The Sun. — London, England, 1837-03-23 00:00:00

her majority, which will occur, please God, on the 24th of May ensuing. Was the above advertisement put forth as a feeler or a. claw ? If a feeler, it was the least injudicious—if a claw, it was fruitless, for it will make prize of nothing;. The Duchess of Kent " in tends" forsooth ! With all respect for her Royal Highness, the people a'bout her aught to be given to understand, what the Duchess herself must be too well informed to doubt of, that, whatever her relation may have been toward s her daughter during the mi nority of the latter Princess, that relation ceases when the minority terminates; except in so far as the natural relatiern of parent and child is con cerned ; and that, thank Heaven, remains through out every period (,f human life indelible and sacred. The right, ther:efore, of the Duchess of Kent, whose conduct has been (and even if it had not been) that of a t ender, virtuous and exemplary mother —her right, we say to the filial deference of the Prin cess Victoria will be questioned by none but the heart less and depraved. The relation, however, between these Princesses: has been hrretofore of a complex cha racter. It has been not only-that of nature, but it has been, on the pert of the Duchess one of authority and power over her child. The Duchess of Kent has exer cised these laiter attributes by the permission of her Sovereign 'William IV., who in. his good pleasure judged it best for the heiress presumptive to his Crown ; that she should reside with, and be, within certain limits, under the guidance of her mother. The King did not consider it necessary to interpose that inhe rent prerogativte , with which, for high political reasons, the constituticu of this monarchy has invested him, between the Duchess and the Princess while an infant. But when no longer an infant, the presumptive heiress to the Crown assumes a fresh place in society. Al though her cloFiest natural relation may still be with her mother, her most intimate political relation is with the King, and it is in the discretion of his Majesty, and of him alone, to arrange the form and extent of her future establishment to direct the amount of income for the maintenance of her rank, which shall be proposed by his Ministers to Parlia ment, and to select and nominate those persons who (without tl-,e interference of Ministers or of Par liament) shall constitute her Royal Highness's house hold. There was an attempt made a few months back (and an impudent attempt it was) to obtrude upon people of England and on the young Princess herself some foolish notion that the choice of a consort for her Royal Highness was an affair in which neither she herself, nor the King, her Sovereign and uncle, who has stood towards her, both naturally and politically, ever since he came to the throne, in loco patris, had the least particle of concern ; but that it must be in the supreme dictation of a Prince and Princess of the foreign house of Saxe Coburg to settle, without her free consent or that of the Monarch of these realms— to impose upon her, the heiress to the British empire, whatever husband it might suit their purposes of family aggrandisement to provide. We exposed at the time the mercenary audacity of this revoking pretension ; and not long afterwards there appeared iit a Belgic newspaper the very condescending and satisfactory assurance, thk the match between the Princess Vic toria and one of the nephews of the Belgic King Leopold, which " teas so much wished for by a large majority of the people of England OW was, for the present, postponed !" The ab surdity and impertinence of these affronts to the heiress presumptive, as if she was alike devoid of spirit and discernment, provoked no further remark from the press than that which we have already al luded to. But the temper, as well as the projects, which they indicated, made a due impression on the minds of reflecting Englishmen, and the time and foul) of their re-appearance were waited for without much disquiet. Thay have re-appeared. By the former attempt these mountebanks would persuade the Princess and the country that a Saxe-Coburg. intrigue Was to supersede at once her Royal Highness's own in clinations and King William's paternal rights, and force" some member of a family, against all of whom there arc ohjections, not now necessary to enumerate,. we might almost say, upon the throne of England. The present attempt is of a less flighty order. It is no t hing more than coolly to take for granted that her Royal glmess the Duchess of Kent is so little cognizant of her own station in this country and its incidents, as that she could entertain (which we know she cannot.) time pr:posterous ambition to play a great part in poli tics, and become a species of imaginary Queen mother or Regent after. her daughters maturity, and before his present Majesty's dernie. Tide Duchess of Kent will, on or after, or in con templation of, the 24th of May, have no shadow of title to interfere at all in or with the Princess Victo ria's household. It will not be for her Royal High ness the Duchess of Kent to nominate ladies of the bedchamber, or maids of honour, or equerries, or grooms, or other officers of the new establishment,. any more than she iris ever chosen them for other branches of the Royal family. She can no more pro mote Lord Durham to an office inn the Princess's household, than she can make Sir ,John Conroy a Prime Mi&Aer, should her Royal Flihnes - s , be de sirous to transfer the services of that meritorious equerry to the State. The authority is in the Sovereign, the appointment rests with him alone. The Whig Minis ters have no more to do with such matters than the Dof•bess. "nw wi,llrs of the Prioc,s ht.rs:_•U . •1;411 nu tiott':t. I on.,nited, libera!!v, coneideratek, k:inik, 111(1 2s IS, monilv speakinff, Iwr ri 4 ht. Wheth..T his Majesty Hill appoint Lord Durham, or whether the Princess Vic toria has been so trained as to relish the prospect of having her domestic circle made the focus of inde fatigable and inveterate intrigue by political partisans of one of O'Connell's chieftains like that Noble Earl, it is not for us to offer even a conjecture. Lord Dur ham, with all his talent, is, we are painfully con vinced by long observation of him, destitute of that temper, discretion, and judgment, which are eminently necessary in the important and delicate office of adviser of a young Princess. In the meantime, if un4rhamd faction be at work, we have now done something to wards defeating it.