The Sun. — London, England, 1846-05-23 00:00:00

Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, and Deptford-road Trustees, as regarded Trundley-lane, and that the opposition of the Haberdashers Company was also withdrawn, both parties having been satisfied by a clause which was to be inserted in the Bill. As far as the opposition had reference to Grove-street. it depended en the result of certain nego tiations with the Admiralty. If the latter were satisfied with the result of those negotiations, his clients would be satisfied also. Mr. Ramartsobt then replied to the speech of Mr. Wilkins. He pointed out the fact that the Bill had now no opponent but the Canal Company, and that all the persons whose land they would traverse were in favour of the scheme. It was not necessary to remove the existing bridge over the canal if the proprietors of the canal were anxious that it should remain, as the new bridge could be built without touching the old one. On the conclusion of the Learned Counsel's address, the Committee ordered the room to be cleared, and after a consultation of less than a quarter of an hour, announced their opinion that the preamble (as amended) was proved. The clauses were then read : several new ones were introduced, of which one was to give the power to cross Grove-lane on a level ; another was to carry the railway over the road of Trundley-lane, which was originally proposed to be crossed on a level. Some dispute arose as toiwbether there should be one or two side arches for foot pas sengers. It was ultimately deeided that there should be but one. The roadway in Grove-street is to be carried over the railway. It was proposed that the breadth of this road should be 30 feet, but Mr. Power represented that the trustees had it in contemplation to turn this street into a turnpike-road, and that it was necessary for this purpose that its breadth should be at least 40 feet. The Committee, after much discussion, determined to insert the clause as it stood The remaining clauses occupied the Committee up to a quarter to dye o'clock, at which hour they adjourned till Monday at 12 o'clock. STANDING ORDERS' COMMITTEES. HOUSE 4 , F COMMONS. This Committee re-assembled yesterday at two o'clock, and de cided that the Bill for the DUNDEE AND ARBROATH RAILWAY, EXTENSION should be allowed to proceed. SCOTTISH CENTRAL RAILWAY. This case was called on twice, but the parties were not in at tendance. MANCHESTER, BOLTON, AND BURY CANAL NAVIGATION AND RAILWAY EXTENSION. Standing orders in this case not dispensed with. MIDLANDS RAILWAY. Allowed to proceed. —The Committee then adjourned. Y PALIAMENAR BUSINESS. (From the Votes and Pr T oceedings of the House of ammons.; TIILTIOSDAY, MAY 21. RAILWAYS. Select Committee on Group No. 39. lion. H. Liddell discharged ; Mr. avett selected, and appointed Chairman of the Committee. Select Committee on Group No. 53. sir A. Brooke discharged ; Mr. Clayton selected, and added to the Committee. The following Members have been added to the panel for the week commencing Monday, June 8 : Sir R. Ferguson, Mr. Roche, Sir J. Lowther, and Lard A. Churchill. The Committee of Selection have appointed the Select Committees on the Groups Sos. 42, 47, 48, 51, 58, 60, and 65, to meet in the week commencing Monday, June 15. MIDLAND AND EASTERN COUN TIES RAILWAY COMPANY. SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of this Company took place yesterday at the London Tavern, in compliance with the standing orders of both Houses of Parliament; Mr. Cobbold in the chair. The CHAIRMAN explained the objects of the meeting, and stated that his opinion was, that the line was most profitable. Mr. LECHMERE objected strongly to its being proceeded with. The conduct of the directors, who had sanctioned the most extravagant expenditure, was most im proper ; a number of provisional committeemen who had received shares, had not paid upon them, except by cheques which had not passed into the banker's hand. These notes could not be taken, as it was imperative by the sessional orders that they should have been paid upon. The engineering expenses were exceedingly heavy-6,9171. was an extravagant price. The solicitor's bill was exceedingly heavy-3,5001. was an enormous expense. Several other proprietors expressed their strong objection to the scheme being proceeded with. The CHAIRMAYI said that they had signed the deed for the benefit of the Company when the shares were at the greatest possible ,depression, and had therefore rendered themselves liable to an enormous amount of money, and surely it would not be fair to come to a hasty decision without giving the directors time to show the charges brought against them were not false, and until they could justify the items objected to. A long desultory discussion arose as to whether there should be further discussion or not, and whether a committee should be appointed to investigate the charges, or whether they should dissolve. Mr. A. RANSOME said that he did not come into the direc tory till a late period, and he, though holding shares in a great number of lines, had never sold a share in his life, with the exception of five Eastern Counties' shares. Ho therefore was not a very in terested party, and he had only joined the line because he believed it would confer great advantages on the country through which it passed, and he did conscientiously believe that it was a good concern, and would yet repay the pro prietary. He did hope they would allow them a full inves tigation, in justice to them and to themselves, and they would appaint a committee before they would dissolve the Company. The meeting finally adjourned, there not being a sufficient number of scripholders in the room to constitute it legally. The meeting did not separate until past four o'clock. It appeared to be the unanimous wish of the parties in the room that the concern should be wound up. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, MAY 21. STocit Exciwrox.—The sales are—Bristol and Exeter, New, 10U —Bristol and South Wales Junction, 14 —Caledonian, 11—Ditto, New, 154—Midland, New, 311—Newcastle and Berwick, 2 i South Devon, Midland, It p. LIVERPOOL, MAY 21. NEW Srocx EXCHANGE.—The relief which was expected to flow prom the operation of the Railway Dissolution Bill is likely to be frus trated by the tenacity with which projectors still cling to schemes that ought to be abandoned ; and the Share Market is again de pressed in consequence of this circumstance. Both scrips and shares, it will be perceived from the list of sales, partake of the depression, nor can any hope of a reaction be entertained until scriphelders resolve to wind up, and the number of new companies bo thereby reduced. The sales are—Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction, Is. p. —Birmingham and Oxford, 7 p. —B uckinghamshire, Is. 6d. p.—Derby and Crewe, 58s. 3d. p.—Eastern Counties, York Extensions, 140. p.—Grand Junction, 223% —Ditto, Quarter Shares, New, 294 p.—Goole and Doncaster, % dls. —Huddersfield and Man chester, % dfs.—Huddersfield and Sheffield, 5 p.—Leeds and Dews bury; New Shares, 14 p.—Leicester and Bedford, 3 1 A p.—Leicester and 1 amworth, 1 dis.—Liverpool and Bury, 8 p. —Ditt to, New Shares, p.—Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Preston, 13s. 9d. p.—Ditto, Quarter Shares, 27 p. —Manchester and Birmingham, Quarter Shares (A), 914 p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Midland, 234 dis.—Manchester and Leeds Extensions, 2% p—Manchester, Midland, and Great Grimsby, dis.—Manchester, Matlock and Midland 245. p.—Midland Stock, 150—Ditto, 401. Shares 13% p.—North Kent, 1 % —North Staf fordshire, Is. p.—North Wales Mineral, 3% p.—Ditto, New Shares, 1% p.—Preston and Wyre, 31—Sheffield and Man chester, No. 3 (late Barnsley), p.—Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester, 2 dis.—South-Eastern, New Half Shares, 14 p.—West Riding Union, p.—Clydesdale Junction, 3% p.—Edinburgh and Glasgow, 7% p.—Glasgow and Dumfries, Bs. 6d. dis.—Glasgow and Greenock, 17—Bandon and Bantry, 1 1 ,1 dis.—Great County Down, 131 die. MANCHESTER, MAT 21 STOCK Excmotoa.—The sales are:—Birkenhead, Chester, Mold, &c., 2 Is. dis.—Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire, Ilq p.—Black burn, Chorley, and Liverpool, 235. 6d. dis.—Blackburn, Clltheroe, &c., 21s. dis.—Boston, Newark, and Sheffield, % dis.—Boston, Stam ford, and Birmingham, 14s. 6d. dis.—Buckingham and Bletchley Junction, 3 c. p.—Chester and Manchester Direct, 295. dis.—Derby and Crewe, 3 p.—Eastern Counties, York Extension, 13-16 p.— Edinbnrgh and Glasgow, Quarters, 18% —Grand Union, % dis.— Lancashire and North Yorkshire, % dis.—Leeds and Think, 4% (Us —Leicester and Bedford, 1-16 p.—Leicester and Birmingham, 13-16 c. dis.—Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Preston, % c. p.—London and Manchester (Ilastrick), dis.—London and York - , X dis.—Man chester, Buxton, and Matlock, 13.16 p.—Manchester and Birming ham, 80—Ditto, Quarters (A), 81 —Ditto, ditto (B), 85 p.—Ditto, ditto (C), 7 13-16 c. p.—Manchester and Birmingham Continuation and Welsh Junction, 16s. 9d dis.—Manchester and Bury Atmos pheric, On. 3d. c. dis.—Manchester and Hyde, % p.—Manchester and Southampton, 3s. 9d. dis.—Northumberland and Lancashire, 925. dis.—North Staffordshire, 3 7-16 p.—North Western, par— Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction, 3-16 p.—Sheffield and Man chester, Quarters, No. 3, Is. 6d. p.—Shropshire Union Railway and Canal, 19s. dis.--South Midland, % dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, Halves, No. 4, 3-16 p. —Trent Valley, Midland, &c. 10s. 6,1. dis.— Welsh Midland, 235. dis.—West Riding Union, 2% p. NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, MAT 21. STOCK EXCHANGE. —The sales are—Eastern Counties, York Ex tension, 1 p.—lnverness and Elgin, I dis.—Lancashire and North Yorkshire, % dis.—Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle Junction, dis.—London and York, ls. 6,1. IL—North British, Halves, Carlisle, 235. 6d. p.—Northumberland and Lancashire, 19s. dis. HULL, Mat 21. Stock Excnarnaz.—The sales are—Hull and ,qelby, Half Shares, 274 York and North Midlane, East and West Riding, 11 4 —l.Corth British, Carlisle, 46a. 6d.—Boston, Newark, and Sheffield, —Brad ford, Wakefield, and Midland, IN, —Buckingharnshire, 43s.—East Lincolnshire, 19s.—East Coast, 16s. 6d.—Goole, Doncaster, Sheffield, Ste., 22s.—Hull and Barnsley Junction, 265.. 3d.—Leicester and Bedford, 1 4 —Liverpool,Oruiskirk, and Preston, 3 4 —North Western, 235. 6d.—North Staffordshire, 5/. 95.--South Midland, 2/. 10s. 6d. YORK, Met 21. STocx EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Grand linlon, Nottingham and Lynn,l3s. 6d.—lpswich and Bury, 6—Leicester and Bedford, I/. 3s. 6d.—Loudon and York, 21. Bs. 6d.—Malton and Driftleld Junction, 2/. 2s.—Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midland, 3/. 3s. 6d.— Newcastle and Berwick, 25 —Newcastle and Darlington Extensions, 9 4—North British, Carlisle Extension, 21. Bs.—North Stafford shire, sh—North Western, 11. 6s.—South Midland, 21. 13s.—West Riding Union, 4%—York and North Midland, New (East and West Riding), 11%. GLASGOW, MAT 20. STOCH EXCHANGE.—iile;;les—Airdrie and Bathgate, 555. W. --Dridg,e of Weir, 445. 6d.—British and Irish Union, 41s.—Cale donian and Dumbartonshire Extension, 30s.—Calodonia.n Direct - Northern, 335. Cornwall and Devon Central, 21s. bd.—Direct Northern, 403.—East Indian Railway, 18s. W.—Edinburgh and Glasgow, New, 191.—Forth and Clyde Junction, 355. 6d.—Glasgow and Belfast Union, 4 15.—Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, 7414 Toltto, New, 331.—Dit to, Quarter Shares (5 per cent. guar.), 18%— Glasgow. Dumfries, and Carlisle, 475. 6d.—Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan, 325. 6d. —Glasgow and Dundee Junction. 345. 6d.— Glasgow 11arlsour Mineral, 266.—Great North of Scotland, 363. I Larne, Belfast, and Ballymena, lf,s.—Leamahagow, 45,—Ilanches ter and Southampton, 426.—Perth and Inverness, 31s. 6d.—Scot tish Central, 16 —Scottish Central and Caledonian Junction, 30s.— touth Midland, 6.1 a . 6 d.—Stirling and Dunfermline, 323. 