The Sun. — London, England, 1865-02-10 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT :HOUSE OF LORDS-LAST EVaTING. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat at the usual hour. BANKRUPTCY LAWS. The LORD CHANCELLOR called the attention of their lordships to some returns relating to the bankruptcy laws, and said that during the last year 7,124 adjudica tions in bankruptcy had been made. Of these only 604 were made on the application of the trader. The whole of the property collected and realised under these bank ruptcies amounted to £677,536. Of that, £ 533 , 864 was divided amongst the creditors the difference of £143,672 was absorbed in the costs of collecting and disposing of the £677,536. But that was not all. £242,872 must be added to the enormous sum of £140,000 for the expenses of the tribunal itself ; the sala ries and ordinary expense of the court ; that made £383,872 expended for the purpose of providing for the distribution of £533,664. Having mentioned the results of several other returns, he said that when the report of the committee of the House of Commons which was now considering the question had been presented he should apply himself to the task of remedying such a monstrous state of affairs. LIABILITY OF SHAREHOLDERS. The Earl of BELMORE drew attention to the recent judgment in the Court of Chancery with reference to the liability of shareholders in railways. THE POOR-LAW. Lord HOUGHTON moved for a return of the number o f unions or parishes that have availed themselves of the act of July 29, 1864, enabling them to receive from the Metropolitan Board of Works the sums of money expended in the relief of the casual poor ; of the amount of money hitherto so expended ; and of the unions where the guardians have provided new war ds or other places of reception for this class of poor, since the passing of the above-mentioned act. Earl GRANVILLE said there would be no objection to produce the return moved for by the noble lord. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING. The SPEAKER, took the chair at a quarter to four o'clock. ______ NEW MEMBER. Mr. G. S. Bow took the oaths and his seat on his elec tion for Buteshire, in the room of Mr. Mure, raised to the Scottish Bench. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The standing orders were said to have been complied with in the case of several railway and other bills, includ ing the Caledonian Railway Company, the Southampton Gas Company, the London and South Western Railway Extension, the Leeds Water Works Company, the South Lancashire Docks Company, the North British Railways Extensions, the Furness Dock and Railway Company, &c. The reading of the titles of these bills, as well as several others, in which the orders were not complied with, occu pied the greater portion of the early part of the evening. The SPEAKER said that the gentlemen elected as re ferees on private bills last year, viz., Mr. Adair, Mr. Has card, and Mr. Rickards, were to continue their useful duties during the present session. THE STANDING ORDERS. Mr. C. F ORS TER made a motion to amend Standing Order 7 by the substitution of 3 for 4, as the number of members to compose the Select Committees on Private Bills. He said that much difficulty had been experienced in getting the requisite number of members under the existing rules of the house to attend the com mittees. He thought the proposition of reducing the number of members attending committees from five to four was not practically efficient, and that his proposition, if adopted, would be found to work effectively. Mr. SMOLLETT said that he did not consider the pro position of the hon. member would meet the real grievance of which they had to complain. He referred to his per- Bonal experience of committees to show that the duties of attending these committees were not properly distributed, for in one instance he knew that a member had boasted that for seven years he had evaded serving on committees. He strongly objected to barristers or other professional gentlemen being exempted from attendance on these committees, and contended that members whose private business interfered with their public duties should resign their seats. Sir F. GOLDSMID thought that the motion of the hon. member would not be found efficient. For instance, a member might be unable to attend a committee through the death of a relative, or through his own illness, and then it would not be equitable to proceed with the consideration of a bill, for in order to come to a decision they must give the Chairman a casting vote, a proceeding which would be rendered unnecessary if they adhered to the present regulation as to the number of members composing a committee. Sir G. BOW YEE, advocated a recurrence to the old prac tice of having five members on the committees. Captain JERVIS opposed the alteration. Mr. HODGSON and Mr. H. SEYMOVII followed on the same side. Lord STANLEY contended that the fewer the number of members on committees the greater would be the responsibility of the individual members. No doubt that the chairman of a committee in general paid more attention to the proceedings in regard to private bills, but at the same time he did not agree to investing him with a casting vote. He considered that the time to which these committees sometimes extended might be profitably re duced, and he expressed himself in favour of the motion in certain points. Colonel W. PATTEN said that in his opinion it would be dangerous to reduce the number of members of committees, and advocated the practice that prevailed in the House of Lords, by which, if the committee were equally divided, • the bill wa.s to be negatived. He denied that the great railway companies would be satisfied with the decision of two members of a committee. Mr. M. GIBSON was in favour of a committee of five members ; but if that number could not be obtained with out difficulty, he thought the quorum should not be re duced further than it was at present constituted. Mr. BENTINCK complained that the practice in regard to private bills was not regulated by system or precedent. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the house would take into their consideration the means of remedying the existing defects by the appointment of a tribunal efficiently constituted. After some further discussion, the house divided, and the numbers were— For the motion Against Majority —B2 PRINTING PRIVATE BILLS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PETITIONERS. Mr. TORRENS moved, as a new standing order, " That on every private bill to be considered by a committee of the house all petitions presented by the promoters, opponents, or other parties connected with such bills, be printed at the expense of the petitioners, and copies of those petitions, as well as a copy of the bill to be considered, be delivered to each member of the committee not less than two days pre- vious to its assembling." After a few words from Colonel W. PATTEN and Mr. M. GIBSON', the motion was postponed. On the motion of Colonel W. PATTEN, some verbal amendments were introduced into standing order 192. Mr. H. D. SEYMOUR moved that a message be sent to the Lords, requesting their lordships to communicate to this house the minutes of evidence which may be taken before every committee on a private bill originating in the present session with their lordships, and sent down to this house. The question was put and agreed to, unobserved by Mr. M. Gibson, who rose to oppose it, but was called to order by Mr. Speaker. DISTRESS FOR RENT IN IRELAND. Mr. MAGUIRE gave notice that on an early d a y h e w ould move for leave to brin g in a bill to abolish the power of distress for t he recover y of rent in Irela nd. MONASTERIES AND NUNNERIES IN ENGLAND. Mr. NEWDEGA TE g ave notice that on Friday, March 3, he would move as an amendment, on going into com mittee of supply, for the appointment of a committee to in quire into the existence, character, and increase of conven tual and monastic establishments in this country. THE EXTENSION OF THE BOROUGH FRANCHISE. Mr. BAINES gave notice that he would on an early day move for leave to bring in a bill to extend the elective fran chise in boroughs in England and Wales. (Hear, hear, and ironical cheers.) THE MALT TAX. Sir P. KELLY postponed his motion on the malt tax fro m February 28 to March 7. -- THE NATIONAL GALLERY. . Mr. a s E .,-.