The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1826-02-17 00:00:00

h.tpe that they may be submitted to the friends and prin stipal creditors of the house, and the clerks of the'esuablisb meat are employed all night in bringing the accounts to . a final, ttleinott t. c or .olb for Account opened this morning at 743 ; and as t h e public came forward to purchase Money Stock, an immediate advance took place, and the latter became rather hig h er than the price for time, on account of the scarcity at • s toc k. Consols for Money and for Account afterwards *t h a wed to 731 and finally closed at 75 to /, the mar ket at the time having a very heavy appearance. Excite num Bills were Is. premium to Is. discount ; Bank Stock 4 0 , ) 199 k. The agents for the Bank bought Exchequer Ailb st a discount, but they would purchase none at a p r emium. There was a rapid and unexpected rise in the Foreign Market, particularly in transatlantic securities. Colombian B ea ds improved from 40 to 41, Mexican 6 per Cents. from SI to ST, on accou nt of i ts being understood that the C,)- lombian ad Mexican Ministers are arranging measures for the future secure payment of the dividends, aad the other transactions of those Governments in Europe. Portuguese m oc k. w hi c h y e sterday was 63, was to-day 70. Russian, ftom 72, has advanced to ;6. Gee: k Bonds were 19, which is a considerable advance since the commencement of to day,ek Old Spanish Bonds were also more buoyant bargains being done in them at 91 1. The Share Market was in a state of complete inactivity. BRUSSELS PAPERS. ST. PETERSAVRGII, JAY. 2G. The bat Abscor Gozrtle contains two Imperial re.ctipts. in which his 3114eily mums his thanks to the Governor-tiencral of Moscow and the Archhiphop Philaret, foe the manner in which they conducted thenTheirce on the day when the oath of allegiance wast taken. till Majesty has appointed the Hereditary Grand Dulte of BleAleobtegSchwerin Colonel of the Grenadier Regnnent of hicocow, which is to be called henceforth Ilirenadiers of Prince Paul of Mecklenburg. COTENAMIEN, Frn4. By an additional article to the coo meetial contention concluded with the English Government 16th June, 18-24, no tax vhall be levied on property passing from the dominiuns of his 31ajesty to the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. HANOVER, FEZ. 7. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambritisi;is confined to his room by a fit of the gout. According to the bulletin a to-day, his Royal Highness bad a good night, but is not pet better. EXCtiANO.F: ON IIONDON. HAS SURGE, FES. 10 —343; two U.S. 36. I•iT. PETERS/BURGH, JAN. 27.-9 17.32. Lttrate, 'FEs. 6.—Two mouths, 6 19. BERLIN,- Ft.. 7.—Three months, K 24. Bassani, FES. 9.—Two months, 6 19. Ramsay:Ls, Fes. 11.. The Director-General of the affairs of the Ro man Catholic Church has, in • despatch of the 4th instant, signified to the Arch bishop of life.blin the King's displeasure, because that Prelate had received by an unusual coonnel, and had not communicated to the Government, a lettur signed Marro, in which it is attempted to cache disobedience and opposition to his 31aji.xty"s resolutions, and the More so as this letter is an encroachment on the rights of ' the Bishops of the Kingdom, wires alone are authorised to govern that Churches, and the power of the Pope cannot interfere, with out violating the liberties of the Church of the Netherlands ; that this has always been so understood, and specially in 1767, when a certain declaration from Room relative to a marriage of the .Marquis Chasteler to the widow tieelvink, of Amsterdam, was declared au:land void ; that his Majesy intends to abide by this system, and therefore moat anxiously warns his Grace not to make any use whatever of the said letter, or of any others relative to the same subject, that be may not expose himself toady serious consequences. At the same time the Director-General signifies to the Arch. bishop his Majesty's displeasure at the publication of a certain letter written by him to th. Governor of Antwerp, and without dis. pu•ing the statements which it contains, exhorts his Grace to re. no • from him those persons through whom the peace has probably become known, and who thus abu-e his Grace's confidence, safing the researches of justice to discover the permits in question. The Gaike of Wellington arrived hone yesterday, with a suite of fire carriages, and set out this morning at six o cluck to proceed on his journey to Sr. Peiersburgh. Our °Mei( contains a letter from Paris, in which it is affirmed that by the Influence of M. de Villcle, Prince Talleyrand, who had ventured at court to utter truths against that Minister, had fallen entirely into disgrace, and was gone to the ;eves islands, that he vas prepanrig love France, anti to reside in ; fine house at Nice, which ham beeu for sonic time preparing far him. AMSTERDAM, FEE 14. Enduing on Lonion-40 8 to 47 7; two months, 40 4 to 40 3. Sr. PETEASSURGII, JAM. 20. • - -- • _ . The course of exchange has fallen. because we hive no orders from abroad, and consequently few Mils are drawn. The gayety of money and the commercialcrists in Europe, particularly Eng. hod, our princm.ti market, has of course caused the demand for sae goods to be more tardy ; but the last letters from London give o. mutat to hope that things will soon return to their natural order. Oo• goods will again ' , lnclosed from abroad, and the delay will wsly reader the salts more brisk. Fin. 12. follotesg Is the Decree of the Bth Feb. DA, which revokes th 4of the 11th August, 111E4, cosusining preliminary regulations rely ye to the impact duties us gaols brought by vessels under the Log lel fag:— " We, William, ke. &e. '• Considering that in consequence of the Orders in Council of the British Bovernment,da.ed the 30th January last, a change has been made b- Circumstances which gave rise to our I)ectee of the 1I th Aug.. 1924 (see Official Journal, No 44), ordering that all mercitan dree whul , ,dating front the 11th of the said month,should be imported from the United Kingdom of Great Britain, into our kingdom, by v seals under the English Bag, should be provisionally considered and tree u ed, with respect to the import duty, if the importation Aid taken plate in national vessels— " Os the prop sal of the Departn em of Foreign Affairs, and after coneertiog with the Department of the Interior and the Adminis tration of the Direct Taxes, the Import and Export Duties and Excise, Lave decreed and decree, dating from the 11th of this month, air decree of the 11th August, 11121, is revoked and shall reataln wi , hout circa. " The Departments of Foreign Affairs and of the Interior, a nd the Admini , traton of the Direct Taxes. Duties of Customs and Excise, are charged with the execution of this decree, which shall be communicated to our Minister of Finance, as well as to the oe pall Chamber of Accounts, and inserted in the official Journal. " Hague, Feb. 8, IB2G. '• `• By his Majesty, "J. G. DE MEY.,DE STREEFKERK. " Published Feb. 9, 11826. " T6e Secretary of State. " J. G. DE MEI. DE STREEFKERK." It ippon eertvin that the Government intends to send reinforce. merits of troops to our colonial possessions in the East Indies. home hundred men have lately been embarked for that part of the world, 'Rd it is said that an invitation has lately been made to the earflaps (this city which has already been aeccmed by GO young volunteers. cor Actordin to the last ay.:runts from St. Pcteniburgh, every thing was tranq ; the Emperor was to set out shortly to review the se veral of the army. The C ber of Commerce of Antwerp informs the merchants that in consequence of two resolutions in council adopted by the English Government on the 30th January last, one of which aug. Runts by a fifth the impost duties on our merchandise imported Into Engisr.l in ships of the Netherlands, and the other imposes a duty of U. 131. 