The Sun. — London, England, 1829-03-21 00:00:00

a kini lan !lord, hut he ma apposed. and defeated as, the head ofs the Protestent,l.Aseentlancy. The effect of the Bill would be temporiiily to disfranchise the whole constituent body of Ireland,. except the Protestant Clergy. He had no objection that this should be the case for the purposes stated in the Bill ; but he wished that the forty shilling freeholders should, on registration tinder the new Act, re-enter into the exercise of . the elective right, under the provisions of this Bill, instead of raising the qualifica tion to ten pounds. The Noble Lord concluded by mov ing, that " it be an instruction to the Committee on the Qualification of Fretholders in Ireland Bills, to insert a provision to render it applicable to the due exercise of the elective franchise by the forty-shilling freeholders, by pre venting fraudulent and fictitious registration, in order to preserve the right of she people of Ireland to elect their Representatives in Parliament as at present by law esta blished." Mr. LENNARD seconded the motion. __ _ Mr. L. FOSTER, fur his own part, regarded this Bill as calculated iu itself to produce great good to Ireland, and at the same time to afford an importaNit practical secnr:ty, as it would remove than) , apprehensions that arose from the adoption of the other measure. He trusted, therefore, that as this was a matter of mutual concession, Hon. Gen tlemen on the other side would not attempt to fritter this measure down, so as to render it incapable of yielding any real security. By communications lie bad received from Ireland, he learned that the announcement of these mea sures had already, in a great degree, removed the fears of the more moderate and judicious opponents of the Catholic Claims, and had even met the requisition of some of the greatest Brunswickers. Sir F. BURDETT was surprised to hear his Hon. Friend behind him declare that he would oppose this Bill even at the risk of losing the whole measures. He was of quite a different opinion.—(Cheers.)--When lie consi dered the advantages to be derived to Ireland from those measures, taken together, he could not for a moment con sent to have them defeated for the sake of the supposed grievances of the forty-shilling freeholders ; he called them " supposed," because they had never been made out to his satisfaction. He considered it as part of the compromise to do that which was not less essential to do justice and give satisfaction to our Roman Catholic fellow-subjects than also to satisfy and reconcile the Protestant interest of Ireland. To object to the Bill on an abstract principle, and thus to refuse a great principal benefit, would be chil-lish in the extreme. He could not agree with the Hon. Member for Dorset that in consenting to this Bill, they were acting on the Jesuitical principle, as that Hon. Gentleman had celled it, of " doing evil that good might come of it." That was a mistaken notion. Having al luded to the Hon. Member for Dorset, he would, with re spect to him and his near relative, the Hon. Member for Cores Castle, avail himself of the occasin to pay the tri bute due to the fair, candid, and many line of conduct they had pursued in opposing these measures. He was struck with the contrast it afforded to that of many other persons on that side of the question. Those Hon. Gents. were ashamed to have recourse to foul practices or base ar tifices. He was sorry that their minds seemed immove alr!e on the subject ; but be must admit that they had =du a e ,indid, fair, and manly opposition. The Hon. Member fur Curie Cistle had shown his sincerity by resigning the ofliesk be held under Government; and in so doing, he had dune as all those ought to have done who meant to oppose Governmeiat when engaged in passing measures of this character.—(Chters.),-Hg agreed with the Right Hon. Gentleman that the price that was 44 - landed of them W 4, dear; bnt he was willing to pay it for the purchase of aa valuable a measure, and one. too, which had come from so unexpected a quarter. To the Right Hon, Gentleman who had brought that measure forward he thought the country was most deeply indebted, as well for the measure itsee as for the elolueat and convincing manner in which h e h a d i n t,..:s.luced it. The ('sight Hon. Gentleman had done it with a and forge that fairly paned for him a title to the phrase 1`,: . 4 non laudanduM, 4.4 di4it, 4ut sensit, alit fecit."—(Hear, bear.; Mr. BUTLER CLARKE said, that the only thing that Ile had to object to was the haste with which this Nil was carried on, the consequence of which would be that if the other measure should by any accident be lest, this Bill would, never theleag, pass into a law. Mr. PEEL said that it was entirely owing to accidental circumstances that the Franchise Bill stood to be coin- Mitted that day, and the other Bill for Monday. He only wished that it should be committer, on the present occa sion pro forma, as he had some amendmants to propose, sifter which be should move that it should ha re-c,cm ,mitAed. He begged to assure the Hon. Gentlemma and the Hai,zse, that as far as he could pledge the intention and the faith ,at Government, the measure for the relief of the Catholics simul,l be carried into effect. —(Cheers.) Mr. FRANKLAND LEWIS had fully considered the different bearings of the question, and the result was, that be should give a not reluctant gonsioo to the present Bill. And let it be observed that he did not suppp7t what h e ponsidered to be ill, in otTisf that good might come of it, aa oai . o ke Hon Gentlemen had ,expressi4 themselves, but be ,eaose he believed it to be a measure that WiGtarl eventually azgrue to the advantage of the forty-shilling freeholders themselves. . . Dr. LUSHAtIQTON felt a very great disinclination to give Lib ,Copsent to Abia Rill, unless it was subjected to the most minute investigation. Various reasons had been ;urged by Hon. Members for supporrong it, but upon two of the grounds stated tkat evening be ayaa not disposed to permit the Bill to pass into a law. Asa measure of p4F liament3ry Reform, he utterly repudiated and rejected it; and he did not et all agree with those who aonsitlered it a measure of conciliation. The Catholics were in eiTect making whit he cousideroi most unparalleled sacrifice; hut, it must be admitted, they 44 their reward. Mr. S. RICE—He denied that the Bill was intended to pun:sh the forty-shilling freeholders for their cmidupt at Clare, ;, , r Louth, or Waterford. If there was any ,tech intention, It? ,Should oppose it to the utiPitst extent of his power ; but he so'Aa satisfied that the measure would prove highly