- 1 LIOITR gave notice that on an early day he would ask the First Commissioner of the Board of Work s whethe r h e had taken any steps to carry into effect the re solution of th e h of the National aau euse last year with regard to the building ec7 in Trafalgar- square , an d what the Government would 0 in regard to the Royal Academy, in accordance with the report of the Royal Commission. REGIMENT AL, Q U ARTERMASTERS. Sir F. SMITH asked the eceived Thader-Secretary War whether he had r of State for appointed to inquire i nto the the report o f th e comm i ttee e quartermasters ; and wheth er it was clition of the re g imental the table of the house, or take an y ati intended to lay it up on The Marquis of HART INGT ON sa i e dt o h n e u pon it. reporthad been received, an d t h e r e would be no objection in question upon the table of the ho u s e. So me of the questions to lay it involved `would have to be referr ed to the Tr easury, others to War Office, the Comman der-in-Chief, an d the Secret ary o f o f State. On the army estim ates he would state the cour se which would be pursued by the Governmentin this matter. PRISONS BILL. Mr. D. GRIFFITH asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Prisons Bill about to b e brought in would remain the same as that brought in by him last session with respect to Clause 13, Part 111., of the bill, authorising the discontinuance and disposal of Abingdon Gaol. Sir G. GREY said he had given notice to bring in a bill on the subject, and would defer his explanations till then. A ROYAL DOCKYARD FOR CORK. Mr. P. HENNESSY asked the Secretary to the Admi ralty what steps the Government propose to take with reference to the recommendation made by the select com mittee of last session in favour of establishing a Royal dock in Cork harbour. ' ' ' -- -- -- -_ Lord C. PAGET said Government intend , d to proceed with the dockyard in Cork. He would deal with the report of the select committee on the navy estim ,tea. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. Mr. BENTINCK asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in consequence of the repeated recurrence of railway accidents, it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to introduce during the present session any measure for the better prevention of railway accidents, founded on the report of the Committee on Railway Acci dents which was laid upon the table of the house in the year 1858. Mr. GIBSON said the committee over which his hon. friend presided in 1858 made a numberof recommendations, the first of which was that the Board of Trade should have the fullest powers to investigate and report to Parliament upon any accidents which might occur on railways. Go vernment did not intend to ask Parliament to invest the Board of Trade with these powers, for all accidents were inquired into, and the railway companies had been willing to supply the inspectors who conducted those inquiries with all the information which was needed. The next recom mendation of that committee was, that Government should compel the companies to make some communication between the guard and the driver. This subject had been under the consideration of the committee at the railway clearing-house. They had not yet made their report, and therefore the Go vernment could not yet saywhat course the companies would pursue, or what course would be taken by the Government. At present it was not the intention of the Government to introduce any measure on the subject. The next point was that of telegraphic communication. This was already in force on many of the principal lines, and the Government did not think it necessary to legislate on the subject. Nor was it desirable to relieve the railway companies from the re sponsibility which now devolved upon them of providing for the safety of the public traffic. It would be seen from an analysis of the returns that in 1864 there was an increase in the number of accidents to passenger trains. In 1863 there were 52 accidents to passenger trains ; and in 1864 there were 77 separate accidents of that kind. But there had been a considerable increase in the number of trains altogether that run and an increase of mileage. Therefore, in dealing with the increase in the number of accidents that deduction must be made. As to the number of passengers injured in 1864, he found that the railways had conveyed 220,000,000 of passengers, exclusive of sea son ticketholders. There had been only 14 persons altoge ther killed, or one passenger out of every 15,714,285 pas sengers carried. There had been one passenger injured out of every 315,638 passengers carried. This showed an increase of the injured, and a decrease of the killed. In 1863 the railway companies had paid a severe penalty for the injuries to passengers, amounting to no less a sum than £170,000. THE SHREWSBURY MAGISTRATES AND THE CASE OF MR. ASHWORTH. Mr. BAZLEY asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention had been directed to a gross outrage committed upon Mr. Charles Ashworth, of Fairfield, and of Egerton-hall, Lancashire, who was seized by a pretended police-officer at Shrewsbury, robbed of his watch, money, and other property, and then taken before the borough magistrates, and under their orders incarce rated for 24 hours, though the most respectable and liberal bail was offered on the arrival of a clerical friend, but re fused, and the testimony of his high respectability disre garded ; and whether the magistrates had been removed from the commission of the peace. Sir G. GREY said he had received no official information or complaint on the subject. THE BELFAST. COMMISSION. Mr. O'REILLY asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when he would lay upon the table of the house the report of the Belfast Commission of Inquiry; and whether he in-. tended to propose any legislation founded on that report. Sir R. PEEL said he did not know what the recommen dation of that committee would be, and therefore couldnot say what Government would do in respect of it. EX-GOVERNORS OF COLONIES. Mr. BAILLIE COCHRANE asked the Secretary of State Tor the Colonies if, during the recess, the case of the ex-governors of colonies had been taken into the consi deration of the Government ; and whether a bill would be introduced to grant them retiring pensions. THE LAW OF BANKRUPTCY. Mr. MOFFATT moved for a select committee to inquire into the working of the present law of bankruptcy, and to report thereon. He said he would not detain the house by , travelling over the grounds which he stated last session with regard to the operation of the old aystem and its abuses; but he felt bound to allude to a Parliamentary re turn on the subject for the year ending the 11th October, 1864. In that year the total money passed under the Bankruptcy Act was £680,000. The total of the official charges on the estates administered was upwards of £140,000, or at the rate of 20 per cent., and that was exclusive of solicitors' fees and various other charges. Out of 7,200 bankruptcies 600 were at the instance of the creditors, and the 6,600 at the instance of their debtors. Of these estates only 1,500 admitted of a dividend, and only in 150 cases had the dividend exceeded 7s. 6d. in the pound, whereas in as many as 5,200 cases there had been no dividend at all declared. They had, in fact, set up a bankruptcy law which encouraged knavery and the worst class of offences which could be committed in a commercial community. The Bankruptcy Act of 1861 did contain some provisions which they might have expected to have seen work more satis factorily. An important feature in that act was the settle ment of bankrupt estates under composition and under assignment. The first mode had .not proved so serious a failure as had been supposed, for as much as £1,100,000 had been obtained under composition. From a return for the last three months they got a notion of the character of these compositions. For the three months ending Decem ber last, they learned that of the 304 estates settled under composition paid less than ss. in the pound ; that 250 of those paid less 35., and that in several of these latter cases the dividend was less than 2s. 6d. In fact, creditors pre ferred to take anything in the shape of composition rather than go into the Bankruptcy Court as the law now stood. With regard to assignmegts, it would appear that it was the object of the law to incite to fraud, The law allowed the insolvent to make out a list of creditors having a claim upon his estate, and there were no means by which the accu racy of tile return could be tested. The rights of creditors were positively nil, for no creditor would venture to under take the responsibility of questioning the correctness of the return. The result was, fraud flourished. He, however, did not wish to cast all the blame on the author of that act. Indeed, he might observe with resfiect to that act that it had been greatly mutilated in its passage through Parlia ment, especially in another place, and had been sent down to the House of Commons a thing so emasculated that its utter failure was not to be wondered at. The whole system of the English bankruptcy law was faulty in principle, inas much as it proposed to do two things, with either of which it had no right to interfere. In the first place, it invoked the interference of the State in the collection and distribu tion of the assets of the debtor. In the next place, it set up a tribunal to judge of the honesty or dishonesty of the insolvent. That was entirely wrong, and it was better they should have no bankruptcy law at all than one of that cha racter. For his own part, he should like to see the old bank ruptcy law restored, as it would be an advantage not only to the commerce of the whole country, but also to that of the commercial interests of the world at large. In his own experience he had known foreign houses which had parted with their goods to English traders, and were honest bona fide creditors, but when those traders failed they were left without a dividend, or had to be content with one of a shil ling or two in the pound. He would therefore suggest to Par liament the propriety of getting