The Express. — London, England, 1849-05-18 00:00:00

▪ la ea the he he I'4 Meet he the ✓ eties lady ▪ *ltemise if- 'stet any soak by , 0.111 coal* aft eeleatell Ilrest Mew of tandem hi brow rial's; aft lart et them Tem antis, thei of teseliek ee it yes VW wr Mt the • thelsks OT the saw awe Wee Is. entered, asee which WA us .11 Nom h at Ins mesh Whit mum di r. Sa4t. slissha ndaft a l 1 kh; ss i iT s shasesskh Isla do sms. Nee. vim he mirages sho tis• pow; bal. noise lasi limas soils ty he lin si teen ea hie* )et by lh ley* Ni- Ms los the eon vim Mee MUM it the essisos, ITO til• Plus 7 any ma • la Wu( eerteee spew fact was this. retie were le eked hen this II that he et, he law that the ieir et the he yelieve.Ul ateanty la ths ! the wu anent Si the • a, the kilned of April am lam rate. eslisi eptember,lll4l, tura to be ha rf Mugh, 1617, item" dingiest yet, that them ,'mate free that I bed beam NV pasof that they re aid is thee alp, it be rid that ly taller:ld. nil s laid than Is. te impartial san► Netted with the nuance* to pap wed from tbs. of rates. *me and, seeiney, • severe enin a of the lea/ of furthering the then by giving it might, vbe• and which thee that they want ter, hear.) By n the poor, and that ration that all In those rates, "al did not Asti the va:ue of • 1 a 7r. rate am 'educing they re of 14e. Soma. by hankg cell a amend the foal retwesseat end tel• nen, dolma them IS Sae cud sin sad east of antigens If hie right his. to • motional rate la e &raid be, that es d sot be erected est Fleetly defensible is maid not be "Jon. not consent tone bey had egablishal sated Lund, he dal tallies upon that I found insufficiest. tab were still te efure the poor law it any MOUSt ef e consolidated haat are would be greet ration of relief, 'ad tared. Whereas, if amount of the oary ; there would • entitled to relief; and not entitled te illy destitute have • id at once that the am rata would ad ; any naticnol Ireton re upon the ocasoll er band, that they :nal relief of the of the lad sad from the MIL means for giving Nt Illfit on other olesesi ought the essainas towable gestlesms were about to mar it defining piing* ea. That the ham. tilt the goverment sow prevailing is asw smiaioners hog ad total divisions. Lii case, whereat 610 rat might "sprig nested by • db Suppose • elrtel o electoral &Ma able with the line et two manes ; sal maid sot pangs , lead was cambia d b• prat hie to kite sad labourer*, is . lll hest.) Or he s aga , this as opportandt• Fe Was, he wigks l• maw, sal to awls , it. of Mash ,rent I sit wads. •• di larlag whisk they wo ly bad bwa atm dm t. (HEW.) By that es& shames himself redo been.. destitute egg, (Hear, hear.) uMsana they War reemsasedialisas would bays born se Moss way &Miss& aalswidl IY Ufa taw w hisk bed biota Mgt her for N i d had begil l ear al = near his OW W. B° ' need this wag • yin ;In ant he wand. • Sens proprmni that add be est ism law Saes sweet it i log at. we that WI a assassieslas fm sbo bad as& his last W Mod with the inteatiga ethos. boundary ego masks IPS the details maims. amows as sot only WI nags thinnest impart/I hone. Be believe" do with the very beet right boa. bateau the g everytisiag else, di wee beet foe the Fa ir s t afore Hoar, Me./ wadi be idly criticism The msoastrsatiss af 7, the well-bent sat al • wise aseadataila • = in atl is l= W e ival Is be esmsessi• Wes WI soar ems W Mims riainflagg 116. Man 10 bail agewold I se else mews wen r kinuttiersi saliMa mistame to lesillaMS We 'scalene mann lin lie kailitaw sato; WS wedank*, mamboed& would haw m gplations ware mem wry to reveal pauperism from dievoufag property, sal this WllO proposed to ho does by gni,' limited goat,. This light bit dose I. two ways, by limiting the glover to be relieved, oe by reining the area of taxation. Ws bill did mitten ; lie wily Tad • aombeal maxi mum rate, whin might be exosedod. ito ohm toed had met ee,v , a aay clear answer ao to what was to be done when Its k. sad the 2e. rate were expended ; he had is effect Vest said it mast be left to chaos" litho? the authors Mike seaman bat mot nabs sp their Wads es the Wirt, se they dared not mate what way proposed, for fear of *Wag onfidearet. Hence, he hand that the nulled isniasum wool' pion only • delusion and • man. Then were other pialites to tall settled. Whim was to be the ammity of the workhouses ? What was to be dans with the Mims of razes' Either they ought to be enameled or re mold ; it was meat Miarins to allow then to naafis a bad weight Imin onadaMos OfsW Ent the auras, as at pnosni. Mother so walla whisk irimt ill. nt ought I ts Isaias wsr the k* b this •the morionwslatimstal lissaday oommbuismers, how were tho ant toestarto• M anc hu owned? The adorer made &Ms roodon of nor ware still unpaid ; awl those rale ads. to bit tabommil or remitted at ors. Lot them isms• itipimodl Whoa palling in sew used. The bill was is wit sikno. Ifs Women clearly to see their easy. lawny that thine obbcdonsof detail were all got lid se, ho was opposed to the principle of • madras rate at all. It did =manse, but arnally ismossall ponvehm, by @venlig it ore a wider sorbs, ri antroplng Irma super vision. While the bill gave &Moho admin. to the rate payer, it lost sight of the raw essohow, or Row multiplied oho temptatiuns to fraud. It ordwanhad MAW and effect, by striving to limit the ran, keen& of tint Inning pomperion. Let the bear well esuilar what matt be the mooed warlitiun of the people and thslosiondti of We in a oratry where, In 1847, tin sailboat tithe pnolatioartisted ea ohariry. (Hear, hear.) Is AK the real =rat it martins was 8 000 ; la 1848 ft was 18,000. The umber transported ia 1844 wit 400 ; la 1848 1,300 ; while ths wow various fur cattle media/ doss had laansed from 170 es 2,800. (Hear, leas.) Tahiti: is coonezisa with th e lamentable st4owints gins Ur Roman 'WWI= of tho demoraliaatima of their sad with*, of Captain Loan* es to the sommonornsat of • new rime, that of doessiteg hmiiiae, tt was order dmais= his bad • direst tradang se inners erre. The the hone (nabbed ast semetly kr this; sad it was the grain of Kr. Power that a smationum rate would Ind re ape Mktg the mensal the tandmitm vie = It also ismer the rib of the rats la aid, Issas ha porn at, sad ward repstiow. Salk were the Asa does to the prissier obi ted The Chassethe betethe Essaniera at hey Mord thst what me mom wasted wai Mawr employment. This add et* hi given by • drags of provietors, and that rhea. weld art he eillested wither - offering a said rarity avant the room of pawnor To effect this every previewer Wood, and eery aphollm is Elegised, would realism* ressommed tho reilastina of the area of taxa , ( In Mir, with the anstause of the Ordnance money, the disarm had bra tslersbly regulated, and there the law bad beta hat adwinbrond. La ether parts of balsa& the INN dub bed Ildietrod boa the un manageable size of the Its Is lingliaad the denims of mesa might be sassidered lasonnalshdy null, but ia this respect awn was as raw wrongs betweau England end Ireland. (Hear, hoar.) In Ragland dr poor law was no no velty. Tiers use a wholesome sot established mats of Otago The ditties of proprietor were mere generally hal and the relations of propristors to One rare were more equal. They wen, taken as a whole, • solvent hod). The tenants had capital, the ratepayers wen a majority of the nation, and when the emtarrsossient of the propri , tor became hopeless it was speedily fo lowed by the sale of the estate. Now the revere of the pismire was true of Ireland. (Hear, bear.) But the streogast pan et of all in favour ot • diminished erre of taxadra was that it word mot as a test of the ability of proprietors to idsnorp the duties of their situation. (Hear, best.) The awe arty it was shows that they were unable to fulfil their dries as proprietors, the more easy it would be to make noon fer others show substitution would be • natioaal 'drowse. The adenines of a small area wen these : that It would radar to an raciest admiaistratisa of the kw • it would Hs u the interest cii the proprietor mad napayers to k pauperiim by siva, eatploymeat ; It would camped the needy proprietors ti sell, sad risco capitalists to percher ; it would stimulate the paw sod labourer to industry by restricting relief to • mrel load ; and, above all, by ssii tiplyiog workhouses it would enable them to arty out • rigid workhouse te at. Bat it was said that a diminished area would a scrounge *ardor Now, the fact was that the greatest number of imitation had taken place when the unions were largest. (Hear, hear) Ireland possessed great resources—land and labour—within bane% and IMO/0101M accumulations of capital doss at band, which was looking for money investment, and was it to 30 said that the present opportunity which Providence had given to them