The Sun. — London, England, 1846-02-13 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES. (YESTERDAY.) • Sub-Committee No. 1. The members of this Committee met this day at 12 o'clock. Mr. Strutt, the Chairman, was absent for some time in taking the opinion of the Speaker on several disputed points connected with cases part-heard. At a quarter-past one o'clock, Mr. Strutt not having arrived, Mr. Beckett was called to the chair, and the Com mittee proceeded with the case of THE NORFOLK EXTENSION (STOW.. MARKET, WYIVIONDHAIYI, AND ATTLE BOROUGH BRANCH). Mr. l'Hirr appeared for the promoters, and called the wit nesses to prove the deposit of the plans and sections, and*the books of reference: Mr. WEBSTER appeared on two petitions against the Bill. Mr. Suturr having returned from Mr. Speaker, he called the parties in the adjourned case of Tug COMM! E STER, STOUR VALLEY, SUD BURY, AND HALSTEAD. •The CHAIRMAN said that having consulted the Speaker on the point raised against receiving the petition presented by Mr. Webster against the Bill, the Speaker was of opinion that a petition signed by the verbal authority of the parties could not be taken, and in that opinion the Committee en tirely concurred. Mr. WEBSTER said be was most anxious to explain a few circumstances connected with that petition. The promoters presented a petition to the House, charging the opponents with having forged the parties' names to the petition against he'Bill. The CHAIRMAN said no such charge had been made before that Committee. Mr. C. PARSES said that he was not instructed to make any such charge, nor had he intended to convey even such a suspicion. Mr. PARKS said he would call a witness to prove that two witnesses summoned by the Committee in this case had refused to attend. The witness having been called, said that lie served the peaker's summons on two witnesses, named Field and Meadows, • clerks to Mr. Sarjeant, of Norfork -street, Strand, and they informed him that they could not leave their busi ness. They explained this refusal by stating that Mr. Sar jeant could not spare both witnesses. The CHAIRMAN—Did you tell them the hour at which the Committee would sit, and the number of the room? Witness said he did. The CUAIRMAN intimated that the Committee would re port aceordinoy. Z.XZTER, YEOVIL, AND DORCHESTER. The CHAIRMAN said that in this case objection was taken to the petition against the Bill for not having the name of the Bill on the back of such petition. The Committee would report this case to the House, and then deliver the order of the House at a future sitting. NORFOLK EXTENSION (STOWMARXET, WYMONDIIAM, :AND ATTLEBOROUGII BRA NCH). This case was then resumed. Mr. WEBSTER submitted several allegations of a trivial nature against the plans and sections and books of reference. A few of those allegations were sustained, but the larger num ber were overruled. The next allegation was that there was no fixed point shown for the datum level. The room was ordered to be cleared. Upon our return the parties were informed by The CHAIRMAN that the Committee were of opinion that the standing orders were complied with in this instance. Mr. WEBSTER then submitted that the names of certain owners of land were not properly stated in the books of re ference. Mr. Fairy contended that the allegation was not suffi ciently specific. The Committee decided in accordance with the opinion of the learned agent, and the petition was thereby disposed of. The Committee said that the case would stand adjourned till Monday, till the opinion of the House was taken as to whether the standing order, 111 A., should be enforced. This standing order makes it imperative on the petitioners, for and against 'fills, writing the name of the Bill on the back of the petition, and several Bills are interested in the coming decision of the House on this point. LEICESTER AND BEDFORD. • Mr. COATES appeared for the promoters. The deposit of plans and sections was then proved. Mr. Puirr appeared for several petitioners against the Bill. Mr. JOSIAH PARKES also appeared on a petition against the Bill. The CHAIRMAN said that as the case was likely to occupy some time, they would not go into the allegations in the peti tions till the next day. The Committee then adjourned at four o'clock till twelve o'clock to-morrow. Sub-Committee No. 2, Cloister', 6. This Committee met to-dad• at a few minutes past twelve o'clock, Sir J. Y. Buller in the chair. QUILVFORD, CHICHESTER, PORTSMOUTH, AND I'AEZHAM. The evidence in support of this Bill was resumed. The Committee were of opinion that the standing orders had not been complied with by this Company. ZDINBURGH AND NORTHERN (rnmr- FERIVII.XNE BRANCH). This was a petition on the part of the Edinburgh and Northern Railway Company, for the purpose of constructing a branch from their railway to Dun fermline, intersecting the great coal field of Lochgelly. The engineer was Mr. Thomas Grainger, and it appeared that the length of the line was 15 miles, and the amount of capital 187,000!. The formal proofs were gone through. There was a petition from Donald Smith Pedding, com plaining that the line proposed to pass through his property, to the injury of the same, and alleging that the standing orders had not been complied with, inasmuch as the plan deposited with the Sheriff's clerk at Fife did not delineate the line with accuracy. The Committee considered that the standing orders in this case had been complied with. There was another allegation of inaccuracy in the plans and sections, and in the notice of a field. The Committee w ,, re of opinion that the standing orders had not been complied with by the Edinburgh Northern (Dunfermline braneb) Railway in this particular. Parliamentary agent, Sir Chaa. Gordon, Edinburgh ; solici tors, Messrs, Webster, Richardson, and Connell, London. CHELTENHAM AND oxroßD. The object of this RH was to construct a railway from Cheltenham, through Gloucestershire, to join the Oxford, and Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railways. There was a petition against from James Boodle, of Chelten ham, through whose property the line would pass, which contained several allegations, some of which were abandoned. There was an allegation that the sections were in accurate at the copeing of the Great Western bridge at Chelten ham, which, as well as another allegation of inaccuracy, the Committee considered were not sufficiently specific, and, ' therefore that in those cases the standing orders had been complied with. The petition also alleged that no application was made to the owners of the land not to be taken for the purpose of the proposed railway. Notwithstanding the negative in the terms of the petition, which should have been affirmative, the Committee heard some of the alleged instances of neglect. These were respecting aectiors 57, 58, and 59, in the parish of Cheltenham, which were not sustained. It was also alleged that in the parish of Charlton Kings, in Nos. 96, 97, and 101, the right owner of a stable, arable land, &c., had not been served with .notices of the proposed railway. The Committee were of opinion, that the standing orders had been complied with by the Cheltenham and Oxford Railway Company. 171ZST FaI3IIITG UNiaN. The object of this Bill was to construct a railway through Huddersfield, Halifax, &c., to the Manchester Railway, and other railways already is oparation or to be constructed. The petition stated that the same railway would be of great public advantage by opening a communication between Leeds and Manchester. The formal evidence was then gone through, and it ap penred that the eatimate of the work was 2,000,0001., while there had been deposited 1,600,0001. There was one petition against the Bill from 31r. Charles Naylor, of Yorkshire, alleging a non-compliance with the standing; orders generally in the plans and sections. The CHAIRMAN said he thought it would be better to adjourn then than to enter on any allegation of the petition. The Committee accordingly adjourned, at a few minutes to four o'clock, till twelve o'clock to-morrow. Sub-Committee N 0.3. This Committee resumed its sittings at the usual hour this morning, Mr. Aglionby in the chair. SOUTH EASTERN. This was the petition of the South-Eastern Railway Com pany for leave to bring in a Bill to authorise the construction of a branch line to Rye Harbour. The amount of capital was proved to be 20,000/, and the estimated cost 15,0001. 'The standing orders were declared to have been complied with. EAST GRINSTEAD 3RANC7I. This was another petition of the South-Eastern Railway Company for leave to bring in a Bill to make a branch rail way from their Godstone station to East Grinstead. The estimated cost was 110,000/., and the subscription contract had been executed for 82,000 L, or more than three-fourths of the capital. In this case also th e Committee decided that the standi ng order s had b een com pli e d w i t h, su bj ec t t o th e quest i on wh i ch n been ra i se d i n a f ormer case as to t h e va l i di ty o f a sub scription ription contract applying to more than one Bill. CZCISZET AND MARGATE BRANCH. This was the third petition of the South-Eastern Company, for leave to bring in a to construct a branch of their Hastings an d cost of construction from Chislet to M arga t e . Th e esti matedruction was 100,000/. Th e u s ua l f o rm a l roofs havi ng been put The CnAIR3IA that the standing orders had been complied all w, took that opportunity of stating that the Committee of Chairmen, en, after considering the ques tion whether one subscrniputmijoLrcontract, embracing a number of estimates and a o t f le branches, could apply to several Bills, or whether Bill, ought not to be a separate contract deed for eachthe Committee had 3 contract, binding come to the resolution that a subscription ates in the the parties to raise a number aggregate for an equal number a branchesest con trary to the spirit of the standin g 7 l . . a r s . n ot this point. In the can of the South - Eastern Compa ny , "-- " how " ever, the instrument , although in a single form, contained covena nts to raise each particular estimate; but in the case of the North British Railway, there was only one covenant in the deed which