The Sun. — London, England, 1846-05-08 00:00:00

of the offices which they had vacated. Again, in the year 1 822 it was deemed expedient to abolish some sinecure offices in the Law Courts. The .ffice of prothonotary of the Court of King's Bench, and he riiiemor of the Court of Common Plea., which t,ffices were held by nobi t .mr o , who in vaeating their office% received ompen-anon tr. th.- full ~mount of th e value of their situations. It would also be foun.i that by the Act 3 and 4 William IV., sec. 81 cap 94, and by the 2 nd 3 George IV., compensation to the amount of several thousand rounds was awarded to Tersonl whose offices had been abolihed. The Act for compensation to the six clerks bad received the deliberate consent of the Legislature, and be asked if it would be fair to repeal that 'Act now, and to de ?rive those individuals who were receiving compensation under Its provisions of their incomes. His Hon. and Learned Friend saw that the Lord Chancellor had not fully investigated the justice of these claims. He entirely denied that. The amount of the fees had been fully ascertained, and the Lord Chancellor had exercised due caution in inquiry into the mat ter. The Lord Chancellor had on every occasion adhered to the minimum which was allowed for compensation, and be also required a reduction to be made on account of bad debts before he would make any award. He admitted that the public had paid a large amount far the abolition of the offices, but not more than the justice of the case demanded. These offices were entitled to the remunera tion which Parliament had awarded them. The Act of Par liament had given the Lord Chancellor the po ser of appoint ing six taxing officers at 1,004, a year each. The Lord Chancellor had made those appointments, and he (the Atter neY- General) believed that tho e appointments had been made with advantage to the public. Those officers wero selected from the clerks in court. The Master of the Rolls had power also, under the Act of Parliament, to appoint four officers in the court, and he also selected those officers from the clerks of the court. Would the House, then, dispassir nately and calmly consider whether they were justified in acceding to the motion of the Hon. Member for Kinsale. These persons respecting whom the motion was made had a vested interest in their Offices, and if they were deprivei of those offices, it could Only be done by giving them full and fair competition. Mr. HUME said it was certainly true that he agreed with the principle of the Bill which gave these compensations, but he never could have supported the details of the Bill which had been alluded to. It would be presumptive in him to at tempt to draw the line of demarcation where compensation should cease, but he thought the Right Hon. and Learned Attorney-General, having cited the only, though a doubtful precedent, which had occurred in Ireland, in justification of these compensations, had failed to make out a good case for the Lnrd Chancellor. —( Hear, hear. ) The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—I could give you many other precendents. The Irish case is by no means a solitary one.—( Hear, bear.) . _ hail establi•thed rights ; and in this else the parties who were in the r•ceipt of compensation, were justly entitled o a rea sonable eoln en , ttio.. It th , t. es wet- ; , 1 tt-'•( A' if exorbr ). ;t t cool 0.9 - i a u • •a tf,e 1r qui4 y :4"11, ‘,. rt „ iir ,1•! for or., should 0.,t object C e. Lira:, he ) i 3 t if the uecla; ed obj. , ct of this mottos was to inculpate the conduct of the present holder of the Great Seal—( Cries of No, ne," )—he was certainly prepared to vote against them. He (Sir James Graham) denied that the conduct of the Noble Lord was anything but pure and irreproachable in this matter. He denied, too, in the most distinct terms that this was a job. He believed, on the contrary, that it was carried out on sound and righteous principles. He was of opinion, too. that by this Act an immense abuse had been removed, and he did not deprecate this discussion, because it would, no doubt, tend to set the conduct of his Noble Friend the Lord Chancellor right before the public, although he had been dealt harshly with on the present subject. He was certain that the conduct of that illustrious personage had been perfectly pure and disinterested throughout the whole of the matter. —(Hear, hear.) Mr. F. BARING was prepared to vote for the Committee. though he did not thereby intend to impeach the conduct of the Lord Chancellor in the slightest respect. He conceived that the argument of the Hon. and Learned Attorney-General was perfectly untenable. He had no hesitation in stating that the Treasury was an efficient check in the framing of that mea sure.—( Hear, hear.) He would ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the eighteen compensation clauses had received the sanction of the Treasury ?—( Hear, hear.) It was absurd to say . that the House was responsible for the passing of this Bill of eighteen clauses, brought in at the end of the es sion, and passed in a week. The Treasury should be respon sible.—( Hear, hear.) The public looked at the measure with extreme jealousy, and he thought it should be a warning to the House not to interfere in compensation cases. He thought the most satisfactory course would be to appoint a Committee. Sir J. GRAHAM stated, In explanation, that the Treasury had no control whatever over the Suitors' Fund; that the whole management rested with the Kt eper of the Seals. Mr. C. BULLER considered it unjust to plunder those per sons of the compensation which had been awarded to them by Act of Parliament. Lord Lyndhurst, when he came into office, acted in the spirit of true reform, and being desirous of placing the law courts on a bet ter footing, he referred the matter to a Committee, composed of gentlemen who reflected honour on their profes sion by their conduct—conduct which he wished to God he could see imitated by gentlemen of his branch cf the profession ---the common law. They were nor actuated by any desire to benefit themselves—there was no party feeling displayed on the occasion, and he hoped there would be none upon the present. The real question for the House to decide was the amount of compensation to be given. The only course which the Com mittee thought they could adopt in discharging their public duty was to inquire as to the amounts usually given by the House. They looked over all the Acts of Parliathnt on the subject, and they found that the usual ratio of compensation was three-fourths of the amount of salary received. They could not, therefore, be considered as acting wrong when they awarded as a minimum this rate of compensation. This sum was not so much as had been awarded by Lord Cottenham in compensa tion to the clerks in the Court of Exchequer. The Act upon that occasion stated that the compensation was to be at the rate of not 'less than three-fourths of the salary, whereas Lord Cot tenham actually awarded seven-eighths ; and in the average of salaries they threw out of the account altogether bad debts. he Lord Chancellor, in the instance before the House, gave three-fourths of net profit. after deducting bad debts. (The Honourable Member here entered into some calculations with respect to confiscations, which he said thought it would be impossible for him, even though possess e of all the mathemati ca l k now l e d ge of Newton himself, to mak, clearly understood by the Hon. Member (Mr. Watson ). H. then went on to say that it was a scandalous thing that those places should have been allowed to be saleable, and that Govern. ment should then turn round and attempt to deprive of compen sation those parties who t ad purchased those places under their sanction. These persons had a perfect right to rely on th. legality of the fe es t h ey were shoved b y the court, and no on. had n ever contested their legality. The sanction of law hat been given to them in as decisive a way as if they had beef embodied in an Act of Parliament. He considered that i• they repealed the Act—if the, adopted the resolution o' bit. Honourable Friend, they would be doing a grievous injustice tie was certainly of opinion that the levying of these fees upon the suitors in the court was most burdensome and unjust, an , was a grievance which should hardly be allowed to exist for him to denounce in 1846. He could not see an argument for the fee system ; it was introduced first in order to pay the ex penses of work and labour, and offer an inducement that it might be done expeditiously, but as that system was done awa% with there could not be any pretence for continuing it longer. He was sorry :for trespassing so long upon the House, but, differing in his opinions upon the subject from those on his side of the House, he thought it his duty to come forward and state his opinions frankly to the House.---( Hear, hear.) He trusted that the time was coming when these fees would be entirely done away with, and justice would be rendered cheap and ac cessible to the people.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. B. ESCOTT had listened to the debate with the greatest satisfaction, and especially to the statement of his Right Hon. Friend, that the Government were determined not to resist inquiry into these abominable extortions. The question was one of great public importance, and be could wish that nothing of a personal nature would be mixed up in it. He thought the Right Honourable the Attorney. General (differing as he did with him in most of his opinions) had proved one thing, namely, that the Lord Chancellor had only acted in strict accordance with the Act When this Committee was granted the principle under which compensations were granted must be considered. Na one yet defined the legal principle of compensation. It- had been stated by the Attorney. General and the Member for Lis keard that these offices were estates, and for that reason were offered for sale in the market. He never heard of such abuses as 'were connected with these Offices, and if the judges sanc tioned the sale of them, it was high time for that House to put an end to such a system. It was said that the motion most not be granted, because it would interfere with an Act of Par liament.' He would vote for it, because it repealed the Act - of Parliament, and because it would have the effect' of repealing many of those abuses which at present existed in the courts of law. He denied the legality of these fees, and he would like that question tb be tried in a court of law. He would ask the Attorney-General, if they were legal, why were they reduced ? ----( Hear, hear-) The very fact of these officers submitting to. the eeduction proved that they did no t rest upon a legal founda tion. The Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State said that it was a novel course to reconsider the question of compen sation when it had been already decided upon by that House. It wasa novel practice he admitted, and it was only a novel pro ceeding which would put an end to the abuses which were- a stain on the ermine of the Judges who presided in those courts. Mr. R. YORKE was now, as on former occasions,of opinion that the subject was a very fit one for re-consideration. It came before the House at a period when it was extremely thin, the Members present varying from 27 to SO, and when the Go vernment were hurrying on measures with railroad rapidity. He himself acquired all the knowledge he then obtained on the Bill from the gentlemen who were promoting it.