The Express. — London, England, 1847-03-26 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—TfiIISDAY, MARCH 25. The LORD Cwanent.LOß took his seat at tire e'en:o. PUBLIC BUSINESS. PErrrnes.—By Lord Bel:0111,I, bun vestry c 00l inhabitants of Christchurch, 8/Rabid; complamtret a tiara.. moioned by the 149 . 9 Or bosh lowan, and in favour of an efficient poor-law for Ireland ; from Medford, against the law of ornament. Leal 1 drama from the Isle Of 'Menet anion, for rating the °memo in steed of 'ocotiolers of mall tenement.. to the ester of the pace. COMMITTEES. —Markets and Vora Das Works; Waer works; (bminiaioners ; Chases 1111R1) READING —Mantas a Land Bill. 1 RE TURNS OiWERED.—On the motion of Lord Sr simmv, care- Wombat , bctireen the Calamalothee and the Governor of Van Die men). Lim% 'apeman the pecsonal conduct of S.c Kann y On tLell3oiWllef Lord lileLe,e , o l , a copy of Coptale Wyone's report , remretine the rob.l WWI, in CI lee. NOTICE OF MOTION. — Agar Scaviez fliu.—The Mamas of Tommanotaar as Monday neat, to ask wee:User the Army ' Bill bad woraid the sanction of die Coalliliatier-In-Chief, and also. thee it bad °damned at his recouintentLati .n, or at Mat of any burnt of officers ; and whether any warrant arena to that of 'dui wnuld be demo' es to the pensions of non-comm.s.ionad One, and ecereers. CHARGES AGAINST SIR EAEDLEY WILMOT. L red STANLEY, in moving for the cerrespondence be tween the colonial-office and the governor of Van D:enien's Land, as to the personal conduct of Sir E. Wilmot, observed that though Lie motion win somewhat unusual, yet as he ' understood no °ejection wood be made to it by the govern meat, it wool.: be only necesory for him to state very chortly the nature of the motion and the grounds on venei he br. ught it forward. Ile made this niolioa not on hie own accord but to !ilia the earnest wish or: a gentlem at lately in the service of the government, who souiplainrd that while absent on that unite, in a colony 16,000 milee diatarot teem this country, he had been made the victim of accusation and apertion on ills private character, which, he odd, he could prove to be untouuded ant calumnious. Ha (Lord Stanley), would not then enter into the question of the pub lic conduct of Si: E. Wilmot, as governor of the colony, for that wa.aquestion alto:tether beside the present motion, het merely obarve, that tit • strictest morality in the priva . e conduct of the goneruor of such a colony as Van Diemen'. Land was of the moot essential importance. (Hear.) lie did not deny that, in lii - , when he (Lied Stanley) held the office of eolouial Secreterv, many reports came to his heeds imputing immorality and improper conduct to Sir E. Wilmot, and stating that the conduct at the gevenaatent-house was of the most mantling and indecent description; but these re port. were always waned to the merest allegations, unac compenied by particulars, nr any thing like c rrobonitive statements. In the year lels, in the Nora:and Gozetle of this country, in as article which perported to be a letter from Melbourne, in _Australia, the impuratMo against Sir E. Wilmot wag Br t put forward, and in that article it was asserted that it was notorious that such was the s .andal• ous misconduct of the governm:nt-house of Van Diemen's Land, that no female of decent society could go there. That statement, which ke did net me, and which, there• fore, did not attrect his attention, Teethed the colony in Anti), and was at once met by a decleration, on the past of all the principal persons there, that that which hod been stated in England as a r.oturioua foes, was in Van Diemen's Land believed to be a notorious falsehood. This counter-statement was cent from the colony in April 1511, and woo received in this country in the October following. When this refutation was sent, his right hen. friend (Mr. Gleilstone) who suceeeded him (Lord Stanley) in the office of Colonial Secretary, having head those rumours, and having upon other grounds determined upon removing Sir E. Wilmot from his office, thought it his duty to address to him a despatch, merkesi secret, in which he informed Sir E. Wilmot that • uch rumours of improper conduct had reached him as Secretary cf S-ite, and that if they were not satis factorily- refuted, it would he imp itelele f,r him to advise her Majesty to employ Sir E. Wilmot again in any capacity. On the 24th of September Sir E. Wilmot re ceived the tint intimation of tie recall, and ie a few days afterwards, the temperer, administrator who was to suc ceed him arrived at Van Diemcn's Land. On the sth of October this effect despatch reached him, to which he immed*.ately replied, stating that he was pre pared to give the meet peremptory and absolute contradic tion to the rumours is question, which he said were entirely without foundation, and he added that ho was determined to remain on the spot in order that his conduct might be sub ected to the strictest Mee stiention. On the 11401 C day he laid this secret despatch before the I violative council, inti mating his earliest wish that hie conduct, during the period he had been in the colony, should receive the most rigid and suite inquiry. The council stated that they thought the best mode of oinking such an inquiry would be by a committee of their own hotly, aided bv the chief justice, the com mander of the forces, the archileason, atd another reverend gentleman, the clergyman of one of the principal churches in the colony. The archdeacon refused to act, but the others conuuted. ; und by . the gentleman who succeeded Sir E. Wilmot in the adounistretion of the affairs of Van Diemen's Land, the matter was referred to the committee so composed. This committee reported that no such inquiry as that pro pmed was practicable, inasmuch as there were no direct charges brought —thut nothing had been alleged against Sir E. Wilmot that wee capable of being euherantiated, and that, cense. quently, there was netting for the committee to inquire into. They suggested that there was only one mode which, under such circumstances, could be adopted. That war, to invite all who had charges to prefer against Sir E. Wilmot to come forwent and substantiete them; but that, though Sir E.Wilmet was perfectly willing to sebmit to such a mode of investigation, they considered this coulee would be open to many very grave objections, and would be establishine a very dangerous precedent, and that, were it persevered in, state meets might be mode in the course of the inquiry, not against Sir E. Wilmnt only, hut against third parties, whose names had not bets brought forward, end who might be thereby injure.), though such statements might not be substantirceiL On these grounds they reported that in their opinion it was not expedient to enter into such an inquiry, but while they were of opinion that the investi gation proposed was for these ressons impr.cticable, they considered is due to S r E. Wilmot to certify, that so far as their oboe, vetion of Iris conduct had gone during a private and official intercourse of three years, nothing had transpired to justify the allegation that he had been guilty of any vio lation of the deffecies of private life. The report was signed by the parties he had already referred to as forming the committee, by the chief officer of police, and by the Rev. Mr. Minnes, the minister of Se Andrew's church, Hobart Town. The principal inhabitants of Hobart Town. though many of them differed from Sir E. Wilmot as to his general policy, had thought it their duty, at a meeting held for the purpose, to give the mast uuquaiified contradiction to the reports against the private conduct of that gentleman. These state ments' had been forwarded to the colonial office, and he had the authority of his right honourable friend, the late Secretary of State, for stating that he had no objection to their production, nor to the produc tion of a letter, which on the receipt of those statements he bad felt it his duty (though no longer in ollice) to address to Sir E. Wilmot; and in a case like this, however un usual the course, when the conduct of a pnblic officer was assailed by rumours which were not capable of being sub stantiated by proof, and when he remained on the spot where the misconduct was alleged to hove occurred, and voluntarily *objected himself to the facet inquiry by the society which he had been charged with having, by such misconduct, scandalised, and when, after all the investigation that it wan possible to make by that society, the charges contained in those rumours were met by the most positive denial ; and having been informed by the Secretary of State, that unless he refuted those charges he could never again be employed in the service of the mown in any capacity, he (Lord Stan ley) thought it was only just that the papers containing the refutation should go before the public Earl GREY under ordinary circumstances should think it most incouvenient that the correspondence ending in the coal of a colonial governor should be laid before parliament; but in this cave the circumstances were so peculiar that, in hutice to Sir E. Wilmot, he considered the correspondence ought to be produced; and as his right hon. predeceelor in the office of Colonial Secretary had no objection to the pro duction of those papers, he should not oppose the motion. Their lordships adjourned at a quarter before six. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TarmDAY, MARCH 23. The SPSALES took the Chair at 12 o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. RECORD READlNGS.—Xitotaroodt and Air Direct Railway; Forth British Railway (N 0.2); Bill,. Repottrt.—Cbettrotem Waterworks; Damen Waterworks and s. ii ereeire; Shipley Gas; Doddingtow Rectnrr Diviaioa ; Bills. PUBLIC BUSINESg.. . . " - :PETITIONS. —By Mr. Lore/WM hart arrbo cterks of Scotland, in several presbyteries; Lord DALYII.I• r, from Various places In Scotland: against Me Births, &c., RiMMTatiOLI (Scotland) BILL —CoLWoori, from Board of Guaril inns in the !aloof Angles, y,:ln twour of owners instead of oecuplere being rated ir the relief of the poor.—Mr. W. S. O'Rairt. hom Rev. W. Mnberlev, sa English clergyman officiating in Ireland, for the linpmament of Lord John Rafael, in consequence of hls police with Women. to Irish Menem.— itr. Buz, from ahlp owners of hi Northumberland, against alteration of eavitt.tlon laws.—Dr.Boverto, from Bolton; Mr. A• S. VAR... from a religious ecmgreption in fortham; toexhire : against the government ethane of olutotion.—Mr. Jorrs CO'Commu, from Ralflnrehik in faaaar at a union rate; and from a place in Westmeath, against the hicalose of the number of ez-rallelo guardians. N OTICES Relief (Irelend) NOTICES OS' MOTlON.—Lsoacr Durv.—Dr. Boum° after Easter, la call the a:tenth:in of the home to th e aulilmt of Metope/ duty on prorrrtS of permit, not resident in the tented Kingdom at the time of their decease. Ihrietv (hammer.—Dr. 1301•11.0, After Eater, to submit • =lon on the aultject of • decimal currency. PIALIAIMT‘Ia ELLCTIOIttI—Mr. Fox MAUI", to-morrow (Ms • to move for leave to bring Ina bill to regulate the stations of sofiliera during the period of parhamentary elections. REV. DR. DEALTRY. - On the motion of Sir O. GREY, the thanks of the house were soted to the Rev. Dr. Deeltry, archdeacon of Surrey, for preaching before it yesterday in the church of St. Mar garet. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. At the request of Sir O. Grier, Mr. DENISON end other members having motions on the paper for that day, con sented to postpone them, to allow the government to pre mid with the Poor Relief (Ireland) Bill. SPAN ISII BONDH OLDERS. Lord O. BENTINCK (in n ply to a question from Dr. Bowring) stated that it wee his intention aPer L.o.ter to move an address to the mown, praying her Majesty to take decisive and effectual menu; to obtain redress for each of her British subjects as were Spanish bondholders. POOR RELIEF (IRELAND) BILL. On the order of the Jay for going into committee on this bill, Mr. J. O'CONNELL milled the attention of the eovern• gent to a lett...r he hod received from tle. Rev. Mr. Durkan, pari.,ll priest of Kiltemaegh, in tLa county Mayo, and to other letters ae.dreesed to the Freeman's Journal, anticipat ing most deplorible consequences from the order of the go. vernment to reduce the number of persons employed on the public works 20 per cent., if that reduction were to he carried out without due consideration being paid to the particular circumstances of each locality. To carry it into effect at the preseat moment, before the introduction of the temporary Hair Bill, would be to consign the people, thereby with. drawn from employment, to certain death, for they had no ' resources of their own to fall back upon. The letters to 1 which he bad referred, while they expressed the most dismal 1 forebodings of such a step, gave credit to the people for being , I wonderfully patient and peaceable. But they could not i aspect that state of things to continue under the pressure of absolute starvation ; and unless the government speedily interfered, he apprehended that they would hear of outrages upon property and acts of violence of the worst kind being committed. He therefore implored of the government, pealing the introduction of the measure of temporary relief, either to withdraw the order they had Issued, or to direct that depots be opened and food be given to the people, who should be deprived under that order of the means of subsistence. Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN concurred in this appeal to the government, and hoped they would seek- e melt the order, or appoint relief committees to give out-'..or relief. Mr. LAI3OCCIIEItE said he had only to repeat his former statement, namely, the order of the government was, that upon a certain day a reduction of twenty per cent. should take place upon the aggregate number ot per sons employed on the public works, but nut irrespective of localities ; leaving it to the discretion of the Irish govern meat to make the reduction more than twenty per cent., where it could be safely done, and less, where the part'calar circumstances of the place rendered twenty per cent. dangerous or inadvisable. The goveniment had come to the conclusion that that was the most prudent, the wises., ctrl the safest course; to adopt, with a view to pet an end to the present system of relict. He had no other answer to make to the hon. gentleman who had just spoken, but ho could net nit down without expressing has deepest gratifica tion at the rescounts which hod reached him of the immense quantities of provisions which were pouring into Ireland by means of the ordinary operations of traders ; a means which, as he had ventured on a former occasion to predict, would effect more fir the country than any direct int( rfirence on the part of the government. He bail already had occasion to refer to the import of provisions into Cork, but he was par ticularly struck with an account, which he bed yesterday recta in a newspaper, of the quantity of provisions which, by the operations of trade alone, were imported into the port of Limerick. It was to the effect that " taking a retrospective view of the imports into Limerick since the pressure of scarcity, we :Ind that the vessels which entered t'at port since September last hove landed above 23,000 tons of bread stutfs—a quantity quite unperallelled in the annals of this city ; " the same paper stating that uo leas than 150 vessels, cerrying provisions, were in the Shannon ou Monday last. Mr. SIIAW coacurred in the propriety of reducing the number of persons on the public works as speedily us pos. Bible; but thought they ought to be removed by no fixed rule, unless where relief committees were established. He thought it was not at present safe to adopt • general system of reduction by percentage. Sir O. 0111:Y agreed with the right hon. gentleman, if he ref reed to an absolute suspension of the winks. By looking at the papers on the table of the house, ho would find that it was not intended that the works should anywhere be discontinued till the new system of relief was in operatMu. The number of persons on the works had now increased to 300,000, and the lord-lieutenant had urged their gradual decrease. There was reason to apprehend that though the culture of the land was going on in some places, yet in others it was quite suspended from causes over which tho govern ment had no control. The landlords were unwilling to advance money for the purchase of mod without security for the payment of their rent, while the tenants world not sow the land because they owed rent, and were afraid the crops would be taken to pay it. In the last report from the Board of Works which had been received, it was stated that the injurious effects of employ:lag the labourers on the roasts had been felt, not only by the farmers, but by the officers carrying on the works ender the Drainage Bill, for the