6d. HER MAJEST Y'S THEATRE. Lombardi was repeated hers on Thursday, and we are happy to say that Nano has completely recov ere d hi s vo i ce. N e ver did he sing more exquisitely. Grisi, too, w as i n ex cellent voice and sang divinely. The representation of last evening was a perfect triumph. Cerito was advertis e d i n The bat sous Louis XIV. and in La Vivandiere. She was, however, not sufficiently recovered to appear, and the dryade with Lucile Grahn was substituted. The continued indisposition of Cerito was announced in the following notice : " Thursday, May 21, half-past four o'clock. " It is respectfully announced, that from the report of her medical attendant, Mademoiselle Cerito had sufficiently recovered yesterday to be able to appear this evening ; it is with the greatest regreo an nounced, that a violent relapse has just occurred, wh ich renders her appearance impossible ; and the indulgence of the patrons of the Opera and the public is earnestly entreated In favour of those artists who, to prevent further disappointment, have lent their valuable as si.tance at the shortest notice. " The following is the medical certificate:— " Thursday, May 21, half-past four o'clock P.M. " I hereby certify, that although Mademoiselle Cerito had so far recovered yesterday as to justify the expectation that she could per form this evening, a violent relapse to-day renders it impossible for her to appear. " A. BILLING, M.D." The dryade scene was followed by the Elleir d'Antore, in which Lablache, as Dulcamara, was superb. The house was crowded to excess. [ ADVERTISEMENT.] SIGHT AND HEARING. 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly. Newly-invented Spectacles, Tele scopes, Opera Glasses, Microscopes, &c. Patronised by Generals Sir Edward Paget, Sir Evan Lloyd, Sir John Keating', Maiston, Frederick Goodfello - s , , Clayton, Grosvenor Morrison, Dyott Robert • eon, Mackenzie, Galway, Biggs, Woolf, Murray, Walker, Fox, Price, Lindsay, and Thackray ; Major Generals Sir H. Elphinstone, Sir John Ross, Sir James Cockburn, Achinty, P. fryers, D. Macleod, Bouverie, Sic J. Macdonall, Sir R. Barton, Sir T. Dallas, and Sir Win. Eustance: Admirals Lord John Hay, Sir G. Cockburn, Sir George Mund.iy, Sir George Martin, Sir James H. Whitshed, Sir D. Gold, Reas, Alexander, Curzons, Tompkinson, Hollis, and Price; Vice-Admiral Sir F. Austen; Rear-Admirals Brown and Ribouleau, &c Messrs. S. and . B. Solomons, Opticians, have invented Spec tacle Lenses upon a new construction. Immediately they are placed before imperfect vision, th a t mist and dullness which appear before the eyes is at once removed, every object becornee clear anddistinct, so that the most aged imperfect sight becomes bright and brilliant, and is brought to its youthful, natural, and original st a t e . Also Achromatic Telescopes, Opera Glasses, Microscopes, Invisibl e and all kinds of Acoustic Instruments, for relief of most extreme deafness. Caution—Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, Opticians, are not In any way connected with a person of the same name in their immediate neigh bourhood. To prevent mistakes be cautious, and Observe—thdy to be had at 39, Albemarle-street, piecadilly, opposite the Y or k hotel. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—LADY B— AND HOLLOWAY'S Pmrs.—Lady B—, the wife of a distinguished Lord, was a few weeks since so alarmingly ill, occasioned by a disorder in the liver and stomach, as to induce her physicians to disclose to the Hon. Mr. L—, her Ladyship's son-in-law, that they entertained but little hopes of her recovery. In this state, and unknown to her medical attendants, she was strongly advised to try Holloway's Pills, which she took for only three weeks, whew she found herself as well as ever she was in her life.—Sold by all medicine vendors tkr°l3 4arat. UV" C4T111.504 wild, 8474 at Professor Holloway's, 2441 AMERICAN NEWS. ARRIVAL of the GREAT WESTERN LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY EvErrixo. The steam-ship Great Western, Captain Matthews, arrived here this evening, in fourteen days, from New York. She brings 138 passengers, and papers from that city to the 7th inclusive. The papers by this conveyance are entirely destitute of interest. The news taken out by the Cambria, of April 19th, had not produced any material sensation in either the commercial or political world. Our affairs with Mexico remain without change. The latest advices from Vera Cruz are to the 16th ult. The British steamer Tweed, from Havannah, had just arrived, having among her passengers one of General Almonte's se cretaries, with dispatches. The General himself, although appointed Minister to France, still remained in Havannah w here also Santa Anna was quietly passing his time. Pre: sident Paredes meanwhile was strengthening his adminis tration in Mexico. He had recently issued a proclamation setting forth the state of the country particularly in reference to its difficulties with the United States, which furnished to Mexico, as he contends, just cause for war, but devolving upon Congress, when they shall meet, the responsibility o f declaring war if they should see fit. Meantime he assure s the nation that he will resist, with all the means at his com mand, any attack by sea or land, of the forces of the United States. As no such attack will be made on our side, and as it is explicitly ( declared by Paredes, that he will confine him self to defensive preparations, we adhere to the opinion here tofore expressed, that no collision is likely to occur between the Mexican and American forces; and that an amicable settlement of their controversy will be the necessary conse quence of that with Groat Britain about Oregon. Congress has not yet entered upon the discussion of the Revenue Bill ; and the opinion seems gaining ground that its success is more and more doubtful. If Sir Robert Peel shall suffer defeat in his free-trade policy—as the advices by the Cambria seem to render not wholly improbable—the chances would be increased against the anti-Tariff Bill on this side. The next few weeks will develope the position of the question more completely, and enable us to shadow forth with some precision the fate and character of the commercial and financial measures before Congress. This much, how ever, may be now taken for granted, that the Revenue Bill, the Warehousing Biil, and the Sub-Treasury Bill—the latter of which only has been discussed and passed by the House of Representatives—will stand or fall together. The produce market has undergone little change in conse quence of the last accounts. Cotton may be said to be some what firmer, and a tendency to a decline in prices to be ar rested—but there has been no rise, and parcels are readily offered at quotations. Flour is held at 4,56 dolls. to 4,62 dolls.; wheat at from 1 doll. to 1,06 dolls. per bushel ; and Indian corn (best) a t 66 cents. The growing wheat is of great promise. Money has become somewhat easier, after a pressure of no ordinary severity. Exchange ranges on England from 91i to 10, and on France from 5 264 to 5 27. There is no dis placement of specie at present rates. Freights b Europe have improved latterly, and the alarming accounts of scar city in Ireland will cause the shipment of considerable sup plies from here of Indian corn and corn meal. The following reached Now York, by magnetic telegraph, just befere the Great Western left the wharf : IMPORTANT FROM THE ARMY. LIEUTENANT PORTER SHOT !—BLOCEADE OF MATAMIO• RAS RIGIDLY ENFORCED !—We have dates, by telegraph, from the army under Gen. Taylor, to the 19th of April, which announce what may be called the first act of hostili ties between the opposing forces. The blockade of Matamo ras is continued, and is more strictly enforced. The schooners Epuity and Florida, which left New Orleans March 28th for Matamoras, returned to New Orleans on the 28th ult., having been boarded off the Rio Grande by the brig Lawrence, which, with the Flirt, is off the coast, carrying out Gen. Taylor's orders, and turning back all provisions destined for Matamoras. The steam-ship Telegraph arrived at Galveston, from Brazos St. Jago, brings information that, on the 19th ult., as Lieutenant Porter, of the 4th Regiment, was out on a fatigue party with ten men, they were surrounded by a party of about fifty Mexicans, some in uniform, and that the Lieutenant and four men were shot. This occurred very near the American camp. Lieutenant Porter was the son of the late Commodore Porter. About fifty of our men had deserted, and several were shot when crossing the river. The rumour is confirmed that Gen. Arista is to succeed Gen. Ampudia in the command of the Mexican forces. Freights have improved a little, and there is an increased quantity of both flour and cotton going forward to Liver pool. (Correspondence of the Courier and Enquirer.) WASHINGTON, MAY 4.—There is much uneasiness felt here for the safety of our army on the Rio Grande. The force under General Taylor is not only much less than that of the Mexicans in its neighbourhood, but with the exception of Colonel Twiggs' regiment of dragoons, and the Flying Artil lery corps, the rank and file is not of an efficient reliable character. Ido not question the gallantry and ability_of the commanding general, or of any ether officer, but the men under their command are mostly miserable drones who went into the army as ,a lazy peace establishment, affording an opportunit i v for the indulgence of their idle propensities. They are nine-tenths of them, at least, dissolute and vaga bond foreigners, taken from the purlieus of our cities, with out physical ability and without pride, an essential moral aliment in the constitution of a good soldier. They are in everything the worst of those men who composed the Texian army at the battle of San Jacinto, and those who make the result of that battle the standard by which to judge of the relative prowess of the two opposing armies, will, I fear, in the event of a conflict, be sadly disappointed. So long as our army remains within its entrenchments but little danger is apprehended from a direct attack, but its position is several hundred miles within the Mexican territory, or rather within that territory over which the Mexican Government has, up to this time, exer cised supreme control. An extensive barren waste is in the rear, and its only means of obtaining supplies is by a com munication with Port Isabel, twenty miles distant. The Mexicans have a large and excellent force of mounted men, and an apprehension is felt that they may cut off the com munication between the American camp and the Point, and thus intercept the supplies necessary for the army. These are difficulties, however, which may be successfully guarded against, by prudence and energy on our part, or their safety may result from the forbearance of those against whom a war by authority of the Executive is now being waged ; but it is feared, if they shall escape these, that they will not be able to escape the fatal scourge of the yellow fever, which in the summer season rages in that regign in a very violent form. It has not yet been announced in the Union that the notice has been forwarded to the British Government. I under stand that a notice was not only forwarded by the steamer from Boston, but that a duplicate was also dispatched by a packet of the first from New York. Mr. Pakenham, how ever, was not informed of the fact till a day or two after the forwarding of the notice. The form in which the notice was sent, I am informed, was to set forth the preamble and resolution as it passed Congress, and then to append to it a formal notice on the part of the Government of the United States. FROM MEXICO. The schooner Ventura has brought to New Orleans intel ligence a few days later from Vera Cruz. The New Orleans Commercial Times says that Paredes has published a manifesto, intimating that he shall leave to the Mexican Congress, about assembling, the responsibility of declaring war against the United States. He states, however, that he will repel any attack made by General Taylor, or our ships of war, with all the force available. He assigns as a reason for not receiving Mr. Slidell that it would have been an avowal of weakness, since, simultaneously with his presence in Mexico, the ships of war and troops of the United States were hover ing- over their coasts and frontiers. The Government had seized the two papers, the Contra Tiempo and Reforma, and imprisoned their editors. They were open advocates of the policy of recalling Santa Anna. There was a rumour that Mazatlan would be blockaded by the American squadron. A letter from an officer of the United States squadron at Vera Cruz, dated April 15, published in the Nation al Intel ligoveer, says— The British mail packet Tweed arrived last evening from Havannab, with thirty passengers, amongst whom were Al monte's secretary, who evidently brings important intelligence or propositions. The United States sloop Falmouth arrived at Pensacola on the 25th ult. in six days from Vera Cruz, with dispatches for our r (1 ... 