The Sun. — London, England, 1848-08-31 00:00:00

------ u ution and fr ien iNrs Et face ;ftipst h q ur pint , v d the Ds of F this the (chit 'Ling, ipt Of „At-, l~~l~~:r THE SUN, Majesty's Ministers were justified, during the recess of Parliament, in recommending to the Bank of England. G, the purpose of restoring confidence, a course of pro eseding at variance with the restrictions imposed by the Act 7 and a Victoria, c. 32."—(Hear, hear.) Now, here i 8 11 0 matter of blame to us. We adopted a very strong measure _a measure which, if wrong, would have cx • posed 11.4 to the censure of Parliament and the country —and we called Parliament together to express its opinion on the subject; but the very first person who Called upon the House to pass a resolution justifying our conduct was the Right Honourable Gentleman, who I,tlonged to the party most opposed to us.—(Hear, bear.) he Right Honourable Gentleman then entertained the } louse very gre a tly w ith his accounts of the four ud gets---(A laugh.) The whole of the joke—of which Iseebelilaeuveghtihneg Noble Lord (Lord G. Bentinck), whom 1 at it opposite, is the real author—lies in g ivi ng to every statement made with respect to matters of finance the name of budget. When the Minister Whose business it is to attend to the finances of the coun t?'" makes any statement, in answer to questions put to " 4 a, the statement is directly called a budget. The ap pellation is considered very witty, everybody laughs, and it is exceedingly pleasant to talk of a Chancellor of the Exchequer who has produced four budgets.—(Hear.) But, Si r, bre I have known Ministers before now, who have tight forward propositions on the subject of finance w hich have not been palatable to Parliament or the country, When I first had a seat in Parliament I voted a gainst b the c on ti nuance o f an income-tax for two ' e ars, which was proposed for the purpose of winding li r p the a ccounts of the war. I n t h at p ro p os ition the u nvernrcent of the day were defeated. The conse uence Was, that on the following day the Noble Lord wh o was at the head of that Government gave uP another tax—part of the war tax. The Government of that day, not having the means of paying off the war establishments which they had expected to obtain, did l int press upon the House the views which they enter but in those days we, who were in opposition, Were not so witty, and we never thought of saying that a Chancellor of the Exchequer had brought forward three or four bto'gets. The Government of the day 1 !: / ,e up the exp ec tation they had of reducing the debt 4 . tne country, and the consequence is that the debt of the country is larger than it would have been, and the epr in trY was freed from the additional income-tax. The Gentleman finds fault with us for agreeing to a a vinetnittee on the estimates, and he draws a very fine '"stinction between this Committee and the Committee appointed by Mr. Pitt, Lord Castlereagh, and the Duke o r. Wellington. But the objects of the Committee ap rnted by Mr. Pitt, by Lord Castlereagh in 1818 , and Y the L saute Luke of Wellington in 18 2 8, were in effect the Illy DISRAELI—They were appointed under a mes -▪ sge from the Crown. a , Lord JOHN RUSSELL—True ; that was the is li i rcre nce ; and the Honourable Gentleman thought th at 00 appointment of a Committee of the House of Corn , iti: ll , 8 was contrary to the spirit of the Constitution , and t) lead to the most dangerous consequences, be ()ewe there was not a message from the Crown that it 14.8 4 desirable that an inquiry should take place. I ac ' eePt that distinction, but, at the same time, I must say th at I do not think that the absence of a message from th e Crown is likely to be so exceedingly dangerous a re cedent. What really would have been dangerous aaa for us to have left to the Committee to say what should be the number of men employed in the army and I tY . • But we did no such thing; on the contrary , we a `eted that the opinion of the Government was that a certain number of men ought to be employed for the pre sent year, and that no expression of opinion on the part Of the Committee would induce us to change that deter nlination. Everything, therefore, which the Honour aaule Gentleman says of that kind I think is a mere 'elusion on his part, and has no foundation what ,l37er,r• I must say, at the same time, that a great be -°"t has arisen from the inquiry which has been pro secuted with respect to the naval estimates, which has bonly been of great use to the House, but which has t p ri . . axen into consideration by the Government, and, 1 01. the most part, adopted. So much, then, for the precedent of a Committee on the estimates being an 18e less measure. The Honourable. Gentleman has ad verted.to the question of the Public Health Bill. Now, P at a measure which, so far from being ashamed of, x tn very glad to have been enabled to introduce to Par .and I feel some pride in being a member of a Ministry which has passed a measure touching upon an notrodden field of legislation, and which, in the present state of our social relations, is likely to produce the greatest benefit to this empire. The Hon. Gentleman 114 ,y8 th a t t hi s Bill h as b een a l tere d i n thi s H ouse , but I t tnuld h ave t h oug h t t h at t h e H onoura ble Gentleman, u° wish es th e H ouse o f C omm ons to have an in fllnenee in car r yi ng on th e affairs of the country, could hardly desire that the Government should bring for ward measure and carry it unchanged, and that the 0 h IF: li ons, the animadversions, and even the remarks of . Misers of the House of Commons, should hardly in duce the G overnmen t t o m odify a measure which they f:tcl introduced. The Honourable Gentlem an next re rred to the navig at i on -l a ws. We had obtained the .i as sent of the House to the principles of that cha n g e, b ut the discussions which had taken pl ace on other sub 'es hav e , a s the Honourable Gentlema n trul y sa y s, trevented our going on with that measure. When, nweve r , the Honourable Gentleman attacks us on t he S ubject of the sugar duties, I think he might as well ha ve ir . mentioned what has been the history of the change —1 the sugar duties. In the year 1841 we proposed a m easure giving a differential duty of 12s. per cwt. in favour of colonial as against foreign sugar. It was then bought advisable by those who represented the colonial interests to make that question a question of party, and, if possible,- t o overt h row the existing Government upon th . at question; a n d t h ey succeeded in that object. They obtained a great triumph, resting, as they did, their case upon th e assertion that the admission of any foreign sugar whatever would be ruinous to the interests of the colonies. Several years elapsed, and opinions on free trade had gained great influence in this country and in the House. We passed another measure respecting the sugar duties, and then those who represented the interests of the sugar producing colonies came forward and asked, as a favour, that a differential duty of 2s. less than we proposed in 1841 Might be imposed. But again, following the course i l !hieh they pursued in 1841, they made the matter a po itical and a party question, and they objected to the proposition of the Government—a proposition which they had not exam i ned. This led to great d e b a t e s, and ,elle debat es were cont i nue d b y t h e N o bl e Lord (Lord • Bentinck) on other points, not very closely connected With the subject to which they related. The Noble Lord complained of a missing dispatch, which never was miss ing, but which was in the Colonial-office—(Loud cries of "`Hear, hear," from Lord G. Bentinck), and which was n due time laid before this House. The Noble Lord ands fault w i t h us f or some ar i t h met i ca l errors , but we h ove defended those errors, and we rest contented with that defence. Lord G. BENTINCK—You adopted some of the ame ndments. Lord J. RUSSELL—It cannot be denied that the m easure wbicn was brought forward with regard to sugar d,id take up a great part o f t h e sess i on . I d o no t fi n d 'atilt with the discussion which took place on that question, and the Hon. Gentleman is mistaken in sup 11°8ing that the Government ever did find fault with fair discussion on any subject. The Honourable Gentleman proceeded to comment on the conduct of I e House with regard to writs and corrupt pract i ce s . a-ee rtainly supposed that this was not a question on W hich it was necessary for the Government to take the ad in thi s H ouse; and I reco ll ect act i ng many years I, with other gentlemen who are now Members of this ;louse, when I used to take my own line on this ques in". and when I was successful in carrying motions for to g ni rY, and afterwards in passing Bills for punishing rrupt practices. It is by no means, in my opinion, ac cessary f or th e G overnmen t t o t a k e u p these measures. the sam e ti me , if I were inclin e d t o complain of any S e Position which has been offered during the session, I W oul d be in c li ne d to complain of the opposition th e was, in the first instance, offered to the Bill of 1 0 - 'lnn- Member for Flint, and afterwards to the Bill troduced by the Government for a similar purpose. s's-t r great deal o f time was taken up with those mea vr,ss• and 3 o muc h ti me wa s t a ken up with them that, h ew th e Bill went to the H ouse o f L or d s . I was in dolllcl by a very great authority—not the Lord Chief s tice---th at a N o bl e D u k e , who takes a great interest t the r Proceedings of the other House of Parliament, he . °pinion that this Bill was not one which should to' ret Fr.ceeeded with during the present session. We, ore thought it more prudent to postpone the Bill ierenother session rather than press it against the ad se opinion of the House of Lords. I have made a 4vh• .rt s tatetnent with regard to some of the measures to amr h t he Hon. Gentleman has alluded. I cannot well brewer the c h arge w hi c h t h e H on . G en tleman has so a ght. forward, w h en h e s peaks of a political plague )34 seemed to me that, though in three-fourths of - F e enly he undertook to defend the House of Corn of iii • h 4 s, in that the other quarter of it he made it the object ageVeetive. The Hon. Gentleman had complained House, no regular and organized party in this R ous W h en, however, I sat on the other side of the p a t ty are far from saying that-1 did not belong to a e,----rbeeeeau.se, I must say, that the existence of party Inteo endmdhelyeafro.sodf that most materially, to the' maintenance f th spirit of our institutions. Having been a a - party when out of office, and again in office, on ne graevanit:tbeen united with men in whom I feel the greatest confidence, and for whose opinion I entertain respect--men whose abilities I esteem, and _ whose c onst i tutional knowledge I have the greatest reliance —_I do -not mean to:controvert the statements ex reetTed by th e Hon. Gentleman with respect to the ne -B,lty of party. B ut if the Hon. Gentleman an d t h e Noble' Lord• hav e not b een able to form a party accord ing to their views, and array an organized opposition to the' least, are I do not thi n k that the Government, a eat, are m uc h to b lame.