was to baba because, in • British parliament, there was sot energy or skill• or capacity enough to turn them to the host 'denims 1 Could they sit quietly down with • COG elusion so discreditable to their iatelligence to their patriot ism, sad to their common mass ? (Heir.) He felt that wall or thing wee wanting--aamely, that parliament should feel, and deeply feel, that they were at that moment presiding over the strangest nvelatiou recorded in Mowry. (Hear.) History had indeed heretofore gives mooed of great political amardelcas, but do the present intone there was • &solo tin of ell organisation—a eons( free of the eine demean bra whir sew combratiess must epring. (Hear.) It was from this resolatios of society tawits original elements that he drew hope, banes be hoped that they would re constitute it on a sounder bans, from which he trusted the moral elevation of the Irish people, end the establishment of new sympathies with England, would arise. (Hear, hear.) The treatment of Ireland was the foulest that ever disgraced a Christian couatry. lie hoped, how ever, that they wculd now do something to remedy the lungs of • virtuous, a gelation, but • most oppressed, people. (Cheers.) Mr. NA.PIER said that he opposed the principle of a max imum, on the ground of its injustice. The act of 1838 contained tha wise provision of aliowiug the commiesioneve to reduce the electoral divisions according to encomiast:ex But by the principle of the prune law the electoral divi sion was irrevocably fixed. It was carried oat to the union at large and thereby great mischief had been done. The hon. and learned gentleman illustrated this by &refer ence to the Seaman Union, where the proprietors had bees made to ply tor the panne, on the Mamas of Landowne's property, who, from a mistaken philanthropy bad been allowed to settle upon it ; and also by the case of the North Dahlia Union, when there were 400 persons in the workhouse who bad not been in the workhouse at all. Another nes of hard ship under the bid u it now stood was that of • tenancy deserted, but where the landlord was not is occupation. Provision ought certainly to be made for such case'. The hon. and learned gentleman refined generally to several other clauses of the measure but said he would recur to them all mote 'oracularly in ineasittee. Mr. OLBMENTS wished that some member had thought it advisable to oppose the second reading of this bill, be. cause they might then have had • boner dinners of the principle involved in this 01001000. He could not oppose the principle at es tablisbiag a maximum rate, *nee, 'swain in wad that it was in cossidoration to make the lee of the land responsible, he thought it wee oneesary to rake • animus far the protectioa of the fee of the hod. He was most streagly opposed to the principle of • low maxi mum, sad he was strongly opposed On the Mad* of a wars rota in aid of 2a. In the pond. He would take the amuse of the house en the queetios, whither the neon Emulation ribs format/4a of new tiaras should sot be car ried into offer. Mr. X. O'CONNELL said that it mean to have been lift entirely out of sight that belated was sot la a normal tradition ; it was in the esnditios Kapawn selbrlngunder fiver and great °pommies. It had hoar unworry con coded that the former poor law had Idled is producing the effects which cases intended to bo mewed. Was the pre sent a bill superior to the ens' Se would ma slop this bill is the present state of its progress; bat he thonilla it did not costar what would be • meld onstadmost. Sir H. W. BARROIf 4111101 . 1% pro Wit the second elms of the 11 . 11 so sodein that he eUsli feel it hie duty, If oily oas bit .bens divided with his, to divide Warn this rats in aid. He thaw& _it objecticsable in every shape, roar pooLOred the trions sad provideat for the sieseadsat aid Wass of dr rages% Ihe orelow, mad imairrient. WM dean • vied* whin was tau in the Isla pase-law, end wirald,be was sore be distress is the wenn, et the moesete. Lawdlons w ould gin up Lapentar the essillika et their pso. He thonskt this was on se the mess *Word& fa kis nomenwe. ' Hoban the wake* of the Muss would feel that M wand ha dimmleons Isis - workbag of the poor.law in Irani, and billmo IS nooks bad pord, if try aided dr ohms they =s i r it. Ths sabihhisa of the tad hats man • had takes In ray raw la gib ddialsmaril. The hos. Wort, von lb. Namibia% widows k i =g am at hill to utratiott an iamerre " - ma= la brims let 120 wet el hied le a d i the hitter had subdivided it huts 42 Wier. eel ..=k a irony iato each. The hawed, kat re present dor of Wort 111000 from tow emu; lad lore awl bed mergemat. They minim Dress them selves Iss ; whir thaw INN guilt, let it fall oa the right beef& 34031111 LL eigrettedahm:24aeh that the DM did est deg with the law if which, as it stood at wee a game MS the awes of Irebad. He =theLgeeviridgte • hie enuaittee. his rightliOn. Med the Sisteeety inlaid take the newt late emidoeitles. He she *night Ste per_ este rad wasty as abd' be sinned be see hollat. Bat the meet hoseteat lathe WU woo the iteskuut tete ; that wee boyeatt e the ditorisa if whisk Ewe propody loluegodto g the esesailabs. Re hared that the sialfaten Nies wield be tallesieee, as it would be isi=: to amos to It la the mon dist/steed dimities. gene swum of migration, mad without the doe of the electoral area he believed the msziman net would be altogether hisses and could not b maintarad. (Hearj Mt. S. CRAWFORD also advocated a redaction ia She ern Kam. With Sir D. NORMS supported the bill. veva le the ass et tandem, be meld est omen that a entries la thewould parr evistior, waft that the expeoldlea Rot the ens would be aelesed bed, is may Wises% bees Riede the mead fa milting. Kt. A. STAFFORD admitted that may Gelatine bad takes plass rims the eggioltsmita dot the we of weld be voiesed ; bee wive wok teileolita tame ttabilisl la the OWlief node mere Study tupeallbk die edam, wield &Wahl. The bill woe thee teed a tensed Sae. Lard J. RUSSELL regeotd to take the Reerambered Rates (Ireland) Bill oa Normlay, sod mid he would state apes that day whoa the Peer Belief (Inland) Bill woad ge but. committee. ACCOUNTS OF TURNPIKE TRUSTS (SCOTLAND) BILL. This bM was and a third times •ad passed. POLICE OF TOWNS (SCOTLAND) BILL. Th. bill was read • mennd time, •ad ordased to be cam mined ea that day fostaisht. MR SMITH O'BRIEN. Loa 3. RUSSELL untied to rate to the home that he should propme to-morrow (t►is day) instead of the motion of which he had given notice with regard to Mr. Smith O'Brien, that the record be read, and then he would mem two rranntimm and that a sew writ be lamed for the eke nee of a member for the county of Limerick, in the place of Mr. Smith O'Brien. (Hear, hear.) STATE OF SICILY. Mr. BANK= me *once that he would, to- morrow (this day) ask a qustUa ei the right hon. patinae, the Foreiin Secretary, with regard to the resent state of Sicily. BREAD BILL. la reply to • Treatise, Kr. BANSES odd that, In oonsequenoe of the length to which the Irialt debates had ez, be had postponed his Brood Bill natal atter Whitsuntide. The house adjourned at half-past 11 o'clock. VW OrprelSO. OUTGOING YAM. Mils r DM* Ikea homer and Qs Umbel Mates will he made ue this eetoloT• The mile he aheaher. Ormes, the leatea Adm. Opples. INK alElpikee. sad Okbw, vim llowilwoloWs. be mole mem Ilme elvelee lithe lith = Anima, The miss, isrs. so tits Meet. QWa I I.dH. lieepiemS, kL, will to awls up ea the of the Nth Mag et . Os Wait bib Ulle. beeleithe Meer is, lemsa, Odeme, lheehee emh SMI• cask IBA item The n ib fie Ipplifwi. Brad% dal Ilaton AIM labs loads epos the weft ell dee eth el Pam WOK WATT& AT unmoor MO O& via 1),•• —IIAA•Mr. fa AAA ass Arm. T. le• 2.4ll~AT—lllaulier,le ma. pall; Allearea. N Ms. leo 11. LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 18. THE manly and temperate tone of Lord ELGIN'S despatch is as creditable to his she as its pre cision and lucid arrangement are to his talents. He places his appointment at the disposal of ministers, who amine will only avail themselves of the high minded offer to give more unequivocal utterance to their determination to support a governor, who has displayed each sound constitutional principle and such rare self-command on a moat trying occasion ; who is approved of by a majority of 38 against 16 in an assembly which, elected under the auspices of the late ministers toconfirm them in office , passed a vote of want of confidence in them by a majority of 2 to 1; and who will doubtless receive similar expressions of confidence beton the next moil is sent home from the constituencies who elected this assembly in defiance of a reckless exerciseof minieterial influence. All things considered, we feel more disposed to con gratulate the Canadians than to condole