The Sun. — London, England, 1846-02-09 00:00:00

" , ri i n, 0 3 , - - ;-,Y 0 • SUN OFFICE, &ven o' Clock. RAILWAY COMMITTEES. (THIS DAY.) Sub-Committee No. 1. NOMTH STAXFORDS23.7.R.2I (POTTERIES) MINE. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) The CrIAIRMAN said he remembered one case of last ses• sion which was similar to the point now raised. In that case one of Ate trustees was himself a shareholder, but there was this difference, that without the sum for which he was bound there was more than ample capital. Ile referred to the Eastern Counties7(Norsvich Extension.) Mr. llunicE—ln the present case he had to say that the con tract deed was perfectly valid. It had been held good, in many decisions in a court of law, that where a co-trusteeship existed, one trustee could recover from the others, under cer tain regulations of the deed. Now, in the case for the promoters of the present Lill, there was one person who had signed the covenant who was not a subscriber to the undertaking, and that made it quite competent for him to sue the other trustee or the whole Com pany. This bad been decided over and over again in courts of law. Mr. COATES replied, after which the room was cleared, and having consulted the Speaker, The ettArremasr said that Committee had considered the case which had been argued at such length, but understand ing that exceptions had been taken to the decieien of last week by the agents who were interested for the cases which had been alluded to by Mr. Coates, they were anxious to take the opinion of the Chairman of the Sub-Committees who would meet on Thurs day aril consider the question raised. The Committee were quits prepared to give their own opinion on the allegation, but it would be no doubt more prudent to wait a consultation of the Chairman, after which they would immediately decide the point at issue. • DIPORTANT TO PARLIAMENTARY AGENTS. The CrrArnmast said that he was instructed by the Speaker to inform the agents for Bills, that they had neglected to comply with the standing orders, which required the name- of the Bill to be written on every petition for or against the same ; any petition being presented without this form Mug complied with, was contrary to the standing order which was as follows : "That on every petition presented to this House, relating to any private Bill before the House, the name, or short title, by which such Bill is entered in the votes, be written at the beginning thereof; and whether such petition be in favour er against the Bill relating to the non-compliance with the standing orders." LONDON, NEM7ZUrCT, AND na.TH LIZIZ. Mr. COATES appeared for the promoters, and called seve ral witnesses to prove the several deposits of the plans, sec tions, and books of reference. After which Mr. BURKE said he appeared on the part of Colonel Wroughton, of the parish of Wilton, in the county of So merset, and other landowners. The petition alleged that the owners of property, though marked on the plans and seetiOns, was not shown in the books of reference. The Clerk of the Peace for the county of Somerset wai then Mr. COATES objected to the petition being proceeded with on the part of the owners in the petition, unless it could be shown that they were parties actually to be affected by the proposed line. The room was then cleared, and upon the parties being oat td in, The CHAIMIAN said that the Committee would not enter tain any petition against the omission of property in the books of reference, unless it could be shown that the petition was presented by the consent of the parties to be affected by the non-compliance with the standing orders. Mr. Burnen would call Col. Wroughton. The witness merely pointed out his property on the plan. The Clerk of the Peace for the county of Somerset was then called to pioduce the bock of reference which had been deposited with him. Upon referring to the book, it turned out that the property was fully described. Mr. Busse said that he would, of course, abandon that allegation, as well as several others which were disposed of by the decision of the Committee. Mrs. Susannah Shaw was then called to prove that she had not received notice for a piece of meadow ground which was to be taken. This allegation was sustained. The Committee adjourned, at four o'clock, till twelve o'cly,ek to-morrow, when the remaining allegations in the petition will be taken. Sub-Committee No. 2. TEZ CIIIVEZEID 11-ND oxrean RAILWAY. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition). It was alto alleged that there were various other inaccura cies on the line. The CHAIRMAN said, in the case of the Oxford and Cam bridge Railway, the Committee were of opinion that the standing orders had not been complied with. Z0N1302.11' AND BRXGUTON (WANDSWORTH 3:MANCH) RAILIZTAY, The Bill stated that the proposed railway would be of great public benefit. There were two petitions alleging non compliance with the standing orders, but no one appeared in their support. Witnesses were then examined:to prove that the usual forms had been complied with. The line was to pass through Streatham, Mitcham, Tooting, and Wandsworth. Mr. PRIIT said that this Bill had been thrown out by the Committee on its merits last session. The present Bill, by clause 39A, would not require more than 5 per cent. The CIIAIRMAN considered that it would be necessary to prove that the present eras precisely similar to that intro dueed into Parliament last year. Mr. Piarr stated that there was no material difference. . . The Committee were of opinion that the deposit of 5 per colt. was sufficient in this case. The remaining evidence was of the usual character, and the Committee were of opinion that the Standing Orders had been complied with. szzrrxmLD ArD .7.eraCOLN MTN. C Tie If RAIL s J Y. Mr. Prirr said that the present was one of those that arose out of the standing order to which he had already referred in the preceding case. Mr. Gainsford examined—Was solicitor to the Bill brought before Parliament last session, as well as the present Bill, which was substantially the same as the former Bill. The Bill of last year was for a main line and a branch. The House had negatived the branch, and the Bill was ordered to be engrossed. The main line for which the present petition prayed wa.3 exactly the same vs the main line of the former petition. Mr. LAING, agent, presented a petition from Mr. W. Dun Wheeler, of Sheffield, solicitor, on the part of his client, Mr. Clarke Hutchinson, stating that the proposed line would pass through and injure his property, and that the petition was not presented by the same 3 parties who had brought it for ward last year. Mr. Parrr said he objected in lnnini to the objection being heard, as the petition was presented by one party on behalf of ;mother, whereas the party interested should apply himself. It appearing that the petitioner had been authorised to act for Mr. Hutchinson the petition was received. Mr. LAING said that his objection was, that the standing orders required parties to prove that the undertaking was car ried on by the same prsorip. Mr. Gainsford was then examined, and stated that the par ties were the same, and there was the same body of directors with the exception of one individual, who had retired from old age. Mr. LAING said that out of 73 who had signed, only 23 had signed the present petition, while out of 707 who had signed the former contract only 93 had attached their names to the present deed. The, Climum..t): sail the Committee were unnn:mously of opinion that the petition was from the same partie. The Committee decided that the standing orders had been complied with by the Company. NMI:I/VAS TIM AND MA AP:72.7:17 C:71'027 3 1 1 M C - TX ON (DURHAM AZ.7Z suzzicamaauv D TZ,Bsl la —vVII.Y AND virmAztra.OUTZl DCCH Pancmasms AND SRATI*CHES). The Committee found that the orders had been complied with. DEIZZILS AND HUNTS catna-GER.ronn MXTMNSIO'N) ILAILWAIY. _ _ --- There were petitions against this Bill from the owners 01 the land through which the line was to pass, stating that dae notice had not been given in the London Gazette. The Committee resolved not to enter on the petitions to-day, and adjourned, at four o'clock, till twelve o'clock to-morrow. Sub• Commit tee, No. 3. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) HAVTICZ EIZANC2II4IS. This was another petition of the North British Railway, for leave to bring in a Bill to make a number of branches from their Ilawick line, the estimated cost of which was 770,000/. The Committee took an objection to the plans, inasmuch as they did not correspond with the petition for the Bill. tly the petition the Company sought for powers to make a branch from Torwood Lee to Selkirk, while the plans deposited were fbr a branch from a place called Rink to Selkirk. Mr. Miller, the engineer of the line, explained that so much of the branch as lay between Torwood Lee and Rink had already been sanctioned by the Legislature, and, there fore, it was abandoned in the present instance. The Committee complained that this discrepancy between the petition and the plans was calculated to mislead the public, and they trusted that in future the promoters of Bills would make the titles of their lines in their petitions and plans correspond. The decision of the Committee in this ease Tr as the same as that in the last. CILIMISLE ILICTEIIISXONS. This was another petition of the North British Railway C)mpany, for leave to bring in a Bill to construct their Car lisle Extensions, the estimated colt of which was 660,000/. The customary formal proofs 'having been gone through, the Committee informed the parties that their decision in the former case would apply to this also. These were the three Bills included in the joint subscrip tion contract alluded to in the first case. The aggregate amount