembly yesterday the Minis ter of Finance presented the bill, which he had given notice of, to impose a tax on the revenu ier : he calculates that it will be about at the rate of 2 per cent., and that the revenue to arise to the treasury from it will be about GO millions a year. In the course of the sitting the Minister of Marine presented a bill demanding 00,000,000 for an indem nity to be paid to elaveholdi re in the colonies, for the loss sustained by them from the abolition of slavery by the Provisional Government. The as sembly seemed to receive the demand for such a sum with marked disfavour. The following important e:eclaration appears in the SWele, a paper convected with M. (Millen Barrot There are many credulous people, who, by propagating a thousand absurd reports, which are in circulatem every day, f.o the purpose of injuring credit and cestroying confiderce, assist, without knowing it, the tactics of the rioters. There are also men without foresight manufacturers, merchants, and even workmen—who, excited by their present sufferings, are ready to exclaim, "My business went on very well under the monarchy, but I em doing nothing under the republic. Well, then, ' Vise le Rui ! Down with the re public !' " Such is the logic of despair. Aseuredly, this manner of reasoning is absurd ; but it is not sufficient to say so, it must be proved. Yes, the ultra radicals, the dema gogues, and the Utopianirs have ruined trade, and, by mis. guiding a part of the people, have caused blood to flow ; but would Louis Philippe or Henry V. bring us back from Landon or from Kirchberg the money that we have lost ? i Evidently not. Would they restore us the generals and the soldiers whom the anarchists have killed? No. The evil, therefore, which hu been caused by madmen and by fools, is irreparable. But it is argued by some, the return of a monarchy would be the restoration of order, which favours labour, and causes c.:mmerce to prosper. Nothing more erroneous. If alarm still prevails, now that the insurrection has been suppressed, and that society is evidently tending to re-establish itself on its proper basis, what deplorable uneasi ness would not 1 - e caused by any fresh attempts on tae part of monarchy? Would not that which is called by some a pledge of peace be on the contrary a signal of renewed struggles, fresh combats, and fresh mauacres ? Is it to be believed that power would be abandoned without resist ance by the government, by the assembly, and by the ad ministration ? Is it to be believed, that the " Red Republic," which is now unveiled, vanquished, and happily powerless, wculd not recover its strength at the aspects of the safe/nits of Louis Philippe, or the retrograde party of Henry V. Would it not be authtrised in crying front the top of its " mountain " the government has been Tither unskilful or treacherous ; the assembly has shown neither intelligence nor hart; we alone have understood the wishes of the people, and the great revolution of February ? Is it to be believed that the nation still would not hesit , de at the cost and the perils of a counter revolution ? Would it, who scarcely recovered from its late shock. wish to encounter fresh storms ? Try the Orleans fund. again? Has not the country already shown an almost fabulous pa. tience —a patience of eighteen years ? We know some thing of this. Try the elder branch again! That would be to sacrifice the fate of France to an unknown hand ; it would be to gamble with her, it would be to throw away the glcrious efforts of 60 years. The Orleans branch would return to us animated with the spirit of Louis Philippe and of Ouizot, and Henry V., with the ideas of the old rr , gime. Hence would arise elements of discord ; hence a fresh cease for commercial crisis ; hence an augmentation of the very evil from which arise the perils which we are ILOIIIII , I to avoid. We have never been among those who broueht oc the violent advent of the republic, we r.re neither invested with its authority nor its offices; but we do not hesi tate to declare that we row regard it as our hope and our salvation, that it alone can repair the mischief that has been done in its name. What we desire is to have a constitution, a regular government, and a stable administration ; to get out of a previsional state of things; and all those things are within our reach. Have a little patience with regard to the republic. During the last sixty years our political expe riments have cost us six milliards of francs, and the blood of two millions of men. Let us now stop ; let us no longer run after changes which always deceive our hopes; let us for once ameliorate our institutions instead of overturning them." MAD/1N Aso. 19.