The Express. — London, England, 1849-03-06 00:00:00

from being a step to rebellion, they lead quite the other way, and have oome to form the everyday machinery of our constitution. Of old, homer , . r, we had powirful minieters to intimidate; now we have weak ministers to impel. Of old we had a parlia ment of boroughmongers and squires arrayed in direct opposition to the people. Now parl ament dont do no more than turn a deaf car, or mock simmeesfully what it duvet Lot seriously resist, if seriously pressed upon it. The pr esent parliament . as we ll as all popular ministries, would in fact become effete and power less, if the people were to become apathetic, and if contending interests were to cease all pr.aturo and all strife. At such an epoch it is of vital importance that no rest idcu, no fundamental principle of improvement reform, should to left in abeyance. No doubt ex travegant taxation presses most, and e .ch class will sect end will league naturally for the removal or al leviation of their material burdens in the first instance. But we are much mistaken if they succeed in making any great or satisfactory impremon upon parliament or the governing classes without at the same time labouring to diminish the undue influence of that class over the franchise and consequently over parliament. it may be alleged that F.ng'and has made great advance of late years in the path of electoral Nutt ity and reforms, that the franchise has been extende d, rotten boroughs reforms', and the middle clam endowed with greater scope and power of being represented. But, even if this be so, we assert that, on the other hand, the depen dance of the many upon the few has been greatly in creased. Of old, when the franchise was limited, that franchise was exercised by a greater number of Independent persons ; whereas now, such is the dis tribution, inch the value, of property to England, that all daises are in a state of dependence, and are compelled to square their actions , and even their votes and thoughts, by the caprice of their employers, their customers—of the preteens or the c'asto on whom they depend. Eng land. which was once the land of free men and free thoughts, has become essentially a population of de pendents. In such a state, without the ballot, with out eatended reform, Englishn - rn will not even pre serve their ancient fry d.m of action, and of will. Brea at the present moineA we see how few durst make efforts for aught beyond en alleviation of material burdens. One e.lirs confines its efforts to the malt tax, and pleads distress as en excuse—for it seems to need excuse. Another is for repealing the window tax, but dreads to breathe a word of anything more. Oar Bridg north trice& could not make e'en a reflection upin military expenditure ; they take a safe shy at diplo matists. In fact, it is not turbulence or disiffeetion that is to be feared from existing popular agitation, but cowardice and hes:tat/on. We aro sled, therefore, to see, that at least in the !metropolis en association has been got together, not merely for the purpose of financial eco nomy, but ter that of electoral rtf.rm, of the ball* of extension of the franchise, and in every way protecting ant stieugthening the people's interest in the Hou c of Commons. We yesterday published the prammo el' this association, ef which the president is Sir JoAnne Watustel, who so lately proved his energy and fitness for such a part by his w.naing the Bolt election. It is no argu merit ag4iust the founding of such an roweled n, that the popular current flows in another course, towards more palpubls and pressing reform. If the popular current should fail in cleating Itself a channel, if it should be driven hack by these aristocrati3 obstructions, that chew few symptoms of removal, financial reformers will have to apply for support to the constitutional reformers who would go regularly to work in undoing and destroying there otaitructions, which will for ever, or, at lea-t, as long as they are allowed to continue, impede fiscal as well as political justice and equality. THE sixrenny rate, with all that appends thereto, was thrown last night idto utter insigaificaree by the astounding scheme that Sir Bonsai . PEEL &closed and roc •mmended,— isfeduro, to be sure, but still a scheme well calculated to arouse conteo versy at the present, for it throws the gauntlet down to the p eeonomiste,jars considerably on the rejudiees of the protectionists, whilst it twits the inactivity and merely tempota , y policy of tit e wbigs. Sir ROBERT PEEL is indtecl the great coiner of political ideas. He enjoys the seignory and the monopoly of affixing his stamp to portions of such metal, and thereby rendering them current Doctrines, th it have been slighted as mere dust, how ever Californian, and schemes of the richest vein of sagacity were still slighted and refused, until the great assayer had declared them genuine. And even now, in the new coin which it has pleased this master of the mint to utter, we think we perceive much of the same metal that lay worthless in other hands. The proposal of Sir ROBERT PEEL is no less than that goverument, or a commission, should purchase the land of the one and twenty distressed unions of Ireland, and re-sell them, of c urse in moderate pro portion, to a new proprietary. As an illustrat on of this scheme, Sir ROBERT referred to the plantation of Lister,' in the reign of JAMES 1., which out of a disaffected and barren region made the most indus trious and wealthy province of the island. There is much that is valuable and true in those proposals, although, perhaps, there is not much that eriginal. But there are also many difficulties, many mittakes, many objections. We agree ter fectly in the nc:emity of a new proprietary to be introduced int, a much greater portion of Ireland, than the unions already submerted by the poor law. But we doubt the possibility of recolonisirg Ire land, or •ny large portion of it, in the same manner that Ulster was colonised in the 17th centary. With ra rixd to violence and entffiecatien, that, of cum, Sir ROBERT PEEL himself does not dream of : but the new undertakers and lords of the Ulster soil were from a fereign country, and were bound to bring with them tenants and labourers from their own 000ntry, —a thing not to be attempted now. TR, row pro pristcr of Connaught will have a Conn sught poen laticn of labourers to deal with, and the Irish farmer, middleman or small capitalist, form the only class likely to do that wish success. But in order to transfer the incombered end half cultivated land into their hands, is it necessary fr government to become a purchaser ? If government, in imitation of JAMES the FIRST'S plantation, most make loss of the sin of 2,000, 1,600, and 1,000 acres, who are to be the lords of the s,it and to sublet it, then we must confess that we doubt if such adventurous lords are to be found, or, if they were found, that the y are likely to find farmers. It would be far better, u Mr. °swank proposed, to allow portions of the land to be aid for the payment of rates, and let the midd'e and the farm►ng class acquire the property. This is the true and the only home colonist ticn of the present time. And any effort to make a feudal plantation, alter the model of the retenteenth century. will ut'crly fail. It will be remarked, that Sir ROBERT Pm has always been oppos-d to schemes for the reclamation of waste land. This was one of the eelobratsd series of propositions propounded by Lord JOHN RUSSELL on his last assumption of office. And it was hooted down by Sir Rosaar PeeL's explosion of ridicule . His lisine colonisation, therefore, is confined to cul tivated land, which he would rename by a fresh proprietary. This proprietary, however, would be precisely of the old kind ; and how he would prevent It from lapsing to the usuil rack-rent nature of a Connaught proprietor, especially in these districts of beg and moor, Sir Boxcar does not any. Still, great praise is due to the right