The Sun. — London, England, 1846-05-09 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 8. Their Lordships met at F.ve o'clock. Lord CAMPBELL gave notice that, on Friday next ,he would move the second reading of the Bill for the general re gistration cf deeds. The Duke of CAMBRIDGE presented a petition from the Governor and Trustees of the London Hospital, against the Charitable Trusts Rill. . . . Lord CAMPBELL presented two petitions to the same effect. CORN-LAWS. The Earl of RADNOR gave notice that he would move, on an early day, for the quantities if wheat and flour entered for home consumption during the years 1835 and 1845 in clusive, and also the average prices during the same period. WESTERN AUSTRALIA BILL. The several clauses of this Bill were agreed to in Coin reittee. SCOTCH BURGHS BILL. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH. moved the third reading of the Scotch Burghs Bill. The Bill was then read a third time and pasted. THE RAJA OF SATTARA. Lord BEAUMONT presented a petition praying that the Raja of Sattara might be set at liberty, and his personal pro perty restored to him. He would not state any more on that occasion than this—that from lelB to 1839 the Raja was con sidered a loyal subject, and strictly maintained his engage ments with the East India Company. Shortly after the last of these years a charge of conspiracy was brought against him by the Supreme Court of Bengal, but the accusations against him had never been proved, though he had repeatedly sought to be put on his trial with respect to them. With regard to another charge, he was treated in the same way; but instead of being allowed the trial which he courted, in order that he might prove his innocence, he was carried off in the dead of the night and committed to prison, where he was at present confined. The whnle of his personal property had been since secured. He also presented another petition from a servant of the Raj-a, declaring that his master had always been a loyal subject, and that he himself had been placed over a powder-magazine, and imprisoned, before he consented to sign a paper containing charges against the Raja. The Earl of K RIPON had no particular answer to the ob servations of the Noble Lord (Beaumont), and all he could say upon the subject was, that it had been fully considered in the session of last year. It had been maturely considered by the Governor of Bombay, and been minutely examined by the Governor-General in Council, and had received every attention from the late President of the Board of Control (Sir John Cam Hobhouse), who had gone most fully into the question, and it had afterwards been most maturely discussed b 3 the Court of Proprietors of the East India Company in fact, this subject had been under discussion at least sixteen or seventeen times ; and the original decision had in every case been confirmed. With respect to the jewels of which the Noble Lord spoke, they were not the private property of the Raja, and had been as the property of the State handed over to the successor of the Government, with the exception of jewels, worth about two Lacs of rupees, which the Raja had retained for his own private use. With respect to the purport of the second petition, which complained that insufficient evidence had been adduced' against him, this was the first time that any such allegation had been made. He, himself, was not responsible for whatever had occurred, for the circumstances took place before he had anything to do with the office he now held, or, indeed, before the present Government came into power at all. A NOBLE Loan did not rise to give any opinion upon the subject, but he would beg merely to state that he had un derstood that the facts had occurred before the year 1841 ; conse quently before the Noble Earl (Ellenborough) opposite went to _lndia, but it seemed to be a matter of some interest, and might possibly be worth inquiry. Lord BROUGHAM fully concurred in the observations made by the Noble Earl who had just sat down. He had read a paper on the subject from the pen of Sir R. Grant, the late Governor of Bombay, and he considered the decision come to vase perfectly just. After a few words from Lord BEAUNIONT, who said that his only complaint was that he was condemned without a trial.—The subject then dropped. Lord KINNAIRD moved for certain returns connected with railways passed and projected. The Bishop of ST. DAVID'S presented a petition against Moe sale of intoxicating liquors on Sunday. If a measure were brought forward for this purpose, many of those disgraceful scenes which occurred on the Sabbath day would be prevented. There was a simple and obvious remedy, which had been tried before, and which had been attended with complete and un questionable success. Under these circumstances, it was not too much to ask why petitions had been pouring in for years and yet nothing had been done, nor even any notification of the intention of her Majesty's Government to do anything to remedy the evil. • Lord KINNAIRD said that he had attended to the ob lervations addressed to the House by his Right Reverend Friend, and entirely agreed with him that it was possible to put a stop to the scenes which took place, but tbat stoppage would be a difficult question. Their Lordships were aware •of the necessity, under the existing law, of pablic-houses being closed at a certain hour, and the conse quence of that was, that a certain description of coffee-shops had I seen encouraged in London. These coffee-shops were the worst places it was possible to conceive, they were the resort of the most abandoned persons, and were the scenes of the most dreadful profligacy. Toe Bishop of ST. DAVID'S said that tome remedy might still be provided. He would take the opportunity of present ing a nother petition, to which he wished to call the attention of th e House and of her Majesty's Government. The subject was sane of importance, if he might judge by the language which had fatllen from some Members of the Administration. It was a petition from the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of the county and borough of Caermarthen, regretting the defective state of education in Wales, and requesting the attention of the Government to it. They stated that they were sensible of the import ante of education to the social interest of the corn munit3-, and requested that Honourable House to provide, on a fiber: al plan, some means of extending the blessing of educa tion in Wales. CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL. The. LORD CHANCELLOR stated that he would bring foriasil the Charitable Trusts Bill on Thursday next. SECOND READINGS. The- following Bills were read a second time :—The Brighton and C sichester Railway (Bognor and Littlehampton branches); South Eastern Railway ( Ashford Station Enlargement); East ern th aims and Hadleigh Junction Railway ; Glasgow, Paisley, Kilma mock, and Ayr Amendment and Branches, Nos. 1, 2,3; Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Amendment and Branches; Lendora and Brighton Railway (East Grimstead Branches) ; Helensburgh Harbour—Helensburgh Extension and Police; Bolton. 'Waterworks. The House then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 8. T he SrEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. SOMERSET SMALL DEBTS BILL. T his Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be corn mitt ed. HARROGATE GAS. The report on this Bill was brought up and agreed to, and the 13 ill was ordered to be engrossed. L A SGOW MUNICIPAL AND POLICE BILL. DENNISTOUN moved that it be an instruction to the C )mmittee of Selection to refer the Glasgow Municipal and Police: Bill and the Bridgeton Police Bill to the same Comas' ittee.—The motion was agreed to. WEXFORD, CARLOW, AND DUBLIN JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL. Mr, GROGAN moved that the Wexford, Carlor, and Dut.l . ,n Junction Railway Bill be read a second time on Moi iclay next —The motion was agreed to. NE WCASTLE • AND DARLINGTON JUNCTION RAILWAY. r. GREENE moved that leave be given to read the New castl• e and Darlington Junction Railway (Durham and Sunder land Railway and Wearmouth Dock Purchase) Bill a second time, on Monday neat, although no breviate shall have been laid on the table, such Bill having been separated from the Nei: castle and Darlington Junction Railway (Durham and Sun, ierland Railway and Wearmouth Dock Purchases and Bra! icbes) Bill, on the recommendation of the classification Corn inittee, and the breviate of the whole Bill having already bee.'. laid on the table of the llouse.—Agreed to. GOOLE AND DONCASTER RAILWAY COMMITTEE. lo Ir. PARKER moved that it be an instruction to the Cora mitt ee of Selecti on to fix the first sittin g of the Goole and Don cast er Railway Committee for Friday, May 15. 'I be IloN. GENTLEMAN also moved an instruction to the Con o cnittee on the Goole and Doncaster Railway Bill, to hear any • petitioners against such Bill, although their respective pe titioi as shall not have been presented to this House three clear days before the day appointed for the first meeting of such Com . m ittee, provided that such petitions shall have been so Ares ented before Friday, May 15.—Agreed to. SO UTH YORKSHIRE BILL COAL RAILWAY AND CANAL . 'l'he Hose. GENTLEMAN then moved that it be an instrue tio r t to the Committee of Selection to fix the first sitting of the. South Yorkshire Coal Railway and Canal Bill, for Friday, the 15th of May ; and also that an in,truction to the Cot, imittee on the South Yorkshire Ceal Railway and Canal Bill to hear any petitioners against such Bill, although their rasp .e c tive petitions shall not have been presented to this Hot tee three clear days before the day appointed for the first mee ring of such Committee, provided that such petitions shall ha.v st been so presented before Friday, the said 15th of May. ORDER RELATING TO RAILWAYS. 1' lir. T. DUNCONIBE moved that the order of the 30th da:r of April last be extended to all private Bills relating to rail ways brought from the House of Lords.—Agreed to. BIiRNLEY IMPROVEMENT AND WATERWORKS. ':Phis Bill was read a third time and passed. BANFFSHIRE ROADS. ' This 811 war read a second tirse, and ordered to be com mit tted. NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE RAILWAY. file report on this Bill ( Haretiastle to Sandbach, Churnet Va, I.ley line, Pottery line), was brought up, the amendments and alterations agreed to, and the Bill ordered to heengrosed, ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY. the report on this Bill was brought up and agreed to, and the Bill was ordered to be engrosed. RAILWAY BILLS. I Ur. HUDSON t h en rose to propose the insertion of a clause In ill railway Bills of the present session by which new corn pal ties are to be incorporated. At the time when he gave not ice of hi s i ntention to bring forward this motion, he was not aw are of the intentions of the Governme n t with r espect to the nu tuber of s c h emes mt during the which had bee n i n t ro d uce d i n t o Parlia mipresent session.. Since the introduction of th at Bill the Government s had introduced and passed cer ta in resolutions on the s h but as these resolutions would in i t reach the parties whomi eet wh e . was originally anxious to i f liege from the responsibilit clause h they had, in many cases, th oughtlessly incurred. Thl and e d he intended. to move was project, a co m ns e id et e t r ng th e position in to enable those parties to review if they w hich they were placed by calin o fo f un re d gi t s h te e r m ed_ sh .areholders, and dissolving the et l ee s unable to proceed w h i e th for it e . the N , ow, the Act of Parliament could enforce the powers c i mpelled the company, o f their Act, to have the d id deed not signed ohta, the tbnecs o a T guns atu signatures a ro o le f amount. the fut s ibscribed, and if they a mount their Act tecame inoperative re f ared to sign on account of the Act rendering th e e re rri a responsible for nypersons l be proportion of the whole amount of capital necessary ld for . the r eastruction of the works. Now the House not . fail to t : ondemn this anomalous state of things when the excitement N !Lich had taken place with respect to Lilwa 's barne . in 1 n i n d, and the desire entertained by many ) of the parties i ;o withdraw from them altogether.