The Sun. — London, England, 1852-03-24 00:00:00

the P eal into the !pot; a nd and ring • [fled tas the ' had sere cer• 0 Par -before they could repeal it they must be prepared with some substitute for it.—(Hear, hear.) Well, then, he was at a loss to usiderstane whet tax could be suggested which the people would accept as a substitute for ,the malt -tax, far there was a large class who advocated the tax on the ground that it had the effect of diminishing drunkenness, and they certainly would .oppose its abolition —(l.l.sar, beer.) The hop-tax, how ever, was not viewed in that light; it wee a tax in fact aPon the wholesome beverage of the poor man, ,ate having had some experience in the House of the difficulty of carrying large questions, he could tell those who advocated the repeal of the tax they must per severe, in spite of the temporary difficulty which it e might impose open the G evernmen ts e —( Hear.) He " therefore hoped this motion would be pushed to a divi ' ai i on, and then the poor man w o uld see who were his • ifisnds and who were not.—(Hear.) Mr. FREWEN was quite satisfied with the answer that had been made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, 'and under those circumstances he should not put the e House to the trouble of going to a division.—(Hear.) Mr. BASS admitted that a good deal of distress had Prevailed of late years amongst the farmers of Kent and 'Worcestershire, bat it did not result from the growing of boes, but of wheat, and he recommended them to more attention to bops than corn. He denied that the ' use sof gentian had increased in proportion to the recent increase in the con,unaption of bitter ale, as was alleged by one Hon. Gentleman who had taken part in s dtbate.—(Hear, hoar.) • -After a few words from Sir E. FILIHER, the motion eswas withdrawn. '' • FOREIGN REFUGEES. Mr. M. MILNES rose to move fur an address for Copies of the correspondence between her Majesty's Government and Foreign States, respeotieg the protec tion afforded to refugees (in continuation of the corre e apondence already presented to Parliament). The. Hon. Member said, that at the commencement of the session he had applied to the Noble Lord who had then been at the head of the Government for the purpose of ascer -"tainiug whether he intended to lay before the House the correspondence between the British Government and the Governments of certain foreign States with respect to „foreign refugees; and the Noble Lord said that he would produce that correspondeece, and it had accordingly ,-been submitted to the House. Those papers concluded . with a dispatch'of Earl Granville and certain communi cations which had arisen out of that dispatch. The ,Earl of Westmoreland had stated that Prince Schwart z .nberg, at the time Earl Granville's dispatch had reached him, had been occupied with important business. and that he could not therefore give an immediate re p, But a short theealter the date of Lord Westmore , and's letter, it had been stated in the public press that a certain dizpatcli had beep forwarded, by- >Prince • Schwartaenberg to the Foreign-office in this country. I NON he .(Me. Milnes), tuought it very important that that dispatch should be laid before the house, for the 'tone of it, as it had appeared in the public journsls, was, to say the least of it, of a very peculiar and painful Character. He bad asked his Right Hon. F. iend the Chancellor of the Excht pier shortly after the accession eof the present Government to office, whether he would ..have any objtction to lay those papers be fore the House, but his Right Hon. Friend was un willin g to p roduce them on the plea that the correspondence had not at ',Tat time been complete. But he would permit his 'Alight Hon. Friend to say that such a plea merely meant that he did nut find it convenient to produce the papers. Ile would again ask his Right Hon. Friend whether he 1 M any objection to produce the disp atch addressed to Lord Granville by Prince Sohwartzsnberg, and any ;gnawer which Lord Granville might have made to that s'uispatch? If his Right Hon. Friend should find it con evenient to p ro d u ce, also, any corresponde nce which 'eight have taken place on the same subject since the accession of the present Government to office, the House Would, no doubt, gratefully receive that addition to its stores of information. : 1 ,, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUE R said his on. Friend seemed to belong to that school of politics Which believed that the essence of diplomacy was mys ' t . 41 13' for he evidently thought it quite imp ossible that whenever a diplomatic interest was concerned a Minister leukl give a straightforward answer. His Honourable fiend had some partial knowledge of the correspond -roe to which he bad referred; and he h ad the other • 1 11 Y asked him (the Chancellor of the Exc he q uer ) when would lay some further ,papers before the House. 34 -e had then told his Hon. Frieud that the correspond a was not complete, but that when it should be corn , tl ate he would produce it. He bed at present to inform i Hon. Friend that the correspondence was not only '"ytuelete, but that it was nearly p rinted, and that when it should be fully printed, which would probably be in a . 7 or two, it should be laid befor e the douse.—(Hear, saes) He could assure hie Hon. Friend that his ques t;'°o was in no way embarrassing. He could not sup• 'roe that his HOD. Friend would then press his motion a division; and he believed that he bad himself en . ' 11 ) , fulfilled the promise he had given upon the subject. 'Mr. M. MILNES said he did not acc use his Right c, 7;2 0 , Friend of having indulged in any mystery in that • 117 e. He only hoped that on every other subject a answer of the Right Hon. Gentleman would be e qually distinct. Lord J. RUSSELL said he took it for g ranted that his 0 . Friend would not press his motio n to a division °after the statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman. The motion was then withdrawn. EGYPT AND THE PORTE. eo ll _:ir. ANDERSON moved an address to the Crown for , Pies of all correspondence between her Majesty's Gu u_elatnent, her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, e nd her Majesty's agent and Consul-General in Egypt, t l n ce the Ist day of January, 1850. relative to the at :Pitted interference of the Sublime Porte in the internal ad ministration of Egypt, by proposing to deprive the „ ei l !sha of the power to inflict capital punishment on ca pitally convicted criminals, to construct railways for the th at country, improvement of and facility of transit through oeuntry, and otherwise, and of all representations r m ade by B r i t i s h su bjects in reference thereto. He ob - Pved that the country had a deep interest in the Ties -11 now pending between the Ottoman Porte and the aof Egypt. It was a favourite saying of the late b,", °a,' Mehemet Ali, that Egypt had become the bridge b e R as en Europe and Asia. The centre of that bridge • a desert a few years since, but now it was converted IA great highway of traffic, and numbers of camels lad enZ with merchandise, specie, and letters , private , r o Oltnercial, and gove rnmental, regularly traversed the li t !'"e• The importance of this correspondence in a po re..te_,al, commercial, and social light, the House would di .111 3 , appreciate; and he might al-so observe that the .ibis between Europe and the East was by C? route shortened about one-fourth in time. t oil ! the House consider the inconveniences of 'ea would be felt if all the advantages k _Jhis route should be lost to this country. He r t l lo 'red that the British people would never submit to 11: 11 a state of things; yet, it the proceedings of the th ?te were allowed to go on unchecked, he anticipated all events the traffic along it *ould be nearly stopped , or , at events, seriously impeded. He would refer to the or, of the pretensions put forward by the Porte since u r accession of the present Pasha of Egypt. The latter m any some rather sweeping reforms, believing that 3' abuses existed under the former Administration. "`a found many (state) manufactories established,wbicb he thought of no use; being of opinion that the proper m anufacture of Eeypt was corn, which might be ax e, anged for the commodities of consequently other countries. ufa The broke up several of those manc ring establishments and dismissed a number of em : P Constantinople, many of whom were Frenc hmen, who went to sorititatatin o pl e , and there organized a conspiracy, hay tug for its object to deprive the Pasha of the govern - tle" of Egypt, and reduce that count r y to the condi tionth ° tt s i ordin ar y pashalic. Among other p retensions of e Porte was one which struck at the root of all government in E gyp ,. the Pasha of v and that was an silt met to de prive.the rower of inflicting capital punishments. — (Hear, hear.) such a power • it would be utterly tin in the country,r impossibl e to maintain subordiea out tue `u obi sez t u a re safety to life or pro. Perty. To carry which the enemies o f the P as ha had at heart dissension s had 13 , eel iodustrt uttsly fomented bet ween t he different mem b ers of his family, w hi c h, if further excited, mo ., lead to civil war because those relatives p ossessed large districts of land, and had great num bers of agricultural also been tenantrysent under their contro l. Emissarie s had toE su gr r Egypt, and they had created a censiderable feeli ng of in d ination by persuading the p eople that the P asha had tilithority, as the Su ltan had taken all powerawry f ront bins. It might be a sked, why could not Egypt tebe koverned as well by Turkey as by the Pasha? but, i n re ply. he would say that he thought the national honour of this country wa s pledged to maintain the p resent • Pasha in the position in whic h Mehemet Ali had been oed from 1841. To show how impotent the Turk ish ti Government was to protect property and person, e Would read an extract from a letter received that. day fro m Constantinople :—" The • weak administration to t t's Turkish Government as to affordiug protection l ife or property, is ma de manifest by facts 0„. "" of number. Even in this capital we are scarcely me re secure from murder and t heft than persons r e t iding in the provinces; the only di fference being, that he re the acts are perpetrated during the night and by bitt of organized thieves, whereas thos e in the country place during the day