4.1. on salt exported from England by ships of the Netherlands. His Majesty has thought fir by a decree of 11th inst. to revoke his decree of 11th August, 1824:—Antwerp, Feb. 11, Itt/8. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had a consultation yesterday morning with the Earl of Liverpool and some official gentlemen on the subject of Finance, at the house of the Earl Qf Liverpool, AVltitehall. Yemenlay the Chancellor of the Exchequer tnnsaeted bwiimss with Mr. Secretary Canning. Yesterday Mr. Rufus King, the American Minister, transacted basin= with Mr. Secretary Canning at the haeigt2 Office._ Mr. liaviland, the King's messenger, was sent off on Itiettnesday evening with deapatches from the Secretary of Stpte's Office for Foreign Affairs, to the Right Honour.. able Fr deriek L am b, our Ambassador at Madrid. The Lord Mayor bad a large party of the Clergy and Common Council of the Wards of Bridge and Broad-street at dinner yesterday. Aliases Pawn and Love, and Pearman, have been playing reieral nights during the last week at the Brighton theatre. Pe moan took his benefit there on Saturday last, on which o.cuion the above delightful warblera contributed their Powerful aid. _ KLAN IN AMERICA.—Thc appearance of Kean on the &age at Boston has ken the signal fur a riot at the theatre, 'f a nature more .violent even than that at New York. 7, 1 e doors were forced by the 'nub outside, and within was -c universal uproar. The result was, that the actor was not udfcted to appear, was driven from th e s t age , an d it i s said precipitat e ly - left the city.. The interior of the theatre tvl4 completely laid Waste. I Mr. Maywood is playing to full houses at E'tica. His rrprtsentation of Shyloek and Othello gave great satisfac tion. Wetliwsday he was to appear in Lcur.—Ame r4;a4 rffper. PASB lONA BLE INTELLIGENCE. Among the company present at the Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury's party on Wednesday evening in Arlington -street, were Prince Gortachakoff, most of the Foreign Ambassadors and their Ladies, Count and Countess Lothar, the Marquis and Marchioness of Clanricaoe, the Earl of Westmorland, the Earl and Countess Vcrulam, Lord and Lady Burghersli, the Earl and Countess of 'Astaire', Lord St. Helens, Lady Georgina Fane, the Earl and Countrss of Beauchamp, Sir Charles and Lady Rowley, Sir Charles and Lady Ogle, the Vice Chancellor, Mr. and Lady Sarah Robin son, Lady Clifford, Lady Tanned, the Earl and Countess of Har court, the Marquis and Marehiones of Donegal, Lord Valletort, Marquis of Graham, the Countess of Antrim, Dowager Lady Hampden, Mr. and Mrs. Rice Trevor, Mr. Giles, Colonel Hobart', Mr. and Mrs. Fremantle, Mr. Taylor, &c. The Marquis of Lansdown had a dinner party yesterday, at Lansdown House, Berkeley-square. Lord King ha d a dinner party on Wednesday, at his house in Dover -street, among whom were the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdown, Lard Ponsonby, James Scarlet', Esq., Mr. and Mrs. Abercromby, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Tooke, Mr. Bruce. &c. The Vice-Chancellor had a dinner and evening party yesterday, at his house in South-street. General Roe entertained a distinguished party at dinner yester day, at his house in Postiand-place. The Marquis of Chandos arrived In town yesterday, from his seat, Wotton, Buda. Esrl and Countess of Damley and family have arrived in town, for the season, (emit their seat, Cobham Han, Kent. Lard and Lady Saye-and4lele have arrived in town from BrWnon. iced ilinghan) left town yesterday for Brighton. Lord Sussex Lennox has arrived in town from a tnar. Lord Robert Manners has arrived in town from Bs!vote Castle. LITERATURE. A r.rxagnza I. Emperor of Kunio; or, a Sketch of his Life. and of the most important events of his Reign. By H. E. Lloyd, t'ettl. Trottel and Warm The following extract from the above work will be read ' with interest at this moment, when the public attention is lirectetl so strongly to the cause of the Greeks, and to its Onnexion with Russian politics : " While ALEXANDER showed no disposition to war and •conquest, he sought to exert hie influence over the rest of Europe, on the principles of the holy alliance, and on the religious pacific system, founded chiefly by him at the Congress et Aix-la-Chapelle. In this spirit lie endeavoured Ito Establish a kind of European directory, and to check all the revolutionary movements of the people, especially po litical changes effected by the armed force. The memoir addressed to all the Russian Ambassadors with respect to the affairs of Spain, and the answer given by the Russian cabinet to the Chevalier ZEA BERMUDEZ, contained the maxims of that European policy laid down in the declara tion, dated Aix-la-Chapelle, November 15, 1818, chiefly against revolutionary commotion', which might disturb the peace of Europe, as the French revolution had done. In this spirit he participated in 1820, in the congresses held at Troppan and Laybach, concerning the affairs of Italy, and ordered his army to march to that country, in order to quell the insurrections in Naples and Piedmont, which were ascribed to the Carhonari ; but as those revolutions were terminated in a short time, the Russian troops marched back to their own country. " Since the last demarcation of the frontiers between Russo and TURKEY, which, with respect to Bessarabia and the mouth of the Danube, had been determined on the 2d of September, 1817, conformably to the demands of Russia, fresh differences arose in 1819, because the Ern ' peror ALEXANDER, supported by treaties, intervened in favour of the fugitive Hospodar Keradja, and required satisfaction for the insult offered to his flag in the harbour of Constantinople. To this was added, in 1820, a violent attack by the Yatnacks (soldiers who garrisoned the castles at the entrance of the Black Sea), on the palace of Baron Stroganoff, the Russian Ambassador. Satisfaction