rid of a system so entirely ef fete, and substitute for it some very simple machinery ignor ing all interference by the State in matters between creditor and debtor. In Scotland they had an excellent system, where the interference of the State was of the slightest character. Under that system the creditors named the person who was to collect the assets of the debtor, he whom they appointed giving them good security for the proper discharge of that duty He worked for the creditor; and by the creditors he was soomrkeesdooshatissyfastcetmorialys tthoab:mthopdaifirteide establishment at into u H uti e iths s hit h shm o ee u l peculiarn country.dt li f kt c o eo s ulix e r ee paid. Ten y ears ' experience of that act proved that all w w g e o n u c l i d e s w o i f s e f c r o i u n n s t t a r y o o i e n , t r f o o d r u t c h e e d of appeal of the highe s t character. He give ° le tt, t e ns the creditors the sole pow e r o f th e mana vents' estates, and they should be the persons to give h e debtor his discharge. Thos e cre di tors, however, whowdtiidhe not choose to come in and shar e i n th e di stribution of those assets should retain their claim agai ns t all property h he might subsequently acquire. The establishment of such a system would put an end to fraud, and place the law of bankruptcy in a sound, intelligible, and satisfactory state. The same system had worked in France with very great success. There was now about X. 40,000 a-year received from estates out of which no dividend was declared, and that would be an ample basis on which to found the pensions of those officials who might be so got rid of. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the time had not arrived for the discussion of those questions raised by the hon. gentleman. It would, however, soon arrive, and lead, he had no doubt, to many important changes. Mr. ROEBUCK would not opp ose the motion. H injustice call the attention of the house to the great rose to He merely which had been done by the committee of last session to cer tain parties. The Lord Chancellor sent down to that com mitteeeommiscseiteinrs Messrs pa, persw . h A ic yrt h hoandabendenuparrzagtreodn.bylnthe conse quencetwo of that report Mr. F. Whitmore, formerly a mer chant in the city of London—but who having become a bankrupt got appointed to the humble office of official as . . signee--and who was now 80 years of age, had b e come the inmat e of a l una ti c asylum i n consequence o f th e as persions cast upon him. a The charges against others were yet sub ,judice, and therefore he would not say anything of them ; but in the case of Mr. Harris, the official assignee of the pose more than faulter and Birmingham Court, I whereby he renderedilad behinaeoser wing who was charged with being a de pose longerliable x f ,o r o e o ta f in e d and used for his own pur tPeo 2 ri O od pe than h cent.a n a on week, the amount, there proved that the commissZnae proper examination, which were too general in this allersga japed to conclusions and at which the money had been ns, not stating the dates returned or the amount on , rHE SUN, _LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 10, 1865. which the 20 per cent. was to be charged. Peremptory letters were written to several messengers to pay up alleged deficiencies, and in the case of Mr. Cooper the deficiency was shown to be no defalcation at all, but to have arisen from clerical errors. Mr. Cooper was reinstated in office, and paid his arrears of salary. There was clear evidence indeed in this and other cases, that these commissioners had been guilty of precipitate conduct. He considered that they desired to curry favour with the Lord Chancellor, and he hoped the committee would consider on what grounds their report was made and justified. The motion was then agreed to. and he expressed a confident opinion that, if the tax were repealed, the right hon. gentleman would, by increased returns from many other sources, more than make up the deficiency which might be caused by its remission. Mr. LArrimEß said that among other injurious effects of the present tax might be counted the en couragement given to the importation of foreign cattle to the obvious injury of the home breeder. The land was becoming impoverished in consequence of the in adequate returns yielded by the cultivation of barley and grain. He might also refer to what he would call the immoral effect of the duty, which virtually encou raged the adulteration of the beer sold at the public houses, and to the injurious effects of this adultera tion on the health of the whole community. In reply to these observations, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he had heard with interest and pleasure the observations made by the various speakers who hid addressed him. On previous occasions he had had the honour of hearing addresses on a similar subject to that which they were then assembled to discuss, and he was then, as he always had been, glad to enter fully and freely into any interchange of opinions and remarks upon a topic so important as that upon which the gentle men present had spoken, or, indeed, he might say, upon any of the matters connected with the depart ment over which he had the honour to preside. He was, however, sorry to add that the circumstances under which they were placed that day were not at all favourable to conversations of the kind he had al luded to. It was not, therefore, from the slightest want of respect for the deputation, but solely from the pressure of necessity, that he did not upon this occasion enter into details bearing upon the whole question. He would only assure the gentlemen present, for their satisfaction, that when the proper time came, which was towards the close of the present financial year, it would be the duty of her Majesty's Government, if they found them selves in the possession of any prospective sur plus in the public revenue, to make such proposals to Parliament as might seem to them, upon a full and careful consideration of all the cir cumstances bearing upon the question, most just to the community at large. When he said the com munity at large he did not by any means wish to be considered as saying that the agricultural interest, so numerously represented by the gentleman pre sent, would not be included ; and the right hon. gentleman added that if her Majesty's Government were not inclined to do full justice to that important interest it was not altogether provided with means in the House of Commons of obtaining justice for itself. The deputation then thanked the right hon. gentleman and withdrew. LAW INTE LLIGENCE.—Feb. 9. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. (Sittings at Nisi Prins, in Middlesex, before Mr. Justice Willes and a Common Jury.) LARKIN V. KING.-ACTION OF ASSAULT AGAINST " TOM KING." This was an action to recover damages for an assault said to have been committed by Tom King, the well known pugilist. Mr. Kenealey and Mr. Eyre Lloyd (instructed by Mr. Parkes) appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Sergeant Tindal Atkinson (instructed by Mr. Thomas Beard) for the de fendant. Mr. Kenealey, in opening the case, said that a person named Bush, who kept a betting office in the city, had pro mised the plaintiff, who got his living by making betsupon commission, £5 in reference to a race at Goodwood, when an outsider won. On the 23d May last the plaintiff saw Bush and King walking at Tattersall's, and asked Bush for the money. Some few words passed, and the defendant struck the plaintiff on the back of the head. The blow sent him down as though he had been hit by a cannon-ball. The defendant had pleaded that the plaintiff had first as saulted him, but such a plea was absurd, for the plaintiff was a man about five feet high, and between 50 and 60 years of age, whilst the defendant was one of the most powerful men in the world and in the prime of life. James Larkin, the plaintiff, said that Mr. Bush kept a betting-office in Bell-yard, Gracechurch-street, and witness bad been in the aabit of doing business with him. Bush backed King in his fights, and King went about with Bush to protect him. When he asked Bush for the £5, the de fendant said, "No ; get away you scamp." Plaintiff said, " It is nothing to do with you ; what is a man but his word." King then said, " I will give you £5 ;" and struck witness on the back of the head, and knocked him down on to the pavement. Ring and Bush then got into a cab and drove away. Witness had his wounds dressed at the hos pital. His forehead, nose, cheek, and back of his head were cut by falling on the pavement, and his coat and waistcoat were covered with blood. The next day was the first day of the races at Epsom, and witness was not able to go there. Mr. Justice Willes—Are you in the ring ; a light weight or anything of that sort ? Witness—No. Mr. Justice Willes—l ask with perfect simplicity, ecause he seems a small man for anybody to strike, even if angry with him. Witness—The injuries were not cured for three weeks. Cross-examined—Witness did not sell cards on race courses. When he first came up to Newmarket, if a gentle man asked him for a card, and he had one, he gave him it and received money for it. (A laugh.) He had never sold penny handicap books. Mr. Justice Willes—A