—Three per Cents., 19 3-9 paper; eke Boles, 14 cash. Fire per Cents., 11 paper ; after Bolaa, ton cash. NOWT, 1 paper ; after 8010, 31 cash. Coupons, 7 paper. Bank of St. Fer dinand, 54 paper. Ihacoont of notes, 41 5 per cent. Exchange on London, 30 days. 46 50. ITALY. The Piedmantese Gazette, of the 10th, gives the names of the new cabinet as definitively settled : Alfieri di Soetegno, President; Perrone, Foreign Affairs ; Binelli, Interior ; Merlo, Public Instruction ; Revel, Finances; Santa Rosa, Public Works; Fran zini, War and Marine. A letter from Turin, of the 18th, says : The Sicilian deputation is still here, waiting for the answer of the Duke of Genoa to their offer of a crown. These gentlemen have been now nearly a month at Turin, and it was only yesterday. that their visit was returned by any member of the government. It is understood by all that the Luke of Genoa baa retlned the Sicilian crown, but no intimation of that nature has been given otfi daily, and the deputation still hangs on in the hope that with the settlement of Northern Italy more frredom of action will be given to the family of Charles Albert. The late discussion in the English parliament gives some comfort to the deputation, as they, and they say the people of the island, draw from the Marquis of Lansdowne's words the inference that the British fleet will not allow a Neapoli tan hostile expedition to land in Sicily. Affairs stated, with regard to Russia, that negotiations were on foot for appointing an envoy to the court of St. Petersburg. On ansounciog the nomination of M. Von Bothmer u the Hano verian plenipotentiary to the central government, the minister stated that the government of Hanover has acknowledged without reserve the central power, and promulgated a law on the subject. The Minister of War intimated that he would reply on Friday to various questions which have been put to him. The Assembly then passed to the order of the day on the draft of the constitution. The debate on the third paragraph (whicLi as well as the fourth had been postponed) was begun. AUSTRIA..—PurIi.—A letter from this city, dated the 13th inst., announced the taking of Venus by the Hungarians by storm and the slaughter of from 2,000 to 3,000 Servians. The Hungarian loss was said to be nearly as great. A communication from Pesth, dated the 14th, which appears in the itike twine Zeitung of the 20th, throws doubts on this news : " The defeat of the Servian s at Verlass is not ' confirmed ; on the contrary, a gloom hangs over our community, and people murmur that an ugly notch has been cut in the Hungarian sabre. At all events, it is suspicious that to-day's number of the govern. ment newspaper says not a word about the boasted victory." A letter from Pesth (of a still more recent date, the 16th), published in the Deutsche ititgernsine Zeituny of the 2 let, speaks still more despondently : The news that 900 men have deserted from the b►ttalion of the Wallachias frontier, which bad been marched from Transylvania to the camp at Ssegedizn, and that eighty two have deserted from the Magyar &Alen, has ex cited great consternation here. Insubordination has shown itself also among the Seeklers, in the county of Ma roseh.in Transylvania,and the bearing of the Slewa•s in the north of Hungary is dissluie.ing. People b g;n to despair of the cause of the Magyars. Even the paper of the minister Kossuth speaks today of the possibility of the Hungarian ministry of finance and war being dissolved. It points out two ways by which this may be accomplished. The minis try in Vienna may afford assistance to the insurrection in Illyria, and thus Jellachich may be enabled to enter our capital as a conqueror, and dictate terms with the sword ; or they may embarrass the Magyars by exciting disturb ances among the Siewsks and Wallachians, and thus bring into power a Hungarian ministry that will dissolve the pre sent ch: tuber, and by the Instrumentality of • servile suc cessor destroy the independence of Hungary by what are called " legal means." PRUSSIA.—The King and Queen arrived at Sus- Souci from Pillnittz on the 19th inst. GERMANY. FRANKFORT,—The Vicar of the Empire has ad dressed the following letter to the president of the Prussian Rhine province, the president of the Darm stadt Circle of the Rhine, and to the authorities at Wiesbaden (Nassau) : During my journey to the festival at Cologne, and my stay in that city, I have received from the residents on the Rhine such lively marks of confidence and affection that I feel an irresistible and pleasing impulse to express my cordial grafi tude. I have recognised in my reception a proof not only of attachment to myself, but of the depth and power of the sentiment which animates the German people for the unity and liberty of Germany. This disposition is to me a gua rantee that we shall attain, and for our benefit, the end we aim at. I therefore entreat you to make known to the worthy natives of your beautiful Rhineland, the tender and pleu ing memory which I retain of my journey. The appearance and spirit of the civic guards—especially those of Coblens and Cologne, which I had an opportunity of impeding more closely—have convinced me that the present feeling is the surest guarantee for the support of liberty, the laws, and public order. In the sitting of the national assembly on the 21st inst., the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced the following diplomatic appointments : M. Andrian, to the court of St. James's; M. F. Von Raumer, to the French Republic; M. Welcker, to the court of Stock holm; M. Compee, to the court of the Netherlands; M. Rotenhan, to the King of the Belgians ; M. Ramat, to the Helvetic Confederation. The last named is at Cologne, and has not . yet definitively accepted the appointment. The Minister of Foreign Sbe Court. OSBORNE, THURSDAY.