0 r n p u e i r u th h e is r e ew brings n Orleans ns f le o ti has importance. received a report made by a Select Committee Representatives, on th e subjectf to the Texas House of of the Comptroller of the Treasury, o the public debt. A report gives a detailed statement of the different is also published, debt. The total debt is sot down at :0,047 2 ,& ) ri 7 ptio f ns of the it is estimated that Texas received on a pa r : r l which $4,856,601. The following resolution is now before the Texas Legislature :—Resolved, that our delegation in Congress be requested and authorised forthwith to open a negotiation with the Government of the United States, in such form as they may think fit, for the cession of the public lands of Texas to the United States, for an adequate consideration, to enable Texas to pay her public debt ; any negotiation to be subject to the ratification of the Legislature of the State of Texas, according to the ordinary forms of legislation. From 'texas, later, but not important intelligence, has reached New Orleans. The comptroller, James B. Shaw, in ans wer to a resolutio n of the House of Representatives, fur nished the following statement as the probable annual ex pence of the State o f Texas, in the administration of the go vernment $39,191 46 Legislative ...... ••• 31,000 00 Executive ......... .......... 24 .. ,1 50 00 Judiciary ................. 22 ..... ,4 00 P ens ions and annuities ......... 1 Total ....................... $93,763 46 The following is a statement of the amount of money in the Treasury on the 18th March : Amount in the hands of the treasurer $8,400 00 paid over, but not yet deposited 2,750 00 £11,150 00 Tux TARIFF.—The National lneclligencer of Saturday has the following paragraph, which contains statements of general interest :—" From what we have casually heard in conver sation, we think it quite possible t hat the taritl ques tion, and some others, may be suffered to lie over to another session, and that the appropriation Bills, &c., may be passed in short order, so as to allow Congress to adjourn much earlier than they possibly can do, if the majority in Con gress should, as the Government paper has intimated that they positively would, seriously endeavour now to pass a new tariff Bill. The rumour to which we refer is, that it has been determined, at a consultation of the democratic leaders in Congress, to make the next session begin in October in steA of December, and, as a consequence, to terminate the present session at some time between the Ist of June and the let of July." INAUGURATION' OF THE PRESIDINT OF HARVARD COMBGI6. —The inauguration of the lion. Edward Everett, as Presi dent of Harvard College, took place on Thursday last. The ceremonies of the occasion were imposing, and the proceed ings highly interesting. Governor Briggs delivered to Mr. Everett the symbolical keys, and announced his election to the Presiden cy, and Mr. E. replied briefly and in exce llen t tett% inaugural add** vflie tlixt delivered. It TM a sketch of the wants and prospects of academie and profes sional education, as combined in Harvard University, and is described as having been able, eloquent, and interesting in the highest degree. After these exercises a company of about 600 sat down to a public dinner, at which a number of toasts were drank and speeches made by the distinguished gentlemen present. The Hon. Josiah Quincy, the retiring President, remarked, that "he had been thirty years in public life when he was called to undertake the office of President, and for twenty years of thorn he had been engaged in the most vexatious, troublesome, and thankless business that could occupy a human being, that, namely, of an acting politician in Congress and in the State Senate. It was sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind. He saw a gentleman before him (referring to Mr. Webster), who bad been recently exposed to a Typhoon, out of that Serbonian bog whence emanate all noxious, crude, and noisome vapours. Some might have thought the majestic old oak was going to be rooted up, but it had not lost a single leaf of its honours." Mr. Webster, Mr. Everett, Mr. Winthrop, and others, took part in the festivities of the occasion. We regret that our limits forbid any further reference to theproceedings of the day. IterafrEsuara FROM CHINA.—It appears from the " Spirit of Missions," that the prospects of the Episcopa Mission at Shanghai, under the care of Bishop Boone, missionary from this country, are highly encouraging. While he deeply re grets the impaired health of some, he says :—" These trials are not without their blessing. They throw us more entirely upon God. I have never before realised so fully that God will do his work in his own way. I have never felt so fully persuaded that he has a work, aye, a great work, for us here to perform, as I do at this moment, and that this work he will surely perform, however many of our army may be dispensed with, as in the case of Gideon's host. Let us not be dis couraged then. If we cannot have men from home, he will raise them up on the spot to tell these perishing millions of the love of his adorable Son. We have everything in the state of the Chinese around us to encourage us to persevere; the fullest and freest access to the people, who manifest to us all the kindliness of feeling we could desire. * ' * The truth is beginning to excite some attention in Shanghai. May the Lord pour out abundantly his blessing." Soon after writing the foregoing, Bishop Boone was cheered, by the arrival at Shanghai of the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Syle—accompanied by Dr. Boone, a brother of the bishop—who had made the voyage for the improve ment of his health. Advices from some members of the mission have been received as late as the 19th of December, at which time all were well. HEARERS BUT NOT DOERS OF THE WORD.—The following extract from a letter of the Rev. Mr. M'Clatchie, an Episcopal missionary among the Chinese, shows that as to anything like a practical reception of the truth, they are• too much like hearers in Christendom. He says :—"*Though they are ever ready to receive Christian publications, and though they as sent, as is invariably the case, to the beauty of the doctrines of Christianity, and their superiority over their own wretched system, yet they are very slow in practising what they hear or read. Indeed the necessity of doing so never enters into their minds; and when spoken to on the subject their an swer frequently is, The doctrines you speak of are excellent; but although they may suit you, they do not suit us.'" CHOLERA AND SUPERSTITION IN INDIA.—The Rev. Mr. Meigs, missionary in Ceylon, in a letter published in the New York Observer of this week, says :—" You will be sorry to hear that the cholera is still raging fearfully in this province. It proves more fatal this year than I have ever known it before —whole families are swept off in a few days. Probably 6,000 people have died of it during the last three months. Most of the people say it is the " play of the goddess Ammarl," and so are afraid to take medicine. They are indeed greatly to be pitied, in their darkness and superstition. Most of those who take proper medicine in season recover, while most of those who do not, die within twenty-four hours. All the mission families have thus been remarkably preserved. Death is, however, all around us in its most frightful forms, and the people are slow to learn righteousness." YALE COLLEGE.—Very recent advices (says the New Yolk Evangelist) show that it is reasonably estimated that, within the last two or three months, about 200 hopeful conversions have taken place in connexion with the several churches in New Haven, and from twenty to twenty-five inYale College. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT NEW HAVlO.7.—The establish ment on Sherman Avenue, New Haven, for the manufac ture of web-suspenders, and belonging to the Pritchard Ma nufacturing Company, was destroyed by fire at half-past twelve on Friday morning. The building was a very large one, of wood, and the loss of the Company is estimated at about 14,000 dolls. ; and besides this, there was a loss of about 2,000 dolls. worth of personal property belonging to Dr. Maddox, on which there was no insurance. The Company are insured to the amount of 10,000 dolls.—in the Hartford Company, 2,500 dolls.; in the Williamsburg Company, N. Y., 2,500 dolls. ' • and in the Contributiosiship Company, N. Y. , 5,000 dolls. This Company gave employment to about 60 hands in the factory, and 150 or 200 stitchers who worked out. FROM CARACCAS.— We have received papers from this place to the 4th ult., but we find nothing in them of general interest. Both branches of Congress are in session, but their proceedings have reference solely to local matters. A Bill has been presented for the purpose of raising a fund to com plete the roads from Caraccas to La Guayra and branches, and from the port of Carabobo to its capital and branches, by which it is contemplated to impose an export duty vary ing from 1 / 4 to 31 1 / 2 cents. White sugar, 18 cents. ; Musco vado, 25 cents. ; and cocoa, 37 1 4 cents. It does not seem to meet with general favour. THE CONVENTION. The following table embraces the returns of the recent elec tion for Delegates to the State Convention from the whole State : Whig. Loco. Whig. Loco. Albany.. Broome Cayuga .. 0 3 Cattaraugus 1 1 Chemung ... .. 0 1 Chautauqua .. 2 0 Clinton .... ..... 0 1 Chenango 0 2 Cortland Dutchess 0 3 Delaware Essex Franklin 0 1 Fulton Genesee Herkimer Kings 0 3 Lewis Livingston ...... 2 0 Madison 2 0 Monroe New York Oneida Ontario Orleans Otsego 0 3 Putnam Queens Rensselaer Rockland 0 1 Schenectady ... .. 0 1 Saratoga 2 0 Seneca ... ...... 1 0 Schoharie Steuben Sullivan Tomkins ... ..... 0 2 Washington ... ..... 2 0 Warren ......... 0 1 Westchester 0 2 Wayne Total Whig 41—Anti-Rent 12—Loco 75 THE EXPERIMENTAL SQUADRON.—PLYMOUTH, MAT 21. —ller Majesty's steamer Retribution arrived here this morning, and reports having parted company from the squadron on Sunday night, in a gale of wind, 95 miles westward of Scilly, all well. Mr. Rutherford, M.P., and Mrs. Rutherford left Far rance's Hotel on Thursday, for Edinburgh. MADAME THILLON'S BENEFIT AT DRURY-LANE.— The last appearance of Madame Tkillon, and her benefit, took place at this theatre on Thursday; as might have been expected, the kouse was crammed to suffocation. The opera was The Crown Jewels, and the fair beneficiaire was as fascinating as ever in Catarina ; her ordure was lavishly rich and beautiful. The audience were in raptures throughout the performance, and at the conclusion she was called for, and bouquets innumerable were showered upon her. A STLEY'S AMPHITHEATRE.—TESTIMONIAL OF RE seam —Mr. Batty, the lessee of Astley's Amphitheatre, entertained a large party of theatrical and literary gentlemen, at the Rodisey Tavern, Westminster-real, to celebrate the opening of the establish ment under his management, on which occasion he presented Mr. Withall (his professional adviser), a gentleman who took an active part is promoting the erection of the theatre, with a magnificent silver vase and salver, of elegant design and of exquisite handicraft, as a token of his frieadship and esteem. The testimonial was pur chased at Mr. Batty's own cost. Mr. Batty presided, and the vice chair was filled by Mr. John Brady. The dinner and wines were of the first quality, and served up in Mr. Vickre.-.s's best style. MADAME 1 HILLoN.--:There is a rumour abroad that this fascinating syren is engaged at the Haymarket, and will make her appearance shortly iu La Domino Noir. We hope this rumour may prove correct, far we slisuld rejoice at any circumstance which would keep Madame Thillon amongst us for some time longer. SOUTHWARK LITERARY INSTITUTION.