was, at length, given for this insult; but the arrangement respect ing the accomplishment of the treaty of Bucharest was not effected, because the Porte insisted on the evacuation of the Asiatic frontiers by the Russian troops. " Thole differences became much more serious in 1821, when the invasion of Moldavia by Alexander Ypsilanti, and the insurrection of the GRE EEC, excited, in the highest degree, the indignotillosittlse Sultan. It was in vain that Alexander, in a proclamation from' Laybach, declared Ypsilanti's proceedings criminal, and Russia neuter in the Greek cause. The Divan imagined that, in the purely di plomatic dispute between Russia and the Porte, there was a secret connexion with the Greek revolution : incensed at this, it violated the treaty with Russia with respect to Moldavia and IVallachis ; it laid an embargo on the Rus sian ships coming from the Black Sea ; disregarded the re monstrances of the Russian Ambassador, who opposed with energy the excesses of fanaticism against the Greek church and the innocent victims of Turkish suspicion ; and, by its insolent language, at length induced the Russian Am bassador, whose life was in danger from the fury of the populace, todetnand his passports. Baron Strogano ff sailed for Odessa on the 9th of August, 1821, and was graciously received by the Emperor at Witepsk and Sr. Petersburgh. Since that time the diplomatic relations of Russia with the Porte have been carried on at Constantinople, through the British Ambassador, Lord Strangford, and the Austrian Internuncio. After the note, addressed by the Reis Effendi directly to the Russian Minister, on the 26th of July, 1821, a breach seemed inevitable ; hut the pacific policy of the holy alliance, entirely remote from all schemes of conquest, alarmed by the military revolutions in Spain, Portugal, Na ples,Piedmout, and the spirit of Carbonarism in general,and determined by the resolutions at Laybach, completely tri umphed in the Russian cabinet over the friends of the in dependence of the Greeks ; to this was added the convic tion that a war between Russia and the Porte might easily kindle a flame throughout all Europe, and that tlw national and religions contest cohnected with it might awaken a dangerous political frenzy in Russia itself. The cabinets of London, Vienna, and Paris intervened, to represent the pacific sentiments of the Emperor, as above all the calcu lations of ambition. " The foreign political system having taken this direc tion, Count CAro DIKTAT A, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, withdrew from office in May, 1822, and obtained leave to travel ; Baron Stroganoff, late Ambassador at Constantinople, did the same. Thus the hopes formerly entertained by the Greeks, of the support of Russia, were disappointed. The declaration of Count Nesselrotle, in the note dated Laybach, 10th May, 1823, That the po • lizical views of the Emperor were not guided by love of war, or by the ambitious thought of exercising an exclu sive influence over the councils of other Monarchs, or on the nations intrusted to them by Providence,' seemed now to indicate the course of the Russian policy ; which, how ever, assumed a more decisive charact e r after the return of the Emperor from Verona, by way of IVarsaw, in Jan. 1822. In consequence of a circular letter, addressed by Count IVinzingerode, Wurtemberg Minister of State to the %Vurtemberg legation in foreign countries, and of some notes of Baron Von IVangenheitn, Minister of Wurtemberg, in the Diet of Feb. 1823, occasioned seine differences with • the Court of Stuttgart. Austria, Prussia, and Russia re called. their Ambassadors from that city : and Count Be roldingen, Minister of Wurtemberg at St. Petersburgh, was appointed Minister in the room of Count Winzingerode, , who was dismissed. However, a new family alliance be tween Wurtemberg and Russia was formed by the mar riage of the Grand Duke Michael to the Princess Charlotte of Wtirtemberg, the daughter of Prince Paul, who was married by the name Helens, on the 20th of February, 1824. But the diplomatic relations were not renewed till 1825, when the Prince of HOULNLODK—Kirchberg, nr -1 rived at St. Petetaburgh in January, 1825, as Ambassador of Wurtemberg; upon which the Privy Councillor Anstett, Russian Ambassador to the German Diet, was appointed ; likewise Ambassador to Stuttgard. With the same bar mony, and in conformity to the resolutions adopted at Ve rona, the Russian, Austrian, and Prussian Courts acted at Madrid. When the Duke d'Angottlente soon after entered Spain, at the head of a French army, the Russian mer chants were commanded to suspend all commercial trans , actions with Spain and Portugal ; and Count Boutourlin, Aid-de-Camp to his Imperial Majesty, repaired to the fluke's head-quarters, for the purpose of making the cam . paign with his permission. After the re-establishment of the ancient form of Government in the two countries, the Emperor conferred the insignia of different orders on the princes, generals, and officers who had contributed to it ; and, through his Ambassador at I'aris, Count Pozzo nr • Bottoo,•as also through M. d'Oubril at Madrid, exercised great influence on the system of the restored Royal Goyern molt of Spain. THE BRITISH PRESS. CORN LAWS. VESTRY MEETING AT ST. LUKE'S. A Vestry Meeting was yeeterday held at St Luke's, old-street, to take into consideration the propriety of petitioning Parliament for a repeal of the Corn Laws. The Meeting we. numerous and respectable. At ten o'clock Mr. PonvEn, one of the churchwardens, took the Chair. He briefly stated the object of the Meeting, adverting to the great population of that parish, and the enormous inereatte of pooreeates in it as justifying it. in coming forward the first to pet!. tion for the repeal of the Corn Laws He theta pointed to a series of Resolutions prepared with this view by Mr. John Willies, which should be sibmittNl to the sense of the Meeting. The Resolutions having been read— Mr. WILKES proceeded to discuss the general merits of the Corn Laws in a speech of great force and elopence. These laws, he said, were likely to survive all the restrictive regulations in our commercial code ; and yet these were the laws, In the repeal of which the community at large felt the deepest and most imme diate interest. In the existence of these laws, and In the unsteadi ness and vacillation of Government, were to be found the main sources of the present overwhelming distrese--distrese, the de. placable extent of which could hardly be conceived, but of which he might convey a faint idea, when he related, that he reckoned ruining his acquaintance persons who were last year worth 41100/. er 00001. per ann. and were now reduced to a state of abject want and wretchedness. Ministers at the close of the war introduced a gold cur rency, but shortly after they yielded to the outcry of the agricultural holy ; they altered their