proprietors were un able to induce the labourers to come from the public works. The attraction, therefore, of the labour under the Board of Works was so great that proprietors, who were willing to employ labourers, found a difficulty in obtaining them. They had, therefore, directed a reduction to be made, not a general, but an aggregate one, which sees to take place in those districts where circumstances would allow it. He be lieved that there was now ample labour for the employment of those who were struck off the public works. Aft. r a few words, is explanation, from Mr. Shaw, Lerd G. BENTINCK said he could not allow the cheer vntions of the right hon. gentleman the Secretary fcr the Home Department to pass without notice. The right hon. gentleman said that the cultivation of the laud was going on in some parts of Ireland, while in others it continued sus pended from mutes over which the government bad no control. The Earl of Beshorougb, in January last, wrote a pressing letter to the noble lord at the head of the govern ment, urging them to supply seed, which the farmers would not otherwise obtain; and Captain Wynne wrote to the same effect; and the government, in the first fortnight of the session, stated their intention to supply 60,0001. for the purchase of seed, yet, at the eleventh hour, and four months after they had given the Irish people reason to be lieve they would receive this assistance, they disappointed them, and this had had a most pernicious influence on the cultivation of the soil. Hundreds of farmers who had heard that the gocemment intended to advance 50,0001. for the purchase of seed, and knew that the Lord Lieu tenant had pressed them to supply corn-seed, relied upon receiving it, and yet, at the last hour, when it was too late to purchase seed from their own funds, the Chancellor of the Exchequer came down to the house, and told the pen- ple of Ireland that the 60,0001. would be advanced, not for the purchase of corn-seed, but of green crop-seed, which would be of no use till the summer. Ho wanted to know if the government was not to blame for the vacillating course they had pursued with regard to seed. The right hon. gentleman the Secretary fur Ireland had glorified himself and the eeeernmeat for leasing allowed the supply of pro visions, and be said that since September, 60,000 tons of provisions, hail come into the port of Limerick ; but he (Lo:d 0. Sentinels) recollected that in ono week in this year 30,000 quarters of grain had gone out of the port of Limerick, and, therefore, after all, %hat did this 50,000 tone amount to ? It might be true that provisions had been im ported by private speculators, but what compensation would that be to the 230,090 persons who had died of starvation and pestilence, originating in famine, while waiting for these sup p:ies i whereas, if the government had showed one-tenth of the sympathy for Ireland which had been shown in Boston, in the United States, all this food might have been supplied six months ago. Trey were told that, although the number of meal-depots bad been decreased, their extent was greater —although there were now only 24 instead of 93. What had been the issue of provisions ? It was 262,0001bn a week, or 1,048,00016 e a month—not the eleventh part of the food distributed by tho late government, in June, when the famine was not a ninth of what it was now. The right hon. gentleman the Secretary for Ireland would have little cause to congratulate himself when he reflected on the hun dreds end thousands who had died during his administration in Ireland. Mr. WILLIAMS said it wasimportant, when such charges were made against the government, that there should be a weekly statement of the number of person+ employed on the public works in Ireland, and the money which was paid, so that they might see what the landlords were doing for the poor compared with what was done in England. He saw by a paper that in a small town in Wales, where distress existed the gentry ant and subscribed on the spot 3 , 0001 . for food for the people, and an order was sent by that night's poet for 1,000 quarters of corn. Why might not the same kind of exertion be made in Ireland ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER hoped that they might be alowed to go into committee on the Poor Relief Bill without any further general Meting= on the affairs of Ireland. In reply to the hon. member for Coventry he would say that the last return had been laid on the table of the house ; it was a weekly return, was ordered to be printed, and it would be continued. He would only say fur ther that he would not be tempted to notice the repetition of his speech of the other night which had been now made by the noble lord (G. Bentinek), as bethought it more important to go into committee, and he did hope they might be allowed to make some progress with the bill. Colonel RAWDON deprecated the attack which hadbeen made by the noble lord, and the contrast which he had drawn between them and the sympathy which had been shown fur Ireland in the United States. He rose principally to say, that he had received accounts from Wicklow of Saturday lest, in which a feu was expressed that the public peace would be endangered by the discharge of men from the public works: 3,000 had been discharged in one barony, and 000 in another. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he had a letter from Colonel Jones, who stated that the reduction which had talus' place had passed off quietly, and there had been no disturbance. It was of course impossible to answer for the whole country, but it had as yet been generally the Major LAYARD thought the attack of the noble lord the member for Lynn, on the government, was unjust and Un founded. Viscount SANDON wished to ask the right bon. gentle man the Secretary for the Home Department whether, with reference to a difficulty which was felt in Liverpool, as to the disposal of Irish paupers who came there, and the num ber of which was increasing, be was prepared with any plan to ewe the action of the existing rule for the removal of paupers ?' Sir G. GREY had received a representation from Liver. pool as to the legal difficulty of removing Irish paupers. There was no disposition to sold them back so long as they could be provided for. When this bill was passed, he thought the provisions of the law relating to removal ought to be considered, but he thought it should be done by this bill and not by the Vagrancy Bill. Mr. F. SHAW raid that there ought to be an investiga tion at Liverpool, as to whether persona who were called Irish paupers were really so. Sir G. GREY said his attention had been directed to this subject, and inquiry had been made as to the number who really came front Ireland, and those who Mee out from their ordinary abodes in the town. It appeared that 60,000 hai arrived from Ireland since the beginning of the year, of whom 20,000 came with a view to emigrate to America, and had since gone ; so that 40,000 remauted in Liverpool, or were dispersed over Lancashire. After le few words from Mr. NEWDEGATE, in which he said that what had been aid by the hon. member for Carlow was inapplicable to what had fallen from his noble friend the member for Lynn, Mr. CA RD W ELL said he had received a letter from the stipendiary megiatrate at Liverpool, in which it was Ariel, that no one desired to remove those Irish paupers without some provision being made for them at home, that the influx of paupers increased, end that in the last three days 2,000 a day had arrived ; and that in • few days a new fever hospital would be opened. This shswed that prevision were made to meet the evil. Mr. P. SC ROPE said, that if immigration was going on at the rate of 2,000 a day since the return alluded to by the right hen. baronet (sir O. Grey), the numbers must now be 100,000. Ile thought it would be impossible to solve the great problem, how to put an end to the distress in Ireland, unless there was a cessation of party attacks. Mr. OROOAN urged the government to bring on the THE EXPRMB, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 26, 1847. Vagrancy and Mendicancy Bill as soon ea possible. He saw lsy the papers that gentlemen of all ranks in life were being appointed under the relief committees in Ireland, and that Sir J. Burgoyne had received an appointment. He wished to know how these gentlemen were to be paid. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—By a vote in sup l i • RPSSELL said that the Vagrancy Bill was al ready prepared. It hal required great consederation in its preparation, and would require great consideration in that house. He could assure tile hon. gentleman that it would be introduced is soon es possible. With regard to the pre servation of the pub'ie peace, the government were respon sible for it ; and from the information he hail received from Colonel M-egregor, the head of the police, he bad no doubt that tranquillity woul•I be preserved, notwithstandivg the numbers of the escorts of unhurt. and police required for the conveyance of previsixis. ne trusted that every gin. tleman connected with Ireland would ass:et the government in preserving public peace—(hear, hear)—acid he could add that predictions as to its being likely to be disturbed were calculuted rather to cause it than otherwise. (Hear, hear.) Mr. CALLAtiII AN said that, with regard to Deed nail the sowing of the ground, there was a general complaint in Ireland of the neglect of the government on that point. He knew districts where the potato had failed, where they were wholly without reed. After a few words from Mr. Bellew, Sir A. Brooke, Mr. Dillon Browne, and Sir Walt, r James, 111 Mr. G. A. HAMILTON ho did not understand the ' observaii,na of the nob:- lord the member for Lyon to charge the government wilt not str o pplyinj seed, bat with basing held out expeetatioria o: the ir inttation to do sss, but which promise they had niece felt it inexpedient to fulfil. NEW BISHOPS. . . . . Mr. J. COLLETT said the noble lord nt the head of the gsvernment had n a former °cession told him that tour new bishops were to be appointed. He wished to know if these four bishops were to be appointed under the provisions of the Bill for amending the Acts f,r the appointment of the En glish Ecclesiastical Commiseioo, of which the noble lord had given notice ? Lord J. RUSSELL said that he should bring in the bill for emending the ecclesiastical commission on the first Tues. day after the Easter hondays. The bill was intended to alter the ecclesiastical C 011171166101% in some respects, but he did not intend to include four new bishops, or even one, in that La POOR RELIEF' (IRELAND) BILL • The committee on this bill wan then received. On clause 11, beczion 11, which goes to enact that the number of er o,fficio guardians of the poor shall be increased from one fourth to half of the whole number, being put, Mr. O'CONNELL rose pursuant to reotiee, - to move that it I* struck out. He maintained that if the number of ex officio pruardians was increased, instead of being nn act of justice to Ireland, as it was proposed to be, it would inflict a most serious injustice upon the majority of the population of that country. The prtheiple of this increase had been de nounced by authorines whose opinions were entitled to re spect ; he allude I to the puhlished sentiments of Dr. Cant well, the Roman Catholie Bishop of Meath, to the opinion. exprevied in the petitions presented to that house from the board of guardians at Cootehill and Ballinos!oe, and lastly. to the resolutions condemnatory of the douse recently passed at a meeting held in the city of Cork. The interference with the religious feelings and rights of the Roman Cathelie paupers was already severely felt in ninny parts of irelend, sine yet it W:l9 proposed by the clause ti increase the means of that interference. It hod been ascertained that there were in Ireland about 2,600 Protestant county magistrates, while the number of Roman Catholic county magistrates wan only 410 ; and, therefore, as the borough ma gistrates were not to be allowed to become ex officio guardians, it was clear that the boards would consist of es officio mem ber., who were not of the religious faith professed by the vast majority of the paupers, and upon them would devolve the centroul of, and interference with, all the matters re lating to the teaching the children who were inmates of the workhouses, and in relation to the religious feelings of their pauper parents. This had already, under the existing law, been felt in the North and South Dublin Union Work houses. Is one case, the Roman Catholic chaplain and guardians had unanimously protested against a particular act done, and a grievance of which they complained, and yet they had been outvoted by the Protestant guardians, who bad been backed mid supported by the poor-law commis sioners. And what would be the effect of this clause, if carried ? Why, only to increase the number of in tolerant ex officio guardians, who would have the power of controlling the Roman Catholic chaplains in every union, of dictating the course of religious education and instruction to be given to the children, and of practising every species of bigoted tyranny. The noble lord at the head of the government, in introducing this clause, expressed a kepi that a better state of things was opening to Ireland, in limaammence of the charitsble conciliation which appeared to have taken place between members of that house pro ' hosing different religious persuasions. The hope expressed by the noble lord sees benevolent, and he (Mr. J. O'Coneell) wished that it had been realised. Look at the facts Au Irish party had been formed, and was supposed to he united by mutual concession. One section (the Roman Catholic) made great mom:miens, for be submitted that they would, in the present circumstances of Ireland, which bad almost drained the ircperial coffers, have been justified in milling for the application of some of the revenues of the Protestant church in Ireland, to meet the cala mity and distress which prevailed. They, however, had been comparatively silent on that point ; and hod not brought forward any suggestion of that character or deecription. Had there been any similar corrosion made by the other section of the Irish party ? On the contrary, bad they not come down and not only voted but !peke against the bill introduced by the hon. and learned member for Kinsale (Mr. Watson) to remove a few words from a statute which was the last thread of the remnant of wort out bigotry ? The votes of the ascendancy party on that bill afforded a clear indication of what night be expected from an increase of ex atria guardians which necessarily must be composed of that clam, iu reference to the helpless andinollensive Roman Catholic paupers mister their control. He submitted that the clause now under consideration would enable the guardians to tyrannize over the Roman Catholic population, and if passed, would be the signal of each a re ligions agitation in Ireland as had not yet been witnessed in that country. If it passed, he should certainly press the two clauses which stood in his name on the business paper, and which would have the effect of making it imperative upon the guardians to have in each union separate chapels fur the sects of all denominations. In a political view the clause was a contradiction, inasmuch as the complaint was that the Irish landlords had closed their pockets against the claims which the existing distress raised, and yet by stroll tug them es officio to the boards by whom rates must be made, it would enable them closely to seal their pocket.. On all these grounds he implored English members to sup port bins in his propoeition for the rejection of this clause. Sir G. GREY said, that ho could state the anxious desire felt by her Majesty's government that the rights of con science Amid be fully and entirely . respected, and in pro peeing this clause they did not anticipate any such results as those which had been mentioned by the honourable mem ber for Kilkenny (Mr. J. O'Connell). He (Sir G. Grey) regretted that the clause should on this occasion have involved any religious considerations, and he thought, with the hon. member, that proper precautions ought to be taken to prevent the members of the Roman Catholic Church from being subject to: any infringement or invasion of that reli gious liberty to which they were entitled. (Hear, hear.) The clause had been introduced, because, on looking at the returns on the table, it was believed that it would prevent the exercise of such tyranny as had been alluded to, inas much as every magistrate resident in the Union, whether Roman Catholic or Protestantweuld immediately be let in by the clause as an ex officio member of the board of guardians. With respect to the provisions as to the erection of separate chapels, and the non-interference with the education of the Roman esthete children