bound each party to subscribe his proportionate part Of the aggregate amount of a number of estimate's. In both cases, however, there was the same legal obligation to raise the estimate of each branch, and evidence of the derwit of plans, &c., having been given in respect of all the branches comprised in each Bill, ttie Committee were of opinion that in each and every case the standing orders had Wen duly complied with. WEST or scow.A.pra) JUNCTION. tlaiikwas the petition of the West of Scotland Junction Kaiiihif Company, tor leave to bring in a Bill to construct a • junction from the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, through the city of Waagow, to the Glasgow and Ayr Railway. The estimated cost of the line is 200,000/. The customary formal proofs having been put in, the Committee decided that the standing orders had been complied with. PEii,Tll ftmo euverr DIRECT. This was the petition of a new Company for leave to bring in a Bill to construct a direct line of railway from Perth to erica. a distance of about twenty miles. The cost of the works, including two short branches of some eight miles in extent, was estimated at 300,000/. The Committce de c id e d that the standing orders had been duly complied with. VIILSONTOWN, ItaCIAWMGSIDE, AND COLTNMSB CONZIPANIr. T'!ls was the petition of the Wilsontown, Alorninside, and. Coltima Railway Company, for leave to bring in a Bill to construct a branch from a point on their main line to Knowton. The estimated cost was 200,000/. —Standing orders complied with. SHOTTS AND CIATIKPIr. This was another petition of the same Company for leave to bring in a Bill to improve their line, and to make the branches. one to Shotts, and the other to Clumpy. The estimated cost was 200,0001. The standing orders were decided to have been duly com plied with. WISIZAW AND COLTNESS (GREENHILL • BRANCH). This was a petition for leave to bring in a Bill to construct a railway to run from' the main line of the Wilsontown, Morning - side and Coltness Railway, at a point called Wishaw, to a place called Green- J3lll. The branch was estimated to cost 207,0001., and the subscription contract amounted to 155,2501. upon which de posits bad been paid/mounting to 15,525/. The Committee decided that the standing orders had been properly complied with, and the petition was passed. SLAMANNAN ANZ BORROWSTONESS This was a petition for leave to bring in a Bill for the con struction of a line in connexion with the Glasgow and I. di 'burgh R li!‘v y, to run from Slamannan to Borrovastonese. The cost was estimated at 165,0001., the subscription contract was 78,000/., and the deposits 7,875/. Parliamentary agents, Metiers. Grahame and Weens ; enginePr, Mr. Adie. The Committee decided that the standing orders had been duly complied with. SLAMANNAN (BATHGAIE AND JAW- THE SU N, LON DON, FRIDAY. MORNI NG, FEBRU AR Y 13, 1846. CRAIG BRANCHES). This was a petition preferred by the Slamannan and Bar rowstone.is Railway Company, for leave to bring in a Bill to construct two branches from their intended main line, one to run to Bathgate, and the other to run to Jawcraig. The cost of both branches was estimated at 60,0001. 'The sub scription contract was 57,6001., and the deposits 5,670/. Messrs. Grahame and Weens are the agents, and Mr. Adie the engineer. The Committee decided, after the adduction of the usual proofs, that the standing orders had been duly complied with. ST. HELEN'S CANAL AND RAILWAY. This was a petition for leave to bring in a Bill for the construction of a line of railway in connexion with the St. Helen's Railway, to run from Eccleston to the proposed new docks a Garston, in the county of Lancaster. The Bill also sought for powers to construct docks at Garston, which is a village on the banks of the Mersey, distant about five miles from Liverpool. The estimated cost of all the proposed works was 390,000!. ; the subscription contract amounted to 300,0001., and the deposits to 30,0031. Messrs. Burke, Pritt, and Venables are the agents, and Mr. Randall the engineer. The Committee decided that the standing orders had been complied with, and the petition was allowed. Z&STEILN UNION AND HADLEIGH 3UNC- TION. This was a petition for leave to bring in a Bill for con structing a branch line from the main lin. , of the Eastern Union Railway to Hadleigh, in the county of Suffolk, a dis tance of seven miles. The amount of the subscription con tract was 57,050/., the deposits 5,70 f../., and the estimate 75,000'. Engineer, Mr. P. Brough ' • agents, Messrs. Dyson and Co. The Committee decided that the starvlhig orders had been complied with, and then adjourned until the usual hour to morrow morning. The following Bills have baen added since Yesterday : Midlands Railway (Syston to Peterborough Railway, De viation and Branches). Great North of England and Boroughbridge Branch Railway. Great North of England Railway Purchase. Great North of England and Bedale Branch Railway: - York and North Midland (East Riding Branches) Rail , •av 'No. 2). Sub-Committee No. 4. The Committee met at the usual hour this morning. Mem bers present, Sir W. Hsathcote (chairman), Mr. H. Drum mond, Mr. W. Evans, and Mr. Shirley. LONDON AND HIRAI INGHAM (ST. ALBAN'S AND LUTON BRANCHES). This Bill stood over from yesterday, there being no proof of notice having been given to the Marquis of Bate, but the necessary evidence being now pi oduced, the standing orders were declared to be complied with CLYDE UAUOtTR AND DOCK. In this Bill, and alto in the Downpatrick Gas Bill, the objects of both which are expressed in the name, the Com mittee decided that the standing orders were complied with. BALLYMENA. AND .BAIMYMONY. The object of this Bill is to connect Belfast and Ballymena with the Armagh and Coleraine line. The length of the lii:e will be twenty miles, and the cost is estimated a. 55,0001. Mr. Charles Lanyon is the engineer and Mr. Bayden the Par liamentary agent. The standing orders were complied with. EAST AND WEST YORKSHIRE =NOTION. The object of this Bill is to make a railway from Knares borough to York, the cost of which is estimated at 200,0001. The length of the line will .be fifteen miles. Mr. Thomas Grainger is the engineer, and Messrs. Parkes and Co., the Parliamentary agents. The Committee decided that in this case also the standing orders had been complied with. SOUTH MIDLAND (HUNTINGDON BRANCH) AND SOUTH MIDLAND (NORTHAMPTON AND ximpronn). It will be remembered that on Monday the Committee ordered these two Bills to stand over, in order that, they might consult with the Speaker as to the legality of having but one subscription contract for two Bills. The Committee this day gave their opinion that one sub scription contract was sufficient, and declared the standing orders complied with. NORTH-WESTERN. The object of this Bill is to connect the Leeds and Brad ford Extension line, at Skipton, with the Lancaster and Carlisle line. The cost is estimated at 1,350,0001., the length of the lire being 73 miles. Messrs. Stephenson, Vignoles, awl Watson, are the engi neers. The agents to the Northern and Western Railway are Messrs. Burke and Co. Standing orders complied with. EXETER, TOPSEAM, AND EXMOUTH. The object of this Bill is expressed in the title. The length of the line will be seven miles, and the expenseis estimated at 100,000/. Mr. Arthur Whitehead is the engi neer, and Messrs. Burke and Co., are the Parliamentary agents. Standing chders complied with. EXETER AND EXMOUTH. On this Bill coming before the Committee yesterday, an objection was made to the admissibility of certain evidence as to a letter of assent from two rersons whcse property was interfered with by the line. The matter being again brought before the Committee by the Parliamentary agent (Mr. Ellicombe), the Committee declared that the standing orders were complied with. LIVERPOOL DOCKS AND ZIMESPIERE AND CHESTER CANAL. In both the above Bills the standing orders were complied with. The Committee having disposed of the above Bills, ad journed at a quarter to four o'clock. FLANDERS MAIL. BRUSSELS, FEB. 9.—The Chamber of Representatives began to-day the discussion of the project of law for granting to the war department a vote of credit for 453,G00 francs, intended for the execution of sonic military works, and alienations of some parcels of ground. The works consist in the demolition of the fortificetions of Hassett, in completing some other works, and rebuilding bridges at Audenarde, and in defen-, sive works at Aerscbot. M. Lebeau proposed to vote the project of law, deducting the 300,000 francs for the works at Aerschot, and to defer voting the sum till the Government shall have stated the general system of fortifications which it intends to adopt. M. Lebeau's motion was warmly supported by some Mem bers and opposed by others. M. Delacoste defended the project of law as a consequence of the system of defence adopted for Belgium, which it tends to complete ; besides the adoption of the project will give work to the indigent classes. The .discussions will be con tinued to.morrow. The King and the Queen came from Lacken yesterday at noon,and the King presided in a Council of Ministers. AuosaunG, FEB. 6. We have received to-day letters from Constantinople of the 21st of January. Reschid Pacha has sent the Seraskier Solimau Pascha, his rival iu the favour of the Sultan, as Ambassador to Paris. Sir Stratford Canning seems to be satisfied with the new Prime Minister : he yesterday gavel splendid entertainment to the Ministers of the Porte, to which his colleagues of the repre sentation were invited. PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—Butux, FEE. 5. Bills. Mons:. St. Schuld Sch., 3% per Cent • • • • • • • - .. Pruss. English Bonds, 1830, 4 per Cent _ Foreign Exchanges • . - Exchange on London, £1 Sterling, 2 Months. 6 24% 6 24% Ilaruburgh, 300 Marks, 2 Months. 1493§ Paris, 300 fr., 2 Months On Paris ...... ••••• • • • • • • Two months. — —Universal Prussian Gazette. Feb. 6. BELGIAN FUNDS.—Bacsszis, FEB. 10. Actual Debt, 214 per Cent .. ••• • • • •..... Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent •••• • • • . Loan of Thirty Millions, Four per Cent - • . Ditto Three per Cent • Ditto Thirty-seven Millions, ditto •• .... Ditto,ditto,lB-11. . . Ditto, ditto,lB42 ••••. • • • • ..... ••• • • • 102( Ditto, 1844. •• ••• • • • .. Ditto, !5M..... ...