The Sun. — London, England, 1837-12-26 00:00:00

NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. There is nothing which has t long engaged the public at tention, or occasioned so much of an unpleasant feeling throughout all classes of society, as the practice, which asto nishes foreigners, of compelling those who have at first been heavily taxed for the erection of national monuments, and who still are required to maintain them, of charging an ex travagant sum afterwards for permission to view those things which can only be valuable in the ratio as they improve the public taste, inspire a veneration for religion, and increase the reverence of the multitude for the virtuous, the talented, and the brave—for " The mind that thought for Britain's weal, The hand that grasped the warrior's steel." On Saturday one of the most influential, as well as inter esting meetings that it has been our lot to witness for a length of time, was held at the Thatched House Tavern, St. ,James's -street, for the purpose of affording Mr. Hume an opportunity of communicating to the Committee appointed to procure free admission for the public to the national mo numents, not only in the metropolis, but throughout the United Kingdom, and of which he is Chairman, the result of the several applications which he had made to the Go vernment, and various other parties having charge of the In stitutions, in which those monuments are deposited. The meeting was announced for one o'clock, but owing to Mr. Hume's unavoidable attendance at the House of Commons, it did not take place until after two. Amongst the nu merous gentlemen present on the occasion, besides Members of the Committee, we observed Lord Worsley, M.P., Mr. Wyse, M. P., Mr. Smith O'Brien, M. P., Sir Harry Verney, M. P., Mr. Marshall, Mr. Wilks, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Rennie, and Mr. Crawford. In the absence of the Hon. Member for Kilkenny, Mr. EWART was called to the Chair. The SECRETARY having read the proceedings of the last meeting, and the resolutions then adopted being confirmed, proceeded to lay the following Report before the meeting GENTLEMEN—It is our duty to report to the Committee the various steps taken since its last meeting, held at the Thatched House Tavern, July 1, 1837. " The Deputation then appointed to wait on her Majesty's Ministers being advised by Lord J. Russell that he would receive the Address to the Queen on the of July, at two o'clock, Messrs. Hume, Colborne, Hope, Wyse, and Rennie, and Alderman Sir M. Wood proceeded accordingly to the Homo Office, where they were received by the First Lord of the Treasury and the Secretary for the Home Department. Lord John Russell assured the deputation that her Majesty had that morning expressed her approbation of the objects of the - meeting, and evinced a lively interest on the subject. Lord Melbourne proved by various questions to the deputa tion, that he considered the proceedings and objects of the Committee of considerable importance. " Communications in unison with the Queen's gracious approbation were soon after forwarded by the Noble Secre tary for the Home Department to the Deans of St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster, and likewise to the Master of the Ordnance, on account of the collections in the Tower, and to the President of the Royal Academy, relative to the annual exhibition in the rooms which that Society holds in the National Gallery. " The Dean and 'Chapter of St. Paul's have ordered that on week days those who enter freely during divine service shall not, as heretofore, be driven out at its conclusion, but remain if they please the remainder of the day. The Canon Resi dentiary has also promised one hour each week day addi tional free entrance. The fee is, however, still levied on those who enter at other times whilst no service is being per tained. For two or three Sundays St. Paul's was left open the whole afternoon ; but on the complaint of the Senior Verger (who receives one fourth of all entrance fees) that a prodigious crowd of ' fashionable loungers,' by walking along the floor, made a noise that interfered with divine ger% ice, to the indignation of some pious persons, this Sunday admission is again restricted to the hours of service. " We have learned with regret that the Dean of Westmin ster declines to accede to the wishes of the Queen as commu nicated by the Minister of State. " The President of the Roy al Academy waited on Lord J. Russell, and endeavoured to persuade his Lordship that al though located in a national edifice, that Society being strictly of a private character, ought to be excepted from the proposed regulations, so properly recommended for more national esta blishments. The President has since printed and circulated the purport of his observations. " Application has since been made to the President for re turns of the number of students sent by that Institution to Rome, &c., (that being the object of paramount claim on the ccuntry.) The return was promised for October, but is ex pected. "On the subject of the Tower of London much corres pondence has taken place between Mr. flume, General Sir Hussey Vivian, Lord John Russell, and with the Duke of Wellington, who is averse to any change of regulations iu that fortress. The Board of Ordnance, in consequence of his Grace's remonstrance, thinking there might be some in convenience attending the unrestricted exhibition of a quan tity of fire-arms, instead of free admission, recommend a reduction of fee from 3s. to Is. It has been explained, that all anxiety may be set at rest by continuing the fee on the exhibition of modern implements of war, while the objects of national interest, such as the historical records, the horse armoury, and the trophies won at the defeat of the Spanish Armada, are throan open to the public. " Lord John Russell still declares this subject to be open to consideration. " In pursuance of the resolution of the Committee of the Ist of July, the report of the public meeting of the 29th of May has been printed, and as far as was practicable, copies have been forwarded to the Throne, to Ministers of the State, Archbishops, Bishops, and Deans of the principal Cathedrals. as well as to the Members of the Committee, to provincial editors and public institutions. • " The Committee will be pleased to hear that very favour able arswers have been received from the Dean and Chapter of Norwich, with a copy of their order for throwing open their Cathedral one hour in each day in addition to the usual hours of divine service free to the public, an additional allowance being made by the Chapter to life Subsacristans for their at tendance. " The Bishop of Chichester informed Mr. Hume that he had sent Mr. Hume's letter to thc Dean and Chapter, with his strong recommendati, n, and expressing a hope, f,orn the in nncr the proposal had been received, that two hours each day would soon be allowed to the public to see that splendid edifice. The Dean of that Diocese has also written on the subject, explaining that no definite answer could be given until the next meeting of the Chapter, when the proposal would be submitted to their consideration, and observing that there might possibly be some practical difficulties in the arrangement. " The Bishop of Bath and Wells has, in three several com munications, expressed his concurrence in the sentiments of the Committee, and is happy to find that his Cathedral (pro bably that of Wells) is at all times open to the public, and no fee expected. " We have also been favoured with a statement of the cir cumstances connected with the late visit of the Turkish Am bassador to Edinburgh Castle, when his Excellency and suite were refused access to the regalia of Scotland, because un provided with shilling tickets, although bearing a letter from the Secretary of the Home Department. An Address to the Queen has been forwarded, and we have also received a copy of a petition about to be presented to Parliament from the Lord Provost and Council of Edinburgh, praying that the regalia, and all other exhibitions of objects having a national or historical interest, or calculated to improve the public taste, may be made free to the public without admission fee. " A petition from Glasgow was presented in the House of Lords by the Duke of Richmond, on the 29th ult. " It has no doubt been observed by many Members of the Committee that schools of art are springing up in various quarters, in consequence of the late Parliamentary inquiry into the state of the arts of design, and the effect produced by the public meeting of the 29th of May last, and the sub3c qttent exertions of the Committee. According to the reports in the papers, the Society for the Promotion of Art just founded at Newcastle, under the active auspices of the Bishop of Dur ham, has been founded in consequence of the reports