man must not strike another be cause he sells cards. I suppose you have some answer to this, or else it is only an aggravation to ask these questions. Mr. Sergeant Atkinson said he believed that he had a perfect answer to it. Witness—The £5 was not a bet, but money that Mr. Bush had promised him. Mr. Justice Willes—What for; to hamstring the fa vourite? (Laughter.) Witness.admitted that he had had a glass or two extra when he spoke to Mr. Bush ; but he was not drunk and incapable. Several men who were in Tattersall's yard were examined, and they said that a blow was struck by King. Thomas King himself was afterwards examined. He said that he had now left the prize ring. He was not at Tattersall's in May, and what took place was a month or two after that. The plaintiff was drunk. Mr. Bush was walking up the yard, six or seven yards ahead of witness. Larkin went up and spoke to Mr. Bush about some horse, and Bush said, " Get away, you scamp." Larkin went up again and got hold of. Mr. Bush's coat, and pulled a button off. Witness went up and said, "Do you know what you are doing, you scoundrel ?" and Larkin then came at wit ness, and witness put out his arm and Larkin ran against it and fell. (Laughter.) Witness never struck him. Larkin got up and blackguarded them scandalously. Witness saw Larkin at the Cambridge meeting in O'ctober following, but Larkin said nothing to him, and witnessheard nothing about any assault until November, when a lawyer's letter was sent to Mr. Bush's for him. There was no pretence for saying that witness went about with Mr. Bush to protect him. Mr. Bush said that he had never promised the plaintiff £5. The plaintiff was drunk, and he went up to witness and said, "Put me on to something." Witness told him to get away. The plaintiff went up to him again and laid hold of his coat, and when witness pushed him away a button was torn off. The plaintiff would have fallen,but there were a good many people about him, and they kept him up. He followed, abusing witness, and he also abused King when he came up. King gave him a shove, and down he fell. The plaintiff got up and followed them, and tried to prevent witness getting into his carriage. The plaintiff's nose was then bleeding. Mr. Scott gave similar evidence. The jury found for the plaintiff, damages £5. Mr. Kenealey applied for a certificate for costs. Mr. Justice Wiles said he should allow the law to take its course. He should not interfere on either side. bleeding profusely, and it was in great agony. He opened the mouth, and saw a deep gash at the root of the tongue, which only hung on to the small tendon underneath. The tongue was also divided, and it was horrible to look at. Witness informed a constable of what had occurred, and to put the horse out of its agony it was killed. The prisoner ought to have come to the stables that night to cut chaff for the horse's food the next day, but he never came either for that or his money. Witness communicated with Mr. Knight, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the following day attended the Lambeth Police-court, and obtained a warrant for the prisoner's ap prehension. He purchased the horse in June last, of Mr. Gower, at the Repository, for eight guineas, but it was worth a good deal more. In cross-examination by Mr. Lilley, witness said that the horse had been a tip horse, used by railway contractors, and he knew that sometimes a chain was put on the tongue to cause them to tip the waggon over suddenly. There was a little scar at the end of the tongue, but it was not in jured in any way. Witness killed the horse himself, as he could not get auy of the slaughterers to take it, as they were all full, and the poor animal was in such agony. William Fry, in the prosecutor's employ, said he saw the prisoner take the horse out on the morning of the 23d of December. It was sound at that time, but when he went into the stable in the evening the tongue was cut out. Samson Barnett, another workman in prosecutor's em ploy, said he saw the horse and cart in the Cowley-road, Brixton, about eleven o'clock on the morning of the 23d December. The prisoner was with them, collecting dust, and witness saw the tongue hanging out and blood flowing from the mouth. He told the prisoner of it, but he only abused him in a disgusting manner. Witness saw the horse before it went out, and then it was all right. At night he saw it in the stable in the presence of his master, and the tongue was hanging out ; and on opening the mouth he found that it only hung by the cord underneath. The tongue had been torn from the root. Witness had frequently heard the prisoner threaten to have his revenge on the prosecutor. James Kersch, 141 P, said he took the prisoner into cus tody on the 24th of January, when he said, "I did not do it, Brown did it ; but what's the use of rounding on him, I'll stand to it myself." He also said that the horse bit his own tongue off, and that the tongue was nearly off when Mr. Smith bought it. Mr. George Hall, veterinary surgeon, Brixton-hill, said the horse's tongue produced was brought to him by the prosecutor about a month ago, and on examining it he per ceived that it had been torn from the mouth with some violence. He had known two instances of the kind, and he was sure it had not been bitten off. On cross-examination he said he had not seen the horse when alive. Mr. Lilley then addressed the jury in an ingenious manner, contending that therewas no proof of the horse's tongue being torn out, or that the prisoner had in anywise injured it. It had been shown that the horse had been used by the railway contractor as a tip horse, whose tongues had a chain passed round them while in the performance of their work, to cause them to stop suddenly and upset the load down an em bankment. As for the threats, the jury must not take any notice of them, as they were of every-day occur rence among such persons, and had no meaning whatever. He called for the defence several witnesses, one of whom, named Brown, was alluded to by the prisoner when taken into custody. He said the horse's tongue was injured while at work on the railway, and on the morning in question it was hanging out, and the horse would not eat. When they brought the horse home the tongue was nearly off. This witness was severely cross-examined by Mr. Robin son, when he said he never looked inside the horse's mouth. All he saw was the tongue hanging out. He never touched it, and when he got to the stable he left the pri soner there. The other witnesses called corroborated almost all the testimony of the prosecutor. Mr. Robinson then replied upon the testimony of the witnesses for the defence, and Mr. Adams having summed up with great clearness, The jury, without the least hesitation, returned a verdict of guilty. Mr. Adams quite concurred in the verdict, and thought that they could come to no other conclusion. The prisoner had been found guilty of a horrible crime, such as, he was happy to say, seldom occurred in this country. Under all the circumstances of the case, he sentenced him to 18 months' hard labour in the Wandsworth House of Cor rection. THE POLISH BUDGET. WARSAW, Feb. 2. The budget of the Kingdom of Poland for 1865 has just been published—expenditure and revenue balance presenting equal amounts-23,315,154 roubles 46i- kopecks (about £3,680,000). The fol lowing items in the expenditure are worth remark : " A sum of 3,150,000 roubles (£504,000) is placed at the disposal of the Finance Minister at St. Petersburg for the general service of the empire. Public education figures for the sum of 780,000 roubles, to which the budget adds 460,000 roubles as supplement for the execution of the ukase of Sept. 11 regarding the various Russian schools newly established throughout Poland. The police of Warsaw alone are credited with a sum of 540,000 roubles, to which must be added 200,000 more paid by the city from its own funds. The Warsaw police therefore alone absorb as much as the whole cost of national education throughout the kingdom. This, however, is not all ; 87,000 roubles more must be added, which are allotted to the administration of the head of the police (General Trepow), together with a sum of 3,370,000 roubles, serving to defray military local expenses, i.e., the costs of the system of military police en gaged in keeping up the state of siege. Adding these items together, we obtain the sum of 4,197,000 roubles (£670,000) as representing the permanent cost to the kingdom of the state of siege, being one fifth of the entire budget, after deducting the 3,000,000 roubles transferred to Russia. The budget, as published by the official journal, is not signed by the Secretary of State for the kingdom of Poland, but by Prince Paul Gagarine, president of the special committee established at St. Petersburg for the regulation of Polish affairs. It appears from the ukase preceding the document that, in addition to the general budget, the committee sitting at War saw has also a special budget of its own, whence are seen the expenditure and revenue arising from the execution of the ukases of the end of March, in reference to the peasants. The receipts consist of the produce of the land-tax imposed upon the peasants, the increase of direct existing taxes, and of the monopoly of beverages, besides some smaller branches of revenue. In 1864 the return from these various sources reached 970,000 roubles. For 1865 their probable product is estimated at 3,740,000 roubles, being for both years together 4,710,000 roubles. The costs of administration fa. the two years are stated at 3,960,000 roubles. The residue some 750,000 roubles, is all that the ruined land owners have to hope for in lieu of an indemnity valued at 50,000,000 roubles for the whole kingdom. The French Charitable Society of Leghorn held its general annual meeting some days back at the French consulate in that city. The report pre sented by the administrative committee showed that for the year 1864 the receipts had amounted to 3,078 f., and the expenditure to 2,666 f., leaving a balance in hand of 412 f. In the course of the year 29 French subjects residing at Leghorn received monthly allowances, whilst temporary relief was accorded in 72 cases. THE LOST SERMON.