• ...... ....... Ditto, 1838 •••.••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • 74% Ditto of the City, 1832 . Ditto, 1843 ... •• 101 1 4 Bank ofBel&-lum.. . ..• —Brussels Papers. Feb. 10. HAMBURG"! BORSENHALLE, FEL 6. Bills. Honey. 4ustrian 5 per Cents •••• • • • •••• • • • • 113 Bank Shares Anglo-Russian Loan . . Russian 5 per Cent., Hanib Certificate. 103% Ditto Ist series Inscription •• • • 101% Ditto, flops and Co., 3(1 and 4th series.. 99 Ditto, in Certificate.......... •••• • • • • 99 New 4 per Cent., Hope and Co. •••• •• 91 Ditto Stieglitz .• •••.• • • • • 89% Spanish New 5 per Cent •• •• •• ••.•• • • • 20;. 20% Ditto 3 per Cent ••• • • ..• ••••• • • • • • 31% 31% Anglo-Portuguese Lean, 2% per Cent Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent ••• • • 59% Ditto 3 per Cont. Polish New 4 per Cent. Joan, 1841. •.. 82 Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per cult ••• • • • National Bank Shares AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—VIENNA, FEB. 3. 5 per Cent. Metalliques.. ••• . .. •• • • •• • • 11214 4 per Cent. ditto. • to' IA 3 Pt!. Cent. ditto Loan, 1434. Ditto, 1d39 - Bank shares . ..... •••••••••••••••••••• 121% ... .... .• . • Esterhazy's Loan ... ..... . •. •. ...... •• • • • • 158 • RAILWA yg. The Northern, or Ferdinand • • • • • • Ologgnitz 188 • • • •• • Vienna—Milan • • ••• • • ......... ••••• • • 12 ..... • •• •• 143 4 4 14 Leghorn ••••••• • • • • • • • •• • • ........ •• • • 116,4 Pesth •••••••••••• " • • • • • • • • • • ...... • • 10414 Sienna • • • • • • . • ......... . ......... v) Grosettn ••••••• • • • • • • • ••••"• • • • • • 98 1 1 i Pestoja . • • • • • • • • • . • • Apenninen . • •. . —Allgemelne Zeitnug. Feb. 7. .• - 1014 SNOW-BALLS V. BLACIE-BALLS.-STAMPORD, FEB. 9, 1316.—1 t is a year this (45 since Sir George Clerk was snow-balled by a party of his constituents, because he was opposed to their par ticular line of politics, and to the formation of a railway as desired sup Ported the by the electors. Sir George on that occasion firmly ♦lews of the Marquis of Exeter, in opposition to the wishes of the inhabitants. This day Mr. Clapton, the political agent of the Mar quis of Exeter, has been slyly obtaining signatures to a memorial to Sir George, calling upon the lion. Member to vacate his seat. It is said that a counter memorial will be got up by the party who snow balled him, and presented to Sir George, stating that the majority of his constituents have great conAdenee in sir B. Peel's policy.— From a Correvnckrt. IMPERIAL PARLIAM NT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Thursday, Feb. 12. The Earl of SHAFTESEWIIY took his seat on the Wo.l - a few minutes before F.ve o'clock. The Marquis of ELY took the oaths and his stmt. CORN-LAWS. The Duke of BielilNGifYil pre!ented a large number of petitions from various places in the county of Buckingham against the repeal of the duties on corn, and praying their Lordships not to take any steps with respect to those duties until an appeal had been made to the country, in order that the real feeling of the people might be obtained on the measures brought forward by her Majesty's Goiernment. Lord HATHERTON presented a petition from New castle-under-Lyrae, in natrorishire, signed by 1,500 persons, praying for an immediate and total repeal of all the duties which tended to diminish the supply of food. THE POTATO DISEASE. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH laid on the table a re• turn with respect to the potato disease, which was or dered to be printed. - CRIMINAL LAW. The NOBLE DUKE aho presented a report from the Commissioners of Criminal Law, which was ordered to be printed. Earl GREY presented two petitions, one from a town in Scotland, and the other from Stockport, to the same effect. REPORT ON RAILWAYS. Earl DALHOUSIE brought up the report of the Committee on Railways. The No'Jle Lord read the re solutions at lengra. Their Lordships would recollect that, by an arrangement previously mstoe, Irish Railway Bills were to be originated in that House. But as this ct urse would, in consequence of certain resolutions of the House, place those Bills under considerable disadvantages, the order now submitted, had f .1- its object the correction of that evil by assimilating the practice of that Ilouse to that of the House of Commons. By adopting this order their Lordships would not in any way delay the progress cf these Irish Bills. Ho (Earl Dalhousie) was further authorised to state that, although no reprt could be formally made on the subject, the Corn mittee had taken into consideration the expe dieney of making some such arrangement with respect to these Bills in this session as had be,n adopted in the last session of Parliament, namely, the placing in one group the lines which were intended to accom modate certain districts of the country ; com peting lines ; and in fact all lines which were in some way connected with each other. This arrangement could not, however, be carried into effect until the Bills should hare come before that House. He repeated that this proceeding would not in any degree delay the progeas of these ails. He should to-morrow move the adoption of these resolutions. BROAD AND NARROW GAUGE. Lord KINNAIMI said, as it was important to those who were making lines and laying down rails that the question of gauge should be sottled, and as he believed uniformity of gauge was perfectly practicable, he hoped the report of the Commission appointed to inquire into the subject would soon be produced. He hoped the Noble Lord would be able to say when the report would he laid on the table. The Earl of DALIIOUSIE said the Government had done everything to forward the objects of the Commis sion. Considerable delay, however, took place at the close of last session from one of the gentlemen who was entrusted with an important branch of the inquiry, hav ing been called away to the continent, su that the business could not be gone into as sooa as it was expected. Though the Commission, therefore, had not been able to produce their report sooner, he was happy to inform the Noble Lord that the result of the inquiry had been placed in his (Earl Dalhousie's) bands that afternocn, and as span as it was put in proper form it would be laid before their Lord ships. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY called the atten tion of the Noble Earl (Dalhousie) to the fact of a measure being about to bu submitted to their Lordships, which would have the effect of creating a large monopoly in the counties of Durham and Northumberland. He hoped the Government, which professed to to a free-trade Go vernment would net approve or sac:ction such a measure as this, placing the whole of the North of E ,, gland under the managtree::t of one board. The Earl of IALEIOUSIE said be could not give an opinion on the measure, which wa; not yet before the House. The points otjeeted to by the Noble Marquis would hare to be sumnitted to the Standing Orders Cenatnittee, and could not be brought before Parliament till embodied in the Bill, when they would be open to discussion. BURDENS ON LAND. Lord MONTEAGLE gage notice that when the Noble Lord (Lord Beaumont) brought forward his !notion for the returns of the public burdens affecting land and real property, he would move an addition, that the inquiry be also extended to the exemptions of land and real property from such burdens, so that both sides of the questions might be seat. PROTECTION. Lord BEAUMONT presented a petition from Holder ness in favour of agricultural protection. A NOBLE Loan presented four petitions, complaining that the standing order of the Midland Great Western Railway (Ireland) Bill had not been complied with. STATE OF IRELAND. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said he rose, in pursuance of a notice given by a Noble Friend of his relative to the state of Ireland. He (the Noble Lord) conceived that much injury would result to that country by interfering in that House, while other measures were being considered. It was for the Executive Government to administer the law of the land. He thought that Government was much to blame for their neglect of du'y in that respect. He would simply call the attention of their Lordships to the notorious fact of the increase of crime in Ireland. The infection had extended"to a degree, he was going to say quite, but he believed almost unprecedented. The return given would nut show any great number of crimes with reference to former years, but they would show that a system of combined outrage existed to as great an extent] in every phiee of note in Ireland as ever was known within the memory of man. It was principally in the central parts of Ireland that these outrages were com mitted. The system increased gradually but rapidly, and he accused the Government of hreat neglect, be cause even if they had no better means of intelli gence that that possessed by the public, they ought to have been aware of the state of things that now existed. He had had the honour of presenting a petition last session, setting fortlt the state of Ireland, end asking the interference of the Ministry on the subject. The state of crime having increased greatly, it was the duty of the Ministry to take acme steps to prevent that increase. The fault must either lie in the law or in the mode of its administration. The law ought to be able to put down crime, and a fford protection to the honest man, and it would do so, un dt.ubtedly, if it were put in force ; but he was afraid that it was not put in force. If the law was not suffi cit nt, it behoved the Ministry to make such an alteration iu it as would suffice for the protection of life and pro perty, or to avail themselves of some temporary Act, No such thing had been done, for instead of encourag ing the honest man, and suppressing the bad one, they had encouraged the evildoer, and discourage I the honest mar, who had had the manliness to come forward and withstand outrage. The present petition pray( d for an imprevo naent in the criminal law. In his opinion in casts of outrage or murder a fine