hon. member for Tamworth for having impressed on parliament and on the ministry the necessity of something more than mere eleemosynary measures. Ministers are scarcely to be blamed for not proposing others ; for, in truth, tbey had done so, the home would have mocked, and Sir ROBERT himself scouted them. Bat coming from his mouth, a propoeal of this kind has a fair chance of being reshied, for ministers need not reject, though they durst not originate. The proudest man in the tome ought to be Mr. POCLUT Scam , for certes the scheme of the ex =approaches nearer to his ideal than to any or abetted by any other member. ROME, Iris. 24. The freshest intelligence here tells of two 13 wise regimente, one hussar regiment, acd several other de tachments of Lezzsroni troops, in all, 17,000 men, with some 20 guns, being at or about Nadi, a dozen miles from our frontier town of Terracina. Report nye that the hero (botcher of Messina) Filangieri is to command this horde of invaders, who promise themselves snug quarters shortly in Rame. I have strong mason to think that most of them will lay their hoiatilin the Pontite marshes. Garibaleli is an the look-out, and there are fully 25,000 Roman troops of all arm*, between the frontier and the walls of Rome. The late inroad on Ferrara, in which Gen. Haynan showed himself an accom plished pickpocket, carrying off 208,000 dollars from that poor and beggarly broken-down city, has roused a spirit of resis'ance to all similar incursions, such as never existed since the days when the field on which Hannibal encamped was pat up for auction, and broftht 21 years purchase. All the homes of the " apostolic" stables and of the late noble guard have been seized for the artillery waggons, by a decree of the 1 Nth, and by a subsequent vote cf the National Assembly on the 21st. After a serious debate, the whole property of the church was ordered to to taken up by the state, a suitable provi sion being reserved for the w.irking clergy. The enormous revenues attached to the various prebends of St. Peter's, held mostly by pluralists, and the similar allnwances from laude' property attached to St. John Lateran's church (having no c mgregation whatever), and to St. Mary Major's (which is merely visited by cogacseenti and 'beggars), will lapse into the public treasury. In compensaticn for the money sacked at Ferr,ra by Haynao, all the Austrian Iproperty in palaces and moveables within the cite (of isome considerable value) has been declared national property and confiscotaL The town council of Civita Vecchia, seeing no reason why that district shou'd continue to pay Car dinal Lawbruschini 3,000 dollars a year, for the honour he confers on it by beinz its bishop, he never having resided in the diocese save on the nienrra ble occasion when he fled hither from Rome, on the' failure of the July conspiracy of 1847, have come to the absurd resolution of impounding the cash until they get a resident and boa fi de bishop. On Momloty last Copt. Ceneoli of the Rowan dragoons, stationed at Terrseina on the fron tiers of the kingdom of Naples, forwarded to the Minis'er of War a communication he bad just received from Cardinal Gizzi, inviting him ; p o rie Ve immediately to Gaeta with his troops, and ng him the rank of colonel if he abandoned his posh The letter was signed Cardinal Girzi, "It noon liinirtAr," and warned him of the terrible effects d ingumannicition attaching to him and his family is mu d refosaL He since has received promotion, bet sot to the extent he would have got at Gaeta. Tbo cardinals row in receipt of the usual snowmen bent the exchequer are those who con tinue to reside within this territoey—vas., Merso - fante, who is in very bad health, I regret to state; Marini, who prudently has taken up his quarters at Aggiainui ; Toed, who manages the great workhouse of Rips Grande, and has enough ti do to keep his people in order (they being as unmanageable as if they belonged to the union of Castlebar) • Bianchi, who is up at Camaldoli, beyond Subiaco ; daetrseane, and another whom name just now I can't remember. Though I have seen nearly 20 carnivals in Rome, and many distinguished for the exhibition of wealth, rank, sad beauty, 1 never maw se thoroughly humor otes and racy a festival as theiste tea days' toinitiolery I the abuses of any foreign c!craent left the natives to their own resources, and certainly they contrived to ammo each other and the public in the most success ful manna; and the middle class of Romans aro a race not surpassed anywhere for graceful aspect, cheerfulness, and intelligence. Contrary to my anticipation Mazzini was at the head of the poll for the vacancy in the city represen tation. The Rev. Carlo Arduino was next. with a poet of some talent, Del Ungar°. In all, eight ream nee have been filled up. Mamiani has retired into private life. Canino Bonaparte makes a very good vice-president. I believe they put him in the chair to keep him quiet, for be was hitherto as perpetual a bare as your Anstoy or Grattan. NAPLES, Fin. 24. The two great subjects that at present occupy public attention art the Sicilian question and the difference between the ministers and the chamber,. I recently men tioned the decision of the deputies to grant the direct taxes tor the first two months of the year, and the indirect up to the 31st March. The bill was then sent up to the peers, and on being referred to the committee of finance, a report was by it immediately drawn up and presented to the chambers, Imunting th at the time permitted by the deputies was in sufficient for the purposive of the sate, until the budget should have been eliecuseed and passed; and suege,ting that instead of two, four months' direct taxes should be Fer mi:nod, and the indirect until the budget should have been passed. The suggestion of the committee was supported by many members, two only speaking against it, and represent leg it u unconstitutional for the prelate interfere in any money bith. It was proposed by the peers that instead of four, the time shield be extended to six months., This was however re andp thesuggestion of the committee was adopted and by a majority of 49 against 2, granting the direct tame four months, and the indirect till the budget should be passed. The LOeral pivot has since that time been perfectly right, thawing the worst consequences and attributing the want motives to the ministers in thus placing the two elthithese in direct opposition to one another. On the 19th the pnesident announced to the deputies that he had received h =mege from the peers with the amended bill on the time he be 'ranted for the taxes, and recommended its being taken he. immediate consideration by the commitee of finance. TM tarothaor of finance (Ruggiero) was asked how be could rib if eimbining the grave responsibility of him office after Isaias bees signal y defeated in the deputies, and annipperted by the peers, to which he answered that the rejection of a motion seconded by him self be did not consider as a defeat in the peers. On the eammittee bringing up the report on the bill es amended by the peers, Maki& who seems to have much Inisesee, recommended • c onference between the chambers, is ardor to produce • conciliation—a procedure 'high be add was *Ailed by the usages of other p,rliamen tory beffiesomd _did set compromise the liberties of that etwashent; hand, the right of the Initiative of all money bills was preserved in all its integrity to the deputies. The entggentiss ed the committee wee adopted by a majority of 9=st 6. This sitting wee a very stormy one; the of Finance being whistled down and prevented hoes speekhig. A message was sent to the peer; requiring ask which was given, and the conference is to take ly. Another interesting eubjeetdiscussed has = the reformation or the revival of the liberties of the maricipalities. "At present the communes are under the despotic power of the Intendants of the province.," aid the Deputy Pepe, in a long and admirable speech, " who in some places