—( Laughter.) Mr. ROM ILLY said that the mode of collecting the fees in the Court of Chancery was one to which no responsibility was attached ; there was no check whatever upon the persons em ployed in their collection. He, therefore, contended that the system was one which should be inquired into, with a view to its abolition. With regard to the other part of the motion, he thnught it most impolitic. The House had decided upon it already, and though it was done hastily and wi lout due consi. deration, the question could not now with any degree of justice be , re-considered. It would be a monstrous thing, after the lapse of five years, to reverse that decision, but he must say that the compensation was excessive. He should, however, vote for the motion, believing as he did that it would result in alter ations with regard to the system of fees which would be benefi cial to the courts of law themselves as well as the country at large. Sir J. HAN 1 1E11 supported the motion. Sir R. PEEL said it was the wish of the Government that there should be a full and efficent inquiry into the payment of those who held such offices. on for also checking abuses in their payments. He was against that eyttem which gave to persons a rate of compensation far greater than they were en titled to. When he was Secretary of State for Ireland, he was much struck with the very heavy rate of compensation which was given to those wh' had held offices, and which were really sinecures. Rut he felt that they would be cramping very much the m eans o f reforming the abuses complained of, if those, were they wb omw theer e n o r. adopt suchn was spirit had, feel u t l i t at m they to be injured by any steps to be taken. This he felt to be the case, from his acquaintance with such matters while Secretary of Stat.. f or I re l an d . They received from such persons informa tion, which, if they were to understand that by the inquiry, they would not receive. There was a great abuse in giving over -compensation to those officers. They were givingsuch an amount as the House would not give to the officers of theUrown—such as they would not give to their own Speaker. He could assure the House there was no objection on the part of the Government for a t • and inquiry, s net setrch.ng androposed they only had an o bj ect i on to the mode by c whi 'lt pto be made. H e cou ld not agree given to was inquiry into those c ompensations by theLrd any o Chancellor, f or he had given them on the gronnd of an Act of Parliame n t, and e t he (Sir R o b ert P eel) had the greatest confidence i n his Noble and L earned Friend's judgment and impartiality . For fifty years p rev i ous to 1839, there had been given a remunera tion far above what the justice of the cases merited ; and the lion. Member who brought on this Bill spoke of those great abuses as if they were chargeable to the Lord Chancellor. This House recorded by an Act the sale of those professional offices, or at least passed an Act which made remuneration the right of the parties ; and this was acted upon by one of the most faultless Lord Chancellors of Ireland—he meant Lord Plun kett. The Act of Parliament provided such a compensation as would allow men of honourable characters and acquirements to take such offices. They hadabolished sinecures where there might have been some excuse found for continuing them, but they had allowed abuses to exist where there was no public claim— where, in fact, there was nothing like a claim to support them. —( Hear, hear.) When it was recollected that i n t hi s case the Lord Chancellor gave the minimum of what Parliame nt allowed, year 1840 the Act w as what could be expected. In the ton Leigh, and that Act was nut brought in by Mr. Pember brought in without notice, and it was not passed by that House in a partial manner ; and what was it that could be found fault with in its powers? Let them propose such an in quiry in a manner that would not reflect upon the Lord Chan cellor, and he would promise, on the part of the Government, their cordial co-operation in enacting a law for the future. After a few wards from Mr. WATSON, strangers were ordered to withdraw, when there appeared to be For the motion Against it Majority MR. SMITH O'BRIEN. The Hon. PIERCE BUTLER said, that he had given notice of a motion to the same effect as that upon the paper from his Hon. Friend the Member for Galway; but he could he been assure the House that he would not have done so had such a aware that the Hon. Baronet had given notice of motion. He was sorry for the error he had committed, andt , begged to apologise for t • • but had he been able to bring it on, he could assure the House he was fully prepared to discuss it. He would, however, bring on a motion to an effect somewhat similar on an early day. Sir C. NAPIER wished to know if the returns he had moved for in the early part of the session would be laid upon the table of the House? Mr 2 HUME said it did not matter to him how many prece dents could be produced, because that would not alter the state of the case ; and lie for one was convinced the public generally looked upon this as one of the grossest jobs that had ever been perpetrated.—( Hear, hear.) It might be urgod, if this case were to stand good, that if capital punishment were abolished the hangmen of the country would be entitled to compensation. —( Hear, hear.)--Well, he was not opposed to giving it, but let the compensation be just. It was alleged, however, that the compensation' in the instance now before the House was un just, and he, therefore thought there ought to be some inquiry into it, in order that those persons who had awarded it might be deterred in future from violating the confidence which had been reposed in them, on behalf of the public.—( Hear, hear. ) Some of these fees, it must be clear, were manifestly unjust, and wrongfully imposed on suiters, and this, in his opinion, was an additional reason why his Hon. and Learned Friend should have his Committee.—( Hear, hear.) For it was the duty of the parties appointed to take these fees not to take more than the old law allowed. It was no use to tell him that they had become just from usage. if the law of the la. , d—the sta tute law of the land—did oat sanction them. they had no right to be taken ; and, still more, the parties taking them had no right to compensation on their abolition.--t Hear, hear.) It was on these grounds that he supported the motion of his Hon. and Learned Friend, and he hoped those who had unjustly taken fees and received compensation on their abolition in the pro gresses of legal reforms would be held up to the public indig nation.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. B. WILLIAMS said there had been a great deal of s_pecial pleading on the part of the Hon. and Learned Attorney - tieneral, who had avoided the real question before the Howe. widely was simply this—Were these fees taken by those parties to whom compensation had been given legal and just ?—and it was the bounden duty of the House to take this question into their earnest and serious consideration —( Hear, ),ear.) If the Lord Chancellor had granted compensation for illegal fees, he ought to be held up to public indignation. But why was the matter left to the Lord Chawceller ? Why was it taken out of the hands of the T: easury, which was the proper place for de ciding the compensation? Why, the fact was, the whole affair was a most palpable job. This was plain enough, for one of the parties, a Mr. Wainwright, who received a portion of this large compensation, drew up the Bill legalising the compensa tion, or rather, he ought to call it, the job.—( Hear, hear. ) But if the compensation were fair and just, why refuse this inquiry? It was all nonsense ; the compensation was grossly unjust; and Government, in refusing the inquiry, were vir tually acknowledging it to be so. —( Hear.) The Hon. and Learned Attorney-General, however, said the Bill granting the compensation passed through the House after it had under gone the most careful and deliberate consideration, but this was not so, and he for one dared to say it was • smuggled, in stead of cautiously . passed through the House.—( Hear, hear. ) Oh, but (said the lion. and Learned Attorney-General) it the Hon. and Learned Gentleman the Member for Kinsale had so many objections to the Bill, why did he not on the third reading, or during its progress through Committee, attend in his place in the House, and state there what his objections to this mea sure was ?—( Hear, hear.) Was it not easy enough to explain why an Hon. Member who was a member of the learned pro fession, eeiiild not be in his place on a particular occasion ? His professional avocations might be the cause of his not. being pre sent, and. they had a remarkable instance of this a few nights ago, when a compensation case was under consideration. The lion. and Learned Attorney-General, he believed, was in favour of, and took a deep interest in the Danish claims, but, from a similar cause . to the one he had already alluded to, the Hen, and Learned Gentleman was prevented- from being present when they were under dis cussion.—( Hear, hear.) Rut why need he follow the Hon. and Learned Gentleman in this train of special pleading, when everybody knew that the public, bad long ago made up their minds that thiiieise of compensation was a most palpable job ? In his 'Opinion would be' more becoining her Majesty's Govern -meat if They skre,te accede te, instead of refusing,.the Committee.-( Hear , hear.) At all events, if t h e y pers i ste d i n refusing it oped the Right Hen. Gentleman, the Chancel lor of the Exchequer,. would get np in his place and tell the House whether this enormous compensation agreed•with his views or not.—( Hear, hear.) He was sure if the Right Hon Gentleman spoke conscientiously, it could net, and for this and the other reasons he had stated, he should vote for inquiry. Sir J. GRAHAM was very unwilling to trespass upon the attention of the House on a question which involved legal technicAties,„ but after the speeches which had just been ad dreaseorfif (he House by Hon. Gentlemen on the opposite ben - Ches,' he felt himself bound to make a few observations. There were some observations that had fallen from the Hon. Member who had last addressed the House that particularly rendered it necessary for him (Sir J. Graham) to trespass upon the attention of the House before they went to a division. After those observations he was by no means prepared to vote for a Committee of inquiry of this sort, although he was of o pi n i on certainly that an inquiry inte the fees received in the courts of law and equity might be very useful.—( Hear, hear.) But he was bound to resist the motion after what had fallen from the Hon. Member for Montrose (Mr. Hume), and the Hon. Member. who had just sat down ( Mr. Williams), because they had designated the proceedings under the Act in question as the job of jobs.—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Montrose had said that it was impassible, in his opinion, to ask for a repeal of the Act of Parliament under which these com pensations had been granted, and he went on to say that these compensations were in his opinion irrevocable. It had been openly stated that the objection of the Committee sought for was to inculpate the projectors of the . Bill. Now that ex pression showed that they had prejudged the question ; the ) had said that it was " the job of jobs." Lie (Sir James Graham) had the greatest possible respect for the Lord Chan ce ll o s, and he was quite satisfied that his conduct in this matter was pure and irreproaehable • that had, in fact, b een proved by the speech of his Hon. and Learned Friend the At torney-General. The Hon. Member for Coy ntry (Mr Williams) had asked what right had the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when this Bill was introduced in 1844, to antici pate that the amount of compensation would be so great as it turned out to be? He Sir (James Graham) would have given the same answer as had been given by his Right Hon. Friend, rig., that the _precise amount of the fees had not been t hen as certained. lie certainly was not aware at thetimet s hat this Act passed that the amount of compen s at i on w ould b e large. —(Hear, hear.) But he did not think that o wasthe question before the House when the measure was passed. i n The ques tion for consideration was. were these compensations just principle ?