system, and permitted the paper issues of country banks; the object and operation of which were to raise the price of agrieuitural produce. They deviated from a sound system, in subserviency to the views of the landed proprietors, and allotted the country to be deluged with • currency pregnant with calamity to all besides. The Corn Laws also were an advantage conceded to the proprietors of the soil, at the expense of ill the other classes of the community. But who were those proprietors ? The highest number at which they had ever been rated in the United K ingdom was 70,000, and If this number were multiplied by 5, so as to include their families, then 360,000 would be the number of those, who in the midst of • population of twenty.nne millions, felt an interest in maintaining the monopoly of corn. Their gain then, it was evident, was the loss the rest of the community. It was a part of the general property given up and abandoned to the despoilers But the amount also of this gain might be in some measure ascertained. The price of corn, though it had been as high as 901. might be taken at an average at Om per quaver. Now he had ascertained that an abundant supply of corn might, if our ports were open to receive it, be permanently procured at 525. The difference then of these prices, or 13s. per quarter, was the benefit of the !ended proprietots, levied as it were on the rent of the community, and the anneal amount of this benefit was no less a sum than ten millions. Ten mile lions was the sum which a privileged few were allowed to take from the purses of their fellow-citizens, and what ag. gravated the injustice. this exaction fell more directly on the class which was least able to support it. The price of bread was of little importance to a man who had 6000/. a year ; it was an inconsiderable item among his numerous expense. ; but the poet labourer, on the other hand, laid out four-fifths of his scanty wages in the purchase of bread alone ; upon him, therefore, fee all the weight of this oppressive monopoly, and the interested represent. ations of a few prevailed with Ministers to sacrifice the comfort and happiness of the great massoi the community.. This was a strange state of things to subsist in an age, and under ao administration, which boasted of its commercial liberality. It 6linieters were able :e introduce • free and enlightened system into our intercourse wi:h foreign nations, why could they sot rescue us from the tyran. ny of monopolies at home ? But what had they done ? They had withdrawn protection from the silk and glove trade ; they had let in the competition of France with sonic of our staple manufactures, and consequently lied brought upon the manufacturers the deepest and most irreparable distress. Whetever might be the speculative advantages of liberal policy, it appeared to him that Ministers ought to have painted before they adopted measures which affected the employment,. and consequently the subsistence, of' so many thousands. But no considerations, he thought, could justify this change of policy ; no circumstances could render it expedient, un less the repeal of the Corn Laws had been made a preliminary measure. The comMit and well-being of the great toms of the people ought to have been first consulted, and then the sub. ordinate interests of the various classes might have Mllowed in due succession. But Ministers said, the benefits of a liberal commercial policy will return upon ourselves; when we open our ports to receive the productions of foreign nations,. we enable them to became in return purchasers of our manufac. turd ; we ensure a larger market for the produce of our industry." This was a fine theory, but it was at variance with the practiee of Ministers, whose schemes of opening new markets for our manufactures were rendered nugatory by the operation of the corn laws. Those countries of Europe, as Poland and Prussia for instance, which had most need of our manufactures, could not purchase from us, because we refused to receive their wheat; and untie; this system a large portion of the capital of these countries was diverted from agriculture to manufactures, so that instead of being our customers they were becoming our Avail. But in defence of the Corn Laws it was urged that they were tie ceesary to the agricultural interest: this phrase seemed to involve sone mighty advantages, to embrace 6003 d numerous planiou of the community. In like manner the Catholic priest styled leis own gains and his own dogmas the interests of religion. The West Indian proprietor screened his slaves and his monopoly with the broad epithet of the Colonial interest; and thus the name of the agricultural interest seemed to throw a mysterious sanctity round the most baneful of monopolies: nor let it be said that in repealing the Corn Laws we undo what the wisdom of our ancestors has esta blished. He (Mr. Wilkes) had the greatest respect for the wisdom which dictated our commercial code; the great wealth and power of this empire were not the results of any physical superiority (for what signified the extent and population of these two islands) but they were the consequences of that protection given to our com merce by the able statesmen of Eliaabettee days—statesmen with whom Chatham or Canning might not be ashamed to be compared. But it was vain to appeal to the wisdom of mut ancestors; their enactments had been infringed; their maxims for the encouragement of our trade had been violated, and the Corn Laws, to the aid of which they were Invoked, was not established by then., but were of recent origin. It was also a mistake (he continued) to suppose that the repeal of the Corn JAWS would work an injury to the farmers ; on the contrary, the profit of the farmer, which might in gene ra l b e taken at ore-fifth of the pm duce of the land, was sure to be diminished as the price of that produce rose, from their increased expenditure in capital and stock. In fact, the question was, whether they would have the loaf cheap or dear--a question which the farmers with the rest of the commu..l nity would feel it their interest to answer in the affirmative. There was but one class of men then who benefited by this state of things —that was the body of landed proprietors. They had hitherto in. tercepted all the advantages of our commercial legislation. But it was to be hoped that the country was now awake to the disad vantages of these laws. This was the most favourable juncture ea urge their repeal. The experience of history testified that rasa submitted with patience to the inflictions of Heaven; they bowed with resignation to the scourges of plague and famine, but oboe human interference, when the wicked agency of man thwarted, their destinies, they then shook off their inertness, and punished the temerity which threatened to make life a cone. The prevent state of affairs, and enormous increase of poor.rates, indicated such a ensis. The repeal