—Canon-Archdeacon-Rector Bartholomew was to preach on Sunday afternoon at Exeter Cathedral. He ascended the pulpit, when, lo ! he found that he had not brought his sermon with him. He was con fused, of course, and if he had not been a dignitary by ap pointment you would not have discovered it in his bearing. It is told of a Gascon preacher that, finding himself in a similar predicament, he turned upon the congregation before descending the puli.it, and, with a look of great commisera tion, he struck his forehead and exclaimed, "My friends! I pity you! You have lost a noble discourse." The rev. pluralist had, however, no such conceit of the talent of his missing sermon. He could do nothing but beat a hurried retreat. He went down and approached a Prebendary in a flurried manner, and begged the loan of a sermon from him. The Prebendary had not one composed, and, if he had, might, perhaps, have doubted the ability of the reverend thrice-beneficed to use it discreetly. The rev. Prebendary offered to do his best extempore. This offer was accepted, and Canon - Archdeacon-Rector had the enviable pleasure of listening to an extempore discourse which, for ability and force of delivery, made him feel that a parson might do much better sometimes by leaving his written exercises behind him than by plodding through a dead-alive deli very of measured mediocrity. Prebendary Brereton was the preacher.—Western Times. 'ADVERTISEMENT.] —HoIIoway's Pills and Ointment.— Colds, Coughs, Shortness of Breath.—These corrective remedies are infallible for these pectoral complaints, which neglected often end in asthma, bronchitis, or consumption. The ointment, well rubbed upon the chest and back, pene trating the skin, is carried directly to the lungs, when it expels all impurities. All the blood in the body constantly passes through the lungs, and there all noxious particles tending to produce disease can be quickly, thoroughly, and permanently neutralised, rendered harmless, or ejected from the system. Holloway's ointment and pills perfectly accomplish this purification; and through the blood thus cleansed the influence of these wonderful medicaments reaches the remotest parts of the human body, and thus all diseased action is cured, whether internal or external. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. "~ T TIMES.—The financial system which the Chancel lor of the Exchequer had to defend yesterday is in one respect like, in another very unlike, our repre sentative system. Both are settlements arrived at after long controversy ; both are treaties of peace between different classes • both are chiefly defended on the ground of working well. Our taxation is practically light and equal, and practically every interest is represented. Such are the points of re semblance, but the difference, if not greater, is at least more striking. Our representative system pro fesses to work well in spite of enormous and scan dalous anomalies, just as you may have no reason to quarrel with a compromise which wrongs you in one point, but gives you more than your due in another. Our financial system, on the contrary, pro fesses to be perfectly balanced and symmetrical. It taxes luxurious and indispensable articles, and at tempts to do this equally ; it also taxes the opera tions of business, as being a fair way of reaching the whole community. The only anomaly, if any, is the income tax, which, however, is a tax on the luxury of mere income, and on the possession of that wealth which, if hoarded, escapes taxation. But the very difficulty of this system consists in its philoso phical or Pharisaical justice. It is righteous over much. "He is all fault in whom no fault is found." The farmers would be much better pleased if Mr. Gladstone admitted a hardship in their case, only adding that he saw no way to remove it, and could not do without the tax. On the contrary, they find themselves confronted with a " system," always the most odious thing in an Englishman's eye. The system in this case is an equal taxation of luxuries. That system we cannot gainsay. We believe at this moment that the habitual drinkers of tea, coffee, brandy, gin, whisky, wine, and beer are all taxed, if not equally, at least so that the beer drinker has no reason to complain. Besides the old quarrel between the liquors themselves, there is a balance to be kept between England, Ireland, Scotland, France, and the whole world. Our agriculturists ought to see for themselves that it is really no trifling affair to trim afresh so large a burden. But they don't even help by working out the figure, or the chemistry, or the practical bearings of the question. At the Freemasons'-hall we were told by one speaker that the duty is equi valent to 2d. in the quart, by another that it is id. in the quart, and, after all, no proof is given to show that it is more than a half-penny in the quart. Which is it ? There are honest brewers who declare that even if the duty be wholly taken off no cot tager will be able to brew his beer cheaper than he does now ; and though if he gets his malt good, and if he understands brewing, or if his wife does, and if they can give their time to it, then they may pos sibly get their beer free from publichouse adultura tion. The figures of one simple cottage brewing would have told more than all the poetic lamenta tions over the decline of malt liquor and the cruelty of stepping in between the farmer and his labourers Nor did the gentlemen at Freemasons'-hall tell us who would have the benefit of this reduction, to be purchased, as we have said, at the cost of a vast un settlement. As to the price of barley, we fear that is a very world-wide question, and Parliament will never do much in raising it. Neither the landowner nor the tenant, therefore, will get much by a change. Bul the farmer, it is said will save the beer he gives to the labourers. Indeed, one of the speakers at - Freemasons' -hall said that the tax was a tax upon wages, contrary to all sound principles, inasmuch as wages are paid partly in beer. But, supposing the beer to be a trifle cheaper, either the farmer will pocket the difference or the labourer will get better beer and more of if. The farmer hopes the la bourer will be content with his present allowance and present quality of beer ; but if the beer should be made cheaper he will demand his share in the advantage. Supposing, however, that beer be an indispensable item in the cost of a farm, a farmer will pay rent accordingly. No !we hear from one quarter. If a farmer has a long lease, he may save a large sum every year by brewing his own beer duty free, and pocket the difference. It is the man with a long lease, then, that is most in terested in the question ; but even he, we suspect, does not know what he is about. He is much more interested in the sale of his barley than in the cost of his beer. The duty on foreign malt of course would share the fate of the Excise. There is, then, nothing to prevent any quantity of malt coming from the Elbe, as a correspondent has shown ; and it is stated that there is a good deal of foreign barley better qualified for malting than our own. Are our far mers prepared to see whole fleets of malt arrive in the Thames or other great ports ? There was not a whisper about this contingency at Freemasons'-hall. For aught one heard there the English barley grower might not have a rival in the whole world. Then as to the use of malt for feeding cattle. They were very humorous at the cost of Mr. Gladstone's measure, the restrictions of which are found to cur tail its application. The conclusion they have come to is that the measure has been found useful by the feeders of prize cattle, but impracticable for small people. We should think the matter is very plain. It is simply a question between barley meal and sugar. The process of malting converts a great part of the barley into sugar, which is no doubt very fat tening for beasts as well as human beings. Meal makes more flesh, and sugar more fat. If the beast is to be eaten, we should think barley must be the better food ; if it is to be converted into candles, then give it plenty of malt. If the butcher and the cook are to decide the question, they will be for malt, but the interest of the beef and mutton eating pub lic les the other way. Mr. Bentinck denounces the tax as a violation of Free