with them on the Montreal riots. The faction which roused the mob to these excesses by systematic incendiary ap peals, and by the agency of clubs and Orange lodges, and which is now making them a pretext for leen'. pating the Governor, has by this conduct shown itself to the people of England in its true colours. Nothing short of this could have convinced tke English public how tyrannical and lawless this minority of the Canadians is. The masked ringleaders of the mob which destroyed the parliament house and library of Canada, and gutted and destroyed the houses of several leading liberals, and their satellites, are the men who governed Canada before, and at the time of the rebillion of 1837 and 1838. Englishmen will be able from the conduct of this party when in opposition to infer what must have been their conduct when in power. It will no longer excite surprise that there was a rebellion, and the foolish and misguided men who took part in it will henceforth be judged more leniently. The faction which governed Canada up to tho time of the rebellion is an exact counterpart of the orange ascendancy faction in Ireland. Its aim was togovera Canada by a contemptible and corrupt minority, and to maintain itself in power by deceiving the English government and bullying the Canadian population: I Even in its high and palmy days it not tudro qu-ntly had recourse to lawless acts of outrage and intimidation for the purpose of carrying elections, only secondary in attoaty to those which it has recently enacted in Montreal. When insulting Lord ELGIN and committing incendiary ac's, it has been playing the same game that the Dublin orangemen did in their attack upon Lord Herritanunv. The Irish ascendancy made the support of British institutions and peon:tandem their pretext ; the Clammilian ascendancy make the support of British in stitution their pretext. It may not be altogether unless to throw a little light upon what is meant by British institutions in the mouths of Canadian orange men. la Upper Canada the law is essentially English, and no one seeks to interfere with it. In Lower Ca nada tenures of land and great pert of the law are essentially the some as prevailed in the country previous to the conquest by Great Brittle. The law m Lower Canada differs Teem the law in Upper Canada moth in the same way and to the lame extent that the law of Scotland differs from that of England. What would be thought of Englishmen settling in Scotland were they to in- Set upon having the whole body el the law and pro ceedings in the law courts of that country item diately and forcibly superseded by English law, and legal forms of procedure to suit their convenience or whims? •Yr t this is precisely what the Canadian Orangemen mean when they attribute to the legiela- 1 , tore and government of Canada a desire "to force French institutions still fuither on the British minority in Lower Canada." The sixteen members of assembly who voted against the address of confidence to Lord ELGIN are the W ort force that can be mustered in the legiala'ure to support the monetzous pretensions of the old ascen dency or family compact faction. And these six teen are split into no lees than three parties of :Itinsesseileable views and characters. There ALLAN M'NAB and his adheren's, the genuine sY suerbatessted family compact. There are the —boss of the late ministry—the Peelites of Gmada—co-operating with a faction which they de spise and detest And there is the monad piety which is composed of M. PAFiSEAU, equally detest ing, and detested by, both his allies. Against this un principled, reciprocally hostile, chaotic combination is arrayed an overwhelming majority of the Cana dian people; there is a majority of the Biitish race against it, and a majority of the French race. The turbulent minority in Canada has considerable resemblance to the unscrupulous tory faction of the reign of Queen Ansa and the first GEORGE. It consists of a few intriguing and violent politicians of the educated and proprietary clime?, backed by the mobs of Montreal and Toronto, as the Arrennuilits of England and the LOCKILANTB of Scotland were backed by the High Church and StettEvenezt mob 'of London and the Jacobite mob of Edinburgh. The 1 Canadian ascendancy faction in 1849, like the English tory faction in 1716, is made up of disappointed and desperate official jobbers, men in bankrupt circum stances, and the aggregate ignorance and brutality of the province, with, perhaps, a few honest fanatics among them. The ricts at Montreal, and the riots which may for a few years longer continue from time to time to break out, are the last convulsive death struggles of sordid despotism and ignorance. No pains have been spared to mystify and delude the publie of the mother country as to the power and numbers of this moribund faction. The most unblushing fats hoods and exaggerations respecting the state of feeling in the Cuestas have been despatched by every mail, and by the electric telegraph, for publication in the journals of the United States and England. An intelligent New York correspondent, who has been led to attribute more importance to the faction than it deserve*, states two facts relative to the channels through which most of the recent accounts from Canada have reached the United States. In the beginnin; of a letter we have received from him he says —" My information was derived from the hod Canadian sources, lost it must be confessed they were of Tory d riien! And, towards the dose, he says, a The telegraphic despatches [from Canada] are gassally prepared by ordinary reporters, and men of mere mechanical dexterity, who have kernel only to work the telegraphic instruments, and must IMMIX* be received with a few grains of doubt" Mom pusskros materials are worked up by renegade Britons suatteeted with the newspaper press of the United Stets. into inflated narratives of " inenrec dons" Is Canada; and are made by super-subtle waists and sotists like Mr. GLADSTONE, pretext for expressing oubts as to the real state of affairs in Comas which they do not entertain, in order to avoid THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 18, 1849. the disagreeable necessity of confessing that Lord ELGIN has acted with judgment and discretion. The good sense of the Canadian public is quite compstent to deal Rich the troublers of Canadian peace. There is no war of nose impending, for under the old " family compact" Frenchmen and Euglish men of honesty and independence, were alike op pressed, and injuries common to both fused them into united resistance to the oppressors. All that is required at the hands of the home govern ment is to allow the Canadian ministers, with their overwhelming majorities in the legislature and the constituencies, and the governor in whom they have expressed their confidence, to go on to legislate in the sense of the community, and suppress and punish all lashes outrege. Oanntian He did not altogether understand that ; and he should take the liberty of moving : " That Mr. Srener be recommended to the comositt.e, and he is hereby neommended, as a competent and proper person as such ammantant.' Mr. PRANCE said it appeared to him to be very extraor dinary to appoint an accountant who was unknown almost to tordyb sly in that room. (Hear.) He should move as an amendment that no accountant be named, but that the rep poistment be left to the discretion of the committee. Mr. T. HUGGINS wooded the amendment, but the digisel proposition was carried by a large majority. A SHAREHOLDER from a remote part of the meeting observed that it had been suggested in his port of the room that Mr. Spooner was Mr. Crawshey's private accountant Was that the ease ? The CHAIRMAN replied that he had never employed Mr. Spooner in his life, and that he had not seen him for dye yeah. (A laugh.) He knew, however, that that guide man heel beau employed in several railway concerns, and the' in every eau he had given the utmost satisfaction. Mr. ROIIONTOX pr=l, and Mr. 811103 L seconded. the following resolution, • woe carried : " That it be a remanteadation to the committee to investi gate that part of the mounts called the Hull and Selby pur chase Account, with a view to ascertain by whom the pur chase of the shard stated tobelong to the company is the last half-year's account was authorised mad of whom they were bought, by whom transferred to the company, and whether any proceedings of disapprobation had taken place is the direction in regard to those shares." The Hen. Mr. BROWNE begged to move that the best thanks of the meeting be given to the chairman for his kindness in calling the minting, and in presiding over them. (Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN thanked them foe this flattering =- of their feelings, and