beneficial to the people of Ireland, and tend much to improve their conditiou landlord and tenant.. From she evidence given by Juetg Day and Mr. O'Connell, before the Houses of Commons and goeds, it was beyond question that the present system, whet" the tenants voted with or against their landlords, tended to Flog 4r etruction of the power of the midAllo class of landowners, And jo the misery of the unfortunate vptsri. With this view ,5,f the question he should support the Bill; kit he entreated the Right Hon. Gentleman to reconsider tau nubject, and snake some distinction between these W 49 voted .upon leaseholds, and those who voted from the pm ovnion of a fee simple ; 4n - he thought it was of great im ports/Ice to encourage doe Acquisition of property in 4. He denied the doctrine 44 Awn by some Hon. Gentlemen, that a political franchise ayes an inalienable right which could not be interfered with. The Marquis of GRAHAM supported the measure no*" before the House. Lord MILTON considered the subject was one of much ornEculty. In the difficulty in which he was placed, he was inclined to support the instsantione moved by his Noble Friend (Lord Dungannon.) He was not aware that the change in the amount of the quah6ca49o, without any **lunge in the nature of the tenure, would he a p;terial improvement foe the purpose of creating a more indepen dent class of electors than that which at present existed in Ireland. The best way of creating an independent body of:electors would be to eatsbl i ish a bona fide forty-shilling i:reelnaer, who had his freehoill in fee-simple as in this eountry, Pad not on leasehold tenure es ip Ireland. This was the only effectual mode, in his opinion, 4fptrodneine body of independent yeomanry in Ireland; but wl flat the d et. ivative freehold was maintained, he bad little expecta tion twat the freeholders in Ireland would be relieved from that subs;rviency which was now so touch complained of. It was uncle: this impression that he appros'nd o the in structions movs::1 by his Noble Friend—but at the same time he wished it might be understood that should he fail- in carrying these iostructions, he would not offer any opposition to the Bill in it: future stages. Sir JAMES MACKINTekH—Sir, I cannot bring myself to consider the question before us as one of a little better or a little worse mode of repsieeentation. I cannot bring myself to consider it as a question x,e4ting to a pre dominance of aristocratic or democratic influence,. Leon bider it us a question which relates to the pacificatiPp? pf Ireland—to the union of the two islands, and as the salva tion of the empire. —(Hear, hear.)—Sir, 1 consUer the three measures which have been introduced by his Majestia ?Ministers, in pursuance of the recommendation from tl4_ , throne, as inseparable, and that a blow at one part of the fabric would endanger the downfall of the whole. Under these circumstances I cannot hesitate to vote for the Bill ,at pre• sent under our consideration. I eonfess that I have arrived at this conclusion through a long courcuof perplexity and doubt, and not without many deep and pliant regrets.— But, having deliberately balanced the good against the evil, the former appears to me so greatly to prepundepate, that whatever pain and inconvenience it may have cost use to come to the resolution of aupporting tie BM. I will support it, and I wilt heneeforward think and speak no more of the reasons which have rendered that deterudice tion difficult : " Vestigia nulla retrorsum." Sir, it is singular that any opposition should be made to this particular Bill. Any man who judged from first ap pearances would have concluded that all parties in this House would concur in Its support, though undoubtedly an different grounds. In the first place, it was to be ex- pected that the Hon. Members below would support it, because it is the very measure prayed for in the Protestant petitions from Ireland and from this country t and because they could not oppose it without cutting from under their feet the ground on which they have so strongly recom mended an acquiescence in those petitions to this House. Sir, it is the first time that I have heard the principle in culcated, that a blind acquiescence in the opiuions of the petitions presented to it was the bounden duty of the House of Commons. That is a doctrine which has been treated with disdain and scorn by all who have duly considered the British Constitution, as having no foundation either in law or in practice, as inconsistent with reason or common sense, as taking away all the uses of the representative system, as converting the Members of the House of Com mons into the deputies of small confederated demociaciee, instead of being the free representatives of a great people, and as re-introducing all those evils which were the curse of antiquity, but to which the wisdom of subsequent pc ' riods applied a rensedy. (Hear.) If, Sir, lam justified in saying that it might have been expected that the Bill under our consideration would receive the support of those who have presented and advocated the petitions against the Ca tholic Claims, it must he unnecessary for me to add, that it was to be expected that it would receive the support of those who advocated the measures introduced by Govern ment generally. If 1 look at my Hon. Friends around me who voted for the similar measure of 1825, I see those whose concurrence in the present Bill was also to be cal culated upon. Still I allow that, as compared with the measure of 1825, the present measure is one of harshness ; and that it is one of those tough morsels which I have been scarcely able to swallow. But then, again, the chance of success on the present occasion, appears to me as much greater than it was in 1825, as the present measure is harsher than the measure of 1825. And what success? Redemption for Ireland, safety for the British Empire, and the union of all classes of his Majesty's subjects are within sight, and, if there be faith in man, within reach. With regard, Sir, to those who hold that the Protestant religion is endangered by the measures now in progress, I can only sly that I am as warmly attached to the Protestant religion as any man—that I do not expect that they can divest themselves of their apprehensians at the present moment, but that I confidently look forward to the period when they will winder at their temporary delusion, and congra tulate themselves on their defeat. On that subject I per fectly concur with my Hon. and Learned Friend (the Member for Inverness); and I assent to every syllable which fell from my Hon. and Learned Friend yesterday evening, and shall always be ready to contribute my feeble, but earnest endeavours, to carry to a triumphant termina tion this attempt to introduce an equality of civil rights into Ireland, and to establish a wise Government in that country.