should be at once inflicted on the district in which it took place; and further, the locality should be bound to provide for the person injured, or for his family in case of murder. Such a course would have in a great measure the effect of preventing thege Crinees,which it seetned the present law could not prevent At the beginning of the session her .Majesty's speech intimated that some attention would be paid to the sub ject, anl the language held out was such as to assure them that steps would he taken to repress the er:tne which the state of that country presented. Her Majesty was made to say too, that she observed with regret the assassinations which had *ken place, and sai 4 , in the very next paragraph, she hoped that measures would be devised to protect life in that part of the kingdom. That intimated a doubt of the sufficiency of the present laws to do so. He was of opinion that it was not life alone to which their attention should be directed, but aho the outrages that were committed on property. Now three weeks had claptrd since Parliament had met, and no notice had as yet been given on the part of the Government of any improvements to be made in the existing laws. After the communications which had been made to the Government in re ference to the occurrences to which he alluded, and after the notoriety a hich had been given t•) them, it was the duty of the Government to take some measures —some energetic steps—in reference to th ma. There were secret associations aed combinations existing which had engaged the attention of the Repeal Association as well as that of the Government, and it could not be denied that a great part of the country was in a state of insurrection. Immense masses of people had met in different places, and in the county of Limerick a meeting had lately assembled in open revolt in mid-day. Another outrage of a most daring kind occurred wi.hin a mile of Roscommon, where a policeman was taken off his horse, which was immediately shot, and a threat expressed that a similar fate would happen to himself. A police barrack also had been demolished within sight of another police-station. He had not, however, heard any instance in which the Lord Lieutenant had not paid immediate attention to the applications which were made to him at the Castle, to afford the applicants protection from the dangers with which they were threatened ; but then he could not properly attend to every case, or avert all the dangers, of which the parties complained. Dute, ing the spring, summer, and winter of the past year these outrages had increased to an almost un• pantie:led extent. Lasts , ssion the Noble Lord who was then at the head of the Colonial department, but who Lad since resigned that office (Lord Stanley), said in re ply to a question which he (the Marquis of Clanricarde) epouetrtcoiohnip. s w h l o t u h ld reg b a e r e d . to erc th is e ed st t a o te p o u t t l a r n el e a n n d d, to th t a h t e ‘ o ‘ u n t o . . t; F a e n s ri o e f a rh w dee h )h i which di complainedehmaenotvetdo say for thatw were eb the re h e s e t ehn ( n t te h e d e hAtahfdea they luv arrived iosulodf lo n w e e c s e t ss c a la ry ss .--- wp ( h H o returnsl sl l o e w n thate coercion r i c t i o w n a s s‘ th 'a e s sufferers and who were least possessed of the means e r n e a ttehos the o er f r)e t h t defence or flight. Could they selected when the property wonderpossessed then that he was was not pro perly protected by those whose ty t w that he was obliged to succum b to the wills to i do so, and those who could do him injury, and w h o cons eque ntly great influence over him? Th ey could no i . Tar r cised the position of affairs in that count r y, un l ess they adopted an elementary system of legislation with respect to They might talk of devising means to i m p rove the agri. culture of the country, but he held that it would- be inap.:ssible to teach the proprietors or renters of the soil to do ss, if they did not take steps to prevent that property and necessary expenditure from spoliation and aggression. With respect to the matter of agriculture, he could mention a case of one gentleman, who was the owner of a large farm, which consisted principally of fine grass land. Last year he was ordered by the people to give up a portion of this grass land, in order that same part of it might be devoted to the cultivation of potatoes. He was in the habit of keeping a large number of cattle, who cot:- sumed the whole of the grass which his farms p o lured, the soil being particularly adapted for pasture land. He yielded and placed some of his cattle in stalls, but this year the people did not care to have cattle fed in stalls, as they would consume food which they required ; and he thought it pru lent to submit to this, as he had re eivcd an intimation thst if ho did not acquiesce he would be compelled to do so. If he had not been misinformed, the person to whom he referred tried is ascertain how far he would be sup piled by the authority of the country if he set his faca against those who tried to co2rce him. That, person was, he b lieved, in communicet'on with the Castle of Dublin, and received certainly, if rot public, at least private advice, that the wisest c( u - se would be not to expose his property, but to give way, as I.e had done.—(llcar, hear.) Ho knew that in the presnt state of Roscommon there was no protection for property, and ho did consi& r the advice gold if there wts no prof ct'on for life or property. He would not go into party matters ; he wou d not inquire I o v far political mi.management had to do with the troubles of that country, but he would say that something ots - sht to be done in the shape of an efficient administration of the criminal Isw. They had now met three weeks, and no steps had been taken for that purpose. The returns he had moved for would, he was convinced, justify the remarks i he had felt it his duty to make, and tl e views he had adopted, with reference to the a ate of the count. y. Perhaps be might be told that when that return was laid before the House it would exh,bits a diminu isn of crime of late days, perhaps of late wee!ss. Ile would almost say, although the expression might sound Irish, that he was afraid it would be so. He wk.u!d explain this very simply. He knew that in one portion of Ireland there had been less crime,—less out. age; but what was the reason? Because these combit ed law-givers hid it all their own way.—t Hear.) As he had sa',d before this combined system of outrage had spread from one country to another, to a most alarming extent, and this he believed was solely owing to the supine ness cf the Government. It was very true that Tipperary had been in a disturbed state since the days of Queen Elizabeth, but now portions which had not before been tainted had become infected. He con tended that all this was owing to the insvffieient protec tion given by Government. He concluded by moving for the returns he had referred to. Earl St. GERMANS (lid not rise for tha purpose of opposing the production of the returns arhic:i had been moved for by the Noble Lord, b it merely to state that it was the intention of her Mlje3.y's Gover iment to bring uron the table a Bill on this subject referred to in her Majesty's speech. He thought that the Bill would be found calculated to remedy the evils a hich the Noble Marquis had painted so darkly, but not, he (Earl St. Germans) believed, in more gloomy colour: than the subject deserved. He would merely observe, in refer ence to the charge of supineness brought against the Government, that it was no light matter to set aside the other laws of the land, or to abridge the liberty of the subject. It was a matter of deep - consideration whether the existing state of the country justified a meaEure of this extra ordinary nature. Her Majesty's Government had, after mature deliberation, come to the opinion that the st:►te of the country did justify the adoption of such a measure, in order to repress the actions of those who %ere opposed to all law and order. _ Lord FARNHAM must, in common justice to her Majesty's Government, give them credit for having done all in their power to produce a better state of things in Ireland. The Earl of CLARE said the measures which had Seen taken by her Majosty's Government in Ireland had been attended with the most b.2necial results. Earl GREY was glad to find that it was the intention of her Mejest3 's Government to bring in a Bill on this tusject. He entirely agreed with his Noble Friend (the Marquis of Clanricarde) that some measures should be taken by which security would he given to life and property in Ireland. This un doubtedly was the first step towards Enprovernent in that country, but ho hoped their Loriships and her Ma jesty's Government would not for a moment delude them selves with the idea that what they were doing was all that was necessary fur the present state of things. Any measure that proposed to check insubordination, while it merely afforded temporary relief, in his opinion, was not equal to the case. It was not sufficient to meet the failure of the potato crop, but they must devise measun s for the permanent improvement cr the country. He thought it right that he should state this. Let them look to the state of Ireland as a whole. There was something radically wrong in so ciety there, else these symptoms would not perpetually occur. And until both Parliament and the country looked the real difficulties in the face, and adopted their measures in a large and comprehensive spirit, not shrinking from going in oppesitiun to long cherished prejudices and opinions—till they did this, they would not he able effectually to remove the evils of that unfor tunate country, It was their duty to propose compre hensive measures for the evils of Ireland, so as to ef fect their abatement and work out a case. The ques tion hal long been under the consideration of both Howes of Parliament, but unfortunately party views had interred with its dispassionate consideration; but he hoped the time had come when they could, without re ference to party feelings, all agree in the propriety of investigating into the real causes of this unhappy state of things, and in devising a remedy.