—Miss F. Brunel gave a concert at this institution on Wednesday night, the materials of which were executed by the Misses Williams, Mr. Allen. and Mr. John Parry, with others of lesser fame. Allen and John Parry appropriated all the encores. The rooms were respect- ably filled. ALMACKS.—The ball on Wednesday boasted of a large attendance, nearly 500 fashionables being present. The ladies patronesses in attendance were the Marchioness of Westminster, the Marchioness of Londonderry, and Viscountess Palmerston. Lady Peel has issued cards of invitation for a soiree to-night, after the Right Hon. Baronet's grand dinner party. Lord Brougham entertained a distinugt.ished party to miner on Thursday, at the Noble and Learned Lord's residence in Grafton-street. Among the company present were—The Duke of Wellington, Prince and Princess Esterhazy, Lord and Lady Jersey, Lord and Lady Wilton, Sir Robert and Lady l'eel, Colonel and Lady Alice Peel, Lady Clementina Villie*, Lady Douro, Lord Bowden, Mrs. William Brougham, and Mr. ,r`red 31ontgomery. PRESENT TO HER MAJESTY.—A handsome satin dress, surmounted with lace, and intended as a present to her Ma jesty for the use of the Princess, was on view at the Victoria Asylum for the Blind, in Newcastle, on Tuesday se'nnight. The dress having been worked exclusively by blind persons, inmates of that excellent institution, it attn.eted several hundreds of visitors, and excited uni versal admiration. A gift of a similar kind is annually presented to her Majesty, who, it appears, is a liberal patron of the institution. --Durham Chronicle. ao t e L y i THE WAGHORN TESTIMONIAL IN EDINBURGH.—At meeting f of the town council of Edinburgh on Tuesday, a circular, to which was attached a long list of names, requesting the council to subscribe towards the testimonial, having been read, treasurer Thomson moved that although the council was satisfied that the public had great benefits conferred on them through the exertions nr u e t t e r i etxdlltahgahotorrni theirlaNn d toi i t Lc h oN a r p t he corporate v e t hade capacity p m a caur they cla were upon not them,isa L o su o b r e a cribe. This resolution was agreed to. Tthe position Noble (Chief Secretary LINCOLN.—We Ireland) has regrethabeen 0 susitreartien: sincetha t inquiries Saturdayd ay last i nw tr to leave e'rhosatuvirieaue indisposition. yesda sy morning. Lordship l,hwea.as answer able e yesterday was, that " Lord Lincoln is better." T s EONFEF.DIITANR,W2cIL—MELANCHOLY Los W or 'O LI V FE E ._ SS I E IA L R S ,I I.4 n O i, S I T v D a painful sensation has pervaded the town 1 1 3 T y .— fhe Throughout the day occurrence of two fatal shipwrecks, involving the loss of sixteen or twenty this port, during the heavy gales of last night. Thetenty persons, off name of one only of the unfortunate vessels Is as yet ascertained. She is the brig Alert, belonging to Whitby, Mr. Eskdale master, laden general cargo, bound to London from 0 with a Oporto. The Alert was bearing up through the roads, the ' wind blowing from sci " squalls. At about ten o'clockS.S.W. in she struck on the Long Sand, a dangerous shoal several mil es in length, about ten miles from coast. The captain hoped that the morn lug• tide, but unhappily she would float off with the Eskdale and four of Y at six o'clock the brig capsized. the boat, into thewhich crew by some means managed to d 3lr. ear up one of the passengers, they got, and they afterwards picked short time the Dartmouths,who had lashed himself to a s took them on board. Of 'mack bore down to their spar. In a assistance, and nothing could be seen. the The e remainder of the passengers and to be eight —a man and his wife, stated the number crew of passengers named Nelson, children, a Mr. Hargrave and t wo child and their three is named li. Anderson ; the nam es children. Oae of the seamen " of the other lost The other wreck took place on the Gunfleet, s could not be learned. the sands, where the Alert capsized, and it is si a tuate a few mil es f rom soul belonging to hermet with grave. a watery r sadly feared that every ap parently of Danish build, and was laden with o The vessel wa s this morning she was seen by some fi s h ermen ats ' At daybreak sa nd. They took her in tow , and in attempting beating over the broke up and became a complete wreck. No bodies get a her cle ar s h e i have as yet been soon. FIRE. — On Thursday, about twelve cloak , o' the neizb bourhood of St. Clement's-lane, Strand, w the re as alarmed by — report that fire vvas raging at the house, No. 15, at the corner of Old llos well-court. Two engines were soon on the spot, and the fire . ' 'shed without any considerable damage being done. was extinguished The ex citement was very great, as it is a densely crowded neighbourhood: ALLEGED S ITICIDE.—A n inquest was held on Thursday before Mr. Baker, at the London Hospital, on the body of Thomas Head, aged thirty-sight years, a journeyman brushmaker. The de ceased was a man of very intemperate habits, and used to sleep in the remote corners of the courts awl in by lanes. About seven weeks since he went to the house of a friend, and begged to be sheltered for the night. His wishes were complied with, and he was placed in the kitchen, where he was subsequently discovered with a wound on the breast, which he had inflicte d with a small knife. The deoeast4 was ultimately removed to the hospital, where he died on Tuesday ramming. Ile cause of death was disease of the lungs, and not flaw the wound. The jury returned a verdict to the effect of the meal isstoorrf. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING-, MAX 23, 1846. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Hay 22. Their Lordships met a few minutes before five oclock. SEES OF ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR. The Bishop of HEREFORD presenteda petition from the clergy of Wenlock, against the union of the Sees of St. Asaph and Bangor. THE MINISTERIAL MEASURE. Earl DUCIE presented a petition from the parish of Lees, in favour of the repeal of the corn-laws. The Noble Lord also presented a petition from the agricultural labourers of Hampshire to the same effect. Messengers from the Commons brought up several Bills. FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. Lord CAMPBELL presented a number of petitions, nume rously signed by inhabitants of Argyle, Perth, Inverness, Ayr, and several other counties in Scotland, praying their Lordships to adopt seme measures to enable the petitioners to obtain sites for building churches. The Earl of ABERDEEN p:esented petitions to the same effect. CORN-LAWS. Lord MONTEAGLE presented several petitions from Bridport, Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight, and other places, in favour of the Government measure. ART- UNIONS. The Duke of CAMBaIDGE presented a petition from the members of the Art-Union of London, praying for the legalisa tion of art-unions. Lord IVIONTEAGLE wished to call the attention of her Majesty's Government to this petition, which was the first of a series that would be presented on the subject, representing the feelings of not only the artists of the country, but the great body of those who were interested in the fine arts. The Committee of the House of Commons, appointed in 1t35, had made inquiries which showed that art-unions had been attended with the most beneizial consequences wherever carried out. The amount of capital which had been devoted to the pnr pasea of art by the art-unions exceeded all the votes which Parliament had ever given for that purpose. They had done mere for the promotion of art than the Legislature ever had done. They had applied their encouragement to every branch of art,—they had given prizes, as Government had done, fur the best designs,—they gave prizes also for the best productions in stone and marble. They had extended, too, their association over the greater portion of the earth, and a letter had been received that very day from China, giv ing an accoant of the establishment of a branch of the art. union in that empire. It was scarcely to be believed that, in defiance of all the experience which they had had on this sub ject, any doubt should exist as to the desirableness of le galising art-unions. A Committee had been appointed by Parliament, who had laboured sedulously for two sessions, and they reported in the most unqualified manner that these associations should be legalised. It appeared that the art-unions were as anxious as any other society to prevent abuse, and they prayed their Lord ships to give their sanction to a Bill authorising the Crown to grant a charter, subject to such conditions as might be pro posed. That was the utmost extent of their request, and when their Lordships considered that they had released parties from •debts contracted at race-courses and gambling-houses; and when they considered that they had in the course of last year interposed to protect a great body/of the people—those con nected with the newspaper press—the artists of this country were not asking their Lordships too much to afford them a similar protection. Lord BROUGHAM said he was exceedingly rejoiced that this subject had been brought forward as it had by the illus trious Duke who had introduced it, and the Noble Lord who had supported it. His own opinion in favour of those soci eties was very strong, and therefore he would give this petition his humble but warm support. And let him say that there never was a greater delusion than that which people laboured under who opposed art-unions on the ground that they came under the class of lotteries. Other trades contended that they would have as good a right as art-unions to have their lotteries; but he denied that trades required such aid; but pictures and articles of taste did require some such encouragement as art unions afforded, and therefore he would cordially support the prayer of this petition. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition, nu merously signed by persons of great eminence in their profes sion as artists—among the names attached to the petition he saw those of Eastlake, Ross, Barry, Westmacott, and others — praying their Lordships to adopt some measure for placing Art- Unions on a more permanent footing. Lord BROUGHAM would ask, in connexion with the name of Barry, who, it appears, had signed the petition of the Noble Marquis, whether there was any hope, if there was hope at all remaining, when the report of the commission on the new Houses of Parliament would be laid upon their Lord ships' table. Vi'count CANNING was informed by one of the gentlemen forming one of the commission, that the inquiry had been of a more complicated nature than was expected. The report would therefore take some time before it was completed. Lord CAMPBELL thought this inquiry must surely be carried on in the Court of Chancery. He thought it would not be of so protracted and serious a nature as this case of Barry v. Reid. The Marquis of NORTHAMPTON and Lord MONTEAGLE pre sented petitions in favour of Art Unions. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. . . The Duke of WELLINGTON, after presenting a petition from the Chamber of Commerce of Manchester, in favour of the Corn Bill, stated that he should on Thursday next move that the House do adjourn for the Whitsuntide holidays to the Thursday following. CORN BILL. The Earl of BANDON presented petitions from places in Ireland against the Corn Bill. The Noble Earl said that he could not support the prayer of the petition as he did not par ticipate in the alarm that was felt by some persons with re spect to the Corn Bill. CASE OF MR. GEORGE MITCHELL. Lord BROUGHAM rose to call the attention of the House to one of the most cruel cases of hardship that had ever come under his notice. He had to present the petition of Mr. Geo. Mitchell, formerly a clerk of the House, from which situation he had been dismissed. The petitioner stated, that in the year 1845,fr0m an accident that he had met with, his face and head had been greatly injured, and his sight permanently impaired. Several years ago he had been attacked with epilepsy, by which he had lost the use of his right side. He was also afflicted with ulcerous swellings in his legs. In fact, it appeared that he was subjected to every malady that could afflict the human frame. Through his maladies his attend ance on his duties were necessarily irregular, and he had suf fered exceedingly in the loss of his situation at the age of thirty-six. The petition, which was dated the Strand union workhouse, prayed that their Lordships would extend their benevolence to him, and grant him such assistance as it was in the power of the House to bestow. The Earl of DEVON said it was an unpleasant task to in terpose at any time between individuals and the benevolence of the House ; still he was bound to say that the petitioner was placed under the chief clerk of the House, but his conduct had been such as made it the absolute duty of ? the latter to remove him from the office he held. More than this he (Lord Devon) would not say.