of the corn laws would, he had calculated, re. duce the poor rates in their parish alone, by no less a sum than 70 or 100 thousand pounds. It was the duty of all to speak who could speak. It was not those alone who held the helm of the State who felt an interest in guiding Ler into security, but every man who had embarked hie all in that vessel ought to use his utmost me. tions to save her from plunging into irrecoverable ruin. Nothing but the voice of the country could accomplish tithe end. alinistera were well disposed to consult the interests of the people, but they were overawed. Such men as Canning and Iluskisson were too enlightened to entertain any other sentiments, and he had hitneelf seen Lord Liverpool in the House of Lords, not merely entreating but begging as a boon, the repeal of the Corn Laws, and yet he could not even obtain a short suspension of them. But the voice of the people declaring their sentimems might perhaps liberate their en. lightened Minister.' from the shackles of aristocratic influence, and thus contribute to the repeal of the Corn Laws, which in a natural state of things would disappear as chaff before the fire. Ministers may be afraid to express their opinions to the landed interest in the face of a general election ; but this is the very juncture when the country ought to declare its wishes, since the verymanifestation of them now is a step towards their attainment.—(This speeeh was' listened to with pleasure, and was concluded amidst great applause.) The resolutions, the last of which had for its object the petition ing of Parliament, a ere then read seriatim, and agreed to. Thanks were then given to the Chairman and Mr. Wilkes, and after some desultory conversation in which it was agreed to advertise the Resolutions in the :doming Papers, the meeting separated. RETVGE FOR Tax DERTITUTE.—The friends of this excellent institution dined yesterday at the City of London Tavern, to celebrate the nineteenth anniversary. In the absence of his Royal highness the Duke of York, who was prevented by his delicate state of health from at tending, Mr. Justice Gaselee filled the Chair. Ile was supported by the Lord Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry, Lord Bolton, and other noblemen and gentlemen. The Bishop of Litchfield, in proposing the heath of the worthy Chairman, took occasion to advert to the object of the In stitution: which is to provide a place of refuge and refor mation for persons who have been discharged from prisons and the hulks, and others, who though willing to work, are unable from lout of character to earn an honest sub sistence. Ile said it was a maxim long attributed to Britain, that she conquered to save, and in the same spirit it might be said of justice, that she punished`only to rescue. A number of musical gentlemen attended, and enlivened the meeting by the exertion of their vocal powers. Towards the close of the evening a subscription was entered into, and the company separated at a late hour, after an evening passed in the exercise of bene volence, which was unalloyed by any admixture of party or sectarian feeling. A iJiocking accident happened on board the Dublin steam-packet, arrived at Liverpool on Wednesday. 'On the passage, the engineer having taken a little too much of t to nutive, as it is supposed, got entangled with the MS c finery, and his head was crushed to pieces. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. Yesterday a Court was held tOr the ronsiderstinn of several special matters, including among their number notices bf motion respecting the Corn Laws, Assessed Taxes, and the Bankrupt lams. CORN LAWS. Mr. FAVELL rose for the pitrpose of observing that the Motion, of which he had given notice for that day, (lid not mind first in the paper; but as it was a (location of such "Test importance, namely, to consider the propriet y of petitioning Parliament on the subject of the Corn Laws, and for the repeat of the Assessed Taxes, lie trusted that the gentleman who had the advantage of him (Mr. resell) in point of priority, would allow his motion respecting the present State of the Bankrupt lows to stand over until the question respecting the Corn Laws and A . d Taxes was disposed of; he did not mean to say that the motion of that gentleman was not one of greet moment, but considering the present state of the coun. try, it was very desirable that the question respecting the Corn Laws should come on first. Mr. S. Dixort said that there was a regular and an irregular way of doing business, and a departure from the usual course would be attended with inconvenience. It was quite impossible that the business of the Court could go on unless to its regular course ; he therefore hoped the Lord Mayor would not depart from the usual practice, and he could not help remarking that the gentleman op posite, who made this request, always considered his own motion of most consequence. The LORD MAYOR said that as the question respecting the Corn Laws would necessarily occupy • considerable time, he thought it would perhaps be better that a day should be particu larly appointed for the consideration of tlie subject; and he was very willing to name Thursday next for that purpose. Mr. Alderman Writ rttstax rose to say he could not possibly consent to this arrangement. The question as to the Corn Laws was one of the most pressing nature, seeing the state of the coun try and the proceedings of Parliament; he therefore hoped the gentleman who had given notice of the motion as to the Bankrupt Laws would give way, or if that was not the case, then, that as that question night not occupy much time it should come on imme diately after It. It was of the greatest consequence that this matter should be proceeded in, seeing that as yet Parliament had not taken any measures against the joint.stoek companies, and he could tot refrain from stating, that were they not noticed ' in Par. Harnett, it was his intention to propose that a petition should be' presented for their suppression. The question ofjoint.stodk corn. parties was connected with that of the Corn Laws, for in last Session of Parliament Ale. fluskisson had said, that in consequence of the many projects - on foot tOr the establishment of joint-stock com panies, it was not a proper time to bring forward the question o the Corn Laws. Alter some conversation between several Members, it was de termined that the question should come on on Thursday next. NEW LONDON BRIDGE. Mr. JONES brought up the Report of the Bridge Committ e e, and stated that, at the laying of the first stone, when a considerable number of scientific gentlemen were present, it was suggested by one of them, a gentleman of great respectability, that the new bridge ought to be wider than the proposed plan contemplated. This gentleman's proposition was considered by the Committee, and as the improvement would entail a considerable additional expense, they