—( Hear, hear,) This Bill came down from the other House of Parliament with the highest possible authority. An inquiry in reference to the fees was conducted by the Master of the Rolls, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. Pemberton Leigh. Those Commissioners gave every attention to that branch of the subject ; and he was informed , and rea l t y believed, that the draft of the Bill was altered and reprinted three times before it came down from the other House. When the Bill was introduced, the Lord Chancellor was ill, and could not attend to his duties in the House of Lords, and he, there fore, had not charge of it in the other House of Parliament. But the Bill was introduced by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Langdale, and the question to be considered was whether the principle o n which those compensations were to be granted was just or unjust. This Bill laid down certain principles. In the Exchequer case seven- eighths of the fees which had been taken for a. number of years formed the basis of compensation, but in this Bill the minimum was fixed, not at seven-eighths, but at three-fourths. A discretionary power was given to the Lord Chancellor to limit strictly by Act of Parliament the amount of compensation to three-fourths of the amount of fees that had been received in the three preceding years. He remembered during the progress of the Bill, and he was sure the Hon. Member for Montrose ( Mr. Hume) would also well remember, a discussion that took place about a particu lar gentleman whom the Bill would sffect.—( Hear, hear. ) And if he mistook not the Hon. Member for Liskeard (Mr. C. Buller) said a clause should be inserted in the Bill for his pro- Section. The Bill did not pass through the House withont ample discussion and consideration, and he would again say that there was nothin g of novelty in the Bill, and he would repeat that what the Commis‘ti tiers hail to inquire into, was not the the. amount . of the f ees , but justice of th e pr i nc i p l e l a id d own i n BillAssumingieneosw,,hfeor a moment that the fees heretofore received were legal could not conceive anything more goad than the principle laid d own of thef in the Act. Now, this brought him to the legality Hear, hear thought that it wasinonthtchafitrpsteinltacteLets—th(is debate mai ) n — ly an ia ( u l n i g 'e . —(Hear.) But, place, ie tte fees in question were e, d if he mistook not, in fixed by the Lord Chancellor the year 1943. The fees were review to 3o the state of the tailor Erskine in the year 1807, and he b elieved by the Lord Chan them were reduced. The fees referred But the business of that some of business of the Courts Chancery. f t h e increased since that period. The legality peared to him to be established in a most remar ka ble manner. placed beyond They were legal b u y prescription and usage in t he Courts of appointed had Chancery from da to day, and their legalitbyeewnas all doubt. The Commissioners that had come to the determination that the amount of compensation of fix a i se had the Le rd should not be less than three-fourths of the fees t h at were re_ amount re ceived in the three preceding years. T -n n o c Chancellor a discretion by the Bill of compensation to a certain extent. Its no ca n s g e t l e i the Lord Chancellor give the full amount of the fees received ; i n every t case, without exception , his award was , t h e m* • nimum sanc tioned by the Act of Parlament. Wh en t hi s Ac t passed, mistook not, the fees in question amount e d to 77/ by thi s . e -a r s y e d a ' r, if u h d o were rapidly increasing.—( Hear.) Th e e ff ect produced most Act of Pa r l iamen t was to eradic a t e a great abuse — a midable ab use —b o th in its ma gn it u d e and extent;m asotdf hore. fees were reduced trom 77,0001. to 40,C00/. per a toonnum. large, to The n amount of compe ns ation w as cer t a i n l y l arge, but for the f ees were f ee bl e vested r i ghts, as he believ o e t d them have been. The compensation, as he had clearly said, had been greatly reduced, and, in the course of the next twenty yes thin compensation would be entirely extingnished. In fffeT hag these salutar le almuid take especial reforms, they e t he just rig hts of any P ' care not to viola: would not take a lawyer ' s • rtie4- ( Hear. ) He view on this s ubject, but he was most anxious that law expenses should be diminished. He was, however, of opin i on , that the could not, consistent With public o R") 1 4 419 effect these legal refo r m s by ' - '9l an y wirVl Trlaltricr in Pent Martin who Mr. CORRY said that the returns were in course of prepa ration, and would be ready in a few days. ORDERS OF THE DAY. The Leith Petty Customs Bill, and the Railway Companys Bill, were ordered to be read a second time. Mr. A GLIONBY wished to know wi,at course was intended to be pursued with revect to the Salmon Fisheries Bill. It was of considerable importance to the owners of fisheries in the country to know. Mr. FORSTER wished to have a similar question answered. The Bill had already been two sessions before Parliament and nothing had been done. An HoN. Malaita said that he believed that the Bill would be proceeded with; its object was to give better protection and facilities to our salmon fisheries. The Bill was then read a second time. and the report ordered to he received; to be read a thi 'd time to-morrow. The second reading of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Aot was postponed. The Committee on the Danish olainis rras postponed until the 22d. The Election Notices (Ireland) Bill was read a second time, and the report ordered to be received. : The Miitse atcoarne4l et Niro ectook. T Ayr: t.,. an and Dish Union. 42a , 1/ EN TA RY P T7 -SINF , S 6 • Coilnion 4, ) C,071111.11 illtilLS ' DAY, MAY 7 ..4 • • - ',.inton, 22s ~ . • ‘111.•••.%, , • ('-Lim , ot.cv - Vwc,k , unt ''ori.etlt • f,:h.i . rmai)). Mr. I:. Mi. J. 11,1. 11. I.vw;:ier, whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 2 of Rail way Blls, viz. : North Devon, Taw Vale Extension, B‘deford and Tavistock, South Devon (Tavistock and other Branches—No. 1), South Devon (No. 2), West Cornwall, Cornwall. The Select Committee to meet en Thursday, May 21, at one. —Glasgow and Beltast. Union, 41s.- - Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and All, 75!' - Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, 475. Glasgow and Greenock, 17 1 .—Glasgow, Kilinarn,ck, and Ardrossan, 41s. Glasgow, Airdr.e, and Alonkland Junction, 35s.—Glasgow and Dundee Junction, 335. Gd.—Glasgow Harbour Grand Junction, 24s.—Great Indian Penin sular, 12s. 6d.—lnverness and Elgin, 228.—Kilmarnock and Ayr Direct, 355. 6d.—Larne, Belfast, and Ballymena, 17s. 6d. —Lesma hagow, 425. 6d.--London, Bristol and South Wales, 198.—Dianches ter and Southampton, 555. —Midland and Eastern Counties, 20s.— Perth and Inverness, 31s. 6d.—Scottish Central. 171. Ditto, New, 74—Scottish Grand Junction, 245. Scottish Central and Caledonian Junction, 28s. Gd.—Slamannan and Bo'ness, 70s.—South Midland, 51. 33.—Stirling and Dunfer mline, 365. A Committee consisting of -Mr. Deedes (Chairman), Viscount Clements, Mr. J. H. Vivian, Mr. Arkwright, and Mr Farnham, to whom they have referral the Bills comprised in Group No. 10 of Railway Rills, viz. :-- Ballochney (shotts Braneh), Caledonian (Clydesdale Junction Railway Deviations), Caledonian (Glasgow, Garnkirk, and Coatbridge Railway Branches), Monkland and Kirkintilloch (Chapel Hall Branch), Monlaind and Kirkintilloch, Glasgow, Airdrie, and Monkland Junction, Kirkintilloch and Kilsyth, Lesmahagow, Dalserf, and Coatbridge Mineral Junction, Caledonian (Dundyvan Branch). The Select Committee to meet on Monday, May 18, at one. A Committee consisting of—Mr. E. Denison (Chairman), Sir E. Hayes, Sir It. Vyvyan, Major Beresford, and Mr. Clifton, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 32 of Railway Bills, viz.:— Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton, Cheltenham and Oxford, Northampton, Banbury, and Cheltenham, Buckinghamshire (Tring to Banbury). The Select Committee to meet on Tuesday, May 19, at one. • - A Committee consisting of—Mr. Ewart (Chairman), Mr. Gill, Mr, E. 11 eneage, Mr. Maher, and Mr. Pulsforo, to whom they have re :erred the Bills comprised in Group No. 56 of Railway Bills, viz.:— Eastern Counties Stations Enlargement, London and Birmingham (Camden and Euston Stations Enlargement), London and Blackwall, East London Extension, Enfield and Edmonton, Eastern Counties (Tottenham and Barnet), London and Croydon (Thames Junction Canal), Eastern Counties (Thames Junction Branches), East and West India Docks and i.ondonand Birmingham Junction. The Select Commit:ee to meet on Tuesday, May 19, at one. PARLIAMENTARY' DIVISIONS (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons THURSDAY, MAY 7. COURTS OF LAW AND EQUITY. Motion made, and Question: put, " That a Select Committee be ap pointed to inquire into the nature and extent of the taxation of Suitors by the collection of fees in the Courts of Law and Equity, and the application of such fees, and the compensations paid to retired ,ufficers of those Courts, and into the propriety of the continuance thereof; and particularly to inquire into the orders for compensation made by the Lord Chancellor to the persons tilling the offices of Clerk of the Enrolments, Comptrollers of Hanaper, Riding Clerk, Six Clerks, worn Clerks, Waiting Clerks, and others, under the Act 5 and 6 Vic. e. 103, and to inquire into the nature, duties, and emolu ments of those officers before the passing of that Act, and their right to compensation during life and for seven years atter the death of each person." The House divided MINORITY-AYES, 65. Xglionby, H. A. Dundas, F. O'Connell, Daniel irrnstrong, Sir A. Escott, Bickham O'Connell, John Saine, Walter Esmonde, Sir T. Ogle, S. C. dannennan, A. Gisborne, Thomas Ord, William itaring, F. T. Granger, T. C. Parker, John itarron, Sir H. Grey, Sir G. Pechell, Captain lellew, R. M. Hastie, Archibald Plumridge, Captain tlake, M. J. Hatton, Captain V. Powell, Caleb Ilewitt, Reginald Hawes, B. Romilly, John touverie, E. P. Heatlicoat, John Ste =art, P. M. :owes, John Heneage, Edward Strutt, Edward firocklehurst, J. foreman, E. Tattered, iI..W. tro.therton, J. Jervis, John Thoritely, T. Browne, W. Layatd, Captain Warburton, EL tuner, Edward M'Carthy, Alexander Wawn, J T. msteild, William .Maitland, Thomas Williams, W. ;utter, I'. S. 31arslaild, Henry W;nnington, Sir T. 'bristle, W. D. Martin, J. Wy.te, Thomas olebrooke, Sir T. Mitca:te, H. Yorke, H. R. 'ollett, John Mitchell, T. A. rawford, W. S.. Morpeth, Viscount TELLERS. )ivett,',Edward Morris, David Watson, Henry itilleill, ueorge Napier, Sir Charles Hume, Joseph THE_SIJN, LON'DON, :FRIDA Y___:E • rENING, MAY 8, 1846. t MAJORITY- NOES, 80. Acland, T. D. Gordon, Captain Maunsell, T. B. Austen, Colonel Goulburn, Henry Meynell, Captain itaillie, Colonel Graham, Sir J. Neeld, 'Joseph Baring, W. B. Greene, Thomas Neville, Ralph taskerville, T. B. Grimsditch, Thomas Patten, J. W. itenbow, John Grogan, E. Peel, sir Robert lcrkeley, Grantley Hale, R. B. Peel, Jonathan 3o.lkin, William H. Hamilton, G. A. Polhill, Frederick Cowles, Admiral Hanmer, Sir J. Richards, Richard trainston, T. W. Hayes, sir E. Ro'lesion, Colonel itrisco, M. Herbert, Sidney Seymour, Sir H. B. itruges,- W. H. L. Hervey, Lord A. Smith, Abel Buller, Charles Hodgson, F. sakythe, George Cardwell,-Edward Hope, Sir IJ. Somerset, Lord G. Carnegie, Captain Hope, G. W. Spooner, Richard Chelsea, Vise. Hudson, George Stuart, Henry Clerk Sir G. James, Sir W. Sutton, H. M. Cockburn, glr G. Jerulyn, Earl Thesigor, sir F. Corry, Henry Jocelyn, Viscount Trench, Sir F. Cripps, W. Jones, Captain Trotter, John Davies, D. A. S. , Kelly, Sir Fitzroy Villiers, Viscount Douglas, Sir C. Lygon, General Walpole, S. H. Fellowes, E. Mackenzie, T. Wellesley, Lord C, Fitzroy, Henry Mackenzie, W. F. Wood, Colonel T. Flower, Sir James M`Geachy, F. A. Floyer, John . APNeill, Duncan TELLERS. Gaskell, J. M. Mahon, Viscount Baring, Henry Godson, Richard Martin, C. W• Young, John, RAILWAY SII x.RE MARKETS. BRISTOL, MAT 7. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Bristol and Exeter, New, 1014 —Birmingham and Gloucester, 125%—Bristol and South Wales Junction; 17-16-Caledonian, 7%—Ditto, New, 2—Midland, New, 33 1 4—Newcastle and Berwick, 21 -North Staffordshire, 414 p. LIVERPOOL, MAY 7. NEW STOCK EXCHANGE.-The excitement noticed on the 4th of May continued with increased vigour until yesterday, when the slight check given to the London market induced recent purchasers to realise at the best prices they could obtain. The effect produced was a considerable decline-on scrip shares, and more particularly on such as had advanced most rapidly. To-day the market opened heavily, but holders were much firmer at the close. The sales are -Blackburn and Preston, 4% p.-Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire - Junction, 1% EL-Birmingham and Groucester, P 24 =CH theroe Junction, ss. dis.-Derby and Crewe, 3 Direct Northern, 254. Sharse, dis.-Eastern Counties, York Extensions, 1/. 10s. p. -Glasgow and Dumfries, % dis.-Glasgow and Greenock, - Halves, p.-Grand Junction, 226 ex d. and n. -Ditto, New Quarters, 29% p. ex d.-Great Grimsby and Sheffield, Quarters, par-Goole and Doncaster, 2s. 6d. p.-Huddersfield and Manchester, 10s. p.- Liqchlersileld and Sheffield, ss. p.- Lancaster and Carlisle, 19 p, - Leads and Thirsk, 31. 15s. dis.-Liverpool and Bury, 81. 10s. p.- Ditto, New Shares, 1% p.-Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Preston, 1 p. -London and York, 2s. 6d. dis.--Manchester and Birmingham, Quarters (A), 9 p.-Ditto, ditto (B), 9 p.- Manchester, Bolton. and Bury, Fifths, BY 2 p.-Ditto, Extensions, 11. 12s. 6d. p.-Manchester and Leeds, Quarters, 9 -Ditto, Extensions, 3 p.-Manchester, Mid land, and Great - Grimsby, 12s. 6d. dis.-Manchester, Matlock, and Midand, 215.-Midiand Stock, 155=-Nerth Staffordshire, 3% p.- North Union (A). 212% -North Western, 2s. 6d. p.-Nottingham, Mansfield. and Midland, par-North Wales Mineral, 4 p.-Preston and Wyre, 31-Sheffield and Manchester, Quarters, No. 1, 51. 10s. p. -Ditto, Quarters. No. 3, 1 p.-Shrewsbury . and Herefordshire, I Is. dis:-Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester, .114 -Shrewsbury and Birmingham, 12s. 6d. p.-South Eastern, 404 7 ,Ditt0, No. 1 (at IS dis.), 4% p.-Ditto, No. 2 (at 16 2-3 dis.), p. ex d.-Ditto, No. 3, Consolidated, 2% p.-Ditto. New Halves, p. ex d.-Ulverstone, Lancaster, and Carlisle, 17s. 6d. dis.-West Riding Union, 2% p.- York and North Midland, 103-Belfast and Ballymena, 4% dis.- Dublin and Cashel, 5 p. -Dutch Rhenish, 2% p. RANCEIESTER, STOCE EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire, 1 3 / 4 p.—Boston,'Stamford, and Birmingham, 13s, 6d: dis.— Clitheroe Junction, % dis.—Derby and Crewe, 3) p. -Direct Northern, 7-16 dis.—Eastern Counties, Perpetual (No. 2), 7 1-16- Ditto, York Extension, 1 p —East Lancashire, No. 2, 3 3 / 4 p.— Glasgow and Dumfries, 1 3 / 4 dis.—Goole, Doncaster, Sheffield, &c., 3 / 4 c. p.—Huddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal, 3 / 4 c. p. —Huddersfield and Sheffield Junction, 514 p.—Lancashire and North Yorkshire, % dis.—Leeds and Thirsk, 4 3 / 4 dis.—Liverpool, Orms kirk, and Preston, 3 / 4 p.—London and Manchester (Rm.'s), 1 3 / 4 dis. —Ditto (Rastrick's), 114 dis.— London and York, 3 / 4 dis. - Man chester, Bolton, and ltury, Firths, 8 p.—Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock, 5-16 p.—Manchester and Birmingham Continuation and Welsh Junctioo, 13-16 dis. Manchester and Souihatnnton, 3-16 p.— Northuinherland and Lancashire, 18a. die. North , taffonishi re, 3 / 4 p. -Nottingham and Mansfield, par—Oldhatn Disrict, 7-16 p. Pres ton and Wyre, Halves (it), lOs 6d p. Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction, 4s. p.—Sheffield and Manchester, Quarters, No. 3, 3 / 4 P. — Shrewsbury and Birmingham, 11-16 p.- Shropshire Union Railway and Canal, % dis.—South Ml , :land, 1% p.—South Eastern and Dover. Halves (No. 4), Bs. p.—West Riding Union, 3 p. —Whltehaven Mid Furness, 2 3 / 4 dis. LEEDS, Mar 7. STOCK Exctlityox. -The sales are - Eastern Counties, York Exten sion, 235. 6d. p.- Great Grimsby and Sheffield, 3 dis. - Ditto, Quar ter Shares, % dis.-Ditto, Extensions, 14 dis.--Iludderslleld and Manchester, 2s. 6d. p.-Ditto, Extensions, 6s. dis.-Iluddersfield and Sheffield, 4% p.-Leeds and Bradford, 27% p.-Leeds and Dews bury, 2% p.-Leeds and Thirsk, 33 4 dis.- Ditto, New, 2% dis.- London and Croydon, 2214 cash - Manchester and Leeds Extensions, 2 % p.-Midland, New, 1514 p.- Newcastle and Berwick, 10% la- - North British, Carlisle Branch, 26s p.-York and North Midland (East and West Riding), 10 'p.-Ambergate, Nottingham, and Bos ton, 16s. dia.-Birkenhead, Chester, Mold, &c., I% die. -Bucking hamshire, 2s. Gd. p.-Clitheroe Junction, 11a. Gd. dis. -Direct Northern, 10s. Gd. dis.-East Lincolnshire, par -Grand Union, 15s. dis.-Leeds, York, and Midl an d , 2 8s. dis.-Leeds, Wakefield, and Midland, Gs. Gd. dis.-Leicester and Birmingham, 14s. dis.-Leicester and Bedford, I Is. dia.-Liverpool, Ornaskirk, and Preston, 275. p.- London and York, 2s. Gd. dis.-London and Portsmonth, 10s. Gd. dis. -London and Manchester (Rem.), 355. 6d. clis.-Manchester, Bux ton, Matlock, and Midland, 275. p. - Northumberland and Lanca shire Junction, 20s. dia.-North Staffordshire, 4% p.- North Western, 3s. Gd. p.-South Midland, 38s. p.-Welsh Midlands, 22a. dia.- West Riding Union. 41. 13 /1.-Yorkshire and Glasgow Union, 235. die, BULL, MAY 7. STOCK EXCLIANGE.-The sales are -North British, Carlisle, 21( - Amberg,sie, Nottingham, Boston, &c., 375.-Armagh, Coleraine,. and Portruth, 12s. Gd,-Direct Northern, 2-East Lincolnshire. 1U -Gook, Doncaster. Sheffield, &c., 21. 6s. 6d.-Hull and Barnsley Junction, 255. 3d.-Leicester and Tamworth, 245. 6d.-Liverpool, Ov mskirk, and Preston, 21. 7s. -London and York, 19s. (M.-Man chester, Buxton, and Matlock, 31. 75.-Nottingham and Mansfield, 23(, -North Western, ]l. 5s -North Staffordshire, 61. 7s.- South Mid land, 31, 17s. 6d.--Shrewsbury and Birmingham, 34-Shropshire Union, , 295. Gd.-West Biding Union, 4/. 14s. Gd.-Yorkshire and Glasgow Union, 27g. SHEFFIELD, MAY 7. STOCK Excileafoz.—A dull market, and prices less buoyant, 'with a downward tendency in scrip shares. The sales are—Midland, 40/. Shares, 3 3—Grimsby and Sheffield Quarter Shares, 45. dis.— Leeds and Think, 2X dis.—London and York, 6s. 6d. dis.—Leeds, Wake field, and Midland, 3s. dis. — Manchester, Midland, and Great Grimsby, 10s. 6d. di s. — Northumberland and • Lancashire Junction, 18s. 6d. dis.—Sheffield and Lincolnshire, ss. p.—Sheffield, Buxton, Leek, Potteries, and Crewe, 13s. dis.—Soutk Yorkshire Coal Rail way, Is. dis. STOCK EXCHANGE.-ETDhLNe silar es ßG ttr i e l L i lhe AT rd s een, 5/. 155.--Aberdeen, 11. 10s.'-Airdrie Bathgate, V. 11s.-Arbroath 19s. Gd.-Belfast a ll n a d nfi F ; o a rt i :t d r, l 2 ll 7 4 l. il l , Ditto, Half Sharesatlg/.los. 10 s.-Armagh and Portrush, 11 . Us. - Ayrshire and Bridge of Weir, 12s. 6d.-Ayr and Galloway, _ c , al l e 2 d l o . ll l i os.-Ditto, New, 21. tis an 6 d d. Dumbarton, a u rt l if i s o ld n r , e 2 , l. Is. 6d._ caiedonia d i, County Down, 21.-British and Irish --Caledonian Extension, 11. 12s. 6d. 1/. 1 ls.--Caledonian and Northern Direct, 1/. a l and West Linton, 1/. b.-Chelmsford and Bury, J u nction, 141.-Cornwall and Devon C entral, 11. 12s. 64. 155.-Clydesdale Railway, 41.-Direct Northern, 21.-Dublin and Enniskillen, 11. 10s.-Dundee and Arbroath, 391.-Ditto, New, 211.-Dundee and Forfar Junction, 11. IN.-Dundee and Perth, 171.-Ditto, Kinross Extension, 21.-Eastern Counties Extension, 21. 55.-East Indian Railway, 145.-East of Fife, 11. 118.-East Lothian Central and Tyne Valley Junction, IL U.-Edinburgh and Bathgate, 1/. 18s. -Edinburgh and Glasgow, 761. 10s.-Ditto, Half Shares, 181. 155.- Ditto, Quarters, 181. 17s. 6d.-Ditto,ditto, New, 17/. 105.-Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dumbarton, 19s. G 3. - Edinburgh and I.eith Atmosphe ric, 1/. 45.-Edinburgh. Leith, and Granton, 16/.-Ditto, Preference, 18/. -Edinburgh and Northern, 61. 58.-Ditto, Newport, 15s. Gd.- Ditto, Lochgeliy, 11. Is. 6d.-Edinburgh and Peebles, it. 10s. 6d.- Edinburgh and Perth, 21. 35.-Edinburgh, Portobello, and Mussel burgh,l/. lb.-Forth and Clyde Junction, IL IN.-Glasgow and Ayr shire, 741. IN.-Ditto, New Stock, 301.-Ditto, Quarter Shares, 181.- Glasgow Belfast Union, 11. 18s.-tilasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, 21. Bs.-tilasgow and Dundee Junction, It. I3s. 6d.-Glasgow and Gant kirk, 401. 10s.-Glasgow General Terminus, 91.-Glasgow and Greenock, 171.-Ditto, New Stock, 81. 155.-Ditto, Preference, 1/. 15s. -Glasgow Harbour Grand Junction, 11. IN.-Glasgow Harbour Mineral, I/. 155.-Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan, 21. 28. 6d.- Glasgow, Strathaven, and Lesmahagow, 2/. 55.-Granton Junction, 10s.- -Great County Down, It. 10s.-Great North of Scotland, it. 10s. -GreatNorth and South Wales, 11s.-Inverness and Elgin, 1/.- Lanark and Lothians, 21. 25.-Larne, Belfast, and Ballymena. 12s. - London and Hounslow, 15s. - London and Manchester (Es" t.),3/: - 57-LOn don and Manchester (Remington's), 11.-London and York, 21. 15s. 6d.-Ditto, Half Shares, 21.-Midland and East ern Counties, 1/. 18s.-Morayshire, 11.-Newcastle and Berwick, 211. Os. 6d.-Newry and Londonderry, 1/. 75.-North British, 221.-Ditto, Halves, 101.-Dittd, Extension to Carlisle, 21. 14e.-Ditto, Extension to Dalkeith, 61. 155.-North Wales Mineral, 141. 10s.-Ditto, New, 71. ls.-Perth and Cried' Direct, 1/. 125.-Perth and Inver ness, 1/. 11s.-Scottish Central, 171.-Ditto, New, 61. 15s.- Scottish Central and Caledonian Junction, 11. 6s -Scottish Grand Junction, I /. Is.---Scottish Midland, 7/.-Scottish .outhern, IL 13s. 64. --Shrews bury and nereford. 58.- Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester, 41. 10s. - -:south Midland, W. 21. 6d.-Stirling and Dunfermline, 11. 155.- ding and Midla n d. 2/ .- S truthearn Junction, 11. 10s.--Surrey Grand Junction. 10s. Toon and PQVO Valley , 14.-..Wianow and Coltman, 601. GLASGOW, MAY 6 . 11‘944 X#.ll4l6imi I,tl siv—Vriris iIA Batbgatel 66t. AMERICAN NEAVS. THE OREGON QUESTION. THE NOTICE. We have received, rid Havre, most important advices from Washington, to the 16th ult. inclusive. They bring the re sult of the debate in the Senate upon the Oregon questicn. WASHINGTON CITY (UNITED STATES), MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1846. In the Senate this morning there was a conversational de bate between Mr. Allen, Mr. Crittenden, Mr. Morehead, Mr. Clayton, and others, which resulted in an understanding (in formally) that the vote on the resolutions respecting the twelve months' notice to terminate the joint convention rela tive to the Oregon territory should be taken on Thursday. Mr. Huntington, of Connecticut, addressed the Senate to-day at length in favour of a settlement of the Oregon controversy by a compromise on the 49th degree. A message was also received from the President, in reply to Mr. Clayton's resolution of inquiry, which stated that no furth2r correspondence on the subject of Oregon had passed between the Governments of the United States and Great Britain since the 4th of February (the arbitration correspondence). TUESDAY, APRIL 14. Mr. Westcott, of Florida, addressed the Senate in support of the title of the United States up to 54 deg. 40 min., but in opposition to notice, which, he believed, if it did not bring on a war immediately, would at the expiration of twelve months; and as the United States were not prepared for war, he should vote against the notice in all its shapes and forms. Mr. M'Duffie, of South Carolina, said a few words by way of addenda to Mr. Westcott's speech, as that gentle man had attempted by appealing to " Hansard'' to show that Great Britain had admitted the tide of Spain to the territory in dispute. Mr. M'Duffie showed, by quotations from the following page of the same volume from which Mr. Westcott has been quoting, that Great Britain had al ways denied the right of Spain to exclusive jurisdiction in Oregon. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15.—Mr. Samuel Houston, of Texas, addressed the Senate to day in a spa ech in favour of the American title to 54 degrees 40, and advocating the " naked notice" as it is called, or a simple resolution giving the no tice without preamble or qualification it any kind. He in • timated in the course of his speech, however, th.:t a treats which settled the matter on the 49th degree would receive his vote. THURSDAY, APRIL 16.