of those various proceedings. " On the 29th of November a meeting of the Members of the Mechanics' Institution was held in their theatre, for the purpose of addressing the Queen and petitioning Parliament for free admission to all collections of objects calculated to assist national education, particularly St. Paul's, West minster-Abbey, the Tower, the exhibition of modern pictures at the National Gallery, and the designs and models at the Admiralty and at the Trinity-house. The proceedings were highly interesting, and the resolutions were carried unanimous') . " It may be observed, that this is the only occasion of that useful and prosperous Society having ever during the fourteen years of its existence petitioned the Legislature. Unsup ported by Government, it has built premises, paid rent and taxes, and taught the community that education and rational amusement are alone sufficient to render working men sober, intelligent, and orderly, and having done this in thousands of instances, they now declare that public museums and exhibi tions of proper objects are capable of leading the industrious classes from the debasing habits picked up in the tap-room to the practice of temperance and orderly deportment. The resolutions were all proposed and seconded by members of the Institution, and the arguments adduced calculated to give a very high opinion of the individuals and of the Society, as expressive of an uncommon share of sound principles and practical observation. The Address has been placed in the hands of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex ; the petition to the Lords has been sent to Lord Brougham, and that to the Commons to Mr. Grote. " That a general interest of a most cheering kind has been excited can no longer be doubted. The above details, and the great increase of schools of art, leave no room to doubt the effects of tke late inquiry by the Select Parliamentary Committee, and the exertions which you, Gentlomen, have made, arc an example to the country, and in retribution of honour. '' That the object of the Committee have not yet been fully effected only proves the magnitude of the plan, whilst the patience of its most sanguine supporters, and good intentions of nearly every class of society, from the Throne and Govern ment down to the humblest mechanic, are the best presages of your ultimate success in procuring for a grateful pe o pl e an extensive, or wholesome, and truly national adult educa tion." Mr. WILKS observed that it might save the valuable time of the meeting if the Secretary would inform them what practi cal course they were called on to pursue. Mr. Focco (Honorary Secretary) said that if he were al lowed to read the correspondence which had taken place between Mr. Hume and several distinguished individuals, the meeting would soonest arrive at a full possession of how matters stood. The Duk© of Wellington, Lord John Rus sell, and the Dean of Westminster, had written letters which would fully explain their situation.—( Hear.) After some further interlocutory observations, during which the Chairman observed that the chief object of the meeting was to . lay before the public the whole of the information which the untiring and indefatigable exertions of Mr. Hume had eli cited, the Honorary Secretary proceeded to read the following correspondence : " Brighton, Oct. 30, 1837. " Dear Sir,—l have heard this =min , * from Sir Hussey Vivian, respecting the admission of the public to the Tower. Some time ago he appointed a Committee of the Board, who reported that the entrance-money ought to be reduced to one shilling, but that as the Tower contained so many military stores it could not, without inconvenience, be opened gratis. " Her Majesty approved of the recommendation, and the Master-General has now ordered that the admission fee be reduced to one shilling accordingly. " The Chapter of St. Paul's have, in compliance with the Queen's wishes, given greater facilities for the gratuitous ad mission of the public to the Cathedral, but they complain that the performance of Divine Service has, in consequence, been much disturbed. I trust, however, that some arrangements will be adopted to prevent this evil, and at the same time more commodious to the public. " The Dean and Chapter of Westminster altogether refuse to enlarge or modify their present restrictions. " I remain yours faithfully, " J. RUSSELL." FROM THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON TO THE SECRETARY OF THE SUN, LON DON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1837. the object which they had in view would be in a great mea sure accomplished, as the Royal Academy could no longer close its doors against the public. It might perhaps be necessary, as a matter' of justice, to supply any deficiency which the adoption of his plan would occasion in the funds of the British Academy by means of a subscription ; but without going further into that matter at present, he would only say, that it was also his intention to call for returns to show what tho Royal Academy with all its advantaises and privileges, bad done for the cause of science and the arts. He believed it had wholly failed in these respects, and that to this failure was to be attributed the reluctance which was evinced in giving the papers which bad been asked of the managers of that establishment. At all events the discus sion might do much good, and this was the opinion of Sir Robert Peel, Lord Sandon, Mr. Hope, and other Hon. Gen tlemen, who, though concurring in his views, wished the point to be carried rather by indices:it means than positive compulsion. He could only say, that when the whole of the correspondence on this and other subjects was pub lished and circulated, he would be happy to receive any suggestions that might be sent to him. He had entered into correspondence with all the Bishops, but be was sorry to say there was nothing to hope from any of them, with the ex ception of the Bishop of Chichester, and one or two others. They were all favourable to the employment of the " golden key." He must say that Lord John Russell had reasoned the matter well with the Dean of Westminster, Dr. Ireland. Dr. Ireland was, however, immovable. The threat which he had thrown out of moving for an inquiry to ascertain what funds had been allotted out of the public moneys for the maintaining and keeping the cathedrals generally open, would, he had no doubt, hare a good effect. Finding from a statement in the newspapers that the Turkish Ambassador had been refused admission to see the Regalia of Scotland without paying the customary fee, and that, too, not withstanding he had the authority of a Member of the Government in his hand ; he (Mr. Hume) had written to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh on the subject, and he was happy to say that a similar difficulty was not likely again to occur. The Lord Advocate was in correspondence in reference to the same transaction, and there was therefore strong hopes that in a littlo time the whole of the national monuments and curiosities contained not only in Edinburgh, but in the other towns of Scotland, would be open to gratuitous inspection by the public. It appeared that the shilling fees paid for a sight of the Regalia of Scotland produced an annual sum of 4001., and that out of this a snug sinecure of 3001. a-year had been secured to Sir Adam Ferguson for duties which he did not perform, but which were discharged by a serjeant, to whom he paid about 321. a year. With respect to the Tower of London, the fees on admission to the sights there had been reduced by the instrumentality of Sir Hussey Vivian from 3s. to Is., but he (Mr. Hume) objected that any charge at all should be made, and therefore he had left the matter as an open question. The Lord Chamberlain, he believed, received 1,500/. a year ft om the exhibition of the Regalia at the Tower. He (Mr. Hume) would submit to the meeting a proposition for appointing a Committee to frame a Report, with the view of making the public more fully acquainted with their pro. ceedings.—( Hear, hear.) In Edinburgh the greatest interest had been manifested on the subject. The Lord Provost had taken a very active part and tad called .a Council, when an excellent Report was adopted, which would be laid before the House of Commons and printed.—( Hcar, hear, hear.) The prospect in Edinburgh was very good, and it was expected that in a short time every public building, Holyrood House included, would be open to the public for a certain number of hours every day. The Lord Provost had not only sent petitions to the Houses of Lords and Commons, but also an address to the Queen. He (Mr. Hume) had written to Glas gow on the subject, and an address to the Throne and peti- tions to the Legislature had been since forwarded from that place. In many of the great towns of England a great desire bad been manifested to second their efforts, and thes only way to concentrate this sympathy was by giving increased publicity to their proceedings.