--(Hear.) Lord G. BENTINCK spoke at some length, but we were unable to hear the Noble Lord distinctly. All that we could collect was, that he supported the proposition of his Noble Friend, and that he was bound by all he had witnessed, and by every consideration, to believe, that the Right Hon. Gent. opposite (Mr. Peel) had been actuated, in every stage of these proceedings, by the highest sense of honour, integrity, patriotism, and a conscientious con viction of his doty.—(Cbeers.) Lord HOWICK thought the measures of Government so complete and generous, that he could not withhold his confidence. With respect to what was immediately before the House, he was disposed to support the Bill on its own merits, as well as in its relation to the general measure; but there were parts of it, which he thought might he altered with advantage. He objected to the machinery by which the Bill was to be enforced. The agents of great estates would do 010 y duty in seeing duly registered the franchises on the property Of their misters, but this would he 'neglected by *single tee pound freeholdera. Many votes were lost iu England by faulty assessments, and by the neglect of entries respecting the Land Tar. In the present Bill no effectual provisions was made against ficti tious and fraudulent vote. The registry of votes was not in itself conclusive, and the proposed scrutiny would he found practically loverative, whilst the duty assigned to the Assistant-Barrister was itianfficient. These abjact:ons ! however', could he removed only by altering the essential nature of the Bill. He did not think that the present curtailment of the franchise would restrain the real ex pression of poplar feeling in Ireland. The elective fran chise in Ireland was not in the 5-,e in which it ought to he, although he by no means thought that giving the franchise to the lowest orders of the community was the right way to add weight to the popular voice. Sir ROBERT WILSON said the House had to deal with eTae7gerated pretensions to which some concessions must be Made. There could be no perfect benefit, no un alloyed good. He was always satisfied with e preponde rance of benefit, and he never expected a boon without some sacrifice, The first sacrifice which the Ho = lse had been Called on to make, was the reposing of uncontrollable power in the hands of tt:e Lord Lieutenant of Leland. This had been granted in the confidence that it would be used for pacification, and not employed to harrass, insult, or oppeese. had admired the proceedings of the Catholic Association, and Tost of ail is their self dissolution at the first aspect of the improveMent` of Irelapd. But the Association had been Sacrificed, , becaue the ppppsition party had recommended the principle of nsotniti cepeeasam: The ppp4•itioa irels~ he; were now called upon to make sacrifices, 'acid he fur one would not shrink from the duty.—(Cheers.)— Some gentlemen had talked lightly of the evils Ireland had suffered in 1798, but they had done so not in wantonness and wicifedapata but in ignorance. He had been a wit ness of these mils, eed he or any map Iyhq lariew what they were would be savage in antiewatieg their recurrence withoaat horror. if this was to be the last public act of his life, lie assured the - !.pßee that he would cheerfully give it in favour of a measure calculated to hiring abqat the pa cification of Ireland. 1,,0r4 ALTUORP and Mr. 'LUNT Me together, amidst loud cries of " turd Althorp, Lord Althorp." The Noble Lord, however, ihhstaftly Me way, and Mr, TRANT proceeded to address the Hoop t amidst tha grips of " Oh, oh r and " Spoke, spoke.'? Ile was decidedly oppo-4ed to the proposed disfranchisement of the forty-shilling freeholders, his,cape he felt convinced that that measure, instead of bringing about, sv,:ntld altogether destroy the tranquillity of Ireland.—(Cries of " Oh, oh i Ftle coughing, and cries of " Order, order.")—The Hon. Menika i r, looking up toward the gallery, expressed a hope that the proceedipga thep going on would go forth to the country as a warning, that upon this eAect only per sona who spoke upon one aide of the question could expect a hearing.—(Lear, hear, and cries of" Go on, go on.'') — The Hon. Itlember made a few additional observations, but the noise and confusion in the house rendered him altogether inaudible in the gallery, Lord ALTHORP would shortly state the grounds upon which he meant to give his support to the Bill; and these veer?, the aid and assistance it would afford to the other They ;4 been told by the Hon. Member for Cam bridge, that this PlePOre 44 no necessary connection with the measure granting po l o,: gmanidpation. That might be so I but the House had the ppiniTl Of the Itight Hon. Secretary for the Fiume ijcpartment to the eontrary. He had been for a long time opposed in politics to the Right Hon. Secretary, but never had he heard from the Right Hon. Gentleman an opinion which could lead him to suppose that - he (Mr. Secretary Peel) was not sincere. The Right Hon. Genplefpag had told the House that the two mea sures were connepted,,-(Hepr, hear.)—Was it impossible, in the existing state of rhinga, and the peculiar state of Ire land, that such was the peep ? The House was aware, that in farmer times there were not wanting public men, who would willingly sacrifice the interests of their country, and pause its ruin, provided they could carry their own mea sures ? but lie would ask, were such public men to be found in the I,, , esent day? He confessed that he himself did not clearly see the - ,:ecassary connection between the two pleasures ; but the 4igjA Nor.. Secretary for the How Department asserted, that such connection did exist, and with his superior information, lie (Lord Althorp) was bound to ,soda that statement. These measures would, ha believed, bp beneficial to both classes of society in Ireland—he meant the forty-shilling freeholders and the higher classes. Let any man look to the present state of the Irish population. They consisted of two castee ; one case was a prowribed, and outcast body--the other a ty,. rannical and powerful body; but the proposed measures would amalgamate and equalize both. He opposed the measure-of his Noble Friend (the Member for Kilkenny), because he fell .that it would take away all the benefits con templated by :the pop. Secretary for the Home Pepastment. Mr. Speretary PEEL and Mr. TOI'L'E hating risen at the same time, the evils for Mr. Iseet s beeaine