The Sun. — London, England, 1837-02-27 00:00:00

NORTHERN AND CENTRAL BANK. MEETING AT MANCHESTER. (Abridged from the Morning Post.) The general meeting of shareholders of this bank was held at Ladyman's Hotel, on Thursday, " when a summary or ba lance sheet of the report, from the period of the last report, was to be laid before the meeting, and to elect two directors in the place of those who retire, in pursuance of a provision of the deed of settlement." Mr. BRAIDLEc, haring taken the chair, read the following report:— THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OF THE NOR- THERN AND CENTRAL BANK OF ENGLAND. " Manchester, Feb. 23, 1837. " The Directors of the Northern and Central Bank of Eng land, in bringing forward their report to the shareholders at the present meeting, beg leave to state that they have gone through the books of the company with considerable care from its commencement to the 31st of December last, and have to report the followin g as the result of their investigations : " The total sum of profit derived from business accounts from the 17th of March, 1834, when the Company first began, to the 31st of Decem ber last is X 145,699 16 8 " Received for premiums during same period__ 34,881 10 0 " Total profits at 31st of Deoember, 1836 £180,581 6 8 DEDII CT. " Dividends paid during same period ... £93,784 2 1 " Interest due to the Bank of England to the 31st of Dec., 1836 " Solicitor's bills and law charges, say 3,306 0 0 1,200 0 0 98,290 2 1 " I eaving an amount to be placed against all bad debts, from the commencement, of £82,291 4 7 " The Directors went through the list of bad debts, up to the 31st of December last, with the anxious view of making such allowance for loss on each as in their judgment, would be sufficient to meet any actual deficiency which might arise ; and they have to state that it was their opinion that it would require, to cover the losses at the head office and 38 branches, the sum of 97,9791. 2s. Id. for this purpose, which would 1 Dave a deficiency in the assets of the bank, after paying all I' abilities, of 15,6871. 17s. 6d. below the amount of capital due o the shareholders. Since that period, however, owing to the difficulties of tle times, a great many failures have taken place, which were liot contemplated, and the Directors cannot say positively what less will be. They hope, however, that a loss of 15s. per share will cover everything; but they do ,not think, under the 'worst circumstances, and making allowance for all contingen .sies, that a greaterloss than It. per share can be incurred. Under the worst circumstances, therefore, that they can anti -I:ipate, a working capital of about seven hundred thousand -pounds will be left to the bank. Mr. AARON LEES moved that the report now read be ad , pted. Mr. BROADBENT would say as to transactions in shares, that since he had had to do with the inspection he had become quite :satisfied that this bank had never been in a condition to make ea dividend of one. farthing—( Hear, hear)—and any Director icho had looked narrowly at what was going on must have b !en struck with that fact. Those Directors who had been trafficking in shares, acting upon their superior knowledge over many shareholders of limited incomes, who, having 'nought shares at high premiums, had embarrassed themselves, those Directors, acting upon that knowledge, had sold shares, n,t in their own names, by which the public might have ktown of it, but in the names of nominees. —(Cries of " Shame.") Ile would say the shareholders might put what cotstruction they pleased on it. Mr. HARBOTTLE, iii the course of the proceedings, said he felt it his duty to the Shareholderito say that the Directors lzenerally had largely trafficked in shares, not of this bank merely, but in almost all the species of s:Aares which had been current during the past year, and that money to a large ex scat had been extracted from the Northern and Central Bank to I, ay for shares which the Directors had themselves bought. —(Shameful.) These shares had been transferred to the in spe etors as security for the Directors' accounts.. He believed eveis the Directors themselves did not wish to conceal that the:, lad been guilty in this way. The Dirctors had kept taro ac cote Is, it business account and a private account, which he ti,ni+ght was anything but correct. 1; appeared on inquiry by several shareholders that neither lU,. Cassels, the Itte, nor Mr. Evans, the present, manager of tilt• bank, was aware of the private account being kept for the Dh.eetors, it being done in a private ledger, kept by the ban'e ac auntant, who stated he had done so in compliance with an o. dor of the Board of Directors. UL mutely the resolution for the adoption of the report was pas.7e(tunanimously, though not two-thirds of the shareholders p:esent voted. i4r. CASSELS at a subsequent part of the proceedings read the follo wing statement of the liabilities of the Northern and Central Sank. Mr. W. G. CASSELS read the following statement of the No.-tbern and Central Bank on the 31st of December, 1836: Due on current accounts in London £2,175 at branches at head office £357.51 Dc.posA receipts at branches 153,198 at head office . Interest clue on ditto at head office and branches 2,2f.)6 156,431 Ealane* due to the Bank of England, exclusive of interest 318,220 Cash thie to bankers (Preseotts, and London and West- 100,70 387,796 mins.ter Draft; Ind advices current on bankers, Ditto ditto on W. G. Cassells, including American drafts Cirri stion of Northern and Central notes .. 161,335 Dividends remaining unpaid 2,664 Branch drafts unpaid 4 572 Making up a total of £1,592,656 Paitl up capital BOO,OlO £2,396,666 Lettving a surplus of 86,7521. to be carried to the new account. :We have been informed that the balance will be smaller than above, stated by the following items :—Deduct interest to the Bank of England, 3,3061. ; law expenses, 1,2001. ; together, 4,5064., making the total 1,597,162/., and the surplus to the new account 82,246/. The assets of the Bank, including bills, past clue bills, overdrawn accounts, and cash, amount to 2,479,4181.—REP0RTER.] Mr. STenns moved, and Mr. WEBSTER seconded the nomi nation of Mr. Joseph Armstrong and Mr. Aaron Lees, to the two vacant places in the Directory. These gentlemen were unanitnously elected. Thanks were voted to the inspectors, and they were requested to continue their services till the Bank's engagements with the Bank of England and the London and Westminster Bank were satisfied. Thanks were also voted to the Chairman, and the proceedings terminated shortly after two o'clock. PRINCIPLES OF BANKING IN THE UNITED STATES. There are no less than 558 banks in tho United States, with 146 branches. You have frequently read in the Ameri can papers of " pet banks." This term is applied to those institutions in which General Jackson has caused the depo sits of public money to be made from time to time, and these pet" or " deposit banks" are obliged to return on oath an annual report of their debits, credits, and liabilities to Con gress, as well as to the governments of their own states. I believe these deposit banks are about 126 in number. When it is proposed to start a bank in any town or city, a memorial is signed by a number of the citizens, and presented to the Senate aid House of Representatives of the Common wealth in which such town or city may be located, stating the terms, capital, &c., on which they desire to establish a bank. The Legislature of the Commonwealth then take it into con sideration. All parties are heard, and sometimes the charter applied for is refused. But when granted, the amount of capital, price and number of shares, and other matters of pub lic import, are settled by the Legislature of the State or Com monwealth ; and the bankers are bound to return a statement of their affairs once a year, which is published by the State Government to the people. Permission to establish a bank having been thus obtained, the shares or scrip are sold in the following manner : Sup pose the capital of the projected bank be 2,000,000 doll., the shares 10,000 in number, at 200 doll. each ; they are bought by capitalists the moment they are advertised, and probably the first instalment required ,on them may be only 20 doll. or 30 doll. each, the remainder being called for at stated periods during the subsequent twelve or eighteen months, by which time all will be paid up. The scrip is soil, at first, by par ties empowered so to do by the