The Sun. — London, England, 1848-07-25 00:00:00

BANK OF FRANCE. The following is the return of the state of tho Bank of France and its branches to the 20th July, 1848: CREDITOR. Cash in coin and ingots . • ... f. 87,618, 778 16 Ditto in branch banks 75,129,283 00 Bills past due ... 2,058,693 19 Bills not yet falling due in Paris ... 103,419,51 i 28 Bills in the branch banks .„ ... 147,435,126 19 Advances on coins and ingots... ... 14,086,700 00 Ditto on French public securities ... 38,132,082 90 Ditto by branch banks... ..• ... 3,677, 998 00 Ditto to the State on Bons du Trisor of the Republic ... Reserve Rentes ••• ••• Rentes, disposable funds ••• ••• Investments of the new branch banks in the public funds ••• ••• ••• Hotel and furniture of the bank ... Real property and branch banks ... Interest in the branch bank at Algiers... Interest in National Discount Bank Ditto branch banks ... Bills Protested at Paris Ditto in the branches ... Expenses of administration of the bank Ditto at branches Sundries Advance to the State on the loan of 50,000,000 f. 50,000,000 00 10,000,000 00 11,248,767 56 12,806,741 39 4,000,000 00 2,523,241 00 1,000,000 00 200,000 00 ... 230,000 00 ... 24,283,015 17 11,817,209 00 500 00 43,718 00 1,150,731 36 ... 25,000,000 00 f. 625,862,100 20 LIABILITIES. Capital 67,900,000 00 Ditto of the new Branch Banks ... 23,350,000 00 Reserve fund .. 10,000,000 00 Ditto of the branch banks ... ... 2,980,650 14 Reserve-immobiliZTe ... 4,000,000 00 Notes to bearer, in circulation ... ... 314,980,100 00 Do. of the branch banks 70,695,875 00 Do. to order (post-bills) 670,114 51 Account-current with Treasury ... 14,157,192 71 Various accounts current 79,338,901 04 Ditto at branches 22,448,439 00 Bills payable at sight ... 2,341,000 00 Ditto in branches ... 1,311,517 00 Bills of the branch banks payable by the Bank 4,105,248 72 Ditto of the Bank payable by branches . 2,103,332 00 Dividends payable ... . 1,428,837 75 Branch Bank of Algiers, sum not yet employed in Treasury Bonds Discounts, diverse interests, &c. Ditto branch bank ... Re-discounts of the last six months Ditto branch banks Miscellanies ... 1,108,388 19 713,718 25 650,885 00 422,932 27 642,133 00 602,834 92 625,862,100 20 It will be seen from the above returns that the Government has received a first payment of 25 mil lions out of the loan of 150 millions lately agreed to. Of that instalment of 25 millions, only four teen now remain in the Bank, to the credit ac count of the Treasury, so that out of that money alone the expenditure of the week has been 11 mil lions. The metallic reserve of the Bank has increased about 3} millions, of which one has been in Paris, and 2i in the branch banks. The bills becoming due in Paris have declined about two millions, and in the branch banks have increased a little more than three. The bills protested in Paris have diminished one million, and in the branch banks about half a mil lion. On the side of the liabilities the atuount of notes issued has increased 10 millions, whilst in the branch banks it has fallen off about one million. The whole of the metallic reserve is now 162 millions to 385 millions of notes in circulation. THE RIVER PLATE. The following is an extract from the Diario de Per nambuco of the 15th of June, 1848 : " 11ONTE VIDEO, MAY 19.—General Oribe forwarded to General Rosas a copy of the conditions that had been proposed to him by Captain Gore and Baren Gros. This communication was sent by her Majesty's steamer Harpy-, in charge of M. Itturiaga, Oribe's Private Secre tary, who was instructed to give every explanation. The Harpy was expected back immediately, but did not re turn for seventeen days. " The reply of Roses, received by Oribe, is said to occupy 27 sheets of paper, and to have greatly disap pointed every one, and particularly those who, though they were prepared to hear of alterations and condi tions in the proposals, still hoped that they would not be rejected altogether. It now appears that General Rosas denies the right of Oribe to enter into any negotiations, and accuses him of having broken through the existing agreements by which ho (Rosas) is the principal belligerent and the only oue authorised to make peace or war. Rosas adds, that if, after these observations, Oribe persists in his intentions, he will cer tainly be returning with the basest ingratitude the fa vours received, and concludes by declaring that ho will not consent to the withdrawal of the Argentine forces, and that the carrying out of the conditions proposed will put an end to the good understanding between the Ar gentine Government, and General Oribe. " This is more or less, as we are assured by a letter before us, the substance of Rosas's dispatch, the contents of which he desires General Oribe to communicate word by word to the Ministers, that they may understand that ke will listen to no conditions but those proposed by Mr. Hood, with the modifications and additions he (Roses) made, and which were refused by the French and English Governments. " This note appears to have placed Oribe in a fix, for up to the 15th of May he had not returned any answer to the many applications made to him by the mediators after the return of the Harpy. The financial position of the Monte Videan Go vernment had experienced some little improvement. On the 14th of May the French Ministers resolved to take upon themselves to provide for the families of the Foreign Legion, which circumstance very much de creases the daily expense incurred by the Government for these troops. " When the packet Kestrel sailed from Buenos Ayres it was currently reported that Rosas had ordered General Urquiza to march with his forces to the Banda Oriental. "The Spanish naval squadron in La Plata had received orders to return to Europe. "On the 19th of May a conference took place between the Ministers and Oribe, and it was reported that the negotiation had been abandoned." HOP INTELLIGENCE. MAIDsToNE.—The past week has been favourable to the hop plantations; they are getting forward. A few lice are to be found, but on the whole they look as well as ever was known. If they were worth 200,0001. duty last week, they certainly are worth 210,0001. this, being now beyond the reach of injury from fly. The districts aro estimated as follows: Rochester Canterbury Sussex ... Worcester Farnham ... Kingdom ... ... 75,000 ... 45,000 ... 60,000 ... 20,000 ... 8,000 2,000 Total 210,000 BOZLEY, AYLESFORD, EURHAM.—Generally good, but not the prospect of growing so wally hops as a few weeks back. The duty must be over-rated. YALDINO, FeaLElaa, CHART.—The bine is free from any disease, but is not strong and vigorous as last year. From this cause the planters do not expect so large a growth. Most think we shall fall short two bags per acre. Much, however, depends on the weather. The burr is showing itself, and the plant is forward ; we therefore hope for good quality—we wish we could say remuneration for our labour; that, however, is ont of the question, as regards the unfortunate and oppressed farmer. MEREWORTIL—The weather of late being favourable for the hops, they are looking very well in our parish and neighbourhood. The bine grows very fast, and they are coming into burr. on very well ; not very full E A ST PECKHAAL—Going of bine. STAPLEHURST.—FavourabIy progressing, the Goldings slightly affected by the cold nights. C RAN BROOK.—The cold night s and wind have checked the growth of the bine the last fortnight; in consequence they have made but little progress; some very backward, others have not been doing well of late. GOUDHURST.—Our bine is luxuriant and strong, and displays a brightness of colour far be y ond that which was at one time anticipated" ROLVENDEN.—We are free from vermin, and most of our grounds are doing well, but some of the old planta tions have symptoms of fire-blast. SEVENOAKS, AND ADJOINING PARISSES.--BiLle very good ; every appearance of growing a moderate crop. The mould has made its appearance in the hedges, but not at present in the hops. CANTERBURI.—The weather of the nights and morn ings of the past week has been unfavourable for the hops, and mould has appeared in some grounds. Damage has likewise been inflicted by the high winds. From the I loprices at p rese nt prevailing it is considered that it would not be wholly disadvantageous if the g rowers do not get a g reat crop.—Maidstone Journal. HOW TO GET REFORM. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sta,—To petition Parliament is vain. The Parlia ment does not represent the people. Why then waste ink and paper in petitioning the " Honourable House?" Reform is entreated, and Reform is denied; the pre mier asserting that the people of England do not went it. And this at a time wh en the minds of men gene rally are determined upon certa i n great principles • when Tories, Whigs, and Radical s are agreed, and the ' mad ness of party is a matter of bygone absurdity. Who does not vote the Income-tax an " ' abominable thing which thesculhateth?" Who do es not denounce the payment of iniquitous pensions? Who does not de mand the reduction of State salarie s ? I s an aristocrat , nece ssarily the best of legislators, and must h e necessarily have an aristocratic salary? Are there not hundreds of talented men who would gladly do the work—d o it iu a less slovenly manner —for one-third the pay? How then is Reform t o be obtained? Nothing is easier! Let the people be agreed as nearly as possible concern ing what they want.