—The Earl Spencer arrived at Osborne yesterday aft-moon, and remains on a visit to her Majesty. The Royal dinner party yesterday included the Duchess of Kent, Lady Anna Maria Dawson, Baroness de Speth, and Earl Spencer. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon at the Foreign•otilce. The ministers present were Lord J. Russell. the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Mintn, Sir G. Grey, Viso. Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Earl of Auck land, Sir J. Robhouse, Lord Campbell, the Marouis of Camricarde, and Vise. Murpeth. The council sit one hour. ---- - Mr. J. Jones had an interview with Earl Grey yea terday, at the Colonial office. A meeting of the School of Design was held yester day, at the office of the Bard of Trade. The Bishop of Manchester had an interview with Sir G. (hey yesterday, at the Hume-office. Mr. J. Wood, Chairman of the Excise, had an inter view with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, in Downing-street. Despatches were sent off yesterday evening from the Colonial-office for the Lord High Coumisaioner of the lonian Islands, and also for the Governors of Hong-Kong and Ceylon. TILE QUEEN'S VISIT TO SCOTLAND.—A corre spondent says :—" The good folks of Aberdeen are now expecting the arrival of her Majesty on or about the 7th of next month. It is pretty certain that her Majesty will die emcark at that port and proceed foriliwith to liaddo.house, the seat of the Earl of Aberdeen, about 24 miles distant, where she will sojourn for a few days, and then proceed on a visit to Bolworal, 28 miles further north. Capt. Cargill, of the City of Aberdeen (London) steamer, it appears is to have the honour of piloting the royal yacht to those shores. lie recently was desired to attend the Admiralty, when in the metropolis, and then received the appointment. Already preparations are in progress to welcome her Majesty." The Queen Dowager has taken a Louse at West Cowes, and is expected there in a few days. SANITARY CONDITION OF BLACKFRTARS.—A vestry meeting of the inhantatita of this pariah was held yesterday morning in the vestiproom of Christ Church, Blackfrian road, " to take into consideration the present state of the sewers of this parish, and toe effluvia arising therefrom, and to adopt such measures in regard thereto, as shall then be deemed expedient." The Rev. J. Lewis, the rector, in the chair —The vestry clerk said he lived in the Black friars-road, but so unwholsome was it from offensive smells arising from the sewers, that he was compelled to remove his family.—Mr. Parr, the senior churchwarden, said that since the notice of this meeting had been given, a gentle man had called upon him and presented him with two reports of the surveyors of the metropolittc commissioners of sewers on the existing drainage of this district, which were very important, but it did not appear what they were prepared to do. The parish of St. George the Martyr had already moved in the matter, and although Mr. Stevens had written to the commissioners requesting that some per son might be appointed to take the sanitary matters of that parish into consideration, it did not appear that any notice had really been taken of his application.— Mr. Lovick (surveyor to the Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers) said it was the earnest wish of the commissioners to afford every relief, but until the completion of the Ordnance survey they were unable to undertake any very comprehen sive works, as they were without accurate plans. At the same time, for temporary purposes, they were quite ready to adopt any measures of relief that were not of too expensive a character. A great number of men were now employed in removing the deposit from the sewers. The sewer in the Blackfriars-road contained from eighteen inches to two feet of deposit, which had not been disturbed, nor were any open ings made by the commissioners. Ile must say, however, that the gully drains, formed on the cesspool principle, and which were private property, emitted greater smells than the sewers, and over these the commis-ioners had no power. In his neighbourhood also, viz., in Friar-street, there was a sewer made only last year by . the old com missioners, that he had in his report denom i sated a " vast elongated cesspool," which c•ntained upwards of two feet of water and deposit, with the foulest vapours and sulphuretted hydrogen gas. So foul was it that in examining it, himself and others nearly lost their lives, and within five minutes every piece of metal they had in their