State Government ; they are called commissioners. Sometimes the shares will bear a pre mium of 5 doll. or 6 doll. each within a few days after they are granted and issued. The shares being all sold, and the shareholders forming a body corporate, they meet and elect their Board of Directors once a year for ever, or during their charter, by ballot. I wish you particularly to notice that everything in this country that is public is conducted on the elective principle, and by ballot. In all cases the people are represented, their interests consulted, and they have a complete control over tlxeir own affairs. This is the one grand secret of American prosperity. The Directors, President, Cashier, and other officefs of the bank being elected and appointed, the establishment proceeds to ;he transaction of business. They issue paper, discount bills, ,and make dividends of their profits every six months. The President must be one of the Directors, and of course a stoc kholder. The Cashier must not be a stockholder, and must have. no pecuniary interest in the bank, in order that his testimony ,and conduct at all times, and in courts of justice, may be disilterested. The Presidents and Cashiers are elected by tlle Boan.l of Directors, also by ballot. No stockholder is liable, either in person or property, be yond the amount of his share or shares. The stockholders meet once a year to audit the affairs of their bank, and a I ;st of them is always previously published and poste i tr? in the ba.ok. No Director is eli'gible to be elected more than three years out of every four. The operation of this rule is, that there occurs a continual succession, one-third dying a natural death every ye.ar. Directors are generally twelve in number, and they must be citizens cr.f the United States. Foreign stockholders are not entitled to vote, either by proxy or in person, except in a very few banks. Many shares will give a holder more votes than one share, pro rata. All bills and promissory notes discounted in these banks moist be pr,?sented at least one day previous to the weekly discount days, of which there are generally two —say Tues days and Fridays. These bills and promissory notes are examined by a Court or Council of the President and Di rectors, and accepted or rejected as the case may be. On the same discount day, at 12 o'clock, the presenters of bills call to know their fate, and either receive them again, or their value, minus the discount. All discounts at banks are done at the legal interest of the different states. In Pennsylvania this is 6 per cent. ; in New York, and many states, it is 7 ; and in Louisiana, and some of the southern states, it is la. The banks do not every six months divide quite all their profits, but reserve a little to meet losses, contingencies, build ings, &c. The average dividends of banks I should consider to be about 4 per cent. every six months, or 8 per cent. per annum. Some make as high as 10 or 12, while others do not exceed 6 or 7. In the event of the Directors affording any suspicion of violation of their charter, the legislatures of the different states have power to call for persons and papers to be examined on oath. The annual accounts of the banks, which arc delivered to the different legislatures every session, and published to the people by the " auditors general" of the different states, are very full and explanatory, being perfect balance sheets of debits, cre dits, assets, and liabilities, showing their state not only for the whole year, but also for each quarter of that year. BRIGHTON. FklDAY.—Their Majesties drove out this morning for two hours before luncheon. His Majesty, accompanied by Viscoun tess Falkland, rode out again in the afternoon. The Duchess of Gloucester left the Palace this morning at eleven o'clock, for Gloucester House, Piccadilly. Her Royal Highness was in excellent health. The calls to-day included— Sir M., J., Lady, and Miss Tierney, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Craven, Mr. John Eld, Mr. L. Peel, Mr. and Mrs. Mecklatn, Lieut.-Col. Sir J. R. Eustace, Col. Sir A. and Lady Dal rymple, Gen. Phipps, on leaving ; Adm. Sir T. and Lady Rudd, Col. Sir A. and Lady Christie, Marquis of Bristol, Lieut.-Col. and Mrs. E. Bridgman, Lady G. and Lieut.- Col. Cathcart, Sir Davidge and Lady Gould, Lieut.-Col. Home (Grenadier Guards), Lieut.-Col. Loftus (Grenadier Guards), Countess of Newburgh and Lady Barbara Eyre, Lieut.-Col. and Lady Dorothy Leslie, Sir J., Lady, and Miss Lloyd, Col. Riddell, Sir Robert Kennedy, Capt. Sir G. and Lady Westphal, Lord and Lady Maryborough, Lieut.-Gen. Sir Loftus and Lady Otway, Duke and Duchess of St. Al ban's, Lord and Lady Frederick Beauclerk and Miss Beau clerk, Sir Francis, Lady, and Miss Burdett, Lady Hotham and Miss Trafford, on leaving ; Mr. and Mr. Smyth Wind ham, Adm, Sir J. H., Lady, and Miss Whitshed, and Lord and Lady Colville, Dowager Lady Ellenborough and Miss Law, Col. Sir George Teesdale, &c. The Duke of Cambridge having attained his 63d year this day a merry peal was rung on the bells of St. Nicholas in the morning, and at one o'clock a royal salute was fired from the battery. The Hon. Gen. Phipps has deferred his departure for North House, on a visit to Lord Arden, till to-morrow. Lord Douglas Gordon Hallyburton has returned to the Nor folk Hotel from town. His Lordship has taken lodgings on the King's-road. The Earl and Countess of Rosse and the Ladies Parsons take their final departure for the season on Monday, for the metropoli.. Yesterday his Majesty granted an audience to Sir J. B. Vaughan. Dr. Davis left yesterday for town, but returned again to-day. SVNDAI.-Their ;Majesties and the Court generally will leave the palace to-morrow, for Windsor Castle, at half-past ten o'clock. The Princess Augusta goes to Frogmore. His Majesty will hold his first levee on Wednesday, and we un derstand that the Queen will accompany the King to town. The King and the Queen, and the Princess Augusta, at tended the celebration of Divine worship this morning, in the palace chapel. The Countess of Mayo was the lady in wait ing, and the Rev. R. Wood, deputy clerk of the closet in waiting. The Rev. Dr. Everard read prayers, and the Rev. J. M. Anderson preached from St. Luke, c. xxiii., 39th and the following verses. The choir sang King's Tr DEL'M Jubilate in F, and Kent's treble anthem, " Hear my prayer." The rot al dinner parties since Thursday evening have been limited to their Majesties and the royal suite. The calls at the Palace yesterday, comprised Admiral Sir J. 11. and La-ly \Viiitshed (on leaving),, Colonel and Mrs. Ashworth, Captain James Morgan, R. N., and Mrs. Morgan, Mr. A. C. Buchanan (his Majesty's Chief Agent for Emi gration in Upper and Lower Canada), Lieutenant-General Sir J. and Lady Nicholls, the Earl and Countess of Rosse. and Ladies Parsons, Colonel Dawson Darner, Dowager Lady Lanoliare &c. . _ Fo-day the following called and paid their respects to their Majesties :—Major Johnson (42d Royal Highlanders), and Lieut.. Col. Nladox, Lieut. Armstrong, Capt. Mrs. and Miss Randall, Col. Sir A. and Lady Dalrymple, and Lieut.-Gen. Sir Charles and Miss Doyle. Yesterday afternoon the Queen paid a long visit to Lady Pennant on the Marine Parade. The King drove out this afternoon on the Dyke-road, with the Princess Augusta. Their Majesties took a carriage drive together yesterday morning, at 12 o'clock, on the Dyke-road. • The Princess Augusta, attended by Miss Wynyard, drove out yesterday morning fur an airing before luncheon. Viscount and Viscountess Falkland left the Palace yesterday for London, as did also Sir Herbert and Lady Taylor. COURT CIRCULAR. FraDa Y.—The Duchess of Gloucester arrived at Gloucester House, Park-lane, yesterday, from' . a visit to their Majesties at the Pavilion at Brighton. The Court will go into mourning on Sunday next, the 26th instant, fur his late Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Mecklenburgh Schwerin. The Court will change the mourn in.. on Thursday, the 2d of March ; and on Sunday, the sth of March, the Court will go out of mourning. The Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord John Russell, Lord Glenelg, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Poulett Thomson, and Viscount Howick, attended a meeting at the Colonial-office yesterday. The Ministers afterwards went to the Foreign-office to attend a Cabinet Council, at which were present Viscount Melbourne, the Lord Chancellor, Vis count Palmerston, the Earl of Minto, Sir John Hobhouse, and Lord Holland. The Council sat an hour and a half. Mr. Bowes had an interview with Viscount Melbourne yes terday, in Downing-street. The Marquis of Lansdowne had a dinner party last even ing at Lansdowne House. The Swedish Minister transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office. Viscount Melbourne had a dinner party last evening at his residence in South-street. Lord Holland entertained a select party at dinner last evening. SUNDAY.