The Sun. — London, England, 1848-03-14 00:00:00

GREAT CHARTIST MEETING ON KENNINGTON-COMMON. It a gratifying to record that the great demon stration passed off without any conflict with the police or military. The proceedings were brought to a close at about half - past two o'clock, and a vote of thanks hatcing been awarded to the chair man, the meeting began quietly to disperse, a proceeding which was greatly facilitated by a heavy shower of rain. Who resolutions given yesterday were all passed without a dissentient voice, and with the loudest demon strations of applause we ever heard. The chairman, who at the close again implored the multitude not bo give way to any violence, to exhibit moral force alone, was in structed to forward the nature of the resolutions to the Ministers, and to convey their reply to a meeting to be hereafter convened by him. In a quarter of an hour the common was clear, and the people made the best of their way, through the pelting rain, to their dwellings. The movers in the proceedings adopted a wise course when they abandoned the idea of advising the people to march en masse to the official residence of the Prime Minister, in Downing-street. Bloodshed, if not loss of life, must have been the inevitable result of such a pro ceeding, for both the police and the military bad, we un derstand,Teceived positive instructions to resort to ex treme measures to prevent anything in the shape of a procession. After the meeting had separated, wet but in peace, the police' patrolled out of their hiding-places, and after marching to and fro a little, were trotted off home. The military in ambush did not show themselves. It was said they would not file off till nightfall. The fact of any of the military being i in the neighbouihood seemed totally unknown to the inhabitants—even the " oldest" one—in consequence of their having boon se creted long before the break of day. Detachments of the police were obtained from nearly all the divisions in the metropolis and the suburbs. A small number of one division were stowed away in the vaults of the church in the Waterloo-road, and we were told that they spent the time somewhat merrily. In consequence of so many of the police having been withdrawn from other portions of the town, some thieves took advantage of the circumstance and turned it to their profit. We were told that a pawnbroker's shop in Southampton street, Camberwell, was broken into, and that a great number of gold and silver watches and a quantity of plate were stolen. The windows were broken, and the other property much damaged. The absence of the police was much complained of ; there was not one to be seen or obtained, and the proprietor armed himself and his assistants with guns and pistols, and prepared themselves for any second attack that might be made. A toy and comb shop in the same street, we Were told, was also robbed. Several other robberies took place. The, inauspicious state of the weather has done more to clear the streets than the 4,000 police on duty, and the 200 or 300 soldiers, horse and foot, ready, during the whole day, at a given signal, to start from their ambush upon the multitude on Kennington-common. SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. CURRIE, THE PRINCIPAL DEPUTY•CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS. We feel the greatest sorrow in having to announce the sudden death of Mr. Currie, the n ewly-appointed principal clerk of the House of Lords, which took place yesterday shortly after four o'clock. Mr. Currie was in his place in the House of Lords yesterday morning having for the first time that day been employed in the discharge of the duties of his new appointment. In the early part of She Dawning he appeared cheerful as usual, and about twelve o'clock went to his private room to transact some business connected with his office, accompanied by one of the gentlemen of the House ; while there he was suddenly taken ill, and requested that his son might be sent for ; the gentleman left him to send off a mess( nger for that pur pose, and on returning to the room he found Mr. Currie on the Hoar , in an apoplectic fit, and totally unconscious of all around him. Medical assistance was im mediately sent for, but all human aid was found to' be quite in vain ; the unfortunate Gentleman's consciousness never once returned, and he expired shortly after four o'clock. In the death of Mr. Currie the House of Lords sustains the irreparable loss o f one of its most valuable officera, his family that of a kind and afYectionato parent, and society an honest, useful, and amiable man. Mr. Carrie Lad tilled for many years the office of second clerk of the Parliament, and by his engaging manners and obliging disposition had endeared himself to a wide circle of friends. His death has created a blank that will not easily be filled up. His remains are now lying in his oWn private room at the House of Lords, awaiting a coroner's inquest. ELECTION COMMITTEES. AYLESBURY. (Continued from our AfternoonlEdition of 'yesterday.) The customary formal proofs having been put in, it was established upon the evidence of Mr. Robert Gibbs, the editor, proprietor, and publisher of the Bucks and Ayles6to.y News, that at the last election en agency sub sisted between several parties who gave orders for tho treating and the sitting Member. Martha Rhodes, the waitress and chamber-maid at the Crown:lnn, Aylesbury, proved that Mr. Deering's Com mittee held its sittings in a room at the Crown. Re peated dinners were given there, when Mr. Deering and a large number of his friends were present. A great number of committeemen, electors, and others, had wine and refreshment there every day during the elec tion, free of expense. Lucas Jacock proved that he got a ticket from one of Mr. Deering's committeemen, named Bedford, which he afterwards ()hanged for three pots of ale at the George Inn. Other witnesses gave evidence of treating and bribery The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow. HARWICH. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) John Manering, an elector at Harwich, proved that on the day of the nomination and the day of election he, together with a number of other voters, were at the Duke's Head, in Harwich, where they were supplied with as much drink as they required, free of expense. They went up in a body to vote for Mr. Attwood, headed by a band of music. They all plumped for Mr. Att. wood, who, after voting, accompanied them to the Cups, where they were again liberally treated. James Pritchard, landlord of the Royal Oak, proved that similar practices prevailed at his house. His bill amounted to 251., which was paid by Mr. Hastie, an agent of Mr. Attwood. Other witnesses 'gave similar testimony, and the evi dence for the petitioners closed. Mr. Sergeant KINGLAKE then summed up, contending that the allegations of bribery and treating had been fully established, after which The Committee adjourned tiil to-morrow at eleven o'clock. BE WDLEY (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) The witness Bennett, upon cross-examination, said he agreed to Aokroyd's proposition, because he thought he mightjust as well have a cheap ride as not. At the time he went away he had 31. in his pocket, besides the SL, although when he left Bewdley he owed 14L for rent. He was a shoemaker and constable, but had not been dismissed from the office of constable. The county superintendent told him that he had better not act again. and he replied, " Very well, I am very glad of it, for I do more for nothing than you do for your salary." It was untrue that the reason be and Stubbs did not go to London was, that the porter at the station would not let them get into the train. Thomas Parkins was recalled, on behalf of Mr. Ire land, to prove that both Bennett and Stubbs were drunk wheat he carried them to Birmingham. Stubbs was so drunk that he was unable to articulate properly, and on the road both of them were so noisy that he was glad to give them more liquor to get them to sleep. Upon reaching Birmingham, both of them insisted upon ,going up to town, but on the read to the station they passed a house kept by a prize-fighter and insisted upon going in, where they had a considerable quantity of porter, for which he refused to pay, and Bennett paid the money. They then went to the station, where he procured two tickets for London, but upon their appearing on the platform, the inspector on duty, seeing they were 20 drunk, refused to allow them to go by the train. Both of them then retired to a waiting room, and having slept there for three quarters of an hour, he awoke them up, and started them off by the Rugby train. It was at their own request he took them to Birmingham, and upon a promise from Mr. Ackroyd :Alec he would reimburse him the expenses. The Committee adjourned till eleven o'clock to =zorrow morning. During the night of Saturday a placard was posted on the walls of the town, calling on the artisans of Liver pool to meet at three o'clock on Sunday, on the Exchange square, to take into consideration why British artisans should have to pay dearer for everything they consume than any other people under Heaven. This attempt to induce artisans to desecrate the Sabbath was a signal failure. At the hour appointed about two or three hun dred persons were assembled, attracted more, howc:ver, by curiosity than any other feeling, and no response was made to the call by the decent and orderly working people of Liverpool. It is satisfactory to know that as soon 'as the announcement of the meeting was made, the Magistrates in a body met in the Town-hall, to give effect to those precautionary measures which had already been taken for the preservation of the peace. glad to say that those preparations are on a scale W t e o en sureare the safety of life and property if eit her should be assailed. Bat, in truth, the Mayor and magistra t e s may implicitly rely on the good sense of the people , an d w e think they may be assured that, should the peace be disturbed by idle or dissolute persons here, or by persons from a distance, our orderly and well-conducted fellow townsmen will be themselves sufficient to put down any at tempt to interrupt the tranquillity of Liverpool.