possession, silver, money, and watches, was changed to the colour of iron. That sewer had not been touched by the present commis sioners. Another part of their district, Hatfield-place and Brunswick-row, contained an open ditch, from which (400 square feet) evaporation was cast into the air with the most pernicious effects. Since the cleansing of these places the smell had considera sly decreased, but a renewal of it was to be attributed to the inhabitants throwing into it the refuse of fish and other offensive matter. There would be no general re-construction of the seven at present, but any remedial measures would be attended to. There would eventually be an entire re-construction of the sewers of London, but this district was one of the worst, for it was a series of cesspools—Mr. Mayhew said that no person could remain in the 13Iackfriars.road, who had any regard for the health of his family, for they could not open their windows without their rooms being filled with effluvia, and he hoped they might be put buck to their original state. In consequence of its offensive character, the pub lic would rather go half a mile round than pass through Blackfriaruroad, which was a great injury to trade, for now no carriage would stop at a tradesman's door. He therefore proposed that a deputation should wait on Lord Morpeth on the subject. Other gentlemen having expressed sentiments to a similer effect, the following resolution was proposed and carried unanimously• " That • deputation consisting of Mr. Mayhew, Dr. Brady, Mr. Sidden, and the vestry clerk, be requested to wait on the Right Hon. Lord Morpeth, respecting the state of the sewers in the Black friars-road, and its vicinity, and to urge the adoption of en immediate remedy." • THE SANITARY CONDITION OP SHOREDITCII. Yesterday • vestry muting was held at Shoreditch, " to take into consideration the paramount necessity of petition ing parliament, before its prorogation, for additional powers in effecting sanitary measures, with the hope of arresting as much u possible the baneful epidemic which in all probabi lity will soon visit this country."—Mr. Charles T. Yarrow, churchwarden, was called to the chair—Mr. Wallace, our geon, addrefeed the meeting, and moved the following reso lution " It is the opinion of this meeting in public vestry assembled that there is at this time the meet urgent neces sity for additional sanitary smarm and regulations required to be granted by the authority of parliament, to enable the paroclail and other executive bodies of this metropolis and adjoining parishes to construct proper sewers and to prevent I and 'bias all nuisances otherwise detrimental to the public health, and to take such steps as will establish • sanitary supervision over each parish or district, believing that each means will materially arrest the fatal effects of the approach ieg Asiatic cholera."—Mr. Duffield seconded Vie resolution. —Dr. Gavin addressed the meeting in support of the resola- I tion, and alluded to the dreadful condition of some parts of Shoreditch, when starnant pools of water had been allowed to remain. producing the most obnoxious effluvium, and causing illness amongst the inhabitants.—Several other gentlemen addressed the meeting for and against the reso , lotion, which was ultimately carried by • large majority. It was then moved and seconded that • petition be drawn up in conformity with the above resolution, and presented to parliament. HEAVY TAXATION IN ST. CLEMENT DANES.— Last evening a crowded meeting was held in St. Clement Danes vestry-room, " to take into consideration the great increase of local taxation, and take such steps as may be most expedient."—Mr. Thomas Gannon said this meeting wu called in consequence of a tenpenny rate and • shilling rate being made in this pariah daring the present year. Zesty ratepayer was compelled to pay twice the poor.' rate he did in,1844. He had compered the rates with the surround - ng parishes, all of which were taxed at • lower rate than in that parish. He then moved " that a committee be ap pointed to consider the 'abject, and report their pro gress at the next vestry."—lie. Jacquet, church warden, who was called to the chair, said the heavy taxation in the pariah was auribut..ble to the many improvements made in the neighbouring parishes. Those changes had the effect of causing t. a poorer dewu to locate in thile parish, where also there were many charities known to be beneficial to poor residents, and hence the increase com plained of. His then read a statisticsl account, which Lad been copied from the rate-books. It showed that for the last seven years the number of persons relieved bad most materially increased. In the first quarter of 1842, 986 per sons were relieved, sad in the oorrespondine quarter this year, 1890 persons had been relieved. Several ratepayers addressed the meeting, and the resolution was unanimously carried. THE SALE AT STOWE.