--(A laugh.) Considering the of ours whi c h are imposed upon us, I think that the is task forming nod consolidating a party in opposition rather e too m uc h for us to undertake.—(Laughter and che Ls-) If I may be allowed any criticism, I think that the Noble L or d and the Hon. Gentleman have rather mistaken the grounds on which they have attempted to rernusteheir party. Th ere are many Gentlemen in this this country -- strongly attached t o t h e po li t i cal const i tut i on o f —strongly u attached to the Established Church of this verenced and hallo re ed country—holding opinions re doubted] by antiquity—who, un- Y, might, if com bine and for m a party, a Government, would , useful to th e H ouse and to n t e h v e e r t e h e e u l n e t s r s y e r ß s u u a t d , e i d f , t h b e e t w he h y icb, if inconvenient to the so thought fit, Nobles Lord and the Hon. Gentleman heenh persist in saying that the cause of free -trade has aban doned, and that they will endeavour inestongel andt to revive protective duties, I think that they are uureyr strain ing after that which is unattainable, and that there is no prospect of their forming, a s cons'l tent and seh a coherent party while th e y endeevotirestrittaitt - * 11 at object. The Hon. G en tl eman has done us the honour to pay a compliment to several members of the existing Adminis tration. I do not mean to make a return for those eulogiums, when I say that the energy, the laborious zeal, and the untiring perseverance of the Noble Lon! the Member for King's Lynn—the ability and eloquence which have been shown, not only upon this but upon other occasions, by the Hot!. Gentleman who has just ad dressed the House—and the acquaintance with business possessed by many other Gentlemen who sit on the Op position side of the House—ought to form materials for a party to which a considerable portion of the country may fairly look with confidence. If they do not succeed in forming such a party it is for them to explai❑ the causes of the failure.—(Laughter and cheers.) I have taken the liberty of giving them a hint—(Renewed laughter)—and that I think is as much as I can be ex pected to do.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the whole of this session, I think there have been several circum stances which will account for the great delay which has occurred in the transaction of public business. Some of these relate to the issue of new writs, and to matters which belong to the first session of a new Parliament. Some of them, therefore, we may expect to be cor rected in a future session. I think, however, that it will be worth while for Members of this House to con sider whether, while we preserve these valuable rules of debates, it would not be desirable for some Members to refrain from giving us so much of their opinions and so frequently as they do at present.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) It would be invidious on my part ware I to point out any Honourable Members who might be considered obnoxious to this observation ; when, however, the Hon. Member says that he comes here to defend the House of Commons, I really must, say that the House of Commons is not the defending, but the complaining party. The House of Commons is the plaintiff in the cause—(Hear, hear, and laughter) —at least 49 50ths of the House complain of the other fraction of the House, on account of their being the cause of the delay which occurs in the transaction of public business. lam quite certain that if the opinion of the majority of the House could be consulted they would, on certain occasions—(Laughter)—say, " Here is a speech which might well be spared—(A laugh)— we have heard it five or six times before, and therefore we do not feel it absolutely necessary that we should hear it again;" but on the subject of the whole of the session I must say that the measures which have been passed form no insignificant proportion of the Bills which have been introduced by the Government. Out of 125 Bills which have been introduced by the Government during the present session 105 have been passed ; and it will be in the recollection of the House, that at the begin ning of the session, we had only two days a-week, or eight days a month, allotted for the purpose of pro posing Bills, and at the same time we had the estimates and financial plans of the year to submit to Parliament. I do maintain, above all, that, as I have already stated in the commencement of my address to the House, with sedition in England, incipient rebellion in Ireland, and a convulsion in Europe, the labour of administration is the chief business to which we ought to devote our at tention .—(Hear, hear.) There have been moments when every one must have felt that a slight indiscre tion may have provoked foreign nations—there have been moments when a slight want of watchfulness 'or care may have given an inconsiderable number of mis creants an opportunity of involving the country in con fusion. Wishing to preserve the tranquillity of Europe —valuing. peace above all price—and thinking that the war of 1793 was unnecessary for the purpose for which it was set on foot and maintained, we are nevertheless prepared to devote our best energies and our constant endeavours to the maintenance of amicable relations with foreign countries. Valuing, as I do, our institu tions, and believing that they are the best adapted of any which ever were framed for preserving the liberty of the community, I trust that whoever may succeed us in the task of future legislation will have to defend, and not to restore, theconstitution of this country.—(Cheers.) Mr. HUME said the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Disraeli) had been prolific in complaints. He was justified. therefore, in asking him what he had to propose better? The bane of this country was party and aris tocratic legislation, directed with the sole view of their aggrandisement at the expense of the welfare of the people. He lamented the breaking up of that party which had prevented the passing of measures inimical to the interests of the people. Until a party of the people arose the same system of misgovernment would be _ pursued. Mr. OSBORNE wished to know if the debate was to be resumed at six o'clock? . Lord J. RUSSELL said it would be more convenient not to renew the debate on the re-assembling of the House ; if any Hon. Gentleman wished to speak he would have an opportunity of doing so on the third reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill to-morrow (this day.) Mr. OSBORNE then said that, on the one side of the question, everything had been said by the Honour able Member for Buckinghamshire, and on the other by the Noble Lord, and the debate would close like many modern duels—both parties seemed satisfied. But there was_ another party. whom neither the Noble Lnrd nor his Hon. Friend represented, and however able the speech of his Hon. Friend, or however witty the speech of the Noble Lord as to the measures of the Government, that party—namely, the people—would look with indifference on the attack of his Hon. Friend or the !defence of the Noble Lord. They had heard something of the fish dinner of the Government, and he really thought the House required some defence, because the Noble Lord bad said that, owing to the tedious speeches of Hon. Members the public business had been impeded; but it would have been much more apposite if his Hon. Friend had defended the two Hon. Members for Stafford and Youghal, in stead of the House of Commons ; for, as the House was fond of statistical information, he would state that an Hon. Friend of his had calculated the speeches of those Hon. Members, and they amounted to five weeks of the closest printing—(Hear, and laughter)—speeches, too, not from Metropolitan Members or gentlemen represent ing large constituencies, but from Members for two small boroughs, the reputation of one of which was cer tainly not the most brilliant.—(Hear, bear.) But with reference to the fish dinner. He had the pleasure of dining at Greenwich a few days ago, and had some con versation with the waiter.—(A laugh.) He asked the waiter how the dinner of the Ministers went off. " Oh! Sir," said he, " they looked quite like a family party— (A laugh) , —but they were more mod e r a t e th an t h e l ast Ministers.'—(A laugh.) He agreed with the waiter— and he thought the country would agree with him too— the Ministers were like a family party, and were mode rate men. —(Laughter.) He would refer to one of their measures, the Sugar Bill. Was there ever a greater failure than that measure of the great economist of the Government.