The Sun. — London, England, 1846-02-25 00:00:00

Secretary of - State for the home Department had stated that crime saws greatly reduced in this country. He (Mr. Ferrand) would tell him that that was not the fact. [At this point of the lion. Gentle- Maus address Sir James Gri tam was engaged in earnest conversa tion with an Hon. Member.] Perhaps when he (Mr. Ferranti) told the Right Hon. Baronet that the protectioeists were 462 a-head in South Nottinghamshire, he weld.' attend to him.— (Loud pro tectionist cheers.) When the Right Hon. Gentleman said that crime had not increased, he wouN call tale attention to the address of Mr. Justice Coleridge to a jury in the north, in Nov., 1844. That Learned Judge said that a steady increase o:' crime had taken place throughout the acutitry, and in their own county the Increase was not so much in crimes of a petty nature as those of a more serious character. Within the last eight years the number of prisoners had nearly doabied in that county. That county was the manufacturing county of York. At the present moment the number of prisoners in Wake field gaol were greater than it had ever been known before. When he was in the north of England he was thrown lueo contact with large bodies of the working classes. and they instructed him to bring their case before the House, fur they sail that the battle was the battle of labour against capital, and they told him, that far from the extension of trade in this coun ty lacing of the slightest benefit to them, It had been their bitterest curse, and they prsduced to him statements of the greatest import; aura to prove that such was the fact. Hie Hon. Friend, the Mem ber for East Cornwall, hadlately published, at Iris own expense, a i histoty of the working populatio n I n the manufacturing districts n the north of E ngland for the last sixty years. This was written by a working may, but who had shown ability far above his order. [The • 1144. Gentleman then read several extracts front the work in swee tens, from which it appeared, that while trade had largely ex tended, the wages of the labourer had been decreased in proportion.] He would now quote a statement made by Mr. Muggridge, the Com miseloner appointed to inquire into the state of the manufacturing distriiee in Vie midland counties. In examining a weaver at Roch dale, he asks, " What had you for weaving this piece of cloth in 1123 ?" The weaver replied, " 2/. ;)s." Mr. Muggridge then asked hint what he received for it now, and he replied " 19s ," aid added, " that trade hal more than doubled since 1e29." In examining a Bolton weaver, Mr. Muggridge asked the following questions -e " Would you be as well offcorn if the laws were repealed, as you were in a given year?" " No. If you gave me. all my f o od for nothing I should net he so well off , bec auSe, since that per od, the reduction which has taken place in my wages ;tiliounts to more than the price of all the fbod I cat, and the clothes I wear." Now, that was the statement of a Bolton weaver ; and he had other in stances which he could quota, of a still m ore startling character, It would suface, however, for hint to pledge his word to the House that ever singe machinery had been introduced into this country for the puspose of manufacturing goods, the wages of the working, people had beets gradually falling. lie had been charged by the Hon. Member for Stroud as being the opponent cf every 'description of machineey. Now, he positively debied that charge— he was in favour of machinery solo's- , as it was subservient to manual labour ; but when it destroyed manaal Lessem, he :saki, in the language of the late Sir Roert Peel, that nsachinery because a curse rather than la benefit to the b country. Was auy lion. Member opposite prepared to say that the price of food did not regulate wages? Was Ike ilon. and Learned Member for Belton prepared to say that it did not? Dr. BOWRING—I ans. Mr. FERRAND continued Wel, then, if the Hon. and Learned Member would refer to his speech which he made on the 26th January, 1535, he would find a statement to the effect that the foreigner was enabled to compete with the Bri tish manufacturer through the eheapliess of food abroad, rending it unnecessary to give his woremen the same wages as were paid in England. The Hon. and Learned Member fir Cork, Mr. Ricardo, the Hon. and Learned Member for Birmingham, and Mr. Rathbone Greg, all cgreed in this opinion. Now, something had been said about the country gentlemen of the South of England pro posing to the manufacturers to take off their hands the surplus popu lation of their districts. Ile was glad to see the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton in his place, and he called upon him, if he dared, to refute this statement. Mr.' VILLIERS—No ; I will not indeed. Mr. FERRAND continued—No; he was convinced the Hon. Mem ber would not, for. he had always conducted the corn-law debate in a moderate and honourable tone, and had oily made one • charge against the agricultural body, which he should show shortly that the that. Member had failed to prove. lie would assert it, without fear of contradiction, that the agricultu ral population of the south of England were criginally taken into Lincolnshire by the League manufacturers—(Hear, hear)—that the proposition was never made to the agricultural Member a, or to the employers of those labourers —that they, in fact, never heard of it until the thing was carried into effect.—(llear, hear.) The autho rity which he had for saying this, was the letter of a Quaker, which, before he had done with him, he would prove to be a trafficker its human blood. That letter was-addressed to Mr. Chadwick, the Se cretary to the Pcor-law Commissioners. That Quaker recommended that the agricultural labourers of the south of England should be sent Into Lancashire for the purpose of being employed in the cotton manufacture, wh:re there was good remuneration for labour ; and yet at that very moment a Committee of that House was sitting, at which it was Clearly proved that he was in the practice of giving no more than 2!s, d. per day to hie hand-loom weavers. That Quaker was Mr. Henry Ashworth, of Bolton, who, In consequence of the great support which he gave to the Leaguers, was called the head of the Anti-Corn-law League. Now was it not disgraceful that any man could be found who would be guilty of such conduct? (hear. hear.) But there was Mr. Robert Hyde Greg, another Anti-Corn-law League manufacturer, it gentleman who subscribed his thousands to the League, to whom he would refer. Mr. Greg wrote a letter on the 17th of September, 1844, only three months after the date of Mr. Henry Astiworth's letter, and his letter was a kind of refresher to Mr. Chadwick. Mr. Greg said ia his totter, that he had fur some time thought of addressing Mr. Uhadwiek on the same subject as his friend Henry Ashworth had written upon a short time before. It was, he said, a inert important question, and one which deserved immediate attention. lie then went on to recommend that all poor men amid women, of every age, and even children and orphans, should be transmitted from the south of England to Lancashire and Yorkshire. lie said that they would be moat acceptable to manufacturers who were, short of labourers, or those that were starting new concerns, because the variety of the UM mthieturers' wante were great.—(Hear.) That proposal came from Mr. Greg, the Anti Corn-law League manufacturer, and the proposals in his letter were adopted. He (Mr. Farmed) held in his halal a r. gut:sr invoice wide!' wits sent of a family that hid bees packed off into Lancashire, after they had been kidnapped in the nericutiural emetics to :;epply the waists of the manufacturers. He alga hell in his hand an extract from an article which had appeared in the Nanci,ester Guardian with regard to sending the egricultural population of the south of England into the manufactur ing districts. The editor of that paper expressed hie earnest hope that another draft might be made from the same, source, for the purpose of giving comfort to the agricultural labourers. Two years ago the Hon. Menther hail moved for certain returns which should prove to this House and to the country that the population bad been worked to death in the manufacturing districts. Partiatnent then called upon the Poor law Commissioners to account for the tens of thousands of the 'nimbi tan:s of the agricultural districts who had been induced to go lute Yorkshire and Lancashire—S,Coo was the whole number for which they could account, and he was in a position to prove that the re m:Under were worked to death. Before, however, he did that, Y e would read to *e House some extraordinary documents connected with the Poor law Commissioners, which had come to his hands; and now the country would begin to know what has been going on al Somerset House between these Poor-law Commissioners and these Laanufacturere connected with the League. Within these last tei Slays he had received a letter, of which the following was a copy : " Ludlow Parish, West Wycombe, Bucks. " Sir,—l beg to inclose you an account male out against Ludlow parish, fcr the charge of four persons belonging to the same, wi were tampted to migrate at the instance of Mr. Ashworth. 'flu parish of Lualo.v, in 1839, refused to pay any more money to Mna Avis, as they considered that 4e. 6d. per week, paid by the passe OA not go tober, hilt for wages. She was, therefore, diseliarged try it on with file purists, and ultimately went !seek in - lend lebours. The perish subsequently sertied the ender the threat of leg al proceedinge.-1 remain, S r, your obedit t for ozricl:. ,ccount (71. 54r,"'lat, wouid nor: call the attention of the Ilouse to the sufferings ttlyene poor peolle, anti he thought he could net better effect hio pr pa , ,,e than by callin; their attention to the following extraornlina] document : " Mrs, rS. 11. and E. Ashworth, Dn. to Dr. Barry :—Mary Ann Avis, child burnt and died, 1!. ; Mary Ann Avis, small-pox, 1!. ss. ; Geo - ge Allen and family, typhus fever, P. Its. ed. ; George Gilbert an 1 family, sticttness, 11. ; George Gilbert and faintly, small -,13x, hi. 15s. ; to ca.sh paid in *l4 of wages, at 45. 64. per week, 47!. 13s. 4d. Total, 59/. 31. SAtled the sixth day of the third month by the Poor law Commissioner, Assistant rarker." Itnis the House would see that these Poor-law Commissioners paid tbr the single item of wages to Messrs. Ashworth the sum of 47/. 131. 44. Now, this was part of the exposure—it was not A— lm lead ether documents. No. p5B of the Commissioners papers proved the payment of 6/. 15s. 44. to Mary Gregg on the same account. On Vehruary 7 he received another (locum-at, proving the payment of a further van; of IV. 85. 24. to Mary Avis. After this payment, it seems.the, with her family, was sent home by an order ofICMOVai, hut In what state will be seen by the felowing invoice sent with her to the pa:-1,11 of Laidlaw : —Maria, age: 10 years ; Emma, aged 5 years ; Mega 1111A7c, one year. lie had another letter which he would Ctcu - read. In which Messrs. Ashworth acknowledged the receipt from the Poor-law Commissioners of the stun of 22!. Cs 6d., paid by them to Widow Avis; and they also considered that it was an unworthy re turn, nut that thy should look to the West Wycombe Union for the payment of the Pail sum of Is. Cd. per week, which had been paid by theta to Wily.v Avis. The lion. Member for Manchester, who stated at a public meeting iu that town that they could buy up the , vhole of the land in Engiantl, declared that the working population 5.,! . vin..? to death, tuct livim7, if living it could be .~,.,.~. i:.~J'i. 11 ~~:'.t tli:' , ic Les.,;zia nt. - ,ituf.,:cturer., li.za prorr-L.:01. to the 1 - '_, ,' , . i.-., - ,ftrzT3 to go down to tiao north of England for t', - k, p.• t• i.iL.