loud and general. The 444 lion. Gentleman,. howeo l, eaye way, and Mr. TUITE proceede4 rtimi44 mipiclorable noise and confusion. He did not wish to detain the House at any length, but he was anxious to reed a letter, whieh was •trongly expressive of the opinions as well of the Roman Catriloli4 as the Protestants of the county of Meath, with reference .to 4,.1 proposed Bid. The letter stated, that the writer was deixi.ok; to explain to the Hon. Member a, Meeting of the PrOteeiswt and Catholic Freeholders and .Geeynnen of the county of lkiel b ad been held, and that both part!es had expressed eir e atis;;;;tion, as 7.7e1l at the measures vroposed by Government for I,lae je. lief of Irelaiid; as with the course pursued by their repre- BeAliaaVi (Mr. Tuite) upon these 44-4sures. The Meet ing wept tt) fiXpreas the hish.peape tOitiglo .and satisfaction they felt at the introduction of those measures.' in both of which they concurred, being afraid to risk the • one by any attempt at interference with the other.—( Hear, hear. )—The Meeting expressed their thanks in a peculiar manner to the Noble Duke at the head of the Government, and the Right Hon. Secretary of State for the Home Department. That Meeting had been attended by 50/., 20/. and forty-shilling freeholders, both Catholic and Protestant, all of whom concurred in the proposed mea sures.—( Hear, hear. )—He had only to add, in the county of Westmeath, and one or two other counties in which the struggle by the forty-shilling freeholders was greatest, the feelings of the laity and clergy were generally in favour of the proposed measures.—(Cheers, and cries of Hear.) Mr. Secretary PEEL heartily rejoiced at having given way to the lion. Alennber, because no speech could have brought forward such respectable testimony in support of the proposed measures . as that just read by the Hon. Mem ber for Westmeath, coupled with the able and disinterested support of the Hon. Member for Waterford. In West meath, Waterford, and Clare, the elections bad turned mainly on the support given by the forty-shilling free holders, and yet here were these parties prepared to make the concessions asked by his Majesty's Government.— (Cheers.)—He believed that this feeling was not confined to Meath or its neighbourhood—he believed it was not confined to the Roman Catholic Clergy, hut extended itself to the Roman Catholic gentry, who felt themselves pecu liarly situated with the great body of their constituents, and wished to see the proposed measure carried into effect. The Irish forty-shilling freeholders held the elective fran chise as invaluable, so long as it aftbrded them the means of seeking the other more important measure of emancipation which they had in view ; but now that the measure was within their reach, they were ready to sacrifice the minor privilege for its attainment-o-(Hear, hear.)—As to the feelings of the Protestants of Ireland, he thought they were in favour of the measure; and, if a doubt existed on the subject, he, arguing a priori, would refer to the feelings expressed in Ireland upon the subject within the last fort night, as well by Protestants as Roman Catholici.— ( Hear, bear. )—He considered that the debate of last night turned entirely upon the question to be decided to night. A Noble Lord over the way, who always addressed 'the House with great acuteness and ability, gave as one of his reasons against the measure, that it would have a tendency to prevent the registry of freeholds. Now he (Mr. Peel) felt that the very reverse would be the fact : and, in a matter of this kind, the best reference was to facts. Ile had been told by a gentleman who was a most competent authority on the subject, that in one county in Ireland there were 20,000 registered forty-shilling freeholders ; and when he inquired how many of these had registered their freeholds at their own expence, be was answered two. A MEMBER—Two thousand? Mr. Secretary PEEL—No; but two individuals—only two individuals.—(Hear, and laughter.)—The most im portant observation and the urgent point made by the Noble Lord, and seconded by the Hon. Member for Lime rick, was that at all events the forty-shilling freeholders in fee-simple might be continued. That such a measure would have any beneficial effect he strongly doubted, and he was confirmed in that doubt by the fact that the greater number of the forty-shilling freeholders in fee-simple were Protestants, and the Roman Catholic forty-shilling free. holders being disfranchised, while they were untouched, would not unnaturally feel jealous at the preference given to the former, because lie was a Protestant.—(Hear.) — By the returns obtained from the Clerk of the Peace for the county of Waterford, it appeared that in 1825 there were 2,119 forty-shilling freeholders standing in the books, and not one of these was registered on estates in fee simple. In a Protestant county, which he would not name, there were t,lO-1. forty-shilling freeholders, 12Y of whom were registered as possessing estates of forty shillings in fee. He entreated the - lion. Gentleman to consider the effects of the measure he proposed, when of the forty.shilling freeholds, nine out of ten of these franchises , vere held by Protestants. Fir his part, he knew no dis tinction of religion among the forty-shilling freeholders in fee-simple. Isle !coked only at the abuses which took place under the present law, and he was persuaded that More forty-shilling freeholders were made in fee-simple on bogs and mountains than on estates. The measure, as it was now proposed, was a measure of justice and equality. It was entirely free from favour and partiality. He had some alterations to propose in the ineasurea «his ha thoaglit would ret;oormeni it to the opinion of most of the Members. He should not propose any further tonight than to go into a Committee, pro forma, propose these alterations, reprint the Bill, and afterwards have it recorn mitte6. At that late hour he would only state the sub stance of the alterations he meant to propose, and he oresumed they would be agreed to, its city whey. tyitleued tire; hill than Vesiri4t l tl it. By the Bill as it at preserit stood, yotea were coatied to legal titles. He apprehended the . phrase " legal title" might induce a tendency In practice to exclude freeholders. He should propose that the words " legal titles" should be left out. At present the Bill required that the ten pound free hold should be free of incumbrance, but as freeholders ++e+;e iiabiei jud4i t ie - eit gohtp, apd ipcumbraucee included them, he -shOuld'propose to, leaVe out the word incuin branees, and provide that the freehold should be required to be freefrom parochial charges and taxes. Anottei attecati l . n ari o inct propose we* be as to appeal. At present the Bill allowed an appeal from the derision of the Assistant Barrister to a Jury summoned by him and presided over by him. It had been state dto him that there were objections to this, particularly in alliwiug a s p, appeal from the Assistant Barrister to tr Court in which ti l e Judge. lie toeant, therefpre, to allow the ap peaf a•Joke•of Assize and a Jury. The other altera thiiis were too technical for explanation, and they would be seen when the Bill was reprinted. He would reripv that he should then propose that tho comirrited pro . fort,. —(Loped cries of " Question.") Lord PALMERSTON suggested that the Bill might be limited to such a period as to come again under the review of Parliament when the present excitement had soln o idetl i .