—(Hear, hear.) He had spoken to several Members of the House of Commons, and there was scarcely a man he had spoken to but was willing to join in promoting their object. He had nothing further to suggest, sale that of having recourse to a Committee of the House of Commons, with regard to the funds for protecting and main taining the public monuments, which would let in sufficient evidence to guide them in their further operations.—( Hear.) A Sub-Committee was then named and appointed to report on the correspondence, and to point out such steps, as under all the circumstances, it would be advisable to adopt for the furtherance of the object which they bad in view. Lord WORSLEY moved, " That the Committee express with much pleasure their gratification at the prompt and liberal attention which their efforts in this great public cause have experienced from her Majesty's Government, and espe cially at the able and decisive manner in which Lord John Russell, as Secretary of State for the Home Department, has promoted their labours by his correspondence with the Dean of Westminster and other parties." Mr. WYSE seconded the motion, which was carried unani mously. Lord WORSLEY next proposed a resolution to the effect, that this meeting has learned With great disappointment and regret the objection made by the High Constable of the Tower, and other authorities, to opening the historical re cords and curiosities of the Tower to the inspection of the public; also the refusal of the Dean and Chapter of West minster to accede to Lord John Russell's proposal for open. ing Westminster Abbey to the public, and the impediments to free exhibitions raised by the President of the Ro) al Academy. A resolution, thanking the Bishop of Chichester, the Bishop of Norwich, the Bishop of Bath anu Wells, and the Dean and • Chapter of St.• Paul's, for the liberality which they had ' evinced, was also unanimously agreed to. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, Mr. Hume, and Mr. Foggo, for their respective services, and the meeting adjourned. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MARYLEBONE. On Saturday a dashing member of the ' swell mob," who gave his name John Wilson, was charged with the perpetra tion of daring robberies. Mr. Edmund Savage, the proprietor of the Pavilion Hotel, Brighton, stated that on Tuesday, the 12th inst., the prisoner put up at his house, representing himself to be a person of for tune. His exterior corresponding with that of a gentleman, no suspicion was entertained of his honesty, and he was ac cordingly accommoda'ed with the best of everything. On the follovving evening he dressed himself and went out, telli:g the waiter that he was going to the theatre, and should not be back till rather late. As he did not return that night accor ding to promise, they began to suspect that all was .not right, when, on searching a drawer in the coffee-room, where the plate was deposited, it was discovered that the " gentleman of fortune" had decamped with it. Mr. Solomon, -the superintendent of the Brighton police, traced the prisoner to Lewes, an adjacent town, and there diccovered that after he had committed the robbery at Mr. Savage's house, he had broken open a jeweller's travelling case, who was proceeding by the same coach as himself. The prisoner, who said nothing in his defence, was re manded for the attendance of the jeweller whom he had robbed. THE BOARD OF ORDNANCE. " Walmer Castle, Sept. 25, 1837. " Sir,--I have had the honour of receiving Mr. Butler's letter of the 13th inst., No. 1,381, and have perused with at tention the enclosures in relation to the admission of the public to the Tower of London. " It must be observed that the Tower is a fortress, con. taining a Royal palace and arsenal, and some of the most im portant records of the kingdom, Parliament having up to these times, considered that fortress as exclusively under the direction of the Sovereign. " I have not here the Journals of the Howe of Commons of 1818, but I believe that there is an entry in that year of a decision founded on that principle. " However, I'll suppose the question open for consideration, upon which the Master-General and Board have thought pro per to refer for my opinion. " There can be no doubt, indeed the principle is laid down in these ppers, that an unrestrained and unlimited resort to the Tower cannot be permitted. There is but little unoccu pied space in the fortress, indeed scarcely sufficient for the transaction of the business which must be transacted there, particularly now that the Ordnance store-houses in Tooley street have been sold. " The arsenal contains not only the curious armoury of ancient times, but some hundred thousand stands of arms of all descriptions, made up ammunition for small arms, cannon of all calibre, with all the equipments thereof for immediate use, including fixed ammunition. " My experience in the Councils of the country, and as Constable of the Tower, have impressed upon my mind a con viction that articles of this description must be strictly guarded. The records of the Secretary of States's Office will show how this matter stands. " If my memory does not fail me, the Secretary of State has, since the year 1830, warned the Constable of the Tower of reports received of conspiracies to take possession of that fortress. The principle of restraint on admission to the Tower is admitted ; and I advert to these facts only in cdiro,- boration of the foundation on which it stands. There is certainly no restraint upon the resort to a place which contains any thing which is an object of curio sity, which is so easily applied, and of which the application contains so little irritation, as the price of admission. If fixed so high as that but few can afford to pay it, these few only will resort to the place. If circumstances, such as I have adverted to, should render necessary a -temporary total exclusion of visitors, persons of that class of society would submit quietly to the disappointment. I have never heard of any difficulty attending the execution of the measures which the safety of the fortress might render necessary. " It is obvious, that if persons are to be admitted upon payment of a shilling, they will be more numerous, and of a different class of society. The regulations which now govern the resort to the Tower will not answer their purpose ; others must be framed more precise and strict in their provisions. These must be carried into execution by the military autho rities in the Tower ; soldiers must be the persons to carry them into execution, unless indeed it should be thought ne cessary to place a body of police in the Tower under the orders of the Constable Of Hia. The resort to the Tower must be strictly regulated. These regulations must have for their object, first, the limitation of numbers occasioning a constant dispute at the gate of entrance ; and, next, the in spection and control of the conduct of the visitor from the period of his entrance into the Tower till his departure. " These regulations would be very difficult to carry into execution, and after all there eould be no punishment for a breach of them, or for contempt or riot, excepting expulsion from the Tower by force. " I really think that if the Government will be pleased to consider of this matter, and if the great importance of the safety of the stores, and other valuable property, which the Tower contains, they will refrain from impo:ing upon the officers in charge of that fortress the responsibility of taking care thereof, when they will allow of the resort of the people to the Tower upon the payment only of a shilling. '6 Upon looking over the accounts of the receipts I observe that nearly one-half of the amount is carried to the account of the Treasurer of the Ordnance. " It does not appear that any officer of the Ordnance of the Tower receives more than the fair remuneration for the trouble imposed upon him by these vhitings. There is na abuse that I know of, and I earnestly recommend that no alteration may be made in the existing system. " I am, &c., &c , " WELLINGTON." A letter from the Dean of Westminster, on behalf of himself and Charter, declining to accede to the demand for throwing open Westminster Abbey for the free and promiscuous inspec tion of the monuments, stating substantially the reasons which had influenced them in this decision, and their regret that his _ _ Ltrdship should have recomqended to her Majesty a propot!i :ion of such a nature, " withAtt first communicating with the legal guardians of the property proposed to be surrendered to public use," was then read, as was also the following excellent reply of his Lordship : " Whitehall, Sept. 20, 1837. 