which the parties to this instrument bound them selves for was 1,274,687/., and the question whether this deed ea)uld apply to three Bills was left for decision of the Com mittee above, or the Committee on Public Petitions. GRETNA Enlll7 CZ:a. This was a fourth petition of the North British Railway Company, for leave t o brin g in a Bill to construct a branch from a point on their main line to Gretna, the estimated cost of which is 80.000. The usual evidence of the deposit of plans, &c., having been adduced, the Committee decided that the standing orders had been complied with. EBINZtraGU ,111.1711) 07.:fiksaow 23.AIX.V4TAT. This was the petition of the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway far leave to bring in a Bill to make a branch railway from a point on their main line to Queensferry, the estimated cost of which was 140,000/. The Committee decided that the standing u:ders had not been observed in one respect. The fixed point where the branch commences en the main line was net suffi ciently specified on the plan of the bran ch b y some distinc tive mark. It was stated in the section that the branch would commence at the point on the plan where the main line diverged, marked A. The plan showed the point where the main line diverged, but it was not marked A. The Committee adjourned shortly before five o'clock. Sub-Committee No. 4, Room 11. An additional - S üb-Ccmmit tee was appointed for this day, Gonsisting of the fol!owing Members ; Sir W. Heathcote, chairman ; Mr. Hope Johnstone, Mr. M. J. O'Connell, Mr. Parke, Mr. Acland, Mr. Ewart, Mr. Home rumond, M r . Childers, Mr. Cornwall Leigh, M r . E. P. Shirley. The business of this Committee commenced at twelve o'clock, when there were present Mr. Rome Drummond, 01:airman, ill the absence of Sir William neatlicote ; Mr. H o pe Johnstone, Mr. Shirley, Mr. P ac k e, and Mr. Evans. ' UMVZLIr•CUIVIwArkIntTNWIr RECTOUT. This WA3 A Dill t 9 0497 u certaiu MOM therein 111,1110 A to divide the rectory, which is in the county of Norfolk, into . three parts; to build one or more churches in each district, and to add a burial-ground to each new church ; to provide parsonages and glebe land, and to raise moneys. Adjourned, owing to the petition not being before the Committee. TIL sixraronn TATATEIR-''.l 7 G: was passed. WIND S OR, SLOUZII, AND GT. !SINES AT ICSP 2: I.IRIC =AIX:W./XT. _ This was a Bill to construct a railway from Windsor to Staines, in length eight miles, and estimated to cost 150,000/. Mr. Walmesley, the agent of the Bill, appeared before the Committee, and the usual preliminaries having been gone through, the Committee declared the Bill to have passed it. SOUTIS N 13707.41.7231 (111TNTITI(D ON 33MANCE) AND (17, Oar:HAMPTON .aND nr,VRORD BRANC=) wax. These were two Bills for the construction of the above two branch lines, which were together 91 miles in length, and estimated to cost 1,900,0001. The Committee declared that the standing orders had been complied with, except as to there being only one con tract deed for both lines, which was reserved for future con sideration. Messrs. Venables and Co. were the agents for these Bills, and Mr. Vignolles the engineer of the lines. X.,027M0N ,SOUr.EM- - .I. 7 ISWEN.aI (Pi= =ADZ AI?.EO , AlLTialti ERIITZCZ). Length 21 miles ' estimated cost 300,000/. This petition was declared proved. The agent for this and other Bills of the Company is Mr. Eddiscombe. .GIZANZ aU7.:CTXON (HUTTON AIM ASZI - HUYTON, PRESTON, AND ST. HELEN'S, WARRINGTON AND KENYON, WARRINGTON AND PARKSIDE, LOWIIILL AND PORTOBELLO, AND EDGEHILL AND lIUYTON BRANCHES) RAILWAY AND GRAND JUNCTION (HUTTON AND WAIUUNGTON BRANCH) RAILWAY. Two Bills had been introduced for the construction of the above seven branch railways.. The estimated cost for the whole is 1,480,000/., and the length 46 miles. The en gineers are Mr. Locke and Mr. Woods; the agents are Messrs. Burke, Pritt, Venables, and Co. Mr. VESABLES appeared to promote the Bill, and the two petitions were declai ed proved by the Committee. IVLMITCHEtzm'PR , SH r - el ID - LdIND 3UZICTIO2/ :aitzLway.. This is a coiltempbted railway from Sheffield to Chester field, with a branch to Bakewell, the estimated cost of which is 1,050,0004 and the length 23 miles. The engineer is Mr. Vignol!es who was this day examined as a matter of cenve nicnce tolimself, but the petition will be taken in its proper turn. IMUNT7CASTIM awn rsEIIIVICI.E. nazzwitv, The estimated cost of till, line was 54,000/. Mr. Venables appeared to promote the Bill, and the Committee declared the petition proved. The ComiLtcce adjourned until twelve o'clock to-morrow. TATTERSALL'S-THIS EVENING Six O'CLOCK. CHESTER CUP. 18:to 1 agst 13c-,t Bower 25 to 1 agst Sweetmeat 23 to I agst Whinstcne 25 to I agst The Baron 30 to 1 agat Miss Burns 35 to 1 agst Intrepid 40 to 1 agst Eitzallan 40 to 1 agst Roderick 40 to 1 agst Mermaid 40 to 1 agat Hope 40 to I agst Cataract 40 to 1 agst Colleen Dhas. • 4) to 1 agst Salopian DERBY. 5 to 1 sgst Sting 18 to 1 aiist Broardo 20 to 1 agst 30 to 1 agst Maienlm 40 to 1 agst Fancy Boy 40 to 1 agst Tibthorpe ALARI '11N(1- POTATO RIOTS AT INVERNESS. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) INVERNESS, FEB. 6, 1846.—As some excuse for not at tending to your letter, I enclose two proclamations and a note, from which you will gather the alarming nature of the po sition of Inverness, and, indeed, as I am informed, of every shipping place in the northern counties, but our situation is much more critical than that of any other place from the large body of navigators at present employed in the neigh bourhood, and who are taking an important part in the fray; and as some of them are captured, we may to-night expect an attempt at rescue. Unfortunately there is only a small number of military at Fort George at present, but as many have come into Inverness as could be spared so as to leave enough for the defence of that important position. There appears to be about 70 or 80 who occupy the castle, and under the prudent and spirited command of Captain Campbell, of the 87th Irish, they have been of important use in preserving order, and as vet nobody has been killed, but the number wounded must be ten or twelve, some pretty se verely, by the bayonets which the soldiers were obliged to use when retreating to the castle with about a score of pri soners ; and some of the gentlemen and constables were se verely cut by the stones. If in the course of the night the navigators, of whom there are upwards of a thousand, overwhelm the military, it is impossible to say where this unfortunate affair will end, the whole town and neighbourhood will be at the mercy of these blackguards for six days, being the shortest period within which we can obtain assistance. Oh for twelve hours of our Perth and Inverness railway I If anything will open the eyes of Government, it is the danger in which we are at present. The riots began on Wednesday, in the attempt to ship some potatoes at Thorn Bush pier. The low popula tion of the town opposed it Fuccessfally, in spite of the police magistrates, and the military wire sent for, and placed in the castle, in case of need. The town was quiet all day on Thursday, being the Sacramental fast-day, but in the evening the navries marched in from the canal, and being joined by our own mob, pro ceeded to smash windows, threatened or attempted to set fire to the Provost's distillery, and it was considered proper to order out the military, who, after n brnoh, ..xectied in capturing about twenty rioters, when the mob dispersed. To-day special constables were sworn in, and under cover of a strong body of constables, with the Provost and Sheriff at their head, an attempt was made to ship the rest of the cargo. About half-way to the pier the mob attacked us slightly, but surrounded us in 'thousands, and after the Sheriff read the Riot Act and a proclamation, we continued our march to the pier. The mob had taken up a very strong position here close to the place of shipment, and whenever the attempt was made to ship the potatoes we were attacked with the utmost fierce ness, and we were all after a very short combat obliged to fly. The soldiers were sent for, but bef ore th e y arrived our cart and its potatoes were sent into the river. The military shipped another, and so the affair ended in the meantime. The soldiers have behaved very well, and Mr. Tytler and Provost Sutherland are heroes. The was a riot in Nairn last night, and at Campbeltown, Invergordon, &c., the same spirit prevails, and not a potato will be shipped without a military escort, though the authorities assured us to day there was an abundance in the country. vV The following proclamation has been issued by the Sheriff of the county : " Whereas, notwithstanding the proclamation issued by the Provost and magistrates of Inverness on the 4th inst., the authorities of the county and town were this day deforced and asssulted by a riotous mob, compelled to read the Riot Acr, and call in the assistance of the military power. " The authorities, in addition to the prisoners already in custody, have marked several others, who were active in the riot and mobbing, ancithey have been inf.,rmed that the public peace is still threatened ; they therefore prohibit all parties from appearing on the streets, lanes, and roads of the town of Inverness and its snbnrbs, after the hour of nine o'clock of this evening; and they hereby inti mate that any person or persons so appearing on the said streets, lanes, or roads, between the said hour and six o'clock, A.M., to-morrow, shall be deemed and held to be disturbers of the peace, and act and part in the said riot and mob, and shall be apprehended and prosecuted as felons—the Riot Act already read being still in force. "The authorities aforesaid, while they are determined to enforce