—The following were the only lots which preserved any feature of interest yesterday: —l,lll. The State Bedstead, carved and gilt, with yellow silk taboret curtains and hangings; the linings of crimson silk ; the canopy with a network of gold, and rich scrolls at the angles; the columns formed as Roman lasses; a Mar seines quilt, and a white aa.in quilted cover. This piece of furniture, which was provided when the Queen visited Stowe, was sold for 86 guineas. 1,14 G. A beautiful cabinet of marqueterie of old German work, formed as a table sup porting a cabinet : on the fronts of the drawers subjects and landscapes in marqueterie, of different-coloured woods and pearl; in eh, centre door a relief, in silver gilt, of Ba.cbus and Ariadne-235 guineas. 1,147. A table in the same style, with a relief of flowers by B iulariger, and subiecta after Berghern-175 guineas. 1,152. A pair of can delabra, composed of vases of Scares bleu du roi, branches for seven lights, with boys and goats springing from each, and supported en feet with 'phloxes of or molu-145 enlaces. The day 's sole realised 2,6001. A NOTE FROM THE NEW FOREST.—Sir,—I was surprised to read in your paper of Aug. 23, remarks on the New Forest by a local correspondent, which I should rot have thought of answering, had they not been in your exten sively circulated paper, and in one which carries much weight —on this account I shall feel oblige, to you for the inser tion of this. Many true, and many much exaggerated, state ments have been made on the condition of the New Forest. Plans have been suggested more or less practicable, by which it should be made to yield more to the crown. Some have wished to sweep it away, others partly to make It produce grain. Let one look calmly over the nature of the soil. Geologically it is on the upper tertiary group, consisting of gravel, sand, and clay, and clayey sand. Of the southern half of the forest the surface is chiefly of large gravel and sand —here and there clay comes to the surface. On the gravel scarcely anything grows but stunted heath and furze. The sand is very light and loose, where lower tertiary rises to the surfaee, similar to the Alum Bay white sand, as in the south-west part. Towards the north the clay predominates, still gravel is frequently found. By what means are the gravel and sand to be brought into cultivation, sad whence is the source of the necessary outlay to be derived ? If from government, where will be any saving for many years ? and what private person will take any quantity to sink all his capital fur a period the end of which he may never see? Again, other parts are doubtless highly cultivable which are now profitless, where decayed vegeta ble matter forms a supersoil of front one to three feet thick, but these parts require much draining. Now, sir, lam far from wishing the land to remain useless, but must disagree with the sauceless abuse of the forest; and your correspond• ant is much misinformed when be states the lower classes are much interior to those of the other parts of the country. As a medical man I have been much amongst the 111 and others in various parts, and am of opinion that they are in general as well informed, and in some case.: superior to those of much more highly cultivated localities. Schools are rising up and churches in the more populous districts. Take Beaulieu Royals—within two miles may be found three schools, one church, and two chapels. Sway again his its church and chapel, and the heart of the forest has been attended to, as acknowledged by your correspondent. Your correspondent could have never been at Lyraington, or he would not have quoted Gilpin, who wrote nearly sixty years ago, since which time education in every part has wonderfully increased. Beaulieu is the property of the Duke of Buccicugh, in no way connected with the forest except by situation. And whether the forest exist or not, it will not affect the revenue ; and because the second Lord Montague might have had faith in Mary Dore, it does not by reason follow that the present owner has. Now, sir, I like to see fair arguments used, and not wild. Much improvement must take place ere long, either in planting or sowing, or both. It has not been tried fairly whether timber will yield a fair interest ; but before any change is made the soil should be well examined, which parts are most adapted for the change, and whether there is any probability of return over that of timber when dealt fairly by.—A CONBTANT HEADER. INQUEST, YESTERDAY. MYSTERIOUS DRATH.