't Sir,—l have had the honour of receiving your letter, dated September 15th, enclosing a memorandum on the subject of opening Westminster Abbey to the public, at stated times. The ill effects of such a liberty are stated in the memorandum to have been found by experience, and to consist in indecorous behaviour and constant noise, the filthy state of the Church (especially in bad weather), the cccasioual injury done to the monuments, and the disturbance at the daily prayers.' It appears to me, I must confess, that these evils might nearly, if not altogether be obviated tithout a continuance of the entire prohibition which you state to have been adopted only ten years ago. It does not follow that because persons are admitted gratuitously to view' the monuments they would feel Its' respect for the Abbey, as a place of worship, than those who obtain admission upon the payment of money. Indeed, it might he contended that the payment of a shilling or half-a-crown for liberty to enter a church or cathedral, tends more to confound it with a common exhibition-room than the free permission to enter midi the single condition, that no indecorous behaviour should be tolerated. " Among other means which might be taken to prevent such an evil, an order that only one door should be open at the same time would, I should humbly think, by preventing a thoroughfare, keep out many whose numbers or conversation might create noise, and disturb the daily prayer. Another pre caution which I should be ready to adopt would be to station two police constables, free of all expense to the Dean and Chapter, to assist the officers of the Abbey so long as it should be required, in preserving order and decency. Ido not wish to enter into the question of right. The Dean and Chapter are doubtless the legal guardians of the property ; but it is not proposed to surrender that property to ' public use.' Neither do I accuse the Dean and Chapter of an interested view ; but they cannot expect that Westminster Abbey, which has been in great part raised and adorned by the munificence of former Sovereigns, and which contains the monuments of so many illustrious men, can be kept closed by a rule of only a few years old, without exciting the attention of her Majes ty's advisers and of the public. " I have the honour to be, &c., " J. RUSSELL. " The Very Reverend the Dean of Westminster." When the Secretary had concluded reading the corre spondence, a desultory conversation ensued between Mr. Crawford, Mr. Wyse, Mr. Rennie, and others, regarding the practice on the Continent of admission into places of divine worship, in the midst of which Mr. Hume arrived, and shortly after proceeded to address the meeting. Mr. HUME said that, besides the letters which had been read, a great deal of correspondence had taken place with different individuals, which might be arranged under three different heads, viz.—the Royal Academy, the Cathedrals, and the Museums. As to the Royal Academy, they had rejected every proposition made to them, notwithstanding that Lord John Russell had expressed his anxiety to promote the desire of the Committee and the wishes of the Queen. His Lard ship had also stated that when he was a boy there was free admission, and that therefore the claim should be urged now, not as a matter of favour, but as a matter of right.—( Hear, hear.) The present system of exclusion had grown up within the last ten years. He (Mr. Hume) had moved that the whole of the correspondence which had taken place between Lord John Russell and the parties connected with the several institutions should be laid before Parliament, as he thought it was the fairest way of bringing the question before the public.—( Hear, hear.) An intemperate letter which had been received from Sir Martin Shee, the President of the Royal Academy, would prove that there was no hope at the present from that quarter. That letter was neither more nor less than an violent attack upon them, and it was alleged against them that they were actuated only by a desire to inter fere with what did not concern them, and not to benefit the public. Great difficulties indeed had been experienced, both with respect to the Royal Academy, and the British Artists' Institution. These Establishments were alike competing for public favour, and he was lcd to entertain a hope that the British Academy would be induced to throw its doors open to the public gratuitously, at least two days in the week. If this could once be accomplished, the Royal Academy must jor shame adopt the sense course. They should, however, recollect that the British Academy was obliged to provide not only its own exhibition-rooms, but the whole of the expenses incidental to the establishment ; while exhibi tion-rooms, and a portion of the expenses for maintaining them, were supplied to the Royal Academy by the public. Should his proposal be acceded to by the British Academy, HATTON-GARDEN. A woman named Smart was charged with robbery, and biting off the thumb of policeman Hobbs, 67 E. A young man of the name of Harris was enticed into a no torious den in St. Giles's, between nine and ten o'clock in the morning, where he very soon became stupified, the prisoner and her companions having, as he supposed, mixed some deleterious drug with the liquor be drank. He recovered his senses in the evening, and found himself almost in a state of nudity, penniless. and alone. Believing that it was intended to add the crime of murder to that of robbery, he ran half frantic into the street, with no covering but his shirt, and having placed himself under the protection of the police, he made them ,acquainted with what had happened, and the prisoner, who was at a neighbouring gin palace, was appre hended. She was taken to the station-house, where, on being required to deliver up what money she had about her, she commenced an attack upon the police, and bit off the thumb of Hobbs at the first joint, and seriously injured several others while endeavouring to prevent her swallowing two half-crowns. In answer to the Magistrate, Inspector Jenkins said that there was no chance of finding the prosecutor's properiy. Mr. BENNETT remarked that, even if it were produced, the prosecutor would be unable to say who stole it ; be, however, would not suffer her to escape ; and he committed her to the sessions for the assault on Hobbs. The Germans sleep between two beds ; and it is related that an Irish traveller, upon finding a feather-bed thus laid over him, took it into his head that the people slept in strata, one upon the other, and said to the attendant----Will you be good enough to tell the gentleman or lady that is to lay over me, to make haste, as I wish to go to.sleep. A young woman had laid a wager she would descend into a vault, in the middle of the night, and bring from thence a skull. The person who took the wager, previously hid him self in the vault, and as the girl seized a skull, cried in a hol low voice, Leave me my head I There it is, said the girl, throw ing it down, and catching up another. Leave me my head! said the same voice. Nay, nay, said the heroic lass, you cannot have two heads; so brought the skull and won the wager. The daughter of a respectable farmer in Carmar thenshire, was lately betrothed to a young man in the neigh bourhood of Tenby ; but lovers' quarrels occurring about three weeks before the day appointed for the marriage, the swain turned on his heel, and immediately proposed to another sister, who assented, without hesitation, on the ground of its being too great a sacrifice to lose such a nice young man out of the family; and, on the day named for the former marriage, the latter took place. MARSHAL SEA PRISON.—His Grace the Duke of Argyll, as Lord Steward of her Majesty's Household, having been kindly pleased to forward to J. Rutland, Esq., the De puty Marshal, his usual munificent Christmas donation, the same was distributed yesterday morning, each debtor receiving a plentiful supply of beef, bread, and porter, with one shilling in money. His Grace's bounty was most thankfully received, and very gratefully acknowledged by all. MA RESFIELD PARK.—John Villiers Shelley, Esq., and Mrs. Shelley, have been entertaining a large party of friends at their beautiful seat, near Lewes. The Hon. Major and Mrs. Keppel, the Hon. General and Mrs. Trevor, the Earl of Liverpool, &c., were of the party. We under stand the shooting was excellent, and the sport, for which the preserves have long been famous, was very great. The Russian astronomer Fcderon, after an absence of fire years spent in travelling through different parts of Si beria, has returned in safety to St. Petersburgh.: PRICES OF CANALS, DOCK STOCKS ASSURANCE COMPANIES,&c. &c. &c. LONDON, TUESDAY, DEC. 22. Number Dividend Price of per CANALS. per 3lsares. Annum. Paid. Share 1,766 7 pet cent. Ashton and Oldham....Average 971. Ms. sh. 135 1.482 41. Ashby-de-le-Zouch Average 113/.Bh. 65 1,260 Basingstoke lOOl. sh. 5 1,005 5/, Brecknock and Abergavenny 150/. sh. 100 6,000 1-16 sh. 91. Os. Birmingham, 1-16th share 41. & 711. 