—( Hear, hear.) e The main object of his clause was to afford them anl opportunity eunt of considering their position and the course, under thecr stances in which they were placed, they ought to adopt and to - compel them to complete their registration within four months. The parties concerned should have an opportunity, during a period of at least six months, of calling meetings, to determine whether they should proceed with their works or not. There was an anxiety in that House to limit the amount of capital to be employed. He (Mr. Hudson) had always held that the shareholders who Ind raised the necessary funds would go on, and the powers given by the House would, in that case, be executed. He was perfectly ritisfied that the passing of such a measure as the one he proposed would not take awry . from bo n a fid e un d e rtakings the opportunity of executing t hew works, but to the undertakin g s not based on the solid f?uno'ation of capital an opportunity would be given of re• siewin,7 their intentions, When he gave this notice he was not aware that the Government had any intention of taking any part in this matter, but he had since seen the Bill proposed by Mr. Dalhousie, and it did not seem to affect the parties who were most interested in these under takings—viz., the o,riginal shareholders, and he, therefore, hoped that the Howe would accede to the present measure. Sir GEORGE CLERK rose for the purpose of taking an objection to the motion on a point of form. From the state.. ments made by the Hen. Member it was quite apparent that it was a most important question, and one which, if carried, would introduce a new mode of legislation with regard to rail ways. Instead, therefore, cf moving it as a clause, he would suggest to the Hon. Gentleman the propriety of introducing iV into the Bill of which he had charge, or of moving that it should be inserted in the Bill which would shortly come down from the Lords relative to railways. At any rate it would be a much mere expedient course to make it the subject of a separate Bill rather than a sessional order. Mr. LABOUC[IERE quite concurred with the Honourable Gentleman who had just sat down, that the present course was most inexpedient, unusual, and extremely inconvenient. The motion was one which was more properly the subject of an Act of Parliament rather made, than a clause. He, therefore , a g reed with the suggestion that the motion should be brought forward in the shape of a distinct Bill, or should be inserted in the Bill introduced by the lion. Getleman himself (Mr. udscn) or in that brought forward in n the other House of Pa l rl l iament , by Lord Dalhousie, when it should come down there. Mr. HUDSON, agreeably to the suggestions thrown out, would, with the leave of the House, withdraw his motion ; but ho begged to state that his only object in introduing it was to protect parties who had signed the deeds, and to prevent the recurrence of those scenes which took place in 1836,1838, and 1839.—Motion by leave withdrawn. POOR-LAW REMOVAL BILL. Mr. JAMES presented a petition from the poor-law guardians of the Greenwich Union against certain clauses in the Poor-law Removal Bill. POOR LAWS. Captain POLlllLL,nresented a petition from the Board of Guardians at Brighton, complaining of the general provisions ofthe Poor-law Removal Bill, which they considered favoured the vagrant more than it did the honest householder. They prayed, therefore, that the Bill be amended. THE TEN HOURS' BILL. Mr. HAWES presented a petition from the factory workers in the mills of Mr. M'Phail, of Glasgow, in favour of the Ten Hours' Bill. Mr. G. HUDSON presented several peti ions in favour of the Eastern Counties Terminus and other railway Bills. Lord JOHN MANNERS presented a petition] against the union of the sees of St. A'aph and Bangor. In reply to Mr. CHRISTIE respecting the case of Mary Anne Tyler, whose case was detailed to the House in a petition presented on the 7th instant, Sir JAMES GRAIIA3I said that he had fully inquired into the particulars of the ease, and had come to the conclusion that the decision of the magistrate was illegal. He had also informed the magistrate before whom the case was heard of the conclusion at which he had arrived, and that the case would be specially reported to the Lord Chancellor.—( Hear.) In conclusion he would say he had not the slightest objections to the motion of the Hon. Gentleman. The motion was then agreed to. TEN HOURS' BILL. Lord G. BENTINCK presented a petition from Bath, most numerously and respectably signed, in favour of the Ten Hours' Bill,- 7 ( Hear, hear.) SEES'OF ST. A . SAPII AND BANGOR. Mr. BANKES presented a petition from the clergy of Dorchester, praying the House not to permit a union of the dioceses of St. Asaph and Bangor.—Ordered to lie on the table. The Hose. GENTLEMAN also presented a petition from the poor of the county of Dorset, praying that the owners of houses rated below six pounds should be assessed, and not the residents of such habitations. SUGAR DUTIES. Lord JOHN RUSSELL gave notice, on behalf of his Noble Friend Lord Palmerston, that when the question of the sugar duties came befor the House, he would move an address to the Crown, that Spanish sugars should be admitted to those countries on the same terms as the most favoured natinos. Sir ROBERT PEEL said, that it was his intention to bring the subject of the sugar duties before the Howe at the earliest possible period. He could not state the precise day, but be was not aware of any obstacle to prevent the question from obtaining an early consideration. CORN IMPORTATION BILL. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, the report of the Committee on this Bill was brought up. On the question that it be read a second time being put, Sir C. BURRELL rose and said he tnust oppose the mo- tion, because he was convinced that if this Bill passed a great number of persons would be thrown out of employment in the agricultural districts, while those who would be able to get em ployment would have to put up with very low and miserable wages indeed. In his opinion, too, the famine in Ireland was by no means a sufficient reason for the passing of this measure. The Hon. Member then proceeded to read some documents in support of his arguments, showing the relative bearing of the prices of corn and labour at various periods since the passing of the corn-laws. He was quite certain that if the present law was car ried into effect, it would not be possible for the labourers of this country to compete successfully with those of Germany, and other continental nations: The Hon. Gentleman proceeded in his address to the House in opposition to the Bill, but in so low a tone of voice as to render it perfectly impossible to hear one word. Colonel VERNER begged to say a few words on this sub ject. He should have addressed the House on the previous stages of this Bill, had not so many Hon. Members pledged themselves to do so. So much had been said with regard to Ireland, that he felt it to be the duty of every Irish Member to express his opinions upon this measure. He did not rise with the presumptuous idea of entering upon the question with regard to the effect which this measure would have upon the public at large. He rose, however, for the purpose of ex pressing the alarm with which this measure was contemplated in that part of Ireland in which he resided—apart of the coun try which was mainly dependent hitherto on its agricultural produce for support. The effect which this measure would produce upon the public at large had been fully and ably de tailed by Hon. Gentlemen on his side of the House over and over again, and it was unnecessary for him to follow in the wake of those Honourable Gentlemen.—( Hear, hear). He would merely detain ,the House for a few moments, for the purpose of stating in whet manner the people of his country would be injured if it were passed into a law. He believed the, during the progress of these debates, sufficient attention had not been paid on the part of the Government to the interests of the small farmers, the holders of ten and fifteen acres.—( Hear, hear.) He should like to know who would remunerate those men for the expense which they had been put to in cultivating their land, and erecting houses thereon.— ( Hear, hear.) The small farmers in that part of Ireland in which he resided were decidedly i pposed to this measure, because they were convinced that it would tend to their ruin. He agreed with the Hon. Members who had opposed this motion, that the results of its pasing into a law would be to bring a , national calamity ; and those who had introduced the measure should look upon them selves as participators in that calamity. If the measure had been introduced by the Noble Lord the Member for London, or by any other Hon. Member on that side of the House, or in fact by any Hon. Member but the Right Hon. Baronet, he would not have been so much surprised.—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman then detailed the experience which he had of the Right Hon. Baronet's policy—he at one time had be- lieved him; the person best fitted to lead the House of Commons, but he was now under the sad ne cessity of changing all his long-cherished opinions. (The Hon. and Gallant Gentleman then read several extracts from the Newry and other Irish papers, which, as far as could be gathered from the noise that prevailed, were to the effect, that there was no scarcity of wheat, oats, and barley in Ireland.) There had not been so good a harvest in Ireland for many years as in the present year, and, therefore, it was altogether unfounded to say, that there was such a scarcity to be appre hended in that country. Sir W. JOLLIFFE said that it was with a - most painful feeling he opposed a Government which he had supported for so many years, but on the present occasion he ceuld not help expressing his dissatisfaction at the course which Government was pursuing with regard to thi s measure, and he could not conceal fros t himself that for a con siderable time back the Right Hon. Baronet had been syste matically attacking the agricultural interest. He complained that a return respecting the poor-law, which he had moved for, had not been presented to the House. That return would have enabled him to have made out a strong case before the e House. He would, however, go into eohiroensArysicid-i of quarters wftffataaahfinonw:rtws..otteeui oppose ene d aaspphmas i t i oaetto t tpasr a dteint:w i hnrt l tlasehoolonrafteii measure , w anthtmehidni i Nsyhaae t vua h sahaeor nuctcttrweforo:rmuuhleinnefulorettecnrrrrs much tu once .wßheanarrnioeo nnio t nef o thts eho t h h elafi e otsitaulm o ens operation importance thata pt t oho i n o r : tthtahl ) ol o t e chf f r ee e g h hB w r e 4a e ots r w i t pa c two o l uae ri bhns consideration, eldvpeteahrrofaeootayri good, but n . rabre , uadwydt ready he some as i measuresnf ea h l nt i y s l (Sirsot,other eot roh himself V aHobt 000wJun was h e ouse ee this, which sought the aggrandisement of one party at the ex pense of another.—( Hear, hear. ) Mr. GEORGE BANKES fully concurred in the observa tions of th e Hon. Baronet wh o h a d j ust sat down. He rose for the purpose of expressing his surprise that, after the speech of the Hon. and Gallant Member who had preceded him, re specting the effect which this measure would have on the small farmers of Ireland, the Noble Lord the Secretary for Ire'and had not risen to contradict the statements which he had made. And as that Noble Earl had not done so, the only conclusion to which they could come was, that the statements of the Hon. and Gallant Member were perfectly true.—( Hear, hear.) They now heard from an Hon. and Gallant Member, connected with Ireland, that the distress in that country was not so great as it had been pictured to them. They were told, too, by the same Hon. and Gallant Member, that instead of alleviating this distress, the measure of the Government would increase it? Now, if his Hon. and Gallant Friend were in error, why did not the Noble Lord the Secretary for Ireland, who had recently been in that country, get up and tell them so.