therefore thought it necessary to apply to the Lords Commis sioners of his Majesty's Treasury on the subject of an additional gram, to assist in carrying this improved plan into operation. The proposition was most graciously received by their Lordship, and he (Mr. Jones) could not but express his sense of obligation for the great kindness with which their Lordships rece i ved the proposals of the Committee. Indeed, the conduct of their Lordships was moat gratifying. They not on ly consente d to a d vance 42,0001-under the sanction of Parliament, but said that it was proper and right to apply. At the same conference their Lordships consented to a Bill being brought in to enable the Committee to raise 160,0001. upon the Bridge Horse estates, and that their Lordships might have the power to lend money for the carrying on the work. The draught of a petition to Parliament to that effect was then read. Mr. DizoN aecoaded the reception of the Report, and said that it would have been a great oversight to have the bridge so narrow as was originally proposed, alien the approaches to it were to be of such large dimensions. The increased width of six feet would be a great accommodation. The Report was then agreed to, as was the petition. BAILIFF OF SOUTHWARK. Mr. Hick rose to propose that the Court should take into its consideration the salary of the High Bailiff of Southwark, whom he described as a most deserving officer, and who had been in the service of the Corporation for a period of forty.six years. When he was officially appointed, the salary and emoluments amounted to between 1300/. and 14001. per annum, but from an alteration that had taken piece. it did not yield more than 31101. The office was a most important one ; and as a General Election was about to take place, he wished that the Bailiff; as the returning officer, should be placed in a:situation of respectability in point of income. In mentioning the salary of other officers of the City he did not wish to appear Invidious, but he could not help remarking that the keeper of Giltspur-street CoMpter enjoyed 8001. a year, and of Newgate 10001.; and each of them had residences found them. He would therefore propose that the salary of the Bailiff of Southwark should bilked at. OW. per annum. A Member,whose name we could not learn, seconded the motion, and remarked that he was exceedingly sorry that, by a late Act of ' Parliament, between 600/. and 7001. per annum had been taken from the officer in question, and therefore it was that It became necessary for him to came to that Court to fix the amount of salary. Mr. S. DIXON said that, as yet, nothing had been said as to the character of the individual. A more upright man, or one in whom integrity of heart coupled with every feeling that could do honour to human nature, did not exist. In his (Mr. Dixon's) opinion, 800!. a-year was not sufficient, at the same time hedid not rely alone on the merit of the individal for whom tlie increase was asked. It appeared that the fees of this office had been double what was now proposed, and he should be glad to know how the case stood as to the Court of Requests, the power of which Court hail been ex tended, for the recovery of small debts, from forty shillings to five pounds; that circumstance ought to have brought additional sums Into that Court, but in that supposition he (31 - r. Dixon) had been disappointed, and he very much regretted that the City of London should be chargeable with any expense for the borough. Many fears ago, application had been made to Parliament t o r ed uce t h e ees, and part of the bill went to regulate the salary of the bailiff, that the then bailiff should receive 7501., at his death that it should be reduced to 5001., and deducting the expenses to which he was liable, it left the salary at only 3501. air. Alderman WAITH MAN said that he could bear testimony to the character of the individual in question, he had had many op. portunities of serving that individual, and as to his character, there could not be two opinions, but still he (31rAVaithroan) had another and imperative duty, which was to guard the public purse. If this were sanctioned the Court might be called upon to double the salaries not only of this but other situations, and totted he must say, that there were no circumstances stated that could justify such a grant as that. It was a most extraordinary thing to see a bailiff taking so much trouble to get rid of the fees of his office, and then to tome down to that Court for an increase of his salary. If the Court were to look to his talents and respectability, it might be said, make it 1,6001.. but would the Court be justified in doing ye? Was there not now the greatest difficulty felt in obtaining money for public uses ? For one he (NI r.Waithman) would oppose the measure even though he should stand alone; at the same time he did not say that he would entertain the question hereafter, at present it did not come in a way that it could be sanctioned. Ile had never known an loin:Ace of such an application being made but that it was referred to a com mittee. One gentleman had Raid that the increase in question was but the weight of a feather. It might be so, but still it would be an incumbrance. The City were called upon to do magisterial duties in the Borough, to appoint the officers, and then to make up the difference of salaries without the slightest possible necessity existing that such circumstances should take place at all, and these were the only connexions existing between the City and thallo rough. The more respectable the officer the greater difficulty was there in acting, because any opposition to the measure appeared invidious In regard to hits. In this instance, certainly, he was bound to express his opinion that the individual in question was a moat useful, meritorious, and excellent officer. For one, he (Mr. NFaithman) should wish that this question should go to a corn. mittee, because the committee might consider whether there were not some other means by which the measure might be effected, so that the salary should not be chargeable on the puree of the City of London. 