—Retrenchment, Income-tax aboli tion, Vote by Ballot, Extension of the Suffrage; one , two, three, or all of these. Concerning the two first, all will be agreed, and if a few unbelieving loiterers on the road kick at the two last, no matter—they must " creep before they gang." Let the electors of every town and county s e nd a me morial to their present " Representatives," saying , " Sirs, such and such are our opinions, and we hereby give you notice, and bind ourselves that, whenever an election shall occur, we will vote for no candidate unless ho shall pledge himself to represent and to support our views. I need not tell you, Sir, that the majority of electors, of three-fourths of the constituency of this country, would sign a memorial of this character, a l Id would obstinately and honestly stand by their determii tation. As a natu ral consequence, the very next Parli.ament, would be a Parliament representing the will of the people. Your obedient servant, A NON- CONTENT. Baston, Lincolnshire. SUSPENSION OF THE ILABEAS CORPUS ACT. (FROAI TUX IiORNING PAPERS OF MONDAY.) PC)ST.—The measure of the suspension of the Habeas Corp us Act in Ireland will confide to the Lord-Lieute nant, or Lords Justices in his absence, the power to arres t, and detain in imprisonment, till the Ist of March, 1849, all persons suspected of disaffection to the Queen's . person and Government. So urgent did the Minister consider the situation of Ireland, that he proposed the susp(!nsion of the standing orders pro hac vice, and the Bill went through all its stages, and was finally passed by the House Commons, before the sitting was con clad( , d. It is to be brought under the consideration of the :House of Lords this day, when the same dispatch will no doubt be used, and we may reasonably expect that to-morrow's post will convey to Dublin the infor mati on that the Bill has become a portion of the law of the land. An opposition, so insignificant as by its weakness to strengthen the bands of the Government, was offered to the measure on Saturday. Eight Mem bers. of the House of Commons were happily all that couAd be found arrayed against the cause of order. The debate on this important subject will be read with deep interest, on account of the gratifying alacrity displayed to support the Crown against the machinations of traitors, who have not even :the common-place plea of traitors to urge in their defence. It was as truly as tersely observed by Mr. Disraeli, " that this was not an agrarian, nor a religious, movement, .nor one arising from a sentiment of perverted nationality; it was an external, a continental, a Jacobin movement." That the general condition of Ireland calls for earnest oonsideration we have on very many occasions expressed our firm con viction; but treason must first be put down. Legisla tion cannot take place in presence of an armed insurrec tion. ADVERTISER.—The proceedings of the Howe of Commons, on Saturday, in reference to the Ministerial measure, will be read with profound interest on both sides of the Channel. They will produce a powerful moral effect in Ireland. Out of a House consisting of 215, only 8 could be found to vote against the Govern ment motion. And not only so, but no opposition was offered to the Ministerial proposal, that the standing or ders of the House should be suspended, in order that the Bill might pass that day. This is a most significant cir cumstance. It will appal the traitors in Ireland. It will strike terror into the minds of the rebel leaders. They will stand aghast at the unanimity of the House of Commons, in dooming them so speedily to durance vile. They never dreamt of being dealt with after this fashion. Those who last week were playing the braggart, and with an unparalleled audacity defying the Government, will, in scores of cases, find themselves, before the close of this week, safely enclosed within the walls of the felon's cell. Before many weeks have elapsed, we expect to witness the complete restoration of tranquillity in Ireland. The vigour and energy which Ministers are now displaying, in their determination to crush the incipient insurrection which prevails in Ireland, almost reconciles us to the past forbearance of the Lord-Lieutenant of that country. THE SOUTH FORELAND LIGHTHOUSES.—These new edifices are now completed, and from their beauty and unique appearance reflect the greatest credit on all par ties concerned. There are two—the one called the Upper, and the other the Lower South Foreland Light house. The headland on which they stand is the nearest point in England to the coast of France, being barely a distance of 21 miles across the Ch anne l. Th e upper lighthouse consists of a massive tower (externally octa gon, internally circular), the lantern of which is about 375 feet above high-water ma r k, l eav i ng a perpen di cu l ar height of the cliff on which it is situated of about 290 feet. The lantern is constructed on a novel principle. It is furnished with 264 mirrors, which are enclosed on the side opposite the sea by six lenses. These mirrors, casting a multitudinous reflection on each other, afford a strong and brilliant light, being clearly visible on the opposite coast, throughout the Downs, Ramsgate, and even Margate and the greatest portion of the Isle of Thanet. The lamp, which is in the centre of the lan tern, consists of one large socket, containing four burners; and it supplies itself with oil by means of a kind of clock. work machinery, which, while it pumps up the oil to the wick, also returns the surplus quantity to the reservoir; and in case of any defect, or want of supply, by a small hydraulic balance, strikes a sharp tinkling bell, as a warning to the keeper. The machinery is very simple, at the same time curious. The lantern consists of a cupola, the roof and aides of which are composed of neatly wrought iron frames, apparently light, but suf ficiently strong to stand against the most ordinarily violent tempest. It is enclosed by 48 oblong panes of plate glass, from two and a half feet to four feet long. Around the cupola, on the exterior, is a balcony, rendered safe by a castellated parapet, from which, in clear weather, one of the most splendid views is to be obtained; giving scope to the eye a considerable distance beyond the bare out line of the opposite coast, and far both up and down the Channel. Passing from the upper lighthouse, about a quarter of a mile easterly, is the lower one, standing on the verge of the cliff. The tower is not so high as the former, neither is it lighted on the same principle. Within the lantern are suspended from copper branches 11 Argand lamps, each having a .burner of rather large dimensions, with a concave reflector of the greatest brilliancy, and about 20 inches in diameter. It appears that it is yet a matter of doubt which system of lighting is preferable, the honourable Corporation of Trinity are giving each a fair trial. The framework and exterior of the lantern are about the same as at the upper light, this also having a balcony from which an extensive view is obtained.—Canterbury Journal. MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. — The 62d Regiment in garrison at Portsmouth received orders on Thursday last to hold themselves in readiness to leave those quarters at a moment's notice; and a similar order was issued on Friday to the 17th Regiment in the same garrison. The 62d were inspected on Friday by the Major-General commanding the district (Lord Frederick Fitzclarence), and on Saturday morning, at half-past four o'clock, four companies of that regiment took their departure from Portsmouth for London by the South-Western Railway, and on arriving at the Waterloo Station, marched thence to the terminus of the London and North-Western Rail way, by which they proceeded to Bury, in Lancashire, (and not to Ireland, as was stated on Saturday), to relieve the 60th Regiment ordered to Ireland. The remainder of the 62d arrived in town and followed the head-quar ters to Bury, this morning. The 77th Regiment, in quarters at Winchester, will take the place of the 62d in Portsmouth. THE SUITERRANKAN FIRE NEAR SHEFFIELD.— Some account of this fire appeared in our paper lately. A correspondent of the Sheffield Aitdependeni gives some further particulars. Ho says, " Old people whom I have known well, remembered a fire which was burning under the Red Hill and adjacent fields near a century since. Some of them, who were living since the modern outbreak, fully believed this ire to be nothing but a continuation of the former one. Be this as it may, it is certain that for about 80 years past the fire has been undermining the ground on which many of the habitations stand. Some times, for the space of a year or more, various indi vidual houses have been so dreadfully filled with black or choke damp, that it has been impossible to breathe unless the door was kept wide open. Many of the cellars have been closed for years. About twenty years since a portion of the streets sunk immediately after a loaded waggon had passed over the spot, exposing the hollow on which the people walked and dwelt. During one considerable period the water drawn from the principal well of the village came up, not warm merely, but positively hot. From 15 to 25 years ago, both in winter and summer, as soon as the evening closed in, flame was seen to issue from various fissures in particular fields and gardens. A few years since an old farm-house and outbuildings had suffered so much by being undermined, that it was deemed advisable to take them quite down, and the ma terials were made use of in the building of two neat cottages. These were erected on ground where it was thought the fire had long done its worst, and where the new buildings would stand safely. Though not more than six or eight years since the cottages are tumbling down, one of them having been already prudently aban doned by its inhabitants. Some of your readers may recollect that during the recent prevalence of typhus fever, Nether Ilaugh was more than once named in your paper, in connexion with that dreadful scourge. There was not, perhaps, one village in the whole country which, for the number of its inha bitants, suffered more. Ido no t reco ll ec t t o h ave seen the opinion expressed in print, but I never doubted that the chief cause of the prevalence of fever in Nether Haugh was the bad air engendered in the houses by the subterranean Itre." AN EXTRAORDINARY SeLENE.