Trade. - The farmer has a right to do what he likes with his own, and Govern ment has no right to prohibit him by a heavy tax from coverting his crop into good drink. Unfortu nately, this argument applies with equal force to dis tillation. Who has a right to step in between the far mer and his own crop, the produce of his own hands, and say that he shall not make it gin, or whisky, or whatever other spirit he pleases ? A large part of the Irish peasantry have a very strong opinion on this point, and it has been found necessary to em ploy other arguments than those of moral suasion or financial reasoning. •But this is the first time that we have heard a man's right to do what he likes with his own maintained so publicly, so unreservedly, and by so respectable an authority. A man has not a right to convert the food of man and beast into an intoxicating liquor, except under such rules and con ditions as the State shall see fit to impose. Free trade is an affair between us and our neighbours across the sea. In the matter of malt we take care that they shall have no quarrel with us. Mr. Ben tinck would create a quarrel with them at once, inasmuch as we should be removing all duty off malt liquor, and leaving untouched higher duties upon the foreign wines and spirits coming into com petition with it. Such a competition there certainly exists, but, whether it exists or not, we should never be able to satisfy our neighbours that we are dealing fairly with them if we relieved our beer and left their wine and spirits taxed as now. But these gentlemen evidently will not give themselves the trouble to work out these questions. They leave figures and financial difficulties to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the press. They do not, how ever advance their cause by refusing to understand its difficulties. We wish they could get over those difficulties, but they will not do so by the mere act of shutting their eyes to them. POST.—The Conservative party, or at least a sec tion, and that not an inconsiderable one, of the party seem to be for ever bent upon illustrating the proyerbial assertion that " extremes meet." Con tinually they exhibit themselves in affiance with those politicians whose dearest object and avowed aim is the elimination from our political and social system of those elements which avowedly and theoretically it is the especial function of the Con servative party to preserve intact. They have held out to the extreme Radicals a hand with experi mental voting by ballot in the open palm; they have shaken a sieve full of corn at the suspicious and shy Roman Catholic ; and they now movingly en treat the Financial Radical Reformers to co-operate with them in a movement which, if successful, would result in an extensive substitution of direct for indirect taxation. They ask Parliament—nay, they do more than ask, they endeavour, by platform agitation, and by all the other devices the successful exploitation of which made the Anti-Corn-law League so famous—to coerce the Government and the Parliament to sanction the reduction of indirect taxation by six millions now realised by the malt tax, and to fill up the gap by the absolute retention or possible augmentation of the income tax. They are will-of-the-wisps these Conservatives, so erratic that we shrink from following them through thebogs of doubt and shaking ideas which apparently en gender them, and so unsubstantial that we cannot grasp or realise them. Their political system may have a sound basis, but it is as difficult to find as the bottom of a " pot-hole," or what in Ireland is called a mountain and in England is termed a morass. The line that was taken at the Freemasons' Tavern can scarcely be described as Conservative, and is cer tainly not new. It was taken by Jack Cade long ago. Long ago he promised the urban population, as Sir Fitzroy Kelly's following promise them now, that the three-hooped pot should have five hoops if they would only make him king and father of the people, and ever from time to time popular songs haN e damned in loud choruses the wretch who would "rob a poor man of his beer." There are neverthe less, we venture to think, things more important of attainment than even cheap beer, nay, even than cheap food for cattle, or milk for growing calves. We think it more important to keep faith financially with the nation than to realise any or all the advan tages which might accrue from the abolition of the excise duty upon malt. We beg to remind those QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICES ABOLITION. Mr. HADFIELD moved that the house go into commit tee for the purpose of considering a motion for leave to bring in a bill to render it unnecessary to make and sub scribe certain declarations as a qualification for offices and employment, and for other purposes. The house went into committee accordingly, Mr. Brand in the chair. Leave was given to bring in the bill, and the house re sumed. WATERS, RIVERS, AND STREAMS (ENGLAND). Lord R. lIONTAGII obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend and better administer the laws for the protection of waters in rivers and streams in England. SEWAGE OF TOWNS. Lord R. MONTAGU obtained leave to bring in a bill for facilitating the more useful application of town sewage in Great Britain and Ireland. The bills for which leave had been given having been read a first time, The house adjourned at a quarter before eight o'clock. Repeal of the Malt Duty. Yesterday afternoon one of those very numerous and influential deputations with which the Chancel lor of the Exchequer is occasionally honoured before the delivery of his Budget waited upon him at his official residence in Downing-street. The deputa tion was as numerous as the celebrated one which filled all Downing-street to oppose the tax on chari ties, and, besides a long list of members of Parlia ment, it comprised a perfect crowd of gentlemen and agriculturists from all parts of the country. As a matter of course, no room was sufficient to accommodate the crowd, which filled all the passages and lobbies and squeezed forward with painful eagerness towards the apartment where the deputation was to be received. It was altogether a scene of very great confusion, and of no little dis tress to those who were involved in it. Except dur ing the two minutes when the Chancellor was speak ing silence was at no time observed, and the diffi culty of hearing the speakers was only exceeded by the difficulty with which even the most fragmentary notes of what they said was jotted down. The deputation consisted of Col. North, M.P., Sir E. Dering, M.P., Sir E. Filmer, M.P., the Hon. W. G. Duncombe, M.P., Mr. Surtees, M.P., Sir M. Cholmeley, M.P., Major Parker, M.P. , Lord Holmes dale, M.P., Mr. Du C.ine, M.P., Mr. Cobbold, M.P., Capt. Jarvis, M.P., Hon. R. Dutton, M.P., Mr. A. Smith, M.P., Mr. Davenport Bromley, M.P., Mr. Barrow, M.P., Sir John Trollope, M.P., Mr. Ormsby Gore, M.P., Lord Stanhope, M. P., Colonel Fane, M.P., Colonel Cartwright, M.P.,. Lord Augustus Hervey, M.P., Mr. E. B. Hartopp, M.P., Mr. J. Handley, M.P., Mr. Darby Griffith, M.P., Mr. Hodgkinson, M.P., Major Beresford, M.P., Mr. W. 0. Foster, M.P., Sir Chas. Douglas, M.P., Mr. Gurdon, M.P., Colonel Bathurst, M.P., Mr. Banks Stanhope, M.P., Sir E. B. Lytton, M.P., Mr. John Peel, M.P., Mr. Cobbett, M.P., and Mr. Punnett, Mr. Umbers, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Arkill, Mr. Fry, Mr. Everett, Mr. Seels, Mr. Storer, Mr. Brandram, Mr. Fell, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Hemsley, Mr. Brown, Mr. Savory, Mr. Plumbe, Mr. Everett, Mr. Cayley, Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Fielden, and others from Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Warwickshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Bucks, Berks, Oxford, Glocestershire, &c. Colonel Noirni undertook the somewhat diffi cult task of introducing the deputation, which, in fact, could scarcely be introduced at all, and, amid much noise, very briefly explained the leading ob jects with which the interview had been sought. The gallant colonel also produced a memorial,which embodied the views and arguments of the deputa tion—a document which was " taken as read," and only handed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. FIELDEN, who opened the discussion, which throughout was most indistinctly heard even by those near the speakers owing to the general move ment which prevailed among the crowd, said that as a manufacturer employing upwards of 1,000 hands he felt himself bound to oppose the oppressive and ob noxious duty on malt, on the ground of the benefits which would certainly result from its repeal to the working classes. He believed that in his manufac turing district private brewing was carried on to a considerable extent among the factory operatives, and the general effect of the tax was most prejudi cial. Anything which would tend to improve the condition of the working classes was entitled to the serious consideration of the Government and the Legislature. As the law now acted a man could purchase a bushel of barley for 45., but for a bushel of malt he had to pay Bs. This heavy additional cost of malt virtually represented the amount of duty, the cost of malting, and the profit of the