31r. Bic x said he had not the least objection to the matter going to a committee; but lie must say, that if members did not make themselves acquainted with the tubject, it was not his fault; the accounts of the office were presented and sworn to every year. Mr. Jr)); ES made a few observations, when it war referred to a Committee to intluire into the Salaries and Emoluments of the High Bailiff; Officers, and Clerks of the Borough of Southwark. TITIIES. Mr. lIIIRCOMBE presented the Report of the Tithe Committee, which was ordered to be printed. It was not read, but was de scribed as being a most interesting document, anti was very volu minous. Mr. Hurcombe said that it was with great pleasure he had to announce that an arrangement had taken place between the Rev. Mr. Holmes of St. Oiles's Cripplegate and his parishioners, they haying allowed him 10001. per annum, his fattier baying re ceived only 3001. He (Mr. Ilurcombe) could wish he had the same account to give of Dr. Owen of St. Olive flart.street, but the contrary was the case, his conduct to his parishioners had been most insulting and disgraceful. Mr. FAVELL Seconded the Report, and sail he could not but bear testimony to the conduct of the Bishop of Chester, it had been most praiseworthy and exemplary; as for Dr. Owen, he had cer tainly not raised himself in the opinion of any man. Mr. AlliCrinall WAITHMAN said that the Bishop of Chester, and other respectable clergymen had done themselves honour, and the cause of religion the greatest service by their conduct, while he regretted that there were some who seemed to have no other object in view than to bring religion into disrepute. The conduct of the Bishop of Chester would do more to promote the cause of religion than any thing else that could be conceived. Mr. HOWEL said that as a parish:oner of St. Olave, Ilart-street, he would offer a few observations an to the conduct of Dr. Owen. The Doctor had lately come among them. and which had given rise to great disputes; they had hoped that things would be bettered by the interference of the Bishop of London, but such had not been the case. The Bishop of London would not consent to the Bill, unless the parish live one and sixpence in the pound upon Dr. Owen's rental, and certainly lie had not under-rated the value of 'any of the buildings whatever in the parish. Mr. Peel advised the granting of an annuity of 18001. for Dr. Owen's life, which they declined. The parish then consulted Mr. Culeraft, who had • forwarded their Bill In the House of Commons, and it is* s m u ns gg t ts tate g tl y coutd giro. that th e nett ett incumbent should have We/. per an: num. To this the parish objected, and offered 1.260 L is lb* gulatM the parish of 'Srth e Bishop . C of ri C pp hea leg ter ate, in ha i d he O H nly li c t l ha sit t n n eti 2.5301, which WAs one-third only of the race rent of the parish-! wink St. (flare. Ifart-street, had consented to gi4e one-ball: ,ThY being considered, the patiatt came to the determination of petition.: ing the legislature. Dr. Owen said he would raw in the aprhe bN4 villa:tern ;n going to Parliament, but that .he Biandp.of Londpri would not consent to the arrangement, thereby throwing afh obq odium upon the Bishop. The document he #3lr, Howt11) held iti his hand was from Dr. Olen, and which was a circular to the 06: iirhioness, calling upon them not to sign the petition until they had . seen him, in order that they might be aware of the consequences of doing so. This was no doubt intended ass threat, /1t present St. (Nave's war, the only parish in the city that.was assessed at Ord shillings and nineprnce; hut it did not follow; if tlip right wad eatablitthed, but others would be called upon as well aa themselves: The report was then agreed to, and ordered to be prtited. BANKRUPT LAWS. Mr. !TARTLET rose to move fora Special COMMittek to cOnCidetr of the expediency of petitiOning Parliament to constitute a regular tribrinal for the administration Of bankrupt estates. Ile said be would first touch on the importance of the Subject, ?ltd then Rd into more detailed particulars. It could not be consitred but isk an extraortlim 4 ry circumstance that the persons admiristering the bankrupt laws in a commercial nation like England should not themselves be persona conversant with commerce. To show the im portance of the subject, he (Mr. Hartley) would state that, to hid certain knowledge. from having had the m a tter co ne tinder his own cognizance, individual debts had been proved to the following amount:—in one instance 110 1 0,0091., another a6.000L, anottnit 50.00 a, Another :,11,0001., and the la s t 20,00(4; therefore, in Writ ' of property, the question was one of the greatest importance. It war dreadful. td look at the severity of the law until !allay, wh4n bank.: rupts were subject to the penfshment of death ; and Even new the, were liable to transportation for 14 years, or sent td prison in cow patty with felons and malefahtors, The first statute reimectinp bankrtipta took place in the :lath of Henri VIII., and tee Court would sec what was the nature of crime them contemplated: it was "for craftily secreting goods, ht:" When that 'tumid wsS framed commerce was in its infancy. The name of 'he individeal did not-appear, but he was expressed by the Initials VP. The Judges appointed by Met Act were th.. Lotd Chancellor, the hoed ' President, and the Judges. The next statute allowed the Lord Chancellor appoint delegates; and ghee 1603 every yeer pro duced a new•atatute on the subject, and all added Double and ex. pease. In one instance that he (Mr. Hartley) had know!' where( a debt had not been allowed to go to proof by the CommifslOnen, it had cost the creditor 40111. to establish his claim ; and was this ti proper state of things? As the questions were purely commeeelat questions, ought not they to be decided ky coinmereial men ? Mr. Duro): - interposed to say that he thought the gentiefnahl (Mr. Hartley) had shown sufficient grounds for the Committee; and therefore. perhaps, he would not consider it necessary to rd into the mass of papers before him. The Lone MAYOR considered that it must be left to the option of the gentleman making the motion as to the line of tondnet hi chose to pursue on that point. Mr. HA/VLF:Er resumed, and said that he was obliged to thl (OAS denten (51r. Dixon) for his suggestiOtt ; belt he felt the necesslty of going into the consideration of the papers. The Bankrupt lama were administered by 14 lists of Commiasionera, I've on each list, makivg the whole numbes7o—edch list *as regulated by its own rules, which was tfnfortunate for the bankrupt, unfortunate for the creditor. and unthrttinate ter all partPts ? Was it possible that tinder such various regulations justice could he done. He (31r. Hartley) did not •Intend to find fault with the individuals composing thaw ' commissions, but with the system, for he believed a more honour able set of men never existed than those delegates; at the slims time he must consider that the nature of persons at first appointed showed that the delegates should not be such persons as now oc.: copied those situations. And now he (Mr. Hartley) had to shot, an extraordinary circumstance, that from the year IEO9. to IBW some of the lists had committed to prison bankrupti to the number of ten; the fourteenth list had committed 35: from 1822 to 1824 that 'Walser had committed six, being a larger nonlife than any of the other lists; in the year 1E24 the sante list had committed elevate. Ile Cllr. Hartley) could not account for this. unless that the Chair- Iran of that list was a West Indian, and in some way connected with silvery. Mr. Drxost said that perhaps if that list haul gone