in the warehouses, it would receive the consideration of the government before the bringing up of the report. It was a proposition which would be met bed by a direct; measure of positive enactment, rather then, by limiting the number of guardians, to take the chance of,pro siding for it. Mr. SHAW defended his vote on the bill introduced by the hon. and learned member for Kinsale (Mr. Watson), on the ground that it went to disturb the great settlement of the Catholic claims in 1829, and denied that be had been actuated by any bigoted feelings. With respect to the clause now before the committee, he felt called upon to give it his support. He could see no real difference between the interests of the landlord and of the tenant ; what was in. jurioun to one would be so to the other. It was extremely desirable to avoid the neceseity of making a selection of ex officio guardians; and this might easily be done by a very slight alteration in the clause. But this was a point on which he did not think it worth while to insist. Mr. BELLEW did not think that the right hon. secre tary for the home department bad made out any case for the increase of ex-officio guardians on the ground of security to property. In a majority of eases magistrates would be elected guardians for their own parishes and property would be sufficiently protected in this way. Th , c religious part of the question was mor: difficul4to deal with. As there were in Ire land about 2,600 Protestant magistrates to 400 Roman Ca tholic, it would necessarily happen that the religious feelings of the representatives of property would be largely ranged on one Bide, and those of the representatives of the people on the other. Some alleviation of this might be gained by ad mitting borough magistrates as ex officio guardians, sad he trusted the government would consent to amend the bill so far ; this would he a great means of preserving union, which was so important to the proper working of the bill. Sir J. WALSH said that this measure only raised, inci dentally and remotely, any religious question whatever; and ho sincerely hoped that religious animosity was not carried so far in Ireland as might be supposed from the speeches of some hon. members. At all events, it would be extremely unwise to recognise such differences in legislating for Ire land. The best course would be to assimilate the law to the English poor-law, which made all the magistrates ex officio guardians. In many unions the ex officio guardians were chairmen and vicechairmen, and their services had been duly estimated. In Ireland the intelligence which the ex officio guardisnevrould bring to the discharge of their duties would be an important clement in the success of the law. With this opinion, he should cordially support the clause of the government. Mr. W. S.,CRAWFORD said the question was whether the landed proprietors had a right to claim so great an influence in the boards of guardians, and whether such an influence would operate beneficially for the country. Looking at the pest conduct of the landlords, he contended that their admi nistration of the law of landlord and tenant was the source of the teat crils of that country ; and on that account they were not fit to be entrusted with the extended influence now proposed. A still more important question was, whether this increased influence would tend to the better administra tion of the low. Recollecting that a vast number of their body had presented a protest to government against the principle of out-door relief, it woo not to be supposed that they would carry out this principle in a very willing or effective manner. He was decidedly of opinion that the failure of the Labour Rate Act was attributable to the reck lesss manner in which the landlords had acted, by making useless presentments, and by neglecting the ordinary precautions for the suppression of clamour. Many of them even refused to pay their rates; and it was well known that rates were more easily collected from the poor than from the rich. Under thecae circumstances, be must oppose this clause, which gave increased influence to the landlords. Such a clause was wholly unnecessary ; for, if the landlords did their duty, the people would elect them as guardians, in preference to any other individuals. If placed in that shun thin by the people therr.selves, they would be mach more effective members of the board. It was their duty so to act as to secure the willing support of the electors. Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN did rot think any . ground had been for the proposed increase of ex offic i o guardians. He denies' that the suggestion for she increase had proceeded from what was called the Irish party. It had been said that in England all the magistrates were es off i cio guardians; but he believed it as ould be found that their numbers did nat exceed one-third those of the elected guardians. He was thoroughly convinced that this propesal would tend to gene rate ill-wid in Ireland, mid to keep ul:ve chuoleeling. The CHANCELLOIt of the EXCHEQUER said there had been no concession to any party, or any religion, in this clause ; it was, as near as puss le, an assimilation of the law to that of England, which gave the right of being ex-off r h o guardians to county, but not to Lorough, maoistratow. lie sincerely hoped tliat the effect of the low would he to extinguieh all religious animosity, and to "mite all el uses in the efficient administration of the law. (Hear.) It' knew that in many unions in England the business would not be warned en but for the ex-efilcio guardians, owing to the difficulty in procuring the attendance of the clectesl guardians. lie had frequently sat as chairman of the board of guardians with two ex-officio guardians by his side, transacting the whole of the business. In Ire lead it was a matter of great importance to the classes who would 1w elected as guardians; and the busieess would probably . largely devolve on the ex-officio guardians. In a , me unions the number of magistrates was considerably greater than the number of elected guardians; and on that account it had been thought necessary to limit the number of ex-officio guardians, to that it miglt not exceed that of the elected guardians. Thus, it would be seen that the government had done all is its power to assimilate ti:e pro posed law to the low in England. Mr. D. BROWNE said he should oppose this clause, be muse it would give an undue ascendancy to the landlords ; it would render them most unpopular in Ireland, au would entir. ly prevent the good working of the law. All the scenes of party warfare would be revived, and the utmost distraction would prevail throughout the country. He was ihtoeished that the noble lord who was such an advocate for reform had introduced such a clause es this. It was not oven a finality measure, but it was a resrograde mea sure. For his psi the would sooner see a coercion bill than • measure of this land. This clause went against reran-tenta tive government fur Ireland, and would raise a discontent which wool ! prevent the working of the biil. He would vote fur the amendment of the hon. member :or Kilkenny. Mr. FITZGERALD said that the landlords of Ireland were remarkable for their religious bigotry, but he hoped that these things were now at an end. Ile impressed upon the noble lord the necessity of restoring to the people the church proper:y. If such a measure were granted, there would be nu occasion for a poor-law, Maynooth grants, or educetien grants, and they would not now he under the necessity of giving money from the treasury of this country to support the starving people of Ireland. With regard to the clause in question, he thought that it would excite reli &ins animosity. He thought that the number of rnagie the s who were now ez.ojicio guardians was not sufficient f.l the object which they had in view. So convinced wen he that it was necessary to withdraw this clause from the bill, that he would support the amendment which was moved for its omiss 0,1. Mr. LEFROY expressed his entire satisfhetion with the clause introduced by her Majesty's government . The Secre tary for the Home Department had given sufficient reasons fir increasing the number of ex officio guardians. Mr. CALLAGHAN said that notwithstanding the atten tion which he had paid to what he had heard from those who supported this clause be was totally adverse to its introduc tion. He did not think that the people of Ireland had such respect for the magistrates as to render it advisable to thrust in more of them amongst the poor-law guardians, elected by the rate-payers of the country. There was not a single part of Inland which sought for such an increa-c in the Dumber of ex-effieio magiatrates. From what he knew, in his part of the country, there was a general desire to get rid of them altogc'her. They got up discussions on every little matter relating to religion, and the business of the unions was neglected. Mr. V. STL'ART said, that though he did not doubt the integrity of the magistrates in Ireland, yet he hoped that, in deference to the feelings of the people, the government would not persist with the adoption of the clause. Major LAYARD thought that, instead of this chose making this bill effectual, it would have quite a contrary effect. Thu° were 2,000 Protestant magistrates in Ireland ; whereas there were only 410 Catholic magistrates; so that it mull not be expected that this was likely to give aatiefac non to the people. It would. have the effect of nullifying this bill—sa the Chandos clause had on the Relorm Bill. Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN said a few wards in favour of the bill, and was followed by Mr. B. ESCOTT who, amid loud cries of " divide," ex pressed his disapprobation of the clause. The house divided—For the amendment 26 Agaiust it Mr. SHAW was understood to move the foil wing amend ment:—" That the justices resident in the poor•law unions shall be ex-affirm° members of the board of guardians of such unions." At the suggestion of Lord J. ReseELL, the amendment was withdrawn without any discusaioa. The clause, was then agreed to. On clause 11 he ing read, Mr. J. O'CONNELL maned tha' borough magistrates be ex-oiteio guardians to the extent of onc•half witk the county magistrates. Sir C. GREY thought such an amendment would give rise to great practical inconvenience, and he did not see how it could he carried out, He therefore felt bound to oppose it. Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN did not ace that there would leo any practical difficulty in the matter. Mr. P. HOWARD regretted that the government objected to the infusion of a snore popular clement into the boards of I guardians. Ile should support the amendment. Mr. J. O'CONNELL then withdrew his amendment. I Upon the question that "the clause de stand part of ' the bill," Mr. J. O'CONNELL said he expected to have had more :remold supped, and was surpriie'd at the manner in which • his motion had been received ;he would, however, give hon. • members an opportunity of recording their votes, and he must, therefore, divide the committee. The committee divided—For the amendment 21 Fer the clause 133-112 The clause was then agreed to. On clause 12 being natl. Mr. V. SMITH proposed to add to the clause a provision to the effect, that if the guardians negheted to kvy a rate within three months after it was made, it should be lawful for the poor-law commissioners to direct them to proceed, and if they disobeyed such order they should be subject to the penalties imposed by the 102nd section of the Irish Poor Law Act. It was monstrous to find thousands of people starving without poor-rates being levied and collected when they were made. Sir O. GREY said the power of procee.ling under the 102nd clause of the act referred to would, he feared, be found to be inoperative. He;thought in future the guardians would discharge their duty in levying and collecting the rates more efficiently than they had hitherto done ; and he believed that a large portion of the present outstanding rates would be collected. Mr. HAMILTON believed that in many instances the boards of guardians had been very . unjustly blamed. Mr. SHAW thought that in some of the western districts of Ireland it would be impossible to collect the rates. After a brief conversation, in which Mr. V. SMITH, Mr. ARCHBOLD, and Mr. T. Senors took part, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he did not think the amendment, even if passed, could be carried into effect. After a short conversation the amendment was negatived, without a division, and the clean was agreed to. Cleans 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, were agreed to. Mr. SHAW moved the following clause: "That the owners of tithe rent-charge be rated accordirig to their net annual incomes." Si, G. GREY would agree to the clause, so far as it placed Irish tithe-owners on the same footing em tithe-owners an England, but no further. After some conversation, the clause was postponed till the bringing up of the report, with a view to consider how it should he worded. The house then resumed, and the chairman reported pro gress, and obtained leave to sit swain on Monday neat. NEW BRUNSWICK. Mr. HAWES, in laying a paper on the table by command of her Majesty, said he thought it right to state that it was a copy of a despatch from the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, conveying to his noble friend at the head of the colonial department a vote of 1,250 f. by the legislative assembly as a subscription towards the relief of Irish dis tress, that being the second contribution from the colony. The house adjourned at a quarter before seven. RELIEF OF TILE FAMINE IN IRELAND AND SCOT LAND.—Yesterday, the committee of the Britiah Association acknowledged the recent of 100 barrels of meal, and 100 barrels of flour from Boston, in the United States, and 1,2601. voted by the House of Assembly of the province of New Brunswick, in aid of the above object. The total amount placed at the disposal of the association is 251,7051. 19a. ; of this 26,0001. has been remitted to Scotland, 1,5001. to remote districts in Ireland, and 137,3001. expended is the purchase of pro isioris, leaving a balance of 87,2051. 19s._ Vie v prow. MAILS, • l'ObT-OFFICE NOTICE.—The following Post-office notice has been issued:—" The Postmaster-0 neral having been informed by the Director-General of the French Post office that correspondence forwarded by, the l'r,neh Mediter ranerm pockets to the Papal States is liable to a further charge on delivery ; lettere henceforward addressed to there states, when directed to be forw.,rdcd by French pseket.., cannot be paid in advance to their destination, although they may still be forwarded unpaid, as at present. POLISH EXILES.—We have received a letter from M. Zienkieorie; contradicting some statemcms t..15.1x in a communication to this journal, relative to the meeting of the l'oliah exiles. M. Z., in contradiction of these statements, declares that it was not he who convened the meeting, or sent invitations for it. lie neither drew up the resolutions, nor brought any supporters with him, as alleged. The re solution., instead of being passed by a large majority, passed unanimously. M. Z. inserts that thou were ninety Poles present, and that it was not a private meeting. The mails for Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Idoulehn, Gad* and Gibraltar, willbe smile no en the morning of the 2;th March. The mails for New South Wales, Van Diernen'a land, and New Zealand will be made up on the evening of the 31st March. The West India malls, including thews for Mexico, Honduras, and the tievannah, will he male up on the morning of the End April. The mails for British North Ameriee, Bermuda, and the United halm, will be made np on the evening of the 3rd April Ito uver/an4 mails mr Gibraltar, Molts, Greece, the lonian Islands, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Gong-Kong, and China, via Southampton, will be made up on the morning of the 3rd A, ril. The mile for Ole Bnails, the hive Piste, Mrmte Video, Pernam buco, Bahia, MA !C ill; sad Bum.. .Iyro,, will be made up on the evening of the 3th April. Tie overland °hoed mails, via Marseillea, to the Mediterranean, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Hong Kong, he., will be made up on the earning of the Aprll. TO CORRESPONDENTS. We cannot notice, to any Rass, aniCOMMIT;iiCM;oe that is sent to o. annnynously ; but those whocberee ultimo os in confidence nnll End their confidence reopened. NEITiI ER tN WE UNDERTAKE. TO RETURN ANY lIANU9CRIPTE WILATEVER. The Advertising Officte of the DAILY NEWS" and "EX Envis Imre leer 7.: EMOTED from 90, FLEET-NTREET, to No. 10, 110 VERIE-STREET, FLEET-STREET, coatiguous to the Printing and l'ublishing o:Rcea. ••• Adr enamor:Ma Intend,' for The Rrprom, Landon evening ppm, mast be at the OBlse by Two o'clock ma