stated that at the York C meet should evens' his desire to be made a director of that line. If he should be so appointed, he pledged himself that no blot which his short-sighted eyes weld discern should ever stain their proesenags. (Cheers.) At the present moment be believed that the depreciated state .of their pro perty had arises from the went of econlidenes is Mr. Hudson. (Heir, hear.) He was loth to east any aspeesioas on a Nana man (and he celled Mr. Hudson a " fallen man" Imams that he had tam from the highest pinnacle et railway glory down to the lowest grade emild sot be denied), bet he pitied him. He telt foe him from his heart sad soul, and he never would be a party to kick a fallen man in any way. He hoped and trusted that Mr. Hodson would be able greatly to vindhate hie (Amster, although it was by no mans ponible to my that be had been blameless. (Hear.) After again thanking than for their courtesy, the meeting THE SOUTH EASTERN. The adjourned half-yearly meetiog of this company was held yesterday, at the Bridge-house HOW, for the pur pose of recAving the report 01 the committee of investigatien appointed at the last half-yearly meeting. Mr. Matosioon is the chair. The ehiJratan sad directory on suturing the room were received with &burst of applause, mingled with a few hisses. Mr. L MOZLBY, the chairman of the committee of in vestigation, said, it would be in the recollection of the meet ing that on the Bth of March, at a court of proprietor( held there, • resolution was passed, the objet of which was the appointment of a committee to investigate the affairs of this °moan ,so far as related to any miseonduet which had occurron the part of the executive in any depart ment, as well as in reference to any question which might arise in connexion with the manage. nt. The resolution was adopted by a very large majority. The committee so appointed were requested to attend there on the 12th of April, for the purpose of pre senting to the company the result of the Investigation. But previous to the arrival of that day, so anxious was the duty devolved upon the committee to make their report in a satis foram meaner, that they gave notice to the board of clirece ton that they were aot then prepared to make their report, and wished foe a further adjourment from the 12th of April to the 17th of lit iy. It was the feeling theire committee of investigation that it was decidedly duty to their inquiry under seal ; but taking into consideratrZe t length of time which bad elapsed, and the natural anxiety la the publie mind that what had been done should at all events be in possession of the proprietors at large previous to assembling, it was only necemary for him to state that,' sifter the devotion of eousiderable tune, great application and 1101i0119 thought, to the mode in which the report should' he drawn up, it was mid-day on Monday before the final sentence was attached to it, and the signatures of the cora mines given. It was then banded to the secretary for the purpose of being printed, and, with es much expedition as possible, simultaneously communi ' cited to every proprietor, copies being also forwarded to the public papers for Insertion on Tuesday morning. Ha was happy to say that although four o'clock struck before the report was in a position to be issued it was posted the ems evening not only to proprietors in koadon and the neigh berarbood, but also to proprietors w o resided at a distance. (Hem, beer.) With regard to the report, he had no hesita tion in saying that, whatever errors of judgment there might be, it contained the truth, and that the verdict pronounced was the unanimous verdict of his colleagues and himself. l Misers.) It was his duty to present that report formally to less chairman; and supposing the meeting desired to have it lesod—(Cries of " No, no,")—at all events such a resolution dined be proposed as would enable every gentleman present to comment upon it, in order that the object might be fully at tained. The presentation of the report entitled him to move the following resolution --" That the report of the com mittee of investigation, now presented, be received, entered on the minutes, and adopted ; and that the directors be re quested to carry into effect the recommendations therein an tented as speedily as possible." Mr. G. P. DIXON, deputy-chairman of the committee, seconded the resolution. Mr. THOMPSON (one of the dissenting directors) said— It is stated In the report that the chairman is fairly on his trial. Ifni, he is a most fortunate mat, for be nominated kis own jury. (Cries of " No, no," and " Yes, yes," and ersoftmloo.) lam also on my trisl, and anything that takes plisse at this meeting—(load groaning and hissing, amidst which the onclusios of the sentence was lost). I will not be put down. Hiss as long as you Lice, I will be heard. (Hissing.) Anything that takes pha in this room and at this meeting will not be conclusive as to the sentiments of the pablis. I shall be judged by the public through the public pesos, sad not by the decision of this meeting. (In ) Gentlemen (continued Mr. Thompeon) the report of the committee of investigation ap pointed on the Bth of March has now been made, and I claim your indulgent attention to a few observations which I deem n in answer to its remarks on me personally. Gentlemen, in now addressing you, it is not my object to make unnecessary strictures upon the sanded of that committee ; but is the remarks essential to my defence from the attack which they have thought lit to make upon me, the same freedom of expression will, I am sure, be allowed to me which they have assumed for themselves. Your committee, gentlemen, have, in pogo 19 of their report, given an opinion that directors should, before exciting distrust In the minds of the proprietor', avail themselves of the powers of their office to investigate fully the grounds of any doubt hennitly entertained with respect to any pert of the computes affairs. In so far as the committee may mean by this to insinuate that I did not endeavour fully to investigate. or that my doubts were not honest, I repel their chary. Bat, gentlemen, to desire to investigate is (in South Eastern affair) one thing—to succeed in doing so is another—and the " undue assumption of individual responsibility" which the committee truly attributes to your chairman, operated most effectually simian procuring any satisfactory investigation in this board. My plain duty was to declare to you my opinion, that that investi gation which • large proportion of you were then demanding was, in truth, necessary. And I appeal to that report (even anxious as it is to softendown and initiate the mismanagement it exposes) for my justification. (Hissing and interruption.) Now, gentlemen, to advert to the mode in which I sought, in common with others, to promote before the committee those points of inquiry which I bad suggested at the meeting of the Bth of Much—l prepared a statement of those matte/v. l l I believed I knew in what way to elicit the evidence from the officers and books of the company, which would establish them. I plainly and unequivocally acknowledge that I had ae coolidenee that a committee, nominated by the chairman' hinsed4 mould pursue their inquiries with that determine- tha whisk was necessary. I was anxious to see that fall Noise (but still no more than justice) was done to the =; and I ask you whether you ever beams baud if ea In which a sh person tasking • charge is denied, by these who are to be e judges, the opportunity of previa W mos on the one hand, or of hearing the evidense adduced ooziest him on the other ? Is is next meted that from March to September, 1848, I had signed 288 cheques, and this is used by way of argumentative con tradiction of my fanner statement that I had not been sum moned to attend the finest* committee. Gentlemen, my as that I was summoned only once to attend the finance committee, up to the month of August, and that I wee kept in the dark as to the proceedings, was a plain and tangible assertion, and was susceptible of direst confirmation or direct oontradiction. The straightforward course would have been for the committee to inquire into the dilute evidence upon the point, as I would have done, if they bad not rotund to let me. But the secretary, with a dexterity worthy of a better cause—(laughter and cries of " Oh, oh,") 7 exhibited my signature to these cheques, and the committee catch at the inference which these present, and evade the direct inquiry. (Cries of " No, no.") But I re pat al alissitile. and I defy the committee to disprove it.l 6 0 44 dififfulds certainly, but not at any meetings of the finalise committee. I signed them at meetings of the board, sad in conationos that they were properly authentisated to