and in sig h t and call of the o a re uses of the victims, and frequently within gun shot of who ur w are cellol guards. At Smyrn a t w o eases oc tie„red not long since of a part icularl y g larin g descrip ) viz : 1. that of the Dutch Co nsul, who was taken o ft ; L of his own vineyard at 3 , r.m. , a nd within call of his e4l Bs, and kept by the banditti who infest the neigh b'uthood of that city until his friends ransomed him f u ,, tee equal to about 5001.; and that of Mr. De Youngh, h i r e e-lianish Consul-General, who was actually taken 60 "I his house in the centre of a village of upwars of (4 ; 0 houses, having a so-called military force of 200 str ong quartered in it. The payment of a sort of bl ck r JI by the Smyrna merchants to these robbers for per felt6sion to get the fruit and other produce brought there ahipment exempted from plunder is well known." He e,2 recalled to the recollection of the House the mas sacre of the Christians at Aleppo not long since. With a nd stato of things let the House contrast the safety ss u e 't security which existed in Egypt, and then decide gov ernment there was any good reason for transferring the Z rl v _erritnent of that country to Turkey. He regretted I). ° _,_Y that there was a general idea prevailing that the th 7ua was not supported in a manner consistent with j u guarantee which this country bad given, and in con % on observed, that though psople had been talking of French invasion of this country, they might possibly 67; unless due attention was bestowed on the matters he " 4 submitted to the House, a French invasion on t he tPastern shores of the Mediterranean and on the banks of Nile , th: t he CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated rut _ the motion of the Honourable Member really had potato to one of the most important and delicate t u r key of foreign politics, namely, the relations between Q ue r !, 3' and Egypt; and he could assure the Honourable ii4enaan that the conduct of the prima Government, THE SUN and, he was bound to say, of the last also, in reference to this most important question, was not at all influenced by the information to which he had referred. Ii the Hon. Geatleman thought that the contending, claims between Turkey and Egypt had only for their fowl dation a conspiracy of discarded we: kmen from Egypt, he could easily understand from what sources the Gentleman obtained information of that description; but those claims were founded on existing treaties, on the interpretation of those treaties; on the laws of the country, and on traditionary interests of the utmost im portance. It was impossible for the Government to ac cede to the motion, which, if adopted, would lead to the production of a variety of information rot:se-ring . to ne gotiations now pending. The attention of the Govern ment of this country was of Course directed to the settle ment of the mu . usl relations that should subsist hetween Turkey and Egypt, with a due conviction of the: great importance to the interests of this country, anclott the world generally, that those relations ehould be estab lished on a proper and legitimate basis. Ile felt it his duty, therefore, to oppose the motion of the Hon.-Gen tleman, and he dd so on the intelligible anci simple ground that the transactions to which he referred were In an imperfect state, and that it would hive a Most in jurious effect on the public service if thOse papers were produced. Lord J. RUSSELL entire ly agreed with the Right Hon. Geutlem in that ;his was a subject of the hiehest importance and delicacy, and thought he was quite right in opposing this motion. He thought the Hon. Gentle• man who coeds this motion was mistaken as regardsd the guarantee of England. This country was a. party to the settlement of Egypt as an hereditary pashaltc iu the family of Mehemet Ali, bat by no means guaranteed the conditions on which the relations betweeu the Sultan and the Pasha should subsist. The interference of this country was a matter of the utmost delicacy., We were on the most friendly terms with the Sultan and withthe Pasha of Egypt, and we might therefore not only give counsel generally, but might even advise the Sultan to allow the Pasha the power of inflicting capital punish.. ment, without reference to Constantinople, if we thought proper to do so; hut, at the same time, such inter ference could only be received as the counsel of a friend, and only by being couched in the most conciliatory terms could such advice be well received. He could not, but think that the production of these documents would tend to prevent the success of the object in view, and that it would be better to leave the matter in the ' hands of the Executive. No men was better fitted than our Ambassador at Constantinople to manage such affairs, and if instructions were given to him by the Government at home they would be faitufully executed by that distin guished person.--(Hear.) Mr. HUME said that in .1839 we dispatched to:Egypt .00 sail-of-the-line to conquer the . P4slia.atid . to Place Egypt undor the Sultan, wilt the guarantee of England and France that certain powers snould he continued to the Pasha. There were documents in which it appeared that the Sultan, while he was speaking in the fairest and most flattering manner, was preparing troops to over whelm Egypt, but England stepped in at the risk of the peace of Europe and carried by force of arms success to the Sultan, on the condition that certain rights should be secured to the Pasha. He regrettel to find that there appeared to be an intention to destroy the treaty so guaranteed; but, as the Right Hon. Gentleman said the production of these documents would be injurious to the public service, be trusted his Lion. Friend would with draw his motion for the present. Mr. MILNES did not beieve that the Noble Lord the late Foreigu Secretary would ever consent to the inter pretition of the treaty, that England was to guarantee the independenceof Egypt—(!leer, hear)—that it would necessarily enforce the maintenance of it; but he be lieved the Noble Lord and the public sense of diplo macy in England agreed that the parties to that ar rangement were morally bound by every means in their power to support the Pasha of Egypt in just and independent authority.—Hear, hear.) At the same time, he must say it was hardly fair to look upon this question without considering in some degree that the edict lately put forth by the Sultan was a very great advance in the civilization of that part of the world. Since that edict had been pro mulgated, not only had the Christian people living under the dominion of the Sultan been treated in a totally different manner from that in which they were before treated, but the principles of good government had bee been established to a great ex tent. If the Pacha of Ept could so put his case to the Court of Constantinople as to make it appear that be would only allow capital puni.hmtnt to follow on a just trial and fair conviction, he did not believe that the Sultan would deny to the Pacha the power which her Gracious Majesty committed to the hands of the governors of our own colonies. With regard to the question of railroads, he could not conceive that the Suit :n could ever have seriously contempl.ted the prevention of such a great improvement in what might still be commie:re:el his own dominions. He be lieved that the present Pacha lied the real welfare of Egypt at heart, and would try to improve his country by solid and practical reforms; aud, it the questions between him and the Porte were left to the mediation of Sir 8. Canning and Mr. Murray, he (Mr. Manes) believed that they would be satisfactorily arranged. Mr. ANDERSON, in reply, said, that after the ob servations of his Right Honourable Friend, be could not think of pressing this motion. As to the delicacy of the question. however, he must say that no such delicacy was shown in 1839, when the Pechaehad the Sultan prostrate at his feet. The Hon. Gentleman who had last spoken had referred to the mediation of Sir S. Canning and Mr. Murray, but there was a general opinion that they did not pull well together, though in his (Mr. Anderson's) opinion, Mr. Murray was pulling the right way. Th b - e railroad that was wanted in Eypt was the railroad t mean Cairo and Suez—the ether was entirely for the internal improvement of Egypt; but the Pacha could not make either of these railroads utile as he bud the permis sion of the Porte to do it. He believed that never had there been a Pacha of Egypt who had effected so much practical good for his country as the present. He had re mitted taxation to the amou nt of 1,500,000/. sterling, and bad relieved the people from the bondage they were in by allowing them to go to any part of the country they pleased. With respect also to capital puniabmenta i n E g ypt, he found that daring the three years preced ing the reign of the present e.cha te numbr was six- teen per annum, while during the three yea se afterwards it was only beven. Tile motion was then OW withdrawn. THE TN OF ENNIS. The O'GORMAN MAHON then rose for the pur pose of calling the attention of the House to the subject matter of the petition presented from the town commis sioners of Enuis. The Hon. Gentleman said that the gentlemen from whom the petition emanated were com paratively personally disinterested, and that their mo. t ive in addressing, that Hou.e was to obtain , through its medium, protection from the deep wrong inflicted on the poor of the town of Ennis. The river Fergus ran through the town, taking its source about eight or nine miles above it. A loan was obtained by the proprietors in the neiehbourhood of the town for the Board of Works to effect the drainage of the lands near the river; but, instead of commencing an outlet to facilitatelem en the exit of the water , at t he insti g ation of the gent named in the petition, they deepened the river near its source, and thus, by collecting all the water superabun dant on the adjacent lands, created a facility tor inun dating the town of En n i s.