—Albion. WlNDSOR.—Another batch of those unsightly houses which have so long been permitted to block up the western front of Windsor Castle were sold by auction last Week by order of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues, and are now in course of rapid removal, and it is said the whole of those remaining would have been sold for the same purpose, had not the Board of Works been apprehensive that the demolition of so many houses would deteriorate the price of old materials in the Windsor market. Those now removing, however, will clear the West front of the Castle f i om the Garter Tower to below the old Clock Tower, heretofore called Julius Caesar's Tower, and so far clear the way for the magnificent improvement pro jected by the late Sir Jeffery Wyatville, under the aus pices of George IV., viz., a continuance of the North terrace, all round the western front to the Salisbury Tower, with a range of modern shops and a colonnade beneath the terrace. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 14, 1848. DINNER TO LORD FALKLAND. On Saturday the directors of the East India Company entertained Viscount Falkland at dinner at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate- street, on the eve of his departure to assume the functions of Governor of Bombay. The entertainment was of the most sumptuous cha racter, and in all its arrangements was creditable to the ample resources and exquisite taste of Messrs. Bathe and Breach. Covers were laid for 120. The CHAIRMAN of the East India Company presided, having on his right Viscount Falkland, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Marquis of Abercorn, Earl Fortescue , the Earl of Auckland, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, Mr. Wigram, Lord Langdale, the Vice-Chancellor of Eng land, the Lord Chief Baron, the Attorney-General, Mr. Ashburnham, Captain Gough, and Mr. Mills ; on the left the Lord Mayor, the Deputy-Chairman of the Hon, East India Company, the Marquis of Clanricarde, Earl Granville, the Earl of Strafford, Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, Lord Elphinstone, Mr. Lecb, Lord Camp bell, Sir G. Arthur, Sir R. Inglis, Sir T. Maemahon, Mr. Lyall, Dr. Lushington, Sir J. Macdonald, Mr. Hayter, Mr. Wyse, &c. The rest of the company embraced the different members of the Court, and others connected with Indian affairs. The band of the Coldstream Guards was placed in the gallery, and during the evening played some favourite overtures and national airs. The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the first toast, " The health of our Sovereign Lady the Queen," said that on ordinary . occasions that toast required no accompanying observations; but these were times when every head, every heart, and every voice should be raised to attest our fealty and devotion to the Sovereign.—(Loud cheers.) He, therefore, called upon them to rise and pay that compliment which was due to her Most Gracious and Excellent Majesty the Queen. Might she enjoy a long and prosperous reign. —(Drunk with all the honours.) The healths of " her Majesty the Queen Dowager-and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, Albert Prince of • Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family," having been given and duly honoured, The CHAIRMAN rose and said, they were assembled on that occasion to compliment the Noble Lord on his right, who had been appointed, with the approba tion of her Majesty, to the highly important situation of Governor of Bombay. Being thus called upon to undertake most important duties, he was confident his Noble Friend would do ample justice to the deeply responsible trust with which he had been invested. The Noble Lord had already been employed in the adminis tration of public affairs, and brought great knowledge, ability, and he was sure the best disposition to the exer cise of his new functions. The Presidency of Bombay was second only to the supreme government of India. It was a sort of advanced post on our western frontier, and the line of communication between the mother country and India. There was a large army which de served the Noble Lord's utmost care; and he would have to govern millions of industrious, attached native fellow subjects, who required only intelligence to direct and confidence to lead them.—(Cheers.) He was quite satisfied the Noble Lord would show every devotion to their interests ; that he would conciliate;their feelings, and have regard even to their prejudices and errors.— (Cheers.) He would find them loyal and attached, and their services would amply repay his confidence. Highly important and responsible as was this public trust, the Court of Directors bad appointed the Noble Lord, with the utmost confidence that he would fulfil its ; duties and cbligations with zeal, ability, and success.— (Cheers.) For himself, he would venture to express a hope that after a useful and prosperous administration for the benefit of the people, for the good of the public service, and for his own credit, the Noble Lord might return in due season to this country to enjoy the honour of his Sovereign and the applause and regard of the East India Company.—(Cheers.) He begged to propose " The health of their distinguished guest. Viscount Falkland, and success to his administration." —(Drunk with all the honours.) Viscount FALKLAND—I should very ill interpret my own feelings it', in rising to offer my most grateful thanks for the honour just done me, I were not to ex press the sense I entertain of its enhanced value, arising from the circumstances in which I am placed. I cannot regard that honour at this moment as a mere act of courtesy paid upon au ordinary occasion; I look upon it as an expression of goodwill towards one about to leave this country for a far distant and far different scene; and its value will be deeply felt by me on my arrival among my fellow-subjects in India, the inhabi tants of that presidency whose affairs I have been ap pointed to administer. I am but too painfully aware that the generous impulses of my kind friend on my left, together with your hospitable desire to cheer me, have led him very greatly to overrate those qualities and endowments by the energetic and successful exertion of which alone I can hope to obtain the approbation of the Court of Directors and of her Majesty's Govern-- Trent, who have done me the favour to recommend me to -the notice of that Honourable Company of which he is, for the second orthird time, chairman.—(Cheers.) Were I for one moment to assume that the utmost exertion of any poor ability I may possess would insure success in the performance of that task I have undertaken I might well be accused of arrogance and presumption ; on the other hand, I should do great injustice to my own feel ings did I attempt to disguise the deep anxiety under which I labour, and the amount of responsibility which the important duties about to devolve upon me neces sarily entail—duties, the pressure of which has recently been very greatly increased by the annexation to the territory I shall have to govern of a vast and lately , conquered country—duties, let me add, whose creditable discharge hereafter is by no means rendered less difficult • by the deservedly high character of my immediate prede cessor, the loss of whose services it is impossible too much to deplore, as it is impossible too much to endeavour to emulate his high administrative qualities.—(Cheers.) Such are the strong feelings by which I am actuated. But while I perfectly recognise, and am deeply impressed by the heavy responsibilty I have incurred, I am cheered by the knowledge of the very important and valuable assistance I shall derive from men of high character, standing, education, and long experience in India, who are thoroughly acquainted with the various and compli cated interests of our extended eastern empire ; and likewise by the very confident expectation which I enter tain that my bumble endeavours will on all occasions be fairly estimated, and that a kind disposition will bo shown, alike by the Hon. Court under whom I serve, and by her Majesty's Government, who have re commended me to their notice, to put the most favour. able and generous interpretation upon all my actions.— (Loud cheers.) I thank you for the honour I shall en joy in being numbered among the executive officers of a company, towards the wonderful power and prosperity of which so many of the greatest warriors and statesmen of the age in which we live have contributed, either as having been enrolled umong its servants or auxiliaries to them—(Cheers)--warriors Of whom it may be said that they never drew the sword but to conquer; states men, of whom with equal truth it may be averred that they have never directed tho energies of their vast in tellects to any subject which they did not illustrate and adorn.—(Cheers.) The object of my zealous and un ceasing efforts will be not to dishonour such a service in the position to which it is my good fortune to hare been raised; and it' hereafter it should be my happy lot to be ranked among those laborious, industrious, and pains taking public functionaries to whom British India owes so much, my proudest aspirations will be satisfied, and my reward secured.