—(Cries of " no, no.") Mr. PEEL yegarded the measure both as a measure of security and as a substantive measure of improvement ; and in this latter character he could not consent to the suggestion of his Right Hon. Friend. 'Lord DUNGANNON, with reference to lOW had fallen from the Hon. Baronet, denied that be had ever been a party to an agreement to disfranchise the forty shilling freeholders. He was not in England when that was proposed, and with his feelings he never could have heels a party to such an arrangement. The House then divided, tylien there appeared for going into a Committee 220—Against it 20—Majority against Lord Duncannon's Motion 200. House went into a Committee, the Report was re qiyo, 0ra,..0 to I.!e t4gn into ;wither consideration on Tuesday next. GAME LAWS. The Caine Laws' Amendment Bill went through a Committee, and the Report was ordered to be taken into further consideration on Friday next. _ _ The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House !Idiom-14, till Monday, at flalf-past Twelve o'Clock, MINORITY OF THE SEVENTEEN WHO voun AGAINST TII THE BILL. FOR DISFRANCHISING THE FI HOLDERS IN IRELAND.-51IRCH 19. Bankes, 11. French, Arthur Uxbridge, Earl otl Bentinck, Lord G. Grattan, Henry Warrender, itt. lin. Bryan, 'l'. Hume, Joseph Sir G. Itr A. Lambert, J. S. Westenra, Hon. 11. nt„ 'W. Hon. J. TELLERS. r..4leollit, I r. G. B. Palmersto*, Visc. Lennox, Lord J. G. Vane, J. fownbherid, Lord C. 'Brant, W. H. • IE SECOND READING OF ',MTV-SHILLING ?HEE- The name of Mr. Capel, M.P. for Queen borough, was omitted in the list of the minority on the Catholic Relief Bill The Solicitor-General transacted business yesterday at the Colonial.office. Yesterday a ballot was taken at the East India Ho u se, for the election of a Director in the room of Sir G. Abercrombie Robinson, Bart. who had disqualified. At six o'clocli the glasses were closed and delivered to the scru tineers who reported the election to have fallen on Lieut. - Col. Sir Win. Young, Bart. The Princess Borghese (Buonaparte's sister), who was no saint, sat to Canova for a model, and being asked " if she did not feel a little uncomfortable," answered " No, there was a fire in the room." Garrick's Shaksperian chair, which was pur chased by Mr. Rowland Stephenson in 1823 for 145/. Ss. iTias'yesterday sold by auction to Mr. Firth, a merchant, for 106 The averages of corn are vain PllSideralily and next week it is it will he lower. The duty on wheat iy .Ivftnced as we 4nticipted,per quarter, 3s. more. CRANIOLOGY IN 1658.—Dant's characters are to he found in skulls as well as faces. H ercules it n ot only known by his foot ; other parts make out th e ir com propoitiong and inferences upon whole or parts. And since the dimensions of the head measures the whole body, and the c r.: l r e thereof gives conjecture of the principal pliognoipy p:4lives ourselves and ends not in our grave.—Sir I liomas - ./ircvng Pn Vrn puria LONDON, SATURDAY UNING, MARCH 21, 1829. A duel took place early this morning in Battersea fields, between his Grace the Duke of WELLINGTON and the Earl of WINCHILSEA. It is reported that .he duel originated in a letter written by the Earl lust night to the Duke, on a subject connected with the important question now in progress through Parliament. Sir H. HARDINGE was the Duke's secona, and the Earl of FALMOUTII was Lotd WINCUILSEA'S, who, instead of returaing the Duke's fire, dischargod his pistol in the air. His Grace was seen riding through the Horse-Guards at six o'clock this morning, and returned to Downing street at eight, In another part of our columns will be found some account of the great Surrey Meeting that takes place this day, on the subject of that all-en grossing topic the Catholic Question. As the Meeting is not yet over, we forbear all comment upon it, further than to observe, that Mr. MILNE SUMNER, has again ventured to put himself for ward, and in a way that argues better for his zeal than his discretion. We shall give the close in a Second Edition. On Mr. PEEL'S motion last night for the House to resolve itself into a Committee on the Irish Free holders' Disfranchisement Bill, Lord DUNCANNON, after a sweeping statement that the effect of the mea sure would be to disfranchise all the constituency of Ireland except the Protestant Clergymen, moved " that it be an instruction to the Committee upon the ' Qualification of Freeholders' Bill,' to give power ap plicable to the due exercise of the Elective Franchise in Ireland, by regulating the Forty-shilling Votes, pre venting fraudulent and fictitious registrations, and prescribing to the people of Ireland the right of voting for Members of Parliament, as by law esta blished." On this amendment an animated discus sion took place; in the course of which Sir FRANCIS BURDETT stated that he should support the original motion, on the ground of its being an act of justice to all parties. Mr. TUITE also observed that a County Meeting bad lately been held in Westmeath, where the general opinion was strongly in favour of the alteration of the Elective Franchise. This Meeting was composed of the most respectable • Catholics and Protestants, as well as of a vast num , her of the Freeholders from every part of the county, and forms therefore, as the lion. Member justly re marked, " a fair criterion by which to judge of the Catholic Freeholders generally." It should be re membered in addition, that Westmeath has long been one of the most disturbed and dissatisfied dis tricts in all Ireland, consequently its acquiescence in the proposed measure, cannot but be looked on as one of the favourable " signs of the times," with re gard to the healing influence of the great Question. Lord DpNND's Amendment was lost by a ma jority of two hundred We received this morning Frankfort