The Press. — London, England, 1857-06-06 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS. It is impossible to acknowle lge the mass of letters we recall e. Their insertion is often delayed owing to a press of matter, and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite iude . pendent of the merits of the We cannot undertake to return not avail ourselves. Communications should always be legibly written, and on one aide of the paper only. If lung it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publica tion, but as a guarantee of his good faith. Advertisements sent from the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference for payment iu town. of which we do T(v - ii* :1-;) rico,* LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1857. POSTSCRIPT. Intelligence has been received from Constantinople to the 25th by the Alexandre. Naib Emin, who was sowing dissension, and who had refused to lend assistance to Sefer Paella, has been expelled from Circassia. Intelligence from Paris states that Marshal Vail. lant, Minister of War, has received from Marshal Bandon, Governor-General of Algeria, the following telegraphic despatch : Tizi Ouzou, 29th Mav, half•past six, evening. The Beni-Fraoucens, lieni•Khelilis, and lieui•Chaibs have made their submission. I was to have quitted to day my camp of El•Hadj-My for Souckel•Arba, but the boisterous state of the weather detained me. Everything is going on well. A telegraphic despatch had announced that the Grand Council of the Canton of Neufchatel was con voked for the :21st June to deliberate on an amnesty, without mentioning to what category of prisoners that measure of clemency was meant to apply. We now know that it relates to such members of the militia as did not join their regiments when called on, in consequence of the events of September. They would be pardoned as a matter of course when the treaty comes into operation, but by means of this extraordinary meeting of the Grand Council they will be restored to liberty or to their country, accord ing as they are in confinement or fugitive, about a fortnight sooner. A Pans letter in the Nord of Brussels adds:— Dr. Kern, on leaving Paris, carried with him some information relative to the dispute which has existed since 1815 between France and Switzerland on the subject of the valley of the Deppes, in the Jura. This valley, which is kept by France, is claimed by Switzerland. Fresh negotiations have been opened for concluding the affair. The Empress Dowager of Russia has arrived at Berne. LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE. HOUSE OF LORDS. NEW BILLS. The LORD CHANCELLOR brought in a bill on the subject of Roman Catholic Charities, which was read a first time. The Princess Royal Annuity Bill was brought up from the Commons, and also read a first time. MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT. A petition presented and supported by the Earl of ALBEMARLE, complaining of the perplexities and grievances inflicted upon persons connected with the mercantile marine, through the operation of the Merchant Shipping Bill of 1851, produced a brief discussion, in the course of which the statute in question was explained and defended by Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY, President of the Board of Trade. TESTAMENTARY JURISDICTION. The Probates and Letters of Administration Bill was read a third time and passed, after some mis. cellaneous comments upon the details of the measure from Lord DONOUGIIMORE, Lord WYNFORD, and other peers. Their lordships adjourned at eight o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS—FumAr. • EDUCATION. On the motion that the house on rising should adjourn until Monday, Sir J. I'AmNuToN asked for a Government day for the discussion of his proposed motion respecting national education, assigning as reasons for his request the great importance of the subject, and the difficulty he had experienced in getting his notice so placed on the paper of business as to insure fur it a full and deliberate discussion. Lord PALMEIISION ) in replying Butlenueatky to th° THE PRESS. series of questions raised, as usual, upon the motion for adjouiument, adverted to the request of Sir J. Pakington. At present, he said, the state of public business was too much in srrear to justify the sur render of a Government night, and he recommended the right hon. baronet to try his fortune again on the ballot tor precedence on some " motion night." If, however, his future endeavours should be also un successful, and the Ministerial bills, estimates, &c., were well advanced, at some later period of the session the noble viscount intimated the possibility of finding an opportunity to discuss the important subject he had taken in hand. ELECTION PETITIONS. Mr. ADDERLEY, with a reference to the hardship of his own case, complained of the practice which had become very common of presenting petitions against the return of members, containing all kinds of calumnious expressions, and then withdrawing them before inquiry. He asked whether any steps were to be taken to check proceedings so discredita ble and unjust. Lord PALMERSTON admitted the hardship endured by members exposed to such unfair attacks, but remarked upon the propriety of exercising great cau• tion in restricting the presentation of petitions chal lenging the validity of elections to Parliament. He suggested also that some check already existed, since the petitioners rendered themselves liable to the expenses incurred by the member petitioned against in preparing to defend his return. MR. STONOR. Lord J. RUSSELL raised a short conversation on the subject of Mr. Stonor, who had been recalled from Australia, and deprived of a judicial appoint ment in that colony on account of his implication in certain transactions which had transpired before an election committee. Having looked into the matter, the noble lord declared his conviction that there was no just cause to prevent Mr. Stonor being appointed to other employment under the Crown. Mr. LABOUCHERE, to whom Lord John Russell had appealed, admitted that Mr. Stonor was not in his opinion disqualified from holding office under the Crown, though he objected to his receiving any appointment in the colonies. Mr. HOESMAN and Mr. MALINS also spoke in favour of Mr. Stonor. The subject then dropped. THE SOUND DUES. The house having gone into; committee ou the Sound dues, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated the circumstances under which the maritime powers had resolved to redeem the Sound dues, and alluded to the opinion expressed by the select committee which bad sat on the question in 1836. It now remained with Parliament to ratify the arrangement provisionally concluded by the Government. The sum levied upon English vessels and commerce amounted to between 200,0001. and 300,0001. a year; and the redemption had been fixed upon the principle of paying once for all the capitalised sum of 1,125,0001. as the price of commuting the portion of the Sound dues paid by England. This was a third of the whole indemnity to be paid to Denmark, Russia paying