The Sun. — London, England, 1837-03-14 00:00:00

est support. It was a measure which entitled the Minister to the respect and gratitude of the country. There was no doubt of the excellence of the measure ; the only question was, whether there could not have been a better one. The Right Hon. Baronet had, in his speech, stated that for the augmenta tion of the small livings the sum of 235,0001. was required, The Right Honourable Baronet was here in error. It was true that the Commissioners stated that 235,000/. would be re quired for the augmentation of small livings, including pri vate as well as public livings, but with private livings the public had nothing to do. To augment the small public livings in the proportions stated by the Right Honourable Baronet, would require but 145,1951. Then look at the Deans and Chapters. Why one of the Deans, it appeared, from the Commissioners' reports, had not less than 4,500/. a year, and each of his canons 2,0001., while the Archbishops and Bishops enjoyed their 7,000/., their 10,000/., their 20,000/.,- and their 50,0004 a-year. Was it not very rational, then, that the people should, when they were told of the poverty, the dis tresses of the lower clergy, and when similitudes were drawn between the condition of the clergy and that of servants in high families, was it not very natural for the people to consider that there were other resources whence the distress of the lower orders of the clergy should kg, relieved without their being called upon for the means ?2!"-( Hear.) Was it not an acknowledged principle that the labourer was worthy of his hire, that there should he some correspondence between the duties discharged, and the amount a remuneration' for those duties.—( Hear, bear, hear.) Was it in accordance with this principle, however, that while one clergyman received but 1007. a-year for attending to a parish with a population of 5,041), another clergyman should be paid 5,000/. a-year for attending to a population of but 100 ?—( Hear, bear, hear. ) He was free to confess that he had not collie prepared with documents, or to bring forward individual instances, to illus trate his positions; but having gone so far he was tempted to say this much—that looking at the statements made upon official authority, he saw this very remarkable fact, that the men who had the largest parishes, and the smallest popu lation, also invariably had with them one or two other pa rishes.—( Hear, hear.) There was this fact which it oc curred to him to remark upon :---Taking the Parish of St. Paul as a centre, and making a circle of eight miles round, they had a population fur which, including all places of re ligious worship—the synagogues and others—there was but accommodation for religious worship for 500,000 ; but let them look to the vast numbers without the means of obtaining admission to places of religious worship. There was the same want of accommodation for thousands of persons in every manufacturing town. It was the same in Norwich, in Man chester, and in all directions throughout the country. What happened in his more immediate neighbourhood would justify what he was going to state. He had heard it stated at a public meeting in Spitalfielde, with which he was well ac quainted, there were not less than 70,000 persons who had not the means of religious instruction. He had conceived that statement to bo an exaggeration, and therefore lie took the best means of ascertaining what was exactly the fact. There was in an area of half a mike long and,a quarter of a mile broad but one Chapel, which could aecommodote but 700 persons ; but there were a Chapel and a Church about three tunes as large ; and this was all the accommodation for the population of the district. Now, in that little spot there were 0,000 persons, who, if they had the desire for it, had not the Cpl • •er , v 'ity of attending public worshfp. In the next parish that there were 10,000 children without the means of re ceiving ral:gions education. There were 10,000 of the rising population in that parish without the means of receiving a moral and religious instruction.—( Ilear.) He had heard a great deal about the comparative merits of the voluntary principle and the -stem of the Establishment. An important question he ad- Mined it to be ; hitt it sunk in his mind into insignificance eomoare: l with the question, should, then, their fellow-subjects remain utterly destitute of all religious instruction whatever? --( Hear. 7 What signified it which system was the better if . either the one nor the other accomplished what ought to Iv the object of both? It seeitezl to him that to discuss w: ;ch was the best was idle ; what they ought to do was to strive who could do the most , and not cavil wnether one had (lone more than the ether. Provided only that the essential trOie of Christianity were taught, he, for one, did not care— he cemparatively cared not at all—from whom the instruction ea-I,e. whether from tire Quaker, the Methodist, or the Mora ,oian.--( Hear, hear.) lie did not consider that he was an . cent.; to the t'hurch is saying this. lestead, then, of indulg irea i.; id:e dissensions, let Churchmen say to Dissenters, arid Dien - eiters say to Churchmen, that " here, at least, is au open el.l fur us—here we cannot jostle against each other—may yL.o boPforturiate in your codeavours ;" while you may both ear. - 6 May I be fortunate in mine, and both successf'al in e :itieatiner the wilderness." Both could be usefully em ideyed in this endeavour.—( Hear.) He felt the importance of this subject, and with this feeling on his mind, he said, that if the Right Hon., Gentleman came forward and would pledge himself by a resolution to the effect, that whatever could be secured out of this or any other surplus of ti.e Church would be applied to this purpose, then the Right lion. Baronet should have his vote.—( Hear.) Bat he was afraid that there was but little chance of this, because it was remarkable that amongst all the facts relied upon by the Right lion. Baronet, this did not appear to be one of them ; and when he (Mr. Buxton) took the liberty last year of broadly piitting forward this position, it was opposed by the Right Hon. Baronet. He then used as an argument, that whatever could be saved out of the Church-rates ought to be applied to this purpose.—(Cheers from both sides of the House.) He perceived that the Right Hon the Member for the University of Cambridge cheered at that; but then he recollected the ungracious reception which the Right Hon. Gentleman had given to him last year.—(Cheers.) Did the Right Hon. Gentleman recollect the tone of horror with which he spoke of his proposition ?—(Cheers.) He was quite sure the Right Hon. Gentleman spoke of it as if he felt the utmost astonishment that any man connected with the Church of England could have adopted the course which he then recommended, and which the Right Hon. Gentleman assured them would tend to the destruction of the Church.— ( Cheers.) The Right Hon. Baronet, when he (Mr Buxton) touched upon the incomes of the Bishops, used these ex pressions—" It is said, further, that there is to be a reduction to the amount of 5,000/. in the income of the Archbishop of Canterbury, for the purpose of raising the incomes of one hundred curates 50/. each. I should be glad if that could be done; but in what principle would it end ? In the utter con fiscation of Church property." But he was still more severely treated by the Hon. Member for the University of Ox ford. He could not find the words, though be-bad looked for them ; but the expressions used had arrested his attention, because it was the first and last time that he could remember that the Hon. Member had used such harsh expressions to wards him. The Hon. Member was pleased to say of him, that in making such a proposition "he had used the very words of Lord Harry Vane."---( Hear, hear.) He was not very san guine, then, of the support of the Hon. Members opposite ; bat this he said, with all the disposition that he had to get rid of an obnoxious tax, still he would give his vote, provided he had a pledge from the Hon. Members opposite that they would obtain for him the measure that he wanted when they came into power—(Cheers from the Opposition Members)—that they would take the necessary measures to secure his object-- that they would sweep away all sinecures from the Church— that they would reduce all extravagant livings—that they would make all needful reforms—and that, wherever it seemed neces sary, they would have Christianity inculcated amongst the destitute and distressed population.