220 4,000 Ditto and Liverpool Junct...l2s/ sh. 100 pd 26 600 3/. Bridgewater and Taunton ....1001. sh. all pd 64 400 41. Chelmer and Blackwater . lOO/. sh. 102 500 481. Coventry :001. sh. 700 4.545 Croydon .Average 31/.28.10d. sh. 3 2,0604 41. Os. Dudley -. 100/. sh. 83 600 71. Derby 100/. sh. 133 20,00(} 3,574 Si. Ellesmere and Chester Average 1331. sta. 77 231 40/. Erewash 1001. an. '7OO 1,297 284 Forth and Clyde Average 4001.165. sh. 610 11,900 12/. Grand Junction 100/. sh. 225 2,6491 1/. Grand Union 100/. sh. '25 1.500 Grand Surrey 20,000/. 41. percent. Ditto (optional) Loan - 1001. 70 3,096 Grand Western lOOl. sh. all pd 600 131.125. 88. Glamorganshire, Average cost 172/. 13s. 4d. 230 749 10t. Grantham 1501. sh. 202 6,238 21. Os. Huddersfield Average 57/. 6s. 6d. sh. 37 100 Kensington 100 sh. all pd. 10 25,328 11.55. Kennet and Avon, Average 39/. 188.10 d. sh. 24 2,897; 2sl. Leeds and Liverpool 100/. sh. 600 5451 13/. Leicester l4Ol. sh. 225 1,897 4/. 108. Leicester and Noptlaampton...Aver 63/.los. 91 2,400 10/. Monmouthshire 100/. sh. 200 150 - 10/. Melton Mowbray 100/. eh. 200 500 251. Mersey and Irwell 100/. sh. 565 3.000 1/. 10s. MacclestWd 100/. sh. all pd. 52 247 171. Neath 100/. sh. 325 1,786 301. Oxford 100/. sh. 530 2,100 5/. Peak Forest .... .. - . ...Avei.ge about 78/. sh. 104 1,418 12s. Regent's (or London) Aver. 33/. 168.8 d. sh. .16 5,669 6/. per cent. Rochdale Average 8.51. sh. 111 500 Bi. Shropshire 1'251. sh. 138 800 9/. 10s. Somerset Coal 150/. sh. 151 i MOO/. 41 percent. Ditto Lock Fund Stock 12/. IN. sh. 11.4 700 401. Stafford and Worcester 140/. sh. 710 500 9/. Shrewsbury 125/. sh. 280 300 9/. Stourbridge 145/. sh. 330 3,647 21. tii. Stratford-on-Avon ...Average 791. 9s. bd. sh. 50 533 12/. Swansea 100/. sh. =0 3,762 11. 15s. Severn and Wye and Railway... Av. 351. sh. 264 2,60 0 4 en. 321. 10s. Trent and Mersey, I share 100/. sh. 560 8,149 ... ...... Thames and Medway...Aver. 191.55. 3 d. sh. 2 1, 1 0, ,°°° 01 5. h h.. 1 151. Warwick au(' Birmingham 100/. sh- 265 980 Ilt. 'Warwick and Napton IOW. sh. 185 6,000 4/. Os. Worcest-4 and Birmingham.. .Av. 781. Bs. sh. 804 5,000 255. Wilts an. , Berks .. Average 671. 10s. Bd. sh. 22 SOO 31. Wyrley and Essington 125/. sh 75 .co Wisbeach lO5/. sh. 45 905 Is. Wey and Aruu llOl. sh. 224 DOCKS. 2,600 k 1001. sh. 56 4 1.0651 . 14 3p. c Commercial 498,6671. 6 per ct. Fast India 3,235,3101/. 506. p. et, London Stock 531 Ditto Bonds 99 1,340,000/. 411. p. ct. West India Stock 95 2,2V3 ' 2/. 19s. Bristol 68,324/. 51. per cent. Ditto Notes, various amounts ll3 1.352,752 11 percent. St. Katharine Stock 99 ___ _ , . . 500,000 4 ! per oent. Ditto Bonds 200,000 t ler cent. Ditto Bonds for 10 years 991 Shoreham Harbour 2.500 .... .... Deptford Pier .... 2Ol. sh. 3/. B RI I. ;(1 , ES. 1,6'41 ICs. Hammersmltl• 5O/. sh. 221 7,231 Southwark, Old Av. 631. 2s. Bd. sh. 2 1,700 1/. 15s. Ditto, New, or7l per cent. 5O/. sh. 141 5,000 5,000 18s. Bd. Ditto, Old Annuities of 81. 6O/. pd 19 5,000 16s. 4d. Ditto, New Ditto of 71 40/. pd 161 60,0001. W. per cent. Ditto Bond - llB 5,818 17s Vauxhall Average 70!. 10s. 3d. sh. 161 ASSURANCE COMPANIES. 2,000 3/ 10s Albion 5001. sh. 50/ pd 80 50,000 Fl el d . cent. }Alliance,British& Foreign 100/. .h. 101/. pd 13 50,000 6 per cent. Ditto, Marine 100/. sh. 51. pd 61 24,000 11 per sh. Atlas 1,200 Ish. 5/. Birmingham 1 ire 20,000 41 per cent. British Fire 250/. sh. 50/. pd 42 12,000 61. per cent. British Commercial 50/. A. 5/. pd Gf 5,000 51. per cent. Clerical, Medival, &c. Life, ICol.sh. 12110 s pd 4 4,000 2/ 105 County 100!. sh. 101. pd 42 20,000 ss. Eagle 5Ol. sh. 5/. pd 5; ,„,., / c 5 per cent./ Economic L i fe lOOO /. s h . 250 1 . p d 375 -- "u and 30/ bs. 2,271 225. per cent. European Lite 0 0/. sh. all pd 22 50,000 2s. Ditto, New 2O/. sh. 2!. pd If 1,000,0081. 71. per et. Globe Stock 155 20,000 5/. Guardian lOOl. sh. 2711 pd 33 40,000 6s. 6d. Hope 50/. sh. 51. pd 6 2,400 51. 7s. 6d. Imperial Fire 5001. sh. 50/. pd 125 7,500 9s. Imperial Lite 100/. sh. 101. pd 10 13,458 41. per cent. Indemnity .Marine...... ......... 100/. sh. 8/. psl 19 2,020 3/ 1011 Kest Fire 59/. sh. all pd 82 31. Ditto Life. 79 10,^00 16s. Law Life 100!. sh. 10/. pd 251 sum 10s. London, Fire 25/. sh. 121. 10s. pd 151 2,900 10s. London, Ship 251. sh. 12/. 103. pd 151 30,000 51. per cent. Palladium Lif. 50/. sh. 2/. pd 2/ 8s Od 50,001 4!. per cent. Protector Fire 2Ol. sh. 2/. pd 17b Cld 2,500 1/. Provident Lim 1001. sh. 101. pd 19} 100,000 ss. Rock Life 0 0/. sh. 1/. pd 61 6 , 9,220/ 5/. per cent. Royal Exchange Stock... 228 6,000 5 per cent. University I.ife lOOl. sh. 51. pd 51 50,000 4 per cent. United Kingdom Life 2l. pd JOINT STOCK BANKS 25,000 8 percent. A gric and Comm. of Ireland 25/. sh. 10/. pd 14 5,000 Australivia 4Ol. sh. 40/. pd 60 10,003 10 per cent. flank of Birmingham 5Ol. sh. 10/. pd 13 10,000 19 per cent. Birmingham Bank 5O/. sh. 5/. pd 101 30,000 5 per cent. London and Westminster...lool sh. 201. pd 201 :1,000 4 per cent. Lancaster 100/. sh. 20/. pd 30 25; 1 00 Liverpool 1001 sh. 101. pd 23 50,000 71 per cant Man , hester and Liverpool] 100/. sh. 151 pd 20 Discount 20,000 7 per cent. Manchester MO/. sh. 25/ pd 27 20,000 Provincial Bank of lreland 1001. sh. 25/. pd 40 2(1,' (4 National Bank of Ireland 5 ,1. sh 171/. pd 15 IV) 5 per cent. National Provincial Eng. M. sh. 351. pd 32 !0, 1 /00 Gloucestershire 5Ol sh. 10/. pd 20 6,000 10 pm* cent. Hampshire 501. sh. 51. pd 9 GAS LIGHT AND COKE COMPANIES. 2,500 1/ 5s Gd Bath 2O/. sh. rt. pd 24 5,000 5,()00 5l .d t aT ;i l Bs. 5 , 3 Ditto Provincial 20/. sh. 19.• d 221 928 Si 108 Birmingham 5Ol. sh. 98 4,250 - 2/ Os Bristol 2o'. sh. 36 1,500 3/ 103 Brighton 201. sh. 11 750 31 ICs Ditto, New 2O/. sh. 18/ pd 10 2,471 41 per cent. Brighton General 20/. sh. all pd 17 4,000 4/. Continental Cansolidated lOO/. 621/. pd 85 1,000 10/. City of London lOOl. sh. all pd 180 1,000 61. Ditto, New lOO/. sh. 60/. pd 112 4,000 4/.los. Equitable 5O/. pd 301 10,000 21 percent. Imperial 800 5/. per cent. Isle of Thanet 251. sh. 201. pd 20 2,350 6/. per cent. Independent 3O/. sh. all pd 481 9,000 3/. per cent. Phoenix ... 5O/. sh. 39/. pd 211 1,000 4/. per cent. Ratc1iff......... 100!. sh. 801. pd 54; 4,000 South Metropolitan 5O/. sh. 19/. pd 17 8,200 51. per cent. United General 5O/. sh. 46/. pd 24 240 5/. per cent. Warwick 501. sh. 50 400 101. per cent Wakefield 12,000 3/. ~ Westminster Chartered ...... .... 5O/. sh. 46 6,000 125. Ditto New 541. oh. 101. pd 81 860 Yarmouth 20/. sh. 18/. pd 9 WATER WOrtICS. 1,800 N. Birmingham 25/. sh. 25/. pd 211 4,434 6/. East London lOOl. sh. 145 5,500 21 IN Grand Junction ....Average 41/ 13s. 4d. sh. 54 2,000 2/, Kent 100!. sh 43 372 101. Liverpool Bootle 220/. sh. 3:6 1,500 2/ 10s NOW diver London Bridge Water Annuities 58 6,486 11 15s Manchester and Salford lOO/. sh. 53 1,000 4 per cent. South London 100/. sh. 87 8,234 41. West Middlesex ....Average 63/. 12s. 9d. sh. 88 1.360 11 146 York Building Co. Lessee Prop 1001. sh. 35 IRON RAILWAYS. 6,060 Birmingham and Derby ... 201, pd 12: 9,500 Birmingham and Gloucester l2l/, pd 2 7,500 Birmingham, Bristol, and Thames Junction Of 15,100 Bristol and Exeter 1001. sh. 10 pd '.2i 660 Calcutta and Saugur 5O/. sh. 2/. pd Of 7,500 3,009 Clarence lOO/. sh. 100/. pi 30 12,000 8,000 Dublin and Kilkenny 100/. sh. 01 pd 1 6 ,1 ,000 Eastern Counties O5/. sh. 3/. p.l 14 Grand Junction 1001. sh. 93/. pi 181 ... ...... Great North of England lO/, pd 25,030 Great Western !Mt sh. 55/, pd (15 2,000 Hartlepool 100/. sh. 100/. pd 100 8,000 Hull and Selby 501. sh. 10/. pd b 10,001 ...... ... Leeds and Manchester 1001. sh. 5/. pd 14 2,100 3/. per cent. Leeds and Selby 100 sh. 44 1,500 1/.35. Leicester and Swannington -.5 0 1. sh. all pd 70 5,100 10 percent. I.iverpeol and Manchester...lo( /. sh. 100/. pd 195 10 per cent. Ditto Quarter Shares 25/. pd 61 36, 0 00 London and Brighton 501. sh. 51 pd 21 12,000 London and Blackwall 501. sh. 3/ pd 04 23,150) 3 per cent. London and Greenwich . ...... 20/. 814. 'lO/, pd 144 23,000 London and Birmingham ...1001. sh. 90/. pd 156 Ditto Quarter Shares 51. pl .231 2 0 ,000 London and Southampton ....50/. sh. 501. pd 30 Ditto ditto New.. '7,000 London and Croydon Trunk Cl.o sh. 01 pd 19 7,0,0 Ditto Scrip 14/. sh. 2/. pd S 1 12,000 London Grand Junction 50/. sh. 5/. pd 01 10,000 M; , nchester and Birmingham 70/. sh. 5/. pd 4 ...... ... North Midland 1010. sh. 25/. pd 25 Northern and Eastern IOW. sh. , -1. pd ' 24 2,600 Preston and Wyre 501. sh. 3 0 /. pd 28,000 South Eastern and Dover 7l. pd 31 1,000 101. per cent. Stockton and Darlington IOW. sh. 240 )i,OOO Thames Haven 5O!. sh 21. 10s. pd OA 1,400 Westminster and Greenwich 50/. oh. '2l. pd 04 6,000 York and North Midland 5O . sh. 3/. pd 04 MINES. 