the law, take this opportunity of informing the in habitants, that measures have been taken for supplying the market of Inverness with potatoes. "God save the Queen ! "By order of William Fraser Tytler, Esq., Sheriff of the County of Inverness, and James Sutherland, Esq., Provost, and the other Magistrates of Inverness. " PATK. GRANT, Sheriff-Clerk. "ALEX. MACTAVISII, Town-Clerk. "Inverness, 6th Feb., 1846." THEATRE ROYAL, EDINBURGH, (From the Edinburgh Weky Journal, Feb. 4th.) The engagement of Celeste and Mr. Webster has proved signally successful. Mr. Webster is evidently an actor of very considerable power, and he has a much wider range than his first appearance in any character would cause us to anti. cipate ; this, we think a great proof of excellenc, and he throws himself so thoroughly into his part, and evinces so much tasle and discretion, and in fact is so much at home that we do not know how he couid well go abroac into a different de partment, till we find him eqnally at home there also. Perhaps his ablest personation is in his own clever farce, called The Miseries of Human Life, where old Mr. Ally Croaker, fretting at every thing, finds, of course, every thing to fret him, even to the pulling on of his boots. He does, in deed, seem as if he had been scalded or skinned, and then clad in a shirt of nettles—while his droll agonies are well contrcsted with the coolness of his friend Mildmay (Murray, who was quite id his element), to whom nothing comes amiss, and who, equally of course, finds every card a trump. The Lioness of the North is a clever comedy, founded on the mistake of Elizabeth of Russia (Celeste), who makes im perial earl imperious love to a young lieutenant (Webster), thinking that he is the famous Biron Duke of Courland. Celeste acted the sovereign virago with her usual animation and dignity. Mr. "Webster, in his charactor of Alexis, rose into graceful and genteel comedy, and fully sustained his re putation. Mr. Murray, as the intriguing, conceited, and ever baffled Schuvoloff, or Sugar-loaf, or Shave-all-off, we forget which, the Russian chief spy, or minister of police, was very effective, as was Ray in the perplexed kind-hearted jailer of Shiussclbourg. Lloyd has a capital part —as capitally acted —an ambitious "full private," making love to an Empress, and rewarded with an immediate ducking in a horse-pond. Altogether, the piece was very enceessful. A new and better adaptation of the " Invincihles," called " The Pretty Girls of s tib e e e z'' ant is , W; as e may say, out on Monday, with very great say, thunders of applause. Web sher doubted a by his comrades.,Pnund ertook for Napoleon ; this w as he turned his hack for a few mo ments, unbuttoned his coat, turned his wig, and . presto the very " little corporal' himself turned round' and j ustified the apparently involuntary military salute of his merry comrades. Ile was ever afterwards in and out of Napoleon, in the drollest and most graphic war., particularly when he did— what Napoleon never did—got thoroughly drunk. Celeste, as a Prussisn captain, thereafter took them all prisoners. She appeared at the head of a most efficient troop of heroines, ably assisted by Sergeant Majoress Tellet. • (From the Edinburgh Weekly Express.) THE THEATBSI—The attraction of the Theatre Royal du eafkthhasHbaeennitarhkeetrilalinadntthaecetlienzgaonft Madame Celeste. j r am ing in th w e epbassttevrio Webster e is not often on our boards, but he hearty wish that he may soon return again . certainly Murray, f Mathews, or any of 13elarv—esnIslswitahctia'ng is of an entirely distict cast from that of i a t c s tin ki g nd w . k the other other comedian we lave seen ; ' but it is certainly. excellent in ao_nyethaisnAgimlyocrreoc_oemnie than his all the effect of the most vivid as Hildmay. The scene had a ith W ou n r c 3l n a n n o s t ge nn r— ag t in h e e Celeste figured in her the week's performances. Madame contrast. The "Pretty Girls of Solberg," was the charm of most graceful style, and drew down the raptureug applause of the audience. The Polka danced with Mr. Webster, will give an entirely fresh idea of it to our Assemblies. DIP ORTANT" NEWS from MEXICO. ( From a Second Edition of the Tines.) We have received the following important intelligence, brought by the West India Mail steamer Trent : The Royal Mail steamer, Trent, Captain Boxer, arrived at Southampton this morning, from the Gulf of Mexico, last from Bermuda. She brings 510,822 dollars, 1,256 ounces of silver, and a large quantity of . platenum, cochineal and inigo, from Guatimala. The passengers by her are Lieut tenant Peel, son of Sir Robert Peel, from the Pacific, with dispatche:*, Gen. Mendoza. C a pt a i n G rac i o an d l a d y , Mr. and Mrs. Neilson and child, and Mrs. and Miss Trew, Captain Deering, lady, and two children, Messrs. Stanley, Michaud, Bonavero, &Tilton, Silva, Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Valmyniple, Bosbill, Dr. Vamu, Lieutenant M'Cleave, Dr. Findlay, and Mr. Wm: Neilson, of her Majesty's late ship Romney, Mr. and Mrs. Dalrymple. PRONUNCIAMENTO OF GENERAL PAREDES AND MARCH OF HIS DIVISION ON THE CITY OF MEXICO. We have received from cur Correspondent in the city of Mexico letters of the 30th of December. Ge:!eral Paredes, with his division 7,000 strong; pro nounced en the 15th ult. at San Luis Potozi, and marched against Mexico en the 21st for the avowed purpose of over turning the present Government, and calling a National Convention to establish whatever Government it might think fit. Parades and his division arrived on the 29th in the imme diate vicinity of the capital. The Government prepared to resist in an energetic manner. They appointed General Bustaniente Commander-in-Chief, armed 3,000 Civicos.or National Guard, barricaded the town, cut trenches in all the roads, declared the city in a state of siege, and culled out the male population between the ages of 16 and 60. The garrisons of the fort of San Juan de lea, Vera Crnz, Jalapa, Guanxuato, Guadalaxara, Zacatecas, pronounced in favour of Paredes, but the civil authorities in all those places and in several other towns issued manifestoes in favour of the Government. Several arrests were made, and the Archbishop was con stituted a prisoner in his palace at Saenbaya. M. Slidell, the new Minister of the United States, has not been received by the Government under the plea that Mexico agreed to accept a Minister ad hoc for the regulation of the affairs of Texas, and not an Envoy for general purposes. M. Slidell has written a very angry note, and retires to Jalapa, there to await instructions from his Government. Lieutenant W. Peel (son of Sir It. Peel), of her Majesty's ship America, now at San Bias, on the Pacific coast, passed through Mexico on the 27th fur Vera Crnz, charged with dispatches for the Hon. Captain Gordon, of the America, sup posed to be relative to Upper California and the Oregon. ...Our correspondent at the moment of closing his dispatches says, that the whole of the garrison has pronounced in favour of Paredes, and that the Government of Herrera may be considered at an end. The city was perfectly quiet and not a shot fired. The Clyde brought to Bermuda the windward mails, they bring the dates since the last steamer left, to the 14th of January from St. Thomas, and Bth from Jamaica. There is nothing of any marked interest among the islands, the out ships have begun to congregate at the different ports, to receive the coming crop, which it is said will at least be an average one, or perhaps beyond it ; as the cane, especially to windward, was much favoured by the rains at the end of last year. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the 'Woolsack at Five o'clock. Lord STANLEY presented a petition, stned by 12,3339 owners ar d occupiers of land, and trapesmen, manufacturers, and labourers of the north division of the county of Lancaster. He had examined the signatures to this petition, and he bad found them all to be genuine, and to belong to the dif ferent classes of trades and callings enumerated in the heads of the petition. The petitioners stated that their confidence in the continuation of the protection to agriculture was such that they had been induced to expend capital in extensive improvement in agriculture and manufactures. It fur ther stated that it was the opinion, not o. ly of the owners and occupiers of land, but also of the working men and manufacturers, that it was of the greatest im portance to their different trades that the protection to agriculture should be continued. The petitioners also complained of the unconstitutional, they would not say illegal, interference of the Anti-Corn-law League. with the constituency of the country. Ho had also several similar petitions from different parts of the county of Kildare in Ireland. Loi:d REDDESDALE said he had a petition of a similar nature to present from the county of Oxford. Lord BEAUMONT presented several petitions frem tenant farmers and others connected with agriculture in favour of protection to agriculture, and expressive of the great alarm those individuals felt at the proposed chonges ; and he also begged to give notice, on the part of his friend the Duke of Richmond, that, on Thursday next, the Noble Duke would move for certain returns regarding local taxation. Lord FARNHAM presented petitiens against the repeal of the corn-laws. Lord GREY presented :several petitions from tenant farmers and others connected with agriculture, in favour of the propositions of her Majesty's Government. They had only two objections to those prepositions ; namely, that the abolition in corn and sugar were not immediate. Almost all the tenant-farmers in this country con curred in the opinions expressed in the petition. He had great satisfaction in presenting that petition, and he hoped