Papers to the lsth instant, from which we give the following extracts : MUNICH, MARCH 9. Lola Erbkine, Minister of England to our Court, has been seriously ill for some days. However, a crisis has taken place to-day, which gives reason to hope that he will soon be better. maw, MARCH 3. Acco►ding to letters from Constantinople, it seems that an erroneous opinion had been entertained of the merit of lazed Mehemed, thelate Grand Vizier ; he had, they say, nothing to recommend him but a dignified deportment and talent for intrigue. His incapacity for the important post which had been entrusted to him, could not long remain concealed at a moment so critical for the empire ; and it was soon perceived that it was necessary to give him a successor, who, to the advantage of experience should add that of possessing the esteem of the public. Redachid Paella, the pi esent Grand Vizier, is considered as a man of merit, who has given proofs of courage and talents, and enjoys the confidence of the Sultan and the attachment of the army. It is affirmed that he is a friend of Jussuf Paella's, who has been so cried down for the surrender of Varna, that he has already some time ago undertaken to justify him, and to convince the Sultan that Jussuf Pacha had faithfully performed his duty, and was by no means guilty of treason. The letters from Odessa agree in this assertion, saying that Jussuf Pacha frequently writes to Constantinople and receives answers to his letters, that be has succeeded in justifying himself to the Sultan, and would return to his country if the Russian Government would give him permission. FRANKPORT, MARCH 13. _ _ The Nodlieru Bee contains a letter, dated Kisehentff, Feb. 9, written by Prince D., which gives a description of the winter-quarters occupied by the Russians on the right bank of the Danube. The troops, says the Prince, enjoy remarkably good health, are in warm and conve nient quarters either in houses or in barracks, and have an abundant supply of provisions. At Pravadi 500 or 600 houses are occupied by the troops, the mosques arc converted into magazines, and the churches handsomely fitted up and adorned with images of the Saints which were found buried in the ground where they were probably deposited in former times by the Christian inhabitant.. Varna is now a complete and very strong fortress, and Bazardjik has been so fortified that it would have nothing to fear from the attacks of 30,000 men. By his Majesty's brig Spey a mail has been this morning received from Mexico—sailed from Vera Cruz Feb. 7, and from the Havannah Feb. 19. he Papers from the former port are of the Gth, and from Mexico of the 31st Jan. ; but contain little in telligence of importance. The affairs of the country appear to be still in considerable confusion : Congress was deliberating on the subject. Some disturbances had taken place on the 29th Jan., among the partisans of SANTA ANNA, at Sonbucte, where they committed great excesses and plunder. On the 3tl Feb. SANTA ANNA was at Jalapa, and made an address to the division of his army, calling on their pa- . triotistn for support. The receipts for a month at the Custom-house at Vera Cruz amounted to -700,000 dollars ; but, after all, the balance remain ing in the Treasury amounted, however, only to 6,000. From the general complexion of these Papers, it would appear there were various parties in Mexico, each acting for the aggrandisement of their separate interests, without reference to the benefit of the country, the Government was in the utmost destitution for want of money to discharge its necessary expenses, and the pay of the troops. SIIIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.) FROM LLOYD'S. DEAL, MARCH 20.--Wind W.S.W.--Arrived the Berwickshire, and Duchess of Athol, from India, and proceeded for the River. Arrived the Isabella, Wild goose, from Demerara ; Victory, from India ; and Fame, Buller, from the Mauritius. The Dunira, from China, and Mangles, from Calcutta, are passing. PLTDIOTJTH, MARCH 19.—Wind S.—Arrived the Mal vine, Mitchell, from Gijon. PORTSMOUTH, MA RCH 20.—Wind S.S.W..—Arrived the Active transport, from Ascension the 19th January. FALMOUTH, MARCH 19.—Wind S.S.W. to S.S.E.— Arrived the Annabella, Helyr, from Cette ; Diligence, Hodge, from St. Michael's ; Princess Elizabeth packet, from the Leeward Islands, sailed the 9th of February ; Spey packet, from Tampico, sailed the 29th of January, Vera Cruz the 7th of February, and h tvannah the 19th ; and Duke of York packet, from the Mediterranean. LIVERPOOL, Maacn 19.—Arrived the John Jay, Holdridge, from New York ; Oliver, Blanchard, from Sicily ; Elizabeth, Harrison, from Bilboa ; Paragon, from Jamaica ; and Caledonia, from New York. The Albion, from Bengal, has arrived off Holyhead. DARTMOUTH, MARCH 19.—Arrived the Hebe, Field, from Port-au-Prince; and Little Catherine, from Corfu. Itatsvor., Maacx 20.—Arrived the Laura, Hayes, from Lisbon ; and Liberty and Barbara, from Bilboa. The Agincourt, Harr;s, from Bristol to Nevis, struck on a reef, near Antigua, the 29th of January, and bilged, and was afterwards totally destroyed with her cargo, in consequence of some lime having ignited; the crew and passengers saved. TIT FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.) CIT Y, Twirira o' CLoer. We have advices this morning from the Mauritius to the 28th December, but they contain no intelligence. By a Mexican Mail which left Vera Cruz the '7th of Feb. we learn that the country continued in a state of anarchy, and fears were entertained that fresh outrages would break out in the capital; upon the whole the news is of a very discouraging nature to the well wishers of this interesting country. Consols opened at 87 for raoney, and 874 i for account, and such has been the apathy that has attended the market that no variation has taken place up to the above hour. India Bonds are 47 9 pm. ; and Exchequer Bills, 54 5 p►n. Nothing has taken place in the Foreign Market to vary the state of these securities, and prices are nearly nominal at the undermentioned quotations. In tl►e Share speculations nothing has occurred worthy of notice. In the City it was rumoured that a duel had taken place this morning between a certain high Military elm, racter in his Majesty's Council and an opponent to the Catholic claims ; for a moment it attracted attention, and is said to have ended without injury to either party. Three per Cent. Consols, 87 ; Ditto, for Account, 11 871 ; Four per Cent., 101 l n India Bonds, 47 9 pm. ; Exchequer Bills, 54 5 pm. TR 0 O'CLOCK. Consols for Account have been 87 I, but the price for Money has not been lower than 87i, ; the price for Account is again 871 t. Mexican Six per Cents. 