—(Hear, hear. ) Lord BROUGHAM said the Noble Lord had totally mis understood him. The petitioner did not complain of having been removed, he merely asked their Lordships to extend their charity to him. LORDS lIARDINGE AND GOUGH'S ANNUITY BILLS The Duke of WELLINGTON moved that these Bills be read a first time and printed. The Bills were accordingly read a first time, and ordered to be printed. SEES Of , ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY presented a petition against the union of these sees. BISHOPRIC OE MANCHESTER. The same Most Reverend Prelate pre — sentedapetition praying that a bishop might be immediately appointed to the newly established see of Manchester. THE CORN BILL. The Marquis of NORMANBY presented a petition from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of Kingston-upon-Hull, praying their Lordships to pass without delay the Ministerial Corn Bill. The same Noble Marquis also presented a petition from a town in Ireland, praying for the legalisation of tenant rights in that country, intimating, at the same time, that he did not thereby VI ish to express any opinion upon this very difficult subject. STATE OF CRIME IN IRELAND. The Marquis of NORMAN BY then proceeded, amidst cries of "Order," for the purpose of asking for a return of the murders, and attempts at murder, in Ireland during each month, commencing from the Ist of July in each year, distinguishing the hours of day or night at which such outrages were stated to have been committed by the constabulary force. He felt it necessary to ask for the attention of the House to this subject, the more especially as he intended to make a few observations upon the conduct of her Majesty's Ministers, in connexion with the Bill which had lately passed this House, and to the language used by the Right Hon. Gentleman at the head of her Majesty's Government in another place, in which he had been personally alluded to. It did so happen, that about six weeks after the session had commenced, and when he was unavoidably absent, a Bill was introduced into this House —called by the opponents of it, the Irish Coercion Bill, and by those who supported it the Protection of Life (Ireland) Hill—and no doubt it had been supported by many of his Noble Friends who had had a long experience of Ireland. He would not have deemed it necessary to have alluded to this measure now, but a circumstance which had since oc curred compelled him to do so. No man could more deeply deplore than he did the increase of crimes of this description, or that Ireland should be made the subject of such a measure as this, and at a time too when of all others the country most needed the united sympathies of both Houscs of Parliament. Now he should say that no informa tion that had reached him as to the state of Ireland was sech as in his opinion to call for this measure, and he was far from thinking that it was one which would reach the evil complained of. He did think it rather extraordinary that her Majesty's Ministers should have been of opinion at the commencement of the session that this measure was necessary, and that they had since had reason to change that opinion, although some such measure had been alluded to in the speech which her Majesty's Ministers had advised her to deliver from the throne at the opening of the present session. He considered that a timely displ a y o f v i gour wa s the most efficacious check upon crimes of thi s na t ure . H e wa s still of opinion that a system atic, ste a d y perseverence i n t h e a dministration of the law would have been amp l y sufficient to check these crimes. Of this he was sure, that of all the cou rses whi c h could have been t a k en, an d one which seemed to unite all the evils which could possibly be combined in a measure, was the course which had been taken by the Go vernment on this occasion—an occasion when they adopted a system of tardy, meddling coercion, conceding, with feeble hesitation, their approbation of extraordinary powers, while, at the same time, an efficient administration of the law of the Constitution would have been quite sufficient for all purposes. There really seemed to him something of this carelessness at the time when the Bill was first introduced to their Lordships. He believed that five weeks had elapsed from the period of her Majesty's speech till the measure was introduced. Even then it came in with all the humbling defacts in its construc tion which have marked the practice of the law department of the Irish Government. At last the Bill was sent down to the other House. He could not then dwell on the tedious nature of its passage through that House. He knew the difficulties in which the Government were placed there. He thought the ignorant might imagine that the delay which took place in that H ouse arose f rom i ndifference to cr i me. e Bill of the Government would come into operation just at the time when the almanacks told them that there was no night at all. What would be the impression of the Iri • sh people when they saw that a Bill bearing the title of Protection to Life and Property (Ireland) Bill was postponed to a Bill which was intended to regulate the price of certain articles of con sumption? The impression of the Irish people would be, that they had been neglected. He believed that all parties in Ire land Isere against the passing of the Bill. He had moved for returns mentioned in his motion, because all the crimes which the lion. Gentleman at the head of the Government had men tioned in his speech, in proposing the Bill, had occurred in the day time. During the time that he held office in Ireland under the Administration, the circumstances of the country were more favourable than they were under the Administra tion of his two to contend with, ari arising o ut of the Catholic ques t ion , - which is e had notsiHe must inform their Lordships, in answer to what had been said, in reference to himself by a Noble Lord, that he never took all the credit of the state of things during his administration, as arising from the mode in whieh he dig . charged his daties. All he could claim wii zealously endeavouring to avail himself of the favourable cir cumstances which his predecessors had not. In 1835 the great point he had to consider was, whether he should carry into effect the provisions and powers of the measure under which his two predecessors had acted, and he considered the course he had taken on that occasion was the correct one. He, therefore, would say that the discovery on the part of the Right Hon. Gentleman was of a very strange description, if he had lately discovered that the line of conduct he had pursued for twenty years was not only inexpedient but unjust. The Right Hon. I Gentleman had availed himself of the Easter recess to make that discovery, and he (the Marquis of Normanby) under stood that this measure was to be postponed till after the Whitsuntide recess, and he hoped that he would have also availed himself of that recess, and speedily come to the conclusion that the measure ought not to be pro ceeded with—that he might, in fact, come to the conviction that unnecessary coercion was net the way to inspire confidence; that it was not at the time to which he alluded, that it never had been, and that it never would be, as long as human na tare was what it always hail been. But to what would the argument of the Right Hon. Gentleman, that unnecessary coercion was beneficial merely on account of the fear which it was calculated to inspire —to what conclusion, he would ask, would that lead ? He would say, that there was no despo tism—no autocracy provided ; it was only administered in a particular manner, which might not he justified upon :those grounds which the Right Hon. Gentleman had made use of on the occasion alluded to. Ile (the Marquis of Normanhy) would therefore say, that this inference was not justified in point of fact. and that it was dangerous in its general applica tion. And if that was really the sentiment of the Righ• Hon. Baronet, they could only rejoice that it was not the sentiment of a strorg Minister, backed by the majority of nearly a hun dred. He (the Marquis of Norwianby) felt it necessary to bring this subject bef , ,re their Lordships in justification of the conduct of himself arid his party ; and he felt it necessary, before he sat down, to ask the Noble Earl opposite whetlier it was the intention of the Government to proceed with this measure.—( Hear, hear. ) He felt certain that it was neither the desire of their Lor& hips nor the country, that the Bill should be held rap in its present state of suspended animation. If it was the intention of the Government to proceed with the measure, let them at once meet that opposition which was awaiting it elsewhere. He contended that it was trifling with the country, if they did not at once proceed with or withdraw this measure; but he believed it was not the intention of the Government to proceed with it this session. He ought to apo 7aseise to their Lordships for having thus occupied their time in reference to a Bill which haidpassed their Lordships' House, but he was anxious to make the statements which he had made, in justification of his conduct with reference to Ireland. He hoped, in conclusion, that the Noble Earl opposite would in form their Lordships what was the intention of her Majesty's Ministers with respect to this measure.—( Hear, hear.) Earl ST. GERNI ANS said it was quite unnecessary for the Noble Marquis to have stated that he was absent from the House upon the occasion he had alluded to; for inde pendent of the regret which they all felt that the Noble Marquis should have been absent, he thought that the Noble Marquis's absence sufficiently accounted for his not being acquainted with the causes in which this Bill had originated. In the autumn of last year the crime of murder, and attempts at murder, had become so lamentably frequent, that it became absolutely necessary to grant ad ditional powers to Government to repress it; and those powers were not asked for until at the powers then at the disposal of Government had been employed to meet the evil without suc cess. It was with that conviction upon the minds of her Ma jesty's Ministers that they hail deemed it their duty to advise her Majesty to call the attention of both Houses c f Parliament to the state of Ireland, and to adopt some measure whereby to remedy the evil; and both Houses of the Legislature responded to that recommendation. But the Noble Marquis had made it a cause of complaint against her Majesty's Ministers, that they had not peremptorily called for this measure. Now, he (Earl St. Germans) would say, that he did not blush at her Ma jesty's Ministers having delayed to ask for such a measure, for he said it was no light matter to ask for a measure by which to abridge the constitutional right of the subject— and the Government did hope that when her Majesty had ex pressed her abhorrence of such a state of things as then ex isted in Ireland, and that the Government were prepared to adopt such a measure as this, it would have had a good effect in the disturbed districts ; but he regretted to say it had not had that effect. He should also say that the Government did deserve credit for the manner in which they had brought this Bill forward ; and nothing also could be more creditable than the conduct of Noble Lords opposite, who evinced no party feeling whatever during the discussion ; and when a division did take place (the only one which did occur) not a single Peer connected with Ireland was to be found in the minority upon the division. The Bill was sent down to the House of Commons on the 13th of March, and it was not read a first time till the Ist of May. For this delay the Government were not responsible. The minority of both Houses pos sessed ',considerable power—( Hear, h•ar)—he thought that it was a power which should be exercised with great discretion The minority of the House of Commons had thought it right to obstruct tie progress of this Bill not only in that stage, but they also annnueced that they would oppose it in all its future stages. He believed it was the imperative duty of the Govern ment to proceed with the Bill in the manner they did. It was in order to same time, and r ass the Bill as soon as possible, that - it was introduced to their Lordships' House first, and sent down afterwards to the Horse of Commons. They hoped to be able, when the public business was less pressing than at present, to bring the Bill again under the notice of the House. The Noble Marquis had attempted to turn into derision a pro vision in the Bill, urging the inhabitants of disturbed districts to keep within their houses at particular hours. but the Noble Marquis, while he was making that attempt, must have forgotten that a similar provision was introduced and passed in a Bill which received the legislative sanction during his own administration.