lied recently taxed the people to three fold the amount of the land tax. Indeed, so vain and ruinous was any communal office to the person holding it, that it not unhequently happened that parents would not eend their children to the primary abode, in order that they might avail themeelves of the excuse that they could neither read nor writ* to escape from the expensive and vexatious honour of being in °Mae. A law misting to the effect that no one can sane ea syndic, elect, or deenrin, who cannot read and write." ,Us matfon of Pepe was as fellows : " That the ancient mietheipalities be restored with their free popular 'paula mb ; that they shall be independent in the administration of their affairs, in the di liberation and execution of every public work, in the imposition of taxes for their local wants, end is the election of their officers, who should be chosen mndly, but might be re-eleeted." As to provincial &dna nilthaion, he proposed that the intendants should have no immithea with the police, and that the administration lithe prothrial funds should be melded to a provincial The motion was rushed with loud applause C ili a .ii la 's I. i us of the chamber, and • future day was appointed her Ste diosetion of it. The reddest gave notice aho that attbo aim time would be latrodesed a smears for the to moloaillia of the national surd. Mihlags Amin as they are, and ministers still matinee WWII th• MN of government. I ham been given to ender- Mimi that meat' el the liberal member will retire altogether Min thou tamely to be laughed at and sot at defiance. awasttdai not, and shortly will, be done—probably on the polosalatioa of the address to his Majesty. A report is in alreslaties that at a resent council of ministers, fire spoke in firma of a dissolution of the chambers, and three for the resignation of ministers—a result which it is said Filangieri is not hostile to. A few days will wive the difficulty. Hi. Majesty still continues at Gaeta, paying court to his Holiness. Five thousand Neapo litan troops have been marched off to the frothier, lus extend, and some left on the kith. With regard to Sicily, at the hour at which I write no agreement has been come to between the Neapolitan govern ment and the repraentatives of France and England. What may take Sue tomorrow, or the next hour, it would be useless to prophesy, u throughout the negotiations this quer Eon has amassed so chameleon a form, as to set at defines all the lintel rules of probability. The rock on which diplo macy km split is, I andentsnd, the occupation of the Tut of Palermo by Neapolitan troops, a point insisted span by the King, and rejected by the foreign representatives. The first occasion on which it was known that there was so fatal a divergence was at the Academia Reale (Neapolitan Almack's) on Monday night. Admiral Bsudin I observed there, and in close conference with several of the ministers; from that night rumour bee been active, and now there east be no doubt that the diplomatists are at sea erg 'a. The greatest activity has prevailed ever since at the embamia and public offices. On Wednesday night the King came over from Gaeta; a cabinet council was held the same night, and eat until put 1 o'clock. lam assured that there was a most sternly discussion, and that Ruggiero thrutentd to redgn—indeed, by many it is believed that he has le 'wad ; there can be no doubt, however, that a modification dike ministry is Imminent, and that Ischistelia will be re p/used. On the next day, Thursday (22nd inst.), there was a conference held at the British embusy, which at from 12 till 4 o'clock, at shish NUS present Mr. Temple, M. de Raynevath, and Admiral' Bandits and Parker. Any conjecture otthe result I cannot send. I only know that despatches were sent off to Malta, a feet which has excited mach curiosity. It is said THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 6, 1849. that between Admiral Bandit and M. Baynevath adifierence of opinion exists ss to the Neapolitan or Sicilia army to be I formed in Sicily. Admiral Gaudin, it is mid, Wanes ler a Sicilian army. I esanot guarantee the cerrectnais of this statement, hat I heard it from what I considered good an thority. Filangieri is to leave for Messina instantly. The Penguin (Preset) came in yesterday from Palermo, and went to Beim with deepatelses for the admiral. It was said to have taken dower a person in the admiral's oonikienee, to smooth the way for an arrangement, or, at least, to feel the Palermiten pulse. The Queen has bad orders not to come up from Bane, as at but intended, but to hold herself in medians for leaving at any hour. Similar orbits have been given to the Howe and the Terrible. At Gut h Beeline, there are stationed at meant 4 Spanish vessels of war, one being a steamer, a Tuscan steamer, and three Neapolitan steamers. It is said that the Pope has asked the intervention of the catholic power; indeed his last address, which I have sent you, amounts to this. A posi tive tact is, that foe many days there has been a great mower sent in the Neapolitan troops t 'wards the Pavel frontier. Many batteries of artillery, many bettallons of infantry, and • large e wally Inns haze b cn seat in that direction, by way of the Abruzzi of Bora, and Terracing. The Bulldog and the Oberon have come in, I understand, the Bul!-dog from Gaeta, whether it had taken the Grand Duke and his family from Santa Stefano. The Admiral is to go up to day to pay his nape, to his royal highniss. The Prince of Salerno end a distinguished circle also leave, as does the Bing, who has been here since Wednesday night. The report oath, Ti strength hourly that the fleet in to leave immediately, and sail for Palermo. The Admiral's family is shortly to leave for Halts. _ — Againl have to allude to several cases of a' rocky on the part of thee ildiery. Lost night • coachman was driving Gen. John Staten% through the &rads di CMOs when on approaching the Calla &nye= a corporal wee o4erved to ho standing right before the hones. The coachman called to him, and receiving only en insulting answer, pushed on. The soldier drew his sword and nearly cut the man's leg off. The gene ral di.mounting had bins arrested on the spot. Another ease is that of a sergeant, who paining through Bsnta Lucia this week, put his hand into the window of a shop and took off a couple of cameos. The poor man on being urged to make a complaint, replied. "Itisof no use, an d I should become a marked man." Such ars specimens, not uncommon, of the pliant Neapolitan army. Reports eu circulation of a change of ministry, and Bal i &whin' (sees ding to some) hes bees ecnutunadecl to foria.• new one. Exchange on London, 5 85. Five per Cents , 8111, foe the 23rd Feb. P.S.—Mr. Temple and the admiral ware to have left by the Tenble for Gaeta, but orden were tent in the middle of last nicht countermanding preparation►, on the ground that the Grand Doke was expected to-day in Naples. The Sicilian question, it it said, is again in the course of seta— meat the King consenting to have no Rankin in Paler mo, and ccnten ins Mewl( with a garrison in MOllllO4 and Syracuse. I hope there is some probability in this. HOLLAND.—Tho Cologne Gazette contradicts the statessest reeleithiji a treaty between the Austrian end Motherless& government, by which the latter government uladeee itself to place at the dieprwsl of the central power at Fran lifmt a certain number of ebipe of the line. Zbe Court. The Duke of Cambridge visited Queen Charlotte's Lying-in-Hupital yrderday. Mr. J. Wood, Chairman of the Beard of Inland Revenue, had en Interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yes terday at hie official residence in Downing street. A deputation, consisting of the Lord Mayor, Mr. Pattison, M.P., Mr. Masterman, MP., Mr. Prior, Mr. Deputy Har. vies, Mr. William's, and the C.ty R^membrancer, had an interview with Lard John Rowell yesterday. Lady J. Ramiro soin's to-morrow ( Wednesday) . meninx, and her ladyship's evening parties on the two follower Wed nesdays (the 14th and 21st instant), will be gives at the offi cial residence of Lord J. Russell in Dowsing-street. ARRIVAL OF THE QUEEN OF THE BELGIANS. Dovn, MARCH 5.