—Times. In addition to Lord William Bentinck's notice of motion founded on a petition for steam-navigation to to which we lately drew attention—the urgency of the question has been pressed upon the Legislature of the country by two petitions presented on the sub ject last night by Mr. Mullins and Mr. Bagshaw ; and by notices of motion grounded upon them. The notice by Mr. Mullins is, for " a Select Committee to inquire as to the most practicable and cheapest mode of establishing steam-communication with India by way of the Mediterranean." The other motion, by Mr. Bagshaw, is distinguished by two peculiar characteristics ; one is, that it is ‘, a petition from merchants, shipowners, and traders of the city of Lon don, in favour of an accelerated communication by means of steam-navigation with India ;" and the se cond is, that it adopts that view of the subject which we have shewn to be enforced by the strongest evidence of argument and fact, expressly stating that the pe titioners are " in favour of opening the communication with India by way of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea." Having discussed the subject in all its bearings so recently, and having, on mature deliberation, come to the same view of the subject as that taken by the petitioners, we do not consider it necessary to repeat our argument, nor even to recapitu late the various steps of the evidence by which we have reached that point of the settled conviction on the subject which we occupy and avow. Not a shadow of doubt remains upon our mind as to the decided prefe rability, feasibility, and superior policy, commercial and political, of the Egyptian route. We doubt not the perfect ease and economy with which a steam com munication between Suez and the Mediterranean might be readily opened. We believe that there would be no difficulty thrown in its way by the present Pacha of Egypt. There never was any physical difficulty in the way of opening that communication, except the pleaded difficulty arising from the south-west mon soons, which, as alleged, might somewhat interrupt it during four months of the year. Nor is there any real difficulty in that temporary and qualified interrup tion which British skill and capital may not readily surmount. It is only requisite in plain language to put on more steam power in order to more effectually and triumphantly grapple with it. Our conviction is fully made up. To those who require materials for corning to a similar decision, we recommend the article WlN:am's wont, in the Foreign Quarterly Review on Steam naviga tion to India, which we analysed on a former occa sion. It is based on the evidence and Report of the " Select Committee on Steam Navigation to India"— one of the most striking and valuable Reports in point of erudition, science, research, and highly au thenticated testimony, which has ever issued from the bureaus of British legislation. Volumes might be constructed out of its valuable and profuse materials. The article in question searches every point of the sub ject as to the comparative feasibility of the three routes. It leaves no corner of the subject unexplored, in bring ing the important matter before the jury of the British public, and after a careful ahalysis of the whole, sums up by a deliberate and unqualified decision in favour of the Egyptian route. We have made these few comments, not for the purpose of repeating our argu ment on the subject, but for the purpose of drawing attention to those increasing notices of motions which manifest the interest and urgency which the question excites in the public mind—and especially to that notice of motion which confines itself to the recom mendation of the Egyptian route. In concluding the subject, it may not be inexpedient to remark that the French Papers received yesterday contain . a paragraph from Constantinople to the following effect :—" The Euphrates expedition having failed, the remaining steam-boat is to be sold to the Indian Company. On the other hand, the Pacha of Egypt has given orders for the purchase of steam-boats and merchant vessels with a view of their being employed in the trade to the Red Sea. His project of an iron railroad from Suez to Cairo is still in progress. Iron rails and iron work for the undertaking have just arrived from Eng land at Alexandria."—Morning Advertiser. Entertaining a high respect for the character of the Duke of Richmond, as well as towards the order . to which he belongs, we cannot but regret to see him standing forward as the advocate and eulogist of the most objectionable and inhuman law in its operation which has ever passed the British Legislature. It is true that an influential member of the House to which his Grace belongs, holding at the time the office of Lord Chancellor, threw the powerful weight of his gigantic mind and inventive genius into the scale in which the supposed necessity and merits of the proposed measure were to be weighed, and, as one among other argu ments, endeavoured to prove that its adoption was ne cessary to the preservation of the estates of the aristo cracy. This baiT, unfortunately was too strong to be resisted ; and in an evil hour the House of Lords gave its assent to a measure, the rejection or modi fication of which would have rivetted the gratitude and applause of all ranks of people. Well, the law passes, and no sooner comes into partial operation, than the kingdom, from one end to the other, rings with loud complaints of its inhumanity and injus tice. With every disposition among its promoters to stifle these cries, the attempt is unavailing, and a Committee reluctantly conceded, and not very satisfac torily formed, is now sitting to investigate its opera tion. Yet this is the moment when a man of the Duke of Richmond's high and estimable character chooses for stating that " the aged and the infirm and the truly poor, who required relief, were much better taken care of under the present than under the old law, and that he believed that few measures had been of such benefit to the humble classes of society as the measure in question." That the Duke of Richmond believes such to be the case, and that it may be the case in the particular Union over which he presides, we do not dispute. But surely his Grace is too sound and com prehensive a reasoner to mistake the exception for the rule, or to assume that because the influence of his rank and humanity may in one instance blunt the sharp edge of this legislative sword, the complaints against its operation elsewhere arc groundless. Are the prison like workhouses and their starving dietary—are the separation of man and wife, of mothers and children —are the child-murdering bastardy clauses of this cruel Act, really " benefits to the humble classes ?" We respect the Duke of Richmond, and therefore the more do we regret that he should add the weight of his name and character to fallacies like these. We ate willing to await in patience the result of the inquiry now going on, provided it is conducted, as we trust it will be, fairly and impartially ; but we will yield , submission to no verdict given without evidence ; and can only look upon such ex parte opinions as calculated to injure and prejudice the cause which they profess to espouse.