—( Hear, hear.) In conclusion, he had only to tell the Noble Marquis that the opinions of her Majesty's Government, upon the subject of this Bill, remained still un shaken, and it was therefore their intention to persevere in the measure..—(Hear, hear.) The Marquis of CLANRICARDE thought the Noble Earl had given a very extraordinary reason why the introduction of the Bill was postponed. The Noble Earl had said that Go vernment was in hopes the declaration in the speech from the throne upon the subject of crime in Ireland would have had the effect of suppressing those outrages, which had been of so fre quent occurrence in the sister country, and which were so mnch deplored on all hands; but in his (the Marquis of Clanri carde's) opinion, the Government had shown a want of deci sion, or want of judgment, in delaying the introduction of this Bill, after they had received an intimation from Ireland that such a measure was necessary for the protection of life and pro perty in that country.—( Hear, hear.) He had only to repeat, that he thought it was still the duty of Parliament to use every consitutional means in their power to suppress outrage and maintain the liberty of the subject in Ireland.—( Hear. ) After a few words in explanation from the Earl of ST. GERMANS, which did not reach the gallery, The Duke of WELLINGTON said the Bill was in prepara tion before the session commenced, and Ministers were at the same time in communication with the Irish Government upon is. The law officers of the Crown, however, had to settfe the Bill before it could be introduced into Parliament, and of course this occupied a good deal of the time after the commencement of the session.—( Hear.) It was that which prevented the Bill being introduced earlier than it was. The LORD CHANCELLOR spoke a few words in confir mation of what had fallen from the Noble Duke. The Earl of WICKLOW said, in his opinion, so unconsti tutional a measure as a Coercion Bill ought never to have been introduced, unless there was an absolute necessity for it, and certainly not if Government did not intend to press it through Parliament. The measure, it was said, was brought forward for the protection of life and property in Ireland, and it was upon that ground that their Lordships passed it, but the manner in which it was treated by Government in the other House was perfectly disgraceful. They allowed measures of a financial character to have precedence of it, and from what he could learn from the public prints of what passed in the other House, actually agreed that it should not be brought forward for the second reading until the House allowed corn, and other financial measures before the House, to be disposed of.—( Bear, hear.) In his opinion, this was most disgraceful, for delay would only render the Bill inoperative. Besides, if this pro tection for life and property was required by the people of Ire land, the Bill ought to be pushed forward at once, and passed without a moment's delay.—( Hear, hear.) The Marquis of NORMANBY said, from the language of the Queen's speech, it would naturally have been inferred that there was an absolute necessity for such a Bill, and that it was the intention of Government t o bring it in and press it for ward without any delay.—(Hear, hear.) There appeared however, and in fact there was, a contradiction between such language and the present course of the Government ; indeed there was an actual contradiction between this language and what had fallen from the Noble Earl opposite. The Noble Earl did not say that the Bill would he proceeded with at once, but only whenever the state of public business admitted of i's being proposed to the House of Commons to read the Bill a second time.—( Hear, hear. ) The Earl of HADDINGTON said it wa s quite imp oss ibl e that Government could press the measure forward faster than they had done, for their Lordships would remember that Par liament had been placed in such a position with regard to the Corn Bill, that Government coupnot, consist en tl y w i th their duty to the country, have interposed any measur e w hi c h should have the effect of delaying its progress.—( Hear.) The Duke of RICHMOND did not think with the Noble Lord that the Government would have acted improperly if they had not delayed proceeding with the Bill in consequence of the threats of a minority of the House. The Government gave way to threats too much. The Corn Bill was brought forward in consequence of threats held out to them. The real reason why the Government d•d not proceed with the Bill was, be cause they themselves were in a minority, and could not keep a House. The Government had but 112 supporters, whereas the Irish minority spoken of had been 125. The Earl of HADDINGTON stated that he did not refer to the numbers who voted for the Bill, he only referred to the small minority who opposed the Bill. The Marquis of NORMANBY would put an end to the discussion by moving for the returns he had alluded to. At the same time, it was his opinion that the Bill would not pass into law. The motion was then agreed to. CORN-LAWS. • The Duke of RICHMOND presented a number of peti tions, from Cornwall and other places, against the repeal of the corn-laws. FATTENING CATTLE. Lord BEAUMONT presented a petition from a gentleman who had made a number of experiments with malt for the purpose of fattening cattle, praying their Lordships to take the excise duty off that article. The petitioner stated that malt was much better (or the purpose than barley. The LORD CHANCELLOR thought the result of his experiments were contrary to the opinion given before the Committee. The Duke of RICHMOND could bring forward a thousand farmers, whore experience was of more weight than all the theories of scientific men. After a short discussion upon the comparative merits of bar ley and malt, The Duke of RICHMOND stated that he knew a farmer, residing close by the Noble Lord on the Woolsack, who was himself a great farmer, who considered that malt was prefer ab!ts to barley. The LORD CHANCELLOR thought that perhaps the individual referred to by the Noble Duke argued only by analogy, he judged perhaps from the_effe cts of malt on his own person. Several other petitions were then presented, and_their Lord ships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMIWONS, May 22. The SPEAKER , took the chair at Four o'clock. REPORTS. The following reports were brought up and agreed to, and the Bills ordered to be engrossed, vie. : —Hamilton New G ets , Aston Rates, Gollon I nclosure, Airdrie Police, Caledonian In surance Company, Ayle.bury and Thames Junction Railway, Midland, Barnsley, Sheffield, Dewsbury, and B ra df or d R a i l: wa y, York Improvement, Harrogate Waterworks, London and South-Western Railway (Farnham and Alton branch), Read ing, Guildford, and Reigate Railway. MARQUIS OF DONEGAL'S ESTATE BILL. This Bill was read a second time an d ordered to: be committed. THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read a third time, and passed : Buckinghamshire Railway (Oxford and Bletchley Junction), Rye and Derwent Drainage, Westruther Road, Greenlaw Roads, Port Ellen Harbour, Canhalton Rates, Gravesend and Milton Waterworks. WEXFORD, CARLOW, AND DUBLIN JUNCTION RAILWAY. Mr. GROGAN moved—" That it be an instruction to the Committee of Selection to refer the Wexford, Carlow, and Dublin Junction Railway I3ill, being unopposed, to Mr. Greene, and the Members in charge thereof."—The motion was withdrawn. The How. GENTLEMAN also moved—" That it be an in struction to the Committee of Selection to refer the Dublin Wide Streets Bill and the Dublin Cemeteries Bill to the same Committee."—The mo'ion was agreed to. GENERAL TERMINUS AND GLASGOW HAR BOUR BILL. Mr. DENNISTOUN moved—" That in the case of the General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway Bill, Stand ing Order No. 131 be suspended, and the propoed amendments, being merely verbal, lie made on the thud reading."—The motion was agreed to. YORK INIPROVEMENT BILL. Mr. GREENE, on the bringing up of the report from the Committee on the York Improvement Bill, moved that the Bill be re-committed to the former Committee. That the Com mittee have leave to sit and report on Monday next.— Agreed to. GLASGOW MUNICIPAL POLICE BILL. _ _ Mr. III'KENZIE presented a petition from some of the in habitants of Ganow against the introduction of certain clauses into this Rill, which would he the means of materially affecting their interests. The petition was ordertd to be laid on the table. LEEDS, WAKEFIELD. AND MIDLAND JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL. Mr. P. BENNETT presented several petitions against this CORNWALL RAILWAY. Sir CHARLES LENION presented 156 numerously signed petitions in favour of this Bill. BASINGSTOKE AND SALISBURY RAILWAY. The same llos. MEMBER. also presented two petitions in favour of this Bill. Mr. BARNARD presented a petition in favour of Art Union Societies. Mr. HAWES presented a petition against the Highways Bill. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL presented a petition from tenants under 'l'rinity College, and others interested in land in the barony of Irraghticonnor, in the county of Kerry, praying the Ilouse forthwith to carry into effect the recommeridati , ms of Lord Devon's Commission, so far as regards the conversion of Col!ege tenures into perpetuities; and to move that the peti tion be printed with the votes. FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. Mr. BAILEY presented a petition from Strathaven, in favour of the Bill of the Hon. Member for Montrose for enabling parties to obtain sites for building churches. MR. NV. S. 0. 13RIIN. Mr. D. O'CONNELL presented seventy petitions from v;+rious parts of Ireland, signed by upwards of 60.000 persons, praying the House to discharge W. S. O'Brien from custody. TEN HOURS' BILL. Mr. HUME presented a petition against the proposed Fac tories ilegulati.,n Sir CHARLES NAPIER gave notice that he would, on Monday nex', move for a return of the number of steam frigates built for the service of the Royal Navy. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD gave notice that he would, on Monday next, put a question to one of her Majesty's Ministers for the purpose of learning whether it was the inten tion of Government to bring in a Bill founded ou the report of the Land Commission of Ireland. RELIEF OF THE POOR (SCOTLAND.) Mr. BOUVERIE wished to a.sk the Lord Advocate of Scot land whether a printed paper, entitled " Application for Relief," has been printed and circulated in Scotland, with the know ledge and sanction of the Board of Supervision of the poor ; if so, whether it has been with the sanction of the Lord Advocate or Secretary of State for the Home Department ; and, if it has been with their knowledge and sanction, whether the appli cants for relief are required to answer the queries contained in that form of application before their claim to relief is consi dered, or that claim allowed. There were twenty-three queries in that paper to read over which wield occupy the douse too long. Now according to the law of Scotland every destitute person was entitled to relief, and he wasgiven to under stand that unless all these queries were filled up the application for relief would be refused. What he wanted to know, therefore, was, whether the circulation of that paper was sanctioned by tile Board of Supervision, and if so, whether re lief was refilled unless those queries were answered. The LORD ADVOCATE said, that with regard to the first part of the question, he had to state, that the paper en titled, " Application for relief," had been printed and circulated with the knowledge and sanction of the Board lie understood that the queries had been printed at the desire of some persons as a form of queries to be put to parties apply ing for relief. By the statute persons applying for relief were bound to answer such questions in order that the dis pensers of it might be enabled to judge of the nature of their claim ; but the parties so applying were entitled to relief in the mean time ; he did not, however, be lieve that any one had been refused relief, because they were un able, or refused to reply to the questions. But if any one did refuse, he might, by applying to the local judge, obtain instant relief, that officer being empowered to grant it. The queries were absolutely necessary, in order that the different parishes might not be imposed upon. The dropped orders of yesterday were then read. BRIDPORT ELECTION. Mr. CHRISTIE postponed his motion on this subject until Thursday next. RAILWAY COMPANIES' BILL. Sir GEORGE CLERK expressed his intention of pro ceeding with this Bill after the other orders of the day had been disposed of. MR. SMITH O'BRIEN. On the order of the day for the consideration ef Mr. Smith O'Brien's letter to the Speaker being read, Mr. O'CONNELL moved that the minutes connected with the committal of that gntleman be read. The minutes having been read, Mr. O'CONNELL said that it was his intention to state the facts of the case as they really occurred, and to move a resolu tion that the order of the 27th April should be discharged, it being illegal in the first place, and obtained by gross mis representation to the , House. Of course he did not impute to the Honourable Genthman any wilful misrepresentation, of which he believed him to be perfectly incapahle. But he had, in his opinion, grossly misinformed the House, which would never have made the order except upon his state ment. The gentleman represented himself to be the chairman of the Committee of Selection, the existence of which he begged leave to deny. However, he called himself the chair man of it, and stated the substance of a correspondence which took place between themselves and the Honour able Member fur Limerick, and upon that statement he ob tained the order which he now moved should be discharged. Now if he was able to show that it was obtained on statements founded on error, he considered he had a fair claim upon the House to accede to his motion. He denied the existence of the Committee of Selection. He granted that ' the materials for such Committee existed, but that the Committee itself existed he wholly denied. And now he would direct the attention of the House very shortly to another part of the subject, which, in his judgment, was one of the utmost importance, and which, on consideration of the matter, ought to be first attended to. They would find that by the first standing order of the House a Committee ef 42 Members was appointed, and by the second standing order these were allowed to be divided into sub-Committees,each Com mittee appointing its own chairman, and the next order decided a Committee should be appointed every session, and that such Committee should be a Select Committee of Standing Orders. It was enacted, and to this he begged to'sall the particular at tention of the House, that that Committee should he appointed at the commencement of every session and that it should con sist of the chairman of the standing orClers, and the chairman of Sub-Committees, three of whom was to form a quorum, and that that Committee should be denominated the Committee of Selection. If that Committee had been formed at the com mencement of the session he would give up the question, but he asserted that no such Committee had been appointed • that no question of its appointment was brought before the House ; in short a total vacancy existed as to the formation of a Select Committee. This brought the matter within a very narrow compass, and the letter which had been rec.. ived from the Chief Clerk showed clearly that such a Committee had not been formed at the commencement of this Session. He had taken the trouble to search the votes on the journals of the House, and he could find none such. But it had been suggested to him that as the materials of the Select Committee were igthhterefboere, su it p s pose r d e_ap t p o oint t nt fully on e i c n v o e n ry s e ti x tu i s t t e e d n , 7 a , nd it tha m t, succeeding session was unnecessarv. He utterly denied that because it would deprive every Member of the House of a right to which he was entitled. The House, it was well known, did not appoint the Chairmen of the Committees, they were elected by the Committees themselves. He found in the Journals of the House, of the 28th of February, 1845, that the order of the House had been moved, relative to the appointment of the Committee of Selection ; and that such an appointment was accordingly made fair a similar order in the session of 1846. He found that none such existed. No opportunity had been afforded to the Hon. Member for complying with the orders of the House. He then had to consider the right of the Committee of Selection to enforce his opinions. This was precisely the principle upon which Mr. Smith 0 Brien had acted, and when the Committee of Selection, he believed, had acted beyond their powers, he refused to acknowledge their authority, and he believed that it was quite in accordance with the rules of this House, Mr. Smith O'Brien had accordingly refused to take any notice of the application of the Committee of Selection. The ques tion then arose, whether the authority of the Committee of Selection was to be attended to in preference to the rules of the House of Commons. According to the rules, as he under stood them, there was an express direction that this Committee should act in accordance with the rules of the House. He should, therefore move, that as the Committee of Selection had not, on examination, been instituted in accordance with the rules of the House, that the order of the 27th of Apt il should be discharged; and, secondly, that Mr. Smith O'Brien should be remitted from custody. If he succeeded in the first of these motions, the second would follow as a matter of course, and Mr. S. O'Brien would be discharged from custody. If he did not succeed in the thet, he would have a right to take the sense of the House. and he should therefore, on that point, move for the discharge of Mr. Smith O'Brien. Mr. ESTCOURT said, he had little or no answer to m ake to the motion of the Hon. Member. Acecording to th, rules of the House there had been two Committeesuestnio_ established, which involved the whole of the q the He need not tell the House what had b een the course e ind them of, that these pursue. But this much he might r m Hon. Member (Mr. Smith O'Brien) had thought proper to g on the of 48 Members, and that they had been constituted business of the country, an Membe rs ngout the orders several Committees had been appointed for carrying as pos sible. with as much view u Committeesrvpons e co:fn carrying i a o s r t f r e y d: (4 these Committee of Selection. Another Com as i n b d l e w . a sOne termed mittee was appointed for t_ ep of the House; it consisted of se e Members, and w as called the Cons h mi the Standing Orders' Committee . I t was in contravention of the rules of this Committee that the Hon. Member for Imes rick had committed this default. That Committee was called the Committee of Selection. It was to that Committee that the Hon. Gentlemen took exception. H e stated as the grounds of that exception, that unle ss that Committee was ap pointed in every sessien, it could not discharge the duties as signed to it by the House. It was on that point th a t h e was t heH o He s e e were(lll r. a E t s t i e s issue t ) w e i with e t e h i e v e d H o th ri a . t a t n he d Learnedsanding Gentleman. orders of the laws which regu l ate d t h e proceedings of the Hou se o f Com mons. It wa s we ll k nown to the House, and, in fact, by others, that the standing orders of the House were not an an nual piece of legislation, but were laws which would continue in force to govern the House of Commons until altered or re pealed. The Committee of Selection had been established for several years—it was seven years, he thought, since they were constituted, under the auspices of the House. Now, he con tended that when the Standing Orders' Committee, or the Committee of Selection had been consttiuted, that those Com mittees 'were appointed and established by the express rules of the House, and they mast continue until altered or dissolved. He was borne out in this, because it was no unfrequent proceeding of the House to appoint Com mittees for various purposes each session, whose labours were confined to that particular session of Parliament, unless they became sessional orders by direction of the House. The die tinetion between Committees so appointed for a particular purpose in one session of Parliament, and sessional orders, whish continued from session to session, until altered or re pealed by the Howe, was, in his opinion, perfectly evident. ' With regard to Committees on Private Bilk, did the Hon Member for Derby come to the house to move for the sr pointment of a Committee on a petition on a Private Bill? The Hon. Member did not submit a motion to the House. He did not give notice that on a given day he should move for the appointment of a Committee on a petition on a Private Bill. He came to the House and directed that the standing order shall be read, then nominated the Committee, and th.t nomination was entered on the journals. The same thing oc curred with regard to himself when the standing order was to be appointed. He did not come to the House and give notice of a motion, that the Committee on a standing order should be appointed, but he came to the House and required that stand ing orders 3 or 4 should be read, and when they were read, he nominated the Members to constitute the Standing Orders' Committee. With regard to the Committee of Selection, be was aware that at the beginning of last session there was an entry on the Journals that the Committee of Selection was ap pointed, or was to be appointed, but he considered that that entry was not regular; and en consulting the highest authority he could consult on the subject this sessions, his apprehension was confirmed by those authorities, viz —that it was not ne cessary to enter the appointment of these Committees, if they were appointed according to the proper construction the standing orders. He contended that the nomination of these Committees ought to be found in the journals of the House. All Committees were appointed by the standing orders, and nothing more was necessary than to call out and nominate the Members, and then turn to standing order 4, and the entry made there. The appointment of the Com mittee was by the standing orders, but the nomination of the Member was not by the House. At the same time that the Committee was appointed, the Members were nominated, gene raily being the chairman of the standing orders, and the (bail , . men of the Committees and Sub. Committees on petitions Oa Private Bills, and of whom three should be a quorum. He considered that the appoi n t men t o f t h e Comm i ttee was good. With regard to their being no entry of the appointment of such Committee, it was wholly unnecessary that there should be such an entry upon the journals of the House, the Committee being constituted in accordance with the standing orders. It did not appear to him that the Hon. Gen leman had rested his objection on any other ground than informality, and be trusted he had shown that th e appo i ntment