--lier Majesty the Queen of the Belgians landed h►re We day from Ostend. Captain' B4lock, R.N., had the honour to bnug her Majesty on shore, and to escort her to the Waterloc-crescent. Her Illajesty went to Birmingham's Royal Ship Hots!, where the Duke and Duchess as Nemours were waiting to accompany lur to Claremont. At half-put an the 'pedal train started for town. FINANCIAL REFORM. Last evening a public meeting of the inhabitants of Bayswater and Nottnesi-Mll, convened by the committee of the Metropolitan Finencial Reform Asemiation, was held at the Prince Albert Tavern, Mr. Dastard was voted to the chair.. The CHAIRMAN said, in reference to the majority against Mr. Cobden's motion for financial reform, that no leis than 356 of the members were directly or indirectly in terested in the maintenance of our war establishments, and the remaining 300 interested in the continuance of the plunder which was carried on in the name of the church. (Hear.) In the list of those numbers who voted with the nts t inrity ermines Mr. Cobden's motion, were the names of Sir Ds Lacy Evans aid Mr. Wakley. (Laughter.) Now these gentlemen, and many more who were in the majority and whom he could name, ware hitherto believed to be friends of the people and friends of reform; but now they had proved themselves to be the contrary, it was to he hoped that their constituents would bring them to an account for their conduct, and insist upon tteir resigning into better hands the trust that had been plated in theirs. (Chairs) He then submitted to the meeting the following resolution: That the thanks of the Notdng-bill Financial 'Worm Aremeiation are Justly due, and are hereby glren, to Mr. Cobden, and the smutty eigbt members of the Meuse of Commons who supported him in his endeavours to races the country from the ruin to which It is being kneed by suer:moire augmentations of our warlike and police esta biiskments, and the ennenenus inereme of tame and place-holders. W. MACFARLANE, Esq , seconded this resolution. Mr. SMILE Gl:served on tee necessity for an satire and absolute parliamentary as well as financial reform. There were many men engaged in commerce who would rise and clamour for financial reform because they would derive per sonal benefit from it; bet financial reform, unaccompanied by a reform in the parliamentary representation of the people, was not exactly what true reformers wanted. He hoped that those who heard him had real the articles which had ap peared in the Express upon the representative system, and if they had, they would be aware of the awful extent to which corruption and bribery were carried. They would kfoow low the representatives of St. Alban's, Mahlon, Har wich, and other similar boroughs, procured their mats. The man who went with the most money to spend was sure to be returned. The people of England were politically educated, and why, he would ask, were they denied that which had been accorded to the people of France? Votes there could not be bought. Mr. Hums said that the only means of putting an end to bribery was the extension of the franchise, and all right thinking men would say that that doctrine was a true one. (Cheers.) The chief characteristics of our system of representation were degrading, sad was this to oust in England whilst the rest of Europe was bravely and manfully rising into moral existence? (Chests.) Give them the ballot —they would ask no more. What else they wanted they could then get without asking. The ballot would be the wicket gate by which they would eater, and then they would open the mighty portals themselves. The speaker then urged the benefits that would accrue from a kind of " Anti-Bribery Society," the object of which should be prosecute electors who were red to have sold their votes. The suggestion gave great Several other gentlemen addressed the nteetine. The motion was unanimously carried, and a petition to parlia ment for financial reform, to be presented by Mr. B. Osborne, was unanimously adopted. The meeting then adjourned. OUR REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM THIRSIE. Some 20 miles north-east of York, picturesquely placed beneath the Hambleton hills, is the little market town of Think. It is a clean, quiet, unpre tending place, entirely dependent on the business of its market, which is regular, without being semin ally extensive. The people there are well to do. They are of that sect who have gone on accumulating little and little for saccessive generations, sticking to the place where they were born, and going on in it contentedly. They care for very little out of Think, because, in truth, their knowledge and their aspirations scarcely go beyond its boundaries. True they have lately got a railway connecting them with Leeds; bet it wu not made for Think, nor Think for it. Heaven help the poor shareholders if it had been ! The line joins the Great North of England two miles - from Think, and It was made to bring Newcastle and all the north into direct communication with Leeds and Manchester. The station at Think is for the convenience of the engines; as for the passengers who go from it, they are - Jew and far between. Why such a town as Think should send a repre sentative to parliament is, indeed, a mystery. There is nothing there to repreeent. The people have no wants or wishes in which parliament can have con cern. The addition of a " stop" to their church organ would be to them of far superior importance to any foreign treaty that Lord Palmerston could frame. The " representational Think" is quite a farce ; and what claim the people have to legislate for others nobody alive can tell. There is a pretty little stream that runs through Think that years ago had great importance in con nexion with the right to vote. It divided Think into two parts—Old Think and New Think. New Think is the town we have described : Old Think is a col lection of miserable hodais, not a hundred altogether, which form a wretched suburb. This dilapidated place it was that returned two members before the Reform Bill passed into a law. The right of voting was in Burgage holders, all dependents ; of Sir Robert Frankland, a Yorkshire gentleman who I lives hard by. Sir Robert used to 'it himself for Thillk, together with some relative. It was p close a family borough ea you could wish to see, sod it is little better wow. The popjaiiiin of the town of Tbir.lc in 1831 was far below 4,000, but by adding five outly ing townships the whigs managed to make'np the number which would sacs one member For the borough. This was a lop to Sir Robert Frankland, long a whig, though then a waverer. Sir Robert did not like to lose his borough property, and re mained away from the division on the second tending of the Reform Bill in 1831. The "conciliatory whip" tried to win him back by saving him one seat. Whether they have won him back or not we shall see hereafter. In 1832 the new ten pound constituency of Think were invested with a right to choose one member. A Mr. Gibson came and canvassed them on independent principles. Re was a government contractor for regimental saddlery, somewhere in the neigh bourhood of Leicester-square ' but he had little in common with the town of Think or the town of - Think with him. Another candidate succeeded him in Mr. Stansfield, who now sit. for Huddersfield. He is of Yorkshire family and Yorkshire influence, and was acceptable for many reasons to the town. Bat whilst he was negotiating, an underhand influence was hard at work. "Why should we throw out Sir Robert ?" " Who saved a member for the town ?" " Our much respected old representative." " Doesn't he spend his money in the place ?"