to the extent of their power they might have committed forty instead of eleven. Mr. HARTLEY said that might be so. but it was an extraor dinary circumstance tliat this fourteenth list should get all the rogues. in a case that he had lately witnessed of a country bank rupt, who came up surrounded by his cousins and friends, he was asked what had been his personal expenses; in the contusion excited by the novelty of his situation, he replied " 1141 did not know ;" the consequence was that his examination was pat off sine die, and he like many others was left to wander about the country uncertified and unexamined. The Lord Chancellor himself, by his own dic tum, bad add that the present state of the Bankrupt Laws was a national disgrace, and that it would be better to redeem all the statutes. (The speaker here emd the opinion of the Lord Chan., cellos and several other authorities, which he described as being favourable to his view of the case.) It had been said that the grand object of all Courts of Judicature should be a maw. nnum of justice at a minimum of expense; but unfortunately the contrary was the case, and the creditor was. obliged to pay the expense of prosecuting his own suit against the bankrupt's estate. The next question was that of expense; each commission cost at least 300 i, and he left it to the Court to see whas an amount that would reach, even at a time of less distress than that which the country now laboured under. The next point was that of delay ; this was a crying evil, and delay 'vas contrary to the principles of British law. The Lord Chancellor did not hold , the ofhce of administering bankrupt estates as Lord Chancellor, but as keeper of the seals, and therefore there could be no difficulty in constituting a proper tribunal. The Lord Chancellor might be I away by the argument of advocates, and how was it possible that seven hundred bankrupt petitions could be gone through before the Chimed:or and Vice-Chancellor in the course of a year, seeing the other business they had to transact? Was it possible that jostles could be so administered ? The next point was that of publicity it was known to every one that the administration of the law took place in a private room, and it was as well known that justice could not be properly administered in that way. In France, Holland, Austria, and Russia, they have th e ir p u blic tribunals for the ad , ministration of bankrupt law, and why should England, the first commercial capital in the world, not be in the same situation ? It • only now remained to make the motion, the substance of which ha (Mr. Hartley) had given in the opening of his speech. Mr. FAVELL seconded the motion. 3lr. Alderman Warrntsiscs said, that the manner in which this matter had been brought forward did the mover much credit. The subject had excited his (Mr. Waithman's) most serious con. aideration at a former period, particularly during the period he sat in Parliament, and his evidence would be found in the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons, and he must say that so many di ffi culties were thrown in th e wa y o f in qu i r y that be could only look back to the subject with disgust. There were seventy Commissioners of Bankrupts, and all of them corinectett in some way with the Legislature anti Parliament, so that any at. tempt to disloge the Commissioners, or to enter into a full inquiry respecting their conduct, was out of the quest ion. He (Mr. Width. man) was obliged to attend the Sessions at the Old Bailey, but he was anxious to state, before he went away, what were his feelings on the subject, and that, from the recollection of the disgust he ex perienced when formerly employed on this subject, lie was anxious that the discussion of it should go into other hands. Mr. Dix ow, after some preliminary observations, said, that as to committal to prison he thought it a most salutary law, and also that of transportation. Ifs man picked your packet of your hand. kerchief he was transported, and why should not the man be trans., ported who committed rubbery by wholesale ? Where there was one unfortunate debtor there were a thousand unfortunate creditors. • He would recommend that the subject should be left to the Com. mittee generally, fur their Ripon, not pointing out the necessity of a specific tribunal. Mr. TAYLOR remarked, that very little of the property of the bankrupt found its way into the pocket of the creditor. The case • of a bankrupt was like that of a ship on the coast of Cornwall cast ashore in a gale of wind, and the lawyers acted the part of a body of persons known there by the name of wreckers, and therefore it was that the lawyers had endeavoured to mystify the bankrupt lawb to their own advantage ; they ought to be made simple and plain. Indeed, to call it mob law was not too harsh an expression. The only remedy fur this state of things was in a !dorm in the Corn. mons House of Parliament, for there it was that these 70 Cont. missioners were protected. Mr. DAVIDSON said, and we regret that our limits will not• allow us to follow him at length, that lie rose not to object to the measure, but to correct some of the statements of the moyer. The preamble of the 34th Ilenry VIII was as salutary a preamble se could be found in any Act of the present day, inasmuch as it ap plied only to the fraudulent secreting of property. As to the ay. pointment of Commissioners, he (Mr. Davidson) knew from Nut most undoubted authority that the Lord Chancellor had refused to' fill up five vacancies that had occurred, until the Report of the Chancery Commission should be made, and therefore it was that he. (Mr. Davidson) would ask the Court to wait until that event had . transpired ; that these Commissioners were maintained at an ea. pense of nearly 50,000/. per annum, was certainly cause fur corn.• plaint. Mr. Ortittax. in a short speech, supported the motion, and said, that if it should turn out that the opinion of the Court coin. tided with that of the Commission, it would do the Court no dis credit. 31r. HARTLEY having replied, the motion was agreed to in the following words, that a Committee be appointed to take into • their consideration the expediency of petitioning Parliament to con. !Hittite a regular tribunal for the administration of bankrupt estates." The other business of the day was then disposed of, and the Court broke up. LtrartrooL, Fss. 15.—Our Cotton Market is dull, but prices remain steady. About 4,500 bales sold. Yesterday the despatches were closed at the East India House, and delivered to,the Pursers of the following ships, viz.:—Sir David Scott, Captain John Orr Wismar • and George the Fourth, Captain Thomas William Barrow, for Bengal and Chins. Letters in town ,announce the arrival of the Honouratlla Company's chartered ship Malcolm, Capt. James Eyles. at Wl's, on the Bth of September, after the short pump ; of fourteen weeks from England, without any casualty.