and believed that the opinions therein contained were entertained by the first farmers in thia country, whether they were at once opposed to protection, or in favour of a delay of three years. Earl ST. GERMAIN said, that with regard to the motion he was a b ou t t o au bwl6 to t h eir L or dships, he anticipated their fullest consent. This was a Bill for the further amendment of the Act now in force for the ex tension and promotion of the public works in Ireland. The proposed measure divided itself into two questions; first, that of loans, and second that of grants. In regard to the first of these, the alteration upon the old law was very small. It was proposed to place at :the disposal of the Commissioners of Public Works for Ireland the sum of 50,0001.; the sum originally placed in their hands being :now reduced to 6;9001,; and the present grant a further suppty. The al teration in its administration was, ;that whereas formerly the application had to be made through three magistrates, it was now proposed to be made through two magistrates, assisted by three rate or assessed. Respecting the second division, that of loans advanced for the improving and reclaiming of lands, the old law required that such advances should he paid back in three years after the improvements were effected. This was found be impracticable, and now it was proposed in . the Bill to extend the period to twenty years. He had no doubt this measure would work benefially in developing the resourses of Ireland, in connexion with three or four other measures submitted by the Government to the other House of Parliament. LORDS' SUMMARY. Their lordships commenced business shortly after fivo o'clock. Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the ccunty of Lancaster, signed by 12,339 persons is favour of Protec tion to Agriculture. SevQrafpetitions were presented by Lord BEAUMONT and the Earl REDESDALE. Lord BEAUMONT gave notice, for the Duke of flicu- MOND, aids intention, on Thursday next, to move for certain returns regarding local taxation. He also moved that their Lordships should be summoned for that day. Earl GREY presented a petition from the tenant farmers of Forfar, in favour of the Ministerial plan for the reduction of duties on the various articles of food. The petition, however, deprecated the delay of three years, considering it injurious to their i',►terests. The Noble Earl trusted that the opinion of the petitioners would have weight with her Majesty'n Ministers. Earl ST. GERMANS moved the second reading of the Public Works (Ireland) Bill. MI thought that the measure would be found most beneficial in developing the resources of Ireland. The Bill would bring home to the peasantry of Ireland employment at their own doors. Lord MONTEAGLE supported the Bill, and deprecated the conduct of the Government hi withholding from the consideration of Parliament the whole of the reports they had received relative to the probable condition of Ireland, in consequence of the failure of the potato crop. The Duke of WELLINGTON assured the Noble Lord that the consideration he had suggested to him on Fri day last had been fully looked into, and every attention would be given by the Government to the wants of Ireland. Measures would be introduced in the course o the present session for that purpose. Lord STOURTON supported. the Bill. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at a few minutes before Four o'clock. NEW MEMBERS. Lord MORPETU took the oaths and his seat for the West Riding of Yorkshire. On the entrance of the Noble Lord, who was introduced by Lord John Russell and Mr. By nn, he was greeted with loud c h eers f rom all sides of the House. Mr. M'Carany, who was introduced by Mr. O'Con nell and another lion. Member, took the oaths and his seat for the city of Cork. THE AYSHIRE AND GALLOWAY RAILWAY. Sir J. Y. BULLER brought up the Report of Sub- Committee No. 2, when Mr. HODGSON said that before the report was or dered to lie on the table, he wisLed to make a few ob servations. Ile wished to put a question to the Attor ney-General on a point of law, but at the same time he had no desire to impugn the judgment of the Committee. The objection which had been taken to the contract of the Ayrshire Railway ryas, that the contract decd was invalid, inasmuch as two of the trustees who were bound to perform the covenants were also shareholders in the Company. The Committee, when this objection was urged, came to the resolution, that by standing order No. 40, the contract deed was invalid, and did not bind 'll3 trustees to the performance of its covenants. It was a Scottish Bill, and he thought that the objection which had been raised could not consistently be maintained. He wished now to appeal to' the opinion of the highest constituted law officers in that House, whether or -not the fact of a certain number of trustees holding shares in the Company would render its contract invalid. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL sa i d that under the standing. order which had been referred to b y h is Ron. k'riai I, 10 was required Trita, that th e p art i es so. scribing should bind themselves to the performance of the subscription deed. It appeared from the facts of the case that the trustees were also shareholders, and agreed to pay the amount of their subscriptions in common with the other subscribers, and as trustees they also covenanted to see the due performance of the contract, so that in point of fact the covenanters were also covenantees. Ho was of opinion that the whole deed was not invalid. The question was whether the sub scription deed w as a compliance with the standing order. It was perfectly true that in a court of law no action would hold, because no party could sue himself, but in a court of equity a party would be bound by the deed, and would he obliged to pay the amount of his subscription. His opinion undoubtedly was, that the standing order had been complied with, and if the case had occurred with respect to an English railway, there would have been a compliance with the standing orders, because the parties would have been liable, if not in a court of law, at all events in a court of equity. Sir J. Y. BULLER said it would not become him after the opinion expressed by the Attorney- Go reral to discuss a point of law. He could only say that the decisions to which the Committee had come were in accordance with the decisions of Sub-Commit tees of last year. He thought, after the opinions which had been expressed, that the better course to pursue would be to allow the Bill to ;take the usual course, and for it to be referred to the Standing Orders' Committee, as the Standing Orders' Committee would, of course, act upon the opinion which had been expressed by the Attorney-General and sanctioned by the House, and such an opinion should be taken as a guide fur the future. Mr. HODGSON bad t o c bj, ction that the Bill be riferred back to the same conpuictee. CORN-LAWS. Sir H. HALFORD presented a petition from the town and county of Leicester, signed by 2,000 persons, engaged both as manufacturers and agriculturists. The petitioners stated that they heard with alarm of the scheme proposed by Government for the purpose of re ducing those duties which protected native manufactures and agriculture, and they thought that the best means of security consisted in affording every facility for the de veloPment of the produce of our own soil.—(Hear, hear.) That security would be amply uflorded under the exist ing corn-laws. The manufacturers stated that there were documents before the House which would prove the extremely low rate of wages, at present existing in a district where there were more than 100,000 persons, both manufacturers and agriculturists, and the pro duce of which amounted to 2,500,0001. annually. Mr. BAMPTON presented a petition in favour of the measures of commercial reform proposed by her Ma jesty's Government. Mr. NORRIS presented a petition praying for a con tinuance of protection to agriculture. Mr. R. YORKE presented a petition praying for a total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws. Mr. LIDDELL presented a petition, signed by up wards of ten thousand persons in the county of Durham, against the proposed alteration in the corn-laws. Mr. M. CLARKE presented a petition in favour of the repeal of the corn-laws. Lord DALMENY presented a petition of a similar nature. An HON. MEMBER, whose name we could not learn, presented a petition, signed by nine thousand of the in habitants of Sussex, against any alteration of the corn laws. Sir J. C. IMBHOUSE presented a petition, very nu merously signed, in favour of tho contemplated alters. tion of the corn laws. Mr. MUNTZ (Birmingham) presented a petition from the merchants, traders, and other inhabitants of Bir mingham, complaining that none of the restrictions en copper ore were about being removed by the Go vernment. Mr. BUNCOMBE presented three petitions from Dundee, the seat of the linen manufacturers, in favour of free trade, which stated that they (the petitioners) were not afraid of competing with the whole world, al though every restriction should be removed. Lord MORPETH (who was very loudly and gene rally cheered on rising) presented a petition from Wake field and Halifax, very numerously signed by merchants, bankers, and others in Yorkshire, strongly expressing their approbation of the Government measure respecting the corn-laws. Mr. FERRAND said he should wish ►to ask the Noble Lord a question. He should wish to learn whether the signatures to these petitioners had bean the free and unbiassed act:of the petitioners?—(Cries of " Order, crder.") He was prepared to prove that the working men—(Order, order)—were obliged to turn into the counting-houses of the large manufactories and sign these petitions, before they received their weekly pay ments.