—'(Hear, hear.) He thought it right to state his opinions, as, from what fell from the Noble Lord opposite (the Earl of St. Germans), the Bill to be introduced by the Government was to be confined to the single object of establishing security and repressing outrage. lie (Earl Grey) considered that the Government would fail iu its duty to the House arid the country, if, while it proposed rigorous measures, it did not give a statement of the general policy, end :he measures it intended for the permanent improve ment of the condition of Ireland. He hoped that some accounts would be given of the general mea.- Kees intended to be propot , el at the time when the Noble Lord introduced the Bill to which he had re ferred. Their Lerdships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMOIVS, Thursday, Feb. 12. . The SPEAKER took the chair at a few minutes before four o'clock. NEW MEMBERS. The Marquis of CHANDOS took the oaths and his sew for Buckingham. Lord HENRY LENNOX also took the oaths and his sea for Chichester. The Noble Lords were greeted with loud cheers, on their entrance, from the Conservative side of the House 'RAILWAY BUSINESS. Lord GRA.KVILLE SOMERSET moved fur a Cam mit:eu of Classillution of Railway BAIA to b.. appointed. The committee 11 i 1 I consist of the following Members, viz,:—Lord Courtenay, Mr. Fox Mc -le, Mr. Wilson Patten, Sir William Somerville, and Mr. Pakingtom The Noble Lord also moved that tit* resolutions con tained in the report of the Railway Committee be adopted. Mr. LAINCOMBE wished to move an amendment to the last resolution. It was notorious that the time of th Committees during the last session was completely wasted by the great lengths to which the promoters of the various lines were allowed to go in proving their traffic tables. What he waned fa add to tik lest resolu ti,n was, tha! :f the Committee should diem it expedient to hear no evidence respecting the traffic, they be allowed to do so. Lord G. SOMERSET would be glad if lie Hon. Member would not press his amendment. The subject alluded to had been, and was still under the considera tion of the Committee. After a flu. words frcm Mr. 13. DENISON and Mr. P. M. STEWART, requesting the Hon. Member to wait for the final repot t of the Ettilway Committee, DUNCOMBE consented to yithdraw his•amend , ment. Mr. HUDSON brought in several Railway Bills for the construction of branches and extensions of the Mid land linr, which were read a first time. SIIEPFIBLD AND LINCOLN RAILWAY. Mr. J. PARKER brought in the Sheffield and Lin coln Railway Bill, which wai read a first time. Mr. GISBOEN E presented petitions for leave to bring in the Birmingham, Lichfield, and Manchester, the British and Irish Union, and the North Devon Railway Bill•. Colend WOOD presented a petition against the Northumberland Railway. • NOTICE OF MOTION.—FRIENDLY SCCIETIES. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE gave notice that, on .Tuesday nex►, he should bring forward a motion relative to the laws with reference to frig udly societies. SLID? OWNERS. Mr. LIDDELL presented a petition from the Ship Owners' Society, and moved that it be printed with the votes. THE SALMON FISHERIES OF ENGLAND AND WALES. Sir THOMAS WINNINGTON obtained leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the zxlwon fisheries of Eng- land end Wales. CAPTAIN JOHNSTONE. Admiral DUNI)AS said it had been pretty generally rumoured out of the House, that it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to send Captain Johnstone, who had recently takm his trial at the Oid Bailey, for the murder of coma of the crew of the ship Tory, to some distant colony. He wished to be informed by the Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary of Stale for the Home Department, whether that report had any founda tion? The man ought certainly to have been hanged.--. (Great laughter.) He also wished to know whether the Government intended taking any steps to prevent such men being appointed to the command of ships itt future? Sir J. GRAHAM said that with respect to the question which had bean put to him by his Hon. and Gallant Friend in reference to Captain Johnstone, who was not found guilty by the jury, but was found to be insane —(Hear, hear)—he had to state to the lion. and Gallant Officer and to the House, that her Majesty's Government had i no power wh a t ever to i nter f ere n the matter under the present circumstances of the case, with respect to sending him to a colony.—(Hear, hear.) They felt it their duty to place him in close confinement for the re mainder of his life. With regard to the second question of the Honourable and Gallant Officer, be might state that he was glad to inform him and the House that it was the Government's intention to make Tapper examination in ifuture into the characters of csrlidatei for the coromucl of Yetwath — a lea r . ) . NAVAL STAFF OFFICERS. Captain LATARD wished to be informed by the Right Hon. Genth man the Secretary at War as to what had - been done by Government with respect to the pensions of the naval staff of officers that were engaged in the late Chinese war, and also what progress had been made with the proposed medals? Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT said, that the Govern ment was engaged in making arrangements for the pen sions, and 17,000 medals had been cast. MR. M•GREGOR. Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN deprecated the circula tion of the blue book, entitled " commercial regulations," inasmuch as it was full of the most egregious blunders? As to the malt a►:d excise, the compiler of the volume had taken the amount of the duty at 8,993,7521., whilst any person possessing the least arithmetical capacity could show that the du:ies amounted to 10 326,742/. Therefore it was desirable, not alone for their own cha racters' sake, but also as regarded. America, that such disgraceful inaccuracies should not be permitted to go forth as authentic.—(Hear, hear.) Sir G. CLERK, in reply, said that he could not re frain from expressing a wish that notice had been given him on the subject—a subject so grave and serious.—(flcar, hear.) The House shoUld be aware that it was utterly impossible for him to be able to a:count at a moment's notice for the accuracy of a volume in which were set down upwards of 1,400 items. --(Hear, hear.) Bat if the Hon. Gentleman would have the courtesy to inform him of the particular inaccu racies, he would inquire into the cause, and ascer tain whether they arose from an error of the press or intentionally.—(dear, hear.) As the only object in publishing the volume was accurate information, he could assure the Hon. Gentleman that if he would point out the in tecuracies to the Board of Trade they would feel most grate'nl to him, and most assuredly have them corrected. Lord SEYMOUR said it was difficult, from the sys tem pursued at the Board of Trade, to ascertain cor reedy any information upon the trade and commerce of the country, for the officers who prepared the documents of that department often gave such a tone to certain facts as to make them serve the purpse of peculiar views. He wished, therefore, to have laid on the table of the House the original minutes from which the statis tical information of the Board of Trade was compiled. It would be well, he thought, if the Noble Lord at the head of that department, who discharged his duties with great zeal and ability, would direct his compilers to confine themselves to facts rather than indulge in de clamatory language ag - aillst the tyranny of other Govern nv-nti.-7( Hear, h, Mr. T. GIBSON had had occasion to test the ac curacy of Mr. M'Gregor's compilations, and certainly he had pnerally found that they corresponded with the fats.—(Bear, hear.) It did, however, sometimes happen that unintentional inaccuracies found their way into public documents —for instance, did not the House remem bor amo,t remarkable case of inaccuracy of this nature, namely, a document stating that a quantity of corn had been i-nported which was grown in tho province of Can • I?—(Hear, hear, and laughter.): He thought the Hon. Member for Northamptonshire had used an expression which was too strong to be justified by the circumstances. He meant the word disgrace.—(Hear, hear.) In his opinion the volume in question was a most instructive one, and mightEb3 read with advantage by the Hon. Member and his friends.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) Mr. T. I)UNCOMBE regretted that the Hon. Mem ber for Northamptonshire had not given notice of his question, fin. now it would go forth to the public, not only that the calculations were inaccurate, but that the motive of the compiler were impugned. For it was insinuated that these papers were prepared inac curately, for with the view of carrying out particular views.•— (Cries of " No, no," and " Yes, yes.") Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN denied the view taken of his expressions; if any such expression fell from bim he most heartily retracted it but when they paid public servants to perform work, they should see that the work was properly done.—(Cries of " Order.") The Honourable Member inquired if he was in order? —(Hear, hear.) He was quite willing, if he was not so, to meet Cie case by motion, but nothing was farther from his intention than to impute such motives as had been assigned to him.—(Hear, hear ) Mr. lIORSMAN thought, that whether the infor mation was correct or not, attacks upon public servants hould be made very guardedly, as they were not present to defend themselves. THE CORM-LAWS.