—The Senate Chamber and gal lerie., were very much crowded this morning by persons anxious to see and hear the cLising scenes of this long pro tracted debate, which has extended over nine weeks, and sho to s: 'e to what results it would lead. Mr. Crittenden, of Kentucky, led off in a very able and eloquent speech, in support of the preamble and res:ilutions which he had offered, authorising the President to give the notice at his discretion. Reverdy Johnson. of Maryland, moved the adoption, as a substitute, of the foil--wing preamble and reo...luti .n, which is the same as that offered by Mr. Crittenden, with the insertion of the word " amicable" before the word " set tlement" at the conclusion of the preamble, and the omission of the following proviso at the end of the resolution ;--." Pro vided, however, that in order to afford ampler time and op portunity for the amicable settlement and adjustment of all their differences and disputes in respect to the said territory, said notice ought not to be given until after the close of the present session of Congress." " W hereas, by the convention concluded the 20th day of October, 1818, between the United States of America and the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire land, for the period of ten years, and afterwards indefinitely extended and continued in force by another convention of the same parties concluded the 6th day of—August, in the year of our Lord 1827, it was agreed that any country that may be claimed by either party on the north-west ceast of America westward of the Stony or Rocky Mountains, now commonly called the Oregon territory, should, together with its harbours, bays, and creeks, and the navigation of all ri vers within the same, be 'free and open' to the vessels, citi zens, and subjects of the two powers, but without prejudice to any claim which either of the parties might have to any part of the said country; and with this further provision, in . the second article of the said convention of the 6th of August, 1827, that either party .might abrogate and annul said con vention on giving due.notice of twelve months to the other• contracting party. • " And whereas it has now 'become desirable that the re•-• spective claims of the United States and Great Britain 'should be definitely settled, and that said territory may no longer. than need be remain subject to the evil consequences of the divided allegiance• of its -American and British population, and of the confusion and conflict of national jurisdictions, dangerous to the cherished peace and good naderstanding of the two countries: " With a view, therefore, that steps be taken for the abro gation of the said convention of . the 6th of August, 1827, in the mode` prescribed in its second article, and that the at tention of the Governments of both countries may be the more earnestly and imatediataly directed to renewed efforts for the Amicable settlement of their. differences and disputes in respect to the said territory; "1. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of . America in Congress assembled, • That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby. authorised, at his discretion, to give to the British Govern ment the notice required by its said article for the abrogation of the 6th of August, 1827." Mr. Allen moved to amend this substitute by striking out the second and third paragraphs of the preamble, and in serting an extract from the President's Message, commencing "And whereas it has now become the duty of Congress," &C. Mr. Pennybacker, o f Vi rg i nia, then rose, and. spoke at some length in explanation of his 'reason for opposing the substitute. The question being taken on'the amondment proposed by Mr. Allen, it was decided in the negative:, by a vote of— yeas noes 32. Mr. Allen moved t o l ay • the resol u ti on reported by the Senate Committee on f ore i gn affairs 'on th v table, in order that the resolutions ad o pt e d b y the House of • Representatives might be taken up and an d a2ted upon, whict: I was agreed to. ' Mr. Breese, of Illinois, then noved to ame vd the substi tute by striking out the wor d s " at his discr, Il i on " i n t h e resolut on. fhe questi on b e i ng taken, the mot ion was de cided in the negative by a vote, of —yeas 22, noes 12. The question was the n t a k en on the adoption o. r t h e sub stitute, and decided in the affixtuative by a vote of— •.± 7 e" 30, noes 24. Mr. Allen then spok e a t some length in opprsition solution as thus modified, d ec l ar in g his intention t , 1 vote Agsinst it even if he v o t e d a l eme. ,to the r M. Gitte,deri replied to Me. Allen who rejoined, and • Mr. Crittenden sur-rejoined in a straits of great severity Uwe 'ells Mr. Allen. The Committee of the whole having reported the amend • mont to the Senate, it was concurred in. The question then recurred (At ordering the joint resolution to be engrossed and read a third time, which was decided in the affirmative by a vote of—yeas 40, noes 14. So the Senate agreed by a majority of 2G out of 54 votes to adopt the resolution as amended, which will now have to be sent back to the House of Representatives for its con currence. WASHINGTON, APRIL 16. Mr. Slidell has returned from his mission to Mexico with out having accomplished anything whatever, Paretes posi • tively refusing to receive him as a Minister Plenipotentiary, though, it is said, they are willing to receive a special com missioner to settle pending difficulties. Simultaneous as it would appear with the orders for Mr. Slidell to return to the United States, General Taylor re ceived orders to march the troops under his command from Corpus Christie to the Rio Grande, and they are now oppo site the city of Al atamoras, having put the - Mexicans into a tremendous fright, so that the Government official there set fire to the Custom-house, and ran off as fast as he could. It is said that the Senate will not act upon any measures of importance sent toit by the House until that body has acted definitely upon the resolutions of notice, which the Senate passed yesterday. The Tariff Bill, which has been reported by the Committee of Ways and Means, is hardly expected to pass Congress this session, nor perhaps the next eithe►. MADRID AND . VALENCIA RAILWAY.—Mr. James Stovold, Engineer, left London on Saturday last for Spain, to make a practical survey of the first section of the line, between the towns of Valencia and San Felipe. a a n te to The Journal des Chemins de Fera t nni i , l u e ne four companies which had united t o form company that which the Chamber of Deputies had conceded t he railroad from Bordeaux to Cette, were respectively entitled to the the Espeleta Company t o y tlat of Baron Sar ge t an d one following on t of Hube rtwo, o a f r s h so a r es— per cent.am e;l Mr. Mackenzie, to one uut of four, or 25 per cent. ; and the other two companies (Casalle and Schnt•ider), having only issued the number of shares allocated to them in the fusion, will effect no reduction in their promises. According to the same journal, the Prefect of the Lower Seine bad sent engi neers to survey the country between Dieppe and Abbeville to establish a railroad between those two towns. Th e receipts of the first section of the Paris and Bordeaux line, between Orleans and Tours, had been during the Ist week, 13196 f. 60c. • in the 2d,. 23,484 E i 70c.; in the 3d, 41,416 f. ; and n the 4th:43,957E—in all, 122,054 f. 30c. From the Ist of May, all the stage coaches proceeding to and from the south of France will employ that conveyance, and the administration calculated on a daily receipt, for travellers alone, of B,ooof. or 9,000 f. The receipts of the Paris and Orleans Railroad during the week ending on the 28th ult. amounted to 170,407 f., exceeding by nearty 16,000 f. those of the corres ponding week of 1845. ThoTse of the Paris and Rouen road, during the same interval, 'were 150,397 f,, or 20,000£ more than last year. MURDERS IN ENGLA'ND,—Mr. John O'Connell, Metn. her for Kilkenny, moved on the 12th of February for a return of all murders that have been 'committed in England since the Ist of January, 1842; specifying the county, Bte , where such murder had been committed, with Other particulars. It appears that the ordinary criminal returns received at the Home.oftice, having reference to cri minals, and not to 'ate parties against whom offences are committed do not in any Ir,stance state the condition in life, and not in at: , ht. to murder stances the to , :ines of persons mnrdered or attempted to he .: uv .eraered nor do these . , contain any record of murders or attempt ,, apprehended. further t There was therefore no direct means of famishing t !den in cases where accused parties have beer . tut particular In forrrattion required by the address, A stimMary of the whole is at! lied, showing the number of inquests, convictio . 116 , etc. From the totals given, it Is proved. that the number of ir 'quests was 440, of which 228 were infanticides. For murder the convictions were 58 ; fdr manslaughter, 51 ; for concealment of tof rth, 27 ; and under the term "various," 4. There were 20 fount% g tin t total stated. There ',insane self-destruction of the accused, 2 ; accused died in prison, 4 ; no bill or acquitted, 99; and cases not ascertained, 190 : match] o followed. There were of attempts to murder 65 attended with bodily injury, and 17 IG6ovoefrnthmeeant atisndedhlortu linsane; 36 eases in not attended with bodily injury, and 10 Nu ultn which reward or bill found, , r the parties: Ivel re acquitted, w w pard e h r i e c o h n 2 ; 9 w h e a c r s o e n w vi a sct offered i n es is o l ) and one which the trial was postponed. Of rewardsi, ofroe,ed there were 35; 28 in cases of murder, and 7in cases of at*iempts 41 marder. There were 8 of the rewards paid, and in 12 CA, • 0,5 . eenviek .011.1 followed, of whch 11 were in cases of murder, and I . In C 455 of as `tempt to mur- I ' der. In four ca es where coal beenvictions t , ,s,k Placee the 4 ' wards offered med, bat not paid. Ir , One case of Mud% r, and four do not appear to have claimed. , In one cu e „f a, acquittal, the reward was clot oases of attempt to murder, pardon IT , $ offered with pu t •uniitry re- Irani 04 the part fil Quyttrumen. 9ti pea , , LAW . 1:41 . TE LLIGENCE, • , y : Ic• M rni • • • ^,r,l TA'CI 11 I , , retawag foreign wines and spirits without license. .1;s Garnbanil an. officer. of Excise, proved going - to de ' fendant's on the 4th of March last, in company with Mr. Reed, another officer. They played at billiards, and after wards ordered a glass of sherry and water and a glass of brandy. A boy who was present in the capacity of waiter went out for the spirits, and in a.few minutes returned with the wine and water and the brandy. He gave the boy the money to fetch the liquor, and when he returned he handed him the change. Mr. Reed, who was present with the last witness, corrobo rated his testimony. Two officers deposed, that.they remained outside, and that nothing was taken in during the stay of their brother officers in the house. The Court gave judgment against the defendant. A second information was then gone into for a similar of fence committed on the sth oflUarch. The same officers proved the case, which was, however, of a very prolonged character, as the difendant's principal wit ness swore most positively that the officers wet e not pi escut at all in the house on that day. Four officers reiterated that they were quite positive as to the day being the sth of March. The Court made some very severe animadversions on the conduct of the witness, and gave judgment against the de fendant in the penalty of WO/. POLICE -INTELLIGENCE. WESTMINS rE le. DESPERATE ATTACK UPON THE POLlCE.