—(Loud cries of " Order.") The SPEAKER observed that the Hon. Member might put put a question, but the rule of the House did not permit that he should make a speech. Mr. FERRAND—WeII, then, he would put the question—were these signatures of the kind that he described ? Lord MORPETII—IIe had only to say that, to the best of his belief and to the entirety of his convictions, the signatures to the documents which he had pre svnted were the free and unbiassed acts of the peti tioners. Sir W. MOLES WORTH presented a petition from the borough of Southwark, in favour of a total and im mediate repeal of the eorn.laws. The WEAKER observed, that perhaps it might be bettcr fur the House to receive petitions on the corn laws after the order of the day had been gone into. Mr. OWEN STANLEY gave notice that in the Com mittee on the corn and provision laws, he would move as an amendment, a fixed duty of ss. on wheat, 2s. 6d. on barley, and 2s. on oats, and so on in proportion. Mr. M. MILNES gave - notice that in committee on the resolution relating to the corn-laws he would move the omission of all words after 1849. Mr. S. CRAWFORD gave notice that he would call the attention of the House to the propriety of extending the power of poor-law guardians, so as to enable them to grant out-door relief to the people of Ireland. Mr. T. BUNCOMBE moved for a return of s tile number of all persons who bad removed from the agri cultural to the manufacturing districts, particularly in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire, in the years 1841, 1842, and 1843.—Agreed to. Lord Somerset, Lord Sandon, Sir George Grey, Mr. Wilson Patten, and the; O'Conor Don, who constitute the committee on parliamentary election petitions, were then sworn at the table. Captain LIIILL gave notice of a motion, to the effect that he would on a future day move that the duty to be paid on foreign corn for the next three years should be given to the tenant farmers, who would be injured by the measure of her Majesty's Ministers. Dr. BOWRIING would ask whether any and what measures had been taken by her Majesty's Government to inquire into the character of the disease said to have broken out at Roa Vista in consequence of communi cation with the Eclair. Sir G. CLERIC said that such measures had been taken as would meet the case. NEW WRIT. On the motion of Mr. YOUNG, a new writ was ordered to be issued for the election of a knight of the shire for the southern division of the county of Notti ng • ham, in the room of the Earl of Lincoln, who has ac cepted the office of Secretary for Ireland. FACTORY SCHOOLS. Mr. BRIGHT wished to ask the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department re specting the proceedings of the factory inspectors. He found from their report that Mr. Horner had given 1501. to schools connected with the Established Church, and 301. to.schools belonging to the British Society of Dis senters ; while another inspector had given 270/. to schools connected with the Established Church, and to schools not so connected. Now, it was the intention of the Factories Act that the sums appropriated by the Goyernmet for this purpose, should be freely and equally divided amongst schools where factory children wcre being educated ; and he wished to know whether these grants were in future to be made in accordance with the spirit of the Act. Sir JAMES GRAHAM (who spoke in so low a tone of voice as to be scarcely audible in the gal lery) was understood to say that the funds appro priated by the Legislature for the benefit of fac• tory schools would be divided equally, and without favour to one sect or another. The inspectors had, he thought, made the distribution referred to by the Hon. Member in this spirit, for most of the Catholic schools refused to receive aid from those funds, while the:British schools had only taken the money at the request of the inspector himself. CORN-LAWS. Mr. COLLETT wished to direct the attention of the Hight Hon. Baronet opposite to a paragraph which had appeared in the public pints of that morn ing, and which had caused some anxiety in the com mercial world, in so far as it alleged that some flaw existed in the corn-law which was passed in 1842. The Hon. Gentleman then read a notice which had appeared in the public papers with reference to a particular point . as it bore on the condition of the people. The question he wished to ask the Home Department was, whether this statement was correct, and whether the amount to be apportioned to this school was to be regulated by the number of children which were edu cated in them, or by the amount of necessity which existed in the district 'where they were placed. Sir J. GRAHAM—It was utterly impossible to give a precise answer to the lion. Gentleman's question. but the circumstances were so various that no one could lay down a positive rule, and he could only say, there fore, that directions had been given to render returns of the number of children educated in the several schools, and of the education of the inhalitants in the several neighbourhoods. Oa these conditions his an - Aver weti!cl dedend. Sir R. H. INGLIS hoped he should not be deemed wanting in courtesy to the Right Hon. Baronet it he asked, without notice, whether the sum be apportioned to the several schools, was to depend upon the number of childrcii educated in the schools, or whether a certain sum was to he appor tioned to each, whatever the condition of that school might be ; he thought this was in:portant, and there fore he wished to ask whether th.l) same sum wes to bp apportioned if the children or:tucated were 50 or 100 in the school—in fact, wheth , :.r the sum given was to be in proportion to the numlv.r in the school. Sir JAMES GRAMM was under the necessity to give the same reply as he had just made to the previous cruestion. They had first to ascertain the number of scholars, and the revenue of these schools, and the relief would depend on those circum stances. JUVENILE OFFENDERS. Mr. LIDDELL had a question to ask, for which ho hoped to be excused, but in the absence of the Noble Lord, the late Member for Dorsetshire, who it was known had taken a great interest in the condition of the juvenile population, but who, in consequence of his feel ing upon a point of honour, had resigned his seat, and Wu' therefere, suable 19. pat she questim himself, he hoped he should be excused for asking it without notice that such an inquiry was required might be gathered. from the remarks lately made by a j udge in one of the criminal courts. No subject was more deservedly worthy of the attention of the House. As he had stated his views to the Right Hon. Baronet, .he would not then detain the House by any observation 3, but simply ask the Right Hon. Boronct if the gentleman was prepared to take any steps towards the improvement and re formation of juvenile delinquents ? Sir J. GRAHAM said the subject had occupied the serious attention of the former, as well as of the pre sent Government. Up to 1838, there was no institution in this country devoted exclusively to the punishment and reformation of juvenile offenders. Shortly after an institution was formed in this metropolis in which 300 of these persons were confined. In that year, with the sanction of that Home, Parkhurst prison was erected, which he thought had bee en con d ucive to the moral improvement of those who were consigned to it. In that institution there were now 660 confined. In addition 200 juvenile convicts were confined in the Pen tonville prison (as we understood). If it was the pleasure of :hat House to sanction what would be brought forward by the Government on the subject, and to give au annual grant for the mainte• nance of ell those young prisoners after their conviction by a jury, he would endeavour to induce the magistrates of the various counties of England to set apart a portion of the prisons under their direction for the reception of juvenile offenders.—(Hear, hear.) If this plan were carried out in each county, he had no doubt that benevolent persons would aid the Government in putting these unfortunate persons, on leaving prison, in the way to earn an honest living, and to r, store them to society.—(Hear.) DRAINAGE BILL (IRELAND). Sir WM. SOMERVILLE inquired if it was the intention of the Right Hon. Gentleman (Sir J. Graham) to move that the House should go into Committee on this Bill to-night. Sir J. GRAHAM was understood to say that he should make a motion to that effect tc-night. REPEAL OF THE DUTIES ON CORN. Sir ROBERT PEEL then rose and said —I am desires to make a statement with reference to the ques tion which the Noble Lord the Meinber for the City of London, put to me the other night, respecting the repeal of the duties on corn—foreign corn—immediately after the passing of a resolution to that effect by the House. The reply which I gave to that question has created an impression in the City that the Treasury intend to repeal these duties, as well as other duties, as soon as the House shall have signified its consent. I answered that the Treasury would remit the duties on foreign corn after the assent of the House had been given to the resolution. I find that my impression was a wrong one. In every . case wherein the co:n duty had been altered by Par liament the reduction of the du:y had taken place from the passing of the Act, and the Treasury have never, in any case, undertaken to remit the duty. Now, Sir, I should be exceedingly unwilling to assume, on the part of the Treasury, any authority for which there was no precedent, and I should also be exceedingly sorry to assume it in this case, because I fear that an assumption of thai authority for the first time would have a tendency rather to prejndice than promote the final success of the measure. It is the intention of