— (Hear, hear.) But his Hon. and Gallant Friend's statements were quite correct, and he for one defied the Noble Lord to get up and refute them.--( Cheers.) Allu sions had been freely made, in the course of the debate on this subject, to the year 1822, and he was not sorry for it, for that the year distressw a was in s a o n m d e parallel par inl ale re l la l n w d it vr h a t s hepresent o fa concerned; , but t r as the fiei ng Governmentoneof thatotfhe greatday didint interests t p s r propose to e t o e.o a a ll a e t v r i y at . e_it ( b c y he s e a r e s r . i ) - raccording distress esLords in tDarnley,year B n 2 a 2 m, that st . lamentable exceeded statenr e e l axntoedfn extent the , crisis, No,but r i t t o w m ,a e s as r u e r m es uv o e f d th b i y s k tb m e dwer spon taneous resorted subscriptions to t o p rem s e o n v t e of the people, aided by grants of public he ought ty to from remu v e the e distress Exchequeranri; miseryand this th w e a p s res h e o u lvty day.— (Hear, hear.) want in Ireland.lie H w e as w n a o ri t ted th t e h r e e Steo denycr etar that y forl t r h el e a r n e w dt a o s nu tell himas what thatt was the it wasreal aa state stat o e f otfhatc prosperity,en ntry e s l p l e e ei h a a l i d y a a right as Ithh the to Right Hon. Gentleman had k( pt silence on the subject. h li e o n a . w l a 3 r a e r Baronet waslre Ireland d doubt v‘ as wella that read oe wbbisictobryb,aadnducheeasn would d anxiety for reyehaiarspast. attention The e fir se times were worth eadinrr, from the information they afforded. The Hon. G en tl eman t he n rea d an extrac t f r om ore or the old sus theoae i fd n t t i , n and Tudors, sstatutes Henry of VII., i had statutes, which reprobated the cus,om of turning arable laud into pasture ; and the result of such a practice was the diminu lien of the population in particular parts. From the abantlon mabayebnl, labour. th o o f wura . tillage,plafs passed, wl t ialw:n e da a das m ,unc e tienet t teh o isl t Ea l pnr e yes ualrtampoenlsee,eui were oe t r h yrrece a ose t uput t lalh h t(iie e d poor-lace of Eli. z p a la b n eth wa i s n the want of employment for g the labourer. confounded the question of the Crn ad ßill ttnheeaGsuorvs,e,rynomoledn affordt had done roief so, and Iraenldandh.withp follow, bio fyo H raerniaaewsl hada n a n s 3snadfi never confounded e E e i bv l l nota ue y i r r - t , ey asserted had, that not rased their case, and be called upon them to do so at once if it laid nL i o n ltN t b h ce e eo i n r L p a ll o h w l stated e er a . t a n t hat earlier i e ri odtake the consequence of indi s p os i t i on to part in this Secretary hhd discussion, had s d i h o a n v , e which thoughtha d i t s o h l a o d n g he e occupied n o e oe s t a h a e r House. yfor He should of Ireland to reply to the i nv i tat i ons to speak which had d been showered for upon him. He would h o ld hi mself responsible that had been stated with respect t o th e con di t i on of Ireland,all x a and was satisfied that those statements h a d not been egge rated. The Hon. Member for Northampt ons hi re could a4l; THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 9, 1846. t i ll a in v g tog m .th u a st oke b d e thdeonteiootsoe for r t th e e with hir whichm is: t r i i t e e s y . it c o i a t b e u d t he to e meeteonsid tt e . red ll th e e(ri)eipre.alsoidf Sidney ye Herbert) corn-law corn-laws couldw a s no not t cal ingua. the famine in Wexford and other counties. justify him with regard to the statements he had mad T e h r e es . r i e o c o t . - . alemeer for Armagh had stated that the price of potatoes in his I t ie e ard 1 im, he his most conclude by saying that he would give derstand what course the Noble Lord and, his party, under year. He was rejoiced . h A irraahaeteo decided opposition in every stage. such a state of mind, proposed to take in order to relieve the county was similar to the price of last that desert}, to find that there was one place in Ireland where . e • ROEBUCK would not h ave spo ken, had it not been condition of the people of Ireland.—( Hear, hear.) He would reasonable price. He was far • an observation tion of food was to be had at a made by the Gentleman who had just sat not go further into tee question at that late hour of the even sorry,th-western and southern down. The p s a to t p ienc to e ot however, to say that in the sou extensive. He the present measure as being a motley crew, For his part he for of Ireland the potato disease was very . .. • Oxfordshire (Mr. Henley) had said that he considered the parts Member for Dorsetshire was_ thinking believed that this variety of political opinion—this new corn- ' course the thought the Honourable Mem in Government had taken was not compatible with county when he binatioa of forces would never but from strong I of the condition of the poor this . have taken place honour, far less calculated to obtain the end sought to Le ed to Ireland. The poor in Dorsetshire were re- and urgent reasons.—( Hear, hear.) Ile had also accused obtained. alluded to Ireland. The poor in Dorsetslsire were re- aud urgent reasons.—( Hear, hear.) lie had also accused obtained. ceivin only 7s. a week wages, nut of which they had them of being influenced by selfish motives, but he (Mr. Roe- Mr. HENLEY denied that he had accused the Government to for rent. He ( Lord Lincoln) had received a letter buck) would retort the charge, and would ask what were the with acting dishonestly. pay morning from Valentin, in Ireland, which principles which only that influenced them. The real principle was Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT considered the observationso f « d a supply of Indian corn or oatmeal to dispose of to self-interest. For what did they assemble night after night to , the Hon. Member were to thateffect. With requested respect to the the poor at cost . pr,c e • Such applications as these were evidence • make interminable speeches t For what did they meet there charges made against that the distress in Ireland had not been overrated. The to obstruct the universally expressed demands of the ( Mr. S. Herbert) must say that difference month of May, in Ireland, was that period of the year during publi c e He would say, fearless of contradiction, that it men in a private station there was a between and those who were in office. w hi c h em pl o yment was most prevalent. It was the seed time, was their self-interest, and their self-interest alone, He must say, that Hon. Gentlemen, Go and the farmers occupied as many labourers as they needed, which spurred them on. First of all, they rested their vernment, should judge of the in dealing with eke Go and i n consequence the demands on the public purse were not, case upon the tenant farmers, but now they fell placed; as to them wer„o position in which public men are so numerous. The Right Hon. Baronet then read a letter back upon the labourers. He would only . say in reference to They should take all the circumstances committed great public interests. from a proprietor in the county of Cavan, wherein great dis- the latter; let them (the protectionists) give them the means keep in view that they were bound into consideration, and tress existed. His Hon. Friend had stated, that the result of of deciding the question, and he would not fear the result. But that policy which would best to act in consonance with the alarm that had been raised with respect to the farmer had before that, let them give them the right of stating their country.—( Hear, hear.) Especiallyrvethe interests of their been to raise the price of rotators. A supply of Indian corn opinions to that House, not only on the corn-laws, but on all no disgrace or dishonour could accrue they should consider that pro had been furnished to numerous districts in Ir e land f o r the other questions.—( Hear, hear.) The time was now come posed —the change of opinion referred—to when the scheme double purpose of preventing starvation, and of hindering a when statistics were resorted to, and the Hon. Member for fiscal nature. There could be nocli was entirely of a combination to raise the rice of food. What was the price of Shrewsbury had brought political economy into requisition for the object was to remove a great evairlge of dishonesty where , —( hear, hear.) 'I o potatoes previous to the issue of meal by the Government? the purpose of propping up their case. In doing so, however, those who denied the policy of the Government, Why, in Limerick alone, the price was 74d. per stone, and it he had not left his cause to the strength of the facts and argu- full right of quarrel with that polic e he gave the was utterly impassible for the poor to pay that price. When ments whirls he employed, but appeared to think that one the credit of acti ng f or t h e y. 11 hest intentions,gaveeo every the issue of meal was made by the Government, the price of his observations, however rapid, or however shallow, at the same time he must claim and the same for potatoes fell immediately from 71d. to sed. per stone. He if seasoned with a little personality , would be piquant and ir - himself. All he asked was the c re dit o f having acted did not intend to occupy the attention of the House any longer. resistable. From the manner in which the Honourable from honest an d upright motives, and w ith acting underth He could, however, as s ure his Hon. Friend that the distress in Gentleman used quotations , it was very easy for him to acquire exig e ncies o f the case for the welfar e o f t h e country.— Ireland, though not universal, was general and extensive. a reputation for learning at a very small expense. He quoted ( Hear , h ear. ) Abuse he was prepared t o meet , but at the Mr. PLOVER thought if the Noble Lord was not prepared a work from a friend of his (Mr. Roebuck) of great respects- same time the parties who cheered: the Noble Lord (Lord to stand by the quotations of the price of wages in Dorsetshire bility, and so great a respect did he entertain for him, that he George Bentinck), and who found fault with the Government, contained in Mr. Sheridan's l etter , h e oug h t not to h ave ad- was orry t o see his views wrested to the purposes of the Hon. —who charged them with having deserted their principles, dressed the House. He (Mr. Flea er) was prepared to main- Member for Shrewsbury. That Hon. Gentleman quoted, a should; consider the position in which her Majesty's Miniaters tain that the condition of the labourers in Dorsetshire was few evenings ago, the opinions of Mr. John Mills, on the laws of had been placed, and the circumstances of th e country __ never better than it was at present. He would, however, deny interchange in support of those opinions which he ( Hear, hear.) When the troops of the Noble Lord strained that the rate of wages was so low as had been stated by the had with so much zeal, but with so little all their might against the Government—when illogical mysti- Right Hon. the Secretary f or I re land. H e ga ve an unequivo- j u dgement, endeavoured to impress upon the House. fications were so frequently employed to support the cause of cal denial, as the Member for Dorsetshire, against any insinue The Honourable Member (Mr. Di srae li) mistook his part. protection—when lung arithmetical calculations were p era d e d ation of the low rate of wages in that county. He began his life by a mistake • he began as a Radical ; he to meet the case—when a great pressure of distress, a Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN c o r r o borated the statement c ame out in tragedy, but he had since slided into genteel national exigency arose—and when, along with these, of the Noble Lord the Secretary for Ireland-with reference to comedy.