—A most extraordi nary scene occurred at Nant turnpike -gate, near Llau gran', on Friday, the 30th ult. On that day Ilylton's collection of wild beasts, in caravans drawn by several horses, came from Llangefni to the turnpike -gate, and 6d. for each collar was demanded as toll. When this c l a i m was paid, the gate-keeper refused to let the collection go through unless 2d. more for each collar was paid, upon the ground that only 4d. had been p a id f or eac h w h en they passed on their way to Llanerchymedd. The person in custody. allegedthatwahadtevtherathif a had been fur ther charge had been demanded bad been paid at that time, n then made it would have property s l d to had another since thatbe e n timepaid ; changedbut that ha thendsby being _ party when at Llanerchymedd. Th a e nd gate-keeper as f determined not to open the g ate, the wild beasts was fully a s determined to pass onward; and each party loudly insisted upon the cor rectness of his own view of the ca se. A respectable farmer wasre f s w r r h e o d happened to a s tto the be respective the rigadjoininghtsof thefield parties. The clause in the Turnpike Act was clear o i us to 6d. a collar being chargeable where the carriage drawn was upon springs, but the wild beast man insisted there was nothing in the Act to compel him to pay toll for another man's property or beasts. The pikeman called to his assistance the lime- burnersand carters from the adjoin ir-ig quarries, and the caravan man summoned his trusty keepers. Words grew louder and blows fell faster, until at length the battle became general ; bloody hands and broken heads were seen an d felt ; s t aves an d b u tt en ds o the carter's whips were met with long poles and sh or t truncheons. The issue of the battle was for a considerable time doubtful. The pikeman's wife and children were crying and roaring in the house, whilst the wild beasts in their respective dens were sending forth terrific yells. The elephant, after removing the gate, was unchained, came to the rescue, decided the day, and caused the discomfited Monaites to , fly in great disorder t owar d s Glynhwrfa, leaving the pikeman and his gate at the mercy of the victors, who subsequently passed onwards with lighted pipes and flying colours.—Chester Courant. THE LAW OF MARRIAGE. It will be remembered by our readers that on the 28th of June, 1847, her Majesty was pleased to appoint a Special Commission " to inquire into the state and opera tion of the law of marriage, as relating to the prohibited degrees of affinity, and to marriages solemnized abroad, and in the British colonies." The Commissioners so appointed consisted of the Lord Bishop of Lichfield, the lion. James Stuart Wortley, M.P., Sir Stephen Lush ington, D.C.L., Mr. Anthony Richard Blake, Sir Edward Vaughan Williams, and Mr. Andrew Rutherford. The first report to the Queen's most excellent Ma jes!y is embodied in the shape of a blue book, including the ecidence of the witnesses examined, the appendices, &c. Tf;e report itself occupies a space of 10 pages. The Commissioners first directed their attention to the question of marriages within the prohibited degrees of affinity, and to the law affecting such marriages, princi pally confining themselves to the case of marriage with the sister of a deceased wife. The legality of such mar riage is notoriously the essence of the question at issue. The Commissioners find, from their minute investiga tion of the laws of foreign countries, that marriages of this kind are permitted, by " dispensation" or otherwise, in nearly all the continental states of Europe. It appears that in the Romish Church they are pro hibited as matters of discipline, but that such prohibition may be, and frequently is, dispensed with by the Pope, or by others acting under his authority; the principle of this dispensation being that the prohibition has been im posed by the church, and not by the law of God; and that, consequently, the church is as free to remove as it was to ordain the prohibition. I❑ Protestant countries such marriages are likewise permitted, and solemnized by dispensation or license, under ecclesiastical or civil authority. In the United States of America alliances between a man and the sister of a former wife are not only deemed lawful, in a civil sense, but also in a moral, religious, and Christian sense ; and, moreover, as ex ceedingly praiseworthy-. A great judicial authority in that country—we allude to Judge Story—declares, " Nothing is more common in all the states of America than second marriages of this sort, and, so far from being doubtful as to their moral tendency, they are, amongst us, deemed the very best sort of marriages. In my whole life I have never heard the slightest sug gestion against them, founded on moral or domestic considerations." Turning to the Greek Church, we find these mar riages stigmatized as incestuous, and of course disal lowed ;Is utterly unlawful. It seems, however, that suc h mar yiages aro not illegal in Russia, if the con tracting par'!.ies be without the pale of the Greek Church. The opinion prevalent amongst the Jews is favourable to these unions, and, so far from condemning such con nexions, the usual time prescribed for remaining in a state of widowhood is abbreviated in cases where there are children. _ The various bodies of English Dissenters do not ap pear to hold any opinion based on the assumption that these marriages are interdicted by Holy Writ, the sole authority which these respectable classes of the Christian community admit. The Commissioners were naturally anxious to ascer tain the opinions of the clergy of the Established Church in England on the two questions of principle and expe diency -1. Whether the marriage with the sister of a deceased wife is prohibited by the Divine law ; or, 2, if not, whether it ought to be interdicted on any other ground The result of this inquiry was unsatisfactory. The clergy are so divided in opinion on both questions that it is impossible to put forth any judicial dictum as the expression of the sentiments entertained by so numerous, important, and authoritative a body. The majority, especially in Ireland, appear to object to the marriages in question, but on various grounds; and in Scotland the opinion of' the Presbyterian ministers is decidedly ad verse to them. It may be remembered that the Act of sth and 6th of William IV. had a twofold bearing—the one retro spective, the other prospective. The effect of the former was to legalise the marriages already contracted, as fails accomplis, whereas the latter provision declared all such marriages for the future to be null and void, thus giving ample notice of the illegality and the attendant consequences to all parties interested. The Commissioners regret the utter failure of this prospective enactment. It has not prevented numerous marriages with the sisters or nieces of deceased wives. " On a low computation," says the report, " such mar• riages must amount to thousands, although, from the nature of the connexion and the secrecy observed, their number cannot be accurately ascertained. The evil is great, and it appears to be increasing." The Commissioners proceed to analyze the cause of the failure of the statute to prevent these marriages. Some of those who object to them rely less upon Scriptural or ecclesiastical authority (which would at once decide the question at issue) than upon certain arguments of expe diency very commonly urged in familiar arguments on the subject. These refer to the delicate relations which exist between the sister of the wife and her brother-in law, considered tantamount by some to a tie of consanguinity, and, consequently, branding any future conjugal con nexion as incestuous. Others, again, with less delicacy, suggest that " if a possibility exist that hereafter the husband and the sister-in-law might become husband and wife, room would bo allowed fur the excitement of carnal passions tending to criminal intercourse." The supporters of such marriages, on the other hand, contend that the marriage with a wite's sister, so far from being prohibited, is inferentially and analogically permitted by the law of God (vide xviii. Leviticus, 11; xxv. Deuteronomy, 5), and, on the ground of expediency, they urge that such marriages ought to be permitted for the advantage of the motherless children, whose maternal aunt is naturally more adapted to fill the part of an affectionate stepmother than a stranger. The Commissioners, however, as philosophers and men of the world, reject these arguments as the cause of the production or prevention of the marriages in question. The common foundation of such alliance is stated to be the familiar intercourse necessarily prevailing between a man and his sister-in-law, when, on the decease of his wife, she assumes her sister's place as the guardian of her bereaved children. And here the grand argument of natural impulse urges itself upon our notice. Upon this interesting question the Commissioners offer the following observations and opinions, with which they conclude their report : "It may be advisable to consider this part of the subject with reference to the community, as divided into three classes—the most elevated in rank and fortune ; the next class ; and the rest of the community. " Few of these marriages are found to have taken place among persons of a high station. But we do not attribute this to any stronger sense of religious or moral obligation than in other classes. On the contrary, the evidence shows that where circumstances have placed persons of elevated rank in situations likely to create such attachments, connexions of this kind do take place, as among other ranks. Probably the true reason why such marriages aro rare in the highest class are,-1, that the numbers of such class are small; 2., that in such class a sister less often occupies the place of a deceased wife. Wealth pro vides otherwise for the management of domestic