nearly another third, and the residue being apportioned among thirteen other Govern ments. A resolution granting 1,125,0001. to redeem the Sound dues was then put and agreed to, after some miscellaneous remarks from various hon. members, and further explanations by Mr.; Wilson and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. SUPPLY. The house afterwards went into committee of supply; and the remainder of the sitting was prin cipally occupied with discussing the remaining votes on the army estimates. The house adjourned at half•past twelve o'clock. NOTICES OF MOTION. THURSDAY. Lord RAYNHAM—that on an early day he would move for a select committee to inquire into the state of tho metropolitan hospitals. Mr. HAMILTON—that on an early day he would move for a select committee to inquire into the grand jury system hi Ireland. Mr. H. BERKELEY—that on the 23rd of this month he would bring the question of the ballot under the consideration of the house. Sir B. SMlTH—that on the 23rd of this month he would move for a select committee to inquire into certain circum stances connected with the investment of capital in India. titction 3nttiligtntt. LEEDS ELECTION The polling took place yesterday, and re , suited as follows : DEECROFT (C) Mills 2,061 READING.—The uncontested re-election of Mr. Xeating, upon his appointment as Solicitor-Generali SATURDAY, took place on Tuesday. The hon. and learned gentleman in the course of his speech alluded as follows to the prospects of law reform : Much, undoubtedly, had been done of late years in the way of legal reform, but they might accept the assurance of one who had studied the subject, and knew it, that much yet remained to be done. He, however, could only say that to that subject, assisted by the able colleague whom he was fortunate to have in the Attorney• General (a man whose abilities placed him in the highest position in the profession, and whose wishes on law reform were well known), he should do his best to carry out any measure of reform that would improve the operations of the law. The measures which had already been introduced by Lord Falmerston's Government in that direction were certainly of great utility and of immense importance. They had passed, or would soon pass, the House of Lords, and would be on the table of the House of Commons immediately after the reassembling of Parliament. With respect to the reform of next year the Solicitor- General remarked.— That the measure which the noble lord would be pre. pared to propose would meet the wishes of all parties would be too much for him to say, or even for any one to expect, but that it would bo a practical and a useful measure of reform, no one who had marked his progress since he had been at the head of the Government would entertain any doubt lt was impossible that any measure would be brought forward that would please everybody; but, looking at the present Administration as practical men, he was satisfied it was such as could beat carry out the government of the country. GOVERNMENT AND RAILWAYS. A PUBLIC MEETING of railway shareholders was held on Wednesday evening at the London Tavern to consider the propriety of presenting a memorial to the Board of Trade, praying for a redress of the many grievances under which railway property now labours. Mr. Vance, who was the principal speaker, addressed the meeting at great length, pointing out that railway property amounted to upwards of 300,000,0001., and that the legislation towards railways had hitherto been unsound and unsa tisfactory : The Legislature had dealt with railways as if they were a public nuisance, instead of being a means of promoting the true interests of the nation and developing that nations wealth. As soon as railways were discovered to have acquired a great position, the Legislature passed an infa mous bill which reduced the prospective profits ten per cent. per annum of those who had embarked their capital • in the great work of advancing the national iirosperity. The next injurious step taken by the Legislature was en• couraging competition in every possible way. Such was the competition, that there was no security for the realisa- tion of a dividend, and as long as the infamous bill, known as Lord Se3mour's Bill, remained in fcrce, the State had the power of taking possession of all railways, and the State ought to hasten the period at which this could be done. At present the Chancellor of the Exche- quer seemed to be asleep, when he hesitated to do all in his power to arrive at that period when, it he allowed a fair and proper dividend to proptietors, instead of three per cent., as now was the average, he would have his income tax trebled, and at the end of ten years he would have an additional five per cent. to apply to those national purposes which were now provided for by taxation. In this country the Government bound down the cora panics to a maximum rate for passengers and goods, and, not content with this, they put on a double pressure. At present, there was no railway bill before Parliament which was not promoted for the advantage and benefit of con tractors and engineers. (Cries of " And lawyers.") At present the railway proprietary paid a tax of five per cent. for the privilege of conveying passengers cheaply and expe ditiously from one end of the kingdom to the other. This was irrespective of a large amount of indirect taxation, and, though nominally five per cent., it really amounted to twelve, fourteen, or sixteen per cent. In this way the Chester and Holyhead Railway paid nothing to the ori ginal shareholders and very little to the new ; so that, while the Government exacted a large amount of taxation from that source, the proprietors got absolutely nothing With respect to legislation on railway matters, it had become a disgrace to this country and a laughing stock to the rest of the world. At present, useless branches were admitted to pass, bringing them into competition with lines which really would, if undisturbed, work beneficially both for proprietors and the public. But these were not all the grievances. The system now pursued by the Post office authorities was so palpably unjust and so monstrous as, if not known to be fact, would scarcely be believed. The companies were obliged to carry the mails ; but what had the Postmaster-General done ? Why, he conveyed all small parcels, journals, publications, and other printed documents, at the expense of the company and the revenue thus raised went to the public credit. Nay, at present, shoes, boots, and other commodities, with a fourpenny stamp, passed through the post-office, and thus the rail way companies were apoliated of their traffic in small parcels. Hitherto the railways had been considered fair objects of attack by the Government, who dared not in the same manner assail joint-stock banks, Ras companies, or the like, and hence it became the ditty of those he ad dressed to bestir themselves for their own protection. A memorial was then agreed to setting forth all these grievances and demanding redress, and a de putation yesterday presented the same at the Board of Trade, 558 weiv