—(Great laughter.) H e came ou t as the friend of they had the effects before them, of the partial relaxa the distress of Limerick, he thought it a wise precaution of the the Honourable and Learned Member for Cork; but he was tion of these laws respecting the importation of Government to supply Indian corn to meet that dis- now against him, and the principles he then entertained. It food during the last seven years of reduced duty— tress. He found, when he visited Limerick, that was well for the Hon. Gentle man to c h ange one s et of principles when they had all these, would it have been meet and proper the vessels in the harbour were attacked by armed men ; and take to himself another—it was well to throw up one for the Government to stand still, and not make a provision that the cattle were obliged to be guarded by soldiers. In party and join another for the purpose of gaining something by for the hunger and famine that threatened a great portion of consequence of the measure the Government had adopted, the becoming the leader of a party, who might make it worth the the country ?—(Loud cries of" Hear, hear.") Yes, he said, poor people were now employed : there was no fear of out- change of principle He could then turn round and attack the when famine and hunger threatened a large portion of the break among them. Tranquillity still reigned in that country. Right Hon. Gentleman at the head of her Majesty's Ministers country, the Government had considered it their duty to pro- He thought it was his duty, as a magistrates and a proprietor for changing his principles upon thi s ques tion; but the Right. pose an alteration of those laws that restricted the importation in that country to urge upon the Government the necessity of Hon. Baronet could afford to laugh a t th e 'impotent insolence of food from foreign countries. Let it be understood he did taking some active measures. He found the distress in his o f those who chose thus to assail him. Now, as to the book not impute bad motives to any one, but he did think that the own immediate vicinity very great. There was no seed for by Mr. John Mills, which the Hon. Gentleman had dipped charges against_ the Government were not fairly and candidly the future, and no food for the present. He spoke only of that into — (Laughter)—he would read an extract or two. (The made. He thought that violent and sudden measures were to part of the country with which he was acquainted. He Hon. Member then read at length from this work, to show be deprecated, but with regard to the present measure, it was believed, that there was very severe distress throughout the that protection did not apply to the necessaries of not so, for the principle had be en tried already for some years country—( Hear, hear.) He thought the Government had life, nor to that which would interfere with our exportations.) in which it had been completely successful. Every year, in acted improperly in mixing u p I r i s h gr ievances with this corn He hoped the Hon. Member, when next quoting works to this country, wheat had become cheaper in comparison to the measure, and that they should propose a humane measure to support hi s ar gumen t s i n favour of these laws, would select prices on the continent.—(Hear, hear.) He did say, that as meet a temporary calamity. He maintained, and had done so something better than Mr. Mills's authority in support of his far as the state of parties were concerned—whether the over and over again, that the distress in Ireland should be met principles. The Hon. Member again quoted, after which he League or the protection society had brought about the present by the Irish landholders themselves.—(Hear, hear.) said that this was the argument which was selected to prove state of opinions—the present time was the proper one for its Mr. LEFROY stated that the distress had not been so that they could not combat hostile tariffs by free trade. After settlement, without doing violence to any great interest, with general, and the number of cases of fever consequent thereon ha v i n g said so much o n this subject, he would not longer out physical force on the one hand, or the dread of the jail on were not so numerous as the House had been led to expect. tr o uble th e House._(Cries of " Oh, oh, oh.") He had no the other. He, ',therefore, trusted that the measure would He was the first Irish Member w ho h a d ventured to state doubt the Hon. Members who cried in this way judged of psss, and that those in opposition would not oppose its further that, so far as Ireland was concerned, the state of that country speeches by their length, but his intention w as no t t o ma k e a progress. He trusted that as he gave them credit for honest did not warrant the adoption of such measures as those pro. long speec h , b ut s i mp l y t o deal with the points before the and conscientious motives, that they in return would extend posed by Government. He thought it would be satisfactory House. the same indulgence to him—and concede, that in this to the Government to know, upon authority not to be di,- Mr. m e ", and Mr. Dis K AELI rose together, but the former particular measure the Government had in view the puted, that the distress was not so general as had been feared. gave way, when great and valuable object of keeping down the price of food, so With respect to the county of which he was a Member, he Mr. DISRAELI said he was extremely sor r y th a t h e f e lt as to place it within the reach of the poorer classes of the peo would read a letter from a gen tl eman we ll acqua i n t e d with that obliged to solicit the attention of the House for a short time, so pie ; and especially with granting relief to the distress and dif. part of the country. The Hon. Member then proceeded to as to reply to that part of the Hon. and Lea rne d Member's ficulties of a large portion of their fellow-subjects in Ireland, read the letter referred to ; also a letter from the agent of a speech, which personally reflected upon him (Mr. Di srae li).— who were suffering much from the circumstances in which they large landed proprietor in Roscommon, both of which stated ( Hear, hear.) It was a long time since that they had the were at present unfortunately placed. the distress not to be of so alarming an extent. He had honour of hearing the Hon. Member, and as for hi mse lf h e Mr. HENLEY explained that he never said that the Go else accounts from Sligo, A rmag h, and Down, was very glad to see him there once more, and to hear him vernmnnt had acted dishonourably. He said that two Cabinet denying the prevalence of fever in those counties. speak in his usual characteristic manner.—(Laughter.) He Ministers had recommended a certain course to be taken which He would read a letter to prove that even in the case of dis- had been very personal towards him in what he was pleased to he considered was not consistent with honour.—( Hear, hear.) eased potatoes they were not unprofitable, and the House would call his speech upon this question, but he did not care for that. Lord G. BENTINCK, who was at the beginning of his see form this that there were many useful and commoner pur. --(Hear hear, from the protection benches.) He was used to speech rather inaudibly heard in the gallery, said that the Right poses to which potatoes in a disordered state could be applied. it from him, though he did not always think it necessary to Hon. the Secretary-at-War had charged him with having en -( Hear, hear.) (The Honourable Member having read this reply to such attacks—it was true he had done so once—he was deavoured to agitate the country in favour of protection. He letter, went on to read a number of others, with the view of compelled to do so then—it was thrust upon him by charged him with having been unsuccessful in that course of showing that the acc ounts o f th e su ff er i ng , di sease , and distress the charges of the Hon. Member, which amounted t o agitation. He (Lord G. Bentinck) had never attended public prevalent in • Ireland was exaggerated.) He did not attempt to what he (Mr. Disraeli) believed to be language most meetings, he had never made any speeches to those meetings, deny that there was great and pressing distress in many parts unparliamentary. The Honourable and Learned Member had nor had he written letters to any one.—( Cheers from the pro of Ireland, but it was occas ie n ee, i n his opinion, by a com- thought proper to speak upon his political conduct—he spoke, tectionists.) He had never said a word on the subject of pro bination amongst certain parties to raise the price of provisions. indeed, on a question which he knew nothing at all about, tection in public, until he felt that it was his duty to do so, and —( Hear, hear.) Before he sat down there was another sub- Ile hoped he would not be charged with anything like egotism then he had addressed that House.—( Renewed cheering.) ject to which he must allude. The Right Hon. Gentleman when he now attempted to defend himself, and to show that he If he had agitated the country, that agitation was restricted to the Secretary of State for the Home Department had blamed was not chargeable with what the Hon. and Learned Member the speeches made in that House, and uttered to her Majesty's the Irish gentry for not speedily availing themselves of the i mpute d to hi m. H e was charged with following the Hon. and Ministers.—( Continued cheering.) But he was a little sur public grant which had been made for th purpose of public Learned Member for Kilkenny, or it may be the Hon. and prised to hear his Right Hon. Friend take this high tone, be works, but the grand juries in many parts of Ireland Learned Member for Dublin, for he did not remember what cause the party to which he (Lord G. Bentinck) belonged had thought it would only have benefited the contractor, and not county that Hon. and Learned Gentleman represented at pre- been accustomed to regard his Right Hon. Friend as equal in the tenantry, had they availed themselves of this money pre- sent. Well, he was charged with having followed the principles station, equal iu eloquence, and superior in honesty, to the pre vious to the last assizes, for at those assizes the ordinary road of that Hon. and Learned Member, but surely there was sent Prime Minister of this country.—(Loud cheering.) This contracts were let, and that for a time gave sufficient em- nothing extraordinary in that—there was nothing so extraordi- was the agitator whom, in the month of December, when her ployrnent to the people, without resorting to the reserve nary Majesty's in his having done so, when it was remembered that the Government was in a state of dissolution, and the fund which Government had placed at their disposal.— Prime Minister of England had also done so.—(Cries whole agricultural mind of England expected that his Right (Hear, hear.) Thanking the House for the attention they of " Hear, hear," and great cheering and counter. cheering.) Hon. Friend , and not he (Lord G. Bentinck), would be the had given him, he resumed his seat, declaring his intention to He denied having changed his principles—he had the same leader of that party. But his Right Hon. Friend now stood support the amendment.—( Hear.) principles now as he had then. He had nothing to change, up in this House, and held t h is h i gh tone on the subject of Mr. P. BORTH WICK expressed himself strongly op- he had no hereditary name to support, no high-born nobility the corn-laws. Ile would have the House to believe that the posed to the passing of this measure, and blamed the Govern- ' o please. It may have been t hat when a young man he had wa y to im p rove the a g riculture of the countr y , es p eciall y of ment for having resorted to it to relieve the distress of Ireland, not adopted the best mode of carrying out those principles, but his own county of Wilts—where, as he informed them, agricul while they could have found a more easy and effective remedy he denied having changed them, for they were not formed sure was carried on in so slovenly a manner—that the in appealing to the people for public and private subsciiP- upon light grounds, but they were principles adopted af ter a wa y to im p rove that countr y would be b y re p ealin g the corn tions to meet the temporary evil.—(Hear, hear.) Circum- careful reading; they were not hastily formed, but were the laws. It was only in June last that, in answer to the stances, both in and out of the country, combined result of deep study, and were such as he could not change, Hon. Member for Sheffield, he called on the House, and the agrie to prove that the corn-laws were politic, and it though he was charged to have done so by the Hon. and cultural interest out of the House, to resist the motion of his would be unjust to abrogate them.