5,000 A lbion Copper 5/. oh. np. pd 12 4,000 11. ss. A I ten 151. oh. 101. lOs pd 111 10,000 ... ..... Anglo Mexican, iss. 5/. pm.... 100/. sh. all pd 3 Ditto Subscription 9.5/. pa 4 2,000 F`l. Bolanos 10,000 11. 106 Brazilian Imp. iss. 5/. pm ..... 35/. sh. '2O/. pd 204 6,000 Macaubas & Cocaes United 25/.sh 231/. pd, 5 11,000 Ditto St. John Del Rey 20/. sh. 9/. pd 3: 10,000 ... ...... Bolivar Copper Company. 2(11. sh. 20/. pd 5 10,000 ......... Ditto Scrip 101. sh. 81. pd 6 20,000 British Iron 5O/. sh. 50/ pi 35 6,000 British Copper 5/. sh. 41/. pd If Cata Branca 01/. pd 74 • Candonga 7ll. pd 6 10,000 11 Copiapo 2O/. sh 128/ pd 61 8,500 ... Columbian, iss. 5/. pm. 2,850 3!. English 12/ Ks. pd 20,000 General Mining Association...2o/. sh. 15/. pd 10 6,155 Mexican Company 1001. eh. 551/„. pd 2 3,000 Polberou Consols lOl. oh. 8/. pd 31 11,500 Real del Monte, Unregistered 144 Ditto Loan Notes l5O/. pd 1121 30,000 United Mexican, iss. 2 pm. ....40/. sh. all pd If Ditto. Scrip 2f Ditto New Scrip 5/ pd 31 West Cork 50/. sh. 50/. pd 38 LITERARY INSTITUTIONS. 1 ,000 ... ...... London, with Bronze Ticket 75gs. sh. 21 1,500 London University 100/. sh. all pd 231 700 Russell ‘ , sgs sh. 9 King' College 1001.1x1 28 MISCELLANEOUS. 10,000 15s. Australian Agricultural....loo/. sh. 261/. pd 344 6,000 4/. per cent. British American Land Company 23/. pd 14 10,000 61 per cent. Canada Company 1001. sh. 261. pd 291 200,000 51, per cent. Upper Canada Loan 991 City Bonds, 4 per cent ... lOl 15,000 11. Gs. General Steam Navigation ...151 sh. 131. pd 22 101. per cent. Hudson's Bay Stock 2,000 11. London Corn. Sale Rooms-. ...... Av. 75/. sh l9 8,000 Caoutchouc Company 0 5/. sh. 21/. pd 14 New Brunswick Land Company 41/. pd 11 2,754 5/. per cent. Reversionary Interest 50c...100/. sh. 100/. pd 1274 2,633 51. per cent. Ditto New 100/. sh. 781. pd 86 4,000 10,000 tic. Van Die.nen's Land 1001. sh. 17/. pd 104 LIST OF SCOTTISH COMPANIES' PRICES, DEC. 15, 1837. BANKS. /.500,00fg. 6L p. ct. Rank 01 Scotland 83/. 6s. Bd. sh. all pd 1901. 2,000,00 C/. 5* p. ct. Royal of Scotland 100/. sh. all pd 16/, 500.000/. Bp. ct. British Linen Company 1001.211. 11 pd 230/. 3,000,000/. 6/. p. ct. Commercial 5OOl. sh. 1001. pd 173/. 5,000,0001 sn. ct. ls,tional .lOO/. sh. 10/. pd 16/. 2,000.0001. 6!. p. ct. Glasgow Union 250/. sh. 50/. pd 69/, • 4, 000 , 0006, 4p. ct. Western ot Scotland 2OOl. sh 30/. pd 39/. INSURANCE COMPANIES. 250,0005 h. 61p. ct. Scottish Union 20/. sh. 1/. pd 27s - ,50g sh p. ct. Hercules 100/. sh. 10/. pd 131 10s. 100,000 sp. ct. Insurance Co. of Scotland ....101..5h.. all pd . 81 as 50;000 6p. ct. North British 2001. sh. 101. Pd 151. Loon sp. ct. Caledonian Fire 100/. sh. 101. pd 1615 s 5000 , 6p. ct. Edinburgh Lif e 10 0 / . s h . 10/. pal 14/10s loo m. 3p. ct. West of Scotland lO/. pd 51@s MISCELLANEOUS. 4,810 Edin. and Glas. Un. Canal 50/. sh. all pd 22/. Ditto Allocated DN. sh. all lid 651. 5,400 5 per cent. Edinb. Joint Stock Water 251. sh. all pd 341. Carron Iron Company 230/. sh. all pd 45/. 41,0005 h 15 per cent. Shotts Iron Foundery 50/. sh ;k4/. pd 431, 10,000 3 per cent. Edinb , :rgh & Leith Glass 2Ol. sh. Jill. pd sy -4,500 10 per cent. Edinburgh Coal Gas 251 . sh. all pd 5 4 4 4,450 10 per cent. Glasgow Gas 25/. sh. all pd 611. '750 7i per cont. Lcith Coal (las 20/. sh. all pd 451. 1,203 • Edinburgh viol Dalkeith Rallway...so/. sh 551, 8,000 6 per cent. Equitable Loan Company m 2sl, ob. Ul. pd 101. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The following has been left over from Saturday, in conse quence.of the important debate on Canada, as stated in our Paper, and is only now inserted on Account of the great distress of the Hand-loom Weavers.] DISTRESS OF THE HANDLOOM WEAVERS. Mr. FIELD EN rose to call the attention of the House to a petition presented on the 11th of December from the hand loom weavers of Manchester. In Manchester alone there were computed to be at least 6,000 weavers, some of whom had been visited by persons appointed for that purpose. The results of the inquiry made by the visitors were, that 876 fa milies whom they had visited, containing 3.274 persons, de pended for support on the income of 1,740 looms employed. The average earnings of these looms did not exceed 3321. 6s. 3d. weekly, leaving an average of 2s. id. a week to each per son, and deducting Is. 2d. a week for rent, fuel, soap, and candles, the average for the support and clothing of each per son per week would be only 10id. or 1-&el. per day. It was now five years since this subject had been brought under the notice of Parliament, and though the distress of these persons was admitted to be great, no redress what ever had been afforded them.—(Hear, hear.) It had been proved before Committees - that these men worked from twelve to fifteen hours a-day, and they were unable to sup port themselves by their labour. The articles produced by these operatives were of a description principally consumed by the rich and wealthy, who could afford to pay a remunerating price for the labour that produced them, and a great quantity of these articles were exported to foreign countries, to be ex changed for commodities that contributed to the comfort and luxury of the wealthy classes. Notwithstanding the patient demeanour of these persons, their grievances remained unre dressed. If this indifference continued, he would, at the risk of being considered factious, take steps that would force the case of these persons on the attention of the Government. If some redress was not afforded he would feel bound to get up and oppose every rote of money that was proposed. That might be a course open to blame, but if redress was not af forded, or some attention bestowed on this subject, that courser he was determined to take. There was not one of these weavers that did not contribute to the taxation of the court ' try, and if the situation of these men did not receive at tention, he would take every opportunity that the privileges of the House afforded to force that attention. All the facts respecting the distress of the suffering classes had been clearly established before a Committee, of which the Right Hon. Member for Manchester (Mr. P. Thomson) was a Member, and he did think that that Hon. Member had not done his duty towards those people by not directing the at tention of the Government to the sufferings they endured. One of the reports of a Committee recommended a Bill to be brought in, which would have the effect of relieving those distressed weavers. That Bill was brought in by the Hon. Member for Lanark, and it was met on the part of the Go vernment by a direct negative, and was nut allowed to pro ceed. In the course of the last Session the matter was not lost sight of. A motion was made in July last for an Address to the Crown for a Commission to inquire into the condition of the distressed operatives in the manufacturing districts. That Address was voted six months ago, and yet not a single Commissioner had been sent forward, though the operatives were dying for want of food. It showed that the Government were indifferent to the condition of the working people ; but he could 'tell the House that no Government could carry on their busi ness who were indifferent to the distresses of the working people. He would like to know why this inquiry had not proceeded ? If a vote of that House was good for any thing it ought to be acted upon. The Government that would act in this way could not have his confidence, for he thought after the vote of the House that that inquiry ought to have been pro ceeded with, and they should have ascertained what redress could be afforded. Something should be done. They must either raise the wages of these operatives to a scale that would afford them the means to live, or they must do what would lead to the same effect, namely, reduce the taxation that pressed on the necessaries of life. He thought that they ought to have a minimum of wages. The Hun. Member con cluded by moving the following resolution :—" That there is in this kingdom an immense body of hand-loom weavers suf fering unparalleled distress, and that this distress arises from the unprecedented low rate of wages that the weavers are paid for their work, and from the heavy taxes imposed by this House on the food and other necessaries of life, a sufficiency of which their wages should enable them to purchase; that the work which a large proportion of these weavers execute, con sists of articles indispensably necessary to the personal comfort and convenience of the higher and middle classes of society, or of articles exported to foreign countries, and there ex changed for luxuries and necessaries, to increase the affluence and comfort of those classes ; and that it is therefore the in terest as well as the duty of the representatives of the people in this House, immediately to devise and enact