affairs; governesses take the charge of children where considerations of expense do not intervene; relations have much greater facility of seeing the children, and superintending their education, without actual resi dence under the father's roof. Even under the roof the society is less closely domestic and private, and the desire of not offending the opinions or scruples of the world, be they right or wrong, is stronger. These con siderations, we think, account for the small number of marriages of this kind in high life, without supposing that the feelings would be diferent, or differently go verned, if the circumstances were the same. " In the next rank of life, the evidence shows that these attachments and marriages are frequent ; and we believe frequent in proportion to the occur rence of the circumstance which would naturally give rise to them ; that is, in proportion to the number of cases where the sister of a deceased wife takes up her residence under the husband's roof, the parties not having passed the middle age. We find that the relations and friends of both parties have in some cases readily assented to the contraction of such mar riages ; and in other eases, where a contrary feeling may have originally existed, they have not hesitated, upon a consideration of the subject, to sanction, with their approval the connexion already formed. " We do not find that the persons who contract these marriages, and the relations and friends who approve them, have a less strong sense than others of religious and moral obligation, or are marked by laxity of conduct. " Among the poorer classes of society, we believe that in a great majority of cases where the sister of the deceased wife becomes an inmate of the house, and the parties are not advanced in age, the end of such a state of things is marriage or concu binage. The constant and familiar intercourse, the want of separate accommodation, and the entire privacy, give rise to feelings which, in the ordinary course of things, naturally will produce the conse quences which we have stated. When a poor man with a family has the misfortune to lose his wife, some assistance for his domestic concerns becomes indispensable; assistance, too, for which ho cannot afford to pay, and which must be rendered im mediately. All circumstances and all feelings point to the sister of the deceased wife ; and when once she be comes a permanent inmate, the result, in this class, is almost inevitable ; cohabitation with, or without, the form of marrige. " On a review of the subject, in all these its different bearings, and effects, we arc constrained, not only to express our belief that the statute 5 and 6 William IV. has failed to attain its object, but also to express our and t t whenwu u , \l marriages t aaet r b ajo, effectual. intuche leidei ynbo ' e r efad h rec et e ixor s tnc e etounhtm m si inds a vktee r ap r l nyiteachnigeandset increased nrsgeut w i acv s i ohe l en l dr doubt whether any measure of a prohibitory character l saeketopmlauce -1 e in attachmentsins number a na t i b o e n r . e p h e a rm ve is s: i i v d e: itw e i r s e n t o h t e th la e w s t t a u te pe o r f m t i h t e th la e w m , ; pr b e e h c i a b u i s t e ,:ry as e w r which has governed, or, as we think, ever will effectually govern them. " We have endeavoured, faithfully and impartially, to set forth the result of our investigation ; but whether any or what measure should be introduced for a change of the law, either on the side of relaxation, or stricter prohibi arcceirhlennageneeusonrttrwe; tion, we must leave to the wisdom of the Legislature." Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Saxe Weimar accompanied by her two daughters and son, Prince Ed ward, attended by a n umerous suite, embarked un Satur day morning at Blackwall-pier on board the General Steam Navigation Company's steam-ship Ocean, J. C. Hest, for Rotterdam en route to the Vague. GAME CERTITICATES.—The Collectors of Assessed Taxes have received official notices not to issue a receipt f . or game certificates for any party whose residence is not the parish where the collector resides This is quite right, fur obvious reasons. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 26, lBlB. THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS. Harvest operations have already commenced in this neighbourhood. Several fields of winter-sown barley have been cut and carried in prime condition, and the tine warm 'weather which we have had without interruption for the last ten days, is ra pidly ripening all hinds of grain. The wheat harvest may be expected to begin within a fortnight, and, should we be favoured with a continuance of this glorious sunshine, we may confidently anticipate an average though not an extraordinary yield. Circum stances were unfavourable to the crop during the spring, but these are being rapidly counterbalanced by the present auspicious season, There can be no doubt that indications of the potato disease have appeared in several places, but the best information we have been able to procure induces us to believe that the tubers are not affected to any extent that need excite alarm.— Western Luminary. The weather ihroughnut the past woek has been highly favourable for hay-making and a large quantity of grass has been cut and secure d in prime condition. Another week of fine weather would enable the farmers in this part of the country to place the chief part, if not the whole, of their_ huy under cover. Cumberland Paerpdet. Tile weather still continues propitious. The hay har vest is almost over, and good supplies will be laid in for the winter. Wheat looks healthy and strong, the heads being large and full, and the reeds tall and firm. Barley and oats have sprung up amazingly, and look very heavy. The turnip crops are expected to be fine in proportion as they were bad last year. The potato plant, we are happy to say, looks healthy, and large crops are expected. The accounts throughout the country are very promising. —Derby Minitury. PERTH, JULY 15.—During the week now nearly con cluded, the weather has been most splendid, warm,:and genial, and in every way fitted to bring the crops to maturity. The crop of grain in this quarter promises generally to be good, and in particular the oats will be one of the heaviest crops we have had for many years, should the season continue favourable. There was a slight appearance of ruin last night, but to-day the clouds have been almost entirely dispersed, and there is every appearance at present of a continuance of warm, settled weather. The sudden change which has taken place in the weather during the last week has been of the most ex tensive benefit to the agriculturist, and enabled him to proceed with carrying his hay in tolerable condition. The wheat is fast ripening under such favourable aus pices, and the increased value a week of such brilliant sunshine adds to the crop, and consequently to the wealth of the country, is almost incalculable, besides its advantage in bringing harvest time forward. There are as usual very conflicting accounts as to the pro bable yield, and even the best authorities differ; some pronounce it to be far below, others a fair average one. We are inclined to believe that it will be a fair crop, and, if the present weather holds, of ex cellent quality. Thee are few complaints of sum mer corn, but the crop of barley is not equal to that of last year. Reaping is expected to commence on the forward land in this neighbourhood on Monday week, but this must of course depend upon the weather which may intervene. We hear various reports about the potato disease, and there can be no doubt of its existence, but not in many cases. A letter in the Times, by Mr. Hewitt Davis,. and which had an alarming ten dency, has called forth many replies, the majority of which deny that there are any grounds for apprehension. —Berkshire Chronicle. SICILY. The following is the decree of the Sicilian Parlia ment, nominating the Duke of GENOA King of Sicily . "Art. 1. The Duke of Genoa, second son of the pre sent King of Sardinia, and his posterity, are called to reign in Sicily, according to the constitutional statutes of the 10th July, 1848. Art. 2. He will assume the name and title of Albert Amedee 1., king of Sicily, in virtue of the constitution of the kingdom. Art. 3. He shall be invited to ac cept and take the oath required by the 40th article of the statutes. Done and delivered at Palermo on the 11th July, 1848. (Signed). The President of the House of Commons, the Marquis de Torrearsa; the President of the House of Peers, the Duke de Serra di Falco." RAILWAY COMMITTEES. (YESTERDAY.) HOUSE OF LORDS. LORD SHAFTESBURY'S CO M MITTEE.—DurN DEE AND ARBROATH RAILWAY (Dundee Junction). — This Bill was re-committed to introduce certain amended clauses relating to the capital. ROYSTON ♦ND HITCHIN EXTENSION RAILWAY.— Clauses further considered, and Bill ordered to be re ported. _ _ G ROUP No. B.—NORTH AND SOUTII-WESTERN RAILWAY (Harrow to Brentford).—Case for the pro moters and opposition of the Great Western Company further considered. GROUP No. 9.— SCOTTISH MIDLAND JUNCTION RAILWAY (Amendment of Acts, and Branch to Law rencekirk).—The case for the promoters and the oppo sition of the Aberdeen Company being closed, the room was cleared, and the Committee, after a short delibera tion, decided that the preamble was not proved. PAISLEY, BARRIIEAD, AND lIIIRLET RAILWAY.—The object of this Bill is to authorise the construction of a line of railway to open up the mineral field in the imme diate vicinity of Glasgow. The case was opened to-day, and evidence taken in its favour. GROUP No. 'Ib.