—(Hear, hear.) lee Learned Member in his well-arranged impsomptu.—(Cheers eion. Friend, and to make a manful exertion to refuse the se admitted that what was politic last year might be impolitic and laughter.) The principles which he held at the time ductions of the Honourable Member for Stockport, who en this, but justice was eternal ; it never changed ; and to him alluded to by the Hon. and Learned Member deprecated the deavoured to convince the agricultural interest that the way to it seemed rather strange, that the Right Hon. Baronet at the policy which regulated the legislation for Ireland, and those increase their profits was to reduce the value of their produce. head of the Government should have been thirty years in dis- principles he still held, for he did maintain that —(Cheers ) His Right Hon. Friend had referred to the case covering what was just and what was unjust.—(Protection Ireland had suffered by a factious legislation. And of Ireland, and, as one of her 'Majesty's Ministers had repeated cheers.) How could this be? 'The fact was that the discovery he did believe that the great mistake made in governing the misrepresentations of the motions which ectuated the Hon. was a sudden one. And why did the Right Hon. Baronet so Ireland was attempting to govern her by a faction—(llear) Members who sat around him in supporting the measures often entertain them with speeches warmly supporting and that the real mode of Government that should be adopted which they were prepared to pass regarding Ireland, he would protection, and in no less degree denouncing the Anti-Corn- towards that country should have been that adopted by certain trouble the House with one or two observations on this matter. law League and its leaders ? It could nut be concealed, then, g reat ki ngs in former times.--(Hear, hear.) What, th en , That Mi n i s te r h a d s t ate d th a t th ey on t h at s id e were pre that the w discovery was a sudden one. And why as it cud- _was it because he sympathised with a man who had borne pared to suspend the corn-laws, for giving relief to that den ? Why, the secret would be found in the simple fact that a great name as the advocate of the cause of his country, in country. How often had they stated, that though they con e general election was near at hand. But was it becoming in the feelings he entertained towards that country, that he was sewed to that measure, they did not believe that it would give a great Minister, with a European reputation, to resort to to be thus assailed ?—(Hear, hear.) Those were the opinions reliefto Ireland? How often had they stated, that to no part of so palpable an attack, with the view of securing popularity he had always expressed upon this subject, and to these the United Kingdom would so much injury be done by the re on the eve of a general election.—( Hear, hear.) opinions he still adhered.--( Hear, ]rear.) The Hon. and peal of the corn-laws as to Ireland. He would tell them why A falser return than that which had been returned to the Learned Member had said that he (Mr. Disraeli) had had Ireland would be injured by the repeal of the corn-laws. From French Parliament, of the number of agriculturists and manu- a quarrel with a party, and entered into some statement about what they heard of the doings in Ireland, there was every ap facturers, had never ben made ; for every village blacksmith, it. It was unfortunate that he had • it occurred at an election pearance of poverty increasing, and tilled land being converted every village tailor, every man who fashioned the ploughshare when he was ' lstood • a very young man, and when re in oppo- into pasture land, because it was found now that it was more or horseshoe, every sort of Wizen, had in fact been returned as sition to the son of a Whi Prime ' Minister. But he did not profitable to rear cattle than to grow corn, and in process of a manufacturer, and he was glad to find that M. Guizot was not e e tuine that these g .._• • were matters justified the Honourable time new evictions would take plate over the whole of Ireland. about toe be misled by that return, or become a Landisdciple of the Member in making those charges ; whichnd with those observations, His Noble Friend the Secretary for Ireland had told them that Hon. Mmber for Stockport. The Noble behind him he (Mr. Disraeli) begged to a say, he would never al - he was res p onsi b l e f or all the information that had been given (Lord G. Bentinck) had made a speech on this question lode to the m aga i n . A s to what the Hon. Member had said by Government in that House. He was afraid that his during the previous stage of this measure, which was replete about his having gone over to the enemy's camp, why, he Noble Friend was a very credulous Minister. He did not with arguments, to which it was impossible for the Government (Mr. Disraeli) did not know that he ever had a camp. charge his Noble Friend with misrepresenting facts—he to reply. . The Hon. Member then proceeded to say, that the —(Laughter). And now let him ask who were those who did not charge him with such wilful misrepresentations—with alleged famine in Ireland was not of that alarmir.g character re- sympathised with the sentiments of the Hon. and Learned making a handle of that which he did not know to be true. presented by the Commissioners of her Majesty 'e Government alember opposite ?—(L ou d c h eers.) Wh a t sentiments did he He would not charge him with w ilf u l m i srepresentat i on i n 'I here had in point of fact been a decrease of ab out 100 cases of represent ?—( Renewed cheers.) The Hon. Member had order to advance his election at Falkirk, but he must say that fever ins one district alone of that country in the present yhar, stated that there was no greater enem y to democracy than his Noble Friend was too ready t o listen to every exaggerated as compred with the corresponding portion of thc preceding modern liberalism—(Hear, hear)--and that liberal principles eaves-dropper that came near him, and this was simply the year. He maintained that there was at the present momentth. were never more in danger than when advocated by po- reason why they had such exaggerated reports of the famine in Ireland sufficient potatoes both for food and seed, notwi litical economists.—( Hear, hear.) But now, let him (Mr. in Ireland. There had never been that scarcity in that standing the assertions of the Noble Lord the Secretary defit for Disraeli) ask had he ever spoken in terms of dis- country to the extent stated in that House. True there bad Ireland (Lord Lincoln). There was also not the least But eency respect of the Hon. and Learned Member for Cork ? been some scarcity felt in some districts in Ireland, but he of any other description of food in that country. . even ( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member then referred to the b'ook denied that a general famine existed. They had heard from granting for a moment that there was a famine mlreland , from which the Hon. Member for Bath read some passages, his Hon. Friend the Member for Northampton the state of the if this measure were an unjust one, which it had been and read an extract, in which the author expressed his opinions county of Limerick, and that statement was a corroboration of proved to be, that famine could not surely form a upon the operations of the corn-laws, and concluded by saying, that made by the -Secretary for Ireland. He (Lord George ground for the passing of such a measure as the present., he thought he had now shown the House that never had his Bentinck) happened to hold in his hand a return of the The Right Hon. Baronet at the head .of her Majesty s misrepresentations been more apparent, or his attacks more produce which came into England in the course of Government has said, that the people living eastward of an causeless, than the present upon his literary criticisms.— last month, and was sorry to find that the importation imaginary line which he had drawn from Inverness to South- ( Hear, hear.) Of all the abortions he had ever heard of, ti. is from Ireland was greater than from any other ampton, were careless whether this measure passed or not ;in was .he greatest—( Hear, hear)—and never was there a senator portion of Great Britain. Between the 25th of September fact, that those who were skilful and wealthy farmers, would struck with stronger oratorical paralysis, and certainly never last, and the 24th of April this year, he found that 71,000 profit by the measure becoming a law. But the Right lion. was any attack mor malignant, or more perfectly futile. quarters of wheat, 6,000 quarters of barley, 268,000 quarters Baronet had admitted that the remaining portion of our popu- Mr. S. HERBERT said, in rising to address a few oh. of oats, 55,000 cwt. of flour, 234,000 cwt. of oatmeal had lation—the small farmers of England would be utterly ruined. servation to the House upon this subject, he could assure it been imported from Ireland, making a grand total of 346,069 And it was thus heartlessly that they were about to dispose of that he would avoid all expressions of a personal nature, or quarters of grain, 289,931 cwts of flour. He believed that we those of whom they formerly boasted—" the bold peasantry, the any o f t h ose sarcasms which the House ha d b een li sten i ng to h a d sent o v er 43,000 quarters of gr a i n t o ass i s t t h e I r i s h country's pride." But these laws, if they injured one class for the last few minutes, but he would endeavour to avoid people, while it was clearly evident that from this, which was must injure all classes of farmers ;it was impossible that the all personalities. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the called a starving country, a greater quantity of grain was ex large farmers could be benefited by them, whilst the occu- discussions which had taken place upon the doctrines of this ported than from any other portion of the United piers and cultivators of small portions of land weie injured. On Bill, he doubted that the Honourable Member opposite had Kingdom.—(Hear.) There was greater abundance in Ireland the westward of the line which the Right Hon. Baronet had shown that Mr. Mills had convinced any one by his argu- than had ever been know in this country, and if her Majesty's drawn, the very best of wheat was produced, and that in copious merits. He did not mean to go into the question now, as the Ministers undertook to purchase oatmeal to send to the assist quantities; and he contended that the producers of that ins- House understoodtime of the fll •ofof the Irish,itwould have been better to Ipurchased very well portent article of food, should not have been so lightly treated money that had been so often alluded to. But some allusion it there, where it might have been done without any difficulty as they had been by the Right Hon. Baronet. The Ho n . had been made to expressions he had used during this debate. and where it would have been distributed at prime cost, and ' Member concluded, by quoting from Burke, for the purpose of The Honourable Member for Oxfordshire had spoken of the without the expense of carriage. His Right Hon. Friend had showing that it would be a very dangerous and unjust ste to inter. fere with the capital of the farmer its the manner P proposed by labouring population in the Southern counties last year, and considerable interest in the county of Wilts, and had referred to this measure. Now, the Right Hon. Baronet fouded on that crime had increased beyond the population. Now he the low rate of wages given to the labourers there. He (Lord statements the argument, What has protection done for (Mr. Sydney Herbert) begged to sae that there had been a G. Bentinck) had no property in Wilts, but he was a tenant suchmarked diminution in crime in this country within the last three farmer on its borders. He believed that he employed .more you? He might as welt ask, in respect to the state of manu factures in Ireland, What has free trade done for that coup- or four years. The Honourable Member had also said that labourers, and paid more labourers too, than his Hon. Friend try ? He said that he was in those measures going to found a there was a great deal of suffering in the part of the had ever done,. d a e n n d thehe ' had stated were not those the borders permanent system of trade; but this was, in the very nature cour.try that he (Mr. Sydney_ Herbert) lived in, and which . were paid of things, impossible. The world had existed some six thou- that wages were low there. Now, no person could their wages we l ls, a. 9 a week, but when the ofwheat 1837, price . rose their regret more than he did the lowness of wages; but it would not some Bs. or Os.. a quarter, wages were . raised one sand years, and the Right Hon. Baronet could not show them be useful to give higher wages in a certain part of the country, shilling a week.; and if they were again lowered any nation that had ever existed that maintained its prosperity. than was given in the market. The greatest possible alarm in Wilts, of this fact he was perfectly assured, Why, commercial prosperity was as variable as the winds and existed formerly with respect to the importation of foreign that he was still paying in his neighbourhood the same 10s. ; waves that wafted their traffic from shore to shore.