22 31 ; Portuguese 43i i; Real del Monte Shares have improved to 130 135 per share. THREE O' CLOCK Consols for Account, 87k I. FOUR O'CLOCK.—CLOSING PRICES. Consols 871 Danish 64! Do. for Ac. 871 Greek, 1825 Brazilian Bonds 60k Mexican, 1825 22i Buenos Ayres Peruvian 13 Chilian Do. Russian 94} Columbian, 1824 Spanish 91 LAW INTELLIGENCE.-(THIS DAY.) COURT OF CHANCERY. The LORD CHANCELLOR, in consequence, we un destand, of public business requiring his Lordship's attendance elsewhere, was prevented from sitting in Lincoln's Inn-hall, to-day. The Duke and Duchess of Clarence dined with the Princess Augusta yesterday, at her residence in the King's Palace, St. James's. The Duchess of Gloucester, and a select party, dined with the Princess Augusta on Thursday. Lord Francis Gower, the Secretary of State for Ireland, was attendance at the office during the Council, Prince Polignac, the French Ambassador, had a conference with the F.ar•l of Aberdeen yesterday, at the office of the Secretary ot• State for Foreign Affairs. Mr. Secretary Peel, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Sir Henry Ilardinge, had interviews with the Duke of Wellington yesterday at the Treasury. EPSOM-(THIS DAY). BY EXPRESS. At half-past twelve o'clock this day, the Meeting of,c ll/ County of Surrey, in pursuance of the - requisition to - t lll High She-iff, signed by Lord Grantley, Mr. C.' Is..PS mer, and others, took place in the area in front or I, e Spread Eagle Tavern, Epsom, (Faux Laila 1016: E, Esq.) P. High Sheriff in the Chair. Up to eleven o'clock morning there was very little bustle. There was, Joist' ever, a plentiful supply of theological ammunition for hot' tile controversy ; the walls were placarded with bills 010 kinds, and there was a duodecimo edition fur die tribution, by hand ; on the "No Popery" side wer ° emblazoned placards, headed " Queen lltlary's" Days, with illustrations of the barbarous cruelties; which• pro. faned the name of religion in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, beginning with the genealogy of Queen IlarY , her march of bigotry, her btirnings in Smithfield apd Shoreditch, followed up by particular .representations. R 1 the martyrdom of individuals in various parts of the rotor try. This publication emanated from the Religious Tract Society, printed, No. 56, Paternoster-row; but enough, after these horrid illustrations, adding the , words :—" There is no room to relate further 'particuls o in this paper, but the reader will find a fuller account work called the Days or QUEEN Meat, published:byo o Religious Tract Society." And ooncluding thus: "Reader !—Let the history of these Martyrs of Jess! Christ, who ' counted not their lives dear unto theft), affect thine heart. Is thy faith like theirs, fixed tirmly'os the one Mediator between Owl and man, the 111 0 Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom ler all (1 Tim. ii. 5,6.) Dost thou believe on Him with all thine heart, and account all things but lose fur the excel' lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus? • This' faith es! bear the fiery trial,' and will ever come forth like PI" seventimes purified. Wherefore, seeing we also are corn' passed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us Jai aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily brie us ; and let us run with patience the race that is set be fore us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher'of our faith.'—(Heb. xii. 1,2.) Remembering it is written , that God is faithful by whom we were called unto dr! fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.--(Cut. i. 0; . ) At the same side of the question was a little poetry, with a sort of parody upon the fable of the Sheep and tl l6 Wolves. It was— THE FABLE OF TILE SHEET ♦ND THE WOLVES El' EMPLI?IED. A careful shepherd had a flock Of thriving sheep—his only stock; Their pasture he with walls surrounded, As wolves throughout the land abounded. Great were his pains, his labour long, To make the barrier high and strong ; Yet often as he went to sleep, The wolves broke in and slew the sheep. At last lie finds his work complete ; No entrance left but at the gate ; His flock protected and at peace, Began to flourish and increase; Till full of years and honest pride At his success—the shepherd died. A son succeeded, mild and kind, Of liberal and gentle mind, Who wish'd indeed to save the sheep, And yet the wolves in humour keep. Ilim the submissive brutes petition. To pity their forlorn condition, Of their primaeval rights denuded, And from the pasturage excluded. They vow'd—they swore—their alter'd mind To sheep had long become' so kind, They would not put a tooth or foot on The choicest, fattest leg of mutton, Their ancestors they all confessed, Of harsher noticing were possessed ; Had often broke the shepherd's wall, And made the sheep in thousands fall ; Spread death and desolation round, And stain'd with blood the blushing ground; But they—kind souls—had othei kidneys, As noble as Sir Philip Sidney's ; • • Mild as Melancthen—they would keep, And help to feed this flock of sheep. The shepherd fearing such a trial, Was resolute inhis denial : • Till by false friends extremely puzzled, He let the wolves in strongly muzzled ; Pared from each fliot was every claw, And twenty straps bound up each jaw ; Each wolf was forced an oath to pass, He would eat nothing there but grass. The wall was levell'd, and the meeting • ' 'Twixt wolves and sheep was grac'd with greeting; One would suppose through all the plain, The golden age was come again ;' Sheep joined with wolf, hard names to call The builders of the levell'd wall. A few bold watchmen dared to cry Against this frightful novelty, And said, it soon would come to pass, That wolves would think all flesh is grass, And in their plenitude of power, The silly, feeble sheep devour.