—(Hear, hear.) With reference, however, to another measure—that of the Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill, he must say that his Hon. Friend was too apt to presume on the ig norance of the House. In order to make a joke against the present Attorney-General, his Hon. Friend stated that the Bill was thrown out in the other House on the motion of Lord Denman, who was Attorney-General at the time of the Reform Bill; but his Hon. Friend was incorrect in his facts, for Sir T. Denman was Solicitor- General and not Attorney-General at the time to which his Hon. Friend alluded. Upon another point he would observe, that his Hon. Friend, the Member for Mon trose had, in his opinion, been guilty this session of a great abrogation of his privileges. Formerly every in dividual grievance could be discussed on the motion for reading the order of the day ; but at eleven o'clock at night his Hon. Friend had moved and the House had resolved that no motion for reading the orders of the day should be necessary; so that one opportunity of discussing isuch grievances was lost to the people. As to the four budgets to which his Honourable Friend had referred, he himself believed that the long odds were that they should -even yet have a fifth. — (Great laughter.) Upon the sanitary measure he would only say that, if the Government were sincere in their desire to secure the health of the public, why did they not take off the tax on soap and the window duty? He regretted, however, that his Hon. Friend at the end of his brilliant speech had thought it necessary to astonish the natives of his party, by rubbing up the old Vauxhall transparency of traditionary influences ; it went to ignore the existence of the people. What was it that prevented such men as Pitt, Chatham, and Walpole, from bringing in good measures but the oppo sition of those gentlemen who kept . the traditionary in fluences of the country?—(Hear; hear.) He regretted also that in this debate the state of Ireland had been passed over. The Noble Lord was about to visit that country. He (Mr. Osborne) trusted that the visit would not of the usual character—a trumpet dinner at the Castle in full uniform, and a return home knowing all about Ireland.—(A laugh.) If the Noble Lord went merely to pay such a Asit, or consult with the distin guished individual at the head of affairs there, he might have as much information by post.—(Hear ' hear.) As to the coercive measures they had passed for Ireland, they might have taken credit for them If they had passed measures of mother kind. (Hear, hear.) He would not, however, believe that the Protestant feelings of this country were represented by the fierce bigotry of those who had in that House pretended to represent them. The Protestant party must give up for ever the idea that the Roman Catholics had not a good right to self-government, and he hoped the Noble Lord would, on going to that country, give effect to those long-cherished plans of which they had heard so much, but had seen so little. Ireland was the difficulty of the late Government, but tenfold was it so of the present. They might take credit for their coercive measures,• but the time would arrive when those clouds which were spoken of by a late Minister might appear on the horizon, and this temporary panie (for he could not dignify the late movement in Ireland by the name of insurrection), and the miserable ii3ovenient of the Chartists here—he did not refer to the Hon. Member for Nottingham (Mr. O'Connor) who he believed was the only red republican in the House—(A laugh)--but to those miserable car penters and others who were out of work—would result in a reaction that would require measures of a different kind from the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, and all the vulgar precedents in Downing-street, for governing the people. Mr. HUDSON complained of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, after he had, in June, stated that he should contest himself with deficiency Bills, now coming for ward and deranging the commerce and money-market of the country by announcing his determination to take another course. He would take that opportunity of ob serving, that notwithstanding the late weather, he be lieved that the wheat crops were good; in fact, in the north of England he had never seen finer. Mr. DISRAELI wislied to explain, with reference to an observation of the Hon. Member for Middlesex, that on turning to the red book he found that Sir T. Den man was Attorney-General at the time the Reform Bill was passed. The House then suspended its sitting until a Quarter , past Six o'clock. - The SPEAKER resumed the Chair at a Quarter-pasi Six o'clock. _ Sir H. WILLOUGHBY presented a petition from a deputation from various English savings' banks, praying LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 3l, 1848. in a semi-diplomatic character from this country to Cuba, as an authority to show that half of those employed in the mines of Cubs were slaves. Mr. SPOONER thought if British manufacturers were exposed to the competition of foreign countriva they ought to be enabled to get the raw material of their manufacture at as cheap a rate as possible. The case of copper produced by slave labour was exceptional. But he recognized only two exceptions to the principle of free trade, namely, in cases involving slave-labour and in the case involving the national defences, i.e. the naviga tion laws. He, therefore, could not support the motion of the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire, unless it were limited to coopar the produce of slave-labour. Mr. DRUMMOND understood the Right Honour able Gentleman the Chancellor of . the Exchequer to argue that the introduction of foreign copper would be nu advantage to the British smelter. If the introduc tion of foreign wool were taken as a precedent, the illustration was an unfortunate one, for the exports of wool had on the whole diminished while th• imports had increased. Mr. MUNTZ thought the proposition of the Honour able Member for Oxfordshire adverse to the interests of his constituents, as it would raise the price of the raw material. The House having determined to carry out the principle of free trade, he, for one, was desirous that it should not be carried out partially. He thought that when a principle was once adopted it ought to be fully carried out, and if it should be found not to work well, then let them endeavour to find out why.—(Hear, hear.) He would not object to the principle of pro tection, provided it was extended equally to all classes and to all interests; but in the present instance it was partial, and consequently unjust, and therefore he should oppose it. Mr. NEWDEGATE reminded the Hon. Member that protection still existed on other articles besides copper, and remarked that those who enjoyed a protec tion of ten per cent. had no right to quarrel with six per cent. in favour of the miners of Cornwall, Mr. VIVIAN supported the amendment. Colonel DUNNE said that there were no fewer than 10,000 persons employed in the mines in Ireland, and about 50,000 persons in all dependent upon those mines. These parties were under the apprehension that if the free importation of copper ore were allowed, their inte rests would be seriously injured. lie, therefore, sup ported the emendment. Mr. ROBINSON confessed he thought there was a good deal of fairness in what had been said by the Honourable Member for Birmingham, that as he was in favour of the principle of free trade he wished it to be applied generally, not partially. For his part, how ever, he (Mr. Robinson) was disposed to agree rather with the Honourable Member for North Warwickshire, that, as he considered the principle, of free trade a bad principle, he would not be a party to carrying it further than he could help. He would, therefore, on this, and on all other occasions, enter his protest against it. The error of the free-traders, he thought, was in at taching an undue importance to the consumers as con tradistinguished from the producers of the country. Now, in bis opinion, if cheapness was produced at the expense of the producer the effect would ulti mately be to place the consumer, notwithstanding the cheapness, in a worse position than before. That was his reason for supporting the principle of protection. Lord G. BENTINCK said that the Chancellor of the Exchequer bad used a singular argument, the long and the short of which was, that the greater the supply of copper ore the higher would be the price of the article produced in this country. ' The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—No ! Lord G. BENTINCK—What, then, was the meaning of his argument when he said that it would be for the good of the copper producers in Cornwall that copper should be imported from Chili and Cuba ?—(Hear.) There was the strongest reason to believe that the price of the produce of the Cornwall miners would be con siderably reduced by the measure of the Right Hon. Gentleman. The House might know very well what its effect would be, because by anticipation, the price of Cornish copper had fallen 11 per cent. since January last.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord the First Minister of the Crown had boasted that the Govern sasiinnigngsethdintiaonnn,igenutellinga institu tions of the country in the midst of European convul imnecniptiebnatdrselbweclleieodne,d sion. He (Lord G. Bentinck) was very much afraid a i n n d s u m p a p i r n e t that if there was any truth in the doctrine of the Chan cellor of the Exchequer, that disaffection and discontent were very apt to go along with want of employment, the boast of the Noble Lord could not be long maintained if they passed a measure depriving the miners of Corn wall of their employment, and, consequently, of their means of subsistence. He held in his hand a letter, dated St. Austel, Saturday, the 26th instant, from a proprietor iu Cornwall who cultivated a considerable portion of his own estate, in which he said, " Are the Government mad ? Will they throw this unfortunate county into a state of open insurrection by their acts ? You know the people of this district well ; you know their loyalty, their intelligence, their patient endurance of severe labour, their extreme temperance, their natural contentedness under circumstances of even more than or dinary suffering ; but you know also that with all their industry, their loyal feeling, their high order and intel ligence as labourers, in consequence of the neces sary requirements for the effective prosecution of their labours, there is mixed up a determination of character which suffering will call into action, and which it will be dangerous to test or tamper with beyond a given point." The writer then proceeded to notice the gloomy prospects of that county for the coming winter, if her Majesty's Government persevered with this mea sure. He (Lord G. Bentinck) hoped, however, that the amendment proposed by the Hon. Member for Ox fordshire would be adopted, and the threatened evils so far averted. Mr. LACY understood the Chancellor of the Ex chequer to say, that one advantage of the present mea sure would be to enable the smelters of copper to amal gamate the rich foreign ores of Chili and Cuba with the poor ores of Cornwall, and thereby to produce a better article. But he (Mr. Lacey) begged to ask if the pro posed scale of duties was agreed to, where would they geth the Cornish copper ore to mix with the foreign? After a few words from Mr. WYLD, the Committee divided, when there appeared, For the Amendment Against it Majority against Mr. Henley 's amendment —24 The schedule was then agreed to, and the Rouse re sumed. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, as he understood it would be more convenient that the House should meet at two o'clock to-morrow instead of twelve, he would propose that the report be received to-morrow at two o'clock ; which was ordered ac cordingly. The Exchequer-bills Bill was reported and ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. The West India Colonies and Mauritius Bill was also reported, and ordered to be read a third time to morrow. -1"442'• y_ 's that the provisions of the Savings'- banks Bill should be mited to Ireland. Mr. ANDERSON gave notice that early next session he would move for a Select Committee to inquire into the practicability of reducing the costs, and improving the means of transit of the communication by steam naviga tion with India, particularly of that part of it which is now maintained by the steam-vessels of the East India Company between Bombay and Suez, and by the steam vessels of her Majesty between Alexandria, Malta, and Marseilles. Mr. BULLER gave notice that to-morrow he would move for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the relief of the poi- in the large cities anti towns throughout Eng land. He hoped Hon. Gentlemen would not be alarmed at such a notice, as his sole object was to get the Bill printed. TEMPLEMORE CHAPEL. Sir J. TYRELL wished to state that since ho last addressed the House on this subject he had seen the gentleman whose letter he had read to the House, viz., Major Peton. That gentleman was under the gallery during the morning sitting, and was ready to be pro duced, if necessary. He stated that he (Sir J. Tyrell) had greatly understated his case. The gentleman who resided in the castle to which he referred was a magis trate of the county of Kerry, and his name was Mahony (as we understood). On receiving a threatening notice he called a meeting of his friends, and on their advice he quitted the castle and went to. Limerick to procure an addition to the constabulary force, there being only eight policemen in that district. He might further state that Major Peton and Mr. Mahony both saw the transaction in which Priest Hampston was implicated. They saw him oppose the policemen, and heard him tell them that if the notice was posted up on the chapel door it would be torn down again. It was accordingly torn down after the police left, and another proclamation which was posted up was also torn down. The head of the consta bulary reported these things to the authorities in Dub lin, but no notice had been taken of the matter. He had now to ask the Noble Lord whether he had received any communication on the subject from Ireland; or whether he (Sir J. Tyrell) was to proceed with the case, and produce his witnesses? He was ready to take any course which the Noble Lord might suggest. Lord J. RUSSELL had not received any intelligence from Ireland respecting this case, but he had no doubt rhat if the facts happened as the Hon. Gentleman stated, and if an account of them in writing by Major Peton was forwarded to the Lord-Lieutenant, he would con sider whether it was desirable to take any steps on the subject. Sir J. TYRELL had brought the subject forward to show that there was no cause for the ridicule which had been poured upon his previous statement. Lord J. RUSSELL had never alluded to the subject with ridicule; but he had expressed an opinion that the letter which the Hon. Gentleman read was not intended to be published. PROTECTION.—THE CROPS, &c. _ _ Mr. HUDSON said, the corn duties would expire in February next, and it would be recollected that the Noble Lord (Lord John Russell) had expressed his conviction that all protection should be taken from the manufacturing interest as well as from agri culturists. He wished to ask whether in accordance with that view, the Noble Lord meant to bring in a Bill to repeal all duties of a protecting character that bore on the manufacturing of silks and other articles? He would also put a question on another sub ject. The accounts of the crops generally, and of the potatoes in Ireland, were exceedingly contradictory; and he wished to know if it was possible to have some official information laid before the House on the subject. He did not think there was cause for alarm as regarded the crops; and he wished to know if, in these circum stances, the Chancellor of the Exchequer intended to issue tenders for the unfortunate loan he had projected? Lord J. RUSSELL said certain restrictions had been laid on the silk and other manufactures referred to by the Hon. Gentleman since the time when it was resolved to take off the corn duties, and he was not disposed at present to say that there should be an entire removal of those duties, which were very slight, and of a very low amount. With regard to the potato crop in Ireland, and the crops generally, he might state that the Government had received reports, both through the Poor-law Com missioners and the constabulary. Those reports were given from week to week, but he did not think there would be any ipublic advantage from producing them, because they contained accounts of a state of things that would hardly apply at the present time. In some in stances where it was supposed the potato crop was gone it had returned—(Hear, bear)—and be believed he might say that a very considerable part of the crop ap peared to be good. That expectation, however, might be disappointed, and therefore they must just wait the course of events.—(Hear, hear.) Still he believed he was entitled to say that the state of the crop appeared to be more favourable now than it was a short time ago.— (Hear, hear.) The other question of the Hon. Gentle man he would leave to be answered by his Right Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Sir C BURRELL asked whether it was correct, as had been stated, that the amount of land planted with potatoes this year in Ireland was eight times greater than in the year preceding ? Lord J. RUSSELL believed the increase to be in the proportion of eight to three. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in answer to the question of the Hon. Member (Mr. Hud son), relative to the " lean," as he had termed it, begged to state that he did not propose to negotiate a loan at all. What he wanted to do was to follow the course pursued in 1841—viz., to take power to sell stock from time to time as circumstances might require. His object was to keep up the price of stock us much as he could; and he would spread the sales it was intended to effect over a period of some months, so as not to affect the market in any way injuriously.—(Hear, hear.) EAST INDIA TENURES. Mr. EWART, in reference to a return of the number and nature of land tenures held by British subjects in India, ordered on the 21st of July, asked the Right Hon. the President of the Board of Control if there was any likelihood of such returns being made? Sir J. HOBHOUSE believed the difficulties in the way of such a return were not likely to be overcome. Many of the settlers in India had taken their lands, not from the Government, but from private parties, and there was no account of these purchases. He believed, therefore, it would be next to impossible to procure a list of them. PROTECTION TO AGRICULTURE. Mr. HUDSONwished to know from the Noble Lord at the head of the Government, whether, seeing he had no intention to abrogate the protective duties on manu factures, he did not think it fair that agriculturists should have restored to them at least as great an amount of protection as the manufactures had? The smallest favour would be thankfully received.—(A laugh.) Lord J. RUSSELL thought that it was not exactly the right way to proceed to bring on matters of this kind in the shape of questions which might be made the subject of debates in the House.—(llear, hear.) On the motion of Mr. SPOONER, the Lords' amend ments to the Poor Removal Bill (No. 2) were agreed to. Colonel DUNNE gave notice that next session he would move for a Committee of Inquiry into the working of the Irish Poor-law. RWAenNt DinLtoEACDomDmiUttTeelEoSaßlthLeL. The House Copper and Lead Duties Bill, and the various agreed to. On the schedule being proposed, Mr. HENLEY said he meant to move an amendment on the subject of the duty. As the schedule stood, a duty of Is. per ton was to be levied on all copper ore imported. He would allow that duty to remain as ap plicable to all toper ore the produce of our own co lonies, but he would propose a higher rate of duties on ore imported from foreign countries. The same question was involved here as in the sugar duties, with reference to the encouragement given to slavery; and he contended that copper ore from Australia, consider ing the great length of the voyage and other circum stances, could not be imported with the same advantage as ores produced in Cuba and Chili, if the duties were similar in each case. His amendment was, that while thejduty per ton on all copper or copper ore imparted from our colonies should be ls., the duty per ton on copper or copper ore imported from foreign countries should be one guinea.