-fii,!?, road and higher wages. Ile liebl in his hand two statements, ' ~. e'' I': In NI- ropy it a document, which was laid on the table of til.ll i louse, veit!elt would show that the unfOrtimate w;ric.ilturi -: la . tiour,..rs were actually kidnaNted and carried down to Lane tshire, The House :out the country should hear that night what had heeonit: of them. And then he Heat:eat they would de ceive the workaig classes, zitel that they would oppose the m e asure of her Majesty's 10 The maituraetarcrs admitted that the measure woul.t . throw out of cultivation tlic poorer description, of laAil. Now that house should hear how the matitcaeturers treated their poor workmen, and the 11011. Members ilipuNite would them- N,lvi, I, ob igoil to say that tic: ewes Willeil he would athlete to WIIIIIIStirpiI, , S ttilytiling Or the; kind they had ever heard. lie (Mr. Ferranti) had tfiVit some pains to collect thr three years the number of neck tents which tail taken place it manufactories in the NOW], Will he (Willa nerd to consist of 31 1 , out of which 3, were caused by the machioery being in motion at the time, Out of those 31t) cases he Wiiy knew of two in whiolf the manufacturer hail made any rep t rafioo, or comdensation to the injured party. Titres hundred and /erre : torn limb front limb by the Machinery of thosz , free traders : lie would tliallen,;'e any lion. Member opposite who re. Prplilied the Anti-Corn-law League to produce any wise in the rdinizry or an agricultural rrbottrer being injt,ruil without receiving . compeasation. 'ltheir Heuer:tut preacher, convicted of blasphemy— their discharged soldier, with his lashes marked upon his back—such were the persons they sent to inquire into the cooduct of comitry gentlemen.—(Cheers Irian the protectionists.) They should now hear front the lips of at it until a 3lember of that House, what it, I 'jet - mite or tit :agricultural labourers to whom he hail alluded. Tl,i, lion. Member theft read a statement, In svhieli it was alleged that in many instattetrs the poor tit:attires were starved while flogged to thi•ir work, and were e,rten driven by the harsh treatment it Inch they received, to the committal of suicide.— (Loud cries et' " hear, hear.") That Was the treatment the poor agricultural labourers reeeiVell, torn feem their green lanes and shady valleys, to drag out a miserable existenee in the manufacturing districts. And non', if those filets were true—and he eliallciied rutty 3lentber to deny it — was it lea thealuty of the Covernment, as well as of every county 3leniber, to demand that the agricultural labourer should be pro tected, and that they should be permitted to exist ow the land on witieft they hail been horn, rather than be sacrified mail immolated for the benetit of the cotton lords of the North of England?- (I.7lteers.) Ile had not exposed the one-fourth of what he in tended ; but the day would arrive when he should do so, ihid h e was very nittelt inclined to believe that lie had said satlietent that night to be remembered for a lens,; time by the Anti- Corti-Jai! League. Ilutpow lid would exhibit their complete selfish ness. The House may remember (haviug frequently heard It moi thou:o) the name of a Mr. ticorge Wilson, who was the chain i it or tic: Anti-t aali-la.w League—who presided at the League nt ' ' t: ings—and who was a 17 , e t s ) li b le , tf i . , , , l it tliat society. all g•entlenTati also adopted the motto— . titr when the Right lion. Ilartznet i tl uvs ye, welt„ tt tor he in the Tariff 1842 In w it he ulter.itious which .te proposed as a g bo en u ti t ei t E o a reduce the duty on foreign starch from 91!or 10.'. to IL, this free was a manufacturer of teat article, said "Oh, this will never do n ? re e l l trade in corn, if you like, but no reduction in the duty on 'star (Laughter). He did not however, rest till he had convened a m facturers down at Manchester and at thi: e ra ting of ta° starch mann ,rimieeetiLlig resolutions were expressed to send a deputation to the the view of in ducing him to alter his proposals so far as w stir e t e l l t h t was concerned. were exemptecL X a sters and starch were the only articles This a friend of the reduction then made. He received a letter his at that time detailing the above circumstances. ' Individual was also a free trader, but this extraordh duct on the part of Mr. Wilson and the :t(l.l7,sr:urtn.emebeir's of the League with regard to this subject excited h Hon. (I ntletnan here read the letter in question.) It was somewhat (rile extra rdinary that in this new tariff of the Right Hon. Baron e t t h e wishes of Mr. G. Wilson were equally protected, and the prohibitory duty, as far as starch was concerned, was not atrected.—(- Hear, hear," and laughter.) That was the way the Government of the country truckled to the members of the League—(Laughter.) He had then in conclusion to allude to a subject which was of a personal nature. He had suffered not a little from the conduct of an lion. Member of that House ; and perhaps he should never have alluded to the matter but that the gentleman had asserted at a public meeting that he intended repairing to KnareabOrough to deprive him (Mr. Ferrand) of the representation of that borough, and he called on the Anti-Corn-law League to assist into in carrying out his ohjoot. Now as he (Mr. Ferrand) was to be opposed by the Honourable Gentleman, he alluded to the Member for Stockport, or his nominees, it would be only fair that they both ehoald stand upon equal grounds.—(Hear, hear.) Owing to state ments that had been made in reference to him (Mr. Ferranti) he applied for, and obtained, a Commission of Inquiry, at which Lord Ashley presided. The Hon. Measlier then quoted questions from the report, the answer to which was that certain individuals, who were indlowners, kept cows and let them out, and that many workpeople were compelled to take more tunic than they required ; and that all the millowners were in the habit of getting It) per cent. out of their shops. Its then went on to say, that he would not utter another word upon this question, out he would . appeal to the gentlemanly feeling of this House urea the question ; it was let, he admitted, to do se, but he would leave the question now to the House to decide whether the two lion. 11-ewe - Ts opposite had not made a charge which was totally divested ifl ti ai" : csittd eof foundation.—(Hear, hear.) He would be _ , n , 7a t , int et Ini at the hustings, hut it would cost the Hon. , --.,`,...;.`_"' ~_ ,,1 - tegged to thank the House fur the kind :Wen / i." - .. 1 0 , w 1 I- M. 11, ,• - been heard. He had performed his duty to /....--..: 11 -- h k op ? Gt t ii i it .; ' e - ... , :,..... ,-,,, prepared to go before them again, and he ( -t. - , , ,F r oz e ll. ,"!, ; sa . it be able to do the same. ‘ - . , i - 146 ,. oici.uti 4 - v ., is ' l ' , l if his opinion had been taken, the divi t .. t4,have been taken that night, but at the crefore, he did hopedt' been set apart for ~. ' tili7e.ifitteo' , . --- . t ion. won ° , ll .4, c i l: such i importance should --, ,xeipurate bt : ..,• .104 : -- - + • .., -••••••• ... , nil he trtutet , i ) I that cite ta i a , t i tt could be ad- I a - Meber who N - - moved the adjournment would be satisfied with such an arrangement. He believed that he could undertake that this debate would not go on beyond Friday. The discussion kept the country in a state of suspense, yet as several gentlemen still wished to speak on the subject, he thought that he was justified in asking the delay, as, in his opinion, the debate could not continue beyond Friday, and might possibly finish on Thursday. He could not give his reasons for that opinion, as they were nut called for. The Hight Hon. Baronet had presented a petition from Liverpool, which petition stated that the long continuance of the debat , caused great trouble and confusion in mercantile affairs. He knew that a good deal of this discussion was caused by the temporary decrease of the potatoes in Ireland, and this ought to be brought to a close as soon as possible, if it were a lIICASUrt: for temporary alleviation. If the Bight lion. Baronet chose to bring in a temporary Bill, giving to the Government the power o taking out of bond food for the purpose of alleviating the distress of Ireland, he, for one, would give his consent. Sir ROBERT PEEL said, that if the question had been asked, he would have given his opinion in favour of an adjournment to Thursday. Mr. CHARLES BULLER obtained leave to bring in a Bill to assimilate the law with respect to the period of notices for elections in England and Ireland. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at a Quarter to One o'clock. • tzzazit.:: The Marquis of LONDONDERRY considered that amalgama ion of various lines as most detrimental to the public nterests. He thought that the construction of competing ines ought to be encouraged. After a few words from Earl GREY, _ _ _ ought to do the same, for he would find that though he could dispose of his speech by one fling of the arm, he could not serve his constituents so. He could not but admire the cool ness of the Right Hon. Baronet the Vice President of the Board of Trade, who, when he addressed the House last night, had either in his pocket, or his red box, a letter from his constituents. requesting him to resign. The personal honour of the Right lion Baronet at the head of the Go vernment was at stake, and he ought also to go back to his constituents at Tamworth. The electors of that place believed in the pledge of the Right Ilon. Baronet, that he would pro tect agriculture, and on that ground they re; urned him. How he had kept those pl e dges he would leave it to the House and country to say. When the Government found they could not carry out the measures they proposed, instead of resigning The Duke of WELLINGTON gave notice that the Noble Earl, the President of the Board of Control, would submit certain resolutions relating to the recent military operations in India, and that on Thursday or Friday he would lay on the table certain papers relating to those operations. The report on the Public Works (Ireland) Bill was then brought up, and certain amendments wore then proposed and agreed to. The Fisheries, Piers, and Harbours (Ireland) Bill was then read a second time. On the motion of the Earl of ST. GERMANS, after a high eulogium by Lord MoNTEAGLE on the Board of Public Works (Ireland), and an expression from the Duke of RICHMOND of his willingness to support any measure for the improve ment of Ireland, '_ _ _ _ their places, they ought to have appealed to the country, and asked the opinions of the people with respect to their mea sures; that was the bold and manly course they ought to have pursued. He thought it was not improbable that an address would be moved in that House, ere long, praying her Majesty graciously to send them back to their consti tuents; and should such be the case, he shoukl, after the division was over, look carefully through the names if all these who voted with the Ministry—he would see what pledges they had given to their constituents, and he would take care to show them up in that House. The llon. Member then, at some length, went into statements to prove the wretched condition of the operatives of the ma nufacturing districts, and asked were they now to hand over the agricultural labourers to the tender mercies of the lords of cotton and manufactures. Perhaps ifhe could not get the Right Hon. Baronet's, at the head of the Home Department, atten tion to the statements he had been making, he would con descend to notice this fact, that at four o'clock that day the protectionists of South Nottingham were 460 a-head. He could assure the House, that the more machinery had been introduced. the more r pidly had wages declined. He was not against machinery so long as it did not displace manual labour, but when it did displace manual labour it was the greatest curse to the country. He contended that wages were regulated by the price of food, and quoted seve ral authorities in support of his position. Would any mem ber of the Anti-Corn - law League venture to state that the agriculturists of the south of England had proposed to the manufacturers to use up their surplus population ? He knew the proposition had come from the manufacturers, and it was made at a time when the hand-loom weavers were in a state of the greatest distress. The Poor law Commissioners had been_ playing into the bands of the manufacturers,. and the agricultural labourers who had gone into the manufacturing districts had been worked to death. He challenged them to deny his statement, and he trusted the agricultural labourer would be content to live upon mode-ate comforts at home, rather than migrate into the