— These warnings all are giv'n in vain, Within the fold the wolves remain. The watchmen meet contempt and hate, As born " two hundred years too late." Vile bigots, who for private ends, Would disunite the new made friends. Meantime the claws which had been cut, Grew strong and sharp on every foot Some of the straps are old or worn, And others from the muzzle torn ; Slender and few those that remain, Give tenfold discontent and pain, Till as an useless galling "brand," They're all drawn off with gentle hand. Then starts the shepherd as from sleep, Resolv'd to save the trembling sheep,; Suspicion shows, and late takes care, New straps and muzzles to prepare: But vain is all precaution now, • The grim wolf knits his horrid brow ; The muzzle he rejects with scorn— And on that melancholy morn, • Destruction rages through the fold, The sheep are slaughtered young and old ; In vain for help the shepherd cries, Amidst his butchered flock he dies, And curses in his hapless fall, The day he moved his father's ANSWER OF GEORGE THE THIRD TO LORD GRENVILLE, WHEN APPLIED TO ON THE CATHOLIC BILL, MARCH, 1807. "My Lord,—l am one of those that respect an Oath. I have firmness sufficient to Quit my Throne and retire to a Cottage ; or to place my neck upon a block on e scaffold, if my people require it; but I have not resolution enough to break an Oath—an Oath I took in the Ws* solemn manner at my Coronation." God grant that GEORGE THE FOURTH, and all his Successors, may follow the noble example of his trious and venerable Father ! Notwithstanding all these elements of evitgment, 4P 4 that this was the market-day at Qroyil4p, lingsto o, Guildford, and other places, and that there can bp po citement in the county of Surrey, or the people Ivo" pour in from these places—the three first of them being the largest market towns in the county—there was 0 ° crowd beyond the ordinary throng of idlers that the little town itself could furnish. On the other side of the question were placed placard , descriptive of more liberal and enlightened sentiments; for instance, a copy of the speech of Dr. Chilmers, delivere d at the Meeting at Edinburgh, which appeared in The Su ° of Tuesday last, as well as extracts from the recent speeebe: of Sir F. Burdett, Mr. Peel and Lord Punkett ; intermis e " with these were the resolutions of the Corporation of Dule , imputing to the Catholics the "deliberate and c01e1,44 ? 1 , 1 1 murders" of the Protestants, and itpplititie" c6afirtily and pocillafing condns; of his McijesYY's lifen4fers.!' There were alat? some doggerel rhypites nude! the title—" l " - testants, awake -as well as some other doggerels under the title of the f' Wild Irish Howl," to which was ar pended the following note " A POPISH OATH." "In the rebellion in Ireland, in 1798, the followinf truly Christian oath was administered to the miserable norant rabble, by their priests :—' I, A. I 3 , do euleinnlY swear, by our Lord Jesus Christ, who sufrereti ftir us on the Cross, and by the Blissed virgin'Mary, that I infrn, destroy,' and murder all heretics up to my knees ill blood. So help . me Pod i'!' The most rational placard was one imputed to the ROG. Sidney Smith, and which was thus : " Is there no Fear the other way? " If you are so muck afraid of letting a few CAtholio' into Parliament, have you no fear of keeping them all out?, Do you think it safe that fire millions of men should !ifr; PRICIES OF STOCKS Thin Rank Stuck 3 per Cent. Red. 3 per Cent. C0n5..........87 1 ,.; 3 1 A 3q per Cent. - shut Ditto Rest. shut 4 per Cent. lolla I htto, Itz26 tnk L. Ann. India Stock shut Ditto Bonds 47 48 pin. PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS Austrian Bonds Brazilian Bonds CON Buenos Ayres Bonds Milan Bonds Volonibian Bonds Ditto, 1824 Danish Greek Bonds Ditto, 1815 6 uatimala. Mexican Bonds Ditto, 1825 5354 COURSE OF Excit. Amsterdam CF. 12 3 Ditto, at sight 12 1 Rotterdam 2U. 12 31 Antwerp 12 31 Hamburgh MAI. 13 14 Altona 11 1.11 . _ . ,NGE YESTERDAY. !Leghorn iroi Genoa 25 CO Venice 'Malta 4951 Nlaplre . 30% Palermo ptroz. 119 Paris, 3 days' sight 25 55 Ditto 2 U. 25 80 Bordeaux 25 85 Berlin Frank fort on Maine, Ex. M. 1511 Petersburg!), ruble, 3 Us. 10 0 Vienna, dr.:five ft. 2 M. 10 5 Trieste els) 10 5 Madrid 36% Cadiz 363i Bilboa 36% Barcelona 3 6 14 Seville Lisbon Oporto 46V, Rio Jane.ro Bahia 34 Buenos Ayres Dublin, 21 days' sight V% Cork 1 BULLION, PER OZ. A. d. Portugal Gold, coin... 0 0 0 Foreign Gold, in bars 3 17 9 New 1)ouhloons 0 0 0 New Dollars Gibraltar 493 (Silver, bars, standard 0 0 0 CURREN I' VALUE OF GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. MADRAS, Oct. 15. Six per Cent. Bengal Remittable Loam. At the Rate of Sul act iption, viz.- 350 Madras Rups. per 335 Sicca Rups .32 Premium. At the Rate prevailing among Merchants end Bro- kers in buying and selling Public Securities, viz. 1061 Madras Rups. per 100 Sicca Rups. 3O Premium. Five per Cent. Be , gal Unremittable I oan At the Rate of Public Subscription, ♦iz. 350 Madras Rups. per 335 Sicca Rups. 3l Premium. At the Rate prevailing among Merchants and 13ro. - kers in buying and Set ing Public Securities, viz. 1061 Madras Rups. per 100 Sicca Rups. Five per Ce , it. Bengal New Five per Cent. Loan, dated August 18, 1825. At the Rate of Subscription, viz. UM Madras Rups. per 100 Sicca Rups. BUY. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. SELL. Rs. As. CALCUTTA, Sept. 24. Rs. As. Prem. 25 8 Remittable Loan, 6 per Cent. 24 8 Prem, Disci 0 6 Old 5 per Cent Loan 0 14 Di,et Prem. (1 2 New ditto ditto 0 2 Disct, 6,200 0 0 Bank of Bengal Share._ „ 6,000 0 Disct, RATES OF EXCHANGE. BOMB A Y.—Sept. 27. On London at six Months' sight, at Calcutta at 30 day5...106 2 Bombay Rs. per 100 Sicca Madras at 30 days... 00 Ditto ptr 100 Madras Remittable Lean 134 5 Ditto per 100 Sicca Old 5 per Cent lO6 t 3 Ditto ditto New 5 per Cent, lOB 8i Ditto ditto MA. Arrived. Dug. O America 1 O Brazil O Buenos Ayree 1 Dublin 0 O FlAnders 0 O France O Gottenburgh 2 l Guernsey&Jer.ey 0 Arrived. Due. • Hamburgh 0 O Holland O Jamaica 1 Leeward Islands O Lisbon O Malta 0 1 Mexico O Waterford NIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO—MORROW. Muruing ...IS minutes after 2. Evening .31 minutes after 2. Nt - Etr 44 444 DAY AT ONE O'CLOCE:I, 'South Sea Stock Old Annuities New Ditto Ex. Bills, £l,OOO 2d. 53:54 pm. Ditto 500 '2d. ' 53 54 pm. Ditto Small Ditto Commercial hank fbr Account India for Account Cons. for Acct SVA Tills DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. i Neapolitan — Perurian Bonds Portuguese Bonds 'Prussian, Old Ditto, New — Russian 941 Spanish, ;821 9% .- ... • 1E123 _ , French Rentes, sp. c. —f —c. Exchange —f. —c. 3 per cent. —t. —c. 1 — Exchange —f. —c. DAY ♦T ONK O'CLOCK. PRICES OF SHARES THII Anglo Mex. Min. Co. (las. at 5!. Brazilian Imp. Mm. Co. (iss. at 5!. British Iron Mining Co. Real del Monte Mining Co. United Mex. Min. Co. (its. at 2/ Paid. l'er Shiite min.) XlOO 23 pm.) tip) 54 4*4 5% 400 130 pm.) £39)4 ION 51, DUBLIN, MALRCH IS. PRICES OF Iklsll STOCI Bank Stock Consols, 3 per cent . Gov. Stock, 334 per cent 0534 Ditto, New 95% 4 per Cent. Gov. Deb. 334 percent 90% Royal Canal Stock Grand Canal Stack City Deb. 4 per cent. Ballast Office Deb. 4 p. e. 'St. Patrick Incur. (per sh.) Royal Irish Ditto National Ditto Patriotic Ditto Hibernian Bank Provincial Ditto Royal Irish Mine Imperial Mine Mining Co. of Ireland 14% Commarcial Buildings i