—and so forth. Mr. Stanfield, who saw how things were going, was obliged to leave the field, and " out of mere respect,' " our excellent and worthy member, Sir Robert Frankland' (who had stayed away on the Reform Bill) was returned without apparent opposition. There live, however, in the town of Think e family named Bell. Half the property of Think belongs to them. They are not an old family, like the Fnnklands, who date from the Conquest or before it, but they have lived and had their being in Think as long as man can recollect, and have acquired by do much land aboutthetown,and many houses in it. The Bells saw no good reason why Sir Robert Frank. land should have Think so completely . to himself. They had been known to express this opinion quietly, and s,me, who felt as they did, set up the Bells es leaders. Another party was thus formed. There was in it no strong public feeling ; it was rather personal regard and family respect. " Bell is such a right gccd fellow." "The Bells are our oldest friends." " Bell's mother was third cousin once removed of my wife's uncle's second lady." Such were the sentiments pervading the " free and independent constituency of the borough of Think " about the year 1835. It was a momentous. period. All Eogland was agitated to the core. Reform principles had received a blow, and toryism wakagsin in the ascendancy. Desperate party conflicts were going on among other constituencies. London was warmly contested. South Laninabirebad declared for Pee Beckett, and Baines, and Wien Brougham were fiercely fighting Leeds. York itself was the scene of a sharp contest. But-all this was nothing to the town of Think. The question there was uto " Bell" or " Frankland." " The Franklands have been in so long." " Sir Robert is so kind." " Well, but Bell's a right good fellow, and lives and cats and bunts the hounds." The Franklande and the Bells had never been on other than good terms, and this discussion of their re lative merits was far from pleasing to the sitting member. He felt that it was for his interest to temporize. He professed no wish to , sit again himself. As for John Bell, honest 'fellow, he presumed that he was far too modest and unassuming a man to think of being "sent up as a member r (John Bell blushed and bowed at this and really left it to be thought quite true.) Well, then, who would they have ? Why, some one mid, it must be a liberal. " Oh, of course," rejoined the Franklanditss, " a moderate liberal." There was Mr. Samuel Crompton, of Wood-end, hard by,—would he do? —Mr. Samuel Crompton w-s acknowledged most Z3esble, and it was decided that he would do. e t e a Mr. Samuel Crompton had a predilection for the halm, and a strong desire for preferment, he too gla pro tr a accepted the invitation, aid by this tacit com • came into a snug seat. Mr. Samuel Crompton is a wbig—a pure, genuine, unadulterated whig of the good old school—nothing more and nothing less, as he would say himself. He is one of the Derby Crompton', and his father was mayor of that town inl7B2,just before Mr. Samuel Crampton!' birth. Mr. Crompton sat for Retford from 1818 to 1826, and for Derby on the corporation interest from 1826 to 1830, when Mr. Edward Strutt succeeded him. His family had at one period been offered a title, and it was said to be Mr. Crompton's aim to revive their claim to each distinction. This was to be done in 1836 and 7, by supporting government durough thick and thin. This the hon. member did, sad in 1838 he got a baronetcy. Sir Samuel Crompton would probably have sat for Think, had be so minded, for a longer pe riod than he did, but for a quarrel which occurred about a railroad. He had some property upon the York and Berwick line, for which he asked a sum the promoters thought enormous. They felt, however, that almost all he asked the M.P. must receive. Rut they were very sore. A number of the shares were held in Think, and many of his old sup vowed the baronet should never sit again. giTtrought down Mr. Harland, who had a seat far Durham up to 1841. He was a very moderate liberal, and it was thought would not be objected to by Sir Robert Frankland. But thisinterestnow began to show the cloven foot. There appeared in the town the late Mr. Charles Stuart Wortley, brother of Lord Wham cliffe. He commenced a canvass= the Frankland in terest, as a consistent tory. This was the only occa sion within memory when any prospect of a contest has been known in Th i nk. For some time the town was hotly pressed by both aides, and there would have been a bud push for victory had a poll ensued. Bat in the midst of the excitement into which the little place was thrown, the whig party quarrelled with their man upbn a public topic. They gave him , his cove, and Mr. Harland left the town. I The position of Think was now just this—that a member of one of the most unpopular families in Yorkshire was likely to be elected, unopposed, upon as interest certainly not popular in Thirsk. It was resolved, if possible, to defeat this plan. The Harland rwent to Mr. Bell and told him he must stand. Bell demurred. They pressed—and they pre vailed. Sir Robert Frankland came in whilst the negotiation was proceeding. He foresaw the consequences if John Bell did stand. His in terest once defeated an a poll, the town was lost to him for ever ; and against John Bell, a resident, ne Stuart-Wortley in the kingdom stood the slightest chance. With an infinite amount of tact Sir Robert made a merit of necessity. " I would be the last person to oppose John Bell. My dear Mr. Bell, if you will sit I will withdraw my man." Such was the tenor of his firm assurance. Mr. Bell gave "my, after refusing as often as a bishop; Mr. Wortley loft the town, and John Bell, F&q., of Think-house, bums. the Dieing member. • man lees fitted for the House of Commons could net well be found ; but the Think people did I not think of that—perhaps, indeed, they did not know it. Mr. Bell was re-elected in 1847, but since that time he has been visited by a sad affliction which will probably preclude his ever resuming his place. In anticipation of a vacancy, Mr. Ralph Neville, who sat for Windsor up to 1847, bas been hard at work. I He is a connexion of Sir Robert Frankland-Rosseffs (the hon. baronet is now known by the double sue name), and of moderate tory views. Whether Mr. Neville will succeed or not depends on those who act for Mr. Bell. Sir R. Frankland-Russell's friends aver that the Bell connexion will be with them, but this is a matter in some doubt, and all dependent upon cir cumstances. Here, then, is another precious specimen of " our representative system!" A town of 5,000 popula tion sending up a member without a show of reason. That member chosen, not by the electors, but by two large proprietors, whose united influence can bear down all opponents. Those two proprietors turning the electors over from conservative to liberal —from Sir Robert Frankland to Mr. Bell—and then from liberal to conservative—from Mr. Bell to Mr. Neville—just according to their will and pleasure ! Wherein is Think less of a nomination borough now than it was before the " great Reform Bill"? Alone to this extent—that two men nominate instead of ens. There is, however, a simple remedy. The borough should be thrown into a district with North allerton (of which we shall give particulars another day), the district to return one member. By this means the nomination influence of both these towns would be neutralised entirely, and the independence of the voters would be safe. REPEAL OF THE MALT TAX. MEETING AT DONCASTER. A public meeting of farmers attending Doncaster market was held in that town on Saturday last, fur the pur po e of sonsiderinir the necessity of petitioning parliament for the repeal of the malt tax. The meeting was well at tended by tenant farmer, and also by many inhabitants of the town, who appeared to take an interest in the proceed ings, although no part was allotted to them. The their we, Mien by THOMAS Di Taos, Esq., of Braithwell Moor-house, an influential agriculturist, whom name had appeared at the head of the requwition calling the meeting. The CHAIRMAN observed that if there was anything that would make men