—Moniing► Herald. The Morning Herald, in discussing the affair of the Vixen, sets aside the question of title to the port • where that vessel was captured, as leading " away from the real merits of the case ;" but we must take leave to tell our Contemporary that the whole case rests on that point, and that all its indignation may be spared against Russia, provided Russia had the legal sovereignty and absolute possession. Now we h ave shown in a late article that in 1784, territorial limits were once fixed between the Tatars, Russia, and the Porte—that subsequently those limits were changed— that Soudjuk Calessi, by name, was placed under the dominion of the Porte—and that the right which the the Porte had to it was transferred to Russia at the Treaty of Adrianople. The Porte may or may not have had possession of the rest of Circassia, or the whole line of the Abassian coast ; but the place i wherein the Vixen was captured was given up by name in 17,91, and the Treaty of Adrianople mint I € . I cancelled, or the cession of that rariicidar place sands good. IVe waive to-dav the general argument, nnl, cootine ourselves to the actual possession of the • ha , : wherein the Vixen was captured. The Morning Herald is again wrong in arguing the case as a breach of warlike blockade. The Russian qoveinment, which !, must be supposed best to understand its own grievance, paces, in the official reclamation, the matter on the two grounds of the quarantine and the custom-house regulations being violated. The blockade is casually mentioned, and then spoken of only as a preventive service blockade, similar to that exercised by our reve nue cruisers on the British coast. If Russia has the right of sovereignty and possession of Soudjuk Calessi, it has the right to make certain custom-house regula tions, and to confiscate vessels engaged in the contra band. The Vixen 'was there, avowedly trying to land a cargo of salt without payment of duty- ; therefore she was seized, therefore she was condemned, and therefore the Cabinet of St. Petersburgl► will make no concession. We quite agree with the just indignation of our Contemporary as to the misconduct of the Whig Ministers in general, and of Lord Palmerston on this particular occasion. The British merchants may well arraign them for neglect of their interests in the East ; but in the instance before us we must take Russia out of the question, and we are sure our Contemporary will, on consideration, admit the right of the Emperor to confiscate a vessel which is caught in the fact of run ning goods in a bay in his possession, the fortress from which it takes its name being actually manned by a Russian garrison. There is no national question at issue—the affair is between Lord Palmerston, Mr. Bell, and the underwriters ; and if we want to mea sure strength with the Emperor of Russia we roust pick a better cause of quarrel than that afforded by the seizure of the Vixen.—Morning Post. The execution of the murderer, Lightband, con victed at the late Worcester Assizes, is definitively fixed for Thursday next. The prisoner has since his condemnation conducted himself in a becoming manner. He displays great firmness of mind and self-possession, at the same time he evinces sensibility of the heinousness of his crime, and the dreadful sentence he must shortly undergo. FAMILY OF NAPOLEON.--The Bonapartes were always a most ambitious people. The first of the race known to history was one Jean Bonaparte, and deputed, in the thirteeenth century, as envoy to Padua, to procure explana tion relative to an armament which that town was fitting out to act against Treviso. A work, entitled " The Chronique de St. Mauro," mentions the said Jean as one of the first who received the order of St. Jacques in Spain. In 1720 we are informed of a Bonsembiante Bonaparte, as a knight of the order of Cavallieri Gaudenti, diplomatically employed in the northern states in Italy. Nordillo Bonaparte was, in 1272, a syndic of Treviso, and bore a prominent part in the Italian wars of that period. In 1319 the Chevalier Pierre Bonaparte was sent as Ambassador to the Court of the Emperor Frede rick of Austria, and his son Oderic to Venice. The family are now supposed to have emigrated,. and here begins the hiatus marime dejlendus in the Napoleon genealogy. About this time, it is thought, they became divided in their political views, one part espousing the cause of the Guelphs, and the other of the Ghibbelines, and hence those branches of the family got the surnames of Bonaparte and Malaparte. Louis Marie Fortune Bonaparte passed over to Corsica in 1612, during a war with the Genoese, and finally settled at Ajaccio, which has given rise to the current notion that this race was originally Corsican. —Letters on Italy by SirA. B. Faulkner. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 22. The LORD CHANCELLOR, the Archbishop of CANTER BURY, and the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, sat at "'OW o'Clock as Commissioners to give the -- Royal Assent to the follow ing Bills : The Transfer of Aids Bill, Worcester County Hall Bill, Runcorn Gas Light Bill, Dee South Road Bill, Rochdale and Burnley Roads Bill, Winfrith and Wool Inclosure Bill, Newbold Derby Inclosure Bill. After the Royal Assent was given to the above Bills, O❑ the motion of Earl SHAFTESBURY the Aberdeen Road Bill, the Loughborough Small Debts Bill, and some others were read a third time and passed, and the remain ing Bills on the table were forwarded a stage. Mr. TomLussoN from the Treasury attended at the bar, and presented papers. Lord STRANGFORD presented a petition from East Sutton, in Kent, and one from another parish, against the abolition of Church-rates. Earl SHAFTESBURY presented petitions from the parishes of Marston, South Barrow, North Barrow, and four others, against the abolition of Church-rates. The House then adjourned during pleasure. Their Lordships again met at Five o'clock. The Bishop of HEREFORD presented a petition from the Dean and Chapter of St. Peter's, Westminster, against the reduction of the number of Prebendaries. The petitioners expressed very deep regret at the reduction of the Prebendaries in their Collegiate body. They re gretted this, because it was not only a discourage ment, but the number of Prebendaries, after the reduction, would not be sufficient for the proper performance of their duty. Perhaps some of their Lordships might not be aware, that in St. Peter's Church, Westminster, there were not only two sermons preached to most crowded congregations on every Sunday, but likewise on every saint's day and holiday throughout the year, all of which were preached by the Prebendaries ; and it was considered that four alone, especially when it was re collected that two of those were to have extensive parishes annexed to their Prebendary Stalls, consisting of a popula tion of 48,000 souls, that the duty could not be sufficiently performed by them. The prayer of the petitioners was, that their Lordships'. would leave, or restore the regulation upon this subject to its original principle ; or if that could not be granted, that their Lordships would pass no Bill with respect to the number of Collegiate Prebendaries without giving the petitioners six Collegiate Prebendaries, that was four besides the two they now have. Lord DUNGANNON laid on the table the First Re port of his Majesty's Commissioners on the state of the Fisheries. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the in habitants of Bridgenorth and its vicinity, which he stated was signed by members of the Established Church as well as Dissenters, and the prayer of which was, that their Lordships would abolish Church-rates without any substitution. The petition he would mention was signed amongst others by the Mayor and several of the Coun cillors, and by several Clergymen.—(Hear.)—He also presented petitions to the same effect from the township o f Southerby, and from the Unitarians of the town and port of Dover, and the inhabitants of Romsey, in South Hants. The Noble Lord then continued to say that he had given notice last night, that he would present a petition which was in his hands, upon a most important subject. That petition was one from a very important body—the House of Assembly of the province of Lower Canada—complain ing of certain grievances to which it referred.