—( Laugh cattle, and many gentlemen in that House had stated that it and, therefore, he thought there was the same little exaggera ter. ) In all the speeches made by the Right Hon. Baronet would be ruinous to the farmer ; but on the contrary it was tion here as had taken place in Ireland. He had said before, he went into no argumenh—he dealt only in assertions—he but afterwards found that the farmer was benefited by it.—(Oh, and he said again, that he charged her Majesty's Ministers repeated the creed of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton. oh.) He could assure Hon. Gentlemen that a great deal of with that wilful exaggeration. He was there to speak the TLe Noble Lord the Member for London had asked the people the farmer's difficulties were owing to the high price of stock in truth, and he charged her Majesty's Ministers with wilful ex to pour in petitions, and to give the Right Hon. Baronet an cx- England, and it might be very well for Hoa. Members to say aggeration with regard to the famine in Ireland. He wanted case for repealing the corn-laws. But the people had done no that that line of argument was disposed of—it was still the fact, to see the reports which he was aware the Ministry were in such thing. They had proved, by the elections which had The farmer objected to the repeal of the eorn-laws, and yet he possession of. He should like to see the report of the Poor taken place in all parts of the country, that they were deter- said that he could not cultivate his farm, in consequence of the law Commissioners. H e should like to see the report of the missed to uphold the constitutional principles of England. The high price of stock. All the agitation that had hitherto taken Inspector of Prisons. He knew something of these reports, Hon. Member for Stockport and the Hight Hon. Baronet at place - had only served very much to conciliate the minds of the and he knew that they differed very materially from the reports the head of the Government, like Hermia and Helena in the aericulturists to the change which was about to take place. He that were laid on the table. He held in his hand a letter poem, though with t wo seem i ng b o di es , h a d b ut one heart; was aware that the Ho n. Member for L ynn was a master of a corn-factor at Youghal, in the count from y of Cork, and he but, if their measures were carried, they would, however bone- the science of agitation—( Hear, hear)—and hadapplied the denied that famine to theextent ficial they might be to foreign countries, entail ruin and degra- Easter recess to the purposes of agitation, as it was dation on this.of by Hon. Members a (The Noble Lord referred to other documents fi • con ruling always taken advantage - this statement.) It had been said that they had • Mr. HENLEY would not trouble the House with any pose, Public meetings had been summoned in imported their lengthened remarks, but he could not allow the report to be I led arts of the country, and the state most system of political economy the House from France, but he would inform received without making one or two observations, and as they b n e t e e o r e ina d e p before Easter were repeated. It ments which had the that they had Pitt, and Fox, and Canning, and would be of a character which had not been often referred to in corn would be imported at 255. a quarter, and sstated that Huskisson as advocates of these opinions ; and, looking to a the debate, he trusted the House would bear with him while he one heard the assertion, it did not excite any very though every period somewhat more ancient, they found Chetwell support made them. And first, he would refer to the social condition for the farmers were a much more reasonable and great i alarm ; ing the same economy. There were besides very Ministers of the country, and if they looked to the last four years they of men than they were described. If they woo d shrewd race who were now sitting on the Treasury Benches ; those two would find a pleasing decrease in the amount of crimes—a de- statement of a gentleman not :nixed up with credit the Right Hon. Baronets supported them as long as they continued crease of nearly one-fourth. The Right Hon. Baronet, how- in that House, they would find that party politics in the vigour of their intellects, and now it was only after ever, attributed this improvement in morals to the relaxation men were engaged in ascertaining whether they man more forty years political experience that they came forward, for made in restrictive duties. But let them look if there were nu increased exertion of skill, cope with the foreign lt could, by an the first time, to make a new experiment on the other causes for this improved state of things. Was there no in- thought would be brought into the foreign market tt thanthey principles il of commerce and in favour of . free trade. crease of prosperity by the railway movement, wren at leastWaa were intent on the passing of this Bill. t ir id ca been the doctrine of their great masters before them, His Hon. Friend 11 .20,000,0e01. a year was expended among the people? h to b the Member for Dorsetshire, had alluded to the question ' cheap . corn and Dl r. Huskisson, that they cared not how there not.. an improved poor-law ? Was not ir:ez Coe which hod beets put, as to whether any measure, such as They reofronsewdatso, have l e ongas that cheap corn was grown at home. attributed to the last. religious movement ae rue those proposed by Government, were applicable to the state of foreigner in substitution acheap corn that was bought from the mercial restriction had, for the last thirty years, been things in Ireland? And the Hon. Member was answered that they were endeavouring of our own. He denied altogether diminishing, and he asked—Was the country in a better posi- very explicitly by the Noble Lord, with respect to the state had never said to serve any selfish interest. He tion than it was before ? If lee could shoo that trade had in- a word against in which he found Ireland. His Hon. Friend, who had lived had always thoughtthat- the manufacturing interest. He creased, that prices hal become lower, and that employment in that country, admitted that the Noble Lord had given an the marufacsu had become general within the last thirty years, would they account of the state of Ireland, and one which could neither that the ' manuf r a e e r t s were bound up together; but he believed Rot be ready to admit that crime should have dim:a:shed, for be doubted nor impugned and that account surely urged the of the agriculturalurers were more dependent upon the success that was the principle on which they advocated the repeal of necessity of making some measures for the purpose if'l better- the manufacture interest than the agriceeltuists were upon the corn laws? If they took the test of the population, they ing and ameliorating the state of that country. The Hon. their old customersrs,f The manufacturers wanted to change weuld find that, in 1821, the population of Great Britain, he Member (Lord G. Bentinck) said that they would apply a new ones would be better new ones, but were they sure that their did not include Ireland, amounted to 14,400,000; in 1831, (It permanent remedy for a temporary evil. Were they doing the manufacturers than their old? The arguments take amounted to 16,342,000 ;in 1841, it amounted to 18,431,00 . so? The Hon. Gentleman said that this was a temporary corn from abroad,'vere, that if they were allowed to use the expression, it evil; if that were true, they were founding a the foreigners would sell us corn, and would So that, if he might be allowed to . that was, it med to prevent the evil itself from - take our manufactures in return. That did not appear to be was increasing in a diminishing ratio ortion than they said that the repeal of the corn l becoming permanent. If the case now. This country took mere of foreign pro should have increased in a far greater e rop_ d the benefit o h ) did they consent to ato gorses s - aws was no remedy, duce than foreigners took of our manufactures. He it had done—( Hear, hear)—and if they comeare the inhalai- The Noble Lord (George Bentinek)Y wasuspension of the law. knew that the agriculturists were benefited by the prosperity of of agricultural and manufacturing pursuits upon hownot a believer in the manufacturers ; but the agriculturists, when they were Irish distress. He did not admit rho t show them o existence of the productions of the tants of their respective districts, he would potato prosperous, purchased more extensively the In Lan- disease. lie was satisfied that nothing w as the proposed immensely the former was superior to the latter. wrong with them ; manufacturers. Was this the time to make proposed 1 one but he was satisfied, he said, should the granaries were fuller than cashire the deaths were one in thirty-four ;in Liverpool in people of Ireland change in the corn-laws, when their think the measure necessary for their welfare,her countr was in twqritysnine ; in Salford, one in thirty-four ; and meet their resent exigencies, that there had eer le e n t t and this was London, one in thirty-eight. He wculd now read to them to p • should be a suspen- suffering from scarcity, this country p y, . . forty- sion of the corn-laws. He would give his sanction to this selected to make an alteration in the those of the agricultural districts—ln Wiltshire, one ins - the time which they had he persuaded pension, though wasthe measure letter from Liverpool, which stated nine ;in Surrey, one in fifty-two ; in Hampshire, one in would be an law. He had received a of a benefit, to theof food locked up in Ireland, which fifty-six. Well, and if they would say that they had injury, instead . people of Ireland.—( Hear.) that there was abundance . the Noble in consequence of the scarcity that short and merry lives, he would say, let them read Such was the policy of Lord. He admitted the ex- had been purposely concealed Ireland h disputed . ' dat the commencement of the session. the factory returns, ill which they would Peg that pome- istence of distress in ' though —e the extent of was so confidently predicted His Right Hon. Friend the Secretary-at-War had stated that, notwithstanding all the alarming statements which had been made, there had been no county meetings. He (Lord G. Bentinck) thought that, sitting by his Noble Friend the Secre tary for Ire d, that would have been a very delicate subject. Until last year his Noble Friend had all Nottingham at his back—there was scarcely a man in Nottinghamshire that would not have followed him. Who carried that election? Was it not the tenant-farmers?—( Hear, hear.) Oh, the money that was spent in Nottingham by his Noble Friend (the Earl of Lincoln). He was not going to charge the Noble Lord with bribery, but did the Noble Lord deny that it was a most ex pensive election ?—(Cheers and laughter,) He had no doubt the House would allow the Noble Lord to get up and make his own explanation of the affair.—( Hear, hear.) But did they not know that every agent in Nottingham was engaged?