her Majesty's Government, therefore, to adhere to the course which has uniformly been pursued at all former periods of an alteration in the corn-laws, and to make the reduction of the duty—if the measure should be sanctioned by Parliament—take effect from the passing of the Act. I believe in point of fact, that there will be delay in taking corn out of bond, for if there should be:,any chance of the measure not receiving the sanction of the Legislature, parties would take corn out of bond, when they were certain that, after a short interval, they would be compelled to pay a duty of 17s. At the same time, it is of much importance that the decision of Parliament on the subject should be known, and that - the trade should have an assurance as to the principles which are to operate in the corn trade; and her Majesty's Government propose to give apreference to the corn-bill before all other subject, and as far as the Government are concerned they will take no other Go vernment business until the decision of this branch of the Legislature with respect to the proposed new corn law shall have been taken. We shall, therefore, not go into any other amendment of the tariff until this house shall have given its assent to the new corn Bill. Mr. M. PHILLIP wished to know whether, if the debate should be adjourned on Tuesday evening it would be continued on Wednesday, and i; so, whether the sit ting on that day would be a morning one. Sir R. PEEL said that if on adjournment took place on Tuesday the House might proceed with the debate on Wednesday ; and in that case he apprehended that there would be no alternative but to commence at twelve o'clock and adjourn at six, because the House had already pas.,ed a standing order on the sabjeet of Wed nesdays sittings. He thought, hawever, it would bo more convenient to consider the subject to-morrow evening. In answer to Sir G. PALMER, Sir R. PEEL said that he woull not exclude himself from any interval during the progress of the Bill which he was about to introduce on the corn•laws, but he might inform the Hausa that it was his intention to proceed with that Bill witho u t delay until its final stage. Sir G. PALMER was proceeding to make some fur ther remarks, but resumed his seat amidst cries of " Or der, order." CORN LAWS. Mr. CHRISTIE presented a petition in favour of a total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws. Sir GEORGE STAN TON presented a petition iu favour of the existing corn-laws. Mr. RICHARD HODGSON presented a petition in favour of a total repeal repeal of the corn-laws. Mr. G. BANKES presented a petition from a borough in the county of Dorset. The petitioners, he said, prayed fur a continuation of protection to agriculture until the sense of the nation shall have been taken. — (Cheers.) He had also a petition to present from the same county, and also fr om diff eren t pl aces i n Hamp shire, and - from Ferrybridge, signed by an immense number of individuals, all praying for protection to Bri tish industry. Mr. B. HAWES presented a petition from Lambeth, signed by 2,000 ;ndividuals, in favour of a total and im mediate repeal of the corn-laws, An HON. MEMBER presented a petition from Newport, in favour of a total and immediate repeal of the corn laws. Mr. CLIFTON presented a petition, signed by 12,000 of the inhabitants of North Lancashire, praying the House to continue protection to agriculture. Mr. GISBORNE presented a petition in favour of a total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws. Mr. MACAULAY presented a petition from Edin burgh in favour of a repeal of the corn-laws. PAPER HANGINGS. Mr. T. DIINCOMBE presented a petition from paper-hangers of Finsbury and its vicinity against thLt portion of the Government measure which had refer ence to a reduction in the duties on paper-hangings. CORN-LAWS. Mr. BRIGHT presented petitions from Exeter, signed by 1,864 persons ; from Stockport, signed by 9,000 persons ; and from 25 other parishes, praying for a total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws. Dr. BOW RING presented petitions from operatives in Warwick, and also from a parish in Wales, of a similar nature. Sir B. HALL presented a petition from Marylebone and Paddington, signed by 27,000 persons, praying for a repeal of the corn-laws. Mr. STRUTT presented a number of petitions from the ceunty of Lancashire, also praying for a repeal of the corn-laws. Mr. ROSS presented a similar petition from the opera tives of Belfast. Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose to present petitions From several parts of Devonshire, in favour of a total j and immediate repeal of the corn -laws. Mr. SCOTT presented a similar petition. A petition from an Host. MEMBER, signed by 6,000,600 inhabitants of a town, the name of which we did not catch, praying for a repeal of the cern laws. Mr. BENNETT presented a petition praying that nothing would be done respecting the corn laws until an appeal was made to the constituencies of the country. Mr. HAWES rose to present petitions from a great number of towns and villages, one of which petitions was signed by 26,000 inhabitants, praying fur an imme diate settlement of the corn-laws by repealing the same. Mr. MARK PHILIPS presented a petition from South Lancashire, signed by 14,500 inhabitants, pray ing for the immediate repeal of the corn-las s. Also an other petition from the Chamber of Commerce, Man chester, for a similar object. The petition generally approval of the commercial policy adopttd by the Mi nistry with all becoming respect, they prayed that with the present session protective duties of every kind would terminate. He had also to present another petition from the Manchester Commercial Association; it coincided with the expressions of the other petitions, approved of the commercial policy of the Government ; but prayed for an immediate repeal. The petitions were ordered to lie on the table, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented a petition from Abingdon, in favour of the propositions of the Government with respect to corn and other arti cles.—(Great laughther.) Mr. MILES presented several petitions in favour of the existing protractive duties imposed on corn, one was from Somerset, another from a pari s h i n L ondon, another from the county of Glamorgan, and another from a parish in the county of Gloucester. The petitions prayed, that if there should be a reduction made in the present duties, an appeal would be first made to the country. Sir W. CLAY presented a petition from the Tower Hamlets, in favour of the Ministerial measures relating to corn ; it was signed by 80,000 individuals. Lord DUNCAN presented a petition from Bath, signed by the M a y or an d 67,000 mhsbitants, prayi ng for the immediate and total repeal of the corn-laws. Sir W. MOLESWORTH presented a petition to the same effect from the borough of Southwark and another from St. Luke' s , Ch e l sea . , Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition from the borough of Finsbury signed by 53,700 persons, and expressing a strong approval of the measure proposed by the Goverr. ment, but praying that the abolition of the corn-laws should take place immediately. Also a petit . ° I t t he same effect from a town in Montgomeryshire. Also a petitition signed by fourteen agricultural labourers in Pusey, Wilts" i:e, in which they sat i that the system of protection had reduced them to the lowest state 9f degradation and misery. The petition states, that not withstanding the system of protection they have been obliged to submit to labour only suited to beasts of burden. They have been harnessed to carts. The aggregato number of their families, some of which comprised eight individuals, amounted to eighty-six. COMMONS' SUMMARY. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. Lord MORPETH took the oaths and his seat for the West Riding of Yorkshire. The Noble Lord was intro duced by Mr. BYNG, the Member. for Middlesex, and Lord JOHN RUSSELL, and was most enthusiastically cheered. Mr. WCARTHY, for Cork, took the oaths and his seat. The Hon. Gentleman was introduced by Mr. O'CONNELL. Leave was given to bring in several railway Bills. The Edinburgh Waterworks Bill was brought in, read a first, and ordered to be read a second time.: Mr. KEMBLE brought in the London and South- Western Railway Bill. The report of the Sub-Committee on the Ayrshire and Galloway Railway Bill, reporting that the standing orders had ir)t been complied with, was ordered to be. referred back to the Committee, after a short discussion. Sir 11. HALFORD presented a petition from Liverpool, signed by 2,020 persons, against any alteration in the corn -laws. The Earl of MARCH presented a similar petition from Sussex, signed by 9,000 persons. Mr, • LEADER pres.entel a petition from Westminster, in favour of a total repeal of the corn-laws, signed by 73,000 persons. Several other petitions having been presented cn the subject of the proposed alterations in tho commercial policy of the country, among which were 103 by Lord MORPLTH (wheilvas received with enthusiastic cheer ing), from various places in the West Riding of York shire in favour of the Ministerial measures generally, with the exception of that part which related to the corn laws, of which laws they prayed the total and im mediate repeal, Mr. FERRAND asked if the signatures to those peti tions were affixed to them with the free and unbiassed wills of the parties signing, because he was prepared to prove that many of the workmen had bean forced ? The SPEAKER—The Hon: Member may ask a ques tion on the presentation of a petition, but he cannot make a speech. The HON. MEMBER repeated his question, to which Lord .MORPETH replied that, to the best of his belief and the entireness of his conviction, the signatures had been affixed by the free and