the day of publication. HIGH WATER AT 1.113111014-1111.1DGII. Ton Pvi—Nlorn 4 ntr. :3 min. past 9 ; Afternoon, 31 min. pact 10. To-Mvsnow—].wr.Ang, 16 min. pint 11 ; Altrinionn, 19 rain. I dal 11. LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 26. M. Gutzor is certainly a great minister, and will leave a great name. Ile has now reigned longer than any of his cotemporarics, has overcome more difficulties, defied and defeated more enmi ties, and accomplished more political ends than any of them can boast. He has placed France, we think, in a wrong position, dangerous and critical for the future; but of this we cannot as yet judge, till it be seen how he intends to extricate himself, and to carry the country through its future perils. But it is in the mar.agement of domestic parties , and the maintenance of his position and strength, that M. Guizor has shown most skill, and been re warded with most good fortune. A year since, M. Otlizor'e chance of retaining office was small in the extreme. Unpopular with the masses, not altogether contenting the court, he had, even amongst the Con servatives, a large number of persons discontented with him, and jealoes of him. He was not of their clique, and their evident purpose was to get rid of him. With this view, his foes in the cabi net, and behind tho minister:al benches, co quetted with the two very opposite parties of the Liberals and of the Church. To the Liberals they said, We are not so English as M. Gutzor, we are independent and ready to be national and spirited in our foreign policy; nay, we would not mind quar relling with England to please you." To the church, and the church party they said, " M. Geizar is a Protestant—M. Ovum . is a latitudinarian —he leans to England and to Prussia, and favours the Libem's in thcir views of the hierarchy and education." lo the court they said, " M. GVIZOT is a minister the , lives from day to day. He came in merely to allay popular effervescence and effect a reconciliation with England. Ile has ovi rdone this task, and he is now good for nothing. And you see he has no parliamentary influence to procure dowries and dotations." M. GUIZOT was sore pressed last autumn by this secret hostility. And he certainly has taken the field against it in the most able and successful way. We characterise his conduct solely with regard to its effect upon domestic party. In order to refute the accusation that be was too English, M. GL IZOT turned round at once, and entered into the king's views respecting Spain ; nay, went beyond them, and dis pat:hed instructions to Count BRES , ON to carry every aim and every disputed point at all hazards, per ,/as et nefas, by violence, or money, or falsehood. If England was affronted, so much the better for M. Guam . ; for this silenced his ene mies, took their great theme out of their mouths, and stamped M. GUIZOT as a statesman win) could ha as effective and successful in triumplf,zg over England, as in cajoling her. Wu need not say how fully the plan succeeded, and how completely those enemies of M. GUIZOT, who pretended to be more spirited in foreign policy than he, had their months stopped. The minister soon had a striking proof of this. M. THIERS and his friends moved forward, represented GUIZOT as the foe of peace, the author of a breach with England, and the maladroit disturber of the accord between the two nations and Spain. Had that portion of the Conservative party, so long discontented with Guam, supported M. TRIERS in this move, they would have accomplished M. TRIERS' desire, and overthrown the minister. It was PO near fulfilment, that every one thought M. Guizor lost. But, at the eleventh hour, the malcontent Conservatives rallied, and passed a resolve at a meeting that they would support GUIZOT in the Spanish business. M. TIMES was, of course, obliged to retreat, and Gleizor became once more master of his mutinous and irresolute soldiers. Having thus broken and defeated the band of jealous political rivals in his own conservative party, the enemies next to be dealt with were the chart,;. M. MARTIN nu NORD was the head or organ of this party, and had strongly entrenched himself. He Wad /Coeper of the Seals, and Minister of Public Worship. He had the support of Marshal Soutr, who detests GUIZOT, and also of the Minister of the Interior, M. DUCHATEL. The Queen of the FRENCH, however mild and good, and little interfering in politics, still exercises a certain influence, which is ultra-pious. And of this M. Menrie took advantage. The ultra- Catholic party, thus headed and supported, took up a position, if not right opposed to M. Gutzor, at least on his flank, and menacing his every move. Fortune enabled M. OCIZOT to rout this sacred phalanx. How it was done, is known to all Paris. It is perfectly well known that M. MARTIN, the Keeper of the Seals, was caught in a company, and a locality, little consonant either with his office, or with his . profession and practice of extreme piety. The Parisians are indulgent. They might have pardoned the escapade of a chancellor, bat when such habits were sought to be redeemed by joining the public ceremony of receiving on his forehead the ashes of penitence on Ash Wednesday, the Parisians could stand it no more : the public laughed through every muscle and in every pore. It laughed till the court was electrified, and the cabinet shaken. It laughed at the priestly party and its chief, till the unfortunate man, stricken first with moral, then with physical, annihilation, shrunk into the grave from his shame. All has contributed to the ascendancy of M. GUIZOT. The religious . party, of course, envoured to repair the lose of their chief, by installing another person, equally devoted to them, in the first seat and ministry of justice. But NI. Gutzor would not per mit it : he insisted on giving the French great seal, as we should call it, to one of his own attached friends. M. Guizor is thus master of his cabinet. There is none to resist him. At the same time, M. GUIZOT condescended to re ward the mutinous conservatives by adopting and employing one of their set. M. DE CARNE was one of the most violent of the anti-English conservative party : a clever man, who flattered the priests and the liberals together, and persuaded both that they ought to resuscitate the old Bnonapartiat ideas, in order to humble England and l'rotestantism. This precious head-piece NI. Gum' has covered with the - humble laurels of a foreign under-secretaryship. Some of our contemporaries have argued from it that M. Gtneor's office is to become terribly anti-English. It may be so. But M. GUIZOT is not to obey the in spirations of M. DE CARNE. On the contrary, he has merely extinguished that red-hot patriot by giving him his portfolios to empty and to fill. M. Gutzor, we see, is coquetting with Austria, and has jest allowed Prince METTERNICII to coerce the poor Pope into clapping a censorship upon the Roman press. Bat M.GUTZOT, we have no doubt, will make up with England, if he can. That is the great aim—there the great future triumph of his statesmanship. He has tricked and beaten all domestic parties out of their 'vantage-ground. If, after having choused and dis graced us, English, in Spain, he can reduce us to shake hands with him, then NI. GUIZOT will be decidedly—what ho already . is very nearly—the greatest and moat successful minister (moral or frank we leave out of the question), that France has fur a long time seen. THE present is a trying moment for Ireland, for the empire, and for the government. At this momeu a great effort is making to stem the tido of Irish pauperism, and prevent it from overwhelming and over-running the resources of the empire with a ge neral inundation, which, if rot stopped now, must cover the laud, and render it barren for at least two the propriet ors years. If, of the 700,00 d labourers, and occupiers of the Irish coil cannot ei.tploy at th e present moment cf seed-time one-eqh, th) n all hope s of a harvest must be abandoned in Irela - d, and the entire population must come upon the icsources of the Eaglish, not for one year, but for .:3 itukfiaite period. Now, with all the willingness of the English to &sr an inevitable burden, this they will not bear. If they see that the soil of Ireland rem..