me by the signatures of the chairman and others; and it is My substitute attempt to break through this system of blindly imiasisi every set of the chairman, and to assert my right, se it tress my duty, to inform myself of the company's While MB placed me in opposition to the manage ment of tee m4seity of this board. (" Hear , hea r, " " Oh, eh," sad mehmien.) If you, however , approve that all pow Abeam below the chair should be mere puppets—an midi/ Mrs Wei he palls—countenancing all bad as well Yal psi mmosinsanit, and supprening all allusion to the Mil mil Os is ruined, rather than risk its tempo l wig by a more timely exposure, then you will MOM the oimmittee's observations en my pert in this ems. wen then you will not alter my sense of what was my duty to you. I ask now, what is the result of the investigation into the points to which I called your attention on the Bth March? I alluded to the share transactions engaged in by the board. What sus the report as to that? Ise t omits lees tall to tall you,oool. tha t the loss upon that provident step not an 24 Bat it states that the investment was made to meet disputed seconds of solicitors and engineers. Such was, inded, the ostensible object of the resolution. But those di e sputed ' claims have long since been settled and paid, as I believe. (Hear, hear.) Yet these shares remain on hand. Is sot that • practical contradiction that the investment was made '1 HE COURT. The Queen will hold a privy email on Monday aftenoon at three o'clock, at Buckingham Alan. The Goma, scoampariled by the PAN= Augusta of Sue Cahoon sad the Princess Ito al, took an den ymaerday in an apes carriage sad bar. Wensyse was la &mead saes ea horseback. Her lisierny bad a dimmer party yesterday at Buckingham Palms. The company included km Royal Hiatuses the Declass of Lent, their Royal Highnesses the Prince end Primes Ancestm of gaze Cobourg Goths, the Duke and Debase of Becelinteb, Lady Augusta Braes. Defalfus d. Bp•th, the Bad of Liverpool, Lori Robert Grosvenor, the Right Hon. Sir Charles and Lady Mary Wood. the Right Has. &bright Lamella, sad Captain Preach Sty- Daring the Queen's ball M Buckingham Palace on Wednesday night Mr.lisekay. her Majesty's per, attended and played in tue ball-room, and Scotch mels wen danced by give •ets, formed by the Scottish nobility and gantry pre sent. The ball was kept cep until two o'clock in the morn ing, when the numerous end brilliant bale took their de porters hem the palace. Ths Duchess of Bent went to her residence, Frog secoolsoase, near Windsor, yesterday sowing, and returned to town in the aftentooa. Lord Stuart de Dacia had an interview with Lord Joan Remelt en Wednesday. The Judge Advocate-General had an interview yesterday with the noble lord. A deputation on behalf of the Scientific Societies Eaoption Ast, consisting of the Right Hon. T. Milner (tibiae, 11. P., Mr. E. H. Banbury, li.P., Mr. J. Hey wood, M P., Mr. Eirkheck, Mr. Tallinn Smith, and lir. Ryland, bad an interview with Sir Gerry Grey, yesterday, at the Home-aloe. M►. John Wood, chairman of the Board of Inland 114 none, lead an interview with the Chancellor of the Hz chequer, yesterday. Mr. Meld Pratt had also an interview, yesterday, with the right hon. baronet. at his official resi dence in Dowling-street. Mr. B. Rice, M.P., transacted business, yesterday, at the office et the ComaiMeiontn of Railway', in the Board of Trade. SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF YotNO Fs ieeLie.—Princes Albert, in addition to the handsome demo tion of 601., presented to this society through G. E. Anson, EM., hes graciously signified his intention to become patron of the dimity. RAILWAY MEETINGS. YORK AND NORTH MIDLAND, RESIGNATION OF MR. HUDSON. Yesterday a wetting of the atartholdere in this line reddest in London and its vicinity was held at the London Tavern, in compliance with an advertisement issued by Mr. Crewshay, telling upon them to =warble, in order to appoint certain persons as a deputation to the general meeting to be held at York on the 24th inst. The meeting wee largely attended, and, as will be seen, the utmost una nimity marked this prooeedisgs. Mr. CRAWSHAY, having been called to the chair, said I have taken the liberty of calling this meeting, at the request of several friends, shareholders in the York and North Midland Railway; and in order to give the longest notice in my power, I did not await the obtaining of other signatures to the notice. The object of this meeting is defined in the advertisement, and I trust that I shall be per mitted to remind gentlemen who may address the meeting, that at present we have nothing to discuss but the object named. I trust, therefore, that then will be no digression during the discussion. (Hear, hear.) This object is, in the words of the advertisement, "to ap point such parties as may be willing to go to York, to repre sent at the special general meeting, to be held there on the 24th inst., the views and wishes of the London shareholders inatalard to mitten to be then " am so deepl the y interested in this railway considered. , that I I shall net fell to attend the meeting in person, and vote for the committee ; and I shall consider it quite indispen =emi that a committee be appointed, wholly un• emeaseted with the Board of Directors, and that sash committee shall be authorised and instructed to employ a first-rate London acceetatant to assist them in their work of investigation. (Hear, hear.) Ido not believe that any attempt will be made to influence the shareholders in the choice of their committee ; but there are gentlemen in this room who have espies ed an opinion that it will be better to be fully prepared to carry the measly* of appoint ing the committee, by arming with prozies some peed= from this place, who may be willing to attend it York, nod for this purpose we are now met. (Cheers.) I should state that I have had an interview with sue late chairman, and I call him our " late chairman " because I hold in my hands hie resignatioe. His resignation is a ritea sure that I advised. It was acquiesced in most readily, and I think that if the whole board wets to tender their resigna tion also, it would be no more than is due from them as the trustees of parties whom they have certainly deceived in the ezeattlen of their trust. (Cheers.) Imy that the least they can do is to tender their resignation all at one*, and I hops that that le a step which they will adopt. At the same time I must say that there are gentlemen in that direction with whom you will be quite ' safe in future. I hope therefore that you will not to-day censure the whole body of directors. You know very well how frequently the domination of one person is allowed to oontrol the affairs of a body, and believe that the great fault of Mr. Hudson has been a considerable degree of 6hat and self-will, and self-control. (Hear, hear.) hat has besithe bane under which he has suffered warather thou from any actual misdeeds of his own. He sane. domed ia the peccadilloes he committed until they grew upon him, and now he suffers from it. I have the satisfaction of Meting that, on asking Mr. Hudson if our last halt year's estionnt was a fair and just one, he replied that it was; and that when I ask= him again if I might so far compromise my Meow to my brother shareholders as to say that it was a wren aeeouat, he distinctly said that I might. (Hear, hear.) I hope, therefore, that the committee of investiga tion which is to be appointed may not find that our little oesseern, which has hitherto been so prosperous, is in the same disadvantageous state as many others lave been head. In conclusion, I will only add that I trust this meeting will confine itself to the business of the day, without entering into invectives or =lidos which will in no way wads= either to the of the business before us, or to the advancement of war interest. (Chem.) This is Mr. Hudson's letter, ten. desieg his resignation. The handwriting is hardly iatelli (Me ; bat, of course, you must be aware that, under present dienaseences, he is most awfully depressed : „ Newby Park. "I have to convey to you my resignation of the aloe of dissise, which I have so lons tad the honour to hold, la yew asinpany. The position In whirls I have felt =mine be placed has been to me so painful as to incapacitate me is, the discharge of those active duties which you have a r4lit M =pest from whoever may be entrusted with the ondroos stymie affairs. It becomes VW, therefore, to retire from diet service. In doing so, I weld empress my anxious bops diet I the depression which now exists, aggravated in your mai by earn of • temporary character, may pass away, and it miry l assie be my good fortune to witness the renewed prosperity era line in which I retain so deep an interest." The CHAIRMAN further stated that he had received an semirance from Mr. Hudson that in everything in which he scald assist them he would. There e mid be no doubt about Mr. Hudson's knowledge of railway mutant, and he was glad, therefore, that they should have the advantage of his a merlon*. (Hear, ap how.) He would now submit 631 their rovisl • declaratory resolution setting forth the =amity ed-an investigadon in the present state of the company's affairs. It was in the following terms: " That the present depreciated value of the stock and shares in this railway, and the apparently very deers receipts published in the weekly reports, as compared with in the corresp o nding weeks of last year, warrant this meeting requiring an investigation of the amounts and general ma wartement of the affairs of the ampaay." General applause followed the readieg of this resolution, sad it kali= been seconded by Mr. Smog flautist, it was at ones Weed to' The CHAIRMAN then submitted the rubjeined, and it belie amended by Mr. OULU.