—(Cheers.) With these wishes and anxieties I venture to hope that, by the blessing of a kind Providence, my earnest endeavours to prove myself a useful servant may in some degree approximate to the sincere and fervent desire which I entertrin to deserve £0 enviable and so honourable a position.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the next toast, said—l regret extremely the absence on the present occasion of Lord John Russell, and I lament deeply the cause.— (Hear, hear.) Still, wo are honoured with the presence of a very distinguished member of the Cabinet, and not of the present Cabinet only, but one who has held high and honourable distinction in several preceding Admi nistrations—the Marquis of Lansdowne.—(Loud cheers.) The present Government undertook their weighty re sponsibilities under circumstances of peculiar difficulty. Since then national calamity has produced disastrous consequences, financial and commercial. But I do hope and believe that the clouds which darkened our horizon 'are passing away. We, in this country, are firm ia all the attachments of a steady, sensible, and loyal people —(Loud cheers)—not to be led away by any sudden impulse —there is amongst us a fund of good' sense, a strong feeling of loyalty, and a firm principle of reli gion.—(Great "cheering.) All these, we have, in fact, seen brought into useful exercise on a recent occasion; there was a slight ebullition, but it lasted only for a mo ment—our population are sound and stedfast in their attachment to their Sovereign, to the institutions of the country, and to that constitution under which England has so long prospered—(Cheers)— a constitution which, like the oak, proof against the tempest shock, firmer roots itself the ruder it blows.—(Cheers.) Anxious for the prosperity of the state, we must all desire the success of those eminent individuals who have undertaken the weighty and important functions of government. Let us hope that they may prosper in all their measures which have for their aim the honour of our Sovereign and the good of our country.—(Cheers.) I confidently propose to you the health of Lord Lansdowne, who oc cupies a highly distinguished post in the councils of Her brajesty, and who is universally respected and esteemed for, his many virtues. " The Marquis of Lansdowne and Her Majesty's Ministers."—(Loud cheers.) 'e e The Marquis of LANSDOWNE—I beg leave upon my own behalf, for my colleagues here present, aed those who are unfortunately absent upon this occasion, to express to you the satisfaction with which we have re ceived the compliment you have now paid to us, and paid to us at a most important moment.—(Cheers.) I can m only a u, s t a h y, at i i f n w answer en to ab w le h d at a t has s f u a r l l i e s i n s f t r u o m u u t d h u e c t 1 w i a i i tr h any advantage the affairs of this great country, it can only relyingbeby tions—(Cheers)—institutionsa we mo find ourselvesto-day that ngwhichln umber h h o ce n r . ss o_m i p u a s ni tuti wh u o n s s e guests Which, happily, are not op oaarlmyeddisacnhdargsuinpgported by that opinion, with the agreeable t o m yself wh en I say that, with that confidence, confidence of an united people.-- (Cheers.) which is ag posed to public lam , opinion (Cheers.) therefore, but we hope to be able to stem those diff icu l t i es to which the chairman has so justly adverted. Let me add, that it is a pecu liar gratification to us to be hion, connected as it is w ith the selec t i on of a present on this most impo rtant and interes ting occa. person by you to administer the concerns of those millions of men, and that great extent of country, lawfully, and, I may add, providentially committed to your care. I have satisfaction in thinking that my Noble Friend who sits on my left had is, as bas been truly stated by the Chairman, eminently qualified by his disposition and by his experience, to take a large share in administering your affairs in India, and in dispensing to her peop l e that pacific sway and that righteous government which you are now enabled, after much warfare and exertion, to hold out as one of the greatest blessings to the nations of the East. I am confident that he is eminently ' qualified for that task, that he will apply wisely the principles of government with which he is acquainted in this country to his exigencies in that, and, above all, that he will endeavour to place your rule upon those foundations of respect for the security of life and pro perty upon which governments, in all their variety, must essentially depend, and without the existence and firm maintenance of which it would be as impos sible for society to prosper as it would be for the earth to bring forth its fruits without seed or labour being employed to cultivate it.—(Cheers.) We leave him to act with firmness on those principles, and I unite with your chairman this day, in hoping that he may return crowned and blessed with that success which will entitle him to the thanks of the East India Company, and the applause of his fellow-countrymen.—(Cheers.) Before I sit down, allow me to propose to you The health of the Chairman, and Deputy-Chairman of the East India Company," whose princely hospitality we now partake, and who are, on so many grounds, en titled to our respect; and, I will add, to your perfect confidence.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN—I beg to offer my acknowledgments, and those of my colleagues, for the compliments which the Noble Marquis has been pleased to pay us, and more particularly for the testimony he has borne in favour of those institutions which have placed us in our present position. I believe that the arrangements which have been made by the wisdom of the Legislature for the good government of India have been happily conceived, and I do hope they will be successfully carried out. We see an immense empire, which has been conquered and administered successfully beyond what has occurred in any other part of the world, and by very simple machinery ; by that body which the Noble Lord has been pleased to compliment, conducting in this country the concerns of millions in fnr distsut realms, and over territories greatly exceeding in extent those of any other state in Europe.—(Cheers.) I trust our ex ertions may still be applied to effect the good govern. ment of India, and retain the confidence of her Majesty's Government .—(Cheers.) I regret the absence upon this occasion of the President of the Board of Control. I did hope I should have had another opportunity, before laying down my office, of expressing the sense I feel of his kindness, attention, and cordial co-operation with the Court of Directors. The two bodies are not anta gonist powers ; their duty leads them to co-operate with each other ; and thus they lend mutual force to the great machine they put in motion. Anything like dis cord or division would necessarily tend to impair its efficiency ; but nothing of that kind has occurred while I have had the lhonour to act as chairman. I beg to propose " The health of Sir J. C. Hobhouse, Presi dent of the Board of Control."—(Cheers.) Mr. C. LEWIS briefly acknowledged the compliment. The CHAIRMAN next proposed the health of Lord Auckland and the navy. He had great pleasure in repeating the expressions of respect and admiration he had uttered on former occasions towards the Noble Earl. Lord Auckland had administered the affairs of a great empire with honour to himself, and advantage to the people of India, as well as to the interests of the nation at large.—(Cheers.) He had now to superintend and promote the efficiency of that main arm of our defence —the navy, which had so long been our pride and our boast.—(Cheers.) " The health of Lord Auckland, with honour and prosperity to the British navy." The Earl of AUCKLAND—AIIow me, in the first place, to return you thanks for the kind and flattering terms in which you haVe been pleased to speak of me as connected with India. I eau assure you that I bear a lively recollection of all that occured to me in that country. I still take a deep interest in all the concerns of that empire , . lam proud to have been present on this occasion, and I augur the happiest results from the administration of my Noble Friend (Cheers.) I beg further to return you thseles for the navy—for that navy which has upon may occasions ren dered signal service to India, and every efficer of which who has served in the eastern seas must retain lively recollections of the liberal hospitality with which he was received at all the ports of India, and the active support he found at all times from the Governor-General and from the Indian navy.—(Cheers.) Referring to that Indian navy, I cannot but feel that this arm of the ser vice is more particularly connected with the Govern ment of Bombay, and I may perhaps prove to the Com pany how closely the interests of the navy and the Government of Bombay are united, when I inform you ihat two chips of the line will shortly be launched from the dockyard of that presidency.—•(Cheers.) I beg again to thank you for the honour you have done me in drinking my health.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN next proposed " The health of Field- Nlarshal his Grace the Duke of Wellington"—a man to whom he had long been accustomed to look up with reverence and admiration—(Cheers)— the warrior who never lost a battle, the statesman whose wisdom secured what his valour has won.—(Loud cheers.) _ _ The Earl of STRAFFORD returned thanks for .the army. . _ Viscount FALKLAND proposed " The Army of India,' amidst loud cheers. • Sir G. POLLOCK, in acknowledging the compliment, said the services he had rendered were very small. It had been his great good fortune to be appointed to a command where the troops were determined to advance, and he coal nbt help himself.