—( Hear, hear.) And if they did this, then he,for his part would say, that no vote on earth could be given with greater satisfaction than in support of the proposition of the Right Hon. Baronet.—( Hear, hear.) It was good, he thought, to put an end to the tax ; it was good to put an end to the vexation that it occasioned ; it was good to put an end to the contention between Church men and Dissenters ; and it was very good to come to a measure which, in his mind, would preserve and continue the fabric. —( Cheers. ) Mr. GOULBURN differed from the measure before them, because it was merely a measure to relieve persons from the eseils sustained by the present state of the law with respect to the levy of Church-rates ; and because it involved other and far greater questions. It involved in it this question—whe ther they were decided on maintaining upon a firm basis the Eetablished Church of this country—whether they intend to maintain in their position the prelacy and dignitarieaa the Established Church, both as respected the other branches of the Church and as respected the other branches of the com munity—and, lastly, whether they should make a change in the administration of one species of property, and thus give an example (and he contended for it), an unprecedented exam ple, which threatened with danger every other species of pro perty, and which could not be overlooked nor regarded but with alarm. Before he proceeded further, he wished to allude to what fell on the previous evening from the Chancellor of the .Exchequer, when he alluded to the position in which the Este leiished Church stood. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had , Laid it down as a principle, that the parishioners in the several pa.-itthes were not bound to contribute to the repairs of the fabric of the Church ; the Right Honourable Gentleman, too, had eteted, that if they agreed in reducing the amount re quired .for such a purpose, they only exercised a constitutional privilege which the law allowed to them. In that he differed from the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer. This was not his view only, which he admitted would be of little value, but he was confirmed in that opinion by the most emi nent men who had held legal offices in this country from the earliest period. He held that it was incumbent upon the landowners of every parish in the country to' contribute to a !mod for the necessary maintenance of the Church. In put tieg forward such on opinion he stood upon no private docu ment, but relied upon a Report laid upon the table of that Howse. He referred to the Report upon the Ecclesiastical Courts. Those by whom that Report was drawn up had gone fully into the question of Church-rates. It was stated Iry the gentlemen composing that Commission, that it was the dins of churchwardens to see that the body of the Church was put in proper repair, and to have supplied things necessary for the Divine service. They stated, too, that the law im posed spoil the parishioners to provide the sums necessary for such expenses. This law was laid down by no legal authority. The names signec to the Report we're those of Lord Tenterden, Lord Wynford, Sir Nicholas Tindel, Doctor Lushington, and the Right Hon. Member for K hiccudbright.—( Hear, hear.) He did not deny, that there was an evil in the present mode by which Church-rates were levic —( Hear, hear.) He knew that some proceedings had taken piece which reflected disgrace upon olio party, and whichn he toost owinwere not very creditable to their oppo moue.. This haft occurred, be knew, in some places; but n w hen persons talked of the evils of Church-rat-es, l ie would not :44 it be assumed, as the Chancellor of the Exche e oar bad doue, that the resistance to Church-rates was tini ;ereal—he certainly would not assume that the payment of Church-rates was so odious as had been asserted. He knew, that the evil existed, and particularly in towns ; but ; still lie took it that the number of parishes altogether w; o ne resistance was offered did not exceed three or four h ee , c i.-cd 3 and when it was remembered that there were 10,100 parishes altogether, many of which had not com plained at all, and in others that they were strongly anxious to retain the present system, he did not think that the evil prevailed to such an extent as to require a meet/ sure of the character of that before the House.—( Hear.) Still he was ready to concur in any reasonable proposition which should allay such disturbance, but he said that those ho made such a disturbance were the weaker party. The real evil of the country was this—that a large portion of the population was without a provision for religious instruction.— ( Hear.) Under the negligent treatment of Parliament, vil leges had grown into towns, and towns had become cities— the population too had grown ap with an alarming force du ring a period of great national prosperity. They had pro vided for the defence of the population ; they had provided the population with a better police—they had provided the popula tion with a due administration of the law, by giving them tri bunals adequate to the extended population and, the concerns to be entrusted to them; but they had chiefly neglected that which was their great and paramount duty, which was to give them religious instruction ; and that ought to have been done by planting amongst them the Ministers of the Church of England to instruct them in the duty they owed to their God and their country.—(Loud cheering.) Greatly had this duty been neglected—( Hear) —and be had to thank the Dissenters—he had, too, to thank Mr. Wesley—for the in struction they had conveyed to a great portion of the people. Their zeal had kindled emulation in the breasts of the clergymen of the Church of England, and made them sen sible of what they ought to do, and called forth exertions which, though coming late, had yet not been without effect. —( Hear.) But they must meet manfully the coming evil. They must provide the means of giving pastors to the people who would teach them their duty as Christians, and therefore, to fulfil their duties as citizens.—( Hear.) No healing measure could be adopted with respect to Church-rates, nor as regarded the colic ction of Tithes. These were all subordinate consi derations to the great principle. What he wished was to pro vide the best possible means. for affording instruction to the destitute classes of their countrymen.—( Hear.) Their wants in this respect were adverted to in the Report of the Ecclesi cal Commissioners. The Right Hon. Gentleman the Chan cellor of the Exchequr had referred to certain parishes that had resisted Church -rates, and he stated those parishes to be Sheffield, Manchester, and Applethorp. He would be content with referring to Manchester, and he would see how far it sup ported his argument. It appeared that there was in Manches ter a population of 271,000 souls; it was admitted that of these only 45,000 had Church accommodation, thus leaving upwards of 200,000 no means of access to places of worship according to the form of the Church of England. He knew that the Hon. Member for Leeds (Mr. Brines) would tell him that no more were willing to go to Church than the Churches could well hold. That argument much surprised him, more especially corning from where it did. He (Mr. Goulburn) was sure that there was naturally an inclination in the minds of men to attend places of religious instruction ; and he would ask what must be the situation of these 200,000 persons in Manchester if they were to remain without reli gious instruction ? There were eighteen clergymen in Man chester, receiving altogether 2,700/. per annum. Could any man maintain that if he wished really to establish peace in the country, if he wished to get rid of these dissensions respect ing Church-rates, that his first object ought not to be to convey religious instruction into every community of the country, and to r.4.ke care that the voice of religious instruc tion, through the ministers of the Established Church, should be accessible to all. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that this mansure would give an increased revenue of 250,000/ If he could acquire this sum jastly, he ought to appropriate it to supplying the religious wants of not less than three millions of the poor destitute population. The Hon. Member for Weymouth had asked him why he opposed a proposition for more equally dividing the revenues of the Church, if he were zealous to provide for the smaller livings ? The Hon. Mena i her ( Mr. F. Buxton) said that they ought to keep reducing the incomes of I'..e Bishops till every individual member of the IChurch was adecpiately provided for. He would answer, thet if he were the adrocats. of a Church Establishment, of which i EPscopecy aas cue of the principles, he could not adopt the principle of the lion. Gentleman without destroying episco , pacy itself ; breause, if divided, the whole income of the Church would not be adequate to maintain the clergy respec ' tably. IL. knew not how this fund was likely to be derived I from the funds of the Church. He came to another point, which was the node is %%Lich the Chancellor of the Excite ' quer professed his intention' of applyieg the property of the Church to the relief of the country from Churela-rates. He objected to seeing the whole property of the Church placed in • the hands of a Commission. It would entirely change the character of the prelates and cligni.arics of the Church. It was said by the Noble Lord ( Howick) that it would be an im -1 inense convenience to the Bishops to be divested of secular concerns, and it would leave them more time for the perform ! ance of their sacred duties. The Noble Lord forgot that there acre an Archbishop end two Bishops on this Commission, who would have to attend to the secular affairs, not of one dio eesc, but of every diocese in the kingdom ; and he should wish the Noble Lord to tell him how these prelates could attend to their sacred duties ?—( Hear, hear, hear.) But there were other consequences of this change, which was pro posed to be effected f6r the purpose of depriving the prc lates of the Church of their lauded property, and making Ithem annuitants on this fuild.—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman had stated that there was a strong feeling against a money payment to support a Church Establishment' from which the person making the payment dissented. The Bishops at present had their own landed property, and received this rent from their land, and had the sympathy of all other landed proprietors. Place them in the situation of annui tants, and they would be deprived of the sympathies of the landlords. The argument that applied to Church-rates, would equ lily apply to rent. There was a great and important dig , Unction between the Act of 1794, for the better regulation of crown lands, and the present measure. In the first place that measure received the consent and concurrence of the Crown. Had the present measure received full consent and concur rence on the part of the prelates of the Church ?—( Cheers. ) The precedent entirely failed. There were no distinction of a more important nature ; the value of the Crown lands was augmented for the benefit of the Crown. Was the improved value of these lands to go to the Church ? But there was another point to which he begged to call the attention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He would ask, was there a power given by the measure of 1794 to the lessees to purchase at a fixed rate the perpetuity ?—( Cheers.) It was felt that this was an independent income, not merely for the personal enjoy ment of the monarch for the time, but for the sustentation of his successors ; and that it was not just, or right, or safe, to deprive him of the perpetuity, so that the rent might always bear a relative proportion to the value of the property. This was sound policy and perfect justice ; but with respect to the Church, they held their property for the purpose of maintain ing the religious instruction of the country, and not only for the immediate enjoyment of those in office, but for the ad vantage of their successors, and that it might be applicable when a larger income was supplied if the increase of the po pulation required it. And if they cut off 250,0001. in the re lief of the taxation of the country, they would- cut off all means of future increase. It was possible amongst a liberal and generous peaple, like the people of this country, to raise money for the building of churches, but to do so required considerable exertion from time to time. Though, however, they might build churches by such means, he thought it not at all likeljs -that they would be able to raise the regular fund necessary to secure their repair. If they carried the proposed measure, they would lay the first step towards the disassociation of the State. —( Hear, hear.) It was a measure which would entail, not only on the Church but on the State, the greatest possible evil. In the words of one who spoke on this subject more than two hundred years ago—of one who had enlarged on value of a religious establishment, and on the advantages to be derived from maintaining a national Church, he would im plore the House, as the individual he was alluding to had im plored those whom he was addressing, that they would set an example to the world of how highly they valued and how steadfastly they would maintain that union between the Church and the State which had supported us and our fore fathers in peace, in tranquillity, in prosperity, and in honour, for centuries that were passed, in spite of all the machinations of our adversaries, and that we should not do that ourselves, which, with all their power and all their machinations, our enemies never could effect.—( Cheers.) Dr. LUSHINGTON admitted that Church-rates had existed for centuries past ; but they ought to consider what they originally were, and what had been their consequences from time to time. Formerly they were a tax, not in respect of land only, but on all the property the individual possessed. There were still one or two places in which they were assessed, not merely on real property, but on the stock in trade—on goods and chattels. They had the same origin as mortuaries, , which in some parts of the country now existed. In the reign of William 111. the contest had its commencement, but the main body continued to pay the tax. Since that period the Dissenters had increased with astonishing rapidity : they had increases: in numbers, in respectability, in intelligence, in education. Their Ministers were now able to compete with those of any Church in the world.—( Hear, hear.) What was the consequence ? Let them contemplate the difficul ties which had arisen. First came the question whether the vestries bad the right to refuse the rate altogether ; and this was followed by many others of a vexatious description, and most fruitful In matter of contention. Many who belonged to the Church objected to the expenses gone to on account of the new churches, and joined the Dissenters in their efforts to get rid of the rate. They had their meetings of vestries, with the Clergyman in the chair, and one party arranged on one side, and the other party on the other side ; violence of language ensued, the passions became excited, and the whole scene was one of agitation, confusion, and exasperation.— (Hear, hear.) That was not the end of it. Suppose the rate to be made, if a man refused and were compelled to pay it, he was proclaimed a martyr, and received the honours of martyr dom from the whole town.—( Hear, hear.) Such Was the present state of affairs, and would any tell him that it did not require a remedy, and a prompt one ? Or would any man tell him that the Church itself was safe amidst this con flict? By the common law of the land not a single shilling could be borrowed on .the account of the Church-rates. How would honourable gentlemen opposite get rid of the evil? What remedy would they propose? Would they give the power to justices of the peace in petty sessions or to churchwardens to impose the rates; and did they imagine that they could see ry a measure having that operation ? Or would they saddle the arnoent on the Consolidated Fund— would they have the State to take on itself the 250,0001. ? Teat was the substance of the measure proposed by Earl Spencer. He ( Dr. Lushington) was of opinion, and he told h-s Noble Friend so, that he never would succeed in carrying the adoption of that proposition, and he would tell the House why 1 e thought it impossible. The effect of it would have been to violate the religious scruples of two millions of his Mej sty's subjects.