—LIVERPOOL, MAICHESTER, AND NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE JUNCTION RAILWAY. The object of this Bill is to authorise the abandonment of the line and the dissolution of the company. It is op posed by several landholders along the route of the proposed railway, who insist that the dissolution of the concern is sought for stock-jobbing purposes, and that the public ought not to be deprived of the benefit of the line to enable the shareholders to pocket large sums, and a competing line to monopolise the whole traffic of the district. The case was opened to day, and evidence taken in its favour. ELECTION COMMITTEES. DUBLIN. The scrutiny into the validity of Mr. Reynolds' majority was resumed yesterday, and in the course of the day the petitioners succeeded in striking off one addi tional vote. NORTH CHESHIRE. The North Cheshire Election Committee met again proceeded with the case of treating the sitting Member. The evidence ) a - g e a s i t n er s d t ts A yi, n a L n e d igh, went to show that each voter was supplied with a voting card, which was exchanged for a refreshment ticket after he had polled. The refreshments supplied to the voters consisted of cold meats, beer, and brandy and water. One of the witnesses stated that he had promised to support Mr. Leigh's opponent, but the prosp ec t o f a goo d di nner , which Mr. Leigh's friends held out to various electors, induced him to vote for that gentleman. The evidence had not closed when the Committee ad journed. The charges of bribery contained in the petition are abandoned. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, JULY 24. STOCK EXCHANGE. - Our market to-aay is dull, little business doing, and prices lower. The sales are—East Lancashire, Preference, % p.—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 321. Shares, 7 dis.—Ditto, 10/. Shares, Preference, % p.— London and North-Western, 1 26—Ditto, Fifths, 5% p.— Ditto,New Quarters, 1 1 A p.—Midland Stock, New Halves, p.—South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4, Thirds, 2 dis.— York, Newcastle, and Berwick (G. N. E. Purhaso), 1% p. MANCHESTER, JULY 24. STOCK EXCHANGM — The sales are—Caledonian, Pre ference, sR p.—Great Northern, B%—Lancashire and York shire (late West Riding Union) Fifths, 3% 8 n. dis.—Ditto, 10/. Preference, 6 per cent., 5 A p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, Eighths, 5 c. dis.—Ditto (Grimsby), 20/. Shares, 8 3 4 dis.—North _Staffordshire, 2 9-16 dis.—North Union (A), 202 1 4—South -Eastern and Dover, No. 4, 2 11-16 dis. _ . _ BIRMINGHAM, JULY 24. STOCK EXCUANGE.—The sales are—North Staffordshire, 21—Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A), 514. A FEMALE SAILOR. —Yesterday a good-looking sailor youth (as all in court took the prisoner to be), attired in a blue jacket, striped blue shirt, &c., was placed at the bar of the police-court, charged by a stout whiskered seaman, named James Kitson, with having robbed him in a lodging-house of 8/. Mr. i'arkinson, the Bridewell-keeper, intimated before the case was gone into, that the prisoner turned out to be a young woman. The complainant then said that prisoner had accosted him on Saturday in the street, asking his assistance, as he was in distress, and wanted a ship. Witness took him and gave him his breakfast, and afterwards his dinner, at Mr. Parker's cookshop, Wappin g . It appeared that complainant had afterwards introduced prisoner to some of his ship mates, and that the whole had been drinking together rather cheerfully during the day. At night Jack in vited his young companion to wept of part of his bed, and they slept together. He had previously given the prisoner a jacket, so as to appear more tidy than before. In the morning, the sailor somehow suspected the sex of his partner, and missing his money went down stairs to the landlord, and told him there was, he believed, a woman in his room, who had robbed him. The land lord laughed, and said he must be mistaken, and had perhaps had " the horrors." The prisoner was not, it appears, really discovered to be a female until taken into custody. Seven shillings were found on the prisoner, and she said the jacket was given to her by the complainant, and she had found the money in it. Mr. Parkinson said he had learned that prisoner's mother bad gone from Manchester by a packet ship from this port to New York, that they had some. how missed each other in coming here , and t hat the pri soner had come in disguise, in hopes of working her way out as a sailor. Mr. Rushton remanded her. She gave her name as Mary Ann Martin.—Liverpool Standard. DUTCH CATTLE.—The steamers from the Dutch ports are now bringing some lambs on each occasion, in addition to other live stock, the produce of Holland. The importation of this description of young stock having hitherto been of a remarkably limited character, .during the present se a son . Three vessels, which have just arrived on one day from Rotterdam, have each brought a considerable number of lambs, as a portion of their cargoes. Tna CHOLERA.—On Monday a letter was received by the owners of the Marion, of Leith, dated Elsinore, stating that the master, Captain Beal, had died of cho lera, on the voyage home from St. Petersburgh, and that one of the crew was labouring under the disease.—Eiin burgh Post. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, July 24. Their Lordships met at Five o'clock. The Earl of DARNLEY took the oaths and his seat. The Earl of lIARROWBY presented a petition from the journeymen bakers, praying for a diminution of the hours of labour; also from the Shrewsbury Waterworks Company against the Healths of Towns Bill. ECCLESIASTICAL PATRONAGE (IRELAND) 'BILL. On the motion of Earl FORTESCUE, this Bill was read a second time. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE BILL. On the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, this Bill was read a third time and passed. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE BILL (No. 2). On the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, this Bill was read a third time and passed. VEXATIOUS ACTIONS BILL. Lord CAMPBELL moved that this Bill be read a second time. The Earl of WICKLOW hoped a similar Bill would be introduced for Ireland. The motion was then agreed to. IRISH CONSPIRATORS DETENTION BILL. This Bill having been brought up from the Commons, The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved that it be read a first time.—Agreed to. The NouLE MARQUIS then said he was about to pro pose to their Lordships to adopt an unusual, but not an unprecedented, course. He had in the first instance to 't to to their Lordships, that only three days having elapsed since this matter had been discussed in that House, additional and overwhelming proof had been furnished of the existence of the exi gency under the pressure of which their Lordships were called upon to act. He held in his hand a short report on the state of Ireland, which contained a state ment of facts relating to that country up to Saturday. It stated that the system of clubs for organizing rebel lion was advancing at an accelerated pace, and that in Cork, Waterford, Meath, and Kilkenny, those clubs were endeavouring to gain possession of the country. Since the Lord-Lieutenant had proclaimed Dublin, Cork, and Waterford, the leaders of the conspiracy had been moving from county to county to review their forces. These measures had been adopted without disguise, and it would seem as if the leaders had endeavoured to prove the necessity of passing this measure. But, without allud ing to the sedition and treason with which numerous Irish papers had come laden to this country, he would allude to a few significant paragraphs which clearly showed the objects which those parties had in view. In one of these papers he found a paper signed by a leader, named Brennan, declaring that they were now in a state of war, from which they could not recede, and urging the young men of Ireland, as very rash and rather inclined to be fiery, to proceed at once, and to let their watchword be " Now or never." Then thero was another article, signed by Mr. J. F. Lalor urging the Irish to destroy the 40,000 E ng li s h so ldiers in Ireland, to kill and capture them in the best and swiftest manner possible. There was another paper which, after sneering at the Earl of Clarendon's prac tical instructions in Ireland, headed a column as their own practical instructions, instructing the people in every means of destroying life and property that the most hellish ingenuity could imagine. He, therefore had turned to those precedents which showed to what means their Lordships had recourse to pass measures in times of emergency to proceed in one day to carry a Bill of this importanee through all its stages. He found that in 1803, without any previous notice, two Bills for the suppression of rebellion in Ire land, and enabling the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland to arrest suspected persons, were passed through the House in one sitting, that the standing orders were sus pended, and a resolution passed enabling the Lord Chancellor to put the question upon every stage on the same day. He had no hesitation in pro posing to their Lordships to act upon that precedent.— (Hear.) He had no doubt but the persons who were engaged in organizing rebellion, who had proclaimed war without subjecting themselves to the dangers of war, were not entitled to the benefit of those regulations which were never intended for rebellions subjects. One of those writers had asked who would strike the first blow for Ireland—who would shed the first blood ? and if no one should be found to strike the first blow or to shed the first blood, it would be mainly owing to their Lordships passing this Bill without delay, and which would at once receive the Royal assent. Ile concluded by moving the second reading of the Bill, and the sus pension of the standing orders. Lord BROUGHAM was aware that it was a most dangerous power with which it was now proposed to invest the Lord-Lieutenant, but it was an absolutely ne cessary one. Without detaining their Lordships, he would at once say that he gave his cordial consent to his Noble Friend's proposition; but when he saw the exultation which those events had produced in France, ho must protest against it being understood that we wanted this measure or any measure to protect the integrity of the empire or to retain for us Ireland. The integrity of the empire was never in jeopardy. This measure was not wanted to prevent the severance of the empire, but to prevent attempts at that severance, which would produce bloodshed and civil war, which civil war would end in the destruction of those rebellious persons who excited it.