•as sated, whilst its population looks to En . sh wealth and resources for permanent fod, this .entry will not bear it, nor would any county bear nor dart any ministry propose or conteeodate . Govern. ment, thererme, in asking the lard.rds •1 occupiers of the soil to employ and feed one-filth 'he labour ing population during the months of se te t h . makes of these classes a most moderate ) . nand ; aid if government did not make this , lanand, ' le English tax-payer would have moat s)-rious e . ibr some. thin more than discontent. Si a have supported the Irish landlor,' . when raa down in a mass. But the time is r.on. •.: when the good mutt be divided from the bad, a , ,ft • m the lat. ter must be marked out for a peeatty ;h.- will come little short of confiscatioa. We teem from our own correspondent, and from the D t;146 lost, that in most counties of Leinster and Uls...r the laid luids have come forward zealously, both ) give agri cultural empleyment, and to strop°. r the relict committees ; but there remain dist: ic c!. I provinces where su.li duties are shirked, where tie: entire pee. santry will be flung upon the smp-pot., and where the preparations for harvest will be confi - ed to stray scratchnsof the ground, andtosmall p trt:..aael hiker. One letter represents the farmers as anxious to get labourerstor one or two days' work,—thetiigging of a garden perhaps,und no more—flinging t.,, back im mediately upon, or rather avoiding to take them from, the labour-rate. Such labourers ns wkislraw them selves are not allowed to came hoe% ue.a: the public works, and hence their unwillingness to 9 . ):t them, or seek employ elsewhere, which may be out tempo rary after all. It is a cruel cri)is far the poor, lane rant puma. The contemplation of such a state of Pimp in Ire land has a very natural duet in urging pAiamett to vote, almost unanimously, clause after ;:lause, the Irish Poor-law. This at least puts the weight on the land, enables the active and the le ient to taz the lazy and the absent, and corn/Yds tit) Axivernment its.ll to interfere iu districts mil:eh to.: landlords desert. . . . O'CoNYYLL rated a qumf , at each a moment no one would tutertall . This was the unfairness of Protestants outnumbcrirg Catholics on boards of guardians. One of the redeemus:.: features of these late distressed times has been the - ...pension of religious animosities, the joint labours .4 the Pro. testant and the Roman Catholic clergynr 7, the di&r enco of religion sunk in the connr.anity wanes of the distress. Mr. Jour O'CONNELL r iy not have gone out of his own way, but he ecru:. y went eat of cv..,y one elst's, in lugging such a c j i.• iion forthto the attention of parliament, and pr..— '.ug it to a division. . _ From this, end from several expressin!.s of Mr. J. O'CONNELL'S speech, it would stem tb t the Irish Party is going to pieces—that the Repeler and the Orangeman have not found the advant.c•res expected from their temporary union. The foot law, whirls the league was destined to defeat, has over-ridden them both most triumphantly. And, indeed, as things turn out, the Irish landlord parts l.as to frank government for its great forbearance mu: concessions to men, who so sorely tried its temper and patience. WiTneur intending anything disrespectful to the occupants of pr&iissorial chairs, it may be argtud that museums and libraries are, ate:- ^ll, the ben universities. In this age of universal reading and teaching. the elements of science aro attainable by many who never enter the walla of a college. And when once a young man has mastered tl." outlines of systematic science—has learned to appreciate the utility of system in the prosecution of hnowled.,e— there is no better method of completing Lis education than by turning hint loose in a good library cr museum to browse at will. }recall there store Ls mind with facts, and will be taught to estimate !heir relative value correctly by the experience of real life ; whether he enters it in one of the old recognised proftesions, or in that youngest and most anomalous of professions— literature. That a conviction to this ett.ct is ling ground appears from the accounts of the British Museum, annually laid before parliament. Those for tl:c year 1840, which have just been presentee., show that whereas the visits made to the readiug-r .oral, for the purpose of study or research, did not exceed 1,980 n 1810, they amounted in 1816 to 66,78'. The visit. ants to the reading-rooms consist chiefly of lit. ratears ' par metier: so any one who will take troutle to compare the current popular literature of the ch•y, at the former period, with the present, may be able to appreciate the influence of these visits upon it. The improvement—the higher average of accuracy and extent in regard to information, and earreetnems in point of taste—which characterises the current literature of 1847, as compared with that of 1810, is admitted on all hands. And this improvement is but a reflex of that n bleb has taken place in the intellectual tastes of the general public. The increased use of the Museum by r.rtists has by no means been co-extensive with that we have been noticing in men of letters. The visits b. the reading rooms for purposes of study or research were, in 1830, about 31,000; in 1846, they were not far short of 67,000 ; the amount had more than doubled in the interval. The visits of artists to the galleries of sculpture for purposes of study, about 1,938 in 1831, were only 4,124 in 1818. The visits to the print-room, about 4,400 in 1832, were only 4,390 in 1846. In some measure at le.,st the differ ence may be attributed to the greater completeners of the library when compared with the collections of art. The library of the British Mnseum is far from being complete ; there are numerous lat -, wle in it mat discreditable in the national library of so wealthy, powerful, and intellectual a country as Great Britain. But rc any departments of literature are richly supplied. The collections of art on the contrary, are for the purposes of the student of art altogether incomplete. Treasures of sculpture are there, unmatched in any other collection ; but for the artist will would form his taste and perfect his knowledge, the gallery of casts at Dresden affords a much more useful school. It is complete ; it was formed by an artist bent upon mastering his art, and as an instrument to that end ; whereas the fragmentary British collection has crept together under the desultory efforts of eblettonti, bent upon acquiring something to brag of. In the print. room matters are still worse ; the collection does not contain a satisfactorily complete series of any one school—scarcely of any one master. We regret to observe that the report of the progrir made in cataloguing and arranging the collections in the Museum during 1846 scarcely warrants an expee tation of any speedy increase of efficiency in the library department. Though far from sympathising with the personalities levelled against one of the hbre rims by Sir HARRIS NICHOLAS, in the pamphlets he discharged against the Museum library sometime sr , we felt that in his criticism upon the cataloguing aF rangements the knight had hit upon a sore point. The new catalogue has been projected upon a mod mes prehensive and luminous model, but the undertalong is so colossal that faint hopes are tutorials' of its being available till the third generation from the present. Already some twenty bulky volumes stand upon the shelves, but they do not extend beyond the letter A. It does not appear from the present re port that the B volumes are yet ready to take their place beside them : a considerable part of last year's activity seems to have been spent upon re-entries and additional entries in the volumes already completed. There is too much of the dilettanti spirit in this. The functionaries prosecute their labours with enthasianin, blessed in the employment, and by no means anxious that it should leave an end. They forget that a cata logue is meant to be used, and that the visitors to the reading-room are often at fault because it is wean plete. A much less ingenious and ientific catakre , if finished now, would be worth the meet exquisite the wit of man can devise, if it i, not to advance more, rapidly than that which is now in the progress compilation. Our Paris despatches of Wednesday contain nothing of general interest. The cabinet and its friends it!'e thrown into visible alarm by the check sustained in the election of M. de Mallcvdle to the vice-presideneY of the chamber. The truth is, the conservative pall is split into fragments, the cohesion of which is fnul and precarious, and they become detached by the J••••al A