—(Hear.) He, however, had been induced to postpone presenting it, by finding that no further steps would be taken in reference to it at present in the other House ; and as the resolutions which had been proposed in the other House bad 13en post:- poned until after the holidays, he would also postpone his petition.—( Hear.) He could not however avoid express ing his anxious hope—he could not say his sanguine expec tation—but he did hope that they would hear no more of the resolutions which remained to be disposed of—he meant cspeci Illy the Bth resolution, which he considered to be peculiarly fraught with injustice.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped the Noble Lord would not persist in pressing that resolution ; at all events, he hoped that if it were pressed, it would not meet with-that concurrence elsewhere which would bring the subject before their Lordships. ROYAL MINT AMENDMENT BILL. ..„ _ On the nnrion of Lord DUNcANNON, the House then went into Committee on this Bill. The first, second, and third clauses were agreed to with out discussion. On the fourth clause being proposed, Lord BROUGHAM considered that the fourth clause was by no means perfect,—that it would be much better to have it altered a little ; but as It was a money clause, • their Lordships could not alter it. The other parts of the Bill were then agreed to. . The House resumed. The Bill was reported without amend ments, and ordered to be read a third time on the Ist day after the recess. The Archbishop of YORK presented petitions from Norfolk, MAldon, and several other places, against the abo lition of Church-rates. Earl SHAFTESBURY presented a petition from Aberystw•ith to the same effect. A Message from the Commons brought up the Great Western Raikay Amendment Bill, and two private Bills. Upon the motion of Old SHAFTESBURY the House then adjourned till Thursday the 6th of April next. HOUSE OF COM_3IOIVS, Jihrtrff 22, The SPEAKER took the Chair this day at Seven Minutes to Four o'clock. LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY. On the motion of Mr. GREENE the Liverpool and Man chester Railway Improvement Bill was read a third time and passed. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. Mr. C. RUSSELL moved the third reading of the Great Western Railway (Paddington) Bill, and stated that no part of the compensation granted fur the land near Paddington could by any possibility find its way into the pocket of the Bishop of Lo:idon, the only interest derived by that Prelate being in the increased %aloe of the land. Aff,S.Xtil . : FROM THE LORDS., Sir A. rt.ii rt.' , " the Usher of the Black Rod, ap peared at the table to summon the Howe of Commons to the House of Peers, to . hear the Royal assent given to several Bills. The SrEAKER, attended by several Members-, immediately left the House, and returned in about ten minutes, when he announced that the Royal assent had been given by Commission to several Bills, for which see Lords' Report. Mr. Crayford, from the Treasury, appeared at the Bar and presented papers, which were laid on the table. Mr. TOOKE presented a petition in favour of the Trinity Harbour Bill, and a petition from an individual against Rennie's Brighton line. The" Hon. Member then moved the second reading of Gardiner's Divorce Bill.— Agreed to. Mr. HUME presented a petition against the Glasgow and Ayr Railway Bill. SOUTH MIDLAND RAILWAY. Mr. cmcrwRIGHT presented several petitions in favour of the South Midland Railway Bill. Mr. V. SMITH presented two petitions to the same effect. Mr. C. ROSS also presented a petition in favour of the Bill. Mr. PEASE presented a petition from the Leioester shire Canal Company against the Bill. Mr. J. GLADSTONE presented a petition against the Bi►l from Market Harborough. Captain PECHELL presented a petition signed by 139 owners of Mansions in Leicestershire and Northamp ton to the same effect. Mr. CARTWRIGHT rose to move the second read ing of the Bill. This measure came before the Committee last year as a competing line, and an arrangement was then come to, that in the Midland Counties Railway Bill a clause was introduced, by which it was agreed that they should not commence their line from Leicester to Rugby until this Company should have had an opportunity of applying to Parliament for leave to introduce their Bill for a competing line from Leicester to Northampton. There was no doubt that this line would be nearer by five miles than the other; and it took a straight course through the towns of Market-Harborough and Northampton, through a large population, and a country where there was an ex tensive business. The other line, on the contrary, traversed a country where there was no particular quantity of trade carried on. At all events, it was only fair, whatever objec tions there might be to the Bill, that it should be allowed to go into Committee, in order to have the subject fully in vestigated. He would conclude by moving that the Bill be read a second time. Mr. T. GLADSTONE rose to move as an amendment that the Bill be postponed till the Report was received from the Select Committee to which the petitions were re ferred on Monday last. There were some very peculiar circumstances connected with this Railway, with which it was necessary that the llouse should be made acquainted. According to the statements of the petition of Sir H. Hal ford, of the sum of 600,000/., 156,000/. had been subscribed for by individuals that were either not to be found, or were in exceedingly indigent circumstances, and some of them were, it was asserted, induced to sign for a pecuniary consideration. Now, supposing the allegations in that petition to be correct, and that the 156,000/. would ultimately be struck off the amount subscribed for that would leave about 440,000/. In addition to this, it was stated by the petition presented yesterday by the Hoh. Member for Liverpool, signed by 77 shareholders, that they would subscribe to the amount of 77,000/. ; they stated among other things that the Company originally proposed to make branch Railways ; but since, that had been aban doned, and they stated farther that they believed that the undertaking, if carried on, would a nly be a wasteful expenditure of money ; and they, therefore, prayed the House to relieve them from these 1 1 . abilities. Now, if that 77,0001. was taken from the 440,00( )1., it would leave a sum only of 363,0001., which was a sun considerably less than was required by the Standing Orde rs—less by the sum of 183,0001. Now, on such allegation is as those it was that he grounded his objection at the present moment to the second reading. He did not ask - axe House to reject the Bill ; all that lie required was, that: The second reading should be postponed under all the circui ris tances of the case. His object was to have this part of the subject sifted, which could not be done unless the Bill was postponed. The Hon. Member concluded by moving, at ; an amendment, that the second reading of the Bill be postponed till the Report of the Committee on the