was su ff ic ient, and that there had been no deficiency whatever in the forms eehich had been followed. He did not think that any grounds what ever had been shown for the interference of the House. He trusted, therefore, the House would see that the construction be put upon the case was the correct one, and be hoped that it would not take the view of the Hon Member (Mr. O'Connell) but would support the Committee of Selection. Mr. WARBURTON thought the question should be con sidered totally irrespective of the case of Mr. Smith O'Brien. The question for them to consider simply was whether the Committee of Selection was appointed or not. If the construc tion of the Hon, Member for Oxford be the true one, the language would not have been " that a Committee be ap pointed at the commencement of every session ;" the lan guage would rather have been, " That the chairman of the Select Committee on standing orders, and the chairmen of the Sub-Committees on petitions for private Bills be a Com mittee for such and such purposes." That clearly would have been the language of the standing order, had it been the in ten! ion of the House that the sessional order should be mg' tinned in the sense taken of it by the Hon. Member for Ox ford. But who had appointed this Committee ? It was quite clear that some one roust have appointed it. The Committee could not appoint itself. The Speaker, he believed, had not appointed it, and again he must ask who had appointed the Committee ? He thought it better that they should confess at once that there had been some negligence shown souse; where or other, or that some misinterpretation of the words of the standing order had taken place, and, therefore, the sooner, they returned t o t h e wee di ng of the Act, the sooner wo uld they do justice to the Hon. Member, and to that House itself. Sir GEORGE GREY said that, in his opinion, the words of the statute were to be interpretatcd in precisely a similar way with the wordi ng o f other private Bills, and the House had a sanctioned by many precedents this view of the case. - n found, in refere nce t o t h e nomination of Committees on p hysic Bills, that the standing order No. 1 should be moved at the commencement of every session. He found tha that order waS that the Committee should consist of 42 Members, five to be as quorum in opposed cases, and three a quorum in cases not iop posed. B u t th e H ouse did not in every case require t h a t this order should be substantiated by a motion. He found indeed that with the exce pti on o f 1 845, the year adverte d to by the , Hon. and Learned M em b er f or Cork, it had never been de emed necessary to adopt thi s course. Th e H on. M em b er had re fused fused to comply w ith th e ca ll ma d e b y t h e H ouse; he we' therefore guilty of contempt, and he had been accordingly come mitted.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. STURT said, there was no doubt that some difficulty arose from the method in which the standing order was framed but at the same time, looking at the words, and also at what had been the p rac ti ce o f th e H ouse . He did not think they could have any difficulty at arriving at a decision. All the Committees of the House had been appointed by the same order, which only required that a Committee should be ap pointed at the commencement of the session ; and it could not he done otherwise, for the Speaker could not, consistently with his duty, have put a question to the House which would have negatived its own authority, which, he contended, would b e the case if, having ordered the appointment of a Committee hi a sessional order, they put it in the power of the Member t° make lightiof that appointment. It stated that these Committ ee* should be appointed at the commencement of each sessions and the order recommends that these selections should be re ported to the H ouse . H e cou ld not spea k o f t h e per f e ct accu racy racy of the ph raseo l og y emp l oye d, b ut suc h as it was were bound to act upon it. The words made use of were_ " shall be appoi n t e d .; " an d h e was n ot of opinio n that the terms of a s t an di ng or d er wer e to be construed with the s t r i c t ness o f a p h rase o f an Act o_ Parliament, or of a bill o f i n di ctment , b ut st ill i n ta ki ng the se words in their common sense of construction, it was impossible for the Standing Orders' Committee to act otherwise than they had done. With such an impression he could not help voti n g., with the Hon. M em b er f or O x f ord on this occasion, and g i v i ng his decided opposition to the motion. Mr. O'CONNELL thought that the Right Hon. Member for Devonport had entirely misapprehended the terms of his motion. Its object was not that Mr. O'Brien be immediately discharged from custody, but that he should be discharged to attend the Committee to which he had been appointed. He must say, that he trusted the decision to which the House was about to come would be more in accordance with common sense than were the terms of the standing orders on which Mr. O'Brien was committed.—( Laughter.) What might be the meaning of the terms of the standing orders under which M,re O'Brien was committed he could n ot p re t en d t o say, but !! trusted the House would net become wiseacres to interpret —( Laughter)—but certainly it would be out of rule to Intel,: pret it according as th e S tan di ng O r d ers ' C omm itt ee had 1 1, 1 it out. The w or di ng o f th e s t an di ng or d er , as he el m comprehend it, was at var i ance with comm on sense, and he thought i n v i o l a ti on o f a ll the ru les of grammar. He thought then that on consideration the House would percei ve th a t it wou ld h e i m p oss ible to co n ' fine Mr. Smith O'B r i en , w h en th e p h raseo l ogy o f the stand!!g order was so contradictory in itself, especially when they ee,T, r _ sidered how many p ersons were i n t ereste d i n t h e result. loot this occasion, theref ore , h e t rus t e d t h a t th e H ouse would °J; upon the question as he viewed it, and with that hope he move" that Mr. Smith O'Brien be discharged. Mr. WAKLEY rose, amidst loud cries of" Divide, dividei:. He said he hoped that thi s ques ti on wo uld not be decided out the officers of the Crown stating their opinion of it. (" Oh! oh !" and cries of " No. no")—for he was stir!: in consequence of what had transpired before en this subject, that if it was not debated and decided on the grounds o common sense, and on the words of the standing order, tha t great dissatisfaction would be felt by the country, and stil l greater dissatisfaction by the Members of that House on some future occasion, when they themselves might be placed in similar position to Mr. Smith O'Brien. Now, could anything be plainer than the words of the order:--" At the commence ment of every session the Committee shall be appointed"-- (Several Hon. Members here called out, "Be appointed") —For his Honourable Friend the Member for Ken-- dal, had in his (Mr. Wakley's) opinion, given a correct interpretation of the words. The right interpretation of that order was as plain and obvious to his (Mr. Wakley's) appre hension as anything they could place before him. New, what j had been the practise o f th e p rece di ng sess i on ? N o one had asked that question. Was there a precedent for the course they had taken? He p u t th a t quest i on t o th e H ous e, and ', there was not he was at a loss to know on what right they had now a gentleman, one of their Members, in custody ? It was, at the very best, a doubtful proceeding. But would they interpre t the law its most stringent sense ? Why should they not a to this gentleman, " We don't think you have been very wise,__ and it is not pleasant that our wisdom should be discussed; n; will let you out, and let us shake hands ?"—(Laughter.) :, did not think that any degree of want of dignity would attach to such a course ; but, at any rate, it was the honest coue' for it was plain and obvious that a mistake had been committed, and he thought they ought not to make another person suffer for their own fault. Mr. AGLIONBY said it was not his intention to h e al u i3 t troubled the House with any observations on this subject, e, _ as the Hon. Gentleman hail raised a technical objection to te ll, ' order, and insisted that the House had made a mis'ak e ,e eir which opinion he could not coincide, he wished to occupY," ass , attention for but a few moments. He would not glee hi s officers if to the opinion of the Hon. Gentleman, that the law the Crown ought to express their opinion of the order,t_n t be fore the House adopted any steps respecting it ; for, had been a question of mere law, it might have been necessary to have received their opinion, but in this case they would not , t, b e con idered other than simply Members of the House. it livuss orders had been drawn up by the House, and therefo and re who the House who were only competent to discus them, or to alter add ought to be appealed to as to their construction, repeal Hon. and Learned merits as the competent to discuss their arose on the words 6 , be them, so that the oth f er al w e e. m i Gentlemen opposite. The question Me mber for Derby had adduced argu ments The Hon. oa at these arguments, and . said that the thing, but the Hon. Member on. Memberbena t ure, for ttehret yon d s opinion, d that, in his the words " be appointed Cork state meant at least some sort of appointment by the House itself. pidany member of the Committee of Selection, or did th e H o use, wish to place a harsh construction on the standing order Hear, hear.) He for one would, with all possible readiness, agree to such a construction of the words; as would aemit of the d ottier f s tody the par . Mr. Smith O'Brien, were n ge rom cu How 0 consequences to lo such a step. Hear, hear.) At disautto present they were to the matter as if the Hon tosli . Gentleman never was in L iss and never had been lf the a r committed. of the 11 l and Learned guments roce Member for Co r k were to be taken, every T ing of the Committee on standing orders, and of all Co mittees appoi n t e d' b y that body, would be entirely n u and void. If the Committee of Selection were nev er n ap pointed, so as to have no authorit everact emanating fr: it would b e v i c i ous, and every proceeding of the CommCom it !l i e e on Group s o f R ailways would be in like manner void! House might remedy this by a vote, orb which wo uld " ma tter Lion the proceedings of these Committees ; but that was obser , of comparatively amall import. He would confine his_ nta i n ed vations to the single words, "be appointed." He mat„ , a nd that the Committee had been appointed constitutioe?"l It strictly according to the words of the standing orde rs. aeo ted was not necessary that the Committee should be 1;_le or der trued the • d by the House, as the Hon. Men ber had cons co te to mean ; neither was it necessary that it should be • a_P_e w hich in the House. It was virtually appointed by somethinf eent eer had previously been done by the House. The Hon. of the also said, that the House had not the appointmee t ris h, f e y chairman. The moment the House named the Ine`,' n f o rce, the Committee, the standing orders, No. 4, came s ' a sl ues' and ipso fact) the appointment was made. This e had been ar tion for the House to decide, for the Committeoe,.Govern pointed by the House, and not by any Member !t!'_ ny floe• ment, and he laded it would no' be thought that Member had taken it in any other light. w i s hed only The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that he to wa l l to make one remark. He could fed it was unnecessary the site ee- t any comment on the motion bsfose the House after _ ba d put of the Hon. Baronet the Member for Davenport, woe L. fro nt remarks the question in its proper light, and made any him wholly uncalled for. ots s e • Lord I'OLLINGTON said that the question for the H do to consider was, whether or not a mistake had been ma de the committal of the Hon. Member. They had • noshing_yin to _ g with the inconvenience which might arise out o f rectifying e, let t " - error.—( Hear, hear.) If a mistake had been mad at once d' 6- House give the Hon. Member the benefit of it by only charging him from custody.—( Hear, hear.) He h,a_ a _ of say that, having groat doubts as to the constru c