—The Duchess of Kent and her suite attended Divine Service Dean morning at the Chapel in Kensington Palace. The of Chester, and the Rev. Joseph Jackson, officiated. The Princess Victoria was not sufficiently reco vered from a cold to be present. In the afternoon Divine Ser vice was performed before their Royal Highnesses and House hold by the Dean of Chester. Lord Glenelg left town on Saturday morning for Brighton, to have an audience of the King. A Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign Office on Sa turday afternoon. It was attended by Viscount Melbourne, Marquis of LansdoNvne, Viscount Duncannon, Lord J. Russell, Viscount Palmerston, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John Hobhouse, Lord Holland, Mr. Poulett Thomson, and Viscount Howick. The , Council sat two hours. The Russian Ambassaclor, the Neapolitan and Grecian Ministers, the French Charge d'Affaires, and D. Mr. Hum melaeur, transacted business at the Foreign office on Saturday. The Mess of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms held their first meeting for the season at the Freemason's Tavern on Friday evening. Viscount Duncannon, the Count& ss of pinto, Lady Fanny ,Elliott, and a select party, dined the Marqui s and Mar chioness of Lansdowne, on Friday eyening, at Lansdowne House. Lord John Russell had a small dinner pally last evening at his residence in Wilton-crescent. FASHIONABLE IN TELLIGEICCE. ARRIVALS. The Duchess of Cannizzaro, in Hanover-square; from Brighton ; the Earl of Darlington, in Upper Brook.szre,-t, from Grantham ; the Earl and Countess of Bradford, fron,' Shropshire ; Lady Elizabeth Cole, at the British Hotel, from Twickenham ; Richard Benyon de Beauvoir, Esq., and Miss Benyon, in Grosvenor-square, from Culford Hall, Suffolk ; Sir H. Williamson, Bart., from Sunderland; George Mor gan, Esq., in Pall-mall, from a tour; W. Turner, Esq., in New Palace-yard, from Moulesfield ; Sir Charles Cockerel!, Bart., M. P., in Piccadilly, from his seat in Gloucestershire; the Hon. Sir. Wm. Lumley, Bart., in Green-street, Grosve nor-square, from Winkfield-place, Windsor ' • Lord St. Law rence, at Symmons's Hotel, from Ireland ; Mr. and Mrs. Hartopp, at ditto, from their seat in Leicestershire ; Lord Crew, at Fenton's Hotel, from Crew Hall; Viscount Fitz harris, at ditto, from Hants ; M. E. Parker, Esq., M. P., at ditto, from Devon; Mr. and Mrs. Holland, at Batt's Hotel, from Paris; Mr. and Mrs. Brown, at ditto, from Brighton ; T. B. Estcourt, Esq., M. P., at ditto, from Brighton ; W. P. Hamond, Esq., at ditto, from Cheltenham; E. Bunbury, Esq., at ditto. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1837. DEPARTURES. Lord and Lady Aylme;,fron; -- th; Carlton Hotel, for Bath ; Lord Charles Manners, from ditto, for Belvoir Castle ; Colonel Angerstein, from ditto, for Windsor; the Right Hon. F. Shaw, M. P., from Symmons's Hotel, fur Ireland ; Mrs. Otway Cave for Brighton; Sir Thomas and Lady Blake, from the Waterloo Hotel, for Bury St. Edmund's; Sir T. Gage, Bart., from ditto, for Paris ; Captain Gage, from ditto, for Dorking, S'vrrey ; Sutherland Graeme, Esq., from ditto, for St. Leonard': ; the Hon. Col. Dawson Darner, from ditto, for Brighton ; Captain Drummond from ditto; the Rev. J. M. Dawson and Charles Dawson, Esq., from Ellis's Hotel, for Abinger ; R. J. Grant, Esq., from ditto, for Chelten ham; the Rev. F.. Moore, from Fenton's Hotel, for Windsor ; Mr. and Mrs. Long and farvily, from ditto, on a tour. The present Countess of Surrey, in a codicil to the will of her father, the late Duke of Sutherland, received a legacy of only 20,0001. The Duke, however, cancelled all bonds and obligations existing at his death between the Earl of Surrey and himself. Sir Stephen Glynn has paired off with Mr. Chil ders, M.P. for Mahon, until Easter. Mr. Horsman, M.P. for Cockermouth, is at present suffering under a very severe attack of influenza. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. BETTING AT MANCHESTER, FAID4r. CHESTER TRADE CUP, P. P. 7 to 2 agst Sir J. Boswell's General Chasse 7 to 1 agst General Yates's Sylvan 12 to 1 agst Mr. Peel's Tamworth 12 to 1 agst Mr. Giffard's Traveller 14 to 1 agst Mr. J. Day's Bubastes 15 to 1 agst Lord Eglinton's Black Diamond 15 to 1 agst Mr. Robinson's Stockport 16 to 1 agst Lord Westminster's Hampton 20 to 1 agst any other. STEEPLE CHASES. BROCKLESBY ENTRY. Sir T. Whichcote's Lon waist, Mr. Soulby's Thornton, Mr. Kay's Fiddler, Mr. Hunter's Aswarby, Mr. Loft's Red Mantle, Mr. Richardson's The Huntsman, Captain Skipworth's Bumpkin, Mr. Davy's Wizard, Mr. Goulton's Don Quixote, Mr. Nainby's Moses, Mr. J. Skipworth's Mantrap, Mr. J. Taylor's Red Shanks, Mr. Skipworth's Midas, Mr. Holmes's Puzzle, and Mr. G. Skip with's Antelope. HIGH WYCOMBE ENTRY. Mr. H. Webb ; :CoMmodore,lllr.l'reacher's Splendid, Mr. W. Hook's Forester, Mr. Moreton's Duchess, Mr. Treacher's Yellow Dwarf, Mr. Follett's Countess, Mr. Geary's Saladin, and Mr. Bradford's Whitefoot. The race comes off on Wednesday next. ST. ALBAN'S ENTRY. Captain Fairlie's Spicey(kr:BeeZer),ki. J. Elmore's Lot tery (owner), Mr. J. Foster's Rector (Mr. Oliver), Mr. Anger stein's Laura (Mr. Patrick), Mr. Drake's Speculation (Mr. Sef fert), Mr. Bean's Beanstalk (owner), Captain Bilbie's Boy Blue (Mr. Powell), Mr. Turner's Pilot (Mr. Curwen), Mr. Bryan's The Flyer (owner), Captain Gardner's Conrad (Mr. J. Mason), Mr. Land's Predictor (owner), Mr. Jackson's Cinderella (Mr. Martin); Mr. Thomson's Coxswain (owner), Mr. Lambden's Splendour, and Captain Smith's Curate. The race takes place to-morrow. BATH ENTRY. The following are the entries, which will take place on the 4th of March : Mr. Marshall's b. g. Foreigner, Captain Richardson's b. g. Deceiver, Mr. Sadler's ch. m. Laura, Mr. Heyttorn's b. g. Sailor, Mr. Pierrepont's b. g. Benedict, Mr. H. W. ToJker's b. g. Gol den Locks, and Mr. Smart's b. g. Railroad. Foreigner is the favourite, at 4 to 1. LEAMINGTON ENTRY. Marquis of Waterford's Monarch, Lord Macdonald's Captain Bob, Lord Willoughby's Puzzle, Mr. Newman's Valiant, Mr. Anger stein's Negociator, Captain Lamb's Vivian, Captain Lamb's Bea trice, Mr. Baring na. by Manfred, Mr. W. Russell's Scripton, Mr. Talbot's Mount Eagle, Mr. Coke's Flacrow, Mr. Mostyn's Warwick, Mr. Knaresborough's Dan O'Connell, Mr. Marshall's Foreigner, Mr. Wallis's Creeper, Captain Williams's Bittern, Mr. Sadler's Laura, Mr. Badcock s Hector, Mr. Lambden's Jerry, Mr. 13aggersly'.s Bright Eyes, Mr. Clifford's Countess, sister to Grimaldi. COURSING. BARTON AGNES MEETING.—Tossns.r. The Cup, value 7 guineas. Mr. Spencer's Smart beat Sir H. Boynton's Sweep. Mr. R. Nicholson's Catton beat Mr. J. Hopkiu's Mr. Cook's Bustler :beat Mr. Milner's Mellish. Mr. Rickby's Catchwater beat Mr. Stephen's Magic. Ties.—Catton beat Smart, and Bustler beat Catchwater. Deciding Course.