De, ptford and Dover Railway was received. Mr. VERNON SMITH thought :that' none of the reasons stated by the Hon. Member wars anted the amend ment he had moved. The petition of the s hareholders ought not to be received without further invesf ;igation, which could not be had unless the Bill were read a sc sr.oncl. time. Besides, ifthe Bill were read a second time, the Reis ort of the Deptford and Dover Railway Committee would lee presented before the time the House would be able to gos into Committee on the Bill. He hoped the House would. allow the Bill to pass the second reading, and he thought the objections to it might be best considered in Committee. Captain PECHELL hoped the Hon. Member for Lei cester would persevere in his motion. , He begged to state that the number of shareholders who petitioned the House was 85, and the amount of capital subscribed for by them 77,400/. He thought the allegations age inst the Bill such as to warrant the rejection of it altogether ; but he would for the present be content with the pro potiition of the Hon. Member for Leicester. Sir JOHN BECKETT said some of his constituents were interested in this railway, and he I iad heard from them that they were induced to subscribe for shares by the mania for such speculations which prevailed last year, and that they would be now most anxious to gel rid of the responsi bility they had incurred. After a few words from Mr. C. ROSS, Sir J. GRAHAM said he had no in terest in the Bill, but he thought the proposition that had been made was a most fair one, inasmuch as if the chars -0 which had been brought forward was substantiated it woe uld show that the House had been most grossly imposed ipon. It was stated that out of 600,000/. subscribed, 150,0(101. had been fraudu lently obtained—and that the House would admit was an allegation of a most serious natui.e. The petition in which that charge was preferred had been referred to a Committee for investigation, and was now sub judicii. No thing, therefore, could be more fair or• just than a motion to postpone the Bill until the decision of that Committee had been obtained, and he (Sir Janzes Graham) should give the motion his support. Mr. PEASE thought it would 'be exceedingly unfair to allow the Bill to proceed under ste circumstancs. The amount of the subscription list was barely more than half the estimate of the undertaking, an& where parties come forward to say that with that bare nsoiety 150,0001. had been unfairly obtained, he thought the House would be defrauded if they proceeded with the Bill under such cir cumstances. Mr. FINCH could not agree wit'h. the Hon. Member for Durham. Although the Right I ion. Baronet said he had made a very fair proposal, he (ifrlr. Finch) must say that he thought the parties interestel would consider the proposal exceedingly vexatious. They expected that the House would adhere to its decision of last year. He put it to the House whether these parties- would incur the ex pense of going into a Committee, if they were certain that the Report of that Committee would, in the course of three or four weeks, overthrow all the proeee dings, and that all the money would be then thrown away. Considering the immense importance of the subject, he hoped the House would give the parties an opportunity of a full and fair in vestigation. Mr. HUME was as much disposed to watch over the interests of individuals as any Member, but he thought it was a duty which the House owed to its elf, not to sanction a Bill which on the face of it bore marks of fraud. The statement was correct that 150,000/. was set down in the names of individuals who bad no means of paying it—it was a clear case of fraud. The rules of the House would be good for nothing, and ought to be removed from the books, if they allowed a Bill under such circumstances to be read a second time. With this view, he not only would object to the second reading of this Bill ; but he thought that the House ought to take the opportunity of marking its opinion of cases, whenever fraud was proved. They ought, without any hesitation, to reject all plans of this kind. The House ought to take a decided ' course. They should either maintain respect for their or ders and regulations, or abolish them altogether. He in treated the House not to listen to any considerations for those who came forward out of regard for their own inte rests, when fraud appeared on the face of the proceed -it°rs. He was decidedly for rejecting the Bill, and throwing it out, and thus telling to the country that every Company who came forward under the like circum stances would have their Bill rejected. Mr. C. W. WYNN thought the House was bound to see that the bona fide amount required by the Standing Orders was subscribed for. In his opinion, the House had no power to rescind the Orders it had already made. Lord G. SOMERSET said that if it were the wish of the House to throw out the Bill, the mode pursued was not the proper one to adept. It appeared tolain, that to call upon tie House to adjourn the question to an indefinite period was most unjust. Unless the investigation was to be de layed fur a short period only, he should consider it his duty to give the proposal his determined. opposition. Mr. BROTHERTON said he believed the Chairman of the Committee would present the Report immediately after the recess. Mr. D. W. HARVEY said it appeared to him there was as great a reaction upon Railroads at the present time as there was upon other matters which had lately occupied public attention. Last year the House had sanc tioned every thing that bore the name of a Railway ; but, this year, it had shown a great predilection to strangle every thing that came before it in the shape of a Rail way.—( Heer, hear, Lear, and a laugh.) In his opinion, and he had stated that last year, no Railroad Bill ought to he aliowed to come into the House, or have the sanction of Cie House, unless something like ten per cent. had been actually subscribed and bona fide given. When the 10/. was paid up, it was no matter whether the man who had paid it was a man of straw, or a man of sub stance. He had ventured in the early part of last Session to bring the subject under the consideration of the House ; but his suggestion was thrown on one side, and a series of regulations adopted, the working of which was now pretty well manifest. As regarded the present measure, he thought it would be extremely unjust to throw out the Bill altogether in its present state, and he should give his vote in favour of its being postponed till the Report was brought up. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House divided, when the numbers were, For the Second Reading .. . 