—(ilear, hear.) One of those proclamations which his Noble Friend had read had been issued by a man who was in prison for his crimes. He trusted that there was some prison discipline in Ireland as there was in England, to prevent prisoners, when committed to prison, from com mitting a repetition of their crimes. If such were not the law of Ireland, it ought to be the law of Ireland ; and if it were, he trusted it would be carried out. As to the leaders of these people, he believed they would not be very sorry to see this Bill passed.—(Hear.) They had in Ireland leaders of two sorts—the first who preached up repeal but took care not to commit them selves, and warned the people to do nothing unlawful— these were sordid, cautious, crafty, money-getting men, who thought they did enough to absolve their con sciences—if any they had—or to save themselves from prosecution, if they said pray do not break the law, as if they had taken gunpowder and placed it near a fire and said pray do not explode. Of late had arisen an other set of leaders who wished to make a noise, to make speeches to become notorious. He believed that rebellion was the last object they had in view; and then they were hatching a rebellion which they wished never to come into existence, but which would come into existence if the persons of those leaders were not secured, and it was to secure the safety of the country from those who wished to rebel, via , the followers, and from those who did not wish, but who would be forced to break it, viz., the leaders, that he voted for this Bill. The Earl of WICKLOW asked for some assurance that measures should be adopted for preventing pri soners in gaols from writing and publishing seditious letters? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said there was every reason to believe that although these letters bore the initials of the prisoners, they were not written by them, although they might have been written by their au thority. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII believed that this measure, if introduced some months ago, might have pre vented the organization of the clubs, but he believed that now it would be too late to prevent rebellion. Writings as exciting had been published three months since by that person who have now been transported for his crimes, and no steps had been taken in consequence. Three months since. he (Lord Ellenborough) had urged the necessity of proclaiming Dublin. Were they to be told that it was not till the 18th July that the Lord-Lieu tenant for the first time saw the necessity for applying to Parliament for fresh powers? That rebellion had been growing up with the knowledge of the Government, both here and in Ireland, and yet no steps had been taken, up to that time, to put it down. The country had not been organised by the Govern ment. He be lieved the measure would not prevent , but p reci p it ate , the rebellion, and the Government oug ht to be pr e pared for such a contingency. When they had rebellion in the south, they ought to arm and organize the north. The Marquis of LANSDOWN E assu r ed the House and the Noble Lord that th e G overn ment had well weighed the course they had to pursue before they came to Parliament for additional powers; and, on a fitting opportunity, when the motion of the Noble Earl came on for discussion, he would be prepared to satisfy the House that, with respect to the time when, and the mode in which they applied to Parliament, they had acted with moderation, but also with firmness. The Earl of GLENGALL, who was at first very in distinctly beard, said he was happy to say that the ac counts he had received respecting the views of the Roman Catholic clergy were generally satisfactory. He was sorry to say, however, that he knew on undoubted on in every au thority the names of seve ral y oun g Roman Catholic cler gymenfttlm. who were urging t h e p eo ple to rebellion. A Rev. Gentlemen, the day a fter the rece nt proclamations were issued, declared the time had come for striking the death• blow of British power in Ireland. He (the Earl of Glen gall)rcbceasept nhe Catholic clergy th a t revolution respectfully to the t hisaf hurinit b y le of voicete body to wa lY lift The Marquis of LANSDOWNE having moved that t h e standing orders be suspended, t h e Bill was read negatived,a se cond time, the Committee was and the Bill was then read a third passed. time and countryt the c Romanwouldhad HEALTH OF TOWNS BILL. Lord CAMPBELL moved the Committee on this Bill. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH thought it had been greatly improved in the Select Committee. Lord REDESDALE considered that the proviso which excluded so many works from the operation of the smoke prevention clause in the Bill was unnecessary. He had, however, been obliged to accede to it. The Bill then passed through Committee, and was re ported to the House. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 24. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. LORDS' AMENDMENTS. The Lords' amendments to Payne's Patents (Improve ments in Preserving Vegetable Matters) 13111 was agreed to. THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read a third time : Newton's Estate Bill. North \Vales Railway (Dissolution of Company) Bill. SECOND READING. The Regent's Quadrant Colonnade Bill was read a second time. POOR-LAW. Mr. WARD presented a petition from the guardians of Greenwich and other parishes in its neighbourhood against the Bill for altering the charges for the relief of the poor. Mr. MILES presented a petition to the same effect. THE RIVER DEE COMPANY. Sir ROBERT PEEL presented a petition, numerously signed, from the inhabitants of the city of Chester, com plaining of the state of the river Dee, and alleging that the provisions of the Act of Parliament had not been complied with by the Dee Company. The allega tions of the petition were :—" That the said river and port afford a striking example of the danger to which the interests of navigation may be exposed by placing the power over the river in the hands of a joint-stock company, whose principal interest consisted in the suc cessful reclaiming of land. That the area of the estuary of the Dee between Chester and Kelstra was formerly about 12,000 acres, covered at every spring tide ; of this space 8,000 acres have been enclosed, or as it is termed reclaimed, and the tidal water excluded. That about 5,000 acres of the land thus obtained on the Cheshire side now form the Dee Company's estate ; and nearly 3,000 acres on the Flintshire shore are the property of the adjoining landed proprietors. That the Act of Par liament that sanctioned this extensive encroachment required that a depth of 16 feet at ordinary spring tides should be maintained up to Chester, in default of which the rental of the company was liable to be seized and applied to the improvement of the navigation. That it appears in evidence that this condition had not been complied with, and that the river was in so bad a state in December, 1844, that a vessel drawing only 84 feet of water could not go up to Chester on a spring tide. That the said report goes on to state that a rubble-atone dyke or embankment extends seven miles along the Cheshire side of the river on a line most injudiciously laid out with regard to navigation ; that this dyke, a portion of which is covered at half-tide, is only marked by insigni ficant perches or beacons ; that several vessels have struck on it, some of which have been entirely lost; that the river from Flint upwards, is n e ith er li g h te d nor buoyed ; that a weir or milldam, rising eleven feet above the bed of the river, exists just above the city, dams the water up for several miles, and prevents the upward flood ; that loads of stones are thrown into the river to secure the foot of the jetties i and that at Park gate, twelve miles below Chester, which formerly was one of the principal mail-packet stations between Eng land and Ireland, a dry sandbank now extends almost across the estuary. The petitioners most earnestly sub mit to the House the propriety of carrying out the mea sure propounded by the,Tidal Harbour Commissioners, by the enactment of a general Conservancy Bill." The Right Hon. Baronet said he thought this was a matter of great importance, and he suggested that the Hon. and Learned Member for Chester (the Attorney- General) should move that the petition be printed, in order that a Committee might be appointed to inquire into the matter. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented a petition to the same effect from the town-council of Chester. The Hon. Gentleman said he should to-morrow move that both the petitions be printed. EMIGEATION. Lord R. GROSVENOR presented a petition from the board of guardians of the Hanwell Union, praying for greater facilities for emigration, DUBLIN ELECTION. Lord R. GROSVENOR moved to discharge Mr. Baines from further attendance on the Dublin Election Committee, on account of the serious indisposition of a near relation.—Agreed to. THE IRISH AND THE PORT OF LIVERPOOL. Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from Liver pool, signed by the Mayor and by persons of all classes and opinions in that place, stating that they viewed with the greatest satisfaction the introduction of a measure into Parliament for the suppression of rebellion in Ireland, and praying that as Liverpool was so near Ireland, and as so many persons connected with that country came over to the port of Liverpool, among whom were many of the disaffected, that the provisions of the Bill might be extended to Liverpool, or that a Bill might be introduced, with similar provisions, ex tending to that town. _ _ _ POOR-LAWS. In reply to a question from Mr. URQUIIART, Mr. C. BULLER stated that he intended to proceed with the four Bills for amending the poor•laws, and he proposed to-morrow, at twelve o'clock, to bring the union charges under the consideration of the Haase. PRIVILEGE. Mr. C. ANSTEY wished to explain a mistake which had crept into the report of Friday night's debate. He was reported to have charged the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department with having selected passages from a speech of his Hon. and Learned Friend the Member for Athlone, and sup pressing others which would have materially qualified his lion. and Learned Friend's opinion. He wished it to be understood that he had made no such charge. OVERLOADING STEAM-BOATS. Mr. LUSHINGTON wished to ask the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department a ques tion of some importance to the metropolis. It would no doubt be in the recollection of the House that the attention of the Lord Mayor had been directed to the circumstance of overloading steam-packets plying on the river Thames, and his Lordship had given it as his opi nion that no real remedy would be applied to the evil until between 400 and 500 had been drowned. He therefore wished to ask whether, under this state of things, Government were prepared to propose any regu lations for the purpose of reforming the system? Sir G. GREY said the question came more imme diately under the cognizance of the department of his Right lion. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, and he would be glad if the Hon. Gentleman would re peat his question on another occasion. DISTURBANCES IN EDINBURGH. Mr. HUME, seeing the Lord Advocate in his place, wished to ask him a question connected with an occurrence that took place in Edinburgh oa the 3d of July. It would be remembered that a disturbance arose there relative to a sale of the goods of a defaulter in payment of the minister's rate, and the military were called out to protect the auctioneer who conducted the sale in the execution of his duty. The question he wished to ask was, why the civil power was not used instead of the military to quell the disturbance ? The LORD ADVOCATE was understood to state that the occurrence referred to by the Hon. Member took place on the occasion of a sale in Edinburgh. The mob which had collected became so unruly that the police were not sufficiently numerous to disperse it, and the consequence was that the military were called out, and he had been assured by many persons of great judgment and experience that it would have been utterly impossible, without their assistance, to have put down the disturbance. lie observed that the police force of Edinburgh was entirely inadequate in numbers, and was besides badly paid, and had it been sufficiently numerous he was of opinion there would have been no necessity to have called in any part of the military. He hoped that the Commissioners of the Edinburgh Police would turn their attention to this matter, and see that the police force was increased. IRELAND. In reply to a questiZfTOlMr.S. CRAWFORD, Lord J. RUSSELL said the Hon. Member's motion with respect to the state of Ireland might be taken on Friday next. STOCK IN TRADE EXEMPTION BILL. Sir R. H. INGLIS inquired if it was the intention of the Government to bring in a general measure on this subject? Sir G. GREY said the subject was one surrounded with difficulties, and that he could not give a pledge t• that effect. SUPPLY.-IRISH JURIES. On the motion for going into a Committee of Supply, Mr. FAGAN rose to resume the adjourned debate on Mr. Keogh's motion with respect to the constitution of Irish juries. Ho said the time had at length arrived when they must look the evils under which Ireland laboured sternly in the face, and not delay the remedial measures which she required longer. He did not think it would be fair to allow the observations of the Right Ilon. Baronet (Sir G. Grey) with respect to that Hon. Gen tleman's address to pass unnoticed. Though he differed with the political opinions of the Hon. Member as widely as the poles were asunder, yet he must be permitted to say of him that he was nut the first to introduce a spirit of acrimony into the debate. i It was true he introduced some party feeling into the debate; but his observations were directed against the Government and not against individuals. Personalities were first intro duced into the debate by the Right Hon. Baronet, who charged the Hon. Member for Athlone with having praised the Whig Government of 1840, and of having become a Conservative in 1848. If he had done and really that was not the matter at issue before the House—he had simply done that of which the Cannings and Pitts of former days were not ashamed. In his opinion the Hon. Gentleman was enable statesman, and might rank amongst the best politicians of his coun try. He regretted the Hon. Member for Dublin .had joined in the personal attack upon the Hon. Member. The rule that had been carried out and adopted was a perpetual and total exclusion of the Roman Catholics_ from the jury lists in Ireland, without any= fegEtrd',4o - . their political opinions. The truth of the matter was,:. that in conse quence o f t h e tr i als o f M r . Sthith and Mr. Meagher, a good deal of excitement prevailed both in Dublin and in this country upon the subject of trial by jury, and this excitement naturally operated upon the mind of the sheriff; in striking the jury to try Mr. Mitchel.—(Hear, hear.) There could be no doubt that the jury was unfairly selected, and a preference was given to Protestants over Catholics which had led to the creation of a good deal of dis content in Ireland upon the subject of Mr. Mitchel's trial. He sincerely hoped that the discussion in that House would have the effect of securing fair and impartial juries for those prisoners who were now on the eve of trial, add justice to the people of Ireland. Ho would give his cordial support to the motion of his Hon. Friend. Mr. H. GRATTAN likewise supported the motion, taking the same view of the duty of the Government officers respecting the religious and political sentiments of those placed upon the lists, from neither of which did ho think they ought to be rejected as jurors. Il e would advise the Government not to irritate the people further. The people were reduced to such a state now that it was impossible to live in the country without running the risk of losing one's life. The Government would flatter themselves, indeed, if they fancied that fever or famine were at an end. The people were living at, in many case, ld. a day from week to week. H e objected to the manner in which the Bill for the suspen sion of the Habeas Corpus Act was passed. The Go vernment had no right to come down to the House and take away the liberties o f th e Irish people, th e i r representatives being almost wholly absent from the House, and solely on account of a few madmen having gone about the country trying to excite the people, and writing some violent article s i n a couple of n ewspapers. Ile was lately in the county of Monaghan, which was stated to be a disturbed county, but in his opinion the people there had no arms, and had not the slightest ilea of a disturbance.—(Hear, hear.) It seemed to him that the connexion between Ireland and this coun try was only to be maintained' at the expense of the liberties of the Irish people.—(llear, hear.) The Go vernment, for the purpose of conciliating the people of Ireland, ought to send back to them the Irish aristocracy, the absentee proprietors, and the rents which they had taken away. The proceedings in that House had dis appointed the country from year to year. When, then, the Noble Lord found that the people of Ireland where discontented, he came down to the House with a Bill to deprive them of their liberties, and designated men as traitors who were no more traitors than the Noble Lord himself. The Noble Lord also stated that the Bill was intended to put down a set of men whose object was plunder. He repudiated the assertion that their object was plunder. He was sure that was not the object of Mr. S. O'Brien. He would assure the House that the minds of the Irish people were poisoned by the London journals as well as Irish papers. Referring to the measures for Ireland which were before the house, he said that there was one which could not pass, another too late, and a third (the Incumbered Estates Bill) — a Bill to enable pauper landlords to sell their over burthened acres—and which would he of no benefit to the people of Ireland. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by stating that there was an attempt made to sow civil and religious discord in the northern part of Ireland, in asmuch as one of the employs of the Dublin Castle was known to have said that if the repealer: of that part of Ireland did not abandon the repeal cry they would be given up to the Northern Orangemen. Here the debate was for a short time interrupted by a message from the House of Lords, to the effect th a t th e i r Lordships had passed several Bills, amongst which was the Habeas Corpus Suspension (Ireland) Bill, which an nouncement produced much cheering.] Lord J. RUSSELL said that he would not follow the Hon. Gentleman who last spoke in alluding to his obser vations on the Bill which passed the House last Saturday. If anybody doubted the necessity which existed for such a measure he had only to read the intelligence which had arrived that day from Ireland to arrive at the conclusion that the House was fully justified in passing it. With regard to what fell from the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Keogh) who brought forward this amendment in reference to the motives which had induced him to leave the House on Jriday night, he should say that he left the House not through any disrespect to the Hon. Gentleman or the motion which he brought forward, but because he himself had a motion of great importance to bring before the House on the following morning, and because he had to read several documents, and to consider well the grounds which be should put forward for the introduc tion of so important a measure. He knew it would take some time to inspect those documents, and he thought he had better leave the House for that purpose than to at tend during the remainder of the debate on the Hon. Gentleman's motion.