—(A laugh,) Under these c i rcumstance s, the petitioners prayed the Honkie to insist on the Commissioners of the Board of Il a s Work completing the work they bad undertaken. e h e a, year after Year, impressed this matter on the late „ o vernmeat, and believed that the Bight Hon. Baronet near him had, at last, been disposed to meet the wiahes of the people of Ennis to a certain extent. What he asked from the Chancellor of the Exchequer was a loan, to be advanced on the security of the Lulls of the town of Ennis, an arrangement to which he had no doubt that the owner of those tolls (C o lonel Wyndbane) wo uld assent. The II Gentleman conc luded by moving that the Board of Works in Ireland be direr ed forth with to proceed with the completion of the drainage above the town of Ennis. Sir C. WOOD said, that he hod on former occasions pointed out to his Hon. Friend that, before anything c Juld be done prsclieally in the matter, it would be necessary to have a Bill passed under which local Com missioners could be appointed tor edministering any loan that the Government might make for the desired purposss. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he had oily bad an opportunity that day of reading the petition enforced by the lion. Gentleman opposite, but it appeared ft ow the petition itself that the tault of the non-progress of the works rested not with the Board of Works, but with the proprietors of the locality, who bad refused that second assent which was required by the Chancellor l lo D r r o a f in t a h 7 E A x c e t h . , The r lion. Gentleman should B o ß z l f E us hl ed sa t i u d e , cl i ~ te pp r ie e e t oa lr , s t h h o e a wl d r , e ture , rather to those proprietors than to the Sir L. rutheas.!cothnde re ason Board of tirely futile that Ni l : of the for the tin hy observed, money. se nt was, w improvement bad expended the first grautttahhlealotpwtrenode n e r m a t r e . N them A to R advance ob Fergus in a manner so en tirely saw it would not remu nerate arisen under the Drainage Act. the his attention to the su g bje A c ct. measure ttl? and he hoped before vthoetinmgeeting of the new Parliament which would enable greatest confusion Re e ha h v a e d pbreeepnadreed some simple and intelligible these works to be satistactorily execute Mr. GROGAN expressed his satisfaction at merit just made by the Right Hon. and Leartnetdeuittt Attor ney General, fir under the system that bad been of late great hardship bad been inflicted upon le Itl e s d h lauded proprietors. In almost every case the estimated expense of these works had been greatly exceeded, and in some canes the amount hod been nearly trebled. The O'GORMAN MAHON brie fly replied. Until that evening he had never heard a word about the mode of settling the question by bringing in a Bill, but now that that course had been suggested he looked upon his object as accomplished, and intimated his intention of introducing a Bill at as early a period as possible. Thh motion was then withdrawn. BORNEO. Mr. HUME m o ved an address for a copy of a letter from Mr. Eileen Burns to Viscount Palmeraton, dated Singapore, the 28th day of June, 1 851, with its en closures, complaining of the obstructions and discou ragements he had received to his commercial a ffairs in Borneo at the hands of her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul-General to the Sultan and independent chiefs of Borneo, while prosecuting his lawful commer cial proceedings in that country; together with a copy of any answer thereto. He believed his lion. Friend near him (Mr. Drummond) was anxious to take that op portunity of renewing an old debate with reference to Sir J. Brooke, but he begged to assure his lion. Friend that his present motion had no reference to that clues ot i l o r n e , a d b y u t p Tfihrepreap w er o s ul i d n c b o o nt a i tu nu p a lo th ru m e c a f u s s om fo e r r w o a d s uc m e e d r . ely renewing the old debate hereafter. Mr. DRUMMOND said what he ' objected tc was his Hon. Friend's putting repeated notices on the paper WEDNESDAY which were not literally true, and implied censures, on the merit of which the House had no means of forming a judgment. For instance, till Hun. Gentleman set down in his notice that Mr. Burns was prosecuting his lawful commercial proceedings," whereas, in point of fact, he was propoguting mischiefst the itcstence of the society which was assisting the Hon. Gentleman near him. It unfortunately happened when that gen tlem2o, Mr. Burns, fell into the' hands of these Bor neat pirates, and lost his ship and his head in conse quence, that he also last a portion of his journal, which showed pretty clrarly the nature of the " corn,. mercial proceedings" in which be had been engaged. He bad not then slightest objection to enter'ou'tbis debate whenever - his lion. Friend 'chose to bring it on, but he did object to the repeated insinuations which these repented notices of motion bore upon the face of them. It certainly was surprising that the Hon. Gentleman, who was esteemed ea a min of general benevolence and kindness, slould be possessed of this Monomania, that there was nothing so delightful as blackening the Cha racter in that House of one of the most deserving public a !rvanta that the country ever had. Mr. HUMS denied that he hae any other object in view than to -obtain legitiniste information, and he asked the House whether there was'one word ofinsinua, non or reflection upon the charaoteit of any man' in the notice wnieb he had moved fir? .PARLIAMENTARY •BUSINESS - (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House .of' Commons.) STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. MEAD AY, 31ARCH 23. The followingTillo were reported as n 94 having standing orders .dispensed, with: -- • Waterford Free Bridge. Haw Bridge and Roads. Dudle y Waterworks. Great LondodDrainage. • The undernan3ed tilla-wero•repotted as bavit3g standing Driers dispensed with: Eastern Counties and Newmarket and Chesterford Railway Cona pan les. Eastern Unian Railway. North and ,South-Western and. Brighton and Dover Junc tion nails, , ey (Wandsworth to Croydon). Middlesbrough arid qui:bTough Railway. That theConarnittees on thia and the three preceding Bills do examine, in the first place, how far stich"orders have been complied with, and do-report the same to the House on the report of the Bill. Dumfries and Maxwelltown 'Waterworks. ' TO THE SECRETARY . OF THE BRADFORD REFORM ASSOCIATION. ' (CpftTrilitJEt. ON DIONDOCiND WgDNESDAYB.) • Sir,—From what occiiired In the House of Commons on Monday,. it is clear that- the Government have, as some of the 'deny papera expressed it; "snubbed the VOlunfeer Rifti Corps." Like Louis Napoleon, they do not want. a National Gerard. I think therefore that any natierwho agrees withtg heallant Member for West minster in believing that Volunteer 'Corps are a more powerful defensive armament than a Militia, may law' vote against a. Mllitie. altogether if his constituents Wish it, so 1014,6t,least as circumstances do not point to the to cessity of its bang called ',out in addition to the Volenteers. • ' Viewing the que:stilitein a military light only, it can hardly be denied; - that the Volenteer Rifle Corps are things of alo . Ner growth, as depending on the gradual Seceneelation of-the popular feeling, while the Militia are 80.000 men semmonable to arms by an Act of Par liament. In addition to which, the first are to find themselves, while the other must ,be paid for at the price of regular troops; for it is a doctrine with me, that to take a men, perforce, is to take from him the value of what a man .can be laud for by money. And further, the firstire likely to much exceed in number tho others; while their,, ,propozel mode of arming is beiter, Calculated. to . meet- the apprehended exigency. - There is not a man.in England who better knows the eazbpnlratire value,_ef ;rlNolunteer force and a Conscrip tier. . than t4e,Member for-Westminster. ,And this leaeletterinether criticism on what was,col , feetedqo bet the intention of the Government with re• speatto such Rifle Corps as in consequence of previous leave obtained, or other causes, are not to be "snubbed." It was announced that a condition was to be. that they wore to be armed with rifles of the Government's pat tern. This will only make a job fur the Government's guif-makers. and cut down the zeal of the Volunteers. The Government might as well intimate that gentlemen going partridge-shooting must be armed with a Govern ment model. Half the enjoyment of the thing, is in the trying of one maker's plan against another's. The whole theory and practice of small arms are at this mo ment in a state of flax and uncertainty, out of which it is probable something as yet comparatively unknown is speedily to come. Nobody but the Chinese, at such a moment, would nail down the Volunteers to the use of an " approved model of the Flowery Empire." You will not suppose me insensible to the weight of the reason urged for the proposed regulation,—the ad vantage-of having balls of the same calibre. But there is no reason that may not be outweighed by a stronger. It is of incomparably more importance that a Volunteer rifleman should hit with two out of three of the twenty balls he might expend in a campaign, and that there should be two Volunteer riflemen where there would otherwise be only one, than that they should be furnished with balls of the " fliwery" model. It is among the records of the German corps of riflemen sent to America in the Revolutionary War, that some of the men re turned their ammunition at the end of the war minus six or seven shots; but it is shrewdly intimated , that these six or seven sots might be traced in a cormpanding diminution of the American executive. It was my chance to see specimens of the Landwehr in Paris in 1814; and it is not impressed on my recollection that their rifles were of anything like a Government model. Some of them struck me as so diminutive, that it was presumable the Llndwehr acted in the spirit of the in struction of the Spartan .mother, who said " Take a step nearer." How the Landwehr youth kept himself provided with ammunition, there was not opportunity rigidly to inquire ; but I presume that when he lied composed or sung his song of " Fatherland," and made libation as ho .might to the fraulein beyond the' Rhine, he employed his leisure hours in casting from time to time a score of bullets by the help of a mould 'he carried in the butt of his rifle, using such lead and powder as was -to be obtained from every ammunition waggon that distributed cartridges to the army. Something was said in the House, of the slights thrown by some of the regular generals upon the Volunteers of 1801. Your regular general is not always what Jeremy Bentham would call " all-wise." If letter of mine to you should come to the eyes of any of