—Catton beat Bustler, and won the Course. GRAND MATCHfrom LONDON to HEREFORD. On Wednesday a gentleman, named Burke, residing at Oxford, undertook to run his blood mare, Creeping Polly, and his silver-tailed cob, Paddy, against the Mazeppa fast coach from London to Hereford, about 138 miles. A Mr. Wardley, and several other persons of Lambeth, backed the coach at odds, and upwards of a thousand pounds depended on the re sult of the trial. The terms of the match were to this effect : " That neither Mr. Burke, nor any other person he might ap point, did drive, ride, or lead the horses above named, from the Bolt-in-Tun, Fleet-street, London, to the Swan Inn, or Royal Hotel, Hereford, sooner than the Mazeppa coach tra velled the same distance—the horses to go the same line of road as the coach." At a quarter past six o'clock on Wednes day morning the Mazeppa coach left the Bolt-in-Tun, filled inside and out by its backers and their friends, and proceeded on its route to Hereford, followed by Mr. Burke on horseback, leading Paddy and Creeping Polly. The cob ( Paddy) looked some what lame, but the little mare Polly was in famous con dition. On leading the streets of the mean p the horses did the 15 miles to Uxbridge in one hour and ten minutes, where Mr. Burke stopped, but shortly proceeded on his jour ney, the coach now haling the start. The nags, however, soon overtook the Mazepya, and got into Wycombe four minutes in advance. From thence they again took the lead, but on stop ping at Postcombe the coach came up to them, and at Pets worth was a full mile before them. About one mile the Oxford side cf Milton Common Paddy and his companion Polly again went ahead of the coach, and kept the lead to Oxford, leaving the Mazeppa full five minutes in the rear. The coach had the start from Oxford, but on reaching Witney the little ones were 300 yards in advance. At Burford die nags and the Mazeppa were on more friendly terms, and they left that place together. They, however, did not long keep each other Company, for Mr. Burke and his gallant steeds made rapid progress to Glou cester, where they arrived 20 minutes before the coach, which, it was said, lost that time in the distance. Hitherto the various relays of horses for Mr. Burke to ride were brought out with precision ; but at Gloucester the postmasters had let, or said they had let, all their horses, and the so o t of . Erin was thus placed in a situation of peculiar hardship. Mr. Burke had now no alternative—delay became every minute more dange rous, and mounting one of the match horses he started off, leading the other towards Hereford, which he reached, after alternately riding his nags, full three minutes before the Ma zeppa coach. The distance, as we hare above stated, is about 138 miles, and it was accomplished by the winning party in 15 hours, 46 minutes, and 46 seconds. The horses were not much distressed. The backers of the coach are much morti fied at being thus beaten, and throw great blame on " the whip" between Witney and Gloucester, for losing 20 minutes of his usual time. It is said the coach can again be backed against the horses for 2001. ; but it would be unfair to proceed at a greater speed than the usual " time bill" would justify. NAVAL INTELLI GENCE• (From the Hampshire Telegraph.) PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 25.—Tht Viper, 6, Commander Ro binson, arrived this afternoon from Passages, which port she left on Sunday last; she brings no account of actual hostili ties, but we gain by her the important fact that Espartero ad vanced from Bilboa with 24,000 men, on Thursday, the 16th instant ; and that General Evans was perfectly ready to ad vance also the moment the Columbia steamer arrived with in formation of Espartero having reached a certain point. Evans mustered 12,000 bayonets, and his men were in high spirits. Capt. Daws, Second-Lieutenant Travers, with three ser geants, three corporals, a drummer, and 63 privates, of this division of Royal Marines, will proceed on Monday, in the Messenger steamer, to Plymouth, to embark on board the Cornwallis, (the flag-ship of Sir Charles Paget.) Lieute nants Campbell and White, of the same corps, are also to em bark onboard the Messenger to proceed to the North Coast of Spain. Information is received that the Wolverine, 16, had got en shore near Barcelona ; she was nearly dry, but it is not known that she is materially damaged; therefore the exer. tions of the ships on the coast will doubtless get her afloat again. The Cracker and Emerald cutters are now both assidu ously cruizing on the coast of Sussex, for the protection of the fishermen. PRomoTtONS AND APPoiNcrmENTs.—Mr. Henry Eden and Mr. James E. Katon, to the rank of Lieutenant ; Lieut. E. Bevan, to command the Pincher ; Lieut. Colpoys Dickson to be Flag Lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Warren; Mr. T. Ly_ saught, Mate, from the Britannia to the Salamander; Licuts. T. G. Forbes, Alexander Murjay, H. H. Bingham,_ and R. W. Otway, Rev. E. Kitson, Chaplain ; Mr. G. Mason, Purser, Messrs. A. R. Bradford, W. Kent, and Charles Priaulx ' Assistant Surgeons, Mr. Thomas Elson, Master, Mr. David Duncan, Second Master, Messrs. W. W. Seldham, J. H. Cockburn, C. L. Hocker, C. H. Johnson, Robert Reid, M. S. Kirkes, J. H. Kay, Mark Kerr, Lionel R. Place, J. F. Warre, Mates • Messrs. H. C. Jeffrey, 0. Cleveland, J. Simson, J. Ovenden, H. L. Hillyer, A. Vansittart, Mid shipmen ; Mr. G. T. P. Hornsby, Volunteer, Mr. W. Bates, Schoolmaster, Messrs. Josh. Briggs, Gunner, James Fox, Boatswain, W. Hindmarsh, Carpenter, to the Princess Charlotte ; Lieut. Thomas Hills to the Midhurst, Semaphore Station; Lieut. James Long, to the Semaphore Station, Portsdown Hill ; Mr. F. P. Warren, College Volunteer, to Cornwallis ; Mr. H. L. Cox, to Harlequin ; Lieut. J. H. Murray, to Tweed ; Mr. J. R. Nation, Surgeon, to Seringa patam ; Dr. John Thompson, Assistant-Surgeon, to Hasler Hospital; Mr. Archibald Johnston, Surgeon, to North Star : Mr. W. B. Miller, Mate to Leveret ; Mr. W. Cra w f or d, M to Pelorus ; Mr. A. J. Little, to be Assistant- Sur geo.n at Basler. (From the Devonport Independent.) The Canopus, 84, Captain the Hon. J. Percy, C.B. was paid off into' Ordinary on Saturday. The Favourite is ordered to be got reaG' for commissioning. The repairs of the Cro codile are to be hastened. The Talavera, Stag, Inconstant, and Semarang, are in the Sound wait ing orders. The Scylla and Trinculo are manned, and will proceed into the Sound wit week. The Talawera, 74, and Inconstant, 36, are to proceed to the Mediterranea n station. The Cot •nvallis, 74, when undocked on Wednesday morn• ing, remin , and the veterans in the Dock-yard of olden times. The Admitral Commander-in-Chief having placed at the dis posal of Ca ptain Sir Richard Grant 200 men from the dif ferent ship s in commission, they began to haul the Cornwallis out of doe k about six o'clock in the morning, and by eleven o'clock she had been alongside the Sheer Hulk and there re ceived her three lower masts, and then transported to her own hulk and s ecured. The arrangements were most judicious and complete. The Di 'do corvette, 20, Captain L. Davies, sailed on Wednesda37 for the Mediterranean station ; but was obliged to put back oil Thursday, owing to the boisterous state of the weather. The Vern , on, 50, Captain M'Kerlie, is ordered to be paid , off at Sheet ness, on her arrival from the Mediterranean. The Se .ngapatam, 46, is ordered to be commissioned at Sheerness , supposed to relieve -the Dublin, on the South Ame rican stati G.n. Captain John Leith, 1925, is appointed to the command t)f her. The H .ercules, 74, Captain M. F. Berkeley, recently re turned fr, xtt the Lisbon station, is ordered to be dismantled at Sheernes I, and forthwith paid off. The H amoaze lighter will sail this day with stores for Fal mouth. In Har a oaze—Royal Adelaide, San Josef, Cornwallis, Scylla Trinculo, and Scorpion. In th% l Sound—Talavera, Stag, Inconstant, Semarang, and Did°. . METROPOLIS IMPROVEMENTS. The Select Committee appointed to consider of the most effectual plan for raising of money to carry into effect the ne cessary improvements required in the cities of London, West minster, borough of Southwark, and counties of Middlesex and Surrey, and for the purchasini , of the interest of the pro prietors of the Waterloo and Southwark bridges, that they may be thrown open for the. use of the public free of toll, have agreed to the following Report : The following are the principal improvements suggested, which are explained in detail by the plans annexed to the Report CITY OF LONDON. — A new street from the Bank to the Ge neral Post-offiee ; a new street from the General Post-office to Newgate-street ; the improvement of Skinner-street and Holborn-hill ; a new street from the Mansion-house to the Southwark-bridge ; a new street from St. Paul's cathedral to Blackfriars_bridge. COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX.—A new street from Farringdon street to the Sessions-house Clerkenwell ; a new street from Westminster Abbey to Pimlico ; a new street from Oxford street to Plumtree-street, St. Giles's ; a new street from Gower-street to Waterloo-bridge ; a new street from Fins bury-square to Whitechapel Church and the Commercial road ; a new street from Holborn to the Strand, and taking down the houses on the north side of the Strand, between the Churches of St. Clement Danes and St. Mary-le-Strand ; the improvement of the thoroughfare from St. Katherine Docks to Eastcheap ; the removal of Middle-row, Holborn. COUNTY OF SURREY.