—(Hear, hear.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ad mitted that the Hon. Gentleman had very fairly raised the question; but the point was one which had been already settld by the House, for it had been decided that there should be no distinction in the duty imposed on the copper or copper ore imported, whether from the colonies or from foreign countries.—(Hear, hear.) He had always expressed his opinion that not only the con sumers but the producers in this country were benefited by the introduction of foreign ore, as there was a great advantage derived from mixing the two ores together.—(Hear, hear.) There was, however, another view of the question. Was it for the advantage of this country that the copper which met us in the way of competition on the continent should be smelted in foreign countries rather than in our own? Yet that would be the effect of preventing tho importation of foreign ores, as proposed by the Hon. Gentleman. The export of copper had largely increased. In the four years from 1838 Ito 1841 the unwrought copper exported amounted to 33,000 tons, and in the four years from 1843 to 1846 to 34,000 tons, showing an increase of 1,000 tons. In the four years ending 1841, the quantity of wrought copper exported amounted to 24,000 tons, and in the subsequent period to 35,000 tons; showing an increase of 11,000 tons on the last four years. The home manufacture of copper goods had derived considerable benefit, therefore, from the mixture of foreign ore with the copper of this country; and it was equally for the benefit of the British miner, smelter, manuf a ct u rer, and a rtisan, that foreign ore should be introduced at a low duty. Mr. NEWDEGATE was well aware that many of his constituents in Birmingham had suffered like others in various branches of trade - but in the copper t ra d e their prosperity had lasted longer, risen higher, and been better secured than that of most of the interests which had been exposed to the free trade system. Eng land produced more than one-half the fine copper of the world. It was hard to suppose that the course taken by this country would affect the conduct of foreign countries in this matter ; but though immaterial to others the differential duty was an object to the British producer. For the sake of the Australian colonies, also, he hoped, the proposition of the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire would be adopted. Mr. WYLD wished to call the attention of the House to the fact that this was the first occasion since the passing of the Slave Emancipation Act on which they had seen a liberal Government putting the miners of Cornwall in competition with the slaves of Cuba. If the principle of putting slave labour in compe tition with the free labour of her Majesty's subjects were to' be adoped, a new era would commence a new order of things would be introduced which the whole mass of the people of England, whatever might be their opinion in favour of free trade, would depre cate. He quoted Mr. Turnbull, who had been sent out SAVINGS•BANKS BILL. On the motion that the report be received , Sir H. WILLOUGHBY said he did not intend to op pose the bringing up of the report, but wished to remind the House that a petition had been that day presented against the Bill by a number of gentlemen who repre sented sixteen savings -banks, 175,561 depositors, and a capital amounting to 7,041,0031.; this, added to a former petition, represented one-third of the entire savings' banks of the kingdom. These gentlemen did not object to an audit, however rigid it might be; but they com plained that the Bill would impose upon them regula tions which would be wholly impracticable. The objec tions they urged were, he believed, shared in by a Noble Colleague of the Right Hon. Gentleman. The President of the Council happened to be a manager of one of the London savings -banks, and possessed great practical knowledge of the whole subject. He (Sir H. Willoughby) hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer would confer with that Noble Lord before he moved the third read ing of the Bill. The Hon. Baronet concluded by sug gesting certain amendments in clauses 3 and 6. Mr. HENLEY hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would consent to limit the operation of the fifth clause, which required the production of the books of such de positors as should have received previous notice. It would be a great hardship, and against all principle, that parties who had deposited their money upon the faith of certain terms should be subjected to other and more stringent conditions without their having any previous notiz,.e. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer would agree to this amendment it would in some measure mitigate his objection to the Bill. The CHANCELLOR of the E X CHEQUER was always disposed to consider any sugg estions coming from the Hon. Gentleman, being, as they almost i nvar i a bl y working, r foeact i c a a s 1 respected were, recommended by their p ractical character, and itB p often by their valuable tendency .—(He ar , hear.) He certainly would take into considerat ion the amendments suggested both by the lion. Gentleman and th e H on. Baronet, and he felt obliged for the ir having postponed pressing th em upon the House till the third readi ng o f the Bill. Mr. SPOONER said the Bill would be attend e d w i t h a a n lm d o c s o t n i s n i s d u e p re e d ra i b t le to difficulties in hol uncalledin the savings' banks in England. Colonel WODELIOUSE was also opposed to the measure. Mr. DUNCAN considered the Bill to be unnecessary as far as Scotland was concerned, and hoped that, at all events, that part of the kingdom would be exempted from its operation. Mr. SCROPE supported the Bill. Lord G. BENTINCK said he had seen the secretary to the MaryleboneSavings'Bank, who informed him that a great hardship would be wrought by the clause re quiring the depositors to produce their books. There were belonging to that bank 8,700 depositors, about 70 or 80 per cent. of whom claimed a dividend annually, so that their books were of course produced. But the other 20 or 30 per cent., being servants, generally left their money for the whole period of their service, and if they were obliged to produe their books once a year it would not only be productive of great inconvenience and annoyance, but would also put them to considerable expense, and would greatly discourage the investing of their savings in these banks. He trusted the Right Hon. Gentleinan would reconsider this part of his proposition. There was much reason to fear that clergymen and tradesmen would refuse to sign their names as security for 1001., and if they did, and the poor saw the names of these individuals withdrawn, great alarm would be caused in consequence, and many might withdraw their accounts.—(Hear, hear.) He wished to take another opportunity of protesting against the prac tice of sitting so many consecutive hours, to which he said a great deal of hasty and slovenly legislation was . to ' be attributed. He, like many other Members, occa sionally felt so exhausted, that he was obliged to recruit himself by a nap. There is another set of gentlemen (continued the Noble Lord), whose talents are worthy of all admiration, and whose endurance was equal to their talent, who are also so entirely worn out that no reports of our proceedings go forth. These gentlemen must bo iron to do as they have done—(A cry of "Hear, hear")—and they must be almost immortal to sit there reporting our proceedings from twelve o'clock on one day to half-past three o'clock the next morning.—([lear, hear.) lie hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be so good as to leave England and Scotland out of the Bill. Tha report was theta received, and the Bill, with amendments, was ordered to be read a third time to morrow (this day). .-. The Poor-law - Auditors' Proceedings Restriction Bill was read a second time. The report on the Consolidated Fund Bill was re•• ceived. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished to knuw whether any , power was given to the Treasury to vary the appropria tion of money appropriated by previous clauses. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Treasury could exercise such a power under certain re atrictionc Mr. HENLEY wished to know whether any change made in the appropriation appeared in any account afterwards laid before Parliament? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that an account of any excess or deficiency in the army, navy, and ordnance votes were shown in an account annually presented to Parliament. The Slave Trade (Muscat) Bill was read a third time and passed. _ _ _ The Lords' amendments to the Poor-law Union Charges Bill were considered and agreed to. The House then adjourned at Half-past Nine o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Coninions,) WZDNESDAY, AUG. 30. COPPER AND LEAD DUTIES BILL. (IN THE COMMITTEE.) ('ehedule) t —Amendment proposed, to amend the Table, by inserting " Copper, Ore of, per ton, if imported from any Foreign Possession, 11. is.:"—Question put, "That these words be inserted in the Table." The Committee divided : MINORITY—AYES, 19. Anstey, Thomas C. Keogh, William Vyse, H. Bentinck, Lord G. Knox, Colonel Willoughby, Sir H. Blackstone, W. S. Lacy, H. C. Wodehouse, E. Drummondllienry Lowther, Colonel Dunne, F. Y. Newdegate, N. TELLIES. Hamilton, G. A. Robinson, G. R. Henley, J. W. Herbert, H. A. Sidney, Alderman Wyld, James Hood, Sir A. Vivian, J. E. MAJORITY-NOES, 43. Adair, R. Shafto Henry, Alexander Somerville, Sir W. Anderson, Arthur Hobhouse, Sir John Spooner, Richard Armstrong, Sir A. Kildare, Marquis Talfourd, Sergeant Bagshaw, John Lascelles, W. S. Tancred, H. W. Bellew, R. M. Matheson, Colonel Tenison, E. K. Bowring, Dr. Monsell, William Thompson. Colonel Bretherton, J. Morpeth, Viscount Tufttell, Henry Buller, Charles Morris, David Ward, EL G. Campbell, W. F. Muntz, G. F. Watkins, Colonel Cobden, R. O'Connell, M. J. Wilson, Matthew Duncan, George Parker, John Wood, Sir Charles Ebrington, Viscount Pinney. W. Ewart, William Rich, Henry TELLE3A. Hawes, Benjamin Romilly, Sir John Hill, Lard MarcuS Hay, Lord J. Scrope, G. P. Craig, W. G. Ilayter, W. 0. Shell, R. L. M. SOYER. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR, —Having just discovered by an unexpected com munication from Dr. Fergusson, of Park-street, Grosve nor-square, that several impostors have made use of my name in order to extort money from the nobility and gentry, to enable me, as they assert, to erect parochial kitchens for the poor of the metropolis against the en suing winter, I beg to acquaint you, Sir, and, conse quently, the nobility, gentry, and the public in general, that such persons have never been sent by me, and that I am entirely ignorant of their importunities, which I should consider a great imposition and annoyance to the public. I have only received subscriptions by the medium of the public press; the name of each subscriber, as well as the amount of their subscription, has been immediately made public and deposited in the bands of a committee. Several hundreds of circulars were forwarded, last winter, to the nobility respecting my parochial kitchen in Spite Melds, but all by post and franc° leaving it en tirely to their option whether to subscribe or no. A few subscriptions have also been received and booked at my Philanthropic Picture Gallery, which names will be added to my former list. The only direct communication made on this subject was lately to the celebrated prima donna Mdlle. Jenny Lind, whose benevolence towards the unfortunate is only equalled by her extraordinary talent. Any gentleman or lady whose charity has been duped by impostors would much oblige me by communicating the circum stance, as it might enable me to detect the party. Being confident, Sir, of your wish for the prevention of fraud on the public, I beg, as a great favour, the insertion of this letter in your important journal. I am, Sir, yours most obediently, A. SOYER. Reform Club, August 29, 1848. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.—The Royal yacht Victoria and Albert, Captain Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, G.C.H., Naval Aide-de-Camp to her Majesty, will be navigated to Osborne or Cowes to-morrow, to embark the bag gage, &c., necessary for her Majesty's marine excursion, after shipping which she will proceed to Woolwich. The Victoria and Albert, the Black Eagle, Fairy, Virago, and Vivid steamers, are the only vessels at present in cluded in the Royal squadron. Admiral the Hon. Sir Thomas Capel, K.C.8., the newly chosen Commander-in-Chief to succeed' Sir Charles Ogle at this port, accompanied by the Hon. Lady Capel and suite, arrived at this port this after noon at half-past four o'clock, and were escorted to the dockyard in the barge of Sir Charles Ogle by Flag-Lieutenant Cochran, when they were conducted by the Admiral to his official mansion, where the dis tinguished visitors were most hospitably entertained by Sir Charles, who invited the chiefs of the port and his official staff to meet them. Sir Thomas and Lady Capel sojourn at the Admiralty-house during their temporary visit. The Duck lighter sailed this morning with stores for Plymouth. The Encounter screw steam-sloop, of 900 tons and 360-horse power, was undocked to day, and the Rattler screw steam-sloop, taken in her room. The former was then taken into the basin. The Lightning steam•tender, J. E. Petley master, was taken into the basin to-day to have the damage done to her port paddlebox by the Termagant repaired. The Queen Dowager is expected here to-morrow, en roitte for Cowes, where her Majesty has taken a tempo rary residence, and whither the Queen's yacht Fairy, Commander Crispin, will convey her hence, and attend upon her during her stay on the island, in the absence of the Court in Scotland. TEE TRIAL °I? THE DAIINTLEI3B.—The following was the performances of the above new 24-gun steam-ship, in the measured knot, Stoke's Bay, Anglesea, on Mon day. In the two first trials a mean speed of 7.689 knots per hour was the result, in the two last trials 7.686 knots. The strokes of the engine not keeping up, made a mean of 7.212 knots. The mean of the whole of the trials (six) under steam alone, was 7.366 knots per hour. Under steam and sails (topsails, jib, and spanker, with a light wind) the speed was 9.236 knots. The draught of the vessel was—forward, 16 feet; aft, 17 feet, or there abouts. She went round the circle in five minutes one way, and six minutes the other. She was turned in little more than half her length in two minutes and a quarter. When under sail she was close hauled one way, and the wind was aft the beam the other. The trial was not deemed so satisfactory as was anticipated. The Ajax steam block-ship, in the basin at Ports mouth, is ordered to be masted to-day, and a trial made of her steam capabilities as speedily as other work will admit. PLYMOUTH, Ana. 28.—Th e m e rchant barque William Plymouth,tons, Lushiugt on , of 4ll Captai n Gill, from Quebec, fo r this port, with timber, went ashore early 1 this morning during a fog and gale of wind in Bigbury Bay. about seven miles east of this harbour. The sea is waking a clear breach over her, and washing off the deck load. Crew saved. WooLwicrt, Atm. 29.—The Adder steam•vessel, 100- horse power, Master-Commander John Hammond, arrived at Woolwich, from Pembroke, on Sunday evening. The Advice, steam-vessel, 80-horse power, Lieutenant- ' Commander C. A. Fetch, arrived at Woolwich to-day from Pembroke. These vessels were employed in carry ing the mails from Pembroke to Waterford, on the toast of Ireland, and have been ordered to Woolwich in con sequence of that line of mails being discontinued. The Arrogant steam-frigate was brought down the River to-day, towed by the Monkey and Charon steam vessels, and navigated - by a party of dockyard riggers, and taken into dock to have some alterations made at her stern, where the screw propellor is placed. Lieutenant-Commander Fetch, of the Advice steam• vessel, left Portsmouth at a late hour on Sunday night, and at that time the Royal Victoria and Albert had not left, as the wind' was very strong and the rain heavy,„ during the evening. THE WOOLWICH DOCKYARD BOAT BRIOADE.—The two companies of the boat brigade assembled on the parade-ground on Monday, and marched at three o'clock P.M. for practice in the marshes, from one 32-pounder, one 24-pounder, and one 18-pounder guns, at 950 yards' range, the guns being mounted on ship cariages and traversing platforms. - ' On arriving at the marshes, Lieutenant-Colonel Warde was commanding the practice of three large detachments of ' the Royal Artillery, one at the six-gun battery, at 700 yards' range, one at the ricochet battery at 800 yards' range, and one at the three-gun battery, at 950 yards' range. On the conclusion of the firing of the Royal Artillery, which was very good, the Dockyard Boat Brigade com menced at the three-gun battery, and out of 47 shots . . fired, five entered the target, although it was only 6 feet square ; and with but three exceptions, where,the shot went wide, all the others were considered good practice. Had the target been twelve feet square, and more ele vated on the mound, where a small clump of earth often grazed in front of it would have been avoided, upwards of one-fourth of the balls would have entered it. The Boat Brigade assembled again on Tuesday, with the ex ception of the riggers employed in bringing the Arro gant to Woolwich, and proceeded to the marshes to fire the remainder of the shot, 86 rounds having been served out for practice with. Three shots only were fired on Tuesday, the third knocking down the target at 950 yards' range. The stoppage of the firing was owing to two vessels anchoring right in the range. PUGILISM.—GILL AND MALEY, YOZ-1001, ASIDE. —The anticipated meeting'between these veterans, yes terday, which, from a previous , disappointment, attracted perhaps an additional amount of attention, has once again proved a blank. Gill was arrested on Monday at Bedford, and held to bail. Bets, therefore, are off "unless renewed by mutual consent, and "Old Tom Maley,'-iithchigh he offered to throw the a mount of Gill's recognizances (400 into the battle -money, and allow its deduction, must " bide his time," ere he can prove himself the better or the worse man, THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO. ARRIVAL OF THE AMERICA. The royal mail steamer America; Captain C. IL Judkins, arrived at Liverpool yesterday morning, at nine o'clock. She left New York on the 16th and Halifax on the 19th instant, since which she has ex perienced very rough weather, with h, ad winds, which has caused her voyage to be rather longer than usual She brings fifty-two passengers and the usual mails, but no specie. She reports that the steamer Cambria, which sailed hence on the sth instant, had reached Halifax on the 18th, and proceeded to New York. The Congress of the United States closed on the 14th instant. Like the British Parliament, their session has been a very protracted one—they having sat upwards of eight months and a half. The following scene took place in the Senate between senators Benton and Butler:— Mr. Benton exclaimed—" I have quarrelled with 'no one. Many have tried to quarrel with me. I never had a quarrel in my life. I have fought sometimes—fought to a funeral—but never had a quarrel. If any one ac cuses me of having done anything dishonourable, he shall have the lie in his throat. I will adjourn the matter to another place," &c. Mr. Butler, arising and turning fiercely to Mr. Benton, cried out, " I am ready to meet you anywhere." Mr. Benton repeated—" You have the lie in your throat," &c. - In consequence of this squabble, Mr. Butler chal lenged Mr. Benton to. mortal combat. The time and place were appointed; but a gentleman, learning what was going on, caused both the parties to be arrested. The Herald says that the state'ment's respecting