such laws as shall either raise the wages of these distressed weavers to a scale adequate to maintain them comfortably, or that shall so reduce the taxes imposed on the necessaries of life, and to alter the mode of collecting such taxes, as that no part of the wages paid to these weavers shall be abstracted from them, by either direct or indirect taxation on those necessaries." The motion was seconded by Mr. H. FLEETWOOD, and put from the Chsir. Mr, H. FLEETWOOD was in communication with a large body of his constituents on this subject, and he knew that those handloom weavers who were suffering great distress at present would receive as a great source of comfort any assurance of sympathy on the part of the House. During all the troubles that had taken place throughout the country, these men were remarkable for their peaceable de meanour. Their case demanded attention, and they ought to see what could be done to reduce taxation upon the neces saries of life. There was one point in which he differed from the Hon. Member for Oldham. He did not think that they could possibly raise the standard of wages, but they ought to reduce taxation. Mr. M. PHILIPS was not in the House when the com mission alluded to by the Honourable Member for Oldham bad been agreed to. Knowing the objections to such a proceed ing, had he been in the House he would not have been amongst those who voted for it. There was he one more in terested in the condition of these weavers, or more anxious to relieve them, but he differed as to the means of doing so. The Hon. Gentleman proceeded to refer to the details stated by the lion. Member for Oldham, for the purpose of showing that he bad overstated the distress, and also that the distress was on the decline. He did not mean, however, to deny, that great distress prevailed throughout that class of the commu nity. The petition stated, that this distress was felt more dur ing the present than any preceding year, but this was in a great degree owing to the commercial embarrassments which deprived this branch of in.dustry of the American market ; and this diminished consumption was of course immediately felt by the classes engaged in this manufacture. He did not see how they could establish a minimum of wages. If any such standard of wages was legislated for, the operatives themselves would be the first to feel the inconvenience of it, and the first to wish to depart from it. Much of the periodical distress was owing to the variation of the monetary system, and the consequent fluctuations of commerce. The Honourable Meipber concluded by stating that there was no class which suffered so greatly and with so much equanimity, but he re gretted that he did not see any direct way of relieving their distress. Sir E. WILMOT bore testimony to the distress of the handloom weavers, and to the patience with which they en dured their sufferings. He contended that their distress arose principally from the system of free trade. Mr. H IND LE Y.—As a Commission was appointed to in quire into the subject he would not go largely into the ques tion. The first cause of the distress of the handloom weaver was the present Corn Laws. It was a shame to expect that, with corn at double the price of what it was on the Conti nent,,the handloom weavers could compete with the same class . in any of the Continental countries. Though the subject was a delicate one, he hoped the House would take it into consi deration apart from any prejudices with which the subject was beset. Another cause of the distress was the great improvement in machinery. Such improvements were in their nature calcu lated to benefit the human race, but it was the duty of a provident Government to take care that, instead of adding to, they shou'd ameliorate the weight of the original curse, which ordained that man should earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. The immi gration of the Irish poor also added to the distress of the hand loom weavers. He did not argue against the right of those people to come and look for a subsistence in the richer country, and the people here ought to make them welcome ; but tho effect of their immigration must necessarily be to reduce those with whom they came to compete to a condition as lovi as their own. The immigration of the Irish was likely to be increased by the operation of the proposed Irish poor law, by the fourth and fifth clauses of which beggary was about to be made a crime in Ireland, punishable by imprisonment and the tread mill. This would increase immigration, and send over even a lower elan than those who now came to this country. He would conclude by stating it as his opinion that Government was pinned to one of two alternatives. Either they must adopt some fixed rate of wages, or reduce the amount of taxes upon articles consumed by the poor. kr. P. HOWARD recommended the Hon. Member for Oldham to withdraw his motion, as the subject could not be well discussed until the Commissioners had made their report. Mr. DARBY was of opinion that insuperable difficulties stood in the way of a reduction of the taxes. He thought the distress of the handloom weavers was owing to the want of protection, and he did not see why protection should be taken from the agriculturists because of the manufacturers suffering from the want of it. It would he better policy to extend it to the one than to take it from the other, and he was satisfied that the agriculturists so far from opposing such a proposition would be most willing to grant to the manufacturers an equal protection to that which they themselves enjoyed.—( Hear. ) Mr. P. THOMSON would, if the Hon. Member for Old ham persevered in his proposition, move the previous question. One of the propositions of the Hon. Member was a state ment of facts which the House, having no knowledge of them, could not agree to. The other proposition went to re commend a itpecies of vague and loo s e legislature. The Hon. Gentleman would have it appear that Gov ernment was indif ferent to the distress which existed amongst the handloom wearers, and unwilling to endeavour to relieve them, and that he alone was the person ready to befriend them. He de nied, on the part of the House, as well as on t h e part o f t h e Government, that any such indifferen ce existed. They were most willing to attend to, and if possible to relieve, the distress of those sufferers. But why, if t h e H on . Member was their only advocate, why, instead of vague resolutions, did he not come forward with some specific remedy, or propose some measure which would lead to a full discussion of the subject ? He would then find that th ere wou ld b e no i n di spos iti on to consider his proposition, and, if it was deemed satisfactory, to adopt it.—( Hear, hear.) Now, how could the Hon. Gentle man's plan of taxation be managed by any possibility ? It would upset all the arrangements of the country, as the taxa tion was, in almost all instances indirect.—(Hear, hear, hear.) Even if the House agreed to the proposition, bow' could it be carried into effect ? The thing was a mere delusiott. He (Mr. P. Thomson) would admit that it was his duty to , look to the interests of these poor people, and he would not yield to the Honourable Member for Oldham in a desire to relieve their distresses, but he was not awa r e of an y s p ecific measure by which that relief could be effected. I n deed, , I was opposed to the Commission which had been appoint_fhde because he thought it calculated to raise de lusive hopes. t evil which he anticipated had occurred , but the responsibitt y did not rest on him : it rested on the House. As, howevFr; the Commission had been appointed he w ould do all in /!i,) power to render it as effective as possible , an d he ho Assis p!d tai! report, when received, would prove satisfactory . 