—( Hear, hear.) It might be asked, why should they entertain religious scruples on the subject ? He would reply to such a question by saying, that he never uu- • dertook to decide on any man's religious scruples. On all matters of religion a man must decide for himself—no other man had a right to decide for him. According to his principles the scruple was unfounded. He went much fur ther it was no violation of his conscience not merely to contribute towards an Established Church, but to any other Christian sect in a Christian state. He felt, however, that he had no right to impose his opinions on another. If they had passed the measure, charging the Church-rates on the Consolidated Fund, they would have had petitions from year to' year against the new system ; they would only have smothered the flame; there would have been the same dissa tisfaction, and they would have the same course to tread over again. He differed from the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite as to the propriety of the Right Reverend Prelate's time being taken up by the management of this revenue in which they had only a limited and temporary interest. He deprecated their being made the stewards for others. He came now to consider a question which was well worthy of the attention of the friends of the Church ; namely, the balance of evil and good which, considering the whole case of the Church at the present moment, might be effected by appropriating in the way now proposed the surplus which they believed might be brought into existence by the scheme of manage ment proposed by the Right Honourable the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In considering this question, and in taking under notice the statements of the Right Hon. Baronet opposite, let them not shut their eyes to the past, whilst they looked to the future. Passing under re view the events which bad passed within his own know ledge during the last thirty years, he was bound to state his belief that if these funds were not applied in the way proposed, the evils now complained of would remain in existence, and the balance be turned against the best interests of tlis Church. He (Dr. Lushington) never knew an instance in which a Church, which was not the Church of the majority of the peo ple, was not eventually worsted in the contests to which it gave rise. He recollected the " No Popery" cry—that brutish cry, as an Hon. Friend denominated it, and which was urged un by those very men who in their hearts were in favour of eman cipation. The Church was then made the ground on which to oppose the views and wishes of the majority of the people, and what had it gained by it ?—( Hear, hear.) The Church of England ought to be a national Church, it ought to strive to gather around it the hearts and respect of the people; the fact, however, was too notorious that it had too long lived in the smiles of the rich and landed gentry, whilst it had been daily losing ground amongst the middle classes of society. Whilst it retained the nobility and the land in its ranks it was satisfied ; let it take care that even these did not drop off from it by degrees.—(Hear, hear.) Years ago, Dissenters were rarely met with in the upper ranks of society; to be a Dissenter was considered a disqualification in almost every calling and walk of life ; ,now, let Hon. Members look around, and see the number and respectability of those who conscientiously dissented from the doctrines of the Church. He was of opinion, as he before said, that the Church stood by the will of the majority—when the majority was in its favour it reigned paramount, but as the minority who were against it began to increase in number, it must begin to give way to their wishes—(so we understood the Hon. and Learned Member; considerable confusion, however, prevailed around the table and behind the Speaker's Chair, amid cries of " Or der, order," " Ba, ba.") The Church of England was like a besieged city ; whilst its garrison was stanch and strong, it might defy the enemy, but eventually, as the number of its assailants increased. and the courage and unanimity (so we understood) of its defenders began to flag, it must be sub verted.—( Hear, hear, hear.) He repeated the opinion, that unless the abuses of the Church were remedied, it must be undermined and fall. It could not with security, for any great length of time, place itself in opposition to the wishes and opinions of the great majority of the intellectual inhabi tants of the country.—( Hear, hear.) The Church of Eng land would stand best with the country, by divesting itself of all those matters which placed it in an adverse position to the people. He rejoiced in the Tithe Commutation Aet—( Hear, hear)--it would prove of essential service to the Church, by enabling its members to stand aloof from unseemly contro versies on one side or the other; enjoying their just rights and large incomes, and performing their religious duties to their flocks. To this the members of the Church would do well to confine themselves, and avoid meddling in matters to which their duties did not call them, and which could not promote their interests or respectability. ( Hear, hear.) Particulorly he would deprecate i.,flammatory harangues by Prelates at visitations—( Hear, hear)—and the disgraceful indecorum with which this very subject was me: .tinned else where--( Loud cheers)—as calculated, above all things, not to conciliate the people of this country in their favour, but to call down their scorn for the ill-advised leaders of a species of warfare—for such he must call it—in which the objects, of Christianity and the principles of Christianity were cast aside Sir W. FousT r, Mr. BROTHERTON, and one or two othe r Members here rose. There was a general cry for Mr. Brother ton, however, and a general rush towards the door, in the midst of which the Chairman reported progress, and the House resumed. Mr. HUME moved for a return of the number of parishes in which debts had been contracted, specifying the amounts, the nature of the objects for which they were contracted, and the fund, whether Church-rates or Poor-rates. The motion was understood to be agreed to, and the House adjourned at a quarter past twelve. LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(THIS DAY. DEAL, MARCH 13.—Wind N. E., moderate and clear.— Arrived the Coronet, Pretious, from the South Seas ; Carri, bean, Irving, from the Mauritius; James M'Queen, M4Call from St. Kitt's. PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 13. —Wind N. E., hazy.—Arrived Maria, —, from London, for the Mauritius. DOVER, MARCH 13 —Arrived off port the Alfred, Jameson, from Singapore. BRISTOL, MARCH 13. —Arrived the Lynx, Cockrell, Cadiz. GLOSTER, MARCH 13.—Arrived the Francis, Heloise, from Nantes. FALMOUTH, MARCH 12.—Wind N. E. to E. N. E.. fine. Arrived the Nightingale (packet) from Lisbon—sailed the 2d inst. ; Elizabeth, Cummings, from Lisbon. CORK, MARCH ll.—Arrived the Geo. Canning, Timothy, from St. Domingo. CLYDE, MARCH 11.—Arrived the Scipb. Campbell, from Demerara; Atlas, Murray, from Palermo. ST. MICHAEL'S. MARCH I.—lt blowing a gale from S. E., several vessels are off the anchorage—among them are sup posed to be the Adventure, Alert, Fancy, Meuse, and Fairy Queen. The publication of THE SUN NEWSPAPER commenced this day at 10 minutes past Three o' Clock. THE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.) CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK. During the whole of yesterday morning we were perfectly quiet in the City, without any false alarms respecting com mercial affairs, and the various Funds were getting up ; but towards the afternoon the accounts from Liverpool were of an unfavourable nature respecting the Cotton Market, and great fears were entertained that the Americans would forward to this country a large supply of that article, which would cause a fall in the price. These accounts had some effect on the Funds, and Consols closed not so good as they were in the previous part of the day, at 901 for the Account, and 90k, sellers, for Money. Consols opened this morning at 901 fcr the Account ; Money, 90ii ; Exchequer Bills, 29 31 prem. ; India Bonds, 29 31 prem. ; Bank Stock, shut. In the Foreign Market, Spanish Active, 25# ; Passive, 7* ; Deferred, 111 ; Portuguese, 481 491; Three per Cents., 31i 32 ; Columbian, 23,i 241; Mexican, 24 25 ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half, 53i- j. The Bombay Price Current of the 12th Nov., mentions, that as the Dewab holiday had occurred, very little business had been done. Opium is rather higher and firm at 1,220 to 1,225 rupees, for delivery in February. Accounts from Carthagena, of the 22d Jan., state that our blockading squadron was off that city, and had intercepted the Granadian brigs from New York to Santa Martha, as well as a French bark, from Havre, with a cargo. The city was get ting thinned of its inhabitants, and a special messenger was about to proceed to the British Ambassadcr with dispatches. Spanish Active, which was very heavy at the opening of the Market at 25k, on a sudden improved to 261 one per cent.