the proposition of the Hudson's Bay Company are mostly incorrect, and that the following are the facts of the case:— "By the Oregon treaty certain possessory rights are reserved to the company south of the parallel of 49 de grees ; the free navigation of the Columbia river is also reserved ; the British Government, in the name of the company, has, through Mr. Crampton, the British Charg6, proposed to sell to this Government their pos sessory rights south of 49 degrees, and also to dispose of the free navigation of the Columbia, for the sum of 1,000,000 dolls. " Some of the Senators hearing of the proposition, the Senate passed a resolution calling for information. The Secretary of State, in a communication, laid before them the whole matter, but did not, as has been said, advise the acceptance of the proposition. He declared that, as adviser of the President, he could not counsel its accept ance without first ascertaining the value of the propriety of the property the British Government proposes to transfer ; declaring, however, that if he were in the Senate he should vote for the purchase, as it would pre vent the trouble and annoyance likely to arise from the joint navigation of the Columbia. The agents of the Hudson's Bay Company represent the property south of 49 as very valuable. The truth appears to be, however, that it is of little account compared with the other right proposed to be transferred." Congress passed this proposition over for want of time. The President, however, has still the power in the recess of negotiating a treaty upon this subject, through the British Government, subject to the ratifica tion of Congress. The Courier and Enquirer writing upon this subject says— " It is certainly desirable, as likely to do away with too pregnant causes of dispute between English and American settlers in Oregon, that all the property and rights of the English company should be conveyed to the American Government, even although the price to be paid should be larger than the actual money value of the property acquired. Harmony and good understanding among the settlers of this new territory can hardly be bought too dear." Mr. Trist, late United States Commissioner to Mexico, had written a letter to the Speaker of the House of Re- ' presentatives, impeaching President Polk, and requesting that the impeachment might be laid before the House. The Presidential campaign is now fully opened, the political abolitionists having at their convention in Buf falo completed the list of candidates by nominating Martin Van Buren, with Charles F. Adams, of Massa chussetts, as the second in command. General Taylor, in answer to a letter asking for information, says,—" I have to say that I am not a party candidate, and, it elected, shall not be the President of a party, but the President of the whole people." At a meeting of Irishmen in New York the following appeal was read:— " Friends of Ireland! Now or never!—The blow is struck; the contest is now waging; it is now ten days old. Smith O'Brien, denounced as a traitor, with a price set upon his capture, maintains an unequal war on the heights of Cahirmoyle; Doheny is at Slievenamon; O'Uormon is rasing Limerick; Dillon and Maher are struggling for Waterford. Why sleeps the Irish blood in America? Precious hours are being wasted; precious blood is flowing. The dying call for vengeance—the living hope of Ireland implore your aid. Let us promptly answer the call. Awake to instant action. Ask no questions, but remit funds at once to Robert Emmett, uur treasurer. Trust to our zeal, determination, and prudence, and neither you nor Ireland shall be disap pointed." The news from Mexico states that— " Paredes, although overthrown by Bustamente, had escaped from capture, and was still at large. His au thority, however, is much impaired, and his chief coad jutor, the Padre Jaraunta, having certainly been exe cuted, there will no harm come of Paredes. " The American forces have all abandoned Mexico, and the flag of that country now flies again from St. Juan de Ulloa to the capital." The latest advices received at New York were by the Acadia, to the 29th of July : " The weather continues very fine. The wheat har vest has been got in in fair order ; and the Indian corn promises most abundantly, and is now beyond the reach of inj ury. " Of the potato disease there is occasional complaints; but the early crops are of excellent quality. Thus far there is not much reason to apprehend serious loss to the whole crop. ": The flour and grain market is comparatively dull at this season, although prices are firm, with rather a ten dency to advance since the Acadia's news. " As regards cotton, the receipts at the ports and the exports to Great Britain continue to gain upon those of former years. " After the arrival of the America, cotton became dull, and prices gave way or k cent, with, however, very little business in consequence. Since the arrival of the Acadia (two days ago) the tendency has been also down ward, and holders having yesterday concluded to submit to a further decline of 4 or cent, about 1,000 bales were sold. We must, therefore, quote middlings at 64 to 6i and 7 cents, for all growths, and fair at 71 for Orleans, and 7 to 7/- for Ulands. "Freights to Liverpool, Ith to 5.32ds of a penny per lb. " Our money market is tranquil, with some more easiness. Loans or call can now be readily obtained at 7 per cent. ; consequently the prices of Stocks are tend ing upwards, and range above the prices quoted by the last steamer. " United States Six per Cent. Stock, of '67 and '6B, now sell promptly at from 1044 to 1041; the Fives of '53 command 93.1 to 93i ; and for Treasury Notes, bearing 6 per cent. interest, and convertible into a twenty years stock, 104 to 104 i are readily paid. " New York States Stocks have improved also—the Fives bring 97k; the Sixes, 1034. " For foreign exchange the rates, notwithstanding considerable purchases on Mexica❑ account, tend down wards. " Bills on London are from 94 to 34; ten day bills on Paris sf. 20c.; and bills on Amsterdam, 40 to 40k. " The Manhattan Gas Light Company have declared a dividend of 4i per cent. on the capital stock paid in previously to the Ist inst. The dividend will be paid on the 21st inst. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, Ana. 15.—Our money market is tranquil, with some more easiness. Loans or calls can now be ',tidily obtained at 7 per cent.; consequently the prices of stocks are tending upwards, and range above the prices quoted by the last steamer. United States Six per Cent. Stock of '67 and '6B now sell promptly at from 104+ to 1044; the Fives of '53 command 931 to 93k; and for Treasury Notes bearing 6 per cent. interest, and convertible into a twenty years' stock, 104 to 104+ are readily paid. New York State Stocks have improved also—the Fives bring 974; the Sixes, 103+. For Foreign Exchange, the rates, notwithstanding considerable pur chases on Mexican Account, tend downwards. Bills on London are from 9+ to it; ten day bills on Pariis,sf. 20c.; and bills on Amsterdam, 40 to 4. Cotton—The new crop comes in slowly. In our last we named the first bale at Montgomery. Th,3 first bale at New Orleans arrived on the sth, at Mobile,. two bales on the Gth or 7th. At Savannah, a bale on the 7th. On the 4th and sth four or five bales were received at Albany and Macon, Georgia, and at Montgomery. In making up the final total of this crop, in confoirmity with the practice of former years, there will have to• be added to the receipts at the ports about 10,000 bales for Virginia and North Carolina cot ton &on mimed in the factories at Petersburgh, &c., and the nett Augusta and Hamburgh stock oil the 31st, which may be about 10 or 15,000 belles. Th final crop will, therefore, probably appear at aboue 0 ,1.528,000 bales, thus :—Receipts at ports thus fart 2,278,000 bales; probable future receipts, 30,000 or 35,000, say 30,000 bales ; addition for. Virgin is and, North Carolina, 10,000 bales ; probable nett. .ugusta and Hamburgh stock on 31st inst., 10,000 Was; prob, able final crop, about 2,328,000 bales. As regards the final total export' to Great Britain, the 26 vess :Is left loading at southern ports may be expected to carry 40,000 or 4b,000 bales ; and vessels which um, com mence loading after the sth inst. may take, ins :luding 2pblable clearances from northern l5, 000 or 000 more. Thus — Export to Greatßritain 0: ,us far, 1,274,00 0 bales ; probable export for the remal ader of this month, 60,000 bales ; probable total of this season to Great Britain, 1,334,000 bales. Now let us (.:( Mae to the probable stock on 31 st instant, including I ; os t on, Philadelphia, &e. That stock on Ist Septemb, , r last was 215,000 bales ; crop as already stated, 2,3: 18,000 bales ; total available quantity, 2,543,000 bales. Ex port to Great Britain as above, 1,334,000 bales ; p r o b able to France and other places, 539,000 bales .; pp obbl a actual home consumption, 450,000 bales ; probabl e stock remaining 31st August, including Augusta, 3oston, ; total, Philadelphia, &c., 220,000 bales2,s4 3bales. Thus, even if we 'allow the actual 'home con 6i to be 455,000, the total stocks at the close oftl 8 1133 4a t sT a n will be as large as at the close of last se were larger than ever at that time oI of 158,000 does not include those 'ear. 3 ' asolll'Y '" r its li s t t 4 oc e i Hamburgh, nor at any northern ports e at Aug usta, and besides which it is tolerably clear that x caetpttl! lew York; p moment the manufacturers and their agents hold 50,000 bales more than last year. In resisting the &amour at ;his time last year as to the probable deficiency n: the clop, and stating that it might still reach 2,300,000 bales, when so many estimates below 2,000,000 were put forth, and in estimating last January that the probable export of the season to Great Britain would be 1,230,000 bales—in these two positions, and they %ere the two which were most objected to, we shall be proved to be under the mark, instead of being (as a great ma jority of the trade expected, or seemed to expect) greatly beyond it. Flour, &c.