—ADJOURNED DEBATE. The order of the day being read for resuming the act knurled debate, Mr. LIDDELL presented a petition from the ship owners of the city of London, Praying that Parliament would .rfject that part of the Ministerial measure which laid a restrictive duty on foreign timber. Mr. MUNTZ presented a petition from Birmingham, praying for a total and immediate repeal of the corn laws, and that they should be delivered at once and for ever from that obnoxious impost. Sir JOHN TROLLOPE presented several petitions in favour of the press nt corn-laws, and praying that no confidence sbould be placed in the present Ministry. Petitions were presented in favour of the present corn laws by Mr. John Hall, Mr. Blackburne, Mr. Kemble, Mr. Greene, and Sir John Yarde Buller, from Middle sex, Buckingham, and Devonshire. Mr. Greene's peti tions prayed that the present measure might not be passed until the sense of the couutry had been taken in a . general election. _ . _ - Petitions in favour of the abolition of the corn-laws were present* d by Mr. Townsend, one of which .was sigrcd by upwards of 12,000 persons ; by Mr. Duncan, signed by 3,000 inhabitants of Dundee, who were connected nth the linen trade, and who felt that their interests were seriously affected by the present state of the corn laws ; and by Mr. T. S. Duncombe. An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition in favour of the Government measure, very respectably and nu merously signed. Mr. IIINI)LEY presented a similar petition, signed by 2,200 of the inhabitants of Pontefract. Mr. BRIGHT presented a similar petition from the mayor and corporation of the city of Durham. An HoN. MENDER presented a petition, signrd by 2,200 of the inhabitants of Derbyshire in favour of protection. Mr. ESCOTT presented a petition numerously signed, from a town in Somersetshire, complaining that a pe tition had been presented by the Agricultural Protectior. Society which did not ropre;enc the opinions of the inhabitants, and praying for a total end immediate abolition of the duties on foreign corn. Mr. GIBSON presented a petition from Cambridge in favour of a total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws ; also a petition from the operatives of Manchester engaged in the Irish trade, complaining of the falling off of orders in their trade in consequence of the failure of the potato crop, and praying her Majesty's Government to adept such measures as may supply the people of In land with food. THORNELY presented a petition from Bridge north, approving of the policy of her Majesty's Go vernment, but praying that the abolition of the duties on foreign corn should be total and immediate. Mr. COLQUHOUN then rose and stated that he wished to make some explanation to the House upon some observations which had fallen from the Right Honourable Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Go vernment. It might be in the recollection of the House that the Honourable Baronet had stated that he (Mr. Colquhoun) hid once held opinions similar to those entertained by the Honourable Member for Wolverhampton, namely, a total repeal of the corn-laws, and that he had since changed them for the principles of high protection. He could assure the Right Hon. Baronet he was mistaken, both as to the opinions he then held and those he now entertained, With regard to his former opinions, the Hon. Member would think him very inconsistent. He felt the subject to be one of very great importance, and one of consider able difficulty and anxiety. He must not be thought to arrive at his present -convictions per saltum, as he had given the question his most serious consideration for many years. He was excluded from Parliament in 1841, at which time the question of 'the corn-laws assumed an aspect of the most paramount import ance, and during that period he had given the ques tion the deepest and the most anxious consideration, and he felt it his duty to adhere to the conclusion he had come to. The Hon. Baronet had remarked that in 1841 he had found his (Mr. Colquhoun's) name with that of the Member for Wolverhampton, Did the Hon. Baronet remember that the Member for Wolverhampton moved for a Committee in order to sweep into a division all those persons who were not of his opinion. In the debate on the sobject, in 1838, he recognised the name of the Hon. Member for Sheffield. A similar motion to the a o b n l e e de in 18 e l m b er for wasrB Wolverhampton, made an y th d - eII u the nnoamre of the Honourable Member for London was found in that division. They also knew that there was not a man more strict in his political principles than that Hon. Member. The Hon. Member for Canterbury voted with the Member for Wolverhampton, as did elso the Mem ber for Portsmouth. Why should he (Mr. Colquhoun) be remarked as having agreed with the Member for Wol verhampton? He had found an old paper which con tained some of his opinions, as given to his constituency at Kilmarnock, but in such a ease, knowing that the constituency was of a liberal feeling, it was his policy to exhibit as liberal opinions as possible, so long as they did not clash with his own opinions. When he (Mr. Colquhoun) was on the hustings, one of his constituents put the question to him, " Are you prepared to vote for a total and immediate re peal of the corn-laws ? " He answered that he was favourable to a low fixed duty. This Wad still his opinion. He was not prepared to disturb the Interests of the agricultural community. He thought protection was the best interest of that class, and he was favourable to any measure which would up hold that protection without injury to the industrious Classes, He believed that they could not continue pro tection 111 this country unless they had the sup port country. o He fu f th eme rc o an n t ettanrt m i manufacturi n g of these classesinterests theeorfe iin favour of a low fixed duty on corn some time ago ; he now found they bad changed their opinions very ma terially on that question. As the fixed duty was not so favourable to the mercantile interest as the manufac turing interest, it was not surprising that they should have changed their opinions. fro was of opinion that the views of Mr. Huskission were sound, and such as ought to be carried out. The views of Mr. Huskisson were, that the Government was bound to relax commercial restrictiats as far as ,possible, consistently with the safety of domtstic com merce, in every possible mode in which they o,uld re move commercial restrictions and exten d the ,trade of the country.—(Hear, hear.) That course ./ V II most desirable, and should be adopted ; and he- maintained that such a course had deserved and ever re- I ceived his most cordial support. But when the Noble I Lord the Member for London referred, in his speech, to the authority of Mr. Huskisson, and expressed a marvel that the Right Honourable Baronet at the head of the Ministry had not cited it as a authority, he (fr. Colquhoun) should diffir with the Noble Lord, and maintain that the logical deduction, if attempted, would have failed the Bight lion. Baronet on the occasion.—(l.lear.) There had grown up practices of laying on heavy and protective and prohibitory duties ; and Mr. liuskisson, perceiving what branches of manufacture there were which•could safely dispense with them, and which were more incumbered than as _ _ sisted by such, withdrew from them the protection they enjoyed. He (Mr. , Colquhoun) did not mean to maintain that had Mr. Huskisson lived until the present moment he would have acted on the same system. The Noble Lord the Member for London took exception to an argument put forward by the lion. Member for Northampton, and asked why should pro tection be removed from manufacturing produce and allowed to remain on the soil. The Noble Lord quoted Adam Smith, to the effect that it was not alone the right of a state, but was also wise and politic that a state should impose duties on foreign commodities adequate to the taxes which they laid on their o an productions. How did that apply in the present case ? They had an enormous taxation resting on this country peculiarly, because it arose from the national debt. They were in the habit of putting a duty on foreign produce, as an ade quate equivalent ; then why leave manufactures out of the catt . gory ? why, but because it had a natural and ade quate protection. No man could look at the soil of Staffordshire or Lancashire without seeing an amount of mineral in it that gave them an advantage over all the rest of the world. Agriculture in this country was exposed to seasons more capricious, more variable, and more severe than that of. any other country in. Europe, while the manu factures of the country had corresponding advantages. But the Right Honourable Baronet rested his case upon the experience of the last three years, and to appease the apprehensions of the agriculturist, he pointed out that the reduction which had taken place in the imputa tion of foreign cattle had produced high prices, rather than depressed the market. The Right Hon. Barmier, however, did not see that this argument was against him self, for in another part of his argument he said the change was necessary to cheapen the necessaries of life iu this country. The Right Honourable Baronet was, however, wrong in supposing the tariff had produced the high prices, for, when the tariff was passed, an impres- Aon got abroad that they were going to flood the country with oxen from all parts of the world, and the conse quence was the market was glutted with English pro duce. ; and in the year afterwards there was a limited supply.—(hear, hear.) There was another cause which had produced these high prices, and one to which he .could refer with satisfiction, and without dispa ragin.•. the Right Honourable Baronet's tariff'. This cause had the effect of stimulating employment and ena bled the labouring classes of this country to com mand more butcher's meat.—(Hear, hear.) No person could urge that the great development of railways in this country depended on any commercial legislation—it depended on the enormous amount cf - capital, and on that system of leaving it open 'to pursue its own course. (Loud cheering.) Tie Member for Inverness, himself a free trader, has again and again called upon us to interf ra and put a stop to the progress of railway enterprise. However the Parliament abstained from such a course, and the consequence has been beneficial to the country. The Honourable Member for Sunderland (Mr. Hudson), who has been the architect of his own fortunes, has contributed greatly to Call fer the benefits of the distribution of capital upon the country, and he deserved more praise than any other Member of the House. The Right Honourable Gentleman seemed to state that there was no connexion between wages and the price of provisions, and his Right Hon. Friend made allusion to the speech of the Right Honourable Baronet, in which he touched on the very question how the labourer would be affected by the corn-law. With all the talents of the Right Hon. Gentleman, and his knowledge of the tactics of debate, that allusion to the Right Hon. Barnet's speech, in his opinion, was most unhappy and indiscreet, because in his speech the Right lion. Baronet urged very strongly' that a repeal of the corn-law would limit the employ ment of the labourer, and would shake the interests of the labourer, both agricultural and manufacturing. His Right Honourable Friend disposed very summarily of all the arguments that had been urged against him. He said, ".I have changed my opinion, there is an end of it."