— owing to reports that an express had arrived from Paris with information of the commencement of the combined operations in the North of Spain. To this hour we cannot trace the above to any authentic source. It is also added, that a letter has been received from General Evans, of an unfavourable nature. HALF-PAST ONE O'CLOCK. The report which prevailed in the morning of the com mencement of the combined operations in the North of Spain is not confirmed to the present hour. The only information which gains ground is a letter from General Evans, who writes in high spirits, and says, that the moment the ground is favourable for his artillery to act, he will commence his opera tions. We hear of two expresses having arrived from P ar i s this morning; but their contents are still a secret. Thursday being settling-day in the Foreign Market, they are busy in arranging their accounts. Consols at present soi for the Account, and for Money 901 ; Exchequer Bills 31 29 31 prem. ; India Bonds 31 29 prem. Spanish Active has improved to 26/ ; Passive 71 ; Deferred 11 ; Portuguese 49i; Three per Cents. 32 ; Dutch Two and-a-Half per Cents. 53g. THREE O'CLOCK. Consols for the Account, 90 i. THE FUDNS.—CLOSING PRICES. BRITISH FUNDS. Bank Stock . — Omni= / 3 per Cent. Red .— India Stock ........... .....•.. ..... 3 per Cent. Conk.... .......... ly 2 per Cent. ..... 3% per Cent. Reti — Ditto Old Annuities ..... ........ N • N ' A " .4ew 3% per Cent. 9334 per Cent. AssentLd Dissented Long Annuities to expire Jai Is6O 15% Ditto New Annuitiec.„ ......... 1.;:c. Bills, 1000/ "%cl. ... 31 ,71, Ditto SOO/ 32 pm. Ditto 5001 ~,,, ..,.... Bank Stock for Opg. ..........g. India Stock for Act. . ..... ......259 Jan. 1550... FOREIOD EL;Tols for Oct. FUNDS. Portuguese Bonds, 5 per cent. Ditto, Now Ditto 5 per cent. Austrian, 5 per Belgian, 5 per BriiiHan Bond' ...... ..... 87% Uuensa Ayres, 6 per cent — Chilian, 6 per cent — Colombian, 6 per cent. ..... Ditto, 1931 Danish, 3 per cent. — Giceic Bonds, 1625,5 per cent. Mexican, 5 per cent......„,,„., Ditto, 6 per cent, 1825.. Veruvian, IW-5, 6 per cent. Prussian. 5 per ....„ Russian Bands, 5 per Tut Ditto, Metallic ......... ..... Spanish, 5 per cent.... Ihtta, „.„ French, 5 p9r cent ..... Exchang2 French, 3 per cent... Dutch, 2i per cent ... ..... 53% Ditto, 5 per la% SHARES. London and Birmingham Railway London and Southampton Railway... ...... ••••• 2l , , Manchester and Leeds Railway No other variations in the Prices of Shares sine our One oir — Ec i Lige LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 14, 1837. In the House of Lords yesterday the proceedings possessed but little interest, being limited chiefly to the presentation of petitions on the subject of Church-rates. The Bishop of BAill and WELLS, whilst presenting one from Bath in favour of the continuance of the present Church-rate system, at first somewhat invidiously asserted that it was signed by all the " respectable" inhabitants of that city. Afterwards, however, when Lord HOLLAND subverted this strange statement, the Reverend Prelate stood corrected by qualifying his original averment. In the House of Commons Lord JOHN RUSSELL, in reply to Mr. ESTCOUKT, said he could not name the day when the other resolutions relative to Canada would be brought forward. The same Noble Lord, with regard to the appointment of Mr. CODD, a gentleman not bred to the Bar, to the office of a Police Magistrate, stated that he had been induced to depart from the usual practice, owing to the high recommendations which he had received of that gentleman's magisterial apti tude and qualifications ; but that he thought an adherence to the usual practice recommended by the Police Committee desirable. Mr. O'CONNELL called attention to a mis-report of his speech on the affairs of Spain, which appeared in the Times last Saturday. The Times, in its tissue of gross misrepre sentation, had grafted in its web of falsehood the words—" it was notorious that the Queen of Spain was voluptuous in fOrm and propensities." The Learned Member denied having used these words, or, indeed, " three words of the en ti re speech" a t tr ib ute d to him by the Times. The Millbank Penitentiary Bill went through a Committee. The House then resolved itself into a Committee on the Church-rate Regulation Bill, 'when Sir ROBERT PEEL rose, and entered into a mass of arithmetical detail, with the design of inducing a belief that the calculations of the Chancellor of the Exchequer were inaccurate—that no surplus would arise, &c. &c. Lord Howlex contended that all the calculations of the Right Hon. Baronet were wrong. Amongst other blunders he had omitted altogether to notice 350,0001. The Noble Lord stated "facts which warranted him in saying that the Church leases were as valuable by calculation, as the sums they had been set down at." With regard to the proposition before the House, Lord Howicx proved that "it would be more bene ficial even to the Church itself, and to the Dignitaries of that Church, than the existing system ever had been." The Noble Lord concluded by declaring " that there would be a sufficiency of means to provide for the due repairs of the fabric of the Church, while the grounds of that discontent which existed in all large towns, and also in many agricultu ral districts, would be removed. It was a measure which was intended and was well-calculated to call hat° action the dormant capabilities of the Established Church. It was a measure which would render the incomes of the dignitaries of the Church secure from the imprudent exercise of power. It was a measure, in one word, which, while it would give the greatest satisfaction to the country—would prove most beneficial to the Church and to religion." After Mr. VERNON, Mr. BUXTON, Mr. GOULBURN, and Dr. LUSHINOTON had successively spoken, the debate (which we have noticed in a separate article) was adjourned to this day. Lord HOLLAND administered to the Bishop of Bath and Wells a well-deserved rebuke for a piece of disingenuous impertinence of which that Right Reverend Father in God was guilty last night in the assembly of hereditary " Tribunes of the people." The Bishop, in presenting a pe tition from Bath praying their Lordships not to assent to any measure for the abolition of Church -rates, took occa sion to assert that it was signed by all the respectable in habitants of that ancient city. It is the fashion for aristocrats of the Bishop's stamp to arrogate to them selves all the respectability going. If one pays Church-rates regularly, and clamours for Church and KING at vestry meetings, he is a respectable man ; but if he happen to be a Dissenter, or an advocate for relieving Dissenters from Church oppression, he cannot, according to the standard of the Bishop of BATH and WELLS, be ranked among the respectable portion of society. It so happened that Lord HOLLAND had presented a petition from Bath, the prayer of which was directly the reverse of that committed to the charge of the Bishop ; and the Noble Lord felt it his duty to assert an equal claim to respectability in behalf of his body of petitioners, reprimanding the spirituil Peer at the same time for his unfairness and uncourteousncss. The Bishop then tried to draw off and eat his words, by pretend ing that he meant to say —not all, but a majority of the respectable inhabitants of Bath. This was but a clumsy subterfuge—something nearly as awkward as it would be for a plutnp,rosy-gilled Bishop to attempt to creep through a rat-hole. Whether it was that Lord WYNFORD felt for the situa tion in which the Right Reverend Prelate bad placed him self, and wished t o k eep hi m i n countenance b y putt i ng himself in a similar position—just as we have sometimes seen a gentleman, from mere affection, share the rotten eggs, dead cats, and other honours of the pillory with his friend—or whether the Noble and Learned Lord saw, and could not refrain from embracing, the opportunity of making himself more ridiculous than he usually is, we know not. But true it is, and of verity, that he did most certainly out- Bishop the Bishop in claiming a monopoly of respectability for his clients—clients (lid we say ?