—A new street from St. George's Church, Southwark, to Blackfriars-bridge ; a continuation of the proposed new street from Si. George's Church, Southwark, to Blackfriars-bridge, Waterloo-bridge, and Westminster bridge, and to the proposed Foot-bridge at Lambeth. It is estimated that these improvements, together with the purchase of the interest of the proprietors of Waterloo and Southwark bridges, may be effected for a sum not exceeding 1,200,000/. Two modes of raising the money required have been brought under the consideration of the Committee :- Ist. By an additional duty of 6d. per ton upon coal imported into the port of London; 2d. By raising a sum of money an nually by lotteries. MUIR, PALMER, &c. The first meeting of the Provisional Committee appointed at 'is public meeting held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, on Monday, the 20th of February, for the erection of monu ments in the capitals of Scotland and England, was held at the Salopian Coffee-house, on Saturday, at twelve o'clock. Present—Henry Warburton, Esq., M. P. ; P. Chalmers, Esq., M. P. ; Roderick M'Leod, Esq., M. P. ; R. Wallace, Esq., M. P. ; R. Potter, Esq., M. P. ; W. D. Gillon, Esq., M.P. ; C. Hector, Esq., M. P. ; Colonel Thompson, M. P. ; T. Humphries, Esq., M. P. ; John Crawford, Esq. ; G. Rennie, Esq, ; Dr. Wade, Dr. Beaumont, Mr. Place, Mr. Cleave, Mr. Galloway, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Weire, and others. JOSEPH HUME, Esq., M. P., in the Chair, who stated they had met to carry into effect the resolutions unanimously adopted at a public meeting for the erection of monuments in London and Edinburgh, to the memory of T. Muir, T. F. Palmer, W. Skiruing, M. Margarot, and Joseph Gerald ; and to afford assistance to any of their relatives, whose circumstances might deserve and require it. Mr. MURPHY asked why the resolution proposed at the meeting by Mr. F. O'Connor, in favour of universal suffrage, and agreed to, was not laid before the Committee. Though ho did not agree in the propriety of _passing the resolution, yet he thought it should not be expunged. Mr. HUME thought the resolution had nothing to do with the objects for which the meeting was called; in which opinion the meeting generally concurred. Mr. CLEAVE expresssed his dissent from the Chairman's opinion. Mr. F. Place, Mr. Galloway, and Mr. Gillon, M. P., sup ported the Chairman's opinion. Mr. WARBURTON, M. P., thought they might settle their difference by sending forth to the country an address, with a list of subscriptions, and refrain from publishing any of the resolutions ; the objection would at once be got rid of. This proposition gave general satisfaction, and being se conded was carried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN stated that subscriptions would be received from the country by hinuelf or by any of the Committee who are Members of Parliament. The amount of Lubscriptions up to the present period are 5251. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meeting broke up at half-past three o'clock. BURKE. LYNDHURST AND PEEL.—In the debate on Wed nesday Mr. Sheil did but allude to that sentiment of the Tory leader, when the Representatives, not of Ireland alone, but of the Reformers of Great Britain, rose, and with one acclaim ratified the sentence of political excommunication as regarded him personally, and of proscription against that party, whose secret motives of action his individual crime it is to have divulged. We searched closely his countenance during the scene, and we saw him, " dem frontis perdym audaciw" as he is, quail undet the pressUre of that honest in dignation. He laboured hard to sustain himself, but nature stink under the effort, and he felt obliged to leave the House, even whilst Sir Robert Peel was speaking. Perhaps we ought, in justice to Lord Lyndhurst, to state what his avowed reason was fOr leaving the House before the debate had concluded. " It required," said Lord Lyndhuvst (and this he said in the hearing of many), " no small patience on my part to listen to Sheil's attack, but really no human patience could bear with the dullness of Peel's speech." Lord Lyndhurst left the House at a quarter before two o'clock; the dull speech of Sir Robert Peel did not conclude until for half an hour longer. EXTENSION OF TIIE SEASON FOR THE MINOR THEATRES.—The seasons of the Olympic, Adelphi, and St. James's Theatres have just been extended, by Royal command, to two month beyond the usual time for which their respec tive licenses were granted by the Lord Chamberlain. It seems that the minor theatres owe this Royal boon which they have Just received to the indefatigable exertions of Madame Yes tris, who, in consequence of the patent houses having lowered their prices of admission, turned her eyes towards the Throne for relief against such powerful rivalry, and sought from the King in person that extension for which all the minors had, during several years past, sued the Lord Chamberlain in vain. Aware of the ruinous consequences to her property of the low prices of admission to Covent-garden and Drury-lane, at the same time that she was compelled by law to shut up her house during the very best part of the year, she took advantage of a day when there was no performance at her theatre, and posted to Brighton. She saw his Majesty, who received her with much kindness and condescension, and although his Majesty would not then promise her anything definitive, he gave her such encouragement as amply repaid her for the trouble she had taken. True to his word, his Majesty not only did not overlook the matter, but, after due consultation held, so expe dited its progress that an extension of license was graciously transmitted a few days afterwards to the proprietors of each of the above theatres.—Observer. KING'S THEATRE.—The opera season commenced on Saturday evening with the Norma of Bellini, and with a cast of characters wholly different from that of last year. Instead of Grisi we had Mademoiselle Blasis in the prin cipal character, Madame Giannoni (nominally) in Adelgiza ; Signor Catone, for Winter, in Pollione ; and Signor Bellini, for Lablache, in Orovezo. As most of the performers are known, the remark may almost be spared that an opera which has depended for its chief attractions on the talents—first of Pasta, for whom it was written, and next of Grisi—must have been represented on this occasion under peculiar disadvantages. Norma is a part for which Mademoiselle Blasis possesses neither the mental nor physical requisites ; but he. versatility of talent and her excellent musical judgment carried her at least creditably through it. Owing to the indisposition of Madame Giannoni, the part for which she NI as announced was wholly omitted, a proceeding not very uncommon at this theatre, and seldom visited with great severity by the audience, who, in ge neral, are too ignorant to miss a scene, or indeed to know one act from another. In this case it shortened a performance which most of them wished brought to an end as speedily as possible. On the whole, we prefer Catone to Winter, but not to Ivanoff, to whom the part originally belongs. lie has voice enough, which is a great point for this spacious area, and, when more accustomed to it, will be a very useful per former. Bellini was a portly and dignified Druid, and went through the part without offence. After the opera the curtain again rose, and " God save the King" was sung by the whole of the company. This is always so decided a failure to this house, that it is only necessary to say that it quite maintained its ancient reputation. The ballet was a new one, and called Le Brigand de Terracina, being, however, merely an adop tion in this form of part of the story of Fra Diavolo, with a portion, also, of Auber's music. One variation in it is, that Fra Diavolo carries off Zerlina ( Duvernay), arid is shot while on the top of a precipice, instead of being entrapped by the soldiers and led off. The dancing was very good, particularly the pas seul of Duvernay in her night-dress before a looking glass. Her expression of perfect simplicity is exceedingly clever. We had several debutantes, one of them a third Elsler (Nladlle, Herminie), who will be no disgrace, it may safely be said, to that distinguished name. She preserves her grace, ace which seems to be a quality i nnate w i t h h er , i n t h e greatest rapidity of movement. Her sudden stop was firm, as though she had been rooted to the spot. One of her move ments was encored, and the applause bestowed on her was quite unequivocal. Of the other new performers, as nothing was assigned to them which carried distinction with it, little can he said ; we must wait for the full development of their talents. The scenery and groupings of the ballet were exceed ingly picturesque, and the concluding tableau called down very loud applause. The house was very full. We were much concerned to hear that the very ex tensive and highly respectable house of Messrs. Watts, Wrig ley, and Son, silk-spinners, of llolmfield Mills, near this town, had suspended payment. On Monday a very numerous and influential body of their creditors, comprising, we are informed, almost the whole, met at, the White Lion, when a full and particular statement of their affairs was produced. It showed a clear surplus of upwards of 32,0001. in favour of the Messrs. Wrigley, after meeting all demands in full upon them ; and, we believe, gave great satisfaction and confidence to their cre ditors. The works will proceed as usual, under arrangements which are perfectly satisfactory to all parties. —HalifaxExpress. AMSTERDAM, FEB. 19.