— (Hear and cheers.) Nottinghamshire was taken by sur prise, but the tenant-farmers of Nettinghamshire carried the county against his Noble Friend by a majority of between 600 and 700—(Cheers) —and were they to have it said that it was his majority in the borough of Hamilton that had swamped the constituencies of all other boroughs in that district ? Did North Nottinghamshire follow the example of South Nottingham shire ?—(Hear, hear.) Did South Gloucestershire or Dorset shire?—( Hear, hear.) Who was better entitled to have a seat in that House than his Noble Friend Lord Ashley ?—(Hear, hear.) He, too, would have been at the head of the poll in Dorsetshire, if he had maintained his principles.—( Hear, hear. ) But Englishmen were true at heart—(Hear,hear)—they hated tergiversation—(Load cheers from the Hon. Member for Lin coln)—they detested all breakers of pledges and good faith— ( Hear, hear)—they did not like to be betrayed.—( Hear, hear.) When he recollected that his Noble Friend at his last election for South Nottinghamshire, when he last stood unon the hustings, congratulated the electors of Nottinghamshire on their having refused to be cajoled by the latest fabrication from the workshop of delusien—( Hear, hear)—that they were independent and clear-sighted enough to scout the cry of cheap bread—( Hear, hear)—and that they had refused to be caught by the last fugitive humbug of a dying faction.— ( Loud cheers.) Why, it was not the protectionists that had agitated the country.—(Hear, hear.) Was it they who had drilled the public mind and taught them that cheap bread was a fallacy, and fraught with delusion to the country.—( Hear, hear.) He rejoined that the Britis h people had shown them selves true to themselves. They h ad show n t their aversion to political inconsistency, vascillation and terg iversation. He thought, in the language of a modern wri t e r, e io, rg that the man who was fit for the representative of a p g il r l e ar at osliee state, be a man of a stable mind, fit to be the not a weathercock—( Hear, hear)—at the top of the bui lding, whose only quality was its versatility and power to show . the last shifting of the passing gale.—( Loud cheering.) Lord LINCOLN was aware that he was acting irregularly in speaking a second time during one debate, but he trusted, after the elaborate attack which had been made upon him by the Noble Lord, who had kept back his store of envenomed bitterness—(Cheers)—to the present moment—( Loud cheers) —that the House would allow him a few moments to reply to the charge brought against him by the Noble Lord. He would not enter into any particulars, or explain any of his hustings' speeches—(Hear, hear)—which he was quite prepared to do on a proper occasion. —(Cheers.) With reference to the charges of bribery made against him, he simply denied it, and challenged him to the proofs.—(Loud cheers.) He had not expended one farthing in bribery. It was stated to be an expensive election, but it was not more expensive than county elections generally , were. (Hear, hear.) It had been said that he took the county by surprise ; the fact was that the county was taken by snprise, but not by him. The Hon. Member for South Nottingham had canvassed the country before he had resigned his seat, he was therefore eempelled to employ a great number of agents.—( Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord would have shown more discretion had he refrained from alluding to the question of expense during the election, because he knew or ought to have known that a noble relation of his had paid a large sum—ha could name that sum if he pleased—towards the election expenses. Having thus contradicted the statements of the Noble Lord, he then threw out the same challenge as he had given to his Friend the Mem ber for South Notts. —( Tremendous cheering.) Lord G. BENTINCK said that he was quite ready to divide, though a great many of his party had withdrawn, under the impression that no division would take place. After a discussion in which Mr. Miles and Mr. Young took part - Mr. LAW moved the adjournment of the House. Mr. HUDSON seconded the motion. Sir R. PEEL said that he would advise the House not to press a division, as there seemed to be an understanding that no division should take place Mr. LAW then withdrew his amendment, which he said he only made in order to place the parties on a state of equality. 'The amendment of Sir Charles Burrell was then withdrawn, the report was brought up and agreed to, and th e Bill was or dered to be read a third time on Monday next. ,ay LAW OF ARSON. On the motion of Sir J. GRAHAM, leave was given to bring in a Bill for punishing malicious injuries to persons and property by explosive substances. On the motion of Mr. GROGAN, the following Selid Committee on the Coroners (Ireland) Bill was appointed:— Mr. Young, Mr. James Hamilton, Colonel Verner, Sir Robert Ferguson, the O'Conor Don, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Grogan, Sir Denham Norris, Mr. John O'Connell, Mr. John O'Brien, Sir Edmond Hayes, Mr. George Hamilton, Mr. Stafford O'Brien, Mr. Bellew, and Mr. Archbold. The other orders Of the d a y were th en disposed of, and the :ouse adjourned at One o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) THURSDAY, MAY 7. RAILWAYS. The Committee of Selection have nominated the following Select Committees on Railway Groups : A Committee consisting of—Viscount Morpeth (Chairman), Mr. Corbally, Mr. R. Scott, Mr. J. A. Taylor, and Hon. H. Lowther, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 2 of Rail way Bills, viz. : North Devon, Taw Vale Extension, Bideford and Tavistock, South Devon (Tavistock and other Branches—No. 1), South Devon (No. 2), West Cornwall, Cornwall. The Select Committee to meet bn Thursday, May 21, at one. A Committee consisting of—Mr. Deedes (Chairman), Viscount Clements, Mr. J. H. Vivian, Mr. Arkwright, and ;Mr. Farnham, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 10 of Railway Bills, viz. : Ballochney (Shotts Branch), Caledonian (Clydesdale Junction Railway Deviations). Caledonian (Glasgow, Garnkirk, and Coatbridge Railway Branches), Monkland and Kirkintilloch (Chapel Hall Branch), MonklAnd and Kirkintilloch, Glasgow, Airdrie, and Monkland Junction, Kirkintilloch and Kilsyth, Lesmaliagow, Balser& and Coatbridge Mineral Junction, Caledonian (Dundyvan Branch). The Select Committee to meet on Monday, May IS, at one. A Committee consisting of—Mr. E. Denison (Chairman), Sir E. Hayes, Sir It. Vyvyan, Major Beresford, and Mr. Clifton, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 32 of Railway Bias, viL. : Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton, Cheltenham and Oxford, Northampton, Banbury, and Cheltenham, Buckinghamshire (Tring to Banbury). The Select Committee to meet on Tuesday, May 19, at one. A Committee consisting of—Mr. Ewart (Chairman), Mr. Gill, Mr. E. Heneage, Mr. Maher, and Mr. Pulsford, to whom they have re ferred the Bills comprised in Group No. 56 of Railway Bills, viz.:— Eastern Counties Stations Enlargement, London and Birmingham (Camden and Euston Stations Enlargement), London and Blackwall, East London Extension, Enfield and Edmonton, Eastern Counties (Tottenham and Barnet), London and Croydon (Thames Junction Canal), Eastern Counties (Thames Junction Branches), East and West India Docks and London and Birmingham Junction. The Select Committee to meet on Tuesday, May 19, at one. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. ,From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Conte ors THURSDAY, MAY 7. COURTS OF LAW AND EQUITY. Motion made, and Question': put, " That a Select Committee be ap pointed to inquire into the nature and extent of the taxation of Suitors by the collection of fees in the Courts of Law and Equity, and the application of such fees, and the compensations paid to retired officers of those Courts, and into the propriety of the continuance thereof; and particularly to inquire into the orders for compensation made by the Lord Chancellor to the persons filling the offices of Clerk of the Enrolments, Comptrollers of Hanaper, Riding Clerk, Six Clerks, Sworn Clerks, Waiting Clerks, and ethers, under the Act 5 and G Vic. e. 103, and to inquire into the nature, duties, and emolu ments of those officers before the passing of that Act, and their right to compensation during life and for seven years after the death of such person." The House divided : MINORITY-AYES, 65. Aglionby, H. A. Dtmdas, F. O'Connell, Daniel Armstrong, Sir A. Escott, Bickham O'Connell, John Baine, Walter Esmond°, Sir T. Ogle, S. C. Bannerman, A. Gisborne, Thomas Ord, William Baring, F. T. Granger, T. C. Parker, John Barron, Sir H. Grey, Sir G. Pechell, Captain Bellew, R. M. . Hastie, Archibald Plumridge, Captain Blake, M. J. Hatton, Captain V. Powell, Caleb Blewitt, Reginald Hawes, B. Romilly, John Bouverie, E. P. Heathcoat, John Stewart, P. M. Bowes, John Heneage, Edward Stratt, Edward . Brocklehurst, J. Horsman, E. Tancred , 11 .. W. Bretherton, J. Jervis, John Thornely, T. Browne, W. Eayard, Captain Warburton, IL Buller, Edward Busfeild, William M'Carthy, Alexander Wawn, d V. Maitland, Thomas Williams, V. . Winnington, Sir T. Butler, P. S. Marsland, Henry Christie, W. D. Martin, J. Wyse, Thomas Colebrooke, Sir T. Mitcalte, H. Yorke, 11. It. Collett, John Mitchell, T. A. Crawford, W. S. Morpetb, Viscount TELLERS. Divett,:Edward Morris, David Watson, Henry's Duncan, George Napier, Sir Charles Hume, Joseph MAJORITY-NOES, 80. Acland, T. D. Gordon, Captain Maunsell, T. B. Austen, Colonel Goulburn, Henry Meynell, Captain Baillie, Colonel Graham, Sir J. Neeld, Joseph Baring, W. B. Greene, Thomas Neville, Ralph Baskerville, T. B. Grimsditch, Thomas Patten, J. W. Benbow:john Grogan, E. Peel, Sir Robert Berkeley, Grantiey Hale, R. B. Peel, Jonathan Bodkin, William H. Hamilton, G. A. Polhill, Frederick Bowles, Admiral Hanmer, Sir J. Richards, Richard Bramston, T. W. Hayes, Sir E. Rolleston, Colonel Brisco, M. Herbert, Sidney Seymour, Sir H. B Bruges, W.H. L. Hervey, Lord A. Smith, Abel Buller, Charles Hodgson, F. Smythe, George Cardwell, Edward Hope, Si r I.T. Somerset, Lord G. Carnegie, Captain Hope, G. W. Spooner, Richard Chelsea, Vise. Hudson, George Stuart, Henry Clerk Sir G. James, Sir W. Sutton, H. M. Cockburn, Sir G. Jermyn, Earl Thesiger, Sir F. Corry, Henry Jocelyn, Viscount Trench, Sir F. Cripps, W. Jones, Captain Trotter, John Davies, D. A. S. Kelly, Sir Fitzroy Villiers, Viscount Douglas, Sir C. Lygou, General Walpole, S. H. Fellowes, E. Mackenzie, T. Wellesley, Lord C. Fitzroy, Henry liackenzie, W. F. Wood, Colonel T. Flower, Sir James M'Geachy, F. A. Floyer, John M'Neill, Duncan TELLERS. Ceskell, J. M. Mahon, Viscount Baring, Henry Godson, Richard Martin, C. W. Young, John; ROYAL YACHT CLUB. --- A general meeting of the: members of the Royal Yacht Club was held yesterday, at the Thatched-house Tavern, St. James's-street. The following members were present : the Marquis of Donegal, J. Quintock, Esq., the Earl of Ilchester, H. Thorold, Esq., the Marquis of Blandford, The Duke of Marlborough, the Hon. W. B. Ponsonby, the Earl of Dysart, R. Mitchell, Esq., Sir John Bayley, Bart., R. W. Cooper, Esq., G. H. Ackcrs, Esq., G. Bentinck, Esq., T. Moss, Esq., Captain Herningham, R.N., T. W. Fleming , Esq., 11. Hope, Esq., W. Delafield, Esq., Sir Joseph Copley, Sir A. Murray, the Marquis of Conyngham, J. W. D. Radcliffe, Esq., J. Lyon, Esq., J. Sanderson, Esq., Bl• J. Higgins, Esq., W. Potts, Esq., N. N. Alexander, Esq., M.P., J. Reynolds, Esq., J. Hibbert, Esq., Colonel Bowers, Algernon Greville, Esq., Reverend Denis George, the Duke of Mahan; W. Peareth, Esq., S. De Hersy, Esq., 1 E. Hencage, Esq., M.P., Almer Hill4Esq., Marquis of Or monde, E. N. Harvey, Esq., J. C. Ewart, Esq., Earl of Wilton, Sir W. P. Gallway, Bart., Sir B. R. Graham, Bart. F. Halifax, jun., Esq., Duke of Beaufort, Sir H. G. Booth J. Maxse,Esq., Earl of Orkney, J. P.Williams, Esq., ILE ' Meiklam. Esq., Marquis o f An g lese y , Earl of T yreonnel, and J. Halifax, Esq. The following new members were elected :—George Miles, Esq., Viscount Seaham, the Earl of Hardwicke, William Mure, Esq. ; and Commander T. W. Horton, RN., and