—(Cheers.) With regard to the motion which the Hon. Gentleman brought forward, he did not think that, in alluding to the case of Mr. Mitchel, he was justified in a statement that he made, to the effect that the sheriff was an officer appointed by the Crown. Technically, it might be said that he was; but, in fact, he was selected out of three persons named by the Chief Justice. Evidently, that was to tally different from his being an officer selected by the Crown. With regard to the conduct of the sheriff, in his (Lord J. Russell's) belief, the sheriff performed his duty conscientiously. But the Hon. Gentleman said that it was owing to leaving out of the list the names of a great number of Catholics, and to challenging the names of certain persons who were placed on the jury list. It was asked also whether it was intended to pre vent Catholics and repealers from acting as jurymen. He would answer—neither one nor the other was intended to be omitted. Catholics were equally qualified with Protestants to act as jurors on general questions, and a man's being a repealer did not disqualify him ; bat this question was with regard to the offence of a person who declared openly that Ireland ought to be separated from England ; that she should be a separate republic ; that the Queen ought to be deposed from her authority and title ; and that such a measure should be accomplished immediately. The question was with regard to the per sons to be selected to act as jurors in such a case, whether or not they were persons who would do their duty in trying it—in fact whether they were likely to give a ver dict according to the evidence. If the Attorney-Gene ral thought that there were any persons on the jury who were not likely to give a verdict according to the evi dence, and who were likely to give a verdict against the evidence, he was perfectly warranted in challenging such persons. As to the question whether that discretion was properly used, that was a matter which neither he nor the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland could enter into, for they could not form any judgment as to the characters of particular individuals; but it was clear that those who published opinions in favour of the offender were not fit persons to try his case.—(Bear, hear.) Such was the case with regard to those who were left out of that jury. The sheriff was responsible for his conduct; but, with respect to the Attorney-General, he was him self a Roman Catholic, and he did not think that it was to be inferred that he would by any act of his dis qualify himself from acting as a juror under similar circumstances. These were the observations which he had to make with regard to what the Hon. Gentleman said in reference to Mr. Mitchel's trial. He did not hear him state anything particular with regard to the other trials. He had only then finally to say that he could not agree, in the present situation of public affairs, to the motion of the Hon. Gentleman. He did not think that the House would be disposed to think that it would be advantageous to enter into an inquiry on this subject; but t in conclusion, L. would state generally, that there was the utmost desire on the part of the Government, the Lord-Lieutenant, and the Attorney-General to give fair trials. The motion was then put and negatived without a division. The House then went into a Committee of Supply on the ARMY ESTIMATES. Mr. F. MAULE said, that having so fully on a former occasion stated the particulars of the votes for the army, ho should now do no more,than simply place in the hands of the Chairman the list of the votes .required for his department. A vote of 1,336,8801. was then asked for to defray the expenses of her Majesty's land forces of Great Britain and Ireland, being part of a sum of 3,836,880/., 2,500,0001. of which had been already voted. Sir D. L. EVANS called attention to a petition which he had recently presented, complaining of some disad vantage under which retired officers laboured, in conse quence of their not being allowed to advance in rank the same as those on active service. Mr. F. MAULE said this had always been the case, and he had heard no previous complaint on the matter. It might be a question how far it was advisable to ad vance these officers in the way pointed out, though it might be done without any additional expense. To the officers themselves he thought it mattered little. On the subject of the dockyard battalions, to which the Hon. and Gallant Gentleman had also alluded, he remarked that they were a most efficient branch of the service, but the officers would not take rank as officers of the line, but only as volunteer officers, and after officers of the same rank. Hence he thought there would be no diffi culty in the two corps acting together. Sir D. L. EVANS said the Peninsular medals were not yet issued. He hoped that some order would be made by Government which should permanently regu late the issue of medals to the army. The East India Company having issued medals to the officers in their service, it became desirable that the same should be done in the army generally. Mr. B. OSBORNE considered that the treatment of the whole army, especially the officers of the line, with regard to decorations, had been most infamous. The reason was, neither the Government nor the House had I any control over the Commander-in-Chief of the Horse Guards. The latter required thoroughly cleansing out, and he would submit a motion on the subject. At pre sent a meritorious officer had not the slightest chance of notice from the Horse Guards. The recent Kafir war had been carried wholly through, so far as the brunt of the contest was concerned, by three or four officers, who were thanked in every dispatch, and that was all. Tho names of Colonel Somerset, Captain Hogg, and Captain Bissett, occurred in every dispatch ; but they had received no promotion. Under the present system the Under-Secretary of the Colonies was actually Secretary -at-War, as far as the colonies were concerned, for he had the disposal of the whole of the forces there. Col. Somerset had received a very flattering testimonial of gratitude from Major-Gen. Smith, the Governor of the Cape; and that was all he had ever received; while such men as Sir 11. Bulwer, Mr. Trevellyan, and Mr. Chadwick, men of great merit no doubt, vere made C.B.'s, and one of them was in the recelat' of' 2,5001. a year,—(Hear, hear.) Capt. Hogg, with his native levies of llottentots, levied at great pri vate expenses of his own, had been mainly instrumental in concluding the war. This was stated in dispatches ; he was thanked by Sir 11. Pottinger and Sir P. Mait land, and yet, when he came home to the Horse Guards, he was told there was neither promotion nor decoration for him.—(Hear.) Capt Bissett was thrown aside in the same way; the reason being that the rummer in which-Oet war was originally carried on was not very ;'eoniefiViiffor the Horse Guards to recollect. These 'dim ought at least to be made unattached majors, and receive the decoration of C.B. In the Chinese war the - services of Capt. Brereton and Gen. D'Aguilar bad been similarly neglected. He knew the Secretary -at-War had no power in this case, but he hoped these remarks would be listened to in the proper quarter. Mr. F. MAULE said that, so far as he had seen of the Horse Guards, he believed that great fairness was exhi • bited in their management. In this Kafir war the first person said to be neglected was Colonel Somerset, an intimate connexion of the person who was said to be all- I powerful at the orse Guards.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. OSBORNE—I don't believe he is. Mr. F. MAULE said that any apparent neglect of the officers in the Kafir war might arise from the whole cir cumstances not yet being taken into consideration. At all events, it appeared the neglect, if neglect there were, was not confined to those of low rank. As to Captain Hogg, ho did not hold the rank which brought him vithiu the scope of the decorations alluded to. On the question of the general management of the army he would not enter into details, as it was now under the, consideration of a Committee. Mr. HUME said that not one of the reforms in tb army recommended by a Commission that sat nine year 3 ago had been carried out, although that Commissio j, which comprised four members of the present Cabin( 4, had made thirteen or fourteen recommendations ; amongst others, that the Horse Guards should be placed. on the same footing as the navy. This had been the case, although the Duke of Wellington, the soldier's friend, filled the office of Commander-in-Chief. Ono great defect of our system was that there were no re wards for civilians for distinguished services. Ile un derstood the Committee on the estimates had refused to make any recommendation as to the army ; the duty would therefore devolve on the Government of carrying, out the reforms so long needed. He entirely differed with the Secretary-at-War in thinking that rank was of little consequence to military men. Mr. OSBORNE said that Captain Hogg's ineligibility to decoration might easily have been removed by making him a major. In the case of Major Pearson, although a major, no decoration was given, Lie was far from wish