—We are assured that the Prussian Government has decided that from the Ist of March this year, an additional duty of 10 florins per ton shall be levied on all goods brought by Netherlands' ships into the Parisian territory. We need not point out the injury that this will do to the trade of the Netherlands. The poor fishermen at iVlousehole and Newlyn for the last three or four months have scarcely been able to catch fish enough for the support of themselves and families, in con sequence of the heavy gales so prevalent during that period.— Corn wa // Gazette. DUBLIN-SATURDAY. " It is an experiment full of peril to put the representative wisdom and justice of his Majesty's people in the wrong."— The intelligence of the majority against Lord F. Egerton's motion will impress upon the faction of this country the truth of this maxim. It may be deemed incredible, yet it is a fact, that within the few hours which have elapsed since the arrival of the English mail despondency seems to have superseded the influenza among the Tories of this city. What, a.ma jority of eighty, after our party resolving to show their strength on this question 1 Such as been the exclamation of a person of influence among the Destructives, on hearing of the divi sion that took place in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening last ; and his surprise is felt by almost all who have heard the result, though with different emotions. The Re formers are delighted beyond expression, and conclude that the cause of Ireland is triumphant, however tedious may be the struggle to secure the fruits of the victory. While, on the other hand, the Tories begin to admit there is not so much re-action as they expected. In fact, the most steady ob servers on both sides did not reckon on a greater difference in numbars than appeared on the same motion last year. And the Liberal party would not have been disheartened had such been the result ; for, considering the efforts made both here and in England to support the tottering edifice raised by Tory misgovernment to have preserved our power in Sir Robert Peel's House of Commons, might be fairly looked upon as an advantage. Speculation is now turning towards the House of Lords, the last branch of the Legislature pervious to the de mands and exigencies of the nation. The general opinion is, that their Lordships will pursue the course adopted by them last Session, or one somewhat similar ; and that a long and and mighty struggle must still be sustained by the contending powers so long engaged in this peaceable and moral conflict. Yet a few say that it being pretty manifest that matters cannot go on with safety to the State, if the House of Commons is to be so often defeated in its objects, the upper House will give way, and yield to the representatives of the people. They reckon upon the good sense and independence of the Duke of Wellington to put a stop to these collisions which, if permitted to continue, must entail mischief upon the community, with ous promoting that cause of which his Grace may be a zealous and an honest supporter. In this view I find many persons disposed to coincide, who have hitherto inclined more towards Conservatism, as it is called, than to Reform. And they are wise in their calculations; for undoubtedly, the sooner the contest is ended, the sooner will they participate in the influ ence and patronage to which they may be naturally entitled. The speech of Mr. Walker, Member for Wexford, is strongly illustrative of this. The borough represented by that Hon. Gentleman has been free since 1829, and the facts stated by him prove to a demonstration that the apprehension of a wish on the part of the Catholics of Ireland to gain ascendancy for themselves, or deprive their Protestant brethren of legitimate influence, according to their intelligence, good conduct, and property, exists only in the disordered imaginations of those who have been so long inebriated with exclusive privileges as to be unable to take a sober and rational view of the progress of events. The proposition is further illustrated by what took place in the county of Wexford at the last general election. On that occasion a Catholic gentleman of large property and influence joined with a Conservative Protestant against Messrs. Power and Maher, the present Liberal Members. I have only to add, that the general impression here is, that the cause of Ireland and the policy of the present enlightened Government have gained considerably by the debate on Lord Egerton's motion. I have just now heard an admission extorted from a respectable Conservative, to the effect that the Liberals had decidedly the advantage in talent and argument. The party here will relax much of the effort made by them during the last six months. What I mentioned a few weeks ago, as to the defections among the Tory barristers, is being verified ; Mr. Moore, K. C., who had been always considered a Liberal man, but who some time ago attempted to become a Member of Parliament on Conservative support, is understood to have given his adhesion to the cause of his country. Considering the influence of the profession generally, Mr. M.'s high quali fications, and connections, his example is likely to be followed by some less distinguished of his brethren. The bar is so intermixed with the gentry and nobility of this country, and consequently so great a monopoliser of patronage, that the majority of its members have been always Tory. When that majority inclines the other way, we may proclaim the downfall of the abandoned course of politics. IREL AND. DUBLIN, FEB. 25. The weather here has been very stormy for the last two or three days, and the mails have in consequence been delayed. The discussion at the meeting of the Association (to which we alluded on Thursday) is important, not only for the argu ments employed on that occasion by Mr. Cassidy, and the truths by which lie supported them ; but being himself a party to the transactions on which Mr. Sergeant Jackson raised a superstructure of such severe censure in the late debate on the Corporations question. The facts which Mr. Cassidy stated are of the highest value, because they furnish an ex plicit refutation of the learned and ingenious gentleman's ca lumnies, as well as a most complete exposure of the Orange Magistracy of the Queen's County. Mr. Emerson Tennent bath indicted a verbose epistle for the edification of the inhabitants of the town of Belfast. The object this gentleman has in view is to excite a prejudice against the Ministerial Municipal Bill. His appeal is made undisguisedly to the pocket ; he tells the good people of Bel fast that the Bill, if passed, will inflict an enormous expense upon them. From political considerations, Mr. Tennent ad mits that he wholly abstains—money is the matter in question. The pocket alone, then, is to decide upon the merits of a na tional Bill of Rights conferring municipal institutions upon seven millions of Irishmen 1 But looking at the question in this pounds, shillings, and pence light only, it is easy to show that, if no higher grounds existed for the establish ment of good self-governing Municipalities, Belfast still, even in this peddling particular, would be benefitted by the Corpo rations Bill. _ _ THE REV. MR. DENNY V. D. O'CoNNELL, M. P.