— Before Mr. Wakley, M.P.,at the Marylebone workhouse, upon the body of T h omas William Child, aged 74. It ap peared from the evidence, which was voluminous and com plex, that deceased, who had been a "gentleman's tra velling companion," latterly resided at 8, Marylebone-lane. Some time ago a young man inquired whether deceased lived in the home, and last Monday ha repeated the inquiry, and had an interview with deceased. Shortly afterwards deceased left home, and in the evening his lifeless body was found floating under Macclesfieldbridge, Regent's-canal. Two parties were suspected of foul play towards deceased, and were under the surveillance of the police, but no testi mony was given to affix a guilty charge to them. Mr. Wakley having commented upon the evidence adduced, the jury returned a verdict to the effect " that deceased was found drowned, but there was no evidence to prove how he got into the water." IRELAND. DUBLIN, Ana. 24. The accounts from the provinces to-day speak of the recent heavy weather in terms of great depression. Wherever the country is low and the soil rich, as in many parts of the south of Ireland, the growing crops are irretrievably damaged. In many instances they have been imbedded in mud. From Limerick to 1 Ennis, in and around the Rathkeale district, about Roecrea, and the lands along the Broena, in the King's County, the floods have done immense damage. Along the river's banks in Waterford and Wexford the same circumstances have arisen, but not to the same extent it would appear. The oat crop, on which great dependence was placed, has been damaged also, but not to the same extent as the wheat. The former will still be far above an average crop. Wheat is complained of in all the south and west, and in much of Leinster too—for instance Wicklow. It will be a light crop, but the statements of damage from mildew and malting, which we hear from various quarters, Ido not much rely upon. The weather here seems to have permanently improved. Yesterday was fine, with a good dry wind, but not a high one. We have had frost at night since Monday, and this morning presents the promise of as beautiful a harvest day as heaven ever eent. The accounts of the potato crop are such as might be expected. The returns to the poor-law commis sioners' circular present a melancholy uniformity. From every district and division we learn that the potatoes are not free from disease, and generally that the period of time they may supply food cannot be estimated, it is so very uncertain. Notwithstanding this, there are quarters in which the disease seems to make little progress : for instance, Limerick and Roscrea. The people are very generally and exten sively ailing away the haulms where those are i • , but n many cases the haulm remain, un injured, while the leaves are black and withered. The storm which has been so fatal in Scotland has visited our southern coast, and at Dungarvon seven lives have been lost. The parties were fishermen, and have left large families. All the vessels of war have been withdrawn from Waterford except the Rhadamanthus and Driver, a sure sign that the authorities apprehend no danger from a revival of the insurrectionary spirit in that quarter. Mr. John Martin was removed yesterday morning from the prison at Newgate to Richmond Bridewell, lat the early hoar of six o'clock. It was in this prison that Mr. O'Connell and his companions were confined in 1844, but they were permitted to occupy apart- Iments in the governor's part of the bridewell, whereas Mr. Martin will be confined in the part devoted to ordinary prisoners. This change has been decided on in consequence of the report of the Surgeon-General that a longer confinement in Newgate—the site of which is low, and in the midst of a dense population and an old part of the city—would greatly endanger his life. It is said the Attorney-General will allow the writ of error to go, and again it is rumoured that the Pestonjee Bomanjee is coming to receive him on board. Messrs. O'Brien and Meagher continue in good health. It is said they are allowed to spend much time in each other's society. Mr. Duffy is said to suffer in mind and body. The auction of Mr. Duffy's furniture, books, &c., commenced to-day. All Mr. movable were disposed of yesterday. I have heard to-day, on authority which I do not doubt, that Mr. Doheney was in Dublin for nearly two days in the early part of last week. Government must have had agents much nearer the centre of the confederate action than those who moved that party were aware. I am inured that certain letters from a distinguished leader, not en gaged actively in the late insurrection, are in the hands of the authorities. These letters show that there were advised and deliberate advances made to America and France for the purpose of ensuring aid in a contemplated rebellion. A new arrangement for the transmission of the mails to London via Liverpool will come into opera tion from and after the 18th September next. The mail t icket for Liverpool will then leave Kingstown pier at 4.30 p.m., instead of at 6.30, as at present. The object of that arrangement is to ensure the arrival of the mail from Dublin at Liverpool at such au hour in the morning as to permit it be for warded from the latter town to London by the a.m. express train. It is said that with a view to this as well as other changes, more powerful boats will be put on the line to Liverpool. All the cor respondence between Ireland and those places to which Liverpool offers the speediest communication will go this route, all that for London direct and the places on that line will go viri llolyhead. We have an intimation from the West to-day