—(A laugh.) If he had his brother's eloquence he might perhaps be able to give some idea of the gratification he now felt; but, as it was, he could only return them bis best thanks for the honour they had done him in drinking his health.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN next proposed " The health of the Lord Mayor." As chief magistrate of this imperial city, onerous and difficult duties devolved on him, and he had performed them with honour to himself and advantage to the community. The people were sound at heart, and they only required good leaders and good directors —a magistracy to check the evil-disposed, and assist to support the peaceable inhabitants. The Lord Mayor had acted on a late occasion with eminent success, and he was entitled to the gratitude of the public. The LORD MAYOR feared his Hon. Friend the Chair man had overrated his services. He should at all times endeavour to discharge his duty so as to merit the ap proval of his fellow-citizens.—(C heers.) The CHAIRMAN, in giving the next toast, "The health of Lord Dalhousie, Governor- General of India," expressed a confident hope and belief that he would follow the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor, Vis count Hardinge.—(Cheers.) Not that he would be called upon to emulate his exertions on the field, but to adopt his example in the Cabinet. The civil career of Lord Hardinge deserved the highest commendation. He had displayed throughout a noble and generous policy, and secured its results by the most wise and considerate arrangements.—(Cheers.) He gave " The health of the present and late Governor-General of India."—(Cheers.) The civil service of India was then drunk and ac knowledged by Mr. SHANK; after which the company retired. Mr. Toole was toast master. NEw POSTAGE REGULATIONS.-An order has just been issued from the General Post office, directing that letters, hereafter forwarded from the United Kingdom to Hamburgh, if specially addressed via Belgium and Prussia, and letters to Cracow, directed by the respec - tive routes of Belgium, Holland, or Hamburgh, via Prussia, will be liable to the following rates of postage, viz.: to Hamburgh via Belgium and Prussia, for a letter weighing under : fez. Is.; weighing foz., and not ex ceeding f oz., Is. 2d.; weighing -fez., Is. 4d.; exceeding 40z., and under 40z., 2s. 2(f.; weighing 40z., and under loz., 2s. 4d.; weighing loz., 2s. 6d.; and exceeding loz., and under lioz., 4s. 2d. A letter to Cracow, via Bel gium and Prussia, anything under ioz. Is. Bd. • weigh ing 40z.; and not exceeding 40z., 2s. 6d.; weighing ioz., 33. 4d.; exceeding 40z., and under 4oz, 4s. 2d.; weighing 4 0z., and under loz., 55. ; weighing loz., ss. 103.; exceeding loz., and under 140 z., 7s. 6d. To Cracow, via Holland, the charge for a letter weighing under loz. is to be Is. Bd.; weighing loz., and not exceeding }oz., 2s. 4d.; weighing 40z., 35.; exceeding ioz., and under 40z., 45.; weighing 40z., and under loz., 4s. Bd.; weighing loz., ss. 4d.; exceeding loz., and under lioz., 7s. 4d. To Cracow, via Hamburgh, the charge for a letter weighing under /oz. is to be Is. ad. ; weighing 40z., and not exceeding koz., Is. 6d.; weighing koz., Is. 9d.; exceeding f oz., and under loz., 2s. 9d.; weighing 40z., and under loz., 35.; weighing loz., 3s. ad.; exceeding loz,, and under lioz., ss. 3 , 1. By this regu lation the combined British and Prussian rates are to be taken upon the scale of weight now used for charging inland letters, but the Belgian and foreign transit rates are to be taken upon a scale advancing by 40z., in ac cordance with the principle adopted for charging letters for I'russia via Belgium. The postage also on letters for Hamburgh and Cracow by these routes may be paid in advance, or the letters may be sent unpaid, at the option of the sender, but the payment of the postage for a portion of the distance only is not permitted. THE PEACE OF THB CITY.-We are happy to say all continues quiet, but the public authorities have re laxed nothing of their preparations to meet any such folly should the slightest attempt to renew it be mani fested. The high and special constables have been in readiness every evening up to Saturday night, but were dismissed at an early hour-everything being tranquil. The Sheriff in returning thanks on Saturday night to the special constables who had assembled in the Council Chambers, informed them, that it was contem plated by the authorities to organize them into a per manent body; and that on Tuesday evening such regula tions would be brought before them as he had no doubt would be satisfactory. In the meantime, on his own responsibility he would suggest that they be distin guished by a button, or coat and button. The proposition was enthusiastically received, and it was suggested that the Lyon Clerk should be applied to for a properly au thorised design. We are happy to state, that the infor mation from all quarters as to the state of public feeling is most satisfactory-the desire to create tumult or disor der exists only among the very worst sections of the community.-Caledonian Mercury, SOMNAMBULISM EXTBAORDINART.-A short time since, Mr. Cunnington, of Brampton Moor, fancy turner, &c., was awakened about two o'clock in the morning by a noise at his door. He got up and opened the window when his daughter Hannah called out " Come father, go to work, the steam is up." Mr. C. dressed himself as quickly as possible, and went to the engine-house, about 100 yards distant, when he found the steam roaring out of the boiler which is attached to the engine that turns his work. Having drawn the fire and made it all safe, he returned home for an explanation of the strange occurrence, when he ascertained that his daughter had got up in her sleep, taken the key, and gone to the en gine; she had then made a fire and got the steam up, when she returned home, but was unable to gain admis sion into the house in consequence of the door being fastened by a drop latch. She was still asleep when Mr. Cunnington returned, and he had some difficulty in awaking her. She had no knowledge of what had taken place, and what makes the affair seem more extraordi nary is, that she had not been accustomed to do anything 4t the engine. -Derbyshire Mercury. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, March 13. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Woolsack at Five o'clock. The Earl of FALMOUTH presented petitiora from Newtown, in Hampshire; Penley, in Shrop shire; and Ruan, in Cornwall, against the admission of Jews into Parliament. The Marquis, of BREADALBANE presented petitions from various Free-Church congregations in Scotland against the Diplomatic Relations with Rome Bill. Lord STANLEY presented a petition from South Shields against any alteration in the navigation-laws ; also several petitions against denunciations from the altar by Roman Catholic priests in Ireland. OFFICERS OF THE HOUSE—DEATH OF B. CURRIE, ESQ. The LORD CHANCELLOR announced to the Howe that, in consequence of . the retirement of Mr. Birch, he had intended to have announced to their Lordships the appointment of Mr. Currie to the office held by Mr. Birch, of Mr. Rose to that held by Mr. Currie, and of Mr. Edmunds to that held by Mr. Rose. In consequence of the melancholy event of this morning —(his Lordship was understood to al lude to the sudden decease of Mr. Currie, which oc cured in the afternoon)—the first appoin:;ment, of course, would be left vacant; but it was his duty to announce that he had appointed W. Rose, Esq., to be additional Clerk-Assistant in the room of Benjamin Currie, Esq., and George Edmunds, Esq., to be reading clerk in the room of W. R9se, Esq.) The Earl of DEVON passed a high eulogium on the character of the late Mr. Currie. IRISH POOR-LAW. The Earl of LUCAN rose, according to notice, to draw the attention of the House to the state of the Irish poor-law as regards the rating of lessors. The Noble Earl contended that nothing could be more unjust than the present Irish poor-law was to the landed proprietors of Ireland, and he was surprised that any Government should have proposed or should consent to administer such a measure. The rate should be levied on the occupier and not on the lessor. The law was a monstrous law, and he was at a loss to conceive what defence o f could be made by the Government. The Noble Earl then went into a long detail of the proceedings adopted by the Government in relation to a beard of guardians with which he himself was connected, to enforce the payment of the poor-rates, which proceedings he denounced as grossly unjust. The Earl of T. GERMAN'S defended the con duct of the late Government in introducing and carrying this law. It had been found absolutely impossible to collect the rates from the occupiers of small holdings, and yet it would be most unjust to exempt this description of property from contributing to the poor rates, and therefore it was determined that the lessor should be assessed to the rates instead of the occupier, and the Act provided that the rates should be recovered from the lessors. The lessor, in fact, was placed in precisely the same position as the other ratepayers. ( The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the paid guardians of the union to which the Noble Earl (Lucan) had alluded, had been obliged to adopt legal measures to enforce the levying of the rate, inasmuch as when they were appointed to succeed the unpaid guardians they found the union absolutely without funds, They had no alternative but to levy a rate as they had done, inasmuch as they had been refused access to the valuation of the parish, and if the Noble Earl felt himself aggrieved he had the right of appeal. Lord STANLEY understood that there was a practical difficulty in obtaining a remedy if a person found himself unjustly set down upon the rate-book as immediate lessor. He bad, within a limited pe riod, to find out the parties who mere really liable, and to give them notice. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE observed, that if the lessors were dissatisfied, they had the power of appeal. The Earl of LUCAN believed that no instance had occurred in Ireland, or at least in Mayo, of a lessor having appealed. Earl FITZ WILLIAM considered that the landed proprietors of Ireland should have the largest share in the administration of the poor-law in that country. lie was sorry to say, that during the last few years observations had been made in public and by the press —he wished he could say such remarks had never been made in either House of Parliament, which were calculated to weaken the influence of the landed pro prietors of Ireland, and to lower them in the esti mation of their countrymen. The Government and the Legislature seemed to consider that, having passed a poor-law for Ireland, they had done all that was necessary ; but he contended, looking not to the rate payers alone, but to the thousands who were to be the recipients of relief, that neither the Legislature nor the Executive Government had—so far as the poor-law was concerned—done their duty to the sister country. He expressed an apprehension that the distress in Ireland would be as great this year as in the last, if not greater; and he should, therefore, wish to see large national works established, and an extensive system of emigration carried out. After a few words from. the Earl of LUCAN in reply, the motion was agreed to. On the motion of Earl FITZWILLIAM, there was ordered a return of the number of able•bodied male adults receiving relief in the several unions of Ireland on the Ist of December, 1847, and on the Ist days of January, February, and March, 1848. The House then adjourned. ROUSE OF COMMONS, Mweh 13. The SPEAKER took the Chair at a quarter to Four o'clock. NEW MEMBERS. Sir 11. W. BARRON took the oaths and his seat for Waterford, and Mr. Aultsraorm for the borough of Lancaster. CASUAL POOR WARDS. Mr. LUSHINGTON presented a petition, signed by 400 of the inhabitants of Westminster, com plaining of the state of the casual wards at the various unions, and praying the House to make some alter ations in the system of affording casual relief to the poor. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ROME. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from Dundee against the Bill for authorising the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Court of Rome. Sir R. H. INGLIS also presented several petitions to the same effect. Petitions against the measure were also presented by Mr. Ewart, from Dumfries; by Mr. Lushington, from Westminster ; by Mr. Lockhart, from Lanark • shire ; by Mr. Plumptre, from various places • by Col. Lindsay, from Wigan ; by Mr. Cowan, from the Moderator of the General Assembly of Scotland; and from varioui other places. NAVIGATION LAWS. Mr. HUDSON presented a petition from Sun derland against any alteration in the navigation laws. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from Dum fries to the same effect. ----- ifoliiii , diTHOLlC RELIEF BILL. Sir R. INGLIS presented several petitions agains' the Roman Catholic Relief Bill. Mr. PLUMPIRE presented several petitions to the same effect. Mr. COWAN presented petitions to the same effect, JEWISH DISABILITIES BILL. Petitions against the Jewish Disabilities Bill were presented by Sir R. Inglis, by Mr. Plumptre, and by Mr. Hamilton. ....... LANDLORD AND TENANT BILL. Mr. S. CRAWFORD presented a petition against the proposed Landlord and Tenant Bill from Bally more and various other places in Ireland. IRISH POOR-LAW. Mr. HAMILTON - presentedi;everal petitions praying for an alteration -- -in the present poor-law of Ireland. PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. Mr. CORBALLY presented a petition from Meath, praying the House to abolish the system of punishment of death. Mr. WAWN presented a petition from South Shields against any alteration in the navigation laws. Mr. MONSELL p res ented a petition from the for inquiry on the grand jury of th e C oun ty o f Limerick, regretting the failure of Mr. Dunne's motion with respect to the Irish po or -l aws , an d pray i n g subject. Mr. BRIGHT presented petitions from Shepton Mallet, and other places, against the game-laws. LAND REVENUES. On the m o ti on o f th e E a rl of LINCOLN the fol. lowing r e t urns were or d ere d :—Return of the annual income derived from the possessions and land reve nues of the Crown under the management of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, &c., includ ing fines on leases, and all other sums received in respect of such leases, or otherwise, for or in respect of the said possessions and land revenues (except from sales and exchanges), within each of the ten years ended the sth day of April, 1847, and in the three quarters of a year ended the sth day of January, 1848 ; showing, al so , th e amoun t which has been applied within each o f th e same pe riods out of such income, —in the c os t s , c h arges , an d expenses attending the management of the said possessions and land re venues ; in the payment and discharge of a n y fixed annual sum of money, or any pension permanently charged thereon; in the payment of any principal sum, and the interest of any prin cipal sum or sums of money, charged upon the said possessions and land revenues by way of loan ; and the amount which has been carried to the Consolidated Fund ; showing, further, the balance in the hands of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, &c., in respect of such annual income, at the end of the periods respectively above mentioned ; and the balance in the hands of the said Commissioners on the accession of her present Ma jesty. Returns, showing the several powers of sale now vested in the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, &c., in respect of the possessions and land revenues of the Crown under the management of that Board, and showing the amount which in each of the ten years ended the 6th day of April, 1847, and within the three quarters of a year ended the sth day of January last, has been raised in exer cise of those powers; the aggregate rental of the properties sold, the purposes to which the produce has been applied, distinguishing the amount appro priated under each head, and the balance in the hands of the said Commissioners at the end of each of those periods respectively : of all powers of purchase vested in the said Commissioners, showing the amount which has been expended in the exercise of those powers, the aggregate rental of the property acquired, and the purposes to which such property has been applied. And a similar return as to the powers of exchange vested in the same Commission ers, and as to the exercise of such powers, so far as it may have involved the receipt or application of money. Returns of all moneys raised and at present chargeable on the security of the Land Revenues of the Crown, specifying the authority under which, and the purposes for which they have been so raised, and whether such authority is limited or otherwise in amount, the dates and amounts of the respective loans, the parties with whom, and the periods for which they have been con tracted; the rate or rates of interest respectively pay able thereon ; the amount of interest hitherto paid, and the fund out of which it has been paid. And of any further sum or sums of money proposed to be raised on the same security ; the authority under which, and the purposes for which it is proposed to raise them, and the amount. Returns, showing the amounts respectively voted by Parliament within each of the ten years ended the 31st day March, 1847, for services in the department of the Commissioners of her Majesty's works and buildings, distinguishing special from ordi nary services ; showing also the expenditure incurred in respect of those services : showing the amounts respectively voted by Parliament, under the same heads, for the year ended the 31st day of March, 1848; and the expenditure incurred in respect of each up to the 31st day of December, 1847: of the aggre gate balances in the hands of the saki Commissioners, in respect of the moneys so voted, at the end of each of the periods above mentioned; and the application of such balances. INCOME-TAX. Sir R. PEEL presented a petition from Leicester, stating that the petitioners preferred a tax on income to a tax on articles for consumption, and praying that no tax might be made on the necessaries of life.— (Hear, hear.) EXPULSION OF THE ENGLISH FROM FRANCE. Mr. STAFFORD, seeing the Right Hon. the Se cretary of State for the Home Department in his place, wished to ask him whether he had received any further information with reference to the expulsion of the English from France ? Sir G. GREY was most happy to have an opportu nity to answer the question of the hon. member. He had received a list of the workmen who had already ar rived at Portsmouth, and a statement of the amount of wages due to them, which list had been transmitted to the Foreign-office, in order that a demand might be made upon the Provisional Government of France for compensation. He had also ascertained that conveyance for a considerable number of other workmen, who were being driven from France, would have to be provided, while he had re ceived information from the Lord Mayor, that large bodies of labourers, who had been ex pelled from various parts of France, were daily arriving in London in a destitute condition. and rash in him in presenting himself to the Com- i mittee at that early period of the evening, but, as he had had many opportunities of collecting information on the subject, which, if he were not very stupid, ought to enable him to give the House an opinion upon it, he trusted the Committee would allow him to say a word or two before the debrre proe,e,led fu; lier —(11( ar.) No subject could be of more importame er could be more entitled to the calm attention and scrutiny of the House, than the one now under dis cussion ; and however painful it might be to him to oppose the administration of his Noble Friend the First Lord of the Treasury, he could not conscien tiously support the continuance of a tax for three years, which he considered to be not only unequal but unconstitutional.