= WOoDWAID, also was at sees creed to: "That the opportunity of appointing such committee of i nvest i ga tion wbieh has been give* to the share. holders by their directors at a epeeist general nest les of the proprietor', to be held at York on the 34th inst., be taken, and that Masts. ------ be requested. and they are hereby requested, to attend the meeting in York to represent the London shareholders, and to urge that such committee of investigation be appointed, sad with power to engage a London accountant to assist the essmeittire in the object of appointment." !be question then arose as to the gentlemen to be deputed is steed at York. Mr. Crawshay consulted to form one, and after a slight delay, Captain Henderson and Mr. Woodward were deputed to accompany him. The CHAIRMAN said that mew, having rimed a resole: lion recommending the apprlalmswist Load.' wwwwWw•to he must frankly tell Wes that be bed a gsademsa dm as an acsountent in whom he *eel the utmost and when he told them OM Ms slake is Oda low meted 300,0001. paid up mosey, be was sere *ay weld see that he wmeld not seedily reemastead an esesesesat of whew talent, &arum, spd gashkate be was lar e = seeded. (Hear.) He hal gessoes Sr aocountants who bed boss guard k ef railway matter", Sr be MI eiellourialini k *me immense drabs, sesseage seell be Mk Ss It 1 1 : 1 : single halfpenny, as they bad begs le *Mks et Vas fee the pupae ',presented ? (Hear.) But say that it was made for that purpose, where was the necessity for emot ing the investment when made from one sleek to mother ? With regard to sushi quer bills, canenbi, and loans, I stated to you oa the Bth of March that transactions exceeding 3,000,0007. had tam place ; that • conaid. rable sum ap peared unaccounted (or. that the books showing sale venom lions had net been made up for • considerable period ; and that the proper vouchers had not been Tarnished to the accountant to enable him to verify such account. The chairman, on the other hand, would have had yen to under stand that Exchequer Bills and Consols were limited to 600,0001., and he was utterly Aleut as to loans. It appears from the report that investments were mad. in Camels and Exchequer Bills to the extant of 743.0971. 165., and that a sort or trafficking in loans upon the security of them was carried on for two years to the extent of 2,321,9001. in the whole, molting in an enormous lose to the leampsay. My statement that the books relating to these Matters had not been made up, is glossed over by the remark at page 7, that " the expense of interest, commis sleet and continuation does sot readily appear." But I essilder the whole embusses of my allegations on these =Gritted by the report. And again I ask for your an the committee's unsure upon me for mooting a Miiimg question of three millions of motley. The efigatediene. finally, having expressed their disapproval of tie inesetments in shares—laving strongly condemned the elite resolution of May, 1848—having refused to al l s:or a the directors from the charge of neglect of duty— having pronounced that no strict and formal system of man agement prevailed—having admitted that the entries relative to tie 3,000,0001. did not readily appear on the boots—hav ing shown the Oakum's concurrence in deceptive dividends —having expressed their opinion of the necessity for reform in administering the affairs of the company, and condemned the system of individual action—end having, finally, be stowed on the chairman separately the attributes of error in judgment and undue assumption of individual responsibility —your committee give me the intimation that before such distinguished merit it is my duty to retire. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, the committee forget that there is • minority among the proprietoes as well as a majority. (Oh, oh.) That minority I may be said to represent ,• and my duty to them requires that I should remain where I am, though you may well conceive that farm own perusal comfort retire ment would be more agreeab l e. (Biases and cheers.) Mr. CUNLIFFE then said I propose following the ex ample of the chairman at the last meeting, and of mediae my statement to you, In order that I may occupy as little of your time, and express myself with as much dearness as pos. *ibis. Such of you as have seen the report, or bad time to glance at its contents, will perceive that what I told you at the last meeting hu been fully verified, and that there ex isted • stringent necessity for inquiry. I regret that so little time should have been allowed for the consideration of the report, even by parties resident in London, while those at a distance necessarily remain ignorant of its entente. Had an impartial shareholders' committee been appointed, you would not have had this complaint to make, because they would have secured for you bath reasonable argue to the company's I books, and time to read and digest the it report, tithe Easters Counties, York, Newcastle, and Berwick, and Brighton com mittees, and indeed every other committee that I am ao (painted with, took care to do. The chairman told yen. in the address which he published on the 16th February lest, " That it would not bo for the general interests of the pee• prietsrs to place power in the bands of any committee who might seek to associate themselves with independent pro prietoes." But he himself addressed circulars to all the proprietors oa the 21st February last, soliciting their support, and asking them to entrust him with their proxies, and inviting them to revoke the proxies they had given to other parties. Such a course is at variance with the present °pinkies of railway men, and recent disclosures show the danger of listeaing to the counsels of directors. The chair man carried the appointment of his own committee, and the result 'has been precisely what I anticipated. ( Hi ssing and mach iaterruption.) It was impossible for any committee, whoever appointed them, to shut their eve to the unsound and dangerous state of the company's accounts. I will not say by whom they were cooked. (Uproar.) My endeavours to trace the authors proved unavailing, through the course which the committee pursued. But enough has transpired to show that the company's affairs were managed by two or three of its members, and that all the rest either wilfully shut their eyes or were kept in the dark as to what was going on. It is impossible for the board to emir from the dilemma, either that they knew or ought to have known of the alteration of the half-yearly accounts from time to time after they left the hands of the proper officers, and that the dividends paid were fictitious. I have read t he' Eastern Counties report carefully, and noted the facts in both cases, end they appear to me very similar. (Uproar, and cries of " No," and " Yes.") It seems impos sible to lay down one rule for thst company and a different rule for this. (Interruption.) With me this is no personal contest, and I know no distinction between wrong doers, be they who they may. I have sought to ebta'n all the insight I could into the company's affairs from every party and by all honourable means. I desire justice to be done, and I am satisfied that whatever may be the influence of the board in this room today, eventually the interests of the proprietors at large must be protected. I am compelled to pronounce all the directors blameable, but especially those who a sussed the conduct of the affairs of the company and the control of its finances. The report discloses the follow ing state of cirsunstances. At page 41 you find a sum mary of— Total omissions from the debit of the mime £107.932 account Items due, hut not brought to account 21,008 Stores, short, debated to traffic Traffic balances