—(Loud and continued cheers.) But he would tell him that there was not an end of it. There was not an end of it because a person was a man of genius, whether as an orator or us a poet. Ho must please to remember that his words are winged shafts, that stick in many minds—that when urged with all the address of his Right Hon. Friend, these thoughts and opinions adhered to men, and had a great share in forming their opinions and sentiments ; and, therefore, when the Right Honourable Barnet, having urged these arguments for many years, turns his back upon them, they could not conceal their surprise. —(Cheers.) He mu t allow him to remind him that his opinions had influenced many in the country, they stood now very strongly before the country, were admitted to b's very able arguments, and making upon many minds a very powerful impression. He could not help thinking, as his Honourable Friend was speak ing, that these winged shafts hal often transfixed his opponents on the other side of the House. But if he had done with his opinions, they had not. He wished they had the Hon. Baronet amongst them then to urge the ar guments, and the same opinions which he had now repudi ated. If, however, they did not achieve victory, they should have a g allant contest; and in their defeat they would have the consolation of not having changed their opinions. Then his Right lion. Friend must allow him to remind him that his view of the question of wages was one which nobody could deny. He said, with respect to the speech of the Hon. Member for Sheffield, that the rate of wages and the price of provisions varied after a certain time. That he (Mr. Colquhoun) believed was true. He believed any gen tleman who had looked into political science would say that wages did not alwai s fall with the price of provisions. Perhaps by a repeal of the corn-laws the poor of this country would be benefited; but whilst he admitted that fact, he could nut help stating that the labour market must be glutted, and copse ' quently the price of labour would be reduced. • This was the case in Ireland at the present moment—the labourers of that country being deficient of em ployment, and the population gradually increasing. But, then, if the argument of Ole Secretary of State— ' if the arguments of the Right Honourable Gentleman be clear and sound—if it be true that by the measures proposed some lands would be displaced—if agriculture would be subjected to straits, then un doubtedly with the fall in the price'of provigions the price of wages would fall also.—(Hear, hear.) The effect on the agricultural population would be most pernicious. -- (Hear, hear.) If the Honourable Member fur Wolverhampton were in his .place, he would leg to remind him that he made an admission to the same effect. He perfectly recollected the Hon. Member telling them that the affect of the corn-laws was to keep into cultivation one portion of land which otherwise would be uncultivated. Now that was exactly the position of the Right Honourable Gentleman. Great as would be the fall in prices, the fall in wages would be still lower, and the condition of the country would be greatly deteriorated. He would take the views of those who contended, that in proportion to the freedom elven to trade and agriculture, trade would be increased and the wages of the labouring classes would be improved. lie denied that such a conclusion would follow. What was the case with regard to the wages of labour? With all the improvements which trade had of late received, had wages increased ? That was the question he would put to Right Hon. Gen tlemen. He would put it to the Right Hon. Member for Birmingham whether such a result bad followed. The Hon. Member said, that whereas formerly he sold an article for 365., he now sold it for 6s.—(Hear)—and whereas the labourer used to receive for his share in the manufacture of that article upwards of 75., he now re.- ceived only Is. 6d. Now, when his Right Hon. Friend spoke of improving the condition of the labourer, he (Mr. Colquhoun) could not help referring him to a document supplied by Mr. Horner and Mr. Has lock in the year 1841. He' was not going • to enter into any long statistical details, but he would, with the sanction of the House, state just one, in order to show what had been the pressure upon the labourer—a necessary pressure, it was true, arising from competition, which forced him, not from any desire of his own, but from positive necessity, to reduce the rate of wages. The House would remember that the statement he would refer to was, taken from the manufacturers themselves. Ile found, then that from the years 1828 to 1841 fine yarns bad fallen in price at least 31 per cent., and how was that met ? By reducing the spinner's rate of wages 29 per cent. end the other classes of workers 13 per cent.—(Hear, hear, and' cheers.) What was the benefit the manu facturers expected to derive from a repeal of the corn laws? He (Mr. Colquhoun) would tell. them in the words of two gentle Men, members of the League. What was the view which Mr. Wilson, one of the greatest ironmasters in Scotland, took of this sub ject ? He said, that when iron had fallen ll 25 per cent., wages had been reduced 15, and they could not be lowered further, in consequence of the duty on the importation of foreign coin. But Mr. Wilson expected that when the duty on foreign corn would be done away with, he would be able to lower the from trade by lowering the rate of wages.— (Hear, hear, and cheers.) What was the opinion of Mr. Gregg, who fermerly represented Manchester? He said that a better education, more sober habits, toge ther with cheaper food, would enable the labourer to live in greater comfort. There could he no doubt of this fact for one moment, and he (Mr. Colquhoun) at tached no blame to the manufacturers because they did lower the rate of wages.—(Hear, hear.) They were pressed by foreign competition—they were obliged to beat that competition by. very means in their power—they were obliged to abridge their expenses to add to the power of their machinery, but they were also obliged to lower the wages of their labourers. .If t'te effect of that measure would be to reduce the price of food, provided there were no countervail ing evils, he a-knowledged that it wouldrbe a bene fit ; but, if they met the working classes of that country, and told them that after the repeal of the corn laws they would receive the same wages as before, then he (Mr. Colquhoun) affirmed that they would meet them with a delusion.—(Cheering.) The Hon. Member for Northampton's eloquent and able speech had been commented upon as being of an incen diary character. He did not think that his Hon. Friend had intended to give it such a character. At all events, he (Mr. Colquhoun) hoped that nothing which he should say would cause such a charge to be made respecting him. So far from treating the manufacturers as persons in the habit of grinding the poor, he believed that they were the great sources of the wealth and , prosperity of England. If be looked to nothing b ut own interest, he shouli uphold the manufacturing interest. He resided near a lame manufacturing town, and his pro verty was of course enhanced in value by its proximity W Plch a tOWn• xf this measure were calculated to have the effect of harmonising the different classes of this country, then of course it would be beneficial, and he should • ' heartily rejoice in it, He regretted, however, to hear the Noble Lord the Member for London hold out a hope to the labouring classes that this measure would im prove their condition. It might stimulate trade, and have a tendency further to develop manufactures; but he was afraid that one effect of that would be to keep down wages. The Hon. Member for Northamptonshire (Mr. Stafford O'Brien) had said truly, in his address the other even n;, that since the national wealth had so much in' erased, a considerable depreciation bad taken place in the condition of the working classes ; that, though the, might have great influence among th upper and middle i a'iks of society, they would find the oondition of the labouring classes gradually getting worse. Wbat theY wanted was the taking of eirect step , in order to effect t itnpte vement. It was not by a commercial code, but by direct and specific measures, that the condition of the labouring classes was to be advanced. But suc?_ was the attachment of Hum Members on the opposite stay of the House to their political economy, that when the Noble Lord the Member for Do - a tshire (Lord Ashlti proposed his measure for ,the limitation of the hours 0, employment for the labouring classes, they reviled at his b :nevolent endeavours.—(Hear, hear,) If th e y vier : asked for their support to any m easure for the rale% instruction of the people, or to advance their more l g ° S i e , and social comforts, what--was the answer ? re Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the'Governm ent to propose any scheme of that kind, be would be met d e a distinct refusal.—(Hear, hear.) The commercial f e at might do some good to the manufacturers, but weehlabe advance the condition of the labouring classes• country, were it passed, would still be liable to tha . revulsions, and that distress to which the Right void Baronet referrell in his speech of 1842. Ther e ''' n o I be the same per' o Beal visitations, and ttough eal o . - ... 