the Volunteer Corps, I can tell a story upon that subject. There was a regular general who made himseif conspicuous in Par• liament by attacks on the Volunteer Corps and their commanders, and particularly on an Alder man of London whose civic occupation happened to have been the chemistry of pastry. And now see what a judgment fell upon him. It was my fortune, in obedience to the direction of a superior, to bring to that general an officer of regular troops in full uniform, summoning him to surrender, and whom he sent away in rathei a rough manner. A few hours afterwards I brought to him another fashion o f negotiator,—one of the Voluntaries Patrioticos de Buenos Aires,—in precisely the jacket which those who saw the Eoglish Volunteers will recollect, blue with red in the seam.,—but of the rest I speak not, beyond a di st i nc t no t a tion that his nether man was cased in cord uro y an d h o h a d a cast in his eye, which last may possibly even yet help to identi f y the meritorious ciez-n in his peac e f u l re treat. You will not disbelieve me when I s a y, t h at at t h e s ight of him, all Colonel Birch rose bef ore my eyes . And to this not very -perfectly set-up m em b er o f a V o l u nteer Corps, did our general surrender the Church of St. Domingo and all of us that were therein. Is was a judgment if there ever was one. And so shall it be with more regular generals, that laugh at Volunteers. On Tuesday the principal subject was a motion on the removal of the Hop duty. Nothing was said of the re moval of the duty on f }reig n Hops; though this was stated to be virtually p ro hibi tory, e xcept when there is hops, and an extraordinary fail u r e i n the Eng li s h c rop. It may be collected therefore, th a t the object l eave the duty on ect is CO get rid o f t he duty on home-grown Ps, foreign. If there was th e conviction at Bradford which I wish there was, that y ou d eal is f or eign hops and everything else that can b e b rought cheaper from abroad, you would have conside ra bl e o b jections to make to this. But I am afraid friends are not yet up to that mark. For the present, the lion has been let in, and no doubt will take good care of himself. I am, Sir, yours very sincerely, AN OLD REFORMER. Blackheath, March 24, 1852. The motirm was then agreed to. Mr. HENLEY obtained leave and brougbt in a fill to enable her Majesty to carry into effect arrangements made with foreign powers for thoupprehension of-sea men who desert from their ships, which' was read a first time. On the motion of Mr. FR - EWEN, a Bill was brought in and read a first time, to promote the building of churches in benefices thlt have no church, and to pre .vent the union of benefices above a certain value. MANCHESTER AND SALFORD EDUCATION • SCHEME. Mr. M. 'GIBSON moved that the following Gentle men be nominated a Select Committee on Manchester and Salford Educstien:—Mr. Milner Gibion, Mr. William Miles, VisCoutitlgund, Mr. Monsell, Mr. Bright, Marquis of Blandford, Lord John Ru3selt, Mr. Gladstone. Mr. Heald, Mr, Cobden, Mr. Cardivell; Mr Fox, Mr. Ker Seymer, Mr. Brotherton, and Mr. Child. Mr. PETO objected to the composition of the Com mittee as proposed, upon the ground that certain parties Who took a great interest in the quesiion . of 'education, and who ought to he'represented upcn it, were not re presented at all. He might briefly state that there were i tour great parties wholook - a deep interest n this ques tion, First, there were those who Conceived it to b‘t the office of the Church to,edueatethcpeople„ Next, there were those who relied 9s,tir i ej . " upon the ,yOltiatary,tge tem. - "The third - 'were those An tali it to beAct,duty , of the Statwto inculcate secular education; and, fourthly, there were those who combined all instruction, and would give a mixed secular and religious education to the people. Ou the part of those who advocated the volun tary principle he begged to assure the House that that party had been in earnest—that they had done the work committed to them to the best of their ability, and that the country was greatly indebted to them for what they had accomplished.—(Hear, bear.) Ha would not further detain the House than to express his dissent from the appointment of the Committee as at present proposed, and to give netica of his intention on a future occasion to move the addition of new names. Mr. M. GIBSON admitted the justice of the claim that those to whom his Hon. Friend referred should be fairly represented upon the Committee. Perhaps, however his Hon. Friend was not acquainted with the views of some of the members of the Committee. He had submitted to the Government the name of one gen tleman who, he hope, would have been acceptable to those who were in favour of a voluntary system of education ; but that name bad been obj. , cted to, end thee name of Mr. Heald had been substituted for it. He should not object to the appointment of his Hon. Friend in the place of Mr. Heald, or, if the Committee should be increased in number to beyond fifteen, he should not object to the addition of one or two gentle men holding the views which his Hon. Friend had in dicated. He suggested that the Committee should be allowed to pass now, and that his Hon. Friend should give notice of his intention to move some additional names. Mr. HEYWORTH thought it very desirable that the friends of the voluntary system should be represented on the Committee. Mr. WALPOLE, who was but imperfectly heard, was understood to represent that there was not a single Member of the Government upon the Committee, and to suggest that the nomination should, for the present, be pos , pone& Mr. HINDLEY concurred in recommending that the appointm , -nt should be postpontd ; and this course was ultimately adopted. Oo the motion of the ATTORNEY GENERAL for IRELAND, the following members were added to the Sekct Committee on Outrages (Ireland) : Mr. O'Flaherty, Mr. Scully, Mr. W. Goold, and the Solidi tor-General for Ireland. On the motion of Mr. G. A. HAMILTON, on the part of Lord R. Grosvenor, the following Members were added to the Select Committee on Ventilation and Light ing the House Stephenson, Mr. Locke, and Mr. Henry Fitzroy. The Report on Supply was then brought up and re ceived. The Indemnity Bill, as amended, was considered, and ordered to be read a third time on Thursday. The Copyright Amendment Bill was ordered to be recommitted on Friday next. ST. ALBANS DISFRA.NCIIISEMENT BILL. The Report on this Bill having been brought up, Mr. BELL said be did not mean to oppose the recep tion of the report. He thought he had done as much as could bi expected from him ucdor the circumstances. Ho only wished to say that he hoped the crusade against St. Albans would not terminate with the disfranchise ment of that borough, because, if it did, instead of being of service, the measure would only excite dissatis faction in the minds of the public. But if her Ihjesty's Slinisters would take advantage of the information which they had received - through the St. Albans Com missicners, and would, before the dissolution of Par liament, brieg in a Bill which should more effectually check corruption than any Act that had hitherto been passed, he felt certain that it would give great satis faction to the public, and would deserve the respect and support of every honest man in the kingdom.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. WALPOLE said that the Noble Lord who was lately at the head of the Government was, in point of fact, to move the second reading of his Corrupt Prac tices at Elections Bill to-morrow (Wednesday), which Bill was founded, almost word for word, upon the Albans Disfranchisement Bill, and be begged to say that it was the intention of the Government to support the Bill, and endeavOur to pass it. ,Bear. hear.) Mr. HUM E hoped the Government was sincere in their declaration that they intended to support a measure for the effectual suppression of bribery. Fur himself, he did not believe that it could be altogether put an end to; but he thought the best means that could be adopted for that purpose was the introduction of the ballot—(Hear, hear)—and ho intended, therefore, to test the sincerity of Hon. Members on the subject by proposing a motion to that effect. The report on the St. Albans Disfranchisement Bill was then received. The Consolidated Fund (8,000,000) Bill was read a third time and pissed. The B 11 to Consolidate and Enlarge the Acts relat ing to the Appointment and Pay of Parish Constables was brought in and read a first time. The House adjourned at Half-past Eight o'clock. ELECTION INTELLIGENCE. COLERAINE. Lord Naas was returned on Monday without opposi tion, as Mr. Wilson li.nnedy did not demand a poll. CHDRCH STRETTON, THESDA.T.—A vacancy having taken place in the representation of the southern division of Shropshire by the appointment of Viscount Newport to the situation of Vice Chamberlain in her Majesty's ft,usehold, an election was held in consequence to-day at Church Stretton, by the High sh e riff, Robert Burton, Esq. Sr BALDWIN LEIGHTON, BART p roposed the Right lion. Viscount Newport. JOHN ROCK, 11,q , seconded the nomination. The thou SEIEttIFF declar e d t h at t h e No otter-r candidate having app eare d, Right Hon. Orlando George Charles Brid gman , comm only called Viscount Newport, had been d u l y elected.—(Cheers.)? Vis Count NEWPORT then addressed the electors, and the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the High Sheriff. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons TUESDAY. MARCH 23. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE MINING DISTRICT WATER COMPANY BILL. Order for Second Reading read; Motion made, and Ques tion proposed, " That the Bill be now read a second time :" Amendment proposed, to leave out the word " now," and at the end of the Question to add the words " upon this day six mouths :" Question put, " That the word 'now' stand part of the Question." The House divided : lIHNORITY—AYEB, 75. Anderson, Arthur Fordyce. A. D. Milligan, Robert Anson, General Forster, M. Mundy, William Armstrong, R. B. Fox, W. J. Ogle, S. C. Baring, Henry B. French, F. Patten, J. W. Darin- ' , Sir Francis Geach, Charles Pendarves , E. W. Bass, M. T. Glyn, G. C. , Pilkingten, James Bell, Jacob Greene, Thomas Scholefield, William Berkeley. C. L. G. Harris, Richard Seymour, Lord Bright, John Henry, Alexander Smith, John B. Brotherton, J. Heywood, James ' Strutt, E. Brown, W. Hume, Joseph Tennent, R. J. Childers, J. W. Hutchins, E. J. T hicknesse, R. A. Clay, James Jackson, William Thompson, Colonel Cobden, Richard' Johnstone, James Thompson, George Colebrooke, Sir T. Jolllffe, Sir W. G. Trelawny, J. S. Copeland,§Alderman Kershaw, James Vivian, J. H. Cowan, Charles Langston, J. H. Walmsley, Str T. Davie, Sir IL Lemon, Sir C. Wawn, J. T. Dawes, Edward Littleton, E. R. Willcox, Brodie Drummond, Home Lockhart, A. E. Williams, John atthew Dunco mbe, T. Long, W. Wilson, M , John Lushington, C. Wrightson , W. B. Ellis Elliot, J. E. M ac kie, John Wyvill, Marmaduke Evans, Sir De Lacy M'Cullagh, W. T. rktu.ese WGregor, John Thornely, Thomas Farrer, James M a th es on, Colonel Villiers, Charles Foley, J. IL DEARTH ON THE CONTINENT. Accounts come in from all parts of the sufferings of the poor in consequence of dearth of grain and potatoes, from Posen ' Westphalia, Greis, the T yro l , C asse l, Nie derlatisi+z, &o. In Posen there are regular bands of robbers, driven on by hunger, so that cavalry are obliged to patrol the roads to protect travellers from attack. In Westphalia, beans boiled with roots have superseded bread and potatoes with the poor. In Wermeland and Oestland (Sweden) recourse has already been had to straw and the bark of trees for food. In Naumberg, a mother has drowned her two daughters and then herself, in despair at the approach of starvation. In the neigh bourhood of Dantzie the failure of the potato crop has induced several landowners to turn their attention to the so-called Russian potato, which is at present very little cultivated here; it is said to contain from 30 to 36 per cent. more saccharine matter than beet -root; if true, this would be worth the attention of the company about to manufacture beet-root sugar in Ireland. MAJORITY —NOES, 89. Adderley, C. B. Arkwright, feeerga ‘r• unt Moles , Galway, t ise o • - J• R Bailey, Joseph Mullinga. •R• Gaskell, J. bI• Nugent, Sir Percy Baillie, H. J. . Archdall, Captain Baird James Gooch, E. S• O'Connor, Feargu.s Bankes, G. F F F r ru e el e lwe s er t u n, nAt C. A. Bli.. Colonel; 2,113 Milne,, a ilii u n en se, s sw e ,p l : B. : W. T h 3 4 . s p sir: W. Goulburn, Henry Perfect, Robert Barron, Sir 11. Gwyn, Rowel Pigott, Francis Barrow, W. H. Hall, Sir B. P wlett Lord W. Bateson, T. Hamilton, Lord C. - ° ti vid BBrrarnidgs,to,isi,ir%7. I n la n s ; t e ie s: AsirrehiE.bald Pugh, —a Brisco, M. Henley, J. W. Burghley, Lord _ Herbert, 11. A. Carew, %V. 1.. Hihlyard, R. C. Chaplin, W. J. R. A. Hiudley Charles 1111dyard, T. B. Charter's. Francis Hill, Lord E. Christopher, Clerk Sir G. Hope, Sir J. Spooner, Rickard Clive, H. B. Howard, P. H. Cocks, T. S. Hudson, G. Codrington, Sir W. Inglis, Sir R. H• ..C,GoLleoio,neredrla General A. Start, H. G. Ricardo,ll tssssl Scott, s l ityl h t , ,it o ety o ,hy n u F},. , . ,JOGrCosaheainnopn Aldermanearti C. i n s in Conolly, Thomas Keogh, William . Knox, i o x i n o ' Duckworth, Sir J. buncombe, o. Sulliv an , Staffor Michael Duncuft, John Mackenzie, W. F. Dunne, Colonel Du Pre, C. G. Mallon, Lord Edwards, Henry Manners, Lord C. Forbes, William Manners, Lord G. Fox, S. W. L. Masternian, John Stanley, lv T .wy h e a 13osfly,nC,T.olinBh4. Edward Alderman suBt lla A lowoafrasDouinttcmhesnotldainedr wh[o foughtp vls R atT W Eivi at ß er s loo T.3 ,cured 1, J. de Swart,publicly state that Holloway's Pills and Ointment have cured me of several ulcerous sores, which had their origin in imperfectly healed wounds received in the battle of Waterloo. The pain was infinite, and I was confined to my bed always during the harvest months. I have now for two years been enjoying the best of health, solely in consequence of using Holioway's Pills and Ointment, which cured me in a very sho:t time ; in gratitude for which I pub lish this testimony. ( Signed) J. de Swart, of Lent, on the Vossepels, near Nymegen, Holland, Oct. 4th, 1849." Sold by all Druggists , an d at Professor Hollowa y's Establishment , 444, Strand, London. " CURSING" A MAGISTRATE BT A CLERGYMAN.— A most ex t rao rdinary, novel, and exciting scene was wit nessed at the Flordon station, on Saturday even i ng. When the five o'clock train from Norwich arrived there, the pas sengers were much surprised at seeing the Rev. Mr. Moore, the curate of the parish, standing in the passage of the station-house, dressed in his canonicals. It was, however, soon understood that he was waiting there to " curse " a neighbouring mag istrate, who was expected by the train ; and who bad given him some presumed offence. When the individual alluded t o was giving up his ticket to the station- The following sig-nificant notice appears i n tha mas ter , t h e reverend gent leman thus ad dressed him — " I London Gazette of last evening. We trust t hat ,we may re- inflicta curse upon th is man. I curse y ou ; I c u rse y our gard it as an earnest of a future and cont i nua l vigilance, wife; I curse your c hildren; I curse all y ou have—ma y checking the advances, or attempts to advance, made by your children be fatherless and vagabonds, and beg their the emissaries of Messt a. Wiseman, Swift, and Co. :—" Lord . bread," &c., &c. ; and thus he went on until the "cursed man" Chamberlain . s• office, March 23.—Notice is hereby given, drove off. - vir e un derstand that the matter has been laid that the presentation to the Queen at the Levee,wa T ours- before the bishop; a nd that the reverend g entleman, in day, the 26th of February last, of the Very Rev. M ons i gnors default of finding sureties to keep the peace, was committed Searle, is cancelled, that title having been assumed Without 01 1 Saturday night to the Castle, by Edward Howe, Esq. — the rewired authority." : —. Herald Norwich alqrcury. MLEBi• Best, John Knight, F. W. LONDON, EVENING, MARCH 24, 1852. ` SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY. TIMES.—The late Board of Admiralty has delivered itself of a posthumous defence. With very considerable confidence Admiral Berkeley rose in the House on Mon day evening and performed the part of commentator on the figures which the new Secretary recited. This re markable division of labour between those who pre pared the estimates and those who adopt them, enabled the Gallant Member to discharge himself not only of an exculpatory address, but of a severe invective against his late censors in general, and the " public press" in particular. With a modest announcement that he proposed to " say something in favour of the late board," Admiral Berkeley reviewed, first, the case of the Megaera; next, the subject of the "preserved meats;" thirdly, the performances of the Admiralty in the trans port of troops to the Cape; and, finally, the.gcnoral re sources of the navy as organized by the late board for the purposes of national defence. With what success he conducted his argument we can soon qualify the reader for deciding. " I will begin," said Admiral Berkeley, " with the case of the Megtera." This " case," as will be easily recollected, was constituted by the notorious fact that the steamer in question not only broke down or became disabled between Dover and Plymouth, but was so laden as to make her prospects for the voyage anything but desirable. And what, upon these points, was Admiral Berkeley's • defence? " I think," said he, that this has been satisfactorily settled by the late First Lord of the Admiralty, and Ido not think that many more worth if any, arc necessary on the subject. I' conceive that the answers of my Right Hon. Friend has sufficiently disposed of the infamous stories which have been invented about that vessel." This is what Admiral Berkeley said about the Megmra—this and no more. It is a pity he should have forgotten that before a defend ant can gain a suit he has to convince other persons be sides himself: If the Gallant Member really thought the case "disposed of" in the opinion of the country, it was somewhat superflaous that he should take it up again to " begin with." If he wished to impart his own convictions to others, he should have done something more than merely endorse the =perfect apology of a fellow defendant. The case, as we have observed, involved two points—first, the break down, and, secondly, the interior arrangements of the vessel. As there is no kind of doubt about the former casualty, the latter must furnish the subject of Admiral Berkeley's allusions in speaking of the " infamous stories" in circulation. To some of these stories we contributed considerable currency, and we are bound, therefore, to maintain their credibility. It was alleged that the vessel was so overladen and encumbered with heavy ordnance stores as to present a scene of indescribable confusion, aed to make it highly improbable that the troops could be lodged with reasonable comfort. For these statements we relied. amen d( eabee aourterbi-in foreseriee, en she communication of a correspondent who published the evidence of his own senses with the authority of his proper signature. The Rev. William Buller, rector of the Holy Trinity, Dorchester, avowedly actuated by motives of public duty, informed the country through our columns that he had been an eye-witness of the embarkation of the Rifle Brigade on board the Me- gtera; that " the store-room and stowage" (we quote his own words) " were filled with Ordnance stores, so that no place remained for the arrangement and proper disposition of the baggage and belongings of the 700 soldiers;" that " Government, at the sacrifice of men and officers' just claims to consideration, had made the ship answer a purpose for which it was never intended;" and that, in his belief, "much wanton and un necessary misery" must inevitably be inflicted on the troops, even it the consequences did not involve the "risk of life to England's best and bravest sons." These were the facts positively and publicly stated by a gen tleman who witnessed the embarkation, and who, we must presume, had some personal interest in thus ascer taining the truth. We leave them to be compared with Admiral Berkeley's second-hand apology, and to carry their own weight, observing simply, that nothing is yet known of the elegeera's ultimate performances, though we are aware that her passage to Madeira corresponded as nearly as possible with her passage to Plymouth. As regards the " break down" of the vessel, which Mr. Buller described as "patting into Plymouth much dis abled, with a depth of water in her which her crew had been engaged the whole night pumping