not realisable 5,887 Amount carried to credit of revenue belonging to capital £150,043 Interest (p. 41) on No. 3 and 4 Shares, properly chargeable to revenue Interest on mortgage debt, short, charged to half yearly traffic accounts Interest on Gravesend and Rochester bonds, pro perly charg. able to revenue Depreciation of permanent way for three years 1306,373 Mr. QUILTHR, the accountant, said the 34,2111. " in- ' tenet on mortgage debt" was included in the 107,9321. (" Hear, hear." and laughter ) Mr. CUNLIFFH—The short time that I have had to look into the report of the eqmenitteo must plead my excuse for the mistake. Now, I ask (continued Mr. Cunliffe) any man of business if each a state of things ought to have been allowed to exist, or could have existed, it the board had exhibited ordinary attention to their busineu, or had not purposely altered the half-yearly accounts? The report seeks to throw a great part of the blame on the late deputy-cheirman. I doubt not that he was an active participator in these inalpnetiore ; but if he were not the tool, there can be no doubt that he was the associate of other equally, if not more, guilty than himself. Hes the chairman, who seeks by his letter to extenuate thee. trans actions, ventured to deny his participation in them ? lie has not, and I think I shall be able to satisfy you from his owe letters that be oleo was an active agent. It appears that in November last, when the disputes began at the board (the origin of which is still a mystery to me), a motion was made that the chairman and deputy chairman shoed pre duos to that committee their private oorrespondence,—such letters were used before that committee, and several of them were afterwards brought by Mr. Pritchard before the notice of the investigation committee. Mr. Pritchard having re signed the direction, and being unable to attend this meet ing in consequence of the recent death of his wife, and of the present situation of his private affairs, has authorised the use of those letters for any proper purpose connected with the affairs of the company. I therefore submit the following extracts from the chairman's letters to the deputy chairman, t for your consideration, that you may be enabled to judge for ; yourselves whether or not the chairman was a participator in transactions which I deem contrary to law, to the company's acts, and to public policy. He then read the following ex- tracts : " Jan. 7, 1848.—Thinge are very much better, u you will see, and the market will now require careful watching." " March 22, 1848. —The state of markets require no cm. meat. I have a note from Boat, who says markets are de cidedly better to day. Keep me advised. lam persuaded a certain gentleman peaches. However, that does not signify much now, in the present situation of madam and her affairs. I gave Scott an order to buy 200 No.l's at 10 , and sell 200 paid up at 231; bat he could net do both, and that was the condition. He has done 150, and says the Bears have oversold themselves in shares." " March 23, 1848.—This is my only letter northward, so do your best." " Much 24, 1848.—Things are better in shares to-day. I have done nothing, but think you have done wisely. Keep people bandaged ; they will want it. Scott says the call has been discounted, and has no adverse effect on the market. The steam-boat meeting has had a favourable effect on people's minds, whether it does good to their pockets OT not." " March 25,1848.—1 t is not right to tall me in a private letter about share operations without sending regular r ebus and eale-notes that I can show and land to people ; so pray, whatever has been done or is to be done, mend • formal letter of advice, and purchase and sale-cotes.' " March 28, 1848.—1 f you find a vent for the No. 4 shares before the account day, without loss, so much the better." " June 3, 1848.-1 have your note. Of course, you advise Ifeetiert: what you do, the lees the better, if you can make k risawer." "Jew 30, 1848.-1 have your two notes of yesterday ; one Cl them enchning purchase note, for 135 No. I, 185 No. 2, and 150 No. 3 shares; and have advised the Liverpool Com munist Bank to honour your drafts for 6.6.591.6 e. The total number of ' Old' shares there were for sale was 879—viz., 664 J. 8., and 225 D. A. F. I showed the purchase notes to Mr. Browne, and he desired me to say that he hopes you have net purchased any more shares. as the amount already exceeds the possible proceeds of the Old shares." July 7, 1848.—There is another place now requiring as Bauch looking after as London Bridge. August 8,1848.—1 t seems to me the No. l's are not at leaded to. The Eastern Counties committee furnish ed their I proprietors with a statement of the dividends paid, and which ought to have been declared. Your committee have given you no such information. I have endeavoured to supply it, and I believe the following statement will be found pretty nearly correct : Half-year ending. Dividend paid. Dividend earned. July 31, 1847 Jan. 31, 1848 July 31, 1848 under 85. Jan. 31, 1849 exclusive of depreciation of rolling stock. (Hear.) I wish to all attention to the startling fact of the increase of capital still required. In the financial statement of the affairs of the company isrued in January last, last, we learnt for the first time that an additional capital of 350,0001. would still bo required to complete the works. The chairman, in his speech at the meeting on the Bth of March last, pronounced author tithed, that the financial statement had received the most mature cinsideration, and would sustain the severest scru tioy." A . .reedy is this contradicted, and the committee now report that the directors will requite an additional outlay of 140000!. to he expended, not contemplated is January . I wish to ask how this additional capital is to be mimed.lf by the creation of preference shares, per future dividends must be seriously affected. Be determined, therefore, to close your capital account, and to stop all farther expeedi rue. I feel that I have now discharged my duty to the proprietors at much sacrifise both of time and trouble; and I leave to others the completion of these inquiries which have led already to such important and starling results. (Cheers and biases.) The CHAlRMAN—Gentlemen, having been put on my trial before you, end having appeared been the committee l erlesot you, cot I, appointed—(" No, no," and cheers)—the emsaittee was appointed by a majority of nine-tenths of those Front in this room—(" Hear, hear." and cheers) ; land having received an honourable sequittal—(co, no,)—in %Madman= (pointing to the report), I did not expect to have a single word more to say on the subject of evidence, which, Hit were evidence at all, ought to have been adduced before the judges—(A voice, " They would not hear it "l— ie whose presence I would have met it, and perhaps re ffoolllod it if that had been necessary. With regard to what I asseiderthe principal point is that statement to which I rave Ito reply, the relief which revenue received from conetruction, I I stand here to assert most solemnly that I justify it all. (Cries of " shame," " hear, hear," and cheers.) , Who can judge of the position in which this ' company was plamd at the time when that relief was given if he did not with me bear the burden and heat of the day? (Hear, hear.) I challenge the world to contradict this assertion—that, with a single eye to the inte rest of the company, I have, since the 4th of October, 1844, when I became a director, devoted every talent and energy that I possess to the promotion of its sums , . I defy the world to say that in any transaction whatever, either in stock-jobbiag, shartebroking, or in any other way, I have prijudieed the interests of any man in the company by my personal conduct. (Cheers.) No man can say to me, as I can say to Mr. Cunliffe, " I cleared your lianas of your shares in 1844." No man can say that I have from time to time used my position in this company for temporary . pur poses. (Cheers.) I have continuously held my original shares, Nos. 1,2, 3, and 4, without interruption. (Loud cheers.) And I tell you, gentlemen, that neither Mr. Cuntdle's alarm at the information contained in this pamphlet, nor the present depressed state of the market, no, nor the revolution In France , 110 r any other circ umstance, has abated my confidence in the ultimate success of the South Eastern Company. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, in 1846, when relief was required for your reve nue, what wets the circumstances of tae cue ? 