—we are thinking of old times, when the Learned Lord might be said to have been the best advocate for the worst part of the community that ever held a brief—for he insisted that two petitions which he presented (one from Chelmsford, the other from Farnborough) were signed by all the respectable inhabitants of those places, and furthermore, that he was personally acquainted with all the respectable persons in both places, and therefore could not be mistaken in what he asserted! In one of the places, Farnborough to wit, this knowledge might not, perhaps, be beyond the Learned Lord's attainment, as there is rather a meagre muster of native population. There is, we believe, a public house, rising, perhaps, to the style and title of an inn, as is usual in country villages, and it is likely that the Noble and Learned Personage, who is said to have a penchant for the culinary department, may personally know all the inmates of this establishment, and the forty or fifty other inhabitants of the place, who occa sionally recreate themselves in that locality. It is not, therefore, assuming too much to say that if the petition was signed by all the inhabitants—which it might very well be without inflictirr , a grievous wound on the cause which it opposed, for they do not amount to 100—it must have been si g ned by all the respectable inhabitants. S o f ar we acqu it Lord WYNFORD of all direct attempt to commit a bouncer ; but as to Chelmsford, if that was really the town named by him, we really must say, that he has a larger acquaintance than can be reconciled with ordinary notions of conveni ence—to say nothing of the tax on the memory—if he is even on speaking terms with half the people of that town. Will the Noble and Learned Lord condescend to enlighten the public on these momentous points ? The discussion of the Church-rate question was re sumed last night in the House of Commons, on which occa sion Sir ROBERT PEEL, after a vain attempt to refute the financial calculations of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE QUER, entered his protest against the measure, on the plea that it would injure the present age in the estimation of posterity. He " would intreat the House," said the Right Hon. Baronet, " to avert from itself that judgement which posterity would pronounce upon it, if those in communion with the Church were parties to a transaction from which they themselves, at the expense of that Church, derived pecuniary benefits." This is a true Tory appeal—that is to say, the appeal of one who entertaining an innate distrust of the tendency of the human mind to increase in intelligence and liberality, takes for granted that posterity will be Tory in its preju dices, and as such, pronounce a sentence of condemnation on the present measure—no matter how pressing be the necessity of the case, or how great its own intrinsic merits —simply because it emanated from a Whig Ministry. We look on Sir ROBERT PEEL'S speech last night, elaborate as were the calculations it entered into, and ingeniously as they were reasoned upon, as little better than a dead failure. Nothing could be tamer in spirit—nothing more indirect of purpose. The Right Hon. Baronet was far too shrewd to venture upon going " the whole hog," like the Bishops, but contented himself instead with ex hibiting in the capacity of a half-h o g ger . Thi s w ill b e a sore disappointment to the fifteen ghostly Prelates, who had, no doubt, calculated on adding the Lotd Rector of the University of Glasgow to the other joints of their spi ritual and temporal Tail. Lord HOWICK'S speech was temperate, lucid, and con vincing, and disposed of the more glaring financial sophis tries of Sir R. PEEL in a truly triumphant manner. His reply to the Right Hon. Baronet's remark that the scheme would not satisfy the Dissenters was in excellent spirit. "He did not think," observed the Noble Lord, "it was a good argument to say that one thing should not be done, be cause, perhaps, another would be hereafter demanded. It never could be wrong or unfair to grant that which was just and right. The question did not rest upon the reason ableness or unreasonableness of the demands of the Dis senters ; and the Right Honourable Baronet had no right to quote their further demands against 'him, whether they were reasonable or otherwise, if this was a just and proper measere." This is strong ground to stand upon—an ad vantageous position to take. up ; and if Ministers are but firm in their determination to " grant that which is just and right to the Dissenters," not all the combined Tory band, even though the Bishops lead the van, will be able to drive them from their pests. We must not omit to notice Lord Howie k's happy allusion to the proverbial moderation of the episcopal bench. " Would any man say," he pertinently asked, " that the English Bishops had never been suspected of going beyond a just and decent regard to their own interests, and those of their successors ? Would it be denied that there had been accusations brought against Bishops of providing for themselves and their fa milies in a manner that was not creditable to them, not merely as Christians, but as honourable men ?" This is exquisite irony, and will cut the deeper by reason of its polished edge. But we do not quote it so much on that ac count, as because it reveals, in a few apt, significant words, the whole secret of the Bishops' rancorous hostility to the abolition of Church-rates. The ghostly Prelates fear that this measure will paralyse their apostolic pockets. They foresee that it will be the means of preventing them from " going beyond a just and decent regard to their own in terests," by paving the way for other searching Church Reforms. Hence' their virtuous choler. Hence their cry of " Thieves! murder spoliation I robbery." Achilles, we are told, was vulnerable only in his heel. The Bishops are vulnerable only in their pockets. Touch them here, and they will instantly pounce tooth and nail on you, as they did the other night on Lord MELBOURNE, whose escape with life from their clutches was little short of miraculous. Mr. BUXTON, in a truly impressive Christian spirit, ob served that he should support the CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER'S plan, " first, because he thought that the measure would maintain the edifices of the Church ; se condly, because he thought it would in a great degree ex tend the animosities at present prevailing ; and, third' y, be cause he took it for granted that it would be effected with out cost to the country." As for Mr. GouLßuaN—poor Mr. GOCLBURN!--he twaddled in that drowsy, prosy style for which nature and long habit have so admirably qualified him. He was shocked, he said, to find that not less than three millions of people were unprovided with religious instruction. 'Well, and whose fault is this ? Why, the Tories', of course, who, during the whole five and twenty years that they held office never once thought it worth their while to turn their attention to the subject ! After a tedious and protracted discussion, the question was adjourned till to-night ; when if the Reformers do but their duty, it will be carried by a majority quite sufficient to perplex and paralyze the Epis copal Bench. The second reading of Mr. WILLIAMS'S Bill for Abo lishing the Stamp Duty on Freedoms is fixed for to-morrow evening. It was with great regret that we heard the CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER declare his intention of opposing that measure on " Political grounds." Can the Right Hon. Gentleman be sufficiently aware of the evils to which this Bill is intended to be applied as a remedy ? We know that he is —and, moreover, that some few months ago he expressed an opinion on the subject directly contrary to that which he now declares. What then can have caused the change ? Does he require it to be proved to him that, in nine cases out of ten, the sums of money at present paid on the admission of persons to their freedom arc not paid by the applicants themselves, but by political parties for poli tical purposes. If he does, let him but go down to any place where freemen exist, during the months of June and July in each year, and he would then see the happy working of this most happy system I What the " Political Grounds" of the Right Hon. Gentleman may be, we can scarcely imagine ; if he had said " Financial," we should have un derstood him. Perhaps he argues that as he opposes the right of voting being placed in the hands of freemen, he will not consent to any measure tending to give them greater facilities to attaining the rights of freedom ; and that if a party, duly qualified, cannot afford to pay the fees, he should not be admitted. This sounds very well ; but is there any legislative enactment to prevent another person paying the fees ? We have been present on occasions in a city where freemen exist, when young men, duly qualified to be ad mitted, have applied to the professional gentlemen conduct ing' the registration, on behalf of the Liberal interest, in this manner :—" Our principles accord with yours : we are desirous of taking up our freedoms, but we have not the money to pay the fees. If you cannot take them up for us the Tories tell us they will, on our promising to vote for them—but we do not like the party, and do not wish to do so unless you cannot take them up." And these are not solitary instances I Which party then derives the most advantage from this system ? The. Tories ! ! Those who have always money at command for the worst of purposes. Who are the persons then intended to be relieved by this measure ? Our operative brethren! those in the humbler walks of- life v who, though qualified to be admitted as freemen, are earning their daily livelihood from the " sweat of their brow," and cannot afford to deduct from their small pittance the (to them) large sum payable on their admission. Why then, we ask, does the Right Hon. Gentleman op pose this measure ? Surely not to please the Tories at the expense of the people, who are the sole support of the Mi nistry. The services of the people may be ere long required, and it will be as well not to afford them any just cause of reproach when those services are wanted. The Paris Papers of Sunday, the whole of which we have received, contain no intelligence of any interest. Some severe comments upon the conduct of the Archbishop of Pants, who has published a protest against converting the space formerly occupied by his palace into a public pro menade—some harsh strictures upon Count MOLE'S poli tical placability and love of office—and the usual amount of surmises respecting the future proceedings of the Go vernment, form the sum-total of the amount of intelligence contained in these journals. The palace of the Arch bishop was broken into and. plundered by the mob in Fe bruary, 1831, and three years afterwards was demolished by order of the Government. The immediate occasion of the Arehi-episcopal protest is a Bill now before the• Cha mbers for appropriating the ground forming the site of this palace for the amusement of the Parisian pedestrians, as we have already stated. The journals of every shade of opinion denounce the claim of right set up by the Arch bishop, and boldly contend that the Church cannot possess more than the usufruct of any property which she en. Llndon : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG' 9 0 04 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. list,. ,_ , Strand, i 4 of Middlesex.—Tuesday, March 14, 1887. PRICES OF STOCKS THIS DAY Al' ONE O'CLOCK. Bank Stock. , - India Stock — 3 per Cent. Ile& 3 per Cent. Coot 90%%% 'South Sea Stock 3y4 per Cent.-- ....-..... ...... Old Annnities Ditto Red............... ...... .. New Ditto — I•Tew 3% per Cent.. 98%%54 13 per Cent. Annuities, 1751_ New sper Cent.. Bank LongArinuitiestoeapire Ditto 500 30 29 32 pm. Jan 5, IVO — Ditto Small Oct. 10, 1889 - Ditto Commercial — pm. Jan. 5, 1860 - I Ditto Advertised — pm Jan. 5, 880 April 5, IEkSO ..... ......... i India Stock for Account ...... ... Jan. 5, 1870-- ..... ... ...... —lConsols for Acconnt gOliF's ''.i Omnium pm.' PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Bonds Belgian Bonds ....... ........ . ..... Ditto Account — Ditto Account — Portugueseßonds 72 Brazilian Bonds —l Ditto Account — Ditto Account —.... ........... Ditto New Bonds ....... Buenos Ayres Bonds — Ditto Account 49 Ditto Account ......... ......... , Ditto, 3 per cent. 32 Chillian Bonds — Prussian Bonds Ditto Account ...... ......... .. i Russian Bonds, IM — Colombian Bonds — Ditto Account — Ditto Account Colinnbian Bonds, :824 23 3 4 4 Spanish Bonds — Ditto Account Danish Bonds Ditto Account Greek Bonds ...... .. ..... .......... French, 5 per cent. .... „.... —l. --c. Ditto Bonds, 1825 ' 4 per cent —f. --c. Ditto Account ........... ...... —! 2 per cent. Mexican Bonds, 5 per cent.... — --- Exchange —f. —e. Ditto Account ........... ...... , Dutch, 2 per cent. Ditto, 6 per ceiat. ............ -- 1 Ditto Account 533i Ditto Account ... ..... .... .... --' Ditto, 5 per cent lO3lO, Neapolitan —: Ditto Account PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Paid. Per Share Eastern Counties Railway 2 0 ‘41%s Brighton Railway Company Brighton (Gibbs') Railway London and Birmingham Railway Company 75 105 104 London and Greenwich Railway Company 2O 21% 2 London and Southampton Railway Company 35 21% N-rth Midland Railway Company lO 11% South Brighton, Lewes, and Newhaven Railway 2 IS M& Colonial Bank London and Westminster Bank 2O 21 _ MAILS. Arrived. Due Arrived. Due. Arrived Due 0 America.......... 0 1 France 0 1 Lisbon 0 0 Prazi1....... ..... 0 0 Ousrn. &Jersey 0 0 Malta 0 Buenos Ayres.. 0 0 Hamburg ..... ... 1 0 Mexico 0 0 ( :Arthagena ..... 0 0 Holland 1 11ublin... ...... 0 0 Jamaica 0 0 Sweden . 0 0 F"Anders MOH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Morning. 0 7 minutes after 8. Evening...... I minutes after 9. HAMBURGH, FEB. 28, 1837. ALL those who may have to write to us are re quested to be particular in directing, HEINE BROTHERS, IN HAMBURGH; but neither the denomination BANKERS, or LOTTERY CON TRACTORS, or MERCHANTS, nor any other, is required - on the Address; and Letters directed HEINE BROTHERS, IN HAMBURGH, without any further remarks or description, will do for any Branch of our multifarious Business. We beg further to observe, that a Letter with one enclosure doubles the postage only, but several en closures would by far increase the same; thus 20/. 40/, or 60/., for instance, if remitted in one Bank of England Note would only cause double postage ; but 201. remitted in two Ten-pound Notes, or Four Five-pound Notes, would be liable to a much higher charge. It is, therefore, most advisable for those having to remit money to Hamburgh to forward the amount, whenever possible, in One Note, or One Check, or one Bank Post Bill, &c. &c. The same is advisable on receiving Money from Hamburgh. Of course, large sums, amounting to some or many thousands may rather be remitted in Bills of Exchange. All those having to give any Orders for such Branches of our Business as must be executed before the 26th MARCH are re quested to lose no time in forwarding the same. HEINE BROTHERS. _ ) 7 1 ItITC s` 71, joys. The real owner of all such property is the State, which alone possesses both the right and the power of de voting it to any purpose compatible with the general welfare. On Saturday the Quotidienne was seized for an article approving of the protest of the officers of the 62d Regi ment, against whom General BERNARD directed the ven geance of the Crown. The Charivari was to be tried yesterday by the Court of Assizes, for commenting upon the dowry demanded for the Queen of the BELGIANS. The provincial Press is likewise prosecuted when occasions offer with unrelenting severity. Some waggish rogues have contrived to give M. PEttot a good deal of annoyance. It appears that they managed to steal out of his office a large quantity of paper, only used for strictly official purposes—having the words " Chancellerie de la France," and some others to the same effect, printed on each sheet. They then filled up the blanks in the form of official communications, and addressed them in the usual way to such of the public functionaries throughout the kingdom as they thought least likely to dis cover the hoax. Some they commended, in the name of the Minister, for their zeal ; and others they as severely censured for their misconduct. Officials, who never dreamt of being heard of beyond the sphere of their political juris diction, were in extacies at finding that a Monarch deigned to eulogize them, and to consult with his Ministers on the all-important subject of their promotion ; while, on the other hand, most active magistrates were overwhelmed with grief when assured, in the all-powerful name of M. PERSIL, that they bad incurred the serious displeasure both of the Minister and his Royal Master. Of course, communications from every quarter poured into the office of the astonished and bewil dered PERSIL. One heaped thanks and blessings on hills for favours which he never thought of granting, and another deprecated a vengeance equally foreign to the mind of the Minister. Inquiries were immediately insti tuted, and the trick discovered. The public laugh at it as a capital joke, and certainly, if well handled, it would supply materials for a good farce : JERROLD or PLANCHE would find it well worth their attention. The Journal du Contnierce ststcs that the marriage of the Duke of ORLEANS with the Princess of MECKLENBERG SCHWERIN is decided upon, and that there is a rumor. of the celebration of the marriage solemnities being fixea for the month of May. _ _ The Temps has an article condemnatory of Colonel VAUDRY'S attempt to have himself elected a Member of the Camber of Deputies. The rumours from Spain in the French Papers are unimportant, and besides, from the character of the Jour nals in which they appear, are entitled to no credit. Lisbon Papers to the 2d inst., inclusive, have been re ceived this morning. The debates in the " Sovereign Cortes" are as yet confined to certain improvements in the Constitution and the State of the Interior, and, therefore, are unattractive to all save Portuguese subjects. Lisbon was tranquil, though the provinces are still infested with bands of Miguelite brigands. The following remarks on the Tariff include all that we find in the Lisbon Papers likely to prove interesting to our readers : LISBON, MAIWII I.