—Yesterday, Jo/ Dav;son, Robert Lawrence, John Wright, Richard Morris, and John Smith, five notorious thieves, we re fi na lly exa mined, charged with two murderous and desperate attacks on the police. The Circumstances which led to the prisoners' apprehension are briefly these John Bound, 210 B, was on duty in Orchard-street, Westminster, at about two o'clock on the morning of the 21st of April, when Davison, without the slightest provo cation, slipped suddenly out of a door-way and felled him to the ground with a blow on the jaw, inflicted with a lance wood bludgeon. The fellow again attempted to strike him with the same formidable weapon, but the constable, whose jaw was dislocated, receded a few paces and avoided it. Lawrence then suddenly made his appearance, armed with a similar weapon, and struck Round a severe blow on the back with it, which he was about to follow up when other constables made their appearance, and the fellows ran down Duck-lane, into a court, a place inhabited by persons of the vilest character. The officers followed them, when a despe rate attack was made upon them with bricks and other mis siles of every description from the window of a house, and the constables were much injured. On being joined by two or three other officers of. the same division, they broke into the house and apprehended Lawrene , , Wright, Morris, and Smith, who were the persons concerned in the outrage, and having locked them up returned to the same place in quest of Davison. On ascending the stairs one of the constables distinctly heard some person throw down a heavy iece of wood, and on rut hing into the room found Davison there with four lance-wood bludgeons at his feet, similar to that with which the attack had been made upon Round. Davi son swore, as did the others at the time of their apprehen - sion, that if he had a pistol or knife handy he would us it against the officers, and add d. as he was being conveyed to the station. "'that he would like to serve them as he had done Brennan on the morning." As the sergeant and his men, in consequence of the inju ries thet had received, were unable to attend on the firmer tray the prisoners were remanded until yesterday, when Sergeant Bre; an scat' d, that on Monday, the 20th of April, he went, at about three in the afternoon, to a house in New court, Duck-lane, whert he apprehended a man coinit:g counterfeit half-crowns. He had hardly seemed the man, when he saw the prisoner Lawrence, who was in the Court, fling a brickbat at White, a constable, who accompa ied him (the sergeant). which struck him a violent blow on the face, and knocked him down. A vast number of others assembled, and threw bricks and missiles of every descption, amongst whom, as most active in the attack, he recognised Morris and Smith. There were nearly a hundred persons ass , mbled in the court, and a great many of them suddenly made a ru-h at the room door, whilst others got in at the window. He was, with his brother officers, overpowered by numbers, and the prisoner was rescued. Witness made a leap down stairs after him, but was immediately knocked down, and became insensible. Ou partially recovering, he was • staggering through the court, when he received a blow on the back of the head front a stone or a brick, and he fell to the ground. lie remembered nothing else that occurred until he found himself in a baker's shop, bleeding profusely from a wound in the head. He had been confined to his bed some days in consequence of the injuries he sustained, and was still under medical treatment. _ The two ofUcers who accompanied him, and who were also severely beaten, confirmed his account. It was obvious by their statements, that they had fought as long as they could against the thieves, and been fortunate in escaping with their lives. They pointed out -Davison Its the' fellow principally concerned in rescuing the coiner, who made his escape in handcuffs. Tfrelrisoners declined making any defence, and they were committed for trial. EXTRAORDINARY OUTRAGE -- • AND SUICIDE. ' TILBURY FORT, TR URSDAY.—For several' days -past -the inhabitants of this quiet neighbourhood hava l been greatly excited by. the following most extraordinary occurrence In the course of Wednesday, as a , young female named Caroline Brooks, aged eighteen, living at Hendod-on-the Hill; was Walking from that place to Mucking, she'was costed by a man, who said to her; " I want one - word with OU, and no more." - She replied, "than she did not wish to hold any conversation wish him," and added that .therel ,wa a policeman behind her. He then observed, " Say not a word—if you do, yon'are dead:" She then screainea for as sistance, when he seized her and put a handkerchief into her mouth, and so held it. He then threw her to the ground, and contrived to keep her down, during which time he loaded a pistol with ball, and declared if she again attetifPfeA to . serdain; 'he 'Weida' sheet her. A horse and cart approaching, however,' at this period, he allowed her to get up; and, :holding the pistol before her face, said, "You can go and give any infbrmatiou you like about me ; but if you tell that man (pointing to the driver of the cart), you are dead, forl . am watching yon." - As the cart passed, he took'g purse'ont• of his pocket, griclPltt it before her face. He said he should be dead in five minutes ; and then, taking .her hand, remarked that he.was sorry be had given her so,much trouble. She was afraid' to call to the driver; but, on freeing herself from her assailant, she ran to a neighbourhig house, and the police were apprised of the attack. Two, onstables, named Cracknell and Hammond, imme diately_ went in, pursuit of ,him to war d s W es t Tilb ury , an d when within four Yards of him, Cracknell observed. to his comrade, " That is the man ;" and, ere they could seize him, he - raised the pistol, and shot himself through the head. He died in about a quarter of an hour, and on being searched, a pocket-book was found in his coat pocket, in which was the following writing in pencil:—" Quos Deus suit perdere prizes denzentat. lecke est aka." Gunpowder, percussion' caps, and bullet., were also found upon him, and a picture of John TaWell, the murderer, under the lining of his hat. He.was ifientifled.to be,John Biloby, formerly of the 46th Regiment, twenty. seven years of age, and living •in Tau, street, H:Tslydown. He lett his house on Friday week, and was met by a sergeant of the 46th, near this pl ice, on Wed nesday morning. He appeared much excited and said he was in search of a sergeant of that r giment, who once bad charge of him, to sllo,t 'dm. Knowing that he had a' tempted to destroy himself on several occasions, and believing his mind to be impaired, tl.e sergeant did not heed his threat, merely telling him that the sergeant was in Ireland. He was respectably connected, and gained his livelihood by teaching music. A coroner's jury found " That he shot him velf while in an unsound state of mind." WORTHING. DISTRESSING - OCCURRENCE. About , sv , 9 a.m., yesterday (Tuesday) morning a fire was discovered , n t ,h,n house , of ,Capt. Tinting, 4, York-tei race. It was first „ ere , i ved by one of the family, who immediately gave an alarm' , -1 and on examination it was discovered to proceed from it .e bed-room in front of the house, occupied by Mr. Thoina.‘ Coxhead. Capt. Tinting's son-in-law. Capt. Tinting went in... 9 the room and found Mr., Coxhead lying in one corner in his shirt, • quite stupified. He got him out of the room and .then sent 'to the Town Hall for assistance to'put out the fir. t. Harris, the officer, immediately proceeded to the house. When he arrived there the room was so full of smoke that .no one could enter it. In a short time, however, ht/ . effected an entrance and found the bed clothes bun sling; and the fire had communicated to the floor, whic .1. , was blazing. , Water .was procured, and he succeeded in e_ t anguishing the flames, but not before the bed-clothes and ,curtains were entirely consumed, and the bed and mattress e. 1 much burned. In the meantime medical assistance had latss 'n sent for, and Mr. Harris had arrived and prescribed the proper remedies for Mr. Coxhead, who • was put to bed, , ~,,, id at that time was thought not to be seriously hurt. He „died, however, at twenty minutes past nine in the morning. When Harris first went into the room he found a silver can, ile, stick, with the handle melted off, by the side of the bed, as if it had dropped from Mr. Coxhead 's hand ; and a book, the en . rner of which was burnt, was found amongst the bed-clothes; _from which it would appear that the unforunate gentleman vsSas reading in bed and fell asleep, and that the clothes caught h re. Indeed, Mr. Coxhead, .as be fore he died, stated that; he w reading in bed and fell - ears of age, and has left a asleep. He was about thirty y wife, but we could not learn that he had any children. Th e occurrence has cast a gloom over the town. —Brighton Guardian. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—The Atelpilatory, or Liquid Hair Dye, the only dy e that really ansvOrs for all c o l ours , am 'does not require re-d oing, but as the hal,' grows, as it never fades or acquires tb.at unnatural red or purple tint common t 4. all other dies. Ross and Sons can, with the groatest confidence, A recommend the ?above dye as i n f a llibl e, if don. at their eats blishment ; and . ladies or gentlemen requiring' it are ie_ quested to bring a friend or servant with them to vee hew it :. used, which wilt enable them to do it afterwards without the chance of failure, Several private apartments devoted en. tire!), to the above purpose, and some of their establishment having used it, fife .effect produced' can be at once seen. They think it necessary to add, that by attending strictly to the in. structions given, with each bottle of dye, numerous persons have succeeded equ•ally well without coming to them. Address Ross and Sons, 119 and 1:20, Bishoperate.street,London, the ce. lebrated Perrnquiers, Perfumers, Hair-'utters, and Hair.dyers. A most important addition and improvement to Ross and Sons' Liquid Flair Dye. Ross and Sons most respectfully in. form the publi c that they hare succeeded in producing a Po made, that ' after the hair has wee been thoroughly dyed by i their Atra• dilatory, will keep it in the most beautiful order, and p revent i' ; again showing grey, with no more trouble than al • p'ying way other sort of grease to it. This most astonishing invention is only to be had of them, as above. [A DVERTISEMENT.] SIGHT AND HEARING. : 39 , Alber aarle-street, Piccadilly. Newly-invented Spectacles, Tele scor.es, Open Glasses, Microscopes, &c. Patronised by Generals SiriEdward Paget, Sir Evan Lloyd, Sir John Keafings, Moisten, Frederick Goodfellow, Clayton, Grosvenor Morrison, Dyott Robert son, Mackenzie, Galway, Biggs, Woolf; Murray, Walker, Fox, Price, Lindsay,' and Thackray ; Major Oenerels Slr H. Elphinstone, Sir John Ross. Sir James Cockburn, Achinty, P. Fyers, D. Macleod, .Bouverie Sk J. Macdenall, Sir R. Barton, Sir T. Dallas, and Sir Wm. Eustaneel A.dthirals Lord John Hay, Sir G. Cockburn, Sir George Munday, Sir George Martin, Sir James H. Wliitshed, Sir D . Gold, : Gold, Bass, Alexander, Cu rzons , T om pkinson, 'Hollis, an Vice-Admiral Sir F. Austen ; Rear-Admirals Brown an d N,e7lfted tli P rice &o. Messrs. B. and B—Solomone, Opticians, have in ' Spec tacle Lenses upon a rem 'construct i on . Immediately h ear thaepyp before placed before imperfect vision, that mist and dullness w hic get a. ,, cl brilliant, the eyes IS at onde removed, every object beemensesbrclear and distinct, so that the most, aged imperfect sight and is brought t -, it ee Invisible and ali natural, rt ' l original state. Also, Glasses, 3licroscop , Achrdmatic Telescopes, Opera youthful, natural)] f of most extreme dearness. kinds of Acoustic lustruments,• f9' nlieOpticlans, are not In any way Caution -Messrs. S. and B. Solotrion. n . in _ in their immolate neigh. conne , Aed with a person of the Mille no be cautious, and Olwrve—Only to bouthood. , To prevent taista' , es opposite the York Hotel. be had at 39, Athemarlo-street, Piccadill y, w e dnesday evening at the Dispatches were reeeived on tlis • Gownars o f the We lt India ColonuiPteku, from KIIOIO. _ LITERATURE. SKETCHES OF ENGLISH' CHARACTER. .:.:Ry Mrs._ Gore. - 2 Vat • !rime it:stt ; , ,r; vt• turning over the leaves_ ot_surne. tise,sp.rtf4tito --and so, the lover of human pottraitare, , gcuwn weary At the ordinary, .threeAninett routine, will -find means, of P* Whiling:away PA hear, pleasantlyor even profitably,. in the contemplation of these sketches, whose piquancy attracts, and whose length does net Ore., Like the.con tents of the ,portfolio, they are more or, less correct portraits and caricatures—vrai, vraisembltzble , or'ab,urd, vet all, whether true or false, highly finished or gauche, bear impress of the designer's skill, and evidence his talent, if theydonothing more. In taking sketches of English character, Mrs. Gore has very properly drawn . no invidious differences and. distinctions. . She has looked abroad upon the •publc, and, irrespective, of. per sons, has limned down (faithfully : or. .not) • any .c ,n -spicuous individual that may have p?.ssed ker. In the dramatis