unbiassed will of the parties . . signing. Mr. W. 0. STANLEY gave notice of an amendment in the Committee on the Customs' Act, t ) the effect that wheat should be subject to a fixed duty of 55., barley of 3s. Gd., and oats of 25., in place of the Ministerial proposition. Mr. M. Mensrs gave notice of an amendment to omit in the resolution with regard to corn all words referring to'the duties payable after 1849. Several unopposed returns having been agreed to, The Members constituting the Committee on Parlia mentary Election Petitions were then sworn at the table. In answer to Dr. Bowansc, Mr. CARDWELL explained the measures which had keen adopted for the purpose of carrying out the recom mendations of the Committee on Colonial Accounts. Mr. BRIGHT wished to ask if it was not the intention that the sums levied as fines on factory owners should be fairly divided among all schools, and not as they had hitherto been, distributed at the rate of 1001. to schools connected with the Established Church to 301. to schools connected with Dissenters. Sir J. GRAHAM said that the sums were to be fairly distributed, but that he understood that few applications had been made for Dissenting or Catholic schools. • Sir R. INGLIS wished to know whether it was intended that an equal sum should be given to Church and Dis senting schools, or a proportionate sum ? Sir J. GRAHAM said that it was intended that the sum should be apportioned to the wants, of the school. Mr. LIDDELL asked if the Government was prepared to take any steps for the improvement of the juvenile population of the metropolis ? Sir J. GRAHAM explained the steps which had been already taken for the improvement and reformation of juvenile offenders in the metropolis; and stated, if it were the pleasure of the House to vote the necessary funds, ne would feel it his duty to propose further mea sures for the reformation of juvenile offenders. Sir R. PEEL explained in relation to his reply to the Noble Lord's question the other night as to his answer on the subject of the reduction of the corn duties, that he could find no precedent for the Treasury sanctioning the reduction of the duty on the receipt of the report, and that, therefore, he could not consent to any reduction on the corn duties until the proposed alteration should become law, but so convinced was he of the nececssity of proceeding with the alteration on the corn laws at once that he proposed to proceed with the measure for the alteration of the corn-laws, in preference to any other public measure, and to every other alteration in the tariff, until it should become law. In reply to Mr. M. PHILLIPPS, Sir R. PEEL said that if the debate should be ad jonrned over Tuesday, there would be no alternative but to resume the debate on 'Wednesday at twelve and finish it at six. The Right Hon. Baronet also explained that necessarily there must be an interval between the first and second reading of the Corn Bill, during which he might bring forward other articles in the tariff, but that he would proceed with the Corn Bill with all the speed that the forms of the House would permit. On the motion that the order of the day for the House resolving itself into Committee being read, a host of petitions on the subject of the corn-laws were presented. After the presentation of the petitions, which lasted until after six o'clock, Mr. PHILIP MILES rose to move the amendment of which he had given notice, viz., that the House should resolve into Committee this day six months. The pro posed change in our commercial policy was a change even greater than that proposed by the Reform Bill, and on a question involving such vital interests, the constituen cies of the coun'ry ought to be consulted, more especi ally when it was considered that this Parliament had been elected upon protectionist principles. Ho ad mitted the failure of the potato crop in Ireland, but the oat crop and the wheat crop in that country was above the average. There was no fear of a famine. He could well understand that the Right Hon. Baronet might feel alarm at the state of things in Ireland, but if he bad watched the state of the markets he would see there was no cause of alarm. He would say if there was danger of a famine, open your ports, but he contended that there was no danger whatever of famine, and, looking at the course pursued by the Right Honourable Baronet, he could not but came to the conclusion that the cause of protection had in the Right Hon. Baronets mind been long doomed. He thought the agricultural interests of the country was entitled to moderate protection. He recollected the talent with which the Right Hon. Baronet had upheld the doctrines of protection, and he could foresee the ability with which he would control them, but he feared is( t because he felt that he had a large minority in that House, and a large party out of it. Three months ago the Member on the Treasury Bench supported the doc trine of protection ; and if his opinions had undergone such a change, he should have 'Felt bound to follow the example of the Noble Lord the Member for Dorsetshire, He could not see where these changes were to lead, and if these were agreed to, greater still must follow ; changes which would shake the public credit. The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to take a review of the history our commercial policy since the accession of Sir 11. PEEL to office, and conderl that the pros perity of the industrious classes had been owing not to the free trade measures of the Government, but to the immense increase of our railway system, which had created a demand for labour, and i n in consequence of which the prices of iron had risen enormously —to the cessation of war in India—and to the succession of good harvests, and he believed that much of that prosperity woukl have taken place if the Noble Lord opposite had been in power. He denied that the amount of exports afforded a fair indication of commercial prosperity. Foreigt; markets were glutted with our goods. It was th e h ome izede which afforded the finest ele ments for the Cstleuletion of the amount of our commercial prosperity. With regard to the corn-laws, the law or" 1842 had worked well ; it had secured steadiness of price. ; And he would not con sent to its alteration. The Right .7.iCneourable Baronet had said in 1842 that 565. was a fair price for the farmer. He would like to know what he cone:tiered a fair price now. The Right Hononurable Baronet still his proposed measure would not lower tho price of wheat, what then became of the argument of the cheap loaf. (LEFT SPEAKING.) ROBBERY AT KINGSGATE-STREET COURT OF RE- QuEsTs.—On Saturday information was circulated thoughout the Metropolitan and City police, that during the night of Tuesday last some thief or thieves stole from the above court about 41. in silver, and about ss. in copper. The thieves were, no doubt, from the smallness of the sum thus obtained, greatly disappointed in their hope of plunder. THE CORN MARKETS.—It is worthy of remark that at the Wakefield corn market on. Friday, the prices of all kinds of grain advanced. Already the farmers, factors, and millers see the emptiness of the fears which have so long haunted them in regard to the effect . of opening the ports.— Leeds Mercury, POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. On Saturday, Catherine Par/c, an elderly female, stated to be of independent property, was brought before !r- . llardwicke, cha rge d w i t h h av i ng s t o l en a silver penc il ease from a stand in the Pantheon Bazaar, belonging t !,. Mr. Plumb, s il versm i t h , 194 , Oxford-street• r -ft'y evidence was to this effect:— Mrs. Plumb said the prisoner came to her sta nd en 'Thursday aft ernoon and examined some of the ar tiele i s,., in particular a t ra y, i n w hi c h was a num b e r of Peae l „ cases. She heard somethin g d ro p on the floor, as if Qo a of the pencil- cases h a d f a ll en or b een t h rown down' 0 0 immediately etervrards she saw the prisoner stoop do wn and pick up something with which she walked WI; Witness looked at the tray and missed a silver P il ls pencil-case, worth about ss. 6d s Witness imme dis ! e 4 went after the pri soner an d sto pp e d her .1° d he r as she was about t o l eave th e P ant h eon , and accused b of having robb e d h er stand. T ,he prisoner dent' "l she bad taken anything, but in her hand was Found the zniising pereil- case. The prisoner was given o custody, and locked up its the station house. 1 th e The prisoner, in d e f ence , sa id s h e (bet not steal ed pencil-ease. She sa w it on t h e groun d, an d she P'' ' it up. She was fully committed. ad. The sister of the pri soner came i n t o C o urt, an d ' her dressing Mr. Hard w i c k, sa id s h e h a d j us t heard , to great sorrow, of the situation of her sister, Wil °Se ise sence from home th e p rev i ous n i g h t h a d cause d her utmost alarm. It was h ar dly t o b e b e li ev ed that fur sister could have intended to commit the offence. not which she had been sent to prison. Her -(1 u se of sound mind, and that could be proved by 11P '`) ro evidence. The trustees of their property would F - is ' l d :hst her sister had been confined in a lunatic asylum ' ha lot she could also bri ng f orwar d w i tnesses to prove Sof sister was not fit to be trusted alone, for on the very,,, te d when the alleged ro bb ery t oo k p l ace s h a h a d cond o herself in a w a y w hi c h s ho we d t h at s h e was n ot to session of her proper senses. e al b Mr. HARDWICEE said, under these circusasttos r would accept bail for th e accese d. He should seer, mend the friends of the accused at the trial to he P pared with evidence of her insanity. WESTMINSTER. r r. On Saturday, William Forster, a poor, lialf.s° miserable-looking b o y, a b ou t s i xteen years of ` , ; .e , i 't charged with wilfully breaking a pane of gla;' s Mat garet's workhouse. so Squib, a pauper, ma i n t a i ne d i n t h e wor kh o use/ ••Hit' designated by the appellation of " superintendent tioa nightly lodgers," said that the boy applied for sd ni- After. on the previous evening, when ha was refused• se sof remaining upwards of t wo h ours a t t h e d o or, t' ke threw a stone at the glass of the lamp, and hr e ,, 0 1 , observing directly h e h a d d one so , "newyea ' ' me in." s Mr. CLIVE—Why did no t y ou t a k e him ia,S pauper—l took those i n th a t I thought wanted " I was so full. 4 0 , Mr. CLIVE, to the defendant—What have you . say? Boy—l waited there f o r more th a n two e and he wouldn't admit me. I asked him very of' he said I might li e d own an d di e f or w h at h e cared . Mr. CLIVE, add ress i ng t h e super i nten d e nt ra li o r d Did you turn away ma n y w h o a ppli e d ? Su / sericit e pauper—Yes, eight or ten. Mr. CLIVE—Is this often the case with you' intendent pauper?