manufacturing districts. He had shown up the cruelty of the manufacturers, and they were as selfish as they were cruel. They were rot for free trade in everything, for Mr. G. Witsca, the Chairman of .the Anti- Corn-law League, who was a dealer in starch, had, in 1842, called a meeting to rrevent the removal of protection to starch, and he had succeeded, and starch and lobsters were the only articles on which protection was retained; and al though it was .now proposed to have a free trade in corn, starch was still to be protected by a prohibitory duty. Ile complained of the conduct of the Honourable Member for Stockport, who had declared that the Anti- Corn-law League would subscribe liberally to de prive him (Mr. FERRAND ) of his seat for Knares borough. The Hon. Member then went into a long state. ment about manufacturers forcing their work-people to pur chase milk ; the statement was a very confused one, and certainly, as re understo el it, it failed to implicate the Hon. Member for Stockport. Mr. BORTIIWICK moved the adjournment of the debate to Wednesday. Mr. W. MILES moved that it be adjourned till Thursday, as Wednesday was set apart for private business. He thought the subject had been fully debated, and he believed that if the debate were adjourned to Thursday, it would not be con tinued beyond Friday night, and it might perchance be over on Thursday. If the Right Hon. Baronet thought tit to move at once to take corn out of bond fur the use of the Irish people, he would support it; but he thought this question should be amply debated. Sir R. PEEL had no objection to the adjournment of the debate to Thursday, which was agreed to • after which the other orders of the day were disposed of, and the House adjourned. Lord DACRE then moved the second reading of the Game laws Bill. The Noble Lord then went into a detailed history of the various alterations which had been made in the game laws since 1816, and proposed, as an amendment of the pre sent law, that every licensed dealer in game should be.foreed to keep a record of the names of the persons of whom he purchased game; and thus, if it were found that the olealers had purchased game from a person not iu the occupation of land, it would be prima filch. evidence that he had purchased illegally, and by this measure the demoralization occasioned by poaching would in a great measure Fe prevented. He also proposed to give power to magistrates to appoint refe rees to assess the amount of damage done to the crops of any perhon complaining of the game preserved on the land of any neighbouring occupier, such assessment to be levied by warrant of distress to be issued by the magistrate. He thought that the difficulties which would be thus interposed between the poacher and the dealer, and the easy remedy afforded to the injured occupier, would Booth the irritation at present prevalent on this subject. Lord CAMOYS objected to the whole of the Bill, as calcu lated to make the game-laws more strict than they were at present, as really affording no check to poaching, and as cal culated to increase the acrimony at present existing in regard to the operation Of the game-laws. Lord BROUGHAM considtired that the game-laws required revision. Although the regulating the sale of game did some good, yet he thought that sufficient securitities were not taken against abuse. The Duke of RICHMOND had never paid a single farthing for damage done by game, for he had always destroyed every hare and rabbit as mere vermin, and he had done so long before the celebrated Tamworth decree. Lord HATHERTON had nearly exterminated hares and rabbits on his estate, greatly to the satisfaction of his tenantry and to the improvement of his property. Lord ASHBURTON recommended their Lordships to take the hare, as well as the rabbit, entirely out of the class of game, and he would, in Committee on the report, submit a clause to that effect. The Bill was then read a second time, and their Lordships adjourned. THE' W E EKLY CH RONICLE of Saturday, the 21th February, and Sunday, the Ist of March, will con tain the Fullest Particulars of the BRITISII VICTORIES IN INDIA, from the Official Dispatches and other Sources, the Lists of Killed and Wounded, Trophies Seized, &c., &c. With the MONSTER DEBATE AND DIVISION, the Election for S:uth Notts, Editorial Continents on the State of the YRFE TRADE QUESTION, and a LETTER FROM COTTON TWIST I—Office, 337, Strands and all Newsmen. Price 6d. U NION MAGA ZIN E.-CORN LAWS.- LJ MARCH number of this Magazine will contain the re maining portion of the conclusive Article on the Corn Laws, proving the beneficial tendency of - their repeal on the agricultural interest ; together with all the latest, home, and foreign statistics, obtained at great expense, and now published for the lirst time. Published by Messrs. Maddest and Malcolm, Leadenhall-street, London. • The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock. Several railway Bills were read a second time and or dered to be committed. Mr. W. PATTEN presented a petition from Burnley, in Lancashire, praying for a free pardon for Frost, Williams, and Jones. Mr. WILLIAM presented similar petitions from Coventry. Petitions were presented for and against the free-trade measures brought forward by the Government. Mr. O'CONNELL had to complain of a breach of privilege on the part of the Morning Chronicle, in having made him to say on Monday, with respect to the execution of Seery, that he had laid the case upon the subject before Mr. Baron PENNt:- FATHER, and that that Learned Judge had decided against him ; now what he stated was, that that Learned Judge had decided in his favour. Ile was sure that the error was unintentional, and he should therefore not press the matter further. Sir R. PEEL presented a petition from the American Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool, praying the House to come to a speedy determination with respect to the Ministe rial question now before it. Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice that he should, on the 26th, move that the correspondence between Dr. Cantwell and the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, relative to the execution of Seery, should be laid on the table. . Sir R. PEEL gave noticeof hisintention on Monday next,to move the thanks of the House to the Governor-General of India, and the officers and men employed in the recent operations on the left bank of the Sutlej ; and in order that the subject might be properly understood by the House, he should, a few days previously, lay on the table dispatches that had been received by the Government from the Governor-General'of India. Mr. EircounT then moved, pursuant to notice, that so much of the report cf the Committee on Standing Orders, presented on Friday, which related to the West Riding. Union Railway petition for leave to bring in a . Bill, be annulled, and that the notice be expunged that the West Riding Union Railway be brought in. The error that had been committed was merely technical, but the Committee had that day come:to the resolution that. the standing orders should not be dispensed with in the case of the West Riding Union Railway Bill, and had directed him es their Chairman to report it to the House, in order that no unnecessary delay should occur :to the parties. After some observations from Mr. C. Noon, Mr. B. Deeensox, Mr. Anuoreriv, and Lord Monrem, the subject was referred back to the Committee on Standing Orders. Mr. RIME moved for certain notices relative to the carriage of letters and newspapers to the East Indies, and also for re turns relative to the Cape of Good Hope.--Agreed to. Mr. CORRY, in answer to a question from Admiral DUNDAS and Sir C. NAPIER, said, that when the navy estimates were brought forward, a new arrangement would be sug-• gested relative to the retired list of officers. Mr. MORGAN JOHN O'CONNELL then resumed the ad journed debate on the free-trade measures of the Government. lie was not ashamed to own that his opinions on this question had changed during the last twelve months. Al though he had formerly voted with the Hon. Member for Wol verhampton; he considered that a moderate fixed dtity would be the best course to adopt, but at the present moment he considered the only satisfactory mode of settling the question would be to immediately repeal the corn-laws. He trusted, whatever agitation might take place on this question, the farmers of Ireland would not be forgetful in their support of those plea sures which were for their interest. Those interests in Ire land, which it had been said would be ruined by free-trade, had of late years quadrupled their impos is into this country. There was nothing that would please him better than to ece the- Protectionists thwart the Right Hon. Baronet were he called upon to form a Ministry, because he was sure if they had presumption enough to do so it would end in their own discomfiture, and their heireg laughed at from one, end o the country to the other. Ile supported the measure be cause he believed it would afford to the working man the protection he wanted, namely, protection against the . high price of food. COL. CONNOLLY opposed the measure of the Government. Ile did not see any necessity for it, because he was convineud if the Irish peasants waited till these resolutions were pasied for relief, they would have to wait a long time. He thought the present measure rash, inasmuch as it gave au impetus to that which had already gone too far. While he had a soul in his body he would never support so frightful a propo sition as that put forward by her MaJEsTY's Miuisters. Lord I NGESTR E felt that it was due to the liopse that he should apologise for addressing it on such an important question. It was its importance jin these days of political aeostacy that must act as his excuse. He believed that it was the intention of his noble relative to support the tar:al-arcs of the Government, believing thein to be beneaciel to the country. He would he glad to hoer from the Chancel!or of the Exchequer why he had not pursued the same course a 3 that which was adopted by the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Government in 1829, namely re sign his scat, and go again to his constituents in his new character of a free-trader. Ile believed that the adjust ment that was proposed by the Right lion. Baronet at the head of the Government wculd be e thund to be the beginning and outbreak of fresh trouble ; that the day was not fa ;distant when lie would exclaim that the period when he brought forward the measure was the unhappiest of his life. lle believed that if all parties were allowed to start fair, the nation would soon overcome the difficulties by which it was now surrounded. The, admission of Mreign corn would dis place a great quantity of British corn, and destroy the hoine market for manufactures. Seeing that the prosperity of the country had greatly increased under the present system, he could see nu reason for altering it in the sudden manner pro posed. The proposed measure was an act of injustice to Ireland, to our colonies, more particularly to Canada, and to the agricultural interest of England, and although he gave the Eight Hun. Baronet credit for being actuated by con scientious motives, he felt bound to oppose the measure. It had been said that potatoes were diseased ; now, he held in his hand certain .young potatos—(Here the Noble Lord, amidst some laughter, produced from his pocket a handful of small potatoes) which had been produced from diseaed eyes, and which were perfectly sound. Mr. TRELAWNEY supported the Government measure, and commented in indignant language on the expression made use of by the Duke of Richmond, that "cotton would burn a, well as straw." In the House of Lords, last evening, the executi at of BRYAN SEERY, at Mullingar, was adverted to; and in con e quence of the allusins made to it, possibly some explana tion may be given by Earl ST. GERMANS. We believe the case will be also brought before the commons ; and under the peculiar circumstances attending the trial, conviction, and execution of the unfortunate man, such a step cannot be adopted too soon. It is well known that the great body of the people in the district of Mullingar believe that he was unjustly condemned, and that he is regarded