out," we re marked at the time that it would be unfair to make too much of an accident, except in so far as it might exem plify a general condition when taken in combination with other accidents of a similar kind. It was not simply because the Megkera became disabled, but be cause other Government steamers had fared little better, that attention was drawn to the fact. Our argument was wholly derived from general results, as contrasted with general and reasonable expectations. We observed that whereas enormous sums had been lavished on the completion of our steam marine, its first performances, when put to actual test by the war at the Cape, had been very unpromising. "It was said," asserts Admiral Berkeley, " that the Admiralty were so ignorant of what they were about that they could not convey troops from England to the Cape." Nothing of thb sort was said. What was said was, that considering the smallness of the exigency as compared with the magnitude of our establishments, the actual proceedings had been far from satisfactory. We said that though steamers were only required at intervals of two or three months to take 700 or 800 troops at a time, these voyages were seldom or never well performed, and that the Vulcan had done worse than the Megaera. It will be in everybody's re. collection, indeed, that this vessel was reported to have been absolutely lost, and in point of fact she is again considerably overdue at this very moment. The Hellespont acre w-steamer left the Capo on the 28th of December and arrived at Plymouth on the 31st of January; the Bosphorus left on the 3d of Fe bruary and arrived on trio 31 of the present month; the Windsor, a sailing vessel of Mr. Gresn's, left on the 9th of January and arrived also on the 7th inst.; but the Vulcan, though she left the Cape on the 21 f January, has not made her appearance yet. If the requirements of a Kafir war so tax our steam resources that one vessel must be made to do the work of two, and all are left behind by private merchantmen, what are we to expect when heavier demands come upon us? This is the question which was asked, but which Admiral Berke ley omitted to answer. With respect to the general efficiency of our naval defence s , Ad m iral Berkeley not only asserted, but "staked hi s exi s tence" on the fact that " though the Admiralty did not make any fuss about their proceedings, they could during all the time of the outcry have covered the Chan nel from the North Foreland to the Channel Islands with a fleet of steamers, within signal distance of each other, in the space of 24 hours." Such is the Gal lant Admiral's tardy declaration. We have not the smallest desire to question a statement which will be remarkably re-assuring to the country at large, and which will doubtless be remembered to some effect in the debate on our defecces, but we really think the " late Board" might have judiciously made a little more "fuss" on this special occasion. We can only say at present that not only the public, but the members of the service itself, seem utterly unable to comprehend where this feet of steamers was to come from. Admiral Bowles, though formerly in office, "had not the least idea of such a thing." Admiral Napier was evidently quite as much in the dark. Yet, somehow or other, it seems these invisible steamers, with their invisible engineers, seamen, and gunners, and all warranted, we presume, not to break down, were to start forth in scores at a telegraphic signal. This is, indeed, a " naval reserve" worth talking about, and the more substantial the vision is the better will the country be satisfied; but, as the " late Board" kept the secret so very effectually, and have only disclosed it gratuitously after all, they cannot be surprised if the public take some time to "realize" the fact. HERALD.—There are some statements which pass simply from their audacity. They make such a bold onset, that the auditor is pushed some steps backward before he has time to recollect himself. Of this class was an assumption that several leaders of the new Oppo sition agreed to put forward in the first debate under the new Administration in the Commons—an assumption, tie boldness of which was chiefly mani`e.ted in this— that it took for granted that the present House of Com mons, being born in July, 1847, could have no know ledge of what took place in the previous House, between May, 1846, aed Jui e 1847. Let us show what we mean by citing two or three passages from three of the prin cipal speakers in that night's debate. To begin, then, with Lord John Russell. The Noble Lord, in that de bate, used these words:— " The Prime Minister says, I cannot propose mea sures to the present Parliament, because I should be in a minority.' That is not an unusual position ; but Mi nisters who have said that have usually said, It is im possible for me to propose those measures with any prospect of success in the present Parliament. I must advise the Crown to call another Parliament, and to that Parliament I must submit the measures I think right for the country;' but the proposition of the Noble Lord at the head of the Government, and the proposi tion of the Right Hon. Gentleman to-night, is this— ' We are in a minority ; we mean to conduct the whole business of the country with that minority ; we mean to go through the session, and when the session is over we mean to exercise our own discretion w hether we shall dissolve Parliament or not—it may perhaps be dissolved in December, and then we shall propound the measures we think necessary.' " It appears to me, I own, that there is no constitu tional precedent, that there can be no constitutional pre cedent, for such conduct as this." Next, Sir James Graham came to the Noble Lord's aid, with an exactly similar statement. He said : " I bad the pleasure of hearing the Noble Earl at the head of the Government iu a late speech of his, when he said—' I know that I am in an undoubted minority in the House of Commons, and I appeal therefore to the forbearance of the House.' I deny absolutely that in the whole course of our Parliamentary history such an admission was ever made by any Minister, or that any such appeal for forbearance was ever asked.—(Cheers.) I challenge any one to point out any such admission, or any such request, as that made by Lord Derby.—(Keay, hear.) I say that a due homage to the representativ e system is at variance with such a request—(Hear, hear) —and that our rep resentative s y stem w ould be brought into disrepute if a Government so situated continued in office, or suffered Parliament to sit an hour longer than was necessary to provide for the safety and defence of the country. And then, thirdly, came another ex - Minister, Mr. Gladstone. He said If I have any fault to find with the Right Hon. Gentleman's speech, it is that he seems disposed to avoid recognising that there is something improper and irre gular to the constitution in the existence of a Govern' went which is in a minority in the Commons," And again:— " The point which I desire to bring before the House, and on which I wish the discussion to be concentred, that this House must obtain in form and substance an assurance of the intention of the Government to advise the Ctewn to dissolve Parliament as soon as the busi- ness.necessary for the circumstances of the moment shall b 3 dispatched. ' Now here we i have three men o f th e fi rst class as poli tici;ns agrePing n a statement which utterly " ignores" (to uses modern phrase) the whole Parliamentary history of 1846-1847. In 1841 a new Parliament was summoned. The first thing it did was to dismiss the Melbourne Cabinet; and to carry Sir Robert P €e l into offica by a majority of 91. That majority was s u b sequently a little increased, and it is a fact, altogether beyond dispute that in that Parliament, which sat from A ugust, 1841 to, July, 1847, Lord John Russell could neve r reckon more than than 270 to 280 supporters; while the Conservatives, elected by the people expressly to put him out of office, were above 360 in number. In June, 1846, Sir Robert Peel, having introduced a lamentable and fatal division into the ranks of the Conservative party, was ej ec t e d from office, by a momenTary coalition, exactly timilor to that which has just overthrown Lord John Russell. His Lordship speaks with some bitterness of the Pro. tectionists who voted with Lord Palmerston on the militia question, and thus caused his ejection from office. It is convenient to him to forget that in 1846 he himself managed to climb into office by a pre cisely similar vote. He pushed Sir Robert Peel from his seat, and regained the Premiership for himself, by voting with Lord George Bentinck and the Protection• ists, to destroy the Free Trade Government of Sir Robert Peel. And now, forsooth, ho makes it a charge against acme of the Protectionists that they pre ferred Lord Palmerston's Militia Bill to his own! But to return: Lord John Russell was sent for in 1846, precisely as Lord Derby was sent for in 1852, be cause, the existing Ministry being overthrown, the Sovereign saw in him the best apparent hope of a new Government. He accepted office. Had he a majority in the House of Commons? Not fir one single moment. Yet this never disturbed him. He knew that he had only—as Lord Derby has now —some 260 or 280 pledged supporters in the Lower House. Bat this did not dismay him; for he calculated, and he had a right to cal culate, that the remaining 360 or 370 Members would never combine, at least for the present, to throw him out of office. Ho went on safely, but without a majority. He did not dissolve. On the contrary, he carried Par liament all through the business of 1847, existing, all the while, on the forbearance of the majority. In a word, he did then for more than twelve months that very thing which he now says it is unconstitutional for Lord Derby to think of doing for one-third part of the time. Is it not strange that such statements as these can be made—depending, evidently, on men's entire forgetfulness of what occurred only five years ago ? Every one, when remindtA of the fact, can remember perfectly well that a Whig Government existed in Eng land from Juno, 1846, to June, 1847 ; although during the whole of that time there were not in the Hogs* o f commons so many as 280 Whigs and Whig-Radicals in the aggregate. And yet we are now told, by three ex-Ministers in succession, that for a Government to think of holding office for even three or