—(Hear, hear.) But before he went into the question of the tax itself, perhaps the House would indulge him for a few mo ments, whilst he attempted to clear up some misrepresentations which the House had been put in possession of with reference to himself. He felt it to be his duty to declare that he fully concurred in the wisdom of the policy which the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth pursued from the day he entered office in 1841 till the time he left it; and whatever might be stated to the contrary, he must be allowed to expess his belief that the measures he introluced were his own, and the public were indebted to him alone for the benefit which they had conferred upon the country.—(Hear, hear.) frith regard to the extract read front the Glasgow paper the other night, it was, he supposed, in the relied of a meeting at which upwards of 6,000 were present, and where five or six Chartists came forward, one of whom he believed began the riots the other day at Glasgow to get up a disturbance.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) One of them asked him if he did not pre pare Sir Robert Peel's tariff, but he declined to an• swer him, and thereupon a monsterous uproar took place.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) In order to quell the noise he stated that he would endeavour to give him an answer, and he distinctly stated that had the Right Hon. Baronet or himself been in office he would not have given an answer to it, because he considered it an impertinent question.— (Hear, and laughter.) He, however, stated to the fellow who asked the question, that at the time to which reference had been made, he was Secretary to the Board of Trade, and that the Right Hon. Baro net, who was then Vice-President, directed him to prepare skeleton schedules for the new tariff ; and that the Right Honourable Gentleman himself, anti a young gentleman who was at the time his own private secretary, were all who had access to these schedules.—(Hear, hear.) That was what he did say at the meeting, and he regretted to state that the only two Glasgow papers that told the truth in reference to the meeting were the two opposed to him.—(llear and laughter.) He objected to the tax because it was unequal, unpopular, and oppressive in its operation. He thought this country and Scotland had great right to complain unless the tax was extended to Ireland.—(Hear.) He considered that the e , :penliture of the conn , ,ry was exce.::•sive, and required alteration and reduction. He thought it would be one of the greatest calamities that the country could endure if the Chancellor of the Exchequer was unable to pay the dividends on the public debt; but he had no doubt such a calamity might be avoided by a proper economy in the ex penditure. If history was to be taken as the teacher of national policy, it would be found on a reference to her pages, that prosperity depended upon a sound system of finance. Frederick the Great, who found the Prussian Exchequer in a miserable state when he succeeded to the throne, succeeded, notwithstanding all the expenses of his wars in Silesia and elsewhere, to put it on a footing which enabled him to pay off all the debts of the country, and to leave a large sum at his death in the Exchequer. On the other hand Austria, a country equally fertile and productive, if not snore so, than Prussia, was never placed under any sound system of finance, and from the days of Maria Theresa down to the present time nothing but difficulty arid diftress pre vailed its that ceun'ey. Maria Theresa herself had to beg money of her people, to hold correspondence with Madame Pompadour and another royal para mour, to melt down the silver plate in her chapel, and to resort ti other expedients ill becoming the dignity of a great queen of a large kingdom.. The failures which took place in Austria in 1811 and 1813, af forded an example to all the countries in the world which wished to maintain its independence. The Hon. Member quoted Schiller's " History of Bohe mia" in proof of his assertion, and contended that every nation, from the Roman empire downwards, had owed its prosperity or fall to the sound or un sound condition of its system of finance. It was the undoubted right of the House of Commons—for the Constitution had wisely and justly entrusted it with the initiative in all questions of taxation—to act in the most unrestricted manner with respect to proposi ,' tions of this nature. He trusted the House would never adopt a policy of mere expediency, but go at once into the question of our expenditure, rather than continue in a three per cent. income-tax, which could , not possibly meet the emergencies of the Exchequer, ' for three years. He would say that the best policy would be to grant a three per cent., or a five per cent. tax, or more if necessary, for one year, and to enter at once on the whole question of taxation.—(Cheers.) He considered it his duty to make this appeal to the House, because he considered that such a course would be in accordance with public opinion —not an ignorant, a noisy, and a riotous public opinion, but the opinion of the enlightened and the intelligent, as represented by an unanimous public press, with only three solitary exceptions that he could learn. He should, therefore, vote for the motion of the Hon. Member for Montrose. Dlr.Alderman SIDNEY considered it due to the corn -nercial and working classes of this country that he should give expression to his opinions on the question before the House. With the working classes he had mixed much, and he could assure the House that they felt strongly on the subject. He considered that the tax would not be at all needed had proper economy been resorted to in the expenditure of the country ; and he, therefore, thought it to be his duty to give his vote for the proposition of the Honourable Member for Montrose. The Honourable Member went into a statement, show. ing how heavily the shopkeepers suffered from the enormous amount of taxation to which the country was subjected, including poor rates, and instanced Norwich and Leeds, as cases that had, amongst others, come under his own knowledge. In Leeds, the rate for the poor in the present year, was as high as ss. 4d. in the pound ; and four out of every five who commenced business had failed. The Honourable Member here entered into a statement of the failures that had oc curred in London, Liverpool. Glasgow, and other great cities and towns in the latter part of 1847, and concluded by stating, with respect to the defences of the country, that the best guarantee for those defences, if required, would be found in a reduction of the tax ation from which . trade and industry were so much suffering. Mr. HEADLAM felt that he would not be adequately discharging his duty to his constituents or the country if he did not state the grounds on which he meant to give his vote on the question before the House. The lion. Member then addressed himself to the arguments which had been advanced by the Noble Lord (Lord George Bentinck) and other Hon. Members of the House in favour of a return to indirect taxation, and to that system which would tax to the consumers in this country the produce of foreign countries. That was the first argument which had been advanced in the House against the renewal of the tax. The second argument was that the tax was unjust, unequal in its operation, and oppressive; and the third was that the expenditure of the country was increasing to an alarming extent for the last few years, and ought to be reduced. He would address himself to those arguments. Her Majesty's Government thought that the tax was best as it was, .snd held out no hops of alteration, therefore they must not rely upon them. He approved of the substitu "on of direct for indirect taxation, although when it was imposed it was denounced as inquisitorial, and vexatious, and arbitrary. Upon the inequalities of the tux many of her Majesty's present Ministers enlarg-d, and he thought that the present proposition, equally unjust and equally unequal, came with a peculiarly bad grace from them.--(Hear.) There was another subject of alarm, namely, the extent to which these estimates had in creased of late years.—(Hear.) The apprehension of w.itr was the alleged reason of this. The interests of the working classes were most affected by the evils of war. They should be taught to understand that truth, and to aid with the nation at large in the peace move ment. At the same time, considering the state of the country, and the elements of disorder which were at the present moment scattered around them, he felt it to be his duty not to oppose the present proposition of her Majesty's Govern men t.—( Hear.) Mr. SANDARS said that ho was sure the Noble Lord (Lord John Russell) did not know the feeling of the country, or ho would not have proposed the reimposition of this tax in its present form. The way in which that tax was imposed uponAhe industry of the country was most unjust. It should not be imposed upon the pro duce of industry in the same way as on realised pro perty.