as a martyr by many person., among whom are several of the Irish clergy. At the first glance the proceedings appear of an extraordinary character. The principal, or rather the only witness against him, was the prosecutor. Ile was arraigned, the evidence was produced, the Judge summed up, and the jury retired to consider their verdict ; but not being able to come to any agreement, they were dis charged. The prisoner was again arraigned before a new jury, who found him guilty. Such a mode of conducting a trial is hardly known in this country, though similar in stances have occurred, and, in our opinion, the less it is prac tised the better: but the main point is the innocence or guilt of the victim ; and in order to clear that up, and allay the commotion created by this unfortunate affair, the Go vernment should furnish every possible information. We believe most persons capable of comparing the different facts adduced in the evidence, and forming a judgment, are fully convinced that SEERY was guilty, but that does not appear to be the impression of the multitude, for the im portant statements made by Sir FRANCIS Homuxs have not any effect whatever. This is unfortunate in many respects, but, most of all, because the lower Irish seem only to be the more confirmed in their belief that they cannot obtain jus tice in a criminal court, and must trust entirely for protec tion to private revenge. As regards the evidence of Sir FRANCIS Homer , we are boned to say it is in every respect satisfactory. He had known the man for many years; Seery had been his tenant, and we believe, also, his steward ; he had been induced to give up his farm for a con tolerable sum of money, taken another in a different district , and having been unsuccessful, chiefly through his own in dolence, he came back to his old quarters, and urged to be reins' ated in the farmbelo t n h g e ing oce t t o lpy th in e g pro te s n ec a u n t t or. or This s demand, of course, was rejected, and thence be wowed he ltaoretal iate forwhat either upon he considered an act of injustice. When the attempt at assassination was made the moon was shining bright. Sir Fitaxus, who fortunately escaped the shot, seized his assailant, held his face up between him and the light, and distinctly recognised thd features of the man whom he had known for many years. The man made his escape, as some accomplices came to his rescue, but he left parts of his dress, which were recog nised as belonging to SEERY. We believe these facts are admitted by all unprejudiced parties, and the evidence altogether was considered so strong and conclusive the that Trish Government allowedthe law to Wise its course. But, be sidtss, what object could Sir FRANCIS HOPKINS have in obtaining, the convictionof an inaocent man, and what motive could he have in giving such evidence, unless he were fully couvinectil of his identity? The words of Sir Fnasicis limn:iris on this point are explicit and decisive:— "It hay 'wen stated that I solicited a comnintiolon of the extreme of death, and an Wen:lively:ls tram! therefrom that I had changed my iniml respecting the identity of my assailant. It is true that I did solicit the clemency of the Crown for the tneliappy prisoner, ho rni lid., occasion I 'believe to have been the tool of others, but I most solemnly dell - that the slut OW or a doubt ever cro,“ell my mind as to lie identity ofitty assailant, and notwithstanding the re ported leclaratioti of innocence by Seery oil the scattold, I actin affirm that he was the person who fired at, and subsequently a55 „,,1 1 ,,, me, oil the night of the Is:11 or November last, and fuel' is my positirc and unalterable conviction." Mr.:II , OItOAN JOHN O'CoNxEu. toll the protectionists last night tl they would forget all their abuse and threatening as soon --ibis pending question was settl e d, and, as after Catholic . ancipation, be again the humble servants of Sir i w w i l‘ t - h 11 ROBERT PEEL. The protectionists cried "No." What is again ar(ily petting and p tl a ie tr ir on 'i s N in o;;ls r - . 0r 1 t , l ? i i ntßAN T i l , i , ey wi a lo r n e l, ex ception, they all united to put clown when he attacked Sir JAMES GR4HAM about the Nottingham Election Com mittee, and Sir JAMES GRAHAM procured a vote of censure on him from the House of Commons. Mr. FennAxii, after having been for a long time all but proscribed by all but the whole of his tarty, spoke again last night amid the most enthusiastic plaudits, such as cheered him on in his first Parliamentary efforts. "Adversity makes us ac quainted with strange bedfellows," and the great protec tionist party, de:7.erted by the Government, have rot thought it beffeathlltent to take tip Mr. FERRAND again, and avail themselves of those powers of-abuse, which ware first used to their gratification against Mr. Coisiiitx and the League, which were afterwards turned upon Sir UonEnT PEEL and Sir JAMES GRAHAM . , greatly to the disgust of the protection gentlemen, who were then Sir l:tmEwri'EtlL's and Sir JAmus GRAHAM'S humble servants, and which mow (all that was passed being forgotten) are again hounded on by the "gen tlemen of England," by the " proud aristocracy" of England, against the Members of the Government, as they were, before Mr. FERRAND was found out by his friends, against the manufacturers. If there were any foreigner in the gallery for the first time last night, he would have carried away a strange opinion of the oratory of the English Senate, if after witnessing Mr. FERRAND'S violent extravagance of gesture and hearing the vociferous cheers which greeted all his personal attacks, he bad concluded that his was the favourite style of speaking with the gentlemen of the English House of Commons. . And such a speech as Mr. FERRAND'S was I Why, what does it all come to? That Mr. Escort' was a vehement pro tectionist, and is now a free-trader, and ought to go down to Winchester for re-election ; that Mr. TEcnErr, of Leeds, has changed also, and should go to Leeds for re-election, else, says this gentlemanly orator, lie will be known' ever after as " dishonest WILLIAM BECKETT," and t his gentlemanly sally was cheered, too, by the gentlemen of England; and that Sir JAMES GRAHAM and Sir ROBERT PEEL should give Dor chester and Tamworth an opportunity of expressing their opinions on the conversion of their representatives to free trade. The extracts from Mr. EscoTT'S and Sir JAMB GualtAn's foriner speeches were, it .must be allowed, suffi ciently amusing. But how does this affect the merits of the, Ministerial measure? We are disposed to allow Mr. FER RAND all that he contends for. We think that Lord ASHLEY and the others, who, after being returned to Par liament as protectionists, have resigned their seats before voting for the Ministerial measure, have taken the right course. Members of Parliament are elected by their constituents on account of their entertain ing certain opinions on political questions; there is an end of the influence of electors in our representative system if thus much is not conceded. And there can be no doubt that every Member on the Conservative side was returned in 1841 as a protectionist. This being so, we have no hesita. tien in saying that every protectionist who has become a free-trader owes it to himself and to his constituent; to do as Lord ASHLEY, Lord HICNNIKEU, Mr. STEM`, and Mr. Cumtmus have done. But, after all, this is a matter Mr. PACKE felt great regret in being obliged to differ from an Administration which he had hitherto supported, but so convinced was he that the propose) measure was ruinous to the country that he felt bound to oppose it. The CHANCELLOR of the ExcitEquEt: defended the Govern ment proposition. It was unnecessary for him to say that the removal of protecting duties had invariably bettelitted the people. Ile utterly de ied the statements that had been put forth, that lie differed from his colleagues upon the pro priety of .the steps proposed to be taken by the Right 11On. Baronet at the head of the Government. Ile admitted that he objected to the opening of the ports by an Order in Cottn 7 cil, as inexpedient and unnecessary. lie also thought that further information ought to be obtained before Parliament was called upon to assemble to alter the law with respect to corn. - Ile might on these points have been in error, but no circum stance had taken place that would lead him at the pre:ent moment, if the question was again proposed to him, to adoit a different course. When he resigned his office, he had no thought that he should have had to deal with the question of an alteration of the corn-laws, other than as a private indi vidual, and in that character he had determined to support an alteration in those laws. As to his not tendering the resigna tion of his seat for the University of Cambridge to his con stituents upon the change of his opinions, he did not consi der it the duty of a representative who had given no pledge to do so; indeed, it would be parting with the trust he held to the people to do so. The Right Hon. Gentleman then at some length pointed out to the House the benefits . that would result from the measure, and stated his firm belief that free trade would improve the condition of all classes. He was the advocate of consistency in public men, but he did not think it consistent to uphold a law when it was found to be injurious to the people. He knew of no is if it was to be considered consistent to uphold a law when it was found oppressive, who had been consistent with respect telthe corn-laws. He believed that the present was the time for the settlement of the corn-laws, and he trusted, therefore, the measure of the Government would be adopted by the House. Mr. FERRAND then addressed the House. He accused the Anti-Corn-law League of having purchased, at one shilling a hundred, the signatures to the petition presented the other night by the Noble Lord the Member for the West Riding of York shire. He was prepared to prove that one man attach& no less than 14,000 signa tures to one of the petitions witt iout leaving his house. So much for the petitions presented to that House. He denied statementst;:h.teLA smasterc t,Easn o dh f a the ds efrovua H gn o ht Hon. . at A th l e e d m e ;tilts for battle i n Sheffield, that he had Noblesh a l i l i n n o g tL t no l oiredwsc beenon a d n u d c h Members eerssenz League, tpipx.:B Lord i i n t o e lleo t hhrAbkael believed, West teiire.E b e, e in e : I R o n w i fw d i i i)3u n tih g lr ac cused of thimble -rigging; he th. aught they might retort the observation in these days of unblushing apostacy. The Member for the West Riding who's seconded the Address was going to vote against Ministers, a nd would tell the House that he had been humbugged into se( mnding the Address. As to the Hon. Member for Winchestt r, he was bound to go down to the electors there and resign; his seat. He thought the personal honour of the Secretai 7 at War was at stake, and that he also ought to go .to his constituents in Wiltshire, and tell them of th e change in his opinions. As to the Secretary of State r i b ( t h e T ome Department, he THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 25, 1846. rather between themselves and their constituents than for us to meddle with, whose chief anxiety is to - see Sir ROBERT PEEL'S proposals become the law of the land. And, we believe, that if the protectionists were to have their will, and an appeal were to be made to the country as they ask, that they would take nothing by their motion. Evertere domus total optantibus ipsis Di ladles. And if Sir ROBERT PEEL were good naturally to let the protectionists have the dissolution which they pray for, we believe it would be the dissolution of the protection party, No inference is to be drawn from the duke-ridden counties and pocket-boroughs, in which great proprietary influence has lately compelled . new elections, and substituted men who are protectionists still for men who were protectionists in 1841. In some other cases, protectionists would be substituted for Peelites on a general election ; but there are others in which Peelitcs would be substituted for protectionists—aye, and Liberals for protectionists. • Will Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS ever show his face again in Liverpool, or