—We see by the English Journals that we have just received, that the introduction of the Tariff ill our Custom-houses, makes a considerable impression in Eng land, and by way of retaliation, we are threatened in the same Journals, and in the Parliament, with an augmentation of the duties on the gocds imported from our country into England. We kr.o..v not how far such threats may be realized, but for such an augmentation of the duties to be founded on the prin ciples of justice and perfect commercial reciprocity, which ought to exist between two nations which are old allies, it Is necessary that the duties which are actually paid on our produce in England should be in a just proportion with the duty which English goods pay in Portugal ; but no one can doubt that there is a manifest and most unjust disproportion when we consider that our wines, which are the only articles of importance which we export, pay in England duties to the amount of 100 per cent. and more, whereas English goods pay in Portugal hardly 15 per cent. Whoever will examine the extinct Treaty of Commerce of 1810, will fine that the principle of reciprocity is destroyed or evaded from the beginning to the end; and if, on the expira tion de facto of this ruinous Treaty, which has long ceased to exist de jure, the Portuguese Government thinks itself b o und to introduce a Tariff to protect the manufactures and interests of the nation, which have been disregarded by imbecile Admi nistrations, how does it offend England ? Does not that Government do the same? Did it not raise the duty on our wines in 1830, when Portugal faithfully performed the stipula tions of the Treaty of 1810 ?—iVacional, March 1. An abstract of Mr. O'CONNELL'S Bill for the amend ment of the Libel Law, will be found in another part of The Sun. It appears to us ano less excellent than neces sary measure, with the exception of three clauses, which we think capable of considerable improvement. The sixth clause, for example, gives the defendant an unlimited right of proving the truth of the charge preferred by him against the plaintiff. Now there are hundreds of cases in which the exercise of such a right would be an additional grievous wrong inflicted upon the plain'. tiff. We allude, of course, to cases of personal libel, where the records of a long life might be ransacked to gratify private malice, by reviving and disseminating some long-forgotten slander. The liberty of calling with impunity a man, at sixty years of age, a seducer, because it may be proved that before he entered upon his majority some light-footed, tender-hearted spinster eloped with him, with.- out disturbing papa's slumbers, is a license which we think ought not to be extended to the public Press of this or any other country. In the majority o f ca ses we agree with Mr. O'CONNELL, that the truth of the libellous matter ought to be admitted as a justification but we contend that a wide distinction ought to be drawn between such libels and the class of defamatory" attacks, of which the above is one of the least hurtful samples. Considered with reference to libels upon pa' rents, guilty in early life of some imprudence—atoned for by years of the most exemplary conduct—this clause i 9 open to very serious objection. The ninth clause throWs the costs of an action upon the publisher , if the plaintiff fails in sustaining his acti o n aga i ns t t h e author of a libel. In the name of justice and common-sense how is this ? Wherefore should the publisher b° mulcted in costs, where the prosecutor fails to prove that he has sustained any injury ? Such a law would qua' druple the present number of actions for libel ; and, i° fact, soon put an end to publishing altogether. Our last objection is to that part of the thirteenth clause , , which allows costs to the defendant, wh en th e ver dict e` damages does not exceed forty shillings. The verdict of damages is considerably too high, but reduced to ori e farthing, we would approve of such an alteration in the lao• Our abjection is founded upon the regard had by juries to the ability of the defendant to pay damages, as well a s to the extent of injury sustained by the plaintiff. We regret to say that two or three failures ham occurred during the last few days in Leeds. FAMILIES RESIDING IN THE COUNTR Y are supplied with TEAS and COFFEES at the WHOLESAL E PRICE for CASH : 81ack...25. Od. 2s. 4d. 2s. Bd. 3s. 3s. 6d. 4s. 4s. id. ? S. Green.. 3s. Bd. 4s. Od. 4s. Bd. ss. ss. 6d. 6s. 7s. Od. °°' Coffee, Is. 6d. ls. Bd. Is. 10d. b.... Finest Mocha, 2s. When the order exceeds £lO, the Carriage is Paid. G. T. MANSELL, and CO., Wholesale Tea Dealers, 2, Bueklersbury, Cheapside T. COX SAVORY, Goldsmith, &c., 47, Corgal ' London, informs the Public that he has fitted up THREE SHO W. ROOMS expressly for the display of a l arge a ssor t men t o f s uperio r SILVER-EDGED PLATED GOODS. He offers them at thor low but fixed prices, which have been so successful in drawing public attention to the WATCH, JEWELLERY, SILVER SPOON and FORK and Silver branches of hi s t ra d e . N.B . A pamphle t ' 6 containinm a Detailed List of the Price s o f Pl a t e , Pl a t e d Goor n Watches, Clocks, &c., may be had gra ti s , or w ill b e forwarded R " answer to a post-paid application. BIRTHS. 114 On the 9th inst., at Pentropant, Shrop s hi re , th e l a d y o f R • . Bonnor Maurice, Esq., of a son and heir. On the 10th inst., in Great Ormond-street, Mrs. L ew is StricifF of a son. MARRIED. On the llth inst., at Barnes, Mr. W. Melton, to Miss Care Thompson. On the 11th in s t., a t St. M argare t' s, L ot hb ury, M r . A .-riobp. Norton, of Islin g t on , t o C at h er i ne R ., e ld est daughter o f Knight, Esq., Secretary of the Bank of England. • Ider' On the 11th i ns t., a t St. M ary l e b one, Th omas Edward neo.e, Esq., of Doctors' Commons, and Gloucestfir-place, Portman-sir, to Maria, younger daughter of the late Wm. Ashlin, Esq., Of ford Lodge, Lodge, Middlesex. LADY CHARLOTTE BURY'S NEW NOVEL. This day, in 2 Yols. post Bvo., 195., T H E DIVO IZ CED. By the Authoress of " Flirtation." '' This new novel is one of the most effective of Lady Bury's productions. The story is powerfully and admirably told, and it seems to us, that not only is it founded on fact, but that the cha racters are chiefly drawn from the life."—John Bull. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. DIED. ra , On the Bth inst., at Hadl e y, near Barnet, Miss Lavinia aged 20. of On the Bth inst., aged 54, Mary, wife of John Vale, . J Hertford -street, May-fai r , an d e ld est d aug h ter o f t h e l a t e J . v"" ward, Esq., Moor-mill, Herts. At Ha therleigh, aged 19, James William, eldest son of "'- ale J. Fisher, Esq., Surgeon, R.N. t uners / On the 10th inst., at De nne Hill, near C an t er bury, oth Sir Henry T. Montrezor, K. C. B. and G. C. H., Colonel of the Regiment of Foot. On the 10th inst., in York-t errace , R egen t' s - par k, Henry Th Coleth ooke, Esq. 10 00, On the 11th inst., at Ro ss , H ere f or d s hi re , M os es Fern Esi., late of New Ormond-street, aged 88. CPO ' On the 10th inst , at B r i g ht on, F ranc i s S op hi a , Wife 0- R. Sheddon, Esq. __, ;ct o f On the I lth inst., at Stockwell-green, aged 85, Sarah , r'" .- Mr. S. Bowring. fi e 's On the 10th inst., Mr.W. Strong, of Brook-4reen and 1.0 0 10 On the 10th inst., at Bayswater, aged 5, Emily Mall, W. Dunnore, Esq., of Lincoln's Inn, bartister-at:lavv• ffori On the 10th inst., at H are fi e ld Park, Major-General Sir_ , Frederick C oo k e, K . C . H ., on l y surv i v i ng b rot h er o f the late Pc General Sir G. Cooke, K. C. 13. Poi On the 11th i ns t., a t C a stelnau-place, M or tlake, J. P. E -q. , aged 91. Lea . ' On the 26th ult., at Florence, Lieutenant-General Joh.:_lia THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 183?.