personce of these volumt s are. arrayr . (1 'together a goodly compa.ty, who rarely bawl toge.her or Prra" fitm 'A varying group Of many gradations, from the " lady patroness" to the " linkman:" the " Cabinet Ministress" to the "body coachman!' and "Lady's. maid." To sum up the merits of these volumes, .they are brilliant and lively, vigorous, dfective,:and =Using , . But these -merits are not without. drawbacks ; one of the rnovtconspicuous o f w hi c h, an d one t h at greatly, impedes the ordinary vivacity of style, is a manifest atrlttna after wit. Puns upon words and double entendres are intro duce-I in all direction's, sometimes comin 2 . in a s'erires, following eac h other up , line th e after line, till th e ev ide n t effort becomes painful, a constant repetition grows wearisome. And this defeats its own object—avid researches and .endeavoure.the spirit of wit la.lost. It is the child of impulse, not the creature of effort another and a yet graver fault in these !ise t4tracti ve volumes, and one springing from similar source as the foregoing, is the very frequent quotan ei c l .. passages of Holy Writ. In many cases this is aerie chiefly or solely to illustrate some witticism;or to furnish an opportunity for a bon mot, and in such cases it is not only unbecoming but unpardonable. • THE RIIETORICAL READER. By :J. Hindmarsh. Fourth Edition. . . This, worm has .a twofold merit and a twofold value. It instructs by example and ,by precept. flip:ashes a concise summary of the laws of elocution and an admirable compendium of the beauties of composition. In the latter capacity it is invaluable: The selection is comprehensive and well assortkl. Varying from "grave to gay, from lively to severe," it 'includes the chefs d'cruvres of our greatest authors—poets and historians, orators and divines. Not the least intereFting portion consists of extracts from great Parliamentary debates. Among others, we have an early speech of the first Pitt, when full of the impetuous energy of youth, and the immortal discourse of the aged Chatham, worn out by the ravages of disease and time. Setting aside the valuable instructions in the important art of oratory, and the useful fliot-mites which illus!rate the .text, this volume is peculiarly excellent as a compendium of the British classics, and Hs such it should be in the hands of every Ili ish youth. THE H9NEY STE W, A bitiry Tale Tra slated from the French of Myra; by . Mrs. Cooke Taylor. A very elegant and attractive little volume; emliel fished with coloured Oates; and every - page adorns-d With a delicate border of gold. the “nnner Stew of the Countess of Bertha" cannot fail to become -a universal favourite with the young; The story, written by Alexander Ditmax, and&veryfelicitously translated by Mrs. Taylor, has very little in common, -with ; ordinary fairy.tales ; which are for the most part cke a character very unspitable for children. It inculcates the 1u yor benevolence and fidelity in tht. .fulfiltrient of'a prorriS... "The Honey Stew" is an annual feast, given by the Countess Bertha to her humble'tenants ;- which -feast she enjoins her descendants to administer to - th , .irs. The various ways in which 'this promise is kept or ,violated, and its violation visited upon the offender, forms the chief portion of the tale. The work is " got up" in the' most elaborate ;style. The engravings are all coloured •, the most striking perhaps is the one in which the, fifty cooks appear heading fifty enormousbowls.of. the .'honey stew," Their large, round coun tenances absolutely beam with good humour ; and the chef marches first, heading the 'ladle, apparently quite conscious of the dignity of,his'onerous and honourable office. MESMERISM. The following-letter, 'which 'appeared in the Darin Evening Mail, will be read with interest by all, whether believers or, unbelievers„ who have paid any attention to the subject of Mesmerism MESMERISM—TFI 1001. NOTE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUBLIN EVENING .MAIL. have-little doubt' that many` of your. readers, (believers ai' 'well as 'unbelievers in mesmerism), are curious to learn what has become of the 1001, note which was deposited for .six montbsin the bank of Mesirs..Ball . and Co.,.which was (according to .the terms.ofthe Over. rn tiseent in the,priblie papers)," to become the property of any, person; - who, without opening the envelope . in which it was contained, should describe every , particular respecting' the " notesuch at itt number, its date, the bank at which it was payable, &c., and. ho ShOuldli•ead three 'English words, plainly written 'on a slip of paper, which was contained in the satne , envelope with the note." The six months expired. on. the 31st of March, but the time was extended to.the .April 18, to meet the conve nience of a lady, a . professor of mesmerism, and the authoress of an ingenious book on the subject, who ar riv from London in the beginning of the month, and whti expressed a wish to have some time longer to pre pare her claiievante for the test. Six months and seventeen days haying expired o and no person having appeared at the bank to examine the, . envelope, it was opened on the 18th instant,, in the pr e - sense of; .Messrs.. Ball and Doyne, ail one. or two other persons connected with. the establishment. The note pfoved to be a printed cheque .(No. 1,) iistied by the house. of. Messrs, Ball and Co.. for 100/. 'payable to CEdipus, or bearer, and dated the ISt of : October, 1845. The _English Words (written on a separate slip of paper) were, " TO lEdipus alond" 1 -4 translation from the Greek: of :the celebrated oracle delivered .at Delphos, which committed to CEdiptis' -the difEleultpand somewhat dan-, gerouslesk of solving the ,Sphmx's. riddle, on the true solution. of which , depended the , safety of ,his country, and his own.life, The result is well bnoivn; CEdipui solved the - riddl e ; the Sphinx in despair flung herself (or itself) from a rock into the sea, and Thebes "was'saved. ' Perhaps I should add that' although no person applied at the bank toinspect'tbe envelope' containing' the•note; I received a - teiv - communications from different parts of Eng!anti, one from Amer;e4 (but none from Ireland). containing mesmeric revelations respecting the number of the note ; and one letter' (from 'Plymouth) inclosed a picture or (intended) fac simile of it. It is unneces*ary to add, that these mesmerically-inspired persons were mistaken in every particular. All the mesmeric guesses shall appear in a future communica , ion. I remain, Sir, your °bilged servant, SC RUT ATOR. It appears rather extraordinary, that with the reliance placed in the powers of mesmerism, and the ivontlerl ul exhibition made in Public of the miraculous effects it is capable of producing—that no person should condescend to claim the paltry hundred pounds alluded to in the foregoing letter. • GRAND DINNER AT THE MAN SION-HOUSE TO THE BISHOPS. Yesterday the Lord Mayor gave a splendid entertain ment to the dignitaries of the Church,.and their ladies, in the Egyptian-hall cf the 'Mansion-house. Upwards of 150 sat down to dinner, which was supplied by Messrs. Ring and Butner in the finest style. Perhaps there never were so many Bishops assembled under the hos- pitable . roof of the" Mayor's louse" as appeared upon the occasion, which was . the celebration o f.the anni versary of the Institution for the Propagatio n of the Gospel, t e Amongstb r Lincoln,. Ba n g or, ~ thethßeicshomorpsanty,ewßeroechtbseeAr,rciskop of Can- Llandaff, Chester, Gloucester, ' Exeter, Ripon, balls bury, Norwich, Hereford, St. David, Worcester, Chichester, Oxford, Calcutta, Jamaica and Barha does, and their Ladies ; the Dean of Westminster ; Archdeachns - Hale, Sinclair, Manners, Wilb er f orce, and Harrison ;' Lord and ady Courtney ; Sir Ralph L R o u p i s se z ll ; ., Doctor iv ß ia oy n d , a ; n j d li S s p ti r e an g H er i g ; g e th r m e a R n D lZs t s ° r l s s . Dale, j i n ug d h k e in s , (of Oxford), m ),B il i m ck n e n rsteth, Lupton, G oo d- Cstlin Hutchinson Austin, Onsl ow , TU rne r ; Aldermen g Sir C. S. Hunter, Thompson, Farebrother Sir C. Mar s h a ll, Si r W , Mignay, Gibb s , the Recorder, Thomas Wood,- Sir. George Carroll, MusgroVe, W. Hunter, Challis, Hughesilughes, Sidney, and Moon ; the ilev. - Charles and Mrs. Fart brother ;. Sheriffs Chaplin ind Laurie ; Miss Vidler (the Lady Mayoress's sister) Miss &tuber, Mr. William Johnson (broth er t o the Lord Mayor), and his lady , Mr. and Mrs. Delane, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, Mr.. and Mrs. Michell, Mrs. Lewellyn Dr. Turner, Miss Lewis, Mr. tvans (the late Sheriff), Mr. Alex ander,- Mr. Langridge, Mr.' Thompson, Miss Green, Miss Moss, Mr. Gardner, Poynder,' Captain Darkin,•&e. &c. • ' • After the round of 'the usual loyal toasts had passed, The LORD BlAYoßpropsed the health of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and prosperity to the Society for the Propa gation of the Gospel., His .Lordship took the opportu nity to speak in terms of the highest praise of the cleri cal bergh, and declared that it was impossible to have the pure religion of the heart more completely repre sented than it . was by the venerable prelate.—(Cheers.) The Archbishop of CANTrariney,•in returning thanks, referred to the extraordinary success of our missions to distant countries, and instanced the result of our efforts in China as an example of the efficacy of the Christian doctrines, established under circumstances of the most remarkable description.. The Bishop of CaLcurro., in responding to the toast, in which his name had been included, spoke of thene cessity of those who were to give re li g ious instruction in the vast empire pith which his labours were 0, nected. - - . t The evening was full of pleasure, and the shoP Bishops ex pressed their high gratification at manner in which the Lord Mayor test i fied t h e e respect P he enter , tained for the Church. 10.—Chester Bell's. Life in London, SilndnY. -51 4 Y Races.—Fulland exclusive particulars. Every rr.ce timed and gra. p',lcallv described. The opening 01 tne cricket season. Price of, Beira Life (40 fell , columns), 6d. &Ws Life 01 May 3, contained tour folio columns of the five di3:s' 'Newmarket First Spring Meeting, with' a table of thirty-three winners, the amount of the stakes, the time of, each' race, the distance and weights—Chester meeting by. ' Pegasus--Paris races and steeple chases—Florence races —Notes from curragh—lildexes to races, including Ireland—gteeple d i nes_ The ring, regattas, pedestrianism, and CeurSing. and a matchl variety of sporting and general intelligence. Bell's Lifs ess published in time for all them tnfday Ammo= ratiwari s • r Th egUlarl y a Art ex***l4 34,000. * calf SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. CHESTER RACES.-=WEDNESDAY (CoxcLuDED). ' "nil , . Crl..-Our last report carried the betting up to twelve Ti.- ,, !;1:- ri :; •Ili ,• tb' r,,,-9, Ir : ,, ex,,wded until a . . on the tvh.4e, wa..4 dull bryou:t ctfct : i l i, of the many horses quoted, 'we cannot stleet,or. been realiyin force ; is, a remafkable . thet that ort the eve of so great a race - 9.t0 1 should be currently offered on the field! Last vear it Was,only 7 to 4. Layers were not wanting, but the backers appeared resolved to abide the event of the draw," it being very naturally inferred that the best horse in the world, if drawn for the third rank—and a fourth ap peared by no mean* improbable—would.' have little chance of finding his way to the front; short, the same draw, combined with the heaVy state of the ground, gave the race the character of a lottery. The morning was dull, and the -appearances were all in the • favour of rain, but this had-no effect op the attendance, which was a " bumper,'" showing, however, it decided felling off in rank and fashion as compa-ed with last year. Bo th the stands were full, and there can be no doubt - that had the en largenient of the principal one, been to double the extent, the c ,, rporation wouitthave:had nothing to regret. The weather, mfolunately, wasjust what. might have been -anticipated ; it could not have Oen more • unfavourable... The fist race came off-at two o'clock, between which and the Cup an in terval of an hour and three-quarters was allowed for weigh ing, drawing for places, &c. As th,, last-mentioned ceremonial excited considerable interest, we subjoin a list of the horses composing the different ranks. First Rank.