maltster. But, if the laws were repealed, for a bushel of barley sent to the maltster he would give in return, and with no additional charge, a bushel of malt, because in the process of malting the barley swelled so much in bulk as to repay in its remeasurement the cost of the operation by which it was converted. According to this, therefore, the barley was practically subjected to a tax of nearly 100 per cent. The duty on coffee was but 33i per cent., and on wines of the highest quality only 54 per cent., while on the ordinary qualities of French wines it was no more than 12 per cent. On champagne, which was as a rule only drunk by the wealthy classes, the duty was 7 per cent., on port 32, and on sherries and other wines about 19. The working classes consumed beer, and upon this, as he had shown, a heavier duty was levied by the Government than upon any other kind of beverage that was drunk in the country. Mr. CAYLEY wished to call attention to the mo nopoly in brewing, wl lich he believed was entirely caused by the operation of the malt-tax, and said if it were not for the duty, the beer now sold at 16d. a gallon could be brewed for Bd. The effect of the reduction in price would be to gradually increase the consumption of beer, and with it, of course, the consumption of barley. This would be of immense benefit to the farmer. There was a great extent of land now laid down in grass, which could be devoted most profitably to the cultivation of barley. If a larger extent of land were devoted to cereals a great number of live stock would be maintained, and here, again, the public would have the benefit in a reduction of the present high prices of meat. The malt tax acted most prejudicially on the balance of trade, and was injurious alike to the producer and consumer. After a few words from Mr. BALDWIN, of Bir mingham, who pointed out how the removal of the malt tax would generally benefit the whole commu nity, Mr. BIDDEL (Suffolk) urged that the effect of the duty was to discourage high farming, and said that by increasing the yield of an acre of land from 40 to 48 bushels of barley and converting them into malt he would lose (as we understood) 7s. by the opera tion. The return of the last census:showed that the agricultural population was on the decrease, and this important fact he described in part to the gene ral want of comforts experienced by the labouring classes of the country. If the comforts of the work ing man were increased, if he were enabled to obtain cheap and wholesome beer in addition to his other articles of food, a stop would be put to the gradual movement from the agricultural districts, which was diminishing their population. Mr. OSBORNE (Tamworth) said that, of view looking at the question from a manufacturingpoint only, and regarding himself as a manufacturer of beef and mutton, he had found th a t the production of meat did not pay. The Government had last year repealed the duty on malt prepared for the consumption'of cattle, but the new law was so ham pered with Excise rules and regulations that its prac tical value was almost nil. The agriculturists, he considered, had as a class been systematically ex cluded from their share in the benefits of remission of taxation, which had been given to all other por tions of the community. Mr. EVERETT said he wished to call attention to the operation of the malt tax, by which labourers were quite excluded from brewing in their own cottages SURREY SESSIONS—Feb. 9. NEW COURT. (Before Mr. Adams and a Bench of Magistrates.) Robert Philtrip, 19, labouier, was indicted for maliciously and feloniously maiming a horse, the property of William Smith, by tearing his tongue out. Mr. Robinson, instructed by Mr. E. Knight, of the Clap ham and Brixton branch of the Royal Society for the Pre vention of Cruelty to Animals, prosecuted ; and. the pri soner was defended by Mr. Lilley. The case created considerable excitement in a. crowded court, owing to the horrible brutality of the prisoner, and was specially prosecuted by the Royal Society. William Smith, the prosecutor said he was a dust col lector, residing at No. 5, Thornhill-place, Camberwell, and had several horses and carts. The prisoner had worked for him some time up to the 2d of November, when they had a few words about three shillings and sixpence, and the pri soner left. At that time he made use of threats towards him by saying he would have his revenge for the money in a way witness did not know; he, however, took no notice of that, and on the 22d December the prisoner came to him and begged him to give him some work, at the same time requesting to have his favourite horse Blondin out in the cart. Witness immediately took him on to work, but same its a tonguesmsmall was rat nd andnothing night al refused to allow hi m t o use Blondin, but agree d t o l et hi m scar ti ren the e i t s s have another ho rse w hi ch he generally used h i mse lf ; and on the 23d Decemb er th e prisoner went out collect i ng dust. c When o theu the hpo. se w h n went w out i t matter w tu rni in good e w c h t with it, home t , r e d t e h r e except ; he was called to the stable, where he saw the same horse in a frightful state. Its tongue was hanging out of api pinup d' gentlemen who urged their views upon •I'"' of stone yesterday that not only he, as Chan the Exchequer, but that with him, and throughayd Parliament itself is pledged in a remarkable prefe i 7 oo pre-eminent degree to relieve the country gaily from the income tax. That tax, it IS trt ie ofd that universally acknowledged, is incapable and equitable adjustment, and it is recognise tic li it exhibits the character and incidenc e not sa t o of a tax as of a forced loan, or, as it was terreeuce.o tax the reigns of our early kings, a 4 6 b eneVOl We say, therefore, that so long as the income cannot in existence, a Chancellor of the Exch e q u expec tedca be required propose, nor a Parliament 011. to sanction, the remission of an indire ct an must adjusted impost like the malt duty. B ut we wana further be permitted to ask Sir Fitzroy his colleagues in agitation, this question. T e) c i es pe. to represent the agriculturists of England, and cially and peculiarly those who are growers el "" ct i o n at +; s t e tire 3 The agriculturists of England—or event of them Who cultivate barley land—co ns ",; 9 enif body whom anybody may be proud to rP,'.7 O to and the fact of that representation would to any man a strong voiee and an irresistible 0,1 a careful hearing. But does the Freemasoesg the meeting, or the Central association, or do e ' r oil. deputation to Mr. Gladstone, represent the eg ieo es turists of England ? Whose voice is it that beSt by our ears, and attempts to take our judg m u e ' fi ll ttery storm of shouting. We have read with inu e m n - ori' tion the accounts of the proceedings whie ll .4 ° , - f tie! ous occasions have taken place in regarL - t her " question, and we are by no means sure ere is the is Jacob or Esau who is beseeching us. T h to voice of the one, and yet there is a something that savours of the other. It may be obserna, there is, in.lrot a few of 4ke orations delive r t hat strain of complaint against the agriculturistair diP some of them cannot be made to perceive th e f t heir advantages or feel sufficiently the weight ° t heo burden. The speakers suggest grievan ces t , ° , 1 0 311 as the philanthropist suggested them to the be jD~t Knife Grinder and when they refus e to pressed with die suggested grievances,. 1:00 reluctance to be used as illustrations, it IS as the agitators can do to avoid throwing v, e i" at hand at the heads of the stupidly contee:in 1 ),' 1 like the philanthropist, rushing from the sel l ,: er cou', access of wrath. Two or three gentlemen ictot, l , B who, at the meeting in Freemasons' P-' l „torw earnest attempts to speak, were very perera, r, Fay put down, and told that freedom of expres_AO; the lot only of the elect and of those who I"' the` We should very much like to know -whether e re .01 ~w , , i i repressed gentlemen happened to be gr ° 0 15 { high-class barley ? Unless we are very taken, there is by no means that uut - o f opinion among the owners and c ultivatelP,i e ct soil which we are told there is upon the onw•if 130' the malt tax. We believe that the producers ° oes ley of the higher quality are by no merar a b il t that the tax should be repealed, and we ° ti t - tot' much whether, if the question were fairlYl),_ll,orP vote among the agriculturists of the entire I' m ' g et: Sir Fitzroy Kelly and his supporters Nve ti "„'s sr e ', majority in their favour. Many statenitso"' made by the members of the deputation, "N",,, C 11 91; what boisterously represented the case to tu,'" sv e '- cellor of the Exchequer, the truth of 'wh i h ; ell p` i not dispute. Most of them, indeed, hei r ! ! t hey forward by ourselves, and we quite admit th e - been established a case sufficient to place to ;`' duty in the category of taxes having a e sloe peal or modification whenever the poss`'7,De e) l surplus shall place it in the power of the u4e i ° o of the Exchequer to make a present Peri:oo,l'f revenue ; but we cannot admit that theY l ll % . to , l; such a case as to place the tax on a P7, 11 -s pet, o ' o . ° itself. It must take its chance in 8 , examination with other imposts which 1": il oti the community ; but we think the agrieu lt ajadrifia"e manufacturers who waited upon b reP ir• tit must be satisfied, from the tone of his l o t th will not be influenced in the determination tea he may come by any considerations con' at, inelthee class interests ; but solely conviction a vr, all circumstances, will be most condllaf„""teNl development of the resources of the CO, II- 4 0 all e '' to the maintenance of a secure and soute-' system. COUNTRY MARKETS BENT OL—THIMSDAY. „r . c er at i We had a good supply of English whea t vs t ilIV this afternoon, which was cleared off at last we e PI" Foreign in only limited demand but not chesPer io • 0. 