speak out it was the cause for which they were now assembled. The malt tax was which pressed heavily upon all cleat es of the community, but especially on the farmers and wcrking men. And at the corn laws were now repealed, it was only right that the farmers Mould have the malt tax repealed al-o, :n order that they might be placed on an 'equal feoting with the foreign farmers. He advised them to adept the advice given by Mr. Denison, to read and judge for themselves ; and if to, he was sure they would come to the conclusion that the malt tax ought to be re pealed. After some remarks from Mr. THOMPSON, of Braith well, who moved the first resolution, Mr. DALE, of Balby, recommended the farmers to buy the Liverpool Association tracts. He had been in favour of the repeal of the corn laws. and he was equally sr for the re peal of the ma't tax, as an act of justice. Mr. rthe and Mr. T. Duerwtne, moved and seconded the next resolution, and were fellawid by Mr. Smola and Mr. WArTL Mr. NEWHAM, of Edliogton, an extensive farmer, next addressed the meeting, and dercribed the treatment of the landlords as calculated to cllmitrage the tenant farmer., who must take things as they found them, and in future do the best they could for themselves. The way in which they were treated was like setting a man to ma a race with a foreigner, and tying his legs up. It was too much to bear that a poor labouring man, who assisted in the production of the article, could not have a pint of beer without paying at the rate of 75 per cent. duty. The malt tax drove poor men to the alehouse, where they were supplied with • bad awed which itsed them to quarrel and fght and to stab each other, and thus, by iuereased presecptions at the assists, to inerrant the county rates. Bat the mah to was win is some off, and probsbly more Urea along with it. It would only be a beginning. Besides other advantages, it was probable that it the malt tax were repealed malt would be used for fattening tattle. But of this little could at pre sent be said, because the farmers had not had a chance of snaking experiments. Mr. MARSHALL, of Millwood, Lincolnshire, also ad dressed the meeting. The resolutions were all passed with out • dissentient voice; and it was agreed that a petition should be got up for presentation, praying the legislature for a total and immediate repeal of the obnoxious tax. MEETING AT DORKLXG, A very crowded meeting of agriculturists was held on Thursday afternoon, at the Red Lion Hotel, Dork ing, fur the purpose of taking into consideration the present Mate of agricultural distress, and devising some measures for the alleviation of the ruinous position of the farmer, and the peculiar burdens oppressing the agricultural iattrest . C. BARCLAY, Esq., was voted to the chair. He said, they knew well that he had always been in favour of protec tion—protest:ion for agriculture, protection for the colonies, protection upon every amide which was imported from: foreign countries—(cheers)—but he would not have a pro hibitory duty, and, when he was their representative in par liament, he n voted for one. At the same time he did think that they were entitled to protection upon those articles which were the produce of other countries and im ported into this ; that, at any rate, those articles should pay a duty levied in the way of a revenue duty. (Cheers.) Mr. Id. T. HOPE, M.P., in rising to move the first reso lution, clrerve4 that it earl:ad a proposition about which there could be no manmade doubt. He believed there could be no doubt whatever that the agriculture of this country was experiencing very great depression, and that others who were connected with it were not only suffering from very heavy losses, but labouring under considerable apprehension and alarm with respect to the future. (Hear, hear.) So far as agriculture wee concerned, he should say that it had not received fair trestment—(cheers)— on the contrary, he was disposed to agree with one of the resolution, which he nude:stood was to be proposed that day, Met the principles of free trade had been carried out thus far to the detriment of the farmer, who had not reaped the advantages therefrom that other classes of the country had derived. The resolution which he had to move stated that the present alarming position of the farmers of England called for the earnest and unanimous exertions of all clines connected with agriculture in seeking the prompt interference of the legislature to alleviate the burdens oppressing the farmers, and avert the ruin impend ing over them. He knew it was denied by some persons that there were peculiar burdens affecting the farmers ; and he had teen it urged that the poor rates were paid as much b the manufacturing and commercial claims as by the agricu - tural interest. He believed that that was not the case. (Hear.) For his part, he was quite convinced that in the southern districts of England, at all events, the poor rate bore much more heavily upon tho e districts than it did in the districts w►ere the 'population was collected together in large towns and chile. (Hear.) He did not agree in some of the remedies which had been proposed. A great deal had been mid respecting an altera tion of the malt tex—(hear, hear)—but he had very groat doubts Indeed whether anf alteration of the malt tax would prove an effective relief to the agricultural interest, and his opinion was that, even if it turned out to bee relief, it would be so but partially. (" Hear, hear," from the chairman ; murmurs from the farmers.) It would certainly be more beneficial to those districts which grew malt than to those which were the mre distressed districts of the country, and which did not depend up,rl the produce of their barley. (Hear.) He trusted, then, that the farmers and gentlemen connected with the agricultural interest, before they made up their minds to follow any particular course, would se. riously deliberate whether what they asked would really be for their benefit. He moved : . . . . Thattiro MINS alaTriiiiiioiltion of the farmers of Eng'and calls for the 41111100 i sag unanimous exertions of ell elven mutated with Y wedging the prompt interference of the leeistmure to 2= 1 :1% bank= Imprimis. ape tamers, and avert the ruin bu smen awe Um. - - - - - - - - - • Mr. PENROBII mended the resolution, which having besa pat from the chair, was carried unanimously. Kr. DEWDNRY then roes and proposed : That the premien spina of tuition and local rating is meat Ittihaet and bargemen le dr agricultural interest of England, and that this swasting Issamainda in lieu thereof a national taxation to (quaint saanapt all dill= whose property is under the protection of the go. veasanant Use hardens whkh now press peculiarly upon the agricul. nasal immunity. ---•• •- • • In proposing this resolution, Mr. Dewdney maid it would be his duty to show that there were some burdens which did bear peculiarly upon the farmers, and for the purpose of doing this he should state certain facts which were capa ble of indubitable proof. They knew very well that if a farm were uncultivated it stood upon the poor book as nil, and that when the collector went his rounds, ho would not get any rates for it. lie would hike the largest farm in the pariah, Box-hill; if it were net cultivated it would not return anything; but farmer A— took that farm, and he went to work and made the land productive. By what means ? By the application of his geld, his skill, and his industry. (Hear.) The land itself, left unculti vated, everybody knew would produce nothing but weeds ; mad it was neither more nor less than the gold, skill, and lesing/zy of the farmer that made the land produce wheat mad barley ; for, before the farmer could use Box-hill to ad vantage, according to the present system of valuations and the incoming of the tenant, he must be possessed of at least 6,0001., to enable hint to cultivate the 600 acres. He (Mr. Dewdney) happened to be the occupant of a mill of a certain power in this parish, and if