'You were running trains for purposes not connected with the revenue of the half year, at fares adopted under pressure ; and you were supporting those trains by an extravagant amount of locomotive power ; and you had many times the number o pilot engines stationed up and down your line that you have today. Under these circumstances, should I have been war ranted in debiting your revenue account with the roes amount of charges incurred for parliamentary purposes? (Hear, hear.) What would Mr. Cunliffe have said if the 23,0001. paid to Mr. Coolie's for fees had been struck off the half-year's revenue? (Hear, hear.) What would he have said if the 38,0001. paid to Sir base Lyon Goldsmid to with draw hie opposition to the bill in parliament had been set down against revenue ? Would any man with a head on his shoulders have pursued such a course? (Cheers.) Admit- Rag that in many directions during the last four . years 1 have undertaken great individual reepousibility, was it not under taken under circumstances of great emergency? (Hear, hear.) In 1846 there wore twelve or thirteen bills be fore parliament. We were not fighting for the revenue of a single half.year. Our eyes and minds were directed to the permanent interests of the company ; we had to contead not merely against rival companies, but against the folly of legislation. But, gentlemen, supported by your confidence, which I feel Vast I have deserved, I successfully contended against those difficulties. If it bet our a ish to enter into details with regard to the amounts which have already gone into the gnat mass of the construction accoun t, I am prepared to support every one of them. I am prepared to show you what extra locomotives have been brought upon the company, by the tieltvery of the locomotive stock in a dilapidated condition from the locomo tive committee. I am prepared to show you that the extra expense incurred for locomotive power in 184 G. and 1847, was on account of our parliamentary position ; I can show the same thing with regard to the carriage stock, and I assure you that every amountby which the revenue has been relieved can be supported by the strictest explanation. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, we have not long to look forward to another hall-yearly meeting, and ample time will be given to mature their consideration of the state of our affairs, and to make up their minds as to what is beet to be done. If there be any point on which you wish for further explanation I sin at your disposal and ready to answer any question. (Loud cheers.) Mr. J. WILSON could not admit that the report of the committee ought not in any way to be impugn( d. If he I found anything wrong on the part of the committee, he had a right to call it in question. The chairman had given no answer to the fair and candid statement of Mr. Cuidiffe, or to the manly andthold one of Mr. Thompson. It had been stated at the last meeting by Mr. Wire, that al the charges had ended in the bringing forth of a mouse. No one could say that any longer, when it appeared that Z 09,0001. had been divided beyond the fair profit. The hon: proprietor was then proceeding to comment on the mode in which the banking accounts were kept by the directors, sad was sup. posing the cue of 100,0001. havieg been sent by the chain man to the bank at Liverpool, and the affect which that might have upon the company, when he was irate rrupted by The CHAIRMAN who called him to order, and added that if he proceeded in that strain it might be hie duty to accuse him of libel. Mr.WILSON said, under these circumstances, he would say no more upon that subject. He then chi reed the di rectors with having, on one occuien, lent 16,000/. at call to a banker, ate time when they were paying 6 per cent. as in terest or money over due fur iron rails. Mr. BAKER also maintained that there was a great simi larity between the case of this company and that of the Eastern Counties. In the outset, a most respectable and talented gentleman was dismissed from the office of chairman because the profits were considered too small ; and ever lattice that time the directors had been mere cyphers in the hands of the chairman. Mr. HOLLAND thought that, so far from there being anythiag unsatisfactory in the report, it afforded matter for co ngratulation. (Cheers.) He denied the analogy sought to be sate listed between the case of this company and the Eastern Counties. The report of the committee settled that question by settling the question of character and integrity. They stoo d, in fact, in a position as different as possible from that of the Eastern Counties. He then defended the appointment of Messrs. Quilter and Ball, as accountants, sad maintained that no better assistance could have been obtained. Ilz thought that they were all highly indebted to It,. Cuoliffe ant his party for having originated an inquiry which had issued so satisfactory. The CHAIRMAN then put the motion, and it was carried with four dissentients. The CHAIRMAN next proposed that the thanks of the sompsny be presented to the committee of investigation for the time, labour, and anxiety which they had bestowed upon the inquiry. He was desirous that the committee should I continue to assist the direction, either as directors or as ',odium. With regard to the vice•chairman, he would ob serve that for fifty years he had been known as a merchant of high standing In the City of London. (Hear, hear.) Mr. RENSHAW (deputy chairman) seconded the motion, and entered his protest against the observations of Mr. Baker. He said he came there as an independent man, and not, as had been alleged, as the puppet of the chairmen ; and be hoped that his conduct would entitle him to the good opinion of the shareholders. (Cheers.) . Mr. LEVY thought that the appointment of the vice chairman should have been left to the shareholders, and ex pressed his intention of taking the sense of the meeting upon Me subject. Mr.RENSHAW stated that his appointment had been approved of at the last meeting of the proprietors. Mr. LEVY—I never heard your name before in my life. (A ThCHAIRMAN observed that Mr. Renshaw was elected a director at the last meeting. The motion for a vote of thanks to the commttee was the put and carried unanimously. Mr. MOZLEY, as chairman of the committee, defended I from the observations which had been made in the course of the meeting, and repelled the statement that he was the nominee of the chairman. He had laboured hard from twelve o'clock in the day till five, six, or seven o'clock at night, and had become so exhausted in the service of the company that in the evening he was fit for nothing, not even to enjoy Jenny Lind. (Laughter.) At•er some further observations, The CHAIRMAN submitted to the meeting whether they would appoint auditors then or leave the question cpen until the next meeting. The meeting having intimated a desire to adopt the latter course, then adjourned. Other - - MB. HUME'S MOTION FOR REFORM IN PARLIA MENT.—This motion stands first on the motion paper of the House of Commons for the sth of June. The fallowing definition of " household suffrage," given in June last by Mr. Hume in the House of Commons, will explain the exact amount of extension of the (machine which he contemplates : " That every vale person of full age, and not subject to any mental or legal disability, who shall have occupied a house, or part of a house, for twelve mouths, and shall have been duly rated to the poor of that palish for that time, shall be registered as an elector, and be entitled to vote for a candi date for parliament, for the period of twelve months subse quent to the twelve months of registration : and every lodger shall have the same right, if he choose to claim to be sepa rately reentered and rated to the pcia for such part of the house as be riseupies; and, after such rating and residence !or twelve months, such lodger shall be registered as an elector, equally with the tenant of the house, and shall have the right of suffrage for twelve months subsequent to such rating and registration." "FIRST-CLASS " TinevEs.—ln disembarking on Sunday from the Albion steam-vessel, just arrived from Boulogne, and at the moment of the examination of the baggage, an individual, taking advantage cf the pressure and aided by a companion, put his hand into the, pocket of • rotleman from Paris, but wes fortunately discovered by the gentleman when just in the act of 'tieing pr o frse, contain ing 700 or 800 francs in gold, which had 'y been ob served by the *kitoast when the gentleman paid his pas sage-mossy. Having failed in his object the fellow retired, and probably changed some part of his dress in order to aid kis escape, for at the request of a spectator a policeman had been esen Cor p and the vessel was searched in ysin ; be could Inot again be recognised. These men were Biet.cla.a puns gess, and appeared to be no strangers to England, although they conversed with each other in Italian. ~:,~; ;,. '1 C .~ ~.