—Upon the receipts of the telegraphic dispatches from the Acadia at Boston, holders of flour advanced their rates 12ic to 18c per barrel, at which several sales were made; to-day, however, the letters having come to hand, shippers withdrew from the market, and quite a limited business was done. Buyers for export offered 5 dolls for Western Canal, whilst receivers asked 5 dolls 12fc to 5 dolls 18ic for common brands, 5 dolls 25c to 5 dolls 31c for good, and 5 dolls 50c for pure Genesee. Common Southern Flour is held at 5 dolls 50c. Corn meal may be quoted at 3 dolls. to 3 dolls. 25c. Rye Flour, 4 dolls. The advance which was obtained yesterday in Corn may be considered lost; shippers will not give the prices asked. 2,000 bushels of heated sold at 56c; 4,000 low mixed, 61c. A few samples of high :nixed were in market, for which 63c was offered. Oats are dull, and small lots of Northern are selling at 40c. Provisions have been firm to day. Mess Pork sold at 11 dols 50c, and prime at 9 dolls. Lard is in demand for Europe at 8c for prime, but holders are now asking qr. IRELAND. DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY MORNING. —We are still blessed with fine weather, and the reports of the harvest are becoming more favourable. Even in. regard to po tatoes the accounts are somewhat baler; but, beyond all doubt, a large proportion of that crop is lost already. The Clonmel Chronicle, teeeivett this morning, has the following, report from a disCrict where the potato disease was supposed to have been destructive : " This day has been a most propitious and welcome acquisition to our harvest prospects, and notwithstand ing the prevalence of unfavourable weather, which our agricultural operatives had to encounter, much has been effected towards the general harvesting. Our markets continue to be abundantly sipplied with a quantity of good potatoes, though their produce in the field is found to be rather deficient, and general appearances convince us that at least one-third of the crop is radically dis eased. The sound portion, however, promises to mature well, and hopes are being entertained of preserving a sufficiency of good for the ensuing year, together with adding considerably to our wonted consumption of this esculent. Red varieties appear to have withstood the malady best this season, and kidneys of all kinds proved , most unsuccessful." SPECIAL COMMISSION IN LIMERICK. There is a special commission for the county of Limerick, as well as Tipperary, but the Judges will proceed first to the latter county. In Limerick the parties charged with attacking and plundering the mail coaches at Abbey. feale will be tried. The Limerick Reporter contains the following:— " Saturday the governor of the county goal received an order from the Castle to send up a list of the pri soners in his custody under the Habeas Corpus Suspen sion Act, charged with treasonable practices, prepara tory to issuing a special commission next month. The number at that time was only three—viz., Richard Dal ton, William Fuller Hartnett, and Owen O'Neill. But there have since been three more added to the list, in the persons of Messrs. Thomas Macnamara, solicitor; O'Shaughnessy, grocer; and O'Neill, mason, all of Rath keale, who arrived in Limerick at half-past eleven o'clock on Sunday, under the escort of a troop of dragoons and a party of police. They had been arrested on the previous day at fbur o'clock, at their own homes, and were detained all night at the Bridewell of Rath keale." THE STATE PRISONERS.--The Cork Reporter has the following interesting statement in a letter from Dublin, Monday evening.— "I think you may regard it as nearly settled at pre sent, provided no change of measures in relation thereto be resolved on, that the special commission will be issued for Friday, the 15th September, and the bills being found, that the trials will commence on the Monday week following. The_preparations for Mr. Smith O'Brien's defence are progressing. I have heard from unquestionable authority, that the eminent solicitor who is to conduct it, Mr. Potter, of Stephen's-green, has been down in the neighbourhood of Balliegarry, the col lieries, &c., for the last few days, and that he was ar rested last night by the police on his return to town near Urlingford, and conveyed to the barrack at Johnstown; but released after some time, when they were satisfied of who and what he was. It was stated in some of the London papers of Saturday, that Mr. Meagher was ill of severe fever, and under the care of Dr. Stokes. lam happy to say that such is not the case; he was slightly indisposed for a day or two last week, but is now perfectly recovered and enjoys excel lent spirits. I understand he has not as yet made any arrangements for his defence, nor does he seem much concerned about it. His father frequently visits him. As I stated before, he and Mr. O'Brien occupy the same apartment; it is rather a good and airy room, in the debtors' side of the prison, and contains two neat camp beds, with every other requisite. Mr. O'Brien's lady and sisters visit him daily, and books are sent him in dozens, with the request generally from some fair owner, that they may be returned after he has read theui (which would impose no small task on him), with his and Mr. Meagher's autographs. I presume the wishes of the patriotic ladies are duly complied with." DEATH OP A POOR-LAW INSPECTOR.—Mr. William John Hancock, for a considerable time an assistant poor law commissioner and inspector, died this morning at Sutton, near Howth, of typhus fever, caught in the dis charge of his duties. _ _ _ _ Loan JOHN RUSSELL'S VISIT.—The Cork Reporter states that Lord John Russell will visit that city in his way through the south. ENFORCEMENT OF POOR-RATES.—The Earl of Clare, chairman of the Limerick board of guardians, has re ef ived a letter in reply to their application for time, of which the following is a copy:— " Treasury Chambers, Aug. 24, 1848. "My Lord,—The Lords Commissioners of her Ma jesty's Treasury having had under their consideration the resolution of the guardians of the Limerick union, enclosed in your Lordship's letter, soliciting postpone ment of the payment of the Government demand upon them, lam directed by their Lordships to state that they cannot consent to postpone any repayment on to count of the sum due from the Limerick union. " I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's ery obedient servant, " G. J. PENNINGTON. " The Earl of Clare." ATTEMPT TO MURDER CAPTAIN WHITE.—A fellow of the name of Jacob Isaacs, an Italian, who has been recently discharged from gaol, after undergoing a term of imprisonment for robbing the Cork Steam Packet office, attempted to assault Captain White, J.P., on Monday, with the intention of murdering him. Ho was peroeived to take up a large stone and put it under his coat, and follow Captain White through several streets, watching an opportunity to throw it with deadly effect. Fearing that murder would be the result, a boy acquainted Sub•constable Mockler, 64, who arrested Isaacs at the moment he was about to strike Capt. White with the stone. The prisoner, on arrest, declared that he was determined on committing murder.—Cork Con stitution. BELFAST PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION.-- - This associ ation, which was lately formed for the maintenance of the religious principles of the Reformation, and the p,rmanence of the union between Great Britain and Ireland, has now connected with it upwards of 1,400 members. Every week is so adding to the list of names, that it has been found necessary to enlarge the gallery of the Christ Church mission -rooms, in order to accommodate the numerous auditors who are admitted to hear the addresses which are usually deltvered.— panner of Ulster. SURREY ZOoLoGICAL GARDENs.-These gardens were last evening crowded with a more than usually numerous assemblage of company, who were, in addition to the other exhibitions of the place, attracted by the bill of fare announcing the benefit of M. Jullien, and containing the names of Mr. Sims Reeves and other fa vourites of the public. There were several thousand persons present, and amongst them a good sprinkling of persons of rank and fashion. The entertainments were very excellent, and the whole arrangements of the con cert admirably conducted. The grounds themselves were of the best order, the flower beds and the turf exhibiting the effects of good cultivation, and of the showers with which they have been saturated. The usual display of fireworks concluded the amusements of the evening. The concert may be said to have been as well attended as the beneficiare himself could desire. THE WEATIIES.—The weather since our last has up to the two last days , been unsettled ; there has, ho w • ever, been a marked improveme nt on Mon day and yes terday. Saturday was g loom y and rain y . Sunday was cloudy; rain fell in the mo rnin g , and a gain , accompanied by wind at night. Monday morning was cloudy and windy, and some rain fell ; but the latter part of the day was exceedingly fine. Yesterday was also very fine and much warmer than it has been for some time. The following return, by electric telegraph, from the places named at seven o'clock, a.m., yesterday morn' g, \\ > T weastle, W., that the fine weather has been very general : In Gl shows ; Hirl . l, S.W., cloudy; Edinburgh, S.W., fi ne . N . ,, -as g" , very fine ; York, S.E., very fine very fine ; fine ; Leeds, W., very fi v n e e ry ; fine ; Normanton, E., very fine ; Liverpool, S.W., very fine ; Rotherham, S., Lincoln, S.W., very Manchester, S. by W., very. line ; Norwich, W.S.W , fine ; Derby, N.E. b cloudy ; .Nottingham, W., fine ; Lowestoffe, wes : w iine , ; Yarmouth, S.W., very very fine ; Birmingham, N., very e fine ß ; Leie s es . te b r, E , very fine ; London, S.S.E , S.W., very fi Gosport, fine , n Co ; lche u ft b e y r; S.W. cloudy ; W., clou . d • ; • Poole W., fine • Gloucester, S.E. Southampton, N.E , fine , Hertford, ) S.W., ~ loudy ; by . S., fin . e.—lllanchester Guardian of yesterday. 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