that mill were empty it returned nothing to the poor rates. What made the machinery of value to the miller WAS his gold, his skill, and his industry. Now the farmer who took Box .hill Farm would be called upon by the collector of rates for 2e. in the pound upon 4501. ; for the meeting would bear in mind that them was 5,0001. capital at work ; whilst the miller would find plenty of employment for his 5,0001., and the tax col lector would demand of him only 2a. in the pound upon 801. per year. (Hear.) Then he asked why this state of things should be permitted to continue ? Where was the fairness or the justice of it ? (Cheers.) He did not see that the farmers enjoyed any exclusive protection or advantage from the government under which they live! ; and he certainly could not understand why they should have almost the ex clusive harden of supporting the poor placed upon their shoulders. Mr. WOOD seconded the resolution; and after a few words from The CHAIRMAN, who said that the proposal contained in it would not do the farmers any good, but simply benefit the landlorde, Mr. H. DRUMMOWD M.P., said that, having the other day made a few obse r vations in the House of Commons upon this subject, he wished to take advantage of the present opportunity to explain what he meant ; for it often hap pened that hon. gentlemen were a little drowsy in that house, and a great number of circumstances arose, particu larly after dinner, that rendered it not very easy to make a long speech, and therefore the member who addressed the house ran the risk of being misunderstood. if he spoke shortly. (Laughter.) On the occasion to which be referred he spoke upon the subject of equalising taxation. If he took the whole seventy millions that were annual's , raised by tame in this country, he found that they had been laid on for different objects: sometimes to encourage one interest, sometimes to discourage another; sometimes to punish au enemy, and sometimes to encourage a friend—in short, they had never been laid on upon any regular fixed principle or =(Hear, hear.) Last year he stated that, considering Instances under which the present government came into office, and the numerous pledges they had given, for other reasons which he need not now detail, they ought to have appointed a committee to examine how these things could be better and more fairly apportioned. What he meant was this, that nothing should come into this country without paying a duty—(cheers)—and that every thing produced in this country should be exempt from duty. (Cheers.) It was a monstrous thing that a man could not grow a hop at his own door, but a fellow mast come and poke himself into his house and see whet he did with it. (Cheers.) With regard to the malt tax, he did not so much object to that tax as he did to the act which imposed it, directing how to convert it into malt ; and, worse than all, inn bad malt. (Cheers.) If she excisemen were to let them alone he was satisfied that they would make mu* better malt than they did at present. (Hear.) At that time he also stated that there were 30,000,000 people in the country—that was 6,000,000 families—that . 1,000,000 of families consumed five times as much as all the mat ; that another million consumed four times as much as 01l the rest • that another million consumed three times as much as all the rest ; that another million consumed twice as mneh as all the rest; and that another million were upon the print of starvation. (Hear, hear.) Now he contended that that state of things was cot right ; that there wee something wrorg in our economical arrangements when that was the condition of the country; and that what they now sought to do we,, to make their taxation press upwards as their summed tarn did. (Loud cheers.) With regard to the equalisation of taxation, really and truly many of these ques tions were not such as they were supposed to be. Take, for iastance, the corn law, which was purely a landlord's ques tion, and nothing more. (Laughter.) No farmer had need to bother his brains about the matter. Show him the most discontented farmer in the country, and if he said to him, " Suppose you get rid of halt your rent," the man would agree with him at once. (Loud cries of " No, no.") Well, then, he would steepest that the gentlemen who cried" No" were bis landlords, and took off half his rent. He bad no hesitation in saying that he should ba satisfied. (Cheers and laughter.) The resolution was put and agreed to. Mr. R. WELLER, in moving the next resolution, pro tested against the injustice of adopting a system of partial free trade. He saw that the manufacturers were protected by a duty of 10 per cent., whilst the agriculturists were left earn without a vestige of protection. 11s was row quite willing to go forward with the principles of free trade. It was of no use to attempt to go back again. They would never be able to reclaim what they had lust, and if the legislature had been 's minded " and misled to give swap protection, let the farmer go forward and demand the general adoption of free trade princi?lee. The farmer could not con tinue Mlles under the present system of partial free trade, even if he had no rent whatever to pay. (Hear.) For his part, he disliked class legislation. Protection had been taken from them, and all he now wanted wrs to see the principles of free trade fully and fairly carried out, and the taxes placed on those who could best afford to pay them. (Cheers.) The hon. gentleman concluded by proposing : That the introduction of primal tree trade has depredated the Talus of the property of the Lamer to an alarming extent, and that . this meeting 00111 , iticrf that the exclusive application oi free-trade pried. pies to arricultural produce places all partite depending upon agricul ture in an unfair position with regard to the rest at her Majesty's subjects. Mr. CAFFIS hiving seconded the resolution, it was int from the chair and carried unanimously. MEETING AT CHELMSFORD. On Friday a very numerous meeting of Essex agriculturists essemblen at the Shire Hall, Chelmsford, " for the purpose of considering the propriety of advocating the repeal of the malt tax ; the removal of other burdens press- ins unfairly on the occupiers of laud ; and for otter business connected with the agrieulturrl interest." Rob rt Baker, Req., presided ; and was supported by Sir John Tyrell, Bart., M.P.; T. W. 13ramston, Esq., M P. ; and Major Beten`ord, M P. ; and between 400 and 500 cf the principal farmers of the county. The CHAIRMAN remarked that at a recent meeting it was intimated by Mr. Cox that they had better wait till the &assembling of parliament to ascertain whether it was the intention of the legislature to re-consider the question of protection, or to endeavour to compensate for its repeal by the removal of taxation from the farmers. They were all aware of the result—no mention whatever had been made by her Majesty's ministers of the injury which the farmers had sustained; and such being the ease, the present meeting was celled to give the farmers of Rue: an opportunity of expressing their opinion upon the subject. (Cheers.) He was quite satisfied there would not have been so numerous an attendance bail there not been an unqualified necessity for it—had not the agri cultural interest been reduced to an unprecedented extent of suffering ; and he war convinced, unloss these was some alle viation of the burdens under which they laboured, the great mass of farmers must sink in the ruin by which they were surrounded. As a society, established upon the principle that protection was absolutely necessary to agriculture, they still adhered to that principle; but protection having beat withdrawn, they at least claimed to be relieved, as far as pas sible, from those burdens which pressed unfairly upon farmers—foremost among which were the malt tax, the hop tax, and the property tax. (Hear.) They should pray for the repeal of the malt tax, as most injurious to British agriculture —(hem)—aid tending to the demoralisation of the labourer, by driving him to the beer-shop, instead of being able to brew a better beverage in his own cottage. Ile (the chair man) did not advocate the removal of this tax as an equiva lent for the loss of protection ; but he contended that every farmer would be directly benefited at least Is. per acre upon the extent of his holding; and beyond that there were the benefits of using the malt as food for cattle, being able to brew a better diseription of beer, and the boon it would con fer upon the labouring poor. (Hear.) He concluded by calling up* the seeretary to reed the petition, and expressed a hope that it would be signed in such a way as to impress its importance upon the House of Commons and the auntry at large. Mr. BIDDELL here read the following : The humble petition of landowner*, occupiers, and others oonnected with the cultivation of the soil In the county of lescx.