Mr. BEcliatyr DENISON (after voting against Ministers) in the West Riding ? • _ _ _ A dissolution has hitherto been objected to, not be cau.e it was feared in itself, but because it would pro duce delay in the carrying of Sir ROBERT FEEL'S measure. Considering that this debate has gone on for three weeks, and that a Pi rliament may . be dissolved and a Eew one called and begin business in six weeks, perhaps Sir R. PEEL may change his mind. We, at any rate, advise the protectionists not to reckon too much on his powers of endurance. He may dissolve. Let them take care they are not caught in their own trap. We have received Madrid journals of the 17th, but they contain no news. A report seemed to gain ground that the Ministry would pass the Electoral Bill with the utmost dis patch, and then dissolve the Cortes, preparatory to a general election under the new law. Accounts have been received of the movements of the Infante Don HENRY. He had not made his escape, as reported, though he had left Vigo on the 12th instant much discontented, and refused to accept the visit of the authorities. On the 17th the Three per Cents. closed at 32% for cash, and 33 at 60 days; and the Madrid and Aranjuez Railroad shares at 2,090 for cash. The Paris papers are much occupied with the speeches of the new Spanish Ministers in the Corte!, containing explana tions of the late crisis, which several of them give at lengths with comments, but we find nothing in them requiring notice. Those of the Opposition are of opinion that NARVAEZ bas been greatly disappointed by the result, and that when he resigned he expected to be able to form a Cabinet, of which he should be the chief. They infer also that he had some dangerous plans in view, to which his colleagues would not consent.. In the Committee of the French Chamber of Deputies, on Monday, appointed to take into consideration the extraordinary vote of 25,000,000 f. for the service of the army in Africa, a long and spirited discussion took place. Several of the speakers, chiefly of the Ministerial side, were in favour of a flora limited plan of occupation, while the Opposition Mem • bars generally approved of the policy adopted by Marshal BUGEAUD, and taking possession of the entire country from Morrocco to Tynis. Should their opinion prevail many extra ordinary grants of 25,000,000 f. will yet be required, but the general feeling seemed rather the other way, and adverse to the mode of warfare hitherto practised. The Committee, however, was nearly equally divided, for four Opposition members were elected out of the nine. The object of the grant was to raise the effective strength of the army to 95,351 men . Political affairs seemed to be in a sad state of conf us i on at Berne. A letter from that city, datid the 19th instant, gives the following account of the last meeting of the Grand Council : " iVe have had a stormy sitting to-day which lasted from nine in the morning to seven in the evening. There were about 112 mem, hers present. The matter brought under consideration was to de mand categorical explanations from the nine members of the Council of State hostile to the institution of a constituent assembly. These gentlemen are, MM. Neuhaus, Weber, Steinhaur, Jaggi, Lecorludgut, Bandelier, Dobler; and Schmalz. The meeting first de cided that the nine members should withdraw during the delibera tions. M. Funk, President of the Court of Appeal, having in sisted on the necessity of the Grand Council knowing precisely the intentions of functionaries called on to execute its decrees, and in case of non-approval of calling for their resignation, pre sented a motion to that effect, which was adopted by 76 votes to 43, It then named a committee of five members to bring forward propo sitions on the subject during the sitting. These members arc, $l3l. Ochsenhein, Funk, Dr. Lehmann, Migy, jun., and Steiner. To say that the President of this Committee was the head of the Corps francs, is to declare the tendencies of the body. The Committee then withdrew, and about three o'clock returned with a proposition, de claring that ' the interest of public order demanded imperatively that the nine dissentient members should state how they in tended conciliating the opinion which they had expressed rela tive to the Constituent Assembly, with their position of mem bers of the high executive authority, of which they composed the majority. In consequence, the Grand Council decides that the nine Councillors of State be called on to give, within the space of au'hour and a half, a tranquillising declaration, stating that they will loyally assist in getting the resolution of the Grand Council, confiding the revision of the Constitution to a constituent assembly, carried into effect.' A warm discussion ensued, in the course of which, a proposition from Chancellor Ilunerwadel to proceed no fur ther in the matter, was at once rejected. At last, the meeting agreed to extend to eight next morning the Rine which the nine should have to declare themselves. The proposition of the commit tee of five with this change of time was carried by 75 votes to 29. If the nine memt ers should not to-morrow make a satisfactory de claration, they will be dismissed, and the officers of the Government of Berne will be almost entirely renewed, the vacant places being, no doubt, occupied by the Radicals." According to the subjoined letters from Posen, of the 15th instant, a conspiracy had been discovered in Prussian Poland. The letters appear in the Government Gazette of Frankfort on-the Oder:— " For several days it had been remarked that the Polish noblemen who had kept away from Posen during the winter were assemb lug in great numbers. Yesterday upwards of 600 were counted. Pre cisely at the hour - of dinner in the hotels, William-square was oce,i pied by troops, and immediately alter domiciliary visits and arrests commenced. About 100 Polish gentlemen were arrested at dinner, and taken to the Etat-Major to be interrogated. Those who could not give satisfactory answers were thrown into prison. Out of thirty-nine chietis of the conspiracy down on the list, only nine were arrested last evening. The rest lie concealed, but they will be dis covered at last. Couriers were sent out in all directions, and nume rous patrols scour the town. A large quamtity of powder and con siderable sums of money were found with the conspirators." Another letter of the same date says : " The measures taken by the authorities to preserve order have ensured public tranquillity. There is still, however, much agitation amongst the Polish population. The individuals. arrested are thirty in number, not forty, as previously rep,rted, and all are of the kigher classes of society. It is believed that amongst the persons arrested at Oilmen, and conducted here, is a Polish nobleman, one of the heads of the conspiracy, and an emissary of the Propaganda of Paris. Funds, amounting to 60,000 thalers were seized in the house of one of the conspirators." On the Paris liourse on Monday the Thrse per Cents. closed at 84f. 75c. ; the New Loan, at 84f. 50c. ; the Five per Cents , 123 f. 45e. ; the Orleans Railroad shares, 1,328 f. 75c.; Rouen, 1,055 f. ; Great Nor thern, 777 f. 50c. ; Havre, 735 f. ; Avignon, 1,015 f. ' • Vierzon, 725 f. ; Bordeaux, 655 f. ; Boulogne, 555 f. ; 'Saab", 252 f. 50e. ; Fampoux, 473 f. Dieppe, 477 f. 50c.; Paris and Strasburg, 556 f. 25c.; Tours and Nantes, 591 f. 25c. ; Belgian Two-and-a•Balf per Cents., 57% ; spa nish Passives, ; Domestic Debt, 32%. The following are the quotations for other lines Pc.ris and Lynls, deflnitlie, 625 f. ; Lyons and Avignon (Talabot), 410 f. ; ditto (Lecolnte). 505 f. • ditto (Compa„o - nie 3leridionale), 5011. ; ditto (Dednitivca), Es6f. ; Bordeaux wild Cott° (.31i:c- Iterale), 502 f. 50c. ; ditto (Esparta), SlOl. Charlerei (Ey non's), 495 f. MARSEILLES, FEB. 10.—'Marseilles and Avignon, 991 f. `2sc. LYONS, FEB. 21.—MarsePles and Avignon,l,olof. ; Paris and Orleans, 1,3201. ; Paria and Rouen, 1,045 f. ; Orleans and Vierzon, 717 f. 50c. ItuslNEss DONE IN FOREIiIIN RAILWAYS AT THE LONDoN STOCK EXCHANC.E, FEB. 25. Boulogne and Amiens, 1I ly —Bordeaux aiel Nlediterranean, —Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Cette (EApeleta), 2.!i—Eitat Indian, 1 I ,y —threat • Northern of France Constituted, 13!2 —great Western '4 —Threat Western Canada, TS—lt:di:in and Austrian, I —Louvain and .Jeuiappe, 2—Luxembourg, 2!:, —"Madrid -and Vll tenth', I !y —.Namur and Liege, 3;ty - Orleans and Bordeaux, I Ili. RAI LW AY COMMITTEES. (THIS DAY.) Sub-Committee, No. 2. This Commil tee met to-day at twelve o'clock. The Mem bers present were—Sir J. Y. Buller (Chairman), Mr. hell, Mr. Braanston, and Mr. Walker. DIRECT LONDON AND MANCHESTER. The consideration of the remaining allegations in the, petition, which were not concluded yesterday, were re sumed. _ _ _ It was alleged in the petition that notice had not been served on the owners of the property 42, in the parish of Ibstock. Mr. DYSON contended that the ronscnt of the parties peti tioning should be proved. The requisite evidence was then adduced, and the Com mittee found that in this case the standing orders had been complied with. It was also alleged that a piece of land between Nos. F 5 and SB, in the same parish, was not in the book of reference deposited with the clerk of peace for the county. The allegation was not sustained. There was a similar allegation with respect to the field marked 32, on the part of Sir Charles Ilaatings, the owner of the same. Mr. Hughes (solicitor to Sir Charles Hastings) proved the ownership of the property in question. The clerk of the peace for Bedford not being in attendance, the allegation was abandoned. There was another allegation, to the same effect, with respect to the property, No. 72, the property of the same owner. The petition was from the occupier, Mr. Rice, whose con sent to the petition was shown. The Committee found that in this case the standing orders had not been complied with. Several similar allegations were abandoned. It was then alleged, on the part of the surveyors of high ways in Manchester, that no notice respecting the property, No. 5, Oxford-row, in the parish of Manchester, had been served. This allegation was not pressed. There was a similar allegation, which was abandoned, the witnesses not being in attendance. This was the 334th allegation, and the 344th was the next taken, the intermediate allegations being abandoned. This allegation was to the effect, that in No. M in the parish of Staple-hill, in the occupation of James Wilson, notice had not been served on the owner. This allegation was not sustained. 'I here was a similar allegation with respect to Nos. 54 and 58 in the parish of Tutbury, which was abandoned, as well as an allegation to the effect that the property marked No. 155 was described as the property of Sir Oswald Moseley, whereas the owner was the Marquis of Anglesea. It was also alleged that no notice had been served on Sir Oswald Moseley with respect to a plantation, his property, marked No. 4. This allegation was not sustained. Sub-Committee, No. 3. This Committee resumed its sittings.at the usual hour this morning, Mr. Aglionby in the chair. ELY AND BURY. The object of the petitioners in this case was to make a railway , from Ely to the Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's Railway, at Bury, a distance o f 23 1 % miles. The estimated cost of the line was 230,0001., and the sum &posited with the Accountant-General amounted to 17,2801. Messrs. Dyson, Wall, and Co., are the Parliamentary agents, and Mr. I. S. Valentine the engineer. The customary formal proofs having been put in, the Committee decided that the stanOng orders had been com plied with. Sub Committee, The Committee met at twelve o'clock. Present Mr. Home Drummond (Chairman), the O'Conor Don, Mr. Rice, Mr. G. Phillips, and Mr. Compton. RAILWAY SHARES JIY PUBLIC SALE. 1114rESSItS. LAMOND, SHALE, AND LUL. LAMOND, lin to thank their Friends and the Public for their continued support and patronage, and to announce that their Public Sales of Railway Shares, &c., take place every TUESDAY 811(1 FRIDAY, at One o'clock, at their offices, at the Hall of Commerce, Threadneedle-street, London, at which place all favours, cen t lining instructions, are respectfully requested to be addressed. All Scrip and Share Certificates must he deposited for exa mination at least one day previously to their being offered ; and advices of remits will be forwarded by the first post after the sale, and the proceeds immediately disposed of according to instructions. Offices, Hall of Commerce, Threadneedle-street, London. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. TO-MORRO THURSDAY EVENING, Will be pert*rmed a New Opera, entitled THE CRUSADERS. The principal characters will be sustained by Messrs. Howell, liar rison, Borrani, liorncastle, S. Jones, Weiss, tretton, D. W. King, _Miss Homer, and Miss Rainforth. After which, a new Fairy Ballet, called THE ISLAND NYMPH, In which Mons. Desplaces, Mdlles. Neodot, Louise, Adele, Mdme, (Hub!lei, &e., will appear. This being Ash Wednesday, there will be no performance. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. TO-MORROW EVENING Will be performed the Tragedy of ROMEO AND JULIET. Fomeo, Miss Cushman, Mercutio, Mr. Holl; Peter, Mr. Bttckstone ; Juliet, Miss S. Cushman ; ivurse, Mts. Glover. The Band will perform the Overture, " La Garta Ladra," and the Wal;z, "Love's Serenade." After which, ,the Comedy of TIIE,OLD SCHOOL. Principal haracters by Messrs. Farren, Holl, Brindal, Mrs. Clifford, and Mrs. Yarnold. • To conclude with a New Farce, called LEND ME FIVE SHIL LINGS. Principal characters by Mr. Bu:katone, Mr. Tilbury, Mr. Brindal, and Miss I'. II ,rton. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. TO-MORROW, TIIURSDAY EVENING Will be performed tlie' Drama of LEOLINE: or, Life's Tra:L2 Bincipal characters by Messrs. 0. Smith and Wright, Mrs. Ya;es an Miss Woolgar. To be followed by TAMING A TARTAR ; or, Magic and Ma couricaphobla. In which Messrs. Paul Bedford and Wright, Miss Woolgar, Madame Celette, &c. will perform. To conclude with a New Farce, entitled THE PHANTOM BREAKFAST. Supported by Mr. Paul Bedford, Mr. Wright, Miss Woolgar, &c. This being Ash Wednesday, there will he no performance. PRINCESS'S T iIEATR E, °xi° n-srraE Er. T 0-M ORROIV, THURSDAY EVENING, Will he performed Shakspeare's Tragedy of K!NG LEAR. King Lear, Mr. Macready; Earl of Kent, Mr. Cooper; Edgar, Mr. allack ; Regan, Mrs. Ternan ; Conlelia Mrs. Stirling. To be followed by a DIVEIZTISSEMIAT, in which Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Marshall, M. Adder], Miss Baffin, Miss Marshall, and Mdlle. Duval will appear. After which, a New Farce, called TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE BROTH. Gregory Granite, Mr. Compton; George, Mr. Omberry ; Fanny, Miss E. Stanley. This being Ash Wednesday, there will be no performance. NEW STRAND THEATRE. M. PIIILLIPPE'S SOIREES and 31.111:TEES MYSTERIEUSES Two Morning Performances during the Week. At the urgent and reiterated solicitations of many distingu'shed amines, and in order to accommodate the crowds who tic .k to attend his Morning Performances, M. PIIILLIPPE will g 4 ve his :rand Juvenile Entertainment every V 1 eduesday and Saturday Mornng, d Two o'clocL. Phillippe's most Popular Deceptions and Peculiar Ex; cr:ments vial be repeated every -Evening, varied by the Ainusio Per formances at the Chiarini Family, and the astounding Fete of•the Nmerican Brothers.—Doors open at a quarter past Ses en to com mence at a quarter before Eight. Stalls, 35.; Boxes, 25.; Is Pit, and Is. 1/. Gallery, Cs!. ; vate Boxes, . ~ lls. fid. This being Ash Wednesday, there will be no performance. ItOYA I. A M fIEATHE tor A lel S. GI Timis career of the New Oriental Spectacle. Ihe most snc• C( ssful piece ever produced. Nightly overflows of rank and fashh to witness the rare pe:formances of the Colossal Elephants, tra of Camels, &c TO-MORTZOW EVENING Will be performed a New Drama, entitled THE RAJAH OF NAGPORE ; or, the Sacred Elephants of the Pagoda. In which the whol, of the extensive resources of the Establishment will be brrught into requisition. New Scenes of the Circle, combining the unequalled Feats of the British and Foreign Company. The whole to conclude with the favourite Afterplece of LOVE AND WAR. DAviDum's ROYAL SURREY 'IIIEATRE: The greatest hit ever known. The One Hundred Female Warriors' wonderful performance, and the magnificence and effee. of the New-Historical Spectacle, have produced an immense sensation. Night'} crowded to the ceiling. First appearance of Mr. It. relham (twin America), the Nigger Dancer and Singer. TO-MORROW EVEN'S% Will be performed - THE S •;A KING'S VOW: or, a Struggle for Liberty. Supporto,d by Messrs. Hughes, Rogers, Cowell, May card, Johnson, Lewis, H slop, Monson; Mesdms. Vining, Daly, :%lartin, Miss Glover, and one hundred Female Warriors. Alter which, a new Farec,, entitled, THE MASQUERADE BALL. Sallits-11it 2 em-Ilarl, Mr. IL Pelham. To conclude with THE MEZiDiCANT SON ; or, The Jew 01 S ,uthwark. Supported by Messrs. Hughes, Johnson, Roger., Cowell, Maynard, Lewis, Heslop ; Mesdames H. Vining, Martin, and Daly. ROYAL VICTORIA TiIEATRE. On Tuesday, March 3d, for the Benefit of Miss Vincent, Will Le performed Tlth BELLE'S STRATAGEM ; or, The Mae querade. ,ttipporied by Messrs. Osbaldiston, E. F. Saville, Frede ricks, Iliggie, Miss Vincent, &c. After which, a Drama called SIIAKSPEARE'S FESTIVAL. ❑t which the entire strength of the. Company will be engaged. Professor lIEM MING and his Two Infant SONS win go through a Series of their Classical and Popular Exercises. To conclude with MARGARET CATCIIPOLE ; or, the Female Horse Stealer. Margaret Catelmole. Miss Vincent. THE WEATHER.--SUN OrricE, FEB. 125. Tit EII3IvMETER, Lowest, 32; Highest, 61 ; Noon, 5 BAROMETER, 29.67.—W Ixn 5,W.,• fair. iYiurt WATER AT I.ONDON-tI2UDLIE Tilts DAY. NI 12 minute: alter 1. I Evening 37 minutes after .1 41 / 4 ' A e: -`) 4 - _ „ . . • • SECOND EDITION. ;6193-1-k", • -ing • 3, 10 ) , C 7* %‘ 4 .'ll / 1 1 %1-1"1"5. 1-1111 I,ONi)ON, WEDNESDAY, r WARY 25, 1546 MC TAM). CIIANCELLOR took his scat anon the Woclsack at Five After the presentation of petitions, The --.‘tazuts of WEsTmEAT:t asked a question as to what had taken place in the [louse of Commons in reference to the case of IltaAN SEERY. The question having been objected to As irregular, the Noble Marquis gave notice of a question on the subject for Thursday. Lord IltaiuGif_uf then presented a petition from a person named Worthing, praying their Lordships to amend the law relating to divorce. The case was somewhat similar to that of Edward (libson Wakefield. The daughter of the peti - tioner, a minor, had been abducted by a man named Newman, and married by him. The man had been convicted of the abduction, and she prayed their Lordships to amend the law, so as to give an easier remedy in such cases. The Noble and Learned Lord concluded by annottuein,, ,, his intention of moving that the petition be referred to a Select Committee. The LORD CHANCELLOR suggested the propriety of having the petition printed. Lord CAMPBELL protested against this proceeding. In the case of Wakefield, the marriage had never been consummated, but in this instance there had been issue, and he trusted their Lordships would not illegitimatise the issue. The Scotch law of marriage ought to be altered, but until it was altered, marriages contracted under the law ought to be maintained. After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM, the petition was ordered to be printed. Lord- KINNAIRD then rose to ask the Government what course they intended to pursue with respect to the report of the Gauge Commission ? The question was of great impor• taucc in a social, a commercial, a military, and a financial point of view, and he• hoped the House would grant a Committee to inquire 'wlie: her it would not be advisable to establish a general system of superintendence and control of railways generally, which would ensup the safety and convenience of the public, and prevent the pro mulgation of bubble schemes. With regard to the report of the Commissioners, it appeared to him to be all in favour of the broad gauge, with the exception of the conveyance of troops and of goods ; and after reading the report he was surprised to find the Commissioners recommending the narrow gauge. He trusted they would not attempt to limit the speed, and he regretted that the Commissions had not considered the pro priety of adopting a medium gauge. The narrow gauge might, without any inconvenience, be altered into a six-foot gauge. Indeed, he believed it Was impossible to alter the whole of the narrow gauge into the broad without any incon venience to the public, and without any enormous expense maturely to fi the the partles. He trusted the Noble Lord would consider count r y 6an inferior the subject gauge. ect before lie down expense of the alterati on m i g h t b e defrayed by a n The lileage-tax upon all railways. He wished to know how soon it would be before the evidence was laid before the House, and when the Government would be prepared to state their intentions on thesubjecty 'l'he Earl of DALHOUSIE replied, that the recommendationsorneand of the Commissioners were of very great importance, must be maturely considered. No effect could ' be those recommendations without an Act of Parliamient'enantdo the Government felt that it would be unjust to propose to take any steps until the members' of the Legislature should have had an opportunity of studying the evidence, which woul4 be laid on the table of the ifouse as soon as possible, possibly in the course of two or three weeks; and as soon as the Government should have considered the evidence, they would propose some measure on the subject. Lord BROUGHAM thought that time should be given, not only to Parliament, but to engineers and scientific me consider the subject. Lord 11X:11E11'1'0N thought great caution should be exer cised in coming to a decision on this important subject, and if the number of miles of broad gauge had been greater than those of narrow, he thought the decision would have been in favour of the broad gauge. He wished to press on their Lordships the necessity of competing lines in order to pre vent monopoly. The public interest could only be secured by competition. THE LONDON, SALISBURY, AND YEOVIL JUNCTION (BASINGSTOKE TO YEOVIL). The further consideration of this line was resumed by the Committee, when Mr. Venables, the agent against the Bill, called Mr. Smith, an engineer, who proved that the distances were not marked on the datum hue in miles and furlongs to correspond with the plan. After some observations in reply, from Mr. WEnsTEn, The CHAIRMAN said, it was clear that the standing orders were not complied with. Six other objections were then abandoned by Mr. Vann. BLES, and he proceeded to an allegation contained in another general petition, namely, " that the miles were not correctly marked ot. the datum line," which was similar to an allega tion made yesterday, but that it did not apply to the same part of the line. Mr. WEBSTER contended that the allegation was decided yesterday by the Committee, and that it should not heopened again, as it did apply to the same part of the line. The objection was not entertained by the Committee. The petition of Mr. Bartlett was then proceeded with, in which it was stated a certain field owned by the Marquis of Anglesea was not numbered on the line, which field was in the posse,=sion of petitioner and his brother. The Committee decided that it was quite clear the field was not numbered. A similar objection to another field adjoining one marked 18, and owned by the Marquis of Anglesea, and in the pos— session of petitioner, was then examined into, and the Com mittee decided, as in the preceding objection, that the said field was not marked in the map, or entered in the book of reference. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS_DAY) HOUSE OF COMMOM. The House met at Twelve o'clock. The following Bills were read a second time : Bridgewater and Al inchead Railway and Pier. Caruwath and West Linton Railway. Ballochnoy Railway (Shotts Branch). Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Railway. Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway (Chapel Hall Branch). Swansea Vale Railway. Glasgow Harbour Mineral Railway. Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway (Amendment andßranches). Leeds, Dewsbury, and Manchester Railway (Wakefield Ex- tension). Ulverstone, Furness, and Lancaster and Carlisle Railway. Edinburgh and Peebles Railway. Mr. DUNG AN presented several petitions from Paisley Glasgow, and other places, in favour of a Ten Hours' Bill and also five petitions from Tavistock and other places, against the enrolment.and embodiment of the militia. A petition was presented from several of the resident clergy of Denbigh in favour of a Ten Hours' Bill. A petition was presented from Bostock, in favour of Frost, Williams, and Jones. Mr. W. PATTEN presented two petitions from places in Lancashire, in favour cf the Ten Hours Bill. Mr. GREENE brought up the report on the Wakefield and Pontefract Railway, and the Huddersfield Railway. Mr. GREENE moved that Standing Order No. 114, re quiring the breviate of all private Bills to be laid on the table three clear days before the second reading of such Bills ; and standing order No. 119, requiring breviates of -Bills amended in Committee to be submitted to the Chair man of Ways and Means, and laid on the table the day pre vious to the consideration of the report, be suspended respect to all Bills entitled to the privileges agreed to be granted in certain cases by the resolutions of the House on the 7th day of July last.—The motion was agreed to. ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL. In reply to a question from Sir R. INGLIS, Mr. ESCOTT said that in the absence of so many Irish Members he should not feel justified in moving the second reading of the Roman Catholic Relief Bill. Mr. HUTT understood that it was not intended to move the second reading of that Bill during the present week. The order of the day for the second reading of the Bill having been read, Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN regretted to bring under the notice of the House a circumstance which had recently occurred at the Nottinghamshire election, and which had come under his cognizance. It appeared that the lion. Member for Maldon had stated that the views of Lord Lincoln, with reference to the policy which it was intended to be pursued towards Ireland, were perfectly satisfactory, and that he had given utterance to very strong opinions with reference to this subject. When he (Mr. O'Brien) looked over the votes of that House, he had found that the name of the Honourable Member for Halton was among those who had voted in the attempt to destroy- the Irish Church establishment. In the course of the conversation which ensued between Lord Lincoln and the Hon. Member for Mahlon it might be inferred that his Lordship considered himself justified in remaining a mem ber of the present Government, although he entertained sentiments contrary to the principles which the Government had recently professed. The Noble Lord is also reported to have said that he should take no part in the present debate ; for, although he should support the Administration, his prin ciples would not allow him to interfere further in the matter than to give his vote. He (Mr. O'Brien) felt it' to be his duty to state in the most public manner that the greatest possible anxiety and con sternation prevailed as to the . nature of the sentiments which the Noble Lord might entertain with respect to the policy to be pursued towards Ireland. He must say that he deeply regretted that the Noble Lord had not remained silent with respect to his opinion on Irish affairs if the revenues of the Irish Church were to be disturbed. He entertained the sincerest regard for the Noble Lord, and fur.that reason he regretted still more the events that had recently occurred. He would most earnestly hope that the Noble Lord the Member for London should have the task of interfering with the temporalities of the Irish Church, and that the disagreeable duty should not fall to the lot of his Noble Friend Lord Lincoln. If those sentiments expressed by Lord Lincoln were perfectly satisfactory to the Member for Maldon, who was distinctly pledged by his vote to the destruction of the Irish establish ment ; and if the views of the Noble Lord coincided with the views of the Government, lie did not think he was trans gressing his duty to' ask the Government to state their opinions with reference to this subject of the Irish Church. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said that it was possible Lord Lincoln would be in his place in a few days, and that then he would be able to explain his conduct most satisfactorily to the Hon. Member. lie had no knowledge of the matter more than what was derived from the newspapers, and he • could not state what opinions were held by the Member for Maldon, or on what subject it was that Lord Lincoln gave him perfect satisfaction. The Ho nourable. Gentleman bad stated, that if the destruction of the Irish Establishment was resolved upon, he would much rather it were committed to the hands of the Noble Lord op posite. Now he was not aware that either he or the Noble Lord opposite ever contemplated the destruction of that Church. Lord J. RUSSELL said that he considered it due to his own public character to state that he had been informed generally of the w hole conversation which had taken place, and he was at liberty to state that Lord Lincoln made use of no expression which implied that he was to rake a part in the overthrow of the Church Establishment in Ireland; lie said that his opinions were in favour of a liberal policy, and with respect to details he would be able to form his judg ment after some residence in the country.—(Hear, hear.) He (Lord Jiihn Russell) did not think that any thing had taken place at all inconsistent with his former opinions, and with regard to himself he must declir.e the measures which the Hon. Gentleman would impose upon hint. He had never held the opinion that the Church of Ireland ought to be destroyed ; he cl!d think there was a portion of its ftVeritieS, misapplied, and a contest arose between Lisa and gentlemen . opposite as- to that subject. They said his views, if carried out, would destroy the Eembliehment—he considered that if they were that they would teed. to its more certain preservation; but with regard to the Church of Ireland as a whom, Ire wished for its maintenance, and he, therefore, could not accept the duty which the lion. Member would devolve upon him. Mr. O'CONNELL observed that there was no person in Ireland who wished for the destruction of the Irish Church. Ile would wish for its maintenance, but the temporalities of that Church were quite another affair, and he would press upon the Government the necessity of seeing a portion of them otherwise applied titan they were at present. Mr. P. lIOWAItD observed that he saw with great pain a report of certain observations made use of by tire Member of Nottingham, with reference to the Roman Catholic religion. New he did not thick that the words could do any possible injury to the Church against which they were directed, but he complained of them as cal culated to raise the seeds of religious discord in the country. Ile had himself stood as many contested elections as any men in England, and he had never used any words that might not be employed in a drawing-room, and he hoped the representatives of the aristocracy would do the same. Un less they did so, how' could they blame the ignorant and uneducated for following their example? THE CASE OF SEERY. Sir J. GRAHAM said, that although they were on the ' orders of the day, he wished to oiler an explanation respect ing an answer which he had given to a questions on Monday night 1 . 114, relating to a deputation that had wa i t ed on the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. When he (Sir J. Graliam)gave the answer he had not received an answer from the Lord Lieutenant, though immediately on the notice beir , given of the irrtentien to asls the question, he was written to for the particulars. He (Sir James Graham) wrote on Friday night, and not receiving an answer on Monday, as expected, he re plied to the best of his ability, from the information ire was able to collect, that the deputation had acted in the manner he described. Ho stated that a deputation from Westmeath had waited on the Lord Lieutenant in Dublin, and prayed that the sentence of death on Brian Seery might be carried into effect. He (Sir James Graham) answered the question to the best of his information, and considered the deputation had acted in a very harsh and unusual manner. On Tues day morning, however, he received the atiewer of the Lord Lieutenant, which represented the matter in a somewhat different light, and he would read it to the House. (The Right Hon. Baronet then read the letter, which set forth that a deputation from the county of Westmeath had waited on the Lord Lieutenant, but that he (the Lord Lieutenant) had not been influenced in the slighest degree by anything they had stated relating to the case of Brian Seery. This decision had not in the least degree operated on his mind. Iu jus tice to the deputation, however, it must be stated that their principal object in calling on the Lord Lieutenant was to represeut the lawless state of Roscommon, and the necessity of more stringent measures for the protection of life and property, and that it was only incidentally that the case of Seery was introduced. On this subject they stated that any lenity shown to Seery would tend to encourage and per petuate the evils that existed, and keep alive the spirit of in subordination.) lie had taken this, the earliest, opportunity of making an explanation to the House. METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS ACT. Mr. FOSTER asked the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Graham) whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce in the present session a Bill for the amendment of this Act, which in many particulars operated in a very vexatious manner? Sir JAMES GRAHAM answered that the Government intended to introduce a gill in the course of the session, but previous to that it was their intention to lay before the House a Bill to amend one portion of the present Act, re lating to the appointment of official referees, so as to in crease their number to three, with an increase of salary, subject to the condition that no person should be employed in that capacity who acted as a surveyor. CORRESRONDENCE RESPECTING SEERY. Mr. O'CONNELL withdrew the notice he had given re specting the correspondence between the Lord Lieutenant and Dr. Cantwell, as he found that the c orrespondence was laid on the table at a late hour last night. In place of that, he beged leave t substitute a notice of motion, that two itd ditionagl Members be given to Ireland, f o r those of which Sudbury had been deprived. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' BILL. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE m oved the second reading of this Bill. Mr. HENLEY asked the Hon. Gentleman what was meant by the words in the Bill, "or any other purpose not illegal." • Mr. DUNCOMBE said, the Hon. Gentleman asked what these words meant. To that he would answer, that they existed in the present statute, and Ire was not responsible fur them. The object of this Bill was to give greater effect to those words, and he would state what he had in stance placed before the House the other evening, as t reasons that had induced him to bring it forward. The Hoe. Gentleman here recapitulated the facts connected withht tblei appeal case from a South Shields benefit society, was recently argued and decided upon in the Cou rt OfQueen " Bench, and said that it was the judgment of Mr. J ustice Wightman that led him (Mr. Duncombe) to amendment of the law. In that case the rules of ,ti c i i : 3 l Society were regularly enrolled and certified by 3. 