16 For the Postponement 63 Majority 47 The Bill is consequently postponed. WHITBY AND PICKERING RAILWAY. On the motion of Mr. A. CHAPMAN, the Whitby and Pickering Railway Bill was read a third time, and passed. Mr. WILKS presented a petition from Fishguard in fa vour of the Fishguard Harbour Bill. Also a petition from the Stockport Gas Company against the Stockport Im provement Bill. And a petition against the South Union Railway Bill. CORK AND PASSAGE RAILWAY. On the motion of an HoN. MEMBER, the Cork and Pas sage Railway Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. TRINITY HARBOUR. Sir A. L. HAY presented a petition from Edinburgh in favour of the Trinity Harbour Bill. GREAT WESTERN UNION RAILWAY. Mr. LEADER presented a petition complaining of cer tain frauds in connection with the Great Western Union Railway, and gave notice of his intention to move to-mor row that it should be referred to the Committee on the Deptford and Dover Railway Bill. MANSUGH ENCLOSURE. The Report of the Mansugh (Westmoreland) Enclosure Bill was brought up and laid on the table. BIRMINGHAM AND DERBY RAILWAY. EWART presented a petition from Liverpool against the Bill ; and a petition to the same effect, from the occupiers of land along the line. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY, TROWBRIDGE. This Bill was read a third time, and passed. POOR-LAWS. Mr. FAZAKERLEY brought up the , Report of the Committee on this Bill. A Message from the Lords brought up the Small Debts (Loughborough) Bill, which their Lordships had agreed to without any amendment. PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS. Mr. BAINES wished to know whether any means would be afforded to Members before the recess to pre sent public petitions, as there was at the present moment a very great accumulation of them ? The SPEAKER said he should be happy to adopt the suggestion of any Hon. Member that would facilitate such an object. Mr. BAINES thought that it would not be inconsistent with the Orders of the House to meet to-morrov► at three o'clock for that purpose. The SPEAKER said that he should be happy to sit at three o'clock if it could give satisfaction to I.ietubers. Hitherto he believed sitting at that early hour had given great dissatisfaction. Mr. BAINES said that perhaps the Speaker would have the kindness to suggest some mode by which so de sirable an object should be effected. Mr. HUME hoped that some arrangement would be made, by which the Chairman of Ways and Means could sit for two or three hours in a morning, in order to re ceive petitions. It was at present half-past five o'clock, and there was still a great number of petitions to be presented. If Hon. Members were to present them in the manner they had latterly been obliged to do, it would be better for the House to publish to the country that they would not re ceive any more petitions.—(Cheers.) He could not see why two or three hours in a morning should not be devoted to the presentation of petitions. The Hon. Member then presented six petitions against Church-rates from Bruns. wick Chapel, Mile-end, the Limekilns in Scotland, a parish in Wales, and also one in Oxfordshire. One of the peti tions was signed by no less than 3,500, and another by 500. DUTY ON WOOL. Mr. BAINES presented a petition from the merchants, manufacturers, and inhabitants of Leeds, signed by 11,636 individuals, praying for the Repeal of certain Duties on Wool. Mr. SHEPPARD presented a petition from St. John's, Hampstead, imploring the House to reject the Ministerial plan for the abolition of Church-rates. Mr. HUME—Was that agreed to at a public meeting Mr. SHEPPARD—It is signed by 100 individuals, the chief inhabitants of the parish. Sir ROBERT INGLIS presented a petition from the Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter's, Westminster, praying the House not to pass the Ministerial Church Abolition Bill. The Hon. Baronet presented nu merous other petitions to the same effect, one of them praying the House not to listen to any measure for the abo lition of Church -rates, but to make the collection more easy, and the application more correct.---( Hear, hear.) Mr. C. W. WYNN presented similar petitions from parishes in Montgomeryshire, and numerous other places in Wales, and praying the House, if they did sanction any al teration with respect to Church-rates, it would be such as to facilitate or force the execution of the present system, and not such as to weaken or alter it. Sir F. POLLOCK presented several petitions from parishes in Huntingdon, against the Church-rates regula tion Bill. Mr. L ENNA RD presented a petition from Chelms ford, in Essex, agreed to at a public meeting, praying for the abolition of Church-rates. The petition had been got up in consequence of a most incorrect and unfounded state ment, made by a Noble Lord opposite, that the people of that town were in favour of the present system. — (Hear, hear, hear.) The Hon. Member then presented several petitions from places in Essex to the same effect. Petitions against the abolition of Church-rates were then presented by Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Mackinnon, Si: E. Wilmot, Mr. Searlett, Lord Sandon, and several other Hon. Members. Petitions against the abolition of Church-rates were pre sented from various places, by Captain Alsager, by Colonel Lygon, by Mr. T. Gladstone, by Mr. M. Attwood, and by Sir James Graham, and Mir Greene. Petitions praying for the total abolition of Church -rates, were presented by Sir R. Price, by Mr. Villiers, by Mr. H. Fleetwood, by Mr. Horsman, by Mr. Baines, by Mr. Brotherton, by Mr. Hastie, and by several other Hon. Members, whose names we could not learn. Sir R. PEEL presented thirty petitions against the Mi nisterial plan for the abolition of Church-rates, one of them signed by a Roman Catholic gentleman of great respecta bility ; also a petition from the lessees of household pro perty in the diocese of Winchester, stating that the same system was not extended by the proposed enact ment to them as to the lessees of landed property. The Chancellor of the Exchequer having calculated that the landed property was worth 30 years' purchase, and having given the lessees power to purchase at 25 years, the p e titioners trusted that a similar principle would be ex tended to the lessees of household property. Mr. W. DUNCOMBE presented six petitions from the North Riding of Yorkshire, against the abolition of Church-rates. Mr. HERRIES presented a petition to the same effect from Harwich. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from the Churchwardens and seven hundred of the inhabitants of the borough of Salford, praying for an alteration of the present Poor-laws. He also presented a petition from Wakefield, praying for a repeal of the Poor-laws Amendment Act. Mr. HUME presented a petition from the inhabitants of Hammersmith against plurality of votes in the Poor-law Bill. Mr. LENNARD presented a petition from a place in Essex, praying that there would be no alteration in the Poor-law Act. Mr. BAINES presented petitions from Leeds and se veral other places in Yorkshire, praying that the duty upon wool, and woollen goods, might be removed. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented a petition from the inhabitants of Edinburgh against the duty upon Fire Insurances. The petitioners stated that the tax was an impolitic one, that a conflagration had recently taken place there, and the property of many individuals had been injured, who were prevented insuring by the amount of this duty. Mr. HORSMAN presented a petition from Glasgow, praying for a Repeal of the Duty upon Tobacco and Cot ton Wool. Mr. STRUTT also presented a petition praying for a repeal of the duty on Cotton Wool and Soap. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from the Merchants and Traders of Oldham, praying for a repeal of the duty on Cotton. Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, against the reduction of the num ber of Prebends. Mr. GREENE presented a petition from Warrington, praying for the reduction of the duty on soap. Mr. HUME presented a petition from Staines, praying for the Vote by Ballot ; also a petition from Leicester, praying for a Repeal of the Corn-laws ; also a petition from Bath, for a Reduction of the Duty on Tobacco ; also a petition from Glasgow, that the Duty on Cotton Wool might be taken oft'. 'the Hon. Member presented a petition from an individual, praying for en alteration of the law between landlord and tenant. The Hon. Member also presented a petition from an individual in Gloucester, against the law of ejectment ; also three petitions from Kilmarnock, Red ruth, and Barnet, praying for a reduction of the duty on soap. COMMERCIAL AND SHIPPING LIST. The Lion. MEMBER also presented a petition from Barnet, as we understood, praying that the Commercial and Shipping List which was published by the Clerks of the Post-office might not be alloWed to go free, and that they might be compelled to pay the postage of all their communications. The privileges given to this publication were greatly detrimental to all other newspapers that were published. Mr. FRESHFIELD presented a similar petition from Penryn. Mr. TU LK presented a petition in favour of the aboli tion of Church-rates. LICENSED VICTUALLERS. Captain PECHELL presented a petition, signed by 99 of the Licensed Victuallers of Brighton, praying to be re lieved from the responsibility now attaching to them of making restitution for the loss of all articles said to be brought into their houses by travellers. POST OFFICE PACKETS. Lord SANDON wished to ask the Secretary for the Admiralty whether there would be any objection to lay upon!the table of the Houso the report of Sir E. Parry on the subject of the Post-office steam communication between the ports of Liverpood and Dublin, and of the contracts entered into ou that subject. Mr. WOOD was aware that great public anxiety was felt on this subject, but Sir Edward Parry was not sent down for the purpose of enquiring into the nature of the contracts alluded to, and he did not think it fair to make public the private communications of that gentlemin with the Admiralty. Lord SANDON said he would move after Easter for a copy of the memorial of the Mayor and Town Council of Liverpool, addressed to Government on this subject. CRACOW. Lord D. STUART begged to ask the Noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs a question. It would be in the recollection of the House that, on the 20th April last, a motion was made by the Noble Lord the Member for Lancashire, that an humble address be presented to his Majesty, praying for the appointment of a Consular Agent at Cracow. The Noble Lord (Palmerston) then assured the House, that it was his intention to send a Con sular Agent to Cracow, and upon that understanding his Noble Friend had consented to withdraw his motion. That was now nearly a year since, and he wished to ask the Noble Lord whether any Consular Agent had since been appointed, and when he would proceed to his destination ? Lord PALMERSTON—The Noble Lord has stated truly that he (Lord Palmerston) had stated last year his intention to send a Consular Agent to Cracow—that had been his intention, but he had found since then that the difficulties were greater than he had anticipated. He had therefore not sent nne, nor was it his intention to do so. Lord D. STUART—In consequence of the most ex traordinary contradiction—(Cries of " Order, and Chair") —which the Noble Lord had just made in the hearing of the House, he should now give notice that, as early as possible after the holidays, he should bring the subject under the consideration of the House. Lord PALMERSTON said when the - subject was brought forward he should be able to state reasons which would satisfy the House that he had exercised a right dis cretion. Lord DUDLEY STUART—I very much doubt it.-- A laugh.) METROPOLIS IMPROVEMENT. Alderman WOOD brought in the Metropolis Improve ment Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be printed. MUTINY BILL. On the motion of Mr. C. WOOD, the Mutiny Bill, and Marine Mutin! Bill, were read a second time, and or dered to be comwitted. Mr. HUME wish6d to ask the Hon. Secretary of the Admiralty whether there was any objection to laying oni the table of the House a return of the number of punishmects in the Navy ? Mr. C. WOOD said the Marine Mutiny Bill merely applied to the punishment of Marines ashore. VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. Mr. H. BUL \\TER wished to know when it was the intention of the Government to introduce the Bill relating to New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land. Sir GEORGE GREY could not then state at what period the Bill would be introduced, but he should after the recess give notice for an early day. SHERIFFS' COURTS BILL. Captain PECHELL postponed moving the farther stage of the Sheriffs' Courts Bill till Wednesday, April 12. EAST INDIA OFFICERS' BILL. Mr. ROBINSON, in moving the second reading of the East India Officers' Bill, said that all the members of the late and present Board of Controul agreed to a report which stated that some officers, who deserved compensa tion had been excluded frotn it by the rule of the Direc tors ; the facts of the case were so plain that he would not believe that any Hon. Members of the House would vote against him when they were laid before them. In putting an end to the privileges of the East India Company, care should, in his opinion, have been taken not to, have deprived its officers of that compensation to which they were justly entitled. In saying that these officers had been unjustly dealt with, he did not mean to blame the respectable body of Directors of the East India Com pany, but he charged the Board of Controul and the East India Directors with the strict• adhe rence to a rule by which they were excluded from those compensations which the Act of Parliament clearly intended they should have. Till he had been con vinced by the vote of the House, he would not believe that. a British Parliament would consent to such a proceeding. On the 16th December, 1836, the Court of Proprietors came to an unanimous determination that all the maritime officers were entitled to compensation. The Court of Di rectors afterwards limited the rule to a certain period of service, and refused to relax it in special cases, or, in fact, to hear any case on special grounds. They came to the de cision that no officer whose period of service commenced since the 28th of August, 1828, should receive compensa tion. Now, Lord Glenelg, in his evidence before a Com mittee of the House of Commons, distinctly stated it to be his opinion that the East India Directors and Board of Con troul were competent, nothwithstaading this rule, to deter mine each case on its own merits. Why, then should they adhere to the rule which confined compensation to the August of 1S28? Suppose a man who had been paid off in July, but who had not voluntarily left, applied, and with good grounds, for remuneration after August, was he to be cut off? It was, perhaps, the magnitude of the claims, amounting to about 150, which prevented the Board of Direc tors from