—ln this important tithe case the Master of the Rolls decided that a Parliamentary appearance might be entered in the Court of Chancery for a. Member of Parliament as well as any other person, if he neglected to appear within eight d a ys aft er ser vice of subpoena. Ha further directed that the first Parlia mentary appearance entered for defendant should stand, and that the second should be set aside. His Honour further or dered that both parties should abide their own costs. Thus it would appear that the rule in Chancery in this respect is diffe rent from that which governs the Exchequer. In an action for libel, brought against the proprietor of the Freeman's .Journal, one O'Keefe got a verdict of 701. da mages—costs 6d. How long is the press to lie at the mercy of any person who desires to thrust his hand in the pocket of a newspaper proprietor ? The present barbarous and atrociously absurd Libel-law ought to be forthwith revised and amended. FILACER OF THE COURT OF EXCIIEQUER.—Mr. Carew O'Dwyer, formerly Member for Drogheda, has been at length appointed to the Filacership of the Exchequer, vacant for some months past. Mr. O'Dwyer has received his warrant from the Crown. Mr. Duffy has been appointed a Divisional Magistrate of Police, vice Sir William Starner, who has resigned. GENERAL. ASSOCIATION.—The usual weekly meetinc , of this body was held on Thursday, L. E. White, Esq., in the chair. Mr. R. O'Connell read the minutes of the last day's meeting, and then moved that all future meetings of the body during the sitting of Parliament should be held on Tuesdays. CITY REGISTRY.-The corporators still continue to send up their unqualified freemen in battalions. Yesterday the num bers were— Conservatives ll Liberals Majority —4 The apathy of the miscalled Liberals is shameful to the last degree. A CONVERT.—We are informed that the sister of Colonel Verner, Deputy Grand Master of the Orange Society, has formally read her recantation, and become a Catholic.—Free man. ORANGEISM IN DUBLIN.-Colonel Conolly asserted in the House of Commons last Monday that there was no such body in existence as Orangemen. Colonel Perceval on Tuesday re-echoed this assertion. In the Freeman's Journal of this day is published an Orange circular, addressed to a brother by the Secretary. At the very moment Colonel Perceval was declaring the nonentity of Orangeism in Ireland, his secret and illegal brothers were receiving the purple order, electing officers, and balloting for members. REPRESENTATION OF DROGIIEDA.-On Monday a public meeting of the electors of this town took place in the Linen Hall, " for the purpose of nominating a fit and proper person to represent this town in Parliament at the next vacancy." At twelve o'clock the building was crowded to suffocation ; and about one Thomas Ennis, Esq., J. P., was called to pre side. The Chairman explained the object of the meeting. He said they could not have selected a fitter person to repre sent them than Sir Wm. Somerville. Mr. M'Cann, in pro posing the first resolution, took occasion to advert to the kind of man whom they should choose to represent them. He should be a man whose character would be a sufficient pledge of his integrity—a man belonging to the General Association, and one of whom O'Connell could say, " I wish to see that man in Parliament." He would demand no pledges—he was averse to them. O'Connell's approbation and the man's own character was the best pledge.—( Cries of " No, no," " Hear, hear," and " The best man ought to make pledges.") After a somewhat turnultuary discussion, the meeting was adjourned for a fortnight, on the motion of Mr. Whitworth, who said that there were 100 as good men as Sir W. Somerville who could represent them. CORPORATION OF WATERFORD.-The Waterford Chronicle in order to expose the whole system of unprincipled dishonesty prevalent in the present state of the Irish Corporate bodies, introduces a part of it which is pretty conspicuously manifested in a document entitled " Ntticles of Agreement between the Right Honourable Sir John Newport, Baronet, and William Newport, Esq., on the one part, and Henry Alcock and Jas. Wallace, Esqs. on the other—made, concluded, and agreed upon, this 10th day of January, 1818." We cannot find room for more than the first article of this corrupt Corporate conspiracy. It runs thus :—" In the first place, Mr. Alcock and his friends pledge themselves to sup port Sir John Newport for the representation of the city of Waterford, during the lifetime of the said Sir John—or for such time as Sir John shall consider himself capable of effi ciently discharging the duties of that situation. At the ex piration of either event, Mr. Alcock to be supported by every exertion of the Newport family, and their friends, in the fu ture representation of the said city, during the life of said Mr. Alcock, and i n t h e promot i on of which Mr. William Newport pledges himself that his sons shall concur. And if lie should die before he shall be entitled to represent the said city, or to become a candidate, according to the tenor and spirit of this ' agreement, then the said James Wallace shall nominate the candidate, who shall be supported for the representation of the said city for life, on the joint interests of both parties. And, after the death of the said Henry Alcock, or such other Representative, the Newport family to nominate the next can didate for a period of five years—then the other contracting party, and their successors, to nominate for the next five years, and so on, alternately, for ever. These are the terms of the first part of the corrupt bargain. The others are of a kindred complexion—equally black, equally disgraceful, disgusting, and demoralizing. Spoliation more glaring and shameless than is exhibited throughout this nefarious document it has seldom been our task to peruse. The evidence which it furnishes is of so decisive a character that if the expediency of reforminr , the Municipal Corpora tions of Ireland were made to depend on this one isolated case alone, the strongest grounds for a better system of municipal management would be found in it, and the corrupt practices now brought to light—and published to the world as a warning against the perpetration of abuses inimical to the morals and well-being of the community. PARIS-THURSDAY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR—There are some sentiments in the manifesto just pub lished by the new Editor of Le Monde, which demand and de serve more than usual consideration, from the eminence of the in dividual by whom they are signed, and the moment selected for their appearance. The Abbe de Lamennais, after pointing at the dejection into which a portion of Europe seems, at present, to have sunk, (I suspect he has Poland, and the embryo republics of young Germany and young Italy in his view), consoles himself by the conviction that there is no stability in the ruins which he contemplates. He defies, in fact, any one not to perceive that a principle of regeneration is actively, though secretly, at work, which must produce a sort of political millenium. " No class," he says, " does not dearly see that every fraction of the human race is gravitating towards one great union, which sooner or later" (the adverbs arc fortunately indefinite) " must take place ; because such result is the sole object of their exertions, and the accomplishment of their earthly des tiny." The meaning of which is, that mankind will one day form one republic. That such is his meaning we gather from his opi nion that we should be violating one of the sovereign laws of our moral aature, and " oppose the order of Providence— were we still to shut ourselves up within the narrow limits of ancient nationality, or within those of an exclusive patriotism ; which is but a selfish feeling." How differently does the Abbe feel from those illustrious Patriots who thought that their country claimed their peculiar care 1 How differently does he feel from Cicero who bequeathed to all generations the valuable precept—" Omnes omnium caritates Patria Una complexa." But the Abbe is a Latitudinarian— a lover of his kind rather than of his kindred. Such is his philosophy I The political creed of this distinguished writer may be seen by his assertion that " the contests of nations arise solely from the interests of their Chiefs." But for them, he says, war would disappear altogether ; for it is " against the interests of the people: which are bound together in such a manner that the welfare of one increases by the welfare of all, and the welfare of all by that of each individual." I wish the Abbe had mentioned what country in any age, has exhibited the delightful spectacle he describes. He asks "if the