5 might abound, without credit it would be unasel"efbas (Hear, hear.) They might expect that in years distress ficient harvests the labourers would suffer, and 11 , ° ;; s - tt ese able to purchase of the manufacturers, general...we would prevail. Even if the corn-laws wer e a de' doned they would still be as much affected by a c od ficient harvest as before. They would find, with a gags harvest a prosperous trade, and when the harvseaytork deficient, distress and decline in Lancashire an" - f the shire.—(Hear.) He would call the attention otcl House to a circular issued by Messrs. Ferg us on that Taylor, corn merchants of America, who sta te(l 6 s s leet their experience went to show that in years of "% r ect , harvest great distress pervaded in the home l e e ; 00 Those gentlemen said that in September last there tioa an apparent langour or disaster in the first harlot%) that instant the home market began to decline. - '% o cte Buyers were scarce, and goods were left upon the e i d be hands. Hon. Members proposed that coin Arose, brought from abroad to remedy that evil. "Thlt,!; fi e Hon. Gentlemen would look to the war: air the system, he thought they would fin" - 1 11 , e ference in the results in different plac es ', Hon. Member for Stockport (Mr. Cobd ens, s calculated in his speeches (and he admitted that hlooglt culations were correct) the amount of produce 7 1 , 0' from the English soil to be 200,000,000. Mr' see loch made a similar calculation. Now, when there tleg' such a year as that of 1838, in which there wes. - t eere ciency in the harvest of four per cent., and w hey s ieb t came such a year as 1839, when the deficiency w it dhe. per cent., was it not perfectly clear that theY wc) ith o s t taking away from the exchangeable wl co s,o O" the country, an amount varying from 8 ' Otte', to 6,000,000 ?—(Hear, hear.) That must be. Id tees by all parties. Would the green corn from Or e t, that deficiency ? He conceived that it would 0;04 might accomplish other objects, but it would G e tter the not meet the deficiency which would take plat e e f ,, s - tar el repeal of the corn-laws. If the aggregate Man e a ger si e of this country expected a defence from 0 °, 00 ,01 gate agriculture of England equivalent to 200 ' vet ° a year, there would be a failure to the ee, t yeg 8,000,0001. worth in the next year, and in the Blear thet, to the extent of 16,000,0001. It was perfectly ic'ec-teseei their foreign demond,.greatasit might be, weetitust. ye that deficiency whieh would occur in the home n"" bow the,' them write teeir foreign demand as high as theYe,, the,' assuming that after the repeal of the corn -la sa tir e shou'd gain such a development of trade as th, e _f s tie he pated (and which he sincerely wished for g th re e a tu te r r tbfosf, n ei ? manufactures of this country would be aggregate demand of both the home and th e se so o markets; and if there were a failure in any on e la be l t there would be in their home market, they e';', o 5 0° 7 the same languor in trade, they would have f '" l . th el dulness in prices, and the same difficulties l e e pre 9 : l labouring population to undergo, and the se ln (oee sure in the homes of -the poor of this country s' ea sl And, after all, he would assume that they, oeste4 gain a development of foreign trade, th e Y r odef e d still have the same languor and deficiencY , P t )P io by a lar gull ar d deficient harvest—(Heareh e : o 4 l 4 that deficiency would entail upon those e li e4'erw,i reanu'acture-, and the labouring population ois fee:l e s s great prii ations. And he therefore frankly CO that he could not join with those who se - io t . a r o as the result of the proposed conetne rc o , v laxation, a larger development of manufactur s e , t th, e , while he, on. the one hand, did not think t" o e t would escape the difficulties arising fr 1 3 ,3 ficient harvest, he, on the other hand, aid tc' o that they might be bringing upon the country l'tteetl,' ous difficulties of another kind, to which their lib did not seem to have been directed,, but w hich fessed deserved their best and most deliber" s - fth, l 'h sideratior. What, he would ask, was to becoiv e colonial farmers ? What was the a motin t w ee,o at the present time went to the colonial l' ot , 1 , 4 It was a quantity of constantly growing neV,. O had at one time increased to 15,000,000/. x";foeie likely either that sugar or other colonial pre e r) I . t be long allowed to survive this.--(Hear, he6ittls lion. Members on the opposite side looked forwomeis confidence to this side of the House for the ac e b eg„ ‘ ;l ment of that measure. But if that was going t o rt ,pll ,l l 3 > he would ask how long after it should be tlee°„feetsat did they expect to keep their other colonial to"steris (Hear.) He had not forgotten that the lion- to I°o fur Taunton had said that they were lih el b their colonial markets. Well, then, be 0 11. ' 4 e, ,be contend that this measure would have that eei o c e w o e then there was another and much heavie r b t ee °O4 inflicted by it. If the effect of e , b t ;',Jef was to depreciate agricultural produces '„ e tirt„' o lti would be a limited demand for Ob e l i, I" de in the home markets, and the reee' to ss I ' l4o o be the same as they were in 1838, when therewes at ficient harvest from natural causes, and there t 10° 4 0 deficient supply.—(Hear, hear.) He could r e ' ea's , • h et this measure with that confidence with whte eic e regarded it. There was another point w' e rr, ceived made it still more untenable and unce r r",. -1 0' 0 0 0 he would like to ask the Hon. Member . I° ; ," ti ent e ' r iej hampton, would he go down to his caw.' P c JO, take s law n es ' f 15 46 . e. code thi f free trade r laws his for band , the year - ot sr, o ve; would do no such thing, because it was / OP so" free-trade code, so long as there still reme l t :le c hin!' i ser tive duty upon silk, and upon lace, and uPe n r at re' upon metals. Why then was this done? 8113042;V. est was there in favour of the farmer in el 'e y to tection to silk, and to china, and to lace, en -„ D None in the world. Well, then, the erg: c e ll - tr. (); / ‘,..A that those articles were not sufficiently selves to exist without not, ,h, e o #0,;0, 4 surely, if they were not, how much less au n ' ro tee'e cultural produce to endure without e110 0 ,,h An Hon. Member on the other side of th c b i t e e l ' e se b tr o he could conduct a farm in Buckingham' °f the i s much profit with free trade fur the polled W e f er'' try as he could with the highest protection:the eetioid heartily wished the Hon. Member would trYoeportoso ment. He would promise him he should have ttj 0 0 , 0 co ° of doing so Some of his Hon. Friends, he ":"-se b i te ri; connected with Buckinghamshire, would gti`oghobe4 of their best farms on lease—(Hear ae d fjo e. which might be for a term as long as the ' t t he )1;: pleased, as long even as in Scotland, an ( l,, a rate of rent, and with only one condition -e'" t e i o f a d" - , bar should show them the ledger at the en tbe4 and with this lease he would undertake to ea) e f ' e d of the Hon. Gentleman to his friends at tilt', P I 6) . 0 year would be—Close your purses, for ty, t n s , ham-fields have emptied mine.—(Laughteriiif I,,,teecv, not be questioned for a moment, th g s b e ° p i") wished for a return for his capital during in be • J 4 of free trade he must invest i‘ttiear, asst',, factures, and not in agriculture. -- k or ti Before he sat down he was anxious to an' cs e i s o 87 4 respecting those laws. He had no hesit 9 '' ro JlY , B ill 0 E that although he opposed the measure go° most „,,y$ e d to some parts of the measure Cie 0 , r to in fe and cordial assent. His opposition tf e e nt el. t . 1) O f this measure was on the ground tha t Po s rot le set so . distrust of the policy of the Right Hee - n f thet" G et confessed he did feel distrust, not alon e t g o re t iot io other measures introduced by the Big h n to sel o iet ° o man. He (Mr. Colquhoun) did not ule a cu r, to 131 , 00 would be in the power of any Goverruute r0e.0014 the agricultural inters sts, and at the same _":„.(oPi g e, v lo any longer the present rate of productine,"; l a t e te uf eetSio cheers.) He (Mr. C.) confessed he sho i in Pio a great question of that kind earnest a li Te l• spot ba ng used by the Right Hon. Gentleman. , sity nc e L ee fi t ' er absence, but he (Mr. Colquhoun) wouT be d Afro o re his absence that he would nut say if h our able oj etsvr, sent. He would say that the 11" ted tbe t ( 9 for Stockport (Mr. Cobden) a dvoca by of in an able, a learned, and a talented ma" v ices st bl t p Colquhoun) did not take the wire a ge"' Of i ll the Sew ° P t H m :11 11, 57 i : 1 , d sgarye,a, if as they a actedth e a n u n t htohrtel tire r 5 ioc ip • S r 0 p r,, Reform Bill, they should me o e bvie es I l e° in spirit. It was quite svt i o tal sie eir . o body that they could not, the not ) ; institutions unless they maintatne_iettestions_past,les which brought about that great , 1 0 es te- 0 %%0.r Unless they can be consistent in ar e, a_ old t est u for ' for can appeal to great interests, they ;otendieigeodiatbi measure with success. They, in , t co t of fr• tdeists which sitfon., te r r e' re' oonliZLlßlo6l.ociture r oe , $) 5 of country.—(Cheers from the OPr te o f the ,turel poi" Colquhoun) would give, fur the el age icui support sale s the se " the country, his earnest b e er( aae t 0- tection.—(Cheers.) Why, "- rto °vet tes t able Member for Wolverhampton se..3„' i 3 d ud file year 1815, that the Right nonou cali °l3 ' r) dexterously playing that_ ar e e e f o L ear h t e i g op o they should take great n ii;otitils_ op. question would be It surrc . ( 1 fer these he r s eue. e r t - b oo- Pri v thawtahseofneitthbeimgsreolufnedninof his feeling his mo s vr t er niot e_r a P to position to the measure that t_ row he t n oeuroie brought before the flouseh. feeling a a 00 13° , $O 4 t— 00, se bear his testimony to tn he uestio , _cto of t ciple by which, on this hid bee n o urs. Member for. Stockport see sett tii 1.4. t. 4 kr ° fee d w i h sc ic u h o h in e n h ._ ad (c m h a n n e t as Jove been * *gag, Able) 43 4 6 14 feeling that that Hon. .: t b" l : o u i t t aj . :91afaat"‘;435W;11$ r te ,:.. ~.r , ~,i _ ~~.. ~r ,___ felt com snd ho deter ra i with thouw ItlAa=sv, ° 1 th e ( gas at 414 n 14ken way (