opening up all the cases ; but it was no matter what the number, the question was one of duty, and they were bound to investigate all claims, and to see whether they were justly founded. It was because no attention was paid to those claims that he was bound to come forward, and press the second reading of this Bill. It was a question on which Parliament had not only a right to interfere, but it was their bounden duty to do so. The last East Indian Act had proved of much service to great Great Britain, and Parlia ment was by that Act itself empowered and required to do justice to all who might be affected by it. The estimate made by the Board of Directors themselves as to the requi site compensation was 1,324,0001. By limiting the com pensation to a rule of time, the amount given was no more 750,0001. Then 574,000/., according to their own esti mate, remained in the coffers of the East India Company,. which ought to go for purposes of compensation in cases where the claimants proved they had a just title to remu neration. This was the case he had to make out, and he hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman, the President of the Board of Controul, would not oppose the second reading of the• Bill ; nor through a false pride, allow himself to be a party to an injustice which, ill advisedly, he might have at first countenanced. Sir J. HOI3HOUSE had not been a party to the ar- rangement alluded to. It had taken place long before he became President of the Board of Controul. When it was determined to give compensation to the maritime officers the determination must have been made on one of two grounds, either that all should get conwensation upon their peculiar and separate claims, or that some general rule and limitation of compensation should be adopted. An HON. MEMBER here observed that he was sorry to say there were not forty Members present. Upon counting the fact was found to be so, and the House adjourned at Seven o'Clock. MAUNDY THURSDAY.—III ancient times on Mundy Thursday the Kings and Queens of England washed and kissed the feet of as many poor men and women as they were years old, besides bestowing their " maundy" on each. This was in imitation of our Saviour washing his disciples' feet. Queen Elizabeth performed this at Greenwich, on which occasion the feet of the same number of poor persons were first washed by the yeomen of the laundry with warm water and sweet herbs, afterwards by the sub-almoncr, and lastly by the Queen herself ; the person who washed making each time a cross on the pauper's foot above the toes and kiss ing it. Clothes, victuals, and money were then distributed among the poor. James 11. is said to have been the last of our monarchs who performed this ceremeny in person. It was afterwards performed by the almoner. SUFFERIN'GS FROM THIRST.-Some twelve miles from Oran we passed the spot where, a year and a half ago, there had been hard fighting between the French and the na tives. The French soldiers, though an over-match for the Arabs, suffered dreadfully from heat and thirst. Their store of water was exhausted ; the breath of the simoom set in ; the cavalr:, stood its shock, and by their elevation from the ground were able to respire, but, the foot soldiers fell by companies, gasping for breath. A captain of dragoons, who was in the scene, told me that there was more than one instance of the infantry soldier, driven to madness by thirst and agony, putting his head to the mouth of the musket and his foot to the trigger, and committing suicide. One infantry officer alone gave waY to despair ; and though it is probable that he was, in these circumstances, no more a responsible agent than a man in the delirium of fever, yet it was better, perhaps, that he did not survive the occurrence. He pulled his purse from his pocket : he said to his men, " I have led you into battle with courage. and I have always been a kind officer to you : the horror of MY sufferings is now insupportable ; let the man among you who Is my best friend shoot me dead, and here are 30 louts d'ors for his legacy." No man would comply with the request ; but be had hardly uttered it when he fell down and expired.--Camp bell's Letters from .the South. PLATED CORNER DISHES , with Strong Silver Edges and Handles.—A Set of Four Plated Corner Dishes and Covers are offered, complete, for Eight Guineas or a set with richly ornamented Edges, Handles, &c., for Ten Gui neas. The Handles take off the Covers the set thus form, Eight Dishes when requited. T. COX SAVORY'S, Working Golds mith, Silversmith, and Watchmaker, 47, Cornhill, London. N.B. A variety of Secondhand Watches may be selected firs all price Two Guineas each. Warranted. BIRTHS. On the 18th inst., at Horton-hall, Staffordshire, the lady of th e Rev. G. G. Harvey, of a daughter. On the 19th inst., in Hereford-street, Grosvenor-square, the lady of John Ellis, Esq., of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 21st inst., at St. John's, Lambeth, Mr. Charles Sher. herd, of Tenterden, Kent, to Sophia Matilda, eldest daughter of the late Mr. R. Dendy, of Monument-yard. On the 20th inst., at St. Pancras, Nathaniel Wetherell, Esq. , of Highgate, to Miss Casson, of the same place. DIED. On the 18th inst., in her 73d year, Mrs. Davis, the widow of th e late Mr. Gann, formerly one of the much respected proprietors of the Piazza Coffee-house, Covent-garden. On the Ist inst at Hackney, Mr. Geo. Binckes, aged 45. On the 20th inst., Mrs. C. B. Taylor, of Charles-street, Marl" lebone, aged 77. On the 20th inst., at Cadogan-place, Michael Edwin Fell , FIT On the 20th inst., Mr. Robert Baker, of Hat fi eld-wick, E sse "' aged 71. On the 15th inst., at Bridgenorth, Salop, Mackworth Gusts/65 Yonge, Esq., late of London, aged 60. 'On the 18th inst., at Newington-place, Mary, relict of Air- I t ' Boyson, On the 15th inst , at Montrieul-sur-Mer, France, Miss Sel ina P. Bryant, daughter of the late Rev. Edward Bryant , o f Nov1'1 " Essex. 'tfiele l ' On the 21st inst., at St. Thomas's Hospital, Richard Win Esq., aged 68. SWein e ' On the 20th inst. , at Sible Hedingham, aged 81, M rs. widow of the Rev. Jon Swaine. viri% On the 19th inst., h Mary Elizabeth Augusta, eldest stirli daughter of homas Vaner, of Guildford, aed 21. of On the 18Th inst., at n Hornsey, Frederick g John, youngest son Mr. Eady, of Red Lion-street, Clerkenwell, aged 9. f Bishop s " On the 16th inst., Martha, wife of Mr. C. Gibs on, o gate-street Within. On the 18th inst., at Hampstead, Julia Mary Ellen, t h e infa nt daughter of Compton Reade, Esq., aged nine days. G e orge On the 15th inst., at Clare, Elizabeth, wife of the Rey• Wightman, Vim? of Clare, Suffolk. j Bowe . n ' On the 19th inst., at Bridgewater, Jana, wife of Mr. J. On the 18th inst., Jane, wife of George Joseph Graham, of Loraine-place, Holloway. f Jobe Ch O ri n sto t p h h e er l9 s t e h hi i i n d, A of c c re r -l e a e n k e . Ve°ll' On the 18th inst., at Delville, Reigate, aged 22, Eliza beth i str ß ee ri t x , youngest daughter of the late P. Guillemard, Esq. Brixton, ahgaerdlot6t7e., wife 0. INTO. London: Printed and Pub lished b y AIURDO rand YO" the 004 112, Strand, at The S un Office, No. 11 " , of Middlesex. --Thursday, March 23 , 1837. St, in THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1637