Com• mander C. J. Postle, R.N., were elected honorary members. The sum of 2001. was voted for cups, the particulars to he arranged by a committee specially appointed for that pur pose, and also to reconsider the rules of the Club, such Committee to make its report to the Ciub on the Gth June next, to which day the meeting was adjourned. THE LATE ACCIDENT ON THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. There was on Tuesday issued, by order of the House of Lords, a copy of Major-General Pasley's report of his inquiry into an accident which occurred on the Eastern Counties Railway on the 12th of April, in con quence of one of two engines, attached to a special train getting off the rails. The report was presented to Parliament by- command of her Majesty ; and the following extracts give the more material portions of the document : " Railway Department, Board of Trade, Whitehall, April 14, 1846. "My Lord—l this day inquired into an accident which occurred to a special train on the Cambridge branch of the Eastern Counties Railway, on the 12th instant, in consequence of an engine running off the rails; and having seen Mr. Roney, the secretary, and Mr. Scott, the locomotive engineer of the company, both of whom were present at the time, I proceeded with them, also accompanied by Mr. Waddington, deputy chairman, and Mr. Phipps, resident engineer of . the company, frem Stratford station, where I saw the engine alluded to, and the injured carriages, to the spot where the accident took place, near the 101 mile post from London. " This train, intended to accommodate persons going to Newmarket to attend the races next morning, left London for Chesterford about 1.30 P.M., drawn by two locomotive engines, made by Messrs. Stothert and Slaughter, the foremost of which had inside, and the lattt r outside, cylinders ; in other respects nearly similar, with their respective tenders behind each, after which followed one luggage van, five horse boxes, said to contain thirteen horses, one second-class carriage, one first-class carriage, one second-class carriage, three first carriages, and one carriage truck, with a gig upon it. " Mr. Scott travelled on the first engine and Mr. Roney on the second, till they came to Lea-bridge sta tion, after w hi c h they both went together on the fore most engine, and were noting the speed with their , vv a h e i c c o h n had en in gi cr n e e as i e v d a t so about 43 d m ta ile a s sc a i n iar O r r , w w h ate en he th s the d jump, a n d soon after quitted the ballast, whi c h i t threw up a s r e a r il s e , and ran on the with his steam all at once ; but the drier soon as it went off the rails, the crashing noise. As in a e f -m le a a n d !hut off gine slacked his steam gradually in shuttin ing eol£i and this engine still continued to draw the other after it ; but, as a natural consequence of the en gines slackening their speed whilst one of them was off the rails, the train, still being on the prop;ir rails, and of course moving for some time with nearly the original velocity above•mentioned, struck the tender of the second engine with such force that the couplings broke, and the train ran off the rails to the left of the line, and the goods van and all the hone boxes ran down an embankment, and were overturned in a wet ditch below the foot of the slope, the height of the rails above the bank of this ditch being about five feet, and their total height above the bottom of it being about ten feet ; but the depth of water fortunately was moderate, or the horses must all have been drowned. Two of them were, however, killed upon the spot, one was obliged to be killed afterwards, and another was seriously injur e d, b u t w i t h hopes of, recovery ; the re mainder are said to have been very little hurt. The second-class carriage next to the last horse box fell upon one side, and hacf some of its side pannels broken, and the steps broken or injured; but, with the exception of their steps, none of the other passenger carriages were damaged. The body of the luggage van was knocked entirely to piecei, aed those of the horse boxes were nearly in the same state ; but their lower frames were less damaged. In being forced against each other, the horse boxes and carriages were partly doubled up, as it is termed, and some of the former are said to have been violently turned round before they fell, which has frequently been the case in former accidents occasinned by a break down in front. None of the passengers were hurt, but the guard sue timed on the second carriage, which, in oversettirg knocked down a post of the electric telegraph, was thrown off, and at first supposed to be dangerous'y Burt, but I am happy to learn that he is in a fair way of speedy recovery, as his injuries proved to be by no means severe. " Two engines made by Messrs.Stothert and Slaughter, nearly of the same con s t ruc ti on as t h e second one on. this occasion, having long b o il ers an d outs id e cy li n d ers, according to the l as t patent o f Mr. Robert Stephenso . i, but d iffering from it i nasmuc h as t h ey had flanges on ti e • driving wheels and the hind axles, riot before, but under the centre of the fire bo x , w hi c h h a d an unfavour able effect by raising the centre of gravity, ran off the rails on the same company's line, one on the 4th and tie other on the 19th of August last, 1845, upon which I reported officially on the 6th and 25th days of the sane Tenth. At that time the engines alluded to had their tires constructed with too sharp an angle, the flames being set nearly at right angles to the tread of the wheel, which no doubt must have been unfavourable to stability; but they were soon after fitted with • new tires, perfectly rounded at the angles ; and having been other wise improved, I agreed with Mr. Scott in opinion, that these improvements would render them sufficiently safe for passenger trains at the speed of about forty-five miles an hour. This third acccident, however, occurring to one of the very same engines, notwithstanding it had been thus altered, appears to me to prove that this con struction should not be used for passenger trains, except at a very moderate speed, say not exceeding thirty miles an hour ; and when the company shall be provided with a greater stock of locomotive engines, which they have ordered, their present supply being inadequate to their increasing traffic, I would recommend that these engines be changed into good engines, by putting ( a coupled wheels, which will prevent oscillation. " Having myself formed an opinion that outside cylin ders were not the cause of oscillation, but that long boilers, and wheels too close together, with over-hang ing weights in front and rear, like those of Mr. Stephen son's last patent, had that tendency, unless two pairs of the wheels were coupled, I did not agree with Mr. Slaughter in supposing that these new inside cylinder engines could prove better than the former, especially as the crank axles of inside cylinders tend to raise the centre of gravity higher than is necessary with outside cylinders. Moreover, the circumstance of a long boiler engine with inside cylinders running off the rails at a high velocity, with a light experimental train, and the whole oversetting on the Great North of England Railway on the Ist of January last, through a similar long boiler engine with outside cylinders, drawing an exper imenta l train the day before, in presence of the gauge comm issio ners, had been more fortunate, tended to confirm me in my first opinion. The circumstance, however, of Mr. Slaughter's inside cylinder engine having, in the acci dent now under consideration, moved so very steadily, whilst his outside cylinder engine ran off, is an offset to the former accident, and seems to leave the matter doubtful ; but yet it is reasonable to admit that his last engines are better and safer for passenger trains than. the former. Some persons have supposed that the system of using two engines in front is dangerous, though less so, as every one now admits, than having an. auxiliary engine to propel from behind. Of this I con ceive that as yet we have had no proof, for the second engine in this accident now under considerat ion undoubtedly saved by the first ; and if the lead i n g en gine itself had gone off the rails, in which case the othe r must have followed it, it would not have caused grea te r danger to the passengers than actually occurre d, t and ten d ers. it would to the persons on the en 1841, which was to the same cause , In geine en gines and namely, use o f the Brighton ascribedaccident on the foremost o t h e w, t o which was b a more powerful. a small four-wheeled one,foll 1 two engines in front, the f ofspeed, on a new pc,r-• an incline at an imprudent rate owed fh six-wheeled engine, ran off the rails first, in descending tion of line, not being opened, and at the time not pro perly drained. " C. W. PASLEY, Major-General." IRELAND. DISTRESS OF THE PEOPLE. DUBLIN, MAY s.—The reports that have come to hand to day are of the usual character, representing the prevalence of extreme destitution, and the efforts, in many cases successful, to provide food and employment. In some localities, where the potato disease was not very severely felt, the price of the esculent is not much higher than in ordinary years; but generally it is at least double the usual rate. In Dublin the price of inferior potatoes, with one-third at least diseased, has risen to ninepence per stone, which is equal to one shil ling—three times the price in abundant seasons. Amongst the wealthier classes potatoes are now little used ;. and where Indian meal has been provided in the eountuly.tri3tns, thus labouring classes have given up potatoes as a account they are little run upon. If anything or dinary consumption took place , we s h ould not now have liketh e p. o tatoes for sale in any market in I relan d. that p ro e the ed e t d r treasurer u E r n n e r of the p E r o n c r u is - re tow T n he n C el la ie re f C j o ° m urn mi al tece sta h tes as Indian meal, for the purpose , of keeping down the markets, which have frightfully risen.' In Dangarvon, and other places on the coast of the cour ty of Waterford, the people are in such a state of utter destitu tion that many are existing on a single meal of bran—the husk of wheat—in the twenty-four hours! THE WEATHER—HARVEST PROSPECTS. We have rain pouring down once more, and seed-sowing is, of course, again interrupted. For a fortnight of dry weatLer considerable progress has been made in the spring sowing; but still this most important agricultural business is very in complete; and if there should not be a favourable change very speedily, the worst results may be apprehended harvest. The Rev. Martin Doyle, parish priest of Graig, co u nty Kilkenny, in a letter to the Dublin Evening Post, says " The farmers are not-sowing their usual complement of pe • tatoes. The poor, who heretofore made efforts to sow a little, seem now indifferent altogether. The consequence will be, i t c h i a l I t t b l e i e i m r condition during e r than t n h e summerw i n t e r , and when th e a u autumn mont h s public works will cease, but the necessity of eating will not• The poor a l so will want more clothes and more fuel in winter than in the coming season ; they will have no potatoes to live on, as heretofore ;no public employment —no m one y. I w ill b e told Indian meal, oats, barley, &c., will be abundant and cheap—be it so, but the poor cannot purchase without money." The young wheats, sown in winter, generally look wr 11 and healthy. LEITH.-CANINE GALLANTRY REWARDED.-It Rill be in the recollection of our readers that some time ago we noticed an instance of the sagacity of a dog belonging to Mr. Lawrew:ei which saved a female from drowning at Granton Pier. It is with pleasure we observe that the Edinburgh and Leith Humane Socie have presented the dog with a handsome collar, bearing the follow ing inscription engraved on silver :—" Presented by the Edinburgh and Leith Humane Society to the dog Bess,' the property of Air. D. Lawrence, Granton, for having saved a female from drowning at Granton Pier, on the night of the 17th November, 11145,"-_-ficoignath