—rheweth,— That the legislature of this country having removed all duties on the importation of corn and cittle, sr, your petitlonere, claim the right of being, and humbly pray to be, rel iev ed from the heavy burdens aris ing from the unequal imposition of the nialt and other taxes, as well as of the poor, county, police, and highway rates pressing directly end peculiarly main land, thereby Inflicting upon tin and other cleans a grievous amount of injury and injustice. At the same time your petitioners declare that they still adhere to the belief that a protection to British agrioulture by import dutice upon co rn in absolutely neces sary for the proper and profitable cultivation of the laud, and for the welfare of all other classes of native producers, inasmuch as the foreigner &teapot contribute to our heavy taxation. It is only, there fore, a Isle and just method of obtaining rr venue to make his commo dities pay towards our burdens up on entering our ports. Mr. BOWYER BhIIJ fit rose to propose the first resolu tion. They had lost protection, and then came the question what burdens were to be reduced to enable them to compete with the foreign producer ? The two principal things press ing upon the farmers were the malt tax and the poor rate, end he was for going the whole length for the rereal of both, for he thought if they would obtain a little, they must go upon the principle which actuated Mr. Cobden, and ask for a great deal. As to the melt tax, be thought they were all agreed that a benefit to a certain extent would result from the repeal of it, and the only difference was tt.e extent to which the repeal or alteration should be carried. He believed It was stated by Mr. Cox that the benefit resulting to the farmers by a repeal of the ton would be only one farthing per quarter, but he (Mr. Smijtb) had an essay in his hand upon the benefit of the repeal, which showed that the difference would be 2d. per qr. ; he thought it might ba put between the two ; but, to show the benefit likely to arise from it, every farmer might calculate the duty upon each quarter of barley that was malted, and he would then see how great a boon would be conferred upon them by the repeal of the tax. They bad four members, three of whom were present ; and, although Sir E. N. Buxton was not there, if le was a man of honour, he would be found voting on the right aide, and if he kept the promise he made at the election he could not refuse to vote for the repeal of the malt tax. Mr. Smijth then proposed the adoption of the petition. Mr. BARKER (of Ramsey) said, when he reflected upon the way in which those measures had been brought forward which had proved so ruinous to the British farmer, he could not help lifting up hie voice against it by seconding the reso lution just proposed. The resolution was then put, and carried unanimously. Mr. W. F. HOBBS proposed that the ?elation should be signed by the chairman, and be presented to the House of Lords. He said it had been allowed by all tl•at the greatest burden pressing upon the farmer was the malt-tax, hut in inking for its removal, he did not ask for it as a remuneration for that protection which had been removed, but he de manded it as an ac• of justice. At the tithe of the discus skin upon the corn-laws, Sir Robert Peel said he thought the farmers ought to have the articles they co•isumed un taxed, and he therefore thought it was a du.y they owed to themselves and tv.eir labourers to demand an immediate and total re pea l of the malt-tax. (" lieu," and cheers.) lie found th a t, although it was said the malt-tax did not in six or seven years exceed five millions of money, yet its continued imposition, with the other burdens pressing upon the formers, acted most grievously upon those en gaged in the cultivation of the soil. It was misted before the Houma( Commons, by Mr. Hudson, of Castle Acre, that if the malt-tax were removed, the farmer would use his infe rior barley for the purpose of making malt to fat his cattle and for other purposes. He knew it was Paid that the govern ment money would not be in circulation if the repeal was granted but the money now annually expended in the pur chase ot foreign cake, and in paying the duty upon linseed and other productions would be more than a compensation for that. Another benefit which would result from repeal of the tax would be that labourers could brew their own beer instead of being driven to beer-shops, or partaking of sugar and water, which was their present substitute for malt li quor. He quite agreed in the present proceedings, and be lieved it rested with themselves whether they made any im pression upon the government or not. (Cheers.) There had been various reasons usigned why the discussion of the subject should be postponer), but they were groundless and he was sure, sinless they boldly and openly expressed their opinions, the legislature would not act for them; he hoped their appeals would produce some effect; but if they were disregarded one other step was left them they had still the labourers with them; and as they were deeply interested in the continuance of protection, they would soon be heard, and something must then be done. The commutation of tithes must also be re adjusted ; and if the present ruinous prices continued, instead of taking the average of seven years, they must take the average of three as the basis of their calculations. (Cheers.) He hoped they would take his advice—get to work, sign pe titions; and, if that meeting made no impression, call a county meeting, and he had no doubt redress would soon be grant d. (Loud cheers.) Mr. CARTER, of Woodham, seconded the resolution, ex• pressing the pleasure he felt at the presence of three of the county members, who, he doubted not, would support their interests in the House of Commons to the utmost of their power. (Cheers.) The resolution war put, and carried unanimously, with ac clamation. The Rev. T. SCHREIBER proposed— That tals meeting is of opinion that the notice given in the Wa t tm of Conine= by Mr. Disraeli entitles him to the confidence he HEDAM,of Braxted,seconded the resolution, which was carried. Mr. BRAMSTON, after expressing his regret at being absent from the last meeting, said he felt it his duty to be premnt to-d& —as a country gentleman—as in owner and occupier of land—ax having a most respectable body of tenantry, and also as one of the representatives of the county. A meeting like this, so numerous and so respectable, could not but lend an important influence to'the resolutions which were to be submitted to the House of Commons la the course of next week, and upon which it was extremely desirable that the opinions of those practically engaged in the cultiva tion of the land should be expressed and understood. (Hear ) That the malt-tax only applied to a certain number of counties (their own particularly) in his opinion added to its injustice, because, while the cider districts got off sect free, and the north of England was but slightly affected, a portion of the kingdom only had to bear the burden of a tax which pressed so