—St. Lawrance. V‘ 1-an-Vent, Run', Roderick, Polish, Lady Wildair, Pedometer, -Miss Burns, Vitala, Billy Purvis, and Bro, to Sir Henry. Second Rank—The Baron, Corranna, Sweatmeat, Glossy, Queen of Tyne, Little Hampton, Roper's Daughter, Plaudit, Tire Magni-t, Best Bower. - - • Third Rank—lnheritress, 'lntrepid, Redstreak, Pettit Morceau, Mermaid; Finvaragh, Valerian, Punch, Flahow lagh, Connaught Ranger. • - In all thirty •one starters. It will be seen that three or four horses that . had been looked upon as certain runners, did not come to the post ; amongst them were Clumsy, who is stated to have hit his kg, and was scratched at ten o'clock this morning; Hope, at twenty-five minutes past eleven, and Catartet. - • The .scratching of Hope has excited a very strong feeling of indignation against Mr. _H. l'ennett, and the parties con sleeted-with bins in the ownership She was received into John . Scott's stable with an express understanding that he was to have an absolute control over her ; and although slightly amiss some time ago, was now perfectly fit, in fact p n l e a r t e e r d, lo b okd or ae e kedb, s , v7s t verybegtetnerdent c a o t n ak n e ec ‘ t v e a d s u pa i t id h , th s e lt s e ta s b v i a e s , and Nat engaged to ride her.- To the surprise, therefore, of John Scott, Mr. Bennett, in defiance of the stipulation re ferred to, waited on th e clerk of the course this morning, andthi struck her out ! It is impossible to h ave two opinions of s- flagrant proceeding ; what is thought of it by John Scott is shown by bis determination to send the mare out of the stable the moment his bill is paid. PARTICULARS OF THE CUP RACE. The jockeys, having drawn for places and mounted, paraded in front of the stand, and assembled at the post a little after four, and at the first E ign al got away. Pedometer was the first to take the lead, but, after going two hundred yards, was passed by Lady Wildair, who went on with the running, followed by Brother to Sir Henry, Pedometer, The Roper's Daughter, St. Lawrence, Miss Burns, Vol-au-Vent, and several others; Corranna, Inheritress, Queen of the Tyne, and Valerian, bringing up the rear. They ran in pretty nearly this order once round, the pace excellent for such deep ground. Polish, Vol au-Vent, Valerian, Sweetmeat, and Redstreak, Here. then disposed of; at all events, they made no figure in the race afterwards. Finvaragh here ski.vett with the lea ing horses, but dropped back, died away in a few stride, an I Miss Barns and Glossy took the third and fourth positions, Roderick, Intrepid, and Billy Purvis also lying forward, Corranna and the Queen Atilt in the rear. The race continued in this way to the last turn, and then the front rank rapidly lessened' in number—Billy Purvis who broke down; Miss Burns, Intrepid, and Roderick died away, and Corranna passing them, was about fourth on entering the straight running Before she reached the distance post, Lady Wildair tired, - and Glossy went on with the running, Brother to Sir Henry- second, and Corraona third, nothing else having a chance. This select lot ran together half way up the dis tance, where Corranna challenging * , headed his Gpponents-in • two or three strides and won cleverly by half a length, Brother to Sir Henry beating Glos yby three parts of a length-. .Queen of Tyne by struggling on, .obt a i ne d a fourth place, Intrepid was fifth, ' Pect , dieter sixth, - and • Lady. Wildair seventh. Valerian, Polish, . The Baron, • (who was run against and: nearly knocked down at the back of the course in the second round), Sweetmeat, Redstreak, and several ethers, were pulled up some distance from house. Run in four minutes, forty seconds. Her Majesty's Plate of 100 guineas, for three yrs old, 7st 2lb 'four, 9st 21b ; , five, 105t;.6 yrs and age d, lO st 51b. Thrice round. Mr. G: H. Moore's Wolfdog, 4 , yrs • • (N a t) 1 Mr. - Mostin'a b b,.by&nix, out Cifl'ifirondelle, 3 yrs... 2 Sir J. Gerard's Parthian, 6.yrs o Oolonel Crailoek.'s Jingiepot, 4 yrs. 7t04 on Wolfdog. Won by two lengths. Parthiari made strong running - for nea r ly t wo m il es a half,, Wolf-dog, who had f o lloued him, then took' it up, carried it on to, the, end. , Jinglepot aud Parthian did not pass the post. Run in six minu:es and twenty-five seconds. Sixty guineas, given by the City Members,•for three yrs old colts, fist. 1014; fillies, - 6st - 71b;' fOur yrs old colts, Bst 61b; fillies, Bst 31b, once round'and a dis. Mr. Meiklam's Diomed, 3 yrs. ....... 4 1 1 Mr. •A wenn i t h'i Tree t 4rian,73 yrs 1 -2 3- Mr:'Hairerth4 Robin 'Burns, 4 yrs - - ' 5 s . 4 'fit: Mr. Flintoff's Princess Roval„ . 4 yrs . - ' '3 3 d r Mr: W. Scottnligliffela;3 — Yri . !First and second heats . w, i n very easy. Diomed won the third heat in a canter, but flaying carried fist 6lb-instead of 6st..lolb i le.waa disqualified, and the Leat given to Robin Burns; but as it was tiusk before the 'matter was laid before the Earl of eheaterfividi the deciiing heat w as fixed for die first race ' 'n Thursday. • ;CHESTER; TitURSDAir AFTERNOON FIVE o'cLocE..—Paying aftd receiving for the Cup commei,cei this afternoon, in the apoloiy fOr a subscriptiOn foom,iit the Royal Hotel, but fiorn the want of accommodation for the members that crowded into it, was not concluded when we left for the course. Until the London and Manchester accounts have been closed, it wotlid be impossible to speak with any certainty of the edttling, but as we de not hear of any, great winners, except .1 4 ord Wateif)rd, and Mr. Moor; we may vulture to predict diet it will be easy. It was generally understood last night that Tractarian and Miss Burns were to run a deciding heat fel. the Member's Plate at two o'clock this afternoon ; but it - 13Eving been represented to the stewards that the rider of , lliomed. had carried the wrong weight from the first, the ,stewards went into the cases ihis morning, and deiided that I:Owned was disqualified for all the heats, and that Tractariau. having won the first, and run second fof the next heat, was the - w ;num -of the-plate:. -The - decision made the third heat a `nullity, and of course all bets made after the second heat are void. . _ . The fir§t eVent, a race Prolific of very interesting sport, mias, The Dee Stand Cup Stakes of llisovs. each, and 50 added. Onterouvd'and a distance. (11 Subs.) Mr. Moore's Wolidog, 4 yrs, Bst 21b Mr. Banks's The Duke of Richmond, 3 yrs, 6st 2. Mr. F. Ongley's The Warrior, 3 yrs, 6st .. 4 to 1 on Wolfdog., who made all the running and won by a length. Run in 2 minutes ancl•l6 seconds. The Marquis of Westminster's Plate of 100 soya. added to Wilandicap of 20 soya each, h ft. Grosvenor Course. (17 Subs.; f, of whom declared.) Mr. Pedlev's 111i , s Burns, 7 yrs, Est 71b (A. Day) 1 Mr. Copeland's Arthur, 4 vrs, sst 101 b .. 2 Col. Anson's Rowland tall, 4 vrs, 6st 41b 3 The tbllowing• also s - arted but were not placid:—Mr.' Meiklam's Philip, 6 yrs, B't—Mr. A. W. Hill's The Ironinaster, 4 yrs, 7st 1011)—N1r. Meeson's Fair Caroline, 6 yrs, 7st 61b —Mr. Irwin's The Pride of Kildare, 4 yrs, 7st 31b—Sir R. W. Bulkeley's Chertsey, 4 yrs, 7st 31b—Sir C. Monck's Flattery, 4 yrs, Est 91b—Lord G. Bentinck's Best Bowei, 5 yrs, Est 31b. - Betting-5 to 2 agst Miss Burns, 4to 1 agst Philip, sto 1 agst Flattery, 6 to 1 agst Fair Charlotte, 7 to 1 agst Chertsey, Bto 1 agst any other. Fair Charlotte made the running at a steady pace, followed • by Miss Burns and Rowland Hill, Arthur and Best Bower • lying off; the race went on in this waV to the Ship-yard Turn, where lronmaster and Chertsey fell, and Arthur, the rider of the former, was very serious ly injured. The leading horses ran in the position they too k atsta rt awaying to from the lower Fair vloN er Charlotte, turn ,wher foebilited by s took Bumthe running in e l l aasndHill t eaanbbde;AuartitfiuihulerartudletenhoeenwdliasntadncziAi r a t b u g r oo t h d cn ti c :i h r a d l:e . a n n g d ed E li e e s r t , and sued. the mare winning strid The ewer Deea bad fu Stakes' or 2 .1 n s tu soy in a. 2 meacihn,utwesitad with seconds. added . The second to_receive 501. Derby weights. Grosvenor Course. Arr. W. D. Cook's Fancy Boy (Templemaa) 1 Lord Eglinton's Dal° _ L ce z Mr. W. R. Ramsay's Mal lice L o T ra h e G: f, ' B m e n n w t i i n n : 's also`Pr i n s t e a e r s t s e d A : I colm, Mr. Worthin g t on ' s Sh orston, Mr. F. R Price's Tobac conist, Mr. Mostyn's c•by Hetman Platoff out of Thomasina, Mr. Meiklarn's Alliance, Mr. W. Scott's Driffield, Mr. o , baldeston's King Charles, Mr. E. W. N unn ' s colt by Touchstone out of Siste r to oanna, Mr. E. Peel' s Spi t h ea d. Betting-7 t o 4 agst Malcolm, 4to 1 agst Fancy Boy, 7 to 2 agst Spithead, and 9 to I agst Princess Alice. Alliance made the running, followed by Sharston, all the others lying up in a ruck, Princess Alice in the rear. In this way they ran to the Bridge Turn, when Alliance declined and Sharston went on with the running, followed by Spit head, Fancy Boy, and Malcolm ; Princess Alice fifth. At the ta disneeeuFta,n a c n y Bo da y in P e r r in a by halt a neck. Run in t w o minutes and half seconds. ce ce ss to A ok lic p e l'ac a h two and a place, dD Fancy l osi ß n tl , e w d i them selvesnni ng by three patts of a length, an d Delo beating thirty-two Princess irty o . Alice NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE SPRING - MEETING. oNDAy. _ The Welter Stakes, of 3 i3OCS. each, and 15 added, 12st each, Gent. riders, 2 miles, were won by Mr. Jobling's Royal Charlie, aged (Mr. Clarke). beating Mr. Caley's Beauclerk, aged, Mr. Brown's Amy Robsart, Mr. Carew's Charlie, and Mr. Smithson's Queen of Hearts. The Lark Stakes of 2 soya. each, were won in four well contested heats, by Mr. Lamb's Sunbeam, aged (Livesey), beating Amy Robsart, Royal Charlie, and eight others. EPSOM RAcEs.—The 4 ring," during the approaching meeting will assemble in the Grand Stand enclosure, and the horses, it is officially announced, will be saddled in front. The decorations of the Grand Stand are finished, the whole building has been thoroughly cleansed, and the offices for weighing, and other matters of b us i nes s connected with the races, made as complete as possible. The laws against de faulters, &c., will be rigidly enforced. TATTERSALL'.s—YESTEILDAY. Only seven members present, and not a bet laid. own oafmDeneotenmthueerMloesrtc.hannt eSorvooimceo, t r paper of the income and expenditure of SERVICE.—An account has just been m EncH ANT from the Ist of Ja f the ye v was 20 ,6291. is. 10d.; comprising 18,3151. 16s. 4d. as R t o e i t i l e l -;urtie., 3321. IBs. dead men's wages, 811. 7s. 6d. benefactions, and 1 1 3 , tei ss in h a ite P r a e r s I t ian o efi c a ap Y ital. The Se total expenditure was 23,0411. 16.. 2d . of which pensions amounted to 17,821/. Os. Ild., temporary . relief to widows and children, 2,3261. 9s. bd., Seamen's Hospital So ciety, 5701. 95., and the expenses of management 2,323/. 16s. 10d. po fo a r o, t w h 3 e , In the port of London the receipts were 14,3081. 17s. Id., and the expenditure 15,993/. 13s. 4d. Ily the general accounts for the year the sum received, including the balance in hand, was 23,191/. 19s. bd.. and the sum paid 22,6741. 14s. 10d., leaving a balance in hand of 517/. 4s. 7d. An account is rendered of the income and expenditure at the various ou'ports of the United Kingdom. f ADV ERTISP.MENTI—Cusits OF FEARFUL ULCEROUS SOILES IN NI ALTA, BY . HOLLOWAY'S PILLS ♦ND OINTM E NT.—Mrs.IOCATat Duncan, who.e husband is employed in her Majesty ' s dock y ard her feet. !the formerly resided at Corfu, NI alta, suffered for more than two she denved no• benefit practitioners there. fro ,n ..hem, howev er , s boxes and pots of Holloway's whatever, yearsafroodmwauslcterroeautesdsobryesthne best effected. The truth of thiS Pills and Ointment, a Jou in Malta that the editor of the " itialtm statement is so notor induced to insert the particulars of the Case w ,ao, after perfect e or was Mail" newspaper was In oht4lo. /or 09 of wii. O r etobe s ou r t a li % s wa t, 184&.- 24 6 4 01d , str bLa e ll , L druga ga ls . ta, and a% ~, a