—Yes, every night. I by' the Mr. CLIVE—Is ther e an y o th er pl ace p r ovide , - s'a parish to receive them ? S u p er i n t en d en t paeP e , s r-- thel I tell them to g o aw a y if P m f u ll, an d th ey g o wli c '" like. 0 In answer to furth e r i nqu i r i es as t o h ow maul -f or casual nightly lodgers there was accommodation esti: the workhouse, the witness said, " that if the). stowed away pretty tight, about twenty." food'Mr. CLIVE—Did you g ii e th e accuse d au} t e la; Witness—No, we only giv e f o od to th o se we a there's no food for the others. Mr. CLIVE—Are th ere an y au th or i t i e s frP'"9,, workhouse in • attendance ? Mr. Elliott, the „ ref! r stood forward and said that there was so rne e ','' c l'F . , about that they w ere e f ra id t o p ress t h e peo ple t i t ' ; le'' together (intending to imply, we p resu me, tas , nightly lodgers are ad m itt e d th an h ere t o f or e). soli, Mr. CLITE—How is it that further aceommodes not provided ? Mr. Elliott—The Poor-law C ` ) sioners are going to e r ec t as yl ums . , 0110 e Mr: Caeva- , -The supposition is that everybody t i 6% destitute is relieved. The test of the necessity 3 , 1 13 ,ri1'; sert of the applicant i s f oun d i n admitting anti re 'sol' O , him to do a certain portion of work; b u t if re tea t admit him you ccnnot tell. Steps ought to ra t e s s' 4 ,, immediately to correct such an abuse as this. „,.", 0 1;i' 1 ,' mean to say that the boy is at all justified in '', s tii/ the windows, but I shall give him a very slieht l ac el ° meat. He is committed for three days. n° ' ' consequently liber a t e d on M on d ay morn i ng . 1 ,0 1 ! The poor boy, when locked up, complained:odsii had not tasted f oo d o f any d escr i pt i on s= ince l. " l , e ct le He was immediately, by or d er o f M r .W. Taylor, the clerk, provided with some. of LAMBETH. • isi° P sis On Saturday Inspector C o lli er , o f the P du c ,„„ ! , a police, addressing M r . N orton sa id th a t, se' if Games, who was engaged professionally on bell,t o il! , person named Munto n , c h arge d w i t h cu tting 11 '' a rs throat, present, he felt it to be his duty to i nenti° n .d °I cumstance of a distressing char a cter, whi c h ocO rl acte' the evening before, and which was intimately CO tlo. l ' with that extraordinary case. The inspector sle te esia on Murton's examination before Mr. Henry, te e l' l- , pal witness against hi m was M rs. Susan Vesejels mother-in-law, who li ve d i n hi s h ouse . M r s. V c6 beg . -' her examination before Mr. Henry, stated that, ° I/ rO Ol, ing a loud noi s e, s h e rus h e d d own f rom her 0 11° leti° 3 'and, on reaching the b o tt om o f th e s tairs, fh e es ti!, her son in-law, Munton, st an di ng naked, aud %/.1 01 ' over with blood from he a d to rout. Tri t h e front e a ego. she found her daughter lying on the floor, witP th ble a l 1 wound in her throat. A razor, deeply stained on" o eef'" by her side, and her person, as well as the floor, ° with blood. She instantly exclaimed, "Who ' red, I f it ?" and her daughter, pointing at her hes" - c'''s ! plied, "He has." The old woman and her f° st ics: tinued to live at the house of Munton, and nothint4'osll cular happened until the day before (Friday) , w i ," e e t so*: complained of illness, and, accompanied hY loll; went to the shop of a surgeon named Younk a i s te , I , nington-lane, and that gentleman having O i l. f, s ' o , something to her which she said gave her re a l c e ll oo, ; returned home. Her son left her at ono o'clock t e ' i r , apparently much better, but on returning ho ri rae l esf e / t o'clock he found her quite dead and cold, u n colli s o f cumstance being made known to him, Inspect° r e istr"ia he at once felt it to be hi s d ut y t o acq uaint th r o f P i officers, and also to forward word to the Coron e he le l t t district, that an inq ues t m i g ht b e h o ld en unnn t de ° of the deceased, and the cir cums t anc es of her Ili properly investigated. e err ec tf Mr. NORTON thought the inspector had actel i vier. right. Quite enough had been s t a t e d by Mr. vt,oa 10, satisfy him that it was a prop er case f or i n quiry es vestigation. Mr. Games, on the pa r t o f hi s c li ent , Mr. : Ift ig i lt:rj said he was most a nx i ous l est any pre j u dice I t hs, l o attached to his u n f or t una t e case by the death ° ' ; 00 1, lady, and th a t th e w h o l e o f the circumstancesate' fl_t:vere " upon her de a th s h ou ld un d ergo t h e most s il vesti M gation. Od a r. Collier said that this should be done, e rl oo ' that, by the direction of hi s su p er i n t en d e nt, he oh ecl oi s, H t oweet, a surgeon, to see the body o f the dect e ~:, that morning, and it was mos t remar k a bl e that t wo s' though life had been but a short time extinct/ ci s rapid state of decomposition. A Ani' d i el Mr. NORTON observed th a t thi s f ac t forme",,, 0 0- ' tional reason why a s t r i c t i nves ti ga ti on into ti''' 00 , of death should take pl ace . J o , : c e s Mr. Games complained of th e con d uc t oca ri„00 , stable, Steadman, 151 Pin dogging about a l''' t i? *hose behalf he made the application. , pi e d It appeared that on the day before, Steade l3l lo ",sse te r rection of his superintendent, as he states, C O „ h sre c os following about to every place, a well know°,: o 0; 0 (4 named William Smith, but who is better kn ° ", o lo j,ii cognomen of "Billy-go-firster," and the l a tter . 30 in o l get rid of him until he met a well-known plaY° 3 a ter t ° ,o gig, and having related to the latter the eL r- bifivoll object of his tormentor, the playman invitee' ele' oi cl eta- seat in his vehicle. Yesterday morning, , B .leo, sought out hi s man, an d aga i n commenced his,,:ite he, Mr. G ames , cons id er i ng suc h a system o f se; his ' not only illegal, but unconstitutional, request ed ship's ord er t o su p press i t . ,,ire of v tll Inspector Collier admitt e d th a t, a t the u e ' di pPi o te superintendent, he certainly had directed Stee'der collet constable, to keep the party alluded to er s s ok watch, but at the same time to avoid coming .r a , e ie l with him. Loa isi ° Mr. NORTON observed that he had no atit'',,,eir his the prerogative of the police, but when 11 i t 0 3 op er was made against any member of the fore e . s a f r a tet duty to hear it, The present, he thought, V clefs complaint, for, whatever might have been hid to, Of of the party, he did not think the means r esort ca to b° legal, as they were likely to lead to a r a e b - e 0 ' peace, and he should, therefore, recommen d " th ig discontinued. a wit h fta The parties withdrew from the court, ast i ' sfic t 0 ° , 6 60 declaration of his worship's opinion, but in ash c f cc olo n er they returned into court, when Mr. Gaines ii- o pill i g' te sk complained that, notwithstanding the strolig, oo ,, P ; to' pressed by his worship so short a time hei eet eltle man in a disguise still continued the sam e CO E wards his client. that t" cler t/3 r. NORTON thought with Mr. Games , oor d e th ° missioners would not be justified in issuil l g o r 0 1,30 0 have a person dogged about in the wel l< be t o he, complainant was, and he did not think i' e eta) , of so. He again suggested that the survein c osiov er discontinued until tho opinion of the C° l33 e sti°, Police was taken. ee stii4s,l Po' Mr. Games observed that unless the pros)5110 of his worship was followed, he (Mr. G be accountable for the consequence& at the cots The constable Steelman seemed to t . r: sa cra , refs is' tion of the Makistrate very lightly. I iof the c° Per' said he was acting under the directiott_ that d ,, ,:' ev ero sioners, and that even at one o'clo c % s to P er feabinson, his superintendent, directed D' i n solissyying his man. _ Willersley-lane, last, about sevzm o'clock, as M r ' ---soli ssjr da° 3°l f eveninglllGHwAY ROVDBRY NEAR BELPER.--- ci, fart° , ;in n'i W e r ° 13) , : f l ef orri i ": 0 " 1 1 , f, Holbrook, was bin 3 ,3s ° le c iu d i boal e• but a short 'distance from f' , iO , -oiT,,r, he was attacked by three Who struca P t end ot• a wise severely wounding him, and robbed y men, els note, Three men, hammer and It. returning fiont Belper fair, ..,,r. //ar r', ._ s kicked him about the bead and br f a 5 /, ob a half sovereign, and Is. 6d. in silver• 11° 1 1 1 nroa° coact shocking state that he was scarcely able. to P ro sod7ovolt Jackson, wele apprehended on Saturday lioNtrot, -'7`'ts William Watson, Samuel 130In'od una,°_,,. at an examination on Monday, before Jeredie __di ther,b,,,o " i l 'r idell ti ..; perq s " M li r i . P ß er ;a b rd ut tOCIP have therefore been discharged from all 4dvortinnwaallthloiungabhlenotoijostre txoistts eilis r ear and Laia .iA, . Ti' SU N, N MONDA Y EVE I NT _N` , FEBR UARY 9, 1846. 1) 0 . ap t a t „ i 4 ( 4 ., P 4