which will probably return us a goodly harvest of public meeting petitions, and afford room for a goodly array of orators to become distinguished, now that politics are in abeyance. Mr. John D. Browne, formerly representative of Mayo, in a letter to the journals, draws a picture of the deplorable condition of that county. The remedies he suggests will pro bably occupy some public attention, the mere espe cially because they can co.t the gentry nothing. Mr. Browne recommends that the high sheriff of Mayo should at once convene his bailiwick, to make an authentic exposition of the condition of the county, and, to consider the means of alleviating its destitution. Parliament, he says, has not yet separated ; let us therefore petition—let us point out the necessity for an immediate extensive system of emigration and the formation of railroads " as the only means now left to effect an important mitigation of our calamities." It is surprising how mach men of intelligence will permit theories to overbear com mon sense. Mr. Browne does not seem to perceive that even if the money for an extensive system of emigration were to be had for the asking, it would be no remedy fora deficient harvest. here could be no emigration this year at alleveets e w inter is too close and will be upon us before preparations could possi bly be made for this great remedy. You must pro vide maintenance in winter for those whom you would send away next year. Might not as much service be rendered them and more to the country at a cheaper rate ? Nor should we forget this fact, that those would probably be the moot unprofitable emigrants we could possibly send to any colony or country. A great railroad scheme would be insufficient, both be cause the season would be utterly unsuitable, and be cause its effect as supplying a market for labour must necessarily be partial, supposing in this case as in the other, that " money was no object." I notice this suggestion because 1 have little doubt, notwith standing its inadequacy and inapplicability, we shall hear mere of it through the autumn. A person who gives his name as Cornelius Joseph O'Neill, has been arrested near Cork, supposed to be one of those in the flue and Cry. The papers contain several accounts of robberies perpetra'ed in various quarters, west, south, and mid land. They do not present any peculiar features, but are of that character which we may unhappily expect will prevail to a considerable extent throughout the next nine months. PROF INCIAL. TILE RECENT COLLISION ON TUE LANCASTER AND PRESTON RAILWAY.—The investigation of the circumstances attending the death of Hemel Airry, the unfortunate woman who was killed on Monday evening lest by a collision be tween the London express train and one of the Lancaster old company's trains, as reported in this paper, commenced at Lancaster on Tuesday afternoon. After the testimony of the medical witnesses, the mo-t important evidenc was, that both the express and the other train were considorably out of their regular time. A respectable witness, named Dundee dale, deposed to seeing the engine -driver of the exprees train endeavouring to cheek its speed when the signal of danger was 115 ing at the Bay-horse station, by letting oft the steam, and having the brakes put on, but in vain, owing to the slippery at to of the rails from the wetness of the weather. On the part of the Lancaster and Preston Company it wee also shown that the usual care had been exhibited in display. ing the proper signals at every statkin as the express train came up. The inquiry was then adjourned till Monday/ Capt. Laffen, one of the inspectors of the Railway Board of Trade, and the representatives of the London and North Western, Lancaster and Carlisle, Lancaster Canal, and other companies interested in the result, were present. Miss Bland, one of the auffe-ers, is in such a state as to engender the worst apprehensions. Some of the others, it is expected, will have to undergo amput►tion. LIVERPOOL AND TILE SCOTCH MAIM—The in convenience with regard to the postal arrangements with S.xitland, to which we (Liverpool Tittles) adverted some weeks ago, still continues, much to the annoyance of our merchants. The mail trains leave Edinburgh and Glasgow at nine p.m., by which passengers arrive here at seven the next morning; but, to save some trifling outlay, the bags are detained at the Newton Junction for a luggage train, which does not arrive until a quarter-past nine o'clock, and the letters cannot be given out until about ten. Ihe de spatch of the maul also is most inconvenient, the box closing at half-pest two o'clock in the afternoon, conveying letters which have to lay overfive or sir hours in the Scotch poet offices ere the delivery takes place. The merchants have repeatedly memorialised the Post-office in vain to grant one mail to be despatched from this place about seven or eight o'clock iu the evening, which would be much more conve nient than the two mails, as at present. The mail begs which should here arrived here on fsaturdiy, and which contain the letters for the Niagara, have been left behind THE LIVERPOOL GRAND JURY, in the coarse of Wednesday afternoon, on coming into court w.th their last bill, presented a memorial to Mr. Justice Creswell on the subject of illegal clubA, and suggesting that some measurea should be adopted to put an end to them. Ilia lordship said he would forward the memorial to the 8 cretary cf State for the Home Department, and had no doubt it would receive every at•rntion. AN AWFUL ACCIDENT occurred at Darwen, near Bolton on Wednesday morning, by the bursting of a factory reservoir during a heavy fall of rain. Fourteen persona were killed. PETITION AGAINST CACITAL PUNISHMENT.