0 Commissioners had been appointed, and they w ould their communications to the head office as so on as possible but he could not hold out a hope to the House that the report would be speedily made, as the objects of their inquiry scattered through every part of the country. A great proporin tion of the distress which existed amongst the hand-loom weavers, arose out of the peculiar nature of their business, from the easy access to it, more people engaged in the tra , ne . than the trade could support. This, and the superior prod tion of the power-loom, were the chief causes of the distress' He denied that the evil was owing to foreign cempetition, the same cause was not followed by the same effect in oth h er branches of industry. There was also an advantage to t that persons employed in the business of handloom weaving, they were not, like other labourers, tied down to time, an d were_ they also had the advantage of taking apprentices. It was the policy that was pursued, he considered, more than any question of price which had reduced the condition of the weavers. If a different policy had been pursued tra de would have been extended, and that which was of more importance than a question of price would have been prevented , namel► the foreign competitors who had been raised up would 05)t have existed, and the manufacturers of other countries nowould not hare been able to supplant those of England i n the market. The effect of improvements in machinery generally:- he was convinced, was to increase the demand for manual labour, and that after a considerable improvement had been made, although it would be attended by temporary ill effects, the ultimate result would be a greater demand for hands and labour. On the whole, he was willing to wait the result of the Commission appointed, and when the report was m ade to adopt a measure upon it. Mr. WAKLE Y, having listened with great attentio n tO, . the Right Hon. Gentleman, the President of the Board °I Trade, could not but express his astonishment at his arr iving, at so strange a conclusion as that of waiting for the repo rt arri vin g, the Commission. When would that Commission mak e its report ? It was appointed in June or July, but it m i g ht last for two or three years in that happy state of incuba tion, and the only information they might be able to obtain m i g ht be that they continued setting. He thought the proper pla n would be to take taxes off the industrious portions of the CO munity, and leave the rich to take care of themselves. Let them impose a property tax, the most just tax that ever wne imposed—take the tax from the poor and place it upon pro perty. The weavers had been complimented for their for bearance under their distress. He could not loin in such compliments, for he thought that justice could not be obtained by the people unless they teased that House by petitions, and that unless they did so they would never get their grievances remedied. After a few words from Mr. G. F. YOUNG and Mr. Ht 3 l s, Colonel SIBTHORP protested against the doctrine that the agricultural interest enjoyed the benefit of any unequal tax. They were as much taxed as any other part of the community. Mr. M. ATTWOOD said that the prices were now very different to what they formerly were; but without enteri n g into the question of the Corn Laws, it must be remembered that 50,000,0001. now was equal to 80,000,0001. at the close of the war. Mr. LABOUCHE RE wished to recal the attention o f the House to the question really before it. He thought it a ma t " ter of the greatest danger in a branch of the Legislature af firming resolutions that might give birth to expectations whic h might, from causes unconnected with the question to whic h l they related, be altogether frustrated. Hopes might be raise; which they could not realise under circumstances not at all connected with the immediate matter. He thought the terms of the resolutions pledged the House to such kind of proceed' ings, as he was sure were of a nature that ninety-nine out of a hundred of the intelligent class he gave the weavers the c redit of being, would scarcely be able to weave with a serious court" tenancc when they read them. Sir C. B. VE RE said that the manner in which the ques tion had been put had given an opportunity to open all topics , however remotely connected with it, and-he thought the Hon. Gentleman would better consult the interests of the people whom he was desirous of serving by withdrawing his motion. Mr. FIELDEN replied. He wished the motion to be p ut from the chair, and had no objection t o it s b e i ng ne gative' without a division. Mr. HINDL EY said it was one of too much importincel. ° be dealt with in that manner, and he should press it to a cd" vision if the Hon. Member for Oldham did not. Mr. P. THOMSON said that in case he should move the previous question as an amendment. The gallery was then cleared for a division. There ar Fared — For the original motion ll Against it Majority Every moment spent in abstaining to insist upon what is right and beneficial to our fellow-creatures, under the pretence of our feeling personal obligations to any Minister:, inflicts evil upon millions whose interests we ought to feel l t to be the highest obligation upon us to advance. The moralitf of those who talk about obligations to any Ministry is despl" cable. We are entitled to good Government, and no person can honestly ask that its demand should be foregone, under the pretence of any personal regard for any maa. We may admire individual merit and individual exertion, but to say that our admiration of individuals ought to prevent our re quiring those measures to be taken which we consider to he essential to the a Ivancement of human happiness, appears to us to be an opinion that cannot be too strongly condemnede' Bath Guardian. PASSAGE OF THE SOUND.—According to a table' published by the Russian Commercial Gazette, 11,956 vessel s passed the Sound from the Ist of January to the Ist of 1 7 °- vember of the present year, being 1,142 more that during the preceding year. The following have Eeen the relative proportion. 3 of the principal flags : 1838. 183 7 ' English WI 2,811 ...... 3, " n Swedish and Norwegian 2,243 Prussian Dutch Mecklenburgh 675 Russian 41 8 Hanoverian 12 2 French - In a village of Picardy, after a long sickness , 5 farmer's wife fell into a lethargy. Her husband was willing' good man, to believe her out of pain ; and so, according to the custom of that country, she was wrapped in a sheet, and caif ried out to be buried. But, as ill-luck would have it. t r bearers carried her so near a hedge, that the thorns pierced tbg sheet, and waked the woman from her trance. Some Ye n , r , after, she died in r ea lity ; an d, as t h e f unera l passe d a l o ng' tf hush= I would every now and then call ou t—N o t t o o near the hedge, not too near the hedge, neighbours. A tailor following the army, was wounded in till head by an arrow. When the surgeo n saw th e wound,. re be k t° his patient, that as the weapon had not to uc h e d hi s brain, w e ; was no doubt of his recovery. The t a il or sa id—if I had P°-- sessed any brains, I should not have been here. PATENT LEVER WATCHE S ' Price, at T. COX SAVORY'S, 47, Cornhill, Loncloll* With double-bottom cases SILVER. CASES. £3 ~ With hunting cases COLD CASES. Size for ladies, with elegant gold dial .. . 11 it 0 '''' 14 14 , Size for gentlemen, with enamel dial - This celebrated construction (the most accurate on the watch can be made) is now offered at the above price, vir a in latest improvements, i. e., the detached escapement, jewen e in i n g four holes, capped, hand to mark the seconds, and nuan'" power to continue going while winding up. T. COX SAVORY, ill Working Silversmith, Goldsmith, and Watchmaker, 47, -° London. BIR7'HS. ,„. p a rtY , On the 23d inst., at No. 6, Upper Wimpole-street, Lau: - of a daughter. 3 quare , On the 22d inst., Mrs. O r i e l, o f Alf re d-pl ac e, Bedf °rd of On a dau the ghter. 24th of July, in the Roslrio de Cucuta, R Grenada, the lady of Colonel Thomas 11 b ' n' , an y, of a r. ,0 w G. On the 20th inst., at Shrewsbury, the lady o f the Be . ' * Barker, of a daughter. of * On the 23d ' -t daughter. lady On the 22d inst., at Nottingham- lace Re ent's-park,. the - of Major Chase, of daughter. -P ' gthe On the 23d inst., at the leetory, St. Olave's, Hart-street, lady of the Rev. J. Letts, of a daughter. epublic of New MARRIED Op the 23d inst., at St. Dunstan's, Charles Alexander Gordon, Esq.,of Calcutta, to Sophia Louisa, second daughter of William _Alexander, Esq., of Stepney-green. On the 23d inst., at St. Marvlebone Rallloll de Bertodano Lo pez, Esq., to Henrietta, the eldest daughter of James Pattison, Esq., ALP. On the 23d inst., at Clapham Church, Mr. H. 0 . Post, of Clap ham-park, to Martha, relict of tl_i_i_l_l_!tLejf.:2l_22.a.sten(_2f±;___--- DIED. On the 17th inst., in Charterb ouse-str h a m, Esq. , M eet, Edward Graham - 22 Be tham, Esq., only son of the late R . G. Betaster At tendant of Newgapatam, East Indies, aged . On the Ist inst., Mary An n, widow of Wm. Rowley , E s q ., late of Green-street, Grosvenor-square. On the 22d inst., at Brixton, Louis Dubuis son, Esq., of the Stock Exchange, aged 52. On the 15th inst. , ag ed 5 months, F r ances, infant dau g hter of Mr. P. Ramsbotham, Brompton-square. On the 15th inst., at Lee-place, Kent, Emily, wife of J. Liver more, Esq. Ott the 15th inst., Dirs. Ann O liver, of St. George's -place, Knightsbridge, aged 82. G u ildford, Surrey, El izabeth llerwood, On the 13th ins t., at . On the 15th inst ., a g ed 11 weeks, Emily, younger daughter of J. Markby, Esq, aged '24 daughte ra . J. Stevens, Esq., of J udd-street, Brunswick -sq uare , and Oxford street. o f Yo. London: Printed and Published by AWRDO YOUNG, 0. 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strtuad, in tho coun of Middlesex. —Tuesday, December 26, 1837.