1 r: 1 ,, i , Pratt, yet that was not sufficient to. protect it, the Ju° . ment of the Court having been opposed to its legality. There were upwards of 5,000 friendly and mutual insuranCe. societies already enrolled under the provisions of the Act. Though it was not for him to impugn the justice of the clCc,! seek the sion of Mr. Justice Wightman, still he thought that to o ! Learned Judge would not have given such a decisiro had he been cognizant of the existence of 80 12 : a number -of these societies. The effect of that decislo would, he believed, cause great confusion among the existri societies. The Bill which be introduced at th e reques4. members of these societies, and with the concurrence of Tidd Pratt, would, he believed, remedy the evil compla!lt?e! of. The only alteration sought by this Bill was the add' the after the words " for any other purpose not illegal et. et 1 . words "if of the same description as hereinbe ' for e ID tioned." Sir J. GRAHAM was friendly to the existence andl-e tension ,of friendly and mutual insurance societies, bUti..o thought the Bill, as proposed by the Hon. Member, leaurif give rise to considerable difficulties. There were %et things which were not illegal, but which, at the same o f it was not convenient to sanction by an A c t c for the Legislature. It was not, for • instance, illeg trno si masters to combine to reduce the wages of their yot h " ta ir nor the workmen to join together for the purpose of e" de nt big a rise in wages. But he did not think it quite P ru c tioo on the patt of the Government, that they should sari ..;p g the formation of a benefit society to support them OM that strike. He had not had an interview with 31r e .01. i Pratt upon the subject since the introduction res of eve th lie would not oppose its second reading, but would od to the Government any r..marks they might hav e t° he wn the Bill was in Comi.tee. Mr. HENLEY was favourable to friendly societies.tion. '1: the tre-- -- l osed b} th(!,Pin Memberconsidere wa d, howevers so vagu , e th that it would havat the measure preo p the dra t 01 To,- • • ju• , ing those interests which he sought to protect. Ile not, however, oppose the second reading of the Bill. os Mr. DUNCOINIBE said that when the Bill passe' l e cie for the purpose of extending the power of the friendll h ot ties to objects of another nature, but not for any P, e dii purposes. But if political societies were not illegal, P t oie not see why the words " and for any other purpose n ° , this gal," should forbid a political association. Ever entice this 5 11 Bill bad been brought in he had been overwhelmed w it 1.1 sorts ofcomplaints to introduce a variety of alleviatia:cor the Right Hon. Baronet would allow him to have son h i o is versation with Mr. Tidd Pratt, he might be better 0 explain to him the nature of the alleviations required. ba ler Mr. STUART WORTLEY said that the Hon. Me1,. 11 . Ael• Finsbury had rather misconceived , the intention of trio If The object of the Act was to extend the power of I.;dias societies. If his lion. Friend would refer to the Pr°cr4loo of the House in 1834, he would find that it was stat e ",„o. the Bill was brought in it was their to extend the powers of these societies cso' other objects. If he rightly conceived the,ca de these misapprehensions had arisen from some sUrrA 10P'" cision of Mr. Justice Wightman, who decided 10 , 0 cle," o societies were not soeieties for mutual benefit. th e % sirable that this doubt should be removed , and oil Acl P , way to do it would be to introduce a declaratorY .003 moving these doubts. At the same time he agree d lil a til° Right Hon. Baronet that it was desirable to prese.l . societies from the contamination of politics or religi cl os idel s i Mr. HAWES said that he wished for an early c° Fried tion of some Bill to meet the object of his 1 4 ° ° ,:03 There were a great number of these societies " 0 ";: ofn enrolled, and which were excluded from the beset' DIC Act of Parliament. It was necessary to intro duce so Joe, to let the societies excluded by the decision of 11. ', Ac t. o Wightman have the benefit of the Friendly Societ ie _ of t Sir J. GRAHAM said that, if the co nsiderat i ld Bill were postponed until Wednesday next , he 10,1,ect' the necessary step to have the Bill so frame d as t° e The of the case. ordered Bill was then read a second time, and committed on Wednesday next. 1 1114 The second reading of the Roman Catholic Relief postponed until Wednesday next. The London, Hounslow, and Western RailwaYpill then read a second time, and the House adjourned. CHANCERY.—(THIS DA t lr c i,i ) p h i a The Lord Chancellor sat in Lincoln's Inn Hail '' °- Sit.."7l took appeal motions, it being the second seal aft er tbe mas term. No case of any interest, except to i be concerned, came before his Lordship during morning. O' VICE-CHANCERY.--(THIS D (Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR of Escii , " -- •,, 0 0. This was the second seal, and the Court took 0 1°- , 4 CRIMINAL COURT.—(II - 0.-i (Before Mr. Justice ILLIAMS and Mr. Justice 7 51 1;0 The amended calendar exhibited an increase ,f r y, O rs Boners, some of them being charged with ' 0 11 offences. jce Ann Watkins, remanded from last session for o it l ' let selling and having in her possession forged stainl?,,,o4,d her plea of not guilty to one of the indictments clit l 4 s, r o i with having in her possession ZOO counterfeit 610;00, pleaded guilty instead. There were other indi ct g sli° ll: /Y the prisoner was ultimately remanded for anotheratth William and Ann Richardson, father and &tie er „ o p, stood charged with the murder oftheir infant sliort e r o r the, application of Mr. Clarkson, remanded for ar lo „,` tee° ' on the ground that sufficient time bad not been b• fi r struct counsel. 0 : Henry Joseph !Celle*, remanded from last se - le tter' el' ing indicted for feloniously sending a threatening The prisoner, apparently a boy, had sent two,„00: dressed to Elizabeth Clouter, a:child some te n or e"reit' old, containing three small parcels of oxalic acid' ; t . her to take the powders, as they were very nic e ' ati° l3 ' Mr. Bodkin, with Mr. Clerk, was for the pro ses prisoner was undefended. Per The following witnesses were then called :-- Ana Clouter, living in Kent-street, Boro u gh, r: 1 0 4 ,,t 0 the 6th of August last. A letter produced was F l her daughter Elizabeth. The letter contained torto1( which at first she believed to contain salts, pu t _l„.(le o , discovered that it was not so. She put the cr . into the letter. She had seen the prisoner once l lo p .or l with her daughter. His relations were known ° las t 001 Sampson Clouter received from his wife (th e t op eetli c j a letter, dated the Gth August, and containing ,e $! which, on the same day, he showed to Mr. ca l l3l' man. He afterwards showed it to other inedi3o, e subsequently gave it up to Kendall, the police me. membered another letter coming on the 11th .0 0 dressed to Mr. Clouter. tter,efi te Kendall, police-constable, received the ie , Clouter, which lie gave to Mr. Warren, cheieical •,ove r the Apothecaries' Hall. tl- Robert Blake, surgeon, Borough, knew the ,y ` . milv. The prisoner has purchased oxalic a c tc, 4 l used for the purpose 4 of his father's trade. thre e jeei Warrington, Apothecaries' Hall, receive" C . o f e A which he found, on subjecting them to a serifAckw operations, contained oxalic acid ; the two g oy tained 50 grains, and the other 35 grains. of 0 .'5 1 Mr. Blake recalled—lf a child 10 or 11 ;‘,"€'l"-oci'isl4 taken that quantity of oxalic acid on a ful l eto. ct , not have injured her, but if on an empty stoe mt , occasion death. Edward John Tiler, foreman to Messrs. Le 70 14 ,„ e bf Knew prisoner as an apprentice in the go . " d te',,4f The letters produced were in his handwriting. : 016 r ? William Whittington, officer in the gao lof llef e oP, 1 :0 on the 17th of this month, received a l e tter fleg ° to be forwarded. It was handed to Mr. CoP e ' e let' Es t The letter was handed in and read by th e - ,.ere t addressed to his brother,.and expressed bi.,-for,,j,lllo' had acted so foolishly. He had done it olm'oes and with the wish of emulating sonic of the ile et i 10; 1 cheap publications, some of whose feats haa h r d ;10 nation, because of the mystery which ens'elele,ooeP No witness-es were called on behalf of the pri rec! Mr. Justice WILLIAMS summed up, and tro tt-';• o r. The jury returned a verdict of G u ilty, butb. ~0,010`4 mended him to mercy, on account of his yo u:01 Mr. Justice WILLIAMS, in passing sentencee;by e 0 t 0 : 01 4 ever might be the notions the prisoner 10%; 00 0 1 0 0ev: his own offence, and they appeared to be " ordinary, the law held that it was a most . or i ' 0 , 11 , 0 el punishable with transportation for life. IV, Co ei .itistt s ever, recommended hint to the mercy O t. th o er d v i ' ' ; count of his youth, and probably influeneoicb s h e vo o , it communication they had heard read, wh o ' thoo t vague and wayward ideas lie had inibibed t ot J ' reo had been perusing. The Court, however, ~e 00 . 01 sense of his heavy offence, and the sentett'ooo that he be imprisoned for twelve cal endar to hard labour. 0^ t o ----7"----.. 1 0019 v We hear it said [that the Division ` 6 / 0 / , w , o lle e oi , '' place on Thursday night. ~- 0 , to . i iis A meeting had been held at Calcuttit....o ~„ ne scrip Eons for the relief of the distressed Irish. ' 0 ,1 .sta if rupees were at once subscribed. d to 1 Mr. Leader, it is said, does not inte ll .„ 0 v or" for the representation of Westminster. nAltit°,,n) l'Ille?4,0.14. CUSTOM-HOUSE DESTRUCTION OF ,-, i, 'jot 14 ' ,1 ,1 ,', 111111 1, --This week a quantity of foreign wheat, wi,'_';',',vtile!! t'.o",.l,"•eri by Messrs. Phil;potts and Co., ot this port, t"'!i n g I' s ( . llo' l 'er conic damaged, SO as not to be worth l'Oigitaittk,edil4,lool was destroyed under the supervision of a v crY .1 I'l ,e, tjr ..t l, ...it 1 officer, by throwing it into the river Severn , te e ,tre'.:, al . r. i e close official watch till i.-was carried away bY ao y olgea a loy ;nixed with the laud that it could not b° j r, i ord`'L,Ot ej 0. 1 wheat thus destroyed was not of course lit yid the te j to o r would have done very well to feed pigs, course caiLui,st oa f i llf ceremony of total destruction is anything but ' i4 r01.0 the spectators of such a scene with tbe f o orr es b pl Y s 0 1 :9::% Oknicestor Journal. gee' d 0 . f d i kin Wednesday evening last the ...v. - - ow - 0 0 1 ,, ~..„-tes, -- t p i 0 4. minister of one of the Bethnal-green c"`"ontret'ige,,4e. in the National School, Hare-street, of a tr ati ng l'ij O tte' seating Mr. Morgan's design of a 601-'tiPPuineroOlf ....,/ I for 300 poor families. The meeting w" n great interest was excited. .....- 01 101°41 a O w n e t. s l , le E l B 9 q th .o l u n r s g t e ., on a , t On the 20th inst l oi n li C II __,,,, Pl.' 04 Tripp, of a son. " angudEriaWßiuniciicligar...Mir:rseisrte,ert,enSttor::',7l polatiofet: AC of 04". We On the 14th inst., at Leamington, the 1 0, -- , ~, o f White, C.B , 40th Foot of a daughter. of 1501 i• On the 18th inst., at, of StalTordshire, 0 0 0 0 ; t , ' 0' Henry Smith, Esq., of a son. vter , f..11:1, t On the 19th inst., at Preston, the lady of T ri • r ter. ~, On the 19th inst., in Upper Slouthwick-st et , oteof or et . W. Courtney, jun., Esq., of a daughter' noit, efsyadY r On the 20th in at Lower Clapton, Mrs., i ngto o, Aio On the 22d inst., at Camp of 1 " I '' AO ° Lascellcs, of a son. On the 18th inst., at Fernley, the lady of CaP P'—'l2l o 7o l, ray, of a son. the w ife of W' On the 21st inst., in Montague-place, i', Esq., of a son. ' C. 104°10j. ' MAIIRIED. „Igo, f lie On the lath inst., onesunbde Wl9l3,7giptcr o ' ~..„.v Lieuteuant R.N., to AgJane, second "wells. i' Fisher, Escl2L:)f2_Jreat:Culverden, Tunbridge -------- 10 8 0 —___-_-. LI=D• Arthur cove' ,(J. On the 12th ult., at St. Vincent, eve °th 9°l' mcnt. 1 9 ' Alfr•d' the e ge t/ or On the 21st inst., at Lonsdale-satier°, es, ft- P 1 ., sorg ip Gray, Esq., barrister•at - l aw. Ws. Sur3iir. Cor'l per On the 21st inst., at Reading, Berks., . or vt ., Of tor On the 21st inst., 31ary Jane, Ber g s . , t Ilee c c. factor, Southwark. Captain i f Ilfolf Wes , ...40 , .., On the 21st inst., at Lewes, the Re • of solcutS( P wick, Sussex.. jou CooP,e,srtiotts, r e t ils On the 22d inst., Sophia, the wife 0 Fo ot .A.e. r Elise , On the 22d inst., at Brompton, Mr s • o ury , late Abel Adolphus, Esq. t Alma On the 23d ins:., in Fountain-conr. , .. . 1 19! eldest daughtefof Mr. Andrew Beater. - , ~., of I. t o ..itir ; rit 0 Itlifill'iUo tiler? London : Printed and Published by ...,,V-092, straniocool, Strand, Printer, at The Sun ( eel() i s , .._..x, I N et of the Savoy, ill the County w o-25, 1846. .1 , ••••••..'' ~-.i" G ~ I. 1 11 mR'N Ptl 111‘, c : (At e , Of ` kir ter I & The 11 °44' kteti 1 , )..4 1 , 01 and --- i