—(Hear.) The time had arrived when there should be a complete revision of the system of taxation. (Hear.) The time had arrived for economy and re trenchment. The tax of 5 per cent. on the assessed taxes ought to be repealed, and also the window tax. If the tax. was continued on probate and legacy duty, it should also be imposed upon the descent of real property. He did not see upon what principles of justice Ireland was to be exempt from the income-tax. They were now told that this tax was to be a permanent tax; therefore, he said, that it behoved the House and the country to see that it was placed on a sound basis.—(Hear.) He be lieved that none of the evils predicted would follow from the rejection of this tax. The Hon. Member for West bury (Mr. Wilson) had defended the free-trade policy in corn, but he differed with him on that subject. Ile also dilated upon the inequalities of the income-tax, but he was greatly surprised when he expreised his intention to vote for them. Although he could not recommend a reduction of the army in the present posture of affairs, he thought that greater economy was possible, and that the Hon. Member for Montrose should have appended to his motion a proposition for a committee of inquiry on this subject. In Canada the feeling of the failure of the free trade system was very general. lie thought that now, whether right or wrong , th e y we re comnutta4 to the policy of free trade. lle was disposed to give i t a fall and a fair trial. Ile did not wish to detract from the aristocracy, but there was a middle power. The middle classes were the safety and the glory of the country, and if this tax bore hardly and unjustly , !!lon thvm, their interests o tv ,h t fi rs t 3 ,- 1 1 c hiefly to be UI d (;i, ri ) Mr. RICE sate, that if the proposition of Ministers was rejected, they could not give a greater blow to d e ; credit of the country. At the same time he thought that there should be a full inquiry into, and revision of the existing system of taxation. But that could not be done in one year. Sufficient time was required for that Pnr' pose. He contended that the strength of their nevi was the best security not only for the defence of the empire, but the general interests of commerce. viriuh regard to what had beer. said by the Hon. Member for Cockermouth respecting the inequalities of the income' tax, he could assure the House it bore as hard on the landed interest as on any other. Ho knew a case ie which the rent received did not amount to 800/. a ye' , yet the income-tax and other rates were 1,3501. Tile parties affected did not complain of that ; and he 0011 mentioned it to show that all classes in the countrf suffered from the inequality. He wished on that aim count to see the general system of taxation reviewoos but at the same time he was convinced the credit of the country required a continuance of the income-tax for three years, and he should, therefore, support the prop)* sition of her Maj,sty's Government. Mr. L. BUCK condemned the tax as the most re; vulting to the country that could be suggested. It had been that it emanated drum his (the Opposition) side of the House—(Hear)—but the Huuse ought to recol• lect that it was proposed by the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth, for the purpose of carrying the measures which he afterwards proposed to the House. He believed that nothing on earth could he more injurious at that moment than an income-tax. Let them look at their manufacturing districts, and thew's' munity at large, and although they had not heard the same complaints from the agricultural districts the/ were in the habit of hearing, yet there was no doubt their position was exceedingly precarious. Therefore , although he was not in the habit of supporting any motion of his Hon. Friend opposite (Mr. Hume), yet h• should on that occasion do so, and vote for his propely tion, in preference to the measure brought forward bl her Majesty's Government to continue the income-tat for three years. He was, however, convinced her Ma jesty's Government would do their endeavours to lessen the general expenditure of the country, and on that account, whenever they brought forward a general re vision of the system of taxation of the country their should receive his support. Mr. LENNARD confessed that he looked upon the income-tax as being the most odious that could be levied or imposed, but he could not, at the same time, help recollecting the precarious position in which the counts/ was placed. He voted the other night for the moans of the Hon. Member for Cockermouth, because he wee convinced that some inquiry ought to be instituted, with a view to make it as equal as possible on the whole cow munity. He had listened with great satisfaction to the, able speeches made during the deb a te, b u t h e cons id e re d them as totally irrelevant, for there could be no doubt that measures of free trade had become irrevocable, and that no chance existed of their retracing their step& Had he been in the House he would live voted against those measnres, but now that they were carried, he wee willing to give them every facility in his power. 'she only question before the House was, whether they should give the income-tax for three years or support the modal of the Hon. Member for Montrose, which limited it to one year. It was a sort of vote of confidence or census* on the Government, and he was not prepared to incur the responsibility of turning the Government out of office, and on that account he should support the propo sition of her Majesty's Ministers. Lord DRUMLASTRIG had heard enough to convince him that the inequality of the tax was, if not altogether fabulous, at least very fabulous in many of the stater meats put forward. He could not understand how istif Floziourable Member, who voted for the repeal of the corn-laws, could now come forward and vote against the income-tax. He had not the honour of a seat in that House when free•trade measures were passed. but considering the position in which the country Wes then placed with regard to its credit, he certainly felt bound to vote for the measure brought in by the Go vernment to continue the income-tax for three ears longer. Mr. E. B. ROCHE could not, as an Irishman, give * silent vote on the question then before the House. The people of England were at that moment suffering from the infliction of an unjust tax, and representing as he did the largest constituency in Ireland, he was anxious it should be understood that he was not actuated by any base, corrupt, or selfish motives in the vote he was about to give. If he for a moment doubted what course he ought to pursue, the speech of the Honourable Member for Westbury would remove that doubt, for he admitted the impost was most unfair and unjust ; and the speech of the Honourable—though not very secure —Member for Liverpool—(A. laugh)—and last of all, the excuse of the Right Hun. Baronet, the father of the impost, for its continuance, by a comparison with an unjust law, which shut out from the working classes air and the light of heaven, left him no alt erna ti ve . Looking at these things, and recollecting the feeling which ex isted against the measure in London, Manchester, Liver pool, and all the great towns of England, all of which had declared against it, he was bound as a re presentative _ of the people, to v o t e f or th e mot i on o f his Hon. Friend the Member for Montrose. He should next turn to an other important question, namely, how he, as an Irish• man, as well as the other Irish Members, ought to vote. lie should say, that he read with the greatest pain • speech said to have been made by his Hon. and Gal lant Friend the Member for Westminster, and the Hos. Baronet the Member for Marylebone, in which they alleged that the Irish Members were about to support the Government on that question. He would take the liberty of saying how they ought to act. What! sup port the Government, the individual at the head of which had said that ho would rather see the people of Ireland dyed in blood, than grant justice to them ? What ! support a Government who had sent a Lord- Lieutenant of Ireland, who was now reviewing his troops in the presence of the people, to prevent them from expressing their opinions upon a question of deep consideration to them ? What ! go in to the lobby with the Hon. Member for Louth, as the loyal Swiss of the Minister, to do as he desired ? He trusted that the popular representatives of Ireland would act in no such manner, but that they would act in such a way as would contribute to the weakness of the Government of the country. Mr. HENLEY said that the Hon. Member for Cork had introduced another element of discord into this dis cussion, for he suggested as a reason why the proposi tion of the Government should not be supported, that they had taken means to prevent the dismembermeet of the empire.