0 barley continues quiet, without alteration in srP o 0 0 , e 1 00 ing sorts in large consumptive request, anu JO, stances 3d per qr. dearer. Oats dull, and the tub of buyers. Maize, beans, and other articles wit' ration. .snet BIRMINGHAM—THURSDAY. s rer t oe During the present week tho few trausaeti°„ ll ,.s 0 6 1 2 ; in the trade are at previous rates. At this ', l - I ) aY e l ao' there was a less supply of wheat, which founu t bec n last week's rates. Best barley again is dearer ; 43 +; WO' no lower. Beans held for previous rates. thl. ' 401 dear, and fine English higher. For peas little 10.. i . 1 .0,4 30 ii Currencies :—English wheat, white, 4 0 s to 4rrd to 41s per 36 stone. Malting barley, 28s to 20 a 3 4,t. 22s to 25s per qr. Oats, 24s to 30s ; Irish, 1 4 '. s er' 30 stone. Beans, 38s to 426 ; and peas, 88 s t° . _ vAI - ' rV I BURY ST. EDMUND'S---IVEDOs-, t . , . roa4, There was a good supply of wheat at tr o lt ,"tes• 0 1 : and the trade was very inactive at last Nvee l e s i n recl' l ,ll,' ley was in fair supply, and fine qualities 'we r e" how' 04f high prices; secondary and inferior sorts ill bar d `' dull sale. 38s; Talavera wheat, 44s to 47s • red ditto,3ss t° 21 41S:' 0 32s to 355; secondary ditto, 265 to 28s PeO : r. barl e '' Averages :—Wheat, 926 quarters., 376 "'" qrs., 308 6d ; o a t s , 80 qrs ., 22 s sd. Id s MANCHESTER—TinritsD it. of P js t l;e(l uslo o t o At our market this morning the best san 3 l )4- v ilil .0 • .e$ r ',, , ee wheat met a slow sale at last week's pr i ce 2cl P e 1 r.A. sorts were neglected. Foreign was ld t ° lower. Flour scarcely asked for. Oats and opt 10 0 lav in retail demand only at late rates. Be Indian corn was 3d per qr. lower. .tri EDINBURCiII—WEDNESDA Y. o f co" At our market there was a large 8 11 0, I L. wheat, which sold quietly at last week's Pri — fig 6 I to Wheat on the top, is Od down average , 6 - s n i.r i door Barley on the top, is Od down average' svi Oats on the top, is Od down Beans on the top, is 6d up average, Average prices. , a4 ioa Wheat, 35s 1d Oats, ......... pa Barley, 2ss 3d f 8ean5,........ 0,5 Total supply and sales. la 6 . ,; 9 t Wh ea t 1426 qrs .......... .. S° o lcl l l9 Barley 2517 qrs ............ °aid 11;:? O a t s 2854 qrs ............ ! o bi es . Beans 260 qrs ............ ' 460 0'" Town-made flour sells as follows ; —White' ,47 superfine, 34s 6d ; superfine, 33s ; fine, 31 8 6"" GLASGOW—WEDNESDAY. i „ i a he le To-day's market wa s mo d era t e ly a ttendedN e rec,4 le i very quiet. Wheat and flour nominally 'ant 3 i to ° 3d cheaper per 3201 b ; beans, peas, and oats. - per boll ; oatmeal and Indian corn neglected' Foreign Mail Packet Ve t ' 1;' .'fel ). Australia and New Zealand, via BouthamPL— ' ' ;; , d er, . d ,r„ Ditto, via Marseilles ...................... "%DP; Brazil and Cape Verds, by British Ditto, by British packet ..... • • • Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Ileleris•;:,c'v. China, Penang, and Singapae, , via Sou,baniPt° .• re Ditto, via Marseilles .............•••••' •••'.. ' .......... '-e 1 6, Falkland Islands ....... pac.et..• • ce-o: Gibraltar, Nia Southampton *** .. ****,„ ** India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via ScuthanlP ** • ; .•* et) , A . • Ditto, via Martteilles .......... India (B,mbay), via Southampton.. ....... •• •. „.. g f ell• Ditto, via it arseities ................... Mauritius, via Southampton ............ %re' i• Ditto, via Marseire .................. ' yeti' Newfoundland ..•••••,.. Portugal Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon.... • • Of United States and British North America, tish packet " ..t4;; °9- . Ditto, by United States packet, v So n . 'via ~. • I.' trn . .......... . ............ • Ditto, via Cork Ditto, by Canadian packet, via London 'fe Births. B us e , 0, of DEARDEN.—On the 7th inst., at Nyraa lls t,twag e° tco of Captain Dearden, late of 13th Lig o ' sll vdaughter. ~,,c t ori' j Aer DOUGHTY.—On the 6th inst., at Ellough 1 " - „,, ~ 0" the wife of Lieut. Doughy, R.N., of a s' - ' o o o ' Tuow.—On the sth inst., at Ismer° liour t : soll' minster, the lady of Wm. Trow, En' 0' if f' iC l llO 3' Marriages. 4 . tT:O- 0 , vi , l' ANDREWS—BEASLEY.—On the Bth inst.,. 9 % 0 1 0 1 it ' Martindale Andrews, of Blackheath-hill' s 01 ,1 beth, the daughter of the late Thol na ' o ilY ° if l ' LL.D. wideo.o4 , e l o MAYNARD—WEBB.—On the 9th inst., at A ksb vi ,i l i Church, Bath, Richard Maynard, BB'll of Ash $ . Somerset, to Mary Anne, relict of the la te Esq., of Chard, Somerset. Of Deaths. Wil lia 0 BROWN.—On the Bth inst., at Readi n g' VI roi.lA ft Esq., architect, aged 56. Geo yv- , COBBE.—On the Bth inst., at BromPt°ll7 cle 11° dJel Cobbe, Colonel Commandant 13th J 3r49 ' T liv e lern aged 83. -°ll-45,‘ ~,„st ,-. 4 0 EYRES.—On the Bth inst., at Elroers,-D -1- dier ' s'o l Lieut.-Colonel Eyres, late of the O rni:l6 yadi ' i 64. PoRTMAN.—On the Bth inst., b odg ' 4 nian. '4, To „alecili ROSE,—On the 6th inst., at St. Margaret .- 'II' 1 at Dianstop, t ll° . e , 0 1 Richard N. Rose, Esq., aged 72. , Tfo use,,,,ica SLEIGII.—On the sth inst., at lianworta.„-033., "- General Sir James Walace Sleigh? P" e c Lancers, aged 84. --- 01 1" .............. --- - - ------------------ )014 0% wi t IA f oe , tots London : Printed and Published by ,' -- Ls CO of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TOO ' in the Strand, in the Precinct a the SAVOY, - In Oa Middiesea.—Friday, February .-I - Estabi TllO3l Lon yy G B A Rix Annual Inge ted Annual DI B onuses a be 'VI/dance-el aPPlica 1 p ebruary, ]E ,„I. II I P, L 40 b e In:rpToGrAtG D e hit Cartal' ' x. ur , p N u it ° II Ap *nob:a h be aep a , t b e m No c Th, ki 'na g B v niu n 1 1 4 118 10 . de an ''•Bridel b u ert s . Comp art 411-Btr'ralz,, E ke, A E.c . a . .. ll lß e k a , l : o ot, EA `Ala Jervis, F 1 3 er, E N., 4edori ck ' 0 1 4 ; Iv a c ork ' T, co,,:k Illith 'rnas G ' ~Piytar The Imperial Bank G. Do ne , "'N., 9, Ressrs. WI( Te ' ll/„, 4 titY Offices. - f ABI Thia companY ig felt, wh,rebyfreehc Party luay be made Riv to secure I given_littea. t..elte eredit Food' "l"% Nikki Ifortgagl ary that their • 41k,8‘ 7 after pal „ 64 ; I a. or'eul to elDlial called ttlx The g•reat delay, d the Preeent mode of otproperty will bY 61kide aad exPedl4l ilt'. Th:ooni,auy 1iv...• a retiater will I] :t mut aunts want ,aargeq on. each trat 41)1"Dru4t ur 11 berg t 1.1., sti ctusea and \.)'.;l,ltted at the OM tore 33q, moorgate 1i,.:; attcl of the Ban lE t l't li -- , !! locorpora.tei de Capital £ ha t W , More bb ed h ore t h 4tkllt:iee3:tel,tril'4.t : °ll llo4llEthell 4,ph4 bent tsci 1 ,qittrot, lqairynß, ''icel James holc t4-°l4t4 Africto 1 ant ,4,thteeg syducy Sto 4111144re't1tie3rititl 4 k es ra. 40,4 fall,C 8 (1. (firm Q A , f,Pr a . 4 4 " lr t_ Br aster 8 8, p. Cazeno S: Nrr. 04 , 1, I loyal E 6 c%)ttri '33ll3any'lB ee 41.4.,Pc1 eatetwon c .tr haul ua neuter. tkte' Jr has, by 1 4,, NV e 8 ' 9 bo arki Yetein of ). P°3lrounicati bt,'qlgb.le Politic t. ( k lar ...-Atbinge t erenn e la i t consideral 1 qe N. iteZINNTICeS of Mr. : 110,!'grer 21 3 erm btvm,l4,,litthe bositn qeh.,44, eithee, ebvyenth, 4,11ig4, t , ft fro" an bAr I,'Y 3 the nl o 08 1 til,,,tli 74t,er Wilt rcou IN'tod° „",e Telegra nAt ' as ,e 1,, he t I lob" v, hol . kt,„ t, ee ° f the pi ~All-4,'',eeompan. ~,q1,),-.DLlcations t ,r s't °it4 1111111; at the tetttgukera. iv o. Sr i l'oltl,t°ll4 OF Al Oelit-i"itectors of lt ,8414 'ealeo Tr in , rh.,,,_ , , av tk.;,' 4 4; 41 g Bank L 4 N t 31e any I l ti , (1 I tot (o any I l''''efl -^re e to ;emt `eßikit44°,,cl I reue•t '' (3 Sharehold4 REGIST hi A C 1 Per I )4 k aa ll : l lb 4 , ear n r e, a l :* Esq., 1):1 4 4 4 14 ba lei l e a m el, 4lt t k al, Poak„' tt1;1 ,, 114,1 4-iftrwoo, re, Gilliam Lys 4,,_ fir 8 4 ., 3r -.lussell, .3 A It ar le %'a atk alby ardiey k 38 tessr - Ni ta 8 ' aVieE toWlldes, Sul °4ie t 8 —27, emcx Bee ry ~l t„ AaRtD, they'll'ihileltp.kti-Ibillian Rea kl% ..„. egist hk,t,_ fowiroviaions of IVltl7theeit,7llrehage c p„ t, 4 th„ _ eady. regie p,:,ie etii;e°Pratt.on of qitlrerty 1,„.1141 ob ject of tik_ert,,t),,_ o, f rom vi Ittkiced 133,'7,) linable tc th,lloit ati"e At. TI fil,,t'f4 t he :1 registrati t.. ar,., „no.fo tt it t 15",,,,.e v!irluti kh', 4,14 a Jll.t pro I , fi lls of j" Veo faciliti by t il the :se9t,ing• or bor t(1111, eoAture of bier Iltilitlertij2anY, it will x. 1, 4ett. 4_lparofit mug. tt,eol4l,4„titage in t 'l ltri 4 ' 44 a I', will the kt. R., t , of isell the kl,etti:lel. d h , tribnitigotra 11)),, 41 8 'I -- ' --- ER -- 7 3 It r„110t, In! NI NI r 8 rIERR ll i 4 . l lCs '%I).&Y, feeZtil n illtNßy e. 1 '441104- s treet, Lo LW(