ficti tious barriers raised by Governments between nations were no longer to hinder their mutual communications ii f the produce of the various climates, and of the different useful arts, %sere to circulate without obstacle from one extremity i f the globe to the other ; if commercial liberty were every where triumphant over the selfish interests of revenue and pri vileged monopolists, could any one doubt that such freedom of trade would alone augment incalculably the common stock of wealth and the general prosperity ?" No one certainly. But before such a theory can be put into practice, it will be neces sary that the Abbe should demonstrate how such universal free trade could be adopted—how a nation can exist, when every . species of revenue is dispensed with—and how any govern ment can be carried on without the means of paying its army, its navy, and its civil servants. If the Abbe has found out that a government will, by the amelioration of human nature, soon become unnecessary to a civilized people—he has, in deed, made a discovery more curious than that of Pytha goras 1 The Abbe is evidently an optimist of the first class. Ile believes in the perfectibility of man, notwithstanding the obstinate contradiction, and the unerring experience of 6,000 years : and he is, at this moment, enjoying such a foretaste of the earthly beatitude of the human race, that he has floating before his fancy the approaching epoch when wars, and ru mours of wai s, will for ever cease. He already sees, in no dis tant vista, the whole family of man dancing round the tree of " Liberty and Equality," and singing " Nunc genus humanum positis sibi consulet armis Inque vicem gens onznis amet : Pax missa per orbern Ferrea belligeri compescat limina Jani." Unhappily, however, such is our degenerate nature, that these hopes are but the day-dreams of enthusiastic visionaries. They are not peculiar to the reforming Abbe; they have been indulged before by people who had more imagination tb'an knowledge of man—and have been smiled at. It is ft; be lamented that, before the Abbe proclaimed them afro :h, he had not been reminded that when a former Abbe,—the Abbe de Saint Pierre—unfolded to Henry the Fourth his cherished scheme for improving the human race, and forming it into one commonwealth, that good and great monarch quietly told him that before it could be put into execution, it would be nc•essary to send an army of mis sionaries to convert the crowned heads of Europe. The edi torial Abbe has, however, another mode ready, and one fully as efficacious. He will conduct a journal which is "to orga nize the whole French na ti on u p on t h e b as i s o f a perfect equa lity of rights." I thought that it bad been already effected by the Charter of 1830. The views of the Abbe are not, how ever, confined to his own country ; they extend to "all nations." His grand aim is to produce a " universal system of liberty and equality ;" and he calls upon " every nation, and every individual in each nation, to assist him." He professes to have for his ultimate object a prevention of the collision between those two tremendous antagonist principles which have been long contending for supremacy—a collision which he considere near at hand. I, on the contrary, am convinced, that if hi s propagandism should be successful, it will accelerate, rathf:r than retard or prevent, the threatened conflict ; for if I its dogma of universal liberty and equality should take root, s.nd spread through every country, in the present unquiet state of the public mind, the consequences must be the downfrsl of every throne, and the change of the social system of the great Commonwealth of Europe into a wild state of anarchy, con flict, and chaos. I have seen no dogma so dangerous as this (which has just been fulminated by this political and polemical apostle—this Patriot in Christ) since the decree of the National Conven tion of November, 1792, which invited every country to overturn its govern ment. There was a time when such a dogma, en forced by the eloquence of this "meddling Priest," might have set all Europ e in flames. Fortunately, however, the influence of the cowl no longer directs the destinies of this world 1 For tunately, too, the brief existence of the French Republic ',vas long enough to prove the fruits of such a political principle ; and we need not dread the mightiest efforts of a writer who dreams that he can remould the world, and call into existence a state of pure innocence, undisturbed liberty, universal equality, and universal fraternity and philanthropy—a golden agr.t which the world never saw, and which has existed merely in the heated fancy of the poet. Nor can we highly estimate the judgment of a politician who has the vanity seriously to be lieve that the high mission has devolved upon him of extir pating that which his great master did not succeed in doing, and which has baffled the exertions of all moral philosophers since his time—the principle of selfishness—a principle which is as innate as that of self-preservation. Such a belief and such hope seem more compatible with the mind of a monk, ac customed to the recluseness of his cloister, than with that of a political writer who aspires to be the director of World." C. T. The Speaker will hold two levees at his residiffiee in Carlton-terrace ; the first on Saturday the 4th March, ; the second on Saturday the I Rh. The Earl of Burlington is about to give an enter tainment to the Senatus Acadernicus of the new University of London, over which he presides ; and exertions ar.e making to bring that establishment into operation with the least pos sible delay. Somerset-house is mentioned as its site.—Morn big Paper. It is believed in well-informed circles that I\fr. Stewart Mackenzie, the Member for Ross-shire, is to be ap pointed to the Government of Ceylon, in the room of Sir R s Wilmot Horton, who is coming home. It is at length settled that Prince Esterhazy ir, to retain the Embassy for three years longer . The Princes , s w ill remain, however, it is understood, at Vienna, with occasional visits to her mother, the Princess of Tour and Taxis. The Marquis of Anglesey has quite recovered from a late attack of the tic doloureux, and the Marchioness has recovered from a paralysis of the limbs. The, family intend remaining in Paris for a month longer. Maurice O'Connell, Esq., M.P. for Tralee, will not attend Parliament this session, having been advised to re-. main in Kerry for the benefit of his health, which is not Yet perfectly restored.—Limerick Chronicle. We were misinformed when we stated last week tha t Sir Wm. Molesworth had accepted the invitation sent to hi nt to attend a public dinner at Leeds at Easter. A_ letter 1 05 been received from Sir William, which waives ',;he invitati o l for the present, and which, in the opinion of the provision al , committee who sent the invitation, renders it proper to Inlet"' some means for testing the amount of support which S ir William is likely to receive in Leeds. Such measures ar e now under consideration ; and it i s pro b a bl e that the on l y saga or satisfactory test, namely, a req u i s iti on , w ill s h ort l y b e a d o pte" —Leeds Mercury. Taglioni is to appear at Drury-lane, as we have all. along said, after Easter ; moreover she is to be paid 6,000/. fof. such a number of perform ances t h at s h e w ill cost the l ess ee g' least 1501. a night. Can thi s b e wort h hi s w hil e ? su to c to be paid to one dancer will b e w i t hi n a f ew pounds I°-g; as the whole cost of the re s t o f hi s esta bli s h ment, rer,t, „ scenery, dresses, &c., all included. MINISTERIAL DINNER AT THE NIANSI °I4I ; 110 USE.—On Saturday the Right Hon. Lnr a Mayor ga ve ra l splendid entertainment to his Majesty's rinisters and se v , e , c ... select friends. Amongst the company `Jve noticed the fo? . o f ing :—The Lord Chancellor, Lord Yelbourne, t h e Marqu't e, Lansdowne, Viscount Palmerston, Sir John Cain Hob" u :il Bart., th e Ri g h t lion. C. P. Tl:mmson, the Duke of Aro s Viscount Morpeth, Earl of Albemarle, Right Hon. Sir g e ior-- Vivian, Bart., Lord Hill, the Attorney-General, t h e Soli t r An " drew the Hon. Fox Maul e , Sir Rufane Donkin, drew L. Hay, W. Crawford, Esq., M. P., Alderman vv M.P., Daniel Whittle Harvey, Esq., M.P., Sir W. HeYga t _ i o,, and several of the Aldermen, the Sheriffs, the Under She sae . the City Chamberlain, a n d t h e ot h er high City Office ,C r t cu, &c; The company sat down tc, dinner at half-past 7 0 iu