—(Hear.) The Hon. Member then proceeded to contend that the measures of 1842 and 1845 had not tended to produce financial prosperity in the country; on the contrary, they led to the present difficulties. He also argued that the tree-trade policy had operated in a man ner not at all calculated to allay the fears of the country as to its results hereafter. Ho must also object to the observations of the Hon. Member for Westbury, in re ference to the colonies; for he looked upon the wel'are of the colonies to be identical with the prosperity of the the State, and therefore they ought not to be lightly dealt with. The Right Honourable Member for Oxford University (Mr. Gladstone) entered into a statement of figures to show that the silk trade was not injured by the operation of free trade. Now, what was the fact? Why, that the figures showed an increase of 80 per cent in respect to the importation of that class of silk vvhish interfered with the silk weavers of Spitalfields. The operation of the present system was calculated to benefit the manufacturers, at the expense of the working men. They ought not to sacrifice one class for the benefit of another. He did not complain of Hon. Gentlemen giving the people cheap food, because, as they were going to run the people in a race of difficulty, they ought at least to reduce the pressure upon them in respect to the ne cessaries of life. But the whole system showed that the Government not only knew nothing of the financial can cern& of the country, but that they were equally unac quainted with the temper of the country. He believed the Government had not taken a safe course in respect to the finances of the country, yet he should not feel himself justified, in the present state of affairs, to limit the income-tax to one year.—(Hear, hear.) He should, therefore, support the proposition of the Govern. went. Ho agreed with the Honourable Member for the town of Newcastle, that instead of Honourable Gentlemen objecting to the income-tax, on the greuad of the inequality, they ought to show how an equal amount of income could be raised by other means with less inconvenience to the people. In supporting the Government propositions, he did not mean to identify himself with that policy of the Government which brought about the present state of affairs. Mr. MOWATT said, as a Liberal Member, he woul oppose the Government snd support the motion of the Hon. Member for Montrose. He should be ashamed of himself if he was considered to be a supporter of the financial policy of the Government. lie, however, thought the present Government had entirely failed to fulfil the expectations of the country. So far from being progressive, they adopted a retrograde policy. He had hoped they would have brought forward a plan of their own. The truth was, they were too aristocratic, and took their plans from a clique. Why did they not apply the probate duties to land? —(hear, hear.) There had been levied between seventy and eighty -millions of money upon move able property from that source, while not a farthing wee imposed upon the land. He wished to know why the same duty was not imposed upon both ? The et:mutt) , was in a crisis, and they had a deficient revenue, be cause the expenditure was greater than the income. PI this season of depression the Government demanded three millions and a half. Was this the course for - middle-class Government to pursue ?—(hear, hear.) They were represented to be a middle-class Govern ment, and if they were not that, they were no Govern ment at all. Why not revert to forest lands ; if the were sold they would meet the deficiency. The trade and commerce of the country was in a state of paral)- sis.—(Protectionists' cheers.) That was not attributablu to free trade.—(Hear, hear.) He scouted such a no tion—it was not worth while to refute it. The duty on corn at the present moment was seven shillings quarter. It was stated that they wanted to remove taxation from themselves, and to impose it on other;. They desired no such thing. All they wanted was to distribute the burthen the country had to bear equally on all. The Government showed great incapacity in making such a demand in the depressed state of this country—a demand for three millions, whi c h they failed altogether to justify. Instead of retrenching, they asked for an increased expenditure of 600,0001. Ile made great allowances for them in consequence of the demands made upon them to increase the defences of the country; but that was a reason why, they . should haw, reduced the expenditure. Whatever might be the THE DEE BRIDGE. Mr. OSBORNE, seeing the First Commissioner of Railways in his place, wished to ask him a ques tion of some little importance. It would probably be in the recollection of the Right lion. Gentleman, that he put a question to him with reference to the safety of the Dee Bridge, en the Chester and Holyhead Railway. He had since learned that on the day that he put the question one of the girders was cracked by the simple blow ofa four pound hammer; and the state of the bridge was such that the trains had to pass over it shooting the steaming off. The other day, however, a train went over it with the steam on, when the oscillation was frightful; and as the state of the bridge had given rise to a good deal of alarm in the neigh bourhood, and no notice was taken of it at the recent meeting of the Chester and Holy head Railway Company, he wished to t ask the Right Hon. Gentleman whether he had received the report upon the subject, and if so, whether he would have any objection to lay it on the table ? • Mr. STRUTT stated that he had received infor mation from the engineer to the company that there was no danger to be feared from the fracture in the girder, and that it was his intention to replace the fractured girder by a sound one. PUBLIC HEALTH. In answer to a question put by Mr. DIVETT, Lord MORPETH sail that he did not think that he should be able to move the committal of the Public Health Bill until Friday se'nnight. It was his intention to move that the House should go intoCommitteeproforma in order that he might introduce several alterations in the Bill, which he thought would improve the efficiency of the Bill. At the same time he would beg to state that it was not the intention of the Go vernment to include the metropolis in that Bill, as that would be provided for by a distinct measure ; he could not, however, say when that measure would be ready for introduction. THE COAL-WHIPPERS OF LONDON. Mr. GLADSTONE wished to know whether the report of the offer of the body of coal-whippers to act as special constable was correct ? His object in putting the question was to render to that body their due—(Hear, hear)—and to bring in a marked man ner before the House an example of the beneficial effect which had resulted from the labours of this House to ameliorate the condition of that class of persons.—(Hear.) Mr. LABOUCHERE said that it was quite true that the coal-whippers had offered their services as a body to act as special constables, to the number of 2,500 men.—(Hear, hear.) The offer of those ser• vices had, he believed, been accepted, and 300 of that body had been sworn in on Saturday. The magistrates had received instructions to be in attendance to swear in any others whose services might be required.— (Hear, hear.) With respect to the measure alluded to by the Hon. Member, which were passed by this House about six years since, he believed that that measure had been productive of the most beneficial results to that class of persons. Sir G. GREY said that he felt bound to confirm the statements made by his Right Hon. Friend. In the course of last week the coalwhippers made an offer of their services to act as special constables in any part of the metropolis where their services might be r equ i re d, an d h e mos t g l a dl y b ore hit testimony to the value of the example set by that body of men.--(Hear, hear.) The recent attempted disturbances had elicited from all classes of persons the most praiseworthy desire, not only in the metro polis, but in the other large cities of England and Scotland, to give their most cordial co-operation and valuable aid in the suppression of any disturbances — (Cries of " Hear, hear")—and in the maintenance of public order, which was essential to the interests and- welfare not of one class only, but of all classes in the country.—(Hear, hear.) In Manchester alone 11,000 persons, including a large body'of operatives, were sworn in as special constables in one day.— (Hear, hear.) In Glasgow a great number, also, had been sworn in, and he had been informed by the Lord Advocate, who had himself gone down to Glas gow, that he believed 20,000 special constables could he obtained should their services be required.—(Bear.) The same might be said of Liverpool and other large towns, and he was receiving at all hours of the day the most gratifying communications upon the same subject.—(Loud cheers.) EXECUTION'S AT CLONMEL. In answer to an How MEMBER, Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that he had not re• ceived any official communications with respect to the proceedings which took place at the execution of Philip and Henry Cody, at Clonmel. Mr. B. OSBORNE could assure the Right Hon. Baronet that the accounts as they appeared in the public journals were perfectly correct. STATE OF THE QUADRANT. In answer to a question from an HoN. MEMBER, Lord MORPETH said he had received communi cations from both of the parties concerned in the dis pute now going on with respect to the colonnade of the Quadrant, and he had no doubt that ultimately the affair would be arranged amicably between all parties. TREATY WITH PRUSSIA. Mr. HINDLEY said that, as he did not see the Noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs in his place, he would give notice of his intention to ask whether there was any truth in the report that the Government of this country had just concluded a treaty offensive and defensive with Prussia WAYS AND MEANS. On the order of the day for resuming the adjourned debate on going into a Committee of Ways and Means, Mr. HUME suggested that the debate on the in come-tax ought to be brought to a close as soon as possible. - Mr. BANKES said the Honourable Member should specially direct his remarks to the Right Honourable Baronet the Member for Tamworth. Sir R. PEEL said the Hon. Member ought rather to blame the Hon. Member for the city of Warwick and the Hon. Member for Stamford, for they it was who really commenced the debate.—(Laughter.) The House then went into Committee. On the question being put, Mr. MACGREGOR said it might be presumptive M , ■