—The high-sheriff of the county, the jury who tried the accused, and nearly all the principal inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Newport, have aigned a petition to the Secretary of S:ate praying him to spare the life of the aoluier Matthias Kelly, who was last week condemned to death at the Monmouth assizes, for the murder of the woman at Newport barracks. SHROPSHIRE. _ _ THE GAME LAWS: I -Gu -- .Sionday morning, four watchers, in the employ of Sir F. Lawley, fell in with an equal number of poachers, beating with a dog for game, on his lands at Callaughten, having previously well laid the hedges with wires. The parties being equal in numbers,and equally provided with heavy bludgeons, a fierce and sangui nary combat ensued,whickwas carried on with doubtful suc cess for a length of time, the parties on either side being oe cssionally knocked down, and again renewing the fight. A reinforcement arriving on the scene of action, in the shape of the headkeeper and a helper, the poachers were overcome, and two hares and some nets taken from them. They ware taken before the magistrates, who remanded teem to the petty sessions. One of the poachers was aoseriously wounded that he was obliged to be conveyed in a cart to Wenlock, where he remains in a very dangerous state. CLOSE OF THE ITALIAN OPERA SEASON.—Her Majesty's Theatre and the Royal Italian Opera closed last evening fir the season. At her Majesty's Theatre Jenny Lind appeared in " La Sonnambuls;" at toeent Garden Grief appeared in " Lucrezia Borgia." Both houses were crowded; both operas were received with even more than ordinary applause ; and the principal performers, when they appeared to make their parting bows and curthie., Mira amid the acclamations of the audience. At both houses " God save the Queen was sung by all the vocal strength of the companies, and received with the usual loyal demonstre. tions. The verse Bung by Jenny Lind was given with greet energy and effect. When the curtain had fallen it was raised again in order thatahe might repeat it. Thus has terminated the second season of a double Italian I opera—a season which has exhibited very little variety, presented few occurrences of any interest, and done next to nothing for the progress of the musical drama in this country. The two houses have not, as they ought to have done, occupied different grounds, and pursued dif ferent objects; they have followed the old beaten track, her Majesty's Theatre with no deviation whatever, the Royal Italian Opera with very little, and the contest be tween them has been carried on much in the same way se last year, only it has no longer had the interest of novelty. At Has MAraaTT'e THEATRE, as last year, Mellle. Lind has been the great object of attraction and the great support of the establishment. At the beginning of the season, and during March and April, the strength of the company lay chiefly in two new performers, Mdlle. Cruvelli and Signor Belletti, who made a very favourable impression on the public. But their range (particularly that of the lady) seemed to be in a great measure confined to the repertoire of the modern Its. Ilan stage, and they appeared chiefly in the feeble operas of Verdi, no less then four of which were brought forward-. " Ernani," " Nino," the " Due Foscari,'• and " Attila." This last was produced for the first time, and, though of no merit, was performed four or five timed r u nri e Z ed this period we looked forward with satiafactien to the great advantage to be gained by the assists ace of them able performers in enaoling the manager to get up with proper completeness and effect the new series of operas in which Jenny Lind was expected to appear. But in this we deceived ourselves. Mdlle. Lind did not appear in a new series of pieces, but confined herself to the routine of last year, with only three exceptions--" Lucia di Lemmerincior," the " Blesir d'Atnore," soul the " Puritar.i." After the arrival of Mdlle. Lind (who made her first appearance on the 4th of May), Millie. Cruvelli appeared only on what were called the off nights, and never along with Mdlle. Lind, aa. opt in one opera, the "Nome di Figaro," whoa 1 , ! 1 1 ~ 1 • ! • 01 ..t i • , il ._ ,I! ,-, I i , 1 I l'• :. e ! L ,11 1 • • il II • I I I r . „ 1 i 1 ~. ! ! i : • ! ... • 1 1 , . i ! I • 1!.• r. , ! I i 111 , A 1 ' 1 1l , V",