four months without having a majority in the House of Commons, is " utterly opposed to the spirit of the Constitution!" Se say Lord John Russell, Sir James Graham, and Mr. Gladstone. But what will men not say who have been turned out of office, and are eager to get back again ? •THE DUTIES OF DEMOCRACY." The following is the last document issued by Maz zini under the above title, and addressed to the Con- mental Revolutionists :-- " What ought to be at present the mot d'ordre, the rallying cry of parties? All is comprised in one word— Action—action, one, European, incessant, logical, boal, and universal! Mere talkers have destroyed France; and they will destroy Europe, if a holy reaction is not got up against them. Thanks to such persona, we are now in the time of the Lower Empire. By dint of discussing on the future, we have abandoned the present to the first comer. By dint of substituting each his little sect, his little system, his little organization of humanity, for the great religion of democracy, fur the common faith, for the association of forces to make a conquest of the position, we have thrown disorganization into the ranks. The sacred phalanx which ought to press forward always as a single man, drawing closer together at each martyr's death, has become an assemblage of free corps, a veritable camp of Wallestein, minus the genius of the master. At the hour of attack, it fell to pieces on the right and on the left, and was found scattered about in little detachments everywhere, except in the heart of the place. The enemy was one, discussing nothing, but acting always, and it is not by arguing on the best means of cutting and clipping human kind to a fixed standard that the foe can be dislodged. The time bas come to speak the truth plainly to our friends. They have done all the evil possible to the beat of causes; they would have killed it by excess of love or by want of intelligence, if it was not immortal. I accuse the socialists, and in particular the leaders, of having falsified, mutilated, diminished our grand idea, by imprisoning our law, common for all, within absolute systems which usurp at the same time power over the liberty of the individual, over the sove reignty of the country, and over the continuity of pro gress. I accused them of having aimed, in the name of their paltry individuality, at giving positive solutions to the problem of human life, before that life was able to manifest itself in the plenitude of its capcity under the action of these great electric currents called revolutions. I accuse them of having at tempted to produce at a fixed time, from their weak or diseased brains, an organization which cannot issue except from the co-operation of all the human fa culties in action, and of having substituted their so litary I for the collective .1 of Europe, of having spoken in the name of Sr. Simon, Fourier, Cabet, or any other, there where the point was to destroy the re vealing agents for the profit of the continued revelations, and to inscribe over the front of the temple, God is God, and Humanity is his Prophet!' For having forgotten Ac tion ! For having said:' What France owes to Europe is the solution of the organization of labour.' For having slighted the voice of such of her children as called on all dissentient parties to organize themselves on a common ground to bear the brunt ot battle—France has arrived, by Rome, at the shame of Dec 2. The whole of demo cratic .Europe must now aid France in recovering her position, as she formerly aided Europe. She must above all advance, advance constantly, advance alone, to force Franco to join her. The movement of France depends at present on the movement of Europe; the movement of Tes sin° and the insurrection of Sicily preceded the republic of 1848. The European iniativo at present belongs to the first people which shall rise, not iu the name ot a local interest, but of a European principle. Should France do so, may God and humanity bless France! Should she not do so, let others do so! God has no chosen people. Father of all, he is with all who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the common wea l. From the alliance of nations must sp r i ng th e initiative ; and there is not, at the present time, a single petiole which, Spontaneously rushing into the arena, or in nobly resisting, cannot raise the two thirds of Europe. The day in which the democracy militant shall have a government, an impost, a common ground, a plan, an ensemble of operations, it will have conquered. Until thee, let it resign itself to M. de Maupas, Schwartzenberg, and Radetsky; let it resign itsclt to shame, to the rod, to transportation, and to the gibbet, and let it find its compensation in the perusal of the political novels which its utopian dreamers are always ready to write—they do not cost much trouble to be written. " March, 1852. " JOSEPH MAZZINI THE CRYSTAL PALACE. TO THE EDITOR OE THE TIMES. Sir,—l have read with surprise the report of the Corn mission appointed by the Treasury to make inquiries on the cost and applicability of the Crystal Palace. The whole bearing of my evidence was in favour of the plan suggested by me, and admitted by the Commis sion to be the best proposed, viz., to convert the Cry s tal Palace into a winter garden; but the only portion of my evidence which has been adverted to in the report is a detached sentence, the meaning of which has been totally misunderstood. It the opportunity which I requested, and which was afforded to others, of making verbal corrections in my printed evidence had been given me, I should have made this sentence clearer; but as it stands now, the sense which has been attributed to it arises from a strange misapprehension. I never would have recommended the conversion of the palace into a winter garden, if I had not felt convinced that it was for the public advantage, even in an economical point of view. Though, in my opinion, the cost of a new building on the same scale as the present might be somewhat re duced, and its plan considerably improved, the mere cx ewp r e i e n ne s t te e i rn o gg f aa a rad d de a n p fi t l i bl n ien g agr w se h pn a t oa n w r e e e oa a n y e ae e b g ol o af t pt t rh o oep t h ok e ri t i p ao u n r p ut o o d s t e a hi s za3t of do R ef ri a novo. The destruction of the buildin g w h en i ts purchase has been so nearly completed would, in my opi n i on, b e a wanton sacrifice of property, and the reference in the report to the possibility of constructing a more suitable edifice at a less expense than would be required for the nPcessary outlay on the Crystal Palace, is not only a misrepresentation of my evidence, but tends to blind the eyes of the public to the foolish piece of mo dern Vandalism which the:y e p ort of the Commission sansanctions.l have the hono ur t o b e your moot obedient eery:at JOSEPEf FAXTO Devonshire-house, Mar c h 23. The public were on_ building, and THE CR Y STAL _ pALAC.E. . preservation wereh first time, ad mitted without Monday, for the immense its popul a • rity and the interest , char g e into the interior of this taken its people who availed them themselve s of the privilege thus afforded , b y the contractors. During the day there was well illustrated by the numbers of not less than 30,000 visitors. They belonged to every class from the pcerage downwards, a nd all seemed g reatl y impretted with the grandeur of the spectacle. Many had never been there before, and their companions might t be heard eager ly explaining to them where the most pro minent obj e cts of the Eshibition stood. The site of the crystal fountain and of the other chief trophies of the nave and transept were all thus carefully indicated. Many seated themselves on bcrehes and quietly contemplated the vast ytt regular proportions which, cleared of all obstructions of the e i nterior,vie, to the w and seen in their unadorned sim wonderful effect. The gPalilelietrYi'eshaanvde th e e er w t a h i n o l i Y e area ave o ry t the edifice from end to end were thoroughly explored, and the troops of chil dren and young people playing about suggested how easily and welt so vast a covered apace might be adaptec for purposes of innocent recreation. Willis's grand organ and the immense mirrors of the Thames Plue Glass Company are now the sole remaining vestiges of the Exhibition. The retention of the organ is likely to prove a considerable advantage. On Saturday last it was played by Mr. Best, and the performance drew to gether not less than 4,000 people, and induced a sale o' 1,200 catalogues.Nov Now that the interior is empty, music is heard with much greater effect than formerly, and the performance will ba repeated on Wednesdays and Saturdays until further notice. The public ought not to lose the opportunity now afforded them of visiting the Palace free of charge, and judging for themselves how far they are interested in its retention. In a few weeks hence, unless they bearir themselves, it will disappear almost as suddenly as it arose, to be remembered only as a splendid vision—the phantasmagoria of human in dustry in 1851. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. emneer s reg e e m ptieorc w artnt h haed a nes t later in the season than usual, but welcome soon or late, comes the programme 'of her Majesty's Theatre for the ensuing year. The summer which is before us hardly presents the same inducements to ma nagerial ardour as those held out in the Great Exhibi tion par. We can anticipate no swarms of foreigners crowding across the Channel, nor, still more profitable, legions of provincials flocking up to the metropolis from every nook and corner of England, Ireland, and Scot land. Electioneering tronbles, moreover, threaten to some extent to mar the season, and to break up the gay period when the West- end is crowded, and all the sights and all the sounds of London are in full swing; but we are glad to perceive that Mr. Lumley dismayed by none of these portents, and after all they may turn out to be thatt e s o n 'f s yiushionergaeasp; campaign, mehs appears as i I he tg i e o n n b. has a h p s: eor fi rfe el c d collecte d v igo all r o u h s i s and old troupe around him, with considerable an d i mportant ad ditions:Theatre is the old and chosen ll of the association great thh artistic aed afterl o r y i e f in p r e p a r eda o tal i remin i sc en c e . I n 2l i s ne r f P 1 iae r o na l I : ._ j e e a B g y e r , 5 f o Its vve e c n o c u e p it l i e te it is wit f h ul a l It has seen the early eareer and whe ea e r y triumphs of ; whil e e e r e he nologe those notabilities of Italian song to be destined to awaken its echoes recollec tions of the ballets which it has given to th the queens of the dance who have sometimes rwerne-cl-9 individual majesty—sometimes concluded a oetigegrreess-alolafl terpsichorean sovereignty upon its board - fraught with pleasurable sensations, which we may b e excused if we are glad to look forward to ag a i n . b ud Her Majesty's Theatre has a powerful rival to contend with, is, perhaps, as well for both establishments as for the public. Either management is kept on the qui vice. An active and enterprising competition is necessitat e d. The old beaten ways are felt to be no longer sufficient to fill either house. Novelty in matter and manner is imperatively called for. Artists of continental reputa tion are rigorously demanded, and the result is that the public and the art of dramatic music are equally bone fitted by competition and comparison. The season of 1852 will, it 13 announced, commence on Tuesday evening, the 30th of March. The repertoire for tho seism wlifini operas, to one and will be able to do f Don Giovanni Nozze di Figaro II Matrimonio Se- f greto Lucia di Lammer- Puritani L'Elisir d'Amora Don Pasquale Cenerentola Ernaoi I Due Foscari 'elude the foilowi all of which the reb full justice:— Norma La Sonnambula i La Favorita I Il Barbiere Semiramide La Gazza Ladra Lucrezia Borgia Linda di Chamonni ()tell() La Figlia del Reg gimento iog brilliant list of sources of the house Roberto Devereux Il Giuramento Guglielmo Tell Torquato Tauo Tancredi Roberto it Dia- volo Pietro l'Eramita L% Temper a Florinda, and Il Prodigo Of novelties we have two classes—those positively announced, and those conditionally promised. The first category does not comprise more than two works, but they wilt be found to captain the elements of great ar tistic interest, united in one case with those intrinsic considerations which, although unconnected with pure art, can hardly tail to excite a lively and natural degree of anticipation. ‘Ve refer to the production of a new grand opera, Casilda, the composition of his Royal Highness the Duke of Saxe Coburg and Gotha, and the brother of Prince Albert. This work, after having been originally produced, as we believe, on the small but com plete stage of the Coburg Theatre, was transferred to the more important boards of Vienna and Berlin, and there enjoyed a success quite unconnected with the pe culiar circumstances of its origin. The reigning Duke of Saxe Coburg and Gotha is by no means a tyro in dramatic lyric compesition. More than one of his operas are well known upon the German stage, and we are glad to have an opportunity of judging for ourselves a work which, whatever may be its artistic merits, and we are assured on good authority that they are high, pos. sesses other and peculiar claims to our notice. The an nouncement of the work will no doubt excite a consider .. able degree of curiosity and interest. We have seen scattered notices of the opera in various continental mu sical papers, but without reprodaoing their judgments shall wait for the opportunity of fairly deciding for our selves. For the excellence of the ordinary troupe, the chorus, and the orchestra of the Ducal Theatre in the little sovereignty of Saxe-Coburg, we can personally vouch, having had opportunities of seeing both opera and German tragedy performed on the boards of Coburg and Gotha. The second novelty positively promised is an opera, not actually new, but new to this country, by Flotow, entitled Martha, and in which it is truly stated that "Madame Sontag has obtained an additional triumph to her many brilliant successes." Fiotow is known in this country, if we mistake not, only by one opera—his Ante en Peine which was inefficiently performed some seasons ago at the Princess's Theatre, but which, in adequate as the representation was, made a very con sidersole impression. Flotow's characteristics are a deep and feeling vein of melody, full of tenderness and passion, and marked by piquancy and originality of treatment, while his orchestral scoring is the work of a consummate musician bringing a strong individuality of taste to bear upon a thorough command of the resources which he possesses. The opera of Martha has, doubt less, been written so as to develop the peculiar vocal talents of its heroine—Madame Sontag—and e k e such may be anticipated as a rich and stirling treat. Among the conditional announcement is one that " an opera by the great maestro, Meyerbeer, will be, most probably, produced during the season, written expressly for Madame Sontag." Of Meyerbeer's operas we can never he said to be certain until the curtain actually rises upon them. The "great;maestro" is a very fastidious personage, and, as he does not write for considerations of personal advantage, he can always afford to keep back his productions as long as he pleases, and that is some times a tolerably considerable time. However, we shall be delighted in the present instance to hope for the best; and whether the hinted work be a re-touched version of the long promised Camp of Silesia or a perfectly new opera, the world will be equally delighted to hail it. Don Giovanni is promised, with a cast which will in. elude Madame Sontag, Madame Cruvelli, and the new corner, of whom so much has been said and so much is to be expected, Mademoiselle Wagner, from Vienna and Berlin. Madame Sontag will, of course, be the Z-rlina, and Mademoiselle Wagner (as we conjecture) the Donna Anna. With any distribution, however, including the three names, the cast will be singularly strong. ohret rasnetl fshe additions. iseTe ever hest, a d at n a e t S ti o; v t e a r g :e e col have pOpera. Besides the actual works which we have mentioned all to ho produced for the first time, we are promised, i n general terms, " many novelties." The Saxe Cobonrg opera and Flotow's work are only particularized as to mwe.inFniorentini, an be amongst the earltes". The company includes all the principal names of last as bringing back the purest and most brilliant style of fear mentioned.with i important 1 13 the purest and most brilliant days of the Itali an Next to S mtag we find the name of M old favourite, who has been latcly opinioes in It,ly, and who will be cordially inning golden back. Aiello. Ids Bertrand will be, as before, welcomed trait.), and Mlle. Sofia Cruvelli, flushed the con trait), triuisphs, m ry be expected ‘' to ed with her Pa degree of enthusiasm than that .er3ite a still h4her called up around her by her which she last seam i inter pretations of Fidelio, Nor strongly dramatic ma, and Lucrezia Borgia. Amongst the ladies Aldile. Wagner is the new comer. We have not heard her, but la to England, and we believe h er fame has preceded t her . that we are to antieipwaitehrna the New German artist commanding amou nt of d ramati c d uaegniticent sop ran' talent, force, and energy. The deb r will "Testi-- a nti ci p ated, u be very anxio usly and will excite universal interest. To the list ofgent interest. several additions have beta gentlemen . , made. Gard mat ding all the omi nous reports b a out his state of health. With him we find again Signor Pardini, Signor Mercuriali, and Signor CalaJlari—all old and well-known friends. The two Lablaches conclude the list of the male company, not including the new comers, of whom there are not les s than three—Signor Ferlotti, whohaas, season h son elf a e twil been st,favourite during whom the l w as e t o kn p ow er nothing—and Signor Signor Susini , of u barytone from Italy. Signor BAsini, a well-known his American tour. The above Eelletti re• appears a t h e e r he d comment. The known names list calls for no lengt •For t h e strangers we must wait until are well know n • they come , Among the conditional engagements is tt at of Signor Negn .ui, the tenor, the conclusion of which d to be daily expected. i s state d The ballet was somewhat neglected l ast seas on, . but t h e arra ng ements for the present year ere promis ing and brilliant, and include, not only several of the old favour iteg a,S executants, but several novelties for them to dance ice s Wile. Cerito has been engaged, and will appear,we presume, early in the season; and Mdlle. Guy Stephan, as we take it, will open the campaign in a new Spanish divertissement, entitled El Duende, which will be per formed on the opening evening. Another welcome ballet engagement is that of Mdlle. Caroline Rosati. Among the choregraphic Dii tninores we find the names of Mdlles. Rosa, Mathilde, Lamoureux, Emilie, and Pap. cales. It seems yet uncertain whether Carlotta Grist will return, but her admirers will be pleased to learn that " a proposal for en engagement of two months" has also beau forwarded to the lady in question, who is now at St. Petersburgh, to commence at the termination of her present engagement at the Magian capital. A new Italian ballet, composed expressly for the theatre, is an. flounced for immediately after Easter. The composition will, we presume, introduce Mdlle. Cerito. Tho opening opera will be Maria de Rohan, intro ducing Signor Ferlotti. Mr. Balfe bus, we believe, re turned from Paris, where ho went after the produotie n of his opera at Drury-lane, and the preliminary reheat ; sale are actually in course of Progreso. Thus then commences the season of 1852, giving pro" wise of divers events of interest, and of an active and busy year. The competition between the houses will no doubt be steady and severe, and we can only express a hope that managerial tact and executive skill will be properly appreciated, and fully rewarded, at whithetst ev d" establishment th ere I d , • ,q) five . , e 1 —.............._ Died - F • - ieo, on . ridtty, Ahr e b 19 at Govern Vale House, , Brecknockshire, aft er a le r g ill n ess, John Gwynne, Esq., aged 72, deputy-lieutenant for Brec knockshire, also justice of the peace for the counties of 11ionmouth and Brecon. He served throughout the Peninsular war as lieutenant in the 14th Light Dragoons, being twice severely wounded, and was present in the three several enga gements—namet Si t , lamanca, Fuentes d'O nor , a nd Talavera — fo r which II rill ceived a three-bar m e d a l from big Graelonslll4lol7. I I I ;a' are liEd Job - ind be ir the ' Oa Vig, e , 'O4 Red, fell d 0 101 1 3 10' r h e obe r boa Y eer too" SO P lb ° bV 10' • p a a t